#despair and darkness themed wedding when???

[milfsloverblog]

Pretty sure that inviting me to a “coral pink” themed wedding when everyone knows this is what my wardrobe looks like must qualify as some hate crime against the goths

[let-roman-bite-someone]

it's been a while since i made an analysis here but as anyone else in this fandom, i've been speculating on orange. i know that by now, most people are convinced that orange is anger or something related to that.

however, we need to look at the previous patterns in order to figure out who orange might be. “the dark sides” were all facets of c!thomas that he was unwilling to accept or acknowledge. his anxiety, his ability and capacity for deception and probably the most jarring for him, the violent and/or disgusting thoughts that pop into his head without warning.

despite virgil's arc, anxiety was probably the easiest for thomas to accept. virgil didn't even have to introduce himself; thomas already knew he existed and while he was not happy about that, thomas had already accepted by that point that anxiety was a part of him. janus's existence was a harder pill to swallow and remus's was even harder.

so with all this, orange turning out to be anger (or wrath, rage, whatever you want to call it) would be a little underwhelming. while anger is not an emotion that is always encouraged, it's certainly not that hard to accept. especially compared to having repetitive intrusive thoughts about murdering people.

besides, thomas has already acknowledged his own capacity for anger before.

here, he refers to logan and roman having short tempers. they've shown this multiple times in the series too. if logan and roman are prone to anger, then it follows that thomas is also prone to anger and that he is aware of it. and regarding the nonchalant way he addressed it, i doubt he's troubled about his temper at all.

since there were only two short episodes before the introduction of virgil, we don't have enough context as to whether thomas was aware of his anxiety or how accepting he was of it. for janus and remus however, we have several instances of thomas either being in denial or being completely unaware of their existence.

regarding the concept of lying, thomas chose not to lie to people to the best of his ability. regarding intrusive thoughts, while there's no instances of thomas straight-up refusing to feed into them, he was a lot more "clean" before remus came along. he didn't swear as much and when he did, usually censored the swears (probably a conscious decision from thomas & co. but i think it had a canon reason too) and using more technical terms for sexual activities.

anyway, all of this is just a complicated way to get to the point, so i won't bore you any longer. my point is that orange would have to be something bigger, something more terrifying and that thomas would likely be in denial about.

one thing thomas has constantly been shown to fear is losing his friends and loved ones. this has surprisingly been a consistent theme from the early stages of the series.

a lot of the episodes like Making Some Changes, Can Lying Be Good and the SvS duology were centered around thomas's fear of losing his friends. friendship is very important to thomas and different situations in his life often feeds into the fear of being left behind.

now what is a common theme in all the scenes that orange has been hinted at?

the feeling of being ignored or belittled. logan gets mad at roman because roman mocks his attempts at trying to communicate honestly. SvS Redux has thomas feeling irritated and upset that lee and mary lee barely paid attention to him during the wedding. the intrusive thoughts asides video, of course, has both thomas and logan getting angry over being ignored.

so, with all this, i conclude that orange is desperation (n; a state of despair, typically one which results in rash or extreme behaviour). a need for validation, a need for attention and affection. thomas, at this point, is especially disturbed by a lot of things going on in his life. but a recurring theme throughout the show, especially after the introduction of janus and remus, is thomas's fear of driving away his friends. he is overly judgmental of each of his actions, worried that they may lead to him being lonely and left behind.

and again, in WTIT, thomas is also desperate to be noticed by nico. he fears dying alone but at the same time, he struggles to reach out to people. still, he makes the first move by texting nico but the fact that nico doesn't reply makes thomas more and more fearful of ending up alone. he is desperate for love and support, he is desperate for validation; but he needs to focus on himself and fix his own issues, if he wants to maintain a healthy relationship with other people.

like all the other sides, i think that orange is also only trying to help thomas. he's trying to get thomas to come to terms with the fact that nothing is stagnant. most things in life are temporary and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to let go of any worries weighing you down. thomas just needs to face that fact and focus on living in the moment, instead of worrying about what could be. he also needs to have a little trust in himself and know that he's trying his best to be a good person.

and logan is the right person to target for this. because first off, logan himself is suffering from the desperate need for validation, he is visibly struggling to get to thomas. secondly, a sign of deteriorating mental health is when logic becomes clouded due to emotions and this affects a person's basic functioning, such as decision making, problem solving and if gone too far, even everyday activities. the one time logan temporarily left the group, we saw how much of a chaos the others were. i believe orange thinks that this is the only way to make thomas understand how dire the situation is.

so yeah, that's just my take on this whole orange deal. i could be completely wrong but it's still fun analyzing these things.

[immediatebreakfast]

Dracula is a gothic story, and as a gothic story it contains its very choice in horror, but the range, and type of horror that shows is increasingly diverse, and just as resonating in their themes.

The contrast between the dreadful despair of the captain of the Demeter, and the increasing yet mundane tension of Mina are just amazing. It's two dissonant stories that deal with very different stakes, but are part of a complete story, and at some point they will meet when the information of each become relevant to use.

The strung horror of the Demeter comes from isolation, the uncertain circumstances of what seemed to be a very normal job at first, the sudden dissapearances, the inexplicable, all of the suspicious words and actions. The crew has all of the questions, yet none of the answers, so what can they do if not work?

Ignore the fog, ignore the fear, don't sleep, another man is lost, don't sleep, survive this four days storm, two men are gone without a trace. Someone a saw a strange thin man on deck when every head was counted before boarding, but we are civilized men we don't need to lose time with "what if..." Another two men lost.

The first mate is now sleeping on the arms of the sea, and the captain is all alone... Except what is that shadow that he sees on the corner of his eye?

On the other hand, the building horror of Mina, and Lucy's Hot Girl Summer that does not look so Hot anymore is so mundane that it only amplifies the tension, and liminal feeling of their travel. Both Mina, and Lucy meet to organize the wedding and have fun, they go to cementeries, search for ghosts, speak to old residents who could stare at death tomorrow, Arthur is not coming to Whitby his father is sick.

Mina writes about the scenery, the myths, that old sailor telling her how headstones may be unrealiable, Jonathan's last letter is fake even if he wrote that is not Jonathan, Lucy's favorite sitting spot marks a suicide buried with lies. The wedding is coming, and Lucy starts to sleepwalk just like her father, Mrs. Westenra tells you to take care of her, Jonathan hasn't written as Mr. Swales tells you how men with lies of their tombs won't reach heaven, Lucy worries about the wedding, and sleepwalks once more.

Mina watches everything, yet nothing touches her. She watches in the dark as Lucy is searching for the key while her eyes are closed. Does Mina feel like a jailor?

Mina wonders when Jonathan will truthfully write, or if he will send some signal of life.

The Demeter is coming to England despite only having her captain, and with Whitby being a really good spot for ships... I think that these two stories will meet.

[doublehex]

Powers Greater Than Hatred

There are two passages that are often quoted of Daenerys from A Game of Thrones. The first, and most popular, are the final sentences in the novel.

As Daenerys Targaryen rose to her feet, her black hissed, pale smoke venting from its mouth and nostrils. The other two pulled away from her breasts and added their voices to the call, translucent wings unfolding and stirring the air, and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive with the music of dragons.

It’s easy to see why these final lines are so often quoted within the fandom. They are poetically powerful; this is an impactful arrangement of words that have an emotional punch. The final chapter stands as some of George’s most poetic writing he has ever done. It is filled with mythology that has been lacking in the novel up to this point; for most of A Game of Thrones, the supernatural is related to long dead legends or psychedelic visions that make it hard to grasp exactly what they were meant to entail. The final chapter, the return of the dragons, turns the supernatural from vision quest into a tangible, real thing. And most importantly, this passage uplifts the book; it showcases that there is a reason to hope, that the dark turn after Eddard Stark’s execution is not what the series is about. Instead of leaving on a melancholic note, the novel ends with hope and wonder for what the future will bring.

I am not going to talk about that passage today. I want to talk about the second passage, one that I feel speaks much more closely to the themes that George is trying to hit with the series. This is from one of the final paragraphs of Daenerys IX, in the moments that build up to when Daenerys must euthanize Khal Drogo. Even when Daenerys is so full of despair, George still give us reason to hold onto hope:

She told herself that there were powers stronger than hatred, and spells older and truer than any the maegi had learned in Asshai.

The second half of the passage is directly rooted in the emotional context of the scene. Mirri Mazz Dur had used shadow magic to both rob Khal Drogo of all sentience and intelligence, as well as killing Daenerys’ son Rhaego in the womb. Most of Khal Drogo’s khalatar, his army of warriors that was the mightiest and largest in all of Dothraki recent history, had splintered and broken apart under a dozen different warlords. Daenerys is lost and alone for allies save for the exiled Westerosi knight Jorah Mormont, who has his own selfish wants in staying close to her. 

It is the first half that George establishes an important thread that he weaves throughout the series. Evil has its limits. Hatred, corruption, all of the sins of the world, there is a point where they are undone. This theme is manifested in the fourth book of the series, A Feast for Crows. Tywin Lannister has been murdered by the son he has abused for all of his life, and the Lannister regime that he betrayed and murdered to build is falling apart. The book is not just a reference to all those that have died over the course of The War of the Five Kings, but to the Lannisters. House Lannister itself is the feast for crows. It is a tower of dominos and it has started to crumble. All of the petty evils of that house is finally crashing down. Evil has limits. Evil is undone. There are powers greater than hatred. 

Paint that contrast with the Starks and the Targaryens. The swords of the North are riding to rescue “Ned’s precious little girl”. They don’t know that the little girl is not Arya Stark but Jeyne Poole who has been forced to masquerade as her to preserve her life, but that doesn’t matter. The fact that the Northern lords, even after being decimated at the Red Wedding, even after being forced to submit, will ride and fight and die in memory of Eddard Stark, that matters. Even after Daenerys flies away from Meereen on Drogon, her people are fighting against the masters in her name. It matters that they believe in her cause. It matters that the freemen will fight and die to make sure their children will never know what it means to be a slave. 

A Song of Ice and Fire is often painted as a cynical, bitter response to fantasy. It is the forefather of the grimdark subgenre. That is an erroneous attribution. The books remind us that there are powers stronger than hatred. Of course there are scenes that have grit to it, and it can be bitter at times, but the saga is never cynical. It doesn’t say that there is no meaning to the good fight.

If watching the fall of House Lannister should say anything, it would be that evil will always devour itself in time, and eventually, good and decent people will pick up the pieces. 

[crookeddefendorbanana]

Yandere Vergil x Female Reader (Royal AU)

Word Count: 1,500?

Warnings: This story contains themes of control, manipulation, forced pregnancy and emotional distress.

-----

In a world ruled by darkness, where kingdoms trembled at the mention of his name, Vergil stood tall as the demon king. With his piercing blue eyes and an air of commanding authority, he controlled a large group of dangerous individuals who had taken over several kingdoms. None dared to challenge his power.

One fateful day, as Vergil strode through the conquered kingdom, his eyes fell upon a shy villager named [Y/N]. Her [h/c] hair framed her delicate features, and her [e/c] eyes sparkled with innocence. Something about her captivated him, and a possessive desire ignited within him. He knew he had to make her his own.

Demanding that [Y/N] be wedded to him and bear his children, Vergil became increasingly controlling. When she refused, he deemed her a criminal, falsely accusing her of treason against his reign. [Y/N] was locked away in a tower, hidden from the rest of her village, until she agreed to his orders.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. With each passing day, [Y/N]'s spirit grew weaker, crushed under the weight of isolation and manipulation. The villagers were led to believe that she was an evil woman, a threat to their peaceful existence. Rumors spread like wildfire, painting her as a villainess, and the once caring villagers turned their backs on her.

It was a year of torment, and [Y/N] felt her resistance slowly crumbling. The constant presence of Vergil's guards and the whispered words of betrayal from her former friends took their toll. The isolation became unbearable, and her spirit was broken.

In the depths of her despair, [Y/N] made the heart-wrenching decision to accept Vergil's proposal. She would become his bride, bear his children, and forever be bound to the demon king. With trembling hands and tear-filled eyes, she agreed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Vergil, who had been observing [Y/N] from the shadows, watched as she capitulated. A triumphant smirk played on his lips, knowing that he had finally claimed his mate. The next day, he made a grand announcement to his people, standing on the balcony of the kingdom he had conquered.

His voice echoed throughout the city as he addressed his subjects. "My dear subjects, today I unveil the truth that has been hidden from you. Our beloved [Y/N] was not a criminal, but a pawn controlled by a treacherous enemy kingdom that sought to destroy us from within."

As the crowd gasped in shock, Vergil's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. He motioned for [Y/N] to stand beside him, her eyes cast downwards, ashamed and broken. "She was manipulated, forced to commit acts against her will. I, as your king, have saved her from their clutches."

The once-sympathetic villagers stared at [Y/N], their eyes filled with confusion and disbelief. Some felt betrayed, while others hesitated to judge too quickly. The truth had been twisted to serve Vergil's purpose, and he reveled in the power it gave him over [Y/N] and the people.

After that he took her into his personal chambers.

As the days transformed into weeks, a shift occurred in Vergil's demeanor towards [Y/N]. Once he learned of her pregnancy, his obsession took a different form. Instead of tormenting her, he began treating her like a queen, showering her with affection and care.

Vergil would take her on rides down into the village, guarded by his loyal subjects. His arm would be wrapped around her waist, a protective gesture that sent shivers down her spine. In those moments, she could feel his possessive nature and his desire to shield her from any harm.

As they walked through the bustling streets, Vergil would proudly admire [Y/N]'s petite stature compared to his own. He relished in the height difference, reveling in the fact that he could envelop her in his protective embrace. It was a stark contrast to the twisted reality she had grown accustomed to, as if he was acknowledging her vulnerability and cherishing it.

Although this new treatment appeared loving on the surface, [Y/N] couldn't help but wonder if it was just another layer of manipulation. Was this his way of ensuring her compliance, using their unborn child as a tool to solidify his control? Doubts nagged at her, whispering that true love and freedom were still distant dreams.

Despite the glimmers of kindness and tenderness she received, [Y/N] remained a prisoner in her own existence. She yearned to break free from the web of deceit that surrounded her, to rediscover her true self, and to reclaim her independence. She knew that only time would reveal the truth behind Vergil's actions, and she hoped that within the darkness, her strength would shine through.

[kyubey-the-incubator]

(question for elsie because I gen do not know what it is)

-mod kopi

Haiiii okay okay okay so

An explanation of…all of this. Logistics included.

Maho Shoujos!

The name “magical girl” or “Maho Shoujo” comes from a trope in anime. They’re typically girls (often but not always teenaged) who transform into (often but not always really pretty and feminine) powered-up forms (often but not always with a classic “magical girl transformation sequence”) to fight for…like, Justice and love and stuff!

Typical example: PRETTY CURE!! AAAAAA MY CHILDHOOD!!

but like I said, they’re not always girls!

Cure wing my beloved I have never watched your show nor do I know your personality but if anything happened to you I would cry

anyways even the guys tend to be effeminate but ehhhhhh I ignore that for this.

The magical girls are usually fighting sadness itself, which (despite the fact that the shows’ tones tend to be very lighthearted and all-ages-friendly) can be handled with surprising maturity. Pretty cure is known for this. Note that animation in Japan is not as associated with children’s media as in the west, so stuff like Sailor moon (which…what age is sailor moon even for?? Like…guys???) can exist lol.

Madoka magica

ANYWAYS, every canon has its own rules, and Taocc runs on the Madoka system of magical girls!

Create a contract with this little guy, make your wish, and BAM! MAGICAL GIRL!

What could go wrong? WELL I’LL TELL YOU.

You see, madoka is a subversion and a deconstruction of the genre!

(TW going forward for very dark themes concerning despair, depression, and suicide. As well as spoilers for the main series of madoka Magica and magireco, but not rebellion)

The “sadness beings” here are called witches, and they are HORRIFYING. And consistently brainwash and kill people en masse (one witch organizes the mass suicide of like 20 people it’s insane), or trap them in psychological nightmare fuel dimensions called “labyrinths”. It’s WACK /pos.

Magical girls fight witches to sustain their soul gems. The witches drop grief seeds, which “purify” the gem. It acts kind of like a power meter, magic well, and reflection of the girl’s sanity. What happens when the soul gem breaks? The girl dies. If it fully taints…well, where do you think the witches come from?

TL;DR, I’d you take the contract, you’re doomed to become an eldritch monster. The wish is fulfilled almost exactly as you wanted, but that often has consequences you didn’t expected. No monkey’s-paw shenanigans, just your own shortsightedness.

This seems like a good time to explain exactly what the madoka-Taocc lore/functionality is, because I play VERY fast and loose with it. Get ready for logistical MADNESS.

The Kyubey part functions as normal. Madoka’s epic sacrifice to “destroy all witches forever” DOES NOT FUNCTION IN TAOCC. I REPEAT, IF YOUR CHARACTER WITCHES OUT, THEY STAY A WITCH UNLESS THEIR SEED IS RECHARGED.

Rebellion is not canon/has not happened yet. If any of you have seen rebellion, you know the elephant in the room that would mess up everything.

The Doppel system from Magireco does function, but is powered down. You can summon a version of your witch form and use that to clear your soul gem, buuuut it’s not going to function as a replacement for grief seeds, and often goes very out of control. See: Kitsune during sun’s wedding.

A character can use a witch’s grief seed as a weapon. This is not canon at all to the madoka universe, and is Taocc exclusive. Possessing a grief seed allows you to use the witch’s weapon and some of their powers. Recharging the seed with grief enough allows the chance to summon the magical girl, but nobody else can see them or really interact with them.

The “familiars turning into witches” thing does not function here. No way am I getting into that.

Magireco is only somewhat canon, as an isolated timeline, and ONLY ARC 1 IS CANON AT ALL. The Doppel system works, but Infinite Iroha, like Madokami, basically does not exist for the sake of simplicity.

Yes, the world of madomagi is connected to the circus, but not in the same way as, say, the kingdom. To them, the circus is inside a computer. No, you cannot go there.

TBH, quick retcon: Kitsune’s old team’s names and personalities are not what they were up until now, they’re unnamed. She was the one who crashed sun’s wedding. Canon characters, for the sake of our sanity, do not functionally exist and will not be doing anything. Only the system exists in the circus.

Trust me, almost none of the mechanical/canon messes really exist to do anything but make things easier on me. The supplementary material makes things a logistical MESS, so almost none of it is canon except the doppels from magireco. I all but boiled the system down to its basic components for everyone’s sakes.

I am. This close. To decanonizing Madoka’s crossover and trying to just make an expy instead. For my own sanity.

[sneezemonster15]

Hi! One last question heheh

Sorry to bother you

I just keep thinking, if the character of Sasuke was added as a form for suggestion from the editor, how Kishi got the idea to make Naruto and Sasuke a gay couple? , or do you think it just happened? I mean it was a Shounen, and if Kishi wasn't intentional in make a gay romance before bringing Sasuke to the story, like why he took the risk and the stress (to be more subtle abt the romance) to begin with? Or he was intended to make Naruto gay before he even added Sasuke?

Maybe is a dumb question hahaha

Don't respond if you don't have time.

Thank you for taking your time making all these post, they are really interesting, they blew my mind many times when reading them😁

Like before finding your blog I didn't think that Hinata was such an horrible character, like I can't believe I missed all the hints and storyline that Kishimoto wrote, I still can't believe how he managed perfectly to write a gay romance and the whole world ignored it or think it wasnt (at first I thought that😅😂) , his writing is top tier, honestly he managed to trick us all. Naruto succeeded in a homophobic society and it's still one of the most successful manga in the world, with one of the largest fandom around the world, its so mind blowing, I can't find any other word to describe it haha.

Now with the given information of your blog, I just feel soo sad about the ending, and I didn't feel much like this before, like I used to think: "well it was okay with the wedding of NH and the other stuff like meh, a cliché ending like many other animes" 🤷‍♀️ and theeen I discovered your blog and I felt so eye-opened and so sad at the same time😭 like imagine how many years of kisses and hugs Naruto and Sasuke already lost before the reconciliation, and then they lost another 12 years because they can't be together because of their fking nh ss, like fr😭

( P. S. I apologize for the bad english, I'm not a english native speaker)

Well thank you again and greetings!

I'll be looking forward for more of your post.

Have a amazing day😊

Hi.

If readers feel sad reading this blog, then I have accomplished my goal. You got what I was trying to say. Hehehe. You are supposed to feel sad. Because it is such a grand and beautiful love story with such a tragic ending. Like it's the longest love story I have ever sat through. The longest, most feelingly written, love story with a sad ending and yet you would wanna sit through it again. It's a kind of sweet torture. It has a weird hold. If you have really truly seen it, you realize you have never seen anything like it before. It's so righteously earnest and yet cleverly subversive. The themes of light and darkness, yin and yang, night and day, sun and moon, with all the shades in between, the story itself reads like that. There is such innocence and lightness and a tenderness to it and yet there is darkness and it's bloody and sinister. There's so much hope and despair at the same time. There's such feather lightness and crushing heaviness to it. So many scenes make you feel happy and sad and aching and nostalgic at the same time. I will never forget the scenes with tiny Gaara. Ever. It's branded on my brain. Kishi is a very sensitive writer, make no mistake. He understands. He knows there are no binaries. He writes all shades. So many characters he wrote are so iconic, because so many of them are so relatable to fans in their own ways, that's quite a feat for a writer. He is inspired by one of his favourite films, 'The never-ending story', which I feel like he also relates to. In the sense, he relates to the notion of a troubled young boy who uses his imagination to cope with the world, building fantasies and entire worlds and great romance and elaborate characters in his head. He put quite a bit of thought in his characters, the way he has written them consistently, and yet very shrewdly. He has written them so well, he has polarised his audience. A huge audience. Powerful storytelling.

Kishimoto did say in one of his interviews that Yahagi San, his editor suggested giving Naruto a rival which happened to be Sasuke.

Kishimoto paid a lot of attention to write Sasuke and Naruto in character, and why wouldn't he? They are the main characters, the main act. He works with a team of editors and artists. This doesn't mean that Kishimoto hadn't thought of Sasuke's character before this. Obviously a lot of thought has gone behind Sasuke's design, characterisation and arc. Kishimoto has often talked about how Sasuke has been the most challenging character for him to write and draw. That he had to give Sasuke a lot of situations for his arc and story to proceed as Kishi needed to, for it to move the plot. Sasuke has been written in a lot of scenes. Kishimoto said Yahagi San suggested to make Sasuke Naruto's 'rival', rival being the operative term. Kishi probably had already conceived of Sasuke's character, it's not possible he hadn't, given how much Sasuke's character contributed to Naruto's own arc and story from start to end. But a seasoned Yahagi San must have guided a very young and professionally inexperienced Kishimoto about how to go about introducing different characters and specifically a character as important as Sasuke.

Yes, he intended to write Naruto as closeted gay from the start. It's one of the defining features of his character in the story, none of it comes without deeply brainstorming about it. Even the pilot has portrayed shades of his sexuality, but I am glad Kishi changed many things post pilot. But Naruto's characterisation as a closeted gay boy is pretty consistent throughout.

Writing a story and characters is a matter of inspiration and creativity. A professional writer can write something in a matter of hours if the inspiration strikes them or take months and months and nothing would materialise. It depends.

But whatever the author writes, it's the editor's job to make sure that the desired impact of the story is properly delivered, as intended by the author and anything that is a hindrance to that is removed or rectified.

As for your question here, I don't really need to debunk anything. What I mean is that there's nothing to debunk.

I know SS stans put a lot of weight into this panel for two reasons : 1) Eyemex or whatever they call it. Eye contact ie. 2) Panel size, where it is a largish panel which shows Sakura being held by Sasuke.

And apparently this panel makes all of the things that happened between Sasuke and Sakura alright. Everything. Sasuke's contempt towards her, his apathy, his brutal honesty, his utter disinterest in her and absolutely nothing that indicates he is being tsundere towards her. Yeah, SS stans are embarrassing like that.

But the fact is that it still doesn't prove anything. If anything, even here Kishi was gung ho on maintaining the focus on Naruto and Sasuke. The Sasuke and Sakura panel is a het bait. Because Kishi had to draw one scene with them together foreshadowing the canon ending where Sasuke and Sakura were paired together. That's all this panel means.

Because what else could it mean? Through the entirety of Shippuden, we hardly see any significant SS interaction, and what there is shows how much Sasuke doesn't care about Sakura. The war arc itself underlined it again and again what with leaving Sakura to perish in the lava dimension, mocking her or dismissing her as she would try to interact with him. One has to look at what precedes and succeeds the panel. One cannot simply draw meaning out of an isolated panel unless the context is set up.

And what is the set up here? The context is that Sasuke and Naruto were together fighting Kaguya while the rest of them were feeling pretty useless and a burden/liability, including Kakashi and Sakura. Obito is feeling guilty. Kaguya sends Sasuke to another dimension while Naruto is determinedly and strategically fighting Kaguya, while being worried about Sasuke. Obito senses it and is prepared to help him out with Sakura's help. Naruto is very grateful to Obito because he is helping him to look for Sasuke.

Kishi even made sure to mention it in the external narration. Naruto and Obito go to save Sasuke, hehe.

While Naruto, Sakura and Obito are looking for Sasuke, Naruto is trying to sense Sasuke's chakra. On the other side, Sasuke is trying to sense Naruto's chakra. They can sense each other's chakras. Just like that. What does it imply?

What impression does this give the reader? That they are so thoroughly attuned to each other, they can easily sense each other's chakras and just follow it to find each other. Like they are connected.

In this panel, Sasuke thanks Obito for his help, which he used in conjunction with his own Rinnegan ability. Yes, some focus is certainly put on the eye contact. But like I said, if there's nothing romantic indicated in the context and subtext, in fact, the opposite, you can simply attribute it to het bait which Kishi serves the audiences pretty regularly. It also helps the reader build expectations as to what will happen in future.

If Sakura was so instrumental to this scene and Sasuke, why isn't that present in the context? Why is Kishi only focusing on Naruto and Sasuke? Well, he ain't the only one. Lol.

This happens right after the panel under discussion. It's about Sasuke and Naruto. They are the core. They are the main act. They will change the fate of the shinobi world together. All this is already established properly by this point in the arc.

And right after Sasuke is rescued and brought back to the dimension where Naruto is, he immediately runs towards Naruto, Naruto becomes really happy, and they bicker, like usual.

Lol. All of this, the way the scene was built up and rendered, puts stress on how solid Sasuke and Naruto's bond is. Like the entire thing. The way situations are created, the way conflicts or problems are presented and then the way they are resolved. In the Sasuke rescue mission, the focus went to Obito's character who had a specific reason to help Naruto.

Narratively, the focus was put on Obito who came off as the true rescuer, Sasuke is made to thank Obito after the rescue operation, the external narrative also doesn't even mention Sakura. Sakura was effectively a replacement of Naruto in this scene because the real body of Naruto was fighting Kaguya and Naruto's clone wouldn't have had enough chakra, so she volunteered. Because she could help with the one commodity she could offer at this point, since nothing else she could offer really helped here. And she needed to be brought in the narrative, since so much emphasis was put on teamwork just prior to this, so Kishi wrote this in, Sakura being a part of Sasuke's rescue operation. The least she could do and not be labelled completely useless. That and punching Kaguya as Kakashi set it up for her. Seriously, what else did she even do that didn't end up as a complete embarrassing disaster for her in this arc, especially after Sasuke joins the war and she starts to show off? Lol. And following this SS interaction, if you can even call it that, the next SS interaction in the same arc should be enough for fans to stop considering this panel as so important. Lol. Sakura confesses to him like she is dying without him, no matter the current situation where there's a freaking war going on lol, he emphatically rejects her and then genjutsues her ass so she would stop getting in Naruto and Sasuke's way.

SS stans are not to be taken seriously. Oh sure, Sasuke and Naruto talking about giving their lives for each other while delivering full fledged romantic Shakespearan dialogues for each other isn't romantic but Sasuke looking at Sakura is. Lol.

As for your question about the post I wrote about Gaiden.

I saw in one of your post, about how sasuke proposed to Naruto after his journey after war, and how naruto rejected him because Naruto is a closeted gay, all of it this proposal was implied in Gaiden( I haven't read it)?Or is just a theory that connects all the dots of why the SasuSaku looks so bad in the Boruto era? hehe

Yes, it was my theory but like I wrote in the post, it's entirely extrapolated from canon. Shippuden, Gaiden and Boruto movie. All I am doing is writing about the consistent nuances that Kishi writes in, given its shounen and he had to be careful about writing a gay narrative in it, Brokeback Mountain style, hehe. He wrote Gaiden in a way which compelled the reader to read between the lines, at least the perceptive audiences. He uses several allusions for the SNS dynamic that he uses throughout Naruto and Shippuden and writes very consistently granular nuances that he writes for Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura's characters in their respective scenes. If one is paying attention, they can tell all of it. You can give Gaiden a read, it will all become clear to you. Kishi wanted to bridge the gap between the larger narrative and the disparate ending that didn't satisfy the potential climax he was building towards with it. He wanted to tell the audience that SS was a sham and that Sasuke and Naruto are truly the real pairing but because of the worldbuilding of the shinobi world, they couldn't be together as they were meant to. Rather, they are carrying their burdens, sharing their burdens because they are shinobis who are meant to suffer and endure. But at least, they are doing it with each other's support. It is still heartbreaking.

[fair-night-starry-tears]

Update to the au: this is their evil theme where their negative traits taken over if a certain scenario gets in between their lives! Like say for instance

What if Aqila never stayed more then just a few weeks with the prince? What if the prince discover his royal servants have chased her away. His one “true love” left his palace?

Allow me to speak the tale on how the selfish prince met his own “ever after” with force.

——————————————————————————-

You clearly remember the loving tale. A handsome prince at the age of 15 fell for a mere common girl. She wasn’t close to a commoner, more like a streetrat. But their love was so strong, not even the dangerous adventure can stop them……

Yeah, what a load of baloney! Then came a day the prince was to tell the love of his life the news, to wed her at their sweet 17 birthday. But as he checked his beloved room. She was no where in sight. Not the sight of her living cheerful smile, the glow of her skin, the shine from her glistening dark raven hair. No. Not a trace. He observed the room, no note. Not a single piece of information to his love whereabouts. She was. “She’s gone…..” as the prince son his heart out. The broken pain of his love scar him. That even the most streetrat, Can ever stay for him. A few months go by, as the prince roam the glistening hallways. But he heard the servants and guard talking, he was always an observer. And eavesdrop on the conversation. Then, his question became clear.

“I cannot believe the prince still mopes over that girl! She was a pathetic streetrat!” Roared a guard, “not just a streetrat, clearly a useless one!” Giggled a maid. A butler merely laughs, “she’s just another piece of dirt. The prince will surely marry a fine princess! It was too easy to chase that girl away! Everyone deserves an applaud!” He added. “Most likely, but the fact our majesties even accepted her. How pitiful….” Said the maid. The prince heard enough and walked away. Few months has passed and he had wed to a different girl. A princess to fit a political image. But when he was crowned, he ordered every servant to be “renewed” he’s implied ordered the main culprits to his throne room. And explain he had heard their conversation. For the prince of chasing away his beloved is a felony to him. And for that. They will die a painful and cruel death. They begged and pleaded, but it all fell to the reapers ears. As his heart became cold and callous. He selfishly desires his beloved to return to the palace. But she never came back. Not for him anyways.

Two years go by, and the prince still yearns for his past beloved. His “fiancé” means just someone around in his life. He could never ask for a concubine. He wanted his real love back. A party to celebrate the wedded anniversary, as the prince glance at the room. He saw someone in the crowd. A beautiful raven hair, glowing tan skin, and beautiful deep grey blue eyes. And he recognize such beauty. He so calmly walk over to the girl, as he raise his hand to reach her. He noticed something that made his heart rise from the depth of pain back into despair. She was dancing with someone. That someone, was his cousin. Jasminko noticed how happier the girl looks with his cousin. When the two finally notice him. The girl shrouded herself behind his cousin. Kalim spoke, “oh! Cousin! What a surprise. You never show yourself around me-“ but Kalim was shoved to the side as Jasminko clearly saw the girl. Aqila, his past Love. The girl, Aqila, slowly backed away only to bow to him. “Greetings your majesty….” She could only reply.

It was clear, the girl no longer sees him as the same loving boy from before. Aqila could only see a selfish future king who cares for nothing but for his own selfishness. Then, hell broke loose in matter of minutes from one conversation to a outrage dispute. The prince order his cousin to be locked up, as he will take his cousin beloved as his own. After all. It was her whom he wish to wed. What a selfish prince he became, the greed of love turn to something so dangerous. He will throw away everything as if it meant nothing. His heart is wicked and cold, broken years ago. All because people can’t just let him decide for himself. They are all beneath him. But never his precious love, after all, he saw her true worth. A real….

“Diamond in the rough.”

——————————————————————————

Wow this story got dark havent it fellas?

Yah. Won’t stop making these dark as fuck stories.

Also. HOW THE FUCK YALL GUESSED IT WAS THIS MF?! I DIDNT EXPECT MY HINT TO BE THAT EASY

@adrianasunderworld @mangacupcake @writing-heiress @the-weirdos-mind @skboba-stars @nproduction626 @rose-tea-and-strawberries @anxious-twisted-vampire @luxstring

[booksandchainmail]

Pale 8.3

I like the furry animal-influenced drawings of the girls in this extra materials. Also makes me more confident in gold as a theme color for Avery (like purple for Verona or red for Lucy). And it's neat that hers have her wind shoes

THE WOOHOO

Avery sighed.  Her breath fogged.  The snow came down in quarter-sized dollops, wet and ice cold, each bit hitting her like a sharp jab with a finger or pen.

I can't tell if there's something supernatural going on, or if this is just what Canada's like, even in summer

Felt good, being trusted.  And when so much of this place felt bad, it was like a much-needed light in a very dark place.

I think Avery has needed to feel competent and trustworthy for a while. Must also be nice that it's coming from older teens she looks up to.

Jessica had described the ruins as being like a cube. The side they were closest to and most familiar with was at the edge of two sides, wet and dark. Close to depression and apprehension. The things that lived here in this cold were well past depression and into grief and despair.

Okay, so I'm picturing this as having six sides, each a different vibe, and the familiar area of the Ruins is wet/dark, and now they're around a vertex that adds in a third side of cold. And each has it's associated emotion. I'm wondering what the other three are? I'm thinking opposites, so dry/light/hot. Those seem less intrinsically wearing down than the three we've seen, but I'm sure that a bleached bone-dry desert would suck in it's own way. Alternatively, if the other sides aren't opposing, I'm betting one is windy.

Then the waifs started appearing. They rose up out of the snow around her. A girl in a bunny hat, a boy with a bike helmet, and a girl with a leather jacket covered in zippers.

I wonder if we'll ever see Gabe or Reagan in there

There.  She had a time-delayed smoke thing, for cover so she could use the black rope.  Little ‘h’ with a curl on the one leg and a cross at the top.

I can't remember what planet that symbolizes, but from the time aspect I'm guessing Saturn

Gabe.  Shirtless, vomit streaked across his lower face, mouth ajar, with a mushroom cut.  Ten or so, skinny.

welp. That's got to be disturbing

“I liked what you said, before we did Jessica’s ritual.  We chatted for a minute or so, we talked about wanting things to be better, to share, to support.  More like friends are supposed to do.”

this is why Avery should be taking point this arc, if they're trying to build connections. I think the Kennet Trio have thoroughly made an impression of strength, what they need now is that genuine desire for connection.

“My best guess is this is Hunt,” Jessica said.

what is this, the Magnus Archives?

Okay, so bullet for hunt and lens for inquisition. And both are broken and wrapped in cord. The third one is a ring with a heart-shaped hole and twisted ends, goes along well with the other two. Love or romance is the obvious association, but I don't get how that fits into a triangle. Maybe binding of some sort? Thinking of a bleak twist on a wedding ring. And it would work as find -> follow -> catch with the other two.

“The Tedds?  America and Liberty aren’t that strong, and their reasons are a bit shallow and stupid, but they absolutely would gun for you.”

aww, I was hoping working together/helping America get out/Toadswallow connection would make them allies

“They hear us.  Do you hear me?  We’ve found you.  You can stop looking now, boy and girls.  Life is a long and empty search…”

diversity win! The incarnation of the Hunt stalking you through the Ruins isn't transphobic

Bangles like the ring encircled the arms and rings were at the finger, and they looked heavy enough that they kept the arms from swinging as the lesser incarnation walked.

maybe rings as representing chains/shackles? Weighing someone down

“Good thing about it being Hunt is it’s about the pursuit, not actually catching,” Jessica said.  “Same for Yearning.”

oh, that's the thematic link. Makes sense with what we've seen, not quite what I was guessing but that's why we have an expert

She expected a firm grab, those rings digging into her arm. Instead, a soft touch on the cheek. Avery stopped running, eyes locked to the figure, looking past the hair to eyes that had stars in them. Yearning smiled, hand resting against the side of Avery’s face.

... I think Avery in particular might be vulnerable to Yearning

Zed remained where he was, The arrow stuck through the sleeve of his leather jacket and attached him to the tree.

not the leather jacket! It's so hard to find a good one, and I'd say it's vital to Zed's aesthetic

“I see the world the Hungry Choir brought me into,” Brie said.

oh that must suck. Every time you need to look closely, see something magical, you see the world reflected through the worst nights of your life.

“Oh.  Sorry.”  Avery felt her face flush.  Zed was mad and Jessica was offended, and Brie had her own stuff to deal with.  She shouldn’t have come.

need to do some work on Avery's self-esteem. It can't be helping that her close friends are better friends with each other, and that her other social interactions are with teenagers who are significantly older

“When she kissed me.  She was my friend and then she kissed me, and asked me to think on it before saying anything.  So I did.  And now we’re together.”

possibly the least helpful queer awakening story for Avery to get guidance from

“I’m trying to improve myself, and become someone better, that attracts cool people, but that feels shaky when we’re currently struggling with half the school hating us.”

I get the teenage (and beyond) fixation with coolness, and I get Avery wanting to improve, and a lot of the areas she's focused on seem worthwhile (confidence, assertiveness). But I think she's underestimating how well being genuine and earnest and kind and gallant will get her. Also, for romance specifically, how far being athletic will get her.

“Yeah.  You could always ask those other students outright, if they want to make a connection.  It’s awkward if you’re leaving, but things can be established long-distance.” “Kind of,” Avery admitted. “That’s more Lucy than me, though.” “Is it?” Brie asked, sounding surprised.

Connections are your whole thing! Take point on this one! Avery has been really good at dealing with people and convincing them to be friendly, or at least not enemies.

And I think her own lack of confidence is sabotaging the group in a way, because it means she doesn't put herself forward for things she would be good at (aside from movement), and lets the other two not notice what she's done

Though I get that the Kennet Trio are currently approaching this as a question of alliances and negotiation, which Lucy often handles, rather than friendship which is more Avery's thing. I just think that approach is a mistake.

“Fernanda?” Brie asked, interrupting.

If she's blaming the Kennet Trio for Laila's death, that could get very ugly. Best case scenario is she likes them for avenging her, but somehow I don't think that's hat's going on.

“And they gently made sure we were already aware you were gay before broaching the topic of your crush on-” “Fernanda?” Avery interrupted.  “Crush?  No.”

...or that. Well. I still stand by what I said

“Verona.  Verona talked to you.”

dammit Verona

[a-skirmish-of-wit-and-lit]

Book Review: Twice in a Lifetime by Melissa Baron

Part The Lake House, part The Midnight Library, and part butterfly effect, this book has a cross-genre aspect to it that makes it a time-crossed love story as well as an achingly raw life story that's populated with heavy themes and emotions. Tackling things like chronic depression and anxiety, it gives pulse to real struggles. It gives delicate depiction to the gains and setbacks that people who suffer from these conditions experience on a daily basis.

For that reason, it can be intense and despairing to read at times. Overwhelming. As a reader, you feel everything. You suffer everything the characters suffer. However, it's also hopeful in the way that it champions love, compassion, empathy, and finding one's support unit in the unlikeliest of people and places.

After moving from Chicago to a small cottage in a St. Louis suburb, in need of a fresh start after her mother dies from cancer, Isla starts receiving text messages from a man who claims to be her future husband. She's pretty resistant at first. Disbelieving, too. (Who wouldn't be? It sounds impossible.) But he changes her mind by sending her a photo of them on their wedding day and revealing details about her that nobody else knows.

After that, she relents and they cautiously start a texting relationship. She learns that Ewan is sweet, patient, funny, and good-looking. She can talk to him. He also seems to love her for who she is, which is something she has a hard time wrapping her mind around thanks to an anxiety disorder that keeps her self-worth toddled to LOW and her mind buzzing with subjectively perceived failures.

In part, that is why Ewan is reaching out. He is texting through time in order to try and save her from a dark fate he won't discuss but will result in them no longer being together.

So the question becomes: what can Isla do to prevent that fate from occurring? How can she learn to be happy in the present? Grow? Accept herself and overcome her bad mental health days? And if she does manage to veers paths, what will happen? Will she be able to meet and fall in love with Ewan twice in the same lifetime?

I liked that this wasn't simply a lighthearted love story. I appreciated the representation of mental health struggles, feeling keenly for Isla as she attempted to get a handle on her intrusive thoughts - sometimes succeeding, sometimes not. That felt realistic to me. It was lovely that Ewan was so kind and patient with her, too. I think it's important to see compassion represented because we could all learn how to be more supportive and understanding, especially when it comes to health conditions people are suffering from that are invisible.

The timeline structure and pacing could have been better, though. Isla and Ewan stumbled from texting strangers into "I love you" exchangers rather quickly and I would have preferred for there to have been a slower, more progressive build-up. There was also a narrative switch about halfway through that was jarring. Though I wasn't sorry to get some of Ewan's perspective, it felt like it came out of nowhere. Like a bolt of lightning that strikes when the sun is still shining. Perhaps it wouldn't have been as noticeable had the book been separated into two parts, but who's to say?

Overall a decent debut. It'll resonate with fans of The Midnight Library, for sure, because of its mental health focus.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC!

3/5 stars

**Follow me on Goodreads

[pinkskies4]

8/11/2024

This is the art piece that took me 4 and a 1/2 days to finish, i did it in a rush we had 3 months but I procrastinate a lot and have trouble finishing work. The only reason I finished this was because our art class was supposed to present our work to children,parents of the children and artist. Showcasing what our art teacher taught us, and I didn't want to embarrass him, he's actually a really good teacher and he listens to our gossip. This was last year I'm no longer in art because I suck at time management I do however go to art after school whenever I don't have Soccer training. You might be wondering why, well first most of my grademates(The students in my school which are in the same grade as me which are 12 people we're a small school) go there often just to study even though most of us, aren't in his class anymore. He also doesn't have a life and that's not me being rude, that's what he says so he stays back until 5 well it's actually 6 because he never actually goes at 5, it's mostly our fault but it's his fault sometimes. Except during the day our school has faculty meeting,unlike most of my grademates I don't really care because I have soccer training that day, our preseason started when school started because our captain wants to win the championship. That being said I'm writing this at the library because the art teacher has a wedding to attend supposedly, I heard from a friend, but he's usually sarcastic and makes up white lies so I'll probably ask the art teacher myself. Speaking of teachers and classes, my ap lit class is currently looking at sonnets(English,Shakespearean,Petrarchan etc.) and literary analysis lenses (New criticism,New historicism,formalism,biographical approach etc.), for practice my Ap lit teacher told us to write a sonnet, and said that it could be any kind of sonnet me being me, the overachiever, I wrote my sonnet in both english and Petrarchan rhyme scheme and style, I did use a poem I wrote before that was written in prose poem form.

English Sonnet

I never thought my heart would know defeat,

Nor dreamed I’d lose you through confessed despair.

Each memory replays in slow repeat,

A foolish love I nursed on empty air.

What if I’d not misread your silent state,

Mistaking quiet as a love unvoiced?

Your emptiness became my dreams’ cruel fate,

For in your quiet heart, I held no choice.

What if I’d not drawn futures bold and bright,

With laughter, stolen moments as the theme?

Or stayed up through the dark of countless nights,

To find in words a hollow, futile gleam?

What if I’d seen your coldness as it was,

And spared my heart from love’s unkind applause?

Petrarchan Sonnet

I never dreamed my heart would bear such loss,

Nor thought that love could end with silent pain,

Where unreturned affection leaves a stain,

And bonds are severed in that final toss.

I trace our moments, bearing now the cross

Of memories—each one, a tender chain

That held my hopes, now withered, faint, and slain,

Where once I saw acceptance, peace’s gloss.

What if I’d seen the silence as a shroud,

Not quiet trust, but void where dreams decay?

Or sensed your cold indifference that day,

The fragile hopes I’d painted, disallowed?

If nights were spared of meaning I’d imbued,

My heart would rest, no echoes left to rue.

Speaking of sonnets does anyone if anyone does end up seeing this, know how to scan a poem for meter, to notice where the stressed and unstressed syllables fall in a line of poetry.  My Ap lit teacher said that even though AP lit has stopped giving those type of questions often there's usually still one or two so it'll be good to be prepared. Speaking of the Ap lit test, I'm worried about the frqs my teacher says I need to rely more on the text instead of relating it to the other knowledge I know, I've been practicing it and I guess I am getting better if the 90 on my last in class writing is anything to go about.

The last in class writing was about 1984(frq 3 style which meant we couldn't refer to the book, but he said we wouldn't need to cite specific evidence), the prompt was to analyze the complex ways which the party maintains control over citizens, and consider the questions: what makes their techniques so effective?What are the party's motivations and goals, and can they be achieved?Why or why not? I split it into 2 parts control over the proles and control over the normal citizens (lower level party members) for the proles I guess I went the normal route of analyzing and compared them to farm animals but for the normal citizens my AP lit teacher said he didn't think anyone in our class would compare the act of using big brother and Goldstein to God and Satan. Not because our class is full of christians(there's only 7 students and none of us are christian) but because he thought we would compare it to cults which actually makes more sense. Anyways I'm getting kicked out of the library cause it's really late and I should be going home cause it's a friday. So I'll just stop here. If anyone does read this and have thoughts about any of this especially the 1984 essay feel free to share it, or about my sonnets it was my first time writing one, i usually write prose poems or contemporary ones, I have started reading a book called "She walks in beauty" A woman's journey through poems, selected and introduced by caroline kennedy, the poems there are really good, and the poem "I do not love thee" by The Honorable Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton, in the falling in love section reminded me of a poem I wrote. I really have to go now.

I'm writting this for journalism class by the way kind of

-Pinkskies4(A highschool student)

[venus-haze]

The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter - Part 3 (Yandere!Austin!Elvis x Reader)

Summary: The tension rises in the week leading up to your wedding to Elvis. Torn between your desire to live your own life again and your emotional obligations toward him, you make a decision that backfires horribly and only sends you further down the aisle.

Notes: Thank you all for your patience in my uploading this part and also for the overall support for this series. This is the last part of the series, and I hope this lives up to everyone’s expectations. I will be writing a prequel part, but I’d like to focus on the requests I’ve gotten recently. Please look at the warnings before reading. Do not interact with this post or my blog if you are under 18 or post ED/thinspo content.

Word Count: 5.2k

Warnings: This is a yandere fic, so expect dark themes such as emotional blackmail, obsessive and manipulative behavior, and abuse of power, which some people may find disturbing or triggering. Emetophobia warning for one short part of the fic. Also brief mentions of blood toward the end. Again, do not interact if you are under 18.

Prequel | Part 1 | Part 2

The calendar on the wall seemed to be mocking you as each passing day was marked off with a giant black ‘X’, inching closer and closer to the wedding day. You hardly had time to think with all of the planning–floral arrangements and dresses and cake tastings. Your mind was barely treading water at that point, and you tried desperately to keep yourself from drowning in your imminent despair at what seemed to be your fate set in stone. 

As you had expected, Graceland became a zoo not longer after you and Elvis arrived from Vegas. It was always like that, and you welcomed it. Graceland offered you undoubtedly more freedom, from walks on the property to being able to hang out with people other than Elvis without having to worry about him unnecessarily escalating the situation. Being home seemed to mellow out Elvis some, as you found yourself enjoying his company again. Still, you couldn’t shake his erratic and downright behavior from your mind. You couldn’t rely on being at Graceland all the time, not when Elvis was still being managed by the Colonel, who wanted him out making as much money as possible. 

You felt a headache coming on as you sat in the living room, rubbing your eyes to hopefully get some relief. You’d been up since early that morning to squeeze in all of the wedding planning appointments. No matter how much time you had, you felt like you’d never be ready. Less than a week was hardly enough time to get everything together, but Elvis wanted at least a week for the honeymoon before he had to prepare for his upcoming tour, so you had no choice but to oblige. 

The wedding was short notice for your family, and only your sister Kathy would be able to attend. You couldn’t help but wonder if that was deliberate on Elvis’ part, to keep you from anyone who would potentially see through the facade of the happy couple. It wasn’t like many other people were going to be there on your behalf anyway. You couldn’t remember the addresses of your LA friends and figured they had probably moved within the three years you had been gone anyway.

Shuffling into the bathroom, you grabbed aspirin from the medicine cabinet and took two. Leaning on the counter, you studied your reflection. The woman staring back at you seemed like a stranger before anything else. Tilting your head and moving your hand back and forth in front of the mirror, it certainly was you, but you hadn’t felt like yourself in weeks. You felt as though you couldn’t completely blame Elvis for that, perhaps you’d made it too easy to get to this point, allowing your work and personal lives to blend so seamlessly together for the past three years. After all, no one seemed surprised when you and Elvis started ‘dating’.

You were startled by a knock at the door and promised you’d be out in a minute. Quickly washing your hands and straightening out your appearance, you opened the door to see Elvis waiting for you.

“Hi, honey,” you said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

His eyebrows were furrowed in concern. “You alright, darlin’?”

“Yeah, just a little tired, I’ve been busy the past few days.”

“I’m sorry, baby. I’d say you’ll have plenty of time to rest during the honeymoon, but I can’t promise that,” he said with a grin, leaning over to kiss you softly. “I can’t wait to make you my wife.”

“Me too,” you answered, as if there were any other response you could give. “I have table settings to look at, but I’ll talk to you at dinner, okay?”

He gave you one more kiss before you walked into the dining room, at least a dozen table settings in your favorite color on display. It was your second to last wedding-related appointment for the day, and you chugged along, listening to whoever had come in explain the options to you before you picked which one you liked best. Elvis had left almost all of the planning to you, saying that he trusted your taste. Having some space from him during the day was nice, at least, even if it was to focus on your impending wedding. 

The evenings, depending on how his day had gone, would set the tone for the rest of the night. Usually, there’d be a dozen or so people crammed into the dining room to eat, whoever happened to be over that day. You welcomed the buffer for Elvis’ moods, in all honesty. As the wedding grew closer, he acted more and more like himself, or what you thought was himself for all those years. You found yourself letting your guard down a bit, allowing yourself to enjoy the glimpses of the man you loved. Unfortunately, you knew it wouldn’t last, it was only a matter of time before something set him off. 

Dinner that night had been fine, even when you informed him that you’d have to go into Memphis the next day to take care of some things before the wedding. He didn’t like you leaving Graceland much, but he didn’t put up much of a fight when you told him, he’d be sending one of his security guards with you anyway. He always claimed it was for your safety, but you knew it was so someone could keep an eye on you while he wasn’t around.

You could feel yourself becoming tired, the clock reading a little past ten, but you’d been up since seven that morning, almost constantly doing something since then. You excused yourself to go upstairs to bed. A few minutes after you got up there, you heard the door open, and felt a pair of arms wrap around your bare torso.

“I didn’t know all the plannin’ for the wedding would wear you out so much, baby,” Elvis said, kissing the crook of your neck. “You want me to go with you tomorrow?”

You considered how you were going to answer. You absolutely didn’t want him going to Memphis with you, it’d be impossible to get anything done with all of the chaos his being out would cause, even with his security detail. However, you knew if you answered ‘no’ too quickly, he’d think something was going on. 

“I don’t want to bother you,” you said, placing your hands over his. “You’re so busy yourself, and you really need to rest before the tour. It’s two weeks straight of shows; I know that takes a toll on you.”

“Always lookin’ out for me, huh?”

“It’s what I do best.”

“I can think of a few other things,” he teased.

You let yourself laugh since the situation hadn’t escalated. Yet again, you wondered why he couldn’t be this way all the time. Gently, he turned you around, pressing his lips to yours. Caressing his cheek, you kissed him back, only pulling away when you could feel sleep creeping up on you.

“Sorry, honey,” you said, fighting back a yawn.

He smiled. “Go to bed, baby. I don’t wanna ruin your beauty sleep. I’ll join ya in a minute.”

You nodded, feeling like a zombie as you made your way over to the bed. As soon as your head hit the pillow, you were out until your alarm woke you up the next morning. You groaned, hitting the clock and throwing an arm over your eyes. Absolutely no part of you wanted to get up, but you forced yourself to. Elvis was still asleep, not starting his day until after you did. You’d always been concerned about his non-existent sleep schedule, especially how dependent his sleep was on whatever cocktail of medications that Dr. Nick prescribed him. It wasn’t healthy, the residency and back-to-back shows that gave him little room to actually rest. Part of you wondered if he was too far gone, that he wouldn’t accept the help if he were offered. You’d heard Priscilla talk about rehab once, but never heard anything else of it.

Looking at him as you got ready for the day, your chest filled with simultaneous affection and hurt. You loved him, and for that reason you knew you couldn’t marry him. Once your emotional obligation to him was legally binding, you wouldn’t be able to get out, you’d never be able to bring yourself to leave him. The guilt at the thought of making him go through a divorce yet again overwhelmed you. It’d destroyed him, was one of the major factors in his behavior toward you. Not to mention, you were terrified of the person he’d become after that, what poor girl would end up even worse off than you. You couldn’t think of anyone you’d wish that on, not even that bathroom showgirl.

You glanced at the clock, realizing you were going to be late for your first appointment if you didn’t get moving. You ran down the stairs to the front door, where someone from Elvis’ security detail was already waiting for you. Even though he drove you everywhere and was always waiting within a few feet of you, the freedom of being away from Graceland, from Elvis, was invigorating. You couldn’t give up on your own life so easily, just to satisfy him. Still, you were at a loss as to what you could do.

After the first appointment of the day, which was with a local hairdresser about doing your hair for the wedding, you went to yet another cake tasting and then to the florist. Half the day had gone by, and the security guard, who hadn’t said a word to you up until that point, asked if you wouldn’t mind if he stopped and got coffee somewhere. You agreed, hoping to have a few minutes to yourself. 

He pulled up to a coffee shop that was up the street, and you got out of the car with him.

“I’m just going to stretch my legs, get some fresh air,” you explained.

He stared at you for a moment, as if he didn’t believe you, but nodded before going into the coffee shop. Your mind raced with what you could do with the few minutes you’d been given that were truly your own. Looking around, you recognized this part of Memphis. There was a Greyhound station nearby. You had a few hundred bucks in your purse, more than enough to get you somewhere far away and a motel for a few nights. The rational part of your brain was telling you to take the risk, to run as far as you could, but all you had gathered the courage to do was walk over to a nearby payphone. You knew it’d be best for you to go, but your mind was filled with thoughts of him begging you not to leave, how you were all he had left.

You felt like some paranoid gangster looking over your shoulder every few seconds and calling from an outside line, but you couldn’t risk someone overhearing the phone call if you made it back at Graceland. Even this small act felt like a major betrayal toward Elvis compared to your fleeting thoughts of running away. Your hands shook as you dialed the only person you knew would be willing to hear out your side of the story. When your sister answered the line, you could barely hear her from the blood that seemed to be rushing in your ears.

“Kathy, hey,” you said.

“Y/N! I’m actually just packing for the wedding,” she said cheerfully.

“I–I need to talk to you about that.”

“What is it?”

“I don’t wanna do it,” you said, feeling yourself getting choked up.

“It’s okay to be nervous before getting married. I don’t think I’ve ever met someone who wasn’t.”

“No, not like that. It wasn’t my idea, and I don’t want to get married to him. He told me if I didn’t he’d–well, he didn’t exactly say it, but he went to get one of his guns and I got so scared I just agreed,” you explained, crying by the time you finished your sentence.

Kathy was silent on the other end of the line. You knew it was a lot to spring on her with no warning, but it wasn’t like you had many other options. It was too late to try to run now, you’d wasted too much time being afraid. This had to count for something.

“You still there?” you whispered.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice soft, “Christ, Y/N, I had no idea. Where are you calling from? Are you safe?”

“I’m calling from a payphone in Memphis. I didn’t want anyone eavesdropping, and I wouldn’t put it past him to bug the phones either. Someone’s always watching me over there, ya know? Even now he’s got someone with me.”

“Look, I’ll be there in a few days. I can’t come any sooner than then, but if you need anything, you call me, okay?”

The man walked out with his coffee, and you wiped your eyes as best as you could. “Yeah, thanks Kathy.”

“Sure, Y/N. See you in a few days,” she said.

You hung up, making your way back over. He thankfully didn’t question your call. There were still a handful of other stops you had to make in Memphis before returning to Graceland for the evening. You felt like a weight had been lifted off of your shoulders with finally being able to tell someone what was really going on. Kathy probably wouldn’t be able to help you much, realistically, but maybe she could come up with something.

The rest of the day went smoothly, and you got back to Graceland feeling better than you had in a long time. It was odd, though, there were significantly less people around than on a usual night. You weren’t complaining, sometimes all the visitors could get overwhelming, especially when you had a long day but still felt the need to be a good hostess. It had been weird taking on that role when that had previously fallen on Priscilla. 

Elvis had opened the front door by the time you walked up the steps to the mansion. He gave you a kiss, pulling you inside. 

“Hey honey, how was your day?” you asked.

“It was fine, baby,” he said. “Runnin’ through Memphis today, huh?”

You nodded. “Felt like it. Is dinner ready?”

“In a few minutes,” he said, putting his arm around you and leading you into the dining room. 

You noticed only two plates were set at the table. “Is everyone else going out?”

“Figured it’d be nice if dinner was just us for tonight,” he said. “I know how tired you’ve been lately.”

Your smile was strained as you looked up at him. “You’re so sweet, thank you.”

The two of you waited in the living room together for the food to be brought out. Being in Graceland while it was so devoid of people was chilling, as if you were in a haunted house. You couldn’t remember the place being this empty before, and the familiar uneasiness whenever you were around Elvis settled over you. 

You hadn’t realized you zoned out until Elvis was waving his hand in front of you.

“Did you hear me, darlin’? Dinner’s ready.” 

“Right, sorry,” you said, joining him in the dining room. 

You sat adjacent to his seat at the head of the table. He liked you close by. You helped yourself to the food that was set out on the table, unnerved by the silence in the room besides the clinking of plates and utensils.

“Your sister called,” Elvis said nonchalantly. 

“What’d she have to say?” you asked, your eyes fixed on your plate.

“Said you’d called her in hysterics, something about me threatenin’ to kill you to get you to marry me.”

You froze, trying to stay as visibly calm as you could. “I don’t know what she’s talking about.”

“No? Well, that’s good. I got everything straightened out, let her know you were just stressed and hadn’t been gettin’ much sleep,” he said, before pointing his steak knife at you. “But if you ever run and tell someone else our personal goddamn business again, I’ll actually kill you.”

I wish you would.

He looked at you in disbelief. “What did you just say?”

“What?” you asked, before realizing you said the quiet part out loud. Your eyes widened. You had no idea how to respond. 

“So you can leave me like everyone else, that it?” 

You shook your head. “No, no, I wasn’t thinking. I’m sorry.”

“I thought I got all that bullshit outta your head before we left Vegas, but we’re gettin’ married in less than a week, and you pull this?”

You could tell he was getting angrier with each passing second. Instead of responding, you ran. His voice seemed muffled as he shouted after you, and you found yourself in an empty guest room. It was the one you used to stay in when you’d go to Graceland, back when you were just Elvis’ assistant. Before all of this happened, before he decided he was in love with you–or something.

He was undoubtedly searching for you now, and you knew how the night was going to end. That much was inevitable from his mood as soon as you got home. As soon as he got the call from your sister, he was going to raise Cain. Numbness washed over you, muting any other emotion that threatened to bubble over. This was the rest of your life, whether you liked it or not. 

When he found you a few minutes later, you hardly reacted when he came in, raging at you for making him think you had actually left. You let out the faintest laugh at that. If only he’d known how close you’d come to doing so before you made the mistake of calling your sister. You didn’t even know how you could face Kathy at the wedding in a few days’ time.

Again, you supposed some of the blame could be put on yourself. You squandered your opportunity to leave because you were afraid of hurting him, after everything he’d done to you. You didn’t want to admit to yourself how you loved him to the point of putting yourself in danger, and perhaps at this point you’d come to need him as much as he needed you.

“Please, Y/N,” he implored, reaching over to caress your cheek. “I love you.”

You let out a shaky sigh, “I love you too. I love you so much.”

“Then why’d you tell Kathy all of that?”

“You scare me sometimes.”

“Darlin’, I only get this way because I can’t lose you. You know that, I get jealous and protective of you. That don’t mean you have to make up lies.”

“Lies?”

“I proposed to you on that stage in front of all those people. You said yes. Where’d you get all that nonsense about me pullin’ a gun?”

“You told me to go up to your room before the show even happened. When I said I didn’t think marrying you would be a good idea, you lost it and went for your gun case.”

“I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.”

You sat up from the bed, pushing his hand away from you. “You’re not going to make me out to be the crazy one here.”

“Yeah? And who’s going to take your word over mine when your own sister won’t?” he asked. “I’m tryin’ to be gentle with you. I know you got real scared that night in Vegas, but it’s like nothin’s enough for you.”

“You’re enough for me! Just you, how you used to be, when you were nice and funny and my friend! That’s who I want to marry next week!”

“That’s who you are marryin’.”

“No,” you whispered. “No, you’re not him. You’re someone I don’t even know.”

“You really are crazy.”

“Yeah, for loving you anyway. I shouldn’t, but I do. Against every self-preservation instinct I have, I’m not going to leave because I love you too much, even when you’re jealous and irrational and scare me half to death, I love you.”

“That’s why I need you. No one else loves those parts of me.”

“I know.”

“Let’s just go to bed, baby. I’ll forget this whole thing if you do.”

It seemed like forgetting incidents like that was becoming the touchstone of your relationship. You couldn’t believe he tried to tell you he never went for his gun case that day, as if the fear you felt in that moment didn’t shake you to your very core and cause you to realize the man you were about to marry wasn’t the man you’d fallen in love with when you first became his assistant. You were tired of fighting, though. So you nodded in agreement, allowing him to lead the way to your shared bedroom and pretend for the next week that everything was fine.

You decided to cancel whatever wedding planning appointments were remaining. Whatever you’d chosen so far would suffice. You weren’t going to lose sleep over a wedding you didn’t even want anyway. Of course, the night leading up to the ceremony you couldn’t sleep. 

Kathy had arrived at Graceland the night before, and as much as you wanted to give her the cold shoulder, it was nice having family around, and neither she nor Elvis mentioned the phone call you’d made prior to her arrival.

Early in the morning, you were overcome with nausea, and ran into a bathroom in the hallway, not wanting to wake Elvis up. In doing so, you woke up Kathy, who made her way into the bathroom with a glass of water for you.

“It’s just nerves,” she assured you. “Completely normal before getting married. You know I’ve heard it’s all over in a flash. That’s why you get all the photographers and stuff, the day is such a blur you don’t remember a thing.”

You hoped as much to be true. As little of the wedding as you could remember, the better. You were relegated to the top floor of Graceland leading up to the ceremony, since the main floor was being transformed for the following reception, which you knew would end up leaving that part of the house a mess, but it wouldn’t be your concern. As soon as the reception was over, you and Elvis would be headed to Hawaii for a hopefully uneventful honeymoon, but you held your breath at that.

Kathy was your maid of honor, you didn’t have anyone else in your wedding party. As far as you knew, Elvis’ best man was Jerry, and Vernon would be walking you down the aisle since your own father couldn’t make it. Elvis was insistent on not seeing you until the ceremony, whether for tradition’s sake or because he truly believed the superstition that seeing the bride in her dress before the ceremony would mean bad luck, you didn’t know. 

Even going the whole morning without seeing him, his presence was looming. Everyone was there for Elvis Presley’s wedding, bride be damned. You didn’t mind, it was more for him, anyway. Certainly not the shotgun wedding you had originally expected, but as more guests arrived and the time for the ceremony grew nearer, you wished the two of you had just gotten it over with at a courthouse. 

“Y/N, you gotta hurry up, the photographers want you outside for photos,” Kathy said through the bedroom door.

“I just need help with this one part of my dress,” you said. “It’s in the back, and I can’t reach it.”

“Y/N, you look beautiful. Here, let me help you with that,” she said when she entered the room.

“Any word from my future husband?”

“Not that I’ve heard. You ready?”

“No, but I guess I’ll never be,” you answered.

When you had gone to follow her outside to the photographers, you were taken aback by how much Graceland had transformed. It was a gorgeous house to begin with, but with the decorations you had picked out, it looked like a fairytale. You had to admit, as much as you pushed back on the swan ice sculpture when Elvis mentioned wanting one, it did look really nice. 

You didn’t have much time to gawk before you were pulled in all sorts of directions by the photographers waiting outside. You weren’t sure why there couldn’t be just one, but apparently Elvis wanted as much of the event documented as possible. The bridal photos took an hour to do, and by the end of it you could feel yourself sweating and were ready for the whole thing to be over with. 

Farther back on Graceland’s property, the ceremony had been set up, with rows of chairs out for everyone and a platform toward the front where Elvis was speaking to the minister, a preacher from a local church who the Presleys had known for years. Now confronted with the reality of the ceremony, any calm you had over the past few days had disappeared. At least with getting your hair and makeup done and putting the dress on, you could pretend it was dress up, distance yourself from what was actually going on. As you heard the faint ‘Here Comes the Bride’ melody playing, you began to hyperventilate.

Kathy began rubbing circles on your back. “Y/N, hey, just take deep breaths.”

“I can’t do this,” you said, pleading with Kathy. “Don’t make me do this.”

“It’ll be fine.”

“I told you I don’t want to. Why did you tell him?”

“Don’t try to ruin a good thing, Y/N. Do you know how many women would kill to be in your place?”

“Let them have it, then. I don’t want it,” you said. 

“It’s your cue,” she said. “The ceremony will be over before you know it.”

She led you to the end of the aisle, a gorgeous carpet that had been laid out, with the flower petals you’d chosen strewn about. Kathy wiped away the mascara that had run down your face a bit, and gave you a hug before going to stand with the rest of the wedding party. You gave a tight-lipped smile to Vernon, who seemed to be somewhat sympathetic.

“Nerves got ya?” he asked.

“Something like that,” you answered.

He nodded to the woman behind the keyboard, who began playing ‘Here Comes the Bride’ again, and you had to fight the urge to pass out. As you walked down the aisle, tears fell from your eyes. You were sure everyone in attendance was making note of how happy you were on the special day. It did make your heart pang a little when you saw Elvis’ expression, how he could hardly hold back his own tears at the sight of you.

Vernon brought you up to Elvis, who took your trembling hand in his. Your chest felt tighter than ever as you turned to face the minister.

“You’re so beautiful,” Elvis whispered so only you could hear. “I’m the luckiest man alive.”

You couldn’t answer, unable to trust yourself not to beg for him to call the whole thing off. You wouldn’t be like Priscilla, who was able to leave even after having Elvis’ child. No, this was it for you. 

Your head was spinning by the time the minister got to the vows, and all you could manage was a soft-spoken, “I do,” when it was your turn. Till death do us part. He’d make sure of that much. 

A whirlwind of emotions overtook you when the minister announced, “I now pronounce you man and wife, you may kiss the bride.”

Elvis pulled you in for a heated kiss, to the cheers and applause from the guests in attendance and shuttering cameras of the photographers. It was too much like his ‘proposal’ to you, public and damning with approval from an unassuming audience. After the stunt with your sister, he probably figured he needed to make sure you were stuck with as many witnesses as possible to your willingness to marry him.

Before you could process that he had pulled away, he led you back down the aisle, everyone’s eyes on the two of you. The photographers began shepherding you and Elvis all over the place for wedding photos that you’d probably never be able to bring yourself to look at. Most of the guests were making their way over to the house for the reception, and about half an hour later, you and Elvis were too.

“I can’t believe you’re my wife,” he said with a bright smile, kissing your hand. 

“Me either,” you said. 

Satisfied with that answer, he kissed you again. The guests seated inside erupted in cheers and applause yet again when you and Elvis entered, and you two were ushered over to the head table. You hoped to god no one would ask you to make any sort of speech, what could you even say? 

You and Elvis sat together, and when Jerry went to make his speech as best man, you nearly threw up when he referred to you two as “Mr. and Mrs. Presley.” That was it. The first day of the rest of your life. As your eyes landed on every person staring at you and your now husband, you thought about how complacent they all were, how they let it happen. 

You were shocked when Elvis stood up to speak, to the delight of everyone present. “This wasn’t planned or nothin’, but I gotta say somethin’. Thank y’all for comin’ today. This is my second go at this, but I know it’s with the right woman this time. At my lowest, instead of runnin’ off like other people did, Y/N stood by me, because she really loves me, even when I’m actin’ foolish and ornery. That’s hard to find nowadays,” he said. “Y/N, baby, I love you.”

“I love you too,” you whispered.

He kissed you again, this time more quickly as someone else stood up to give a toast. “Elvis, Y/N, all my best. I can’t think of a better couple. When are you gonna get started on kids?” 

You hadn’t realized how tightly you’d been gripping your glass until part of it shattered at the mention of kids, slicing into your hand. The sound of everyone’s laughter drowned out the glass breaking. Quickly, you hid it under the table, hoping no one noticed, only to hiss in pain when Elvis grabbed it. You looked at him in confusion, and he squeezed your wounded hand tighter, leaning in to whisper in your ear. 

“Think they know we beat ‘em to that one?” 

“What?”

“You don’t think your glass has got any alcohol in it, do ya?”

You gasped. “Oh my god. How did you–”

“Know? You’ve been throwin’ up every mornin’ for the past two weeks. I know that ain’t nerves,” he said, before smirking a bit, “‘Sides, if I’m wrong, we got the whole honeymoon to work on it.”

You looked down at your hand and found that the blood was still flowing, staining your dress beyond salvation. 

[ddarker-dreams]

Unwanted Intrusions. Yan Childe x Reader

Warnings: Unbalanced power dynamics and suggestive themes. Word count: 1.3k. Note: Reposted due to tumblr’s awful not showing posts in tag problem : ))))

It’s no exaggeration to say this order could keep your parent’s business afloat.

For once, you feel as if the Geo Archon has heard your prayers and answered them. Maintaining your composure has never felt so challenging. Standing just to the side of this godsend customer, a genuine smile adorns your face, hands clasped behind your back. She examines the petals of every blossom with scrutiny. You’re more than confident that the assortment will be to her liking, pearly white qingxin’s that took arduous days to obtain.

All she needs to do is confirm what she spoke about earlier. Lian, as she had introduced herself, is a wedding coordinator for a wealthy merchant in Liyue. As funding isn’t an issue, she had considered purchasing your entire stock for the event. It’s a rather last-minute affair and you can’t imagine any other florists could pull it off. How overjoyed your parents will be when they hear this news, they’ll finally be able to rest easily at night. The financial burden that you’ve sought to relieve them of is just within reach.

Lian straightens her posture and looks to you, clearly pleased and reaching for her Mora purse. “It’s as you said, these qingxin’s have undeniable quality. Now then, let’s--”

“Ah, there you are, [First]! Working hard as ever, I take it. Though, if memory serves, isn’t this your day off?”

No. This can not be happening to you. The timing is far too cruel -- an insult, if anything -- blood draining from your face at the grating sound of Childe’s voice. Lian looks at the Fatui standing by the entrance with palpable disdain, and words escape you entirely. It’s no secret that the Fatui have put a hurting on local business, including the very merchant this wedding is meant to be for. Clearing your throat, you struggle to find your verbal foothold, hoping to salvage the rapidly devolving situation.

“I’m sorry sir, but I’m incredibly busy at the moment.” Your tone is aloof as you can manage. Childe leans against the entranceway, raising an eyebrow and tilting his head. You recognize that damned expression. It’s the look that comes right before Childe throws you to the wolves for his entertainment.

“I don’t mind waiting. We have a lot to go over since our discussion was cut short last time, remember?”

Lian pivots on her heel, already making for the door. “It seems you’re otherwise preoccupied at the moment. Best of luck with your… future endeavors.”

Your jaw is agape as Lian exists with haste. It feels like the Mora you were so close to obtaining slipped through your fingers, hot indignation flaring at Childe’s purposeful interruption. It’d be naïve to think this a mere coincidence. As soon as she’s gone, Childe makes straight for you, sizing up your displeased body language.

“What a shame,” Childe sighs, running a hand through his tousled copper hair. “Do you think it was something I said?”

“Why are you here?” You snap, arms crossing over your chest. The paper-thin patience you have when speaking to Childe is nonexistent this time around. It’s inevitable that every time you’re free of him for a while, that he makes up for it by intruding in the worst ways possible. The past three or so weeks without Childe lingering like a bad omen have been divine. A much-needed reprieve cut short far too soon.

Childe hums, canting his head down to get a closer look at you. “I think that’s rather obvious, [First]. I missed our little chats.”

He sounds pleased with himself. Frowning, you put your hands on his chest and push, hoping to create some space. Childe doesn’t so much as budge at your feeble attempts. His strength might not be noticeable at first glance, as his body is rather lean and slim. Unfortunately for you, it’s on display now, your force not even making him blink. Arms falling limp to your side in defeat, you recognize he’s not going to be giving personal space anytime soon.

“That’s great, but you’re scaring away my customers.” You grumble, standing on your tiptoes to glance over his shoulder. The situation outside makes your stomach churn in displeasure. Just outside the window, you catch the distinctive outfit of two Fatui guards, standing watch on the premises. Any passerby, Liyue natives or not, will undoubtedly be repelled by the sight.

“I would never,” he lets out a dramatized gasp, laughing at the deadpan stare you give in return. “Wow, what an intimidating glare! Endearing as that is, I much prefer how you look when your lips are on my--”

“Be quiet!” You hiss quietly, cheeks set ablaze, the room suddenly feeling too hot. “My parents are upstairs, you idiot.”

There’s a gleam in his eyes at the mention of this that fills you with despair. “That’s actually what I’m here for. I’ve never had the opportunity to introduce myself to them as your partner, isn’t that a custom in Liyue? Family is important, after all, it’s best to respect these things.”

Is that what he considers himself to be? Your partner?

You have no positive emotional connection to Childe, considering the Harbinger to be a persistent blight on your life. Every deplorable favor you exchanged -- at his behest -- was for the sake of alleviating the financial burden on your family. Carnal pleasure for the Fatui to cease harassing over their unpaid debt. What was done in the dark should remain there, as the humiliation attached to it is too great.

“You’re no such thing to me,” comes your detached response, cutting through the air like a knife. Childe’s lips curl into an uncharacteristic frown at your unhesitant rebuke. “For the last time, please leave so I can do my job.”

Silence. There’s no playful quip or arrogant laughter. Only an icy, piercing stare that sends shivers down your spine. You’ve never been on the receiving end of this look from Childe, who always seems to hold nothing but boundless adoration and favor on you. Swallowing thickly, you hold your ground, somehow managing to maintain eye contact.

“No such thing, huh?” He murmurs, your words bitter on his tongue. You shift uncomfortably, fists clenching by your side. Outside, you can hear the sounds of children playing, merchants bartering, and carts going by filled with various goods. The world is at a standstill in your humble store. Neither you nor Childe makes a move, tension steadily increasing as each second passes slower than the last.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Your heart drops. What does he mean by that? Sensing your newfound distress, he pats you on the head, in an act you can only describe as demeaning.

Childe reaches into his pocket, pulling out a personal belonging that sends your head reeling. A dainty necklace, unmistakable in its origin, glistening in front of you temptingly. That’s your mother’s necklace. A family heirloom for centuries, that she painstakingly pawned off to keep the flower shop afloat amidst financial turmoil. Wide-eyed, you reach out for it, only for Childe to lift it above your reach.

He shakes his head, smiling maliciously. “I guess I won’t be needing this any longer. I was hoping to win your parent’s favor with this little gift, but if that’s how you feel, why should I bother?”

“Childe, I’m--”

“Hm, not so cold now, are we?” He laughs, a sound devoid of humanity, placing the necklace away as fast as he took it out. Is this guilt that weighs on your soul? Agony? Hatred? You’re uncertain. Everything is happening too fast to mentally keep up with, Childe once again making a fool of you. You grit your teeth, taking in deep breaths to steady yourself. He stares at you with feigned disinterest.

“If you happen to change your mind,” he starts, turning to leave, “You know where to find me. I’ll be waiting.”

At that moment, you realize, it wasn’t you who had a semblance of control over Childe.

It was him that had you wrapped securely around his finger.

[pastelraccoons]

KiraSaya Week 2021 - Day 2: Photos/Memories

Early morning sunlight streamed through the kitchen window and lit up the room in a warm yellow glow. A freshly brewed cup of tea sat on the table to Kirari’s right. Spread out in front of her were dozens of photos that were taken over the past few years. A warm smile finally pulled on Kirari’s lips when she gently picked up one of the photos between her fingers.

It showed Sayaka and herself during one of their first ever dates just after highschool. They were clearly inside a theme park. The brightly colored sign of a roller coaster could be seen in the background. Sayaka’s face appeared pale and her knuckles were white as she gripped the sides of a trash bin. Kirari’s own face was hidden behind a hand in an attempt to hide her laughter as she snapped her girlfriend’s despair behind her.

Kirari chuckled when she placed the photo back down onto the table. She slowly sifted through each photo, catching glimpses of times past, until she settled on the next one.

The next photo showed them both in flowing dresses. Kirari remembered that Sayaka had surprised her with something a bit more elegant after dating for a couple years and insisted they go see a ballet performance. Kirari recalled the tickets weren’t exactly cheap. In Sayaka’s own words, she “just wanted the absolute best for her.” That’s how it always was; for both of them. Kirari mainly remembered being more enamored with how beautiful she thought Sayaka was that night than the ballet itself.

With a relaxed sigh, that photo was then added back to the pile. Kirari took a slow sip of her tea while continuing to lazily shuffled through the pictures. Her hand suddenly stopped as her fingers brushed against a particular photo. Her smile softened when she picked it up.

It was a day she knew she’d never forget.

Standing beneath a pure white arch completely adorned with those ever present and familiar lilies, were Kirari and Sayaka in matching wedding gowns. Sayaka had half buried her face in the bouquet grasped between her hands in an attempt to hide the joyful tears streaming down her face. Meanwhile, Kirari wore a soft, warm smile while cupping Sayaka’s cheek in her palm. She knew she was on the brink of tears herself during that surreal moment after their vows, but she was sure if she started crying too, Sayaka would only have worried about her.

Kirari’s smile widened when she leaned back in her chair. She ran her thumb against the glossy paper until the sound of floorboards creaking broke her free from her daydream.

She shook her head and caught Sayaka in the doorway of the kitchen. Her long, dark hair stuck up every which way, showing she just rolled out of their bed. She rubbed at her eyes with a yawn then sleepily blinked at Kirari.

“Morning,” Sayaka croaked, but she wore a peaceful smile of her own. “What are you up to?”

“Oh, nothing important. Simply reminiscing, that’s all,” Kirari said while tidying up the photos. She tapped them against the tabletop to neaten the stack then stood from her seat. “After all, we have a big day today.”

Kirari’s smile widened. She stepped up to Sayaka, wrapped her arms loosely around her waist, then pulled her into a tender kiss. A dreamy hum buzzed against her lips while Sayaka draped her arms around Kirari’s shoulders. When she broke off the kiss, Kirari brushed her thumb against Sayaka’s cheek.

“Happy anniversary, my dear,” Kirari whispered, then pressed their foreheads together. “May this be the first of many.”

[otonymous]

It’s The End Of The World (MLQC Headcanon)

Dear Nonny...

I say that now, Nonny, but the truth is that the ONLY thing I love more than smut is angst! Mwahahaha! 🤣🤣 That being said, let’s take a one-way trip to Angst Town!  Everybody got their seatbelts on?!  LET’S GO!!! (Please note warnings below before reading 💕💕💕)

Warnings: angst, explicit language, trigger warnings (mentions of speeding, near-death experiences and flashbacks, nausea & vomiting, insomnia, slight mention of possessive behaviour, workaholism, loss of appetite and weight loss, anger and violent behaviour (not towards other people though!)) and SPOILERS (basically up to chapter 24 in the EN server; includes dates and Rumours & Secrets for the boys) 

Gavin:

DEVASTATED.  This man is absolutely devastated.

Gavin has known you since high school and loved you since then

You were his dream girl — the one he thought had got away until his duties brought you back into his life.  He had vowed to protect you till the very end, had absolutely no qualms about giving his life for yours.  He made a solemn promise to himself that he would never lose you a second time

Until that fateful day when you invited him out for lunch at Lynn’s Kitchen on the grounds of your old high school

You order his favourites, spicy noodles and lemon tea; wait until his stomach is full before you open your mouth to gently broach the topic

“Gavin…I…”

A single glance at your face tells Gavin that something is terribly off.  He’s immediately setting his chopsticks down, asking, “What’s wrong?  You know you can talk to me about anything.  Whatever it is, I’ll help you—”

“Shaw.  We…we’ve decided to be together.  I know you’re not on good terms, and he did insist on coming today, but I thought it would be best if I told you myself…”

He cannot hear  

He cannot move  

And it isn’t until the burning sensation in his lungs catches up with him that he realizes he hadn’t even been breathing

Amber eyes, listless and dull, float from your lips to the wall decorated with Post-It notes just behind you, moving from one colourful slip of paper to another

“I hate it when people leave without saying goodbye.”

Gavin still remembers the loops and dashes of your handwriting on the Post-It note you had written so long ago, the way you dotted your i’s with hearts

And all of a sudden, he is back in his high school uniform, bloodied and bruised and free falling from the roof of the four-storey building

Except this time, he cannot hear the strains of a piano, no matter how hard he tries.  The gingko leaves around him flutter to the ground just before…

“Gavin?”  The touch of your hand on his snaps him out of his reverie.  He tries to force a smile and fails.

“I…I’m sorry.  There’s somewhere…I just remembered…I have to go….”  He hurriedly puts a few bills on the table — more than enough to cover the entire meal — and dashes out of the restaurant

Gavin hops on Sparky and just goes…riding for hours on end with no destination in mind.  He’s taken with an intense urge to go fast, as if his body were trying to outrun the feelings he doesn’t have the means of dealing with.  At one point, an overwhelming wave of nausea hits him and he stops at the side of the road, retching and retching until his stomach is as empty as his hollowed-out heart

He’s still thinking of you the entire time he’s MIA.  The last text from his phone is one sent to you, telling you not to worry about him and apologizing for the way he behaved back at the restaurant.  He’s asking if you’d still be okay with talking to him when he gets back, and of course, to contact him immediately if you need anything at all

He still feels you in the wind

Believe it or not, for a short period of time, Gavin actually develops a fear of flying: it reminds him too much of you, brings up too many memories of him holding you in his arms as you traverse the skies together.  He’s not confident he can do it anymore, partly because he thinks his Evol might suddenly give out when he’s high up in the air

The turning point comes when Gavin visits his mother’s resting place.  There, for the first time since you broke the news to him, he actually cries, and it gives him the strength to carry on

Let’s be clear: Gavin will never, ever be over you.  The two of you will remain friends though because Gavin intends to watch over you for the rest of his life (that is one promise he would never break)

With time, he gets used to seeing you with Shaw, even starts to relax a bit when he realizes that his younger brother is capable of protecting you

Someday, Gavin will marry — likely someone who was set up with him either by Minor or his colleagues (Birdcop would never take the initiative to actually meet somebody).  This person is absolutely smitten with the handsome officer and his gruff ways and cannot wait to start a family with him.  They would also have to be thick-skinned and stubborn enough to turn Gavin’s “no” into an eventual “yes”

And while Gavin would prove to be a loyal husband and doting father who would do anything for his family, a part of him would always, always, continue to burn for you.

Lucien:

How do you expect this man to behave when he’s lost the only colour in his life?

Lucien would never, ever recover from this.  He doesn’t want to.  The man for whom love was never meant to happen has no need for such an emotion.  He wants nothing to do with it unless it has to do with you

The professor’s world literally returns to being a drab shadow of blacks and greys — the rainbow disappeared when his little butterfly flew into the palm of another’s hand

“Do you love him?” He’ll ask you, dark eyes almost hypnotic in their intensity when he pierces you with that gaze

You’re ashamed to find that you have to think twice before replying that you do indeed love Victor

Ba-bump, ba-bump, BA-BUMP — Lucien breaks out into a cold sweat as his heart begins to race, face becoming pale as a sheet

His shaking hands are pulled into tight fists within the pockets of his lab coat.  He’s running his finger over the cap of his pill bottle inside one of them, not wanting to take them in front of you because in spite of it all, the last thing he wants is for you to worry about him 😭😭😭

Lucien nods, placid smile a mask on his face when he says,  “I wish the two of you nothing but the best.”

“Lucien!”  You start after him when he turns to walk away.  “We…we’re still friends, right?”

For what is possibly the first time in his entire life, Lucien can’t think straight.  His mind is a mess, logical thoughts tangled up with sorrow, hurt, anger, and the sense that the world could end at that very moment and he wouldn’t even bat an eye.

He takes a deep breath, composing himself before he turns to face you again: “Of course.  You can always come to me if you ever need anything.”  It takes everything in him not to fall apart when he lays a hand on the crown of your head, savouring the heat of your body for the very last time

In the days immediately afterwards, the people around Lucien better watch out as his ability to keep cool, calm and collected is challenged: he’s giving the side-eye to his colleagues at the research institute more often then usual, and Black Swan members literally want to run the other way when they see him coming.  If they thought Ares was ruthless before then they’d better watch out now…

As if it were even humanly possible, the professor sleeps even less now: if he’s not in the lab, he’s literally wiling away the hours watching old Hollywood films

Sometimes, he’ll place his hand on the handle to the door of your apartment, closing his eyes and doing his best to pretend that he can still feel your palm in his (he knows you’re not home.  You so rarely are these days…)

Unbeknownst to you, Lucien spends his weekends revisiting the places you used to go together: sitting on the same bench at the aquarium where you kissed him without a second thought, wandering to the theme park you ran away to as a child just to watch the carousel spin round and round, trying his best to keep a smile on his face when the kids at the orphanage ask him where his “pretty lady friend” is

Lucien actually has a kite that he bought ages ago, intent on fulfilling his promise to one day fly it with you.  It sits in his apartment still.  He can’t bring himself to dispose of it.

Gives you his pen, Iridescent, as part of his wedding gift to you.  “May it always bring you luck, wherever you are and…whomever you’re with.”

Regardless of where he is, Lucien will always be keeping tabs on you.  If Victor ever trips up, you can bet that Lucien will be there to swoop in and take his place

The professor will never love another person for as long as he lives.  That’s all there is to it.

Victor:

Throws himself into his work when you break the news to him that you’ve accepted Lucien’s proposal

“If that dummy can’t see that I’m the most suitable choice for her, then let her suffer the consequences of her foolishness.” — Victor will tell himself that, but don’t believe it for even a second

Victor has always been obsessed with working, but this is on an entirely new level, even for him: the man’s been missing meals (or taking them at his desk, at most) and doesn’t leave his office until close to midnight, most days of the week

Like a watch whose gears are irreparably damaged, the LFG CEO is broken on the inside.  He has to focus on work because he knows that if he stops long enough to fully consider the consequences of having lost you, he would never climb out of the depths of his despair

Even his dad and aunt become concerned, especially when they notice that he’s lost weight: “Victor, you have employees for a reason.  Delegation is not a weakness.”

His mind often drifts to you, especially when he’s driving.  There are many times when he finds himself absentmindedly heading in the direction of your office after work before he catches himself (the man is so used to picking you up that it’s become like muscle memory, in a sense)

Weekends will find him holed up in his attic space, fingers tracing over the uneven surface of the cup you had accidentally dropped and shattered, the pieces of which he had spent an entire night glueing back together

He shuts down Souvenir for a while: Victor cannot bring himself to step foot in the kitchen because he can’t help but see your face, smiling in rapturous joy to indulge in the caramel pudding he made especially for you

He spends his nights lying wide awake in a bed that suddenly seems much too big, wondering if you would’ve chosen differently if he took the time to tell you all the things he always thought were obvious: that he respected your fighting spirit, admired the brazen way you never gave up on the things you believed in, loved every single thing about you, even the things he seemed to disapprove of

His biggest regret: that he never had the chance to tell you that you were the love of his life

He often fantasizes about what it would’ve been like to stop time before you informed him you were choosing Lucien, to exist forever with you in a single moment when you made him the happiest man alive just by sharing your time with him

He still checks your Moments account religiously, murmuring “Dummy” with the faintest hint of a smile on his face to see your ridiculous posts, but he can never bring himself to reply.  Victor’s pride won’t let him.  He would rather die than let you know that each moment spent without you makes him feel like he is suffocating

Eventually, his worried family — especially his aunt — decides that enough is enough.  They force Victor to take a vacation while trying to discreetly set him up with daughters of other wealthy and prominent families

Victor is beyond annoyed at having his personal affairs meddled with like this, but is essentially strong-armed by his aunt, who turns on the waterworks and starts sobbing about wanting to see the progeny of her dearest nephew before she passes on or withers away from want of new blood in the Li family

Victor will eventually have to marry and have kids — he needs to have someone to pass LFG on to.  It will be a long while before he does settle down though; at one point, it’ll seem like he’s content to be a bachelor for life, married to his work

He will show up for your wedding though, and you can bet the most generous gift will be from the LFG CEO

“Try not to be such a dummy from now on.  I won’t be there to set you straight and your husband may not be as patient of a man as I am.”  Those jet black eyes are wavering with emotion when he reaches out to lay a hand on your head.  But he halts midway, awkwardly pulling back because he’s realized that he doesn’t have the right to touch another man’s wife so casually 😭😭😭

Kiro:

“Ahahaha!  All right, all right…you’ve got me.  You can stop playing around now, Miss Chips,” Kiro will say, hands held up in defeat when you tell him that you’ve accepted Gavin’s proposal

When he realizes you’re being serious, it’s like all the warmth and light has suddenly been sucked from the room

Those blue eyes go wide, the smile dropping from the superstar’s face.  For what seems like an interminable amount of time, Kiro just sits there staring at you, almost catatonic

When he speaks again, you’re so surprised you almost jump out of your skin: “Gavin…he’s that cop, right?  The friend you’ve known since high school?”

You nod and all of a sudden, it’s like the floodgates have been opened: Kiro’s grasping your hands in his, expression panic-stricken as his questions come a mile a minute:

“Was it something I did, Miss Chips?  I swear I’ll change!  I…I won’t eat junk food anymore!  Won’t even look at that stuff!  If you don’t like your nickname, I’ll call you by your real name, anything you want!  Or maybe it’s because my schedule is always so crazy?  I’ll cut back on my jobs, I don’t care about the money!  If you’re tired of running from the paparazzi, I’ll quit.  Just quit, stop everything — I don’t care, ok?  The only thing I care about is you!  Miss Chips?  Please don’t cry…I’m your hero, remember?  So please…please…”

A single tear rolls down his cheek — you have to look away or else your resolve would crumble

“I’m so sorry, Kiro.  I…I wanted you to be the first to know.  I wanted you to hear it from me…”

It’s like all the life has been drained from him; it actually frightens you to see him like that

“Kiro?"  You hesitantly lay a hand on his.  It’s almost cool to the touch.  Kiro gives his head a little shake, seeming to come back to himself

“I’m…I’m so sorry, Miss Chips.  I don’t know what came over me.  I didn’t mean to get hysterical.  God, what an awful way to react….”  He forces a laugh, but it is wooden and so goddamn heartbreaking to hear.  You almost wish he would scream obscenities at you instead

“He, Gavin…he’s a good man.  He’ll be good for you.  I’m happy that you’re happy, Miss Chips.”

The next day, Kiro drops off the face of the Earth: he’s MIA, no one can reach him

Everyone is panicking: his agent, Savin, and management, his legions of adoring fans all over the world, and most of all, you

That is, until he sends two text messages, one to Savin and the other to you, telling you all that he’s safe and not to worry; he’s just taking some time to work some things out for himself

In actuality, the only thing that’s happening is that Kiro is reverting back to who he originally was before you came into his life

His sun has been eclipsed by crushing sorrow and loss, the brilliance of your light and warmth forever taken from him and he is left in the cold shadow of solitary darkness

Kiro wants to be happy for you, and he hates that he can’t — this dissonance so disconcerts him that he’d rather not feel anything at all

When the superstar does eventually return to the world at large, there’s something about him that’s changed — Savin and the rest will be largely fooled by that ever-cheerful mask he puts on, but you won’t

Those blue eyes seem just a bit darker, the radiance of his being almost imperceptibly dimmed

Poor Kiro, loved the world over, would never love another person for the rest of his life.  It would always be you or nothing.

Shaw:

Hurt.  Angry.  Confused.

Shaw is angry with himself for ever believing that you and him had a future together; he hates that he saw the signs that you would always, always, always choose Gavin in the end and still continued to lie to himself in spite of it

He hates that he let himself become vulnerable by falling in love with you (Shaw sees vulnerability as the biggest weakness one could have, that’s why he’s always kept himself emotionally guarded in his dealings with people)

But for whatever reason, when it came to you, he just couldn’t help but fall (“Guess brothers are hard-wired in the same way after all, no matter how different we think we are,” he’ll say with a bitter laugh)

A lengthy and most unusual storm will hit Loveland City; expect an extended light show with lots of thunder and lightning

The boy is trashing his place, throwing whatever he can get his hands on: cans of Coke and Pepsi, dishes, clothing and books

He breaks the deck of his skateboard when he smashes it against the wall, bringing down a good chunk of plaster along with it

You won’t be there to witness the destruction.  Shaw will continue to front like nothing could ever faze him when you tell him that you’ve chosen to be with Gavin.  He’ll chuckle, brows raised as he bites on the tip of his straw, saying, “Whatever.  It’s your life.  Do what you want with it.”

Then suddenly, he’s standing up to leave, hand half-raised in goodbye as he makes for the exit without so much as a glance back at you.  

“Take my umbrella.  And don’t worry about returning it.”  

Those are his last words to you.  Not long after, you spy the handle of the black umbrella sitting in the stand near the front of the café (the only one there, since it had been bright and sunny out).  And suddenly, the clouds are rolling in to blanket Loveland City in grey, sheets of rain pouring from a sky cracked in half by a fearsome bolt of lightning

Shaw walks, letting cold rain soak him to the bones to take his mind off the ice that’s already started to freeze the blood in his heart

“Don’t cry…don’t let them f*cking see you cry…" he's saying to himself, over and over again like a mantra

Starts hanging out at the Live House more than ever, losing himself in the music and packed crowds there; he can’t stand to be alone right now.

When he’s not playing bass guitar as a last minute backup for the bands, he’s literally working on his thesis at the bar, sipping on his Coke and Pepsi blend (the staff know him so well that they’re pretty much cool with him doing anything at this point LOL)

STILL blows off every person who comes to proposition him for a good time

I’m sorry, but you know it’s pretty much gonna rain on your wedding day, right?  (The poor boy can’t help it, okay?  He is SAD, SAD, SAD!)

Much like his brother, Shaw will never really get over you.  You were, after all, the first person he ever truly loved

Would likely remain an eternal bachelor, only engaging in meaningless sex but never opening his heart to anyone ever again.  One lesson was enough for him. 😭😭😭

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

Thank you so much for reading!  Check out more of my work here! 📚

[abookishdreamer]

Character Intro: Oizys (Kingdom of Ichor)

Nicknames- The Woeful Goddess by the people of Olympius

Mrs. Black by Aphrodite

My One & Only by Moros

Age- 28 (immortal)

Location- The Underworld

Personality- She's extremely sensitive to the emotions of herself and that of other people, especially negative ones. She's an intelligent neurotic- introverted, cynical, & generally pessimistic. She's engaged to be married.

She has the standard abilities of a goddess. Her other powers/abilities include limited umbrakinesis, limited memory manipulation, fatigue inducement (temporarily) in others, limited illusion generation, being able to sense and manipulate the feelings of sadness, despair, worry, grief, anxiety, & other negative emotions in others, limited hydrokinesis (tears, ponds, rivers, & puddles), and being able to shapeshift into/communicate with cats, ravens, crows, elephants, wolves, & dogs.

Oizys is recently engaged to Moros (god of doom) after he popped the question with a beautiful cushion-cut black diamond ring, which was sourced & designed by Hades (god of the dead). The couple wants to wait till they’re legally married to live together, so she resides in her Victorian style mansion on her own.

She sometimes stays in nearby hotels in Komotini when she visits her father.

Oizys is fluent in Latin.

She's definitely closer to her father Harpocrates (god of silence & discretion) than her mother Hybris (goddess of insolence, hubris, & reckless pride). She helps out with his therapy business, where she herself offers services in relation to grief counseling. She also heads the national suicide hotline number in Olympius.

Oizys wants to build a better relationship with her mom, so she reluctantly agreed for her to be the wedding planner.

Adagio for Strings is her smartphone's ringone.

Oizys has a personal assistant- a harpy named Nyxarae Galeveil. She was adopted by a lampade family who found her as a baby abandoned near the entrance of the train station in the Underworld.

Her go-to drink is lavender tea. She doesn't mind traveling out-of-realm to a Roasted Bean coffee shop in Olympius to get one. She also brews her own. She also enjoys pomegranate cola, ginger ale, classic martinis, as well as red wine.

Black roses are her favorite flowers. Dahlias come in a close second.

In the pantheon, another man she wholeheartedly trusts is her fraternal twin brother Momus (god of mockery, satire, & ridicule). Oizys supports him, free of judgement in all his endeavors. They were there for each other during their parents' split & with all the backlash surrounding his vocality against the pantheon. She also visits him from time to time to check on him- jokingly ordering room service on his tab (her favorite treat being the honey roasted figs with limoncello creme fraiche).

Her favorite dessert is the dark chocolate cake from Hollyhock's Bakery.

Oizys is friends with Penia (goddess of poverty), Ptocheia (goddess of beggary), Hesychia (goddess of quiet, stillness, rest, & silence); a family friend, The Moirai, Pathos (god of emotion), Kakia (goddess of vice & moral wrongdoing), Mania (goddess of insanity), The Furies, Amechania (goddess of helplessness & want), Cocytus (Titan god of wailing & lamentation), Neféloma (goddess of space & dark matter), and Asteria (Titaness of falling stars, astrology, magic, necromancy, and nocturnal oracles & prophecies).

Oizys was the official mentor to Achlys (goddess of the death mist, poison, misery, & sadness).

She's aware of her father's new, much younger girlfriend Sophrosyne (goddess of moderation, temperance, & restraint), but is not ready to officially meet her.

Oizys and Moros made their official public debut as a couple at the Olympian Gala, where the event's theme was "A Gilded Affair." She wore a full length taupe silk-taffeta gown along with full length black leather gloves & black croc leather elevated ghillie platform heels from the fashion brand skoúro ankáthi- the designer being a lampade named Ronan Ashenheart. The fashion brand is known for it's modern take on the Victorian style. The only makeup Oizys wore was shimmery black eyeshadow while her hair was done in a voluminous Edwardian style updo. She borrowed a piece of jewelry to wear to the event- the Bleeding Heart necklace from Euryphaessa. The necklace is a 60 carat red diamond cut into a heart like shape surrounded by miniature red sapphires and set in platinum & white diamonds. It's the most expensive piece, coming in at 350 million drachmas! The necklace is currently on display at the New Olympus Museum of Modern Art.

Her first date with Moros was quite the experience. They took a drive- a scenic route through the Underworld, went stargazing and wine tasting, topping it off with a stroll through a cave, taking in the bioluminescent crystals overhead.

Oizys' interests and hobbies include writing songs & poetry, singing (her fiance says she has the most beautiful voice), ballet, playing the piano, violin, harp, and cello, embroidery (is part of The Moirai's sewing/knitting circle), interpretive dance, going to the opera, reading, & doing art (she does a lot of self portraits). She has had thoughts of actually recording some of her own music.

Her all-time favorite meal is her father's chicken piccata. She also likes her mom's lemon rice & Moros' spinach ohitashi.

"Depression is living in a body that fights to survive- with a mind that tries to die."