#happy mediums exist and they should be used

[hannahmanderr]

Hmmm need a fic that takes place the first Christmas after "The Fright Before Christmas" with Danny stressing himself out in a major way as he tries to overcompensate for the past grouchy behavior, acting overly festive and happy out of fear of attracting the attention of another ghost who feels like teaching him a "lesson."

Sam and Tucker and Jazz are glad to see this change at first, since they're all lowkey tired of Danny's moodiness around the holidays, but as Christmas draws nearer and nearer, Danny's cracks start to show, and they start to get worried about him. Extra bonus points if it gets bad enough that Jack and Maddie also take notice.

I don't know how it would all culminate but it would end with everybody recognizing that different people will celebrate - or not celebrate - with different levels of enthusiasm and that is okay and should be respected. Danny's friends and family respect the fact that Danny will never really care for Christmas and give him the space to appropriately express that dislike, and Danny feels more at peace with his dislike of Christmas but also he actively chooses to keep his dislike to a respectful level so that they can all be happy during the holidays. None of this "force Danny to suppress his trauma/negativity" that the show loves to utilize as its lessons.

[vixensdungeon]

Hello, my little woodland critters. Today just for fun I'm going to walk you through the process of generating a character for the original 1974 edition of Dungeons & Dragons. I'm just going to use Men & Magic for this one but might do another one later with the supplements!

First, we get some dice. Three six-sided ones to be exact. I'm actually going to grab some with pips rather than numbers because that feels more authentic. Then, we roll and record their sum, repeating five more times, generating six ability scores. Here we go!

Strength 9 Intelligence 17 Wisdom 12 Constitution 16 Dexterity 13 Charisma 13

Yippee! As a witch these make me very happy indeed.

Next, we'll pick a class to play. Based on the abilities I rolled I'm of course going to pick the magic-user (the witch class didn't exist yet, alas). And as a magic-user, I'm actually allowed to futz with the numbers a bit, removing two points from Wisdom to gain an extra point in Intelligence. This gives us our finalised array, and we can now know the effects of each ability on the character.

Strength 9: no effect Intelligence 18: +10% to earned experience, eight extra languages Wisdom 10: no effect Constitution 16: +1 to each hit die, 100% chance to survive certain spells Dexterity 13: +1 to missile fire Charisma 13: maximum of 5 hirelings with +1 loyalty

Okay, languages. The character speaks the common tongue of the continent she lives in, along with an alignment language. I'm going to pick Neutral as my alignment so that's the language I speak. I also speak eight creature languages, which I'm going to pick later.

For equipment, we're going to grab our trusty 3d6 again, roll them, and mulitply by ten to find out how many gold pieces we have. I rolled 10, so I have 100 GP. I'm going to buy a dagger, the only weapon a magic-user is allowed. In addition I will buy 50' of rope, a large sack (for treasure), a leather back pack, a water skin, six torches, a flask of oil, a small silver mirror, a bunch of wolvesbane (in case of werewolves), a bunch of belladonna, and a bug of garlic (in case of vampires, or pizza). Not sure what the belladonna is useful for but you can never be too sure. This leaves me with 48 gold pieces that I will use to buy rations when I'm heading on an expedition of some sort. To calculate my encumbrance, I add my dagger's weight in gold pieces (20) to that of my miscaellanoues equipment (always 80, though a referee is allowed to make sure this stays within reason), for 100 GP of weight. I'm well within the limit for light foot movement, which will likely mean I'll have the responsibility of hauling loot out of the dungeon. Maybe I should invest in a second sack…

As a magic-user of the 1st level, I am titled a Medium, and will require 2,500 experience points to reach 2nd level (Seer). I roll 1 die (six-sided), adding +1 for my Constitution getting a total of 2… Tha'ts how many hits my magic-user can take before death. Let's hope she rolls better on the next level, assuming she survives. She fights with the strength of one man!

I can memorise one 1st level spell for my journey. Not knowing what I might face in the dungeon, I pick something witchy that I think can really save the group's butts: Sleep. All level 1 spells are in my spellbook so I don't need to worry about which ones I can memorise.

And that's pretty much it! Now we just give the character an imaginative name… How about Naiviv?

Onwards to adventure and glory, Naiviv the Medium!

[asnowperson]

Takemiya Keiko interview about Kazeki OVA (1987)

Here's another short interview from platypus's stack of old magazines with cool interviews: Takemiya Keiko talks about Kaze to Ki no Uta Sanctus: Sei Naru Kana in the 1987 December issue of Puff.

Translation is under the cut, and please let me know if you spot my mistakes.

Kaze to Ki no Uta – OVA is finally on sale!

Takemiya Keiko Interview

“It will not ruin your image of the work, so please watch it!”

Let us first hear your thoughts on finishing this project.

Mr. Yoshikazu was sitting at the director’s chair. That alone assured me that everything would go smoothly, and I left everything to him. He read the manga thoroughly and gave the work his own interpretation. I had nothing to worry about. I didn’t have to ask him not to do a certain part in a certain way, or to avoid including too many “risqué” scenes. I can feel that he gave the work the treatment it deserves. Even the animation style was not too flashy and anime-like. The movements were more orthodox. Everything worked out perfectly, so I have nothing to say.

The background art was amazing. Did you ask them to draw them that way?

Both Mr. Yoshikazu and I thought that she’d be a  good fit, and suggested having the same person who was the art director for “Natsu e no Tobira”, but we couldn’t get a hold of her. We found out the reason later: The producer thought she was too slow, and we should give up on working with her (laughs). But when we said that she was the only person who could draw the backgrounds, she was hired to work in the project. However, she was too late to turn in the drafts. We really were in a tight spot. She might have been slow, but she really is an artist. When she can’t draw something, she just can’t. She gave it her all… Even though it was something that’d only be on screen for two seconds… If we couldn’t ask them to do something, I said I should go ahead and do it myself.

So, I gather that you drew some key animation yourself. Are manga and anime too different to draw for?

Both mediums are used basically to capture “movement,” so I think they are the same. You go with the flow, trying to capture “movement”… You think about how original you can express it. That’s a really fun undertaking. For example, even if it’s just a scene of a character turning to look back, if you strive to give it a little touch, you can really bring out an erotic feeling. That’s the stuff I’m talking about. If I had a lot of money, I would dabble more in in-between animation. I now understand why Otomo Katsuhiro-san was so obsessed with it (laughs).

I’ve seen the OVA. It felt like reading one of your works.

Do you think so? I didn’t ask him to do it, but to keep close to the atmosphere of the original work, Mr. Yoshikazu outlined the key points. He put the same things as my drawings in those scenes. But if you looked closely, you could tell that they were different. When I saw the whole thing, I thought “wow, it’s the same!” However, upon closer inspection, I found out that such scenes did not exist in the original. I even thought maybe something was wrong with me. The same also goes for the lines. “Did he ever say that? He might have said that…” But when I re-read, I see that no such line was uttered. I had so many moments like that.

What was the fans’ reaction to this OVA adaptation?

When I said it was happening, I received an equal amount of positive and negative reactions. Well, that’s only to be expected. So, like I thought, only when I said that Mr. Yoshikazu was the one directing it, I saw the real opposition. The animation director was decided on, but the VAs weren’t cast yet. When news of the production got out, I received letters saying “it’s too late, I give up!” (laughs) They said stuff like, “Here we are, so against this idea, but you still say that you’ll do it! I don’t care anymore!” I can say that there are people who definitely won’t watch it. It makes me happy to see the work being loved that much, but when people are that obsessed with it… It’s kind of scary. I sometimes go as far not seeing it as something I myself created. But well, there are still a lot of people who say “I might cry and whine, but I’ll still watch it.”

Can we have Ms.Takemiya, the creator herself, do some advertisement for the OVA?

The OVA didn’t embarrass me, so I’ll keep promoting it. I don’t think it’ll ruin your image of the work. But I know that there are people who are too nitpicky and say stuff like the lines of a character’s profile is kind of off and they hate it, or that their legs are too thin  or that their feet look weird (laughs). In that sense, we paid extra attention to the movement itself and tried to animate the characters in a natural manner. “The Poem of the Wind and the Trees” makes you think of subtle movements, right? We can’t have them move too briskly, and even the fight scene is nothing too serious. Because Mr. Yoshikazu didn’t want to create too vivid of a scene. Rather, he didn’t want it to stink of “masculinity” that much. And people who’ve only seen the character designs might think that they look nothing like the manga, but when they are in motion, they do look like their manga counterparts. As for the voice of the characters, I don’t know the actress of Gilbert, but we have Nobita-kun for Serge (laughs)! People who are into anime will recognize her voice, so they might be a little bit of put off by that, but she doesn’t sound like Nobita-kun here. Not at all! The more you listen to her acting, the more you enjoy it! There are parts that reflect Serge’s character, so I’m really content with the result.

Can we consider this as “episode 1” of a series? Do you have plans for a continuation?

If this OVA sells, it might happen. If this one gets a positive reaction, I think we can make another one. The producer said that’s what he thought would happen. If you ask Mr. Yoshikazu, he says it’ll be at least 6 episodes long, but I doubt that. I can’t bring myself to believe that we can make that many episodes. Anyway, to think that we won’t be working with the staff who brought it to life with such resemblance feels so sad. But I also think that if we ask them to do it again, they’ll simply run away (laughs). We’ve already done Yoshikazu-san’s favorite part right off the bat, so what remains is the hard part. He says he can’t decipher a character like Augu (laughs). Maybe another director might do better.

And what about the future of the story in manga?

There’s the stuff about marriage and children problems, how to reach enlightenment, and everything in-between until Serge’s death. But even if I drew that, that would have no meaning for people who are only here for what Gilbert and Serge had (laughs). I don’t have any plans to draw any continuation for the moment, but one day, if I ever get the chance… If the are conditions right, I think I’d like to draw it.

Can we have your final message for Puff readers?

Watch the OVA. Please do it. I believe that if you watch it once, all of your worries will be washed away.

[thankskenpenders]

It's a bit late, but I figure I have to touch on the big news from today, which is that for an (early) April Fools celebration Sega went and released a free visual novel about Sonic getting murdered

Here's a thing you should know about me: I am deathly allergic to ironic visual novels, and the related trend of announcing dating sims (which are synonymous with the medium of visual novels as a whole to many people) on April Fools

Aside from an incredibly small selection of titles that have seen wider success, it feels like much of the game industry is only willing to acknowledge visual novels as a punchline. And said jokes about dating sim stereotypes have been done a million fucking times by now. They're parodies of parodies of parodies. Even when these prank dating sims actually go and get made rather than just being a few fake screenshots, it feels like it's just because VNs are seen as cheap, disposable entertainment compared to "real" games. Companies can afford to commission some bullshit like the KFC dating sim and write it off as a marketing stunt. And it works. These games will get widely reported on for being so ~wacky~, while devs pouring their hearts into doing sincere, interesting work with the medium of visual novels are usually out of fucking luck. It's so, so tiring. The fact that this happens like clockwork every year has made me come to dread April Fools Day

So imagine my surprise when The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog drops out of nowhere and it's actually one of my favorite Sonic games in years

Aside from the intentionally tongue-in-cheek, attention-grabbing title (and Sonic doing the Family Guy Death Pose), there isn't an ounce of irony here. It's just a straight up whodunnit VN set on a train, albeit a lighthearted and pretty easy one. It's still a Sonic game, after all, and Sonic games are for kids. But it's so clearly made out of a place of love, both for the characters and for murder mysteries, rather than being a parody that's constantly winking at the camera and going "haha, isn't this absurd that this even exists at all?" Forget that. This wants to tell a genuinely good little Sonic story. Not to mention how gorgeous all of the artwork is throughout, with character illustrations from IDW cover artist Min Ho Kim (AKA deegeemin)

Like, for real. I've wanted the Sonic games to explore the supporting cast more for years, and I can't believe the game to finally do it is a murder mystery visual novel released for April Fools. This might be one of the best showcases of the cast... ever, in the games? The script from Ian Mutchler is so, so great, with fun and cute moments for everyone involved. And, smartly, you see the cast through the eyes of a new character (I named them "Blorbo") who isn't necessarily familiar with things like Blaze being a princess from another dimension, making this a surprisingly valid way to introduce people to the supporting cast. I'd say more, but it's a short game, so I think everyone should just go out and play it if you haven't already

There is still part of me that wishes a Sonic visual novel like this could've been greenlit for release any other day of the year, rather than being yet another April Fools visual novel. But regardless of the excuse they used to make it, I'm extremely happy that this exists

[zepskies]

Hey! I just wanna start with saying that I read, I think, nearly every work you posted (all the Jensen’s ones at least) and I absolutely loved all of them. I mean the writing and the storylines are really amazing and I think you’re an incredible writer!! <3

Now I myself want, maybe not publish, but even just to write for myself a story. A Dean’s fanfic to be exact. I have an idea in my head of the story that I’ve slowly been building for the last year through imagining. I even wrote down a few bullet points ideas so I’ll have something to begin with, but I have no idea how to continue from here.

When it comes to verbal expressions, I have no idea what to do, or developing a plot, also clueless. Just the whole writing process no fucking idea, but I really want to learn.

So I was really hoping if you could give me some advices on how to write a story, how to develop the plot, how to write characters, original ones or ones that already exist in the media, without you know the story sounding like an AI wrote it or a 13 yo on wattpad.

Thank you very much ahead and have a lovely day!!<3 <3

Wow, thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoy my writing. It always makes me so happy when people give me feedback on my stories. ��🥰 And that's awesome that you want to start writing your own story with Dean!

You're on the right track with the bullet points -- it sounds like you're starting to create a loose outline. If you want to know a bit about my writing process, that's exactly where I start after creating the initial idea/paragraph synopsis of the story I want to write.

There are two kinds of writers, in my opinion:

Architects: writers who outline.

Adventurers: writers who freeform.

(More on this, my process, + some of my favorite creative writing resources and tips below the cut):

In most respects, I consider myself an Architect. My brain craves structure. So the way I beat writer's block while working on a project is by having a roadmap of what's going to happen next. That's thanks to my outline.

Even if you find yourself more of a freeformer, you can develop some kind of pre-writing plan, whether that's creating a list of character bios, starting with the basic 3-Act triangle, or writing out a handful of bullet points to get you going.

For my personal process, I'll go from creating the basic premise/summary, to some loose bullet points of the story structure, to then fleshing out into full outlining of each chapter and scene, and finally drafting (and editing).

While I'm outlining, I'm also doing research and fact-checking as needed to get me through to the next scene and the next, until the end. My "roadmap" tends to be very detailed, so when I get to the drafting part, all I should have to reference is my outline.

Now, this doesn't mean that plot points won't change, or get switched around, or get chucked entirely. But if I have the blueprints of the house, I can change a window or a door, or even a whole support beam here and there, so to speak.

As far as the actual development of plot, character arcs, and good dialogue, I would really recommend you take a creative writing class! There are probably free ones online, but there are also a lot of other great resources. Here are a few I can share with you:

On Storytelling:

Save the Cat - Blake Snyder's theory on storytelling is one of the most popular across screenwriting and novel writing, and you can apply it to your fanfic. Above all, story is story, no matter the medium. Pay special attention to Snyder's Beat Sheets. You can begin to figure out the plot of the story using that as a guide.

11 Plot Types to Build Your Novel - linked this earlier in the post, but putting it again here.

5 Tips for Beating Writer's Block - One of my posts that could help you get unstuck, if/when you do get stuck (we've ALL been there).

Joseph Campbell - The Hero's Journey - Very common in coming of age stories, origin stories (as in superheroes), and high fantasy.

Narratology - Mieke Bal - One of my favorite books on narrative elements and technique. Literally a study of narrative.

On Dialogue:

Good scenes are built with a balance of smart and necessary dialogue, and exposition (what's happening in the scene, description of the characters' actions and thoughts/inner monologues, and any atmospheric details).

Dialogue is about how the characters are interacting with each other. It's about creating a moment where subtext is important -- meaning that what isn't said is just as important as what is being said. A scene can shift in tone from humor, to angst, to hurt/comfort, to fluff, etc. For me, these shifts most often happen when I'm writing the characters' dialogue with each other.

Characters should have distinct voices. When writing fanfiction, I'm always trying to make sure the canon characters sound like themselves in their dialogue and inner thoughts, as well as act like they would, based on their personality traits (including strengths, weaknesses, and insecurities).

How to Write Great Dialogue (Masterclass article)

Tips for Writing Dialogue

How to Write Dialogue in Fiction

How to Write Good Dialogue in a Novel

On Creating Compelling Character Arcs:

This goes hand-in-hand when you're developing the plot, because in my opinion, the best stories are character-driven. Meaning that their choices shape how the narrative moves. On the whole, things don't just happen to characters -- they made decisions that have either positive or negative consequences.

Characters have a goal that they're aiming for, and of course, there should be obstacles that try and prevent the main characters from getting that thing.

Torment Your Hero in 8 Steps

Joseph Campbell's Hero Journey (linked above) can also help to craft an epic character arc. Note: you don't need to include all those steps in a story.

The Structure of Romance - a basic structure of the genre (basically of romantic comedies), but not the end-all-be-all of writing romance stories. Reread or rewatch your favorite romances! Take a look at the structure and see what similarities you find and what aspects you want to include in your own story.

Basically, there's nothing new under the sun, but you can still create your own story with your own unique voice based on the aspects of relationships, character archetypes, worlds, genres, and tropes that bring you joy! 💜

Thanks for dropping into my inbox, hun! Let me know if any of this helps. 😉

[plansexualford]

As a long time billford truther (this blog may be new but I’m not.) I’m so happy to see the revival of a ship that was once so misunderstood.

Below is my not so little rant about my frustrations with “but it’s toxic” people and the disservice it does in undermining not only fans’ intelligence but lowkey the writing of the content we’ve been given. Also, a bit on how fandoms in general seem to dismiss the use of ships (unless canonized/written directly into the story) as a medium to tell complex, and sometimes uncomfortable stories.

The frustration I have towards the people that act like they’re high and mighty for saying “billford is ironic, you shouldn’t actually ship it cause it’s toxic” or some variation of treating it as a joke or untouchable that piss me off for multiple reasons.

1. We know, you are not smarter or superior for acknowledging a fact that is crystal clear to see and is literally the most common way that dynamic is explored. Like wow, congrats on providing such valuable insight that none of us saw before. The only times I ever see it not explored in that way has maybe been through pre-betrayal interactions and what ifs.

Not to say there are NEVER clear misreadings (not aus/or fixits/etc. just poor understandings) of their characters that are devoid of what makes them—them, but I fear I truly dgaf and just wince and move on.

2. It is in my opinion, infinitely worse (edit: and honestly a sign of immaturity) to want the allusions to a toxic relationship to be jokes instead of simply accepting that a relationship did happens in canon, whether it happened platonically or romantically (though there is more subtext that 12 y/o me would have never I’d ever imagined reading as an adult for that latter recently.) It should be taken seriously, given that the book clearly wants us to, otherwise the allusions in the book and thisisnotawebsitedotcom.com would not exist in the way that they do. Why would you rather something like that be a joke instead of allowing yourself to sit with and accept discomfort?

Ultimately billford is twisted, it’s horrifying to imagine, it’s a tragically awful train-wreck we can’t look away from. After all that, Ford’s resolve is honestly healing. And if we see interesting, complex stories/art/musings to tell from this dynamic, what’s wrong with that?

Lastly, the source material is a Y7-V Disney Channel show that premiered over 10 years ago, we’re (I assume mostly) adults now. Unclench.

P.S. I’m being unserious when I say this but “toxic yaoi/yuri ” is apparently trend and y’all can’t handle a yellow triangle demon and a grown man from a Y7-V series? Smh. Take every variation of that phrase out your tumblr bio immediately, you don’t deserve it.

[monstersdownthepath]

Herald of Zon-Kuthon: The Prince in Chains

CR 15

Lawful Evil Huge Outsider

Inner Sea Gods, pg. 314

A great many Heralds in Pathfinder have backstories that are only alluded to, while many have no backstory and were simply woven into life by their god. Some are lucky enough to have entire histories explaining their origin and ascension to status of Herald, but to call the Prince in Chains "lucky" would be a grave and insulting mistake. There are few beings in creation quite as pitiable as the Herald of Zon-Kuthon the Midnight Lord, the Prince beginning his existence as a powerful and free spirit wolf filled with boundless love for song and life, and if you read that sentence and then flick your scroll wheel up a little bit, you can probably see where this story is going. But rest assured: It gets so much worse.

You see, the artist-that-would-come-to-be-known-as-Prince was once called Thron, and Thron loved nothing more than frolicking along Golarion, siring countless spirits of art and beauty in his wake with his many lovers. Two of those spirits would eventually come to be known as Shelyn and Dou-Bral. Yes, this unfortunate beast was Dou-Bral's father, who eagerly awaited his son's return from the far reaches of space, and ran up to greet Dou-Bral Zon-Kuthon when he finally came home. The feeling of relief and happiness upon seeing a beloved family member was not mutual, and the Midnight Lord swiftly bound his former father in razor-sharp chains, spending the next several centuries slowly, carefully, meticulously destroying everything about Thron and leaving behind nothing but a roiling nexus of hatred and pain with no memory of the ball of sunshine and song he once was.

It's easy to feel sorry for the Prince in Chains, but don't let what he was distract you from what he is now. He is among the most powerful of the Heralds, and instrument created to inflict as much pain and misery on as many people as he possibly can, and is used by Zon-Kuthon to hunt down, torture, and sometimes provide the mercy of death to those who displease him. When left bereft of orders, the Prince lazily wanders the twisted halls of Xovaikain, Zon's primary base of operations, searching for any creature in need of either enlightenment or motivation, both of which are provided via the same method and medium: chains, teeth, and powerful spells cast upon screaming flesh.

Unlike with many Heralds who may be focused on a mission and thus unwilling to pause it to roll initiative, a party of adventurers encountering the Prince in any environment is unlikely to resolve the meeting peacefully, as it relishes any opportunity to spread pain, even to innocents. Even fervent followers of Zon-Kuthon are likely to be 'tested' or 'blessed' by the Prince in a way that leaves them on the verge of death, with the rest of the party not being anywhere remotely as lucky. So let's see just what an unlucky party is up against should they hear the howl of the Prince in Chains...

Well, first of all, you're not going to get accurate stats from the Archives of Nethys. For whatever reason, the AoN still has the Prince's stats from the 3.5 version that appeared in Curse of the Crimson Throne instead of updating it to its modern portrayal in Inner Sea Gods, a source of infinite frustration for me because it means I need to keep the book open to constantly look back and forth! Ugh! I wouldn't be complaining so much if the differences between its 3.5 version and proper PF version were bigger, but unlike many other Heralds who were powered down in order to fit properly into ISG, the Prince actually got more powerful.

The biggest and most obvious jump in strength comes from looking at the Prince's melee attacks: a bite and two lashing metal tentacles. The Prince's bite is a terribly powerful strike dealing 6d6+9 damage before making an automatic trip attempt against the target, while the tentacles deal 3d6+4 damage per strike, giving the Prince one of the highest damage potentials among the Heralds. Adding onto it is Vicious Critical, turning all confirmed critical hits into an additional 2 Constitution damage as the savage attack rips away at the target's flesh; there is a small mercy in that none of his attacks have an augmented critical hit range, nor does he have Improved Critical, meaning Vicious Critical is only likely to happen once or twice in a given fight.

Unfortunately, that's the only part of the Prince's kit likely to not affect a given battle. The rest of it is geared to take as many player options away as possible, with both his unique abilities AND his list of spell-likes each capable of crippling or killing the party in unique and terrible ways. When he tires of a specific creature or find them annoying, he can use Slay Living 1/day to blast 12d6+15 health out of any creature within his 10ft space/10ft reach. With a similar amount of dismissal, his 1/day Blasphemy is likely to be used to clear out the chaff than to as an actual offensive option, the single word ending the lives of any creature not worth the Herald's time and leaving behind only those who'd survive his twisted "affections" for more than a few seconds. At 3/day he has Bestow Curse and Blindness/Deafness in case his Eyebite and Crushing Despair fail to significantly impact his foes, and an emergency toolkit in the form of Shadow Conjuration to either create disposable minions or raise illusory impediments to hopefully make enemies hesitate approaching... or escaping.

No, the Prince doesn't want anyone to escape the torment he wants to share. Any creature that meets his Unnerving Gaze is staggered if they fail a DC 22 Will save, preventing them from easily running away or fighting back, and further complicating that is his terrifying Chainstorm, a 15ft sphere of whirling chains and strips of spine-covered flesh that automatically deals 1d12 damage to any creature starting their turn in it. Failing a DC 22 Reflex save allows the chains to dig into the victims' flesh, entangling AND anchoring them to the Prince, leaving them open to being torn apart by his teeth or spells.

The Prince in Chains is almost all offense, prompted to get right into the middle of an enemy team and begin ripping into them, and he is rewarded for doing so. He is immune to both critical hits and Sneak Attack damage, denying most bursts of damage from weapon attacks. He is protected by DR 15 which requires only a Good-aligned weapon to bypass, though his unique Exaction ability heals him 10 HP at the end of any turn he managed to damage anything. Notably, this ability is indiscriminate and doesn't specifically state he needed to damage a creature, so a DM going by Rules-As-Written basically allows the Prince to have Fast Healing 10 so long as he takes a moment each round to stomp particularly hard onto a floor or walk into a swarm of flies, and cathartically ripping apart some furniture (or particularly resilient dog toy courtesy of Zon-Kuthon) after battle lets him rapidly heal to full.

Thankfully, his physical resistance just barely hides a vulnerability to magic. Only Cold stands out as his true immunity to magical damage, and he is just as vulnerable to any Save or Suck effect as any other Herald, provided the effect can pierce both 27 SR and his +17/+12/+8 saves (look at that pathetic Will save!). You know, provided he hasn't used Greater Invisibility (3/day) to tiptoe into melee and trap the casters in his reach and follow it up with a walloping against everyone's flat-footed AC, or used his at-will Deeper Darkness on his own space to prevent line-of-sight from being drawn. He doesn't have See in Darkness, but with Scent and 60ft of Blindsight, he can track foes shrouded in the darkness just fine.

The final trick the Prince has, however, is both offensive and defensive, serving just as well to shield him from harm and harm others at the same time: Howl of Despair. This incredibly dangerous ability can be used every 1d4 rounds as a standard action, blasting every non-Evil creature within 60ft of it with 6d6 points of Sonic damage if they can't succeed a DC 22 Will save... but the damage isn't the important part! The important part is that a single use of this ability at the start of the encounter, before anyone can move away from the Prince when he pops into melee distance with everyone, can spell the doom of any party member within 10ft. Any creature within that distance who fails the save against the damage is rendered permanently insane, forcing them to lash out randomly at their allies, attack themselves with their own weapons, or otherwise waste half of their turns until the condition can be cured.

The cruelty of this ability comes from trying to cure the ailment in combat, as the Prince can simply re-apply it when the ability comes back off cooldown (provided the victim fails their Will save again), as there's no 24-hour immunity clause. This essentially means all the melee fighters will be at an enormous disadvantage for the entirety of the fight, being entangled, insane, and almost constantly prone. Possibly even cursed, blinded, and/or deafened! And the Prince is both swift (40ft) and can fly (50ft), so even keeping your distance to pelt it from afar is frustrating! Fitting that fighting the Herald of the God of Pain is so agonizing, really.

You can read more about him here, but the AoN has not updated the Prince's statblock from his 3.5 version.

[felipeandletizia]

December 24, 2024: King Felipe Christmas Message

Good evening and thank you for allowing me to accompany you for a few moments on such a special night of meeting and celebration, which I wish you, along with the Queen, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia, to be happy and peaceful.

This Christmas Eve I would like to refer first, and I am sure you understand me, to the terrible Dana that almost two months ago struck with unusual force several areas of eastern and southern Spain, especially in Valencia.

The people who lost their lives and those who disappeared deserve all our respect and we must never forget the pain and sadness they have left in their families. Thousands of people saw how what until recently was their town, their neighborhood, their work, their home, their business, their school, was reduced to rubble or even disappeared. A difficult fact to accept, but from which we should all be able to draw the necessary lessons that strengthen us as a society and make us grow.

We must never forget those first images of the flood that swept everything away, the rescues of people, some sick, elderly or exhausted, who tried to get out of their cars or took refuge on roofs and terraces. We also saw those who opened their homes to welcome the most vulnerable, opposing the relentless force of water and mud with the overwhelming force of solidarity and humanity. Neighbours, volunteers, civil protection teams, firefighters, security forces, Armed Forces, NGOs, and also companies that organised collections and donations, even mobilising their staff and machinery… the help and collaboration of everyone is helping, little by little, the more than 800,000 people affected to gradually recover a certain degree of normality in their lives. And that the medium and long term be equally addressed to really ensure recovery We have recognized this solidarity in its purest and most concrete sense day after day in the enormous work of anonymous volunteers and public servants; and we have also seen - and understood - the frustration, the pain, the impatience, the demands for greater and more effective coordination of administrations. Because all these emotions - those that move and comfort and those that hurt and sadden - arise from the same root: the awareness of the common good, the expression of the common good, or the demand for the common good.

Above the eventual divergences and disagreements, a clear idea prevails in Spanish society of what is convenient, of what benefits everyone and that, for that reason, we have the interest and responsibility to protect and reinforce it. It is something that the Queen and I have been able to see and value even more throughout this decade of reign. It is the responsibility of all institutions, of all Public Administrations, to ensure that this notion of the common good continues to be clearly reflected in any discourse or any political decision. Consensus on what is essential, not only as a result, but also as a constant practice, must always guide the public sphere. Not to avoid the diversity of opinions, which is legitimate and necessary in democracy, but to prevent this diversity from leading to the denial of the existence of a shared space.

It is from this agreement on what is essential that we must address the issues that concern us and that affect us in ways that are different from our collective life. The growing international instability, the climate in which our public debate often takes place, the difficulties in accessing housing or the management of immigration are issues, among others, that deserve our attention and that I also want to address tonight.

Immigration is a complex phenomenon of great social sensitivity that responds to diverse causes. Without population movements throughout history, the societies of today could not be explained; they are open and interconnected societies. Migration, therefore, is an everyday reality and can lead – without proper management – ​​to tensions that erode social cohesion.

The effort to integrate, which is everyone's responsibility, respect – also by everyone – for the laws and basic rules of coexistence and civility, and recognition of the dignity that every human being deserves, are the pillars that must guide us when dealing with immigration. Without ever forgetting the firmness required to fight against the networks and mafias that traffic people. The way in which we are able to deal with immigration – which also requires good coordination with our European partners, as well as with the countries of origin and transit – will say a lot in the future about our principles and the quality of our democracy.

Another issue that worries, especially the youngest, is the difficulty in accessing housing. Cities, especially large cities, act as growth poles and generate a demand that supply cannot satisfy. It is important, once again, that all the actors involved reflect, listen to each other, examine the different options and that this dialogue leads to solutions that facilitate access to housing in acceptable conditions, especially for the youngest and most unprotected, because this is the basis for security, the well-being of so many life projects. And we really can do it.

Our lives are also affected by an increasingly complex and changing – and even turbulent – ​​external scenario. We see how international law is too often questioned, violence is resorted to, the universality of human rights is denied or multilateralism is called into question to face the global challenges of our time, such as climate and environmental crises, pandemics, energy transition or trade and the scarcity of natural resources. We also see how the very validity of democracy as a system of government is questioned.

In this context, Spain and the other member states of the European Union must continue to defend with conviction and firmness, together with our international partners, the foundations of liberal democracy, the defence of human rights and the achievements in social welfare on which our great political project is based. Because Europe - the idea of ​​Europe - is an essential part of our shared identity, of the legacy that we owe to future generations. In a world in need of strong and cohesive actors, but above all of behaviour inspired by principles and values, Europe remains our most valuable reference.

And if we look inward, our great reference in Spain is the Constitution of 1978, its letter and its spirit. Agreement on the essentials was the fundamental principle that inspired it. Working for the common good is precisely preserving the great pact of coexistence where our democracy is affirmed and our rights and freedoms are enshrined, pillars of our Social and Democratic State of Law. Despite the time that has passed, the harmony that was the fruit of it continues to be our great foundation. Cultivating this spirit of consensus is necessary to strengthen our institutions and to maintain the trust of the whole society in them.

A pact of coexistence is protected by dialogue; this dialogue, with dignity and generosity, must always nourish the definition of the common will and the action of the State. That is why it is necessary that the political conflict, legitimate, but sometimes thunderous, does not prevent us from hearing an even more clamorous demand: a demand for serenity. Serenity in the public sphere and in daily life, to face collective or individual and family projects, to prosper, to care for and protect those who need it most. The recent reform of article 49 of the Constitution, referring to people with disabilities, is a good example of what we can achieve together. And we cannot allow discord to become a constant background noise that prevents us from hearing the true pulse of the citizenry.

You have heard me say it many times and I would like to repeat it again: Spain is a great country. A nation with a prodigious history, despite its dark chapters, and a model for democratic development in recent decades, even defeating the terrorist harassment that caused so many victims. A country with a present that, despite the much we still have to do, for example, in terms of poverty and social exclusion, is promising when observing the performance of our economy – in terms of, among others, growth, employment or exports – and the general level of our social well-being. And looking to the future, I sincerely believe that we Spaniards have enormous potential that should give us hope, both at the national level and on the international scene.

This future lies mainly in our youth, the same one that has made our name shine in the Olympic and Paralympic Games and in the last European Championship, the one that undertakes despite the difficulties and the one that is at the forefront of our science; The youth who respect our elders and their valuable experience, the youth who most insistently demand progress in terms of equality, the youth who prepare themselves in our schools, institutes, universities, vocational training centres, to enter the labour market with energy despite the youth unemployment figures; the youth, in short, who seek opportunities and overcome obstacles based on merit and effort. But above all, the youth who have filled us with pride by turning out in droves to give their best in the streets of the towns affected by the DANA.

With this spirit of work and commitment to what belongs to everyone, to the common good, I end my words and return to the beginning. I return to all the municipalities and regions affected by the floods, in many of which there is still so much to do, where the need of the neighbours is so great that it makes all efforts seem small, even without losing hope.

May the solidarity that has united us in the most difficult moments continue to be present in every gesture, in every action, in every decision. May aid reach all those who need it, so that they can rebuild the future for which they have fought so hard, facing with courage and dignity the challenges of a sometimes implacable present. The sooner we achieve this, the more we will strengthen our sense of community, our feeling of country. Because the memory of the path taken, confidence in the present and hope for the future are an unavoidable part, perhaps the most valuable, but also the most delicate, of our common good.

May the spirit of these days of meeting and coexistence remain in the new year and may you have - I wish you, together with the Queen and our daughters, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia - a very Merry Christmas.

Eguberri On, Bon Nadal, Happy Holidays.

[cannedpickledpeaches]

Insert Your Name (11)

Mafia!Jade Leech x Mafia!Reader

Link to series masterlist!

Notes and TW: Congratulations! You have successfully made it all about you (positive). This series will have mentions of blood, violence, crime (kidnapping, attempted assassination, extortion), and harassment, as one might expect from a mafia AU. Please enjoy!

Sorry that the tags haven't been working for the past couple of posts! I had to go in and edit the html for each individual one T-T please forgive me

Tags: @guava-enjoyer @itszzmoon @twstsandturns @myteacupisempty @rou-luxe @chikitasmol @night-shadowblood-writes2 @haveneulalie @owodi

A strange sense of satisfaction fills you as surprise fills the man’s face, but you don’t show it. You need to see this through. If you’re powerless in the face of his ability, you simply need to borrow his power. So what if he’s akin to a god? All you need to do is bring him to your side. Whoever that author is, whoever took over (Y/N)’s body—maybe they aren’t capable of using such an asset effectively. However, you’re confident you won’t let that advantage go to waste.

The man hums in thought. “I suppose it could be done without much fanfare. I would simply need to shift my attention to your experiences and abandon the current story. However, you would need to have your story recorded somewhere, in whatever form you may wish for it to take.”

You understand what he’s getting at. A story needs a medium, just like that manuscript. There are many options: on film, as a novel, as a collage of pictures. No strict rules exist for expression of self.

“I’ll keep a journal. Every day, I’ll write an entry, and I’ll also use it as a planner. This way, my ‘story’ will have the events that occurred in my life, how they affected my ‘character development,’ and also outline how I expect the story to ‘progress.’ Is that good enough?”

You still don’t think of yourself as a fictional character. You’re real, in every aspect, to yourself. But that doesn’t matter right now. Functionally, you’re a character to this man. You’ll use that assumption to put yourself in the most advantageous position.

“Yes, that would be a rather interesting way to tell your story. There are indeed many stories that were written in the form of diary entries, so this is not an issue at all. This would, in fact, make things easier for me. I would not have to go through the paperwork and expend energy to bring someone from another world since you already exist in Twisted Wonderland as an established character. There is just one thing you should know before you make this decision.”

“Tell me.” Of course there are strings attached. There always are. You prepare yourself. Self-sacrifice in small amounts is necessary, of course, but if there’s anything you can negotiate with . . . .

“I will have to take the previous author’s soul out of (Y/N)’s body. (Y/N)’s soul will regain control of her own body, since it was never removed, only dormant. Since the author’s original body cannot function without a soul, she cannot return to her world. It will disappear, never to be recovered, lost to the fabric of what forms this space. Are you still willing to proceed?”

“Is that it?” You expected something else. This has nothing to do with you giving up anything. In fact, it could even be considered a bonus. This woman whose story made your life and relationships exceedingly difficult will disappear down to the traces of her soul. It’s an easy decision. “Of course.”

“How cold-hearted you are.” He chuckles down at his teacup. It never seems to drain empty no matter how he sips it. “That is not an undesirable quality in protagonists, although they often do not have a happy ending in fairytales.”

“Is that supposed to deter me or something?” You stay resolute. “My future was always uncertain no matter if it’s a story or not. I’m in the mafia. I’ve come to terms that horrible things could happen at any moment because of the nature of my job a long, long time ago. It’s my responsibility to plan so that I reduce those chances as much as possible. And you’re going to help me.”

“Yes, I am.” He glances at the fireplace, which has burned down to glowing red embers. “Perhaps you should count yourself lucky that you are under my jurisdiction. I am partial to tragic endings, but I also do not mind if an amoral character triumphs in the end. Some of my peers would adamantly ensure it does not happen.”

You furrow your brows. This is not the first time he brought up something being under his “jurisdiction.” However, this is the first time he’s mentioned “peers” instead of “characters.”

“There are others like you?”

“Yes, of course. Twisted Wonderland is filled with too many stories for me to manage on my own. Since you are mainly involved with the Leech Mafia and stories of the Coral Sea, you fall under my jurisdiction.”

It makes sense. This man compared himself to a god, but he isn’t one. He isn’t omnipotent or omniscient.

“Who are they?”

He tilts his head. “You would not know us even if I told you.”

“I’m curious. Tell me anyway.”

“Such a curious character.” He glances at the embers again. “Alright, I see no harm in it. My peers overseeing Twisted Wonderland include Walt Disney, the Brothers Grimm, Hanna Diyab, Victor Hugo, and Lewis Carroll, among others.”

None of these names ring a bell. It is just a list of names, but having more information is never a bad thing.

“And your name? I should know how to address you.”

“Oh, I have not yet introduced myself to you? My apologies, I must be turning forgetful in my old age.” He laughs at himself in a good-natured manner. “My name is Hans Christian Anderson. It is a pleasure to meet you.”

You introduce yourself as well. He extends a hand to you. When your hands connect in a firm handshake, the new deal you’ve made feels solidified.

Anderson looks at the fireplace one more time. The light has died completely, the little room lit only by the moonlight pouring in the window. With a gentle but decisive clap of his hands, he stands from his armchair.

“That was a fruitful discussion, and I thank you for your patience and understanding. I fear time has run out, however, and so I will be sending you back shortly. I’ll place you right back where you came from: at the moment when I brought you here.”

“Hold on!” Too soon, too sudden. You still have so much to say. He holds up a hand, stopping your protests.

“If you’d like to communicate with me, simply write a request for it in your new journal. I wish you best of luck.”

And with that, the world goes white again.

This is the story of a girl whose name is no longer hers. A girl so common that she may as well be a faceless background character in another person’s story. A girl who wishes, more than anything, to be the protagonist of a love story that will sweep her off her feet and solve all her problems.

Her family is normal. Her friends, too. And so is she. It isn’t enough for her. The world inside that game she plays is so magical, so whimsical, so perfect. The characters are handsome, powerful, clever, funny, or rich, or some combination of those qualities. If she enters this world, surely all those wonderful characters would treat her as someone special. They’d love and revere her unconditionally. She pines for a man who would love her and her shortcomings in their entirety, no matter what she does.

The beauty about fictional characters is that because they are fictional, they can be whatever she wants them to be. She can wholeheartedly believe they’ll love her, and there is nothing wrong with that. But she isn’t satisfied with that alone. It needs to be real.

Desperately, she writes a story revolving around a faceless, flawless main character who she desperately wishes she could be. Everyday, the writing consumes her, dragging her into a fantasy of bliss. She begins to resent her reality. Nobody in real life will love her the correct way. Nobody can be as good as the characters she pours her love and headcanons on. She doesn’t consider how love can be gradual, nor does realize someone might have to get to know her before loving her. After all, in her fanfiction, the perfect mafioso loves her main character upon the first meeting and devotes himself with no questions asked. Isn’t that the ideal love?

One day, a miracle occurs. She meets a man who offers to make her story into her reality. Jumping on the chance to live her perfectly crafted life of happiness, she agrees. Finally. Finally, she will be loved the way she wants.

At first, everything went perfectly. Real life follows her fanfiction to the letter. Jade is charming, Floyd is endearing, and a string of coincidences leads her to meet Vil, another handsome bachelor. Love surrounds her at every turn. All she needs in this life are the handsome men who give her special treatment. After all, this body, this life—(Y/N)—was created by her, for her use. All of the previous relationships this body entertained no longer matter. They aren’t hers, anyway.

The polaroids that occupied her nightstand are probably in a landfill somewhere. The aesthetic was cute, befitting the tastes of a character she modelled after herself, but the person in them is irrelevant. Some side character she’s never going to see again. No matter; she’ll eventually replace those polaroids with cute photos of herself and her new love. (Y/N)—no, the placeholder—has served its purpose. It will not miss those useless decorations since it will never again have its own consciousness.

So where did it all go wrong? Perhaps it was wrong from the start. She should have cursed that old man for scamming her. Her happy ending was never a guarantee. How dare a throwaway side character upend her perfect, fairy tale ending? Is that even allowed? They’re all just characters anyway. How can they steal from a real person?

Until the very end, she couldn’t see anyone around her as anything other than characters in a story. Maybe if she did, she might have gotten the love she wanted. Now, she disappears, having never achieved the goal she so desperately grasped at. Like seafoam, her hopes and yearning for love bubbles and disappears.

Hans Christian Anderson places a book into an empty spot on one of his many shelves. He has always been fond of tragedies. As for this new story that’s unfolding . . . who’s to say how it will end? He’s a patient man. With a smile, he settles into an armchair and sips from a cup of tea. He’s looking forward to it. When it eventually ends, like all stories inevitably do, he’ll shelve it and find another story to bring to life.

The world suddenly flashes into focus. The sun’s dying embers flicker on the sea. Sand shifts between your toes. Fingers graze your neck. Before you can activate your Signature Spell, (Y/N) crashes into you and you both topple over into a bed of sand. Bloodlust raises the hairs on the back of your neck. But it isn’t coming from (Y/N). Instead, you instinctively wrap one arm around her and hold the other one out in front of you, shielding her from Jade.

“Wait, wait! Jade, it’s fine. I’m okay.”

He freezes. One of his hands stops a centimeter away from (Y/N)’s hair. She doesn’t react. Slowly, you lay back down, heaving a sigh. You shift her face to the side so that she doesn’t suffocate in your shoulder. Her eyelashes flutter against her cheekbones, complementing the slow rise and fall of her ribs.

“See? She’s asleep.”

Jade furrows his brows. “I fail to understand. Most importantly, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah.” You chuckle, staring up at the stars that unveil themselves in the darkening sky. “I’m just a little tired.”

You explain everything to him. He seems skeptical, but eventually, he accepts it. He sits in the sand next to you, his hand covering yours. You pretend not to notice, but it offers a soothing calm to your exhausted mind.

“I’m sorry,” you say, glancing at his side profile. “Even if I write that Vil Schoenheit will cure your parents, it might not happen because of continuity issues. Maybe (Y/N) will still be able to convince him.”

“That’s alright.” He catches your gaze. “It would make the story progress more smoothly if we continue with our talks with Walrus.”

He accepted it so quickly. For that matter, so did you. You wonder briefly if there is something at play that makes you accept the reality of your situation as fact—if it’s because you’re a character after all—but that’s all speculation. Not worth your time and energy to figure out.

“Bottom line is, this is my story now. So I’ll make sure the curse on your parents is dispelled.”

“How reliable.” Jade gives you a gentle smile, one that causes an unfamiliar stirring in your chest. “Thank you. What would you like in recompense?”

You weren’t expecting him to offer anything at all. But since he offered, you aren’t one to refuse.

“Money.”

His quiet laughter blends in with the sound of rushing waves.

“No hesitation at all, I see. Of course, I will pay you adequately for your invaluable help.”

“I also want something else.” You fiddle with the strands of (Y/N)’s hair. “I’d like a vacation. Just a week or two after everything settles down so I can go back to my hometown with my mom.”

“Is that what the money is for?”

“Yeah.” Your heart feels a little lighter. “You should visit the Coral Sea after your parents wake up as well. I’m sure you’ll want to spend time with them.”

A pause. You scrutinize Jade’s expression in the low light, but his expression is wholly unfamiliar to you. He almost looks . . . nervous.

“Would you come with us?”

You blink. “Don’t you want to spend time with just your family?”

“Yes, but my parents would be delighted to have you over again. You have not been to our home under the sea in a long time, and I would be more than happy to show you around again.”

“It won’t be a bother?”

“Far from it.” His thumb rubs softly against the back of your hand. “I . . . We are very fond of you.”

You can’t help but think there’s an ulterior motive, but you accept. This wouldn’t be the first time you’ve travelled to their home under the sea, and this most likely won’t be the last.

Suddenly, (Y/N) shifts on your chest. A soft noise escapes her lips as though she’s finally awakened from a long nap. Her bleary eyes find yours. Kind, lovely, and gentle eyes. The eyes of the (Y/N) you know and love, the eyes of your friend.

“Huh? Are we on the beach? What happened?”

A relieved laugh bubbles out of your throat and you hug her tightly. Confused but sweet, she reciprocates with reassuring pats to your arm.

“Yeah, we’re on the beach. Let’s get you home.” You sit up and smile as she fusses over the sand in your hair. Normalcy is slowly but surely returning. “I’ll tell you everything on the way there.”

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

would i be the asshole for contacting my ex to ask them if they could stop talking about me online to a community that knows who i am? (🥐)

tw: kinda emotionally abusive relationship

bg info

me (24f) and my ex (28) were in a three month relationship three years ago following a whole year of friendship. they were my first partner and i came out as a lesbian to everyone during our relationship. when we were together, they were 24 and i was 20. i was very emotionally dependent on them when i was 20 due to mental health issues and so were they which is probably one of the reasons why our relationship was as explosive as it was. i looked up to them, my whole emotional world revolved around them, and our friendship/relationship was the only thing i had in my life at the time. they constantly asked me "hey is it even ethical that im dating you, im 4 years older, you tell me please, oh i feel like such a bad person", yet, they still continued dating me every time they would ask.

our fights were horrible and truly explosive as they broke their stuff in front of me out of anger, threw things at me and insulted me as stupid, amongst many other things. our fights usually ensued because i would ask them for reassurance and they would start panicking and screaming at me to shut up. to be fair, i would cry every time i was asking for reassurance which probably made them feel scared about losing me, so i consider myself 50% at fault for everything that happened in our relationship, i shouldve been able to talk to them in a secure manner that wouldnt trigger their abandonment issues. our fights were quite jarring and made me walk out on them several times out of fear. yet i always came back and apologized and took the whole accountability, even though i dont consider myself the only one at fault. walking out several times during fights was probably one of the worst things i could have done but at the same time i was simply scared. even when i walked out after our last fight, they begged me to come back, which i did, i apologized under tears, and yet, told them that i cant promise them to stay no matter what.. and left.

we met through tumblr and were in a medium distance relationship. after our relationship, i went to a clinic and had to learn a lot about myself, what i experienced and what i want from life. im in a very happy and healthy place now and since the end of 2021 im with my current partner whom i want to be the love of my life and whom ive started to build a life with.

context

i have my ex blocked on all social media because they used to do hour long deep dives into my blog, even as of recently (i have statcounter installed for my safety bc im paranoid about them sending me anonymous asks). at first i also used to visit their blog after our break up but stopped doing so after moving on with my life. one year after breaking up i temporarily unblocked them and explicitly asked them not to look at my social media (or at least to do it in a way in which i dont notice aka asked them not to watch my instagram stories).

while i dont visit their blog/social media because i dont want to know whats going on in their life, tumblr mutuals frequently dm me stuff like "hey i think you should know that your ex posted about you/shit talks about something that you posted". i havent asked my mutuals to tell me whenever this happens but i imagine they do so because within the tumblr space we exist, everyone kind of knows everyone (so my ex doesnt have to mention my name for people to know who theyre talking about). sometimes mutuals send screenshots of the posts so that i dont have to visit my ex's blog. last ive heard my ex joked about throwing jewelry at me and posted extensively about a tattoo that i got. my ex's behavior makes me uncomfortable and feel just as helpless as i did back then.

why i might be the asshole

im scared that they might be venting because i was more at fault in the relationship than them and that i am unconsciously deflecting. however, i talked about every detail of the relationship and this fear extensively with my therapist, friends, and partner who are of the opinion that i was young, scared, and intertwined in a relationship that was incredibly toxic. im still unsure though because my emotions frequently triggered theirs.

why they might be the asshole

i asked them once to stop visiting my social media and i feel like venting about our relationship that broke off 3 years ago to a tumblr community of friends and acquaintances is kind of unfair. however, i might be the asshole and they might just need the space for venting. i could just ignore the vents and let them heal in their own way from what ensued.

WIBTA if i confronted them again and told them that i want them to stop talking about me online? or would i be a party pooper because every person needs a space for venting?

What are these acronyms?

[ryuichirou]

are any of the twst girlies embarassed of their tits? wether it's because they're too small or too big or too generally existing?

Continuing with our boob special weekend lol Let’s talk about them some more. Thank you once again for the most important prompts in the world, Anon!

For those who missed it, yesterday we talked about twst girlies’ attitude towards their partner’s boobs. And also, a while ago we had a post in which I talked about boob hcs in general… In the latter one I briefly talked about the girlies’ relationships with their own boobs, so this time I’ll try not to write too much (a task that is Ryu going to fail in 3, 2…)

Riddle – when she isn’t focusing on it, she isn’t insecure about it, but when people (mostly Ace or Floyd) tease her about it, she gets very defensive and says that her breasts are not done growing yet. I guess she does have a complex … she fits into the trope of flat girl being jealous of bigger girls too nicely. Maybe it’s because the Queen of Hearts was quite a busty woman herself.

Ace – she isn’t embarrassed at all, she actually considers herself lucky because her boobs aren’t really big and don’t bother her at all, but she also isn’t really flat. The existence of boobs doesn’t bother her either. Of course, that doesn’t mean that she won’t compare her size to Deuce’s all the time.

Deuce – for the most part she forgets about them and isn’t super bothered, even though wearing a bra feels like a chore for her sometimes, since she used to not wear it for a long time. Her breasts also get pretty tender during a certain time of the month, and it makes running more difficult, but that’s about the only complain that she has.

Trey – she isn’t really insecure; her breasts began to rapidly grow when she was pretty young, so she is used to being a big girl. They do get in the way sometimes though, especially in the kitchen (which is annoying) or in the lab (which is dangerous), so if asked, Trey would say that she would actually like to have smaller boobs. She also gets a big embarrassed when others comment on it.

Cater – she is pretty comfy! Sometimes she makes jokes about wanting to be bigger, being jealous of Trey and stuff like that, but she really feels pretty okay with her boobs being medium-sized (closer to smaller ones).

Leona – not really insecure, but kind of inconvenienced. She doesn’t like wearing bras, and she is pretty big+her nipples are dark, so it’s pretty obvious that she doesn’t. It’s not like she cares about what other think of her, of course… one thing that she hates it when she falls asleep in a bad position and squishes her boob. Ouch.

Ruggie – oh she’s very okay with where she’s at, she’s happy that she never really had to buy herself a bra, and that her boobs are so small she pretty much forgets she has them. There’s never been a moment in Ruggie’s life when she was upset about having small tits.

Jack – she is both one of the biggest and the most physically active girls of the cast, so she would love to have smaller breasts. It’s pretty okay when she’s skiing or snowboarding because the layers of clothes compress her boobs very neatly, but when she’s running, she is having a very hard time. She has to get special types of sports bra, otherwise she wouldn’t really be able to run… In her ideal world, she is a B, in reality though, she is at least a D and growing.

Azul – there are moments when she is annoyed with her boobs, and she complains about them being big on a very rare occasion, but in general she enjoys being between C and D (she should be more of a C but I keep drawing her significantly bigger lol). She thinks that her boobs are one of her many assets and she is proud of this asset. A girl with a face this cute and boobs this nice can’t be not-trustworthy, right? She also puts them on a table when she works a lot, but that’s just a habit.

Jade – having big boobs isn’t something unusual for a mermaid, but having them underwater and on land makes a lot of difference because gravity and all. Plus, she and her sister are pretty big even by mermaids’ standards… so she is inconvenienced sometimes, but not too much. For the most part she doesn’t care. Her boobs do bother her when she is hiking though, she can't help but feel it would be much easier to walk, climb and even wear her backpack if she had boobs that are somewhat smaller than her enormous ones.

Floyd – she is way more inconvenienced than Jade, and the only one in the Octa-trio who actually complains about her boobs enough to ask for Azul to make a potion to make them smaller. But then she changes her mind and decides against it. She is very active, and she hates bras, so her boobs either bounce around too strongly or jump out of her shirt, and both are kind of bad. For the most part because everyone is acting so weird about it… it’s their problem though, not Floyd’s.

Kalim – happy girl, not a care in the world. She is also on a bigger side (similar to Azul), and it never really concerned her in any way. Of course it bounces a lot when she dances, but it’s like she isn’t even aware of that or really doesn’t care. She is pretty comfortable in her own skin!

Jamil – she is also perfectly fine, actually. When she was younger, she was kind of annoyed with Kalim’s boobs suddenly growing bigger when hers were much smaller, but she doesn’t care anymore; having smaller ones is more convenient anyways.

Vil – pretty comfortable, doesn’t really have any insecurities about it: she finds her small breasts aesthetically pleasing, plus it really works with her overall androgynous aesthetics. There are some clothes and looks she’d like to wear that are better for big-chested girls though, but it’s okay, even if it doesn’t look good on her, she knows someone who would look good wearing it.

Rook – she used to be very disconnected with her big boobs when she was younger because it actually caused a lot of discomfort to her during her hunts; she used to tie them up with bandages or pieces of cloth; she remembers being jealous of her brothers because they could run around the jungle topless and she couldn’t. But that was before; she is very comfortable with herself now and actually has a lot of appreciation of her breasts: Vil helped her to pick up proper underwear and support for them, and helped her a lot in general.

Epel – she hates her boobs, even though they aren’t even that big, but that’s already too big for her. Plus, they’re kind of round and perky, and she always feels like everyone’s looking at them (they’re not, no one’s looking). She is jealous of Ruggie…

Idia – for the most part she is very pleased with being one of the flattest girls in cast. There are so many headaches related to boobs, and she feels like she is excused from that annoying conversation entirely. She finds some comfort in deciding pretty early on in her life that she would never be busty and sexy and desirable (as if any of that has anything to do with having big boobs). Sometimes she thinks about what it would be like to have bigger boobs, but stops herself from thinking about it.

Ortho – ironically I think AI!Ortho would care about it more than real!Ortho. Real!Ortho is a little bit bigger than Idia, but she is pretty tomboyish and doesn’t really care about boobs at all (only other people’s boobs…). AI!Ortho, however, feels like this isn’t fair sometimes, and acts like a capricious child that wants something she isn’t really supposed to have. But overall, she just wants to be cute, so…

Lilia – the proudest flat girl in the world. Even more proud and even more flat than Idia lol Yeah there was never a moment in her life when she doubted herself because of that, even when she was mistaken for a boy. She has unshakable confidence and love for herself.

Silver – there are times when her boobs are in the way, but as long as she wears a proper bra or ties them up, it’s not an issue. She used to be a little concerned when she noticed that her boobs are growing (because Sebek’s didn’t start growing yet, and Lilia is completely flat), but that moment of panic was pretty short. She isn’t super big, but a bit bigger than Ace and Deuce, and she is pretty okay in her own skin.

Sebek – she is somewhat inconvenienced, and she also ties everything up when she’s training, but she also learned to live with her big boobs. She never felt like getting rid of them or never wanted to have them smaller; she is actually kind of proud of herself even though it is a pain in the ass to do everything that she does to keep them both healthy and not in the way of her activities. Horse-riding is especially difficult to her though, the bounce is too much sometimes.

Malleus – even though she is inconvenienced with how big and heavy they are, and with how much extra attention she needs sometimes because of them, she is pleased with her boobs in the same ways he is pleased with her horns, wings and tail – all of it is an indication of her being a Draconia. But also, when she gets tired of her big ones, she could just temporarily make them into smaller ones with magic! Just like she does with her tail and wings.

[canarias-stuff]

Caramel Frappe For Okarun - Chapter 1

Paring: Ayase Momo X Takakura Ken

Summary:

“Caramel frappe, extra caramel for Takakura K–” The drink almost slipped from her hands.

What?!

“Ah, that’s me!”

A black haired guy wearing glasses, slightly taller than her, probably around her age approached the corner where Momo was waiting–frozen in place–with his drink still on her hands, and a shocked expression.

“Thank y—”

“No! I can’t accept it!” Momo suddenly stated, interrupting the poor boy that wasn’t really sure of what exactly he did. “No way!”

Behind her, Miko and Kei couldn’t stop laughing.

“Hum…” The boy–Takakura Ken–stared at the barista, then her co-workers and then around the coffee shop. Did he get involved in a prank or something? “...you can’t…accept a ‘thank you’...?”

Author's notes:

Hello!!!!

Okay, so that's my second story for DanDaDan fandom! I just want these kids to be normal (or as normal as they can be) for a second!

It's going to be a short story, I am planning just one or two other chapters, but hopefully you're going to have some fun.^^

Chapter 1: Caramel Frappe for...Who?!

The best part of being a university student in Ayase Momo’s opinion is the lingering feeling of freedom. Now that she was living in Tokyo, a few miles away from Kamikoshi—and a few miles away from her annoying grandma—she felt like she could do whatever she wanted.

Don’t get her wrong, she loved her grandma a lot, and would fight tooth and nail if someone badmouthed or made fun of her for working as a medium, but as any other 18 or 19 year old freshmen, to be in such a big city, wasn’t it exciting?

It felt good to be away without adult supervision, to have some space for herself–and to not feel the sharp eyes of her grandma on her or on her boyfriend (ex-boyfriend now, because as always her grandma was right and the guy that she dated for a while was a human trash.)

Still, despite Momo being the one paying the rent for the apartment she shared with Vamola and Aria—friends from her high school days—her grandmother was the one who was actually covering her tuition.

So yeah, it was just a lingering taste of freedom, after all, she wasn’t independent.

And because she really wanted to graduate (it means she should take her studies seriously), a full-time job was out of the question, which also meant less income. But, honestly, Momo was happy with how things were going. Six months in Tokyo had been good to her so far.

She was enjoying her classes, Vamola and Aria were great roommates, and even the few parties she’d attended had been fun. Her part-time job was decent enough too, but…

Momo sighed.

From behind, she heard Miko and Kei, her two part-time coworkers at the coffee shop, whispering.

“She sighed again.” Miko observed.

“I bet it is a boy problem.” Kei replied.

Momo turned around, hands on her hips. “I can hear you, you know.”

“Yep!” Kei grinned. “You are supposed to.

“So, are you going to tell us who the guy is?” Miko asked, pushing her luck.

“Oh, come on!” Momo groaned, turning back to her task of refilling the coffee machine with beans. “I told you there’s no one like that!”

“Like who? Takakura Ken?” Kei teased, her grin unrelenting.

“Ughhhh! I said stop that!” Momo resisted the urge to smack that grin off both their faces. “So what if I like the actor? Is it so much to ask to find someone like him?”

Miko and Kei exchanged a knowing look.

“Girl…” Kei began, shaking her head.

“Men like him don’t exist anymore.” Miko finished, nodding in agreement. “Chivalry’s dead.”

Really, Momo was enjoying her classes, Vamola and Aria were great roommates, and even the few parties she’d attended had been fun. Her part-time job was decent enough too, but…

Where I am supposed to find a man like Takakura Ken?!

Her first boyfriend–the trash human being, the one that her grandma strongly disapproved of (with reason, she was mature enough to admit it now)–she only dated him for his appearance, because he resembled Takakura Ken, the actor that she liked so much.

Childish? Yeah, dating someone just for their appearance wasn’t something that Momo thought that she would do.

As she finished refilling the last grain’s container of the coffee machine, Miko passed her a plastic cup with the next drink order. Momo must’ve spaced out for a moment because she hadn't noticed a customer coming in or ordering.

A caramel frappe, extra caramel. Easy order. She made so much of these in just one day that she could probably do it with her eyes closed, not that she would try, if something went wrong, her manager would definitely be happy to deduct a few yen for her paycheck.

As she finished preparing the drink and put a cap at the top of it, Momo started to call the customer. A normal day a day action, she didn’t even realize how her co-workers went strangely quiet and were trying their best to not laugh.

“Caramel frappe, extra caramel for Takakura K–” The drink almost slipped from her hands.

What?!

“Ah, that’s me!”

A black haired guy wearing glasses, slightly taller than her, probably around her age approached the corner where Momo was waiting–frozen in place–with his drink still on her hands, and a shocked expression.

“Thank y—”

“No! I can’t accept it!” Momo suddenly stated, interrupting the poor boy that wasn’t really sure of what exactly he did. “No way!”

Behind her, Miko and Kei couldn’t stop laughing.

“Hum…” The boy–Takakura Ken–stared at the barista, then her co-workers and then around the coffee shop. Did he get involved in a prank or something? “...you can’t…accept a ‘thank you’...?”

“No!” Momo could feel her cheeks get slightly warm, but it wasn’t the guy’s fault if his parents named him after a famous actor, right? She shouldn’t be snapping like that. “I mean…ugh, sorry, that was awkward, right? Sorry for that.”

The black haired boy waved his hands in front of him.

“No, no! It’s fine! I’m also an awkward guy so…”

And if he said something after that, Momo didn’t know, because her brain needed a minute to reboot.

This guy…this Takakura Ken just said the exactly same line as the Takakura Ken, the actor one. He said that line using such an innocent expression, such a soft voice…

FUCK NO!

“No way! I refused to believe you!” Momo finally snapped, putting the drink down and slamming her hands at the corner.

“Eh? What? I am sincerely thanking you!” 

“No! Not about it!” Momo grunted, he was still thinking about the thanks stuff. “Your name! I refused to believe you!”

“What about my name?”

“You are just playing around, right? Giving us a fake name like Naruto, Luffy or any other character from an anime, right?!” Yes! That’s it! He was probably just a fan like her.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Ken rebutted, adjusting his glasses. “Whether you believe me or not, my name is Takakura Ken.”

If, if Momo could, she would lay on the ground and throw a tantrum, but she was a grown up woman in the middle of her job …so her next better option was:

“Stop!” She cried, covering her ears. “I don’t wanna hear!”

“But!”

“I said: stop!”

“Ayase Momo-san.”

Momo froze. There was only one person in the coffee shop who could say her name like that and make her blood run cold. Slowly, she turned around, her brown eyes meeting his icy blue ones.

“M-manager Sanjome…”

The pink-haired man shifted his gaze to Ken, who was still trying to understand what just happened, and bowed slightly in apology.

“I’m sorry for the rude behavior from one of our staff. We’d like to refund your order and make a fresh drink, as this one…” His eyes flickered to the cup with the whipped cream already melted. “...isn’t quite up to our establishment's standards.”

Momo flushed red, bowing quickly beside him. Oh god, she was done for, wasn’t she? Sanjome would definitely fire her after this!

“N-no! Really, it’s fine!” Ken replied, glancing between the two of them. “It was just a misunderstanding. Ayase-san…well, she thought she had called me by the wrong name, that’s all.”

This guy is nice! This guy is too nice! Was the collective thought of the three girls.

Sanjome didn’t seem convinced.

“Seriously, it’s fine!” To prove his point, Ken picked up the drink and took a sip, his eyes widening just a bit. “I have to go now, but thanks anyway!”

And with that, he left, leaving a nervous Momo, a very annoyed Sanjome, and two very amused co-workers in his wake.

“Ayase-san…”

Momo flinched.

“My office.” The manager’s voice was cold as ice. “Now.”

Great. Just great.

Link AO3

Ending Notes:

P.S: English is not my native language, so sorry for possible mistakes.^^''

I wanted Momo to have the same reaction as the manga/anime, so some lines are similar as the original work, but just because I think it's funny.^^

But anyway, hope you had fun.^^

I will see you guys soon!

[olderthannetfic]

https://www.tumblr.com/olderthannetfic/747721307928559616/re-747330342209404928-every-time-a-discussion?source=share

I wouldn't even make this purely about oversensitivity - I've seen fic writers refuse to tag, say, breakup because they think it would be a Good Experience (tm) for fans of the ship in question to read it (because they often think it's Problematic in some brain-wormed way), or they just think their writing is so good or so "socially important" that people who would normally avoid this commonly tagged trope should have to experience it anyway, "it's good for you" etc. and then melt down when people have the predictable reaction that something that seemed to be billed as a fluffy romance was anything but, and of course, these people's social statements are never as deep and sophisticated as they think they are. These people are weirdly, often very outspoken about the need for Content Warnings in basically any other context.

Obviously, I don't want to say that anything other than major archive warnings are a requirement to tag (and I mean, even those aren't required, you can use CNTW), or that you're required to indicate a breakup will happen if it's a big spoiler or something.... but this wasn't just that, it was deliberately false advertising the fic as something it wasn't bc they thought it would be morally edifying or something for people who dislike that trope to read it.

I like fanfiction and I'm not going to say it can never be effectively used to convey Important Ideas (tm) .... but I do think if you are going to take this attitude and especially if you're over the age of 15 or so, and especially if you're then going to have a meltdown and accuse people of "harassment" for disagreeing with you when the readers are predictably not happy, you need to consider that perhaps fanfiction is not the medium for you. Maybe write original fiction instead.

I don't know why it's so hard for some to understand that people tend to be more allowing for a story not being as happy or fluffy as they expected when the story isn't about characters they're already attached to, especially when they're in a space that's often about seeking out specific outcomes that the original work didn't give them. Like I'm sorry there's often a double standard between fanfic and original fic in this way, but it exists for a way.

But also, none of these fanfic writers I've seen do this (and this sounds niche I know but I've seen it several times in different fandom) ever actually have Takes that are remotely original or startling or groundbreaking, lol, such that it's worth misleading people because they "need to hear." It's always like.... cool, I saw this take for the first time on a Tumblr post in 2017/from someone in my women's studies class in 2010, and I thought it was a bad shallow take then and still do.

Interestingly, the people who genuinely have really interesting and unusual and thought-provoking takes that they use fanfic to express feel no need to tag it inaccurately, feel no desire to force it on people who don't want to read it. Wonder why.

--

Hah. I too have seen this silly behavior many times.

[mgparker]

the bodyguard- din djarin

DIN DJARIN X F!ROYAL!READER [SERIES]

summary: tensions rise as the princess of the dystopian planet eiria finally approaches the age in which she will take the throne. despite her reluctance, she finds herself under the protection of the infamous mandalorian.

warnings: female reader, given surname, implied hair length (medium to long), little mandalorian content but that’ll change in the next chapter, world building, time jumps, elusiveness (for plot development), unedited so beware

series masterlist!

*ੈ✩‧₊˚. i. a stranger in my room *ੈ✩‧₊˚.

Long before the fall of the Jedi Order, there'd been peace. Harmony amongst those who made their way in the galaxy. Tranquility and above all, happiness.

Even in these times, Eiria was such place that many people could only dream of. A planet so ethereal and utopian it was a wonder that it truly existed.

Luscious greenery covered its surface, slipping through the cracks and edges of its magnificent buildings, built on a foundation of gold. Technologically advanced in its own right, humble and simple where it mattered.

Technology was only used to ensure the safety of its citizens, otherwise Eiria was a world untouched by the horrors of the galaxy. Kept safe by its council of leaders that had been appointed and passed down along the generations.

It hadn't always been led by this council. No, Eiria was a royal world. Since its first taste of civilization, the hand of a ruler had governed the lands...

But when the former king and queen fell ill to a sickness that had wiped out over a quarter of Eiria's population over ten years ago, the leadership of the planet had fallen onto the shoulders of a council that had existed long before their reign.

All left from their rule, besides the sparkling scenery and magnificent buildings they'd had built overtime, was their daughter.

She'd been spared from the wicked disease that had claimed the lives of her parents, taken under the wing of her father's closest friend and advisor, Senator Phex Dameron.

The Princess was as stubborn as she was loyal, dedicated to her people until her last breath, a weight on her shoulders since the moment she was born. Thrust upon her the crushing responsibility of royalty, only to be spared her teenage years and emerging adulthood.

Every day, she thanked the maker that her parents had decreed she wouldn't take the throne until she had reached twenty one cycles — even if it was solely to secure that the throne would remain in their families for cycles to come. You see, a leader could be challenged if they were deemed too young to take the throne. To avoid that from happening, the King and Queen had signed into law that should need arise, the Council would take over all governing responsibilities and otherwise until the Princess was of suitable age.

At just twenty cycles old, the last Altair was on the dawn of a new age...

But along with it, came the danger.

The Princess of Eiria stares ahead, cold and calculating, teeth gritted together, seething beneath the carefully constructed surface, and swears that one day she will never have to answer to anyone again.

Before you, a panel of men, women and creatures alike, watching you with those greedy, overbearing eyes. It's not you that wears a mask, it's them. With their false pretenses, the caring acts behind worried gazes.

They don't care about you. They care about the wealth. The riches. Getting in the good graces of the Senator.

You expect he'll be elected any day now. It's only a matter of time and until then, and even after, the Council will put on those infuriating masks.

The Senator stares at you without the mask. In fact, there's no expression on his face at all. Except for the hint of pity you sense from his body language. You've known him too long to not see it right away.

A twinge of annoyance hits you. This is partly his fault-- what pity could he be feeling?

You should probably speak now. Not to the Council or to the Senator. But to him.

As angry as you were, he was only here to do his job. You'd do your best to keep him out of your path of fury.

You politely tell him your name, though it's not needed, and thank him for accepting the Senator's offer of serving as your protector.

After all, the Mandalorian will be following your every step from now on. It's best to be on civil terms for both your sanities.

You ignore everyone else in the Council Chamber.

The Mandalorian gives one curt nod.

Normally, you'd be irked by his silence but in this moment, you're grateful for it. You spin toward the door, guarded by two Jedi knights the Senator had sent for.

You bite the inside of your cheek and stride for the exit.

"Sunshine," it's the Senator. You stop. "It's for the best. You'll thank me in the future."

You don't turn around. Heavy footsteps follow behind you.

You doubt it.

It's been exactly three days since your world was further more flipped on its axis.

The remnants of grief over your recent loss had been overshadowed by the irritation you felt over the presence of the Mandalorian.

It isn't his fault. You constantly try to remind yourself, even as you furiously glare at the stupid tin helmet that rests over his head. He's just doing his job and you're not making it any easier.

It was on day three that you made this realization.

"I'm sorry if I've been... cold towards you. We’ve barely said a word since we’ve met.”

“Don’t apologize,” his raspy modulator replies stoicly. “Socializing isn’t exactly in the job description.”

You bite the inside of your cheek and glare at your own reflection in the vanity mirror you sit before. The reminder that your only regular company, other than the Senator, was here by obligation sours your attempt to befriend the Mandalorian.

“Right. Well, as much as I’ve enjoyed your silent shadow hovering over me for the past seventy-two hours, I highly doubt watching me every waking second is in your job description either.”

He stays silent, despite your bait.

You have no problem going on, combing your hair absentmindedly. “Perhaps you should be doing other things. Surely the rest of the castle requires some sort of surveillance. The Council would pay handsomely.”

“My job here is strictly to keep you under my protection, Princess.”

Your lip curls slightly. “Well, as you can see the windows are shut, my balcony bolted and the biggest threat to me at the moment is tangling my hair in this brush. So I would kindly request that your services extend to the exterior of my quarters please. I’d like some privacy please.”

You’re trying to be as polite as possible. You really are, but there’s only so much stoic silence from a metal man hovering in one of the corners of every room you enter that you could take.

All your life you’d been as independent as a member of the royal family could be. The Senator had made sure of that— and it was partly the reason you were still so angry with him over this arrangement. So going from that to this, it was not going well for you. Not at all. Especially since your new stalker didn’t seem to make any noises or speak any words beside ‘yes’, ‘no’, or some bullshit answer to any specific question you’d ask. But only if it was job-related, otherwise, he was an unmoving, nonverbal statue.

Three days with the Mandalorian and you were beginning to absolutely despise his beskar helmet and the nonexistent sense of security the Council had believed he’d bring.

This was all done for their benefit. Not yours.

You didn’t need protection before and you certainly don’t need it now. He served no purpose but to make you uncomfortable under his unbreaking gaze.

“I will be right outside the door, your Highness.”

Your eyes jolt up to him in pure surprise. You had been expecting the usual silence, for him to ignore your request as he did all the other times you’d told him you didn’t require his unwavering surveillance.

Maybe the fact that you’d pointed out every single enter and exit strategy finally convinced him, but you couldn’t know for sure. Not with that obscure helmet.

You dismiss your thoughts and almost catch yourself beaming at his reflection in the corner of your room. “Thanks,” you breathe, opting for a smaller smile, filled with gratitude.

He nods once and then leaves.

You release a breath you didn’t even know you were holding.

The first thought that crosses your mind is one you dismiss just as quickly as it arose. The small traces of adolescence that cling on to you tempt you to sneak away from the Mandalorian. Break the rules. See how far you could run before he caught up to you.

But you dismiss it. Because you’re loyal to your people and you know why he’s here despite you not agreeing to all the dramatics.

The Senator claims this is all for your protection. That coming of age and taking the throne would likely bring danger as those who wished to rule the throne would start creeping out of the hiding places they’d taken residence in since the death of your parents.

But it itches beneath your skin the longer you gaze over at the crack under your bedroom door, the shadow of his feet unmoving and steady.

You could run. Make a little game out of it. See if he’s really as qualified as Senator Dameron says he is.

You sigh quietly and set the brush down very slowly. Your heart pounds in anticipation, a plan forming in your mind.

As quickly and stealthily as possible, you slip out of your casual gown into a pair of very unladylike trousers and a tunic that you laced up tightly.

You brainstorm different ways to make your exit. Maybe you could cough or somehow force a sneeze? Some way to let your Mandalorian know you were still unsuspiciously lounging in your quarters.

You decide against it, instead doing your best to unlock your windows without making so much as a creak. Surprisingly, it’s not all too difficult.

The window swings open, both panels nearly knocking into the stone exterior of the castle but you lunge forward to grab onto them. Your momentum drives you forward with more eagerness than you intended, your feet flying from the floor, tipping out into the evening dusk with the ghost of a scream on your lips.

Something pulls you back at the feet.

Your body remains suspended, hands clutching onto the panels white-knuckled. You quickly toss a glance behind you, fully expecting to see your bodyguard standing there with his stupid beskar staring disappointedly at you.

By the sheer grace of the Maker, there’s no one behind you at all.

The only thing that saved you from plummeting to your death was your pesky iron dresser, the one that had those decorative swirls that you often knocked your ankle against.

On it, the hem of your surprisingly sturdy trousers, which were beginning to rip at the seams the longer you stood there hanging like an idiot.

Quickly, you toss yourself back to safety, freeing your hem and sheathing your small dagger you kept under your pillow. When suddenly you hear a shuffle against the door and you freeze.

Your eyes are trained on the shadow under the crack of your door. It’s the Mandalorian, thankfully just readjusting his stance.

Deciding there’s no more time to lose, you drag a hidden rope you had tied to one of the posts under your bed from your younger adventures, and carefully climb out of your window. All the while hoping the Mandalorian wouldn’t decide to check in on you at that exact moment.

As soon as your feet touch the floor, you’re off, leaving the rope and your quarters in the dust.

An elated laugh escapes you. It feels like you’re floating over the stone pavement, more free than you’ve been since before you were orphaned.

It gives you a head rush, this thrill, knowing you’re breaking every rule in the book — for the Royal Princess of Eiria was not to wander the streets unattended, much less when the sun was falling below the horizon. Senator Dameron would probably burst a blood vessel if he saw you now.

After a few minutes of aimless sprinting, you begin to see the outline of the city, lit by its posts and the torches held by the knights on guard. You eye them, trying to figure out how to get past undetected.

Suddenly, you hear the sound of hoofs against the damp grass and the panic sends you flying into a nearby bush.

Your hair gets caught, a few thorns digging into your skin, one catching onto the skin of your cheek.

“Ugh,” you complain quietly.

Between the foliage, you begin to make out the figure upon the approaching horse.

“Gwaine!”

You smile in relief, your pounding heart beginning to settle back into your heaving chest. Gwaine is one of the few people you trust within the city walls, having known him since he was a boy. He is the blacksmith’s son, currently serving as his apprentice.

You spring out of the bush, startling Gwaine’s horse but he quickly reigned her back in.

“My lady,” he nods with an amused look.

You stand awkwardly for a moment, knowing you probably looked like a disaster.

Gwaine motions towards his own hair, near his ear. “You’ve got…”

“Oh!” You quickly snatch a leaf out of your locks. “Thanks.”

He eyes you, scanning your disheveled appearance from head to toe, before looking over at the patrolling guards and then back at you.

“Do you require some sort of… uh- assistance, my lady?” He asks as if he doesn’t want to know what you’re up to this time.

Poor Gwaine. One way or another you’d always managed to drag him into your various schemes over the years. But you’d never let him take the fall for any of your antics. Never.

Doesn’t stop him from fearing the day he’d once again see you with that same mischievous, faux innocence on your face. Which was more often than you cared to admit.

He knew your look of trouble like the back of his hand.

You jolt in realization and look past him, searching for any sign of the Mandalorian.

“You know,” you sigh a little dramatically once you realize the coast is pretty much clear. “I really shouldn’t drag you into affairs of the royal family. I’ll just leave you be—”

“What is it?” He cuts through the bullshit.

“Well, if you must know, I’ve taken the liberty of paroozing the sights of the city tonight, Gwaine.”

“We both know full well you have no liberty of ‘paroozing the city’ at this hour, your Highness.”

You try to hide your flinch.

“What’s with the formalities, Gwaine?” you divert. “Would it kill you to say my name for once?”

“Eh— might.”

You follow his line of sight to the guards that were stationed across the town square.

“You’re my friend. You can address me by my name, Gwaine.”

“You sure say my name a lot,” he says cheekily. Letting up his usual formalities. You feel relieved, giving him an easy smile. It was always like this with him— he’d address you by title, do everything by the book, and you’d have to slowly break him down until he accepts that you’re his friend. Not just the Princess. Years of conditioning made him that way you guess.

“It’s a mighty fine name,” you grin.

“Why thanks.”

His horse neighs suddenly. You both snap into reality.

“Seriously, Squeak. What’re you doing outside the castle? Aren’t you under strict vigilance right now?”

Squeak. It’s his nickname he’d given you ever since you had convinced him to help you climb to the roof of the stables when you were both small children. You were convinced you could fly (‘just like a bird!’ is what you’d told him) and jumped off to prove it. Needless to say, you were very thankful there had been a comfortable amount of hay on the ground below. Since that day, Gwaine began to call you ‘Squeak’ because you had screeched just like a bird when you landed face first in the hay.

“You heard?”

“The whole kingdom heard. A Mandalorian around these parts is rare. You mustn’t be alone when the Senator has gone to such extreme lengths to have you protected.”

Protected, your ass. Where was the Mandalorian now?

“I’m not alone,” you reply. “I’m with you.”

Gwaine purses his lips and gives you a half-hearted glare. Knowing in his heart, he couldn’t leave you alone now even if he wanted to. You’d just ensnared him in a royal duty whether you meant to or not.

“Nyla, settle down,” he murmured softly to his horse, as she began to get antsy from meandering around for too long. He looked back at you. “Well, are we going to stand here and wait to be caught?”

You give him a quizzical look.

“Well, you must’ve snuck out, haven’t you? I don’t see the Mandalorian around.”

But he’d surely be around if you kept standing here all evening.

You hustle over to Nyla, taking Gwaine’s outstretched hand and hauling yourself up behind him. Securing your arms around his middle, you smile softly at the familiarity.

“Where to, Princess?” He murmurs.

“Beyond the city walls, the abandoned watch tower.”

chapter 2 >>

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[huenation]

seasons / kkh

word count: 1,696

genre: fluff and slight! angst

synopsis: making back the time with bf!hyuka now that he’s back from tour ★ request

note: i wanna give the largest fattest kith to the anon who requested this :’(

soundtrack: seasons by wave to earth

Kai is easily sunshine — in every single aspect. He warms you up, never fails to make you feel better even by text alone, and excluding the existence of gravity, he reels you in in orbit.

It’s the same reason that why now that he’s finally here with you after only four but very long months, it feels like you’re experiencing the first day without rain.

A gentle squeeze to your hand has you returning to Earth, thumb rubbing over your knuckles. Kai swings your intertwined hand back and forth as he continues telling you about one night after a certain stop during their tour. It’s so funny that he can’t seem to get through it, stopping to laugh and apologize for laughing, bringing your squeezed fingers to use them to move his bangs. He could have easily used his other hand, but he’s too busy rubbing circles mindlessly into your tummy. You can’t help yourself either. His smile and laughter is so contagious; it feels like you haven’t laughed or smiled this much since the last time he was here physically.

The soft bump in his nose is so beautiful, the sweet eye crinkles that reflect the sweetness that blossoms from his beam, that beauty mark on the right side of his warm neck, his light, clean, citrus scent mixed with his freshly washed clothes — it’s all here right in front of you. After so long. It seems silly in hindsight considering you’ve endured longer without being able to see each other. As years go by, you both have learned it gets harder saying goodbye every time.

Your boyfriend and the boys landed right before noon, and you’d waited for their arrival at their dorm, feeling like an obnoxious puppy with the way you anxiously paced for him. It was pure joy and love at first turn of the door knob. Kai had practically lifted you in his arms with all the endorphin driven adrenaline and momentum at his overwhelming happiness of being reunited with you. The boys simply chuckled and watched in amusement before FOMO hit. Such a reunion should have wrought tears and half-humiliated kisses, but instead, you two were grinning ear to ear, holding hands, being quietly lovey dovey.

Evening has taken over of the day you’d been waiting for for so long, and now, in the dorms, it’s just you and him. The boys had said they were heading over to play basketball, Yeonjun throwing you a wink, to which you both had whined in unison, making synchronized laughter of different accents and textures ring through the air.

There is no space between you, such a word doesn’t exist in this here. Why should it? You’d missed an entire season with him, and time persevered nonetheless. Impossibly, you wanted to make back all the time you’d missed with each other. He felt the ache of lost time, felt the ache of missing you, and even if more time like this was to be lost again, here and now outweighed everything else. Now with the way your legs are crossed into each other, your hand that’s molded with his, his hand on your tummy, your hand on his chest, playing with the string of his sweatshirt, on the living room sofa like it’s your own little world. It feels like it. It always does when it comes to him.

Now, that reality has settled, the dust of his arrival no longer flurries in the air, you feel like such a thing, such a moment as precious as here and now, can’t be. Not when you had shared some broken phone calls, yearning through the digital medium, showing half your faces through FaceTime, not when you’d worked your ass off everyday in hopes of making time go by faster with it being occupied, not when you’d prayed for his things to go smoothly throughout the tour and especially for him to comeback soon, even if it meant time were to skip and the universe would be tipped on its side. You were willing for anything if it guaranteed your Hyuka would be back.

And here he is. Laughing so big and contagious, the frequencies of it bring you effervescent warmth, his wide but love shaped body pressing into yours to ignite it even further. Even if the story reads Typical Tubatu, you’re smiling so big and laughing too, even if you get only part of the story because of his interrupting giggles. Maybe such untapped expressions explain why stray tears from what you thought were laughing too hard snowball into endless streams and a smile that turns into a frown.

“And Beomgyu hyung just kept going! Soobin hyung wasn’t having it, but it was still! — s-so — oh… Y/N?” A hiccup of a sob escapes your curled lips when he stops, leaning in and his own eyes glazing over at acknowledgement of your emotion. He’s still smiling, it’s softer now, the sunlight in his eyes still bright but again, softer now with brief overcast of his sensitivity towards your tears. His hand drops from your tummy and comes to catch the tears that keep flowing.

“‘M-I’m sorry!” You laugh, sniffling, or sniffle, laughing, really, you’re a mess of it all. Kai coos, shaking his head, so delicate in the way he holds your face, other hand still squeezing yours. You use your sleeve to rub at the rest of your face. He keeps shaking his head to your apologies, closing in to pepper kisses on your cheeks when you don’t let up, when you keep crying.

“Y/N,” he asks with a tone that suggest he’s pleading but for what, you don’t know. Your lips shake. Kai chuckles wetly, your heart squeezing at the thought of him even crying over this sudden slip up of emotion of yours. “I’m sorry,” you say not for the last time, he sighs against your salty lips. He places his forehead against yours, slotting his body closer against yours.

“I just — Kai, I missed you so much. I-I’m so happy, I can’t — I can’t help it! I missed you so much it hurts and I-I can’t…I’m so lucky you’re here. It’s too good to be real!” You cry brokenly, trailing off to giggle at yourself for being so taken, and Kai mirrors your expression entirely, nose reddening, sniffling, and giggling, too. He kisses your the column of your nose, nosing your own once he pecks your mouth a bit clumsily. He does so with purpose, it looks like.

“I’m sorry that I had to leave, I really am, but I swear, I’m here now. And I too am so, so, stupidly happy to be here with you,” Kai steals a few but meaningful kisses from you, keen on trailing the side of your face with his hand, as if to commit it to memory, to mind, to muscle, to heart. He steals your breaths from you, recycling them, when oxygen returns to your lungs slowly but surely — a sheepish laugh leaving your mouth against his because of it all. Kai brings your intertwined hands to his lips, kissing your knuckles, the backside of your palm, your phalanges, and your thumb.

“I missed you so much, my sweet. Feels like one of the many, many dreams I’d have all those lonely nights without you while I was abroad. All throughout the day, I’d think, ‘the alarm should go off any minute now…’ and it never does. I hope it never does. I wanna stay here forever with you.” You’re going to cry again, moving in to kiss him, and he meets you halfway. Lips against the other, your smiles all but mold together. “I love you, Y/N.” He whispers and you hear it twice: through your ears and the burning skin of your lips.

“I love you more.” You say, and his laugh comes out muffled.

It’s a long moment of closeness being fulfilled, soft kisses filling the air every now and then, before you pull away, cheeks red and tear streaked. You lean away, as he lays his head against the top of the sofa, your fingers brushing some of his trimmed fringe back. He cut his hair. He’s so handsome, it somehow makes him look all the more charming and adorable.

“I interrupted your story, Kai. Please continue for me, if you can. I want to hear every single thing you have to say.” Your fingers brush the warmth of his flesh, and he flutters his eyes shut almost in reverence. He nods, opening them, and pecking at your pulse point. Such an easygoing smile graces his lips, so gentle and serene, and yet the repercussions are enormous. Your heart falls back into place. Everything does. Now, that your Kai is back.

“If you say so.” He laughs and sighs after a brief pause, eyes meeting yours. “Thank you for waiting for me.”

You gasp, mouth forming a pout at that.

“Come on, Hyuka. You know me!” Your tone eases up especially when you reposition yourself on him, closer in on him, both of your hands flattening across the width of his chest to lean on him, legs curled with his, your face nuzzling against his shoulder. “I’d wait a thousand years and more just for you.” You whisper, cheeks hot at the shyness of your confession.

Practically swooning and sweating with how speechless you left him, Kai just sputters out an awkward, little, “thank you” before practically deflating and silently whining when you start laughing at him, quickly turning such a heartfelt moment back to the lighthearted scene that the boys had left, who now return to tease at the lovey dovey-ness. You peel off of Kai, back to hand holding, back to listening to his story telling — aided by the others who make it all the more funnier and real — and let the feeling home overtake you, stealing one last glance at your boyfriend, your eyes and his melting and closing like honey.

Kai may be your sunshine, but unbeknownst to you, you’re his entire life, you’re his seasons, and he’d trade everything for you within a heartbeat.

[mariateresaeliapivetta]

How to Choose a Console Table for Your Wall and Style It Perfectly

When it comes to decorating a wall in your living room, hallway, or bedroom, a console table can be a game-changer. Not only does it provide functional storage, but it also serves as a stylish centerpiece that can elevate the look of your space. Here’s a guide to help you choose the perfect console table and style it with complementary objects for a cohesive and inviting look.

Choosing the Right Console Table

1. Consider the Space

Measure the wall where you plan to place the console table. Ensure the table’s dimensions align with the size of the wall and the surrounding furniture. A narrow console is ideal for small spaces, while a longer, more substantial table suits larger walls.

2. Select a Style That Matches Your Decor

Choose a console table that complements your existing decor.

Modern Spaces: Opt for sleek designs with clean lines, glass tops, or metal frames.

Traditional Spaces: Go for wooden tables with ornate carvings or a distressed finish.

Eclectic Vibes: Mix and match materials like marble tops with brass legs or bold-colored consoles.

3. Focus on Functionality

Think about how you’ll use the table. If storage is a priority, look for a console with drawers or a lower shelf. For a purely decorative touch, a minimalist table with no extra compartments may work best.

4. Choose the Right Material and Color

The material and color of your console table should harmonize with your room's color palette and textures. Wood adds warmth, metal feels industrial, and glass creates an airy feel. Neutral colors like black, white, or beige are versatile, while bold hues can make a statement.

Styling the Console Table

Once you’ve found the perfect console table, it’s time to decorate it. Here are some ideas for styling it with objects that add personality and charm to your wall space.

1. Start with a Focal Point

Hang a large mirror, artwork, or a statement piece above the table. This draws the eye upward and anchors the table to the wall. If you prefer a gallery wall, arrange multiple smaller frames in a cohesive layout.

2. Layer Heights and Textures

Add visual interest by varying the height and texture of the objects on the console table. For example:

Tall Objects: Use vases, candlesticks, or sculptural decor.

Medium Objects: Place books, small plants, or picture frames.

Short Objects: Incorporate decorative trays, bowls, or other low-profile accents.

3. Include Greenery or Flowers

A touch of greenery brings life to your console table. Use fresh flowers in a vase or low-maintenance plants like succulents.

4. Use Functional Accessories

If your console is in an entryway, consider adding practical items like a bowl for keys, a mail organizer, or a stylish tray for sunglasses.

5. Play with Symmetry or Asymmetry

Symmetrical Arrangement: Create balance by mirroring objects on either side of the table, such as matching lamps or vases.

Asymmetrical Arrangement: Use varied object sizes and shapes for a more casual and modern feel.

6. Incorporate Lighting

Table lamps, sconces, or LED candles can add warmth and a cozy ambiance. If the wall space allows, consider wall-mounted lighting to frame the console.

Finishing Touches

Take a step back and assess your arrangement. Avoid overcrowding the surface—negative space is just as important as the objects themselves. Rotate items seasonally or whenever you feel like refreshing the look.

With these tips, you’ll not only choose the perfect console table for your wall but also transform it into a stunning focal point that reflects your personal style. Happy decorating!