#establishing themes

[wishfulsketching]

This is what the dynamic was like

[fiasco95]

The Marauders and friends at a theme park.

Sirius: YOU LOST JAMES?!? HOW— HOW DO YOU LOSE A WHOLE ASS MAN-

Regulus: In my defence, I looked away for 1.8 seconds. And then he was just gone!

Regulus, sighing: You know what, I can handle this.

Sirius: How are you going to do that.

Regulus, deeply inhaling: REGULUS BLACK IS SO FUCKING UGLY HE SHOULD—

James, materialising out of nowhere: WHO THE FUCK SAID THAT

Regulus: Found him.

Not James and Regulus already wearing matching shirts that each says; “If lost please return to Regulus Black.” And “I am Regulus Black. I don’t want him back. (Jokes aside, please do return him.)”

[aventurineswife]

Aven his s/o, giving a massage to each other... 👀

“Ooh, You set my soul alight”

Summary: In Aventurine's luxurious suite, you share a sensual evening filled with massages and playful tension. As you take turns asking provocative questions, the atmosphere becomes charged with intimacy, leading to a passionate kiss that blurs the lines between relaxation and desire.

Tags: Aventurine x Reader, Fluff, Suggestive, Romance, Intimacy, Massages, Playful Banter, Established Relationship.

Warnings: Suggestive content, mild adult themes(idk tbh-), potential for heated moments, implied intimacy.

A/N: YOUR HONOR, THOSE EYES LOOKED AT ME FIRST!

The air was thick with warmth and the soft glow of candlelight, casting flickering shadows on the plush, velvet walls of Aventurine's suite. The intoxicating scent of sandalwood filled the room, mingling with the faint aroma of essential oils, setting the mood for a night of relaxation and intimacy.

You glanced at Aventurine as he lounged on a plush chaise, his eyes sparkling with mischief, framed by the golden rims of his glasses. His sandy-blond hair fell effortlessly over his forehead, enhancing the allure of his enigmatic smile. Dressed in his dark green, gold-accented dress shirt, the spade-shaped window at his chest hinted at the tantalizing skin beneath.

"You know, love," he drawled, his voice a low, seductive purr, "I do appreciate a good wager. But I think you might have me at a disadvantage tonight."

You chuckled, a playful smile tugging at your lips as you poured fragrant oil into your palms. "Oh? And what's the wager?"

He leaned back, a mock-serious expression crossing his face. "If I allow you to give me a massage, I'll have to return the favor. But I'm not sure if I can resist... losing myself in the moment."

"Isn't that the point?" you teased, your fingers gliding over his shoulders as he shifted to sit up, exposing more of that tempting skin.

You started with gentle kneading, your fingers finding the tense muscles in his neck. He sighed, leaning into your touch, his body responding to your ministrations. "You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this." he murmured, his voice thick with appreciation.

"Careful," you replied, a teasing lilt in your tone, "too much praise might get you in trouble."

He chuckled softly, his laughter echoing in the cozy space. "Trouble is my middle name. Just ask anyone in the IPC." His eyes gleamed with a hint of playful challenge.

You worked your way down his back, your fingers expertly navigating the intricate pathways of his muscles. The tension began to melt away beneath your touch, but as your hands brushed against his sides, the atmosphere shifted. Aventurine's breath hitched, a flicker of desire flashing in his eyes.

"You know," he said, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, "there are ways to make this a bit more... exciting."

"Oh? Do tell." you replied, your heart racing as you leaned closer, your breath ghosting over his skin.

With a mischievous glint, he turned to face you fully, his fingers brushing against your arm. "What if we added a bit of risk? A game of sorts?" His gaze locked onto yours, and you could feel the tension building between you, thick as the fragrant air.

"Alright, I'm listening." you said, intrigued.

He leaned closer, his breath warm against your ear. "For every knot you release, you get to ask me a question. But for every question I answer, I get to return the favor... in ways you might not expect."

You felt your pulse quicken, excitement coursing through you. "Deal."

With the agreement sealed, you continued your ministrations, each stroke more deliberate, each moment laced with promise. As you worked on the knots in his shoulders, you asked your first question, "What's the biggest risk you've ever taken?"

Aventurine smirked, his eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, that's easy. Winning my position in the IPC by betting against my own sanity." His laughter rang out, rich and inviting, sending shivers down your spine.

With each question and answer, the boundary between relaxation and desire blurred further. He responded with stories of close calls and narrow escapes, his charm intoxicating as you leaned in closer, your fingers trailing down his spine.

In turn, he began to explore your body, his touch becoming more daring, his fingers sliding over your arms and shoulders with a teasing caress. "Your turn," he prompted, a devilish smile gracing his lips. "What's your greatest fantasy?"

You felt your cheeks flush, heat radiating through your body. "Well, I've always imagined a night like this," you confessed, your voice barely above a whisper, "with you."

"Is that so?" he asked, leaning closer, his lips brushing against your ear, igniting a spark of electricity that coursed through you. "Then let's make that fantasy a reality."

With newfound determination, you moved to straddle his lap, your fingers tangling in his hair as you leaned in to capture his lips with yours. The kiss was electrifying, a fusion of heat and hunger as he responded with fervor, his hands finding your waist, pulling you closer as if he could never get enough.

You broke the kiss, breathless, and looked into his eyes, which sparkled with mischief and desire. "I think we've reached a new level of intimacy."

"Indeed," he replied, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "And I'm all in for whatever happens next."

As the candles flickered and the night deepened, you both surrendered to the intoxicating thrill of risk, knowing that this evening would forever change the stakes of your hearts.

TRYING NOT TO SCREAM SO I DON'T WAKE MY PARENTS UP BUT HOLY SHIT!! 🤭 I'M KINDA-

This was written while I was half asleep so ahem

[arsenicflame]

It's a time-honoured tradition- every time Sam comes across Izzy (and Ed) in their travels, he asks Izzy to marry him. And every time, Izzy turns him down.

At this point, Sam is asking more for the sake of it than any belief Izzy will ever say yes, a remnant of childhood dedication touched with 30 years of heartbreak and regret- though even now, a small part of him still holds out hope. Sam's promises have only got more extravagant over the years, from a job as his first mate, to a captaincy, a fleet at his command, a whole fucking island if that's what Izzy wants- but he knows it isn't though, not really. If Izzy was ever going to agree to marry him, to leave his life and go with Sam, it wouldn't be for anything Sam could offer him. Izzy never did care for flashy shows of wealth, for a ship or to be captain. The only thing that ever mattered to him was loyalty given, and loyalty shown in return. 

It all comes to a head after Stede left and came back, after Izzy lost a toe, lost his leg. Sam hasn't seen him since before things with Ed started to really slide off the rails, before stress permanently set into the lines of Izzy’s face. So, when he sees a dishevelled man with a hoof for a leg in a no-name port, he doesn't even consider the idea that he might know him. It's only when he turns towards him, and Sam catches a glance at those oh too familiar tattoos, he realises this is Izzy, his Izzy, that stands before him.

Knowing Izzy's discomfort with pity, he doesn't treat him any differently than he would in years gone by, positioning himself in Izzy's line of sight before approaching and sweeping him up into a bone crushing hug. 

“Israel-goddamn-Hands!” he exclaims, as Izzy grumbles back a begrudging “Samuel-fucking-Bellamy”, a tradition almost as old as their friendship itself. Izzy might not hug him back, but he can’t keep the corner of his mouth from twitching, just for a second.

(If Sam holds Izzy a little tighter and a little longer than usual, well. That's his business)

By the time Sam lets go, most of the crew has appeared in the town square, drawn in by the commotion. They may have given Izzy his leg and welcomed him as one of them, but still there’s an underlying tension, with nobody quite ready to set aside everything that happened before the Kraken. Seeing him cosying up to an unknown man sets everyone on edge, unsure whether to come to their first mate’s aid, or to assume that they've been betrayed once again.

When Ed sees that the yelling was Sam, his hand goes tense where it's held in Stede's. He knows the routine, has seen it more times than he can count, but as he watches them part he realises that this is the first time in a long time he's unsure of what Izzy's response will be.

Knowing that something’s different, knowing that Izzy's feeling vulnerable already, Sam doesn't go for the same flashy proposal he’s been giving for years. He doesn't promise Izzy the world, he doesn't cause a scene (or, any more of a scene than he already has, anyway). He looks at the fractured man in front of him, takes his face in his hands, and says the exact same thing to him he said when they were little more than boys. “Israel, I have to ask you. I know what you'll say, but I have to try. Come with me. Marry me and sail away with me. I'll keep you safe”

And Izzy… hesitates. He glances over at Ed, at Stede, and says to Sam “...We’re staying in port for a week. Ask me again then”

That's the moment Sam knows there is something deeply, horribly, wrong. He's not just looking at an Izzy who got seriously injured in a fight and is struggling to cope, this is something so much bigger than that- and that Ed has something to do with it. Izzy wouldn't even be considering leaving if he didn't. Whether it was negligence or something more sinister, Sam doesn't yet know, but he intends to find out.

[slickricklj]

Jill Valentine + Chris Redfield - When you know, you know.

Bonus:

[magnoliasandarson]

the creation of a Titan

Dick Grayson wasn’t raised under the banner of any religion, but he believed in gods. They were raising him, after all. Logically, he knew his mom and dad were human, like any other people out there in the world- but sitting in the stands at Haly’s- they had to be more.

It was like witnessing something sacred, watching them perform. Mary Grayson was weightless, suspended in the air, her eyes finding him in every crowd. She didn’t even look for her husband’s hand because John Grayson had not once let his wife fall, and he never would. They were ethereal, dancing through the heavens like the weight of gravity couldn’t and wouldn’t touch them.

Seeing that, night after night, Dick Grayson knew in his gut that he could do it too- he could be more. 

He followed his parents around the big top, mimicking their stretches, flips, and smiles… His mom laughed when she noticed, crowing to any of the other performers about her talented little Robin. Dick tried not to preen at the new title- his very own stage name. He pestered his dad until he was allowed to practice from full heights, always with a net below him, but Dick didn’t need it. His dad was there, and John Grayson would never let his child fall.

The first night Dick performed in front of a crowd was the happiest moment of his short life. With all the lights beaming down on him, with the sound of applause bleeding into the roaring of his own blood, with the shine of his parents' smiles- how could he be anything but incandescently joyous? It was the first time he’d ever felt part of something more.

He was a Flying Grayson, a Robin soaring with his gods.

Then heaven shattered, and all was hell.

Standing alone in the wreckage of his home, staring at the crumpled frames of the people that once hung the stars in the sky- Dick Grayson felt his once blinding reverence flicker out of existence. 

At his shoulder, a darkness appeared. Playing at humanity, the charming stranger offered him a new home and new life. Gentle hands and a kind mask couldn’t hide what he was; Dick Grayson grew up in the light of gods; he knew the shadows of another when he saw it. 

He became a believer of a new way, no longer a devotee of the bright lights and benevolent smiles- Dick warped and changed to suit his new idol. He kept his name, but he learned to work in the shadows, fight in an unending battle, and sacrifice. Bruce might have played at still being a man, but Batman never bothered pretending. Dick preferred the honesty of the mask. 

It didn’t last; it couldn’t have. Once you’ve seen gods fall, all of them become fallible. He didn’t believe blindly anymore; he couldn’t possibly. It just took him time to realize it. Dick was cast out, but it didn’t matter.

No Titan needs a god.

[silverskye13]

In which we craft some redstone.

[radiantmists]

reading animorphs sequentially instead of in whatever random order you can get your hands on them is such a trip because you can see these kids getting progressively better at war and worse at being happy, you can see how traumatic events from one book echo into the next ones but never quite get dealt with because these kids have no real way to take care of their mental health, you can see their relationships deepening but simultaneously gaining friction and faultlines as they learn just how far they'd go for each other but also how far they'd go in general...

obviously this series was meant to be episodic in nature, and i actually think that might be the better way to first encounter it, but the arc of the series in publication order is extremely well-crafted

[fuedalreesespieces]

i know this episode is dumb filler but:

and what pisses me off is that we could've had THIS with him and moroha. we could've had him helping her train, taking care of her when she's ill, and just...being the father figure he wished he could've had in his life. there's this repeating theme of him seeing himself in other youkai children and taking care of them, or at least emphasizing with them. he relates. he gets it. he doesn't want them suffering the way he did. and yashahime was like "hm...what if...amazing idea incoming...he didn't get to raise his daughter? lol."

[steddieunderdogfics]

For the Fantasy theme weekend, I just must recommend the amazing fic that the lovely @steddieas-shegoes gifted me for my birthday last year 🥰❤️✨️ https://archiveofourown.org/works/50050069

these are the seasons of emotions by steddieas_shegoes

@steddieas-shegoes

Rating: Explicit

5,203 words, 1/1 chapters

Archive Warning: No Warnings

Tags: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Magic, Established Relationship, Light Angst, Happy Ending, eddie can control the weather, but it's like more of an inconvenience here, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Protective Eddie Munson, Top Eddie Munson, Bottom Steve Harrington, Dom Eddie Munson, Sub Steve Harrington, Minor Injuries, Body Worship, Orgasm Delay/Denial, but it's very shortlived, Overstimulation, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Spit As Lube, Multiple Orgasms, Light Dom/sub

Summary:

But when Steve was involved, when Steve was potentially in danger, Eddie had little patience for kindness. “Do you plan on stopping the rain before we head out or should we plan on being soaked to the bone?” Hopper asked. “If I could stop the rain, I would have by now.” Eddie’s emotions were all over the place. The last time he’d lost control like this was his wedding day, when his nerves had sent a tornado through a farm not far from the castle. He’d replaced everything it damaged, of course, but the shame of his loss of control remained even over a year later.

Thanks for the rec!

This rec is a part of Theme Weekend. The theme this weekend is Fantasy AU.

Know a fic that deserves extra love? Submit through our asks or the submission box!

[aventurineswife]

one request <3 (im really bad at explaining)

how some hsr characters would react to a reader that are into otome games?

HSR characters with a Reader who's into Otome Games

Synopsis: How would some of these characters react to having a Reader who's into Otome Games?

Tags: Veritas Ratio x Reader, Aventurine x Reader, Jade x Reader, Kafka x Reader, Blade x Reader, Jing Yuan x Reader, Headcanons, Fluff, Established Relationship or could be read as Platonically, Psychological Themes, Banter, Supportive, Deep Discussions.

Warnings: Teasing, Occasional Dark Humor, Discussions On Morality And Psychology, References To Manipulation, Themes Of Ambition And Power Dynamics, Light Romance, Exploration Of Past Trauma(?).

A/N: I wish there was a HSR mod where we could romance the characters 😪😕

Dr. Veritas Ratio

Ratio would be intrigued by the narratives and character development in otome games, seeing them as an interesting exploration of human relationships and emotional intelligence.

He might initially scoff at what he considers shallow romantic tropes, but upon further discussion, he'd appreciate the complexities and motivations of the characters.

He’d encourage you to analyze the storylines critically, turning your hobby into a learning experience about psychology and social dynamics.

He’d love to engage in debates about your favorite characters and choices, often challenging your views to foster deeper discussions.

Aventurine

Aventurine would tease you about your obsession with fictional characters, using his charm to poke fun while secretly enjoying the playful banter.

He’d be fascinated by the strategic elements of the games, perhaps even comparing life to a game of chance, finding ways to apply his risk-taking mentality to the scenarios.

He might surprise you with gifts that reference your favorite games, like custom trinkets or stylish outfits inspired by characters, showing his support.

Jade

Jade might initially appear skeptical, viewing otome games as frivolous, but would soon become intrigued by the underlying themes of ambition and emotional manipulation.

She’d encourage you to see beyond the surface, urging you to analyze the dynamics of power and desire within the narratives.

Jade might even suggest treating your interest as a business endeavor, perhaps exploring ways to monetize your passion through game-related content.

If you have any game merchandise, she might admire your collection, possibly wanting to trade valuable items or share insights about the game's market value.

Kafka

Kafka would find the psychological elements of otome games fascinating, especially the manipulation of characters and narratives, seeing parallels with her own skills.

She’d casually drop remarks about the games, comparing the characters’ strategies to her own, which could lead to deeper discussions about morality and choices.

Kafka would be especially interested in the character designs and fashions, perhaps wanting to discuss or even replicate certain styles for herself.

If the games feature memorable outfits or coats, she might express a desire to acquire similar pieces, leading to playful banter about your mutual interests.

Blade

Blade might initially express a cynical view of otome games, seeing them as naive distractions from the harsh realities of life.

He would likely make darkly humorous comments about the characters’ romantic dilemmas, providing a contrasting perspective that could spark interesting conversations.

Despite his cynicism, he might secretly enjoy the escape they provide, finding a strange comfort in the fictional dramas.

Blade would likely appreciate the themes of love and loss, connecting them to his own tragic past and engaging in deeper discussions about the nature of relationships.

Jing Yuan

Jing Yuan would appreciate the storytelling aspect of otome games, often relating it to historical tales and strategic narratives he values.

He might offer calm, insightful perspectives on the choices you make in games, helping you to consider the ramifications of those decisions.

Jing Yuan would be supportive of your passion, perhaps asking about your favorite games and characters, fostering a sense of connection.

He’d likely inject gentle humor into the conversation, lightening the mood and making the topic of otome games feel more engaging and less frivolous.

[inkpotsprite]

Just thinking about that trial in Paris. Louis and Claudia vs Lestat. They really never had a chance. Not just because the whole thing was rigged and everyone made sure their punishment was inevitable; but because it was two black people against a white man in the 1940s. They never would have won. Which just adds another layer of tragedy to the whole thing.

[falleri-salvatore]

.....Dragonslayer shippers, I am dissapoint.

The perfect Jaune and Yang offspring name is right there and none of you ever used it? Hongyang Xiao Long [虹阳小龙] or Hongyang Arc (whichever one floats your boat) Hong [虹] meaning "Rainbow"; refers to a two-headed serpentine dragon from Chinese Lore. It also invokes the rainbow theme from the Arc Family Yang [阳] meaning "Sun"; refers to, duh, the Sun and it references the shared yellow color theme between Jaune and Yang. It also follows the Xiao Long family tradition of always naming their children with Yang in their name. EDIT: Here's a relevant link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_(rainbow-dragon) If you give Jaune and Yang fraternal twins (boy and girl) then you can call the boy Hongyang (Hong is the "Male Rainbow" character) and the girl Niyang (Ni is the "Female Rainbow" character). EDIT 2: For the Bumbleby enthusiasts, don't you worry; I gotchu covered. Yinyang Xiao Long [阴阳小龙] or Yinyang Belladonna Yin [阴] meaning "Shadow"; is an obvious reference to Blake ("From Shadows") Yang [阳] meaning "Sun"; again, references Yang. It also follows the Xiao Long family tradition of always naming their children with Yang in their name. ......seriously. The names are right there.

[bisexualcherdegre]

D:BH Rarepairsweek 7 | @dbhrarepairs

Day 4 - Kara/Luther

[illmoraineakoi]

Guys I just had a Horrible Thought.

What if Victim used to live a pretty happy life with a farmer family that took him in after he ended up on a webpage, not the Outernet, but then Chosen and TDL targeted the site in a rampage and destroyed his home/possibly killed his family?

And THAT'S a potential reason why Victim is so viscous to Chosen in The Box; it's not just about overpowering and dominating him, but revenge.

[greyedian]

MAN I'm seriously so sad about season 2. Bc I wish act 2 had the same emotional impact on me as it appears to have on so many others. But rn I'm just somewhere between unable to care and actively annoyed by some of those writing decisions. Seriously the more I think about it the less I like it.