#and i'd be out of Gifts of Exploration. + if i want to make another Aurene legendary i'll need to map complete echovald again (agony)

[valiant-portabella-pirkko]

"It is done, my Champion. When this world comes to heel, you will be my blade in the dark. Together we will remind mortals why they once feared the night."

Guess who just finished Mordremoth's Fang the other night. :)

[somanyratsinthewalls]

Congrats on 700!!!! You absolutely deserve it!!!!!

I'd eat up anything eggshell, but can I get bat please 👉👈

HI FRIEND thanks for requesting! This is only my second or third time ever writing Killer sooooo I'm still getting into it, but I tried my best!

Pairing: Massacre Soldier Killer x Female Reader

Prompt/Trope: Exhibitionism

Summary: You opt to join Killer on an exploration trip instead of drinking with the rest of the crew. It takes some convincing, but Killer decides to loosen up a bit.

MINORS DNI!!!

WC: 2100

TWs: voyeurism, non con voyeurism but they're all open about it, unprotected sex, p in v sec, size difference ah!!!! steamy hot spring onsen sex, killer keeps his mask on sorry yall I'm feeling canony

Take a Dip (+18)

— — 

You sit at the kitchen table flipping through your old pile of gossip magazines for what seemed like the billionth time. You had your head in your hand while you finished up reading “Hottest Ramen Spots on the Grand Line” for the 5th time. You let out a long sigh. 

Killer, who was cleaning out the refrigerator across the room from you, picked his head up and turned in your direction. 

“What plagues you, tiny thing?” Killer stands up straight and wipes his hands off with the dish cloth that was slung over his shoulder. 

“I’m so fucking BORED!” You slam your magazine closed and toss it haphazardly towards the end of the table. Kid promised you would make land today, which delighted you to no end. It had been weeks on this stuffy ship and you were excited to get off and stretch your legs for a bit. You had gotten ready to go early in the morning, basically skipping through the Victoria Punk’s hallways as you made sure you had everything you needed for an excursion. 

That was until Kid decided the safest thing to do would be to head to the town after nightfall. He thought the crew would attract less attention if they arrived under cover of darkness. 

“But I want to go now!” You whined in protest. 

“And I want to be King of the Pirates!” Kid had shouted back at you. “Sometimes things don’t go your way!” 

And this was how you ended up slumped at the kitchen table nursing a warm, half drank beer while going through trashy magazines. 

“The sun’s gone down already, I’m sure we will get off soon.” Killer begins wiping off the kitchen counters with disinfectant. 

“I can only read ‘6 Vibrators You Need to Buy RIGHT NOW’ so many times before I stick my head in Victoria’s coal engine.” You sigh. 

“Hmmm… can you order those straight from the magazine, or..? Because you’re a bit cranky, I guess I could get you an early Christmas gift. ” Killer says as he continues meticulously cleaning his kitchen. You can hear a smile in his voice, he must have a cheeky grin on his face underneath that damn mask. 

“Yeah yeah yeah okay whatever.” You roll your eyes. You feel your cheeks heat up a bit, so you turn your body away from Killer to hide your blush. You grab another magazine to further disguise your flushed expression. 

The galley door was kicked open and you whipped your body around. Killer turned around from his place at the sink, hanging up a pair of rubber gloves. 

A heavy thud of combat boots and a flurry of red hair had burst into the kitchen.

“Let’s go, assholes!” Kid grinned at the two of you before retreating to the deck. 

— —

The Kid Pirates strolled through the quiet, gas lamp lit streets of this remote town, Kid leading the way, no doubt towards whatever bar was still open. It was easy top spot, being the only business with their lights on and a hot pink neon sign blaring in the foggy window. It seemed this sleepy little town was so small that the main square seemed to only consist of a few buildings. 

There was a pub, a butcher, a general store, and few other essential businesses, along with an old school Onsen hot spring further up the road a bit on a grassy hill. Kid holds the pub door open for the rest of you but you noticed Killer staying back. You’re about to enter the bar but you turn around to shout at Killer who was still in the road. 

“You’re not coming?” You question.

“Yeah come on, loser, let’s get fucking drunk!” Kid shouts from above you, still holding the door. 

“Not tonight. I want to see if anything else is open. We could use some supplies.” Killer holds his ground and starts walking up the road. 

“Wait for me!” You call out and duck under Kid’s giant metal arm to hustle up to Killer in the road. 

“Oh come on, y/n! You’re my good time girl!” Kid pouts at you. 

“I’m sure there’s plenty of girls looking for a good time in there!” You give Kid a sarcastic smile and a wave as you jog down the cobblestone road. 

You finally reach Killer and keep your pace quick to match his… his legs were much longer than yours. You walk together in silence for a few minutes, nothing heard but the clicking of your boots on the road and the dull hum of grasshoppers. 

“Why did you want to come?” Killer eventually asks you. 

“I dunno. We sit and drink all the time, I’d rather do something different while we’re out.” You say as you watch your feet, trying not to trip over the craggy road beneath you. 

“I see.” Killer states plainly. 

You walk without saying anything for awhile again as the two of you reach the top of the hill. The onsen comes into view. You see the hot springs gently cascading down from one azure pool to another, steam radiating heavily out of the pool to dance upwards into the crisp air. 

“Oh, Kil! Come on!” You break off from Killer and run towards the pools. 

“Y/n, they aren’t open.” Killer waits in the road. 

“Okay? And we’re pirates? Who cares? Come on! Come get in with me!” You say as you skip over to a particularly large, stone pool and kick off your boots. 

Realizing you weren’t going to be swayed, Killer grunts in frustration and heads over to where you were undressing. 

“You realize anyone can see you like this out here?” Killer reminds you, not taking anything off himself, just watching you. 

“And? God, Kil you’re really being a buzzkill tonight.” You rip your shirt over your head, leaving you in your jeans and your bra. “It’s almost like you’re going soft…” You tease as you unhook your bra and toss it to the side. Your naked breasts bounce freely and you didn’t need to see through Killer’s mask to know exactly where he was looking. 

Killer lets out a long sigh. He then rips his blue t-shirt over his head, your eyebrows raising as his golden, washboard abs and pecs are exposed to you. You quickly strip off your jeans and panties and step into the pool. 

“Ohhh…” You groan as you sink further into the relaxing, hot waters. You felt your tired muscles release and the grit and grime of the sea melt off your skin. You hear movement in the water behind you and you turn around to see Killer already in up to his waist. You pout at him playfully, as you didn’t get to see him fully nude before he got in. 

“Happy now?” Killer chided as he stalked towards you at the other end of the hot spring. He slowly gets closer and closer to you. 

“Hmmm…. Almost…” You bite your lip and look up at the blonde’s hulking form that was now right in front of you. 

“Oh? And what would make you happy, tiny thing?” Killer asks as he brings his left hand to gently play with your hair. He was standing and you were sunk down into the pool… your face was so close to his hard cock, bobbing just under the surface of the water.. he could have pushed your mouth on it in a second…

You hop up and sit yourself on the stone edge of the pool and spread your legs, presenting yourself to Killer. 

“I want you to fuck me, Kil.” You reach your hand down and spread your lips with two fingers, showing Killer exactly where you wanted him and how badly. Killer takes a split second to decide what he was going to do before pouncing on you entirely. He pulls your head into his chest and uses his other hand to line his throbbing cock up with your hole. 

“You want this, little one?” You feel it rumble through Killer’s chest. 

“Please…” You whisper out. 

Killer hikes you up fully into his embrace. Your wrap your arms around his neck and lean your forehead into his mask. Killer sinks you down onto his cock swiftly, plunging it into you in one smooth thrust, holding you up with your knees over his forearms as he impaled you on his member. 

“Aaah… fuck!” You cry out and throw your head back as you feel yourself being stretched so deeply. Killer grunted as he gripped your ass cheeks even harder to toss you up and down on his giant cock as he stood in the hot spring. 

You tangle your hands in Killer’s long blonde hair spilling out from behind his mask. He gave you an extra hard thrust in response which made you yelp. 

“Such a tight little thing…” Killer huffs out to you as he pumped his hips upward into you at an unrelenting pace. “Must have needed this bad, huh?”

“Y-y-es! F-fuckk so g-good!” You slam your eyes shut and you can barely get out coherent words with how fast Killer was slamming into your cunt. Suddenly you were spun around and felt yourself being lowered on your back onto the stones lining the hot spring. Killer ripped your legs apart by your knees and moved to stand between them, tapping his weeping tip on your clit teasingly. 

The hand that wasn’t teasing his cock against your sex was reaching up to grab at one of your breasts harshly. You start to moan under his touch when he abruptly slams his cock into you to the hilt again without warning. You yelp. 

“AH!” 

“Quiet, sweet girl… you don’t want the whole town to hear you like this, right?” Killer coos down at you as he thrusts into your messy pussy from above. 

“Ahh- K-kil! I-I’m close!” You feel your muscles squeeze and that familiar tingling in your lower half starts to reach its peak. This only increases the speed of Killer’s thrusts. 

“FUCK!” You ignore Killer’s warning and you let out a loud moan to the starry sky as your orgasm hits you. 

“That’s a good girl…” Killer pulls his cock out of your hole as he feels you finally stop spasming around his shaft. He steps forward to stroke himself quickly over your flushed body. Your eyes had hardly returned from the back of your head when you felt hot ropes of cum splatter against your chest and abdomen. 

After a few seconds of catching his breath, Killer scoops up your body from the cool stone and places you gently on his lap as he sinks the two of you into the hot spring. You feel the hard nuzzle of his mask against your forehead as he gently wipes the cum off your chest under the water. 

*clap* 

You pick your head up from Killer’s chest. 

*clap* …. *clap* …. *clap*

“What the fuck is that?” You say as your eyes scan the area. 

*clap clap clap clap clap* 

“Bravo!”

*wolf whistle*

*clapping continues*

“Nice show, kids!” You finally were able to pinpoint the unknown speaker. 

You were all but mortified as you see Kid, Heat, and Wire all hanging drunkenly off the wooden fence to the Onsen. 

“What the fuck! How long were you there- Kid… are you eating??” You shout as you cover your breasts instinctively, Killer’s protective hand coming up to replace it yours. 

“Yeah-“ Kid shoves another handful of chips into his mouth. “I didn’t think we’d come across something as interesting as you guys fucking in the hot spring, so I brought a snack.” 

“Yeah and honestly the chewing was really distracting.” Heat chimed in. “You should really close your mouth, dude.” 

“What? So you can perv-out over your crew members some more?” Kid spat back. 

“Captain, you were the one who suggested we ‘stay to catch the end.’” Wire adds. "Nice choice with the cum shot, by the way. I'd have done the tits too."

“I NEVER SAID THA-“ Kid spouts off but Killer interrupts him. 

“If you’re finished arguing, the show is over.” 

You feel Killer’s grip on your naked body tighten. 

The trio turns tail and continues squabbling with each other as they stumble back to the Victoria Punk. You can’t help but giggle a bit. 

“What’s so funny, little one?” Killer whispers into your ear. 

“Your jealousy is showing, Kil.” You laugh as you lay your head back against Killer’s bicep. You bring your hand up to hold his mask. “You know I’m yours.” 

“I know.” Killer says softly as he strokes your back. “I just think we should charge them to watch next time.” 

[feral-lore-creature]

💙 Prometheus Fics I Adore 💙

Just here to share some Prometheus (Alien) fics I love to re-read. 😌

Forbidden Gifts by Ardath_Rekha On Ao3 (Has not been finished) - This fic actually has the Last Engineer x Elizabeth Shaw ship! It's such an extreme rare-pair, and it's very well done! I love this ship with my whole heart, istg. - The bridging done between the prequels & the main film is interesting, and the whole story takes you on such a journey. The only thing I remember of reading this the first time was that it was a perfect vibe for mid-winter. - I won't spoil anything, but it does something really interesting with David's character, so for any David sympathizers (*cough cough* @elecctromechanika ) this one's pretty fun! - Is super internal-dialogue centered, and I love it for that! - Just as a note: there is a sex scene in here, but the author warns you thoroughly, and you can skip it if you please.

Those Whom Fortune Favors + Intrepid by JShale on Ao3 (Intrepid isn't finished, but the first one is!) - Those Whom Fortune Favors doesn't need much artistic liberty when going in, as it keeps the same isolated feeling & story as the movie. - Elizabeth's characterization is so fucking on-point. It's always the little things that make each character so distinct from one another, and makes them layered. - Intrepid is basically TWFF, but from the Last Engineer's P.O.V. & adds really interesting perspective I think I needed to recognize how severely a language barrier can warp your perception of a character.

Alone by @wingedmidnight on Ao3 (My apologies if you don't want to be tagged! I'll get rid of whatever upon request. :3) - This fic is OC & David centered, but I love it a lot because of that. It's a very interesting take, seeing the world through a different human's eyes while exploring the weird world of Alien. - David also doesn't turn out to be a creepy little murder machine! No war crimes here. Love that for him. - If you don't like shipping, romance, or sexual tension (the latter of which happens in the both of the above listed, seemingly only on Shaw's side in TWFF-) this one's better suited! - The world building is so creative! Not just in environment, but in the personalities and culture of the Engineers. - Not finished, but I don't mind. I love re-reading it either way.

Curiosity is a Virtue by MewMidnight fanfiction.net (Is also not finished) - There's definitely Elizabeth x Engineer stuff in here, but I'm a little less focused on that. There's also like... one chapter of smut, but it can be easily avoided, if that's not to your taste. - Shaw is as curious as she always is here, constantly seeking answers. - I enjoy the little chunks of world-building in here, but it's mostly funny to watch the other Engineers gawk over Shaw and David the whole time. - CiaV is a far lighter read by comparison, for multiple reasons. It's just such a nice ride.

Figured I'd make this list to give a bit of love (and life) back into this niche corner of the Alien fandom! I hope you give at least one of these a try, and happy reading! 💙

[bump1nthen1ght]

To Be Cherished (Dragon x GN!Reader)

Pairing: Male!Dragon x Gender Neutral!Reader

Warnings: Kidnapping, Slight infantilization (of the reader)

Word Count: 2255 words

Summary: You'd never thought of yourself as the "darling" type; That seemed more fitting for demure nobility, fawned over by their one true love. Usually a knight, or a duke, or someone else.

But dragons were never ones to play by the rules.

Request: heyo, if it’s okay, could i have a male dragon taking a transmasc (or just gn) human to be their pet? kind of just petting and praising the reader, saying things like “good boy/pet” to them? thank you!

A/N: Another dragon! Feels like I haven't written a proper dragon fic in forever, glad to be back.

I wasn't sure if this request wanted NSFW, so I decided to play it safe and do SFW. But if people want a NSFW second part (or another part in general!), I'd be glad to continue this!

When you started this day, you had expected mundanity. Thats what your whole life up to this point had been, a slightly-changing list of chores on the same land your family has worked on for generations. It may have been boring to some, knowing that some towns folk would refer to your family as ‘simple people’, but you always brushed it off. You loved your life! You loved the ever present routines and the beautiful rolling hills, even the gray-blue mountains that seemed to loom over like a fog. It was nice, your life was nice!

Now, looking down the muzzle of a dragon, you think you may have benefitted from exploring a bit more. Maybe if you had gone into town more, talked to more adventuring parties, you’d have the proper response ready when you found a Dragon sitting in your pumpkin patch.

“Hello?”

You mutter, which has the dragon cocking its head. It’s eyes are frighteningly large, giant pools of yellow with a menacing black slit at the center. they sit several feet above you, even with its head tilted low to look at you. A wave of its hot breath rolls over you like a summer breeze, it’s nostrils right by your face.

“H-how can I help you?”

The dragon doesn’t move, just letting it’s third eyelid flit between, only adding to its uncaring (?) gaze,

“Uhmm…” You mutter, looking at your basket. “I have some cucumber, some eggplant, some tomato-” You hold up a fresh, fat red tomato to the dragon's nose, “-if you want some?”

You know dragons prefer more luxurious gifts, but maybe it's hungry? Whatever it wants, it can have, you’re just hoping it doesn’t sees you as the meal.

Another wave of breath is snorted over you, ruffling your overalls and the straw hat on your head. Your hands shake, still tired from harvesting all your vegetables this morning, your nails caked in dirt. You’re sure you look a mess right now, especially in front of something as regal as a dragon, you hope the smell of sweat and soil is enough to deter it from eating you.

The dragon eyes the tomato, but does nothing to eat it. You slowly put it back into your basket.

“Sorry, that’s all I’ve got it. Just a farmer, as you can tell.” You rub the back of your neck, mayb you could appease to it’s sense of humor? Dragons love wiley adventurers, don’t they? “I’ve been told I can make a mean brisket, though. W-would you like some of that?”

The dragon blinks again, but this time you see the sides of its mouth begin to curl up, it’s tail flitting behind it. Is it…smiling?

“Yes.” The dragon’s booming voice nealry rocks you backwards, just as noble and threatening sounding as you thought it would be. “I think you will do, just fine.”

Before you can even stutter out a “What?” the dragon's claw descends upon you, gingerly wrapping around your torso as its wings extend. The ground rumbled as it flaps the giant wings, pushing it’s massive body off the ground with you still in it’s paw. You’re gobsmacked, no words and breath left to exclaim as it begins to take off into the air. A million and one thoughts and panics run through your mind, but as quickly as you realize you are being kidnapped, you black out.

—--

You’ve never actually swam in a lake, but if it was anything like this 30 foot cavern-bath you were taking, you were clearly missing out.

You had woken up in a dark cave, so far underground that the only light source were the various braziers and bioluminescent mushrooms decorating the walls. Laying on top a pile of furs, you noticed how surprisingly intact your body still was before noticing the dragon sitting nearby. It’s only when the dragon huffs that you jerk upward and look at the beast.

“Oh….hello again.” You say, trying not to freak the fuck out. The beast is just a mere 20 feet away from you, the tip of his (at least you think its a he) tail just close enough to tilt up your chin. The dragon hums, appraising you, its lips curling into that same intimidating smile.

“You look so cute when you sleep, pet. I was wondering if you would ever wake up.”

Your jaw would’ve dropped if not for the sharp scales pointing it upwards. This is really not what you were expecting.

The tail moves to your cheek and coerces to tilt your head to one side, then the other. The dragon hums again.

“What nice features. I feel awfully lucky to have found you dear, before you had to suffer any more hard labor.”

Hey, it wasn’t that hard.

You rebut in your thoughts, not daring to speak out of turn. The dragon doesn’t seem to be dangerous…not yet.

The tail moves down your chest and to your hands, lifting them up by the wrists but not pulling you uncomfortably. The dragon leans its head closer, its black scales shining like mother-of-pearl in the mushrooms glow. It tsks. “Workers hands, I loathe the fool who callused these hands. Who has you breaking your back, picking those fruits.” The tail reaches up, and pats you on the head, almost like a dog. “But you mustn’t worry, my pet, you won’t have to do that anymore.”

“I-I think there may be a misunderstanding.” You meekly say, almost a whisper. The dragon tilts its head, still amused. “I appreciate your kindness, dragon, but I wasn’t an indentured servant. Those fields were my own, I chose to work in them, and wasn't forced to do anything.” Your shoulders shrug up, trying to appear grateful but embarrassed at the mix up. “So you can take me back, I promise I wasn’t being hurt.”

The dragon looks at you, not saying anything and still having the amused look on his face. You feel sweat bead on the back of your neck, trying to avoid losing eye contact, showing disrespect or weakness. But the tail simply tips up your chin again, the dragon chuckling.

“Oh no my dear pet, I’m afraid you have misunderstood.” The dragon stands up on its paws, circling around the piles of furs yet keeping his tail under your chin. “ I know you weren’t imprisoned, you just didn’t know any better.”

You furrow your brow. That literally explained nothing.

“You will find your accomadations much more suitable for you now, my dear. Now, lets get you cleaned.”

The dragon’s tail nudges you backwards, turning you to see the large cavernous pool of water behind you.

Huh, that's why it’s so humid in here.

The dragons tail moves down to your shoulder, moving with enough finesse to pull down a single strap of your overalls. Your eyes go wide and you find yourself stumbling away.

“I c-can undress myself!” You squeal, before catching the way the dragon’s brow furrows. “I-uhm- thank you. But I can manage.”

The dragon chuckles, retracting his tail.

“Of course dear, I forgot how important clothing was for human propriety. Here,” The dragon sits up again, sitting around the rim of the bath, though facing away. That long tail flops over the side and stirs the bath water, the fragrant steams of lavender and bergamot bath salts wafting across, “I won’t even look.”

You shrug. You think thats about as much privacy as you’re going to get.

—--

To his credit, that bath was amazing. You don’t think you’ve ever been this clean in your entire life, having grown comfortable with a base level of sweat and grime.

Still, did he have to get rid of my clothes?

You’re not sure how he did it, but when you stepped out of the bath all that remained as a silk robe and fluffy slipper for your to wear. No sign of those well-worn overalls. He even had you do a spin as you got out, cooing at the outfit.

“My, my, now don’t you look handsome?”

You rub the back of your neck, not quite sure how to feel. Embarrassed, flattered? The growl from your stomach does the hard part of filling the silence for you.

“Lets get you some food, huh?”

The dragon leads to a different part of the cave, an outcropping with a gigantic dining room table, several blankets and quilts, and a circular bed in the center. Theres a stack of books, paper and pencils by the bed, but what draws your attention is the platter of delicious food on the table. You walk a little too eagerly to the table, the site of a freshly roasted chicken and potatoes tempting you in. When you sit down, you try not to lunge for it. This is the most luxurious food you’ve ever seen, plates of figs and rinds of cheese for you to snack on, alongside various other fruits. You give the dragon a side eye, wondering if you could start.

The dragon nudges your chair, effectively pushing you in, and gestures with its head for you to eat. Trying to keep some sense of propriety, you use the fancy silverware to your right instead of just digging in with bare hands. You even try to take a delicate bite of one of the chicken wings, but find yourself quickly melting under the flavor.

You were right, this is the best food you have ever eaten.

“Do you like it?”

You nod, taking another large bite. The dragon chuckles, laying down its head and just watching you. You swallow and give it a smile. A real one.

“Yes, thank you. I…don’t know what to say.” You take another quick bite of a nearby fig, almost moaning at the sweet taste. “How’d you get all this?”

“I have my ways, sweetling.” The dragon winks.

“Well, good job because this is incredible.”

You eat until your belly’s full, the lingering heat from the bath weighing down your muscles and making you feel drowsy. Sitting back in your chair you hum in content, before looking at the dragon. He still watches you, that pleased smile on his face.

“Uhm, could I ask you your name?” You set aside your plate, brushing imaginary crumbs off your robe. “I feel like I don’t know anything about you.”

“My name is Nyryym, dear.”

“Na-rim?” You enunciate, smiling when the dragon nods. “Nice to meet you, my name is ____.”

Nyryym nods, sitting upward so his head lies above the table, looking down at you. “A fitting name for my adorable pet.” He uses his tail to tilt your chin, admiring the way you fluster and blush. Your body responds almost naturally, that drowsiness from before weakening your resolve.

“Yeah, about that-” You swallow, a shaky smile on your face, “What’s the plan? Like, do you want me to do something or…” you gesticulate randomly. You’ve heard of dragons enjoying human talents before, like taking dancers or musicians, artists and poets to keep them entertained. But those were usually carefully curated picks, often from a big city or a royal court. You were just a farmer and while you’d like to think you're witty and charming, you didn’t have any extraordinary talents. “I c-can clean, or cook, maybe-” You look at the big pile of books near your bed, “Read to you?” You’d sometimes read to the children next door, putting on funny voices and such.

Nyryym chuckles again, patting you on the head with his tail.

“That is very sweet of you to offer, pet. You are such a dutiful sweetling. But I do not require you to do anything.” He sweeps his tail around your waist, nudging you to stand up and walk towards him. “Your company shall be delight enough, pet.”

“O-okay.” You nod, eyeing the large bed nearby. Surely he didn’t mean..

Well, you’re not gonna even broach that topic.

“I’m happy to help, Nyryym.”

His smile is less disconcerting than you thought it would be, especially with a mouth full of teeth that could grind your bones into dust. Nyrymm draws you even closer to him, his tail now fully wrapped around your waist. His head leans down dangerously close, enough that you yave to coach yourself not flinch away. Another hot breath of air blows through your hair, when you realize he’s smelling you.

Nyryym lets out a content sigh, rubbing your stomach with the tip of his tail. It almost tickles. After another sniff, he opens his eyes and stares you down.

“That’s a good pet. How about we retire for the night?”

You both look toward the bed, luxuriously plush and practically begging to be slept in. The combination of shock, the bath, the food and a morning full of work beforehand urges you to lie down. Now knowing that Nyryym doesn’t plan to eat you, that urge is even more compelling. So you nod, letting him guide you to the bed.

Laying down in the cotton sheets confirms your suspicions; You’re fucking exhausted. Your body sinks into the cushions, immediately pulling up the blankets to tuck yourself in. Nyrymm curls around the bed, lying his head so it's parallel to yours.

“Good night, my sweet pet.” He says, rubbing your face with his tail one last time.

“Good night, Nyryym.”

The hum of the cave and Nyryym’s heavy breathing, alongside everything else, quickly lulls you to sleep. It might be the best sleep you’ve ever had.

You guess things could be worse.

[writing-for-life]

He Hears the Sound of Her Wings…

When Death Equals Solace

This meta started out as part of an exploration of Dream’s relationship with his siblings (and what we learn from their very first appearances) that’s been languishing in my drafts for ages. But since we’re discussing “The Sound of Her Wings” in our community at the moment, I just decided to pull these bits up now (maybe also better to write about the siblings individually than in one novel-length meta 🙈). So here goes…

Dream’s relationship to his sister is undoubtedly special. He is closest to her—but what does that actually tell us?

When she shows up for the first time in issue 8 (“The Sound of Her Wings”), we see Dream desolate, seeking purpose beyond his function. And seeking purpose beyond his function is what's at the root of the deep schism between being Morpheus and being Dream (I am fully aware they are one and the same at this point, but bear with me): Morpheus wants something that is real, but Dream is the unreal.

When we read/watch “The Sound of Her Wings”, we tend to focus on that she helps him remember what his function is, and what it means to be what he is. All of that is true. But while she reminds him of what he his, and why, she ignores his deep longing for something else—a personhood, if you will. That's neither a What nor a Why—that's a Who. And I don't blame her, purely because of what she is. Her function already defines something real: Life and death. You can’t get any more real than that. But Dream is the unreal.

And Dream's meeting with his sister in “The Sound of Her Wings” reminds him of his function and purpose, true. But that isn’t solely helpful—it’s also painful. Because his main takeaway, in a nutshell, is actually this (more about that in a sec):

If we remember that the Endless are concepts, it’s is near impossible to read “The Sound of her Wings” as anything other than it is in the narrative arc: Of all the siblings, Dream is closest to Death. There’s meaning in that sentence. He perceives what she has to offer as a gift. He finds solace in her. This is abundantly clear when he recites the following (I’m still sad we didn’t get to hear it in the show to be honest):

Death is before me today: Like the home that a man longs to see, after years spent as a captive.

Recited by Morpheus, who just escaped captivity 😩

And it would be easy to still revert to thinking, “Ah well, she just reminded him of his responsibilities and his purpose, and that he’ll be okay.” But if you look at these panels…

It’s near OOC for Morpheus to say that his responsibilities can wait. But he does it here, and it becomes so clear that there’s another epiphany in there. A solace was found. In Death. Who is his sister but also always, always her function. I personally believe (and people are free to disagree of course) this is the very moment he knows, in his heart of hearts, that his only way out is D/death. And that’s something peaceful for him, not something he is afraid of.

Has he already, perhaps subconsciously, laid a few traps for himself well before that? Yes, for instance in a Midsummer Night's Dream. Has he already learned certain lessons beforehand? Yes, in Dream Hunters. But I believe the difference is that the way out becomes crystal clear to him here, and that from this point onwards, the traps become fully baited, and he can't (or won’t) back out anymore because his sense of responsibility made him paint himself into a corner (consciously or subconsciously—I'd hazard a guess it's all the same to him anyway). And we all know this one…

Even in his last moments, he never forgets about his responsibilities. But the responsibilities he only talked about a few panels before can wait. For once. And it’s very hard to know what a stickler for responsibilities Dream is and not find that significant. We are reading a return to what matters, finding new purpose and hence saying “responsibilities can wait” into these scenes because on the surface, it makes sense. Because we are human. And Dream becomes more human in his outlook as the story progresses (and that’s not without consequence).

Ultimately however, the Endless are concepts, and all dreams ultimately die—either because they are fulfilled, hence stop being unreal, or because they cannot be fulfilled and are either given up on or turn into something else. And all of these messages are central to The Sandman.

Dream loves Death, the darkness lifts from his soul when he is with her, and from this moment onwards, the sound of her wings is the solace he turns to. And that’s both beautiful and heavy…

[wooahaes]

fortunato in amore

pairing: non-idol!seungkwan x fem!reader

genre: fluff. established relationship au.

warnings: n/a, ask to add warnings

word count: ~1.1k

daisy's notes: venice is on my list of places i'd love to see one day tbh

Waking up in Venice in general felt like a dream. Waking up next to you in Venice, though… That felt special.

This trip had been a long time in the making, to be honest. After your last birthday, the two of you got around to talking about milestones. The pictures you’d both seen of your first birthday, the vague memories of your fifth. You celebrated your thirteenth with your family, your sixteenth with a few friends online… and the rest were looser. Vaguer. Your eighteenth had been dinner with your parents, too focused on the coming college years to do anything more special. And your twenty-first…

“I was sick,” you had shrugged off the idea of doing anything special. “I mean, I could have done something, I guess.”

“Did you do anything special after it?” Seungkwan rested his chin in his hand, watching you. “It’s a milestone for a reason. If you don’t want to do anything special, then you don’t have to…”

To be honest, you’d never really thought about it. A few weeks later, you’d come back to him and asked if the two of you could take a trip for your next birthday. Somewhere you’d never been before. The two of you ended up sitting down one night and just looking through places, trying to narrow it down to somewhere you’d enjoy going. After a while, you’d settled on Venice—Italy seemed nice, and you thought you’d enjoy the trip. Thus began the two of you saving up for the trip with the plan to have enough money to spend on yourselves and for gifts for your loved ones. The first day of your trip had been dedicated to finding little things for the people in your lives: things you’d mail off to your parents, other presents the two of you would take to his family when you saw them again. The two of you ended up snuggled together that night, completely exhausted from the day behind you.

Now he was admiring you in the morning sunlight. He reached forward, brushing a stray strand of hair back from your face. Maybe, in another life, this would be your honeymoon and not just your birthday trip. Traveling with you only opened up a world of opportunities. He’d always wanted to go places with you, but living in that reality now… He wanted to see everywhere with you. The two of you would have to take more trips abroad in the future. 

Eventually, you began to stir from your slumber, letting out a sleepy yawn soon after. You snuggled closer to him, legs intertwined with his own. 

“Good morning,” he’d said, voice still slightly hoarse from sleep. “Happy birthday, my love” 

Still sleepy, you let out a soft giggle as you nuzzled his neck with your nose. “Good morning,” you let out a blissful sigh. Yet you just buried your face in his neck a moment later, already about to drift back off to sleep. 

Tomorrow, he would wake you up again if you tried this. We’re in Venice, he would say. We should go explore. But for your birthday, he’d let you get the sleep you craved. Just for a little longer before the two of you would get ready for the day. The two of you couldn’t cuddle like this always when you were sleeping, but Seungkwan always took joy when the two of you could be snuggly. Besides… Both of you had been awake before his alarm went off. The two of you could afford a little more sleep.

“I love you,” he said aloud, fingers running over the back of your shirt. Absent-mindedly, he smoothed out the folds in your shirt, while staring up at the ceiling. “Sometimes I think about what would have happened if you didn’t trip and spill your smoothie on me.”

It earned a soft chuckle from you. “You looked good in pink, y’know.” 

He gently swat at your side, although he chuckled himself. “I do, but that was my favorite sweater.”

“I paid for your dry-cleaning,” you just smiled, eyes still shut. “Vernon told me you walked around, ranting about me for days until I asked you out.”

“You called me cute,” he said. “I thought you were cute, but…” He’d been too upset about the sweater, a gift from his mom for his birthday, to stop being annoyed. Yet he remembered the way your text had stopped him completely in his tracks: the cute little ‘hi seungkwan! sorry if this is too forward but i thought you were cute and i wanted to know if you would maybe get a coffee with me sometime? i’ll be careful with my smoothie this time haha’ that he read and reread over and over. 

Vernon had been the one who took his phone out of his hands. He had started typing out a reply for him, only to pause and glance at his face, “I’m supposed to tell her yes, right?”

Seungkwan averted his gaze. “Of course I’m going to say yes—” 

He’d lunged for his phone a moment later, brain finally catching up to him, but either way the end result would have been the same. It was all worth it, too, considering where it led. He remembered the early days of your relationship, where you’d fall asleep on bus rides after dates with him, head resting on his shoulder. He’d always rest his head against your own, shutting his eyes for a few minutes to just enjoy your company. He remembered the hassle of you moving in with him that was all worth it when the last and first thing he saw was your face. 

“Are you excited for the opera tonight?” He stifled his own yawn a moment later. “I told Seokmin about it. He was jealous, but I promised to get him pictures of the opera house.” He shut his eyes, stretching a little as he felt his spine popped. Then he relaxed into the mattress again, already feeling sleepy. “I sent Jeonghan pictures from our gondola tour yesterday… I said he’s coming with us next time we come here.”

It earned a sleepy chuckle from you. “Mhm. Sure.”

“We should do this again,” he said. “Travel together, I mean.” 

“I’d like that.” You pressed a kiss against his neck before relaxing against him.

Let’s see the world together, he wanted to say. He’d say it against your lips later, a quiet promise to spend this life together wrapped up inside of it.

taglist: @twancingyunhao @synthetickitsune @wonuziex @porridgesblog @staranghae @weird-bookworm @bangchansbae @laylasbunbunny @bewoyewo

[this-sapphic-paradise]

A continuation of this ask plus "what if Alicent saw Rhaenyra kiss Mysaria?"

"What troubles you, my queen?"

Alicent heard the voice as she was walking past a door on the long corridor she had been exploring that morning.

"Is it the dowager queen?"

The question made her pause. The accent of the speaker informed Alicent they were not from Westeros, and the feminine, conservative tone but daring words made it clear that whoever that happened to be was a smart woman.

Inching toward the open door, Alicent was careful to stay quiet and out of sight.

"No. Alicent’s presence here is a boon."

Alicent couldn't help the smile that spread on her lips upon hearing Rhaenyra reinforcing the idea that her presence in Dragonstone was welcomed, however, the second she was able to peek into the room, her smile faltered. Rhaenyra and a lean, brunette with olive skin were standing entirely too close for her liking.

"The Gods often like to hide tricks within their gifts."

Alicent clenched her jaw and balled her hands into fists so she would not pick at her nail beds. She knew most people in Dragonstone merely tolerated her presence, but what had she done to this particular woman to make her speak in such a way?

However, to Alicent’s surprise, Rhaenyra actually laughed—the sound airy, feather light, reverberating on the stone walls. It made Alicent’s hear skip a beat.

"Is there any reason why you wish to make me question the validity of her presence here?"

Rhaenyra was smiling and Alicent watched her take a step closer to the other woman. No, no, no. Alicent knew that smirk, she knew that mischievous stare. She had been on the receiving end of them many times in their youth to not know.

"Are my feelings so outrageous?" The woman asked, smiling back at Rhaenyra as she gently took the queen's hand in hers, drawing gentle patterns on the inner side of her wrist.

The moment was so tender, so intimate it brought tears to Alicent’s eyes, and still, she could not move away.

"What would those feelings be?" Rhaenyra asked quietly, gladly allowing the gentle caress of her wrist to continue.

"Hatred of her family..." Mysaria started, taking another step closer to her queen, bowing her head slightly so Rhaenyra would have to lean in to hear her as she said, "Jealousy of your wandering eyes..."

Alicent's breath hitched in her throat as she watched Rhaenyra place her free hand on Mysaria's waist and search her eyes while offering her that thrice-damned lopsided smile that Alicent always found so endearing.

"Do they not wander back to you?" She asked softly.

Mysaria smiled timidly and Alicent wanted to scream. She wanted to claw at her chest to set free the viper that had so clearly slipped under her skin and wrapped itself around her heart; but instead, all Alicent was able to do was clench her fists on her dress as she forced herself to keep on watching.

"I must confess I have grown unused to sharing," Mysaria said, fleetingly brushing her lips against Rhaenyra's. "But as long as they return to me..."

Rhaenyra grinned and, unwilling to endure her lady's teasing any longer, she leaned down and captured Mysaria's lips in what Alicent could only describe as the most loving and tender kiss she had ever witnessed with her own two eyes.

A sob wrecked through Alicent breaking the spell that had kept her in place. With tears streaming down her cheeks and an unbearable pain in her chest, she ran toward her chambers not caring to check if the queen and her concubine had caught sight of her fleeing.

"Did you hear that?" Rhaenyra asked, breaking the kiss in order to look about them.

Still entirely enamored by her queen, Mysaria guided Rhaenyra's chin back to her, saying, "I did not hear a thing, my queen, but there are certain sounds I'd like to hear you make."

Rhaenyra opened her mouth to speak, but all she could do was blink at Mysaria's brazen words.

Laughing and blushing, Rhaenyra shook her head. "We should take this discussion to my chambers, then."

Grinning, Mysaria led the way. "A most astute decision, my queen."

[itjazzbicch]

On My Mind

Pairing: Bonten!Kokonoi Hajime x Bonten!Fem Reader 

First time writing for Koko, so I hope I did well! 

Summary: Coming to a meeting, wearing one of her secret lovers' gifts, the attention she receives sparks the true feelings they have for one another, which they discuss when they're finally alone...

Warnings:  Pet names (Baby, princess) very slight swearing

Word Count: 0.7k 

"Y/N finally here yet? We need to get started."

It wasn't like me to be late for a meeting, hearing Sanzu in the meeting room and apologizing as I stepped in:

"Forgive me for being late. I had to handle a personal issue."

"Woo," Ran whistled from the bar, bringing drinks over and winking at me, "Who are you trying to impress? Because I have never seen you all dolled up like that, honey."

I hated when people put me on the spot like this. Although, Ran made a good point. A cute silk dress, heels, and jewelry to match. That wasn't exactly my style, but I was exploring new fashions, avoiding the eyes of the one who bought it for me.

Kokonoi.

"I just thought that maybe it was time to try something new," It was hard to hide how flustered I was, especially since there were only two seats left.

One next to Rindou for Ran, then one next to Kokonoi. Koko's eyes wouldn't leave the sight of my dress as I sat down next to him, our eyes connecting, and the lust in them had me looking away to hide my smile.

We were a thing but weren't official. So, I would rather not have the rest of the guys be in our business, looking at Ran as he brought me a drink, winking:

"Well, it looks good on you, baby doll."

Ran could never hold back his flirtatious ways, cheeks full of flustered heat as I felt Koko's hand on my thigh under the table. Ran couldn't see it but noticed my expression, going to flirt with me some more till Sanzu groaned:

"Stop worrying about your, baby doll, Ran, and focus on the work we have to do."

"Yeah, yeah," Ran huffed back, sitting at the table, and as we were going through files and talking business, Koko's hand found my thigh again, fingertips tracing the silk against my skin, their talking able to hide his whisper:

"I knew that you'd look gorgeous in that dress."

"I'm glad you think so. I really do love it," I whispered, fighting another blushy smile, my thighs squeezing together.

To make it look like we were handling business, Koko reached for some papers next to me; his whisper was quieter but loud and clear to me:

"Only the best for my princess."

That made all my blood rush between my thighs, his finger softly trailing between my thighs, teasing under my dress, and his eyes trailing over to Ran, who was side-eyeing me with a smirk.

I took a big gulp of my drink while staring at the clock, needing this meeting to end already. It was still a lot of attention to process. I wasn't the type to be so easily swooned, but there was something about Koko.

I'd never seen him entertain the thought of anyone lustfully in all the years I've known him, and to be showered in bliss and pampered by him? It never failed at making my heart race.

Thankfully, I didn't have to suffer in tension for long. I stayed a bit longer only to avoid the guys seeing Koko and me leaving together.

It was astonishing how platonic we looked, but as we stepped into the elevator, there was no more acting.

"Gosh, I can't keep my eyes off you."

"You're too good to me, Koko," I said, melting from his presence, let alone when his hand found my hip, bringing me in front of him.

"Look at you, princess," The walls of the elevators were mirrors, my hands following his on my dress, pressing kisses on my ear, turning into soft nibbles with every word, "You are beautiful."

"Koko," Exhaling a soft moan, I found the motivation to ask, "Can we come out about us? When Ran was eyeing me, I only wanted to show him that I'm yours."

"I know how you feel. That damn Ran needs put on a leash," He was annoyed by what happened earlier, too, smiling into my eyes through the mirror, "I agree that he needs to learn that you're mine."

That's all that needed to be said, turning around in his arms to kiss him. We didn't have a lot of time to be affectionate with one another, so I took the opportunity, cooing between kisses:

"You're the only one I want, Koko." 

2023 © itjazzbicch — do not repost or translate my work. Likes, reblogs, and comments are always welcome 

[hamliet]

Invincible: Proving the Superhero Genre Invincible

Another story I've watched recently is Invincible. I know it's based on comics, which I'll get around to eventually.

Despite masquerading as a dark deconstruction of the superhero story, the story is actually far more a hopeful coming-of-age story that just happens to don a gory costume. You can tell the writers love superhero comics, and that they aren't deconstructing it out of disdain but instead out of a desire to see what the main principles are.

In other words, it's far more akin to Hunter x Hunter's take on deconstructing shonen or even ASOIAF's spin on fantasy literature (matching the violence too) than it is a cynical, nihilistic tale with intent to ridicule. Love and friendships win the day. It's just complex to navigate them in a world where there has been so much hurt.

I wish Horikoshi had read a little more of this.

The tl;dr is that the world's Number One hero turns out to be working for a planet of alien colonizers who live forever and subjugate other lifeforms because they believe they're saving them. This gets to the heart of a thematic question often asked in the superhero genre but not often well-explored - what does it mean to save someone who doesn't want to be saved? Are there valid reasons to not want to be saved? What even counts as not wanting to be saved, and does perspective alter that? Is it not wanting to be saved for humans to cling to their fragile and short lives and free will when they could lose free will and have no more sickness and pain?

The story explores this through many different aspects and characters--from Eve being genetically engineered, to the boys turned into cyborgs, to Mark finding out his entire life has been a lie, to government bureaucracy running the superhero world. And just because the series affirms free will doesn't mean it's blind to the pitfalls of this, or that it doesn't explore the gray areas in which we live--namely, when to listen to others and obey orders, and when not to.

In addition to free will, the series affirms that one of the top gifts of humanity is love. Love is what wakes up the cyborgs when their emotions have been pried from their brains. Love is something intrinsic that can't be perfectly defined and doesn't listen to logic, yet also isn't purely emotional. It's powerful, and it's a weakness. It can save, but not always. (For example, Mark's love for his dad, the cyborg's love for his boyfriend, etc. But Eve's parents love for her doesn't save).

My favorite episode of the story is the final one in season 1, where Mark's father puts him through an overly literal lesson of the trolley problem and then tries to kill his own son. And then there's that one line:

Omni-Man: Why did you make me do this? You're fighting so you can watch everyone around you die! Think, Mark! You'll outlast every fragile, insignificant being on this planet. You'll live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away! Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will have after 500 years? Mark: I'd still have you.

Really he has 0 reason to still want his father around at this point. And yet that single line contains so much power about what the series is saying.

Mark shouldn't still love his father, logically speaking. Even emotionally, he's determined to stop his father by any means necessary. But, he chooses to still love him, no matter what that means. Whether he lives or dies. Because whether he dies then or later, in that moment he loves his father. And it's so illogical and against what Omni-Man has been trying to literally beat into his son, yet so real, that it pauses destruction.

It doesn't fix anything. Not by a long shot. Not Mark and his father's relationship, not the world, not the plan of Omni-Man's Space!British Empire. Not Mark himself, as Mark will go on to make some pretty intensely Bad mistakes himself. But it means, in that moment, that a life is spared. And that single life is worth sparing (saving).

(This is how you write an abuser-son redemptive love arc!)

Mark and his parents are well done as characters, complex and flawed. I did wish the show had shown more of the ugly side of Debbie's grief (which they apparently do in the comics). I really would like women to be less sanitized, even if that means they act in despicable ways.

That said, the best female character is undoubtedly Eve. The special that chronicles her origin was brilliantly written--one of the best hours of TV I've watched. It's poignant and , despite being horror scifi cyberpunk in some ways, also realistic in how it portrays humanity. I appreciated that her adoptive parents were extremely complex for background characters. They desperately wanted a child, but not necessarily her. Her mom loves her, but still wishes she was someone else, and her father is just a bad dad. Of course, this is underscored by the fact that she's not their biological daughter, but I don't know that it would have been different if she was.

Plus, Eve and Mark are a great couple, though they take a bit too long to get together.

On that note, I also liked Amber as a character, but I thought the writing kind of didn't know what to do with Mark and Amber at times. Clearly they wanted this relationship to demonstrate the struggles of Mark trying to balance being a superhero with a normal high school life, but the writers were actually a bit too harsh on Mark at times. (I know, right?) I thought the main conflict between them in season 1 (about his identity) was unfairly framed as only Mark's fault when it wasn't, and it wasn't resolved in a satisfactory way.

Ultimately, though, the story is about humanity and all its ways of attempting to create superhumans. Science. Religion. Aliens. Living forever. Strength. Cyborgs. But what it affirms is that there is so much that is beautiful about humanity, and what transcends humanity are the traits we all can have--love and free will.

[anneapocalypse]

Right to Their Faces: Sera's Romance Quest

The Sera Series: Exploring Sera's character and background.

This one was originally going to be part of another post I have in the works, "Sera and the Inquisitor," but I realized that I had a lot to say about Sera's romance quest and it really deserved its own post.

Disclaimer: It is absolutely fine if you don't like Sera or don't like Sera's romance, don't connect with her, don't find her relatable, whatever! I'm not here to tell anyone what they can or can't like. I just want to talk about my read and my feelings on this romance quest. If you don't like Sera and are not open to positively discussing Sera, that's just fine; feel free to scroll right on by, no need to inform me in the notes.

Sera's romance quest, "A Woman Who Wants for Nothing," triggers once the Inquisitor has confirmed her romantic interest in Sera and Sera's approval is high enough. The Inquisitor is prompted to find a gift for Sera because—okay look, we really need to spend a minute on how this quest begins, because it's truly delightful.

When the Inquisitor comes to Sera's alcove, Sera runs up behind her, excited, and exclaims all in a rush, "Listen! I got you a hat, but it's ugly, so I drew Coryhe-whatzit's face on it, and stuffed it with apples. Everyone's hitting it with sticks! I really hope you like it!" and then runs away giggling.

I mean, it's pretty clear here that this is all in fun to Sera. She wanted to give her Inky something, but the hat she found was ugly, so she decided to turn it into a joke and hoped Inky would be entertained by it. It's the Inquisitor, charmingly, who decides to take this super seriously, looking after Sera and saying thoughtfully to herself, "We're giving gifts now?"

The Inquisitor then goes to all her other companions looking for help finding a gift for Sera. Practically no one has any good ideas, or any ideas at all really. I want to pause on that aspect for a moment. Why doesn't anyone (including the Inquisitor, who is actively seeing her) know what Sera would like?

I mean first of all, the clue's kind of in the name of the quest. No one can think of a gift for Sera because Sera doesn't particularly want anything. She is not very concerned with owning things. She doesn't covet fancy clothes or shoes or hats or jewelry. The Undercroft keeps the Inquisition supplied with arms and armor, so she doesn't have need of those things as gifts. She likes books, but she has Skyhold's entire library at her disposal. She likes food, a lot, and she likes cakes, and if pressed I'd say that of all the material gifts she could receive, a cake made just for her would probably go over the best, but I don't think it would be better than what we ultimately get in this quest.

Sera does like collecting various objects, and we find her catalog of these in her journal, "Sera's Cabinet of Wonder Whose It Was," but these are all mundane items: a Circle banner, a goblet, a halla statue, a deck of cards, masks stolen from the Winter Palace. Little curiosities, things she finds meaningful or strange or funny. This is a collection curated purely on Sera's whims, and it could be difficult for even someone close to her to guess what kind of object might catch her fancy in that way.

And here we have the ironic meaning of the quest title. Usually, the expression that a person "wants for nothing" means that they already have everything they could possibly want, but for Sera it takes on a different meaning. Sera "wants for nothing" because she not only lacks a life of wealth and comfort but has actively rejected it and all the baggage that came with it. Someone will probably point out here that Sera is interested in making a profit with her Red Jenny shenanigans, and she is, she says so! but what she is not concerned with is accumulating and hoarding wealth or possessions. That is a life she has very consciously rejected.

I also don't think we should ignore the role of class in the way the other Inner Circle members treat Sera, even the "nicest" ones. There's not really any getting around the fact that other characters—including characters we like—look down on Sera because she's low class. Sera is not the only elf in the Inquisition, and there are definitely characters who treat Solas poorly in various ways, but they do not treat Solas the same way they treat Sera. Sera gets the most abject disrespect both for being an elf and for being low-class, and—this part's important—for looking and sounding low-class, and being proud of it.

Cullen may have been born a commoner but he sought a respectable profession, became a templar and ascended through the ranks (however he may feel about that now) and is now the Inquisition's commander. Leliana may have been the daughter of a servant, but she became a bard and has spent her life hobnobbing with nobles and Very Important People, eventually becoming the Left Hand of the Divine. Blackwall may have been born a commoner but he is (so far as everyone knows) a decorated Warden-Constable. Vivienne may have been born to merchant parents and sent to the Circle at a young age, but she's made the most of her position and become First Enchanter of Montsimmard, then Enchanter to the Imperial Court. You see where I'm going with this. Even our common-born companions have for the most part sought to climb the social hierarchy in one way or another. They've "bettered" themselves. They have titles, if not noble ones. They're Somebody. They're Important. And many of the others are just straight up nobility. Even Varric, who carries himself like a common man, is from a well-connected Merchant Guild family as well as being a famous author; he's basically a noble who enjoys slumming it.

Not only is Sera a nobody, she patently rejects the idea of being Somebody. She operates as a Red Jenny under a mythical name who may or may not ever have been a real person. When placed in a situation where she needs to be formally introduced as Somebody, the ball at the Winter Palace, she openly mocks the entire concept and the supposed solemnity of the occasion by submitting a vulgar joke name.

I bring all of this up because this is why I think the other companions are so unhelpful. They can't imagine what Sera could possibly want because they already know she doesn't want what they want, and even the ones who do like her I think struggle to actually relate to her. They see her motives as, at best, confusing. (As does the Inquisitor in a lot of early dialogue, but that's another post for another day!) But in fact, Sera's desires are very simple. (I think Cole is the one with the best shot at actually figuring out what Sera would want, but he gets hung up on the concept of what a gift is before he can get there.)

Vivienne and Solas in particular are not just confused by Sera but actively offended and dismayed by her existence. I think it's pretty easy to see why she gets under Solas's skin so badly (though I could write reams about how interesting their relationship is and how much it reveals about Solas, but not today). Sera represents to him just how far the elves have fallen because of him, and I think he's both deeply frustrated by her and deep down feels responsible for everything that's "wrong" with her. Vivienne and Sera are also fascinating foils to one another, as both came from humble origins and both were afforded some unique opportunities given those origins—but they've taken polar opposite approaches to the problem of social hierarchy and power. And like so many Dragon Age characters who act as foils to each other, the existence of the other needles at them so badly because they challenge the foundation of their beliefs about the world and their sense of self. So it's no surprise that these two are the companions that give active disapproval when the Inquisitor reveals her relationship with Sera.

(It also makes for some absolutely wonderful humorous irony later if the Inquisitor decides to take Vivienne's clearly-sarcastic suggestion seriously, after which you get a bonus cutscene of Sera and Inky in bed together laughing over whatever it is Inky has shaved into her ladybits. Vivienne turns out to be the only one who had a good idea, and she didn't even mean it!)

The actual quantities of disapproval are frankly negligible, and easily made up elsewhere if you, the player, care deeply what Solas and Vivienne think of your character. If I'm being honest, I think they could have gone even harder with the disapproval, especially in a game like Inquisition which doesn't pull its punches with approval the way the previous games do and doesn't allow you to avoid ever taking a negative hit. But the exact number isn't the important thing here. The important thing is that without some tangible and in-your-face social cost to openly loving Sera, this quest would have no teeth.

I trust I don't have to explain that the opinions of characters (for whom said disapproval is entirely in-character) are not necessarily the opinions of the writers. It's also not indicative of the game telling you that you made a "wrong" decision. Nor is it the first time companions have disapproved of the player character's love interest—far from it. Both Origins and DA2 have some truly spicy party banter in that regard, and Inquisition keeps with tradition. Love it or hate it, companions hating each other is a time-honored Dragon Age tradition.

And in this case, the disapproval is the point. The Inquisitor is meant to receive the disapproval and decide that Sera is worth it to her. The point is that the Inquisitor cares so much for Sera that she openly declares her affections without regard for the disapproval of others, and that this kind of love and acceptance is entirely foreign to Sera's experience and the greatest gift she could ever have received. Sera says it outright: "Wait, wait, wait. You went to everyone and said I was your lover? Right to their faces? They must have… Oh, Vivienne must have puckered pinky-tight! Best gift ever."

And if you've read my other Sera Series posts, or simply spent a lot of time talking to Sera, it's no mystery why this means so much to her.

This is what this quest is all about. And to me, it's one of the most moving expressions of love in the whole game and maybe in all of the Dragon Age games. I love it so much. I get emotional re-watching it in YouTube clips. I cannot imagine being happier if the Inquisitor had just, I don't know, baked Sera a cake, or brought her a bouquet of flowers from the meadows filled with bees. This quest gets at the core of who Sera is, her sharpest hurts and deepest desires. It is deeply meaningful and it is perfect for her.

My sole complaint about this quest is that I never got to see the hat full of apples with Corypheus's face drawn on it and everyone hitting it with sticks.

[yanderes-galore]

OW2

Romantic!Yan! Junkertown queen with JunkerTown Citizen!Fem! Darling concept

Oh! I'd love to write Junker Queen content :D and GL? Even better ;) This is less about how you meet but more like how she'd treat you and others. Just small rants about one of my favorite Tanks!

Yandere! Junker Queen with Junkertown Citizen! Darling

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Female Darling, Obsession, Possessive behavior, PDA mention, Clingy behavior, Manipulation, Abuse of power, Violence, Murder, Kidnapping implied, Slight delusional behavior, Dubious/Forced relationship.

I personally feel like Odessa is two different yandere types at the same time.

Dez wants to feel validated and important, especially when it comes to her subjects due to being Queen.

Dez would want you to pamper her, care about her, and show her you love her.

Even more so if you're a Junker citizen.

She wants her girlfriend to show loyalty to her Queen and expects affection.

However... Odessa loves to spoil the hell out of you.

She coos over you, carries you around, sits you in her lap, calls you all sorts of nicknames, gives gifts, everything.

She adores you and would do nearly anything for you.

Odessa is also possessive due to her role in Junkertown.

She wants all her subjects to know you're hers.

Not just the Junkers, everyone.

Which makes her a big one for PDA.

Despite being possessive, Odessa does not want to hurt you.

Maybe she'll kiss and nip you on the neck to leave a mark or dress you up, but she won't usually want to use her knife to mark you.

Maybe she could, but she doesn't find joy in the idea of it.

She wants you to love her "naturally", yeah?

She may be one to beat up or even fatally wound another who got too close to you.

Rivals are most likely beat up then kicked out more than outright murdered though.

She appears fierce yet she is a sweetheart to you.

Everyone in Junkertown knows you belong to the Queen.

If someone somehow doesn't, Odessa will make them know.

Odessa is more likely to have her darling be from Junkertown.

After all, she rules.

In terms of how she sees you socially, she doesn't want to treat you like you're less than her.

She's the Queen and to everyone else you're her pretty girlfriend she's picked out.

Yet to Odessa she treats you as an equal... sorta.

You're more like someone she loves to pamper and smother in affection.

She gets to be soft around you and intimidating during her duties.

Although Odessa can get intimidating towards you if you do something she disapproves of.

An example would be suggesting you wanted to leave the city... and her.

To her that's a great insult, one that must be punished coming from her dearest.

In terms of punishment I imagine she restrains you and locks you away.

She can't bear the thought of isolation as that is just as much a punishment to her along with you.

How is she supposed to survive without all the kisses and cuddles from her girlfriend?

In terms of how you met the Queen in the first place is up to you.

But it's certainly a feat to make the Queen all soft and clingy when she sees you, a relatively normal citizen.

Speaking of which, yes, she's clingy.

As some display of power (and a craving for warmth) she'll have you sit on her lap with her arms around your waist.

She holds you like you're her greatest prize.

In fact, to her, you are.

You're the cute citizen she picked off the street like some sort of pet.

You're more than a pet to her, it was most likely a form of obsession at first sight.

The idea of a fierce looking character being all soft with the one they adore is a nice idea to explore, especially with Junker Queen.

She really does seem like the type of yandere to be disinterested in everyone else but all over you in an instant when she sees you.

She may also be one who enjoys the size difference between you as she's tall.

She just adores how small her girlfriend is compared to a beefed up woman like her.

She would hate normal Junkers around you enough already.

But do you know what she hates more than that?

The idea of Junkrat and Roadhog around you.

She hates those two.

Like the rest of her rivals she cast them out of her town.

The mere idea of them capturing you to get back at her sends her into a rage.

As a result, when she thinks about that, you notice she holds you tighter than normal.

Junkrat and Roadhog may actually find out about you and target you.

The Queen isn't really quiet about your existence just to make sure you're not on the market.

It would be even worse if the two fell for you also.

The last thing you need is two criminals trying to blow their way into Junkertown to steal you from Odessa.

Odessa is already technically your captor.

Honestly, if those two touched you, Odessa may actually just kill them.

They've tested her patience long enough.

Once Odessa claims you as hers, you're not allowed to leave her side.

You're either locked away until she returns or walk alongside her.

It's most likely the second option as she loves you too much to leave you for long.

Her enforcers keep a close eye on you even if she's there.

It's to prevent any escape attempts as clearly you belong here with her as a citizen and her partner.

She claims because you are one of her subjects you should reciprocate her affection.

You're probably the best treated Junker here.

Many congratulate you for earning the Queen's affection.

Yet you don't see it as that great.

Unless you've been a fan of her for the past decade you don't enjoy feeling like you're... owned?

You don't have much of a choice when it comes to her though.

Odessa feels her obsession over you isn't wrong.

She thinks you should/do love her affection.

After all, she's the perfect match for you in her eyes!

You're lucky to have someone as strong as her to wake up beside all the time!

Regardless on if you like it or not, Odessa focuses on what she wants for the most part.

She's Queen... and as Queen she's able to pick who to date!

No questions asked.

Overall, the core of yandere Junker Queen in my eyes is this;

She's possessive but overall very caring.

She likes to flaunt the fact she has you but no one can touch you, like a treasure made for her.

You're her weakness, if anyone targeted you, she may just snap.

Odessa can be a strong and caring partner...

Just as long as you obey your Queen and stay by her in Junkertown... otherwise there will be problems.

[deepperplexity]

Prompt 3. Snowballing [B2]

Pairing: Snape x Fem!OC

POV: First, OC

Setting: Hogwarts, Snape’s Office

Continuation of: Prompt 2. Restless Waiting

A/N: Well, let's continue the story we started yesterday, shall we? 🤭 Gosh, the prompts just matched up so figured I'd go for it 😂👏 On another note, I really want to thank you all for being here, it means a lot and I hope you'll stay all through this journey 🥰❤

Tags/TW’s: Half A Love Confession, Hugging, Fear Of Loss/Hurting, Implied Past Torture, Mentions Future Torture, Selfberating, Worry For Loved One, Holding Hands, Jealousy, Confessions In Thoughts

Word Count: 1.5k+

LINKTREE // AO3 // MASTERLIST

“Severus, Severus?” I crawled forward while still holding his head up. He was unmoving, his breathing uneven and far too shallow. I cradled his head in my lap, stroking away the black tendrils of damp hair from his pale face with trembling fingers. He nearly wheezed out his breaths; I undid the top buttons of his coat and shirt before tugging loose the tightly wrapped cravat to free up space around his throat. My fingers trembled but I had no time to think about what I was doing.

“Severus,” I exhaled, trying to find some semblance of a coherent thought or figure out what to do, what was wrong, what in the cauldron had happened to the man in my lap. It didn’t help that my heart ran rampant, and my mind turned into a fumbling nonsensical muscle of not a single reasonable thought when the man I loved was near — more so apparently when the situation turned dire.

I looked him over, trying to see any sign of damage, physical hurt, or any wounds but I couldn’t see anything wrong. I couldn’t heal what I didn’t know of, I wasn’t a skilled healer or even slightly good at it. What do I do? What do I do? What the bloody hell do I do?! “Severus, please, what happened?” I asked even if he couldn’t reply and adjusted his head, making sure his airways were clear while he lay atop my folded legs. I thank my chosen mother for teaching me the muggle ways of doing things, her being in the medical field and her constant need to teach seemed a great gift in the moment. His hand slid from his stomach to the floor, an ominous thud in the gloomy dark while his breathing evened out, drawing a sigh of relief from me.

I held his head steady and tried to make my head function to figure out what to do while my heart seemed to pound in my chest. I’d never been so close to him, he was so beautiful and powerful yet there he lay, knocked out and atop my lap in a cold dungeon. Cold! I reached for my wand, only to look back to see it on the sofa. Bloody hell!

As gently as I could, I placed his head on the floor and turned to reach for it. I flicked it, setting a roaring fire ablaze in the hearth, before casting the levitation spell to move Severus to the sofa where I gently sat him down. Slipping my wand into my cloak's inner pocket, I grabbed a pillow and propped it gently under his head. His neck was sticky with cold sweat and his breathing turned harsher yet deeper.

I sat down on my knees beside him, watching the profile of his face, the hooked nose, the tucked chin, the only barely raised outline of his thin lips. He was such a beautiful vision, despite his ashen skin. Belinna! Get your head straight! The man is obviously bloody hurt and you’re-, what? Daydreaming about his profile?! Get it together you schoolgirl-hearted idiot!

“I should get Minerva, she’ll know what to do.” Yet, I didn’t want to leave him there. Alone, unwatched. “This is snowballing out of control… I’m snowballing… Just like father said I always would.” The memory came unwelcome, my father by birth yelling at me to keep my emotions in check, that I would ruin my magic with all my feelings and snowball out of control. I’d tried my hardest to lock away my emotions after that, I had only been eight years old but the wound was too deep to ever fully heal. I never dared reach out or explore my inner thoughts or feelings after that.

It wasn’t until seeing Severus, during the Valentia Ball in my seventh year, that I had another uncontrollable emotion. It hadn’t been proper, I hadn’t acted on it or spoken a word of it. He had never noticed me anyway, me being right there in the middle as usual — except, of course, at the ball, I’d been on the outskirts without a partner. There, yet not part of it fully, only dancing one dance with Daniel Wallasin halfway through the night. Unnoticed.

But I watched him, every second I got that night, I watched him with a trembling sensation through my entire body. I couldn’t do anything about it, still couldn’t. So I sat there, not knowing what to do, not wanting to leave him despite some far-off thoughts about fetching someone to help. I grasped his chilly hand, gently tucking my fingers between his and squeezing a bit, while I remained on my knees by the sofa — just watching him breathe for long moments while feeling utterly stupified.

His eyebrows twitched, the cold fingers between my own tensing for a second before hardening around me. His chest rose and sank quicker, as if he were coming out of the unconscious state. “Severus?” I whispered, leaning in closer while rising from sitting on my haunches to kneeling. “You’re safe,” I continued and squeezed his hand tighter. “Save…her…” he murmured, his voice barely audible yet the pain within was palpable. It cut through me, hearing him speak of saving another woman, it shouldn't have mattered as I had no right to feel jealous yet it sliced right through me. “Save who?” I asked quietly, leaning in closer to hear but his hand softened and his breathing turned even once more before I even had a chance to help him. I knew I would, even if it felt like a centaur had kicked me in the chest, I would do anything for him despite receiving nothing in return. If he asked me to use my body as a shield against dragon fire for someone he loved, curse me, I would...

At some point I must have dosed off, the next thing I knew my head was slung off his soft chest and I toppled backwards with a shriek at the sudden motion — sending me flying into the coffee table behind me with a thud and leaving an instant pounding in the back of my head. By Merlin , I swore while trying to untangle my limbs from the half-curled-up state and getting my bearings again, not sure where I was for a moment.

I looked up, eyes clouded by tears from the sudden hurt while the holly I’d attached to each corner of the coffee table tugged at my hair — the little leaves and twigs it was made of snagging the strands. “Belinna?” His voice was gruff — rough and shallow. “You’re safe,” he exhaled a second later as I got myself up into a seated position on the cold floor only slightly softened by a rug beneath me.

I had no time to look up before I was crushed against him, his arms wrapped me up in the softest of strong embraces and my heart must have given out for a second. I couldn’t even hear the roaring of my pulse, everything just turned absolutely quiet at that moment when I, for the first time, felt his warmth. It was exquisite, beyond compare, far more wonderful than any of my imagines or dreams. He was just everything, perfection. I sighed deeply involuntarily as my heart warmed as if a flood wave had drowned it in him.

“I thought you to be dead,” he whispered by my ear and the world came crashing in at full speed and volume. “Dead? Why would I be dead?” I asked, my trembling fingers grasping at the cloak over his back while his fingers pressed into me harder. “He saw,” Severus whispered in a heart-wrenching tone. “He saw you in my mind.” “Who? What are you talking about?” “I have cursed you.” The words were darker, grimmer, than any I had ever heard. “Severus, what are you talking about?” “You must hide, leave, hide,” he said in a near rush of words so unlike his usual way of speaking. “Hide?” “The Dark Lord, he will stop at nothing to reach you now.” The urgency of his voice, the depth of something spine-stiffening dark, it clawed at my ears but confusion took the reins.

The Dark Lord? What does he want with me? And what’s this nonsense about seeing me in his mind? I don’t understand. But I couldn’t ask the questions when Severus held me so tight, seated atop the sofa with me between his legs while he nearly held me up off the floor, my knees just barely making contact with the rug's fibres. “Love, I have cursed you with torture,” he murmured in a broken voice while his entire body began to shake around me. "All this time, I failed..." “L-Love?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper as I couldn't comprehend the term coming from him. “I did all I could to keep you out, keep you away, but you never left… Why didn’t you just leave? ” he nearly snarled toward the end when I felt his nose bury itself in the crook of my neck. “I did all things possible to keep you away.” To keep me away? But, you haven't done anything to me? It’s like I don’t exist sometimes and it hurt— Oh…

...To Be Continued...

LINKTREE // AO3 // MASTERLIST

A/N: It's getting a bit exciting, huh? 👀 Also, I can feel the Christmas stress now 😂 December is always a mess of too many things to do, yet I willingly and happily host a giant event that requires a minimum of 4 hours a day on average from me, let's hope this year has NO SURPRISES *knock on wood* I don't have the time or energy for any surprises of the negative or time-consuming kind this year. Last year was its own sort of personal hell toward the end - I want none of that this year (you hear me universe? I'll whoop your galaxy tush if you spring something on me this year too!) and I hope you'll all have a super nice, warm, calm and happy December too! ❤❤❤

Q: What Alan Rickman movie do you watch each Christmas? A: I always watch Die Hard around Christmas (IT'S A CHRISTMAS MOVIE, KAY?) and absolutely love it - the last few years I've also watched Sense & Sensibility (and Pride & Prejudice but that's not an Alan movie but it is my all-time fav movie even if it's lacking in the Alan department - same for The Holiday, Also a tradition for Christmas) and I've previously always watched Robin Hood too - I mean he's such an awesome sheriff and he plays that part perfectly 😂👏

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Want to be tagged? 💚 You can tag yourself HERE! Or tell me and I’ll gladly tag you! 😍

[Dec:2023]

[darknessdaddy]

"The Gift - Part 3"

A few minutes have gone by as you try to look over the menu but your brain is all fuzzy. You can't help it...the vibrations are going up and down your legs. You know you have to keep a straight face and order soon but you have no clue whats even on the menu. All you really want right now is to melt into your seat and let the waves of pleasure wash over your whole body. "Must do this for Sir, he has given me a task and I want to make him happy" you think to yourself.

Another minute and the waiter returns asking about our selection. Of course its ladies first so I turn to you, watching you closely. A slight hum is audible to those close enough and quiet enough to listen. "I...I'd like a...a salad.....*pause*....and a...a...a.....aaaaaaaa." little moans escape now, no words.

The waiter turns to me with his eyes widening. I grin and smile, taking over the ordering. He pauses for a moment after taking the order and looks back at her. She's too embarassed to look at him but she is still trembling. He looks back at me and I give him the nod that its time for him to go.

I reach over and squeeze her thigh, slipping my hand further up her dress and feel her wetness between her thighs. My finger exploring her lips as she spreads her legs for me. Pulling my hand back and bringing her juices to my lips. "Thats a nice appetizer for the meal thats to come."

She smiles a little shyly but happy to see my interest and playfulness. "But you didnt accomplish the task of ordering without anyone discovering what you were doing so now the controls are pushed higher."

Your eyes go wider as you feel the intensity increase. Your hands grip the table with one arm reaching out to my wrist and holding it firmly for support. Your thighs clench on this new feeling...losing control.. unable to hold it. ...then nothing.

You open your eyes suddenly. "I cant have you losing control now babygirl". Thats for later. The toy control in my other hand dialed all the way down. Your grip loosens on my wrist but doesnt let go. A weak little "thank you Sir" escapes your lips.

Having you last the night is going to be fun.

To be continued.

[sevicia]

Watched Hellraiser 2022 with my sister over lunch and :( I'm so sad I really didn't like it almost at all. She thinks it's a really good movie though and after it ended we watched reviews of it (lol), a positive one and a more negative one and while I guess I could like, see? the points the girl from the positive review was making I just didn't find any of it impressive or super eye-catching, and she kept mentioning how this remake has super well laid-out and explicit lore re: the cenobites and how she really likes that instead of the vagueness of the original, but I seriously could never disagree more? The cenobites are alluring and intimidating because you'll DIE wondering. They're otherwordly and unfeeling to the point I could never call them villains, just merciless deliverers of their gifts...

BUUUT the girl from the 2nd review had apparently rummaged around my brain and taken it all out it was CRAZY

Like as the movie went on I kept thinking about how thoroughly UNsexy the remake is, it drove me INSANE. It's THE goopy gory sexy horror movie and this version had 0 goop, mildly unsatisfying gore, and felt incredibly tame sexually. No joke I was thinking WHERE'S THE SEX!!!!! for most of the movie

I don't have any sort of attachment to any other horror franchises so I've never been let down by a remake like this and I always thought that I'd be able to see all remakes as just another view to an established story, but it turns out I DRASTICALLY underestimated how much Hellraiser means to me.

The cenobite designs were cool and very beautiful visually, but I seriously missed the leather SOOO much.... this was also such a confusing let down for me

I will always be insane about gore but in this case it was just not gory enough? Even though the body horror related aspects were (once again) beautifully done, only a few of them felt visceral enough to be satisfying.

Towards the end where that one guy is becoming like, a cenobite-ling(?) and is getting his body peeled here and there and there and there I just really wanted to see him bleed more and scream with MORE anguish and writhe and cry. It was just not enough for me. There's also the fact that that scene in particular felt visually similar to the ending of Martyrs (also one of my favorite movies of all time), so it was just a complete letdown.

There's also the fact that I found none of the characters particularly interesting, which is crazy because I love Terrifier and that one's notorious for lack of character depth. But in Terrifier you had Brooke and Tara being silly friends together!!! There was not a single time I can think of where the characters in Hellraiser '22 had any sort of... joy? displayed between them. I don't need there to be super wholesome happy and clean relationships, I do, in fact, prefer the opposite when it comes to horror, but weren't these guys supposed to be friends? It just felt like they didn't even particularly like each other.

It also makes me think of how they handled (or rather Didn't handle) Riley's struggles as an addict. Of COURSE it's gonna raise tensions with the people who care for her! It's not an easy situation/topic to navigate, ever, but after one point it just felt irrelevant to the story when I feel they could've explored it in an interesting way that also aligns with the themes of temptation we see in the original. Frank went to such an extreme place while looking for sexual pleasure after all!?! I would've loved to see Riley struggle more explicitly with addiction, have more involved relationships with the other characters, have the cenobites use her addiction against her as a way to tempt her, and ALSO make the surreal aspects of '22 feel SO much weirder and anxiety-inducing!!

But in the end the most massive and shocking letdown is, once again, the lack of eroticism within the film. I want it to be scandalous! I want to feel thrilled! I want to look at the cenobites and be able to imagine what it'd be like to grab and twist and poke at their exposed flesh and bone and every sharp edge I could possibly reach! I want to look at gore and feel the way meat and guts and blood run through hands, wet and slimy and soft and red and disgusting, I want to think of a body's warm insides becoming colder as I hold them! There was no grime in this movie at all, and the gory scenes felt like they were only half-done!! I want to see it all, but the fact there was unreached potential will ALWAYS be so much more frustrating than just cutting it out entirely.

It was just not remotely what I wanted from a new Hellraiser movie, because it's an entirely different focus!! x( but its story couldn't have been told without the presence of the cenobites and the puzzle box, so ????

[teamdilf]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love 💕

Hmm - let's see here...

Cerberus HR Presents: Sexual Harassment in the Workplace - a Miranda Lawson Seminar

Possibly the funniest thing I've ever written and I'm so proud of it. Once in awhile I'll re-read it and it still makes me giggle (yes, I'm the sort who laughs at my own jokes - a trait I gave to Adrien Victus for those familiar with my Mass Effect work).

A Broken Old Estate

Not my first Adrien Victus-focused work but the first one where I really dug into his history and fleshed out the origins of a character with about 10 minutes of screentime in-game. There's one particular chapter that made me cry harder than anything else I've ever written.

The Wolf's Flower

My post-canon Solavellan fic. While no longer canon-compliant, I'm still so proud of how I took little lore hints and common theories to craft a story about how Solas and Iris found one another again and trudged through the smoldering ashes of their romantic relationship.

An Unfortunately Sexy Man

Another comedy work I'm very proud of - this was a gift for the 2023 Spec Reqs exchange. Because the title does not do it justice, here is the summary:

Jarun Tann is an obtuse fool. Unfortunately, he's an obtuse fool that Addison, Kandros and Kesh all have a crush on. The three of them get together to offer one another moral support through what is clearly the very worst thing to have happened thus far in Andromeda.

The Citadel Adventures of Castis Vakarian and Alec Ryder

Around the time I decided to write this fic, I was going through the Castis & Alec tag on AO3, so sure that I'd find a ton of fics exploring their friendship. There was... one or two. Scandalized, I decided to write my own. I adore Garrus' dad - I think he gets hated on unnecessarily in the fandom, and I really wanted to expand on the work I'd already done in other fics developing him as a character. Bonus: this is the first fic Cecilia Vakarian shows up in!

Tagging @thetrashbagswasteland, @sparatus, @outpost51, @daisywalletchains, @ferindencadash

[twisted-tales-of-all]

Exceeding Expectations

Summary: A chance meeting at the market leads to a relationship you never imagined. Pairing: Seo Changbin x afab!reader Genre: PG-13 (deeper topics that may not be suitable for young readers), mostly fluff, one-shot, event Tropes: royal!AU, duchess!reader, earl!idol, himbo!idol, strangers to lovers, love at first sight, hidden relationship Word Count: 2.2K Contains: anxiety over titles, sneaking out, naive (?) reader doesn't understand signs, very occasional use of pet names (princess), Changbin flirts a lot (literal heart-eyes man), one kiss on the cheek, multiple deep hugs A/N: Happy Holidays, as part of the CoDN Secret Santa event! This came later than planned, but I fell in love with the concept more than expected! I actually might write a part 2 to this one if I have the time because I would love to flesh out the relationship! I hope you enjoy your gift, @staytinyville !! As usual, credit to @cafekitsune for the divider<3

He's never been one to stay in his home. Unlike the rest of the esteemed Seo family, Changbin refuses to let life pass him by. After years of sneaking out, his parents assigned a bodyguard to tail him, but he quickly learned to lose his guard, too. All he wants is to explore how others live their lives, and he can't understand why being an earl should stop him from doing so.

Today, he's out on another exploration. Many young lords have mentioned the seasonal market, so he finally decided to check it out. Between the stalls of fresh fruit and fancy trinkets, something catches his eye - or, rather, someone. Although you try not to stand out, his eyes fall upon you quickly. A beauty beyond his comprehension, examining the apples for bruising, stands a few feet in front of him. You give the stall manager a bright smile, and Changbin feels himself melt. Is it okay to fall for a total stranger? In his eyes, this means he must talk to you at least once. As you purchase a few apples and make your way to an artist's stall, he follows. He picks up a pendant that resembles the colors of his family seal and makes an effort to ask the merchant about it. You listen to the story and laugh when the merchant adds a deal at the end.

"Buy two for the price of one, eh? But this one fits so well." The stranger turns to you to ask, "Did you want one? I'll use the deal to get you one, if you'd like."

Concerned about his intentions, you ask, "Me? Now why would you do something like that for a total stranger?" 

"It'd be a shame to waste such a pleasant offer, and being able to gift something to someone as gorgeous as yourself is always a blessing."

You roll your eyes at his clear flirts, but your heart flutters a bit. As a duchess, people don't dare talk to you so casually or openly, but you snuck out in casual clothing to see what others might experience, so you didn't know what to expect. You look over the trinkets and pick up one resembling your favorite flower.

"If you're offering, I'll take this one. I'd also like to request some more of your time so I can pay you back somehow."

Even the merchant can see your interest in one another as clear as the sky above. He sells the trinkets and watches with a smile as you both walk towards the edge of the market. Anyone you pass sneaks a glance at the two of you, assuming you to be a couple, but neither of you notice the attention you draw. As Changbin celebrates his victory in getting to talk with you, you use the opportunity to learn how forming relationships outside of the formal noble circles works.

"What would you like in return? I don't want to accept a gift without returning the gesture, especially with a stranger."

He holds out his hand as he introduces himself, "My name is Changbin, and we don't have to remain strangers if you think of it as a burden."

"Shall we become friends, then?" You shake his hand as you continue, "Nice to make your acquaintance, Changbin. My name is Y/N."

Even without your royal garb, you radiate royal energy. The way you walk and talk resembles training through the fae. Although Changbin picks up on your airy way of speaking and the soft footsteps that give the illusion that you float around, he refuses to bring it up. He might be greedy for it, but he doesn't want to risk the chance of having a relationship with you. If you rank higher than a lady, you will likely deal with an arrangement for your family status; if you reside within the dozen or so families rivaling the Seo family, you'd instantly have to cut off contact. There are far too many variables, but he can simply ignore them all if rank never comes into the conversation. In his mind, ignorance is bliss.

"The pleasure is mine, Y/N, truly. Now that we are friends, I hope you do not feel the need to repat me. Sales help everyone involved, and friends help one another, so, surely, it's fine."

"I'd still like to repay you. Even if it's simply in terms of keeping company, I'd like to repay the kindness."

As he agrees that company seems like a fair trade for kindness, Changbin leads you to a small, quiet clearing to avoid the bustling crowd. Seeing the patches of flowers and tall grass surrounding a small stone bench, you feel your body lighten. Any nerves or tenseness from earlier fades as you step out into the silent sanctuary. With even the birdsong faint, you wonder how one could find this space in the first place.

"I roam a lot. I found this a few months ago and made a promise with myself to only show it to someone who matches its beauty."

"You're such a philanderer, Changbin. You know all the words to make one's heart flutter. Or maybe, are you a poet?"

He laughs and shakes his head, insisting that he only speaks the truth, "Maybe I'm a romantic at heart; it all comes naturally as I look at you. You must be amuse for plenty of artists."

Avoiding the compliment, you ask him why he roams. The more words leave his lips, the more you find yourself eager to learn more. However, time continues to move, and the dimming sky calls you both to return home. As you say your goodbyes, he asks you to come back here whenever you have some free time. Although there's no telling when his free time will line up with yours, you promise to meet each other again soon.

Despite having responsibilities at home, Changbin manages to sneak away to the clearing every day. You, on the other hand, don't manage the time again until nearly a week later. When you arrive, the field is empty, but Changbin joins you after only a couple of minutes of silence.

"Well, hello there. It's been a few days. Welcome back."

"Hi, Changbin. How have you been these days?"

"Pretty alright. My parents have been pestering me a lot lately, but that's usual, too."

"Oh, really? My dad's been breathing down my neck this week, telling me to focus hard on my duties. He insists I'll be taking over properly soon."

"Taking over? Does your father own a business or something?"

Realizing that you've given some telling information, you try to backpedal by shrugging off his question, "Yeah, something like that."

Although he catches each hint, he doesn't mention it. Instead, he slyly switches the topic without issue, and you accept the new topic with open arms. Once again, you stay there together for quite a while. He seems to prefer learning about you, but he's not secretive about his life either, so you have a hard time figuring out his intentions. Despite this, you ask him to show you some fun places the next time you meet, and he perks up in excitement at being able to show you some of his favorite places.

"Okay, then. When will you be free next, Bin?"

"Bin?" He laughs at the nickname but moves past it quickly, "What kind of places do you want to see? Somewhere quiet? Popular? Unusual?"

"I don't go out much, so how about some more popular places first? I'm free every Thursday around noon, so anywhere that fits into that timeframe sounds good to me."

"I should be able to finish by then - or at worst a bit later. I'll come up with some places to visit. Are you okay with meeting up here on Thursday then?"

"Sure, sounds like a date!" You beam, not putting any consideration towards your words.

His eyes widen as he hears you call the meeting a date. His heartbeat quickens, but he does his best not to show it.

"A date?"

"Ah, we don't have to call it that if it makes you uncomfortable. Sorry if it bugs you."

"No, no! That's okay! I was just a bit baffled. I'd love for it to be a date, actually."

Now, you turn wide-eyed. Suddenly, everything clicks into place - his interest in learning about you, eagerness to answer your questions, and excitement to show you around. Clearly, he's been showing interest in you. As you replay the past few hours as well as the first day, you're disappointed in yourself for not noticing sooner. However, you find that this situation gives you an advantage in your mission to learn the lives of others. He stays civil, and he wants to spend time with you, so this is the perfect opportunity. Plus, you don't dislike him, so it can't be too bad to date a bit, even if you'll likely have to marry a high-ranking nobleman later in life.

As you say goodbye, the hug feels deeper than usual. Maybe you only now notice, or maybe Changbin stopped holding back, but it feels much more intimate and comforting. So much so that you feel an urge to kiss him. Although you can't pinpoint why you had the compulsion, his reaction satisfies you enough to disregard the lack of reason.

As you walk away, promising to see him on Thursday, he stumbles back to the bench and places his hand on his cheek. Still in disbelief, he sits there in silence for a solid ten extra minutes. The kiss occupies your mind just as long. After the intense emotions, you both find yourselves debating whether to reveal your proper title to the other.

"Should I tell them?"

He settles on a choice quicker than you. By midday Wednesday, he's already practicing exactly what he wants to say when he comes clean. On the other hand, you find yourself pacing in your room as night falls that night, debating heavily. As a duchess, it's hard to think about revealing your title. At best, people put up boundaries and treat you differently. At worst, they block you out without so much as a farewell.

Even as you walk over to your meeting area, you doubt that your choice to tell him will end well. Thanks to your anxiety, you arrived earlier than planned. Leaving your home at noon, you originally wanted to take your time on the walk, but the thoughts on your mind made your feet match their pace. As you anxiously wait, you decide to accept whatever outcome happens after telling him your title.

"Whatever happens, today's the day."

"The day for what, princess?"

You jump up and turn in the direction of the voice, causing him to start laughing.

"Changbin! Don't scare me like that!"

As his laughter begins to calm, he apologizes, "Apologizes, Y/N. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. But what was it you were referencing?"

With a deep breath, you ask him to take a seat, "I have something to confess. I've debated revealing this, but I feel like I'll eventually have to come clean with it. If you feel any way after learning this, simply promise me that you'll admit it to me straight."

"Of course, I will. After you say your piece, I also have something to say as well."

"Okay, so..." You pause for a quick mental review of all of your talking points. "As you already know, my name is Y/N. However, to properly introduce myself, I must add that I am the duchess of the Sage Court. My parents lead the group, and I have been receiving training to take over within the next few years. I was given the duchess title last year after my parents properly announced their plans publicly."

"Duchess of Sage Court... So you ARE a princess!"

"I'm not a princess, Bin. I'm a duchess. Now, tell me your thoughts on the matter before I lose my mind, please."

"What thoughts are there to have? So, you're a duchess. So what? I could tell you were high ranking. You even walk like a noble. You're still Y/N to me, and I'd love to continue our relationship, even if you eventually face an arrangement that keeps us apart. Or, if I face one first. Because I'm also a noble. Not quite Duke level, but my father is Marquis Seo."

Although you didn't expect him to be high-ranking, it didn't surprise you nearly as much as his completely unchanging attitude towards you. For him to admit so frankly that you are still you despite your title, your heart skips a beat.

"It doesn't matter to you that I'm ranked higher than you?"

"Not in the slightest. I am attracted to you as a person, and your title has no basis on that in my eyes. Plus, I could ask my father to send an attempt at marriage to yours, and I believe he would be all for moving the family rank up."

You can't help but smile at his joke, especially after knowing that he's likely talking from his heart. Due to the unexpected turn of events, you pull him in for a tight hug. As you relax in his arms, you find yourself falling for him and his unusual ways.

"Maybe I'll ask my father to consider it."