#hes Evil and not allowed to Fu-

[evilminji]

*slams open the door* I WAS SUMMONED?! My trash fire ship? My bespoke suit wearing war criminal beloveds? Babies!

And Vlad is the worst bridezilla you have ever known. Lex makes so many marriage planners CRY. They can't agree on SH!T and call each other tacky. The UST is palpable and probably wanted in fifty states for tax evasion. The talk ENTIRELY in Villianous Subtext. So much Fancy Scotch and luxury goods everything.

Like the world's most Unethical Crime Commiting Peacocks.

Except Vlad is needy and you have to pay attention to him NOW and Lex? Haaaates being mocked or ignored. Would ABSOLUTELY fall for Vlads "I'm texting you to let you know I'm ignoring you know and btw the servers at this restaurant(that I'm NOT inviting you too) are HOTTER there you. You are dead to me" high school, petty dramatics bullshit.

He'd HATE it. Everyone, SWEAR it's NOT going to work on him. He is a business mogul for God's sake. A literal genius. One of the most powerful men in the world.

.............what do you MEAN "hotter then him?" Preposterous. He's the most attractive man you'll ever MEET, Masters. And you can't tell him what to do. Maybe he feels like eating out. Mercy, get the car!

They can't STAND each other. But OBVIOUSLY one of them has to WIN. See the other groveling and defeated at their feet. Maybe chains. Why are you looking at them like- * Realizes their plans have taken on a Highly Violent & Homoerotic Subtext* ........this means nothing. NOTHING!

This wedding is making both Phantom and Superman cry. They are bonding over this fresh new traumatizing hell. Superman has promised to punt Phantom into space if Vlad decides he wants to STILL kill his dad after all this is done. Try the poly thing with his new villainous husband and Phantoms mom. They've made a pact to keep the other from drinking at this point but dear God has it gotten close.

Royal weddings are less well attended and cost a fraction. Have fewer criminals... probably. It's devolved into a horrific Gay Chicken/"I won't admit to SH*T unless you do first" situation. Do they even like each other? Want to defeat each other?

They certainly plan to [REDACTED] each other. Possibly assassinate each other after. Or during. The Heros almost feel bad for the mercenaries who DEFINITELY are gonna get dragged into this. Better you then us, they guess. You poor, poor, bastards.

These f*ckers are going to be one upping each other till they DIE. Trying to rob each other blind. Kill, maim, and rip the secrets out off.

......AND they can make Clone Babies. So look forward to their kids.

Welcome to Hell, Heros. The Masters-Luthor Household is a NIGHTMARE FACTORY and God laughs. Mockingly.

(I love them so muuuuuch~☆)

@stealingyourbones

Short DPXDC Prompts #757

Vlad and Lex fake being married to cover up a scheme. This means they have to publicly keep up that appearance… It works a little too well.

[thetreetopinn]

Sources for Somerton's Plagiarism from Hbomberguy's Video (as much as I could get)

I went back through Harry's video, focused entirely on the sources James Somerton pulled from in the hopes of creating as much of a comprehensive list as I could--though my Google-Fu is not very strong. I did however find something I thought was forever lost and that made me very happy--specifically the magazine Midlands Zone containing the column by Steven Spinks that Harry poignantly used as an illustration of gay erasure... while Somerton uses it to sound like HE is waxing remorseful about the very subject.

This is not a complete list, I'm sure. For one thing, I was only able to attempt to pull sources that Harry himself mentioned in the video. Surely there's so very much more out there. I expect there to be a great deal more internet archeology to unearth just how much writing and culture Somerton has stolen like he's the British Museum of Natural History but for gay people.

- - - - -

Harry's list of mentioned youtubers:

Alexander Avila - https://www.youtube.com/@alexander_avila Matt Baume - https://www.youtube.com/@MattBaume Khadija Mbowe - https://www.youtube.com/@KhadijaMbowe Lady Emily - https://www.youtube.com/@LadyEmilyPresents Shanspeare - https://www.youtube.com/@Shanspeare RickiHirsch - https://www.youtube.com/@RickiHirsch VerilyBitchie - https://www.youtube.com/@verilybitchie

Harry created a convenient playlist of videos by these and other people he wants to bring to everyone's attention.

Please give them your support.

- - - - -

Midlands Zone Magazine - Column by Steven Spinks

After a great deal of searching, I found an archive of the "Midlands Zone" magazine, where you can read through past issues dating all the way back to February 2014. I have also found the issue from which Somerton took Spinks' poignant discussion of gay erasure: Overall archive Specific Issue - Pages 16-17

It will not allow you to download it, but you can read it exactly as it appeared in print form.

- - - - -

My best effort to find the exact book or article Somerton lifted from to be able to get attention to the original writers

Tinker Bells and Evil Queens By Sean Griffin

The Celluloid Closet By Vito Russo Wikipedia article about the book Wikipedia article about the documentary My weak google-fu could not find where you can access the book or documentary. Check your local municipal or university library for book or documentary, or if you know a good source for one or both, please reblog with it added

Camp and the Gay Sensibility By Jack Babuscio

The Groundbreaking Queerness of Disney's Mulan By Jes Tom Personal site with links to social media accounts

Why Rebel Without a Cause was a milestone for gay rights By Peter Howell

Why "The Craft" is still the best Halloween coming out movie By Andrew Park

Opinion: From facehuggers to phallic tails, is 'Alien' one of the queerest films ever? By Dani Leever

Women and Queerness in Horror: Jennifer's Body By Zoe Fortier

[Pride 2019] We Have Such Sights to Show You: Hellraiser and the Spectrum of Queerness By Alejandra Gonzalez

Revealing the Hellbound Heart of Clive Barker's 'Hellraiser' By Colin Arason

Queering James Cameron's Aliens (1986) By Bart Bishop

Demeter and Persephone in space: transformation, femininity, and myth in the 'Alien' films By David Greven

Fears of a millennial masculinity: Scream's queer killers By David Greven (Scholarly site, unable to access original work, offers a way to request a full copy of the text in PDF)

Queer Subtext in Stephen King's It - Part 1: 'Reddie' Character Analysis By Rachel Brands Rachel is the very unfortunate lady who found out she was being stolen from because she supported Somerton through Patreon and saw one of his videos early with her writing--lacking any form of citation or credit

How 'It: Chapter Two' Leaves Richie Tozier Behind By Joelle Monique

When Horror Becomes Strength: Queer Armor in Stephen King's 'IT' By Alex London

Why Queer People Love Witchcraft By Amanda Kohr

'The Favourite' Queers The Past And The Present By Giorgi Plys-Garzotto

(Wuko) Crush (Mako x Wu) By MoonFlower on YouTube

5 Terrible Movies With Awesome Hidden Meanings By J.F. Sargent

The Radicalization of Sexuality: The Queer Casae of Jeffrey Dahmer By Ian Barnard

Netflix's 'Dahmer' backlash highlights ethical issues in the platform's obsession with true crime By Shivani Dubey

The Possible Disturbing Dissonance Between Hajime Isayama's Beliefs and Attack on Titan's Themes Original Article by "Seldom Musings" (Author has made all posts not related to Attack On Titan private and has retired from the blog)

Everyone Loves Attack on Titan. So Why Does Everyone Hate Attack on Titan? By Gita Jackson

- - - - -

The following people are otherwise named in the video. There are no direct citations of articles or books by them in said video. I am unable to guarantee that I have identified the correct individual.

Darren Elliott-Smith Michaela Barton David Church Claire Sisco King Amanda Howell Jessica Roy

- - - - -

Telos announced and cancelled a film likely based on this book: The Final Girl Support Group - By Grady Hendrix

- - - - -

I refrained from including certain sources.

First off only focusing on Somerton's work.

Secondly not including anything that might be visible enough to not require amplifying their voice (I cannot speak for all of those I have found links to, but journalism is frequently a thankless job).

Thirdly any source that is of a nature that is antithetical to the very existence of the queer community, such as the right-leaning source that didn't make it into Somerton's video, but Harry was able to identify as a source he had considered using.

If you feel I have missed a mentioned source--or you know of a source from material that was not covered in Harry's video--please do not hesitate to reblog with added details.

- - - - -

Please share this information far and wide, and please add to it if you find more material that can be positively identified and linked to the creator/writer.

[larluce]

AU where Merlin is Arthur's familiar

Firstly, for everyone that doesn't know, in European folklore of the medieval and early modern periods, familiars were believed to be supernatural entities or spiritual guardians that would protect or assist witches and cunning folk in their practice of magic. They're almost always represented as some kind of animal, like a cat or a bird, sometimes a demon.

So, having that cleared up, how would Merlin be a familiar and how would he be Arthur's familiar of all people when Arthur isn't a sorcerer?

That's the thing, in this AU a group of evil druids or sorcerers find out about Merlin's identity earlier and his whereabouts while he is still in Ealdor. Not wanting Emry's magic to be under the command of some prophesied king and desiring that power to themselves, they kidnapped him and make a ritual to turn him into a familiar (a merlin especifically). They also erase his memory so Merlin doesn't remember he was ever human. Just when they where about to bond the bird to the sorcerer/druid leader to have Emrys magic under their command, Merlin manages to escape. He doesn't know who he is or where to go, he just knows he has to go far away from there.

Somehow, probably through his run away ordeal, familiar Merlin ends up in Camelot's castle, with an injured wing. He's chirping in pain when the young prince finds him in his yard.

Arthur: (covering his ears) Why are you making so much noise? Shut up! (looking closely) Wait! you're hurt? (picks him up carefully) I think your wing is broken. (Merlin chirps louder) Alright, alright! I'll find help. (runs as fast as he can) Gaius! Gaius!

The court physician bandages the bird's wing, but he can't take care of it due to his work, so Arthur does it. He makes a place for the bird in his room and feeds it. He tries to not get attached to it knowing the bird will have to return to its natural environment as soon as it recovers. However, after the bird's wing is healed, it doesn't want to leave, not matter how many times Arthur frees it in the forest, it always comes back, so finally Arthur decides to keep it. He has a bit of a fight with his father, because he never let Arthur have a pet, but after the bird protects the prince of a witch that was in disguise by stinging her eyes out, the king finally allows the prince to keep it. The prince, very happy, brings the bird to his chambers.

Arthur: (with Merlin in his forearm) Now the you're oficially my pet- (the bird chirps in protest) Well, my, eh... animal companion? (the bird deadpans) We'll work on that later. The point is, I should probably give you a name. (the bird moves its wings, excited) What about...bird? (the bird shakes it's head) Yeah, I've been calling you that from the start, so no. hmmm. What about falcon? Gaius says you're a falcon, though you're too small to be one, honestly. (the bird chirps, offended). I should just call you falcon or little falcon. No, it's still too long. Lil' falc? No. hmmmm. I think Gaius said you were a especific kind of falcon? How was it? Mar... Mer...Merloni? Merlon... Merlin! That was it. I'll call you Merlin.

Without knowing, Arthur just finished the last step of the ritual: naming the familiar, and with that, becoming the familiar's master. When the bond is created, a flash of light blinds him and, suddenly, the bird is replaced by a boy, who now is sitting on him, while he's spread on the floor.

Arthur: (looking up, shocked) What the fu-

Merlin: (looking down, confused) Arthur! Why are you smaller now? Wait... I can talk? (brings his hand to his face surprised) And I have... hands? Where are my wings? (panicking) Arthur, I lost my wings! And my feathers!(crying)NOOOOO!

Arthur: Merlin? That's.. you? Merlin? Mer...Merlin, shut up! (Merlin stops crying) And get off me! (shoves Merlin aside) How did this happen?

Merlin: You think I know?! Maybe that witch cursed me to be as ugly as you as a revenge for turning her blind. (sobs) My wings, my beautiful wings.

Arthur: (offended) Excuse me? Is not like you were a "handsome" bird either, you poor excuse of a falcon.

Merlin: How would you know, human with so little imagination that names his bird after their species?

After their stupid fight, they go to Gaius, in secret, of course. They can't have the king knowing the prince's bird was cursed. The physician does his investigation and, after Merlin discovers he can turn to his bird form and his human form at will and do some magic stuff, he concludes Merlin is, in fact, a familiar.

Gaius: Incredible! I thought they were a myth. It's said they're spiritual guardians of magic itself and that just the most powerful sorcerers could summond one and tamed them to become even more powerful.

Merlin: No... it can't be. I'm just a bird! I can't be a magical creature! I can't!

Arthur: (Knowing Merlin's scared due to his father laws and believes) Merlin. It's okay.

Merlin: (crying, almost hysterical) NO! I'm not a monster! I swear! I'm not evil!

Arthur: I know. Human, bird or familiar, or whatever, you're a good person. Well, a good being. Nothing is going to change that and nothing is going to happen to you, alright?

Merlin: (calms down) alright (snifs)

Arthur: But we need you to remember. Do you have any memory of you being anything but a bird?

Merlin: No, I've always been a bird. Although... (thoughtful) I don't... remember being a chick before.

Arthur: A what?!

Gaius: He means a baby bird.

Arthur: Oh, right (blushes). I knew that.

Merlin: Yeah, my very first memory is just before I came to Camelot, when... I was trap in a... cage. (he trembles at the memory) There were humans with capes, I think. They said they wanted to... control me, to had me at their mercy. I don't know what they wanted to do with me but I escaped. I thought I wouldn't make it. (with tears in his eyes) I was.. so scared.

Gaius: They must be the sorcerers that summonded you.

Merlin: Great. So not only I'm some magical entity but I'm sorcerer's slave now?

Arthur: (fiercely) You are NOT a slave! You are... ("mine" he is about to say, but stops) your own.

Merlin: (suddenly scared) What if they look for me?!

Arthur: I won't let them take you. I promise.

Gaius: And I don't think you have to worry about being some sorcerer's slave, Merlin. If you were bonded to one, you wouldn't have been able to escape in the first place.

Merlin: That means... (hopeful) I'm free?

Gaius: And in Camelot where magic is forbidden, so you're safer as you can be. You'll just have to keep pretending you're a bird, if that's not a problem with you.

Merlin: I'm completly fine with that.

Arthur: (joyful) And me! (composes himself) I mean, I like him better when he can't talk. (Merlin frowns at him)

Times goes by. At first, Merlin stays in his bird form and tries not to do magic, because, apparently he's been doing magic all this time without knowing (honestly, how was he supposed to know all the things he accidentally broke or dirt in Arthur's room were repaired and cleaned by him? He just thought Arthur has very efficient servants!). But it becomes impossible, not only because not doing magic makes him sick, but Arthur keeps running into danger time and time again, so he has to use magic to protect him. Arthur scolds him everytime he does that, he doesn't want his friend to be discover, but eventually it becomes rutine. Also, Merlin starts to take his human form more and more frecuently, because he needs Arthur to understand him, sometimes to give him a piece of his mind, to warn of some danger he finds out, or simply to cheer him up when he's sad or pass time.

Merlin: Is magic really evil? (he looks at his hands)It doesn't feel evil when I use it.

Arthur: How does it feel to you?

Merlin: It feels like... flying (he smiles and closes his eyes) So natural and beautiful, like the earth under my feet and the wind moving my feathers. And I feel it everywhere, not just inside me, but in every living thing. In every flower that blooms, every pup and chick that is born. Even in you. It's suppose to corrupt you, but instead of feeling wrong, I feel so good and... so alive.

Arthur: (looks at him for a moment, completely in love and then composes himself) I don't believe magic is evil. Not anymore.

Merlin: (open his eyes, surprised) Why's that?

Arthur: At first I thought you were an exception to the rule, but then Morgana-

Merlin: (even more surprised) She told you?!

Arthur: (just as surprised) You knew?!

Merlin: I could feel the magic inside her (he admits, guiltily). I wanted to be wrong. She's one of the kindest human I know, but then I saw her doing magic and... I just couldn't tell you. It wasn't my secret to tell, I'm sorry.

Arthur: It's alright. I understand. (he sighs) She was... so scared, Merlin. She begged not to tell my father, like I could ever do that (he laughs dryly). And she didn't learn magic, she just have it. She didn't even know she was a sorcerer until recently.

Merlin: Oh... (thoughtful) That explains a lot of things.

Arthur: What do you mean?

Merlin: Morgana isn't the only one, I think. Sometimes I fly around and I feel people with magic inside them. Some of them are evil, so I call you, but there are others that just do minor stuff, like healing spells and potions. But there are other too that… don't do magic at all and yet… the magic inside them is so strong. I thought maybe I was seing the potential of magic, but now…

Arthur: (in heavy realisation) So it's true. My father's been killing innocent people all this time.(with tears rolling down his eyes) I've been killing innocent people all this time.

Merlin: (hugging and comforting him) No! Arthur you did nothing wrong. You didn't know.

Arthur: (crying and hugging tightly in return) I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!

Aaaand that's it. I don't know what else could happen. Apart of merthur getting together obviously. There would be a lot of pinning and confused feelings. Arthur first meets Merlin as a bird after all, so accepting he has a crush on his bird friend is not going to be easy. The same goes to Merlin. Lets not talk about when they both discover they're bonded and Arthur could technically control Merlin and use Merlin's magic at his will if he wanted. And I guess at some point the evil sorceress/druids would try to get Merlin back. And then Merlin finding out he was human before and has a mother in ealdor… Damn that's a lot of angst.

Anyways, I still have a couple of fics on going so I don't think I'm going to write this anytime soon... or ever. So if anyone wants to write it feel free to do it. Or just comment any ideas you have for this concept/prompt below so I can keep them in mind if I write it in the end.

EDIT: I DID A PART 2, GUYS!!! -> LINK

[laterreurofficial]

Hi! I found this au today and it's SOOOO interesting to me!! I literally scrolled through every single post about it, lol. I do have some questions of my own (a few of them actually, I don't expect all of them to be answered! Just answer which ever you want!):

- You mentioned that Paris is under quarantine, but also established that Paris is vital to the France economy, plus there's the fact that so few people are actually connected to Hawkmoth (like, around 2000, but Paris has a population of 10 mill). So, would there be any pull to allow some Paris citizens to leave Paris? Provided that they haven't been marked by Hawkmoth? Like, maybe only very skilled workers would be allowed to leave? And only a certain number of them?

- About Paris being quarantined, I can't remember if this is a thing in the show, but is there a reason why Hawkmoth only affects people in Paris?

- you mentioned a research fallacy studying akumatizes.... Do they.... Actually help? Like, is their research ever helpful?? Does Ladybug ever ask for their findings? Or are they rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic?

- is master fu more.... Evil? In this au? I mean, he did give radioactive jewelry to two kids, that will forever affect their lives, and permanently mess them up. Was he not aware of the effects it could have on the kids? Or, like Tiki, did he choose not to tell them? Even if he didn't, he must have had his own reasons for giving some powerful and dangerous jewelry to two kids??

Thank you for listening to my questions!! You've created an awesome au, I can't wait to see more of it!

Paris is under a complete and total quarantine. People can come in, maybe, but they sure as hell can't go out. Felix, Amelie, and Lila enter Paris post-lockdown, and they are not allowed back out. There are actually guards posted with orders to shoot anyone who tries to escape. Commerce and such doesn't completely end, products can be transported in and out, and non-physical communication continues, but it does get notably worse. MAGIC JEWELRY CAN'T SAVE YOU FROM ECONOMICS and Hawkmoth is. very scary.

In LT, it's a range issue. The butterfly miraculous has a set distance you can send the little magic butterflies, and besides that, Hawkmoth here is doing terrorism with the goal of getting his hands on the Ladybug and Black Cat miraculous, which he knows are also in Paris after his first akumatization. Why would he make a villain and have them march all the way through the barricade, even if he could?

The general public knows next to nothing about Hawkmoth other than A. he can possess people if they get too upset and B. these people then go on to cause mass death and destruction. This is very scary, a lot of people think he's he devil, and also mostly why the whole quarantine gets set up. The emergency government division researching the akumatizations mostly kidnap people and collect useless information, but some of their data turns out to be relevant, even if it's only verifying the obvious.

Fu is both deeply panicked at the time he passes on the miraculous and too trusting in the process. He gives Marinette and Adrien the miraculous when the first akuma attack has already occurred, and generally knows that if all else fails, the Kwami will mold these already good kids into people who can solve the problem at hand. It's just that the process of adjusting to the miraculous and the frequency of the akuma attacks makes their lives hell. He's from a place where the Kwamis' toll is accepted as a worthy price for the big magic powers, the side effects are invisible to him, as a fellow holder, that's part of the job description.

[sabersandsnipers]

The King of Caregiving

You are a skilled warrior. Some have even called you the commander of death. Enemies tremble when they hear your name. You have always managed to maintain an image of strength, and focus. 

But all that goes to shit when alcohol gets involved. You turn into a mushy, bubbly mess. It’s only happened a handful of times. Getting drunk means letting your guard down, and that’s unacceptable to you. 

But the ale at the tavern was too good to turn down. You can’t remember the last time you had a drink that tasted this good. The warmth creeping through you is a welcome feeling after the events of the last few weeks. 

The only development as of late that doesn’t fill you with frustration and hate is thanks to Halsin. You’ve been able to draw closer to him, which is something you’ve been craving to do for a while. But the differences in your personalities led you to believe he wouldn’t be interested. He emits pure warmth and light. His words are filled with kindness and despite his skill in battle, he has a gentle hand. 

You on the other hand…a different story entirely. People tend to keep their distance from you. Even your companions give you a healthy amount of space on a bad day. It’s not like you’re trying to be mean, sometimes you just can’t stop yourself from blurting out your cranky thoughts. 

And somehow, you managed to catch Halsin’s eye despite your angry tendencies. Maybe it was because he was the only one that managed to calm you, to keep your anxieties and anger at bay. The two of you just clicked. You complimented each other in a way you had never experienced before. You never allowed yourself to slow down long enough to cultivate a relationship. 

But it was good. Whatever you had with Halsin right now had you smiling like some idiotic bard. A small part of you was infuriated with yourself for falling so quickly, but Halsin’s attention overpowered any of these negative thoughts. 

And it’s the thought of Halsin’s attention that has you giggling as you and Karlach stumble back to camp. Your limbs feel like jelly and your brain feels like it could slide right out of your ears. All of your heightened senses have been numbed, and for once, you’re enjoying it. 

Giving Karlach a sloppy hug and slurring a goodnight, you begin stumbling toward your tent. But a tug in your mind stops you. You slowly turn your gaze to Halsin’s tent, evil thoughts beginning to breed in your inebriated mind. You let out another giggle as you move to Halsin’s tent, trying to be quiet but failing epically. 

You attempt to move the flaps leading into the tent, but instead trip over your own feet and fall directly through the entrance. A fit of laughter rips through you. Your abdomen cramps at the sheer force of your laugh.

“Tav?” 

Your laughs die down a bit as you sit yourself up, your eyes moving to a very confused Halsin laying in his bed roll. You admire his bare chest, the chiseled muscles making your mouth water. You crawl your way over to him and straddle his lap. 

A small smile grows on his lips. “It seems like you had a good time with Karlach,” he notes, taking in your disheveled state. 

You hiccup. “Mhm.” You take in every feature of his face, from the scars reaching into his hairline to the shape of his lips. Gods, this man is beautiful. 

Leaning down, you softly press your lips to his. His chest feels so strong under your touch. You wait for the feeling of his hands on you, but it never comes. 

He chuckles against your lips as your hands begin to slide down his abdomen. “Eager are we?” 

“I need you,” you tell him, breaking the kiss so you can take in his expression. Usually his eyes are filled with desire, but instead you’re met with their usually calming warmth.

He smoothes your hair back with his hands, and then gently holds your face. “You should rest, little one.” 

You whine, grasping onto his forearms. “I don’t want to!”

He laughs, and a twinge of annoyance flickers in you. “Don’t laugh at me!” you insist. “Is not funny!” Your words begin to slur more. 

He smothers his laugh, but still grins. One of his thumbs traces along your cheekbone. “We can do this another time, hm? When we both can truly enjoy every sensation.” 

You want to argue with him, but you can’t deny the increasing weight of your eyelids. He notices the way you sway in his lap, fatigue beginning to overtake you. He lifts you up a bit and helps you into his bedroll. His body is so warm and inviting that you barely register your head hitting the pillow before you’re asleep. 

When you wake, your eyes scrunch up at the pounding in your skull. Your stomach rolls at the sensation, and you clamp your teeth shut as the first wave of nausea passes. A groan builds from deep within you. Your head feels as if it’s been kicked by a horse. 

You attempt to sit up, ignoring the building pain. You take in your surroundings. There are carvings of ducks in various stages of completion. There’s a glass jar of honey that sits on a table. 

Halsin’s tent. The memories of last night wash over you. You cringe at your actions. Covering your face with your hands, you groan in complete and utter humiliation. 

The moment only gets worse when Halsin walks in, looking as gorgeous as ever. You can feel heat flushing your cheeks as he walks over to you, two steaming mugs in his hands. 

“How are you feeling?” He asks, handing a mug to you. His voice is soft. 

You avoid his gaze. “Like death.”

A light chuckle leaves his lips as he sits next to you on the bedroll. “Legend has it that you consider death a friend.” 

Steam rises steadily from the mug in your hands. “Well none of this feels particularly friendly.” You sniff at the liquid. 

“That should help with the pain,” he tells you. 

You finally look at him, gratitude surging through you. Your cheeks still feel flushed under his gaze. Bringing the mug to your lips, you take a tentative sip. 

Hints of lemon and honey hit your tongue. You sigh at the taste, savoring the sensation of the warm liquid sliding down to your belly. 

The pounding in your skull already seems to be lightening. The rolling of your stomach ceases. You glance at Halsin, a mixture of both anxiety and thankfulness rumbling in you. 

“Thank you, Halsin,” you tell him. You shrink in on yourself under his gaze. What a brave warrior you are, feeling small because of a Druid. 

You force yourself to keep speaking. “And I’m sorry about last night. I can’t believe I acted like that.” An uncomfortable heat begins to creep through your bones as you keep going. “You wanted a strong, focused woman and instead you got a messy drunk last night.”

Sunlight peeks in through the flaps of the tent and dances along his hair, brightening it. You wait for his reaction, unsure of what he’s thinking.

Then he reaches out to you and gently grasps your hand. His eyes seem to be alight with flame. "I didn't want you because of your reputation. Not because of the legends I heard of your victories or the tales of your strength." He pauses a moment as his thumb traces along your knuckles. "I want you for the woman I see within. The woman who cares passionately for her companions, and would die for them without hesitation."

He moves a bit closer to you, and your hand brushes his knee. "I want you for the selfless and loving woman I've come to know. Not for the legend I've heard of for years."

Your heart pounds at his words. Every inch of your skin seems to tingle as he looks at you. It's almost uncomfortable, this feeling of vulnerability, if it weren't for Halsin's ability to make you feel safe.

You clear your throat. "Well I'm glad I didn't scare you away then."

He laughs. The sound of it makes your very soul feels as if it's blooming into something brighter. "It's going to take a lot more to scare me off. In fact, I think I like feeling a bit intimidated by you."

He's so close to you now. You can feel the heat radiating off of him. His hand still grasps yours, and you savor the way his calloused palms feel against your skin.

"Will you lay with me?" you ask him. His face brightens at your request.

"Always."

He slides in next to you, pulling you into his chest. He smells of the woods after a heavy rainfall, and just a bit like honey as well. His fingers begin to trace up and down your spine. And you feel your eyes beginning to grow heavy at the comfort of it all.

No one in your past has made you feel this way, but you force yourself to admit you may be growing a soft spot for Halsin.

[yandere-romanticaa]

Helloo it's my first time requesting and I saw you had requests openig if im not mistaken! I wanted to ask if you could write something with Jing yuan again? I'm obsessed with your recent post of him and urghhh I need more. This man has been haunting me like I'd eat up anything, especially in your writing style

Taking a walk around the Lofu was a rare luxury for General Jing Yuan. Whenever he could afford it he gladly took it, the mere prospect of running away from his dull work always brought a smile to his face. He also liked to look at the various foods and trinkets which were sold all over.

He wanted to bring back something for you. It was the least he could do.

A tiny sting of regret plagued him - he hated how cruel he had to be, just how indelicate he was with you. Caging you up like some stray animal, it was beyond barbaric. But there was also no other option for him to choose and out of everything this indeed was the lesser evil.

He just wished you could love him a little more, no matter how selfish that may have been.

Never once did Jing Yuan force you into anything, he could not do such a thing. He bid his time, carefully constructing paths which would allow for you to soften up towards him, to finally embrace him in your soft arms.

Jing Yuan had this secret little fantasy in which he imagined himself coming back to work, only for him to immediately run straight towards you and pass out in your arms. He would be the happiest man alive if such a blessing came his way.

Unfortunately, that was nothing more but a fantasy. And Jing Yuan could not afford to live in fantasies and regrets.

He needed to live in the present.

Stopping by a humble flower shop, Jing Yuan admired the various assortments of the beautiful blooms. He made sure to ask around which flower would be the best to gift and the shop owner was more than happy to indulge the general. In a matter of minutes Jing Yuan continued his walk but now with a massive assortment of flowers in his left hand, the soft petals softly swishing in the calm breeze.

He never stopped to think just how odd this would look to the eye of an outsider.

By some divine timing, the general felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Picking it up and unlocking it, Jing Yuan was met with an assortment of various newspaper articles and each one was about him.

"HOT OR NOT? General Jing Yuan has a lover!"

"All exclusive reports about General Jing Yuan!!"

"The Lovestruck General strikes again!"

"Lovestruck or Lovesick? General Jing Yuan out and about, picking up gifts for rumoured lover!"

Jing Yuan could not help but sigh a little at the scandalous articles, albeit with a hint of amusement. Huh, odd enough that Diviner Fu hadn't contacted him about his affairs.

... Speak of the devil.

Just as the thought came to him Jing Yuan's phone started to ring and in no time he picked it up. The General faced a harsh scolding from Diviner Fu, her tone beyond agitated as she reprimanded him for his behavior. Besides, if he does not come back soon his pet, as Fu liked to say, would start to act out.

Jing Yuan ended the call but before he put away his phone, the general looked into those articles one last time. Each one was filled with photos of him from every possible angle, some downright bizarre and troubling. Someone must have at least sprained an ankle trying to take these.

At least he looked handsome in all of them!

[dazaiandhislovelybandages]

Could you please do prompt 17 with Mu Qing of Heavens Official’s Blessing?

Trouble {Mu Qing}

Most of the time Mu Qing actually thinks before he speaks but after you find yourselves in a dilemma, he finds it hard to keep his mouth shut

A/n: okay so, besides this being the first time I write about Mu Qing, I am in book 3 of Heaven Official's blessing so... do with that as you please. (also send help, this book is slowly killing me). I am sorry this took so long. It sucks but there is pressure because of my uni exams so hopefully you'll understand

A/n: Mu Qing x mortal!reader

Trigger Warning: mentions of death

Gods aren't allowed to present themselves in front of humans. Those are the rules and Mu Qing follows them. And just like every god, when he has to decend in the mortal realm, he usually picks a small disguise: Fu Yao.

He had met you as Fu Yao during a mission with Feng Xin, Xie Lian and Hua Cheng. You were mortal and that was all it took for him to start denying himself even the slightest form of affection towards you. You were going to die someday and he was going to live a long long life without you and if he were to be honest, he was not sure if he could do that.

It had been your boldness and the way you chose your words carefully in order not to be misunderstood that grabbed his attention first. He came to appreciate this before even learning more about you. It was a good thing because Mu Qing thought a little too much and it always caused arguements between him and Feng Xin; arguements that Xie Lian had to solve.

You only spent a few days with the group, showing them around your small village that had a very dark and sinister past, leading ghosts and evil spirits to be attached to it.

Yet those few days had been enough for Mu Qing to just crave a little more of your company since that was the only thing he would allow himself to want when it came to you.

"We should built an array." Xie Lian wore his bamboo hat. "Protecting the village should be our first priority."

Since what he said was pure logic and building an array was a good idea, everyone agreed. You just stood there, watching them building the array, not knowing if and how to help. It didn't take them much time to do it and as much as you wanted to stay with them in case they needed you for any further information on the village or the forest, Feng Xin turned to look at you.

"Why don't you stay with us?" The martial god asked, his gaze lingering between you and Mu Qing. Immediately Mu Qing shot a death glare at him before Xie Lian could step in.

"Why would a commoner stay?" His words were harsh yet you could understand where he was coming from.

"As a bait."

Now... Feng Xin's suggestion had a point. The ghosts in the forest abducted mortals so there were very little chances that if any of the four men tried to act as bait they would succeed. You didn't answer at first, turning to look at Xie Lian and Hua Cheng for permission.

"Absolutely not." Mu Qing growled.

"I don't mind. Think about it-"

"I refuse." The martial god was trying to stay calm and even though you had no idea why he was being so adamant on making this process harder than it had to be, the three men surrounding you knew.

Xie Lian and Hua Cheng had been the first to notice that Mu Qing's gaze was lingering longer than it had to be on you, how in the few days they had stayed at your family's inn and had dinner with you, he would refill your plates in what he thought was a discreet way. Feng Xin picked up on the strange behaviour not long after and even though he had said nothing so far, he couldn't help but want to tease his rival.

"I insist." You lifted your gaze to meet his but even then, he just shook his head. Why you took his hand to lead him a few metres away from the rest, you didn't know. But you did. "You should really think about this." Your voice was so soft and apart from his mother he was sure than no one else had spoken in such a soft voice to him.

It almost felt as an obligation to reply to you in the same soft way he never would have used if it was anyone else. "When it comes to you, I don't think, I just act."

[theriddlersunderwear]

MORE QUOTES

Lucifer: “Sam, it's me. The Devil. I'm here to convince you to do sin. Come with me, steal candy from babies and small businesses.”

Sam: “I will never do such a thing! I'll sin my own way!”

Lucifer: “OK bye.”

(Explosion)

Sam: “OKAY I'LL SIN I'LL SIN–”

---

Ketch: “New idea: adultery.”

---

Dean: “I need to update my audio equipment.” (Cocks gun) “I have updated my audio equipment.”

---

Lucifer: “I'm about to become the one thing more powerful than Jesus Christ. The President of the United States!”

---

Gabriel: (solemnly) “He thinks I'm a… pervert now.”

---

Crowley: “Good job, you've earned 16 sin points.”

---

Chuck: “Aye, bing bong. You're doing a bad job.”

Sam: “I know I'm doing a bad job!”

---

Metatron: “I am a gamer and I am in Hell.”

---

Benny: “The ultimate evil.”

Dean: “Gambling.”

---

Gabriel: (appearing out of nowhere) “Ding-a-ling cocksucker.”

---

Amara: “You know what? Fuck you, you're going to space.”

---

Crowley: (to Dean) “Do you know what a logistic issue it is when you destroy Hell? THAT'S MY HOUSE.”

---

Gabriel: “AND SHE HAD A DIAMOND IN HER VAGINA?!”

---

Belphegor: “I can't believe your tits are one polygon.”

---

Michael: (about Adam) “Now I can carry around my boyfriend wherever I want.”

---

Jack: “Whattya know… three. That's how old I am.”

---

Sam: “Dad, I have something to tell you.”

Bobby: “What is it sweet angel, darling eh– butter biscuit, honeysuckle, love of my life, noodle… spaghetti (wheeze) sauce?”

---

Belphegor: “I've ate nothing but drywall the past three years.”

---

Lucifer: “There's a lot of sin in this w– is that an alien?”

---

Lucifer: “Hi Sammy… it's me…. The Devil. I looooveee youuuu… I'm having so much fun with youuuu…”

Sam: “Thank you?”

---

Nick: “I can die happy tomorrow!”

Mary: “T-tomorrow?”

---

Dean: “You're an asshole, man.”

Crowley: “You are what you eat, Squirrel.”

Dean: “WHAT.”

---

Michael: “PSYCHIC. ATTACK. FUCK YOU.”

---

John: “WHAT? YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO FUCK MY WIFE! KETCH. KETCH COME BACK. WHAT THE FU–”

---

Chuck: (to Metatron) “Where are you going you cucker?”

---

Castiel: (calling Jody) “911 I've been atta–HUUGHDDD”

---

Gabriel: “You over there–shut up! And you over there–take off my pants!”

---

Jack: “I have a question for you. If I gave Dean 15 apples, and Sam gave Dean another 16, and Sunny took away 3… my question is, what is the total mass of the sun?”

[berylcups]

La Squadra x Reader: Stop teasing me!

CW: suggestive content, pervy behavior

Notes: finally got some inspo squeezed out! 😅 now fyi the actions of the boys here are only acting as if you are their S/O. They know better than to be grabby towards coworkers- because that’s ✨ harassment ✨ hope you enjoy 💜 beryl

Risotto

This leader likes to tease. You think he wouldn’t but look at how much he teased Doppio when he was trying to kill him. You definitely getting teased. 😭

He likes to take one of his belts and cracks it to make a loud snap sound to make you jump. It never fails to make him chuckle.

“What do you think it would be like if I tied you down and spanked you with one of these?” He smirked.

“Noooooo that’s gonna hurt like hell! Don’t do it~!”

Whining just adds fuel to his fire.

“I bet it would hurt. I’m sure it would leave a good mark on your ass.” He chucked as he snapped it again.

He won’t really do it. 😅 unless you really REALLY want to.

He also likes to go invisible and sneak up near you and just lightly touch your arm and mimic like a spider's movement until you freak out and slap where you felt the tickle only to feel an invisible monstrous hand.

“Damn it Risotto! Don’t scare me like that!” You hissed.

“Heheheh sorry.” He chuckles. …he’s not sorry. But you know that already 😅

Formaggio

Ass or no ass, he’s gonna smack it every time. He always has an excuse to have you bent over to have yourself vulnerable for a spanking. This short king is gonna purposely drop stuff and ask you to pick it up so he has access to your poor ass 😭

“Hey baby, I dropped my wallet under the coffee table. Can you be a doll and pick it up for me?”

“My anaconda don’t want none unless you got buns hun!” He laughed as he smacked your ass like a bongo drum.

He plays your ass like the drums. Feel free to fart on him to get him to stop. ✋ 🛑 …well it might just make him laugh more probably-he’s definitely not prudish 😅

Illuso

The king of teasing. He so rude 😭

He likes to take whatever you're focused on like a magazine, cell phone, or a game boy right out of your hands and hold it up so you can’t get it back. He’s gonna make you jump and beg for it. If you have a chest/pecs he’s gonna look disrespectfully as you feebly jump up to grab your stuff back.

“Oh~! You’re so close! Just a little higher! Keep jumping Y/N!”

He also likes to jump scare you anytime you’re near a mirror. He’ll grab you by the shoulders and yell “gotcha!!!” and laugh like an evil asshole while dragging you into the mirror realm to give you a shit ton of kisses…and if you allow him, to go further 👀(this is his way of making up for jumpscaring you 😅)

Pesci

This boy is just too sweet to tease. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t try!

He pretends like he’s going in to kiss you and then end up kissing your cheek and blows on it making a raspberry. 😂

He’s a tummy lover so he’s gonna pin you down so you can’t squirm your way out of a belly raspberry. I think fart noises are funny to him lmao- just don’t fart for real 😳 he doesn’t judge-he just doesn’t want to accidentally embarrass you!

Prosciutto

He doesn’t look like a teaser but he is. Don’t let his no nonsense attitude fool you. He likes to come up next to you and snap your bra straps(if you wear them), your not safe even if you don’t have boobs… he likes to hook a finger under the waistband of your underwear and snap it hard 😫 …stockings and garter belts aren’t safe either! He has big shit eating grin on his face too when you whine and scowl at him over it.

“Heh calm down Y/N. It doesn’t sting THAT bad. If you're gonna act like a brat I can give you something to really cry about.” He smirks.

Melone

This butthole loves to ruin the mood by telling you cursed things about the human body.

“Did you know that the skin on your lips and the skin on your anus is the same type of skin?”

“MEL STOP 🛑 ✋ “

“If we kissed right now we’d make one long tube from asshole to asshole… that’s kinda romantic if you think about it.”

“FUCKING STOP!!!”

“They make molds of your asshole for Valentine’s Day chocolates … would it be romantic of me to make you some of mine? …can I get some of yours too..?”

“MELONE!!! SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH!!!”

If you start hitting him out of disgust he’s just gonna moan fakely like a pornstar.

💜“Oh yes~! Hit me harder Zaddy/Zommy! Ooooh~! Give it to me good~!” 💜

Everyone in the entire building is going to hear him act like a complete whore. Keep that Hand strong and tell that slut to behave himself! 😤

Ghiaccio

This dick is a massive teaser. He’ll take every word you say wrong and say it’s one of your Y/N-isms.

“Pfft did you really just say pasketti?! Don’t you mean SPAGHETTI??? That's going into the book of Y/N-isms.”

“NYUHG KI??? You sound like you are trying to vomit! It’s gnocchi!” He’s gripping his sides from laughter, you might make him sick himself from laughing so hard!

He doesn’t mean any ill will by it. He secretly thinks it’s cute when you say words wrong whether you do it on purpose or not.

A couple of his favorite words you say is:

Bong gee or no - Buon Giorno

Fuuuuuuuuusili - Fusilli

Nayro dee saypee uh - Nero Di Sepia

EXpresso- espresso

Brew SHIT uh - Bruschetta (this one kills him the most because you didn’t use the “sk” sound 😂)

Another thing he likes to do is just plain evil… he makes his hands extra cold and grabs you with them to make you jump. He can’t stop laughing when your whining and begging for him to stop grabbing you with his icy hands 🙌 …he always makes a beeline towards your chest and grabs. Yes. Under the shirt. He’s an evil little man 👀

[flowercrowngods]

Suggesting/Requesting Eddie having a crush on the valiant knight Steve Dustin goes on about, not realizing it's Steve "the Hair" Harrington and the way he reacts when he realizes they're the same dude. Cue adjustment period.

hi! first of all thank you for the prompt 🥰 i slipped and kinda decided to take your ‘valiant knight Steve’ quite literally and made this a medieval/regency au with knight steve and bard eddie, kinda enemies to lovers. it totally got out of hand, so this is part 1, with all my apologies to your original prompt ���🌷

Eddie smiles as the fields and forest that surround Hawkins come into view, kissed by the early afternoon sun with more affection and richness than the city probably deserves. It looks different this time of year, the green seems deeper than he left it, and nostalgia paints him a picture of glory and welcome that would make any traveller linger at the sight. 

He knows it’s only the magic of coming home, the thrill of having been gone so long that he needs to learn his town a-new, and the curiosity of a poet that makes his heart beat faster; but it’s his life’s blood to embrace all of that. So he spurs on his trusty horse to make it home even just a minute sooner. 

The people’s reactions to his arrival come in multitudes, though Eddie can respect the healthy dose of mistrust with which they regard him. He has made a name for himself after all, a bard more than a jester these days, but most people don’t tend to forget the pretty face they chased out of the city on multiple occasions. 

He lifts his head in greeting as he passes the elderly Wheelers as they’re tending to the flowers lining their windows, and grins with glee at both the disapproving scoff and the wary nod he gets in return. 

He’s in good spirits. Great spirits, in fact, the sun shining down on him, welcoming him and lighting familiar paths for him to tread again after years of absence. Hawkins will see his glory, his success, his victory, and it will pale in jealousy and regret. They cannot chase him away this time, not with the title of royal bard and winner of the bardic competition three years in a row. 

If his travels have taught him anything, it’s that he is pettiness acts as a wonderful motivation.

Of course, he shall also see his friends again. One of his saddlebags is half full with their letters that have accumulated over the years, all of which Eddie has kept for reasons of muse and a heart entirely too soft for his own good.

Most of all, though, even more than proving his worth and success to his city and its people, it is curiosity that brings him home. 

Dustin and his friends have been mentioning a most valiant knight, waxing poetic about his glorious deeds and his kinder heart — or, as poetic as they get, which is hardly at all. Which consequently made Eddie write no less than five ballads about the stories they told him, three of which have made it into songs yet, one of which he was made to play in every tavern on his long journey back to Hawkins and to Princess Nancy herself on more than one occasion.

The Knightmærs, as he calls his little collection of poeterey, his pride and joy about a man he has yet to meet. Tales about maidens saved and brothers defeated, hearts stolen and retrieved with the gentlest gestures, and children protected against the evils of night, expecting naught but friendship. And friendship he got. 

If Eddie’s heart picks up yet another notch at the thought of meeting this knight as the familiar city walls tower before him, he allows it for a second before announcing himself to the guards. They looked wary upon his approach and blanch now as they hear his name; Eddie does not hide his laughter this time and preens as he is told to ride on. 

“Oh, Hawkins, old friend,” he mutters under his breath, not even bothering to hide his smile. “You and I shall have so much fun, shan’t we?” 

~*~

He barely makes it to the home he has been sharing with his uncle since the ripe age of twelve with minimal fuss, unsaddling his horse and guiding her to the trough, when he hears it. 

“Eddie!”

Halting in his motions the currycomb, he looks up from the rusty brown that shines red like embers in the sun and spots Dustin racing down the street towards him. 

He lowers the comb and steps around his horse, grinning at his rapidly approaching friend. 

“Why, good day to you, young traveller, what brings you to my humble abode?” 

Dustin doesn’t falter in his approach, doesn’t even slow down, and Eddie braces himself for impact. Years of experience have made him quite practiced in handling tackle-hugs, but Dustin has grown quite a bit since he last saw him, and they both stumble backwards when Dustin’s arms wrap around Eddie in a way that seems to press all air out of his lungs. Eddie laughs as he hugs his friend back with as much ferocity. 

“I’ve missed you! I was writing to you this morning when I remembered you said you’d come this week. I didn’t think it would be today!” 

“I came as soon as I could. Such is the Munson way, or did you forget?” 

Dustin shakes his head and finally lets go, though Eddie yearns for another hug. It’s been too long. The boy has grown. He’s hardly a boy anymore, though he shall always remain as such in Eddie’s heart. He smiles and ruffles Dustin’s locks, realising with a pang that they’re almost of a height now. 

An ache like homesickness settles in his gut and wears on his heart heavily. 

“What is it? What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing,” he shakes his head, smoothing out the curls he’s put in disarray. “It’s just been too long. And I’ve missed you, too. You’ve grown quite a bit since last we talked.” 

“I have!” And he looks so proud of it, too, preening a little under Eddie’s faux scrutiny, and it’s what makes him pull Dustin against his chest again. 

Eddie continues taking care of his horse, feeding her, combing through her mane, making sure she has as much comfort as he can provide after their long days of travel. Dustin sits on the fence and watches him tend to her, feeding her the occasional apple when he thinks Eddie isn’t looking. He hides his smile and pretends not to see. 

God, but he has missed his friend. 

Their twosomeness is rudely and entirely too quickly interrupted by Lord Harrington of all people, who hurries down the street in search of Dustin. 

Eddie never did like the lord and his pompous appearance coupled with his rude personality. He always acted like a prince among men, subject to many a jest in Eddie’s younger days. On one memorable occasion, Eddie managed to steal the lord’s clothes and swap them with his own, making him walk about in linen rags and torn-up trousers. 

Days later, all of his lute strings ripped just as he was getting ready to play at the tavern, and he never messed with Harrington again — even though there was a parcel three days later with new lute strings and his old clothes he had made the lord wear. No note attached to it, because Lords didn’t stoop down to converse with lowly peasants even for revenge. 

So, seeing Harrington now on the very first day of his being back, it sours Eddie’s face and his humour. 

“Why, Lord Harrington,” he speaks before the man can get a word in. “To what do I owe the displeasure of seeing you here? Have you suffered a fall from grace yet, or was it a hit in the head that left you disoriented, bringing you to my humble abode?” 

Harrington frowns at him, though Eddie deems to detect confusion more than distaste. 

And then he has the audacity of not even answering to Eddie’s ruse, simply ignoring him and instead turning around to Dustin. 

“Dustin, Master Clarke is expecting you. I will not cover for you once more.” 

“But—“ 

“Spare me,” Harrington says, hands on his hips now, and Eddie is starting to feel defensive over Dustin. How dare his lordship come and steal his best friend away when he hasn’t even been home for an hour yet? 

Before he can get so much as a word in, however, Dustin is already jumping from his perch on the fence and trudging towards Harrington, rounding the man and leading the way up the hill towards the castle. 

“I’ll come back later, Eddie,” Dustin says over his shoulder, and then he is gone, rounded the corner, out of his sight. 

Harrington, however, lingers. Eddie raises his eyebrows in question and challenge, and the Lord scoffs a little. It’s like he wants to say something — but what could it be? What could Lord Harrington have to say to him, years after they last saw each other? 

He does look stunning, Eddie has to admit with a grudge against his self and his integrity. The golden light of the afternoon sun catches in his hair, likening it to strands of gold that kings and queens pay alchemists across the world to procure. Eddie, for a moment, feels like he has found it in Lord Harrington’s hair and the skin of his face, but he quickly snaps out of it, cutting off that particular train of thought before it can run away form him. 

“I hear you are a bard of great renown these days.” 

The words catch him off his guard, for Eddie was sure that the Lord would not attempt to converse. Yet it seems that propriety still has a tight grip on him. 

Does Harrington like his ballads, his plays, his poetry and sonnets? Has he heard them? Or has he heard of them? Has word travelled across the countries, telling of Eddie the Bard and his brave-hearted muse his soul yearns for and his quill bleeds for?

Eddie is not sure which option thrills him more, but whichever one it is, it makes him smile, feeling quite bashful and yet proud. 

“So you hear,” he says, approaching the stiff Lord. “What exactly is it that you hear, my Lord?” 

He swallows, following Eddie’s steps with his eyes, turning his head when the bard circles him slowly. “I hear you sing of beasts slain and brothers banished, a knight at the heart of your ballads.” Eddie smiles at that, knowing that Harrington has at least heard of two of his Knightmærs. I hear it sounds like mockery, the knight but an object of your hyperbolic fascination and flowery imagination, his pain and bravery nothing to you.” 

He stops dead in his tracks, his feet planted right before Harrington. The Lord looks like he is taking personal offence to his works, and it irritates the bard. 

“And what, Lord Harrington, would you know of fascination, pain and bravery? I cannot imagine you have faced a lot of hardship in your life, and the only acts of bravery you had to chance upon were mislead in the name of false honour.” 

“False honour,” Harrington repeats, his words like poison, sharp and dangerous as the sword’s blade at his hip. “You would know something about that, I imagine, telling stories of which you have no idea. Immortalising glory where there should be sympathy.” 

Eddie studies him, the frown between his brows, the hard line of his jaw, set and calmed to keep more words from spilling. Imposing, this Lord is. A sight for sore eyes even in his  purely misplaced anger. 

Eddie huffs, his eyes travelling between the Lord’s where they are standing so impossibly close. 

“Sympathy,” he repeats. “Nobody, my Lord, wants a ballad of sympathy. It is glory that the people seek!” He steps back from Harrington, gesturing with his arms as he dramatically recounts the lessons he has learned over the years, passionate for his craft. “Glory, heroism, heartbreak and love! Yearning and longing and deeds of an aching heart, that is what the people want to hear. That is what deserves to be immortalised in art, in poetry, in song! I shall forgive you for being so painfully unaware of this, my Lord, but I shall not stand to be in your company much longer, calling my work lacking or a mockery when it is borne out of nothing but loyalty, fascination and love.” 

They are close again, because Harrington did not step back when Eddie approached him once more, his feet planted like a tree, fierce and strong and unbudging. 

It is intoxicating, though Eddie blames half of it on the passion and the rage, on the bravery that possessed him to send the Lord away, or the fierceness with which he came to his muse’s defence. 

Harrington swallows again, his eyes wandering over Eddie’s face once more, lingering at his lips, both their jaws set in determination and perhaps a sudden tension.  

“Forgive me for insulting you with my company,” he speaks at last, his voice nothing but a rasp. “You will find there is an irony to your words soon. I shall not rob you of that discovery. I ask you do not take it out on our mutual friends when you do, Munson.” 

And with one last glance, Harrington turns on his heel and hurries up the hill, too, leaving Eddie puzzled and quite dazed upon the lingering warmth of their close proximity. 

When did Harrington become so handsome? There was a fire in his eyes that Eddie got to witness for just the blink of an eye, but he wonders where that comes from, what it means, and what other secrets he holds. 

Perhaps, if he cannot meet his muse, the knight Dustin has only ever referred to as Steve, Harrington might serve to inspire a ballad or two himself.

~*~

Harrington catches his eyes on more than one occasion over the next days. Eddie is invited to the castle to play for Princess Chrissy, though she greets him like an old friend and makes him sit close to her at the banquet. Right beside Harrington, who merely nods at Eddie, his fists clenched as Chrissy asks the bard about one of his ballads — the one about the valiant knight slaying a horde of monsters to keep the kingdom’s children safe. 

The Lord must really hate Eddie’s work. It fills him with spiteful glee, for some reason, and he makes sure to play and recite all of his Knightmærs that night. Harrington excuses himself when Eddie hasn’t even made it halfway through his songs, and he doesn’t return that night. 

He takes personal offence now and vows to make the Lord’s life as difficult as he can. 

But still there is no sign of Steve. 

Eddie is starting to get frustrated. 

He was supposed to be here, stand tall and proud with a smile on his face upon seeing Eddie, sweep him off his feet, make him swoon, dare Eddie to fall in love with the face long after the name. 

His mood is sour, and only sours further when Harrington rounds the corner and stumbles upon Eddie who is tuning his lute for tonight’s banquet. The annual royal tournament is set for the next morning, so everyone is in a good mood. 

Well, everyone except Eddie. And Lord Harrington, by the look on his face. 

“Munson,” he says, straightening before he bows his head in greeting. “Forgive me, I was looking for some quiet. I shall look somewhere else.” 

And, somehow, that is enough to snap his patience that was already wearing thin. “Why can you not stand being in my presence, sir?” he asks, rising from his seat. “Does it disgust you so to be around mere peasants?” 

Harrington looks taken aback, shock and confusion clear on his face before a frown takes its place and washes away all further emotions. 

“It is not your presence that bothers me, nor the nature of your birth.”

“And yet you leave every time I so much as strum a tune, Lord Harrington, ready to throw both caution and propriety to the winds. Leaving me to wonder what it is that I have done to deserve such treatment.” 

Eddie finds himself walking closer and closer to the Lord, coming to a stop not one foot before him. He is drawn in by his presence, his charm as alluring as his cold silence. Everything about Lord Harrington intrigues him, horrified as he is to admit it. But with Steve not around to catch his eye and captivate his heart and mind alike, he simply has to find inspiration elsewhere. 

And the way Harrington’s face is taken over by a dangerous expression is the most inspiring, alluring thing he has seen in a while, even though it is directed at him. 

“How can you have the audacity to feign confusion over my disdain, bard,” he hisses, and Eddie shivers slightly. Harrington does not even have the sense to step back, staying right where he is, so close, so improper. “How can you pretend it is not my life you have taken and made your own, singing songs and telling stories, making into nothing but a jaunty tale recited by drunkards with no regard to the blood it was written in.” 

Eddie blinks, not quite catching up with the point Harrington is making. 

“What—“ 

“You sing your ballads, your histories, your Knightmærs like you know what they mean. Making a mockery of me, stealing from me every chance to tell my tale in my own voice, in my own tempo. Entire kingdoms will know before I will have had the chance to wake up from a nightmare, and they sing about it, sing about pain they did not have the misfortune to suffer, sing with a smile, with booming voices because you make them. And yet the only one without a voice remains the one who slew the beast.” 

Lord Harrington speaks to him as though he takes offence at the content of Eddie’s ballads, offence at the reality of their background. But what right does he have to take offence when his songs are based on heroic deeds, recounted to him first hand by his very best friend. What right does Harrington have to question the truth behind them? 

“If it is a matter of truth that concerns you, let me reassure you, my Lord, that all of my ballads are based on true events. I ask that you do not call me a liar, no matter how great your dislike of my craft.” 

“It is not a liar that I call you, but rather a thief.” 

Eddie gasps, offended now. “What do you suggest I have stolen, then?” 

“A person’s right to their own story. To their own nightmares. A man's right to flee from the horrors he lived through, acquainting every tavern in this kingdom and the next with his horrific and desperate deeds.” 

“How dare you call his deeds horrific,” Eddie hisses now, feeling protective over his knight. “How dare you accuse me of ill intent when every word out of my quill is written with nothing but love and admiration.” 

“For whom?” Harrington challenges, disdainful and cold. “Only for yourself, your vanity, your overgrown sense of artistic ambition.”

“No,” he shakes his head, hands clenched into fists as he finds himself incredibly close to Lord Harrington, their faces only inches apart now. “It is love for this person I have never met, whom my dear friend has told me about. A man who has kept me awake at night as I was pouring over letter after letter, hoping he should be well. It is a love so strong it has to be turned into art, into song, love that should be sung in every voice of the kingdom.” He scoffs, stepping back to catch his breath. “I do not expect you to know such a love when all you have in your cold heart is disdain for all things beautiful. You would never know bravery if it looked you in the face, you would never know love if it was the very fabric that makes this world. It would slip through your fingers, my Lord, for you would be busy yearning for the day your life found its meaning.” 

He is seething, heaving breaths, out of control over the words tumbling out of his mouth. Insulted in his pride and his muse, offended, hurt. Confused, still, as to why the Lord hates his songs with such vigour. 

“Is that your opinion of me?” Harrington whispers, though even in that toneless voice of his lies so much that Eddie cannot begin to decipher. 

“Yes,” he whispers back, the fight leaving him now, the very air sucked out of the room they share. “I believe I made that clear just now.” 

Harrington takes one step closer once more, but Eddie does not budge. 

“Then I suggest you forget that knight of yours,” he says, quiet and final. “And forget the idea you have of love. To love someone is not to turn his nightmares into song. To love someone is not to look him in the eye and insult his very existence even further. You love yourself, your craft, your mind. But you do not love him. You would not recognise him if he shared the same breath as you.” 

Eddie huffs, just barely able to stop himself from rolling his eyes. “And what makes you so sure of that, Lord Harrington?” 

A smile twitches his lips, though there is no mirth, no glee. “You have just proven it to me, Mr Munson.” He takes a step back and evades Eddie’s eyes. “I believe you should return to the fest now. Good night.” 

And with that, he turns around and leaves. 

Eddie finds himself rooted to the ground, air returning to the room now but still he is unable to catch his breath, staring ahead as he is. 

Words echo in his mind as the picture paints itself and a horrible, horrible realisation dawns on him. 

You will find there is an irony to your words soon. 

How can you pretend it is not my life you have taken and made your own?

But you do not love him. You would not recognise him if he shared the same breath as you.

You have just proven it to me, Mr Munson.

But… There is no way. There is no way that Dustin’s friend, Dustin’s knight and protector, his saviour, Steve, should be the same as Lord Harrington with his careful, quiet, disdainfully quirked eyebrow. 

Except, Lord Harrington collected Dustin from Eddie’s home, speaking with him in a tone filled with such familiarity, they cannot be mistaken as anything but friends. 

And Lord Harrington had listened with such rapt attention when Eddie played his jaunty tunes and the well-known classics at the banquet days ago, looking like he enjoyed Eddie’s play. His face had only soured when people started requesting his newer original songs, his fists clenched upon the opening chords of The Knight and His Nightmare, leaving the hall altogether when people requested more. 

You sing your ballads, your histories, your Knightmærs like you know what they mean. 

Eddie’s heart falls when he realises what he has done. How blind he was to the frowns and the tension, how deaf to the hints and insinuations, how ignorant he was of the pain he inflicted on Lord Harrington. Lord Steven Harrington. Steve. 

His Steve. And yet not his at all.

He falls back onto the bench, dazed, as the weight of his realisation settles inside his chest. 

onwards to part 2

[lovelykil]

─Headcanons─

kyle x reader older ver.

hc; night owl reader

cw; none

note; me fr ⤵

There you laid, eyes completely glued to your device on the bed that currently held two. You were on your side-scrolling away even letting out a few faint laughs trying not to be so loud,, you didn't wanna wake up Kyle. But Kyle was already well awake he was facing you, his back touching the cold wall.

His hair was in a frizz, eyes droopy, and slightly annoyed. He stared at your screen trying to see what your deal was with laughing so late.

He blinked slowly, unable to actually focus on the glowy screen due to his fatigued current state. He made a faint sigh going to tap your shoulder.

"Y/n." He mumbled, lazily brushing his finger against your shirt. At first you didn't even feel nor hear his soft voice from behind but it was when he reached over your shoulder to take your phone you began to realize he was trying to get your attention.

Kyle turned off your phone, setting it underneath his pillow.

"Hey! What the hell?" You cried out

He crashes usually at 9.

It is currently 4:40 am.

He has to flip sides on the bed to avoid the blue glowing screen that was hitting his closed weary eyes.

He BEGS you to sleep, even reaching to take your phone and set it on his nightstand.

"Y/n please I beg, got to bed."

"I'm not tired"

"Well I am, no more phone. SLEEP"

He flipped over in his spot and slowly closed his eyes with a content smile now he was finally getting the sleep he needed.

Well for a second he thought.

"Have you ever noticed your ceiling is gray.."

"Alright you're sleeping on the couch tonight."

Bro does NOT play when it comes to sleep.

At school when his mom dropped you both off you could just FEEL that fatigue hit you in the face like a brick, your eyes all heavy and your vision getting blurry.

Kyle noticed you shift side to side slightly when walking to the cafeteria. He briefly let out a sigh taking your hand with his.

"I told you to sleep."

"Mm shutup.."

He quite literally rolled his eyes and shook his head.

sassy boy

You sometimes crash out on the table with your head down everyone thinks you are sad or something happened but Kyle just reassures that you were stupid and decided not to sleep.

Rubs your back though at least from feeling bad BUT he DID tell you to sleep

Kenny asks some questionable things sometimes, he knows you go over to Kyle's house

And you guys ARE dating..

Sooooooooo..

You know

🧍🏾‍♀️

"You know you look rough too Kyle, did you two fu-"

"No Kenny we didn't have intercourse, please shut up."

You picked up your head ready to spread some silly lies "Well there was actually this one time–"

"WE NEVER HAD SEX"

HELPP

You half asleep, like to tease him like that then immediately fall back asleep.

All day at school he tires to keep you awake in the classes he has with you in other's you just give up and nap.

When school ends and you go over to his house (again)

Idk how Shelia is allowing this forever sleepover but

He finds some melatonin gummies and gives them to you as a sweet 'treat'

Which I mean they are, they r sooo good guys🤤

He's all nice about it to he's like

"Here I found some candy for you babe." ☺️

"Oh yay, ty ky." :3

He watches you chew down the gummies with an evil smirk rubbing his hands together and shi

I'm just kidding but that is kinda funny to think about

By roughly 10 those shits start to kick and you have no idea why you're suddenly so sleepy, you yawn feeling some tears sting your eyes.

"I'm so sleepy.." You put your phone down and turn your head over to Kyle.

He has a wide smile spread on his face already in a comfortable position on his bed next to you.

You squint at him for acting so suspicious, "what did you do.."

"nothing, what ever do you mean sweetheart?" He cooed.

You continued to squint at him in uncertainty, feeling your system shut down so fast my god why were you so tried?

"They are kicking in aren't they?"

"excuse me what"

"Nevermind, come to Kyle nowww." Kyle opened his arms so he could bring you in a close embrace.

"...Those GUMMIES-"

"Shhh it's okay now, it's time for bedd."

"You ASSHOLE-" you kicked and squirmed around as he pulled you in, he gently landed a kiss on your cheek with a sweet smile then closed his eyes.

You stared up at the ceiling in defeat, your eyes closing on their own you tried desperately to keep awake but you ate so much of those things it was really hard.

Kyle's chin was rested ontop of your head with his hands around you waiting patiently for your rest.

You sighed, giving in. You slowly flipped over and gripped his black t shirt.

"Okay I'll sleep." You mumbled.

He smiled, hugging you slightly more.

"night night." (*^‿^*)

"night.."

[autistic-ben-tennyson]

Letting Go: How Shinkai Succeeds where Lucas Fails

After reading that essay on how Kung Fu Panda did the “letting go of attachments” story way better than Lucas did, I was inspired to write this. The problem with SW is that it tries to apply what is spiritual advice to a hero’s narrative when it’s not about heroism. It’s about coming to terms with grief, preparing for death or letting your child grow up. I want to talk a bit about two of Makoto Shinkai’s films that are both favorites of mine, Weathering With You and Suzume as both delve into this topic. The latter has its title character come to terms with her grief and trauma while the former is a rejection of the utilitarian view of letting one person die for the “greater good”.

Suzume succeeds with its “letting go” message because it focuses on the journey and shows the importance of a true support system and that it takes time to come to terms with grief. Expecting people to just let go immediately isn’t fair and unrealistic. Suzume’s whole journey is about exploring new places, meeting new people and learning joy can still come from grief.

Shinkai based this movie off the 2011 earthquake which was a real source of trauma for Japan. Suzume is a survivor who lost her mother and her home. She has to learn to not dwell on her past hurt but at no point is she shamed for missing her mother or told to just let Souta rot as the keystone for “the greater good”. She’s allowed to mourn. She and her aunt, Tamaki grow as people and as parent and child through emotional experiences, both in the movie during their argument and reconciliation as well as in the booklet that revealed a bit about their past. Tamaki had the responsibilities of being a parent thrust on her and resented it at times but communication was what helped their relationship become healthier and she never shamed her niece for having negative emotions. I’ve written an essay about this too.

The reason this movie succeeds at its message is that it treats its characters and audience with sensitivity. Suzume heals by remembering the happy moments with her mother and Tamaki was willing to adapt to her needs, unlike the Jedi Council. I think @abla-soso’s written about this but George doesn’t have the healthiest view of human psychology and trauma or of relationships nor is he a good writer. He’s sympathetic to Anakin, sure, but he and much of the fandom treat him as just greedy for holding onto his attachments when he doesn’t have a support system that validates his emotions and won’t help him heal except for telling him to meditate. A child healing by remembering their mother while going on a road trip to come out of their shell is not the same as being forced to go and help slavers that caused you so much pain. How can one heal from that?

The other movie in question, Weathering With You, is sort of a response to the ultra collectivism in Japan. Hina is expected to die so the rainfall will stop but what about the people who know her and have to deal with her loss? The little people are always forgotten about in these greater good arguments. Kind of like Trace and Rafa in TCW. Hodaka may have been selfish, yes, but Hina was the one person who treated him with kindness and affection as opposed to how his parents and the kids from his hometown did. Not to mention she still had a brother to take care of with their mother dying a year before the film was set. To just die would be abandoning those who needed her. Hodaka’s trauma and anger is treated with respect by Shinkai as opposed to just being written off as evil like Lucas or Jedi stans would.

Some have interpreted the movie as a climate change denial story with the rains and flooding being treated as natural. But it’s really more of a response those who put all the blame and pressure on one person to fix the problem, especially the young being forced to do so by the older generations. It’s not fair for the older generations to create these problems then put all the burden of solving it on the youth. The Jedi council was plenty guilty of that with how they treated their padawans. And it’s okay to live your life to the fullest, even if the world is falling apart.

I’m sure the Jedi apologists will probably respond by saying “Jedi aren’t against love or emotion, just possessiveness” but that’s not what the movies show even if Lucas didn’t intend for it to come off that way. Maybe these movies treat the subject with more sensitivity and nuance because they’re written by someone who understands Shinto philosophy unlike a 70s hippie who blends stoicism with eastern beliefs. Yes, SW was intended to be black and white, but that’s not how real life works. What may not affect one person will affect another and it’s not wrong to need time and unconditional love to heal. You can’t just slap labels like selfish attachment or greed on someone when you don’t know or refuse to understand their circumstances and motivations and it’s not fair to judge or write them off.

[luluy33art]

If Master Fu has already chosen G!Chloe for the role of guardian for a long time, does this not mean that she should be the one to choose new superheroes and take Miraculous from him? I mean, G!Chloe is not the main superhero who participates in every mission to know when they need help, unlike Marinette in the Canon. Does this mean that after the incident with Volpina, Master Fu, feeling that the situation is starting to escalate, will allow G!Chloe to take part in battles more often (maybe even constantly?) so that she is aware of events and, if necessary, can resort to the help of other Miraculous? Or is it Marinette who will choose the new superheroes as in the Canon? OR will she just notify Master Fu that they need help, and it will be G!Chloe who decides which Miraculous to use and which person to choose for this?

oh those are a lot of questions, that I hadn't even thought about x'd

Well, Chloe isn't choosing any superheroes at the moment because she's still in training. And Fu has already told her not to get involved in fights against akumas (not that Chloe listens to him) Fu soon realizes that he can't hold her back so he lets her fight evil but with the condition that she intervenes only if she sees it necessary.

So she's more like an observer in most fights, she helps in a more sneaky way like evacuating civilians or maybe even looking for clues to find out who Hawk Moth is, seeing where the butterfly came from, the time it appears, and stats idk

She is like the mysterious superhero who helps them backstage, Ladybug doesn't trust her at first but after a while she realizes that she is genuinely helping them

I like to think that even when she is in her civilian identity, she will still manages to get involved in the fights lmao

If Chloe is in charge of observing and analyzing, it makes sense that she is the one who chooses the new superheroes, but only when the lucky charm indicates it :b

[flightfoot]

ML Fanfic Recs for 2023: 20K - 40K words

So I’ve been going through and adding particularly good fics I’ve read throughout the year. Only Complete fics, of course. Enjoy!

Alliance!Adrien’s AI is self-writing, enabling him to grow and change and adapt. As he learns and starts analyzing some of his own systems, he finds some disquieting correlations. Why are there such strong connections between akuma attacks and the Alliance network?

Fu keeps on trying to give Marinette Miraculouses. Marinette refuses to cooperate.

Chat is happy with the person Fu chose to succeed him as Guardian, but confused. Why did he choose Multimouse?

One of Hawk Moth’s akuma attacks ends tragically, with many dead, Adrien in critical condition, and Chat Noir MIA. Alya’s prepared to go to extremes to save the people she cares about, if it comes to it.

In Kuro Neko, Adrien decides to seal off his more rebellious, wilder side, in order to make himself into the perfect partner for Ladybug. This has unintended consequences.

Chat Noir suddenly turns on Ladybug, joining up with Monarch as Cat Walker. Marinette’s devastated. At least she still has Adrien by her side.

Nino offers to fake-date Adrien in order to get the paparazzi off his back. He starts to wish it wasn’t fake.

All this and more below the break!

---

The Ghost in the Machine by @jheqiawrites

As part of this function, Adrien knew about Monarch, the akuma butterflies, the victims, and, of course Ladybug and Cat Noir, the heroes of Paris. He was authorized to contact the Ladyblog as well as the citywide alert system if one of his platforms was active during an akuma manifestation, allowing his friends to get somewhere safe until Ladybug and Cat Noir could deal with the situation

While the necessity of these functions was disconcerting, it was programmed to be his routine so he gradually grew used to the inconsistencies. After all, humans tended to be selfish, highly inconsistent, and often flighty, but once you had observed them for a while an intelligence such as his could begin to see the patterns.

That is until she came online.

This is just a beautiful, though bittersweet story. I adore how Alliance!Adrien grows and changes throughout the story, how he develops as a person. He starts off not being able to figure out what he’s feeling, needing to make new modules in order to try to process the emotions he has welling up, and not totally understanding his own reactions. But as time goes on he grows and gets a better handle on himself. This isn’t an “evil AI” story, he’s just a person who’s slowly figuring out who he is and how to handle himself. 

Not that it’s entirely about Adrien Alliance figuring out his own emotions, there’s other things going on as well. He’s worried about why there seems to be weird surges in the Alliance Network right before akumas attack, for instance, and why the details about the reason for that seem to be hidden from him, making him more paranoid about the Alliance system the more he looks into it...

 It’s just... it’s really good and absolutely worth a read. 

---

Thanks, But No by @pauliestorylover

For every miraculous that Fu cupped in his palms, an image of the same blue-eyed girl flashed through his mind. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was born to hold the miraculous—she resonated with every single one of them far better than even the late Celestial Guardian, and it was Fu’s duty as the last Guardian not to allow such talent to slip through his hands.

Too bad Marinette wasn’t on the same page.

Or; au where Master Fu keeps throwing miraculous at Marinette hoping one will stick, Marinette goes around handing out miraculous like candy, and Wayzz has never seen anything so ridiculous in his millennia-long lifespan.

This one’s fun. Everyone except for Adrien ends up with a different Miraculous than in canon, and it’s really interesting to see how they all adapt. Marinette’s thorough noping out is pretty funny too, and there’s some sweet bits of Adrino and Alyanette in here!

---

The Power of Love by @nedjsmlfavs

In which Ladybug announces that she’s pregnant via her long term boyfriend and Chat Noir is a supportive partner. After all, he can hardly be upset when he’s been dating his Princess for years!

A different take on the show’s tagline (“The Power of Love Always so Strong”) written for Valentine’s day 2023.

This is just a sweet, fluffy fic about Ladybug and Chat Noir finding out they’re having a baby, revealing to each other, getting married, and becoming parents. Gabriel actually tries to do better here, as he does actually care about getting to know his grandchild, and realizes that he can’t undo this timeline without undoing his granddaughter’s existence as well. 

---

Radio Silence by @into-september

When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love.

[No S4 AU]

This is a wonderful Alya-centric fic, with her just being baffled by Marinette’s and Adrien’s newfound closeness. But it’s not all about her being puzzled by the Lovesquare. Things really get rolling when Lila makes her entrance and Marinette and Adrien are particularly hostile to her, with Alya being confused about it and thinking there must be a misunderstanding here, somewhere, even with Lila saying something she KNOWS can’t be true - partially because she doesn’t want to believe she’s been fooled all this time.

But this isn’t a saltfic. Alya’s treated like a full person, and her perspective and thoughts are given credence. She and Marinette talk things out in depth, with both of them feeling badly for accidentally hurting the other person, and reassuring each other (Marinette also told a lie, though unbeknownst to Alya, it was connected to her being a superhero. Alya, however, didn’t know that, and just knew that Marinette lied to her for no clear reason), and they make up. It’s really nice and treats the characters with love and respect.

It’s got a lot of similarities to The Investigation by @11jj11, so if you liked that fic, you’ll probably like this one too.

---

I’ll give myself a name (something stupid and pretentious) by @bbutterflies

Nino looked at the number and didn’t recognize it. Usually he wouldn’t answer, but he had nothing better to do – and could still really use a distraction – so he did. “Hello?”

“Hey, Nino.”

Nino stood up quickly, chest tightening. He knew that voice. He’d been waiting to hear it again for over two years. “Adrien?” he whispered.

“Yeah. It’s me."

-

When Monarch is defeated (and revealed to be Gabriel Agreste), Chat Noir immediately goes missing. Adrien disappears not long after. When Adrien finally shows up in Paris again, Nino would do anything to make sure he doesn't disappear again.

Ah this is lovely, Adrien’s been in a lot of emotional turmoil since Monarch’s defeat, convinced that everyone would hate him, SHOULD hate him, for not realizing that his father was the villain, and should hate him even more for disappearing like he does. But slowly Marinette and Nino get through to him, convince him that they just want him back. 

And also Adrien and Nino smooch. Multiple times. So that’s a bonus XD.

---

The New Guardian Is... Multimouse?  by The_Rabbit42

During the events of Miracle Queen, Master Fu passes on the role of guardian to a surprising successor... Multimouse! Marinette is frustrated, Alya is confused, and Chat Noir is oddly pleased. How will this affect Marinette's friendships and partnership on both sides of her identity? How will this affect Adrien's view of the girls in his life? And how long will they keep it together?

I adore this fic! It diverges from the season 3 ending, with Multimouse - who Chat knows is Marinette, becoming Guardian instead of Ladybug. Which leads to some ripple effects, like Marinette not confessing her identity to Alya, since she’s able to get some support from Chat when he drops by her house. Not that that stops tension from building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, since she won’t just let Chat go and get a Miraculous from Marinette during a battle, and she won’t tell him why, leading him to think that she just dislikes Marinette or doesn’t trust him to get Miraculous like she does. But even while all this tension is building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, Chat’s still able to talk to Marinette, air his feelings in ways he doesn’t feel like he should do with Ladybug, and it’s all a great, complicated situation that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing unfold!

---

Two Steps Back (One Step Forward) by @buggachat

Sure, Adrien hadn't been texting her as often as he used to. And sure, Nino noticed it too. But just because Adrien had struggled with depression in the past, didn't mean he was struggling now. Surely, he'd tell her if something was wrong. Right?

Marinette just missed him, and she had a tendency to catastrophize. Surely, he was fine.

But if he wasn't... well, she wasn't above hopping on a flight back to Paris to make sure.

—————

Marinette's at an internship in New York, and Adrien has a depression relapse.

Once again buggachat comes out swinging with a fic centered around Adrien being super depressed and his friends charging in to help him, despite him not wanting them to because he feels like a burden. It’s not easy and Marinette goes through a lot of emotional turmoil, especially since his apartment is in bad enough shape that it can’t be changed to something that a human should be living in without also going shopping, but gradually she helps drag Adrien out of the hole he’s gotten himself stuck in. The emotions are on point and just... if you want to read a hurt/comfort fic with Found Family helping one of their own who’s struggling and doesn’t think they deserve it, this is a great fic to read.

---

If only I could break free by megetstoread

It started with Adrien being upset about going away, but led to a lot of revelations.  

Another Sentiadrien fic here! After telling Adrien that he’s being sent to London, Gabriel takes advantage of Adrien being distraught to akumatize him. Luckily Ladybug’s right there and deakumatizes him before he can even do anything, but it shakes both her and Chat, leading to her allowing him to tell her a lot more about his home life than usual, and for her and Adrien to investigate to see whether there might be more to Adrien’s inability to stand against his father than just psychological abuse.

---

Skinny Dipping in the Seine by whensparksfly

When Marinette and Chat Noir cross paths one stormy night, an unexpected friendship blossoms, and between the two of them they’re both able to admit what they’ve been looking for the most — freedom. Vowing to tackle all of the things they’ve never tried before, they set out on a series of adventures to complete their bucket lists.

Cute little Marichat fic here! Just Marinette and Chat Noir hanging out and doing things they’ve always wanted to do, like going to a rave or, well, skinny-dipping in the Seine.

---

Nor No Man Ever Loved by @jheqiawrites

It starts with a gift to cheer up a friend, a friend Marinette's heart is trying to move on from. But when she is blatantly confronted with her feelings by the most unexpected person, Marinette's life takes a turn for the better.

Welcome to my Adrienette April story. It is based around Shakespeare's Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds. Each chapter will be framed around part of the sonnet and should be able to stand alone, though the story itself will all be tied together.

This is a nice little story, mostly focusing on Marinette’s perspective while being there for Adrien, WITH Adrien, while dealing with his father and the aftermath of his father’s takedown. We do get some perspective from Adrien though for things like his therapist appointments. I really like that it covered some of the therapy Adrien should have after this event, he needs it.

---

Villainous Matchmaking by @nedjsmlfavs

When Chat Noir is tragically unable to attend an event with Ladybug, the mayor calls in a favor from a designer ‘friend’. Now she’s attending in style, on the arm of the hottest male model in Paris. Which would be fine if it weren’t for one, tiny issue: Paris’ favorite domestic terrorist now knows how Ladybug feels about his son. This leads him to his greatest plan yet, using Ladybug’s extremely obvious crush on Adrien Agreste to akumatize Chat Noir.

A Ladrien/“platonic” Ladynoir fic

This is adorable and hilarious. Gabriel keeps on “accidentally” releasing things which makes it looks like Adrien and Ladybug are a couple in an effort to make Chat Noir jealous, while Adrien and Ladybug ae just over-the-moon about getting to spend time together and finding out that the other person loves them XD.

---

Vantage Point by @ashes-555

Most of the time, with more information, life get easier and things make more sense. But Alya discovers that sometimes, knowing everything is just plain complicated.

Alya POV fic here, which instantly drew my attention, I think most people know how much I love fics giving her some focus. 

This is set post-Gang of Secrets. Basically, Ladybug tells Chat that he can tell someone his secret identity, and he chooses Alya (he thought about telling Nino, but he didn’t want to rock the boat with Nino since he’s his best friend, and he figured Nino would let it slip to Alya anyway). Which leads to Alya just. Dying. As she deals with knowing the full truth about the Lovesquare and not being able to tell Adrien and Marinette that they’re chasing each other around in circles.

The fic soon changes gears, though, becoming a Hawkmoth Defeat fic, with Rena coming up with a plan to discover Scarlet Moth’s location, and then everyone dealing with the ramifications. 

---

Justifying the Means by @ashes-555

When the worst happens, Alya finds that she may be willing to do the unthinkable. Is any sacrifice to big to make for her friends?

Once again, Ashes comes out swinging with an Alya focused fic! 

Basically, there’s a major, destructive akuma attack. During it, Ladybug orders Chat to cataclysm a building in order to stop from being trapped. Unfortunately the building collapses, injuring or killing a lot of people - unbeknownst to her, including Chat Noir. Gabriel releases the akuma, which means she has no way of fixing the damage, either.

A lot of of focus is placed on Alya and Nino worrying over Adrien, who was found in the wreckage barely clinging to life, in a coma, with the doctors unsure whether he’d make it. Shadow Moth takes advantage of their distress to make an offer: if he gets the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, he can make a Wish to fix everything, including saving Adrien. With as dark a place as Alya and Nino are in, they seriously consider it. Especially with how unhappy both of them are with Chat Noir supposedly “abandoning” Ladybug and Paris as a whole, and Nino being angry with Ladybug for failing (since Alya knows that Marinette is Ladybug, she’s far more understanding on that front).

I love how much credence Alya’s thought and emotions are given here, and that she doesn’t go for the more drastic option right away, either - she talks with Ladybug about it first, tries to do it her way. She understands the costs, but... her friends are important to her, and she’s desperate. I think this was a really good way to present a more antagonistic sort of Alya. She’s still very much herself here, and still considers Marinette her friend, willing to do things her way to an extent, and understanding why Marinette doesn’t want to use the Wish, even though she disagrees with her. Alya’s mindset, her emotions, her problems, are given respect and credence by the narrative. She’s still willing to talk things out, she’s still sympathetic to Marinette and the enormous trauma and guilt she’s going through, she just disagrees with Marinette’s approach. She wants her friend back.

If you want a fic that has some solid focus on Alya as a person, on her emotional struggles and mindset and just... dealing with things, I highly recommend checking out “Justifying the Means”.

---

Would Trust You With Everything by @kasienda

Nino breaks off, tears streaking down his face. Adrien wishes he was here as himself instead of Chat so he could offer a hug.

“It’s not like I don’t think she deserved her privacy. It’s just it felt like I was her last priority. And if I knew why, then maybe we could overcome it. But when I don’t, I’m not willing to be her last thought. You know? I always put her first.”

“Yeah,” Chat agrees, able to relate too well. He always put Ladybug first too, and he’s not sure it has ever been the same for her. “I’m sorry you’ve been so alone through this."

“I haven’t been totally alone,” Nino disagrees, holding up his phone. “My best friend has been keeping me company virtually most of the day.”

“Yeah? It helped?”

“I don’t know if any of the stuff he sent helped, but like, given what I know he’s up to, he totally had to move heaven and earth to talk to me so much, and that really helped. You know, just knowing that someone was thinking of me.”

“I’m glad,” Chat Noir said. “I wish he could be there in person for you.”

Nino sighs. “Yeah, me too, but at least you’re here."

...

Season 4 au - canon divergent from Rocketear Rocketear led to DJWiFi breakup.

Ahh, Adrino my beloved XD. I love the identity shenanigans in this one with Adrien being around Nino as both Adrien and Chat Noir, and both of them vaguely describing their situations to each other. It takes Adrien a bit to figure out that he has a crush on Nino, but once he does...

---

Dr. Walker & Kitty Hyde series by @pearl484-blog

Summary of the first fic, Rain Falls, Everybody Lies:

Chat Noir loves the rain. He loves the danger. He loves the excitement, and he especially loves how much Catwalker hates it. 

Jekyll and Hyde AU

Adrien AUGreste Entry 3: Rain

So like the summary says, and the title indicates, this series is inspired by the popular conception of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - not how the book actually goes, but how it’s portrayed in popular media, with Jekyll splitting himself in two, with a “good” side and a “bad” side. 

During Kuro Neko, instead of just changing his appearance through changing his mindset, Adrien took more extreme measures, sealing off his “undesirable” characteristics, his anger and sadness and all his sharp edges, into the ring so he could assume a more placid, genial persona that’d be more accepted - Cat Walker. 

But Chat Noir’s still there, taking over whenever Adrien gets too testy, and desperately trying not to be pressed out of existence entirely. With embodying Adrien’s sealed anger and snappishness and rebelliousness, he’s not too kind to the other heroes - he already felt looked down upon and ignored before this, and seeing them accept Cat Walker while he’s fighting for his life doesn’t endear them to him either.

The series isn’t unfair to them - this isn’t a case where one party is entirely in the wrong and another’s entirely in the right. Marinette, Zoe, Nino, and all the others - they did wonder about what was going on with Chat, but he wasn’t in a position where he could see it, and he did have legitimate questions about how much Ladybug would budge on things, if he’d told her what he was going through. It’s a series that emphasizes characters hurting and lashing out in some terrible ways, but that hurt still being respected, and working things out, trying to get everything to a better place.

---

First Dance, Second Chance by @gabriel-agreste-has-no-rights

After fighting by Ladybug's side as Aspik, Adrien finally has an excuse to connect with her. But when Gabriel voices concerns about Ladybug during a charity event, Adrien realizes she might need him for more than just one dance.

Or, the one where Ladybug and Adrien work together to find out Hawkmoth's identity, while maybe squeezing in a date or two along the way.

Ladrien Hawkmoth defeat fic here! I love Ladybug and Adrien teaming up to figure out how to track down Hawkmoth and defeat him, and being super supportive of each other more generally. If you like Ladrien and Hawkmoth Defeat fics, you should check it out!

---

The Great War by icebelle24

'And maybe it’s the past that’s talking, screaming from a crypt Telling me to punish you for things you never did So I justified it'

The unthinkable happens, and suddenly, Chat Noir’s allegiances change. Now Ladybug stands on the opposite side of the battlefield from the boy who was once her partner, left alone to make sense of an impossible situation.

At least she still has Adrien to give her hope. Or maybe things are not entirely as they seem.

I adore Ladynoir enemies au, and this is a good one. The reveal of what’s really going on is pretty great, everything makes sense. I love the pieces of Alya’s POV in this as well, as she’s trying to support Marinette through one of the biggest betrayals that could possibly happen, even while Marinette’s making some frustrating decisions that don’t make much tactical sense. Everyone’s pissed at Chat Noir (now Cat Walker) for apparently siding with Hawk Moth, and the subsequent frustrating inability to make any headway against him, as Ladybug always insists on fighting Cat Walker personally, and letting no one else take part. 

---

The moment I knew (I’d no choice but to love you) by @bbutterflies

“He’s dating me,” Nino said, taking Adrien’s hand in his own.

Adrien could only stare back at him in shock.

“How dare you all force him to come out?” Nino continued, glaring at the reporters. “That was disgusting.” He pulled Adrien over to the car, guided him in, and shut the door behind them.

In the relative quiet and privacy of the backseat, Adrien finally processed what had just happened. “So… when were you going to tell me we were dating?”

This Adrino fic is delicious XD. Reporters keep hounding Adrien about his love life, so Nino finally gets them off Adrien’s back by fake-dating him. Problem is, Adrien’s actually been madly in love with Nino for years but has never been able to tell him. And now as they’re spending more time together, Nino’s beginning to find that he’s enjoying all these “couple” activities more than maybe he ought to if it’s entirely platonic...

If you want to see Adrien and Nino PINING for each other while “fake” dating (is it really fake if both parties want it to be real?) then you’ve come to the right fic!

---

Evillustrator Reimagined by onewaywriteturn

A full, mostly-standalone rewrite of the episode "The Evillustrator".

Nathaniel never planned to tell anyone about his secret crush on his friend Marc, but his world changes when Chloe picks up his sketchbook and mocks his art in front of the whole class, inadvertently outing him as bisexual. Now as the Evillustrator, he has two objectives: to take vengeance on Chloe for what she did to him and to go on a date with Marc for his birthday.

At the same time, Marinette is already struggling to defend Sabrina from Chloe when she learns of the Evillustrator's crush on Marc, one of her good friends. And while getting Marc involved with an akuma fight is messy enough, the fact that Marc has secretly liked Nathaniel for a long time complicates the situation so much more.

If you ever wanted to see Evillustrator rewritten to focus around NathMarc, this is the fic for you! The two of them just PINE for each other so hard and are so convinced that the other person couldn’t possibly actually want to date them, even with Evillustrator making it uh. Exceedingly obvious XD.

[sizzleissues]

I loved the Paris special and all the hype leading up to it and after it and I just love how it went. I was so afraid it would disappoint my expectations, do something basic and trite but no, it went for something and I loved it.

Like for the most part the art, discussions and fics I saw previous to the airing were kinda goofy. We heard 'evil Marinette and Adrien' and constructed two evil little guys to swing around while we waited. They were bratty and overly dark and unapologetically cruel and conniving. Of course people did explore the possible reasons for them being different but we didn't know what the reverse world was like, where it broke off from our canon so we could only make guesses. People concluded they either did it for the heck of it, or that it was a lashing out against their circumstances. Whether the behavior followed them into being civilians, especially before all the designs were released, we didn't know and we made beautiful noise based on assumptions.

Then we got the episode.

The two kids weren't evil for the heck of it. They were tricked by someone greater, similarly how Master Fu told our Marinette and Adrien to use their power for the greater good, to better the world, the Supreme told them to use it for the greater evil, with some sort of reward in return for accomplishing this goal. It pit them against each other. They couldn't wholly work apart, neither were strong enough to do that, but they were never entirely together because if they worked together, they would simply turn against the Supreme. By telling them that only one of them could get what they wanted, the Supreme became a far cleverer and eviler villain than whatever Gabriel became by the end.

Bad Marinette and Adrien became trapped in the cycle of abuse they likely faced in their civilian lives. Marinette lived under the thumb of Chloe and her worse world and instead of being empowered as Toxinelle, she was trapped in a cycle of failure as it slowly killed her for ever wanting a chance at something better. She has the same capability as our Marinette to be good and to be resilient but the power of one toxic voice is demonstrated in her fall. At the midpoint of the special she knows that how fucked she is and how its entirely by the Supremes' design but she can't do a single thing about it other then finish what they came to do. It takes the hope Ladybug installs in her for her to overcome the manipulations of the Supreme. Bad Marinette loses the chance to get back what she wanted in the first place, whether that be freedom from Chloe or something in her home life but she accepts that she can improve things in a different way. Find Alya, join the resistance, carve out something new for herself. The lack of mention of her father makes you wonder and the bitterness about her mother is another open question. Is her Sabine mean or did something else happen to strain their relationship?

Adrien similarly became trapped in his grief and instead of Griffe Noire being a release from it, he toyed with his life in desperation to get his mother back, like our Gabriel did towards the end. I don't think Good Gabriel was a terrible father like our Gabriel but he was misguided. I think he likely didn't want to address Emily's death because by the looks of the opening, it was quite emotionally distressing and having to face that would mean admitting some terrible things (like that his actions resulted in her death, and that Adrien's 'birth' was the catalyst that had her killed). So he stayed silent and allowed Adrien's resentment to build. This Adrien is also still home schooled. I think again that Good Gabriel does this because he thinks allowing Adrien out into the world would put him in dangers way, since the Supreme obviously hasn't reclaimed the miraculous yet. But again he doesn't explain why, evidenced by Adrien working for the man responsible for his mother's demise. Adrien doesn't know, he thinks his father is pretending like nothings wrong and keeping him cut off from the world. Its likely that the one day Adrien runs away to school, the Supreme finds him and gives him the miraculous before he's whisked away again. Proving Gabriel right, but he doesn't know it.

The Supreme is also just fucking with Gabriel. He knows Gabriel's identity so he's using his son to fuck with him further. He kills his wife and then turns his son against him. His son who is now doomed to die if he doesn't retrieve the butterfly miraculous.

Both character's now reflect paths our versions could have gone down. Yes the world isn't run by the Supreme but miraculous has taken time to show the other ways the city can be terrible. Their Mayor's corrupt controlled by the whims of his daughter and investors, a greedy business man holds a monopoly on artists and the cities biggest fashion designer works with the smartest business woman in town to make rings to spy on everyone, who is literally a super villain with no known motive. Things are pretty shit and it’s not like the show isn't directly pointing to these things as terrible.

Ladybug and Chat Noir see this steaming pile of shit and decide to save it anyway, overcoming their personal challenges along the way. Like why not overthrow the mayor, why not take down those who don't need to be akumatised to be evil? It’s proof of their inherent goodness, even with everything they'd been through prior to origins that they don't do this. Versions of them are only compelled to be evil because someone different gets in their ear, someone promises them better "if they paid only a small price". Neither want to do it, but its all they have left after choosing that path instead of the other. We know that this darkness is in our versions as well. Adrinoir asks why not use the wish to solve everything? He could have his mother back, his father would revert from this cold mess to his distant but loving father. He acts out, plays a different character and doesn't think when he should. Maribug is constantly tearing herself apart trying to balance things and ends up abusing her power occasionally (especially in the earlier part of the show). She sometimes acts selfishly and is misguided. These aren't two entirely different sets of people, but the same set if the wrong traits are amplified.

And omg I love this show.

Instead of going, look at these two evil guys, doing evil things for no reason we get these morally complex renditions of our favorite characters. There's nothing wrong with the previous interpretation but it says little about our own characters in turn and only offers a chance for some hijinks and fun before the episode ends. (I wish they'd been dating and revealed like all our hearts dreamed but if that would have been true they'd have been too powerful and defeated Better fly in like five seconds so they could get back to making out - this lovesquare is even less functioning now)

Anyways be cool, watch miraculous

[deathbxnny]

More shenanigans with yangqing mother and jing yuan after their marriage?

-----♡

A/N: Sure thing! Also thank you for the request Anon!<33

Content: Fluff, Jing Yuan being a menace, kinda unserious, Yanqing just being over it, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns, but is Yanqing's mother!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

Yanqing seriously regretted ever agreeing to this, when Jing Yuan pulled the "I'm your step dad" card on him for the first time. To say that he was sick of his mentor for once, would be an understatement. And it didn't help, that you happily swooned whenever the man called himself Yanqing's father.

Sure, Yanqing always saw the mentor as his father in a way... but he was still insufferable now. Either way, Yanqing tried to ignore it and focus on how happy you were, which wasn't hard, as you were practically constantly beaming everytime you saw Yanqing and Jing Yuan together. You always wanted a father for your son, so this was just making you so happy!

However, it also made you miss the deadpans of your son and the evil grins of your husband, whenever you looked away. Ofcourse, Jing Yuan wasn't all too mean to the boy. In fact, he was starting to make it clear that he really saw him as a son by spending alot of his breaks with him. He already did that before, but now he actually treated him as his kid.

Whether it be through taking him around the ship for some sightseeing or just playing chess with him, whilst talking about various topics that don't revolve around work, Jing Yuan makes it clear that he takes his duty as Yanqing's step dad quite seriously. Even if it doesn't look like it sometimes.

Hell, he raised his allowance as well as a secret thank you to the boy, which made Yanqing finally approve of him in the end. Sure, the older man may be a pain sometimes, but he treats him and his mother very well, so maybe he should be easier on him...

Or so he thought, until the old man decided to influence you to get him into deeper trouble, after he pulled a prank on Fu Xuan on accident. He absolutely regretted ever thinking of accepting him, after he saw Jing Yuan's teasing and evil grin from behind your angry form.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was alright! Thank you again for the request!<33