#even though i love being annoying. i contain multitudes

[vampacidic]

is it weird to make a post saying it's your birthday...

[pluckyredhead]

☕️ Jason Todd and the Batfam

I'm assuming you mean his relationship with them! And not just...Jason and also all those other people lol.

I contain multitudes on this one, because I do enjoy things like Wayne Family Adventures that portray Jason as being part of the family but in kind of a mischievous instigator role. I think that's perfectly in character for the right genre of story, i.e. slice-of-life humor, which WFA is. It's funny and there are some great dynamics that come out of it, particularly his relationships with Tim and Steph.

I'm less enamored of that sort of thing in main universe canon because it's simply not earned. Like, you cannot tell me that main universe Jason and Tim playfully tease each other, because they don't have the kind of relationship where that would happen. And given some of the stuff that has gone down between Bruce and Jason, I'm not sure they can have a playful, humorous relationship.

I would love, love, love to see DC put in the work to show Jason's relationships with the rest of the Batfamily evolving. I don't even necessarily need them to evolve in a positive way (though that would be my preference), but just...some kind of consistent through-line.

But instead, DC wants to have their cake and eat it too, so sometimes Jason is just completely absent and excluded from Batfamily stuff, and sometimes he's there and everyone's acting like things are fine. Which, like, I don't have the energy to actually get worked up about it, but it's mildly annoying.

[annabtg]

I try not to buy into the whole AI/bot panic for a multitude of reasons, but I recently found out about something that really bothered me.

Some of my friends in the Lois & Clark fandom have been receiving comments from bots on their newest stories. I will not be using a cut as I feel it's important for people to see them (but let me know if it gets too annoying on your dashes):

How can you tell these comments were written by bots:

They're all guest comments (notice the lack of a link under the name).

They contain absolutely no mentions of the specific fandom, characters or events in the story, just generic compliments. (Notice how one says "the protagonists" instead of the characters' names! Who writes like that!!)

The assumption is that the bots leave comments so that they can pass as human and not get flagged as bots. Perhaps it also serves as training for them, teaching them how to pass through spam filters.

The thing is - regardless of how one might feel re: AI text bots being trained on fanfiction, leaving fake comments on stories is disingenuous, offensive and unethical. We write to connect with and reach out to an audience that can understand our stories and share in our love for the characters and storylines. If we wanted empty compliments, we could write them ourselves. :P

Obviously, I don't have the power to convince the people who create these bots to leave us the fuck alone, or make them understand that it's shitty to play with people's feelings like that and reduce their artistic efforts to a bot training ground. So instead I tell you, my fellow fanfiction aficionados:

REGISTER ON AO3. Stuff like that makes people lock their fics to keep the bots away. If you haven't got an account yet, now is the time.

LEAVE COMMENTS. Balance out the fake comments with your own, genuine ones. Even a simple "I liked this!" can make a writer smile.

REACH OUT. Don't let fandom become a place where no one knows what's real and what's not. Make an effort, make friends. We're all as shy and weird as you, I promise.

DON'T USE AI FOR YOUR FANFIC ENDEAVOURS. Don't feed it stories, don't make it write your stories and comments for you. Just don't.

Personally, having seen that, I'm tempted to lock my fics even though I don't really want to. We'll see.

[munsontm]

'my most significant influence is just real life.' A candid discussion with Corroded Coffin frontman Eddie Munson. Gerri Miller.

Metal Edge, 8th March 1991.

On the fifth of February, 1991, Corroded Coffin, a four-piece heavy metal band from Hawkin's Indiana, a rural town rife with tragedy and mystery, made Grammy and music history by being not only the first of the genre to win album of the year but said album also happened to be their debut. The album in question, entitled Stranger Things, is being hailed all over the country as a truly original and thought-provoking journey with a multitude of themes contained in a fantastical and, frequently, dark world narrative. I caught up with the band's frontman, Eddie Munson, in hopes of learning more about the mysterious and polarising figure who shot for the stars on his first try and made it all the way to the moon.

It was a rare rainy morning in downtown LA when I met Eddie at The Beverly Hills Hotel. He told me he'd have preferred to meet at Starbucks or something, but management insisted on somewhere 'fancy' in his words. There's not a shred of his theatrical stage wear or make-up to be seen except for chipped black polish on his nails. He's dressed down in stonewash jeans, a black vest, and a red plaid shirt complete with Nike sneakers that he tells me aren't his. Eddie offered me a cigarette once we got comfortable in the hotel bar, and I felt struck by the disarming power of his smile. I couldn't say no to him, and apparently, neither can America.

How's it going, Eddie?

Eddie: Yeah, you know. Pretty good. This hotel is weird, though, right?

You don't like it?

Eddie: Ehh...it's just kinda snobby for my tastes. It's not very me, I guess. And it's not what I'd like Corroded Coffin to be associated with. None of us come from money, and neither do our fans. We're a band for the 99%, and we're determined to stay true to that. I think I'd straight up quit music if someone told me that Bush liked our tunes.

You're not a fan of the president, then?

Eddie: Dude, what do you think? I grew up with Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan, each more useless than the last, and determined to keep up the status quo of anti-queer, pro-guns, and the nuclear family. That's all they do, like glorified caretakers, I guess. People bitch about change, but they still keep voting for the same two dumb fucks every single time. Where's the progression? It ain't there, man.

Anti-queer, anti-guns and the nuclear family are pretty polarising subjects. How do you feel when people in the industry label you as a polarising figure?

Eddie: I fucking love it. I knew years ago that if we ever made it big, people were gonna hate us. I've always been loud and weird and annoying, never knowing when to shut my mouth. But I'm at peace with it, proud even. Yeah, I'm queer. Freddie (Mercury) doesn't hide it. Why should I? Yeah, I'm pro-feminism, anti-government, anti-society, an atheist, anti-guns, pro-abortion, and pro-drugs. Whatever has been said about me in pro and anti-contexts is probably all true. I'm the antichrist to the normie Americans, and that makes me giggle at night. Let them be mad about it and live in fear of the other for once.

People back in my very conservative hometown hated me, too, because I was different and poor. It's no different from that, and I'm not scared about it anymore, like when I was that kid in Hawkins. The difference now is that there are people out there who like my big mouth. There are freaks all over the country who are just like me. It's pretty fucking cool.

Those are some pretty brave statements to make.

Eddie: Nah. Lots of them are already there on the album. I've never been shy about any of 'em, even when meatheads at our gigs decide to throw bottles at us and act like little bitches. Go watch Axel Rose if you want some fresh bigotry with your metal. Although, is it even really a metal concert if someone doesn't throw something at you? The answer is no. The point is that the stage and the studio are my space to say what I want and then reach other people with the same thinking. I'm not going to stop doing that ever.

What's your private life currently like?

Eddie: Private. Next.

You're very secretive about that part of your life, aren't you?

Eddie: Yeah. Cus, like I said, bigots exist. I might like to suck both dick and eat pussy, and be okay with admitting that to the world. But I'm not stupid enough to give away my private life details where any creep can read them. Can we move on now? [This next part was originally redacted by Eddie, but then he changed his mind.] Still, my partner could be the shit outta any phobe. They fought a bear once and won...more than once.

Sure, Eddie. What first got you into music?

Eddie: I think the first time music really crawled inside my brain was when I heard All Along The Watchtower by Jimi Hendrix on the radio one summer. Mmm, I can't remember if I was four or five, but it was around then. It wasn't even about the lyrics. I didn't learn what they were until later. It was the guitar work that blew my tiny baby mind to somewhere else, maybe another plane of existence, albeit temporarily, so unfortunate. But I couldn't get that raw sound out of my mind, and I became instantly addicted, looking for similar sounds everywhere. I'd heard guitars playing before, but never like that. Never that level of genius. It kinda made me wanna cry with the emotions it brought out of me because I grew up in an environment where emotions weren't allowed if you were a boy. Jimi gave me my first outlet, and I'll be eternally grateful for that. Rest in peace, dude.

Is that what music is for you, an expression of yourself?

Eddie: Well, yeah. Music is part of who I am. Even when it's not a personal expression of myself, it's still an expression of my beliefs and ideals. Music is art; music is political and radical. But I also can't deny there's plenty of very personal shit in my lyrics. The day I write a fluff song is the day I'll have officially lost my marbles.

Who inspired you to make music?

Eddie: Haha, I'm pretty sure this is the most well-known fact about me, which is my boner for Black Sabbath and Ozzy Osbourne. In 1972, Children Of The Grave was released, and I was lucky enough to see it performed live on TV. If Christ were real, that moment would have been my coming of Christ. I was like eight then, so the lyrics mattered more. But Ozzy himself was like a fantastic madman, and no one was doing it like him. He just didn't and still doesn't give a shit about what anyone thinks of him. I admire that so much, and I strived to be like that, too, for as long as I can remember. Not giving a shit was my shield in high school. People were afraid of that, that I didn't follow the rules or pretend to be good as gold. Yeah, it invited trouble, too, being loud and annoying. But it felt great at the same time.

How would you describe the music that you typically create? What are your influences?

Eddie: Uhh, if you wanna talk genres, then I guess I'd describe it as horror or fantasy metal. I wouldn't want to be described as your average metal band. That'd be the freaking worst. Many of my influences come from Dungeons & Dragons, Heavy Metal (the science-fiction and fantasy magazine/comic), and Lord of The Rings. But then you got literary influence from Edgar Allen Poe, Stephen King, Mary Shelley, and H.P. Lovecraft.

But I guess my most significant influence is just real life. Take real life and smash it together with all the aforementioned shit. Things get crazy pretty quickly. I've been able to channel a lot of the bad things that happened in my life through those things, and apparently, I'm not the only one that likes it. Although, my dad probably hates that I'm getting rich from what a cunt he is. But I love it.

Who would you most like to collaborate with?

Eddie: Ozzy Osbourne, of course. But there's also DIO too. Slayer would be sweet too—ugh, and Judas Priest. Basically, there are too many potentials to pick from, and I'm indecisive, so I don't think I should be allowed to pick in any realistic context. Gare and Jeff can deal.

What is one message you would give to your fans.

Eddie: First of all, I love them very much. Each and every single one of them made Corroded Coffin possible. Artists are nothing without their fans. Right from the three drunks back in Hawkin's to the dude who flashed his pink nipple tassels at me during every indie gig, he's awesome. We wouldn't be here without them. I hope they continue supporting our madness and being just as mad themselves. The world always needs more freaks in it.

What is the most useless talent you have?

Eddie: I can tuck my dick and balls back and do Gonzo impersonations with em'. Just draw some eyes on my guys, and wiggle it all about. It's a great party trick. But I'm not allowed to show it to anyone because that's embarrassing, according to my partner. And I can quote Lord of The Rings by page number, depending on the edition. Though people in my circle consider that to be pretty cool, just saying.

Do you sing in the shower? What songs?

Eddie: Man, all I do is sing around the house. It drives the neighbours fucking nuts. Fortunately, my partner is fully endeared by it. But I usually sing what comes to mind or whatever trash is on the radio. There's a WHAM song stuck in my head right now, and I hate it. Fully hate it. I want to make it stop.

What would you be doing right now, if it wasn’t for your music career?

Eddie: Honestly, I don't even wanna think about it. Music is all I ever wanted to do. Considering something else was never an option for me.

What's a typical day like for you?

Eddie: I have to be dragged out of bed wherever I'm sleeping. Whether it's at home, the studio, or in a hotel. I'm not a morning person, and it's a lucky day if I manage to hit the toilet rim without a cup of coffee in me. After that, I'm usually writing for most of the day, right now, until my partner makes me eat and take a chill pill. There are also lots of scheduled interviews and shoots going on, what with the Grammy win and all. I'm not used to such hectic schedules, so it's been completely nuts as of late. I only get around four hours of sleep, and that sucks. But it's just part of the job.

What is your favourite song to perform?

Eddie: Fuck. I hate this question because I can never answer it the straightforward way. There isn't one song to beat all, but it's usually a tie between Red and Sword and Shield. They're my magnum opus, at least for now. Because as a musician, I always strive to outdo my last song.

Why those two songs, what do they mean to you?

Eddie: Red is just a sick tune, ya know? I took inspiration from a person in my life, a kid who used to live in the same trailer park as me. She's probably one of the bravest people I've ever met, and my batshit brain couldn't let go of the idea of making a song about her bravery. If it wasn't for them, myself and many others wouldn't have made it out of the Hawkin's earthquake alive. That's why Red is so bassy and riffy, and Gareth even broke a fair couple of sticks while we were recording—the musical energy needed to match her intensity and what she went through to help people. Women's heroics ain't recognised enough in any media, so it was a no-brainer to me to include her story as part of Stranger Thing's overall journey.

As for Sword and Shield, that's way more personal. The context behind that changed my life. It's about two people casting aside preconceptions of one another and fighting their inner demons together cus I found out around the time of writing it that you can't do that alone; fight your inner demons and get past your past. And yeah, there's a splash of homoerotica; sue me. It's one of the...no. It's the only balladesque song on the album cus it's the only balladesque song I've ever written. Most of the music for Sword and Shield was me and a guitar; everyone else is a more subtle background, I guess. It needed to be like that. I needed it to be a private experience for me and my sword.

Your sword?

Eddie: Yup. Next question.

What is the most trouble you’ve ever gotten into

Eddie: Aw, c'mon. Do ya'll really gotta bring it up in every interview? Every goddamn tabloid in the country went off about it. Murder accusations and Satanic worship, which were all overwhelmingly disproven. The state even apologised to me. I'm done talking about that part of my life.

Apologies, Eddie. You're right. What is the best advice you’ve been given?

Eddie: Smooth recovery, buddy. Alright. I've had plenty of decent advice from people like Ozzy, Doro, Dio, and Dave Mustaine. Lots of D's, for some reason. But, I think my Uncle Wayne probably gave me the best life advice, which was always to be myself. Never pretend to be someone you're not, even when it's hard. He told me that when I was thirteen, and I've always stuck by it. What you see is what you get. I don't have a stage persona like a lot of people do. It's all just me. I don't think I'd be able to handle this kinda life if I had to pretend to be someone else, ya know? Being true to myself and my vision is what has gotten me here, that and my boys, my fellow losers and freaks.

If you could change anything about the metal industry, what would it be?

Eddie: Well, shit. That's a loaded question, and it's gonna get one of those so-called controversial replies that I always apparently have. There are not enough women in this industry, at least not in the American mainstream, aside from Doro, and she takes a lot of shit. Bands like Girlschool, Black Knight, Messiah Force, and Rock Goddess, they're all absolutely badasses, who are just as good, if not better, than many of their male contemporaries. Man Metal, let's call it that for a moment, has way too many tunes about sexualising cars and having sex with women and boohooing about our drug problems. It's all repetitive, gets boring, is boring.

I think heavy metal should be more of an open genre. Manufactured pop music always has centre stage in the music industry, sadly. But rock 'n roll is about rebellion and doing what society doesn't deem normal. Why is the heavy-metal movement just entrenched in working-class dudes? Bearing in mind I am one of those dudes. We've got more in common with the many marginalised groups in this country, mainly that the government hates us, instead of the upper classes who use pop culture, music included, to promote the fake American Dream. If we could all come together under the power of rock 'n roll. I think beautiful things could happen. We could have a revolution.

What do you think are the chances of such a grand scale thing happening?

Eddie: Uhh, pretty much zero.

What’s next for you?

I'll be writing Corroded Coffin's next album while on a national tour that I think is being announced next week. I can't remember. Maybe I wasn't supposed to talk about that. Oh, well. Surprise! I've also been asked to pose for Playgirl, which is fucking wild. I didn't see that coming in a million years.

What? Like full frontal?

Eddie: God, I fucking hope so. The pearl clutching will be spectacular.

Corroded Coffins album, Stranger Things, is out now via Mercury Records.

[kitausuret]

FOR whenever you reblog the “choose violence” ask game at the end of the month: Answer the questions in sequence order of MK’s grocery shopping trips in March

This was asked of me like literally a month ago but I kept scheduling the post for later and later. But here we go.

1. The character everyone gets wrong

(Spectacular Spider-Man #151, Conway & Buscema)

Well, this isn't hard - obviously my answer is going to be Flash Thompson. I don't know why it's apparently so difficult - he's not really that complicated of a character. Not compared to a lot of Marvel mainstays. But so many people either make him JUST a bully or JUST a hoo-rah America military man. And by that I mean both fans and canon writers. But Flash contains so many multitudes! He's worked in schools, he's a mentor, he's a coach, he's charisma incarnate, he has so many ways he can help people. And I love him.

3. screenshot or description of the worst take you've seen on tumblr

Uhhh I'm not gonna do this with an image because I don't save these kinds of things lol. But I did once see a long post (and I mean lengthy) describing in detail - mind you, withOUT actually giving any canon evidence or issues or really anything to back up their argument - why Eddie Brock nor the Venom Symbiote should ever be shipped with anyone else, ADDITIONALLY stating that if you were to, say, add another person to that relationship, that you fundamentally are misunderstanding the whole point of """"symbrock"""" and, largely, Venom as a concept. Uh-huh. Okay.

Hilariously, after I saw that post, it stuck with me but it also spurned me into such a RAGE that I cranked out a massive new chapter of my fic in the space of about two weeks after being stuck for months. It worked, but boy I was so mad about that. I took that kinda personally. Insinuating that I didn't understand Venom. That I didn't understand Eddie Brock. Bull fucking shit.

Anyways,

4. what was the last straw that made you finally block that annoying person?

I don't remember specifically the last person I blocked that wasn't a bot, but I do know that I will block people in the Flash Thompson and Harry Osborn tags at the drop of a hat. ...oh wait! I do remember the last person I blocked. They had some octogoblin thing they were going on about but they had put it in the Harry tag. I didn't wanna see that. So. Blocked!

10. worst part of fanon

Wow, loaded question. Probably the racism. And the misogyny. Both of which are still rampant! It's something I, myself, am still trying to work on, so it's not like I'm excluded from my own frustration. But I think what's even worse is people who pretend like it's NOT a problem, that fandom is a magical problem-free space.

I'm also just now realizing that the question says fanon and not fandom but I think my statement still stands. To try and actually answer it though, uhhh I think the worst thing about fanon is when it literally becomes canon. Stop doing that, Big Two.

16. you can't understand why so many people like this thing (characterization, trope, headcanon, etc)

I wanna talk about something here but I don't wanna scandalize too many of my followers. Actually you know what fuck it I'm gonna talk about it anyways. (mpreg mention below the cut)

I don't understand why so many people in the Venom fandom make fics where the host (Eddie, because nobody writes about anyone else) is the one going through the gestational cycle when there is a new spawn rather than the symbiote. It is literally so much funnier and also makes so much more sense to make the symbiote the pregnant one. "but kita it's can-" SHUT UP THE SYMBIOTE WAS THE PREGNANT ONE (it's called "choose violence" asks for a reason 💖)

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

Uhhhh see above! Racism. Misogyny. Possibly lesbophobia. Mostly for the denial of it all. But I also find a lot of ship discourse nonsensical. If you don't like it, just block! Mute! Filter! It's literally that easy.

30 doesn't exist so I will. Idk. I will give you a panel from an issue labeled 30. Let's go with Venom #30 (Bunn, Silas) and this very funny moment of the symbiote flirting with Valkyrie. 😂

[atariakana]

Hello and welcome!

Finally making an intro/navigation post! You can call me Kip or Kana, and use whichever pronouns you like. I've had this blog since 2013, and it is and always has been a dumping ground for whatever strikes my fancy (which mostly ends up being art reblogs). Hope you enjoy your look around! ☆*: .｡.（＾∀＾●）ﾉｼ .｡.:*☆

(More info under cut)

About me!

I always have trouble paring myself down to fit into a snappy little bio but here goes: In fandom spaces like this, I'm mostly a cheerleader and sometimes an artist. Queer as in gay but also as in weird but also as in "fuck you." I have too many interests to fit in one post or even one blog, but I especially like spooky things and ghost stories and mysteries and puzzle games. I love music (I make it sometimes! I never share it, though) and urban design and curating things. If I want to leave any sort of impression on people it's that I am kind. I'm always doing things scared. And no, I don't use a queue, I really am just online that frequently.

Fandoms

My current most active fandom is Dead Boy Detectives (may it rest in peace), but I also still carry a torch for:

Star Wars (mostly Kylux)

BBC Merlin

Simon Snow/Carry On series

The Witcher (books & Netflix series; one day I may get around to playing the games)

Dan and Phil

Twoset Violin (may that channel rest in peace too, apparently??)

Professor Layton (all games, movie, anime)

Spiderman (like, conceptually. I've seen a handful of movies/cartoons and am slowly dipping my toes into comics but mostly I've consumed fanworks tbh)

plus honestly a bunch of stuff I never got ~into~ into but still blog about sometimes. I contain multitudes and all that. I also sometimes reblog art for fandoms I'm not in.

I'm generally a multishipper and will get on board with almost anything with a little convincing lol, though Payneland is the OTP these days. I'm a Cat King enjoyer (he was initially my favorite character actually. I know he's weird and annoying, that's why I like him. His arrogant charm and grey morality compel me.) My current faves are Niko and Charles, but tbh I love that whole damn ensemble cast ❤️💜💙💖 Casefic will always and forever be my favorite.

Chronic tag skipper (bad habit, I know), will read almost anything, and firm believer that (fan)art and other (fan)works have a right to exist, even if they contain things I don't like.

Housekeeping/Tagging

I consider this to be an 18+ blog, not necessarily because I post a lot of nsfw, just because I make no promises that I won't. That being said, I don't vet ages or anything, so just consider yourselves warned, take care of yourselves, etc.

The only content warnings I tag consistently are #gore and #nsfw. If we're mutuals and you want something else tagged, please let me know! For everyone else, I'm sorry but if you ask me to tag something less common I'll probably forget about it, and I don't want to make you any promises I can't keep.

I tag asks and personal text posts with #chatterbox. The rest of my tags are for internal organization, but here they are if you want to use them anyway:

#for later to bookmark things

#keepsakes for poems, text posts etc. that I find touching/motivating/especially funny/whatever

#ref is self-explanatory I think

#dbda for general Dead Boy Detectives content; fanart used to be #dbdart but is now #dbdaart (was afraid that the first one was still showing up in the Dead By Daylight tag). Similarly, analysis posts about the show used to be #dbdanalysis but are now #dbdaanalysis. Meta posts are #dbda meta and headcanons (mine or others') are #dbda hcs. Cast pics, bts etc. are under #dbda cast. I have a separate tag for all the George Rexstrew cameos I could find, #gr cameos.

For specific character tags I use the character's initials, so #ep for Edwin, #cp for Crystal, #cr for Charles, #ns for Niko, #ck for Cat King, #mf for Monty, #jg for Jenny, #nn for Night Nurse. I don't always tag Esther but if I do it's with #ef. No tags for Mick or Simon. I also tag #core four for posts prominently featuring all four main characters. Genderswapped main chars are tagged #dead girl detectives. I also have an #orbwin and chorb tag :3

My old tagging system included #feel better tag for things that made me laugh/happy and #its me for stuff I felt related to me (I guess?) Everything in there will be from my high school era, though.

Where else you can find me

on Tumblr:

art blog @atariakana-art

insp blog @colorbbomb

archived/deleted urls:

@sraawrats (Star Wars/Kylux; inactive since 2019)

@scalamanderish (FBAWTFT/HP; inactive since 2018; deleted 2024)

@deadoved (gore blog; inactive since 2019. now i just post all my gore here :))

@germanic-panic (langblr; inactive since 2018, but i'm considering resurrecting it)

my art blog was previously called artiswheremyheartis.

other sites:

tumblr is my only consistently active social media nowadays, but i'm atariakana anywhere i'm willing to be found, including artfol (online gallery), reddit (for the really niche interests), spotify (blorbo playlists), and deviantart (inactive but still up, if you want to see what my teenage art looked like). I used to be on twitter at atariakana and instagram as tsv.brainrot and then atariakana.art, but deleted both due to making me sad and scraping photos to train AI, respectively.

That's it, that's all!

Sorry this post about 3 miles long, I'm a certified yapper 😅 Thanks for taking the time to read, I hope you enjoy your stay in my little corner of the internet 🫡

[stardusthalos]

[eyes] all muses?

[eyes]: not just the colour, but the shape, the length of their eyelashes, whether they’re alert or usually half-closed, large or small, sunken into the face, ringed by bags, etc.

*cracks my knuckles* here we go. I'm just gonna do the main 9! Also here is where I admit that my doing the picrews was to assist in understanding their eyes lmao.

Raziel

Raziel's eyes shift between being: Black Holes and full of stars.. The full of stars are in his human form, and though they appear to be black, when he wears glasses, you can see what appears to be brightly colored, flickering flecks within and occasionally shooting across his irises (he's got no pupils). Those are, for all intents and purposes, stars. Just in there because he contains multitudes. The black holes come about when he's in battle mode, or when he needs to be a little terrifying. You can shine a light on those bad boys and not a single reflection will be there.

In general, his gaze is relaxed, jovial even. And when he's working he's got that kind Librarian air to his looks, and when he looks over his glasses you know you need to shape up!!!

Rhemiel

Rhemiel's eyes are a dark dark brown, almost black. And they look such a lush color in the light. They're slightly deeper set, but no less comforting. The reason for this is because it's very rare that his gaze isn't just calm or soft. Being looked at by him definitely feels like you're the only focus he has...and that applies even more if you're the reason why he's upset or angry. Eyelashes are lovely but not especially long or thick.

Kariel

Her eyes are almond shaped and a beautiful hazel, mostly with green and a ring of amber around the pupil. Whenever she goes out she does do kohl liner and it makes her eyes even more prominent. I would hazard saying that her natural gaze is neutral, but that's mostly because it's just...one step above that in the intensity category. Even though she's shorter than you, the feeling that she's looking down at you is palpable. However, if she loves you, her eyes seem to brighten just seeing you.

Athriel

Athriel is an interesting one. They have sweet, honey colored eyes that always seem to be happy to see you, even if they're meeting for the first time. Because the apples of their cheeks keep their eyes almost eternally half or partially closed in a smile, to see their full, wide eyed stare is more of a rarity than one might realize. They do have long lashes, and they take very good care of themselves.

Maroon

Oof. Maroon is...a lot. They decided to keep their eyes from Home as a reminder of who they were, what they've done, and that's what they hide behind their bangs. A set of four eyes that seem to be glowing, bright gold, yellow and white, swirling and prone to actually getting set aflame whenever they experience intense emotion, but especially intense anger. Most people (note: mortal) who look directly at them cry, or feel overwhelmed.

Uzzeth

Okay this one takes the cake for longest, thickest eyelashes. Uzzeth has eyelashes that are the envy of anyone who sees them. I cannot stress enough how pretty this man's eyes are. They are downturned, a little hooded and have a bit of bag under them, but my god. Fucking stunning. They are a bold, deep emerald green and because of his internal flame there seems to be flecks of iridescent color within them. 90% of the time they seem to be focused nowhere in particular and are almost in a thousand yard stare, but when they focus on someone or something, the intensity can catch you off guard.

Atem

Can we get another oof for this bad boy? Atem used to have stunning golden eyes, but since his fall they appear to be tarnished, faded in color and hazy. There's intense scarring around them as well, thankfully faded some but still nasty looking. Atem is one that has chronic resting bitch face, and so his eyes are almost always giving the vibe of being annoyed. If he cares for you, or about you, his eyes will soften and give way to an extremely expressive side that very few get to see. His eyes are still the windows to his soul, as they were a big part of his job when he was in heaven, and so they remain even now.

Austen

We had to have one heterochromatic nerd and here he is!! His left eye is the Hazel one, and is a good blend of soft, pale green and amber, the right one is a lovely brown. He does have thick lashes, and is prone to fluttering them to get his way when he's definitely done an oopsie. He cannot look at someone in the eye whenever he talks to them, not to be rude but because it makes him uncomfortable, and that is the number one expression that comes through them, nervousness.

Xi

Xi also has dark brown eyes, and they look eternally tired. She's got gucci bags under her eyes and a slight pink tint to them from the amount of time she spends not sleeping, and prominent eyelashes she got from her father's side of the family. They are a little more wide set than others, slightly upturned, and always watching. Even when she is by herself she is scanning whatever space she's in. When she's not making sure there is nothing pressing in her environment, she is lazer focused on her spells and projects to the point where if you disturb her, her next gaze can probably kill at ten paces.

Yarrow

Yarrow has the funky little trait of seasonal eyes! During the spring and summer their eyes are stunning shades of green, in spring the accent color is what appears to be pink, while during summer it's a deep yellow. During fall and winter their eye colors go from amber to black, no accent colors to be had with these. If you've ever wondered how an author can ever overuse 'their eyes narrowed' when writing, this is the character that does it. Yarrow always has an air of studying and incredulity coming from them, and that never really changes. They use glamours to lengthen and thicken their lashes as well as add little decorations and glitter to them, but normally they're pretty average.

[scxrlettwxtches]

a crown of thorns | hwang hyunjin

genre: royal au, fluff/angst, fem!reader

warnings: pregnancy, slight violence

description: a few years have passed since your tumultuous beginnings with the enemy king, hwang hyunjin, and to everyone’s astonishment, your marriage flourished with an abundance of love. however, this was not yet a happy ever after, and danger still lurks within every corner of your peaceful kingdom.

word count: 14.0k+

a/n: ack the more i read this, the worse it seems to get haha. but guys!! this is my last fic on this blog!! thank you again for all the love you’ve shown me and my writing. <3 wishing everyone all the best!! 

As he sat on his throne, absently chatting away with foreign envoys, Hwang Hyunjin considered himself rather lucky for a multitude of reasons.

All the princes and the lords sitting around the table, enjoying the tea and pastries, had everything one could want in the world. Endless fountains of wealth, resources, luxury. Whatever they desired, they only needed to snap their fingers, and someone would provide. It was the type of life many in his kingdom could only dream about in their wildest fantasies.

But, underneath the splendor, Hyunjin could see it as bright as day. Beneath the material luxury was discontentment, unease, unhappiness. Many of them were married to people that they did not love, were tied to their own wealth as it was the only sense of stability in their lives. And above all, Hyunjin could sense their loneliness, the invisible--yet deadly--disease that latched onto the heart and knawed at it until it was nothing but a shriveled remain. It was a poison that had no identifiable cure, and its affects only magnified as time went on.

Hyunjin could see it all because, once upon a time, he was just like them. Sitting on the throne, he was merely staring at reflections of his past self, a shell of a boy that was forced into a position of power too soon with too few people he could trust. He saw himself in the young lord that was visiting from across the sea, his eyes alight with ambition and a thirst to prove himself. He saw himself in the crown prince of the neighboring kingdom, the mistrust laced in every sip he took of his tea. He was like that once: scared, angry, betrayed, and alone.

But with a strange twist of fate, his life changed for the better. He found people he could trust. He met the love of his life. Unbelievably, he even married her, slowly earning her respect and eventually, her heart. And now, Hwang Hyunjin was no longer the boy with a crown too heavy and a life too lonely. He had people he cared about deeply, he had people he wanted to protect with his whole being. Especially…

“Papa! Papa!”

Hyunjin’s ears perked up as the large, ornate wooden doors of the hall creaked open ever so slightly, and a pitter patter of frantic footsteps bounded into the throne room. Almost immediately, he felt a smile grace his face, all the tension draining out of his posture as he gazed at the little girl, his darling daughter. 

Even the most stone-hearted envoys and esteemed guests could not hide their smiles as the girl ran excitedly towards her father, “Papa!” She giggled again, clumsily climbing up the steps to the throne.

Hyunjin’s heart fluttered with pride as he watched his daughter clamber up the marble steps, and for a split second, the image of her sitting on the throne as the next queen flashed across his mind. One baby step at a time, he reminded himself, and he stood up, easily picking up the girl as she gripped onto his sleeves.

“Naeun,” he brushed the baby hairs out of her face and smiled at her rosy cheeks. Time and time again, he was reminded of how much his daughter had begun to resemble the both of you. She had his doe eyes, but her smile, that was all you. 

The meeting became completely irrelevant to Hyunjin as he lavished all of his attention on her, “What are you doing here?”

Naeun, who was breathing heavily from all the running she had done, huffed and pouted rather sternly, “Mama said that if you stay in the office all night again, mama will dwag you back to the bedwoom.” 

Hyunjin fought the urge to laugh, utterly charmed by Naeun’s petulant words. How hard had she prepared to relay such a fiery message? He climbed up the remaining steps with the girl in his arms and sat back down comfortably on the throne, gently placing her on his lap.

“Papa is very sorry,” he said solemnly, bringing her little hand to his lips so he could kiss the back of it, making her giggle and squirm, “Did your mama send you here to tell me that?”

“Nope! But mama miss you!” Naeun replied brightly, and by this point, none of the guests were able to hide their endeared smiles and chuckles. Hyunjin felt a strange rush of both protectiveness and pride as he observed how easily Naeun had stolen the spotlight in the room with her joy and her innocence. It must be a father instinct that he was beginning to develop.

“Ah, mama misses me?” Hyunjin didn’t even know his heart was capable of containing such unbridled happiness and love as he smiled at his daughter. Naeun nodded firmly, and Hyunjin rubbed her back as he smoothed down her pretty princess dress, making sure she was comfortable before addressing the guests.

“My apologies for the interruption,” he said with perfect politeness, ever the ideal host. As expected, not many people were even the slightest bit annoyed by the disturbance, and they all waved off his apology, continuing the casual conversations about trade, finances, and commerce.

When it was all over, and Hyunjin was finally able to adjourn with all meetings and any other activities he’d scheduled to entertain his foreign guests, he eagerly walked down the hallways to the royal chambers, with Naeun safely nestled in his arms.

“Papa?”

“Yes, my little one?” He replied, letting her rest her chin on his shoulder.

“What’s fin..finan…” Naeun’s face scrunched up with effort as she tried to put the word back together from her memory. 

Hyunjin smiled fondly; he’d noticed her eagerly listening during the meeting, trying to soak in all the new knowledge that was coming her way. Naeun was good at de-escalating tensions, especially when she did her usual thing of barging into meetings without a care in the world, but Hyunjin also liked to let her stay in meetings because the little toddler seemed genuinely interested. She never seemed like she wanted to be anywhere else, only blinking from person to person with her large doe eyes. 

“Finance?” He supplied helpfully, and Naeun nodded into his shoulder, “It’s grown up stuff.”

“I like grown up stuff,” Naeun said with all the seriousness that a three year old could muster.

Hyunjin laughed, “I know you do, petal,” he hummed, thinking of a good way to explain the concept, “You know when you like to play house with your dolls and Uncle Changbin?”

Naeun immediately brightened at that. She loved playing house with Uncle Changbin! He was always a bit grumpy, a bit reluctant, but they always had a great tea party whenever her mama and papa were busy. 

“Mhm!”

“And you always like to trade certain dolls for the dolls that Changbin brings?” Hyunjin asked. Once again, he felt enormous gratitude to his personal commander, Seo Changbin, for going beyond the responsibilities of duty to take care of Naeun. As much as you and Hyunjin tried however you could to make time for her, with royal duties, parties, meetings, and work, it was just impossible to spend large amounts of time with your lovely daughter.

“Mhm! Uncle Changbin brings pwetty dolls!” Naeun nodded.

Hyunjin felt the smile grow on his face as he held her in his arms. He’d been smiling more often ever since Naeun was born, “Exactly. And you always have to give a few of your old ones to get the new, right? Or choose a few toys to give to Uncle Changbin so he can donate them to the capitol orphanages?”

Naeun only nodded curiously. 

“That, in a way, is finance. Of course, it’s a little more boring than trading dolls, though,” Hyunjin tickled her tummy with his finger, distracting her as she wiggled and squealed. Truth be told, Hyunjin didn’t want Naeun to grow up so quickly, even if that was all she wanted to do. Hyunjin didn’t remember anything from his childhood except textbooks, lectures, and a crushing pressure from his father and mother to live up to their expectations. He would never wish that upon his daughter.

After one more turn around the corner, they finally arrived at the Royal Chambers, with Changbin and Felix standing guard on both sides of the entrance. 

“Hi, Uncle Changbin! Hi, Uncle Lixie!” Despite their attempts to teach Naeun royal protocol about how to address the Kingsguard, she had little regard for it, opting to wave from the safety of her father’s arms. 

Changbin’s normally passive, almost grumpy expression melted ever so slightly as he waved back at her.  Despite his constant statements about not wanting to marry and not wanting to start a family, having Naeun made Hyunjin realize that his commander was surprisingly good with children. But if anyone so much as mentioned it, Changbin would deny any evidence of such allegations. Felix, on the other hand, was absolutely besotted with the little girl and made no attempts to hide it.

“Hi, little princess!” He smiled, opening the doors to the most private section of the palace. Hyunjin chuckled, nodding respectfully to both men before walking in. 

“Now, where’s your mama?” Hyunjin murmured. Of course, you were supposed to be in the bedroom, but Hyunjin knew you better than that. 

Naeun giggled, as if she knew you were breaking some sort of rule, and pointed to the study, “There!” 

“Thank you, petal,” Hyunjin booped her nose fondly before walking into the study, creaking the door open slowly as not to startle you. 

Every time his eyes fell to you, he would be swept with a newfound love that was stronger and more powerful than the time before. Even though your back was turned slightly away, and he could only see the slight curve of your lips and the profile of you from the side, Hyunjin knew without a doubt that you were the most beautiful woman in the world. 

You didn’t seem to notice your family walking in, lost in thought as you stared at the window, a piece of parchment in your hand. Hyunjin smiled, knowing how concentrated you can get when it came to state affairs. He put a finger to his lips, indicating to his daughter to be quiet. Naeun covered her mouth with her little hands, nodding as he very gently placed her on the fluffy carpet so she could play with the toys on the ground.

“I believe the doctor’s orders were for you to stay in bed?” Hyunjin murmured softly as he gently draped a woolen shawl over your shoulders, his arms snaking around you from behind. Maybe you did know he was around, since you didn't seem startled by his presence and only smiled as his hands rested on your tummy.

“We have guests in our palace. How can I stay in bed when there’s so much to do?” You replied, leaning into his arms and physically relaxing against him.

“You can just leave the work to me,” Hyunjin pouted a little, feeling guilty that he wasn’t able to handle the entire burden of royal duties. He couldn’t when you were pregnant with Naeun, and he couldn’t now. His hands rubbed your tummy through the silk nightgown as he gently placed his chin on your shoulder, murmuring, “It’s not good for the baby…”

Every time Hyunjin touched your tummy, it made you airy with disbelief and awe at how fortunate you were to have him. When you were a princess, long long ago, you’d never expected yourself to look forward to starting a family. But with Hyunjin, Naeun brought so much joy in your lives that neither of you could help but want another, and your prayers were answered when you became pregnant again around the time Naeun turned three. 

Part of why you were willing was because it awed you every time you saw how much Hyunjin cared. You knew how kings were, always drowning in their work, their duty, which always led them to crave independence, and then occasionally, turning to other women than their lawful wife. You knew that was the norm. Care, much less love, was something that royal women would be lucky to have.

Yet, Hyunjin gave it to you in the spades. Hyunjin cared, Hyunjin loved so much. You saw it every time he looked at you, you saw it every time he would gingerly place the crown upon your head before formal gatherings. You saw it every time he’d keep you close at parties, made sure everyone knew how much he valued you and your opinion. You saw it every time he looked at Naeun, his eyes sparkling with childlike wonder that could only be reflected in your daughter’s own eyes.

And now, with the two of you expecting another child, you saw it in his fretting, his worrying, his constant attempts to keep you safe and healthy, even if he was a little overbearing.

“The doctor never said a little bit of work would harm the baby,” you pointed out, tilting your head back to look into his eyes as you cupped his cheek, “I’m checking myself, I promise.”

“I’m sure you are,” Hyunjin chuckled, and he could no longer stop himself, his lips pressing against  yours in a gentle kiss as he hugged you. You only hummed happily against his lips, enjoying the moment when you were suddenly interrupted.

“Yuckie!” Naeun squeaked out, causing both of you to pull away with a laugh. The princess was sitting on the ground with a soft plushie in her arms as she looked at her parents with disgust.

You burst into giggles, pulling away from Hyunjin to walk over to her, “Yuckie? It’s yuckie that your parents are in love?” You asked teasingly, pinching her cheek. Naeun giggled, trying to run away as Hyunjin suddenly lifted her up from behind, placing her in his lap.

“Kisses are yuckie!” She squealed, making both of you laugh as Hyunjin tickled her tummy.

Hyunjin smiled, chuckling, “Don’t ever let me catch you kissing someone else,” he warned. In all honesty, the idea of his precious daughter falling in love made his blood boil unreasonably. Especially in the royal realm, it was so hard to determine which ones were good and which ones were only hiding behind the mask of benevolence. Just the thought of Naeun falling in love, Naeun getting her heart broken by some good for nothing prince…

“My love,” Hyunjin’s eyes widened as he felt a gentle hand on his arm. You smiled fondly, almost as you already knew exactly what he was thinking, as you always did, “Baby steps, alright? She’s not at that age yet.”

“Baby steps!” Naeun chorused, although oblivious to the conversation at hand. 

Hyunjin felt himself relax, and he engulfed his daughter in a big hug, letting her snuggle into his chest, “Yes, baby steps,” he murmured as he left a kiss in her hair.

.

“What do you mean, they won’t allow it?” You asked angrily, following Hyunjin into his study as he ran a frantic hand through his hair.

Hyunjin sank into his chair, frustration clear in his face as he glanced up at you, “The letter from the council came back. Apparently, there were some strong voices of protest, and eventually they decided to rule against it. They won’t accept Naeun as the heir.”

“That’s ridiculous!” You snapped, feeling steam practically radiating from your ears, “She’s the eldest child, our first born! They've had three years to observe her, and she's performed well in all subjects. She’s practically a genius!" 

You whirled around, tightening the shawl around your frame as you made up your mind to go to the council yourself when Hyunjin rushed over, intercepting you as he gently grabbed your arms, “Y/N, my darling,” you shook your head, not in the mood for his cajoling and gentle attention.

“I’m going to talk to them. They were relenting a couple months ago! I don’t see why--”

“Hey, hey, breathe,” Hyunjin’s voice was suddenly stern, his hands running up and down your back to soothe you, “Calm down, love. Please. Think of the baby.”

You froze, the fight beginning to drain out of you as you tried to take deep breaths. Hyunjin’s hand trailed to your wrist, subtly taking note of your pulse to ensure that you were still alright. 

“I know you’re angry. So am I,” Hyunjin spoke, stepping closer to you and cupping your face in his gentle hands. Your eyes closed at his touch, feeling his warm embrace as his comforting presence, “But we need to deal with this slowly. There are foreign envoys still here, remember? We can’t go barging around the palace like we normally do, not until they leave.”

You huffed, knowing that Hyunjin was right, but still feeling churlishly angry at the news, “So we just wait?”

“We’ll discuss it once more when the council meeting is held again,” Hyunjin suggested, brushing a strand of hair away from your face, “I’m sure they’ll cave. Naeun is a perfect contender, the perfect candidate for the next heir. She’s just not what they’re used to.”

“And what are they used to? A son?” You said mockingly, your anger fueled by the ridiculous laws that were still in place. Your kingdom had long since done away with such petty things as male only rules, but it seemed like Hyunjin's kingdom was a little more traditional. 

“Yes, and you know how stubborn they are about it” Hyunjin murmured, palming your stomach, “They’re waiting for this little one.”

“They don’t even know if it’s going to be a boy,” you scoffed, but you could feel yourself relaxing in Hyunjin’s arms. The two of you were so alike and yet so different. Hyunjin was the cooling water to your raging firestorm. And you were the spark that light his ice cold heart alight with love for the first time all those years ago.

Hyunjin hummed at your comment, gently nuzzling his nose against your cheek, “I think it will be. Otherwise, I'd be awfully outnumbered in this family,” he said softly, kissing your cheek as he continued, “But no matter. I still want my precious Naeun to be the crown princess. The council just has stick up their ass.”

“Hyunjin!” You slapped his arm, pulling away to walk towards his study, sitting in the chair as you felt the baby kick once again.

The king only laughed at your glare, immediately rushing to your side as he took your hand, “The baby’s bothering you again, huh?” He asked, his eyes filled with wonder as he stared at your tummy. It was a silent, yet rather apparent question to you, asking whether he had permission to touch. It was almost adorable how childishly excited Hyunjin would get at the thought of his own children.

You gently placed his hand over the fabric of your dress, right over where you’d felt a slight kick just before, “It’s not a bother,” you said gently, “How can it be a bother when it reassures me that our child is safe and healthy?”

Hyunjin’s expression was nothing short of entranced as he felt a push against the palm of his hand, “I love you,” he murmured as he glanced at you, and he leaned forward to press his cheek against your tummy, to which you only smiled fondly and ran a hand through his hair.

“I love them, too,” he spoke to your stomach, as he had no doubt that your unborn child would hear it and know just how much their father cared.

The two of you stayed in that position, basking in the monetary relaxation for a moment longer, your hands gently running through his hair as he rested his head on your lap. It was definitely not a position that either of you would want to be caught in, but Hyunjin found himself rather fond of it, being able to let go of his responsibilities and rely on you for comfort without being anxious. 

You sat for a moment longer before a particular piece of parchment on Hyunjin's desk caught your eye, and you quickly reached for it as your husband continued to rest comfortably on your lap.

“There’s a party tomorrow night?” You asked, scanning the contents over as your free hand gently carded through his hair.

“Mhm, the envoys are leaving the morning after, so it has to be grand,” Hyunjin mumbled lazily in return, his eyes shut from mild exhaustion.

You hummed, putting the parchment down as you said softly, “If it’s the final dinner, shouldn’t I be there? I haven’t seen any of our guests except on the first day. It would be impolite if I missed the last event, too.”

“No,” Hyunjin’s grip tightened imperceptibly as he gently held your waist, lifting his head up to meet your eyes, “They understand your situation. It’s only natural that you haven’t been at all the events,” he said firmly, his hand absently moving towards your stomach.

“It’s still impolite. I should probably go,” you said softly, resting your hand over his, “We don’t want our guests to leave with a bad taste in their mouth.” 

Hyunjin looked uncertain, his eyes pleading with you as he pressed his lips to your knuckles, “If something happens…”

“Nothing will happen, my darling,” you cooed, trying to reassure your love as you sensed his fear. Hyunjin, underneath his cold words and powerful gaze, was just as human as any other man.

“It’s just a party. I won’t even dance, alright?” You continued with a cajoling smile, brushing your thumb against his cheek bone, “I just have to be there, Hyunjin. It’s my duty.” 

Hyunjin’s eyes fluttered shut as he melted against your touch, leaning his cheek into your hand and sighing softly, “I know I can’t change your mind,” he said, “You’re just stubborn like that, and I love it more than you know. But it scares me so much.” 

“It scares you?” You repeated his words, waiting patiently for him to elaborate. 

The king nodded, looking so vulnerable in your arms that you were afraid he’d break, “What if something happens? What if, one day, you overestimate yourself and you lose the baby? Or worse,” Hyunjin kissed your palm, holding your wrist in his hand as he gazed upon you with more pain in his eyes than you’ve ever seen.

“What if I lose you, too?”

Your heart shattered at the fear and the sheer amount of unconditional love that glistened in his eyes whenever they met yours, “Oh, Hyunjin,” you sighed, leaning forward to be closer to him, “It won't come to that.”

But Hyunjin couldn't hear reason at this point, frightening himself as he held your hand, “I can't rule this kingdom without you, without your love. You're the first happiness I've ever had in this lifetime.” 

“Hyunjin, you can and you have,” you argued, reaching to lace your fingers with his, “You were ruling wonderfully before we met.”

“It's not the same, darling, and you know it,” Hyunjin answered, kissing the pulse point of your wrist daintily, “You made me a better person and a better king.”

You couldn't help but smile adoringly, reaching your other hand to run your fingers through his soft hair, “I'm glad. You made my life happier than I ever dreamed it could be.”

Hyunjin sighed, melting into your touch. As always, he felt weightless in your arms, free of burden and responsibility. He didn't have to think of anything but you and him.

But alas, there was still a problem at hand. 

“Do you really want to attend the party?” He asked softly into the fabric of your dress, one of the comfortable ones he'd ordered to be specially made for you when the two of you discovered that you were expecting a second time.

“I do, Hyunjin. I think it's best that I take my place beside you, at least once before they leave. It'll quell any rumors about us and about my supposed ill health,” you explained your reasoning, understanding Hyunjin’s doubts but still feeling strongly about going all the same.

Hyunjin’s eyes opened slowly and he nodded in resignation as he stood up, “Alright. I won't stop you. But, my love, at least let me assign Changbin and Felix to you as your guards for the night.”

“Both of them?” You asked, standing up slowly to maintain your balance. Hyunjin didn't leave your side for a moment, holding your arm in case you fell, “Isn't that a bit much?” 

“It would make me less anxious to know you're well guarded,” Hyunjin pleaded with you, fixing the shawl around your shoulders as the two of you walked out of the study. It was already quite late in the evening, with Naeun having been sent to bed long before. 

Your fingers intertwined naturally, and the two of you headed to your chambers, ready for a long night's rest, “Alright, assign both of them to me,” you relented, “I still think it’s a bit overkill.”

“You’d be walking around the town without a single guard if we went with what you thought was overkill,” Hyunjin chuckled, beginning to shed his uniform.

“Not true,” you protested weakly as you climbed into bed, already in your nightgown.

Hyunjin joined you soon after, engulfing you in his arms and his comforting scent as you let out a sigh of contentment, burrowing in his embrace, “Let’s get some rest, alright?” You said, sleepiness laced in your voice as you hummed softly, “I love you.”

“I love you, too, my darling,” Hyunjin murmured his response without a moment of hesitation, as if he’d been waiting all his life to tell you, “so much.”

.

Parties were hectic enough already, even more so when you had a hyperactive toddler to manage on top of the plethora of things that could already go wrong, from the banquet food to the entertainment. 

"Weeee!" Naeun squealed, running around the bedroom like a madman and trying to escape changing into her party dress. 

Before she could slip away, you managed to snag an arm around her waist, lifting her into your arms with a grunt, “Where do you think you're going, little princess?”

Naeun pouted, whining as she wiggled in your grasp, “Want to go play! Want to find papa!” She said with a huff. 

“Papa is busy right now,” you said patiently as you gently plopped her on the bed, trying to help her out of her nightgown while Naeun fussed, obviously not wanting to do as she was told.

“But I want to play with papa!” She protested as she eventually lifted her arms, letting you help her change. 

You sighed as you helped her into the beautiful golden dress, the fabric laced with ruffles and sparkling thread that was fit for any little princess.

“Papa is a little busy, alright?” You spoke gently, trying to make your lecture sound less like a scolding and more of an explanation, “There have been guests in Mama and Papa's home for the last few days, and Papa has been busy taking care of them.”

“B-but...what about me?” Naeun’s lower lip quivered dramatically, and you fought the urge to smile at how utterly adorable she was, “Papa take care of me!”

“You don't think Papa takes care of you?” You asked, raising an eyebrow, “Papa spends all his free time with you, Naeunie. Papa takes caring for you very, very seriously.”

Naeun pouted still, her lip jutting out petulantly, but she let her head fall. Even for a three year old, the little girl was awfully perceptive, and knew when she'd lost an argument. And in her heart of hearts, she knew that her parents really did move heaven and earth to make her their top priority.

“Papa no stop taking care of me?” She asked softly as you buttoned the pearl clasp around her collar.

“No, my little one,” you answered with a gentle smile as you fixed her hair, “Papa and Mama will always take care of you. When this is all over, how about we stay a week at the summer residence? Just you, papa and me, and we'll have all the time in the world to play with you.”

Naeun gasped, bouncing on the bed, “Weally? Just us?”

“If you want, you can drag your Uncle Changbin to come with us, too,” you said slyly as you booped her nose, but instead of scrunching her face playfully as she always did, Naeun suddenly looked ashamed, head tilted downward as if she’d done something naughty and then felt guilty about it after the fact.

You were immediately concerned, “Little one?” You prodded, gently trying to tilt her chin up so she’d look at you, “Little one, what’s happened? You can tell Mama anything.”

Naeun hiccuped slightly, and your heart ached as you realized that she was on the verge of tears, “Mama, ‘m sorry,” she mumbled softly, eyes glittering with unshed tears and you quickly sat on the bed, pulling her into your lap.

“Why are you sorry, Naeunie?” You asked, trying not to sound frantic, worried, or anything that might frighten her more.

“Papa said Mama is tired, and that I shouldn’t bother Mama,” Naeun explained, large droplets beginning to roll down her rosy cheeks as she wailed, “But I’ve been bad bad! I make Mama worry!”

You tried to stifle your incredulous laughter as your daughter clung onto you, wailing dramatically as if the world was about to end. So that was what got her so worked up all of a sudden.

“Silly little thing,” you teased, cradling her in your arms as best you could with the bump of your stomach getting in the way. Still, you nuzzled your nose against her cheek, wiping her tears, “It’s mama’s job to worry. You’re a perfectly good girl, Naeunie. Mama and Papa are so lucky to have a precious girl like you.”

Naeun’s shoulders slowly began to shake as she rubbed her eyes, “Like me?” She repeated, a tinge of innocent hope and adoration laced in her voice that always raised your protective instincts, the instinct to shield her from any harm that this world could throw at her.

You smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as you spoke softly, “Just like you. Mama and Papa love you to the moon and back.” 

“And I love Mama and Papa, too! So so muchie!” Naeun parroted back happily, smiling with all the life and brightness that both you and Hyunjin lacked in your own childhoods. Maybe that was why the two of you were so determined to be there for Naeun in every way possible, to make sure that she knew she was so very loved. Because neither of you received that type of acceptance when you were children.

“Good girl,” you said, kissing her forehead once more before smoothing down her dress, “Are you ready to go?”

“Mm!” She nodded, clambering off the bed and standing tall, “Will Papa be at party, too?”

“Your papa is already there,” you chuckled to yourself, taking your daughter’s little hand and heading out of the bedroom.

Outside, both Felix and Changbin were waiting for you, dressed impeccably for the formal occasion. In normal circumstances, it would only be one of them waiting for you while the other guarded Hyunjin, but the king had not allowed any exceptions. Both of the strongest in the Kingsguard must be by your side for the day.

“Sorry for the wait,” you said to both of them as Naeun slipped away from you, skipping over to her two uncles, going especially for one in particular.

“Uncle Changbin, Uncle Changbin!” The man grunted as he caught her in his arms, shifting so she was eye level with him, her bright smile contrasting with his typical frown.

Felix walked with you as Changbin and Naeun entered their own little world, with the young toddler prattling his ears off and the commander listening with surprising attentiveness, “She plays favorites,” Felix complained playfully, clutching a hand to his heart as he stayed by your side.

“She definitely does,” you agreed with a fond smile, keeping an eye on your daughter as you walked down the halls, a hand resting on your tummy as you glanced at the man beside you, “Hyunjin is at the party, right? How is he doing?”

“When will the two of you ever not worry about one another?” Felix laughed, shaking his head, “Hyunjin caught me on the way up to your bedroom, asking about you as well.”

You shrugged, the sound and clamor of crowds and partying beginning to be apparent as you neared the ballroom, “That’s just married life, Felix. Trying to put the other person before yourself,” you glanced at him, the gaze in your eyes shifting into something more mischievous as you opened your mouth, “And maybe, you--”

“Nope! Not happening!” Felix interrupted you cheerfully, “You and His Majesty have just been on my ass about it, and it’s not happening!”

“Oh, but Lixie,” you laughed with him, taking his arm as you walked down the marble steps, “it’s really not all that bad!”

Felix’s gaze was soft as he gently patted your hand. He’d been assigned to the Kingsguard right around the time you were crowned Queen, and there was a sort of camaraderie that formed between the two of you from trying to navigate the ups and downs of palace life. He was a good confidante, and you very much valued his happiness.

“I’m happy here,” he said gently, looking into your eyes with his bright and genuine ones, “I’m happy looking after people that I care about. And for now, I don’t ever want to lose that.” 

You sighed, a smile gracing your face as you shook your head, “Alright. But if you ever change your mind…”

“You and His Majesty would be the first to know,” Felix promised.

The doors swung open, and the crowd quickly stood at attention as you entered the ballroom. Your gaze hardened ever so slightly, and your posture shifted, taking the persona of the respected queen that you were to the eyes of your people. Before you were a mother, or a wife, you were a symbol, an anchor of virtue.

Even Naeun was on her best behavior as she walked down with Changbin, holding his little pinky as she climbed down the steps. She seemed to sense her own importance, and did her very best not to mess up, making you break character for a moment as you smiled.

Your eyes caught sight of your husband standing near the throne, and his eyes twinkled with adoration when your gazes met. He put down his glass of champagne, quickly gliding through the room to receive you.

“God, he’s whipped for you, Your Majesty,” Felix muttered under his breath, “Does the honeymoon period never end--ow!” A discrete finger jab to the side was enough to shut him up.

Hyunjin’s smile was small and hidden, reserved just for your eyes as you made it to the bottom step, “Don’t you look beautiful, my Queen,” he murmured, chastely kissing the back of your hand before pecking your lips.

“Jinnie, not here,” you scolded lightly, letting him take your hand as Naeun rushed over, the crowd cooing with delight. Naeun had only been present in a handful of engagements before this particular party, and the people were still fully immersed in baby fever, entranced by the little girl.

“Papa!” She jumped at him, your husband bending down and catching her easily.

“Oh, my little petal!” His smile was bright as he held her securely, spinning her around, “Ready for dinner?”

“Mhm!” Naeun nodded, but not before placing a big kiss on her father’s cheek, “Miss you!”

You couldn’t help but giggle, watching as the princess’s actions completely melted the crowed. She was definitely a natural. You remembered what you were like as a three year-old, scared, terrified, and always trying to hide behind your mother’s skirt even as she forced you to be independent. 

Naeun didn’t need that push, and you were grateful.

Hyunjin carried Naeun in one arm and escorted you with the other. Your eyes scanned the room, automatically taking note of certain esteemed guests and nobles. In the edge of the room, you noticed a few council members sitting together at a table, refusing to stand at attention for your entrance. 

"Is everything ready?" You asked as you carefully sat down beside Hyunjin, "The dinner, the entertainment-" 

“It’s all done,” Hyunjin smiled, pecking your lips before he placed Naeun in her chair beside his golden one, making sure she was sitting still, “Nothing to worry about.”

You smiled, grateful that your husband was so accommodating and willing to handle so much of the work while you needed your rest. Gesturing to one of the maids, you waved your hand, requesting her to start ushering the guests to their seats as food was about to be served.

As you continued to observe the room, making sure everything was running smoothly, you felt a gentle hand take yours, rubbing it soothingly.

“I haven’t seen you all day. I missed you,” Hyunjin murmured into your ear, making you blush slightly. Even after all these years, his forwardness always flustered you, made you feel like a giddy young princess rather than an experienced queen.

“Hyunjin, come on...not here,” you whispered back, letting his hand glide to your stomach, hidden from everyone’s view by the table in front of you. 

“I just wanted to make sure you were alright,” Hyunjin protested in a playful tone, gently patting your tummy before pulling away and gaining back some of his kingly aura right as the first dishes were served.

The banquet went without much of a hitch, to your relief. The atmosphere was overall genial and it didn’t seem like any of your guests had malicious intentions. Hyunjin, of course, grew a little ruffled when one of the young boys from the envoy’s family, no older than five, asked to dance with Naeun, but you argued that it was rather endearing to see the children stumble around the dance floor.

“Mama, that was really fun!” Naeun reported happily when she was sitting back in her seat, her hair slightly messy from twirling so much, “Want to do it again!”

“Never, not while I’m still alive,” Hyunjin muttered, rubbing his eyes halfheartedly as the memory of his precious little girl dancing with a boy replayed in his head. 

You laughed at the two of them, reaching over to fix Naeun’s hairdo so she didn’t look like an absolute mess for the rest of the evening, “I think your father wouldn’t be very happy with that,” you said teasingly, kissing her forehead just as the crown prince approached your table with a glass of fine wine in his hand.

“Your Majesties,” he spoke respectfully, exuding the perfect mixture of gracefulness and charisma as he bowed, “If I could do the honor of making a toast for the occasion?”

Of course, the request was posed as a question, merely to play to the ego and the pride of the hosts, but a toast was usually not something you could refuse. Doing so meant bad blood, tensions, potential rifts in foreign relations. Besides, the prince didn’t look malicious; you normally had a good sense of intuition about people, and the man standing before you and Hyunjin didn’t raise any red flags.

Hyunjin didn’t seem to sense anything either, and with a courteous smile, he waved his hand in agreement, “The trade deals we’ve made this time around are definitely a reason for celebration,” he said, “Although, I’ll have to drink on behalf of the Queen as well.”

The prince smiled at that, gesturing to one of his servants as they walked towards the table, bringing two gold encrusted wine glasses towards you, “We would never want to leave Her Majesty out. In consideration of her pregnancy, I’ve brought a specialty drink created from a fruit that is grown only in our country. It is harmless to the body, and said to bring good health and longevity to expecting mothers.”

Gasps and noises of approval filled the air as you tilted your head inquisitively, looking at the wine glass being presented to you. You could feel Hyunjin’s hesitancy, and you studied the prince’s expression carefully, but there really didn’t seem to be anything wrong. There wasn’t any point in making a big fuss over nothing.

Delicately, your fingers wrapped around the glass, picking it up and looking at the orange liquid. Hyunjin watched you carefully before doing the same with his glass, which held red wine like everyone else.

The prince smiled, relief obvious in his posture as he held up his own glass. He obviously had worried that you might reject the gift, thinking that it overstepped boundaries. 

“May our kingdoms stay allies through peace and through strife. To friendship!”

The crowd chorused the sentiment as you merely lifted the glass to your mouth, the liquid just about to touch your lips when you froze.

That scent. You remembered it when your physician had warned you against certain plants that were harmful to your body. As the queen of two nations, you were an obvious target, and there was never any telling with when someone with a cruel heart could slip a poison into your food or water. The scent was almost imperceptible, but you knew it was there.

Someone was trying to poison you, and they chose the most opportune time to do so.

Watching as the prince and your husband both downed their glasses, your brain was working a mile a minute, scrambling for a way out. You could you say outright that there was poison in the glass. That would put both your own staff and your guests in a terrible position. You didn’t have any proof that it was actually the prince who was trying to harm you, and making those accusations would all but tear the alliance apart. 

Your heart must’ve been pounding so loudly that the people around you could hear. You kept your face placidly calm as you decided on your course of action, and very subtly tapped your finger against the wine glass three times, a signal that Changbin had taught you in order to alert the Kingsguard of danger.

Both Changbin and Felix saw your movement, and so did Hyunjin out of the corner of his eye. He turned, his expression slowly morphing into shocked anger, something you had not wanted to happen. Thinking quickly, you pretended to choke, coughing up a storm as you managed to put the glass down.

Felix walked forward and was beside you in an instant, catching on to your actions. He handed you a handkerchief, gently patting your back as Changbin was also by your side, a concerned expression crossing his face as he stood guard.

“Are you alright, Your Majesty?” Felix asked, keeping the attention on you as he discreetly slid the glass to the side, letting Changbin collect it and take it away, ensuring that it was as far away from you as possible.

“Y-yes,” you smiled shakily, pressing the handkerchief against your lips, “Just got startled when the baby kicked.”

The people around you, Hyunjin and Felix, instantly saw through your lie, but knew better than to question your words when everyone’s eyes were on you. You finally glanced at your husband, your anxiety spiking when you saw the way he looked at you, eyes filled with uncontrollable fury. 

Someone had really tried to hurt you, really tried to take his happiness right out from his grasp.

You placed a hand on his, and gave it a warning squeeze, “I’m alright, love, there’s no need to fret,” you cooed, putting on a show of calming him down so that his anger might be taken as anxiety instead.

Hyunjin caught onto your cues, and did his best to control the murderous emotions threatening to bubble out of his chest. Luckily enough, there was another distraction that waddled over, effectively putting the whole situation at rest.

“Mama! Are you alright?” Naeun ran over, her expression overly worried as she stood beside you, her little hands grabbing blindly for you and wanting to be held. As she was watching her Uncle Changbin, she’d panicked when he did, automatically thinking that something bad had happened to her mother.

“Oh, my little one, nothing happened. See?” You comforted her, bringing her hands to your cheeks as you smiled, “Mama is fine.”

“My deepest apologies, Your Majesty!” The prince stammered out as you gently placed Naeun in your lap, giving into her cries to be close to you, “I did not mean to cause you harm. Not in the slightest.”

“And you did not,” you spoke gracefully, a hand lightly squeezing your husband’s leg under the table as you took control of the conversation, sensing that the man was no longer thinking rationally. Hyunjin already suspected the prince as the main culprit, and any words that would leave his mouth from here on would be far from pleasant.

You smiled serenely, looking at the prince, “There was no harm done. Pregnancies are always unpredictable.”

The prince nodded, his expression still anxious as he excused himself and took his seat back with his family. Looking at his frazzled expression, the idea that the person who was looking to poison you was less likely to be him.

“Hyunjin, snap that glare off your face. People are beginning to notice,” you hissed in his ear as people began to dance and mingle now that the dinner part of the banquet was done. Naeun was still in your arms, having fallen asleep. It was far past her normal bed time, after all.

But Hyunjin’s fury was just barely contained, “How can I? Someone tried to hurt you, Y/N. Someone tried to do so right before my very eyes, right under the noses of our Kingsguard,” he spoke under his breath, the cold glint in his eyes growing stronger with every moment. The Hwang Hyunjin of old, the ruthless king that ruled without mercy, was returning, and you needed to stop him quickly.

“Making a ruckus will not serve us any good,” you said softly, continuing to bounce Naeun lightly on your lap.

“He needs to know what happens if he hurts a member of the royal family,” Hyunjin’s glare shifted to the prince, who was dancing with his wife amongst the crowd.

“It isn’t him, Hyunjin,” you took his hand, lacing your fingers together, “I’m sure it isn’t.”

“Then who?” He rounded on you, eyes filled with pain and anger as he tried to hide it from nosy onlookers, leaning closer to press a kiss to the crown of your head, “Who would dare hurt the most precious person in my life?”

“I don’t know, Hyunjin. But now isn’t the time to play detective. Let’s get through this party first, alright?” You asked soothingly just as Naeun shifted in your arms, mumbling.

“Papa…”

Hyunjin faltered at that weak cry, and you smiled in relief as you carefully handed Naeun to her father. The king held her in his lap, using her as his anchor. 

"Oh, my little petal," he sighed, letting the girl slump into his chest as she slept soundly, unaware of the turmoil raging through her father's heart. Hyunjin held her close, kissing her hair, and you were able to observe the party absently, letting yourself calm down after a near experience with death.

Who could've done it? The very idea of lacing the queen's drink with poison, and quite possibly starting a war in the process, would scare almost anyone away. It had to be someone with much more to gain from the incident, someone that feels sure enough of their position that they see the act through knowing it could never be traced back to them. 

You sat in relative silence for the rest of the evening, choosing to observe rather than participate as the guests enjoyed the many festivities you'd planned for the evening. One particular man, sitting at the table to your right, who looked suspiciously upset for such a joyous occasion, caught your eye. 

His motives certainly aligned, and he was of high enough status that he probably didn't even have to personally orchestrate any of it to happen. 

Could it be...? There was only one way to quell your suspicions. 

. 

The party ended uneventfully, and soon, many of the guests began to trickle out of the palace gates, ready to retire for the night. One man opted to take a less crowded route back to his estate, cutting through the palace passageways instead of braving the cold and the people. After all, he was no longer in a sociable mood after the events of the night. 

He should've  known it wasn't going to be so easy. The queen was not only royalty, she was an experienced general as well. It shouldn't have been such a surprise that she sniffed out the little surprise so easily. 

Still, even if it was to be expected, it was still a disappointment. If only she wasn't around, things would be so much simpler. He would've been able to further secure his position, maybe even take control of the military. Oh, the possibilities for him were endless if only- 

"General Lee Minho. It's quite late for you to still be here in my palace." 

If only you weren't around to stop him. 

Maintaining his composure, Minto turned around, giving you a perfect bow, "Your Majesty, I didn't mean to impose. I was merely trying to get home-" 

"Why did you do it?" 

Never one to beat around the bush, were you? 

Minho gave you a saccharine smile, his heart still relatively at ease. You had no proof. There was nothing that could connect the act to him. 

"Your Majesty, I don't believe I understand." 

It must've been the wrong thing to say. Your eyebrow raised inquisitively, and you took a step forward, your eyes cold and unwavering. You must've learned a thing or two from your besotted husband.  

"You're a cunning man, General. Our kingdoms profit off your intellect and your strategy," you said, looking straight into his own unflinching gaze.

"In fact, your cunning is the only reason you are still alive." 

The air seemed to grow thinner in an instant, and the pleasantries all but faded from Minho’s expression. You weren't inquiring, you knew it was him. This encounter was merely icing on the cake for you. The general was suddenly aware that the halls were completely empty save for the two of you, and there was not a sound to be heard. Not the sounds of a servant fetching water, or a maid finishing up her errands. Nothing.

Minho pursed his lips, giving you an unreadable gaze, “I wouldn't advise threatening me in your condition,” he commented, eyes falling deliberately to the swell of your stomach.

You couldn't help but smile in amusement at his thinly veiled threat, “I assure you, General, I am perfectly safe.”

“Oh?” Minho raised an eyebrow at your words, “And I suppose one of your two dogs that you call the Kingsguard is hiding just around the corner, waiting for a movement that would put you in danger before cutting me down.”

The silence screamed under the midnight sky, and the candles illuminating the hallway seemed to flicker as your smile turned icy.

“Do you really think I need Felix to intercede in order for me to kill you?”

Your words were barely audible, and could've easily passed as the murmurings of the wind, but for the first time, Minho didn't feel safe. There was something about the glint in your eyes, the way you stood before him like a storm just waiting to tear through him. 

All this time, Minho had not worried about the consequences of his actions. He did not believe that you were in a position to raise a finger at him, especially since the nobles were on his side. You were the former princess of a foreign kingdom, after all. You were the disadvantaged one here. If anything, he was worried what the king might do if his plot was discovered, knowing and having witnessed Hyunjin’s merciless punishments to those that defied him.

But standing before you, alone and without the bravado of his typical entourage, Minho realized. It was you that he should've feared. 

There was not an ounce of humanity, affection, or care in your eyes. The loving queen that had just been cradling her daughter in her arms earlier that night had all but slipped away. Standing before him was a battle-hardened warrior, a woman who had experienced too much suffering to ever go through it again, no matter what it took.

“What do you want from me?” Minho said, his innocent facade fading completely as he finally caved, the hatred seeping into his eyes as he glared at you.

“I want answers, and you will give them to me. If you don't know, which I doubt will be the case, you will direct me to someone who does.”

Minho’s jaw clenched, feeling the growing panic and fury clawing up his chest as he stood before you, with no more cards to play, “Alright.”

“Alright?” You raised an eyebrow, the simplest action laced with an unspoken threat.

“Alright, Your Majesty,” Minho sneered, wanting nothing more than to pull out his hidden blade and run it cleanly through your throat. He knew better though, especially since he was sure Felix had his eyes trained on him, ready to strike.

“Who else is in on this?”

“A few of the lords were vaguely aware that I was plotting something, but they did not actively participate in the act.”

“Were your actions supported?”

Looking down to the side, he muttered, “There were a few people that did not agree on my methods, but still want you removed.”

“Naeun. Is she in danger?” You asked sharply, for the first time, feeling a spike of fear hit you. If there was someone willing to murder your unborn child, you suspected that Naeun would not be safe either.

To your relief, Minho shook his head, “Not that I know of.”

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. As long as you and your child were relatively safe, you could continue the interrogation more seriously, “You laced my drink with poison, but it was not a large enough dosage to cause death. Why?”

“Your death would effectively sever any alliance between my kingdom and yours,” Minho gritted his teeth as he spoke, as if you were physically pulling out every single word from his mouth, “As much as I despise your kingdom for starting that useless war, I am not arrogant enough to deny that our alliance has benefited both of us greatly.”

“So you wanted my child,” you snarled lowly, your hand unconsciously reaching to touch your stomach as if protecting it, “You wanted me to miscarry.”

Minho smiled, all daggers and fangs as he replied, “If your baby didn't make it, you won't have a male heir. You would most likely have a harder time conceiving, and we'd be able to supply His Majesty with a suitable mistress.”

You stared at Minho, the pieces falling together in your mind as you thought of every moment when the general had tried to undermine you, make your comments less received by actively criticizing them, or scorn you for your status as a foreigner.

“You wanted me to lose favor with Hyunjin,” you concluded, feeling almost disappointed by the turn of events. No matter what kingdom, the power hungry were always the same, tearing down others for their own benefit. Doesn’t the battle for control ever get tiring for them?

Minho barked out a scathing laugh, “Of course I wanted you to lose favor with him. I wanted him to resent you, to hate you, to see you for what you really are, a viper hidden beneath that pretty, pretty face of yours.”

“Why?” You asked, genuinely confused, “Why must you go so far to stop me--to stop him--from being happy?”

“You think he’s happy?” The general scoffed, and against his better judgement, he took a threatening step towards you. The expression on your face barely twitched, but Minho could suddenly feel a murderous aura coming from behind him, and he knew better than to push his luck.

“Do you really think he’s happy?” Minho laughed, “You destroyed him, Your Majesty. You turned him soft. We were going to build the greatest, most ruthless empire the continent has ever known. And suddenly, after he met you, he decided to stop conquering, to take care of his people, to take care of your people after you lost.”

You weren’t expect such a barrage of anger and honesty, but you took the chance while you had it, “And what? You’re upset because you stopped gaining wealth and power in the spades like you used to?”

Minho’s scowl was pure wickedness, and you stared him down, an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object, “I’m upset because you turned our king into a soft, weak little boy. The plan was to wring you and your people dry, taking all the resources before leaving you to fend for yourself. And, suddenly, after he met you, he wanted to do nothing but protect you, a cowardly, foolish princess that was nothing but her parent’s puppet--”

“Careful,” your voice was soft, its edges laced with poison as your eyes flashed with a silent warning, “You are alive still because I have use for you, but you run your mouth like that again, and I’ll have your tongue cut out before I slit your throat.”

The general realized the seriousness of your words, and his eyes narrowed, “You have use...of me,” he repeated your words, already disliking where this was going. 

“Of course I do. If I didn’t, your body would have already been dumped into the river by now,” you said pleasantly, the serene smile back on your face as you pulled at your lace gloves.

Minho raised an eyebrow, “Do you think you’d be able to get away with that, Your Majesty?”

“Oh, my dear General,” you couldn’t help but laugh, amused by his doubtfulness at your capabilities, “unlike you, I am not in the position where every move I make is another desperate grab for power. I am the Queen. The power stems from me and my husband. And do you think Hyunjin would care about the potential murderer of his unborn child if I told him the truth?”

Minho’s jaw clenched so hard, it was painful. He underestimated you. Hyunjin was not the ruthless one. You were.

Like a snake constricting its prey, knowing there was no hope of escape, you smiled, “You are in no position to threaten me, Lee Minho, and unless you want me to strip you of all of your titles or for me to tell Hyunjin about what has just transpired, I’d keep that snippy mouth of yours shut.”

How pathetic. You knew exactly what he valued in life, and didn’t hesitate in brandishing against him like a sharpened blade. All of Minho's actions were to protect his reputation with the king and to hold onto the power he'd already earned, and you were dangling that prize over his head, ready to rip it away from him at a moment's notice.

“What does Her Majesty require of me?” Minho asked through gritted teeth and a clenched smile.

“Stop with the schemes. I'm sick and tired of them,” you said tiredly, giving him a wary glare, “Stop trying to usurp my power and overthrow my position as Queen. It doesn't matter how many mistresses you want to throw at Hyunjin. He will always love me as I will always love him, and even if that doesn't come to be, he will always have respect for me.”

Minho felt his blood boil as he nodded, “Yes...Your Majesty.”

You didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing you smile, moving straight to the most important term.

“You will instate Naeun as the Crown Princess.”

“Are you insane?” Minho snarled, his anger spiking as he spat at you, “The people who supported me in ruling against her will think I've gone mad.”

“Maybe you should've thought twice before deciding on your vote then,” you smiled placidly as you took a step closer towards him.

“You will instate Naeun as the Crown Princess, no conditions, no what ifs. She is the heir. Understood?”

As he gazed into your eyes, each order you have laced with power and unspeakable threat, Minho saw himself in the reflection of your sharp stare. To you, he was nothing but a mere doll for you to manipulate to your own will, a being that could just as easily be discarded as it can be replaced. 

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Minho said again, the hatred in his tone more than apparent.

“I expect the good news to be placed on Hyunjin’s desk tomorrow morning.”

Without another word, another acknowledge or even goodbye, you turned around, walking down the hall and leaving Minho to wallow in his own failure, leaving him to forever berate himself for the missteps he made, the miscalculations that had now put his entire career into the hands of the person he despised most in the kingdom.

“Sounded like things were going well, Your Majesty,” Felix commented nonchalantly as you passed him, the young guard having positioned himself in the adjacent hallway, waiting for any inkling of danger to jump in and protect you. You didn’t fail to notice the way he twirled his knife before slipping it back into its sheathe, obviously having pulled it out when Minho had made a poorly concealed threat regarding your condition.

“Yes, it seems like some good has come out of this ridiculous farce,” you sighed, placing your hand gently over your tummy as you felt the slightest kick against your side. With that conversation, you could only hope that the worst of the nobles’ spite towards you and your blood would soon be over. 

Felix eyed you carefully in the silent walk back to the Royal Chambers, noting both your emotional and physical state, “Are you going to keep this from His Majesty?” He asked, afraid of overstepping his boundaries by prodding too much.

“Eventually, the truth will come out whether I want it to or not,” you said as you entered the private section of the palace, exhaustion laced in your words. Truthfully, if Minho had decided to call your bluff and attacked you earlier, it wouldn’t have been as easy as you’d made him believe it to be. You had your reputation as a powerful general back when you were a princess to thank for how successful your negotiations went.

“Still, I think I’ll keep it a secret...just for tonight,” you confided to Felix tiredly, turning to him with a weary smile, “He’s worried enough already, especially after earlier.”

Felix nodded, and you didn’t need to ask additionally to ensure secrecy. Felix was good about those things. He was a good confidante, and once again, you felt immensely grateful for his presence. 

He gave you a bow, practiced ease and gracefulness exuding from even the simplest of movements as he spoke softly, “Take care of yourself, Your Majesty.”

You couldn’t help but smile, reaching over and gently patting his head, a silent gesture of praise for the young knight who’d done so much for you, “I promise. Now go get some sleep. It’s quite late.”

Felix excused himself politely, and you took a deep breath, heading to the bedroom where your lover was probably waiting anxiously for your return.

.

As you’d expected, Hyunjin was almost beside himself when you walked into the room, his hands freezing from where they were pulling at the roots of his dark hair when he gasped, “Y/N, my love!” He rushed towards you, pulling you into his arms and sweeping you into a tight hug.

“Where have you been? I was worried sick! Changbin said that Felix was with you, so I trusted that nothing was wrong, but you were gone for so long and I thought—”

“Shh, my darling,” you cooed, letting his hands touch you fleetingly everywhere he could, your shoulders, your waist, your tummy, anything to let him know that you were once again safe in his arms.

You smiled, cupping his cheeks as you leaned close, “I’m alright. Everything’s alright. I just needed some air after what happened today, so I took a walk in the gardens. Felix was with me every step of the way.”

Hyunjin let out a sigh of both relief and frustration as he held your hand resting on his cheek, looking into your eyes, “Please don’t scare me like that again,” he whispered, “Not after what happened earlier.”

“Nothing happened, Hyunjin,” you said softly, your thumb lightly brushing his face as you comforted him, “I’m here, aren’t I, safe and sound?”

“Things could’ve turned out so much worse,” he pressed a fleeting kiss to your palm as he held your hand, “I had the liquid inspected. At this very moment, you could’ve been unconscious, fighting for your life, our child...gone,” his voice cracked ever so slightly as he palmed your stomach.

“But it didn’t happen like that,” you reassured him, eyes widening as you saw his own eyes glistening with unshed tears, “Oh, Hyunjin.”

Reaching forward, you wrapped your arms around his waist, burrowing in his chest as Hyunjin easily fell into your embrace, burying his face in your hair as he hugged you tightly. The room filled with the comfortable silence, and your conversation continued without the need for words.

I love you. I want you to be safe. Please don’t do anything dangerous. It was all translated through your touch and the warmth you gained from one another.

Hyunjin’s hugs were warm. They felt like hot chocolate on a cold winter day, like a summer breeze that swept you away. You felt safe just being in his arms, and soon, you let out a quiet yawn, nuzzling into his chest.

“Let me coddle you tonight,” he murmured, sensing you slumping forward in his chest as his fingers lightly massaged your scalp, “I know you don’t like it very much, but just for tonight, can I please take care of you?”

You couldn’t help but smile at his request. As much as Hyunjin liked to be cared for, by you in particular, his favorite hobby was to spoil you in any capacity that he knew how. He loved to lavish you with gifts, shower you with love, and to do every little thing to make you comfortable. You weren’t the person that liked to take advantage of this little trait of his, since you were never one for lavish gift giving nor were you ever given such attention before, but seeing how earnest he was, you decided to compromise, especially after all the worrying Hyunjin had probably gone through just waiting for you to return. 

“Of course,” you nodded, pressing a kiss to his lips, “Let’s get ready for bed.”

Hyunjin was carefully meticulous as he  undid the corset of your party dress, pulled out the pins that held your hair up, and delicately slipped the silk nightgown over your form, all the while trailing kisses wherever he could. You did the same for him, helping him out of his uniform as your lips connected with his.

“I was thinking,” you mumbled absently as Hyunjin kissed you with abandon, his hands nimbly undoing the braids in your hair, “We should go away, just us and Naeun.”

“Oh? Do tell me more,” Hyunjin replied with a soft smile, his lips trailing down to your jaw as you tried your hardest to remember what you were trying to say. What a little brat he was being.

You sucked in a gasp as you rolled your eyes, amused by his antics, “Let’s spend a week at the summer estate. Naeun needs space to run around, and both of us need a breather from our royal duties. You especially.”

Hyunjin groaned at your words, “You’re definitely right about that. But can we afford to leave, with all the chaos going around?” He asked, as he began to usher you to the bed, his arms looping around your legs as he ultimately decided to just carry you.

“H-hyunjin!” You squeaked, surprised by the sudden action as your arms wrapped around his neck. Your husband paid you no mind, carrying you to the bed before placing you down delicately. His eyes met yours and you touched his face, “I’m sure we can make time. We can delegate some of the less important work to some of the council members. If not, we can just work extra hard after to make up for lost time. We all need a break.”

“Your wish is my command, my Queen,” Hyunjin leaned forward, pecking your lips before walking around to crawl under the covers from his side of the bed, “I’ll start planning the details of the trip tomorrow. Deal?”

“Deal,” you smiled, snuggling into the covers and scooting closer to your husband as his hand absently shifted to rest on your tummy.

“It would be good for this little one, too. Just to experience what life outside this stuffy palace is like,” Hyunjin mumbled, his eyes already closing. He was no doubt exhausted from hosting the party and all the preparations before hand.

You felt your cheeks heat up as you giggled. Hyunjin always had a way of bringing the conversation back to the baby, “Yes, it'll be good for them, too,” you agreed softly as your eyes began to close as well. The day had been far too eventful for your liking, and you'd like at least one full night of rest before having to tell Hyunjin about your conversation with Minho.

Suddenly, your ears perked up at the sound of the bedroom door creaking open ever so slightly. Hyunjin reacted instantly, pulling you close as he sat up to see who had come in.

“Papa…? Mama…?”

Naeun’s sleepy voice was soft and almost inaudible, but Hyunjin let out a sigh, relaxing as he could make out the little figure of his daughter standing at the door.

“Naeun, what’s wrong?” He asked gently, beckoning her over to his side of the bed, “It’s way past your bedtime.”

“I-i—” The little girl rubbed her heavy eyes as she waddled over to her father as she began to whimper, “I had a bad dweam, P-papa.”

Hyunjin’s heart and yours simultaneously melted as a silent agreement passed between the two of you. The priority was no longer to get a good night's sleep; it was your daughter’s comfort.

“Oh, petal. Was it scary?” Hyunjin cooed, reaching down and easily picking her up, settling her in the large bed. He placed her right in the middle, and you rolled over to your side so you could gently wipe her tears.

Naeun nodded at his words, her lips curled in a trembling pout, “Scawy. C-couldn’t find Mama—a-and people saying that Papa was gone…” Her lip quivered again and she began to cry just from remembering the awful images that passed through her head.

“Shh, shh. Oh, dear,” Hyunjin quickly grabbed a spare handkerchief on the night stand beside his bed as you sat up, murmuring comforting words as you cupped Naeun's cheeks gently. 

“Naeun, my little princess,” you said softly, looking into her sparkling eyes as large crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks, “Mama and Papa are right here. We'll always be here for you, alright? No matter what happens, your Mama and Papa would never, ever abandon you like that.”

The little girl sniffled as Hyunjin wiped away her tears, smiling fondly, “Your mother said it best, petal. No matter what, we'll be here to support you, protect you, and love you until you've grown sick of our coddling.” 

Hyunjin couldn't help but add in a little teasing, booping her nose as he said, “Even after you grow sick of us, we'll still stick annoyingly close.”

Naeun scrunched her nose as she always did when hyunjin messed with her, and she frowned, “I won't ever get sick of Papa and Mama. Never!”

“Oh, one day, you'll take those words back,” you added playfully as you tickled Naeun's little tummy, making her squeal with delight and effectively drawing the nightmare out of her immediate thoughts. Hyunjin joined in, tag teaming your poor daughter until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open. 

"Love Papa... Love Mama," Naeun mumbled sleepily as she curled into the warm blankets, beginning to fall asleep. You smiled at her words, pressing a kiss to her hair. 

"Mama and Papa love you more than anything else in the whole world," you reassured her, brushing the stray hairs out of her face, "Get some sleep, little one.  Nothing can hurt you here." 

Naeun mumbled in acknowledgment, and her little hands wrapped around Hyunjin’s pinky, making her father’s heart positively melt, “Papa...sing.”

“Sing?” He repeated, slightly flustered as he shifted to a more comfortable position, making sure that Naeun was still able to hold onto his pinky. 

“Mhm, Papa sing,” Naeun nodded as she curled up into a little ball, bringing Hyunjin's hand to her chest as she began to doze off on her own.

You couldn't help but giggle as you burrowed into the covers as well, wrapping a gentle around your daughter as you smiled up at Hyunjin, “Won't you honor a princess’s request?” You teased.

Hyunjin pouted at you, scrunching his nose much like how Naeun had done only minutes before, “But I'm the king,” he said petulantly, making Naeun giggle at his antics, “I can do whatever I want!”

“Well, your Queen is now requesting a song as well,” you said with an air of playful haughtiness as Naeun and you shared a conspiratorial glance.

“Oh dear,” Hyunjin ran a hand through his hair, “then, I believe I don't have a choice if my Queen and my Princess so insist.”

“You don't!” Naeun chirped in, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

Hyunjin let out a dramatic sigh before propping himself up against the headboard and pulling Naeun into his chest so she could rest comfortably in his arms. He didn't forget you, of course, and laced his fingers with yours as you decided not to move around as much, resting on your side of the bed as you held his hand.

The sound of soft-spoken singing wafted into your ears like a gentle breeze. Hyunjin, albeit not a professional in any way, always had a nice voice. It was the kind of voice that could lull you into relaxation, the kind of voice that soothed your unsettled heart. Before long, your eyes grew too heavy to keep open, and you drifted off to sleep with your hand wrapped around Hyunjin’s.

Hyunjin gazed down at his family as he slowly stopped singing, noticing that the two of you had fallen asleep. Without the prying eyes of the world boring down on him, he could finally drop his guard and his cold exterior to fully admire the two people he loved, the little girl in his arms that he treasured so dearly and you, the love of his life that showed him what it truly meant to have a soulmate, a person to confide in wholeheartedly. 

It was his little personal heaven, just to see the two of you sleeping safe and sound, to lie in bed with both his daughter and his wife just at arm's reach. He savored it as much as he could, squeezing your hand once more before putting down himself, pulling the warm covers higher over Naeun to keep her healthy. And not for the first time, Hyunjin wistfully dreamed of a life where he was not the king, where he could be a simple man, only tasked to provide and love his family. 

Hyunjin knew he would be asking for too much. He knew what the two of you had promised to those that had put their faith in your hands. You'd promised to protect them, to wear the crown and carry the burdens of your kingdom, no matter how bruised, bloodied or battered the journey made you. 

But as he stared down at your peaceful expression, your lips slightly parted and your eyes fluttered shut, he couldn't help but remember the terror he felt just hours before, the all consuming fear that you would disappear from his life. And for the first time, Hyunjin was at a loss, facing a crossroad that—in the naivety of his youth—he never thought he’d encounter.

If he had to choose between you or his country, what would he do? If he had to protect the integrity of his kingdom and sacrifice Naeun, would he be able to do it? Before you came along, Hyunjin cared about nothing but his work, his duty. But now, he had a family that he'd do anything to protect.

At the party, Hyunjin felt anger like he'd never felt before in his life. It was more than fury, it was pure rage. He would've been willing to lock the doors and interrogate every single person present in the banquet hall if you hadn't calmed him down. He didn't want to become a king like that, he didn't want to become a ruler than put his own needs and his family’s needs before everything else. 

But if he lost you, if he lost Naeun, if he lost his unborn child, his whole world would shatter. It was almost terrifying how much the past five years had changed him. 

“Hyunjin,” his eyes flew open as he suddenly felt your thumb brush against the back of your hand. Turning his head, he realized that you had woken up, your eyes gazing at him with a mixture of sympathy and love that Hyunjin wanted to drown in.

“You're thinking too much again,” you murmured sleepily, playing absently with his fingers without jostling Naeun, “At this point, you'll have wrinkles before you're even middle aged.”

The king couldn't help but chuckle at your little quip, pressing a kiss to your hand, “I'm sorry, my love. Did I wake you?”

“No, I woke up on my own,” you reassured him, “But I'm glad I did. What's wrong, darling?”

Hyunjin bit his lip, hesitating for a moment. He shouldn't bother you with his feelings, not when you already had to worry about yourself on top of the baby you were carrying. 

“Hyunjin,” you murmured his name once more, and he felt his body shudder at how sweet, how loving you sounded, “You can tell me anything.” 

It was the only gentle nudge he needed.

“I'm worried about this,” Hyunjin said softly, “Our family. I can't stop worrying. I didn't know about the poison, even though all the food and drinks were inspected. When will it ever be enough?”

You squeezed his hand, “You're putting too much responsibility on yourself. The family’s safety is not your burden to bear alone, it is for us to share.”

Hyunjin nodded, “I know,” he sighed, running a hand through his midnight hair, “I know, Y/N. But I just wish I could do more.”

“You do more than enough for us, darling,” you reassured him, “You do more than any king would do for their families. It's alright, Hyunjin. You're doing so well.”

“I am?” Hyunjin sucked in a breath, placing your hand on his cheek as he closed his eyes, revelling in your words and your presence. 

“You are.”

These were not honey coated words to soothe a monarch and appease his temper. You meant them more than you could ever express. You knew Hyunjin was trying his best. You knew Hyunjin was most likely protecting you from forces that you weren't even aware of, just like the way you'd dealt with Minho just earlier. 

“I found out who did it, by the way,” you mumbled, figuring that this felt like the right time to tell him in hopes that Hyunjin might sleep better knowing that the problem was dealt with.

There was a moment of deathly silence before Hyunjin uttered a single word, "Who?" 

You sighed. Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all, especially since your daughter was soundly sleeping in the space between the both of you, "Promise that you won't do anything rash right now." 

"You're asking me not to do anything rash when I find out who tried to murder my unborn child and harm my wife?" Hyunjin asked in disbelief. 

“I'm asking you not to overreact now while your daughter is sleeping," you hissed back, "I handled it for the time being." 

Hyunjin let out a frustrated sigh, "Alright, you win. You have my word,” he said, lacing his fingers with yours.

You bit your lip, wondering if it would just be easier to be completely honest or to ease into it gently. After a moment of consideration, you decided on the former. 

“It’s Minho.”

Hyunjin reacted without thinking, feeling the rage run through his veins once again as he began to sit up, “That bastard--”

As he shifted aggressively, Naeun whined in her sleep, beginning to squirm. You wrapped your arm around her body as your other hand grabbed Hyunjin’s sleeve, “You promised!”

Hyunjin’s steeled eyes softened as he looked down at the little girl beside him, and he slumped back on the bed, pressed a kiss to her forehead and rubbing her back, helping soothe her back to a deep sleep, “I should’ve gotten rid of him earlier. I knew he disliked your presence, but I thought--I thought he’d be able to see past the differences.”

“As did I,” you admitted, running your fingers gently through Naeun’s hair as her whimpers stopped and slowly went back to soft breaths, “but it seems like he disappointed both of us.” 

The king sighed tiredly, feeling the rest of his fiery hot anger dissipate as he turned to lie on his side, his eyes trained on Naeun as he made sure she was asleep, “You said you handled it. Let me guess, it was when you ‘went for a walk.’” 

“You know me too well,” Flicking his forehead playfully, you couldn’t help but smile, “Yes, we had a quick conversation as I was walking back to the chambers. I don’t believe he will try it again any time soon.”

“I would ask what you told him, but I almost don’t want to know,” Hyunjin said with a hint of a smile as he closed his eyes, “My wife can be very scary when she wants to be.”

You shrugged, stroking his cheek fondly for a moment longer before pulling your hand away and lying back down, “I’m the same as you, Jinnie. Anything to protect this family we’ve created.”

Hyunjin hummed in agreement, his long arm draping over to wrap around both you and Naeun, “Anything. But for now, let’s sleep. Thank you, Y/N.”

“Whatever for?” You asked curiously, unsure of what Hyunjin was thinking about in that little head of his. 

“For being here. For loving me. For everything you do,” he mumbled, already beginning to fall asleep    as his words began to slur. Your heart felt warm and fluttery as you smiled, patting the back of his hand as you mumbled your sleepy reply.

“I’ll always be here for you, Jinnie. You’re not alone anymore.”

Hyunjin cracked a smile at that, and hugged you and Naeun ever so slightly tighter in his arms. You were right. He wasn’t alone anymore. He had you and Naeun, whom he loved with every fiber of his being. He had Changbin and Felix, who were slowly becoming less like guards and more like their surrogate family. 

And for all those reasons, Hwang Hyunjin fell asleep considering himself quite lucky. 

[dirtycccat]

the demon bros+ undateables showing their love

thought about this for 5 min then had to write it out so enjoy

lucifer

first off you notice he treats you differently

and by differently i mean like you’re his favorite child  sibling

you get away with anything??? and he’s softer with you than with the others (which is canon)

then you see that?? he keeps buying you stuff you said you wanted when he was present

and you’re ofc impressed

but you’re more impressed by how open he’s around you

he’ll leave most of his walls down around  you

which means you’ll get to experience unfiltered lucifer

he’ll laugh around you more, make dumb dad jokes, nap with his head in your lap, complain drunkenly about his work and bros, give you sloppy cheeks and forehead kisses

you find it rly cute though

if you’re in the human world he’ll 100% take this chance to send you beautifully written letters asking you how you are and leaving some verses that reminded him of you on the back like a 19th century vampire

“dear mc, how is your life? mine is filled with woe and unease since i do not  have the light of my life around anymore...anyway here’s a poem about being horny and alone by a 18th century romantic author hope to see you soon, xoxo lucifer”

you try to respond in the same way and send him memes on the back instead of  poetry (or real poetry depends on your mood)

mammon

protective of you 100% will throw hands with anyone that even glances weirdly your way

but also wants to show you off? like look at this human!!! this is MY human!!!

gives you random thoughtful gifts that reminded him of you

wants to be around you 24/7 so he invites you to all the events that he thinks you’ll like

you wanna party? perfect. you wanna go on a weird ghost stories tour around the city? cool. you wanna waltz in one of those old people parties? he’s already reserved two tickets. you just wanna lay around and nap? he’s already on your lap.

it doesn’t matter if you’re in a romantic relationship or not this man WILL serenade you outside your window

rapunzel style with an acoustic guitar or with a boombox like a rebel 80s kid

anyway here’s toxic by britney spears babe this is for YOU

levi

considers you his bff ofc

but also at first he’s still really awkward around you and doesn’t really know what to do for you and feels bad thinking only you do things for him

until you reassure him you enjoy just being around him so it’s fine

he blushes and starts inviting you more to his room to game/ watch stuff

at some point he starts buying two tickets to all concerts he goes to and invites you along

but also? he asks you what you’re into and starts marathoning your favorite animes/ movies/ series so he can talk with you abt them

you feel really moved that he’d do that for you???  like??? bruh...

your relationship is basically friends respecting each other and wanting to know each other the best through their passions even if it means getting into some weird shit

it’s rly wholesome tho

if you’re romantically involved he’ll totally do roleplay as your favourite character and you do the same for him and it’s really cute

also imagine: artistic collabs. you make fanart together??? you can program games together???? you do cosplay together??? the possibilities...

satan

he’ll hate to be compared to his dad brother but he does show how much he trusts you by showing his unguarded side too

when he first talked about lucifer without the filter of his nice guy persona you were pretty shocked

like he was really going at it

but then you realize? he’s just like that when he’s comfortable

and it’s not all mean spirited, he just has,,, a strong personality and a lot of opinions about stuff (which you sometimes share with him)

but you also found out it’s really fun to gossip with satan

since he knows all the juicy gossip from his multitude of ties (he’s sharing the title of gossip queen with asmo that’s why they get along so well tbh)

also if you even find a teacher you hate he’ll tell you all their embarrassing moments to make you feel better

he also recommends you books and poems and sends you quotes that made him think about you

so you sure as heck don’t need to buy books while you’re in the devildom bc he’ll buy you an entire library 

asmo

compliments you without comparing you to himself which is the highest compliment he can give

like mammon he’s more into the showing everyone his favorite human around while also protecting them

he’ll take you to his parties and gatherings as a guest of honor, he’ll make you meet all kinds of people and open up opportunities for you

he’ll be the one that pampers you

you’d think lucifer is the sugar daddy of the family but nope it’s asmo

he’ll buy you cute clothes, shoes, beauty products everything that he saw and imagined would look bomb on you

if you’re not into clothes he’ll buy you art supplies, books, anything you want but he’ll still probably  buy you at least some clothes he thinks are cute

if you’re romantically involved,,,, he’ll buy other toys for you as well which you can try together wink wink

beel

cooks for you

no questions asked when it’s his turn to cook he’ll think about what YOU would like to eat first before making something

which is??? really touching coming from beel

and also means sometimes he’ll make the same dish three weeks in a row and annoy the others while you just get excited bc ??? you get to eat your favourite dish??? again and again???? 

thank you beel you truly know how to touch someone’s insides

also opens up to you and talks to you about his fears and thoughts

expect to get 4 am msgs from beel if he had a nightmare

which would end up in you coming to cuddle him (and belphie also joins sometimes)

which tbh is that even a thing you can complain about?

belphie

is more baby less murder when you’re around

naps on your lap, naps on your shoulder, naps with you anywhere

but also let’s you nap on HIM

besides being soft around you he actually opens up to you too

and talks to you about his traumas and issues

which he has in common with his twin what can you do

so you have weekly cuddle parties with him and beel where you talk about shit and actually make them resolve their issues instead of just,,, ignoring them

also if you’re into each other you probably tease each other and flirt really shamelessly in public while the others cringe and or blush at your language

are you a cowboy? because i want you to ride me all night 

simeon

writes you fancy letters with poetry like lucifer, but his ink is scented and  his envelopes contain pressed flowers more often than not

if you’re together you even do letter sexting if you’re into it

creates characters based on you in his stories (which you don’t believe even if levi points out you that the two of you are kinda similar)

asks you to spend more and more time with him and luke

invites you to picnics, reads to you while your head is in his lap, cooks you snacks

if you’re a theatre kid too,,, you do musical love confessions too,,, sometimes by just reciting the lyrics of really popular musical theatre songs in a death panned voice

cough a heart full of love from les mis but read like poetry through the fence of the house of lamentation cough

asks you cryptic shit hannibal style like “tell me mc what does it mean to want to be consumed whole by another? is it a desire to become something bigger than yourself or is it related to our need to become one with our loved one like some cultures pointed out before?”

you’re either really into his cryptid talk or just roll your eyes and smooch him

diavolo

invites you around to his castle all the time

sometimes he even pulls some weird shenanigans just to make you spend more time with him

expect tea parties with him luci and barbatos in no particular combination

gives you compliments 24/7  even in public

remember how he treats lucifer? he’s that for you too but he’s learned from the lucifer experience to focus on complimenting you as a person more than how you look

if you’re into pda he’ll touch you all the time

if you ever wanted a gomez - morticia romance, here’s your goth big titty himbo that’s way too full of love

if you’re lovers expect to be pampered, i feel like? he doesn’t buy a lot of gifts and such because he’s probably tired of material things but he will make time in his busy schedule for you and spend a lot of time with you

which means more to him than gifts

(we will buy you anything you ask though)

barbatos

actually talks with you about stuff outside rad, the demon bros and diavolo

also invites you to alone time tea or wine time

where you drink and gossip

if satan and asmo are the crowned queens of gossip barbatos is the king of gossip but he doesn’t share his knowledge to most people so nobody knows what he knows

but he knows,,,, a lot

and not only that he knows a lot about people nowadays,,, but imagine the things he knows about like historical figures and such,,, 

so prepare for story time with barbatos where he  talks about how oscar wilde was almost summoned by drunk inccubi during a party once, or how  diavolo cried when he was a kid because he sent a letter to caravaggio asking him to paint his portrait and he said no

also if you get drunk together expect really energetic talkative barbatos destroying DESTROYING everyone (except diavolo ofc)

“lucifer please i once saw you crying because you thought diavolo was ignoring you when you actually forgot to press the send button to your messages ”

if you’re romantically involved diavolo will always be first in his hear but that just means you’ll have to invite diavolo along on your dates which  just means you’ve got a new lover and a new bff

solomon 

he invites you on all kinds of wacky adventures

you  visit witches, go to weird magical forest parties or orgies if you want, you go travelling the mountains for rare herbs

it’s like you’re faust and he’s mephisto  haha the irony and he’s showing you another side of the world you never knew 

ofc the others know about all this but??? they thought it’s normal and didn’t even consider you know nothing about it

but solomon knows what it was like to be just a human

and since he likes you he empathizes with your situation

he also make you meet all kinds of people

since he has 72 contracts and hundreds of years of doing wack stuff he must know some interesting people

and now his friends are your friends 

i feel like romantic solomon would be just him?? but less shady with you especially since now you understand him better 

but also he’ll probably bring you weird shit from his alone expeditions

did you ever want the tears of a mermaid? a carnivorous plant that feeds on emotions? a crying portrait? no? well too bad because now you have a room full of weird items

...that you love and treasure thank you very much

[lenaellsi]

Was there a moment Wilde became your favorite? Or did you enjoy his appearances from the start?

People seem to find him annoying at the start, but i didn’t mind him until i loved him at the end of Paris

@quantifierrasing THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME TALK ABOUT WILDE YOU HAVE MADE A MISTAKE BECAUSE I WROTE AN ESSAY

under the cut because i am a merciful and considerate soul

wilde's introduction is absolutely hilarious, obviously, but it's also so damn confusing. like, what's his game? at first you think he's going to be a one off, maybe one of those recurring characters that pops up to annoy the NPCs every so often and write about their adventures in completely skewed ways to complicate their public image (and create work for hamid, who was originally hired as PR). i got like...team rocket vibes. and i loved him even then, because i already hated b*rtie and i thought hearing wilde's take on the party's adventures would be super fun! then dover happened and i forgot about wilde for a bit, though he was still my favorite historical NPC. so for his initial ep 25 intro, while I thought he was a little annoying, it was very much "insufferable (affectionate)" even then.

and then paris. things we learn in paris:

1. wilde is a SPY. like international man of mystery hyper competent intelligence officer. but he's still Like That!!! he's still an annoying punny idiot!! he contains MULTITUDES.

2. he's a BARD and even better an ILLUSIONIST BARD. aesthetically that kicks ass, and it is such an amazing metaphor for his whole Thing. never saying what he means, drowning every word in irony, hiding his real feelings and motivations under sarcasm and puns and lies until it's impossible to take anything he says as truth. and yet he STILL manages to establish himself as a trustworthy contact for the party, and someone who genuinely is trying to do the right thing.

3. he's insanely powerful, bad rolls aside alex makes a point of that, plus there's a check against hamid that indicates a base charisma score that is like. 23-24 or something stupid like that. OP king

4. he's got a lot of enemies.

5. by the time the guivres attack on paris happens, he's already doubting the meritocracy and his place in it.

prague is where we start to see his illusion start to slip, obviously, and where the dynamic shifts from him and the party antagonizing each other equally to the party just.........poking at him while he's too tired to hold up his side of the banter. through cairo and damascus i got the sense that he was actually trying to connect with them and be helpful, but between the curse and the assumption that everything he said was meant to be antagonizing, he just...didn't, except for that perfect moment with sasha in the pun war.

and you see the results of that in season 4, where he's much more...careful, i guess? when it comes to party interactions. I think literally once a day about his line from the japan arc, where he and zolf are talking before hamid and azu come in for the rome debrief--zolf says something like "just try to be a little warmer, okay?" and wilde says "they don't like me when I'm warm." just!!! fucking!!!! GOD.

the only member of the party he had connected with at all was sasha, because she was the one that saw his wordplay as an attempt to actually joke around and make friends (something something sasha is no stranger to hiding her motivations and true feelings, something something unlikely kindred spirits, something something rome is the worst)

if you listen back to season 4, every single convo with azu and hamid he's constantly clarifying that he's being serious and he's not trying to antagonize them. he hardly ever jokes. it's a mask again, only this time instead of hiding behind humor he's just...not expressing anything at all. (except with zolf, who is the only person we see him being completely honest with).

i could get into his changes after the resurrection--how he's no longer using illusions (magical and otherwise) against his allies, and how he has committed to speaking more honestly with the people who matter to him, while reclaiming his humor as a way to express camaraderie and love--but i've already rambled enough on this post.

TL;DR: wilde was my favorite NPC from the start. after paris, he became one of my favorite characters in any media i've consumed. if he dies (again) i will personally sow myself a victorian mourning veil and you will not hear from me for a month. he deserves a peaceful, restful post-canon life.

[k-comfyspace]

Instinct

Star: Kim Yoohyeon (Dreamcatcher)

Idea: No

A person who liked to hide in the shadows, secrets being buried in the depths. You carried it over from generation to generation but meeting new people, would you still continue to stay in the dark? To lie your way out of the questions that popped up, even if someone gets hurt

Warning/s: mention of blood

You left your apartment wearing your jacket as you went down the elevator before stepping outside into the blazing sun, you walked down the street at the bus stop, waiting for your bus to arrive while you observed your surroundings.

You lived in a fair neighborhood, not much happening. It was a peaceful place, trees lining the streets, it was bright, colorful, and the locals were all in their late adult years so you had no issue with people constantly annoying you all the time.

You went to a good school, funded by your parents of course, who lived just a few cities away. They often visited you too during their off times while you would often go when you had free time but generally you could always go there if you wanted to. In school you got good grades, not the best of the best but it was high enough for you to pass.

Your friends were nice, as you made sure to stay away from the cliche cliques that would be a part of high school, which resulted in a lot of people concluding that you had a good life.

However, not everything is always perfect as it seems.

When you got to school you walked into your class sitting at your usual spot as you turned to your friend who was busy writing her notes, “Isn’t it a bit too early for this?” you asked the blue haired girl, who finished writing the sentence before glancing at you with her eyebrows raised,

“Do you have any other way to pass the time?” she asked, a teasing grin growing on your lips as you spoke.

“How about talk to the brunette you’ve been pining on for weeks?” you suggested with a hint of teasing, as the girl in front of you lowered her head. Her cheeks coating with a sheen of pink before she whined and pushed you in annoyance, “I’m not pining for her,” she muttered to herself but you did easily hear her, a laugh escaping past your lips.

In the corner of your eye you took a glance at the girl at the back, seeing the brunette twist her pen in her hands while conversing with her friends.

Your friend looked at you as you reached for your flask, another laugh pouring from your mouth at the glare she was giving you before taking a sip, causing her to inquire, “Isn't it too early for that?” she said, giving your own question back to you, her eyes wide with surprise and concern while you merely waved a hand at her.

“I didn’t eat breakfast,” you replied, shrugging your shoulders, taking one more sip before placing it back in your bag.

You made sure to wipe your lips as the bell rang, everyone inside the room standing to greet the teacher. She walked in front of four students walking behind her, following closely as the eldest woman stood a little to the side, letting them be the center of attention.

All the students in the class, including you, stared at the four in confusion, it’s been half the semester. Maybe they were exchange students? You thought as the woman smiled before speaking.

“Good morning class, I know it's a little later than normal, but the principal assigned us new students. As you might have heard on the news, there was an accident in Kingsville a few days ago that resulted in the loss of most of their facilities. Unfortunately most of it was deemed unrecoverable. But since our school is the closest it has encouraged many of their former students to continue their studies here, so let’s all listen to them, please introduce yourself, girls.”

They introduced themselves, the class seemed to love their enthusiasm, the bright smiles that they wore and the gratefulness in their tone made it all seem that they were new students introducing themselves on their first day, you listened and observed each one, first being Lee Siyeon who had white hair, sharp eyes, and a sharp jaw.

She spoke confidently and you didn’t know if it was you but she sort of resembles a wolf. The next was Kim Bora, black haired girl who had round eyes. She is the shortest out of the group but the energy she showed makes up for it.

Beside her was Lee Yubin, she had black hair that reached up to her back, her features were soft, her eyes were relaxed, and only gave a small smile as she bowed stepping back for the last one in the group, “Good morning everyone, my name is Kim Yoohyeon, please take care of me,”

Yoohyeon had silver hair, she had round eyes like Bora and when she smiled her eyes disappeared as they turned into crescents almost infecting said smile unto you, noticing as well that she was the tallest one in the group, contrasting to the girl a few feet from her. The group the seats around the room,

“Girls feel free to ask anyone for help, I know you’re a little late so don’t hesitate to ask if you need help,”

Once everyone was settled, the lecture started. The teacher paced it slowly, giving the girls an opportunity to catch on and understand, sometimes answering the question as best as they understood. Soon enough the period was over and you were already heading to the cafeteria for lunch,

Sitting down at your table your other companion was already there, smiling when she saw both of you approach, “Minji unnie,” you greeted her taking the seat beside the older girl and began to converse.

It was usually what you did during your lunch period, staying at your group as you talked about all the random things you could think about, sometimes relating to projects, certain teachers, and sometimes playing small games to pass the time. The three of you didn’t need to eat since you would do it sometime later anyway.

“Minji unnie, Dongie, are you free to come by to the apartment tonight? Mom and dad have been pestering me for weeks to have you two over,”

The two girls laughed but still agreeing, “I could imagine their faces,” Handong commented earning a groan of annoyance and an eye roll from you, though it was directed more jokingly,

“It’s like they’re not expecting me to be there when they come, the first thing I hear when they arrive is, ‘Handong and Minji, are they here?’ I feel replaced,” you complained, further increasing the chuckles coming from the two before a new voice joined in.

“Hi,” you take a glance to the side seeing Yoohyeon and Yubin, both holding a tray of food before the taller girl asked shyly, “Do you mind if we take a seat with you guys, the others are pretty cramped,” she asked, the three of you offering them a kind smile,

“Sure, nice to meet you, Yoohyeon and...Yubin isn’t it?” you asked the quiet girl who answered with a nod as they sat down, “Oh this is Minji unnie, she’s a friend of ours,” you introduced the eldest waving a hand to the two.

While Yoohyeon and Yubin started to eat, Minji started some small talk, just to relieve the awkwardness that was practically radiating off the two girls, only keeping their eyes focused on their food. You turned your head to busy yourself with something, catching a glance at a familiar white haired girl who pointed in your direction., “Do you know them?” turning to the two girls who looked up to see you gesturing to the white haired female who kept gazing at your particular direction.

“Oh, we do, Siyeon unnie!” Yoohyeon waved them over, the said girl talked with her companions seemingly whining based on the way her lips pouted and her eyebrows furrowed.

It took them a minute before three figures stood up, padding to your direction, a smile spread on your face when you noticed another familiar face approaching your table, “Hi,” the white haired introduced herself meeting all of your smiles.

“Siyeon right?” she nodded her head before all of your attention turned to the other two who came with her, you noticed the sharp inhale from your friend, side eyeing her with a small grin.

“This is my friend Bora and--”

“Gahyeon-ssi,” you finished for her, earning a nod from the brunette and the white haired, “She's my younger sister,” Siyeon explained, causing you, Minji, and Handong to look surprised. You were unaware that the brunette had any siblings, but in retrospect, you didn't speak with the quiet girl very frequently since she preferred to keep facts to herself.

You motioned for them to take a seat, observing how Handong's cheeks flushed when the brunette sat near her. You leaned back, a bright smile on your face, as you watched Handong becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

The discussion gradually developed over your time in the cafeteria, the uneasy air dispersing, as each one became a little comfortable with each other,

“Do you people not eat?” Yoohyeon inquired abruptly, observing how everyone else had their own trays while you three were conversing with them, “We like to skip lunch and have dinner later,” you answered, smiling again, before Minji continued the previous topic, essentially forcing them out of the topic.

The majority of the girls had become closer to your party by the end of the day, chatting often during breaks and exchanging laughs as you walked through the halls. “We'll see you tomorrow!” you grinned at their group as you and Handong waited for Minji to return.

“Would you two mind heading there first?” Minji inquired, typing on her phone before adding, "I have some stuff to complete, but I promise to make it before your parents arrive," you nodded and waved goodbye as you and Handong walked to the bus station for your bus.

Arriving at home Handong made herself at home, having been inside your apartment a multitude of times as you went to your room to get an extra pair for your friend to change in, when you entered the living room you threw your friend sweatpants and a hoodie getting your flask from your backpack and finishing the rest that it contained.

You licked your lips clean and hopped onto the couch taking Handong’s place as she entered your room to change.

After she left your room dressed more comfortably you turned on the TV, passing by the time and watching whatever was on while you waited for your guests.

--

You didn’t notice it but the show had been playing for a few hours, fully capturing both of your attention since you didn’t notice the sudden shift in the temperature, the mist that appeared in your hall, and you weren’t going to pay attention until you heard the footsteps in the hallway.

Turning your head, a smile appeared on your face when two figures emerged. Handong also turned her head, her own smile gracing her face, seeing the two older people walk in with grins.

“Auntie, uncle,” Handong greeted, but suddenly got pulled forward as your parents gave her a warm hug and while Handong was receiving a pat on the back, you stood there at the side a scowl replacing your smile as you took in the scene in front of you,

“Hello, excuse me!”

The three pulled apart seeing your expression, arms crossed against your chest while you pouted, “Oh, hi dear,” you scoffed hearing your mother’s greeting, the older woman rolled her eyes and moved to approach you but in the hallway mist appeared again as the sound of your other friend rang in your ears,

“Sorry I’m late!” Almost like magic, your mother’s attention moved to the purple haired girl.

“Minji!” Your jaws dropped as your parents rushed to hug the older girl, causing Handong to laugh beside you, “My parents don't really care for me,” you muttered, your voice reaching out to your parents as they pulled away and turned to you,

“Oh, don't be such a whine, could you get us some drinks please, we're parched,” shaking your head, you turned to go to the kitchen, not before turning with your hands folded to your parents.

“Is there anything else you’d like, sir, madam?”

“No, no, that'll do it,” the four of them grinned when they saw you grumble at the comeback. You took a package from your fridge, slit it open, and poured the liquid into the cups after getting the glasses out of the cupboards. As the red liquid splashed inside, you stood there watching. Staring at the liquid, you contemplated your life.

It might seem that your life was flawless, that you had everything you ever desired, that you were living the greatest life the universe had to give, but they were unaware of the secrets that had slipped inside, the curse that had shaped your life and that of your generation.

Your senses are heightened, your pulse is still, your skin is colder than stone, you have the strength of a thousand men, and you have a hunger for blood.

A devil who roamed the world, hiding among the humans and living in the darkness, or, as it is more often called in modern days, a vampire. It has been passed down from the family for thousands of years, all the way back to the time when the great Count ruled.

You were fortunate to have existed in a period where vampires were free to pursue their own lives, evolving to adapt to the environment we live in today rather than being the bloodsucking predators that everyone was terrified of.

Taking the glass to the living room you gave your parents their glasses, having them thank you as you joined in on their conversation.

--

For the following weeks of school, the eight of you have been almost inseparable, already forming your own group in the cafeteria actually calling them your friend you never thought that in the one hundred and sixteen years you’ve been living.

You, as well as Handong and Minji never thought that you would be attached to them since you tried to not get closer to them, not because you hated them but because you could put them in danger.

You were addicted to blood, though it’s been years since you’ve had some, only bringing around sheep’s blood in your bottles. It was the food that you would intake, either it be in the middle of class or during your sports activities, to keep you away from the urge and to give you strength when you needed it.

Because any vampire wouldn’t be able to eat human food unless they wanted to end themselves.

You never wanted to endanger people, it was the last thing that you would want, but it was already too late into the friendship when you realized that one of them was extremely clumsy.

It became apparent when the girl was hanging out more with you, where you would constantly be by her side to react when she would accidentally trip or slip on basically nothing but herself. You were deemed Yoohyeon’s bodyguard by the girls and you weren’t going to deny it.

Because every twenty minutes she seemed to need help and you would be around the corner to help. There are times where it came dangerously close, when Yoohyeon accidentally tripped on the stairs, hitting her knees where she got cut.

Unfortunately for you, the scent of blood was too strong, you could feel your fangs coming out, breathing heavily but thankfully Handong already had her breakfast. She reacted quickly and grabbed your hand, speeding past everybody in the hallway and locked both of you in the janitor’s closet.

Quickly taking your bottle she opened it, waving the scent in your direction as the glowing red eyes faced her. With your instincts taking over you snatched the bottle taking what you needed as you slowly calmed down.

When the glow in your eyes disappeared and your breathing became relaxed you got back into your senses and shook your head, wiping the blood off your lips as you glanced at your friend.

“T-thank you,”

When you got back into the hallway you could see in the end that Yoohyeon was being helped by Minji, the other girls looking at the puppy who only smiled and laughed at her accident.

The older girl sensed you and glanced in your direction, seeing the worried look on your face before she nodded with an assuring smile.

After that day you made sure to always take your food before leaving your apartment, either on the bus or before you entered the school, not wanting to put yourself into that situation again.

“Y/n!” The weight on your back made you move slightly forwards, your hands automatically going behind you to support whoever it was on your back.

Turning your head you’re met with a familiar ball of silver hair, a smile forming on your lips as you carried the girl with you while you walked toward the school, “Isn’t it too early for this Yooh,” you inquired, yet still holding the girl all the way to your class.

“Aren’t you getting tired?” she asked you after a minute and you shook your head, even teasing her as you walked with a slight skip in your steps. Resting her head on your shoulder Yoohyeon looked at you, observing your side profile as you walked.

It’s only been a month since Yoohyeon met you and she didn’t realize it but even just a few weeks of being together you were already so close to her heart than anyone else that she’s known. It might be just simple puppy love because you’ve been super nice to them since the beginning, but she was definitely falling fast.

Closing her eyes, Yoohyeon snuggled her head into the crook of your neck, releasing a sigh when she felt you move your head to let her nuzzle further.

You stifled a laugh, stopping abruptly and letting her down, as the puppy became confused.

“Why did you let me down?” she asked with a pout, making you furrow your brows at the strange feeling you had in your stomach until you replaced it with a smile, “I was getting tired,” You took a couple of steps back, an evil smile creeping over your lips, before adding,

"And you're growing heavier." You watched her mouth drop before turning and running, hearing Yoohyeon call your name, loud steps trailing behind you. Your laugh echoed through the corridors, stopping a little to enable the tall girl to pursue you.

When you ran into your class, the girls looked at you strangely as they saw you pant and look at the door with a grin on your lips. When the taller girl didn't follow, the grin transformed into a pout, but when you walked to the entrance, you peered around and a slight smile appeared on your face as you noticed Yoohyeon seated on the floor.

Yoohyeon dusted her knees before a hand was extended to her, she glanced up and met your gentle eyes, you both paused for a moment until she matched your smile and took your hand in hers. What she did next, though, shocked not only you but also your friends who peered through the frame.

Yoohyeon let herself be swept up by the momentum, enabling herself to get near enough to plant a kiss on your cheek.

“Thanks,” she said as she walked to the classroom, leaving you standing idly, frozen. You put your hand to your cheek, the burning feeling she left on your skin felt like the sun, but it was a pleasant burn.

Since you actually felt warmer, for the first time in years.

--

Having this kind of friendship with Yoohyeon was a great deal of fun and Yoohyeon added a whole different element to your life by enabling you to enjoy the benefits of making new friends and the unexpected hangouts that all of you would have. But you knew that one day, a few moments might go wrong, and everything you have will disappear in an instant.

Which was precisely what occurred the very next day.

You dressed up then went to the kitchen to get your flask, though when you checked the fridge you didn't see your bottle, you were puzzled. Looking around, you saw it on your counter and picked it up, just to discover it was empty.

At first, you didn't care and simply opened the other part of your fridge to grab some more. However, you swore under your breath when you opened it but saw nothing.

You had forgotten that you were supposed to get some yesterday, you stood there for a while and after some consideration, you decided to ask Handong instead. Making the mistake of leaving your apartment, thinking you'd get some food from the other girl.

As you got to school, you were agitated, every move you took was worrying, causing you to look around, everything seemed to be moving faster. You inhaled sharply when you reached your room and saw that Handong wasn't around, so you rushed outside to find Minji's room, but your luck seemed to be against you when the tall puppy met your gaze,

“Y/n!” You forced a smile at the younger girl, darting your gaze around the hall in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Handong.

But, as your friend was nowhere to be found, Yoohyeon pulled you back into the room as you tried to remain calm, doing breathing exercises in your head to calm your nerves, hoping that Handong would soon walk through the door.

When your friend finally arrived, the bell had already rung, and you stood by the side, fists clenched and twitching uncontrollably, as everyone is ready to welcome the teacher.

You couldn't talk with your friend because you weren't sure whether you could contain the growl in your voice, but you made it until lunchtime when your burden eased a little when you stood up to talk to your friend.

Handong looked at you when she noticed you fidgeting a lot, glancing at your form, her eyes filled with worry when she saw how uncomfortable you looked, your arms were shaking and your eye was twitching, “What's wrong?” she questioned, holding you by the shoulders to calm you down,

“Food,” she heard the slight rasp in your voice, her worry growing as she glanced at her bottle, knowing she already used it this morning.

The Chinese woman grabbed your wrist and rushed out of the room, heading for Minji's class, where you caught the purple haired girl as she exited the room, "Unnie!"

When Minji turned her head in the direction of her call, she saw Handong bringing you along with her, and she became concerned when she didn't see the familiar smile on your features.

“What's wrong with Y/n?” she inquired, noting how your hands seemed to shake and your eyes remained closed as you inhaled deeply. You didn't open because you didn't want your eyes to show red, so you waited for one of them to pull you instead.

As a result, when you feel an arm around your wrist, you let it pull you away. More of the weight dissipates when you hear less and less voices around you.

However, you felt dread in your being when you heard a different voice, “Y/n?” When Yoohyeon stood in front of you with a smile, your eyes popped open and your whole body froze. Why was she here? How did she bring you here? What happened to Handong and Minji?

Your senses were sensitive as you felt all the controls wither away, and the fears in your mind began to build along with your breathing. Yoohyeon began to speak about something but you couldn't hear her.

You felt your self control break as all the restraints faded away. Yoohyeon realized you'd been silent for a while before becoming concerned when your body began to shake as you groaned to yourself while squeezing your fists.

“Y—”

“Run,”

She heard you mutter silently, but the noise was muted in her ears, puzzled by your remark still staying as she stood in silence.

“What are you saying, Y/n, do you need anything—”

“Run, Yoohyeon!” You screamed, but it was too late.

As Yoohyeon approached, a curtain of red engulfed your view. When you raised your head, Yoohyeon’s eyes grew big when she saw your eyes, changed into dark red, mouth open as your fangs started to grow. She stepped back, repeatedly calling out for your name but you were too deep into the hunger that you didn’t hear anything, slowly you approached Yoohyeon as she kept backing up until she hit the wall.

She can’t help but be afraid as she saw your form, cowering in the corner before feeling you grip her wrist. She tried to fight you off but you were too strong. It wasn’t a second later when she felt pain shoot up her arm, an ear piercing scream echoing in the sky.

Handong and Minji turned when they heard the scream, turning to each other and cursing when they didn’t see you. As quickly as they could they used their speed to go towards the sounds of the scream, jumping up to the roof where they froze when they saw you, biting Yoohyeon’s arm as the girl yelled in agonizing pain.

Minji responded instantly, grabbing your arm and hurling you against a nearby wall, Yoohyeon's eyes falling as she dozed off. You are still red-eyed, irritated that you'd been disrupted.

You rose to your feet before being struck by a sudden pain in the back of the head, your vision blurring as you collapsed, Handong standing behind you, her face expressionless.

--

When you opened your eyes, you groaned as you felt your head hurting. Sitting up you recognized the surroundings, the red walls, and the white ceiling, you were inside your room. But how?

The last thing that you remembered was going to school, hungry and tired before Handong pulled you away to Minji then--

Your eyes went wide as you stood, rushing outside your room and met Minji’s eyes down the hall. The older one saw you and opened her mouth to speak but she didn’t get the first word out when you bolted from your place, rushing past her, using your mist to get inside the room.

You clutched her cloth-wrapped wrist, immediately sensing the weight of the earth on your shoulders as you saw the younger girl lying on the bed. Walking to the side of the bed you held her wrist that was wrapped with some cloth, suddenly feeling the whole world on your chest as you watched the younger girl lay on the bed.

Your guilt is tearing at you, for the way she lay there helpless was completely your fault. Kneeling beside her, you nuzzled your face against her palm, gripping her hand against her cheek, a sliver of relief rising when you felt her pulse on your cheek.

Minji and Handong hurried in, their eyes softening as they took in the scene in front of them. Slowly walking and sitting alongside you, their palms on your back appeared to intensify the discomfort you were experiencing, making you feel even worse for what you did before you left the room a few minutes later.

Silently closing it as you padded to the living room. Your mind raced at a million miles per hour.

The idea that you had harmed someone close to you, hurt you so much that you feel as though you were dying. Because hurting someone you cared for was something you didn't want to do.

--

You stood in the living room with Minji and Handong for a moment, silent because they were unable to disturb the peace, but it didn't last long as a shrill scream echoed across the flat. You three used your abilities to accelerate.

As you arrived at the foot of the bed where Yoohyeon was tossing and twisting in bed a frown on her lips.

You moved to wake her up, but Minji resisted, shaking her head and approaching the younger girl instead.

When Minji woke her up, you were concerned about how the puppy might respond. Yoohyeon backed up against the bed and started weeping as she bolted up and met your eyes.

Listening to Yoohyeon wail and struggle, you closed your eyes, understanding that the pain you were feeling could never be compared to anything else. You searched for the right opportunity to look her in the eyes.

When you did, your eyes went bright red as you sifted through her memory, deleting the details you didn't want her to remember until she fell back against the bed, her breathing returning to normal. Before you took Minji's place beside the bed, you let out a deep sigh.

You stepped carefully to pick her up, adjusting her position in your arms to make her more comfortable before mist engulfed you, causing your two companions to stare at you sadly before you vanished.

After taking the image from Yoohyeon's head you got to her room and tucked her in, lay her flat on the bed. When you left with a heavy burden, you observed her for a few minutes more before kissing her on the forehead.

When you returned to your flat, you stepped outside of the room you were in and into your own room, looking at the floor because you didn't have the courage to glance at your friends. Knowing that your friends couldn't do much about the turmoil and frustration you were experiencing before you closed the door quietly.

For the next few days, you didn’t leave your room, only laying in your bed, shutting everybody out, and staying in your safe space.

Handong and Minji tried to get inside using their powers but you would only turn around to face the wall ignoring them until they left with a sigh, leaving the food they prepared for you.

It was so bad that your parents even came by to talk to you but like your friends they didn’t get a response either.

Meanwhile, the rest of the girls grew confused at your absence. The following days were spent without you making them seem dull, especially one particular girl who grew sadder each day that she didn’t get to see you.

After you took her memories away, Yoohyeon only remembered the prior events before that, so she believed Handong when she explained that you were sick.

Bringing up the day where you came to school rather quiet and tired. But it’s already been a week and you weren’t healthy yet?

--

The knock on your door didn’t affect you in the slightest, waiting until you saw the glint of the mist in the corner of your eye before closing your eyes. Your mother sighed as she walked toward you on the bed, taking a seat beside you she sifted her hands through your hair until it rested on your back,

“Y/n, it’s been a week, don’t you think it’s time to go outside?” she questioned, not earning a response so she sighed instead, knowing you were listening but you still pretended not to.

“It's not your fault Y/n, what happened was something you couldn't control,” she said with a puff of her breath.

" Every single one of us has done something similar before, some worse than others, it's a normal impulse, dear. Nobody could have prevented it, what matters today is what we do now, why worry about the past if you're no longer living there. You, not the past or the future, decide the present, so please don't hold yourself responsible for something you can't control.”

Before leaving, your mother gave you one more look as the temperature began to drop. You are left in silence to reflect on her words. Sitting up against the bed, you intertwined your fingers together as you pondered the situation, your gaze fixed on your wardrobe, a small flicker surging through your eyes.

--

Observing them from across the road, you saw how they interacted as they walked to the entrance, laughing and conversing.

After a week of silence, you wanted to go outside your space to see how your friends were. As a result, you're perched on a tree branch across the street, seeing what's going on.

When you noticed Yoohyeon's warm smiles, you smiled for the first time in days, capturing a little of their talk through your hearing, "I told you I might try but I didn't guarantee I would succeed,"

As you listened intently until they began their own discussions, a chuckle escaped your mouth, but your eyes and ears were only attracted to one girl as she spoke.

The softness of her voice reignited the strange sensation in your stomach, and when you started to listen, the excitement on your face quickly changed to fear as you heard something down the street.

People shouting could be heard until an engine roared from over the road, the vehicle speeding down the hill. Looking back at the girls, you were grateful that Minji and Handong had been able to notice and drag them back, interrupting their fun and unknowingly leaving one person behind as they continued to chuckle.

The truck was moving closer and closer, Minji and Handong had only just noticed that one girl was absent before turning around and yelling for her.

When Yoohyeon saw the truck, she opened her eyes and her face changed from joy to surprise. Everything moved slowly as you dashed from your hiding spot, appearing in front of Yoohyeon with your mist and covering her with your body.

Closing your eyes and seeing yourself in a different location than the one you're in right now.

Which happened to be your bedroom when you landed on the floor, rolling while cradling and covering Yoohyeon's head before crashing into the side of your bed with a groan.

You stepped back to take a brief glance at the woman, who had shock etched all over her face, darting her eyes all over the room before they found yours.

You immediately gathered her up and sat her on your bed, checking to see if she was all right before turning and disappearing in front of her.

The girls glanced at the truck, eyes streaming with tears as they called for their friend.

When you emerged in front of the girls they were shocked at your presence, and had their own confused expressions on their faces when you held each of their hands and looked at your friends, who were also stunned at your arrival, you gestured your gaze towards the school where a few students were watching before both of them understood.

They turned around, their eyes reddening, and mist engulfed the four of you as you returned to your bedroom, where Yoohyeon seemed startled as you arrived, but they didn't bother to question as they huddled together.

They wrapped their arms around each other and checked to make sure no one was hurt. You stood by the corner and let them have their moment before Minji and Handong arrived in the same manner as you, surprising the girls and making them look at you three with wide eyes.

“We'll explain, please listen to us,” you said when they were about to ask questions. Taking a deep breath, you began describing what they needed to know.

You could erase their memories, but it might just add to the problem, having to keep hiding and avoiding the one event that was bound to happen sooner or later wouldn't help the situation.

Then you told them slowly, describing who you were and where you came from as you paused for a couple breaths to let it settle in. They glanced at the three of you at the conclusion of your explanation, "Y-you won't harm us?"

“We never have and we never would do it on purpose,” Minji replied to Gahyeon, for you, relieved that they didn't scream, yell, or do something unnecessary.

“Could you please give us a moment?” you whispered, your gaze fixed on the puppy, who gave no hint of how she was feeling when she looked at you.

Handong and Minji motioned the three to the entrance, but they were afraid to leave Yoohyeon with you at first, however, after assuring her that she would be fine, you were left alone in the room with the silent puppy.

You knelt down, lowering your head as you took a few steps closer to the girl, halting and offering her the room she needed.

“Is it really true?” You nodded while the other girl didn't believe everything she’s seen, almost wanting to see everything as a huge joke that you were planning but when you suddenly raised your head and met your bright red eyes Yoohyeon gasped when you returned the memories that you had previously removed.

You closed your eyes, a tear running down your cheek as you braced yourself for what was about to happen.

Yoohyeon looked at your form, her jaw clenched as she struggled not to cry, her gaze moving to her own wrist as if she were about to experience the agony again.

She didn't know what to do after hearing anything and getting her memory back, and she couldn't ignore the terror she felt as she recalled your blood red eyes and the sharp fangs you showed her.

“I didn't want to harm you, I was starving, and you were the nearest source. I promise I didn't mean to do that, and I'd do anything to take that away from you, to make you forget about it, but it wouldn't make me the ideal role model. I'd like to show you the true me, the one that doesn't have something to hide. I didn't want our friendship to be like that, where one party hides in the dark for the other to not see,” you said, fearful.

“Was this why you didn't go to school?” she asked in a whisper, reaching your ears, you nodded before Yoohyeon remained silent for a moment until she had the nerve to slowly approach you.

She came up to your form, sitting in front of you and cupping your cheeks, a move that caught you off guard.

Yoohyeon brushed your tears away with the pads of her fingertips, eventually realizing that you had an explanation for every question she posed about the three of you. She noticed how your face matched hers, and the fear and sadness in your eyes caused her to ache

She suddenly pulled you closer and closed the space between you after hearing you mutter silent apologies several times. You didn't know how to explain the way your lips molded together and the sweetness of it when you first kissed them.

It made you feel energetic like you were drinking, which gave you the strength to curl your arms around her waist and unconsciously draw the girl closer.

“I don't care what you did, Y/n, you said it yourself, it was unavoidable,” the girl said a few minutes later, holding her hand on your face and taking deep breaths. You didn't want to harm me, and I hope you still don't,” she said, getting a few nods in return

“Then as long as you don't want to purposefully harm me, I have no issues with who you are, you're always the Y/n we know. It's just bringing a little bit of intrigue and curiosity now that you've told us, the past is the past,”

A tiny grin appeared on your face as you remembered your mother's words, pulling the taller girl into a hug.

As you tucked your head in the crook of her neck, you relished being inside her embrace, and the sudden warm sensation that you never thought you'd experience again returned, spreading across your skin.

Though you're sure there are a number of things that will complicate going down this road you choose, you were sure both of you will figure it out, and for now, Yoohyeon embracing you was enough to relieve your worries and push them aside.

“Together, we'll work this out.”

[starryeyedweeb]

Valentine’s Day With Jujutsu Kaisen

*DISCLAIMER*: As I’m over eighteen, I write all underaged characters aged up to be eighteen or older.

Contains: As always with me, a ridiculous amount of fluff; gender neutral

Characters Included: Gojou Satoru, Fushiguro Megumi, Itadori Yuuji

A Valentine’s Day with...

Gojou Satoru

Gojou was the type to always have a date on Valentine’s Day, but this was his first time spending it with someone he was actually committed to

As a result of this experience, he was really good at Valentine’s Day, but this time he wanted to do something he’d never done before, and make it truly special for you

He actually started preparing weeks in advance, and had to hide his YouTube history so that you wouldn’t catch on to the surprise he had in store for you

The only hint he gave you as the date drew nearer was that you’d be going somewhere with a black tie dress code

“I know it’s a cliché, but I’d love to see you in something red, dear.”

When Valentine’s Day finally arrives, you start the night off with the usual, unassuming, upscale dinner

Though he won’t give anything away, you have a sneaking feeling that there’s more to the night than Gojou is letting on

When dinner is finished, he drives the two of you to an area of town you’ve never been to before, and pulls into the lot of a dance hall

Not a nightclub- an actual ballroom

Inside, a swarm of glamorously dressed couples swirl gracefully to the romantic music, creating a dizzying yet beautiful scene

“What is this?” you nervously ask Gojou, suddenly feeling very out of place

“It’s my surprise,” he replies with a half-mischievous, half-proud grin. “I passed this ballroom while on a job, and I’ve wanted to take you here ever since. And for the past few weeks, I’ve spent my free time learning the steps so that I could bring you here and dance with you.”

“But Satoru, I don’t know the steps!”

“All you have to do is follow my lead.” He wraps his arm around your waist and leads you out onto the floor, deftly spinning you into a dance position. “It’s easier than you think, I promise.”

After a few moments of halting steps and a few trod-on toes, Gojou’s prediction turns out to be right, and you’re able to sink comfortably into the dance

The feeling of Satoru’s broad stride driving the two of you across the floor is exhilirating, and being wrapped in his arms and staring into his dazzling eyes leaves you in absolute bliss

The two of you dance for hours, giggling all the way, until you’re one of the last ones left in the ballroom

When you finally decide to call it a night, you realize just how much your feet hurt

So Gojou piggybacks you out to the car, where you nearly fall asleep

“I take it you had a good time, then?” Gojou asks cheekily, resting his hand on your thigh as he starts the engine.

“Mm,” you reply. “Can we go back?”

“We can make it our regular weekend spot if you want to.”

“Let’s do that.” You sigh happily. “Satoru? I love you.”

His fingers find your hand, and he brings it up to his mouth to kiss it.

“I love you too, baby.”

Fushiguro Megumi

Megumi had never had a reason to celebrate Valentine’s Day before, and admittedly, he was more nervous than excited for his first go at it

As a couple, the two of you were very low-key, and neither of you really had any interest in being involved in the big holiday crowd

So Megumi thought up a way to celebrate that would suit your introverted souls

“Why don’t we get out out of the city tonight?”

“I’m down for that. Where are you thinking?”

“I have something in mind.” A blush starts to dust his cheeks. “It’ll be a surprise.”

As dark starts to fall on Valentine’s night, the two of you stop by a konbini to get a multitude of your favorite snacks before hopping on the train

It’s initially packed with other couples en route to their dates, but the car gets emptier and emptier as the stops go by

You end up resting your head on Megumi’s shoulder, his arm wrapped protectively around you

“Oi, don’t fall asleep before we even get there,” he murmurs gently.

“Sorry. I’m just relaxed.” You slip one of your hands into his jacket pocket. “Are we getting close?”

“Yeah, we are.”

When the train reaches the stop for the beach, Megumi pulls you up and, with his hand in yours, guides you out of the station

He walks you all the way down to the edge of the water, spreads out a blanket, and begins to build a small bonfire

Once the flames are crackling merrily, the two of you sit down on the blanket and cozy up next to each other, another blanket wrapped around both of your shoulders

Never once breaking physical contact with each other, you stare out at the waves, sharing your snacks and having Deep Conversations About Life

Which was honestly your favorite thing to do together

As the flames get lower and lower, you have to nuzzle closer and closer for warmth and protection against the sea breeze

Eventually, your head ends up back on his shoulder, and he presses a sweet kiss to your crown

“Was this a good Valentine’s Day?” he murmurs, his breath warm on your face

“Of course.” You sigh contentedly. “It was perfect.”

Itadori Yuuji

When I tell you that Yuuji was so excited for Valentine’s Day

Pretty much the moment New Year’s was over he started talking about plans

He did some research and found out that a roller skating rink was having a special Valentine’s event, and he asked so eagerly if you wanted to go

He seemed so elated at the idea that you couldn’t have said no even if you wanted to

In preparation for the event, he looked up all of the skating videos on social media for inspiration, and arrives to pick you up looking straight out of the 70′s

When the two of you arrive at the rink and strap on your skates, it comes to no surprise to you that, even though Yuuji had never put on skates in his life, he was impossibly good at it

You, on the other hand, take a moment to find your bearings, but get the hang of it eventually

But as much as he loves you and wants to skate by your side, Yuuji is sort of annoyed with having to go slow, and wants nothing more than to speed skate around the rink

“Hey, babe. Can you grab my waist?”

“What? Why?”

“Just grab my waist. And hold on tight.”

“Yuuji, what are yo-”

Your words turn into a scream as he takes off, speeding around the rink with you trailing behind

He’s sure enough on his feet to maneuver you safely, though, and you end up dissolving into laughter at the thrill of being propelled around the rink by your ridiculously athletic boyfriend

Until the lights dim and the music changes for a designated “slow dance,” and he abruptly reduces his speed to almost nothing, causing you to ram into the back of him and knock him over

The two of you end up tangled in a giggling mess on the floor, blocking the pathways of other couples trying to skate, but you couldn’t care less

“Are you okay?” he asks through his laughs.

“Yeah, I think so,” you reply, trying to catch your breath. “What about you?”

“I’m good.” He finds his way back to his feet, and holds out a hand to help you up. “Come on. We’ll take it slow for a little bit.”

With swirling pink heart patterns lighting up the floor and a cheesy love song playing in the background, the two of you skate the perimeter of the rink, hand-in-hand

But Yuuji keeps staring at you with a silly smile on his face

“What do you keep looking at?” you finally demand, giggling

“Nothing. You’re just pretty.” He shrugs. “I feel really lucky tonight.”

You feel your heart melt a little bit, and you would’ve given him a kiss if it didn’t mean that you would fall yet again

When the music speeds back up, you request a short break so you can get something to drink

Yuuji helps you out of the rink and sits you down on a bench, then glides over to the concession stand, returning with an obnoxiously large pink slushie, with two heart-shaped crazy straws poking out of the top

“I forgot to ask you something.” He announces as he sits on the bench next to you, holding the cup out. “Will you be my Valentine?”

You throw your head back and laugh, wrapping an arm around his shoulder and pressing a kiss to his cheek

“Of course I will.”

[foilfreak]

Beauty and Her Beast: Chapter 7 (aka the ‘big boobie vampire mommy’ and ’mutant servant girl that is very horny for her’ chapter)

WARNING PLZ READ BEFORE CONTINUING: This fic is rated NSFW and contains graphic depictions of things some people may find disturbing or alarming, including, but not limited to: violence, gore, unhealthy family relationships, Oedipus complexes, gratuitous amount of pornographic literature, ableist language, physical, mental, and emotional abuse, etc. If you are someone who does not enjoy fiction with these elements in them, then I suggest you refrain from reading this, because this fic will have all that, and probably a lot more. So, this is your first and final warning to turn around and go somewhere else if stuff like this just isn't your vibe, because from this point forward, your emotional wellbeing is in your own hands, and I will not be accepting blame if you disregarded my warnings and ended up reading something you didn't like. Idk why I feel compelled to write one of these despite this being Resident Evil fanfic, but I figured I'd cover my ass just in case.

(AO3 link below:)

“Good evening, sir. Is there something I can assist you with, tonight? It’s quite late, and my mistress has already retired for the evening due to the strenuous nature of today’s events, so while I’m sure the good Lady Dimitrescu won’t be too terribly displeased if you’ve come with urgent news that requires her immediate attention, I’m afraid anything outside the realm of absolute importance will have to wait until morning, when my mistress will be better rested and therefore better able to address whatever concern you’ve brought” The low and smooth voice of an older teenage girl said, staring slightly downward at Salvatore with a level of such blank indifference that he would have wondered if the girl hadn’t seen him had she not outright greeted him upon opening the door.

With piercing red eyes, dark skin and long, black curls tied up neatly and carefully into two thick buns on either side of the top of her head, and dressed in a pretty, but still practical dress, the older teen looked every bit as much the role of a dignified estate’s head servant as she acted, right down to the pencil straight stiffness of her body. Despite how uncomfortable the stiff position looked to Salvatore, the subtly bold way she carried herself did give the older teen an air of confidence and reliability, however what it didn’t do was answer the multitude of questions flying around in Salvatore’s head about who she was, and more importantly, where she came from.

And then it hit him.

“Y-you’re… Alcina’s g-gift… aren’t y-you?” Salvatore asks aloud, though seemingly more to himself than the girl standing in front of him. Said girl furrows her brows in confusion for a moment before huffing in, what appeared to be, mild offense. Though what on earth Salvatore could have done to offend the young teen, he had absolutely no idea.

“I have no idea what you mean when talking about these so called “gifts”, however I think it's important for you to know that I am a very busy woman with a great many things to do, so if this is all some kind of sick game you’re playing to waste my time then I’m going to have to politely ask that you take your rotten whale behind and go throw yourself into the nearest body of-”

“Anastasia?” a low, feminine voice booms from somewhere behind the older teen standing before him. The girl immediately stiffens, her skin around her nose and cheeks darkening even further, her eyes growing wide and her breath catching in her throat as she turns around. Immediately abandoning Salvatore at the still open front door, the young servant clumsily made her way further into the room before disappearing out of the narrow view the hooded man had been given of the castle through the crack in the door.

Taking a step forward and opening the door enough to slip inside, making sure to close it securely behind him, Salvatore lingered along the walls of the room, merely observing the events before him unfold as the young girl, Anastasia, quickly moved to stand in the center of the circular design on the floor of the entrance hall. Waiting for her on the landing at the top of the stairs was none other than the lady of the house herself, Alcina Dimitrescu, standing as tall, proud, and intimidating as Salvatore last remembers, though it would appear that the disfigured man’s fear of the much larger woman was not shared amongst everyone in the room.

“Y-yes Lady Dimitrescu! Is there something I can do for you this evening, my Lady?” Anastasia asks, hands clasped together in front of her and eyes blown wide at the gargantuan woman leering from above, like a lovesick puppy dog waiting for a command from its beloved owner. Eager to perform. Eager to please.

“Why yes, my sweet, I was just wondering what on earth all that racket was and if it could wait until morning to be finished? The girls and I have had quite the taxing day and I do so wish to retire to the sound of peace and quiet” Alcina coos warmly, causing Salvatore to pause in confusion.

“Oh goodness, I apologize, mistress. It’s just that there was a visitor at the door and despite my repeated attempts to convince him to come back when you were rested, he insisted upon making a nuisance of himself. Please forgive me if my attempts to preserve your restful evening were for naught” the girl said sadly, bowing deeply in apology as she continued to speak.

Alcina practically purrs in delight at the teen’s polite, but genuine behavior. “Fear not, my dear, I had only just taken off my earrings when I heard the commotion. I came out here merely to see if things were getting out of control, but it would appear as though you’ve handled things perfectly.”

The girlish blush on Anastasia’s face only darkens in color as the young teen casts her adoring gaze to the floor, joyous glee from having been praised by her mistress evident all over the younger girl’s body.

Not wanting to stay here any longer than absolutely necessary, especially if this is what he’d have to witness the whole time, Salvatore gathers all of his strength and uses it to clear his throat and take a step forward, revealing himself to both women as he gingerly comes out into the light.

“YOU!” Anastasia yells, immediately turning on her heel and making a beeline toward the increasingly anxious Salvatore. “So not only have you made enough of a nuisance of yourself to disturb the lovely Lady Dimitrescu just as she’s about to retire and rest from a very long and taxing day, but now you’ve decided that you’re so above everyone else that you can just waltz right into someone else’s home without even the slightest hint of respect or admiration for the incredible woman living in it, how dare you be so crash and selfish you overcooked blowfish, exit this castle immediately, or I’ll shove my boot so far up your rear end you’ll be fishing around for it for weeks you-”

“Anastasia, calm yourself, dear” the loud, but calming sound of Alcina’s voice said, causing the young teen to pause in her angry scolding of Salvatore.

“My Lady?” The young teen asks, dutifully awaiting orders.

“Let the wretched man inside, he’s the furthest thing from a threat to us, even if he is an annoying little manthing. Although, I’d be lying if I said a visit from you at this hour of night is something I’ve come to expect of you, dearest elder brother.”

The disfigured man swallowed thickly as he stepped past Anastasia to fully face his other younger sister, who looked all the more intimidating from her looming perch upon the upper story.

“I-I know this is s-sudden…” Salvatore begins, hoping he’d at least be able to explain himself before Alcina tossed him back outside on his ass.

“I’ll certainly say” Anastasia bursts in angrily, but she’s quickly silenced and sent away to tend to her other duties by Alcina, who motions for Salvatore to ascend the large set of stairs leading up to the rest of the castle and join her on the landing for a moment.

“Spunky little thing, isn’t she?” Alcina says when Salvatore finally makes it to the top of the stairs, panting slightly as he follows the much taller mutant’s gaze to the door that Anastasia had just exited the room from.

“Th-that’s certainly… one way… o-of putting it” Salvatore stutters, not wanting to offend Alcina by calling her servant rude, but clearly not seeing what’s so great about someone who just yells at you a lot the second you walk through the door.

“Yes! She apparently received a strain of cadou that was quite similar to mine, however her need to consume blood to maintain herself is far more similar to that of leeches. Rather than having to consume it regularly in smaller doses, like myself, she’ll only require one feeding every few weeks or so, which I thought was quite interesting. The only issues Mother Miranda brought up was the fact that her hunger, if it gets bad enough, can trigger both her transformation, as well as some sort of feral and animalistic meltdown that only ends once she’s finally had her fill. Apparently more than a few villagers were lost in the process of learning this information” Alcina comments casually, tucking her hair behind her ear. “Mother only brought her over earlier today, just before dinner, and yet she’s already managed to carve quite the little space for herself here. I hadn’t realized how dirty this place was without any girls left to take from the village until she went through and washed all the walls in the west wing spotless. It was like night and day, I could hardly believe how open and bright the halls looked” Alcina stated.

“W-wow… so th-then… d-do you think y-you’ll keep her a-around… long term?” Salvatore asks curiously, craning his neck so he could get a better look at his sister’s face.

“Perhaps. I’m certainly thinking about it. Not only is she an incredibly hard and fast worker, but she’s also got such a lovely spark of energy and excitement to her, and she’s always very polite and respectful, if a bit obvious in her “admiration” of those she looks up to… not that that’s a bad thing, necessarily. It’s quite sweet, actually!”

“S-she did look… q-quite taken… by y-you” Salvatore comments, having noticed the girl’s far-too-eager-to-be-innocent disposition when Alcina was in the room, vs. when it was just him. Not that it was a terribly surprising turn of events. Alcina, for all her monstrous height and sheer mutant bulk, was still a very beautiful, and very desirable woman at the end of the day, meanwhile Salvatore was only about 2 rolls of the genetic dice away from sharing a more recent common ancestor with the blobfish than he did humans.

“I know, isn’t she adorable? She came exactly like this, too. Mother Miranda has no idea if this is a result of the mutation process or if it's merely her former personality finally returning now that she’s awake and out of containment, but I suppose the logistics of things aren’t really important in the end. I'm so glad I chose her over the other two, I don’t know what I would have done had such a promising and delectable little morsel like her go to waste on the rest of you imbeciles” Alcina coos in amusement. “Regardless of what Mother Miranda said however, I was almost certain this whole “gift” situation was going to be nothing more than a pile of useless drivel that I’d be left to clean up all on my own once the novelty wore off, however after having Anastasia here for these past few hours, and seeing all that she’s willing and capable of doing, I’m beginning to wonder if perhaps I’d been too hasty in my final decision.”

“Funny… K-Karl thought m-much the… th-the same thing i-initially… w-when I t-talked to him… th-the other day… th-though… knowing him… I doubt h-he’s having q-quite as much… of a ch-change of heart… as you a-are” Salvatore said suddenly, more than anything due to the incredible shock that was the concept of Alcina and Karl sharing a similar opinion, at the same time, while both occupying the same dimension of reality.

Alcina’s face immediately turns sour at the mention of Karl. “Oh, did he now? That’s an unfortunate thing to learn,” she says in annoyance, clearly displeased by the notion of agreeing with Karl on anything.

“Y-yes… he… he th-thinks that maybe… M-Mother might b-be using the g-gifts… to d-distract us w-while she’s g-gone away… o-on her mission… b-but that maybe… sh-she also wants… s-something else out of a-all this… something… th-that she isn’t t-telling us… f-for some reason” Salvatore explains, unsure if he should be revealing all this information to Alcina, notorious and open critic of Karl and quite literally everything the younger man has ever done and said, is doing and saying, and will do and say sometime in the span of his chaotic lifespan.

Contrary to what Salvatore assumed, however, instead of looking bored and uninterested in what Karl thought about this whole situation, Alcina looked just the slightest bit… intrigued, if still clearly wary. “Really? And what, pray tell, does our dear sweet little brother Heisenberg believe will come of this whole situation then? Did he say?”

“H-he… he never m-mentioned anything s-specific… but he th-thinks that the g-gifts… might p-play a l-larger role… in all th-this… than M-Mother has been l-leading us to believe.”

“I see,” Alcina says, remaining silent for a moment as she thinks, looking almost concerned by what she’s heard. “And what do you think of this whole mess, Salvatore?”

“U-um… well… I-I think it’s nice… th-that Mother trusts us e-enough… to g-give us her p-previous experiments… and u-use them however w-we want… b-but I’d be l-lying if I s-said… that I d-didn’t think Karl… was o-onto something… I-I don’t know w-what I believe to be t-true a-at the moment… but I d-do know… th-that I’d like t-to give… g-give a gift of m-my own… to Nadine… and that… and that y-you might be… s-someone else who c-could help me… w-with that” the hooded man explains nervously, hoping that Alcina was in a good enough mood to feel like humoring him and his sudden request.

“Nadine?” The tall, pale woman asks in confusion, before suddenly nodding in understanding. “Ah, your gift…”

Salvatore nods. “D-Donna… is f-fashioning a n-new dress… for her… a-and even gave me… this b-beautiful nightgown… to hold h-her over until… until the real one is c-complete. I th-think she w-will… e-enjoy the nightgown b-but… but I’d like to… l-like to get her something else t-too… like a… like a necklace… a-a gold one… o-one that w-would… c-complement her skin tone… j-just right.”

Alcina briefly stares at Salvatore with a blank expression, momentarily making the hooded man worry that he’d overstepped his boundaries and said something to offend the much larger woman. His nerves are thankfully calmed when Alcina turns and orders Salvatore to follow after her, which the disfigured man happily does if it means what he thinks it means.

The two siblings arrive at Alcina’s personal chambers just as Anastasia is exiting them, her arms filled by a large basket of blood soaked towels and clothes, some collected from Alcina’s room, the others likely from either Bela, Cassandra, or Daniela’s rooms.

“Good evening, Lady Dimitrescu! Are you finally retiring for the evening?” Anastasia asks, bowing cheerfully as she finally notices her mistress approaching her. “I’ve already gone ahead and prepared your bed for you, as well as collected all the soiled laundry from today’s harvest. Is there anything else I can do for you tonight?”

“Thank you, my dear, but not quite, I have one more matter to attend to before I fully turn in. Since you were so kind to offer however, I would greatly appreciate it if, once Lord Moreau and I are finished with our affairs, you would be so kind as to escort him to the front door and bid him a good night, for me. You are free to retire to your own chambers for the evening once he’s left” Alcina orders softly, which the young girl obediently nods her head to.

“Of course, mistress, thank you very much! And I’d be happy to see Lord Moreau out for you, so please don’t hesitate to call me once you’re finished with your meeting” Anastasia says, bowing lowly to both Alcina and Salvatore before wordlessly skittering off to do… whatever it was she planned on doing to those dirty garments.

“Now, about that gift you were talking about” Alcina says upon entering her personal bedroom, immediately striding over to her vanity and beginning to sift through several boxes worth of jewelry, “you said you wanted gold, correct? And a necklace specifically?”

“Y-yes! I-if you have anything y-you’re willing to… g-give away… of course… I’d feel t-terrible taking something i-if it meant a g-great deal to you” Salvatore answers, standing awkwardly in the doorway as he waits for Alcina to return to him with whatever she finds.

Of all 3 of his siblings, Alcina was the one Salvatore was easily the least close to, despite having been the only two around for a considerable amount of time before the eventual arrivals of both Donna and then Karl. It wasn’t that Salvatore was displeased when Mother Miranda first informed him that he’d be getting a “sibling” all those years ago, but Alcina’s natural personality, coupled with her terrifying size and strength from the mutations, had made the very meek and timid Salvatore hesitant to reach out and form any kind of sibling bond with the younger woman, like he had with Karl.

Karl was a royal pain in the ass to deal with on even his best days, but at the end of it all, there’s still only so much a 6 year old can do to you, anger issues and mutant metal bending powers or not. Alcina was both a royal pain in the ass to deal with more often than not, but also a fully grown adult when she first joined the family, so needless to say the 2 oldest siblings hadn’t been given very many appropriately opportune moments to bond or get along.

That being said however, the simple but elegant golden locket that Alcina procures from one of her many boxes of jewelry has Salvatore wondering if maybe he had misjudged Alcina, having never expected her to show him something as luxurious and real-looking as this, especially when the understanding was that she’d be giving it away whatever item of jewelry Salvatore took a liking to.

“This is an old locket I received for my 3rd birthday from a relative who died long before I was old enough to care about who they were, though all those diamond star details on the front do make me think they could have been close with us at one point, or perhaps they just had that much money to throw around? It’s an old and well-loved piece of my collection, but Duke has been bringing back such wonderful treasures from his travels that I just have to start getting rid of some of these old sentimental trinkets so I can make room for all the new additions I plan on purchasing once he finally returns” Alcina explains, gingerly handing the necklace over to Salvatore, who could do nothing but gawk at how extravagant and, to be perfectly honest, expensive the necklace looked.

With 4 small diamonds, likely real knowing Alcina, embedded into the surface of the locket’s front cover, surrounded by small engravings that give the glimmering stones the appearance of stars in the night sky, the necklace looked like it belonged upon the neck of a fair and noble princess, into which the radiant beauty could then place the photo of the man who’d stollen her innocent heart. Nadine wasn’t actually a princess and Salvatore all but gagged at the idea of a picture of his face, mutated or not, being put somewhere for anyone to see, however the necklace was far too perfect for the hooded man to possibly turn it down.

“So what do you think? Will something like this do?” The taller woman asks, curiously. “I could continue looking if that isn’t quite what you’re after, however if that is the case, then I would like to politely request that you come back and look at them tomorrow. It's already so late and I’d have to have the rest of my collection fetched from the vault downstairs.”

“N-no no… th-that’s alright… this i-is perfect… thank y-you… Alcina… this w-was very k-kind of you to do… f-for me” Salvatore says, carefully tucking the glittering necklace into the bag Donna had placed the nightgown in.

“Don’t fret about it too much, I only did it because I had a bit of time to spare prior to going to bed, and you happened to catch me in a good mood. That’s it” Alcina states firmly, though something in the back of Salvatore’s head can’t help but take the taller woman’s words with a grain of salt, feeling as though there was more to Alcina’s sudden generosity than just pure coincidence. “Besides, who knows what gaudy thing you’d have shown up with had you not made the surprisingly wise decision to invoke Donna’s and my vastly superior knowledge of the feminine experience. I don’t even want to think of what tacky little trinket you’d have tried to gift her. Why the thought of that alone is enough to make me want to run for the hills, how on earth do you think your poor little gift would have felt? I’d have had to murder you on the spot if I found out you tried to pass some disgusting pile of garbage off as an appropriate gift. In fact, if I didn’t know that Donna was working on a more fitting dress for her already, I’d have half a mind to skin you alive for only having a flimsy nightgown to take back with you, but I doubt any of the dresses I have, that would be appropriate to wear with that kind of necklace anyways, would come close to fitting her, and I really do want to start making room for some newer, more exciting pieces. So, with all that in mind, count your blessings that the stars have aligned in your favor tonight, dear brother, because I won’t be doing this for you again… unless, you’d be willing to do me a few favors in exchange for some of the other pieces of my collection, that is.”

Aaaaaaaaaaand there’s the Alcina that Salvatore knows and secretly likes. In vehement denial that she feels anything positive for her 3 siblings and also actively trying to get someone else to do her dirty work for her. It's certainly not how the hooded man prefers to operate, but he supposes that if Alcina can somehow convince everyone around her to do all of her work for her, why wouldn’t she take advantage of that as much as possible?

“I-I think that’s e-enough… for t-tonight actually… maybe i-if I decide I’d l-like to get her s-something else… I’ll c-consider that offer y-you brought up” Salvatore says, bowing politely to his sister as he makes his desire to leave obvious.

Thankfully, Alcina seems more than happy to send her older brother on his way, calling Anastasia to come lead Salvatore back to the front door so he could finally begin making his way home.

“Th-thank you again… Alcina… I really a-appreciate this… an-and I'm sure Nadine w-will love the gift t-too” Salvatore says just as he’s about to bid Alcina goodnight and begin following the young servant girl.

“Yes, yes, you’re very grateful of my wondrous kindness to you, I know, you’ve made that fact more than clear already, brother” the taller woman says with an only mildly annoyed roll of her eyes as she stands just outside the door to her chambers. “Just make sure you don’t waste the opportunity my graciousness has afforded you, do you understand?”

Salvatore stiffens nervously as Alcina shoots him a pointed look that screams ‘don’t fuck this up or I’ll fuck you up’, a threat which the hooded man knows she’ll make good on, should Salvatore make it necessary for her to do so. Salvatore wasn’t sure how Alcina had picked up on the nature of his budding affections for Nadine so quickly, or how she seemed to instinctively know what he was planning despite having never asked directly, but clearly she’d noticed something and was now in the process of making the matter of whether Salvatore successfully courted his gift her business.

Heavens above have mercy upon whomever is unlucky enough to have their problematic situation noticed and meddled with by Alcina Dimitrescu.

“Y-yes… I u-understand… an-and I’ll be s-sure not to w-waste... waste the g-golden opportunity you’ve g-given me… OH! An-and Donna w-wants her mannequins b-back... too… sh-she wanted m-me to tell y-you” Salvatore replies, his anxiety only mildly calmed when Alcina makes a face at the mention of Donna’s yet-to-be-returned-still mannequins.

“Oh for goodness sakes, I always forgot about those stupid things. Anastasia?”

“Yes, Mistress?” The young servant dutifully answers.

“Please make a note to remind me to have Heisenberg come by so he can collect and return the manequins Donna leant me while I was commissioning some dresses from her earlier this month. That foul-mouthed mutt owes me a favor, and so if all goes the way I’d like I’ll be making this his problem in the morning” Alcina says devilishly, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Of course, Lady Dimitrescu, I’ll be sure to remind you of that first thing tomorrow morning” Anastasia replies warmly, though her amicable grin is quickly replaced by a flush and a girlish giggle when Alcina waves and turns on her heel, swaying her hips in an obvious fashion before bending down to enter through the door of her chambers.

Salvatore passed exceptionally confused glances back and forth between his sister and the young servant standing in front of him, totally clueless as to what just unfolded a moment ago as a feeling of disgust, the kind you get when you see something you wish you hadn’t, began to curl in the pit of his stomach. Whatever it was that was going on in the Dimitrescu house, and more importantly with their new servant girl, it was clearly none of Salvatore’s business. Not that he’d wanted it to be in the first place.

Salvatore had enough problems to deal with regarding his own gift, he didn’t have time to worry about whether or not Alcina was already making moves on hers.

“Have a safe journey home, and do make sure to stop by with Nadine if things turn out well between the two of you. Based on how today played out, it would seem as though things are about to get a lot more interesting around here… and a lot more fun too. Goodnight, Dear Brother” is all Alcina says before gently closing the door to her chambers, effectively ending their conversation without so much as a single word from Salvatore, not that he minded being handed the chance to finally get out of here, especially after… whatever the hell that exchange between Alcina and Anastasia was.

Best not to think too hard about it, probably, especially when there was another woman back at the reservoir who was much more deserving of Salvatore’s lustful and impure musings.

“Uuum… the front door is this way… Lord Moreau,” Anastasia says suddenly, her face still dark from embarrassment, though whether it was from her earlier treatment of him before she learned he was another Lord and not just some random man from the village, or from… that thing he just saw that he doesn’t feel like thinking about anymore, the hooded man couldn’t tell.

Nor did he particularly care to find out.

[insomnia-productions]

17 and/or 35 for the weird questions for writers 😊

Thank you for the ask!!

35 - my favorite writing rule to smash is anything related to sentence length and structure. with the help of commas, colons, semicolons, and dashes, i will defy the will of the gods and forge sentences that are as grammatically correct as they are indecipherably long

17 - ooh okay i actually have a new wip i haven't spoken about on here, so i'll take the opportunity to talk about it! The working title is Kick The Bucket, and it's a revamp of a plot idea i had back in high school. By "revamp" I mean that I took some sweet, soft romcom characters and turned them into most esteemed assholes

The elevator pitch is that it's a Jerk x Jerk style love story between a living person and a ghost who needs their help to move on. I'll put the rest under a cut -

Since this ask is about lore and minutiae I'm just gonna ramble about the characters and all the niche information I have about them so far. As with all of my characters, they're both based on pieces of me that I peeled off of my psyche and expanded into whole people. If this gets long and rambly.... im sorry i haven't talked to anyone about these two yet and im love them

First: April Anand, the one that's alive. She's a grad student studying medicine (following in her father's footsteps, in more ways than the one). If I had to explain her in the shortest way possible.... April idolizes Spock, but thinks that his biggest flaw is being too emotional. She's one of those people who thinks that being pragmatic and emotionally detached is the only way to be intelligent. Consequently, she's also very arrogant and firmly believes that she always knows best. Naturally, she would rather die than admit to being vulnerable or Having Feelings. Her general rule is that if she ever has an emotion, no she doesn't. Underneath it all, though, buried so deep that she isn't even aware of it herself, she's exhausted by her own expectations, and she's afraid that she isn't a real person, that there is no extant part of her that was not crafted by the expectations placed upon her. She's afraid that she'll always be alone.

A random collection of facts about April:

Her movements are often sharp, decisive, and forceful, especially when she's annoyed or angry.

Calls her parents once a week for updates on how her 15-year life plan is going.

Deals with stress by working harder

When she's frustrated at herself for being unable to do something right or not being able to focus, she gives herself a single hard, sharp, controlled slap and keeps going

If she analyses the data and concludes that she was wrong about something, she will readily admit it. She'll never apologize, though.

I took an MBTI test for her and got ISTJ

If I were to assign her one of the five primal fears, it would be Loss of Autonomy, but also Fear of Mutilation

Her favorite flowers are sunflowers.

She's very good with makeup and enjoys wearing it. She likes the idea that she can so completely control her presentation and the way people perceive her. At the same time, though, those moments of transformation make her uneasy, the idea that she could be someone other than the person she has made herself, that she contains multitudes beyond what she was crafted into.

Second: November Niran, the one that's dead. November was a renowned violinist in the world of classical music - a child prodigy, trained by his parents, both failed musicians themselves. He's also exceptionally vain and self-absorbed. He's lived alone since 19, when he essentially disowned his parents. November is just as arrogant and averse to vulnerability as April -- but where she is genuinely very self-assured, November's self-aggrandizing and somewhat narcissistic demeanor is mostly just a front for a deep insecurity and self-loathing. He's a chronic over-thinker, picking apart every thought and feeling he has, and he is deeply, crushingly lonely. November claims that he can't move on because he never fulfilled his bucket list - but really, it's because he was unable to form a single genuine human connection, the only thing he really wanted to do.

Facts about November:

(TW for suicidal ideation and mentions of ambiguous suicide in the final bullet point)

His surname means ‘never ending’. So his name kind of means ‘never ending November’, which has two different levels of meaning- one referencing November the person, and the other referencing November as the last month of autumn.

He turns more translucent when he's upset or embarrassed and will phase straight through the floor to get away

He composes his own music, but never had the confidence to perform it

He's actually an excellent gift-giver, when he tries.

His primal fear would be Fear of Separation

His favorite flowers are daffodils.

When he was alive, he had a recurring dream of standing on the lake shore, or at the beach, or on a cliff, watching as a great incoming wave rose far above his head, blotting out the sun.

November died by drowning in the lake. When he was alive, he used to stand at the end of the dock imagining what it would be like to sink into the cold silence of the water. The idea of not existing anymore unsettled him, so he never really intended to do anything other than imagine it. Now, though, he can't remember exactly how he drowned. He doesn't think he would have done it, but he can't stop thinking about it.

The story follows the two of them as April tries to exorcise November, or otherwise get him to move on and stop haunting her house. I wouldn't say that they improve each other, but along the way they adjust to each other's unique brand of terrible, and eventually fall in love. It's kind of bittersweet that way, because once November gets that genuine connection he's been longing for, he's finally able to move on, leaving April behind.

I've... definitely rambled enough for one post so I shall leave you with this cover I made for their Spotify playlist. oh and their Spotify playlist lol. i Cannot draw but i think this image does give a general idea of the vibes

[wri0thesley]

Ay sorry if im bothering, but what about a fic or just some hcs about the crusaders or the duwang gang and a gender neutral s/o who is like the "clown of the group" if you catch the meaning ( telling bad jokes, randomly annoying anyone because theyre bored or for attention y'know ) but they can also be serious if its necessary

( also i love your writing so much???? Theyre just so damn perfect???- they make me so happy when im having a crappy day so yee thanks :"))💕💗💖💗💖💗 ) greetings from Brazil! <3

(i have been doing the crusaders a lot recently so here are some duwang gangs with a clown s/o!)

♡ Josuke can absolutely rival you on the bad jokes; if you don’t laugh at them, he gets sad like a wounded puppy. He laughs at yours, too - the two of you are always wrapped up in each other, giggling about some plan or some in-joke that the other members of the gang would prefer not to understand. He gets a little bit frustrated about you wanting his attention - especially if he’s trying to do something like his hair! - but part of the reason he gets frustrated is that he does the exact same thing, and he doesn’t like getting a taste of his own medicine. He admires your ability to switch from serious to joking - he has a bad habit of cracking jokes even when he knows it’s not the time! As a whole, the two of you are rock-solid - and when Josuke feels embarrassed that he slips his hand into yours in public, a blush rising to his cheeks, you always manage to diffuse the situation with a well-timed quip.

♡ Okuyasu thinks you’re adorable. He laughs at your jokes no matter how bad they are; he’s just so earnestly in love with you that everything that comes out of your mouth sounds like gold to him. He doesn’t mind being annoyed; being poked in the chest or you surprising him to tell him a random fact. He’s kind of touch and attention-starved, so getting attention from someone he cares about makes him feel warm and fuzzy inside - and he knows he can be annoying too, when he really wants you to be spending time with him. He does occasionally have his own struggles, bouts of dark clouds hanging over his head - when these come, and he sees your normal light-hearted air vanish to comfort him, he feels safe and secure in knowing that the two of you were meant to find each other. When they’ve cleared a little, he’s grateful that you’re always able to make him smile again. 

♡ Koichi is the quieter of partners between you two. Compared to other members of the Duwang gang, he can seem boring - he can get a little lost. He’s polite and friendly, but often he feels that he fades into obscurity behind people like Josuke and Rohan. You never make him feel like that - when you tell him a joke, or demand his attention, your eyes on him make him feel like he’s the only important person in the world, and his heart feels like it swells. He likes your pinky finger wrapped around his as you share in in-jokes, as you talk on and on about your day - and when he responds with jokes of his own, he cherishes the wide smile that you give him and the peal of your laughter. 

♡ You and Rohan do not seem like a natural fit. He is so intense - very few people see him joke, despite the fact that Pink Dark Boy contains multitudes of clever writing and quips repeated regularly by fans and readers. He’s also easily annoyed and irritated - you would think, then, that your ability to push buttons and crack jokes and create puns so bad that everyone in the vicinity groans would be a hindrance to a man like Rohan Kishibe. As it turns out, though . . . Rohan is capable of affection. Rohan likes it when you make fun of him a little bit, because you have earned the right to do it (and he knows that you do not mean it for an instant). He likes raising his manicured eyebrows and sighing at you and correcting your wordplay to make it funnier, he likes how you keep all these silly jokes memorised - he likes that you want his attention. He likes that you’re unpredictable, that he can count on you to come along with whatever weird schemes he dreams up for manga research - he likes your hand in his. And he likes, too, that sometimes you go all-over quiet and serious and watch him work through the night, your very presence a comfort. 

♡ Everyone is very surprised by you and Jotaro being an item. Jotaro is so stoic, so stone-faced, so serious - it’s difficult to imagine you, with your quick smile and laughter and an ability to crack a joke or a bad pun without needing a moment to think about it, with him. But it turns out that it works well - your jokes make your boyfriend soften, and getting him to smile in public due to something you’ve said is a fun game that you play with yourself (and perhaps occasionally make bets with the other members of the gang for). The younger members see you both as parental figures; one serious, one more laidback, and they come to you both accordingly. When they don’t feel that they can go to Jotaro or speak to him, having you there helps them get their thoughts in order. When the two of you are alone, and you poke Jotaro’s stomach to get him to pay attention to you, he always heaves a long-suffering sigh, but he never fails to place a hand on your head and stroke through your hair, the gesture more loving and comforting than anything he could say. 

[winged-eggers]

May we please have Marx's Bio?

YELLS in horror holy shit. You Will Now Get Marx’s Bio Under The Cut

Marx is an escaped demon beast notorious mainly throughout the Mr.Bright system. He’s had an ever increasing bounty on his head from both HNC and various regular governments and organizations due to both having the potential to be extremely dangerous and actively being a mild nuisance (that happens to have the ability to be dangerous). Marx himself isn’t actually very aggressive but his history of alternately being ostracized by everyone and being actively hunted down has caused him to develop somewhat of a bitter/cynical streak - but that’s just the tip of the Marx Iceberg. He contains multitudes. The more time he spends in Dreamland the more he shows the rest of himself. He’s not a bad kid! Fuck!

When he initially showed up to Dreamland he did Not Trust Like That; people trying to be nice to him and “acting” like they wanted to see him freaked him out, and he was more or less actively hostile to anyone trying to figure out where he was staying. If he was in a good mood he’d show up to screw around, maybe even talk to people, but if people were too nice to him he tended to knock something over for good measure and get the fuck out of there. There’s a reason he lives in a nondescript hole in the middle of Whispy’s Woods and refuses to tell people where it is. Once he got used to the idea that people actually WERE okay with him being around he started to relax and show more of his real personality. 

Most people would probably describe him as massively temperamental. On a good time he tends to be bright and curious, relatively glad to do some light socializing and stick his nose into anything that looks interesting (and possibly get into trouble). On a bad time he tends to be quiet and moody, quick to snap at attempts to interact with him. It’s more common to see him in a good mood nowadays, but it’s not hard to quickly sour his mood if you’re not used to him... He also tends to bounce back just as quickly these days, though, so it’s no surprise he’s gotten a reputation for having “unpredictable” mood swings by people that don’t know him too well. Some people actually like him better when he’s moody because he’s very unlikely to cause trouble when he’s in a bad mood. That’s mean though.

He’s not used to being in a community and he doesn’t really try to make himself fit anyone else’s schedule. It’s not rare for him to straight up disappear for days or sometimes weeks on end, and then suddenly show up at someone’s house looking for Interaction at 3 in the morning. [Magolor and The Lor’s decision to stay permanently has been a massive relief to the rest of Dreamland, since now he won’t drop in on anyone else in the middle of the night.] He IS often considered a nuisance even now but not by much more than any of the other kids. He’s just a weird kid-thing. Kids are gonna be nuisances. Honestly most Dreamlanders hardly ever remember Marx is a demon beast, he’s just an annoying kid that lives in the woods

Magicwise! He is a very specialized battlemage. He casts high-end offensive Light elemental magic with ease, and although he has slightly more difficulty with it he also has absolutely devastating Void elemental spells up his sleeve. His skill in using these two volatile and opposing elements in offensive spells alone makes him quite the dangerous mage. As a tradeoff, he has a very limited repertoire outside of explicitly offensive magic; even though he’s quite well-versed in the theories he has extreme difficulty actually pulling other things off. The best non-offensive magic skill he has is small scale spatial manipulation, and everything else is stuck at small party trick levels. Sad. Another unfortunate side effect to his whole deal is that his general magical situation is super precariously balanced… Light and Void magic Do Not play nicely with each other, and if he doesn’t monitor his own magic carefully he’ll easily hurt himself. Oof!

Minor unstructured facts bc I no longer know how to organize this:

hobbies include: reading. he does like Physical Activities but his favorite thing is actually just reading. don’t be fooled this is a massive nerd

the Nondescript Hole that he lives in is just one out of the massive network of old lava tubes that riddle the place. It’s actually the second one he’s picked out, since his first pick happened to at high flooding risk during the wet season :( . He does have a little bed and a rug for himself in there though. Fuck yeah

he likes apples... Whispy’s Wood is PRIME fucking real estate for a kid who loves apples

ironically he can’t actually taste sugar too much? he still likes fruits, probably because of Textures and other non-sugar parts of their flavor profile but he doesn’t like candy. They don’t taste like much to him.

The AU has roots in the Anime. I don’t draw things out often bc I’m still shy abt it but other than the other mage kids he’s also pretty ok friends with Fumu aka one of the few nerds in this godamn country, especially before the other mage kids showed up

I still don’t know exactly how he showed up in Dreamland it changes every time I try to think about it. Dont ask. One day ill figure it out permanently