#i am the best horror author lmao

[i-drop-level-one-loot]

I uhh… I that naga story awakened something in me when you were describing the readers friends being digested.

[hestzhyen]

Chapter 61 Deadbeat Posting

Hello, kind void. Let's get into it, shall we?

Bad TL of editor's notes:

First page: 交差する思惑-!! [kouki suru omowaku-!!] Intersecting motives-!! Last page: 座村の娘, 一般社会に紛れて... [Samura no musume, ippan shakai ni magirete...] Samura's daughter, blending in with the general public...

What is Going On?!

So, uh... is there a Maury or Dr. Phil in the Kagurabachi universe? Wait, no, let's start with the best part of the chapter:

lmao

THANK YOU for this little breather. It's still not enough but seeing Chihiro get babied by his new ninja maids is fucking hilarious. They really do just swoop in and take care of whoever their charge is- no wonder Samura put his foot down early on with them. Would have been the perfect time to learn their names too, but Hokazono-sensei must have a deadly allergy to names in text boxes.

If we're gonna be spending quality time with these guys, shouldn't we know who they are though? This isn't a Bandana or Ice Lady scenario; they're sticking around for at least the rest of this Samura-specific mini arc and interacting with Chihiro directly. If it's commentary on how they see themselves as tools, that's one thing. But I think this is just more of the same stinginess from the author considering we got a different name drop at the end of the chapter. I guess we shouldn't expect to keep seeing them after a certain point? I swear, if we have to wait for more volume extras to get these guys' names despite spending a good chunk of an arc with them...

Prep those zombie AU fics/fan arts

Welp, there's no doubt about it now- Uruha's actual status is yet another dangling thread that will be followed up on eventually. Let's toss it on the pile with all the rest.

Got some interesting lore implications about how the Lifelong Contract with the bearer of the blade might affect their body too thanks to this. I'm honestly more interested in that bit of information than anything else from this scenario, since we are still lacking on a lot of particulars about the nature of entering a contract with these swords.

I'm not really mentally prepared for whatever's happening to Uruha himself; if he's alive, I will be mad that I got jebaited and call hax like the petty baby I am. If his corpse is being used in unethical experiments... I do love me some horror but I will be Very Sad and Upset that it happened to Uruha. He deserves some dignity after what Samura did to him. No matter what though, the Kamunabi are doing some dastardly shit in secret right now, so... hooray one more thing we have to sit tight and wait to learn about.

So... is the general public OK with giant owl eyes darkening the skies 24/7 all across Japan? Maybe we're not meant to think too hard about this and just accept that it's happening because it looks cool. It's fun to imagine Samura brooding on some rooftop, waiting to use Crow to teleport to the first Enchanted Blade signal he detects though. Just like a ping! ZOOP! murder time! kinda thing.

Questions about Chihiro's contract to Enten aside for now (like so many others), if he can't even draw the sword without summoning a raid boss then how is he going to fight? Not something I think we'll have to wait too long to see so I'm actually looking forward to the next set of action scenes to see how Chihiro defends himself (with the Masumi's help). I hope it comes with some lore about how the contract works too but that could also come from whatever's going on with Uruha so I won't be pinning all my hopes on Chihiro here. He's got enough burdens already- and is about to add one more by acting as a bodyguard to an unassuming high school girl.

Infinite Aura Loss

"Call up one of those trashy daytime talk shows ASAP."

So... rather than deal with the Samura problem with all the stuff we've got set up already, we get yet more complications by revealing that not only did Samura have a daughter, he had straight sex at least once. And was even married before becoming a divorcee deadbeat dad who "killed" his daughter instead of trying to work things out. Damn this guy has issues.

Three years ago is when the Kamunabi rounded up all the Bearers into the Shame Boxes (sanso) after Kunishige's death- maybe this was the turning point for Samura. Based on the wording it's not like Samura's the only one who had loved ones to consider; he just chose the nuclear option and asked his ninja maids to set his daughter free from him for some reason. Useless to speculate until we hear it from the man himself but damn. Cutting your child out of your life so completely that she forgets you exist (and vice-versa!) is a bit harsh isn't it? She's going to have some serious bullshit to deal with very soon. Way to do all the wrong things out of guilt buddy. Did you at least keep up with the child support payments?

Mutton Chops not having any qualms about using an innocent girl as a pawn to get to Samura speaks volumes about why Samura didn't want her involved though. This org is not getting any praise for doing the right thing when we finally learn about them.

I'm not sure I like this development but it gets put into the "wait and see" category like so many other things have at this point. Hokazono's delivered pretty consistently so far so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt that there will be good payoffs for complicating things even further. Honestly? As long as this mini arc ends with more questions answered than asked, I'll be content.

Look, typical shounen fanservice! Kind of!

But of course we got a shitton of new questions about how this masking sorcery works, how they're gonna find her if no one can recognise her as Samura's child, what else the Kamunabi might have done with these powers at their disposal, if the Masumi did this on the down-low or if the Kamunabi also knew, and why the heck does Ms. Masumi have so many different types of sorcery she can do anyway? Transport, technique recovery, now hiding identities! I gotta learn why these ninjas can do so many things that seem to contradict the established rule of "one sorcery per person unless you're special enough to have two". Are the Masumi our gateway into learning about sorcery applications beyond one's innate abilities, such as channeling spirit energy into special objects designed for a purpose like the barriers Shiba configured to protect the Rokuhiras? Or is Ms. Masumi's ability something along the lines of being able to manipulate ink/inscriptions to invoke different effects? I'm going crazy...

I think I'll have an easier time if I just sit back and accept that a lot of things are going to happen because of the cool factor instead of any deep logic. It's not fair to the author, I know, but it's the only way I can keep my sanity right now. I'll be really happy if the doubts get shoved back in my face though.

War Orphan Society?

We didn't need to meet you guys yet either!

Hiruhiko's recovering offscreen so we get different folks collected by John for the Hishaku's PoV this time. Wonder how long they'll stick around before they get murked.

Kuguri (久々李) is the only name we got this chapter. 久 (ku) means ancient, a long time, or to remain unchanged. The intentions could be conveying a long and happy life, patience/perseverance, or just a name that will never sound out-of-date. 李 (ri) means plum tree, judge, official, or jailer for resilience/strength or justice and fairness (々 is just a kanji repetition marker). I'll go with [ancient plum tree] because it's cool! But obviously I'm not at all trustworthy on this so it's best to be sceptical.

We don't know the girl's name yet, but she's definitely a tomboy of some kind since she uses the male personal pronoun 僕 [boku]. I think she's actually the first one to use it in the whole series since most of the guys use 俺 (ore)- even Mr. Inazuma. The only exception I caught skimming through to check was Kyora (he used 私 [watashi], the polite pronoun for all genders). At any rate, hooray two more Hishaku members... we only have one or two left to reveal from the core group now. John Hiruhiko Kuguri Hatshaku Jane Samurai Worst Jeanist Tomboy (maybe) shadowy guy in the crazy subspace from ch. 7 ???

Another week of new Hishaku info, another week of waiting for the big Seitei War lore drops. I jokingly referred to this section with war orphans, but what if they really are? The Hishaku have deep resentment of some kind towards the Kamunabi -the government itself- and seem to be on hard times based on the state of their hideout. A lot of the members we've met seem young and disaffected too. Seems like more evidence they were on the side that lost the war to me.

Wonder how Kuguri knew Sojo and what exactly he admired about the greaseball. ...And which Bearer's blade he's got one-sided love for. My bets are on the Girl bearer but it could well be Sushi Chef or Samura too because this series loves to have men profess their deep love for other men.

I consider meeting Sushi Chef and Girl Bearer to be resolutions to a question instead of further complications because we've been waiting for information about them since they were teased in chapter 18. At the very least I want to know their names so I don't have to keep calling them Sushi Chef and Girl, y'know? Sushi Chef is probably the one we will meet next since he was conspicuously brought up last chapter... we'll see! Again! Hopefully soon.

Oh but speaking of Hiruhiko:

Look at this unhappy frog man.

Just keeping an eye out if he gets his Hishaku tattoo back or not for now...

One chapter left before the end-of-the-year magazine break, dear void; hopefully it won't leave us on a massive cliffhanger. I'm staying in it but man I would like more answers to come soon. I'm going numb from all the over-stimulation now. May this arc answer a bunch of questions before introducing many more, please and thank you, amen.

[enidtendo64]

I just finished Wednesday today and I'm full on the wenclair ship!!!! so I'm glad to have seen your art just as I'm done lmao. if you read wenclair fics do you have any recommendations?

OOOOH Okay nice nice!!!

I'm so sorry this is so late but I hope you still want some recs, bc I def got some for you! I tried to keep these pretty succinct and not too many bc a lot of these are pretty long reads but these are some of my fav Wenclair fics to read and reread! I made sure to put different types/genres of fics in here too so there's a diverse list of flavors on here! Most will be complete but I'll throw in some WIPs i've been keeping an eye on!

If We Make It Through December by overnights: If you love FLUFF and Enid interacting with the Addams Fam! A wenclair STAPLE tbh, fake dating, Enid being invited to the Addams Mansion, and CHRISTMAS fic all in one! The dynamics between the Addams and Enid are always sweet, and Wednesday and Enid just teeter on that close friendship to oh, maybe it's love??? thing and it's so sweet to see. It's just very lovely and wholesome! A great execution of that 'fake dating but oops you were in love all along haha' trope!

Magus et Lupus by wigglewyrms: Ok like I had to rep one of my pals in here but in my defense this is genuinely so good and one of my favorite wenclair fics before we even became friends! It's a fun fantasy Wenclair with dialogue that's just so fun and snappy and witty! You're gonna have fun reading their conversations and then you're gonna get caught up into the world and the story! The plot is very fun and the end is a very fun payoff! I think I might have overused the word fun a lot for this fic but like that's just what this fic is--It's entertaining, it's engaging, and it makes you feel like you're having fun reading wanting to know what's next or what's this person gonna say or etc. It's a fic you read and you feel good! 100% Recommend! I even drew art for it if you're interested (which I should honestly repost on here soon)

I'd recommend their other stuff too-- Stubborn, Single Minded, and Obsessive is great if you like the slasher horror genre with a dash of Addams Family Values Lore, and their most recent one that's a WIP, When The Moon Shines Red is a very fun fic focused on Enid's werewolfisms but dangerous, with a very sweet friendship to relationship evolution between Enid and Wednesday!

i know the end by thriftedstars: If you're an angst lover like I am, you're gonna LOOOOVE this! A sort of groundhog's day type of fic, it focuses on the day of the last episode of the first season--Enid, Wednesday, Tyler, Crackstone, all that entails in that night. It's a really fun read just to know what happens next and how Enid gets out of the situation but also to see the girls' relationship grow in this terrible situation. Lots of emotion! Listen sometimes you just need the hurt for the ending to be sweeter! Recommend wholeheartedly!

curtain call by hanjisgirlfriend: on the complete opposite side of the last fic, Curtain Call is an enemies to friends to lovers Wenclair that does an amazing job of capturing that kind of high school love story kind of vibe but like also a dash of youthful nostalgia. It gives me the same vibe of like, if I was listening to the Kids album by Mac Miller--They're kids and they're friends and they're growing up and they're growing up together. I HIGHLY recommend as well, like it genuinely makes my heart lighter thinking about how sweet this is.

raven in the den, wolf in the nest by Barbara_Lazuli: So you might be familiar with the author's name--Artist, Comic maker, Writer, literally what CAN'T she do!!! This fic is another fake dating fic but a different flavor from the first one! This one really dives into both Enid and Wednesday's relationships with their mothers, as well as the building feelings they already have for each other. Their bond in this fic is nothing short of sweet and heartwarming, and I genuinely think this is one of the best fics in the tag! Just got so much substance! Also all the Addams family media references and the Loona refs-- like Barb if you read this you're a champ for making Wednesday play Sonatine and also listen to Hula Hoop and just for making this in general????? Seriously how are you so talented bro

queen of the night by heyfools: Look, a flower shop AU hits okay? And this? THIS HITS. Wednesday is an owner of a flower shop, Enid needs a job, and we know where this is going. But man the way you get to know both characters a little more--their histories, traumas, likes and dislikes and their personalities beyond "appropriately polite cowoke" (well, polite for Enid, not so much Wednesday at first) it's soooooo good! You have a journey along with the characters and you really get invested in their relationship! A great read, especially if you wanna read something like in the afternoon light with a nice lemonade maybe, or like just a very relaxing fun read!

Forged in Blood by RiseAboveTheAshes_203: Okay so this one is a HEAVY HITTER! We're getting into the big bois! It's a 100k fic about Wednesday and Enid basically dealing with the consequences of Enid becoming a blood wolf-- and bro you are seated, belted, strapped into the ride every step because PHEWWWW what a RIDE! It has really interesting lore building upon werewolf society in the show and also witchery and magic from the Addams family. And all of that is great and amazing but the real star of this is just Wednesday and Enid being Wednesday and Enid--they are DEVOTED to each other! Even if they don't quite understand the full means of it yet, and if it gets them in trouble sometimes. It's amazing to see their relationship grow and them understand what they truly mean to one another and it's a captivating love story that also happens to have fun world building for the show and amazing moments that just leave you so tense to know what happens next! I was so tuned in when this was still a WIP I remember refreshing the tag every lunch time for a while for a chapter I was HOOKED, and I'm sure you will be too!

A Kidnapping By Any Other Name by Ravenmoon33: So bear with me this is gonna be a long one; Ok! So this is the other WIP I've put in here (aside from When The Moon Shines Red) and let me tell you--this fic changed my life fr. Some TLDR lore about it tho--the version I linked above there is a revised version! They have an old version they still have up on their account and honestly I also HIGHLY recommend that version too bc it had me in bed giggling kicking my feet like ROMANCE. ROMANCE WAS MADE in these ao3 walls!!! (The flower scene???? No spoilers if you know you know but OOOOOOOOGGHHHH I would not shut up about it for WEEKS Im so sorry to my friends and my poor gf) but I also highly recommend the new version as well! If you've read the first version and are keeping up with the new version, the new things are also so good and you can tell the author is so locked in and excited with what they've added and what they've changed, I honestly recommend both;

So onto what it's actually about-- Enid is "kidnapped" by Wednesday and is "forced" to stay at her best friend's mansion for the summer. And you know what happens? LORE. So much worldbuilding on Addams family lore like it's AMAZING!!! You read about new characters the family past and what it means for Wednesday and Enid, and if that's not enough, there's also the MYSTERY aspect too because Weds and Enid will have to deep dive into that lore to figure out a problem in the present and it's so much FUN to like try to figure out how things go together! I love that aspect of both the versions so much that it's only rivaled by my immense love of how everyone's relationships are written! Enid's relationships with the other members of the Addams fam, especially Morticia, is so healing and heartwarming, and we see Wednesday's different dynamics with her family and how Enid affects her and helps her grow and you see those relationships with her family members grow because of it! And of course, the obvious, Wednesday and Enid basically having a love story for the ages cause JESUS, this is ROMANCE. Wednesday BIG FUCKING ROMANTIC Addams!!! It's amazing omg I wanna say more but I also don't bc I don't wanna spoil but I absolutely cannot rec it enough, even if it stays unfinished it will still be genuinely one of the best wenclair fics for me.

Tumultuous Waters: Wednesday Season Two by KrackenoftheDeep: So we're here at the last one. I didn't really list these fics out in specific order but I did save this specific one for last bc I genuinely think this is my favorite Wednesday fic. This is like a full ass season 2! It's a telling of how season 2 could happen, continuing from season 1 and picking up the ball the first season threw with stuff about the Morning Song cult, a deeper dive of Crackstone and Goody, more worldbuilding about the outcasts and the school, and best of all-- THE Wednesday and Enid dynamic that to me would be so fucking ideal for season 2 if Timothy Burton wasn't a COWARRD!!! /j /maybe

The growth Enid and Wednesday have in this fic, along with the exploration of the other characters, more investigations not just by Wednesday but also the other nightshade members helping and getting involved as well! You really get to feel so many things for these characters, and all of that pays off in one of the most satisfying endings for me in a fic like the author really fucking knocked this out of the park I felt like giving a standing ovation!

I genuinely don't think the Wednesday writers could like, live up to this. At least for me, it's that good. This is everything I've ever wanted for a Wednesday s2 honestly and I honestly, HONESTLY could not recommend this enough.

And after you read this, you can follow along the author's sequel to this fic, The Infinite Black Sea: Wednesday Season 3. Again, also highly recommend! A new mystery afoot!!!

I'm so sorry I didn't expect this to get super long but sometimes you just gotta give tens where tens are deserved!!! There are so many more great wenclair fics out there that deserve a reading and loving, like I know the tag can look a little scary sometimes but seriously there's some great gems there underneath all the scary stuff lol

These are just some of my personal favs, and honestly thank you to all the authors here yall are doing God's work fr!!!

[spockandawe]

Hello hello! I'm sleepy and bored at work, but still have two meetings to go, and THEN I stumbled across an ask game a themed reading list! I got linked to it here by a friend, and I've been reading a surprising amount this year compared to what I usually manage, so let's goooo

Author you've read the most books from:

Oh man. This has to be either Terry Pratchett or Mercedes Lackey, even though I haven't gone through the WHOLE catalog for either one. Let's look this up? Wow, more of a difference than i was expecting: Terry Pratchett, 39. Mercedes Lackey, 63.

Best Sequel Ever:

Oh, that's so hard! Arguably Thud! by Terry Pratchett counts, but looking that late in a long series feels like cheating. I'm going to say either Ancillary Sword (imperial radch #2) by Anne Leckie, or The Siren Depths (books of the raksura #3), by Martha Wells. The earlier books hooked me, but then these ones just put me in the salad spinner and went to town.

Currently Reading (12/'24):

Too many 🥲 I won't even get into mangas and manhwas here, lmao.

Evil As Humans by Nian Zhong

I Became A God In A Horror Game by Pot Fish Chili

SSS-Class Suicide Hunter by Shin Noah

Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint by Sing Shong

The Guild Member Next Door by Honeytrap (this hasn't snagged me yet, but the manhwa is extremely charming, i mayyy just stick to that)

Star Instructor, Master Baek (loved the manhwa, NEED full prose context, haha)

Drink of Choice While Reading:

I read a lot on walks, so none, really! If I'm reading in bed i might make tea or grab something cold and bubbly, but i tend to get too immersed to remember my beverages.

E-reader or Physical Book:

E-reader. I was that weird kid who always carried around like five books, and this is so much better. It's faster, it's more convenient, I can word search, it's easier to share snippets with friends, it suits all my needs beautifully. The caveat. Is that I dont trust the permanence of digital media at ALL, especially if drm is involved, so i really try to own physical copies of everything i LOVE.

Fictional Character You Probably Would Have Dated in High School:

Oh god, dating, the worst activity. Ummm. Gosh. See. My trouble here is that I have chronically terrible instincts for who is actually good romantic interest material in real life, and that problem was SO MUCH WORSE as a teenager. Let's say Sha Hualing. Is this ending well for me? Nope!

Glad You Gave This Book a Chance:

'C Language Cultivation' by Yi Shi Si Zhou! I'm an engineer, but god, i am not a programmer. But I'm so glad I went into this book anyways! I was able to MOSTLY get pulled along for the ride when characters talked programming, and I think its SUCH an interesting way to conceptualize cultivation in a modern setting. And then on top of that, the plot went crunch and did some really interesting things! I would have balked at this one normally, but it really worked for me.

Hidden Gem Book:

'Evil As Humans' by Nian Zhong. I really need to rave about this one more, because it's one of the best cnovels I've ever read, and I'm so sad it took me this long to catch word of it. I'm not done yet, because i got overwhelmed by Emotions and was afraid of running out of book so I stopped reading, like a dumbass. It's so so so so good. It's got everything. It's got fascinating worldbuilding, amazing characters, glorious imagery, BEEFY plot, and one of my favorite relationships I've ever read. I would recommend this book whether or not someone has read a cnovel in their life before. And it's so sad that hardly anyone talks about it!

Important Moment in Your Reading Life:

Ooh, I think.... that moment in the peak pandemic days when I was finally intrigued enough to check out MDZS. First, I devoured it and it was SO good. Second, I kept reading cnovels. Third, my passion for cnovels got me into bookbinding. This really made a notable impression on the course of my life since then, which I frankly wasn't expecting at this age!

Just Finished:

Hmmm. I'm not FINISHED, but I'm caught up to the current translation of 'The Hunter's Gonna Lay Low' by Baek Sam. The translator said they would hopefully be catching at the end of this month, and god, I really hope so, this book lodged inside my ribcage.

Longest Book You've Read:

'The Husky and his White Cat Shizun' by Meatbun. It's 1.2 million words. If I ever finish ORV that will dethrone it, but for the love of god, montressor

Major Book Hangover:

Haha, any book I like tends to leave me hung over! I notice especially for the cnovels because they're so long and I get my emotions spun up so high, but it's definitely a regular feature. The only time this doesn't happen is if it's a series like Murderbot when I can immediately press on to the next book, until the inevitable SERIES hangover.

Number of bookcases:

Oh, unfair, the sizes vary wildly. In my house, let me see. There's a BIG built-in bookcase in the basement that has most of my prose fiction and craft books. Basement bedroom has a freestanding bookshelf that might be for art instructional books and art supplies, but im still rearranging.

Upstairs, i have a wide/short bookshelf that's also a tv stand, but it's split between western comics and board games. Kitchen has a teeny wall-mounted set of shelves with my cookbooks. Dining room has a buffet where my shortlisted craft books are stored (so I don't have to get them from the basement).

And upstairs, my pink bedroom has two. There's a small built-in that's for my manga collection and small zines. And there's a corner bookshelf that's for sheet music and coffee table books. I think that's everything!

Preferred Place to Read:

On long walks 🥺 It's so nice. I like it so much. The weather is hostile to my fingeys at this time of year, I need to drag out my various fingerless gloves and scatter them in convenient places so i remember yo grab them. Other than that, curled up in bed, either lying down or sitting against a back pillow.

Quote That Inspires You:

Oh gosh. I dont remember quotes very well. And 'inspire' might be the wrong word. But a number of Terry Pratchett ones stick with me, he really just was an incredibly memorable writer

It was sad music. But it waved its sadness like a battle flag. It said the universe had done all it could, but you were still alive.

-Terry Pratchett, 'Soul Music'

Reading Regret:

I don't regret reading books! Even the ones I hate. If I'm not getting something out of the experience, I'm hideously adhd to begin with, I will probably forget to finish rather than even consciously decide to quit. If I have a regret, maybe... I have a lot of other hobbies and obligations, and there are SO many books I wish I'd already read. I regret not prioritizing reading more in my life, even though I'm sure that in this AU, I'd have brand new regrets instead 😂

Series You Started and Need to Finish:

Mmmmm... Imperial Radch. I read the first trilogy l, the short stories, and Provenance. I just haven't been able to find the right headspace to start Translation State. I'm sure I'll love it! But I haven't done it yet.

Three of Your All-Time Favorite Books:

Agonizing!

The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Hogfather by Terry Pratchett

Unapologetic Fan for:

The Books of the Raksura, by Martha Wells!! I love murderbot, but i LOOOOVE the raksura books, they deserve more appreciation

Very Excited for This Release:

Alecto the Ninth please im begging on hands and knees 🤣

Worst Bookish Habit:

Look, I am. Very adhd. I will accept your rec with great excitement and make a reminder to myself to go check out this book asap. Then i will also forage for my own new books, because it's good enrichment in my enclosure. Let's not ask what my follow-through numbers are like. Shh, don't worry about it.

X Marks The Spot: Start at the top left of your shelf and pick the 27th book:

Oh, this is gonna drive me nuts. I'm at work, but i HAVE a picture. The resolution, however--

It's the slim hot pink and black paperback. It's an Agatha Christie, and I'm almost positive it's 'The Mysterious Affair At Styles.' But I can't find this edition online to confirm. The book to its left is 'Any Way The Wind Blows' by Rainbow Rowell, the one left of that is 'Alta' by Mercedes Lackey, the one to its right is the complete Sherlock Holmes, and the one right of that is 'Sleeping Beauty' by Mercedes Lackey, so I know my books pretty well! But that ONE. Is driving me nuts 😂

Your Latest Book Purchase:

'Tiger Tiger' by Petra Erika Nordlund! It's sitting on the shelf next to my front door, and I'm POSITIVE I'll enjoy it, but the stars haven't been aligned for me to start it yet, expecially because i do read so much on my phone but i think graphic novels are a Must for physical purchases. If i have digital purchase of comics, they're probably redundant with my physical copies. They're just as ephemeral as prose ebooks, but so much larger to store 😂

ZZZ-snatcher book (last book that kept you up WAY late):

Ooh, that's probably 'I Became A God In A Horror Game' by Pot Fish Chili. This is an interesting one, because between story arcs I lose momentum and take a longgggg pause. But then DURING story arcs, I can't put the silly thing down. It's gripping as HELL.

[starlightkun]

2024 tumblr wrapped

i was (sort of) tagged by @suhnandmoon (ilysm sunny you're literally so sweet im so honored that pur autre vie and the strawbsunday anthology were some of your favorite fics of 2024). i wrote so many fics that i'm really proud of, tried out new genres, and just had so, so much fun writing in 2024 (so much so that i wrote like 150k more than i did in 2023...)

2024 fic stats

number of works posted: 25 ! (i counted sequels that had different titles to the original fic as separate and multi-parts that were just part 1, 2, etc. as one work) fics in progress: 2 (oh my god who am i?? i only have two official wips wth) total words written: 392.3k in 2024 (that's actually so crazy omfg... i think i need to go outside actually)

top 5 fics (by notes)

1. that hot (sungchan x reader, meet-ugly/forced proximity trope) 2. tongue-tied (model!jeno x journalist!reader, revised sleepless cinderella route for a former member that was deleted) 3. filler episodes (punk drummer!sungchan x normie!reader, band au, the beginning of the venue:hell au) 4. out of left field (baseball player!jisung x rich kid!reader, brother's best friend au/college au, holiday themed) (yall omg that was posted a week before the end of the year?) 5. tourist trapped (sungchan x reader, getting stuck on a ferris wheel, secret relationship)

fun fact, half of my top ten most popular fics in 2024 were sungchan fics

most recent fic

out of left field (baseball player!jisung x rich kid!reader, brother's best friend au/college au, holiday themed)

longest fic

frankenstein complex BY FAR at almost 68k words lmao

favorite fic i wrote

god this is SO HARD, i played around in so many new genres and with a lot of different dynamics and just put out SO MANY fics i adore... if i had to pick ONE, it really has to be frankenstein complex. even tho it didn't get nearly the notes that my other fics do, i did it for the arts not the charts and the people who did read it left THE MOST AMAZING FEEDBACK EVER AND WERE SO INTERACTIVE AND INVESTED it rlly has been... dare i say... a cult classic. sci-fi is my favorite genre to read in my own free time and it was so much fun to finally take a crack at writing it this year (twice)

goal for 2025

keep having fun!!! like i felt absolutely zero pressure or stress while writing this year, it truly was my favorite hobby, and i really want to keep that groove in 2025. ngl, i wouldn't mind my word count going down IF it means that i'm like going out doing things and hanging out with friends and stuff 😅 like this year was incredible from a creative standpoint, but also between work and this, i spent a lot of time inside on a computer...

fave fics books i read this year

sooo i don't really read fic anymore blasphemous i know, but i will rec my favorite books that i read this year:

the complete robot - isaac asimov

this isn't actually all of asimov's robot short stories, but it's most of them. some of his lore was direct inspiration for frankenstein complex. i like this particular compilation not only bc it has all of my favorite short stories, but i think the introduction at the beginning is worth reading as well. asimov discusses the difference between Robot-as-Menace and Robot-as-Pathos stories and i think abt it all the time. my favorite short stories in here are robbie(!!), light verse(!), true love, satisfaction guaranteed(!), feminine intuition, reason, and the bicentennial man(!)

mouthful of birds - samanta schweblin (translated by megan mcdowell)

this is another short story compilation with several focusing on women and various, insidious ways that they're oppressed under the patriarchy (also, the author is argentine, and the characters/setting are clearly meant to be in south america as well), but it's all shown and represented through a surrealist, borderline horror lens at some points. like, don't read this one if you're looking for a light, easy read. there's some body horror and odd, dark imagery, but it's also so, so good. my favorites are mouthful of birds(!!), headlights, the merman(!!), heads against concrete, a great effort, the heavy suitcase of benavides(!)

being mortal - atul gawande

this is a nonfiction book about how we approach mortality, dying, end of life care, and death in the west. the author is a doctor and provides a lot of great insight both professionally and personally. despite the topic, i found it actually be a very optimistic and inspiring read if you can handle open and honest conversation and depictions of grief and mourning

don't really have anyone to tag and it's also super late to be doing this! but if anyone sees this and wants to do it go for it and tag me, i'd love to see it and also make new writer moots <33

[wufflesvetinari]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

<3! this was a clear choice for the first 3 but difficult to do by the end!

Rite of Exorcism is probably the best fic i've ever written, but it's always going to have a very specific audience because 1) it's horror, heavy on the gaslighting and robot body horror even though there's a happy ending and 2) it's a d:bh fic and many of my mutuals have good taste. but i'm extremely proud of how it came together on every level: plot, prose, character, overall structure, cathartic ending, creepiness.

Glad Tidings, the wyllstarion hallmark movie choose-your-own-adventure ulder ravengard stress ulcer simulator. i am never going to write anything this weird and intricate again, probably, unless i get really into narrative design in a big way. (plus the jokes land! not always a given)

3:16, my damian wayne grant morrison-era magnum opus. i was fresh off a master's degree course in child psychology when i started this and have really stretched my (minimal) knowledge in a personally-satisfying way. it's also interesting to me because it wouldn't have been the same fic if i had managed to read, like, any other batfam fic before starting it. so it retains this sort of idiosyncratic character i'm proud of

Like Acid Reflux, or Love: reigen/oc breakup fic lmao. a reigen arataka character study whose whole point was how this strange, strange man values the growth and safety of his various child hangers-on above all. i love this fic because i knew it was a super niche concept but went for it anyway and loved the results. also because i got to experiment with 1) gender ambiguity via second person narration and 2) the common conventions of oc shipping, which i'd never written before (though really in service of a gen fic about canon characters)

still the river: speaking of oc shipping lmao. this is tavstarion with a special place in my heart for different reasons from the above: 1) it allowed me to practice building a well-rounded character amidst the scaffolding of an established canon, and now i love her and want to write a novel about her 2) the astarion-voice just poured out of me in a way very little writing has before. taught me things about prose despite only being ~7k words long.

[thefrogdalorian]

The Best of Both Worlds - Chapter Nine

Din Djarin x Female Reader Modern!AU

❁ Series Masterlist ❁ My Masterlist ❁ Read on AO3 ❁

Word Count: 9146 Rating: Teen Summary: Despite a messy evening which led to you waking up in an opulent hotel which you have no memory of falling asleep in, memories of kind brown eyes and breathless kisses soon come flooding back to soothe your soul. Your relationship deepens as the two of you spending time together whenever your busy schedules allow. But one night, a turn of events causes you - despite Din's reassurances - to wonder if everything you have been working so hard to build together has just come crashing down around you... Content Warnings: Alcohol consumption, description of hangovers, alcohol induced memory loss resulting in brief panic and some smooching! Author's Note: This was so much fun to write, although I am teetotal now so putting myself back into the headspace of being hungover was kind of weird. I've never woken up in just a swimsuit, though... although I did once fall asleep on a box of McNuggets which I found squashed under my pillow lmao. BUT more importantly, our dear reader finally has her own nickname. Hope it was worth the wait! Also completely unintentionally, releasing this almost coincided with Lunar New Year which is fitting given some events in this chapter hehe. It's the Year of the Dragon which is meant to be very lucky! Happy New Year! 🐲 Hope you enjoyed this one. Reader and Din's relationship is really starting to develop now and I'm excited to continue editing and writing their story!

9. Have I Known You Twenty Seconds or Twenty Years? - (Reader's POV)

The first thing that alarmed you when your eyes fluttered open was not the pounding in your head, nor your adverse reaction to the light that was streaming in from a curtain that had not been closed fully. No, it was the sheer luxuriousness of your surroundings. The hotel room was unlike anything you had ever seen before. How did you end up here? The furnishings, like the opulent chandelier in your room and the sheer scale of your bed – which was far too big for one person, an entire family could have fitted into it – made you feel intensely out of your depth. 

Then, you lifted the soft sheets that were covering you and peered down to ascertain your state of undress. The jolt of anxiety that was sent straight to your stomach when you saw what you were wearing almost sent you sprinting to the toilet because of how shocking it was, but mercifully, the sensation quickly passed. Somehow, it seemed that you had woken up in an impossibly high-class hotel, the opulent surroundings were completely alien to you, and you had never before witnessed such an embarrassment of riches. 

And to your horror, you had woken up here dressed in nothing but a swimsuit. A garment that you had no memory of dressing in…

Amongst the panic, your mind started racing with questions. You attempted to move your head off the pillow but soon groaned and your head abruptly fell back onto the impossibly soft surface. That slight movement alone had sent an excruciating shock of pain shooting somewhere behind your eyes.

As you adjusted to the various sensations as your body gradually awakened, the next thing you noticed was how your mouth felt as though it had been viciously attacked by sandpaper. Combined with the bitter taste that lingered on your lips, it only indicated one culprit: alcohol. That explained your combination of symptoms and amnesia.

You lay there for a few moments and struggled to piece together the events of the previous evening, beginning with when Din had picked you up after work. You remembered that part perfectly clearly…

* * *

Noticing the unmistakable outline of your date, complete with his dark curly brown hair, immediately made you feel calmer as you stood at the top of the steps that led you out of the museum. You began descending the stone steps, heaving your overnight bag with you as you went, before you placed your bag and weary body down on the bench next to him.

“Hi, Din,” you smiled after you finally emerged from the stunning building you were lucky to work in and took your seat by his side. You tried your best to sound far happier than you were. The last thing you wanted to do was to worry the man who had promised to take you on another incredible date. 

It seemed as though Din had been quite happy to sit there and watch the world pass him by, looking on as visitors of all ages and nationalities filed out after another busy day at the museum. So much so, that he seemed a little taken aback by your sudden presence at his side. Fortunately, his expression soon brightened and his lips curved into a smile as he greeted you. You adored the way your name sounded when Din’s voice said it, the way his mouth moved around the syllables. 

Din noticed you staring at his mouth for a beat longer than was appropriate and as he leaned in, you realised that he had read your lingering gaze on his lips as a desire to be kissed. You weren’t one to refuse and you certainly welcomed his enthusiasm as you sighed contentedly when Din’s lips met yours. You couldn’t help but smile against his lips, still a little in disbelief that you got to kiss this ridiculously handsome man. It was the first genuine smile that had spread across your features all day. 

Then Din pulled away and you couldn’t help the way your face dropped back to the weary and drawn expression that you had been wearing when you sat next to Din on the bench. You averted your gaze nervously and played with the hem of your shirt, hoping that Din wouldn’t question your mood. The last thing you wanted to do was ruin the plans that he had made for the two of you. You felt Din shift next to you and you looked up at him, offering a weak smile in an attempt to reassure him. 

“Are you okay?” Din asked, the concern instantly apparent in his deep, rich voice. Despite your best effort to put on a brave face, it seemed that Din knew you well enough to notice that your smile did not quite reach your tired eyes. 

“I’m fine…” you sighed and then paused. You had vowed to be as honest as possible with Din, and you knew there was no point in putting yourself through something that you didn’t want to for the sake of pleasing him. You decided to be upfront about how difficult you had found work this week, hoping that he’d understand since he seemed to have an equally demanding job.

“It’s just been kind of a hard week with work. We’re a bit understaffed at the moment and one of the managers has been putting my team under a bit more pressure than I can handle currently,” you explained as you massaged the bridge of your nose with your thumb and forefinger.

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Din offered, “but I hope you’ll enjoy the evening I planned for us. I thought I could show you to my hotel and you could change there if you wish before we head out for dinner,” Din suggested, but you could not find it in yourself to pretend to be enthusiastic about sitting in a fancy restaurant that you would probably feel wildly out of place in. You sat there in silence, contemplating how to play it. You never wanted to lie to him, but would he accept your honesty or think you were rude?

Your inner turmoil had not gone unnoticed by the man at your side though, as before you could make a decision the comforting sound of Din’s deep voice was reverberating through your ear drums once again. 

“Unless there’s something else you’d rather do?” Din suggested, thankfully putting you out of your misery.

“Look, Din, to be honest with you: I had a terrible day,” you sighed. “I have no doubt that you have an incredible evening planned for me, but this entire week has been awful and I’m exhausted. I just… I would feel out of my depth at a fancy restaurant right now,” you admitted. The thought of pulling on fancy clothes to dine somewhere surrounded by snobs with pretentiously worded menus was causing you to feel more than a little queasy. 

“That’s completely fine with me. I’m sorry to hear you had a hard week, I don’t want to do anything that would push you out of your comfort zone,” Din said and you exhaled and visibly relaxed, all fears of disappointing him had vanished. 

“I would love to show you to this noodle bar around the corner. It isn’t fancy, no steaks wrapped in gold leaf or whatever, but it’s honestly amazing. I know the owners, they make the best dumplings and noodles you’ve ever tasted,” you suggested, hoping that Din was convinced. 

“That sounds excellent!” Din nodded enthusiastically. “Honestly, I'm not exactly at my most comfortable in places like that, either. I asked for a reservation there because I thought it was the proper thing to do when dating someone. Taking them somewhere fancy, you know.”

“Exactly! I think with the right person, you can take them anywhere and it feels like the best thing in the world. I had so much fun with you and Grogu on those stupid swings at the zoo a few weeks back, I think that’s far more ‘us’ than a fancy dinner,” you admitted and Din laughed at the memory. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would have had fun and I’m flattered you thought of me for something like that. But I’m just far more comfortable in places I’m familiar with. I can’t stand pretentious menus either, why do things always have to be drizzled in or on a bed or something? At my noodle place, you just go in, give the numbers of what you want and that’s that. No fuss.”

“Well, that sounds very low effort and relaxing. Perfect,” Din smiled at you. Your insecurity proved to once again be unfounded. “I am in complete agreement with the pretentious food menus, by the way. I’ve been exposed to a lot of them in my uh… recent line of work. Before that, I just saw food as fuel and didn’t understand how people could get so caught up in it. And I still don’t to be honest.”

“Oh, good! You know, when I heard your background, I mean… When I first walked up to greet you at the museum I thought oh great, here’s another person with more money than sense, to rent out an entire museum that has free admission,” you admitted, amused by how wrong you had been. “I knew you were different, though… especially when I saw you with a baby. Well, at first I thought you were kind of selfish because he wouldn’t even remember it! But I get it now. I get you know. We’re far more alike than I first thought…”

“We really are. But we really need to communicate better, don’t we?” Din smirked. “It seems like we’re pretty similar in preferring a quiet life and also in not doing things by the book.”

“I think so,” you smiled, grateful to have found someone who was seemingly so on your wavelength. “You don’t need to do anything extravagant, expensive or fancy for me to have a good time with you, Din. I enjoy your company regardless.”

“Thank you, that means a lot. So, noodles?” Din said as he stood to his feet and reached for your hand, pulling you up off the bench and linking arms with her as the two of you walked down the London streets towards the noodle bar.

* * * 

Your head was still pounding, your vision blurry as the opulent surroundings seemed to be swimming around your head. At least you had remembered that it had always been the plan for Din to bring you here. He had offered to spend a couple of days with you in central London, in this luxurious hotel to treat you after a hectic week of work.

With that settled, you tried your best to focus on trying to recall the events of the previous night, but the dull ache made everything far too painful to concentrate on for too long. Your memories were hazy, but amongst the white-hot pain that was pulsing behind your eyes, you thought you began to recall some things…

You remembered kind brown eyes peering at you over a table filled with noodles and later, a stroll through a park. There was a taxi at some point and lots of giggling in a hot tub. That probably accounted for the swimsuit, at the very least. And then you remembered just how wasted you had been, all of the embarrassing things you had surely said to Din. The strings of syllables came flooding back to you, words and actions that made you cringe so much that it sent a stab of terror to your queasy stomach. 

At that moment, you wanted the ground to swallow you up, fantasising about the bed you were in falling through the floors of the hotel until it was swallowed up by a gigantic sinkhole that had magically appeared in the Earth’s crust. Unfortunately, that did not happen. Things were not going to be that easy. You were an adult, you had to sit here with the consequences of letting yourself get so wrapped up in the giddiness of the reality that you were dating Din and he was treating you to a stay in such a luxurious hotel. 

The shame came in droves, the questions assaulting your fragile head from all crevices of your pain. The anxiety was almost overwhelming. What must Din think of you? You groaned. And then you panicked. Had you and Din done anything the previous night? You were that wasted, you truly couldn’t remember. 

You wondered if he was suddenly regretting inviting you here, certain that you had made an idiot of yourself and that he was now remembering the age gap between the two of you. He was a father, after all. A man with his own life and responsibilities. In comparison, you were just an immature child.

You reached your trembling hand over to your phone which was thankfully right next to you on the dark wooden nightstand. Even though you knew she would likely be asleep, you needed to rant to Ria about what an idiot you were. She would surely offer you some sympathetic words and light teasing that would cheer you up. As you grabbed your phone, the harsh white light of the screen made you groan and recoil in pain at such a violent assault on your fragile senses. 

For some reason, seeing the picture of you with Mando on your lockscreen made you feel almost tearful. Memories of a happier time when you had pushed through your fears and resembled a functional human being. You wondered what Mando would think of your behaviour, he would surely be disappointed at your lack of control. Mando seemed so certain, so deliberate in his actions and always in absolute control. You groaned, it was ridiculous to feel bad for letting down a man who didn’t even exist when there was a man in the suite next door who was real and probably disgusted at you.

Before opening your messages, there was another app that you felt yourself incapable of avoiding. Despite fearing what you would find there, you couldn’t resist opening your camera roll and looking through your photos of the previous evening, hoping that they would absolve your tortured, anguished brain of any guilt and panic that Din hated you.

The photo that stood out to you the most sent real tears spilling down your cheeks, for the real man that you saw there. It was a photo of Din that you had snapped from across the table. The location was the tiny, cosy noodle bar where you had headed at your insistence. He looked so handsome, the warm glow of the lights bathing his dark features. Din’s brown eyes practically twinkled, even through the screen. 

It was then you noticed the culprit for your current state, right there on the table. It was a bottle of baijiu, that potent beverage which had caused your temporary amnesia. With its square shape, blue label and the colourless liquid inside, it almost looked like a bottle of medicine. It had not cured any ailments though, far from that.

You stared at the picture of Din some more. Then you remembered. Oh, you remembered. The conversation came flooding back to you in vivid detail…

* * *

A warm ache settled somewhere in your stomach. The bottle of baijiu was practically empty and it had evoked a warm, fuzzy feeling in you that your date appeared to also be experiencing. You and Din sat together in the noodle shop, giggling at whatever it was that had amused you so much. Whatever it was must have been pretty funny, given the way your ribs were aching. But you couldn’t remember… baijiu had a habit of making everything equally hilarious and forgettable in equal measure.

The lethal libation had been on the house. Mrs Lau, the owner of the shop who always greeted you with a smile whenever you visited after work, had placed the bottle on the table with two glasses when she realised one of her regulars was here on a date. She grinned and wished you much happiness together. The strong, Chinese rice wine had certainly helped the two of you lose your inhibitions slightly, as you sat there in the dim light of the small restaurant, both breathless after your latest fit of giggles. 

“Diiiiiiiiin,” you sighed. “You have such a pretty face, with those big brown eyes… it’s, like, unfair,” you whined, gazing at him adoringly as you grabbed his stubbly chin and cheeks with your hands.

You noticed the way Din’s cheeks grew hot underneath your touch as he looked down at the table, blushing furiously.

“Fuuuuuuck. I’m drunk,” you observed, eyes suddenly widening in horror at your predicament.

“You certainly are, sunflower,” Din sighed, then cleared his throat as though he had not meant to let that affectionate nickname slip.

“Sunflower?! My name isn’t sunflower!” You slurred, giggling loudly.

“No, but you remind me of one,” Din admitted, shyly bringing his hand to the back of his neck.

“Because I’m awkward and wobbly?” You said theatrically flailing your arms around.

“No. Because you’re vivid, bright and you stand tall, just like a sunflower,” Din smiled at you softly, but there was a seriousness, despite the intoxicating liquor, to those soulful brown eyes, too.

“Shit, you’re so cute,” you said, placing your hands on his cheeks and squeezing the flesh there between your thumb and forefingers, like one might do to a cute baby. Except Din Djarin was not a baby. He was a grown man, one that suddenly seemed concerned for your welfare.

“Maybe we should get some fresh air and perhaps a coffee before we head to the hotel?” Din suggested, grimacing slightly after the thorough pinching you had just given his cheeks.

“I’m fine!” You said, perhaps a little too quickly for Din’s liking.

“You just admitted you’re drunk!” Din laughed, folding his arms and rolling his eyes playfully.

“A bit,” you shrugged. Then you burped. Loudly. You clapped your hand over your mouth, eyes widening in horror at your lack of decorum before exclaiming “Excuse me!”

But Din just laughed at you again. He was probably silently wondering what he was going to do with you and maybe concerned at the optics of taking someone so drunk to such a high-class establishment as the hotel that he had booked for the two of you.

“Okay, okay. Maybe I do need that coffee,” you finally conceded.

“I think so,” Din agreed, raising an eyebrow at you. 

Din stood up from the table and settled the bill with Mrs Lau. Your head was swimming and the sounds felt a little distant, but you gathered that the owner of your favourite noodle spot seemed to approve of how handsome your date was. You smiled as you heard the two of them interact, Din thanking her for the drink… even though it had rendered his date a giggling and slurring, uncoordinated mess. 

You emerged into the fading light of the warm London night, blinking slightly as your eyes adjusted to being back outside and leaving the warm glow of the restaurant behind. You laced your arm through Din’s and rested your hand on his strong, muscular arm, smiling slightly. Somewhere, deep down, there was a self-aware part of you that realised that taking care of you in your intoxicated state was probably not how Din had envisioned the evening unfolding. But you couldn’t bring yourself to feel so guilty. You felt as though you were floating through the air, not just from the liquor but from the realisation that Din was all yours. He was so breathtakingly handsome and here he was, wanting to date you. It thrilled you, sending electricity pulsing throughout your body. The knowledge that this magnetic man was attracted to you, wanting to spend time with and treat you to luxurious overnight stays in fancy hotels was a heady prospect. One that you would never stop being grateful for.

The two of you strolled through the quiet, residential North London streets, your overnight bag slung over Din’s shoulder as he insisted on carrying it, ever the gentleman he was. It was a warm summer evening and there were a few people around, enjoying their Friday evening in the city. But this was not the hustle and bustle of central London and it was pleasantly busy, rather than being overwhelming. 

Eventually, you came to a large park with plenty of space. There was a food truck still open and Din went to get you a coffee, to help you to sober up as you took a seat on an available bench, swaying slightly and grateful not to be weighed down by your bag as you wandered to the bench on unsteady legs. You looked around and waited for Din to bring the dark brown caffeinated liquid that would hopefully go some way to sobering you up…

* * *

A firm, even knocking sound at the door brought you back to the present. 

Mercifully, you did not have to torture yourself over what Din thought of you for too much longer. The comforting, soothing sound of Din’s voice sounded on the other side as he informed you it was him. Despite the initial wave of calmness that hearing his voice brought, your stomach soon dropped in anguish once again as you remembered that he was probably coming to admonish you for your actions, to tell you that you had disappointed him and embarrassed him in such opulent surroundings. That your dates had been fun but you were too much of a child for someone like him

It made your heart ache all the more when he appeared in the room, his dark brown hair slicked back and wet from the shower he had presumably just taken. He was wearing a tight, black henley and dark grey jeans. In the soft light of the sunny afternoon that was streaming in through the errant section of blinds that you had failed to close properly last night, he was truly breathtaking. His shoulders looked impossibly broad, the material of his shirt straining as it struggled to envelop his muscular frame. Din was certainly a sight for sore eyes.

“Good morning. Or afternoon, rather,” Din smiled at you as he approached your bed.

“Hi, Din,” you croaked out, mouth still dry as you struggled to look him in the eye. You opened your mouth to begin a string of profuse apologies that you were sure you owed him, but the rich sound of Din’s voice cut you off before you could manage to get a word in. 

“How’s your head?” Din asked with a slight smirk.

“I… it hurts,” you sighed, barely meeting his gaze. 

“Good job I brought you these, then,” Din offered, holding out a glass of water and a pack of painkillers. You gratefully accepted his offering.

“Thank you, Din,” you said as you appreciatively took the pills and gulped down the water. It was the greatest beverage that had ever passed your lips, you were convinced. 

“You’re welcome, it can’t be much fun,” Din said, almost wincing as he noticed your level of discomfort after making such a small effort as taking some pills.

“It isn’t,” you agreed. “But I have no sympathy for myself, this was entirely self-inflicted.”

“It was, but not without a little encouragement from Mrs Lau and me, with the baijiu,” Din smiled. “I’m glad you’re finally conscious. Mind if I sit?”

You nodded with a shy smile to where Din was pointing as he took a seat on the edge of the impossibly enormous bed. It was the most comfortable bed you had ever slept in. It was almost embarrassing how vast the thing was, how luxurious the soft, silken sheets were. You felt certain that it was going to make returning to your poxy single bed in your flat tonight somewhat unbearable. Yet, equally, there was something stiff and uncomfortable about it. It didn’t feel as homely as your little bedroom. Despite the opulence, it would never hold a candle to how safe and warm you felt in your bed at the end of a long day, beneath your beloved Mando poster. 

“I’m so sorry for getting so wasted, I must have made a fool out of myself,” you said apologetically. “I don’t know what you and the other guests must think of me…” you admitted, feeling your cheeks warm in embarrassment. 

“Well, you were pretty drunk,” Din sighed, and you felt your heart constrict at the hint of disappointment you were sure that you heard there. “But, I know that I’m not mad at you. Plus, I think these walls are soundproof… so I can’t imagine any of the other guests would have even realised how much you indulged in the baijiu.” Din said, reassuringly.

“But I thought we went down to the spa?” You questioned, unable to shake the memory of the hot tub that you were sure you had.

“The spa?” Din asked, confusion sweeping across his features. 

“Wait. I swear I remember a hot tub?” You asked, frantically.

“Yes, but that was here in your suite, in the bathroom. It’s a sophisticated bath with jets and some other cool features. When you realised that, you insisted that you had to get in to wash, I quote: ‘You and your clothes,’” Din recalled, raising an eyebrow at you. Thoughts of that hole in the earth’s crust that you yearned for returned. “I managed to persuade you to change into the swimsuit you had packed after I told you about the spa here. Luckily you did so and when I returned to the bathroom, you really went to town. Including splashing me until I got in alongside you,” Din said with a chuckle.

“Din… I’m so, so sorry.” You said, in disbelief.

“Don’t worry about it!” Din exclaimed. “It was honestly hilarious. I haven’t laughed like that, until my ribs hurt, for a long, long time.”

Visions of Din without his shirt on in the bathtub next to you came rushing back. Memories of breathless kisses, laughter and grazing your hand along his tanned, muscular skin. You would have felt a pang of desire, were it not for the sheer embarrassment of the fact you had behaved like such a child in front of him. Knowing that you and Din had been in such proximity in a state of undress left you with another burning question, one that you were unsure you wanted the answer to, but knew you needed to ask.

“Did we uh…” you cleared your throat slightly, unsure of how best to phrase it. “Where did you sleep?” You added, your voice barely above a whisper. 

You didn’t want to ask him directly about whether you had slept together, but fortunately, Din understood the implications of your words and you didn’t have to press him for more details. You couldn’t imagine that he would have taken advantage of you in that way. But then again, you had not known him for too long…

“After putting you to bed, I went back to my own suite and slept in there with Grogu. You were uh… pretty wasted and I didn’t want to take advantage of you,” Din said solemnly. You believed him entirely and let out a deep sigh of relief that he had behaved exactly as you would have expected. You didn’t have a way to respond with words yet, so Din moved to reassure you further. “Please, don’t be too upset or embarrassed. I’m not mad at you. I’m just glad that I had my own room so you didn’t disturb Grogu. There’s no harm done. It was a Friday night, and we both overindulged a little. I had a great night with you.”

“Thank you, but I am still mortified,” you groaned, grabbing a pillow and holding it over your face. Try as Din might to reassure you, your embarrassment was not going to dissipate that easily. 

“There’s no need to be embarrassed, sunflower,” Din smiled, using the adorable nickname he had informed you of the previous night. “Honestly, I had a great time with you. I enjoyed our meal in the little noodle bar far more than some fancy restaurant. The hot tub was fun too, I’d like to revisit it with you, now that we’re both sober…”

“Thanks, Din,” you smiled up at him, feeling significantly less embarrassed than you had when he had first entered the room.

“Plus, now that you’re sober, I did want to do….” Din leaned in and joined his lips to yours in the most gentle, almost timid, kiss. “...This,” Din whispered as he pulled away from you and rested his forehead against yours, smiling softly.

You exhaled sharply at the contact. You marvelled at his gentle touch, despite his hulking, muscular form. A muscular form that you once again remembered you had seen with your own eyes the previous evening in the bathroom, your eyes drinking him in hungrily as he had torn his soaking shirt off and swung a toned leg over to join you in the hot tub. You remembered too, the sloppy breathless kisses that you had given him as you sloshed around together in the warm waters. Clearly, Din was not mad at you. He had not taken advantage of you. Sure, he probably thought you were a little strange, but wasn’t that kind of true? And wasn’t Din himself more than a little unconventional? You tried not to panic and just let yourself enjoy the moment that was happening between the two of you.

“Din, my breath stinks!” You giggled as he pulled away from the sweet kiss.

“I don’t mind,” Din said sweetly, a smile that made the little crinkles at the edge of his eyes more pronounced. “But… Why don’t you get yourself ready and then we can think about sourcing some food? We can either go out. Or, I hear this hotel has pretty fantastic room service with all expenses charged to my company’s account…”

“Sounds perfect,” you purred like a contented cat, leaning up to kiss his stubbly cheek.

“Okay. See you soon, sunflower,” Din leaned down to give you one last kiss before he left.

You were embarrassingly giddy as he left. Not least because of how handsome he looked in the tight black henley he was wearing, which pulled at his broad shoulders and chest in all the best ways. No, you were so amazed by how comfortable you felt around him. The previous day when Din had met you outside of work, you just knew that you couldn’t face a fancy restaurant with all its pretension. So many times in your life, you would have felt terrified to vocalise your true emotions. You would have pushed aside your discomfort for the sake of satisfying others and not hurting their feelings.

Yet, the way Din had looked at you, his brown eyes regarding you as though you were the most remarkable sight in the entire world, you knew that you could vocalise how you truly felt to him. You just wanted to hang out with the man who had such kind, gentle brown eyes that had been the object of your daydreams near-constantly since the first time you had laid eyes upon him in the entrance hall of the museum. 

It seemed that Din wanted the same for you, to be comfortable and happy with him. You were communicating your feelings surprisingly well which was a change from all of your other relationships, talking about those things did not always come so naturally to you. Yet, somehow, with Din… it just did. You had just clicked with him in a way that you couldn’t quite explain. He felt thrillingly new and comfortingly familiar all at once. The way he had just spoken to you, the gentle kiss that he had given you, it was intoxicating – as intoxicating as the Chinese liquor you had overindulged in the previous evening. You didn’t want to mess this up.

You tried not to overthink what had happened between the two of you the previous night, tried not to devote too much of your energy by driving yourself crazy by trying to fill in the gaps of your memory that had been filled by the almost full bottle of champagne that you remembered drinking when you had made it to your room while Din went to check on Grogu. Drunk you did not remember things for a reason. It was better to take Din’s word for things and not stress yourself out over what had come before.

Now, you would enjoy the rest of the day in the company of the man who made your heart soar whenever you were close to him. You were determined to push those distressing, depressing thoughts about your drunken antics to the back of your mind and trust Din’s word, that he was not mad at you and that you had nothing to worry about. You couldn’t wait to brush your teeth and have a shower to hopefully feel more human before you went next door to greet your boys.

But not before you had pulled out your phone and texted Ria, though. She wouldn’t believe all that you had gotten up to… 

[ilovemando] 13:14: riaaaaaa… so i ended up in a hot tub with din last night

[thisistheslay] 13:15: BESTIE?! SPILL IT ALL RN!!

And you did. Your best friend was more convinced than ever that the man you were dating was involved with some type of organised crime. You just laughed it off. If Din was hiding such a big secret from you, then he must have been the greatest liar who ever lived.

* * *

You spent the next couple of weeks seeing Din whenever your schedules allowed. He had come to your neighbourhood a couple of times and you had had dinner together, or taken Grogu to the park. He was still slightly vague on details of where he lived and worked, but you tried not to overthink it. If he was the boss of an organised crime gang he was a very caring, sweet and handsome boss of an organised crime gang and you were not inclined to bite the hand who fed you. Din had treated you to nice meals in restaurants close by, but now you felt like it was time to repay the favour, by treating Din to dinner. 

You had never professed to be the best cook in the world, but cooking a meal for someone you loved was one of your love languages. You wanted to show your affection and appreciation for everything Din had done for you by making him a nice meal in your cosy little flat. Regardless of Din’s line of work and how lucrative it evidently was for him, he was still a long way from home. Even though you hadn’t discussed any friends and family that Din had, apart from Grogu, you were sure that he must miss them, if he even did have any. Din seemed like a naturally caring person with a lot of love to go around, it seemed impossible that he would not shower his loved ones with affection.

Din had never really talked about friends or family and you had not pushed him for details, sensing that his silence must be for a reason. Perhaps it was too painful to think about how far from home he was. So you did not broach the subject, even if you were a little curious. 

It was the main reason that you wanted to welcome him into your home and cook a nice meal for him, but it was not your only motivation. Besides that night in the hot tub, which was initiated by you while drunk, you and Din had not done much physically together yet, besides some passionate goodnight kisses outside restaurants or your flat when he had dropped you off. Things had never been able to escalate as he always needed to return home to be with Grogu. But tonight, Grogu would not be around – he was being cared for by Kuiil at Din’s cottage. It would just be the two of you in your flat. Tonight, you hoped that things would finally change.

Your meal preparations had gotten off to a shaky start once you had realised that in your haste to return from work and begin cooking, you had forgotten to pick up your favourite cheap wine and a slightly more indulgent cheese to serve with the pasta on the way home. Fortunately, you lived in an enormous city and the nearest shop was less than a two-minute walk away so you had managed to grab the missing ingredients without setting yourself behind schedule too much. It seemed a bit intense to have a to-the-minute schedule, and you supposed it was really, but you could be so scatterbrained sometimes that it seemed a necessary step for the two of you to have a nice evening together. With a detailed list of everything, you could fully relax, safe in the knowledge of when every course needed to go in the oven to be ready. It kind of felt like something from one of those awful reality shows where people took turns to host dinner parties that you watched as a guilty pleasure sometimes. Tonight, you were determined to get a 10 from Din… in every department.

Back home, you began chopping the ingredients and frying them. As you wandered back through the living room, you found yourself stopping and staring at the black screen of your TV. You marvelled at how long it had been since you had watched an episode of The Mandalorian. This was the precise occasion when you would have ordinarily had an episode on in the background. Somehow, the thought of turning it on had not even crossed your mind until now.

The show that had formerly had such a hold of your life seemed to be having diminishing influence as you spent more and more time with Din. You still talked to your internet friends every day, especially Ria, but you had found once you had started dating Din that your thoughts of Mando had slowly been replaced by daydreams of Din’s broad shoulders enveloping you in a tight embrace and the way his kind brown eyes always gazed at you so adoringly. It was probably a positive change, you mused. Living in the real world was undoubtedly healthier than the fantasy world you had occupied with Mando. Nonetheless, you were sure that as soon as the first trailer for the third season dropped, you would return to the height of your Mandalorian obsession. Perhaps you would have even discovered Din’s feelings towards the show then and the two of you could watch it together, cuddled up on your couch. 

You poured yourself a glass of wine as you cooked, sipped it slowly and savoured the fruity flavour as you simmered the sauce. You had cheated slightly, with store-bought garlic ciabatta to start with and tiramisu for dessert. But it had been a long week of work after all and you wanted to be able to spend time with Din once he arrived. You looked at your watch and realised that it wouldn’t be long until he arrived, so you hastily got yourself ready to welcome him, practically vibrating with excitement at the thought of finally having some alone time with the handsome man you were dating.

You were checking yourself over one last time in the mirror, making sure that you were happy with your hair and make-up, when your eyes widened in horror. There were the Mando figures on your dresser in your room that you did not want Din to see. You strode across the room, opened the top drawer and swept them in there with your arm, out of sight. You breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that you had spotted them. You weren’t sure what Din would think if he saw that you had figures, perhaps he’d think you childish. There was your poster too, hanging above your bed, but there was nothing you could do about that. You were less embarrassed about that too, it featured art from the first season which was tasteful and not too immature. Din probably wouldn’t even notice it, given that he was apparently not a fan of the show.

You returned to the kitchen and continued cooking, with one eye frequently drifting to the clock on your oven, counting down the minutes until Din would be with you. You had told him to come at seven p.m. and sure enough, at seven on the dot, there was a knock at the door. You checked your reflection in the mirror, adjusting your hair and shirt slightly, wanting to look your best for Din as always. Then you practically galloped down the hall, towards the door.

“How long have you been standing there?” You asked with a laugh after you had excitedly flung the door open. His timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.

“Five minutes. Didn’t want to freak you out by being early, but didn’t want to be fashionably late because I couldn’t wait to see you,” Din replied as he entered your flat. He placed his arms around your waist and kissed you passionately, you groaned in response, having missed the sensation of his lips on yours after not seeing him for a few days. 

Once you were released from his embrace you were able to take in his outfit choice. You approved of it completely. Din was wearing a light blue button-down shirt that accentuated his broad shoulders due to its form-fitting cut and tight black trousers that showed off his muscular legs perfectly. Somehow, despite the tight embrace that he had enveloped you in, you now noticed that he was also holding what seemed to be an expensive bottle of red wine in one hand and a bunch of flowers in the other. You noticed, with a smile, that the flowers he was holding were sunflowers. He was the sweetest man in the world, you were convinced.

“I brought you these,” Din smiled, shyly holding up the bottle and sunflowers so you could get a proper look at them.

“Thank you, Din,” you replied, placing a kiss on his cheek as you took the sunflowers and placed your nose against the soft petals, inhaling deeply. They smelled gorgeous and you were so grateful for how thoughtful he was.

“You look stunning, by the way,” Din complimented you, making a point of trailing his eyes up and down your body so you could see how much he appreciated your outfit.

You weren’t used to going out of your way to make yourself look nice, especially not on a Friday night after a long week of work. Yet you had found that you actually appreciated the routine, that little bit of time you had taken to make yourself look and more importantly feel good. Din certainly seemed to appreciate the effort you had made, given the way he was gazing at you, warm brown eyes darkening with desire. If you didn’t return to the kitchen soon, it seemed that things might escalate before you could serve the meal you had devoted so much effort to. 

“Thank you for the flowers,” you replied as you took the sunflowers and hunted for a vase to place them in. They would be the perfect centrepiece for the small table in front of the window in your kitchen that you and Din would sit at to enjoy your meal.

“You’re welcome, sunflower,” Din smiled, using your nickname freely now, no longer embarrassed after the way he had blurted it out in the noodle shop that evening when you had both indulged in perhaps a little too much baijiu. 

Din followed you into the kitchen as you successfully found a vase and filled it with some water, before placing it in the centre of the table where you would eat. Then you flipped the switch on the kettle so it would boil for the pasta and fished out a pair of glasses for the cheap wine that you had already enjoyed one glass of. It would allow you to chill the bottle Din had brought in the fridge while you made a start on the first bottle.

“You know, you kind of look like that actor who advertises this wine,” you observed as you poured Din a glass, reasoning that you should start with the cheap wine you had bought and work your way up to the nicer, more expensive bottle that Din had brought, to be savoured with your meal. 

“Everyone says that, but I can’t see it myself,” Din said with a small pout.

“Really?” You said in surprise. “Seriously, you do. It’s kind of uncanny, actually.”

“Hmmmm, whatever. I think I’m more handsome though,” Din said, raising an eyebrow as he took the first sip of the wine. You thought you saw him wince slightly at how it burned a little, which seemed a little ridiculous after the strength of the alcohol that you had observed Din drink like it was nothing back at the noodle bar.

“You are,” you smiled adoringly at him from across the kitchen.

It was time to salt the water and put the pasta on. You had thought Din might relax in the front room while you cooked, but you were mistaken. The man seemed perfectly happy to just exist in your orbit as you pottered around the kitchen, making the dinner that the two of you would soon share. It was comforting how much the two of you were at ease in each other’s presence, despite the short amount of time you had known each other. It was hard to believe that it had been a matter of weeks, rather than several months, since you had met Din on that fateful night in the museum, it felt as though you had known him for much longer. Din and Grogu had wormed their way into your heart with alarming quickness.

Later, after finishing your meal – which Din had assured you was delicious – you sighed in contentment as you cuddled up to Din on your couch. The two of you were watching a cheesy rom-com that had been suggested to you on Netflix. Well, watching was an overstatement. You soon lost track of what was going on in the movie. Din’s lips had proved more entertaining to you than the same old rehashed romance movie. You moaned softly as his tongue explored your mouth, his hand cupping the side of your jaw while another rested on the back of your head, the two of you wrapped in a tight embrace. Din’s kisses were rendering you more and more breathless with their increasing neediness, and it was difficult to find a comfortable position on the sofa without sacrificing the closeness that the two of you ached to feel. You decided that it would be best to take this elsewhere. If Din was up for it, of course. 

“Do you want to take this to my room?” You panted, breath hot against the shell of his ear. You had surprised even yourself with your boldness, but Din was seemingly waiting for you to make the first move.

“Show me the way,” Din whispered, his brown eyes dark with lust as he met your gaze.

You stood up from the couch on trembling legs and offered him an equally shaky hand, which Din gladly took. You helped him to his feet, admiring the size of his hand against your own. You were constantly stunned by how impossibly large Din seemed compared to you, with his broad shoulders and looming presence… you wondered if that was true of every part of him. Mercifully, it was a short walk down the hall to your room, where you hoped you would finally have your questions answered. 

“Din, please,” you whined, you wanted him badly as you had barely pulled him into your bedroom before his lips were on yours again.

Your kisses continued for a few more seconds before you found yourself taking the lead somewhat, pushing him against your bedroom door as you kissed him ardently. Despite how much bigger and stronger he was than you, Din seemed more than happy for you to take control like that. You placed your hands underneath his shirt, moving them across his muscular abdomen, admiring how firm yet soft the skin you felt was there. You began to wonder about removing clothes and leading Din to where you had always wanted him to end up since the first moment you ever saw him, your bed. 

But then everything changed.

The moment that had been developing as a simmering heat between you and Din, that tension that had been apparent since he had first walked through your door earlier didn’t just stop in its tracks. It derailed into a ball of fire. 

Your heart sank as you felt Din stiffen all around you and break away from the kiss. You felt terrible, clearly running your hands across his skin like that had been a step too far. But your guilt turned to confusion as you noticed the way his eyes were fixated on a spot somewhere over your shoulder. It was as if Din had suddenly seen a ghost. He pulled away from you immediately, standing to his full height. 

You felt incredibly small and unimportant; suddenly he had gone from looking at you as if you were the only thing in the world to not even being able to look you in the eye. Was this too much, too soon? Or was he just not that into you?

“I’m sorry, did I push you too far?” You said, awkwardly. You felt mortified that you had presumed something that he clearly didn’t want, despite how passionately Din had been kissing you, only a few seconds ago.

“I just… I can’t do this…” Din said, closing his eyes and swallowing deeply, refusing to look at you.

“Din, I’m sorry,” you said, eyes filling with tears. “If you aren’t attracted to me, I get it, I’m so sorry if I was forcing you to do something that you didn’t want.”

“No, not at all!” Din exclaimed, a look of horror in his eyes as he placed his hand under your chin and tilted it up towards him. “You are beautiful. So gorgeous, so funny, so intelligent. I don’t know what’s up with me. Maybe it was the wine… I just…” Din sighed. There was more that he wanted to say, but for some reason, he was holding something back from you.

“Okay, Din,” you said quietly, still unconvinced by his response.

“Look, sunflower, I really messed this up and made things horrifically awkward. It’s nothing you have done, nothing at all. The time I’ve spent getting to know you recently, it’s the happiest I’ve felt for years. Will you please let me make it up to you, maybe come and visit me and Grogu next weekend? I promise I’ll get a handle on things. I promise it’s nothing you’ve done.”

“I’d like that.” You nodded.

“Good,” Din whispered as he leaned down to kiss you softly again. “Please don’t ever doubt how attracted I am to you. You’re beautiful. I had the best time tonight. I love spending time with you, this kind of intimacy is just… it’s new for me, I suppose,” Din sighed in frustration. “I really am sorry about ruining our night.”

“It’s okay, Din. It’s new for me too… or well, I’m out of practice I guess,” you confessed. The most romance you had had for a few years longer than you’d like to admit came in the form of fanfiction, which made the prospect of having a man that you were incredibly attracted to right here in your room suddenly somewhat terrifying, now that the moment had passed.

“I should probably go, I know I was planning to stay a little later but I’m needed on s– uh… at work – early in the morning, anyway,” Din informed you. It sounded as though he was going to say something different than he was just going to be at work, but he had corrected in time and you hadn’t quite caught what he meant.

“That’s fine, Din. Thank you for the flowers and the wonderful evening. I really enjoyed having you over,” you smiled at him, cupping his chin in your hands again.

“Thank you for having me,” Din smiled, kissing you softly.

You walked to the door, hand in hand. Din said he would head downstairs and call his driver. The fact that he had an entire driver at his beck and call and could take a ride whenever he desired was still slightly absurd to you. But you were mostly done with being surprised by the embarrassment of riches that were at Din’s disposal. After all, you were rarely reminded of his financial situation when you spent time with him. Despite everything, Din was still incredibly humble and down to earth. So unlike snooty members of the aristocracy that you had unfortunately encountered several times at work.

“See you at the weekend,” you smiled as you leaned in for one last kiss.

“Goodnight, sunflower,” Din replied. Then he was gone.

As you cleaned the dishes from the dinner party you had to deem it a success, despite whatever had overcome Din in your bedroom. You vowed not to overthink it, you know he wouldn’t want you to do that. He had made it perfectly clear that he was attracted to you. You were excited for the following weekend when he would let you into his life a little more by inviting you to his house. It was a very sweet gesture from him, a sign that he was loosening up a little.

With the dishes washed and stacked, it was time to get ready for bed. As you went about your nightly routine, you found your mind wandering to the warm skin that you had felt beneath Din’s shirt and the way his eyes had darkened with appreciation at the sight of you when he had first walked through the door. 

You pushed the door open to your bedroom and glanced at the poster of The Mandalorian which hung above your bed. You sighed as you shut the door and mourned at how you had been so close to finally ending up in bed with Din. Although you mused, perhaps it was for the best that your first intimate encounter would not be underneath Mando’s steely, unrelenting gaze…

Next Chapter

Taglist: @toxic-seduction @survivingandenduring @readingiskeepingmegoing

[scariusaquarius]

ghost on the shore 4.

Nixie! Leon Kennedy x Fem! Reader

Summary: After the sudden death of your nephew, a sudden detail about that strange lake within the woods piques your curiosity. Unable to withstand the temptation, you decide to see if the legends of the lake were true. Do you wish to reap what you sow?

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A/n: I honestly have no excuse as to why this took so long to get out other than laziness and procrastination. Life has been a bit of a bundle of fireworks and i am the lit match in the box lmao. N E WAYZ, i hope you guys liked the plottwist and enjoy the ride!! I have some ideas cooked up but am gonna do my best to incorporate what I think would work most for the story. Hopefully we'll get some more Leon action soon <3

Chapter 3

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Genre: Folklore, Horror, Angst

Rated: Mature

Warning: Death, Drowning, Child Death, Cursing, Nudity, Graphic Depictions of Death, Suicidal Thoughts, Slight Gore, idk what else

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Author: ScariusAquarius

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When you arrived at work, the pounding in your head had yet to go away. It was almost like a chronic migraine; the light causing the pain to intensify and blurring your vision slightly as you drove to the shop. Parking your truck, you sluggishly slid out of the seat and walked in, slowly taking your sunglasses off while Chris was glancing up at you from his desk. His eyes squinted as he took in your appearance, and the man stated.

"Damn, you look like shit, (L/n). What the hell happened?"

You grumbled, running a hand through your frazzled hair with a sigh.

"Pretty sure I had way too much to drink last night and woke up to Jack jumping all over me. He was way too excited to be mushroom hunting with Johnny today."

Chris looked at you for a moment; observing your appearance and the way you winced as sunlight reflected onto your face from a passing vehicle outside of the shop. Chris then sighed and sat back a bit within his seat. He spoke gently as a strange and perplexed look came over his face.

"Why don't you go spend the day with them then? I'll cover for you today and make yesterday's pay double time?"

Your eyes widened in shock before a strange sense of unease came over you.

As if this wasn't supposed to happen.

"Are you absolutely sure, Chris? I already planned to come in for you and I don't want to leave you hanging."

Chris rolled his eyes before he teased you, winking at you.

"You can pay me back with a drink once you get back from mushroom hunting."

You blinked at him owlishly before chuckling and shaking your head as you backed out of the shop.

"Not a chance, Redfield."

Chris scoffed, but before he could get another word in, you were already out the door with your phone in hand.

(Nickname): Hey JM, is that offer to come along still open?

JM: Sure is. Did Chris let you go or something? You aint got yourself fired did you?

(Nickname): hell no lmao Chris would be a damn idiot to let me go. He's letting me off for the day cause I apparently look like shit today

JM: Well, he aint wrong 😂

(Nickname): go fuck yourself. I'll be there in five minutes, assface

Huffing, you rolled your eyes before heading on down the road. For some reason, there was something in your gut that felt something was wrong. It was almost as if something was different; something important that was missing....but what was it?

Why were you different?

You frowned and glanced at yourself in the rearview mirror. Your eyes had bags beneath them, almost as if you hadn't slept in days, and your hair was frizzy. Your skin looked a bit pale, and you glanced away with a grimace. So maybe you did look like shit....but that was normal after a night of drinking, wasn't it?

So why didn't you feel hungover? The only thing bothering you was the headache that kept coming and going randomly. You were pulled from your thoughts when you pulled into the driveway, Jack jumping up and down in his batman rainboots and swinging his big basket John had bought him for the occasion.

"Aunt (Y/n)! Are you going with Daddy and I?"

You smiled gently despite the volume of his voice making your head swim, and you nodded as you stepped out of the truck. You picked Jack up the second he jumped at you, and you lifted him up, teasing him by pulling on the brim of his sunhat.

"Why, of course! I can't let my boys have all the fun now, can I? Besides, someone has to keep your daddy out of trouble."

John made a face at you, flipping you the bird before he gestured to his motorcycle.

"Unless we're all cramming on the bike, we're taking your truck."

"No shit, sherlock. Give me a minute to get changed."

John nodded before loading Jack into the truck, and you were quick to get inside to change into some forest-appropriate clothing. As you went into the bathroom and turned on the light, you gasped as the bulb suddenly burst; plunging you into darkness. Fishing your phone out of your back pocket, you turned on the flashlight as a strange chill ran up your spine.

A sudden burning sensation on your leg had you almost yelping, and you flicked your phone down to your leg to see an angry red mark on your ankle. For a moment, all you could do was stare as you realized the mark almost....looked specific in shape.

Like a handprint.

A sudden stinging in your head had you feeling nauseous.

The water in the tub bubbled angrily, and you both watched in terror as the man in the lake brought his head up out of the tub. His eyes were pitch black, angry and menacing as he hissed out, his hand shooting out and gripping your ankle painfully.

"Mine!"

You panted as John knocked on the door, his voice lulling you back from the strange memory-like vision.

"Hey, you alright in there?"

You took a moment to catch your breath and carefully opened the door, John's confused face greeting you. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed your panicked demeanor, squinting slightly.

"The hell has gotten into you? You alright?"

You stared at him for a moment before shaking your head slightly to clear away the sudden fogginess, replying shakily.

"Yeah, the...uh, the....um, lightbulb burst. Scared the shit out of me."

John snorted before teasing you despite the slight suspicion still swimming in his stormy grey eyes.

"Leave it to you to get freaked out by a light going out."

"Get on with yourself, would you?"

John snickered as you shoved past him, but even as you went out the front door, John couldn't help but feel as though something was off.

What was missing?

The water rippled gently.

-TIMESKIP-

As John drove the truck and Jack excitedly bounced between you both, you were staring out the window with a frown. The closer you guys got to the forest, the clearer the anxiety became. You weren't exactly sure what had you so on edge, but as John parked and asked Jack if he was ready, you couldn't help but to smile and relax.

Perhaps you were just being dramatic. Perhaps it was all in your head, so as John gathered the camping gear, you were quick to stretch and crack your back to get ready to hike. Jack came up to you, jumping up with a big smile.

"Aunt (Y/n), can you give me a piggy back ride?"

You smiled and lifted the boy, putting him up on your shoulders, your nephew squealing with delight as he became high up in the air.

"Daddy, look! Look! I'm bigger than you!"

John scoffed and wagged his finger at Jack.

"Now don't you go growing up on me too fast now, or I'll be real cross with you, boy."

Jack giggled, and you chuckled before gesturing.

"Lead the way, JM."

John nodded and began walking, leading you both through the thick foliage of the forest as if he'd done it a million times before. All was quiet for a moment as a sudden light of twilight settled over the woods. You hummed along as Jack sang a sea shanty from one of his latest fantasy books he had been reading, absent-mindedly walking after John as the man led you deeper into the woods.

A chill was settling into your spine, making you shiver slightly as you pointed the fact out.

"Man, it's getting chilly."

John turned to give you a strange look, a bead of sweat running down his neck as he glanced at you.

"You're feeling cold? It's smoldering out here!"

You shrugged and said.

"You know I feel the cold more than you do, which is surprising considering you're more bones than skin."

John made a face at you, huffing.

"Piss off. I look good."

Jack giggled and whispered to you not-so-quietly.

"Daddy said a bad word."

"Yeah, he sure did. How does five dollars in the swear jar sound?"

John guffawed, exclaiming.

"Five dollars?!"

You snickered as Jack giggled loudly, and you adjusted the boy before John grumbled to himself, placing down the camping gear and stated.

"We'll camp here. There's a lake just beyond the campsite that we can get some water and filter it to drink later. Let's set up and get to mushroom hunting. Sound good, Jack?"

"Yeah!"

You set Jack on the ground, and you crackled your knuckles.

"Alright, I'll get some firewood and build up a fire while you and Jack get the tent set up."

"Of course, make the men do all the heavy liftin and buildin'"

You shrugged.

"It's a mans world, so I've heard."

John just rolled his eyes before shooing you away, and you began to gather up sticks and dry logs for the fire. As you began to get a bit farther away from the camp, you were suddenly aware at how quiet the forest was. There was no wind, no birds, no animals, not a single sound to be heard other than the bittersweet melody of a violin being carried in the distance.

There was a part of you that was shocked and stupefied by the sound, but another part that was curious and enchanted by the beautiful music. Why on earth would anybody be playing a violin in the forest?

You were certain that you had lost consciousness for a moment because one moment, you were taking a step towards the music and the next, you were knee-deep in the murky waters of the lake. Your heart was racing, mouth agape as you stared at the center of the lake, and he was pleased.

His cyan eyes were captivating, looking at you as if you were the only thing he could ever have wanted in his whole life, and you were unable to formulate a coherent thought as his music turned sultry and romantic; beckoning you to come to him.

Come closer, little dove. Listen to my song.

I missed you.

You could hear the words in your mind as clear as day, and his statement confused you.

You were certain that you had never come across this person before...but his voice was the same as the one you had heard in your memory-like vision. His face was the same except he didn't look so...monstrous. In fact, the Man in the Lake looked like a normal naked man save for the deathly pale complexion he had.

You blinked, and suddenly he was right in front of you, his eyes soft as he gazed at you. The man murmured, kneeling before you when your knees suddenly buckled as you stared deep into his enchanting eyes.

"You....don't remember...."

Why were you different?

He sounded sad, his violin becoming sad as well, and you spoke breathlessly, feeling as though the man was stealing the air from your lungs with every note that he played.

"Don't remember what?"

He was quiet for a moment, his eyes gazing longingly at your lips, and the man brushed his nose against yours. His skin was so cold that it forced a shiver out of you, and he whispered softly.

"This time....I'll be...different too."

Closer and closer, the man came to you, brushing his fingers against your cheek as he brushed his lips against yours, and like electricity, the feeling shocked you. Your eyes widened, wondering why you couldn't pull away, why he felt so familiar before suddenly, your eyes were fluttering closed and you were being sucked into his trance completely.

"Aunt (Y/n)!"

You gasped and jolted, startled and confused to find Jack and John standing before you. John looked spooked, concern flashing within his stormy eyes, and he instructed Jack as the boy crowded you.

"Stand back, Jack."

"Ugh, my head....what the hell is going on?"

John knelt beside you, his fingers vrushing through your hair to feel your skull for any injuries as he spoke, his tone stern from his worry.

"You just froze up, wasn't moving or nothing. You kept mumbling and then just collapsed! You were out for 10 minutes. Thought you were having a goddamn stroke or seizure or something. I knew I should've made you stay home."

You winced as your headache resurfaced, and John carefully helped you to stand up as you mumbled.

"I'm probably just dehydrated and hungry or something. I promise I'm alright."

John shook his head, hissing slightly in frustration.

"No way. I'm taking you to a doctor. This ain't normal, (Y/n)."

You were becoming frustrated as well, shaking your head with a grimace.

"No, John. I'm okay. Just...take me home. I just need some more rest and food."

John gave you a disgruntled growl before he sighed deeply. He gave Jack a look before saying.

"Alright, fine. I gotta stop into the drug store for Jack's medicine anyway. His inhaler is almost empty. We'll come back later tonight, Jack, alright?"

Jack nodded, and the three of you were loaded up into the truck. As Jack hummed along to the radio, you were staring out at the forests as the trees flew past. John was driving fast, tapping the steering wheel with a nervous look on his face as he continued to glance at you every now and then. While his worry was normal, there was a part of you that was annoyed by it. You just needed sleep and rest....definitely a bath, too, because of how much you had been sweating.

It didn't take long for John to get into town, and the three of you got out to go into the drug store. Once inside, Jack and John went to the pharmacist while you looked around at the shelves for a quick snack. As you scanned the shelves, you could feel a presence behind you.

Familiar and cold and smelling just like the rain.

You slowly turned around, and were startled to find that nobody was there. Shaking your head, you cursed and sighed.

Get a grip, girl. You're just being delusional.

But why did it feel so real?

You took a calming breath. You definitely just needed some food, sleep, and a nice relaxing bath. Grabbing your snacks and a drink, you met with John and Jack at the counter and stood quietly as John exchanged money and flirtations with the cashier before you three left.

When you arrived home, you immediately went into the bathroom and began to fill the tub. Lighting up candles and placing epsom salt and bubbles into the water, you ate your food while you waited for the bath to fill up.

You could hear John and Jack playing around in the living room as Jack watched one of his shows, and you sighed softly to yourself as the bath was finally filled. Stepping into the tub and sighing in delight as the hot water immediately helped to relieve your tension, your eyes closed and you finally felt peaceful.

There was a sudden thought of familiarity about the scene, but as always, there was another part that felt as though something was missing. Why did you feel so empty? Why did you feel so....wrong?

You were a bit sleepy, humming softly as you relaxed more, and you shivered at the feeling of hands on your body. Fingertips brushed against your ribs, lips on your ankle, and your eyes were stuck shut, refusing to open despite the sudden shock that ran through you.

The hands were gentle, fingertips ghosting along your skin, and you were aware of the fact that the lips were getting dangerously close to your womanhood. Tingles of electricity ran down your spine, and a soft sigh left you.

While there was a part of you that was afraid, there was another part that was under his spell as his violin echoed within the quieter part of your mind.

I missed you.

Why did it sound so gentle and honest? You scrunched your face up slightly as the man gripped your hips gently, and you listened as water came crashing down around you in the tub.

He was hovering over you, the distinct smell of ozone and rain wafting into your senses, and his cold nose brushed against yours.

"I want to hate you....but you intrigue me...clever little dove."

But why? What had you done to deserve it?

His lips were on your cheek, his body slotted between your legs, and your heart was pounding and racing within your chest. His hand was cupping your cheek gently, and from the gesture came another vision.

The man’s hands were soft against your naked skin, gliding along your ribs and stomach before his hands climbed up to your shoulders, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispered.

"All mine."

You let out a shaky breath, and the man whispered into your ear.

"Pretty dove....it's so silly to resist me....but I will be different too."

Heat was blooming in your chest, and you slowly opened your eyes to look directly into his. The man looked eager, dipping his head down as he whispered against your lips.

"Let me in....pledge yourself to me...."

Come closer. Listen to my song.

His eyes were half-lidded, and you blinked as you became overwhelmed by his stare. Suddenly, the illusion was broken, and you were left in the bathroom all alone, the water freezing. Shivering, you shook your head and stood up, cheeks hot from the embarrassment. Why couldn't you stop thinking about some fictional being that didn't exist? Especially in such an intimate way!

Swallowing thickly, you blew out the candles, drained the tub, and you missed the dark mark of a kiss on your neck right where the man had kissed you, the bruise slowly fading away.

The water rippled gently.

[CHAPTER 5 SOON]

Tagging: @wildest-dreams-at-midnight @motzgurke @chernayawidow

[elizmanderson]

2024 wrap-up, part 2

part one | part three | part four

this year has been much better than last for reading! I did notice last year as I reviewed my reads that I wasn't reading a huge diversity of authors. so while I never set numbers-based goals for my reading, I did set the goal this year to make sure at least 50% of my reads were books by authors of color

I had SO MANY BOOKS by authors of color on my TBR already and even owned many of them, so I made sure to prioritize those books this year. and it was easy to hit 50% by making sure that any book I read by a white author was followed by an author of color (although I made a spreadsheet in November to make sure I was still on track). I'm a mood reader, but these books cover so many different genres that it was easy to diversify my reading once I prioritized that

another thing I tried this year but was less successful at was to prioritize reading in general by deciding to read one book a weekend

(this probably wouldn't work for a 500+ page book, but I have so little energy for such books anymore even though Lowercase E adored them)

the year started off strong with books finished in a single sitting on a Saturday morning/afternoon. but once April hit, my year got busier and I sort of never recovered

overall, however, I did read more consistently than I did in the last two years. while I don't have numbers for the last two years, so far this year I've read 37 books, which I'm 82% sure beats either 2022 or 2023 (which is nice even if I don't make numbers goals anymore)

top reads of 2024

The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

not my usual genre (horror/dark fantasy), but a friend was clearing out her shelves a couple years back and the cover grabbed me. this was my first read of the year and is STILL one of my tops reads. holy shit it was so good. the worldbuilding was really cool, the book had a Gothic feeling that I always love (if I read horror, I usually reach for Gothic before other subgenres), the romance was just SO well done. partway through the book I found myself thinking, "wow, the only thing this book is missing is some queer characters" AND GUESS WHAT HAPPENED THAT VERY CHAPTER. this book was so good that I went online as soon as I finished it to buy Alexis Henderson's next book, House of Hunger.

note for anyone who hasn't read the book: apparently it's the first of at least an intended duology. the second book is postponed indefinitely, but honestly the first book can be read as a standalone. so if you're a "I won't read a series until it's done" person, I urge you to read The Year of the Witching nonetheless

...made myself want to reread this but alas I'm in Georgia visiting the parental units, and the book is back in Ohio

maybe I'll make it my first read of the year again lmao

link to The Year of the Witching on BookShop

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

all I can say about this book (aside from how masterfully done it is) is that I reached the end, flipped the page, found "acknowledgements" staring up at me, and said OUT LOUD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE POLE STUDIO* "wait what that's it???????" and then YELLED about the book to my instructor and other students

*class had not started yet, I finished the book while waiting bc I'd arrived early

there's apparently both a prequel and a sequel, and I am both looking forward to and scared to read them

link to They Both Die at the End on BookShop

Arsenic & Adobo by Mia P. Manansala

actually I read the entire Tita Rosie's Kitchen Mysteries to date, which should tell you how good the first book was! I love a good cozy mystery, and the whole series is great. also: Tita Rosie and Jonathan 5ever oh my god they're so cute together and Tita Rosie deserves the best. if you're the type of mystery reader who likes recipes at the end of your book, this series is for you

I think there are five books so far with a sixth on the way! it's helpful to read them in order since the community in each book does build on the characters introduced in the previous book, but being cozy mysteries the plot doesn't super depend on you having read anything previous

(apparently she also has a YA mystery coming up?? hell yeah)

link to Arsenic & Adobo on BookShop

Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto

OBVIOUSLY I've been looking forward to reading this one ever since I learned about it, because it's a little old lady getting into shenanigans. oh my god it exceeded my wildest expectations. I love Vera SO MUCH. I laughed aloud a lot, I cried a lot, and I worried over who the murderer might be because of the multiple POVs and the found family...each member of which had a good reason to want the murder victim dead :,) I'm still devastated (positive)

we're getting a SEQUEL and I cannot overstate my excitement to get a second Vera Wong book

link to Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers on BookShop

...I was going to do a top five but honestly there are SO MANY good books left on my spreadsheet that I don't think I can choose between them to list just one more. so let's look ahead to next year instead

upcoming books I'm looking forward to

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna

adult cozy fantasy featuring an undead rooster and elderly lesbians, so this is probably my number one book I'm looking forward to

Vera Wong's Guide to Snooping (on a Dead Man) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

adult cozy mystery and OBVIOUSLY I'm looking forward to this one

This Ends in Embers by Kamilah Cole

YA fantasy sequel to Kamilah Cole's debut So Let Them Burn

The Ashfire King by Chelsea Abdullah

adult fantasy sequel to Chelsea Abdullah's debut The Stardust Thief

(okay, I also listed that last one last year or the year before, but in my defense it kept getting pushed back)(actually so did the first one, but the first one wasn't on my radar last year)(the point is, I'm looking forward to both of them, and both of them are DEFINITELY FOR SURE coming out in 2025)

tune in later for part three!

[tenpintsof-sundrop]

I love this so much!!! Thank you @introverted-author for tagging me 💖💕 (also I think it's adorable that your last song was by Maya Hawke)

Last Song: Some Kind Of Disaster by All Time Low (I love everything off this album omg) (also this is inspo for the fic I am currently working on)

Favourite Colour: Bubblegum Pink or Teal Green (Or Mint Green?)

Currently Watching: Modern Family (and I've also been watching a lot of horror movies lately. I recently just watched The Barbarian for the first time - amazing. And I rewatched Creep with my sister)

Sweet, Savoury, or Spicy: SWEET! I am a fiend for sweet things. Sometimes I eat chicken just as an excuse to scoop up sweet barbecue sauce. And imo no drink or dessert can be too sweet

Currently Reading: Um... my own fics? While I am trying to write them 😂 I am also reading @gintsukiauthor 's latest novel as he writes it chapter by chapter. I have the inside scoop

Last Movie: Creep (2014) - such a good movie! Literally the best found footage movie ever imo. It keeps the twists and turns coming and it's not at all slow like some other found footage can be. If you love the psychological aspect of Criminal Minds, then you will love this. (But TW for a scene where someone describes committing a rape - not in super graphic detail? But yeah I just thought I would warn for that.)

Relationship: I am in a poly relationship - happily dating three amazing guys. One of them is the first tag below

Current Obsessions: .... over the past 24 hours I have actually been getting back into The Maze Runner, which was one of my obsessions from early high school. And I am writing a Maze Runner fix in another tab right now. Other than that, I am still working on some TWD fics, and I have been into miniature craft videos on YouTube? Like crafts for dolls. I'm not planning on making any of them, but I really like to watch the process

The Last Thing You Googled: "creep movie" because I wanted to see the year it came out lmao, "(my local area) forecast" because I wanna know WHEN THIS FUCKING HEATWAVE IS GONNA END, and "deaths in the maze runner movies" as a reference for my fic

Currently Working On: A Gally x Fem!Reader TMR fic (yes, it will have smut)

Tagging: @nctzenkane @star-mum @makeyouminemp3 @lukereiter @reidsdaisies

[a-door-to-somewhere]

Ok watched spiderverse 2 again here's some thoughts in no particular order (spoilers and long post ahead):

- peter b is reading a book called "how to talk to kids" at the very end. Presumably because may can't speak yet and Gwen and Miles were zapped away I choose to believe he was reading this so he can go talk to Miguel LMAO

- I fucken love the way spot, after he powers up, move around via just like... sliding around in the air basically with his bad posture like he's hung from strings like a puppet

- when gwen is drumming at the opening and when spot gets zapped both are intercut with frames from later in the movie and also later in the future. I'm guessing spot got a glimpse of canon events but when Gwen was doing her intro it was phrased like a retrospective- but unlike most intros it didn't have a shot of a new spiderman comic being thrown on the pile. So when was she doing this retrospective? I hc she'll pick back up at the end of the third movie

- someone needs to make procreate brush packs for each universe/character PLEASE

- ok the "watercolor" effect being a mood ring is incredible but I havent seen anyone talking about the sort of abstract animation?? It almost reminds me of like experimental film from the impressionist/dada/supremetism eras, you can see it synced to the drum in the intro and also in some of the backgrounds during her big speech

- also during the Guggemheim fight when the Renaissance Vulture was like "you call this art?" And Gwen was like "well we're talking about it aren't we" YOU'RE SO RIGHT GWEN I AM KISSING YOU ON THE LIPS

- the shaky 1st pov cam when Gwen's dad sneaks up on her both times reminded me of when Miles accidentally watched kingpin kill perfect Peter? Idk if it was exactly the same I'd have to go back and rewatch but UGH it really gets that Gwen's dad has two sides too and the cop side isn't really human almost, lurking in the shadows, silhouetted

- also Gwen's dad just being a shit cop, giving her mixed instructions, raising a weapon at an unarmed person who is trying to communicate, firing warning shots, yelling the Miranda rights over her which is not how its supposed to be given

- contrast that with Jeff who literally never pointed a weapon at anyone and went charging after spot with his bare hands, is casual with his spiderman. I mean even when Jeff was talking about Miles not capturing Spot correctly it was lighthearted and joking, he's actively not going by the book, he's keeping the squad off of Spiderman's back, he apparently talks to spiderman about his family troubles???

- have I mentioned I LOVE MUSICAL MOTIFS????? Seriously they’re always good (fuck Wagner everyone knows Toby Fox invented the leitmotif) I mean everyone noticed the horror style Prowler stinger but even more characters got some: Gwen got a Little Rock theme with a guitar lick that echoes the ‘spi-der-man, spi-der-man’ song, Miguel’s distorted synth whine, the interesting mouth and bells percussion that Pav gets (good job Hollywood avoiding the exotic Asian pentatonic lick for once), at the end when the 42 prowler reveal slowly changed the prowler stinger into a human scream???? There’s probably more but I’d have to go back and watch it again again lmao

- I really love how Miguel is kinda goofy. He’s aloof and over serious but he makes mistakes and shows other emotions despite his best efforts. His flaws are shown off in his very first interaction, with his unwillingness to ask for help despite the fact that he knows he needs it. He’s frustrated. He’s got group object leader energy. It makes it so much more lovable that he’s susceptible to quips and he also gets knocked down and messes up and shows up and has his quirks that everyone puts up with. THATS how you make an interesting, relatable, lovable antagonist. Perhaps it worked too well LMAO

- I am an Oscar isaac simp I gotta go rewatch moon knight

- when miles was swinging around with gwen he passed a truck called "redex" bc gwen rejected him lmao

- theres an 8 clearly visible in the background of earth 42? Wacc

- the Spread Your Wings, Man scene focusing on the plastic wrap on top of the Alchemax flowing in the wind like it’s an ocean?/??? I really hope they call back to that imagery later because it clearly means something and I need to know what

- I’ve got an inkling of something that specifically revealing one’s spider-dentity to a loved one is some kind of anti-canon event, like maybe it’s the thing that fixes the destabilization? I mean we’ve seen that it’s ok if loved ones figure it out themselves (or if they then die, like uncle Aaron) like it’s a clear theme that miles keeps trying to tell his parents, and then Gwen tells her dad, which causes him to quit the force, thereby averting the canon event of him dying indirectly??? Also, it’s implied that the MJ of 1610 sold out Perfect Peter Parker to Fisk, leading to his death, ALSO also, gayatri probably figured out Pav’s identity right before HIS world destabilized??? Idk lmao

- I hope spiderbite/Margo and Jess get proper intros I can’t wait

- the background spider hockey girl has my heart, I couldn’t stop looking at her during the chase scene

- God I need to watch moon knight again

- when mj moved into mays room to greet them she lifted a picture frame back up as she moved in the door? What's up with that???

- not Spanish originally starting as a too-relatable joke that Miles gets a B in despite his mother speaking Spanish at home as well, not living up to his expectations, and then 42!Miles presumably speaks more/better Spanish due to being closer to his mom because his dad died???

- not miles aceing ap physics and ap studio AT THE SAME TIME in his SOPHOMORE YEAR free my boy from grounding he’s done nothing wrong

- btsv’s main villain is gonna be the sat I’m telling you

- most importantly: what was up with the Comic Code Authority’s seal being shown after the studio logos at the beginning??

Did that happen in the first one??? Why would it be there??? The cca has obviously been defunct since before superhero movies were really a thing. Famously, the cca seriously censored a ton of content, causing Marvel to be unable to portray darker stories involving drugs and other more mature themes, which they wanted to do with many superheroes including Spidey??? Is the Spider Society secretly the cca, censoring storylines that they think shouldn’t be portrayed, including darker timelines like 42? There was also issues with the convoluted Spider-Man comic lines going through unsatisfying ‘resets’ to keep Spider-Man relatable, without evolving the character into anything too far away from the OG Spider-Man, ie young, relationship issues with MJ, nerdy, tragedies etc. this is the detail that had me wondering the most because it was so clearly displayed right at the beginning, and the cca was generally a shameful part of comic book history in which publishers submitted to satanic moral panic. Like, not really something that reads as a cute little callback to an era of comics like he use of Ben day dots or misaligned printing or the onomatopoeias??

[prince--esque]

Getting to know your moots

aaaaaaa I got tagged in this, okay. Thanks @f4t4-m0rg4n4. Long post so it's going under the cut.

- What's the origin of your blog's title?

I randomly came up with it one day while outside! If you pronounce it out-loud it can sound like 'prince-esque' and also 'princess' and I thought it was neat. Ended up being what I chose when making this acc at 11 PM one day

- Favorite fandoms:

I don't really interact with any outside of D2, but I've always loved Pokémon! That and a few indie games I've played (Dredge, any of Giant Squid's games, Grounded, etc)

- OTPs + Ship names:

I don't think I have an OTP currently(?), but I do enjoy Saint and Osiris (O14), Eramis and Aryths, and Riven and Taranis. That's off the top of my head anyways (I don't know if the latter two have ship names)

- Favorite colors:

My natural go-to clothing-wise tends to end up being blues, blacks, and whites, but I like brighter colors like pinks and yellows especially. Not too picky as long as i can style it well.

- Favorite game:

That I have personally played through: Dredge. It was something that I could focus on that didn't feel overwhelming, and the music and overall look of it was lovely! Highly recommended from me if you find 'calmer' horror mixed with fishing intriguing.

- Weirdest habit/trait:

I spin around in my kitchen for like an hour everyday while listening to music. Confuses my family lmao

- Hobies:

I like writing, drawing, and gaming. Haven't shared too many of the first two outside of my silly doodles since I'm still learning how digital art works. My art tag is just 'silly doodles' since I haven't made a pinned post yet

- If you could have any job you wish, what would it be?

I would honestly really like to be a marine biologist or an author! I quite like fish and writing so it would make sense. Lack of motivation is a killer though

- Something you're good at:

Writing is the default that comes to mind. My mind blanks when I try thinking of anything other than that.

- Something you're bad at:

Putting pen to paper. Also sports. Horrible at sports.

- Something you excel at:

I think I'm good at being cheery. I like making people smile.

- Something you love:

OCEAN. THROW ME IN THERE. In-depth lore in games, too.

- Something you hate:

Being talked down to and viewed as lesser while masking it with concern. Back-handed compassion?? I don't know of there's a term for it. If you think I'm below you then just outright say it. We don't have time for this, we need to storm the castle at dawn.

- Something you collect:

Charms and pins! I like decorating my bags with both. Especially souvenirs from trips or characters from media I adore. I have a small collection of hats, too.

- Something you forget:

EVERYTHING Too many things! This was a bit difficult to actually finish because I frequently forgot I am a person?? Who does things?? Wow, crazy. But yeah just a lot of miscellaneous stuff.

- What's your love language:

Physical touch. I love hugs or just leaning against people or tackling them. Though it's pretty evenly tied with Words because people around me are mostly touch-adverse. Improvise, adapt, overcome.

- Favorite movie/show:

Most recent favorite movie is The Wild Robot, but I do also love Ponyo as a comfort film.

- Favorite food:

Mom's buttered chicken. Makes me feel at home.

- Favorite animal:

Not entirely sure, but conger eels are very high up there!!

- Are you musical?

I played clarinet, saxophone, and trumpet for a bit. Clarinet for around four or five years. Taken a massive break from all three though. Other than that it is normal for me to randomly break out into either a Tom Cardy or Carter Vail song.

- Favorite subject in school:

Biology! Or math.

- Least favorite subject:

Grammar. Understanding the fundamentals is important, but while you're actually writing things, fiction or non-fiction, no one is looking for if you used sentence parallelism properly.

- What's your best character trait?

I think I'm fun to talk to! I enjoy talking to others. I think I'm good at it???

- If you could change any detail of your day right now, what would it be?

I wish it was 17:30 around golden hour time so I could open my window and bask in the sun like a reptile.

- If you could travel back in time, who would you like to meet?

Uhhhh. I don't know why, but Satoru Iwata comes to mind. He was Nintendo's past CEO, and he passed in 2015 while BOTW was being made (they named Satori mountain after him!) To avoid layoffs, he cut his own salary in half for a time to help pay for his employees' salaries. I think I would have liked to talk to him and take turns playing BOTW and TOTK with him.

- Recommend one of your favorite fanfics:

I don't read fanfic so I don't know :') Woops.

This is EXTREMELY LONG hooooo...whatever. I may have missed a few questions but it's already a lot so meh.

No pressure tags!! Only if you wanna: @snooze-mode, @wobbbiy, @tarakanpaintedpurple, @drifterslittlemuffin

[astroboyanalysis]

7. The Greatest Robot on Earth

oh boy here we go

As a warning, this liveblog may take me multiple days (or like, a week, I literally don't know) to get all the reblogs on. The way you will know I am truly done is 1. I will say so on that reblog above the readmore and 2. I will post the next story. Won't do that until I'm done with this one, obviously.

Let's get started.

(I begin the first panel and am immediately affronted with what I must acknowledge is racism) ah

I am not the best person to speak on this. I am also likely not the first (although a quick google search has not revealed essays to me) to see this and recognize its heavy anti-arab racism and caricature. Because I am not the best person to speak on this, aside from pointing out that I do in fact recognize this and asking that you as the reader of this blog also recognize this, there is not much I am planning to discuss on it. I can't imagine there's much that hasn't already been said. It was wrong to portray a person or culture this way then, and it's wrong now. That's all I'll say for now.

Glad he has such a convenient visual for us. Also, I'm so fond of these robot designs. I love Pluto but boy are these silly and fun.

This sounds both normal to want and achievable as a goal, yeah

This is one of those just actually horrific moments, lmao. The gore of it all. The fact that his horns seem made to simply pass current through whatever touches them, or to arc electricity almost, is just wild. If I'm understanding the visual correctly and its meant to bring forward arcs of electricity like a taser, but at such a large scale, I'm fairly certain it would simply melt one of these robots if it didn't blow them up.

I'm glad we've moved past this visual.

I am somewhat curious if it was meant to be received as funny at the time. It must have been, right...?

Atom's characterization in the original manga is so starkly different to how its developed over time (and especially with multiple authors at this point). He's so ready to fight and doesn't stop to think at all - I'm so fond of the (cough, 2003, cough) idealistic and pacifistic Atom who only fights when there is no choice we've come to love now. The parallels between his appearance (childlike) and his views on the world (naive) are clear and the way that clashes with the events in the world around him and pushes him into these really difficult situations is just so much more compelling to me, idk. I really do love the "I don't want to fight you, I want to help you, I want to be your friend" (and actually meaning it) approach.

Some of what I really love about Astro Boy is that Atom's idealism has truth to it, but it puts him in conflict with others. The truth is somewhere in the idea that everyone has a right to exist, that everyone has value, that robots and humans can coexist - But just because it's true doesn't mean it's uncontroversial, and his existence being in opposition to others interests is what pushes him to make hard decisions. He's being shown again and again these conflicts that arise when humans make robots with bad intentions, when humans mistreat robots, when they try to live together, etc. etc., but his childlike and naive approach to the world LETS him keep hope that the better future he believes in will come to pass. His permanent youth is paralleled by his permanent optimism and the fact that he simply won't become jaded - or at least, not for long.

Gosh I can't wait to get to 2003 again.

I could talk about how the antidote to apathy and becoming overwhelmed with the horrors of the world is in what kids bring to the table forever. But it's all there, isn't it?

Anyway "I'll teach you to make a fool of me" while being inches away from certain death is very funny. "You think that's funny? I'm about to be hilarious"

Can't argue with that!

I love when Ochanomizu gets to have a moment like this.

This moment directly parallels something Atom said earlier, actually:

Anyway. "If it was only about strength" is a very important quote here and I'll probably come back to it at the end of the story. He really sums it all up right at the beginning though. What a good father figure. Although he does say ""only"" 100,000 horsepower which seems silly.

Uran what the hell lmao. He's clearly upset why are you egging him on like that.

Ok I do love how angry and ashamed he is here. The Atom we see in this comic specifically seems to base a lot of his value on his ability to win a fight through brute strength, which is kind of interesting. It's also interesting when we see this sort of character be so submissive to authority - It indicates there's a heirarchy beyond strength that they do have to acknowledge (social capital, respect of elders, something in there), yet they value strength so highly maybe because it's the heirarchy they can control, somewhat. And yet here he's been told he's not allowed to get stronger to win.

(Guy that likes bugs) I'm getting some real bugs vibes from North #2's design

He's shaped like a praying mantis to me, sort of. I'm about to say the same thing when we see Gesicht as well, but he looks more like a fly.

The idea of this being impersonal is very strange to me, but also very compelling. I will ignore how much I love Pluto's approach to this manga because I'm not commenting on differences here, and I'm just going to talk about it as its own characterization. Like a normal person.

Why would Pluto have any amount of hatred towards the robots he's meant to destroy? They're more alike him than the one commanding him to kill them. There's a kind of tragedy in this, I suppose - although he's not particularly against hurting them, either. But the fact he feels a need to tell them it's not personal is interesting.

Uran also having the same idea of Atom's value that he himself does, but having very little care for Ochanomizu's wisdom on the matter (while Atom dejectedly accepts it as fact) puts them in conflict here - She expects more of him than he's showing - Why is he bowing down now? But Atom also values his own niceties, his deference to power, and his acceptance of the authority of the one who, in a way, owns him.

We do see that Ochanomizu tells Atom he's free in the first comic, yet Atom continues to treat Professor Ochanomizu as if he created him, and values his authority above all else. As of yet, we haven't seen him directly disagree with Professor Ochanomizu or his authority, and he does act basically the way any owned robot (or a child born to a parent) would (seems to stick around Ochanomizu, listens to what he says and obeys, etc.), just with far more freedoms and independence.

Basically, in this first iteration, their relationship is very difficult for me to parse out. He's certainly paternal, he's certainly a guiding figure, and he certainly has authority over Atom that Atom does not question, but Atom is given a full family unit outside of the Professor, and the Professor is not his creator.

We have not (yet) seen a reason for Atom to understand that Ochanomizu's authority is earned, like, for example, him disobeying and then finding that Ochanomizu was right all along. This iteration of Atom lacks the tendency of children to push boundaries or to think independently, it seems.

her pajamas are just so cute

CONFIRMED they're pants in this iteration and not a permanent part of his body.

Great question, Uran! It'd be awesome if we had any introduction to you or your creation before reading this comic so that this would strike us in any way at all. But alas, that is not the order of the omnibus.

Still, she has a good point as far as we're concerned. Why didn't he do that? Why aren't there a bunch of Atoms flying around all the time? I'm curious if the manga itself will actually answer this.

Pluto himself is so deeply interesting to me. He does smile while he fights the robots he's been ordered to fight, and while he kills them, and yet he seems to value robots in general on a basic level. He made it clear it was not a personal issue and was because he was ordered to, but it's still interesting to me that he doesn't seem to care one way or the other about violence. He doesn't like it enough to enact it when he hasn't been ordered to.

Ochanomizu has the authority to Forbid Atom from fighting. It's clear Atom is choosing not to, at Ochanomizu's request, so taking a hostage to force him into it also indicates to me that it's a choice to obey that can be overriden if Atom wills it (and that, without this motivation, he simply doesn't, or prefers to defer to Ochanomizu out of respect, obligation, or otherwise).

"Baby sister" is so cute considering that she never was a baby

His kindness.... What made him like that. I do love him so much

I do love that Atom's mercy plays a major role here. I think it's interesting that Pluto asks in the first place.

"That's what I was designed to do" is an answer that isn't immediately rebuffed by Atom with anything about freedom to choose your path or anything. He seems to mostly stay quiet on what other robots do in their positions, from what we've seen, and doesn't particularly care to help anyone liberate themselves if they don't already want it in the first place.

Can any Astro Boy scholars let me know what the original text says in Japanese and what the meaning of the word used is? Tomboy just seems so strange here and I'm curious how faithful the translation is to the original text. I'm not even sure how to go about finding a copy of the story in Japanese, frankly, because it's so old.

But why....? His father doesn't even seem to have his own take on this or care that it's dangerous, it's all about the fact that Ochanomizu told him to.

He's just very flylike to me

Again. horrific.

Okay I don't have anything to say but Cobalt's really cute in this panel. Anyway I'll continue this in a reblog because I've run out of images!

[stellewriites]

questions about books! thanks for the tag @mikichko @pricegouge 🫂

1. the last book I read

i’m glad my mom died by jennette mccurdy

so fucking tough but i really enjoyed it

2. a book I recommend

the martian by andy weir

i’d previously struggled with first person in books and i was never into science but this changed my whole view on both,, mark is so funny and down to earth (badum tss!) you can’t help but get invested and the science is so easily explained - also i liked that a lot of it could genuinely be done except the initial sandstorm like it wasn’t bullshit for the plot. if you’ve seen the film then still give the book a go bc it goes a different way and it’s worth it imo

3. a book I couldn't put down

the book thief by markus zusak

it’s been a fair few years since i read this (ten i think? shit) but i remember coming back from college and reading it every day as soon as i got home and absolutely bawling all the way through. it’s on my reread list

4. a book l've read twice or more

despite watching things over and over i struggle reading things twice even when i really want to - but!! if graphic novels/comics count then ive read the watchmen a few times

5. a book on my tbr

my family and other animals by gerald durrell

one my grandma recommended years ago that i never got around to but im determined to read at some point. only short but it’s meant to be funny

6. a book l've put down

the first harry potter - tried before all of the author’s bullshit but i really struggled to enjoy it as much as people said i would. didnt even get halfway

8. a favorite book from childhood

a lot of these have been from my childhood lmao that’s when i did most of my reading but ill go further back into my niche zombie phase as a young teen and say world war z by max brooks (also loved his zombie survival guide,, it was like a special interest pls don’t ask)

9. a book I would give to a friend

i don’t really read anything similar to my friends? they either like practical craft books or band biographies,, i recced im glad my mom died to a co worker if that counts?

10. a fiction book I own

my best friend’s exorcism - i couldn’t tell you if it’s any good, ive not yet read it. a lot of my books are bought for me and it takes me like at least five years to get around to them

11. a nonfiction book I own

battersea’s a cat a day

a book where this pet charity has put together 365 tiny true stories about different cats to read every day 🥲🥲 it’s very cute

12. what I am currently reading

none atm - need to get on one i’ve been recommended soon

13. what l am planning on reading next

the one i’ve been recommended as mentioned above! it’s a romcom so a lil new to me for books,, i usually stick to fics for this type of thing and go more sci-fi/horror in published books but i think ill enjoy it

14. my shelfie

not an accurate shelfie on the left because it’s about 5 years old but i wanted to include my cat here

the covers are so sun bleached now in comparison on the right ahsjajkls - got maybe three shelves for books and one for art books/comics?

no pressure tags: @jackrabbitem @sentientcave @madstronaut @valkyri @boolger @noicedog @w00lgathering @xxdrixx @ohlawdthebirds

[girltakovic]

tagged by @gayassbenaffleck (thanks!!! :3c)

1. are you named after anyone? yes! im named after one of my moms favorite authors

2. when was the last time you cried? uhhhh tbh i don't really remember but probably when i was cramming to finish my thesis film LMAO

3. do you have kids? no human children but i have a very large and very stubborn dog and a very judgmental cat and i love them both very much

4. what sports do you play / have you played? i played every sport under the sun as a kid (soccer, basketball, gymnastics, cheer, fencing) (not all at once tho!!) but didn't really enjoy any of them for very long bc i am a couch potato at heart 👍 i love to take long walks tho so that's how i get my exercise

5. do you use sarcasm? me? no! never! [lying]

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people? their sense of style! i really enjoy expressing myself through what i wear (<- girl who is wearing sweatpants and a t shirt i got for free) so i love to see how other people do the same!

7. what’s your eye color? grey! they used to be bluer when i was a kid but now they're kind of greenish grey. i have that yellow/amberish ring around the center which i think is kinda cool

8. scary movies or happy endings? scary movies!!!!! im rly into 70s/early 80s horror atm (david cronenberg my best friend mr. cronenberg)

9. any talents? writing, cooking, drawing, sewing, video editing, haterism

10. where were you born? kentucky! im on a mission to erase that horrible banjo riff that everybody seems to use in films abt kentucky from existence

11. what are your hobbies? i do a lot of crochet, and im getting back into cooking now that im out of school! im in my hashtag bread era :^) i also draw (im rly into écorchés atm) and sew (im making a jumpsuit as we speak! dont tell my boss that i sew on the clock)

12. do you have any pets? see number 3!

13. how tall are you? 5'8" :P

14. favorite subject in school? english and history! i am not a stem girlie by any stretch. i just got my degree in film production tho!!

15. dream job? anything where i get to work on a film set (i do post production/video editing right now and it SUCKSSSS) or anything in a kitchen! i could be a line cook for the rest of my life and be satisfied tbh

tagging: @bat-bestie @brainde4th @keevan @adelidae @sleepingfancies @shelbybunny @elevatortheory

[beevean]

Passing this on ~

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love! 💞

Aww, thank you! 🥺

Let's see...

Remember: this was a ton of fun 💖 the idea of Black Doom rewriting Shadow's memories wouldn't leave my head for the sheer implied horror, made even worse in the game as you can choose if to let BD win or resist. I used HTML (and replayed the stage more times I'm comfortable to admit lol) to convey Shadow's fragmented state of mind. I'm still proud of this one :)

Let Go: the power of spite compelled me lol. This was basically me putting my money where my mouth is and rewriting IDW #50 to make Sonic more IC and Surge less of an author's mouthpiece and more of a genuinely tragic character, who is aware of being brainwashed but can't do nothing to fight it. Writing from the POV of a character you don't like is a surprisingly useful exercise. And I still like the idea of Sonic (wind) and Surge (electricity) creating a storm while fighting.

Grip: I will finish it. I promise lol. While it's a little outdated in terms of headcanon (thankfully I can still adjust the draft of the third chapter, but it's not going to be easy), I am proud of my first in-depth analysis of Hector and how he'd suffer from the trauma of living in the Castle for most of his life. It was meant as a very simple contrast between Isaac and Rosaly, but, uh. It ballooned lmao. I just love Hector a lot :P

What We Lost and What We Gained: a sort of fix-it fic, but made with love lol. I poured a lot of personal feelings into this one so it's particularly dear to me, but I also just like how I managed to find a, in my opinion, more suitable happy ending for Hector. Also I like writing Julia <3 i have a fluffy wip from her pov but inspiration isn't coming to me :<

Anima: yes it's very recent lol. Of the uhhhh about to become 20 Hecula fics I wrote (jesus what's wrong with me), it was a toss up between this one and Cold - you can see how much my perspective has shifted in less than a year lmao. Anyway, I think this one has nearly everything I enjoy in my vision of the ship: an obsessed Dracula whose love is intense but self-centered, a sassy Hector so painfully victim of grooming but trying his best to push boundaries and break free, uncomfortable wholesomeness, power games, vague ties with canon (my idea that Hector will soon grow brave enough to openly challenge his beloved Lord), a warped version of the soulmates trope, bottom drac...