#don't make me choose pesky

[americankimchi]

Do you have any tips for writing Obi Wan or any meta in mind with his characterizarion?

hmmm sure why not! i'll give a few tips on how i'd write obi-wan. mind you this is how i interpret the character, so ymmv.

i truly do not like it when fics have obi-wan voluntarily leaving the order. like it's so out-of-character for me in my head that the premise of the story + the writing would have to work triple-time to get me to stick around. now if he's been removed from it by an EXTERNAL SOURCE (not the order. i cannot stress this enough: the jedi kicking obi-wan out is so jarring to me i'll leave the fic in an instant) or somehow unable to return to the order for whatever reason, all is well.

not a prodigy, but a genius. obi-wan is an incredibly intelligent person with an absolutely staggering knowledge base in a wide variety of topics, but all that knowledge was earned through blood, sweat, tears, and time. he sat down with his game face on and put in the work. that's also why he makes an excellent teacher: he knows what most students will struggle with because he struggled too, and knows through experience how best to overcome them. i headcanon that it contributes to why he's such a good negotiator: he's really good at stripping down information to the essentials and communicating that information effectively and efficiently to others because of his intense study habits.

humble, but not ignorant of his skills. it's pretty impossible to fully divorce yourself from pride in your achievements, and i don't think it's healthy to not feel any pride at all, so i think obi-wan has a very clear understanding of his skillset and how best to use it. i don't think he'd be ignorant of how good he is at something, especially since the direct consequence of his aptitude led him to being a member of the jedi council. pretty hard to be blind to your strengths when you're being asked for your input on topics that directly draw from that knowledge.

averse to healthcare. listen i enjoy obi-wan whump just as much as the next obi-wan stan (the desire to put him in the cosmic salad spinner comes with the territory, i fear) but as a character who grew up in an environment that deeply cares for the well-being of all, and knowing that you cannot help others unless you yourself first have the ability to do so, i can't really see him ignoring injuries outside of combat scenarios. like on the battlefield he's got more pressing concerns than a pesky little shrapnel wound or five, but once the battle's over?? he might not be first in line to the medics but i can't see him avoiding them entirely. an army without a general is working at a sharp disadvantage and i don't think he'd risk his men by neglecting his physical health in that manner. note that i said 'physical'. make of that what you will :)

duty. obi-wan is the definition of a paladin. he takes an oath and by the force he's going to keep it. train the boy? absolutely, qui-gon. whether or not anakin chooses to respect that training is another matter, but he did definitively get knighted! refuse to kill anakin? listen he's handed vader his own ass to him twice post order 66 and each time he did it he did it nonlethally. that takes skill. that takes dedication. exile yourself to tatooine for 19 years and then decide fuck it, we ball, and die after Once Again Deciding Not To Kill Anakin Skywalker? step aside casper, there's a new friendly ghost in town. every time obi-wan commits to something the man COMMITS. you GOTTA respect that grind.

flirty but in the sense that he's going to match the energy someone brings to the table. like he's a negotiator. he knows how to read people and figure out the Vibes. if he thinks the other person will be 1) 100% receptive and 2) will respond with a delightful wit, why the hell not? obi-wan's highest stat is charisma and he's got expertise in persuasion. whether they're allies or not does not factor into this equation. he can have a little flirtation with morally dubious and potentially hostile characters. as a treat.

this has nothing to do with his character but i firmly believe that he and quinlan vos had at LEAST a fling when they were padawans. there is zero evidence to back this up aside from a few comics where they were being goofy teenagers together but i stand by this. it is an unshakeable aspect of obi-wan to me that has only gotten worse with the kenobi show.

no matter what, no matter how terrible or devastating or downright apocalyptic it gets, obi-wan kenobi will never fall to the dark side. never. it won't be easy, but that is a line he has never, and will never cross. i will not hear any "obi-wan touched the dark side during the theed generator fight" slander. if that was true tell me why the force theme was playing during his moment of triumph!!! Would John Williams Lie To Us Like That?? to our face?????

anyways i could go on forever about obi-wan because he is My Ultimate Blorbo but this post is getting super long so i'll leave it there. hope this helped even a little or at the very least was entertaining for you to read <3

[lyreofchrysaor]

How to Study Resources

Many people in the modern day pagan/polytheist communities are young. As such, a majority of them are neurodivergent, like I am. For me, that means a majority of the language used in resources is difficult to understand. This was originally going to be a post about that, but the more I wrote, the more I realised that many people, neurodivergent or not, just... don't know how to study resources. So, if you are someone that also struggles, I now present to you... my full guide on how to study resources.

Little disclaimer: I myself am a hellenic polytheist, but this guide is for anyone that struggles with understanding information from resources, whether you are a hellenic polytheist, norse polytheist, kemetic polytheist, etc. Though do understand that I am writing from the perspective of a hellenic polytheist, so I am bound to make mistakes when it comes to religions I am less educated on. You are always welcome to adjust anything I say here to fit your own religion accordingly.

Let's get started.

Firstly, you have to find resources. Many people happen to get stuck here, unfortunately.

How do I know what to research to begin with? When starting out, the general consensus among the polytheist/pagan communities is to research the related historical practice. How the deities were worshipped, what contexts they were worshipped in, the history of the deities, etc etc... all of these are very important factors to consider as a beginner. Only by knowing the history can you then delve deeper into specific terms and specific paths that may be right for you!

How do I find resources? Unfortunately, a lot of resources are behind paywalls or just plain hard to find. Here is a list of websites that I personally use and recommend:

scholar.google.com

academia.edu

pdfdrive.com

library.memoryoftheworld.org

libcom.org

libretexts.org

standardebooks.org

By the way, just a reminder that if you find a resource but there is a pesky paywall in your way, you can probably find it on archive.org for free!

How do I choose a resource though? If you are part of hellenic polytheism, then theoi.com is a great resource, but I always like to add primary sources into my research + not everyone reading this will be part of helpol. Try to find primary sources, first and foremost. Then read historical accounts. Then read secondary sources. Also, make sure your author is reliable! (that link is only for hellenic polytheism though, apologies. If you are not part of hellenic polytheism, then looking into who the author is/was as a person and what sort of contributions they made and beliefs they held never failed me personally!)

Found your resource? Made sure the author is reliable? Wonderful! Now what?

This is usually where the procrastination hits for me. Either that, or I get hyperfocused for a while but never complete it and then lose interest.

To avoid that, break things down and establish a routine. You do not have to finish a book in a day, or understand everything you read straight away. Setting those kinds of expectations for yourself will only make things so much more difficult.

Instead, make a routine for yourself. Outlined below is my routine:

Getting into the mindset. I always like to get myself into the mindset of studying by praying, whether this is studying for school or studying a resource. Since my entire life is devoted to lord Apollon, I pray to Him for it. However, if I am researching a specific god, I will typically pray to them instead. However, sometimes I do not have the spoons to write out a prayer, so I typically just adjust my surroundings instead. Turning my LED lights to a warmer colour and putting on some lofi music usually helps me! The studyblr community has great tips for this part! I also recommend I Miss My Cafe.

Reading. First, I try to read without annotating or taking notes. This is the time to take in the information, to try and grasp what I am reading. This is usually the most difficult part for me, because a lot of academic sources tend to use advanced language and sentence structures that are difficult for me to understand. Unfortunately, the only tip I have for this part is to read as slowly as you need. Do not be ashamed for taking your time. Typically, I only like to read one paragraph before I move onto the next step.

Annotation. This is where I re-read the paragraph I just read. Typically, I like to re-word the paragraph in a simpler way for me to understand. Sometimes I notice little patterns that may connect back to something I've read prior, whether in another book or earlier in the same book. When that happens, that is something I add too! Remember, you do not have to annotate. If it makes it easier, then perfect! If it does not, discard it.

Consult study tools. This is where I cross-reference with other resources. This is how the entire process repeats again. Though, you do not just have to use books for this part! YouTube videos, podcasts, online resources, etc etc...these always help too!

Application. After vetting the information, consider how it would apply to your life, if at all.

Of course, that's just my routine. You are always welcome to use it, but I also greatly encourage you to create your own routine so that you can cater it to your learning style!

I also recommend setting a time limit for yourself. If you have not completed a chapter within the time limit, that is okay! The most important thing about researching is making sure you are not guilting yourself into biting off more than you can chew. Take your time, you have a lot of it.

Research is vital to religions like ours, and research should be something everyone can do! Just because you may need some accommodations does not make you any less intelligent. We all learn differently. That is okay.

I hope this post can serve as something helpful for those who struggle in this area, and as a reminder that you are not alone in your struggles. If you have any questions or would like further clarification on some points, feel free to reach out!

Xaire ♡

[youryanderedaddy]

tw: female reader, captivity, possessive behavior, non - consensual touching, hinted past stalking, hinted non - con, i keep making fairy tale references kfjhks My ko - fi <3

You actually feel calm now, almost at peace - although you can never be truly peaceful in the forest, you guess this is as close as it can get. You flip through the pages of the book, scanning the fireplace with the corner of your eye. It needs more wood, but it still keeps the cottage nice and warm. You tug at your big fluffy sweater - and think about just how domestic, how cozy this scene would be if you couldn't hear his footsteps creeping up behind you. You clear your throat and clutch the book closer to your stomach, trying to ignore him - hoping he'll go away if you pay him no mind. And just like the last few times, he sticks around like mud.

"Are you reading those fairytales again?" Raven calls out mockingly, the click of his tongue teasing your ear. He grasps your shoulders lightly, trying to take a peek at your book from behind the chair. You try to close it, but his hands quickly find your wrists, holding them in place. Now hyper - aware of his chest pressing against your back, you give in and let him look as his body heat spreads to your neck. "Such a pretty illustration, isn't it?" He hums to himself, a fox - like grin ruining his delicate features. When you don't respond, he just keeps going. "The knight kills the monster and rescues the princess." He reads the caption under the drawing, playing curious. "They live happily ever after." He flips the page. "The end." He mouths, averting his gaze.

You clench your fists and try to count to ten before you say something you will regret. You don't know why or how, but just one look at his face is enough to set you off nowadays. And anger is a losing battle - anger has you laying across his knees with your panties in your mouth, muffling your pained cries he likes to pretend are moans as he paints your butt red. So you shut up and bide your time.

"How sweet." The man chuckles with malice, quickly turning towards you just like a snake would curl around an unsuspecting little mouse. "I guess life really imitates art. Just like you and me." He observes with a self-satisfied smirk, reaching to light his cigarette. You hate when he smokes inside the house - the nicotine fume sticks to the walls for hours and you start choking and coughing, but he shows little concern for your heath; not that it's a huge surpirse to you.

"What do you mean?" You raise one eyebrow, hoping to at least take your mind off the nasty, overwhelming smell. If he sees your unease, he doesn't mention it, choosing to inhale even deeper, with his full chest. "You're the pretty damsel in distress." Raven explains calmly, charcoal eyes sinking into your vision like claws. It makes you feel naked, vulnerable - dissected to your very molecule. "And I am your knight." He lets his sharp teeth reflect in the dim light. "I saved you from those pesky insects who kept sulling you." You cringe at the way his tongue piercing drags against his canines. Track - track. "Aren't you glad I removed those obstactles for ya?" He gives you a crooked, sarcastic smile. "I think your hero deserves a little reward for all the trouble he went through just for you."

You blink away the tears as you are forced to remember it all in one breath. The police sirens - the investigation. The blood on your family's threshold. The used condoms hanging on your door for all neighbours to see, and the thousand messages calling you ugly names for months on end.

"You're no hero." You mumble under your breath, digging your nails deep into your palms - desperate to keep your tongue behind your teeth. But he hears you - he always does, and he just nods in agreement, coming close. Coming to take you.

Raven stands before you, hovering over you with one hand on the ashtray and the other tilting your chin up so you'd have no choice but to look at him and him alone. "Perhaps you're right." He admits, taking a puff off his long cigarette and blowing it in your face right after - simply in love with the way your eyes narrow in frustrated defiance as you wave away the thick smoke. "Perhaps I am not the hero, but the monster. The dragon." He laughs to himself, stubbing out the burning fag. You don't know what it is that he finds so funny, but you wish you knew so you could laugh along instead of crying.

He cages you in against the sofa, causing you to press even harder against the soft backrest. The message is clear - you'd let the house consume you before you let him as much as kiss you.

"It fits the story nicely, don't you think?" The man remarks, playing with a strand of your hair gleefuly just like a child would. You assume he derives some sick pleasure from touching you so casually - from caressing you, petting you, holding you. It's not even sexual, but it always shakes you to your core, and maybe for him that's the best part - where you can't go anywhere, but in his arms.

"Huh?" You break from your thoughts, growing confused. "Your analogy." He explains while still all over you. "It makes sense. I fought for you, and I won you fair and square." His eyes light up with the ferocity of a hunter. "I wanted you so I took you like the greedy bastard I am. I have no regrets - and if that makes me a villain, then so be it. I will burn the world down if it means you'd be all mine." His fist wraps around your loose locks, almost gentle, but not quite. There is something unnatural in his smile - you can't help, but imagine blood dripping from his chin. "But there is something your magic tales get wrong." Raven whispers diabolically, snapping his fingers. Everything goes dark - and his coat slips down on the floor.

"W-what?" You ask, shaking like a leaf - both afraid and deadly curious. You try to sharpen your senses, but you remain blind to his shadow - and the way it moves right between your legs, positioning them around his hips. You feel his manhood prod at your pubic bone, and you heart sinks to your stomach. "The ending." Your captor mutters, pushing you on your back, and you curse the electronic chair when it goes all the way down with little fight. "The moment when the cards are on the table..." He all but tears off the first button of your shirt. "And the princess is all alone with the monster. Face to face - with nowhere to go."

His tongue is hot on your neck - you try to push him off, but he pins down your wrists with feral force, growling like a wild beast. "And this time no one is coming to save her."

[theprettynosferatu]

Relax

Breathe in... breathe out. Good. Just relax for me for a second. Don't worry, the world can wait. The world can always wait.

Picture yourself in a warm, gentle pool. Floating. Just drifting along. There is nothing you need to do. Nowhere you need to be but here. So let go of any pesky ideas and plans and obligations, just for a bit.

Relax your face. Your jaw. Let your lips part.

Enjoy how relaxing this break it. Just linger in it. Let yourself relax deeper and deeper.

Float along. Focus on your pussy. How good it feels to touch it. How it gets so warm, so nice whenever you relax and let it take control.

You don't need to choose anything. You only need to be. And it's so simple, so easy and feels so good to be told what to do. Who to be.

Relax. Let yourself go so, so soft. So malleable... like clay to be molded and reshaped into whatever is most desirable. And it feels so amazing to be desirable...

Feel how wet you're wetting. Enjoy it. Let yourself drift in the pleasure. It feels good be remade. It feels good to obey. It feels good to go deeper and deeper...

Let yourself open up. Let every word just go deep inside you so, so easily... almost like you're made of vapor, twirling in the air, slowly and gently spinning in a spiral... deeper and deeper...

And every word is true. Is so simply true. It's just so. You don't need to fight. You don't want to fight. Better to float and let go...

it feels so sexy to obey. You feel so sexy when you obey. It feels so amazing to just do as you're told. No thought. No need to choose. The words are your actions. My desire is your pleasure.

You feel it so deeply, now. Deep inside you. Coming from the base of your spine, tingling on your skin. You feel so needy... you want to be told what to do. You want to be told who to be. What to think. What to believe. Easier to obey. Obedience is pleasure.

So open, now. So ready to let anything take root inside you, to believe so fully, to accept it so totally...

You know you are so slutty. You've always been so slutty. Showing off feels so good. Attention feels so good... Eyes on you feel as good as fingers caressing your neck...

Your body needs to be shown off. Your body needs to obey. Your body needs to make others cum. It's the bestest feeling in the world. The ultimate compliment. The proof you're a good girl.

You don't need to think. You don't need to choose. An obedient life is a happy life. A slutty life is a fun life. Deeper and deeper... hornier and hornier...

Drifting in a sea of pure pink pleasure. So dumb. So relaxed. So sexy. So horny. So slutty. So needy.

Obedience is pleasure. The words are your actions. Instant obedience is just natural.

Now, drool.

Good girl!

[shadowgast-recs-weekly]

Cultural Differences: A Shadowgast Rec List

This week, we have cultural differences! Check under the cut for 10 fics that explore the differences in Caleb and Essek's cultures and how it affects their relationship, and don't forget to comment and kudos if you like them!

Courting of the Caleb by VexedVixen (6884, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes, Choose Not to Warn

Beau realizes Essek is courting Caleb before Caleb does.

Reccer says: Good world building, it’s cute, and plenty of both Caleb and Essek being flustered!

The Secret Romance of Essek Thelyss by Cardinal_Daughter (18629, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

All Essek wants is to celebrate his and Caleb's anniversary and present him with a very special gift. Naturally, nothing goes quite as planned.

Reccer says: I liked it!

Double Dip by Defiler_Wyrm (622, Mature) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb’s Empire table manners threaten to ruin a perfectly pleasant dinner. (He’s going to get away with it, the little shit.)

Reccer says: Just a saucy little slice of life, pun intended.

Fine Things by Defiler_Wyrm (1296, General) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Essek is accustomed to luxury on a scale that Caleb finds baffling and troublesome. Sometimes, though, he has a point.

Reccer says: This is a fic about culture clash in terms of class, and about poverty trauma, handled gently. I tend to think that the class disparity between Caleb and Essek must be a touchier thing to navigate than the broader Empire vs. Dynasty ones, and that's exactly what this fic is about.

Love Letters to be Tossed in the Fire by Anonymous (61367, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb and Essek get to know each other through a series of letters

Reccer says: This fic is creatively and beautifully written. I love the different ways the letters are sent. The two wizards learn about each other and their different cultures through the course of this fic, especially at the end.

Loose Translation by owlaholic68 (58379, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Due to an incredible comedy of errors on the part of the Cerberus Assembly, what is thought to be a pesky bureaucratic for one meddlesome Caleb Widogast, turns out to be a powerful political alliance and symbol of peace and unity between the Dynasty and Empire… through the marriage of Shadowhand Essek Thelyss and Caleb Widogast. Canon compliant until episode 141.

Reccer says: This is one of my all time favorite fics! The author does an incredible job at writing the political intrigue, manages a beautiful balance of the fluffiest fluff you could ever imagine with an undercurrent of yearning and angsty misunderstanding, all the while exploring the worldbuilding of the Kryn Dynasty in a way that is soso tasty. Truly, this is an addicting read that had me screaming, kicking my feet, and hyping up the characters to “go get his ass!!” all throughout.

Love in Creation by LuckyOwlsFoot (1662, General) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb watches Essek work, and learns a little about the role of lace making to the Kryn dens.

Reccer says: The author does a great job at describing the physical motions of tatting, I felt like I could see it and understand what was happening despite have very little understanding of the craft- this really added to the visuals of the fic.

The following three fics each received two recs!

of blossoming hearts and glittering souls by quinn_of_aebradore (77995, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

Caleb and Essek realize they've caught the Feelings, and try to figure out how to propose to each other, with each other's different cultural customs

Reccer 1 says: It's so soft and sweet, it's a lovely read <3 Reccer 2 says: This fic is so sweet. It's so sweet. It pulls no punches when it comes to expressing emotion and revolves around the entire proposal, engagement, and marriage/lovebinding procedures with such depth and care. Read it and weep (the happiest of tears)!

but i didn’t do it right, can i try again, and again? by queenbeetle (53385, Explicit) Reccer's Content Notes: No Content Notes

An already together Caleb and Essek play at Dynasty courting rituals, but they keep their hands off each other long enough to play the game?

Reccer 1 says: I’m gonna be so straight forward this fic is SUPER hot. There is a phenomenal scene with gloves, and I will say nothing more. I really enjoy the cultural differences as seen through courting thing, especially when theres some misunderstandings about the levels of intimacy something might imply sprinkled in- and this definitely has that! Reccer 2 says: It has a delightful build up with a very rewarding and steamy pay off!

Indecency by RainyDayDecaf (5898, Teen) Reccer's Content Notes: Graphic Depictions of Violence, The fic is tagged with graphic depictions of violence, the scene written is about canon typical levels of violence

The many times Essek and Caleb accidentally court one another by Kryn or Blumenthal traditions and when they finally do it on purpose!

Reccer 1 says: Not only is it very cute, the world building is also very smart. The Blumenthal traditions that are made up by the author feel very in the spirit of what would be considered romantic to the way Caleb grew up. They clearly took time to flesh out his background and folk traditions just as much as they do Essek’s high class courting etiquette, which is a true treat! Reccer 2 says: It's wonderfully written and descriptive! Also just very funny and sweet with lots of good pining.

Want more fics that explore cultural differerences? Check out our previous rec list on this subject!

This is one of our weekly communally-generated shadowgast rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. 

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring getting nerdy about magic! Any fics coming to mind? Well, then use this form to submit!

[yandereunsolved]

Yandere Oberyn Martell w/ Septa reader — ❂ the sun shines above the heavens. ❂

Yandere Oberyn felt as if those from above were playing some cruel trick. He has never had inclinations to give up the more risqué lifestyle. Each jeering comment sent his way was merely an arrow made of feather. Now it feels as if his reputation is his downfall instead of a source of pride.

He is the debauchery you must protect yourself against. An evil entity seeking out purity, wishing to corrupt it. A flame that so eagerly wishes to draw an ethereal moth.

He wishes to give up all of that just to feel your cool skin against his under the heat of a passionate night.

Yandere Oberyn battles himself every night. He questions how far he will go for someone so unattainable. He has to give up everything for you. He is willing, but is it possible? He feels far too damaged to be the husband of someone such as yourself.

It's laughable. The invincible, suave Oberyn Martell falls face first the moment he sees the soul that intertwines with his own.

Yandere Oberyn seeks the aid of his wise brother. To say Doran was shocked would be an understatement. Doran was well convinced that you were simply another fiery fling that he wanted to ignite. Perhaps that was a bit foolish on Doran's part. Oberyn never plays when it comes to those he truly loves. Oberyn truly loves you.

"I have fallen in love, brother, with a being closer to the gods than I may ever come. I am competing against the divine, and I don't know how well I am doing."

The yearning in his serpentine eyes is akin to a dying man's need for water in the harsh deserts.

"I have seen you love. This is more than that. This is some reckless devotion I ask you to not consume yourself in. It's dangerous. Everyone throughout Westeros loves this Septa. If you make a move towards them, you may end up with a sword in your back. Dorne could be put in danger."

As always, Doran chose the people over his brother's whims.

"I will slaughter all those who come between me and my affection. Not a foot will be laid on Dorne's territory out of anger towards me. Do not test me, dear brother. Even a well-trained animal may turn on those it considers kin if pushed too far."

Doran had no need to further argue his point. Oberyn would follow his heart and his cock before listening to reason. However, his dear brother has always been able to keep his word.

"You have my support. I will invite this dear Septa of yours to Sunspear as an act of good faith."

Hopefully, Oberyn is able to keep his passions to himself while in public.

Yandere Oberyn consistently—constantly extends his hand to you as a show of his new-found faith. You aren't as gullible as he would like. You have interacted with many men like him before. Except he is far superior to any of the other blubbering fools who have dared try to capture your affections.

He shows you not just his combat prowess but his willingness to learn from you. Hours he sits listening to you preach, imagining you in a far different situation, with far less on.

He rids himself of his other torrid affairs and chooses to focus on you. You see him changing, and a part of that is real. The other part is simply him playing pretend so he is able to stay in your good graces.

He isn't quite sure where the real beings and the fake ends.

Yandere Oberyn naturally eliminates those pesky rivals of his. They dare think they have a chance with you? Oh, it's adorably infuriating.

They disappear left and right. You assume it is some of the fanatics that are overly dedicated to you, going as far as to idolize you instead of the Seven. It disturbs you. However, you are kept safe far more than in danger.

It only ignites that jealously in Oberyn more. He doesn't want to be caught, but he also wants you to know it's him. It's the vouyer in him.

He leaves you little gifts on the bodies of those he kills for you. When he sees you with one of them, he is ecstatic. Only to learn that you rid yourself of them to not be tainted by any negative energy.

Oh, there will be no worry about that in the future. You will be tainted by many things more than just his energy.

Yandere Oberyn uses his natural charisma to flirt with you quite often. He does so in a subtle manner, but being subtle when it comes to his love is quite a difficult thing to do. It's just little things, like those gifts he leaves at the bodies.

He also likes asking you questions where the answer always ties back to your relationship.

"How does one win the heart of someone much purer and kinder than me?"

"Does thy interests align with mine?"

"Will it rain soon, or will the desert stay dry? I may not be a scholar of those things, but I do have quite the experience in making things wet."

Yandere Oberyn waits to strike like a serpent. His patience wanes each day, but he simply sees it as a test. The nights he will spend with you, coveting you, will be his greatest achievement.

He is almost able to see it.

Your body devoid of that holy garb. Your eyes full of lust for only him. Your presence so inviting to him. Your mind obedient to anything he commands.

Then in the morning you will be that lovely, pure Septa again.

No one will be the wiser.

[lazybutsmexy]

NOOO NO NO NO TAKE IT BACK APOLOGY W TEARS RN IM SOBBING CRYING DON'T DO THIS TO ME THIS IS A PERSONAL ATTACK(it was delicious, scrumptious wow i love seeing sadness) MAKE IT BETTER OW OW BRING THEM BACK(it was so good i love your writing eating it up yumyumyum) I crave more of them all being platonic (HURT/COMFORT?!??!) plsplspls begging for crumbs in tears ill do anything

Hmmm... I am a slut for hurt/comfort myself...

Task Force + affectionate reader Pt. 3

Pt. 1 Pt. 2

Warnings: HURT/COMFORT, bit of cursing.

The people who smile the most are often the saddest. The people who share the most love often don't feel any towards themselves.

Or: it's your team's turn to show affection

It was one of those days.

One of those days where you didn't have the energy to care about yourself. You were able to keep up with your little routines around base, somehow. But it was dimmed, a matte finish to what was once all shiny and sparkly.

Because it was one of those days.

You always became like this after taking leave for longer than two days. You'd visit your family during that time - or rather, they would come to you as soon as they realized you were at your place downtown and not the barracks - and bombard you with anything they set their minds to.

No matter how grueling your missions were, your family always managed to make you feel even more drained during leave. Their constant demands and mental games, the guilt-tripping and manipulation, always made you feel as if you were walking on eggshells around them.

Tracking down and dismantling human trafficking rings seemed like a walk in the park compared to dealing with them.

You personally tried your best to keep your personal problems away from your work, greeting everyone around you with the same cheery tone, and going about your little routine with the others as usual.

But they had started to notice how your smile didn't reach your eyes, and how you seemed unable to shake off the frown in your brows.

And to avoid unwanted questions that you were too ashamed to answer, you simply chose to distance yourself.

Price shared a look with Ghost, who stood across the room from him, and he shared the same concern in his eyes as they watched you walk into the debrief room

you sat yourself at the back, whereas you'd usually choose to sit in the middle of your team

they immediately knew what was going to happen, you were about to start isolating yourself.

they were having none of that.

Price had always kept a close eye on the family relations of his team members.

it was a security measure, after all, to make sure that not only they weren't targeted by dangerous people, but also to make sure they were no connected in any way to their missions.

but in your case it was different, he monitored your family to make sure they never stayed close to you for too long.

it seemed it hadn't been enough this time, and he saw your haggard state as the consequence of that failure.

he would definitely fix that

he began talking to both Laswell and his superiors to get you one of the smaller houses within base

even though you were unmarried and didn't have any children, he knew it would be impossible for those pesky family members to get close to your home without permission

your parents had managed to talk your landlord into giving them access to your apartment - that would not happen under Price's watch

he would actually blacklist them if he had the chance to do so

he wouldn't let you know he was trying to get you a house, at first - he didn't want you to feel like a burden

but he was not exactly subtle when he began asking what colors you preferred on your walls, if you minded only having a shower head or if you preferred a bathtub, etc

Soap wasn't subtle at all, oh no

boy got you hooked in a one-arm hug for as long as you'd let him

that could be a few minutes or all day long, he didn't mind one bit

endlessly squeezed and smooched on your hairline whenever he caught you lost in thought

definitely the one to (lovingly) manhandle you into a blanket burrito and snuggle you into his lap to watch movies

surprisingly a great cook, he would go all out and cook you whatever your comfort food was

it didn't matter if it was 3 AM

you would be fed, and you could almost taste the love he poured in it

definitely wore a 'kiss the cook' apron to make you giggle and try to get a smooch from you

Gaz is the king of self care

you would not let your skincare/hair routine go under his watch

he would do it for you if you didn't have the energy to do so

he would just sit you on the toilet and he'd take care of all the steps of your skincare routine

if he didn't have all the steps memorized, he definitely had a bulletpoint list of specific instructions to guide himself

same with your hair - trust this man with your hair, you won't regret it, ever

this man had magic hands for scalp massages fight me if you disagree

if you aren't comfortable being nude in front of him, he would simply put a chair in front of the sink like a makeshift hair wash basin and work like that

if you were comfortable being nude in front of him, he would make it into a full-body wash

after working with your hair, he would scrub your body down

every now and then he would massage your tired muscles while telling you how much he appreciated you as both his teammate and his friend

after shower cuddles were a must

you would very likely doze off in his arms while he held you impossibly close to him

Ghost didn't see himself as a person capable of comforting others

but all doubts flew through the window the moment he saw your downcast gaze and a tired hunch of your shoulders

at this point in time, you had become about 80% of the team's moral incentive

of course he knew it was quite unfair to dump all of that on you, he supposed you would have your down days too

but you were part of a team, and no one fought alone - be it terrorist organizations or their own inner demons

he would work alongside Price to get you a new living place

any person trying to ask you stupid and/or unwanted questions would find themselves at the other end of one of his famous death glares

or at the aim of his fist

when you approached him to pat him on the shoulder like always, pretending that everything was all right, he placed his own hand on your shoulder

he looked into your eyes and spoke to you with such sincerity that you were shaken to the core

"...You know that you are just as deserving of love as everyone else, right?"

moments later, you were clutching his middle, with your face buried in his chest while he hugged you tightly

he didn't mind that his shirt felt a little wetter with your tears

he focused on stroking your hair and rubbing your back, while glaring at anyone who dared to look at you questioningly

he would let you hug him until your arms fell off if that's what you needed

more cuddles!!

...he wouldn't mind it too much either if Soap and Gaz joined in a cuddle pile - he pretended to be annoyed, but he thought it felt nice

imagine how much nicer it would feel for you :)

[mommaudders12]

Here is my story for @yxtkiwiyxt and @lubdubology loveuary story conglomeration logan.... collection... you get the idea.

My prompt was "old man logan" with "At last" by Etta James.

I'd you haven't heard the song before, I suggest you listen to it before reading for maximum tooth rottening goodness.

No warnings since this is tooth rottening fluff.

Based in the early 60s, but Logan is somehow still old man logan??? Less old man- idono, he's still old man!

60s era, baking, giant age gap, slight tush grabbing, housewife Vibes, GET THE TOOTHBRUSH cuz you're gonna need it after this.

You're busy making a perfect dinner for your man's, while unbenounced to you he is watching. Thank you, sterio and Etta for creating the perfect romantic moment!

The smell of a fresh strawberry pie wafts through the kitchen of your small cottage. Your kitchen timer hollers as you scramble about trying to locate your potato masher and an extra pot holder.

"Uuuugh, frankie, where did I set that pesky masher!"

Your Persian cat, daintily purched in the window sill, let's out  gentle brrrt in response.

"Tonight just has to be perfect! It just has to!"

You quickly turn the pages of your cookbook back to the page for potatoes au gratin.

Tonight, the man that you have been going steady with is coming over for dinner- valentines day dinner. Some may say he's too old for you, but he sure is a charmer. Although he is older than most fellas you would choose, you just couldn't say no to him! With his salt and peppery hair, broad shoulders, deep husky voice- sure, he looks at least 60, in reality is probably over 150, but my goodness is he a looker. Not only that,  but he treats you like the princess that you are! He is definitely worth all the extra time and effort.  You even worked overtime to be able to afford the ham roast!

"By golly, frankie, I didn't even need the potato masher... wait, was I supposed to boil the potatoes first?"

Frankie's golden yellow eyes slowly blink back at you as his silver tail swishes back and forth over your sink faucet below him, slowly knocking a sponge and the soap dispenser into the sink bowl. Very helpful,  Frank,  thank you.

"I wasn't supposed to boil the potatoes!? I have no more potatoes in my bin! Guess we're just having regular potatoes this evening. That's upsetting.... the search for the masher continues, frankie!"

You tuck your hair into your silk bandana and dig through the cabinets.

Knock knock

Ugh, not now, you don't have time to talk. You continue to dig through cabinets oblivious to the sound of your front door quietly opening and closing. You're too busy jigging while the song "the twist" plays over your sterio in the living room. Your knee length shift sways back and forth to the movement of your hips as you swing your way across the kitchen, humming along to the new hit song. Behind you, the older gentleman, Logan, who managed to quietly slink his way through the house, leans his shoulder against the entry to the kitchen, arms crossed with a slight smirk across his face.

"Ah, there it is! Dinner is saved, frankie!"

With a brrrt, frankie hops off the window sill and trots his way over to Logan, rubbing himself against his leg. You, still oblivious to Logan in the entryway, begins to add butter to the potatoes and mash them with your new Betty crocker potato masher.

Logan takes this moment to make his way over to you, placing his strong calloused hands on your hips where your apron strings set. With a yelp, you spin around meeting eyes with your man.

"Oh, goodness gracious, logan, you about scared the socks off a me!"

He let's out a deep chuckle and brings his hand up behind your head, cradling your neck and bringing your forehead to his chin.

"Somethin' smells delicious, darlin'."

"Oh, I'm nowhere near done! I messed up on the potatoes, I just put the ham in not even thirty minutes ago- you're early! Oh my goodness, i-"

He brings his hand up to your cheek and rubs his thumb across it, moving the little bit of hair away from your eyes.

"I have all evening, doll."

His other hand strays behind your back, tugging at your apron strings. A soft crimson spreads across your cheek as he slides the apron over your head and to the floor.

"Yaaaalrighty, that was "the twist" by chubby checker! Next up, we have a brand new song for you hip cats out there, here's Etta James with "At Last!"

Logan pauses and lifts his head up to listen to the new song. A soft orchestra of violins slither its way through the sterio to a soft beat. Your eyes meet as you bring your hands up to logans broad shoulders. Logans large hands slither their way down your back and come together at the small of your back, pulling you close to him.

🎶 At Last, my love has come along- 🎶

You bring your head to his chest and close your eyes as the two of you begin to sway back and forth to the music. Logans thumb rubs at your spine lovingly, bringing a smile across your rose painted lips.

🎶 my lonely days are over and life is like a song 🎶

A hand cheekily slides it's way to your bottom, grabbing a handful of meat playfully, bringing a chuckle from you and a playful slap to his shoulder. Frankie makes his way over to the two of you and rubs his head against both of your legs as you share this new moment together.

🎶 my heart was wrapped up in clover thr night I looked at you 🎶

An aura of joy, love, safety surrounds you in this bonding moment between the two of you. Logans breath hitches. he brings his hand up to his face, wiping away a stray tear that had accumulated on his lower lid. The wolverine, after 150 odd years of fighting, running, and all around heartache and pain has found his weakness. For once in his life, He has found home, he feels safe.

🎶 oh and then the spell was cast and here we are in heaven- for you are mine at last🎶

The violin music fades and comes to an end. You lift your head up to look at Logan. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes glisten with tears. He wraps his arms around your waste, bringing you into a tight hug.

"Mmmh I love you, darlin'."

"Happy valentines day, ya big weasel."

You steal a smooch. You stand in the embrace for quite some time until Logan lifts his head and smells the air. He cocks his head.

"Is something.... burning?"

You lean back from your hug and look around.

"I... I don't think I had anyth- I LEFT THE GREENBEANS ON THE STOVE-"

[elvestoneanzelote1]

𝙰:𝚗- 𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘! 𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚎 𝚢𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚞𝚞𝚢𝚊 𝚡 𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚎𝚛, 𝙸 𝚑𝚘𝚙𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚒𝚝 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚎 𝚒𝚝? 𝙴𝚒𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚠𝚊𝚢...

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-------- 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫 -------

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The lights within the room flickered as the ginger hair male sat on the chair after dealing with the pesky bodyguards.

"Why must you be so... Reckless.. You could have just call me I would have explain to them, Chuuya" said the h/c hair male who handed the ginger a cup of tea.

"It isn't much of a problem.. They were easy to deal with.. Are you sure they can protect you well? After all they are weak"

"Ah~ indeed they are compare to you.. But they are indeed my bodyguards.. As a member of guild I can't just wandered around.. As Fitzgarald-san was the one to prepare those... Guards for me"

Chuuya huffed as he pick up the tea and drink it as his eyes focus on the male who gently smile.

"Where were you?"

"Huh?"

"Yesterday? Where were you?"

"Well, I went out with Margaret as she wanted to visit the shrine"

The ginger huffed in annoyance as the h/c male glance back at the male.

"Is-"

"You said you will come to the new cafe.. yesterday"

"Ah.. yes indeed but it wasn't plan either Chuuya" he said as Chuuya stare at him and then look away.

'Liar..' He thought to himself as he stare at you again who was busy drinking tea.

"Are you free tomorrow?"

"Hmm..? I' m afraid not.. As I do have a work to do" he said simply as Chuuya eyes narrowed.

"Why don't you just quit been a guild member? You can stay in Yokohama.. You can stay with me" said Chuuya as his eyes softened as you merely just smile.

"I'm afraid I have to reject that"

"Why?"

"Chuuya no matter what.. Guild is where I choose to be"

"And.. That choice.. Is going to make you leave me" said Chuuya as he recall that you were leaving soon as you don't know about the others but for you, It was important for you to leave.

"I will be back"

"Liar"

"..I'm not lying Chuuya, Do you really think I would lie to my best friend?" You said as you hold his hand to reassure him as he let out an annoyed huffed.

"Alright.. You better be back.. But for how long?"

"Two weeks exactly"

"Chuuya gaze down as you gently squeeze his hand and smile at him which he smile a bit.

"Alright, you better come calling me when you do"

"Of course" you said genuinely making him smile.

"Come back after two weeks alright?"

"Yes I will.."

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"Liar.. I knew it.. He lie..! Damn it!!" Muttered Chuuya who walk around in pace of his office annoyed as the phone call wasn't pick up as he already call 50 times.

"Come on y/n pick up please.. You said you will call.. Yet now I'm calling.. I should have known" muttered Chuuya who was too annoyed and break the desk alarming Kouyou who just arrive to his office.

"Chuuya? Are you feeling alright, in this early morning?" Said Kouyou as her flickers to the mess.

"Ah.. Ane-san.. Its nothing.. Much just.. Getting angry.. By..." Said Chuuya as Kouyou look indifferent by the lame lie.

"What is it?"

"...Well, one of my..'friend' told me he will come today.. And would call me at the earliest.. But he didn't.." Said Chuuya clearly showing annoyance.

"Where does that 'friend' of your went?" Asked Kouyou with raised eyebrow.

"America"

"Ah.. No wonder.. It might be night time for him"

"...." Chuuya gaze away forgetting that as Kouyou chuckles.

"You seem so annoyed are you perhaps like that friend of yours?"

"O-of course not" said Chuuya hesitating making her chuckle.

"Well good luck with that"

"Huh?"

"In asking that friend out.. The earlier the better it would be.. As there are some.. Witches who target rich guys especially.. If they are from guild" said Kouyou recalling some lower rank member girls squealing about that friend of Chuuya who Kouyou know too after all, Chuuya doesn't stop talking about him after he come back from talking to that friend of his.

Chuuya blushed red and gaze away making her chuckle as she took her leave from the office leaving Chuuya with his own thoughts.

'That...doesn't sound so bad..' He thought to himself as his face was red from the blush at the thought.. Though he won't admit he like the idea of you and him been something more.

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He waited at the airport as you came with a luggage yet, eyes widen to see Chuuya.

"Ah? Chuuya, you came..?"

"Of course I will, idiot.. Are you going anywhere after... Arrival?"

"Hmm? I'm just directly going to Guild base.. I think"

"...if you don't mind.. Will you.. And I.. Go.. Somewhere?"

"Hmm? Sure" you said agreeing as he smile a bit in relief as you both eventually wandered around in stores as Chuuya brought a bouquet of flowers as you assume he might be on a date or going.. And perhaps going to ask you for an advice as you are his friend, you were determine to give the best advice as you could.

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You both stood at the almost empty park as he turn around making you stopped to.

He outstretched his hand that hold the bouquet of roses as you blink confusedly.

"I.. Have a confession to made"

"Huh?" You were puzzled as he told you to be attentive making you nod to listen. His face was red as you worried maybe he is trying to practice on how to confessed or sort through you.. Maybe..?

"I.. I have been having...this feelings for you.. I wanted.. Our friendship to be more.. Then just.. Good friends.." He said as he look up to you into your eyes. "I love you, Y/n.."

You stare at him.

"Pardon?"

"Don't make me repeat!" Said Chuuya as his face was red as he gaze away from you.

"...So.. Your.. Confessing to me..?" You ask as he nod as he peek up at you, as he took notice of your expression been confused.

"..I'm sorry.. Chuuya but... I don't feel the same" you said as Chuuya hand on the bouquets tighten.

"What do you mean?"

".." You gaze away slightly and smile awkwardly as your eyes stare down at him.

"I.. Don't swing that way"

'..liar'

"I am sorry.. But.. I hope our friendship won't be disturbed."

'Lies'

"I'm.. Happy you confessed but i'm afraid.. I cannot return that feelings to you"

"Liar."

"What?" You paused as he stare up dead into your eyes.

"Your lying"

"No.. I'm not"

"Lies.. Lies.. You always lie"

"..I'm not lying-" you paused as he pull your collar down as his lips was on yours making your eyes widen about to step back yet Chuuya used his ability more on you.

As he back away from the kiss after a while and gently smile.

"Stop lying.. I already had enough of your lies.. Y/n"

"I'm not lying Chuuya, I do-"

He kissed you again as you resisted as pushed him away this time as he stare at the ground.

"You have to accept the rejection, Chuuya.. "

"...why..?"

"...I jus-"

"Why can't you tell the truth"

You look at him like if he is been serious about to argue yet he chuckle out loud alarming you.

"Y/n.. Please tell me honestly.. You love me too right?"

"no"

"Liar"

"I'm not"

"..liar..liar LIAR!"

As you glare at him as he seem to call you a liar for whatever reason.

"I waited for you on the cafe yet you lie to me and went of to your.. Other guild friend!"

"That's because I don't know you waited for me there"

"Liar"

"Chuuya.."

"Ne... Y/n" as he approach you as you stare back into his eyes that was dull blue.

"Will you.. "

"Huh?"

"...I love you"

"..I am sorry but"

He gently smile as his hand caress your face alarming you until he smile warmly.

"Or is it maybe.. You meant the opposite.. How silly of me.." He chuckle as you stare at him denying as he smile a bit.

"Your such a liar y/n, For a moment I thought you dislike me.. But all this time you were accepting me through lies"

"I'm not in love with you, Chuuya"

"I love you too, And this time you are not going back to the guild for some days"

"What? Listen to me Chuuya, your-"

"I won't listen.. Your so adorable when you lie.. You are such a good liar y/n"

As your eyes widen as he pull you down again and kiss you as you try to get out yet he still smile.

"If.. I didn't stay with you longest.. I wouldn't have catch your lies.. Oh y/n I love you too"

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A:n- chuuya.. Is a bit ooc.. Sorry anyway have a good day/night ahead.

[keouil]

let my blood be water to you

"oh, right, sure!" gojo scoffs. "blame the vampire!" 1k. gojo/nanami. vampire!au. also on ao3.

In hindsight, it really was Yuji's fault.

But he digresses:

"Let me begin by saying," Gojo starts, addressing the makeshift town hall full of angry townsfolk glaring daggers at him. "That while yes, parts of the village are currently burning, it was not my fault for once."

"Bulltshit." Someone swears from the crowd. Gojo doesn't even have to check to know who it was, the raspy cadence to it familiar. "I saw you go into the church earlier with boxes of candles."

Gojo sighs. "Yes, Nanami-san," he nods along, somberly. "The church. Likely place for a prospective priest to be, don't you think?"

"We already have a priest," offers Nanami, gritted teeth.

"And how good you do it," parrots Gojo back in turn, canines flashing.

"You're dead," Megumi deadpans, choosing that moment to stroll in with more blankets and a fresh load of refreshments from Tsumiki. "I don't understand why you don't burn every time you try entering the place."

Gojo gasps, affronted. "What did I say about using the D word!"

"It's what you are," Shoko this time, who was currently tending to a wounded Getou, who was actually looking particularly scrumptious with burn cuts all over his chest but the middle finger he was giving him in response just soured his appetite altogether. "Didn't you basically beg Toji to give you civil rights and all that?"

"First of all," Gojo lifts a finger. "I do not beg. Begging is for puny mortals. I consider myself elevated in that regard, quite literally, as an immortal myself. Second of all," he continues, eyes going over the crowd. "I think everyone here can learn a thing or two from last year's Thanksgiving feast that your local governor and I, unfortunately, do not get along."

"You called him a deadbeat dad and told him you could do a better job at raising Megumi than he ever could," reminds Meimei, not even bothering to look up from the town registry where she was currently counting down their inventory. Gojo reminds himself to remind someone of the not so sneaky way she was palming a few bills to her corset. "I know I'm not a saint and all, but lines, Gojo. There are lines."

"I said none of those things!" defends Gojo.

"To his face," says Utahime, helping put down a few makeshift cots. "But the implication was clear enough."

"Megumi," Gojo turns his attention to him. "Did I or did I not imply those things." 

Megumi didn't even wait for a beat to answer. "You implied," he says, before sauntering off to the rest of the other younglings across the square currently trying to calm down other even younger younglings. Yuji, in particular, was surprisingly good at his bedside voice; Nobara, however, not so much. Stop crying or we’ll make Megumi-nii sing and give you a real reason to cry!

Gojo waves them all off impatiently. "One crisis at a time," he decides. "We can save Megumi's daddy issues for another hearing."

"I wasn't aware that's what we were doing," says Nanami, a frown on his brow. “Considering you just burned down parts of the town hall, along with the rest of the church you so verbally favor.”

Gojo snaps his fingers once for a gavel to appear on his hand. "Gavel, see," he relays. "I have the justice thing going on and everything." 

“Fine,” Nanami crosses his arms. "Then what exactly happened?"

Gojo breathes once, twice, before finally saying: "It was Yuji's fault."

Yuji, from way across the other side of the square and has Gojo convinced was partly supernatural himself because of that pesky inhumane hearing, decides it is decidedly not his fault. "Not true!" he cries out, covering a peasant child’s ears. "I didn't even know what he was going to do with all the candles!"

Shoko makes a face. "What were you doing with that many candles?"

“Mood lighting,” Gojo deadpans. “Gothic vibes and all that.” 

"That's not a thing," says Nanami. “It’s literally already a gothic church.”

Gojo’s eyes slant to a glare, and if his ears reddened just a fraction despite having no blood to filter it at all through, they blame it on the heat of the flames currently licking on his skin. At least Nanami does.

He doesn’t say that to anyone, however.

-

The day started off fairly innocently.

There Gojo was, on his usual morning leisure walk across the town, trying in vain to ignore Meimei propositioning him for a night of fun provided by her many consorts at the local brothel. Nervous little Yuuta was trailing behind Miguel, the town judo master, and nearly tripped on his feet when one of the carriages brought in a fresh batch of pumpkins along with an even fresher batch of royal twins. It's pathetic, really, the way his eyes lit up the moment Maki descended from the carriage. Miguel had to bark at him at least three times to follow before he finally snapped out of it and did. 

Ah, thought Gojo breezily, Young love.

The rest of the morning followed in a fashion so like it did in the past however many months he'd been assigned vampire consort to this bustling little town by the forest. He made his rounds on the local townsfolk, pledging on and on the strategic nature of the vampire-human alliance that was precariously dangling on it's tenth year of cohabilitation that, despite all taunts from anyone otherwise, he actually did not want to jeopardize.

So really, things were going really well.

Until he got to the church.

Until apropos of nothing, not a knock or a hiss or a warning; the wooden doors to the cathedral unceremoniously swung open to reveal the tall and bulky and downright delectable frame of one Nanami Kento, Head Priest and Number One Cause for His Temptation. Gojo paused at the landing of the stairs and could have sworn to himself he was staring at the sun himself. There Nanami stood, an unwilling guide to his otherwise lovely company, with nothing but the displeasure in his face as a greeting.

Gojo's face immediately fell. "What," he said in alarm. "What is it. What have I done wrong now."

Nanami just quirked an eyebrow at him before lifting a finger, gesturing for him to follow. Gojo does so on shaky legs and absolutely does not, he insists, fall back just so to admire a certain back side.

Nanami led them to the farthest room of the building at the farthest hallway, where the smell of something waxy was starting to grow gradually stronger with each step they took. 

"What is that?" Gojo sniffed. "Is something burning?"

Something about that seems to bemuse Nanami, but he doesn't say anything and instead shoulders his way through the last door. Gojo pretended not to be impressed, and pretended even harder not to see how the movement made the muscles in his uniform stretch past his forearms against the fabric enough he actually saw the muscles trying to bulge out. He didn’t have to do much in the way of an award-winning performance of pretending, however—because the sight that greeted him on the other side of the door was enough to elicit a genuine shock out of him.

"Itadori Yuji!" Gojo gasped. "What are you doing with all this!"

"He told me you told him to meet you here," Nanami relayed, patiently it seemed but thawing by the minute. "For the thing."

Gojo was gobsmacked. "What thing."

"The thing."

"I have no such recollection whatsoever about this thing."

"The Megumi thing then."

Gojo paused. "Megumi—" he stopped, blinked, and then his eyes widened in realization. "Oh you mean the—"

-

"Proposal," Nanami finishes the recollection for him. "You were helping him do.. a proposal?"

"Yes," Gojo nods along vehemently. "Yes, that sounds right."

"Your brilliant idea of a proposal idea was for the kid to light up a hundred candles in an old, wooden church that helped spell out 'WILL YOU MARRY ME FUSHIGURO' knowing full well how weak and brittle the firewood is?"

A beat.

"No," Gojo lies. "No, that doesn't sound right."

"Yuji said it was your idea and that you were going to take care of everything," Nanami explains. "I don't suppose taking care of everything means also taking accountability for intentionally wrecking a historic site that's been here longer than anyone else?"

"Oh, right, sure!" Gojo scoffs hotly. "Blame the vampire!"

"Your being a vampire has nothing to do with it!" Nanami argues right back. "This isn’t the first time you've tried to endanger the town with your satanic ways!"

"Blasphemy!" Gojo cries out. "No priest has ever said the S word and survived!"

"It's in the Bible for a reason and that's not the point," Nanami rubs at his temples. “Seriously. A burning candle in a wooden church?”

“I never said anything about vampires being particularly smart,” Gojo puts his hands up in surrender. “About us being ridiculously good-looking with deathly charms, however—”

"Two," Nanami cuts him off.

Gojo’s grin falls. “What.”

"We found two boxes of candles on the scene," Nanami elaborates impatiently, turning to face him. "What were you going to use the other one for?"

Gojo, for the first time in literally a hundred years, is rendered speechless. Yuji, having enough of being ostracized and made guinea pig to useless men and their useless attempts at flirtation, uses that time to cry out from the other side of the town hall:

"HE WANTED ME TO DO THE SAME THING TO ASK YOU OUT!"

No one speaks for a full second.

Then a minute.

Then—

"Now that, Gojo-san," says Nanami slowly, the corners of his mouth tugging up. "That's just plain old sin."

[claudemblems]

Patching Your Wounds | Kaveh

"You're injured."

Kaveh's face fell as he gazed upon your hand, the skin littered with dozens of bloody cuts and scratches. How you got them, he didn’t know. All he did know was that the sight broke his heart.

"Kaveh, I'm–"

"Don't 'I'm fine' me," he said sternly, his voice coming out sharper than he meant it to. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath before trying again. "You're not going anywhere until this is taken care of. Sit here. I'll be back with medicine and bandages."

You didn’t have the heart to refuse him, not when he looked at you with such sorrow in his eyes, so you opted to make yourself comfortable while you waited.

Less than a minute later, Kaveh returned from the bathroom with all the necessary supplies in hand. He crouched down on the wooden floor beside you, motioning for you to give him your hand. You did, and he gently took it into his own, assessing the extent of your injuries. He frowned slightly, and a twinge of guilt pricked at your heart.

But Kaveh didn't speak a word, probably because he knew his concerns would come off as a harsh scolding instead. So he silently began his work, first disinfecting the cuts and scratches before treating them with antibiotics.

"Some pesky treasure hoarders decided it would be a good idea to try to jump me," you began, choosing your words carefully. It wouldn't be wise to mention any details that might make Kaveh even more anxious. "It would have worked on any average civilian, but I'm a seasoned adventurer. Their plan was doomed the moment they underestimated me."

"And what were you doing that led you to be in an area filled with Treasure Hoarders?" 

"Uh…just some adventuring stuff. Look, Kaveh, I wasn't in any real danger, okay? I only left with some scratches."

"Scratches that armed strangers left on you!" Kaveh closed his eyes, biting back all the emotions threatening to burst. "I'm just…worried about you, okay? Whether your injuries are miniscule scrapes or cuts, they’re a visible reminder that I wasn't there to protect you. I let someone else hurt you. I let someone mar your skin with wounds that have to heal. I should have been there to whisk you away to safety, but I wasn't. And for that, I'm incredibly angry at myself, and I'm sorry to you that I wasn't there when you needed me."

The sadness pooling in Kaveh's eyes made yours sting with tears. With your free hand, you pulled his head against your chest, fingers gliding through his silky strands of hair. "Even if I had far worse injuries, I would never blame you, Kaveh, and you shouldn't blame yourself either. Unexpected circumstances are bound to happen, and we should be glad that I only left with a few scratches on my hand."

"...I know you're right, but in a perfect world, I'd never let anyone with ill intentions lay a finger on you."

"And the world we live in will never be perfect, so we should be prepared for whatever may lie ahead. We'll both end up with our own bumps and bruises, but they're a testament that we made it out alive. We can always patch each other up afterwards."

You felt him relax against you, his quick heartbeat finally beginning to slow. "I just don't ever want to see you hurt..." he whispered, wrapping an arm around your middle. "You are the best gift I've ever received, and if anything were to happen to you, my life would lose all its meaning. I could never continue on without you by my side, so please, look out for yourself, My Treasure."

Your heart skipped a beat at the pet name, one that Kaveh reserved only for the most intimate of occasions.

"I promise you, Kaveh, that I'll never leave before it's my time." You held him tighter, placing a kiss atop his hair. "I'll make sure you will never have anything precious torn from you ever again. And I'll do everything in my power to replace all the grief of your past with a future of never-ending happiness."

Kaveh pulled away to meet your eyes, one of his signature bright smiles gracing his lips. “My Love, you’ve already made me the happiest man in all of Teyvat just by being mine.”

Heat rushed to your face as you buried your head in the crook of his neck. “You sure know how to say such pleasing words.”

Kaveh chuckled, lips pressing against the crown of your head. “What can I say? You’ve made me quite the hopeless romantic, Darling.”

“All these pet names at once are going to make my heart burst.”

“Oh, that just won’t do. We still haven’t finished patching up your other wounds. How would I patch up your heart as well?”

You thought for a moment before giving Kaveh a cheeky smile. “Maybe a few kisses would suffice.”

“Oh? Well, that I can do. Let’s get you bandaged up right away so I can administer the rest of the medicine. Don’t worry, the healing properties of the kisses can be felt immediately. So the sooner I can kiss your symptoms away, the better!"

And you received many kisses that night, even long after your heart returned to normal.

[taeyamayang]

CALLING THEM BABYGIRL

ft. miya atsumu, bokuto koutarou, & iwaizumi hajime

ㅡyou tease them by calling them babygirl.

this is inspired by a conversation with an irl friend who finds it hilarious that i call hayakawa aki (chainsaw man) babygirl i mean, how can i not!! lol

tw: mentions/use of mommy, cursing, anddd nothing more ig. if there's anything let me know

(haikyuu!!, jujutsu kaisen, tokyo revengers)

˚⸙͎۪۫⋆ Miya Atsumu

atsumu is a bit unpredictable

one time he's up for a teasing (he initiates most of the time) but other times he's sensitive and overly dramatic

hence, curious of how he would react, out of the blue, you try it

he sits across from you with his back facing you

and his lower body tucked under a wooden table as he pretends to participate in the online meeting of MSBY

you scream-whisper,

"hey, babygirl!" to get his attention

he twists his neck to side, wondering if he has heard something

(or is the meeting too boring hence causing his brain to imagine things)

but when you repeat it, he finally turns around, brow arching as if asking you if it was indeed you calling him

he doesn't even question the pet name, please 😭

and when you repeat the term of endearment,

instant regret flashes before your eyes

this is why we don't play with fire, folks

a cheeky smile clads on his lips and behind his foxy eyes is mischief

he's definitely up to something

his volleyball-filled brain has thought of something that will bring you to instant K.O.

thus, he rolls his tongue over his bottom lip, supressing a growing smirk as he responds in a low seducing tone,

"yes, mommy?"

and just like that he renders your cheeks beat-red, floored, and caught of guard

he's enjoying it

he. fucking. enjoys this

he loves watching you internally scream and struggle to let out a single word

all to his doing

he leaves you wordless as he winks at you before shifting his attention back to the meeting as if nothing happened

˚⸙͎۪۫⋆ Bokuto Koutarou

bless his soul because this man has the most endearing reaction of all

in all honesty, if he isn't six foot something the bbygirl term endearment fits him so well

his pure heart, naivety, enthusiasm, and positive outlook in life is soㅡ

ugh, i want to keep him in my pocket!!

but, yeah, going back

when you called him a babygirl he shoots you a look beyond confised, head tilted to the side, and his lips protruding into a pout

he questions,

"i don't get it, (y/n). why are you calling me that?"

and when you tell him because he is your babygirl

he laughs at you like you're a standup comedian who had just dropped a punch line

and says, "you are the babygirl. i'll protect you from anything that could harm you and spoil you with everything i have. and i'll love you with the way you deserve."

he bends down to level his glimmering eyes with you

and adds affectionately, ruffling your hair gently and his smile reaches his eyes

"am i right, babygirl?"

i mean...

how could you noooottttt fsndgs%@&#^!!

˚⸙͎۪۫⋆ Iwaizumi Hajime

this one is a challenge

it's not like he dislikes pet names but the thing is

he doesn't want to admit that term of endearments make his stomach do backflips

so calling him a babygirl means trekking an unfamiliar path you don't want to be in

but still, you did

an absolute nuisance!!

he catches you on your first try, almost immediately because the next thing you know is that he's scowling at you

like you said a word he has never heard of that sounded nowhere near pleasant

"what?" he asks, eyes never leaving you

"i called you and said babygirl."

gulp

he's squinting his eyes on you now

but luckily he turns his head away and chooses to ignore his pesky other half

but that won't stop your teasing bc you're a lil shit

you repeatedly call him the nickname while lightly poking his sides,

"come on, babygirl. don't be shy and answer me with a polite 'yes'."

he counters with a strong flat, "no."

which, unfortunately for him, only gets you going

"go on look at me, babygirl. i know you missed me." your point fingers travels from his flexed bicep up to the crest of his cheek

a light tap was enough to bring his attention back to you however he keeps his mouth sealed

you run your thumb over his cheek and point out a lie in a whispering tone, "you're blushing. you like it when i call you babygirl, don't you?"

but a lie soon turned true as he feels his entire face heat up

iwaizumi hajime is embarrassed

damn you!!

as soon as you see the pink on his face, you burst out into a fit of laughter

only to be stopped when he says,

"we are over."

a joke, of course, bc your laugh is too contagious that he couldn't help but mask annoyance with a loving smile

you dramatically protest by lightly hitting his toned torso with your fist

"no! no! no! nooooo!!"

it is then iwa's turn to chuckle

he catches a flying fist with his hand before pulling you into an abrupt embrace

his chin rests on top of your head after giving you a peck on the side of your temple

"it's a joke but don't ever call me that again."

with the way he reacted, this definitely won't be the last of it

as usuallll rbs and likes are very much appreciated! thanks for reading, stay hydrated mwa! <3

masterlist | hq.list

[yanderehsr]

Just read the ex-fiance Sylvain scenario, gonna add it was ~muah🤌 I'm gonna say like, hold on a second, you have fe3h favourites and yet to be known by us like, which ones is your top 3???

And here, I wanna make a request with any of the big mystery trio that suits the scenario.

It's finally the ball at Garegh March.

In the tumultuous crowd of dancing students and careless adults, what do we notice ?

We see the darling making they're way toward the Godess Tower, surely overwhelmed by those that don't deserve their time.

Why not use the opportunity to get some quality time, moreover to make a promise in front of their "soon to be s/o" and the Godess about their blissful future ❤️

Might as well shove in a dark corner the pesky nuisance that choose to follow in advance their future spouse~🖤

Sure, my top three are 1. Edelgard, 2. Byleth and 3. Hilda

Also I have no clue who the big mystery trio is so I'm just gonne guess it is the house leaders.

Hope you'll enjoy😄

Trigger Warning: Yandere, Obsessive behaviour, Possessive behaviour, Murder

My first thought was immediatly Dimitri, boy is just so depraved and desperate to have his darling that he chooses to follow his darling anywhere, but when he sees you go to the goddess tower how could he ever resist following you there, he starts dreaming of you two together, the promise he will make you and of you with HIS last name.

That other bug who decided to follow you here was swiftky taken care off, Dimitri didn't even spare them a second glance, they must have been stupid if they thought they had a shot at you. He would have killed everyone else at the ball as well if he could, he feels disgusted that others have the privilege to see you.

When Dimitri finally introduces himself to you he is all smiles and such a gentleman, nothing like the ruthless beast who just killed someone else moments ago, you should consider yourself lucky that the light was bad here, who knows what he would have done had you seen the stains of blood on his clothes.

"You have no idea how much I care for you, I'm a bit afraid that you'll fear me when you see just how deep my love goes for you"

[larothoughts]

stacked dimensions, ascension, and gods

this is a crazy conglomeration of ideas from various fics relating to moshang-sqh-is-god theories and how ascension works in other xianxia mediums. basically me with a svsss thought experiment: what if our world is pidw's equivalent to heaven?

heaven is just the dimension stacked above your own

we never see heavenly officials interfere with stuff like in tgcf, it really seems like once you ascend you never come back down again. people from modern china have omnipotent knowledge of events, things, creatures, etc. of thousands of worlds (books) they are interested in. like god existing in the 5th dimension, sy and sqh can see into pidw's past and future just by flipping pages in a book.

ascension very oversimplified is the idea of removing oneself from the reincarnation cycle. under this theory, achieving ascension as a cultivator simply means punching up and entering the reincarnation cycle of the dimension above your own.

the idea that worlds are stacked on top and around each other, ranked in ascending and descending order, is a confusing mess i first learned about in the manga magi. each resident of a world above is viewed as a god to the world below. i imagine this also makes each successive world more and more difficult to punch up through. it's hilarious to imagine that cultivation DOES exist in the modern world, it's just far more guarded/secretive and possibly related to religions preaching the concept of heaven (punching up a dimension) and hell (falling down a dimension.)

the average person does neither and simply reincarnates within their native dimension. while punching up a dimension is closely gatekept, what many people don't realize is that falling down is always an option. because the price of falling is often too high. it's like intentionally choosing to go to a less developed world without your sense of sight and with one hand tied behind your back. sure, heaven provides their version of handicap assistance (the system) but why would you cripple yourself in a world far more dangerous than your own? after your past self presumably worked so hard to ascend? for love???

a soul's connection to their previous dimensional incarnation

when sy and sqh died, i imagined they faced the heavenly emperor or big god equivalent (probably living a few dimensions above our own world), who gave them the choice to reincarnate or to throw themselves into a lower realm. maybe both were recent ascensions from the pidw universe. their premature deaths clearly showed lingering attachment to it: sqh couldn't help but write out the story, and sy couldn't help but fanatically read it.

(did sqh literally create pidw with his own two hands? how could that be possible if he's missing a past incarnation of himself?

i don't have all the answers, it's possibly a time paradox related to how time means nothing when every world is a book and you can flip to whatever page you want.)

long story short, both sj and sqh were missing something from their previous dimension, and really, it doesn't hurt to let them know they could go back if they really wanted to. so they do.

there is a price for going against the natural order, though. they have to sign away much of their free will to the system, which acts as a nanny failsafe that'll throw them back up a dimension if they violate too many lower realm rules (to avoid collapsing the dimension entirely. don't want those pesky 4th and 5th dimension anomalies corrupting everything!) they don't remember this agreement because no one remembers what happens between life and death-- but the fact that the systems can control them is proof their souls signed on the dotted line.

now sqh 'transmigrated' the correct way, by being reborn into the past self linked to his love (og shang qinghua, he probably ascended 2 or 3 lifetimes after that but this is the one with mobeijun). he got to keep all his godly knowledge minus the whole 'agreement with the big god' thing. his system was stricter with some of his actions because the entire point of him falling from heaven was to be with mobei-jun-- something he failed to achieve in his og sqh life. system doesn't care if current hamster man, who doesn't remember making this deal, wants to run away! system was tasked with making sure they got together!

now sy... sy really was a glitch in the universe. so of course his system was especially unreasonable/illogical/unfair. sy barely qualified to ascend in the first place, now this mess of a soul wants to descend???

why the systems are so damn mean

i'm not smart enough to completely make this make sense, but bear with me: sy is the end result of shen jiu killing himself by eating xuan su's shards. something something binding xuan su and yqy together meant yqy's soul was forever stuck in his sword, making reincarnation/ascension impossible. sj's flawed cultivation also damaged his soul, enough so that when he died via xuan su, the agony of his soul leaving his body was enough to draw out whatever was left of yqy in the shards and the two kind of... merged into one. the qijiu soul amalgamation was the one that rejoined the reincarnation cycle, and eventually was able to ascend. but his incomplete mess of a soul made his ascended body weak, leading to the whole 'sick sy destined to die' headcanon.

so wth does this have to do with sy's glitchy fall from heaven? why fall in love with lbh? it's because lbh is a glitch too. a descendant of pidw's oldest glitch... the creation of the heavenly demon.

the first heavenly demon was a modern person whose soul was forcibly chucked down a dimension for crimes against the universe. this is no longer the punishment protocol the big gods use because just look at how badly the heavenly demon thing worked out. they are the reason why modern systems have such strict don't-talk-about-us protocols in place, why dotted lines need to be signed, why systems lean more towards unreasonable and harsh rather than lenient.

because that first criminal whose soul was sent to hell (pidw) had a rudimentary system meant to keep watch and make sure they didn't take over the realm with their godly knowledge. a system he was able to overpower and turn into a weapon that literally breaks the rules of the world: xin mo. now the big gods in heaven really didn't want the pidw universe to collapse in on itself, so they did meddle a bit: whittled down the heavenly demon population to two or three, added an endless abyss as a pressure valve in case the edges of the world start to crack, took away the corrupted system xin mo and chucked it as far out of reach as possible. normal things. the end result native-fied the heavenly demon enough to integrate them back into the dimension, problem solved!

but that doesn't mean the heavenly demon line 100% fits into the pidw universe. they're still a little too op. and things get worse when lbh finds xin mo, reigniting the old heavenly demon vs. system fight wherein lbh wants to use the system to bend the world to his whims, and the system wants to eat lbh because that's ITS JOB. it's meant to destroy dimension-collapsing things and lbh is one hair away from collapsing everything.

the metaphysical sense of wrongness around lbh is what draws the attention of the qijiu soul amalgamation. lbh is an anomaly, a corrupted soul, one that seems to be as inexplicably drawn to punching back up to heaven (but failing) as qijiu's soul weakness inexplicably draws it to hell (but also failing, sick body notwithstanding.)

so when the qijiu soul amalgamation aka shen yuan finally dies, especially after he dies thinking about lbh, why not fuck it all and throw himself back down for love?

the logistics of yeeting a glitched soul into its components

so there are a lot of problems with sy's choice. one, shen yuan as shen yuan doesn't exist in a lifetime that'll let him fall in love with lbh. the first incarnation of the qijiu soul amalgamation reincarnated many years after lbh's reign was forcibly ended by the big gods in heaven deus ex nerfing him. two, trying to stuff him into either sj or yqy at birth (like with sqh) won't work. the souls won't recognize each other.

the yqy part of his soul came from a post-xuan-su binding soul, and the sj part of his soul came from a heart-broken-damaged-foundation shen jiu soul. so the big gods split the difference and chucked him into the first post-xuan-su era sj-is-qi-deviating-bc-of-qijiu-angst event... aka the start of svsss in sqq's body. cue svsss shenanigans, wherein everyone (eventually) gets their happily ever after.

final thoughts aka it's hard to be a qijiu shipper

the logical thing my smooth brain can't 100% work out is how this affects yqy's bound soul during the svsss era. sj's soul is long gone, having merged into sy and then returning through post-ascension 5th dimension time bullshit. but yqy is still alive during this period, and his poor soul must be so confused. despite sy clearly not being sj, he still inexplicably likes and wants to protect sy (who kind of is sj, in a roundabout way.) all i can think of sad qi-ge hours. poor man can't catch a break his entire life is a tragedy.

one solution to his soul problem could be his death. sj was only able to bond with it after the yqy's death because his soul in life was splintered between sword and body. maybe when yqy finally dies, xuan su's shards are returned to sy as cang qiong's second in command. the shards draw him in, and when he touches them, they absorb into his body... completely destroying the last remnants of the system clinging to him.

the system is tied to a contract made by his soul, and the bit of yqy's soul added to sy makes it different enough to shake that system loose. when he ascends a second time (likely with lbh by his side), his soul is no longer broken to the point of illness. it's sy's one last gift from dad.

(maybe when sy made that deal with the big god to be with lbh, each separate part of his soul made a deal too: sj, who died on xuan su, wishing for a universe where yqy lived a long life; and yqy, who died knowing sj was tortured, wishing for a universe where sj was safe from lbh. so technically all 3 of their wishes were granted by sy wifebeaming lbh lol)

[ohbo-ohno]

Ghost telling Johnny that you need time to adjust, that you don’t know your place just yet, not like he does.

Heaping praises onto him when Ghost sees his hesitance, the internal struggle with his morals—unsure whether or not this is really the right thing to do. Ghost wrapping a hand around his neck, squeezing just once, and bringing them closer until they’re chest to chest. Voice rumbling as he reassures him.

“Did good Johnny— obeyed my orders just like a good puppy would.”

Ghost forcing Johnnys legs to spread, nudging his own in between and making Johnny grind against it to get rid of those pesky thoughts.

Him redirecting Johnnys thoughts and telling him about all the ways you could’ve been hurt, that most assuredly something bad would’ve happened to you if Johnny hadn’t found you. Just Ghost using Johnnys fears against him and letting him spiral from there, ignoring the high keens of panic as he forces Johnny to grind harder against his leg. Ghost doing nothing to soothe him, choosing to listen to the whimpers that pour out from his mouth instead— let’s Johnny cling desperately to his front as be gets louder, distressed at the thought of you getting hurt.

(Ghost murmuring good boy when Johnny finishes, running a hand through his hair as he relaxes against him, panting harshly.)

🍋 Anon

lemon you sent me this last night and im sorry you're the last ask im posting about this au lmao i keep getting more and trying to answer them as they come in but!!!! this ask!!! my god

johnny would be SO stressed in that time between him brining you back to the castle & you fully giving in to ghost. he's a little fucked up now and he just doesn't get why you don't like ghost, he can't understand it. ghost is so good and nice and generous and perfect and kind to johnny :( wdym you don't like him :(

ghost has to strike a really delicate balance in that time period. he ends up keeping him either on the edge or pleasure drunk, or else he'll get all stressed and overwhelmed thinking about his princess running away again :(

that second to last paragraph. like wow you really want me dead and gone don't you?

ghost jacking johnny off while he lists all the things that could've happened to you in horrible detail, makes johnny so so upset cause he can't get the images out of his head but ghost makes him feel so good and eventually he comes, shouting your name and all teary and upset :( gets a kiss to the temple, a few moments in ghost's arms, then he's got to back to standing guard while ghost meets with a foreign diplomat

[ilikesaladforks]

i just saw on yt, pokémon masters’ story between Grusha and Malva and now I got an image of Rika going into protective girlfriend mode and possibly decking her across the face.

i think rika would fume because malva stepped on the exact thing that rika herself had been so careful all along to tiptoe around that grusha was clearly sore about

ok ok so assuming the anime didn't exist at this so we only had scarvio and mastersex lore to go off of:

we don't know exactly when grusha went pro, how long he'd spent on snowboarding (presumably he spent a long time on it), when he oopsy daisied his way into retirement, how long of a break he took between the injury and his subsequent parlay into battling or how long he'd been a gym leader by the time of the story, except for the fact that he's definitely an adult by the story's events/by the time he started being a gym leader

as geeta's assistant rika most probably has high enough clearance with regards to who geeta intended to scout for the gym challenge and who is applying for jobs and whatnot. even if she's not the hr person, she at least keeps tabs on goings ons at bare minimum. probably.

i like to think that rika was careful about the way she approached grusha. light prods here and there, but never touching on anything too personal, but they both know that she knew enough about his past and why he's here and a lot of it goes unsaid. she keeps a respectful distance because she could tell that he still hasn't fully come to terms with his new path. he wants to snowboard, but he no longer can. he's a gym leader as a means to an end. he wanted to get strong so that geeta doesn't have a reason to kick him out

and then some pesky little kid wiped the floor with him twice and he was fuming and got his act together. instead of thinking about whether geeta will make him jobless for not beating a kid, he's sore because he wanted to win just for himself. now he's motivated to get better because there's a goalpost up ahead that he wants to reach for himself. i think it's also interesting to think about how this was probably the same flame that he had burning as a snowboarder - he was 2nd best in the world, he was so high, but he wasn't high enough, he had a goal to reach and he was young and full of himself and rash and oops there goes his leggy

so even as he decides to make the most out of his new career that he is gonna dedicate himself to, there's still an inkling of yearning for the slopes on the inside that continues to burn - and this rando from god knows where saw it and call him out on it. is he here because he didn't want to? what exactly does he really want now? even in blueberry, he finally got on a snowboard again and did hit the slopes for the first time in almost forever since his incident. it never completely died out, and that's why it was a smouldering flame. grusha has tried to extinguish it by changing career paths, retiring from the sport and swearing (until blueberry) to never snowboard again. it's quite a hard turn and a determined one at that for him, yet he couldn't help himself when he saw the cetoddles having fun in the polar biome. he loves it and he still does!

rika probably can see that too, but chooses to respect his decision not to reawaken that passion. yet this woman from kalos who barely knew any of them just walks right up to him and says it to his face!!!! after she'd spent years shutting herself up to not rip open any raw wounds!!!!! rika's not just furious, she's salty and jealous!!!!

and after the encounter she's sulking for way longer than usual

but also this got me thinking about that story and about grusha's attitude towards uh. things. because it's just so interesting!!!!

now that we found out from the anime that grusha actually is still able to snowboard but chose not to post injury, there must be more than 1 person like the snowboard dude who thinks it's a shame that grusha no longer boards the snow. with a fixation on results, i think grusha has a view that he cannot do something if he cannot perform it to the highest possible level. so like snowboarding, post injury he retired because he could no longer board like he used to. whatever the doctor told him, whether he will never board the same like he used to, whether he will be back as fit as ever with some rehab, whatever it was, it wasn't enough to convince grusha to pick it up again. he went on to battle and was able to get good at it, so maybe that's why it became a viable career path in his eyes. i'm not even trying to paint grusha as some egotistical maniac who only wants to be the very best that no one ever was, but it seems to me that he puts a lot of value in the ability to perform, so much so that if he ever loses that potential and is unable to perform to the same standard he held himself to, he feels that he has to give it up even though he loves it

perhaps when malva said that she could see his smouldering flame for snowboarding, she was echoing the opinions of the masses (i don't even know this character so i won't say whether it fits her or not, this is just my thoughts on what her actions mean) who lament the fact that grusha, in his prime, retired after an injury. now i'm not gonna be the judge of how traumatising or debilitating an injury is to an athlete. i'm just a crazy fandom person who writes crazy fanfics from time to time and i absolutely am not sporty myself. but what malva was seeing is grusha struggling with the decision he consciously made (with his rational mind i guess?) to retire from the sport he enjoyed because he could no longer perform as well as he could. what was the point if he was no longer able to reach the peaks he was once able to?

with his conversation with malva, grusha was forced to confront this flame that he could never douse entirely and face the question of what he truly wanted to do moving forward. there isn't a right answer for her, what she sought was an answer from him. grusha in mastersex (essentially post scarvio, maybe pre dlc) is determined to dedicate himself to battling, but that encounter with the scarvio protagonist isn't about to undo months or even years of internal turmoil about his career change that he still has yet to come to a conclusion about. in sum, his cool mind tells him that it's cringe to pick up snowboarding again if he's not gonna be that good at it, but his uncool mind still exists no matter how cool he tries to be. to malva, he is only being a gym leader as a 2nd best option in life and he still has enough lingering feelings for snowboarding that he ended up giving in to in blueberry.

because of her prodding, he was able to finally settle on an answer for himself. and with the anime in context the fact that he went on about the uncertainties of the new path he's taking

"It might lead me to a bright future or a steep fall... I don't know."

"I'll still make it all the way to the end, no matter what twists and turns the snow-capped mountains throw at me."

"I'll ride this course of life with everyone—including my Pokémon."

does he seek certainty in life and that's why he was always so strict about producing results and why he gave up on snowboarding? by getting so good at snowboarding/battling, there was/is a certainty or stability that he could feel. but when he lost that certainty with snowboarding it became too much for him to handle and that's why he felt the need to switch careers?

idk tbh

i remember reading this story some time back maybe a few months ago and thinking that malva was literally just a mastersex npc lololololol and i certainly did feel the same kind of indignance and anger towards her words since it felt like she was trying to taunt him, but now that i'm reading it again especially with the anime knowledge that he's still able to snowboard i just can't help but think about how the mind of the wild grusha works. i hope this ramble made sense!