#and therefore he should be executed thank you

[museofvoid]

In honor of asexuality awareness day I think we should all throw rocks at this man for genuinely making me question my sexuality for a while there

[unabashednightmarepizza]

A/N: Okay I have been playing Genshin for quite some time now, and I'm sure my eyes are hurting like a bitch, but this is a quick idea( and also a short story of a series I'm writing) since I have been reading SAGAU and Creator!Reader works a lot!

Everyone thought, just like Creator!Reader did who played Genshin for hours and built the characters, that Mondstadt would be home. With the jolly people and freedom coursing through the air, and with Venti being the Spirit of Freedom, everyone would listen at least. You were just as terrrified yet also happy and confused as anyone could be, surely they wouldn't execute you, right?

Wrong, so painfully wrong.

Instead Creator!Reader was hunted down blindlessly, who only entered the city with a big smile but left it as soon as possible with a horrified look.

But instead... Razor and Bennett found the Creator!Reader, shivering in the cold with- Was that golden blood?

Razor, since he was raised by wolves, didn't have an exact understanding of the Creator but he listened to his family talk about Them, how they thanked Them with their howls for the food and family and shelter given to them and how they praised the Golden Blood of yours to keep flowing through your very being so that one day, you would come back to Teyvat.

Therefore he knew who you were but Bennett?

Poor boy grew up with the stories of yours! How you created new worlds where there were many different creatures, magic and every kind of ores... Or how you gifted them with many new weaponary and such, how you gave them life and what they have built so far.

How you let them live in peace through their Archon.

So, to see your body covered in Gold blood with a terrified look, their first reaction was to jump up and warm you immediately, patching up any wounds so that their Creator didn't suffer anymore.

But whatever the people must have done to you, had messed you up pretty bad because you, The Creator of All, whimpered in fear and pain, still shaking with your hands up defensively.

"P-Please don't hurt m-me... I swear I didn't mean t-to..."

So, that was how you were coddled up by these two babies while they wondered with rage coursing through them that who did this to you. They weren't stupid, since they were close to their City, they knew it was them and couldn't help but feel shame for their actions. Everyone had been expecting your arrival for quite some time, preparing feasts and what they would say to you in person and then they just...

Blinded by fake religion and ideas, tried to kill you.

How funny Teyvat was more like Earth than you ever imagined?

And they didn't even want to know what would have happened to Teyvat, how angry the Winds and the ground would be at the people for killing the Divine One.

You were still aprehensive as normal, not used to the kindness they were showing you but watching as Razor bring you a very pretty shaped stone with a happy grin and offered it as a token of friendship, you couldn't bring yourself to break his heart as one of the many wolves in his family laid around you protectively.

You asked why he was doing this, when he had no understanding of who you were, when his people were hunting you, but the only answer you got was a confused tilt of his head and a soft spoken,

"You are my lupical and I want you to be happy... They are not my people, they were wrong."

Now Bennett didn't know if he should correct Razor since he was actually talking to their Creator, warn him about not to refer to you so casually, but the big and wide smile on your face as you hugged them thightly to yourself with tears in your eyes which held the stars warmed them both so affectionately and lovingly that they knew you needed this.

You needed to have friends, not worshippers.

And as they, alongside with the Traveller, Klee, Albedo( who was glad he was pulled here by Klee and help you) and Amber who was convinced of who you were by the wounds you had and how you literally breathed life into one of the many burned and ruined forest and was horrified at learning what the Mondstadt did, healed you back and helped you hide, that was when you realized that you did a good job by loving those four and building them up as much as possible.

But those traits weren't the only ones who convinced them. It was how you saw Amber's ambition and praised her for having such a strong dedication to her job to which she bashfully thanked you and cried softly because how kind and generous you were to them even when your life was in danger.

And you didn't forget to tell Lumine to let others deal with commissions and errands, to give herself a rest, with a huge amount of Mora you really didn't know where you got from but was just inside your pouch ( since I chose her and believe the Twins need to hear this) and also about what was going on with her brother and promised to explain more in depth after you were safe to which she held your hand in her warm and calloused ones softly and answered with don't worry about us, Your Grace. Just focus on your life and that's all the gift that you can give to me.

But as much as they loved to have you here and listen to your world and jokes, they also knew you couldn't stay here for much longer. Yes, the forest was big ( and the nature seemed to be hellbent on protecting you) but they knew the Knights wouldn't stop until they got you.

What a surprise that the Crux came to the City, with a frantic Kazuha searching everywhere in the dock for what the Wind whispered to him.

"Our Creator needs help. Help them. Save them."

And that was how you started to wander the streets of Liyue with Kazuha next to you, also hellbent on protecting you especially after seeing the state you were in. The City was literally glowing, and no it wasn't because of the lanterns but you, The Divine Creator who stepped in the City which was raised and built in your name.

He knew there was a famous pharmacy named Bubu Pharmacy and the owner of it was able to heal pretty much every kind of this disease, so he took you there in hopes that the fever you had been suffering from could be solved there.

And it was.

Baizhu, as the usual self-sacrificing man he was, did everything in his power to help you. You knew how his hands were already full with both his own disease and Qiqi who quickly grew on you since she has been playing with you and telling you all about what she learnt about the herbs and the City( she couldn't explain why but she just felt so close to you, as if you were like a parent to her which her caretaker also shared kind of the same love for you) and you were grateful for what they had done to you, how kind they were.

They had shown you the kindness you expected to have when you first arrived, and it wasn't given by other.

Not the most known ones, but the kindest of them all did.

So, as a token, you touched the hand of Baizhu softly one day while he worked to pack you herbs and medicine you might need, stopping him and asking him why he was doing this when he casually( though his heart was beating hard at having you touch hım so softly) replied with a I'm a doctor and you needed help.

You looked at him for some time, then a smile so bright that it made the doctor take a while to stare at you softly overtook your face and you replied You're so strong for carrying such a burden like your disease but still help people, Baizhu.

That was when his suspicions about who you were was proven, since he never told about his disease to anyone (after realizing the golden wounds and how he seemed healthier in your presence) and he immediately went to kneel but was stopped by your gentle hands on his face, rubbing soft circles under his tired yet wide open in shock eyes, his heart almost giving out when your lips touched his forehead softly and blessed hım with your warmth.

Never bow to me, thank you for all you had done for me... Now, let me pay back.

After healing him back and yet once again running away from Liyue so that you weren't hunted down, making the Crux the enemy to Liyue since they were helping you (not that they cared, they loved being pampered by the True God with love, luck and food), a certain sea monster and the eartqueaks of Liyue almost destroyed the whole City for their disrespect so much so that Zhongli had to come back as Rex Lapis and he wasn't even able to stop it until the Wind carried your soft words to Liyue and Osial and made them stop.

Don't punish and destroy them, they don't deserve it...

-- A similar situation happened back in Mondstadt when Dvalin caused chaos after learning what they had done to Divine Creator, roasting the shit out of Venti for his mistake but also was stopped by your gentle caress even from Miles away, to stop hım from harming them. He gave them their lesson anyways, he only needed to find you to protect you as he left the people of Mondstadt in Terror and fear for what they had done.

The "they" in question was obviously the Crux, Baizhu, Qiqi, Xiangling and Shenhe who showed their love and care for you, who was logical enough to listen to you and see the truth for themselves. Xiangling who made you many delicious food you never ate before, Shenhe who was comforted by you about how she wasn't a cursed child and was loved dearly by everyone and most importantly you as she cried into your chest, who believed in her purpose to fit in with humans even with her tendencies, which you found to be a beautiful part of her...( not me reflecting my Shenhe love here ehe ｡⁠◕⁠‿⁠◕⁠｡)

Asking "why are you doing this?" had become some kind of a test, like those in fairytales in your world, to see who was kind and sincere and who wasn't.

And you used it in many nations: Inazuma, Sumeru, Fontaine...

Inazuma was, of course, the WORST so far since Ei was obsessed with Eternity and the Creator, not even listening at all. But even if she didn't, the Kamisato siblings, Kokomi, Gorou, and Thoma believed in you from the very beginning, with many others soon following after them.

Ayaka and Kokomi were the first ones, with Ayaka seeing the sadness in your eyes at how restricted you were, how no one seemed to believe in you and how Inazuma seemed calmer and more happy as soon as you arrived( and how you reassured her to be herself and not live according to what people would say which made her love you and convince her brother to listen, who was glad she did if not... Well, he didn't want to imagine it.) and Kokomi hearing the whispers of the ocean who was the happiest, who cheered for you and didn't stop chanting your name, which lead her to see it for herself and welcome you to Watatsumi Island as the God she worshipped. Who was also praised by you for her smartness and how she worked hard for the Island even if her career plan wasn't this, but was warned to not to overwork which she blushed at and assured Creator!Reader.

Not surprisingly enough, Sumeru was the kindest to you since Nahida knew who you were even before coming to her nation and greeted you herself excitedly, showing you around as her people( Yes, even Tighnari and Al-Haitham who was known to be stern) smiled and offered you a new home.

Fontaine was probably the happiest you had been, after Sumeru, to stay. Furina, as much as she didn't believe in herself, saw right through you and knew who you were, providing you with utmost care and protection ever alonsgide Neuvillette who always hang around you, protected you and even became your friend! Maybe it was the dragon instincts in him, once the closest to you like Zhongli but also one who wasn't blinded like him, as he stayed with you when your fears and nightmares became too much to bear.

Who knew, maybe something more would happen?

And after all the nations realized their mistake, after you defeated Celestia and came to a peace with It, and restored Khaenri'ah who always believed in you from the beginning even years ago, they feared the punishment waiting for them. They didn't want to accept their mistake, blame Celestia for all of it... But they also knew they were blinded by hard and unlogical belief and almost did the most unforgivable sin ever.

They were ready for any punishment from you, even if it included never seeing you again...

But the only answer to their question was a letter written by you, which made them shiver.

The only reason none of the nations who wronged me are not punished severely was because of the names listed below. Shall any harm come to them, your nation would see the true wrath of the Creator.

Thank you to Razor, Bennet, Amber, Klee, Albedo and dear Traveller from Mondstadt.

Thank you to Baizhu, Qiqi, Xiangling, Shenhe, the Crux, Beidou and Kazuha from Liyue

Thank you to Kamisato Ayato and Kamisato Ayaka, Thoma, Gorou, Kokomi from Inazuma.

Thank you to Sumeru, Khaenri'ah, Fontaine and Natlan people for their never ending kindness and belief.

Eternal gratitude and blessings from the Creator, who you helped to gain confidence and power...

[thevioletsunflower]

It’s kinda fascinating the difference between how Izzy functions in Stede’s dream, how Izzy functions in Ed’s dream, and how Izzy is in real life.

In Stede’s dream, Izzy is the villain who sold them to the British, but he’s also the one reminding Stede that he was the one who left Ed and that this is also his fault. He deflects all blame by reminding everybody else of their own flaws. To Stede, Izzy is an antagonist who had to be defeated before Stede could reunite with Ed. The fantasy ends with Stede killing Izzy.

In Ed’s dream, Izzy shoots him in the head from behind. Shooting someone in the back is traditionally the cowardly way to kill someone as they can’t defend themself, but also represents betrayal as they were trusting you with their vulnerable side and that trust was betrayed. To Ed, Izzy is someone he trusts who ultimately will destroy him: a fate he willingly accepts. The fantasy ends with Izzy killing Ed.

But in reality Izzy is neither of those things. When given the chance to accuse Stede of fucking up and absolve himself of wrongdoing, Izzy instead says that both of them had hurt Ed. Far from keeping them apart as Stede imagined, Izzy’s role this season seems to be helping to bring Ed and Stede back together. Stede therefore cannot fulfill his fantasy and kill Izzy, in fact he goes so far as to actively save him from execution as a member of his crew, which Izzy thanks him for. Izzy is not who Stede thinks and Stede cannot react as he would if he were.

And Ed’s fantasy doesn’t play out either. Even though he actively seeks Izzy out to make him shoot him in the back, Izzy refuses to take the shot. He’s not going to be the one to betray Ed again. Thus Ed’s fantasy also goes unfinished and he cannot interact with Izzy as he feels he should.

The way both of Izzy’s captains perceive him is different from how he actually is and I’m excited to see where they take his character this season.

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Idia Shroud - Platinum Jacket Vignette

"Happy 100th Anniversary"

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Idia: Look at all these dynamic brushstrokes that can only truly be appreciated because they're from a real painting… Fheehee! This is the real thrill of seeing one live!

Idia: ―Ah! Th-Th-Th-This is…! A PAINTING OF THE LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD ON HIS CHARIOT!!!

Idia: It hits so hard～ In order to rescue a captured comrade, the king himself rushes to the front lines… Oooowee～ Doesn't that just get your heart pumpin'?

???: Indeed… However, is it appropriate for a dutiful commander to leave his base and head to the front lines?

Idia: Eeek!!! Silver-shi!? D-Don't just cut in when I'm talking to myself like that. This is why I can't deal with extroverts…

Silver: My apologies for startling you. I found your comment to be interesting, so I could not help but chime in.

Idia: E-Even if you think it's interesting, don't you think your impression of him was pretty shallow just from this one anecdote...?

Silver: Meaning?

Idia: I-If he was just a minister or something, he coulda just split after setting up the strategy, leaving it to his subordinates to execute everything.

Idia: But he still went to such a dangerous place to stir up morale, because that mission would be the linchpin of the whole battle. So, basically…

Idia: That means his responsibility meter is through the roof!! Wheeew, he's a totally different breed than any naïve and useless politician who just hoists their title around.

Silver: So you're saying that he himself went out there because it was a crucial situation. I would say that he does have an overwhelming sense of responsibility, indeed.

Silver: Hearing your opinion on the matter has allowed me to delve deeper into understanding this painting and its story. You are quite wise.

Idia: S-Sure, yeah～! You should follow my example and study up on things a little better, Silver-shi!

Silver: I will do just that. …However, it feels as though what you said about how other leaders may act had some weight behind it.

Silver: I had heard that you took up the title of Housewarden after being recommended by the previous Housewarden...

Silver: Was that because you had had previous experience as a leader, and were thus therefore chosen for the position?

Idia: Huh!? N-No, nuh-uh, wut are you even talking about? No way, no way… 'Sides, I'm more of a solo player even in my online games, y'know?

Idia: I mean, sometimes I've taken the lead of a party when I absolutely had to for a raid, or something…

Silver: As I expected, you do have experience in leadership.

Idia: It's not that big a deal… I mean, I got a reliable battle buddy who tanks and usually takes the lead.

Idia: Generally, I go for healing or DPS roles. Or more like, I just stack as many buffs as I can to increase firepower.

Idia: But it's not like our schedules always line up, so whenever he's not around, I take the lead… Because I have to!

Idia: It's usually the high-level players with great skills that take on the leader role. And in that case, I've basically maxed out all my stats in every position, so…

Idia: And I can grasp what the scenarios call for, see? And I can also play the tank roles to take charge on the front lines, right???

Idia: "Thanks to you, I was able to clear this high-level quest! I'm so thankful to have joined this party!"

Idia: …THEY SAY, ELECTING ME MVP OVER AND OVER AGAIN!

Idia: And I was just taking on the leader role because I had to. I'm just way too good…

Silver: So, those who fought alongside you showered you with gratitude. That just proves even further your leadership capabilities.

Idia: I-I wouldn't go that far― …Or maybe, just a little bit further? H-Hee Fheeheeheehee!

Idia: But also, I don't want to deal with failing a quest because some loser was placed in charge, so.

Idia: So I guess next time I have to put together a party, if my friend isn't available, I'll just have to lead them all again!

Idia: Wheeew, it's hard being so awesome～!

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Silver: This is a painting of a lion, warthog, and a meerkat, I see. The three of them are singing a song and seem to get along well.

Idia: Ain't they waaay too upbeat, to be able to sing while walking like that? Like, this painting shows the lion crown prince that was forced to leave his own country…

Idia: It's showing him singing along with some friends he ended up making, while he tries to ignore that pain, right?

Idia: Lucky him, that they chose to glorify his hiatus from his royal duties like this. Tch!

Silver: I've heard that singing can raise one's spirits. Perhaps they all wanted to brighten their own moods.

Idia: Speaking of singing to take your mind off stuff, there was this one time when I was a kid when my little brother was too scared to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night…

Idia: So we would go there while singing the theme song of our favorite anime together.

Idia: Eh, anyway, whatever their reason for singing, having that moon in the background composition like that's super moving. Kinda like what you'd see in an MV.

Silver: Em-vee…?

Idia: Eh… Y-You don't know what a music video is? It's a video recording that goes along with music and lyrics…

Silver: Ah, so you call those MVs. I understand.

Idia: I-If you feel like checking out some MVs sometime, I'd recommend the idol group "Precipice Moirai."

Idia: Premo's MVs are so awesome that you could watch them 100 times and never tire of them…!

Silver: 100 times… That's quite a lot. Is that generally something you'd watch so often?

Idia: A true fan would absolutely! More like, it's way too insolent to think that you could truly appreciate their MV with only one watch!

Idia: The first watch is all about enjoying the song and video in its entirety. The next three times the focus is shifted to checking out each of the three members' dance moves and expressions one by one.

Idia: Next, there's the actual composition of the MV, and digging deep into the actual message of the video… At a minimum, it should be watched ten times.

Idia: On top of all that, Premo's super casual MVs can put even a film director to shame!

Idia: There's no way to fully comprehend their art with only a couple viewings. That's why it needs to be viewed hundreds of times.

Silver: I had no idea their work was that deep… It may prove useful in training me better in emotional expressions, and perhaps could even be incorporated into the academy's music courses.

Idia: N-No, I mean, you don't gotta go that far… But it's great that you know just how awesome they are.

Idia: Even between us Premo fans, there's always those who still don't understand their art at all…

Idia: Every time a new MV comes out, there's always people saying stuff like, "She got the most screen time," or "She's definitely the manager's favorite," and the like…

Idia: But does that have anything to do with the quality of their work? It doesn't, right? They don't care about understanding the heart or essence of the songs.

Silver: I see… I feel as though I have learned a lot from you, Idia-senpai.

Silver: When we return to campus, I will look into, hm… Premo? Yes, Premo's music videos.

Idia: Eh, no way!? S-S-Seriously!? They have all their latest MVs on their official Magicam account!

Idia: P-PLEASE WATCH THEM! YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

[Land of Dawning – National Museum of Art]

Idia: Ooh, here's the Sea Witch floating in the darkness… She's got a nice, bewitching smile going, too.

Silver: This is a painting depicting the scene of when the Sea Witch drew up a contract.

Silver: If I recall, it was said that the contract was so unbreakable that even a powerful spear couldn't rip through it.

Idia: I mean, you'd think that just having a contract that doesn't tear apart or bleed ink in water is strong enough...

Silver: Perhaps the contents of the contract was dire enough she did not wish it broken.

Idia: Who cares about the contents, the material of the contract is way more interesting. How high of a defense stat did it even have to not get ripped up by a spear?

Idia: But I totally get it, everyone wants to make invincible things every so often.

Silver: I cannot say I understand, but… What sort of thing would you make, Idia-senpai?

Idia: Like a "game console power cord that can never be taken away," or something like that… A-Actually, I tried to make something like that when I was a kid.

Idia: Whenever I'd play video games all day and into night, my mother would end up hiding all my cords.

Idia: If all she did was hide them, I could just make myself a new one, but she'd hide the cord materials as well. Totally overboard!

Idia: So I had a thought. I had to do something so she couldn't hide it!

Silver: I can only imagine your mother was concerned for your health… Did you never consider quitting your games?

Idia: Why would I? Ahh, but I really did burn the midnight oil like a little worker bee back then.

Idia: Like, I'd put a motion sensor on it, so that the cord could automatically run away from whoever was holding it...

Idia: Or I'd make the cord transparent so it couldn’t be found, or attach a homing function to it so it'd come back on its own…

Idia: And finally, after many failed attempts… I finally did it…!

Idia: I MADE A TRANSPARENT POWER CORD THAT ONLY RECOGNIZES THE AUTHORIZED USER!!

Silver: I do not really comprehend what that is, but… It is amazing that you invented something with your own two hands.

Idia: Nope, not at all.

Idia: My family also has a real stubborn genius, and every time I came up with some tech, it'd quickly get shot down by some kind of countermeasure...

Idia: And it took me a few months of that game of cat and mouse before I realized I should just convert my game console to wireless.

Idia: Hmph… But the peace and quiet that came from switching to wireless didn't last long at all...

Idia: Soon after, the Final Boss appeared: a device capable of disabling all wireless tech within a 10-meter radius!

Idia: Well, all the experience I got developing the motion sensing and automatic functions helped when I was putting Ortho together…

Idia: So I guess all that trial and error wasn't for nothing.

Silver: Even if you can picture your ideal outcome, it is rather difficult to actually put into action.

Silver: However, you have made real many of your thoughts. I can respect that.

Idia: Wai― What're you trying to say all a sudden? Getting complimented to my face randomly like that is a little scary… W-Wait, is this all a plot to beguile me!?

Silver: A plot? ...Hm, I see it has gotten late. I have kept you for some time. My apologies.

Silver: I am grateful to have heard such wonderful stories from you. Well then, I shall be on my way.

Idia: Whew… I'm exhausted having to actually talk to people for the first time in a while… Ah, this is…

Idia: It's the hero from that one myth. Look at his sparkling expression… He looks like he totally believes the future ahead of his is bright.

Idia: Life doesn't always go as swimmingly as you hope, though… Hope he doesn't get too excited that he gets carried away by the river of the underworld!

Requested by Anonymous.

[saintsenara]

What are your thoughts on mediwitches and medical care in the Wizarding World?

thank you very much for the asks, @thesilverstarling and @yorickofyore, which i have handily combined into one for the chance to talk about a worldbuilding question i am legitimately obsessed with:

what the hell is going on with wizarding medicine? part one: the structure of the healthcare system

as i've said here, something which is really interesting when thinking about the wizarding healthcare system is that the signing of the statute of secrecy - the event which causes the total separation of the magical and muggle worlds - in 1689 takes place before a period of considerable advancement in western medicine.

i really like the fact that the canonical worldbuilding around potions suggests that many disciplines of wizarding science are more closely rooted in the medieval and early-modern history of science than their muggle equivalents. i also like the fact that the natural end point of the archaic muggle technology which is used in the series to make the wizarding world seem whimsical by virtue of it being old-fashioned [steam trains etc.] is to assume that wizards live in a world where cutting-edge medical technology is unheard of...

and, therefore, to think of wizarding medicine as a discipline which is meaningfully distinct from its muggle cousin.

and which isn't necessarily more advanced...

the historical context

a muggle physician working in what is now the united kingdom when the statute of secrecy was signed lacked much of what we would take to be basic medical knowledge today, even if he'd studied medicine at a university. he wouldn't know what germs were, for example, and he might still believe that the body was governed by four humours [a theory which was starting to be questioned at the time]. he would never have seen a stethoscope [not invented until 1816]. he would consider the microscope [first used in a scientific context in 1666] bizarre, new-fangled technology - and he is unlikely, especially if he worked outside of london, oxford, or cambridge, to have ever seen one.

he would have had less opportunity to learn about human anatomy, no matter the form his training took, than medical students today. dissections were fairly uncommon, for religious reasons, and surgery didn't really exist as a field... not least because anaesthesia wasn't available until the middle of the nineteenth century.

this is not to say, however, that his anatomical knowledge would have been wrong.

he would probably have relied for his understanding of the inner working of the body on a text called de humani corporis fabrica [on the fabric of the human body], published in the 1540s by the belgian surgeon andreas vesalius. this text - a detailed study of the human body [which supplanted the handbooks in use prior to the sixteenth century - those of the roman physician, galen] - was possible because vesalius managed to obtain a steady supply of executed criminals to dissect. it's a fascinating text - not least because it's still pretty accurate.

as a result, our physician would be aware of many of the major medical discoveries of the later 1500s and 1600s - such as the structure of the musculoskeletal system, the fact that blood circulates in the body, and the fact that the human lungs require the inhalation of air to function.

unless the need for a surgical treatment [such as the extraction of a tooth or the amputation of a limb] was obvious, most of the treatments he would prescribe would be herbal - and his dispensary would include not only plants from all over eurasia, but also from european colonies in the americas.

he might, for example, be found prescribing chocolate... which would make madam pomfrey happy:

“Well, he should have some chocolate, at the very least,” said Madam Pomfrey, who was now trying to peer into Harry’s eyes. “I’ve already had some,” said Harry. “Professor Lupin gave me some. He gave it to all of us.”  “Did he, now?” said Madam Pomfrey approvingly. “So we’ve finally got a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who knows his remedies?”

it's important to note that many of these traditional herbal remedies genuinely work. plenty of modern medicines are developed from them [the most widely known, i imagine, being aspirin], and anyone taking a herbal remedy should be aware that they need to check how this remedy interacts with any other medication or supplements they take [especially - i beg - if the herbal remedy in question is st john's wort...]

but it's also true that our early-modern physician would spend a lot of time prescribing various odd pastes, poultices, potions, and powders, made from ingredients such as stones, spiders' webs, animal blood, and human body parts.

[he might even have recommended some of his patients swallow a bezoar - even if the efficacy of these as a cure for poisoning was starting to be doubted in the seventeenth century...]

and his go-to treatment would - of course - be bloodletting, to remove "bad blood", the cause of myriad ills, from the body.

jkr is - obviously - extremely fond of using these medieval and early-modern remedies as part of the worldbuilding around magical medicine. she's also fond of extending the obsolete technology which is used to make the wizarding world feel whimsical into the realm of the body - wizards wear monocles and use ear trumpets, both of which are assistive devices, because they make the setting feel more magical to a reader in 1997 [and beyond] than glasses and hearing aids.

but there is - if one wants there to be - a sinister undercurrent to the idea that all aspects of wizarding healthcare retain a pre-modern flavour.

wizards do canonically have attitudes towards the body, illness, and disability which, when interrogated, don't seem to have moved on much from the 1680s... which is why this answer is definitely going to end up having a part two, on wizarding attitudes to the body.

for now, though, let's look at how the healthcare system is structured.

the structure of the wizarding healthcare system

the two medical institutions we see in canon - st mungo's and the hogwarts hospital wing - are whimsical pastiches of aspects of the british healthcare system: st mungo's is an nhs hospital [hence the reason it seems to be free - although i think it's interesting for authors to imagine that it isn't...] and the hospital wing is a boarding school infirmary.

st mungo's is immediately familiar to anyone who has worked in a hospital - especially characters like this patient from order of the phoenix:

“And that woman over there,” he indicated the only other occupied bed, which was right beside the door, “won’t tell the Healers what bit her, which makes us all think it must have been something she was handling illegally. Whatever it was took a real chunk out of her leg, very nasty smell when they take off the dressings.”

but the structure of the modern hospital - its departments, its staff - is a post-1689 invention, as are the non-hospital spaces [gp's surgeries, dentist's and optometrist's offices, pharmacies] in which healthcare takes place.

and so how might the places in which healing occurs differ from their muggle equivalents?

st mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries

like any hospital, st mungo's offers a combination of emergency and specialist treatment. it doesn't seem to offer general healthcare - such as check-ups - and it doesn't seem to offer treatment for minor-to-moderate ailments.

this makes sense given its real-world influences - in the uk, most aspects of most people's everyday healthcare are the purview of a general practitioner, and specialists tend not to be seen outside of specific, often more serious contexts.

[for example, i'm a woman in my thirties who has never had an appointment with a gynaecologist - something which shocks american friends. this is because everything to do with reproductive healthcare that i've had to do in my life so far - such as cervical screening - has been done by my gp's surgery.]

st mungo's also doesn't seem to perform general dental or optometrical services. this is also the case in the uk.

we know from canon that it has wards which treat long-term residents - such as the longbottoms. in muggle britain, this wouldn't exactly be the case - nhs trusts manage certain types of residential treatment [such as psychiatric hospitals, or brain-injury rehabilitation centres], which tend to be on separate sites to hospital buildings, but long-term care homes and assisted-living facilities are managed by private companies or local councils. the wizarding population is evidently too small to have any form of local government, so this becoming the purview of the healthcare system makes sense.

what is more interesting, though, is that st mungo's doesn't seem to treat anything which doesn't have a specifically magical cause...

community care

we see in canon that wizards prefer to treat even fairly serious magical conditions in the home [with the hogwarts hospital wing as the pseudo-domestic stand-in] - in the form of ron's fake spattergroit in deathly hallows.

we can also assume, then, that things like birth and death [as well as the treatment of non-magical conditions] also generally take place in the home - and that this is why st mungo's doesn't seem to offer any sort of obstetric care.

and this will have an impact on how wizards understand things like birth, death, and aging which - while not divergent from the muggle understanding of these things historically - would be massively at odds with the muggle attitude contemporarily. only around 2% of births in the uk take place at home, for example - and since around 43% of deaths take place in a hospital and 20% take place in a care home, it is now a minority experience to die in your own home. multi-generational living is extremely uncommon for british muggles outside of specific demographic groups. it would presumably not be - since gerontological care must take place in the home - for british wizards.

[i am aware of the wizarding care home in the cursed child, but i think we can either ignore this as not-canon, or imagine it working as an almshouse - such as the royal hospital, chelsea, founded in 1682 - the early-modern equivalent of a care home]

similarly, the treatment of chronic illnesses must generally take place in the home - which offers a really interesting insight into why, for example, remus lupin appears so much less healthy than werewolves like fenrir greyback, who live in quasi-familial community groups.

so too must the care of the terminally ill - which means that wizards would retain a relationship with death that muggles are increasingly detached from. i was struck when talking about deathly hallows with some friends that they were surprised that fleur delacour can see thestrals - and they automatically assumed that she must have witnessed some sort of traumatic death for this to be the case. but if her grandmother [who seems, as of goblet of fire, to be dead] went through the process of dying [which is not immediate!] at home, she would probably have been there to witness and understand it. this is an entirely natural part of the human experience.

and this means - as we'll come to in part two - that who doesn't get treated in the home becomes an interesting question...

healers and their training

the stringent academic requirements for healing training in canon are a pastiche of those needed for a medical degree in muggle britain. medicine is an extremely competitive subject [as in many places worldwide, the number of places is capped] and all uk medical schools require top a-level [the final-year exams which newts are a mirror of] grades.

in the wizarding world - since university education doesn't appear to exist - the subject is taught by apprenticeship. this makes sense - all muggle medical degrees have a considerable practical component, and i think we can easily imagine that trainee healers are also required to attend lectures etc.

however, since there doesn't appear to be general medicine in the wizarding world, healers seem to apprentice from the off in specific specialities.

similarly, on their wards, they seem to function as a combination of all the levels of staff you would find in a muggle hospital - a doctor would not, for example, hand out christmas gifts on a ward - and there doesn't seem to be any hierarchy post-qualification. you can only be an apprentice or a healer - instead of a junior, registrar, consultant etc. [or the american near-equivalents - intern, resident, attending etc.]

but all of this makes sense if we consider it alongside the fact that a lot of treatment must take place in the home. healers are - by their very nature - advanced specialists in a specific [and apparently narrow] range of magical illnesses and injuries, who presumably deal with such a small number of patients [arthur weasley is on a ward with only three people, supervised by two healers - i think many of us who've worked in muggle hospitals would kill for that ratio...] that they are able to take the holistic role they do in canon.

other medical staff

and so most aspects of wizarding medicine must be administered by people who are not [by virtue of formal training] healers - both within the home and outside it.

madam pomfrey, for example, seems to have a different, lower level of training than a healer - not least because her title, which she shares with other non-academic staff like madam hooch, is intended to indicate that she is below the hogwarts professors in terms of qualification [however wizards understand this when it comes to fitness to teach]. we see in canon that she needs to send patients to st mungo's for specific magical injuries which she doesn't have the training and/or equipment to treat [mcgonagall after she's stunned in order of the phoenix, katie bell after she's cursed in half-blood prince], but that she's able to treat most magical injuries which are non-life-threatening, and most non-magical injuries and minor illnesses.

in the uk, a school matron would generally be qualified as a nurse - and madam pomfrey reflects this. obviously, this is primarily a narrative detail which helps the [british] reader understand the wizarding world by referencing something with which they are familiar, but from an in-world perspective it suggests that there is a hierarchy of medical training which we don't hear about in canon.

perhaps even because it would be considered beneath the alumni of as elite a boarding school as hogwarts to go into the equivalent of nursing...

[indeed, the apparent absence of credentialism in the presentation of healing being revealed to be a lie would fit the way the series approaches class... and the class distinctions, not only in terms of post-qualification social status, but in terms of background - in 2016, 61% of people studying medicine or dentistry were privately educated - between doctors and nurses in the uk are significant.]

and so i imagine that general medical treatment - as well as more specialised disciplines like midwifery, dentistry, and optometry - is available in the wizarding world [for a fee?] from licensed [anyone offering medical care in england has required a license since the 1520s] community-based practitioners such as madam pomfrey, with people only seeking treatment at st mungo's for urgent magical cases.

there must also be a voluntary aspect to this community-based medical system - i've always assumed that the people who bring arthur weasley to st mungo's are volunteers rather than professional paramedics, for example - and treatment must also be available from shops - such as apothecaries, which can presumably diagnose ailments as well as sell the treatments for them - which provide medical services alongside various other functions.

[maybe the people who make objects such as james and sirius' two-way mirrors are also responsible for lens-crafting and other aspects of optometry.]

this can be a fun worldbuilding detail - historically, surgery [and most dental care] was provided by barbers. clearly, molly doesn't cut her sons' hair at home for financial reasons, but because the one time she let bill go to the barber's on his own, he came back with a gold tooth...

the medical research sector

while the wizarding world doesn't appear to have universities - or other research institutions which look familiar to the modern reader - it clearly has some sort of scientific infrastructure, within which medical and pharmaceutical research [such as the development of the wolfsbane potion in the early 1990s] takes place.

and we can very easily imagine what this infrastructure is...

the statute of secrecy is signed after the emergence in britain of learned societies - essentially, research organisations, which are modelled on the college fellowships of oxford and cambridge [with a little bit of the medieval guild thrown in]. they function as academic networks, peer-review groups, and professional bodies.

in the medical field, the royal college of physicians - which is still going! i'm a member! - was founded in 1519. in the natural sciences more generally, the royal society - probably the most famous learned society in the world - was officially established in 1663.

we know of at least one wizarding learned society from canon - the most extraordinary society of potioneers, founded by hector dagworth-granger - and we know that there are academic journals - such as transfiguration today - which can be presumed to be published by others.

it makes absolute sense that there would be a learned society which focused on the science of healing, and offered publications, lectures, demonstrations [imagine how horrendous the first demonstration of the wolfsbane potion might have been...], research funding, and so on to professionals working in the discipline. it also makes sense that there would be a college or guild for apothecaries.

the real question, though, is what these would be called... after all, the wizarding world tends to have a touch of whimsy to it, but since there's literally a clinical body in the uk called "nice", the muggles might have won this round...

[autumnal-thunder]

The Hepburn Act killed regulated the railroad industry to death. Private railroads couldn't survive, and we're left with the government rails you see today.

Continued McKinley's Philippine-American War that exacerbated American imperialism and caused the deaths of 200,000 to 1 million Filipino civilians

Huge protectionist in a time where international trade was vital and expanding most rapidly

Loved unions and regulating industries

Pushed for income tax, laid the groundwork for Woodrow Wilson to establish income tax and federal reserve

Illegally gave congress the power to own the majority of the land in the west. Some might see this as a positive but I think private parks are generally superior to national parks.

I know Teddy is beloved by a lot of people, including conservatives. He's a manly man, loves nature, is charismatic. "Speak softly and carry a big stick." He finished his speech after being shot. I admire that.

But he was a socialist-lite, and the beginning of the modern "progressive" left. A habitual user of executive orders, Teddy felt congressional approval was merely a suggestion. He was only supportive of selective personal liberties - generally the things he and the progressives believed were the freedoms some individuals should be allowed to enjoy under their supervision as well as in context of a greater obligation to the nation as a whole. He believed in collective power over personal liberty and dressed it up in a quaint justification to deliver justice and equality to “the people.”

An excerpt on his legacy from the Miller Center of Public Affairs reads:

He made the President, rather than the political parties or Congress, the center of American politics. Roosevelt did this through the force of his personality and through aggressive executive action. He thought that the President had the right to use any and all powers unless they were specifically denied to him. He believed that as President, he had a unique relationship with and responsibility to the people, and therefore wanted to challenge prevailing notions of limited government and individualism; government, he maintained, should serve as an agent of reform for the people. His presidency endowed the progressive movement with credibility, lending the prestige of the White House to welfare legislation, government regulation, and the conservation movement.

"I find [Roosevelt] naively indifferent to the restraints of duty and even unaware of them; ready to kick the Constitution into the back yard whenever it gets in the way; and whenever he smells a vote, not only willing but eager to buy it, give extravagant rates for it and pay the bill not out of his own pocket or the party's, but out of the nation's, by cold pillage.

—Mark Twain, 16 February 1905

Thanks for the question! @hst3000. I should have dropped him to F tier actually, so i will. sorry lol.

See the rest of my Presidential Tier List:

[canonicallyobserving911]

WIP Wednesday

Fanonwriter2023 on AO3

Where CANON and FANON collide!

FANON FanFic: Buddie Multi-Chapter - “I’m still in love with you but... I needed to learn how to love myself too!”

Chapter 33 will be posted soon!

This is an EPIC LOVE STORY!

Currently 32 chapters completed: 1.485M Words; Rated: Mature

#1 {Previous snippet}

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I'm excited to finish writing Chapter 33 because at the end of Chapter 32, Buck and Eddie got the call from Angelo, the real estate agent in San Gimignano, Italy regarding the house they bid on back in December and they were informed the builder accepted it. Later that evening, they told their found family at the 118 about it and they had a lot of questions including if they were going to immediately relocate to Italy.

Eddie explained they wouldn't do it right away but he included a caveat that if Buck or Chris say they're ready to go, they would pack up and leave, no questions asked. They still haven't told the Diazes yet and they haven't told Margaret and Phillip either. Will they tell them in the next chapter? Also, in Chapter 31, Buck and Bobby agreed to have a conversation at a later date regarding Buck's meeting with Captain Mehta and the job offer he got from Captain Clarke at the 115. Will they have that meeting in Chapter 33? 👀

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Here’s a snippet from Chapter 33 of a conversation Buck and Eddie are having with Lindsey Brown, the executive producer of "All About Pasta", Emeril and the show's production team.

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Buck moves his hand underneath the conference room table and he takes Eddie’s hand in his.  He laces their fingers together and Eddie gives him a gentle squeeze to remind him that he’s right beside him.

Emeril’s response settles something deep inside of him because it’s one of the things he was nervous about.  He doesn’t want to consider the job if he’ll be tossed out like a loaf of stale bread in a few years.  Also, he’s been thinking about Chris and how they cook together a lot, therefore he has questions about the episodes.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”  Emeril replies.

“Lindsey, I do have another question but uh… I’m not sure if I should direct it to you or someone on the production team.”

“Please proceed with your question and whomever is responsible for it will respond.”

“Ok.  Uh… we have a son, his name is Chris and he’s my sous chef.”

Emeril smiles big and so does everyone else in the room.

“So… my question is would it be possible for him to join me on the show sometimes?  I—I’m asking because I’m teaching him how to make all my recipes, he knows the secret ingredients and we cook together all the time.  Last night, we made Ritz crackers crispy chicken and we’ve prepared several pasta dishes including one we made when we went to Italy in December.”

Lindsey looks at the producer and the assistant producer and after they have a quick silent conversation, she responds, “I’ll answer your question.  The great news about this being your show is you’ll have 100% creative control.  That means you get to decide the different types of pasta recipes you want to create along with the guest appearances you’ll have on the show.  You can even have an episode solely dedicated to you and your family and if you want to feature any recipes with your son, you can.  Also, if you want him to do an episode all on his own, he can.”

Buck nods, then he looks at Eddie who’s already looking at him.  They smile at each other, then Buck asks, “Eddie, will you cook with me and Chris?”

“Of course, I will.  You don’t even have to ask.”

They all laugh and after they finish, Lindsey continues.  “Buck, “All About Pasta” is your show and you get to decide how each episode is laid out including the recipes you want to prepare along with the schedule and everything else.  The 10 people on your team are all in here and they have specific responsibilities but they all have to coincide with the things you want on your show.”

“Thank you.  I—I appreciate that but I have another question.  Who’s responsible for making sure the ingredients I’ll need to cook with will be on set?”

“Buck, that would be me.  I’m Phil and part of my responsibilities as Art Director is to order the food, seasonings, utensils and whatever else you’ll need to prepare your meals.  The set will be designed however you like and we’ll spend time during the planning stage organizing everything the way you want it.”

He nods and exhales because that’s another important point for him.  He likes an organized kitchen and he wants to have some say so in how it’s designed.  “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”  Phil replies.

Buck takes a second to contemplate his next question and once he’s ready, he says, “The letter indicated that I would have a marketing team to assist me with completing a cookbook and possibly starting a cookware line.  I’m interested in all of those things so… um, how does that work?”

“I’ll answer this because it falls underneath my purview as the executive producer.  All of our chefs are marketed in the best way possible and the first thing we would do is have a brainstorming session with the marketing and advertising teams to come up with a catch phrase that will be used during your shows.  For example, Emeril says, “BAM!” so whichever word or phrase you decide on, our licensing team will make sure it’s not already in use.  Also, you’ll get to choose your own stage name.”

“My stage name?”  He asks with raised eyebrows.

“Yes.  For example, Guy Fieri’s last name used to be spelled “Ferry” until he changed it to match the original spelling of his family’s name.”

“Hmmm.”  He responds, then he looks at Eddie and asks, “What uh, do you think I should call myself?”

Without hesitation, he replies, “Buck Diaz.”

He nods and as he looks around the room, he notices everyone else is nodding in agreement.

After a few moments, Lindsey responds, “Buck Diaz it is and now that we have your stage name, there are all sorts of other things we’ll be able to market for you under that name.”

Is the Food Network production team giving Buck what he wants? 😉

Will Buck accept the job to be the new host of the TV show "All About Pasta"?😁

Since Chris is his sous chef, how many episodes will he be featured in? 🙃

Will Bobby contact Buck before it's too late? 😎

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Fic Summary: Months after Buck and Eddie were hit by the same lightning strike; they’re still struggling with the aftermath of it.  But before they make their love confessions, they’ll spend time getting to know themselves as individuals first. Eddie learns to enjoy the simple things in life as he participates in activities on his own and with new friends while Buck learns the rest of the 31-year-old deep dark family secret about his conception and birth. Their journey to forever is still a work in progress but once they finally admit they’re in love with each other, everything that follows their love confessions will be cataclysmic.

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Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 - Eddie makes a new friend while Buck receives devastating news regarding the sperm donation he made for Connor and Kameron.

Chapter 2 - Buck does a lot of research to learn more about the abnormalities found in his red blood cells and Eddie starts a new therapy journey that’s all about him and not the traumas he’s experienced.

Chapter 3 - After more than a month, Buck and Eddie finally spend time together outside of work but it doesn’t end well and they part with a lot of uncertainty regarding their places in each other’s lives.

Chapter 4 - Eddie has a few realizations about his life which causes him to consider moving back to El Paso, TX while Buck continues to be reminded of his past which causes him to take an impromptu road trip across America.

Chapter 5 - Both Buck and Eddie have difficult conversations with their parents and Buck finally learns the truth behind the reason why his mother despised him while Eddie finally tells his mother about the way she tries to control him.

Chapter 6 - More than two weeks after Buck pushed Eddie away after suggesting they needed a break; Eddie decides to try again. Eddie’s there for Buck when he’s at his worst just like Buck was there for him when he was at his worst and he won’t let Buck give up.

Chapter 7 - After Buck’s mental breakdown, Eddie has his back the same way Buck had his when he had his own breakdown more than a year ago.  They share several vulnerable and emotionally intimate moments with one another and they begin to realize their small, sweet and caring gestures matter just as much if not more than any grand gesture ever could because these are the foundations of a long-lasting love relationship.

Chapter 8 - Buck, Eddie and Chris all have their own therapists and during their sessions, they reflect on their pasts while they’re in the present so they can prepare for their future together as a family.

Chapter 9 - Buck and Eddie are there for each other when Buck has to testify as a witness during the trial.  But by the end of it, they’ll both realize their individual and shared traumas are going to keep resurfacing until they talk about them, deal with the fact that they’re in love with one another and face the fact that they can’t live without each other.

Chapter 10 - As Buck and Eddie finally begin to confront their past traumas, they realize how much they need each other to fill in the gaps of their memories.  Additionally, the universe screams at them for what appears to be the one hundredth time so Buck can realize he doesn’t have to ‘find it’ because he already ‘made it’ and Eddie’s reminded tomorrow isn’t promised and he doesn’t have to die alone if he doesn’t want to.

Chapter 11 - A “virga” or dry thunderstorm is in the forecast but once the rain starts, the thunderstorm happening outside won’t be able to match the storm brewing inside between Buck and Eddie.  It’s the universe’s final scream and when the tumultuous winds begin to blow, they’ll have one last chance to hold onto everything they’ve built over the last six years or they’ll lose it all forever.

Chapter 12 - Buck and Eddie have always shared a deep physical attraction and an emotional intimacy that’s unmatched but now that they’re in a relationship, they’re learning how to navigate the romantic intimacy they’ve been waiting for six years to explore. The love they have for each other is a once in a lifetime, soulmate, love of their lives type of love that transcends space and time.

Chapter 13 - While navigating the newness of their romantic relationship, Buck and Eddie take advantage of every moment they spend together. As their individual lives, people from their pasts, time constraints and the possibility of losing each other again make attempts to interrupt and interfere with their journey to forever, they love, care for, support and hold onto each other even tighter to withstand it all.

Chapter 14 - Buck and Eddie can see the lights at the end of the tunnels regarding the results of Buck’s Cancer Screening along with everything else they’re dealing with. But are the lights they see exits to the tunnels or are they headlights on different runaway trains that are speeding towards them in an effort to interrupt their forever?

Chapter 15 - Buck and Eddie have known they were exactly who the other one wanted in a partner since they met six years ago when they agreed to have each other’s backs. They’re in a romantic relationship, they’re both preparing to ask the other one to spend forever with them and by the end of the seventh week into their relationship, together they will plan their most important and greatest adventure for their future.

Chapter 16 - As Buck and Eddie begin to prepare for their marriage ceremony that will take place in Rome, Italy in December 2023, they start planning their first international adventure as a romantic couple. Even though Chris is still the only person they’ve told about their relationship, several people who know them have already witnessed the love they share and as the days continue, others will witness it too.

Chapter 17 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to departing Los Angeles for their international adventure, a moment in time will remind them; life is fragile, tomorrow isn’t promised and every second of everyday should be cherished because everything can change in an instant. The result of that realization will cause them to hold onto each other even more.

Chapter 18 - As Buck, Eddie and Chris prepare for family gatherings before and during the Thanksgiving holiday, the “Santa Ana Winds” start to blow and all sorts of expected and unexpected familial drama ensues.

Chapter 19 - As Buck and Eddie get closer to their wedding day, the universe begins to align everything so that some of their parent and children's relationships are strengthened while others come to an abrupt end.

Chapter 20 - With only 14 days remaining until Buck, Eddie and Chris depart Los Angeles, CA traveling to Rome, Italy, for their first family adventure, an early morning conversation about “tying up loose ends” helps Buck and Eddie realize there are still several things left unfinished on their ‘To Do’ lists. The question is will there be enough time to complete all of them?

Chapter 21 - Buck, Eddie and Chris are finalizing their ‘To Do’ Lists, double checking their itineraries and packing their suitcases in preparation for their trip to Europe so they can board their flight that departs Los Angeles, CA on Friday, December 15, 2023 at 3:25PM.

Chapter 22 - While Buck, Eddie and Chris spend the first 8 days of their European family adventure in Italy, their primary reason for going will be fulfilled as well as several others they hadn’t considered or anticipated.

Chapter 23 - As the Diaz Family continues their Italian family adventure, they’ll say, “Ciao” or hello and goodbye to a lot of things almost immediately after they become an official and legal family.

Chapter 24 - After Buck, Eddie and Chris arrive in London, England on December 24th; the Diazes immediately start preparing to spend their first family Christmas together. During their stay, each of them will hear a few choice words that will be the life raft to get them home to complete their searches to be seen and to be found.

Chapter 25 - After spending more than two weeks in Europe, Eddie, Buck and Chris are back in Los Angeles and they’re getting ready to attend Maddie and Chimney’s New Year’s Eve party. During the event, they have plans to make two surprise announcements but the question is, who’s really going to be surprised, the Diaz family or their found family at the 118?

Chapter 26 - Buck and Eddie are once again faced with their greatest fear of losing each other but this time it could be permanent and if it is, then they won’t be able to spend the rest of their lives together.

Chapter 27 - After Buck resumes therapy, he’ll continue to face the fact that he “DIED” in March 2023 and during those sessions, he’ll learn about the 7 stages of grief. As he continues his healing journey, Eddie will be right by his side just like he promised and the Diaz family will start to deal with their three minutes and seventeen seconds loss as a family.

Chapter 28 - Two years ago, Eddie was asked, “What are you afraid of?”; twice, once by Frank and once by Buck but he only answered one of them without deflecting. Since that time, he’s been to therapy and him and Buck got married but the question resurfaces when Frank asks Buck the same question and Buck asks it of Eddie for the second time. However, when Buck asks, his reasoning will be about something else entirely.

Chapter 29 - After Buck and Eddie have an emotionally intimate conversation regarding their dreams, they make several decisions that will affect their future. When everything falls into place, they’ll realize one of those decisions will result in them no longer being work partners.

Chapter 30 - In 2018, Buck and Eddie met at the 118 and after some initial apprehensions on Buck’s part, they became work partners and they agreed to have each other’s backs. It’s been more than 6 ½ years, a lot’s happened, they got married in December 2023 and they have the family they both chose. With Eddie leaving the 118 in 3 months and Buck getting closer to moving past his grief, what will him losing his work partner mean for him?

Chapter 31 - As Buck’s life hangs in the balance from what’s suspected to be another bradycardia event, Eddie’s by his bedside, their son is being cared for by relatives and their found family is in the waiting room. During this time, many questions will surface that could possibly lead to the truth but will everything be revealed before it’s too late?

Chapter 32 - On January 2, 2024, the figurative skies over the Diaz family became gray and filled with storm clouds. Buck’s recent trauma, Chris’ school project and Eddie’s paramedic studies combined with the attack on Buck’s life, all those things contributed to the grief they’ve been experiencing. However, as the middle of February approaches, will the dark clouds dissipate so blue skies can return?

Chapter 33 - Will be posted soon.

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Read chapters 1-32 are available on AO3.

Continue reading on AO3

Chapter 33 will be posted soon.

[valleyof-goldenlilies]

Se Zaldrizoti’ Prumia - Chapter 1: A Platter of Grapes (Daemon Targaryen x Tyrell!Reader)

Chapter 1: A Platter of Grapes 

The Red Keep is graced by an old, familiar presence. 

Se Zaldrīzoti' Prūmia Masterlist | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | 

HOTD Masterlist | Main Masterlist | 

Warnings: Extremely, and I mean extreme slow burn lol, Daemon and Y/N both being little shits who cannot stand each other, I have a blood feud with the HOTD costuming department for Rhaenyra and thus I go into extreme (probably historical inaccurate) detail about the clothes of the characters, Rhaenicent hints so faint that if you blink you’d miss it 

Word Count: 3.3k words

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the House of The Dragon/Fire and Blood characters, save for Y/N Tyrell, although I did expand on their characterisation, which might deviate from canon. All credit for the characters goes to George RR Martin and the showrunners of HOTD. The GIF above is also not mine, original credit to the creator is stated above. Go check them out! 

A/N: A special thanks to all those who have reblogged my ‘Se Zaldrizoti’ Prumia’ related posts 💗 your support is truly appreciated and has been the source of my smiles over the past few days 

lovely dividers courtesy of @firefly-graphics​ !

105 years after Aegon’s Conquest

Queen Aemma’s chambers was a busy hive of activity, as usual. The queen’s serving girls, ladies-in-waiting, and Grand Maester Mellos went in and out of the Queen’s apartments in a constant rotation, fussing over the heavily pregnant Aemma’s every need or discomfort. Aemma herself was exhausted at the constant fussing and prodding, but Viserys was deeply concerned about the babe in Aemma’s womb - which he insisted with vehement conviction was a son, and therefore must be treated with the utmost level of care, and after five failed attempts at producing an heir, Aemma had learnt over the years that to be overcautious was not necessarily a bad thing. 

Aemma sat sprawled on her lounge, occasionally grimacing when a sharp ache rippled through her body should she choose to adjust herself. Clad in a simple white linen shift and an intricately embroidered rose pink robe of Myrish silk and lace, she felt beads of sweat beginning to form at her temples once more. Her pregnancy had cursed her to endure bout after bout of severe sweating, despite the fact that it was nigh autumn and the ladies of the court had taken to long sleeves and wrapping shawls around their shoulders. Closing her eyes and dabbing at her forehead wearily, she sincerely hoped that the babe in her belly would be the boy Viserys had so longed for, if it meant that she would stop being plagued with the labours of pregnancy.

Her tired expression fell in an instant, replaced by a radiant smile as a woman dressed in a light green linen gown with long bell sleeves walked into her view, nodding politely to the exiting Grand Maester. “You finally came back,” Aemma joked lightly, watching the woman take a seat on the cushioned stool next to Aemma’s recliner. “I was afraid you got sidetracked and forgot about my grapes.” 

The woman’s (Y/E/C) eyes flickered with amusement. “I could never dare forget about you, my queen. You would have me beheaded and my head placed on a spike if I did.” Aemma let out a laugh as she reached over to pluck a grape from the bowl in Y/N’s hands. Y/N shook her head at the queen’s lack of dining decorum, but offered up the much awaited platter of grapes to Aemma’s eager hands regardless. “And pray tell, what shall I do if I had executed my favourite and most competent lady-in-waiting, hmm?” Aemma jested, shoving three grapes into her mouth. It was definitely not something a queen should be doing, but Y/N had been Aemma’s lady-in-waiting for nearly two years, and her friend for far longer. Decorum was not a concept that existed between the two of them. 

“You flatter me, Your Grace. And slow down, the grapes will not fly away.” I chided gently, as Aemma continued shoving three grapes at a time into her mouth. “The grapes won’t, although I’m afraid Rhaenyra will. Didn’t she say she would come to see me at first light? It’s nearly midday.” Just then, like clockwork, a commotion could be heard near the entrance to the Queen’s apartments. Princess Rhaenyra and Lady Alicent Hightower’s voice could be heard laughing together among the subservient voices of the servants greeting the two of them. “Speak ill of the Stranger,” I laughed, as Rhaenyra and Alicent appeared in view, smiling with their arms linked. 

Rhaenyra was wearing a silk gown of soft gold, with butterfly sleeves. The bodice had a ribbed triangular corset that was cinched at the waist, and the skirt parted at the middle to reveal a layer of dark crimson brocade, with faint scrollwork detailing in tiny golden threads. A similarly coloured velvet shawl patterned with gold-threaded dragons was draped over her shoulders, to protect her from the chill. Meanwhile Alicent was clad in a gown of light blue worsted yarn, with bell sleeves going to just above her wrists. A thin layer of cream muslin peeked out of her sleeves and ruffles of the same material covered her collarbones modestly. Blue roses were sewn around her waistline, and olive leaves were embroidered around the neckline of her dress. I suppressed a smile when I noticed a garden violet tucked between Alicent’s reddish brown locks, and a similar one nestled in the princess’ white-blonde tresses. 

Rhaenyra immediately went over to Aemma, Alicent staying a respectful distance away. “Your Grace,” Alicent smiled and curtsied politely to Aemma, and Aemma greeted her warmly, “Good morrow, Lady Alicent.” “Mother, Y/N”, Rhaenyra crouched down next to Aemma, holding out a hand to stop me when I stood up to offer her my seat. 

Rhaenyra wrinkled her nose when she noticed her mother clad in such thin clothes, and started detangling her shawl from her shoulders, but Aemma only shook her head with an affectionate smile and stilled Rhaenyra’s motions by cupping her cheek with one hand. “It has been quite long since first light, has it not? You have forgotten about your poor royal mother, Rhaenyra.” 

Rhaenyra rolled her eyes, though her voice was tender. “Forgive me, Mother. But the weather was far too lovely for me not to take Syrax out for a flight. She has been growing lazy as of late.” Aemma snorted softly, adjusting a braid that had loosened from Rhaenyra’s hairdo. “Now that explains the dragon stench overwhelming my apartments then. You are lucky that Y/N was kind enough to accompany me during your absence.” “Is it not my duty, my Queen?” I teased, “Unless you find my company repulsive, of course.” Aemma pursed her lips thoughtfully, although her eyes were filled with mischief as she said, “Your company is delightful as always, although the waiting time for my food to be brought up is quite outrageous.” “Then I shall pray to the Seven that they might bestow on me the power of flight to serve you better, your Grace.”

“Seven hells!” Rhaenyra cursed, fumbling in her pockets. “Rhaenyra! Language,” Aemma scolded. “What is it?” I asked, concerned. Rhaenyra groaned in frustration, “I had a present for Mother, but I must have dropped it in the throne room when I was showing it to father yesterday.” “How careless,” Aemma chided, although her tone was soft as Rhaenyra bit her lip and hung her head slightly. She must’ve really wanted to give the present to Aemma. 

“Why don’t I go retrieve it?” I offered, standing up and smoothing my dress. “The kitchens are but a stone’s throw away from the throne room, and I am certain Your Grace’s appetite for grapes has not yet been sated.” 

Rhaenyra’s eyes shone with gratitude, “Yes please! Thank you, Y/N.” “Tis nothing, princess. What does it look like?” “It’s a necklace, with a ruby falcon pendant, ” Rhaenyra described, “I got it to remind Mother of home.” “Oh Rhaenyra,” Aemma murmured softly, a soft look of love flooding her face. Rhaenyra held her hand tightly, “There was a sapphire one, but I thought the ruby one would be fitting. For both your Arryn and Targaryen roots.” Aemma squeezed her daughter’s hand, “I will cherish it fiercely forever, as I do with all your gifts.” My face took on a wistful expression as I watched mother and daughter interact and I spoke softly, “Worry not, princess, I will find it and bring it here.” 

I retreated out of the room, returning Alicent’s smile with one of my own as I passed her on my way out of the room, but not before Aemma called out to me, “Make sure you make haste! Your queen desires for more grapes!” “Of course, my Queen!” I called back, grinning. 

The throne room was blissfully unguarded, which signified the absence of the King, and by extension, any nosy courtiers who might frown upon me fumbling around the throne room like a sneaking rat. ‘Perfect, no need for awkward pleasantries then.’ I opened the double doors leading to the throne room, shutting the doors with a heavy thunk. My eyes took a while to adjust to the gloom of the throne room, but I nearly let out a shriek when I saw a shadowy figure sitting on the throne room. Was that the king? And if so, why in the Seven Hells was he sitting in a darkened throne room? 

“Byka zaldrīzes,” an all too familiar voice called out. My heart thumped furiously in my chest as my mouth dropped open in disbelief.

No. No way. He was somewhere floating around in Lys, if court gossip was to be believed. It couldn’t be him. 

“Won’t you come closer? It’s only been 8 years since we last saw each other. Surely you haven’t forgotten me.” 

Daemon Targaryen. Second son of Prince Baelon and Princess Alyssa, younger brother of king Viserys, and the most annoying royal pain in my ass. 

His petulance and near unnatural ability to be able to get on every single nerve in my body had caused me to become a devoted practitioner of self-restraint, given how badly I longed to throttle him or slit his throat with a dagger whenever he was near me. But much to my consternation, societal propriety rendered me unable to challenge him in a duel or even brawl with him, like most boys would do to sort out their differences. But even so, it was not in my nature to silently endure the countless pranks and jests he tormented me with, and thus I often paid him back tenfold for every misdeed he committed against me. My mother was chagrined, while Prince Baelon and Viserys merely laughed and observed our antics with much amusement, along with the rest of the court. 

My lips twisted in a frown, and my heart still beating fast from the initial shock, I walked closer to the Iron Throne. “As much as I’d like to, your memory still leaves an unwanted stain in my mind.” The figure sitting languidly on the throne leaned forward as I approached, making me finally catch a glimpse of the boy whom I used to detest with every fibre of my being. Although he certainly bore no resemblance to the annoying brat I detested. 

Gone was the lankier frame of his youth. In his stead, it was a man, of tall stature and strong muscular frame, honed by years of intense sword training and puberty. His hair had lengthened considerably since the last time I saw it, and my lips twitched in amusement as I remembered how I had once cut it off when we were children as retribution for him dousing me with a bucket of Arbor Gold while he and I were sneaking around the Red keep late at night, him claiming that he had something interesting to show me. I treasured the memory of that deliciously girlish scream he let out when he realised I had dared cut his precious white-blonde locks. His face had lost its roundness over the years as well, becoming lean and chiselled, lending a harsher quality to his expression, but it only seemed to accentuate his daring and dangerous beauty, or at least, if you listened to the giggles of the twittering ladies of court. His eyes, still filled with that same mischievous glint, watched me as I stood in front of the throne, raking over me shamelessly. I rolled my eyes at that, at least some things never changed. 

“Ah, but you remember me nonetheless.” 

“The emphasis was on the word ‘unwanted’, your Grace.” 

He laughed, leaning back against the throne leisurely as he stared at Y/N. ‘It was a sheer marvel his body was not littered with a thousand cuts by now,’ Y/N thought, a scowl on her face. 

“I see the years have finally taught you some manners. I couldn’t remember the last time you addressed me formally. You always had some rather…colourful turn of phrases up your sleeves, however. Maybe the years of looking for a prospective marriage match have taught you some decorum.” 

I narrowed my eyes at him, the vein in my neck beginning to tick in annoyance, as it always did around him. “You know they say, people age slower when they get married. You are living proof that the saying is false.” He let out a throaty laugh, crossing his legs as his voice took on a mocking tone. “I see your lack of marriage prospects have turned you from sour to bitter, byka zaldrizes.” 

I bristled, “Stop calling me that. Why are you here?” “I heard there was a tournament being held in my honour. I should be in attendance since all this heraldry was made on my account, should I not?” “The tournament is for the King’s heir.” Daemon learned forward again, his tone edged with menace, and defiance. “Precisely as I said.” 

I shook my head, duly unimpressed. “There is no need for you to be sitting on the Iron Throne though. Tis not your place.” Daemon scoffed, “And who are you to command me? I am a Targaryen prince, I sit where I please.” “The King would disagree with that if he were here.” I fired back. 

Suddenly, I remembered I was here on an errand, not for idle chat, so in a huff of frustration, I turned away from the offending prince and began to search the halls for a glint of red anywhere. “Running away, byka zaldrīzes?” I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to punch him in his smug face. Calm down, Y/N, you already did that once, and by the Seven Hells, the consequences were absolutely not worth it. “Unfortunately, I am here on an errand, not for childish bickering, your Grace.” I heard a faint sound of footsteps behind me, but I ignored them as I continued to pace around the vast empty room. No sign of any necklace at all. I groaned internally. Perhaps I should’ve asked Rhaenyra for more instructions before taking on the task. 

“Could the errand be this?” I whirled around, finding the Prince in far too close a proximity for my liking, a smirk on his lips and a necklace with a ruby falcon dangling from his raised right hand. My eyes widened, chest sagging in relief as I beheld the necklace. “Yes. Oh thank the Seven,” I reached out to grab the necklace, but Daemon only snatched it back. I let out a strangled noise of frustration, “Hey!” 

Daemon leaned in closer, pressing me against a pillar uncomfortably. “Thank the Seven? I think that they shouldn’t be the one you’re directing your thanks to,” he murmured softly. Goosebumps broke out on my skin, as I glared into his eyes. His infuriatingly, inhumanely beautiful purple eyes. Damn him. “Back up.” I hissed. Daemon seemed to take it as an invitation to lean in closer, his face was mere centimetres from mine now. My breathing became more uneven, feeling a mix of frustration and another strange feeling I couldn't place. “Are you going to punch me again if I don’t?” he whispered softly, his eyes sparkling with deviousness and mischief. “Yes,” I hissed. 

“However, if you take a step back, I might find it in me to thank you for your nosiness in picking up things that do not belong to you.” “Yet if it were not for me, you might have needed to scour the whole of King’s Landing to find this little trinket.” He withdrew from me with a smirk, and I huffed, glaring at him. “Well? I’m impatiently awaiting your gratitude, byka zaldrizes.” Gritting my teeth, I finally bit out, “Thank you, Your Grace. Will you please return me the necklace now? The princess is in need of it.” 

A rough laugh escaped him. “Now that’s more like it. You’re very welcome, my lady.” He dropped the necklace into my waiting hand, eyes watching me as I clasped the falcon pendant in my hand and internally praised the Seven for being able to find it, although through an unconventional method. “You changed a lot, you know,” he said, his eyes still studying my face. “That’s to be expected. It’s been 8 years. You have changed too.” “You’re quieter,” he observed. “Well, I can hardly scream at you now that we’re both adults, can I? I have a reputation to maintain.” 

The prince scoffed at that, “Reputation. Lady Primrose always stressed about that. I didn’t think you’d take her lessons to heart.” “She was my mother, Your Grace. And she is correct about the importance of reputation, especially as I am chief lady-in-waiting to the queen now.” I chided him. He chuckled darkly, “The topic of reputation is not one I much care for. You should know that better than anyone, my lady.” I raised my eyebrows, “Is that why you came back to court without Lady Royce then?” Daemon rolled his eyes, “That boring cunt is the least of my worries. Court is already dreadfully dull. Should I need to suffer in her presence for any longer, I might just mount my own head on a spike.” “I always thought you a warrior, but it seems you are a coward in the face of marriage.” I mocked. I could see Daemon’s face scrunch up with anger at my claim, and I smirked, relishing in how he still had the same sore spots he did when we were children. Classic Daemon. 

Daemon felt fury bubble up in him, like a kettle dangerously close to boiling point. Seeing her smirk however, made him forgo his initial angry outburst and settle for a sharper, more hurtful one. “Bold words for someone who keeps rejecting marriage proposals. If there’s anyone who is a coward, I would say it’s you, my lady.” The vein in my neck was probably protruding to the high heavens by now. I longed to yell at him, like I always did back in my girlhood, but I couldn’t, because he was right. Yelling would only prove his point and allow him the pleasure of gloating. I was not about to rise up to his bait. Turning away from him, I walked out of the hall briskly. “It was a pleasure seeing you, your Grace, but I’m afraid I must be off. I hope we never have the misfortune to cross paths again.” 

My hand was on the brass door handle when I heard him call my name once more. “Y/N?” Rolling my eyes, I kept my back turned away from him. “Yes, your Grace?” 

“I was sorry to hear about Lady Primrose’s passing.” I stiffened at his unexpected condolences. I hadn’t thought about my mother in a very long time. “She was as much of a mother to me as she was to you” I tilted my head downward, closing my eyes for a brief moment. “It has been 7 years since she passed. There is no need to offer your condolences…but I appreciate it nonetheless.” 

Daemon heard the doors to the throne room slam shut. His eyes still cast on the door Y/N had just left from, he tilted his head slightly. A soft chuckle resonated through the throne room. ‘Same old Y/N’, he thought to himself, a smile curling at his lips, ‘but…different somehow.’ Oddly enough, he felt his heart twinge for some reason at her sudden departure. He had not realised how silent these past 8 years have been, not until today.

Queen Aemma was delighted with her daughter’s present, although a bit put out that her lady-in-waiting had arrived back at her chambers with no grapes in sight. But observing the mildly murderous glint in Y/N’s eyes, Aemma wisely kept her mouth shut. She wondered what had happened to make Y/N so annoyed, but then she let slip an amused chuckle as realisation dawned on her. 

Daemon.

translation: byka zaldrīzes: little dragon

And that’s the first chapter! If you loved it so far, comments and reblogs are highly appreciated :) Thank you for reading! Chapter 2 should be out in the next week or so! Let me know if you wished to be added to a taglist in the comments or through this form 

[absolutebl]

Hi there! I've just returned from a two-week holiday (as I'm writing this I'm actually still driving back home, but I want to get on top of it lmao), so I would like to defer to your knowledge:

could you pretty please provide me with an update on what series ended/started while I was away? I have a vague idea, but I don't want to miss out on the things that didn't get as much promo and are therefore not on my mdl.

if you can, my watchlist will be forever thankful!!

July Report: BL that Stopped & Started & Is worth Your time

Ended July 2023

Step By Step

This was Thailand’s answer to The New Employee, and everything I loved about that show I loved about this one.

This was an office romance between stern boss and sweet subordinate that felt more authentic to an office environment than previous Thai BLs of this ilk. And that authenticity added tension to the narrative and character development (how novel). Now that might be because it has western source material, or it might be because it is actually kind of old-fashioned (it’s been years since I worked as an office grunt). I also really enjoyed the brothers’ relationship, and kinda wished they hadn’t attempted (and failed) to give said brother his own side BL. That one flaw made it a 9/10 for me.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

La Pluie

This BL takes to task the fated mates trope and what it means to have love chained intimately to predestination. It’s about how faith in destiny before choice diminishes the authenticity of emotion, relationships, and connection. This is a high concept to examine through the lens of a BL.

By activating + examining the soulmates trope this show is challenging a foundation of romance: the idea that there is one person meant to be your one romantic partner all your life. This means that we, as viewers, spend much of the show worried about it having a happy ending, and that’s the source of both its brilliance and tension: would the narrative have the strength to truly challenge its own romantic core? But, ultimately, all this elevated complexity was executed in a somewhat shaky manner with the narrative derailing into some serious pacing issues and characters manipulated by miscommunication.

However, with good chemistry and decent acting all around, plus some excellent high heat and representation of consent and a few other rare tropes, this one has to (like it’s sibling show My Ride) earn a 9/10. I enjoyed it even as it made me think, so despite its flaws:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Started July 2023 & Looking GOOD

Jun & Jun

Korea Thurs Viki 8 eps

THANK YOU BL GODS. It is so good. Like everything I want in the world. I’m incandescently happy with this show.

It’s office set,

it’s an ex idol,

everyone is pretty as peaches,

and it’s all about remembering somebody’s smell!

I could not be more delighted.

Laws of Attraction

Thai Sat iQIYI 8 eps

(Icky picked it up but they are serving it in a complicated way that may require a VPN.)

Stars the pair from To Sir With Love with the same production team. IT’S SO GOOD. A morally corrupted trickster lawyer with a tragic past, sad eyes, and a beautiful smile that he uses like a weapon. Meets paladin martial arts instructor from other side of the tracks (who is out, at least to his baby sister).

Corrupt police.

Spoiled rich kid evil.

Ambitious politician.

Tragic death.

Terrible subs.*

This show is very like Manner of Death but so far it is a much better/tighter story (there's a Devil Judge aura happening). It’s NOT BL but it is fucking phenomenal. And you should watch it. Not wait to binge it. WATCH IT.

On a global scale this might be the best thing currently airing featuring gay romantic leads. Its really fucking good. It’s Lawless Lawyer but more complex character motivation and gay af. Fuck yes please and thank you. FINALLY.

Triggers for violence, beatings, death & torture depicted on screen. Like MoD they are not holding back. 

(* A lot of the familial names they are using are not gendered in Thai but translated as such, like “nephew”. This one is gonna go down a lot easier if you know some Thai.)

ALSO:

Stay By My Side - Taiwan Fri Gaga 10 eps

Hidden Agenda that isn’t hidden - Thailand Sun GMMTV YouTube 12 eps

Low Frequency - Thailand Sat iQIYI 8 eps

Started But You Can Probably Wait IMHO

Dinosaur Love (Sun iQIYI)

Be Mine Super Star (Mon Viki)

Wedding Plan (Weds YT & iQIYI) it's mame so A trash watch is happening! 

Minato Shouji Coin Laundry Season 2 (Japan Thu Gaga)

Hope this is what you wanted.

[wildwren]

i am also a michaela stirling truther— the more i think about it, the more i want it. i’ll definitely be a little disappointed if the rumors turn out to be false. don’t get me wrong, masali baduza is stunning and as a bisexual i already feel like a winner either way… but my god, she and Francesca would make such a gorgeous couple 😭

and i know people keep saying that gender bending Michael would erase important plot points but honestly i can think of several ways off the top of my head that they could maintain the integrity of the story even with Michaela as the lead instead of Michael.

and honestly, not that i have any reason to believe they’re actually going to genderbend Sophie, but they could easily rework Benedict’s story in a similar way— it irritates me that people are insisting there is no way they could make it work.

the book purists insisting xyz could not possibly happen because “that’s not how the story goes!” are making little sense to me. the show has already made many changes to the stories, large and small, and i don’t think “but the book story won’t work that way!” is a valid argument at this point. the writers have shown themselves very willing and even eager to uproot expectations and tell the story in a new way.

TOTALLY. i was previously on the "we should not expect queer rep from bridgerton they are clearly not very invested in it" train until jess brownell explicitly confirmed that a queer romance is coming and now im being a full ass clown about it. yea....when i think about masali baduza as michaela i actually need to lie down, it would end me. but also send an angel to protect her if that's actually true because some of the fandom....uh.....absolutely cannot handle that even remotely, and they WILL make it her problem.

but yes, i agree, there are many ways in which michael feels like a prime option for gender-bending. obviously when he was wicked has fans, but i think in general they're a little less rabid than some of the kanthony, polin, benophie, and philoise fans who would be specifically up in arms about major character changes to "their" ship. when he was wicked is later in the series, more disconnected, francesca's less present in the general narrative, etc.

also, because francesca has a widowhood storyline, it feels....how do i say this....deeply boring for bridgerton the show to introduce a man like john stirling, only to kill him off to make room for another random man. it would be exceedingly more interesting to have a queer element to the story, not least of all because it would add more tension to the "we cant be together because you're my dead husband's cousin" vibes.

also, women in the 19th century could inherit property. sometimes the property itself was not entailed and therefore not necessarily inherited by the male title holder. if francesca is living in the house....and michaela inherits the house....well, that's a pretty great set-up for a queer happy ending, which is, according to julia quinn, apparently impossible in a world where gay marriage isn't legal.

also, ALSOOOOO....a lesbian rake. i rest my case.

either way, im interested to see how they interpret when he was wicked's relationship to colonialism (if they do so), given that the show has now shown the Stirlings, or at least john stirling, to be Black. Kate's home and backstory in India has had some relevance to her characterization, and I'm curious to see if they take a similar tack with the stirlings (and how well they manage to execute it).

okay i think those are all of my michaela thoughts thank you so much for giving me an excuse to rant about them. truthers gotta stick together (until our hearts are inevitably dashed by cold hard reality)

[lactosa2]

It takes me everthing i have to make stuff for someone that is not Omen, it feels like cheating fr. Viper drabble this once, this woman deserve attention.

cc: smut, male reader, before the Valorant protocol. 4651 words (not letters) long ficc.

ANOTHER TYPE OF TOXINE

You were taking a nap on your desk, as a mercenary and current infiltrate, you had too much work to do and too many hours to stay awake, for this reason fatigue became part of your daily life, you felt like the protagonist of "Fight Club", you wanted to sleep and you longed for it, but every Once you were alone you could only think about how difficult the current work environment was and how you would like at least a week of rest.

You can't sleep, it's been like this for almost four months, the only thing you could do was your work and then think about more work. Thanks to your own dedication to your career, you left in your youth those social experiences and even love affairs that ended only in blocked numbers, pain foreign to years where a damn meteorite had not yet fallen on the face of the earth.

Although you did not lose focus on your work, the lack of rest and social life only affected you more than you knew, every time someone wanted to have something with you they were automatically rejected, whether it was a co-worker or even a pretty girl in a bar ready to be taken to a public bathroom, it was embarrassing how alone you felt, even more It feel like you are responsible for that loneliness

22:45 pm

Yyou were sleeping on the laboratory desk, your appearance was messy, your hair was bouncy and the bags under your eyes were very noticeable, your eyelids were drooping and your nose was slightly red, your eyes were tired, and your robe was on the floor while the nap became almost only escape from what, unfortunately, was your daily life.

You felt a hand hit the back of your head, making you jump in shock and shake your head to wake up. - "Mmnh?.." you complained with a hoarse voice with half-closed eyes, you looked back at one of your co-workers, wearing the ugly yellow suit, as if he were a beekeeper, the identification tag showing you your greatest displeasure, Jhon. "You faggot.." You laughed softly as you got up from the seat and took the robe that Jhon handed to you. "We already talked about sleeping here… how about you talk while you're sleeping?" He complained, his voice deep and intimidating, more than fear, made you laugh.

"At least I don't look like a character from Monster-inc" you said with a mocking smile and then laughed harder when he gently hit your stomach. "Sabine is looking for you…" his voice was tense, Sabine was the target of the mission, the reason why you and "Jhon" (it wasn't his real name, but here, no one knew anyone's name) should investigate and then execute. Over time, they both had to slowly figure out who she was and her past, his history and abilities, everything was necessary to find out his past and therefore Kingdom's objective.

"What does she want?." You sighed after asking, fixing your hair and putting on your robe. Instead of saying something to you, he just raised his shoulders slightly and turned around, walking towards the exit of one of the main laboratories.

22:50 pm

You murmured a cordial greeting as you entered the laboratory, the doors opening to the sides automatically as you sighed quickly, trying to go unnoticed on your nerves. "Doctor.." you said in almost a whisper when the woman's eyes landed on you, with an arched eyebrow and those piercing green eyes looking at you with… disgust? "Something happened?" you asked as you stood your ground, not wanting to appear weak, much less to someone you considered a scourge.

"The documents, you are in charge of verifying them and stamping them confidentially and for the press, however, there was a leak, tell me, why does the press know the side effects of Radianite in pregnant women?" Yes, Kingdom has been experimenting with people, with children, babies, even pregnant women, so why feel sorry for someone capable of all these atrocious things? - "I'm only in charge of stamping the address of these reports, but, I'm the one who sends them, that's someone else's job, besides… I guess this isn't because you called me, this has already been discussed with human resources."

She laughed softly as she walked towards you and you towards her. While it was wrong to manipulate someone and use her for your own benefit, the fact that she was capable of destroying others just for her career made any empathy you might have for her disappear, from your point of view, it was bad person, and she deserved to suffer, right?

You laughed as her lips caressed the side of your neck, the edge of her fingers touching the skin beneath your shirt, her hip and torso against yours as your hands found their way to her scalp, gently grabbing her hair and pulling it so he her head will tilt up so you can kiss her properly. The instant your hands touched her waist, her arms surrounded your neck, making you lean closer towards her and her kiss deepened. She leaned her body back, making you walk until she collided with the desk, grabbing her thighs tightly you lifted her up and made her sit on top of that cold steel table, her eyes softly closed as her hands caressed your hair and her other hand ran over your back.

She stopped kissing you and smiled with her eyes still closed, a satisfied smile on her that caused you repulsion, her legs pulled you towards her, hugging your hips while her hands grabbed the sides of your face and forced you to look at her, a face of her that you thought nonexistent, her playful smile and her intimidating green eyes now soft. "Where were you yesterday?" she asked while her nose was against yours, you smiled and quickly kissed her lips, laughing softly. "You see, this guy is an individual one and yesterday he had some errands to attend to" you whispered while She brushed her lips against yours, "Oh yeah?" She asked very quietly, her eyes playing with your patience, you laughed at her cheerful voice and kissed her gently, stroking her hair.

"We're leaving, now," you said as you gave her one last kiss on her cheek, easily grabbing her by the waist and giving her a slight spin in the air like a Disney princess, then leaving her standing while she adjusted her hair and lipstick, looking at herself in the hand mirror that who knows where she got it from, putting on a soft but shiny gloss, to tease her, you gave her another kiss, now you having shiny and a little more voluptuous lips.- "Do I look pretty?" you asked as you looked at her as she put more gloss on your lips, "Gorgeous." She whispered and then gave you another kiss, then turned around and walked as if swimming out of the laboratory.

This was almost a routine for both of them, you would wait seven minutes and then go after her, you would get in her car and they would change seats so you would be the one driving, you would go to her apartment where they would talk and if she was willing, they would spend the night together. For you that was not important, the important thing was what happened after having sex, she would be tired and satisfied, willing to talk about anything, indirectly, she would end up talking about work therefore giving you the information you needed to be able to calculate the costs. movements and transfers of Radianite in Kingdom, knowing if they would use it on people or on more technology.

You opened the passenger door and closed it when she was already comfortable in the seat, you got into the car and started the engine, you saw how she leaned towards your seat and grabbed the seat belt at your side, "baby, what are you doing?" you asked as you moved the gear lever to the right direction, "You have to wear your seatbelt.." she scolded you as she put your seatbelt on, you laughed softly and started driving, not caring if she was still not sitting properly, leaning forward your side. You didn't drive abruptly, you drove slowly and smoothly, respecting the space between vehicles, the trip was long, forty-five minutes without counting the traffic, on the way, Sabine didn't speak, in fact, she was in total silence, so you decided to grab her hand and look at her in the rearview mirror, -"Why are you so quiet..?" You asked softly, squeezing her cold hand, she just shook her head as she gave you a slightly forced smile.

"I'm always quiet.." she excused herself as both hands covered yours, caressing it with her thumb.- "Not with me." You responded as you left her hands in her lap so you could divert the path, parking on a corner of the road with almost no travelers, just trees, darkness and stars. Once the car was parked, you turned to her, taking off your seat belt and grabbing her hands, looking at her seriously, her eyes instantly became teasing, she jumped towards you, now sitting on your lap with her legs at your sides while she hugged you with all her forces. You didn't want to speak, because even if you wanted to comfort her you couldn't, there would be no sincerity, so you just made your hands run up and down her back, your lips caressing her cheek, kissing the soft blush on her cheeks.

Her body instantly pressed against yours, her face searching for affection, those kisses , although they were a nuisance for you, for her they were the reason why not to abandon everything. Your nose caressed her cheek, then, you placed kisses on her cheek, as the seconds passed, and for five more minutes, the car was off and in the dark, one of your hands running over his waist while the other pressed her hip, resisting the heat of wanting to touch her more

Did you hate her as a person? Yes, did you love every inch of skin that unfortunately she and only she had? Yes, unfortunate.

She didn't laugh, instead, she moved her body backwards, watching as her hips ground against your pelvis, laughing almost sadistically. You laughed and your hands squeezed her hips, keeping her in her place, where she belonged. You leaned in front of her and her arms surrounded your shoulders, kissing you softly and deeply, one of your hands stayed on her hip while the other moved to grab a considerable piece of her rear.

She didn't even think about at least taking off your clothes, no, this woman was a kind of leech, both of your time and energy, she was completely insatiable, you could be on the verge of fainting but then you would have her caressing you, asking for more.

Your hands desperately went up her shirt, kissing her abdomen, she laughed and leaned back, her back against the steering wheel while your hands made her back arch so that her breasts looked higher, while your lips ran down the center of her cleavage, your fingers shamelessly skillfully unbuttoned her bra, then, she herself took it off completely showing her breasts, the mole below her right breast and her erect nipples, without hesitation, you lansated and pressed your hands on her hips, sucking her chest while you closed your eyes in satisfaction as you heard her sigh your name in an inaudible moan.

Your other hand held her thighs, her fingers squeezing strongly and eagerly, her thumb seeking to get as close as possible to her intimacy, feeling the heat radiating from this area. You gently bit her nipple, removing her hand from her back and cupping her other breast with it, playing with her nipples so you could give them both attention. Your fingers pinched the soft, tender flesh of her, hardened but soft and tender to the touch, goosebumps as she sighed and raised her hips so that your thumb brushed against her cunt dressed in her.

You moved your face away from her chest, leaving the nipple erect and full of drool, she was panting with her face flushed and some of her hair stuck to her forehead thanks to her sweat. You kissed her neck with love, or what was supposed to be lust, your tongue and lips teased that white skin, now with open pores and trembling. You bit her shoulder, right where a beautiful little mole was located, your hands moving up her tight pencil-shaped skirt, raising it until you could see her black underwear, and to your delight, lace, you caressed her inner thigh while you kissed her collarbone, hand on her chest now removing her hair from her shoulders, leaving you more room to enjoy.

Her hands sank into your hair, pulling it towards her body, you could smell the perfume, driving your senses crazy and causing you to take big breaths through your nose, taking the aroma to your brain to drive your skin crazy. Your kisses moved up the side of her neck, caressing her jaw with her nose. Her hand on her thigh moved to her hip to make her jump gently, accommodating her above you and allowing you pleasure by feeling how her crotch rubbed against your already noticeable erection. Your already hard cock ached thanks to the lack of stimulation from it, but it didn't matter, she was there, panting and trembling, moving her hips forward to the front just for the slightest touch, it was more than enough.

At the contact she moaned softly, your fingers mockingly and almost maliciously running along the inside of her thigh, rubbing the desired area like a ghost or professional torturer, the outside of your fingers remaining slightly moist thanks to her anticipation. Without further hesitation, she pulled your hair to move your head up, kissing you with desire and desperation, quickly, her other hand went as quickly as possible to your pants, completely unbuttoning the button and lowering the zipper, you stood up a little to lower the pants just enough, when you sat down again she was no longer against the steering wheel, but against you, her chest against yours while she continued kissing you, neither of them opened their eyes.

Her fingers moved to where your erection was, lowering the edge of the fabric with need, her hands grabbed your cock gently, feeling the heat coming from it, her fingers gently caressed the beginning and then went to the tip, Making you moan softly, her fingers caressed the tip, spreading the precum wherever she could, stimulating you while she continued kissing you needily. From time to time in her kiss they moved away from her, but they quickly grabbed air and returned to the same thing.

your fingers moved to the inside of her thigh, she opened her legs a little to give easier access, one of your fingers moved the fabric of her panties to the side of her, exposing free her pussy. Your fingers moved deeper, passing from her entrance to her clitoris, making her sigh, two of your fingers ran over the area softly and with desire, feeling proud of how wet she was. She moved away from the kiss to breathe, feeling her mind blurred and her body in ecstasy, her legs trembled as she tried to open them even more, now with more access, two of your fingers collected the moisture and spread it once again, rubbing her clit erect, making her moan and move her head back with satisfaction.

Taking advantage of the view of her exposed neck, your lips did not resist and went directly to kiss her windpipe, changing the speed on her clitoris every so often, making her moan weaker, but with more pleasure in the her voice Her hand had already stopped stroking your erection, which only frustrated you more, you bite her shoulder and grabbed her hips with both hands, raising her as you leaned against her seat.

Both sexes were already against each other, there was no better feeling than that, she was anxious, you could easily see it in how she throbbed her pussy while she became increasingly wetter and her hips did not stop moving towards you. Her knees came up against the seat to rise and hover over your tip, threatening to destroy your sanity if she stopped trying to keep the pressure on her knees. You grabbed her hip with one hand and lowered her slightly. Your gaze locked onto her eyes, wanting to see her facial expressions as you filled her insides.

Once hers hips gently hit yours, you let out a sigh, one of your hands caressing one of her thighs while the other held her waist, looking directly into her green eyes. She breathed deeply, her chest moving up and down with each breath. -"That's it.." you kissed her cheek in support as you caressed her thigh, the hand on her waist traveling to her head to caress her hair, "Take your time…" she nodded and looked you in the eyes, without hesitation you leaned forward and kissed her deeply, wanting to take her essence into your soul.

Her chest sank against yours as you both had your eyes gently closed, her hips began to travel up and down, carefully and softly. You let out a deep sigh as you pulled away from her kiss, your hand cupping her cheek to move her face up so you could freely kiss her jaw and the side of her face. With the pace of the kisses, the rhythm was already constant, so Sabine moved her hips in circles, at a still slow pace, at the sudden pleasure, you laughed softly and moaned against her neck. With your hand on her thigh, you grabbed it and spread her legs wider, giving yourself a better view and just like that, two of your fingers played with her folds, making her shake while you felt her excessively wet pussy throbbing around of your cock, making you see the sky.

You laughed as your thumbs began to rub her clit in slow circles. She gave deep soft moans as she continued looking at the side of the window with a smile, which upon noticing, you kissed her cheek and moved your thumb from her face to her lips, making for her to give them a little kiss. -"You like it huh?.." Sabine smiled even wider, arching her back more, -"How can I say no to my lady.." you whispered in her ear, feeling how her hips moved with more grace and elegance, leaving you speechless, only moans every time her pussy touched your pelvis. As the seconds passed, the moans became more frequent and deeper, full of pleasure and deep passion for the other.

Her hips moved even faster, your lips hungrily finding hers to share another even deeper kiss while the touch on her clit became faster, her hands went behind your back, looking for a place to depending on her health, reaching under your shirt and touching your back, sinking her nails into it, you moved away from the kiss to look at her face, her eyes closed and her mouth open, her eyebrows furrowed and her forehead with sweat, her moans high and deep, the sight only making you want to give him more. Her hand on her face went down from her to her waist, grabbing it harshly and not gently, sinking her fingers into her skin, grabbing her and moving her faster against you, her fingers in her Her clitoris slowed down. She gave a deep moan and then opened her eyes, looking at you with need and longing.

The sight of her was too much, her body moving so sensually against you, too much to sit still. "Fucking look at you.." you complained and kissed her roughly, the softness of the beginning is no longer there, she is too tempting not to fall in love… fall in love??????

Her back arched as she continued to let herself go. You love seeing her like this, with her clothes in disarray and her body trembling, making her feel free, in a way that stress couldn't affect her, you loved doing it, so that you could later kiss her and hear her laugh at a bad joke on your part, Yes, you liked it.

You made the movement of her hips slow down, your fingers leaving her clitoris from one second to the next, making the lack of pleasure and the denial of her much-loved orgasm go away. -"Not yet.." you whispered and stopped moving her completely, you adjusted her, making her torso completely stretched, seeing her long torso and her exposed breasts, her head stretched back and her legs open, with you still inside her. she. Your mouth went straight to her tits, biting and sucking on the nipple of her left breast, your favorite thanks to the mole it had.

While you sucked your fingers they returned to her clitoris, slowly and almost without pressure, torturing her. Your free hand went to her butt, giving a hard slap that turned out to be loud, making her sigh, “Move,” you gave her order as your nose nuzzled against her cleavage, glistening in a soft sheen of sweat. Her hips moved gently, moaning from the pent-up pleasure.

With the seconds she moved faster and faster, now your fingers pressing and rubbing her clit in circles as easily as you could, your kisses rose to her jaw, licking her, "Keep going.." you moaned softly. eyes tightly closed. “keep, keep going” you let out another moan. You laughed softly and gave another hard slap on her ass, making her shake her entire body, and seeing her mischievous smile, enjoying the treatment of her.

As her hips moved faster, the fingers on her clit took the most pleasure in her body, now twisting and spreading her legs even further. You moaned even louder, the way her insides felt was perfect, wet, warm, tight…

You slapped again and that same hand quickly grabbed her hair to pull it and make her kiss you, her arms wrapped around your neck. "Deep.." she demanded, so you moved against her, drawing a deep, honest moan straight from her throat, - "Just like that!..Y/n.." her lips trembled and she pressed her chest against yours, your slow fingers on her clit with the purpose of teasing.

"Please.." she asked in a low voice at your teasing, you bit your lip so as not to moan out loud, although you wanted to let her know the pleasure she gives you, you want to listen to her. "Yes doctor?.." you asked with pleasure in her voice, pressing her against you. "God damn you y/n I'm-" before she could finish her hateful sentence your hips slammed into her hard, making her moan loudly, your fingers now rubbing her clit as fast as you could. .

She moaned loudly, her legs shaking as you felt her getting closer. It felt wonderful, your body sweating and your mind feeling blurry, the feeling of being inside her was always perfect, each time better than the last, you moaned loudly and pressed the tip of your nose against her neck. "that's it… come for me" your voice was hoarse and almost unmodulated, you felt drunk, ecstatic.

You moaned loudly and moved even faster, you heard her voice weak and broken, full of pleasure and exhaustion, her insides tightened for a few seconds until the tension vanished. You moved even faster and harder while her legs trembled and her arms tightened against your shoulders. You heard a light scream and you didn't stop, you had to take her to the highest point. You felt her juices burst as her body trembled and shook with each thrust, her legs trembling and moving, squinting and opening them wider in desperation, her insides feeling easier to get in and out of, which only made you feel uncomfortable. I went crazy more.

You kissed her and the moans of both of you fell silent in each other's mouths, your legs trembled as you stopped rubbing her clit, that hand resting and squeezing her thigh, you lifted her up and leaned against the seat, now, she was the one who moved frantically. . Even if she was already done, she loved the pleasure, and she couldn't miss the opportunity to make you cum down from her.

"Keep.." you begged her with her broken voice, a few tears of pleasure in her eyes, your arms wrapped around her and you pressed her against you, moving her desperately. "Please let me cum inside.." you begged for permission as she let out a moan mixed with a laugh. Before you could beg again, you let out a soft cry as she took three last hard leaps onto you, emptying yourself inside her. You pressed her against your chest, feeling the world blurry after such a powerful orgasm.

They both breathed heavily, after a few seconds she took you out of her and lay on your chest, you laughed softly and grabbed her shirt and pulled it down, covering her chest, just as you adjusted her hair and panties. "I have to admit… You're unique" you laughed and sighed again, dazed with pleasure, you put your pp of hers in your boxers and adjusted her clothes, you did the same with her.

She leaned down and kissed your cheek, then, she let herself be overcome and fell silent on your chest, your hands caressed her hair and you kissed her forehead, "Baby… I have to drive home" you continued brushing your lips against her hair, your hands caressing her legs.- "later.." you laughed softly and leaned over to grab a jacket from the back seats and covered her with this, enjoying the way she snuggled against you, she looked so fragile, even if it was wrong, you felt that you loved her, you loved being with her, you weren't pretending anymore. And you'd be lying if you said you didn't cry when you thought she would find out who you really are, a mercenary…

You pushed away the sorrow and just held her even closer, looking towards the foggy window, a living example of the love you knew you shared, you just hoped that even if she found out who you were, she wouldn't leave you, or at least, she wouldn't suffer so much for you. like you already do for her.

[crystal-overdrive]

Hi there! Just want to first say how I enjoy reading your stories and I think your Tav and Gortash dynamic is really cool 🥰. I'm also having gortash brainrot and I've been thinking, Would you mind sharing us your headcannon or just general thoughts on how you think Gortash reacts to his own failure or Tav's failure? (such as their plans falling apart or things not going well for them, or making a mistake etc)

Dear Gortash Brainrot Anon,

Thank you so much, hearing people enjoy my fic really warms my cold, icy heart 🖤. This is a really interesting ask because, so far in the fic, things are going pretty well in terms of the plan to stabilize rulership of the Gate.

In terms of his own failure, I think Gortash's immediate reaction is to pivot to new plans and keep working. He doesn't tolerate failure, not from others but especially not from himself, so he wants to fix the problem asap. If he makes the correct move from there, then it was never really failure, just a step towards further power. Bane's Censure for Impatience tells us that great works do not happen overnight. He won't stop until the problem is solved. His deal with Tav to let her destroy the Absolute in exchange for legitimizing his hero narrative and rulership claim is an example of this! He's loathe to admit failure and would tell anyone it was all part of the plan. Internally, he's not as cool and collected as this course of action would suggest, I hc him as true Banite and therefore, just like any other, his hubris is cut down by fear of Bane and what awaits him in Banehold should he fail Him. Fear motivates him, spurs him onwards: fear of Bane, fear of failure, fear of returning to the nothing he once was, fear that his parents were right about him. This is between him and his god, and I imagine he'd perform ritual punishment on himself for his perceived failures in the eyes of Bane. As for Tav, it depends on the nature of her failure. Anything very minor he'd just use as an excuse to suggest or use Admonition Four as part of their flirtations. Probably humiliate Tav a bit but in a way that is fun for both of them and not serious. For bigger things, he retains his instinct to pivot and fix the issue, so he'd either begin giving Tav direct instruction or just take it off her to do himself. He'd use his own methods, which are considerably more violent and oppressive than the power games of politeness that Tav likes to play. If he saw the failure as Tav's fault he'd be incredibly nasty about it, call her every name in the book, hit her where it hurts by suggesting she is Grand Duke in name only and there just for his pleasure. This isn't just because he's a bastard but because he knows this will motivate her to prove him wrong. If he saw the failure as someone else's fault, well, there'd be some flimsy excuses on the execution docket that day. Hope this answered your question!

Yours Under The Black Hand, 🤚 Crystal

[dissociation-station123]

Toyko Revengers-Hama/Izana X Reader

Mature Content:

You hide your identity and keep your head low. The best thing to do when you work for one of the biggest crime syndicates in the city. How long can you keep it that way?

You were always good at one thing and average in every other way. Unfortunately the one thing you were good at was not meant for you. A world dominated by men whose egos were as inflated as their car’s tires. Therefore you took on an identity. You became somewhat of a ghost. You never socialized and hid your figure under wraps and oversized clothes.

It was easy when all you did was participate in illegal street races. But one fateful night you caught the eye of an important figure within the community. He offered you the kind of money you could only ever dream about. To essentially be a chauffeur who could also get out of sticky situations quickly.

Every instinct was telling you not to take it. But in a world that is run by how much you earn you couldn’t decline. So this was how you became a driver for the biggest crime syndicate in the city almost overnight, Tenjiku.

“Ay y/n!”Hanma, the man who brought you in, called out to you as you waited patiently in the driveway. You kept your distance as much as you could. You avoided talking by explaining you concentrate best with earphones and music. Sometimes social interaction is unavoidable. You slowly walked over keeping your head down.

“You did a good job! Why don’t you come out and celebrate with me and the executives? You earned it!” Hanma laughed, it was deep and powerful. He slapped you across your shoulder and your body flew forward. You caught yourself at the very last minute. “Hey man you need to bulk up! I know you're just a driver but it’s good for you.”

Hanma towered over you. His body was twice the size of your own and he was about your age. Decorated in intricate tattoos, the most prominent being the ones on both of his hands. He was gorgeous but those looks were beyond deceiving.

You heard rumours that he was the attack dog of their group. When anyone threatened them he was quick to react and showed no mercy. That’s why your heart leapt out of your chest any time his attention was directed towards you. Loyalty was everything as well as honesty. You had been keeping a huge secret from them all.

“I’m ok. Thanks though…” You try your best to keep your voice low and quiet. You begin to turn around but Hanma catches your upper arm. You looked up into his golden eyes terrified.

“Come on kid! A few drinks and then you can head out! I promise!” Hanma smiled but it wasn’t sincere. You felt as if he was testing you again. You wanted to shout at him that after so many jobs you should have proven yourself by now. But you knew you could never muster up the courage needed to say it. “Come on… stop being so fucking boring!”

You nodded and gave up your hopeless pursuit of heading home to binge watch a tv show and eat junk food. His arm wrapped around your shoulders, leaning into you and you tense up. “Relax kid… I know you only feel safe with your hands on the wheel. You will have me to look after you.” You nodded again. His nose scrunches up as he assesses your current outfit. “Going to have to get you something better to wear than this hoodie and dingy ass sweatpants though.”

Your heart races once again. This is what you get for being greedy. Hopefully whatever he picks out you can still hide your curvaceous figure.

Hanma leads you inside and to a room. “Let me see. Damn your small…” He shuffles through some clothes. Compared to you!! “Wait, Izana should have something to fit. He likes his clothes to be more form fitting. I’ll be right back.”

Hanma returned not too long after with a button up and dress pants. You prayed to whatever gods existed that you could pull it off. You begin to walk towards the bathroom but he yanks your arm once again. “We are already running behind, hurry up and change.”

Your inner panic takes over, you feel heat rush to your cheeks. “Well I- uh-“ You fumble for an excuse. It was frustrating because you were usually quick to figure out a solution. Hanma looked at you with raised eyebrows, then after a few seconds burst out in a raspy laugh.

“Jesus kid! Fuck fine go! I have never met a criminal who was too shy to change in front of someone else. You're fucking weird!” Hanma berates you and you sigh in relief. He could think whatever he wanted as long as he didn’t find out what you were hiding.

You were pleasantly surprised as you looked in the mirror. You were also glad you had paid a bit more for the binder, it hid your chest perfectly, which was a difficult task. The pants were a bit big so your wide waist was still disguised as well. You frowned at your hair. You were not ready to cut it off. You decided to pull it up into a bun and it worked well enough.

A loud knock interrupted your assessment. “What the hell are you doing in there? Stop jerking off and let’s go!” The deep voice rang out and you inhaled a sharp breath. You were used to all the vulgar talk, it became background noise. But knowing that your whole night will most likely consist of it made you want to throw up.

You pull open the door and Hanma pauses for a second. His eyes look to the ground as he tosses you a suit jacket. You were not sure what that was about but you put on the last item of clothing. “You look more presentable now. So come on.” He mumbles and you follow him out. “I’ll drive this time.” You shrug and mentally prepare yourself.

You begrudgingly order a drink as you sat at the bar with the rest of the Tenjiku crew minus their fearless and deranged leader. This was really your first time hanging around all of them. Hanma was the only one you dealt with consistently. Hanma often reminded you that he was your handler so if you fucked up he got the blame for it from the rest of the executives.

“The famous driver!” A sing-songy voice interrupts your inner panic as you are surrounded by such powerful people. You glance up and are greeted by a large scarred smile. A beautiful woman and man hung off his arm like decor.

“Sanzu what the fuck are you even doing here? This is for executives and up.” Hanma hands you another glass, his palm patting your head. You look up with a scowl.

“Where there is a party you will find me!” Sanzu’s eyes observe you as you awkwardly stand between them. “So I guess executives can bring pets with them?” You mentally groan as they stare each other down. You daydream for a second on how at this very moment you would be relaxing at home with a pile of snacks.

“Hanma relax. Sanzu always brings candy.” Another executive walks up with his hands outstretched. Sanzu grins happily as he digs into his pocket and removes a pill placing it in the open palm.

“Rindou, you're too soft on him.” Hanma complains with a growl. You watch as the man now known as Rindou places the pill in his mouth and swallows. Hanma must have noticed because he is suddenly way too close. “You want one kid? Might loosen your tight ass up a bit.” A shiver travels down your spine, as he whispered in your ear. Your eyes widen and you nod.

“Nnnoo! I’m ok.” You manage to say, causing all the men to laugh in amusement at your reaction. You take a deep sip of whiskey to compensate for the embarrassment.

“This little punk is who you are always hyping up?” Rindou smirks as he follows the pill with a shot. You look to the ground feeling completely out of place.

“Hey cut him some slack. He does his best work behind the wheel. I just thought he deserved a reward.” Hanma shakes you lightly and you grumble. “A chance to chill with us. I don’t know, maybe some pussy will help him to relax a bit.” You watch as Hanma and Rindou chuckle.

You secretly roll your eyes and look back over to the pink haired man in front of you. Sanzu studies you and it makes you very uncomfortable. He gives off a carefree vibe but you could tell he was not all there. “Can I have another glass?” You ask, wanting to hurry this night along.

“Of course kid!” Hanma leads you back to the bar. You glance over your shoulder watching Rindou say something to Sanzu whose eyes never left you, a sinister smirk on his face. Goosebumps form on your arm and you look away.

“Thanks…” you mutter as the bartender slides another glass your way. You quickly drink down the alcohol and Hanma pats your shoulder.

“At least you can hold your liquor!” Hanma grins as you motion for another. “Look, you're doing really well. You have become someone I trust not to fuck shit up. I really do want you to enjoy tonight.” Hanma says as you take the new glass and follow him to sit in a more secluded area.

You listen but the warmth of the alcohol was starting to run its course. “I appreciate your calm demeanor. Hell I’m the opposite so in a way I envy that about you.” Hanma grins as you nod along. “Man of few words.” You take a sip and lean on your hand as he continues to talk.

“Tonight is also about introducing you to the executives and the four heavenly kings. Once they accept you then you will be unstoppable. Trust me. I’m looking out for you kid.” Hanma lowers his voice not to allow the other members to hear your conversation.

You take in what he was telling you. You realize you had proven yourself to him and that was the true reason he had invited you out tonight. “I respect you Hanma. I have come to understand how you are. But I don’t know any of the other execs. I honestly have no interest in power. I just want to be able to drive.” You knew the higher up you went the more risky it became.

“Kid!!! I get it! I really do!” Hanma leans back on the bench. “This is a huge opportunity.” You frown as he tries to convince you the risk was worth it. Hanma recognizes your hesitation and sighs. “Let’s just enjoy tonight. We can discuss business later.” You take another sip and nod.

“Hey…” Another unfamiliar face walks over to you both. “Y/N right?” He looked similar to Rindou but his personality was much more laid back.

“Yeah.” You answer, still observing him catiously. Hanma groans at your distrust.

“He needs a lap dance asap!” Hanma calls out and your eyes widen in panic. “Ran, get one of your best girls!” The man who had just invaded your space claps his hands and smiles.

Ran motions for you to follow him and you bite your lower lip. “Don’t worry! I’ll make sure your taken really good care of.” You look back at Hanma for help but he was pushing you to go. You glare at him one last time as Ran takes you to a back room.

A high end couch set against the wall with end table. “Go on, get comfortable!” Ran says and you take a seat but it’s anything but cozy. Even more so by the fact Ran decides to sit beside you. “I am very impressed by what you have accomplished for us. The fact that you look so innocent in person is useful.”

You try your best to keep your composure. You knew who this man was now that Hanma had mentioned his name. “I am Ran Haitana. I introduce myself with my first name since I don’t want to be confused for my brother who is beyond unprofessional. I am…”

You look down to the ground and find yourself blurting out, “One of the four heavenly kings.” Ran laughs and you look up and see him grinning.

“Precisely.” Ran mutters with a newfound interest. “So you do know how we are organized. If I went by Hanma’s judgement alone I assumed you were only intelligent when it came to a get away. But that is not the case is it?”

You made a mistake. “I just stay to myself. Which leaves me time to observe.” You don’t want to seem too useful to these men. You just wanted to remain as invisible as possible. The way Ran was studying you right now made you believe you might have fumbled. It didn’t help that you were currently a bit fuzzy due to the whiskey from earlier.

Just as Ran was about to speak, the door to the small room opens and a beautiful woman enters with a sweet smile. “Ran!” Her cheerful voice broke up the tension. She quickly dashes forward as Ran stands and gives him a tight hug. “Who is this little cutie?”

“A very valuable member. He is a bit nervous. Could you loosen him up for me sweetheart?” Ran lifts her chin and she smiles brightly as she nods. “That’s my good girl.” Ran rubs her cheek and I turn away at the intimacy. “Come join us when she is done with you y/n!”

“O-okay.” You say and Ran holds in a chuckle as he walks away. You turn your focus on the woman who is now staring down at you, avoiding eye contact. “Look I’m ok really. I just don’t like going out.” You try to reason with her. If she came in here to do what you thought then she would easily figure out that you're not what they think.

“You're so precious!” The gorgeous woman steals Ran’s move and lifts your chin to make you look into her auburn eyes. “Such a pretty face.” She licks her lower lip. You try to sit back but she takes this as an invitation to straddle you. Her light scent invades your nose and you can’t help but take a breath. She places her arms up your neck as you turn your head away.

“Please…” you beg which causes her to make an excited noise. “Mmm.” A small moan escapes your lips as her manicured nails run into the base of your scalp. You feel her begin to move her hips into your own. Your eyes widen in panic. You take hold of her hips to stop her movements.

“Shhh…” she whispers into your ear and shivers travels down your spine as she kisses your neck. You had accomplished too much to be discovered this way. “It’s ok.” Her breath tickles against your skin. The strength you did have was weakened by your drunken state. You freeze up when she leans back and begins unbuttoning your shirt, her eyes low. You grip her wrist out of sheer trepidation.

The woman stops but giggles thinking that this was merely bashfulness. “If you're worried about cameras daddy don’t be. There aren’t any in this room. Let me take care of you.” She pulls away from your grasp and before you knew it your shirt was untucked. “So adorable.” Her amber eyes take in your flushed cheeks.

“You don’t understand…” you say but one of her hands was already up your shirt the other rubbing your crotch. “Damn it…” you knew it was over the moment she sat up with a raised eyebrow.

“Excuse me, I should have said mommy.” The woman does not look startled. She wore an expression of curiosity.

This was the end. Based on how she interacted with Ran you knew she was close to him. After all this time and this was how you would be discovered. “Hey y/n right?” The woman calls out to you and you nod trying not to show how your world was crashing down around you. “I get it.”

You look at her as she gets off your lap and sits beside you. “I worked so hard.” You hear how shaky your voice was. She takes hold of your hand and squeezes gently.

“I know and that is why your secret will be safe with me.” You were not expecting this. “Don’t look at me so shocked!” The woman giggles and you find that you can’t help but smile. “It’s tough out here for us ladies. We do what we have to. Like I said, I get it. My real name is Cole.”

You were not sure what had overcome you but you turned and hugged her tightly. “Thank you Cole!” She laughs loudly and pats your head. “Thank you so much.” You felt as if you could trust her words.

“Y/N please. I actually think you're amazing. I’ve heard them talk about you.” A strange look appears on her face and you frown. “You must think I’m pathetic and vile.” You recognize the shame that has overcome her stunning features.

“What?” You say and shake her shoulders. It was your turn to comfort your new accomplis. “Look at me.” She slowly turns and you smile a genuine smile, it’s been so long since you had. “We do what we have to. I would never judge you. Based on the fact you didn’t run out of here and immediately expose me shows me how strong of a character you possess.”

“You my dear are an angel.” She grins and takes hold of your hand once again. “It’s going to be difficult since they have seemed to have taken notice of you. Just know you are free to visit me anytime.”

“You have no idea how much this means to me.” You mutter then the woman sits up. “What is it?”

“They think I am well, you know.” A sudden blush forms on her cheek and you find it endearing.

“You are looking out for me so I will do the same for you.” You assure her, “I will let them think you turned my world upside down.” Another deep laugh escapes her full lips. She suddenly bops your nose and winks.

“I mean I could still do that.” She teases and you nervously look away. “God damn it, you're so cute!”

“Pff you're cute!” You say as a defense mechanism as she stands and offers you a hand. You take it and she starts messing with your clothes. She leaves one button undone and tucks part of your shirt back in.

“There!” You look down and see that your outfit is a bit disheveled and give her a thumbs up. “I think that will be convincing enough.” She loops your arm in hers and begins to walk to the door.

When you both emerge from the other side Hanma and Ran were talking. They both look up with knowing eyes as they hear you exit. “This man right here Ran..” Cole winks at you once again as she runs her nails down your arm, “A diamond in the rough I tell you.” She slides her thumb across your lower lip seductively.

“You're making me so jealous.” Ran teasingly pouts, she kisses your cheek, whispers for you to trust her and saunters over to sit in his lap. Hanma looks at you with a devilish expression as you sit beside him, abruptly shaking your shoulders. You groan in annoyance.

“Y/N…” Ran addresses his tone more series. “Our boss has a meet up soon. I personally don’t trust it. This is why I had Hanma bring you tonight. If shit goes south I need you to be able to get him out fast.”

This was a huge opportunity that was being presented. Again in the back of your mind you wanted to refuse. “You will never want for anything again kid.” Hanma per usual recognized your weary and suspicious demeanor.

“What do you think doll?” Ran holds Cole’s waist, his hands sprawling across her thighs. “Does he have what it takes?” You wanted to tell her that she was more than what she believed herself to be. You knew seeing how Ran waited for her response that he took heed to her words. She was just as powerful as any man in this room, you wanted to make sure she knew that. You could only portray your thoughts with a sly glance her way. She caught on and smirked as she nuzzled into Ran’s neck.

“Baby he is beyond capable.” Her voice was like a hypnotizing melody as she purred into his ear. Hanma nudges my side and I push him. Ran makes a satisfied sound as she nibbles his earlobe.

“Well then all that’s left is for you to accept the job.” Ran turns back to you, his gaze more intense as he waits for your response.

“I’ll do it.” You say confidently and Hanma cheers beside you. “But I’m taking this idiot beside me in case I need some muscle. Fair?” Hanma growls at your insult and you nudge him this time.

Ran laughs and agrees to your terms. The conversation comes to an end as he tightly squeezed Cole’s upper thigh. “Well now that business is through let us get back to indulging in a bit of pleasure. What do you say lovely?”

“Ran…” Cole says amused by his desperate touch. “Such a naughty thing.” She looks over at you. “It was really nice getting to know you and that pretty little face.” She stands up and Ran follows behind.

“Hell yeah! Let’s get a few more rounds then I’ll take you back!” Hanma sounds more excited about what just happened than you felt. You shrug and head to the bar once again. Now that one of the heavenly kings was somewhat on your side you felt more at ease. More willing to let go of the wall you had built up.

“Fix your shirt!” You look down and laugh which takes Hanma by surprise. You adjust your clothes back in place and feel him sneaking glances in your direction as you order more drinks.

Hanma’s POV

Y/N was currently taking a shot with Rindou. This was the most social I had ever seen him. I felt a bit bad getting him even more mixed up in Tenjiku business. He was beyond talented when it came to handling a vehicle. I couldn’t just look past the kids' talent.

“Kid!! You about ready?” I shouted and laughed at the state he was in. He grumbles as he makes his way back over.

“I mean you dragged me out here. We could (hic up) stay if you want.” I had to steady him as he fell forward. His long hair had started to fall down into his face. His eyes had begun to glaze over and his cheeks were flushed due to his intoxicated state. He was really pretty… the thought entered my mind and I shook my head. I took hold of his shoulder aggressively and he whined. My chest felt tight when I heard it.

“I don’t think you could handle it.” I laughed trying to distract myself from this strange feeling. “Come on time to take you home!” Just as I was about to help him walk out, Sanzu intervened.

“Hanma! When did you become such a prude! Stay! Y/N won’t you spend some time with me?” Sanzu’s voice held a tone of seduction that I did not appreciate. A strange rage started to emerge from the surface.

“He is mine! Back off Sanzu…” I growled and Y/N giggled. “What’s so funny?” I ask, annoyed. Y/N looks up with a smirk and I let go pushing away from him. “Fuck it if you want to stay fucking stay. But you better be ready when I call you.”

“No Hanma! I’m sorry! I’m ready!” Y/N still looks way too amused for my liking but I feel myself calming down. I go to steady him once again and Y/N waves stupidly at everyone as we leave. I had sobered up after a while so I easily opened the door and set him into the passenger seat.

I get into the car and begin to pull out of the parking lot. I try my best to focus on the road. “It’s like you were jealous back there!” The dumb kid says giggling. I clench my jaw, not sure why the statement pissed me off so much.

“I am your handler, dumbass. I have to look out for you.” I say trying to also convince myself. I had never been attracted to men before but everytime I look over at him I want to touch him. What the hell is wrong with me? The rest of the drive was quiet.

I pull into his driveway and once again help him out of the car. “Thank you handler!” Y/N says with sarcasm and I sigh. “Ooo my keys are in my front pocket!” I lean over and try not to let the closeness of our bodies bother me. I reach into his front pocket quickly and then nervously fumble with the lock. “Hanma! I thought I was the drunk one!” Y/N laughs and I lose a bit of control.

I push open the door and slam it closed. I also in the process push him against the frame blocking him in with my body. My hand easily reaches around his throat. “Kid I joke with you but you will show me respect. I am an executive after all.”

“Hanma…” His voice was a bit raspy and his eyes rolled back from my hold on his neck. My cock twitched from the image. I pressed my fingers harder cutting off his air flow and groaned when he moaned breathlessly. Shit… shit… shit… “Please…” Y/N gasped for breath, his nails digging into my forearm. “I’m sorry…”

I step back and run my fingers through my hair in an attempt to regain my composure. “Your home. Get some rest and I will see you tomorrow.” I push past him in a rush not wanting to confront these desires I had just experienced. Y/N gives me a confused glance but nods. “God you do have a pretty face…” I grumble as I practically run out the door.

[zeldahime]

Highway to Pail Day 22

[Day 1] [Prev] [Next] @do-it-with-style-events

February 22: What kind of cigarettes do angels have? Holy Smokes!

Aziraphale was having a miserable time trying to kick the habit. He didn't even want to, really, but unlike his other vices, this one apparently managed to cause cancer in humans just by their being around it, and he wanted to avoid unnecessary harm more than he wanted to indulge in the pleasure of a good long smoke.

Unfortunately for him, Aziraphale had seen enough of his neighbors in Soho quit tobacco over the centuries, and especially the last three decades, to know what to expect*. Irritability, cravings, increased appetite, restlessness: all common symptoms. All symptoms the angel was experiencing right now.

He glowered at a young woman who had entered his shop with her eyes on his first-edition Milne, handbag at the ready, until she gave up her nerve and left to threaten some other bookseller with buying their precious books. He paced behind his desk, unable to focus on any the new novels crowding his desk or on any of his favorites. He thought about dinner at the Ritz with Crowley with unusual fervor, his stomach actually grumbling in the way it usually didn't.

He really wanted a damned cigarette.

By the time Crowley swung in his blasted automobile, Aziraphale was three days clean and quite ready to bite his head off (or someone's head, anyway).

"Must you make such a racket?" he demanded in lieu of greeting, having bustled out of the bookshop as soon as he heard Crowley lay down his horn outside. (He'd forgotten to flip the sign and lock the door, but the bookshop knew to do that itself anyway.) Crowley's answering smirk and wink—and how did he always make sure it was clear he was winking through those dratted glasses, anyway—only irritated him further. "You may not care what your neighbors think of you, but I actually live with mine."

"I care!" Crowley protested. "I make sure they're good and frightened of that terrifying stranger who haunts the top floor, don't I?"

Aziraphale gave Crowley a once-over and sniffed.

"Yes, the terrifying stranger who dresses like a junior MP; I'm sure they're all quaking in their boots."

"I'll show you boots," Crowley grumbled, and turned the radio to bebop to get out of this conversation. Aziraphale took the forfeit as a win, restoring his mood slightly.

Eating also helped. Aziraphale's conversational snipes subsided somewhat once they were served and generally changed target from Crowley himself to the ideas presented. By dessert, Aziraphale felt nearly himself again, though his lungs still craved the bright grassy smoke of his Sweet Aftons.

Not that he had Sweet Aftons anymore. He'd smoked his last pack before quitting, to make sure that temptation did not lurk in his bookshop. He knew well how temptation worked, and would not fall prey to it unless he really wanted to (see: exhibit Crowley).

"So what bee's gotten into your bonnet today, angel?" Crowley asked as Aziraphale finished his pudding and dabbed at his face with a napkin, a gentle smile on his face. "That Thompson bloke try to buy your Wildes again?"

"Edmund Thompson will never get his hands on my Dorian Gray, no matter how many times he bats his eyelashes at me," Aziraphale said primly, "and he should jolly well know it by now." Crowley's suppressed laughter at his irritation was at least as sweet as any Virginia blend, Aziraphale thought.

He still rather badly wanted a cigarette, but it wouldn't be so bad; he was used to wanting things he wasn't allowed to have, and the pleasure of Crowley's company was always a balm to it.

--

*Crowley, who would quit smoking in two years because he'd be assigned to working some Phillip Morris executives in America before realizing exactly how evil they already were on their own, did not know what the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal were, and therefore would not experience any of them.

--

Author's note:

I would like to thank people on this pipe-smoking forum for actually talking about what tobacco tastes like instead of delivering a lecture on why I shouldn't start smoking. I know that already, Reddit! That's why I'm Googling it instead of smoking it myself!

I mentally set this in the mid-to-late 90s, since it seemed like that was about when the dangers of second-hand smoke began to percolate out to the public. Smoking bans in the UK seem to have begun in 1987, but they also seem to have been primarily fire-safety bans, not public health bans, until 2006. The 90s seemed like a good compromise position.

I chose Sweet Aftons for Aziraphale for a couple reasons: 1) they had a literary name and history; 2) they were unfiltered and single-source, which seems like an especially Aziraphale way to smoke; and 3) I liked the way the name sounds and looks!

[satancopilotsmytardis]

Wow, I did not expect for you to finish chapter one so soon!

Oh damn, that's a lot. Also, Tomura choosing to make a deal with him right as Dabi dies is mean. Expected in a fic like this, but mean. I don't think Dabi would have ended up as a demon otherwise? At least not from what is said in the beginning.

I guess his rage about Enji's accusations and the fact that he was being executed caught Tomura's interest? Or maybe Tomura was already watching the Todoroki's, hmmm.

Thank you Spinner, that is very comforting. I too would like to hear that I owe you my life in order to trust you. For real though, I always love it when you write Spinner as a healer/doctor in your fics.

Okay, so colours are assigned to the sins, yes? I'm assuming red for wrath, because that's always Tomura's colour. Purple for pride, since it's at the center of the door. Light blue for sloth, since you mentioned that that's Spinner's sin and he has a blue pattern in his clothes.

Spinner leaving as soon as the job is done. He did explain a little more than he needed to though, so it's not like he was entirely unhelpful. Lol.

Dabi's clothes do have red detailing. I wonder if it's because he went to hell because of wrath, or because he belongs to Tomura. Probably the second, since Tomura complains about how weak his wrath is.

Well, that sure is one way to test the limits of the bond. I wonder if Tomura is made aware of all the times Dabi tries to break the deal?

Tomura feeding Dabi fruit while he is studying to see how long it takes him to notice is so funny to me. He really has been fairly lenient. For a demon prince, that is. I wonder how much someone's aspect influences their personality? Does Shigaraki feel a need for violence and rage at all times? It would explain some of his behaviour.

Oop, there comes the envy. We know it's not going to be Dabi's aspect, but yeah. I can see what you mean when you said it would have been in other circumstances.

Dabi tries to indulge. He tries so hard to get stronger so that he can have a chance of maybe someday getting away from Shigaraki. Not that that will ever happen.

What a note to end on! Shigaraki is right about Dabi needing to let go of the teachings of the church, but it's very little time to relearn everything that used to define you.

Lol mean, but Dabi didn't offer himself up for a deal until that moment so it's really on him, isn't it? And yes, in theory, not offering that deal should have meant Everlasting for him, but he'll just never know, now will he?

He definitely caught Tomura's interest for a few reasons, but I guess we'll have to wait and see what those were 😏

It's gotta be someone, and while I like Twice and Toga going into medicine if they're going to recover and be rehabilitated from villainy, I don't think it would fit them as villains, since her quirk is so good for espionage and his is so good in a fight, therefore they would always be stuck doing that for the greater good of their friends. Meanwhile, in recovery, I don't think Spinner would want anything to do with the medical field, but he would do it as a villain if it meant that he could make himself more useful to his friends since his quirk is so weak.

Colors are assigned to the sins! Like according to Google they have canonical colors which I looked up to use for this! Envy is green, dark blue is Lust, light blue is Sloth, red is Wrath, purple is Pride, orange is Gluttony, and yellow is Greed! I was originally going to make up my own colors, but I decided to go with these ones to keep any confusion at bay for people who were already familiar with the canon ones!

Spinner is a sleepy little guy! Let him rest!! He's also wearing a ruby because it shows which prince owns their soul, hence also why someone unclaimed by an aspect yet, is also wearing red!

Tomura absolutely knows.

Dabi is an adorable little garbage disposal while he's distracted, or you could just try handing him/balancing things on him and wait to see how long it takes for him to notice. Tomura has definitely been lenient, but his patience has its limits! There will be more details about how aspects effect one as the story progresses, but it's pretty safe to say that it impacts all aspects of their daily lives!

Envy and Wrath are both great aspects for Dabi in canon but in this story? After being able to have a good relationship with the rest of his family for eleven years? Nah, he's too sad about losing them to be as angry about it as he should be.

Dabi is trying! But yeah, the church has a stranglehold on him. But maybe Shigaraki's leading by example and taking a more... 'hands-on' approach to Dabi's indulgences will help with that 😏😏😏

Thank you so much for commenting!

[madelgard]

Hi! I've gotten very into the Motti/Jerjerrod ship because of your fics, so I wanted to ask: how did you start shipping them? I'm very sold on the pairing now, so I was curious how you discovered it if you don't mind sharing!

Good question, and thank you for the ask! The answer to this is LONG so uh please enjoy this essay under the cut.

👇👇👇 ship discourse below 👇👇👇

WHY YOU SHOULD SHIP CONAN ANTONIO MOTTI & TIAAN JERJERROD, THE HOTTEST IMPERIALS YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF

While I've written a lot of Motti/Jerjerrod and have developed quite a few headcanons for their families, personal histories, etc., for the purposes of this post I am sticking to as much canon info as possible. Although their screen time is limited in the original trilogy, there's enough one-off references or minor background appearances in other Star Wars media to give you a solid understanding of who they are as characters, and why their chemistry would be absolutely volcanic.

CANON BACKGROUND INFO: CHARACTER SIMILARITIES

Extreme Wealth: both men are from families who are absolutely loaded. Jerjerrod in particular seems to be from some level of planetary aristocracy.

Navy Men: Jerjerrod is a Rear Admiral in the Navy before being catapulted to the Moff posting, and Motti likewise is a Naval officer.

Death Star Link: both commanded the Death Stars—Motti for the DS-1, Jerjerrod for the DS-2. Also, Jerjerrod helped design the first Death Star, so we have a canon basis for him interacting with Motti there.

High-ranking Naval officers at very young ages: in A New Hope, Motti is an Admiral and also commander of the DS-1 on the sunny side of his 30s (the actor was 31). Likewise, when Motti is commanding the first Death Star, Jerjerrod is right there with him as a Rear Admiral (again, a good basis for them canonically interacting) and he's also in his very early 30s as well:

From the novel Tarkin, by James Luceno (2014).

Both men are members of the hyper-exclusive Joint Chiefs (see above excerpt), which is (per Wookieepedia) the executive group that advised the Emperor on all martial-related matters. Here they are at work:

Force Choke Buddies: Both Motti and Jerjerrod are the only two officers to be choked by Vader on-screen and survive. Narrative parallels my beloved.

Clever Boys: Based on the fact that both Motti and Jerjerrod have ascended the ranks so rapidly, in postings that were probably based mostly on merit (i.e., I would assume a nepotism hire in the Empire gets a big fuckoff war ship and a posting in the Outer Rim, maybe, but you’re not putting him on the Joint Chiefs where he can do REAL damage on a galactic scale, nor would you put Idiot Cousin Cleetus in charge of the Death Star if he couldn’t cut it), we can therefore extrapolate that they are very clever/capable in their respective fields. Jerjerrod is a textbook overachiever and Motti is a pain in the ass who's naturally skilled at warfare; put them in the same room and watch them row until they're breathless.

They’re Hot Actually: This is more of an aesthetic focus but hey, we can be shallow: they’re both six feet tall (going off the actors here—Wookieepedia has an absolutely insane level of incorrect body stats for minor characters) and, in my (correct) opinion, very good looking. Tall, hot, rich, entrenched in the upper echelons of a sci-fi fascist military organization—what’s not to love?

EVIDENCE OF HOTNESS

Michael Pennington (Tiaan Jerjerrod)

Richard LeParmentier (Conan Antonio Motti)

CANON BACKGROUND INFO: DIFFERENCES WHICH GUARANTEE SEXUAL TENSION

I. NAVAL EXPERTISE:

Motti is an active wartime commander. He’s mean, he’s aggressive, he’s a spiked cog in the Imperial war machine. There’s a surprisingly rich amount of canon info (though a lot was lost in Legends, sadly) on how Motti is King Dick of Fuck Mountain:

From Star Wars: The Essential Guide to Warfare Author's Cut, Part 11: "Serving the Empire"

Jerjerrod, in contrast, is NOT at home commanding a fleet in the field of war. He’s…well, a nerd. He’s a mathematically minded technocrat with a blue-blooded pedigree and a habitual uneasiness in the face of danger. Shove a blaster at Motti and he’ll blow your head off. Shove a blaster at Jerjerrod and watch him flounder.

Seriously, we know that Jerjerrod (1) wanted to design starships, which is why he joined the Navy—it’s the engineering and architectural work that calls to him, not warfare, and (2) he’s interested in The Finer Things, like his art vault that’s definitely not filled with erotic art of handsome men and fancy jewels, which were hilariously burgled in canon:

From the Star Wars Databank. “suffered the indignity,” god. Can he be any more dramatic? (yes)

II. CORE WORLDS VERSUS OUTER RIM:

Conan Antonio Motti is from Seswenna, in the Seswenna sector (where Tarkin’s homeworld of Eriadu is located). This sector is the wealthy carve-out in the Outer Rim, where the big money families who don’t live in the Core are located.

Tiaan Jerjerrod is from Tinnel IV (also called “Tinnel”) in the Quanta sector, which is in the Core and notably conservative as a planet. So you get the contrast of culture/values here: the Core is stifling, plummy, oppressive and rigid in its customs and laws; and the Outer Rim is…laxer. There’s a sort of muggy languidness going on out in the more distant slice of space, and it seems to be reflected in the characterization we get for these (extremely) minor Imperials.

III. DIFFERING PHYSIQUES:

Ok so this isn’t “canon background info” so much as “canon physical info about the actors” but I would be remiss if I did not point out that, while both Motti and Jerjerrod are equally tall, Motti is…a lot wider. Jerjerrod has an excellent set of shoulders but he’s absolutely a long lean line compared to Motti. I mean, just look at them in turtlenecks:

Willowy Aristocrat next to a Certified Big Boy. Perfection.

IV. CONTRASTING PERSONALITIES:

What we see of Motti in A New Hope and subsequent media is a man who is arrogant, loud, and prone to saying exactly what he wants to, consequences be damned. He is not tactful; he’s bold and aggressive (which fits his inexplicable American accent, by the way; he’s a cowboy, he’s shooting from the hip, he’s in your face with his hot opinions and you cannot hit the ‘lift button fast enough to run away from him).

Seriously, just look how Motti canonically exercises as an example of his obnoxious alpha-male personality (btw this is the single gayest piece of writing in all of Star Wars):

From the novel Death Star, by Michael Reaves and Steve Perry (2011). “Stripped to a speed-trap and drenched in his own sweat” sure is…something. (If you’d like to read about Jerjerrod losing his marbles over Motti’s speed-strap I have conveniently written a story here).

Jerjerrod in contrast is…well, arrogant as well, it seems, with how dismissive he is of Vader. But he’s snippy, and passive-aggressive in a way Motti is not. He also seems to choose his words far more carefully, and he’s noticeably fearful in a way other officers don’t appear to be (which makes sense, given he’s been a desk admiral his entire career until we see him thrust center-stage as commander of the DS-2 in RotJ; he's uncomfortable so he's getting nervy and whiny).

The rough draft of RotJ does a great job at showing what an absolute passive-aggressive bitch Jerjerrod can be. Witness (also he's a Grand Moff in the draft, which is neat on its own):

Jerjerrod is a sort of unholy mix of star mathlete and head cheerleader, whereas Motti is a jock in charge of a fleet of warships. Naturally they should bang, and also marry each other.

V. THE CHOKING SCENES:

A great example of their contrasting/complimentary personalities is in their respective choking scenes.

CONTRASTING:

Motti is choked and he takes it like a man:

Jerjerrod is choked and he looks like a hamster being squeezed too hard:

COMPLIMENTARY:

Motti is freed from the Force choke, and he looks to be seconds away from standing up and starting another fight.

Jerjerrod is freed from the Force choke, and he gets a really snide attitude about it as well (witness the hips), but of course unlike Motti he’s going to tactfully retreat. Like Motti, he's going to go back to his room and bitch about the AUDACITY of this workplace assault, probably while soaking in the tub.

So yeah, you can easily envision these two in a Joint Chiefs meeting arguing back and forth, the air is electric, everyone is uncomfortable, and the sexual tension is high enough to throw off the artificial gravity generator.

TL;DR

This is getting too long, whoops. Tl;dr: here’s why the Motti/Jerjerrod ship is so great:

Motti and Jerjerrod are a study in contrasts: two men on essentially equal footing as to height, wealth, and power, but radically different in their personalities—fire and ice, red oni and blue oni, however you want to put it. They’re foils in some ways and truly complimentary in others. Let them poke and prod and obsess, let the sexual tension boil over until they’re drowning in it, and let them go at each other like cats in heat. They deserve it.

📝✍️Fics 📝✍️

While I would recommend perusing the entire tag (over 150 fics!), these are some helpful introductory fics:

Collections

Imperial Entanglements by madelgard - individual, unconnected oneshots ranging from the Cadet Era through the original trilogy, serving as a useful crash-course to the ship.

Imptober 2023 collection by @alex-dax - 31 oneshots with many ships represented, including a lot of stellar Motti/Jerjerrod. Very steamy collection of fics, with a focus on explicit smut and intense, tender emotions.

The Phantom Imptober by @shakespeareaddict - multiple pairings are in this oneshot collection, including several gorgeous Motti/Jerjerrod pieces. Special shoutout to the bootlicking oneshot *cough*

Connected Series

Basic Training: The Naval Academy Years by madelgard - a connected series tracking Cadet Tiaan and Cadet Conan falling in love and getting together in the Naval Academy era.

Csillan Nights by @alex-dax - Thrawn takes his motley crew to Csilla, Remnants-era. Also includes some phenomenal Motti/Jerjerrod/Thrawn shipping. Extremely hot series, go read it right now.

✨Fanart ✨

Full pic here for reblogging, art by @fonyaa (@Fonyaa_Art on twitter).

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @littledozerdraws

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @hoth-and-cold

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @hoth-and-cold

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @yourdeadprince

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @elf-insert

Reblog on tumblr here, art by @azul-alvarez

🌶️SPICY FANART🌶️

Reblog on Tumblr here, art by @fonyaa (@Fonyaa_Art on twitter).

Reblog on Tumblr here, art by @fonyaa (@Fonyaa_Art on twitter).

Full pic here for reblogging, art by @fonyaa (@Fonyaa_Art on twitter).

Reblog on Tumblr here, art by @fonyaa (@Fonyaa_Art on twitter).