#god this is such a good question but like also such a hard one to answer

[chalkrub]

art trade w/ thrak800 on twit - love this fella !

[seungfl0wer]

*𝑫𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎*

Pairing: Hybrid!Jisung x Hybrid!Seungmin x Reader (Fem)

Genre: Smut

Warnings: Thruple, 3Some, Double P, Oral (F), Slight Somnophilia, Biting, Knotting Mentions, Slight Breeding Kink, Slight Choking, Creampie, Squirting, Unprotected sex. Sorry for any mistakes or missing warnings!

A/N: this has been plaguing my mind for- so long. Also yes always gonna be on that hybrid shit sue me lol

-🖤

You were in a deep sleep, sprawled out on the couch waiting for your boyfriends to come home. They had just made a food run leaving sleepy you all alone. Your dreams playing on repeat. Oh the dream. You were being chased through the woods your hybrids chasing after you. Ready to catch you and breed you. You let out a soft moan in your sleep. Panties becoming increasingly wet as it played out.

Your hand slipped down slowly playing with your clit making you whine even more. Unbeknownst to you the door opened as the boys came in they stopped in their tracks. They could smell you so strongly, almost in an instant becoming hard. They placed the food down quickly before coming to find you still deep in your sleep. Fingers now slightly playing with your entrance. You moaned out once again mumbling “breed me”.

“She must be having a good dream of us” Seungmin chuckled. Jisungs eyes were almost blown out. He was never one to be able to control himself around you. Hearing those words fall from your mouth had his head spinning with lust. He wasted no time leaving seungmin standing there. He pushed your legs apart, pulling down your panties trying not to wake you. He quickly made his way to your core tongue ever so slightly running up your folds.

You moaned out but still not waking. “God- she’s- soaked” Jisung groaned. He couldn’t hold back. Not when you were like this, not when you were dripping. He pulled your body down to him arms wrapping around your thighs as he buried himself fully into your cunt. He inhaled deeply taking you all in before his tongue was diving into you. You squeaked, eyes groggily opening. You blinked looking over at seungmin who stood near with a smirk. Before you felt jisung leave a small nibble to your clit.

Your head fell back to the couch moaning loudly, hands making their way to Jisungs soft hair. He looked up at you with those big boba eyes. Full of lust and want. You rolled your hips against his mouth making his groan into your core. Seungmin finally made his way towards you cupping your face in his big hands. “Having a good dream pup?” He asked. You nod eyes fluttering open and close at the pleasure. “About us?” He questions.

“Always-“ you say breathily. He can’t help but grin. Before you know it his lips were crashing against yours hand sliding down your body. He pulled up the shirt you had on, his shirt to be exact. Revealing your perky nipples ready to be pinched and bit at his mercy. But he bypassed them, for now. He pulled his shirt from you leaving you completely nude. His hand found its way back to your soft skin once more moving down to draw circles around your clit. Jisungs tongue lapped at your entrance as Seung played with your overly sensitive clit.

“Close already aren’t you love?” Seungmin says against your Lips. You nod quickly feeling your climax building fast.

“Need-“ you whine out.

“What do you need pup, use your words” he cooed.

“Both- need- ah- both” you manage to stammer out as your orgasm hit you hard. Your legs clamp around Jisung which turns him on even more. He laps at every inch of you not letting a single drop of your sweet honey go to waste. You didn’t notice until now how he had already taken his pants off. His leaky cock rutting against the couch sure to cause a stain.

Seungmin was about to ask a question however Jisung was already positioning himself at your entrance. Gliding his cock up and down your folds to collect any bit of slick left. He pushed into you quickly making you both cry out. Your walls sucked him in deep, so warm and snug. “Ah- jisung!” You moaned. His fluffy tail swaying back in forth almost keeping with the rhythm as he fucked into you mercilessly. His hands gripping at your hips digging his nails into them. Sure to add to the already fading bruises from the nights before.

“Pull her up a bit yeah?” Seungmin asks. Jisung does pulling your body into his as his thrust become a bit slower but much deeper. Seungmin slots himself behind you after ridding himself of his own clothes. He pulls your body back to him your back now resting on his chest. His long tail wrapping around your leg keeping him almost grounded. He slides his cock to your entrance before slowly easing himself into you.

Sure they loved having you to themselves but there was something about the way your cunt became like a vise grip. That always had them wanting to double you. You’d never complain either, it might be one of the hottest things ever. Having both of your hot hybrids deep inside you. “Fuck you’re so wet” Seungmin groaned. They both found a rhythm moving their hips in perfect harmony to have all three of you wrecked.

Seungmins hand came around your neck softly turning your head. “Tell us what you were dreaming of love” he said his voice low. You could feel his warm breath against your ear. “About- about you both. Chasing me- and ah-“ you croak out.

“And what hmm?”

“And breeding me” you whine.

Jisungs head falls back moaning at your words. His pace quickens making seungmin speed up as well. “Our- pretty pup wants- us to breed her.” Jisung almost growls.

“Want us to pump you full of a litter” Seungmin groans.

“Fuck- yes please- I can take both of them- please kn- knot me” your second orgasm was about to hit. And hit hard.

The men weren’t doing any better you could see the drool running down Jisungs chin. Both the men’s nails digging into you holding onto what sanity they had left. Seungmin could feel that you were close, your cunt squeezing them tightly. “Jisung” he said looking at the man above. He nodded knowing what he was hinting at. He leaned down mouth at your shoulder. Seungmins head nuzzled into your neck before you knew it their teeth sunk into you.

It was something hybrids did while mating. Something they knew you loved, that would bring you over the edge. And it did just that. You let out a silent scream, body shaking between them. You came hard, Tears falling to your cheek. A strewn of curse left their mouths before almost like they read each others minds. Pushed deep into you both knotting you together. It was too much already so sensitive. You were squirting, warm fluid coating Jisungs lower body.

Their cocks twitching inside you as they painted your walls. You felt so- full. After a few minutes of panting and soft kisses. Jisung pulled out of you first wobbling to get some water. Seungmin took the opportunity to wrap his arms tightly around you kissing you lovingly. “You did so well, can’t believe you actually took both” he admitted. “I’ll have to remember that when we both go into heat.” He says with a light chuckle.

Jisung came back pressing the glass to your lips. “You guys got food right?” You ask making them both laugh. “Hungry?” Seungmin asked.

“Starving.”

“Good eat up, cause we are definitely doing that again” Jisung said with a chuckle. Oh boy was it definitely gonna be a long night.

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

💙 If you’d like to read more of my stuff you can find it Here: Master List . Thank you for reading and if requests are open or you just wanna talk feel free to send me something🩵

Taglist: @satosugu4l @do-you-remember-summer-127 @xines16 @minh0scat @troublemaker02 @tr-mha-fan @lunearta @velvetmoonlght @minghaosimp @ldysmfrst @felixleftchickennugget

[vyva-melinkolya]

hi, little corny (and much belated) new years post. 2024 wasn’t the worst year by a long shot but, i spent a lot of it frustrated and disheartened.

Before I get into some of the difficulties of the year, I wanna count my blessings and say that, the two tours i did in 2024 were an incredible experience, especially—for the first one—getting do so alongside Madeline who is an older sister to me. As far as my solo tour, the show I played in New York City was a big milestone for me. I had this weird aha moment where I was like, this room is full, and these people are here for me? I didn’t think I would see that day. Also, even though I did not put out any new material in 2024 (aside from a Blaze Foley cover), I am incredibly proud of the work that I did on “Perverts” and as always, working alongside Hayden is one of the most magical experiences of my musical life.

I work at, for better or for worse, a very slow pace, and also tend to work about 2-3 years “in advance” (for instance, the next two albums were conceptualized/had a good deal written and composed during the making of “Unbecoming” and “Orbweaving”) The 222 video, between re-shoots and a year of editing, was started in early 2022. Having “big” plans but little to show for it can give you whiplash, and make you feel like an imposter sometimes.

All this to say, breaking my laptop and losing the 222 video (right before it was finished) + a lot of logic project demos for the next albums, was a huge blow for me. I’ll say it again, if you’re putting it getting an external hard drive, get that shit right now, it was a big big lesson that I don’t wish on any other artist. Since then, i’m “proud” of myself for taking it on the chin and restarting the 222 edit from scratch (thank God the raw footage was in the cloud), though saying im anxious to finish it would be putting it delicately. The specific vision for the video is very tedious layering and coloring edits. I am extremely anxious to resume work on the next album. Another setback of sorts was the robbery that happened during the spring tour, in which i lost a good deal of the gear i’ve collected over the past decade. Was able to recover eventually and I want to give a big thank you to Jason at Fender for gifting me a new Jazzmaster. Also to Searows and Amulets for letting me borrow gear for the Portland Show.

Amid all of this, one of my biggest motivators in 2024, if i’m being honest myself, was the community here on tumblr. Seeing art of me, yal asking me questions about the music—it has really kept me going and i am forever greatful for that. I am very tired but still very determined. All encouragement and interest goes a long way, and i have very big plans for Vyva Melinkolya in the coming years, even if it might take a minute to get there.

-Angel

[bidisasterevankinard]

Operation fix the fixer

Bucktommy/ Buck & Chim / Chim & Tommy/ G / 1191 words

And really Chim doesn’t know what is worse: Tommy’s inner moping that is shown in him throwing himself in his work, denying being not fine and his pale face or in Buck’s baking and full pout and sad puppy eyes out when he looks at his phone.

Yet, Chim didn’t really expect Buck to have this as a way to cope with break up too.

This in question is Buck changing the baking on dancing. And not just dancing. But go-go and pole dancing.

Or, Buck's new hobby and matchmaker Chim fix bucktommy

You can read under cut too

Since he was pretty young Chim knew two truths about himself: he loves his people and wants them happy and that he has really good matchmaker abilities. Really. He has five couples that had or still have strong serious relationships on his list.

Five.

And right now he thinks that the happiness of two people he cares about is in his hands. They really need his matchmaker God’s gift to work its magic.

He hated that Buck and Tommy broke up. Really hated it. Because he knew from the start that it hurts them both. Even without seeing Tommy for a month. But it was even worse. And his tactic “to let them be the adults and work over their issues without help” wasn’t working.

Both are still miserable.

Just showing it differently.

And really Chim doesn’t know what is worse: Tommy’s inner moping that is shown in him throwing himself in his work, denying being not fine and his pale face or in Buck’s baking and full pout and sad puppy eyes out when he looks at his phone.

Yet, Chim didn’t really expect Buck to have this as a way to cope with break up too.

This in question is Buck changing the baking on dancing. And not just dancing. But go-go and pole dancing.

Chim, firstly, wanted to laugh, imagining Buck on the pole, but when the man took him to the class with him, showing all he learned over the month, Chim could just sit in shock. Trying really hard not to question where all this flexibility came from, how this brick house made it seem so effortless and, the thing that Maddie or Buck could never know about, consider how really straight he is and that maybe his adoration to the probie Buck with his cute big plush lips almost eight years ago was not just adoration. Anyway, it’s besides the topic.

Just dancing would be ok. Better for everyone’s sugar level, but no, Buck went full Buck and three months after break up, two of which he mostly spent in the dance class, when he wasn’t on the shift, he told everyone he’s going to have the show on Friday. In the gay club.

Which still didn’t sound really bad for everyone. Really. Chim is happy he lets himself be free in his new found sexuality as he deserves.

That's what they thought till he, Hen, Maddie and Eddie came to the club and saw the really loud and clear signal for help.

Because Buck wasn’t just in the club getting ready for the show. No. He was flirting and kissing with a hot man - that Chim noted suspiciously looked a lot like Tommy - with man’s hands under his skirt. Really, really mini skirt. Chim still is not sure how it covers Buck’s ass or thighs now that he sits and talks to them, explaining the stuff about other dancers' shows, waiting for his turn.

Chim is also not sure where Buck found black lace top to cover his broad chest, but that is exactly what was covering his breast, squeezing his boobs so good Chim is pretty much sure Buck is having one of the biggest boobs in the club.

The top barely covers him to the navel, with Buck’s shoulders naked, making his shoulders and hands look even bigger. Chim really doesn’t think much about it.

As much as he tries not to think about what his brother-in-law did before the show as his waist has bruises as if someone was holding it really tight. (Chim can relate to them. That waist looks too slutty not to hold. But that is too something that no one should know about.)

And ok, really the clothes and flirting and sights of the sex over Buck could be seen as just him moving on, if not the way Buck holds himself talking to people around them. Chim hadn't seen it since Buck 1.0. And that is the reason to be more attentive to Buck microexpressions.

Chim learned the hard way that Buckleys expertly know how to seem fine when they are not. So he looks. And he sees it.

They way Buck rubs the marks on his waist and the hickey on his neck, as if wishing they would disappear. He takes up all the space around him, but he only talks about dancing, not smiling with his eyes. And most importantly, even in the dark of the club, under the makeup that Buck has, Chim sees his fatigue. How pale he is. How deep the bruises under his eyes.

Chim doesn’t like it. Maybe baking seemed more like a problem, because Buck used it just as the way not to call Tommy, and dancing as the way to learn himself and feel more confident, but Chim can see it.

There’s still no happiness in Buck’s life. And no one, not any hook up or possible date made him feel like Tommy did.

Chim knows he should intervene.

And he knows how.

The operation “fix the fixer” is on. He doesn’t even need to do much. Just send Tommy the video that he is ready to make.

Buck disappears in the crowd and Chim gets his phone out. And when the first second of the “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls starts his plan is officially in its second stage.

Buck moves really in sync with the music, smiling and sending flirty smirks to the crowd, before bending and showing his ass on borderline obscene.

Yet, he stays just on ‘sexy and slutty’, making the crowd applaud and scream at him.

The touch over his chest to the crotch, makes Chim nod with satisfaction knowing that his plan can end only in his success. Then Buck straddles the man - that Chim recognizes as Sal- leaving a kiss on the cheek, before bending one last time, sending the kiss to the crowd, that Chim catches perfectly on camera, ending the video.

He opens his threat with Tommy, texting:

You could have this man bending like that for you. Too bad you’re scared to risk your heart

Then when he sees that it was read he adds:

But honestly? That hobby and what he does in this club is not what he really wants

Or who he really wants

Anyway, enjoy the video 🥰

Tommy doesn’t answer, even though Chim saw him bubbling.

Chime leaves it like that. If Tommy would decide not to really react on it during the Sunday movie night, he would just play like it never happened.

-

On Sunday morning Chim wakes up from a new message from Tommy.

It’s the photo of Tommy sleeping on what Chim recognizes as Buck’s bed with the curls Chim knows really well. They get into the frame because Buck’s head uses Tommy’s chest as the pillow.

Next second his phone pings with new messages.

We fixed it

Or better say we ARE fixing it

But first step is done

We talked

Chim just smirks, adding another happy couple on his list, thinking that it definitely goes to his best man speech.

[postcardsfromheapside]

[heavy sigghhhhhhhhh]

Okay, it's 9:30 in the morning, but I don't want to go out in the cold yet so we're addressing THIS instead.

First and foremost, turning Emmrich into the victim (and then whining about the lack of Solas) is what's cringe here. Not only is some of this wrong (Harding only brings up the age issue because Emmrich expresses his own concerns and she then acts as a sounding board for him), but it's getting tiresome to act as if the other companions don't have reasons to voice their opinions (I'm getting particularly tired of people not listening to the exchange with Taash and considering how they might feel). You can apparently consider things from Emmrich's perspective, but you refuse to consider things from everyone else's.

I'll put this under the cut - I hope no one has plans because we're going to be here a while.

A lot of the complaints in the post neatly latch onto individual ones I've run across in the past, so I'm just going to make one big response.

Emmrich is my favorite character in Veilguard, and second only to Varric for the whole series.

But he can be stuffy, snobbish, overly pedantic, he gets into other people's business and loses emotional perspective when the academic focus takes over, is possibly attempting to make a major life change based on barely-addressed trauma, and is prone to bouts of melancholy where he has to be drawn out by his friends and/or lover about whatever is actually bothering him, rather than him communicating his issues. He is not perfect,

That's why it's very interesting in that post to see someone claiming that "no one's bullshit is called out." When the companions "dunk" on Emmrich, it's a two-way street. Sometimes the companion is wrong, sometimes Emmrich is wrong.

Neve and Emmrich resolve their issues peaceably - it's not toothless, it's just that they're both mature adults and neither of them get actively hostile with others if they don't have to. They talk it through over several conversations, and decide the other is fine - good company even! - and move on to sharing Manfred, sharing poetry (you have to read the codex), sharing spell books, joking with each other, they're my favorite to bring out together despite not having interlocking talents.

Davrin and Emmrich start somewhat peacably - Emmrich tries to encourage him that he will find Assan's siblings, and I've gotten dialogue about the books the lighthouse has to offer early on - and then they begin their magic and child-rearing arguments. And Davrin ISN'T IN THE WRONG.

1) while it seems silly to us for Davrin to be a Fade denier, what's more interesting to me is that he points out that in a group of mages arguing about the Fade, there's never a cohesive answer. It's like listening to philosophers or religious experts never coming up with one clear answer about their favorite topics to mentally masturbate over. Davrin likes "science". He's writing a monster manual, ffs. He wants solid answers. One thing I love about Davrin is he's never afraid to call something that's bullshit, bullshit. Weird magical things happening in Arlathan? Bullshit. (and they are) Living in the lighthouse and feeling like it's ooky spooky? Bullshit. (and it kinda is) Questioning the boss about the god stuck in their head feeding them bullshit? 100% should be doing that. You should be listening to Davrin more - he's the voice telling you not to go into the haunted house, y'all, it might save your life.

2) He's also not wrong about Emmrich helicopter parenting Manfred, and almost none of how Davrin handles Assan is any of Emmrich's business, or area of expertise.

We need to stop getting upset at Harding for talking Emmrich through his worries about an age difference (this is something I think Bioware handled badly in that not everyone headcanons their Rook at a younger age, but also, Emmrich clearly has an issue with aging due to his thanatophobia). He shows signs of distress, and she talks him through it and offers advice. For some reason, a large part of the fandom has decided to take his issues out on HER, which is *wild* but not unexpected given the deeply internalized misogyny I've seen displayed. Not only that, but Sylvia herself has come out on Harding's side, because she wrote Emmrich that way.

Getting irritated at Taash is honestly wrong on so many levels at this point. I don't diagnose other people or characters, so I won't get into the ND aspect (it's fine if you relate to it, I'm not stopping you), but I will say this: Taash comes from a completely different culture than Emmrich, which finds using dead bodies so "callously" to be abhorrent, and their particularly sensitive sense of smell makes anything having to do with death even more disgusting to them (have you ever smelled a corpse, or dead animals? My migraines enhance my sense of smell, and make normal things smell awful sometimes) and finally, they are IN THEIR EARLY 20'S AND FULLY ACT LIKE IT. That means not everything they do is going to be as mature as the rest of the party, who are in their early to mid 30's, (and Emmrich was listed as 50-52). You can outright tell Emmrich to cut the shit, and he reels himself back with zero disapproval because he realizes ALL of this in a single second. *He's* the grown-ass man and professor here and shouldn't be escalating their argument. He values Taash, and changes his entire behavior toward them IMMEDIATELY, because *he was in the wrong*. And Taash responds to it, in a positive manner. You do not need to protect Emmrich from Taash.

Even Lucanis refuses to talk to Emmrich about Spite in some dialogue, because he feels more like a academic project than a person.

No companion is explicitly "called out" because sometimes these characters are calling *Emmrich* out. You're just refusing to see that he might be acting badly in his very quiet, stuffy way.

**put a pin in the Davrin/Lucanis bit**

Now.

After seeing a series of screenshots ending with this:

I got a little fixated with finding out which route unlocked this dialogue. It turns out you, as Rook, can romance Emmrich while expressing distaste for death, necromancy, and the undead the entire time - effectively dissing his profession and life's work, to paraphrase the post I linked - and Emmrich doesn't actually disapprove. Any time you can express disaste without missing a flirt option, if you do that, he takes it in stride. And then you can flirt as normal. He is *used* to people feeling this way. I think all Nevarrans are. I rather suspect he doesn't give a shit what the companions think about his job, at his age - he's written books, he's given lectures, he's a senior Watcher. Their opinions don't matter. He's at the top of his game, he has nothing to prove to them. Rook hired him, not them. And Rook? If you romance him, and take this route, his answer to you is: "There's no shame in a little attraction to the forbidden, my darling."

This man is a fucking menace. He doesn't need defending - you need defense against his rizz.

Now, Solas.

Yes, Solas taunts him for being a lich. Solas also taunts Davrin for being Dalish and what he must have heard about Solas from his people. Solas also tries to flatter Emmrich if he remains human. Solas tries to butter up Lace by apologizing to her. It's almost as if Solas is the "god" of deceit and trickery and presents as many different faces as their are people or even aspects of those people. He will present whatever face he thinks he needs to in order to get under their skin, or throw them off their game. Solas doesn't care about Emmrich becoming a lich. He doesn't actually care about any of the companions. He cares about tearing down the Veil. What choices you've made do not matter to him on a personal level except inasfar as he can use you. That's who he is. I hate it for you if you haven't realized and accepted this by now.

There are a lot of people who think Solas and Emmrich "nerd out" in their dialogue, and I just don't see it. I've held back from this descriptor in this lengthy response, but Emmrich constantly displays a very "British" politeness - and he does it when Solas attempts to flatter him in the end game. Emmrich doesn't express a *personal* wish to have a conversation with Solas. He says there are things the Watchers wish to have answered. It's professional for him. Solas kidnapped Rook, someone who, romanced or not, Emmrich spent weeks making a damn good facsimile of the lyrium dagger in order to save. Emmrich isn't going to outright tell Solas to go fuck himself, because he's too well-mannered, and he's got an affinity about spirits. But he's not inviting him over for tea and crumpets.

I don't understand where the idea that Emmrich holds off from flirting back because of the age gap comes from. "I must be sure to live up to expectation" - do you...do you not see that as him flirting back? TBH I think this guy flirts first and then kicks himself because "that's the boss" (and probably gets told about what's happened with Varric) and only REALLY gets serious when he thinks "No, there actually is something here" when Rook has flirted a few more times after that, plus helped him in his personal quest. Age gap be damned. A lot of us did not play Rooks with an age gap, or that much of one - mine was my age, well within Earth "norms" these days.

Okay, back to the Davrin and Lucanis bit.

Saying that Lucanis is "okay because he's an assassin that only kills bad people" is missing the point. Lucanis fully admits that he has only killed people who are guilty by his own yardstick. I'm sure all the companions could agree there are some standards (children) but even in D'Meta's crossing you're faced with a moral choice where not everyone agrees what to do (free the mayor or don't) and it's very clear that not everyone has the same standards about what makes a "killer". So why should you assume that Lucanis is a guilt-free assassin? We know that he frees slaves, we know that he earned a reputation killing Venatori mages. But he demures from Emmrich's excited statements that he "empathizes" with all his victims. There's absolutely no way he was able to vet all his kills, and who decides who "deserves" to be killed? You're meant to contrast this with Davrin's warm empathy for the criminals who join the wardens and become "something better" - the kinds of people who start bad and change into something good, who get a second chance to help and contribute to Thedas society in a meaningful way. But the Wardens have their own dark history, they're often corrupt. Lucanis and Davrin are two *good people* propping up their own suspect organizations, both of which are doing the best they can in imperfect situations. It's like watching a gang member and a cop slowly understand each other.

Please for the love of Andraste. Go read widely and expose yourself to other things and other people. It will help you gain perspective. This is a GOOD game, and not thinking critically about the conversations and choices, or trying to see things from each character's perspective, is what's holding people back from enjoying the richness and replayability it has to offer.

[echantedtoon]

Unforseen Part 1

Your entire town was haunted, that's why barely anyone lived in the district and those whom did rarely left their homes unless it was absolutely necessary. You never believed in spirits until you started encountering them outside your home and one in particular kept following you around. 

(Homicipher au where the Ghost Apartment residents are spirits haunting a town and Y/n isn't a killer. Warnings for death etc. Will include stuff not cannon to the game. Including none cannon guesses to some of the characters backstories.

Warnings for blood, death mentioned, and reader cutting her hand on a rock by accident.)

Have you ever heard of the phrase 'if its too good to be true then it probably isn't'?

That phrase exists because often when something does sound too good to be true it almost always is the case. However sometimes we had to learn that important life lesson the hard way, and you were one of those people who learnt first had you shouldn't take everything at face value while also never taking anything for granted. 

Even now as you attempted to ignore the figure peeping over the other side of your desk, dark hair cascading from a pale grey head without any eyes to be seen. The figure being only barely lit up by the light of your laptop as you attempted to do some online courses and not pay attention to the curious figure that blended into the shadows perfectly. 

Key word being tried because of the fact you couldn't ignore him when a hand curious reached out across the desk and snatched away your mouse quickly vanishing back into the darkness before your hand could stop him. Instead your hand smacked down onto the hardwood with a thud.

"Hey!" F/c orbs glared harshly into the darkness beyond the lit screen. "Give that back!"

"HEHEHEHE!!" A high pitched laughter was your only playful response from the blackness.

A sigh escaped your lips. It wasn't always like this. It had only started when you had moved to this quiet town in the middle of nowhere. You needed a place to stay after rent had gotten too high and your ex roommates decided to bail on you without a warning. So facing homelessness and struggling with money, you did what anyone in your shoes did. Look online for the cheapest place you could find. Your desperate search for any cheap apartments, anyone who was renting a room, ANYTHING! That's when you came across what seemed to be a miracle.

A small house in a town you never heard of just a few miles away from where you currently worked. It was a cheap house. For what you were renting the apartment for two years you could pay and completely own your own house fully. Something like that was like a god send, but you were HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS. This had to be a trick. A scam. There's no way that anyone would sell a house this cheap without it being a scam of some kind. There just HAD to be a catch. But you were very desperate, and you decided to contact the number listed for the real estate agent. What the heck? There was no harm in talking to the guy and checking out the place. At worst it'd just be another dead end. 

The man seemed very professional over the phone and answered all your questions politely just like the realtor that you rented your old apartment from. So really there wasn't any red flags then. You took that as a go ahead to set a date for a walkthrough of the house and see if you really wanted to go through with the purchase however... Something still didn't seem quite right. You looked up the realtor's name and found him to be a legit business man in that profession so it wasn't likely it was a scam but the off feeling didn't go away so you opted to bring along your dad on the day in question to go see the house.

"Gosh. The place sure is in the middle of nowhere isn't it?"

That was your dad's first comment about the area you were in. Following the location given to you leading you to a whole town in the middle of nowhere. Surrounded by thick woods and old roads. Perhaps that was the second red flag seeing an entire town so empty. So.. abandoned like this. It doesn't make much sense. Maybe this was a scam trying to sell old houses in the middle of nowhere. You felt better having brought along your father but still something felt off. Eventually you found the house, and the realtor man waiting for you on the porch in front of said house. Everything seemed normal. He greeted you both, shook your hands, and after a few icebreaker sentences asked if you'd like to look at the inside of the house.

From the outside it looked completely normal. Maybe a bit run down and old and the lawn needed some mowing, but nothing that screamed red flags. The guy was as normal, polite, and professional as he had been on the phone as he walked both yourself and your dad throughout the house and spoke about when it was built, how long the last owners had lived there, and the few repairs made to it. Both of you went through the usual testing the lights, and turning on the kitchen sink to check the running water. Everything seemed to be working. By the cheap price you were expecting to find a real fixer upper here. 

"Doesn't anyone else live in this town?," you eventually asked the man curiosity finally getting the better of you.

"Oh yes. Mostly older folks and their carers but there's two of three families too and some caretakers for the houses until they can be sold," he confirmed.

"Then why does it look like the entire town is empty."

It was finally then that the realtor looked worried about something. "Well a lot of people prefer to live closer to the nearest town with active businesses, but I will be honest. Most people pass over here because of the rumors surrounding the area."

"Rumors?"

"Yes. I'm afraid that many people seem to believe that the town and surrounding woods are haunted. I don't believe that of course but superstition can scare away a lot of people."

Ah. So that was the entire reason why the house was dirty cheap. No one in their right mind would want to buy a haunted house in the middle of no where miles from the nearest town with any stores. That'd be pretty inconvenient for a lot of people but desperation and fear of homelessness was a powerful factor in your decision to make the purchase, signing on the papers and moving everything you owned with your parents' help into your new house. And everything seemed to be perfectly fine the first few weeks. 

They mostly consisted of you cleaning out your house and fixing up the lawn to get things in order. Moving your furniture around for for own needs. Fixing up an Internet connection for online classes. Things such as that. It really wasn't very exciting but nothing bothered you.

But something still felt off about the silence.

It wasn't the peaceful nature silence that you would experience on nature hikes or drives through the country, it was more of the creepy silence you'd seen in way too many horror movies when all the animals went silent when the monster was getting closer and closer. Even though you saw nothing wrong with anything. The unusual silence was creepy as was the unusual emptiness of the town but you concluded it was still better than being homeless. For a roof over your head with working water and electricity, you'd put up with the silence for now. Besides you could always move again once you graduated college and saved up enough money to move again.

However you did encounter one of the locals at last. The only working store just outside of town, mostly used as a pitstop by others just driving through but sometimes you'd stop for snacks before making the hours long run to the next town over for groceries. He was an odd older man whom looked the same age as your grandfather. He eyed you from the window before you made your way inside and began digging in your pockets for your credit card to pay for gas. 

"Just gas?" He grunted out.

You nodded pulling out the card. "Yep. Just gas."

"Good. It's not a good idea to stay in this area after dark." He just watched you swipe your card. "Take my advice and don't stop until you reach the next town over."

"Oh. I'm not passing through, I live here," you clarified making him raise a brow, "I just moved in a few weeks ago."

He grunted. "Then they decided to not make themselves known to you yet. Or they haven't noticed that fresh prey came right in."

You looked at him blinking. "Excuse me?"

"The spirits of course!", he clarified with narrowed eyes, leaning forward to make you lean back. "They roam these parts you know."

"Uh .So I heard."

"You don't believe me." He scoffed rolling his eyes. "The non-believers are always the first ones to go first. The fact you hadn't seen them yet means you're either lucky or they're planning on doing something big for you."

"Uh..." You weren't sure what to say to that but leaned back when he leaned over the register beckoning you to come forward.

"Let me give you some advice for how to survive around here. There's certain rules to follow if you want to avoid trouble. Firstly, never go out after dark. That's when they're most active but they can still come out during the day as well so keep your eyes open at all times too. However if you must go out at night then make it brief and always keep at least one light on. They absolutely love the dark."

You took a step back to avoid the way he was almost in your face however that didn't stop him from holding up his hand with two fingers.

"Don't look them directly in the eyes and ignore them all times if you absolutely can. If you initiate contact then they'll take that as an invitation to continue contact." A third finger. "There's a lot of them around here but most of them are harmless and just long lost spirits still roaming around such as that poor Bride of the man who was in the bad fires years ago. However there's quite a few of them that's quite dangerous."

"Danger..ous?"

He slowly nodded. "Yep! The first ones that come to mind is that one that looks crazy and carries around the giant machete. Cross him the wrong way and you might join the spirits but he usually wonders the woods and doesn't come into town too often so I wouldn't worry too much about him. It's Scartella that I'm more worried about."

"Scarletella??" You were very confused as he nodded. "Who's he?"

"He gets his name from the bright red clothes and hair he sports, and the rather unusual red umbrella he always seems to carry around. He only shows up when it rains but by fair he's the most deadly. If he approaches you and ask for your name do not under any circumstances answer him! He'll steal your soul away!"

"Uh...right." This guy was crazy and watched way too many horror movies! Slowly you tucked your card back into your pocket since it was paid. "I'm going to go now-"

"Then there's the fellow who just likes to creep in gaps and crevices and ask for organs. He's completely harmless after all as long as you say no. He'll pout but he'll leave you be. Then there's the fellow who's always helping that disembodied head. He's mostly harmless but has taken some corpses for his morbid research. Just don't try harming the head and he'll be ok with you-"

"I best be going!", you proclaimed loudly before turning on your heel and walking towards the door. "Thanks for the gas but I REALLY better get going." And get away from this crazy guy.

"Don't say that I didn't warn you!", you heard him call after you as the bell chimed above the door.

You didn't look back. Just got into your car and drove all the way home feeling your hair stand on end from the creepy encounter. That was definitely spooky but you chose to ignore it in favor of getting home. Out of curiosity you decided to look up the area on Guggle just to see what would pop up and was surprised to find so many urban legends surrounding the area. There was TONS of them. From the tragic tale of a bride dying on her wedding day long ago to someone being executed by having their head chopped off to even sightings of a strange person in a wheelchair said to have been a patient whom died in a hospital that once stood here. 

However you didn't find any legitimate records anywhere to back up these legends. The only confirmed death registered for this area was a camper who got lost in the woods and was later found deceased from a tree having fallen and crushing him and that was two years ago. There wasn't any urban legends of a deceased camper around to add to the mix. After scrolling through the pages and pages of legends you called it quits convinced they were nothing but what they were.

Just urban legends without any truth to back them up.

That all would change one fateful night. You had driven hours to the nearby town to shop and visit family, so you got home late. Everything was fine. The sun had just set as you stepped out of your car bag of groceries in one hand and house keys in the other as you approached the front door. Nothing but silence was all the streets offered you as you fiddled with the lock and letting the door creak open a bit as you went to go put the key back into your pocket-

"Give finger?"

You snapped up at the sudden voice only to find a face in the gap of the door staring at you-

You screamed bloody murder. You screech echoing out through the streets and the bag falling from your hands. Bread and apples went thudding along the porch as you turned to run back to your car in a panic. The sounds of a car door slamming behind you echoed down the streets as you fumbled with the keys to your car. The rippling sounds of a revving engine and screeching tires was the only things left behind in the darkness. You didn't stop out of fear until you got to the little gas station where you fumbled with shaking hands to call the police.

"Hello? Police! I need help! Someone broke into my house!"

I took hours for a squad car to get to where you were at which point you gave a statement before leading them back to your house. The door was still slightly sharp and your groceries were still scattered about the porch where they were dropped. You stayed right across the street watching with shaking hands as they entered your home and lights turned on as you saw their figures watching through your home. After a while they came back out without anyone in cuffs. 

"There's no signs of anyone being inside the home, and no forcibly entry."

"But there WAS something there! I saw him in the doorway!!"

No matter what you said the police had nothing else and left leaving you standing there in the streets in front of your house. You couldn't get yourself to go inside opting to sleep in your locked car that night before going on the next morning with a tire iron from the trunk in search of the guy you saw checking every closet, under your bed, and even in the kitchen cabinets but found no one. It was both relieving and weirded you out. 

You know you saw someone last night! He was right there! Was it just a hallucination? You had been pretty swamped with work and homework so maybe all the lack of sleep combined with hearing those ghost stories all the time we're starting to get to you. Yeah. That must've been it.

You would've just been satisfied to go on with pretending to have never seen him before if it wasn't the last time you had a paranormal encounter with a spirit. The second encounter you had was with a weird ghost that looked like a bloodied nurse. It was when you were outside really early one morning. You had gotten some flower seeds and wanted to make your house look less creepy by planting some flowers near it, however first you had to clear away some rocks where you wanted to plant them. It'd take a while to make a flower bed so you wanted to get started early. The sun was barely starting to come up when you started moving some of the rocks when you grabbed one and a moment later you were dropping it in pain.

"Ow!" Instinctively balling your hand into a fist and clutching it to your chest, you hissed in pain. Slowly you unclenched your hand to take a look at the cut upon your palm. "You gotta be kidding me. Well that's just great." A sizable cut was across your palm from the jagged edges of a rock and even in the dim light you could tell it was bleeding. "Ow, own, own. That hurts."

"Your hand?" 

You jumped at the feminine sounding voice next to you and when you turned...You froze. 

What you were met with was a woman covered in blood.

Or you assumed it had been a woman by the sound of the voice and the fact she wore a nurse's gown along with a hair net and medical mask. However you only froze meeting the black void like orbs that was in the place of eyes and the fact her entire outfit was covered in copper colored stains.

"Your hand?" She repeated holding up her own hands "injured? Sick?"

You couldn't say anything. Too frozen to speak or do anything as she produced a roll of bandages from no where and a few seconds later your entire hand was wrapped up. 

"Heal! Fix!", she exclaimed loudly satisfied with the care she gave before turning to walk away.

She walked across the lawn slowly disappearing into thin air and vanishing as if she had never existed as the sun slowly rose higher and higher. You stayed standing there frozen until the warmth of the sunlight made you flinch and finally move around.  You couldn't write it off as a freak hallucination from stress and lack of sleep this time. Perhaps if there was no proof of her ever being there you could've done that but there was NO way you could logically explain why your entire hand was wrapped up in old gauze. But BOY you tried! Tried to convince your terrified self that you were imagining things and you had wrapped up your own hand without remembering...

Yeah. That didn't work.

You couldn't step out of your house for a good while too afraid of what else you might witness and your lights were kept on nearly every night but that didn't stop the random hauntings you'd witness. One day you went out during the day a pair of muddy footsteps just walked down the sidewalk appeared on the ground next to you. You jumped back and watched in disbelief as they zoomed down the sidewalk and disappeared around the corner leaving behind muddy footsteps in plain daylight for anyone to see.

Another time you were just in the kitchen and you peered out of the window to look out only to scream and scramble back as a sheep's head popped up from under the windowsill. The child like entity giggled at their mischief before running away completely disappearing. Sometimes you didn't hear them at all but caught a glimpse of something peeking out at you from time to time from a crack in the doorway or an open drawer and one time under your bed. It might've been the same entity you saw the first time these things started and you started the habit of keeping everything closed. Sometimes you saw legitimate ghosts like out of the movies floating about randomly and one ghost stereotypically under a sheet dragging along the ground down the road.

It all was eventually too much and you decided now would be the perfect time to go stay with your parents for a long, long while. Packing just a suitcase, you got in your car and just drove out of town. Stopping only by the old gas station just outside of town to get gas for the long drive and maybe some snacks. The old man from before of course was there and the first thing he did seeing your frazzled frame was to throw his head back and howl in laughter!

"So I see they finally decided to come out to you, Young Lady! Tell me do you believe in the supernatural now?," he asked between laughs.

You only managed a deadpanned tired look. "Leave me alone. I just want some gas."

"Who was it? Mr. Gap?," he asked ignoring your words genuinely interested. "He's always usually the first one to show up and he's the most frequent fellow."

"Mr...What?"

"Mr. Gap," he repeated, "That's what locals around here call him because of the fact he appears whenever there's gaps between things. Almost every spook here has a nickname like it since no one knows their true names. Which ones did you see?" He sat back arms crossed amused eminencly. "I'll probably be able to tell you their names."

You weren't sure how to feel, what to think, or what to say...but you couldn't tell someone that you were seeing ghosts. Your family and everyone else would think you're crazy! Maybe you were but you were sane enough to know that you weren't seeing things and at least this man knew who you were talking about and believed in them..So you told him the few entities you've been seeing.

"That's Mr. Gap alright." He nodded along with your story. "Oh. So you met Ms. Nurse. She's helpful when she wants to be." He laughed again. "Hooded Child is always playing tricks on people." And then the ghosts- "Mr. Cloth is the only ghost I know of that wears a sheet over him."

"What do I do to make them stop?"

"Stop? This whole place was theirs way before you and I came along young lady! If anything you're trespassing on their home. They won't stop living how they've always lived, that's like telling a bird to stop chirping or a flower to not smell nice. They're not going to do it just because you find it inconvenient. I'm sure if you were a ghost you'd certainly be annoyed by people acting that way towards you."

"I wouldn't be haunting people and scaring the living daylights out of them!" You shook your head. "Can I just buy gas please?" 

He shrugged. "Sure. Just don't say that I didn't tell you so."

You bought the gas and filled up your car quickly and got back in. Only when you tried to turn it on...Nothing happened. You kept turning the key but nothing kept happening. Until you defeated got out of your car and slunk back into the station to the old man's surprise.

"Back already?"

"There's something wrong with my engine. C-Can you help me?"

"Sure! I've worked on cars before." He got up and you both went out to take a look under the hood. You watched as he hummed and fiddled around with a few things before looking at you. "How old is this car?"

You shrugged. "I-I don't know. It's preowned." You couldn't afford a new car on your college kid budget.

"Well that might be your problem." He closed the hood with a loud THUD. "The battery's dead."

You stared at him gobsmacked. "WHAT?! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET BACK?...Can you drive me?"

He shook his head. "I live in the connecting house and I own no car. Never needed one. The nearest mechanic is in the town over and they wouldn't be here until morning. You can either sleep in your car for the night or your welcome to sleep inside but you'd have to sleep on the floor."

"No thank you." No WAY you were staying with a stranger or sleeping in your car in the middle of nowhere. Looking up you noticed that the sign was only barely in the middle of the sky, that meant it was just almost noon. "If I start back now, I can probably make it back home before dark."

"You sure?"

You nodded. "Positive." You stepped back to walk back down the road where you came from. "I'll be fine. They don't show up a lot during the day anyways."

The older man hummed. "Alright but you be careful on your way back. Sometimes the woods can be more dangerous than the town."

***********

[sweetbillwriting]

Way Out Of Line

FOUR

Beneath my perfume and make-up I'm just a baby in disguise. And though I know that it's wrong to be alone with him that "come on look" is in my eyes.

Character: Keith Toshko from Barbarian (2022) played by Bill Skarsgård.

Warnings: 18+, NSFW, heavy themes.

“Oh god!”

I was horrified to see Mr. Gardner standing just on the other side of the bushes and smirking at us. Keith hadn't noticed, though, because he dragged his hand over my hip while the other held his erection in place for me to sink down on.

“I know... It will hurt a little, but it's nothing permanent…” he said playfully, fully believing he would get to penetrate me. I took the blanket I had used earlier and wrapped myself up while I moved away from Keith's lap and took his jeans, throwing them at him.

“We have an audience!” I screamed in panic and felt the tears behind my eyelids. I had never done something like that before, and of course someone would see me just then. I had always been such a good girl, never embarrassed my parents, but now they would find out I had almost had sex with my dad's college buddy.

Keith didn't seem to get what I was talking about and looked at me confused as I sat on the couch and cried hysterically. He looked around, out to the hallway to see if my parents had come home and also out from all the big windows, but no one was there.

“Hey… No one has seen us… Jacqueline…” he said softly and dragged his hand over my thigh soothingly. I gave him an irritated look, but it disappeared as soon as I saw his questioning eyes. I took a deep breath instead and wiped away my tears. Keith waited for me to say something while he moved a bit uncomfortably on the couch with his jeans over his crotch.

“It was Mr. Gardner. Our neighbor, who lives just next to us. He just stood there and stared!” I pointed to the window where you could see the street, and Keith’s eyes followed my finger.

“Do you really think he saw anything? It's hard to see so far, and in the sunlight it's really hard.”

The last word made me think back on what we had done before, and I couldn't stop myself from thinking that Keith's cock was probably so big and hard you could see it from the house opposite of us. Keith smiled amused at me.

“Are you okay? You're smiling, baby…” I looked at him, then I giggled a little. I couldn't decide what I was feeling because it was also exciting. Keith was a handsome man with a manly body, big cock, and he was a person I shouldn't be doing anything with. He wanted to sleep with me, and maybe the neighbor had seen it, how much he had wanted me. And he called me baby, like I was his girlfriend. I giggled again and crawled closer to him. Keith laughed, confused, but pulled me close to his chest.

“So no worry for Mr. Gardner then?”

I laid my cheek on Keith's pec and thought about it. I was worried. Really worried he would say something to my father, but if that would happen, I wouldn't be alone. I would be with Keith. I nuzzled my nose against his neck, smelling a musky but fresh cologne. I was worried but didn't want to say that. I wanted to bask in this moment, but also because I was afraid Keith would feel I was childish if I worried about such a thing. We hadn't done anything illegal. I let my heart settle while Keith dragged his hand over my arm. It was soothing sitting there, feeling so small against his wide chest and in his strong arms. Why did he want me? After a while I was lulled to sleep with my head resting on his sternum. His hand rested on my waist but sometimes moved down to my naked hip. It was probably a bit provoking that I still lay there without my panties.

“Baby girl… We can't sit like this anymore; your parents can come home any minute.” He voiced it lowly to me while pushing my head softly away from him. I sat up groggily and realized I was wet between my legs again. Just being close to him did that to me. Keith stood up and pulled on his boxers and jeans, and I discreetly looked at his cock in its soft state. It wasn't at all as threatening. He let his belt hang loose in the loops, then he turned to me.

“Panties, young lady,” he said teasingly, as he handed me my simple nude-colored panties. I looked at them uncomfortably because I wanted to be sexy in his eyes, dressed in lace and silk, not 100% cotton. When I had pulled on my panties, he gave me my pajama pants. When we both were dressed, we looked at each other with deep eye contact. Keith took a deep breath and sat down on the coffee table, so he sat opposite of me.

“If you… Feel uncomfortable with anything, I hope you tell me that. I know you're inexperienced and need guidance in this, and I really want to give you that.”

I laughed, embarrassed, and looked down at my hands. To talk about how inexperienced I was was not what I wanted to talk about, even if it was true. He had even shown me how to jerk him off.

“Is that okay?” He asked, leaning forward, placing his hands on my knees. I gave him a smile and nodded because it was sweet, and after all—I was his baby. By reflex I yawned, and he laughed at me lovingly.

“Yeah, you will probably be really tired sometimes while I’m living here…” he said with a smirk, but I just furrowed my brows in confusion, and he laughed and gave me a hooded gaze.

“Should I carry you up to your bed? So you can take a nap?”

I giggled with a blush and held out my arms.

“Okay…” I wanted to call him something too, but he wasn't really a baby, so my words stopped abruptly, but he didn't seem to notice, occupied with lifting me up like a koala bear around his waist. I hadn't been carried like that since I was six or something, and my chest glowed with a warm feeling. He laid one of his big hands on my ass and patted it softly. I don't know if he knew how much that would make me feel lust again, but it did, and I pushed myself close to him and rubbed my nose against his neck. I could feel that he was smirking while carrying me to the stairs in the hallway. Both of us seemed to enjoy the moment, but neither of us was prepared to be stopped by my parents coming in through the entrance door. Keith turned by reflex towards the door, and that meant I had my face in the opposite direction. I couldn't see my parents' faces. Keith moved his hand from my bum to my back but then made a shushing sound.

“She's sleeping…” he whispered to my parents. Slowly I took in what he said and trusted him to solve the situation. I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep in his strong arms, relaxing my limbs so they hung softly.

“Okay?” I heard my dad say confused.

“She almost fell off the couch, so I’ll just carry her to her bed instead…”

“That's nice of you, Keith.” My mom sounded happy, and once again I was surprised over how relaxed they were, how much they trusted Keith. I couldn't see my dad letting anyone carry me, on top of that, in just my pajamas, but here I was with his younger, handsome friend.

“I should carry her up before she wakes up, the princess,” he said playfully and made my mom laugh softly. I couldn't hear a reaction from my dad, but he didn't protest when Keith started walking up the stairs. I could have opened my eyes to see my parents reaction, but I didn't dare and instead hugged Keith a little bit closer. That I could actually have done in my sleep.

To my surprise, Keith carried me to my room, not Jason's, but the room he had borrowed from me. I looked at him confused when he took the cover and laid it over me. It smelled like him and nothing of my beauty products.

“I think you carried me to the wrong room now.”

Keith sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked my hair away from my face.

“I think we should change back.”

“Why?”

He licked his lips but then gave me a dark smirk.

“Jason's room is next to your parents… Maybe I want to give you a nightly visit.”

I giggled and covered half of my blushing face with the cover.

“Oh.”

Keith looked towards the door and stood up. He walked so silently and smoothly that not even I could hear him, and then he closed the door. He walked up to me again and looked down at me; now it was me that took hold of his hand closest to me and tried to pull him down again. He did what I wanted and sat down in the same place again.

“Do you want me as a guest tonight?”

I lay down on my back and looked up at him. His eyes were big and round. Even if he looked so innocent, I knew he was sure I would say yes and that he knew exactly what he wanted to do to me.

“Yes.”

I didn't see his reaction to my answer before he leaned down and kissed me. He was so good at it that even lying down, my legs became jelly.

He gave me just an innocent smile before he left me. I looked at him closely. The broad shoulders, the long legs, the bulking biceps, but also the opened belt hanging around his hips. I was close to saying something but instead giggled to myself. If my dad spotted that, Keith would have a funny story to tell me later.

×××

I tried my best to act normal around Keith at dinner. I normally didn't talk so much with my parents' friends, just gave them polite smiles, and nodded along in their conversations, so it wasn't hard. Keith did the same and acted just as my dad’s buddy. I didn't know what I had expected, but I had hoped for him to at least give me a smile when my parents didn't see, but instead I thought he laughed exaggeratedly at my dad's jokes and was overly sweet towards my mom. She giggled almost girlishly when he helped her to lift down the salad bowl from the top shelf easily, even if both she and my dad needed a chair to take it down. Keith smiled kindly and offered to help her in the kitchen. I knew my mom didn't want to have anyone in the kitchen, and she gave him a friendly no but patted his back. I looked at her petite hand on his broad back and could see in my head how small my own hands had looked against his chest or his naked thigh.

I sat with a lowered head while eating, but my parents didn't notice I was engaging less than usual; they probably just were happy Keith didn't show any signs of being sad anymore. I wondered if I was a reason why he could laugh even if he would divorce his wife and wrote that on my metaphorical list of things I wanted to ask him, even if I would probably never dare to bring it up with him.

×××

If I die tonight, imma make it look pretty. Yeah I'm in your spot; yeah, I'm in your city…

After dinner I snuck away to my room, and instead of cozying down and unwinding to go to bed, I took a shower, shaved everything even if it was already shaved, and rubbed in every sweet-smelling crème I owned into my skin. It was a fine line between wanting to look sexy and also look like I hadn't tried too hard for Keith's nightly visit.

I sang along to the soft pop that played from my little lilac speaker and shifted between smelling the sheets that still smelled like Keith and fixing my room to that feminine heaven it had been before he moved in. I had read many times that men actually liked being in a feminine atmosphere and that it made them feel cozy and turned on. The sheets were in a nougat color and clashed a bit with my white, airy interior, but I left them because they smelled so good of him.

There was a knock on the door, and my first thought was that it was Keith, but the clock was just 9:45.

“Yeah?” I said and turned towards the door. My mom looked in and started to sniff the air at once. I had lit a scented candle on the nightstand. Its lavender scent was mixed with my vanilla and coconut body products.

“I see you really have taken back your room… It was nice of Keith to switch.”

“Yeah, that was sweet.” I giggled a little but stopped when I realized it could be telling. Keith was obviously handsome, and having a crush on him wouldn't be weird, but it would make my mom observe me more.

“We're going to bed now, but don't forget to blow out that candle before you go to bed.”

I was ready to answer and say good night, but my mom's attention had stopped at my fingers dragging through my long, wet hair. She sighed. She always thought I didn't take care for my lengths.

“Dois-je tresser tes cheveux?”

She asked me if she should braid it for me, and I answered yes. I liked the braids, and it was nice to get the hair off my face. Maybe it wasn't the hairstyle Keith wanted to see me with; probably he wanted it in blown-out curls like every man seemed to like best, but I knew the braids would keep themselves neat for a longer time.

My mom braided my hair into tight French braids. She did it so hard it hurt a bit, but I also liked them braided well, and I was used to it. She had done it for me since I was a small girl, and she had decided I would never be one of all the pale girls when I had long, thick, beautiful hair. Still, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about me and my mom when I watched Tangled.

“J'espère que tu utilises l'huile. Je ne te pardonnerai jamais si tu commençais à maltraiter tes cheveux. C'est un crime.”

I smirked when she talked about my hair as her prized possession.

“I promise, I'm using the oil.”

“Good, good.”

She sighed again and corrected the braids a last time.

“Good night, honey, I hope you sleep well in your own bed again.”

She gave me a forehead kiss before she left me by the vanity table. I looked at myself in the mirror and coated my lips with a peachy lip gloss. If she knew what her little girl prepared herself for.

Betray. Cheating. Sodomy. Chronophilia. Promiscuity.

My mom's Catholic background maybe would make itself reminded again.

The mixed feelings were back as anxiety in my body again. I wanted to be close to Keith, but I was ashamed of it. Did Mr. Gardner see us? What if my parents heard us have sex? Would I even be able to have sex with him, or would it hurt too much?

I lay down in bed after deciding I would do it anyway and turn over and over with the wildest, most exciting anxiety I had ever had. I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but I did and didn't wake up until Keith sat on the edge of the bed and dragged a big, heavy hand over my naked arm.

“You shouldn't fall asleep with lit candles, Petit Lapin,” he said with a cute smile and booped my nose with his index finger.

×××

While Keith sat down more comfortably in bed, I tried to fix myself as best I could without being too obvious. I didn't dare to put on more lip gloss because it would probably look silly and instead tried to sit a little bit relaxed against the headboard but with my legs bent like a mermaid. It wasn't comfortable at all, but I hoped it looked like it was.

Keith also sat against the headboard and stretched out his long legs, dressed in dark blue sweats that were paired with a white t-shirt. It didn't look like he had fixed himself up for me at all, but still he looked so good. It was provoking while I sat there in my baby blue, lacy, baby doll nightgown and a mesh thong that crept up everywhere they could. It was the only sexy lingerie I owned, and I knew that if I wanted to continue this thing with Keith, I needed to borrow my dad's credit card.

“You look really pretty. It must be hard doing those braids by yourself,” he said with a small smile, dragging curious fingertips over one of them.

“It's Mom who does them for me. I can do it myself, but she's better.”

He smiled a little drowsily at me but then looked away with a sigh.

“I think we need to talk…”

I had heard that line before with Tim and looked at Keith worriedly and bit my lower lip.

“Does Dad suspect something?”

“What? No, no… But Mr. Gardner did see us…”

“What?!” I sat up better and looked at him in panic. He just smiled at me a little and took my hand in his.

“You can be calm. I've talked to him. He will not tell anyone.”

I looked at Keith with furrowed brows. Was he so stupid he believed Mr. Gardner would shut up just because he told him to? Keith must have seen what I was thinking and gave me a crooked smile and patted my cheek.

“I paid him. Okay?”

“Paid him?”

“Yeah.”

“How much?”

“Enough. Trust me. It’s solved.”

I nodded slowly but still felt worried, but I forgot that when Keith pulled me down, pressing me against his side so I could lay my cheek on his chest, he didn't allow me to be calm for a long time.

“What I needed to talk about is my marriage.”

I looked up at him while he stroked his thumb over my arm. He sighed again and scratched his neck awkwardly.

“I don't want to hurt you or use you. I'm a married man even if I’m in the middle of a divorce and…” He looked down in shame while continuing to scratch his neck and up in his hair. I sat up and looked at him, waiting for him to continue. I could feel it in my bones that he tried to end the little thing we had started, but I lived on my hope and tried to tell myself he just wanted to be considerate about my feelings.

“I know my wife wants the house, the cars, even our savings for herself. She doesn't want to share, and if I have an affair, she could say I've broken my vows and… It would be a mess. Because even if I'm separated... This would be an affair.”

I laid my cheek against his chest again and looked out over my room. I didn't know anything about marriage or divorce, but one thing I knew was that I hated his wife. She didn't want him, so why couldn't she let me have him?

“I'm so sorry, honey… But everything with your age and dad… It's too messy.” He took a hold of my chin and steered my face up. He looked so ashamed and sad that the only thing I could feel was sorry for him and a great loss. I patted his chest softly and nodded a little.

“I understand. I just really like you…” I said it disappointingly but from my heart. Saying those words was suddenly quite easy just because I didn't have much to lose. Keith smiled sadly and played with one of my braids. He looked as disappointed as I felt, and I wished I could say something to make us both happier, but I understood he couldn't date me under the circumstances we were in.

He pulled me up so I sat next to him again, but close, and he laid my legs in his lap. One of his big hands lay on my thigh while he looked me deep in the eyes. I felt sadder and sadder while looking at his big, soulful eyes swimming with emotions.

“Hey baby… I'm a middle-aged man compared to you; you should be with someone younger. You will find a nice boy.” He said it with a crooked smile, like it was a playful joke, but instead of laughing, I started to cry. There was just something about sitting so safe in his arms and looking into his eyes so intensely that felt so much more deep and meaningful than any other relationship I had had. Tim had never given me those warm, burning feelings. Keith touched my heart, caressed my soul, and owned my womanhood.

“Please, please… Keith…” I hugged him around his neck hard, and he let me disappear in his embrace. He didn't say anything, just hushed me and kissed my wet cheeks several times.

×××

It wasn't my idea, and I didn't ask for it, but I appreciated that he decided to stay with me until I fell asleep. He pulled off his clothes, everything except his boxers, and crawled down under the cover without forgetting to blow out the candle. He pulled me close to him, but I lingered with my finger on the button to the lamp and looked at his body. The sheet lay around his hips, and I stared at his wide chest and stomach. I could see abs when he moved, and his upper arms looked as thick as my thighs.

“Turn off the lamp now, " he said, pulling my hand again. I did as he said after one more long look at him. I dragged a hand over his biceps while he arranged my body to lay as the little spoon in front of him. I wanted to push my ass against his crotch, especially because that would be my last time so close to him, but I didn't dare; instead, I played with his big hand between my much smaller ones and enjoyed the nonsexual closeness. He kissed my shoulder a few times and mumbled praises about how pretty, sweet, and good I was in my ear. I noticed he didn't want to give up what we had either. I let his voice and warmth lull me to sleep even if I dreaded waking up without him.

×××

I didn't see him much the following days. I started school again; he was out doing his own things. Also, my dad started to work again while my mom took down the Christmas decorations and cleaned the house to spotless perfection. She had given me a look of horror when I explained that I had forgotten to change sheets after Keith had moved out of my room, but she didn't seem to think about it more than that she needed to air all of my beddings and make my bed in new light pink sheets.

It wasn't until a week later I saw Keith for real, instead of just as a back going out from a door or a weak smile in another room. I sat on my bed one evening, painting my toenails raspberry red, when someone pushed my half-closed door. I had my fluffy robe on after my shower, and my legs were exposed in the opening of it. I looked towards the door, expecting Mom as usual, but instead a much taller person peeked in through the crack.

“Hey…” he said, opening the door a little bit more. I turned down my music and looked at him nervously. He made my heart increase in rhythm, and my hands started to shake. He leaned against the doorframe and just observed me. He seemed to have just come home because he wore a dark blue button-up and black jeans. He was much more dressed up than what I had seen him in before, and I thought quickly that he had probably been able to get clothes from home. From his wife.

When he didn't say anything, I continued to paint my toenails, pretending like I didn't care that he was there, but my hand shook so much I painted all over my toes. I pretended it didn't happen and instead let my robe open a little bit more so he could see down my neckline. I still wanted to tease him, maybe even more just to see if he could keep away from me. On soft feet he moved into my room a bit so he could lean against the wall by the door. He was brave doing so, but I felt the same kind of guts when I met his eyes and I opened my robe completely. I didn't even have panties on, so I could understand why he was smirking, aroused.

“I thought you would keep away from me…” I said and put the nail polish on my vanity table next to me. He sighed and looked between my eyes and my body.

“Yeah… I should leave you alone; I'm sorry…”

He pushed himself from the wall so he stood at his full height in my light, frilly room. He looked even bigger and manlier in that setting, and I sat up in panic when he moved towards the door.

“Can't we just be conscious? Keep it as our secret? Keith… Please?” I stuttered and stood up on my knees. My words didn't match my actions because my robe hung open, showing him my full frontal nudity while my bedroom door was open and my parents were home. Keith cleared his throat in panic and closed the door quickly.

“Jaqueline,” he laughed a little and moved close to me. I stood up in bed to be closer to him in height but still left the robe open. He took a hold of it, and I believed he would close it, but instead he just held it open so he could look at my nakedness.

“Could you handle that? I don't want you to feel hurt or used. I'm in the middle of a separation, and it will probably be hard for you, baby girl.” I dragged my hands over his shoulders over and over while thinking about what he said but became distracted by his hands that had crept into my robe, caressing my waist and stomach over and over. Coming closer and closer to my chest and pussy.

“Of course. For you I can do that.” Keith smiled brightly and gave me a soft look. I smiled sweetly at him, then I took the courage to kiss his plump lips with mine. Warm soda ran through my body at a fast pace, and after a few kisses, I couldn't stop myself from giggling. Keith laughed lowly too against my lips but continued to kiss me more and more and pushed the robe away from my arms. I was a bit startled when he gripped my bum in a hard grip, but I didn't gasp until he gave me a hard spank. He laughed at me and looked at me with sparkling eyes.

“Is that okay, baby? Did it hurt?”

I looked at him with big eyes for a few seconds. It hurt a bit, but it wasn't totally unpleasant. I had heard from my friends that some girls liked such things, and I wondered if I was one of them and what kind of a guy Keith was. He gave such a sweet, soft first impression, but now when I looked at his hooded gaze and sharp cheekbones, he didn't look just sweet and kind anymore. There was another side of Keith there. It made me nervous, but I could also feel my heartbeats move down between my legs. He was a sexy man, and even if I was inexperienced and nervous, I wanted to explore him.

“Do it again,” I whispered and got him to chuckle darkly. He spanked me again and kissed me at once, so I gasped, pressed against his lips. He dragged his hands over my ass cheeks, down between my legs, so he could drag his fingertips over my outer lips. He explored softly while looking me in the eyes and I pushed back my hips so he could touch me more easily. He looked sweet again, like he wanted to make me feel safe even if his fingers explored me from hole to hole. There wasn't a part of my nether regions he didn't touch or penetrate with his long fingers. He even let a bit of his fingertip penetrate my second hole. Everything while my parents were home.

“Lay down for me…” he whispered, so I did. I wanted to make him happy. “Lay down on your belly…”

So gracefully as I could, I laid down on my pink sheets with my ass up. Keith stood fully clothed, looking at me from his high height, and dragged a hand over the bulge in his jeans.

“You're so pretty... I've never been with such a pretty girl like you..." He smiled brightly at me while he walked closer to the bed. I continued to look up at him, he looked threatening but the arousal took over and I just giggled and bit my lip. His dimples were on full display when he dragged his big hand over my curved back and then squeezed my right cheek. I giggled and lifted my hips more so he could continue his exploration. He climbed down in the bed between my legs and helped me put a pillow under my hips.

“That's a view…” he said playfully. I didn't see his face, and he didn't see mine, so he couldn't see how embarrassed I was and how my actual cheeks had turned completely red. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, and I tensed up, just waiting for him to do something more. He dragged his hands down my back, massaging lightly, but continued over my ass cheeks too so he could pull them apart and look at my asshole and pussy from behind. The only thing I could hear was his heavy breathing and him licking his lips.

His massage continued down over my lips. I tensed up when I felt him spread me open and how he changed his position. I could feel his warm breath against me and lay with my eyes wide open in waiting for his wet tongue against me. Even if I was so ready for it to happen, I still couldn't stop myself from giggling when he started to lick between my folds. Keith chuckled low too but then continued to kiss and lick my insides. I just waited for him to lick my opening, and I wasn't really prepared for him to start to focus much higher up between my inner lips. I knew what spot it was, but I had never found it myself, so when he started to drag his tongue from side to side and I could feel the pleasure spread from that point out to my limbs, I got so overwhelmed I got lost in it.

I let him steer my hips and spread my legs to reach my clit better, then he pushed his tongue against it hard and shook his head from side to side. I heard myself moan way too loud and pushed my face into the pillow. It was obvious Keith knew he had found the right method, and he dived deeper and closer and worked his tongue both harder and faster. Every time I lifted my face just to give myself some air, I moaned so loud it must have been heard through the walls. I knew it was an orgasm that took over my body even if it had never happened before. It made it hard for me to lay still, and my body screamed with pleasure. I let it take over me, let Keith take over me. I wasn't worried about anything; I didn't care about anything else than the pleasure and the man between my legs. It was heaven. It was the place I wanted to stay in forever.

Still out of breath, I looked back at Keith, who had sat up while wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His hair was a little messy; otherwise, he looked like he had just eaten a bonbon. He was so handsome, with his chocolate hair and intense facial features. His clothes sat impeccable. He was sexy, sweet, and kind. My heart beat so hard it felt like it wanted to jump out of my chest.

Was I in love with Keith?

I know you're nearby and I know your purpose. Take one look at you, you're heaven's incarnate. What is this spell, baby? Please show some mercy…

×

[amethystfairy1]

Hey I just need to go on a little tangent about ttsbc cub bc he resonates with me so hard. I totally didn’t pick up on the context clues of him being a mutant at all until it was revealed directly bc everything about him was just so normal to me. Like yes I also hate sound and light and need noise cancelling headphones to function. Even after the reveal I still relate to him a lot, especially still being able to hear people fairly easily even with the headphones on, and only really taking them off to talk with people for their sake and not bc I wouldn’t be able to hear them otherwise. On god nobody could ever sneak up on me. It’s exhausting and makes it hard to function but there’s something comforting about seeing that reflected in a character.

Also, like. Super Big Feelings about how good of a friend Scar is to him. The way he accommodates him without any question. As someone who desperately needs them I know DAMN WELL how freaking expensive a good pair of noise cancelling headphones are and if someone cared about me enough to buy a pair just to have on the rare one in a million occasion i forget my own when they hardly had any need for it themself? They’d NEVER get rid of me, frankly. Tbh as someone with invisible disabilities it’s hard not to relate to the struggles of undercity folk trying to function on the surface, desperately needing accommodations but being unable to ask for them. This series means a lot to me because it reminds me that my needs don’t make me any less deserving of taking up space, and that I deserve good friends who would accommodate them without question too, like scar with cub.

I’m sorry if this is all overly personal and emotional to drop in an anon ask lol, you obviously don’t have to answer this, I just figured it wouldn’t hurt to let you know that there was someone out there who felt comforted by your writing. It’s genuinely crazy how much quality writing you’re handing over to us all for free, and (pleasantly) overwhelming how much there is to read. I honestly admire you for that.

it ABSOLUTELY is not and you don't need to apologize! I'm so happy my writing means so much to you, and has shown you and helped you to remember you deserve every bit of love and care and the accommodation that lets you thrive! 💖

Cub is a Warden Mutant, yes, but he's very much written to be neurodivergent coded, and that's something that I wanted to have show through in his mannerisms...they also just so happen to overlap with how he's a warden mutant whoopsie 😅

A lot of the characters in TTSBC represent things from irl, and I did that intentionally (most of the time, I will admit a couple of them were happy little coincidences that I have fully embraced) but like...the thing is with my writing, I use it for an escape, a way to relax. It's very important to my mental health to do this sort of thing, and so while I want to make commentary on important topics, I don't want to bring them up flat-out and then have to grapple with them...if that makes sense? Not because I couldn't do it, or because I don't think it's important, but because my AUs aren't the space for that.

Not directly.

But indirectly? Through parallels and analogies and little things like a city separated by bedrock and people concealing parts of themselves to feel safe beneath a blue sky? Yeah...I think that's the sort of thing I can swing, and I like to think maybe that makes my little bitty attempts at commentary land easier 😅

Thank you so much for your sweet words!!!

[nadas-dirthalen]

I don't think I can ever forgive Solas personally for the way he used Varric's death as a manipulation tool against Rook. As someone who experienced the recent loss of a loved one in my life, realizing what he did to Rook and imagining someone taking away my autonomy to grieve and accept the loss makes me feel so disgust toward him. And to use the image of Varric, someone who was always protective and loyal to his friends? It angers me more, as it feel like such a disrespect act for Solas to do with Varric's image, especially as Solas was arguably once one of his friends. I still question if Solas ever understood what it meant to be alive as a mortal or if he was so caught up in continuing to see himself as some spirit of Wisdom, he denied how he had changed or that life is not as simple/much more vastly different than his once pure Spirit self believed. If he did, would he have treated Varric's death as a tool to use against Rook in the same callous way he did?

Absolutely love Solas' role as Veilguard's antagonist and how it provokes so many emotions and debates on his actions and how to deal with him. Hating his former colleagues is easy, they're batcrap insane and power hungry, but Solas? His actions hurt so much more than anything those two could ever do because we know him in Inquisition; we know, as flawed as he was, he was capable of good, and yet ends up taking actions similar to that of the people he once fought against. But yeah, even though I had the tools for the arguably 'good' ending, there's a reason I chose to fight him and force him into the Veil: He just lost a lot of my sympathy for what he did and I didn't think he deserved a gentle sending off, harsh as it may sound.

Hello anon!! First off, let me say this: you're totally valid to feel as you do about Solas, and even though I don't share your opinion of him, I definitely had a moment of, "Oh god, that was reprehensible."

I think the difference, here, is that my Rook was feeling the feelings you're describing. My Rook would have a hard time wanting to redeem Solas, and only did so for the sake of my Inquisitor.

But the longer I went on after playing Veilguard, the more I realized... that was intentional. That was the point BioWare was making in the third act of Veilguard, and they did it beautifully.

We're supposed to hate him. Let me explain.

We all know what Solas did in the end of Veilguard, and what we find out he's been doing from the very beginning with Varric. What I want to talk about is Solas' conversation with the Inquisitor in Trespasser.

PC: You said that the elven gods went too far. What did they do that made you move against them? Solas: They killed Mythal. (Chuckles.) A crime for which an eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment.

We find out in Veilguard that everything Solas has done, no matter how awful, no matter how violent, has been to bring back the world that Mythal knew before she was killed by the other Evanuris. The one where she was whole. Where Solas, in his mind, had not yet failed her.

Whether or not his actions are good for Thedas (and in most cases, they aren't), Solas does them anyway, consumed by his grief and his need to avenge Mythal. He doesn't think through the creation of the Veil. We see this in a note from Felassan to Solas that is found (I believe) in the Crossroads. He does it anyway, even though even the companions notice that the process hurts him. Badly.

We know, as players, that redeeming Solas leads to him vowing to help soothe the anger of the titans. He works toward his atonement. It is extremely important and powerful that there are many people out there who, knowing this, choose to fight Solas anyway.

Solas also knows, logically, that the world will burn if he takes down the Veil. That doesn't matter to him. What matters is his grief.

We know that, logically, Thedas is worse off if Solas is fought into Fade Jail rather than convinced to go of his own volition by redeeming him. To some players, that doesn't matter. What matters is their grief, like you're saying here.

"An eternity of torment is the only fitting punishment."

In this way, Rook becomes Solas. By choosing to fight him rather than swallowing down their own feelings and pain for the greater good, Rook perpetuates the cycle of violence—for better or worse. And here's the thing: you are justified in this. Your Rook is justified in this. That's why, I think, Solas is written the way he is in Veilguard. BioWare wanted to show that those people who hate Solas have ample reason to do so. They wanted to show what Solas is like with people he doesn't value—and Rook is one such person in act 1 of the story, when he chooses to do blood magic on them.

Redeeming him means Rook taking a chance on Solas' redemption despite the pain he's caused, even if he doesn't deserve it, for the chance at Solas becoming something better. This shows what I think is true of the cycle of violence: that sometimes, it is a deeply uncomfortable and counterintuitive process. But sometimes, that is the only way a cycle of violence is stopped, for better or worse. We acknowledge the pain caused by those who hurt us, but refuse to inflict the same pain upon others, no matter how much pain we feel. It is deeply uncomfortable and counter-intuitive, but sometimes walking away from a situation is all we can do. (and of course I do not believe this is the right course of action in all situations, but Solas is a fictional character, and I believe this angle on his story is reasonable and poignant because it is fiction. real life is infinitely more complex, but Solas' arc isn't meant to be an exact representation of real life: it's to mean something.)

This was the last way, I think, that BioWare drew a strong parallel between Solas and the player. During the DAI quest "In Hushed Whispers," they show us that our seeing the alternate timeline as "not real" mirrors how Solas feels about waking up in present-day Thedas after creating the Veil. Now, they show us that his singular desire for revenge is something that is possible for even us, the players, who knows these are all characters made of pixels, to feel.

I think this is why Epler has said he advocated for an ending where you can fight Solas. Not because he hates Solas (I assure you, he does not), but because it is of tremendous importance to Solas' thematic statement that the player can act on their anger, their pain, toward him—because that is what Solas has been doing to Thedas this entire time.

Thank you for sending me this. I hope you know that I think you're valid for wanting to fight Solas, even though that isn't the ending I choose. It's people like you who help make Solas such a fun, interesting character, and who help highlight just how cool he is to me. You can love him, you can hate him, but I have yet to find a person who's 100% neutral on him. And I love that for us.

[cal-daisies-and-briars]

Next up are the stories where eddie does (or presumably will soon) yell at his parents! We love to see it (and are eagerly waiting and hoping for it to happen on screen soon)!

🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲🌲 (diaz siblings reunited! All the buck, eddie, and adriana in the woods stuff had me on the edge of my seat and I can’t wait to read it all through when it’s published! Also eddie freaking out about his back nightmares coming true is really getting to me - poor guy!)

⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️⚖️ (oh boy an ominous warning from nemesis! I’m concerned! And seeing the accident that presumably killed eddie in the other timeline! I just want all three of my boys to get back home to LA so i can wrap them up in blankets together on their couch and feed them soup)

🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼🔼 (how do i always forget about covid? It keeps sneaking up on me! But I’m loving the progression of buddieshannon - it seems like they’re getting close! And i really love the way you’ve created maddie and shannon’s friendship! It’s beautiful and it makes me laugh when i think about eddie and maddies completely no existent relationship in the show :p)

Also I’m curious (but obviously feel free to ignore if you want to keep the details to yourself), how far are these stories along in what you have planned for them? Cuz they’ve all come such a long way that I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re getting towards their ends, but you’re so talented at plot development that I know they could have so much more to come!

- PCA <3

Hey! Thank you - love this theme, too!

As to your last question - great question!

For Gentle on My Mind I am not sure. I planned it sort of like TWATYTK where I just sort of have things I want to reach and will write until I get there. But it won't be nearly as long.

For Firelight, I am well into chapter 7 out of 10.

For An An Angry Blade, I am almost done chapter 4 out of 6.

96 for 🌲 (Ahh thank you! Yes! Lots of angst!)

---

“Me believing it?” Eddie says. 

Buck nods. 

Eddie inhales. “Then why isn’t the rest of it gone, too?”

“Good question,” Buck says. “I guess it’s only one theory.”

“Worth… Worth keeping in mind,” Eddie mumbles, blushing. He feels embarrassed, all of a sudden. Like a princess in a tower.

Buck smiles a little lopsidedly. “Well, I love you.”

Eddie exhales and smiles back. 

“I know you do.”  

ii. 

They return Adriana’s rental car in the morning, and with Buck at the wheel of Eddie’s truck, they head towards El Paso. It’s going to be a long drive. With Eddie, anxious as hell about confronting his mother and seeing Chris. With Adriana and Sophia, who don’t seem to like him. All good stuff. 

Adriana is quiet. Buck has found her rather frustrating this entire time, but then he remembers what she’s been through, and it’s hard to hold it against her. Sophia, though? Buck’s not sure what her problem is. He hasn’t done anything to her. In fact, he’s kind of been important in helping both her siblings. No big deal. But she’s still pretty frosty to him today. 

It doesn’t really matter, he supposes. It doesn’t matter if Sophia likes him. It’s not like it’s going to impact Eddie’s opinion. He makes his own strong opinions, and he loves Buck. Besides, they aren’t super close. Physically or emotionally. Eddie once told him they were, before Chris. She was still a teenager, and while he was too, he didn’t really get to stay that way.  Makes sense.

“So, Sophia,” Buck says, a few hours into the drive. Because while it may not matter that she doesn’t like him, he still really wants her to anyway. 

“So, Buck,” she repeats.

“You’re a vet, right?” Buck asks. “Like, not the kind Eddie is?”

“No, I served in ‘Nam,” she says flatly.

“Oh my god, you’re such a dick sometimes,” Eddie huffs. “Can you please be nice?”

Sophia makes a frustrated noise. “Yes. I’m a veterinarian.”

“That’s uh… That’s super cool,” Buck says. 

“Yep,” she replies.

“Hey, uh, did I do something?” Buck asks. “Because I know why your sister and I maybe got off on the wrong foot, but you and I-”

“It’s not you. You’re fine,” she cuts him off. “I don’t care… I mean, happy for you and Eddie, or whatever.”

“This is really cool and chill,” Adriana mumbles. 

“What does that mean?” Eddie asks.

“It’s nothing, Eddie. Don’t worry about it.”

“No,” Eddie shifts his body to turn and look at her. “It obviously means something, Soph. So just say it.”

She rolls her eyes. Buck thinks her expression sort of reminds him of Christopher’s, when he’s fed up or annoyed. She’s so familiar, for someone who is more or less a stranger. 

“Fine, Eddie,” she snaps. “Fine. You want to know why I’m being pissy with your boyfriend?”

“We haven’t actually labeled it,” Buck whispers. “But I’m cool with that if you are.”

Eddie doesn’t seem to hear this.

“Obviously or I wouldn’t ask!” He fires back.

“How long did you know what was going on with our baby sister before you told me?” Sophia snaps. “After all I went through looking for her!”

“I didn’t even know,” Eddie defends himself. “It was a hunch.”

“Well, you told someone else before you told me! And I’m sure you’re great, Buck. You seem fine. But you shouldn’t have seen my sister before me. You shouldn’t have known what happened to her before me.”

“My god, Soph,” Adriana sighs. 

“No, my god!” She snaps. “You have no idea what it was like, not knowing! It drove me crazy!”

“I’m sorry,” Adriana says. “But that’s not Eddie’s fault. Or Buck’s.”

---

96 for ⚖️ (Buck especially needs blankets and soup!)

---

“The stories differ,” the officer says. 

“SHE STABBED ME WITH HER CAR KEYS,” the woman shrieks. 

“Ma’am, we’d like to take a look at your wounds,” Eddie says patiently. “Would you come to the ambulance with us so we can treat those?”

“Finally, someone who knows what the hell they’re doing,” the woman snaps. 

The officer refrains from rolling his eyes, but Buck can see it’s a struggle. He guides her over to the ambulance behind Buck and Eddie. She sits down on the open back and Eddie inspects her injuries while Buck hands him supplies from the med kit. 

“These don’t look too deep,” Eddie tells her, checking over the wounds on her arms and torso. “I’m just going to clean and bandage them before you head out, okay?” 

“Head out?” The woman asks. “Head out to where?”

“I’ll need to bring you back to the station to answer some questions,” the officer says. “File a proper report about what happened here today.”

At that moment, Bobby walks over from Chim and Hen, who seem to have their situation under control, to here, just as the woman is growing increasingly exasperated.

“No!” She screeches. “No, you can’t take me to the station, I don’t want to go!”

“Ma’am, it’s protocol,” the officer says. 

“I won’t go!” She throws up her arms, jolting Eddie’s hands as he tries to clean her wounds. 

“Hey, uh, it-it really helps my co-worker if you keep still while he works,” Buck tries. 

She completely ignores him.

“I will not go! You cannot make me!” She continues to protest, gesticulating wildly. Eddie has to move back to avoid getting accidentally smacked. 

“Everything okay here?” Bobby asks, frowning. Like he can see a situation unfolding.  

“I’m not going back to jail!” The woman cries. 

“Back?” Eddie echoes.

“No one said anything about jail, Ma’am,” the officer says. “We just need to take your statement and get some information-”

“No!” She yelps. She stands suddenly, darting out and away from Eddie.

“Wait!” The officer calls. “You can’t just-”

But the woman is trying to make a break for it. Buck and the officer start in her direction, but Bobby is closer. He manages to intercept her, stepping in her way and grabbing her arm. 

“LET GO OF ME!” She shrieks. 

Bobby keeps a firm hold on her. “Now you need to calm-”

He’s cut off by the woman reaching into the pocket of her jacket, pulling something out that Buck can’t quite see, and thrusting it into Bobby’s abdomen. Bobby’s breath catches. His eyes widen with a pained expression. 

“BOBBY!” Buck shouts, sprinting for him. 

He stops short, Eddie grabbing the back of his shirt, when the officer draws his gun and points it at the woman. 

⚖️

An hour later, the woman - Carol, it turns out, her name is - has been arrested, and Buck is waiting in the ER. 

She stabbed Bobby with a pen. Hard enough to cause damage, but not sharp enough to kill him. Still, there was a lot of blood. And Bobby paled so much he passed out briefly in the ambulance. It’s not a blade wound. It’s not like the time Buck found Chim bleeding on the cobblestones out front Maddie’s apartment. But it’s not good. Not at all. 

“He’s not going to die,” Hen says firmly in the waiting room. She still needs to wash Bobby’s blood from under her fingernails. “We’ve all survived way worse than this, right? He’s going to be just fine.”

And Buck knows she’s probably right. She usually is, for one thing. For another, Buck knows it’s not the worst injury anyone has ever sustained. Bobby will get it cleaned and patched up and he’ll be just fine. 

But Buck is still furious. He has anger curling in him, tight and hot. Ready to burst at a moment’s notice. 

When Athena shows up, worried and just as angry as Buck that this has happened, she fills them in on what happened. The pieces they missed.

“The two women who were initially attacked, Carol Brandt and her sister, Vanessa, were visiting on a trip from Utah. Apparently, they’re local leaders in some sort of multi-level marketing scheme. Have been arrested before for an altercation with a former member of their downline. A downline which includes today’s perp, who followed them and confronted them about shady practices.” 

“So Bobby got stabbed over some essential oils?” Buck asks, tone snappish. “That’s what you’re saying?”

“I believe this is protein drinks, but yeah,” Athena confirms, pursing her lips. 

And Buck… He just can’t handle it. 

He stands abruptly, eyes brimming with tears. He feels so tired and frustrated and… And unable to cope. 

“Sorry, Athena,” he mumbles, then he makes a bee-line for the exit. He doesn’t give a reason or excuse. He just needs some air. 

---

63 for 🔼 (Haha yeah Eddie and Maddie need to interact, but for now, at least I've got imaginary Shannon & Maddie):

---

“You have to talk to her, Dad. Please, you do,” Chris begs. 

“Uh…” Eddie thinks. “What’s the name of the game, Chris?”

There’s a long pause. 

“Why?” 

Ah. He doesn’t want Eddie to know. Well, that’s not lending credibility to his story.

“Because your mom likes to make you happy,” Eddie says. “So if she said no, there’s probably a reason. And I’m wondering if that reason maybe has something to do with the game’s rating.”

Another long pause. His eyes are downturned. 

“Christopher,” Eddie presses. “What is the game rated?”

“M,” Chris admits finally. “But only because-”

“Yeah, see. No,” Eddie says. “Your mom is absolutely right, Chris. You are too young to be playing a game with that rating.”

“But, Dad-”

“No buts, Chris. It’s inappropriate. End of story.”

Christopher’s expression twists with fury. He’s mad mad. Well, tough. Shannon was right. Eddie isn’t going to undermine her or let his kid play some traumatizing, violent game at his age. 

“I’m sorry it’s disappointing,” Eddie says. “I know you miss your friends.”

“It’s not fair!” Chris protests. “I don’t get to do anything with anyone. Not even you!”

Eddie’s heart hurts for his son. Here he is frustrated by too much time with his friends, while Chris is over there lonely. Sure, he’s got his mom. And he’s got his sister. But what good company is a baby, really? He’s needing something he can’t get right now, and it’s no one’s fault. It’s just the world right now.

“Chris, I know this is really hard-”

“No! You don’t!” Chris interrupts. “You get to be with Buck and do things every day!” 

Eddie sighs. “I know. I know it isn’t fair.”

“No, you don’t,” Chris grumbles. And then, without even saying goodbye, Chris hangs up the phone. 

Shit. 

◀️

Shannon can hear Chris call Eddie. Despite saying she would talk to him. Whatever. He’s allowed to call his father. Just… It feels underhanded, right? Trying to convince Eddie to make the opposite decision to hers without talking to her. She’s mad. 

[cozymochi]

Does Nyoka have a British accent if he ever gets an english voice? :3

Probably not.

YAPPING UNDER CUT

I guess where I would start is… something comparable to Christian Slater’s original performance as Ushari (which, lmao wtf was J.D from Heathers doing in silly animal cartoon). Slater already has a unique sounding voice to begin with, but the Ushari voice is definitely at a slight lower register than his natural speaking voice. It’s “snakelike” with some “s” sounds being drawn out like a hiss once in a while. He speaks pretty quietly and even politely, which was probably the point. I don’t have much information on how the performance came about, but these are the conclusions I came to when I had to do actual studying.

^ Basically the above is what led me to determine Nyoka’s general character direction translated into anime tropes and inspired his JP voice claim.

I did once put the English Dub track over this JP voice claim animatic, and I really liked it. Loved it even. THE PERFORMANCE is ideal I loved the slight gruffness or rumble underlining the formal speech patterns is 😳😩😩😩👍👍👍😔😩 yes god. It’s a bit different from the original JP performance, but shoving that over my animatic was like 👁️👁️ I for one welcome different takes that still eat.

But, that VA would not be his ENG voice claim only because I think it would be in my better interest to locate a POC actor. No shade though, he is so so good. I do not have any ENG voice claims in mind, just… a direction. Which brings me to my third directional inspiration-

I also liked this other “Oh I’m so formal and stoic, but WUH OH I BECOME UNHINGED” performance from an yugioh spinoff anime english dub. The character also has strong Nyoka energy, and the performance within the anime is certainly what I’m looking for. (I’d reference the voice tracks in games, but the direction was… not great. Not any of the VAs faults at all. 4kids music doesn’t really help hear the good performance in the anime :(( ) The voice is very smooth and matter of fact, which I love.

Unfortunately, aside from the VAs name, he’s not in much else outside of two characters in that entire franchise, and is very hard to find much information about the guy. I’ve tried many times. I can only assume based on his credited name that he might be of Middle-Eastern descent, but that’s all I really have. And for Nyoka who is both of Sunset Savanna and Scalding Sands descent, that’s a bit more of what I’m looking for (I’m not too specific on this as a result). The voice is 🫣 so perfect, but, again, with only two known characters under his belt I can’t determine the range as accurately.

I think if THAT guy was given very specific direction that reflects Christian Slater’s Ushari and maybe even Dub!Reiji Sakamaki, I’d be cooking SO MUCH. Unfortunately, that hypothetical example in my mind does not exist and not enough examples.

…Which again, for english voice claims, I do not have any. Just… performances that are comparable and hypothetical direction.

But, until TWST itself gets any dub for it’s own anime (Which I think is extremely likely), I can’t exactly hone in on much. Sometimes a talent pool can help me out, especially of it comes to discovering new talent.

Or y’know, I watch new stuff in general. But, I do not.

The only “”accent”” in question that he has is the snakelike “s” being drawn out once in a while, but that’s not a hard rule at all.

I feel like for Nyoka, I wouldn’t know what would be utterly perfect it until I heard it. I would like a formal/polite speaking, lower register, calm almost stoic voice with an underlying roughness that kinda would foreshadow that he probably isn’t as docile as he seems. Sprinkle in some snake-isms for some spice and *DIES*

But hey if the hypothetical actor in question naturally already had a british accent and it happened to sound really good coming out of Nyoka’s mouth, I’d probably be okay with it. I’m one of those people that are open to different takes.

Otherwise, probably not.

^LOOK HOW DELUSIONAL I AM NYOKA ISNT EVEN REAL AND WILL NEVER BE VOICED PROFESSIONALLY BY ANYBODY ANYWHERE IN ANY LANGUAGE LMFAOOOOO

And I ain’t no voice director lulz

[beef-brisket]

Uncovering his ears, Adam shifted awkwardly as he sat up. Did she really have to be so loud? Man, Adam couldn't wait to be among the clouds again. This sleep was way too hard for his liking.

Looking down at Lucifer, he noticed the man still hadn't stirred. He had no idea how to wake anyone, let alone a human. Maybe he was dead? No, he was warm before, and humans get cold when their dead, so... what's this guys deal?

Adam leaned forward, his face close to Lucifer's body. He was definitely breathing, so that's a good sigh.

As his eyes slowly trailed up his body, his eyes stopped on his face. It's so strange seeing a human up close. Adam's only seen them in books and the occasional winner. But even then, most winners had human qualities, not full human bodies.

Lucifer's face was thin and tired even though he was sleeping. His cheeks were blushed red from the cold, and his lips were dry and slightly chapped. His hair was mostly a golden blonde, mixed with some even lighter colours. His eyes were a striking blue and staring directly at Adam.

He was still for a moment, thinking, before he quickly jumped back, or, as far as he could in the bin.

Lucifer: Mornin'. You like watching people sleep, or something?

Lucifer sat up, his eyes not leaving Adam's slightly panicked form.

Adam: S-Sorry, I was just- seeing if you were dead- but you're clearly not- and it's breakfast time, let's go! And forget this ever happened!

Smirking, Lucifer watched as Adam fumbled to stand up and awkwardly tried to climb out of the bin. It really looked like he fell, and judging by the banging against the bin, he did fall.

Shaking his head, Lucifer stood and followed Adam out. He almost laughed when he saw the angel basically run to Charlie.

Charlie: About time, you two! I've made breakfast!

Adam: "Made"?

Charlie: Yep! Eat up!

Adam jumped back as Charlie held out a tin of... something questionable.

Adam: What's... that?

Lucifer: Chilli beans. It's a few years old, but still good.

Lucifer took the can Charlie held out for him and found a place to sit. Adam watched with mild disgust as he dug his fingers into the mush as he shovelled it into his mouth. Glancing back at his can, Adam also felt sick. He really didn't want to eat... "beans." But he grabbed it anyway and found a semi clean spot for him to sit.

Charlie: So, what's the plan today?

Lucifer swallowed and looked up at his sister: Dunno, ask angel boy.

Adam: M-Me? Why me?

Lucifer: Well... you are the angel here. The massager of God, the righteous, the guide. So, what should we do?

Charlie: Oh! Maybe we should try and get you back to Heaven!

Adam looked to the sky: I... don't think that's possible.

Charlie: So, what? You're just trapped here?

Sighing, Adam looked back at his beans: ...I think I'm meant to help you, somehow.

Charlie: Uh... no offence, Adam. But there's nothing really angelic about you, apart from you not having a heartbeat. I'm not sure how you're meant to help us.

As Charlie spoke, Adam felt more and more shame. He didn't feel angelic. He had no powers, and his connection to God was... iffy to day the least. As a self-doubt began to gnaw at him, he heard Charlie gasp.

Charlie: I-I didn't mean anything by it! I just- I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Adam-.

Adam: You're right, though. I have no idea how to help you, or even where to begin... I... I think they sent the wrong angel.

Lucifer scoffed: I thought God didn't make mistakes.

Adam: It wasn't God who sent me here. It was... probably one of the archangels.

Lucifer sighed: How about... we worry about this after breakfast?

Adam nodded, but he couldn't bring himself to eat. Even without the emotional turmoil, he probably couldn't eat his breakfast. He needed to think of ways to help Lucifer and Charlie so he could go home. But how? He doesn't know how things work here, and he doesn't have a clue of where to start.

As the siblings talked, Adam looked around. He focused on the brick walls of the alley, the smell, the dirt, the water dripping down from... somewhere.

This isn't how humans live, right?

Turning fully around, Adam stared at the dumpster he spent his night in. Humans don't sleep in dumpsters. That much he does know.

That's when it clicked. He needed to find them a home! A real home! A home with... whatever human homes usually have!

Charlie: Uh... Adam? Are you okay?

Turning around, Adam smiled at Charlie: I think I have an idea of how to help you!

@things-arent-what-they-seem66 @fanofstuff01

Trials of Apollo Au

@fanofstuff01 @beef-brisket

Sera tried not to throw a fit, she was too mature for such things but this was her baby. How could she not get upset?

Sera: Michael don't do this. Adams just a ba-

Michael: That's the problem, he's not!

It has been pointed out to Sera that she babies Adam, the angel of music too much. She always wanted a child but angels don't have babies the normal way.

Adam was made to replace Samuel, the fallen angel and devil down in Hell. When he opened his perfect golden eyes he took right to Sera and she knew she had to protect him from everything and everyone.

But that came at a price. Sheltering Adam like that made him naive, uncultured and lacking proper knowledge. And the fact that God made him the first gay angel meant Sera had to keep other men away from him. They only take advantage!

But now they want Adam to lead the Extermination Day army, Sera didn't understand why. He was too sweet too soft. Adam didn't have a real mean bone in his body.

Sera: He's my baby!

Michael: He needs to learn about the world and life! He can't do that with you sheltering him. He's going to earth to help a human better their life, without his powers.

Sera: WHAT!?

Michael: Or would you rather he go to Hell?

Sera winced, she didn't want either thing. She looked at her sleeping son, he didn't know what was going to happen and it wasn't fair.

Sera: No...... But no powers?

Michael: The more he helps them he'll start to get them back. Say goodbye it's time.

-

Down on earth, Lucifer and Charlie were laying in their normal dumpster watching the night sky. The brother and sister duo were about to fall asleep when they saw a shooting star.

Lucifer: Make a wish!

Charlie crossed her fingers and closed her eyes. She wished for a miracle to save them from the streets.

Charlie: Done!

That's when the shooting star...... Started coming for them!!

[bacchuschucklefuck]

okay unironically I love so much that porter is like this world SUCKS its BAD here and it HURTS you why do you care abt it!!! and literally every single bad kid is like ngl we just hate ur ass it does not matter what ur philosophy is

[ganondoodle]

(idk if anyone wants to keep hearing my opinions on totk book stuff but-)

apparently it says that rauru DID have kids, multiple even, which yeah... is kinda necessary for zelda to even be connected to them so much so that sonia can SENSE a blood connection (which, even with all the excuses with magic, is just a little too far for me to suspend my disbelief bc its over, OVER, ten thousand years worth of generations that seperate her from them that one lil touch of the hand can sense that (feels more like an attempt to make you care about them or .. see them as zeldas "better" parents just bc they exchange a few nice words, i never got the feeling they were 'better' parents and its also kinda disrespectful to her actual parents, like sure rhoam wasnt the best but i wouldnt call rauru better just bc he was polite)- i could see maybe the light power of hylia or sth but since its the coolest dude that ever lived rauru now that had it which still doesnt make sense and makes me unreasonably annoyed and she can sense BOTH of their powers in her? nah) the fact theres NOTHING about them in the game itself is just so ... no way they planned any of this

i dont think theres anything they can do or say that wont make be believe they either

are making it up alla 'fix it in post' mentality trying to hastily explain stuff the game never bothers to do to try and appease fans or let it appear as if they thought about it at all

something went really REALLY wrong during development, which kinda seems likely given how the game turned out (im sorry i cannot let go, its not just the writing, the game design too and how little was changed in the map while being so damn expensive, i dont know how people dont feel scammed q_q)

given that they (allegedly) spent the last entire year of development on polish (where??? where????? huh??? like it would make it more understandable (EXCEPT for the price) if there was alot of trouble, which was also bc it got delayed and ... turned out like this, but they dont want to say it, especially given their reputation, with that quote i have heard way too many times 'a delayed game blah blah') i just??

are they just gonna go and do it like they did with kashiwa (kass)? "they uuuh where flying around the whole time ony cool sonau tech maschines, you just dont see or hear from them ooooorrr they were uuuuh out of the country at the time" (sending invitations to other continents to join their glorious kingdom ;) )

(bet they are also gonna say they did all the stuff like ... moving the shrines around (lol?) and lifting the islands up into the sky- which is still weird bc ... didnt they also say they were living in the sky before coming to the surface?? so where?? did they park all their islands on the surface and the mystery kids had the keys so they had to repark them back into the sky after they returned off camera?? xD also why are the islands so different as an environment if they where from the surface? like even the STONE up there is different- and if they were first in the sky then on the surface and the nback in the sky .. why is there not a single yellow tree or grass in the past- you cant really argue that it changed bc they were up there so long bc .. nothing else changed, the suddendly and totally always there sonau buildings are largely in prime condition, only some slightly moldy, and what we see of the glorious past looks barely any different from the present, aside from like ... some standard trees shuffled, no castle yet and that glowy uwu filter DESPITE that stupidly long time frame between it)

[lovesickeros]

lord its so dark in here the sahara desert of tsaritsa content you are like a shining oasis. your characterisation of her compels me & mihoyo would be hard pressed to top it imo.!! caaaaan i humbly request yr thoughts on her first meeting w a reader of any kind, or maybe even multiple kinds (sagau, sagau god au, isekai, etc) if you so desire...

it really is like a desert here. being the fan of a character we aren't getting until the last damn nation is driving me up a wall but i will persevere bc if nothing else i support morally bankrupt women in media. we r in a severe drought over here but i do my best. unfortunately nothing i say is ever coherent so pull out your translation notes its abt 2 be messy

also this got out of hand but thats bc first meetings w the tsaritsa are tricky to write + a LOT of her characterization lies in deeper exploration then just surface level yknow...NOT A DIG AT YOU this is just my excuse for rambling. gently pats the tsaritsa she can hold so much complexity i do not have the word count to delve into it completely :]

gonna talk cult au for a bit here though because that's 99% of my content. and honestly? she thrives in sub au's of the cult au like villain au + imposter au. it's basically made for her. i mean, early days, the imposter au had been going around for a little while but one of the first few ideas was the Fatui taking reader in so like. it kinda technically actually was. pretty sure cult au Tsaritsa popped up because of the imposter au. a lot of it's writers kinda left though which. man am i getting old or.

anyway.

there isn't much of a chance her first impression is all that positive. at best it's usually neutral, imo, but rarely if ever positive. specifically because i view the Tsaritsa as someone who isn't as fanatical as most of the acolytes typically are towards the creator. she's not exactly going to worship the ground you walk on unlike a certain geo lizard. which is partially why i think she thrives in the sub au's i mentioned.

imposter au, for example. she meets you at your lowest. there's no gaudy extravagance or pampering from the acolytes waiting for you because your own acolytes have turned on you. for all intents and purposes you aren't a "god" at all. which is why i don't think she meshes well with normal cult au reader. the Fatui are made up of outcasts, basically, and imposter au slots right in just perfectly. you're weak, at your lowest, when you meet the Fatui in the imposter au. and the Fatui can help you, too.

a mutual exchange, really. the Tsaritsa sees a tool she can use to one up the rest of the nations and especially Archons, and she has no qualms about you using her and the Fatui in turn. you both want something out of it, after all. whether you just want to be safe from the rest of the acolytes, or you want revenge, or whatever else..she'll give you the power to fulfill it, and she gains the strongest piece on the chessboard when all is said and done.

the best way i can describe the first meeting is "practical", i suppose. she sees an opportunity in you. the ultimate gamble. because if she "saves" you, and you dont trust anyone else because they tried to kill you, well..she holds all the cards, doesn't she?

but the Tsaritsa, imo, is just as capable of being just as fanatical towards you as anyone else. she just won't worship you as the creator. but as yourself? clawing your way back to your divine power and taking back what belongs to you? the Tsaritsa is, to me, a character who's character flourishes in long-term fics more because she changes a LOT between "just met reader" and after having been with reader for some time. she's practically apathetic at the beginning but a lot of her character, in my characterization, shines through LONG after the first meeting.

[saphushia]

DEUCE TRIED TO BEAT ACE WITH A LARGE STICK WHEN THEY MET????????????????

oh my god i get to tell you this i'm so happy. this is going to get long because i just. adore how fucking cringefail deuce is at the start of the novel. the manga is great but it's so important to me how badly this man can fuck up within 10 minutes of meeting a stranger. his ass does NOT know how to keep his foot out of his mouth

going behind a read more bc long and spoiler filled (specifically heavy spoilers (essentially an abridged play-by-play of the first chapter) for Ace's Story book 1 and a little bit of the first chapter of the Episode A manga adaption)

if you don't want spoilers but are curious uhhhh basically deuce got a lil hangry ^-^ thats all ^-^

so, in the manga adaption, deuce pretty immediately warms up to ace, yeah?

yeah. deuce is pretty fuckin easy in the manga. meanwhile, in the novel, when ace immediately asks for help...

(if it's unclear, all first person is referring to deuce, the book is written from his POV)

in fact, deuce manages to fail basically every speech check in the first conversation they have together. i'm not kidding look at how fucking bad he is at this.

my man falls ass first into a rant to a guy he just met and manages to find himself saying 'wow why don't you go cry to your mom and leave me alone to be depressed' to a man who's mom literally died in childbirth. less than 5 minutes after meeting the guy. and the best part? HE KEEPS GOING.

he's gotta stop there, right? surely? surely even a man who's been stranded on an island alone for 3 days can tell when he's got his foot so wedged in his mouth he's practically deepthroating it? NOPE!

at this point, you'd think there's literally nothing worse that he can say. you would be so, so wrong.

MY MAN. MY GUY. i want to hammer in the fact that deuce managed to fuck up a conversation this badly with a man he's literally never met within like, 15 minutes at most. deuce then proceeds to recover from this utter failure at conversation by just. walking away into the woods and proceeding to continue slowly starving to death for several days whilst avoiding ace. he also eats ants on at least one occasion. this isn't really relevant to the hitting ace with a stick thing but it's important to me that you know that. he also despite all of this has this gayass moment

again, not relevant, but important to me that you know he saw ace failing to sail on the worst raft you've ever seen and still called him 'dashing'. now, at this point, deuce has been without food and with only minimal water for days- probably close to a week, though it's a bit ambiguous. and my guy, brilliantly, thinks to himself 'well. ace doesn't look like he's starving to death. what if he has food?' and sneaks behind ace, following him until he sees ace with a huge fruit (the mera mera no mi).

all of this... deuce sneaking up on ace planning to fight him for the fruit, kill him if he needs to, because he's the son of roger... and you know what ace fucking does??? you wanna know what this giant depressed puppy of a man fucking says to a guy who was abt to bash his brains out??

"nice stick!" and deuce just fucking. starts sobbing on the spot out of guilt while they argue both trying to get the other to eat the fruit. they are. so stupid and i love them so much.

so yeah. deuce's first ever interaction with ace is loudly announcing that he'd want to kill himself if he was the son of roger, and his SECOND interaction is him attempting to kill ace with a stick because he's hangry. i love him so much he's so fucking shit.

tldr you're not you when you're hungry and also you should all read the ace novels. because of this and also because ace and deuce get cockblocked on a gay ferris wheel ride by a marine just deciding to jump in the gondola with them and sit there menacingly until ace breaks the door and just jumps out to escape her monologuing abt her traumatic backstory