#and that comes with a fair amount of mean prodding

[wordybee]

eliot

[triptuckers]

capture the flag - leo valdez

Request: nope Pairing:  leo valdez x apollo!reader Summary:  during capture the flag, no one gets stuck in leo's traps and he wants to find out why Warnings:  none Word count:  800 A/N: this has been sitting in my drafts for a while and now that I'm back in my pjo era time to finish it! enjoy :)

capture the flag is always fun. it's a nice way for people to train together while it feels like a game. even though sometimes people get too competitive.

it gives leo the chance to litter the forest with traps, and to test new inventions. of course, he could test them in the bunker or on his friends. but this is the real deal. no one knows where the traps are, how many there are. it's the perfect conditions to test them.

he's made a new batch of them but for some reason none of the traps work.

whenever he goes to check on them, they're all disabled. no one's activated them, or he would have found a fellow camper near one.

and leo is absolutely sure he activated them. they didn't blow up so there's nothing wrong with them.

and yet they're disabled.

rather than trying to capture the flag, he decides to hide in the bushes near one of his traps to see what - or who - is disabling them.

he listens to the sounds of the woods around him and pulls stuff out of his tool bel two mindlessly build little machines.

after a while, he spots movement out of the corner of his eye.

whoever it is moves quietly and gracefully. so definitely not an ares kid, leo concludes.

the person slowly walks over to leo's trap, careful where they put their feet down on the forrest floor.

leo watches as they walk around the trap, examining it. he shifts to get a better look at who it is.

he frowns slightly. he would have expected someone from the hermes cabin. maybe piper because he's spent a lot of time trying to explain his machines to her.

but he didn't expect it to be a daughter of apollo.

to be fair, leo thought the apollo cabin didn't know anything about traps or machines in general. their skills were mostly archery, medicine and music. not traps built by a hephaestus kid.

leo's eyes follow your hand movements as you carefully prod around the trap. surely you wouldn't be able to- and you disabled it.

smiling to yourself, you straighten your back and us your foot to slide the now useless trap aside.

when you turn around, you hear leaves rustle behind you.

instinctively, you knock an arrow on your bow and turn on your heel.

you are met by leo, who is frantically waving his hands in front of his face.

'don't shoot, don't shoot! I come in peace!' he yells.

you lower your bow. 'leo! gods, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you!'

'that's alright.' says leo, lowering his hands. 'I was the one hiding behind you.'

you frown. 'why were you hiding anyway? usually you like to be in the middle of the action.' you say.

'can't help the fact people start fighting over me wherever I go.' says leo, making you chuckle.

'yeah, right, valdez. as if anyone could come near you with the amount of traps you're setting.' you say.

'speaking of which.' says leo, walking over to his trap and picking it up to examine it. 'how did you know where the kill switch was on this?'

you shrug. 'that's a tactical secret I can't reveal.' you say. 'for future capture the flag purposes.'

'or you just got lucky.'

'23 times?'

'yeah, that seems unlikely.'

you smile. 'there's a window in the roof of bunker nine.' you say. 'it's actually a two way mirror. it doesn't let any light through. gives me a perfect view of your workspace, though.'

'so the tactical secret is spying.' says leo.

'can't win if you don't play a little dirty every now and then. plus it's cool to see all the stuff you create.'

you shoulder your bow. 'good luck activating all of the traps again.' you say. 'I need to get back to my cabin.'

you start to walk toward the noise your fellow campers are making, to see if your team is winning and how you can help.

'hey!'

you turn around to see leo is still standing in the clearing with the trap in his hands.

'if you want to, I could show you how to make these? then you will be able to do more than just disable them.' he says.

you smile at him, you've always liked leo.

but you are surprised, you know leo is kind of protective of bunker 9 and usually only Hephaestus kids go inside. it must be a huge deal for someone from another cabin to be invited into the bunker.

and Leo wants you here.

'sure.' you say. 'I'd like that. but first we have to steal your flag.'

'oh no, you won't.' says leo.

with one last smile, you disappear into the woods, leaving leo to reactivate his trap before coming after you.

A/N: If you want to request something, make sure to read my house rulesHere’s the list of characters I write for. Everything that I have written can be found on my masterlist. Please don’t repost my work, as I spend much time and effort on it!! Thank you for reading! Much love, Marit/Max

[pigcowboys]

About the confession fic.

PLEASE IM STARVING FOR IT.

Thank you.

Ps.( I need more percy headcanons from you they're so good LORD YOURE AMAZING).

pairing: percy jackson x gn! reader

summary: part 2 to this fic part 3

warning(s): blood, injuries, rough housing, cursing, SLIGHT jealousy, unresolved feelings whoops.. & mutual pining (they're just a little slow..)

a/n: HAHAH TYSMMM <33!! i wanna write more so badly but so much is going on with school i just haven't found the time.. :( (i have something in the works actually!!)

"are you okay?"

you jumped at the sound of grover's voice, waving his concerns off with a dismissive 'just fine'. and you were, for the most part at least. or as fine as you could be with the camp currently split in two on account of the disappearance of the young nico di angelo.

you weren't especially close with him - well, not as close as he would've been with his late sister. though, you had your fair share of moments with him.

while percy was away from camp on his quest with everyone else, you became to unofficial babysitter for the boy. taking on the role you assumed his sister had to play for him during the time they were together. and it was fun. you didn't have any siblings of your own so the thought of having your very own younger one just dropped at your feet was awesome to you.

well, it was till percy and the others came back and nico's seemingly never ending cheerfulness faded with the information of his sister's untimely death. it's things like that which reminded you of why being a half-blood was so dangerous.

she didn’t deserved to die that young - shit, nobody deserved to die that young..and in that way?

it's so..fucked.

"do you know when they said they'd be back?" you asked grover, turning to look at him since the first time you began to speak. he gave you an unsure shrug. "mm..soon? i'm not too sure," he turned to look past the camp entrance. " i wouldn't worry about it though, they'll be fine."

"you'd be surprised the amount of shit percy can get himself into.." you said to nobody at all. grover seemed put of by your uncharacteristic brooding. he spared you a glance before parting ways with you to do whatever it is he had to. you didn't want to do anything right now but sleep.

for whatever reason you'd taken it upon yourself to try your best to help out with every single thing you could around the camp, touring new comers, cleaning the pegasus stables - you even assisted the stoll brothers in cleaning the hermes cabin after someone (travis) had let a couple of gerbils loose in there as a prank.

it wasn't funny. you glared daggers at travis for weeks.

maybe you were trying to preoccupy yourself or maybe you genuinely felt like helping - you weren't sure. or maybe you just missed..something.. or maybe someone? you looked towards the front entrance.

yeah..you did.

you hadn't gotten any time to think about the weird interaction the two of you shared a few weeks ago yet, it was always fresh in your mind somehow. percy was so weird. it felt like since that day you'd started to see him less and less than before. could you believe it? this guy, someone you considered to be your best friend had been blowing you off!

what a dick.

worst part was the fact that whenever you did see him, he was almost always with annabeth. annabeth, annabeth, annabeth. i mean, they couldn't of even asked you if you wanted to hang out? why were they always together? always whispering to each other and avoiding eye contact when you'd meet their prodding gaze. it was so weird..

the last straw had to be when you'd overheard them talking one time. you didn't mean to eavesdrop, you just heard your name in passing and it instantly grabbed your attention.

"so..you're going to do it?" annabeth asked

"i guess."

"come on! don't be like that - you're going to scare her off if you're not passionate. about it"

"do girls..like passion?"

"obviously! you have to make her feel important." annabeth tutted. "you guys never get these kinds of things."

"you sound like one of the hunters.."

"hm?"

"nothing."

why were they talking about girls? did percy have his eye on someone? is that why he was avoiding you? he..liked someone and didn't want to tell you. but, he told annabeth about it.. and not you? you were offended - very offended. how dare he not share his feelings with you! the nerve of some people. it wasn't the fact he didn't tell you that hurt the most, it was the fact he'd told someone else before you. why was this the way you had to find that out? who else did percy tell..?

the idea of it all flooded your thoughts and refused to leave it for days after days. it might've been the real reason you were brooding so much. you stopped dead in your tracks as you looked over yonder. ares campers, and they seemed like they were preparing for something. your breath caught in your throat as they noticed you, a sneer forming onto their faces as they made a beheading motion, dragging their thumb across their neck in a threatening manner.

oh wow, capture the flag. your favorite.

"is too late to run back to my cabin?" you asked nervously, lacing your boots before standing up groggily. percy turned to look at you with a frown. "you gonna be okay?" you didn't spare him a glance, opting to fix your breastplate properly as you stared ahead.

"yeah, i guess." the corners of your lips curled as you made eye contact with another ares camper nearby who seemed to stare you down like a fresh piece of meat. your stomach turned as you clutched your shield tighter, exhaling shakily.

percy stared at you silently, looking forward at the line of campers then back to you. you turned to face him when you felt his hand brush against your own. he didn't react to your head turning, only leaning forward to grab your hand and hold it tightly.

you looked down at where your hands were clasped together then back to percy. he looked back you, a shaky smile making it's way onto his lips as he squeezed your hand tighter.

"for reassurance," he explained, lips tugging into a small smile. you nodded like you understood what he was doing, turning back to face in front as you tried your best to stay focused on not dying.

as so as the match started you were almost hit with an arrow, courtesy of the apollo campers, you concluded. your shoes scrapped the ground as you ran for cover, mud caking onto your shoes as your legs went as fast a they could.

you could hear yells and chants behind you as you dodged the botany of the forest, ducking down to hide behind a larger looking log as you waited for the opposing team to run past. your lungs hurt and you were pretty sure that arrow had just barely missed your face because there seemed to be a small slash on the side of your right cheek. as the sound of the footsteps grew farther and farther you moved out again, running past the log as you made your way to the East Woods.

A hushed whisper of your name caught your attention as you took notice of Annabeth who seemed to be trying to blend in with the surrounding woods.

"jeez, are you trying to get killed?" her eyebrows furrowed. "those ares campers are betting on this match." she rolled her eyes. "those brutes, you'd think they'd try to have some kind of sympathy for the people they hurt." she seemed to ramble on about something under her breath to which you did not hear nor care to even hear.

"where's percy?"

annabeth gave you a look. "i don't know," she looked to her right wearily. "i thought he was with you."

something in your stomach stirred. you'd just seen percy at the start of the match..what happened..? you frowned, moving from annabeth's hiding spot as you planted yourself onto the ground once more, equipping yourself with your weapon once more as you held it close to your chest.

"what do you think you're doing?" annabeth exclaimed. "you can't be out in the open like this, there's barely any cover. you'll be attacked."

"everywhere in this forest is the open."

"you know what i mean." annabeth sighed. "look, i've got a plan but, for to work we've gotta wait a little, okay?"

"what plan?"

"i can't tell you all of it right now." she frowned. "just follow my lead.."

you weren't too trusting of annabeth's plan yet you complied, following after her as she moved from her hiding spot, meticulously through the forest. she was quick on her feet and you tried your best to follow her example but it was harder to recreate with your mud ridden sneakers.

it happened quick, you barely registered the sound of a flurry of arrows being set off at you and annabeth, the two of you ducking out of the way as you took to your feet sloppily, running for your lives. your heart pounded as the sound of 4 different pairs of feet chased after you. annabeth panted harshly as she looked around in a flurry, grabbing your wrist as she made a sharp turn right into the weapon of an ares camper.

they raised their sword and swung down viciously without restraint. your shield was barely able to block the attack, swinging back as you put distance between the camper and annabeth. she seemed shaken up but still readied her weapon, steadying her helmet on her head.

you stared at the ares camper with furrowed eyebrows. "is it true you guys are betting on us..?"

he didn't reply, rushing forward to swing. your shield cushioned the blow yet the rather old material seemed to shatter slightly under the weight of the swing. what the hell did these campers eat?

you threw your shield to the side, backing away steadily as you steadied yourself. annabeth stepped forward as well, swinging at the camper with precision, trying her best to block the harsh slashes. you tried to catch your breath, bringing your hand to your chest as you raised up your head shakily.

you merely stepped forward for a minute when another camper rushed towards you, knocking into your body with full force as you flew to the side, slamming against the tree face first. your nerves could barely register the pain as your collapsed onto your side, falling right onto your right arm.

you cried out in pain, reach forward to clutch your arm as blood smeared against the sleeves of your clothes. you curled into yourself as your body grew heavier and heavier. you could remember the faint sound of yelling before you finally blacked out, losing consciousness.

you woke up gods knows how much later in the infirmary. your ears were ringing and your chest hurt. how long had you been in here? a few hours? a few days even? you looked around the room wearily, nobody else had been inside - it was practically empty. you tried to stand up but took notice of the fact your arm was bandaged.

what exactly happened..?

the door to the infirmary swung open, gaining your attention as your head snapped towards the figure that opened it. your eye widened slightly when you locked eyes with percy. he seemed surprised you were awake, his eyes glinting with a spark of concern.

"hey.."

"hey." you two said in unison. silence fell over the two of you as percy idled in front of your bed for a moment before pulling up a chair and placing it near your bed, sitting down on it as he gazed at you with worry.

"did you just wake up?" percy asked, trying to seem normal.

"sadly," you exhaled. "i would've liked to sleep a little longer."

"well, you were out for a while." percy said absentmindedly. "i - uh, we were kind of worried about you."

"thanks." you smiled slightly, raising your head to peer at what it was he was holding in your hands. "what's that?"

"ambrosia," percy replied, fishing out a small cube from the pouch. he held it towards your mouth, waving it around slightly as he waited for you to lean forward and bite it.

"you know i can feed myself, right?"

percy frowned. "why can't you just let me be nice?"

you didn't reply, shuffling forward as you opened your mouth, allowing percy to slip the treat into your mouth. your mouth swirled with the best flavor imaginable as you sunk into your bed with a sigh, turning your head to the side to gaze at percy who looked at you wearily.

"how long was out for?"

"pretty long, you broke your arm and a few other things when you fell," he tucked the pouch into his hoodie pocket. "those ares campers are so.."

"insane. can't believe they were betting on people's lives." your eyebrows furrowed. "isn't that fucked?"

percy hummed in response and the two of you grew quiet again. you stole a glance at percy taking notice of the slight eyebags on his face and the redness of his nose.

"annabeth told me everything," he paused. "i'm sorry i wasn't there."

you shrugged. "it was no big deal, i mean, i'm still alive, right?"

percy leaned forward in his chair, bringing his elbow to rest on the cover of your bed, bracing his head in his palm. "yeah but," he paused. "i don't know what i would've done if you didn't manage to bounce back." you stared at him quietly as he seemed to zone out.

"i don't know what i'd do with myself if you ever got hurt."

your eyes widened as you registered his words, your lips curling upwards. so, maybe he didn't hate you.. you sat up in your bed slowly, bracing against the pillow you were resting on as you turned your body towards percy.

"that's not gonna happen," you paused. "..again." percy smiled yet still looked slightly distressed about the whole situation. you reached out to cup his cheek, a teasing smile pulling at your lips as you stretched them outward as far as you could.

"hey man, don't worry - i'm going to be fine, stop brooding now."

percy grunted rebuttals in response, exhaling when you finally released his face with a tired giggle, readjusting yourself to lay down on your bed as you settled in with a hum. percy rubbed his cheek soothingly, leaning forward to admire you.

you didn't register he was staring at you till you turned to your side and locked eyes with him, heart beating in your chest as the two of you stared at each other in silence. percy broke the eye contact, placing his hand on yours that laid still on the bed as he interlocked them.

you gave him a quizzical look as you squeezed his hand.

"it's for me." percy smiled sheepishly. "i wanna know that you're okay."

you didn't say anything only smiling to yourself as you closed your eyes, slowly fading out of consciousness as you dozed off clutching percy's hand.

[deadforprettyboys]

2nd time EVER writing something, wish me luck!

'I Bumped Into My Nemesis In A Hallway And All I Got Was An Australian Himbo Boyfriend' by Fall Out Boy - G.Waller x Reader

warnings: banter, arguing kinda, lil itty bitty bit of angst! kinda hints towards smut?? minors dni!!

(not proofread lmao)

Grayson walked down the halls of this week's Smackdown arena, championship belt on his shoulder, confidence (or arrogance) as prominent as ever. He had no plans for a match or even an appearance this evening, so he found himself aimlessly wandering the hallways, when all of a sudden he bumps into his so-called arch nemesis, because it wouldn't be a fanfiction if he just paced the arena for an hour.

"Well, if it isn't Y/N," Grayson sneers. "I should have figured you'd be in my way somehow. Do us both a favor and stay out of my path in the future, yeah?"

Y/N meets him with a "Love you too, Waller." before even a beat can pass. "Watch where you're going, dickhead. We both know this isn't my fault. How about instead you stay out of my way so that I don't have to kick your ass!" Y/N sneers right back at him. 

Grayson rolls his eyes, clearly unamused by Y/N's response. "Oh, please, spare me the empty threats. You're not gonna do anything, you know that. You're lucky I even acknowledge your presence."

"Oh please, as if I give half a damn whether you 'acknowledge' me or not. 'Oh, Grayson, you're so important, please pay attention to me, I'm begging you!' God, grow up, asshat." Y/N mocks, hoping to get a rise out of him.

Grayson scoffs at Y/N's mockery, his expression hardening with annoyance. "You really know how to push my buttons, don't you? But let me tell you something, sweetheart. When you're the Aussie Icon, people begging for your attention is the norm. And trust me, you're not the only one who's grown up, I'm just on a whole different level." He smirks with an annoying amount of confidence.

"You act like a 30-something year old frat boy who peaked in high school but still wants to seem cool to the 'youngins'. And that haircut isn't helping, babe." Y/N knows she's lying through her teeth just to make him mad, but all's fair in love and war, right?

Grayson's nostrils flare as he grows more irritated by the minute. "First of all, I'm not some old codger stuck in the past. And as for my haircut, I'll have you know that it's a classic style. I guess you wouldn't know anything about that, with your boring, uninspired look."

"Haha, very original insult. Calling my style boring, really? You don't have anything better up there in that ol' noggin of yours? Come on, now." Y/N feels a pang of guilt being this mean to Grayson, sure, they squabble often but it's all in good fun. But this almost feels a bit too far, like she needs to lighten the mood a little. But she doesn't, only continues to egg him on.

Grayson's annoyance turns into anger as he clenches his fists, trying to maintain his composure. "Oh, you want originality, huh? How about this, I've seen more personality from a brick wall than from you. You're plain and forgettable, just like your insults."

That stung a bit. Hearing the guy you've been hopelessly crushing on for 2 years say you're forgettable? Ouch. She'd almost believe it, too, if this didn't happen every week.

"Yeah, yeah, don't forget, I'm gross, annoying, always in your way, etcetera etcetera. Admit it, Waller, you're obsessed with me. How else are you literally ALWAYS bumping into me, huh? care to explain?" She prodded. 

"Obsessed? Me? Please. I have much better things to do than pay attention to you. You're just... unfortunately always there. And if I do bump into you, it's only because you're constantly standing in my way. You're like a thorn in my side, a mosquito buzzing in my ear." Grayson tried to convince both Y/N and himself, though they both knew it was a lie.

"And I'll continue being that thorn in your side as long as I live. I get such a kick out of watching you lose your temper, it's absolutely hilarious!" Finally, something to lighten the banter a little. Y/N giggles after her sentence just to rub in the point a bit more.

"Oh, I bet you do. You get some sort of sick satisfaction out of getting under my skin, yeah? Well, guess what? I'm not going to give you the satisfaction. I'll stay calm and above it all, no matter how much you try to annoy me."

"Way too late, babe. You've already lost it once." Y/N grins. "Let's see how long you can keep up the act, huh?" Y/N smirks up at him, knowing he can't keep his cool forever.

"Don't call me babe," Grayson says through gritted teeth. "And I haven't lost anything. I'm in full control of my emotions. I may have gotten irritated at your childish behavior, but that doesn't mean anything. I can keep this up all night, so don't test me."

Y/N smiles wide, "oookay, babe, let's give it a try, then!" She begins lightly tapping him on his arms and chest, trying to get on his nerves as much as possible. Grayson's jaw tightens as he struggles to keep his temper in check. He takes a deep breath, attempting to stay calm. "Do you really think your little taps are going to bother me? I'm not some fragile flower that's going to snap just because you touch me."

Y/N frowns. "Aw, bummer. I was really hoping you'd just shatter in front of me so I didn't have to look at that face any more. What a shame."

Grayson's temper flare even more, his patience wearing thin. "Shatter? You wish. I'm tougher than you could ever imagine. And my face, you know you're secretly jealous of my good looks. Admit it. You can't keep your eyes off me." 

"Very funny, Waller. You'd be one to talk, huh? I've seen you staring at me from across the room more times than I can count. What's the deal with that, anyway? Am I so pretty you can't stand it? Do you like me so much you have to steal a glance whenever I'm around?"

Grayson glares at Y/N, his cheeks slightly flushed. "What? Me staring? That's ridiculous. I don't... I mean, yeah, you're attractive, but that doesn't mean anything. It's not like I'm... it doesn't matter. Shut up." He looks away, embarrassed. Y/N can't help but find it endearing.

"Woooow, I finally got the cocky, arrogant boy all flustered, huh? Lucky me. How cute." Y/N smiles, a genuine one for once, rather than a smirk.

"Shut up," Grayson growls, trying to regain his composure. "You didn't get me flustered. Don't think so highly of yourself, princess. I just wasn't expecting you to bring up me... noticing your appearance. That's all."

"You brought it up first, did you not? And hey, I couldn't have noticed you staring if I didn't look over at you now and then, right? I never denied it when you accused me of staring, did I?" She's playing with fire now, but it feels so good. This could go one of two ways, horribly wrong, or horribly right. 

Grayson swallows hard, feeling embarrassed at being called out. "Fine, so maybe I've looked once or twice. It doesn't mean anything. I'm not some lovesick puppy drooling over you. I just... I happened to notice you, that's all."

"Right, right, and the sky is gray. You're obsessed with me, Grayson. Admit it."

Grayson huffs, clearly annoyed at Y/N's insistence. "I'm not obsessed with you! I'm the Aussie Icon. I have admirers and fans lined up at my feet. I could have anyone I want. I don't need to be obsessed with you."

"You certainly don't need to be obsessed with me. But you sure do seem to be. Hell, you're right. You could have anyone you want. So then, why don't you?"

Grayson opens his mouth to respond, but closes it again, clearly flustered by the question. He crosses his arms in a defensive gesture. "It's... complicated, alright? I don't have the time or patience for relationships, okay? I'm focused on my career and becoming the best. I don't need the distraction."

For all she knew, it could've been the way he phrased it, or the fact that she was finally letting herself be a little bit vulnerable, who knows. But that hurt. And she chose to believe him this time. "Right, of course." Y/N frowns slightly, trying once again to hide her true feelings. "Good luck becoming the best, Gray." She began walking away, not wanting to deal with her slowly breaking heart in front of the one who's breaking it.

Grayson watched as Y/N walked away, a pang of guilt tugging at his chest. He hesitated for a moment, his mind and heart both racing.

Then, he suddenly called out. 

"Wait!"

She turned around slowly, scared to hear what he may say next. "What's the problem now?" She manages to stutter out.

Grayson rubs the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically uncomfortable. He takes a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking again. "I... Look, I didn't mean to be such a dick, okay? And I don't just see you as some thorn in my side. You're more than that, whether I want to admit it or not." He starts walking towards Y/N slowly, trying to make up the distance from her leaving before.

"Grayson, are you running a fever or something? Is this a prank? Is there a hidden camera?" She had never seen him be so honest, so vulnerable. She didn't know what else to do other than make dumb jokes to lighten the mood.

Grayson laughs softly, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "No, I'm not running a fever and there's no camera. I'm serious. I've just... I've never been good at expressing my feelings, okay? I always act like a jackass because it's easier that way. It's a defense mechanism or something."

"I could say the same about acting like a jackass, honestly. It's so much easier."

Grayson smirks, a hint of humor returning to his usually cocky demeanor. He takes another step closer to Y/N, his gaze still intense. "Yeah, you definitely have a knack for being a pain in my ass. But it's... endearing, in a way." Y/N takes a step back, still very nervous, but finds herself against a wall instead. 

"Endearing... how?"

Grayson takes another step towards her, closing the distance between them even more. He leans against the wall, his face only a few inches away from hers. "Endearing because it gets under my skin, but in a good way, if that makes sense. You don't listen to me, you're not afraid to push back, and you never let me get away with anything. It's frustrating, but also... kind of refreshing."

"Oh yeah? I could say the same about you." She smiles up at him, feeling a small jolt of confidence rush through her. Grayson can't help but crack a small smile at her witty remark.

"Well, look at us, finally agreeing on something."

He studies her face for a moment, his gaze lingering on her lips for a beat longer than necessary. She notices and follows suit, looking at his lips for a moment too long before snapping out of her trance and turning away to look at the floor.

Grayson notices her eyes dart away and the blush on her cheeks, a wave of confidence washing over him.

"Hey," he says softly, gently lifting her chin so that she's looking at him again. "Don't look away. Look at me." He smiles at her, a genuine one, and she's sure it's the most beautiful thing she's ever seen.

She looks into his eyes for a moment or two before whispering "if I look at you much longer, I won't be able to keep myself in check any more, Grayson." His heart races as he hears her words, her soft voice sending a shiver down his spine. He leans closer, his face so close to hers that he can feel her breath on his skin.

"Who says you have to keep yourself in check?" He muses.

With this, she finally stops holding herself back and quickly leans in, closing the distance between them and kissing him with such force that he nearly stumbled backward. He stood shocked for a moment before kissing her back with a passion to match hers, grabbing onto her waist and pulling their bodies flush against each other as he deepened the kiss.

After a few minutes of practically grasping onto each other for dear life, they finally have to pull away for air, but still hold onto each other and remain as close as possible. After a moment of gazing into each other's eyes, Y/N speaks up. "Finally. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." She pants.

Grayson is equally out of breath, his heart thudding in his chest. He can't help but smile, his hands still on her hips. "Oh, really?" he teases. "I had no idea you were so desperate for me, princess." At this, she slightly pushes Waller on the arm. "Shut up, I know I'm not the only one who wanted that to happen."

Grayson laughs, not at all offended by her playful shove. "Okay, okay, you got me. I'll admit, I've thought about it, too." his smile turns into a mischievous grin, "But hey, you were the one who initiated it first. Couldn't get enough of me, could you?"

She chuckles and blushes, looking away slightly. "Maybe, maybe not, who's to say?" Grayson raises an eyebrow at this. "Oh, now you're playing coy, huh? You can't just kiss me like that and then act all nonchalant about it. I know you just couldn't resist me any longer."

She leaned up to his ear, "and maybe I still can't."

Grayson's smirk widened as she closed the distance between them again. His hands gripped her hips, pulling her body against his again before he pulled away from the kiss.

"Careful, Y/N. You're playing with fire."

"Fire was meant to be played with, baby."

He laughs, looking down at her and smirking. 

"Well then, princess, let's play."

[cyanocoraxx]

whilst i’m here. i don’t like this growing trend of treating exotic bugs and spiders like toys or props to make “viral” videos and such. the amount of videos i see floating around showing people irresponsibly handling tarantulas (especially old worlds!!!) high off the ground, bothering jumping spiders constantly because they’re cute and not providing them with enough enrichment, etc etc. tarantulas gain nothing from being handled and you put them at risk of injury or death if they fall or if you flinch and drop them. jumping spiders are adorable, but that doesn’t mean they should be poked and prodded for videos all the time like i’ve seen some people doing. yeah, they’re really cool, fascinating and a lot of people are adverse to these animals, but it doesn’t give you the right to treat those animals like props. they’re still wild creatures, they still deserve to have peace, and most importantly they need to be safe. that’s your responsibility and they owe you nothing in return!

yes, handle at your own risk. yes, some tarantulas and trues may harmlessly walk onto your hand and allow you to hold them. that doesn’t mean you should wave them around in front of a camera for likes and comments telling you how cool and brave you are for putting your animal at risk. sorry to be the fun police or whatever but come on. advocate for your animals so that people know that they’re not monsters, but advocate for them in a way that’s fair to your animal and honest to your viewers.

the only inverts i actively handle are one of my jumping spiders and both of my mantids and i do so entirely on their terms. if they want to come onto my hand they can, if they want to go home they can. i know each of them very well and know their limits and boundaries. my peacock mantis for example seems to appreciate being held where they can observe the room around them. my L3 thistle mantis doesn't like having hands close to her or above her as she's very small, and she prefers to jump onto a finger on her terms. my phidippus regius spiderling is shy and needs plenty of time to work up to jumping onto a finger from above, but once she’s settled she seems to like the warmth of my hand. my phidippus octopunctatus jumper doesn't want to be handled or touched, that's fine and i give her plenty of space.

just respect your inverts for the wild animals they are

[spamsmcgee]

DRUNK-DAZED

Return of kpop y/n. Part one listen to Drunk-Dazed by Enhypen

Faceclaim: IU

Yuki features on yet another one of Y/N’s songs, this time he gets to be more involved in the processes. And goodbyes are weird when you have fans as passionate as you do.

I lowkey want to flesh this out for an actual miniseries. Like with plot and everything. Lmk what y’all think

yourinstagram

yourinstagram Drunk-Dazed, Featuring yukitsunoda0511, prod. agustd

yukitsunoda0511 I think this one was my favorite..

formulawhat Yuki entering his kpop idol era 😩

-Liked by yukitsunoda0511

ynlefteye Honestly if driving doesn’t work out for him 👀👀

danielricciardo Yuki is my bias

yourinstagram Mine too ☺️☺️

yukinooo 🤨🧐 I mean same but…

agustd

agustd Thank you alphataurif1

Yoongi had left already. He took his things and some extra thumb drives back to his own studio for some finishing touches as you and Yuki were left alone in your apartment.

With Yuki having to travel between races, home, and every once in a while out to Korea to also try and meet with you and Yoongi. He was nodding off in the seat across from you.

Even with all of that, and in spite of his personal training getting on him for being up a lot, he still performed well in the sport. His most recent race being a masterclass filled with overtakes and him personally dragging his car into points.

You let him sleep. You cleaned around him.

Taking dishes from the dinner that Yuki offered to cook for the three of you. The best dried tomato spaghetti you’d ever had, with some garlic bread from a small Italian place you didn’t know existed. The two of you had found it while out on a walk in one of the recent meetings.

Yuki stirred awake as you finished up. He stared, his eyes adjusting, “I would’ve helped” he said. His voice cracked from the short but still deep sleep.

“Get your sleep,” you shook your head, “we’re getting the music video done this month so you need the rest.”

The time you got to spend with Yuki almost became too much. Not in that you would start arguing or anything. More so that you became close. Close enough that you couldn’t stand together for long without laughing.

At one point in teaching the two of you the song’s choreography, your loving and always gentle choreographer Seo Chanyeol had to separate you. Yuki became a test to that man’s patience like none other.

Never raising his voice, Chanyeol looked towards Yuki as his child. A quick glare to shut him up momentarily. Not letting the eye contact linger before turning away to still his own laughter.

After promo, after practices, after it all. When everything is said and done, your Tik Toks and YouTube videos are filmed, Yuki still has to go back to work. After a month that should have given him rest and relaxation, he’s off and putting himself all into his career. The thing he wants more than anything.

The two of you stand, that airport in Seoul loud around you. Your managers and bodyguards surrounding the two of you. You’re dressed like one of them. Escorting Yuki to the airport with fans crowding him as if he were one of you.

You squeeze his hand in a moment. You don’t leave a lingering touch, for fear that some eagle eyed and trigger happy fan with a camera might spot it. No doubt that small interaction could lead to more.

He separates from the group of you, and into his own group comprised of his own managers, social media personnel, and his personal trainer.

The distance that grows between you isn’t a problem. With the amount of money and resources between the two of you, a ticket from Seoul to Bahrain, or Italy, or wherever the sport takes Yuki means nothing.

It’s the reputation that comes with it. You’ve already had your fair share of dating scandals. And while you’re not banned from dating, what’s the point?

The two of you leave in your separate directions. Not a true goodbye between you. It’ll never be goodbye. But without the promise of privacy, it feels eerily final. Just as it did the last time.

You hope he feels the same. He’d said he did, one night after filming that first video. And he’s come back, with a promise of visiting again. An invite to any race weekend you’d like.

Say the words and he’ll send whoever he has to.

It’s not safe. A relationship for you will never be as safe or secure as if you’d like.

yukitsunoda0511

yukitsunoda0511 So happy to share with you all my second project with yourinstagram, and first time working with agustd. This time I got to be a lot more involved with the creation of this song and it was great.

pierregasly When are you doing your own song?

yukitsunoda0511 👀👀 gnabnahc

formulawhat the question is, who is he eating with?

miniyoong at this point it could be either Yoongi or y/n and it would still make sense.

yukinooo Yungi or Yoonki is the question now.

yourinstagram I can’t wait for next time!

yukitsunoda0511 I’m already thinking about it 😂

[positivelybeastly]

X-Men #6

Getting caught up!

Let's go.

Mmm, this is a good page. It's interesting to see Quentin in a kind of melancholy - it's not a state of mind you see him in very often, honestly, and I have to wonder if it's because of what he saw in Ben Liu's head, the fact that Cassandra Nova is on the board now, or just a general ennui about the state of things as an X-Man. Being a teenage firebrand only lasts as long as you're willing to burn, and Quentin's been burning for a while now with very little to show for it.

Also, wow, Idie, you have the eyes of an eagle that you were able to see that girl pulling a Spider-Man tribute - uh, I mean, the Midnight M, or whatever it's called.

Fun fact - this is the first time in this series that someone's directly mentioned Hank's psychotic villain turn from X-Force. Makes sense it would come from Quentin, since he's the only other member of X-Force on the team and he has the most face time with evil Hank, though I have to call bullshit - psycho Beast was a fucking bore.

Cain and Illyana continue to be hilarious bash brothers. I also like Hank being like 'ix-nay on the beheading-ay while the newbies are around to hear you-ay!' while Ben and Jennifer have little shock lines around their heads.

You will not get me to read Marauders volume 2, Jed. You will not.

So, this is a bit early in the run to have a 'this is what you missed in the series so far' scene, though I suppose having new context means they want to put the pieces together in a straightforward way so that no-one's confused going forward. And it's at least being done with character interactions, and not just a rote recitation of facts.

So, you, uh, ever gonna go and be a dad to those Savage Land mutates you fucked around with and made, Max? No? Mmkay.

Really dancing around the hashtag, huh, Scott?

"Maybe if you'd taken better care of your last resident genius instead of treating him like shit and neglecting him, so that he didn't go insane and blow himself up in a homoerotic stupor, you'd be having an easier time of this, but you're stuck with me."

Don't you fucking dare talk shit about quiche, Quentin.

I genuinely love the amount of play Glob is getting in this series. There's such an obvious affection for him that you can't help but be charmed. Also, a rare acknowledgement of Glob's past as a member of the Omega Gang and the fact that he was one of Quentin's very few friends during New X-Men! Love to see it!

There's that patented Scott Summers paranoia.

Also, I have to say, I love what this issue is doing with Illyana and Idie. As far as I know, these characters have barely, or never, interacted before, and there's just such an easy interplay between them that I already want more of - they tease and poke and prod at one another, in a way that feels younger and more vital than the older members of the team, even as Illyana demonstrates what being on a mainline X-Men team for the last 10-15 years does for your knowledge base.

It also really, really makes me happy that Idie is getting as much play as she is. The people who were worried about her being background fodder for this series really couldn't have been more wrong, she's getting a lot of good development and agency here.

It's something that only really shows up when you're reading continuously, but it's visible here - I like the panel composition in this issue, and this series in general, a fair bit. I like the separation of panels to show progression and create distinct scenes while still creating a larger tableau. Good composition makes you notice it, but doesn't pull you out of the experience, it merely serves it.

Also, oh boy, Hank's getting nostalgic again . . . that only ever means he's about to get depressing.

Yeah, that tracks.

Now, I do like this sequence and this conversation, but I have to pick at something that bugs me here, even though I have to wonder if it's intentional or not.

. . . Max, you and Scott were both on Krakoa. You remember that, right? You were dead for a fair bit of it, sure, but you were around long enough to see the start of X-Force. You were a member of the Quiet Council and Scott was the General or whatever of Krakoa.

You had the power to stop him. You don't get to say that you won't allow it when you both already did allow it. It would have been outrageously easy for the both of you to just waltz right up to the Pointe, grab evil Hank by his hair, and kick the shit out of him for being a genocidal maniac, but neither of you did that. None of you did. You allowed him to continue. Worse, you enabled him, you and your little twink 'I Can't Believe It's Not The Maker' Xavier.

And even before that, you hold responsibility for encouraging Hank to loosen his morals and kill people! You were there during the Inhumans vs. X-Men conflict, encouraging him to double cross the Inhumans for mutant gain! And Scott outright told Hank, MULTIPLE TIMES, that the ends justify the means during the Utopia era! Are you going to acknowledge that fact? Are you going to confront the fact that he internalised YOUR methods? Fucking evil Hank's penultimate words before he was atomised were MAGNETO WAS RIGHT, for fuck's sake!

That's why I like that Hank says, 'Of course, of course.' There's a ring of, yeah, sure, whatever to that, that I like. He doesn't say I know, because he doesn't. He's well aware that everyone saw what was happening to him and didn't stop it, that they didn't care enough to intercede, that Scott was too busy fucking Jean and Logan on the regs to care that one of his oldest friends was turning into the lovechild of Josef Mengle and Henry Kissinger.

I need that to become text. I need it. I know that it fucking sucks, Jed MacKay, to have to answer for Ben Percy's sins, but you cannot have dialogue like this and expect it to fly through uncommented on. No-one becomes a monster on their own.

I really do hope that dialogue choice was intentional and that MacKay is willing to interrogate this. Thus far, he hasn't let me down, but I need this to be the first part of a conversation, not the end of it.

Yeah, valid, I wouldn't want to deal with Cortez either.

Hank is very cute here. Like, he's always cute, but he's especially kawaii here. Hims have the teefs.

Yeah, you gotta get on choosing a mutant name quick, or else you'll get stuck with something like Negasonic Teenage Warhead.

Hoo boy. Yeah, this is . . . that would be a problem. I can see why Scott's pissed. Then again, valid for Idie going for forgiveness over permission, as far as she knew, Piper might have been being abused, and the info she has here is pretty important . . .

All right, roll on issue #7!

This was a good issue! I don't know that it needed the whole 'here's what you missed on Glee' segment in the middle, but it was at least done with enough character and verve that it wasn't boring, and the rest of the issue giving everyone some shine and interactions made it more than worth it - plus, it feels as though the plot is finally starting to move, which was a little bit of a concern with the previous issues.

Be there or be square . . .

[jacks347]

i feel like there actually is an extreme difference between milo and darlin’s situations which caused the different reactions. I mean for all we know milo and sweetheart could’ve never told the pack about the real story of how they met. But anyways- regarding the situation with milo, yes he did throw himself into a dangerous situation, but he wasn’t alone, he was with a trained professional (sweetheart) that knew exactly how to deal with it. And we both know that this pair don’t let rules dictate how they keep everyone safe (milo & the inversion), so maybe telling everyone about the circumstances of their meeting could get them in trouble with the department rather than just david and the pack and/or gabe.

i feel like this is the main difference between their situations, because milo and sweetheart not telling the pack doesn’t put the pack in danger. However, darlin’s situation included lying about quinn’s arrest, fighting his minions (lol i don’t know a better word for this), all while not telling the pack/david about it. The weight of both of their situations is extremely different, because quinn was still an imminent threat to the pack, whereas for milo and sweetheart, the one shade was already dealt with.

i do agree with you that david handled the situation wrong, but i feel like milo and darlin’s situations are so different that they don’t deserve to have the same reaction.

I love the amount of people getting in on this argument, it's honestly a lot of fun to read.

Anyway, yes you make some very good points. The situations are very different and don't deserve the exact same treatment, that wouldn't be fair. But it more so comes down to the principle of the situation.

Both threw themselves at a life or death situation that they didn't necessarily have to be in with no regard for their own life or safety. The big difference is Darlin went solo while Milo had help, yes, but it was with someone who maybe wasn't totally prepared for the situation at hand. Which is why he had to go in the first place.

Yes, the real story of Milo and Sweetheart probably stays under wraps. One of those stories you only tell when you're drunk and someone starts prodding. But considering the circumstances, I think they told Gabe. Like, legally, they had to. Because it was a Department investigation that involved the pack. I know Sweetheart didn't talk to him about the event but I know for damn sure there was probably some legal stipulation that they had to tell him about the pack involvement in the investigation. Therefore, Gabe probably had to know the real story and Milo definitely got his ass handed to him about it.

Yes, Darlin's situation was far more dangerous and posed far more of an actual threat to the pack, I understand that. But it misses the point. I'm not saying Millo deserves the same level of getting ripped into by the pack that Darlin did, but I am saying he deserves to have some level of getting ripped into by the pack. He went into an extremely dangerous situation with no backup other than a brand new investigator who was definitely under qualified for the job they were trying to do. He could've died and no one would've known. Would Sweetheart tell the Department? Would they have to? And if they did, would the Department have to tell the pack? Or would they simply cover it all up and act like nothing happened? If it was covered up, would Sweetheart feel too guilty and tell the pack themself? The legalities of the situation get very complicated very quickly.

I'm not saying he should go full social pariah like Darlin was. But he does deserve just a little bit of it. He deserves for someone else to know and call him stupid. Preferably his mother since I know she would do it best. He deserves judgement for his actions. Maybe it would've caused him to take at least a little bit of pause before nearly frying his core to a crisp at the Inversion.

[wistfulweaverwoman]

I love deep diving into the symbolism in The Hunger Games, there's so many layers in the writing, so much thought placed in seemingly unimportant narrative that it boggles the mind if you go searching for meaning. Classic literature is rich with symbolism, especially Christian symbolism. Suzanne Collins is a master at writing and crafted these books to bursting.

So, Peeta Mellark.

His first name, Peeta, a Greek flatbread (pita), but also a nod at Saint Peter. The feast of Saint Peter is also called Lammas Day or Loaf Mass Day, a harvest festival. It’s customary to bring to a Christian church a loaf made from the new crop, which began to be harvested at Lammastide, which falls on August 1, at the halfway point between the summer solstice and the autumn September equinox.

Mellark, a combination of the word malarkey and meadowlark. The meadowlark is a yellow breasted song bird that makes its nests on the ground rather than trees, in small hallows, covering it with grasses or animal hairs. Basically tiny bird caves.

Malarkey: most commonly defined as speech or writing designed to obscure, mislead, or impress; bunkum, BUT also thought to be derived from Greek μαλακός (malakós, “soft; compliant, meek; gentle, mellow, mild, mild-mannered”

Not long ago I came across the Bible quote while researching more deeply into the symbolism of pearls.

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

After a fair amount of analyzing I've come to believe it's actually one of the most important themes in the series. The gist of it means don’t give away what is precious to those that can’t appreciate its worth.

Symbolically Peeta offers himself to Katniss, repeatedly, throughout the series. The words

“neither cast ye pearls before swine lest they trample them under their feet,”

are what first caught my attention, both symbolic and literal, reminding me of the scene when Peeta burns the bread. His mother beats him and then instructs him to feed the bread to the pigs. Instead he passes the loaves along to Katniss.

Katniss describes the bread Peeta gives her

“It was good hearty bread, filled with raisins and nuts.”

But a pearl isn’t bread, is it? Pearls symbolize a lot of different things, but specifically in the Bible it can symbolize anything Christ-like, from Christ himself, to the gospel of the church. Christ said

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven”

Thus a pearl could symbolize bread, in the right context. When I went to research this train of thought further I was shocked to find a whole bunch of recipes instead of a whole bunch of quotes. Christ’s Bread, or Christopsomo. A Greek Orthodox bread made at Christmas. A rich bread filled with raisins and nuts.

I always thought it curious that the author would choose a name with a Greek origin when so many in D12 have the last names that seem British in origin (Everdeen, Hawthorn, Cartwright, Abernathy), and that there must be more to the name. Therefore I believe it’s no coincidence then, that this Greek bread is so similar to the bread that Peeta gifts to Katniss. It’s further evidence that the author purposefully meant to represent Peeta as Christ-like. Peeta offering his body as sacrifice to save Katniss is a theme that repeats over and over in the series. The strongest example of this, in terms of Christ-like symbolism, was his sacrifice of facing Cato in front of the tracker jacker tree to allow Katniss to escape and hide. That tree is a nod to the Hanging Tree, specifically the line:

Where the dead man called out for his love to flee.

“What are you still doing here?” he hisses at me. I stare uncomprehendingly as a trickle of water drips off a sting under his ear. His whole body starts sparkling as if he’s been dipped in dew. “Are you mad?” He’s prodding me with the shaft of the spear now. “Get up! Get up!” I rise, but he’s still pushing at me. What? What is going on? He shoves me away from him hard. “Run!” he screams. “Run!”

The Hanging tree itself is symbolic of both the Tree of Life, and the cross that Christ was crucified on. With TBOSAS we know the origin of the song, but the actual song written by Suzanne Collins was most likely inspired by the song The Hanging Tree (written for the movie of the same name back in 1959) and the song Strange Fruit made popular by Billy Holiday and became a popular civil rights ballad. I am planning a separate post about the song and how Peeta is symbolically the lover in the song.

This death and resurrection of Christ imagery continues with Katniss later bandaging Peeta and bringing him to a cave where he nearly died, and then left the cave healed three days later. There's so much more, but I'll leave that for another post.

But what about the other part of that quote?

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, [lest they] turn again and rend you.”

This applies to Katniss, rather than Peeta. Peeta is what's holy, symbolically, as reinforced by the pearl that he gives her in Catching Fire, and that represents him symbolically in Mockingjay. He was literally rended by dogs at the cornucopia in The hunger Games, but she doesn't cast him aside till the end of the book.

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.”

There is metaphorical meaning in the entire quote as well as this theme continues in both Catching Fire and Mockingjay. Peeta offers himself to Katniss and she "casts" him aside. She realizes this towards the end of Mockingjay.

Seeing it in his hands, it’s like Finnick’s echoing what Haymitch just said, that I’ve cast off Peeta.

She finally realizes his true value, even after he's been hijacked, and refuses to allow him to be killed, and instead of casting him away she does her best to keep him.

It’s a long shot, it’s suicide maybe, but I do the only thing I can think of. I lean in and kiss Peeta full on the mouth. His whole body starts shuddering, but I keep my lips pressed to his until I have to come up for air. My hands slide up his wrists to clasp his. “Don’t let him take you from me.” Peeta’s panting hard as he fights the nightmares raging in his head. “No. I don’t want to . . .” I clench his hands to the point of pain. “Stay with me.” His pupils contract to pinpoints, dilate again rapidly, and then return to something resembling normalcy. “Always,” he murmurs.

This is not to say that she never values him or cares for him before the end of Mockingjay, there is plenty of evidence to suggest she fully loved him by the end of The Hunger Games, only that she did not learn the lesson to "cast not what is holy" till then.

I wrap my arms around his neck, feel his arms hesitate before they embrace me. Not as steady as they once were, but still warm and strong. A thousand moments surge through me. All the times these arms were my only refuge from the world. Perhaps not fully appreciated then, but so sweet in my memory, and now gone forever.

This theme is also apparent in the narrative in that the Rebellion abandoned Peeta, representing both which is holy and the pearl, to the Capitol. The Capitol did not value his worth, nor see him as a treasure. They tortured and hijacked him "trample them under their feet" , and used him to "rend" the Rebellion by programing him to kill Katniss, the symbol of the Rebellion.

[roselightfairy]

Also, I suspect I know what this title is for, so I'm hoping for some fun juicy additional tidbits from:

Mod FAV snippets

Hahahahahahaha so this one is a pure vanity project, maybe the most navel gaze-y thing I've done.

When I started working with @deheerkonijn, I absolutely loved playing around in modverse and I've continued to love it. But it's an interesting balance, working with a specific set of characterizations and situations! Our depictions of Legolas in our own work often appear on the surface to be completely, completely different. While working together, we've found a ton of points of connection and similarity, and have realized that we have a very similar view of him as a character after all, but the way that looks outwardly is - uh, quite different. Influencer!Legolas is about as opposite of FAV!Legolas as you could possibly come, you know? So just for fun, just for myself, I started playing around with what my specific characterizations and OCs would look like in a similar fusion universe. It was only for me and DHK, but it was a ton of fun (and turned into, like, a Legolas Family Drama TV Show haha).

Probably the crowning jewel of anything I wrote in there, though, was a made-up magazine profile of Gimli the architect, and since I haven't given you any snippets, I'll include a bit in here:

But if he’s been collaborating with Éomer of Rohan, does that mean we can expect to see more of his work outside the country? “I’m not saying anything about that yet!” he deflects again. “Nothing is set in stone – if you’ll forgive my pun.” No amount of gentle prodding will get another word out of him, so I return to the subject of his life. What has the transition been like – between Erebor and Minas Tirith, moving outside of dwarf-only circles, and rising so quickly to prominence? “It’s been . . . surprisingly easier than I expected, actually.” He smiles fondly. “I was lucky that I made some really wonderful friends right away, and having them has helped me both with the emotional transition and with even the finer aspects of design. I might have loved Lady Galadriel when I was younger, but having an elf as an idol doesn’t mean I really knew anything about elvish design. But since I met Legolas, I’ve been introduced to a whole new world. I find I love trying to integrate all these different inspirations and sensibilities – it’s a refreshing challenge.” Ah, yes, Legolas. The elusive elvish husband who has somehow remained such an enigma to the public eye. What about him? I can’t help asking. What’s it like being a dwarf married to an elf – especially that one? Are the rumors true? Is he really that Legolas? But Glóinul refuses to tell me anything. “That’s personal,” he says. “We like to keep our private life as private as possible.” If the rumors are true, I can’t blame him. It’s been whispered that Glóinul’s husband is Legolas Thranduilion – yes, son of that Thranduil, longtime prime minister of Eryn Lasgalen and generator of the most rumor and controversy since Thingol himself. Legolas has been much farther removed from the spotlight than his sister Laerwen Thranduiliel, former Lasgalen Secretary of State and center of a fair amount of spectacle herself – but that doesn’t mean he couldn’t step forward and claim some fame himself if he asked for it. So far he’s never granted an interview, and even Glóinul has never explicitly confirmed his identity, but my eyes keep straying back to that gorgeous antique desk in his studio. If that isn’t Lasgalen design, I don’t know what is. “Legolas is my husband,” is all Glóinul will say when I point this out. “All that’s important for you to know is that he’s my most fervent supporter, my biggest inspiration, and he makes me happier than anyone I’ve ever known. He’s been with me since before all this started, and honestly I admire him more than anyone I’ve ever met.” His fond smile says it all, but I can’t help teasing a little. Even the Lady Galadriel? “Even her.” Glóinul smiles. “But I don’t think she’d hold it against me.”

Thanks for asking! These will probably never see the light of day, so it was fun to get to share a little bit of it!

[rabbitenn]

MATCHUP FOR THE LOVELY @lilikags

hello, dear ! and thank you for requesting a matchup here too <3 i re-read your info and i knew right away who i was going to match you with hehe

i hope this meets your expectations and that you enjoy ! thank you too for getting me into i7 in the first place 🩷

your idolish7 matchup is someome who shares quite a few similarities with you. like you, he’s busy more often than not, even at the expense of his own health. similarly to you, he’s a perfectionist when it comes to anything related to his work, offering only the absolute best to the people who are counting on him. even if his words hold underlying venom sometimes, the truth is he is very kind and won’t hesitate to answer to the needs of those around him.

well, i think with this you might already have a pretty good guess of who i’m thinking about… tonight, the stage lights are focused on…

♡ KUJO TENN

Why do I think you and Tenn are truly a good match? Well, mainly because you two have a fair amount of aspects in common, differing just enough as to not clash with one another.

You mention you like being active, filling your free time with doing whatever activity you can. And I think that’s something Tenn would really like about you, he finds your drive and initiative very attractive.

Another aspect in which you two would find mutual agreement would be in both you guys perfectionist tendencies. Tenn would finally feel understood when he gives his all (and more) at concerts, even though that doesn’t mean you’re not going to worry anyway when he overexerts himself.

Your creative hobbies are something Tenn would admire too.

And, of course, you will not hesitate to put them to good use in times of need…

—

Tapping sounds grab Tenn’s attention the moment he gets home.

Granted, it is not uncommon for the house to not be completely silent, now that he lives with his two friends, but this rhythmic sound… it kind of reminds him of a certain someone focused on getting a perfect score on whatever new idol game she was playing…

Turns out, seconds later, the idol’s suspicions would be confirmed.

Mostly, at least.

There, on the living room’s couch, donning one of his blush pink sweaters is you.

Legs crossed, and laptop over your lap, you seem to be intently working on something.

The few polaroids of you and him decorating the back of your computer don’t go unnoticed by your boyfriend when he approaches, a sincere smile titling his lips upwards in the way you always loved to see on stage.

“What are you working on, my love?” Your partner asks, as he takes a seat by your side, leaving a soft kiss on your cheek.

“Give me a minute…” you reply absentmindedly, as you adjust a few settings on your screen.

A chuckle leaves Tenn’s lips, maroon gaze full of warmth as he observes you hard at work.

Then he notices what you’re actually so focused on: vivid images of TRIGGER concerts flash on your screen, strategically arranged, combined with locations, lyrics and song lists.

“Yes!” You whisper-shout to yourself, stretching your arms after saving your progress. Then you relax against the sofa’s backrest, sighing with a smile.

“That’s us?” Tenn questions, intently looking at your laptop, shades of pink, blue and white accented over a dark background around all the moving pictures and videos displayed.

“That’s right!” You confirm proudly. “Since Yaotome productions and you guys are no longer working together…” You mumble that bit sadly, thorns of disdain prodding at your heart when you think of the people responsible for TRIGGER’s current predicament. “I’m managing your official website for the time being.” You explain. “Here, I’ll show you.” With a few clicks and hovering your mouse over some of the images, the homepage comes up.

“See? I added gifs and images from your concerts,” you show him, turning your computer around so your lover can get a better view. “And if you click on them,” you demonstrate. “Ta-da! The list of songs you performed on each of them appears. But that is not all.” Tapping on the tactile mouse, you continue. “I added short samples of every song, as well as links to purchase your albums online. What do you think?” You ask Tenn, a small smile curling your lips.

“You really did all this?” He asks, staring in wonder at all the work you’ve put into the design.

“Mhm! Oh, and I forgot to tell you! I added a ‘news’ tab too, that will update according to dates and locations where you’ll be performing next, of course with links to buy tickets as well.

“Amazing…” Tenn utters, demure fuchsia gaze captivated by all your hard work currently on display. “You are amazing, my love.” He whispers, eyes leveling you in hues of tenderness and adoration.

You giggle.

“You are amazing, Tenn…” Your hand finds his, thumb gently rubbing over his soft skin. “This is the least I could do for you now…”

He gives you a subdued smile, melancholy and delicacy playing in duet on the curve of his pink lips.

“Your presence is more than enough.” Your angel vows, placing a kiss on your hair as his arms settle around your form.

And so, the rest of the afternoon goes by with you two cuddled on his bed, cozy blankets all around you, as you show the modern day angel more of your creations, TRIGGER’s songs playing in the background.

—

Something Tenn is very drawn to as well when it comes to you are your leadership abilities. To see you taking initiative and bringing others together… he feels very proud of you (and if you’re in public he totally has to restrain himself as to not hug you from behind and cuddle into you right then and there).

You mention you’re always trying your best to help others in any way you can, which again, would make Tenn feel all warm and fuzzy inside when he sees you caring for someone else or teaching them how to do a certain thing they’re struggling with. He is someone who never hesitates to selflessly give his everything for others and cares deeply for those close to him, even if oftentimes he hides it with his harsh facade.

In reference to your mbti type, infjs tend to gravitate towards deep connections and meaningful conversations, which is something intjs (Tenn’s mbti) do too. Additionally, both types like to be organized and plan things beforehand, so you two would vibe well in that sense.

If we talk about differences, the ones both types share can make then connect even better, as intj’s rationality pairs well with infj encouragement to express feelings.

So, yes, you and Tenn are a solid match; you have similar mindsets when it comes to work, and the differences you share would be beneficial, especially when you try to help him take care in the instances he pushes himself to extremes.

♡ RUNNER UP: OSAKA SOGO

You and So are a highly compatible pair as well. Both of you share love for artistic pastimes, which I believe could turn into hours of quality time together. In addition, he could finally feel free, like he can enjoy the things he loves without being disliked for it.

You being a good leader would help him too. As we know, he tends to keep most of his troubles inside (unless you push him to the limits, that is), opting to apologize first thing even if he did absolutely nothing wrong. With you, however, he could perhaps take inspiration and speak up like you do when you bring people together.

In addition, Sogo’s soothing words and presence would be a good reassurance that your work is good enough if you’re ever being too perfectionist.

Also, since you like writing and he wants to try writing music, I can easily imagine you two working together on the project: you writing the lyrics, while he works on the melody. The song’s guaranteed to be a banger!

[my-mt-heart]

Do you think increased social media attention, new and younger viewers, etc. have given writers/prods cold feet when it comes to Caryl? The tag on TikTok is full of snarky teenagers expressing digust, and comments on edits are filled with 'platonic soulmates 🤓' (which just rings of self-assurance). Instagram comments are still rife with antis, and support for the solo spinoff.

Isn't it quite strange to be watching these newer viewers who didn't live through it as such, having such an opposite experience as so many of us? They aren't waiting week-by-week, gossiping at the water cooler, and on Twitter. They haven't been watching the cast and writers alike express their support for Caryl for 10 years. Even so, I'm ruffled by their conviction. Antis are just so *sure*, just as sure as we are.

I'm wondering if with all that, on top of the buzz when S1 airs, will it be enough to turn the tide in order to not upset the self-inserters, Dnnie shippers, and general dudebros? It would be the safer option... Ugh. Hope you're doing well!

Caryl not going canon yet has nothing to do with changes in the market. S1 of the spinoff is trying to cast a wider net because not enough viewers will watch otherwise. It's a terrible strategy that pretty much guarantees disappointment and it wouldn't even be necessary if the original spinoff aka the real moneymaker hadn't been fucked with for unprofessional reasons. How's that for self-assurance? But you brought up some big points, so let's talk about them...

This perceived increase in non-Carylers or decrease in Carylers is basically an optical illusion. Caryl has a huge fanbase. They attract people from all walks of life, but a fair amount of them simply aren't vocal online whether it's because they're from an older generation who don't feel the need to talk about their interests on SM or because they were bullied into silence, which is especially likely if they're under 20, though of course bullying can get to anyone. Also keep in mind, Caryl's story is about two broken people beating the odds together, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that a lot of their fans have experienced trauma or abuse in their own lives, and may not feel safe bearing their hearts in certain online spaces.

Just because the teens on TikTok and the antis and the dudebros are being loud and snarky, just because they're following an anti-romance trend or they're trying to sugarcoat ageism with other words doesn't mean they're actually going to put their credit cards down and pay. Even if the teens have credit cards, they're far more likely to watch clips on TikTok than invest in the entire storyline. College-aged men statistically don't have extra money laying around for a subscription to mediocre zombie content, which is why it's baffling that S1 seemed to initially target that demographic. Antis like to pretend they care about Daryl, but their only real joy is making Caryl/Carol/Melissa fans miserable, so that makes them just as unreliable. AMC has nothing to gain from shifting to their needs. It's all about niching down to the people who actually want to invest. What have many of us been saying over the last year and a half? "I'll subscribe when Carol's back."

Think about this. If AMC was trying to appeal to the snarky teens and dudebros and antis who are being ageist af, why would they try to bring Melissa back as quickly as possible? Why would they post about Carol (with hints of Caryl) this much, show everybody how much they love her, and get everyone's hopes up? That's an obvious sign they're targeting Carol's/Melissa's fans (for S2), the majority of whom are Caryl shippers.

If S2 doesn't hook enough Carylers, that's when AMC might make changes, but let me be clear here. The responsibility of keeping us around, not to mention growing the fanbase, is entirely theirs. The way to our hearts and to our wallets is to give us what we want to see i.e. unambiguous canon. If they want to keep jerking us around, holding back, ruining the characters we love, and pandering to the "incompetent and egotistical individuals" on the show, it's their loss. Quite a significant one.

Disclaimer: In case anyone was wondering, no I did not become a marketing expert overnight. I consulted.

[mythvoiced]

GET TO KNOW THE MUN

NAME?: Len, Lena, Lenlen, anything with that you can think of~

PRONOUNS?: any~ saw Winter on dash go 'agender hoes rise up' so this is me rising up--

PREFERENCE OF COMMUNICATION?: primarily discord, IMs and I have just... we never hit it off, and with the way the notification thing keeps glitching-- i'll keep the chat open in that circle to not forget to reply, but i'll never know when something new comes in bc the notification disappears if you have the bubble thing there, which means if i do reply it takes me so long to realize i've been replied back-- BUT i mean ofc hit me up on IMs if you don't have my discy i will try to be THERE

MOST ACTIVE MUSE(S)?: Celebrity Verse Hyun oH HECK'S yeah, though i have to admit i don't have a lot of... muse muse per se, i could write just about anyone i guess, but no one's burning with activity/to be written

EXPERIENCE / HOW MANY YEARS?: gosh, my first mumu i opened back in january 2016, before that though i'd been rping already on other blogs... 2015-16? online at the very least, i remember i was rping on paper back in middle school before even knowing what it was lmao

BEST EXPERIENCE?: I HAVE to second Ferre, the group plots we got going on right now are basically single-handedly keeping me FIRED UP to write~ but if i may be lovey dovey, my best experience is just overall right now, or most of 2023, the moots i'm surrounded by, the way i'm gradually letting go more and more of insecurities and anxieties, i'm calming down and just... being blessed by superb writing & ideas~

RP PET PEEVES?: gosh, i don't know~? i do believe if i stumbled upon them, there'd be a few out there in the great big blue, but lately i've been having such a good dash and environment, i kind of forgOT FDKLGHLF i'll add it if i can think of anything at some point

FLUFF, ANGST, OR SMUT?: same as Ferre~ i'm in it for the character development, for the vibes, for the growth, for poking and prodding at psyches and morals and hearts, or just to figure out how people interact, i love just... the very concept of interaction itself~ i do angst >:3333 i do fluff :33 but i mostly do?? i have no idea how to describe it lmao but i don't do smut, i don't know how to and feel weird about it ♥

PLOTS OR MEMES?: I'M A CRIMINAL, I JUST KEEP STEALING FERRE'S ANSWERS BC SAME?? LKDSGJFLHG lately I've realized I do enjoy plotting more >:3 i used to be a pretty wing it kinda guy mostly because plotting translated to serious commitment in my head? and the mere thought of that was scawwy and exhausting, it felt like i was suddenly Planning and Strategizing in a work environment oh god, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT PLOTTING IS TURNS OUT FDKLLLLLLLGH i had it all wrong~ it doesn't have to feel like business emails, it SHOULDN'T, it can be random ideas thrown back and forth and i absolutely adore that, i've been enjoying a fair amount of plotting lately >:3 and have ONLY BEEN WINNING~ that being said, memes are perfect for lil spin-off/filler episodes of ongoing dynamics, but especially good for ice-breakers (if we never interacted before, hmu~)

LONG OR SHORT REPLIES?: longer, i simply don't shut up~ i can do shorter, but they tend to lengthen naturally with time; i try to match my partner above all else, but there's always something i just... can't keep out of the damn text~ there are certain muses, though, that demand less text, characters like Diana are very curt and cut-off and it reflects in her threads and all that-- SO, before i completely derail, i go for long replies usually, but i can flex my flexing bones and do short too~

TIME TO WRITE?: GOSH, f*ck if i know at this point. it used to be in the evening, now it's just... whenever i have time & energy~ i don't work consistent regular hours, so there's no clearly defined work hours and leisure hours, so sometimes evenings, somethings mornings, sometimes weekdays, sometimes weekends, usually not afternoons, i do try to keep a queue going though so hehehe~ don't worry~

ARE YOU LIKE YOUR MUSE(S)?: maybe...? i don't know anymore-- KLDSJGLKGF realistically speaking, probably? at least some of them, mostly because the saying goes you put a bit of yourself in every character you create, i would also say because i have Too Many Muses so statistically i'm probably in there somewhere~

tagged by: their royal MIGHTINESS @stillresolved tagging: @theimpalpable @crue1 @usuhan @fablewrote @riiese @repetiita @voxvulgi @heirofhermes @sw4nsongs & YOU

[solesommerso]

I would just like to request that you continue at some point to post more Zoe/ Street Werewolf au because I loved the first chapter. Thank you for all the hard work you put into your writing.

an alpha red || zoe powell & jim street

|| continuation from this moodboard post

|| tags : werewolves/supernatural au, alpha!street, background case, swearing, luca bashing but it’s not too bad

-

They work the case together, a simple drug bust that Zoe’s seen a million times from her brief time in narcotics. She had to move departments when the smells of everything started to give her pounding headaches, she switched to undercover work after that, much more her style. She’s always worked alone and doesn’t have many good experiences with a partner, but Street flows with her easily, they don’t run into any problems as they try and nail down guy who ran from their initial raid. Street tells her they’ll be done with the case soon, that he has faith in her skills, it’s refreshing to be lifted up by someone rather than put down.

Zoe wishes the rest of swat could be like that. Nobody else in the building seems to understand any of Powells actions or even what she’s trying to say, she’s critiqued on practically every move she makes, whether she means to be doing something wrong or not.

Luca’s the worst of it. Hicks and Hondo have loosened up a fair amount, but Luca can’t let go of the few stunts she pulled before she became an official swat officer. It’s annoying. Street must pick up on it when Luca walks in the room, his nose twitches and his eyes glance at Zoe for a split second too long.

“Did you guys get anything?” The storage unit they rummaged through was a big waste of time as all it was filled with was old childhood memorabilia from the main suspects past, all baseball caps, and funny enough, werewolf books. Street and Zoe both blissfully ignored those though, Powell only taking a minute to chuckle to herself at how badly written they were, well, from a real life werewolf perspective anyways.

“Nothing. What about you and Deac? Anything from the banks?” Luca shakes his head with a sigh, not even sparing a glance to Zoe as he starts to type away on the tablet he has in hand.

“Someone has to know where he went.” It just had to be the main suspect escaping from the raid, none of his “friends” are giving any information up either.

Zoe wishes she could grill them like she would when undercover, sure it was unethical and will probably send her to hell when she dies, but it was effective and her supervisors always looked the other way when her suspects came in with a black eye or bloodied lip. She never took it too far, never pushed someone that didn’t deserve it, and the bastards sitting in holding right now definitely deserve it. But that was before she was bit, she’s not sure if she has enough control to not take things too far now. Maybe Street can help with it.

“Hey we got a lead!” Hondos voice cuts through the room, Tan behind him with one of those smiles Zoe’s noticed he gets when he figured something out. Victor helped Luca train the recruits quite a few times so Zoe’s more familiar with him, he’s quiet but nice, the least prodding of the trainers she had to listen to all day.

“So, we know Blake’s parents are dead and have been dead, but Tan found an old house they all used to live at. It was bought under his mothers maiden name that’s why we didn’t catch it before.” The map of where the house is pops up on the screen, it’s on the outskirts of the city and far off from any other homes nearby, perfect place for a fugitive to hide.

“What are we waiting for?” Luca questions with more impatient than even Zoe herself, and she’s been waiting for this shift for months now.

“Hicks is getting the warrant then we roll out.”

“Is she coming?” The bitterness takes Zoe off guard, sure she knows Luca doesn’t like her but they had no issues this morning at the first raid.

The room stops with not even a breath being heard after Luca speaks. Street looks ready to snap and Hondos blinking in confusion so many times Powell suspects he’s never seen Luca be so outright hostile towards someone. She wills herself away from saying anything back, she could argue but todays supposed to be good, it needs to be, it’s her first real day on swat and she’s determined to make it good. The wolf in her is more hurt than her human side, she can feel the whimper pushing at her throat, the question of what she did to him, what’s warranted this all.

“Of course she’s coming, she’s been working the case all day.” Street’s tone is level and has none of the anger Zoe expected to hear considering his face being locked tight with irritation. Luca sputters a moment, twisting his lips, almost in disgust. She feels herself instinctively shrink down, she could get up in his face and start to yell, but that’s not what today is about. She just has to keep reminding herself of that.

“She was sloppy in the field this morning.” A beat passes before Streets arms go over his chest, his jaw somehow clenching harder, it has to be uncomfortable by this point.

“No she wasn’t, I was with her the whole time and she was fine.” There’s a look shared between Deacon and Tan, letting Zoe know this must happen more often than she assumed.

“Her footing was off going into the house.” It wasn’t, she knows it wasn’t. She made sure of it.

“Seriously? You want to bench her because of her footing being off? Get over yourself Luca.” Powell gasps small in surprise, both because having someone stand up for her is new, and because the sass Street just used was both shocking and iconic, she wonders if he gets like this a lot.

“It’s a valid reason!”

“Okay that’s enough, Powell isn’t getting benched and if her footing is off you can help her practice.” Hondo finally cuts in, shaking his head and rubbing a hand over his face before Hicks comes barreling in telling them to roll out.

Zoe lets Luca leave first, staying in her place behind Street but noting that his shoulders are still tense. Guilt twists in her gut, she’s already causing fucking problems, Street shouldn’t have to fight her battles or deal with any of this. He’s only ever been nice to her.

“Hey you didn’t have to do that.” She stops him just for a second, a hand on his shoulder that softens his pissed off expression.

“Your footing wasn’t off and you deserve to see this case to the end.” He says simply, as though it’s not the nicest thing she’s heard since moving to La.

“Thanks. Luca uh- doesn’t like me that much.” Her hand drops from Streets shoulder to rub at the back of her neck subconsciously, she hates already having someone dislike her. She’s never been one for trusting people or having many friends, but people usually tolerate her, assume she’s just quiet and shy, recognize that she’s smart and a good cop, that her being a loner doesn’t affect how good she is at her job. They don’t see her as fuck-up like Luca paints her.

“Well he should get over himself.” Streets eyes flash red, a bright red, an alpha red.

Zoe instinctively steps back and lowers her shoulders, she’s never met an alpha before, she’s read about them and how much power they hold but having one right in front of her is unreal. She’s never even met another wolf period, she doesn’t know what to do. But then Street blinks and the red is gone, almost looking regretful but she’s unable to read into it as Hondo’s pulling them to Black Betty.

[return-of-a-space-cowboy]

Mikitaka hazekura yandere alphabet

Tw: nsfw content, non con elements, medical equipment, heat

Affection — how do they show their love and affection?

His love language is something I like to call labors of love. He's willing to do anything to make darlings day to day life better. Cooking, cleaning, running a bath, giving massages etc.

Blood — how messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

He never resorts to violence, doesn't have a reason to. If he needs someone out of the picture he has non lethal means, maybe he had an ability or device that can hypnotize or manipulate memories.

Cruelty — how would they treat their darling once abducted?

He nurses his darling. Part learning about human biology, part genuine care. He makes sure darling won't have to lift a finger. He also periodically runs a few tests on darling to make sure they're healthy and sends the data to his people.

Darling — aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

He can get very frisky during his heat cycle, he can have sex at any point in time but when he's in heat he can barely control himself. He does try to put some precautions in place to avoid anything from happening but it never works.

Exposed — how vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

He's not very vulnerable. He's an overly observant individual. Quick to figure out if darling is trying to use his love against him.

Fight — how would they feel if their darling fought back?

He's hurt but he tries his best to diasculate the situation. He gives darling some space when they become confrontational. If they still do not calm down he'll perhaps sedate them.

Game — is this a game to them? How much would they enjoy watching their darling try to escape?

He does have an odd fascination with watching darlings escapades. Sometimes he'll disguise himself and leave a clear escape point and watch how darling goes about their attempt.

Hell — what would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

Probably the first time he had his way with darling. Being strapped up to a strange chair. Covered in extraterrestrial monitoring equipment, having needles prodded in their arms. He tries to talk his darling through everything , that all the medical equipment is to help monitor them so they are safe but it only scares them more. The can't have and sedative, pain killer or aphrodisiac while it's happening so he knows their physical limits.

Ideals — what kind of future do they have in mind for their darling?

He hopes that him and his darling can be an example of unionship between his kind and theirs. Besides that he wants to have a lot of children with them if it's possible.

Jealousy — do they get jealous? How do they handle it?

At first he's not jealous but after consuming a fair amount of human media he begins to understand human courtship. The idea of human partnership and sensuality makes him worry about other people trying to swoon them. He begin to disguise himself as objects in their bag and stalks them day to day.

Kisses — how do they act around or with their darling?

He's alway soft spoken and reassuring. He's never raised his voice at his darling. He alway gives something to darling or helps them with daily tasks. Also very physically affectionate.

Love letters — how would they go about approaching their darling?

He's very friendly, introduces himself formally and gives darling a small gift which is a custom of his people when formally greeting one another. He's honest and tells you he's an intergalactic pilot who is surveying earth as a potential home for his people. They laugh believing it's a joke or he's a bit too fond of star trek.

Mask — are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

Not really, he's mostly the same. At times though he can come off a little perverse.

Naughty — how would they punish their darling?

He refuses to let them leave the house, if they need to go to work he'll visit the manager and get them to file paid leave. If family is visiting he'll tell them that they have a fever and that it's best if they leave them alone for a bit. If police get called because a family member, friend or colleague become suspicious he'll convince them that nothing is happening.

Oppression — how many rights would they take away from their darling?

If he imprisons darling then they'll have no contact with others. If he's in heat then there is no negotiating with him.

Patience — how patient are they with their darling?

He's extremely patient, he prefers to observe and will have minimal involvement in most situations. After all he does have to keep a low profile. Hypnotism is an option but only if necessary.

Quite — if their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

He would be instantly looking for them if they escaped. It won't take long to find them as he could use the people around the clue him in as to where they may have gone. He would be distraught if his darling died, he could move on with his life but couldn't love again.

Regret — would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling?

No he's doing them a favor. They won't have to work again in his care. He also has to use darling to help with his studies on human for his people.

Stigma — what brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

I think his kind breeds for life and he never found a partner on his home planet as well as some miscommunication. Perhaps darling gives him something or does something innocent that his kind considers a form of courtship and he takes it as a sign of romantic attraction.

Tears — how do they feel about seeing their darling scream, cry, and/or isolate themselves?

He doesn't like seeing his darling distressed and tries to make the feel better but there are times he has to run tests on them, he tries to comfort them. Explaining everything step by step to calm them down.

Unique — would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

No violence or aggression what so ever. Also the fact he also uses darling as a study on humans.

Vice — what weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

I don't think there is a way of exploiting his weaknesses. He's quick to pick up on darlings mode and can tell very easily whether darling’s words and actions are genuine or faked.

Wit’s end — would they ever hurt their darling?

Only in medical situations such as using syringes or other objects. Even still he's cooing and reassuring darling the whole time.

Xoanon — how much would they revere or worship their darling?

He loves them so much. He dots on them a lot and always makes sure they're provided for.

Yearn — how long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

He can wait for a long time for them, he doesn't necessarily snap but his heat can cause him to act out on his feelings way sooner then he intended.

Zenith — would they ever break their darling?

Yes, he figuratively kills darling with kindness. Through all of the breeding, all of the medical experiments and through all of the isolating he still remains calm and soft spoken. Even if darling trusted someone and told them what was going on he would know and erase that from their memories or even turn them against darling and be waiting for them to come crying back to him. In the end he's the one in control of their life now. Eventually they will cave in.

[m-r-levine]

Happy Sunday Ask-A-Thon, week 4 for @ask-a-thon . How are things going? What gave you the idea to work on your current wips, where did you get the ideas from?

Thank you so much for the ask and happy belated* Sunday!

As far as how the work is going:

Slowly. 😭

Life is still a bit too chaotic for regular creative time, and when i carve out a quarter hour to write, i am struggling with the blank page and restlessness of needing to make words go and also needing to do and make ten million other things, all at the same time.

Mi hijo maldito remains with me, and i jot down notes whenever I can, usually in moments stolen while computers load or microwaves hum. But… I have this feeling that everything with the changes is soon to settle. That when the house is unpacked the calm will finally return, and all the pent up pressure of so many stories clawing to get out will finally stitch the fragments together into functional prose for Malados - and maybe everything else in the wip basket too.

As for the original ideas driving these many wips… that part will get long, so I will tuck this behind a little cut. ☺️

Firstly, the easy answer:

Malados came about in the simplest and most dangerous fashion, enabled by my dear friends @ensrensage @saphoblin @onwardnary and @drsteggy .

I took a bottle of 1825 and put it on the table, mentally sat Teca down and asked him what happened next. He stared back at me like a cat, but I have rather a fair amount of experience with such contests. I held him in that moment and I said what happened when you refused to let the hero ride into the sunset alone mi hijo and he squinted away over the garden and said Vishan was not happy to see me.

And so we began, writer and narrator returning to courtyard of the sprawling stone house in my mind, to that little table of battered black pine where he told me the story that became La Mala Suerte, sheltering from the heat of many afternoons with that bottle between us.

The most recent work I’ve touched in the Dark Tapestry world is one I really ought not to be writing at all right now. It’s a Keris story… sortof. She’s only half the equation of the arc @saphoblin named Unspoken. The other half is Davrush mej Nakun, oggish warrior and smith, Legatus Artifax on the high council of the Trinae Amicae, trusted advisor to the Fire Praetor… and desperately in love with her. None of that means anything or carries any weight without the essential context and history behind and around both of them. As of last time I outlined it, we need at least four solid Keris stories (and that few only if we take great liberties with time-jumps) after Darkly Woven before we can even think of sharing Unspoken… but those are the images and fragments coming to me when i try to cast my mind in Keris’ direction. Davri’s longing rises with such visceral power it’s downright frustrating.

Why and when did Unspoken begin to nag me? Oh some years ago now when my old CP and I were talking frequently. We sometimes spoke about the (interesting) problem of the power dynamics within Trinae and how that necessarily crosses threads with Keris’ nature and her personal arc… including her difficulties with close relationships in the contexts of her profession and the surrounding culture.

A prompt crossed our radar at that time for short fiction dealing with the theme of home as a visceral state and what evokes it (rather than the physical or literal placeness or even the abstract concept) and I sat down to write a snippet about Keris and what makes Trinae home for her in contrast with things from Udea evoking home in a way she has neither words nor context to explain. That little writing exercise involved a snapshot of a council meeting… wherein Keris confessed: Ironic that she relied on the voice and personal loyalty of the shortest-lived of all the peoples the Trinae embraced.

Naturally, I tried first to prod Keris about it. She said nothing.

So I asked Davri.

He confessed his heretical pining in such vivid terms I couldn’t help but transcribe it. I shared it with my CP who seemed to think well of some parts but agreed it was an impossible premise: their ranks divide them forever. His crush can only mature into love in silence and perfect discretion, and she must never openly return his affections - the tension between them vibrates in every scene, but the moment she yields, she loses all credibility and honor - because at the end of the day, she ranks him, and it’s her duty to maintain that division or else step down. And if I handwave it anyway, then I the writer lose all credibility for putting forward this inherently abusive unrealistic pairing as romantic.

Clearly, I cannot resist such a steep challenge, as I have continued for years to noodle on Unspoken against my better judgment.

I really ought to be working on the Spun Shadows rewrite - Keris’ second arc. Recasting it as a dual POV with Rokoval gets us a much more interesting frame, popping between the gothic faction politics of Libertalia and the risks and rewards of the wilds with Keris and the Trinae, but I got myself thoroughly stuck in what was supposed to be the fun little solstice scene with convenient play-within-a-play recap - it worked so well in outline but I cannot for the life of me turn that into prose and I don’t know why. The entire idea still makes me laugh, so it should follow that words come easily.

I don’t know that I can tell you where that arc came from anymore, it’s just a tangle of answering the question of how she goes from point A at the end of Darkly Woven to point B (no longer even as far in her personal arc as originally planned, but merely holding Significant Rank™️ within Trinae) by way of Z(chaos but in the good way, building her connections to significant people and plotlines for the Long Red Thread), and Keris herself came largely from the eternal desire to read More And Better Strong Female Characters In More Flavors In Rich Fantasy Settings and the all-important epiphany that I have the power to make the content I want to read.

Which is also a primary motivator for the fic side too - I write it because I want to read it, I just also happen to enjoy sharing it.

When, you know, I can successfully whack more words out of the recalcitrant brain to get it.

*(Yesterday was unexpectedly full with more errands than scheduled and crafting session with a local friend that ran late, so I didn’t have time to finish my reply. But work is stupid so I stole some downtime to work on it through the day. 😅)