#he was based loosely on edward

[nixotinix]

The masses have spoken!! They want to see Scarecrow's design in Dementophobia I see. And I am but a humble art boy bent to my audience's whims.

The design is under the cut, so if you don't want to see it, feel free to scroll past and I'll see you in the next post! but if you do want to see...

(not scanned in because this drawing is tiny enough to fit into the palm of my hand and my scanner would've eaten it)

here he is!! i'm still working out how i want his toxin gauntlet to look but so far i'm pretty happy with him :D and, just for funsies,,

i made designs for a few other rogues, so i might as well share two of them here! they won't appear in dementophobia itself since Jon is the oldest of the rogues I've designed and thus the others weren't active during the events of DMPH, but if I ever want to expand the rogues gallery of this little world I'm building, i at least have a jumping off point :D

[dostoyevsky-official]

The child sextortion group 764 and the global collective of loosely associated groups known as “The Com” are using tools and techniques normally used for financially motivated cybercrime tactics — such as SIM swapping, IP grabbing and social engineering — to commit violent crimes, according to exclusive law enforcement and intelligence reports reviewed by CyberScoop.  The reports offer insight into the underbelly of the global network, showing how they are using traditional cybercriminal tools to identify, target, groom, extort, and cause physical and psychological harm to victims as young as 10. They were shared with police nationwide and in some cases, with foreign-allied governments. [...] The group “appears to be situated at the nexus of communities of users who share gore material, [Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremist-White Supremacist] adherents such as M.K.U. and child exploitation actors like 764.” M.K.U., it says, is a neo-Nazi group with a presence in Russia and Ukraine. [...] The groups use methods to trick children into sending sexually explicit photos of themselves, threaten to make the photos public unless they harm themselves, and kill or harm animals, among other crimes. The group’s members have coerced children into attempting suicide, harming themselves, siblings and animals. (x)

///

Wired reported this week that a 19-year-old working for Elon Musk‘s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was given access to sensitive US government systems even though his past association with cybercrime communities should have precluded him from gaining the necessary security clearances to do so. As today’s story explores, the DOGE teen is a former denizen of ‘The Com,’ an archipelago of Discord and Telegram chat channels that function as a kind of distributed cybercriminal social network for facilitating instant collaboration. [...] Internet routing records show that Coristine runs an Internet service provider called Packetware (AS400495). Also known as “DiamondCDN,” Packetware currently hosts tesla[.]sexy and diamondcdn[.]com, among other domains. DiamondCDN was advertised and claimed by someone who used the nickname “Rivage” on several Com-based Discord channels over the years. A review of chat logs from some of those channels show other members frequently referred to Rivage as “Edward.” From late 2020 to late 2024, Rivage’s conversations would show up in multiple Com chat servers that are closely monitored by security companies. In November 2022, Rivage could be seen requesting recommendations for a reliable and powerful DDoS-for-hire service. Rivage made that request in the cybercrime channel “Dstat,” a core Com hub where users could buy and sell attack services. Dstat’s website dstat[.]cc was seized in 2024 as part of “Operation PowerOFF,” an international law enforcement action against DDoS services. (x)

DOGE teen is a pedophile cybercriminal involved in a neonazi CSA-producing cybergang. and he has access to your SSN.

[thekinslayed]

Lovely As Can Be

summary | Your path crosses with Osferth's once more, who has blossomed into a different man from the last time you saw him. (based on this request.)

pairing | osferth x maid!reader

tags | 18+, MINORS DNI! unprotected sex, public sex, grinding, osferth's not a virgin in this one Lord, fluff (lots of it), sharing an orange is a love language

wordcount | 6.5k

song rec | Would That I - Hozier

note | surprise surprise! here's something with our baby monk (who is looking super fine in that gif)! a certain scene was inspired by ophelia (2018), can you spot which one? :D

likes, comments, reblogs are much appreciated!

(divider by @saradika-graphics)

You had been helping the young maids put up the freshly washed linens to dry when you were informed of the arrival of some guests. Wiping your wet hands on your apron, you left the girls to welcome the travelers who were to stay in Mildrith’s inn. Passing by some of the other help scurrying around, you keep an eye on their tasks, giving out instructions when you catch something that would not pass your madam’s standards.

An amused scoff left your lips when you reached the front of the house, a familiar group of warriors awaiting you with enthusiastic grins. Uhtred called out your name, greeting you warmly.

“Ah, King Edward’s dashing knights,” you jested, greeting them all with a smile and a nod.

You were only a girl when you first received the pleasure of meeting Uhtred and his group of warriors. Freshly sixteen, Mildrith had taken you under her wing to work as a maid in her husband’s inn. It was the biggest in town and was frequented by most travelers when traveling south, hence the constant need for help within the establishment. In the first months of your position, you had spent many an hour scrubbing floors, cleaning out bed pans, and pouring mead for guests.

It was a couple of months after your assignment that the arrival of the arguably infamous Uhtred of Bebbanburg sparked much excitement within the town, especially in Mildrith’s inn where they were sure to be staying. You watched, wide-eyed, as the Dane and his group strolled through the establishment, carrying such a commanding presence that everyone had stopped to look at them. Behind the group, you noticed a lanky figure trailing behind them, swathed in holy robes, appearing smaller than the rest despite being the tallest. 

‘A Christian monk travels with Danes, how odd,’ you thought then. 

You remembered his blue eyes, always wide like a frightened doe. It was clear he was barely a warrior, freshly taken under Uhtred’s wing, but you had treated him with no less respect than you did the older men.

He was a boy back then, and now, standing before you, was a man; Osferth was now a seasoned warrior like the rest of them. When his back used to be hunched in insecurity, he now stood tall, chest proud. 

“Look at you, baby monk, looks like you’ve grown some hair on your chest," you commented, hand propping up on your hip. His build now filled out the robes nicely, shapely muscles filling in the loose crevices of the garment. 

“Ah, he’s grown them alright, even more down his–” Finan began, but a slap on his shoulder from the king’s bastard had him cutting his words short, bellowing in laughter.

“Very nice to see you again, my lady,” Osferth greeted sweetly, giving you a slight nod. 

“Sweet as ever,” you cooed, turning to the other men, “unlike some of ya!”

They opened their mouth to protest, but you quickly led them into the inn, ignoring their complaints of faux offense. You led the men to a long table in the dining area, where the afternoon meals were beginning to be served. The group of warriors sat down, weary and starved from their long journey. You called a younger maid to fetch some mead for the guests, before bringing over some bread and stew.

“Looks like Mildrith has you ordering people around now, eh? No more scrubbing floors for you then?” Uhtred mentioned, making you chuckle while pouring the liquor into their cups. 

“She has me watch over the newcomers, especially the clumsy ones, but aye, I earned my right to not be cleaning chamberpots now, my lord,” you responded, placing the jug of mead back onto the table. “Doesn’t mean I don’t get my hands dirty now and then!” 

You took a seat beside Sihtric when he scooted over for you, urging you to sit with them. There was a reprieve from the ache in your heels, joints relaxing in relief after long hours of being on your feet. You asked the men about their journey, listening in awe at all the battles they fought and the lands they traversed since you last saw them.

“And they hung us upside down from a tree! I mean seriously, they could have just tied us to a trunk and be over with it, but no, they had to dangle us like some roasted pigs!” Finan exclaimed, hands waving wildly at his retelling. A laugh bubbled from your chest, mixing with the deeper chuckles echoing from the table. 

Behind you, some stable boys had passed by in search of some mead to cool off after hours in the hot midsummer sun. Spotting a familiar head of dark hair, Uhtred points to Eadric, turning to you.

“Isn’t that…? Call him over, I want to know if he is keeping you happy as a married woman!” He exclaimed in sincerity. Confused, you turned around to who he was pointing at, before pulling down his extended arm before he could call Eadric over.

“Keep it down,” you said in haste, the smile on your face dropping. All four men looked at you in confused concern, looking at you as your gaze dropped to your lap.

“I am not a married woman. Eadric and I, we did not…” you trailed off, shaking your head lightly. 

“What?” Uhtred asked in bewilderment, gaze flickering to your former lover who had walked away to return to the stables. “But you both had been so eager to marry!”

“I know, I know. He, uh, he had a change of heart,” you explained, rubbing the back of your neck. They all looked at you in pity, so you plastered a rueful smile on your face, waving it off.

“Tis no matter, we were young, and we were foolish. I-I’ve moved past it, really,” you reassured them. 

“If you need us to do anything, just say the word,” Uhtred said, earning a nod from the rest of the group.

“Aye, Sihtric is quite skilled at making things look like an accident,” Finan said lowly, making you giggle as the Dane nodded eagerly. Osferth sat silently, watching the light in your eyes dim at the turn of the conversation.

“Thank you, but there is no need,” you said gratefully. With a deep sigh, you rose from the bench and smoothed out your skirts. “Well, I shall go see that your rooms are ready, and if there is anything you need, you know where to find me,” you told them, before leaving them to their meals. You were unaware of a pair of icy blue eyes following your retreating form as you walked away, busying yourself with your tasks once more.

Before dusk had begun to settle into the horizon, Mildrith had sent you off to gather some greens for supper from the market. You had hurried to old Hilda’s shop, filling your large basket with greens for the stew as well as some potatoes and grain. You all but waddled back to the inn, balancing the heavy basket on your hip, willing yourself not to drop anything into the damp earth on your way back.

“My lady!” A familiar voice called out behind you, making you stop in your tracks. You lifted the basket higher on your hip, keeping a firm hand on the wooden carrier to prevent it from sliding down further. Osferth rushed to you, taking the heavy basket from your hands.

“Let me, please.”

“I do not wish to burden a great warrior with a task so little, Osferth,” you tried to reason, but the monk had already lifted the weight with ease. He smiled at you, shaking his head.

“No great warrior would deny a lady his aid when she needs it, he would be less of a man if he did so,” he explained, walking beside you back to the inn. An amused smile lifted on your lips, turning to look at the taller man beside you. Your eyes studied the shadows the setting sun cast upon his face, now more structured and manly than you had last seen him. The plumpness of youth had melted and given way to a sculptured jaw, an aquiline nose, and pursing lips. His bright blue eyes once shone with exuberant wonder and apprehension now reflected a more mature wisdom. He carried himself with an air of confidence you had never seen in him before, one that belonged to a man who was sure of himself. 

Catching your gaze on him, Osferth turned to you, raising his eyebrows in question. Your cheeks flushed at being caught in the act, your lips lifting into a shy smile.

“You seem so different now than when we last saw each other,” you said. The monk’s eyes caught the way you slightly bit your lip, watching how the plump flesh reddened at the contact.

“Different in what way, my lady?” Osferth asked.

“You seem stronger. More confident,” you told him, trying to pick the right words to describe the change you have seen in him. “Like there is a fire burning within you.”

A smile touched Osferth’s lips as he glanced at you, the corners of his lips curling upwards. Your eyes meet his icy blues, his dirty blonde tresses appearing much darker in the dimming sunlight. A hum left the monk’s lips, keeping his eyes on yours for a moment longer before returning to the road.

“I suppose I have,” he agreed. Osferth’s longer legs made for bigger strides, and the taller man shortened his steps when he noticed how fast you had to walk to keep up with him. He turned his head to look at you once more, “though I suppose I could say the same thing about you, my lady.”

His gaze roamed over your features, taking in your flushed cheeks, the rosy pink of your lips. Surprise sparked in your orbs, making him chuckle when you turned to him.

​​"You have grown more beautiful," his tone was matter-of-fact, like he was stating a simple truth. The words made your heart flutter, the breath catching in your throat for a moment. You had never been one to be bestowed such compliments, thus making the smallest of praises leaving you flustered. Osferth's eyes twinkled as he continued to stare at you, enjoying the way he seemed to make you flustered in his presence. "You have a certain glow about you, my lady. Like the warm touch of the sun on a summer's day.”

“My, it seems you have become a warrior and a poet,” you jested, earning a chuckle from the man beside you. 

As you neared the inn, young Ida had passed by the pair of you, carrying dried linens. You did not miss the way her eyes caught Osferth’s, the man beside you smiling at her. The young maid immediately blushed, ducking her head as she walked by. His gaze followed her passing form, craning his head back as she passed. You ignored the strange feeling in your chest at the sight, returning your eyes to the muddy road.

“I am certain Uhtred and the others had you meeting all kinds of girls around the land, seeing as you are now quite the charmer,” you teased Osferth, bumping your elbow into his. The young monk made a grunt of amusement, turning back to you. It had gone unnoticed by you when he had begun to walk much closer by your side, the back of his hand brushing against the back of yours with the sway of your arms.

“You think I am charming?” He arched a brow at you, a playful tone coloring his voice. You rolled your eyes as he spun your own words back at you, chuckling as the bastard nudged your elbow in return. 

“Oh dear, I fear all that time on the road has taught you all the wrong things,” you said, letting out a comical sigh that made Osferth laugh. As both of you reached the inn, you gestured for the warrior monk to hand you the basket, but he refused, telling you he shall take it to the kitchens for you, ever the chivalrous gentleman. You led him through to the bustling kitchens, busy in preparation for supper, where he had dropped the basket. Many words of thanks left your lips at his gracious assistance in hauling the heavy load of produce around for you.

“It is no trouble, my lady,” Osferth waved off. Looking around the area, you subtly reached into the basket, pulling out an orange to give to the taller man. You had secretly bought it for yourself, splurging on a treat you had not seen in ages. You handed it to Osferth, who looked equally in surprise.

“Where did you get this?” He asked, eyes wide at the side of the bright fruit. He took it into his larger hand, lifting it to his nose to smell the sweet scent of its zest, his lips letting out a delighted sigh. 

“This was the last one Hilda had, and I just couldn’t help myself,” you said sheepishly. “You can have it, Osferth, for helping me with this.”

“Oh no, I cannot, my lady! ‘Tis yours!” Osferth exclaimed, handing the round fruit back into your hands. You shook your head, pressing it back into his grasp.

“No, please! It is no matter, I am sure she shall have some again. ‘Tis summer after all, and the season brings much fruit into our harvest,” you explained, earning a sigh from the young warrior. You gave him a small smile, placing your hand atop his larger one. “I doubt you can find these on the road anywhere else.”

“Thank you, my lady, you are most gracious,” Osferth expressed, giving you a sincere smile. You stared up at his blue orbs, the corner of your lips lifting into a smile of your own. A strange warmth spread across your chest, making you feel coquettish and timid as the blonde towered over you. The tips of your shoes were a hair inch away from the tips of his boots, his warmth engulfing your entire being. At this distance, you had a direct view of the cleft of his nose, and the way his pupils changed in diameter as he gazed at you.

You were broken away from your trance by the sharp voice of Mildrith, calling you over. Your feet took a small step away from Osferth, clearing your throat. The young warrior sniffled, looking at his shoes and rubbing the back of his neck.

“I should go, Osferth,” you said, giving him an apologetic look. He nodded in understanding giving you a small smile.

“Of course, I shall see you at supper, then?” He asked, to which you nodded. You watched as the young monk walked out of the kitchen, pocketing the orange you had given him. You couldn’t help the way your lips lifted higher, a girlish chuckle leaving your lips when he gave you one last look before disappearing down the hall, shooting you a roguish smirk. 

“Oi! What are ya gigglin’ over there for? Get a move on, missy!” Mildrith scolded, making you jump. You squeaked out a small apology, bowing your head when you passed by her to get on with your work, unaware of the way the mistress of the house shook her head at you in amusement, a small smile breaking out on her own lips.

One thing that attracted the numerous guests to the inn was the suppers. They were always boisterous, rowdy, and filled with music and chatter. Even the townspeople spend their nights at the inn, making the establishment somewhat akin to an alehouse with the drinks that flowed and the laughs that echoed through the room. Tonight was no different, the common hall was packed with guests and local folks alike, and chatter bustled through the air as you maneuvered around the room, refilling cups of ale with the jug in your hand. You greeted your regulars, ignored the advances of some that already had one too many cups of liquor, and kept your eye out on anything else your guests might need. You checked on the younger maids walking around, guiding the ones who were a bit unsure of what to do. When you had first started at the inn, working the suppers intimated you, with your timid nature and clumsy hands. The overlapping noises left you rattled, coupled with the growing rowdiness as the night went on. As you gained more experience and became one of Mildrith’s most trustworthy workers, you took it upon yourself to look out for the newcomers, treating them kindly instead of punishing them for every slip-up they made.

You had quickly exchanged your empty jug for a fresh one at the kitchens before walking back into the hall once more. You heard a voice call you over, turning to Finan who was waving you to their table. As you approached, you spotted the women sitting beside each one of them. You recognized them from the brothel a few doors over, a frequent presence during nights like these in your establishment. It was no surprise that Uhtred and his men had found their companions for the night so quickly, their reputations certainly bearing no lie about their proclivities. Your eyes flickered to where Osferth sat with his arm around a young brunette’s shoulders. You caught the way her fingers toyed with the cross pendant around his neck, leaning into the long expanse of his neck. The corners of your lips dipped slightly at the sight, a strange twinge in your belly. You caught yourself before anyone could notice, plastering a wide smile on your face.

“Enjoying the night, boys?” you asked the table, refilling their cups.

“Aye, good to not be shitting in the woods for once!” Sihtric exclaimed, earning laughs and cheers from his companions. Osferth sat silently, observing the way you rounded their table. He tried to catch your eye, but you seemed to be focused on the jug you held in your hand as you poured ale.

“Why don’t you come sit with us for a while? You are working too hard!” Uhtred urged, to which you only gave a smile.

“Tempting, my lord, but my madam would not be too happy. It is quite a busy night after all,” you said, earning disappointed groans from Finan and Sihtric. You shook your head at their antics, before excusing yourself. For a brief moment, your eyes meet Osferth’s, who had been staring at you the whole time. You gave him a small smile and a nod, before walking away, letting out a sigh as the corner of your lips dropped.

You stood by a pillar, leaning on your weight on the wood while watching the crowd. A man had stood on top of one of the tables, strumming his lute while the guests sang along. In the corner of your eye, you spotted a familiar figure approaching the other side of the column, mirroring your position.

“Alright?” He asked, shooting you a concerned look. Another sigh left your lips, keeping your eyes on the lute player, feeling his gaze on the side of your cheek.

“M’fine, Eadric,” you said with indifference. Neither of you spoke for a moment, letting the echoes of the singing crowd fill the space between you.

“Mm, I know you. I can still read you well, you know, despite how we stand now,” he expressed, a somber tinge in his tone. A scoff left your lips, shaking your head at him slightly.

“Well, considering you can hardly read a few words on a scroll of parchment, I think it best if you stop fretting about me.”

“I will have you know I am capable of discerning whole sentences now, by year’s end perhaps I will be able to read you a sonnet to win your heart once more!” A laugh left your lips at his words, bubbling out before you could swallow them down. Your former lover looked satisfied with successfully getting a reaction out of you, smiling as your cheekbones lifted. 

From his place at their table, a young warrior monk watched you and your former husband-to-be. The brunette beside him had been whispering nonsense into his ear, yet he paid her no mind, keeping his attention on you and the way you turned to Eadric, leaning to say something into his ear over the crowd’s noise. 

As the night grew darker and the jugs of ale turned empty, you stayed on your feet, cleaning up in the kitchens away from the ruckus, alone. No Eadric, no Osferth, no grimy hand of a drunkard to grab you close. This was your favorite part of the night, to be granted a moment’s reprieve from the chaotic bustle of your days. It was peaceful to have a moment alone with your thoughts like a soft howl of wind on a dark night. Your hands worked mindlessly to scrub the dirty dishware while you let your mind run loose. There was little room for one’s thoughts in a position like yours. The days would often feel autonomic— clean off the linens in the morning, be in the kitchens by noon, and pour ale for the guests in the evening. The surprise of welcoming old friends like Uhtred, Finan, and Sihtric was a pleasant deviation from your otherwise monotonous life.

And dear Osferth. You supposed you had always been quite partial to him among the rest, you were close in age and personality, or at least you were. Where you were timid, Osferth was equally as shy, yet now, he had blossomed into something greater, forging his name into history, all the while you had remained a closed bud still rooted to the soil you had been planted in. As much as you missed the clumsy, doe-eyed baby monk, the warrior sat in your madam’s hall had as much power to render you weak as he did to wield a sword. To be under his gaze had you blushing like a young maiden, and he a dashing knight.

You shook your head, snapping out of your reverie. Osferth had seen many things and met countless faces, surely you did not hold a light to the girls that had come his way. It was no use to be feeling this way, not when he was to leave by the moon’s turn, not when you shall be left alone once more.

Dawn had barely broken through the horizon when you had risen from your cot, stretching your aching limbs with a groan. You had slept for barely three hours, but your body had grown accustomed to your early mornings, often rousing from your slumber with the sun’s rise. The air held a slight prickle of humidity during the summer, giving you no need for furs and a fire during the night. The rest of the inn laid fast asleep, and with the few more moments left to your own, you gathered a clean set of clothes, taking silent steps across the creaking floorboards to step out. The smell of the earth was refreshing, coupled with the morning dew that sprinkled the green grass. It was quiet, save for the howls of mourning doves that echoed through the trees. Humming an old tune to yourself, you made your way to the lake past the thick of the woods, placing your clean clothes on the ground before shrugging off your dress. Clad in only your thin cotton shift, your bare feet padded on the soft soil to approach the lake’s edge. You dipped a toe in, testing its temperature, before stepping down the shallow surface. The water held a slight bite of cold, just how you liked it. You took careful steps across the soft earth, the water rising higher up to your waist. You bent your knees to fully submerge yourself into the cool water, staying underwater for a moment, before breaking the surface to catch your breath. The water felt wonderful on your skin, even more so as it soaked your hair clean of yesterday’s muck. You bathed peacefully in the lake, scrubbing on your scalp and swimming across the water. You allowed yourself to settle, granting yourself a moment of calm before another busy day. Your eyes closed as you let yourself float on the water’s surface, humming to yourself once more.

The quiet peace of your morning was disrupted when you heard the first sounds of approaching footsteps. Alerted, you returned to your feet, looking around for the source. You had no place to hide, not when you were right in the middle of the forest’s clearing. You spotted a large rock situated against the lake’s edge, covered by tall, wispy grass, prompting you to quickly swim towards the stone and lean against it in hopes of hiding your bareness. Through the grass, you spotted a pair of boots approaching where your clothes had been placed, giving away your presence.

“My, a magnificent fish has come to shore!” A familiar voice called out, echoing through the air. Warily, you poked your head out to catch a glimpse of the intruder, only to find the warrior monk. You felt a relief to be discovered by Osferth rather than a stranger, your lips lifting into a small smile as you regarded him.

“Are you here to fish my lord?” you played along, feigning innocent curiosity. You crossed your arms over your shoulders to cover your chest as you stepped away from the rock, revealing yourself to the royal bastard. It seemed he had awakened not too long ago either, evident from his blonde tresses that were slightly ruffled. His feet took steps closer to the lake’s edge, while his hands crossed behind his back. He flashed you a lopsided grin at your query, shaking his head lightly.

“No, no. Though I am a warrior and have traversed these lands and back, I have no skill for the waters. Perhaps the fish will allow me to admire its beautiful scales instead?” he asked, blue eyes raking over your wet form. You bit your lip as he stared at you, cheeks warming despite the cool air. Stiff buds poked against the wet fabric of your shift, still covered by your arms. 

“There are far more handsome fish around here, perhaps you may find some better use of your time with them,” you suggested, making the warrior monk’s thin lips twisted at your words.

“I would rather not, I find this one particularly breathtaking,” he said, looking at you with a gaze that made your skin tingle. Your mind raced with uncertainty, while your skin burned with desire. To be graced with Osferth's magnetic presence had ignited a deep pulsating ache within you, one not easily stoked by any man. Under the morning sun, you gazed upon his face. He was handsome, very much so. The royal blood in his veins graced him with a beauty higher than that of any common man, but all his rugged edges were all thanks to his time as a warrior walking with Danes. You desired him, and now, he stood before you, all yours for the taking.

You looked around, making sure there was no one else in your surroundings, before uncrossing your arms and standing tall, baring your chest to his eye, pathetically covered by the now translucent fabric of your wet shift. 

“These waters can get quite lonesome for a fish like I. Perhaps my lord would like to join me?”

You visibly gulped as Osferth shamelessly stared at your breasts, waiting with bated breath for his next move. Keeping his eyes on yours, the warrior monk disrobed. He had been without his cuirass, only his robes and breeches. Piece by piece, Osferth’s pale flesh became exposed to your watchful eye. He had placed his robes neatly beside yours, before removing his boots and unlacing his breeches. A small gasp left your lips when he pulled his trousers off, standing tall with his gradually hardening cock on display. An amused huff left the monk’s lips at the way your eyes were stuck on his length, chest puffing proudly under your gaze. He was well-endowed, this he knew, it was what garnered attention from all those women after all. His long, muscled legs approached the edge, cock swaying with every step forward. A warmth in your belly grew as the young warrior dipped into the water, prickling your skin as his eyes stayed on yours the whole time. Your chin tilted upwards as he towered before you, the difference in your heights making you feel covered in his shadow, protected.

“I trust you had a pleasant evening?” you asked, voice dropping low with the change in proximity. Osferth hummed, giving you a small nod.

“Yes, though I admit, it would have been much better if it had been spent with your presence beside me,” Osferth said. His warm breath fanned across your face, the heat of his flesh radiating against yours, causing a shiver to run up your spine. His orbs flickered across your features for a moment, his hand hovering above your arm, yet not touching you. The corners of your lips shifted into a downward smile at his words.

“My apologies, my duties prevented me from doing so. Though it seemed the seat by your side had been occupied. Either way, you had splendid company, only the best in town for the King’s warriors,” you replied softly. He shook his head slightly at you, sniffling lightly.

“It was not her company I sought.”  

His large hand covered the width of your arm, pulling you closer into his space. Your hands placed themselves on his chest upon instinct, while his slithered around your waist. His aquiline nose dipped into the skin of your cheek, breathing in the scent of your flesh. Your eyes fluttered close upon the contact, your heart thumping at the feeling of a growing stiffness poking against your thigh.

“How did you know where to find me?” you whispered in his ear.

“I had stepped out for air after my morning prayers. It was then I caught a glimpse of you, walking into the woods,” he explained, lifting his head to look at you. Your fingers trailed against the edge of his jaw, feeling the small prickling of his lightly growing stubble beneath your fingertips. 

“You followed me?” you asked, raising your eyebrows at him. A sheepish smile formed on his thin lips, while yours lifted in amusement.

“Tis not safe for a lady to be alone in these woods,” he reasoned, tone light and almost playful. He furrowed his eyebrows in mock concern, shaking his head lightly. A chuckle left your lips, reverberating against Osferth’s chest.

“I know these woods better than you, Osferth,” you replied, to which he only shrugged. “Did the Lord speak to you in your prayers, leading you to me?”

“Aye,” he nodded. His hands squeezed the softness of your arms, before drifting down to settle on your waist. “He all but called me a fool, for letting a beautiful lady walk away from my midst without showing my affections.”

“I am no lady.”

“You can be my lady if you will it so,” he said. Osferth’s calloused hands cupped the sides of your face, keeping your eyes on him.

"You have met the most beautiful ladies in the land, and you will meet more. I am but a simple maid, why me?" you questioned, voice dropping to a whisper. A wistful sigh left his chest, thumbs caressing the plump flesh of your cheek.

"A flower may bloom in the most ordinary of gardens," he whispered softly, his voice carrying the weight of genuine fondness. "And yet, it is that very simplicity that makes its beauty all the more extraordinary."

His head dipped close to yours, your lips just a hair's breadth apart from his. "You have always enraptured me, from the moment I had first stepped into your midst," he confessed.

“Do you jest?” You asked, searching for any sign of any sign of insincerity; you found none.

“I do not jest about matters of the heart,” he whispered, leaning his face closer to yours. You couldn’t help the way your eyes fluttered shut when his nose nudged against yours. His lips pressed a kiss against one cheek, then the other, almost in reverence. Your hands on his chest slithered up to wrap around his neck, pressing yourself further into his build. Your foreheads pressed together, basking in its each other’s warmth for a moment before Osferth leaned forward to capture your lips in his. A gasp left you in surprise, though you had quickly softened into his arms. You had let him lead you in pace, clearly having less experience than the well-traveled monk. The only other man you had kissed was Eadric, and even then you were young and had no knowledge of the ways of the flesh. This was different; Osferth kissed you the way a man kissed a woman, a lover, a wife. It was all-consuming, a kiss that bordered on gnawing, coupled with his wandering hands that caressed and squeezed your curves. They were rough despite the fabric of your shift separating his touch from your bare flesh, and as they cupped the sides of your thighs, he silently urged you to wrap your legs around his waist.

You obliged, letting him carry your weight with his hands supporting your rear. His stiff length is pressed between your bodies, its veiny underside pushing against the dip in your folds. A whimper permeated the air between you when he guided your hips to rub against his shaft, one echoed by a grunt from the warrior monk. It was an odd feeling, though deliciously pleasant. It was different from when your fingers would circle your pearl as you lay in your cot, biting back your sounds of pleasure lest someone heard through the thin walls. Your hips began to move with Osferth’s rhythm, grinding your pearl against his cock. 

“Osferth…” you whispered, pressing your forehead against his once more. The man had started to pant against your lips, small grunts leaving his lips.

“My lady,” he moaned out, before smashing his lips against yours. The kiss was frantic and desperate, with tongues dancing against each other and teeth clashing. You moaned against Osferth’s lips when his cockhead snagged against your folds, rubbing deliciously against your pearl. The prickling heat in your belly began to grow, but you needed more.

“Please, Osferth,” you pleaded against his lips, before letting out a whine.

“What is it, my lady? Say what you need, and it is yours. I am all yours,” he responded. His eyes met yours, which had turned clouded with a heady tinge. There was a wrinkle in between your eyebrows as they furrowed in desperation.

“Take me, all of me,” you said. Your hand reached behind you, taking hold of his cock to guide it to your slit. With another deep kiss from Osferth, he breached your entrance, sliding you down his length. Your moan echoed through the breeze at the stretch, prompting you to bury your head in his neck. You bit hard into the junction of his shoulder from the slight sting; the lack of intimacy with another man leaving your walls unaccustomed to such a stretch. Osferth’s chest vibrated against yours as a deep moan left his lips when he bottomed out, stilling for a moment. 

When the pain in your walls began to subside, your hips slowly began to move. Large, calloused hands remained on your rear, guiding you up and down his prick. There was a slight ripple in the water from your movements, growing into small splashes when your hips increased their pace. 

You tugged the collar of your shift down, exposing your breasts to the morning air. Osferth leaned down to take a nipple into his mouth, sucking on the stiff bud while a hand massaged the other. Breathy moans of pleasure freely fell from your open lips, singing a tune so sweet to the monk’s ears. Your fingers gripped the hairs on the back of Osferth’s neck, your hips never losing their rhythm. His lips switched to suck on the other breast, leaving soft marks on the supple flesh, marking you as his. 

“Do you like this, my lady?” Osferth asked against your skin, before trailing his kisses upward to suck on your neck. 

“Yes, oh yes!” you whined. The thought that someone shall hear your moans and discover the pair of you was forgotten with the way your mind grew dazed in Osferth’s embrace. Your nipples rubbed against his taut chest, the fine sprinkle of hair on the milky flesh ticking your sensitive nubs. 

“You are the most divine,” the young monk moaned, squeezing your rear. Your lower lip is caught between your teeth tightly, almost breaking flesh as you neared your precipice. The sensation of your pearl rubbing against Osferth’s pubic bone threatened to send you into overdrive, shooting sparks of pleasure up your spine. The warmth in your core bloomed upwards, starting to spread to your chest. Your walls began to squeeze his cock, signifying the start of your release.

“Osferth, ah, I am going to–”

“Go ahead, my beauty, let it go for me,” he coaxed you. Your release washed over you like a dam breaking through its walls. A whine left your lips as your eyes shut, your features scrunching together in bliss. Osferth’s eyes stayed on your face, watching you get lost deep in your delight. He continued to bounce you onto his cock through your release, before pulling out to quickly tug at his cock under the water’s surface. With the sight of your panting chest right before his eyes, Osferth’s cock released spurts of his seed. The clear water was painted with the cloudy fluid, diffusing into the lake. 

Recovering from the euphoric daze that had overtaken you, your eye stared into Osferth’s icy blues. You bit your lip to suppress the gigantic smile that had lifted your cheekbones, a giggle bubbling out from your chest. Your lover merely raised his eyebrows, a smile breaking out on his sculptured features.

“What amuses you, my sweet?” Osferth asked softly. You merely shook your head, before leaning your head against his shoulder in an embrace.

“Nothing, I am merely overjoyed,” you replied. A radiant glow fluttered in Osferth’s ribcage, his lips pressing a kiss against your hair.

After rising from the water and redressing, you and Osferth sat on the grass in silence. Your head was leaned against his, while his arm wrapped around your figure, rubbing your back in comfort. You wished for this moment to last for eternity, that you would not be called to your duties, and him to his own. Alas, such power was out of your hands, thus you willed yourself to savor the warmth of his embrace as much as you could. 

You felt him reach into his pocket, turning to look at him in surprise when the orange appeared in your sights. The same one you had given him in the kitchens.

“Why have you not eaten it?” you asked. You could smell the citrussy zest of the fruit in his palm, sweet and inviting.

“I was hoping to share it with you,” he said, making you blush. He began to peel the orange, its scent spraying all over. His grip had been too tight, lacking gentleness with the fragile pulp that ended up crushed under his fingertips. You laughed at the juices that spilled on his hands, before gesturing for him to hand the fruit over.

“You are making a mess! Here, let me,” you offered. The smiling warrior handed the orange to you, watching your gentle fingers peel the fruit expertly. Once the rind had been removed, you had handed it back to Osferth, but he had split the fruit in half, giving you the bigger portion. You let out a delighted hum as the sweetness coated your tongue, savoring the taste you only come by so rarely. Osferth watched you with bright eyes while eating his own. 

In the quiet still of the morning, moments before you were to be called back into the inn, you sat with your lover upon the grass. You shared an orange, along with soft kisses and words of tenderness. You knew naught what the end of the moon shall bring you, nor the end of the day, but you had this moment, one you shall always think of fondly.

[via-l0ve]

Dating Carlisle Cullen HCs!

a/n: was the requested? absolutely not. am i a slut for daddy cullen? abso-fuckin-lutley

warnings: fluff, smut, swearing, im lowkey an edward hater in this i’m sorry, smut is fem!reader based!! dating daddy carlisle

- when you guys hang out at night /alone he’s all over you

- he holds you, lays on your chest, plays with your hair while you sit inbetween his legs SHSSUWHEISN

- he plays with your fingers while you guys are around other people and he gets a little nervous

- like if your hanging out with friends he’ll play with your fingers and hands, twist around your bracelets and rings

- i love him he’s so soft

- he desperately tries to stop you from popping pimples and blackheads

- “y/n sTOP”

- sometimes you’ll laugh at stuff he says bc it sounds so old fashioned

- he attempts to make you food and most of the time it’s amazing but usually when you two cook it almost always ends up burnt or undercooked or missing an ingredient

- bc he gets distracted by your stupid jokes that sometimes result in a food fight

- carlisle would do anything for you

- literally one time you brought up wanting to go to disneyland because they do a mardi gras parade and he almost bought plane tickets right then and there

- “what’re you doing?”

- “buying plane tickets.”

- “what??? STOP-“

- he loves how you hate when he spends money on you

- it makes him want to do it more

- you both have multiple matching things

- bracelets, rings, necklaces, etc

- he bought you this EXPENSIVE bracelet once and you almost passed out on the spot

- it has your and carlisle’s initials engraved into it and it’s your favorite color

- he lets you paint his nails frequently

- he loves when you do little designs on them too

- he loves being the person you feel comfortable ranting to

- it breaks his heart when he opens his door and sees you with puffy eyes and a red nose, tears reminiscent on your face

- he lets you in and picks you up, speeding you to his bedroom

- he grabs you a big t-shirt and a pair of his boxers and tells you to shower or change before talking about it

- and then after that he does whatever you want

- sometimes he’ll comb your hair while you rant to him, or make you some tea on the kitchen island while you talk to him about what happened

- he’d totally sit you on the counter and cut up + feed you fruit and clean the juice from your chin. im sobbing

- 100% takes care of your stuffed animals

- he would love how you bond with his “kids”

- you and emmett would totally play horror games together

- emmett and you are this clip:

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxJdszrIKDCtmfnyVLdhVwf2sGqLcJ6NBU

- honestly either of you could be rhett/link and it would still make sense

- you lowkey make fun of edward ngl

- i feel like he plays games with you and emmett too and he sucks ass

- carlisle looses his shit when he hears you make a gooddamn good roast of him and you can hear him laughing from upstairs

- alice constantly tries to buy you clothes she thinks not only you, but also carlisle would like

- Rosalie would confide in you a lot

- tbh it took her a hot minute to warm up to you but when she saw how happy carlisle was with you she gave you a chance

- jasper loves you tbh

- he games w/ u and emmett and you guys kick ass in rocket league

- sometimes Carlisle will just stare at you for no reason

- you’ll catch him and he won’t break eye contact and you get all flustered and look away

- and proceed to look back to see him still staring

- “what’re you looking at?”

- “just you. :)”

- “okay but why”

- “youre beautiful.”

- “get a room!” ~ emmett

- reminds your to take ur medication

- after meeting your family, he’s always down to babysit with you or go to family reunions or vacations

- if it’s a sunny place he’ll just busy himself with work inside

- always liking ur instagram posts

- he always comments on them too

- just a simple “i love you” or “gorgeous🩷”

——— smut time

- respect and consent king

- wouldn’t dream of hurting you/degrading you ever

- he loves tits. sorry not sorry it’s true

- he’ll play w/ ur nipples and leave hickeys on ur boobs

- fucking looses it when you moan his name

- like, if you do that he’s giving you literally everything he has

- his fav position is missionary or when you ride him but you face him

- specifically if he’s sitting in his office chair and you get ontop of him and-

- makes your legs SHAKE

- he has his hands on your hips while you ride him bc that’s hot

- literally adores your body

- he couldn’t care less of your stomach pokes out or if you have love handles or stretch marks

- he loves you for you

- PRAISE

- this man loves to make you blush and he knows exactly how to do it in bed

- master at giving you head

- literally knows exactly what to do and how you like it done

- fucking dies when you ride his face

- like it’s not a thing that he wants he NEEDS it

- he pays attention to your body movements and how you react to certain things

- he’s the typa guy to get on his knees and eat you out

- tongue around ur clit and fingers inside you pumping in and out and moving around inside to touch your g-spot

[crow-cello]

Soo I was inspired by this idea said by @fuckinglovelyhoe because Adam is Princess Daphne from Dragon's Lair to the core and their post has been itching on my mind for weeks! He's more than capable of saving himself, but let's be honest which princess doesn't want to be rescued instead? (Definitely Adam here!)

Princess Adam with a dash of Adamsapple and Guitarhero to make it feel like a video game, and also because I love both ships (Adam can't pick so he can have both)

Wanted to go for a Viktor from Arcane meets Edward Scissorhands vibe for Archangel Michael but I couldn't nail the exact look I wanted, so let's say this is fanart for @twost3ps Michael because his design is simply handsome! Please check out their amazing guitarhero art, you are missing a part of heaven if you haven't yet.

Also, this is all based off in Eden when Lucifer had just committed his sin against Heaven so he's a freshly fallen angel.

Adam used to have long glorious hair when he and Lilith were created as equal beings, so their physiques were also no different. Eden was far better back then when their first two creations were made just as beautiful, so gender roles had not been even a concept yet to Sera and the early angels. They just knew they loosely wanted a man and woman, but their concepts of a 'man' was this babygirl Adam we have here (going to be making a backstory for him eventually because this explanation probably makes no sense. This is also just my headcanons fyi)

Adam is not particularly genderbend in this piece, but if you wish to see it that way that's a-okay. I use femme pronouns loosely because it's just cute to call every babygirl as such ♡

Anywho, Adam being such a big tease because he's not really in danger, he just wanted the attention of his dashing heroes. Skipped over the dragon fighting scene cause nobody has time to draw that!

Alsooo sorry that I couldn't draw the final kiss scene for these two ships as my art energy only allowed me for these few panels :_; Please enjoy if you've made it this far!

[yellowjestertfs]

Altered State: Part Two

This is the next part of the saga. Part One is available to read here. Part Three should be posted in a week. I love reading the comments so feel free to post any feedback or predictions.

Leon felt as if his flesh was melting. Furiously he scrolled through his notifications trying to determine the source of the intense pain wracking his body. 

There was the normal notification about stats that Leon expected at this point.

“You have reached level five. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Strength, +1 Charisma, +0.3 Intelligence.” 

Leon imagined if he wasn’t in so much pain he would feel the typical shifts in his body as his strength increased. 

There was another notification, a new one although not one that explained the pain either. 

“Juggernaut is an embodied class, as such at level five you gain a class ability.”

“Inner strength: At will, once every 115 seconds you can tap into your inner strength to gain a brief burst of, power, reflex, and athletic ability. Note: the cooldown of the ability equals 120 minus class level. Note: the potency of this ability scales with strength.”

The ability seemed amazing though Leon hardly had the mental facilities to think about the potential, or what exactly a embodied class was. Finally, the last notification explained the source of the all-consuming ache in his body.

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Metabolizer: your metabolisms is heightened to superhuman levels. Calories will no longer be stored as fat but instead burned for super-kinetic energy.” 

Tentatively Leon lifted his shirt. His mouth dropped open as he physically saw the flab on his stomach move and shift, slowly shrinking to reveal his abs. His body was eating its own fat stores like a yeast colony to sugar. His arms, his neck, his butt, he felt every part of his body acutely as the fat he had carried for so long was stripped away.

He pulled up his stats screen and watched his weight number slowly fall, past the 200-pound mark, past 190, then 180, then 170 until Leon’s weight came to rest at a puny 160 pounds, all in a matter of minutes.

Leon sat there dazed not sure what to feel about the rapid reformation of his body. Once the pain was gone he tentatively left the stall and approached the mirror above the sink. He had to do a double-take to make sure it was really him. He looked different, gaunt, like a bean pole. Veins were visible on his forearms, and the small abs and pecs he had built from his five levels of strength stood in stark relief on his fat-free torso. He flexed his arm and watched the bicep rise. He looked sort of like Cal, like he could be a runner or a skinny swimmer. The only indications that he had never been fat were the stretch marks and loose skin that dangled from various parts of his body. 

Leon brought his face close to the mirror to examine it fully. It was amazing how much fat obscured his features. Without it his face seemed solid, almost handsome, his jaw had a somewhat square cast to it, and his cheekbones were arched and pronounced. He wondered if the four points added to his charisma could have anything to do with the altered appearance of his face as well.

Leon let himself smile and admired the deep dimples that formed. Let Hunter try to call him a fatty now that his body fat percentage was probably lower than that frat douchbag’s. 

Ding

For a moment Leon looked around for the notification on his display, and then he realized the sound had come from a text on his phone. 

“DID YOU TOUCH MY FUCKING PLAYDIA?” Avlis texted Edward and Leon in their roommate text threat.

“Get a life looser” Leon texted back. He imagined Alvis’ face when he saw the hunk Leon was becoming. That red-faced creep was going to explode. 

A second later Edward texted back “No need to get upset. We can discuss it tonight.” Leon found the response strangely diplomatic for his famously awkward friend. He wondered how Edward was doing if he was undergoing as rapid changes as Leon was. Thinking of his friend made him think of their contest and how little he wanted to lose. He turned his mind back to the new quests that had appeared with the next level, feeling fresh and energized thanks to his high metabolism and animal endurance.

“Run a mile.”

The task proved easier than he thought. As a fat kid, the mile had been hell on earth for Leon, he regularly finished last with times in the late teen early twenty-minute mark. Without the fat and with his added strength, however, Leon felt like he was running on air. Without pushing himself he ran the mile on the attached track in 7:00 minutes and hardly even felt winded in the end. On his last lap, Leon tried activating his new ability “inner strength”. All he had to do was think about it and suddenly the ability activated. All at once his body was flushed with strength. His steps became powerful bounds and he flew through the air at outrageous speeds for a moment before the ability ended and Leon not so gracefully stumbled back to his regular pace. A timer of 115 seconds appeared in the corner of his vision, counting down the seconds until he could use the ability again. 

The completion of the quest got Leon a little over a fourth of the way to level six. 

“Play a sport with others” 

Was the next quest he selected to do. Leon wondered around his school's massive gymnasium looking for a pick-up basketball game he could join or a tennis player looking for a doubles partner. Instead, as he looked out the window at the grassy field below he saw a different sort of athletic endeavor. 

Students wielding foam swords, shields, axes, and even bows charged at each other. As Leon left the health center and approached he could hear war cries and calls of who was out from various participants. It ended within a minute as a girl with short hair blocked a sword thrust from her opponent with her shield and then slashed at his legs with her own foam weapon. A winner was declared and the participants helped each other to their feet from where they had “died” and rearmed themselves to go again.

The girl who had won saw Leon watching and approached. “Want to join” she asked somewhat skeptically. While his height and build made him look like a jock his Superman shirt seemed to communicate that Leon was one of them. In truth, Leon would normally scoff at the idea of role-playing, especially in such a public area, but his new penchant for athletics plus his need to complete the quest made him amicable to her offer.

The girl who introduced herself as Ruth and the sport as Dagorhir. She showed him the various foam weapons that he could choose from, though Leon ended up sticking with the same foam sword and shield she used. She told him because he was new he would be on her team and that he should stick with her and just try to stay alive. 

He did what she said at first, staying back and only blocking with his shield when a stray attacker came at him. He was amazed by how quickly he could move, how fast his reflexes were becoming. He blocked another thrust then retaliated with his sword down onto the guy's back, reveling in the way his perfect form perk allowed him to effortlessly perform the precise motions. Behind him, Ruth went down to a foam-tipped arrow shot by an archer who Leon sprinted over to and tagged with a thrust, killing him. Leon was surprised to find he was the only one left from his team facing down two attackers, one wielding two swords with the other a ball of spiky foam tied to a rope he swung about to attack.

Leon knew he had only one chance to win. Activating his inner strength ability he flew through the air, feet clearing the low sweep of his opponent's flail. As he came back down, he brought his sword down hard onto the other opponent who blocked with both his swords. They cracked like twigs under the force of his slam. 

Even Leon was surprised by his own strength. He felt instantly grateful the guy had blocked his attack, or else it may have been his arms instead of his swords that broke like glass. While both his opponents were stunned by Leon's maneuver Leon swept low with his sword taking both out and winning the game. His team rushed around him all shouting his praise. 

“How the fuck did you do that,” Ruth asked amazed! The feeling of admiration, of victory on the basis of his athletic ability was so foreign to Leon that he wasn’t sure what to do, especially when they started chanting his name. Leon glanced to see his progress bar was almost full thanks to the physical exertion of the activity and the completion of the quest.

“Play again,” Ruth asked.

“Maybe later, I really have to go, but I had fun,” Leon said smiling. He wasn’t lying, despite his misgivings about the lameness of the sport he really had enjoyed it. He gave her his number and she promised to update him on when the club met. 

Leon felt on top of the world especially because his next quest to “consume an exercise supplement” would be a piece of cake. He jogged back to the athletic center, using his inner strength ability whenever it came off cooldown to increase his pace and to try to get used to the burst of supernatural athleticism it gave him. He really needed to understand the limits of his ability before someone got hurt.

As soon as Leon entered the gym he felt a wave of comfort wash over him, a sense of belonging. He walked confidently into the small store attached to the gym and perused the various protein supplements, pre-workout powders, and energy drinks.

“Need help finding anything” The young athlete behind the counter asked.

“Just something for the gains” Leon joked, though with his new body the joke was lost on the cashier who thought he was serious. Leon supposed he sort of was. The cashier pointed out a few pre and post-workout supplements to Leon and feeling reckless Leon bought them all along with a water bottle.

Leon realized he hadn’t drank water or eaten anything in hours yet he didn't feel hungry or thirsty. He wasn’t sure if that was a perk of his Animal Endurance or had something to do with the “super kinetic energy” he now supposedly burned his fat into. Either way, he supposed it would still would be good for him to get some protein and liquids into his system. He scooped the proper amount of each supplement into the bottle before shaking it well.

“Ding” 

Leon reached level six right as he finished the bottle. He let out a sigh and felt his body expand.

“You have reached level six. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Strength, +1 Charisma +0.3 Intelligence.”

Leon felt the familiar telltale signs of the boost to his strength, his muscles swelled, his pecs became more pronounced, thighs beefed up. The network of veins on his skinny forearms became even more pronounced and the loose skin from his rapid weight gain refilled now with muscle instead of fat, becoming less noticeable as Leon’s body became more buff. 

This level-up felt different from the others though. Leon felt himself continue to grow, his shoulders widening even more, and his arms bulging. He wondered at the reason until he saw his latest perk. 

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Rapid Returns: The effects of any workout or body-enhancing substance are applied immediately, and to the fullest.”

This had to be one of the best perks yet. No more would he have to wait weeks to see gains, instead he would experience them instantly. The added growth he reasoned was the retroactive payments of the exercise he had already completed that day plus the supplements he had just drank. 

Leon wasn’t one for patience so he was more than glad for the instant gratification, plus with his perfect form perk, he could be sure that any exercise he did would be rewarded fully and instantly.

Three more quests appeared.

Leon's smile disappeared, replaced by a scoff when he saw what they were. These had to be jokes, no way in hell was he going to be caught dead doing something like that. Who the fuck did this game think he was? 

-

Edward let out a cry of pain as he stumbled back, face and body on fire. Thankfully the golden lines that had materialized around quickly faded but his yelp still caught the attention of a few groups of students who all looked in his direction with concern. “Hey, you ok” a guy asked getting up from the grass to walk towards him. 

Edward put both hands over his face, which felt as if it was being ripped apart, and backed away from the approaching student. 

“I’m fine” he managed through the pain. He brushed past the guy, body hunched forward unable to stand straight. The students looked at each other confused but let him pass. Edward stumbled blindly into an ally between two buildings that were normally filled with smoking students but was thankfully empty. 

Edward sunk down to the ground wrapping his arms around his knees tightly as the pain continued. It felt as if his bones were made of clay that some invisible, and not too gentle, hand was sculpting. After a minute the pain began to lessen and Edward could think again. He couldn’t tell exactly what had happened but he suspected the answer lay somewhere in the notifications he had just received.

“You have reached level five. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Charisma, +1 Intelligence, +0.3 Strength.”

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Golden Ratio: You are a dream of any Renaissance artist. Along with being perfectly symmetrical your face and body ascribe exactly to the golden ratio. You are now 1.618 down to your DNA.”

The Golden Ratio perk explained the pain. Edward recognized the phrase from the art history class he had taken freshman year. It had something to do with proportions and beauty. He got out his phone to look it up but stopped when he saw his reflection on the darkened screen. He sat there staring at his reflection, startled every time that it blinked when he did. 

Beauty wasn’t an objective thing, Edward knew that. But he had been ugly, the type of ugly only a mother could love, and even she is on the fence about. It wasn’t just his bad skin, or thin hair, or beady eyes, or misshapen nose, though none of those helped, it was in the fundamental construction of his features. Unsymmetrical ill-proportioned, and downright unpleasant to look at. Now that had all changed. 

Edward wouldn’t call his reflection sexy or hot, rather he was more striking. His face was masculine but not overly so. His features all looked as if they were pieces in part of the same puzzle, each perfectly proportioned and symmetrical, fitting on his face as if they were sculpted by the hand of an angle or the brain of an artistic AI. His eyes were flawlessly spaced, in exact harmony with his forehead. His lips sat perfectly under his nose which had been resized and reshaped to the exact dimensions to flatter his face. His entire head had taken on a different shape, elongating and narrowing and contouring. He was in a word beautiful. 

Under his sweater, Edward could see his body had shifted as well. He hadn’t gained or lost mass but rather his proportions had changed, shoulder broadening, waste slimming, hands and feet growing bigger. Edward couldn’t check in public but he also had felt some pain in his groin. He was pretty sure his dick and balls had been growing a bit with every level but he suspected the latest perk had done made some big shifts to the region. In someone as insecure and unattractive as Edward having a small penis had only been the cherry on top of his ugly sundae. Edward had assumed no one would ever see under his pants and he had spent much more time wishing for a pretty face or clear skin then a big dick. Now however it seemed plausible almost even likely Edward would get laid eventually and he was glad he was gaining a proper dick to do it with. It all felt so exhilarating and made Edward not a small bit horny.

Edward finally composed himself enough to do some rudimentary research on the golden ratio he was now supposedly modeled off. As the perk suggested the golden ratio was all about 1.618. It seemed this was a number that appeared in nearly all beautiful things in nature and was used by artists in their work, especially in the Renaissance, to replicate the scale of that natural beauty that is so pleasing to the human eye. According to the articles Edward quickly skimmed those faces deemed most attractive were in proportion with this ratio. There was a complex set of formulas involved, face height should be 1.618 times longer than width, brows should be 1.618 longer then the distance between the eyes, etc. Edward didn't have a ruler but he bet if he measured if face it would be in line with that down to the millimeter. 

Despite the radical change his features were still his own, only shifted and resized. The pig-like upward slant of his nose had been somewhat corrected by the previous bumps to charisma but it was still noticeable, same with his chin which still had a ways to go before it became anything resembling desirable. Still, the changes were radical, to the point that Edward had a hard time recognizing himself. He wondered if Leon would recognize him, and how in the hell he was going to explain this to his family.

Edward was so distracted by the latest perk that he didn’t even fully read the other notifications that had come with level five.

“The Snake Charmer class is a conduit class. As such at level five you gain access to energy points. These can be used in various techniques. Your pool of energy points is equal to your intelligence. The rate of regeneration is tied primarily to your charisma but also scales to a lesser degree on intelligence.”

“At level five the Snake Charmer class gains a technique” 

“Silver Tongue: Your innate charm allows you to channel energy into your words, imbuing them with power that can bend all who hear them to your will. Note: This ability costs five energy per word. Note: the maximum number of words that can be imbued increases by one every ten points of charisma: current max 2. Note: This technique may be less effective or wholly resisted by targets with higher charisma. Note: This ability is considered a charm and therefor can be resisted or negated by items, consumables, aura, technique or abilities with anti-charm properties. Note: The duration of this technique may differ based on the degree of differences in the charisma score of the caster and the target. Note: This technique is 92.22% more effective on people with a penis.” 

Edward blinked at the wall of text before him. Edward wasn’t dumb, he had an intelligence of 13 and a 4.0 GPA but he was really struggling to deciphering the massive amount of information the game had just given him. He decided to take it part by part.

First, there were the energy points. Those he was able to deduce were like mana points in an RPG game, the resource he used to cast spells, or in Altered State’s case techniques. Edward focused on the note about the regeneration and a formula popped up going into more detail. 

“Regeneration per hour = # EP (Energy points) * (Charisma * 0.01)”

His current energy point pool, now indicated by a new full yellow bar on the right side of his vision, was 13. His charisma also coincidentally was also 13 at level five although with the gains he got each level he knew it would quickly out-scale his intelligence. At his current level his rate of regeneration was 1.69 energy points per hour, pretty abysmal. That meant it would take him more than seven hours to regain all his energy. 

Edward flipped to the calculator app on his phone. He felt like Alvis doing math for a video game but he also knew it was important to understand this new system. At level 10 when his intelligence would be 18 and his charisma 28 his rate of regeneration would be 5.04 per hour and when he reached level 20 and had a pool of 28 energy points his rate of regeneration would be 16.24 energy points per hour which felt much more reasonable. By level 34 he would be capable of regretting all his energy at that level within an hour. 

Edward started to understand what exactly the game had in store for him. Intelligence-focused classes were meant to be mages, the type with a large energy pool but slow regeneration. He would be the opposite, lacking a large resource bank but able to recover his expended energy much faster and get back to doing. It matched exactly the way Edward liked to play video games which was somewhat concerning. 

As for the technique Edward had unlocked, he was unsure exactly what to make of it. Silver Tongue seemed extremely powerful, almost overly so. There were however that list of notes at the end providing a caveat to the power. First off it seemed that the ability wouldn’t be very useful on those with higher charisma then his own and that there were additionally a host of other game provided way to protect one’s self from charm techniques. Edward didn't really think he would have to worry about that though, as far as he knew he and Leon were the only ones with access to the game and he had no intention of using his ability against his best friend. Still he thought having checks to an technique like his was ultimately a good thing. Edward could think of far too many ways “bending someone to your will” could be used for ill. It also had that stipulation of being much more effective on men like most of Edwards other rewards which he found perplexing.

Edward decided he wouldn’t use this new power unless it was really necessary, which his two new quests seemed unlikely.

“Get new clothes” and “Get a haircut” seemed like some not-so-subtle hints that Altered State thought it was time for him to have a makeover. Edward’s appearance had already changed so much, he was trepidatious about changing himself further. Still, the latest batch of rewards he received for leveling up were the best ones yet. Edward would be lying if the intoxication of power wasn’t driving him forward, that and the bet he still had with Leon. 

Normally Edward would just go to the budget haircut place in town, no need to spend a lot of money when his appearance was already unsalvageable. Now though Edward didn't feel so lackadaisical about his looks. There was a real nice barber shop he knew only a few blocks from campus which he decided to go to.

Edward left the ally and walked across the green out of campus. As he went Edward was amazed by all the looks he got. Not the looks of pity or disgust he was used to. Instead, people smiled and waved at him as if they knew him. It was bizarre in the extreme. A group of girls walking by whispered something to each other and giggled as they passed, and a tall handsome guy gave him a wink. At first, the attention bothered Edward but as he walked he gained confidence. He stood straight, puffed out his still slim chest, and smiled back at the people he passed. Both the more confident walk and the friendly expression on his face felt right on the new construction of his body. 

“One haircut please,” Edward said as he entered the barber shop. It was an awkward line but his high charisma, People Person perk, and Social Sync perk all saved him from being turned away. 

The barber, a tallish middle-aged guy with a slight Italian accent and a short beard greeted him like an old friend. “What can I get ya today.” He asked as he sprayed Edward's curls down with water. 

Somewhere along the way, Edward’s stringy dirty blond hair had become a thick golden mane with a slight wave in it, a far cry from the straight thin straw his hair had been before. 

“I don’t know Alexi, what do you think would look good?” Edward asked reading the man's name off his name tag. Through his Sage perk he could feel that the barbers had a genuine love for his craft and that his goal was to make Edward look as good as possible.

The barber clucked his tongue examining Edward's face and running a comb through his damp hair which instantly sprung back into place. “You have such beautiful hair, it feels like such a shame to cut it off. How about I just shape it up so you can show off that handsome face of yours.”

Edward blushed but gave his approval. He watched memorized as Alexi slowly removed the hair from around his newly sized down ears and forehead. Staring in the mirror Edward couldn’t believe the adonis staring back was himself. 

He was snapped out of his revelry by the ding. For a second he thought he had leveled up again but it turned out to just be his phone. 

“DID YOU TOUCH MY FUCKING PLAYDIA?” Avlis had texted him and Leon in their roommate group chat in obnoxious all caps. 

A few seconds later Leon responded with his typical brashness: “Get a life looser”. 

Edward sighed and typed out a diplomatic response, “No need to get upset. We can discuss it tonight” he sent. He would try to calm Alvis down in person but if their creepy roommate got really upset Edward could always use him as the first test subject for his new technique. 

Edward and Alexi made small talk as he the haircut, Edward was amazed at how easily the conversation flowed, and how at ease he felt talking to a stranger. When it came time to pay he suspected Alexi gave him a substantial discount. Edward reviled his first experience of pretty privilege. At the same time, he felt kind of bad, like he had scammed the guy just by nature of being charming. Edward left a large tip and thanked him profusely promising to recommend all his friends, as if he had any other than Leon.

With the first of two quests completed and the progress bar to level six halfway full Edward made his way to the mall a few blocks away, his new haircut only intensified the stares he got. 

Normally Edward wasn’t confident enough to wear anything other than the most basic of clothes, neutral colors, and a size too big. Now however Edward felt empowered. He walked into the most trendy shop in the mall and was instantly beset by an eager saleswoman. Within minutes she had picked out for Edward more clothes than he could carry before escorting him to a dressing room. His sage perk, which was significantly weaker on her than on Alexi, let him know she worked on commission and that she suspected he was a rich pretty boy willing to spend. 

Edward locked the door and tried on the first item of clothing, a red and brown sweater vest that was a bit too big. As soon as Edward put the vest on he heard a ding and reached level six. It really was strange how lenient the game was with some quests and how strict it was with others. 

To Edward’s relief, none of the level six features caused excruciating pain this time, although he did feel a slight discomfort as the usual three points of charisma altered his face further, skin smoothing, features adjusting, Adam’s apple bulging slightly as his voice grew a bit deeper and smoother. His newly cut hair on his head along with the little body hair he had grew even more silky and soft and golden blond. Plus Edward was sure he could feel his penis grow as well, only about a sixth of an inch but still noticeable and exhilarating. 

“You have reached level six. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Charisma, +1 Intelligence, +0.3 Strength.”

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Gold Star Killer: Your charm is strong enough to go ignore biological and social boundaries. Anyone with a penis will now be equally likely to find you attractive no matter their usual sexual orientation.”

Edward gasped slightly when he saw the perk. He knew it was a dream of a lot of gay guys to have sex with straight guys, and he would be lying if he said the fantasy wasn’t there for him as well, but he found the idea of bending sexualities concerning. He currently wouldn’t want to be made attracted to a woman. Plus he hoped there was some sort of exemption he could make for his friends and family. He laughed to himself at the idea of boob-loving Leon suddenly having eyes for his dick. 

Edward sifted through the rest of the clothes. Most were either too expensive or too gaudy to be considered, but in the pile, Edward found a fair number of shirts and pants he might actually wear. With his now 16 charisma every piece of clothing just seemed to fit right on him, like he could wear a garbage bag and still walk the red carpet, he really just was that damn pretty. 

Edward had just tried on a thick wool-striped short-sleeved shirt when he heard a noise from outside. “What's the point in wearing that if I can’t see your tits,” a loud obnoxious male voice said. Out of curiosity Edward stuck his head out of the changing room and saw two people arguing in front of the mirror a few feet down the hallway.

“You sound like a douchebag when you say things like that Hunter,” a blond woman said as she adjusted a floral long-sleeve blouse on her athletic frame. 

The man who Edward presumed to be Hunter scoffed. “Cassy you look like a lesbo librarian. Can’t we go to Victoria's Secret or something?” 

“You're being a jerk. Is this just because you think I was flirting with that guy at the gym? How many times do I have to tell you he's just in one of my classes.”

“I don’t give a shit about that fattie,” Hunter said in a way that made it obvious he very much did, “I just don’t want people thinking your even more of a skank than they already do.” 

The blond woman reeled back. Despite the distance and not having a penis Cassy strong emotion triggered Edward’s Sage skill and he instantly knew that her foremost desire at that moment was to hit the Hunter in the face. She opened her mouth to tell him off but Edward beat her to it. Stepping out of the dressing room he instinctively activated his Silver Tongue ability. “Hey man be nice,” he said, the last two words coming out in a much louder and deeper voice that echoed through the hallway, as if a proclamation from god.

Hunter froze in place for a moment then his face contorted into an unnaturally friendly expression and in a forced cheery voice he said “I’m sorry for saying that Cassie. No one thinks that you are a skank. You are a very beautiful intelligent women who I am often intimidated by, and who I take out my insecurities on.” 

Cassie looked around as if looking for the hidden cameras to emerge and tell her this was a prank. Hunter turned towards Edward. “I must say you are very attractive. I would normally never admit this but I really want to have sex with you.” Even through the compulsion of Edward's technique, it was obvious that Hunter was horrified by what he was saying, although with his Gold Star Killer perk it was also likely true. 

Hunter turned back to Cassie “Let me buy you these clothes to make up for my rude comments, then I want to finally hear about that book you have been reading.” He proceeded to gather all of Cassie’s clothing in his arms and walk to the checkout counter, his girlfriend wordlessly following behind him, too shocked to speak. 

Edward looked around to see if anyone else had witnessed the effect of his ability but the dressing room was empty. Awkwardly he made his way back to his room to try on the rest of the clothes, still amazed by the power of his new technique. He wondered how long the effect would last on that jerk. It would probably be too much to wish it would be permanent, but he hoped for Cassie’s sake it was long enough for him to buy her clothes. He also noticed Cassie seemed not to be affected by his words. He wasn’t sure if that was because she didn't have a penis or if it was because he intended his words only for Hunter. 

Edward glanced at his energy bar. The yellow bar was a little less then a third of the way full, Edward just having spent 10 energy, 5 on each word. It would be a few hours till he could regenerate all the expended points again, though Edward didn't regret it. Especially when he noticed the level progress bar which was right under the energy bar was already halfway to level seven. Edward realized that he had inadvertently just completed one of his new quests without realizing it, “resolve an altercation with only your words” was now marked as complete. His other assigned quest “post on social media” seemed like it could be equally as easy to complete. 

Edward put on his favorite of the newest clothes, a white sweater and a pair of blue jeans, and pulled up the latest trending song. Then he set up his phone on the fitting room bench and started filming. Edward didn't do much, he moved his hips slightly, ran his fingers through his hair, and even bit his lip at one point. Watching it back Edward looked like a total fuck boy, but damn was he pretty. He posted the video publicly, and though he didn’t have any followers except for Leon and his mom he was pretty confident the video would get some views. 

Sure enough, Edward heard two simultaneous dings as he both leveled up and received his first like on the video. 

“You have reached level seven. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Charisma, +1 Intelligence, +0.3 Strength.”

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Social gravity: Your charisma is like a magnet. You emit an aura that makes attracting attention to yourself effortless and becoming the center of attention nearly inevitable. Note: This effect is 92.22% more effective on people with a penis. Note: This is an aura effect. Individuals can only be effected by one charisma based aura at a time. Your aura may overcome other charisma-based aura in its range if your charisma is higher, or be suppressed by another aura if the less charismatic of the two. Note: you will receive upgrades to this aura ability at levels 14, 21, 29, etc.”

Edward had mixed feelings about this latest perk. As someone ignored and shunned all his life Edward felt the draw to the spotlight, to finally being seen by his peers. Still, there was something nice about anonymity, about being an invisible face in the crowd. If he was reading this perk right his days of nameless NPC were over, main character only from here on out. Plus there was that thing about blocking other auras. This was the second indication that he might be encountering other people with classes and abilities like his own. Edward supposed there could be others out there, Leon had been rather vague about who had given him the game and upon reflection is seemed rather obvious that “buff guy” must have also had a class. Edward thought about that disk still sitting in Alvis’ machine. Once he reached level ten he and Leon would have to lock up that disk in a safe, or maybe destroy it, anything to keep the likes of Hunter from getting their hands on that type of power. 

Edward left the changing room, still wearing the favorite of his new clothes, and paid for the half dozen items clothing items he had decided on. These were unfortunately not discounted like his haircut though Edward had some money from his birthday saved up. 

Edward’s next quest seemed deceptively easy. “Attend a party” was the only item listed in his quest menu. The rave Trent and Tag were going to tonight might count but that wasn’t for another few hours and Edward wanted to give the two some space. Even though classes were out for the day Edward knew it was likely too early for any parties to be happening in the dorms or in any of the houses on fratrow. 

Edward decided to wonder around the mall. If he had gotten stared before it was nothing compared to now. His social gravity perk and the last two levels of charisma made him an undeniably attention-grabbing figure. He passed a kid's birthday party happening in an arcade but decided against crashing that to complete his quest. 

Edward wandered out of the mall and down the street to one of the nicer parts of town, to a row of expensive restaurants and luxury apartment buildings. Edward's ears pricked up as he heard the sounds of chatting voices and light laughter. 

He quickly found the source of the chatter. Middle-aged men and women in formal attire holding glasses of wine milled about an art gallery pointing at the black and white works on the wall and chatting in groups of twos and threes. The name of the gallery on the glass read “l’art” in big cursive letters. 

Edward supposed this would count as a party. With a confidence Edward would never once have possessed, he walked into the gallery. Immediately every head inside turned to face him. On his display, the quest “attend a party” didn’t mark as complete as he had expected. Instead, it expanded like a scroll being unfurled. The words “event quest” appeared with a progress bar, along with a new open-ended task list. The quest renamed itself and Edward internally groaned. “The party don’t start till you walk in” the quest now read. A timer began to count down. 

-

“Do a shirtless workout” 

“Flex in a public place” 

“Get three complements on your body” 

These couldn’t be serious. For the first time, Leon considered what exactly the Juggernaut class was. So far the quests had driven him to become a paragon of athleticism, but these quests seemed to want him to be some preening peacock. Leon briefly thought about those viral internet challenges that went around when he was in middle school, the ones that supposedly started simply and ended with you jumping off the roof or something. He was pretty sure those were actually moral panics. Still he couldn’t help wondering if this might be the same, if the game was lulling him in with simple quests before making him perform this strange humiliation ritual. 

Leon weighed his options. He could ignore the quests, and try to get to level seven by only using the experience he gained from working out, though judging by the increased amount of experence each level was requiring that could take days if not weeks. No, the quests were too valuable to ignore. He would have to suck up his pride and become what he had once scorned. 

Tentatively Leon made his way to the massive workout area of the gym. By now it was late afternoon and the post-class rush had filled the gym to almost its capacity. There were a few other guys without shirts on, walking with their chests puffed out like monkeys and leaving sweaty imprints behind on their stations.

Leon let out an audible sigh and looked down at his XL Superman tee. It still hung loose on his frame thanks to his rapid metabolism but he suspected his arms and pecs were only a few levels of strength away from filling it to bursting once again. Slowly he stripped it off, the shirt slightly damp from the sweat he had accumulated over the hours of exercise. Leon still couldn’t believe the body underneath was his. He was now undeniably big, fit, and muscled. He looked like he could be a personal trainer or a fitness model. He had a six-pack, not even the skinny kind, but the strong ones in which each abs were visible. His pecs pushed out visibly. He tried to bounce them and found with his perfect form perk he was able to make them dance precisely. His tan skin from his half-French, half-Mexican heritage didn't hang as loose around his muscles as before.

Now shirtless Leon did a few bicep curls. “Nice guns,” a guy walking past said and Leon gave him a polite smile. The “get a complement on your body” quest marked itself as 1/3. After a few more curls and an overhead press with the dumbbells his “do a shirtless workout” also completed and Leon was thrust 1/3 of the way to level seven. Leon decided to stay shirtless for a few more exercises in hopes of getting two more compliments on his body, and because some small quiet part of him secretly loved the feeling of showing off his gains. 

He continued to the next exercise doing squats, then lateral raises, then shoulder presses. Though totally imperceptible Leon convinced himself he could feel each exercise permanently pump up each of his muscles slightly larger as their effects were instantly expressed by his “Rapid Rewards” perk. Leon kept forgetting his torso was bare until he would spot an occasional annoyed or lustful look from a fellow gymgoer. He wasn’t sure if it was his utmost confidence he had in the space from the Gym Rat perk or if it was a newly discovered exhibitionist streak but he found himself not minding the attention. He tried to catch a few women's eyes but all of them seemed to avoid him purposefully which he couldn’t much blame them for. 

Leon did a set of 20 pull-ups without much effort then wandered over to a wall of mirrors by the weights. Leon still couldn’t believe the tan muscular figure was him. Tentatively he flexed a bicep, overjoyed with the feeling of the substantial muscle bunching up. He flexed the other arm, snapping exactly into position for a textbook double bicep flex thanks to his Perfect Form perk. He looked around to see if anyone was watching him then flexed his abs, contorting them into different positions easily as if choosing from a preset in a video game. Leon flexed his legs, then popped his pecs before turning around and flaring out his lats in a pose that he assumed made his back look great. The quest “flex in a public place” was marked as completed and Leon was boosted 2/3 of the way to level seven. He just needed two more complements to complete his last quest, and judging by the lackluster reaction to his flexing he wasn’t going to get it here. 

Leon wondered what his next perk would be. He hoped it would be something to stop him from sweating like a pig. By now he was fully drenched, his hair stuck unflatteringly to his forehead and a distinct oder surrounded him. Leon concluded that if he was going to get two more complements he needed to look a bit more presentable.

Though he had never been to the gym before Leon was able to navigate to the far end where the public men's locker room was located. Inside college guys and a few professors of various class years and body types milled around, changing into sports uniforms or back into streetwear after having done a late afternoon session after their class.

As Leon stepped through the door he felt his confidence leave him all in a rush. Suddenly he realized the “gym rat” perk that made him so able to strut around like a meathead jock didn't apply to the locker room. The air now felt cold against his exposed nipples and Leon crossed his beefy arms over them and sucked in, lifelong habits built from being a fat kid suddenly returning.   He felt like an imposter with a body he hadn’t earned. He suddenly wished Edward were here. Edward never let him get too down on himself when it came to his appearance. He knew his friend would have given him the last two complements without him even having to ask.

Leon saw a few guys with towels wrapped around their waists head further into the locker room. He reasoned that must be the direction of the shower and followed them, grabbing a towel from the stack at the door. Thankfully his school was modern enough that the showers were not communal kind but instead with small individual stalls.

Leon claimed a shower stall then got naked in it putting his shorts, shirt, underwear, and socks in a bin outside the stall so he could change back into them when he was done. Leon wasn’t happy about changing back into his sweaty clothes but he didn't have another set of clothes with him and he didn't intend to go home until he was at least level ten and had won the bet with Edward.

The hot water felt great on Leon’s skin. He wasn’t sore, that wasn’t possible with his “Animal Endurance" perk and his “Rapid Rewards” perks but his body still felt tense from hours of continual activity. He took his time scrubbing away the sweat from his body, admiring the new crevices the removal of his fat and the growth of his muscles had created. He had been so busy with the events set off by “Altered State” that he hadn’t really had time to feel horny, but as he played with his dick that was undeniably bigger, if only by half an inch or so, he felt his hormones rush in. It took all his self-control not to jerk off right there in the shower stall. He wanted to save his first orgasm in this new body for a hot babe who could maybe give him the last two complements he needed. There were quite a few attractive women he had seen in the gym he would have never dreamed of scoring before who now seemed in his league if he could only keep himself from saying something stupid.

Leon shut the water off and reached a hand out to grab the towel he had stashed outside. His hand only met empty air. He flailed at the empty hook before peaking his head out to check what was going on. His heart dropped when he saw his towel and all his clothes were gone. His face went red and his blood cold. From the changing area, he could hear a group of men snickering with one another. Leon was tired of this shit. When he was fat he took it because there was no other option but now he was going to stand up for himself. Leon walked out of the shower, not caring if he was soaking wet or that his penis swung openly between his legs. “Nice dick” a guy yelled to him as he passed, Leon ignored him but his quest updated its progress to 2/3. 

He shouldn’t have been surprised to see Hunter standing there holding his clothes. He was dressed in a different outfit from when Leon had seen him last. The frat guy didn't immediately see him as he chatted animatedly with his friends. “It was humiliating bro, all of a sudden I’m complementing Cassy and saying all this gay shit to that blond freak. I swear bro I’m going to beat his ass next time I see him, I swear it.”

He turned to see a naked Leon coming towards him and seemed momentarily confused. “I think those are mine,” Leon said pointing to the clothes in Hunter's hand. Hunter looked up and down at Leon's tall naked buff body and his angry face. 

“Sorry bro, I thought these belonged to someone else.” He said obviously not recognizing Leon. It was funny how much more respect this guy gave him now that he had muscles and wasn’t fat.

“Oh did you think they belonged to that fatty from earlier?” Leon asked using Hunter's words from before. Hunter and his four fellow frat bros laughed awkwardly thinking Leon was making a fat joke, though Leon kept a serious face, “Cause you're right that's me.”

Hunter’s face took on a look of confusion. “Bro that's not possible, your buff and stuff.” 

Leon heard a ding as he received the last compliment and was boosted to level seven. He’d take the compliment where he could get it. 

“You have reached level seven. You receive attribute points based on your class: +3 Strength, +1 Charisma, +0.3 Intelligence.”

“You have gained a class perk.”

“Naked Confidence: you and others feel completely comfortable with your body, be it in a tuxedo or in your birthday suit. 

He didn't have time to think much about the notifications as he rapidly dismissed them. Still, Leon couldn’t help but feel his body grow wider and taller as new strength pumped up all his muscles. His body was going from athletic into the territory of seriously fit. 

What's more, Leon felt a wave of confidence overcome him, his nipples suddenly felt less exposed and he no longer felt any care at all about having his dick out so publicly. In fact, it felt almost natural. Around him, he saw people shift their gaze away from his bare crotch and to the confrontation occurring as if his nakedness was no longer of interest. 

“You really don’t miss much do you,” Leon said taking a step forward.

Hunter's face hardened. He may not understand exactly what was going on but he knew enough to know he had just been insulted. For a second Leon glanced at the two new quests that had popped up with the new level and a plan started to take shape. 

Leon took another step forward so that he was in Hunter's face, the two men now even in height thanks to the latest boost from level seven. “If you wanted to see me naked so bad all you had to do was ask. I’m happy to show you what a real man looks like.”

Hunter's face became a mask of rage, exactly as Leon intended. “Your fucking dead you F—“ he said and swung an up arm towards Leon's face in a brutal swing. Leon activated his inner strength ability and felt the world slow for a moment. With the second of strength the ability lent him he deflected the punch with one hand and shoved the other into Hunter's chest with the other. The frat bro’s eyes went wide as he sailed ten feet across the room, landing on the floor and sliding until his back came to rest against a row of lockers with a loud metal jingle. The cheering crowd of Hunter's cronies and regular gym attendees let out a shriek of surprise. For a moment Leon worried he might have overdone it, then Hunter slowly got to his feet, muscular chest moving up and down as he let out deep rageful breaths.

“Race ya looser” Leon called out and ran for the door. Hunters bellow behind him and the sound of multiple pairs of running feet indicated the frat guys had taken the bait. 

Leon seriously hoped this mad chase would count as fulfilling one of the two quests he had just been assigned, “win a contest of speed” Otherwise he was risking his life for nothing. He supposed there might have been easier ways to fulfill the quest but he would have to take shortcuts to level ten if he hoped to beat Edward.

Without his inner strength power, Leon was quickly realizing he lacked an edge. These guys knew this building far better than Leon did, plus had had their powerful long legs and athletic bodies for their whole lives as opposed to Leon’s few hours, meaning they knew much better how to control them. The sounds of footfalls and angry threats of what Hunter was going to do to him once he caught up with him got louder behind him and Leon rounded a corner then hurried up a set of stairs. 

Five sets of footsteps thundered after him up the stairs, only a few paces away. Leon saw an exit and bolted to it with all his might. His inner strength ability, the only edge he had over Hunter, still had more than a minute left on its cooldown. 

Leon slammed the door open and ran out of the gymnasium, into the cold sunny fall day. He saw the same group of LARPers still performing mock battles on the grass and made a beelined straight for them. He imagined he made a strange sight, naked with his penis flailing every which way, sprinting full speed forward with five very angry frat guys chasing after him, gaining on him with every step. 

Hunter saw Leon was headed to the group of students with foam weapons and ran faster than before until he was only a step behind Leon. He tried to grab Leon but Leon was able to duck out of the way. The two were only ten feet from the group. Hunter tried again to stop Leon this time with a full-body tackle. Just before Hunter brought Leon down two things happened, the quest demanding he “win a contest of speed” was completed and Ruth, the girl who had shown him how to play before, threw him a shield like a frisbee which Leon caught and used to block a series of blows which Hunter rained down onto him as the two tumbled in the grass. 

The two struggled in the grass, Leon’s shield protecting his torso and head but not preventing Hunter from savaging his arms and legs with painful punches. Leon wrapped his naked legs around Hunter and with effort flipped the heavier man over so that he was on top. His inner strength power still had fifteen seconds left on its cooldown. 

Without it, Hunter was able to flip Leon back over and pin his arms and legs to the grass. The latest level of strength had made Leon nearly Hunters equal in size but the large man still had the advantage. Leon struggled violently against the frat guy to little effect. Hunter loomed over him, breath coming in heavy gasps and eyes filled with murder. “I’m going to drag your asshole out your mouth.”

Using one hand to subdue both of Leon’s hands Hunter placed a hand around Leon’s neck and started to choke him, hard. Leon’s inner strength ability still had ten seconds left on cooldown. Without it, Leon didn't have the strength to break Hunter's grip. 

Above him, he saw Ruth mercilessly bring her foam sword down onto Hunter's back. The man didn't flinch but one of his friends grabbed Ruth from behind. 

Leon's vision started to blur as his windpipe was constricted. He gasped helplessly and tried to roll his naked body out from Hunter's pin, but the frat guy's body was too heavy and his grip too strong. Leon found his thoughts going to Edward, his best friend. He wondered how his friend's “Altered State” journey was going, it couldn’t possibly be any worse than his. 

[ltwilliammowett]

Memorial Brooch to Rear Admiral McKerlie, Died 12th Septr 1848. Aged 74 years, 1848

Rear Admiral John McKerlie (1774-1848) entered the Royal Navy as a volunteer in April 1794 having been at sea in the Atlantic and Baltic merchant service from a young age. Rated Able Seaman, he was sent from the receiving ship Royal William to join the elite frigate force based at Falmouth that cruised the Channel countering the activities of French commerce raiders. McKerlie was assigned to the frigate Arethusa (38) commanded by one of the most successful frigate captains of the day, Captain Sir Edward Pellew. 

In early 1795 McKerlie followed Pellew into the 44-gun heavy frigate Indefatigable with the rate of Quarter-Gunner. Owing to a sound Scottish education and his knowledge of the sea McKerlie was soon acting as Indefatigable’s schoolmaster instructing the other eighteen ‘young gentleman’ of the gunroom in the specifics of their profession, having himself been appointed a midshipman.  Throughout 1795 and 1796 he participated in the capture of the numerous French prizes which brought further fame and glory to Sir Edward Pellew. It was however early the next year that Indefatigable fought what is generally regarded as one of the boldest frigate actions of the French Revolutionary War.

On the dark and stormy night of 13 January 1797 the French 74 Droits de l’Homme was sighted off the Brittany coast. Pellew, recognizing that he was heavily outclassed, saw that the waves prevented his opponent from opening the lower gun ports and that the severe weather had caused the loss of the enemy’s topmasts. Seizing the initiative, Indefatigable closed followed by the frigate Amazon and raked the French ship of the line at every opportunity. The enemy replied with 4,000 canon balls over the next few hours until finally driven in to Audierne Bay irreparably damaged by British gunfire and the unabated gale. The sight of distant breakers however threatened the destruction of all three ships. Indefatigable, though with masts damaged and with four feet of water in her hold, alone just had time to alter course and escape.

For Pellew the action was a triumph, Lord Spencer at the Admiralty acknowledging that for two frigates to destroy a ship of the line was ‘an exploit which has not I believe ever before graced our naval Annals’. For McKerlie the action was a trauma, costing him his right arm and a severe wound to the thigh. McKerlie's sacrifice was deeply felt Sir Edward Pellew whom he followed to his subsequent command, the mutinous ship of the line Impetueux. While serving aboard the Impetueux, McKerlie participated in numerous boat actions during the Quiberon expedition in 1800, and was present during the planning of a proposed attack on Belleisle. Marshall’s Royal Naval Biography relates how McKerlie ‘…not having heard how he was to be employed, went up to Sir Edward, interrupted him in a conversation with Major-General Maitland, and asking what part he was to act in the event of a debarkation taking place? The answer was “McKerlie you have lost one hand already, and if you loose the other you will not have anything to wipe your backside with; you will remain on board with the first lieutenant and fight the ship as she is to engage an 8-gun battery.”’

The loss of an arm did little to impede McKerlie’s career. He was regarded as a talented surveyor and draftsman, working at onetime with the celebrated civil engineer Thomas Telford. He was also considered a first class shot. He received his lieutenant’s commission in 1804 and served in H.M.S. Spartiate at the Battle of Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. He was present in the capture of Flushing and the Walcheren expedition, and commanded a squadron of ships stationed off Heligoland; oversaw the defence and retreat from Cuxhaven; and was responsible for destroying enemy shipping on the Braak. 

Unable to get a command after 1813, McKerlie returned to his native Galloway where he married, Harriet, daughter of James Stewart of Cairnsmuir, had one daughter, Lillias (1821-1915), to either or both of whom the present brooch no doubt belonged. In a post service career McKerlie served as a local magistrate and operated commercial vessels from the port of Garlieston. After almost twenty years ashore, he made an unlikely returned to the Royal Navy as captain of the experimental frigate Vernon between 1834 and 1837. He was awarded a Pension for Wounds on 8 May 1816.

Despite the ever growing kudos that was accorded to Trafalgar veterans in the early  Victorian age, it is perhaps with greater pride that Admiral McKerlie recalled his service under Pellew (or Lord Exmouth, as he became); and in 1847 was one of only eight surviving veterans who had lived long enough to apply for the Naval General Service Medal with a clasp for the Droits de L’Homme engagement.  The following year, in 1848, he died at Corvisel House, Newton Stewart, at the age of seventy-three.

[flippinpancakes64]

Day at the pool with the Cullens

I love pools and I love swimming so here we are

All additional photos I found on Pinterest

Edward:

Volleyball expert

Loves having competitions to see who can "hold" their breath the longest

(There's never an actual winner, it's just who gets bored first)

Loves to tackle you in the water

Can and will sneak up on you to pull you under

Roughhousing x100

Will think you're boring if you just sit on the side of the pool

He wants to play, dammit

Wears a nose plug unfortunately

He doesn't like the feel of the water in his nose

Can and will stay there all day

He doesn't go out of his way to go to the pool, but when he does he never wants to leave

I imagine he'd like swim shorts with a pattern

He doesn't want to wear something boring

Alice:

Diving board queen

She could go to the Olympic level if she wanted to

Definitely an attacker

Will sneak up behind people just to scare them

Does that freaky thing where they go underwater to swim through people's legs when they don't expect it

Loves seeing how fast she can lap the pool

Loves getting on Emmett's shoulders and wrestling people

Splashes people

Not too fond of the beach balls or volleyballs but she will play

She wears something intricate and definitely uncomfortable looking

Stylish tho

Jasper:

Not really interested

He came along because everyone else went

He prefers baseball

He's in the water though

He might join in on volleyball or diving, but I think he'd prefer to just chill out on a raft or a tube

He just wants to enjoy all of the positive emotions around him

He might swim around with you though if you ask him

He's not opposed to doing anything

Would really enjoy a lazy river though

He just wants to veg out and I love that for him

Just lets Alice choose whatever she wants him to wear

Has absolutely no preference at all

Rosalie:

You're lucky if she touches the water at all

Prefers to lay by the poolside and "tan"

She really just enjoys the heat from the sun

Like a lizard under a heat lamp

Might dip her toes in

If you beg her to get in she might go to the shallow end and stand there for a little bit

If you splash her it's over for you

So best just to leave her alone :')

Will throw the diving toys though

Like those girls on tiktok who are tanning and throwing the toys for their boyfriends like they're dogs

That's her

She thinks it's funny

MIGHT get up to retrieve the ball if you guys throw it out on accident

Heavy on the might tho

She'd wear something cute with a pretty pattern

Emmett:

King of the Pool

Roughhousing final boss

Will start actually wrestling with people

He brought the water guns

Shows absolutely no mercy

His favorite game is water chicken

Always the base guy

Even though he's not supposed to be fighting, he still does

Is the one mostly diving for the toys Rosalie throws

Wears goggles just because they look funny

Has broken the bottom of the pool before

Would do it again too

Likes to pick people up and throw them as far as he can

Jumped off the diving board and did a cannonball once

That's how he broke the pool floor

Wears the most idiotic trunks he can find

Since it's only their family at the pool, Alice can't use the whole "keeping good appearances" thing as a reason why he should wear what she picks

Carlisle:

Likes to let loose a little bit

He has to act old to keep appearances, so everyone forgets he's physically only about 25

Like Alice I think he'd enjoy the diving board

Would love to unwind on an inner tube as well

He likes to swim to the bottom of the deep end and just sit there

He finds it peaceful

Won't join in with the fighting though

He's here to relax and have a good time

Keeps it simple and classy as far as suits go

For the longest time he wore a speedo though...

Alice quickly put an end to that

Esme:

A less grouchy Rosalie

She's here to enjoy the sun and the warmth

She would also enjoy sitting on a raft and floating though

Lazy. River.

She would enjoy watching more than anything

Would keep score and help be a referee

Would also throw the diving toys

I feel like she would enjoy just wading around though

Making laps or just floating slowly

This is her big relaxation day

I think she would enjoy suits with a bit more coverage

And she would love flowy skirts or shawls

It makes her feel elegant <3

Vampire! Bella:

Another roughhouser here folks

She went her whole human life being a walking accident, of course she's going to make the most of actually having reflexes

Loves to do just about anything

Volleyball, basketball, diving, chicken, wrestling, water gun fight

Literally anything

Is usually Edward's partner for chicken

Loves to do things that humans absolutely cannot do

She's still getting used to it and everything

One time she stayed underwater for a full 5 hours

Just to see if she could

Will ask you to time her laps around the pool

She goes for a more practical suit

Something similar to what she had when she was human

[orphicdreamers-wp]

Crowded Room — Ethan Edwards

Summary; In which Ethan never thought of you like that until he saw you show up to a party with a football player

Content Warning: 18+ Content, Smut, oral sex(f receiving), p in v sex, filth, slight degradation, hair pulling, choking, used of ‘sir’ ‘whore’ ‘slut’, mirror sex, unprotected sex(don’t be silly y’all), creampie (🫣), breeding kink, mentions of birth control, religious mentions(really quickly), JJ McCarthy getting caught in the crossfire, possessive JJ, cheating(? not really, reader and jj have gone on like 2 dates) loosely based on Lovin On Me By Jack Harlow

Pairing; Ethan Edwards & Fem Reader

You were tucked beneath JJ’s broad shoulder as you entered the fraternity house. You guys were immediately greeted with the smell of alcohol and marijuana. JJ’s grip on your hip tightened as he pulled you closer to his body. You two mingled with various athletes and a few of your sorority sisters as you made your way into the kitchen. You smiled softly at Ethan as you saw him pouring some concoction into a plastic cup as your voice came out softly, “Hey Eth.”

Ethan had been in your Ethics in sports class since freshman year and for some reason your professor always paired you two up for partner work. You would be lying in you said that you didn’t notice how attractive the hockey player was. He had the biggest and softest brown eyes you’d seen. He always had on that stupid hat and his beautiful dark hair sticking out. Anyone with eyes could see that Ethan Edwards was an attractive guy.

Ethan had never seen you as anything more than a friend. You were kind, funny and the first sorority girl he’d met that truly understood the concept of hockey. You had always been a friend to the brown haired hockey player. But you stood a mere five feet away from him, clad in a low cut cropped cheetah print top that accentuated your breasts perfectly, like the shirt was molded around your body. A fair amount of your stomach was out until it met the short leather skirt that had Ethan’s pants constricting his lower hips.

Ethan had never thought about it before but in that moment all he was thinking about was bending you over the counter and fucking the shit out of you, without a care in the world that JJ McCarthy seemed to be staking his claim on you in the kitchen. The way you said his name made him feel ridiculous for never thinking about you in this capacity. But surely you’d never thought of him that way right?

Ethan raised an eyebrow ever so slightly as he saw the grip JJ held on your hip. He could see the intensity of the hold by the skin visible between the hem of your top and the your skirt. He also noticed how JJ’s eyes were glued to him as you watched him intently. Ethan pressed the cup to his lips, “Hey Y/N, McCarthy. Didn’t know y’all were a thing.” You went to open your mouth to say that you weren’t, that tonight was your like 3rd date, when JJ spoke, “It’s new, right babe?” Your heart was beating up into your throat as you nodded, “Yep, good seeing you Eth. I have to use the ladies room.”

You looked up into JJ’s piercing blue eyes and unglued yourself from his side. You slipped out of the kitchen, feeling overwhelmed by JJ’s sudden influx of testosterone he’d felt the urge to show. You walked down the seemingly never ending hallway. You entered the bathroom and went to shut the door only for a hand to stop you. You looked up, taken aback as Ethan stood in the doorway, “Are you okay?” You felt your throat clam up, “‘M all good Eth.” Ethan shut and locked the door to the bathroom behind him as he leaned against it while you stood in front of the mirror, “Your a shitty liar Y/N. What’s going on in your pretty little head?”

You let out a nervous laugh, “I don’t even know. I’m not dating JJ by the way.” Ethan laughed heartily, “I gathered, you looked like you just shit your pants when he called you babe. Most girls don’t have that reaction.” You laughed, “Can I be honest for a minute?” Ethan grinned, “I’ve never known you to not be honest. What’s up?” You giggled nervously, partially tipsy from the bottle of Pink Whitney you had pregamed with at your sorority before leaving the house for this party.

“I’m kinda nervous being alone with you right now.” Ethan frowned, immediately feeling bad, initially believing he’d made you uncomfortable, “I’m sorry if I’m making you uncomfortable. I can go.” You shook your head, “No it’s not you. Well not like that.” Ethan raised an eyebrow as he walked across the room and stopped next to you, “What’s wrong then?” You laughed slightly, “Being alone with you makes me nervous because your hot and I’m tipsy but I’m pretty sure this is how a handful of my wet dreams have started.”

Ethan laughed breathily, “So I make you nervous with my fleeting sex appeal? Good to know.” You rolled your eyes, “See this is why I should have kept my mouth shut. You never take anything seriously.” Ethan stood in front of you, keeping you from moving away from the counter. He placed a hand on your bare skin, “Trust me pretty, I’m taking this very seriously. Hop up on the counter for me.” You pressed your back against the mirror as Ethan dropped to his knees.

Your breath hitched as his warm breath traveled up your legs as he pressed soft wet kisses up your legs. By the time he reached your knees, you legs spread further giving Ethan easier access to your thighs and soaking core. An pornographic groan left Ethan’s mouth as his lips neared your burning core. He looked up at with his beautiful brown eyes lit up by desire, “Is this okay?” You groaned at his question, “God yes, please.” Ethan pushed your skirt up further as he pulled your panties down in one swift motion.

Your hand’s immediately flew to Ethan’s head, removing his hat and setting it near the sink as your fingers threaded through his hair as his tongue met the bundle of nerves that had a coil forming in your stomach. Ethan hummed as he pulled away, “So wet for me. Such a whore, letting me take you in a bathroom.” You felt yourself clench around the air as Ethan’s fingers slid inside of your dripping cunt. You felt a unrecognizable moan leave your lips as you clamped your legs around Ethan’s head as he began to lap up your juices as you came down from your high.

You breathed heavily as you leaned your head against the mirror and panted, “Holy shit. I can’t believe I just did that.” Ethan laughed, “Don’t worry it’s hot.” You rolled your eyes, “I cannot believe I did that. Oh god, I’m like a total whore.” Ethan pressed a kiss against your lips, “Sorry I just really wanted you to stop talking.” You groaned as you pulled him into a passionate kiss, your core clenching as you shamelessly grinded against him. Ethan pressed his hands on your hips, “Are you sure?” You reached down to unzip your skirt letting it fall to the ground as you pulled Ethan into you, “I’ve never been more sure of something.”

Ethan groaned as he pulled his shorts down and kicked them to the side. You hummed to yourself as Ethan rummaged through the drawers in search of a condom, only to come up empty handed. You groaned as you pulled him by his shirt to you, “I have an IUD, please just fuck me Eth. I need you inside me so badly.”

Ethan practically groaned at your words, “Such a desperate little slut for me. Just begging for me to fuck you raw in a random party bathroom. Didn’t peg you for a freak.” You groaned as you clenched your thighs together, “Damn it would you just fuck me already or do I need to have JJ come do that?” Ethan scoffed as he turned you to face the mirror as he adjusted himself behind you.

You felt a sharp breath leave your mouth as Ethan slid into you. Your chest tightening as he bottomed out inside you. Ethan’s hands found their way to your hips, fingers digging into your skin, harshly enough to leave bruises. A groan leaving his mouth, “You feel so good. Clenching around me, such a little slut.” You felt your eyes roll into the back of your head as Ethan’s hips began to move rhythmically. As sharp gasp left your lips as Ethan pulled at your hair, bringing your back pressed against his chest. A soft groan emitted from Ethan’s lips into your ear. You smirked pridefully, “Did I just hear Mr Ethan Edwards who has a reputation for never moaning during sex, moan?” Ethan rolled his eyes, “Shut up before I pull out.” You whines lightly at his words, “Please, alright fine sir. Just don’t stop.”

You felt Ethan tighten his grip on your hair, “Call me that again, please.” You grinned, learning Ethan’s soft spot in bed. A soft moan leaving your lips as your eyes screwed shut as you fell into the bathroom counter, “Oh god right there. Don’t stop please sir.” Ethan’s hand found it’s way around your throat, holding just tight enough to make you feel pressure but loose enough your air supply wasn’t compromised. You clenched around Ethan’s cock as he pounded up into your pussy.

You let out a pornographic moan, “Shit, I’m so close. Don’t stop.” Ethan groaned as he breathed heavily, “I’m there too. I wanna cum inside you so bad.” You groaned at his words, previously believing it was impossible to become more wet, “Cum in me Eth, I need it. Need to feel you inside me.” Ethan groaned, “I could get your pregnant right now given the chance.” You let out another moan as you felt the coil building in your stomach burst as you clenched around his cock. Your orgasm triggering Ethan’s as he came following you.

You leaned against the counter, ass bare in the air as Ethan’s cum dropped down your thighs. You finally caught your breath and grinned as Ethan got a few square of paper towel and began to wipe his cum off of your legs and helped you back into your skirt and panties. You sighed as you two made your way out of the bathroom. A sinking feeling built in your stomach as it hit you, you’d have to explain to JJ where you’d gone off to for nearly an hour.

The sinking feeling dissipated when you found JJ sprawled across the couch with a redhead perched on his lap making out. You let out a sigh of relief as Ethan draped his arm on your shoulder, “Back to another crowded room we go.” You had expected him to enter the room and abandon you to go back to his teammates and brag over the easy lay he got, but he intertwined his fingers with yours and led you over to his friends. A small smile forming on your face as he sat down and pulled you into his lap as he watched some of his teammates play beer pong.

[shoulderscars]

Why I love Midnight Sun

ok I know this might be a hot take, but I actually love Midnight Sun. It's my favorite Twilight Saga book. And here's why [Spoiler Alert Affective from here!]

The Making of the Cullen Family (and their respective backstory's): I love that we get to know all the little details, like how Alive waited for the perfect moment to join the group and how she literally hugs Edward the moment they meet for the first time, and how they have a mutual understanding before saying a word in conversation.

Carlisle. (Simple, refined, respectable, perfect): It's not like we didnt know the before Midnight Sun, but I think Edwards insight on his brain is just...amazing. We can really see all of Carlisle's selflessness and how he is a simple man who wants the best for his children. Also, we get an insight on Carlisle and Esme's love with is so refined but perfect.

Emmett. (The best Cullen after Carlisle?): The whole book is actually giving Emmett's character depth. In the beginning of the book, Emmett's internal thoughts seem to be the same as he is perceived in the rest of the books from Bella's perspective, but as the book progresses, we see Emmett being amazing, and how much of a loving and simply perfect person (loose definition) he is.

Edward & Rose (good God they could be toddlers but really cute nevertheless): The scene where Edward remembers the day that he and Rose became brother and sister is actually a gorgeous scene. Lives in my head rent free. Also I love how the come to a consensus that Rose won't play nice but she will tolerate, and then they both keep snapping silently at each other. BUT when Alice mentions Charlie and the red head on the phone (while getting Bella to the hospital), Rose is honest to God ready to kill for him. BRO.

Jasper's Powers (wait he's actually OP?): Jasper's general character depth isn't explored much in the book, but his powers that he displays in the field is actually on a whole different level. No explanation needed

Alice's Powers (it's a work of ART.): In the scene where they are transporting Bella from the dance studio to the hospital, we take a dive into how Alice uses her abilities and how she perfects the future. The whole scene is flawless and actually clears up a lot about her "physic" ability based on decision making. The whole section just flowed so well, and I love it so much.

BONUS POINTS: Emmett getting repeatedly annoyed at the silent conversations that Alice and Edward have. IM SORRY I LOVE IT SO MUCH, and I love how EVEN AFTER 70ISH YEARS OF LIVING WITH BOTH OF THEM, IT STILL ANNOYS HIM HAHA

Didn't think I was gonna write an essay tonight but here I am 😭😭

I do genuinely love the Twilight Universe (the book version y'all with only visual inspiration for imagination hehe) and this book....ah I love how it helps build the vampire side of the lore. It makes me so happy lol

[theficpusher]

Chasing Feelings by Neondiamond | M | 20029 When homicide detective Louis Tomlinson first gets assigned to work with detective Harry Styles, the newest addition to the Doncaster police station, on the biggest case of his career, he’s less than enthused about it. There’s a serial killer on the loose, and Louis has no time to waste working with a newbie, despite how attracted his inner Alpha may be to Harry’s sweet scent. Along the way, he finds he may have been too quick to judge the Omega.

Into This Mess by crimsontheory | E | 20561 The first day of Louis’ promotion is going well, far better than he expected. That is until his new partner shows up, who just so happens to be the guy who stumbled half-dressed out of his flat that same morning. Or the enemies to lovers detective AU.

a long way down (to the bottom of the river) by MediaWhore | M | 24184 “Most people would call Harry silly for believing in curses. Childish would also be a probable insult thrown his way. In their little town full of little people, Harry’s whimsical nature and beliefs mean that he’s subjected to frequent judgemental looks and whispers. It doesn’t usually bother him. Most people don’t know about the magic thrumming through his veins or about how powerful words can truly be. Most people don’t carry around their ancestors grief like a burden. They don’t have to pay for deeds hundreds of years old like Harry and his family have. They get to love freely without fear. Harry and his kin aren’t so lucky.” a practical magic au in which Harry and his sister accidentally kill her abusive boyfriend with magic and Louis is the D.I working the case.

A Study in Love by Rearviewdreamer | M | 24307 Louis knows everything about everyone which has put him at a great and weird advantage over nearly all of them since the very beginning. He can solve any puzzle before most people know where to begin. He is rarely perplexed, mistaken, or wrong, and obviously, Louis is never ever surprised. And yet, his new flatmate after a very long string of failed ones has Louis questioning how he ever did any of it without him.

Catching a Partner by berzerkshires | M | 24936 This documentary follows the story of two people who fell in love in the last place you'd expect. Louis is a detective at the Boston Police Department investigating a trail of recent murders. Harry is the latest victim who survived an attempted murder and is sent to live at a safe house with Detective Tomlinson as the killer is still at large. This is their story.

i've heard it both ways by vintagehistories | E | 26331 “I, uh.” Harry is scrambling, trying to think of something believable on the spot. He remembers the woman from reception and her phone call and says the only thing he can think of. “I’m a psychic.” Everyone stills. Zayn laughs, Detective Edwards looks confused, and the officer holding the door open looks mildly frightened. “A psychic?” Zayn gets out between his laughs. “I’ve heard it all. You’re definitely spending the night in the holding cell now. You’re wasting all of our time here.” an au based on the tv show psych where harry is shawn, louis is jules, liam is gus, niall is mcnabb, and zayn is lassie.

When Darkness Strikes by he_wants_to_write | E | 58766 Private Investigator Harry Styles is called to help solve a brutal homicide case in a small town by the North of England. There, he stumbles upon Detective Louis Tomlinson, and although their personalities crash and dark mysteries haunt their circumstances, the pair does have one thing in common; the will to catch the responsible behind the murder. Or, the suspenseful, thrilling Enemies to Lovers that evolves more than romance and slow burn.

technicolor by creamcoffeelou | E | 81386 When the small town of Twin Lakes begins experiencing a string of serial murders, a team of detectives is called in to help. Louis is the head of the team and meets a hard-headed psychic who everyone else seems to believe is the one who will solve the case. Louis isn't so sure. OR The slow-burn, hate-to-love, crime au where Harry is a psychic, Louis is a detective, and the world is against them.

Where you'd rather be by Itsmotivatingcara | M | 103456 Louis runs the best Canine Search and Rescue school in Augusta, Maine, one that trains dogs to track missing persons. He lives an idyllic life on Togus Pond where he's built his career from the ground up. He has everything he could ever want, a beautiful home, friends he adores and a dog that aids his students in their training. Romantic entanglements have never been high up on his list of priorities. That is, until he stumbles across a body in the woods. A woman was brutally murdered and dumped on his doorstep. It doesn't help that the Detective on the case happens to be devilishly handsome and just the right amount of broody. Detective Harry styles has a murder to solve, he's just gotten out of a long-term relationship and he's certainly not looking for another. Regardless of whether the man who run's the SAR unit's blue eyes sparkle with promise and a sense of belonging. Something he may or may not have been searching for all his life. Or Detective - Search and Rescue AU

[absolutelyhugh3s]

michigan maize | ee73

ethan edwards x reader!

more loosely based song fics!! this one is tennessee orange by megan moroney

thank you guys so so much for all the love and support on forever and ever!!! y’all seriously don’t understand how much it means to me!! i love every single one of you <33

word count: 1.13k (not my gif!)

“hi munchkin! how are you doing?” my mothers honey-like voice filled my ears as she answered my call.

oh god, i'm really doing this.

“hi mama” i smiled even though she couldn’t see me “im good”

“i've got some news” i said nervously, clenching the comforter of my bed in my fist.

“oh honey is everything alright?” her slight chicago accent peaking through.

“dont worry im doing okay, just please dont tell dad?” i pleaded with my mother.

“y/n did something happen?” she asked worriedly.

“yes mama. he’ll blow a fuse if he found out” my father wasn’t big on me going to the umich. being the coach of msu hockey, he wanted me to go there.

but when i received an amazing scholarship to play lacrosse, i had to take it.

the first thing he told me when i left for school was “don't run off with any of those hockey boys y/n, they are very bad news.”

well, he’s clearly never met ethan.

“i know you raised me to know right from wrong, but god he makes it so hard” i chuckle “he?” my mother questions.

“i met somebody mama, hes brunette, and he's got these big brown eyes, and he opens the door for me everywhere i go!” 

ethan and y/n go on small date’s every wednesday night. its an awkward time for some, but for them, its the only time in their busy schedules that they can be together.

today, their date night was dressing up super fancy (as barbie and ken of course) seeing the barbie movie, and eating at a small diner a few blocks from the movie theater.

ethan had planned out the entire thing and the couple had a blast. once ethan had driven her back to her on campus apartment, she thanked the older boy, kissed him goodbye and began to exit the car.

“WAIT” ethan yelled. he jumped up out of the drivers seat, exiting the car and running around to open his girlfriend’s car door. “ok now you can go” he smiled

the small action made the girl melt like a snowman in summer. the defenseman than sprinted to the main door of her apartment complex, opening that for her as well.

“m’lady” he held out a hand as y/n walked through the door a blushing mess. he than took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers, leading her up to her apartment.

though the action was so little, it made her fall in love with him more and more every day.

“he just makes me so happy! hes like perfectly perfect! god! i've never felt this way mama!” i ramble.

“hun” my mother chuckles. “whats his name?” i then realize i left out the most important part “ethan! ethan edwards! mama you would love him” i smiled.

“but back home id be sinning” the smile fades slightly from my face. “why is that dear?” it seems as though she could hear what was going though my mind.

“mama, hes got me wearing maize and blue for him” i sarcastically laughed. 

“you should come to my game tomorrow” ethan said, running his hands through the ends of the y/h/c girls hair.

“the boys would love to see you, plus i get to have my own little good luck charm in the stands” the boy smiled like a small child at the girl laying on his chest.

“really?” she looked up at the brown haired boy with big doe eyes. “yes really” he grinned.

“here” he moved the smaller girl off of his chest to stand up from his bed.

he rummages through his closet, looking for a specific item of clothing.

suddenly a large yellow piece of fabric is thrown at her “you can even wear my jersey” he smiles.

the girl holds it up a large ‘edwards 73’ stares at her. “you know what e? i think i will”

“oh hes an athlete?” my mom says, surprised.

“yeah hekindasortamaybeplayshockey” i rush out, nervous of what my mother would say.

“im gonna need you to slow down y/n/n” she chuckles

“he plays hockey mama. he had me wearing his jersey at a msu game! of course i want the spartans to win but still! his smile! oh his smile! it makes me forget i look better in green!” i gush about my boyfriend.

“so thats why you didnt want your father to know” my mom teases, clearly finding enjoyment in this entire situation.

“oh please forgive me mama, i like him a lot” i beg “oh i think its a lot more than like sweetheart” my mom says. “what?”

“oh honey you are head over heels for ethan” she laughs “i've known for ten minutes and i can tell” 

“oh god im in love with a wolverine!” i exclaim.

“babygirl its ok! the worlds not gonna end! growing up in chicago i said i would never date a red wings fan, guess what? i married one!” she laughs.

“so you’re not mad?” i asked hesitantly.

“of course not y/n! its my job as your mother to always be supportive of you” i could tell she was smiling though the phone.

i talked with my mother for a while longer about random stuff for about another half hour. “mama i have to go, ethan should be here in a few minutes” i say.

“alright sweetie, invite him home would ya?” my mother asks. “of course mama, i love you” “i love you too sweet girl, bye bye”

i clean things up for about ten minutes when i hear a knock at my apartment door.

“you can come in e!” i shout. “ok!” he shouts back before walking in.

i put the last few dishes in the cabinet when i feel two muscular arms snake around my waist and a face bury into the crook of my neck.

“hi baby” he mumbles, tightening his hold on my waist.

“hi e” i giggled. “guess what i did today” i added.

“hmm climbed mount everest?” “nope” “slayed a dragon?” “nope” “killed someone?” “god no!”

“i told my mom about us” i smiled. ethans parents have known for a few weeks now about us, but he didnt wanna push me to tell mine. he wanted me to be comfortable with doing it myself.

ethan spins me around, his hands steading my hips. “you did?” he smiles.

“i did” i mirror his smile. the much larger boy then pulls me into the tightest hug possible.

“im so proud of you baby” he says, kissing the crown of my head.

“i have a question though” i place my chin on his sternum so im looking up at ethan. “whats up love?”

“what are you doing for spring break?”

[acapelladitty]

Consumption (Scriddler Fic)

Summary - Tired of fantasy, Jonathan finally decides that it is time to taste Edward.

Based loosely on this stunning piece of artwork from @skxtchyghost

Ghosting his lips across the swell of Edward's neck, Jonathan inhaled the scent of his sweat-slicked skin like it were a fine bouquet. The sweat was fresh, a single bead rolling down towards the fabric of his shirt, but it held an acrid quality that Jonathan instantly recognised as fear.

"Scared, Edward?" Jonathan allowed his mouth to hover as he muttered the purred words into Edward's skin, admiring the gooseflesh which rose across the area and disappeared down his chest. "Hmm?"

"Not scared." Edward denied breathily, his throat visibly hitching as he lied. "But I cannot think of a man who would not be apprehensive having a wolf so close to his most vulnerable flesh."

"A wolf?" The slight modulation of Jonathan's voice was as unsettling as ever, more so due to the predatory delight Edward could hear wrapped around the comparison. "Well, if you wish me a wolf..."

A sharp gasp quickly rising into a squeal, Edward flinched in position - unable to pull away due to the inhumane grip with Jonathan maintained on his upper body - as Jonathan's sharp teeth breached the sensitive skin of his throat, white hot pain blossoming in the area as he felt the skin tear free. Moaning as he thrashed, the tickle of warm liquid trickling down his collarbone told Edward everything he needed to know about how deeply the wound lay.

"Jon-Jonathan!" He groaned out, voice stuttering over the simple name as adrenaline made his head swim dangerously for a moment as the scent of copper swirled against his nose. "What the fu-"

"Not Jonathan," Jonathan snapped, any trace of teasing having plummeted from his tone. "Say my name."

Fingers itching to press against the throbbing wound as it continued to bleed out, the droplets only paused by Jonathan's lips as they once again wrapped around the afflicted area, Edward felt almost delirious as his mind fought to find the answer Jonathan was looking for.

It struck him in a moment, the same moment that Jonathan's thin tongue slipped out to probe at the torn skin - igniting fresh heat in his abused neck and he whined out the correct response.

"Scarecrow."

[queer-book-character-tournament]

Another essay (different anon) in defense of Team Edward. (Not to be taken seriously)

...

The Team Jacob vs Team Edward debate presents a choice, not just for the lover of Bella Swan, but her fate, and that of the other characters of Twilight. Edward or Jacob presents an ultimatum, which cannot be placed solely on the romance.

It is a choice, for Bella, between humanity and immortality. Between the world she knows, and the one she's getting to know.

To choose Edward is to reject humanity, and the life she has. She gets to keep it for a while, but time is relentless and will eventually force her to leave it behind.

To choose Jacob is to reject the Cullens, and their world. Jacob is a shifter, but the Quilete don't have a connection to the rest of the supernatural, they shift only to protect themselves against them. The Cullens will move on, and Bella will not have strong enough ties to keep them. She will be left aware of all that she does not know, forever hoping to either catch another glimpse of that world, or trying desperately to forget. Jacob would support her, but he will not be enough on his own.

Either way, Bella will have to sacrifice something. She cannot maintain the status quo forever. If she does not choose one, she will loose them both. However, if she chooses Jacob, Edward would leave. He is unable to bear having her near, yet out of reach. He will leave, and never come back. Bella will lose him forever.

The other Cullens might visit occasionally, but no more than that. It will just make it harder for her to move on. Edward will not move on, at least not for several decades, but it will be centuries before he truly recovers, and even then he will be changed. Bella knows this. She knows Edward, and knows how much it would hurt him. The guilt, misplaced or not, will keep her from being truly happy.

Not only that, but the very concept of imprinting will always hang over them, an uncertainty they have no control over. Jacob chose her, but that choice could be taken away from him. Even if it never happens, the possibility will haunt them.

If she chooses Edward, it will hurt Jacob, but it will fade. He loves her, but he can love again. He is not like Edward, who is so static that any change alters him permanently. Jacob is to young, not just in age, but in personality. It may take him a few years, but he can find love again.

If Bella chooses Edward, Jacob remains in her life. He would refuse to let her go completely, even if it means having to endure being only friends. Friends is a good thing to be.

If Bella chooses Edward, she will have to move on. Leave behind her friends, her family, and her home. Yet she finished school. She's going to college. Time moves on. Change happens anyway. She will just learn to live with it.

I’m so obsessed that I’m actually getting these essays absolutely brightening my day that you guys are rolling this hard with my joke poll

I’m giving high marks for your analysis of themes the love triangle represents rather than just the romance of the love triangle itself as well as prediction of outcome based on source material for both sides of the argument

However, once again we have a student who has not put their name on their paper so I’m unable to deliver these high marks personally. how will you put them on your fridge with your report card???

[aurora-313]

I never understood why there had to be such a massive conspiracy around Masaki. It detracts from the tragedy of Memories In The Rain and Ichigo's character as a whole that she was a Quincy.

Look at that flashback objectively if Masaki were a powerless human:

It's bucketing down rain, a deluge in the middle of monsoon season. You're eager to get your son home from his karate practice. Conditions are dreadful but as long as you're on concrete, you're both okay. Then your son suddenly stops. Something only he claims he can see catches his attention. You've indulged his talk about ghosts because he's a boy, he's allowed to have an imaginary friend and its never harmed anyone. But suddenly, your son's shouting. Launching into a full sprint down that steep slippery hill, at the base of which is a dangerous rushing river. Or potentially slip on a loose bit of stone or root, and break his neck. You can't see what he sees. As far as you're aware, your son's taken absolute leave of his senses and is charging headlong into a certainly fatal situation. Naturally, your response would be to freak out and throw yourself after your son, hoping to catch him before he could jump into the water, very probably drowning. Then CHOMP. Hollow chow.

Revealing Masaki was a Quincy is irreparably cheapening her death.

Let's pretend for a second Grand Fisher wasn't there. And the same thought process outlined above occurs.

In an attempt to stop Ichigo running down the hill, Masaki could've slipped, fallen and broke her neck instead. Or took a bad tumble, ending with a fatal blow to the head. The effect on Ichigo would've been the same. He would've developed a massive guilt complex because his tragedy of impulse caused his mother's death.

That is the whole crux of Ichigo's guilt. His actions caused this outcome. And it was the hardest lesson he had to learn.

Grand Fisher or no, if Ichigo hadn't acted the way he did, if he hadn't tried to save the 'girl' from falling into the river, then his mother wouldn't have died in the first place.

Revealing Masaki as a Quincy, and that her powers were """conveniently""" stolen at exactly the time she needed them most, completely invalidates the human randomness, tragedy and relatability of that death.

It invalidates the guilt that drives 99% of Ichigo's character and actions. That same guilt, now predicated on false pretenses, fueled his desire to protect, to suffer through hell if it meant he could protect the people he cared about (at times to their detriments). Especially since that desire can rage dangerously out of control, and at one point literally got Ichigo killed and reanimated as a monstrous hollow hellbent on destroying everything around it, muttering 'protect, protect, protect' like a zombie.

It's a flaw Ichigo had to overcome by coming to terms with it and using it to as motivation in a healthier manner. Not be absolved of.

A prime example of a character carrying their guilt and growing past it done well is Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist/Brotherhood.

Edward and Alphonse never got over Nina and Alexander. They were never absolved of their guilt. Its a mark permanently etched in their collective psyches and reconciling with the fact alchemy could be used in such vile ways drove a huge part of their early characters.

What they did was learn to grieve and cope and move on with it as motivation. They vowed never to allow that kind of monstrosity to happen again. Even when Ed's about to give up his alchemy forever, he declares 'I'm just a simple human who couldn't save a little girl. Not even with alchemy.'

Rather than have Ichigo go through a journey like this, EBTR removes the burden of guilt from Ichigo's shoulders completely when Isshin tells him "No, it wasn't your iconic recklessness that got your mother killed. It was an ancient prophecy and you never should've felt guilty in the first place."

Isshin may as well have said "Everything you believed about yourself since the moment you were born is a lie. The foundation of your personality since you were 9 is a lie. Have fun finding a therapist to deal with the crippling psychological ramifications of that bombshell, but do it after you win another war for us."

It irreparably damages Masaki, and by extension Ichigo's and Isshin's, characters that she had powers.

If Masaki was a Quincy from the jump. Cool, why didn't she teach Ichigo basic control of his reiryoku? Or how to tell the living from the dead - something Ichigo canonically struggled with for as long as he could remember? Basic safety measures that would've avoided those kinds of situations in the first place.

You don't wait until a toddler get splattered by cars before telling them not to play in a busy road, or not to stick a fork in a power point after they've been electrocuted and rushed to the hospital. You teach them rules and install safety measures to prevent those situations in the first place.

There's four main interpretations I take from Masaki's decision to willfully neglect Ichigo's education in the spirit arts:

Well-meaning but naïve and frankly reckless desire to preserve Ichigo's innocence for as long as possible. Fair and the most benign explanation.

Threatened into maintaining her silence by either Kisuke or Isshin (or both depending how generous I feel), lest the seal on her hollowfication "mysteriously" weaken.

Realizing she was a dead woman walking since been bitten by White, Masaki partook in the conspiracy to turn Ichigo into a living weapon and purposefully martyred herself to make it happen.

Masaki having powers is the cosmic retcon of retcons and Kubo didn't think about the implications of his own writing...

If Masaki absolutely HAD to be a Quincy for the sake of turning Ichigo into Aizen's gary stu project, then fine.Yhwach's influence should've been kept far FAR away from it.

Maybe Masaki couldn't use her powers because if she tried, it would've destroyed the seal keeping the hollowfication in check. When Grand Fisher emerged, she baited it to kill her instead.

"Oh, but we need to explain why Ichigo's so powerful."

Ichigo's sperm donor is an ex-Captain and member of one of the royal families, who are noted to have above average base stats. His powers took a hollow aspect thanks to the encroachment temporarily transforming him into a hollow at the base of shattered shaft. Hollowfied Shinigami are naturally stronger (on paper) than their non-hybrid counterparts.

"Why does he two spirits?" The awakening of his power was so fractious it literally splintered into its component pieces. The hollow is the repressed parts of Ichigo's, so its a psychopathic reflection of himself. The old man is the other half of his soul realising the best way to get through to Ichigo is by giving him actual fucking parent.

Sometimes Occam's Razor is the best solution.

[amuseoffyre]

I was reading the interview with Jes Tom about the trans allegory of Ed dropping his leathers overboard and my brain latched onto it and started gnawing :D

It got me thinking that this definitely vibes with feelings I had back in 1x10 with Izzy keeping this emotionally vulnerable version of Blackbeard safely hidden from public view ("you will not speak of what you see on pain of death"), Lucius encouraging Ed to express himself and the whole "this… whatever it is that you have become" scene.

Ed says it there himself "I am still Blackbeard" and Izzy flat-out tells him he's not unless he presents himself a specific way, dresses and acts a specific way ('this is Blackbeard'.) Simply being "Edward" and expressing himself and his emotions means that Ed faces hostility, derision, implicit threat and "I should have let the English kill you".

Ed pulls on his leathers again again because he's been threatened by someone close to him, but this time it's different - the intent is different. No more "I am still Blackbeard" because apparently his version of Blackbeard isn't enough (and this is already on the back of Stede saying "you can't be Blackbeard without your black beard"). Now it's "the kraken" or "the fucking devil".

More importantly, when he puts the clothes back on, he does it based on one of the propaganda pictures distributed by the English. This isn't his choice of presentation anymore. I find it fascinating that his look at the beginning of S2 is some kind of hybrid of the Mad Devile Pyrate Blackbeard and the image that Izzy shoved in his face in 1x10. (Also love the detail that Izzy's image has elements that appear in Black Pete's fantasy of Blackbeard, to confirm that this image isn't accurate either)

It's a defensive pushback, escalating to the 'viking vampire clown' aesthetic, because if he's being threatened by someone he trusted and he's had past experience of people being nice to him then turning on him ('it's a fickle crowd'), he'll have to go to another extreme to make sure no one will get close enough to hurt him or threaten him again.

The clothing is only a surface element. It's part of an armour to protect himself with his presentation. Stede's line in 1x03 explains it in a nutshell - "It's a power move - make people feel underdressed and suddenly, you're the one in charge". People don't know him/aren't afraid of him when they see him without it (the party ship - "do you know who I am?") and this carries over into S2 as well (the people at the fish shack).

It only hit me now that every scene where he expresses his emotions when he's in his leathers includes some kind of hiding - his hair loose around his face, hiding under a robe in Stede's bath tub, standing at the back of the ship where no one can see his face, closing himself away to cry in an empty room, hiding under a blanket at Mary and Anne's. He's been forced to hide his vulnerabilities when he's in his armour for decades.

Even when he's talking to Stede (and others), he doesn't express his real intentions. It's all skirting around what he actual wants and feels. The "run me through", the "next adventure" - Ed doesn't feel he can express what he wants directly, because he always has to keep his guard up.

The beginning of 2x07 is Ed wanting to shed the need for that surface armour, that visible shield for Edward. He drops them overboard and immediately goes and talks to Stede about his emotions and his feelings for the first time.

The fact that Izzy saw the leather-drop and this time says "maybe you should listen to it" instead of tearing him down shows how far they've come. Ed feels safe with Stede and wants to just be himself, but when faced with the idea of staying in the world where that armour - that presentation and the expectations that come with it - is necessary again, he panics and runs.

Then their entire world is burning and as far as he knows, Stede is injured or dead.

Once again, the leathers come back, but this time, Ed is the one who chooses to put them on. He's taking this piece of himself that he has hated for years and turns it back into the armour that has protected him for this long to get back to Stede. Him having that choice, making that choice, is key.

I think the biggest thing is him realising he can be Blackbeard and Ed and whoever he wants to be without cutting off pieces of himself. So much of the Blackbeard presentation has been code-switching and hiding his real self. This time, he doesn't hide. He finds a letter and has a cry over it and the instant he's back at Stede's side, he drops his weapon and, for the first time, kisses Stede out in the open in front of people and tells him he loves him.

Ed is no longer afraid to be seen and expressing himself. He's letting himself - all aspects of himself - be seen. The clothes aren't him. They just happen to be there while he is himself.

My expectation is that S3 will see him finally being able to leave that armour behind for good and I can't wait for it.