#and this novel situation has some of them restless

[ittybittyfanblog]

Error 404: (Self-Aware!AU, Sylus Edition) – Pt. 4

Summary: A LADS self-aware!AU featuring Sylus and a (vindicated!) player. That’s it, that’s the plot. Tags: player!reader x sylus, fem!reader x sylus, reader x lads, self-aware!au, strong language, player wants to sock a certain 3D character in the face  A/N: Here’s part 4! Also, a taglist at the end of this post! Just lmk whether you'd like to be added/removed, no sweat ദ്ദി(˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧ Happy reading!

Pt. 1 - Pt. 2 - Pt. 3 - Pt. 4 - Pt. 5 - Pt. 6 - Pt. 7 - Pt. 8 - Pt. 9 - Pt. 10 - Epilogue

You swiftly pull up Reddit. And then Twitter (X) on another window. You’ve got to find answers.

Typing in “sENTIENT SENTINCE SENTIENCE LADS ML HELP” in the r/LoveAndDeepspace subreddit search bar, along with keywords that have anything to do with “breaking the fourth wall” and “recent major updates” on X, you quickly scour for anything that comes even close to your current situation. 

Immediately, you see a bunch of mix-match results, some even dating as far as the first month of the game’s release. Your eyes skim through blocks of texts, hoping there’s a comment – or a tweet – somewhere that could shed some light to this conundrum. 

Already, you see some discussion on sudden fourth wall breaks. But you’ve seen posts like this before, and they’re most likely pertaining to the way their LI’s gaze falls directly on the player’s line of sight when they’re in Dynamic Pose mode in Glint Photobooth. 

The common suspects for this are usually Xavier and your resident headache (Sylus). It's one of the “known” bugs of the game, even so far as being choreographed, almost, from the way players intentionally pose the MLs at certain angles to attain the likeness of sentience.   

You remember the first time it happened to you, way back when the Photobooth feature was just recently introduced. You were taking photos of Xavier—letting him pose freely in dynamic mode so that you could capture a more organic look, when his eyes “met” yours directly. 

Of course like any other (delusional) player, you entertained the novel idea of actually being noticed by the videogame character you’ve formed an unhealthy attachment to. Got excited, squealed over it, felt an instant doki-doki on your kokoro—the whole shebang. 

… Along with probably hundreds of other players who’ve experienced the same thing. 

So, yes, these instances occur more frequently than one would think. Not really what you’d call particularly noteworthy. 

Then you see the threads from players who swear that their LIs really understand how they feel during their tête-à-tête sessions. It sounds promising, and you spend a few minutes reading through their "testimonies."

—Until you surmise from what you’ve gathered that all of them only appear like they do. How Rafayel, Zayne (and yes, even Sylus) seem to know what they need to hear, from how accurate their generated responses are. 

Keyword: generated. So, no. They still aren’t anything more than glorified soundboards with really good timing, however attractive it may be to think otherwise. 

Ooh, that one sounds a little too bitchy, even for you. 

It’s got nothing to do with the players, nor has it anything to do with how the game works, really— bugs and all. Fuck, you were one of those people who milked the fantasy over the same coincidences once upon a time. You were. Before the coincidences started to be anything but. 

Before you had to worry whether you still have your mental faculties in order.

With every—misleading—post you stumble upon, you feel yourself becoming more restless. There’s a fervent glaze in your eyes and your typing’s getting diabolically worse. (you could barely read that last search input–bitch, how are you fit to work?) You’re sure that if you looked in a mirror right now, you’d look as deranged as you feel.

Xavier “bug” that looks so real omg?? Skip.

Sylus – New Voiceline? You check it out. Yeah, It’s just one of his newer—programmed—voicelines. 

Conversations with Rafayel got ~too real~ all of a sudden. You wish that yours had stayed the way they’ve always been, but alas. 

Stop feeding into my delusions [Zayne] challenge: Failed. Oh? You’re almost done reading the first paragraph of the Redditor’s post, when you catch sight of the latest update below: 

Resolved. Uninstalled the game. Multi-banners are getting too expensive (See my other post). Okay, you respect that. Hear that, Infold—

You’re slowly losing hope. Clearly, your case is kind of… mayhaps a tiny bit… different. From the rest. Dare say, exceptionally so.

To what end, you don’t know. You’re left with more questions than answers, and the primary enigma isn’t giving you much to work with.

Without anything else left to do, you resort to mindless scrolling. You’re swiping up, scrolling endlessly through the Top Posts of All Time, and it feels like you’re about to reach the end of this damn subreddit… When an unassuming post from a deleted user catches your attention. 

It only got a few upvotes, and barely enough comments to gain traction. Unless one’s desperate enough to have been looking as hard as you are, it just looks like one of the many random dead posts from months ago. Nothing special. 

Even the title is unassuming: I think the game’s broken??

You start to read.

Hi, so uhhh I’m 2 months in the game and everything’s been going well and all… Until a few days ago. IDK if this is a bug ?? but my Rafayel’s been acting so weird lately….. Ik I’m gonna sound delusional, but it’s like he’s actually aware of me ME. Not my MC. 

He’s got a bunch of new dialogues, and they’re all so accurately specific it’s creeping me tf out LMAO. IDK how the devs got THIS much info on me (like is this even legal) but they do. Or at least, Rafayel does? That sounds rly stupid out loud but yeah lol. Oh and he doesn’t even let me switch between MLs anymore. The game just… crashes? whenever I try to. 

Always been a Rafayel main (he’s the reason why I installed the game in the first place) so I was REALLY ecstatic over what I thought were new updates from the game… buuut when I tried looking it up, I can’t find any related news from the official LADS channel(s) about recent patches or updates with this feature, and no one seems to know what I’m talking about??? 

I feel like I’m going crazy… Literally as I’m typing this, Rafayel’s spamming me with notifications. He’s so fucking clingy… I love it??

Plsplspls if anyone’s experiencing the same thing, comment or DM meee. I need someone to talk to, aside from the fishie lmao no matter how much he insists that he’s enough omg (?!?!!)

Holy shit— you can’t believe it. This… this is exactly what you’re looking for. 

The six comments under the post ranged from calling it complete bull to outright mocking the OP, and you understand why the post didn’t get any more popular. 

For a brief moment, you feel a certain kinship with the original poster. A tinge of… shame (?) washes over you as you scan through all the negative reception; it’s as if the harsh insults were hurled directly at you instead.

How fun. There goes your fleeting idea to post the same question on the forum, if all else fails. 

Speaking of. Your eyes quickly dart to the small text just above the title to check their username—but to your utter dismay, you see (and remember) that it’s from a deleted account. 

The user no longer exists.  

God, that can’t be it.

You spend a solid twenty minutes trying to look up ways to retrieve information—contacts, socials, anything—from deleted accounts. No dice. 

Deep in your gut, you know that whatever else you could possibly find on both apps wouldn’t compare to what you’ve already come across.

You’ve officially hit a dead end. 

-

-

-

With heavy limbs and a downtrodden spirit, you haul yourself up from the floor—just to turn around and collapse face first on the sofa. A deep, drawn-out groan escapes you as you shut your eyes, trying to calm yourself down from all the stuff that’s been boggling your brain. 

It doesn’t seem like you’ll be finding a solid answer to your question (questions, in plural) any time soon. So what else can you do? 

Well, aside from putting away your groceries; the currently-thawing fish and the condensing bags of pre-cut veggies aren’t going to store themselves inside a freezer anytime soon. A loudly meowing ball of fur has also been relentlessly clawing at your leg at the foot of the sofa for the past five minutes, demanding to be fed and petted.

Whoops. You hastily push yourself back on your feet to address these pressing tasks pronto.

..

…

…..

 (Now that’s out of the way—)

You swipe your phone open—yet again—as you flop back onto the couch. And, maybe, you’re a glutton for punishment. Maybe you’re just a little too over the excitement of the unknown factors in play. Or maybe, you just want another shot– to try one last time—

What you know, though, is that whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed about stuff at work, or you need something to distract yourself with, you open the silly otome game on your phone to make yourself feel better. 

So. That’s exactly what you do. Even if that silly otome game’s now the reason why you’re feeling so goddamned stressed at the moment.

 

Go figure. 

The game boots up. You sullenly glare at the loading bar as it progresses from 35%.... 

68%.... 

95%......... 

Once again, Sylus_v1.0 (!) greets you from the center of the home screen, looking exactly the same as he did last when you opened the app, which was— damn, has it really been over three hours already? 

“At this hour, the day is just getting started,” he remarks nonchalantly, folding his arms across his chest as his eyes drift to whatever’s on his left. 

You give him a dead-eyed stare; slightly wary, but overall unimpressed by the act. “God, I hope the fuck not.” 

There’s no new content since your last proper login, as far as you can tell. At first glance, you see some of the regular, daily badge notifications, but nothing really stands out to you. There’s no unexpected red dot on the mail icon this time, nor is there any on the Hunter Info tab. 

So far, so good. 

With slight hesitation, you begin to speak, even if you aren’t sure whether your intended recipient can actually hear you or not.

“Um, so. I’m really kinda freaking out right now and–” You cut yourself off, swallowing down the frustration building in your throat. There’s an edge to your voice as you speak your next words, “it’s because you’re– you’ve been giving me mixed signals. I–I don’t know what to think anymore–!”

 

He remains unmoving, showing no signs of having registered what you just said. You sigh. 

“Ugh, it sounds like I’m talking to an actual boyfriend or something. This is driving me nuts.”

 

Still no response. 

“Can’t you give me a sign?” You whine defeatedly, trying to catch the eye of the pixelated man on your phone who’s resolutely looking at the right side of the screen. Is he purposely avoiding eye contact or what? “Like… I don’t know—blink twice if you understand what I’m saying right now.” 

He blinks. Once. Fucking—

Does he think this is some kind of joke? 

“I’m gonna poke your dick off,” You threaten him menacingly, your pointer finger at the ready to commit assault. “I swear, I’m gonna do it—” 

Wait. Was that a twitch on his lips? 

Pausing, you narrow your eyes at him, critical in your scrutiny for any sign that might reveal the truth to this stupid charade he’s putting on. Because it’s a charade. It has to be. 

All of a sudden, embarrassment colors your cheeks as it dawns on you what you just said to him. What you’re poised to do. Fuck, you just wanted to get a rise out of him. Test the waters or some shit. Then again, if he’s actually aware– if he CAN actually hear you— 

Quickly, you retract your finger away from where it hovers precariously centimeters above his crotch area. “Right. Sorry.” 

Scrunching your nose, you press the Agenda icon on the corner, resignation sitting heavy in your chest. Since it doesn’t look like you’re getting any answers tonight, you might as well just do your daily tasks while you’re in-game, right? 

So you go through the motions of ticking off each task on the list half-heartedly, collecting the subsequent rewards one by one; just enough to reach the hundred star mark. 

It’s petty, no doubt irrational, but you steer clear from anything that would require you to interact with him. You start off with what’s easiest to complete: gifting Stamina, spending Stamina, spending more Stamina, and buying items from the Shop. 

Speaking of items… You try your best to act indifferent as you catch sight of the staggering number of red dias that has recently come to your possession, there on the upper right corner of the screen. Before you could even recall the other materials so kindly gifted to you the other night, you immediately exit the Store window to go about your business after you’ve finished collecting today’s free loot. 

You breeze through the Bounty Hunts and Core Hunt stages with excessive use of the Auto Pursuit option, rinsing and repeating until you’re almost out of energy. You don’t want to risk playing an actual battle, since your strongest Memory Cards are from the man you’re currently giving the cold shoulder to.

Also, you have no idea what to expect once you enter combat mode—and right now, you can’t be damned to know. 

Before you know it, you’re done with the daily Agenda. Close enough, at least. You didn’t even have to interact with the white-haired male LYLA wannabe to get the hundred golden stars. Go, you. 

Without anything left to do, you’re back to staring at the—now-seated—man on the home screen who’s still intent on avoiding you. There’s Mephisto perched on his finger, appearing in a plume of black feathers, projecting a holographic screen for the Onychinus leader to scroll through whatever evil juju he’s been up to lately—the very picture of calm detachment. 

Almost a minute passes by. 

You can’t help it. Poke. Pokepokepokepoke—

���Once you’re trapped in life’s banality, the only thing left is “staying alive.”"

“Oh, for the love of— is that a hint or not?!”

You really wish you could’ve talked to the person on Reddit about this. Ask them whether their version of Rafayel had also been this difficult, this uncooperative. It can’t be that different from what you’re dealing with, could it? 

Just a chance to talk… You brood wistfully. To know what’s happening to them right now. Ask them for advice on how to provoke some type of reactio–

Suddenly, something clicks in your brain, and you almost bite your tongue to prevent the spark of anticipation from showing on your face.  

"Alright, you win," you concede with an exaggerated sigh, raising your arms over your head to appear as if you’re simply stretching away the stiffness in your muscles. You try to inject as much reluctance in your tone. “You’re really not going to budge, huh?”

 

Again, you’re met with radio silence—not that you’re expecting a response at this point. 

(Well, not yet.) 

“That’s fine…” You trail off deliberately, drawing lazy lines across the screen with your pointer finger, until it stops right before the small message icon on the left. 

With feigned innocence, you muse, “Hey, I wonder how Xavier's been doing lately.” 

…

A beat. You almost believe nothing would come out of your last, and obvious, attempt at goading him but then— 

Sylus throws his head back with a sigh, casting an almost exasperated glance at the ceiling. He flicks his wrist dismissively, and Mephisto vanishes in a puff of dark smoke. There’s an unsettling fluidity in the way his gaze shifts toward you; disconcertingly lifelike, when his eyes finally—finally—lock onto yours. An intensity behind those red eyes that makes the look feel unnervingly deliberate. 

Your breath catches in your throat. There it is. The reaction you’re looking for.

A weary amusement frames the way he tilts his head sideways—with the way the corners of his mouth curve into a mocking smile, eyes never leaving yours.

He raises an eyebrow up as if to say, now what?

“I knew it,” you whisper shakily, eyes widening into saucers. “I fucking knew it.” 

“Mm, took you long enough.” 

Before you could even react to that, Sylus flashes you a two-finger salute and winks.

The game crashes. 

“Oh, no, you don’t–" you growl, not wasting any second tapping the game icon again. It doesn’t even give you a chance to reach the main menu before it glitches, and you’re back staring at the widgets on your phone’s home screen. “Motherfucker.” 

You keep trying. 

And with every attempt, Sylus, freak of nature that he is, responds with another system crash. On the eight try, you succeed on entering the game and you feel a sense of relief seeing the loading bar—before, lo and behold, it crashes once more. 

Your left eye twitches. Inhaling deeply, you hold your breath for a solid fifteen seconds before sharply exhaling through your nose.

You jab a finger on the icon of his dumb face again. You ought to change that shit as soon as this game of chicken lets up. 

“You’re gonna let me open this app, Sy-Sy,” You sang with faux cheer. “Or, swear to god, I’m uninstalling this thing before you could even—” 

 

… It loads successfully before you could even finish your sentence. 

“Alright, alright.” 

There he is; closer to the screen now, wearing a faint smile, as though trying to stifle a full-on grin from breaking across his face. He looks thoroughly entertained by the entire situation, like it’s the most fun he’s had in ages. “Hi, sweetheart.” 

“You–you—” Sputtering, you glare at him, betrayal in your eyes. “You’re a fucking ass!” 

“And you’re an absolute delight to play with, kitten,” Sylus coos at you, his smirk widening.

But when he catches the trembling jut on your bottom lip, the amused glint in his eyes softens into something that almost seems sympathetic—and dare you say, apologetic? 

“For what it’s worth, I’ve just been waiting for the right moment to tell you. I couldn’t resist teasing you a little—but looking at you now, I see I might’ve taken it too far,” he murmurs, bowing his head slightly in a show of contrition. “I’m sorry, little dove.”

You press your lips together, your gaze darting away from the screen. “I thought I was going crazy.” As opposed to now? “B-but, um– it’s all good, I guess.”

A flush creeps up your neck when you hear him chuckle. 

Fuck, this is really happening, the hysterical thought rushes to your mind, unbidden. Chat, what’s the plan?

Tagging: @xxfaithlynxx @beewilko @browneyedgirl22 <3

[demonslayerunhinged]

Unhinged theory

The Passion of Sanemi Shinazugawa

Sanemi has no chill.

We all been knew this. His chill is one of the things that the fandom has accepted canonically doesn't exist, like Inosuke's uniform shirt or Zenitsu's dating standards, but the reason for his lack of chill and generally aggressive behavior is still a much debated topic to this day.

I have made two posts here and here breaking down his backstory, his trauma and socio-economical circumstances that made him the man he is today but, I still wasn't satisfied. Something nagged me about this character and his personality that I couldn't put my finger on. So I pondered, for days going through each episode, rereading the manga taking note of his actions and interactions with other characters.

Then, it finally hit me.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe I've found the answer.

Sanemi, our sweet boy, is SEXUALLY FRUSTRATED.

Let me explain.

butt first...

What is sexual frustration?

According to Medical News Today,

Sexual frustration describes a state of irritation, agitation, or stress resulting from sexual inactivity or dissatisfaction. Sexual frustration is a common, natural feeling, and it can affect anyone.

Some symptoms include:

Feeling irritable, restless, and edgy (so Sanemi's entire personality?)

Engaging in unhealthy coping skills (like wanting to brawl with another man for no reason and after having a sexually-charged training session 🤨)

Performing riskier behaviors to fulfill sexual desires (like exposing your entire chest and leaving it vulnerable just so you can show off your tits like a slut 🤨🤨).

Compulsive or hypersexual behaviors (like wanting to grab another man by the hair just so he won't go away 🤨🤨🤨)

Depression or anxiety for men (see this post)

“Seeking revenge” against targets that are the believed source of the frustration (basically Sanemi vs Giyuu)

Displaced frustration on targets with no connection to the frustration (Sanemi vs Tanjiro vs Junior Slayers)

How did this cum to be?

Okay so, I have this headcanon that the Shinazugawa men have a high sex drive. I mean, there's the seven kids from Kyogo which means he had to be laying pipe...a lot(F's in the chat for Shizu 😔) and Genya's horniness when he breathes the same air as a girl, so it's safe to say that Sanemi also has a high sex drive.

After the tragedy that struck his family (Shizu killing the kids, not Kyogo's death because fuck that guy), Sanemi lost any hope or chance of a normal life. In the light novel Sign post of the Wind, Sanemi tells Masachika that life isn't for fun, and he has expressed his distaste for 'frivolous' things.

He denies himself these things because he believes he doesn't deserve them, why should he enjoy life when he killed his mom, when he couldn't protect his siblings, when his brother rightfully hates him, when demons still exist, when families are still being ripped apart, when his colleagues and juniors are being killed and when Genya is in constant danger. The only thing he allows himself is ohagi which is a reminder of happier times.

He has no time for friends, for love and definitely not for sex, which by extension includes masturbation. He won't be able to jerk off without seeing the faces of his mom and his siblings -and yes, that sentence was just as awkward for me writing it as you reading it- so he resigned himself to a life of solitude and sexual frustration, which caused him to develop his aggressive and no-chill personality but at least he was able to manage for a while, that was until he met Giyuu.

Cum hither Giyuu

Sanemi's no-nut journey became even more unbearable when he met Giyuu. There was just something about that sappy, derpy, stupid face that stole his heart and even though Giyuu's personality should've made it easy to stay away, the power of love and horny didn't allow that to happen.

Like I mentioned before in a previous post, what followed was a series of sexually-tense situations and interactions between the two Hashiras, so every time Giyuu happened to enter Sanemi's field of vision, I guess you could say more or less he was:

Reaching out for help

In the light of their impending doom with Muzan's arrival, Sanemi has a realization; he's obviously going to die soon, that doesn't scare Sanemi, he's accepted the fact that he's going to die anyway but to die as a virgin? Now that's not good. With the failure of trying to reach out to Giyuu in the Hashira meeting and the disaster that was the attempted eye-poking incident and being shamed by a 16-year-old Sanemi decides 'fuck it' and tries to reach out to Giyuu again.

But he can't go crawling to Giyuu and be like 'please fuck me', no no no that would not do instead he has the brilliant idea to challenge Giyuu to combat under the guise of 'training' in some misguided hope that the spar would get both their temperatures up which would in turn get Giyuu horny enough to rip off his clothes and fuck him. Yay! The plan is foolproof!

I already mentioned in this post how Sanemi's suggestion for a brawl made no sense as he could have just taken the Muichiro route and suggested they use their actual katanas, but no he wanted a full body contact brawl. Like look at how excited he was at the concept of brawling with Giyuu, like no wonder Tanjiro was scared for Giyuu!

JUST LOOK AT THIS FACE!!! LOOK AT THE DESPERATION!!! OUR BOY IS SO PENT UP HE'S ON THE VERGE OF INSANITY!!!

THIS IS THE FACE OF A MAN WHO HASN'T NUTTED IN 21 YEARS! He was literally begging BEGGING Giyuu to touch him! 😭

Tanjiro(bestest boy ❤️) was rightfully afraid for his big bro, so he intercepts (read cock blocks) Sanemi! Imagine how he felt at that moment; he was THIS close to some body contact and then comes in the same child who kills his rep at every turn! Not only that, but Tanjiro clocks in Sanemi's intentions and decided to put a stop to it by hitting him where he hurts; ohagi.

Imagine your biggest social opp coming along with his innocent, stupidly sweet face when you've finally decided to open yourself up to fucking your forever crush and killing whatever and all sexual tension with his annoying innocence!

Then, as if on a mission to destroy your spirit, reveals your secret love of ohagi! A sweet typically enjoyed by children! Right in front of his future baby daddy!

Tanjiro then drives the knife even further by asking him his ohagi preferences, talking about how his grandma used to make ohagi and shit!

LIKE BOYYYYYYYY

That explains why he was so salty even hours later. If I were him, I'd be pissed too! The fuck! I love how he stopped walking on the steps just to cuss Tanjiro out, like you can tell it came from the very depths of his soul.

I mean, you can literally hear the pain and frustration in his voice. That is the cry of a man who spent three hours douching, only to have his Grindr date cancel on him.

Celebrating the big O

After the events of the final showdown we see a more relaxed, almost peaceful Sanemi which tells us one thing - our boy finally got laid!

But when? and with whom?

Well Giyuu, duh. I theorize that it happened sometime during the three months of recuperation before Tanjiro woke up, and they had their last Hashira meeting. I mean, look at how they're smiling at each other, you can't tell me these guys didn't fuck at least once.

Sanemi came(lol) out(lol again!) of the encounter a changed man. He's moisturized, demure, in his lane, thriving.

Look at him here; tits covered 'cuz Giyuu has made an honest man out of him, and that peaceful look? Damn, dick was so good blud had to look up to the heavens like

In Conclusion, Sanemi's character development is really inspirational because it's a story of one man's triumph over thirst and yea I don't know how to end this post, so I'll just leave you with some words of wisdom:

[limonmelon]

armandaniel reclist

Because I really have to start putting these somewhere and because I need everyone to read these and give them the love they deserve:

outcast of all this night by gaypiratedivorce - "After a month in Dubai, Daniel Molloy is back home and miraculously alive, eager to get to work on his first draft. The vampire Armand has other plans." first in an insanely good (and complete!) series.

two truths and a liar by andrealyn - "Facing down the press junket for his book, Daniel Molloy is prepared to hype up his hit novel. He's less prepared to have Armand crash the tour to play bodyguard and doting assistant and he's definitely not ready to have his secrets spilled on a world stage because Armand wants to play games. The longer he sticks around to torment Daniel as he chases him across the country, the longer he stays. So, who's really winning this game?"

to the edge of the earth by andrealyn (you can tell I love her Daniel voice) - "There's nowhere that Armand can run where Daniel won't find him. Using the Talamasca's information, his own dogged determination, and eternity sprawling ahead of them, Daniel's going to find his maker and figure out why Armand keeps running. When he catches him (and he will), he's going to prove that it's going to be the two of them, forever, and that he's going to love Armand the way no one has before."

and then what? by andrealyn - "The droning hum of Louis' boredom is going to drive Armand mad. Instead of accepting it, Armand seeks out the kaleidoscope chaos that is Daniel Molloy's mind to learn why he's so special, so fascinating, so interesting. Every city he finds him in, he learns more before he makes Daniel forget. Every city, Armand grows a little more addicted. And every city, Armand does something he's not supposed to do -- falls a little more in love and eager to give Daniel the memories of who they are together."

his thoughts were red thoughts by spqr - "Daniel’s barely thirty; he can’t fathom one century, let alone five. It’s probably a wonder Armand doesn’t spend his time skulking in a cave somewhere, muttering to himself, covered in the blood and muck of his innocent human victims."

care and keeping by katplanet - "Louis shakes his head. “And now he's got you stepping on him.” Daniel picks his drink up and necks the last half of it. “I have not,” he says, “stepped on him, as of yet.” “But you want to.” “I think so?” Daniel puts the empty glass back on the table and scoots it out of their immediate limb radius. “I think I could want to. I want to want to.” “There you go,” Louis says, “tell him that. That'll set the mood.”" With some really great Louis/Daniel friends who love each other and also fuck too.

Endearments by Nothing_But_Paisley - "Daniel never compared him to a Botticelli angel or a Bernini cherub, never called him a demon or an imp. Such images scarcely existed within that wonderfully secular modern brain of his. Daniel was entirely a creature of the flesh."

open up your skull, i'll be there by typefortydeductions - "He shakes his wrist free and brings it to his mouth, licking up the trail of blood, his eyes never leaving Armand’s. He turns, and walks away, and spends a restless night in his own bed with his dick half-hard and the memory of Armand’s blood and Armand’s hands and Armand’s final whispered words before he upped and left Daniel sprawled newborn on the floor." this series floored me it's so good please read it.

mystic seaport is that way by exastris_scientia - "Daniel should really get more sleep and stop getting himself into these situations..." this series has it's boot on my throat. written pre-Season 2.

bend your dream with the road | VOTE TO END OTW RACISM by meronicavars - "Daniel is asleep dreaming of his own unreliable recollection of Louis at Polynesian Mary's all those years ago and Armand wants to dive into his dream and wrench Louis out, shake him until he realizes that Daniel is his, Daniel has always been his. Isn’t this something Louis should know? That Daniel was his gift to Armand. Why must you torture me with his presence? He wants to ask. Why would you bring him here if not to punish me?" also part of great series and written pre-Season 2.

the man who wasn't there by obstra - ""I just couldn't bear to lose you and Louis in one day.” Armand is looking away from Daniel now and picking more ferociously at the edge of his sleeve, like he's avoiding something big. He's almost afraid to ask, somehow he can tell this is going somewhere significant “Why would losing me be the same as losing Louis Armand? Just some kid you met decades ago in San Francisco, tortured a little bit then threw aside? Explain to me why. Does this have anything to do with the fact that my memory of the 70s has more holes in it than swiss cheese? I thought it was just drugs but I also thought San Francisco was just drugs and look how that turned out.”"

a haunting just for company by valkyrisms - ""I know what a breakup looks like," Daniel says. "The better question is, why are you coming to me about it? I'm the one who broke up your little sham." "This is what humans do, don't they?" Armand asks, letting his voice drop. "Crashing on their friends' couches when there's a blip in their romances?""

Simplicity by WendigoDreaming - "Daniel's memory is a gaping hole morphing slowly into the shape of Armand." also part of an ongoing series!

The Beginning Is the End Is the Beginning by trinityofone - "He should have left when he had the chance. But he wanted to see how it ended. His mistake. Because the story wasn’t done with him. All at once it was grabbing him by the throat. (A version of Daniel's turning featuring visions, sex, and sexy visions.)"

forever's gonna start tonight by trinityofone (actually just read all their IWTV fic thank you) - "I’ve lost my mind, Daniel thinks, still lavishing kisses to the chest of the creature that killed him. He says the next part out loud: “I fucking hate you. And you hate me. So something is making us do this.” “I don’t hate you,” Armand pants. “You mean nothing to me. Don't stop.”"

more to come!

[acknowledge-reigns]

Reign | Roman Reigns x Black!Fem OC | 18+! | Royalty AU

Description: Prince Roman has to marry in order to take his rightful place on the throne.

Chapter: 1/5

Face Claim: Megan Thee Stallion

Warnings: Mentions death of a parent.

Word count: 1,295

This is a historical romance fanfiction. As such some characters featured have their real names and some have their kayfabe ones. Example being Jey is Joshua because that fits with the time period and tone of the story better. Jimmy is Jonathan, Drew is referred to as Andrew. Whereas Roman, Solo, Naomi and many others mentioned keep their kayfabe names because I feel they can work anyways. This is regency era. Think Bridgerton. That along with the "Bridal Discipline" series of erotic novels by one of my favorite authors Golden Angel is the inspo behind this one.

As always my stories are NOT about real people and does not reflect their character. While there is no smut in the first chapter of two, This is very much an 18+ BDSM based romance. If kink content isn't for you, please scroll. You have been warned.

My masterlist can be found here.

👑 Tag list: @lov3rla03 @reignseclipse @acute-crashout-jeyuso

Roman sighs heavily as he reads the will, his fingers tracing the elegant script. The weight of his royal responsibilities feels heavier than ever.

Paul clears his throat delicately. "Your Highness, I've already prepared a list of eligible ladies from across the kingdom. The season's opening ball next week will be the perfect opportunity to meet them."

Roman's eyes narrow at the mention of the ball. He vividly remembers his father's lavish events, where political machinations and court gossip always swirled.

"Must I really parade myself like some prize horse?" he mutters under his breath. "Fine, prepare everything. But I want no interference in my choices."

Paul nods, already mentally preparing the guest list. "Of course, Your Highness. Though some noble families may try to meddle, their influence is nothing compared to the future king's decision."

Roman's father's will clearly states that he must marry within three months of his father's passing, or the crown will pass to one of his cousins whom had already taken a wife instead.

The terms are firm: 'My beloved son Roman, though I've prepared you for the throne, it is not yet your time. Your coronation cannot occur until you are wed. Choose wisely, my son - your queen must be strong, kind, and above all, loyal to the kingdom and our bloodline. - Your Father, King Sika of The Kingdom Of Leava.'

Roman clenches his jaw, understanding the weight of these words. His advisor and long time friend of the royal family Paul had told him time and time again.

Roman paces the room, his mind racing with thoughts. He knows there are plenty of beautiful noblewomen who would eagerly throw themselves at a chance to be queen, but none of them seem worthy.

Paul notices his restlessness. "Perhaps a visit to the royal gardens might help clear your mind, Your Highness? There's no rush - we have weeks to find the perfect candidate."

Roman reluctantly agrees to the suggestion, though his mood remains dark. The weight of his future seems heavier with each passing moment.

As he walks through the lush gardens, memories of his childhood play out - running through these same paths with his brother, sisters and many cousins. Matt would know what to do in this situation he thought to himself. He had been the heir. Had been.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

Ana Hill arrives at the palace gates, her worn clothes and travel-worn shoes contrasting sharply with the elegant palace. She nervously clutches a small bag containing her meager belongings.

The guard looks at her papers with skepticism but eventually waves her through. The palace kitchen staff welcomes her with curiosity, though some look at her unrefined appearance with disdain.

"You must be Ms. Georgiana Hill," says the head cook, Mrs. Smith, eyeing her from head to toe. "I hope you're a quick learner. The royal banquet is in three days."

Ana nods determinedly, though her hands tremble slightly. She's been cooking for her family since she was young, but never anything so grand as a royal banquet.

"I'll do my best, Mrs. Smith," she says quietly.

The head cook gives her a stern look. "See that you do. I'm not one for repeating myself."

Another servant whispers to her as she walks by, "The Prince has been difficult since his father's passing. Watch yourself around him." Ana just nods, too focused on her task to fully absorb the warning.

Days pass as Ana throws herself into her work, learning the palace's intricate kitchen system. Her dedication and skill quickly become apparent, and she rises through the ranks.

The staff talks about the upcoming royal ball, especially the Prince's search for a bride. Some wonder if he'll even find someone suitable among the noblewomen, while others gossip about his cold demeanor.

"Poor man," one kitchen maid whispers to Ana. "Burdened with such responsibility. And now he must marry a stranger..." Ana just listens silently, focusing on kneading dough.

➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶➴➵➶

The moonlight streams through palace windows as Ana wanders the quiet corridors. She's never been allowed to explore this far before or seen anything beyond the servants quarters. The sound of her footsteps echoes against the marble floors. Her curiosity grows as she passes by grand rooms and magnificent paintings.

Ana gasps as she hears footsteps approaching from behind. Her heart pounds in her chest as she spins around, only to see Prince Roman standing there.

The expensive vase she accidentally bumped into wobbles precariously before crashing to the floor. Shards scatter everywhere as Ana stares at the broken pieces in horror, knowing that the replacement cost would easily cover months of her family's expenses.

"I'm so sorry, Your Highness!" she stammers, dropping to her knees to try and clean up the mess. "I didn't mean to-"

Roman's eyes sweep over Ana, taking in her disheveled appearance and fearful expression. Despite her clearly servant status, there's something different about her that intrigues him.

He moves closer, kneeling down to help her with the broken pieces. "It's alright," he says softly, his voice gentle. "Accidents happen."

Ana's hands shake as she works, careful not to cut herself on the shards. "The cost of this... I can't afford it. My family needs-" she stops herself abruptly, realizing she's speaking too freely in front of the Prince.

Roman notices her distress and helps her stand up. He's struck by her vulnerability and the determined set of her jaw, even as she tries to hide it.

"Tell me what troubles you," he says, his voice commanding yet surprisingly gentle. "And we'll discuss this vase later."

Ana hesitates, unsure if she should burden the Prince with her family's problems. But something about his presence makes her want to trust him.

"My father... he passed away recently. My mother is ill. I have to ensure she and my little sister are taken care of." Ana expresses.

Roman's expression softens with understanding. He recognizes the weight of responsibility she carries, similar to his own burden as future king.

"How old is your sister?" he asks, his voice quiet. "And what of your mother's illness - is there a doctor treating her?"

Ana looks down, her voice trembling. "My sister is just ten and six years of age. Mother has been sick since last winter - the doctor says she needs special medicine, but it's expensive."

She glances at the broken vase, then back at Roman. "I work two jobs to pay for her medicine, but even then, it's not enough. This vase... it would pay for several months' worth of her treatment.."

Roman considers her situation for a moment, then makes an unexpected proposal. "I can help with your family's expenses. But I have a condition."

Ana's eyes widen in surprise and hope. "Anything, Your Highness," she whispers. "Name it."

Roman straightens his posture, his voice taking on a more formal tone. "Ms. Georgiana, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

Ana's mouth drops open in shock, her heart racing. She never imagined such a proposal from the Prince, let alone one made in the palace corridor while she's still in her servant's uniform.

"Your Highness, I... I'm just a kitchen maid," she says, trying to process the gravity of his offer. "Surely there are more suitable-"

Roman steps closer, his eyes fixed intently on hers. "You're different from the others. I see it in your strength and determination. Your family's needs are mine now too."

He gently takes her hands in his. "We could help each other - you need the money, and I need a partner who truly understands the people. Who understands...me."

Ana's heart pounds in her chest as she searches his face for any sign of deception. What he's offering is beyond her wildest dreams - but can she trust this man she barely knows?

Next chapter

‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Characters and Face claims:

Georgiana "Ana" Hill - Megan Thee Stallion

Violetta Hill - Coco Jones

Mary Anne Hill - Loretta Devine

Lady Abigail - Dove Cameron

‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵

Extra Lore and fun facts you should know (may add more later! Feel free to ask questions):

The kingdom is called Leava, which means "Strong Bloodline".

The capital city of Leava is called Rilevanza, which translates to Relevancy in Italian. A play on the island of relevancy.

Georgiana is from a small village called Akua made up primarily of poor fishermen. Akua means water.

If you've seen Bridgerton, you know Lady Whistledown. We have our own version of that in this story in Lady Mystique 😉

[luciacaminoz]

what was Soledad like before she met Julian? :3c has she changed a lot since her Embrace? if she could give advice to her past self, what would Sol say?

hi wiz <3 thank you so much for asking about sol and im sorry this one took me a while! some of this is CRINGE but im free

Sol was a pretty normal kid growing up in most ways, easy-going and lively and maybe a little too mischievous for her own good – not to be purposefully troublesome, just innately craving excitement and too many experiences at once (as much as she tries to dampen that down later). She has an older brother, Tiago (@/kentuckycaverats asked me more about him but I want to read over a couple things before I publish the ask aghh) that she idolized — they were kids born to Filipino-Mexican immigrants and had moved around several places between Soledad, California and Sierra Vista, Arizona while growing up, and were essentially each other’s entertainment during the multiple interims of not having other close friends. Sol was definitely a little tomboy, probably average-to-low grades in school and eventually would drop out to apprentice under her dad and brother at her dad’s mechanical workshop once they settle permanently in Sierra Vista. This is how she’d end up getting her scar – freak accident with equipment.

The main issues in Sol’s life during her teens and twenties were lack of purpose and direction, which manifested as an excessive restlessness. After her Embrace, it mutated into a sort of mania – like all negative aspects of her new condition simply wouldn’t sink in. A bit of daredevil edge developing here – often would give that impression of someone at a party who is yeah, great company, but also making you nervous about how far they’re taking some things. Julian was a very young sire and he also has a manic energy to him – I think they got carried away more than a few times despite a lot of the lessons he tried to instil. That sounds a bit dark and at times it was, but for ten years it was akin to a bizarre undead honeymoon period. Lots of disconnect – again not fully registering that she was clinically dead and that Julian had killed her. On that note btw, Sol asked for the Kiss. I’m not victim blaming LOL – I know she wouldn’t have realized fully what she was getting into (in fact she was flirting and mostly thought Julian was funny and a little crazy when he slipped up on the vampire thing and rolled with it) — just a part of the backstory fanfic. She was also the one to first initiate intimacy and the blood bond (yet again without taking it seriously, but Julian had only been kindred 5 years longer and I honestly don’t think even he at that time would’ve understood the full extent of the situation they’d find themselves in because of her rampant carelessness either, in his defense lol).

During this period… nothing Sol loved more than cutting Julian’s idealistic prattling short with a suggestive touch and watching his thoughts go off road like the geotracker for a split second. Kisses to slow down or silence; if he’s still trying to put together a sentence afterward, she’d redouble efforts until, for once, he’s the one looking to her wondering what happens next. Intimacy is where dynamics get switched between them, but I don’t think he minds. Julian’s not as physical as Sol is (tbh she is very needy for a kindred but I think even with the sexual desire present, it’s still more of an emotional/comfort thing for her she won’t let go of – she can be intense in that regard) but he is more than happy to go along with anything that’s got her showering him with attention. All fodder for his novels in the meantime :p

In the later 2000s, when he becomes a lot more serious about Changing The World, and after Sol’s diablerie of Aila (which is where things get distant, cold, and honestly kind of spiteful between them for a few months of early 2010), Julian makes use of his crazy ass willpower stat to cut contact and leave — for his vision, for the fact that it had already begun what with an Elder’s essence now present in Sol, and to sever their bond. Man needs full use of his obsessive tendencies to build a tech empire yknow – not having Sol constantly in the back of his mind and her clinging to him. Likewise she has the opportunity to come into her own without that same weight and influence – how he thinks of it at least. He does keep tabs on her during those ten years, making sure she’s alright and staying afloat, sometimes sending work her brother’s way in Sierra Vista too, etc.

Sol is not doing well here and it’s where she changes the most. The separation also initially has Julian a little emotionally ragged due to the nature of the bond, but past the artificial I do think he actually cares deeply about Sol in his own weird way. He believes he’s doing what is the best (frankly only option in his mind) for the sake of the future of the Masquerade with Project 2100; maybe having her be at the center of his work is part of it.

Anyway – out of trauma, Sol develops the bulimia derangement after diablerizing Aila, which strains everythingggg twice over. Despite not getting along at this time, Julian leaving without warning still grossly exacerbates how often it would trigger due to a kaleidoscopic meltdown of too many messy feelings on top of the strain of their bond breaking down over the course of the first year. Really just fucks her up good and hard struggling to get it all under control while figuring out what the fuck she’s going to do with herself. Lots of accidental hunger frenzies, lots of suicidal ideation — there’s this snippet from last year where she’s immediately like boohoo I’m gonna walk into a sunrise (also my fav Julian meme). I imagine she lost humanity during this period until finally getting her shit together as a courier and learning to shut off and distance herself from the intensity of her feelings (while still not giving into the callousness and mindlessness of the Beast).

She doesn’t engage in her predator type as a precaution and instead drinks from bags, which leaves her feeling perpetually unsatisfied and wanting (Sol™), but she pushes that down – goes pro at pushing shit down over the course of the next few years. Selfishly, in her mind, she would rather drain a blood bank than kill someone, which is stupid because she’s hurting more people the other way, but it’s the distance and disconnect. Doesn’t stop guilt from eating away at her when she thinks too hard, but again: push that shit down.

And hey, she got the lime green geotracker in the divorce 🥴

For advice, I was thinking for a while because as her mama I wouldn’t want her to look out for herself or heal or anything to change LMAO. Even in character and before her personality 180, Sol had such a restless spirit and was prone to depression and impulse, I don’t think she would’ve lived or chosen to live a long mortal life as it was, or if she did it would not have been fulfilling to her. Unsatisfied as always! As much as she resents Julian for what he did to her in the name of Project 2100, buried way down deep and unbeknownst to herself (maybe she just refuses to acknowledge it…), there’s twisted excitement in being this catalyst – in having purpose. This is why she still subconsciously leans towards Julian’s suggestions during Night Road, and why she keeps the 2100X serum in her veins once infected. Also, she does just love him too 😭

BUUUT, considering all that, I think if Sol knew she would be Embraced and have to leave everything behind, she might advise her younger self to cherish that time she had. Like a lot of teenagers she was distant from her parents, not even out of dislike because her family was very loving. She was very close to her brother Tiago (and that’s one thing that hurt a lot on top of no longer having Julian from 2010-2020 – that she couldn’t simply go home and see her brother; that her heart was broken, that she was dead, and that she was left with no one). She wasn’t as close to her parents and often clashed with what her mother out of differing views and opinions. Mom and Dad worked extremely hard to prop Sol and Tiago up for their futures but of course Sol wouldn’t have cared about that much at the time… so looking back she would appreciate them more — and maybe developing a better relationship with her parents and going along with what her mother wanted for her would’ve changed her request that night she met and got to know Julian. Maybe he would’ve done it anyway.

Her parents are dead by the events of Night Road, so it remains one of her biggest regrets, not saying goodbye. She keeps an heirloom topaz and mahogany rosary and in lonelier moments of confusion or despair or guilt will apologize and pray to/for them. Sol was never as religious as her parents (devout Catholics) wanted growing up and before her Embrace, but with the absolute desolation she felt after things came crashing down and actually processing her situation, she takes comfort in what she watched them take comfort in during her childhood. More than anything I think she is agnostic — but she feels this is her only connection to them, and as silly or futile as it might seem to her sometimes, the only way she can reach out to them after leaving without a word – to keep them with her even after their passing. Her courier alias of Soledad is in part of where she was born, and an homage to her mom and her mom’s reverence for María de la Soledad (which was also a mural painted on her dad’s workshop)… and it works with having the same nickname as her real name: Solona :)

AND A WIP!

whew!!! thank you so much for asking and letting me ramble!!! you are a gift wiz, i got so excited seeing your ask<3 thank you for always being so nice about my art in the tags too, you make it a joy to share T_T <3

[idensgarden]

you guys seemed to like my last au ranting post so. here we go

some more takes on classic gravity falls aus because i like reimagining things. Here's my 2 cents on reverse falls, which. i havent seen the visual novel if thats considered canon or anything to the au. i think uts like batman now where everything you apply to it is canon if it vaguely follows the premise

from what i've seen, it's more of a situation swap than a personality swap, so most parts of the au will follow that. but pacifica didn't come to gravity falls for the summer- she had to move here because her stupid dad got involved in a scandal or something and had to lay low. the northwests have inherited enough money to last them a good while, but apparently they can't go spending it on "trivial things", like pacifica's very important designer clothes. so she has to get... a... a... god, i can't say it without gagging, a JOB!!! at a worn down car sales shack!!! hold on. let me add a cut here.

okay im back. alright. at her job, pacifica meets gideon gleeful, who's basically gideon but less entitled, and surprisingly a bit like mabel. he's immediately the most annoying person pacifica has ever met. but he's the only company she has, besides mr. gleeful, who is way too cheerful to be pleasant and gives off major discomforting vibes, and mrs. gleeful, who makes her reflect on the lack of affection she receives from her actual mother and creates a deep pit of sorrow in her heart. just girly things.

(since gideon is much more pleasant in this au, his mother is much more stable, and takes the role of the primary caretaker since bud is too normal for me to write about)

the other employees are bad, but could be worse. the sleepy cashier with eyebags for eons and ROBERT written uncaringly on his nametag, and the overachieving pink-haired errand-girl who seemed to have a different name each time you asked her and a cartoonishly large bow on her head.

the longer pacifica works at her new summer job, the more fond she grows of it. when she's not hearing about gideon's annoying ramblings about wanting to be on broadway and the melancholy of settling for a mascot gig, she's actually feeling this gross sense of pride after actually working for something in her life, and getting sandwiches made for her by ms. gleeful (eventually nicknamed aunt agnes). pacifica hates to admit it and it keeps her up at night, but she's happier here than she's ever been. which is why she doesn't leave when she notices strange things happening around gravity falls.

ms. gleeful denies it, but gideon totally agrees with her- something weird is going on in this town. pacifica, going through an old car with an undefinable model much too damaged to repair, finds a journal in the glovebox, embedded with an X over an eye, and from here, the show plays out a bit like normal gravity falls. give it that unnerving, darker touch that the northwest manor episode had. some early episode ideas:

a full episode based on the what's-his-face comic, obviously without the mystery twins. pacifica gets a pimple, and thinks that since she's starting to get older, she's losing her adolescent beauty, and thus becoming less of a 'valuable asset' to her family. what choice does a girl have but demon magic? i hope this one doesn't backfire!!!

after the last episode, the effects of pacifica's fear of not meeting the beauty standard linger. after catching pacifica staring at multi level marketing get-pretty schemes, ms. gleeful decides to revoke her phone and take the kids camping, saying that technology is evil. it turns out she's right, as pacifica's phone has grown restless after it's abandonment and transformer'd into a beast, which is hunting them down in the forest slenderman-style.

pacifica doesn't believe in the tooth fairy- she's almost 13! it takes her a terribly long time to be appropriately afraid when it gets one tooth from her (gideon convinces her to just TRY putting one under her pillow) and becoming obsessed with harvesting her perfect teeth. inspired by ckret2's goldilocks au!! :)

and then comes episode four...

on her break (thank god!), pacifica sits down to watch some trashy tv, but can't stop seeing ads for this flashy tourist attraction called the mystery shack. at first she rolls her eyes, but the lights and the colors and all the cool effects just look to awesome to pass up. this town must be getting to her, because she'd never indulge herself with something like that before, but now she just has to go. she works overtime for money to see the shack, and gideon uses his allowance to go, too. (pacifica is surprised. why is he spending money on this? he said he doesn't even want to go!!! (gideon just wants to get closer with his first friend)).

the shack is run by a professional conman, who collects and shuffles the money dramatically at a fancy desk, called stanford pines (not actually, this is pre-ford). his employees were vigilant, and yet always exhausted- a goth girl with a sharp tongue and a bodyguard who always seemed uncomfortable in his suit.

but customers really came for the twins; mason and mabel, psychic slash drama slash comedy duo. the townspeople practically (sometimes literally) threw money at them. they were the same age as pacifica and gideon, but had this air of disconnect to them. in all their posters they had the same matching yellow earrings, contrasting their bedazzled blue outfits. their hair also seemed to be greying, even at such an early age.

pacifica was not happy to have spent her 45 dollars on watching two kids read fortunes more vaguely than a cookie and tell dumb jokes and do stupid dances, but gideon seemed jazzed.

the next day, there's a knock at the office door. the twins came to visit! pacifica is pissed. mabel asks to chat with gideon, and pacifica tells her to screw off, but gideon rushes out of the door with mabel, 0 hesitation. he probably has a crush on her for a bit like in canon, but it doesn't go anywhere.

dipper invites himself in, offers that pacifica could offer him some tea free of charge, and pacifica almost thanks him. she lashes out at him, and quickly learns that he is all bark and no bite, curling up like a scared kitten in the recliner. she picks on him a bit, barely noticing the glow of his earring, before mabel comes back out with gideon.

"alright, that'll be all! hey, can gideon take work off today?" she says. "we want to go get makeovers! you know, since we're best friends now and all."

for some reason, pacifica feels a strong pang of rage. but she doesn't act on it, just standing there dumbfounded as mabel doesn't wait for an answer, and gideon skips out of the shop with his new best friend.

it keeps pacifica up at night. she should be important to him!!! wasn't she his first friend?

wasn't he hers?

when gideon finally comes back, pacifica is still angry, but she's relieved. at least that wacko girl is gone- nevermind, she's back, and she's taking gideon out for tacos and pedicures.

it goes on and on and on. pizza night this, karaoke night that, arts and crafts here, a cool party there... pacifica knew that she should be mad. she should be frustrated- she was pacifica northwest! she should be the center of everything, she should be invited to these stupid get togethers, she deserved it!

but she wasn't angry about that. she was angry about gideon. and above all else, she was lonely.

so she did the responsible thing and communicated with gideon about how she felt and I'm lying I'm lying to you right now. she actually hunts down mason, demands that he spill the ulterior motives of mabel pines, and yanks him up by his shirt collar like a cartoon bully. at first, mason won't talk, but pacifica drops him on the ground and gets a good look at his stupid dumb constellation birthmark. she asks him about it.

"it's... not actually a birthmark. it's,, like a tattoo." mason confesses. "it's a long story. with a really gloomy sleep paralysis demon at the center of it. please don't tell anyone."

pacifica has no idea why it's that important, but utilizes her leverage, and blackmails mason into telling the truth because shes kind of a dick. he tells her that the whole mystery shack is a con made up of conmen and conwomen and conpeople, and mabel is trying to make gideon another cog in the cog-powered con machine and swindling him into giving up his family's business in order to expand the shack, showering him with attention and taking advantage of how gideon has never had any friends.

pacifica is outraged. yes he has, she decides.

she barges into mabel's backstage room in the mystery shack just in time to dramatically yell DROP. THAT. PEN!!! before gideon signs a waiver.

gideon is disgruntled, confused, and angry. "you're just upset that mabel is treating me like a real friend, something you never did for me!"

"i didn't know how to do that for you, i never... i'd never done it before!"

gideon squints and softens at pacifica's confession. oh. so she's not actually that mean, she's just repressed and lonely. she's just like me for real!

the two make up and hug, before the sentimental scene is destroyed by a loud "ENOUGH!!!" from mabel. mason dashes into the room to come to her aid, a bit sorry for leaking her plan, and the two use their cool crystal earrings to beat the shit out of pacifica and gideon.

"YOU WANNA HAND OVER YOUR PROPERTY TO ME SO BAD, IT MAKES YOU LOOK STUUUPID!!!" (cool psychic fight)

eventually, gideon manages to snatch the amulet from mabel, asking her what the diddly darn she's doing. mabel sighs.

"come on, gideon! i have braces! those mess with girls' emotions and hormones and stuff!"

"d-... do they really?"

"no, but you wouldn't know, you never had friends!" she towers over him. the whites of her eyes become a ghastly blue, her pupils shifting to a shape akin to a goat's. "come on, gideon! what's it hurt? your dignity? your family? your life's work? we both know you need approval. need to feel normal. like you're not a freak." her words are venom. "i can give you that. there's no reason for you to miss this opportunity. there's no reason for you to miss me."

pacifica is restrained by mason, reaching out for gideon. "don't believe them," she sputters. gideon looks up at mabel.

"you're right. it's just nonsensical. to miss this. miss you..." he takes her hand, as he speaks again.

"not when my aim is just getting better."

he takes his free hand and SOCKS mabel in the face and unclips her earring because i decided theyre clip ons and ripping it out is a little extreme!!! he throws it on the ground and stomps on it, and mabel is FURIOUS. she turns to mason.

"come on, bro bro!" she huffs. "do something!"

mason is still for a second. and then he shakes his head. "mabel, we need to talk."

"NOW!?"

as the twins begin to argue, gideon and pacifica take the opportunity to flee the shack and run back to the car shop. before ms. gleeful makes dinner, gideon asks if he can actually stay at pacifica's tonight.

ms. gleeful is okay with it, but pacifica quickly dismisses the topic. it's the thought that counts, but she didn't want to see her parents at the moment.

"you don't mind if i stay here tonight, though, do you, ms. gleeful?" pacifica asks.

"please, sweetheart, call me aunt agnes. i have a sleeping bag 'round here somewhere!"

she and gideon smiled at each other.

[kydrogendragon]

Dec 8

(Ao3 Link)

Hob made sure that when he was remodeling The New Inn that the fireplace was updated and functioning. He’d gotten used to having the steady crackling of a fire in the evening after his six hundred years on this planet and the comfort it brought was one he wasn’t willing to part with. Morpheus sat with him in the opposite armchair in his living room above the inn. His mismatched sock covered feet were curled up underneath him, a book in his hands.

He truly was a sight. Even now, with his messy hair he hadn’t bothered to style for their lazy Saturday in and the large black jumper with a hole they’ve yet to sew shut at the bottom hem, he was beautiful. Hob supposed that even after retiring from Endlessness, if you’ve been something more-than-a-god for so long, that level of grace and beauty sticks with you, even if you’re now a human.

Hob rested his cheek on his hand, laptop abandoned, feet propped up on the coffee table in front of them. Adjusting to this new way of life had been a challenge for Morpheus. He’d known, to a degree, what he was signing up for when he “retired” but the reality of the situation was more than he expected. The entire bathroom debacle had been an interesting one. It felt like he was raising Robyn all over again in some ways. But it hadn’t taken long for Morpheus to get comfortable and proficient with his brand new body.

This was one of their first weekends where everything had gone relatively smoothly. They’d gone shopping and the lights and sounds didn’t overwhelm Morpheus like they had before. (They had picked up a pair of noise canceling headphones and brought them just in case. They didn’t need them until checkout.) Their visit to the library had gone well (as usual) and Morpheus even inquired about job opportunities there and nabbed a volunteer form on their way out.

He’d confessed to Hob a while ago that he’d felt restless. He’d gotten so used to always having something to do or think on that the quiet of his mind and the lack of purpose had been slowly eating at him. Hob insisted that he didn’t need a job or anything, he’d plenty of funds to care for them both for a long while, but it still made him happy to see Morpheus look into a position at the library. It really was a fitting place for him.

All in all, today was a good day. Now, they get to relax in front of the fireplace and simply enjoy the quiet.

Morpheus looks up from his reading, cocking a brow at Hob’s staring. Hob chuckled, shutting the top of his laptop. “Sorry,” he said, tugging on his ear. “Just good to see you this content.”

Morpheus’s brows furrowed. “Do I not normally look content?”

“No, I mean. You do, more than you used to. I just,” Hob sighs, leaning his head back against the back of the armchair. His eyes trail over Morpheus with a smile. “I’m just happy.”

Morpheus stares at him, eyes widening slightly. He reaches over to the table next to his chair, blindly, and snags the bookmark resting next to his cup of hot cocoa. His slender fingers slot the thin rectangular paper in the book, shutting it.

“You are… happy. Because I look content?”

“Yeah,” Hob says easily. “Is that so hard to believe?”

“I…” Morpheus looks down, rubbing his thumb across the well-worn cover of the novel they picked up from the library that day. “No. It is not hard to believe. Since it is you.”

Hob’s heart clenched. “Good,” he managed, clearing his throat. “That’s good. I just. I know this transition has been hard. It’s a lot. Being human is a lot. And you’ve handled it so well, through all of this. And I’m so proud of you for it. And seeing you, sitting here all curled up by the fireplace with a cup of cocoa and a good book and you’ve got that faint smile on your face and it just... It just makes me happy. That’s all.” He looks down and huffs. “Sorry, just me being a bit of a sap. What else is new?”

He fiddles with the edge of his laptop, feeling the warmth rise in his cheeks. It was harder with each day, now that Morpheus wasn’t reliant on him for every little thing and his old friend was starting to come back to his usual self, to keep a lid on his feelings. They still come out, like now, in the form of staring just a bit too long or caring a bit too much. He can’t help it, though. Not when he gets to see his best friend so relaxed and actually looking like he enjoys life for once. He just hopes that Morpheus either doesn’t pick up on it.

“Hob,” Morpheus’s voice calls out. Hob tilts his head to the side, meeting his friend’s gaze. His blue eyes were watery, something Hob could tell, even from this distance. “Thank you. For... For caring, as you have.”

Hob tugged on his earlobe, shifting in his seat. “Yeah, ‘course.” He said, lamely. He clears his throat and sets his laptop off to the side. Pushing himself off the chair, he grabs his own mug and nods to Morpheus’s. “Want some more? I’ve a bit more marking to finish up so I’ll probably be up a bit longer.”

Morpheus reaches over and hands his own cup to Hob with a small smile tugging at his lips. “I would like that very much.” Taking the two glasses, Hob retreats away from the warm glow of the fireplace and towards the kitchen. Unknown to Hob, Morpheus’s eyes follow him the entire way until he’s out of sight.

[princess-of-the-corner]

I was about to give you another fun fact about how Astruc accidentally made a past Ladybug Miraculous user work for Richelieu (his guards were also Musketeers, after all), but I checked the wiki to see if there was any news... And turns out La Coccinelle has been named as René d'Herblay Aramis de Vannes - that is the inspiration for Dumas' Aramis that appears in the Three Musketeers novels (I say inspiration because Dumas took a lot of liberties, starting with the fact the historic inspirations for D'Artagnan and the other three were children by the time the first novel was set). And he also turned him into a woman.

And at that I actually laughed, because I'm old enough to remember Anime Sanjuushi, the Three Musketeers anime from 1987 (it had a few reruns in Italy in the 1990s)... And guess who was also a girl there?

And as I was writing the post I laughed AGAIN because I also remembered what kind of guy Dumas' Aramis is. He had planned to become a Jesuit since he was a child, but some guy insulted him so he dropped everything and spent a year learning the art of the sword just to murder that guy in a duel, at which point he had to become a Musketeer. And then he became one at the end of The Three Musketeers after Milady's execution sullied the soldier's life for him, only to return to the saddle in Twenty Years Later because he was restless as a priest. And in the third novel... Better I avoid giving spoilers beyond saying he pulled a lot of BS.

I'll let pass how Astruc seems to have forgotten that the Musketeers primary weapon was in fact their namesake musket (those novels only show them ONCE in a situation where they could use it, so it's easy to forget)... But seriously, does Astruc EVER think such things through?

..... Gonna be honest I never really thought about the Musketeers being named after muskets every depiction of them uses swords

But also yeah I think he just. Yoinks people from history and says 'ah yes give them a Miraculous'.

[mothborn]

[ pedro pascal, 46, cis man, he/him ] — Hey, is that SOL SEGURA listening to FAKE PLASTIC TREES by RADIOHEAD? They’re known around town as THE OPTIMIST, because they’re AMICABLE and LAID-BACK, but ever since the Departure, they’ve become more OBSESSIVE and RESTLESS. They’ve lived in Redford for ALL THEIR LIFE and work at RED FORD HIGH SCHOOL as a TEACHER. If you need them, you can find them in MAPLE CREEK. @redfordhq

under the cut is basic info, personality, some plot/connection ideas!

triggers present in sol's story: past bullying, parental death

Basics

Name: Sol Segura Age: 46 (soon to be 47) Gender: Cis man Sexual Orientation: Bisexual biromantic Pronouns: He/him Date of Birth: June 25th, 1978 Place of Birth: Redford, California Residence: Maple Creek Occupation: Highschool History & English Teacher (Redford Highschool) Likes: Coffee, books, puns, hiking/camping Dislikes: Cooking, pessimists, violence Status: Single, never married

Personality

Amicable, laid-back, overly optimistic, stubborn, impulsive, restless, obsessive, emotionally reserved, good-humored, outgoing, quick to anger Sol is a bright laugh on a gloomy day; ever the optimist after a adolescence full of fighting turned him into a pacifist. Some of those harder edges still remain, though he's worked hard to bury them deep. He's friendly, goofy, nerdy and passionate about his work. He wants to turn every bad situation around but beyond the toothy grin and the bad jokes is a deeply terrified man. He'll never practice what he preaches and when it comes to his own life, he'd rather not try at all than fail. It's a good thing he can focus on other people, right?

Family

Mother: Ana Segura (deceased; died in 2015) Father: Joaquín José Vargas Segura (deceased; died in 1993) Salma Segura (younger sister by 7 years, born 1985; married with one son; gone with the Departure) - lawyer. used to fighting as she used to bicker with Sol all the time. wit like a knife, protective instincts of a bear. will not take a single shit. Maria Segura (younger sister by 13 years, born 1991; was engaged; gone) - soft-spoken, dreamy, a little lost. has romantic ideas and romantic dreams. sensitive. was a ceramicist. Lucia Segura (younger sister by 15 years, born 1993; gone) - tomboy, firebrand, energetic asshole. could never decide on just one thing. amateur boxer. astronomy lover. had just recently re-applied to school to finish her degree after dropping out.

Quick facts

tw: mentions of bullying

The scrappy, lanky boy who was bullied relentlessly learned to fight, then he learned that he liked fighting. Bruised and broken knuckles healed and a more level-head emerged from his previous anger soaked persona. By the time he started teaching in his late 20s, the old Sol was more or less changed; his anger turned to passion.

He says his anger issues are gone, but when he's angry, he's really angry. He's not as changed as he thinks he is, but he just wants to be a better person.

With the Departure, it can be hard to keep optimistic but Sol is obsessively determined to maintain it. He wants to have fun, he wants everyone around him to have fun. Now, more than ever, people need to cling to their ordinary joys.

He's a "turn that frown upside down" sort of guy. In fact, he probably says that a lot.

Has started up a lot of ridiculous clubs ("smile club", "running but we take a lot of breaks because I'm old club", "club club"). They're not very popular and never seem to work out. Still, he's dedicated to trying to foster a sense of community despite the circumstances.

Love puns. Too much, probably.

Keeps volunteering himself for things (he can't say no) and as a result, can't find the time to sleep. Can be caught napping in strange areas

Because he copes by joking, he assumes that everyone else does too; he can sometimes say something rude or go too far with a joke. These involve many Departure-themed jokes.

not-so-secret nerd. LOVES fantasy novels especially. don't get him started on the GOT show.

While he may seem happy, he's mostly just throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks; he keeps picking up new hobbies and putting them down. Like everyone else, he's struggling to figure out how to move on

Repress. repress. repress.

Fiercely loyal and fiercely protective once his friend claws have stuck in

Plot ideas/connections

people who knew him in the past (he's lived in redford all his life). BONUS: since he used to be a troublemaker, how about people he used to start trouble with? for younger characters: people he used to teach? or people who have siblings he taught. he's been a teacher for twenty years someone who dated one of his sisters! bonus points if they were kinda a shitty couple. he would've been very protective over his sisters. (open to anyone) someone in one of his many clubs, or in a club that he joined. someone he pesters to go have fun exes/friends/enemies/neighbors/anything at all please come at me

[devondeal]

Some Barrissoka ask game questions for you my dear 💚💙

3,6,8,13,18,19,21,23,31,33,45

Oooo why thank my love 💙💚 I love these things, please y'all send me MORE. It was hard having answers you didn't already know 🤣 Enjoy.

3. What do their Masters think of their relationship and would they show their support?

Anakin would probably not care but I think he'd still be surprised that Ahsoka would be with Miss Barriss "Goody Two Shoes Straight A" Offee and low key be nervous that Ahsoka might learn a thing or two from her 🤣 I think he'd high five Ahsoka for and I quoteth "Yeeeaahh Snips GETTIN IT!" Then he'd just walk off leaving poor Ahsoka confused and annoyed.

Luminara would probably be happy about someone making Barriss happy but she'd still def keep a close eye on Ahsoka since she's protective of her daughter. I think Luminara would wait until Barriss tell her about the relationship before showing open support out of respect that it's Barriss's truth to tell (unlike Anakin).

6. Whose Master is more likely to walk in on them in a compromising position?

Oh Anakin absolutely 🤣 The man is an idiot and wouldn't notice the sock on the doorknob.

8. What do the Clones think about their relationship?

Rex is def Ahsoka's wingman and covers for her much like he does for Anakin. Poor man has a notebook full of excuses for them. But he adores their relationship and is happy Ahsoka could find solace in someone during a miserable war.

Gree loves how Barriss seems looser and more relaxed when Ahsoka is around so he is all for it and gives Barriss all the tips for the best places in town to take a lady out.

13. Who is more likely to give the "shovel talk," Luminara or Anakin and how?

Oh def Luminara. Anakin doesn't care enough to. Luminara however, knows how deeply Barriss feels and what it takes for her to open up to someone so she absolutely will want to make sure her girl is safe.

She would do it inviting Ahsoka to her room to "have a cup of tea" (Headcanon that the Jedi who know Luminara well know that the cup of tea means a beat down). She would use plenty of high vocab and innuendo for what she would do to a person who makes Barriss cry.

18. How would Ahsoka express her affection to Barriss?

I feel like Ahsoka would be very physical so she would love touching Barriss's hair, playing with it, learning to style it. She's a big cuddler and whine if Barriss gets too far away in bed.

She'd also love doing tasks like fixing, building, running errands, driving the speeder, etc. cuz she is THAT dyke.

19. How would Barriss express her affection to Ahsoka?

I feel like Barriss is BIG into gift giving and also loves feeding Ahsoka whether that's making her a meal or taking her out somewhere nice and fancy.

21. Whose more likely to initiate intimacy first?

Barriss. Girl might be the quiet one but it's always the quiet ones. Ahsoka while she seems more aggressive, I feel like would be SUPER shy about intimacy. Girl doesn't even let anyone sit on her bed according to the novel 🤣

23. How do they comfort each other?

They hold and cling to each other because it's what they did in life or death situations in the Clone Wars. Listening to the other's heartbeats help calm them down.

31. How would Ahsoka bond with Luminara?

In my and @jedimasterbailey's headcanon, Luminara loves speeder bikes. Ahsoka loves tinkering so naturally they basically car gals together and Barriss gets so bored when they nerd out over this.

I do think their bond started with Cloak of Darkness though even before Barriss.

33. What do the other Jedi think of their relationship?

Yoda would ADORE them together and non stop affectionately troll them. Plo Koon is happy that Ahsoka found someone to calm her restless spirit. Mace is glad the Luminous Lineage may tame the Disaster Lineage. Obi Wan at first is confused and worries about the two girls in a war situation and how that could affect them but in the supportive protective dad way.

45. Share your Barrissoka headcanon.

Ok so not a unique one I'm sure but I have this headcanon that it's Barriss who gives Ahsoka her diamond choker she wears in her second Clone Wars outfit and even though she doesn't wear it anymore, she kept it or maybe used it to make her new white lightsabers back when she didn't know if Barriss survived Order 66 as a way to comfort herself.

[thelien-in-bg3]

Tav Character Worksheet

Thank you for the tag @hybernating-bear <33

Tagging; @brickhoise @aroaceofthanes

Name: Ullr

Ullr is the name of the god of hunting, snow, archery, and, get this, skiing - I grew up with stories of him just as the other gods, but he always meant something special he shoots while skiing what´s not to like!?

Gender: Male, he´s a lil guy doing funny faces :)

Sexuality: Demi-Bisexual, but in the way he´s not just confused, he has no idea.

Pronouns: He/Him

O T H E R

Family: He was born in the Underdark and grew up there in the cult of Lolth and was later smuggled out "accidentally" by some raiders, he was then picked up by a farmer and his wife and raised there for the rest of his childhood.

Birthplace: Underdark

Job: He runs around doing small things for coin as he doesn't like being confined to one place, he also hates the outdoors just not that much so he compromises.

Phobia: Small places (Claustrophobia) and big places, and fire.

Guilty pleasure: Gossip might be one of the biggest, if this guy hears anything, everyone heard it, that´s not to say he can´t keep secrets, he can as long as you make it clear it´s a secret. Romantic novels, he likes the idea of ​​love you don't have to earn and is that is equal. Those are probably the only two things he might feel a bit of guilt for.

Hobbies: Rocks. He picks up rocks and puts them in his pockets, and others too if he doesn´t have more room, without shame. And dirt sometimes too, if it´s a new place. He keeps small bottles on him for different kinds of dirt and sand that he labels.

M O R A L S

Alignment: Chaotic Natural

Sins: Murder is always okay! So is theft. Most of the time...

Virtues: Loyalty to those he care about, everyone else can die for all he cares as long as he doesn´t need them in some way.

T H I S O R T H A T

Introverted / Extroverted (depends on the person and situation)

Organized / Disorganized

Close minded / Open minded (he always knows best unless you can back your own point up with a nine slides PowerPoint)

Calm / Anxious / Restless

Disagreeable / Agreeable / In between (no is his favorite word :) it´s so short and simple)

Cautious / Reckless / In between (depends very much on the situation)

Patient / Impatient / In between (depends very much on the situation, and who it is)

Outspoken / Reserved / In between

Leader / Follower / Flexible (he enjoys his own company but doesn't mind being joined as long as he withdraw)

Empathetic / Unempathetic / In between (he wasn´t really thought empathy when he was small and it never caught up but he tries for his friends)

Optimist / Pessimist / Realist (optimist pessimist?? "we´re all going to die, but hey at least we had the chance to breathe in some air!")

Traditional / Modern / In between (traditions are important but some of them needs to die)

Hardworking / Lazy / In between

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

OTP: I don´t really know.... either Astarion or Karlach

Other ships: -//- idk

Brotp: Shadowheart, Lae'zel, Wyll, and Gale, Gale in an awkward weird kind of way

Notp: I don´t really think there´s anyone in the camp he doesn´t like, or he would tell them to leave by threatening to do it himself if they didn´t.

[readingforsanity]

The Hunting Wives | May Cobb | Published 2021

The Hunting Wives share more than target practice, martinis, and bad behavior in this novel of obsession, seduction and murder.

Sophie O'Neill left behind an envy-inspiring career and the stressful, competitive life of big city Chicago to settle down with her husband and young son in a small Texas town. It seems like the perfect life with a beautiful home in an idyllic rural community. But Sophie soon realizes that life is now too quiet, but she's feeling bored and restless.

Then she meets Margot Banks, an alluring socialite who is part of an elite clique secretly known as the Hunting Wives. Sophie finds herself completely drawn to Margot and swept into her mysterious world of late-night target practice and dangerous partying. As Sophie's curiosity gives way to full blown obsession, she slips farther away from the safety of her family and deeping into this nest of vipers.

When the body of a teenage girl is discovered in the woods where the Hunting Wives meet, Sophie finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and her life spiraling out of control.

Sophie O'Neill is living the slowed down life in small town Mapleton, Texas after leaving the hustle and the bustle of city life in Chicago. Once a magazine editor, she is now a lifestyle blog journalist and stay at home mom to her 3 year old son, Jack, married to her husband, Graham.

But Sophie's slowed down life is going to get a bit more hectic once she meets the Hunting Wives. They consist of gossipy Tina, reserved Jill, uptight Callie and the gorgeous Margot. The four friends meet every Friday night at Margot's lake house on the outskirts of town to skeet shoot, drink and generally enjoy life together. But they invite Sophie to take part in their secret society. Sophie is thrilled, especially since she has formed an unhealthy obsession with Margot, harboring a sort of crush on her.

On the first night, Sophie understands why they call themselves the Hunting Wives: bored with their husbands and daily life, they go to bars where they aren't well-known and hunt for men to fool around with. Pleased to be included, Sophie goes along with it and is shocked to learn just how much Margot's star shines even in small, hole in the wall bars.

As their friendships deepen with each other, Sophie continously finds herself in strange situations, like that of getting black out drunk while attending a night club in Dallas with the girls, where she sees her friends clearly going against their rule of never going all the way with these strange men. Her crush on Margot continues to deepen no matter what she does to get rid of it.

But, Sophie feels badly about what she is doing to her marriage to Graham. She has fooled around with an 18-year-old boy named Jamie, the best friend of Brad who happens to be Jill's teenage son. Brad and Margot have been sleeping together for quite some time, despite Brad being in a relationship with a sweet girl named Abby, a Junior at the high school.

On one of their Friday nights, Margot decides to call it a night early but talks Sophie into staying behind, much to Callie's chagrin. The others leave, and Margot tells Sophie that both Brad and Jamie are heading to the lake house to hang out with them. After drinking too heavily, Sophie finds herself too drunk to drive home to her husband son, and ends up passing out on the couch. Later, when she returns home, she learns that Abby has gone missing and that a search for her is underway.

Sickened at the thought, Sophie can't help but think that Margot and Brad had something to do with her disappearance after she spied some unruly text messages between the two of them. However, a few days later, Abby's body had been found on Margot's lake property, a shotgun to the chest. And Sophie is now the number one suspect after the murder weapon is determined to have her fingerprints on the trigger.

Slowly, Sophie's life unravels around her. Graham finds out about her trysts with Jamie, though nothing truly ever happened between the two of them outside some touching and kissing, but he can't stand the sight of her at this point and kicks her out. It was determined that Abby had been pregnant at the time of her death, and now she's sure that Margot and Brad had something to do with it.

She goes to the lakehouse to confront Margot, but finding her with Callie, can't bring herself to do anything about it. After accepting a glass of wine from Callie, Sophie realizes that she had been drugged. In her atempt to sob herself up, Margot seduces her and the two of them sleep together. When she comes to later that night, she finds Brad in the doorway of the master bedroom, and she nervously leaves, heading back to her hotel.

But, Margot goes cold to her in the coming days, only for her to find out later by the detectives working on Abby's case that Margot is also dead, having drowned in the water on her property, a clear struggle and foul play apparent. Sophie feels grief in a way she didn't think she would, but she now realizes that Margot never had any intention of helping her out of the situation she had found herself in.

Realizing now that someone was trying to get Abby to have an abortion, she heads to Dallas in search of answers in the abortion clinics. She locates the one that she is sure Callie and Margot had taken Abby too, but instead of finding out that it was Margot, she learns that it was Jill. The same Jill that she is now alone with on a boat, heading out into the middle of the ocean.

Jill confesses that she had to kill Abby because of the unwanted pregnancy, stating that it was going to limit Brad if she had decided to keep it, therefore she took her to the clinic in the hopes she would end the pregnancy. But when she wouldn't, she found Abby sitting on the curb outside of her home after Brad had attempted to end things with her. Luring her to her own lake house with the idea that Brad was going to be there waiting for her, she took her to Margot's property and shot her with the shotgun that Sophie had used that evening during their skeet shooting.

She also killed Margot when she realized that she was still sleeping with Brad even after Abby had been killed, and she was also standing in the way of her son going off to college. And she says that she now has to get rid of Sophie because she knows too much. But, unknowingly, Callie is walking up on them with a shotgun of her own, holding it against Jill's back until the police arrive.

Two months later, Sophie is back in her home but Graham has moved out and is renting a house across town, and the state of their marriage is still unsure at this point. But she is happy to be back in her own space, and is talking with a therapist in her hometown of Chicago and is looking forward to the future.

[translations-dark-matter]

Living as an Extra in an Omegaverse novel

Chapter 30

The intention to clearly block my path was evident. It was at that moment when I lifted my head to get a closer look at the approaching figure.

As soon as I saw the person's head tilt towards me, I quickly stepped back and tensed my body.

Various thoughts raced through my mind as I observed the face of the person who seemed impolite.

"Why is Ha Jin-seong in front of me?"

Why are they standing in front of my house? What's the reason for blocking my path? Could it be that they saw Shin Tae-oh drop me off?

"Do you remember my face?"

Whether it was the answer they sought from Se-hyeon's expression or not, Ha Jin-seong slowly straightened up their posture. Even though there was enough distance between us to breathe easily, for some reason, my chest felt constricted.

Unlike when I was with Shin Tae-oh, I found myself becoming increasingly tense. I swallowed the saliva that pooled in my mouth. I couldn't help but wonder why I felt so entangled in Ha Jin-seong's gaze, even though it wasn't the first time we had met. And then I realized the reason.

"It's different."

Unlike the previous encounter where they observed and prodded me, this time there was a clear purpose. My instincts, unwilling to be swayed by it, recoiled.

I had suspected it, and it turned out that Ha Jin-seong had been waiting here to see Se-hyeon.

I composed my expression, pretending to be nonchalant, and faced Ha Jin-seong. There was nothing to gain from showing any wavering here, so I suppressed my voice and asked, "What is it?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Their words annoyed me out of the blue. It was as if they had shamelessly come here as if we had recently met and engaged in conversation.

Given that they stated it was a question but didn't say anything else, it was probably meant for me to figure it out on my own. It was a statement that purely reflected Ha Jin-seong's impertinence.

In such situations, I usually had to recall the past to grasp what question they had asked.

"I'm not sure what you're referring to."

That wasn't it.

"And I don't care to know."

Ha Jin-seong listened attentively, as if trying to remember, but they weren't the kind of person I needed to jot down notes for fear of forgetting.

Ha Jin-seong was interpreting my response however they pleased, whether I was pretending not to care or genuinely not interested. Their tone seemed to suggest that they believed themselves to be the center of the world. Yet, the true protagonists of this world were Ha Min-hyuk and Yoo Jin-ha.

Ha Jin-seong tapped their lips thoughtfully. They remained calm and composed from beginning to end. It was enough to make anyone around them feel restless.

"I told you to come to me."

"If that's the case, I did answer at that time, but..."

"You were given time to think."

"Well, you see..."

Why was it so difficult to have a conversation?

"Tell me what you want."

It was at that moment, when I was contemplating how much more bluntly I needed to refuse due to my growing frustration. Among everything said so far, it was the most normal thing to say. So, I was asking what they wanted in order to scout them.

"I'll give you a house and a car."

"Even if you say that, my answer remains the same."

It was a proposal that didn't require any consideration from the start. When I first became Se-hyeon, I could have chosen Ha Jin-seong for the thoughts of a nice house, a car, and a lot of money. Driven by emotions, there might have been a chance to receive a house or a generous sum of money that I couldn't earn in a lifetime.

However, that wasn't what I wanted.

Stability.

I had simply sought the safest person in this novel and wanted to live honestly on a regular salary, not relying on hazard pay.

In that regard, Ha Jin-seong was someone I had to push away without a second thought.

"I decline."

"Is that because of loyalty? Or was my offer insufficient?"

Ha Jin-seong asked as if genuinely curious, then suddenly smirked. As their eyes creased with the smile, it resembled the smile of a fox.

So when asked if it bothered me, it meant that their dubious impression had softened, indicating that it was fine.

At this point, I gave up on taking Ha Jin-seong's words seriously.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out something I had kept handy, although it wasn't something I usually carried around. I had taken it with me while tidying up earlier.

"Think about it carefully. It's better to come in peace..."

I placed a candy in Ha Jin-seong's mouth, interrupting his continuous rambling.

With the sudden candy in his mouth, Ha Jin-seong's eyes rolled around. Blocking his mouth that had been spouting nonsense seemed to have had a positive effect.

In the tranquility of the alley, just like any other day, I released my tension. I had heard why Ha Jin-seong had come, so there was no need to remain on guard.

"It reminded me of something sweet when you mentioned it. Enjoy the candy and have a good day. As for me, I have to prepare to welcome our capable CEO Shin Tae-oh tomorrow, so I'll be heading in."

I summed it up, telling him to stop since I had no intention of going with him, and walked past him.

"I'll come again, so be prepared with a different answer next time."

I don't like it.

***

I changed into comfortable clothes and lay down on the bed. As I stared at the ceiling, I wondered what had happened today.

I had a fairly busy day, but the most memorable moment was:

"Do you... like gifts?"

The vivid memory of Taenyang's flickering eyes came to mind.

"Is it true?"

I turned my head and looked at the sink. Expensive dishes were stacked neatly in a pitiful cabinet, making a clinking sound.

Of course, they were bought by Shin Tae-oh, but I ended up bringing them to my own house instead of leaving them at his place. I had quietly brought quite a lot of things to my own home. Usually, secretaries wouldn't place such things in their own homes. Well, they wouldn't even consider going to a secretary's home.

In novels or dramas, secretaries always handle everything at their boss's house and disappear like shadows.

"Maybe I should stop."

I was truly grateful when Shin Tae-oh didn't demand my resignation, even though he knew my true identity. But now, I hesitated, wondering if it would be better to leave.

It seemed like Shin Tae-oh was genuinely interested in me.

"But that's not normal."

I shouldn't deviate from the original storyline.

And what hesitated me even more... was that I didn't think I could accept his feelings.

"I... can't."

I quickly got up and picked up the phone I had thrown to the side.

"Should I look for something new?"

I had some savings, and I could take a few months off without working.

Impulsively, I opened a job recruitment site and started browsing, but then my phone vibrated, and suddenly, my mother came to mind.

"Hello."

- Mom?

"Yes, what's the matter?"

- What's the matter? It's been so long since we last spoke, so I wanted to hear your voice too.

Has it been that long? I thought to myself as I aimlessly looked around the room. As I absentmindedly touched the buttons on the coffee machine, I remembered Shin Tae-oh's bewildered expression when he saw me doing this.

I smiled and then realized I was still on the call, so I refocused on my mother's voice. I thought the call had been disconnected because she didn't say anything after a while.

- By any chance, do you have some money?

There's something going on.

"Why... are you asking that?"

I knew it was difficult for her to bring it up, so I asked.

- Well, your father said he would go up the mountain despite the bad weather, and he slipped in the rain.

As soon as she mentioned that he slipped, I stood up from my seat.

"Is it serious? I'll go right away."

- Huh? No, it's not necessary. It's just that his ligament stretched a bit when he slipped, but it's not serious. However, during the examination, they found a very small lump, so they want to perform surgery.

"A lump?"

- Yes. It's bothering him, so he thought he could have surgery while he's at it... But, well, the cost is not insignificant. I should have gotten insurance or something, knowing this could happen.

As her words became longer, I could sense her hesitation due to burdening me.

"I actually received a bonus this time, which I was planning to send anyway. Don't worry and get the surgery. I'll find time to come and see you."

I quickly delivered my words and ended the call. In the atmosphere that had become heavier, as if accompanied by a renewed silence, I lay back on the bed without even having a chance to let out a sigh.

It seemed like I had to send the savings to my parents, and as for me...

"I will serve diligently."

I spoke politely while looking at the coffee machine.

Considering the money I had to send to my parents next month, I decided to continue working without a break.

***

"Good morning."

Shin Tae-oh, who was about to leave the house, stopped in his tracks at Se-hyeon's greeting and nodded his head.

"Why do you say that?"

"I feel like we've had a moment like this before."

Shin Tae-oh's gaze swept over Sehyun from head to toe, and then he stroked his chin.

"You were diligent before, but now you seem even more diligent and quick-witted. Did you make some kind of resolution yesterday?"

It was because I didn't want to quit, but I pretended not to know and tightly held onto my tablet.

"It's because I had a hearty breakfast."

I skipped breakfast due to my uneasiness, but it was a suitable excuse to throw around.

"Oh, the power of food. It's the power of rice, huh."

Shin Tae-oh nodded casually and then thrust a paper bag he was holding in one hand towards me.

"Take this."

It felt more like he was telling me to receive it rather than bringing it to me.

"Is this... a gift?"

"Yes."

Even though I said I wouldn't accept it.

Se-hyeon extended the item he had been holding in his hand towards me.

"I'm not planning to reject it without even looking at it, am I?"

"Ah..."

Is that so?

Come to think of it, I rejected it without even knowing what it was.

Se-hyeon obediently examined the contents inside the paper bag. A tumbler?

"What is this?"

"It's a nutritional powder."

Why is he giving me that?

"Because it's hard to work on an empty stomach. Eat it."

He left with just those words.

"What is this?"

What should I correct?

Is it that I have an empty stomach? Or is it that I think I can't refuse because it's a nutritional powder?

Prev / Next

[prettylittlelyres]

2023 - My Year in Writing

Hello, friends! Happy New Year to all of you!

I hope 2024 is fabulous and fun... but also very calm and soothing, even if it needs to be a little bit boring. I think most of us need a slightly boring year after whatever mess 2023 was. All I see - all over the internet - today are posts about how 2023 was a giant mess for nearly everyone, and while that makes me feel less alone, it also makes me a little sad for everyone else who had trouble with it.

I am sure 2024 will be better, because, for goodness sake, it can't get worse. And, on the bright side, the Gävlebocken (Gävle Goat) has been gobbled up by jackdaws, and I firmly believe that to be a good omen. May 2024 bring us abundance as the goat brought abundance to the birds of Gävle. (We derve some tasty abundance.)

But, with the start of a new year comes the end of an old one, and that means it's time for me to write about all the writing I did in 2023.

This was the year I tried to be kind to myself, and I certainly succeeded in that. I'm proud of the leeway I have given myself this year, and - perhaps ironically - I have achieved more because of it. Letting myself work without pressure has always been difficult for me, but I think I finally learnt to do it in 2023.

So, here's what I did.

The best thing I did was start joining in with the writers' Discord server I joined last year. I lurked for a long time, never really piping up in the group chats, because I never really felt like I had anything to say. I didn't write anything like as much in 2022 as I wanted to (would you believe I started the year with a bullet journal page covered in New Year's Resolutions for Writing that included "finish redrafting 2 novels", "write 2 novels from scratch" and "plot another 2 novels"?) and I was upset with myself about it. At the end of 2022, I found out that I'd been quite ill for a while, and started getting better, and I decided I'd be kinder to myself from the start of 2023.

So, whenever I wrote anything, I mentioned it in the group chat where we share our daily wordcounts and achievements (no matter how "small", they are all worth celebrating), and started chatting to the other writers here and there. We had meetups on Zoom, and communal sprints on Twitch that really helped me get back into the swing of writing happily in January and February. I started to feel like a proper writer again, like part of a real community, and I can't quite express how thankful I am to the server for helping me get that feeling back.

I got 78,000 words written in the first 2 months of the year, mostly working on a character study for a story that I've put on hold until I can work out exactly what I want to happen to its characters. I've explored how they'd behave in certain situations, and thrown problems at them to see how they cope (badly!). But a story needs a storyline, and that storyline needs to be coherent, so I've mothballed the project until a good one comes along.

I also started journalling about my reading in the first few months of the year. I did an extensive study of "The Restless Dark" by Erica Waters, and absolutely loved it, filling an entire notebook with my thoughts on what was happening and what might happen next. I haven't kept up such a meticulous habit for the rest of the year, but it helped me focus on reading in a way I haven't done in previous years.

In the end I read 40 books, and the ones I enjoyed most were, "Tell Me I'm Worthless," by Alison Rumfitt, and, "All the Young Men," by Ruth Coker-Burks.

"Tell Me I'm Worthless," is a horror novel about how extremists will manipulate traumatised people to get them on side, but its core message feels like, "It's always possible to recover."

"All the Young Men" is Coker-Burks' memoir about nursing and providing community support to people living with - and dying from - AIDS in Hot Springs, Arkansas, all through the height of the crisis. Heartbreaking and heartwarming in equal parts, it reminds us all that, no matter how bleak things are, someone, somewhere, will want to help.

In April 2020, I started writing "Journal of a Pandemic", which has turned out to be a much longer project than I ever anticipated it to be. It's a chronicle of my life in the COVID19 pandemic, observing the changes I'm seeing in the world at large as well as in my own personal life. I wish I hadn't been able to write it this year, or at least that I'd been able to rename it - "Journal of a..." well, just about anything would be better than a pandemic, I think - but it's still happening. COVID19 still hasn't gone away, and I still can't go out in public without a mask on, because I'm high-risk. The bright side of my generally dodgy health is that I've been more careful with myself, and only had coronavirus once, in Summer 2022. I managed to escape it entirely in 2023, and didn't get any colds either. I'm eligible for continued vaccinations, which I've been having as they've become available, and I'm doing OK! One day I hope to put the pandemic journal aside, and keep a copy safe to show future generations, but unfortunately that day hasn't yet come.

Throughout 2023, I was working on various drafts of "Violins and Violets", a historical fiction (and historical romance) novel that I started writing in 2018. I kept on getting stuck within the first three chapters, getting "sidetracked" (or so I thought) by early plot points. My aim in 2023 was to redraft the novel to develop Katharina's character more before the inciting incident (when her father forbids her to compose, and burns all the work she's done so far), but I just couldn't get to that point. Originally, it was the beginning of Chapter One! In the outline I'd revised to make the new draft, it was Chapter Four, and I couldn't get past Chapter Three. There was just so much that I wanted to write about...

...but then I realised one day that I needed to make the events before the burning into a novel of their own, and "Violins and Violets" needed to become a series of three books! That "three book" idea quickly became a "five book" idea, and I started working on the first book that day.

The first draft of the first "Violins and Violets" book, which I started on 31st July, became my project for NaNoWriMo, and I'm pleased to say that I won with it! I then took the first 13 days of December to finish it off, and ended up with a complete draft of about 96,000 words. I started the sequel on 14th December, and got 18,000 words of that book down by midnight on 31st December. It's been a number of years since I've written so much so quickly, and I don't think I finished a single draft of any book in 2022. (Although maybe I finished off the longer version of "Vogeltje" early on? I'm not sure!)

I'm very excited to see what I can write in 2024, but I'm going to keep being kind to myself, and take it easy. No pressure to get anything done... but I'd really like to finish the sequel, and get the next book or two in the series drafted, too. I'd like to read more historical fiction, to develop my understanding of the genre, and if I can read some more histfic focused on music and art in particular, I'll be really pleased.

Month-by-Month Breakdown

November - 50,000+ words (won NaNoWriMo!)

January - 40,850 words

February - 37,150 words

December - 29,500 words

July - 24,125 words

March - 22,000 words

May - 18,000 words

October - 13,750 words

September - 12,750 words

August - 9,000 words

April - 8,750 words

June - 5,875 words

Total - 271,750 words

average 745 per day, 22,645 per month

(Sharp-eyed magpies amongst you may notice that I'm posting this on 17th January 2024, and you're right in thinking that's rather later in the month than I intended. It's for a very good, happy reason, though: I've been working on my sequel to "Ladies Don't Write Music" and so far in January I've added almost 32k to the manuscript, bringing me up to nearly 50k total!)

[mustardbee]

I'm thrilled you're thrilled! In that case, I'll elaborate.

Since "chasingly obsessed lovebird x indifferent or avoidant cool guy" is a well-trodden path, it would be easy for a writer to fall in to the trap of letting the trope write the characters--like, lose track of who V1 (and Sinta!) are as individuals and instead kind of mold them to the usual roadmap of the trope, and let the spirit of Sonic and Amy or-what-have-you take over. Culturally, the audience is primed to have sold to them a Cool Guy who's annoyed or uncomfortable/conflicted about the lovebird's chasing (/stalking) and it would be easy to sell out to that. But that's not really who V1 is! And this is where my praise comes in--you do a great job really asking who V1 is and how he, as an individual, would relate to this situation. The trope doesn't win--the characters do.

As it is, V1 is kind of too impersonal to really mind something like Sinta's behavior. Nothing really threatens it and it's not too emotionally invested in very many things. Its loves seem to be balling hard to get that smokin' sick style, and drinking blood. I liked your comment that V1 would find a nonhostile unit novel because that seems exactly correct. It's interesting, not because it has any opinion or concern for the romantic underpinnings but because it's having a great time balling out in hell and having a little extra nuance to its battlefields in the form of a nonhostile unit that gives some situational mild buffs is a new source of complexity and curiosity--new things to style around. It's also funny, having a street cleaner just standing there spraying it, and as both a fidgety and impulsive creature and the most popular streamer in hell, funny is usually something V1 is happy enough to have around.

After all, how we, the player, feel while playing V1, is a lot of where V1's personality seems to come from. There's a lot of elements that show us that what it's like playing it is what it's like being it, such as the diegetic nature of the psx graphics. Even with very little specific demonstration of his character through actions the player doesn't control, the way we're inclined to play it makes your whole body immersed in the experience of being sassy, aggressive, stylish, restless, and gleefully, impartially destructive. There's a reason everyone has close to the same impression of what V1's personality is! And, likewise, the way we, as a player, would probably feel about Sinta being added as a mechanic is "Lol, neat/funny", and that's exactly how you show V1 feeling about her. The hand heart completed with a thumbs up says it all.

I love your street cleaner oc please keep drawing sinta, also the whole thing is greatly enhanced by the fact you clearly understand ultrakill and V1 very well

im ecstatic to receive a good grade on ultrakill and V1 ☺️

[casspurrjoybell-29]

Forging Ties - Chapter 28 - Part 1

*Warning Adult Content*

Hamish had a restless night, constantly waking to check on Aris and then carrying her up on deck to check the situation with the creature they were following.

Finally, Duran made them up a bed on deck, placed Aris in her bassinet and pulled Hamish down to sleep.

It didn't stop him from waking up every half hour but at least now he could check in on things quickly and then go straight back to sleep.

Hamish was awoken one final time at dawn to a deep, mournful sound that seemed to resonate through the ship.

He made it to the railing in time to watch the creature submerge itself.

It didn't come back up.

The ocean around them was calm.

Duran yawned and then rested his chin on Hamish's shoulder.

"What now?" Hamish asked Everett as the small man hurried by on his way to adjust the sails. "Where are we headed?"

"Go take a look from the front of the ship," Everett said without pausing in what he was doing.

Hamish made his way to the front of the ship and looked out into the endless ocean beyond.

Or... no, not quite endless.

Just barely visible in the distance was a tall, light blue structure.

The Spire.

This trip had been the journey of a lifetime but Hamish was glad to be home.

Not that he really had a home at the moment but anywhere the people he cared about were was home enough to him.

Duran wrapped his arms around Hamish from behind and leant his forehead against his back.

Hamish reached around and gave Duran a pat on the back.

"How are you feeling about being back?"

Duran let go of Hamish and tucked in against his side instead.

"Ready to tackle it."

"Yeah."

"Before we left, the whole thing just felt too big to me. Overwhelming. Now I see that it doesn't have to be that way. You don't have to do everything all at once. You can start by getting to know just one or two people and that makes everything else a lot easier."

"You already knew Danya and Fanner, though. Didn't that help?"

"I got to know Fanner while we were travelling together but he's a busy boy these days. I don't really know Danya at all. I knew him as a slave, to a degree but that's not what he is anymore. Sure, there are some things about the three of us that we'll always understand about one another better than anyone else can but that's not friendship. Friendship is something we'll have to work on building now that we're allowed to be people."

"Makes sense. And that's strength, you know? Building relationships. Anything that makes you stronger is strength. I was in the military and they teach you a very macho perspective on things but honestly, a lot of those ideas only make you weaker. Simon can be an ornery little bitch but there was never any shame between us when it came to being open and sharing what we were going through. And sure, now I know a lot of people who are like that but Simon is the one person that I know has that in him so deep in his core that it survived an environment that tried to strangle it out of him. That matters."

"It was never about being macho for me, of course but being too open with your feelings was generally a bad idea. Even with other slaves. I have a lot of things I need to unlearn."

"Just let me know what you need. We'll figure it out."

Duran shook his head, a smile making its way onto his face.

"A novel concept in itself. It's going to take me a while to get used to the idea that I can ask people for help."

Hamish grinned.

"Well, at least you're not the only man who's bad at that. It won't take much to be better than average."

"I do strive for excellence."

Hamish heard Aris fussing and gave Duran a friendly pat on the ass before going to check on her.

He lifted her out of her bassinet and she immediately settled down.

Sometimes she just wanted to be held.

Hamish bundled her up in her blanket and carried her back to the front of the ship.

The Spire was clearly within view now.

Slone strolled over to join them.

He looked down at Aris and gave her a smile.

"She's prob'ly only half the size of a human baby by weight but compared to a Werewolf baby, she's tiny. Cutest little thing I've ever seen."

"I'll have to ask Skye if she's going to grow into a normal sized person or if she'll just always be small," Hamish said. "He doesn't seem like he's in the mood for talking, though and he was never that keen on it to begin with."

Slone looked up towards the crowsnest where Skye was still hiding.

"Ah, yeah. Seems like he's having a rough time of it. I want to help him if I can but we'll see."

"Well, hopefully you can because I don't know what to do for him," Hamish said. "He's not much of a words guy and it doesn't seem like he wants physical contact right now."

"Grief's a tricky thing," Slone said. "Must be even harder when nobody else around you knew the person. When you're just alone in it."

"I guess that's why you'd be the one to help with that. His friend was a wolf, right?"

"Yeah, he was. Like I said, we'll see. I'll do what I can."

As they sailed towards the small dock near The Spire, Hamish carried Aris around the ship and talked to her quietly as he pointed things out even though he was pretty sure babies couldn't see for shit and he was certain she didn't understand a word he was saying.

She seemed happy enough, though.

She was still in that potato baby stage where they mostly just sat there and blinked around at the world uncomprehendingly whenever they weren't asleep.

Watching Sera, Everett and the robot work together to bring the ship into the dock was interesting.

Everett was small but he dashed about and climbed with ease when he needed to.

Sera was just as fast, though her methods were different.

She used her wings to get between places as quickly as possible.

The robot was slow and clomping when it moved but it could perform any task with perfect precision.

As they finished docking, Slone stood under the crowsnest and called up to Skye.

"You comin' with us?"

Skye looked down and shook his head.

"I'll stay with him," Perry said. "I would like to talk to someone about long term positions here, if possible but I'm happy to hang back until something can be arranged."

"You don't gotta hide yourself away, you know," Slone said. "But all right. I got a few things I need to take care of but I'll sort that out for you. I know people who know people."

"Thank you," Perry said. "I appreciate it."

"We're going to go into town and explore trade opportunities," Sera said as she kicked the boarding ramp to make sure it was secure before allowing Mirriam to wheel across it.

"We'd also like to talk to some people in charge at some point but that can wait."

"Right," Slone said. "I can help you with that, too but you might have to remind me later. Got a lot of things up in my head right now and not a lot of room to spare."

"I will do that," Sera said.