#and he isn't even my favorite character! grace is

[norringtondeservestheworld]

No one: Not a single soul: Me: remember when at the beggining of Endless Summer Aleister was introduced as a side character with the stereotype of the snobby and always annoyed guy and he ended up being one of the most important characters of the story with an insane arc and most of the plot twists involved him the writers were so wild for this

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Reading these popularity polls and feeling like I'm going lowkey insane

(WSJ Chapter 102 Popularity Poll, released September 7, 2018)

(Official Anime Site's 4th Anniversary Popularity Poll, conducted in August 2020)

(VIZ February 2021 Popularity Poll)

Anna being more popular in fanon that Don illustrates the phenomon of a fandom being willing to do one of their least favorite things (appreciate a female character) in order to avoid doing another one of their least favorite things (appreciate a character of color)

[jazzthatonewriterchick]

I'll Make You A Star, Baby (Toji x F!Reader 18+ One Shot)

Pairing: Sleazy Music Producer!Toji Fushiguro x Popstar!Reader

Synopsis: You are an up-and-coming pop girl who has dominated the charts with your hit song and is quickly moving into the world of stardom. As your popularity in the music industry grows, your manager and fans are foaming at the mouth for a new hit single. So you pair up with Toji Fushiguro, a hitmaker and a playboy in the industry, well known for his beats AND his dick game. And despite your resistance to Toji's seduction, you quickly learn that becoming a household name in the music world isn't that easy. Maybe fucking this man can make you a star...or is that just what he slipped in your drink talking?

Warnings: Smutty Smut; 18+ (MINORS DNI); No Curse AU; Music Industry AU; Celeb!Toji x Celeb!Reader; Sexual Tension; Coercion; Drugging; Rape/Noncon; Dubcon; Drug Use (Marijuana + Cocaine); DILF!Toji x Younger!Reader (Early 20s); Sex on Camera; Slutification; Objectification; Oral (Giving & Receiving); Spit Play; Degradation + Praise; Snorting Coke Off Toji's Dick; Facefucking; Face Slapping; Daddy Kink; Multiple Positions (Missionary + Doggy); Reader Cums 2x; Creampie

Disclaimer: I own none of the characters mentioned in this fic. However, as this is my writing, I do not give permission for my work to be reposted on any other sites that are not from my own accounts. Thank you!

Writer's Note: I hate The Idol with all my fucking heart...but "Popular" is a BOP. I can't believe I'm just now hearing it lmaoo! As soon as I heard it, I got this idea. Originally, this was one for Gojo but I haven't written about my broke ass DILF Toji in a minute lol. I hope you enjoy! PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS. -Jazz

*****************

Since you've been a little girl, you always wanted to be a star. And you know the man sitting across from you is capable of helping you with that. "So," Toji asks, taking a drag of his cigarette, "you wanna be famous, huh?"

You sit across from him on one of the comfortable leather couches he put in his studio in one of your "low maintenance" outfits: a white bralette, bra free, a cropped zip-up hoodie, low-riding jeans tight on your ass, and your favorite pair of pink furry slippers, your French manicure peeking out from the openings.

"I thought I was already famous," you chuckle. You sit-cross legged on the couch, a red solo cup in your lap. You've only taken three sips since you've been here for over 20 minutes now. It is some concoction of tropical fruit punch and vodka that explodes on your tongue with its sweetness and tastiness.

Toji Fushiguro, a single father and the top music producer in the game, sits across from you in his chair that he likes to wheel himself around on. He is a huge guy, taller than you even sitting down, sitting with his jeans spread eagle in his gray sweats. You advert your eyes from it.

"Well, yeah, but famous-er," he retorts. "Way more popular than you are now. You're still an upcoming artist after all." He smiles with his dark eyes, his lips curling up into a light smirk that causes the faint scar on his lip to become a bit more noticeable.

He is joking with you, you know, but even the mention of still being upcoming makes you want to bash your head into a wall. Hence while you're here. "Don't remind me," you sigh, taking another sip of the drink Toji whipped up for you. "My manager is on my ass about getting another song out for the summer." You grin at the man sitting across from you. "That's where you come in."

Toji raises his pierced eyebrow at you, giving him a very attractive look. He is truly a handsome man. He can make even the black hoodie and sweats combo he is wearing look like designer with his sexy features, dark eyes, and muscular robust. If he wasn't a producer, he would make a killing as a model.

If you are to Google him, Toji Fushiguro would come up as a top producer worth millions gracing magazine covers, a five-time Grammy winner, and someone who has worked with the top singers and rappers in the industry right now, including Megan Thee Stallion, The Weeknd, Rihanna, and Sexy Redd.

Everything he touches turns to gold. You knew that he would be able to give you what you want...and need. Your manager has been breathing down your neck for a new hit to knock your first one out of the water, but so far, his efforts have been failing. Every producer he has called can't give you what you're looking for.

So you took matters into your own hands. You hit Toji up on Twitter on a whim, asking him to do a beat for you. He responded to you a day later, apologizing for his lateness and agreeing to meet up while he was in town. You felt giddy, excited for this chance to possibly gain more popularity and get closer to your goal.

Since you've been a child, you always wanted to be famous. Watching Beyoncé and Michael Jackson on your mom's TV, you knew that your dream was to get on a stage and perform. Make a million dollars. Tour the world. See the sights that your small-town parents never have.

So in your teens, you started doing YouTube videos where you'd dance and sing covers. Before the fresh age of twenty, you were discovered by a talent agent who flew you out to sunny California to audition for your manager's agency. He adored your pretty face, powerful vocals, and moves, deciding that you would be perfect.

A year later, you popped out with your first single 'Rev Your Engines' which was a mixture of bubblegum pop and hip hop that woke the industry and general public up. Everyone suddenly started noticing you in public and inviting you to award shows. You were performing on TV and gracing magazine covers.

The thrust into stardom was a weird and intense one, like taking too many drugs...yet like a drug, you can't get enough. You need more. More money. More fame. More recognition. And you know for a fact that Toji is capable of all of that. "Me?" he asks, acting shocked.

"Well, you are one of the top producers in the game," you giggle, taking another sip of the cocktail. "You'll be my secret weapon."

The producer's smirk grows, widening on his cheeks where two dimple piercing glitter back at you. "Oh, I know." You suck your teeth, rolling your eyes. "Nah, I'm fuckin' witchu," he cackles. "But seriously, with your vocals and my beats, any song we put out is sure to be a hit."

You laugh, giddy and slightly tipsy. "I like that energy!" you exclaim. "Mmm, and this drink! It's loosenin' me up." Plus the red glow coming from a lava lamp sitting next to you and the soft R&B music he has playing from his Alexa Orb in the corner of the room with your Hello Kitty duffle bag. The ambiance is very seductive.

You are the only one in the studio with Toji right now. You are sure there will be other people coming in soon despite the late hour. Despite this being the first time you and Toji are officially meeting each other, you don't mind other people interrupting your studio session. He is a very busy man after all.

Your eyes flutter closed as the vodka begins to talk, your head tilting back against the couch. Unbeknownst to you, Toji's eyes trail up your body, stopping short on your stomach where a belly button ring glitters at him. "Just how I need you," he murmurs. "'Specially for the song ya had in mind. What'd you say? Somethin' sexy for the hot girls?"

You open your eyes to give him a playful wink, unaware of the hidden meaning behind his hot gaze. "And the gays," you giggle, swishing your ice around in your cup. "I want somethin' that made the same noise as 'Rev Your Engine', but bigger. I got the lyrics for it here."

You take a final sip of your drink and leave it on a coaster before strutting over to your duffle to retrieve your songwriting journal. You don't feel the producer's eyes on your shapely, heart-shaped ass as it jiggles and bounces in your Region jeans.

"Oh?" Toji asks, interested. "Lemme see. I didn't know you wrote too." You hand your strawberry-printed journal over to him, rolling your eyes when he snickers at the cover. He turns the pages to your new song and begins to read.

Sweating slightly, you stand there in suspense, watching his smile fade and his eyes widen an inch. You feel your body flush with embarrassment and anticipation. You know that your lyrics are more risqué and, quite frankly, slutty here: talking about bouncing on it at the club so everyone sees; being put on a leash; teasing him and his friend through a FaceTime call so they come over and cum in you.

Your lyrics aren't THAT blunt, but they are very "on the nose". And you know Toji knows that as he continues to read, silent. "C'mon, don't keep me in suspense, Toji!" you whine, wanting to snatch the journal away. "What'd you think?"

He finally turns to you, his face playfully deadpan. "I think you're a fuckin' freak," he replies, deadass. "Damn, girl, what do you do behind the scenes when you're not on stage or red carpets?" He passes the journal back to you, his eyes aglow with mirth.

"Wouldn't you like to know," you playfully murmur. You go to take your journal back, but Toji holds onto it, his calloused fingers nearly touching yours. The playful glint in his eyes fades, replaced with something hotter. More...personal. "Yeah, I would."

And it doesn't sound like a joke. His tone is too raspy and too serious for that. Your smile fades and your body feels like it has been put in a sauna, the temperature in the room spiking into the nineties now. The air between you throbs with tension and something that should not be transpiring the more Toji stares you down, almost as if he is trying to get you out of your panties.

Ding!

The sound of Toji’s phone pinging in his pocket cuts through the tension and stops whatever was about to happen from happening….which it wasn’t.

Toji, looking irritated, digs his phone out and puffs on his cigarette as he reads the message. “Oh, that's my plug," he announces, breaking out into a toothy grin. "Stick around. I'll be right back. Go in the booth when you're ready."

You nod and cradle your journal to your chest before he gets up and leaves you alone in the studio to recuperate and calm yourself.

Other than being a renowned and talented producer, Toji is also a total playboy. A whore, if you will. Always has a different girlfriend or fuck buddy every month. A model or stripper on his arm. Always photographed coming out of a sneaky link’s crib or a hotel. He gets around.

You have no time for any of that. Men like him will get you in trouble...though dating him would definitely up your popularity and boost your publicity. But you want to be famous for your talent, not being a famous man's girlfriend or side piece. No matter how hot Toji is...or how could he smells...or how wet his eyes make you feel.

When he returns, you've put down your cup and ventured into the recording booth. He smiles at you from behind the plexiglass, jiggling a baggie of weed around. "Ya want some?" he asks. He looks perturbed when you shake your head. "What, you don't smoke? In this industry?"

You scoffingly laugh, taking the headphones hanging off the mic. "I don't wanna fuck up my throat." Toji raises an eyebrow at this, catching onto the unintended sexual connotation. "You know what I mean!" you exclaim.

"Weed doesn't do that, sweetheart," he chuckles, sitting down in his chair with his legs spread once again. "Just say you're scared! It's fine!" You give him the middle finger, your French tips each printed with a gem. You always loved a good, cute set.

"Ya may need some of this green to sing lyrics like those," he whistles, giving you a wink. "I thought 'WAP' was nasty, but this takes the cake. Is your dad okay with his pretty little pop star singin' dirty shit like this?" He gives you a humored smirk through the booth.

You give him a tense stare, earning a raucous laugh in reply to the shots fired at your manager. It is public knowledge that your manager is very strict about who you involve yourself with...if he knows who you involve yourself with. He will never know about your meeting with Toji until the song is finished.

"My manager is fine with it," you reply. "He wants a hit, so I'm giving it to him. Now turn me up."

When you put the headphones over your head and hear the first threads of the beat, you already know what you want and how you want to sound. The best part of being an artist is recording. You love losing yourself in the music, closing your eyes and taking yourself away to a place where there is nothing but your voice, the beat, and the feeling you feel while singing.

But with this particular song, it doesn't go that way. At first, you feel sensational. Sexy. Liberated. The vodka runs through you and Toji's laser vision on you make you sing the salacious lyrics with conviction and all the heart you have in your body.

But after a while, when Toji asks you to do different cuts and you pause to get your mind right, you start to feel that self doubt creep in. That thought that you look and sound stupid saying all of this shit. At some point during recording, you stop, the words dying in your throat and the vodka's magic wearing off.

Toji wrinkles in brows in confusion, cutting the music in your headphones. "Hey, what's up, doll?" he questions. "You good? You stopped right at the chorus."

You slide the headphones off your head, biting your lip. "I-I don't know," you lamely admit. "I'm sorta second-guessing these lyrics. Maybe you're right: they're too dirty."

But Toji scoffs, waving a passive hand at your negative talk. "Nah, nah, nah," he protests. "Don't fuckin' do that. Don't get in that head. You're an artist, Y/N, and this is what artists do."

"Yeah, but..." You stare off to the side, still chewing on your bottom lip. Maybe this isn't a good idea. What if you lose your fanbase? What if people start to see you as a sexy gimmick and not a true artist?

Seeing you battle with yourself, Toji crooks a finger at you. "Here, come on out here and let me help ya out." He then gets up and walks over to the mini fridge sitting by his fish tank filled with aquatic wonders sitting adjacent to the other couch on the other side of the room.

You do as he says, leaving the booth to sit back on the couch next to it. As you get comfortable, he pours you another cup of the fruity concoction that you've come to love. "Sip on your drink a little," he encourages. "The vodka will help you." He gives you an encouraging smile, silently telling you to drink it.

You take a long sip, letting the sweetness explode over your tastebuds. "Mmm," you pleasantly hum. He nods in agreement, clinking his red cup with yours. "See? Nice and sweet, like you." He takes a sip of his, licking the red residue from his plump top lip. You ignore the way his tongue glitters with a piercing.

He then gives you some space and takes a seat in the couch across from you where he begins rolling himself a blunt. Maybe it's the vodka creeping into your brain crevices, but suddenly, Toji's veiny, calloused, and inked hands are very attractive. They seduce you with every twist, bend, roll, and pinch that his fingers make as he sprinkles in some shavings of marijuana and prepares his blunt.

He is an expert at this, focused and highly intriguing the more you watch him. Especially when his pink, pierced tongue slides along the brown paper to close the blunt, successfully rolling it. He then takes his lighter out and fights it, the flickering flame illuminating his son's name tattooed on his right collarbone: Megumi.

His plump lips wrap around the blunt and he takes a puff, smoke billowing in the air like tiny ghosts. You feel hot suddenly, like your entire body is throbbing, and your veins itch with some weird anticipation. Is it the vodka? It's making you feel so reckless.

"Can I have a hit?" you softly ask. The producer raises a brow, smoke billowing out of his nostrils. He blows an O in the air, bringing your attention to his mouth. He smirks and saunters over to you with the blunt, telling Alexa to play his 'Hotbox Playlist' as he does.

The sound of a Giveon song enters the air as he takes a seat beside you, nearly dipping the cushions because of how big he is. "You ever done it before?" You shake your head, making him laugh. "Don't worry, doll, I've got you. Start off slow when you inhale."

He passes you the blunt, instructing you to hold it between your forefinger and thumb. Trembling with nerves, you slowly wrap your lips around the blunt and inhale, the end of the blunt glowing red like a firefly in the summer night sky.

As soon as the weed hits your lungs, you're coughing, your throat burning. Toji stifles a laugh. "Easy, easy, baby," he chuckles, patting you on the back. "I said take it slow. Try again."

You take another sip of your cocktail and do it again, being extra careful to not inhale so hard. This time, it is easier and when the weed hits, it hits big time. You feel a warmth in your lungs and your chest, causing you to press a hand against your beating heart. "Ooh," you sigh. "Wow."

Toji grins at you, nodding. "Uh-uh," he agrees. "It'll kick in soon. Wanna get back in the booth?"

You lazily nod, feeling good and as light as a feather. So you take your cup into the booth and do another cut of the song. This time, your vocals are slow and sensual. Your eyes flutter closed as the vodka and weed take over, making your body feel heavy and light at the same time.

As you sing, you focus on Toji and he focuses dead on you, barely taking his eyes off of your face and body. They trail over you like you're a dessert plate...and for some reason, you like that. You enjoy him watching. It makes your body throb more and your breath come out short.

Not to mention the wetness in your panties. When did that happen?

After your session, Toji gives you a thumbs up and you sway out of the booth, holding onto the wall for support. Maybe you need to back up off of the cup for a while. The vodka is obviously hitting you, but you can't remember the last time you felt so disoriented and aroused. Could it be the weed too? You only took two puffs!

"We got a good take," Toji says, giving you a smile that illuminates his handsome face. "You're a natural at this, doll." His gaze is full of so much admiration that it makes you flush. You shyly giggle, unaware that your hand resting on the chair is close to his forearm. "I learned from the best."

You're not quite sure what that means, but Toji doesn't question it. Instead, he takes another puff of his blunt and taps it into the ashtray sitting next to him. His smile widens, a secretive playfulness in it. "Now let's celebrate."

And so you do. You drink more and you watch Toji puff on his blunt, becoming more aroused by the way he forms those smoke Os and wondering what his tongue piercing feels like. At some point, when the edges of your vision become blurrier and your panties grow tighter, Toji pulls another bag out of his pocket.

He sits next to you on the couch, the smell of his cologne and body wash smelling like ocean waves engulfing your senses. You watch intently as he takes a magazine and sprinkles white powder onto it. He also whips out a $100 bill and a Black Card from his wallet, no doubt flashing his wealth at you.

You stare at the white substance, your fuzzy mind processing things slowly but processing nonetheless. Cocaine. Toji notices your perturbed expression and gently nudges you. "Don't be so scared, baby," he chuckles. "We're havin' a little party, ain't we? I'm sure you've done it with the girls at the club before."

You only did it once at an industry party and vowed to never do it again after waking up in someone else's bed with no recollection of how you got there. But when you see Toji begin to cut straight lines with his Black Card and roll up the dollar bill, you start to wonder.

When he bends down to snort a line, he grunts slightly and sniffles, leaning his head back with his eyes closed and his throat exposed. He swallows roughly, his Adam's Apple bobbing. Then the expression on his face softens and he shudders, a look of euphoria on his face. Now you really start to wonder just how it feels.

He slowly turns to you, his smile lazy. "Wanna try?" he asks, passing you the bill. The alcohol and weed fumes make you more susceptible and reckless. More willing to try anything. Everything sounds like a good idea now.

So you lean down, stick the dollar bill up your right nostril, close the left with your fingertips, and tentatively snort a line of the coke. You can only explain it as a rush of fire going up your nose, leaving you to only do half a line. You gasp and grunt at the pain, pinching your sinuses. "Easy, mama," Toji coos, stroking your hair. "It'll pass. Once it hits, it'll feel real good."

And it does. A warm feeling spreads throughout your body like you are washed in light and you feel tingly. Your heart beats like a hummingbird's wings and everything seems sharper. You break into a smile, giggling. A weird light glints in Toji's eyes. "Yeah, it's workin'," he chuckles.

You lean back against the couch, the ceiling spinning slightly. Your body throbs with heat, your skin feeling as if lava has replaced your blood. "Mmm," you hum uncomfortably, wriggling slightly in your hoodie. Toji leans back against the couch too, his head just inches from yours. "Hot?" he chortles. "Yeah, it'll do that."

His fingers pinch the zipper of your hoodie, not unzipping it but not moving either. "Why don't you take it off if you're hot?" he suggests. So you do, letting the tiny piece of clothing fall from your arms and reveal the hard nipples under your thin bralette.

Now your limbs itch to move. You need to stand. So you suddenly stand, damn near scaring Toji, and your favorite Kehlani song begins to play. You hum in delight and start to sway to the music.

"Feelin' good, baby?" Toji asks. His voice sounds far away yet so close at the same time.

"Mmm-hmm," you hum. "I love this song." You begin to wind your hips to the slow beat, envisioning yourself as a wave. As your hips begin to gyrate in a circle to the beat, Toji watches from his spot on the couch, wanting you to get out of more of your clothes. You stick your hands out for his, giggling. "Dance with me, Toji," you request.

Toji's slick, slightly-red eyes stare at your dainty, manicured hands before he gives in and stands. Your heart lurches at the sheer size and height of him looming over you, though you don't feel intimated. If anything, it is all a major turn on. He takes his hand in yours and begins to sway with you to the music, the two of you in your own little world hazed with weed smoke and booze.

He then snakes one muscular arm around your waist and uses the other to turn you around so you're facing away from him. You breathe sharply through your nose as he presses himself against you...or are you pressing back into him? Either way, suddenly, your ass is brushing against the undeniable stiffness of his hard-on in his sweats.

"Dance for me," he whispers to you. He then takes a seat again and watches you as you begin to wind your hips to the music, flipping your hair and staring him down so seductively that his hard-on twitches in his sweats. He is but a fan in your audience as you glide along the stage.

You then place a hand by his shoulder to grasp the couch and hook a leg over his thigh. Then the other. And suddenly, with one yank from his hands snaking up your hips, you are straddling him. "This could be the single cover right here," he murmurs, eyes roaming up your body.

You shake your head, humming "mm-mm" is disagreement. His brows wrinkle. "Why not?" he questions, his hands still snaking along your hips and up your spine. "You'd make a million on a single if ya did, just sayin'. Maybe even with less clothes."

You remember when you were first starting out that a photographer in charge of snapping photos of you for your press tour tried to pressure you into posing topless. You refused. But now, sitting here with Toji, feeling his hot muscles under your fingertips and his even hotter cock throbbing underneath you, you think that maybe you were mistaken.

"Really?" you softly ask. The producer crookedly smiles at you, making himself look even more dangerously attractive. "Hell yeah. You have a beautiful body, Y/N. The talent is just a plus."

His hands trail up to grasp your breasts in your bralette, his palms pressing against your hard nipples through the thin fabric. "I can see these goin' viral on IG already," he dreamily sighs. "Goddamn, you're perfect."

In the back of your head, you are fully aware that your producer is groping you and this situation is very inappropriate...but you also don't care. Caring isn't even in the room with you right now. "You sure this would make me go viral?" you giggle, but you secretly mean it. Your back arches, pushing your chest farther into Toji's hold. "Wanna find out?" he asks, raising an eyebrow at you.

And so, Toji gets his phone out, the bright light of his camera washing over you, while you slip off your top. As you do, your pussy gushes in your panties and your nipples grow harder, hardening to peaks once the barrier of your top is gone.

You sit there on top of him, your heart accelerating and your blood pressure reaching the ceiling. Toji gapes at you, his large hands gently brushing your skin. "Shit," he swears. "Look at you, baby. The hottest girl ever."

He snaps a photo of you with your tits out, the flash making your eyes flutter and tear. One of his hands reaches out to gently fondle one of your pretty titties, the light touch making you tingle. "Toji," you whimper.

"Yeah?" he asks. "What is it, baby doll? You like posin' for me?" He takes another photo, this one catching the way your bottom lip catches between your teeth. Finally sick of taking photos, Toji tosses his phone asides and latches his lips to your neck.

You gasp as his soft lips latch onto your tender skin and throat, his inked hands groping your breasts, rolling and fondling them in his big palms. "W-We shouldn't...oh," you moan. You instinctively tilt your head back to allow more of his touch. His kiss. His everything. "What if someone comes in?" you weakly ask.

Toji looks up at you, giving you a rather irritated expression at the mention of a stranger interrupting your moment. "Nobody's comin', baby. It's 1 AM, plus I've got the key." He continues to kiss your neck, each one like a trail of fire licking across your skin. "Just relax for me. You'll love this."

"Toji," you mutter. "We shouldn't..." But your reasoning dies as soon as his tongue juts out to lick your neck and earlobe, his piercing cool against your hot, clammy skin. You moan again, wrapping your arms around his broad shoulders and neck, feeling his muscles underneath his hoodie.

He pulls away and gazes longingly at your tits in his hands, squeezing them gently. "Look at these tits," he groans. "So perfect. You can be a star with this body, baby." One of his hands snake down to your ass, creeping underneath your jeans to grasp your cheeks. Your moan is louder this time, leading Toji to swallow it with his mouth.

His lips are soft and taste of fruit punch, his tongue wetly sliding against yours. His kiss is just as addictive and dangerous as he is. You share moans and gasps as you continue to heatedly make out in Toji's studio, your body drawn to his like a moth to a flame. With every second of his lips locked with yours, you grow more impatient and aroused. Every part of you screams 'I am horny'.

As if sensing this, Toji wraps his arms around your waist and picks you up, standing up with you in his arms. He then lays you down on the couch and hovers over you, his handsome face swallowing up your sight of the ceiling. His hands, quick and skillful, reach for the fly on your jeans. You don't stop him when he starts to unzip them.

"I can make you a star, y'know," he continues as he peels off your pants. "You don't have to worry. With me, I can make you big." Your pants slide down your legs, revealing the pink G-string you're wearing underneath.

Toji smirks at this, pinching the thin waistband of the thong between his fingers and pulling it back to snap against your skin. Once your pants are off of you, he goes back to sucking on your nipples while one hand sneaks down to rub your pussy through your thong. You gasp at his touch, his thick fingers rubbing circles around the wet spot of your panties. "Oh, Toji!" you whine. "F-Fuck!"

"So pretty," he murmurs against your tits. He nuzzles them. Inhales your scent. Presses kisses to your chest as his hand continues to move in semi-circles against your soddened panties, feeling how puffy your pussy lips are sticking to your thong.

"So wet for me," he sighs. "Guess that little pill I slipped in your drink kicked in."

Suddenly, the world tilts on is axis and everything feels sharper now. You gaze down at him, confused and alarmed. "W-What?" you gasp.

He slipped you something? When? How? Why? Is that why you're feeling so weird?

Toji tilts his chin up to heavily kiss you, his stubble rubbing against your cheek. "Relax, doll. It's just an aphrodisiac." He smirks against your open mouth as you moan in his face, his fingers slipping between your slit. "Somethin' to get this body ready...somethin' make this little pussy wet for me."

He tears himself away from your tits, opting instead to be between your thighs. With his hands around your ankles, he yanks you down the couch so your legs are hanging off of the couch and he is kneeling between them. You watch helplessly as he drags your wet thong down your creamy, soft legs and places the tiny, soaked panties in his back pocket.

His eyes, laced with weed and lust, stare into yours, illuminating by the red glow of the lava lamp. "Just do what I want and I'll make you the brightest star in this fuckin' world," he softly growls. "Now open up for me."

You have no choice in the matter anymore once he is diving between your thighs and pressing them apart with his strong hands to get better access to you. Toji Munch Fushiguro should be his new government name because the man knows a thing or two about eating pussy.

"Toji!" you gasp, your hands grasping his black hair. "Oh, fuck! Oh, my God, yes!" You can't keep quiet as his tongue slithers inside of your wet hole, his pillowy-soft lips sucking on your puffy pussy lips drenched in your juices and his spit.

Speaking of spit, he likes to do that. He pauses a few times from tongue fucking you to spit copious amounts of saliva onto your pussy, letting it drip down your asscrack, and slurping it back up, making your throbbing clit hum and sing with pleasure.

You have never been eaten out in such a possessive, dominating, and eager way. His mouth is like Heaven and Hell mixed into one, each stroke of his tongue sending you further down the rabbit hole like little Alice. As he eats, you grip your titties, tweaking your nipples and fondling them in an effort to give yourself more stimulation.

"Oh, Toji, please," you whimper. "Please make me cum."

Your cute moans seem to awaken something in Toji because suddenly, he is roughly yanking you up and scooping you up into his arms. You gasp, wrapping your arms and legs around him. "You wanna cum, slutty girl?" he murmurs against your mouth. "Fine...I'll make ya cum."

You can only squeal when he kneels down with you hooks his hands under your ass to press your pussy against his face. You stay as still as a statue when he walks over to the nearest wall and presses you against it, still slurping your pussy like a starving man.

"Oh, fuck!" you moan, tossing your head back against the wall. You grasp his scalp, pushing him farther into your gushing cunt, your feet dangling off of his shoulders. "Fuck, Daddy, yes!" The name just slips out of you the tighter Toji holds you, the power in his fingertips making you gush and pour more honey into his mouth.

"I'm gonna cum!" you whine, your voice bouncing off of the studio walls. "Please, Daddy, make me cum!" Toji hums agreeably into your pussy, his licking growing more vigorous and eager, wanting you to cum all over his face.

And with a loud moan that could break glass, you finally come undone in his arms, your pussy quivering and shaking around his mouth. It could just be the cocaine paired with Toji's mouth, but it is an intense orgasm that leaves you shaking and your head fuzzy, not a single coherent thought in it.

When you finally come down from your orgasmic high, Toji carefully places you down on the couch and unwinds your jelly-like legs from his shoulders. He stares at you, his chin slick with your cum and his lips dripping in it. "That felt good, right?" he coos. He licks away your honey, keeping his eyes locked on you.

Slowly, you nod, still at a loss for words. His big hand shoots out to grip your chin, forcing you to keep looking at him. "Say thank you," he growls. You roughly swallow, doing your best to please him despite your mental being so fucked up. "T-Thank you, Daddy," you stammer.

Toji smirks, pressing a chaste, wet kiss to your lips. "Mmm, good girl. You listen so well."

Yes, you are a good girl. And as a good girl, you know you need more. So when you see Toji's hard cock outlined by his sweats twitching and throbbing, you crawl to him. He watches in awe as you press your cheek against his dick print and begin nuzzling it, your eyes fluttered closed.

"Watchu want?" he chuckles. "You want this here?" He takes a handful of his cock, gnawing on his bottom lip. You slowly nod, oozing wetness from your pussy that throbs insistently despite your recent orgasm. "Then come and get it," he demands. "Take my cock out if you want it, doll."

He watches you slink forward, your back arched and pretty ass tooted in the air for him. You eagerly untie his sweats, delighted to find that he isn't wearing underwear, and pull them down to reveal the long, hard, thick, throbbing, veiny cock dangling between his muscular thighs sinewy with hair.

You ogle at his hard dick and his lickable happy trail as he strips his hoodie off, revealing his tattoos and broad chest littered in black chest hair. You salivate at all of him, but especially his cock. The desire to feel it stretch out your mouth and throat fills you with a buzz.

"Nice, right?" he chuckles, a cocky smile on his face. "Needs a little bump though." He takes the baggie of coke off the coffee table and you watch, entranced, as he sprinkles some white powder onto his shaft.

Now you cannot hide your hunger anymore. Greedily, you wrap a hand around the base and take a lick of his cock, licking up the coke in the process. Toji moans at the sight, tilting his head back as you slurp up his pre-cum bubbling from his tip, moaning as you do. The coke sinks into your tastebuds and gums, giving you a zing that hits in a way the first line didn't. You feel alive, like you can walk on the moon.

It gives you the urge to swallow every inch of Toji's cock, taking him deep into your wet mouth and sloppily sucking on him. White residue from the coke sticks to your nose and the corners of your spit-covered lips as you greedily suck, hollowing your cheeks and bobbing your head up and down, up and down, your throat sliding around him.

"Ngh," he grunts, squeezing his eyes tight. "Fuck, that's fuckin' hot!" His face is flushed red, his Adam's Apple bobbing roughly as your throat flexes around him. "Go 'head, baby girl. Take me in that throat and suck me good."

Feening from the encouragement and praise, you wrap two hands around the base and suck what you can, sliding your sloppy, wet, tight throat around Toji's cock. As you do, a blinding light washes over you as Toji watches you from his phone, the camera shining on you.

"Thaaaat's my little star," he encourages, staring at you through the lense of his phone. "My good lil' cock slut. You take dick as good as you sing, baby girl."

His hand wraps around the back of your head and he pushes you deeper onto it, causing you to sightly gag as his bulbous tip brushes against the back of your throat. He begins to fuck your face, ruining your makeup and your throat, grunting as he does so. Your head feels fuzzy and dizzy, your eyes rolling to the back of your head as he uses your mouth like a toy.

A buzz, indeed. Especially the way the man attached to the delicious dick in your mouth talks to you. "Such a pretty little bitch I've got," Toji murmurs. "You love this shit, don't you, slut?" His words are degrading and nasty, but his voice is sugary sweet, sending shivers down your spine.

You try to speak around his cock, but he stops you by pushing deeper, filling your nostrils with the scent of him. He is pressed flush against you, his heavy balls pressed against your chin. "Don't talk with your mouth full," he grunts. "Just keep suckin'. I want the perfect angle of you."

He turns his phone horizontal so he records in landscape. Your eyes, glassy with tears, stare up into his phone. “And don't worry; nobody's seein' this but me." He gives you a smirk riddled in sin and red-hot lust as he continues to fuck your throat off its hinges.

You have no choice but to sit on your knees and take it, breathing through your nose and letting spit drip from your chin down your tits, much to Toji's satisfaction. You place your hands on his hips, indulging in his firm ass and thighs as he thrusts into your mouth, groaning at the feeling of your tight-as-a-vice throat.

He then pulls away, dragging his cock out of your mouth and letting the saliva string stretch from his tip to your lips. “Open your mouth.” His tone is firm, serious. You do as you're told, opening your mouth wide and sticking your tongue out.

He leans towards you, tilting your face up by your hair, and spits a wad of saliva into your mouth. “Now put it back on my cock." You do just that, going back to sucking him dry as his spit drips from your mouth onto his shaft, drizzling down his balls. “Yeah, slurp it up, baby,” he groans. “Such a good fuckin’ girl!"

He watches you with an expression close to anguish as if he can't take the sight of you gagging on his dick. As he begins to throb and swell in your mouth, a guttural sound escapes him as if he is resisting. “No,” he growls. “If I’m gonna cum, I need to fuck you first.”

So he pulls out of your mouth and taps the wet tip against your lips, putting his phone away. “Do you want me to fill that pussy up, doll?” You feel your body tingle with excitement and need, the desire to be fucked, filled, and ruined taking over. “Yes,” you whisper.

A light flickers in Toji's eyes, exciting you further. “Then grab onto me.” You reach up and wrap your arms around his neck, allowing him to scoop you up so your legs dangle from his waist. He sticks his tongue in your mouth, sloppily kissing you as he walks you over to the control panel.

He plops you down on the edge of the panel, accidentally switching the 'ON' button for recording. Neither of you notice, even as Toji's voice echos throughout the studio as he speaks. “Up ya go,” he chuckles. “You’re so wet for me, baby.”

He slides his tip down to your pussy, gently prying your lips apart and swirling it around in your juices. You softly gasp as he nudges your clit, sending sparks of electricity throughout your body. “Toji,” you whimper. “Fuck me please.”

Between the way your eyes grow slick with unshed tears, your cute little French tips dig into his shoulders, and your simpering begging, Toji is helpless to resist you. He sticks his mouth to yours as he slides himself home inside of you, causing you both to gasp at the new sensations.

Sex off cocaine, vodka, and aphrodisiac pills is something you have never experienced before. There is nothing quite like it.

Toji must feel it too because his entire body is tense as if he can't take the pleasure. "Fuck, you're tight, baby," he grunts. "And so wet." He begins to thrust, rough and unrelenting, each word punctuated by a stroke that makes you gasp and your thighs shake.

"Such. A good. Fuckin'. Girl for me," Toji groans, driving his cock into you again and again. Your mouth falls agape on each moan and gasp that rattles your bones and drags unnatural sounds from you, each stroke of his cock taking you to a world far beyond this one (plus the cocaine helps).

Toji grabs your chin, mushing your cheeks together. "Say it!" he demands. "Say you're my good fuckin' girl!" He thrusts a little harder, making your pussy throb and tighten around his merciful cock.

"I'm your good fuckin' girl!" you sob, gripping him for dear life. Your feet dangle from his waist, your body wrapped around him like a koala bear as he fucks you dumb. "Yeah?" he chuckles. "You love this? You love bein' my little slut?"

Your desperate moans answer for him. Your head lulls against his shoulder, each thrust exhausting you. It is too much. Too intense. The sheer ecstasy is almost agonizing. "Such a tease," he growls. "Always teasin' me with this fuckin' body. I've been wanting you for so long, baby."

He leans you back against the buttons on the control panel, giving him a good view of your body. He fondles one of your tits as he fucks you, his eyes lecherously sliding across every curve of your frame. "Toji," you whine. "Harder."

The producer chuckles, his cock throbbing inside of you. "Harder?" he parrots. "You've got it, babydoll. You know why?" He begins to drive his hips harder against you, the sound of his thighs slapping against yours permeating the air. "'Cause you're mine now," he moans. "You're my little pop girl and I'm gonna give you everything you want and more."

And with every thrust, he does. He sends you on a rocket trip than you don't want to get off. You see stars as he fucks you, knocking all common sense and reason out of your pretty brain. You begin to deliriously smile as you moan, your pussy squelching lewdly around his cock. You love being his little slut. His little dancer. His whatever he wants you to be.

"C'mere," he demands in his deep, sultry voice. You sit up for him, eagerly staring at him as he you wait for his next request. "Tilt your head up." You do so and he leans forward, open his pretty lips for you...and drooling a string of spit into your mouth. "Give it back to me," he sultrily orders.

Wrapping a hand around the back of his neck, you grip him to you as you sloppily kiss him, serving his saliva back to him as you kiss. You begin to suck on his big, fat tongue, moaning wantonly as his cock massages your pussy walls.

Your moans and the sound of skin slapping against skin fills the air, leaving nothing to the imagination, especially when you start to get close. Your body crackles with fire, your core tightening like a balloon filled with too much air. "T-Toji," you whimper, your toes curling against his ass. "Daddy, I'm gonna cum again!"

Toji frantically nods, slowing his pistoning thrusts down to slow, deep strokes. "I can feel it," he hisses. But then he stops and slowly pulls away, moaning at the sight of his cock slick and shiny with your juices. You gape at him, confused and desperate.

Why the fuck did he stop?

But the heated look in his eyes stops you short. "Turn around and bend over." He doesn't look like he's up for any protests. Though your legs feel like jelly, you slide off of the control panel and whisk yourself around, bracing yourself against the panel for more.

And Toji gives you so much more when he taps his cock against your pussy and glides in again, causing you to gasp. He is so much deeper in this position, his balls gliding against your clit as he begins to give you shallow thrusts. Pressing his lips to your ear, he nibbles on the lobe, sending you careening deeper into bliss.

"I'm gonna fuck this pussy until you cum all over me," he whispers. "And then you're gonna lick all of it off me when I'm done."

As you shudder, he grips your hips and begins to piston into you, pulling in and out, in and out, stroking your walls and stimulating your clit with his balls slapping against them every second. Your eyes roll back and your mouth lewdly hangs open as Toji fucks your pussy like it is his, drawing his throbbing cock into you with every intention of making you cum.

With every thrust, your ass bounces into his pelvis, creating a symphony of slapping sounds that mix with the music playing from Toji's playlist. You feel one of his big hands paw at one of your cheeks, roughly groping your behind. "Look at this fuckin' ass," he growls. "You drive me crazy, you little slut."

SPANK!

SPANK!

You moan at each harsh spank, his calloused hand causing your asscheeks to catch fire. "Nice little tattoo of my name would look good here," he chuckles, sliding his finger along the top of your ass. "Then you'd really be mine. Nobody could touch you but me."

His hand wraps around your throat, nice and tight, slightly restricting your airways and making you feel lightheaded. It makes his thrusts feel that more intense; that more good. Your mind is totally blank. You are thinking of nothing but the pleasure and the way your pussy feels being filled up and pounded senseless.

You are not a singer. You are not a dancer. You are not a star. All you are right now is Toji Fushiguro's slut and you are totally okay with that.

You can feel yourself tensing up as your core tightens, causing your moans to grow louder and your grip on the panel to get tighter. Toji's thrusts get faster and rougher, nearly causing you to fall into the panel and accidentally press buttons that you shouldn't.

His tongue licks at your earlobe, his piercing cool against your hot skin. "Just a little more, sugar," he groans into your ear. "Take a little more. C'mon, you've been doin' so well takin' this dick so far."

You whine in response, your pussy squelching and quivering with need. "Daddy, please!" you beg. "I'm gonna cum! I-I can't...can't..." Your body begins to give out on you, your limbs turning to mush. Toji wraps an arm around your waist and grips you to him, his other hand still tight around your neck as he draws himself into your cunt.

"You'd better cum for me now then," he demands, his voice rough and raspy. It makes you peak that much higher. "Cum for me, baby doll. Cum all around that fuckin' cock. Give it all to me."

And you do. With his voice in your ear and his tight, possessive grip on you, your moans and whines grow louder as that invisible string gets tighter and tighter...until it snaps. "Oh, sh-sh-shit!" you shudderingly whine, cumming all around Toji's cock.

This orgasm is just as intense as the first one. It leaves you shaking in Toji's arms, especially when he keeps thrusting into you so roughly. Your pussy has no choice but to continue cumming, all of your cream leaking out down Toji's shaft and your inner thighs. You start to feel the aftershocks like you're standing in the middle of an earthquake, your body shuddering and jerking through your orgasm.

This triggers Toji because he roughly bends you over so your ass is sticking out and proceeds to pummel your pussy as if you are a toy. A fleshlight. Nothing but something for his pleasure.

You grip the control panel for dear life, gasping as he draws himself into you, pounding into your hole over and over again. Your eyes weakly tilt up to look in the booth glass, watching Toji's jaw tighten and his muscles tense, each vein in his neck popping with restraint and concentration.

Finally, he stills, gripping your hips hard enough to leave bruises. You feel his cock swell inside of you, warning you of his orgasm. Quickly, he pulls out and begins to furiously stroke his cock, his grunts and wet sounds the only things loud enough for you to hear through the blood pounding in your head.

"Fuck!" he bellows as a stream of cum escapes his cock and slaps across your ass. Strings of swears and moans drip from his lips as he sprays your ass with spunk, the warm, wet droplets making you gasp as they hit your skin.

With a sigh, Toji slightly stumbles away, whistling to himself. "Hold up," he tells you. You do so, making no effort to move. Your limbs are too tired and you feel the high from the coke and the pill he slipped you start to wear off. You just feel tired and used. You need a hot shower.

Click!

You blink at the flash of light from Toji's phone as he snaps a pic of you bent over naked with his cum coating your ass. "Such a dirty little girl," he sighs, giving your ass a feeble grab. "You'll look so good on my lock screen."

You say nothing in response. You know that tomorrow you won't even remember this night.

Toji sighs, taking a seat in his chair and scooping you up to sit in his lap. Your sweaty bodies press against one another, sharing in your lost highs and exhaustion. He suddenly laughs, his chest rumbling under your ear. "Oh, look, doll," he chuckles.

You weakly turn your head to where he points, blinking tiredly at the red light on the recording button. 'ON', it says to you. Toji smirks down at you, his hand possessively gripping your ass as he snuggles you in his lap. "We got a hit on our hands."

THE END.

[boxeom]

Insane Character Analysis/Rant About Caleb/Mahiru/Xia Yizhou

Okay so MAJOR SPOILERS for Caleb's storyline/Myth/Cards, cw. incest/pseudocest, cw. religious themes.

As much as I love Caleb's eng va, I do have to say that the moments where he's being y'know- insane- don't hit as well as they do in the JP/CN versions. Since the english localization is bending over backwards to remove the pseudocest that is straight up a key part to mc/Caleb's entire relationship, there are a lot of moments that don't really make much sense in terms of tension when you go with the whole "childhood friend" context. I've listened to both the JP and ENG versions of cards I've found the most significant for mc and Caleb and the differences are insane to say the least.

The amount of times "nii-chan/san/gege/big brother" is removed from the english captions is honestly hilarious to me. As long as you don't understand some basic Japanese or Chinese, it might go right over your head. But even as someone who isn't fluent in Japanese, I have a good enough grasp on the language to know that there is a VERY different story being told- so much so that it's gotten to a point where I consider Caleb, Xia Yizhou, and Mahiru three entirely different characters from each other because of how vastly different their writing is by each localization.

Caleb and mc's obvious symbolism is the biblical story of Adam and Eve and the Forbidden Fruit- a story of man's first sin being temptation and receiving enlightenment at the cost of falling from God's Grace. The apple is well known in literature to represent the Forbidden Fruit. It's a theme that commonly alludes to sexual liberation, forbidden knowledge, lustful temptation (not just in a sexual sense), and a physical representation of sin. I have some thoughts that the chip also plays a part in being a more literal version of the Forbidden Fruit, since it lowers previous hesitations and exacerbates more obsessive, possessive, and impulsive qualities of mc AND Caleb as well as their sexual wants for each other.

Now, to me, having the imagery of the Forbidden Fruit in the trope of childhood friends makes little to no sense. There is no taboo to shy away from, no reason for mc and Caleb to feel as clearly conflicted as they do when they start toeing at certain lines- if anything, I feel as though it would be something to be encouraged. But when you take the time to look at and listen to the JP/CN versions, well...it becomes MUCH more obvious why the apple is there in the first place.

Acknowledging the fact that mc and Caleb do and have always seen one another as siblings and developed a codependent bond founded in trauma ties every missing thing that the english localization just can't piece back together while trying to do a "boy next door" theme for Caleb (I mean they literally grew up in the same house, had bedrooms across the hall from each other, saw the other grow up in the closest way anyone possibly could- there's nothing "boy next door" about that).

Below are just a few examples that I've collected that I think both show how the childhood friend angle just doesn't work with Caleb and how much his and mc's relationship is reliant on something forbidden, something that they both know is wrong between them but keep managing to indulge in no matter how hard they try not to;

Now there are DOZENS of more moments like this littered throughout Caleb's entire story and what we have between him and MC so far. And in particular the second row does NOT have mc say "childhood friend" in the JP version (can you guess what she refers to him as instead?). These "dangerous thoughts", the "cushion that stays between", the fear of rejection that Caleb possesses is so much more than just something between two people who grew up together in the context of childhood friends.

The first and last screenshots in particular are some of my favorites (taken from Intertwined Gold and Exclusive Aftertaste). For Exclusive Aftertaste, it's not only a cute moment of mc silently confirming Caleb's suspicions that she was waiting for him but, on a deeper level, acknowledging that she will always love him no matter what happens between them. And at an even DEEPER level, it's mc knowingly partaking in Caleb's favorite forbidden fruit- his favorite sin. They BOTH took a bite from it. And though we never get to SEE what happens, we HEAR the bite they take in unison. It's safe to assume what happens. There's a damn reason the card is called "Exclusive Aftertaste". And then they proceed to never talk about it again.

Meanwhile, in Intertwined Gold, mc is literally expressing that she wishes they'd met differently so that they could be together without having to lie to themselves about what's happening. Like COME ONNNN. Why would a childhood friend EVER need to say this?

In my opinion, getting rid of this intended layer of Caleb and mc's relationship doesn't do his character justice at all. Caleb/Mahiru/Xia Yizhou is an incredibly well written and complex character- he's deeply flawed, traumatized, and in desperate need of connection in any form he can get from the one person in the world he's ever loved with all his soul. It mellows out the moments of desperation, manipulation, and intensity he has during his darker moments that just don't convey the tragedy and bittersweetness of mc/Caleb.

There are a billion more things to say here but it is seven in the morning rn and I've been up writing this in one sitting since six. I will definitely add more when I'm not running on fumes and the crack that is Caleb's character. 🙏🏽

[endlessviolet]

Cherry Wine

Astarion x GN!Reader

Warnings: Brief mention of blood/hunting, shameless flirting and a smidge of fluff

WC: 500+

A/N: Continuing the trend of naming my Astarion fics after Hozier songs because the combination is ✨chef's kiss✨ As always I try to keep reader gender neutral but as I haven't proofread this one particularly well please let me know if there's any slip ups!

You enter the firelit camp after your evening bathe in the nearby river, glad to have washed away the intense grime of the bog you'd been traversing for the last few days. You cast your gaze over to where Astarion lounges against a log, wine bottle in hand, his crimson eyes already fixed on you with a mischievous glint.

"Well, well, well," he purrs, a smug smile tugging at his lips. "If it isn't my favorite person in this whole wretched world."

You roll your eyes, failing in your attempt to hide your smile from the handsome vampire. "Spare me your flattery, Astarion. I might just faint from the shock."

He chuckles, his fingers idly tracing patterns in the dirt. "Oh darling, your heart can surely handle a few well-placed compliments from time to time."

You settle down beside him, your shoulder brushing against his. "And what makes you so certain that I'm not immune to your charms?"

Astarion leans in closer, his lips just a breath away from your ear. "Because, my dear, I've seen the way your cheeks flush whenever I grace you with my presence."

You fight back a laugh, shaking your head. "You're impossible, you know that?"

He grins, his gaze smoldering as it meets yours. "Ah, but you love every bit of it."

You feign exasperation, throwing up your hands in mock defeat. "Fine, you win. I'm utterly captivated by your snark. Happy now?"

Astarion's laughter is low and melodic, "Delighted, actually."

As the night wears on, the camp grows quiet, your companions settling down in their tents, undoubtedly exhausted from what felt like endless days of battling amidst that miserable bog. Astarion however stays firmly planted by your side, silver hair seemingly glowing in the moonlight as he stares up towards the stars.

"You know," his tone soft, "despite my 'snark' as you so eloquently put it, I really do quite enjoy our time together."

Your heart skips a beat as his playful façade gives way to a vulnerability that takes you by surprise. "I know." your voice equally gentle.

He leans slowly towards you, gaze meeting yours once more, his lips hovering just inches from yours. "And if I were to do something that's shockingly out of character, would you be too surprised to stop me?"

Your breath hitches as his fingers brush against your jaw. "I guess we'll just have to find out."

And with that, his lips capture yours in a passionate kiss fueled by weeks of teasing and flirtatious banter, of stolen glances and lingering touches.

Astarion's arms wrap around you, pulling you closer as the kiss deepens, his fingers tangling in your hair. You can taste the coppery tang of whichever creature he hunted earlier mingled with the cherry wine he's been leisurely sipping on all evening, a mixture you find unexpectedly intoxicating.

When the kiss finally breaks, you both pull away, breathless and dazed. Astarion's confident smirk fades into a genuine smile, his inquisitive eyes searching yours.

"Surprised?" he asks, his voice a low whisper.

You grin, all too aware that Astarion's keen hearing must be picking up the way your heart pounds in your chest. "Very."

He leans in to press another kiss to your lips, his fingers tracing absent patterns on your back. "Well, my dear, prepare to be surprised more often."

A/N: Welcome to another episode of Violet doesn't know how to end her fics 😌 Thank you for reading, feedback is appreciated as always 💕

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

One of your posts popped out on my feed, and I've spent a couple hours now scrolling through your page here and there, and I have some thoughts.

First of all, I can tell that you put so much effort into each post you write, and I commend you for that! It's so cool!

Secondly, this going to be super long, I started writing and the words kept flowing, sorry! Feel free to ignore if it's too much. English is not my first language (Japanese & Korean are), so I apologize for any mistakes!

Please, don't take the following as an attack on you, I just want to state my observations, you aren't obliged to reply, and I tried to be as respectful as possible.

I recall you mentioning in one post that you try to be as 'objective' as possible when you answer questions and write posts, but personally, when it comes to a certain character, you are anything but.

And that character is Malleus.

I'm not even a fan of him, I'm pretty neutral, I think he has so much potential to be an interesting character, but he has been consistently done dirty by the writers, especially in his own book, and this seems to be the general consensus among people who aren't hardcore fans of his, and you seem to be to one of them.

Each time you mention Malleus in one of your posts (posts that pertain to other characters, and have almost little/nothing to do with him) I could tell that something was 'off', from the very first moment, I could tell that you viewed him negatively. I can tell you try to word things as neutrally as you can, but your dislike of him just oozes through, I guess. Lmao.

And lo & behold! I saw a post where you mentioned that you DO dislike him, and I was 'Yeah, I could tell'. I have no problem with people disliking him, as I said, I'm neutral, and people are entitled to their opinions.

But then you mentioned that you try to be objective whenever you answer questions, and I was like 'What? So that was you being objective?!' And then you said Leona was one of your faves...and yeah, you don't say! (Leona is my top 4 favorite, BTW)

There's you very SEVERELY minimizing his popularity in Japan. From my observations, it seems Malleus is the most popular character overseas & the most well-liked in general. Here in Japan, he isn't the first, but he is definitely one of the most popular, the only ones I'd pit above him are: Octavinelle, Idia, Skully, Leona. He ranks fairly high in polls & is spoken about very fondly, and is rarely criticized. You bringing up the topic of popularity just seems like a way for you to 'justify' & 'validate' your dislike of him, when he's universally loved. People like you & me (people who are neutral on him or dislike him) are pretty rare, whether it's in Japan or overseas. No matter how much you try to spin it, the tastes of fans across the two servers are very close, for example: Jack, Ortho, Grim, Epel, and Crowley are unpopular amongst both fandoms, Vil & the Scarabia duo are decently popular amongst both fandoms. Malleus has been steadily growing in popularity with the releases of Book 7, and I expect him to really raise in the ranks.

It's very obvious you hate Malleus, and your takes on him are fuelled by that hate, especially some of your takes on the ending of Book 7. You don't give him any grace, you are ESPECIALLY hard on him compared to the other characters, and frankly, you demand too much from him, as a person and as a character.

Even when the writers themselves made sure to let it be known that no injuries were caused, no lasting damage (which I personally thought was pretty obvious, but figured the writers had to get that one out for people like you, who convinced themselves he was more dangerous than he was) you still insist on it being false.

Out of all the other overblotters, Malleus had the most severe consequences, both physically (as he's now handicapped) and mentally (just because Lilia is now alive doesn't change that Malleus KILLED HIM, which is pretty different than Idia's situation, and bound to leave some PTSD). Leona caused way more injuries and girth way more people, even tried to kill Ruggie, and he didn't even have the excuse of being in a state of overblot, he did all that fully conscious, fully aware. He intentionally hurt people, but he's instantly forgiven & immediately he's back to his normal everyday life, forgiven. In contrast, Malleus hurt no one (except Lilia), never intended to harm (and intent DOES matter), all of this makes paints him in more favorable light compared to Leona (and Vil, who also tried to murder someone intentionally before he overblotted) It just seems like you WANT the narrative to justify your hatred of Malleus, you intentionally try to interpret & look at him and his actions from the worst perspective possible, in the most contrived way.

Even when most of the supposed 'victims' themselves have made an entire club based on how happy the dream world made them (which was Malleus's intention all along), and how much they miss it (in a scene presented as a comedic moment, intended to hammer the fact that Malleus truly hurt no one) you twist the scene into it being 'cult-like'?

The narrative isn't bending over backwards to make the situation seem more lighthearted than it was, it isn't retconning anything, the narrative is simply confirming what has already been implied (and what I thought was plainly obvious) for the sake of making things clear for people who would insist that the situation was worse than it was.

Why the surprise over no one being injured? Malleus has simply put people into sleep! Why would they be injured? They aren't in distress, and are content in their dreamworld. The only danger has always been it eventually taking over the world, and the people atrophying without the sustenance.

Why the surprise that he was allowed back in school? Why would the others be given a second chance & not Malleus? Even Crowley points that blatant hypocrisy out. If everyone turned out healthy & sound after the ordeal, all the damage has been repaired, & sincere apologies & compensations were provided, & there no long-lasting damage, then why should Malleus keep suffering?

Why the surprise that the students immediately forgave him? Physically no-one was harmed. Emotionally he didn't intend to hurt them, and the vast majority of them were happy in the dreamworld. Silver explained to them why Malleus did what he did, and they were all smart enough to understand his motives & intent, and wanted to stop him. The main characters got their lickback & the anger out of their systems by fighting him & weakening him, so they don't have a reason to be angry anymore. A running theme has always been NRC students being extraordinary difficult, they're all aware of it, and if anything, thsy find it amusing.

Twisted Wonderland has always been about second chances, learning from one's mistakes, applying the lesson one learned, and doing better. All the other students were given a second chance and proved themselves, why do you so vehemently abhor that for Malleus?

Malleus was misguided, but his actions were not out of malice (like Leona, Vil, Azul, Riddle), they were out of love & genuine desire to help people, and since he's a child who's never been taught proper emotional regulation and social behavior, he went about it in the most childish & simple way possible.

It just seems like you WANT Malleus to be punished, you want him to suffer. Him being maimed & handicapped for centuries isn't enough, you want more punishment for him. Him living in isolation & loneliness for almost 200 years, and being feared & avoided by his peers isn't enough, you also want him to be hated by them & isolated even more severely than before, you want him to be labelled a monster. Him having to live with the fact he killed his father isn't enough, you also want his father to have stayed dead, and for Malleus to wallow in his grief, pain, self-hatred for eternity (which includes a forever broken & unrepairable relationship with the only other 2 people who loved him).

And don't even get me started with you implying he hasn't shown enough guilt, because when has Leona? When has Azul?

It seems you don't Malleus to get a second chance, you don't want him learning from his mistakes & given a chance to do better, you don't want fairness, you just want him punished, hurt, and suffering.

I probably wouldn't have had much of an issue had you not stated your goal of being 'objective'. It's obvious you want & expect the worst out of him.

ご質問ありがとうございます！ 最初は丁寧にご意見を述べてくださいましたが、途中で感情的になってしまったのでしょうか。 誤解を与えてしまったようで、この回答で説明いたします。

From my understanding, you seem to take issue with my usage of a particular word, "objective". I'm not sure which posts you happened to see (as there are admittedly a lot of them on this blog), but assuming that this was one of the #feedback for the writing raven posts, it's not a claim I make very often. It's typically something I hear from readers, such as in this post, this post, and this post, which are all examples from the last year. In the final example I linked, I do mention my goal in being objective, but I also state that 1) it's impossible to eliminate all bias and 2) there's a difference between minimizing my bias for the sake of analysis and allowing myself to freely criticize a character or writing based on my opinions. I will never be 100% free of bias, especially on posts where I am sharing my opinion. I don't claim to be perfectly objective in all instances, I just try to give every character a chance since they all have the potential to evolve, especially in a live service game like Twst. Some of the characters I love today are ones I loathed at launch (ie Leona), and some of the characters that are my most loathed today are the ones I loved at launch (ie Azul). By that logic, there's no reason why Malleus can't have a similar shift.

Again, I don't know what posts you looked at to form your view of how I see Malleus--but honestly, I guess I'm just confused as to how you reached the conclusion that you did. At this point, I don't think it's a secret that I dislike him (I sometimes bring it up to give context to what I'm about to say), but I also don't think I've ever expressed outright hatred. Hatred implies an unwillingness to see his positive traits and potential for growth, and I don't think that describes how I discuss him at all (a sentiment which I believe is shared by my readers). I do sound exasperated in some critique, yes, but it doesn't come from a place of malice. I don't think there's a purpose in getting needlessly mad about a fictional character. Malleus Draconia doesn't exist and doesn't impact my life outside of the moments when I engage with fandom.

My exasperation with him comes from a place of... I guess you'd call it disappointment??? Like, he has potential to be an interesting character, but the writing that's currently there (in my opinion) doesn't support him very well and keeps squandering that potential. I want him to be better and develop as a character (as I feel he has various flaws that aren't properly addressed), but I keep being let down time and time again. It leads to me sometimes sounding frustrated when I speak about him, because it feels like the narrative is holding his character hostage until maybe post-book 7. This is especially the case because Malleus's writing has this consistent issue where he is granted opportunities to learn and grow (and even social support from Lilia and other peers), but ultimately doesn't. This isn't true for other characters, who are given moments of character development in vignettes or event stories, even if in just small ways like Idia pushing himself to drum in public or Deuce doing his best to be an honors student.

I'm not sure where the claim that I "severely minimize" his popularity in Japan comes from?? If I mention popularity at all, it's usually to compare between EN and JP. In EN polls, Malleus consistently places #1, but doesn't reach those same heights in JP. The highest placement I've seen for Malleus in JP polls is around 7th place (which is still quite commendable!). This is also the case when you consider that Malleus x Yuu is the most popular self-insert category on AO3 (largely EN), but only has a fraction of the posts as the most popular yume'd character, Floyd, on Pixiv (largely JP). His spike in popularity is also more of a recent phenomenon, I believe coinciding with book 7 which fleshes out his character a lot more. Coincidentally, this also seems to have boosted his yumejoshi ranking in JP, as he appeared in the 2024 and 2023 lists (book 7 was actively releasing in these years). I even mentioned Malleus's bump in popularity in recent posts, such as here and here.

I'm by no means downplaying Malleus's popularity, and I never claimed that the tastes of JP and non-JP fans are vastly different 💦 I only comment on major differences I noticed, such as how Trey is much more popular to yume in the JP fandom than he is in the EN fandom. I make note of things like this because I find it interesting that we can all be fans of the same content, but also interpret that content in vastly different ways. I don't do it to "justify and validate" my own feelings about Malleus. (This also applies to the claim that I want canon to "justify and validate" me; I don't, I'm perfectly content with my own views and think it would be boring if canon always agreed with me.) I have expressed time and time again that I do not care how other people choose to engage with their media; that's their business, not mine, and to encroach on that or to disrupt the fun that someone else is having would be extremely invasive and rude. There's nothing to be gained in trying to get "justification and validation" from external sources, whether that's canon or what other fans think, because it's always going to be a fruitless effort if there's no internal satisfaction, but that's a whole separate can of worms.

Regarding the ending of book 7, I'm going to take a shot in the dark and guess that you may be sourcing many of my opinions of it from this summary post. As I mention in the opening disclaimer, everything contained in that post are my initial thoughts on the events that unfold. They in no way reflect all of my thoughts, just the very emotional and on-the-spot reactions I had directly after reading the last bits. I think you may be conflating my recent critique of book 7 with hating Malleus?? I have said that I think breaking his horn was extreme and that I sympathize with him for that; there were other ways to power cap him without having to do something that drastic. I never denied that Malleus might be harboring complicated feelings after killing Lilia (I actually acknowledge it as a possibility), but the writing of book 7 certainly fails to communicate this to us. (It's also something past OBs like Riddle, Leona, and Vil, fail to express, so this may just be a quirk of Twst writing.) As I said before, many other characters were let off with a slap on the wrist and not made to fully account for what they did, and I'm not necessarily satisfied with those either.

When I say "intent doesn't matter", it's only in relation to the results. Saying "I did not mean to harm you" does not negate any harm caused. You still have some degree of responsibility for it (albeit, in a court of law you might get a lighter sentence, but technicalities). If Kalim accidentally insults Riddle's lack of physical stamina, it... doesn't negate that Riddle feels insulted by it, even if Kalim didn't mean to. If we're going to say "intent does matter", then are we willing to apply it to all other situations, not just Malleus's? Mrs. Rosehearts did not mean to traumatize her child. The Briar Valley senators did not mean to isolate Malleus by blessing him with tons of magical power. Are we willing to extend them the same courtesy of "having good intentions", even if those "good intentions" led to harming others in the process? I don't think it's fair to say this of Malleus but then not do the same for other characters.

A large part of book 7 has been dedicated to those in S.T.Y.X. emphasizing the danger Malleus's magic poses to the rest of the world. The narrative has brought up the potential of the dreamers' physical bodies wasting away from lack of sustenance at least twice. Malleus's grandmother (a mage previously described to be even more powerful than her grandson) cannot pierce his barrier. They stress that his barrier will continue to grow, unburdened, and that he has an endless magic source to draw from. Malleus is trying to attack those who get in his way (including Ortho, Silver, and Sebek with killing intent). I don't think I would be incorrect to believe the characters when they say that this is a genuinely dangerous situation. It just feels tonally dissonant to me when a lot of book 7 was building up this danger, but then the ending doesn't really match what they were building up to.

And to be clear, the other OBs also get off easy. Like, it cannot be the case that all Scarabia students suddenly trust Jamil again after book 4, or that all NRC students feel comfortable dining at the Mostro Lounge again after book 3. However, the difference here, again, is scale. It's more believable when the numbers are small, like a few hundred students. It's less so when you pump it up to several thousand people and entire nations. The larger the number we're dealing with, the more likely there would be a non-zero chance that something would go haywire. This is why I also heavily criticize how Fellow Honest was treated at the end of his event; the crime ring he was associated with surely operated on a scale grander than just the NRC student kidnappings, yet we never touched upon this further.

The "cult" comment is something I made off-the-cuff, and was partially informed by the fact that a character (I believe Ace?) called the Fairy Dream Life Association members "Draconians". That's the same term that is used to refer to die-hard Malleus fans in Diasomnia--those same die-hard fans, who will ardently and blindly support Malleus in everything he says and does. I seem to recall one instance in the first Halloween event in which Sebek leads a group of Draconians to support Malleus in attacking Magicam Monsters; Silver and Lilia had to prevent that from happening. That reads to me like a cult of personality around Malleus. If you happen to disagree with me, that's fine--but there is no need to attack different interpretations.

I want to make it clear that I'm in disbelief at the lack of consequences not because it is Malleus causing them, but because the scale was so enormous. (The other OBs already faced such limited fallout for their own actions. Had they also reached the same scale as Malleus did, I'd still be shocked at how it was all hand-waved off.) It reads as unrealistic when the ending only focuses on the good or only vaguely covers the fallout. For example, other countries were put in danger. Why were we not told about their reactions to anything that happened or how they're reacting in the aftermath? Are we expected to believe that ALL countries in Twisted Wonderland accepted the apology and moved on? The 20,000 residents on Sage's island were put to sleep. Are we supposed to believe that not a SINGLE one of them had a negative experience or woke up confused or hurt from it? What about the parents and family members of those on Sage's Island? Not ONE of them was mad, not even Mrs. Rosehearts, who yelled at a kid for 5 hours for sneaking out with her child to eat a strawberry tart? To write it as though everyone reacted the exact same, convenient way cheapens the world + its people and makes it come off as paper thin. I think these are valid concerns and not convoluted nitpicks. There is natural variance in the world (it's nearly impossible to get 20,000 people to agree on anything irl, not even things you'd think are common sense), so it's very difficult for me to believe that there was NO variance at all when reacting to the aftermath of the OB incident.

I never said Malleus shouldn't be forgiven or that he shouldn't be allowed back in school (I've actually said the opposite). My issue is that there wasn't enough accountability for what he did. I don't want Malleus to be "punished more" or to "keep suffering", I want him to fully realize and own up to everything he did. The way the ending currently stands (I blame the time skips, honestly), there's not a lot that indicates to me that Malleus truly understands the full gravity of his actions. A lot of it is being assumed by the fandom, but not indicated in the story itself, which I think is a shame because it's quite limiting for his character. It feels like everything stops short, when really, it should go on for a little longer??? For example, Malleus does apologize to NRC--which is a good start! But he still didn't like... apologize to anyone else on Sage's Island that he affected with his magic?

I'm surprised that the students seemed to immediately forgive Malleus because NRC students are frequently portrayed as vindictive and petty. They get mad, pick fights, and hold grudges over the smallest things, so it's unbelievable to me that a peer would go and do something big like this and then no one in the entire population of 800 students holds even the slightest reservation about what happened?? Again, it feels like flattening the world and the people in it (by implying they'd all act the same way) for the sake of a convenient ending. On a related note, I'm not sure if I like the use of "smart enough to understand" in your wording; it's as if to imply anyone that feels differently (even though I feel there definitely would be some variance among the students) is somehow unintelligent for having their opinion 💦 By extension, it almost feels insulting to fans who also see the situation differently (although I'd like to believe that's not your intention).

I really do not like that Malleus keeps being compared to the other OB boys in these discussions. It's always framed as "Malleus is better than them!", which implies that the others are somehow "worse". It's actively putting down others' trauma in order to uplift another's. We can talk about Malleus's own background, experiences, etc. without having to minimize others' background, experiences, etc.--but I fear that's not what is happening here. Why is it okay for people to shame and dehumanize the other OBs for the extreme actions they took, but it's "too much" when the same behaviors are turned towards Malleus? None of them should be going through that to begin with, and the fact that this is happening at all seems hypocritical to me. I have always held this opinion and am equally disgusted by this being done for any OB boy, as someone inevitably comes out of it labelled "lesser" than the others. Trauma is always valid to the person that experienced it, and to compare it to other traumas can be so incredibly demoralizing and isolating. It sometimes feels like Malleus's background is being used to shield him against taking responsibility for his actions, when the same isn't applied by fans to the other OBs. Their backgrounds are meant to explain why they are the way they are and help us empathize with them, not to entirely excuse them. This was something mentioned all the way back in book 1 too; Ace accuses Riddle of always citing his mother or the rules to justify his beheadings rather than accept accountability for his own actions. Similarly, Trey us called out for pointing out Riddle's tough home life as a reason for his current leniency in suppressing his dorm leader's anger. Riddle's background explains why he acts out and is so stringent, but it doesn't mean he isn't still responsible for his own rage and his students living in fear of him. By this logic, all OB boys (Malleus included) shouldn't lean on a tragic backstory to excuse the extreme measures they took in their respective books. I'm of the belief that they should all be granted forgiveness and the chance to redeem themselves, but they should also be aware of what they previously did and accept that they were responsible for that before they can move on and improve themselves. Both statements can be true at the same time.

To be clear: I DON'T want Malleus to be "punished", "hurt", or to "suffer" more, as you claim I do. I have explicitly stated that I disagree with his horn being broken. (There are other, much more humane ways to limit his magic, and as I bring up in my book 7 rewrite, limiting his magic may actually free Malleus of his "curse" and make him more approachable to classmates.) I DON'T "want and expect the worst of [Malleus]." I have never stated I want him to be feared/avoided/hated or labelled a monster by the people of Twisted Wonderland. What I am asking for is for more explicit accountability for what he did and more realistic fallout for his actions (again, I find it very difficult to believe that not a single person in all of Twisted Wonderland holds even the slightest reservations in the aftermath of his OB). I want him to prove he has changed and have to EARN people's trust, not have it be handed to him so easily. The other OB boys all have to work hard (and are still working hard) to make amends for their wrongs, but Malleus seemingly has to do so much less despite the scale of his magic being so much grander. One example I mentioned earlier was him only apologizing to a fraction of the people he put under his spell when he actually disrupted many more lives than that.

I want to clarify that the reason I think Lilia should have died ISN'T because I "want Malleus to suffer". It's because I genuinely think this would better serve Malleus's character arc. He initially OBs because he wanted to prevent Lilia from leaving, yes? But then he... ends up getting the exact thing he lost his temper over, even though the solution was never quite this simple for the other OB boys. This feels as though Malleus and Malleus alone is getting special treatment. It's true that he killed Lilia, but Lilia remains dead for all of 5 seconds, so it doesn't feel as though that loss really sank in. Malleus is not challenged by, nor confronted with, mortality or coming to terms with drastic life changes. As I mention in my book 7 rewrite, Lilia didn't even necessarily need to stay dead in order for Malleus to have growth; all we would have needed was like... a coma or something? Some period of time that would force Malleus to sit and really self-reflect. The recurring issue with Malleus's writing is that he is always given chances to learn, but doesn't follow through on them. Even when it is advice being dispensed to him BY Lilia (a la Malleus's Dorm Uniform vignettes), Malleus doesn't take it to heart, either because something gets in the way or because he struggles to understand that advice, whatever. But in the aftermath of such a serious situation--something that unfolded by his hand, it's an opportunity for him to be introspective instead of brushing it off like in previous instances.

Again, I really think that the characters not openly demonstrating remorse for what they did is a consistent pattern with Twst's writing. It's not something unique to Malleus--but the thing is, when Malleus's motives are so often identified as "selfless" and "for everyone's happiness" and his magic isn't contained, he's impacting many more lives. Malleus is also in a position in which he represents a country and its future, and he himself has continuously expressed that he must maintain relations and decorum as future head of state. When he then goes and betrays his own morals, should he not demonstrate more recognition of that? (I think the only OB that stands out in this regard is Vil, who did apologize to the VDC/SDC team.) Of course, it's possible that this is covered more in book 8, but since book 7 ends in a time skip of several weeks and a party, I was expecting this to be more prominently displayed in the speech Malleus gives to the attendees.

I will say that I am tough on Malleus, but I think I'm allowed to be when he has so much power and status behind his name. It's that whole "with great power comes great responsibility" thing; the more you have, the more careful you should be with it. That's something Malleus is very aware of himself, so it tends to irk me when he misuses his magic. I disagree with other powerful mages' use of magic as well; you just don't see me harping on those because those instances are not as frequent. I don't like that Vil cursed the cake and pie Trey gifted the gang, and I don't like that Leona almost sanded Ruggie--but we rarely see other characters doing these things repeatedly. But then I see Malleus attacking Magicam Monsters and children (Lock, Shock, and Barrel), Malleus disregarding his fellow dorm leaders' autonomy (by using a spell normally cast on objects on them), stopping time and kidnapping people for a party without considering the consequences, etc. On one hand, you have Malleus aware of his position and the difference in power between him and his peers--but on the other hand, he's frequently using these powers on others with little regard for them, and isn't truly told off for it. This will feed into how some people perceive him--because if even his closest guardian figure, Lilia, isn't holding him accountable, then naturally some players will take up that mantle.

Malleus has been enabled his whole life, and this is even shown to us in his post-OB flashback and other materials. He's been told he doesn't have to apologize when he hurts people. He's never had to answer for the things he does--whether just simply rude or cataclysmic--because his power and status excuse him. I feel that fans protecting him and not truly holding him accountable for what he did is actually holding him back from bettering as a person, and that is endlessly frustrating to watch. He cannot be better if he's never allowed to identify that there is a problem to begin with. It feels like I'm watching someone I grew distant from spiral into a really bad habit, and he's ignoring all my warnings and pleas to take a look in the mirror; he fails to see that he's hurting himself because his other friends keep telling him that he's not doing anything wrong, so he keeps getting worse and worse when all I want is to see him improve. I don't think it's "demanding too much" for me to say that I don't think Malleus will improve if he's not first recognizing that he's made a mistake to begin with. If anything, I think it's unfair to give him treatment that isn't granted to any other OB. Frankly, I don't think I've seen anyone defending an OB boy to the same extent that Malleus has been, and to point out this discrepancy is my attempt at trying to provide "the other side", sans vitriol. If it seems to you like I'm not granting Malleus any grace, it's because those I'm discussing the topic with are typically already granting him maximum grace. When I point out what's missing or perhaps feels unsatisfactory about the ending, it's not a dig directed at Malleus; it's me trying to be pragmatic about writing in general. (I think the "not everyone thinks the exact same way" part is particularly salient, especially after seeing the variance in reaction to book 7's ending.)

TLDR

Many accusations about how I feel about Malleus were made in this ask. I do not believe that they accurately represent me. If you don't agree with that, that's fine--but then I guess my question becomes "Why send this in the first place?" It feels as though an opinion was formed based on making the worst possible assumptions of my character--and that's okay, that's a right everyone is allowed to have, and I certainly don't expect everyone to agree with me or to even like me/my takes. However, I just don't see what there is to gain in sending these thoughts to anyone?? I am genuinely very confused.

To clarify, I responded to this ask because I wanted to clarify my opinions on book 7's ending again, in case anyone missed them. I don't want my thoughts to be misconstrued as being blindly hateful.

[pinkroseblooms]

Remmick is becoming super divisive in the fandom and I'm feeling bad for Ryan Coogler

As someone who isn't the biggest fan of Remmick (don't come for me, actor is cute, and I do think the character is funny and interestingly written and I've seen a few fics that are legitimately good) I don't get why people are saying the Sinners fandom is ignoring the PoC characters in favor of him and it's an insult to the film and it's themes.

For one, Ryan Coogler loves the character. He loves Irish culture. He says in BTS interviews he intended to write Remmick as someone who genuinely isn't racist and sees segregation as complete bullshit. Now, his actions and motivations are purposefully tied to themes of white assimilation and cultural appropriation and a lot of his character is still left to speculation; it's one of the reasons why I think people are churning out so much content of him, they find it easier to interpret Remmick as a character who's history and motivations aren't completely revealed. As a character, he can and at least partially is a reference to what white people have historically done to oppress other cultures/colonization, despite also being a victim of said oppression.

As for people shipping him with Sammie, I don't like the ship, but I saw it coming the first screening. People, especially tumblr fanfic girlies, love shipping villains and antagonists with the character who's the hero/protagonist/audience surrogate. Sammie is central to the plot, but he's also who the audience can step into the shoes of the most and as a result, people can project themselves onto him more. Also, tumblr girlies fucking love hyperfiaxting on the "I can change him" characters. Remmick is basically a tumblr sexyman. And it's not just white people writing reader inserts or focusing on him (side note, I haven't seen the plantation reader story and I hope to God I never do) there's a good number of black users and other users of various ethnicities I see posting content centered around Remmick. Everyone seems to thirst for this character and to be fair, Ryan Coogler meant for people to enjoy him as much as any of the other characters, even if he absolutely wants to centered black stories and culture in his work.

Still, it seems like once again a white character is becoming a fan favorite in a piece of media with a predominantly black cast, meant to be beloved by black people, albeit not exclusively. It fucking grating when you get representation and you want to interact with the fandom but it's seemingly overtaken by people focusing on the white guy.

While I don't think racial bias is the only reason Remmick is getting so much attention, I don't doubt for some fans thats exactly what it is (plantation reader insert, really? Fucking really?). But I'm not black so I'm not going to pretend I get it exactly. As a PoC, I can only empathize to an extent. There's valid reasons to be irritated and fed up so I'm not saying people who want to vent or post about their frustration shouldn't. That's not my place at all.

Mostly I just feel kind of bad for Ryan Coogler who actually put a lot of effort to write this enjoyable villain and Remmick's getting as much backlash as he is getting love from Sinners fans. And I don't think people making fan content for the character automatically means they're disregarding any of the black characters. People are also going feral over Bo and Grace and they love the Choctaw for the teeny amount of their screen time, but I don't see anyone claiming that fans of them are decentralizing the black characters in favor of them.

Also, on the subject of Sinners fan content, I want more Annie x Reader fics. But that's beside the point, she's just my personal favorite and I want to fantasize about her being in love with me because there's no way irl it would ever happen. 🥲

[lala-blahblah]

Hello, I am going to analyze your psyche about what your favorite version of Narumitsu/Wrightworth says about you and give you personalized therapy advice (JOKE!! This is a lighthearted fun jest and I don't really think everybody falls in these categories. So we are all going to be polite to eachother ok!!)

Elementary school aged Nick and Miles: If this is your favorite ship, you're really into the nineties/y2k aesthetic and you miss going to blockbuster. Also you are feeling untethered and like the last time things made sense was when you were young. You want to imagine that if you could turn back time and do things differently, you could stay blissful and happy forever. But you have this creeping feeling that no matter what you do, time is going to keep passing and you will lose touch with people and think of things you wish you could've said but never had a chance to and this is just going to be an endless cycle for the rest of forever. Some of that is true, yes. The best you can do is be honest with the people you know now about how much you care about them so that they can hold that with them always, no matter what happens.

pre-AA1/Feenie x Bratworth: If this is your favorite ship you are in college or most likely high school. The idea that you could find someone in school and them end up being your soulmate for life is really tender and special to you (because you are in high school and you would like to be loved Right Now Please because facing the change of adulthood without someone who loves you by your side scares you). You also find it difficult to care about adults and their adult problems (because you are in highschool) and honestly? That's so valid. Enjoy your time not thinking about them bc one day it will be all you think about. I fear that if you put too much pressure on yourself about finding the perfect relationship, you will miss out on the ephemeral joy of being with another person. Please give yourself grace and try to live in the moment.

Ace Attorney main trilogy Phoenix and Edgeworth: if this is your favorite ship, Edgeworth is your favorite character and you are really invested in his character arc and want to see it tied up neatly with him letting someone into his life. You like your stories to end with "And they all lived happily ever after", because you like the thought that things happen for a reason, and that if you care enough and try hard enough you can fix things. You probably like to think this because your own life has difficulties and you want to escape them for a little while. Things really do get better, but there are some things you may never get closure on. I am sorry, I know it's hard and it hurts. I am sending you my love

Seven year gap beanix and umm glasses edgeworth? (what is his nickname?): Ok even though this is one time period this actually falls into two parties. People either like this because of Phoenix being a new father to Trucy OR they like it because of Nick and Kristoph's toxic situationship love triangle, which is so deeply funny bc these groups have totally different vibes. So let's split these up:

Dad Phoenix: Phoenix is your favorite character and you want to see him suffer so that he can be cared for by Edgeworth for once. You also like seeing Phoenix do his best to love and care for Trucy despite the circumstances even though he isn't a perfect dad. It means a lot to you to see someone fail and still be loved and deemed worthy by someone. Did you perhaps experience gifted kid burnout in school and feel like you let everyone around you down? Be kind to yourself and examine how capitalism has shaped our worldview so that a "valuable" member of society is someone who holds a job of a certain caliber and earns a certain amount of money. We cannot all be held to the same standards. Do what you are able to do in your situation. Maybe that is fight for people in court. Maybe that is make music or art. Maybe that is being there for people you love. The world needs all of these things, but every person does not need to do it all.

Situationship Phoenix: Phoenix is your favorite character and you think he is owed a little sexiness after being denied love by everyone else in his life. You also want to punish Edgeworth a little bit, like you definitely have some beef against Edgeworth (understandable, although I love him he is frequently annoying) and making him jealous feels like you're serving justice on Phoenix's behalf. You probably lie awake at night and think about the sick comebacks you wish you had said to people who were jerks to you in the past. This very emotionally driven form of serving justice to these characters means that you too would have gotten your badge taken away if you were an attorney. You should probably examine the way you hold grudges and how you treat people you believe have wronged you.

Apollo justice games era Phoenix and Edgeworth: Ok I haven't played all of apollo justice yet I can't tell if there are different eras within Apollo justice, but probably if you like to imagine Nick and Miles are actively dating/flirting during the events of the first Apollo Justice game, you are living in denial that the events of the 7 year gap happened and you are sticking your fingers in your ear and going LALALALA I can't hear youuuu. You also think dads are kind of hot. You probably dislike running errands alone and prefer to have a buddy go with you. You have a small group of friends that you are really close with and you are secretly terrified of the thought of them leaving you. Pain is inevitable, and you must learn to accept this, but know also that joy is just as inevitable. You are stronger than you think.

Post Apollo Justice Phoenix and Edgeworth: If this is your favorite ship, you want everyone to be able to rest. You want to wrap up all the lawyers and everyone they love in a big blanket and let them all take a cozy nap together. You want all the drama to be done so that they can move in together and raise a child together and propose to each other and plan a wedding and be very sweet and kind to each other. Despite your best efforts, I sense that the expected social norms of a nuclear family structure are influencing your life choices. This is not a bad thing, to want these things! But does hitting these life milestones feel genuinely good, or good because you are achieving a goal and gaining approval from others? Close your eyes and imagine moments where you have felt joy. Make a pact with yourself to try and seek out these things more, regardless of whether they are what society expects of you.

[cosmerelists]

Cosmere Characters at Disneyland

As requested by @jellybeanzrock :)

Listen...I'm sure that SOMEONE on tumblr already did a post like this but I CANNOT find it. If anyone knows what I'm talking about, let me know so that I can link it! I think it was maybe about roller coasters...?

Anyway, here's my take!

1. Steris: Arrives with the perfect plan

Yes, it is in a binder.

Steris: Breakfast: acquired. Steris: We are all sunscreened, we have full water bottles, and we're already 8 minutes ahead of schedule. Steris: According to the plan, this is the optimal time to use our Fast Pass for Space Mountain. Wax: Space Mountain just closed for repairs! Steris: Tch. Turn to Plan C, everyone. I was ready for this.

2. Shallan: Mostly wants to sketch the wildlife

Shallan: Guys, stop! There's a new cat over there! Kaladin: Are you sure? It looks just like all the other cats. Adolin: Are you blind? That one's a tabby. The last one was gray, and the on before that was orange! Kaladin: ...Tabby and orange are different? Shallan: Both of you, hush! You're going to wake him!

3. Lightsong: Won't leave the Tiki Room

[Full disclosure: This is my wife's favorite "ride."]

Llarimar: Your Grace, are you sure you don't want to do...anything else today? Lightsong: This is the only part of the park that's empty and air-conditioned, Spook! Lightsong: Plus, I like the singing birds. Lightsong: They remind me of home.

4. Adolin: Gets too into the Mickey ears

He really should have brought an extra, empty suitcase.

Kaladin [eyes narrowed]: Those aren't the ears you were wearing yesterday. Adolin: Well, duh! These are my breakfast ears. The ears are sunnyside-up eggs! Shallan: He'll change into his midmorning ears after. Adolin: Plus, I have some fun ones for lunch! Not to mention my afternoon ears, my slightly fancy dinner ears... Kaladin: You have a problem. Adolin [waving a hand airily]: You just hate fun.

5. Kaladin: Just really likes the Soarin' Ride

[Full discloser: that is my favorite ride]

Syl: ...You know this is kinda an old man ride, right? Kaladin: I like it. It's peaceful. Syl: We're not even flying! We can fly for real! Kaladin: I like the part where they spray orange-blossom scent. Syl: I can't believe I bonded an 80-year-old man...

6. Syl: Really likes the characters

[Light spoilers for Wind and Truth -- just skip to #7 if you want to avoid!]

Syl: [full-size, now wearing a princess dress] Syl: Children keep asking for my photograph! Syl: I'm not sure who "Elsa" is, but I think I'm flattered!

7. Vin: Just really likes the Tower of Terror ride

It's the one that's just a huge vertical drop.

Vin: It's like jumping off a tall building, only there are more people around you, screaming. Elend: And nobody dies! Vin: And nobody dies.

8. Lift: Is mainly interested in eating every type of churro

She heard there were seven unique types, and she's determined to eat every one.

Wyndle: T-This is reminding me of you and the pancakes in Yeddaw. Wyndle: ...There isn't a dangerous Herald hunting us, is there? Lift: No, but I think that giant Mouse was lookin' at me funny.

9. Kelsier: Keeps ending up where he's not supposed to be

Kelsier: Why would they even HAVE a "forbidden" island clearly visible called Discovery Island if you're not supposed to sneak over to it? Kelsier: It's like they put up a big flashing sign that said "Secrets Here! Come and get 'em!" Dockson: I can't believe you got us kicked out of Disneyland. Kelsier: They started it.

10. Gavinor: Is the most serious child at Disneyland

Gavinor: [Gazing at the Haunted Mansion, unsmiling.] Dalinar: Do you want to go on that ride, Gavinor? Gavinor: Okay. Gavinor: Do you think one of the ghosts might be my dad? Dalinar: ... Dalinar: I don't think mouse ears can fix this.

[thequietkid-moonie]

im, going batshit crazy... the fandoms that you have are so expanded and i love everything 😢😢😢 so ermm... indulging myself by requesting a kyouka from ouran with a cat like reader... :3

Cat like S/O

[ HEADCANONS ] [ Ootori Kyoya ]

[ Ouran High School Host Club ]

I understand you, i just love so much all those fandoms i can't just not write for them! Feel free to send more requests when I open them again!

Kyouka isn't exactly my favorite characters but I did my best! I hope you like it

Kyoya isn't exactly someone who fall for someone easily, even getting to be his friends is rather difficult since he is more used to think about his life as a competition or measure things by their value and what he can get out of them, however its safe to say that your cat-like personality is something that have catched his attention from the start and he find it quite fascinating to some extent (not that he will admit it out loud to everyone)

Something that Kyoya finds amazing and is always happy to see is the way you always carry yourself around, you can be the most extrovertive and energetic person or even be more quiet and even shy and still your movements are graceful and elegant, its quite amusing to him seeing you walk with such elegance and being something so natural for you, he had asked you once how and why do you do it and you just say that is your natural way to walk, even if he found your answer weird he doesn't express it, besides it didn't take him much time to just love it

Something that Kyoya learn to love over time is how observant and smart you are, cats are natural hunters so you do have that instict too, being able to stay back and just watch carefully whatever had catched your attention, taking some careful steps forward until you find the perfect opportunity strike your attack, and even when you don't really kill whatever you consider your prey it kinda feels that way whenever that attack went towards him because he never liked feeling vulnerable or without the control (and you being so stealthy doesn't help at all), but over time (mainly when he finally trust you) he just learn to love that little quirk of your (and may or may not find some use for it)

Cats are really agile and fearless and that is something that will bother him a little bit, mainly if you show it by having a lot of energy, going around running and climbing like a child (but he does find quite fascinating your inmense hability to be still be graceful by it), it would bother him because he already had to deal with his friends at the host club and his partner also being kinda caotic will definetly finish with his patient, but if that agility is express by something less caotic he won't mind too much then

No matter how much time it pass, Kyoya will never stop complaining if you are too sleepy, cats normally have longs naps during the day, so if you do tent to take naps he will be bothered by it, and even so he tries to be there to watch over your sleep, making sure no one bothers you (but don't try to cuddle him or rest on his lap, he doesn't take it too well but sometimes he can't just say no to you)

Being affectionate with him doesn't work too well for him neither, he can handle being occasionally affectionate, and wouldn't mind hugging you or kissing you a few times (mainly when there is no one around or to tease you), but you clinging onto him and trying to be always with him will stress him quickly, he needs time to himself (what is already difficult for being in the host club) or just have time to relax, so he may argue or even get a little mad if you are too clingy

Kyoya doesn't make jokes about your cat-like personality, thats something that Tamaki and the twins will do but not him, he does sometimes compare you with a cat but doesn't joke much about it he has other things with which tease you anyways

[anonymousbeefriendfanfics]

Really loved your Lyney hcs 😭🩷 you write him so well. I would love to see some more if that's ok! Like affection hcs? What types of affection he likes, what gets him all frustrated etc ( I think this guy is a blushing mess most of the time, good thing he has his hat to hide behind it lol) Once again I really loved your writing, have a nice day 🩷

Aaaa, thank you so much, that means everything to me! Lyney is my favorite character so I'd absolutely love to write more about him <3 I might have gotten a little carried away this time, too... and I didn't even go into the ways Lyney himself shows affection!

Fandom: Genshin Impact

Character: Lyney

Warnings: None

Receiving Affection - Lyney

One thing is for sure, my boy is 1000% a blushy mess. Lyney is the type of person who will flirt endlessly, but can't handle it when the affection is returned. He'll freeze up and you can just see the wheels in his mind grind to a halt as he struggles to comprehend what he's just heard. He starts stammering, trying desperately to respond with something equally smooth. And ohh, the blushing. The first time you flirt with him - or even just give him a sincere compliment - you'll notice a faint pink hue gracing his cheeks. But the longer it goes on, the deeper his blush will get, all the while he's trying valiantly to pretend he isn't phased in the slightest by your words.

It's so easy to fluster him. Like, almost too easy, especially early on in your relationship. Any little thing can get to him, from holding his hand to complimenting his magic, and he'll end up fighting the urge to grin like an idiot. Your very presence makes him so incredibly happy, and anything that makes him remember that you belong to him makes him want to scream and jump around in excitement. Even before you begin dating, giving him a certain smile or brushing against him is all it takes to have him blushing and forgetting his words.

It might seem a little out of character for a chronic sweet-talker like Lyney to be so easily reduced to a mess, but it isn't. Deep down, he never thought anyone would be attracted to him in such a way, so he's genuinely shocked by your attention. It makes him feel emotions he's never experienced, and it's far too easy for him to get overwhelmed. He's somewhat like a stereotypical teenage girl - he's a lovesick fool who overthinks everything and daydreams about you. He'll never shut up about you to anyone he speaks to, even when he thinks he's being subtle. He's not subtle in the slightest, just ask Lynette...

Lyney doesn't have a huge preference for how exactly you show affection - anything is more than fine with him. Sometimes he can be painfully oblivious, and you'll have to make your intentions clear to him, but most of the time he's quick to pick up on it. He's the type who will learn the ways that you show affection, so he's genuinely happy no matter what.

That said, the way he best feels affection is probably words of affirmation. He needs to hear how much he means to you, he needs to know he's doing things right and not screwing up. He responds very strongly to praise - he is a performer, after all! Make him feel loved, make him feel wanted and adored, and he'll melt every single time, your words echoing in his mind long after they've left your lips.

One of his favorite varieties of this, while not exactly words of affirmation, is definitely lively banter. Make dumb jokes, lightly tease him, things like that. He absolutely loves it when you get playful, and he always ends up grinning like a fool. If you can match his energy and feed off of one another, you'll both be laughing hysterically before long!

He's also incredibly weak for physical touch. I think Lyney is incredibly touchstarved. Sure, he's got Lynette by his side, but hugs from her are different. There's just something about your touches that makes him feel so incredibly loved, and he's addicted to the feeling. He's always seeking out those casual little touches, even if it's as simple as holding your hand or brushing up against you - he's the kind of person who always wants to be touching you in some way, so long as you're okay with it.

He's an absolute cuddle fiend, too. When you wrap your arms around him, it's almost like all of his stress and worries just melt away. If you share a bed, you'll often wake up to find him wrapped around your body like a koala, and you'll have to either wake him or pry his limbs off to move. His favorite position, however, is lying with his head on your chest. It lets him listen to your heartbeat, the world's most soothing sound, and if you'll play with his hair, ohh, he's in heaven. Even if he's wide awake and anxious when you lay with him like that, he'll be asleep within half an hour. He can't help it - he just feels so safe and loved in your arms.

And when you give him something?? He practically malfunctions. The mere thought of you spending time, effort, or Mora on him is just... unbelievable. Perhaps it's due to growing up the way he did, an orphaned child with absolutely nothing, or perhaps it's just who he is. He treasures everything he's given as a present, especially when the present comes from you. The first time you give him something truly special or handmade, he's utterly speechless and suddenly fighting back tears.

He loves spending quality time with you, too. He's just happy to be in your presence, no matter what you're doing. Parallel play works perfectly fine for him - you can both do your own things in a shared space. Taking walks together is definitely one of his favorite activities, and he genuinely just enjoys hanging out with you, no matter what the two of you are doing.

He can have a hard time accepting acts of service sometimes due to his stubborn determination to do everything himself. If you want to do something for his siblings, though, he'll be eternally grateful! Be patient with him. Soon, he'll start allowing you to help him, too, and eventually he'll even quietly ask for your assistance for small favors. He genuinely appreciates your help, truly, especially if you notice that he needs something and assist him with it.

Honestly anything you do with him makes him feel loved and appreciated, and he's never been happier than he is with you by his side. Give him lots of love and affection, he certainly needs it!

Writing Masterlist 🐝 Requests Open! Tag List 🐝 @mossmosis

[draculasfavoritewife]

Idle Hands

Summary: Whenever Tony forgets to go to bed, it's always been up to you to bring him back to your side.

Pairing: Tony Stark x fem!Reader

Warnings: Heavy on the softness compared to most of my other stuff; I was in a very sentimental (read: sad and touch-starved) mood back when I wrote this lol. Tony Stark is a TEASE both in word and deed -- I have said it is canon therefore it is now. The feral way he makes me feel should be illegal. Also you can read the...implications of my vague wordings towards the end as tame or as smutty as you wish ;)

I feel the need to mention here that Tony Stark has been my most favorite comic book character since I was but a mere 11 years old. He holds the distinction of being my longest-running fictional crush/object of my obsessions and I love him so deeply and for so many little reasons that I could write a PhD dissertation on him. So please enjoy my little love letter to the man that has held my heart for nearly a decade and a half <3

It's that point of the night where you really can't decide if it should be counted as ungodly late or ungodly early. 4:00 am does tend to scramble the thoughts.

You've been drifting in and out of an uneasy sleep for what feels like forever, and as you roll away from the digital clock display on the wall with an annoyed sigh, you suddenly see why.

The other side of the bed is utterly untouched.

He hasn't been here with you at all.

You sit up, trying to remember if he had plans tonight. The calendar app on your phone has no record of a gala, awards ceremony, board meeting, or anything else that might have taken up his time.

Which means he's probably down in the lab again.

Briefly, you contemplate trying to call him, but you know from experience that he probably isn't taking calls right now, even if FRIDAY tried to put one through for you. He's in that zone that only designing and building can put him in, the one mindset where his too-busy brain is crystal clear and the world at last makes sense to him.

So you pull yourself out of bed, throw one of his old sweatshirts on over your cami and pajama shorts (he keeps the AC cranked all the way whenever it's warm outside) and pad out of the bedroom and on your way downstairs.

His lab is awe-inspiring as always, no matter how many times you see it. The purring thrum of the generators and the comforting pulse of dimmed lights, the heavy, electric feeling of the air itself -- he's described his workspace to you as having a life of its own before, and you can understand so well why time escapes him down here.

You just hope he's not using it to escape from other things as well.

He's deeply absorbed in his work on something at a station opposite the door, and your heart skips a beat even as you smile fondly at the familiar sight. Clad in sweatpants and a black tank through which you can just barely see the blue glow of his arc reactor, he looks all at once more human than usual and like some being from another world entirely.

It's the Stark curse, he told you once, and you recall the wry slant of his lips as he said so. To know you're a god trapped in a mortal body, an infinite mind with a finite number of years to use it. It's the reason behind all his greatest triumphs -- and all his harshest falls from grace.

And somehow, you were lucky enough to be the one he fell in love with.

It still feels like a dream sometimes.

Realizing he isn't going to look up on his own anytime soon, you stifle a yawn and knock sharply on the doorframe.

"Tony?"

He stiffens as if he's been shocked (always a possibility, when he's rewiring) and shoves the safety glasses high up on his forehead. "That would be yours truly. Everything alright?"

With a laugh, you cross the room, warmth rising in your chest as he immediately sets down his tools and steps out from behind the table to meet you. And damn, he always looks good -- he is Tony Stark, after all -- but there's always something about him when his hair gets all unruly and he has THAT look of intense concentration on his face that really drives home to you all over again just how gorgeous he is.

You cuddle up to him, and he kisses the top of your head.

"Asked you a question, Honey."

"Do you know what time it is, Tony?"

There's a prolonged moment of answering silence as he glances up at one of his nearby monitors. "Crap. Well, why are you up?"

Pulling back slightly so you can tease the protective eyewear off his head, you give him a look. "Can't sleep."

An eyebrow tilts; he's playing dumb.

"And that's my problem why?"

"Jerk." You take your time playing with his glossy dark hair, neatening it back up before raking your fingers through it to mess it up again. "Maybe because you love me...?"

"Oh, so you're down here looking for sympathy, got it." He smirks at you, a well-practiced and infuriatingly handsome look. "In that case, sorry about your insomnia, Beautiful. There's melatonin in the drug cabinet upstairs." He snares the safety glasses from your fingers once more and makes as if to return to his work. "Sympathetic enough for you?"

You wrap your arms around his waist from behind, stopping him from going any further, though the smug son of a bitch starts tinkering with his new designs again even through your persistent clinging. It mesmerizes you for a couple seconds, always has, the way his hands work with such delicate precision and dexterity, and you can't help selfishly wishing he would turn them towards other, less...mechanical endeavors at this moment.

He probably would, in all honesty, but Tony Stark is the king of making you work for it. Philanthropic he may be, but some things even you have to earn from him when he's feeling particularly devilish.

"I don't want your pity," you hum, pressing a sleepy kiss to his shoulder. "I was lonely without you."

"Perfectly understandable. I've been told by many that I'm scintillating company. You can, by all means, stay and watch me work, you know. Feeds my humble ego."

You roll your eyes and impatiently reach up under his shirt, feeling his muscles tense at the unexpected coldness of your hands.

That finally gets his attention and makes him turn around. Before you can even fully comprehend it, he's swept his work out of the way and lifted you up onto the worktable instead, restless fingers drawing intricate patterns on your inner thighs, though his eyes never leave yours, crystalline blue pinning your attention to his amused face instead of his very distracting hands.

"That," he grins, "was adorable. Sleepy version of you is so much more demanding. Maybe I should stay down here too long more often."

You try to frown at him, though his sparkling gaze and mischievous touch make that impossible. "How dare you."

"I do a lot of dumb things to see where they get me. You know that." He nods at the thick gray sweatshirt still keeping you warm. "Why don't you take that off for me, Sweetness. You make me cold, I get to return the favor."

Unable to come up with something snarky to say in return with the way his hands are making you shiver now, you do as he suggests with little resistance, the exposed skin of your arms and chest prickling at the much cooler air.

He leans in to tenderly kiss your neck, and your breath leaves in a sigh at the way his facial hair scratches at your throat. He's always been a helluva kisser and the meticulously maintained goatee is just the icing on the cake. Making out on his worktable was not the original plan when you first came down here, but even by his own admission Tony's best plans are usually improvised.

And you're certainly not complaining.

"What did you want from me again?" he murmurs, close to your ear.

The absolute audacity of him.

"Mmmmmmm," seems to be about all you can manage at the moment, and you know very well what's coming next.

He pulls you closer to him, the movements of his fingers turning agonizingly slow and prompting a slight gasp from you.

The smile that gradually spreads its way across his mouth is absolutely wicked.

"What was that, Sweetheart? I didn't quite catch it."

You try to reclaim some semblance of coherence, but his firm hold on you prevents you from escaping his delightfully systematic torture, so instead you grab on to his well-defined shoulders, your forehead resting against his chest. The mechanically-stabilized beat of his heart echoing beneath his skin a brief reminder that he's alive, despite everything he's been through, and he is yours. There's no one else on his mind, no one else he's let this far into his messy and often painful world.

The world may know him as Iron Man, the one who has saved them more times than they could ever count, but how many people really know the Tony that you know?

That same Tony who now raises one hand to tip your head back, whose sharp eyes soften with affection for the slightest of seconds before the anticipated words fall from his tongue, the words he knows will always unravel you.

"You just have to tell me what you want. Come on, Princess. Use your words."

You shudder and lean in to beg for another kiss.

"You, Tony. Always you. Please."

He kisses you back with renewed intensity, leaving you completely breathless.

"There we go...was that so hard?"

[necrotic-nephilim]

for the ask game (1)

au where bruce is attracted to his robins and batgirls. he tries not to think about it or act on it, but it's getting more difficult with every new member of his team he acquires. does anyone know? do the robins and batgirls notice his weird behavior? what do they do about it? do they ever find out the truth? who would think it's terrible and who would find it strangely hot/comforting/nice? does bruce ever act on his feelings?

for the ask game!

oh my GOD do i have thoughts for AUs like this, i love this shit so dearly, dirtybadwrong Bruce who's trying to keep a lid on it my beloved.

i think the fun of this AU is if characters would notice Bruce lusting for themselves vs would they notice Bruce lusting for a different Robin/Batgirl. like does Dick pick up on it when it's just him and Bruce? no, because it's just. him and Bruce. he and Bruce are weird and complicated and hold endless bounds of nuance. that's just How Bruce Is, and Dick is the "test run", in a sense. he knows Bruce is new to this whole sidekick/family thing and is giving Bruce grace for being rough around the edges. but when Bruce starts looking at Jason or Tim or Cass that way, that's when Dick starts to notice. it's never enough of a suspicion he feels justified to bring it up, but the thought lingers. he's hyperaware and grows less and less comfortable with leaving them alone with Bruce. it's a weird game of chicken, Dick and Bruce staring each other down when Bruce's touch lingers too long. each waiting for the other to say something first. if Bruce ever broke and actually acted on his feelings, Dick would be eaten alive by the guilt of knowing something was up, but never saying something until it was too late.

obviously, Cass would know. there's no world where Cass *doesn't* know, the nature of who and what she is would immediately clock it. but the issue is, Cass doesn't have a good framework of what family looks like. she doesn't really understand familial vs romantic love bc she has no firsthand experience of what a parent's love should even look like. so she never calls it out. she just watches. i'm a fan of Cass believing this is normal and believing she too can express and act on attraction that's vaguely incestuous. maybe it's with Babs, maybe it's with Dick or Tim or Bruce himself. but she recognizes this as Normal and Accepted within the Batfamily, so it severely fucks up her understanding of familial love and i just. man it's my favorite thing about Cass in Batcest honestly, is how you can play with her lack of experience with love, boundaries, and sexuality.

Tim is the fun one for me. because my favorite flavor of BruTim is when Tim knows, as he agrees to be Robin, that there's a non-zero chance that Bruce is going to be Weird and agrees anyway because he's decided it's an acceptable risk. so Tim knows from the get-go because he's expecting it. if Bruce acts on his attraction, i think it's either with Tim or Cass first, because they're the most likely to confront him about it in a way that isn't entirely negative. Tim has accepted it's a possibility and Cass just seeks being loved and touched so. it leads to the first time someone's ever confronted Bruce about it. and the thing is, Bruce really doesn't like confrontation about his flaws. the first time Tim tries to imply he's okay with it, Bruce would lash out at the idea, tell Tim how inappropriate that is and benches Tim for a week. it'd probably take a united front from Cass and Tim to get Bruce to even *admit* to the attraction. still Bruce wouldn't allow it to happen and he brushes them off until finally, the dam breaks. it's fun if there's a cause like sex pollen, but i think it's *more* fun if it's just. a random fucking Tuesday and finally Bruce is at his limit. he has no real reason, there's nothing particularly different about that day's routine. he just sees Tim or Cass striping armor and sighs and gives in.

i don't think Steph, Jason, or Babs would notice until anything substantial happened. not because they're not wicked smart, but just because none of them were looking for it. Jason put Bruce on a pedestal when he was alive, and when he came back from the dead he wasn't close enough to be noticing Bruce's interpersonal dynamics outside of his narrow scope. Steph has no real framework for what healthy fatherhood looks like, so if Bruce's touches linger, if he stares too long, she just shrugs and assumes it's how it is. and Babs was just never quite close enough to Bruce to notice. if and when she notices, is when actual sexual things start to happen between Cass and Bruce. because Cass would see no reason to hide it. Babs would be pissed, but it'd be tricky to navigate. Cass would be an adult, even if she's only 18/19, so technically, she's old enough to be consenting. if nothing else, Bruce is a careful man. even when he breaks and gives in to his desires, he covers his tracks well. he makes sure he has enthusiastic consent and there's no legal recourse that could be taken. age of consent and all that. there's not much Babs can *do* other than try to tell Cass (and/or Tim) that this isn't normal or okay. not that it gets her anywhere, but god would she try.

by the time Duke comes along (if we venture out of the pre-Flashpoint era) i think it's a sort of. open secret, in the Batfamily. talked about in nothing but hushed whispers and knowing glances. at some point, they've all had sex with Bruce, caving all for different reasons. some more than others. Tim sees it as a duty, Cass sees it as a way of seeking comfort, Steph sees it as getting Bruce's approval for once, etc. it's never forced on them, but eventually, they all come to Bruce sooner or later. and that's the fun irony of it, i think. they try to convince the others not to, but would go to Bruce on their own well. because complicated reasons they can't put into words. sometimes, Bruce is just a messy man who doesn't realize how prized his Attention to for the rest of the Batfamily. that weird duality of not liking him, but also wanting desperately for him to like you. all of them have dealt with it, at some point. so for Duke, it takes a while for him to understand this... whole dynamic. it's Cass who tries to explain it to him, and he's a little horrified, a lot confused. especially when Bruce starts staring at him a little too long as well. i think he'd only want to watch first but well. they all cave eventually.

also fun bonus if we venture into the Dark Knight Returns universe for my bestest girl Carrie Kelley: there's such a like, "i'm fucking around and i'm finding out" vibe to Carrie. like Tim, she's very proactive in just. deciding she's going to be Robin and she's ready for whatever that entails. (IMO canon Carrie is closer to fanon Tim than canon Tim is but *that* deserves its own post-) like she takes one look at the old man that is Batman and goes yup. he's never fucking getting rid of me now. if Bruce started having weird feelings about her, i think she'd have *fun* with it. she's decided she's in it for the long haul and for whatever being Robin means so. she's almost teasing about it, seeing how hard she can push before Bruce snaps. since it's an older, gruffer Bruce, i think he'd express open annoyance at it first, almost a sort of banter about how Carrie behave. but of course he caves and Carrie leans into it, because there's a fun in having all of Bruce's attention to herself. in the main timeline, Bruce is pretty split with so many Robins and Batgirls, but during their era, it's *just* her and him and she's very proud she's got him all to herself.

[morningstargirl666]

what are your top ten favorite klaroline fics?

Ooooo let me think... in no particular order:

The Lost Prince & The Eternal Queen by @3tinkgemini /3tingemini

Oh this is a beloved favourite. Caroline's a werewolf alpha and Klaus, fresh from breaking his curse, searches her pack out to turn them into hybrids. Instead of forces them to turn, Caroline makes a deal with him, teaching him what it means to be who they are, offering him a place in her pack and if by a certain amount of time her pack want to become hybrids, he may turn as many as he wishes. It's got some great lore and delves nicely into Klaus' werewolf side. I adore it.

The Stubborn Grace of Being Loved Regardless by @helpless-in-sleep / perfectpro

Also an all-time favourite, this fic is beautiful. Caroline isn't turned into a vampire and when Klaus rolls into town, she's still human. That doesn't deter his affections. AND DID I MENTION YOU GET TO SEE HIM IN WOLF FORM? NO? WELL YOU DO AND I AM STILL NOT OVER IT 😭😭😭

Wisteria by @little-miss-sunny-daisy / sunnydaisy

Caroline meets Klaus before he comes to Mystic Falls, without realising he is in fact, The Klaus, The Original Hybrid. A beautiful love story unfolds that leaves you all soft and gooey inside.

The Howling by @bellemorte180 / BelleMorte180

I LOVE the idea of this two-shot. It's a werewolf mate au - wherein both Klaus and Caroline are werewolves. There's also ✨Damon murder✨ Need I say more?

From The Eastern Mountains by @cupcakemolotov / Cupcakemolotov

Read this not too long ago actually and kicked myself for not finding it sooner. In between grieving her mother, travelling and finding her own place in the world, Caroline keeps bumping into Klaus. The scene at the market haS changed me on a fundamental level, i even don't know why that scene's the most vivid for me but it is. There's just something so mundane about it. AND HELL YES WE GET KLAUS IN WOLF FORM!!! Go forth and read.

Their Nightly Ritual by bellamywinchester

A fic from my ffnet days, this has got to be a contender for my favourite kc fic of all time. Again, there's just something so mundane about it, even with all the supernatural shenanigans - I guess I have a type? I NEED THE DOMESTICITY OKAY? Caroline and Klaus exchange phone calls while she's in college, diverging from season 5 canon.

Blood and A Quick Murder (and isn't that how it always is?) by @ks-caster / KS_Caster

A beautiful character study on how Caroline will always come first in Klaus' books. It explores a really unique idea I've never seen before, and if you like this one-shot you should definitely check out ks-caster's Red Queen series too, which diverges from canon at season 4.

Till I Tasted You by @kirythestitchwitch / KiryTheStitchWitch

GOD this fic is a favourite because never have I ever been ruined so severely by one line of dialogue: “As if I could be jealous of a boy who has no concept of what it is like to touch the sun and then spend a millennium looking for daylight in every strangers’ face.” YOU SEE??? HOW WILL I FIND LOVE NOW THIS IS MY STANDARD???

[muffled screaming]

Wicked Schemes by willowaus

This one is probably on every klaroline rec list, but eh, I don't care. It's a good classic. I love that its set in New Orleans and Caroline gets her own powers. It also has Klaus in wolf form and any fic that has that instantly earns my seal of approval, as you should know by now.

the fate makes for a lousy poet by @stars-and-darkness / for_darkness_shows_the_stars

I binged this in a morning and after I finished it I was left shell shocked, in that high state after a fic has completely changed you on a spiritual level where you don't know how to move on with your life. I just remember lying atop my bed and staring at the ceiling like??? What do I do now??? What was I doing before I read this??? Fuck if I know. It's an amazing fic, canon divergent from season 3, a tattoo soulmate au with brilliant appearances from Kol, Elijah and Rebekah as well. And hey, in my shell shock after reading it I left an essay-length comment on the fic and now I'm best mates with the author. Our tastes literally align so perfectly it's like we share the same brain cell, so I could probably make a top ten klaroline fic list out of Ella's fics alone - every fic of hers takes all my hopes and dreams and weaves them into art. So check her stuff out, and not just the popular ones either (she's also got an amnesia au in the works which has me FERAL so come help me pester her to finish it)

[professional-spectator]

Hey there, it's IDK! I usually stick to writing in the third person, but I thought I'd try something a little different this time. If you want to imagine yourself as the reader, go right ahead! Though, fair warning, I've never been the best at those kinds of stories, haha.

The character in this story is someone I came up with, an OC who's in their mid-twenties. They're a total fangirl at heart, can be a bit of a crybaby, and sometimes struggle with self-doubt. They actually have a name, but they can't quite remember it—there's a reason for that, which you'll discover later on when they get a new one.

I'm a huge Cyno fan and proudly main him in the game, so of course, he's going to be a part of this story! I absolutely love Sumeru, and I feel like there aren't enough fanfics set there, especially ones that focus on Cyno. I'm still deciding whether to make this a series, so please let me know what you think!

Okay, here's the little disclaimer and a heads-up: I don't own Hoyoverse, Genshin Impact, or anything related to them.

And a big thank you to @arn9tails for letting me use their Genshin size difference AU as the basis for this fanfic. The idea that Teyvat isn't scaled to Earth but is actually much, much larger really fascinated me—it's a pretty scary thought, isn't it? I also really liked the idea that people from Earth aren't resistant to it, which is what sparked this whole thing.

Also, just a quick heads-up: this story touches on some serious and sensitive subjects. It's inspired by SAGAU (Self-Aware Genshin Impact Alternative Universe), isekai themes, different isekai worlds, creation myths, and fanfiction in general.

Chapter1- Attack on Genshin:

"I find beauty in the way hair turns grey, how nervous feet sway, and eyes full of dust still stare at the day, still happy in the rain."

Grasping the microphone, I poured my heart out, butchering "Sweet Taste" by Smol Fish. Lottie, my best friend since high school, cheered me on with wild enthusiasm.

"You go girl!" she yelled, her voice a familiar comfort. Just then, the drinks and appetizers arrived, a welcome distraction from my off-key rendition.

"It's been a while since we've had a 'us' night, huh?" I said, sinking back into my seat and stuffing a chip in my mouth. Time had flown by, carrying us in different directions.

"Married...I still can't believe you're married..." I mused. I wasn't even thirty yet, but in my mid-twenties, half of my closest friends were either married and pregnant or chasing their dream jobs. Meanwhile, I was still at the same job I'd had since graduating high school. College hadn't worked out; my parents had fallen ill, and even though I wasn't the eldest, I was the only one who stayed to care for them.

"I know..." Lottie smiled, her eyes filled with understanding. "You deserve a break, [Name]." I couldn't argue with that.

"Oh! The anime convention is in two weeks! Let's go...and cosplay Bleach like old times?" I suggested, a spark of excitement igniting within me. I'd be Rukia, and she'd be my Orihime, my sister from another mister.

"Sisters..." she echoed, a nostalgic smile gracing her lips.

"Sisters..." I repeated, oblivious to the fact that this simple suggestion would soon unravel into a nightmare. As we stepped out of the karaoke room, our phones buzzed in unison. A new alert flashed across the screen.

"Scientists claim to have found a portal to your favorite games, anime.." the reporter announced, his tone laced with skepticism. We dismissed it as a joke, laughing at the absurdity of the notion. If only we had taken it seriously then.

"Really? Maybe we can travel the stars..." she laughed, nudging my shoulder.

"Oh yeah, I can finally become Jing Yuan's wife..." I declared proudly. He was, of course, my beloved main from Honkai Star Rail.

"I wanna be Jing Yuan's wife..." she countered, a playful glint in her eyes.

"I called it first..." I retorted, laughing. Lottie pouted, feigning disappointment.

"How about we form a harem? We could be sister wives..." Lottie added.

A moment of silence hung in the air, followed by a burst of maniacal laughter.

"Aren't you married?!" I shouted, clutching my stomach.

"Okay, but Jamie loves him too...we can all share..."

We continued to laugh at the ridiculousness of the joke.

"Fine, I get Sunday and Tuesday..you Fridays and Saturday." I conceded, shaking my head in amusement.

Lottie's suggestion hung in the air, innocent enough: "What about Genshin?" Little did I know that those simple words would unravel into a nightmare two weeks from now, especially cruel considering Genshin Impact held a special place in my heart. If only I, Lottie, or anyone, had heeded the warning signs... but I'm getting ahead of myself.

"Well, you know there's only one man for me in Genshin..." I declared, brandishing my car keys like a scepter, emphasizing my unwavering devotion to Sumeru's stoic General Mahamatra, the Cyno Key chain.

Lottie just rolled her eyes, a familiar gesture. "Of course, Cyno..."

"He's been my main since Dvalin, my husbando..." I laughed, a sound that usually bubbled with genuine affection.

Lottie sighed, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "At least he's a protector..."

I couldn't resist a playful jab.

"Zhongli and Neuvillette..." Lottie answered, her choices.

"Old men... you gold digger..." I teased, knowing exactly how to get a rise out of her.

"Jamie likes them too..." she retorted, referencing her husband, Jamie, who often mirrored her taste in fictional characters.

It started as a joke, a silly, late-night murmur. That evening, I found myself driving Lottie home, the city lights blurring past the windshield. Earlier, the day had taken a sharp, unwelcome turn when my dad fell ill. Four missed voicemails screamed from my phone, each a tiny hammer blow to my already frayed nerves. My aunt needed help, of course she did, and naturally, I stepped up, the ever-reliable daughter. I cleaned up the mess, the acrid smell of vomit clinging to the air, and coaxed him into taking his medicine.

"You're a good daughter; God will bless you..." my father had rasped, his voice weak. But between you and me, in that moment, I felt anything but good. I felt like I was failing. I should have been there, present, not juggling a million responsibilities. A wave of longing washed over me, a desperate yearning for my mother's familiar, comforting hug.

"We're fine..." I repeated the mantra, a fragile shield against the encroaching darkness.

Later, the house was quiet, the only sound my own stifled sobs. My parents were asleep, oblivious to the storm raging inside me. I sat hunched over my computer, mindlessly moving the Cyno avatar around on the screen, the vibrant colors a stark contrast to the grayness of my mood. I think back to how utterly pathetic I felt then, a prisoner in my own life.

"I wish Genshin was real..." The words slipped out, a whispered plea into the silent room. I hated my life at that moment, the weight of it crushing me. I was in my mid-twenties, stuck in a frustrating limbo, neither pretty nor ugly, just…average. Tan skin, dark feathered hair that always seemed to fall in my face, and ordinary brown eyes hidden behind big, thick glasses because the thought of contacts terrified me. On the plus side, I suppose, the older I got, the younger I looked. I was a size large or extra-large—a husky, plump woman, as my grandmother used to say.

Lost in the game, my fingers danced across the screen, skillfully guiding Cyno through a difficult fight. A soft, wistful thought, like a gentle breeze from Sumeru, drifted into my mind: "If only Teyvat were real..."

A wave of regret washed over me, a familiar ache gripping my heart. "If only my life was different..." This lament echoed in my mind, a constant reminder of the past's unchangeable nature. I felt powerless, a mere observer in my own story. "If only you were real..."

Sumeru held a special, almost sacred, place in my heart. It was my favorite region in Teyvat, a vibrant land full of mystery and wonder. And the characters! Cyno was my absolute favorite, followed closely by Tighnari, Alhaitham, and Kaveh—the core four. Beyond them, many other beloved characters shone brightly: Sethos, Wanderer, Faruzan, Nilou, Layla, Dehya, Nahida, and even Dori. I fiercely defended Dori, a lone supporter convinced that I alone truly understood her motives. A belief, I would soon learn, based on complete and utter delusion.

I devoured countless Isekai fanfics, losing myself in their fantastical worlds. I even explored Sagau and similar genres, my hunger for the extraordinary seemingly endless. Arrogantly, and foolishly, I thought I had a deeper, more sophisticated understanding than all those authors. I told myself that if I were ever transported to an Isekai world, I wouldn't just survive; I would thrive. I would easily become friends with the Sumeru group, becoming an essential part of their lives.

This was pure hubris, a dangerous mix of arrogance and naiveté. Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared me for what was about to happen.

The day of the anime convention dawned. I remember the thrill as we stepped into that kaleidoscope of colors and sounds. I'd meticulously assembled my Rukia cosplay, while Lottie had blossomed into the gentle Orihime. Jamie, Lottie's husband, completed our Bleach trio as Ichigo. He was partly there to meet his favorite voice actor, but more importantly, to bask in Lottie's infectious enthusiasm. Ever the supportive friend, Jamie also volunteered to carry our bags, a kindness I would soon recognize as indispensable. Never once did Jamie or Lottie make me feel like a tag-along; their friendship embraced me as one of their own.

"Genshin Merch ohhh!!!" Jamie's voice boomed, laced with playful zeal, as he tugged us toward a booth overflowing with treasures. A mischievous grin danced across his face.

"Look, babe, we can share..." he said, brandishing a Zhongli body pillow with a wink that could charm the stars. Lottie erupted in laughter, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Look, (Name)," Jamie called, now gesturing towards a rather distinguished Genshin Impact Resplendent Feast Series Cyno figure in a suit—elegant without being overtly suggestive. Little did I know that this would be one of the last times I'd hear my actual name spoken. I wish I could claim to be the responsible adult my parents believed me to be, but alas, that was not the case. Without a moment's hesitation, I slapped down eighty dollars.

"Sold..." I declared, a mischievous glint mirroring Jamie's own.

The convention, enjoyable as it was, felt strangely intimate, the crowd thinner than usual. An odd unease hung in the air, a subtle disquiet fueled by whispers of a bizarre phenomenon. Missing person reports had spiked, but most dismissed it as media hype, sensationalism amplified by the echo chambers of the internet. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube—all were awash with videos: colossal hands emerging from tunnels, looming over bridges, even descending from the sky. Like many, I'd initially scoffed, attributing it to AI trickery, deepfakes, or some elaborate political stunt. A decision I now deeply regret.

Fragments of conversations drifted back to me now, snippets about a scientist, a name I couldn't quite grasp. I wish I'd paid closer attention. He'd been ranting about portals, gateways to fictional realms, dismissed as the ramblings of a madman. Some hailed him as a whistleblower, especially after his untimely death just days after a television report detailing his outlandish claims.

I distinctly remember a vendor's offhand remark: "A portal to an anime world... imagine being in Dragon Ball, dating Android 18 or Bulma!"

"Sebastian from Black Butler, I adore him..." another had sighed dreamily. We'd all chuckled, treating it as a harmless fantasy, a shared joke about escaping into idealized romances.

Around midday, Jamie, Lottie, and I decided to brave the outside world and explore the vendor booths. A surprisingly large crowd had congregated, their chatter a low hum of excitement and anticipation.

"Hey, what's that?" Lottie's voice cut through the noise, her eyes wide with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. She was pointing towards something towering over the nearby buildings.

"A new art installation?" Jamie mused, nonchalantly sipping his boba tea. He seemed unfazed, attributing the spectacle to some quirky artistic endeavor.

"Hmmm?" I squinted, my mind still half-lost in the virtual world. "I've been playing too much Genshin; that looks like a treasure hoarder. See the insignia..." I pointed at the colossal figure, tilting my head, trying to make sense of it. It was then that I noticed it. The "statue" was breathing. A slow, deliberate rise and fall of its massive chest. "Wait a minute...."

If only I had noticed sooner, perhaps things would have turned out differently.

The earth began to tremble, a low rumble that quickly escalated into a violent shaking. Then, the unthinkable happened: the statue moved. It walked. A gaping portal ripped open the fabric of reality, and from it emerged giants, each burdened with bulging bags that strained at their seams. Jamie gasped, but Lottie could only manage a piercing scream. I, on the other hand, simply froze, my mind unable to process the scene unfolding before me. It felt as though I had been thrust into the world of Attack on Titan, witnessing the Colossal Titan peering over the wall. But I was no Levi, no Mikasa Ackerman, just a terrified bystander.

"(Name!!)" Lottie's voice cut through my fear-induced paralysis. I felt her soft hand grab mine, pulling me forward. Jamie, ever pointed towards a potential escape route. In that moment, our purses, our shopping bags, all the newly purchased merchandise became utterly insignificant. Survival was the only thing that mattered. But our desperate sprint was short-lived. The giant treasure hoarders, as I now thought of them, surrounded us, their massive forms penning us in like chickens in a henhouse. We were confronted by a forest of legs, impossibly long legs that seemed to stretch for miles into the sky. Lottie was grabbed first, a small squeak escaping her lips as she was lifted into the air. Jamie followed soon after, his face a mask of terror. Then, it was my turn. I was plucked from the ground with surprising ease, and without ceremony, we were all tossed into one of the bulging bags, landing on top of each other in a tangled heap.

The bag was completely full, its contents pressing uncomfortably against my back. Lottie, Jamie, and I were being jostled around, crammed so tightly with others that breathing was a struggle. Abruptly, the world flipped, and we were unceremoniously dumped onto a bed of rough hay. I blinked, trying to adjust to the poor lighting. We were in what appeared to be a chicken coop.

"Where are my new Mora makers..." The voice cut through the air, sending a shiver down my spine. I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. I recognized that voice. Looking up, my eyes widened in disbelief. It was Dori, Dori Sangemah Bay directly from my favorite game, Genshin Impact. Dori Sangemah Bay, the very same playable Electro character who owned The Palace of Alcazarzaray and was famous as a merchant who could acquire anything for the right price. "Lord Sangemah Bay," as she was known. And there she was.

Dori seemed gigantic before me, towering over the pen. Her pale skin glowed in the dim light, her golden-brown eyes gleaming with shrewdness. Her short, pink hair framed her face, and perched on her nose were those unmistakable small glasses with reddish lenses and gold diamond-shaped frames. I knew them so well from countless hours playing the game. She wasn't looking at me specifically, but at all of us in the pen, regarding us as... well, as her little Mora makers.

"This is such a cute bunch..." Her gaze swept over us, eventually stopping on Jamie. Poor Jamie, Lottie's kind husband and a close friend, looked like he was about to pass out.

"You're perfect to send to Lady Furina..."

My mind raced, trying to make sense of it all. This was Dori. Which meant... this had to be Teyvat. And if Dori was planning to send Jamie to Fontaine... Lottie stood beside me, her face a blank slate of confusion, mirroring my own. Teyvat wasn't real. These characters weren't supposed to be giants.

What on earth was happening? Before either of us could speak, before we could even begin to comprehend the impossible reality unfolding around us, we were separated. I was grabbed and tossed, along with ten others, into another pen. I had no idea where Jamie or Lottie had gone. The new pen reeked of a sharp, chemical odor. I could tell these were Dori's servants or workers. They marched in, faces covered by gas masks, carrying spray canisters of some kind. A noxious cloud filled the pen, and the last thing I saw was the swirling mist before everything faded to black.

I awoke to a world swimming in confusion, the rough wood of a crate pressing against my skin. Disorientation clung to me like a shroud; memories, like frightened birds, had flown from their roost. Where was I? How had I gotten here? It seemed I'd been hurled into the unforgiving present. My fellow prisoners were an odd bunch. One was purring. The others were lost in a daze, their eyes vacant. Had I been kidnapped? Was this Teyvat? Sold, perhaps, by the sly Dori? A throbbing ache pulsed behind my eyes, a painful counterpoint to the unsettling silence.

"Hey..." I croaked, my voice raspy. I snapped my fingers, trying to pierce their stupor, but they remained unresponsive. A wave of my hand before their faces yielded nothing. They were lost, adrift in some inner sea.

"Huh?" I muttered, frustration bubbling within me.

I turned my attention to the crate, my fingers tracing the outline of a loose wooden bar. Hope flickered. I might be weak, a victim of noodle arms and perpetually skipped leg days, but I wasn't helpless. I began to fidget with the bar, pulling, tugging, wrestling with the unyielding wood. Time stretched, each moment an eternity of strained muscles and muttered curses.

"It's loose..." I grumbled, despair threatening to engulf me. My luck, as always, was abysmal. But then, the world lurched. Whatever beast was carrying our prison hit a bump, and the crate bucked. I tumbled out, the rough sand and gravel offering a meager cushion against the fall. Pain exploded in my arm, a throbbing reminder of my predicament. I wanted to scream, to unleash the torrent of fear and frustration, but the massive underside of a Sumpter Beast loomed above, its heavy hooves threatening to crush me. I swallowed the sound, forcing it down with a shudder. The earth trembled, a relentless, bone-jarring vibration that seemed to last an eternity. Long after the caravan, an hour-long procession of monstrous beasts and rattling carts, had passed, I lay there, stunned, the taste of dust and fear clinging to the back of my throat.

I desperately wished I could wake up, that this was all just a horrible, realistic nightmare. But when I looked up, my heart jumped into my throat. A massive, ravenous, flying serpent was swooping down towards me. My arm throbbed with a sharp, insistent pain that suggested it might be broken.

In the game, I routinely hunted these creatures, turning them into a readily available food source without a second thought. Now, it seemed the universe, in a cruel twist of fate, had decided I should face the consequences of my actions. I ran, fleeing in my absurd cosplay robe, flip-flops slapping against the sand, socks bunching uncomfortably. It was coming for me, a scene straight out of one of those old nature documentaries where the predator always catches its prey. Suddenly, something larger, a blur of golden, reddish-brown fur, leaped out and snatched the serpent from the sand. It was one of those adorable desert foxes that fans always raved about. But now, covered in blood, it looked both cute and terrifying.

The desert wind whipped at my back. Tears blurred my vision as I ran, a desperate flight fueled by fear and adrenaline. I stumbled, my legs heavy, until a crumbling structure loomed in the distance – a ruin that offered a sliver of hope, a promise of sanctuary. But the hope was a mirage. As I drew closer, the ruin opened into a hidden chamber, revealing two figures cloaked in the unmistakable garb of Akademiya scholars. My heart plummeted. I knew those uniforms; I had spent countless hours immersed in this world, in this game. But this was no game. Their eyes, devoid of warmth or recognition, fixed on me not as a fellow human, but as some strange, unknown creature.

"Shhh!" a voice hissed, cutting through the silence. "You'll scare it away..."

"Careful," another voice followed, laced with a predatory anticipation. "If we want to catch it..."

Panic seized me, cold and sharp. Slowly, I began to back away, my mind reeling. What were they doing here, in this forgotten place? I didn't want to know. Everything felt wrong, twisted. Teyvat, the world of Genshin Impact, had been my escape, my comfort. Now, it was a terrifying reality, a land of giants and monsters. My best friends had taken to who-knows-where. And now, I was being hunted, pursued by the scholars of the Akademiya, in a world that had become a nightmare.

I ran, my breath catching in my throat, the relentless desert wind whipping at my face. Behind me, the pursuing scholars were gaining ground, their angry shouts echoing through the ancient ruin. Each grain of sand felt like an accusation, the oppressive heat a physical weight pressing down on me. I silently begged for salvation, for anyone to intervene and pull me from this nightmare. Then, without warning, I slammed into something as unyielding as a brick wall. A jolt of pain shot up my arm, and a cry escaped my lips as I stumbled backward, landing hard on the unforgiving ground.

Before me, two enormous feet stood planted in the sand. I squeezed my eyes shut, desperately trying to deny the reality of what I was about to see. But curiosity, or perhaps a morbid sense of self-preservation, forced me to look up. And there he was. Cyno. My favorite character, the one I had painstakingly saved Primogems for, the one I had cheered for when he finally appeared on the banner. But this wasn't the Cyno I knew. This Cyno was larger than life, a towering figure of imposing power. His sunset-red eyes, usually so captivating, now burned with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. The jackal headdress seemed less like a symbol of authority and more like a mask of terrifying judgment.

The scholars finally caught up, their triumphant expressions fading as they took in the scene before them. I, however, was paralyzed, trapped in a vortex of disbelief and fear. This had to be a dream, a twisted nightmare conjured from the depths of my subconscious. A giant Cyno? It was absurd. A desperate part of me clung to the hope that my water had been spiked, that I was hallucinating, that this bizarre version of Teyvat was nothing more than a figment of my overactive imagination.

"Crap!" one of the scholars exclaimed, his voice laced with panic.

"It's the General Mahamatra..."

It was clear these scholars were involved in something illicit, and Cyno had arrived to deliver justice. I, a mere genshin player, fan girl lost in this distorted reality, had no business being caught in the crossfire. Yet, I remained frozen, unable to break free from the spell of terror that held me captive. Like King Kong seizing Fay Wray in the classic movie, I watched in horror as his massive hand reached for me. My mind screamed, "Run! Run, you idiot!" But my legs refused to obey, my brain overloaded with a mixture of fear and disbelief. And then, in a moment that defied all logic, I found myself scooped up and unceremoniously deposited inside a large sack, slung over his broad shoulder.

It was the second time I'd been unceremoniously tossed into a bag. I couldn't quite recall how long I'd been in there, jostled amidst their belongings like a forgotten trinket. A muffled series of thuds and whacks suggested he was fighting someone, somewhere. Had I not been the size of a doll or a cat, I might have been a fan girl, caught up in the drama. But my brain short-circuited, going straight into autopilot. My thoughts drifted to my parents; if I wasn't there, who would help them with everything? Yes, I complained, a lot, but beneath the surface, I loved them dearly. And what about Lottie and Jamie? They'd been taken, just like me. Who knew where they were now, or if they were even safe? The air in the bag was thick, dark, and humid, and I was on the verge of passing out when, suddenly, a bright light sliced through the darkness. The bag was open, and the hot, dry desert air rushed in. A hand snaked in and grabbed the back of my robe, pulling me towards the unknown.

Terror washed over me as I stared up at the gigantic figure towering above. Cyno was an absolute giant, making me feel as small as a kitten. Under normal circumstances, I might have admired him, perhaps even drooled or grinned like an idiot. But destiny had other plans. I was trapped, held tightly in Cyno's grasp—my favorite Genshin character—like a rat caught in a trap.

I looked down at the ground, which now seemed impossibly far away. Only Cyno's tight grip on my robe kept me from plummeting to my death. My arms and legs flailed uselessly, like a broken puppet. I wished I could faint, to escape this horrible situation, but instead, I was overcome with pure panic.

"Wahhhhhhh!!" I screamed, but the sound was a weak squeak, lost in the enormity of my fear.

"Please, sir! Have mercy! I don't want to die!" My voice, strained and high-pitched, sounded completely desperate, even to my own ears. I was begging, trying to reason with a power far beyond my own.

"Please, I have a family! A sick father, a sick mother! I'm still a virgin; I haven't even gotten married yet..." Each scream, each desperate plea, only highlighted how pathetic I was, painting a picture of complete helplessness. In that moment, I found myself confessing all my sins and pleading for forgiveness.

Cyno, his mind a whirlwind of calculations and strategic assessments, found his gloved hand gripping the peculiar fabric of the small human's clothing. His mission was clear: apprehend the three scholars who had dared to dabble in forbidden knowledge. He certainly hadn't factored in the discovery of a "mini human," as they were often called. His initial thought, as always, was to adhere to protocol and deliver the creature to the hallowed halls of the Akademiya.

The Akademiya, in its collective wisdom (or perhaps, Cyno mused, its collective prejudice), generally regarded these diminutive beings as inferior. This stemmed from the unfortunate reality that most rescued individuals, hailing from the depths of Sumeru's forests and other untamed regions, exhibited disconcerting animalistic tendencies, often mimicking the behaviors of canines or felines. But this one… this one was different. It spoke in coherent sentences, albeit punctuated by a pathetic whimper that tugged at something deep within Cyno's stoic exterior.

He knew, of course, that owning "mini humans" was a practice outlawed in Mondstadt, Sumeru, and Natlan. Yet, in the bustling ports of Liyue, the electric streets of Inazuma, the elegant courts of Fontaine, and the frozen wastes of Snezhnaya, ownership was permitted, even encouraged, creating a thriving, albeit morally questionable, market. Cyno's brow furrowed, not in judgment, but in curiosity. He noticed the unnatural angle of the human's arm, a clear indication of a fracture. A visit to Tighnari, the expert on all things biological and botanical, was undoubtedly necessary. But that would have to wait. The scholars were his priority. With a gentle hand, he carefully nestled the small human into the depths of his cloak pocket.

To be continued......maybe???

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I read the post where you answered why you didn’t like Malleus and remembered that you placed Leona really highly on your favs list, and Leona is my favorite so do you mind me asking why do you like Leona?

[My TWST character tier list is here.]

[Anon is also referencing this Malleus post.]

THERE’S A REASON WHY L*ONA IS IN “Unfortunately Enjoy” TIER 😭 I think for like... over a year (2020-2021)? Probably closer to 1.5 years?? I really disliked him and swore up and down that I'd "never in my life simp for the fake cat". This was largely in part due to book 2, which to this day I believe did Leona a HUGE disservice and made him look very unintelligent and uninteresting. Then I was drip fed new Leona content as it steadily came out (vignettes, voice lines, event stories, his return in book 6) and my opinion of him vastly improved. Book 2 was just a really bad introduction to him and it greatly soured my first impressions. sjfyofqebfeiafns B-But now I'm too embarrassed to openly declare, "Yeah, I like a sad muscular l*on man. So what?" Some would say that's tsundere behavior... BUT I SAY I'M COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED FOR ACTING THIS WAY BECAUSE IT ISN'T EASY TO CONFESS WITH YOUR WHOLE CHEST THAT YOU LIKE KINGSCHOLAR OF ALL TWST CHARACTERS

... Anyway! For a much more expanded explanation, I'd recommend this post! It already states a lot of my thoughts, and I don't want to repeat them in yet another lengthy lion-related post. What I'll do instead is summarize the key points for you, plus add some commentary about Leona and Malleus at the end.

Admittedly, he is pretty. VERY pretty. I'm saying this as someone who normally really dislikes hair longer than shoulder length, the "wild"/bad boy aesthetic, and kemonomimi. Leona breaks ALL the rules and still somehow manages to wear everything and anything well because of his sheer confidence and natural grace. His physical features are also very striking... The sharp bright green eyes, the small waist and large chest (there's NO reason why he HAD to be built like that), his stupid smirk, etc.

His pettiness and sarcasm. Leona has, hands down, some of the funniest lines 🤡 I love that he has the balls to speak callously to everyone, including fellow dorm leaders and royalty. His best moments, however, are when he whips out the sarcasm on statements which are so patently untrue--like when he says he is a 'delicate prince' and a 'lost child', both moments from book 6. It's also hilarious whenever Leona speaks in a formal way, showing that he does have the education and the knowledge of how a prince should present himself, but just actively chooses to not make the effort and only does so mockingly or when social grace calls for it.

HIS BIG BRAIN FOLDS, HOLY COW (err, book 2 aside). Leona works smarter, not harder!! He's always one step ahead of everyone else, even if he appears sleepy or disinterested at the time. He figured out the trick behind the "indestructible" golden contracts, he sussed out Jamil WAY before book 4 ever came out (saying that Jamil has "eyes that always glare" and implying that Jamil poses a threat to Kalim's life; this is from Jamil's School Uniform vignette), he takes what he learns in textbooks and so easily translates it to real-world experiences (ie advising the first years on how to more efficiently mine magestones in Vargas Camp), etc. Additionally, Leona knows when to step in and when to be hands off. It's not done out of cowardice or laziness, but rather because he's thinking strategically. For example, he could have resisted capture at the hands of the Ferrymen, but he didn't because it would be smarter to just go with them willingly. It saves everyone a lot of time and energy, and it’s this kind of intelligent thinking that makes Leona really stand out.

He knows how to lead. There are many different types of beastmen, each with own beliefs, values, and traditions that are unique to their own group. As a result, it is very difficult to unify all beastmen within the Sunset Savanna under one rule. Guess who doesn't have this problem? THAT'S RIGHT, IT'S LEONA. There's a variety of beastmen in Savanaclaw, and he effortlessly rules over them and commands their respect.

He actively thinks about how to improve the Sunset Savanna. Leona's ideas are not always the best (like, yeah, you could introduce new technology to the country but expect significant social pushback from the people, who prioritize living in harmony with nature). However, I can really appreciate that he did not entirely turn his back on the people who feared his powers and talked him down. I think he eventually realized the flaws in his way of thinking and actively chose an energy and mining lab internship in hopes of researching ways to slowly implement changes that will benefit the Sunset Savanna while also remaining respectful of the people's beliefs. He is concerned about Falena's lax way of ruling and consistently brings up ideas in various voice lines about how they can improve the Sunset Savanna and its relationships with other countries and tourists. In spite of everything he went through, Leona never wants to hurt those who hurt him with their comments and comparisons to his elder brother. He does not ever want to tear down the system that kicked him down again and again, only wants to challenge it by proving his own merits and the merits of the other downtrodden that he leads.

As much as he wants to deny it, he cares about his underclassmen and goes out of his way to help them. There are sooo many examples of this that it cannot possibly fit in one bullet point. (I would really recommend reading the elongated post linked above, as I go into more detail on this.) Suffice to say, Leona has been shown guiding, instructing, and mentoring many other characters including, but not limited to: Epel, Ruggie, Jack, Jamil, and various Savanaclaw mob students. This really hits me in the heart because I love reliable big brother characters 😭 EVEN THOUGH LEONA IS TECHNICALLY A YOUNGER BROTHER...

He understands his strengths—and he understands others' strengths too. This man is fully aware of his magical might and powerful presence. He uses every last bit of it to full effect and to attain his goals, whatever those may be. One of my favorite uses has to be In Fairy Gala!! He distracted some pixies by simply demanding water and their attention so his partners in crime could escape—and what’s more, this was a plan he came up with on the spot because their mission was being jeopardized by unforeseen events. Leona is also good about pinpointing people’s best attributes and then helping them hone it. This happens a lot during club practice, bur it also occurs in book 6 between him and Jamil. Speaking of…

THAT WHOLE BOOK 6 CONVERSATION WITH JAMIL DESERVES ITS OWN BULLET POINT. This part was peak mentor mode Leona 😭 Sure, maybe he wasn’t the kindest with his wording, but I felt this was the wake up call Jamil needed to hear. What really got me though was the part where Leona tells Jamil there’s still hope for him… “unlike me”. (I believe this part was translated differently in EN to make Leona’s ego sound more inflated (ie “I’m not like you”) which saddens me immensely.) It paints the image that Leona is still struggling to believe his efforts will amount to anything and that he believes more in his juniors than in himself :(( (which informs my headcanon that Leona mentors younger students so that they can have the bright future he doesn’t think he can have for himself).

Emotional complexity. When you get down to it, what started off as a very basic story of jealousy and inferiority complex actually resulted in a deeply flawed, traumatized, and scarred individual who continues to doubt and put himself down but is slowly recovering. Leona is smart and charismatic—he is everything a leader should be, but he doesn’t truly see his own worth. (Ironically, the only people who do are the ones who look up to him and follow him.) And now… Leona’s actually got his eyes set on graduating! He has his internship plans set! I think he’s made such big strides since book 2, and it’s been so rewarding seeing him regain his willingness to try and succeed return to him.

Looking back on it, it’s so ironic how things ended up working out. Initially, I was totally on Lilia’s side when he insulted Leona and said he would never be the kind of leader Malleus is. Now I’m realizing how Leona does many of the things I don’t see Malleus doing (despite Lilia claiming Malleus is more fit to be king than Leona is).

Malleus isn’t harming his people by any means, but it’s more like he’s… stagnant? Complacent? He’s satisfied with the status quo and is comfortable resting on his laurels. And because of that, Malleus doesn’t really seem to consider what he, as a leader, can do for others, be it for his dorm members or doe his country. (Part of this is also how isolated and opposed to change Briar Valley is, of course! That kind of culture definitely shapes Malleus’s thinking.) He tends to avoid situations which involve navigating social complexities rather than dealing with them himself. Think of Ghost Marriage, when Sebek proposes in his place. Think of Fairy Gala, when Silver is the one that ultimately resolves the conflict between the diurnal fae (who have historically not been friendly with nocturnal fae) and NRC. Malleus is so sheltered that has not truly been put in situations where he has to make tough decisions or where he has been challenged. He has never had to claw and scream and beg for people to see his worth.

Leona has been through that emotional wringer, and though he’s been hurt so badly, he still came out the other side. In running from the shadow of his family—of his older brother—Leona found solace in this new kingdom, Savanaclaw. It’s a place to build himself up, to stew over the ideas he has that have yet to be realized, all with a safe mental distance from home. It’s through the many hardships he has experienced that has refined his wit and given it a place to practice, to be used.

When it comes down to it, Leona and Malleus are two sides of the same coin. Both arrogant princes, the second born and crown prince, respectively, wishing for the other’s circumstances. Leona desperately wants that respect and recognition that Malleus has. Malleus longs for the intimacy and camaraderie that Leona is so easily able to cultivate and command. Leona has been forced to adapt, to learn, to grow from his scars. Malleus struggles with the concept of change (understandable, given his background) and actively denies reality if he finds the truth to be unpleasant. He’s not used to facing dilemmas that cannot be solved with magical strength, and has not ever been challenged in such a way. Malleus doesn’t know how to deal with that, which is partly why be panics and loses himself to emotions in book 7. (By the end of it, I’m sure he’ll be given the chance to see the error of his ways though 💦 or at least I hope he does??)

Their characters are very different, and that’s not a bad thing!! If anything, it makes their dynamic so interesting to observe and it offers varying interpretations of the same “prince” trope. I definitely know which of the two I prefer 🤡