#he's got much more ambition than i do though. more ambition than i'll have in 10 lifetimes

[britneyshakespeare]

Man is saying weird things to me again

[cougheemedicine]

Light as a Feather

Blade x GN!Reader

Word Count: 2165

Warnings: Mostly fluff, angst at the end, allusions to prostitution but nothing actually happens, skimmed over but not proof read (I think that’s it?)

Content: Reader works in a brothel as an escort, Reader is the stellaron hunter's informant, mutual pining, longing, Reader yearns for non-intimate affection, Blade is bad at any kind of affection but is trying, Kafka and Silver Wolf mentioned

Summary: As cut-throat and ruthless as Blade could be, he was always gentle with you. Something you’re not used to in your line of work.

A/n: Continuation of my previous work You but can be read on its' own.

Also, guess who’s now obsessed with Love and Deepspace

˜”*°•.•°*”˜

        Being arm candy for some rich politician for a night was easy enough on its own. Dress yourself to the nines in your finest finery, powder yourself in only the most expensive make up, and flash that show-stopping smile of yours. Make the other attendees laugh a little, and your patron may just throw in a tip.

        You've done it before, you've got the act down to an art at this point. When to laugh, when to bat your lashes, whose hand to kiss and who to turn your nose up to. You'll do anything for the right price.

        But there's something about this place, and the patrons, that sends a shiver clawing up your spine. The eyes are colder than you're used to, and the champagne is sour. The pillars holding up the high ceilings and grand chandeliers are rotten at the base, and you don't know how much longer the foundation will hold.

        Your patron, a devilishly handsome politician who'd recently taken the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, takes your hand. He grips your fingers so tightly you wouldn't have been able to pull away if you tried. Making a show of it, he kisses the ring resting on your pinkie finger, the ring he had bought you. "I'll be back shortly. Entertain those officials and their wives for me, won't you? And save me a dance,"

        Music swells as your patron leaves, you catch him shaking hands with a woman in violet out of the corner of your eye before your attention is recaptured by the officials you have hanging off your every word. The lights slowly dim, and groups break off into pairs, heading to the dancefloor. Slowly the people surrounding you dissipate, and you can finally breathe. Empty words, honeyed smiles covering rancid ambitions. It was an entirely new language to learn, and you weren't any kind of scholar.

        The air changes, colder somehow, and you feel eyes on you once more. Though, these eyes don't disgust you.

        "Hey, you,"

        Blade hums, "You look tired,"

        Blade stands shoulder to shoulder with you. Dressed just as fancily as you, even his long hair is elaborately braided back, surely Kafka and Silver Wolf's doing. You glare at him from your periphery. "Good evening to you as well, good sir. What happened to 'you look nice'?"

        Blade hums again, his shoulder brushes against yours, and his gloved fingers ever so lightly graze your knuckles.

        The song changes, and pairs change and sway. People weave their way back to the sidelines as a slow waltz resonates throughout the hall.

        "I didn't know you'd be here of all places. I thought you'd wait till he was somewhere less... public," Your patron didn't choose you. You had carefully placed your picture at the top of the pile of escorts he frequented, all so he'd try to cozy up to you in the way all people of his ilk did when faced with a beautiful face and a silver tongue. You'd been slowly building a file on him for weeks.

        Blade drops his gaze, playing with the ruby ring on your finger worth more than anything you own. "Plan's changed. Kafka's distracting him while Silver Wolf clears his files. I'm here to get you out since we didn't tell you anything. Things'll get messy when he realizes,"

        "Aw, I'm touched. Kafka looks great in violet by the way," Your jest falls as flat as your tone. Far too done with everything to be expressive. You're sure Blade won't mind. "You could've waited till he paid me y'know. I only got the down payment,"

        Blade sighs, and he retracts his hand. "Elio says he needs him gone, we couldn't wait any longer. I'll make sure you're properly compensated,"

        Once more the song changes, another waltz. You step forward, setting your champagne flute on the tray of a passing server before offering your hand to the stellaron hunter. "May I have a dance first? I won't step on your feet. Promise,"

        Blade pulls his lips into a line, contemplative, and a grin spreads across your painted lips as he relents, taking your hand. "Just one,"

        You tug him to the dancefloor, resting your hand on his shoulder. Blade's hand ghosts over the small of your back, barely even guiding you as you both sway to the melody. He keeps you close, despite his hesitance to even touch you. With nothing but a gentle squeeze of your fingers, Blade spins you, tugging you even closer.

        You smile, a short laugh leaving your lips when you finally look at the man's face. His eyes are focused solely on you. Deep crimson, reminiscent only of blood, meets your eye with such a burning intensity you can't bare look away. Even if another shiver goes up your spine, the cause of it completely different than previously.

        You and Blade continue to sway to the music, your chest grazing his, and the feeling of his fingers ghosting over the fabric covering your back sending icy tingles down your back.

°•.

        Ever so lightly, like you'd shatter under his touch, Blade leads you to the balcony of the hall. The eyes of the officials you were entertaining earlier pierce your flesh like rusty daggers, somehow able to zero in on you from across the grand banquet hall. As piercing as their eyes are, and as venom seeps from their lips, surely saying nothing good about you. You keep your gaze forward.

        Blade could feel you stiffen through his gloves and the fabric of your garment. You can feel his thumb rub gentle circles on your back. You catch when his eyes flit to your form, before over his shoulder back into the fray of the event. The patrons, not at all subtly, whispering behind their fans and plates of hors d'oeuvres.

       He huffs, scanning the balcony before bringing you closer by the hip. “Blade, what are you doing?”

       “Hold tight,”

       “What? Why?” A scream leaves your lips, heart in your throat, arms snapping around Blade faster than even you could process as Blade jumps from the balcony of the venue to the roof of a block of luxury condos.

       Blade stabilizes you, hands firm on your shoulders as your legs gain feeling again. “Never,” You grit through heavy breaths “Do that again,”

       Not a chuckle, or even a hum of acknowledgment from the man as he steps away from you, heading to the edge of the roof to get a better look of the surroundings. Your heart clenches in a way unfamiliar to you, especially when paired with the tingling that came with such a delicate touch.

       To think a touch so feather-light from a man as stoic as Blade would have you swooning like a maiden in love. You were used to rough. Controlling and assertive. Like you were a mere thing instead of a living, breathing being. Something as small as Blade brushing his knuckles against yours and playing with the ring on your finger shouldn’t leave you, a practised escort, reeling and needing to collect yourself in the way it does.

       “Well, my knight in shining armour, what are we to do now?” You tack your typical smile on your face, striding forward with a new strength in your gait as if you hadn’t just been clinging to him for fear of collapsing on yourself not even a minute prior. Side by side once more, Blade turns to you, eyes swirling with something so dim you can barely read it. He offers you his hand, stone-faced as ever. “Let’s get you home,”

       It hits you like a bullet, jarring in a way you almost don’t feel it until it’s well too late, and the spark from the barrel has already faded. Blade’s outstretched hand, an offering instead of a command. Even as you place your hand atop his, he doesn’t even clasp it, only brushing his thumb over your knuckles, and that damn ring.

       Blade always gave you the choice. The choice to pull away, the choice to accept. A touch so light you can barely feel it but you still know it’s there. Light as a feather.

˜”*°•.•°*”˜

       Blade groans audibly as he tugs the pins from his hair, the elaborate braids and twists tumbling down his back when he runs his gloved hand through his hair. Now in the comfort of your room, you do the same. Wiping the make up from your face after changing into something much more comfortable. You can see his reflection in your vanity mirror, his back is turned to you.

       “You’re going to get your hair all tangled doing that,”

       Crimson eyes dart to meet yours through the mirror. Blade shrugs his shoulders, turning to you fully in the mirror, “It’s fine,”

       You roll your eyes, being as dramatic as you can with the action as you stand from the stool. You turn to Blade, one hand on your hip and a brush in the other. “Sit down, mister,”

       Blade only blinks at you, dropping his hands to his sides. The stalemate between you both is short lived when Blade sighs heavily, making his way across the room and sitting himself down on your vanity stool. You grin, you win again. Blade’s eyes snap to yours in the mirror, “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not in the mood to argue with you,”

       You hum, situating yourself behind him as you begin brushing his hair “Mhm, whatever you say Bladie,”

       Minutes pass in silence. Only the occasional huff from Blade when your brush hits a particularly tough knot, and your amused hums when your eyes meet Blade’s through the mirror. He looks thoroughly annoyed, and you’re living for it.

       “You’re enjoying this far too much,”

       “Shush, you. If you wanted me to stop you’d have gotten up.”

       Silence follows your exchange, even as you set your brush down. You run your fingers through his hair, twisting it and letting it lay over his shoulder. “Perfect. Now turn to me, your bangs are uneven,”

       Blade does as you say, wordlessly looking up at you from his place. It’s only then do you realize how close the both of you are. Barely three inches of space between you. Blade’s eyelids droop, gazing at you hazily as you raise a hand to his jaw. Tentatively, you let just your fingertips graze his skin, your fingers under his chin while your thumb just barely brushes his jawline. You suck in a breath, using your free hand to fix his bangs. “May I kiss you?”

       “You-“ Blade rasps, barely above a whisper before cutting himself off as you inch closer. As awkward as the angle is, you’re standing between his legs, basically hovering over him. Neither of you move away. A small smile curls across your lips. Blade never forced anything on you, dangling flint the fact he paid you over your head to push you along. The fleeting touches, and stolen time were never a precursor to anything. You could always pull away.

       An inch. A centimetre. Then nothing at all. Blade stands abruptly, the wooden stool scratching against the floor making you wince. You lick your lips, the buzzing sensation of what could’ve been still present. Blade raises his hands, rubbing the underside of your arms as your eyes meet once more. Something you could almost read as regret pooling in his eyes. “Not-“ He sucks in a breath, “Not like this,”

       “Blade, what do you mean-?“

       He dodges your question, weaving around you to your balcony. You all but scramble to follow him, barely avoiding slamming yourself into the glass pane doors. His white-knuckle grip on the railing lessens as you trail behind him. Silently, you place your hand on his, and he turns to you. He stares at you, in that way he always does. Something you can’t quite place in his gaze as he looks at you. He doesn’t move as you get closer again, prying his fingers from the railing to lace with yours.

       “I’m sorry, Blade. I shouldn’t have-“ Blade cuts you off, silently he leans forward, pressing a feather-light kiss to your forehead. His grip on your interlocked hands tightens, ever so slightly. The pressure is barely there, you could back away if you wanted. Slip your hand from his and go back inside, but you’d be insane if you did. Blade is the one who back away. The one to lean back, leaving a tingling sensation in your forehead. The one to pry his hand from yours. 

       And, just like that, he’s gone. Off like he was never even there. You raise a hand to your forehead, brushing your thumb against where his lips had been. Light as a feather.

˜”*°•.•°*”˜

work belongs to @cougheemedicine, all forms of plagiarism, modifying, translating, reposting are not allowed.

[not-your-bro]

what i did and didn't (but mostly didn't) like about until dawn remake's character trait changes

hello friends and fans. i am super excited to welcome all my pals back to the latest episode of Laura Yaps About Until Dawn Remake. i've talked about the prologue here and here, and i plan on talking about other elements of the game (visuals, gameplay, narrative changes) whenever life and time allows.

before i go off about the character traits, thanks to @claarria for posting this handy side-by-side of old vs new. super helpful! i'll be using those images here.

and generally speaking, let it be known that i think the font change is so fucking ugly 💖 like god bless but it is so bad 💖💖 and they've made the layout so much less dynamic by just listing all the traits straight down, bullet point style?? it is all very microsoft powerpoint core and it sucks. anyway. onto the characters, in order of appearance.

sam

off topic but very importantly, how did they fuck up sam's face THAT bad?? ballistic moon sapped the life out of her and now there is literally nothing behind those eyes. HOMEGIRL WAKE UP 👏👏

one trait change here: adventurous -> brave. not wrong, but super redundant, because brave is one of the character stats in the menu, so like. at any point when i'm playing her, i can pop in the menu and see exactly how brave she is. it's pointless to put it here.

chris

one change: methodical -> loyal. and honestly. this one slays i can't lie. like yeahhhh 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

i know everyone loves to hate on chris now, but he pushes to help sam even when it puts himself at risk and he goes to the shed to get josh even though josh just traumatized the hell out of him lmao. boy is loyal asf and i'm more than happy to see it replace methodical.

jess

big changes here. i'm not jazzed to see confident go. i always thought smg included it purposefully, because this is how jess is trying to come across, even though she's actually insecure.

and imo trusting fits her far better than, say, driven. based on em's comment about her grades (and the fact that jess doesn't deny it lmao), i don't think she has much drive or ambition at this point in her life. she's always struck me as the kind of person who doesn't have a big dream or passion, and as high school graduation approaches she would feel sort of aimless? like she doesn't know where to go next.

i don't mean these as negatives, btw. jess is a top 3 ud character for me. i just don't think she's driven. and i think she is irreverent. and that's fine. 💖

emily

one change: persuasive -> forthright. like sam's change, this isn't wrong. emily is definitely forthright. but i don't like that we're shifting her further from mike (more on that later), and this change makes her use of words seem less purposeful. like she says what she wants just for the sake of it, instead of: she knows what to say to get people to do what she wants.

matt

matt's trait changes make for a much different impression. motivated and ambitious have been swapped with obliging and dependable, which shifts the focus from himself to others. we're drawing attention to an agreeable, go-with-the-flow personality, rather than the fact that he's got big dreams for himself (get that scholarship, bud).

i'm not sure i'm the biggest fan, because it kind of makes him seem like a doormat? it's possible that he never talks to emily about how she treats him, and he does film the prank on hannah even though he doesn't seem like he would. still...i guess i wish there was more of a mix here. he can be obliging and dependable, but he doesn't have to be, depending on your choices, and this really makes him feel like everything he does is for the sake of others.

mike

i appreciate ballistic moon pulling these shots back a little - some of them were really, like, up the character's nose lmfao. but bro those traits are unreadable against mike's skin 😭😭

anyway, mikey gets a complete overhaul. i've been over brave with sam. it's a waste of a slot. and it's not that mike isn't driven or charismatic. i mean, he is definitely charismatic, given his popularity in fandom. even i have this feeling of 'man, i should not be charmed by him' <- is definitely charmed by him. but i think we're losing a lot by separating him from emily, with whom he used to share 2 out of 3 traits (intelligent and persuasive). i always thought that said a lot about why they would be drawn to each other and start a relationship - but also why that relationship wouldn't last.

if i were to give mike any new trait, it'd probably be impulsive, which i think is a great fit for him. mike may be intelligent, but when it comes to decisions, he's a man of action - a doer, not a thinker. which is just as likely to lead to a bad outcome as it is a good one.

ashley

one change here (forthright -> sensitive), but god does it fucking suck. SENSITIVE?????? be fr. is ashley sensitive or is she traumatized nonstop for eight hours? she was upset when she was chained to a wall and thought she was going to die! when she thought her friend died! when she thought her other dead friend's ghost was trying to communicate with them! when she was put in a life-or-death trap a second time! that sure was sensitive of her!

if i could revert only one trait change, it would be this one. 0/10.

josh

must be said that josh's shot is much better in the remake. it could not have been worse, like i will never understand how anyone looked at that half-closed eye and open mouth and was like yeah that's a good first impression LMAO. so, cool with that.

tbh i also like josh's trait changes? this is another total overhaul, but honestly, at the risk of getting booed offstage, i'm happy with this. if i'm being real, complex was always a waste of a slot. like...yeah? i hope so? all of your characters should be complex to some degree. it feels like a weird shade to the other characters to point out one guy, specifically, as complex. so the rest of them are simple, then? 🤨 it's not that i would argue against josh being the most complex - i do think he is (though i realize my stance on that means little because i'm up this man's ass). it's just weird to draw attention to it.

as for the other traits, yeah, josh is thoughtful and loving. for sure. but i feel like these are sort of...level 2 traits. ykwim? and the new traits are level 1. if you hung out with josh in a casual way, in a group setting, remake traits would be more likely to spring to mind, to match that initial impression. i think you'd have to look more closely or spend more time to clock that he's thoughtful and loving, because outside of his sisters, i don't think he's particularly straightforward or overt in the way he conveys those things, and he wouldn't draw attention to them. maybe i'm leaning too hard on the version of him i've fleshed out in my mind, but josh is the kind of guy who would, like, remember one offhand comment matt made about liking a specific brand of beer. months later, at the next lodge trip, it's there in the fridge, and josh says nothing about it. but he remembered, and he got it. that's josh's brand of thoughtfulness. in my opinion.

none of these six traits are wrong, i just think the new ones are better 'first impression' traits for him.

[enha-doodles]

THAT ASSHOLE ✧⁺。

Pairing : Tom riddle x fem!reader

Synopsis : you and Tom are academic rivals and hate each other , but is it your fault when that competitive asshole cannot handle one loss and seeks for revenge which leaves you in detention

Warnings : cursing , normal fighting ? Not proofread I'm sorry 😭

Note : my first ever Harry potter fic sksksk , I'm very excited for this one . This is also my first fic after like a year ? And I've improved a lot so I hope you guys like it <33

In the hallowed halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where the echoes of centuries-old spells mingle with the whispers of ambitious young wizards, I stormed down the corridor, my footsteps echoing with determination. Clutched tightly in ny hand was the parchment that bore the results of the latest Defense Against the Dark Arts examination—a subject I prided myself on excelling in , but surprisingly this time I didn't get the highest grade , though i already have an idea who got excellent score - that asshole .

As I rounded the corner, my path intersected with none other than Tom Riddle , the brooding Slytherin prodigy whose mere presence seemed to cast a shadow over my ambitions. His dark eyes flickered with a smugness that ignited a spark of anger within me , knowing all too well that he had likely aced the exam and overstepped me .

"You're in the damn way, Riddle," i spat, my voice laced with disdain as i attempted to sidestep him. But Tom, ever the opportunist, blocked my path with a sly smirk playing on his lips. "Ah, (L/N), always using such unladylike words , maybe thats one of the reason why you seem to be below than me ," he taunted, his voice dripping with condescension.

Suppressing the urge to roll my eyes, I clenched my jaw, refusing to let him see how much his words affected me . "Unlike some , I actually don't care what people say and while we talk about my academic pursuits , it'd be better if you keep your insignificant opinion to yourself ," i retorted, my tone laced with venom. Our rivalry was legendary within the walls of Hogwarts, a constant clash of intellects and egos that fueled their disdain for one another.

With a sarcastic smile, I pushed past Tom, my resolve steeling against the inevitable confrontation that awaited the both of us in the days to come. For as long as we remained academic rivals, our mutual hatred would burn as brightly as the flames of Gryffindor and Slytherin.

Tom's voice echoed in the long and ominous hallway making me stop at my tracks . "Maybe you should work on yourself instead of just trying to prove your worth , which I may insist would be nothing less than my broom" That arrogant jerk . Thankfully there were almost no students around since it was time for another lesson . I could feel my rage burning , running through my veins as i stormed towards him and grabbed him by the collar of his stupidly perfect robe "You better learn to shut your fucking mouth riddle , I'm no patient woman and I would definitely not hesitate to show you just how much I have in myself , I'll have you fucking grovel at my feet" i seethed but it did not have much impact on Tom since all he did was let out a menacing chuckle "grovel at your feet ? You sure think highly of yourself , don't you ? And why are you mad , I was just being veracious . Perhaps you forgot I'm a prefect and could very happily take points from your pathetic house for the absolute insolence you are performing at the moment"

His word flowed through his thick British accent only making me more mad , they always seemed to cut through my mind and heart , his erudite personality provoking a desire withing me to just stab him with a dagger but I know better than to do foolish things so instead i let my grip loosen as I gave him a sickeningly fake smile , my hands straightening his collar as i whispered "you wouldn't dare riddle , you know I'm a prefect aswell" i continued with sweetness flowing through my words as if it was straight up sugar "I wouldn't mind deducting all of those points you earned in a month , I'll make sure they're gone in a fucking week , you know Dumbledore is on my side" i taunted him as i tightened his tie a bit to which he hissed and glared at me .

It was a known fact that tom was loved by the entire student body along with the professors but Dumbledore? No . he sure saw right through his facade something which I highly appreciate since I find it stupid just how naive people here are that they are fooled by his fake act but to be fair he is quite charmistic with his ways of getting things done in his manner , he just fabricates his personality so fucking well . Oh how I would love to disrupt and absolutely wreck his living . His fame , his knowledge, his charm , his everything , just him overall evokes an enmity within me , an deep seated anger upon how he could gain it all so easily while I work my ass off ? It was just not fair .

I took my hands off as i beamed at him my eyes forming into crescents "farewell riddle , hope you collide into a wall and have a concussion" with that i turned around smiling to myself as i felt a sense complacency wash over me , oh such a beautiful feeling to put him in his place , I'm going to have a good sleep tonight .

As she went away Tom stood there with a clenched jaw and hands formed into fists breathing heavily "that disdainful bitch" . The amount of anger he felt was indescribable at the moment , how could this little girl disrespect him , the future lord of the wizarding world , and go away as if nothing happened? She needs to learn her place and Tom will gladly be the one to do so . "Just you wait little girl , just you wait" he breathed out as he walked away sharply .

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

It was now the next morning , I woke up along with hermione as we both freshened up and went at the great hall for breakfast . As we reached there we spotted our usual group - Harry , ron , fred and george . They are all laughing as we took our seats , I sat near Harry as hermione sat near ron . As they started bickering i side eyed Harry as we both quietly exchanged amused glances . To be honest everyone knew they liked each except those two idiots, sometimes I think they know it aswell but they just don't have enough courage to express it . It's honestly so annoying but we still do our best to make them realise their feelings .

I laughed as I heard Harry huff out "here comes the daily fighting , can a guy not have a break" I took a plate as I filled it with some food and continued the conversation "hey a girl needs a break aswell , I'm sure he doens't complain about mionie as much as she eats my ear off about ron" . Harry was about to say something when he suddenly stopped , his mouth open , eyebrows frowned into confusion as he looked somewhere. "What ? What happened?" I asked as I followed his gaze which stopped at the Slytherin table right where tom sat with his insatiable group of arrogant jerks "oh" was all i could say . Harry turned towards me as he asked "did you and Tom have another fight ? He seems to glaring at you since you entered . At first i thought it was just me but umm he's definitely mad"

All my friends knew about our rivalry since I'm mostly pissed off because of him and well let me inform you about an annoying trait of mine - I can't control my anger and cursing . I sighed as i continued eating answering him nonchalanly "I did but he started it , it was just the same I don't know what hit the nerve this time" Harry seemed a bit concerned as he leaned in a bit "just be careful I think he's coming for you this time , it seems as if you really hurt his pride" I let out a chuckle as I looked at tom "oh he can try all he wants but at the end he is the loser" i whispered as i smiled sarcastically at tom who only glared back .

We had finished eating as we stood up , ron and hermione still arguing "gosh ronald you make such gratuitous jokes" hermione complained as they walked forward , me and Harry still walking at a slow pace behind as we continued laughing . Suddenly Tom blocked our path with his annoying friends "well if it isn't the golden pair of our school , i must say you both suit each other perfectly , extremely dumb and pretentious" said his younger brother, mattheo . He is a spitting image of Tom just less cold and more talkative , also a complete manwhore - quite the opposite of Tom . I scoffed as I rolled my eyes "did the snakes loose their way ? You're slithering in the wrong den assholes"

"How amiable , aren't you darling" mattheo said as he stepped forward , a bit too much in my personal space for my liking . Before I can say something Tom interrupted "don't waste your time on trash Mattheo , we have better things to do" his sentence made me furious but i kept a cool face on "oh yeah , like licking snapes boot off for extra points?" My words sure made them offended as they all stepped forward but Harry came in between "if you guys may , we're getting late for class" with that he dragged me away as I flipped Tom off , oh how I loved seeing their pissed off face as I blew them a kiss only adding fuel to their rage .

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

During the classes i could feel their burning gaze throwing daggers at my head . They were extremely influencial people maybe i shouldn't have said too much but I'm a gryffindor , it's in my blood . Damn this courage , this will be the reason of my death one day . This is all Tom's fault , he is simply so agitating ugh will be just let me live my life in any sort of peace ? If he's not at my neck all the time then his goons are , so fucking annoying. The classroom fell quite as the professor stepped in with the results of the transfiguration test taken a week ago .

As the professor stood at the front of the classroom, holding the parchment with the test results, the tension in the air was palpable. Every student leaned forward in their seats, anticipation coursing through the room like electricity.

When the professor finally began to announce the results, a hush fell over the classroom, broken only by the rustling of parchment. As my name was called out as the top performer, a ripple of whispers and murmurs swept through the room, followed by a round of applause.

You couldn't help but feel a swell of pride at the recognition of your hard work and dedication. It was a validation of your efforts, a moment of triumph amidst the daily struggles of academic life at Hogwarts.

But as you basked in the glow of your success, you couldn't ignore the sharp gaze of Tom Riddle fixed upon you from across the room. His expression was inscrutable, but there was a glint of something dangerous in his eyes.

It was no secret that Tom Riddle was ambitious and competitive, always striving to be the best in every endeavor. Your success was undoubtedly a blow to his pride, and you could see the flicker of envy in his demeanor.

As the class continued, you couldn't shake the feeling of being under scrutiny, as if every move you made was being watched and analyzed. It was as though Tom's gaze followed you wherever you went, a constant reminder of the rivalry that simmered between you.

But despite the undercurrent of tension, you refused to let it dampen your spirits. You were determined to savor this moment of victory, to revel in the praise that had been bestowed upon you.

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

As Tom Riddle seethed with jealousy over the your academic success , he knew he needed to devise a plan to bring you down. His mind teemed with thoughts of retribution, each one darker than the last.

One evening, as he strolled through the corridors of Hogwarts, an idea struck him like a bolt of lightning. He would orchestrate a situation that would land you in detention, a punishment that would serve as a fitting punishment for their perceived transgressions. It would piss you off but also lower your reputation in front of the professors.

Tom approached his brother, Mattheo, and his friend, Theodore, with a devious plan brewing in his mind. "I need your help," he said, his eyes glinting with malice. "I want to teach that insolent girl a lesson she won't forget."

Mattheo and Theodore exchanged a glance, intrigued by Tom's proposition already knowing who he's talking about . "What do you have in mind?" Mattheo asked, his curiosity piqued.

Tom outlined his plan, explaining how he intended to use Mattheo and Theodore to manipulate your emotions. "We'll have you bump into her and flirt with her," he said with a wicked grin. "But we'll make sure to push her buttons. She won't be able to resist reacting , you know how she is ."

Theodore nodded , eager to assist his friend. "Count me in," he declared, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

As i navigated the bustling corridors of Hogwarts, lost in thought, i suddenly felt a collision jolt my from my reverie. Startled, i stumbled backward, nearly losing my balance. Looking up, I saw two figures looming over me , their expressions smug and unapologetic.

"Watch where you're going!" I exclaimed, my annoyance evident in my voice as I straightened myself.

Mattheo and Theodore exchanged a glance, barely concealing their amusement. "Apologies, love," Mattheo said with a smirk, his tone dripping with insincerity. "We didn't see you there."

I rolled her eyes, my irritation mounting at their cavalier attitude. "Sure you didn't," I muttered sarcastically, attempting to sidestep their path and continue on my way.

But Mattheo stepped in front of me , blocking my path with an infuriating grin. "Leaving so soon, sweetheart?" he teased, his tone laced with arrogance.

My patience wore thin as I tried to push past him, my frustration evident in my voice. "I have better things to do than entertain you two," i retorted, my annoyance palpable.

However, Mattheo and Theodore seemed undeterred by my dismissal, their egos bruised by my indifference. They exchanged a knowing glance before Theodore leaned in closer, his voice dripping with false charm. "Come on, don't be like that," he cajoled, reaching out to brush a stray lock of hair from my face.

I recoiled, my patience wearing thin. "Don't touch me," I snapped, swatting his hand away. "I said I'm not interested!"

But Mattheo and Theodore persisted, their egos wounded by my rejection. They exchanged a smirk before Theodore remarked, "Looks like she needs to be taught a lesson, eh, Mattheo?"

With a malicious glint in his eye, Mattheo nodded in agreement. "Oh, I've got just the lesson in mind," he replied, his voice filled with venomous intent as he stepped closer .

And with that, my patience snapped. With a swift punch to Mattheo's jaw, I silenced his arrogant words , I couldn't believe how absolutely disgusting they were.

The commotion attracted the attention of nearby teachers, who hurried over to intervene. Amidst the chaos, I found myself dragged to detention , the teacher's had asked what happened and with the witness of other students around it was proved that I started the fight. I was absolutely furious because I had a reason to do it but I was silenced by "I am utterly disappointed in you (name) I didn't expect this kind of behaviour from you. Detention for 3 days". My mind was reeling with anger - they hadn't even let me explain myself , just great .

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

As i stormed into the dimly lit detention room, my eyes immediately locked onto Tom Riddle's figure, sitting calmly at his desk. Without hesitation, i marched over to him, my footsteps echoing with determination.

"What did you do?" I demanded, my voice cutting through the silence of the room. Tom glanced up, his expression unreadable as he met my gaze. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," he replied smoothly, his tone betraying no hint of guilt.

My frustration boiled over, my patience wearing thin. "Cut the act, Tom," i snapped, my voice tinged with anger. "You framed me, didn't you?"

A smirk tugged at the corner of Tom's lips, a glint of amusement dancing in his dark eyes. "Perhaps I did," he admitted casually, his gaze never wavering from mine . "But you shouldn't be so careless, (L/N) . You know what they say about stepping on snakes."

The mention of snakes ignited a fire within me , my temper flaring at his veiled threat. Without thinking, I lunged forward, my hand reaching out to grab him by the collar.

"You think you can intimidate me?" I hissed, my voice laced with fury as I pulled him closer. "I won't let you get away with this."

Tom's smirk widened into a sly grin as he met my gaze head-on, unfazed by my display of aggression. "And what do you plan to do about it?" he taunted, his voice dripping with malice.

Before I could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the room as the detention supervisor approached, breaking the tension between us . With a final glare, I released my grip on Tom's collar, stepping back to compose myself.

I huffed as I took my seat glaring at the back of his head while he talked smoothly with the professor keeping up with his facade , showing no remorse after framing me and worse threatening me to do more just because i overstepped him in a bloody test . A frustrated sigh left my mouth as he left with a mocking sly grin on his face and all I could do was roll my eyes and curse him "that asshole" .

。　　　　✧　　　　⁺　 　 　。

[maochira]

Ways of being a father. (Kengan dads & child!reader)

I wrote this almost a year ago, originally with Blue Lock characters assigned. But I thought a lot about assigning Kengan characters so here we go! The quotes are all translated from Alligatoah's song Nicht adoptiert. Also! The song may originally be about being born into a family and not being adopted, but reader can very much be seen as an adopted child in this if that's what you prefer!

gn!child!reader (reader is implied to be different ages in different parts)

If you're listening to this, you're alive, congratulations / I always knew you'd become more than a broken condom

Let's be honest, you weren't planned. Being a father initially wasn't part of his life plan, but then you happened. But he wouldn't replace you for anything in this world.

-Adam, Raian, Lihito, Kanoh, Ohma

Cause I don't believe in marriage you were born a bastard

-Ohma, Raian, Adam, Hatsumi

Sure, we love you, but there's a reason for that, kid / Nature arranges it like this so we won't kill you

Sometimes being a father can be frustrating and exhausting. But no matter how annoying you might get, his fatherly instinct always wins. In no way would he ever intentionally do harm to you.

-Ohma, Kanoh, Kazuo

It looks like you're family / Looks like it's just us now / We've got to get through it now, blood's thicker than beer / [Sorry, you ain't adopted]

-Adam, Kanoh, Hatsumi

I have no idea how to take care of children / But don't worry, I'll find a tutorial

He went into fatherhood completely without knowing what to expect. It all came a bit out of sudden for him, and he was too anxious to prepare himself properly. But when he held you in his arms for the first time, he knew he'd figure it out just fine.

-Lihito, Inaba

The good thing is, I don't even have to share any knowledge with you / You can just read the wiki entry

-Saw Paing, Lihito, Kanoh

I won't always be there for you, I have to party hard too / Did I say "party"? I mean "work"

Being a father doesn't mean that's the only part of his life now. He'll try to be there for you whenever possible, but there will be moments when he gets lost in other things.

-Saw Paing, Lihito, Sekibayashi

Joking aside, the ego-pig in me is happy that you are coming / Cause then I can play with Lego blocks

A part of him is still a child as well. And hey, being a father means he gets to play with toys again - that's something he can look forward to.

-Cosmo, Saw Paing, Inaba

Cause even though I'm putting effort and thinking about how / I can take the pressure off and still get you into bookstores / Something I do will lead to trauma, c'est la vie / I'll be the star of your psychotherapy, have fun

As careful as he is with you, he knows at some point he'll do something wrong. He's perfectly aware of how he won't always be the perfect father, but he's still trying his best.

-Raian, Kazuo, Wakatsuki, Suekichi

You're programmed for me, I'm programmed for you / Now we're sittin' here, I say now we're sittin' here / Sorry, you ain't adopted

He didn't choose to have you as his child, and you didn't choose him to have as your father. But still, you're perfectly made to be this role for each other.

-all of them.

You may not become president or student representative / Reality will throw your dreams in the chick shredder / I know what I'm talkin' about, life ain't no show

You won't achieve the greatest things in the world, and that's okay. You don't have to do that to make your father proud. He knows exactly what it's like to fail, and that's why he will always encourage you to reach your dreams, no matter how big or small they may be.

-Gaolang, Kazuo, Suekichi, Setsuna

You'll see my burdens, I've given them to you / If you think your genes are bad, they're Papa's genes / But you're my update, you can fix the bugs

You may not be a carbon copy of your father, but the similarities are undeniable - both the good and the bad.

-Ohma, Setsuna, Kanoh, Raian

In the beginning it's ambition like in a chess duel / You will emulate me until you outshine me / The balance of power is on my side - currently / But your chance is good, because Papa's withering parallel like a leaf

Being his child also means being his rival - in a fun way. If there's something to compete in, there will be playful competition. Board games, soccer in the backyard and running random races when you're just walking somewhere together - things like that.

-Raian, Koga, Saw Paing, Lihito

This has to come out now 'cause later I won't be the same / When you're around I'm sure I'll write some corny shit / No more tasteless jokes, no more Hitler comparisons

He was more of an immature person before, but he knows after your birth he has to become more serious as a father - at least that's what society expects from him.

-Lihito, Raian, Naoya

I stand in front of the mirror and see a caricature / But I train every day for my father figure / I practice "La-Le-Lu" on the keyboard / And I subject myself to a motherfucking radio censorship / And I learn all the movie clichés, after birth / You'll get a wristwatch with your name engraved on it

At first, knowing he'll be a father soon felt so unreal to him. But the closer the day gets, the more the realization sets in. But that realization makes him nervous, so he's putting extra effort into learning how to be the best father he can be. And even though he doesn't want to be "like the other dads", he finds himself following every cliché possible.

-Kazuo, Sekibayashi, Adam, Suekichi

Even though being strict clashes with my liberal nature / I'll pretend I'm interested in your Spanish exam

He doesn't care how much of a good or bad student you are, but he knows you'll have to pass school somehow. As much as he doesn't care about your grades, he pretends as if he does to keep you encouraged. But of course you'll get praise for your hard work when you get good grades.

-Ohma, Kazuo, Lihito

I'll be mad at you for every adolescent booze story / But don't be afraid of me just because I fuck your mother

-Raian, Lihito, Adam

I'm just an old cynic who writes frustration poems / But I swear I'll give it all to you till the end of my chapter

He'd do anything and everything for you. He will always make sure you feel safe and loved, no matter what age you're at. Even when you become an adult, he will always be your father and protect you as good as he can.

-all of them.

If you enjoyed this, please remember to reblog with tags! That's the best and easiest way to support me and my writing!

[igglemouse]

Simón stared at the product and wondered about it. He never used. He followed that old rule, don't get high off your old supply, but the thing is, this wasn't his supply. He was just the transportation. He brought the stuff in, he brought the stuff out, and that was it. Didn't pay much but it did pay enough but as he looked at it he wondered if it was time for a promotion. If they were going to drag him back in then why should he remain on the sidelines?

It was something he had to seriously consider. If he had the blessing of the cartel, maybe, just maybe he could pull it off. But without their approval? He'd be dead. You don't run from Los Tigres, at least not for long, so if he were to become a dealer he'd have to be a partner.

Still, as he looked around his cramped rundown and dusty trailer he started to wonder if this was his only move. He didn't have many job prospects but he had a lot of ambition. Maybe this was his opportunity...

Tuesday morning and yep, still doing chores. We're planning to hire a maid soon because honestly otherwise this place would be a little too much for me to handle. I do think it would be a temporary thing. I'm not sure if I want Flora growing up to be spoiled, thinking someone will always do her laundry and clean up after her, but who knows how I'll feel about it once the maid checks in. Maybe they will spoil me. It's hard to imagine myself as one of those pampered player wives but I feel like that's the path I'm going down.

As for Flora I'm taking care of her the best I can which of course includes feeding her right from the source. There are a lot of benefits to it, health wise and I've heard it helps with bonding. Not that we'll need help with that because I feel like I've already completely connected with her! She's growing so fast too, every day I can see her getting just a pinch bigger, or maybe I'm imagining it?

Overall, life feels perfect right now! I know I keep saying this but I really can't imagine that I would be in this spot a year ago. A beautiful baby girl, a beautiful house, and an umm, yeah, a good looking but somewhat goofy boyfriend! I just feel so good that even a plain apple salad gets me excited!

I'm really pouring as much of myself as I can into this new social media thing when I do get free time. I want to feel productive and I know taking care of Flora is being productive but like I've said, I don't want that to be my only thing. I know being a mama means limited free time too but I'll manage. I think my new career is off to a great start as well!

As for Pascal, well, you can probably guess. Yep. Working out and of course without his shirt. If you've got it, flaunt it, is what I always hear.

And I'm trying to get it back with a little more free time given to me or at least enough time to hop on the treadmill. I have my mind set on losing this baby weight and I am also motivated by the fact that Pascal does this every single day so I can do it too!

I did spend most of my day on the treadmill and got a solid workout in. I feel so much better! I can't head to bed though without checking in on Flora who was whiny and wriggly and needy and this time I bottle fed her. I also hang out with her a little, chat with her a little, and let her know I love her more than anything in the world. How could I not? Look at her!

Pascal is out for a road game and that's why I've been here home alone for most of the day. I was going to slip into bed but I remember I have to check my socials before sleeping. Which means just seeing the reaction to my last video and interacting with people here and there and also checking in on Pascal's socials since I'm nosy and he's my guy so I have a right to be a little nosy. That's normal right?

Is it also normal that he's liking this woman's post?

Frida Varela - Next Episode 9.4

[baldurs-gape]

Traditions

Every tradition had to start with its first iteration as some point. The hope was that the reunion party was going to be something similar to what Withers had hosted six months after the Netherbrain's defeat but with more people attending. As well as the regular suspects, friends and family were also welcome, which was how Ulder Ravengard was stood next to Minthara and finding himself both enchanted and caught in a web of ambition. Their little chat was interrupted by none other than Astarion and Gale.

"All I'm saying is that my mother has a lot of opinions and will share them with those who care to listen and those who don't."

Astarion's scoff was audible from quite a distance away.

"At least we know where you got that particular trait from. Tell me, was she also the one to teach you that tongue trick?"

Lae'zel clapped her hands over Xan's ears and glared at the two bickering.

"Rolling one's 'r' is an essential part of wizardry, even first years at Blackstaff could tell you that enunciation is vital in spellwork. But see? This is exactly what I'm trying to say. You won't get my mother's blessing, she's very much a woman of her generation."

"You forget how old I am, dear. Trust me, I know how these things go, you'll be betrothed to me by the end of the night."

Perhaps it wasn't the most romantic of proposals but then again anyone who knew Astarion would have thought Orin was back if he suddenly got all sappy. Even Gale's determination to have his mother's blessing was expected too. The most surprising part of the whole thing was that Gale and Astarion were actually still together. Maybe it shouldn't have been such a curiosity, Gale was loyal to a fault and Astarion was not in the habit of letting go of good things he could sink his claws into.

Any further bickering was cut short by the arrival of none other than Morena Dekarios. She greeted her son with a sturdy hug before giving Astarion the same treatment.

"It's good to finally meet the one my son has been so besotted with."

"The honour is all mine," Astarion drawled and took Morena's hand in his, kissing the back of it. "Though I believe we have another matter to discuss. In exchange for Gale's hand in marriage I can give you four hens, two geese, an ox and a piglet."

"Astarion!" Gale half hissed half yelped. All eyes and ears were on them.

"Hush dear, it's okay, you're worth it. And I won't even ask for proof of your virginity. That's a little too old fashioned for me. What do you say, Morena? May I take Gale as mine?"

A titter of laughter was the first reply before Morena hid her grin behind a hand.

"Oh dear. You're rather serious, aren't you?"

"I can make it two piglets if you insist." Astarion gave a wry smile and eyed Gale before turning back to Morena. "You drive a hard bargain but you're right, if I could, I'd offer the world to you for his hand."

Morena patted Astarion's arm, eyes soft.

"That's all I need to hear, dear. And why don't you keep your menagerie for the start of your married life? The youth need all the help they can get in this day and age. Just ask Gale if he'll say yes, you have my blessing."

Eyebrow raised, Astarion turned to Gale.

"Well?"

"Of course I'll marry you. Even if you have some strange ideas sometimes."

"Excellent." The cocksureness melted from Astarion and he looked sheepish. "I don't suppose you know what to do with some hens, geese, an ox and a couple of piglets, do you?"

[clericofgale]

Spoilers for Patch 5 and the whole game.

I posted my thoughts about the new ending Gale got in patch 5 on Reddit first, but I might as well post it here with some revisions. I'll say it, I love the god Gale ending. But it is NOT his good ending to me. Before I would never have pursued it, but now it is tantalizing to say the least. I'm into it though Gale the mortal is still my preference.

"Gale Dekarios cuts a poor figure next to the wizarding prowess of 'Gale of Waterdeep. You like so many things about me I'd have sooner discarded…"

By ascending Gale, you are killing Gale Dekarios. The nerd that hits on you in front of everyone while you're covered in zombie blood, procced to infodump an entire tangent to complement you, and yet somehow stick the landing to hit you with the most romantic poetry you've ever heard. A sensitive man who wears his emotions on his sleeve and wants to make the world a more beautiful place. An artist of the weave and a poet. The owner of the most overbearing tressym in the world. The moment the spell was complete, Gale Dekarios died and Gale the divine was born.

Even then, why is god Gale now so enticing to me unlike ascended Astarion? Because he loves you. He wants you by his side as an equal. It's actually sweet and romantic, just like all of Gale's romance is. I'm nothing if not a sucker for a romance.

"Follow my Lead" "Show me more. Show me it all." "I want you to seize the crown and make us a new world"

BeMyGod is the name in the data file for the boat scene where Gale asks you if you'll be with him when he seizes the crown. I know file names can be arbitrary, but if you agree to his proposal, you really are asking Gale to be your god. It's so easy to say yes. You're in the stars, Gale says I want to show you so much more, but it's not worth it without you. All you need to do is say yes. You're angry at Mystra who demanded so much of Gale, caused him such suffering and won't lift a finger to help. So You say yes. You love him. He loves you.

When Gale ascends, even in 6 months he is a different entity. The devs indicate: "His posture/demeanor here should feel slightly more aloof/detached than the regular Gale - he's been immortal for six months, his ego is as powerful as his magic. The real Gale's insecurities still lurk beneath his godlike confidence, as does his love for the player, but this is clearly a Gale setting out on a darker path."

The Gale here is a twisted version of the one we loved. His flaws are worse, he good traits have mostly disappeared. Namely his kindness and tolerance to deprecating humor. He no longer tolerates any perceived slight or jab. He doesn't let go of his bitterness towards Mystra. His ego is large yet fragile. You saw a glimpse of it at the ritual circle scene if you succeed in upstaging him in magic. Now it's only gotten worse. Yes even his insecurity. If you rejected him after accepting the proposal, Gale says this.

Tav: No, I think it's the end. What happened to the man I once loved? Gale: He's the god he deserves to be. I achieved everything we hoped I would, and still I'm not good enough for you?

He's also lonelier than ever. His last 6 months were in isolation, with nobody he could trust while dealing with the crown and celestial politics. Immortals don't really have friends. They have allies and lovers. He stops talking to his mother who was so dear to him. He develops a spell to polymorph people into Tara, his oldest friend who rejects him after ascension. He then develops a spell that summons Shadowdark ale and forces people to dance and be happy, just like the vignette he told you about the Yawning Portal. The third spell is Power word: Ruin. he's finally back to speaking death into being with a single word, just like he used to.

Gale wanted to be a god to make a better world, but now he's a neutral god answering prayers from any alignment. He doesn't care if they are Thayan wizards aiming for lichdom or unscrupulous Amnian merchants. Ambition is a neutral idea. Ambition also drives healers to develop a cure. For adventurers to slay monsters.

What's the most noticeable remaining good trait in Gale? Gale still loves you. He's much nicer to you if romanced. He refuses to be with you if you don't go with him because he doesn't want to hurt you. He admires your good heart if you want to honor the pact with Raphael. He calls you my love just like before. He will fulfill the promise sealed that night in the astral sea. All you have to do is say yes. And the ascension cinematic is a callback to the romance scenes from before.

"Follow my lead. Close your eyes. I have so much more to show you."

And you know what. I'll go with you. Even if we will eventually lose both our humanity in our folly, and dreams become nightmares. Even if I'll come to regret that night when I said yes to the mortal you, I don't want you to be lonely. Where ever you go, I'll go. You'll always have me. And I'll always have you.

As God Gale would say… "A toast then, to our myriad ambitions. May we each get what we deserve."

[mllemaenad]

I mean ... sure. Why not?

Ugh. I don't know. Maybe I'm being unfair. I've got a lot of game ahead of me. It's just starting to feel like they're biting off more than they can chew, from a narrative perspective.

I really enjoyed the more grounded antagonists of the earlier games. Loghain's suspicion of Orlais and the Grey Wardens has some solid historical precedent behind it. This isn't apologia: he did some both terrible and stupid things, but up to a point you could understand why he had concerns in the first place. And there's an outcome where he can become a Grey Warden, and might (though I appreciate it is unlikely, given his age and the current timeline) still live to fight darkspawn to this day. Because however much he fucked up, having Ferelden overrun with Blight was not an acceptable outcome for him, any more than it was for anyone else.

Meredith may have been a more ... straightforwardly awful person, sure, but she was awful in a comprehensible way. She had a genuine tragedy in her childhood and she was able to use that to justify her own cruelty and ambition – both to others and to herself. It's not that she could ever reasonably be thought of as good, but rather that she always saw herself as in the right and justified in her actions. And, likewise, during the Qunari invasion she becomes your temporary ally, because she also does not want to see Kirkwall occupied by a foreign power.

Corypheus unfortunately came across as too ridiculous for me to really enjoy – which is a pity, because I was interested in what he had to say, as a solid primary source on ancient Tevinter and the First Blight. Inquisition leaned harder on its individual quests – the struggles of the mages and Templars, the tragedy of the Grey Wardens, the heartless stupidity of the Orlesian civil war.

Inquisition has been my least favourite, because it already had too much going on to do it all justice. It was packed with interesting ideas, but I didn't always like the corners they had to cut to squish it all into a single narrative. But, in fairness, it was still packed with interesting ideas.

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe in a while I'll look back on this post and laugh, because it all came together really nicely. But at the moment I'm seeing Venatori! And Qunari! And darkspawn! Oh my! And they all serve the obviously Blighted gods.

I'm not saying you couldn't make this work. I'm saying ... I'm not confident they're going to right now.

I mean ... the First Blight was functionally what destroyed the old Tevinter empire. You'd think they'd have some feelings about darkspawn, and I don't know, maybe the conclusive evidence that they didn't create the Blight? And I get that the government of Par Vollen seems to have fallen (or is at least in disarray), but that sounds like a whole story in itself ... and well, the Qunari do not typically have gods, let alone Blighted mages as gods, so ...

Ah, well. Guess I'll see.

[imanes]

doing a lil august reading wrap up because apparently i read 13 (!!) books. in chronological order (bolded are those i recommend):

city of stairs by robert jackson bennett: quite the interesting read. i think the character work in this one is a standout, as well as the world building. the good thing is i have no idea where this trilogy is going so it's exciting. the audiobook for the second book arrives in 2 weeks on my shelves on libby so I'll be reading the sequel soon

braiding sweetgrass by robin wall kimmerer: this one took me a whole entire year to read and finish lol. no comment. or maybe one comment: i think i'd have found this book a lot more eye opening if i had read it three years ago so right book wrong time i guess? i do recommend it i just think it didn't impact me as much as i thought it would

the blighted worlds by megan e. o'keefe: this one hit me like a truck!! i was so obsessed. it's a sci-fi space opera with an element of horror and an interesting romance sub-plot. basically everything i love lmao. i really do recommend this book it might actually be my fave of the month

sanctuary by ilona andrews: i have to stay up to date on all things kate daniels-related to this spin off was high on my tbr. it was a lot of fun but it petered out toward the end

where the dark stands still by a.b. poranek: a bit of a let down not gonna lie. the gist of my opinion is that it felt underdeveloped and in turn i felt under-interested in whatever was going on

shadows of self by brandon sanderson: once again i am begging the protagonists of this series to stop being aggravating

the fractured dark by megan e. o'keefe: continuing my obsession with the devoured worlds trilogy... unfortunately i have to wait on my libby hold to get the audiobook of the next one (i read with my eyeballs and listen at the same time to help with concentration)

the right to sex - feminism in the 21st century by amia srinivasan: i read this book because i know of two people who broke up with their significant other (one of them resulting in a divorce) after reading this book so i had to know what srinivasan had cooked in there and yeah she did cook.

the way of kings by brandon sanderson: just part of my re-read in preparation of the release of wind and truth in December. this month we tackle (again) words of radiance teehee

just for the summer by abby jimenez: womp womp womp. idk what it is with romance authors these days they're in a competition with themselves to portray the healthiest love stories but this one teetered on the wrong side of boring one too many times and the volume to therapy-speech in this one was staggering.

the ex vows by joyce jessica: twas a cute poolside read, it's nothing revolutionary but it was pleasant enough and it didn't make me roll my eyes like just for the summer jdkjgsk at least the love interest had a personality and a life... i mean it's fiction so it's not a life but it appeared as if he contained multitudes or something

funny story by emily henry: I'll go ahead and say it nobody writes a contemporary romance quite like miss henry because she's got the secret recipe for the right balance between heartfelt feelings and amusing situations + her dialogues feel a lot more natural than most (though if i had to nitpick she always has this side character who's a fountain of wisdom and gives you life-changing monologues but i guess such people exist out there)

the thief by megan whalen turner: the megans are really out in full force because this is another book written by a megan that i loved so much. yes half of this book is a fairly episodic journey across made-up countries, yes i ate it up, yes the second half is worth the wait (if you were out of patience, which i wasn't, bc i was having fun) and yes the plot twists are chef's kiss. "gen's ambitions are his own" is the perfect summary. everand has all the audiobooks so you know what I'm gonna do... that's right... listen and read at the same time

as an aside the tandem reads i do with both books and audiobooks happen only when i like the narrators. if i find a narrator i like i stick to them like glue because they're few and far between as far as my picky ass is concerned. i never do romance audiobooks they're the worst...

[ya-bug-boy]

I had this crossover stuck I had in my head for a while now. But how about a Reader that was originally a powerful demon from Demon Slayer.

That somehow got transported into Pokemon Legends Arceus and became free of Muzan's control and somehow become Human probably thanks to Arceus 👍

But they still got some of their superhuman strength, night vision, and demonic fangs.

I would imagine that they become something like a urban legend, of a tall, intimidating, and handsome masked man with the pack of Zoroarks and Zoroa's that help lost travelers in a dense and dangerous Forest. Probably an attempt to atone for their sins as a demon by giving them a place to stay and leading them out of the forest safely.

And they meet and befriend warden Ingo who was lost in said Forest, which later turned into a romantic relationship?

SFW & NSFW if possible please, sorry is this is to much. If you can't do both please make a part 2

Thank you!

Warden Ingo x Demon Reader

Truth be told, despite how many decades you've been alive but remained the same age, you still have no clear answers as to how you got into this world.

The world you lived in prior to this one, you considered to be far more dangerous despite the abundant fauna that seem to possess inhuman powers. But at least you can say with confidence who are humans and who weren't. To put it simply, you're a demon.

You were once a human and fated to die like one until a man changed your destiny by forcing you to become one of his subordinates. Whoever you were before no longer mattered as long as you proved yourself worthy enough to him. You were promised with honey sweet words that you'd live a life of comfort but in truth you were his test subject. He was hell bent on surviving in the sun again and to make his ambitions come true, he used your body like a lab rat. You grew stronger but put through constant torment. And to make things worse, your existence could only be continued by the consumption of other humans.

You could no longer take the abuse. You'd rather risk it all than to continue living like this.

And then...you came here. To this world filled with strange wildlife.

Once you came here, you felt your master's control over you disappear. You were released to this world, with your abilities and hunger...

And yet, you did not eat any more humans after coming here. You recall what you had said right before falling into this world, "I'll never eat another human again!" you screamed before running into the sunlight. Because of that, you ultimately fear what might happen to you if you did.

You began to travel the world for a bit and accidentally became the leader of strange shapeshifting creatures when an extraordinary large one challenged you. You defeated it but spared its life, and as a result the pack now bends at your command. When the alpha died, you decided to wear its pelt, taking on a new life as a hunter who lived in the woods.

Seeking a warmer climate, you decide to rest in the forest, building your home there. And that is when you met her, the one named Akari.

She tried to catch one of your pups and you scared her away, she fled the scene but came back the next day. And the days following after that. She kept insisting that she was lost, but you would point out how she's always in the same spot where you see her last. She makes up a playful excuse to retort back. this amuses you.

Curious, you decide to talk to her, finding strange comfort in how you two both came from strange different worlds.

At first you feel horror, praying that she didn't come from your world. Then you feel comfort that you two are similar. When she gets "lost" you find her, makes sure she eats and rest before sending her back on her way. She is the first companion you've had in so long that you start yearning for her affection, eager to hear her stories and the people in her new life. Though you're not quite sure how old you originally where prior to your demon life, you feel like a father figure to her, lamenting that she can't stay as long as she'd like to.

But when she starts taking longer to appear, you worry. And when she does finally show up, she looks more haggard the days before she left.

You snarl and grit your teeth at her horrible stories, ones when she's put into great danger by the commands of others. It reminds you too much of your own situation. Though you cannot provide for her the way the village does, you tell her that your pack will protect her in this region of the woods. For the first time, Akari cries when she has to leave. You give her one last hug and a kiss on the forehead, you and your pack's watchful gaze following her until she exited the forest.

Then one day, the sky turns red.

Your pack alerts you to a presence in the woods. And that is when you met him, the warden of the mountains. Though you command him to leave, he locks eyes with you, demanding you to bring him to Akari, dismaying both of you when you realize that neither of you have seen the girl in days.

You demand Ingo tells you more. He demands information first.

You grit your teeth and your pack snarls at him... but if he can help you find the girl, you'll do what it takes for now.

[huihui29]

Declaración

member — junhui x f reader

Genre — Fluff

synopsis: "I confess my feelings to my best friend without knowing that he also has feelings for me."

Warning: None

a/n: "This is my first time doing this, so I hope you enjoy it."

I had been planning this moment for a long time. It took me a lot of courage to do it, but it was time to let everything out that I had been storing inside. Junhui was sitting on the bed in front of me, waiting with an expectant smile.

"Hey, there's something I need to tell you from a long time ago…"

I blushed and tried to find the right words. My heart was pounding a thousand, and for a moment I thought I would have a heart attack. In the end, I took a deep breath and started to speak.

"I know this might be a difficult thing to hear, and it might not be something you want to hear, but I need to tell you: I have feelings for you."

Even though I knew that this was risking our friendship, I also knew that I couldn't keep hiding my feelings after so long. I needed him to know that I admired him more than he knew.

So I kept talking, hoping that my words would ease his doubts and fears.

"I know this might be an awkward moment for you, but I want you to know that my feelings are true and that I don't want to lose you from my life. I'm happy to have you as my best friend, but I also want you to know that I'm willing to put my whole heart and life into this, if you're willing to do the same with me.

Junhui was listening attentively, and although he was visibly moved, he didn't seem to be as uncomfortable as I thought he would be.

"Are you sure you don't want us to stay as friends?"

His question surprised me, but I answered without hesitation.

"Absolutely sure. My heart only wants to be with you, and if that means I'm happy, then I'm willing to take the risk. And if it doesn't work out, I'll be here for you as your best friend. But I believe we could be something more if we give ourselves the chance."

Junhui smiled softly, and I felt my heart beating with force.

"Then we can leave behind everything that's been holding us back, and give ourselves a chance," Junhui continued, with a big smile on his face.

I embraced him, unable to believe what was happening. After so long of hiding, we were finally together. And although I knew there was still much to learn and experience together, I also knew that we had a lot in common. We had our goals and aspirations, and we shared many of the same values and beliefs. We were both determined to work hard and make the most of every opportunity that came our way, and we were both committed to being there for each other through thick and thin.

As we lay in bed, holding each other tight, we started talking about our dreams and aspirations. We talked about our respective families and where we came from, and we discussed what we wanted to achieve in our professional and personal lives. We discovered that we both saw the world in a similar way, and that we shared many of the same ambitions.

As the conversation progressed, we found that we had a lot more in common than we initially thought. We both appreciated art and music, and we both loved to travel. We both enjoyed trying new things and exploring different cultures, and we both had a passion for learning and growth.

As we talked and grew closer, we started to understand each other on a deeper level. We knew that we could trust each other with our secrets and our fears, and we knew that we could lean on each other when times got tough. We were a team, and we were committed to always having each other's backs, no matter what.

As we laid there, listening to each other's breaths and feeling the warmth of our bodies pressed together, we both knew that this was only the beginning. We had a lifetime of adventures and experiences to look forward to, and we couldn't wait to embark on that journey together.

In that moment, we both understood that our love was stronger than any obstacle or challenge we might face. We knew that as long as we had each other, we could overcome anything that came our way. And we knew that as long as we continued to communicate, to respect each other, and to stay true to our values, we could build a life together that was full of love, happiness, and fulfillment.

In that moment, we could feel our hearts beating as one, and we knew that nothing could ever tear us apart.

[ep2nd]

What do you think about Macaque's 'redemption arc'?

Oooo, spicy topic

Alright, remember personal thoughts and not like a writing teacher here

So, I'll probably will also reference other redemption arcs so I'll try best to explain (Warning for Ninjago and Trollhunters, also Crystalized mentioned sorry yall I know it's a wound)

1. I like how Macaque didn't immediately go to the goodside, mostly. After s3 special, he kinda just disappeared, minding his own business. He didn't go out of his way to talk to Mk, Wukong, or the gang, which makes sense considering all he's done to them and what Wukongs done to him

2. I want to say Macaque helped MK go in the scroll because mostly to help MK, he saw how rough MK was going through, from a new form to how much pressure was on him, so he probably wanted to at least help him through yet another trial. Macaque maybe had some want to help Wukong, as stated by Peng later, kinda, that Macaque still cared about Wukong

3. Alright let's get this out right here right now. He did intact hurt and possibly traumatized Mk and the gang. He made Pigys, Tang, and Mei fight MK (though in shadow form however much they were in control there). He threatened to kill Sandy and Mei, and he was willing to put everyone in danger, even maybe killing Mei (yet again) to forge the Samadhi fire and be free from LBD grasp. Now it's also implied that Macaque follows his own path and needs, putting himself first now. He followed Wukong and put the Brotherhoods and Wukongs ambitions before his own, and look where that got him? But for the series to NEVER TRULY MENTION SEASON 1-3 VILLAIN MACAQUE AFTERWORDS?! Like Mei and Macaque seemed to get along really well considering what happened. I feel like the gang should've held more distrust him more than just out right accepting him like MK. Even Pigsy, who didn't trust Wukong based on his stunts, show much annoyance for Macaque helping MK and them. Also, he never once apologizes to MK, sure helps him, but after hurting him several times? Doesn't exactly equal out.

4. Now Macaques death is a hot topic and the Fandom is ready to kill, steal, and borrow (sorry Hamilton reference) over it. In JTTW, he impersonated Wukong, hurt Tripitaka, was going to replace the Pilgrims, then kinda cuased problems for everyone from the Underworld to Heaven. In LMK and JTTW we know definitely that Wukong killed him, probably against his will, and Macaques mad at him for it. NOW. NEITHER APOLOGISE EVER. Hinted in Season 5, Wukong feels horrible, hates the memory, actually cried recalling it. And even Macaques knows what memory's he was seeing without actually seeing it (maybe that's theory). AND THEY JUST LEAVE IT THERE. NO SORRY NO WE WERE BOTH WRONG NO WE SHOULD HAVE TAKLED IT OUT NO NOTHING. I hope the writers get these two to talk about it cuase well, it's kinda both their fualts, Macaque started it and pushed Wukongs limits, Wulong acted out of anger and defense.

5. Macaque telling Wukong "He needs to do better" when in fact Macaque hasn't himself, the hypocrite. Macaque worries for MK, that's nice, but he himself hasn't "Done better" his redemption arc isn't that far in where we've seen much change. Sure he fought the Brotherhood, but Macaque didn't generally like them and the world was in danger so. Like I know this season focused more on Wukong and MKs relationship and how Wukong will always be there and to reflect season 2/3 where he left MK alone but this time he's there... but like Macaque... you've barely been in this kids life since s3, LIKE TGOSE TWO STILL NEEED CHARACTER GROWTH

6. For anyone who's wat he'd Trollhunters and Ninjago, yall shall understand. In Trollhunters, characters like Nomora and Principal Strickler started out as villains/antagonistic forces then had redemption arcs. Nomorua was a minor character so eh. Anyway PRINCIPAL STRICKLER. Hurt Jim (main character) by actually trying to kill him, by pretending to be his friend, putting his friends in harms way, working under the main antagonist like a henchman, literally tied his soul to his mom's so Jim couldn't kill him, qnd bunch of other stuff. Now it's been awhile since I've seen the show, but Jim slowly convinces Strickler to turn, now does he automatically trust him and their relationship is great? No, it takes time and Strickler has to work to improve, and he apologizes and admits he was wrong. Their relationship isn't the best until much later. They had character development, Strickler saw his wrong ways and apologized, didn't become perfectly best friends with Jim or his friends much later, and his mistakes were brought up later on. This isn't with Macaque, he had more of a Harumi redemption arcs (for my Ninjago fans the Crystalized one I know yall hate it I do apologize). Now Macaques redemption arc is much better than hers, it has reason, it has a point, he tries to be better, ut like it It was kinda rushed, didn't have enought character development where they talk their problems out, they weren't shown enough that they were in the wrong and need to apologize(considering Harumi working for the Overlord). So like an in-between.

Sorry for long post, there's probably more but I'm not one to analyze characters like their a new bacteria needing to put under microscope and handled with care like their precious glass (No offense to the people who do deep dives I love you all and love reading your stuff helps me so much<3)

SO IN CONCLUSION

Macaque's redemption was good, maybe too rushed, could've used more screen time with other characters, needs to apologize and bring up past mistakes, and needs more improvement in future seasons

It has potential and and can still be great, writers I have hope.

[blue-mint-winter]

I saw your little deep dive on Alyssa and loved it ! I was wondering more of your thoughts on Saera ? I know you briefly mentioned her but I would love to see your take on her !! 💗

Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed my Alyssa post.

I didn't give that much thought to Saera, mostly because a lot of people said a lot of smart things about her already, so I probably don't have anything new to add, but I'll try.

First of all, I think her character and her story are so extreme on purpose to highlight the faults of her parents. After seeing how badly they dealt with Saera, you start to notice how they failed their other children, which is less obvious.

What's more, Saera is a second Aerea. Jaehaerys and especially Alysanne saw the conflict between Aerea and Rhaena and how it ended in tragedy, but the only thing they managed to learn from it was to make sure an angry teenager can't claim a dragon. They didn't put any thought into finding the causes of the conflict and how it could be prevented. That's the most disheartening conclusion.

Saera's behaviour was caused because both Jaehaerys and Alysanne were negligent parents to her. Alysanne has a lot of excuses, mostly taking care of her other children, like Daella and later Gael, being pregnant again and recovering. As a result, she was an absent mother to Saera and Viserra. Viserra managed to find attention and validation in people outside their family, but Saera couldn't - at first.

Jaehaerys was negligent as well, even though it doesn't seem obvious at first glance. Saera was his favourite and he gave her expensive and unique gifts, which makes it seem like they were close and spent a lot of time together. I think that wasn't the case at all. He was probably absent for most of the time as well and he felt guilty about it, so he compensated by giving her those gifts.

Saera acting out as a child to get attention from her negligent parents is a canon fact, but I think the situation changed a lot in her teenage years. Her sex scandal looked like another act of teenage rebellion, but I get the feeling Saera thought she could get away with it precisely because she was neglected by her parents. They didn't pay attention to her in years and she could have thought they wouldn't really care as long as it was kept quiet and discreet. They tolerated Alyssa's sexual behaviour and that also emboldened Saera. Saera didn't expect such severe repercussions for her own scandal and she thought they would protect her or make her marry one of her lovers and that would be the end.

I think Saera's lack of betrothal had everything to do with Daella's death, Alysanne was likely putting it off for later. We don't know how Saera saw it, maybe as another proof that she was less important than Daella to her mother? Daella's betrothal was a work of years, it took a parade of suitors arranged by Alysanne. Saera got none of that. It could have been a factor in her going ahead and finding her own possible suitors.

I think it's worth noting that all three of Saera's lovers were fulfilling certain qualifications - Braxton Beesbury, Jonah Mooton and Red Roy Connington were all heirs of noble houses from three different regions of Westeros - Reach, Riverlands and Stormlands. Additionally, Saera's girlfriends were from the other two important regions - Perianne Moore from the Vale and Alys Turnberry from Westerlands.

If not for the incident with Tom Turnip, it's possible Saera had some sort of a bigger plan with her lovers. She had ambitions to be a queen, so she could have been trying to forge connections, alliances and support. Not to mention her attempt to claim a dragon - what if it wasn't so last minute? She managed to escape and get to Dragonpit pretty fast, like she was already planning something like that before. She once went with her favourites to Dragonstone and maybe it wasn't just for the nice views, but to scope out the available dragons?

In this light even the idea of Saera wanting to claim Balerion makes a lot of sense, theoretically she could win against Aemon and Baelon if she was riding Balerion. Not to mention she brought up Maegor, who killed his nephew in a dragon battle for the throne, and polygamous marriage with her lovers from different regions of Westeros. If Saera wanted to be a queen, then it was probably as a Queen Regnant sitting on the Iron Throne, not a sisterwife of one of her brothers. Who knows, maybe Jaehaerys reacted so harshly to her because he realized her political ambitions which endangered his preferred male heirs.

Lol, I just made a new theory. Maybe I'm reaching too deep but I think Saera orchestrating her own future coup d'etat would be on brand for her. We know she made it big in Volantis later on and even had a son with a magister. I'm guessing she had a head for scheming, but as a teenager she was still too inexperienced and not careful enough so it didn't work out.

Anyway, thanks for sending the ask and I hope this stream of thought was at least entertaining. I certainly didn't start writing this reply while thinking that Saera was planning a coup, but now I convinced myself. It just fits with how Fire and Blood is written - there's more than meets the eye, especially with the political intrigue. Queen Rhaena's attempts at gaining support for her rule are similarly swept under the rug by Gyldayn.

[moodymisty]

“Honestly, I imagine that Traitor Primarch is Lorgar. But there's caveats I'll touch on when I get there”

I would like to add onto that and say that the biggest caveat to dating Lorgar is probably that you’ll be interacting with Kor Phaeron. You’ve written about that in some of your Lorgar fics, and I just know that despite Lorgar telling him to not talk about it (or especially, mention it around you) he would haaaaate the reader so much.

It’s almost like he’s linking up to a warp hivemind of every toxic mother/father-in-law that has ever existed. He can’t be mean to you directly, because Lorgar will find out. He can’t kill you, because Lorgar would definitely know that he did it. So he has to just sit there and watch as his son falls even deeper in love with someone who adores him and genuinely cares for him, while he’s left to sulk in the background (As he should).

Perhaps Lorgar decides to take you on a low-risk diplomatic mission of some kind. And perhaps he suggests that you should be present while he speaks to the leaders of that planet. He gives you the finest of clothing to wear, which turns out, matches his own! Except his is a bit more intricate, you surmise it’s because he’s got to be the center of attention. The cuffs of his sleeves are decorated with beadwork, golden bracelets and necklaces adorn his form, rolls of scripture hang off the side of his belt. But the thing you’re most entranced by is the beautiful veil he’s decided to wear, the fabric’s wonderful colour that’s complimented by the intricate embroidery woven into it, the embroidered script glittering in the light like stars in the night sky. You can’t parse out what it means though, so you conclude it must have some sort of religious significance.

You don’t know what it means. But you know who does? Phaeron. And he’s far more acquainted with Colchisian traditions than you are. So when his son not only arrives to a diplomatic mission with you in tow, but also wearing clothing with writing that very famously symbolises future engagement and marriage?! Ohhhh he’s beyond pissed. He’s going to have a long talk (shouting match) with Lorgar after this, wherein Lorgar will make the very solid argument that he is an adult and can choose to do whatever he wants with his life, even if that involves marrying someone that his father doesn’t approve of. (Kor Phaeron is now planning on wearing white to your wedding)

It may be a sci-fi romance to you. But to Kor Phaeron it’s a sci-fi tragedy. And to the astartes that bear witness to this situation it’s a comedy that’s been running for multiple seasons. “Hey everyone! Check out how grandpa punched a hole in the wall after being told that he can’t talk shit about our father’s spouse!”

Oh hey, you hit the button inside my mind that said LORGAR THOUGHTS DON'T TOUCH, so now I get to go apeshit.

Sorry in advance :3

Everything in this is GN!Reader apart from one use of the word 'temptress'

₊ ⊹٠ ࣪⭑⊹₊ ⋆₊ ⊹٠ ࣪⭑⊹₊ ⋆

I feel like given Kor Phaeron and how much he tried (and honestly succeeded) to mold Lorgar into the perfect vessel for his own ambitions, he would not take Lorgar having another voice in his ear sitting down.

At first he might 'entertain' the idea because he thinks that Lorgar will eventually grow bored and you'll get thrown to the wayside- that's he's just experimenting with the frivolity that is love and he'll get over it. But when he doesn't, when he listens to you more and more, perhaps he starts even venting to you, walking through what he needs to do next, and you're given the opportunity to plant seeds of doubt in his mind (you're just being nice and comforting him, but with Kor Phareon's mind being warped by his own delusions he cannot see something as simple as selflessness) he's not going to stand for that.

Kor Phaeron is one of those 'i will use my son as a puppet to be ruler', types as he instilled Lorgar with a god complex, but he also knows that there would be a massive riot from Colchis if he ever took over. So he rules from the background, and he won't let anyone, especially someone who's becoming the figurative apple of Lorgar's eye get in the way.

Meanwhile throughout all of Kor Phaeron's internal meltdowns and scheming, Lorgar is thriving. This guy is absolutely head of heels in love, and can't spend more than a waking moment apart from you. It's not fading either, as over time you rise higher and higher in rank, closer to Lorgar, and while you may not have any official place or title, people have begun uttering the word consort.

While he has been very vocal to anyone who can listen and the Astartes underneath him, any time he tries to instill doubts they largely don't stick. Whispers of Temptress spread largely from Kor Phaeron's most steadfast loyalists, but not enough to take a significant root that he can garden.

Throughout all of this as you've implied Kor Phaeron will not shut up about this, and will constantly try to 'right' Lorgar. Get him to abandon these insane ideas. If he want's someone to just keep his bed warm then that's Lorgar's personal business, but things like marriage? The stunt he pulled on that planet? Bringing you to a diplomatic meeting, drowning you in gifts? He's going to pop a neural link during the screaming match that inevitably ensues.

But I think that most of the Word Bearers would be pretty on board with Lorgar's significant other. I think that they have faith in their sovereign picking someone who is 'worthy' of him. And it's been established that the Word Bearer Astartes interact with baseline humans a decent bit, so it's not as if they're one of the more pompous of the chapters. I mean they are, they're Astartes, but in comparison to other chapters.

So most ill will isn't necessarily coming from them. They're pleasant to be around, and you enjoy them. They seem to feel the same, at least on a surface level. (So they'll for sure defend you or your name from grandpa Kor Phaeron's absolutely unhinged schemes)

There will definitely be some who are displeased however, particularly ones close to Kor Phaeron. So perhaps you should be careful.

-- Anyways, here's a drabble. No warnings apart from Kor Phaeron being a turbodouche. Apologies I only reread this once during a communications class.

₊ ⊹٠ ࣪⭑⊹₊ ⋆₊ ⊹٠ ࣪⭑⊹₊ ⋆

The entire Fidelitas Lex can feel it.

The tension.

Lorgar Aurelian is on the bridge watching Colchis come closer as they dock, and Kor Phaeron stands not far away. He watches as well, and both of them sport the same neutral expression that poorly veils their true emotions underneath.

They are both furious, overwhelmingly hot faced, but don't say a single word. To each other nor anyone around them. The air between them, that Primarch aura emanating unfettered rage barely held in check, has even the servitors swaying their paths to give them a good breadth of space.

Lorgar turns to leave, and return to the fortress he calls his home. Kor Phaeron follows behind roughly ten minutes later, the only noise he makes being the whirs of his armor and a sharp cough.

Lorgar arrives at his personal writing room first, looking out the window. He knows what's coming, he can hear the footsteps; The ones that sound different from the Astartes, about seven minutes after he arrived here. He had seven minutes of time alone.

The door opens, and closes with a sharp slam. Lorgar turns his head just enough to look over his shoulder at his pater, of whom is pursing his lips and trying to find the right words. He always chooses his words carefully, particularly when speaking to his surrogate son. His mercurial nature has never changed, and part of him wonders if it was instilled in him from his creation.

"You..."

He doesn't stammer, but stops to take a breath and keep his hands firmly to his sides instead of erupting into a fury of words and insults. As much as he might desire to.

I do not know where I could've gone wrong with you-" Lorgar can think of more than a few ways. Kor Phaeron raises his shoulders with a sharp intake of breath and continues.

"But that, stunt, was inane. You bring shame to the entire L-" Lorgar interrupts him and throws his hand as if trying to brush away his words.

"You do not dare tell me I bring shame to my own Legion. I have done nothing but what I thought was right."

Kor Phaeron sharply exhales through his nose. Even since Lorgar fell in love- at least he assumes that's what Lorgar thinks this is- he's been uncontrollable. Before he could offer his advice, his guidance to help him steer his legion, his Gospel, but now he acts as if he's just that lost young boy again.

"No; You did want you wanted. If you want to toy with mortals, very well. But do not embarrass us all."

He seems to be conveniently ignoring that your good will and pleasant attitude had been very helpful in speeding along a negotiation of planetary relinquishment that had previously been at risk of falling apart at the seams. Lorgar may have a bit of a silver tongue, but he is a Primarch, and when speaking to baseline humans, sometimes another is what's needed. Then again, he can't remember a time when his pater has ever said your name, so he supposes he can't be surprised.

He remembers how perfect you'd looked, dressed in the gifts he'd given you looking like a art piece given life. When you'd smiled at him, it was like you'd set his heart ablaze. He wishes to do nothing more than to show you off to anyone who lives.

He's already doing so, and if all goes to plan, you'll be with him on his next return to Terra. It will be your first time on the jewel of the galaxy, and he's nothing but eager to show you things that only he can. Not even Kor Phaeron will stop him from marrying you, if that is what he wishes to do.

Standing fully upright Lorgar stands up to his surrogate father, not intent on being trampled like a child.

"I will do what I want in this regard. This is something I will not take your advice in."

He leaves no room for argument, and Kor Phaeron knows that if he pushes it, he'll risk tearing some of the trust he's built up. If he lets it go, he can return with another strategy at another time.

Perhaps he can go about this some other way. He won't rule out removing you from the situation if Lorgar continues to insist on tailing you like a street dog.

Lorgar knows that his father isn't done with this either, but Kor Phaeron simply gathers himself and leaves the room, passing guards in his wake.

[fnafluffy]

I am. Going insane about the comic you just dropped. What happened to Ryu?? Why is he calling susato his sister? Did susato find him and keep him from kazuma?? Has Kazuma been going around like he's a grieving widow out or revenge??? How does this change the story??? Fascinating, very well done!

HAHA i guess i'll give some context after all! ok so first of all, the au has kazuma, susato, and ryunosuke all much closer than they are canonically and they've known each other for years. ryunosuke has always treated susato more as a little sister than kazuma does. basically ryunosuke "dies" from blunt force trauma to the head but didnt really die but they dont find that out until later. kazuma goes crazy from this and thinks susato did it. even though susato was proven innocent, he still clings onto that (from guilt and grief) and begins to obsess over it. They have to keep kazuma physically away from susato on the ship because he tried to kill her when she said she didnt do it. this resulted in sholmes jumping in to protect her by shooting and grazing kazumas head, making him lose sight in his left eye. susato takes on kazumas past ambitions of becoming a lawyer and sholmes houses susato once they get to britain. kazuma becomes an apprentice to zieks to be a prosecutor so that he can put susato away. susato has to cut her hair and dress like a british man for court. Once they find out about Ryu being alive, the 221b family houses him until he can make a full recovery. (he is VERY concussed--therefore cannot open his eyes rn) and thats where the comic picks up!! Ryu calling susato his little sister was added in as an extra punch to kazumas gut because after all their trauma due to kazuma being a freak, ryu starts actually calling susato his little sister and being an older brother to her that kazuma never got to be. hes basically disowned by her and replaced.