#be free my child. create and enjoy the act of creating

[redysetdare]

I don't know who needs to hear this but... You don't need to finish that WIP. not everything you create has to be a Work In Progress. you can just sketch something or write out a draft and then never go any farther than that. you don't have to finish everything you create. not everything is meant to be finished.

also, starting a new WIP when you have another isn't bad. it doesn't stop you from going back to the old one. sometimes you get excited for an idea, sometimes you just need to get that idea down. Do it. start another WIP. nothing is stopping you from going back to the old one later.

the only one putting these barriers up is yourself. Stop holding yourself back. You'll find yourself a lot happier if you stop forcing yourself to follow these invisible rules on what you can and should be focusing on finishing.

[blackpearlblast]

[ID: drawings of a golem animated by a palestinian flag painted on its forehead. it is seen: holding out its arms protectively in front of a crowd of children, the children also hold each other supportively; catching an air strike missile from the air and throwing it away or crushing it in its fist; turning its back so that a child can warm her hands by the earth oven built into its back, food in a pot is cooking on the fire and a boy holds a cup of steaming tea to his face and enjoys the aroma; clearing away rubble so a man can help up his wife who was buried underneath, she is clutching a baby to her chest; stooping down to look at a kitten a young boy is holding up to show it; and dissolving small flakes of clay from its finger into a glass of water, purifying it. end ID]

@fairuzfan asked people to create and share art for the strike. i wrote an artist statement and then set about trying to draw what i envisioned. artist statement below.

This golem is a protector that I wish I could gift to the children and adults in Gaza. The flag on its forehead is to show that love for the Palestinian people is an animating force for people fighting for a free Palestine all over the world, especially for those in Palestine who are trying to free themselves and their people. Love is the motivation for the call for a free Palestine, not hatred like people try to claim. It is very strong and fast and can catch air strikes out of midair and crush them to dust or throw them back in the direction they came from. It can lift all the rubble of a collapsed building very quickly so nobody can get trapped underneath. It has an earth oven in its back with an ever-burning flame that people can use to warm themselves and cook food and heat water to use to bathe themselves or make tea. Pieces of its clay can be crumbled up and mixed into water to make even the most brackish and unclean water pure and safe to drink.

The golem is always a bit of a tragic figure so I don't imagine it staying around forever once Palestine is free and it is no longer needed. I think it would use its great strength to help rebuild the destroyed houses, churches, schools, universities, hospitals, and mosques and then dive into the Jordan river and dissolve. It would clean the river of all pollution and make the water splash up over all the newly replanted fruit trees, causing them to grow big and strong. Its love for Palestine and its people can be tasted in the fruit they grow for generations.

I choose a specifically Jewish icon of protection because of how it feels to witness such horrors done in the supposed name of Judaism and the Jewish people. For many anti-zionist Jews, we feel like we are acting directly within the teachings of our stories and communities by opposing this genocide. It is difficult to understand how the very people and institutions who taught us these values now fight against them so fiercely. While obviously I would still oppose Israel were I not Jewish, the way I oppose Israel is directly informed by my Jewishness. I hope that someday, somehow, Judaism can bring as much joy and support to the Palestinian people as it has brought grief and destruction. That Jewish symbols used in the name of love and justice will bear more significance than the ones used in shows of hatred. Knowing the depth of the harm caused, I do not know if this is possible. But this artwork and everything I have dedicated myself to these past few months and continue to dedicate myself to in the future is born from this hope. I love you. Thank you for being on this planet with me. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free! And it will be beautiful.

[strawb3heart]

Love actually!

Part 1

warning: just a bit of swearing maybe, a bit short??

Summary: The one where Lando Norris lies to a girl he just met who happens to then turn into his friend or something else..

As the days went by, Lando Norris found the perfect company. Although when he arrived in the small town he wasn't looking to find someone, it turns out that sometimes things don't go as planned, but much better. "If it's not too much of an intrusion, do you plan to stay here long?"

"Why? Do you want me to leave already?" the boy said in a playful tone causing the girl to shake her head laughing "Your work sounds serious, that's why I wanted to know"he gave her a small smile while still shaking his head

"In that case, I still have a couple of weeks free" ​​the weight of the lie was increasing little by little, making the brown-haired boy reconsider whether he should tell the truth

"If so, would you like to visit the lighthouse? It's a bit far and the walk might be hard for some, but if you're up for it, Elio would like you to come with us." Y/n explained, noticeably nervous under the man's attentive gaze

"Only him?" that comment made the blonde give her a confused look "Only Elio would like me to accompany you?" After that, a nervous giggle escaped the girl's lips "I think we both know the answer to that, Max"

When their eyes met, he knew it was the perfect moment, the moment he was waintig for, so he slowly cupped the face of the girl between his hands, leaning to give her a sweet and soft kiss.

"Then, I can't disappoint both of you, I'll go with you" And, as he said, Norris was more than thrilled to go hiking with Y/n and her little one.

What he didn't knew was how that was going to end. And now, the "date" was just a completely bittersweet blur.

Perhaps he forgot what the lie would cost him or maybe he just didn't think it through. But now, it was sure that neither Y/n or Elio would want him in his life.

The date was supposed to be a fun getaway enjoying the sunset and the afternoon, but when a group of fans recognized him, everything shattered.

"You lied to me" the tone in her voice was low, showing just how broken the girl seemed. "Y/n, it wasn't like that, I just, I didn't know if you would want me near you or Elio if you had already known who am I"

"Lando, you cannot just invent a name and a fucking fairytale of how your life is" She yelled while the man seemed to be taken aback, she never acted like that before "I need to take care of Elio, guard his security, and you just proven me that you don't even care about that"

"Elio freaked out when all those people appeared, couldn't you think of my child's sake before creating this kind of lie you thought you'd pull through"

Lando Norris remembered every single word the blonde had said to him. And that memory seemed to be haunting him constantly. He would give the entire world just to go back to the day it all started, to change how he had the audacity to lie.

But deep down, she knew the girl was right. The little one started crying just as all the flashes of the cameras and the yelling started. Even when he tried to shush everyone, sensing the fear in Y/n's and Elio's eyes.

Now, Norris had only one day left in Portofino. And he knew exactly what he was going to do

"You shouldn't be here" Y/n said in a rather dry way "I'm aware that I messed this up, seriously Y/n" he started to talk "But I have to tell you the truth, all of it"

"I traveled here because of the chaotic environment, and I was just looking for a relaxing holiday. But when I met you and this little one" He said squeezing softly Elio's hand "Everithing changed, and I didn't want to drag all that chaos to our new friendship"

"I know I did the wrong thing in lying to you, and I guess I was also afraid you wouldn't want to date someone who's constantly involved in senseless dramas."

"If you can forgive me, and I really hope you can, I'll be here until noon, you know where to find me"

Saying that, Norris was just about to leave when a cold hand grabbed his arm, avoiding him to continue walking.

"You cannot just say that and leave, Norris" she said while laughing softly "I understand you, at least I think I do, but if we want to make this work, we need to avoid lies"

"Whatever you say ma'am, your wish is my command" He was smirking while the girl blushed subtly

Love was such a wonderful thing and the fact thatbthe couple had met just by accident was a simple prove that love actually is, all around.

Taglist: @justheretoreadthxxs @hadids-world @hc-dutch @hard4ndsoft @cmleitora

dunno if it was too short but I was running out of imagination w this one, sorryy 😭

requests are always open 🌷

[julsvu]

hiii!!! i really lovee your writing, can i request a monoma fic where he asks his s/o on a valentines date??? ik its not february anymore but ive thought about it and i think its really cutee :33 feel free to ignore this request if youre not comfortable with this!!! ♡

i blinked, and suddenly, i had a valentine

tags. fluff, gn! reader, reader is also a U.A student, implied relationship

neito monoma has always been the one for theatrics, series, and movies; ever since he was a child, he found himself allured by the the drama, the spectacle, the applause; to the point that he found himself seeing his life as a theatre act itself, secretly hoping to have a happy ending, just like the characters that actors portrayed.

however, he wasn't the main character of his own life. that's what he felt, what you never told, and how you never let him feel. unlike the side character he felt like he was, he never faded into the background, because you were holding him in the spotlight, where he was sure you'd come from; as if your fingers were intertwined, and you were refusing to let go. you were always stubborn, after all.

scrambling across his dorm room, the blond teen scribbles on a small whiteboard he had bought from a small d.i.y store while he was on a mall date with you. neito had been brainstorming for the last 20-ish minutes, at least that's what he thinks. he was struggling to think of a way to ask you out.

his ego was shattering with each letter he typed on google, the letters forming a sentence that was "how to ask your first girlfriend out for beginners"; last time he remembered himself doing this, he was 10 years old, and he did not have a lover whatsoever. he scrolled for a while before deciding that no internet article could capture what he wanted to say to you. frustrated, he threw his phone onto the bed and stared at the whiteboard, now filled with crossed-out phrases and doodles of hearts, a huff escaping his lips.

"alright, neito, think," he muttered to himself. "this is just another performance. you've got this."

taking a deep breath, he grabbed a clean sheet of paper and began to write from his heart. he poured all his emotions into the letter, writing about how much you meant to him and how you had changed his life. he wrote about how you made him feel like the main character in his own story and how he wanted to create more chapters with you.

satisfied with his letter, he folded it neatly and slipped it into an envelope. he glanced at the clock and realized he only had a few hours left before he was supposed to meet you. quickly, he tidied up his dorm room, changed into his best outfit, and grabbed the flowers he had bought earlier.

at precisely 6 p.m., he stood outside your dorm, his heart pounding in his chest. when you stepped out, looking as beautiful as ever, he felt a rush of confidence washed over him, as well as pride; your appearance never failed to entice him.

"hey," he greeted you, a bit breathless.

"hey yourself," you replied, smiling. "you look great."

"you too," he said, his nerves calming slightly at your smile. "i have something for you."

he handed you the envelope and the flowers, watching anxiously— maybe dreadfully as you opened the letter and began to read. your eyes scanned the words, and he saw your smile grow wider with each sentence.

when you finished, you looked up at him, nothing but pure unadulterated affection in your eyes; it felt like his heart melted into a whole new one. "neito, this is beautiful."

he stepped closer, taking your hand in his. "so, will you be my valentine?" he asked, his voice soft but steady; forcing himself to look into your eyes, that he ever so adored.

you wrapped your arms around him in a tight hug, whispering in his ear, "of course, neito. i'd love to."

the evening was flawless. neito took you to a rooftop restaurant he had reserved, the city lights creating a magical backdrop. you enjoyed a delicious meal, the conversation flowing effortlessly as always. after dinner, he led you to the dance floor, where you swayed to soft classic music, lost in each other's eyes, like you were two characters in a cheesy romcom.

under the stars, he held you close, whispering sweet nothings in your ear. you felt like you were the only two people in the world, and in that moment, neito knew that his life had indeed become the theatre act he had always dreamed of—with you as his co-star.

as the night came to an end, he walked you back to your dorm, his hand never leaving yours. he kissed you goodnight, a promise of many more perfect nights to come.

"thank you for tonight," you said, your voice filled with love. "It was perfect."

"no," neito replied, his eyes filled with adoration. "you're perfect."

as you closed the door behind you, you couldn't help but smile. It had been a valentine's Day to remember, and with neito by your side, you knew every day would be filled with love and joy, just like in the theatre acts he had always dreamed of.

and as he catches the sight of your closed door, he turns around, "i finally did it!" he whispers softly, pumping a fist in the air as he walks back to his own dorm, his heart overloaded with affection.

© 2024 JULSVU. all rights reserved. please don't plagiarize, translate, put in other websites or copy my work without permission. ty!

[hearts4werka]

NNN day 4 | Snow-day Magic

summary: december has finally arrived, snow has fallen and your daughter has never been more excited for your annual snow day with your husband Matthew matching her energy and enthusiast to which you fit right into, being the mother of both people.

warnings: FLUFF, nothing! Just cutesy fluff with dad!matt and his cute daughter 😋

authors note: day 4 lets gooo, sorry if this was kinda rushed and if a little bad but I was just pretty busy today and had to kinda rush this while I have free time, my friend @/strnilolover also did a snow day for nnn with chris and yall should go check that out too, I hope y’all enjoy this one

no nut november | masterlist | guestlist

My daughter, Lucy hops up and down in excitement while I zip up her pink winter jacket and slip on her mitten's to keep her from catching a cold when playing in the snow, I chuckle at how much energy she has inside of her little body. "When can we go play in the snow, mommy?" She questions impatiently, already wanting to go play in the snow. "In just a minute, dear. We have to wait for daddy to get here." I answer softly, standing up just as Matthew comes around the corner. Immediately walking over to Lucy and spinning her around in the air as she giggles, Matt seeming just as excited as our daughter does. "Soo... who wants to go have a cool awesome snow day?" He asks playfully, tickling Lucy's stomach while she errupts in an immediate "me!" response, speaking each syllable between soft laughter.

The room is filled with laughter and excitement, I glance at Matt holding and playing with Lucy and admire the amount of how adorable the sigh is. Quietly I reach for my phone in my back pocket to take a photo of both of them, “Can you both pose for a second?” I say while raising the phone upwards and getting them in the picture, they both do a silly face and a sweet smile spreads on my lips. After we all put on our cozy shoes, me and Matt grab each one of Lucy’s hands and make sure she doesn’t slip on some of the more slippery parts do the ground.

Creating a snowman

I keep supervision over both of them as I watch from a slight distance as Matt helps Lucy create a snow ball for the base of the snowman, sweet praises fall from his mouth when Lucy does something herself. When they have all of the snow balls they made all on top of each other, Lucy’s small hands push at Matt’s chest and try to get him away from the snowman now. “Don’t need daddy’s help anymore, I want to do it myself!” She exclaims and keeps pushing at his chest, landing his bottom on the cold snow. He gasps dramatically, putting on a fake-offended expression as he gets up from the ground and bends down to Lucy’s height. “Oh I’m severely offended, you don’t need me anymore?” She nods and points to where I am currently standing and gestures for him to go stand next to me.

He laughs and stands next to me as we both now admire our daughter assembles the rest of the snowman, “Damn she’s such an adorable child. She got those eyes from you.” I state, placing my head on his shoulder and supporting myself on his side as one of his arms snake up to my waist. “Yeah, y’know I have a cool idea in my head.” He shared, looking mysteriously into the distance to give it more of an ominous vibe and just him trying to act tough. “And what would that be?” I replied, my curiosity becoming spiked now with growing questions about what the idea could be. “Having another child.” “That’s your mysterious idea?” “Yeah, obviously.”

Making snow angels

My back is immediately met with coldness making me flinch slightly as I lay down with Matt helping Lucy down in the snow to which she also flinches from the sudden hit of coldness to her back. She starts moving her legs and arms back and forth and I follow suite, clearing the snow from under our limbs and leaving only prints of our clothes and a thin layer of snow. Matt helps me and Lucy get up from the ground without destroying the snow angels completely, we stand at the feet of them and Lucy tugs on Matts pants and points excitedly at her snow angel. “Look daddy, me and mommy made snow angels!”

I kneel down next to her and brush off the snow that was left behind and didn’t fall off, Matt does the same and kneels down next to me. “Both of you are my little angels already.” He admired, pulling both of us into a big hug but Lucy takes it a bit too seriously and jumps onto Matt’s chest which ends up with all of us laying on the cold snow, laughing at how serious she got about it. “Woah there, little girl. You’re a little feisty thing, hm?” Matt speaks softly, a soft chuckle bubbling in Lucy’s throat not really knowing exactly what he means as he softly tickles her side. “Looks like you got that from your mother” He chuckles as I jokingly poke the side of his waist, making him slightly jump at the sudden gesture. “What was that for?” “It’s just a joke.” I say innocently before he returns the action to which my body jumps, all while our giggly daughter watches us play fight as it only fuels her sweet laughter.

Guestlist!

| - @sturnioloblues - @sturnsxplr-25 - @luvvs4chriss - @sturniolosweetheart33 - @pussypie456 - @choclatestarfishwithahat - @venusxsturnio - @bagsbyclair0 - @sturnstvs - @dykes4chris - @hoe4matt - @cayleeuhithinknot - @strnilolover - @marrykisskilled - @phone4pills |

[flowerandblood]

The Man in the Black Crown

[ Amor • Aemond x Psyche • female ]

[ warnings: sex content, oral sex, smut, angst, violence, mention of the murder attempt, trauma, mourning ]

[ description: After she is attacked in a fair by a strange man and narrowly avoids death, her father the king decides that from now on she will be watched over by one of his ‘ghosts’, a assassin acting on his orders, wearing a black mask. The man follows her like a shadow, accompanied by their past, which keeps her awake at night. Gothic horror love story, angst, sexual tension, verydark Aemond. ]

This story is several requests combined into one: sworn protector x female; Amor x Psyche; Phantom of the Opera! Aemond x female. I took the liberty of creating a completely new story from this, having only elements of each of these requests.

Series & Characters Moodboard Lady Walford Moodboard Gothic & Horror Sensual Moodboard

Part 1 - The Man with the Black Mask | Part 2 - The Man with the Empty Heart | Part 3 - The Man with the Lost Soul | Part 4 - The Man with the Cold Mouth | Part 5 - The Man with the Deep Scar | Part 6 - The Man with the One Eye | Part 7 - The Man with the Golden Gift | Part 9 - The Man with the Bloody Sword | Part 10 - The Man in the Black Gloves | Part 11 - The Man in the Death Cloak | Part 12 - The Man with the Pearly Hair | Part 13 - The Man with the Fiery Gaze

* English is not my first language. Please, do not repost. Enjoy! *

Next chapters: Masterlist

_____

Never before in her life had she felt such happiness and such relief as when she saw her mother, alive, smiling, standing in her chamber. She dreamt of it in solitude, heartbreakingly trying to come to terms with the fact that she would only see her and convey everything she wanted to tell her in the next life.

Instead, she could burst out crying like a little child, find herself in her arms again, smelling her wonderful, calming scent, her hands stroking her head and her back. For a long moment she couldn't calm down, sobbing loudly, apologising to her for everything, babbling about how scared she was, how much she was suffering, how she was dying every day at the thought of not protecting her.

When she calmed down at last she sat with her on her bed, realising that someone must have led to this miracle, that something had happened that had completely escaped her attention, that there was someone else in the coffin or no one at all, that someone had helped her flee.

"I helped the Prince escape when he was a child. He offered to help me run away if I secured my brother's support for him. When he found out what your father wanted to do to me, he arrived at his call." She said calmly, stroking her head, and she swallowed loudly, remembering that Vhagar's real name was Aemond, that he had taken her on the table a moment ago, her thighs sticky from her moisture and his seed.

All this time he knew her mother was alive.

I gave her poison, after which she just fell asleep.

She's free now.

She stared in disbelief at her mother's lap, realising with a rapidly beating heart that he had never said that he had killed her.

That he had never lied to her.

She felt a wave of heat, a wave of gratitude, of devotion, of tenderness surge through her body. She thought she would do anything for him, that she would never repay him for this miracle that had just embraced her with his arms. She lifted her gaze, recalling with fear her younger brother, the fact that he was officially the heir to the throne.

"What about Loras?" She asked in a trembling voice, her mother stroking her head reassuringly and tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"He has seen me, he is in shock. My brother remains with him in his chamber so that he is not alone, but for now he cannot leave. Before the coronation, he will have to give up his rights to the throne in front of everyone, agreeing that you should become Queen instead." She said calmly, and she breathed a heavy sigh of relief, hugging her face to her chest, hiding in her embrace as she had when she was a child.

"…are you willing to do it? Marry him?" She asked uncertainly, and she nodded.

"Yes."

That night she waited impatiently for him, knowing he would come, knowing what she wanted to give him. She surprised him with her directness and initiative, the low groans of his pleasure as her mouth clenched and sucked on his manhood made pleasant shivers run through her, her walls throbbing greedily around nothing.

Both of them were surprised at how quickly she managed to bring him to the edge, his noises were full of desire and vulnerability and when he came in her mouth with a loud sigh of pleasure as she swallowed bravely everything that came out of him, wanting him to be satisfied with her.

When she released him from between her lips with a loud splat and looked up at him from below she noticed that his face looked completely different − he was panting loudly, shuddering, stroking her hair, his healthy eye wide open, his lips parted, his length still twitching, swollen from his fulfilment.

"− you will make a fine Queen −" He whispered with some kind of recognition, and she felt his words deep between her thighs. He pushed her wanting her to lie on her back, clearly planning to spend the whole night with her, but she stopped him with a movement of her hands, tightening them on his shoulders.

"− no − no, we can't −" She whispered pleadingly, her eyebrows arched in pain.

There was nothing she wanted more after seeing her mother whole and healthy than to give herself to him, however, if she was to become his wife, she could not allow him to do so.

He furrowed his brow, shocked, looking at her in disbelief.

"− are you mocking me? − I have no intention of pulling it out of you all night −" He said dryly, grabbing her hips and pulling her closer − she squirmed quietly when she felt him rub his manhood between her thighs, an amused smirk appeared on his face when he felt how wet she was.

"− you fucking want this −" He hummed; she tightened her hands on his tunic, shaking her head.

"− I want this − but the court will think I am your whore − I will never be respected by your side − is it not enough that I am the daughter of a traitor? −" She asked in a trembling voice and saw that he froze, looking at her in shock, his lips tightened into a thin line.

"− I will kill with my own hands anyone who dares to insult my Queen −" He hissed. She raised her hand and stroked his cheek − she saw him hesitate, his gaze softened slightly.

"− I ask this of you as your future wife − let us not spend the night together until our nuptials −" She whispered, stroking his scar with her fingertips − she heard him sigh heavily and curse quietly, furious.

He stood up, tying his breeches, staring at her with a clenched jaw and she raised herself up on her elbows, covering her thighs, looking at him gratefully.

"You're going to finish me off, woman." He said with annoyance, and she swallowed loudly, lowering her gaze. She felt his fingers grasp her chin and forced her to look at him.

"Tomorrow, you will accompany me during my council with the lords. You will stand by my side when I tell them of our decision. Do you understand?" He asked coolly, and she nodded, feeling hot in her heart at the thought that he really wanted this.

He really wanted her to be his wife.

The next day, new servants walked into her chamber, looking at her with trepidation, apparently afraid that if they offended her she would tell everything to the dreaded One-Eyed Prince, who would cut their throats.

In silence they helped her to dress and combed her hair − even though she should be wearing mourning, she put on a light navy blue gown with exposed shoulders and long red sleeves reaching to the ground, her and her future husband's colours.

In accordance with his wishes, she was led into the small council chamber, where lords loyal to him over the years as well as those who had joined him later were seated at the table − she was relieved to see her uncle and her mother among them.

This time, as soon as she spotted her future husband sitting at the head of the table she bowed humbly, causing the conversation to fall silent.

"My King." She said softly and lifted her gaze to him − his sapphire now covered by a black eye patch, his healthy eye looking at her with satisfaction and contentment. He nodded at her.

"Come closer, my Lady." He said in a firm, dry voice, and she headed towards him obediently, surprising most of those gathered by the fact that she stopped beside his chair − Criston Cole moved restlessly, keeping his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Conquering a city and regaining the throne is one thing, however, maintaining it and keeping the peace is another. The simplest way to appease the terrified citizens, in my opinion, would be a union between the feuding families, heralding a new beginning. That is why I have made decision to take Lord Walford's daugther as my wife and that she will be crowned with me during our nuptials." He said lowly − an uproar and dissenting voices echoed around her, her heart beat hard in horror as one of the lords stood up and pointed a finger at her.

"This is treacherous blood, my King. It passes from generation to generation, it cannot be trusted. Send her back to the monastery, my daughter would be a more suitable candidate for your wife." He said looking at him with outrage, however her future husband's face remained impassive and indifferent.

"I declare my will, my Lord, not to ask your opinion. Have you supported me only to have me marry your daughter? Will you turn against me if I do not?" He asked coldly, with emphasis, wanting to push him to the wall. The man swallowed loudly, shaking his head.

"No, of course not, my King, however you must not be fooled, she will want to avenge her father and put her younger brother on the throne, she…" He didn't finish as a fiery argument broke out around her − her uncle stood up from his seat, furious, saying that it was thanks to him that they had taken over the city and he didn't wish anyone to speak to his niece in such a way − the other lord said he only did it because he wanted to be King himself.

"Why would I want to avenge my father?" She asked, looking straight into the eyes of the lord who had insulted her earlier − the man fell silent surprised that she had the courage to interrupt the men's discussion and interject.

"Because I believed he ordered my mother to be killed? Because if it wasn't for our King I would have took my own life? Because my father wanted to sell me like a mere whore to whoever would offer more?"

She asked in a trembling voice, a tense silence fell around her.

"I wanted nothing more than his death. Our King can attest that when I realised that my, what I thought at the time, ghost had connections to your cause I offered to help the Prince and do whatever he wanted, if only he would agree to spare my little brother's life. I told him this without knowing who was hiding under the mask."

"You could have done it because you sensed something was coming and wanted to warn your father!" Said one of the men, slamming his fist on the table.

"That's enough." Growled their King, but she wasn't about to leave that comment unanswered.

"If I loved him so much, why didn't I warn him? Why, after discovering the shelter under the bed in my mother's chamber, did I not inform him that the Prince might have taken refuge there, that he had survived?"

Silence answered her − the lords looked at each other uncertainly with grim faces. She heard her future husband sigh heavily, running his hand over his face.

"I appreciate your devotion, my Lords, but my decision is not negotiable. Let us proceed with the details of the coronation so that we can get it over with. I understand your concerns, fear not, you will fill your purses with gold."

Despite the extreme distrust and coldness with which her husband's decision was received, it looked as if his allies must have struggled to accept it, seeing that he was taking it seriously, not wanting to lose out in his eyes, hoping for close and important positions in his future council.

She watched from the sidelines with the ease with which he set them up like pawns on his chessboard, seeing exactly what they wanted, the greed and vanity behind their grand words of allegiance.

He knew that he could not trust them completely, that he had to control them.

Even though he didn't have a mask on his face, he somehow put it on in front of them, not letting any of his emotions or thoughts come to the surface that he didn't want to share with them.

She saw his greedy, thirsty gaze, knew he was dying of rage and irritation, struggling to keep his promise not to go near her since that night.

He craved her and couldn't touch her.

When the day of the coronation finally arrived her maids prepared her bath in the morning, dried and combed her hair, helping her put on her beautiful new black and red gown, a gift from her future husband, the colour of his house.

She felt a kind of pride when she noticed that the shade suited her − her dark hair contrasted with the ruby long sleeves, her hair partly pinned up in a bun at the back of her head, partly loose, flowing down her bare back.

She walked out of the fortress for the first time in weeks, accompanied by guards, and was led to the carriage that would take her, escorted by Criston Cole along with her mother and her brother, to the temple where the nuptial and coronation ceremony was to take place.

"Do you remember what you are supposed to say?" Their mother asked Loras, correcting his robe, also the colours of red and black, proof that he too was from now on relinquishing his father's lineage to his new house.

"Yes." He muttered, looking at her in horror, pale, his large, dark eyes glazed over from tears. "If I say all this, won't they cut my throat?"

She pressed her lips together at his words and reached out with her hand, grasping his fingers, squeezing them, looking at him tenderly.

"No one will hurt you again. I will become the wife of a Prince, and then a King, and you will retain the title of lord and inherit the estate that once belonged to our father. Everything will be as it should be." She said calmly, for the first time sincerely believing that their lives would finally be at peace, that her husband would keep his word.

When they arrived there were crowds of onlookers waiting around and in the temple itself, horrified people not knowing what to think about what had happened, watching them in silence.

Her younger brother was led onto the podium with their mother, much to their consternation − she heard shouts that it was a miracle, that the Queen was dead. Her mother placed a hand on his shoulder as he began to recite what he had been ordered to say.

"I, Larys Walford, as the son of a traitor, renounce my claim to the crown in favour of its rightful heir, Prince Aemond Targaryen, and my sister, his future wife, retaining by their grace the title of Lord." He said in a trembling, childish voice from which she felt a tightening in her throat.

He came downstairs, standing behind her, heading with her to the entrance, where her uncle was waiting for her to lead her inside instead of her father. She grabbed his arm and nodded that she was ready.

When they went inside all eyes were fixed on them, but for some reason she felt no fear or panic. All she looked at was the man who stood in front of the huge altar, behind him the tall windows through which the sun fell, illuminating his pale face, his eye patch, his long, almost white hair.

He stood upright, proud, prepared for this moment for many years, confidence, calmness and determination beaming from him − she saw that he swallowed hard at the sight of her, a barely visible grimace of satisfaction and contentment on his lips, from which she felt heat in her lower abdomen.

He craved not only the crown, but also her.

It was all about to become just his in the eyes of the gods.

Her uncle gave him her hand, which he grasped in his own, looking down at her, his gaze seeming soft to her despite the coldness, her fingers tightening lightly on his skin.

"We are gathered here to unite, bless and anoint these two people entrusting the fate of us all into their hands. Do you, standing here before the face of the gods, wish to join in holy matrimony of your own free will?"

"Yes." They both replied in a confident, clear, calm voice.

"Have either of you, standing here before me, made a commitment to someone else that might stand in the way of this sacred union of marriage?"

"No." Again they both answered, she saw his gaze change with each passing moment, as if he was slowly realising that this was really happening, that they were just becoming one.

"Therefore, I, the envoy and servant of the gods on earth, call upon you to take an oath:

In the face of the gods and all assembled witnesses, I vow that what was empty becomes full, what was broken becomes whole, and what was separated becomes one, now and for all eternity.

They said with difficulty. She felt tears gather in her eyes with each word, her throat tightened, their fingers clenched on their hands − she saw his lower lip tremble slightly.

There was a complete silence around them that made her hear their accelerated breaths perfectly − they let go of each other's hands when the priest ordered them to face him and kneel.

She closed her eyes as he anointed first his forehead and hands with holy oils and then hers, while saying that by the will of the gods they would rule this kingdom.

She heard Ser Criston Cole take a black steel crown, adorned with rubies, from the altar and walk over to her husband, placing it on his head. He went back and took another crown from it, which was in the form of a diadem with ringing ruby beads − when he placed it on her head it would fall on either side on thin strings, connecting to each other at the back.

Her husband stood up, and she rose with him, Criston Cole shouting behind them.

"Long live the King!"

"Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King!" His lordship cheered, and behind them the other assembled people began to chant, simple folk who had watched everything from afar.

Loud applause echoed all around them, and she thought that people, like her, were relieved at the thought that the worst was behind them, that perhaps there would be peace at last.

They returned to the fortress on horseback so that all those gathered could see them − she rode a little way behind and heard the people shouting her name, calling her their queen, running after her.

She looked at them with some kind of emotion, remembering how they had thrown flowers at her feet when she returned alone to the keep, thinking that her mother was dead.

They were welcomed in the fortress with a huge feast of dancing and revelry, seated behind a large wooden table, receiving congratulations from the lords and their families along with vows of allegiance, which they accepted with a nod.

She knew they were both dyingly exhausted and dreamed only of rest and respite. Her husband did not ask her to dance, however, she did not mind.

She felt no need to do so, although to her surprise, she was filled with contentment.

She looked at her husband out of the corner of her eye − he was sitting with his profile to her listening to the words of another of the lords, the black crown on his head looked noble.

It seemed to her that he was born to wear it.

When at last they were able to retire to bed, her husband ordered her to go with him to his chamber, so she did so without a word of objection, and her servants followed her.

He watched sitting in a chair as they helped her to take off her gown, trying to remove the diadem from her head first, however, he immediately protested.

"No. The diadem is to stay." He said coldly, in a slow respectful movement pulling the crown off his head, placing it beside him on the table, looking at it thoughtfully.

Her servants walked out when she was finally left in just her nightgown, closing the door behind them − her husband raised his eyes at her, his gaze expressing displeasure.

"Shall I rip it off you?" He asked lowly, so she pulled at the ties of her nightgown and slipped it off her shoulders, letting it fall lightly to the floor.

She saw her husband-king lick his lower lip involuntarily, seeing her naked body at last in the candlelight, able to admire her shamelessly without having to rely solely on his sense of touch.

He rose slowly from his chair with a creak of wood, approaching her unhurriedly, towering over her. She shuddered as his hands ran gently over her shoulders, up to her neck and cheeks, a pleasant, warm shiver passed through her even though she was cold.

He surprised her when he leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, barely rubbing against them without giving her a full kiss. She sighed in delight as she felt his familiar touch and scent, her fingers ran over the soft skin of his cheeks reciprocating his caress.

She moaned quietly as he grabbed her with his arm around her waist and pulled her closer, his lips greedily pressed against hers in a loud kiss as if he were tasting the fruit − they both gasped as the tips of their tongues licked each other tentatively.

"− I'll lick you good down there before I slide it into you − hm? −" He murmured running his nose over her cheek and she felt her insides throbbing hard at his words. She nodded quickly, running her fingers through his hair impatiently, looking up at him pleadingly.

She squealed quietly as he grabbed her hips and lifted her with ease, walking with her towards the royal bed that had once belonged to her father, and his father before that.

She sighed as her warm body collided with the cold sheets, her husband taking her thighs in his hands and spreading them in front of him, looking down at her with slightly parted lips.

"Mmm."

He murmured, and then leaned over her, nuzzling his face into her warmth between her thighs, with shy, tentative movements sliding the tip of his tongue inside her, teasing her deliberately, a moan of pleasure escaping her lips, her body arching backwards as his nose rubbed against her bud.

"− please − please, my husband −" She mumbled out, feeling her whole body burn with desire − for the time he hadn't visited her she had satisfied herself with her own hand, but it wasn't the same − she needed and wanted only him. She heard him hum with satisfaction at her words, watching her reaction with contentment.

"− so impatient − I was thinking only about this listening to those fucking fools −" He muttered between one lick of his tongue and the next, making her body tremble in his hands.

"− about what I'm going to do to my wife tonight −" He breathed out − she moaned loudly, surprised, clasping her hands in his hair as his tongue suddenly burst deep inside her.

He began to eat her like a starving man with a loud click of their mixed moisture, the tip of his tongue rubbing and pressing the spot inside her from which her walls throbbed wonderfully, her hips began to push desperately against his face.

"− my King − right here, yes, please −" She was panting and whimpering with pleasure when she felt the shockingly intense fulfilment shake her body, waves of heat flowing through her one after another − she was writhing in front of him, thinking only of the fact that he was her King and she had just come on his face.

She heard him sigh in contentment, with slow, lazy flicks of his tongue licking off everything that flowed out of her.

She looked at him with misty eyes when she heard him rise up on his knees, wiping his face with the back of his hand, reaching up to clasp of his tunic, staring at her as if he was about to devour her.

"− as your King and husband, I swear to you that you'll fall asleep and wake up with this inside you −" He murmured with a grin as he untied his breeches, releasing his hard, swollen erection, its tip glistening from his own wetness.

She spread her thighs obediently in front of him as he leaned over her, placing one hand at her head, the other guiding the fat head of his cock against her entrance, still throbbing from her fulfillment, and he pushed into her, a moan of delight escaping from their throats.

He slid deep into her with one sure thrust and immediately began to slam into her, panting loudly along with her, imposing an intense, fierce pace, his thighs slapping again and again against her buttocks with the loud click of her juices.

"− oh gods, yes − fuck, I've missed this −" He breathed out, rooting into her with sure, deep thrusts of his hips, sliding into her with ease − she reached her hand up to his eye patch and pulled it off in one sure motion, startling him completely.

He groaned low as she grasped his cheeks in her hands and pulled his face to hers, their lips colliding in a sticky, loud kiss, their bodies hitting each other fast and hard.

"− yes − please, yes, fuck me, my King − I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours −" She mewled meeting each of his thrusts with the bucking of her hips, one of her hands clamped down on his buttock allowing him to pound into her harder. She could feel him twitching all over, close to fulfilment after such a long separation, her insides sucked desperately at his cock, wanting to keep him inside her.

"− gods, stop clenching − stop, oh, fuck-fuck-fuck-fuck −" He muttered before fulfilment shook his body and his hot seed spilled inside her − they were both panting, looking at each other with misty eyes, trying to prolong this sensation with the motions of their sweaty bodies.

She sighed quietly as he leaned in and kissed her deeply, pulsing hard, still moving inside her with involuntary rocking of his hips.

"− you are made for me −" He sighed in relief, his voice filled with calmness, as if stating a fact he had read about in some book.

"− you were born to be mine −"

______

Aemond Taglist:

(bold means I couldn't tag you)

@its-actually-minicika @notnormalthings-blog @nikstrange @zenka69 @bellaisasleep @k-y-r-a-1 @g-cf2020 @melsunshine @opheliaas-stuff @chainsawsangel @iiamthehybrid @tinykryptonitewerewolf @namoreno @malfoytargaryen @qyburnsghost @aemondsdelight @persephonerinyes @fan-goddess @sweethoneyblossom1 @watercolorskyy @randomdragonfires @apollonshootafar @padfooteyes

[peaches2217]

Summer Rain

AO3 link!

~~~

There’s nothing quite like falling ten feet to the ground and landing flat on one’s back to bring a person back into reality. When he came to, Mario’s first reaction was relief. Rest, finally. Everything burned. His throat, his lungs, his muscles, his stomach. His ears rang and his head spun and his vision created doubles of every last block and obstacle overhead, and at long last, he was free to simply lay in the grass and observe passively.

As with all good things, it didn't last.

Get up.

The all-too-familiar voice, maybe his own and maybe some divine call from the universe, repeated these words in his head, but he couldn’t make his muscles obey. He could hardly breathe; air returned to him in unsteady gasps, and with each one, his short-lived relief melted further and further into frustration.

Get up. Something gurgled in his throat that was neither air nor bile, and the taste of copper coated his tongue. Get up. How had he slipped? He’d run this training gauntlet hundreds of times, if not thousands, in the past weeks. Had he grown complacent? Get up. This was no time for complacency. No time for failure. Get up, get up, get up.

“Mario!” He registered the cry of his name the same way he registered the pain in his spine or the ache in his limbs or the muted yet near-constant growling of his gut: with little more than passing acknowledgement. He knew he was hurt. He knew he was hungry. He knew someone was calling out to him. He didn’t care. His only concern was get up, get up, get up, sit up, stand up, get back to training.

Get back to her.

“Mario?”

Just as soon as he’d pulled himself to his knees, dizziness overtook Mario, and he barely caught himself on his hands, his arms shaking from the effort to support his weight. Her voice. All it took was the ghost of her voice to sap his fight, drain the furor that fueled him, until he was empty, empty, empty.

She wasn’t— he knew she wasn’t— and yet she— she sounded so near—

“Oh, Mario,” Peach sighed, pressing a gloved hand to her cheek, “what am I going to do? If I have to sit through one more unproductive commission on import tax rates, I think I’m going to scream.”

Mario chuckled sympathetically. “So I’m guessing third time wasn’t the charm after all?”

“I thought surely the senators would be just as sick of all the arguing as I am by now. Sadly, I’m fairly certain they enjoy it.” Another sigh. “So a fourth commission has been scheduled for Thursday.”

Thursday. Mario wracked his head for upcoming happenings, possible excuses, any circumstance he could twist in her favor, and he found it in short order.

“Hmm… it sure is a shame you won’t be there for that meeting, Princess.”

Peach halted in her tracks, and Mario stopped alongside her, meeting her confusion with pointed nonchalance.

“I… won’t be?”

“You didn’t forget, did you? That play in Mushroom City you were invited to? That’s Thursday night, yeah?”

Peach shook her head. “Mario, I’d hardly call a letter written in crayon by a child begging me to attend their Kindergarten theatre production an ‘invitation.’ More of a… um…” A pause. The realization clicked into place, her bright eyes glowing ever brighter in the twilight, and she graced Mario with a sly, cheerful smile. “Well, how many children have the courage to write to the castle directly? It would be rude to turn such a thoughtful invitation down.”

“My thoughts exactly!” He nudged her side, winking up at her. “Now, I know you’d rather sit and listen to grouchy old Toads shout over each other all day, but we all have to make sacrifices sometimes, yeah?”

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” A very un-regal giggle slipped her lips, juvenile in its conniving yet ethereal all the same, and Mario couldn’t help but feel especially proud of himself. “So we’ll meet at the carriage hold Thursday at dawn, then? Plenty enough time to escape before Toadsworth catches on.”

Her proposal didn’t surprise him; it had become customary, after all, to act as her guard any time she ventured beyond the palace walls. This made her invitation no less sacred to him. “You can count on me, Princess.”

Peach took a moment to breathe in the fresh spring evening, exhale her worries, and as their walk resumed, her hand found his, small and light but present and real and warm. “Oh, Mario,” she laughed, “you’re my hero!”

You’re my hero…

Another rush of oxygen hit his brain, and she was gone once more. Memories of golden hair in the waning light of sunset were washed out in smudges of green and brown and red — his fingers digging into the earth, damp from a recent summer rain, a trickle of blood dripping from his bottom lip onto the backs of his hands.

Some hero he was. 

A familiar pressure welled within his chest, and he huffed in relief. Anger. It made his heart pump harder and brought his surroundings back into focus and flooded him with unbearable energy, and he was finally able to clamor to his feet, spitting blood so he could breathe properly. Turning towards the gauntlet’s nearest springboard, he wiped his sleeve over his mouth and let that rage consume him once more, let himself believe again that it wasn’t rage at all, but hope. Hope in its rawest, most painful form.

She was counting on him. He would bring her home. He would have pleasant evening walks in the gardens with her again, he would laugh with her over tea and cakes, he would ensure no similar misfortune ever befell her again. Maybe he would even tell her that he loved her, just so he could say he no longer held any secrets from her. And until that day came, he would train and train and train until no force, earthly or cosmic, could stand in his way.

How could you let this happen?

That fragile illusion of hope burst into flames, its fire coursing through Mario’s veins, but now that he was on his feet again, he made no further effort to fool himself. With a final, sharp breath, he lunged forward—

“Basta così!”

Something caught his left wrist, and the unexpected intrusion snuffed Mario’s fire, like water tossed on a blazing bed of coals. He clenched his jaw and smoldered uselessly for a moment, quivering with unspent energy, giving his captor a chance to free him without provocation. The grasp ensnaring him only tightened.

“Lasciami andare, Lu.” He kept his voice as steady as possible, deathly quiet and low, because he knew it would shake if he raised it any louder, and he couldn’t afford to be perceived as weak.

“No.” Luigi’s voice was equally unwavering. “I’ve let this go on long enough. You’re coming home.”

Mario scoffed. Oh, now his timid little brother was choosing to stand his ground. Now, of all times, for all purposes—! He lurched forward to free himself. He didn’t have time for such games.

Luigi moved with him easily, and before Mario could reestablish his footing, he was yanked backwards by the arm so hard that his vision went blurry and his legs briefly gave out beneath him.

But he didn’t have time to collapse. Luigi powered ahead, and Mario was forced to twist his body in the same direction and stumble along behind him, and by the time his surroundings stopped shifting they were well past the athletic center’s gate and into the streets of Toad Town.

What in the Eight Realms was going on? His brother was strong, but he was stronger. It should have been easy to pull free or at least anchor himself and force an impasse, but he wouldn’t slow down.

“Let me go, Luigi,” he repeated in their mother tongue, half so the dozens of Toads craning their stubby necks as he was dragged past couldn’t eavesdrop and half because his grasp on the English language was one of the first things to go when he was upset. 

“You really think I’m that useless?” Luigi didn’t even look over his shoulder as he responded in the same tongue, yet his voice pierced through the ambiance of the streets. “I don’t need a missing friend and a dead brother.”

Another white-hot burst of fury flared within Mario, and he tried once again to break free (once again, to no avail). Useless? A “missing friend”? A princess — their Princess! — was abducted by a notoriously homicidal warlord who promised to kill her and seize her kingdom by force unless he was met with unconditional surrender, and all his brother cared about was how he was perceived? How these events affected him?

Mario was the only living person with any chance of bringing her home safely, or at least alive. He’d devoted himself to that cause wholeheartedly and without hesitation. Fought and trained and redefined himself over the past two months while waiting for royal spies to figure out where she was actually being held. He’d never thought Luigi to be so selfish, that he’d stand in his way. That he’d sooner trade Peach’s life for his. Did she really mean that little to him? The very thought nauseated him. Or maybe those were hunger pangs.

They arrived at their shared cottage in short order, and Mario spit one last mouthful of blood into the grass before he could be dragged onto the porch and through the door. This wasn’t just selfish. This was betrayal of the highest order. 

Luigi all but tossed him inside, and only then did he let go. Mario seethed at his green-and-blue-clad back as he shut and locked the door, rubbing his wrist absentmindedly, stimulating the once-restricted blood flow. Betrayed by the last person he would ever have suspected. The one person who should have been supporting him, who he’d thought already was supporting him before today. He held his internal fire close at bay, ready to make his disappointment and disapproval clear, and with a heavy sigh, Luigi turned to face him—

“This isn’t your fault, Mario.”

Mario’s belligerence fizzled out. Where there was once fire, there was now ice, still and cold.

“...What?”

“This isn’t your fault.” Luigi enunciated each word carefully as he approached his older brother. “N-no one blames you for this except for you. So you’re not proving anything to anyone by torturing yourself, bro, okay?”

For a long moment, all Mario could do was gape in bewilderment. Not once since the Princess’ abduction had a word been uttered about blame. There was no need, he'd just as quickly assumed: anyone with two functioning brain cells knew exactly who was to blame, and verbalizing accusations wouldn’t get her home any faster, so he bore his cross with a heavy heart and his head held high. 

Even Luigi had never spoken up on the matter. Mario just assumed that meant he agreed. Why bother kicking someone that’s already down?

“I-I…” Mario swallowed. No. No, he was lying. Reality was sinking in and he was lying in a last-ditch effort to defend what hadn’t already been lost. He knew just as well as Mario that… and yet he…

Selfish. Selfish, selfish, selfish.

“I’m her guard, Luigi,” he finally answered, and unpleasant but ever-familiar heat rose once more within him, making his face and ears tingle. “It’s my job to protect her! Literally my job!”

“Yeah, during the day! But you’re acting like she was nabbed under your watch! You’re acting like everyone expects you to be on guard twenty-four-seven!” He drew closer to lay a hand on Mario’s left shoulder; what should have been comfortable and familiar instead felt foreign and cumbersome. “The truth is, you were exactly where you were supposed to be when it happened: in bed, conked out.”

A strike of lightning couldn’t have hit as hard as those words.

Mario jerked away from his brother’s touch, nostrils flared, breath coming to him far too quickly now. If he grit his teeth any tighter, he was certain they’d crack. Yes, he’d been asleep that night. He’d protected his Princess like always during the day and left her to fend for herself at sundown and he’d never forgive himself for it. So much for not kicking someone while they’re down.

“Thanks,” he huffed. “Very helpful reminder.”

“Mario, that’s not what—” Luigi sagged backwards, his eyes rolling to the ceiling in exasperation, as if he was the one who’d been slighted, and he cursed beneath his breath before refocusing. “She was never your sole responsibility. Everyone knows that but you. And no one wants to see you run yourself into the ground like this. Th-they trust you! They love you! Seeing how much guilt you're drowning in, seeing how badly you’re hurting, that hurts them, and—”

A deep, shaking breath. Mario tapped his foot impatiently, his fists clenched.

“A-and it hurts me too!" Luigi finally confessed. "Mario, you’re not the only victim here! How do you think I’ve been handling all of this?”

“Forget about that!” Mario fired back. “Just imagine what she’s going through! Can you think about something other than yourself for once and look at the bigger picture?!”

Alarms sounded deep in the recesses of his brain, warning signals, crying a mantra of Too far, too far, too far. He didn’t care. He couldn’t afford to care.

“She wouldn’t want this either! If she was here—”

That was the final straw. Putting words in the Princess’ mouth— what little patience or composure Mario still held, already stretched thin, snapped. 

“Well she’s not!” He stamped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum, grasping Luigi’s arm and forcing him to look directly into his eyes. “Don’t— don’t you dare tell me what she’d say or what she’d do! You don’t have that right! Because you’re not her, and she’s not…”

Mario blinked. Had… had Luigi always looked this tired? His eyes, normally so cheerful and blue, appeared dull and gray, wide with regret and brimming with unshed tears. And there were bags under those eyes too, and overgrown flyaways poking through his normally well-groomed mustache, and…

“...here.” All of his bravado, all of his energy, left him as he whispered that final word.

How long had it been since he’d fulfilled his role as the older brother? Peach was Luigi’s friend too. He was every bit as much Mario's responsibility as Peach was.

“I don’t need a missing friend and a dead brother.”

Only in the ensuing stillness did Mario realize how terribly he shook. He felt both weightless and impossibly leaden, cold and clammy, trembling not in outrage or determination, but something far meeker, far more pathetic: fear.

He was no hero. He was an idiot who’d failed someone he claimed to love and was desperate to make things right, no matter the personal cost. He was a useless brother that dealt with his own inadequacies by lashing out at those who cared for him most. He was nothing.

“Weegee…”

Luigi swallowed, taking a deep, slow breath before responding. “Martyring yourself isn’t the answer. I mean, think for a minute here. You can’t save her if you get yourself killed first.”

It overtook Mario again, a wave of unwelcome emotion, and his knees wobbled beneath him, threatening to buckle.

“Then… then what do you suggest I do? Huh? Clearly you have more answers than I do! So tell me what to do!”  He let go of Luigi’s arms to grasp his overall straps and pull him down, searching his face for those fabled answers. There was no spite in his words or his actions. He shouted at and jostled his brother not in anger, but in pure helplessness. “Tell me what to do!”

The uncertainty etched into Luigi’s face didn’t go away completely, but he buried it beneath something harder, more determined. He braced his gloved hands against Mario’s shoulders, grounding and steady.

“I’ll tell you exactly what you’re going to do,” he said, his voice low yet firm. “You’re going to sit right there on that couch, or on the floor, or wherever you feel like, and you’re gonna cry and scream and get all of this pent-up anger out of your system. And then — look at me, Mario, listen!” He jostled the elder brother back, shaking his shoulders. “Then you’re going to eat something. Okay?” He smiled then, the strain of it contorting his face into some pitiful mimicry of humor. “We can’t have you wasting away when the Princess sees you again, yeah? What would she say?”

Mario’s breath hitched in his throat, suddenly swollen shut.

What would she say? Maybe she would rush forward and cup his cheeks, demanding to know what happened and if he was alright, as if he was the one who had been swept away in the dead of night. Maybe she would be so exhausted and so weakened that she didn’t notice; maybe she would only have the strength to smile as he took her battered body into his arms, her face pale but her eyes vibrant. Maybe her gaze would be glassy and there would be nothing left to hold but an empty shell that had once been his best friend, her fate sealed the moment she’d chosen to place her trust in him.

Or maybe he would die long before he reached her. If only he could trust anyone else to save her, he would have been perfectly fine with that outcome. It was the least he deserved. But that would be far too easy, wouldn’t it? What would become of her then? What would become of Luigi?

He would be free of his suffering, and it would fall directly onto their shoulders instead.

How could you let this happen?

The breath trapped in his throat forced its way back out, some mix between a cough and a hiccup, and finally his knees gave out. He held on tighter and sunk his face into his twin’s shirt collar, and he tried to apologize, he tried to beg forgiveness, but the only sound he could produce was a breathless, almost primal whine.

“Ecco.” Luigi’s voice cracked yet remained soft as he sank to the ground with him, cradling his head close. “Sfogati. Ti sono vicino, fratello.”

Mario’s intended response came out once more as a whine. Ti voglio bene. Ho paura. Aiutami. Ti prego aiutami. Each effort to speak proved increasingly futile until he gave up entirely, surrendering to the wordless screams and sobs and tears his overworked, underfed body forced from him. And Luigi just held him, his fingers brushing through his hair as he fell apart.

Thunder rumbled distantly outside, heralding another summer rain.

~~~

“I’m sorry.”

By the time Mario was able to speak, he still didn’t have much to show for it; his voice was too hoarse to do anything but whisper, and the pounding ache in his head prevented him from doing even that very well.

Luigi shushed him, readjusting his head in his lap. “Just relax.”

“I don’t think you’re selfish,” he continued anyway, curling into himself tighter, soaking in as much of his brother’s body heat as he could. “Or useless.”

“I know you don’t.”

“I didn’t have any right to go off on you like that.”

“In your shoes, I doubt I’d be handling things much better.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And I forgive you. Now we’re even.”

This remark wasn’t quite enough to make Mario smile, but it did make him feel lighter, if only a bit. From his spot on the floor, he watched the rain patter against the living room window, dark and dreary and soothing. With the rain outside and Luigi’s fingers still combing through his curls, he felt properly sleepy for the first time in ages, a feeling far more pleasant than the exhaustion that had plagued him for eight, coming up on nine weeks.

Come to think of it, when was the last time he’d slept in his own bed? Most nights he’d find the nearest wall to slump against or a decent patch of grass to crash in when he couldn’t make his body cooperate any longer. And when was the last time he’d had a proper meal? Luigi had forced him to sit down and eat a packet of crackers a day or two ago, Toad brought him soup sometime last week and refused to leave until he downed at least half of it, but…

“Weegee?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m hungry.”

The hand in his hair stilled, and the response came after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

“Well duh. Of course you are.” His voice wavered, yet Mario could tell he was smiling. “What’d’ya want? We’ve got plenty enough to make anything. Don’t hold back.”

Mario hummed, closing his eyes. Making that choice on his own was a mental process he didn’t have the resources for. “Surprise me.”

Luigi vocalized his approval, but he didn’t move to stand quite yet. Instead, the hand in Mario’s hair found his own hand, and he gladly took it, permitting himself that comfort at least.

“Hey Mario? Can you… promise me something first?”

Mario nodded, a small and rapid movement of his head. He knew what was coming: Promise me you’ll eat everything I put in front of you. Promise me you’ll take a bath. Promise me you’ll get into clean clothes and sleep on a bed tonight. He was all too ready to agree. It was the least he owed his long-suffering brother.

“When you save the Princess… promise me you’ll come home too. Okay?”

Mario’s eyes snapped back open. The rain still fell against the window before him, steady and unending.

Easy enough to promise, at least in theory. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to make more pleasant memories with his friends, with his love, with his brother especially. There were so many adventures he still wanted to go on. So many things he wanted to see and do. But if worst came to worst, and he had to lay his life down to save Peach’s… he’d already made up his mind.

“This isn’t your fault.”

He took in a deep breath through his nostrils, exhaled it slowly through his lips. Luigi was strong and selfless. He’d had the strength to lie just so he could ease Mario’s woes. The least Mario could do was offer up a comforting lie of his own.

“Yeah.” He nodded again, and if maybe he held Luigi’s hand a bit too tightly, that was okay. “Yeah, I think I can promise that.”

[fandomfucker]

Space-Poly!TJD x Fem!Reader

Request: poly relationship between judgment day and reader. The reader is keeping a secret from their partners. The secret is that she is a little. The reason why she is hiding it is because she thinks that they will hate her and leave her like her last partner did. One day when they are all out and she is home by herself she slips into little space and she is in little space for an hour until they get back and Damian goes to check on her and he walks in on her in little space. She's all freaked out. Damian is the only one who knows what little space is. They all explain that it's adorable and that they love her for who she is. Her main caregiver is Damian but they all take care of her when she is in little space. She has a stuffed tiger named Maengho.

A/N-I want to preface this by saying that this is NOT SEXUAL however it is about little space so if you don't want to read it, don't. I would also like to go ahead and apologize for any incorrect information/misrepresentation, I did research on it and tried my best. Please enjoy and sorry for the wait ❤️

Word Count: 2,051

Reader's POV

Alright, Love. We'll be back later, okay?" Rhea informed me as she held my cheeks between her hands. I nodded and smiled up at her as she bent down to kiss my forehead before grabbing the keys to her truck and walking toward the front door.

Finn, Dominik, and Damian, my other three partners, all filed after her. They all gave me a small kiss and a quick goodbye as the four of them left to go film some Judgment Day promos.

Once the door had been shut behind them and I had seen Rhea's truck speed away down the road, I breathed a deep sigh of relief, a small weight being lifted off my shoulders.

Work had been really stressing me out lately but with my partners all unaware of my strategy for coping with stress, I hadn't been able to do anything about it. But now they were out of the house for at least a little while and I was free to do whatever I wanted.

After going and grabbing one of the little bottles of apple juice we kept in the fridge, I happily skipped back to my own room, immediately heading for my walk-in closet.

Shortly after we had all moved into our house together, I had set up a small space for me to be a little in. Basically, somewhere for me to decompress while acting and having the same overall headspace as a child.

The closet wasn't massive but it was just big enough for me to set up what was essentially a giant pillow fort.

The walls were lined with fluffy pillows, half of them the really big tube ones, and the floor was littered with thick fluffy blankets.

I had only a few stuffed animals but they were all my favorite ones. There were about 12 in total, my favorites of favorites were ones from Build a Bear that I'd made with people special to me, my number one being Maengho. He was a tiger I'd gotten all of my partners to build with me a couple of months ago after we first moved into our house.

Fairy lights hung from the ceiling and walls, creating a homey effect that I adored. I also had a small TV mounted on the wall, above a nightstand type of dresser I stored my little clothes in. It was mainly just Disney Princess nightgowns but I also had some My Little Pony pajama sets and a Rainbow Brite sweater for if I was cold enough or just wanted to be extra comfy.

I had some tutus and dress-up jewelry for when I felt like it, but I just enjoyed wearing pajamas more than anything.

Ripping my hair out of the ponytail I'd stuck it in, I plopped down onto a flower-shaped pillow on the floor, beginning to dig through the dresser for a specific Tinkerbell nightgown I knew would be in there.

Not bothering to stand up, I just changed into the dress while sitting on the floor, opening the closet door only for a minute to throw my regular clothes out into my room.

I grabbed the small remote off the dresser, and turned on the TV, turning it to Disney+. My favorite movie of all time since I was a baby was actually The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh so I turned that on as I adjusted the pillows and blankets around me, making myself comfortable.

Sitting criss-crossed apple sauce, and laying a fluffy pink blanket across my lap, I sat Maengho on my lap before setting my little lap tray that had all my coloring stuff stored in the side pockets in front of me.

Opening up the Lisa Franke coloring book, I flipped to a new page, deciding on a picture of two baby penguins in a basket.

For over an hour, I sat in my closet, fully immersed in my little space as I half-paid attention to the movie, coloring in my penguins with vibrant colors.

I was so immersed in fact, that I hadn't heard the garage door open or the calls from my partners soon after.

The door swung open, making me jump and causing me to draw an unwanted line down the center of my paper.

My eyes were wide with fear as I looked up to see all four of my partners looking at me in the doorway, confusion and concern etched on all of their faces.

Damian's POV

Y/n sat on the floor with a stuffed tiger, wearing a Disney princess nightgown, coloring. We all just kind of stopped in our tracks and stared at her in confusion as she looked up at us.

Her eyes were wide and slowly started to become filled with tears. She curled into herself, hugging the tiger, Maengho I remembered, tightly to her chest as she dragged her blanket up to cover her entire body and half of her face.

The tears started falling as she silently cried. I realized what this all was as I gently crouched down to better get on her level.

She began to bring her knees all the way to her chest and curl into herself even further as I reached out a hand to her. I retracted my hand before I scared her to death and took to just speaking to her softly instead.

"Y/n? It's sweetheart, we're not upset."

She lowered the blanket slightly from her face as she looked at me. Her lip quivered as her gaze shifted between me and the other members of the Judgment Day.

"You're not?" She asked timidly.

I shook my head 'no' in answer, glancing back to the other three to see that based on their facial expressions alone, they had no idea what was going on.

Turning back to Y/n, I spoke to her softly and quietly so as to not scare her any further. "Tell you what, us four are gonna go back down to the living room for a few minutes to talk, okay?" I made a circular motion indicating us wrestlers as I spoke.

"Do you want anything in the meantime? Or do you want me to bring you anything from the kitchen?"

She slowly shook her head at that, speaking so quietly I almost didn't hear her. "We don't have anything here."

I gave a nod in understanding a gave her a small smile before standing back up and turning around to push our other partners out of the way as I shut the closet door behind me.

None of them made any move to leave the room until I started making shooing motions with my hands.

Once back downstairs, I had them all sit down on the couch as I stood in front of them to explain what exactly was going on.

Reader's POV

Curious, I waited until I couldn't hear my partners' footsteps anymore before quietly retreating from the safety of my closet.

It was me and Maengho against the world as I held the top of his head to my mouth and tiptoed towards the stairs. I went down as far as I could, keeping to where they wouldn't see me.

I leaned my back against the wall, holding Maengho tightly as we eavesdropped on my partners and their conversation about me.

"Okay, so it seems to me that Y/n is a little. I don't know her specifics but basically, she gets in the headspace of a child to escape reality." I heard Damian explain to them.

There was silence as the others absorbed that information.

"Wait, shouldn't she be a part of this conversation then?" Dominik asked him.

Damian took a second to think about it before responding. "Yeah, we'll have a larger conversation including her, obviously, but I wanted to go ahead and give you guys a basic understanding of what we're getting into. If anyone has a problem with it they can leave."

"That makes sense, but I'm still in." Finn agreed.

"Me too, but I think the first thing we need to do is take her to the store and get her some food and whatever else she wants. We don't want her to feel uncomfortable and like she has to hide this part of her." Rhea vocalized.

"I second that." I heard Dominik speak up, ever the Mami's boy.

"Let's go then!" I heard Damian exclaim as they then all began to make their way back upstairs to my room.

Panicking, I shot up from where I was sitting on the stairs, making a beeline back to my fort.

However, in my haste to make it back before they realized I'd been listening in on their private conversation, I somehow missed the last step entirely.

My toe caught the edge of it, sending me sprawling across the rough carpet of the second-floor hallway. "Fuck!"

Four sets of footsteps pounded up the stairs and the sound of my name being called in a panic was all I heard.

Feeling a warm hand on my shoulder blade I rolled over with a groan, seeing Damian kneeling next to me. "Are you okay, princesa?"

I managed to nod my head with only a slight grimace before I asked the question that burned me the most. "Are you guys really okay with me being a little? Because I know it's a lot and it's fine if you hate me and my last partner left because of it and-" I was cut off just as my eyes began to fill with tears again.

"Of course, we're okay with it. We just don't know that much about it yet and need to learn." Finn told me softly.

Dominik nodded along, "Yeah, we all love you no matter what. But, first things first, we need to take you shopping."

"I don't have any clothes I like to go out in," I spoke, my voice muffled slightly due to my face being pressed against Maengho. I was a bit taken aback and overwhelmed by the amount of utter love and acceptance they were just immediately showing me.

"That's okay, Love. Do you wanna borrow some of mine?" Rhea asked me. She was crouched in front of me, with one of her hands rubbing my knee soothingly. I perked up at this, my head shooting up to meet her gaze and nodding enthusiastically. She laughed slightly as she stood up and then held out her hand to pull me up as well.

I loved wearing Rhea's clothes any chance I got because not only did they just look cool but they actually fit for the most part, unlike the boys' clothes. And they smelled like her.

Borrowing just a pair of her sweats, I paired it with an old Muppets t-shirt that I had.

After I had finished changing, Damian gave me a piggy-back ride downstairs, having me take a seat on the second to last step of stairs as he put my shoes on for me.

I giggled and kissed Maengho goodbye, not wanting him to get covered in Walmart germs before grabbing Damian's hand and skipping out to Rhea's truck.

I sat in my usual seat, the middle in the second row with Damian and Finn on either side as Rhea drove and Dom rode shotgun.

Once we got there, Dominik, ever the gentleman, helped me up into the cart so I could sit in it as they pushed me around, following my points and vague gestures toward the things that I wanted.

They got me cookies and cream ice cream, paired with gummy bears of course, along with dinosaur chicken nuggets that I had to promise to share with Dom. Rhea had even snuck off at one point to surprise me with bubbles for the bath.

We picked up some other snacks and stuff for me to have when in little space before making our way back home.

Upon returning home, I changed back into my princess nightgown before giving my partners puppy dog eyes for ice cream, to which they eagerly obliged, just wanting to make me happy.

So, happily, I ate my ice cream, doing wiggly happy dances in my seat as my feet swung back and forth beneath me.

When we had been looking at new furniture for the house, my partners had thought it hilarious to get dining room chairs just tall enough that my feet couldn't reach the floor.

My partners watched on from their own seats at the table, each of them with a smile on their face. They were all so different from my last partner it was insane.

There were still conversations to be had but for now, everything was perfect.

[dandymaximilian]

In my opinion, Gideon Gleeful is a character of profound complexity, often overlooked. He has flaws, but it's crucial to remember that the Journal played a significant role in his corruption, magnifying negative traits in those who interact with it. He's far more than a mere "psychopathic creepy kid."

The Journal's innate corrupting abilities explain the character changes in Mabel and Dipper. They go from being mildly selfish and obsessive towards their potential love interests to becoming exaggerated in their actions. For example, in The Time's Traveller's Pig, Dipper sees Wendy as more of an object to win than a person with the right to autonomy. Meanwhile, Mabel becomes more unhinged in her boy craze, to the point of putting others in danger. This also explains why Ford became so consumed by the desire to create a portal, regardless of the consequences. Or why Stan became even more obsessed with gaining money, to the point where he was willing to marry off Mabel, despite being protective over her in other circumstances.

Similarly, the amulet corrupted Gideon's soul, which seems to have twisted his childhood innocence. The audience can see glimpses of it when he giggles over ice cream, is excited by sparkles, or even has child-like tantrums, but for the most part, it seems to have been overshadowed by his need for power. Considering how little he put into developing it, Gideon wanted something other than Gideon Land. He didn't even seem to put effort into pursuing Mabel after his introduction episode, not to the extent of Dipper with Wendy. Power is essential to Gideon, but he only seems to enjoy it briefly. He always wants more, and this desire never seems to be quenched. He's always scheming and scouring the journal to fill a void. Despite the attention, fame, and spoiled lifestyle he lives, nothing is ever enough.

So why did Gideon do anything?

There are two reasons: one, Gideon was a puppet to fuel the apocalypse. Bill Cipher intended for Gideon to create conflict within the Pine family. He groomed him into believing Gideon and Mabel were soul mates, and he used him to keep her trapped in her escapist bubble. While I don't think Bill Cipher planned everything to the T, he is an opportunist; I do not doubt that Gideon was a tool for his gain. Gideon is exceptionally lonely, intellectually curious, and needs to fit in with his younger peers. Like Ford, he was the perfect person to manipulate and use. This external manipulation played a significant role in Gideon's actions. Gideon may have become spoiled without Bill Cipher's influence, but not the ruthless person we see throughout the series. He may have been more of a mischievous trickster, which we see in "The Deep End."

The second reason Gideon did anything was desperation. Similar to Mabel, he wanted ANYONE to give him attention. And like Mabel, he thinks the only way to keep this attention is to have a heterosexual relationship. As seen at the end of the series, other kids dislike him. He's a chubby child who is gender non-conforming, acts like a mini adult, and has mental health issues. He is a prime target for bullying, similar to Ford. Likely, he never met anyone his age who understood him, and the adults idolize him, but they don't get him. Oftentimes, they patronize him. Therefore, I believe Gideon didn't romantically like Mabel but merely saw her as a kindred spirit to cling to. If Mabel or Dipper were as corrupted and manipulated as Gideon, their obsessive romantic or platonic pursuits would've been no different.

If characters like Pacifica or Stanford are given leeway despite their immense flaws and mistakes, then Gideon should also be. He no longer has any reason to want to 'possess ' Mabel, as he is now free from Bill Cipher's influence. He understands that he's better off pursuing someone who genuinely loves him, not just the first person who gives him attention and understanding. It's significant that he could win the prisoners' loyalty. These bonds weren't forged because he's a sadistic manipulator but because there's a part of Gideon that genuinely cares about people. The gang unconditionally accepted his darkness and unconventional behaviour, so he tried to give them the best life possible. This shows that Gideon is not a monster but a character with the potential for further redemption.

[rustingcat]

Love

Kara loved weddings.

It was a great opportunity to celebrate love, with food and dancing and touching speeches. She especially loved weddings that included people she loved. Being surrounded by their friends, celebrating the reunion of two people she loved so much and clearly love each other more than anything was a touching event.

They included both earth traditions along side Nalturian and Coluhan traditions to make a truly unique and special ceremony.

The machine was not yet ready, but Kara promised them it would be by the time they both decide to bring a child. If they chose to of course. But they would be working on Brainy biological problems, so he would be completely free from the future and free from any family responsibilities.

She made sure to reassure them both, yet she had her doubts on her chances. It was eating her from the inside. She felt like she was lying, but she tried her best to ignore those feelings to allow herself to fully enjoy the weddings.

A lot of food, some dancing and making silly faces with Esme later, Kara found herself sitting in a corner, observing the party from the side. Kryptonian ceremonies, not that they were not special in any way, were not about love, they were about finding your perfect partner. She could never remember a time her parents showed any romantic interest in each other. Then again, she was thirteen when she left, yet she could clearly see the way her aunts and uncles were acting towards each other. Romanticism and sex were not really important to a species that procreated asexualy, so most often than not your partner for life would be someone you would get along with and would bring out the best in you, like a best friend that in rare cases developed to something more. 

She wondered if she would've been matched with Lena. She hoped she would have. On Krypton their ceremony would be a big affair, considering they both come from big houses. Kara would create the perfect bracelet for Lena, sturdy and strong like her determination and will, shiny and intricate like her beauty and grace, and colours… she'd have to check if the Luthors had any colour associated with them. A representative from all of Krypton's important houses would be there. Rao's light would shine brightly on them as they recite the Holy prayers, then after thanking a lot of people they would go to their new house and plan their future together.

On earth of course it would've been a whole different ordeal. Kara wondered if they'd combine traditions like Nia and Brainy, they probably would, wouldn't they? Combine human and Kryptonian traditions along with Lena's Catholic side and the Danvers Jewish traditions. A plethora of cultures to celebrate their happy union with only the people they really love surrounding them. Kara would make sure they'd had all their favourite foods regardless of tradition. It would've been the best party, that's for sure. Maybe it's not a bad idea, they do get along great and bring out the best in each other like all the Kryptonians ideals. But humans have other ideals. They sure do love each other, but their relationship is not romantic. Would it mean that Kara would stand in Lena's way to find true love?

"Hey you." She heard Lena's voice approaching. "Are you okay? Lena asked, taking a seat opposite to her on the table.

"No, yeah. I mean I'm okay." She smiled back at her best friend. Unsure why she found the task so challenging all of a sudden. "Just thinking." She quickly added. "I promise I don't have a habit of sulking at weddings."

"Want to share what's on your mind?" Lena asked gently.

Kara thought for a moment, unsure what to say. "Are you happy?" She asked eventually.

"Me?"

"Yes. Are you happy?"

She chuckled. "I am. Kara, are you really sitting here in the corner pondering the state of my happiness?" Lena arched an eyebrow.

"Yes? I mean, you're my friend Lena, and I want you to be happy, you know that right?"

Lena chuckled again and studied her with a confused look for a moment before getting up. "Well, if you want to keep my happiness at full power, I can't have my best friend sulking in the corner." She reached out a hand towards Kara. "Come on, they were just about to bring out the desserts."��

Kara smiled and reached out for Lena's hand.

It may have been a selfish thought, but Kara wished she could just marry Lena.

Read everything on AO3

[howlsofbloodhounds]

might be a controversial/unpopular opinion but i headcanon that any classic variant of sans has some sort of superiority complex going on. maybe not exactly that, but they're some flavor of self-righteous, i guess?

OKAY LISTEN. i'm not saying sans is a bad guy or anything (i love him very much i swear). canon sans is written really well in the sense that he's intentionally very vague and mysterious so we can speculate a lot on his past and intentions throughout the story. idk, maybe my reading is completely off but sans appears to me as a lovable asshole, especially to someone who is a child (frisk). he likes playing around with frisk - yeah it's harmless but still his advice tends to be vague, especially when it comes to battle tips lmao. just imagine in-universe how terrible his advice comes off to a child.

and like, the restaurant scene. sans is intentionally acting all blithe about letting a child die on his watch, under a promise - like i know it's supposed to be a funny off-hand comment to the player, but in-universe again he addresses this to a child. it's just- lmao this guy has some problems for sure.

i think being self-righteous is just tied to his role as a judge as well. he's always 'right' in his judgement, because that's what he is. i think it's just interesting to explore that particular aspect of sans' personality, that he acts in what he thinks is right, and he's always right, isn't he? maybe that's why i tend to enjoy undertale stories where sans somewhat assumes the role of the antagonist - it creates some fantastic dynamic with people around him who it seems like he never really connects well.

~ crowshipping anon

Crow!! Yayy!!

And I honestly kinda vibe with this interpretation honestly. I haven’t completely finished playing all the Undertale games myself (curse my lack of motivation 😭), but I watched a few playthroughs here and there, and it seems like something that could make sense.

Especially when he’s given such an important position like a being a Judge, his opinions and judgements are likely taken seriously by Asgore.

And the thing is, you can also make an argument for this with our most popular classic variants; the Murder Time Trio. Murder justifies what he does as being better that he does it instead of the human, justifies it with that he will eventually stop the human.

Really, he may even argue that his current actions don’t really even go against his job as the Judge; he has judged that the human must be stopped, and he has to do it because he’s the only one who can. I’ve even seen some ideas going around that maybe he views himself as the Angel from the Prophecy, having judged that the Underground will be free by death.

Horror is the entire reason his Underground started eating humans, and he is also the reason that the Core is damaged beyond repair. He didn’t want to sacrifice himself for the Underground, and he survived the event that took his eye, yet he still judged that Undyne and Alphys had to pay for their betrayal—and in doing so he decided that the rest of the Underground would be doomed to starvation or eating people.

He decided to trick Horror Papyrus into eating human meat even though Papyrus very clearly did not want to, and Horror doesn’t seem all too guilty about it—even as Papyrus goes out of his way to prevent Horror from eating humans at his own request.

I’ve even seen around by bigger Horror/Horrortale fans than me that Horror’s reasons for starving himself may not even be entirely selfless—such as for a moral reason or wanting others to have more food than him. But rather because he views it as beneath him and he won’t go “that low.” How canon that is, im not sure, but it’s interesting.

Then meanwhile there’s Killer. He sneers at Swap and threatens to kill him if he ever attempts to compare himself to Killer again, he holds the beliefs and mindsets of his human that were taught to him very closely and looks down on anyone who views things differently with contempt—especially if they attempt to “force” him to view things differently.

Things like mercy or kindness or hesitation are seen as weakness and things to take advantage of in his mind. Even himself is not free from this nihilistic, fatalistic, violence and apathetic driven worldview—-looking down on himself in Stage 1.

He will go out of his way to prove himself and his views right, even if that means doing exactly what Chara did and coercing/provoking someone into killing, attacking, hurting, etc, either themselves, others, or even him.

This is exactly what he was supposed to be, and it’s pointless to try and change or hope for anything more than what he or anyone else deserves. He probably finds Murder’s attempts to justify his genocides absolutely ridiculous. And Horror to be absolutely hypocritical. (Which is why Color’s specific way of approaching Stage 2, wanting to show him a better life—something new—rather than trying to change or fix him, worked so well.)

[honeyandthmoon]

ranting about wonder woman's daughter (spoilers ahead)

I gave tom king the benefit of the doubt so many times and i liked some of his most controversial stories... i have lots of his books in my shelf, but that's just insane to me, wonder woman is my favorite one, this is just garbage.

retconning the contest/trial just to have diana punch her mother? to have lizzie punch diana?

it still sucks for me that his idea was to create the sovereign, a "joker/lex luthor" type of menace as if she doesn't already had villains powerfull enough to give her a hard time. it still sucks that he decided to give diana a daughter even if fury still exists (somewhere in the multiverse). and it's not her first child in recent years too! who remembers that one justice league story from a few years ago when they gave her a son that she supposedly abandoned because he was a boy? oh in the same storyline where hyppolita became a mindless monster (also called the sovereign!). that's just recycling of bad ideas. but he probably didn't even knew about that. probably just a bad coincidence. and that's me again giving him the benefit of the doubt.

it still sucks that lizzie is not her biological daughter. it still sucks that she's called wonder woman's daughter when diana herself doesn't see herself as a mother. it still sucks that she's called wonder woman's daughter when diana didn't even raise her? what is up with those weird stories of jon and damian raising her? wonder robin? a mural of batman and superman in themyscira? with batman front and center? IN THEMYSCIRA???

if she's not her biological daughter and was saved by diana and trained as an amazon, what differs her from donna? and why aren't donna and cassie part of her upbringing? why are the supersons responsible for this child?

what's the point of giving diana a daughter if you strip her of every aspect of motherhood?

I defended g willow wilson against people online who hated her run, i thought she was so great, even if she didnt knew much about her at the beginning but she at least was able to reconcile diana and veronica (sort of) and bring her back to themyscira, continue previous plots from the rucka's run and bring ares back (bonus point for putting steve always shirtless and in need of saving)

i was even one of the few that actually enjoyed becky cloonan and michael's run. the stories sure could've been better planned but they got the spirit, build a strong wonderfam in activity and set the ground for a more modern structure of amazons in this new context. they gave me etta and diana acting truly as friends, they gave me three founding mothers for themyscira, they gave me doctor psycho stories (he is really fun to read).

I defended james robinson (!), he at least knew diana was strong enough and had her defeat darkseid and free the gods by herself

i've been reading wonder woman for years. i still have some runs i hadn't had the chance to read fully but basically everything in the past 20 years + perez era formed my love for this character. i hate how out of character she is right now. they should bring back that one rule if you wouldn't do this to batman or superman you shouldn't do it to wonder woman, that's truly disappointing.

[maboroshi-no]

Hamefura BluRay S1 Vol 2 SS

I have translated Maria's SS from the Anime Blu-ray special.

Series: My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom! Title / Character: Maria Source: Anime BluRay S1 Vol 2 Synopsis: Maria is struggling to create new sweets for Katarina. Translation: maboroshi-no

Translation below ⮟

Maria

Maria: Hmm… Maybe I should make it a little sweeter.

I, Maria Campbell, murmured this while sampling the sweets I had just made in the kitchen.

Since the Academy of Magic had entered an long period of vacation, I had left the dorm and returned home.

I had finished the vacation assignments and had some free time, so today, I was challenging myself to create new sweets.

Baking sweets was a pastime I had since childhood.

Before, I was making sweets just to remember the happy times and motivate myself to do my best.

But now, I had come to make them because I enjoyed it.

"If I give this to her, she may be even happier. " When I thought this, a smile naturally formed.

Maria's Mother: I'm home. Oh, you're making sweets?

My mother, who had returned from grocery shopping, asked me this.

Maria: Yes. I've been thinking of a new recipe. She's looking forward to it, after all.

Maria's Mother: Do you mean Lady Katarina?

Maria: Yes.

When I nodded, my mother made a chuckling smile.

Because Lady Katarina visited my home, I had come to talk with my mother much more than before.

This made me so happy that when I returned home, I talked a lot with my mother about things from the Academy of Magic.

My mother listened with a wide smile. Then, when I finished,

Maria's Mother: You just keep talking about Lady Katarina~ You really love her, don't you?

After saying this, she chuckled.

Indeed, when I talked about things from the academy, I would naturally often end up talking about Lady Katarina. 

We did spend a lot of time together, but it wasn't the only reason. It was because my time with Lady Katarina was so enjoyable.

She was a duke's daughter and a prince's fiancée, and even among the female students of the academy, she had the best parentage. She should, properly speaking, not be the kind of person who would exchange words with a commoner like me.

But Lady Katarina didn't appear to mind it in the slightest, she readily spoke to me.

While some other high-ranking noble ladies acted like they didn't want to hear anything from a commoner. 

Also, Lady Katarina didn't only readily talk to me, she also said I was her friend.

Katarina: Maria, you're my precious friend.

Our social statuses were just so different, and yet she said this as if it were only natural.

I wished I could tell my childhood self that I was able to meet someone who would tell me this.

When I was five, I became "a magic wielder" after casting light magic.

Then, from that moment on, I wasn't "Maria Campbell" anymore. I became "the Wielder of Light".

As someone different who possessed the magic that was almost exclusive to nobles, in town, I was surrounded from a distance by not only the children but also by the adults.

Because of me, my mother was rumored to have had an affair with a noble. Our family relationships became strained and a distance gradually appeared between us.

The child me wished for my surroundings and my family to go back to how they were, so I put in all the effort I could.

After recalling the ones I had once made with my mother, I worked my hardest to make sweets and then brought them to school. But in the end, no one would eat them.

And like this, I was all alone for a long time.

Curled into a ball inside my bed, I would imagine someone appearing someday who would need me, who would tell me I was important to them.

When I would turn fifteen and enroll in the Academy of Magic, everyone there would possess magic, so I wouldn't be different anymore. I might be able to make some friends.

I enrolled in the academy believing this, but there, I was the only commoner and the only wielder of light, so in the end, things didn't change much compared to my town.

Rather, I was more alienated there and treated as a nuisance.

I might have to live like this forever. As I started to think this, Lady Katarina appeared before me.

Just like a hero, Lady Katarina dashingly appeared and protected me with her body when I was blamed for "getting favored treatment as a wielder of light".

Katarina: Maria-chan isn't getting such a thing as favored treatment. She's putting in great effort. Maria-chan always gives her all, we like her that's why we're staying with her!

She said these words.

The people around me wouldn't see me as anything but "The Wielder of Light".

And because of this, I had always wished this.

I wished for someone to see me as "Maria Campbell". And if it were granted, I wished to stay with this person.

But with everyone surrounding me from a distance, I thought this wish wouldn't possibly come true.

This was what I thought but Lady Katarina granted my wish.

She found me, she found the person called "Maria Campbell".

Until now, no matter how much effort I put in, people would say the result was only natural because I was the special girl with light magic. No one would realize my efforts. But Lady Katarina…

Katarina: Maria, you're such a hard worker! I need to follow your example!

She said this.

She didn't say that I could do it because I was special. She praised me for being able to do it after working hard.

At times, I couldn't help thinking that Lady Katarina could maybe use some mysterious magic. 

After all, Lady Katarina showered me with the words that I desired, that I had always wanted. My heart had been empty for a long time, and upon meeting Lady Katarina, it rapidly filled. Staying by Lady Katarina's side was very comfortable.

Maria's Mother: And so, these new sweets, what kind are you making?

These words from my mother suddenly brought me back to reality. I had been absorbed in my thoughts after unconsciously remembering about the old times and my time with Lady Katarina.

Maria: Umm~ I made jam out of fruits and used it as filling, but it doesn't seem sweet enough at all.

After I had said this, my mother…

Maria's Mother: Let me have a taste.

She bit into the lined-up sweets.

Maria's mother: You're right. The sweetness may be a little mild. Does Lady Katarina like it rather sweet?

Maria: Yes. She does, but since I'm using both jam and sugar, I'm also worried about it becoming too sweet. Getting the amount right is hard.

Maria's Mother: Is that so? I'll also give it some thought, so shall we make it together?

Maria: Mom, don't you have other things to do? Is it okay?

Usually, even after coming back from groceries, my mother would do all kinds of work. She should be busy at this hour.

Maria's Mother: The other things are not so urgent, I can do them later. Baking sweets with my daughter is rather my number one priority.

My mother said this and smiled.

Maria: Thank you, Mom.

I was a little moved to tears.

And like this, after many trials and errors, my mother and I created new sweets. It was such an enjoyable, joyous, and happy time.

Finally, when I gave Lady Katarina the sweets we made, it made her incredibly happy, and I felt very happy once more.

[3xamenace]

I've been writing smut and dead dove since almost as soon as I started writing, which was in early 2009, which means I was 11. (My birthday is in June, so I separate early and late within a year to know how old I was then.)

My first completed novel was adult/teenager with a large age gap, a 16 year-old and a 27 years-old. That was in late 2014, I was 17. Now I'm 27 and yeah, I'd write something with a similar but a different approach actually.

I've read dead dove, smut, dark content since, again, early 2009. I was reading explicit mpreg fanfics at 11.

Because I wasn't told I shouldn't, I wasn't forbidden to have free access to online content. My mom didn't mind what I was doing that much. Nobody was checking what a kid was consuming. I was sitting in the back of my class at 14 writing brother-sister incestuous serial killers (yes, I had my "heterosexual" era).

Like I made a post once before, you don't need to know why I enjoy dead dove. You don't know if it's because I consumed it at a young age or if I consumed it as a young age because I was already interested in it.

But the thing is: the fact that I was a child reading explicit porn isn't on the person writing explicit porn. I wasn't taught how to properly act, I wasn't told to not read a fic where a guy drilled a hole in his son's head and fucked it, and if I got access to that fic, it's on me.

However, it's really fucking funny how at eleven I was aware that no real person was being harmed by the fiction I consumed or created.

[ivesambrose]

˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ June Mini Messages ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗

1. 2. 3.

Apologies for being MIA for the past month. May was rather overwhelming but let's intend June does a complete 180 🤍

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Gif 1

The central theme for you this month is to spend time around those who keep you afloat.

It's also important for you to assess how you feel around, during and post interacting with some people, places, information and situations.

Additionally stay hydrated this month.

Infact your body might crave more fluids in the form of soups, smoothies, juices etc

Expect new friends who are more supportive and compassionate towards you given you return the same energy.

Some of you may be starting a business or work of some sort or maybe even investments. Might be slow initially but will be successful in the long run.

Anything that you have started with determination towards the middle or end of May or the very start of June will pay off by the end of this month. This could be something very physical related goal either body, health, studies of any kind, business, finances, creating something tangible etc

You might feel indecisive in regards to something this month. Go within for clarity you don't have to have to make the choice till you're sure. Alternatively, priotrize meditation and detachment instead of overconsuming media or information.

By the end of this month you'll feel more confident in yourself and your leadership qualities, more stable in your health and life aswell. Might even get a tattoo that means something to you.

Gif 2

Relationships is the central theme. Be it romantic, platonic, familial, interpersonal and self.

There is grief here that you have been suppressing and carrying. You may resort to comforting yourself with food for this.

Some of you might have gone through or will be going through some inevitable endings. Although rough will make room for the fresh start that you have been avoiding because the old felt too comforting.

You'll see a silverlining in your circumstances. Infact if you've been going through a sense of loss and disappointment for a long time this will finally come to an end. Some past traumas and experiences might mentally resurface for you so you can acknowledge and heal yourself as well as your inner child. Infact, this will be an excellent month to cater to your inner child the most. You deserve joy.

There will come a time you'll start feeling at peace. Some of you might even start getting proper 7 - 8 hrs of sleep.

You'll realize any form of supression and isolation that you've been feeling is mostly mental. But soon enough you'll break free from it too.

By the middle of June things will start speeding up as you feel more lively and renewed. Allow yourself to move forward, things aren't stagnant as they may have been.

Gif 3

Perfecting the balancing act in your life is the central theme this month. You're a great multitasker but for this month fixate on what's been you're calling for the longest time.

For a lot of you it's been all work and no play or you stretching yourself too thin trying to cater to strangers or people who take too much from you. You'll be pushed to drop it.

There is something that will bring you financial reward. Enjoy it without guilt.

You'll be priotrizing your success. It's all a matter of focus. 'I am successful' not, 'I'm working towards my success.' it's time you realize you can't constantly treat yourself as a 'work in progress' for so long that you end up associating yourself with the narrative permanently.

More focus on aesthetics and personal style too this month. Followed by team work and proper partnerships.

Keep some things personal to you not everyone has the best of intentions.

For some of you, there's someone who admires you deeply but you can't seem to open up or trust them even though they mean well. Give them a chance.

You'll be mastering your emotions and channeling them into creativity.

By the end of June you'll see that the universe has been looking out for you all along. Something unexpected that makes you enthusiastic and allows you to be free spirited. Seize that chance and let it take you where you've desired to be.

[yanderes-galore]

Could you write the yandere alphabet for Lady Dimitrescu? Thank you for your work! :D

Sure! No problem, I'm happy you like my work ^^ As with most people probably Lady D makes my Bi heart go brrrr-

Not sure how this came out but I suddenly thought I should write Lady D and just... did, lol- Hope you like it!

Alphabet Used Here

Yandere Alphabet - Lady Alcina Dimitrescu

Pairing: Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Sadism, Blood drinking, Manipulation, Obsession, Kidnapping, Forced relationship, Death, Forced family dynamic, Overprotective behavior, Murder, Violence, Jealousy, Cannibalism.

Affection: How do they show their love and affection? How intense would it get?

Alcina is capable of showing love and affection. She has daughters and is very protective of them. When she eventually takes in her darling, as a servant soon turned adorable little lover... she can be affectionate.

For the most part Alcina is rather calm. She's capable of being enraged and breaking that facade. She's vengeful and holds her darling close to her heart when she eventually obtains them.

Alcina could be seen as an intense yandere due to her sadistic desires and how she fights to keep her darling obedient by her side.

Blood: How messy are they willing to get when it comes to their darling?

Alcina literally drinks blood so I'd assume she'd get messy for her darling. It's either her or her daughters but if anyone tries to "save" you from her... then they become their next meal.

Cruelty: How would they treat their darling once abducted? Would they mock them?

She would try to treat you well. You'd go from a servant forced to work in her castle to her lover. She'd give you your own lavish room and make sure you're well taken care of.

She wouldn't mock you unless she felt you deserved it somehow.

Darling: Aside from abduction, would they do anything against their darling’s will?

Alcina wouldn't frame it as "against your will". If she wants you to do something for her she simply has to order it and you'll listen. If you don't... then there's consequences. She likes to coax you in the right direction.

In reality she really is just making you do things against your will, she's just disguising it as the illusion of you having free will.

The short answer is yes despite what she says.

Exposed: How much of their heart do they bare to their darling? How vulnerable are they when it comes to their darling?

She wasn't expecting to feel so vulnerable towards a human such as you... yet you managed to worm your way into her heart somehow. She's surprisingly open with you in private and a bit vulnerable despite how she normally acts.

Fight: How would they feel if their darling fought back?

Alcina finds your feisty behavior cute.

She'll allow you to have your way for a little bit before shutting it down. By the end of your little rebellion, Alcina is carrying you back to your room like a helpless child.

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

She finds it cute and a bit amusing when you try to escape from her. She'll play along, maybe even get her daughters in on it, then catch you easily when she gets bored.

Sometimes she takes it as a game, other times she can find it annoying. It depends on her mood.

Hell: What would be their darling’s worst experience with them?

I can think of a few...

- Watching her drain someone's life in a feeding with her daughters.

- Being fed human blood/meat.

- Seeing her kill anybody.

- Seeing her mutated form.

- Being fed FROM for the first few times.

Alcina has potential to create bad experiences for you. Depending on who you are, any of the above could be the worst.

Ideals: What kind of future do they have in mind for/with their darling?

She wants to try and prepare you as her lover. She wants to dress you in elegant clothes, keep you in her castle/room, and make you a good parent for her daughters.

You can be your own little family... if she makes you behave by the end of it.

Jealousy: Do they get jealous? Do they lash out or find a way to cope?

Alcina's territory is very isolated and she isn't usually jealous of her daughters with you.

If you were seen with another Lord or outsider, then she may feel threatened and jealous.

Depending on who it is she'll either lash out or cope. If it's another Lord she knows she's supposed to cope but she'd get into an argument quickly.

If it's an outsider then things are so much more simple!

She'll cut them to ribbons then feast on their blood.

Kisses: How do they act around or with their darling?

When you are a servant her attraction is subtle. She'll call you to follow orders and her daughters are rather teasing. You may even be subjected to more cruel treatment until Alcina decides she likes you.

When she declares you as her lover then she treats you better. She's affectionate and loving, although she has tendencies to get intimate during feedings. She adjusts things to your needs and her daughters begin to accept you as their second parent.

She's calm and poised as always, but with you she can't help but keep her eyes on you.

Love letters: How would they go about courting or approaching their darling?

Compliments, wine, gifts... she gives you luxury and in returns only asks you reciprocate her actions. She manipulates you and she feels so threatening. Other than her purposefully being sickeningly sweet and passionate there isn't much courting.

You don't decide if you are in this relationship or not...

She's decided for you.

Mask: Are their true colors drastically different from the way they act around everyone else?

She's about as affectionate with you as she is with her darlings, if not more. She's protective and obsessive with you. Which is better compared to how she usually treats humans.

Naughty: How would they punish their darling?

She locks you away, that or she could make feeding more painful.

Honestly... sinking her claws into your flesh is so satisfying. She loves your sweet crimson and laps at it as though she's starved. When she notices you're close to passing out, she waits until your blood loss is too much.

You could easily die this way. Yet she has solutions. She can either save you right before death takes you, or make you similar to her daughters.

No use escaping, dear... she has things all covered.

Now stop fighting family.

Oppression: How many rights would they take away from their darling?

When you first meet in this you are most likely a servant, so all of them at first. Although when you become her lover Alcina is more lenient.

You can roam the castle, except for specific areas and outside.

Patience: How patient are they with their darling?

Alcina is really patient when it comes to you. Her daughters are not, though....

Quit: If their darling dies, leaves, or successfully escapes, would they ever be able to move on?

She feels she can't truly lose you. If you died she'll find a way to bring you back by asking Mother Miranda.

If you escaped then she'd never rest until she finds you. Her daughters miss you, too... how could you leave your new family?

Regret: Would they ever feel guilty about abducting their darling? Would they ever let their darling go?

No and no.

Stigma: What brought about this side of them (childhood, curiosity, etc)?

She's become more delusional and animalistic after her mutation from Mother Miranda, so I'd say that.

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

She'd try to comfort your tears or fits. She's patient with you, often standing in the doorway of the room she gave you or the one you two share.

When you're calm enough she'll approach you, embrace you in her hold, then whisper little promises in your ear about things getting better soon.

Most of which are probably lies.

Unique: Would they do anything different from the classic yandere?

She likes to drink her darling's blood (?)

Vice: What weakness can their darling exploit in order to escape?

Not many. Alcina doesn't show many weaknesses. If you be obedient she'll allow you more freedom in the castle, but she'd never let you out.

Wit’s end: Would they ever hurt their darling?

Yes but she'd tend to your wounds after. An example would be she would drink your blood from an inflicted bite or wound then have you patched up. She'd then let you rest before feeding again.

Xoanon: How much would they revere or worship their darling? To what length would they go to win their darling over?

She isn't a worship yandere. She'd go to great lengths to keep you in the castle and her territory, however.

She may even get her daughters to help her keep you.

Yearn: How long do they pine after their darling before they snap?

She watches you as a servant for a few months, then she decides to keep you as a pet/lover. She doesn't really snap, honestly.

Zenith: Would they ever break their darling?

Possibly, yeah.