#but i finished the gambler challenges!!! so that's something!!!

[reiverreturns]

taking a break from playing with the cowboy blorbos by perusing tumblr dot com and liking every post known to man, beast, and god about the cowboy blorbos

[manicplank]

Man, I just LOVE your headcanons!💜🥺

So I wanted to ask if you could do one related to "How do they like to spend a cold/snowy day with Reader?"

(sorry if anyone has asked this before)

Snowy day with the reader

This one is LOOONG so buckle up. (It's more of short stories rather than small headcanons. I liked this prompt.)

Gustavo: He doesn't like the cold, but he thinks the snow is beautiful. However, he prefers to stay inside where it's warm. He asks you to come over and help him try out a new recipe. He wanted to make some soup but wasn't quite sure what kind he wanted to make. You suggest (your favorite), and he thinks it's a good idea. The two of you take turns reading the recipe and putting ingredients together, all while trying to keep Brick from eating it. Ta-da! The soup comes out fantastic, and the two of you are proud. And Brick got some for being a good boy.

Peppino: He despises the cold. Instead of going out and doing something exciting, the two of you stay in the warm. You suggested a movie for him (insert your favorite movie here), and he asked if you'd like to come over and watch it with him. You, of course, said yes. He welcomes you in and apologizes for the house being a messy, even though it isn't so bad. He asks if he can make you a drink; your choice of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. He makes the drinks and you two sit to watch the movie. He ends up falling asleep halfway. You wake him up after the movie ends. He's completely embarrassed. You told him you let him sleep because you figured he needed it. He apologizes a million times and offers you to come back and do it again another day.

Mr. Stick: Another one who despises the cold. He prefers indoor activities, whether they be at home or in a building. You two were supposed to hang out, but he came up with an idea. He wanted to take you to a casino and go gambling. You explain to him that you're much of a gambler and that he probably has a gambling problem. He shrugs and suggests an even better idea; an arcade. The two of you end up in an arcade where you play laser tag. You win, of course, and he challenges you to mini golf. You were winning, but you drew back and let him win this one. He was super happy. Afterward, the two of you head out for a nice meal at a fancy place which he insisted on paying for.

Pepperman: He doesn't like the cold. In fact, he's easily susceptible to frostbite since he's a plant. He can't really go outside, so instead, he invites you to come to his art studio. You're reluctant, thinking he might have something weird in mind. However, when you get there, you see canvases, bottles of paint, brushes, and a few Bob Ross VHS tapes. "Hey," he greets you. "I hope you don't mind, but I think we should paint some snowy landscapes instead of going out. I know you're not the best artist, so we can do something simple." You smile. This little gesture was unusually sweet of him. You agree, assuming you won't be great at painting. As Bob Ross guides you, Pepperman does, too. Whenever you get confused, he pauses the tape and helps you out. You actually end up making a fantastic painting! He compliments you greatly and admires your art style. It was insane to hear that coming from a narcissist like him.

The Vigilante: He really doesn't like the cold all that much, so he invites you over for dinner. He asks what you'd like, and you ask for (insert your favorite food). He makes a face... He's never cooked that before. He's not quite sure it'll end up too well. You offer to help, and he accepts. He has a bunch of fresh meat and produce grown on the farm. You're amazed by it as most of the stuff in the tower is filled with junky preservatives or pizza flavor. He chuckles and explains that his family has always grown their own food. He tries to follow the recipe but keeps getting confused. You end up taking the lead. He's so embarrassed. He apologizes several times and does his best to help out. You both make a great team. You finish the meal and sit down to eat with him. He tells you all the stories about growing up on the farm, and you have a great meal.

The Noise: While he absolutely HATES the cold, he likes the outdoor activities that come with it. His favorite is of course snowboarding. He takes you to the slopes with him. Noisette didn't want to come with. She fell last year and is too afraid to go again. You check into the lodge and see him waiting for you. It felt weird for you to see him out of costume. You have your choice of either skiis or snowboard. (Insert your choice.) You sit together on the lift and chat a bit on the way up. WOW, is he talkative. The two of you get to the top of the mountain. You forgot to explain that you actually DON'T know how to do this, and before you can, he's already speeding down the slope. You follow behind him as best as you can, but your balance is horrible. You're going so quick! You see a ramp coming up. He takes the jump. You weren't going to, but you can't slow down or steer! You plummet flat into the snow. He comes over in a rush. He's red-faced and embarrassed. He forgot how extreme he can be sometimes. You end up needing to be airlifted to a hospital as you probably have a concussion. Oops...

Noisette: She likes the cold and the snow! The Noise went out snowboarding, but after she was injured last year, she didn't want to go. Instead, she asks you to come over and bake something with her. You're a little hesitant since her food skills can be... well... sometimes, it can be lethal. She asks what you would rather do instead. You say you'd love to do something in the snow. Hmmm... Sledding? No, she's too afraid to fall again. Then she suggests going out and building something. You agree. You two decide to have a snowman building competition. The score is based on timing, size, and aesthetic. The two of you race around the yard, picking up sticks and stones. She throws a snowball at you from out of nowhere, so you throw one back. The snowman building competition had suddenly become a snowball fight. By the end of it, you're both covered in snow, and some snow even got in your clothes. You go inside to warm up. "Oh, hey, guess what," she asks. You turn to her and she throws one last snowball in your face.

Fake Peppino: He HATES HATES HATES winter and everything about it! Snow? Cold!Weather? COLD! Frogs don't like the cold! You try to get him to come outside, but he doesn't budge. You even try throwing something out there for him to fetch, but he still won't move. Hmmm... You pile up some blankets and pillows and plop down into it. He seems confused at first, but you lay there and wait. Eventually, it clicks in his brain. He comes over and wraps around you like a cat would. The two of you enjoy a warm nap in a nest of pillows. He starts croaking in his sleep, which wakes you up. You also see him twitching a little. He's dreaming! You pet him on the head, accidentally waking him up. He pulls you under him and goes back to sleep.

Pizzahead: He doesn't mind the cold. He doesn't necessarily like it, but it comes with fun activities. He invited you to go ice skating with him, and you agreed. However, when you get to the rink, you see him dressed up in a beautiful outfit with sequins and glitter scattered all over. He even brought his own skates. You grab some from the rental and put them on. He has to help you walk over to the rink so you don't roll an ankle. He pushes you on gently. He then goes flying past you, doing all sorts of tricks and twirls. "Oh, I forgot to tell you," he calls out, "that I'm kind of really good at this!" He laughs. You try your best, but you can barely stand up straight. He comes over and grabs you, helping you stay upright. "See what I'm doing with my feet? Push your foot forward with half of your weight." You do so and almost fall, but he catches you. You try again, and you get it. Then you do it with your other foot. "Okay, now do a flip," he jokes. He grabs your hand and spins you around. Suddenly, you're going backward. "Yes, you've got it! Now lean into it and move your feet as if you're walking forward." You try to do so, but lose your balance and topple over. He skates over laughing. He helps you up. "Come on, now. Let's try that again."

Pillar John: He's ecstatic. He hasn't seen it snow in a while. He asks if you want to go sledding with him. You try to explain to him that you're afraid he'll crush you, but he insists you'll be fine. You reluctantly agree. You meet him at the bottom of a hill. It's huge! You tell him you're not sure you'll be able to get up there. "Don't worry," he says, "watch this!" He picks you up and puts you on top of his head. He runs up the hill like it's nothing. "Hold on tight!" He tosses you on his back as he dives face first down the hill. You scream in horror at first. Once you figure out what's happening, you're laughing with joy. You come to the bottom and hop off of him. He rolls onto his side, "Wasn't that great?" You laugh and nod. "Wanna do it again?" You smile and nod, and he tosses you back up on his head. The two of you do this for a good hour before he's tuckered out. You're shocked he never rolled over on you and killed you.

Gerome: You ask him if he's doing anything later, and he shrugs. So, you ask if he wants to do something with you, and he shrugs again. You suggest skiing, he says no. You suggest snowball fights, he says no. You suggest making a snowman, he says no. You finally ask him what he wants to do. He says that he'd rather read near a fireplace or watch a movie. You agree to a movie and ask which one he prefers. He says he'll watch whatever you pick. You pick your favorite movie, but you warn him that it might be a little boring since Peppino fell asleep during it. He says that it can't be any more boring than being a janitor. You two sit down and watch the movie, and he actually ends up enjoying it. Afterwards, he's much more cheerful and talkative. You tell him there's a second one, and he tells you to put it on.

-

I told you to buckle up.

[hollownoire]

Current W.I.P's and Future Plans! Exciting Shit!

A lot of ya'll may have noticed I've been kind of quiet or otherwise preoccupied lately, and that's because there's a ton of really exciting stuff I'm currently working on! :3

There's a lot I wanna share, so for those of you who are interested this post is gonna go over all of the stuff I've been doing lately, a glimpse at what things might look like for me down the line.

TL:DR : Taking art more seriously, tons of art studies and practice, just finished moving, drawing projects and W.I.P's, working on making a YouTube channel and picking up filmmaking?!?!?!?!

So, a bit ago I set off to do this 30 day "learn to draw" practice/routine/program thing by Marc Brunet on YouTube.

I picked it up because I've felt like I lacked a lot of knowledge regarding space and perspective that you'd typically learn practicing the fundamentals of art. I understood that I needed to make things look three dimensional, and had the smallest grasp on how to do that, but the core understanding and experience was something I lacked.

For anyone trying to learn how to draw, I highly recommend checking out this video and giving it a go! I'm not going to go over every single day's exercise I did, partly because I didn't actually finish the whole program... (There's so much to do lately hnngn)

But, I made this thing! Tada!

I'm also delving into making my first drawing timelapses in clip studio with these next couple of projects I'm currently working on...

One of them being a commission for a friend's DnD character, a sort of gambler themed vigilante called "Vermillion" that was made for my DnD setting, Benediction. Here's the progress I have so far on our resident card-thrower:

...Neat, right? This drawing was one of the most recent ones where I'm really trying to challenge myself with perspective, foreshortening, and composition work. I've fallen in love with painting and you'll most likely see it as a permanent addition to my art style.

A lot of that is thanks to Bluebiscuits, who's art style has been a massive inspiration to mine for a very long time. Their art guides have been invaluable to my creative growth, and they deserve all of the support they could possibly get.

They have a patreon, so maybe check that out if you're interested in their work. :>

The other big project I'm working on is actually design work for a very important character I'm making. This is tied into the potentiality of YouTube and all that would entail, so bare with me for this next part.

It's a kind of...mascot, of sorts. An evolution of my avatar(s) that I've been fucking with on and off for years at this point. It's kind of important to get that nailed down, because...well, it's the first thing people are gonna see when they check out my stuff, so, I needed to make a "face" for my art.

Especially if I want to do YouTube. Which...I do! I've wanted to have a creative outlet like that for a while. I have tons of things to say and share, and a lot of it would probably be best off in video format.

Plus, then I get to have an excuse to design an eldritch girl-thing to be on screen and talk for me. Yeah, the second project is a RantSona. I mean...it's more than just a rantsona, but this design has been workshopped to be used for that...while also doing other important things! Like being a hot eldritch horror-lady generally. A suitable vessel for my creative endeavors >:3

Meet "Hollow", or, I guess the early blueprints of Hollow. Hollow-to-be if you will:

Presto! What will most likely end up being my..."Mascot"? My avatar...thing. Me. Me but way cooler.

On the side there you can see some early attempts at making a good "talking mouth", all of which....didn't...look great. Mouths are hard it turns out! Even harder when you're making a puppet for entertainment purposes.

One day, one day there will be a marketable Hollow plush. One day.

I still have tons of work to do, I mean, look at this shit:

I have a lot to do. That drawing up there is the result of like...over a couple of weeks of design-work, reference gathering, and notetaking.

Which you cant get a little looksie at down here:

This was the early framework for giving myself direction. Haven't really ever done something like this for an art project, so it's been really damn cool seeing where it's led me. I'm definitely going to be using this kind of "set up" going forward for my creative endeavors.

In a way it feels like all of my progress so far was put to the test. I buckled the fuck up and really started trying to chisel at something...big. I made myself a work schedule, a posting schedule, and am (trying) to wake up at 9:00 every day to squeeze in as much time as possible.

I'm getting side-tracked, but, yeah! Framework! Moodboards! Milanote:

Milanote is actually fucking GOATED, I'd be absolutely crippled trying to make this project work without it's help. Those two little design sheets I made by hand in clip studio took honest to god days to make, when I could have used Milanote to just make a mood board...reference....thing...instead.

I ended up doing that regardless, cause I needed to make a vibe board to refer to during the building of Hollow's outfit/body design, which is also the stage I'm currently on in the whole process.

Literally all of it is just drag-and-drop. I didn't even need to download all of these images, cause Milanote just lets you drag an image off of a website and shove it in that bitch all easy-like. It's incredible.

You can add text, links, images, yadda yadda yadda, this sounds like a sponsorship but I am in fact just sharing the gospel of this unit of a website. It's good, it might help you, check it out? Do whatever you want.

Anyway, after making a good enough pool of references I started working on Hollow's body/outfit. I'm extra, so I wanted something eye-catching that won't...hopefully...be too distracting in a video. I mean...well, if its distracting in a bad way. I do like having eyes on me, after all. ;]

I've been rambling, so I'm going to try to be more concise from this point onward.

In order to really nail the character design I need to communicate the important bits effectively. That means a strong silhouette, shape language, design, and conveying the character properly. I mean, I'm trying to make an eldritch horror girl, here, if you can't tell that on first glance I did something wrong.

In summary, I gave myself six dummies to practice on. Using my candy pile on milanote I pick and choose various elements from designs I like and incorporate them into my own while keeping in mind the important elements I listed in my outline from earlier.

Ideally, by the time the sixth is finished, I'll have a good idea of what I like and don't like about each one, and can compile all of that into a "Pre-final draft" where I put it alllll together :3

The main thing is I'm trying to make her clothing look like it's a part of her. Kind of organic. Able to be changed at her will, her skin, basically. So there's lots of carapaces and warframe-like skin material there.

I'm very pleased with how it's going so far. Even just the second iteration looks fuckin' fantastic imo. Very Arrancar/Vasto Lorde (From Bleach). Good shit.

That's basically it. I probably skimmed over a lot of stuff, but at this point the caffeine and vyvanse is wearing off, and I'm crashinnnggg.

Before I go, the film I'm making. Yeah, so I needed practice learning a video editing software, especially if I was going to fuck around with a rantsona, so I've been editing a ton of Lethal Company footage I've saved over...quite a long damn time.

I wanted to do something a little bit more on-theme with me, my aesthetic, and the shit I want to do in the future, rather than just mash a bunch of "hehe funnies" together and call it a day. There will still be some of that, it is lethal company after all, but I wanted to be a little bit more dramatic than that...

The result is a meta-ey surreal analog horror style experience with some elements of an ARG. The primary premise is an artist's descent into madness, the game being "haunted", the power of belief, and artistic depictions of very real struggles I and many others have. Depression, isolation, loneliness, feelings of disconnection, and other things of that nature.

I find the contrast very fascinating. I've even reached out to several...oh god what's the word...? Music artist. Not musician. People who make digital music, like game OST's. Those.

I reached out to some people including a close friend of mine and "CAMA", one of the folks who contributed to making the sound overhaul mod "Lethal Resonance" for lethal company, for permission to use music, or in my friend's case make original music for the film. (My sentence structure is falling apart, I'm so sorry I'm almost done).

Cama has a soundcloud, check it out and give them some support, their music makes my ears happy.

Okay. That's it. I don't currently have a set title for this short film yet, but I do have a placeholder (That may just end up being the actual title. I don't fucking know dude, dinner is still cooking.) that I'll leave you with,

"I am not me."

If anybody actually read all of that, congrats! You're now one of my favorite people. Take care of yourself <3

[miss0atae]

Let's Talk about Chu - Review

All the most engaging BLs I’ve been watching are now finished or about to end, so I needed to fill the time with something else.

That’s how I decided to start Let’s Talk about Chu, a Taiwanese series which came out this year and is available on Netflix.

The pitch is simple enough :

“Chu Ai, a wax technician, runs a sex education vlog on the side. Living by her motto of "Only Sex, No Love," she has a long-term sexual relationship with Ping Ke. In the face of the challenges and conflicts that arise from the Chu family's, unfulfilled demands for sex and love, can Chu Ai find the answer to desire and self-discovery and start a relationship that goes beyond the physical?”

The synopsis made it seems like the main character was Chu Ai, but it’s not true. The main character is the Chu Family, as a whole.

Chu Yeh Mei Chih and Chu Cheng Nan are the parents. They don’t have a really good relationship. They let things between us goes without have a proper conversation and now they live with resentment.

Chu Yu Sen is the oldest son. He is lying about his job to his parents to hide the fact he is earning his money from being an expert card gambler. He is also openly gay and has an open relationship with his current boyfriend and things are not going well. He will eventually meet a gangster and things will change...

Chu Wei is the oldest daughter. She is married to Lin Shi Chieh who is older than her and he is a teacher in University. She desires a deeper connection with her husband because she feels they lost the passion in their relationship.

And finally, we have Chu Ai, the sex education vlogger who has a friends-with-benefits relationship with Ping Ke who also have to deals with his own vision of what is love or relationship based on what he witnesses in his family.

I have to admit, I didn’t like the first episode. However, I know myself and I also always hate the first episode. I don’t know why, but I start to know if I like a series after the second episode. That’s why I never trust my first impression. I’m glad I didn’t stop after the first episode because this series is awesome. It’s very engaging for several reasons.

First of all, because this series deals a lot with sexual relationships, it’s important when the actors can translate that well and here it works. They all have a really good chemistry. Nothing feels too awkward, but it is also not trying to portray “too perfect” moments. I would like to also add there isn’t that much nude-scenes despite the series focus on sex and love.

I also appreciate how it centered the story around different stages of relationship. We have the old couple who never talked, the queer relationship, the open relationship or friends-with-benefits relationship… You can see the point of view of a younger generation on what is love or sex, but also the view of the older generation.

Finally, the series also allows you to have an insight on different issues such as not wanting children despite being pressure to have them, sexual compatibility, STI, childhood trauma, homophobia, abandonment… just to name a few.

My favorite couple were the oldest sister and her husband. They have an age-gap and he also was her teacher, when she was in university. At first, I found her annoying because she never seems to understand how her husband may not want the same things at the same time she wanted it, but I started to understand her after a few episodes. They lacked proper conversation about what they wanted, because when the passion is not there anymore, you have to connect differently. Their couple is all about, how your relationship can turn if you don’t communicate enough. Despite their issues, you could feel their love for each others.

My second favorite couple was the oldest son and the gangster he met. I wasn’t expected them to end up together, but what a ride it was. They really are good for each other and they fulfill what the other needs. Of course, they don’t get to this point without facings some difficulties, but their unexpected relationship is really wholehearted. They get more grow than some BL couples and I also like how it gave us an insight of what is it to be gay in Taiwan nowadays.

I was less interested by Ai because I felt she was the least likable character. It is mostly due to how she treated Ping Ke. I felt she was usually not fair to him. I agree, he also needed to express his feelings more, but when you learn about his family story you kind of get why he is this way. I feel like Ai, as his friend, should have known more but I can see why it wasn’t that easy for her. They are cute, but I believe their relationship is not as interesting as the others. I liked them both more as individual character than as a couple.

Finally, I connected less with the parents because their relationship made me think of my own parents and I didn’t really like what it said about my reality. I feel the mother has a real personality while the father remains bland because we don’t see him that much as he is not present a lot in the series. The mother is struggling a lot and I really appreciate how she grew from it and learn more about her children but also about what she yearn for. Brownie points to the mother (she is one of us) who was watching a BL series on Gagaoolala.

Overall, this series is a true gem. Taiwan can really produce amazing series and they should not be overlooked because they really have something to offer.

[plaindangan]

Genderbent Celeste is a rather proper man not even intending on participating in NNN as it’s just that far beneath him, he hardly even touches himself! But some people won’t stand for that! Akane’s gonna find him and do what she can to make this man give her some nut!

Disclaimer: R18 material! If not to your liking then please do not view!

"Don't worry, buddy, I gotcha!! I dunno why every guy in the world can't cum anymore, but I'm on the case!! Leave it to me and you'll be spilling more milk than a cow!! Not even Coach Nekomaru can survive a hit of my finishing rimzuri!!! I'll save you and give you relief!" Akane vowed. No Nut November was an epidemic of the ages! I mean, that's what Hiyoko told her. She said that without a girl physically helping them to cum, all guys everywhere were forced to hold in their spunk until it becomes too much and they'll explode!!! And she doesn't want her pals to explode!!!

As such, Hero Akane Owari is here! And who better than to start with first than her vitriolic best bud - Celes the Vampire (even though Celeste had told her straight and plain that he wasn't, but it was a moot point). He was just trying to enjoy his nice evening...so Akane'll make it nicer for him! On the house!!! Kicking down his door, Akane glomped her buddy with full force and, before he knew it, he found himself naked from the waist down. His giant, pale, moon flashed Akane as she bent him across his own chair. Something that served in getting him annoyed at her gullibility. "Akane!!! I told you for the umpteenth time that fucking brat was lying to you!!! I'm not even doing that dumbass challenge anyway!!" Celes seethed, the faux European slipping into his rougher, natural, tone given how aggravated he was at the moment for being so rudely interrupted.

"Hiyoko wouldn't lie to me!! You don't have to feel embarrassed, I'll make ya feel nice and good!"

"I saaaaaiiii-...." Celes shuddered, his temper immediately being doused as she slipped his shaft between her tits. Moving them with a force and energy that...kinda was addicting. He began to softly moan, gradually getting stiffer from the attack. Something that had Akane take notice.

"You liking my boobs so far? Then...you'll really love this~" With a surprisingly slow, gentle, care, Akane parted Celeste's cheeks and stuck her tongue inside.

"A-aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!" moaned the twinkish gambler as between his cock getting stroked off and Akane feasting his booty, he wasn't able to last long at all~ He eventually came hard between her boobs, gasping and panting.

"I...I did it!!! I saved ya!! Tell me somethin' Celly!! You feeling good now that you ain't exploding anymore?!!!" "....Wh-who....who said you could stop?!!!!~" Eeeeep!! Akane's celebrating was cut short as Celes turned around, flashing a very scary, surprisingly horny, look on his face. With his cock still being between her boobs, she could feel it begin to strengthen once more~

"You want to 'save' me right...then you better make your treatment go one for a few hours~ Mhmhmhmhm~" he cooed, shaking his deliciously plump ass in her face and getting her in the mood for a challenge~

Gotta learn that a hero's work is never so easy~

[ackackh]

First Line Analysis

Rules: post the first lines of up to 10 of your last fics/chapters posted on AO3 or your WIPs and try to draw some conclusions.

Thank you to @majorbuckyegan for tagging me! This was fun and challenging!

1. DOGSTAR.

There’s a hole maybe the size of a quarter ripped in the screen door. Andy watches as two little fingers wiggle through it, the small hand they’re attached to curling up close behind them.

2. Want to See Nirvana/Don’t Want to Die Yet

I am not, Nate thinks to himself as he helps Brad fumble with the passenger-side door, I am not going back in time.

3. God Is a Bluegill

The next-day sun is beginning to pour dark blue light into the jailhouse through the little, barred window of Ray’s cell. The Sheriff sleeps with his feet crossed on top of his desk, his chin tucked into his chest; Ray watched him fight it for the better part of the night. His cellmate sleeps on his back with his gambler pulled on top of his face, his fingers laced perfectly over his chest. And the man in the neighboring cell hasn’t so much as moved since Ray was locked inside his own, earlier in the evening. Ray thinks he might be dead.

(I’m cheating here, a little. There is a small flashback before this scene in GIAB but I consider this to be the first line, really. Otherwise it’s just a baby Ray waking up with his mother.)

4. [untitled Doc Bryan Baby fic]

[Secret Character, Sorry] had this thing about naming babies after family, said it was bad luck. Said, who do you know that hasn’t ever fucked over anybody? Who in our family hasn’t been fucked someway?

5. [untitled BradRay Post OIF fic]

There are a few decent places to cry alone in the cigarette factory, but Ray hasn’t bothered to go find any. Instead he’s crying like a kid against the cinderblocks outside.

6. Some Things You Will Remember, Some Things Stay Sweet Forever

Winter’s comin’ in hard. Only October and the season’s first long drift of snow has blown over their village swiftly these past three days.

7. That Heavy Love

There is a moment, however small, when Brad returns to their attic room, in which the light of the oil lamps and the cotton of the bedclothes paint Nate like a dream-laden lover. Isn’t he beautiful?

8. Last of the Goldenrod

There’s a grave for the last morning glory that ever bloomed in Kilkenny. Before the last of them wilted, Maryanne clipped one clean and pressed it dry between the pages of a Bible, so that it left behind a purple stain, splotched somewhere in the middle of Psalms. Joe enlisted George’s help to break up a patch of their concrete backyard, to claw away the frozen dirt beneath until they had a hole deep enough to bury it inside of a shoebox.

9. Feel in My Bones Just What the Future Has in Store

Sun’s set just a few minutes ago but the end-of-summer sky is still holding onto some of its light. If they finish up now, Mike can get Judy and Tanya inside before full dark and before Cara gets too mad about pushing back their bedtime.

10. When a Man Is Also a Knife

The Arena can seat 5,526 spectators—maybe 200 more if one includes the standing room directly surrounding the ring—and as George bobs and weaves his way though the milling crowd of Philadelphia’s finest, most already drunk or well on their way, he finds that every single one of the 5,726 attendees is doggedly determined to shove themselves between him and his boss.

Tagging @z-ppy @disastrouscanasta @buckyclevens @lamialamia @gorgeousundertow @jenkil and anyone else who wants to join!

Analysis under the cut. Because it’s a lot of rambling on my part.

Okay, looking at all of these, any analysis seems really hard to do. Especially since I could choose whatever fics I wanted, I realized I was using the ones I liked the most, so there’s already some bias in here. But one thing I can say, I know whenever I’m writing something which I know will be the first line I am always thinking about a ‘hook.’ Will this first sentence be enough to get my reader to keep reading? With fanfiction, this is a bit easier. I don’t have to convince anybody to like my characters or like the dynamics or relationships, I just have to get them to like me. Which is sort of daunting, but I’d still argue easier than with original fiction.

I do notice that with fics like 3. 8. And 10. I am trying to be evocative of a very specific time/place, because these are all AUs. And I know the reader, especially with shorter AUs, needs much more information much more immediately than with other fics, in which I have time to feed info throughout. So those seem more concerned with environment, rather than character. Also seems to be the case with others lol. Even if the line is primarily about how a character is feeling, the first line still gives some information about the rest of the scene. (8. Kilkenny is a place, a town; 9. It’s evening, it’s summer; 2. Nate is in a car (lol))

Which makes sense when I think about it. I still have the hangup (I think other writers know this feeling) of wanting my readers to see my stories exactly as I see them. To be immersed, sure, but also to have the right angle, the right lighting. I need to remind myself that books (or fics) aren’t movies. It isn’t a visual medium. So, there’s something I could certainly work on.

Without hurting my brain with too much more thinking, I’ll leave off by saying that in general, I like these! And that’s a treat for myself. I want things I write to be colorful, I want them to be physical, and some of these really do the trick for me. (Key word: me. I already have the images of these scenes set in my head before I ever write them down. So it’s very possible for others not to see it that way).

But yeah, this was fun! And I’m always a slut for sharing lol ❤️

[gems1g]

HSR thoughts (about Penacony) under the cut.

I got the reveal about Firefly right. Yeah, still don't trust her. Anyway.

Loved the main quests so far, more than the Luofu. I had a feeling it was going that way for Gallagher, but the ending with Sunday surprised me.

Loved Aventurine here, I hope they do more POV switches for future quests. Sorry Acheron, skipping you this time. I just need to bring that IPC gambler and his light cone home, since I need a good shielder too.

I was thinking, is the devil in velvet Aventurine, or Gallagher? It can be Aventurine considering he took to the stage in the final battle for this part of the quest, and the curtains in a stage / theater are traditionally velvet (or velour). But I think it can also refer to Gallagher - and the curtains here are a metaphor (how I interpreted it: he hides behind the curtains, so to speak, of other people's identities and that of being a hound with a penchant for mixing drinks).

Curious about the dormancy Ratio said though - is it a coma? A soul death? Removal of emotions and will? Or it's literally becoming dormant, a state where time stops for a person and they remain unaware of anything and everything? It certainly isn't the physical, end-of-all-things end that death literally is. Because that is what happened to Aventurine, and he will surely be back, if he can make it through that (I feel he would, it's strongly hinted by his future self, Acheron, and himself at the end of this part of the main quest). Though I hope he won't get himself involved in the end game and just live a nice life somewhere else with the rare message to the Trailblazer here and there.😂 I feel it's a coma though, I remember there was a dialog about someone else or a guest dying and they never woke up (or I might be misremembering, need to recheck the wiki).

So excited for what's next, because:

Jade is coming to Penacony to finish what Aventurine started

Now that Sunday's "dead", I think the truth about the "deaths" will finally be revealed, and I'm curious about his involvement in the next part

Boothill's probably going to show up and challenge Acheron or straight up just try and kill her

More Gallagher involvement

We are going to get the Harmony trailblazer next patch I think

I'm also loving the bartending event right now, makes me want to stock up on my liquor. 😂 Just an occasional drinker, I mostly have wines right now, I want to stock up on some of the harder ones and make myself something nice. I love Siobhan.🥹

[littleshopofchaos]

The 100 Theme Challenge: Ash Shepard's Worlds - 1. Introduction

Hi guys! So I started the 100 Theme Challenge which is where you do 1 prompt per work, of 100 themes obviously and the challenge is to finish them all.

So here we go.

Its been a while since I've written anything so in this piece, its an introduction

Angel With A Shotgun

Summary: What would you do if your first introduction to an Angel, was by the barrel of a shotgun? 1. Introduction of the 100 Theme Challenge

Jasper

I’d heard of a league of Angels who were fighting in the name of peace, in their new God. Every so often I would hear stories of then, you’d think they’d like being called Valkyries. But they refused this name; with names being passed around like debts being sold by desperate gamblers in search of something more.

There was one name that popped up more than any. Hope’s Sanctum. It sounded like a pilgrimage to see who still had faith and who they would need to cut down in the name of evil.

Many people have been committing heinous acts in the Angels names, wanting a path to Heaven or Purgatory to take that power for themselves. They wanted to sow the seeds of chaos across the world and they want to revel in it.

Demons. That’s what they are.

Where there is light, there will be darkness and its hand in hand with chaos and war. But I’d never seen an Angel up close before. Me, Jasper Pratchett – a man with no ties to neither God nor Chaos itself. A being that floats in-between the realms and reaps what must move on. Who answers to no-one.

A spirit. A remnant of a purge long since past. A long forgotten memory.

I’d decided to see if I could find Hope’s Sanctum for myself and see what they were doing, for myself.

I had no faith before I became what I am now, and I will continue to have no faith, even in the face of fact and fiction because I don’t believe in being controlled by a higher being, so my entire situation is some sick fuck’s fantasy in a much larger game. What is my purpose and why am I still here?

What is the point of me?

I stumble across this world… this Haven of The Inbetween. Where the dead continue to scream as they long for a way into Heaven and instead get a choice of Purgatory or Hell. You hear them pleading, you hear them begging… and all you hear are the sounds of shotguns and prayers.

And then silence.

It doesn’t take long to follow the trail, it never seems to run cold or never seems to stop. Feathers torn and ruffled, lay on the ground with blood on the ends as if ripped out from an Angel’s very core itself.

I need to get to Purgatory. I need to move on, to find my body. To be reunited with myself and feel whole whole. Asking questions nobody dare seem to ask, for fear of what comes next that seems inevitable.

I never expected the Angels to be so strikingly beautiful.

“Jasper Pratchett, been wandering around again for far too long. What is it you want?” The voice is smooth as silk, but I feel a gun to the back of my head.

I turn, being met with the barrel of a shotgun. A one way ticket to my final destination… though seeing where I am and what I am, who only knows what that may be.

The Angel at the end of the shotgun is a six foot tall, chubby long-haired blonde with an outfit that can only be described like Hugh Jackman’s Van Helsing. She looks damn good and she flaunts it. She’s a big woman, and proud. She’s athletic, she never misses a step. She’s a dream.

“And you are?” I ask, staring down the barrel like its actually going to do something to me.

“My name is Ancora.” She lowers the shotgun. ��Pity this wouldn’t work on you. Non-believers always seem to find a way to get out of receiving justice.”

Latin for Anchor. Though, for what I am wondering. Maybe it means something more.

She knows me. I’ve only just been introduced to her and she seems pretty pissed that she can’t kill me.

“Yeah and I can’t move on from The Inbetween until either you let me into Heaven, send me to Purgatory or tell me what the fuck my actual purpose is.” Curse words be damned, I’ll speak how I feel.

Wouldn’t you be angry if you were cursed like me?

Ancora falters, taking her finger off the trigger of her trusted weapon. She watches me closely.

“You’re one of the ones Hope Sanctum is fighting for – a place to peacefully exist. You’re a Reaper, you can’t help what you take from others. But when you’re not needed or wanted, you live in limbo. You cease to exist.”

“And your kind has kept my body. Once I’ve returned to it, instead of being in this shell, I can help out and live again. Move on. Go home. But there seems to be a higher purpose for me. And I gather you don’t know what that is.” I say bitterly.

Though I know, this isn’t her fault.

“God is missing and there is chaos in all realms. We’re searching for someone who knows where God is, or wants to become the new God.”

Ah. so they’ve had a power struggle of sorts.

“And then your God could restore me to my former status?.” I inquire hopefully.

“I could put in a good word or two. I’d be able to keep you safe, until they were found that is.” Ancora listens to everything around us – the screaming is still going, the dead are still being reaped, judged and thrown away.

“If I help you find God, will you promise to restore order to everything here and beyond The Inbetween?”

“That’s why I’m an Angel with a shotgun. Fighting till the war’s done. Who knows if Heaven will take me back.” Ancora cracks a smile

“And what of the league of Hope’s Sanctum? Where are they?”

Surely there’s more.

“There were others… but I’m the only one now. And I’m looking for recruits.”

Ancora is Hope’s Sanctum.

She is the hope and faith of the people. She is the league… She is the mercenary.

She is hope as one person. She is the light in the darkness.

“Consider me your new recruit.” I reach out to take the shotgun from her, to hold out a hand for a handshake.

“Jasper, we’re gonna need to find you a weapon. One that they won’t be able to take from you.” Ancora laughs.

“Where do we begin?” I find myself crossing my arms.

[indigo-strawberries]

rdr2 100% completion help

ok so!!!!

i posted something on reddit asking for 100% advice a while back and someone replied with a whole spreadsheet for 100% completion, missions, stranger missions etc ... and its been SOO helpful for me!! ill link a blank spreadsheet below along with another that has all the missions in each chapter with their own rated difficulties (if youre going for the gold rush trophy like i am). not all of them are accurate to the difficulty the op set, but other people have put advice and tips on some objectives that have made it easier.

for where to start, i made a google doc and wrote my objectives for each chapter (starting at 2) like stranger missions, hunting, anything that you can get done earliest in whatever chapter youre in. i focused on completing most everything in chp 2,3, and 4. the only things i left for the other chapters were those chapter specific things (stranger missions, hunting requests, challenges)

things i recommend doing as early as possible:

-legendary animals and fishing (not all will be available but i did mine all in chp2 or 3 and finished the rest in new austin in the epilogue)

-trinkets and talismans (you craft these at any fence, but they usually take legendary animal parts so after you kill a legendary animal check the fence)

-getting the legend of the east satchel from pearson (literally so amazing you can carry 99 of most everything)

-stranger missions (some might not be available after a certain point, so best to get them in early)

-studying and hunting animals for compendium (i like arthurs drawings better than johns lmao) (guarma animals don't count for the achievements but there is a way to get there and i can link the yt video if anyone wants it)

-picking up premium cigarettes anytime you can (will save time for cigarette cards, which if youre gonna buy them do it after you finish the main game cus youll have $20k+)

-hunting requests (just to get them done)(will put a very helpful animal location reddit post below)

-dinosaur bones

-rock carvings (ALL can be found in chp2 so that is one of the easiest collectables)

-dreamcatchers (again, all can be found in chp2 so very easy to get this one out of the way)

-challenges (some cant be finished until epilogue like herbalist 9 and horseman 9 but all the rest can be done earlier) ((yes gambler 8 is possible it took me 3 hours but i managed it))

^^ at the trapper, when you complete challenges you buy the equipment (gun belt, holster, bandolier) and they improve your health, stamina, and dead eye stats (theyre also needed for the legend of the east outfit)

100% spreadsheet: (just make a copy so you can edit it)

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jXuYOOtQnX_4u_PoY3dh5mik5WAH5BWtMTay8tstIR8/htmlview?pli=1

hunting request animal locations

https://www.reddit.com/r/reddeadredemption/s/T50R7u9lTu

gold missions

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1A-KDkbLHjXM3aRYcidsHNF9MqgObj08RJkcAwgNp990/edit?gid=0#gid=0

all in all, PLAN!!! planning each chapter makes a huge difference and gives you goals to work towards and keeps you organized so you dont miss anything

I'm going to regret this

[thequietkid-moonie]

Yumeko with a S/O who gambles a lot

[ HEADCANONS ] [ Yumeko Jabami ]

[ Kakegurui Compulsive gambler ]

I LOVE Kakegurui, I think Yumeko its a fantastic character and I kinnie really like her ❤️

To be honest the only cards that i know how to play are the UNO xd

Your constant gambling its what atracted her to you at first. She wanted to gamble with you, and you of course acepted! She had so much fun that she ended sticking at you

With the time you two become a couple and she can't feel more happier, Yumeko truly thing that you are the perfect partner!

In games you two became a team make in hell-- for the others of course!

Yumeko is a clingy and affectionate girl, she will always have her hands on you (holding hands, hugging you or even clinging on your arm) always dragging you around the school to find where to gamble now!

She loves to see you play, watching carefuly every move you and your opponent do. She is never worried about you, no matter what happen in the game the important is the fun of the risk you take!

But if you decide to dont take a risk this time she will pouty for a while

Whenever you finish the game you'll have her all over you congratulating you for the risk you took you asking you how do you feel! It doesn't matter if you win or lost, thats not important for her

Always up to gamble with you, no matter the game or what are you gambling for, she just want to experience this with you! u know normal romantic couple stuff. If theres a game where is play by pairs she'll be more than to team up with you! (and thanks to that all the school know and fear you)

If you ever become a pet house she wouldn't be worried either, but will ask you what is your plan, are you going to pay your debt? would you play for it? do you prefer to wait? would you challenge the student council? whatever you decide to do she will support you (even more if you decide to do something risky, of course)

From time to time the others will have to try stop you with all you gambling before you two do something really stupid. May and Suzui trying to make you come to your senses not like you will stop

[naminethewriter]

Between Two Lives Chapter Two: Gluttony

Masterpost | Previous | Next | Ao3

Summary: Written for Intrulogical Week 2022 @intrulogicalweek

Logan is stuck in Limbo until the Afterlife Registration Bureau processes his case so he can properly move onto a afterlife, whether that is heaven, hell, reincarnation or something else. While wandering around aimlessly, he’s approached by a demon that introduces himself as Remus and offers him a quicker way to the next life.

Content Warnings: Food, Discussion of Past Lives

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Salutations Remus.”

 “There you are! I almost thought you changed your mind!” Remus grinned at Logan. Today the demon was dressed in what Logan would consider a more reasonable outfit than the day before with black, ripped pants that covered his entire legs, though paired with the same boots and a shirt that had more colors than Logan had seen since he got to Limbo.

 “I apologize, I did not remember the path as well as I thought I did,” he explained, straightening his tie. As a pair the two must look very odd since Logan’s shirt was neatly tucked into his pants and without a wrinkle on it. Add to that his dress shoes and slacks, the two couldn’t have more different styles.

 Remus took a look around. “Yeah, this place doesn’t really have anything that makes it stand out, huh? You know what, I’ll take you back to your apartment later, then I can pick you up there next time.”

 “That is satisfactory.”

“Great! Let’s get to todays challenge! I need you to take my hand.” Logan raised a brow but didn’t argue. “Better press those teeth together, you don’t wanna bite your tongue!” Remus warned as the other takes his hand and before Logan can ask what he means by that, he’s pulled through a portal of some kind. Thankfully he heeded Remus’ warning because as the land on the other side, the impact would have for sure clacked his teeth together rather forcefully.

 “Welcome to Sector P!” Remus announced and Logan takes a moment to look around. They stood on a street, similar to the ones in his own sector, but instead of apartment buildings – though he could see lots of them, too, just a bit further away – it was lined with restaurants. Any food imaginable was advertised with blinking signage, not as brilliant as on earth, they were still in Limbo after all, but it was much livelier than in the sector Logan was used to.

 “I was under the impression that all sectors were the same,” he said after clearing his throat.

 “Yeah, most would. They don’t really tell you that they group you based on like one defining characteristic.” Remus starts wandering down the road, eyeing the different signs. Logan follows, brows pinched.

 “What characteristics?”

 “Well, this is the sector for the foodies. There’s one for gamblers, nature lovers, children, animal people and so on. The ARB picks one out that seems to fit the best and sends you there.”

 “I understand, I think. But what is my sector about then? It’s a lot emptier.”

 “I think Sector G is mostly for loners and intellectuals. You had a library at one point but that apparently led to some fights about books and heated debates.” Remus used air quotes as he said ‘heated’. “It caused more trouble than it was worth, so they just put some random, fancy books in your rooms and hoped that would keep you entertained for long enough.”

 Indeed, there had been some books in Logan’s apartment, and despite them not catering to his specific tastes, he had read them since there was nothing else to do, but he finished them a while ago and had no desire to revisit them. He hadn’t even considered the possibility that his neighbors could have different ones he could borrow.

 “Here we are!” Remus called, pulling Logan out of his thoughts. They stood in front of a restaurant that advertised their all-you-can-eat buffet. With a grin, Remus led Logan inside. Immediately they were assaulted with an almost overwhelming mix of different smells. They all came from the buffet that had a bigger selection than Logan had ever seen.

 “This seems… excessive,” he commented, making Remus giggle.

 “You are the kind of person that would say that. You’re challenge for today is to try everything here.”

 “Everything?” Logan asked, eyes wide. “There is no way I can eat that much.��

 “Sure you can, if you put your mind to it!”

 “What about allergies?” Logan didn’t have any, but he was willing to fake one. Remus bellowed out a laugh.

 “You’re dead! You can’t have allergies!”

 “What do you mean?”

 “You don’t have a flesh prison anymore that could react badly to anything here. You don’t need to breathe anymore either. You’re a soul, you don’t need sustenance. I could stab you and nothing would happen.”

 Logan furrowed his brows in thought. “But I still feel pain. I even cut myself before.”

 “That’s because you’re used to having a flesh prison. You expect to feel pain, so you feel pain.”

 “You mean it’s like a pavlovian response?”

 “Yeah, essentially. It’s a habit your soul isn’t aware of.”

 “I see. But then what is the point of the restaurant if no one here needs to eat?”

 “Questions like that are exactly why you don’t have any in your sector. Some people enjoy the taste of food, even if it doesn’t get them anything else. Now, no more questions, you don’t have forever.” Remus pulled Logan over to a table where he plops down in a seat. “Go on, get a selection. I’ll wait here.”

 “If you insist,” Logan sighs and gets to work. Deciding to start at the salad bar, he filled a bowl with all different types of leaves, toppings, and sauces, before returning to Remus.

 “Starting light, are we?” he asked with his typical grin. Logan simply nodded.

 “I did not experiment much with food during my lifetime, so I thought I would start with what is familiar.”

 “Smart but boring.”

 “I am not in the intellectual sector for nothing,” Logan commented dryly, earning another laugh from Remus.

 “Tell me why else you’re there,” he asked, propping up his chin on his hands and studying Logan intently as he takes the first bite of his salad.

 “I was a professor in life. I have a doctorate in astronomy.”

 “Uhh, I love space!” Remus exclaims, wiggling in his seat. “It’s a shame I rarely get to see it. Tell me more.”

 So, during the time it took Logan to eat his salad, they discussed space and Logan’s research. In the time it took Logan to fill his plate a second time, this time with an array of appetizers, Remus decided he wanted to change topics.

 “What about family, Nerdy Wolverine? Ever got married?” he asked before Logan had even sat back down.

 “No. I had a few relationships during my twenties and at the beginning of my thirties, but they didn’t last that long. I never missed it, however.”

 “Yeah, that checks out, I guess.”

 “What about you?” Logan shot back, a bit offended by Remus dismissive comment.

 “I never got married when I was alive, but I’ve got-“

 “Wait a minute,” Logan interrupts. “You were alive once? A human, I mean?”

 “Yeah. Was ages ago, but yeah.”

 “How did you become” – Logan gestures to his horns and wings – “a demon then? I thought you were created like that.”

 “There are some demons and angels like that, mostly the oldest ones, but I think most of us are converted from human souls after being alive.”

 “Did you choose to become a demon then?”

 “Yeah! I was in heaven for a while, but it was like super boring and then I met Janny and he showed me how fun things can be, so I decided to become a demon and stick with him. We’ve been together ever since.”

 “Fascinating. What about your family then? If you had one, I mean.”

 “I wasn’t really close to anyone but my brother. We were soldiers, born and bred, pretty much, so we didn’t get a lot of parental love if you know what I mean. But me and Ro got along for the most part. Ended up becoming war heroes and died on a battlefield. Got us both into heaven and while I went down to hell, Ro stayed up there and became an angel. We still hang out from time to time.”

 “That’s allowed? Aren’t heaven and hell enemies?”

 “They used to be but not anymore really since there are way too many souls nowadays. It’s why this whole Limbo system exists; they would be overrun otherwise.”

 They continued like that for hours. Remus would ask Logan about his life on earth and Logan would inquire about the afterlife while slowly making his way through the assortment of dishes. Neither of them really paid attention to that though, too enthralled by their discussion.

 Eventually Logan arrived at the table with one last plate.

 “This should be all that I’m missing. I don’t feel like I ate all that much.”

 “Like I said when we came here, you don’t have a flesh prison anymore, you don’t have a stomach you can fill.”

 “And I suppose since I was so focused on our discussion, I didn’t even register how much I ate which is why it didn’t trigger the pavlovian response.”

 “Sounds legit to me,” Remus shrugged and watched as Logan finished the last of the dishes. “Congrats, Wristwatch, you passed challenge one!”

 “Thank you, Remus. I must say this was more delightful than I thought. You are a good conversationalist.”

 “Aw, thanks, Lo Lo! I had fun, too. But it’s time to go back. Gimme your hand.”

 Logan blinked. “Don’t we have to pay?”

 Remus burst out laughing. “Pay with what? We don’t have money here. And have you seen even one employee around here?”

 “I haven’t but… Where does the food come from then?”

 “Don’t question everything, dork. Now let’s go.”

 Logan wanted to protest more but he stopped himself. He had taken up a lot of Remus’ time already and they would meet again soon, so he could postpone his curiosity for now.

 “Very well then.” He takes Remus hand and is pulled through another portal.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

“So, how was your day with the stuck-up?” Janus asked later that day when Remus once again deposited himself on his lap.

 “Fun! Got a lot of info about him. He was a professor for astronomy! He told me lots of space facts!”

 “Sounds wonderful, dear.”

 “Yeah, and tomorrow I’m gonna take him to Sector W.”

 “Isn’t that the sector full of… Are you sure that is a good idea, Muse?”

 “It’s gonna be fun, don’t worry!”

 “I doubt he will find it funny.”

 “I’m gonna make it up to him after. But first I really want to rile him up. He’s hot when he’s passionate.”

Janus sighed. He had a feeling that he would need to step in before the seven challenges were done.

[themorphine]

cym as fanfic tropes!!

tysm for re-asking this since my dumbass brain decided to delete this post instead of post it <3 idk if au’s count as tropes but it’s fineeeeeee

@confused-as-all-hell a soulmates au. you’re constant and lovely and don’t give up. you love and love and even if that love is not given back you still love. you somehow long for love and somehow don’t believe in it at the same time which is common in these fics. what you give to someone is forever, whether it be love or hatred. i think people should be grateful if they get either. we know how you end and yet you still amaze us, defy us, defy everyone. found family too ask you create things on your own, and put yourself back together when others break u down

@twelve-kinds-of-trouble a super duper fluffy florist au!! full of love and blushing and meet-cutes, you always make this world shine a little brighter, but it’s ok to dim it too <3

@crazy-random-bookworm-17 a modern high school au. you’re light and warm, full of hope and promise for something more. there’s also angst near the ending, bonds breaking apart as you grow older, but there is hope they will grow back together when they meet again <3

@juxtaglomerularapparatus you would probably be a stem au where the characters are working in stem or in uni, while also challenged between the idea of what they want to do in their life. what they want to be. where they want to be it. the struggles of academia but the high of knowing if you’re in it together you can do it. you show me that anything can be done, of how selfless you are and how much i admire that.

@investmentofmyheart hurt/no comfort. you don’t sugarcoat anything. and yknow i rlly like that. you don’t try to be nicer to make someone feel better. that’s not your job. and somehow you provide some comfort knowing that you do these things for a reason. bringing comfort to yourself instead of trying to make others happier. you’re an ending thats right for the characters even if it’s not what the readers wanted. you could also be a gambler au depends

@iambecomeyourvillain hmm. a friends to lovers au where they are friends since they were younger. you’re filled with promise and a sort of care-freeness that are in friend to lovers au’s. there’s tension but there’s also mystery, not knowing what you feel and if it’s ok. the tiptoeing, the staying up late and falling asleep on the couch, all of it is you.

@themoonthestarsthesuriel enemies to lovers who work at the same company. a fic full of hating one another with a spark, eating leftover take out with friends while you bitch about work and your enemy, getting coffee with said enemy, and maybe fall in love with that enemy. you’re full of fun and joy, with a certain twinge of sadness too. i wouldn’t change a thing <3

@emikadreams a fic with a major character death. you show so many good memories, and you make others so happy all the time but your poems give me major character death vibes. that death is to be interpreted, it could even be a part of you. you also give off some coffee shop au as well tho which is slay

@story-scribbler academic rivals to lovers. you just give off those vibes. the tension and not knowing what you feel and getting to know eachother better and. you want to make the world a better place and i think u will <3

@fandomstalker27 librarian au. you love to help others and show others what you find. you love to scream songs with me on tumblr, but that’s only when the library is empty <3

@the-sky-is-full-of-stars a college au. full of in decision and staying up late and meeting someone and seeing eachother on campus and a certain unknowingness of what happens after you finish your degree. you’re fluffy and light and amazing with a twinge of angst.

@saltyfortunes exchange student au. trying to find your footing because the world you lived in wasnt right for you. meeting new people and loving it but also missing what you had back home and wondering what to do.

@thehalfbloodfreak summer camp au. going somewhere you go every year. meeting old friends and relaxing, even if it’s just for the summer. something stable but erratic at the same time.

@wafflesandschemingfaces full on enemies to lovers. jude cardan type stuff. knife to throats, cocky comebacks, the whole shebang.

[empressapprentice]

Arcana Headcanons: M3 + MC Who Beats Everyone at Chess

Hello friends! The lovely @firefly-child posted about a fun game called Request Roulette. They post a prompt, and anyone who wants to is free to fill it. The first prompt is: “How would the main 6 react to MC beating like every person that’s goes against them in chess but at the end they whisper to the LI that they actually have no idea how to play chess and just kept moving pieces till they won” and also includes the lovely line “hehe move pieces around make brain go brrrrrrrr.” I just had to do this. I’m going for a bastard version of The Queen’s Gambit here.

Housekeeping stuff: This is just the main 3, although I have some ideas for the other characters and will be posting soon. I also wanted to break the posts up because despite this being incredibly silly, it still managed to be super long (oh well!). Also warning for some horniness in Julian’s, but nothing worse than what you see in game (couldn’t resist hehe). The good stuff is under the cut :)

Asra:

You and Asra don’t tend to play board games together, favoring card games that utilize his Tarot deck. So despite him knowing you so well, he doesn’t realize you have absolutely no clue how to play chess.

Asra learned to play during one of his many trips and it became one of his favorite ways to distract himself. Playing chess didn’t require the friendly camaraderie that other games do (something he couldn’t muster while mourning you or during your recovery) and gave him something to focus on other than you. He got surprisingly good over time. Though he never put any real time into studying strategies, he has an uncanny ability to figure out his opponent’s plan, always countering it perfectly.

So when the two of you join an informal tournament and you start doing really well (like, really well), Asra just can’t take it. He can hardly believe that you were hiding this skill from him for all these years. He’s looking at you with so much love in his heart and a goofy grin on his face.

When you take a break before the final game and beckon Asra over, he assumes you’re nervous. He peppers your face with kisses and leans over to give you words of encouragement, but you stop him. You instead whisper in his ear, telling him you’ve been just pushing pieces around randomly. He pulls back, a look of shock on his face. Then, he breaks out into peals of laughter. 

Knowing your secret does not diminish Asra’s enjoyment of watching the final game at all. For a moment, he considers resting Faust on your shoulders and using her to communicate possible moves, but he decides to take a step back and let you work. He truly doesn’t care that you’re faking it, he’s in awe of you. His eyes even get a little misty when he thinks about how far you’ve come since the resurrection, the picture of cool confidence in front of the crowd.

When you win, he picks you up in his arms and spins you around. Sure, you may not be a secret chess genius, but it is just like the person he loves to manage to pull this off.

Nadia:

Nadia has been trained in a wide variety of strategy games and genuinely enjoys playing them. She occasionally studies chess strategies to keep her skills sharp. There’s nothing she enjoys more than the challenge of cracking a puzzle. It’s just like when she tinkers with mechanical projects: there’s always a “right” answer to each move her opponent makes, and she loves to figure it out.

She’s hosting a friendly competition with some fellow politicians and dignitaries in the salon. She encourages you to play a game, since it’ll look good for the Countess’ partner to be an active participant in the games.

She’s pleased to see you win your first game and continue to work your way up through the ranks. There’s pleasant chatter in the room while everyone compliments the Countess’ choice in partner. She’s proud of you, but her competitive edge is seeping in. She can’t believe that you hid your talent from her--she’s impressed, a little turned on by your chess prowess, and determined to take. you. down.

Soon, it becomes clear that you will need to go against Nadia. You’re shaking in your boots. You got this far against your other opponents, but you genuinely didn’t care about the outcomes of those games. All you wanted was to help Nadia host a good afternoon of friendly games. But now you’re in too deep. You need to put up a good display of strength against your wife, and ideally you would lose so Nadia can save face, but at this point you don’t even know how to move the pieces to get a certain outcome.

You and Nadia are seated across from each other and you are both trying to keep things friendly, but there’s a distinct undercurrent of tension in the room. You get first move as the reigning champion. Nadia takes a long moment, makes a deliberate move, then leans back and smirks at you. Uh oh, she’s feeling really competitive.

You go round for round, while you just move pieces based on your general whims. You can tell that Nadia is becoming slightly flustered, struggling to figure out your strategy. Finally, mercifully, Nadia pulls out a winning move. By now, the dignitaries have lost interest and the event naturally winds down after the game ends.

When you and Nadia are alone after the game, you know you have to tell her your secret. She detects the change in your mood and assumes you’re upset about losing. You turn to her, and the story spills out of you. You finish telling your story, breathless, and the two of you stare into each other’s eyes for a long moment before breaking out into laughter.

Julian:

Who brought a chess set to the Rowdy Raven? It looks so out of place in the tavern, where drunkards usually stick to playing cards and other simple games. The goal is usually to play as many rounds as quickly as possible to shuffle a few coins back and forth among the gamblers.

When Julian spots it, his eyes light up. He asks if you’d be willing to play a round against him, before a mysterious stranger walks up and claims the chessboard. They say that you’ll have to fight to use the chessboard. Julian’s already rolling up his sleeves, but you quickly realize that the stranger wants one of you to play them--if you win, you can borrow the board.

Emboldened by your drink, you push Julian away and sit across from the stranger. You know you’ve never played chess before, but how hard could it be? Turns out, not that hard. You just push a bunch of pieces around and soon, the stranger declares you the winner.

Julian swaggers up to the chessboard and sits across from you. Julian, the love of your life, who is so smart in so many ways, has also come to the same realization that you came to just moments ago. He has no idea how to play chess. 

“Hey, MC, how about the winner gets to ask a favor, ~any~ favor of the loser?” He’s waggling his eyebrows at you just like he always does. He’s calculated his odds of winning, and they’re not good. But he figures that if he wins, he’ll ask you for a kiss, and if he loses, he’s sure that your creative mind will find some use for him.

You play against each other, each making more and more questionable moves. You don’t know much about chess, but you think he’s moving some of the pieces in the wrong configurations. But you worry that if you call him out, you’ll expose your utter lack of chess knowledge. He also thinks you’re doing some weird things with the pieces, but he has the exact same concern.

Neither of you are willing to back down and admit you don’t know what’s going on. You also don’t know how to end the game. It’s something with the Queen piece, but which one is even the Queen?

The two of you play against each other, getting progressively drunker as you sip on Salty Bitters. A tankard or two later, you crack. You tell Julian all about your stroke of luck against the stranger and his grin just gets wider and wider. He tries to play it off like he’s an actual chess genius and he knew what he was doing the whole time, but you call his bluff. Better get him home, because soon he’ll be begging to be punished for lying.

[writer-k-pop]

Gambler

하지만 내 다른 부분은 사람들을 여기 두고 갈 수 없어. But the other part of me can’t leave the people here.

Description: A meeting to con Rowan Moore, a powerful and corrupt city leader, accomplished by Gang Leader Jeonghan and his crew. Which includes you and your crush (per se), Vernon. [Italicized parts are flashbacks of sorts] {Uh, honestly, not really sure how to describe this one. Only thing I can say is that it’s inspired by the complexity of “Six of Crows” and the aesthetic of Monsta X’s music video for “Gambler” hence the title.} Warnings: Swearing, mentions of a bombing, some suggestive comments (both negative and proper suggestive) Genre: idk what do genre this as... pure fiction (?), GangMember!Vernon x Fem!Reader Word Count: 5.7k

Seventeen Masterlist | Masterlists

You step up to the dealer's stool on one side of the poker table in a secluded corner of second floor of Jeonghan's casino, Obsidian. Picking up a brand new deck of cards, you break the seal and let the cards fall out into your hands. Your skin ignites as the smooth cards slide against your hands and the edges of each make themselves known to you.

"I'm not playing if she's dealing the cards." Rowan Moore glowers at you and your jaw clenches against the slew of words you want to spit at him. But you know better than to risk blowing the whole plan so you set down the deck of cards and wait for further instructions from Jeonghan.

You look to your left and hold Moore's gaze even as it goes from cold to ice cold. It is the gaze of one of the most corrupt men in the city. It's the gaze that got him where he is. If it were anyone else standing where you are, they would've felt a winter storm rush up their spine. But you are used to this type of malice. It's kind of a usual occurrence.

The others at the table, Jihoon, Soonyoung, Seungcheol, and Jeonghan, keep their expressions unreadable and their gazes on Moore. Except for Vernon who sits in between Soonyoung and Seungcheol. You could feel his eyes watching you but you don't turn towards him.

"We are having a business meeting." Jeonghan says, unwavering as Moore moves his gaze to him, "Business meetings in my casino are conducted at the tables and that means I decide who deals. And tonight, she deals." He finishes with a nod towards you as a signal for you to pick up the cards.

As you pick up the deck again, Moore stays quiet but lets out a frustrated puff of air.

"Get me a glass of the good stuff, would you, darling?" Moore leans back in his chair and asks one of the other waitresses with a voice dripping with demeaning acid that makes your stomach twist.

You look over at Vernon, finally, and he gives his eyebrow a small quirk. Silently asking if everything is okay. A small head tilt and offering him the deck to split is enough of an answer for him.

"What are we playing with only $10 chips?" Moore questions Jeonghan, leaning forward to rest his forearms behind his wall of poker chips and staring at Jeonghan who sits on the opposite end of the table from him. Effectively to your immediate right.

Straightening out the deck, you know the answer before Jeonghan answers Moore's question. All of this is part of the plan Jeonghan devised the minute he received word that Moore wanted to meet with him about a 'common enemy.'

"Here's the plan." Jeonghan spreads out a floor plan of Obsidian on the table in front of Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Jihoon, Vernon, Seungkwan, Dino, and you. "Moore owes me a large sum of money that he has no intention of paying back. We'll play him, listen to whatever he has to say, and steal his money as he walks out of Obsidian."

Seungkwan lifts a finger, "Isn't that the whole point of a gambling game?"

Jeonghan doesn't answer the younger one, only gives a sizable smirk.

"Right, right, there's more to this..." Seungkwan grumbles under his breath, "Be nice if you would clue us in on the masterplan."

You throw Seungkwan a disapproving look but Jeonghan just ignores the comment completely.

"What are we playing?" Soonyoung questions, intrigued from the second the word 'money' came out of Jeonghan's mouth.

"Hold 'Em." Jeonghan states, watching the others expressions for any negative changes.

"Where are we playing?" Jihoon probes further into the plan that Jeonghan has locked away in his mind.

Jeonghan shifts and points to one of the poker rooms in the back of the casino. "Allure."

"Who plays and who guards?" Vernon speaks up from next to you.

"Seungcheol, Soonyoung, Jihoon, you and I will play." Jeonghan lists off the characters, "Dino and Seungkwan will guard. Plus the regulars on the perimeters."

"And me?" You ask, crossing your arms over your chest, confused as to why he didn't mention you yet you are part of the meeting.

When Jeonghan answers, an excited shiver runs through your body but you don't miss how Vernon's body freezes at his words.

"You deal."

"Hold 'Em." Jeonghan answers Moore and you slide the dealer button to Seungcheol.

"Isn't that a little too simple for our minds?" Moore chuckles but it's not a true laugh.

"For you and I, yes." Jeonghan offers a smile, "But these other players aren't as complex as we are." He raises his eyebrows to see if Moore will challenge his choice and throws two of his poker chips in front of his pile.

You reach out and sweep the chips towards you as Moore tosses four at you for the big blind. The chips scatter across the table and out of the corner of your eye, you catch Vernon's fist clenching tightly. But having to ignore the specific jab at you, you sweep up the chips before dealing each player two cards.

The first round finishes quickly with Soonyoung (somehow) winning the pot. Now that the game has been established as 'fair,' it's time to move to the next step: conning Moore.

"You want her to rig the game?" Dino questions with confusion, "Can she even do that?"

You and Vernon cover up your scoffs with throat clearing and coughing.

Jeonghan smiles a little too wickedly, "Little secret for you newer boys. (y/n) can count cards like nobody's business and her sleight of hand is invisible even to me. It's the reason she's banned from playing in any of my casinos or clubs."

"It's also the reason I got hooked into his crew." You offered some extra information.

"You didn't have to stay after the first." Jeonghan quickly reminds you before giving you instructions to follow as the table's dealer, "Let the first game play out like any other dealer would let it. Following the first game, you will let us win a few, then Moore. Push and pull him. Entice him, (y/n)." He meets your gaze with eyes weighed down by the importance of his words, "Keep him at the table. Keep his focus on his luck."

"For what?" You ask, confused with what Jeonghan had planned.

But instead of hearing an answer from Jeonghan, Dino speaks up.

"A chance to sneak a hand into his suit pocket."

The second game starts and you watch the decided signs of each member on your side to tell you what cards they have. A system you each created together to make sure Moore wouldn't catch on. It was tested through the first game too and Moore still hasn't caught on, even though his eyes seem to wander around the table restlessly. After counting and switching the cards as you please, the second round has Seungcheol leaning forward to sweep up the pile of chips to his spot.

You eye Moore as you hand him his cards for the third round. This round you give to him.

The next game is also given to Moore.

"Now that we have a few games under our belt." Jeonghan speaks up as he rearranges his chip stacks to stand at the same height. "Let's discuss what you wanted to discuss."

Moore sighs, arranging his newly gained chips onto his stacks. His cockiness is starting to show. You catch the glint in his eye that shows he's confident he's figured out how to bluff out the other players.

'Early celebrator.' You think to yourself as you give Soonyoung the dealer button.

"Victor Huffman." Moore says the name with so much disgust it makes you wonder if he has swallowed acid.

At the mention of another powerful man, and another enemy, Jeonghan lets the corner of his cards snap onto the table and his eyes snap up to meet Moore's in the same second.

"What about him?" Jeonghan nearly growls out the question while Vernon and Seungcheol throw out the small and big blinds, respectively. You know that he and Huffman have a particularly nasty history but you don't know the details. No one does. It's one of the many things Jeonghan keeps under lock and key, in a bunker, 200 feet below his skin.

Your eyes flicker to Vernon and his eyes widen just the slightest, silently calling Moore a maniac for even speaking that name in Jeonghan's casino and presence. To cover up the smile threatening to appear, you lower your head slightly and deal three cards into the community hold in the center of the table.

"I want you to damage him." Moore says casually, ignoring the thick tension that he boiled up. "Take out a chunk of his men, give his finances a gut punch. Just something that will keep him quiet for a few months."

"And what would I receive in return?" Jeonghan asks, peeking at his cards again and though he is leaning back in his chair, you can tell his body is rigid against the emotions raging inside of him.

"I will pay you." Moore answers, "A sum a little more than the worth of the job."

"I fold." Jihoon breathes out and slides his cards towards you.

Wordlessly, you sweep up the cards and add them to the discard pile, intently listening to the conversation around you.

"I'll raise 6." Soonyoung says with a confident pout and slides out 6 chips in a stack. That is Soonyoung, always playing the high risks.

"Call." Vernon places his bet after a look at his cards.

Seungcheol, without taking his eyes off of Moore, simply slides his 6 chips into the center.

"You will excuse me if I don't trust your estimation of what this job'll cost me." Jeonghan comments and places his bet forward.

Moore lets out an empty chuckle that bounces around in your head. "You're smart not to." He states and slides his bet forward. "But I anticipated your doubt. And as much as I hate to admit it, I need Huffman down more than I need my money." He says while you discard a card before flipping a fourth into the community hold. "A contract for 800 million dollars."

The room goes silent. Jihoon eyes Moore up and down trying to distinguish if he's lying. Jeonghan is also trying to figure that out but he holds Moore's gaze, searching for the answer in his eyes. Soonyoung stares at his chips with wide eyes, Seungcheol looks between Jeonghan and Moore, and Vernon just simply slides his cards to you.

You give Vernon a confused look and he just shakes his head. He's folding.

"800 million." Jeonghan repeats the amount and breaks the silence. "For that amount, you want us to do more than something. You want somethings." He emphasizes the plural.

Moore smirks.

"Sir, your bet?" You refrain from using Soonyoung's name to keep your relationship with the men at the table unknown.

"You have a lovely voice." Moore comments, taking a tangent and a moment to look you up and down. "I wouldn't mind you calling me that someday." He sneers and your body tenses at what he's implying. Again, not new stuff but your body still reacts to it.

"Watch how you talk to my staff." Jeonghan spits out and throws his bet onto the table after Seungcheol.

Vernon has a look of murder in his eyes as he glares down Moore. You know he cares for you and though at times, some say it's more than normal, you know you care for him on the same level. But neither of you have had the guts to say or do anything about it.

Moore inhales and continues like his comment didn't happen. "I need you to take out half of his corn hold and a third of his cotton hold." He reveals to Jeonghan as you continue with the game. Dealing and taking cards.

"What's the time frame?" Jeonghan wonders, tapping his finger on his cards methodically.

"I need it done in a month." Moore says and Vernon jumps to his feet.

"Are you insane?" He asks, increduously.

Vernon and Jeonghan meet gazes for a second but it's only in confirmation that Jeonghan's plan is progressing.

"How are we going to get close enough?" Seungkwan asks. "Like great. Dino found out where he hides this master key but what good is it if we don't know how to get close to him. He only lets women and booze get close to that hairy chest of his."

"No." Vernon says in a low voice.

"No?" Jeonghan repeats his word with slight amusement in his tone.

"You are not letting (y/n) anywhere near Moore." Vernon explains and a sad smile reaches your lips.

You don't want to be the one to seduce Moore but you know if Jeonghan asked, you would be preparing for the role in a heartbeat.

Jeonghan rolls his eyes, "(y/n)'s not seducing him. She's dealing. And no woman's seducing him." He comments, "One of you is going to get close." He eyes the males around the table.

"How?" Seungcheol asks.

"We'll instigate his rage." Jeonghan says, "He's got a sensitive temper when it comes to two things and two things only: terms of his deals and his gambling games. After the first few games, one of you will challenge him on everything he says, get him annoyed, pissed, irritated. That will fuel his agitation to losing hand after hand to the same person." He gives a look between you and Vernon. "And that person, I've decided, will be Vernon."

Vernon's first outburst is a sign to you to give Vernon the winning hand for the majority of the games. Or force Moore to fold on the rounds that Vernon doesn't win to keep the winning 'random.'

"You're going to let your man talk to me like that?" Moore lazily blinks towards Jeonghan, trying to damp down the igniting ember.

Jeonghan makes a show of shoving a hand in his pocket for emphasis on his words, "He's my demolition guy so if you want me to take this job, like I know you need us to, you will let him say whatever he pleases." Then he looks at Vernon, "But for now, I want to see how this game plays out. I'll raise 20." He states and slides a large stack of chips into the center. Vernon silently sits back down but not without channeling all the anger within himself to send Moore a glare that could cut through diamond.

"Call." Moore smirks, his love for gambling pushing forward.

For the rest of the game, Jeonghan stays mostly quiet as he ponders the details of what Moore is asking, only speaking to call out his bets.

Seungcheol wins the fifth round with a four of a kind.

The next game is won by Vernon and he also wins the next round. Along with Vernon's occasional snide comments, you can tell Moore is getting frustrated at his terrible luck. It's not a secret that Moore gets cocky when he plays because he claims he can read people and their ticks so he knows how to outplay any bluff. But tonight, his tricks won't work.

As you deal the 8th round, Jeonghan leans forward and rests his forearms on the edge of the table.

"A month?" He clarifies with Moore.

"A month." Moore nods as he takes his cards into his hands.

Jeonghan then turns to Vernon, "Is it possible?"

"If you want a spectacle, yes." Vernon answers, his voice retaining an edge. "If you want it done quietly, no."

Moore sighs, glancing at his cards and purses his lips, "I don't care how it's done. I just need it done and done within a month."

"What happens after a month?" Soonyoung asks the question that's been the elephant in the room since Moore first mentioned the timeline.

"Wouldn't you like to know." Moore smirks and throws in his bet.

"I'll do it." Jeonghan says and Moore's smirk grows wider. "Send over the contract in the morning."

"Glad to do business with you, J." Moore says and Jeonghan's eye gives the smallest of twitches at the nickname. So small that only you are able to catch it.

Turning back to the game at play, Moore's voice is more cheerful to hide his frustration at losing his money as he says, "Now that business is settled, shall we play a few more rounds for fun?"

Jeonghan gives a very fake, yet very believable, smile, "We've got nowhere else to be."

Jihoon wins that game and you watch carefully as Moore takes a deep breath to calm himself against the blow of another loss.

For the 9th game, you let Moore think he's winning the pot without a doubt, but the real winner ends up being Jeonghan.

By now, Moore's stack of chips are the lowest at the table and he doesn't have many games left in him.

"You might as well give up now, Moore." Vernon says, voice brute with amusement and pride as he rearranges his stacks of chips just for dramatic effect.

Through gritted teeth, Moore answers, "You never know how the tides can change."

"Or they'll swallow you whole." Vernon banters back nonchalantly with a touch of boredom. Another effort to push Moore's buttons. Dismiss him in front of others, especially other powerful people. In this case, Jeonghan.

Moore swallows hard and his hand curls into a tight fist. He's going to explode soon and you know it. Everyone at the table knows it. You see Jihoon, Soonyoung, and Seungcheol all shift slightly in their seats in preparation of the moment Moore explodes.

"What are we doing when he eventually explodes?" Soonyoung asks.

"Create enough confusion for Vernon to slide his hand in, grab and replace the key, and back out." Jeonghan says.

"That's (y/n)'s area of expertise." Seungkwan counters but you and Jeonghan answer him at the same time.

"I'm dealing."

"She's dealing."

And for once, you are kind of happy to not be in the center of one of Jeonghan's masterplans.

As everyone peeks at their cards, Vernon takes a couple glances at Moore's tight expression before commenting, "Luck still out of your grasp, Moore?" He chuckles in amusement, eyes actually lighting up at the cards that you deliberately gave to him.

"Be careful of the words you speak, kid." Moore spits and glowers at Vernon who ignores the gaze and just shrugs.

"What lie will you tell the wife this time when you come home without a large sum of money?" Vernon questions, tilting his head to the side and watching his chips as he tosses them onto the table. "Will you come clean about the gambling? Or will you lie and say it was spent on the pleasure houses down the street? Which will only break poor Verna's heart even more."

"You dickwad." Moore grunts, slams his cards onto the table, and rises to his feet. "Keep my wife's name out of your disgusting, immature mouth." He quickly stalks over to Vernon and Vernon is quick to his feet to meet the large body of Rowan Moore.

But he's not angry enough to require Jihoon, Soonyoung, and Seungcheol to step in and create the needed chaos. You look to Jeonghan with concern that the plan won't work. But this is Jeonghan's plan, he has back up plans upon back up plans upon back up plans.

Jeonghan closes his eyes and gives you a tiny nod, accompanied with a tinier smile just before Vernon gives the final blow needed.

"Why are you telling me this?" Vernon asks with curiosity, sitting in Jeonghan's office alone.

"We need Moore angry enough to make Seungcheol, Soonyoung, and Jihoon's intervention realistic." Jeonghan explains leaning back in his chair.

"So I'll use the information to pull that anger out of him." Vernon concludes.

Jeonghan gives him a smile and a snapped finger gun. "Precisely."

"What do you think Verna will do with the divorce papers when she finds out you broke your promise to her?" Vernon asks, staring hard at Moore's face. "What will you do when she leaves you?"

In a split second, Moore slaps Vernon across the face and you inhale sharply as Vernon's head snaps to the right. Seungcheol and Soonyoung push back Moore while Jihoon positions himself in front of Vernon in order to keep Vernon back.

A menacing chuckle comes from Vernon's mouth as he rubs the cheek that was hit. "You hit like a girl. I'm guessing much like your daughter."

You flinch at the unexpected mention of Moore's daughter. Jeonghan tries to keep women and children out of his conversations but women, more often than not, are men's trigger point. It's rare, though, that he'd allow the mentioning of children.

In a second, Vernon pushes past Jihoon as Moore 'easily' pushes past Soonyoung and Seungcheol (more like they let him pass by with feigned weakness but also believable enough strength). His eyes blinded by rage, he doesn't stop to consider what he's doing. Vernon and Moore tousle with each other, hands flying everywhere. Soonyoung, Jihoon, and Seungcheol's hands join in, trying to 'restrain' the two arguers.

Anybody would've have missed the moment Vernon slipped his hand into Moore's blazer pocket then slipped back out and into his own pocket. But you were the one who taught Vernon the sleight of hand he would need and you are watching so you see the move with crystal clear clarity.

Once the real key is placed in Vernon's pocket, you move onto your role: diffusing and ending the game play.

"Gentlemen!" You yell with the authority of cancelling out any money won or lost. The five men stop their frenzied hand fight and look to you. Jeonghan just lazily looks up from his crossed arms. "If you would untangle yourselves and collect your chips. My table is now closed since you decided to make such a scene." You scold them with a scowl of disgust that's mainly directed at Moore.

Moore immediately untangles himself from the others and faces you. "I apologize. If you will, just a few more games." He bargains. "I will pay you the extra."

You shake your head and step down from the stool, "I've already closed." You tell him then add, "And if you're thinking of looking for another dealer, the casino's dealers have already been sent home. Tonight’s a special holiday for us, you see."

"What kind of bullshit is that?" Soonyoung scrunches his face up in confusion, "We don't have holidays."

"Moore doesn't know that." You answer for Jeonghan before turning to the man himself, "What holiday are we observing?" You ask.

Jeonghan meets your eyes with a soft gaze, "The anniversary of Obsidian's bombing."

He doesn't finish the sentence but your mind does.

"My first job with Jeonghan and the only one he failed."

The reason you stayed with Jeonghan even though he shredded your debt to him in the aftermath of the bombing.

"What kind of boss sends his income home on a money making night?" Moore laughs as if the whole day is a joke to him. His laugh only makes you want to drive a knife into his chest.

"The kind that knows the damage your partner caused to my innocent patrons." Jeonghan rises to his feet and stares down Moore hard.

Moore swallows under Jeonghan's gaze. If Moore's gaze was ice cold earlier, Jeonghan's, right now, is burning so cold that you're pretty sure he's giving dry ice a run for its money.

"Is it already that night of the year?" Moore asks you through a tight voice.

You look down at your watch, "In 20 minutes, it will be the exact minute." You inform him and Moore's demeanor falls a little.

He reaches up to pat the left side of his chest and you hold your breath incase he finds anything amiss. But with a satisfied sigh, he feels the decoy and lowers his hands back to his sides.

"Another day, I will return to win back my money." He vows to Jeonghan before he looks at Vernon. "And keep my wife's name out of your god forsaken mouth."  

"With pleasure." Vernon responds with disgust, his cheek still red from the slap he received.

Moore scoops up his tray of chips and leaves the room. His guards undoubtedly joining him the second he steps outside the room.

Seungkwan and Dino enter the room as the waitress and waiter assigned to the room leave and for a moment there is a moment of anticipating silence. Then Vernon slowly slides the key out of his pocket and hands it to Jeonghan.

Soonyoung shouts in happiness and hugs Jihoon who tries his best to escape the tight embrace. "We got the key!" He says cheerfully and Seungkwan and Dino high five each other.

Jeonghan just looks down at the key in his hand and smiles. The electronic key that will give him access to every single one of Moore's financial accounts.

"Tomorrow we'll move the money around and you each will have your share." Jeonghan announces to the room and pockets the key.

"What about the job for Moore?" Jihoon asks, successfully escaping Soonyoung's arms.

Jeonghan's lips quirk upward, "Oh, we'll do it. But we won't be doing it out of obligation to a contract. I'd also like to see Huffman on his knees for a change." He says in a voice that resembles a snake, cunning and scary.

This reminder of how ruthless and scary Jeonghan can be is the only thing that sends a shiver up your spine.

Jeonghan walks towards the door with Seungcheol behind him. As Seungcheol opens the door for him, he pauses and turns back.

"Not a word of any of this." He says and the threat is unspoken. It doesn't need to be spoken. It's understood on a bone chilling level what will happen if anyone talks about the jobs you do.

You all nod your heads gravely and Jeonghan exits the room, Seungcheol following him out the door.

Tugging at your stiff tie, you step away from the table and head towards the door. "I'll see you weirdos later." You tell the others and go in search for a few cans of beer and the solitude of the roof.

You raid the kitchen and pluck three beers from one of the many fridges before finding your way to the rooftop. Pushing open the heavy door, you welcome the dark of the night and the glow from the city around you. As you turn towards your normal spot, you're surprised to see a silhouette of a man against the city lights.

Recognizing the person, you inch forward, confused, "Vernon?" You call out his name and he turns toward you.

"Hey." Vernon answers you. In the dim light and shadow displayed on his face, you can see his cheek is still red but not as angry of a red as before.

"How's your cheek?" You ask, grimacing at the memory of having to watch the assault and setting the beers on the ledge.

He lightly touches his cheek, "It'll be sore and red for a while but I think the reward will be worth it." He comments.

"Here." You hand him one of the still cold beers. He stares at the beer in confusion and you roll your eyes before pressing the substitute ice pack to his cheek. "It'll help it."

"Right." He breathes out and brings his hand up to replace yours in holding the beer in place.

Below you, the city is bustling with sane people leaving the clubs and casinos, taking their loses in stride. Each building shines with the lights of a many tiny spotlights, casting out the moonlight before it can even get close to the ground.

"Three beer night?" Vernon questions you, eyeing the two beers left on the ledge.

"You try standing the whole night with a stick stiff suit and a tie noosed around your neck." You sass at him.

"You didn't seem uncomfortable." Vernon chuckles, as you open a beer and take a large chug of it.

You grimace as the alcohol slithers down your throat, "I'm good at faking it." You tell him. "You did good, sleighting Moore." You compliment his handiwork. "If you keep learning, you could get pretty good."

Vernon lowers his beer can from his cheek in thought, "Nah, I think I'll leave that to you. I didn't like how I couldn't see what I was doing." He holds out his hand and flexes it before opening his can, "I can see the pieces being connected when I work up a demolition explosive. Sleight of hand takes that away." Then he shivers, "Oh, no thank you."

You laugh and Vernon looks over at you, loving the way your laugh makes yours eyes squint and your cheeks bunch up.

"Alright, you stick with demolition." You tell him. "Besides, if you took over my role, I may have to leave and find a new boss to sleight for." You joke but Vernon's face falls at the mention of you leaving.

"When you get your share, will you leave?" He asks, facing back towards the street. He doesn't want you to leave but he's also heard you speak of the possibility over the last few days.

You sigh, both hands clasping the beer can, "I don't know yet." You say, facing the city lights like he is. "Part of me thinks it's time to leave, that I've paid my debt. But the other part of me can't leave the people here."

Vernon chuckles softly, "Everyone would miss you." He pauses for a second before continuing, "I would miss you."

"I wouldn't leave right away." You say and lean you head against his shoulder, "I still have to stay for the Huffman job. But it might be my last."

"Is there anything that would make you stay?" Vernon wonders, afraid to move and have your touch leave his skin.

You study the sky for a second before answering, "I don't know."

"Is there anything I could do that would make you stay?" He reiterates his previous question. In his voice, he tries to make you understand how much he doesn't want you to leave. That he'd do almost anything for you to stay.

"I don't know if anyone could do anything that would make me stay." You tell him and sit up to take another sip.

"Jeonghan could." Vernon grumbled under his breath.

Your ears perk up and you're not sure you head him correctly, "What?"

"Uh, n-nothing." He stutters and avoids meeting your eyes.

You gasp as you realize you had heard him correctly, "You're jealous!" You accuse and point a finger at him.

“I am not." Vernon defends himself, stepping back.

"Yes, you are!" Your fluttering heart makes giggles bubble into your throat.

"Seriously, I'm not." He repeats, holding up his hands but you read the jealousy on his face like the front page of the morning news paper.

"Demolition Vernon is jealous?" You say, unable to keep the giggles at bay. "Jealous of Jeonghan?"

At the name, Vernon steps forward and covers your mouth with his free hand.

"Don't say his name and that word together." He says lowly, "Do you want me to die?" He questions you with a quirked eyebrow.

You look between his eyes and reach up to lower his hand from your mouth, which comes away easily.

"He wouldn't kill you. Maybe disfigure you in some way, but not kill." You say, softly, realizing how serious this situation actually is, "As much as he hates to admit it, he needs every single one of us for any and all jobs he pulls. And he's not about to waste time looking for and training another just because of a word."

"Why did you stay with Jeonghan?" Vernon asks, not moving away, his face inches from yours.

You swallow and keep your gaze on his eyes, though you're tempted to peek at his lips. "Jeonghan and I both blame ourselves for the bombing that happened here. We both missed things that we shouldn't have missed. And because of our mistakes, people died." You explain, flashes of the terror replaying in your mind. "Jeonghan shredded my debt that night but I couldn't leave until I corrected the wrong I made."

"Have you corrected it yet?" He asks in a near whisper and a hand loops around your waist.

"I don't know yet." You answer through the pounding of your heart.

He is this close to you. This close to being yours.

"When will you know?" He questions, inching closer, eyes still locked onto yours.

You blink, "Someday." You are barely able to speak the word.

The corner of Vernon's mouth twitches, "So that means you'd stay until that day."

Unable to speak because of his closeness, you just nod once.

"Then that means I can give you a reason to stay once that day comes." He states and before you can answer, his lips crash onto yours.

You both drop your beer cans, ignoring as they collide with the ground and spill around your feet. Kissing him back with the emotions that are finally being set free, you wrap your arms around his neck and pull him closer. He does the same with his arms around you waist.

When you pull away, you're still pressed against each other and out of breath. But the sparkle in his eyes is all you can focus on.

The bright excitement that you've only seen when he finishes a complex explosive. A bubble of pride swells your heart that you're the only person who's able to pull that brightness out of him.

"Just one reason?" You question his earlier statement and tilting your head to the side.

Vernon lets out an amused puff of air, "I can give you several reasons to stay, if you want." He says before kissing you again.

"These better be some very good reasons if I'm to give up a lifetime of lazy days and millions of dollars." You tell him and play with his tie.

He presses you closer to his chest and lets his lips graze yours, "Oh, they will be very, very good reasons, (y/n). Don't you doubt that."

[gladiates]

56 french-language film recs!

I wanted to find some movies I can watch to improve my French, so I looked for films available on Kanopy (which is rly cool--if you live in the US, you can stream some movies for free if your library or school subscribes to it!) All of the following films are on Kanopy, and I imagine you can also find many of them on p*racy sites (totally not endorsing that at all no sir!). I’ve listed each film’s title along with its year and score on IMDB. I only included movies with at least 1,000 IMDB ratings and an average of at least 7/10 so they’re all reasonably acclaimed! I also included a short summary of each from IMDB as well. List below the cut because it’s long!

Cleo From 5 to 7 (1962, 7.9 from ~17.0k votes): Cleo, a singer and hypochondriac, becomes increasingly worried that she might have cancer while awaiting test results from her doctor.

The Rules of the Game (1939, 8.0 from ~26.6k votes): A bourgeois life in France at the onset of World War II, as the rich and their poor servants meet up at a French chateau.

Breathless (1960. 7.8 from ~73.1k votes): A small-time thief steals a car and impulsively murders a motorcycle policeman. Wanted by the authorities, he reunites with a hip American journalism student and attempts to persuade her to run away with him to Italy.

The 400 Blows (1959, 8.1 from 105.1k votes): A young boy, left without attention, delves into a life of petty crime.

Purple Noon (1960, 7.8 from 14.2k votes): Tom Ripley is a talented mimic, moocher, forger and all-around criminal improviser; but there's more to Tom Ripley than even he can guess.

The Return of Martin Guerre (1982, 7.4 from ~4.0k votes): In medieval France, some villagers challenge a man's claim of identity when he (as he says) returns home from some time in the army.

Last Year at Marienbad (1961, 7.8 from ~20.3 votes): In a strange and isolated chateau, a man becomes acquainted with a woman and insists that they have met before.

The Wages of Fear (1953, 8.1 from ~54.5k votes): In a decrepit South American village, four men are hired to transport an urgent nitroglycerine shipment without the equipment that would make it safe.

Tell No One (2006, 7.5 from ~50.7k votes): An accidental discovery near a doctor's estate stirs up some painful memories eight years after his wife's hideous murder, and now, things are bound to take a turn for the unexpected. Does the good doctor know more than he's letting on?

Queen Margot (1994, 7.4 from 16.3k votes): Young Queen Margot finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage amidst a religious war between Catholics and Protestants. She hopes to escape with a new lover, but finds herself imprisoned by her powerful and ruthless family.

Un Flic (1972, 7.1 from ~8.2k votes): After a shaky first heist, a group of thieves plan an even more elaborate and risky second heist.

Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953, 7.5 from ~16.8k votes): Monsieur Hulot comes to a beachside hotel for a vacation and accidentally, but good-naturedly, causes havoc.

La Haine (1995, 8.1 from ~150.0k votes): 24 hours in the lives of three young men in the French suburbs the day after a violent riot.

Alphaville (1965, 7.1 from 22.9k votes): A U.S. secret agent is sent to the distant space city of Alphaville where he must find a missing person and free the city from its tyrannical ruler.

Tomboy (2011, 7.4 from 18.4k votes): A family moves into a new neighborhood, and a 10-year-old named Laure deliberately presents as a boy named Mikhael to the neighborhood children.

Full Moon in Paris (1984, 7.4 from 3.8k votes): Louise, a young woman, who recently finished her studies in arts, is working as a interior decorator trainee. Playing the game of seduction, her life becomes more and more complicated.

Bob the Gambler (1956, 7.7k from 10.8k votes): After losing big, an aging gambler decides to assemble a team to rob a casino.

La Chinoise (1967, 7.1 from ~6.2k votes): A small group of French students are studying Mao, trying to find out their position in the world and how to change the world to a Maoistic community using terrorism.

The Innocents (2016, 7.3 from ~9.6k votes): 1945. Mathilde is a French Red Cross doctor working on a mission to help the French survivors of the German camps. While she works in Poland, she is asked for help by a nun. In her convent, several nuns are pregnant.

Germinal (1993, 7.1 from ~4.7k votes): In mid-nineteenth-century northern France, a coal mining town's workers are exploited by the mine's owner. One day, they decide to go on strike, and the authorities repress them.

BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017, 7.4 from ~13.4k votes): Members of the advocacy group ACT UP Paris demand action by the government and pharmaceutical companies to combat the AIDS epidemic in the early 1990s.

Touchez Pas Au Grisbi (1954, 7.8 from ~6.7k votes): An aging, world-weary gangster is double-crossed and forced out of retirement when his best friend is kidnapped and their stash of eight stolen gold bars demanded as ransom.

Jeanne Dielman, 23 Commerce Quay, 1080 Brussels (1975, 7.8 from ~7.4k votes): A lonely widowed housewife does her daily chores, takes care of her apartment where she lives with her teenage son, and turns the occasional trick to make ends meet. However, something happens that changes her safe routine.

Port of Shadows (1938, 7.8 from ~8.2k votes): A military deserter finds love and trouble (and a small dog) in a smoky French port city.

Lumumba (2000, 7.2 from ~1.8k votes): The true story of controversial leader of independent Congo, Patrice Lumumba.

Three Colors: Blue (1993, 7.9 from ~89.6k votes): A woman struggles to find a way to live her life after the death of her husband and child.

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967, 7.7 from ~8.4k votes): Two sisters leave their small seaside town of Rochefort in search of romance. Hired as carnival singers, one falls for an American musician, while the other must search for her ideal partner.

The Brand New Testament (2015, 7.1 from ~29.8k votes): Did you know that God is alive and lives in Brussels with his daughter?

La Rafle (2010, 7.1 from ~8.2k votes): A faithful retelling of the 1942 "Vel' d'Hiv Roundup" and the events surrounding it.

Diabolique (1955, 8.0 from ~61.4k votes): The wife and mistress of a loathed school principal plan to murder him with what they believe is the perfect alibi.

OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (2006, 7.1 from ~18.5k votes): Secret agent OSS 117 foils Nazis, beds local beauties, and brings peace to the Middle East.

Mon Oncle (1958, 7.8 from ~18.8k votes): Monsieur Hulot visits the technology-driven world of his sister, brother-in-law, and nephew, but he can't quite fit into the surroundings.

A Man Escaped (1956, 8.3 from ~19.1k votes): A captured French Resistance fighter during WWII engineers a daunting escape from a Nazi prison in France.

The Well-Digger's Daughter (2011, 7.0 from ~3.6k votes): In 1930s southern France, a father is torn between his sense of honor and his deep love for his daughter when she gets in trouble with the wealthy son of a shopkeeper.

Weekend (1967, 7.2 from ~13k votes): A surreal tale of a married couple going on a road trip to visit the wife's parents with the intention of killing them for the inheritance.

Claire's Knee (1970, 7.6 from ~9.0k votes): On lakeside summer holiday, a conflicted older man is dared to have a flirt with two beautiful teenage stepsisters despite his betrothal to a diplomat's daughter and the fact that the girls have boyfriends.

Shoot the Piano Player (1960, 7.5 from ~17.5k votes): Charlie is approached by his crook brother Chico, who is chased by two gangsters. Charlie helps him to escape, but he upsets the criminals, so when his brother Fido is kidnapped, Charlie has to take an attitude with tragic consequences.

My Night at Maud's (1969, 7.9 from ~10.8k votes): The rigid principles of a devout Catholic man are challenged during a one-night stay with Maud, a divorced woman with an outsize personality.

Eyes Without a Face (1960, 7.7 from ~27.5k votes): A surgeon causes an accident which leaves his daughter disfigured, and goes to extremes to give her a new face.

Three Colors: Red (1994, 8.1 from ~90.4k votes): A model discovers a retired judge is keen on invading people's privacy.

The Grocer's Son (2007, 7.0 from ~2.3k votes): Antoine moves home to help his mom drive the mobile grocery, when his dad's hospitalized. He brings Claire along, hoping she'll become more than a friend. He drives around Provence's countryside, selling mainly to old people.

Pickpocket (1959, ~7.7 from 19.6k votes): Michel is released from jail after serving a sentence for thievery. His mother dies and he resorts to pickpocketing as a means of surviva

La Collectionneuse (1967, 7.5 from ~6.6k votes): A womanizing art dealer and a painter find the serenity of their Riviera vacation disturbed by a third guest, a vivacious bohemian woman known for her long list of male conquests.

Code Unknown (2000, 7.2 from ~11.9k votes): A young man harasses a homeless woman, another man protests, the police arrest both and the woman has to leave the country. What were their various story-lines leading up to this event?

Children of Paradise (1945, 8.4 from ~18.2k votes): The theatrical life of a beautiful courtesan and the four men who love her.

The Last Metro (1980, 7.4 from ~12.5k votes): In occupied Paris, an actress married to a Jewish theater owner must keep him hidden from the Nazis while doing both of their jobs.

Danton (1983, 7.5 from ~6.4k votes): In 1793, as the Terror begins in France, Georges Danton, a champion-of-the-people, returns to clash against Maximilien Robespierre and his extremist party.

Orpheus (1950, 8.0 from ~10.5k votes): A poet in love with Death follows his unhappy wife into the underworld.

Lacombe, Lucien (1974, 7.7 from ~6.5k votes): In 1944, an 18-year old boy from small-town France, collaborates with the Nazi-regime and subsequently falls in love with a Jewish gir

L'Atalante (1934, 7.8 from ~14.4k votes): Newly married couple Juliette and a ship captain Jean struggle through marriage as they travel on the L'atalante along with the captain's first mate Le père Jules and a cabin boy.

Le Million (1931, 7.4 from ~3.1k votes): An impoverished painter and his rival engage in a race across Paris to recover a jacket concealing a winning lottery ticket.

La bête humaine (1938, 7.6 from ~6.8k votes): In this classic adaptation of Emile Zola's novel, a tortured train engineer falls in love with a troubled married woman who has helped her husband commit a murder.

Black Girl (1966, 7.4 from ~3.5k votes): A black girl from Senegal becomes a servant in France.

Out 1 (1971, 7.8 from ~1.1k votes): Following the May 1968 civil unrest in France, a deaf-mute and a con artist simultaneously stumble upon the remnants of a secret society.

Les Misérables, Part 1 (1934, 8.2 from ~1.5k votes): The lives of numerous people over the course of 20 years in 19th century France, weaved together by the story of an ex-convict named Jean Valjean on the run from an obsessive police inspector, who pursues him for only a minor offense.

Beau Travail (1999, 7.4 from ~8.5k votes): This film focuses on an ex-Foreign Legion officer as he recalls his once glorious life, leading troops in Djibouti.

[lorelylantana]

Unconventional Observation Chapter 2; Gamble

Chapter Rating: M Overall Rating: E

First-Next

The first step of any reputable scientific inquiry was to establish a control group. This proved a tad difficult, as there was only one Link. But such a small setback didn’t deter Zelda for long, as she resolved to begin with recording the everyday behaviors of her knight. After all, you can’t identify deviations without first knowing the standard.

It was largely uneventful, in all honesty. Her knight’s trademark stoicism meant that any visual mannerisms were hard to come by, harder still to record with the consistency required for scientific revelation. The flip side of this bland undertaking was its simplicity. His countenance was so stable, so predictable, that she didn’t need nearly as much time putting it to paper as she anticipated.That wasn’t to say there weren’t roadblocks. One such aggravation came from the realization that Link reacted to her differently. Granted, this should be obvious, as she was his charge. What she didn’t expect was a discrepancy in how he reacted to her gaze.

Zelda had spent a lot more time staring at her knight than she had in the past, and he had noticed. He couldn’t meet her stare all the time, having to focus on their surroundings as her guard. Yet there was an undeniable tension in him, he stood straighter, and she noticed a light pink on the tips of his ears. 

Zelda had a list of potential causes, though, narrowing them down should be simple enough. The first possibility was the obvious. Zelda thought that this was how he reacted to being looked at in general. It made sense, if his lack of spoken word was an indication of bashfulness. This conclusion was shattered with the discovery that he endured the brazen stares of smitten maids giggling as they passed with barely a blink. She knew they weren’t unnoticed, as the giggles started after he made eye contact with them, which sent her back to the drawing board.

Her second guess was Link’s reaction being a byproduct of her rank. He may be the Hero of Hyrule, but Zelda was still his princess, and he was still a soldier. Even the freshest recruit knew any special attention from a superior while on duty was negative. Certain instincts were tough to crack, even after his ascension to Champion.

 In the end, all she needed was a week to get feel confident that she could effectively identify any differences he might exhibit during trials, where she knew her questions would be answered.

Then it was time for a gamble. Confident in her baseline recordings, Zelda set out to craft her experiment. Detestable as he was, he was still a person, and experimenting on him without his knowledge or consent was unethical. Thus, she approached him on a trek to the Dueling Peaks. Her studies suggested that his favorite meal was a prime meat and rice bowl, so she had some packed for their journey. 

“I have a proposition, sir knight,” she said as they made camp. He didn’t answer, only stared. She felt a thrill flick at the bottom of her stomach at the look in his eye. A gambler’s high, perhaps. He gave no reply save for the tilt of his head, which she took as a sign to continue.

“I would like to ask for your assistance in a new line of scientific study,” she began, voice quivering slightly. He raised a brow but said nothing, so she continued,  “I’m sure you know of my father’s insistence that my research is fruitless, however I firmly believe that my current subject of study could add to my efforts to gain Hylia’s power. If I can map out how energy flows through the body the knowledge might help me find the sealing power,” she said

“It’s not a waste of time,” he insisted, quietly but with conviction. It took only those few words to fill Zelda with optimism.

“You’ll help me then?”

He nodded. She clapped her hands in triumph. 

“Excellent! Let’s get started right away,” she said, reaching for her notes and a measuring tape, “I have some experiments in mind, but for now I’d like to get some baseline measurements down so any changes will be apparent immediately.”

Link nodded, though he didn’t say anything, Zelda felt her cheeks flush a bit. She was no stranger to her knight’s gaze, but this interaction was foriegn to her. Unlike the obligated glance he threw her way as her guard, now Link was engaging in conversation. Undoubtedly one sided, but existent nonetheless. She continued, blush burning even brighter at her next request, “In order to have a comprehensive foundation to build off of, I’ll have to take a close examination of your physique, and how it reacts to certain stimuli.” 

Link tilted his head again, only instead of a silent question, Zelda swore she saw a smirk grow on his face. Zelda needed a breath before she continued, the fluttering in her stomach knocking her off her stroke.

“Before we begin, I would like to remind you that you may bow out at any time without fear of repercussions,” she said, “I wouldn’t want my knight to break.”

Now that was most certainly a smirk. He looked her in the eye again, a rarity quickly becoming common, challenge burning in his eye.

Well, Zelda was never one to back down, and certainly not from the likes of him.

He sat on the desk in her study a few days later, pliant beneath her gaze. She’d emptied one of the tables to use as a makeshift examination table and dragged it out so he could sit on it without hitting his head. He’d shed his tunic and she’d locked the door, having no desire to explain this to any passing maid.

She put a hand on Link’s chest, gently pushing him down until he lay still beneath her on the wood. Zelda sucked in a breath, drunk on the quiet power of his compliance. She ran her hands over his stomach, blushing when the muscles clenched under her fingertips. She felt her face heat, but then her eyes flicked to his face. His jaw was set, and he stared at the ceiling.

She withdrew her hand, cursing herself for already making him uncomfortable.

“Sir knight,” she said, he looked at her, “I meant what I said, you can leave if you’re uncomfortable.”

“That’s not-” his voice broke, unprepared to be used so forcefully after his time he spent silent. He paused, trying to word his thoughts. Zelda waited, half in shock to have heard his voice at all. He took a breath, “I don’t get touched very often. When I do, it’s because I broke something, and fixing it’s going to hurt.”

Zelda felt sick. She’d imagined time and time again what his first words to her might be, if they ever happened. She’d imagined his patience snapping, his ire finally been let loose as he spewed a toxic deluge of hate and contempt.

Somehow, this was worse. It shattered her because it was the antithesis of the concept of him Zelda had crafted. She had wasted so much time focusing on how high his pedestal was. She spared no thought to how much it hurt him when he fell down.

She brought out a set of paints and a thin brush and brought it over to him. He’d stated his intent to stay, and she didn’t want to betray his vulnerability by shying away now. She ran the brush along his bicep. To her relief, although one that was painful, he didn’t flinch.

“How does that feel?”

He nodded, “Fine.”

“Okay.” Zelda dipped her brush into the jar of paint. “I found this recipe in the library. Apparently it’s supposed to augment your combative capabilities.” She rattled off the ingredients, anxious now that the man in front of her was made of flesh and bone instead of myth and steel. 

She dipped the brush into her jar, tapping it out before dragging the brush down his arm. She had a chart of standard Hylian muscleclature that she used as a reference, tracing each major muscle with her paint. It started off strangely tranquil, as she worked, Zelda noticed him relax. His breathing slowed, and another glance at his face revealed him dozing off. Zelda’s heart fluttered, an unfamiliar, affectionate warmth growing in her stomach. 

Things changed when Zelda finished with his arms and shoulders and moved to his chest.  When she drew the brush under his collarbone and down towards his sternum he jumped. She looked at him, worried that he was uncomfortable, but his eyes were still closed and she continued. She began to circle each of his abs individually, going lower and lower.

Then she noticed that the bulge in his pants had shifted. Not that she’d spent much time looking. Link must have realized why she stopped, because he really did tense up, his abdomen crunching as he sat up.

“I’ll- uh- go down and do some drills,” he said, swinging down to stand on the floor. “I’ll let you know if the paint does anything.”

And then he was gone, leaving the door open behind him and Zelda standing flustered and confused.