#devi's distraction

[bustedthruster]

sketching a world where they could've been friends

[reineyday]

wait i only just found out Sendhil Ramamurthy is playing cobra???? omgggg 💞💞💞

[eatmangoesnekkid]

Months ago, someone asked in my inbox to give them perimenopause advice. She shared more personal info that I am not able to decode right now so I won’t share her message (a bit long, loved one) but I will share something which is not really a message for perimenopausal women but for younger women who have not reached this stage.

I’m 49, nearly 50, and used to say that I’m not perimenopausal yet. But what I’m realizing is that I may be in perimenopause but simply have NO Symptoms!

I haven’t experienced any symptoms, heavy monthly bleeds or cramps, during my monthly painless periods in nearly 15 years, so why do I expect perimenopause would be different? For me—my various stages have been ease, flow, and pain-free. So perhaps I am peri but our world simply has nooooo understanding that it doesn’t have to come with obvious common symptoms.

But I have been spending time in nature, in quiet, very little noise pollution, centering eating well and detoxification practice and de-stressing my mind, and living with minimum worry, for nearly two decades. I stopped buying into the “herd mentality” and trying to be like other people or do the most popular thing in my teens and 20s; overgiving and over functioning and being pulled by the divisiveness of the world in my 30s; and needing to be validated for my gifts, talents, and abilities in my early 40s. I eat out, but very occasionally and usually only in connection and relationship to another person I sharing good fun with. But mostly I prepare and cook my own food with my hands, my hips, and my heart. Nothing out of a bag, box, or can for me, other than coconut milk for flavor and sauces.

As a result, my body is very different from the average woman my age and I tend to look/feel/emanate as a woman in her 20s. So while I don’t have peri advice, I can say to younger women to start now tending to your body, the tissues of your female physiology, your sexual energy that can be used for sex, fitness, and for regenerating your body. My breasts are plump as is my vulva and my body feels both soft and strong, and easily pleasured (all of which are important for healthy female physiology) . And I know someone’s reading like this “ohhmahgawd, why she talking about her breasts and vulva!!!!” 🥰😅😅We must get used to having real woman conversations with real woman solutions. We don’t time for anything less.

I live a very grown, gynocentric —meaning —womb-led, Devi (Devotional) life, without all the performance, pretending, and fluff. Life doesn’t have to be perfect and yet I tend to find ways to feel beautiful (within myself). I tend to my circadian systems and sleep very well and tend in bed at decent hours aligned with nature's rhythms. I take care of my female tissues and muscles and keep them both soft and strong. I also tend my mind and heart and clear distractions without apology or pretending. I come back home to my body, my cultivated fortress, without shame or needing to explain why to anyone. But I can also move through discomfort and stay connected to another when it’s get hard or uncomfortable .

My mind, body, and lifestyle habits have contributed to my healthier quality of womanhood. If you read my “wound of being judgmental” post on Instagram, there I share how a woman Constantly judging other women affects the libido and cycles of her body overtime. Also I believe women should be “intuitive eaters.” We should enjoy food, cooking and learning about our very powerful physiologies and not follow any trends, dogma or diets—all created by men and organized towards male physiology—but draw closer intimately into what our bodies unique needs are in a holistic way that will fluctuate and “flow” (as the Source naturally architected) . In other words we can’t be told what to eat or always follow a script. We actually have to come home to our bodies and listen to them, which is a scary feeling for many women because we have been to distrust or numb out to what we feel, and just do what everyone does. We should also gather and share food abundantly with loved ones in our community when it’s time.

In my new work, I share what’s on deck in my herbal apothecary just in case I start feeling peri symptoms. The only big shift I noticed is my lack of desire to be on social media for too long. I used to have FOMO when I went offline, but not anymore. I enjoy being in connection to my body and being in real life and relationships offline. With that, I’m excited to open my online school and be in a nourishing and nurturing community with other women. It’s going to be powerful. 🌹🌹🌹

I’m off Instagram for awhile. It’s so luscious to clear the psyche and seed into deeper grounded creative womanly arts with The Melody of Love series of books. Feel beautiful or feel whatever it is for you to feel at this time. The divine desires to experience itself in all of life, everything, so feel whatever is true for you to feel. I’m so grateful to be in this beautiful moment of warm sun. Many Blessings , India 🌹😘

[shesthespinstersimmer]

Commencement / Copperdale (3)

Flawless finish, per usual. Maia finished at the top of her class; as a result, becoming the first recipient of the Levesque Medical Trust, a grant that pays for top medical students to pursue their specialty - as well as offer opportunities to shadow professionals already in the field.

Her mother, Jai is over the moon, but not surprised; Maia has stayed focused and has done everything she’s asked of her. The big question now is: should she tell her mother the whole truth about her and Elsa, or just let it float until after she gets her degree?

As for Elsa, she’s already told her family about Maia and they can’t wait to meet her in person. Her father Bjorn and her mother Clara have always taken a rather casual approach to parenting; they feel that children need space to discover themselves. As for their relationships? They trust them to make the decisions that bring them joy.

When it comes to her education, Elsa has decided to study Eco Science to make the world a cleaner, safer place. She hopes to partner with her father, eventually to help him reduce the carbon footprint of his builds, innovating things like water and energy conservation.

Devi is very excited to be in the principal company at BLab this year; it will be a challenge to do that and keep up with her studies, but she feels she’s up to the task. The good news is, her work with the company will provide credits to her degree as well.

Her Daadee Geeta and her Mama Alcina are pretending to be OK, but their acting skills are terrible. Devi gets it - it’s to be expected when the baby goes off to Uni. Luckily, they have the grandbabies to keep them distracted. Her Paapa Raj just keeps cooking; he’s been prepping food for her to take to the dorms - his special way of showing love.

As for dating? She agrees with sister Saanvi - the right opportunity will present itself in just the right time.

Aquib initially moved in with his brother Mehdi for his education, but low-key to get away from their strict parents a bit. While Mehdi allowed him to be a little freer, he did stress the importance of a good foundation. Together they came up with a compromise – Aquib will be studying medicine, while minoring in holistic medicine - that gives him a chance to pursue his interest in nontraditional forms of healing. That should also appease his parents who can then brag that their son has a degree in medicine. 

As for Devi, he believes he’s making progress; after all, she’s agreed to be his date to his brother’s wedding 🥰

Previous / Next / Beginning

[noomyguts]

Since the show has already shaken the books timeline and events up so much I'd love if they could walk Armand back from the multi million dollar tech bro he's sort of starting as, no more private jets, no more private islands please

I know he becomes a millionaire in queen of the damned to buy himself and Daniel luxury things/experiences/the island, but I feel like we are already starting the story here when we get introduced to him in the show, except it's a sort of mock version of the life he has with Daniel in Queen of the Damned.

The show presents an alternate history from the book that has Louis and Armand stay together after Paris, Armand and Daniels first meeting be at Daniel and Louis interview in 1973, Armand erases Daniels memories of him, Armand doesn't turn Daniel in the 80s, and Daniel ages 50 more years.

Instead of being in a relationship with Daniel, Armand has remained in his relationship with Louis in a very twisted parallel.

Instead of building a house on an island filled with cherished memories with Daniel, he built a concrete box in Dubai filled with loaded memorabilia to match his life with louis. They're surrounded by wealth and luxury, but it comes across cold and hollow.

Assume without Devi's Minion plotline from the 70s-80s happening (as far as we know), Armand would have had to adapt to the modern world, without Daniel, alongside Louis instead.

His hobbies he loved sharing with Daniel (from the book) are either absent altogether in season 1-2 or get reflected in a empty way with louis in Dubai. His interest in art, fashion, Interior decorating, technology are all very muted from the eccentric, eclectic, hyperfixations we know Armand from the books to have had.

SO in the next seasons I hope we see Armand post divorce, depression era 2, hoping around from hoarder apartment to hoarder apartment, I want filthy kitchens, wild outfits, books and movies scattered everywhere, tanks on every surface, cables wires and computers, every game system ever??

except instead of his interest being a source of happiness for him like in the book, they should make it a little self destructive.

I want him to spiral into his interest, I want him so out of his mind with self bought distractions he can't keep up with hiring staff anymore, he's unstable, he's on his own, he's on the city bus like everyone else, and trying not to think about how he's tanked his life.

I think that'd be interesting. A way to take his character from the book and twist it a little to match his current situation in the show.

Like Daniel is already a vampire now, he doesn't need to be sugar baby spoiled/swept off his feet by Armand in order to like him, Armand needs to be humbled even further, and once the false persona Armand built with Louis fades, Daniel will like him all the more for it, and possibly be the one to help him out of that low place.

[depressed-overthinker]

Ok so normally i always try to look at things from a very understanding perspective but this post.........goshhh

The height of ignorance is both hilarious and sad to read about like if u are going to diss our scriptures at least do it with research.

First of all, one thing that i want to highlight for people out there is that;

DO NOT APPROACH INDIAN SCRIPTURES OR EASTERN RELIGIONS IN GENERAL WITH AN ABHRAHAMIC MINDSET.

This is not to shit at abhrahamic philosphies but to highlight the fact that these philosphies have different approaches to different things....

For ex: Based on my limited understanding of these philosphies I would say they have a clear cut definition of what constitutes as good or bad, there are rarely shades of grey between them....

HOWEVER....

Indian scriptures do have millions of shades of grey between them so to your first line stating that:

"Asurs are always depicted as unscrupulous villains" is in itself wrong... because there have been millions of times when asurs came victorious against their battle against devas and some of them did have virtuous qualities like bali, mahishasur (in devi bhagvatam purana) etc.

I dont consider asurs as necessarily bad beings just as i dont consider devas to be necessrily good beings.

Asurs tend to be arrogant when bestowed with a new power and generally...and i do emphasize on generally, they use those powers to wreck havoc.

Similarly, Devas or in most cases, Indra also tend to become arrogant and are always drenched in superiority complexes which is why, there is always a need for the one of the tridevs *cough* narayan *cough* to humble him.

As for indulgng in deceit.....

Both Devas and Asurs tend to do that to get upper hand....

Its just unfortunate that Devas are much more subtle and clever with their deceitful actions than Asurs who are like bull in the china shop.

On top of that, there are many instances when I personally felt a need to wrinkle my nose while i was reading these stories... sometimes at the actions of the Devas....other times at the actions of Asurs.

Shukracharya's story is perhaps one of the great examples of how petty and arrogant devas can be. Just as the story of Shumbh and Nishumbh is a testament to the destructiveness and momentary stupidness of Asurs.

My point is that puranas are basically moral stories from which we need to learn from.... instead of taking sides and completely bypassing the points they are screaming.

And while reading, we need to keep in mind that every character in them needs to be looked at a very neutral scale..

They are neither good nor bad, just people with both qualities in them.

Asurs have some qualitites like their tenacity and resilience that deserves to be admired just as Devas cleverness and cunningness deserves to be admired....

So if u look at these scriptures with a very who is good and who is bad mindset well.... lets just say u completely missed the lessons they were preaching....

Now, lets see the incidents you were talking about.....

The Samudra Manthan's goods were not for Devas to give away let me be clear on that...

Laxmi was not given away....she is not some goods u can barter about with....

She went to narayan because she wanted to marry him.

U know consent is a thing. right?

As for other goods....

I am not trying to be defensive here but Asurs clearly were stupid to get distracted by Mohini avatar.... Devas just happen to be clever and not get distracted by frivolous things and focus on task at hand....

Most importanty, u need to REMEMBER that Narayan is THE PRESERVER OF THE UNIVERSE.

He oversees how the universe works and to prevent it from going into chaos and why would he give the elixir to Asurs when at that time they clearly had bad intentions?

He already has his hands full dealing with Asurs who get boons from Shiva and brahma. I am sure he DOESN'T need more on his platter.

My bro has just gotten married at least give him some time to enjoy his honeymoon......XXXXD

(that was a joke btw)

Saw this meme on tumblr by @decemberpdf

Ahem....

anyways....

back to the topic....

Rahu and Ketu were the only ones who were focused on their goal, an admirable quality but they did not have good intentions so...

Narayan chopped them off.....

He does what he needs to do. Its his job.

As for the lakshagrah incident...

Yeah it was shitty when Bhim left his wife and son.... even i dont agree with that point...perhaps one day i might see things from a different perspective but not today....

But it was not because he wanted to leave her but because there were bigger scales at stake. Keep in mind he did not stay with his other wives (excluding draupadi) as well. Now I know that is not a good excuse but they are royals. Royalty marriages were done mainly for political purposes.... hence the polygamy.

What do u think may have happened if Bhima decided to stay?

I can imagine very different scenarios and none of them are favorable.

Bhim was the leading physical force in all of his brothers. If he had stayed.... I am sure I dont need to tell you about how the Bakasura incident may have ended.

Finally get your knowledge right, Hidimbi was a Rakshasi not a Danvi, if i am not wrong.

These two are completely different races.

Ghatotkatch did what he did for his father perhaps out of love perhaps out of duty but he understood his circumstances and was not bitter towards his father.

He is definitely a better person than me...

Eklavya's tale is quite the AMBIGUOUS one...

Some say his thumb was cut due to the far sightedeness of Drona, some say that it was because Drona feared his talent....so i would leave it upto u.

Eklavya's tale can be explained that Drona saw his potential and as an Hastinapur's employee decided to nip the bud before it bloomed by asking Eklavya's thumb.

Keep in mind that Eklavya was a citizen of Magadh which was not an ally of Hastinapur. If Eklavya had flourished, he may have been employed by Jarasandh in future, thus may have become a headache for Hastinapur. Drona may have foresaw this, which is why he did what he did.

OR

He was just an asshole and could not digest that someone was better than Arjuna. But come on, I can't blame him... Arjuna was a loyal and diligent student even more so, than his brothers.

Anyone who is a teacher will understand this that teaching a student who wants to learn is better than the students who want to learn because its expected of them.

yes Eklavya's tale is a tragic one....

Do i hate drona for it? Yes.

But do i understand why he did what he did? Also yes.

Finally ramayan.....ohhh the lack of knowledge the OP shows is hilarious....

Ram is a myriadda purushottam sure..... yes he abandoned and questioned his wife not once but twice..... first time Sita understands and proves herself not for Ram....but for her people. Dont forget she is a queen who has a duty towards her people just like Ram. Second time when Ram banishes her, does she simply take it? NO!!! She fights back and refuses to come back when Ram calls her back.

Even going further by asking her mother to take her back.

The first time it was her duty, second time it was her self respect.

Do i agree with what Ram did? No...

Do i understand why he did what he did? Yes.

In my opinion u can either be a good spouse or a good leader. Never both.

And to question your sources, many dont even consider uttar kanda from where these incidents are, as part of Valmiki Ramayan, which is the OG Ramayan so....

As for your claim...

"ooo but Ravan never touched her sexually or he was a gentleman"

Bitch stfu

Ravan did not touch her, not because he was a gentleman but because he had a curse...some say from an apsara... some say from his daughter in law, that if he touches another woman against their will he would literally die.

Yes he raped the apsara or if u read the daughter in law version, then the daughter in law.

Ram deceitfully killed Bali and he paid for it in his next life as Krishn when he was killed by an arrow in the feet.

Bali was an asshole and he died in an asshole way.

Krishn died the way he did to pay for his 'sins ' in the previous life.

Not even gods can escape their karma.

"All these puranic tales have become a matter of intense debate..."

As they should be....

A society can only evolve if it questions. Even if those questions become controversial or a taboo to speak about. Many practises we do in the name of god or traditons are unhealthy and if u will not question them..Who will? And how will we move past them?

And because people have stopped or were forced to stop reading their scriptures HAS made them easy to manipulate thus came in the things like caste system, boob tax in one indian kingdom (i am forgetting the nae, so dont ask) etc.

I dont advocate for caste system....nor will I ever.

But when time passes and SCRIPTURES become old there is always a POSSIBILITY that they have been tampered with and their right message is distorted and manipulated to suit the agendas of the powerful few.

I am still open to the possibility that there may be more scriptures yet undiscovered about Ramayana and Mahabharat and thus my opinions may also chnage.

Furthermore, there are many things I still can't digest when I read Ramayan and Mahabharat and its Ok....because experience changes perspective. Maybe someday... I will understand some of the decisions of the characters within these epics.

Lastly, the one thing people need to do is that they should read their own scriptures in the original language so they can build their own interpretations and have healthy discussions on them NOT ARGUMENTS.

I know reading the OG scripts are not ideal but if u can try and if u cannot then read from variety of sources.

Do not read translations and if you do pls keep an open mind because translation is a powerful tool and many Indian words are not fully comprehended in other languages especially english.

I have seen many people translating Asurs as Demons when they are not and thus, here comes the abhrahamic influence.

This especialy pisses me off because unlike demons who are almost always evil (again limited knowledge) Asurs are not necessarily evil. They are people with their own qualities and conflicting ideals that contrast the Devas.

I think the battle of Asurs and Devas should be approached rationally. Someone once told me that these two species represent 2 different sides of humans. Sometimes, there is a need for Asurs mentality, sometimes Devas. And they co-exist within us, sometimes battling for supremacy other times working together for a greater goal.

Conclusively, approach a new philosphy with a open mind and if u can with no biases.

PS: Some of my opinions may ruffle some feathers but please try to think openly before u cuss me out.

Finally even after u think i have said something stupid, feel free to correct me.

And if u come at me with baseless accusations and stupid comments because I hurt your feelings or offended you...

then i apologize.....in advance...

FOR NOT GIVING A FUCK.....

Thank u

Also sorry about my language.....

My only excuse is I was ranting.....

[obstinaterixatrix]

it’s not a romance so I wouldn’t necessarily call him a love interest and secondary lead doesn’t quite fit… I’m not sure I’d call him a secondary character because from what I hear I feel like that would be more the main character’s brother, but I wouldn’t call him part of the ensemble cast because he’s got a bigger role than that… he starts out somewhat antagonistic-ish but not really and not for that long so I can’t call him an antagonist… and that’s not even getting started with the kind of guy he is since him and the main character seem to pass the ball of being severely doted on back and forth like a high stakes squash game done at mach speeds

well first off i'd like to say thank you for the recs you've given me, i spent the past couple hours reading them they were pretty great. admittedly some of them werent for me (tha: the slavery aspect kinda icked me out, kjtpb: the boss was awful and he didn't even have the decency to be funny about it, sl ch 2: thought the dynamic between the leads wasn't super developed, qualia: just not what i was looking for). DoR and nge i liked but more because i wanted to see how everything played out than because i was invested in the romances or the dudes in them. b&w was super fun, really liked the one uppsmanship. the big winners for me were (1) "came here to die" cause it was funny and i thought the mc was silly, (2) villainess time death loop one cause i liked the ways their relationship was fleshed out/acted upon by both parties, (3) kobamanai otoko slappeddd. loved that one i thought the li's deal was really interesting esp since he didn't seem to understand all the dimensions of his feelings when he set out on the revenge quest until it was sorted out out loud with someone else like the mc with his hamster, i thought that was v v interesting. thank you once again for the good taste 👍

glad some of them landed! now that I know you liked villainess death loop and the humor of ‘just when I thought I came here to die’, I actually have one more rec—‘I love amy’ might be up your alley. one of the characters is really obsessive and and the writing leans into that kinda… black comedy? also I can’t believe I didn’t lead with ‘no home’ for dysfunctional characters in dysfunctional relationships in an interesting (and eventual, somehow functional…ish) way.

I wish I could give more series like kobamanai otoko but the ones that do go more that route also lean more into assault. actually, if you haven’t read it already ‘the end of the world with you’ isn’t really like it but I did remember it just now, it’s got rancid vibes from a terrible past breakup.

If you want to read something long forever you could go to the s-classes that I raised webnovel (not the webtoon). what I hear about the relationship between the main character and. well I don’t know how to describe him. also it’s actually a small part from a gen webnovel about a lot of other stuff.

[nervousnightcheesecake]

Saree chronicles

Khushi was pacing the room like a tornado, frantically looking at the clock. "Devi Maiyya! I'm so late! Everyone's waiting, and it's all because of you, Arnavji!"

Arnav, lounging on the couch with a smug expression, leaned back and smirked. "Because of me? As I recall, you didn't exactly resist when I—"

"Arnavji!" she hissed, her cheeks turning crimson. "You can't just—just distract me like that before an important event!"

"I wasn't distracting you," he said, his smirk widening. "I was expressing my love. Big difference."

Khushi glared at him but didn't have time to argue. Relax, Khushi," he said coolly. "You'll make it."

Just as she was about to storm out, disaster struck. Her saree got caught in the edge of the coffee table, spilling coffee all over it. Khushi froze, horrified, while Arnav raised an eyebrow.

"This is all your fault!" she yelled, flailing her arms. "Now what will I wear? My backup saree isn't even ironed! Oh, Devi Maiyya, what do I do?"

Arnav, used to her dramatic tendencies, sighed and walked to the wardrobe. He pulled out the backup saree and grabbed the iron. "Stop panicking, Khushi. You'll ruin the saree more."

She blinked in disbelief as he calmly plugged in the iron. "You're going to iron it? You? Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada?"

"Yes, Khushi," he replied dryly. "Contrary to your belief, I'm capable of basic human functions."

As she watched him expertly iron the saree, Khushi couldn't help but marvel at the sight. "Arnavji, you're... actually good at this."

She grabbed her saree, ready to drape it in record time. But in her panic, she fumbled with the pleats, tangling the fabric into a wrinkled mess.

Arnav stood up, adjusting his cuffs casually. "Relax, Khushi. I'll help."

She blinked at him in disbelief. "You'll help? What do you know about draping a saree?"

He gave her a look that screamed seriously? "Khushi, I'm Arnav Singh Raizada. I'm a fashion mogul. I've designed more sarees than you've worn in your entire life. Of course, I know how to drape one."

She opened her mouth to protest but stopped when he grabbed the saree. "Stand still," he ordered, stepping closer.

"Arnavji, this is—"

"Shh," he cut her off. "You're wasting time."

With the precision of a seasoned designer, he began pleating the saree, his movements swift and confident. As he tucked the pleats into her waist, Khushi froze, her breath hitching at how close he was.

"Arnavji..." she whispered, her cheeks turning pink.

He glanced up, smirking. "Now you're the one getting distracted."

"Focus!" she shot back, flustered.

He chuckled, pinning the pallu perfectly over her shoulder. "There. Done."

Khushi looked in the mirror, her saree draped flawlessly. "Wow," she breathed.

"Told you," he said, stepping back to admire his work. "I'm good at everything."

She rolled her eyes but couldn't hide her smile. "Thank you, Arnavji. Now, can we please go?"

"Of course," he said, grabbing his car keys. Then, leaning closer, he added in a low voice, "But next time, Khushi, don't blame me if you get late. You're the one who gets lost in my distractions."

Blushing furiously, Khushi marched out of the room, muttering, "Laad Governor..."

Arnav followed, grinning like a man who had just won the day—and honestly, he had.

[animation-is-my-jam]

Since Tobey and Becky are both insanely smart I totally visualize them competing with each other and forming an academic rivalry as they try to surpass one another. Kind of like Ben and Devi from Never Have I Ever. Which follows into highschool as they both battle for who will win valedictorian. Which ironically I can totally see someone else like Violet winning just to annoy the both of them like when they ran for class president.

Their competitiveness is something I feel like will never change. Of course, it won't be so motivated by mutual distain for one another, as maybe that's their weird flirting language, but i can see in high school, where they are friends that they would academically duke it out for valedictorian but all they do is just make themselves school stressed...my dummy children. Aside from them, I can also see Victoria at first, also going for it, but I think during the whole rebellious arc she needs to have in high school she formally drops out to spite her parents. No one else dares to get in between Tobey and Becky with their competition. And yes, damn, it would be funny af if Violet won against them again, but as much narrative completion that would give, Violet is not the type to throw herself into academics and she'll win a popularity contest anyday like prom queen and more class presidents, but not something like the more studious part of school. Heck, in her more important years of her grades, she's probably more concerned with hosting events or volunteering (which yes helps a lot with qualifications of a valedictorian)...but it's Violet. She has a permanent C in any biology classes after the frog dissecting fiasco of her sophomore year... and she has to first save a tree before going to class.

So, who would win Valedictorian in the end? That's dependent, but to me, I just feel like Violet wouldn't snipe it (even if that goes against my writing code of, if it's fucking hilarious it's the correct decision).

However, I think I've written before on my reasoning for Becky, ultimately taking it, but I'm too lazy to paraphrase it. But just know that senior year is the year in my writing at least where I decided to put Tobey through the ringer of everything and so he's more distracted by a lot of factors compared to Becky, who is also dealing with stuff but not Tobey level of pain. He would be happy for her, and hey, he's still salutatorian. Who needs prom kind and queen when that's the real pedestal he would imagine being beside her with. (These nerds 💀)

Thx so much for the ask!!! Yay!!!

[saltywombatllama]

Here's part 2 of this post :

(TW: a jelaus Sidney(in like 2 quotes, but whatever) !!)

-------------

Maud: I asked Hayes how he’s doing.

Maud: He said, “Like a biscuit left in the rain. Soggy, forgotten, and strangely bitter.”

Maud: And then he saluted me.

Devi: That’s just British for “I’m fine.”

-----------

Pritchard: (walks into the bunker holding a lit Molotov cocktail)

Hayes: What are you doing.

Pritchard: A vibe check.

---------

Maud: My gender is "tired schoolgirl with a rifle and a grudge."

Devi: That’s not a gender.

Maud: (loads the rifle )It is now.

---------

Devi: Capitalism is the true enemy.

Hayes: Pretty sure our current enemy has actual guns.

Devi: So does capitalism.

---------

Maud: Romance is dead.

Pritchard: I just saw Ellwood hand Gaunt a flower he dug out of a latrine.

Maud: Romance should be dead.

--------

[Bomb explodes in distance.]

Pritchard: [yelling] I AM SOFT! I AM A TENDER WAR FLOWER!

Maud: [flatly] You literally bit a pigeon last week.

--------

Ellwood: If I die, tell Gaunt I loved him.

Hayes: You can do that yourself, you're just mildly concussed.

Ellwood: No, it’s more romantic this way.

----------

Devi: Are you okay?

Maud: Yes.

[Continues to sip her tea as bombs fall behind her]

----------

Ellwood: Then call me Lord Goddamn Tennyson because I just used metaphor six times in one sentence and cried while sealing the envelope.

----------

Sandys: [sarcasticly] Captain Gaunt, I believe the Lord sent me to you for a reason.

Gaunt: (flatly) I’m sure He did.

Ellwood, whispering to Maud: Is murder a sin if he’s asking for it?

Maud: I’ll hold your coat.

-------

Ellwood: Why does Sandys get to stand next to Gaunt?

Maud: Because he’s not reciting Byron at him with heart eyes.

Ellwood: That’s slander.

Maud: You literally cried the last time Gaunt quoted Wilfred Owen.

Ellwood: The imagery was very moving.

---------

Pritchard: Hayes, hypothetically, how illegal is it to make a flamethrower out of a kettle?

Hayes: We are in France.

Pritchard: That’s not an answer.

Hayes: That’s because I don’t want to be tried as an accomplice.

----------

Ellwood: Gaunt’s eyes are like gunpowder and thunder.

Maud: You need a hobby. Something to do in your free time.

Ellwood: Gaunt is my hobby. I do him.

Maud: I said what I said.

----------

Devi: What if love is a bourgeois invention to trick us into reproducing?

Ellwood:[ wildly offended ]Speak for yourself, I’m in love with someone who can shoot a rifle and quote Tennyson.

----------

Ellwood: I can fix him.

Maud: He doesn’t want to be fixed.

Ellwood: I can out-trauma him, then.

-------

Pritchard: You ever just…

Hayes: No.

Pritchard: You didn’t let me finish.

Hayes: That’s because last time you “just” lit a match near the munitions.

Pritchard: Artistic expression!!

Hayes: Arson!!

---------

“Dearest S.,

The stars remind me of your eyes, though both are impossible to touch. The war drags on. I wish you would stop looking at me like you know how I smell when I’m not wearing cologne. I hope you are well. Please stop smiling. It is very distracting.

Yours. Not yours. Yours again,

G.”

[Letter never sent. Torn in half. Folded twice. Hidden in boot.]

---------

Sandys: The Lord will guide our steps.

Maud: He didn’t guide you around that mud puddle, did he.

Sandys: That was a test.

Maud: You failed.

Sandys: I slipped with dignity.

---------

Ellwood: If I got shot, would you cry?

Gaunt: Why would you say that??

Ellwood: Hypothetically.

Gaunt: Hypothetically, I’d burn down the front lines.

Ellwood: 🥺

--------

Devi: What’s your trauma type?

Hayes: I’m a “saw too much” type.

Gaunt: I’m the “held it all in until it shattered me” variety.

Pritchard: I’m the “blew it up and blamed the moon” model.

Ellwood: I'm the “fell in love during the war and now every bullet is a metaphor” flavor.

Maud: I’m British.

---------

Devi: We're all comrades in arms.

Pritchard: I feel more like a chaperone for a series of failed Victorian romantic tragedies.

Devi: Fair.

---------

Ellwood: I think your repressed trauma is sexy.

Gaunt: That sentence should be illegal.

Ellwood: But true.

---------

Hayes: What are the odds of us all surviving this war?

Maud: Statistically?

Pritchard: Emotionally?

Gaunt: Poetically?

----------

Part 3?

[secret-fungi]

Under the orchid tree

ram x devi

1900 words

rated t

warnings: slightly sad ram

a/n we out here posting our homies fav fics so they don’t murder us in our sleep

tags: @agattthaa @liviusofpella

The pair sat in the grass, shaded by the orchid tree and though they had started both upright as He read outloud to her as the pages turned Ram’s head found its way to rest on her lap and her hand found its way to his hair, horribly fond expressions on both their faces and a smile that never fully slipped from his lips. 

Many people fell in love, and many of those people rested with their beloved. This sight was not unusual but he knew many would think it was, they’d come up with a ridiculous joke like Ram Doobay smiling? The world had to have ended. 

Maybe it was not the sums that made it so, but the whole- One could be in love, and one could smile at their loved one, and one could love Deviya, but for Ram to be laying in the dirt it must be strange, The acts itself weren’t strange but rather who made them, and this fact Ram knew very well, because He and the woman that played with his hair were very different, if he was the night she was the day, and if she was fire he was stone, and if she was Deviya he could only be Ram.

Ram was not stupid, he was under no illusions of who he was and what people thought of him, he knew that he was not someone who anyone would ever call a particularly doting or affectionate person, if you asked many would say he would be a good husband simply out of duty and nothing more. He had a sharp tongue and abrasive personality that ruined any good opinions his appearance granted him. He was not a sociable person, you couldn’t even stretch the truth and call him friendly, that even when given the chance he had never been particularly interested in other people, he kept to himself and wished to be left alone, any attempts to get close to him were met with said sharp tongue. 

He had never been an uninhibited person, never selfish and rarely truly stepped out of line, he was quiet and well-mannered and very reserved. And as much as this was true for him, such could never be said for Deviya, in fact the only thing that has been said about both of them was

“May mercy be upon whoever marries the devil.”

He was prideful, arrogant, and most often stubborn and if his younger self could see him now he knew what he would say, and it would not be all that different from what everyone else said.

What could the ocean say to make the mountain bow? What language could be found between the night and the day? 

They would bring up their differences, as would he if it was anyone else but Him and her.

Deviya had always been wild; her antics were always a topic of discussion even at the Doobays dinner table. to her any and every rule was simply a suggestion there was no limit, at least not for her, and more than once she had said that if she wanted something, nothing could stop her from getting it, and that she was a woman of many wants and there was nothing to say she couldn’t have them all. 

He had once scoffed at her natural ability to seek what he was too afraid to, watching from a distance as she made her friends laugh, and maybe that is what caused him to scoff at her, to distract from the question she forced his mind to ask, despite himself he couldn’t help but  wonder if he couldn’t also be loved like her, if he couldn’t also do as she did. 

Maybe he heard the teens' thoughts and that's what amused the man as much as it appeared, as Mahadeva smiled and arched a brow at him. “Do you truly dislike her actions?” he asked in response to Ram’s condemnation of the girl waving around a dagger, something a bit knowing in the way he smiled at the teen and that was that, the end of Ram pretending to scold Ms. Sharma’s rather odd personality. 

She was bright and vibrant and with every room she entered eyes landed on her. People always gravitated to her, to see what mischief she had pulled off, to see what show she had put on, because despite her nature, or maybe because of it she was loved, and as she passed him by he would wonder a question that would follow him for a very long time: he wondered if he couldn’t also be loved despite his nature. Her list was no shorter than his.

But maybe it was that the list of reasons to love her was longer, be it her smile, and the way her eyes looked in the sun, her laugh and her readiness to be who she was– No she was not like him at all. He thought once before, so he knew what people thought now.

He knew that it seemed strange that She would want him and he her. He was not stupid, he knew what people thought, how could he not when many asked what did he even have in common with the heiress. But after they had finished their work recounting the miles long list of their differences he would smile and reply that they both preferred the night over the morning and a bitter truth over a sweet lie. He could live with being more sociable and She wasn’t always so excitable, and at times she could even be calm, he would say how He'd find her in her study reading and they would simply be together, she was more than happy to sit with him in silence, and he was not so rigid that he could not at least pretend for a while to enjoy himself at a social gathering.

No one ever believed him, of course, because who was Ram Doobay if not the quiet man that stayed in the background, with an unfortunate disposition and a frown?

But then, who was Ram Doobay if not the man that chased after Deviya sharma, Fingers playing with her hair and a besotted expression on his face. Who was he but a man in love? And he had proclaimed that that was who he wished to be, whoever it was he was before can be forgotten. 

If his younger self could see him now– 

“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Deviya asked from above him, her fingers working small circles into his scalp, and when he opened his eyes he couldn’t help but smile.  “How you liked me before we even met,” he said. At this she raised her brows high. “Oh, yes, definitely.”  she agreed “did her words bother you that much?” she asked, calling back to the day’s excitement, where they walked into a shop arm in arm, and looked at the fabrics and embellishments and despite them ordering a matching set the tailor grinned and joked a light hearted joke that shouldn’t have bothered him, he hadn’t been so liberal with his affections, hidden between the walls of fabric they were shielded enough for him to kiss her, and he didn’t mind if they weren’t.  His wife laughed softly and told him to behave and that it.

until they met the owner once again. 

“You two are such an odd match, I never thought I’d live to see the day where you would have to be reminded to behave, if your younger self could see you now.” she joked, of course she meant it as a simple jest, a playful warning to stop teasing his wife so much, but it stuck with him then as it did now.

“it didn’t bother me, it just made me think.” he admitted “about what?” she asked, playing with a particularly nice curl. But he only smiled at her, one so soft that it made her pause. 

Surely, if his younger self could see what he saw now, Deviya above him, a halo of orchids and the sunlight that peaked through the tree’s leaves. If he could see her smile, hear how she said his name- if only he knew then he too would fall. 

He would realize just as Ram did now, that the love between two people needn’t be justified. He would know that he wasn’t alone, and that despite his nature he could be loved, and as strange as it seemed, love came as an answer to each of their worries in one way or another. 

He had a place, a love, a dream and each of those things rested in her, at the end of the day she curled beside him, and in the morning before even the sun rose he had her love.

What would he be if he had known before? This Ram did not know and though he briefly wondered he didn’t wish to find out.

“If my younger self could see me now, He would be very jealous,” he said, his hand reaching to tug on a loose curl and grin on his lips. “I’ve got a rather nice view,” he joked. “Is that so, Rakshasa?” She asked in return.

“I don’t think he would be surprised.” She said “no?” he asked “no, you’d intellectualize it, and if that didn't stop your worries you would seek the answers in texts.“ she fixed her posture and put on a rather snobbish expression before she mimicked his voice a touch too well. “Of course, Ms Sharma is a suitable match, Being connected to my family would only benefit the sharmas.” she said, immediately breaking into a laugh at the last word, unable to keep in her amusement over the sour expression on his face.

“That's not how I sound.” he denied “it is.” she affirmed with a mischievous grin. “Then after you said that you would pull out a book and say that men go crazy for love all the time, love rules over gods and man all the same, No matter how long it holds on, a leaf cannot stay on the branch forever.” she said with a hand gesture that he hadn’t noticed he did so often as he must have for her to get it down so well.

“Maybe that’s why Mr Vaish teased you.” She said “He must see it before any of us.” “He must.” he agreed, rolling the pair over so that she now sat on him, he picked out a leaf that had landed into her hair, and for a moment he just looked at her.

She was right, he wouldn’t believe it, if you had painted a portrait of what he saw now and presented it to his younger self he would mock you. 

“Would you be surprised?” he asked and without even a moment of thought she replied “no of course not, i don’t understand why people say we’re odd, when I’ve always sought you and you’ve always sought me, even when we didn’t know the names to call out for we looked for the other.” 

Ram nodded, placing a kiss to her lips. And once again he thought to himself, that He was not like Deviya.

 But still, her words gave him understanding, as they often did. 

Maybe the change happened then, or maybe that was only when he understood it, as it was not as if overnight he had changed. No, he was still a reserved man but sometime before he had learned to smile, and laugh and lighten up. He still preferred to be left alone, but alone didn’t include Deviya sharma, as you could find him more often than not wherever she was.

Ram Doobay was still an arrogant man, but he was an arrogant man in love. 

[blottyink]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ Ranking Ice Home

I hit the 7th book of Ice Home, and I want to start ranking them (the rankings will change as I make my way thru the series). I did a ranking for the og Ice Planet too. I love these books, they're so not serious. I read in the next book the couple resonances in a pterodactyl nest, and I don't know how else to explain it than these books are everything I've ever wanted to feel from reading fanfiction. Every time someone bashes these books, I think BAH.

(1) Veronica's Dragon (Veronica x Ashtar)—Yes, yes to all of this. Just yes. Ashtar my beloved.

(2) Lauren's Barbarian (Lauren x K'thar)—I love these two. It was like being taken back to Georgie and Vektal, but in a fun, inspired way.

(3) Mari's Mistake (Mari x T'chai)—This book was refreshing! Dixon went back to short and sweet with new elements added to the world. Plus Mari and T'chai's story is great, and the smut was better than it typically is.

(4) Penny's Protector—(Penny x S'bren) They were adorable and I loved their adventure together.

(5) Devi's Distraction (Devi x N'dek)—It was cool to see both N'Dek and Devi find a friendship and relationship where they felt understood at a fundamental level. Plus, I loved all the jealousy plots. I wish Dixon would have taken them further, but ik it's not really her style. I'm pining for the Bree-shit book fr tho. I want full on enemies to lovers for her and A'tam. All bc his dick is too big. They really are putting the entire tribe through it bc of A'tam's big ass dick. That's crazzzzy.

(6) Angie's Gladiator (Angie x Vordis)—Dixon is in the unique situation of bc they are aliens she can push the miscommunication trope pretty hard, and it technically still makes sense. I wasn't crazy about it, but I did love Vordis learning how to be his own person and Angie supporting him! And I thought it was sweet how Vordis and Thrand reconciled at the end. It was like putting a bow on top.

(7) Nadine's Champion (Nadine x Thrand)—This one is silly. Thrand's goofy, and the nest scene is goofy. It's fun, but a reminder of how unserious everything really is.

(8) Hannah's Hero—(Hannah x J'shel) Hannah was hard to like at first, but by the end I felt like I understood her. And she knew. She knew she was being difficult, but she was having a time, yk? J'shel is a sweetheart.

(9) Callie's Catastrophe—(Callie x M'tok) M'tok didn't learn a damn thing, but it's fine bc he has to endure Harry Potter references for the rest of his life.

(10) Willa's Beast (Willa x Gren)—Willa was hard to like bc it was difficult to be sympathetic toward her when her actions were apathetic toward everyone else. In an extreme way. It was like the only people she could feel anything for were her and Gren.

[blossombriefs]

Legendary | Chapter Two

Planet Vampa. A desolate wasteland suspended in the abyss of space. The harsh landscape was blurred by swirling dust storms as I gazed through the viewport. It felt as though I was peering into the heart of chaos itself and it sent a rush of excitement through my body. Frieza's decision to deploy my team onto this unforgiving terrain seemed almost whimsical, but I knew better than to question Frieza's decisions. As per the usual procedures, Frieza would expect me to have the mission done and quickly return to the mothership while he deployed more squads on other planets to do an identical job.

The cruiser rumbled as it descended through the atmosphere, the air resisting the ship's presence. With my practiced precision, I guided the vessel through the tempest with ease, my nerves as steady as ever as I guided the controls. Nothing the training had already made me confident in. As the safety breaks engaged with a satisfied clunk, I wasted no time in securing the scouter to my face, its digital readouts flickered to life with the vital information I needed. I looked behind me to my crewmates, their power levels reading back to me.  I jumped out of my seat, meeting my team as they formed at the door. The drone soldier I had the run-in with earlier towered over me as we waited for the entrance to open. I looked down, seeing his leg wrapped in a medical bandage over the top of his uniform. He felt like a shadow looming over me, however his efforts to intimidate me would amount to nothing.

My crewmates slipped out of the spacecraft first. The humid weather and the smell of dust and ash that enveloped the dark green plains were the first things that greeted me. It was a desolate planet with barren landscapes. Amid the chaos, I felt a sense of purpose. I was here on a mission that nothing would distract me from completing. With their trained precision, the team pushed forward to scan the horizons for any signs of life or targets they needed to eliminate. The landscape seemed endless and I couldn't see much through the clouded hair other than jagged rocks and a rough terrain. 

The team advanced along cautiously, this was a planet we had such minimal information on but I did love a challenge. Each member maintained their position while scanning for potential threats while I watched from the back with my blaster in my hand. Something in the back of my head was telling me that something wasn't right. My head darted around, the scanner flickering and beeping as I squinted, trying to look ahead. I didn't know what was making me feel this way but my instincts were kicking in. As my vision cleared, I let out a commanding scream.

"Get back! Now!"

Despite the desperation in my voice, I could only watch on as the sudden explosion shattered through the blissful silence. In the chaos that ensued, I was knocked back by the blast while rocks and debris rained down on me, my blaster loosening from my grasp as I was pressed to the ground. The next few minutes were painful. Cries of pain and confusion filled the air. I crawled back quickly, watching on as I scrambled to find my gun as a very rare sweep of pure panic filled my body quicker than I could even process. Looking around frantically, I tried to make sense of what was happening. I shook my head, trying to let my eyes focus through the thick smoke as I went to press my fingers against the intercom button to contact Frieza to request backup, however sharply my wrist was grabbed with a strong grip. I yelled out, the pressure hardening as I was lifted off the ground. The dust cleared around as I could now fully see him. The drone soldier I butted heads with in front of Frieza grinned at me menacingly. I furrowed my brow, breathing heavily as I tried to collect myself. His expression twisted into pure malice as he threw me back down hard on the ground, my scouter falling off my face on impact.

"Of course, you would fucking survive." He snapped, stamping on and breaking my device that lay so close to my face. He climbed on top of me, keeping me pressed to the ground with his full body weight as he started to deal heavy punches to my midsection, winding me with each strike. I gasped for air sharply, finding it nearly impossible to retaliate. I started to process the truth of the situation as I saw him reach his hand into the holster on his waist, pulling out his weapon - he had turned his back on our squad and wiped them out in cold blood. I didn't sense any of their power levels before your scouter fell, then again you weren't fully focused. 

"Why!? Why would you do this!?" I exclaimed, taking heavy breaths between each word as I tried to keep myself together. I couldn't let any sign of weakness slip out. His smile stayed wide with pure evil intentions behind those eyes. He didn't lie to Frieza on that ship, he was masking his true strength from our team. My face was met with a quick but powerful slap, my cheek pulsed with the sting of the impact.

"Don't you dare play the fool now!" he yelled, his mouth foaming with rage as this time he held his hand firmly over my mouth, squeezing my nose between his fingers to cut off my breathing. Kicking my legs in an attempt to escape, I squirmed underneath him. My fear was settling in, and it was one of the most terrifying feelings I had ever experienced. I could see him laughing, he took pride in making me feel unnatural, treating me like a plaything as he took pleasure in toying with my life. 

"You embarrassed me in front of Lord Frieza. You're a freak! What would happen if Frieza found out his 'perfect weapon' died on this wasteland due to a 'natural disaster' and I was the only survivor? While you would be forgotten, I would be a legend!"

Once his verbal barrage stopped, he moved his hand and allowed me to take in a sharp breath. I pulled my hand out from underneath this brute to find my gun, however, I knew my efforts would've been futile as I felt the cold tip of his pistol press against my forehead. The adrenaline coursed through my veins. For the first time in my life, I felt helpless, it was unlike anything I had experienced before. He leaned down into my ear slowly, his weapon sliding to my temple as he wanted to take one more opportunity to mock me.

"Remember what the mission was, Captain?"

Just as his finger moved to the trigger to deal the final blow, I felt my eyes close over in absolute anxiety. My life was over. I wouldn't make it back from this mission. With one sharp breath, I was ready to accept my fate. It wasn't the blaze of glory I thought my death would be. As I slightly opened my eyes for what felt like the last time, my vision was blinded by an ethereal green light. A sudden blur of motion intercepted the moment as a strong force pulled the strong weight from my body. I took a few moments to breathe, patting my hands over my midsection. I was very much alive. I winced in pain as it was clear my ribs were dealt the brunt of the attack, feeling like they were cracked or broken. I rolled over, arms crossed over my body as I tried to collect myself. I coughed, blood spotting onto the grass below me. I slowly made my way up, sitting myself in the grass as I looked out toward the horizon. Two figures fought in the sky in the distance, one radiating the same green light I was met with when I opened my eyes. The forms of the two were blurred, but he was winning the fight, dodging every attack. His speed was incomprehensible. His blows dealt damage I could only dream of doing, his punches and kicks flowed like a dance. I could feel his power from the grass a fair distance away, it was unlike anything I had ever seen as I kept my eyes attached to his fluid and precise movements. The battle raged on for only a few minutes, not long at all until I saw my attacker fall in defeat, split in two by a blow sharp enough to do so and he was disposed of in the side of a nearby cliff. The man shrouded in the lime-coloured glow lowered himself to the ground victorious.

I was introduced to the carnage behind me as the air cleared once more. The bodies of my dead squad were in pieces around me. I gingerly pulled myself up to my feet, brushing the dust off my uniform but it was clear I was in bad shape. With slight difficulty, I crouched down to pick up my gun from the floor and slipped it back into my thigh holster. I gazed out into the distance as a breath of relief escaped my lips. Another sharp beaming glow would cut my time on my feet again short, sending me down with a thud with a burst of light and velocity. I groaned out in pain, pressure once again pressed against my battered body. As I looked up, a towering figure loomed over the top of me, face shrouded by dense, black hair that covered his features. His body was weighty on top of mine, his muscle mass was huge. Panting gently, clearly tired from his fight, he stuttered a single word under his breath.

"H-hello..."

Next Chapter Chapter List

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

flash fic friday #1: the sea's calling

i'm going to be making multiple flash fic posts but for now, i'm so excited to officially participate in the first one!! this is a draft but here is a wip based on one of @ratanslily's edit <33 devi will show up later on in this fic ofc

Tagging: @rc-catalog

The streets were bustling with a sort of liveliness Ram hadn’t been acquainted with in a long time. Everywhere he looked, children together surrounded by bright lanterns whilst wearing colorful garments. Hot meals were passed around, and banners in honor of the Goddess were being hung for the festival. He stopped at one of the vendors to purchase seeds for Manash, knowing the parrot would be a distraction if not stuffed with treats. 

He made his way back towards one of the ports, waiting for one of the Basu twins to arrive. Anyone else would have been surprised to see one of the city’s most prominent heiresses on such an expedition, but Ram knew better. She wanted the honor of finding the priceless conch shell for herself. Frankly, he couldn’t blame her. 

“Back to the sea already, Captain?” one of the boatswain's smirked, polishing one of the smaller vessels as he grew near. 

Ram sighed, looking back towards the glistening sea. “I…can’t bring myself to stay away from her.”

The boatswain rolled his eyes, shaking his head. “I don’t think your future wife won’t appreciate you saying that.”

“Now you sound like my mother,” he replied, a smile gracing his lips. He grabbed one of the wooden oars set aside and took off.

[keldae]

Abduction

Inspired by this Tumblr post!

Something felt… off. Gale couldn't place his finger on what triggered the sensation of something being wrong, but he knew the tingling feeling of not all being well, nagging at his subconscious. He fidgeted with his staff, watching the market square around him. Aside from the roaming Fist patrol with a Steel Watcher in the group, nothing in this busy market seemed to be outwardly wrong.

Beside him, Lae’zel snorted. “Tch . They all go on about their business like nothing is wrong. Even the earthquakes don't seem to bother them.” She watched as a group of children scampered by. “They wouldn't last an hour against the ghaik.”

Gale shook his head in agreement. “Let us hope it doesn't come to them needing to defend themselves,” he murmured, still trying to figure out what felt so wrong.

Lae’zel peered at him. “You're distracted, Gale. What's wrong?”

“I don't know… but something is,” Gale muttered, looking around the marketplace. “Do you not feel it?”

“Something has felt wrong ever since I woke up on that nautiloid,” Lae’zel pointed out. She glanced over as Jaheira made her way over. “Did you find what you needed?”

Jaheira nodded. “Not at the prices I would have liked, mind. Devi still isn't back?”

Gale shook his head. “She said she was going to duck into that shop to see if they had more multi-target arrows,” he said. “But unless she's deep in haggling over prices, she should have been back by now.”

A slightly-annoyed frown on her brow, Jaheira started toward the indicated shop. “I'll go grab her. We don't have all day for her to barter.”

Humming, Gale settled back against the fountain he was leaning against, watching as Jaheira vanished behind the door. His heart lurched into his throat when the High Harper returned alone a minute later. “She wasn't in there,” she said, making dread flicker to life in Gale’s chest. “For fuck’s sake, Devi, what trouble did you find now?”

“We would have seen her leave,” Lae’zel pointed out, tensing like she expected a fight. “Did the shopkeeper not see her?”

Jaheira shook her head. “Either he was lying, or Devi never went in there.”

“Shit,” Gale breathed out. The nagging sensation of something being wrong veered into full-fledged anxiety. “I know I saw her go in there. I can read the shopkeeper's mind to figure out what precisely happened.”

“I can just make him talk,” Lae’zel growled, her fingers flexing as though around her sword hilt. “Come, let's go have a discussion with that shopkeeper.”

“Oh, this is going to go poorly,” Jaheira muttered as she followed both githyanki and human back toward the shop.

The trio didn't make it to the door before Lae’zel sharply turned her head, her sensitive ears picking up on a sound from the nearby alley. She veered off toward the noise, Gale and Jaheira in her wake. “What the hells?” she murmured, looking around the alley before she suddenly ran forward, reaching for her sword.

“What–?” Gale felt his blood run cold as he saw the blood pool in the alley. He raced up to Lae’zel’s side, frantically looking around. There was no body to be seen – but there was a shape standing around a corner, back to the marketplace, knives in both hands. Gale recognised Devi’s long hair and teal jacket, stained as they were with blood. But what in the hells was she doing here, and why was she standing like that? “Devi?” he asked, stepping around Lae’zel. “Darling, what happened?”

Read the rest on AO3

[soy-soi-si]

Breaking the norm

Chapter 1

Tw; mention of potential skinning and punishments. Cussing

afab reader

(Chapter 2)

The crunching of leaves and sway of the morning breeze was calm as the woman walked through the towering trees. Especially as they seemed to watch her, and lean to block what sun they could. Creaking as they did it. The woman looks up, moving her green baseball cap as she looks around her surroundings. She's in a worn sage green sweatshirt it's design worn beyond compression, and dark brown denim shorts to her knees her legs covered in thick black tights and her feet in worn green sneakers as she holds her gaze to where she came from. The house on top of the cliffs unfamiliar, but familiar to her at the same time. She sighs as in her own words ‘I need a breather from that zealous old geezer’ she keeps walking ahead thinking about what happened recently in her life. She's been here for almost five months and hasn't left that house yet, being unable due to strict observation by that old guy and that fuckin cat.

She lifts her hat running her fingers through her hair to push it back before putting it back on. A breathless word escaping her lips.

“Honestly…” She adjusts the hat. She didn't think she'd get taken from her home to be some demon's grandchild or daughter. Honestly she's not surprised by it, but it's annoying it happened when she was finally getting settled. Her back aches as she looks back at the cliff then up at the trees.

“No, get a hold of yourself.” She lowers her head jumping down a smaller cliff before she hears some running water. After a second she stalks towards the noise, something she can distract herself with. She puts her hands in her pockets as she notices the lake and waterfall ahead not to mention the river further ahead the coast. And she notices a monster but she doesn't bother watching it. Her eyes locked ahead of her on the demon in front of her crouched down taking notes, his hair silver or white it hard to tell in the shade but it's wild and untamed. Not to mention how big he is. And he's got clawed feet. She moves silently to go besides him looking over the bush at the monster. It looks like a giant deer. She steals a glance at him. He's so focused on the monster he's practically salivating, and he's got a mask on so she smiles at how happy he looks just from his eyes. An innocent fascination like a zoologist who loves animals. She pauses at that thought, he honestly might be one. She looks back at him, whispering to him.

“So what's it called?” he immediately locks up at her voice the monster not paying her any mind as it drinks from the lake. His eyes slowly move to her and she smiles at him giving him a small wave. Then it dawns on her if he's actually researching the animal she's being a nuisance.

“Sorry, am I bothering you? I'll leave you if I am.” he jumps even more at that statement looking between her and the monster highly conflicted from his eyes. He finally looks at her quietly, questioning her.

“how in hell did you get here?” she takes her left hand out of her pocket rubbing her neck sighing realizing how childish it will sound.

“Well I snuck out of my family members house to get a lay of the land, my turn what is that called?” she points at the deer smiling, turning her attention back as it exits the shade, its horns glittering like crystals. He takes a second before responding.

“It's a Furfur wendigo. It's typically super hard to spot due to it being highly territorial, and in general endangered due to their horns being highly sought after.” he begins rambling and her eyes immediately sparkle at the notion of seeing an endangered animal her first time outside.

“That is so devi!” her hushed cheers bring his attention back to her. She's clearly super happy she actually took her chance as she's giddy bouncing up onto her toes to get a better look at it.

“My turn, do you realize how dangerous the woods are? are not to mention if Sullivan, no Opera found you,” she hums rolling her eyes playfully at the notion of them likely skinning her or something. “They’ll have to catch me first and I'm rather quick. The next question is, are you a zoologist?” he looks at her confused for a moment and she pauses. “A what?”

“Shit, wrong word sorry, I tend to make up words for things I don't know the actual names or words for. A demon who studies monsters and life and stuff!” she giggles at herself as he pauses, “I'm a teacher who is a biologist, but I do have a fascination with living creatures, especially the imaginary species of the world like humans” he cups the bottom of his mask stroking it a little as he moves to sit facing her. “Woah, that's awesome, your turn now.” she slips both her hands on her hips. “What's your name?” she pauses “oh I didn't introduce myself, sorry that's super rude of me I'm y/n, what's your name?” “Balam shichiro,” she nods committing it to memory before looking back to the furfur deer it already leaving. “Well I suppose I should head back before they notice I'm gone and tear apart the house. And you better tail your once in a lifetime find.” she pats his bicep her hand just barely half its width. Before she turns walking back where she came from she waves to him smiling. And then she hops back up the cliff. Fire terror fills her as she finally realizes she just actually approached a random demon in the woods.

She slaps a hand over her face as she speeds up her pace to get away faster muttering to herself. “you are so fucking stupid what if he attacked you. Who just randomly talks to strangers in the woods” she lowers her hand before breaking into a run jumping back up each cliff then eventually the balcony to a massive manner before opening her door and she grabs her brush making sure nothing is in her hair and then she scrubs her shoes clean before putting them back and spraying herself again with perfume.

She looks at the clock just before opera comes to check on her so she locks her balcony and sits at her desk grabbing a random book the old geezer gave her on spells. She grabs a notebook and pen to do what she's been doing to write down what the core aspects of the spell are, then the foundation, and finally the feeling it should have. Also drawing a magic circle based on those. She leans on the desk flying through the first one so she moves to the next then the next and next before she knows she's through fifteen pages when opera knocks. She jumps since she got into a groove again.

“My lady, may I come in?” she sighs sitting back on one of the armrests, closing the pen, throwing it into the holder.

“Opera, it's fine.” The door immediately flies open and she turns to him bored of the same routine again.

“I brought snacks my lady, may I ask what you've been doing?” He walks over holding tea and some cookies. She grabs the notebook and moves the spell book aside as he sets the tray down and she offers the brand new notebook to him.

“Look at it yourself, I'll finish it probably within the next few weeks as I add more details to the spells per page at least as I practice them.” he takes the notebook from her as she leans on her hand beyond bored as he looks through what she's already done.

“My lady, magnificent as always and that's an ancient spell list and you've broken them down like it's nothing. Truly you are a fine demoness, it's hard to believe you lived amongst humans for so long.” she doesn't bother looking at him as he sings her praises again, her heart twisting inside still not used to it.

“do not praise me if you do not wholeheartedly mean it opera, I do not like flattery” she sighs looking back towards her balcony.

“my lady,” he sounds dejected again, he always sounds like that after she shoots down his robotic praise.

“hey opera,” she waits a second as she hears him immediately perk up at her addressing him, not to mention starting one of the few conversations they've had. “Do you know much about animals?” She looks down into the woods below the cliff, a sea of purples, oranges, and reds. He takes a second and she looks up at him through the reflection laying her chin on her palm. He's looking at the back of her head, arms crossed.

“Well I know a bit due to a junior of mine during school being quite knowledgeable about plants and such topics. Are there any questions you have for me, my lady?” He looks at her through the reflection then she turns her head to actually look at him while he adjusts his eyes to meet hers.

They stare at each other for a moment before she sighs sitting up properly, waving it off literally with the hand she was just leaning on. “It's nothing, I just got curious,” she reaches forward taking the tea, “hell gray?“

He nods obediently watching her take the first sip with anticipation. After it leaves her lips she smiles letting out a relaxed breath.

“It tastes even better than this morning. Thank you opera, I won't keep you any longer, go have a break for your hard work.” his tail is swishing behind him as he bows to her.

“I shall return in thirty minutes to collect the dishes my lady” she watches him leave before her eyes fall to her lap guilt immediately filling her for even sneaking out.

What if she didn't come back, what would happen to opera? He works so hard to make sure she's taken care of. She puts the cup back, not daring to make a noise to alert either man in the house.

(Chapter 2),