#and maybe she'll carry that lesson into the rest of her life!!

[frenchy-and-the-sea]

Look, I knoooow right, I knoooow I've been talking about Wyn too much, but like. my god. I couldn't have known how much Curse of Strahd was going to be exactly the right setting for her, and it's making me a little insane.

I mean, of course there's the aesthetic of it all. Gothic horror + sad, necromancy-based cleric magically infected with divine mushrooms is a pretty sweet union. But it occurred to me last session that, in a weird and fucked up way, Barovia is also probably the only place that could have made Wyn want to live again.

Because she had already signed off on most of the rest of her life, you know?? After everything that happened with her brother, she had dedicated herself to DYING, and to dying exclusively. She spent all of her time, energy and forward momentum on trying to make it so her death was WORTH it, that it MEANT something in the end. She wasn't thinking about living; she was thinking about how much her soul would weigh when she finally put her burdens down. Even when she staggered into Barovia and got told that she was expected to be part of the solution to its problems, she looked at her ragtag little party and went, "Oh. So we're not getting out, huh?" She was SO convinced that she was going to die there that she had already started to accept it, and while she wasn't planning to just roll over and let herself go, she certainly went through a rapid processing of the stages of grief! After all, what could this place be but the fitting test of her character? After she meddled in the affairs of the dead, what better way to repent than to do whatever she could for this twisted and broken land, up to and including dying for it? That's just business sense.

But then, we found out that Barovia doesn't let its dead go. We found out that there is no rest for those that die under the Countess's grip, that they are dragged into an endless whirlpool of death and undeath and reincarnation. We found out that the chances of reuniting with lost loved ones outside of Barovia were slim to none, and that any hopes of peace at the end were childish little daydreams. Wyn, specifically, found out that her tiny, secret hope that one day she could put everything down and be with her brother again was functionally impossible.

Which means that, now? Now, she has to live.

[foibles-fables]

I have a question. How did you come to the wonderful conclusion that Aloy and Talanah would be a good couple? I can see the appeal in it, but I'd rather hear it from you

[CRACKS KNUCKLES] Watch me try to stay as concise as I can with this post, hahaha.

First thing I'll say is--I'm an absolute sucker for a strong-based friends to lovers ship. The loyalty, the devotion, the knowing each other before and after the world changes them and every stage between, the slow strengthening of feelings, the contending with blurred boundaries, the oh moment, the it was this all along, the I have always been here and so have you and so we will, the settling into even deeper contentment with the other, hoo boy I can go on and on. I especially like it when it comes in a sapphic flavor of the Burdened Chosen One and their Tender, Caring, Supportive Best Friend.

[looks directly at camera]

So you can already see where I'm coming from, here. But--truly, for me--it comes down to 1) the similarities AND innate differences in their life stories/situations and 2) their interactions in HZD. A combined one-two punch that crushed my windpipe and stole my lunch money.

I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers ship, and I'm also a sucker for a ship with compelling parallels. What interests me most about the Aloy/Talanah dynamic is that they're narrative mirrors, but foils in situation. Both are highly-skilled hunters; both driven by their fixation on a parental figure (either avenging or uncovering); both lost their father (figure) to a cruelty much too large for them, with their fathers' shared desire for them to survive; both inheriting new titles (Sunhawk, Alpha Prime) and shouldering the burdens of their deceased parental figure; both proving their place and worth in the world as based on, in Talanah's words, more than the nature of their birth alone; I could keep going. (Don't tempt me.) But here Aloy was an outcast, while Talanah is from one of the noblest houses of her tribe--the difference of change from without versus change from within, and all the ways in which both are complicated. So narrative mirrors coming from opposing situations--how does that make them alike, and how does it make them different? How does it change they way they navigated through the world, and how does it change the way they would navigate one another?

I also love to point out the fact that Talanah is the perfect example of what Rost was trying to demonstrate to Aloy in his final lesson. The strength to stand alone and to make a stand. Her dedication to a selfless cause--ambition not for her own sake, but to restore her family's legacy, and to change her culture. GOD. My fingers are going numb just thinking about it.

What I'm trying to say is that Talanah is in a unique position to see and empathize with the burden Aloy feels post-HZD, and I'm not sure I'll ever forgive the writers for not capitalizing on that during the pivotal time of HFW. Carrying on of your parent's legacy is not easy, and even if Talanah doesn't know it by weight, she knows it by shape. Importantly, to me--Talanah understands--she's lived analogous experiences to Aloy's--but she's also different enough to challenge her. In fact, it goes both ways. There's a mutuality to the way that they make up for what the other has maybe lacked--puzzle pieces instead of cognate shapes, or the same image repeated twice, amplifying itself. There's harmony where there could just be volume.

That got away from me, so I'll just keep on going with how their interactions in HZD fishhooked me. I made a post the other day about Aloy's joy in the Redmaw victory, and that's a major part of it. The rest is just--the sense of ease and understanding that comes out in all of their conversations? And how Talanah always and consistently from the beginning sees Aloy as Aloy, not a Seeker, not a savior, not an oddity, just based on her own merit alone? How she heard Aloy give herself a name--Aloy despite the Nora--says she'll remember it, and then does, TWICE? Every smile she brings out of Aloy, every moment of bare genuineness between them, that giggle from Aloy post-quest? And don't get me started on the "you made this possible, Aloy" parallel. Don't even let me think about "you'll always have a special home here, if you want it." It'll end badly for all of us, category 10 blorbo emergency.

But it's not only what Talanah can offer Aloy (a deep bond of loyalty and fondness, a sense of belongingness, the simple fact of being seen as exactly how you yourself want to be seen)--Aloy gives back to Talanah as well!! Much more deeply than just helping her earn the Sunhawk title and restoring her family's legacy. Think about their pre-Alight conversation: "I won't stand aside while one of mine fights alone. Not again." Aloy has become one of Talanah's--a person who has lost everyone dear to her. Something that must be absolutely terrifying (see my post-HZD Lanah characterization, lmao) but still worth fighting for.

I was lucky enough to read the entire Sunhawk comic directly after the credits rolled on HZD, and that again just blew me out of the water with how much sense they make. The fact that Talanah was the only one to see Aloy leave makes my brain wanna come gushing out of my ears. And how they just--keep running into one another (more on this in the next paragraph). But perhaps the most important comic moment is Talanah's affirmation of "you don't owe me anything" after Aloy apologizes for leaving. That right there is respect to Aloy's agency and personhood (versus instrumentality!!) and the burden Talanah can sense she's under. She trusts Aloy to have told her what was up, if she had wanted her to know. And trusts that whatever she is doing must be important. Even if it's been difficult to be without her, Talanah knows she can't ask Aloy for more than what she is or what she can give.

(that's not to say Talanah isn't hurt. I think she still is--and projects a lot of that hurt and attachment onto another woodsy hermit--but that's a topic for a different post. You can trust and accept something like this while still being hurt by it.)

You asked how I came to the conclusion of THEM, so I haven't really included HFW in this analysis (I was clearly a goner from HZD), but it's there too. The way Aloy just happens to find out Talanah is nearby after her entire worldview is cracked open at Latopolis, how seeking her out and finding her seems to just make things okay again despite everything? (again, the constant finding of each other.) The fondness of their reunion? "It feels good to hunt by your side again"? The easy way they settle into old comfortable patterns of conversation? The tone of You love him, don't you and Really??? and Come here.? It's just all there screaming at me. I can't.

I just. I love them so much. It's so clear to me how they already have helped and can continue to help each other grow. Especially now that the series has placed them in yet another paralleled situation post-HBS. From where I see it, they've been dancing around each other since the beginning. And the way they've both sought things with others (ALSO EACH HAVING PARALLELS TO THE OTHER) only to walk away makes me wanna go absolutely feral. I can very, very clearly see this playing out into an what was I looking for when there was you moment and it might actually be the thing that makes me perish

I'm so sorry if this was totally incoherent. I've got a lot of feelings about this ship and I'm gonna continue to make them your problem.

[sarahopm]

Hey! Just a fanfiction that I started to write on Toji Fushiguro! I'm posting it here and on Wattpad!

𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙖𝙧𝙚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐣𝐢 𝐅𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐮𝐫𝐨 [Chapter 8]

Weeks have gone by since Toji's confinement. The clan has settled into a new normal life, with everyone carrying out their duties without Toji's presence.

Life in the clan feels... different. Almost calmer now that he's not around stirring up trouble.

Helia finds herself hoping more and more that Toji will remain in his cell forever. Without his constant troublesome presence, herself and the other maids didn't have to deal with his unwanted advances or arrogant behavior.

But every time she thinks about Toji, she's reminded of the nasty scars on her back. The scars stand out in sharp contrast to her smooth skin, a testament to the cruelty Helia suffered.

Although they are no longer a constant source of pain, they're still a reminder of the past. The sight of them every time she looks in the mirror serves as a vivid memory of Toji's viciousness and the price she paid because of him.

Her mind often replays the memory of the whipping she received, and every time, she feels a pang of discomfort shoots through her back. It's not something she'll easily forget.

Right now, Helia is going about her maid duties, and she can't help but overhear two other maids chattering nearby. They're discussing Toji, and the piece of conversation she catches piques her interest.

"I heard that he's going to be freed today."

Helia immediately freezes, her ears perking up at the maid's words. The word 'freed' echoes in her head, and worry starts to build in her stomach.

If he's being released today, does it mean he's going to come after her for what she did? Does he know that she's the one who got him locked up?

She approaches the two maids, her steps quick and a little frantic. They notice Helia coming over, and their conversation trails off as she arrives.

"Excuse me." Helia says, her voice a bit shaky. "I couldn't help but overhear you talking about Toji... Is it true that he's being released today?"

The two maids exchange a wary look, clearly a bit taken aback by her question. One of them, a tall slender woman, nods slowly.

"Yes." She responds, her voice quieter than before. "There's a rumor going around that the head of the clan has decided to release him today..."

Her heart sinks at the maid's confirmation. Toji is being released. She can feel fear building up inside her, making her hands tremble slightly.

The other maid, a shorter woman with a kind face, sees her reaction and tries to reassure her.

"Don't worry too much. I'm sure he won't cause too much trouble once he's out. He must have learned his lesson."

Helia smiles and nods, she tries her best to hide the fear she's feeling. She reassures herself, maybe Toji didn't even know that she was the one behind his confinement. Or maybe he has really changed after weeks of being locked up.

However, she can't help but have doubts. She remembers vividly the look in Toji's eyes when he was taken away and she has seen Toji's true colors. She can only imagine how ruthless and vengeful he can be.

It's hard to believe that he'll simply forget and move on after being locked up for so long.

[...]

The rest of the day passes in a sort of anxious blur. Helia goes about her duties, but her mind is constantly preoccupied with thoughts of Toji and his imminent release.

Every sound and every movement startle her, her senses on high alert, waiting for the moment when he might appear.

She's currently in the library, diligently cleaning the dusty shelves and organizing the countless books.

The room is quiet, the only sound is the soft shuffle of paper and the occasional rustle of her skirt as she moves from one shelf to another.

She hears the soft creak of the library door opening behind her. She tenses, thinking that it might be Toji, but soon relaxes after realizing that Toji had probably never stepped inside a library in his whole life and would probably never think about doing it.

She assumes that it must be an elder. So, she doesn't look up, and just continues cleaning and organizing the books.

But the footsteps that follow are not the familiar, slow, dignified ones she would expect from an elder.

The footsteps, swift and almost stealthy, get closer and closer to Helia. There's something about them that sets her instinct on edge. She continues to clean the shelves, but she doesn't let her guard down just in case.

She can feel it in the air, the tension, the ominous presence approaching.

The footsteps finally stop, and silence falls in the library. The air is thick with tension, and the only sound is the quickening beat of her heart in her ears.

A cold, familiar voice suddenly rings out from behind her, its tone sharp and mocking.

"I see someone's been working hard." The voice says, the footsteps coming closer until they're right behind her.

When Helia spins around, she's faced with Toji staring down at her, a smirk on his face. His shoulders are relaxed, and he looks almost the same as he did before he was locked up, he might have lost weight, but he looks as arrogant as always.

"You look surprised to see me." He says, his voice dripping with his usual mix of mockery and condescension.

The only word that managed to escape from her lips was in a very pathetic tone.

"Sir!"

Helia is desperately trying to calm herself thinking that he might not be here to hurt her, that he might be a different man than before his imprisonment.

His smirk widens as he looks at her up and down, his gaze sharp and cold. No, he's definitely the same.

"Sir?" He repeats, his voice almost amused. "You're being surprisingly polite now that I'm out."

His cold eyes watch her closely, studying her every reaction. He takes a step closer, his smirk turning almost predatory.

"You seem a bit nervous." He observes, a note of sarcasm in his voice. "Don't tell me you were one of the people who got me locked up, were you?"

Helia's heart just stops beating. He knew. He knew that she was behind his confinement. And he was having fun making her scared. She swallows hard and tries to defend herself with the most composed tone she can manage.

"Of course not sir!"

He doesn't look convinced, his gaze never leaving her face. He takes another step closer, his hand coming up to grip her shoulder. She's wondering why does he always have to grab people when he talks to them?

"Don't lie to me." He says, his voice low and dangerous. "Were you involved in this?"

She doesn't answer not finding anything good enough to prove her innocence. She usually lies without any problem but right now her mind seems to have troubles working correctly.

"I can tell you're lying, you know." He says, his voice softer now, a hint of mockery in his tone. "You're not good at hiding it. I know you were involved."

She takes a deep breath, she was indeed involved in his imprisonment, but she only did it because he had deserved it.

He was awful to everyone, he hurt maids, and he got her whipped. And if he hadn't decided to become a better person than before after being locked up then he was just a big idiot.

She shouldn't be the one ashamed for what she did. She can't let her anger being pushed away by her fear. She looks straight into his eyes, giving him back his angry glare.

He raises his eyebrows before smirking as he sees her trying to hold her ground.

"Are you trying to be brave now?" He says, his voice almost a whisper. "You think you're safe because I just got out of confinement?"

Her fear was slowly starting to be shadowed by her anger. She shouldn't be afraid, he should be the one afraid to go back into a cell. Had he learned nothing during his imprisonment? She speaks in a cold tone that surprises her.

"You cannot hurt me because if you do, you'll go back to your cell!"

He's as surprised as Helia by her words, he didn't think that she would stand up to him, very few people dared to speak to him on that tone. She might have picked his curiosity.

He leans in even closer, his grip on her shoulder tightening, but this time she doesn't wince.

"You're awfully confident." He says, his voice a mocking drawl.

Helia had enough of his supposedly superior attitude. He was just out, after weeks of imprisonment for bad behavior, and he was still the same arrogant asshole as before.

"If you haven't learned your lesson then maybe the elders should put you back into that cell!"

He smirks, but not his usual amused smirk. This smirk had irritation in it. She could see the muscles of his jaw tensing. She wishes she could just erase that stupid smirk off his face and make him shut up for good.

"You think you can use the elders as a shield? Maybe I should remind you exactly who you're talking to."

He raises his hand, ready to strike Helia, a look of cold anger in his eyes. She feels a rush of adrenaline through her veins.

And before he has the time to do anything, Helia slaps him way harder than she had planned. He stumbles back, his eyes wide with surprise.

She freezes, she must have lost her mind.

The sound of the slap echoes through the library, and for a moment, both of them are stunned, shocked at what just happened.

She doesn't know what has gotten to her, she had just slapped the heir of the clan. She had just slapped Toji.

He regains his posture, his hand going to his red cheek, his eyes narrowing as they lock back onto Helia. His expression is a mix of anger and disbelief. He clearly did not expect her to do that and neither did she.

"You...fucking bitch!" He almost yells out.

She was already in very big troubles, so, done for done, Helia shouts back at him.

"You had no right to attack me! If I hadn't stop you, you would have hit me! And if you ever try that again, I will not hesitate to tell your father about it!"

His surprise turns to a burning anger at her shouted words. He takes a step closer, his eyes darkening as he towers over her.

"You think you can threaten me like that?" He snaps. "Do you really think my father will care what you have to say? I'm his son, you're just a stupid maid!"

She might have lost her mind, but her anger at him is too great to stop her. She's like possessed by an unknown rage as she continues, on the same angry tone.

"I don't think you understand that you are definitely going back to that cell, if you ever harm me or any other maid again!"

He scoffs, his eyes burning with anger.

"You think you can hold that over my head forever?" he says, his voice a low growl.

She doesn't answer, but she holds his gaze, not willing to let him think that he's scaring her. But if she's honest, without the adrenaline of her anger, she would have been frightened.

He holds her look, his eyes boring into hers. There's a battle going on inside of him, a struggle between his temper and his common sense.

He's clearly not used to being threatened like this, but he also knows that she has a point. His shoulders relax a bit, and he takes a step back, his hand letting go of her shoulder.

His expression is a mixture of anger and respect at her courage to stand her ground. He glares at her for a moment, clearly not happy about the situation he's found himself in.

But he keeps his distance, his hands clenching into fists at his sides.

"You've got guts, I'll give you that." He mutters, his voice low and gravelly. "But I'm not forgetting this. I always get what I want in the end. And I will get my payback, one way or another."

Helia was about to answer when she hears the door of the library open. Toji freezes at the sight of an elder entering the library.

Toji steps back even more, his body tense, clearly not wanting to draw the elder's attention.

But it's too late, the elder glances between Helia and Toji, his eyes flicking between the two of them, taking in the scene.

The old man takes a step closer, his voice cool and authoritative.

"Is there a problem here?"

The elder looks from Helia to Toji again, his eyes narrowing as he waits for one of them to speak. But before Helia can open her mouth, Toji replies, his voice neutral and polite.

"No, sir, there's no problem here."

She turns to give him an angry look. His eyes lock on Helia's for a moment, his voice dropping low so only she can hear him.

"Don't think this is over." He whispers, his voice quiet and dangerous. "You've made an enemy, you know that?"

And with that, he strides nonchalantly out of the library, leaving her with the elder who asks her if she alright. She reassures him, by saying that everything is fine.

She manages to hold steady, her expression betraying none of the fear or anxiety she feels inside.

Once the elder leaves her to her duties, she gathers her cleaning supplies and makes her way out of the library, her footsteps quick and her body tense.

[...]

Helia makes her way down the hall, her anger boiling. She's pissed off that Toji thinks he can still intimidate her, that he can still make her feel small and weak. It's like he hasn't learned anything from being locked up.

But from their last interaction, he did seem to hold back a little, as if he was actually scared of going back to that cell. Maybe she could use that fear to stop him from harming her.

But she knows that Toji is a dangerous, unpredictable person and that he could still cause her trouble in other ways than physically hurting her.

[...]

At night, she makes her way to Naobito's office, her mind still running over the events of the day.

She's a bit nervous about making a report, since she hasn't been able to in a while. As she reaches his door, she takes a deep breath, and knocks.

After a moment, Naobito's voice calls out from within the room.

"Enter!"

She enters and bows politely. He glances up, his eyes scanning over her briefly before he gestures for her to approach.

"Ah, there you are. I was wondering when I'd see you. Take a seat."

He leans back in his chair, his gaze fixed on her, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he's silent, studying her, before he speaks.

"I suppose you're here to make your report?"

"Yes sir. I saw Toji today, you must have let him out of confinement."

He nods, a slight smirk appearing on his face.

"Correct." He says, his voice cool and controlled. "I did release him from confinement. He has served his time, and there is no further need to keep him imprisoned."

Even though Helia thinks that Toji could need a little more time in this cell, she doesn't say a word.

His gaze flicks over her again, his eyes searching her face for any signs of harm or distress.

"Did Toji give you any trouble when you saw him?" He asks, his voice still cool but with a hint of something more beneath it.

"Well... He was about to do something harmful, but he stopped, probably because he didn't want to be locked up again."

She's very careful not to mention the fact that he hadn't hurt her only because she had slapped him. She's still wondering what crossed her mind at that moment to think that it would be a good idea to slap him.

"I see. So, he remembers his place." He says, a note of satisfaction in his tone. "Good. That's good. I can tell you that he wouldn't want to go back into confinement, that's for sure."

She doesn't know what Naobito put Toji through during those weeks, but she hopes that it had been very unpleasant for the young man.

Naobito leans forward in his chair, his eyes still fixed on her.

"Is there anything else you think I should know?"

"No sir, that's all."

She thinks it's better to keep to herself the slap incident. He nods, his gaze still unreadable.

"Very well then." He says, leaning back in his chair once more. "You may leave now."

She bows and as she leaves his office, she can feel his eyes on her the entire time, his gaze boring into the back of her head. The air in the hallway feels tense, and she's glad to be out of there.

[...]

On the way back to the maid compound, her thoughts keep returning to her interaction with Toji.

She remembers the anger and defiance in his eyes, the arrogance in his voice, and the way he seemed so sure of himself.

The memory of the slap still feels fresh in her mind. She shakes her head to erase those thoughts. She still couldn't believe she had done such a thing, but a small smile still appears on her face.

[...]

When she enters the compound, she's still wondering what Toji might do to get his revenge on her.

She knows he won't resort to physical violence again, but she also knows that he's cunning and resourceful enough to find other ways to make her life difficult.

[torao-is-law]

1, 5, 15, 35, and 61 for Song AND Talluri bc I miss them both

1 - Why did they choose their class(es)? their subclass(es)?

Song: Literally no choice. He got yoinked off the street as a teeny kid after he tried to rob a noble by the noble's body guard, who decided to drop him off with the manor's wizards to teach him something useful. He's been a little terror to the wizards ever since (but he wouldn't ever turn down a free....ish lesson).

Talluri: She's a curious cat who wouldn't say no to a step up under the streets for her and Zaz, so when a rock and a hard place turned into an offer of "employment" from the head of one of the local gangs, she decided to level up on her natural sorcerer capabilities and learn some of the neat wizard tricks from the creepy fuck that always trails behind the gang leader like a shadow. So what if it comes with a life time contact?

5 -do they follow a higher power? what are their thoughts on divinity?

Song - More by proximity than anything. The Glass family has always been followers of the Triad, so he often accompanied Aldrin to the temples for prayer. As for Song's personal beliefs, he's been known to carry the symbol of Helm, even if his focus of duty is much more narrow. He'll fall back to any temple of the Triad gods or Helm just for the comfort of familiarity.

Talluri - Not much by way of personal beliefs. She figures if you draw the attention of the gods, that's more bad luck for you. She'd rather rely on her own capabilities than risk getting left in the lurch by a god who might not be listening.

15 - do they trust their party? why or why not?

Song - No - or maybe not yet. He doesn't know them well enough for that, what their motives really are, the clear signs that some of them have pasts - even presents - that might catch up with them and put his new mission focus at risk. He's lost most of what trust he has since he and his were so clearly betrayed, and he hasn't known or worked with these people nearly long enough to work up to that. However, each time they help each other in battle and joke around, his resolve to NOT trust them gets a little thinner.

Talluri - No <3 Trusting random strangers is how you get killed fast, everyone knows that <3

35 - which party member do they worry for?

Song - He's got a soft spot for Bo - capable though she may be, he doesn't want to see her cheer crushed by the world.

Talluri - Honestly I don't think she gives much of a shit about the rest of the party's well being enough to worry about them. Sure she'll watch their backs if it'll help keep her alive and moving, and they sure are an interesting bunch, but worry? She doesn't have enough to spare at the moment.

61 - what kind of flower would they choose to pick from a meadow?

Song - Forget me nots. He hung out with Sasha in the library and helped her look up flower meanings when she was obsessing over what to make for Ana when she was courting her, and these caught his eye. He's a sap, really.

Talluri - Deadass, whatever is brightest in her line of sight. Possibly all of them. Homegirl wants all of the colorful things.

[i-cant-sing]

would rei take away deaf!reader's hearing aids?

Platonic Yandere Rei taking away reader's hearing aids

1000000% yesssss! But only if she thinks you're being "rebellious" (which according to her standards might be that you miss going outside so, yeah)

Usually, she would just take away your hearing aids and force you to rely on signing (and its just a pity if you dont know it already, because she won't let you learn it). If you sign her to give you back your aids, she'll simply turn away from you, acting like she doesn't see your frustrated tears. But you can always rely on Shotou to talk to you; he'll be signing to you back and forth.

But if you really messed up, like maybe you tore away the pastel pink skirt Rei laid out for you, or if you eavesdropped on her and Dabi's conversation about putting sleeping pills in your food, oh, you're in for it then.

Rei will rip away your aids, not caring if she scratched your ear. She'll drag you down to the dark basement and lock you in there with no light. No matter how much you cry or cling to her knees, begging for forgiveness, she won't let you out until she feels you've learned your lesson (or until she has calmed down). Your pitiful sobs pierce through your siblings hearts like a spear. Even Dabi feels at unease when he hears you scream that there's something moving in the shadows, and Shotou wants nothing more than to break the door down and swaddle you into his arms. But they can't help you as long as Rei sits in front of your door, or puts a special kind of lock on the door that only she has the key to.

Don't worry though, Enji comes to your aid the moment he returns home and hears your wails echo through out the house. He doesn't even have to ask anyone what has happened, he can already tell Rei is in the wrong from the fearful looks on his childrens faces. He doesn't say anything as he walks towards the basement, wordlessly shoving Rei out of the way and burning the door down. He lights up his hands on fire to illuminate the dark room and his heart breaks at your scared face, your eyes red and raw from your crying, your lips still wobbling.

You rush to him and grab on to his knees, not even caring that you almost burn from his gradually increasing hot body. He's so mad, so furious, but not at you, at himself and at Rei. He forces himself to calm dow and lifts you up in to his arms, letting you bury your head into his neck as you hold on to him for dear life.

Enji carries you back to his room where he sits you on his lap on the bed, rocking you back and forth as he rubs your back soothingly. You sob and sign to him with shaking hands everything that has happened, that it wasn't your fault. Enji only nods back, signing back that he knows you're not at fault. Your father pulls out a new pair of hearing aids from the side table's drawer (which is full of new pair since Rei has the tendency to stomp on your old ones when she's mad), helping you put them on.

When you finally calm down, resting your head against Enji's chest, you feel someone else sit behind you. You flinch when you feel her cold rest on your shoulder. "Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry." Rei apologises, now that she's out of her episode. Its always been like this- Rei goes crazy, harms you, Enji saves you, and then, she apologises.

You begin hyperventilating the longer you feel her hand on you, but Enji is swift to calm you down again. Hushing you, whispering sweet nothings in your ear, cooing that "its okay, daddy's here."

And you do calm down, but when Rei mentions that its getting late and that you should go to sleep, you shake your head violently when Enji tries to take you back to your room.

With fresh tears blossoming in your eyes, you beg him. "Please- please, I can't- I- I don't want to sleep alone- not in the dark. Please, I- Please!"

Again, Enji hushes you again. "Its okay, you're okay. Do you wanna sleep in our bed, princess? Hm? With your mom and me?"

You want to say no, that you don't want to be near that woman ever again, but you know its either this or sleeping alone or maybe even with one of your siblings, and you know they won't stop Rei, if she comes into your room and drags you back into the basement. No, Enji keeps you safe.

So, you nod and in the blink of an eye, you're lying between your parents, your head towards Enji while Rei wraps her cold arms around you, snuggling into you. But with Enji's big arm over you and Rei, the cold doesn't bother you much.

You're so exhausted from the whole ordeal, you fall almost instantly, and miss the wink Rei sends to Enji, who only smiles softly as he looks at you both, thinking that while Rei did take it a bit far...

...its the end result that really matters, right?

Check out my MASTERLIST for more!

[jayeeintheclouds-inactive]

160 follower crack special ?!?!?!!? idk how do you title shit

based off this thread 😩 @yeetmeoffjueyunkarst here's your food

Summary: Albedo and Kazuha fight over you, but something else happens.

Notes: albedo x reader x kazuha love triangle, keqing x reader, gn reader, crack?, short bullet point scenario because i wrote this in class, teyvat highschool au

a/n: keqing simps thank me via cash /j/j please reblog if you liked it!

although it was not obvious, you could easily tell that your seatmate and best friend were both chasing after you.

albedo, your childhood friend, had shown a few signs that he was interested in you.

he'd carry your stuff, help you out with homework, have dinner with your family more frequently, brush his hand against yours, and let his hand rest on your head a liiiiittle too long.

unfortunately, your poetic and mysterious seatmate kazuha seemed to show the same thing. his poems would always surround you and your "beauty", smile more around you, answer for you when the teacher calls you, and lean too close to you during science lab lessons.

you found it more hilarious than anything honestly. the poor dudes didnt know you were dating the vice-president of the student council 🤡 aka keqing the hottest woman (next to mona but shhh its not about her now she'll have her time later) to exist in teyvat high aka your gf aka your whole world

obviously you aint gonna cheat on your wonderful gf but those dudes still confess to you n e way 😐😐

albedo confesses first when he sees kazuha making a move on you

you say no

his heart cracks

and you say "look albedo you're my b e ST fR i end and i love you so much but sorry lol"

you go whoosh afterwards

rip singlebedo i guess

then next is kazuha's turn !1!!1!!1!!11!!1 maybe in another life you'd be his girl you'd keep all your promises be yall against the world but haha too bad for him

so he gives you a poem yeah

plays music for you yeah uh huh

you almost say yes but keqing supremacy

aHEm

n e way

🤠you say no of course because you're a loyal s/o to keqing so you friendzoned kakakaauzzhuha as well dhsakfsadfa

poor kazuha i think he spent like 2 weeks preparing his confession fr

but the two bros dont know youre dating keqing so one day they team up to stalk you to see why you rejected them

lets be real there's no way you could've rejected them because they're so pretti

no one can beat a hot ladee though so

yeah so and they see you walk into the student council office and they go ??!??!?! when did y/n get access to the student council office didn't they go to detention that one time for sending mr zhongli a nsfw smut art of him and childe 😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

THAT WAS ONE TIME

NOT THE POINT BUT

so they peek inside yeah

they see you tying keqing's hair

albedo to kazuha: friends do that right

kazuha to albedo: ye i think so

then keqing turns around to kith you on the cheek 🥺

kazuha to albedo: uh maybe super close friends do that too (smh homophobes /j/j/j)

albedo to kazuha: y e ah ma y be

then you grab keqing's cheeks and you two start making out <33

albedo to kazuha: OK 🚨🚨🚨 THATS 🚨 NOT 🚨 WHAT 🚨 NORMAL 🚨 FRIENDS 🚨 DO

but dumb dumb idiotbedo says that too loud

so obviously you and keqing hear it and you see kazuha and albedo 😳 i n t e n s e l y 😳 staring at the both of you making out jn

cue awkward silence

you get up and punch the both of them the end <333

JK yeah so you end up explaining that you and keqing are dating each other

next episode kazuha and albedo lose feelings for you and start kissing each other who knows 😳

wait actually kazubedo...?

UH

n e way it's not about them so you and keqing just continue making out ig

you love your gf idk how to end this

#simpforkeqing

[irepookie]

Infinity Chapter 5: IT CAN'T BE LIKE THIS FOREVER

Summary: QUEEN AU where Roger Taylor (aka Rowan Queen) is a young single dad struggling to make it into music industry.

Warnings: not really. Just fluff, sappiness and swear words here and there

Disclaimer: I don't own the pictures. The boys are based on Queen, but Piper, Gina and Callie are mine.

Chapter 5: Basically Row's and Piper's first day on their own, narrative shifting from normal to Row's inner train of thought.

🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁🥁

Throughout his life, Row would regularly look back with infinite fondness and amusement at the first day he spent on his own with his daughter.

But today, as both him and his week old infant cried in each other's ears, he didn't think either of them would make it through another 24 hours, let alone long enough to look back and laugh at it.

He thought he wouldn't get to the end of the parenting book he was with at the moment with his sanity intact.

He had read many books that contradicted each other. And this one was no exception.

Some said to follow a feeding schedule.

Others to do so whenever she'd demanded it.

Some said that bathing was bad for the umbilical cord.

Some others recommend to rub it with alcohol to help it fall early.

And others said not to touch it. To simply leave it alone.

Then there was Callie and her usual phrase echoing on his head "The best thing is to follow your instincts".

But that didn't help a damn either cause his instinct was messed up.

He had also read somewhere that sharing bed was good at the beginning. That it helped preventing SIDS.

Then on the next book, that sharing room was fine at first, but that bed was a risk factor in SIDS.

But hold on.

What the hell was SIDS?

They mentioned it everywhere. He went through all the pages until he found it, only to be left breathless when finding out what what it stood for:

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Whose exact cause was still unknown , and although there were some preventive stuff to do -on which, by the way, all the bloody books differed- there was nothing 100% safe.

So, they meant his little Piper could just fucking die for no goddamn reason, and he wouldn't be able to do nothing about it? What the fuck! It wasn't fair!

So he found himself on the phone, dialing the number he always recurred to in times of trouble.

"I think I broke her, mom" he said as soon as he heard her pick up.

"You can't break a person, Row"

"Well, there's a first time for everything."

"Don't be overdramatic. You didn't expect it to be easy, did ya? Or you thought she was gonna be like a doll, huh? Like those that have a switch for when you get tired of playing house?"

"No but I didn't think... I mean she was much quieter in the hospital."

"Well, darling, she must have sensed the move or something."

"You mean she doesn't like my place?"

"No, you silly. Although there's room for improvement in the style... But that's not the point. She just needs time to get used to it. Also I bet she can sense your unease."

"Uh?"

"Babies have this sixth sense when it comes to the emotions of those around them. Specially mother's... Or well, in this case, you. So if she senses you're frustrated, she'll get more distressed."

"Oh." was all he could say.

"Where is she now?"

"She's right..." He looked down at the bundle he had been holding and rocking only to realize it was a bunch of dirty clothes.

Where was she? Had he lost his daughter after 5 hours? Fuck! Fucking idiot

For a moment, he forgot where he had put her and a million terrifying thoughts flashed on his head.

She wasn't crying at the moment.

And that was good.

Right?

Or maybe it wasn't. Maybe it was the worst thing.

Maybe one of the pillows on the sofa had fallen over her and suffocated her.

Or maybe he had mistaken her for a dirty bundle of clothes and put her in the laundry and...

"Rowan?"

"She's asleep on the bed." He suddenly remembered, peering at his bedroom to check he was right. He was. She was asleep, right in the middle of the mattress, exactly where he had placed her 10 minutes earlier.

"Then take this chance and sleep. You're good at sleeping."

It was definitely a good idea. So he hung up and tiptoed to the bedroom. He reached the bed and froze, trying to think of a way of climbing in without startling her awake.

Maybe the matress sinking at his weight woke her up. And if he got past that, perhaps if he dared to move or rolled in his sleep, he'd wake her up... Or worst; he had heard about the hundreds of kids that died overnight suffocated by their parents.

No. He decided he couldn't sleep with her.

So he got the bunch of dirty clothes and laid on the floor besides the bed, using the bundle as a pillow. He fell right off to sleep.

He woke up four hours later, and the room was still silent.

Shouldn't she need something? Shouldn't she have woken me up?

Once again, a feeling of fear invaded him as he jumped to his feet, and put a small mirror in front of her nose to make sure she was still breathing.

She was.

He sighed with relief and pecked her forehead before tiptoeing out.

He decided to make a sandwich or something, cause his stomach was roaring. Halfway through eating it, he ran his eyes through the parenting book he had left opened on the counter:

<<If your baby sleeps 4 straight hours or more wake them up for a feed; otherwise they could become dihydrated...>>

Fuck. She had been dozing for 4 hours and 20 minutes.

So he hurried into the bedroom, and leaned over the tiny bundle, a smile escaping his lips. She did know how to sleep after all. And she looked like an angel. So peaceful. Calm. It almost hurt him to disturb her. But he had to.

"Hey lil'raisin. C'mon, it's snack time" he said, gently lifting her up. "Hey, lovie. Wake up" he knew one thing he shouldn't do under any circumstances: shake her. Or make harsh movements. As that would lead to Major Danger #2:

Shaken Baby Syndrome. And that was under his control.

So he blew on her cheek instead and got her to open her eyes "Hey, Sleeping Gorgeous" he greeted, holding her up so they were face to face.

She looked up at him, directly into his eyes and something inside him melted.  

Perhaps she had finally settled. Maybe now they were both fresh and rested she'd go easy on him. He could do this.

But then her face scrunched up and she whined.

"Oh no, no, no, baby, what is it? Don't cry. Don't cry. C'mon." Then he felt a warm liquid on his hand. "Okay, okay, message received. Let's do this"

He got a towel and unswaddled her, hoping he'd be able to remember how it was done afterwards and praying for it only being number one. It was, but he hadn't folded the nappy correctly and it had leaked all over the onesie, the blanket and... His duvet.  Goddamn it.

He sighed. If he kept calm, she'd sense it. "Okay, me darl. Shh. Hold on a second.  Where... Where've I left the nappies? Where?" He looked around the room but no sight of the pack. Shit. Last time he had changed her in the living room? So it had to be there. "Okay, hang on a minute sweets. I'll be right back" he ran out to get the pack, as the wailing got louder.

"Alright. Alright. I've got it, I've got it. I'm here. Hush" he managed to do it surprisingly fast and without new incidents. "Alright, alright. Almost done. C'mere." He lifted her up, checking the nappy was properly sealed, and went to the kitchen area where he had left the last clean onesie.

On his way, he found the pinky he had been looking for earlier as well "Hey look at this. Here it was." he washed it with water and put it in her open mouth. She began to suck instinctively, calming down.

Thank. Fucking. Goodness.

He sighed in relief.

He could do this.

He laid her down in the kitchen counter, so he could wash his hands, throw his wee stained t-shirt to the washer and unfold the onesie. She squirmed a little, but kept quiet.

"Alright, let's put this on you. Please don't squirm too much, darling. I don't want to hurt you." he pleaded.

"Okay, it's all done" he announced 10 minutes later, when he finally managed to button up all the miniscule buttons on the onesie. Bloody miniscule buttons made for small mothers' hands.

"What's next? Oh yes, bottle. Alright. Coming right up"

Just when he had put the bottle to warm up, she spit the pinky, and began fussing. "Hey, love , here" he put it back, but she spit again. "You ain't buying it, are you? You're hungry, and the pinky isn't fooling you." He chuckled "Clever girl. Alright, it's almost done so don't worry, okay? It's almost there" he took her back into his arms, and paced around until the microwave beeped.

He made a mental note to never again waking her up before the bottle was done.

Never again.

"Okay Princess. Here's your cocktail, made with love." he announced, as he carried her to the couch and sat down, propping her up and watching as she immediately sucked into the nipple, face relaxing instantly.

"Yea, you were hungry right? That's what happens when you sleep through lunch time. I hope you've learned your lesson, and that next time, you let me know alright?" He grinned, as a hand closed around his hair.

But she suddenly pulled away from the nipple and began to  fuss again, halfway through the bottle "What? That's all? You're done? So much impatience for half a bottle? No, you've gotta keep going. C'mon" he offered the nipple, and she rejected it, hand pulling his hair

"Ow! Ow! Pips, no honey. Let go. C'mon. C'mon dear, let go." he set the bottle aside and used his free hand to untangle hers from his hair. She cried louder. "Hey, okay, okay, you can pull my hair off if you keep quiet. Uh? Deal?" He got more cries in response. His face fell.

"But you never did this in hospital. You didn't give Daddy hell like this. Why now? Why do you do this when I'm all alone? Am I such a bad dad? I mean I'm following every step. I'm doing my best. Please give me a break" he pleaded, changing her to an upright position.

He was doing nothing wrong, was he? He was doing everything just like he had been taught in hospital.

Well except maybe...

He had an idea and laid her on the couch "Alright, shhh. Let's try this one" he said, unbuttoning her onesie again, -making a mental note to ask Len if he could get him some bigger ones that wouldn't take forever to deal with- and bringing her back to his chest. She instinctively snuggled up, and quieted within seconds at the contact of both their skins.

And he didn't know if he wanted to laugh or cry. "So you just wanted this? Well you should've said so earlier." He did both, out of amusement and relief.

Fuck he had cried more these past 7 hours than in the entire last decade. It was ridiculous, really. That someone so little could have such a big effect on him.

"So, where were we hon?" He offered the bottle and this time she did latch, body glued to his, and grey piercing eyes looking right through him, as if she was staring at his soul, as if she was reminding him why he was doing all this. And all the  worries that had crowed him until that moment, just disappeared.

I can do this.

He didn't detach her from his chest for the rest of the day, as that seemed to keep her at peace and he didn't mind it. Rather enjoyed it.

So he changed his peed sheets and threw the nappy away, made himself some coffee and broke the mug in the process, as he struggled to do the whole thing with one hand. Then he had to pick it up and cut himself off with one of the shattered pieces.  However, he didn't mind: it was worth it as long as she remained undisturbed.

"Are you two better?" Mom asked when she called in the evening.

"Yes, yes. We're... We're alright. Got the ultimate trick. I think we came to an understanding."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that. Where is she, by the way?"

"Right here." he pressed his lips on the top of her head, rested on his shoulder.

"Has she eaten properly?'

"Aye. Then spat some of it on me and... Yea. I think she's good." she had finished both bottles fairly quickly.

"And you? How are you eating?"

"Managed to eat half a sandwich. So not too bad."

"Finish it."

"I'm fine, mother."

"Row by neglecting yourself you're putting her in danger too. So eat properly and stay sane for the sake of you both, okay?"

He sighed. "Alright. I'll finish the stupid sandwich."

"And eat some food or whatever. Vitamins."

"Shit, this is like being 10 again."

They hung up and Row did as told, in spite of himself. Mom had a point.

So he finished the sandwich and grabbed an apple, eating it in bites, chewing it slowly and as silently as possible so he wouldn't disturb his daughter.

Damn it was cold. He'd have to turn the heat on, which he never did cause the bill afterwards was terrifying. But hell, both of them were half naked in February. And he had already spent a fortune on that prune sized person, might as well keep her alive and warm.

Then he laid down with her cuddled on his bare chest as she breathed in uneven, scary patterns, which Callie had told him were normal.

And soon, he found they were breathing in sync, every breath he took was three of hers. Or 5. Or none.

But it was normal, he reminded himself. Her breathing system has to develop still. She's fine.

He was exhausted, but completely wakeful at the same time, cause he was hypnotized by the sight of his little sleeping prune.

Like he would be countless nights in the future.

Because there was no better remedy for panic, no better way to put his thoughts in order and make him feel the strongest, happiest man on Earth than the sight of his daughter sleeping.

🥁🥁🥁🥁

As always, a big Heya to my only reader friend, @definitely-darcy. As you know I'm nervous about this chapter, but I enjoyed writing it a lot. So I hope you like It.

Xx ~Pookie