#i can be as cringe as i want here…. no one knows…

[gyeomsweetgyeom]

[9:43 pm]

(cw: f!reader, Mark is drunk)

"Fuck yeah! Keg stand champion!" You hear someone yell as you make your way into the crowded living room of the NXT frat house.

You hadn't planned on being here tonight. You had some assignments you wanted to get a jump on, you hadn't been in the best mood all day, and you didn't feel like spending your night around a bunch of drunken, bumbling idiots.

So how did you end up here? Your drunk, bumbling boyfriend fratboy!Mark. Well, not him directly. He'd been a little whiny when you told him you weren't going to come to the party tonight, but he understood your reasoning and didn't push. You'd actually gotten a call from Johnny about 20 minutes ago asking you to come help with Mark.

Mark was a lightweight, like a featherweight even. If he even smelled alcohol, he got tipsy. For the most part, during parties, you put yourself in charge of making sure Mark didn't get too drunk. When he got too drunk he got messy. Without you being there, there was no one to be in charge. You should have guessed you'd be getting this call at some point in the night, but not less than an hour after the party began.

You elbow past some drunk party goers and make your way upstairs toward one of the bathrooms that's always off limits during parties. You knock, hearing a muffled, "occupied! Use a bathroom downstairs!"

"Johnny," you reply, "it's me."

You hear a retch and cringe, listening as Johnny pulls the door open. He let's out a sigh of relief, "I'm sorry, he just wouldn't stop crying because he missed you. I don't know how you deal with this. He's fine with you, right?"

"Of course he is. Thanks for calling, enjoy your party," you nod with a smile.

Johnny leaves you and Mark alone in the bathroom and you take to helping Mark out. You rub his back and give him the water bottle Johnny had left on the counter for him. Mark is groaning the whole time, eyes shut as he curls in on himself. After about 15 minutes you know that he's done.

He's slumped against the toilet bowl when you pat his cheek, "come on, babe. Let's get you back to bed."

He doesn't even open his eyes as he whines, "not goin' to my room wi' you."

"We need to get you to bed, babe, come on," you prod.

His eyes snap open as he lifts his head, "Stop callin' me babe. Look, I have a girlfriend alright. She won't be happy if I bring another girl to my room."

"Mark, I am your girlfriend," you explain.

"No, you're not," Mark shakes his head like a child, "my girlfriend didn't wanna come out tonight, and she said— she said she's not comin' tonight." He's looking up at you with tears in his eyes, "I really miss 'er."

You crouch down beside him, cupping his cheek as you coo, "baby, I'm here. It's me."

"No, you're not you!" He squints at you, rubbing his eyes and grumbling about needing his glasses, "if you're my girlfriend, tell me something only my girlfriend would know."

You stare at Mark blankly, as his girlfriend since senior year of high school, there's a lot of things only you would know. You shrug and answer anyway, "when we lost our virginities to each other you cried."

"My mom knows that too, pick something else!"

"Mark, why would you tell your mom about that?" You ask incredulously.

"She loves me!" He cries, "just like my girlfriend! I miss my girlfriend!"

"Oh my— Mark Lee. It's me, I'm your girlfriend. You text me every time you need to wash your sheets because you forget how much detergent you need, you like it when I kiss below your ear, you keep snacks under your bed for midnight snacks, and you have a crush on the librarian on the third floor for some reason," you list off.

"Oh, my snuggle muffin! It is you! I missed you!" Mark exclaims as he throws himself into your lap, embracing you tightly.

You laugh, brushing your fingers through his damp hair, "I told you. Can we get you to bed now?"

"You're staying right?"

"Yes, Mark."

[nosyrobin]

Riding Pays

—————————

Yandere!Batboys Highschool AU

Prologue | ii. The Gray Side| iii. Nerdy tactics | iv. Lucky artistic charm

Hearing a bike rev up, you looked up at the gods who had sent you a curse with annoyance.

And here comes the devil with a white strike of hair and full black hair, although you knew he was a natural red head.

Jason pulls up infront of you, heaving as if he had rushed like hell itself. He takes off his helmet for you to see those blue eyes of his. Making eye contact with him always slightly gave you a shiver. And not a good one.

“Why didn’t you tell me that you missed the bus?” He says with a smug tone. He was smirking at you, knowing you were already irritated.

“Did your short little legs not make it for the bus?” You rolled your eyes and flip him off. Jason starts to laugh and flip you off as well. “Well? Cmon leprechaun.” He throws a helmet at you. You caught it and walked over to him, strapping it on your head.

As you sat behind the boy, he pats your thigh. “Arms around me. You know the drill.” He says lowly. You cringed, wrapping your arms around him as he smiles from your gaze. He puts his helmet on and speeds off.

You yelped, grabbing onto him tighter. The boy with the white strike of hair smirks feeling your arms wrapped around him tightly. He revs up his bike, zooming past cars. You grit your teeth as you accidentally squeezed his stomach. But your eyes widen feeling… toned abs.

“Woah…feeling a little handsy are we?” Jason responds as he makes it to a stop on a traffic light.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” You felt your face heat up, you really didn’t mean it! But you can tell this sly bastard is cheesing it up behind his helmet.

“I know, relax. But if you want to,” he puts your hand onto his stomach. Patting it. Your gaze went from his abdomen, to his face as you see those blue eyes behind the visor.

“You can.”

Before you could say anything, Jason rides off when the light turned green. Making it repeat to you grabbing onto him with all your might.

Minutes later of some silence, you both made it to the academy. Jason takes off his helmet after parking his bike infront of the school. You unstrapped the helmet from your head whilst Jason just stares at you. He ran his fingers through his hair before taking the helmet from you and putting it up.

“So what’s my payment for the ride leprechaun?” Jason says, staring at you like he does. But the stare is dark, but hidden with something else. You shrugged, awkwardly looking away from him. Jason could only chuckle as he gets in your face. Blue eyes staring into [color] eyes of yours.

You hated payment.

You gave Jason a kiss on his cheek. There Jason finally smiled a genuine smile and patted your head. “Thanks shorty.” You immediately got off his bike and rushed pass him. Ignoring his chuckles at you sprinting away.

Jason couldn’t help but stare til you were in the building. He lets out a sigh, he couldn’t help but close his eyes and clench his jaw. The feeling of you gripping onto him, the feeling of your chest pressed against his back.

He couldn’t help but love how small you are, and how easy it would be to just keep you in his arms.

Forever.

Making it in the building, you let out a sigh of relief. Ever since elementary, Jason was always the one to be the kind that wants Payment from you. All cause of stupid young you who gave him a kiss on his cheek when he gave you a teddy bear you wanted. And you said “That’s your payment Jay-jay.” You were in 4th grade, he was in 5th grade. You would’ve thought he might’ve forgotten that… but now you know..

He does.

You reached your locker, opening it and putting your phone and other things in it. As you go to close it, you feel strong arms wrapped around you. You let out yelp, a low chuckle reaches your ear before you sighed and turned to face the culprit.

Dick Grayson.

Taglist: @roryroro @elect1z @lil-isha @no-bishes @darkfaethedestroyer @nightblanc @cxcilla @winter-world @cim0nnin @yl90 @enjisthings @gwyneveire @ashleeytrx @nightwinglover101 @exactlynumberonekryptonite @caffeinatedvigilantewriter @red-phantom-0 @iriseros00 @zenyyyluvyuu @xen-blank @obsessedwithromance @loafersrs @devils-blackrose @not-herexo @nyxisdark @chiarasworldd @apelepikozume @bookwarm0-0 @daffy-the-duck @holyfishbailiffpeanut @kaylp-godly @cheriecelestial @helloitsmeeeeeee @khalinda-ev @vodkaredbullsblog @another-one-writer @tenswife @that-creepy-girl-000 @childofman12 @1jieka @tsuniio @melvin333 @lillian-morningstar

[littelovelunette]

CAN U PLEASE DO A

Alpha sevika x omega reader AND READER IS IN HEAT PLEASEEE

I'm dying here, I don't like the Omegaverse all that much, I think it's exaggerated asf and cringe bc of Wattpad authors n shit 😭

In Heat

Contains smut, g!p Sevika, breeding

The moment Sevika steps into the bar, she smells it.

Something sweet, warm, and utterly intoxicating clings to the air, curling around her senses like a vice. It stops her dead in her tracks, pupils dilating as her instincts sharpen in an instant.

Her usual confidence wavers just slightly, enough for her to grit her teeth and clench her metallic fingers in a vicious fist.

An Omega. You.

Her Omega, her instincts snarl.

Of course, you aren’t hers. Not yet, at least. But that doesn’t stop the primal, deep-seated growl that rumbles in her chest as she follows the scent, her body moving before her mind can catch up.

The dim lighting of the bar does little to hide the way you slump against the counter, skin dewy with heat, lips parted as if gasping for air.

It’s subtle, the way your fingers grip the edge of the wood, knuckles paling as you try to steady yourself. But Sevika sees it all. She sees the way your body trembles ever so slightly, the way your pupils are blown wide, the way your thighs press together in a way that makes her own breath hitch.

You’re in heat.

It hits her like a freight train, the need to claim, to protect, to satisfy.

She forces herself to move slowly, to not pounce on you like every part of her body is urging her to do.

She’s still an Alpha, but she’s not some feral beast—she won’t take without permission, won’t act without control.

Even if the way you smell right now makes her want to. Sevika won't, her resolve is stronger than that.

She slides onto the stool beside you, leaning in just enough that you’ll feel the warmth of her presence, the sheer size of her compared to you. Her voice, deep and edged with something rough, something primal, rumbles out low.

“You should be home right now, little Omega.”

Your breath hitches. Slowly, you turn your head towards her, blinking up at her with those wide, heat-dazed eyes.

And fuck—you’re beautiful like that.

Soft. Vulnerable. Hers, if she wanted.

And God, does she want.

“I’m—” You swallow hard, hands gripping your own thighs as if trying to steady yourself. “I’m fine.”

Sevika chuckles, dark and low, eyes flicking over you like she can see the way you’re struggling to hold yourself together. You’re shaking. Your scent is clouding the air around her, wrapping around her like chains, sinking into her lungs, into her bones. Into her very being.

You’re anything but fine.

“You’re burning up,” she murmurs, her voice dropping as she leans in just slightly, close enough that your scent is all she can breathe. “I can smell it. Everyone in this damn bar can smell it.”

You stiffen at that, lower lip caught between your teeth. There’s a flicker of something like fear in your eyes, and it stirs something violent in Sevika. No one else gets to look at you like that. No one else gets to smell you like this.

Only her.

And fuck—you want her. She can feel it. In the way your body leans toward her ever so slightly, in the way your fingers flex against the bar top, in the way your breath catches when she speaks.

Her mechanical hand flexes, long metallic fingers drumming slowly against the wood of the bar.

“Tell me what you need, sweetheart.”

Your breath comes out shaky, body swaying toward her before you catch yourself.

You squeeze your eyes shut, exhaling through your nose, and when you speak, your voice is nearly a whisper.

It felt truly pathetic to be like this and you don't know if you could trust, she is after all who she is and you are aware of notorious reputation. But you have been heat for so long (it hasn't even been that long but it feels like it) that it was somehow physically hurting you.

“You.”

Sevika inhales sharply through her nose.

Fuck.

That one word nearly shatters the fragile restraint she’s barely holding onto. Her little bit of ego, little bit of pride.

Her chest swells, her instincts roaring in triumph, in possession. But still, she waits, gaze steady on you, watching for any hesitation, any doubt.

She finds none.

Instead, you’re looking up at her like she’s the only thing in the world that matters. Like you need her more than air, more than anything.

And fuck if she isn’t about to give you everything.

She stands, looming over you, and when she speaks, her voice is a promise, a command, a claim.

“Let’s get you out of here.”

And you don’t hesitate. You follow.

Because in this moment, she’s the only one who can give you what you need.

And she intends to.

Sevika makes sure you know that because the moment you step into her house you are greeted with the aura of something dangerous, something so untamed you were sure it would rip you in half, but you'd let it. Wouldn't you?

She pins you to the wall, fingers digging deep into the flesh of your thighs. Her flesh fingers and metal fingers barely had any difference in force, if anything they were the same. But you assumed she had gotten used to her prosthetic.

The next time Sevika speaks to you, her voice is more lowered than usual, it was a rasp, a very needy rasp. "You want me to fuck you, don't you? To really mess up that cunt of yours and keep going until you're just a hopeless, pathetic, brain rotten mess. But you'd enjoy that."

You gasp as Sevika's bulge rubs over your clothed pussy, "Oh you feel that?" You whined and nodded needily grinding back at her bulge.

"Need it, big dick inside please..." You pleaded so pathetically you could've mentally slapped yourself but right then your needs mattered the most. You were so horny it almost hurt.

"You're so cock drunk before it's even in," Sevika commented however she did push you against the bed and slowly trailed her fingertips over your thighs.

"Please, daddy, I can't wait any longer," you whispered, Sevika's hands palmed at your clothes, pulling at them almost desperately. She pulled your clothes off slowly but by the time she reached your undergarments she couldn't hold back anymore and ripped them apart with feral need.

"Sure 'bout that? Sevika growled. "You'll be able to handle me?"

"Daddy, please," you moaned in her ear making Sevika shiver a little but she didn't hold back, unzipping her pants and instantly stuffing her cock inside your aching cunt.

"Oh my gosh!" You cried out as Sevika grabbed your waist and started pounding in your so roughly that the bed creaked in protest against her ramming. It was almost violent, her grip bruising your skin as she continued her relentless thrusting.

"Daddy! Daddy!" You screamed for all of the world to hear as your back arched and fingers tangled, one in her hair and the other in the bedsheets. With every thrust your tits jiggled, giving Sevika a view to enjoy as her thrusts continued to target your poor g-spot.

You barely could catch your breath because of her intense speed.

"Yeah, you like that?" Sevika taunted, her pace unaltered as she continued to abuse your clenching, wet hole. Your hands shot up and you tried to hold her close the best you could.

"Bet you're already close. Little slut," Sevika slapped your tits before one hand grabbed your throat, forcing you to look at her despite the utterly pathetic state you were in. There was drool and tears running down your face as your eyes lolled in the sockets, brain fucked into a complete mush.

"I am, daddy, I am," you managed to breathe out as your abdomen tensed, ready for the impending orgasm about to rip through you.

"I'm gonna bust a good fuckin' load in you," Sevika panted in your ear, biting down on the side of your neck.

"Yes, please!"

With one last slam she came as did you. Her load filled you up nice and warm making you gasp and scratch at her back.

It was a foreign sensation but nothing you would hate. It was quite nice actually.

[matchatarot]

Hello Bunny! There’s a lot of beautiful things about you, but here’s the ones your person adore the most. You can adapt the reading to a friendship or a romantic interest, just take what resonates! To pick a pile don’t overthink it and choose the one that draws you in the most while thinking about the reading intent’s. Love, Matcha ♡

☆ masterlist

Pile 1 ₊˚.༄

You’re such a sweetie. Your person sees that you’re someone that has been through a lot. You’ve lost a lot and had to go through life changing emotional challenges that gravely impacted your mental health. The thing they love the most about you is how you’ve alchemized that energy and transformed into a loving and compassionate being. You still find emotional fulfillment out of life, you’ve kept the ability to give and receive love even through it all. They are completely enamoured by you and they want you to know that they will always be there to help you. They love when you ask them for help if you need it or they wish you did. They might have a little bit of a savior complex when it comes to you. They think that you can be hesitant when it comes to relationships, that you’re wary of people’s intention and that you wouldn’t just spend time with anybody. They love that you’ve decided to let them in your life despite this. If you guys are in some sort of union, either romantic or friendly, they feel extremely proud that you chose them, it gives them an ego boost honestly. They adore that you’re someone that follows your intuition, you might have anxiety but you still make the effort to rationalize your anxious thoughts when possible and manifest. Your faith is one of their favorite things about you. They also obviously love how beautiful you are! They think you’re so pretty and that you have pretty privilege, because they don’t understand how anyone could get mad at someone with a face like this, at least stay mad for long. Honestly, they really see you as adorable, they want to take care of you. Since you’ve been through so much they wish they could give you enough love to kind of make up for it. They also like how you’re someone that can admit your flaws and your errors. They love the sound of your voice and the words you use, they think you have a good vocabulary. Their favorite thing about you is that you bring light into their world, they see your soul as so pure. They think you’re so angelic, that your presence is a blessing.

Queen of Cups

Pile 2 ⊹˚˖ ☆

You’re so cool. You’re a go-getter, you’re not scared to take action. Their favorite thing about you is how determined, grounded and strong you are. You take care of yourself and your life. They love how you’re responsible, you’re someone they trust. They love how you’re not scared to philosophize, to think and discuss about difficult topics. Their favorite thing about you is how smart you are and how you teach them things. They really love how you always want to do better and bigger. You’re no bullshit when it comes to challenges. They love your ability to stay true to your decisions. Sorry if it’s cringe, but they think you’re not like the other girls or any gender. They think you’re better than the rest. They love how you give nymph vibes. Most people that chose this pile probably asked for a romantic relationship because they’re clearly attracted to you… If it’s not that type of relationship disregard that but I see that they want you. If you’ve been having sex they love it and it’s one of their favourite part of their relationship with you. They get a lot of pleasure from it and they love that you seem to love it too. They love the way you look naked. If you’ve been seeing other people they’re super jealous. If you were asking for a friendship, they’re also jealous of your other friendships. They want to always be the one having fun with you! You’re the person they have the most fun with! If they ever did anything that hurt you they’re so sorry, when you fight they want to go back to your right after. Maybe you guys sometimes fight and then make up and they love when you’re willing to forgive them and have a discussion. You’re not scared of being the bigger person, but you don’t judge them too much. They feel like they can be themselves with you. They really see you guys being in each other’s life for the long-term, they hope for it. They admire you, your looks and your mind.

Queen of Pentacles

Pile 3 ‧₊˚ ♡

They’ve never met anyone else like you. Their favorite thing about you is that you’ve offered them a new way to see life. They love how you’re free-spirited and spiritual. They love how you’re a leader. You lead by example. You guide people around you, they feel like you bring them clarity. Their favorite thing about you is how you offer love and compassion. They love how you are a peaceful person. You’re only in a competition with yourself, but even then you practice detachment. You’re patient and you have a strong mindset. They love how you manifest the things you want in your life with this powerful attitude. They want you all for themselves. They love when you want to see them and when you claim them as your person. If sometimes it’s time to stop hanging out and you say things like “no please stay!”, they really love that. They love partying and having fun with you. They think you’re the life of the party and that you’re good at bringing people together. They love how you don’t care about what people say about you. You let them talk. You might had to cut off family members, your person thinks you don’t care what your family think about your lifestyle and they admire that. You inspire them because you have a lot of general knowledge. You’re the type to know a lot of fun facts. They like the way you tell stories and how many stories you have to tell. They’re scared of losing you. They might have nightmares about you guys fighting and it stresses them out. They feel youthful and free with you. When they’re with you, they feel like it’s the universe giving them an other chance. Perhaps they had a lot of endings before you. If it’s about a romantic interest and you’ve never had sexual encounters they’re ready for that step. They’re in general ready for the next step in your relationship. They want to be able to try out a lot of new things with you. They think that if they stay with you they’ll feel young forever.

High Priestess

decks used for this reading: l’oracle du chemin spirituel by Valérie Defour & Valérie Saussez, modern witch tarot deck by Lisa Steele, amor et psyche oracle by Georges Barbier, les vampires oracle by Lucy Cavendish, mystical wisdom by Gaye Guthrie, oracle of heaven and hell by Travis McHenry

[adgaea]

@beastgreen

Your art is amazing!

Have a fic inspired by it! ( This is chapter one and can be read as a standalone. Chapter One is safe for anime only and is the only one posted here, others will be on AO3 eventually because they will have spoilers.)

Gen gasped as he suddenly felt an agonizing amount of pain radiating from multiple points on his chest. There was only one thing that could mean.

Tears began to fall down his face as he felt a tightness in his chest as the pain continued.

His head bent forward and his hair billowed around his face as he dropped to his knees, one hand on the ground, and one over his heart as he whispered, “What did you do?”

He was shaking as he gnashed his teeth, looked up, and screamed, “WHAT DID YOU DO?”

~~~~~~

Maya furrowed her brow in confusion as she observed the little spy suddenly collapse.

She proceeded to watch as he broke down into tears before she heard him whisper something before he screamed, “WHAT DID YOU DO?

She watched as he kept a hand over his heart and started pulling at his hair with the other before releasing a loud anguished scream. She couldn’t help but cringe. 

She then heard Xeno’s slightly confused tone as he entered, “What is going on here?”

~~~~~~

Xeno had just received confirmation that his protege was dead. He released a breath as he clenched his jaw. A bright mind was now lost, but it was a necessary action.

He then jumped in surprise when he heard an agonized scream that sounded like it came from where they were keeping the spy. He hadn’t ordered any torture, and he doubted Maya’s singing would lead to that bad of a reaction, so he was confused. If any of his subordinates had gone against his orders, it would be their heads!

However, when he emerged on the scene and saw nothing but a confused Maya and Gen appearing to have a breakdown, he looked towards Maya and asked, “What is going on here?”

Before Maya could answer, Gen had raised his head as he screamed, “What did you do to him?”

Xeno raised a brow as he said, “To whom?”

Xeno watched the still shaking boy make his way to his feet before getting as close to him as he could and saying, “Senku! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY SOULMATE?!”

Xeno’s eyes widened slightly and Maya stiffened. 

This had not been anticipated.

Xeno said, “Your soulmate?”

~~~~~~

Gen was now shaking with rage as he yelled, “ANSWER ME!”

He could still feel the pain radiating across his chest. Knowing that Senku was feeling that very same pain. His only consolation was that Senku was still alive. If the pain suddenly stopped….

No, that wouldn’t happen!

He watched as Xeno stiffened and an odd look passed over his face before saying, “Well, this was unexpected. I must apologize for the pain you have recently felt and are likely still feeling. From what I understand, a broken soulbond is excruciating.”

Gen bit his lip and tasted blood. No matter what, he wasn’t going to even give them any indication that the bond was still active. Senku was still alive, but they apparently were not aware of that fact. 

Gen was feeling pain, that was for sure, but he was definitely going to have to play this up some more. His initial reaction had been out of pure panic, and he’d unfortunately revealed his status as Senku’s soulmate. He’d have to play this carefully if he wanted them to remain in belief that Senku was dead.

He’d met people who’d lost their soulmates before. It was hard for them to describe the exact sort of pain felt when a soulmate is lost, but from what he’d learned in his undergraduate classes, it felt like you were dying because, in reality, a part of you was dead.

Well, time to play it up a bit.

He grimaced and dropped back to the ground and cradled both of his hands to his heart. He released the most agonized sounding scream that he could and wept as he curled into himself. He didn’t have to fake his tears. He was still feeling the pain of his soulmate being shot after all.

He then listened as Xeno simply left. 

He didn’t uncurl. He was still worried. The pain wasn’t stopping though, and now that he had confirmation that they thought Senku had been killed by Stanley, he hoped that he’d keep feeling that pain until he and Senku could be reunited.

~~~~~~

Stan was surprised when he returned and saw that his soulmate was tense. He knew that Xeno’d be feeling pretty bad, considering he’d just had his former mentee killed, but this seemed to have another layer to it.

Xeno hadn’t even looked up at him yet.

Stan gently sat a hand on Xeno’s shoulder as he furrowed his brow. 

Xeno then sighed as he said, “The little spy is currently inconsolable. He likely won’t be of any use to us any longer. There is also no chance that we will have his aid in getting his friends to surrender and join our forces.”

Stan grimaced before questioning, “He took the news of Senku’s death that bad?”

Stan was then slightly surprised as Xeno then turned his face towards him. His eyes were red as if he’d been crying. 

He then tensed as Xeno said, “Not only did I have my own protege killed, but I also played a part in severing a soul bond. They were soulmates. Hearing the agonized screams was a second confirmation that Senku is dead.”

Stan grimaced and cursed under his breath.

He then sighed as he said, “You couldn’t have known, Xe.”

Xeno then growled as he said, “I’m well aware of that, Stan. That is not my only reason to regret this.”

Stan frowned as he felt Xeno lean against him. 

He said, “I know, but there’s no going back.”

He felt Xeno’s shoulders begin to shake. Xeno had started to cry. Again. Stan held him close as he held his lips in a grim line. 

His soulmate was getting what he wanted, but it had come at a heavy cost.

~~~~~~

Gen remained curled on the floor for hours. His only consolation was that the pain was slightly muted in comparison to what it had been, but that it was at least still ever present. 

He only uncurled when Maya had called out to him in an uncharacteristically soft tone that she had brought him something to eat. He didn’t even glance at her face. 

He had no doubt that he looked absolutely horrible. He had cried for an ungodly amount of time. 

He simply sniffled and got up to retreat to sit against the closest wall with his knees against his chest. He heard Maya sigh before finally leaving again.

He hoped that his friends had a good plan in the works.

It was agonizing to know that his soulmate was still in pain and that he couldn’t get to him.

Being soulmates is a blessing and a curse...

[smallestapplin]

It won’t come off

Warnings : first contact au, major character death (reader dies), Bee and reader are close despite the language barrier, could be read as platonic or romantic. Italicized dialogue means only one understand.

This was commissioned by : @bellafragolina

Word count : 1,596

-

-

You were just so small compared to him, to see someone so tiny and squishy he couldn’t believe his optics! You looked up at the towering mech in a mix of awe and fear, you didn't even come up to his knees, he's so massive to you. You speak yet he can’t understand you, he can see your intake moving but it's a bunch of cute mutters and squeaks to his audials, but that’s okay!

“Don’t worry little buddy I got you. Oh primus, this is great! I get to show you around, I’m sure A-a-tron and Steve will love ya!”

He’s gentle with you despite his excitement, picking you up with care and even taking you small little space craft with him. You don’t understand anything he says, it sounds like whirls beeps and clanking to you, but that should be fine, right? It’s clear he’s a sentient robot of sorts, you wish you could communicate and ask.

But with how damaged your space craft is, you don’t think that would be possible.

You two swiftly fall into a routine, he works and you scavenge around for any metals you can use to repair your ship, though you’re glad you still had food and supplies on board. You don’t get a lot of time to do so, however, this mech loves talking to you even if you can’t understand him, you can hear his tone.

It’s cute how he lights up when you answer, it gets him rambling that much more. Being down here with no light, unable to tell how long you’ve been here, makes it hard to keep track of how long you’ve been missing, surely communications back home would try to find you, right? Looking back at the yellow bot you smile, maybe being stuck here isn’t so bad, though you’re not sure how much food and water you have left or how long it’ll last you.

Though over the course of your stay you’ve picked up on a few words, one of which at least part of his name, the look of joy that crosses his face and the whirling metal sound which you could only think was a squeal, lets you know he’s overjoyed to hear you call him ‘Bee.’ Though he has a much harder time with your language, you can hear him call you ‘little buddy’ all the time, it’s adorable in your eyes, it worries you a little how long he must’ve been here alone.

You heard it first, the sound of something falling? Maybe it’s because everything on this planet is so much louder, but you hid in the hole in Bee’s chest plate not wanting to take chances. You hear Bee coo at you, placing a hand over where you hid, thinking you’re just so cute. Only moments later do you hear talking, and Bee excitedly rambling as your name pops up a few times.

You wish you could understand them better.

“Little buddy? Orion, please, he’s insane.”

“Dee, be nice, he can help us find a way out!”

“Oh yeah, sorry little buddy is just shy! I mean I don't blame them for how small they are, but they are so cute! Best company ever. Now that you two are here we can have massive sleepovers, dude it’ll be great-“

Even from Bee’s chest you can hear the annoyance of one of them. Being able to hear things but not see them is horrifying as you can recognize the panic in their voices, the sadness, the anger, feel when Bee is running and freaking out. Just what is happening out there? You almost didn’t want to leave the safety of Bee’s chest plate, it was safer here, and he’d protect you!

B127 cringes, looking like a guilt turbofox as Alpha Trion and now the others stare at him, yeah having a cog would be so cool! But where would his little buddy stay? you’re too close to where his cog would go, too close to-

“H-hey, you can’t just-“

“An organic?” From the open chest plate Alpha Trion holds you up, such a small little thing, fleshy and squishy.

You shake under the new bots' glazes, all of them staring you down, some in awe, some in curiosity, some in bewilderment, but the large purple one is not easy to read like they are, or even like Bee is. The yellow bot reaches for you as you shakily call his name, your voice as small as you are, and quaking in fear at this newcomer.

“They are my friend, you can’t just take them!” Even as nervous as he is, he refuses to let you get taken from him, he can protect you just fine.

Alpha Trion glances between you and the newly fogged yellow bot, before carefully handing you back to him. You cling to Bee’s zero, just as he clings to you, holding you close to his helm and trying to mutter soothing things to you.

“I see you are fond of them, but let it be known this entire world can hurt them or worse, they are too soft to handle this place on their own. And with your next journey ahead, I fear what may happen to them.”

Though the older cybertronian warns him, Bee holds you closer.

“I can protect them! I have up to this point, even before all this, they are my little friend, we spent so much time in the mines together, they even learned how to say a nickname for me!”

Their usual silly cybertronian was determined, optics narrowed filled with promise that nothing could get between him and you. Though Alpha Trion was not convinced, merely giving a solemn nod before the first blaster set off. Back into Bee’s spark chamber you went, and they went running once more, trying to figure out their new T-cogs. You groan at the whiplash from going to sit in Bee’s spark chamber, to a driver’s seat, back to the spark chamber, and constantly flipping between a soft blue and the chaos happening outside.

When everything finally goes still you wish it made you calm down, but it only made you worry more, Bee was never quiet, there was always sound around you, his humming, his chatter, the sound of his work around you, nothing was ever still like this. Yet you stay put, Bee is the only one you trust, he’d keep you guarded.

When the sound returns you breathe a sigh of relief, even if it sounded angry, at least Bee was talking.. all this adventuring has made you tired and hungry, you can’t wait to go back to the mines and back to your ship. You nuzzle against the blue pulsing thing in his chest plate with you, briefly noting how Bee’s voice shakes as you do so.

He speaks to you, yet you can only understand him saying ‘not’, maybe if you wait a little more you two can get things settled. Bee tried but taking on so many bots at once in such chaos, and trying to help Orion and Elita out was overwhelming, but he’d do it, he can’t let anyone down when they’ve done so much for him.

It was a slip up, he didn’t get the blast coming but it didn’t go too deep in his plating, he can still fight!…what is all this red stuff leaking from his chest plate? It’s no oil he’s ever seen before. His spark sank, swiftly taking cover from all the fire to rip his spark chamber open and pull you out.

You’re weak.

It hurts to move.

Your pained whimper makes his eyes leak, you can hear him frantically muttering to you, comming someone like Orin for help, but you can’t take it, he sounds so upset.

You place a hand to his face plate, softly speaking to him trying to settle his nerves, but it's just making him cry that much harder. You’re certain he’s apologizing, for what you aren’t sure, but you’re just happy to have met him and seen life beyond your stars.

“It’s okay…I’m here. Bee, please don’t…don’t feel bad.” You know he can’t understand your words, your languages apart, but the love for him united you both.

Your eyes feel heavy, but he needs you, you know he does, he’s your friend, you can’t leave him. Orion appears in view, saying something to Bee but the yellow bot lets out a wail, not wanting to let you go, you’re hurt, you need him!

You’re human.

You’re soft, just like Alpha Trion said.

This world was against you, such small thinsg to them would be the end of you.

If only Bee had taken it to spark to realize just how fragile his squishy friend was, he was sure you’d never get hurt.

Some friend, he is, right, little buddy?

Yet your body is limp, you aren’t answering his ever growing yells of your little name, you can’t leave him, you can’t…

Orion places a servo on Bee’s shoulder, letting his friend grieve such a heavy loss. You would want him to live, to fight on, protect anyone from your fate. But the larger bot stays quiet, keeping his thoughts to himself as Bee refuses to let your limp body go.

And he’d have to until you can have a proper going away after they stop this madness.

But he can’t let you go, even placing your body in his spark chamber again and weeps. You’re limp, you’re losing your warmth.

And this red stuff won’t come off.

[skyfallscotland]

Quicksilver, by Callie Hart 🦋

She is moonlight. The mist that shrouds the mountains. The bite of electricity in the air before a storm.

Ohh boy. Personally I think she is none of those things, but that's me getting ahead of myself. God, I feel so anxious posting a book reaction after the Onyx Storm Debacle, but here we are, with a book I didn't love...again.

So...I started this one with a running commentary again (Throne of Glass style) but I couldn't quite commit. We will however approach it chronologically, because that's an easier way to show my thoughts as they evolved.

Would I recommend this book? No. And I’ll tell you why, but there are spoilers ahead so be aware of that.

Friends...I did not enjoy this one and I'm starting to feel like a crazy person. Is this just a massive reading slump? Or am I weird? Because everyone seems to think these books are the best thing since sliced bread and I've not liked a single one of them 😭

My first impressions? Saeris is so cliché. Like oh we're starving and can barely survive, you can see my ribs, but actually I can scale a giant wall and fight all these fully trained guards and win...ok, sure. It's giving 00's YA vibes but alright, I'm rolling with it.

I had no understanding of what it was I was doing, but if this was a world-ending gift, then good. Fuck this city and fuck this world. My family was already doomed, and what did I care for anyone else?

Bit dramatic, but whatever, I'll still ride with you. Who am I to judge? I did write Remi.

“I wear pants. Shirts. Things I can move easily in. So I can run, and climb, and—” Kill people.

"So cliché." I mutter to myself as I put the book down. Then pick it up again. Then put it down again and use the audiobook instead.

At some point, Layne would accept that I just didn't eat that much, and she'd stop loading up my plate with so much food. She'd slip an apple into her pocket for me or something.

*Deep breaths* Saeris would absolutely fit in on mid 2000's tumblr. Babe, this is such a weird flex to include when you’ve already made it very clear she was a starving orphan, ok?

We also met the infamous Carrion—more on that later—and her brother...who sucks. No two ways about it. I hated him immediately. Are there any decent book-brothers out there? Or just...no? I thought from the way he was acting he was going to be fourteen but no, he's like TWENTY, what the fuck 😭

So anyway, hooray! We've fallen through a portal to a new world and that's the stage set—then we meet Kingfisher. Oh man. Kingfisher.

Firstly:

This is a kingfisher. I just want y’all to know that. I know it’s not his ‘real’ name but it’s still what she’s crying out in rapture ok, a choice was made and it wasn’t a good one.

Anyway, surprise surprise, he's an asshole, but here’s the rub: he doesn't seem redemptive.

My jaw was screaming, I was clenching my teeth so hard. “Fuck—you—” “There you go again. Hungry, needy little bitch in heat, begging to be fucked…” he taunted. “Let. Go!”

I’m ok with enemies to lovers, but there has to be a hint at least that the ‘bad guy’ can be a decent person. There has to be something that hooks me about him—his entire personality can’t just be ‘asshole’, and above all, despite the fact he doesn’t like the FMC (even loathes her for all I care) he has to at least have some basic respect for her, otherwise I’m not down. That’s just my personal take, you don’t have to agree, but it makes me uncomfortable otherwise.

“I don't hate your kind. I'm just disappointed by how breakable you are. If I held you down and fucked you the way I'm imagining fucking you right now, I doubt that you’d survive it.”

Like that? That’s not cute or arousing in any way.

“That your body is betraying you in other ways. That I can smell you, Little Osha, and I'm thinking about drinking the sweet nectar you're making for me straight from the fucking cup.”

I do also think the smut was just not for me in this book, as a general rule, I did find it very cringe. Case in point ^

A FUNNY INTERLUDE:

—a look of rye amusement on his irritatingly handsome face.

LMAO this was meant to be wry, I assume? There were a few instances like this throughout the book, as well as typos and missing punctuation. Which, we’re all human, I get it, but it kind of annoys me a little when this was picked up for trad pub, pulled from KU (I bought it—twice!) and has since gotten a million dollar Netflix deal. Please, if we’re going to be doing that, the publishing house needs to edit the damn book. Honestly? I think it could have done with 200-300 less pages. A developmental edit was needed, let alone a final edit.

Anyway. Onwards.

So they make a blood pact, in which she agrees to basically do whatever the fuck he says, which is...tired. I'm tired. The book is tired. We're all a little tired here.

Kingfisher held out his hand and pulled me to my feet, making a derisive sound when he saw the cut I'd inflicted upon myself. “Baby.”

It’s just...this utter derision he has for her, his supposed (spoiler alert!) fated mate, that just gives me the ick.

Then there's this:

Kingfisher stunned me to silence when he dropped to his knees and started picking up the shards of broken cup. “It's all right, Archer. Hush, it's all right.”

Ok, this here is the first indication we get that he can be a decent person, and it’s not with her, it’s with some random character we’ve just met. Do I grow to like Archer? Sure, but right now I don’t know him from Adam, all this scene tells me is that Fisher is capable of respect and kindness, just not with Saeris. Be so for fucking real right now, that does not make you want to root for them. If this were your bestie you’d be screaming for them to run. This is the crux of it all. We had to get like 300 pages into this book for there to be a single hint of redemption in him and to me that's bad technique.

Clearly everyone else disagrees since they're out there praising it, but I've nearly DNF'd so many times by now, because you're 👏 not 👏 giving 👏 me 👏 crumbs. Please, give the reader something! It's all well and good for people to be out here going "well he's like that for a reason" (spoiler alert: the reason sucks, it's just the cliché 'I wanted to push her away for her own safety) but his reasoning means shit if people lose interest and don't get far enough to find out what it even is.

Note: by 'people' I mean the rest of the internet, not anyone here specifically, but since a few of you have said the same, just know that's a generalisation and I still love you! But I fear my point stands, his change of heart/any indication of kindness comes too late in the game for it to be an effective character arc (more on this later!!)

Anywho—

I shouldn't have moaned. I definitely shouldn't have told him that I wanted him. For the love of all the gods in all the heavens, why had I said that? I was going to throw up.

Same babe. Why did you? Why do you?

I couldn't believe we'd finally arrived here.

Me either!! 56% of the way in! We've basically done absolutely nothing but wander around and talk about how hot and mean he is for 300 pages but finally you're...doing things...with him 😬

Every part of me wanted to scramble from the bed and bolt for the door, but I knew that would be folly. Just like a hell cat, Fisher would give chase.

So terrified every part of you wants to bolt for the door...charming. Very hot. Love that for you.

“I could probably use a sho—” “Do not fucking dare finish that sentence,” he snarled. “I don't want a mouthful of soap and perfume. I want to taste you.”

Shower. She was going to say shower.

Another note, because I'm incapable of not shouting this from the rooftops when the occasion arises—vaginas are self-cleaning, there should be no soap or perfume going in there! You would have tasted her anyway you dumbass. You'd think he'd know that, given he's supposedly been in more of them than your local gynaecologist.

“And we can’t lie.”

*deep breaths* since WHEN? And that only makes it worse??

I'd imagined the words. Fabricated them out of thin air and somehow played them aloud in my own head in his voice.

Oh, hey Violet, how did you get here?

So anyway, then we enter the final conflict? Confrontation? Where she needs to go and save her newfound mate from under the mountain the bad guy's place! (oh and there's vampires, did I mention that before? No? Well there is now).

Anyway, turns out Rhysand Kingfisher was trapped there for 110 years with big bad Malcolm, who it's implied sexually assaulted him during that time, but we never address that. Why? Well this is romantasy and we only have six-hundred pages, why would we? Just throw traumatic experiences in there for the sake of it, why not?

Anyway—

“That's right. Fifty-five. He spent the next eight years trying to find the coin once he reached the center, didn't you, my love?”

I'm?????

55+8=63... what happened to the other 47 years? Guys? I'm????

Whatever, who cares about math! We're on the escape until—WOAH.

“It can't see or hear you. It tracks movement.”

Don't panic, don't panic, we all know how to defeat the middengard wyrm whatever that thing is! And we do. But not really, because everything in this maze regenerates, just like romantasy plotlines.

More fighting, more evil villain monologuing, etc.

THEN Saeris has to go and find a coin to break the blood oath Kingfisher made with big-bad, even though big-bad said he broke it himself five minutes ago during his evil monologue in order to make Fishie confess to...things.

“I release you from your oath to us, Kingfisher, Bane of Gillethrye. Now, go on. Tell your friends all about the deal you struck with us all those years ago.”

But no matter, we're off to find a coin and no worries, we've got that down! Of course in the process Feyre Saeris dies and gets brought back to life again as an all powerful fae/vampire queen hybrid. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

Not me, even I couldn't have predicted that double-doozy. Probably this guy though:

Zareth. God of Chaos.

Which? NO. Nope. No. Too late. FAR too late in the game for this. I'm out.

The way we went through so many boring pages of nothingness to this in the last 20% is truly something.

OK! SIDE CHARACTERS:

Danya was a complete and total waste of everyone's time, she existed only to be the bitchy, elitist mean girl side character who was mean to poor Saeris and occassionally made her jealous. This one-dimensional treatment of female characters grinds my gears. Even Everlayne, Kingfisher's sister was entirely useless, making Saeris the special female unicorn. Pretty sure this book fails the Bechdel test.

Ren was nice, I liked him, poor long-suffering man that he was.

Lorreth. Man, y'all can't shut up about Carrion and you're really sleeping on Lorreth. This man saved me from DNF'ing, he was fantastic. Put some respect on his name! 10/10 no notes. The guy you'd actually want to get with if this book were real.

He'd still looked dumbstruck as he headed off in the direction of his tent, cradling Avisiéth like a baby in his arms.

Carrion. CARRION. Ok straight up...is that really a word we want to be using as a name? Really? Is it relevant? Like did we do that on purpose because he somehow reflects roadkill? I figured we'd find out, but NOPE 💀

Who fucking knows at this point though whether it is his name. I doubt it, given Kingfisher's name is apparently not Kingfisher either. Personally though I still think that should have been addressed in the book. It's over 200k words, you can tell us why certain nicknames exist.

The thief held up his hands. “You're right. I apologize. I'm just a little on edge right now. I'm not my best self.”

Hilarious, there to cause trouble most of the time, 10/10, almost no notes.

“Are you going to tell me about my parents, or are you going to start undressing each other? Because I can leave. I don't have to, but I can,” Carrion said.

Except the part where he turns out to be a thousand-year-old fae too and a secret, mystery, vampire-killing-prince dude or whatever, there's a note about that and how it's kinda unnecessary to drop in the final 5%. Was it foreshadowed? Not effectively, no. Also Carrion Daianthus? Roadkill, crows, and...pink flowers? Yeah. That's him. That's the one 💀

Onyx. Token wild animal taken in as pet/familiar trope. She can have this one. He's cute.

Elroy. Dude's definitely going to become important again. How much do we wanna bet he's Fisher's dad? Anyone?

Anyway, this was wildly chaotic and I don't really feel bad about it because so was this book. It started out well in the first 5-10%. It was a slog to read between the 10% mark and 60%. Honestly, it only got better once they'd fucked for the first time, which was because Kingfisher's character did a 180 overnight with a big fat handwavey motion, like our FMC's magic coochie cured him of his violent tendencies. Like not to be crude, but I'm not sure there's any other way of putting it.

I think it's just not a great book, which I also think is a shame because the world is interesting, I loved the parts of alchemy we got (which weren't enough, imo) and the swords, the magic, the portals, the quicksilver, etc. I think it had so much potential and that's ultimately why it also bothers me so much as well. It feels squandered through a lack of refinement and editing.

Will I read the next one? Maybe. I'll let someone else take the hit first and see if it's any better paced this.

This has gone on long enough lmao, so I'll just leave you with one last quote that I think really sums up this book so, so much:

“Not that. The brother part,” she said in a loud whisper. “That’s not common knowledge?” “Well, yes. And no. It's just not spoken about. And it's very, very complicated.”

Yeah...

[matchpointfaist]

me & you together song

best friend! connor murphy 𝜗𝜚

a/n: no smut! this is just soft connor falling in love <3

when you proposed the plan for connor to come with you on your weekend trip for a college tour, you hadn't entirely expected your parents to agree. some combination of safety in numbers and the general inseparability convinced them, though, and you were college bound with connor's black backpack snug next to your pink duffel, taking turns controlling the radio like you didn't have all the same taste.

he was in his own head, like always, thinking of all the million ways the two of you could grow apart when you left. he was never very strong academically, struggling with authority and retention and all the things you seemed to excel at. he knew, in some way, that it would always come to this; you moving on.

he tried his best to keep a smile, for you, unable to allow himself to ruin your mood. you'd been all smiles all day, wearing your "lucky sweater" and insisting that this was the one- you could feel it. the one in question happened to be nine hours from home, from him, and he selfishly could not seem to push the thought from his mind.

above everything, always, connor wanted you to be happy. so there he sat in the passenger seat of your car, watching the way the sun weaved through strands of your hair and your smile as you pointed out little landmarks. when you finally arrived at the campus, he could understand why you wanted to go so desperately- it was beautiful, lively, creative. everything your hometown was not.

you didn't have to tell him to take a million photos; one of you walking past the entrance sign, one of you grabbing a tour pamphlet, one of you with your tour guide. he had his phone out before you could even ask, capturing a million little memories that he could make a home in once you were gone.

you stayed in a hotel just off campus, courtesy of your parents, in a connecting room that you were both sure to take advantage of. you got pizza from a local place, and connor just listened intently as you raved about how excited you were to live like this every night, growing more and more uncertain in his ability to keep his thoughts to himself.

"it won't be like this, not really," he finally said, regretting it as soon as it left his mouth, "i mean, i won't be here, that's all. but you're gonna have so much fun," his encouraging smile felt more like a cringe.

"you could always come with me," you frowned slightly, and his chest ached, "i know you don't wanna go to college, but maybe you could get a job and then we could rent a place after my first year?" you'd discussed it before, of course, but it never went anywhere. he'd always shaken off the idea, not wanting to hold you down or hold you back from anything you wanted. you'd always insisted that it would be the opposite, but he couldn't shake the nagging thoughts.

"maybe," he said after a moment, "we'll see, yeah? we'll figure something out. maybe you can just come visit every month?" "i guess, yeah," you nodded hesitantly, "i don't wanna just see you once a month, con. i mean- you know i love you, and i believe in you. but sometimes you frustrate me so bad," you ran a hand through your hair, "i know your parents are overbearing, but they'd pay for you to go to school or for you to get an apartment if you'd just ask. you don't have to come with me, of course, but it seems like you want to and that's a perfect solution-"

he stopped you, standing to pace the room, his unease at the mention of his parents making him antsy. "please don't pretend to understand my relationship with my parents," he said quietly, his voice heavy with tension. "pretend?" you repeated with a scoff, "connor, i know you better than anyone! i'm the one who's always there after your fights, that's not fair,"

"just because you're there after doesn't mean you understand! your parents love you, they-" he paused, trying to calm down, "look, i'm sorry, okay? i shouldn't have come with you," you looked stricken at that, a pained, distant look in your eyes, "what?"

"i shouldn't have come, it was a mistake. this is a big thing for you and i'm messing it up," he said with a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. "you're not messing it up, connor. i just don't understand-" "that's right, you don't understand," he cut you off, "look- let's just go to bed, okay? i'll see you in the morning," he grabbed his phone from the bed and disappearing behind the connecting room door, leaving you speechless.

you ran over the argument what felt like a hundred times, trying to figure out what went wrong. he could be so frustrating, so single minded when it came to his potential, but he'd never lashed out at you. you'd always been the one calming him down, not working him up. you hated this, whatever this even was.

on the other side of the door, connor wasn't doing any better. he felt sick with guilt, hating the way you'd looked at him as he snapped at you, hating the way he'd said you didn't understand. you understood better than anyone else, and he knew that, deep down. you saw him in a way he could never allow anyone else to.

he glanced up as he heard a quiet knock at the door, recognizing the little pattern tapped against it, feeling silly as his heart rate spiked at the idea of you on the other side, coming to him despite his temper. "come in," he called, smoothing out the blanket to busy his hands. you stepped inside quietly, the hoodie of his that you always slept in catching his eye immediately.

"i hate when we fight," you said softly, still standing like you weren't sure how close to get to him, "i can't sleep knowing you're upset," you looked so vulnerable in that moment, he would've done anything to make it better. ask his parents for college tuition, move hours away with you, whatever it took to get the teary eyed expression off of your face. "i hate it too," he sighed, opening his arms and gesturing you over, "not mad at you, just- it's hard,"

you crossed the room, settling on the bed and melting into his arms in the way he'd grown so addicted to. "didn't mean to pressure you," you mumbled into his shirt, "i'm really sorry, con," god, you had it all wrong. "you aren't pressuring me," he said quietly, running his hand through your hair absentmindedly, "i don't even know how to say all of this," you pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, your brows knit. "say all what?"

"i want you to do whatever you want, go wherever you want, and i hope you know that. you're gonna do so many great things, and i'm scared i'll hold you back from that, or that you'll have so many things that you won't need me anymore. and i know that's unfair, and you've always shown that i'm important, but it terrifies me, the idea of not having you in my life," he hated the way his voice cracked, "and you're my best friend, and i've sat with this and i haven't said anything because i'd never do anything to jeopardize that,"

i'm really doing this, he thought, as he continued on, "the idea of not being in your life terrifies me because i'm- well, fuck, i'm in love with you. you're so funny and so fucking smart, and you always know what to say, but you never really have to say anything. just being with you is the easiest part of my life. and i'd love to follow you to college, i'd love to get us a place just for the two of us, i would love nothing more than to make a little life with you, and i know we're so young and we're friends and if this is all wrong, we can forget it, okay? but i couldn't act like i wasn't feeling this way, it wasn't fair to either-"

"connor," he opened his eyes, not realizing he'd ever even closed them, to find you beaming and giddy and close to laughing, "i've been waiting so long for you to say that to me, do you have any idea? god, we're both so stubborn," and then you were on him, your arms around his shoulders and your face buried in his neck, hugging him the tightest anyone ever had.

he laughed, breathless and shocked, holding you closer to him, "are you serious?" "of course i'm serious," he could feel your smile against his skin, "i've been in love with you for ages," he pulled you back slightly, your cheeks pink and your smile giddy as you looked up at him, and he couldn't resist it anymore, he kissed you with all the emotion he'd been holding back for what felt like a lifetime, smiling against your lips, laughing as you pulled away to rest your forehead on his.

the two of you just laid there for a while, your legs tangled together and your hands trailing over each others arms, backs, hair, anywhere the other could reach. he hadn't even realized he'd dozed off until you were yawning softly and shifting to lay your head on the pillow. "i love you," you mumbled, a sleepy smile on your lips. "i love you,"

you fell asleep hand in hand, your own bed on the other side of the door long forgotten.

[legendguard]

I'm doing it! I'm finally doing it! I'm uploading to Tumblr like I said I would fifty-bazillion times but never did! I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm doing it!!

I'm a long time user of DeviantArt, trying to escape its bullshittery and find a new home for my art. If you've ever seen that "Arceus Gospel Form" or "Eowenah Enraged Form", "Shadogaire Omega Form", or "Yinyanro Pondora form", that was me. I'll probably be re-uploading my gallery here, or at least plan on it, along with gradually switching away from DeviantArt for good. For a while at least, I will probably submit to both until I wean myself off.

I do have a lot to learn, though... It's going to be hard because I've been using Deviantart almost exclusively since I first joined back in 2009, so learning an entirely new format is really daunting. Probably why I've been avoiding the switch for so long. But my despise for DeviantArt and its shitty Eclipse update is far greater than my fear of trying something new, so here we are.

Fair warning for all future posts; I am a terrible writer. Be prepared for text that looks like it was written by a middle schooler who just discovered a thesaurus and wants to sound smarter than they actually are

--

This is the latest iteration of the head and corresponding skull of my long-time sona/Pokesona Eowenah, and the character for which I derive my username (She is the "Legendguard" Pokémon, or Legendary Guardian). Since I'm new here and y'all haven't been exposed to my shenanigans for the last sixteen years, I remake her. A lot. I'm not even sure what "version" this redesign is at this point. I will probably do it again. No I'm not sorry. I will say I am quite happy with this version, at least for now, so maybe it will be a few years before that happens. You can see the previous version here: https://www.deviantart.com/legendguard/art/Anatomy-The-Head-of-Eowenah-2022-905702058

Eowenah is a light/psychic* type legendary Fakemon and the mascot of my fake Pokémon version, Pokémon Celestine. She is a chimeric clone of many, many different Pokémon, created by Mewtwo very early on as a test of how to mix various Pokémon genes more efficiently, who then became "possessed" and enhanced by the legendary Fakemon Haliapio to transform her into the Legendguard to take on the Evil legendary Fakemon Shadogaire. If that sounds like a bunch a' cringe... it is... but goddammit it's my cringe.

*Flying/Psychic if the Light type is repressed by certain attacks

Being a chimera, Eowenah possesses traits from many different Pokémon families, especially from avian, felid, and pterosaurian lines. This can easily be seen in her skull, which looks a bit like a mammal skull with avian parts glued on. But there is a method to the madness. Being arguably one of the most powerful Pokemon ever, and having the best attributes picked out by Mewtwo during her initial creation, all of these parts meld together into a surprisingly cohesive structure, even if it looks a bit odd.

Here we will solely be focusing on Eowenah's head and skull, minus the hyoid apparatus (for now). (Cont in comments(?))

[moonyasnow]

Mallina: after the confession

Basically! The timeline in their intro post cuts off after Irina has confessed to Malleus.

Here's an overview of what happens after!

Also gonna include mentions of:

Talking a fair bit about Queen Maleficia here! So uhh I'll have to redo the parts about her if we get canon content of her and this becomes OOC.

Some Briar Valley cultural headcanons!

Some brieeeeeef discussions of sex— not any details, but only stuff about it specifically being pre-marital, since I believe Briar Valley sees that as a big no-no, ESPECIALLY for the royals

Also this became sooooo long— I DIDN'T MEAN TO I JUST COULDN'T STOP YAPPING Gonna be kinda unorganized too

First of all— Malleus being swarmed by S.T.Y.X. doctors right after Irina's confession meant he didn't exactly have time properly tell her he felt the same at the time.

So she just had no idea if he felt the same or not. But so long as he still wanted to be around her, that was good enough in her book.

But he suddenly starts giving her gifts; small things like pretty rocks, flowers or leaves he found, starting to slowly become more and more expensive and extravagant over time. Turning into jewelry and gorgeous dresses and other accessories.

At first Irina doesn't really understand why. She feels a little overwhelmed as the gifts get more fancy…

But eventually, through someone just telling her— she realizes that this is how fae court each other. She starts almost crying when she realizes he likes her too because she's so happy, and she never thought he'd actually feel the same.

Malleus immediately starts with the lovey-dovey pet-names. Any classic or old-timey romantic sounding name you can think of, he's probably called her. Anything from 'my dove' to 'darling' to even more outdated ones like 'dollface'. She absolutely melts with every single one, though.

As I said in this post, once the topic of physical affection is broached, it's like the floodgates are opened, and they get INTENSE about it.

Kisses hello and goodbye, as well as good morning and goodnight kisses, and always holding hands— as though if they go more than 10 seconds without touching some part of each other, they will both literally combust.

It makes Irina's friends absolutely cringe every time they see Malleus literally pick her up to kiss her, and she just looks after him with a dreamy far-off look on her face. She endures merciless teasing in the Vice Squad ☆ group chat.

One day, he asks her if she truly isn't afraid of him. She notices he seems…nervous. She nuzzles her face into his hand on her cheek, looks into his eyes and tells him she could never be afraid of him.

With some hesitance, he lets go of her hand after squeezing it affectionately, and closes his eyes.

Before her eyes, he begins to transform…

Standing before her is no longer the form she'd associated with him, but a great, black dragon.

Walking closer to him, her gaze never leaving his eyes, he leans his head down to hers. Holding his head in her hands, it's now the size of her torso, and shaped like that of a lizard instead of a humanoid. Looking at the rest of his body, she sees the black scales which formerly only dusted his forehead, cheeks and joints now cover his entire body, ridges along his spine, and two large, bat-like wings. And she sees his horns— so unmistakably him that she can't help but smile.

She takes him in with awe; a quiet reverence and adoration.

"You're beautiful."

She leans her head against his, and kisses his snout. Cooing happily, he nuzzles his face against hers, then starts licking her face, which tickles her, causing her to burst into uncontrollable giggles.

And Malleus really wants to engage in more human courtship rituals too. Which as far as Irina knows is really just stuff like kissing, cuddling, holding hands and going on dates.

Even with how well they've come to know each other, she's still nervous for their first real date together that isn't just a meeting of the Gargoyle Studies Club (of which they are still the only members. Now partially because anyone wanting to join would need to be fine with being a third wheel to them being all mushy with each other).

Oh and at this point, Malleus has started showing way more of his Draconic features around her when it's just the two of them, or them and the Briar Valley gang. He'll no longer bother with the transformation that removes his tail or wings, or shortens and dulls his nails; all things meant to make him look less intimidating. Because he knows his real appearance doesn't frighten her.

And the longer they're a couple, the more intense their physical affection for each other becomes, to the point where eventually, they start craving something…less innocent.

Not to mention that for Malleus, it'd be important in confirming their relationship. Through leaving bites on her and getting the scent of his magic to really attach to her, in the courting terms he's familiar with, it'd be like officially proclaiming her as his one and only mate, that she's not available for anyone else. That she belongs to him. And it'd also make anyone think twice about messing with her.

So, despite the fact that Briar Valley culture— especially the tradition the royals adhere to— would definitely be expecting him to wait until his wedding night to do anything, they decide not to wait.

Though this does lead to a LOT more beastman, as well as some fae and merfolk, starting to avoid her like the plague. While she might have smelled a bit like him due to how often they were with each other before, now she absolutely reeks of dragon.

She was a little worried— and also feeling guilty bc damn society sucks in some ways— about the fact that she wasn't actually a virgin herself when they got together. But as far as he was concerned, the fact that he had her now meant no one else she'd have been with in the past mattered. If anything it just motivated him more to make sure he made their experiences together so memorable that they were the only ones she'd want to remember.

And a headcanon I have is that, just based on fae biology and natural instincts, that would already basically make them engaged. The actual engagement later on is more of a formality.

It's considered a taboo in Briar Valley to force apart a mated couple.

(But the senate would probably try anyways— arguing that only applied to 'real' couples, (fae/fae couples) and that since Irina isn't fae, it doesn't count. Kinda in the same vein as how Henry VIII tried to argue his marriage to Catherine of Aragon wasn't real and didn't because she was his brother's widow, and there was a very specific Bible verse about how you shouldn't marry your brother's widow, so he should get to marry Anne Boleyn anyway actually even though the pope didn't grant him a divorce.)

I think that, after they first got together, when Summer Break was coming up and Malleus and Irina had just gotten done with their third and first years respectively, they're both incredibly sad they'll no longer be able to meet each other every single day— or night, rather.

So, Malleus decides to bring her along to Briar Valley with him over the break.

There, Irina becomes well and truly jealous over him for the first time— she meets a noble fae lady who was, apparently, the leading candidate to be Malleus' future bride: Yvonnet Dechoiselle.

This would actually be the first time Malleus himself would find out that he and this lady Yvonnet were considered betrothed.

Irina was allowed to stay in a guest room. At night, Malleus would simply teleport into her room and sleep there with her. Or he'd just pick her up and teleport them both into his room either way.

But because Lilia advised it, they tried to hide their relationship a bit longer.

But Malleus really did not like it. She was his beloved! He was hers, and she was his; and he couldn't stand seeing her be disrespected on account of her being human. And he hated even more being forced to ask people to not disrespect a 'dear friend of mine', rather than 'my beloved'. He thought that, if they knew she was his lover, they would show her some more respect.

But…though they might be lovers, Briar Valley would not by any means consider that to mean they belonged to each other. In fact, the very fact that they WERE lovers, and that Malleus belonged to Briar Valley, would— if the truth were revealed— make his and Irina's current relationship be considered little more than an affair.

Irina felt very insecure during this time.

She told Malleus that, she could be fine just being considered his mistress…so long as he didn't marry anyone else— so long as she was the only one he actually shared a bed with. Irina, not being used to ever being given any sort of respect or commitment, was fine with settling just for crumbs. She even felt selfish for asking that he not marry anyone. But she just couldn't take it if he ever did anything with someone who wasn't her; it would feel worse than death.

But

As Malleus will be spending his fourth year of NRC at home with his grandmother, learning how to better rule directly from her, he stayed when Irina left.

It was at that point that Malleus informed his grandmother of his human lover.

When she first found out, she was shocked to the point of muteness, though Malleus could see a storm raging in her eyes. In the end she told him that she didn't want to hear about it. She just hoped he'd move on and forget about this human soon enough, and wished she could return to the blissful ignorance of not knowing what kind of despot had seduced her grandson. She wondered if perhaps it was a result of her protecting him too closely.

Maleanor had also had a…peculiar…romantic taste, but this? A human?

Not only had fae— including Maleficia herself— often regarded humans as lesser even before the war…humans had killed her daughter. Her own flesh and blood; her only child. Living amongst them for a while during his schooling was one thing…but falling in love with one?

Oh, and I think, at some point during this visit home, Malleus actually confided in Sebek's parents that he was in love with a human, and asked them for any advice they had, since they'd be the only fae/human couple he'd really know.

I imagine Malleus and Irina get engaged during a birthday ball held for him— he has said in canon that his birthday is a national holiday in Briar Valley, after all. I imagine this SPECIFIC ball would be during the winter break of Irina's 2nd year at NRC. So at this point, Malleus himself is on his 4th year.

When he gets down on one knee, and she realizes what he's going to say, she has to cover her mouth with her hands and try (and fail) to keep from crying, to let him finish speaking. As she keeps listening to him speak, she almost can't believe it. She never, ever thought she'd see a day where anyone would propose to her— much less someone as amazing as him. And when he tells her that he's found a way to prolong her life, to make sure she'll be alive for just as long as him, for a moment she swears she's died and gone to heaven.

One of her big fears when it came to their relationship was the thought that she'd age and die before him— that she'd be forced to leave him behind. That he's somehow found away to overcome that obstacle feels too good to be true. She almost doesn't believe it. But knowing just how capable he is when it comes to magic, she just can't doubt him. And so she can no longer keep from crying, big tears of joy rolling down her face.

She has to strain so much to let him finish.

When he finishes his proposal by asking her to share eternity with him, she falls to her knees in her desperation to hold him, saying "Yes! Yes! Yes!" through her tears. She buries her crying face in his neck, and his arm soothingly rubs her back and he gently kisses the top of her head.

Neither of them care at all that they're surrounded by a large crowd of fae nobles watching them hold each other in the middle of the ballroom floor.

The room had been almost deathly silent, before someone begins to applaud— not because the fae present are pleased with this development, but because it would be rude not to applaud the prince for a successful proposal.

Irina still visits Briar Valley every chance she gets, so that she can both be with Malleus as well as, as he said, 'begin to accustom herself to her future home'.

And despite the fact that they're engaged and have done frankly unspeakable things to each other at this point, she really goes 'wait he really loves me 🥺' when he says that. Like, he's really going to include her fully in his life and plans for it to last. She still kinda thought she was dreaming— that Malleus loving her back was too good to be true and that maybe she was still under the effects of his Signature Spell or something.

He's actually upset they're still not officially allowed to share a bedroom because of all the tradition stuff, because at this point, having declared his intention to make her his Queen, he's in full 'that's my wife' mode already.

And the senate was CERTAINLY NOT happy about this.

But Malleus, for once refusing to bend to anyone's wishes regarding the matter, put his foot down. He basically said: "Either she shall be my wife, or Briar Valley will have no Queen."

I think, realistically, Maleficia— while she CERTAINLY has a long list of choice words she'd like to exchange about EVERYTHING of what he just said— just knows that, if his mind is already made up, there's nothing she can do to change it. Even if she tried to force them apart by just not giving him the crown until Irina has already died of old age, Malleus would just change his plan and marry her BEFORE being crowned, anyway.

…Not to mention, she can just sense on the human girl that Malleus had broken tradition and made her his mate already, anyway.

And she's just too tired to try to come up with some other way. So she has no choice but to let him.

Though I'd imagine some part of that is because she thinks of Irina as just 'a phase' in a way; she'll die long before Malleus, and in the end, he'll either rule alone or be forced into a political marriage with someone more…suitable. A fae, to start with. And it'll be a good lesson: once Irina passes, Malleus will be forced to deal with the inevitable emotional consequences of becoming so invested in someone with a lifespan so short it would seem like a single blink when regarding his own. And besides…the fertility rates in human/fae couples— of the few that had existed— were notoriously low, so there wasn't any need to be worried the future heir might be half-human.

But then, once the actual wedding day arrives, Malleus goes and ends their vows by casting an ancient spell— one even Maleficia did not believe he'd be capable of casting— meant to bind the life of one being to the caster, ensuring they live for as long as the caster is still alive, and age at the same rate as them.

…Safe to say, no longer seems like a phase.

There was an absolute uproar in the senate and among the fae nobles— most notably the family of his former 'betrothed', the Dechoiselles.

But, surprisingly, Yvonnet herself seemed to be on their side.

She respected that there were some things the senate could not change his mind on, that he would not let himself be bossed around by them. She said he'd be a weak king if he did.

She also decided that she would help Irina learn everything she'd need to know to be a good Queen.

She never really had much desire to be Queen, but she figured that, since it looked possible she might be married to Malleus, she made sure to read up on everything that might be expected of her, so the position would at least go to someone competent. And since it was now Irina who would be Queen, she passed that information on to her.

Yvonnet ends up becoming a friend of Irina's; her lady-in-waiting, even. Self-assigned, but as she was from a powerful noble family it wasn't impossible she'd become Irina's lady-in-waiting anyway.

When she started getting close to Irina— which was soon after Irina and Malleus had officially gotten engaged— Yvonnet's own family believed that was because Yvonnet had plans of seducing Malleus somehow. But really, she just wanted to make sure the future Queen is competent and doesn't make a fool of herself.

Malleus was absolutely delighted that he was finally officially allowed to have Irina sleeping in his room— now their room— which he'd redecorated to be half filled with things he liked and half with things she liked. The large, round bed in the center of the room was absolutely littered with pillows and more resembled a nest than a human idea of a bed. And there on the bed was the patchwork rabbit she had recieved from Epel's grandmother after the Harveston sled race, and the gargoyle plush she'd bought for him, sitting side by side.

And after that…I can really imagine Irina in a similar situation as Cinderella in that sequel movie— someone who's used to doing everything herself and having no one to really care too much to comment on the things she did every day or things she wore…and now suddenly a queen.

Now suddenly she has 'ladies in waiting', and personal servants who help her dress in the mornings, and also bring her breakfast. Imagine the most lavish breakfast you've ever seen: a giant plate piled up with eggs done in different ways, sausage links, pancakes, fruits, different kinds of porridge, breads and meats and cheeses…

And the person expected to eat it is the same person who had to get used to smuggling scraps into her room to eat next time her parents would forget— or just not bother— to feed her. Who thinks a microwaved pastry is a luxury.

The first time she woke up after Malleus had been forced to leave for his work for the day (he usually always tried to wait so they could have breakfast together) she was so terrified to open her eyes and discover someone other than Malleus was in their room that she ended up dissociating for a while.

After that, servants were made to always knock until they recieved a response.

Something different about no longer being at NRC was that Malleus could finally go back to his nocturnal habits; a schedule which was much more natural for him.

Thankfully, being used to being awake at night anyway, it wasn't difficult for Irina to make the switch, too. Malleus simply enchanted the food she ate to make sure she still got all the nutrients she'd usually get from the sun. Though she did still end up becoming paler as a result of not seeing the sun anymore.

I've been thinking that, since they now live in the same castle, Silver might end up seeing Irina's dreams more often.

First of all— I'm so sorry Silver.

But secondly… That might actually lead to Silver being one of— if not the— first people to find out about some of the intensely traumatic stuff Irina went through.

Malleus hadn't quite been able to sense just how much was wrong. Being sheltered as he was, he hadn't completely learned yet that none who's completely sound of heart and mind would have as many nightmares as she did. But he did start to consider they were not natural once Silver started to ask if Irina had ever talked about them with him. At first Malleus responded that she would talk of them if she wished to. But once Silver mentioned he was actually kinda worried about her, and Malleus found out that Silver had seen the contents of those nightmares….

He had to fight exceptionally hard to quell the urge to ask what they contained. Some part of him thought that if he only knew, he might be able to set it right somehow. But after the disaster that was his Overblot, he had learned better that his actions could hurt others regardless of him only having had good intentions. And it was wrong to meddle with others' dreams.

But each subsequent nightmare she had that woke her up, and accidentally woke him up too by how hard she'd cling to him, he became more worried.

She was his heart, his wife; the love of his life!

So one day he asked her about it. Said he knew that, Silver knew what they were about due to his Signature Spell, and asked her to share those fears with him.

I think their first big fight would actually be about the topic. Or, well, less 'fight', and more Irina just kinda getting overwhelmed and literally running away to hide somewhere.

She was used to always just brushing people off when they asked about her having nightmares— just chalking it up to her being an anxious person in general, and minimizing how distressing they actually were for her. But she just couldn't do that with Malleus. Especially because…

She should feel safe. She knows Malleus won't leave her, and he'll keep her safe. Everything is good, and she should feel safe, and okay…so why doesn't she?

She becomes terrified that means that, somehow, she and Malleus together isn't 'right'. Because if everything is right and good, she wouldn't still be feeling bad, right? But while she does no longer feel quite as alone, quite as horrible…she still doesn't feel good most of the time. She was expecting that feeling to go away…but it just hadn't.

No one could find her for the rest of the day.

Then much later that morning, Malleus found her, having curled up in a little ball in a corner of their walk-in closet, underneath the blanket that was usually draped across their bed, and cried herself to sleep.

He felt his heart break in his chest, seeing her like that. Gently, he scooped her up into his arms and sat on the floor, holding her, for a long time. When she woke up, she started crying again, mumbling out 'I'm sorry' over and over while clinging to him and making his clothes wet.

In the end, she said that, thinking about it was painful, hence why she hated talking about it. And she didn't want him— or anyone— to think she was pathetic for it. But…she could maybe try talking about it. But just a little. Just in broad strokes. At least to start with.

Saying that 'some bad things happened' was already more than she'd told most people.

She did slowly reveal more and more about her past to him, and only him. And while he wasn't the best-equipped person to know what to make of it— just knowing he would never allow her to live in anything resembling the circumstances she grew up in again— just telling him was a huge deal for her.

Irina is…not exactly popular in Briar Valley. There are some who are outraged the Queen isn't fae, some who think someone as young as her, just 18, will make for a terrible Queen. Some who fear what a human Queen might mean, thinking Briar Valley isn't ready to deal with the outside world again. And some, though quite few, who see it as a good opportunity to open up relations with other nations. Especially since Irina is a good friend of the partner of the second prince of the Sunset Savannah, as well as the personal servant and close confidant of the heir to a very wealthy noble house of the Scalding Sands.

But to say this last group was the minority would be an understatement.

Though, I think, grandma Maleficia is actually won over more easily than one might have expected. In the end, after seeing the two spend time together, how her grandson just seems to glow in a way he never had in all the years she'd watched over him…she gives them her silent blessing.

She knew just how lonely Malleus has always been, after all…

And in a way it reminded her of seeing Maleanor cooing over Raverne all those years ago.

And after doing so, she does begin to realize just how hard Irina had been trying to get Maleficia to like her, by studying the fae language, and trying very hard to familiarize herself with the customs, history and locations within Briar Valley. Even when faced with the disdain of the senate and any other prejudiced fae she encountered, she never once seemed to regret her choice to be with Malleus, nor did it make her want to stop trying.

Even as she observed her and came to learn more of the kind of person Irina was— a follower; fragile, in need of validation, but a good liar with an exceptional capability to read others— there was something a lot more genuine about her when she was with Malleus.

And the way Malleus smiles when Irina is present made her surprisingly popular with the castle staff from pretty early on. Holding onto someone so much smaller than him with so much tenderness and smiling so reverently at her made the previously intimidating Malleus Draconia a bit less intimidating to the staff which observed it.

Not to mention Irina was genuinely very grateful for every little thing a member of the staff ever did for her, always saying please and thank you, and speaking in such a way that her requests never came off as demands of any kind, and very understanding when someone was already busy.

Then, one year into Malleus and Irina's marriage, Irina wakes up to see she's holding onto an egg.

She herself has seen the egg of a Draconic fae before— the egg Malleus himself hatched from, even— in Lilia's dream…but it takes a moment for her to realize the implications of it. And she only does after she sees the dark magenta colored egg glow, as if pulsating, illuminating the tiny, tiny shape of a lizard-like embryo.

Gasping, she sits up, holding the egg gently in her arms.

She looks at Malleus, laying in the bed next to her, still asleep, then looks back at the egg.

This is their baby.

Hers and Malleus'. Their child.

They're going to have a child!

They're going to be parents!

They're going to be a family…

She wakes up Malleus while she keeps holding it gently in her arms. She's already crying when he opens his eyes. Seeing her tears, he shoots up to ask what's wrong. When he sees what she's holding…he's in shock. For a long while, he just stares, all the while Irina tries to babble out possible explanations through her tears of joy, which just won't stop flowing long enough to let her finish a coherent sentence.

When reality, and his emotions, finally catch up with him, and he realizes what this egg is, and what it means…

He starts to cry, too. He embraces both of them very gently, lifting Irina into his lap, and holding both her and egg as close as he possibly can. While he cries, he whispers declarations of gratitude into the top of her head, keeping one hand on the egg the whole time.

She starts crying even more; louder. She leans her head against his chest and holds the egg closer, meanwhile he does the same, curling his entire body, as well as his tail, around the two. Around his family.

Evidently, the crying heard from the royal couple's room that dusk alerted nearby guards, as well as the servants meant to bring their breakfast, who promptly opened the door to investigate, fearing something may have happened.

When they enter to see the two crying in each other's arms, both are still too emotional for words.

But the news spreads quickly through the castle, and later, the whole realm:

Briar Valley has an heir once more.

Draconic fae are so close to extinction because of how rarely they have children. So this, an heir, after having been married for barely a year, is exceptional.

When she found out that the senate wanted to take her baby away from her, without even thinking about it, so overcome with emotion, she spat out:

"Over my dead body!"

"I'm their mother. I need to hold them. I need to keep them warm…!"

Throughout the entire incubation period, Irina refuses to ever let go of the egg. Or if she has no choice, never goes further than a single meter away, always placing the egg on a soft surface, and never letting go for longer than 5 minutes. And she REFUSES to let anyone who is not her, Malleus, Lilia or Silver touch it. Sadly for him, that does mean Sebek isn't allowed to. Though she prefers no one but her and Malleus holding the egg if at all possible.

Who is and isn't allowed to touch it is purely a vibe check on Irina's part, her instincts deciding who is/isn't safe. And sadly, Sebek still reminds some deep, instinctual part of her a bit too much of her father for him to feel 'safe'. Though some part of this can definitely be attributed to 'first-time-parent jitters', since she doesn't end up feeling quite this level of overprotective, paranoid anxiety for the rest of the children in the future.

And Malleus, while he can't be there for every single second, takes as much time as the senate will allow him to be with the two of them. And they both make sure to talk to the egg very often, to make sure their child learns their voices. Some might say that it's just an egg…but Malleus knows Malina can hear them. And the way she glows in response to them definitely seems to indicate so, too. They even sing it to sleep together every night.

The result of this is little egg-baby Malina being spoiled from all sides by an almost overwhelming amount of love directed at her at all hours of the day.

So perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising, then, when she starts to hatch— much, much earlier than what would typically be expected for a draconic fae.

She hatched on the second anniversary of their wedding. Irina, having historically always hated summer, for once had a good memory of it. And now that she associated summer not only with the worst day of her life, but also one of the best, the whole season became more bearable. Finding out Malleus intended for their wedding to be in the summer for this exact reason…Irina felt so overwhelmed by her love for Malleus, and his love for her, that she started crying tears of joy.

And that was the precise moment baby Malina picked to escape from her shell.

Malina may not have looked like a human baby, but that did nothing to stop Irina seeing her for the first time and some deep instinct of hers recognizing 'that's my baby'. And despite not having gone through any biological process, her body also seemed to recognize it, as her breasts had started producing milk not long before Malina hatched. Even if they hadn't, Irina would be VERY firm that she would not have any kind of nurse maid. She would feed her own child no matter what, even if it was just from a milk bottle.

They hadn't discussed names much beforehand. But seeing Malina's little purple eyes, it reminded her of a raspberry. And somehow, of one of the few Bulgarian words her own mother had taught her.

Holding the little purple-eyed dragon in

And so she was named Malina. Raspberry.

Holding Malina for the first time, Irina could never understand why or how her own parents treated her the way they did. Because Irina knew that she would do anything for Malina. From now on, nothing would ever feel more important to her than making sure her daughter was well-fed, well-rested and happy, and that she grew up well.

Then, very quickly after Malina's hatching, another egg appears.

And literal weeks after that one has hatched, they discover Irina is pregnant. As in, carrying a child the human way.

And soon the halls of castle Draconia, which had stood quiet for nearly four hundred years, are filled with the pitter-patter of three pairs of tiny feet.

And when Mallory was around 10 months old, one day, when she was feeling bad for no reason she herself could discern, but was just hiding it like usual, Malina and Malachi suddenly came to lay on her lap and her stomach while she was nursing Mallory. She pet both their heads like she always did, and smiled, feeling her chest becoming lighter. Then Malachi asked her why she was sad.

That almost froze her in place. Petting his head again, she asked why he thought she was sad. And all he said was that 'Mama feels sad. When Mama sad I'm sad.'

It made her think of when she herself was a child, and noticed her own parents feeling bad…and just how sad and helpless it made her feel, too.

Was that what she was making her own children feel?

And that planted an idea in her mind. That maybe, in order to properly take care of and raise her children, she needed to get better. Though, she was hesitant for a while, not even knowing where or how to start, or if there was anyone she even could go to about it.

And no matter the previous disdain toward Irina, the people of Briar Valley had to admit…three heirs after not even five years of marriage was nothing anyone could hold against her.

Briar Valley's future was now more secure than it had been in hundreds of years.

And though it could never have won over everyone, most would agree that, after that, there was little argument anyone could raise against her which merely a reminder the three royal children would not immediately counter.

After having discussed it with Malleus, Lilia, Tomoe, Jamil and Ruggie, once her three oldest children were at the age of being tutored, meaning she had more time to herself again…she ended up deciding that…she wanted to go to therapy of some sort.

She was really, really scared. Especially with the fact that, being a literal Queen now, she was worried she wouldn't even be able to find a therapist who wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

Overall, she just did not know what to expect from therapy, having never gone before.

She was at least happy when her therapist— who was from the Sunset Savannah, whom she got in contact with thanks to Tomoe and Leona— didn't pressure her to talk about things she didn't want to.

Around 40 years and a total of EIGHT children later, and the Briar Valley line of succession VERY secure, even the senate finally gives in and stops trying to give her a hard time. Begrudgingly.

The vibe is definitely the lyrics to 'you'll be in my heart' by Phil Collins:

"Why can't they understand the way we feel? They just don't trust what they can't explain I know we're different, but, deep inside us, we're not that different at all...

Don't listen to them, 'cause what do they know? (What do they know?) We need each other, to have, to hold They'll see in time, I know We'll show them together"

Also this is what I imagine future Irina to look like

(Would wanna design a new dress for her tho bc this was just a design I came up with randomly and I no longer like it. And GAH WHY DO I ALWAYS FORGET SHE COVERS UP HER ARMS AND HANDS DUE TO HER SCARS— But I would still wanna keep her having 'horns' as part of her ensemble)

But the very important part is that I want her hair to be short! I've always found that, Irina just seems more confident when her hair is shorter

It's a lot easier to take care of, so ends up looking less messy. It's a metaphor— if something is too much to take care of (her very long hair) it's better to just scale it back.

But by far, their most cherished time together were their golden years.

Many, many centuries after that night they first met, both old and grey, having long since given the throne to their oldest daughter.

They got what they'd always wanted. Someone who loved them enough to never leave. Someone they could grow old with.

They endured the loss of many dear friends over the years, sadly a consequence of their long lifetimes, and made many more. Things changed around them constantly, especially the older they grew, the faster change seemed to occur around them.

The one thing that never changed was the weight and warmth of their clasped hands. They, and their love, remained forever timeless.

Upon their death many, many years in the future— which occurred on the same day, at the same time, wrapped in each other's arms, after which they were buried in the same coffin— a statue was made of the two. It depicts the two of them, nestled close to each other, bodies lovingly entwined, with serene expressions on their faces. The plaque beneath reads:

「King Malleus [year ? to ?] and Queen Irina [year ? to ?] - "Undying Eternal Love - Forever One Heart - In Life, Death, & Beyond"」

With just how entwined they were in every facet of their lives, there are no historical accounts of one that fails to mention the other. They come as a pair, so entwined that, should you write about one, it's impossible to not include the other, and sacrilege to try. It's even said that if you speak the name of one and do not add 'and Irina/Malleus', lightning strikes.

Even in death, they will never be alone again.

Tag list: @another-random-paradise @thehollowwriter @faefum @cactus13-rolloflammesimp @beneathsakurashade

@nyx-of-night @theolivetree123 @babyghoul138 @skibidibabygirl @screamintoad

@gingacat @buttholesparkles @scint1llat3 @jadelover69 @angelwishess

@crimsonrose34 @nerenda @chillygourami @kirans-wonderland

Please let me know if you ever wanna be added or removed! ^^

[technological-patriarch]

"Only one way to find out..." -> He clears his throat and cringes slightly. He knows he's.... Not really wanted in Elliot's presence for a reason that he's never told anyone else besides 1337. "You know, Chance.... I honestly think a trip to Builder Brothers' would be great once we're all out of here! We should see if we can figure out what others like on their pizza..." -> He glances at the other, hoping Chance catches on and plays along with his little bit.

Haahaahhahaah… Seeeeveeeen .? Huff . . . . Man I’m thirsty . . I ran . . huff . . all the way here .

[ @ace4thespades ]

-> The hacker, who was seated in the kitchen area of the mansion, looked up from his little GUI screen, his deep brown eyes peering over those red glasses of his. "Hello Chance... Did you need something?"

[glitteringdepths]

hey guys

[dazais-guardian-angel]

Well, at least Fukuzawa got his wish granted, I guess.... he's finally inside Fukuchi <3

[notasapleasure]

Kay, thanks for this link, reading the essay was almost quasi-religious to this lifelong atheist. It's an absurdly optimistic piece and all the more rebellious for it, I think.

I could quote so much more from it, but perhaps this is the most relevant bit right now...

For radicals, fetishizing the guillotine is just like fetishizing the state: it means celebrating an instrument of murder that will always be used chiefly against us.

Those who have been stripped of a positive relationship to their own agency often look around for a surrogate to identify with—a leader whose violence can stand in for the revenge they desire as a consequence of their own powerlessness. In the Trump era, we are all well aware of what this looks like among disenfranchised proponents of far-right politics. But there are also people who feel powerless and angry on the left, people who desire revenge, people who want to see the state that has crushed them turned against their enemies.

Reminding “tankies” of the atrocities and betrayals state socialists perpetrated from 1917 on is like calling Trump racist and sexist. Publicizing the fact that Trump is a serial sexual assaulter only made him more popular with his misogynistic base; likewise, the blood-drenched history of authoritarian party socialism can only make it more appealing to those who are chiefly motivated by the desire to identify with something powerful.

-Anarchists in the Trump Era

Now that the Soviet Union has been defunct for almost 30 years—and owing to the difficulty of receiving firsthand perspectives from the exploited Chinese working class—many people in North America experience authoritarian socialism as an entirely abstract concept, as distant from their lived experience as mass executions by guillotine. Desiring not only revenge but also a deus ex machina to rescue them from both the nightmare of capitalism and the responsibility to create an alternative to it themselves, they imagine the authoritarian state as a champion that could fight on their behalf. Recall what George Orwell said of the comfortable British Stalinist writers of the 1930s in his essay “Inside the Whale”:

“To people of that kind such things as purges, secret police, summary executions, imprisonment without trial etc., etc., are too remote to be terrifying. They can swallow totalitarianism because they have no experience of anything except liberalism.”

[chr0n1c-ag0ny]

Kunidazai reunion sparking them finally, actually, truly getting together (cause they're idiots who have essentially been and old married couple for years and were the last to notice)? I think yes.

kunikida offering his apartment to Dazai, as his partners was in no shape to be lived in, after all the time that had passed with no upkeep and the time it spent in police custody, being milled through for any potential evidence. there was no way he could let him go back to it, not now, not tonight. Kunikida needs him close tonight.

Dazai takes him up on his offer. he doesn't want to be alone. he won't admit it, but he can't be alone, he doesn't know what it would do to him, what he would do to himself if he was left unattended. so he gratefully, while making jabs and cracking jokes at his partner, follows him home.

their night proceeds as normal, as it had for years of Dazai crashing with him. Kunikida cooks while Dazai sits up on his counter, rambling on and on about anything he can think of. Kunikida never realized how much he missed Dazai's voice until the relief of not cooking in silence hit him.

when they eat Dazai drags his partner to sit on the couch, even though Kunikida hates eating on the couch, knowing he would make an exception for him, just for tonight. they sit too close to just be friends, coworkers, partners even. their arms touch, their knees lean into one another.

when Dazai's finished with his dinner he lays a head in Kunikida's lap, turning on the TV, flipping through all of his partners recorded media until he finds the show they had been watch together, every episode that aired since he was arrested is recorded and unwatched. with blurry eyes he hits play. Kunikida's hand is in his hair and it doesn't leave.

they don't talk, they don't have to, they've talked enough. for now they just want to sit and feel each other's touch and hear each other's breathing. it's all they need.

its nearly 3 in the morning when Dazai finally starts to doze, he'd curled up into a ball, halfway in Kunikida's lap at that point, holding onto one of his partner's hands. Kunikida knows he should get them both to bed, he should offer Dazai the room and take the couch, that he should have the man some space after all he'd been through. but he aches at the thought of leaving his side, at being separated again.

but he doesn't even have to say anything, should have known he never had to, Dazai's always been sharp as a tack, his intuition, almost terrifyingly, even sharper.

His partner turned lazily in his arms, looking up at him with tired but knowing eyes. let's go to bed, they say. you don't have to go, you can stay, they assure. please don't go, they beg.

Kunikida breathes a long, heavy, sigh of relief.

"ok," he answers, before finally getting up after hours laid up on the couch, watching as Dazai continues to doze.

his heart aches with feverish heat. he'd missed him so much he had begun to go mad, had gone mad really, and now his partner was back, he was back and alive and mostly well, and now he was so relieved it ached in its own right.

he went about making up his bed for two, for Dazai, knowing he needed enough pillows and blankets for half a dozen people, but kept stopping to look over the back of the couch to make sure he was still there, still with him, that he hadn't been taken away again. by the time he's done he's probably crossed his apartment two to three dozen times, from his room to the couch again and again, before he's finally decided the room was good enough, there were enough blankets for Dazai to cover himself with and pillows to hide in.

when he goes to Dazai this time around, he kneels in front of him, carding a hand through his hair, tracing a thumb over his brow, to his nose, and then his cheek. his partner's eyes flutter open, a smile graces his lips.

"come on," he whispers, worried too loud a voice would shatter the delicate air of safety and comfort around them, "time for bed."

Dazai hums, getting up with a stretch and a yawn, much like a cat, before gingerly hopping off the couch and into Kunikida's arms, a false smile and air of cheekiness to him, hiding the ache Kunikida knew all too well resided in his partner's heart as much as it did his own, if not more. he holds him for a moment, savoring the feeling of him in his arms, before taking his hand and leading him to their room.

Dazai knows the drill. he goes to the other man's dresser and picks out a pair of his own sweatpants, ones he kept here for nights like these, and as per usual, one of Kunikida's shirts, gliding across the room, out into the hall, and into the bathroom.

Kunikida crawls into bed, feeling like he's been hit by a bus by the days events, and ends up half asleep by the time he feels Dazai crawling into bed next to him.

he expects to see bandages peeking from the borrowed nightshirt, to watch Dazai shield himself from the world, from his partner's touch, with a swarm of blankets, for Dazai to lay on his back, staring up at the ceiling, waiting for him to fall asleep first.

but tonight's different, so different.

Dazai's skin is bare where the shirt doesn't cover, his scars on display, each and every one of them, the burns, the cuts, the bullet wounds, the ones Kunikida has never one been able to decipher the story of. they're all bared to him, with no visible hesitation on Dazai's end.

when his partner climbs into bed he neglects the pile of blankets laid out for him, the pillows too. instead he lifts the comforter that's draped over the entirety of the bed, Kunikida included, sliding beneath it like it's natural to him, like he'd done it every night for months, years even.

he looks at Kunikida for a moment, silently asking for permission, which Kunikida cannot give fast enough, and then Dazai's in his arms, his own wrapped around his neck, nothing between them but the clothes on their backs.

Dazai pulls away, just a bit, Kunikida almost cries out, almost pulls him back in, but knows better. he lets dazai go, but he never leaves. he's moved just far back enough so they could both look each other in the face.

"I missed you," he spoke softly, his hands shifting to hold the blonde's face.

"I missed you too,"

there's a moment of silence.

"I love you." the words are hesitant, skittish even, like he's unsure of how Kunikida would take it.

"I love you too," he replies without a second thought. he loves his partner, he loves him, more than he knows what to do with, so much it drives him mad and makes him ache.

Dazai nods. he's thinking, Kunikida can see it on his face, his mind is going a million miles a second. worry flashes on Dazai's face, and Kunikida panics, goes to pull away, goes to give Dazai space, even if his own skin burns at the thought of parting with Dazai's.

but Dazai doesn't let him, he clings to him, "Don't go, please don't go, please," he begs.

his voice is desperate, so Kunikida doesn't. he watches his partners face twist and turn, watches as fear spreads across his brow and tears gather in his eyes, and he doesn't know what to do because this has never happened.

but than Dazai leans in, slowly, tugging Kunikida closer so they can meet in the middle. Kunikida feels his partners lips on his. he kisses him back. he can't decide if that was a foolish decision or not. It's soft, softer than either of them knew they were capable of, it's gentle and earnest and good.

Dazai stops after a moment, lingers in Kunikida's space before looking him in the eye once more, he doesn't speak, they don't need to. Dazai looks at him, tears running down his face, but he's smiling, he's ok. his thumbs wipe away tears Kunikida hadn't realized he'd shed. they're ok.

"I love you," Dazai mutter's again, speaking again before the other man can answer "Kunikida?"

"yes, Dazai?"

"don't go."

"I won't."

"promise?"

"I promise." its a foolish thing to say, but Dazai needs to hear it, hell, he needs to hear it, "I'm not going anywhere, so long as you promise me the same."

he hesitates, his eyes avoid Kunikida's for a moment, before returning from their shared gaze, "I'll try, I promise, I'll really try this time"

Kunikida nods, slowly moving to kiss Dazai's forehead, the brunette leans into it.

"I know you will," he whispers into Dazai's skin, "and I'll always be here when it's too hard to manage on your own."

there's silence again, but it doesn't feel wrong or heavy, its soft and warm and it feels right.

"I love you," Kunikida finally returns.

there's more silence, Dazai just looks at him, just watches, fingers playing with Kunikida's hair and drifting over his face until something clicks into place in the other man's mind, something nobody but Dazai could ever understand.

he leans in once more to kiss his cheek before he settles against Kunikida's chest, letting out a pleased huff as he curls himself into a ball, "goodnight," he muttered, almost instantly going still with sleep.

"goodnight," Kunikida replied, knowing Dazai wasn't going to hear him, pressing his own goodnight kiss to the top of Dazai's head before burying his face in the other man's hair (Dazai doesn't smell like his shampoo anymore. it makes something in him cringe. he tries and fails to ignore it).

it takes Kunikida a while to fall asleep, he's too busy running the night over and over and over again in his mind. he holds Dazai close and lets his fingers trace over scars, feeling over his too-thin frame, feeling each bone beneath his skin. there's so many thoughts rushing through his mind, to many fears, worries, anxieties, what ifs. what if I hurt him? what if I break him? what if I ruin this?

his thoughts are only stopped when Dazai gently nudges his head into his jaw, hands pulling Kunikida's off of him, holding them gently in his own (he should have known sleep wouldn't come that easy to Dazai).

he takes a deep breath, steadying himself and his mind, his partner's hands squeeze his gently, good, they seem to say, and sleep finally starts to pull at him once more.

he lets it happen, let's his eyes close and his mind go blank, knowing Dazai is safe, he's safe in his arms, he won't be taken away again. he sleeps knowing Dazai loves him, that he kissed him, that tomorrow they'll wake up like this, and maybe, just fucking maybe they can finally have this one happy ending.

[biillys]

band au where billy, eddie, and tommy are in a punk/metal/heavy rock band and are successful etc whatever anyway. Anyway.

the idea of them being interviewed and the interviewer asking tommy about his sexuality becos both billy and eddie are publicly bi

billy and eddie being like. hold the fuck up. u can't just ask someone that. but tommy, king of openness and honesty and also just a naive bitch, being like. i've been with my girl since seventh grade and i know she's it for me but like. guys are cool. can't confirm personally but guys are definitely cool. and being an awkward mess about it

the guys groaning and dropping their heads to their hands and jesus christ. shut the fuck up, man and the interviewer being like. so, bi?

tommy blushing like. aha ha ! when you put it like that !

them returning to the tour bus after and eddie being like. first of all that interviewer was a cunt for asking u that. second of all. [twirls hair] u can't confirm?

and billy cutting in like. we can help you confirm. we can 100% help you confirm. i already messaged carol and she's cool with it. said as long as we promised to return u in one piece, we can do whatever you want.

ANYWAY the idea of the guys having a threesome simply becos tommy's like. Well It'd Be Nice To Know For Sure. and billy and eddie giving him a night he'll never forget that bleeds into a morning he'll always remember

then the idea of someone bringing up that interview or asking tommy if he's Figured It Out Yet? and billy being like that's none of your fuckin' business only for tommy to jump in and be like oh i figured it out alright. i'm bi as FUCK.

and then all the fans and stans etc losing their minds on social media like what is THAT supposed to mean and why did billy and eddie fuck him so good that he said it like That