#everything else is a nice plus if i enjoy the group like that but like i buy albums to have music i like!!

[luvyeni]

❛AFTER-PARTY❜ (h. jisung )

p. rockstar!jisung x fem!reader w. 1.5k

warnings? strangers to potential lovers , oral (m. receiving) , cumming on tits , unprotected sex , riding , handjob

— 𖦹 ( jisung had his eyes set on you ) !

jisungs eyes scanned the room , landing on you for like the 9th time , he'd been watching you ever since he spotted you in your crowd at his show , you had attended with your friend who was currently "dating" one of his members.

"hyunjin said that she is single , doesn't go out much." lee know sat next to her. "don't you like them like that?" han rolled his eyes. "why are you telling me this?" his eyes never leaving you. "because you've been staring at her for the past hour , just go talk to her." the older boy said. "before someone else does."

listening to his friend , he made his way over to you , you were sitting on the couch , drink in your , ready to go home. "hello." he said , you looked up from your drink , eyes widening. "oh hi." you waved. "han , right?" he loved the way you said his name. "that's my stage name , everyone else calls me jisung." you nodded. "well hi jisung."

he was cute , his long wavy hair framing his face nicely , you weren't that familiar with the band , only what your friend told you , but he was definitely working his way to being your favorite member. "can i sit down?" you nodded , moving over patting the seat next to you. "here." he sat down next to you , his leg pressed against yours. "thank you."

"so you know my name , what's yours?" he was cheeky , it made you smile. "(name)." you responded. "cute name , did you enjoy the show (name)?" you nodded. "yes i did you guys are super talented , i didn't know much about your group , but i'll make sure to look further into you guys."

"well i hope i'll be your favorite." he said. "i don't want to lose such a pretty fan to any of the other fan." your face heated up , but you still decided to play along. "i don't know seungmin is pretty cute too , his voice is amazing." he pouted. "im kidding." your laugh was like a new song stuck in his head. "we'll see." you said. "i'll take it."

the night went on , and you and jisung got closer , literally, the more you talk , the closer you got. you drank the rest of your drink , sitting the cup down. "ah , do you want me to get you another one?" you shook your head. "im almost certain my friend is going home with your band member , and i have to get in a cab alone , i'd rather not be drunk."

he didn't want you to go , he never took girls home , opting to be alone , taking care of himself — but he can't help it , you were beautiful , and you actually were interesting , you loved to stay home and watch movies , everything he liked.

and he couldn't even kid himself , your body was a dream , he prayed to meet a girl like you — your plus thighs , the tight miniskirt extenuating them , your boobs which he couldn't keep his eyes off since he saw you at the show were basically on display , being held by the shirt barely covered anything , your side boob protruding from the shirt — you were his dream girl.

"what if don't go home." he said. "what if you come with me?" you quirked your eyebrow up. "you trying to take me home jisung?" he smirked , the drink giving him a boost of confidence. "it's all up to you princess."

you didn't even bother telling your friend , she was safe with hyunjin , you and jisung making your exit. the cab ride to jisungs apartment was nothing but you sensational touching , and flirty comments in each others ear.

by time you make it to his elevator his arms are wrapping around your waist silently , you both get on the elevator and make it to his apartment , he opens the door , letting you walk in , and take a look. "you have a nice apartment." you took your heels off , sighing in delight when your feet hit the ground. "thank you." he closed the door , following behind you. "i don't normally bring girls home."

"why?" you questioned. "you're a handsome man , you mean to tell me girls aren't throwing themselves at you?" he laughed. "of course they are." it was your turn to laugh. "but i'd rather not stress about it knowing i'd probably never see again." you turned around , facing him confused. "but you invited me here?"

"yeah i did." he smirked. "you plan on seeing me again." he hummed. "depending on how this night goes , i plan on seeing you many times." his confidence was definitely a turn on for you , you chuckled , rubbing your neck where the string dug into your skin in pain. "stupid shirt."

he wrapped his arms around your waist. "does it hurt?" he toyed with the string. "s-so much." you breathed , his lips came up to your cheek right to your ear whispering , pulling at the string. "then take it off." he grabbed your jaw , pulling you into a passionate kiss.

your lips moved perfectly in sync , he took the grabber the other string , pulling at it , stepping back , letting your shirt fall to the floor , your boobs falling their natural state. "fu-fuck." he groaned , cock twitching in his jeans. "so fucking pretty."

you grabbed his hand , guiding him to his couch , pushing him down on the couch , spreading his legs , slotting your body into between them. "you look so pretty in between my legs like that." he caressed your face. "gonna suck my cock like a good girl?" you nodded , batting your eyelashes. "then take it out princess."

you got straight to work , undoing his jeans , pulling them down to his ankles , kissing his clothed cock. "sh-shit , no teasing baby , take it out." his demanding voice made you clench your thighs.

you pulled his cock out , his tip bright red. "you're so big." you kissed his tip , precum sticking to your lips. "yeah? but you can it , i know you can." you stroked his cock , bringing your lips to his mushroom head sucking on it. "oh fuck , there you go." he sighed. "suck my cock like a good girl."

you took him all the way in your , pulling out a long whine from his pouty lips. "your mouth feels so good." he grabbed the back of your head , guiding you up and down his shaft. "fu-fuck im gonna cum , wanna cum on your tits." he groaned. "fuck please let me cum on your tits."

you pulled off his cock , spit trailing behind as you took him back into your hand , stroking him. "wanna cover my tits in your cum." you looked so hot , lips swollen and red. "cum for me sungie." the way you called him that in that tone , sent him into overdrive , he groaned , cumming all over your tits , some getting on your chin , you gasp. "you came so much."

he had a lazy smirk on his face as he caught his breath , watching his cum drip from your chin to your tits , his cock hardening against , twitching against his stomach. "fuck get up here." he helped you off the floor , stripping you of your skirt and underwear. "want you to ride my cock."

he grabbed the base of his cock , letting you climb into his lap , his tip pressed against your hole. "wanna see your tits bounce while you're bouncing on my cock." you both moaned out as you sunk down on his cock. "fuck you're pussy is tight." you sat all the way down on him , he slapped your ass , grabbing the flesh. "come on , bounce on my cock."

he threw his head back against the couch , groaning as you moved up and down , his cock stretching you out. "god damn , you're so fucking good at this." he said. "fucking yourself on my cock like that."

"fu-fuck jisung." you moaned , your hands on his shoulders as you moved up and down. "you feel so good." he slapped your ass , making you jump forward. "faster bun , fuck yourself faster." you moved faster , moaning even louder. "sh-shit princess , gonna cum." he panted. "me too."

he reached in between your bodies rubbing your clit. "fuck jisung m'gonna cum!" you scream. "fuck im cumming!" you cursed , cumming around his cock. "sh-shit baby you gotta get off." he felt his orgasm approaching. "fuck." he sighed , as you climbed off his cock , sitting in his lap , stroking his cock until he came into your hand. "shit."

you brought your fingers to your mouth , licking the cum off. "fuck baby you're nasty." he grabbed your jaw , smashing his lips against yours.

you both sat there for a few minutes before getting up to shower together , spending another hour in there because jisung initiated round two , before you actually got clean.

"our tour ended yesterday , so i'll be home for a while." he spoke up , a anime playing on the tv. "huh?" you said. "i want to see you again." he said. "we don't have to go out or anything , we can have a home date or something." you nodded , kissing his cheek.

"sure , lets do it."

©️LUVYENI

[ravixen]

svt + meeting your friends

➔ not requested || reaction

➔ warnings: none || 0.6k words ➔ notes: fluff ; happy monday!! I'm chipping away at that vernon au (it's at 3.5k words as of this post), but since that won't see the light of day for a LONG time, I'm dropping this on the dashboard. please reblog if you enjoyed! I like reading your comments; I try to respond to every one. requests are open for the rest of 2024!

SEUNGCHEOL: he is very happy to pick up the check, but you'd argue that he's a little too quick to swipe his card. you remind him that even though he's super rich, he's just a regular guy with your friends. plus, you like the current system: one person pays first and calculates what everyone else owes based on what they ate. "so no paying for everything," you say and make him pinky promise before you leave the house. he was planning to sneak off and pay the bill first, but now that you locked him into a pinky promise, he shoots back a counter offer: let him at least cover your portion, too. you say yes with a roll of your eyes. when you finally arrive, your friends are quick to notice how charismatic he is. he shakes everyone's hands firmly when introducing himself, making sure to get everyone's names, and something about the bright smile and strong eye contact combo makes them fall for him instantly...or at least amenable to his charm. it only takes him a few minutes to remember everyone's names, and really, he's in his element here, leaning forward in his seat and shining beside you.

JOSHUA: he could be really loud, or he could be really chill; it really depends on the vibes of the gathering, but I think he would opt for the chill persona for the first meeting. it's the most versatile, especially when he can blindside your friends with a few well-placed comments. before the hang out, you explicitly told your friends not to bombard him with questions, to just treat it like a normal hang out with an additional guest. and so far, they've been playing nice. the questions they do ask him are polite and just enough to include him in the conversation, and he laughs alongside them like he's always been part of the friend group. but your friends have sharp eyes. they keep exchanging glances and quick eyebrow raises whenever you're not looking. who can blame them? joshua's arm is a constant presence on the back of your chair. whenever the plates or bottles come around, he serves you first when a quiet is this enough? you sure? ok before serving himself. he's content to sit back in his chair and bask quietly in your shadow. the grilling can happen next time. for now, they're happy to know that he takes care of you.

CHAN: he plays well in big groups because of being in seventeen, so when he meets your friends, he settles as soon as he learns everyone's name. of course, he's not inserting himself into the conversation unless asked to; he prefers waiting on the sidelines to evaluate the dynamic, and you can see his eyes bounce from person to person, figuring out how to conduct himself in this space. you ask if he's feeling awkward, and when he says no, you can tell that his answer is genuine. he's happy enough to be there by your side. what captures your friends' attention is how attentive he is. not just to you—that's a given, surely—but to everyone in the circle. maybe it's the experience of having a big friend group himself, especially a group so caring, or maybe it's him being an eldest child. if he notices that someone's being left out or seems withdrawn, he leans towards them with a smile and draws them into a conversation on the side. whatever they need: a quick check-in...or an earnest, involved dialogue about shared interests. he has a tendency to make people feel seen and cared for, even people he just met, because of how authentic he is.

[chaewillriot]

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

RENTING A BEACH HOUSE WITH THE GANG!

(SBG X FEM! READER)

PART 1 / ?

You and the group saved money to rent a Beach House before school finished. It wasn't that simple because everyone had to work together for it to succeed. It also meant that no one could purchase junk food or street food. But now that you've completed tenth grade, all of your hard work over the last few months is beginning to pay off. It's finally time for you to enjoy your vacation today.

All of the planning was done by you and Taylor. After receiving the check-in schedule, she called the resort to rent a Beach House for a full week. You both agreed that it would be ideal if the group went to the mall beforehand to pick up some board games, snacks, and swimsuits. Given that the check-in time was one in the afternoon, you estimated that it would take you at least three hours to do the shopping.

The next step was to get into a van that you and the others had rented. When the shopping was done, the van would show up in the mall parking lot. The trip would likely take an hour or two, but that shouldn't be too long because traffic isn't as bad while people are on vacation. Everything was settled. When Taylor posts the plan in the group chat, everyone responds with numerous "thumbs up" emojis.

You and everyone else were inside the mall by around seven o'clock. Taylor made the decision that the girls and boys should go shopping together. She insisted that her mind was made up, despite Aiden's constant cries that he wanted to go shopping with you. Logan gave Ben a back pat because he was genuinely embarrassed by his cousin, and Ashlyn was trying to shield you away from the blonde.

"[y/n], blink twice if you need help." Aiden tells you. You only blink once.

"Seriously?!"

You have all already squandered fifteen minutes in idle chatter. You figured this would happen.

"Look, this way is more efficient. We'll all see each other after three hours. Besides, we'll bond at the Beach House anyway." Taylor decides to loop an arm around yours to drag you away before Aiden makes another commotion, and Ashlyn follows behind closely.

"Come on, idiot." Tyler smacks Aiden right on the head, causing the boy to stumble.

"You're lucky I'm not in the mood to fight you right now." Aiden huffs before he gets pulled along by Ben. He's still sulky about being away from you, considering that you two grew up and did everything together.

Back with the girls, you decided to push the cart while Taylor and Ashlyn would walk around the snack aisle. The brunette would always turn to you to ask for your opinion before loading it into the cart.

"You think this is okay?" She shows you a bag of sour cream chips. When you nod your head, she beams.

Ashlyn, on the other hand, would pick big bags of gummies. She also packs you some of the gummy worms you like. You probably weren't supposed to see that, so you pretend you didn't. But the fact that she cares about you this much makes your heart melt.

"Alright! I guess we've packed enough snacks. I bet the boys have different choices as well." Taylor chimes in then ushers you and Ashlyn to follow her into another area of the shop, specifically swimsuits and swimming gear.

You find yourself eyeing bikini's. You weren't that fond of them, but hey, you kind of want to try it out. Plus, it'd be nice to enjoy the sun every once in a while. You decide to grab a pair before heading over to the dressing room. The bikini you chose has strings instead, so you had to tie it real quick around yourself.

Once the curtains are drawn out, Taylor immediately notices you and playfully whistles, causing you to blush. "Hey, looking good!" She couldn't help but huff out proudly. Ashlyn, hearing the commotion from the other aisle, comes over to check up on the two of you.

She stops pushing the cart once her eyes lays on your form. She has a small smile on her face, but you knew it was some form of approval from her.

"You look nice."

Somehow, that causes you to blush even more. The girls just chuckle at your sweet reaction before Taylor ushers you back into the dressing room before someone sees you. She didn't want anyone passing by to ogle over your body.

In the end, Taylor chose a one-piece swimsuit while Ashlyn's is a tank bikini top. All that's left to do is to pay for the items and head straight to the entrance of the store. You wonder if the boys are done by now.

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

[ghostieyanyan]

hi ~🤍 how do you think (yan or not). demon twst react to find out mc is a human girl ? they khow she is magicless but ahem...

~Human girl in NRC?!~

Yan!DemonAU!Idia x fab!mc

Yan!DemonAU!Jack x fab!mc

Yan!DemonAU!Leona x fab!mc

I'll still use they/them pronouns even if mc is female. so if you're male, there is talk about future kids so processed with caution

i don't know if you sent this twice or if someone just asked the same question but i don't mind either way. i picked some random students to write about since you didn't specify which one you wanted. i hope you enjoy!!

Warnings: maybe a lot of grammar issues (sorry), future kids talk, stalking, creepy behavior, hint of nsfw, cannibalistic behavior

~~~

Idia

Idia found out second hand, aka from Ortho.

Apparently, when ortho meets anyone, he does an automatic scan of them. It basically tells him everything about the person, mainly physically. That scan also goes into Idia's computer and he happened to see it.

To see the mysterious prefect has more layers of mysteriousness??? You must be a legendary pull!!!!! He HAS to know more. but it wasn't like he'll talk to you himself.... his heart couldn't take that.

Instead, he asked ortho to check up on you. which wasn't too hard cause you already consider Ortho as one of the first years in your group.

He recorded every interaction you had with ortho, pretending you were talking to him~

"How are you today?"

"You did great, Orth--- ████ !!"

"Hey, you wanna stop by Ramshackle dorm after school?"

He'd probably made an AI voice box like your voice for his sick fantasy.

Talking about Ramshackle, he also had installed hidden cameras in every corner of that dorm. One in the kitchen, one in the living room, two in the bathroom, two in your room, and much more. Inside, outside, everywhere!

He likes watching you when you're alone. He also hates to see anyone else in your dorm, with the exception of his own brother and that cute kitty.

Idia likes to think, in a fantasy world where he has more courage, you'll be in the kitchen making him something because work called him in last and when he gets home, you'll greet him with a "welcome home, master" with cat ears---!!!! fantasy world but still!!!

No only is he just feed his sick fantasy of you, he imagined what a future with you would be like... You had no magic so if he took you away to the Island of Woe, you'll have a really hard time running away from him, nearly impossible.

Plus... he's family is a pretty powerful family.... one day, he'll have to think about future kids...

With that, he's decided he'll try to talk to you. It'll be easy with your connect with Ortho, plus Ortho could help.

Ortho would probably see this as helping his older brother with a crush and if that crush helps his brother out of his shell, its a win win!

Idia will, of course, only tell his brother about his innocent pining for you and keep his dark fantasies to himself for now. Until he's sure you wouldn't might him share his fantasies with you. And if you do mind... sorry to break it to you-

Maybe when he takes the overblot students to the island of woe, he'll also take you. saying it's for your safety. No one knows why there's been a coincident amount of students in NRC overblot. Plus you being caught in is most of them time is worrisome. you staying in NRC will likely end you life if you keep in countering these Overblots.

Ortho couldn't help but agree with his brother but also saw this opportunity to get you more closer to his brother.

"What do you think, prefect?"

~~~

Jack

Jack was one of the first to find out about your little secret. It was your scent... But he's not the type to share it if you haven't shared it yourself. And if any other beastmen tried to share that information or point it out without your permissions, he'll have a nice chat with them. You don't have to worry a thing!

Whether you, him, or anyone that notices, wants to admit or point out, jake has been stuck to your hip. He will 100% be like a personal. Make sure no one enters a room when you are changing. Make sure that when you use the restroom, no one is trying to peek at you. Especially makes sure that no one tries anything that might be a threat to you!

He'll total imagine you running your fingers through his hair, scratching behind his ears, and rubbing the base of his horns. He will go feral.

If you ask Jack about how this world works, his tail will start wagging. (he's happy you came to him with your questions.) He'll answer any questions you have, even the "obvious" ones. He not the type to make you feel guilty about asking a question that you don't know, unlike ace.

If the topic changes to the future, he'll say that he's planning to find a mate so that he can proudly work hard for his mate and his pups. But he's "not in a rush to look for one right now." Cause he's already found his mate...

Some people on the outside of your relationship with Jack, might say that you have Jack wrapped around your little finger. You want to lay down on him? He'll turn into his wolf form so you'll be comfortable. You late to something? He'll give you a ride! (He could change into his wolf form but he could also give you a piggy back ride.. and feel your legs wrapped around him~)

Jack tries his hardest to not let his animal instincts scary you off. It's not like he thinks your weak, anything but that! He actually admires you, you were thrown into an unknown world and learned to adapted and you've made yourself home here. You've also make home in his heart~

He could only hope that your relationship grows enough that you wouldn't want to leave...

In dyer situations, Jack will protect you. He'll shield you with his own body, protecting you from tiny things like falling books or from big powerful spells.

He also really likes to watch you nurse him back to health. If you were anyone else, he'll brush you off, saying "he's fine" or "he can take care of himself." But since your the one nursing him, he's a little more weaking on his protest.

Watching you take care of him, makes me super excited for the future. Maybe he'll help you were sick? Or maybe he'll walk in on you care for your pups?

Man... if it weren't for both of you being in college and freakily not financially ready for kids, he would-

~~~

Leona

He was one of the first people to find out. He usually wouldn't care much about it. he would have just allowed you to be and keeps his distance. And if you were paths do cross, he'll be mindful of the things he says to you, aka not being too rude to you. (Only people that were sharp notice his demeaner but it wasn't like they'll go up to the lion about it)

Without realizing it, he kinda became fond of you. How you go get things but not in an obedient pet way, just because you can help way... you often cant say no but you also could stand up for in justince? How you are still kind to the people who hurt you or used you, tricked you.. How you still help people with any background.

He couldn't understand it but he was also fascinated of it.

The day when you came to savanaclaw because you and your cat beast were kicked out of your dorm was, in better words, interesting.

He wasn't proud of it but when you slept in leona's room, he couldn't help himself from watching you sleep. Watching how your chest moved as you breathed in and out subconsciously. How savanaclaw's heat made you kick your blanket away, showing him your sweat glazed body. It made his mouth water..

he wonders how'd you taste..? No, your sweat wasn't enough to satisfy this lion, but you. Your blood, the meat that clung to your skin and bones, your organs... he wont mind killing you here and now just to have a taste...

But it was too soon, way too soon... he'll spoil himself if he wasn't patient.

For right now, watching you from a distance will be enough. unless you keep trying to interact with him, he cant make any promises...

After watching you for quite a while, hes thoughts about killing your just to taste you slowly subsided. but it was quickly replaced with another thought..

Cheka was at NRC for one of his visits, much to leona's dismay. but he'd overheard that cheka had taken a liking to you!

Whenever Cheka returned to leona's side, he'd always asked, "why does that not-demon live so far away..? They must be really lonely.." or "why not bring that not-demon home with us?! Then they wont be lonely anymore!!"

After Cheka left and leona had some time to think to himself. He thought, he could bring you back to Sunset Savana. You took care of cheka like he was your own. You wont be able to say no to cheka.

You'll also be taken care of. Food, roof over your head, secrity, what more could you need?

The only problem was how to make you stay...

He thought about it long enough and rolled over in his bed to take a nap.

Cheka would leave him alone if he had a new cousin to play with...

~~~

[seabirdtxt]

.Irminsul checkout -b <Realm Within>

You, the Creator, explore the possibilities the teapot realm has to offer and try to make accommodations for your surprising new roommates [< prev] [Blog tag] [next >]

Notes: Genshin SAGAU, reader is the Creator but no cult shenanigans. all relationships are currently platonic! WC. 3k

----- ⚘ -----

Meeting Tubby was just as entertaining as you’d hoped it would be. The flustered teapot spirit nearly dropped her porcelain hat when she saw you, offering to give you a personal tour of the realm mansion (as if you hadn’t designed the interior yourself), calling up Chubby (who was mortified to admit that he hadn’t brought any new stock today), and frantically rearranging furniture as your group roamed the mansion grounds despite your protests that everything was fine as it was. In the end, she settled for hosting you and your two companions over a pot of tea.

The Traveler remains silently amused as they watch you trying to behave politely while Tubby continuously refills your cup with fresh sunsettia tea. Beside them, Wanderer discreetly tosses the contents of his cup over his shoulder with a grimace. 

Inevitably, between her stuttered rambling and your patient reassurances, Tubby notices the empty cup and refills it with more tea. Much to Wanderer’s displeasure.

“- and if you need anything to eat, a- any snacks or meals, I would be most honored to procure them for you, Your Grace!” Tubby continues, with you nodding along politely. It seems better to let her vent it out than to stop her, at this point.

“Tubby, would it be very troublesome to get a teapot realm for Their Grace?” the Traveler interjects, saving you from having to placate the bird adeptus once more. “It would be practical for them to have a place of residence while they stay in Teyvat.”

“O- of course!” Tubby nods so quickly you almost fear that her hat will fly off her head. “I can contact Streetwise Rambler posthaste! If you have any preference in shape or colour, Your Grace-” 

“Anything you might have readily available is alright with me,” you reassure her. “As long as it has space to accommodate multiple guests, I don’t mind too much what the outside of it looks like.”

“T- that can be arranged!” the teapot spirit exclaims, topping up everyone’s cups before disappearing in a puff of smoke.

The three of you stare awkwardly at the space where Tubby used to be. Eventually, Wanderer gets up and disappears into the mansion, effectively trading places with Paimon as the little sprite returns from within after apparently having raided the Traveler’s pantry.

“Hey!” She exclaims through a mouthful of cookies. “Where did Tubby go? Did you guys drink all the tea?”

“She just went to get a teapot for Their Grace!” the Traveler explains, snatching a package of cookies from Paimon’s tiny hands, to the sprite’s protests. “She should be back soon. I can pour the tea for you, if you want.”

You sit back and enjoy the mindless chatter between the two, and sometime later Wanderer emerges from the mansion with several boxes stacked in his arms. The Traveler jumps up with a noise of surprise.

“Hey! What’s all that stuff?”

“I’m moving out.” Wanderer states, as though it’s obvious. 

“Good riddance!” Paimon says, waving a biscuit at him threateningly. “It’s about time you moved out, young man! How are you supposed to learn about the human world if you’re cooped up in the Traveler’s realm all the time? Go outside and touch grass!”

“There’s grass in the realm, Paimon,” the Traveler points out. 

“Argh! You know what I mean!”

“Of course, I’ll be moving in with the Creator, ” Wanderer continues as if Paimon hadn’t spoken at all. “Someone needs to keep the other two clowns in check so they don’t wreck the nice home Their Grace will surely build.”

“And that someone couldn’t be anyone else?” you ask, and immediately cringe when his piercing eyes turn toward you.

He huffs with amusement. “Nobody knows them better than me,” he shrugs and shakes his head. “Plus, who knows what my second incarnation will get up to? We don’t know how Irminsul resolved his appearance in this world, so he may yet be part of the Fatui, for all we know.”

“If he’s like you after the Joruri workshop fight, y’know, after you lost the gnosis and all? He’ll probably be weak and powerless,” Paimon says. “Just completely incapable of fighting in any meaningful way. Yes offense.”

“Offense taken.” Wanderer replies with the same tone, shooting a glare at the sprite over his shoulder. “I’ll have you know I’m more than capable of wiping the floor with you, with or without a gnosis.”

“You realize you’re bragging about your ability to beat up the physical equivalent of a two year old?” you interrupt before they could start arguing. They both send you equally scandalized looks, and Paimon splutters and mimes stomping as she tries to defend herself from the accusation of being a child. 

“Guys, let’s all calm down for a second,” the Traveler sighs, rubbing their head just as Paimon launches herself at Wanderer and knocking over cups and the magic tea kettle, and Wanderer fends her off with one hand, balancing his stack of boxes with his other arm. He swings around to avoid her tiny fists, knocking over the table and chairs in the process as he dances out of her reach.

 “Guys, seriously! Tubby will be back any minute now-”

Just as the words leave their mouth, the adeptus in question suddenly reappears with a lovely little porcelain teapot in her wing-hands. She takes in the scene, of you and the Traveler standing with your arms outstretched to restrain, and Paimon and Wanderer having a spat amidst the wreck of her tea set and furniture.

With a choked gasp, she promptly drops the new teapot.

----- ⚘ -----

After some profuse apologies on everyone’s part, Tubby repairs your new teapot and her furniture with her adeptus magic. She hands you the teapot with reverence, quickly running you through how the Realm Within works (even though you already know) and then ushering you out of the Traveler’s teapot excitedly.

“I hope you like it!” Tubby chirps, feathers fluffed with happiness. “Your teapot spirit is a good friend of mine, I’m sure he will take excellent care of your realm!” 

You and Wanderer are ejected from the realm, finding yourselves standing in the glowing Irminsul chamber, outside the Traveler’s golden teapot with the stack of boxes and your porcelain teapot. Somewhere in the distance, you can hear Nahida speaking, likely addressing Scaramouche and Kabukimono.

“Okay! here goes nothing,” you exclaim, placing down the teapot reverently. You grab the realm dispatch that Tubby had given you, visually identical to the one you remember seeing in your game’s inventory but with a red and gold tassel.  You hold the strip of wood in your palm and allow yourself to attune to the magic inside it. 

Despite not feeling any different after a few moments, you hand over the dispatch to Wanderer, who attunes as well. Once the process is complete, the two of you place your palms against the sides of your teapot and allow yourselves to be warped to the new realm.

Immediately upon appearing in the realm, which you notice is modelled after the same landscape theme as the Traveler’s, a cheerful little basketball-sized grey and yellow teapot spirit floats up to you.

The spirit, looking very much like the little cockatiel-coloured finches from the overworld, greets you with a happy whistle. Where Tubby and Chubby are usually sitting in a fancy teapot-shaped vessel, this one is sitting in a small, but equally ornate, teacup. 

“Hi! Hello! Are you my new master?” the tiny adeptus chitters, clapping his wing feathers together. “I’m your teapot spirit! I’m so happy to meet you!” 

“Oh great, another one.” Wanderer snorts, then pushes past you and into the mansion with his boxes. You gently hold the teapot spirit to avoid him getting knocked back by the motion.

“Don’t mind him, he’s not very social,” you tell the finch, who looks up at you with adoration. “How about you tell me about yourself?”

The finch reluctantly extracts himself from your hands and floats in front of you, feathers twisting shyly.

“Th- this one doesn’t have many interesting things to tell,” he admits. “Not like Rain Calmer and Jade Seeker… This one hasn’t even been granted a small-name yet…” 

“Oh…” you reach out and pat his head. “That’s okay, I can give you a nickname if you really want one.” 

“Will you?” the finch gasps, and surely if beaks could smile…

“That can wait for a minute,” Wanderer calls from the mansion’s front door, leaning against the open door frame. “Can we get some furniture in here first? This place is emptier than Dottore’s soul.” 

“Oh! Of course!” The teacup spirit hurriedly follows Wanderer into the mansion, with you trailing behind them at a slower pace.

As you walk through the mansion, a collection of Inazuman and Sumerian-style furniture begins popping up around you. You follow Wanderer as he moves from room to room, decorating the first one in purely Inazuman decor, the second with a blend of Inazuman and Shneznayan furniture, and the last with simple Sumerian amenities. Satisfied, Wanderer dumps all his boxes on the floor of the third room.

“Okay, great.” He nods at the nervous finch, then points at the door. “Now you guys, get out.” 

You beat a hasty retreat with the teacup spirit in your hands, just barely making it out before Wanderer slams the door behind you. You peer down at the little finch, trying to smile in an encouraging way.

“How about we check out the other rooms while he settles in, shall we?” You offer, and the teacup spirit nods enthusiastically. 

You deck out the remaining rooms with whatever nation’s theme inspires the teacup spirit’s artistic expression. For your own room, the last one you two decide to tackle, you choose a mix of all the nations’ furnishings. It creates a bit of an aesthetic mess, but it seems fitting to want a piece of each place. 

You clap excitedly for the little finch, who blushes fiercely and coos under your attention. 

“Aw, shucks,” he warbles. “I was just doing my job…”

“Nah, you did great, bud!” You reassure him, patting his fluffy head again. “Now, how about that nickname, huh?”

“Wow, really?” 

“Sure thing! How about, hmm…”

You squint at the teacup spirit, thinking really hard about a potential nickname. You know Tubby and Chubby’s nicknames aren’t really related to their adepti names, but it still would seem helpful to have something to go off of…

“... Cup…” You mutter to yourself, eyeing his little teacup seat, and the finch spirit perks up at the sound.

“Hm?” The adeptus makes an adorable noise of confusion, head tilted to one side as it eagerly awaits your final decision.

“... Cuppy.” You finally say, more confidently. The newly named Cuppy vibrates with excitement. “Yeah, I kinda like that. Well, nice to meet you, Cuppy!”

“Wow! Thank you so much!!” Cuppy exclaims, crashing into you and doing his utmost to hug you with his stubby little wings. “I’ll cherish this name forever!”

“That has to be among the dumbest names I’ve ever heard, Your Grace,” Wanderer’s voice sounds behind you, and you turn around to stick your tongue out at him. 

“W-wait, Your Grace?” Cuppy suddenly lets go of you with a gasp. “You’re the Creator?!”

Before you can say anything in reply, the poor teacup spirit promptly faints in your arms. You quickly make sure Cuppy is alright before giving Wanderer the most exaggerated frown you can muster.

“What? Don’t look at me like that,” he scoffs. “That's what you get for picking such a stupid name.”

“Says the guy who came up with ‘country destroyer’,” you retort. 

“It sounded cool at the time!” Wanderer snaps, clearly embarrassed by his past self’s taste.

“Maybe for a ten year old.”

“Well of course it sounds dumb in Common, in Inazuman it’s a lot better.”

“Sure, keep telling yourself that.”

----- ⚘ -----

You and Wanderer exit the realm after Cuppy wakes up again, and you comfort the teacup spirit by telling him that you’re not mad at him and that he’d done nothing to displease you. Reassured, but only barely, Cuppy tearfully accepts your praise and promises not to let you down. 

You resurface in the Irminsul chamber for a second time, to the hilarious scene of Nahida restraining both Scaramouche and Kabukimono within glowing green cubes a few feet above the ground. Scaramouche is beating against the transparent walls and furiously shouting, from what you can tell since the cubes appear to be soundproof. Kabukimono is sitting in the far corner of his cube, sulking with his arms crossed.

“- and that’s why it’s important to try and let go of any leftover resentment you harbor toward one another,” Nahida appears to be mid-lecture, wrapping up one of her points as she addresses the two puppets. “Otherwise you will fill up with anger and anxiety like a glass of water that is overflowing, and you will eventually release the surface tension and spill all your negative emotions and make a huge mess that everyone else will have to deal with. You may not realize this now, but the result of your quarrel will be very tiresome to those around you. If you spill water on a very important research paper, or a valuable book, or even a quick pencil drawing on a napkin, you will create irreparable harm to those you have affected, no matter how big or small the consequence appears to be.”

“The metaphor got away from you again, Buer.” Wanderer decides he’s heard enough and brings his hand down on the small god’s head, patting her. She looks up at him with a patient smile.

“Wanderer, Your Grace! Have you sorted out the living arrangements?” She asks cheerfully, releasing the Dendro cubes and allowing the puppets in time-out to drop to the floor in ungraceful heaps. 

“We did!” You confirm with equal enthusiasm. “We even have a nice teapot adeptus named Cuppy who helped us out with the decorating and everything!”

“That’s wonderful!” Nahida nods and gestures to Scaramouche and Kabukimono to approach, which they do with some measure of caution. Especially on the Balladeer’s part. He eyes Nahida with newfound suspicion, making sure she doesn’t perform any more Dendro abilities on him.

“Are we going to teleport into your new house?” Kabukimono asks, eyeing the porcelain teapot with intrigue. “The same way you and the Traveler teleported earlier?”

“That’s right, you just need to hold this piece of wood for a minute so that the realm magic recognizes and authorizes you as a guest,” you tell him, holding out the dispatch. Kabukimono takes it delicately, staring at the dispatch with wide eyes even though nothing obvious happens.

After his minute is up, Scaramouche snatches the dispatch out of Kabukimono’s hands and grumbles in annoyance as he looks anywhere but at you guys, allowing the magic to attune to him as well.

Once everyone is ready, you bid Nahida a quick goodbye and show the two puppets how to use the teapot to teleport. As you feel yourself warp in, you watch their expressions.

Wanderer is the most composed, having grown used to teleporting thanks to the Traveler, while Kabukimono seems a little dizzy but not overly bothered. Scaramouche, on the other hand, looks positively nauseous, much to your amusement. 

The four of you land in varying degrees of balance on your feet, with Cuppy stuttering out a greeting and ushering you all into the mansion.

Kabukimono is most pleased with his room, plopping down onto the floor mat with a wide grin. An array of tools lines one of the walls, and the adjacent wall opens to a sheltered view of the outside and a small forge. You turn to look at Wanderer as an awestruck Kabukimono takes in his accommodations.

“... What?” Wanderer scowls when he notices your look. “I just know what he’d like, okay? Don’t think too hard about it.”

Scaramouche’s room is next, and he walks in a few paces, has a look around at the very specific combination of aesthetics, and then kicks the door shut in your face. You’re not sure what else you expected from him.

Wanderer’s room is last, and though you already saw it as he was having it customized, you have a quick peek into it.

The Sumeran decor, though relatively plain, is used to great effectiveness. A desk takes up half of the far wall, accompanied by a mostly empty bookshelf and a tall lamp. A few boxes are pushed against the bookcase, unopened so far but you can guess what the contents will be. On the other side is Wanderer’s dresser and bed, and while you know he doesn’t necessarily need to sleep it’s nice to know that he included a bit of comfort for himself anyway.

“Okay, see ya,” Wanderer says, but you interrupt him with a gentle tug on his sleeve. He looks at you with annoyance and mild confusion.

“Thanks for helping me with the decorating,” you half-whisper, a grin spreading across your face. “Who knew you had such good interior design taste?”

“Whatever,” Wanderer huffs and looks at the floor. “It’s just because I knew you would make a mess of it like you did in the Traveler’s teapot.”

“What? No I didn’t. My decorating was just fine!”

Wanderer rolls his eyes at you. “You have a room filled to the brim with random unrelated junk.”

“That’s my storage room,” you state matter-of-factly. “I needed to reach a certain level of adeptal energy to get the maximum currency reward.”

“You say that as if I know what you’re talking about.” Wanderer deadpans and crosses his arms. “It’s still just a room of junk to me.”

“Fine! I see how it is.” You throw your hands up in amused outrage and stomp out of the room. “I guess decorating is your problem from now on, since you’re so good at it or whatever.”

Wanderer nods with a satisfied smirk. “As it should be,” he says before pushing his door closed.

[aesethewitch]

Beef Stew Recipe - Potion of Fortitude

Whether it's been an exhausting week, a frigid winter's day, or just a stressful time, few things are more comforting than a hearty bowl of stew. I make this beef stew for myself whenever I need a true pick-me-up or when I'm preparing for an in-depth magical working. It provides lasting energy, warmth, and strength.

Plus, this recipe is scalable - make a ton and freeze it to enjoy for weeks or just make a little bit for one meal. The measurements below are approximate; measure with your heart.

Ingredients:

Chuck roast, cut to half-inch cubes (you can get pre-chunked stew meat, which is what I typically get)

Flour, enough to coat the beef

Salt and Pepper (about 1 tsp salt & 1/2 tsp pepper), for seasoning the beef coating

2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter

1 Onion, diced

2 Large Potatoes, peeled and cut into half-inch to one-inch cubes

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into rounds

5-6 Cloves of Garlic, finely diced

4 cups Beef Broth

Herbs of your choice, such as: Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Celery Seed, Bay, Chili Flakes

Additional veggies of your choice, such as: Parsnips, Turnips, Bok Choy

Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions:

Mix together your flour, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss the beef chunks in the mixture to coat. This will create a nice brown crispiness on the outside.

In your stew pot, sauté your flour-coated beef until browned on all sides. Remove from the pot and set aside.

Add more oil to your pot and cook your onion until translucent. If you don't mind soft carrots in your stew, add them now and cook until just starting to soften and brown. (Note: I often leave the carrots until after the potatoes are nearly cooked through because I don't like the texture of fully-cooked carrots.)

Once your onions are translucent and your carrots have started to soften/brown, toss in your butter and scrape the bottom of the pot. You want to get all those beautiful, delicious brown bits back into the mixture. You can add a little water if you need help loosening the bits.

Add your garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Put your beef back into the pot (along with any drippings from the plate/bowl you placed it in). Pour your broth over everything and give it all a good stir.

Toss your potatoes into the pot. Bring it all to a boil and reduce your heat to let it simmer.

Add your herbs and spices. I recommend salt, pepper, sage, thyme, celery seed (or salt), and bay. If you like it spicy, you can throw in a bit of chili powder or flakes.

Simmer for at least one hour or until your potatoes are soft and your beef becomes tender, stirring occasionally.

If your stew isn't thick enough by the time your potatoes are done, you can make a cornstarch slurry by combining one tablespoon of cornstarch with two tablespoons of water. Pour the slurry into the stew and let it cook until thickened to your desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with crusty bread, veggie side dishes, or whatever else you like.

Optional magic you can include:

As mentioned above, I often use this recipe to bolster or replenish my energy before or after an intense magical working. It also works for physical exertions - I made this for a group of my partner's friends while they were moving heavy furniture to a new apartment, and it gave them all the energy to move everything in one night!

This stew has an intense comforting effect. If someone I know has been working hard, stressing out, or hasn't been feeding themselves properly, I'll make this for them to help them remember to take care of themselves. It's rejuvenating, hearty, and full of love.

Depending on the herbs you choose to include, this could also be a powerful protection spell. Especially in the cold months, I use this as a protective ward against the cold exhaustion that pulls at the body and mind.

Pop a bit of chili in this spell to both speed up its effects and cast out negativity! Nothing clears the sinuses like a nose full of spice, and nothing clears the body of bad vibes like a good dose of chili flake.

Like many of my spell recipes, this one is most effective when it's shared. Give a bowl to your friends, your family, your neighbors, whoever. It makes a wonderful offering to house spirits or ancestors.

If you make this recipe, please let me know your thoughts! And if you enjoy this or my other posts, please consider dropping a couple dollars in my Ko-Fi tip jar!

Happy cooking, witches! 🍲

[woeswrites]

Yandere Hannibal Lecter

Warnings: Alluding towards torture, Yandere themes, Obsessive behaviors,

Notes: Hannibal's done! A fic idea I had shortened down into whatever this is lol

Hannibal sure loved his dinner parties

Needless to say the community did too

To satiate the numerous requests for more he'd decided it was time to out-do himself yet again

A gathering to celebrate summer solstice would do

He'd spend a considerable amount of time in preparation

Handwritten invitations

A completely unique menu

And last but certainly not least, the gathering of ingredients

As he finished off the last of the swine he could already see his vision coming together

'The day of' quickly approached

Hours he spent slaving away in the kitchen

Finally he'd be able to enjoy himself and entertain his guests

He'd meticulously picked out his visitors for this event

You were very much not among those he'd selected

His eyes trained against your figure

A simple glance and nothing would have been amiss

But Hannibal was not the average onlooker

One by one he picked up on curiosities about you

Your darting eyes scoping out the place

Your suit, new but definitely not costly enough to fit in with the rest of the crowd

And one last thing, that fancy watch of yours

Hannibal excused himself from the clique who had entrapped him with their formalities

A few quick greetings here and there and he was by your side

"Forgive me, but I cannot seem to remember your name. All the party planning must be clouding my memory."

You were quite surprised at the host's appearance

Its not like you were in a group of people

On the contrary, you were alone, on the outskirts of the room

"No need to ask forgiveness. This is actually our first time meeting. Y/n-- Monroe's plus one. It's nice to meet you."

Hannibal gracefully accepted your handshake

He didn't feel the need to mention that he'd already encountered Monroe and his companion that night

That would ruin the fun

He'd strike up a conversation, all the basics (weather, occupation, etc.)

It was safe to say Hannibal didn't believe the accountant lie

He felt your callouses earlier, those were hands of labor

But, yet again, that was something he kept to himself for the time being

By the time you started looking a little antsy someone was calling for Hannibal

"Hostly duties. I hope to catch you again before the party's over Mr. L/n. Do try some of the horderves, I hear the chef's fantastic."

As soon as you escaped the interaction you were back at it

Scanning the various rooms for anything light enough that was worth taking

Elite parties like this were like taking candy from a baby

It's not like these millionaires would notice a few pieces of jewelry missing anyways

Especially not while they were off getting drunk with their friends

Hey, even if they did

You'd soon be gone without a trace

Or at least you thought so

While everyone else was mingling downstairs you'd managed to worm your way into the master bedroom

Luckily you'd brought a pretty bulky satchel with you

Everything and anything that looked valuable was slipped inside the bag

While questioning whether or not the gold candle holders were worth the space they'd take up you heard something

Footsteps

The function was still thriving downstairs (as evident from all the chatter and music)

Perhaps a random partygoer felt the urge to explorex

You weren't too worried about it before they started sounding closer

And closer

It was evident they were heading your way

It was too late to hide

They were practically already here

You quickly clasped your satchel together again before the man fully stood before you

"Well look at what we have here."

"Hannibal! You're just the man I had wanted to see. I have completely gotten lost. Where's your bathroom?"

Your sheepish smile did nothing to convince the man in front of you

Instead he'd locked the door behind him

"If you're trying to be secretive about your motives, maybe you should be careful about wearing your spoils before you've fully left the scene of the crime."

Hannibal points at the watch on your wrist

You might have been wearing it but it was definitely his

You tried to rectify your actions

You clearly had never been caught before

All of the goods were thrown onto the ground

You backed away, begging him to forgive you for you actions

"You know, I really hate the rude. I don't know what more ill-mannered than stealing."

Hannibal approached slowly, rolling up his sleeves

You tried backing away but couldn't get too far

"I'm sorry-- I'm so so sorry!"

"No you aren't. But you will be."

Just like that you were out

It took a second for you to realize you were awake again, your vision obscured by some sort of cloth

Hannibal would eventually reveal your surroundings

You were in his basement, a sight not many were privy to

It probably had something to do with the meats hanging down there

You had to fight the bile that rose up your throat

Hannibal grabbed you by the chin, forcing you to look at him

"We're gonna shape you into a good boy. No matter how long it takes."

He wheeled a cart over to you, the tools a little too fuzzy for you to make out with how bad your head hurt

"Don't look so scared. A little cooperation and maybe this won't hurt so bad Mylimasis."

He'd break you down over time

There was no other option

[kat-thepoet]

Invisible string

CHAPTER TWO

A/N: Enjoy!

Previous chapter: CHAPTER ONE

Word count: 4300

The sun was starting to set, casting a warm golden hue over the campus as I stared out of my window. The grounds were quieter now, with students scattered around in smaller groups, eating dinner outside or just relaxing. The soft hum of conversation and laughter drifted through the open window. It was peaceful, but I couldn't shake the nerves building up in my stomach.

I had spent most of the afternoon exploring the grounds, trying to familiarize myself with this new place. But as the day wore on, the reality of what lay ahead started to sink in. I was going to be part of this community, part of something so much bigger than anything I had known before.

Just as I was lost in thought, a soft knock on my door snapped me back to the present. I turned, and the door creaked open slightly as Raven peeked inside, a friendly smile on her face.

"Dinner time," she said casually. "Come join us."

I hesitated, smoothing down my clothes nervously. "Uh... are you sure? I don't want to intrude."

Raven stepped into the room, her expression reassuring. "You're part of the team now. No intruding, I promise. Plus, the others are curious to meet you. Well, most of them."

The mention of "most of them" made me think of Erik. My stomach tightened again, but I gave Raven a small nod. "Alright, I'll be there."

She flashed me a smile and gestured for me to follow her. As we walked down the long hallway, Raven chatted easily, telling me a little more about the daily routines here. Her calm energy helped settle some of my nerves, but the thought of sitting down at a table with people I barely knew—especially one particular person—kept me on edge.

We made our way through the school and finally entered a large dining area. The room was bright and inviting, with a long table at the center where the X-Men sat, while students ate outside or in smaller groups around the campus. The sound of clinking dishes and light chatter filled the air.

As soon as we walked in, several pairs of eyes turned in our direction. I tried to resist the instinct to shrink back, instead forcing myself to smile politely.

"Flora!" Scott called out, waving me over to a seat near him and red head. "There you are. How was your first day?"

I smiled as I sat down across from him, feeling a little more at ease. "It's been... a lot. Still trying to take everything in."

"You did great today," Storm said with a smile from beside Scott. "It takes time to adjust, but I think you're settling in just fine."

"Yeah," Scott agreed, grinning. "You should've seen how lost I was on my first day here. And I practically grew up in this place."

I chuckled, feeling some of the tension in my chest loosen. "That makes me feel a little better."

The red hair girl next to him smiled warmly at me. "Hi, I'm Jean."

I looked at her and smiled politely, " Hi Jean, it's nice to meet you." 

She smiled back and said, "Don't worry, you'll find your rhythm soon enough, Flora. And we're all here to help you along the way."

It felt nice that they were so supportive. A thank you fell from my lips and I started to fill my plate with a delicious smelling pasta.

I noticed the others at the table—Charles, sitting at the head, offering me an encouraging nod; Hank, across from me, looking a little shy but friendly nonetheless. He gave me a small smile, and I returned it, feeling a bit more at ease.

The conversation around the table was easy, everyone catching up on their day. Jean and Scott chatted about the students' progress, while Hank quietly listened, occasionally chiming in about his latest research. Raven sat next to me, keeping the conversation light, helping me feel like I was slowly becoming part of the group.

But despite the warm welcome from everyone else, I couldn't ignore Erik's presence further down the table. His posture was tense, and he was focused on his plate, barely acknowledging anyone. Every now and then, I would catch his gaze flickering toward me, only for him to quickly look away, disinterest painted on his face.

I swallowed, trying not to let his cold demeanor get under my skin, but it was hard. As welcoming as the others were, Erik's attitude felt like a thorn in my side. He hadn't even said a word to me, yet somehow, I felt judged.

"Don't mind him," Storm said softly, leaning toward me. "He's always been a bit... intense. But he'll come around eventually."

"Yeah, give it time," Scott added with a reassuring nod. "He's not easy to get along with, but once he warms up to you, he's not so bad."

I nodded, though I wasn't entirely convinced. "I'll just... stay out of his way for now."

"Smart move," Raven said with a playful grin as she nudged me. "He'll thaw out. Maybe."

The others laughed lightly, but I couldn't shake the lingering tension between me and Erik. I kept my focus on the conversation around me, smiling and nodding as Jean shared a story about one of the students' powers acting up earlier. The lighthearted chatter helped distract me, but every now and then, I felt Erik's gaze shift in my direction, as if he were sizing me up from a distance.

Whatever his problem was, I wasn't going to let it get in the way of finding my place here. I had enough to worry about without adding him to the list.

Dinner carried on, and I found myself growing more comfortable with each passing minute, despite Erik's presence at the table. Jean, Scott, and Storm kept the conversation light and easy, sharing stories about their experiences at the school, the challenges they faced, and the funny moments with the students. Even Hank chimed in occasionally, his shyness easing as the conversation flowed.

I hadn't realized how much I had been smiling until Raven leaned over with a playful grin. "See? Not so bad, right?"

I smiled back, nodding. "You were right. It's... nice to feel like I'm already part of the group."

"And you are," Jean added, her warm tone as soothing as ever. "We're glad to have you here."

Charles, who had been quietly observing the table, finally spoke, his voice calm and thoughtful. "Flora, I want to emphasize again that your abilities will be a great asset here. Both in the classroom and beyond."

I swallowed, the attention shifting back to me. "Thank you, Professor. I'm still... adjusting to the idea, but I'll do my best."

Charles smiled knowingly. "That's all anyone can ask."

As the conversation began to turn back to other matters, I allowed myself to relax a bit more. Everyone was being kind, making sure I didn't feel like an outsider. Well, almost everyone. Erik hadn't said a word the entire time, and despite the growing ease I felt with the others, his silence hung over me like a cloud.

Just when I thought the meal was coming to a close, Erik's voice cut through the chatter, sharp and direct.

"And what exactly do you plan to do here, Flora?"

The table fell quiet. All eyes turned toward Erik, whose gaze was now fixed on me. His tone wasn't kind, and I could feel the tension rising again.

I hesitated, unsure how to respond. "I... I'll be teaching, just like the others."

His lips curled slightly, but it wasn't a smile. "Teaching, right. And what experience do you have with that?"

I felt the flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. He probably knew I didn't have much life experience outside of the orphanage, and he was using that to his advantage. Before I could reply, Raven jumped in.

"She's plenty qualified, Erik," Raven said, her tone sharp with irritation. "Charles wouldn't have brought her here if he didn't believe she could handle it."

Erik's gaze didn't waver from me. "Is that so?" His tone was still cold, disbelieving. "Teaching a few kids is one thing, but becoming an X-Man? That's something I know you won't be able to handle."

I clenched my jaw, feeling my frustration rise. "You don't even know anything about me," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "But I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I could contribute."

Erik's eyes narrowed slightly, but before he could say anything else, Charles spoke, his voice firm but calm. "Flora is here because she has something unique to offer, Erik. Just as all of you did when you first arrived."

Erik's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond. He simply pushed back his chair and stood up, casting one last glance in my direction before turning away from the table.

"Enjoy your dinner," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, before he walked out of the room, leaving a heavy silence in his wake.

I stared after him, my heart pounding in my chest. The tension that had been simmering all evening finally boiled over, and I wasn't sure how to feel—angry, embarrassed, or just... exhausted.

Storm reached over, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "Don't let him get to you. He's like that with everyone at first."

"Yeah," Scott added with a sigh. "You just happened to catch him on a particularly bad day."

I forced a small smile, though I still felt rattled. "It's fine. I'll just... avoid him."

Jean shook her head, her voice soft. "He'll come around, Flora. It just takes time."

Raven, on the other hand, wasn't so forgiving. "Or he could try not being a complete ass for once. But that's Erik for you." 

The others chuckled lightly, but I couldn't shake the heavy feeling in my chest. I didn't want to cause friction, but it seemed like Erik had already made up his mind about me—and I had no idea how to change it. 

After dinner, the weight of the evening still lingered with me, but I tried to shake it off as everyone began to disperse. Just as I was about to head back to my room, Charles caught my attention from across the room.

"Flora, may I have a word before you retire for the night?" he asked, his voice gentle but direct.

I nodded, giving a quick smile to the others as they left before walking over to where Charles sat, still at the head of the table. The soft glow of the lights in the dining room felt warm, but I could still feel the tension from my interaction with Erik buzzing under my skin.

Charles motioned to a chair beside him. "Please, sit."

I sat down, trying to push aside the frustration and focus on what Charles might need to talk about.

"I know tonight didn't go quite as smoothly as we'd hoped," Charles began, his calm tone easing some of the tension I felt. "But I don't want you to be discouraged. You handled yourself well."

I smiled faintly. "Thank you, Professor. It's just... I didn't expect things to be so tense so quickly."

Charles nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Erik can be... difficult. His past experiences have shaped him in ways that make it hard for him to trust new people, especially those who haven't yet proven themselves. But don't worry. He will come around."

I nodded, though a part of me wasn't entirely convinced. "I'll do my best not to let it get to me."

Charles smiled softly, as if he understood exactly what I was feeling. "Good. You'll have plenty of opportunities to prove yourself. In fact, tomorrow, we'll sit down and talk about the course you'll be teaching. I want you to start thinking about how you'd like to approach your lessons."

I blinked, suddenly feeling the weight of that responsibility. "Right, the course. Do you have any guidelines for what I'll be teaching?"

"We'll go over the details tomorrow," Charles said reassuringly. "Like I said at the orphanage, the students you'll be teaching are between the ages of five and ten. They need guidance and teaching, of course, but they also need compassion, patience, and love. I know you have plenty to offer."

I felt a mix of excitement and nervousness rising in my chest. "I'll start thinking about it tonight. It sounds... amazing, honestly."

Charles smiled warmly. "I'm glad to hear that. I think you'll find teaching here to be incredibly rewarding."

He paused for a moment, as if considering his next words carefully. "To help you get comfortable with the teaching environment here, I'd like you to shadow Jean tomorrow. She has a class in the morning, and it will give you a chance to observe how we work with the students."

I nodded, grateful for the guidance. "I think that'll really help."

"Jean is an excellent teacher," Charles said with confidence. "You'll learn a lot from her."

A soft silence fell between us for a moment before Charles added, "Flora, you belong here. Remember that, no matter how challenging things may seem at first."

I gave him a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Professor. I'll do my best."

He nodded, his expression warm and encouraging. "I have no doubt that you will. Now, get some rest. Tomorrow will be a full day."

I stood, feeling a little lighter despite the long evening. "Goodnight, Charles."

"Goodnight, Flora," Charles replied, his calm voice following me as I made my way out of the dining room.

The next morning came quicker than I expected. Sunlight streamed through the curtains as I woke up, the soft sounds of birds chirping outside my window. Despite the peaceful morning, my mind buzzed with thoughts about the day ahead. Today was my first real step into this new life, and I wasn't sure if I was more nervous or excited.

After getting dressed, I took a deep breath, reminding myself of Charles's reassuring words the night before. He believed in me, and I had to believe in myself, too.

A soft knock on the door startled me out of my thoughts. I opened it to find Jean standing there, looking as calm and composed as always.

"Good morning," she greeted with a warm smile. "Ready for your first day?"

I nodded, smiling back. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Don't worry," she said with a soft chuckle. "You'll do great. Today, you'll just get a chance to observe. It's pretty informal, so no pressure."

I let out a breath I didn't realize I'd been holding. "That helps. I was worried it might be too structured."

Jean gestured for me to follow her as we made our way through the halls of the school. "It's structured in some ways, but every class is different. It depends on the students' abilities and their needs. We try to make sure the environment is encouraging and flexible. You'll see soon enough."

We stepped outside into the crisp morning air, heading toward one of the classrooms at the edge of the campus. As we walked, I couldn't help but glance around, taking in the beauty of the place—the way the trees swayed gently in the breeze, the way the sunlight danced through the branches. It felt alive, like the entire school was in harmony with nature.

When we entered the classroom, several students were already seated, waiting eagerly for Jean to start. Their ages varied, but they all had that same look in their eyes—the curiosity and excitement that came with discovering new things about themselves and their abilities.

Jean turned to me and whispered, "Just sit in the back for now, watch how they engage, and observe how I handle the class."

I nodded and took a seat at the back, grateful for the chance to watch her in action.

Jean started the lesson by introducing the day's topic: learning how to control their powers in real-world situations. The students were attentive, asking questions and participating eagerly. I could see why Jean was such a good teacher—she had a way of making everything feel accessible and engaging. She didn't just teach them; she guided them, encouraging their strengths while helping them overcome their weaknesses.

As the lesson continued, I felt a sense of awe. These kids were so much like me when I was younger—full of potential but unsure of how to harness it. Watching them learn made me realize how important this role could be, not just for them, but for me, too.

About halfway through the class, Jean called on a student named Mia, a young girl with short, curly hair and wide, expressive eyes. Mia stood nervously at the front of the class, her hands fidgeting.

"Okay, Mia," Jean said gently. "Show us how you've been working on your power. Remember what we practiced."

Mia nodded, taking a deep breath. A moment later, her hands began to glow faintly, and with a soft flick of her wrist, she summoned a small gust of wind, causing the papers on the desk to flutter.

The class clapped lightly, and I smiled, impressed by the control Mia had over her abilities.

Jean smiled warmly at her. "Very good, Mia. You've made great progress."

I watched in admiration as Jean continued the lesson, guiding the students with patience and encouragement. It was inspiring, seeing how much she cared for each one of them, and it made me eager to step into my own role as a teacher here.

As the class wrapped up, Jean turned to the students. "That's all for today. Keep practicing, and remember, don't be afraid to make mistakes. That's how you learn."

The students gathered their things, chatting among themselves as they filed out of the classroom. As soon as they were gone, Jean walked over to me, her smile still in place.

"So, what did you think?" she asked, her tone light and friendly.

I stood up, feeling a little more confident. "It was amazing. You make it look so easy."

Jean laughed softly. "It's not as easy as it seems, but you'll get the hang of it. You already have the most important part down."

"What's that?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Compassion," she replied. "The kids can feel when you care. That's what makes them trust you."

I smiled, feeling that same warmth spread through me. "Thanks, Jean. I'm excited to get started."

She nodded, her eyes twinkling. "And you will."

I thanked her for the opportunity to shadow her today. As I stepped outside, I felt lighter—more at ease. Maybe I was finding my place here after all.

The morning air was refreshing, and I decided to take a walk. I wandered around the campus, watching students train or work on their powers. There was a sense of community here, a place where everyone belonged, even with their differences.

As I walked through the grounds, feeling more at ease after observing Jean's class, I almost didn't notice the figure leaning against a nearby tree until I was right in front of him.

Erik.

My breath caught, and for a moment, I considered turning around and heading in the opposite direction. He was standing there, arms crossed, watching the students train from a distance, his expression unreadable but distinctly cold.

I hesitated, unsure of whether I should approach him or just keep walking. After last night's dinner, the last thing I wanted was another tense encounter with him.

Just as I was about to slip away quietly, Erik's voice cut through the stillness.

"Running away already?"

I froze, my heart pounding in my chest. "I wasn't running away," I managed, trying to keep my voice steady.

Erik didn't even look at me, his eyes still fixed on the students ahead. "Could've fooled me."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to stand my ground. "I'm just giving you space. That's what you seem to want."

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze still trained on the students. "Smart."

The silence between us felt heavy, every second more uncomfortable than the last. Erik didn't seem interested in talking, and I didn't know how to break the awkwardness. I remembered what Storm and Raven had said—how Erik would eventually warm up, how he just needed time. But standing here now, with him clearly uninterested in anything I had to say, I couldn't help but wonder if they were wrong.

I shifted awkwardly, unsure of whether to leave or say something. "Look," I began hesitantly, "I know you don't like me. But I'm not here to cause problems. I'm just trying to find my place, like everyone else."

For a moment, it seemed like Erik wasn't even going to acknowledge me. He stayed silent, his face hard, and I could feel the tension building again, just like at dinner.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and dismissive. "If you think this is about finding your place, you don't belong here at all."

His words stung, sharp and cutting. I opened my mouth to respond, to defend myself, but nothing came out. I felt small, like I had no right to be here, standing in front of him.

Erik gave me one last, cold glance before turning and walking away without another word, leaving me standing there, the weight of his rejection sinking deep into my chest.

I watched him go, my mind racing with questions. Everyone kept telling me that Erik would warm up, that he was just closed off and difficult at first, but standing there, all I felt was doubt. Would he ever come around? Or had they all been wrong?

As I continued walking, trying to shake off the icy encounter, Erik's harsh words echoed in my mind. I didn't understand him. I didn't understand why he disliked me so much, and no matter what the others said, it seemed like nothing I did was going to change his mind.

Frustration gnawed at me. Storm, Raven, Scott—they all seemed convinced that Erik just needed time, but how much time was I supposed to give him? How long could I keep waiting for him to "warm up" when every interaction with him left me feeling like I didn't belong here?

After my encounter with Erik, I made my way back inside, trying to shake off the lingering tension. I reminded myself that I had more important things to focus on—like the students and the course I'd be teaching. As soon as I stepped through the door, I saw Charles waiting for me near the entrance, his usual calm expression in place.

"Flora," he greeted warmly. "Shall we take a walk? I thought it might be a good time to show you your classroom."

I nodded, grateful for the distraction. "That sounds great."

As we walked through the quiet hallways, the energy from outside seemed to melt away, leaving behind only the soft echo of my footsteps and his wheels. Charles guided me toward a part of the building I hadn't yet explored. The air smelled of books and fresh wood, making it feel like stepping into a different world.

"I'm sure you're still settling in," Charles began, his voice gentle. "But I wanted to talk to you about the course you'll be teaching. I believe it's important for you to shape it in a way that feels natural to you."

We turned a corner, and I noticed the doors to classrooms, each marked with the names of various subjects and instructors. Charles paused in front of a door that stood slightly ajar, his hand resting on the frame as he gestured for me to step inside.

I walked in, taking in the room. It was cozy, with large windows that let in plenty of light, and shelves lined with books, supplies, and materials for teaching. Desks were arranged in small clusters, and I could already imagine the younger students filling the space.

"This will be your classroom," Charles said, following me inside. "I wanted you to have a comfortable, flexible space where you can tailor your lessons to the students' needs."

I smiled, feeling a rush of excitement. "It's perfect."

Charles nodded, rolling further into the room. "As for the course itself, I'll provide you with a general template on how to structure your lessons, but the content will be entirely up to you. You can teach anything you choose since the older kids are already taking their core subjects. Think of this as an elective, where students can come in without feeling the pressure of being demanded something."

A warmth spread through me at his words. This was exactly what I wanted—a chance to connect with the students and help them find their way, just as I had with the kids back at the orphanage.

He handed me a small folder containing the basics on how to organize the class—suggested schedules, learning outcomes, and other useful guidelines. I glanced through it, already imagining how I might introduce the students to concepts I knew best.

"I think I can handle that," I said, my voice more confident than I expected.

"I have no doubt that you will," Charles replied, his expression kind. "You'll start small, of course, easing them into the lessons. You have the freedom to design your course around your strengths, and I'll be here to offer guidance whenever you need it."

I nodded, already picturing how I might structure the lessons—introducing the students to animals, explaining how the natural world could help them understand their powers, and encouraging them to connect with the environment around them.

Charles continued, "Tomorrow, your first class starts in the morning and ill be here to officially introduce you to the students, and you'll begin with a brief lesson. Nothing too overwhelming—just a way for them to get to know you and for you to see how they respond."

"That sounds perfect," I said, excitement bubbling beneath the surface. "I'm looking forward to it."

Charles gave me a final encouraging nod before making his way to the door. "I'll leave you to familiarize yourself with the space. Take your time, and remember, this is your classroom. Make it your own."

As he left, I looked around the room again, a sense of purpose filling me. This was my chance to create something meaningful for these students, to help them in ways I hadn't imagined before.

And as much as Erik's words still echoed in my mind, I pushed them aside. This was about the students, about the chance to help them grow. I was ready.

TAG LIST: @maximumchilddreamland @mostlymarvelgirl

Chapter: THREE

[maniculum]

Bestiaryposting Results -- Gligglae

Sorry this is later than usual; traveling for the holidays makes it difficult to keep up with this sort of thing. The smart move would have been to write it up a couple days ahead of time, then on Monday just update it with anything new that had been posted since, but see, what happened was that I did not do that. Instead, I tried to type this up Monday evening in between various family obligations, realized I didn't have time to do it properly, and just shoved it in my drafts. Then all of Tuesday was taken up with the long drive back home from where my family lives, and now you're getting it on Wednesday.

(Also, don't worry, I followed all CDC guidelines appropriate for someone who had recently had covid, and wouldn't have traveled for the holidays at all if I hadn't been without a fever for 48 hours prior to departing. Plus I drove instead of flying, didn't visit anyone but immediate family, and had a mask the whole time, so even if I am still contagious somehow, exposure was pretty minimal.)

Anyway, the entry that our artists are working from is here:

And, of course, all previous material on this matter can be found at https://maniculum.tumblr.com/bestiaryposting.

I think a larger number of people than usual identified the animal in question right off the proverbial bat, because this one has some pretty blatant tells, but as always I appreciate everyone trying to put it out of their minds.

So, anyway, in rough chronological order:

@coolest-capybara (link to post here) (thank you for providing your own alt text, I really appreciate it) brings us her usual impeccably medieval-stylized rendition -- the swirls and curves in this one give it a really interesting vibe, I think. We can see the Gligglae in full-body profile on the left there, and a group of them doing their cluster behavior on the right. The, like, griffin/cockatrice/vampire look is pretty great, also. I enjoy the overall design, which you can find some discussion of in the linked post. Gold foil also a nice touch.

Coolest-capybara also notes that the entry is very interested in the ways in which the creature is "almost, but not quite, entirely unlike a bird," and I can explain why that is. It is because this entry is in the Bird section of the bestiary, so officially this is a bird -- I mean, it flies, what else can it be -- but it's sufficiently un-bird-like that it really sticks out to the authors, so they need to explain the ways in which it's Doing Bird Wrong. Everything else in this section does X, so we need to point out that this one does Y, kind of thing.

@silverhart-makes-art (link to post here) has drawn an absolutely adorable little Gligglae. (Adorable if you have my sense of aesthetics, that is -- I suspect if you're among the portion of the population that finds aye-ayes more creepy-looking than cute, that might apply here as well.) There's an explanation of design decisions in the linked post, including a number of references to real animals that provided inspiration. I like the decision to play up the "lowly" and "mean" part of the description by making it small and kind of scruffy. And the general concept of blending "gliding rodent" with "nocturnal primate" to make an arboreal mammal with elements of both really worked out well here, in my opinion.

@aethereaii (link to post here) has done this beautiful piece in a style that kind of gives "19th-century naturalist" vibes. (Actually, it makes me think of James Gurney, but I suspect that association says more about my childhood reading habits than anything else.) This is a great design in my opinion, and you can find some brief discussion on design decisions as well as an earlier version of the Gligglae in the linked post. The earlier design is also very good, but I agree with Aethereaii that this one is a step up, particularly with the Anomalocaris-inspired faux-wings. I also really like the inclusion of the juvenile Gligglae (Gligglings?) clinging to their parent's back in the corner there.

@karthara (link to post here) decided to go in a reptilian direction with this one, which (a) works well and (b) caused me to spend a chunk of time reading about flying snakes on Wikipedia just now. So in this version, the "rowing motion with its skin" is a description of the Gligglae flaring its ribs and undulating through the air -- which I genuinely think really makes sense. The entry seems to legitimately disagree with itself about whether this critter has wings (or, taking it entirely literally, it has wings but flies through a completely separate method that specifically does not involve said wings, which I think we're justified in deciding is Wrong), so I think going with such a non-wing-like flight method works here. Also like the concept of making these very cuddly (and apparently loving, according to our bestiary author) creatures into a type of animal that usually isn't seen that way. The linked post also contains some brief notes on design decisions.

@strixcattus (link to post here) has, as per usual, provided a really excellent modern-naturalistic description of the creature they've designed in the linked post, and you should definitely go check it out right now. I'll wait.

... back? Okay good. I particularly like their interpretation of the "grape-cluster" behavior as a social group that's specifically not a kin group; and also the fact that said group is officially referred to as a "cuddle". The choice to make it a whole genus and show us several different wild and domesticated species, also very good, love it. As with several of these drawings, Strixcattus's Gligglae (Gligglaes?) are extremely cute -- which, really, does also fit the description provided in the entry. They're like tadpoles crossed with sugar gliders.

@cheapsweets (link to post here) credits Ken Sugimori's Pokemon illustrations as a stylistic inspiration, which I suppose explains why the Gligglae cluster seems to be hanging from a Sudowoodo. The linked post also draws certain parallels between medieval bestiaries and the Pokedex, which I think is actually pretty insightful. There's also a breakdown of their design decisions there, go read it. I think this is a pretty good rendering of something that is like a flying squirrel but distinctly not a flying squirrel, and I like the shaggy look of the fur.

Also, thank you for providing your own alt text.

@pomrania (link to post here) is, I think, the only person to take the bestiary author at their word that this animal has wings but flies through some other, non-wing-related method. You can see the tiny useless wings at the shoulder there. I really think that's fascinating as a concept: what evolutionary pressures would produce an animal that (a) has wings and (b) flies but (c) those two things are unrelated? Although this many appendages on a fur-bearing creature puts us firmly in the "alien biology" territory, so maybe it's silly to expect it to make sense by the standards of terrestrial biology. Regardless, I like it, and I think the decision to run with the "rowing" description by giving it those oar-shaped appendages is a good & creative one. The post linked above contains a fair bit of information on design decisions and the drawing process here -- there are sketches and everything.

@vindikat (link to post here) has interpreted this in a way I find really charming. The art is of course excellent, very well drawn, and I appreciate the effort that went into doing these different poses. However, I really like it from a worldbuilding perspective: this gives me the impression of a small species of griffin that's adapted to urban living, more pigeon/cat than eagle/lion. (Come to think, both pigeons and cats are examples of feral populations finding a successful niche, rather than wild ones that adapt to a city, so maybe we can speculate that these guys are also descended from domestic ancestors.) Also the Gligglae under the eaves there remind me of pictures of chimney swifts that have made the rounds on Tumblr.

The design is also generally very appealing; I think the extra wings and the long tail really work here. The linked post includes an explanation of the design decisions that I think is worth taking a look at.

@moustawott (link to post here) has given us another very cuddly version of the Gligglae. I particularly like the wing design here, how it's kind of a mammalian version of a pterosaur -- Moustawott indicates that they were specifically trying not to draw the animal that they're sure this is, and I think the pterosaur-squirrel design here is a great way to make something that could fill kind of the same niche while being an unmistakably distinct creature. The little round head and eye markings remind me of a chipmunk, also, which is cute.

@rautavaara (link to post here) continues to do interesting stylistic stuff with their contributions. I like how the limited color palette here makes this look kind of like a single-block woodcut or similar relief printing. Like, you could plausibly see this as a design someone's carved into a wood block, then printed on mustard-yellow paper with purple ink. (I'm actually not 100% sure that's not what it is; I would just be surprised if someone actually went the extra mile of breaking out the engraving tools for my little bestiaryposting thing.) Very dynamic scene, also, and a charming creature design; love the huge mouths with pointy little fangs.

All right, these are all the ones that come up on the search; if I missed yours, let me know please.

(I have to apologize here for another delay that's absolutely my fault -- I would have had this out a few hours ago, but I got derailed by impulsively deciding to check out that Hbomberguy plagiarism video everyone's talking out, and... yeah.)

Anyway, as a number of this week's artists indicated, this one was really easy to guess, so the reveal seems a little pointless, but we have a format, so:

Obviously, this was the sheep.

What? Look, you can't make assumptions with these things. Some of these medieval bestiary entries are really counterintuitive. Medieval Europeans believed there was a species of small, highly-social, flying nocturnal sheep native to Ethiopia.

Really, it's in Pliny the Elder.

...

Yes, fine, I'm just lying to you for fun. It's the animal you all think it is, there are no flying sheep to my knowledge. Here's the Aberdeen Bestiary illustration.

Yep, it's the bat. Oddly human face on that one, and generally I don't think this was drawn from life, but it's definitely a bat.

I do kind of find the way it's described in this entry kind of interesting, though. The confusion about whether bats count as having wings (even after having been placed in the "bird" category) is kind of odd, and the "rowing" description is not one I would have ever thought of. I very much like the declaration that the way bats huddle together is "an act of love of a sort which is difficult to find among men"; it's a sweet way to talk about a creature with a generally negative reputation, which contrasts interestingly with the fact that the author also thinks of them as "lowly" and "mean". You kind of get the idea of a creature that's a bit wretched but in a sympathetic way. "Scrungly", one might say.

[luxheroica]

I wrote Wyll/Karlach, inspired by this art. I have been shipping them hard for months and knew I needed to contribute to the ship in some way. Also on AO3.

Tonight the camp is drunk on success and copious amounts of wine. There is still hardship and danger on the road ahead, not least for those who still bear the tadpoles in their heads. For tonight the goblins are gone and the druids ritual halted, the wine is sweet and the fire bright and that is enough to banish thoughts of darkness ahead. 

The bard Alfira has struck up a string of country dances on her lute, the kind of songs played at festivals and weddings for all to join. Wyll, in good humor and more than incidentally tipsy, joins the first one– a circle dance that has him linking arms with Lia on his left and Zorru on his right as they careen faster and faster around the roaring bonfire. 

There is something liberatory about dancing among the tieflings. None of them stare at his horns (still heavy on his head) or his strange eyes, instead taking them in stride. 

Wyll is the only one among the group that he has privately begun to think of as ‘companions’ to join the dance. Tav snuck off some time ago to find a private tent with Gale. Astarion is skulking around somewhere with a bottle of wine. Lae’zel scorned the idea of any revelry and has gone to bed, and Shadowheart in rare sympatico with the gith has also retired early. 

He is surprised not to see Karlach among the party– until he turns and sees her at the edge of the firelight, drinking out of a flask and watching the dancing, her feet tapping along with the music. 

The song comes to an end with a repetition that is so fast it nearly has all of them tripping over their own feet. Wyll has to catch his breath when at last the lute sings out its last note, and the gathered tieflings break out in applause. 

He excuses himself from the fireside and finds Karlach, who tips her drink at him and nods when he approaches. 

“You don’t wish to join the dancing?”

“Oh, ah,” Karlach shifts on her feet. She’s always in motion, he’s noticed, whether she’s fidgeting or pacing around the camp. “I don’t really feel like setting anybody on fire tonight. Plus I don’t know any of the dances.” As if sensing she’s brought the mood down she grins at Wyll. “You looked like you were having fun though.” 

“It was quite fun,” Wyll says, eyeing Karlach, who is watching the firelight circle with half an eye. “Most of these dances don’t have complicated steps– they’re easy to learn, if you follow what everyone else is doing you’re more than halfway there.” 

“Doesn’t solve the problem of me turning that whole line dance into kindling.” 

She’s keeping her tone light, joking and grinning, like she doesn’t really care that she can’t ever touch anyone without harming them. 

Wyll follows her lead in this. “I’ve got a nice sturdy pair of leather gloves,” he cajoles, pushing her just a little. “And Mizora’s present should make me at least a little resistant to infernal fire.” 

Karlach grins again, softening a little this time. “Don’t worry about me, soldier– I’m all left feet, you get me out there I’ll just careen into everything. Get out there and enjoy yourself.” 

Wyll doesn’t believe that– well, he does believe the part about her careening, she seems like the type to careen– but he doesn’t believe that she truly wants him to leave her to go enjoy dancing. Karlach puts up a good front, but were he in her shoes he would want nothing more than the simple things that had been so long denied him. 

He fishes in his pouch and draws out his pair of sturdy leather gloves which he slides over his hands, like a courtier drawing on his silk gloves so that he might offer a hand to a lady, then bends at the waist in his very best courtly bow. That it is a little out of practice he thinks she will forgive, especially when an irrepressible laugh burbles up out of her. 

Wyll winks, and Karlach laughs again. 

“Well, my lady?” Wyll asks. “May I have this dance.” 

She’s grinning truthfully now, as she takes his hand. There’s a bit of heat, like he might feel pulling a pan from the oven, but it’s shielded by the leather. “You may,” Karlach says, a laugh still at the back of her throat. 

Wyll pulls her towards the firelight. Careful to give her enough space that any careening won’t be a danger, but still within the flickering orange glow of it. A few of the tieflings look at them and grin when they join. There’s a new tune starting up– he knows this one, a sprightly hop meant to be danced with a single partner. 

“This one isn’t complicated, just follow my steps,” Wyll murmurs to Karlach as he begins twirling her around the fire. At first she is clumsy, all left feet as she said, but after a few turns she starts to anticipate the little skip-hop on the third beat. Wyll smiles. “There, you’re getting it.” 

Karlach shakes her head, still grinning. “You’re playing with fire, you know that right?” 

Wyll meets her eyes. Grins right back. “Wouldn’t be the first time.” He sends her out in a spin, and her laugh echoes all the way to the sky above. 

They whirl around the bonfire, until the flames become embers and the music slows and they all at last stumble off drunk and sleepy to bed. Wyll’s thick leather gloves are covered in scorch marks, but he considers it worth the sacrifice to see Karlach’s soft smile when at last the dancing finishes for the night. 

There will be danger on the morrow, but for tonight his heart is warm. 

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

In the best of the world, says hypothetically Jimin and Jungkook are not BTS members anymore, and you had an input in whatever they do next what are your top 3 choices we can go to top 5. Like what would you want for them to do in their life overall not only focusing on the career.

Jimin

1) continue his contemporary dances classes

2)collab with taemin/kai(honestly my biggest fantasy)

3) Let go for once and says everything he has ever thought without cesuring curse every single person and calling out like go off for 24hours(silly)

Jk

1) write more songs like your eyes tell

2) enjoy his life like a 20 something that he is

3) Go back to dancing like he wanted to do in the first place.

4) sing with Baekhyun

And for kukumimi(me being delusional)

1) travel the world together they’ll enjoy it so much(blowjobs brother for life)

2) An album together

3) a 3h dance video or more

Ooh, this is nice. So I should come up with my options now, right?

First, for kukumimi:

1) Open their own label where they have full control over all aspects of their career, which means they can take all the risks they want and on their own time, without anyone else's agenda.

2) A joint youtube account where they post whatever parts of their life they want to share to an audience.

3) I'm stealing this from you, but an album together. Along with photoshoots, interviews, the entire package. Plus a tour.

4) Buy a beach house for when they need to take a break and for retirement at old age.

5) Just live their life however they see fit and for them to get the opportunity from time to time to just be two guys and not idols 24/7.

Jimin

1) Continue with his music career as he started it with the solo albums & more cunty photoshoots a la Tailor of Chaos.

2) Since in my fantasy they both have complete control over their work with no additional group duties, Jimin could really focus on the dancing aspect.

3) Become a more regular presence at fashion events (you can tell how two Dior events were not enough for me).

Jungkook

1) Write, produce and sing whatever he wants and when he wants to. If he needs a two-year break, then two years should be, no outside pressure.

2) Open that restaurant/barbecue place he once mentioned.

3) Explore whatever hobby he wants/maybe go back to videography

[danikamariewrites]

Okay sweet!

I cannot get the idea of Elain with a "Scary Guard Dog" Girlfriend out of my head 😂 like an assassin or something (totally inspired by the tik toks)

I've just really been in an Elain mood lately

Scary Girlfriend Privileges

Elain x reader

A/n: I love Elain with scary guard dog gf that has heart eyes for her! I loved writing this and I love writing for Elain I wish more ppl apreciated her

Warnings:

You were one of Azriel’s spies but after an injury that took you far too long to recover from you decided to retire

But retirement didn’t sit well with you

You asked Rhys if there was literally anything else you could do a group you could join to serve the court with

That’s when he introduced you to Nesta who immediately took you in as a Valkyrie

You liked this group of females. They made you stronger and better

Plus it was nice to have friends that you could be close with

You had met most of the IC in the two months since you became a Valkyrie but you had yet to be introduced to the 2nd Archeron sister

You had seen her garden and heard the way everyone talked about her with love and kindness which made you very curious about her

Sitting in the kitchen of the House of Wind with Nesta, Gwyn, and Em you enjoy tea and gossip

You’ve loosened up since leaving the spy days behind. Learning not to be so serious all the time has been nice

Voices floated into the room from down the hall. One was Rhys but you couldn’t place the other female’s voice, Feyre maybe?

When the new guests came into view everything metered away and Elain seemed to glow brightest, like she was meant to be the center of attention

You froze staring at her with wide heart eyes

You were so distracted that when Rhys introduced her to you, you didn’t even hear anything

You just held your hand out and smiled like an idiot as her soft palm embraced yours

Gwyn and Em teased you endlessly about your crush on Elain

When you finally decided to do something about it it was months later

The two of you started hanging out casually just getting to know each other

One night Elain made the first move. She quickly leaned over on the couch and kissed you

When she drew back her face was nervous and unsure. You leaned forward, faces inches apart, whispering, “Can we do that again?”

You spent the rest of the night making out and even cuddled in her bed

Now you’ve been dating for well over a year and it’s hilarious to see you two next to each other

While she wears her pretty pink dresses (which you adore) you wear all black or other dark colors

Elain likes to take you shopping to see if you’ll get out of your comfort zone and you indulge her

She does like when you wear all black when you’re out and about. She’s noticed the oddest thing, people usually give you a wide berth on the street and in stores

Elain has watched males who seem to want to approach her think twice after spotting you and your unforgiving stare and run away

Even on the rare night out she only dances with friends. Strangers used to come up to her all the time which is why she avoided clubs

Elain loves that you’re like her guard dog

You’re mean to others but are a sweetheart to her

Never in a million years would she tell you to stop either

She’s never felt safer than with you. It’s like a new found freedom

[ceruleanwhore]

We've gotta talk about The Last Mabelcorn

I’ve seen people critique some aspects of Gravity Falls, primarily stuff pertaining to sexuality and gender plus the occasional line or scene that didn’t age well, but I still have yet to see anyone actually talk about everything wrong with The Last Mabelcorn. I find that especially surprising given all the criticism I’ve seen (and written) about Mabel herself as a character but, for some reason, the same people who have criticized her for disrespecting boundaries and being selfish/entitled don’t then also talk about those problems in this episode. Well, if no one else is gonna talk about it, then I am.

First off, I think we need to start by talking about the weird ethical shit around sentient, intelligent fantasy creatures. The problem with creatures like the unicorns in Gravity Falls is that they definitely can think and talk and have emotions like people, but we and the characters in universe aren’t meant to view them as people. Celestabellebethabelle is supposed to be a really special animal who also is the source of an important ingredient for Ford’s science shit so, even though she’s intelligent, we are not supposed to view her as having personhood, similar to the gnomes. All the characters in this episode obviously have this view as well and I strongly believe that the girls would’ve reacted differently to the same situation if, instead of a unicorn, Celestabellebethabelle were a human. Even when Pacifica was at her worst, Mabel and her friends never literally beat her up like they did to the unicorn in this episode.

Now, getting into the actual episode, I invite you to join me in a little thought exercise. Imagine you are enjoying a nice day off, rotting in bed or baking a cake or whatever you do with such time, and a group of random strangers just up and walk into your house and ask you for some of your hair. Even if they’re really polite about it, you’re probably asking them to leave and maybe even calling the cops, right? Now imagine that this same group of strangers is weirdly insistent and they show up at your house multiple times, leaving when you tell them ‘no’ again and then later coming back to ask again, until they get angry with you for ‘wasting their time’ and beat you up, taking some of your hair by force. That’s what Mabel and her friends did, basically, and no one ever bothered to say hey, that’s kinda fucked up.

It’s even worse because, when the other unicorns pop in and reveal that the ‘purity of heart’ stuff is all fake, it conveys to us that humans showing up and disrupting their peace to try and insist the unicorns give them pieces of their bodies is frequent enough that she had to come up with that in the first place. Not only that, but the reason you come up with something like that is because the people in question won’t take ‘no’ for an answer and insist upon disrespecting your boundaries. With all of that, what happens in this episode between the girls and Celestabellebethabelle actually feels like an allegory for SA — they try to get this person to share her body with them and, after trying a few different ways, they grow angry and assault her, taking what they were after from her by force. 

In my opinion, the worst part of this is that having the perpetrators be young girls and having the victim be a non-human person is clearly meant to exhonorate everything and we, the audience, are meant to come out of this episode supporting Mabel and the others completely. These girls did something horrible and are never held accountable for it, so they won’t learn from it and very well might do similar things in the future. This is especially a problem for Mabel’s character since one of the biggest issues with how she’s written is that she does tend to be a bit selfish and disrespects people’s boundaries, but everyone and their mother rewards her for it. She just committed assault against someone solely because that person tried to set a boundary with her and, the entire time, everyone around her was telling her what a good person she is and their victim was such a bitch for not validating Mabel and giving her what she wanted. I don’t hate Mabel and this isn’t even meant to be Mabel slander, it’s just that the writing failed so hard here in a way that features her character.

Along with that is how we know nothing of what Ford’s experiences with finding and interacting with the unicorns actually looked like. I think it’s no accident that we never see a grown ass man beating up Celestabellebethabelle and ripping out her hair because she tried to get him to leave her alone, but it does also raise questions around what those interactions actually looked like. What we do know is that when the girls walk in all fucked up from their fight and Grenda even says how they also got unicorn blood and tears in addition to the hair, his only response is basically ‘good job’. This is where, taking it back to the top of the post, I think the root of the problem here is that Ford doesn’t view any of the local creatures as people, regardless of how sentient and intelligent they are, and in The Last Mabelcorn, he’s the adult in the room who should be saying something to them about their actions. Hell, he should’ve gone with them, they really needed an adult in the room to be the voice of reason, but that’s where we run into the biggest problem with Ford, which is that he never will be the voice of reason for any situation.

But yeah, Ford depersonalizes the unicorns, so Mabel and the others do as well and, when they have difficulty getting Celestabellebethabelle to do what they want, they assault her with no remorse, which would not be the case if they viewed her as a person, and they're validated for it the whole way through.

[goggles-mcgee]

Ashes of Rage: Act 1 - (Heart)Breaking News

Chapter 6 of the story for @miner249er

A03 Beginnning Last Chapter

Summary: It was supposed to be a nice day, a nice picnic, a nice distraction...but it didn't happen like that and Rose didn't know how to process it.

Notes: Hope you enjoy the read! Also, sorry for the late update but my job, idk if I told y'all, I got a new job! I work for my state's child support services division and can't really work on personal things while in the office so this did take some time.

Also like small disclosure, I did do research but I in no way think what I got was 100% so take the actions of the police with a grain of salt. ^u^

(Heart)Breaking News:

Confused. Betrayed. Angry. These were all words that described how Rose had been feeling lately and yet she pushed herself to attend the class picnic with Juleka. It hardly even compared to past picnics they had had in the past. The usual soft, pillow-y blanket was replaced by a blanket so thin that the still present morning dew that draped over the prickly blades of grass stabbed through the fabric easily and brought a chill to her legs and an itchiness that seemed never ending. It was irritating but Rose didn’t want to say anything and make Kim feel bad since he was the one to bring said blanket. Plus it would have most likely broken the tentative good mood everyone was in. She was doing her best to stay the happy-go-lucky Rose that everyone expected her to be but it was getting harder and harder to do so as the days went by. Even her appetite had been affected by her mood, she just simply wasn’t hungry which made her want to cry. She tried her best to eat because when she was sick she hadn’t gotten to eat a lot of food like she was able to do now but looking around at the food that laid on the blanket there just wasn’t anything that looked nor sounded good. 

The food from her memories of past picnics danced around her thoughts and mocked her. The food from those times had been homemade and filled her with such warmth and joy even if something hadn’t been the best tasting. But today everything was store bought, not that there was anything wrong with that! There was just something about everyone bringing something homemade to past picnics that made this one feel lacking. Rose simply couldn’t help the way her stomach clenched and mouth watered remembering the food from the past but it would quickly die when she remembered that was when Marinette had been part of the group. She always encouraged everyone to bring something homemade without even outright asking for it. It was like knowing that she herself would make something for the picnic and not just ask her parents to give her something, motivated everyone else to do the same. And the smile she had given to everyone when she saw what they brought seemed to make the sun shine brighter those days. Then things changed abruptly and Rose had questioned whether those smiles were real or an illusion as Lila had mused aloud about. It scared her to think someone could be so manipulative. Her views changed once more when she watched Nadja’s broadcast.

 The speculation that Marinette had…that she had died that night…hit particularly hard. All Rose could think about was every instance that the pig-tailed girl had been there for her and the rest of the class. She thought of all the laughs they shared and even tears. Marinette was always there and hearing the news was like a slap to the face. How could Rose ever think that Marinette was anything but genuine? How could the class think that? But then that would mean Lila had lied or just severely misunderstood something and everyone just believed it and turned on their friend. Rose couldn’t even remember the last thing she had ever said to Marinette but it was more than likely nothing nice since she had believed the girl to be a bully. That thought made her appetite really disappear and her stomach clench. She was sure everyone else was thinking similar things so really it would be cruel to expect homemade food at a time like this. The weather that had once been predicted to be sunny and cloud free was still sunny but a biting wind had plagued the day every now and then. So things looked well and good but it hid small disappointments all throughout.

 It reminded Rose of those true crime documentaries that Juleka loved to binge. The families tended to have a pattern in the one's she watched, where on the outside they seemed like the perfect family with the perfect life but behind closed doors they were anything but. It reminded her of the situation the class was in. Except most had well and truly believed in the perfection others perceived them to have. It would have been extremely ignorant of Rose to say she didn't notice how the rest of the school looked at her class in envy, because she did and she tried her best not to show how pleased that made her. She never wanted to come across as entitled or anything of the like, she knew their situation had been a rare one. Where everyone in class got along, with the exception of Chloe and Sabrina in the beginning, and their teacher was nice and kind. They had the picture perfect class. 

Until they didn’t. 

Oh they still acted like it was, Rose was mature enough to admit that, because everyone wanted that envy and that admiration their class was accustomed to. She recalled how Lila wanted to warn the other students in different classes about Marinette’s ‘true’ self but somehow Alya and Max had talked her out of it. She knew Lila hadn’t been happy about that so the girl group decided to take her out for lunch as what could only be described as a bribe the more Rose thought about it. It made her throat dry in guilt and shame. She hastily grabbed her cup of lemonade and took a big drink and nearly choked at the speed she did so. She managed to refrain from coughing and hoped no one noticed her little slip up. Thankfully it seemed like no one had so she took the time to look over at her friends. Alya and Nino were setting up her tablet as the police were going to be giving a statement on everything, Max and Alix were playing some kind of switch game together with Markov giving advice. Mylène, Ivan and Sabrina were snacking on the food and talking about something. Kim was laid out next to the blanket staring at his phone, and Juleka was listening to music in one ear.

It was then that Rose remembered she was also listening to music and it was like the realization broke the dam on her hearing and everything came alive around her. She did her best not to wince at the guitar solo that started off in a high pitch since she didn’t want Juleka to think she didn’t like the song. She did her best to be as nonchalant as possible as she took the earphone she had in out, she was more of a headphone person since earphones tended to hurt the inside of her ears if she wore them too long. Juleka knew that which is why she didn’t look upset when she noticed Rose taking out the earphone. “How’s your ear? The song wasn’t that long was it?” 

“Don’t worry Jules, the song was great. I’m just a little thirsty. I finished my lemonade so fast…” Rose lied and was grateful that Juleka seemed to buy it. 

“That’s a quick fix.” Juleka mumbled with a small smile as she stood up and went to get Rose a refill of lemonade. Rose tried her best not to think of how Marinette would bring the customized cups she made for everyone to a picnic. They were paper cups that she printed designs on and bought each one in bulk. It always made Rose feel special when she would get her pink and purple kittens printed cup with her name in a beautiful cursive old font. Today’s cups were plastic with their names written on them in permanent marker. It was still cursive, Juleka had wonderful cursive and did her very best to make it look nice so Rose felt bad about the disappointment that swelled in her every time she saw the cups. She did her best to not let it show when Juleka turned with a smile to give her her drink. 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem.”

The lemonade Juleka got her was the perfect blend of sour and sweet and yet she couldn’t enjoy it. Even though it was her favorite lemonade, one that Alix made sure to bring because her friend knew it was her favorite. Rose wanted to cry. But she couldn’t, not now, she felt like she didn’t deserve to. All of them, everyone here was trying to be as normal as possible in the light of their revelations. No one said it out loud but Rose was sure that they all came to the realization that they had made a big mistake. More than a big mistake but none of them knew how to voice it nor accept it nor move past it. They were stuck in some messed up limbo. Marinette was…dead. There was no other reality, a person they had been good friends with then broke that friendship was dead. Rose didn’t know if they all felt like her though, like they didn’t deserve to cry over Marinette being gone because they weren’t friends with the girl when she died. It was depressing. 

Worst of all no one could get a hold of Lila. Maybe she felt bad for the misunderstanding that drove the class, minus Nathaniel and Chloe, away from Marinette. Lila was so kind and thoughtful that Rose had no doubt that the girl was probably drowning herself in some kind of misplaced guilt and Rose’s heart broke more at the image her mind conjured of an alone Lila crying nonstop and apologizing to a photo of Marinette. Though, thinking of it, Lila probably only had a photo of their latest class picture that had Marinette in it. The thought was sad all the same and Rose wished once more that the class had been able to get ahold of Lila. She felt like the girl could have used a picnic like today to unwind and see how everyone supported her and were there for her. Even if the picnic felt off to Rose, maybe it would have been the thing that helped Lila feel better and come back to school. 

“What seems to be the matter Kim?” Max’s question got Rose and almost everyone’s attention. It was then that Rose realized just how quiet the usually boisterous boy had been all day. It made her somehow feel worse. 

Kim sighed loudly and rolled onto his back, “Ondine hasn’t been answering my texts, calls, ChatSnaps, Rapidgrams, basically anything and everything that I thought I could use to try and talk to her. She’s been mad for a while now and I don’t know why.” 

“Did you guys fight recently?” Rose asked. 

A sigh once again. “That seems to be the only time we talked but that was like two months ago! She said she wanted a break and wanted, no needed, time away from me.” 

“...Well, if she said she needs time, Kim. then…” Nino awkwardly pointed out. 

“But how much time? It’s been ages!” Kim whined and while a part of Rose felt sorry for him, another part felt for Ondine. Maybe it was like some weird female sense or something but Rose understood that when a girl says she needs time, she needs more than a few days. Kim had always been impatient but he clearly needed his friends’ comfort. 

“Well,” Juleka hedged, “how bad was the fight?” 

By the wince Kim gave, it was bad and all the girls in the group looked at each other. It seemed like they all came to a consensus because they all gave Kim sad looks. “Did you maybe misunderstand her? Did she really say she wanted a break or did she say you guys were broken up?” Alya asked carefully. 

“No! I mean, I don’t think she really meant broken up. I know we have been fighting and everything but Ondine and I always make up.” Even though he said that, Kim didn’t look too sure. 

“What were you guys fighting about anyways?” Alix asked lazily from where she laid out across the blanket. Rose wished the skater had been looking at her because she would have at least seen Rose’s glare to pipe down. She had done her absolute best not to ruin the peace, even when she hadn’t been paying all that much attention, then Alix went and ruined it! 

Wait. 

No.

No. Rose couldn’t think like that. They were all in this together so they had to stick together. She sent a silent apology towards Alix for her somewhat unkind thoughts. It did truly feel like they were only in this weird situation together. Rose had kind of thought that they would be getting some sympathy from the other classes or at the very least, Mme Mendeleiev’s seeing as Kim and Ondine were dating. Plus Marc was in that class and Nathaniel and him were friends, but that class had been sending them looks… Rose didn’t know why and she hoped it had nothing to do with Kim and Ondine’s fight, but a part of her felt like that had nothing to do with it. The rest of the school also sent them looks, but there were also the constant whispers that went on around them and were more than likely about them, but no one had come up to them to say anything. It felt like everyone was mad at them, but Rose couldn’t understand why. Though she knew it would come to a head one day, she dreaded that. 

“We were just fighting about-” Kim had started but abruptly stopped before Alya and Nino shushed him and waved everyone towards them. The volume of Alya’s tablet increased dramatically so they could all hear presumably the police statement that the reporter had been impatiently waiting for. They didn’t get to hear the introduction but that was fine, Alya had probably started screen-recording already. They all tried to catch a view of the live broadcast on the screen, it seemed like they were filming in front of City Hall. 

“...Before we get into the details we would like to warn that the details and evidence we bring forth is not for the faint-hearted. As everyone knows we have been investigating the destruction of the Agreste Mansion, and whether it was a planned attack or an akuma. We have ruled out the involvement of an akuma, but it was also not a planned attack.” Everyone could hear the deep breath the officer took. “Again, it was not a planned attack. We don’t know exactly what happened but with evidence we have gathered, we can make a pretty good guess.”

“We were working under the assumption that this was an attack on the Agreste family and thus were doing everything we possibly could to bring them justice. During our investigation, we happened upon the security cameras that had their footage backed up, thankfully. It was as we were reviewing the footage that we found…the disturbing truth. This will shock many and maybe many won’t believe us but we have provided some of the footage for this announcement and will be shared with the media.” Everyone waited with bated breaths. Rose felt like she had stopped breathing all together.

“Gabriel Agreste…Gabriel Agreste was Hawkmoth.” The officer stuttered out and by the roar of sound by all her friends and fellow park goers they hadn’t missed a word he said. 

“No…No he couldn’t…I know the dude was a dick and a half but there’s no way he was Hawkmoth.” Nino said in disbelief. 

“I know this is upsetting and … shocking but I promise you will get your proof afterward. Nathalie Sancoeur was his accomplice. She was Mayura.”

“I mean if Mister Agreste was Hawkmoth then that would kind of make sense.” Alix muttered. 

“And Adrien Agreste…”

“No. There’s no way my bro was involved! If that’s what he’s implying then we know it’s bogus!” Nino yelled out as he stood up and paced.

Rose silently agreed. There was no way Adrien could be involved, he was a shy boy but overall very nice. They never hung out one on one but he was always very kind to Rose and she had seen him try and talk some sense into Marinette in the beginning of the whole ‘Lila is a liar’ thing. She admired his determination to try and get Marinette to see reason and his unwavering faith in Lila. It was one of the many reasons why she thought they’d be a good couple. At least Lila could talk to Adrien and be around him without becoming a mess. She felt bad thinking that but it was the truth and it had been so frustrating that everyone of the girl group’s plan to make Adrienette happen crashed and burned because Marinette couldn’t do something. But Adrien always handled the situations with grace and a lot of patience so again, there was no way that Adrien knew or had anything to do with his father’s crimes. No way at all. 

“Adrien Agreste was Chat Noir. Before you cheer or sigh in relief, let me be frank. Chat Noir is now believed to have been a ruse to lure Ladybug into a false sense of security and give her trust to who she believed to be her partner.” 

The roar of denial and betrayal shook Rose and she couldn’t even be sure if she had joined in. It felt like she was in daze, in a haze, just completely adrift in what they were hearing. She both wanted to and didn’t want to listen anymore. She didn’t want to believe what she had heard but at the same time she felt a burning need to know everything.

“He lured her to the Agreste Mansion, it seems, in a false drop on Gabriel Agreste, who, as we said, was operating as Hawkmoth. The tables turned quickly and…” The officer’s eyes looked glossy but his face was red in what could only be, barely contained anger. “Ladybug’s earrings were taken. She was…she was struck by Chat Noir and taunted from the looks of it as we were not able to get audio from the security videos. Then…then something happened.”

He paused. “If any children are watching this I beg the parents to either turn it off or make sure the children do not hear.” 

For a city as noisy and chaotic as Paris tended to be, it seemed like everyone was quiet and holding their breath like Rose was. 

“What we believe happened, is that Ladybug, in a last ditch effort to save us all…sa-sacrificed herself in a way we can not explain. With a scream of rage the screen turned red and then nothing, but at the scene we found evidence of this sacrifice. A sizeable puddle of charred blood and pieces of burnt clothing. Furthermore, we now have an identification of Ladybug and it is with a reluctant and heavy heart that we share this with you all. But we have been given permission by her family to share.”

Rose tasted blood, she hadn’t even noticed she had been biting her lip in anticipation. 

“Ladybug was a child, a child who without hesitation protected us time and time again, up until her last moments. Her parents felt like it would disrespect everything he had done for us to not share her name. This girl was none other than our very own, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” 

Marinette…Dupain-Cheng.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!

Rose missed probably the rest of the announcement but the ending…the ending had her snapping back to focus so fast that if mental whiplash was a thing, she knew she would have it. 

“..And it seems like Gabriel had more help than previously thought. One guaranteed individual we know of is a minor so we will not be giving her name. With that being said, if anyone has any information of the whereabouts of Giada Rossi and her daughter, please contact us. Thank you.”

Rose was…everything at once yet numb somehow. She didn’t know how to react or if she even should react. But it seemed like someone did as she heard angry footsteps approaching their group, they were purposeful so there was no mistaking where they were heading. Rose turned to see who it was, partially hoping it was Lila to tell them it was a misunderstanding and she had an explanation that would somehow magically fix everything, but no, it was Ondine. Ondine and Mireille and Aurore and what looked to be all of Mendeleiev’s class plus a couple others from other classes. Rose distantly watched as Kim scrambled to get up and run towards Ondine with a teary smile on his face but something was wrong. Wrong, wrong , wrong. 

The resounding slap that came next confirmed her thoughts and with the way it snapped her out of said thoughts, you would think she had been the one who had been slapped. 

Everyone was still. All they could do was stand and stare at the sight of Kim’s cheek turning red from the harsh slap he had received from Ondine. Then it was like a dam burst and everyone started shouting at one another, some were even getting into the faces of those who had just arrived. It was awful and scary and Rose hated every second of it. Rose would bet things would have turned physical if it weren’t for Markov being present, it was well known he recorded whenever he felt like Max was in trouble. It had caused some issues with the school. Rose had never been more grateful for Markov’s presence than that moment as it provided a distraction for Rose to grab Juleka’s hand and run away. It was cowardly perhaps, maybe she should have stayed and defended Kim. Maybe she should have been a silent support for those trying to get answers from an angry Ondine and the rest of those who arrived with her. Maybe she should have asked why they were mad. 

There were so many ‘maybes’ that it was overwhelming and that was a big part of why she ran. Rose simply was overwhelmed and her brain felt fried with all the information they heard from the conference and the events that followed. She needed a safe space to digest it all and calm down. Luckily for her, the Liberty was parked close by and it was somewhere she wholeheartedly considered a safe space, plus she thought it would help Juleka, who’s rapid heartbeat she could feel beneath her fingers wrapped around the goth girl’s wrist. She only stopped her run once they were aboard and then she was finally able to stop and breathe. She had just caught her breath when she heard footsteps and noticed Luka making his way towards them. 

She sighed in relief at the sight of him, knowing he could provide comfort to Juleka and herself. She smiled at him but that smile quickly fell once she saw the look on his face. Luka was a chill guy through and through so it was pretty rare to see him mad. The boy marched towards them with purpose and it startled Rose so much that she instinctively took a step back. Then the yelling started and Rose couldn’t handle everything anymore. She felt bad for just letting Luka yell at Juleka but she could feel herself zoning out as she tended to do when she heard fighting. 

It was an old coping mechanism of hers.

At first the yelling was all she heard, then it dulled to an unpleasant buzzing. 

She hated the buzzing.

But she hated the sound of yelling and fighting more.

Her last coherent thought before she drifted too far was, ‘ Why was this happening? ’

Next Chapter

[glittergear]

Un-horny BG2 mods

Ok, so I often hear that BG2 mods are very horny--not denying that, but here are some horny-free BG2 mods that I enjoy. I'm only including Quest and NPC mods here. I'm also only including mods that I have entirely played through myself.

The White Queen, by Lava: a quest mod that allows player to visit brand new place - Silent Swamps - where something happened some time ago. Curious? Let yourself discover what lies under the layers of the mud, meet the White Queen and her servants. Also, the music is bangin'

I Shall Never Forget, by Lava: This Baldur's Gate 2 mod allows you to work with Orion - a mage who has lost the sense of his life. Either help him regain what he lost or let him die without the faintest ray of hope.

Southern Edge, by Lava: Southern Edge is a new district for Athkatla available from the very start, once you talk to Gaelan and hear his offer. You can get a Book of Intelligence as a reward for one of the quests, and there's a scribe who will buy your unneeded quest documents (like The Tome of Amaunator, the Noontime Ritual, the Book of Kaza, etc. It's a nice lore-friendly way to get rid of some items)

Ooze's Lounge, by Lava: The mod introduces a brand new part of Athkatlan sewers. You may now use the originally inactive grate in Slums to enter a locked part of the sewers and discover its dark corners. The mod offers three new areas as well as a couple of mini-quests, new items and graphics.

Yoshimo Romance, by Lava: Mod includes 16 timered talks with Yoshimo (pre-Brynnlaw) plus those fired by circumstances - including talk in Brynnlaw and at entrance of Spellhold. Those who love reading may also install additional portion of text - dialogues for both male and female players fired by in-game events. There's no horniness here; the most you can do is kiss his cheek once, IIRC

Everything else, by Lava: seriously, all of his mods are great, and none of the ones on his site are horny

Trials of the Luremaster, by Argent77: This mod makes the Icewind Dale expansion "Trials of the Luremaster" available to BG2:EE (v2.0 or later), Siege of Dragonspear and EET (Enhanced Edition Trilogy).

✨Adrian✨, by Rhealla: Adrian has lived an interesting life, for lack of a better term, though he's hoping to finally put his past behind him. Aside from his magic, he has a background in espionage and a decadent -- some might say romantic -- streak that has gotten him into trouble in the past. He once pursued (and ultimately wrecked) a political career with one of the most notorious organizations in the Realms, and may very much enjoy the opportunities for intrigue the Shadow Thieves have to offer... if you can drag him away from fighting with the Harper and the Red Wizard long enough to notice, that is. Don't let his alignment scare you off. He's the least evil Evil character in the game, and his alignment can seamlessly shift to LN. He does fine in my good-aligned playthroughs. His romance isn't particularly horny--he offers once, but you can turn him down just fine (and there are multiple ways to tell him no). He's by far my favorite romance and favorite NPC in the game; I am not normal about him at all; and I could probably write an entire essay about his character arc. Please do try him out

Sir Ajantis by jastey: With this modification Ajantis can be acquired as a member of the PC's group after the fight in the Windspear Hills (which was not changed by the mod principally). The player must first solve a quest to free Ajantis from Firkraag's ransom. You have the option to continue his romance from BG1 or start a new romance with him--I've done the new romance route, and I didn't notice any horniness.

[ymaohoh]

Chrissy's relationship with the Party headcanons?

EEEEEEEEE yes please. Thanks 'Nonny!

(This is assuming the Chrissy Lives AU)

Nancy - so Chrissy would no doubt be pretty overwhelmed with everything going on so I see Nancy being the one to initially put her at ease and welcome her into the group more. They would already know of each other via school and probably share similar preppy interests (they play Cyndi Lauper LOUD and bop their heads but who gives a shit - they're happy). I see Chrissy being unbelievably impressed by Nancy and her ballsy attitude (and gun collection). Nancy's just happy for another girl around the place. They become firm allies.

View on Hellcheer: Nancy knew from the beginning okay? She's the one who speaks to Chrissy about it 1-1 and is happy for them. She probably takes an active role in getting them together.

Jonathan - i like the idea of Chrissy and Jonathan getting along quietly in the background. There's a lot of loud personalities so she'd feel calmed in Jonathan's quiet presence. He doesn't really know how to interact with her at first (brain glitch) but she asks about photography and he patiently shows her how to load the camera and develop in the dark room (I kind of love the idea of Chrissy getting into photography for some reason). He captures a candid photo of her, Robin, and Nancy smiling together and presents it as a 'welcome to the crazy' gift.

View on Hellcheer: Jonathan is completely oblivious until he sees them sucking face. He's happy for them - it's nice to see another mix-matched couple making a go at it.

Steve - so on paper Steve and Chrissy would make a hella' cute couple and Chrissy definitely had a crush on Steve during her freshman year (who didn't?). Steve knows of Chrissy Cunningham and kind of treats her as a bit of a damsel in distress at first but they soon become easy friends and she's happily surprised to discover his caring babysitter side. He's instantly flirty with Chrissy (which annoys certain party members) but they know it's just banter (he's probably the most considerate/protective of Chrissy out of all the girls). They're both from similar backgrounds so they'd understand one another's hang ups easy peasy.

View on Hellcheer: How the fuck did Munson pull that off? (he's happy for them though)

Robin - Robin is so so so happy for another girl around the place. Chrissy isn't sure how to take Robin at first (she's so different from the other girls at school) but they click over similar interests in movies and Chrissy starts seeing Robin as this seriously cool girl (who maybe belongs in a different universe in the future?). They also enjoy pranking Steve. Robin thinks Chrissy is HOT but nothing comes of this as she likes being friends better (and Chrissy clearly has eyes for someone else). I like the idea of Chrissy realising Robin's romantic affections go towards the female variety but she waits for Robin to confide in her. She, Nancy, and Robin make a little trio.

View on Hellcheer: How the fuck did Munson pull that off? (repeat)

Max - i wrote about this in depth here. I think initially Max would give Chrissy some space as she's got a lot on her plate already but they'd bond over their Vecna visions and Max appreciates how much Chrissy wants to help her (she's a good listener too). Chrissy in turn admires Max's no-bullshit attitude and thinks she'd make an excellent lawyer (she'd make grown men tremble in fear). Chrissy is unapologetically very girly but Max finds herself joining in sometimes and learns you can be girly and badass at the same time. Fuck social norms and cliches and all that backwards crap. It's nice to have a break from the guys sometimes too.

(this kind of goes for Eleven as well. Chrissy meets her with Max and understands quickly they are besties - but she likes Eleven and Eleven likes Chrissy's kindness and sincerity. Plus Chrissy paints her nails bright purple and makes them sparkle)

View on Hellcheer: saw it coming a mile off. Nancy may think she noticed it first but Max saw Eddie literally carrying Chrissy into his trailer with his tongue down her throat. She still a bit scarred.

Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, Erica: they aren't really sure about Chrissy at first - she's a cheerleader, she's seriously pretty, she was dating the asshole Jason - she's a bit suss overall and they've been bullied by those kind of people, you know? However, Chrissy asks Dustin about D&D and you know what? Game over. Dustin becomes Chrissy's #1 fan and worships the ground she walks on (I've gone into more detail here). Like Steve, Chrissy takes a caring role in the party towards the younger kids and encourages them to take breaks, eat ("Mike, vegetables are important if you want to go full Rambo - you can't just eat chips"), and drink plenty of water. The others soon come 'round and value Chrissy as an excellent party member and they take a bit of a protective role over her too. She's becomes their big (adorable) sister.

(she knew Lucas before, of course, because he plays basketball with Jason and this is enough to make her a bit anxious - but Lucas is nice and down to earth and he smiles and says 'Hey Chrissy' and that anxiety sooooon vanishes)

View on Hellcheer: boy do they wind Eddie up when they notice this. Dustin twigs when Eddie lets Chrissy play whatever music she wants in the van and she gets all blushy whenever Eddie looks her way. They never tease Chrissy though <3

GROUP HUG.