#i cn never get enough of it

[kyoghurts]

im gonna have to confess guys

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cove holden.

[sevenines]

i saw this tweet and found it interesting for two reasons. one is that some people base how good cartoon network would be to toh by how it treated su, and despite the fact that su’s treatment by the network was considered poor at the time, now its thought to be exceptionally good in comparison to modern shows.

two is how exactly su got impacted by a limited budget. a common criticism is how characters like connie, peridot, and lapis are left out of missions. but balancing a lot of characters is not only hard but also costly (extra animation, extra voices—it’s been revealed that the show is limited to a set number of characters per episode otherwise they’re over budget). animation mistakes are not uncommon since retakes cost extra. the entire reason the original show got cut short was due to loss of funding!

[aloysarrow]

I wish GI wasn't trying to push people (kinda specifically longer players) away from the game, like damn. I really hope new players are watching closely and not just deciding "there are haters" or "complainers." Some of the things, like the age old where's the end-of-game road map, have been actual game needs that haven't been addressed for years. Game needs, guys. Idk, if you still call some people haters/complainers, then I'm probably gonna call you a bootlicker lol

[rosemary-bells]

just absolutely Speedran reading the no doubt in us manhua. what’s life even

[penisliker-moved]

(id in alt) the pfp i drew :] original sketch under th cut bc i ws rly proud of it Huge smile

(id in alt again)

[nomairuins]

like i think if i tried to flirt with somebody id just be like . Hi. and then id get scared and have to run away to have a panic attack

[zaynes-nieve]

Zayne Confirmed Lore

Anything confirmed by the developers, including any accounts or information within the game! (I will update you as the game continues, and I appreciate any info I can get from you all as well!!!!)

Tender Moments | Memoria | Bond | Devs/Offical/Messages/Calls | Main Story | Annecdotes

Basic Info:

Zayne's Birthday is September 5th | About Him

Other Names: Rei (JP), Lee See-Oen (KR) and Li Shen (CN)

Zayne's Constellation sign is a Virgo (like me)| About Him

Zayne is 6'1 | About Him

Zayne's age is 27 | About Him

Zayne is the Chief Cardiac Surgeon at Akso Hospital | About Him

Zayne's evol is Ice | About Him

Daily Life and a good chunk of the lore

Zayne is a workaholic, and he likes it | Gentle Twilight/About Him

He is good at snowboarding! | Everlasting Snowdrop/About Him

He knows how to peel an apple in one go | Spring Remnants/About Him

He is good at drawing (those anatomical diagrams, ftw!!!) | Suprise Encounter/About Him

He has a sweet tooth (like me) | Nostalgic Sweetness/About Him

He gets toothaches (unlike me) | Nostalgic Sweetness/About Him

He is a terrible patient (Strict against others, indulgent to his own whims) | Nostalgic Sweetness/About Him

Zayne is a teetotaler (a person who never drinks alcohol) | Drunken Intimacy/About Him

He is good at pool but is a strict teacher | Exclusive Tutorial/About Him

His Parents are also Doctors and work with Doctors without Borders overseas | Eternal Attachment/About Him

He sends them a message on his birthday each year, telling them he is just fine! | Eternal Attachment/About Him

Zayne has a hard time controlling his Evol | Main Story 4-10/Never Ending Winter ch.4

Starcatcher Awardee (2046) | Main Story 4-5

Linde Award Winner (Year 2046) | Main Story 4-5 / Never Ending Winter ch.10? Last chapter mention

His patients all are obedient (terrified) of him | A Pure White Heart ch. 3

Dr. Zayne and Dawnbreaker see each other in their dreams | Gonna be pulling from a lot of things, so give me a moment for this one 😭 (Never Ending Winter Ch.1, Ch.2, Ch.4) (Ngl Dawnbreaker Might Need his own section....or Page)

He has a pet squirrel named after the medication, Clopidogrel! | Feed the Squirrel/Message

It appears Zayne also frequently volunteers to assist in medical relief for disasters or joins the medical teams assisting hunters fighting wanders in high-frequency zones | Dawn's Shadows, Foreign Aid/Video Call, Hidden Motive, Medical Rescue

He is quick to forgo his well-being to save others in dangerous situations. He truly puts his own duty as a doctor above everything else.| Medical Rescue, Neon Night

His Past:

Zayne was one smart cookie and skipped several years! But because he was so young and his classmates were not. He had a hard time making friends | Delicacy/About Him

When he was in medical school, he visited a barbeque stall a lot | Delicacy/About Him

He has a good tolerance for pain😭and he gets injured a lot, leaving many scars | Medical Rescue/About Him

Dr. Zayne was in the 35th Cohort of the Skyhaven Medical School in a PhD Program | Never Ending Winter ch.1

He was an intern under Dr. William (took him under his wing) | Never Ending Winter ch.1

It's implied he had to kill William after those black crystals seemed to be turning Dr.William into a Wanderer (Do we consider this confirmed enough?) | Never Ending Winter ch. 6

He Plays Tennis (and won a prize!) | Tennis Game/Messages

Due to the time travel shenanigans and our boy being the best at everything, Zayne is now an expert Jade carver! | Moonlit Dream

He briefly studied keyboards as a child. But quit after a month. | Heartstring Notes

All he knows how to play is Little Lamb | Heartstring Notes

His Likes:

He really hates carrots!!! | A Frozen Promise/About Him

He visits medical museums to relax, or he will go look out at the river | Heart Within Reach/About Him

Our Story 💙❄️☃️

He gave us a little snow seal when we were children (we thought it was a snowball) | A Frozen Promise/About Him

After seeing our name on the volunteer list for the Frontlines, he follows us. Hidden Motive/Insta Acc.

He is our Primary Doctor!!! (we're not gonna talk about the ethics of this LMFAO) | Main Story 1-8/About Him

Zayne said he melted an "old" popsicle (our popsicles at this time) for us when we were kids | Nostalgic Sweetness/About Him

Our Grandmother left us a letter with Zayne, and he seems to know more than he is letting on | Main Story 4-7 (I'll double check this one)

We voted for him in the Patient's Favorite Doctor poll on Asko's official account (He also won) | A Vote/Message

HE USES US AS HIS WALLPAPER | Screen Saver/Message

Zayne is not above bribery (whether it is us or his patients) | I Miss You/Message

We gave daffodils to Zayne! (they're garlic) | Gardening/Message

Dawnbreaker

Anything talked about in this section is written as if you have already had the knowledge before hand.

Never Ending Winter: Zayne Anecdote #2

First mention of Dawnbreaker and also where we get the info of Zayne's Nightmare into Dawnbreaker's world.

Zayne mentions the nightmares again and talks about how his current reality is more bloody than his nightmares (Dawn Breaker World)

We get Dr.Zayne's perspective as he is "in that world of ice and snow" Zayne attacks himself from his perspective with dark crystals (which we know from The third ancedote is the color of Dawnbreaker's ice

Dr.Zayne refers to this black coated version of him as the Grim Reaper.

Zayne almost accidentally killed someone important to him when he was 12. He was 12 when he first started getting dreams of Dawnbreaker

Crystals begin to grow off of William (though, they mention the color of said crystals being black, they dont mention if they're ice)

The people Dawnbreaker killed appear in front of him after he kills William

Still in the Dark: Zayne Anecdote #3

Georgie's first description of Dawnbreaker Zayne is that of a Grim Reaper (hence the connection to all mentions of him in Never Ending Winter)

Georige is a young boy who hires Zayne to help him find the person who killed his mom

Dawnbreaker is the in canon title for the serial killer who leaves no bodys only dark blue crystals

There is footage of Dawnbreaker killing these people, so it isn't speculation

Detective Ivan, the police working on the Dawnbreaker case, gives distrubing insight into the situation, giving his point of view that the people who Dawnbreaker is killing leave behind shards like Wanderer protocores

When he catches Dawnbreaker in the act, he finds the victim with tentacles and attacking Dawnbreaker.

Georgie's mother was a worker at an ungergound protocore factory

Zayne, after running out of chocolate, takes some from Georgie, and so begins the Georige & Zayne duo.

DB!Zayne watches Old Doctor Television Shows

He also only lives off of Nutrient Solutions

DB! Zayne also has a Jasmine Plant

He also oftens visits a decayed plaza with a jasmine field

In their universe, Linkon City is a city from a distant past.

DB!Zayne confirms that he also dreans and that it is of Linkon City

Chapter 4 is where we get the most intermigle between Zayne & DB! Zayne.

Zayne dreams of MC and the snacks we share with Zayne in particular a popsicle which could be a refrence to [ill pull it later]

He dreams of being a suregon. He started getting these dreams also at the age twelve

He knew at 12 that MC and Zayne would meet at 27

Dawnbreaker lives vicariously though these dreams and the remnants of Linkon he can find in his world.

Zayne calls the Humans who leave behind Protocore fragments "Abominations"

He plays soem recording about Zhuangzi and the Butterfly essentially not knowing if he was the dream or if they are. (Butterfly dreaming of being Zhuangzi or Zhuangzi dreaming of being a Butterfly) Dr.Zayne and Dawnbreaker to a T.

Georgie dreams of being a monster (Foreshadowing yall). Zayne notices a bump under Georgies eyes 😭

Georgie, on the day he turns 12, begins to show more obvious symptoms of being an Abomination

IK this has been more of a recount, but we got little to work with Dawn Breaker lore yall

Dawn Breakers first kill was when he was 12, after he killed his adopted father, who became an Abomination

It is also here that we learn that if not killed, these beings turn into Wanderers.

Zayne is the one who murdered Georgie's mother

We find out that Georgie's mother requested that Zayne kills her half a month before she turned.

Her Coworkers having turned into Wanderers (She believes it was due to their long exposure to the protocores)

Zayne kills Georgie after he becomes an Abomination

Detective Ivan gives us the run down that the government and those in power are hiding the fact that some of those wanderers were once human. He also intends to stop and destory the investigation against Dawnbreaker, likely so Zayne can continue doing his job.

(At least two more sections on its way)

Pls hit me up with any more information and where it's from!!

[mm-lurking]

From the distance - Blade

Since he never made an effort when you tried to befriend him, you gave up and stuck to your own business. Yet somehow, he’s there when you find yourself in trouble.

A/N: Another fic where I just want Blade to be my knight in shining armour. Once again written when I was sleep deprived for several nights straight. The best ideas do come when you are out of your mind fr. No idea where I was going with this tbh, I just kept writing. Sorry if it's ooc and kinda dragged out! I tried to write him as well as possible. Warnings: Blade x fem!reader, some violence, blood and tension between you and Blade. NPC with a CN name, I'm not sure if I used the Chinese name the right way? Apologies in advance if its wrong! WC: 4754 --- Another night at the Xianzhou Luofu. Another meeting with the Stellaron Hunters. In contrast to the calm night outside, Blade impatiently taps his feet as he glares at the door. You’re supposed to be here in the room ready to begin the meeting. Kafka is supposed to be here too but that’s not the point. The point is you and where you are. Some time passes by and the door slowly creaks open. He snaps his head around hoping it's you- only to see Kafka. The tiny glint of anticipation fades away quickly and his usual stone face replaces it, but it is not quick enough to slip by Kafka.

“She’s not going to be here Bladie.”

Kafka chuckles as she walks in and takes a seat at the table. He glares at her.

“I did not ask.”

“You didn’t ask about her indeed, but your face betrays you.”

He scoffs and looks away in the distance. The woman observes him for a moment and smiles.

“She had another meeting to attend urgently. Took me by surprise honestly. She came running here two hours ago hastily explaining herself and apologising before running off again. How amusing.”

Her eyes do not leave Blade’s face as she talks. In her lifetime of working with him, never had she seen him so…agitated over a mere mortal. A mortal he claimed he didn’t care for or wanted to associate with. Another chuckle leaves her lips and she waves her hand dismissively.

“Well since it’s just the two of us we can postpone the meeting.”

She gets up from the chair and turns around to walk away only for Blade to stop her.

“Kafka.”

“Yes?”

“Who is she meeting?”

She places a hand on her waist and smirks. He says nothing more and continues staring at her face waiting for an answer.

“I thought you said you didn’t care?”

“Kafka.”

His tone suggests he is in no mood for jokes. She sighs and shakes her head.

“She’s meeting Mr Li Qi.”

“..?!”

Kafka observes his startled expression and pretends to be clueless as she taps her finger on her lips. She knew what she was doing of course.

“What’s the matter, Blade? You look like you’re in deep thought.”

“You knew she was going to Li Qi and let her go on her own?”

Kafka shrugs.

“Why not?”

His jaw clenches and unclenches as he looks straight into her eyes.

“You know how dangerous that man is.”

“Oh come on Bladie. She’s more than capable of handling him. After all, she was the one who approached him first.”

His eyes grow wide momentarily before returning to normal. Several thoughts are running in his head but the main theme is along the lines of how stupid and foolish you are. Li Qi, a businessman on the Luofu was notorious for his shady practices and downright unethical behaviour. To the common folk, he was a simple successful businessman but to those who had intel on him or many connections across the Luofu, they knew of his true identity and what dangers lurked in associating with him. He was cunning enough to protect himself and the business from the eyes of the law while simultaneously maintaining his illegal proceedings.

“You didn’t attempt to stop her even once?”

Blade’s voice is laced with concern and disbelief as he replies.

“Why should I? Who are we to interfere in her plans? We are not saviours.”

In contrast to her unconcerned-sounding words, her face is the complete opposite. She displays a small smile, intently watching Blade to see what he would do.

“…”

Silence fills the air. There is a faraway look in his eyes as he stares at the entrance door.

“You should have told me earlier.”

He says calmly as he suddenly stands up and walks towards the door, taking long strides as if he urgently had to leave.

“Whether you decide to protect her or not…it is all part of Elio’s script.”

The way she speaks is as if she was merely watching the pawn move in a game of chess, already aware of every move that was going to occur. He freezes on the spot as he realises.

“You already knew this was going to happen, didn’t you?”

He turns around to look at her and she shrugs, completely avoiding the question before continuing.

“There is a warehouse at Stargazer Navalia where Mr Li Qi frequents. If I am correct, she must be there right now.”

There is nothing more said between the two as Blade nods and opens the door before he walks away in a fast-paced manner. When the door shuts close Kafka stares at the door for a moment before laughing.

“So much for not caring huh? Oh, Bladie..”

—

You could tell something was off since you stepped foot into the warehouse. There were several red flags actually. One, Mr Li Qi asked to meet you in this warehouse instead of a commonplace like the restaurants in Aurum Alley. Two, you weren’t here to look at the items of interest yet so you shouldn’t be in a warehouse in the first place. Three, the silence of the meeting point and how it was conveniently hidden away in a deserted side of the Stargazer Navalia.

You weren’t a fool though. You had purposely walked into this trap well aware that there was something oddly peculiar about this man. Something about the way Mr Li Qi looked and the suspicious tone of his messages told you he was a man worth investigating. You weren’t from the IPC nor were you a Stellaron Hunter, but you sure had made a name for yourself amongst the natives in terms of commissions and business.

Perhaps that is why Mr Li Qi was so delighted to meet you when you first sent a request to meet him. Perhaps that is also why there was a gun pressed against the side of your forehead. The cold barrel, in contrast to your sweaty skin, sent shivers down your spine.

“Tell me miss, surely you didn’t take me as a fool?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

You reply calmly but groan when the gun is pressed harder into your skull. Mr Li Qi is standing behind you with a harsh grip on the back of your neck as he uses his right hand to firmly point the gun at you. You scan your environment to make sense of the danger you’re in. The long eerily hall of the warehouse has almost no inventory; a few boxes of odd things lie around and there are some cardboard boxes stacked over in the corner. They are probably meant as a cover or to fake the appearance of a warehouse. There aren’t many men of his around either, just two bodyguards that currently stand in front of you to prevent your escape and a few other men in the far distance at the door standing like statues.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about? Is that so?”

He mocks your words and grits his teeth. You feel another chill run down your spine.

“Do you take me as a fool miss? I am fully aware of who you are and what you do.”

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about. I collect antiques for fun and that’s why I approached you.”

Lies. You were praying he wouldn’t realise you were lying through your teeth. You weren’t here for antics, you were here to investigate a fraud he had committed. One of your family friends had been caught in his traps and this sly fox was able to avoid all legal charges by hiding documents and falsifying testimonies. Having no hope left, the family friend had turned to you for help and considering your ties with them you agreed.

“How peculiar of you to approach me instead of the many, many antique collectors out there. Your interest in the jade pendants of the Xianzhou is very uncalled for considering your job status.”

You gulp. Shoot. No pun intended.

“Who are you to judge my interests Mr.? Especially if it brings you money?”

You retort and immediately regret it when the gun goes off with a loud bang.

-

His breathing is heavier than usual as he finally reaches Stargazer Navalia. The veins on his neck have not stopped popping from how tightly he has been clenching his jaw and gritting his teeth. A flurry of insults goes through his head as he thinks of you while he simultaneously searches for the warehouse. There is no time to rest as he dashes through the tall steel container boxes and small bridges frantically searching for you.

“…?!”

In the distance, he hears the sound of a gun going off and freezes momentarily before whipping his head around to see a large warehouse a couple of meters away. The description of the warehouse fits what Kafka had told him and he dashes towards it. Was that…? No, it can’t be, he shakes off the negative thoughts as he aggressively pushes against the large wooden doors with his body. The lock from the inside breaks into two from the strength he exerts and the doors swing open, revealing several men ready to fight and four figures in the dim light further away.

“Who goes there?!”

Li Qi shouts from the other end, his voice echoing off the walls of the empty warehouse. There are hints of anxiety and anger in his words but Blade says nothing. Instead, he pulls out his weapon and slashes his way through the men guarding the door, injuring them swiftly and easily as they drop on the floor like dead flies. One of them tries to grab onto his leg and he stomps on the guard’s chest, making the guard scream in pain. He sneers.

He takes longer and faster strides as he approaches where you are and your figure becomes clearer with each step he takes. A small sigh of relief leaves his lips as he realises that you’re still alive. The look on his face is deadly with his eyes ablaze and he glares at the two bodyguards blocking him from your view.

-

Eventhough you are not one to be afraid of danger, the gun going off right next to your head has you shaken up. The vibrations of the gun ripple through your skull and you can feel a headache setting in. Lucky for you, the gun lacks bullets as you’re clearly still alive after he pulled the trigger. Li Qi mumbles a bunch of insults under his breath as he attempts to refill the bullets only to stop as the warehouse doors open with a loud thud. Both you and your captor flinch at the unexpected event, confused at the commotion by the door.

You hear Li Qi yell but you don’t register what he says. Your eyes are on the figure that violently makes its way through the appointed guards of the warehouse, like a tornado destroying everything in its path as it gets closer to you. It is when the figure stands in your line of sight do you recognise -it is Blade.

“Bla-“

He looks at you immediately when you call out to him in a raspy voice. Unfortunately, Li Qi prevents you from finishing his name as he cocks the gun and roughly handles you making you wince. Blade’s grip on his weapon tightens trying to control the urge to cut off the man’s head on the spot. In contrast to your situation, Blade notes that you look calm for someone who is in the hands of death.

“Shut up or I will put a bullet through your head”, Mr Li Qi seethes. “You are lucky I forgot to replace my bullets- wha-?!”

A loud slash resounds in the air as Blade can no longer stand the nuisance and brandishes his weapon in front of the bodyguards causing Li Qi to quiver. He gives the men no chance to prepare for how rapidly he makes use of his sword, cementing his prowess as a swordsman once again in front of you. You close your eyes not wanting to see the bloodshed as a chill goes down your spine hearing the clashing of swords and grunts of the bodyguards. Before you know it, it’s just you, Li Qi and Blade left in the warehouse. The loud groans and whines of the guards fill the air as their wounds hurt. There are streaks and splashes of blood all over the floor but none of that bothers Blade however as he stands in front of you, his eyes flickering back and forth between you and your captor.

“D-do not take another step! Or- or I will kill her!”

Li Qi panics and screeches as he points the gun at your saviour and then back at you. All you do is flash a tiny smile at Blade. You’re tired, exhausted and the bruise forming on your neck and now the side of the forehead hurts. The willpower you had at the beginning of the situation has started to waver as you feel stale and unable to turn the tables. And with a splitting headache that only seems to get worse, you don’t have the brainpower to think either. You watch how he continues to look at you silently with eyes that carry concern and anger.

“Let her go.”

Blade states firmly. It is not a request, it is an order. The businessman looks visibly shaken from how his men are lying on the floor and the threatening command of the Stellaron Hunter. Instead of obeying, he frantically runs his mouth again.

“You, I know you! Aren’t you the guy that the IPC wants?! You’re a criminal yourself, how dare you tell me what to do?!”

Blade scoffs. You gulp, knowing this won’t end well. He says nothing and simply repeats his warning.

“I said let. Her. Go.”

You know he is not talking to you but somehow you’re starting to shiver in fear too. This man has always avoided almost any interaction with you yet here he was, asking your captor to release you with such a menacing aura. This side of him was so rare and frightening to see that you were silently praying you would never have to see it again.

Li Qi refuses to comply and Blade hmphs before drawing his sword once again and striking the arm of Li Qi. It all happens so fast that you barely have the chance to move as the blade whizzes past your ear and hits Qi. The gun drops from his hand on the ground with a loud thud as he wails in pain, clutching his injured arm with the other. Blood is trickling down his hands and arms and it splatters on your shoes. You stand there for a while stunned at what’s going on only to be brought back to your senses when Blade grabs your hand and pulls you into his chest.

“Huh-? Oh-!”

It takes you a moment to register your position. Your hands have subconsciously gripped his coat to steady yourself and his free hand is loosely hanging on your lower back. You can’t see his face from this position but you can hear his loud heartbeat and the way he takes slow deep breaths. He smells like blood and the finest mix of musky perfume, a scent you are unfamiliar with but still welcome. Suddenly you find yourself feeling flustered and awkward and try to pull away from his body only for his arm around you to tighten.

“B-blade?!”

Li Qi is still yelling and wailing behind you but being in Blade’s arms has somehow blocked it all out, like a magical shield that is keeping you safe. Your own heartbeat starts to increase as his crimson eyes meet yours and he maintains eye contact without breaking away.

“Fool.”

He finally speaks and you are baffled.

“What?”

“You are incredibly stupid.”

“Excuse me?”

“Is your hearing impaired?”

“My head is aching very badly, thank you very much.”

What the hell is with this man?! You scowl at the way he talks to you. You no longer want to be in his arms anymore and use your strength to push yourself away but to no avail. Frustrated you smack his chest grumbling at him.

“I’m ok now, can you let me go? Sheesh.”

As you both are bantering, behind you, Li Qi stumbles to grab his gun from the floor. There is a cruel smile on his face as he lifts the gun, points it straight at the back of your head and presses the trigger.

“…!”

Blade’s eyes suddenly narrow as he pushes you into his chest once again and hauls his weapon up to cover your skull just in time. You gasp as the bullet ricochets off his weapon with a loud shing leaving you stunned. You tremble in his arms from the impact, trying to process what just happened.

“Close your eyes.”

He says gently and you obey. All you hear is the sound of his blade being hurled at the businessman and an ear-piercing scream that makes your blood curdle. You squeeze your eyes shut tighter. 

“Keep your eyes closed.”

He commands you and you nod. You feel the loss of his body warmth as he detaches himself from you and walks towards the businessman. Li Qi is lying on the floor with the sword piercing his chest as he gasps for air. He attempts to grab his gun again which is a few centimetres away from his fingers only for Blade to stomp on his hand and kick the gun away from him. You flinch at how the businessman screams.

“Holding an innocent hostage is a greater sin than mine.”

Blade says as a matter-of-factly and removes the sword from his chest. Another nightmarish scream rings in your ears and you open your eyes from the discomfort you feel. You don’t even want to turn around and see the state your captor might be in. Blade walks back and faces you, frowning when he sees your eyes open.

“I told you to keep your eyes closed.”

“I-I tried-“

“It doesn’t matter. Do not look back.”

“Okay..”

You reluctantly listen to him, feeling extremely uncomfortable at how the situation has evolved. A moment of silence passes before you speak again.

“Is he…dead?”

You watch him look behind you and hmph before replying.

“If he isn’t now…he will be later.”

“But if he dies…I will be implicated..”

“No one knew about your meeting except Kafka, Li Qi and I, correct? There should be no issue then.”

“Blade that’s not how it-“

“You nearly died.”

Blade says coldly and you feel your heart drop.

“I nearly died yes, but this-“

“Why are you so complicated to deal with?”

“…what?”

Now you feel anger bubbling in your chest.

“I was not the one who asked you to barge into the warehouse by the way.”

You hiss at him and he glares at you.

“And you expected to survive? Alone in this warehouse?”

“I don’t see why that bothers you.”

“Your foolishness will get you killed one day.”

“Even if it does, how does that impact you? Not like you want me around anyways.”

Your head was pounding, the bruises on your neck and forehead stung, you were fatigued and shaken up and this man was simultaneously insulting your intelligence and capabilities. Of course you were agitated. Blade stares at you for a moment before sighing.

“How it impacts me has nothing to do with you.”

“Are you even hearing yourself?!”

“He would have killed you easily.”

You press a hand against your forehead and take a deep breath. Why was he arguing with you?

“It is I that will be in deep trouble if Mr. Li Qi dies, not you or Kafka regardless of who knew about our meeting. I have a reputation to maintain unlike you. And by the way, I did not need you to save me. You don’t even care about me and frankly, you don’t even show an ounce of cooperation when I try to work with you.”

You take a step closer to him. Tears brim in your eyes as you express your frustration.

“If my death were written to be tonight,” you look him straight in the eye, “it wouldn’t change a thing in your life. In fact, I am sure you would be glad of my riddance.”

Audacity flows through your veins as you jab a finger in his chest with each word you speak. Tears stream down your face and your throat closes up from the emotions that swarm you.

“So don’t tell me how to feel. You have no right to do so.”

He looks at you, speechless and shocked at the way you’re behaving. In the blink of an eye, you furiously wipe your tears before dashing off. Everything hurts and you feel like you’re suffocating. You pay no heed to the injured guards or the blood all over the floor as you run as fast as your legs can take you away from this place. You don’t even turn to take a look at Blade’s reaction. So much for fulfilling a request. So much for simply wanting to do the right thing. It was supposed to be a simple mission, why did it turn out like this? And why, out of all people that could come save you, was it Blade that had become your saviour?

You weren’t trying to cozy up to him, you weren’t trying to take advantage of his power, you weren’t trying to do anything at all. You simply wanted a mutual alliance for the sake of teamwork but he didn’t even bother to reciprocate. All those times he left you hanging, making you feel embarrassed, making you feel like a fool…how dare he come to your aid and then proceed to make you feel like you weren’t even good enough?

You finally stop running when your legs grow weary. It takes a moment for you to realise you’re still in Stargazer Navalia though you’re not sure where exactly. The winds of the night are gentle as the moon shines brightly in the sky. At least it was all over right? At least now there will be no more cases of scamming and threats from Li Qi, at least now your family friend can finally breathe in relief, at least you’re still alive after all that so why, why do you feel worse than you did when you entered the warehouse?

You sit on the stone pavement near a large steel container, hugging your knees and sobbing your heart out. The bruises sting once again and you wince. You wince harder as you softly trace the bruise on the back of your neck. God, was it that bad? How long had Li Qi held you for you to bruise like this? Doesn’t matter. There was no point in thinking about it any further. You didn’t want to think about anything at all.

“There you are.”

A familiar deep voice rings in the distance and you look up to see Blade again. His breathing is heavier than usual and he sighs in relief as he lays his eyes on you.  How the hell did he even find me?! A scowl forms on your face and you bury your head back into your knees, unwilling to speak to him. He stands there for a while before coming closer to kneel in front of you awkwardly.

“Are you hurt?”

You roll your eyes knowing he can’t see them. Given that you don’t answer, he places a hand on your forehead and pushes your head up causing you to yelp. You try to resist but his strength overpowers yours.

“Leave me alone.”

You say coldly, refusing to make eye contact with him as he examines your face for injuries. He ignores your reply and frowns at your tear-stained face. One look at the bruise on the side of your head and his frown deepens.

“I should have killed him the moment I saw him.”

“W-what?!”

He ignores your reply again as he wipes the tears from your eyes. You flinch at his odd behaviour but don’t push him away. His hands drop from your face to your neck to observe the bruising.

“Stabbing him once didn’t suffice.”

The soul leaves your body as he states his murderous intentions to you absentmindedly while looking at your injury. How was he being so caring while mentioning such things?!

“Y-you you can go now…”

Blade shakes his head.

“You’re injured. You’re lucky these bruises are all you have. I was afraid that the gun…”

He trails off and looks in the distance again. For a man who lived and breathed murder and blood, he sure was hesitant talking about you nearly getting shot. You blink at him, shocked at the words coming out of his mouth. Was this…his way of showing care?

“I would have stabbed him over and over if he had shot you.”

You freeze and Blade feels the way your neck muscles tighten on his fingertips. He gives you a small smile that further scares you.

“I-If you’re saying these things to make me feel better you can stop now. I’m fine.”

“I am speaking my honest opinion.”

A blush creeps up on your face and warmth surges through your body. This hot shot was capable of being nice after all. You feel his fingers cup your face again as he softly strokes your tear-stained cheeks. The cool breeze toys with your hair and he gently pushes the loose strands away, not breaking eye contact with you. You don’t understand what he’s trying to do but you let him be.

“I…I did not mean to hurt your feelings earlier.”

You scoff and turn away.

“If anything had happened to you, I am unsure if I would be able to forgive myself.”

That statement alone makes you snap your head back to him and he smiles at you, his eyes softening with such warmth that it makes your heart beat faster. A smile so authentic that it almost makes you forget he is a wanted criminal with a 9 million bounty.

“You…should have told me you were meeting Li Qi earlier.”

“I would have if you bothered to listen when I talk.”

You glare at him and he sighs. Conflicting emotions are swirling in his eyes.

“I had no interest in talking to you before.”

“Do you find joy in insulting my existence or what?”

You fume as you push yourself up from the ground, wanting to get away from him. Blade follows suit as he immediately puts his arms around your waist, tightening his grip which makes you gasp.

“Blade what the hell is wrong with you?!”

“It is unsafe for you to go back on your own.”

“At least I won’t have to deal with you.”

His eyebrows knit together as he looks at you concerned.

“I cannot have you get hurt again.”

“Geez I am not a baby- Blade-!”

You barely finish your sentence as he picks you up bridal style out of nowhere causing you to tightly hold onto his coat once again. You squeeze your eyes shut as dizziness takes over and bury your head into his chest. A soft chuckle escapes his lips and you can’t help but smile at how he sounds. Any happy emotion from him is foreign to you yet cute at the same time. The loud heartbeat that vibrates from his chest soothes you somehow and that metallic musky scent of his calms your senses. Despite how he drives you crazy, you wish you could remain like this for as long as possible. Not that you would ever say that out loud.

“You will be safe from the law as long as you’re with me. I will have Kafka take care of this mess.”

Despite your protests on how ‘ I want to do this the right away’ and ‘I can tell the cloud knights the truth’ he just completely ignores everything you have to say as he walks away from Stargazer Navalia with you in his arms. A small smile of amusement is plastered on his face as he pays no heed to your ramblings about the law or the consequences of his actions. He never listens to you, does he? And for once, you don’t mind it either. ⋇⋆✦⋆⋇ ©mm-lurking 2024 do not copy, steal or reuse my work.

[the-demonus-aunt]

Which of the demon brothers and dateables do you think would be into hunting you (primal/fear kink)? Could you write some headcanons or thirsts for those you feel would be into it? 💖 Thank you! 💖

CN nsft. mentions of force and violence. mentions of blood. dead doves and stuff.

Sex with Beel is almost always primal. He doesn't consider it a kink, though. Just letting loose is how you enjoy yourself, no?

And I mean, Asmo's into anything really, especially if it turns you on.

Satan isn't into it - it reminds him too much of his sin.

Mammon will do it if you're into it, but honestly, it weirds him out a bit.

Diavolo has a dark side, so he might just enjoy some nice hunting trips.

Barbatos isn't particularly interested, but he will absolutely try it for you.

Solomon has tried it all. This one's not for him.

Some of them, however...some of them....

Belphie? A little bitch for humiliation and fear.

He's towering over you, bloodlust shimmering in his eyes. Frankly, he's too sleepy to hunt, but he'll keep his eyes open when he smells fear.

And the juiciest feeling of horror is pooling between your legs right now. If only he knew how much you craved this. Or did he...?

"Lowly little human. So small. So fragile. All the things I could do to you..." He slowly grabbed your wrist and dragged his teeth along the soft side of your underarm. The marks he left were a warning. A promise.

You whimper as he reaches that soft spot right before your hand and bites down hard until metal fills his greedy mouth. Belphie moans. "I'll devour you, sweet thing."

When he lifts his gaze back up to you, you hardly recognise the demon anymore. The eclipse that has taken over his irises is enough to send chills down your spine and a wet trail down your leg.

Levi, I think, doesn't have it in him to hunt, when it comes to you. But...

When the otaku told you about his kink, you felt that too familiar tingle. When he clarified, it was first replaced with confusion: He...wanted you...to hunt him?

If you're honest, you're usually rather submissive. And now you are supposed to take him?

When it finally happens, all doubts are abandoned. Replaced by the exhilarating feeling of his struggling limbs beneath you and the way his eyes widen until there's more white than orange.

As you ruthlessly sink down onto him, violently bopping up and down, dropping the lewdest, most uncontrolled noises, you can feel him twitch inside you.

This was it. You got him and now you're making him yours. Oh, the way he feels so deep inside you as you let loose. Oh, how his whimpers make you chase high after high.

I believe in Simeon's corruption kink more than I have ever believed in Jesus so...

"Did you think I'd be gentle, MC? Did you think I'd show mercy?" A cold, dead laugh falls out of the angel's mouth, as he pants from the hunt.

He's holding you down on the forest ground and already forcing himself into you. Pain and pleasure mix deliciously as he presses on, while you're still trying to gasp for air.

Oh how you had run and run and he still got you effortlessly. "How do I feel? Am I too much for you? Good." Simeon grunts.

"J- just right," you sigh as you welcome him in again and again.

"Is that so? Have I not been brutal enough, hm? I'll fix that right away." And just a second later, you drown in pain and love and terror.

Honestly? Being hunted by Lucifer is probably a bit like playing Slenderman.

You're not running. You're hiding, moving slowly in the dark. Never staying in one place too long, never neglecting to stay silent and sharp.

You'll fuck Mammon up so bad if you get out of this alive. Blaming you for his nonsense bc "he won't punish YOU". Yeah right. Now here you were, adrenaline making your veins feel rough and raw.

"Did you think, you could hide, love?" He has you pinned against a tree before you can react.

Your sobbing is only making him harder and he doesn't pause to fully undress you or himself before he slams into you, holding you against the tree bark.

It takes you two thrusts to melt into him, two more to grab his hips and urge him to go even harder.

"Fuck, love. Take me like the good girl you are. Yes, like that."

And between your clit rubbing against the clammy tree and his dick hitting that one spot over and over again and between his hands grabbing you harshly and his body warming yours, you fall apart.

[laxmiree]

[CN] MLQC’s Lucien - Entangling Date - English Translation

⚠️ SPOILER ALERT!! ⚠️

This post contains a detailed spoiler for a date that has not been released in EN yet! Feel free to notify me if there are any mistakes in the translation~

[Warning]: The content of this date is currently the most explicit compared to other SSR dates and may not be suitable for individuals under the age of 17 (CN server). It is recommended that those who do not meet this age requirement refrain from proceeding beyond this point.

// ⚠️ cw v*re-ish theme, (not heavy) blood, dubious consent, (magic) bondage, strangulation you'll never guess who. Please proceed with caution if you are sensitive to these topics

[Translation Notes]

In here, both MC and Lucien are Snake Demons (蛇妖). Demons (妖 yāo) – (which is sometimes left untranslated as “Yao” or alternatively translated as Monsters) are born when an animal, plant, or even an inanimate object absorbs spiritual energy over a long period and then gains spiritual awareness. They're not necessarily evil and are different from 魔 (Mó)/Evil Spirits. Still, their identity as such beings in this AU is important to remember because it means that both MC and Lucien are indifferent to human standards of morality.

Also in this date, there's a concept of cultivation or "修炼" (xiūliàn), which is a central concept in many Chinese fantasy genres, particularly in xianxia (仙侠) literature. It involves the practice of refining one's body, mind, and spirit to achieve higher levels of power, enlightenment, or immortality. As for other terms… I'll add T/N if there are more specific terms ahah-

And, let me explain a bit about the v*re theme... So, in some Chinese fantasy literature and cultivation stories, consuming others can be a method of cultivation. This practice might involve eating parts of these beings to gain their powers or absorb their essence, which is believed to advance their cultivation level. Although I’m also kind of convinced with what Chuverall said that ‘hunger’ here is a metaphor for another kind of desire or Lucien just genuinely confuses lust with hunger😂

[Pre-evolve call - Wandering Ballpoint pen]

[Subbed Video]

I highly recommend watching the subbed video! I SWEAR I never heard him moan and pant so much on one date or heck, even in ASMR.

In case YouTube decides the date is too explicit, I also upload it on Twitter.

Also, to avoid the video getting deleted by youtube, I age-restricted it u.u

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[Transcript Ver]

—[Part 1]—

I'm starving.

I swallow a pile of random 'food' expressionlessly, yet the intense emptiness and hunger are not satisfied in the slightest.

Immense power courses through my body, but it seems as if it is confined within an earthen jar, desperately trying to find an outlet, yet unable to find a way out.

I am well aware that, after four hundred years, I have once again encountered the opportunity to break through the Primordial Spirit stage.

Back then, I devoured the crocodile demon that had occupied the deep pool for hundreds of years, and only after digesting its entire Primordial Spirit did I successfully achieve the breakthrough.

[T/N: Primordial spirit or 元神 (yuán shén) is typically regarded as a higher, more refined level of consciousness or spiritual essence within a being. If cultivated enough, a primordial spirit can gain some consciousness and you can project yourself outward (important for the later part ;)]

[T/N: A breakthrough in cultivation refers to a significant leap in spiritual or martial progress, often leading to enhanced abilities or a higher level of power. It can happen several times.]

I feel the surge of power within me, and now I only crave for more.

Half a country's worth of humans is probably not enough. I still need to find a way to concentrate on cultivation, or perhaps consume another powerful being.

The harsh, blazing sunlight pierces through the cave entrance, casting a bright circle inside the cave.

I squint my eyes, lazily stretching my snake tail towards the patch of light.

The cautious tip of my snake tail ventures only an inch into the light but is instantly pierced by the scorching heat, causing it to shudder and quickly recoil back into the shadows.

MC: …So hot.

MC: I'll think about it later.

The chilly and damp stone cave dispels the scorching heat of the sun. I close my eyes and adjust my position for greater comfort, half my body submerged in the pool water.

There's no need to rush. After all, this scorching summer heat that could kill a demon is a mysterious demon-slaying technique in itself.

??: …

Suddenly, I sense something entering my cave.

It's just that the little creature's demonic power is too weak to stir even a sliver of my interest.

Perhaps because of my indifference, "it" seems to be growing bolder, venturing closer and even approaching my pool.

Slightly displeased, I open my eyes, only to meet with a pair of unfamiliar eyes—deep and brimming with smiles.

??: So hot. May I borrow a corner of your abode, My Lord?

The man's clothes hang loosely on his frame, barely concealing his broad, sculpted chest in a manner that seems almost deliberate as he leans casually against a nearby rock.

[T/N: The use of 欲盖弥彰 😂 This idiom literally means "trying to cover up but only making it more obvious." This implies that his attempt to ‘dress modestly’ is actually drawing more attention to his physique and carrying a subtle hint of deliberate seduction LOL]

Who is he?

Countless lesser monsters inhabit this mountain, and I never pay attention to those I can crush with half a finger.

But perhaps it's because I'm so bored, or perhaps because he carries the scent of my own kind, that I can't help but stare at him for a long while.

Lucien: My Lord, my name is Lucien.

Perhaps sensing the reason for my silence, he smiles gracefully and bows his head respectfully.

Lucien: I have been living in this mountain for many years, always relying on your protection, My Lord.

Lucien: I have expressed my gratitude to you many times before, My Lord, but it seems...

He pauses, his deep and bright eyes settling on me.

Lucien: ...those sentiments have not reached you.

Hearing him say this, I try to recall the countless memories I've accumulated over the years on this mountain, but I can't possibly remember the face of every insignificant lesser demon.

Seeing that I still show no reaction, the lesser demon's face seems to stiffen for a brief moment.

But a seductive curve quickly forms on his lips as he steps into the pool.

His body bends gracefully in the pool as water laps over his waist and abdomen, leaving him glistening wet.

He extends his arms into the pool, seemingly sensing and finding my tail as if guided by instinct.

His cold fingertips gently caress my scales, then encircle my tail and draw it towards his chest.

Water droplets run down his hair, trace the contours of his jaw and cascade onto his chest, mingling with the water dripping from the tip of my tail. Together, they seep through his semi-transparent garment, disappearing into the curve of his waist.

The uncomfortable warmth faintly spread over me, yet his audacious behavior piqued my curiosity. I wonder what intriguing actions this lesser demon can do.

But my somewhat arrogant and silent scrutiny doesn't seem to instill any fear in him.

He nuzzles my snake tail with his face, his lips gently pressing against my scales. After a moment of delicate caressing, he—

Suddenly bites down hard.

MC: …!

A tingling numbness quickly spreads from the tip of my tail. The venom is manageable, and it will take me less than a moment to neutralize it.

Yet, in that fleeting moment, a particularly hazy, green-colored figure forms in my mind.

MC: Are you that little green snake who bit my tail decades ago and then fainted?

—[Part 2]—

=Flashback start=

One autumn many years ago, the sunlight was still pleasant, and I was coiled idly in the mountain, feeling bored to death.

The autumn light stretches endlessly, the entire forest suffused with a lingering pleasant fragrance that makes me coil my body even more lazily.

My demonic aura permeates the entire mountain, utterly unrestrained. The lesser demons cower in corners, none foolish enough to dare disturb my tranquility.

Suddenly, a burst of very weak stings prickled the tip of my tail.

Puzzled, I lifted my tail, only to find a small green snake clinging to it.

It must have tried to feed on my energy but was overwhelmed by the backlash of my demonic power. The little snake has already fainted, but its tiny fangs are still tightly embedded in me.

It's natural for creatures to have a predatory instinct, but such a bold and greedy little thing might eventually develop even greater desires.

I observed it for a few more moments with interest before casually tossing it away.

=Flashback ends=

That blurry green shape in the daylight unexpectedly coalesces into the face of the person standing before me.

Turns out it really transformed into a demonic form.

My tail instantly coils around his entire body, tightening around his neck, and pulls him towards me.

MC: What did you say your name was?

Lucien: [his sexy gasps and breathless voice?#(#+-$(asdfghjkl] My Lord, my name is Lucien.

The venomous fangs in his mouth remain unretracted as if deliberately left exposed to provoke.

I grip his upper jaw, my fingertips sliding into his parted lips, caressing the delicate tips of his fangs.

As I gradually apply pressure, a pale yellow liquid slowly trickles down my fingertips.

A fascination stirs within my heart, and I drive the venom to flow uncontrollably until it overflows my palm.

The labored breath escaping his lips doesn't bring even a hint of fear to the face before me. Those eyes, like mysterious deep pools, draw me in completely.

MC: I remember you.

I lick the venom on my fingertips and then lightly lean toward his lips.

MC: Perhaps devouring you wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Lucien: [x2!] It would be my honor to become a part of you, My Lord.

Venom from his fangs spills to the corner of his lips, adding an inexplicable allure to his serene expression.

Lucien: [X3!!] However... to you, my lord, my demonic power is very weak. Even after appearing before you many times, I never caught your attention.

Lucien: [X4!!!] I'm afraid I can't help you achieve your breakthrough, my lord.

[T/N: Throughout this date, he used a "您" (nín) to address MC instead of the usual “你” (nǐ), which is the formal and polite way to say "you" in Chinese. It is used to show respect, deference, and admiration to the person being addressed.]

His face even bears a hint of hidden bitterness, as if silently reproaching me.

MC: How did you know I wanted to breakthrough?

Lucien: Because in my eyes... all I see is your figure.

Lucien: In the corners you never noticed, I've always been watching you.

Through those deep and unfathomable eyes, I see a reflection of a slender white figure, and her face is filled with disdain and inexplicable emotion.

Lucien: You've protected this place for many years, providing us with a safe haven. So, I also wish to contribute my humble efforts to your cause.

Lucien: I have found a group of remarkable humans who might be able to help you break through your cultivation, My Lord.

Half a country wouldn't even suffice.

I form this sentence in my mind but don't say it out loud.

Facing my silence, he gently smiles, as if he had expected it.

Lucien: What do you think, My Lord... about the 361 demon-slaying cultivators of the Qingping Sect, including the Sect Leader—what should be done with them?

His hushed whispers are carried on a breathy exhale and reach my lips. Sinking into the depths of his dark eyes, I curl my lips into a smile.

MC: Is there more to this than meets the eye?

Lucien: In the past two years, many demon hunters from this sect have repeatedly disturbed the peace in the mountain, and many lesser demons have fallen at their hands.

Lucien: My Lord, you have cast spells in this mountain, clearly not wishing to be disturbed. I merely volunteered to ease your worries.

MC: But those bugs always manage to get in, do you know why?

Lucien: A sophisticated formation like yours, My Lord, is naturally beyond the comprehension of a lowly demon like myself.

Lucien: The Qingping Sect is also a great sect with a hundred years of history; [chuckles] Perhaps there are some mysterious and powerful humans there.

Lucien smiles modestly and looks at me obediently.

I close my eyes, pondering his words over and over.

The Qingping Sect people have been coming to the mountain to hunt demons in summer and winter for the past few years. They must have observed my movements.

When I'm dormant, I'm usually too lazy to bother with such trivial matters. But if it's delivered to my doorstep, there's certainly no reason to refuse.

But with Lucien's cultivation level, it should be very difficult for him to handle such a large sect.

I think for a moment, then fling him away.

MC: So, in a place where the talented and powerful people hide, how are you going to offer them to me?

Lucien: I'm just using a few little tricks. You can inspect it now, My Lord.

His words barely leave his lips when the scene before me abruptly blurs. In a flash, I conceal my demonic form.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

An unfamiliar Taoist temple comes into view. We are already standing in the shadows of a corner.

I glance around, slightly raise my fingertips, and strangle Lucien's neck.

MC: Lucien, I don't like being controlled by anything else.

[T/N: MC actually called him 小许 (Xiao Xu) here which can be translated into ‘Little Lu' but that sounds odd in EN-]

Lucien: [gasping for breath and hoarsely says-] Perhaps… I was just too eager, hoping I could be of some help to you.

Lucien: [still with his hoarse voice-] I really long to see you happy.

His eyes curve into a gentle arc, showing a certain beauty that is both pleasing to the eye and delightful to the heart.

I let out a cold snort, dismissing him, and step out of the shadows, releasing my hold on his neck.

The scorching sun beats down mercilessly, making me irritable. Just as I'm about to turn around and warn that little creature to make it quick, I sense an unusually strange and mysterious Qi in the air.

In the shadows, Lucien stands still, his deep, dark eyes hiding a gleam.

Interesting.

A spark of interest ignites within me, and I swagger down the road.

Several demon hunters who look quite delicious pass by me. They appear numb, like puppets, and show no sign of panic in my presence.

??: Ah, it's Mr. Lucien!

Suddenly, a young Daoist Priest seems to regain his senses and runs towards me.

Lucien, who is already standing beside me, responds gently.

Lucien: Greetings, Daoist Priest.

Lucien's eyes shimmer with an emerald green light. As his voice trails off, several nearby demon hunters eagerly gather around, engaging him in conversation.

MC: "Do they know you?"

I glance at Lucien and use a spell to transmit the words directly into his mind.

But he merely smiles faintly, and under the gaze of those empty eyes, he leans down and whispers in my ear.

Lucien: [whispers] Some things are easier to erode from within.

Lucien: After all... I'm just a little green snake.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Part 3]—

Abundant power surges within me. After absorbing and dissolving the last remnants of the primordial spirit, I open my eyes, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

While there's still a long way to go before my primordial spirit breaks through, I won't force it.

The blazing sun overhead reminds me of the day I parted ways with Lucien, leaving me to wonder how many days and nights have slipped by since.

The vastness of time has long since lost its meaning for me.

=Flashback start=

MC: Some of these are for you.

Lucien: …?

Upon hearing my words, he seemed to freeze for a moment, his eyes darkening slightly.

Lucien: If I wanted to keep it all for myself, I wouldn't have invited you, My Lord. All of this is my offering…

MC: You're so long-winded.

MC: Rewards are given for merit; take it if it's given to you. Those are my rules.

I was too lazy to listen to his long-winded speech, so I stood on the steps and looked down at him.

MC: Lucien, I have only one question for you right now.

MC: Aren't you hungry?

Lucien: ….

He stood in my shadow, deeply gazing up at me.

After a long pause, he curled his lips into a bewitching smile, his gaze locked intently on me. He extended his tongue, lightly licking his lips.

Lucien: [the long licking noises!??+$+*+$+] Very hungry, my lord.

=Flashback end=

I stand up and stretch, ready to take a stroll in the mountain and see how Lucien's cultivation is progressing.

He's very clever. In just a few decades, he's not only cultivated into a demon form but also amassed considerable power and even dealt with the entire Qingping Sect.

Perhaps in a few more decades, he could be the final piece I need for my breakthrough.

Just as I am about to leave the cave, I sense an extremely familiar pheromone nearby.

Its owner is cleverly masking their scent within my demonic aura, but it seems they're struggling to maintain the disguise, and faint traces are still leaking through.

I raise my head to gaze at the colossal Buddha statue before me, and then with a swift movement, I stand atop the entwining vines that encircle it. A quick glance reveals a familiar figure—

sexy bgm playing

Lucien: ...!

His dark green outer robe has slipped down to his arms, revealing a large expanse of his back. The slanting rays of the sun illuminate the faint snake scales on his skin.

Gold dust spills from the cracks in the Buddha statue, scattering around him. One of his hands, unable to contain the surging power, has fully transformed into its demonic form.

His broad and supple snake tail is fully exposed, writhing restlessly against the stone statue, creating a subtle rustling sound as it rubs against the surface.

Fine beads of sweat emerge on his forehead, gradually dampening his hair, which clings stickily to his flushed skin and trails downwards.

Lucien seems surprised by my arrival, turning around with a guarded look, his fingers reaching for his shoulder as if wanting to cover up more.

Lucien: [panting as if he's in a freaking heat] My Lord, how could you...?

MC: Lucien, you're really good at finding places, aren't you?

I examine the area around the Buddha's Hand. Lush bushes cover most of the cave entrance, providing him with ample shelter along with my demonic aura.

A small white snake then slithered into the opening of his clothing, making its way up to his face.

[T/N: Remember what I mentioned about how powerful cultivators can project themselves outward—so this white snake is indeed MC but she has projected her soul outward]

Lucien: [x2] I'm fortunate to have your protection.

He pants lightly, his eyes never leaving even for a moment, fixed firmly on my figure.

Lucien: I understand that you needed to focus on your cultivation and didn't want to be disturbed.

Lucien: [while slightly panting] But I haven't experienced many breakthroughs before. I need to focus all my energy on refining my spirit. Last time, I almost got eaten by other lesser demons…

Lucien: [with more panting and huskier voice] Being by your side, My Lord, I feel more at ease and can also help guard against potential dangers for you.

His husky voice sends tingling sensations through me, making me inexplicably feel a bit hungry.

Lucien: [man literally panting with each sentence?!$+($+$asdjfjdkd] I just didn't expect you to be so powerful, absorbing so many spirits in such a short time…

He furrows his brow in what seems like frustration, which looks a bit cute.

MC: Those are still far from enough, but your breakthrough speed is also faster than I thought.

Lucien: [still with the sus panting as if in heat] It's all… thanks to you, My Lord.

He forces a weak smile, seemingly still struggling to suppress the surging power within him.

I know that feeling, the unbearable heat from the inside out, the frantic surge of Qi sweeping through the body again and again, as the soul drifts between fullness and emptiness.

I've always been on my own, so it's quite interesting to witness someone else going through this for the first time.

Lucien's fingertips continue to tighten, revealing an attractive white color.

He seems to be waiting there, waiting for me to disappear. But I don't.

I wiggle my fingers, and the little white snake glides along his burning skin. Every inch closer elicits a heavier, instinctive gasp from the depths of his throat.

The increasingly prominent snake scales seem to be burning, and his long tail coils around the Buddha's hand over and over while continuously trembling.

MC: Is it hard to bear?

He knows she's laughing.

Through his hazy gaze, he sees the girl perched on a nearby branch, like a wisp of delicate white gauze, overlooking him completely.

He can feel the cold little snake mischievously exploring all over his body as if her fingertips were stroking him.

This makes him feel even more messed up.

The power surges within him, more violently than he anticipated, and it's taking longer than expected.

He overestimated her greed, and at the same time, underestimated his own.

A tremendous sense of emptiness drowns him in an instant, magnified infinitely under her wicked gaze.

At that moment, it's as if he forgets everything.

He instinctively follows that surge of intense force, returning to a darker place, where he finds some form of primitiveness and liberation.

A surge of heat courses through him from his chest to his lower body, carrying him from the heights of the clouds to the mist below.

He is obviously filled with a momentary sense of satisfaction, yet a greater emptiness is born. Amidst the lingering white mist, her eyes always remain clear.

Bright, vile, and charming.

As if shining into his greedy soul, allowing him to see the reflection of his face so clearly.

Lucien: [breathing heavily after some kind of ‘release’...but obviously haven't ‘satisfied’ yet-] ….

Suddenly, I see Lucien smile.

He leans against the Buddha's palm, his entire body sprawled out and clothes in a mess. It's as if he's completely submerged in water.

The tense snake's tail trembles as it lifts, gently and intimately coiling around my wrist.

People say snake demons are masters of seduction, but perhaps they are not even one ten-thousandth as good as the person before me.

Lucien: [panting, whispers hoarsely] Teach me... My Lord.

MC: Aren't you afraid that I'll really eat you?

I laugh and tease him. The moment my toes touch the Buddha's hand, a scorching hot snake's tail wraps tightly around my waist, coiling down to one of my ankles.

With a gentle tug, he pulls me into an even hotter embrace.

Lucien: [moans and pants as he whispers hoarsely] Then just eat me.

Lucien: [x2] From the very beginning, I didn't mind becoming one with you, My Lord.

His breath is hot, and so is his gaze. This kind of temperature, which usually makes me uncomfortable, fills me with some kind of pleasure now.

I gently caress his chest, feeling the surge of Qi within him, and can't help but smile even wider.

MC: If you want to be eaten by me... you're still too weak.

Infusing my power into my palm, I gather his power into one place.

At this moment, I realize that I might have left Lucien with too much force. It's no wonder he hasn't fully absorbed such a massive force. It's also fortunate that he has exceptional abilities.

If he were an ordinary demon, his meridians would have ruptured long ago.

[T/N: Meridians (经脉) are the channels through which Qi/vital energy flows in the body, if it ruptures it can lead to death]

MC: Luckily, you've been able to hold on until now.

MC: But... you still need to work harder.

I push my palm forward, dismantling that power and sending it into his primordial spirit.

I feel myself being hugged tightly, his whole body trembling uncontrollably. His snake fangs bite hard into my shoulder and release his venom with a force that feels like a torrent.

The venom he secreted is like sweet honey, devoid of any threat.

When he raises his head again, I see that his deep eyes have become even brighter, as if they have swallowed a thousand surging tides.

MC: How do you feel?

Lucien: [x3] My lord... your body is so cold and feels so good.

His tail coils tighter around me, and his scorching breath falls on my neck.

He seems to have coiled his entire body around me, enveloping me in his center.

Lucien: [x4] You... are very beautiful.

His wet tongue slides again and again across my throat and neck. I feel like his whole body is exuding a delicious scent.

I'm so hungry.

I can't resist the urge to bite his lips. His strong essence is absorbed into my body through our intertwined lips and tongues.

Lucien doesn't resist at all and just hugs me tightly as if devoutly offering his entire being to me.

In an instant, I push him away, meeting his gaze, which seems to hold an air of expectation.

Lucien: [gasping weakly] Are you not going to eat me anymore?

He looks a bit tired, but his lips still rest against mine, like the instinctive nuzzling of an animal.

I don't respond to him, only glancing at him for a moment before covering his captivating eyes with my hand.

MC: Go to sleep.

Just a little longer. If I wait a bit more, he'll be even more delicious, and it'll help me break through even further.

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

[T/N: Fun fact: In real life, snakes intertwine their tails and bite each other when they mate. Why do I mention this? Well you'll see :)]

✂— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

—[Part 4]—

Over a month later, on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month, the evening breeze brings a chill. I stretch and head down the mountain, holding up my skirt as I walk.

I quite enjoy human festivals. Every year, during these times, the lively and interesting rituals make this frail race seem a bit more endearing.

Bathed in the soft glow, a familiar figure dressed in green appears in my sight.

Lucien: My Lord, it seems quite lively down there. Is that the human "temple fair" they speak of?

MC: You've been in human form for decades, and you know quite a few demon hunters from the Qingping Sect. Haven't you ever been to a temple fair?

Lucien: I'm just a lowly demon, so I wouldn't dare.

Lucien: But if I go with you, I'm sure I'll be able to experience some of the fun.

MC: [smiles softly] Are you a fool?

With a grand sweep of my hand, I lead him into the warm and dazzling sea of lights.

I turn to face him, a smile playing on my lips as I tilt my chin up in a challenge.

MC: Since you're already a demon, you can afford to be even more bolder sometimes.

His pupils dilate sharply. The gently swaying lanterns cast a soft, flickering light as Lucien gazes deeply into my eyes. Then, in a surprising turn, he reaches out and takes my hand in his.

Lucien: I will certainly heed your teachings, My Lord.

We make our way through the bustling crowd. Though Lucien seems a little curious about everything around him, he still walks steadily by my side.

Suddenly, he stops in his tracks.

I turn back to see him carefully wiping a jade bracelet on one of the stalls.

The bracelet is a vibrant green throughout, its color rich and translucent, with a subtle, warm glow. At a glance, it's clearly a piece of exquisite jade.

I don't know why, but that captivating shade of green reminds me of his original appearance.

He quickly pays for it, and amidst the vibrant spectacle of festive lights, gently places the bracelet on my wrist.

MC: What are you doing?

Lucien: I saw that other humans seem to do this. Do you like it?

In that fleeting moment, he seems to be imbued with the essence of the human world. His eyes curve into gentle crescents as he smiles tenderly.

In the vast and endless expanse of time, I can no longer remember if the last person who smiled at me like this was also so soul-stirring.

Perhaps, there has never been such a person before.

MC: Though I can't say whether I like it or not...

MC: But you seem to have become even more delicious.

Lucien seems to smile even more happily. For some reason, I think I see the same emotion of mine reflected in his eyes.

But that's probably just my imagination. Despite his greed, he's ultimately just a weak lesser demon.

As we stroll along, the distant voice of a storyteller drifts towards us.

Storyteller: “Continuing from where we left off, the battle between the thousand-year-old white snake demon of Baihua Mountain and the crocodile demon has been at a standstill for a full hundred days…”

Groups of young boys and girls walk together, their faces flushed with shy smiles. An elderly woman calls out, advertising her steaming hot meat buns. Red firecrackers explode, welcoming a bride from some unknown family.

The festive atmosphere surrounds us. Perhaps influenced by the surroundings, I hear Lucien's curious voice.

Lucien: My Lord, are you also interested in human love?

MC: That's the most impermanent thing in this world.

I take a bite of the candied hawthorn he's holding and gaze at the ordinary faces around us.

MC: It might be interesting, but as demons, we live for far too long. So long that...

MC: Such fragile things can't nourish our parched and greedy souls.

MC: But if you're interested, you could always find a human and experience it a little.

I smile and playfully bop his nose.

MC: [teasingly] But be careful, don't let any bad woman trick you, Lucien.

Lucien: You worry too much. I have no interest in those.

Lucien: Because I've already encountered and tasted something far more delectable.

His dark inky eyes hold my reflection captive, as if drawing me into their hidden depths.

Lucien: Lord MC has taught me everything I wanted to know…

Lucien: As one of the same kind.

Later, Lucien takes the initiative to show me around several places. After we've explored the town extensively, fireworks illuminate the deep night sky.

Lucien: Do you know where we can enjoy the most beautiful fireworks?

MC: You've asked the right demon.

With a flick of my finger, I whisk him away to an ancient pagoda that's been sealed for many years.

The airtight walls keep the interior pitch black. The air is filled with the scent of sandalwood, and the faint sound of fireworks echoes like distant bells.

Lucien: It seems... we can't see any fireworks here.

MC: Just wait.

I turn my palm, and in the blink of an eye, the surrounding stone walls suddenly become transparent, as if they were never there.

I pull Lucien to sit at the center of the circular platform. Suddenly, a profusion of vibrant fireworks bursts forth all around us, their carefree beauty so close as if within reach.

The vibrant colors of the fireworks paint Lucien's figure, layer upon layer. For the first time, someone is here with me to enjoy the fireworks, and my heart can't help but fill with a touch of joy.

MC: Humans are so rigid. They think a tranquil place can't also be lively. What a waste of a good spot.

MC: Might as well let these Buddhas enjoy the show too.

Lucien: [softly] Indeed… incredibly beautiful.

As he speaks, it's hard to tell if his eyes are fixed on me or the fireworks behind me.

But beautiful scenery is always fleeting. Soon, the fireworks display comes to an end.

And as I try to stand up, I suddenly realize that I can't move.

Just as I'm about to summon my power, a piercing pain shoots through my entire body. It feels as though some invisible ropes in the air are binding me in place.

While I'm still puzzled, I hear Lucien's surprised voice—

Lucien: ...I didn't expect it to succeed on the first try.

I lift my head, and our gazes collide. His eyes are full of smiles.

His index and middle fingers pressed together, their tips shimmering with a faint light as he swiftly forms an intricate seal in the air.

The instant I see the strikingly familiar gesture, my eyes widen in shock.

MC: ...Why do you know a sealing spell used only by demon hunters?!

Lucien: Humans are rigid, thinking a tranquil place can't be lively. And you demons are just as rigid. Who says...

Lucien: ...a demon can't learn the arts of eliminating demons?

His lips form a triumphant and seductive curve as his cold fingertips caress my cheek.

Lucien: Don't worry, I know my own capabilities.

Lucien: The formation I've set up across the entire town, combined with the second layer of formation at the heart of it, will only restrain you for a short while.

Lucien: [whispers] However, this short time will be enough.

His voice softly weaves into my ears as he holds me tightly in his embrace.

MC: Those places you took me to earlier... were they all part of setting up this formation?

Lucien: That was merely just a test.

Lucien: [chuckles] It was you who said, I could be a bit bolder.

His delicate breath steadily brushes against my neck, making me feel lightheaded that maintaining my human form takes almost all of my strength.

MC: This… this is a Qingping Sect ancient text... You couldn't possibly have had the chance to…

A shockingly unbelievable thought suddenly pops into my mind. I clutch his lapel tightly, my whole body trembling.

MC: So it was you... You found the weakness in the mountain formation and led the Qingping Sect to hunt the demons.

Lucien: Yes, it was me.

All pretense vanishes from his eyes, revealing utterly raw and unbridled greed and desire.

Lucien: Those humans are so easily deceived. As long as I help them kill a few demons, they think I'm a talent worth cultivating.

Lucien: So I had the chance to plant the poison. In just over a decade, they would be completely under my control.

Lucien: And My Lord, you are my best reward.

Lucien: I finally found the opportunity to gain your trust. And with your help, I also obtained the ancient text.

[T/N: I think, her ‘help’ refers to her ‘eating’ the most Sect member which was his offering. Now that the whole sect was gone, he was able to gain access to the Sect's sacred ancient text, which allowed him to learn how to create this formation to trap her-]

His words are incredibly gentle, yet devoid of any warmth. He meticulously plans every step, taking small risks for greater gains. In the end, he uses the entire town as a formation, waiting for me to walk into the trap myself.

MC: Have you been wanting to eat me all along?

Lucien: [whispers hoarsely] I've never lied to you.

He smiles as he presses his cold lips against my brow and eyes, tenderly caressing my lips.

Lucien: [his whispers become increasingly obsessive-] I told you, from the moment you appeared in my life, in my eyes... all I see is your figure.

Lucien: [x2!] A snake wanting to eat another snake… that's normal, isn't it…?

Lucien: [x3!!] I've always, always... wanted to eat you.

*sexy bgm playing-*

Along with his voice, a slippery tail coils around the tip of my own.

As if fearing I might escape, it coils around me tightly from the start. Our scales rustle as they rub against each other, and I feel inexplicable suffocation.

Lucien lowers his gaze to look at me, his eyes filled with undisguised desire. He bares his fangs, teasingly grazing my skin before swiftly sinking them in with a sharp bite.

After a slight sting, a cold liquid is injected into the bite mark. My skin grows hotter and hotter, making the coldness even more alarming.

He probably knows that this bit of venom can't harm me, so he indulges in "tasting" me to his heart's content.

His sharp fangs expertly latch onto the easy-to-bite spots, biting down hard as if he really intends to devour me.

He leans toward me, pressing closer and closer. Our tails are already entwined inseparably; the tips of our hair and the sashes of our clothes are in complete disarray.

I can't summon any power to resist the venom's encroachment. I can only feel the burning heat spreading through my limbs and bones, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Lucien: [moaning and panting] I know I can't completely devour you yet, but it doesn't matter…

Lucien: [x2!] I will leave my mark inside your body, on every inch of your skin.

Lucien: [x3!!] Let our breaths entwine... until yours carries the essence of mine.

He bites my lip, his mouth devouring every bit of my moan and wet sounds. His tongue, laced with venom, forcefully swirls over mine, compelling me to swallow every drop.

Lucien: [hisses and groans] Until... the day I eat you.

My head is swimming, all I can feel is his snake tail coiling tighter around me, a tingling heat flowing through my body as something is being poured inside me again and again.

The feeling is too arousing, making me instinctively tighten my body, but also wrapping him even tighter.

The air is heavy with erotic scents, and the sound of our entwined scales rubbing against each other creates an ambiguous symphony of slick and moist noises, intensifying my hunger step by step.

MC: [laughs] The one who should be eaten... is you, isn't it?

MC: Given time, I will cleanse your weak poison completely.

MC: Great, you already look delicious.

Unfamiliar yet pleasurable waves surge rapidly within me, hitting me again and again, causing me to instinctively bite him back.

The cloyingly sweet blood, mixed with venom and clear bodily fluids, fills our mouths, necks, and entire bodies.

Lucien: [groans and breathlessly says] …Then let's see how this plays out.

Scalding sweat trickles down his jaw, blending into my clothes that are already soaked with sweat.

Lucien pushes deeper into me as if even the deepest part of my soul is being imbued with his essence.

Lucien: [moans and gasps] No matter the outcome… we will… become one.

———————Fin——-—————

[Lux's afterwords]

Not much analysis here, this date is pretty much just ‘fast food’ LOL. So, while his obsession towards MC definitely gets amped up in this AU, I do like how it still retains his core like his greediness, curiosity, and obsessiveness/stubbornness though 👀 and the details of them mirroring each other's desire are always so!!!

Although the ending is fairly predictable given his character, this date introduces a fresh element with its unique dynamic where the power balance shifts in favor of MC 😂 It conveys a similar dynamic of the ‘God x mortal’ trope, where the mortals yearn for the love of their God. And despite all the things he did, I really can't help but think that he really is just a hardworking yet stubborn/obsessive little snake HAHA.

His final line! I think… it's the biggest proof that he never really lied to her. His final line on this date reveals that his ultimate goal is to become one with her, whether through her eating him or vice versa, the method or outcome doesn't matter to him. Since he is much weaker than her, it's easier for him to be consumed (which is why he keeps asking her to eat him). However, in case she doesn’t want to eat him, he also has this backup plan. Whether he is to be consumed or to consume her, both scenarios require decades of deceiving humans to first gain her attention. While his methods may not be entirely honest, it is undeniable that he has worked very hard for her and it's a bit endearing🤧 or maybe it's time for me to admit that atp i'll forgive any shits he pulled *kicked*

[mlbigbang]

2023 Ladynoir Fic Rec List

It’s the end of the year which means it’s finally time for the ML Big Bang’s yearly fic rec lists! We’re really excited to bring you our contributors’ favourite fics started this year to supply you with plenty of reading material while you’re waiting for the Big Bang fics’ publication in January.

all of your flaws and all of my flaws (are laid out one by one) by @coffeebanana

Ladybug and Marinette have both been acting strangely since Monarch's defeat, and Chat Noir would give anything to know why—to be able to help them. He just…didn't expect his answers to come when Ladybug drags him to his father's statue in the middle of the night along with a bag full of spray paint.

This fic explores the aftermath of the season 5 finale and provides some badly needed hurt/comfort, lovesquare communication, and vandalism ; )

with this ring by @thelibraryloser

She thought “you and me against the world” had sounded like lopsided odds before, when she hadn’t even dreamed “you against me” was a possibility. Or maybe she had dreamed it, but at least in those dreams he’d had cold blue eyes and a stark white mask. The villain she’d fought today had looked at her through her partner’s own bright green eyes. It wasn’t meant to be this way.

It tore at my heartstrings! It deals with a unique Ladynoir 'enemies' premise in a beautiful way

Let Me Count the Ways (aka Chat Noir's List of Ladybug's New Habits) by @sariahsue

Chat Noir thought it might be a good idea to start keeping a list of all the strange things Ladybug had been doing lately. It might help him to figure out what it all meant. There was the stumbling, the stuttering, the blushing. It had appeared out of nowhere. No, that wasn't quite right. It had all started when they were dancing at the gala, when she'd been so nervous that she tripped over the perfectly flat marble floor and smashed her face into his chest.

Like Smoke from a Furnace by @wackus-bonkus-maximus

Marinette and Adrien give up their Miraculous. Ladybug and Chat Noir never meet again.

It's hard to categorize this. Is this a ship or is it gen? It's strictly Adrienette because they're married. But pre-reveal. It forks after Kwami's Choice and asks the question: How would LB cope with LB and CN never getting their miraculous back after Kwami's Choice? But the story's title seems to indicate that this is kind of a "forbidden Ladynoir" fic because it's an allusion to the potentially devastating effects of "looking back" when you shouldn't. I've read this fic like a dozen times and am completely obsessed.

telepathy by @thelibraryloser

There’s a certain amount of telepathy created after several years fighting beside someone. It’s a mix of chemistry, history, and probably a bit of actual magic, and it comes down to this: Chat Noir usually knows exactly what his Lady is thinking. So, when a bike messenger hands him a three digit number written on a piece of hospital stationary, he knows exactly what Ladybug is asking him to do. He just can’t believe it. 

soft and sweet and much ladynoir! <3

A 'Super' Guide to 'Super' Dating by @mysticraven20

When Ladybug just scrapes into the top 10 of Paris’ favourite heroes list, she asks her partner and her best friend for help. After they decide she’s not personable enough, which in result, makes her unapproachable, Marinette goes out to try and become one with the public by writing her very own dating blog. As the blog turns into an overwhelming hit, Marinette finds herself in an awkward position, once again falling for the guy she’s always longed for; a guy who has started his own search for love following her ‘Super’ guide to ‘Super’ Dating.

I just love the idea of Ladybug writing a dating column as she tries to find love in the city.

[awrkive]

hey hey!! congrats on almost 1k and 2k for cn&bl <33 here i am again obsessed w the cn&bl couple! could i please request a drabble for them! maybe something super fluffy and a dash of smut 🫣 anything along the lines of them out in public or whatevs hahah

jk and oc’s relationship a secret no more LOLZIES (jk being completely down bad and being teased but in a friendly way??) any setting and time of the day! excited for anything you come up w, tysm!! <3

summary: cnbl!oc brings cnbl!jk lunch after his bb practice

wc: 1.8k

note: no smut but its super cute ))))))))))): this ask has been in my inbox for so long im really sorrry for only getting to it now 😭 nonetheless i hope u guys enjoy

‼️FULL FIC HERE

The tuna sandwich you made two weeks ago surprisingly became a favorite of Jungkook, which you didn't see coming, because he was a good cook (he truly did prove you wrong) and you were a shit one in comparison. To be fair, making a sandwich isn't totally cooking but you still season the tuna and that was cooking in your opinion but anyway, Jungkook loved it so much he kept on asking you for it whenever he came over.

Never had anyone validated your cooking before, only Jungkook, and you couldn't lie and say it didn't boost your ego whenever he ate it almost rather enthusiastically, and then kissed you sweetly (albeit smelling like tuna) and saying thank you with that adorable smile of his.

So today, you may have accidentally made five tuna sandwiches and bought way too much Chinese food that is anything but for individual consumption. Because today, you may be going to the gym to get lunch with Jungkook on his break.

[12:30pm] You: It's your lunch break, right? Are you still practicing?

[12:32pm] Kook🐰: hi baby we finished just now it'slunch break i go to class at 2pm

[12:32pm] Kook🐰: have u eaten should we get lunch together

[12:35pm] Kook🐰: i got starbucks coupon yesterdat👺

[12:35pm] Kook🐰: yesteeday

[12:35pm] Kook🐰: yesterday

[12:35pm] You: I'm coming to the gym

Turning off your phone after that brief exchange, you tiptoed a little to spot the gym.

It was almost crazy to think that once upon a time you've never stepped a foot in there, but nowadays it has become almost like a routine, no thanks to constantly hanging out with Jungkook. And it wasn't just you going to his "thing", either, it was also him fetching you from the publication office or bringing you food there.

It's a rather big shift from keeping your relationship a secret to everyone else from… effortlessly flaunting it to everybody. But no, you wouldn't really call it flaunting. Flaunting meant you have every intention to make everyone know, but that wasn't the case for you both. Not at all. It was more of like: "They see us, then they see us. Who cares?" and personally it was hard to not care the first few weeks, especially when you would hear your name from the girls' gossips in the women's comfort room. But the talks died down eventually and finally, no one cares now about the girl Jungkook's hanging out with.

Anyhow, it was nice to not… hide anymore. Or pretend that you didn't know each other in the hallways. Jungkook liked it as much. You think.

As you reach the gym, you see Taehyung near the entrance door. It looks like he just changed out of his jersey, his fringes wet.

"Hi," you greet, waving at him.

"Oh, __, hey," Taehyung looks up from his phone to look at you then grins. "Jungkook's inside." He says, gesturing with his thumb. His eyes train to the lunch bag in your hand and the familiar plastic bag of a Chinese restaurant across the street. Wiggling his eyebrows, he teases, "Is that for him? Sweet."

You immediately roll your eyes at that. "Shut up, Tae."

Additionally, one of the big shifts in your life the past few months was finding a close friend in Jungkook's friends. Taehyung and you have been getting closer these days, enough for you to comfortably exchange sarcastic remarks about each other. Turns out, he was an extremely fun guy to be around and get this, he knows Letterboxd. How cool is that! (Though he still really holds that time you didn't show up at your coffee hang against you. He brings it up every single time and you'd have to treat him to a cafe some weeks.)

Taehyung laughs and brings his hands up, jokingly surrendering. "Kidding, kidding. He's waiting for you inside. Gotta go, though. 1pm class."

You nod. "See you around, Tae."

You thought he was gonna go scram but he looked at you one last time and said, "Don't do anything funny in there."

Heat goes through your body, settling to your cheeks. Taehyung really gets on your nerves, it makes so much sense that he was close friends with Jungkook.

"Shut up, I hate you and Hyerin deserves so much better." You say spitefully, referring to the woman he's been going on dates with recently, rolling your eyes once again as Taehyung just laughed his ass off, walking further away.

Ugh. You really wish he didn't walk in on you and Jungkook three days ago. To be fair, Jungkook forgot to lock his room (again!) when you were fooling around and Taehyung was a neanderthal who didn't know how to knock. So cue Taehyung joking about it whenever the opportunity came.

"Hey!"

You turn around to see Jungkook jogging towards you, still in his jersey with a towel hanging around his neck. Some of his team mates are also hanging around the benches. As if just having noticed you as well, they wave at you and say a chorus of "Hi"s and "What's up, __"s which you returned with a smile and a greeting back.

Jungkook greets you personally with a wet kiss on the lips.

"Hi, pretty."

"Hey, you," You greet back, swiping his bangs off his forehead. You quickly retreat. "You're so sweaty. Wipe your forehead."

Jungkook does it so. "Done." he looks down at the things you've got in your hand. "You brought me lunch?" He says, a grin plastered all over his face.

You hold your arms up with the bags. "Yeah. Chinese and tuna sandwiches. I thought we could eat here or something."

His grin only spreads wider at your words, and you can only mirror his smile. He was so smily today.

"You mean your tuna sandwiches? Fuck, I could kiss you right now. Thank you." He says enthusiastically, wrapping his arm around your waist and leading you to the bleachers.

You followed him and you settled on your usual spot where you've eaten one of your lunches before. It was quite far away from the area where the other guys were seated.

"It's nothing. I made a lot this morning because my classes got canceled." You say, unzipping the lunch bag with the sandwiches in it. You give him one and open another yourself, taking out the pack of mayo to put it in between the bread.

"Hm, fuck, these are so good. Seriously. You should start a food business." Jungkook comments, munching on the sandwich.

You chuckle. "No, what the hell. I need to have a variety in the menu if I start something. I just can't sell sandwiches."

Jungkook shrug. "Eh, it could be like a special thing. __ Sandwich Exclusive Cafe. Something like that. Or just post these online, I'll go tell my friends about it and you'll get rich in a week. I have a celebrity friend."

Your laughter becomes louder, shoulders moving up and down.

"You sound like a crypto scammer that way. You should've started with, "Are you open-minded?" and that would've sold me."

Jungkook snorts at that, grabbing another sandwich from the bag. You take a dumpling from the take-out and extended it to his mouth, which he opens to take the food you offered him.

"If dad cuts me off completely I'll be one of those crypto dudes on Twitter, so you're not totally wrong."

You both laugh at that, with you pushing him slightly on his bicep.

"Well, I'll help you scam people, then. I'll be the one commenting on your tweets and vouching for your legitimacy."

Jungkook nods, pretending like he was thinking about it. "Hm. Or I can start an OnlyFans if it fails so that I can still give you your boba everyday."

You can't help but giggle.

"You know I always appreciate your sacrifice. Maybe we can start a Pornhub channel if I couldn't get admitted to law school."

Jungkook lets out a "tsk!". "Don't say that. With the way you study, you'll be overqualified." It was his turn to give you a dumpling then, which you ate just as quickly as he offered it. Jungkook smiles as he watches you chew on it. "But if it counts, I won't be opposed to us starting a Pornhub channel."

You search through the Chinese take out bags again to find your fried rice. As you did so, you opened it, not forgetting to reply to Jungkook and looking at him as you say, "Well, I'll have to practice my porn moan for that."

And just as soon as you said that you knew he already had something dirty to utter, and he doesn't fail you.

"Maybe we can practice tonight…" He said, voice intentionally going octave deeper.

You chuckle at his predictability.

"I knew you were gonna say that."

Before he could deny how predictable he was or brag about how quick-witted he was, you heard a bunch of footsteps on the court.

"Hey, Jeon! We're going!" Says one guy, looking at you both.

Jungkook turns to look at them and shouts back, "Yeah, see you around, Mingyu!"

"__!" They call you.

When you looked at them, they nodded, ready to leave, announcing their departure so you wave at them goodbye.

When they were out of sight, you asked Jungkook, "Hey, what's that about your Starbucks coupon?"

As if remembering something, Jungkook's eyes widened a little as he takes his phone from his pocket. "Oh, yeah I got one yesterday. Here." He looked inside his phone case and took out a card.

You leaned down to study it curiously, reading the benefits of the card holder getting a $50 token.

"Ohh, that's amazing! How'd you get this? I want one too."

Jungkook let you take the card and looked at it with you. "I don't really know, the barista just gave me this after I got some latte."

Oh. Hm. Interesting. You bet it was a woman barista.

"Hmm."

Jungkook shrugs. "It's probably because I gave her the exact amount of the payment in cash. I don't know."

Her. Exactly. She was probably the same barista who always looked at Jungkook funny whenever you two came there. She had an obvious crush and you couldn't really blame her. But it was funny, that Jungkook thought it was because he gave the exact amount of payment in cash the barista decided to give him a gift card. You would think his lowkey fuckboy ways would tell him that a woman likes him, but he was so clueless sometimes. If you were honest to yourself, you'd admit it was cute.

"You can be so clueless at times, Kook." You say, patting his shoulder.

"Huh?" He looks at you with that wide eyes of his, and boy, he really doesn't suspect a thing.

You shake your head. "Nothing."

You pat his head and Jungkook squints his eyes at you. You laugh at the little exchange and Jungkook's hand extends up to hold yours up his face and you tried to pull back, giggling, thinking he was gonna do something gross like bite your hand but he only presses his mouth to your palm, holding it against his face.

You smile. Soft and gentle.

"Dinner later at my place?" Jungkook says.

You nod.

It was hard to deny someone who makes your heart go all weird when he looked at you like that.

"Sure."

all rights reserved © AWRKIVE , 2023

[sanjisblackasswife]

hiii tate :)) could i request what's the op men's love language please? (monster trio, ace, sabo and law?)

Enjoy!<3

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕚𝕣 𝕃𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕃𝕒𝕟𝕘𝕦𝕒𝕘𝕖

Love Languages: Words of Affirmation, Physical Touch, Receiving/Giving Gifts, Quality Time, Acts of Service

THIS IS SO LOOONNGGGUHHHH

Sabo, Sanji, Ace, Law, Zoro, Luffy

Blk! Fem Reader

CW: LL, Fluff, Suggestive a little(?), Established Relationships

Sanji

Probably the only man that actually shows and loves all Love Languages equally.

WoA: He will praise you until the day is gone, and even in his sleep he mutters ways of speaking so highly of you; “Y/n…my love! My sweet! My beautiful princess…” He loves moaning your name whether in bed or…y’know in bed (😉) He adores how flustered you get from his words, how everytime you change something just so slightly about yourself he notices and gives it all the attention. There isnt a moment that goes by where he isnt finding new ways to express his love for your verbally. Even with little notes he passes to you through out the day. That doesn’t stop there though he loves YOUR words more. When you tell him how much you love him, how pretty he looks, even from how great he cooks he melts in the palm of your hand.

PT: He’s a pervert for one. Of course he loves touching. Man loves PDA more than anything. But ignoring the perverted touches he does to you like while you both are sleep he creeps his hand under your shirt to squeeze your breast or his hand always “accidentally “ falling on your ass when you stand by him. He does a lot of mindless touching you, you actually became his personal stress toy, being squeezed on whether it’s your hands, thighs, or cheeks. Your skin is so soft and plushy and he loves when you do the same. He blushes so quickly when you kiss his cheek, play with his fingers and give his knuckles a kiss while you both sit together. He can’t get enough of touching you.

R/GG: His heart skips a beat when you come back from being apart to see you bring him back something that reminded you of him. Sanji always brings you back flowers, snacks you may like, an outfit, whatever because he always thinks of you and your likes and dislikes. You once bought him a lighter with his name on it on your first date, and though it is no longer in use because he used it so much he still has kept it in his pocket and from time to time he takes it out on accident and just stares at it in awe. A small reminder of the many reasons why he loves u.

QT: Sanji doesn’t really like when people are so close and “distracting” him too much from cooking. But when you stop in and ask him to try his latest dish it sparks up a new level of happiness. “W-would you mind sitting here and staying as my taste tester?” He shyly asks as an excuse for “Please stay in here with me.” Believe it or not Sanji keeps himself busy to run away from the lingering thoughts he gets when he is alone (as well as the other men). But sometimes cooking/smoking isn’t enough, but with You being there it helps immensely. More than you’ll ever know.

AoS: He loves catering to you. He loves being your little butler. Though you dont see it that way. He just loves to be needed by you. He loves that you depend on him. He loves that he can depend on you. His pride doesnt like to admit it though. Not in a “alpha male” kind of way but he never had much to depend on in his younger years up until Zeff so you definitely taught him to love and accept love when given.

Zoro

When Zoro loves he loves hard so when he expresses his LL to you it’s usually pretty intense.

PT: Though he isn’t very into PDA that doesn’t stop him from simple things like Hand holding, picking you up, or even a small gesture like fixing your hair or wiping the frosting off the corner of your lip in public. He is a touchy guy in private though. He didn’t realize it until you pointed it out when he kept rubbing his thumb on your hand while you spoke to him privately on the floor of the CN. It was embarrassing for him, but it didn’t stop him from touching you more. When you touch him back, he freezes. His cheeks get so hot you can almost feel the heat when you get up close and personal. But it’s soothing. Your touch is what relaxes him. When you massage him or simply hug him suddenly from behind. It’s a comfort he cant explain. He also loves touching you ass.

QT: Naps, eating/drinking together, going on walks that leave you both lost, you name it Zoro wants to go with you. Even just sitting in silence can have the man happy. He doesn’t care about any awkward silences. Knowing you’re in his presence is enough to want to keep having you around him. “Woman. Come here.” Damn near sounding sassy and demanding asking you to follow him back to his room to just separate each other from the chaos of the Sunny. No complaints though. Even if you want to talk about nothing he is more than willing to hear you. He loves bantering with you the most.

AoS: Zoro tries his hardest to show his love with words, but he fails most times. He just isn’t accustomed to speaking his feelings since he never did as a child. So. Just like Sanji. He loves that you depend on him. Please do he is happy to do so. When you call on him just to open a jar he loves to tease you about it too. “😏So you need a real man to—“ “JUST OPEN THE JAR!” “😒” He is there to open jars, listen to your problems, and even whoop a man’s ass if you need it. He will never complain to putting himself out there to assist you in the best way possible. It’s the same with you as well, he usually prides himself on not needing help because he’s a piece of crap, but when you come to his aid after a fight or when he needs assistance on what to wear he’s always appreciates it. Giving you a temple kiss and a small mutter of “Thank you, mama.”

Luffy

His love is so expressive you can’t ever question if his feelings for you is fake or not.

WoA: Man can make anybody blush. He’s made pretty much every person he knows flustered. It’s a gift. His sweet big smile and giggle after complimenting your skills and intellect will always leave you speechless. If Luffy had a tail he’d be wagging it everytime he heard you praise him as well as when he praises you. You’re his favorite person, and with that you will get at least 3 compliments a day. MINIMUM. Accompanied with a smile. A smile that makes you match it everytime he does it. Match his energy though and compliment him back! Who knows.. you may be one of the few people that can make Luffy blush.

PT: Touchy boy. Loves to wrap his limbs around you. Loves to smooch you. Loves PDA (doesnt even know what that is). Loves being close to you. You have officially became his personal Teddy Bear. He squeezes you alot. If youre a bigger girl you definitely will have moments in the day where he just clings onto you like a koala. You smell as good as you look to him so dont be surprised if he stays on you like an extra limb until lunch.

AoS: He will always be there for you. You’re his girlfriend but most importantly youre his friend. Youre his. And he doesnt even realize the way he expresses his love for you everyday is with how he protects you. He is very emotionally intelligent and available when youre down. He may not be the brightest but he always finds a way to pick up a solution to your problems. And it’s the same with you, when you can be there for him. It makes his stomach grow butterflies.

Ace

He doesn’t believe he is worth loving, but dammit the way he expresses HIS love is almost remarkable.

WoA: He will nickname you to DEATH. “Pretty girl”, “Babydoll”, “KoalaBear”, “Cub”, “Baby” “Babe”, “Sunshine”, “Dollface” the list goes on. Even some nicknames are pure inside jokes. He loves to also hear how much you love him. Your actions do speak louder than your words, but damn he loves when he hears you say “I love you, Ace.” His whole day is completely refresh when he hears his name and “love” coming out of your mouth. He blushes like he’s a little kid again when you cup his face and tell him, punctuating with a kiss on his nose.

QT: You and him are what most people say “Inseparable “. Wherever you are, he is and wherever he is you are. It’s not even on purpose you both just love to be around each other. You both gravitated to each other the first day Ace was on board the MD. You both are always caught holding hands or you are on his back traveling. Granted he is sometimes stubborn and follows you when you have to travel alone, which gets him in trouble, but it’s worth it.

PT: Like I said you both are always hand holding. He actually developed this LL because of you. You both got closer during the winter and one night he noticed how cold you were and wrapped an arm around you. His warmth was something you grew attached to and though your sudden touches always blindsided him. He almost developed a separation anxiety because of you. Sleeping with you, eating with you, even showering with you. He wants to touch your plushy body at all times….sometimes its not always sexual. Sometimes.

AoS: You both kind of have a tit for tat relationship. You cover for him. He covers for you. You buy him food. He carries you back home. He cleans yall shared room. You massage his back when he feels sore after a fight. It’s something you both love doing for each other. He loves knowing you have his back and he has your no matter what the situation is. He calls you his mini me sometimes for how you help him out.

Law

A stoic man yet he’s so expressive towards you at the same time???

WoA: He compliments you aggressively. “You’re too fucking cute.” “Stop looking so attractive.” “You’re too smart. Stop that.” It’s….interesting to say the least. He looks at you in awe and in his mind he is malfunctioning and spazzing out on how amazing you are to him and how perfect you look even in his shirt, but his words just…well..he tries. You however arent afraid of how much you compliment him and he is embarrassed on how much he loves hearing it. When you tell him how educated he is or how much you loved his new attire he gets a little big headed and thinks about your sweet words all day even behind his frown.

QT: Another man that loves his peace. He does, but whether you actually give him that or not it doesnt matter as long as youre with him. When he invites you to stay in his office as he studies he sometimes just looks up at stares at you, you could be fast asleep on his couch or reading a book, he just likes knowing you’re close by. It almost relieves the tense feeling he have been holding in for hours.

Sabo

A revolutionary man with a revolutionary way of expressing just how much he loves you (ik that was corny)

WoA: His sly words always leave you blushing. He’s like Luffy with his praise but in a more mature manner. Pointing out the small details he loves about you so randomly it almost throws you off balance the rest of the day. “That ponytail you had on this morning made you look like you were glowing, sweetheart. I loved that look on you.” Always leaving you wanting to compliment him back, but he leaves you no time after landing a passionate kiss afterwards. He knows the effect his words have on you which is why he loves drowning you in them.

QT: Eating out, long days in the office, naps, long walks you name it. He loves being productive with you. Even if it’s to accompany him. You’re like his little sidekick. Being around you is what puts him at ease. Even if the job he is doing is boring he promises to make it up to you later that night for being so patient with him.

AoS: I mean yeah. Just like Sanji hand and foot by your side to assist you on whatever issue you have. He is the only person he wants you to come to. You’re his one and only and due to that making sure you’re, happy, safe, and sound is one of his first priorities.

[itsagrimm]

He Who Comes From Under The Water

Chapter 1 - The Promised Bride

Monster!König X she/her afab Reader

CN sexism & patriarchy, mentions of death, suicidal thoughts, accidental attempted drowning, arranged marriage, choking on water, mention of a human bodies decomposition

eventual smut.

Beta-read by @sandinthemachine and @queenquazar. Thank you both so much for supporting me with obsessing over fairy tales.

Masterlist

“So, you are a king without a queen?” The old man asked while throwing his rod back into the water. “I suppose you require a queen then, eh?”

The king, considering the old fisherman’s words, slowly nodded. “I suppose I do. But where does one get such a fine lady?” 

The water below the wooden landing was dark and dirty. Frogs croaked and fireflies danced over the green sludge and water lilies, lively and playful like the flecks of sunlight that reached the surface through the thick forest trees. A pretty scene on any other day.

Not this one.

Your tears had long stopped flowing into the water of the deep pond. Now, you sat there, your hand tangled in the water and your thoughts lost, dark and deep like the water below you.

A few days ago, your grandfather died. A kind old man who had spent the last years of his life close to the warm oven in winter and fishing in the pond in the summertime.

You remembered bedtime stories as a child with sweets sneaked into your hands. You remembered kind eyes who watched out for you as you grew from child to maiden. You remembered worry in those same eyes when your father died in the forest chopping wood, when your brothers perished in a tavern fire, your uncle and your mother succumbing to sickness, and - finally - your cousin breaking his neck after climbing a tree.

Yes, there was a lot of pain in your grandfathers’ eyes. But even more to worry.

The old man had been your last living relative, and most importantly your last male relative.

And now you as an unmarried village girl from a clearly cursed family, had no one who could inherit your family’s house and support you.

It was only time until the village would shun you and chase you away to get rid of all the bad around you.

That is if you were lucky.

You could try to make it into the city where you would live for a while as a beggar or, if you were hungry and deemed pretty enough, work as a whore.

In his last days, your grandfather tried to arrange for a husband, but no one wanted a cursed girl, and so his last words to you were to visit his favorite fishing spot.

You sighed.

Now, you sat on the same spot where your grandfather had sat, catching fish, and gazing over the water.

Maybe that’s what he had meant, you mused. It would be easier to end it all here and jump into the pond only to never return to the surface, drowning your sorrows and yourself with your grandfathers’ blessings. At least you would choose your fate with your chin proudly raised and your dignity untouched, floating into the abyss in your best billowing skirts from the funeral and no more tears left to cry.

As much as that was possible considering your situation.

“It’s a good place to leave this world,” you spoke out loud to taste how it felt on your tongue. It resonated, with the forest, the pond, with you.

“Indeed, it is.”

You twitched in surprise, heart jumping into your throat.

“Who is this?” you called over the water, glancing around for whoever lurked within the trees, hiding between the ferns.

A hand, big and wet, snatched yours from the water and pulled you in with one strong tug.

You wailed in surprise before crashing into the pond and swallowing the muddy green water, gurgling and gasping for air. Something seized you – strong and solid. Instinctually you kicked and punched it.

Was this it?

NO! 

Fighting for your life you thrashed around, struggling and trying to free yourself to get back up to the surface. But whoever had you in a hold only dragged you down, carrying you further into the dark.

Your panicked eyes widened, trying to see who attacked you, trying to see anything.

It was dark. Only the dark, green water around you.

No, no, no, no!

Your lungs heaved for air as your heart drummed painfully in your hurting chest.

A second hand twisted around your throat and over your face. Instinctually, you opened your mouth and bit down.

The hands jolted back with a howl reverberating in the water, releasing you from the deadly weight dragging you down. Hungry for air and with burning lungs you swam up with frenzied strokes, pushing through the surface. Gasping and coughing you breathed, feeding your body with much needed air.

Quickly, you glanced around. No one there. Was this someone from the village trying to get rid of you? Did you manage to drag your attacker down with you? Or was it an animal in the water?

Before you could move, something grabbed you again and lifted you a good length out above the water.

You screamed and kicked again only to have your legs and hands fixated in an iron grip.

“Hold still!” A voice commanded you, foreign and vibrating close. You struggled on, thrashing your body against the solid form behind your back, unwilling to take any chances and die here without a fight.

“I said, hold still!”  the grip around your limbs tightened, forcing you into stillness. “There, finally.”

Slowly, you turned your head. You were caught in the grip of a dark, green form, pressed against what must be its chest and stared at by sharp, watery eyes from a nearly obscured face from tangled wet hair and a beard.

Who is this? You thought to yourself, still heaving for air.

“Why are you fighting me?” the strange being said, “I’m here to take you in as my bride. Just like I have promised.”

You coughed again, a bit of swamp water and spit running down your chin, splashing onto the being’s arm.

“What?” you cried and with your head still spinning.

“What what?” The large figure snapped back, “The old man asked me to take you as my wife, yet you bite me? Is that how you want to treat your future husband? Do you want me to let you go? I have no need for an unwilling bride.”

 You blinked, your body slowing down and your mind starting to think clearly again.

“You nearly drowned me. Let me go!” you cried out as much as your abused lungs allowed.

The figure blinked and instantly dropped you.

With a loud splash you crashed back into the water.

Your body seized and your mind raced, struggling to comprehend and move your body up.

You made a few weak swimming strokes, but it wasn’t enough to move your still tired and abused body up. Water started filling your lungs again and you were about to dr-

Something grabbed you and lifted you. Again.

“Woman!” the strange being cried out in annoyance, “What are you doing?”

You coughed, swamp water from your hair dripping over your face, disorienting you further as you gasped for air.

“Wait, maiden, do you need to breathe?” the strange creature asked, “Make up your mind! I was just trying to take you home, but you don’t want that. So I did like you asked but then you started sinking like a stone back into my waters again, heaving for air!”

You shivered, “Of course I need to breathe! All humans need air, idiot! What kind of question is that?!”

The creature groaned and grumbled, “The old man forgot to mention you are a human. I thought you might be a nymph or a bigger frog lady. Well, that’s just bad luck.”

You snorted, “Oh, I am sorry that me needing air is inconvenient for you! I nearly died down there in those muddy waters!”

“Hey, those are mighty fine waters of mine, thank you very much. Besides, the second time was not my fault.”

“Your waters?” you managed.

“Who else’s waters?” the figure deadpanned as you’d asked the most obvious question, swayed, and started moving towards the landing before carefully putting you onto the planks instead of holding you like a cat holds its naughty young, “Stay. Let me take a better look at you.”

You huffed and collapsed onto the planks out of the wet arms. It wasn’t like you could run anyway with your body still shaky and weak from the near drownings. Instead, you lifted your head for a better look at the stranger as they studied you.

The strange being from the waters was built like a man, but huge and larger than the tallest man you had ever seen. And it had the face close to a man too under all that unkempt hair and beard. But its facial features were fine, much too fine for any man who could lurk in the waters, and slightly too angular and with eyes a bit too lively and sharp to belong to a human as they studied you.

“Pretty girl.” the man from the water finally grumbled, “A bit unruly but pretty. At least that the old man did not lie about it.”

You raised your eyebrows in surprise, “Thank you?”

The man shrugged, “Sorry for trying to drown you, apparently, I misunderstood your fragile physique.”

Fragile physique. He made it sound like an insult.

You took one final breath and summoned your strength to sit up to be on the same eye level as the large man from the water.

“Who are you?” you asked while trying to sort your wet skirts.

He snorted and waved slightly.

“I am König – king of all under the waters. Naturally. And you are the bride I was promised by the old fisherman a couple of days ago.”

Your eyes widened in surprise, “Do you mean my grandfather? He used to fish here.”

The man shrugged, causing little waves around his shoulders where he emerged from the pond, “Most humans all look and smell the same to me, honestly. He was old for a human, liked to share stories, and left me a bit of tobacco as offerings sometimes. Smelled of smoked fish.”

Memories of your grandfather flashed before your eyes where he sat on the bench in front of the house, smoking his pipe in the late hours of the day, watching the sun go down.

Your mouth went dry.

Had he? Did he really?

Did he, in all his misery and worry, promised your hand to a strange man from the pond – a huge and wet and cold and clearly dangerous monster.

You went stiff from the overwhelming thought of being given away like that to a stranger - to a monster.

“Well, you are a human but I’m not in the habit of breaking promises and I'm sure you would make a good enough queen,” König continued, “Unless you object of course. There is little as unhonourable as having an unwilling bride, not even the slimiest toad approves of that.”

König babbled on about waters and ponds and marriage but your head was spinning. Your grandfather arranged for you to marry an algae cover man from the pond who's idea of home nearly killed you. The painful absurdity of it made you consider jumping right back into the water.

The cold, dark and green water.

The buzzing of the summer insects and splashing of the little waves drowned everything else out, turning louder and louder and louder and-

“Maid?”

His hand touched your arm, slowly shaking you.

You jolted up only to fall back.

“Yes?” you managed while leaning back, away from the large, clawed hand.

König’s watery eyes shifted around you as if searching for the right words.

“Listen, I don’t know too much about you humans, “ König started, “but you look cold and miserable. Maybe let’s worry about that first and talk about our wedding later.”

You blinked as the realization in all its form settled in.

Marrying him?

He would drown you in this pond, your flesh rotting and being picked by the fishes until nothing but a pile of bones were left.

Your bones, your lovely bones.

No! You had felt your life slip out of your fingers, the precious air bubbles escaping your lungs bare moments ago. Your cold hands wandered around your pained body intuitively, cradling yourself and trying to protect you from the outside world. You weren’t ready to give up on this life - to give on your body - and you would keep yourself safe and alive. This was your skin, your hair and flesh and bones! Death would come to you one day but you would be damned if it came today at the bottom of a dark pond and by the hands of a man.

“Yes, you are right. I should get dry,” you managed, sensing a chance to escape.

With wobbly legs, you tried to get up only to sway and stumble down on your knees. You needed to leave this place.

König tilted his head, watching you.

You tried again; your muscles too weak to carry you.

“Dear,” König said with slight amusement in his voice, “Your will is admirable, pretty girl. But I doubt it will be enough to get you home.”

“So? Will you drag me back into the pond and finish your work?” you replied, considering the option to crawl home and far away from the water

“Why would I do that, bride?”, he chuckled before turning serious again, looking at you with those blue more than clear inhuman eyes, “I have heard it’s not customary but allow me to get you to your home before you hurt yourself. You humans take so long to heal and an injured bride during the wedding would be a nuisance.”

Fearful you tried to move again.

He watched, waiting for your answer.

You considered his words. Your home. And he clearly wanted you in one piece at least before the wedding.

“No pond?”, you asked with an oh so thin weak voice.

“No pond.” He reassured, “That’s clearly not your element, my little bride-to-be.”

Slowly, you nodded.

Carefully, as if not to spook you, he scooped you back into his arms once again and pressed you to his chest.

You felt yourself going stiff again from fear, but before you could cry out, König stepped out of the water and away from the dreaded pond.

“See, no pond,” König spoke soothingly, and you felt his voice vibrate in his chest as he moved and swayed to avoid branches while shielding you with his shoulders, “I’m keeping my promises, my little bride.”

[heysawbones]

Let's Talk about Xyrem.

Xyrem ("oral sodium oxybate" or the sodium salt of gamma-hydroxybutyrate) is used in the treatment of narcolepsy, as well as (sometimes) idiopathic hypersomnia. Even if you don't have narcolepsy or any related conditions, you may find this run-down interesting. Here's why:

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate is roofies. That's right. Date rape drug. Right here.

The drug is so tightly controlled that there is one pharmacy in all of the United States that can fill it. Doctors must be approved and participate in a special program to even prescribe it.

Nobody really knows how it works in the treatment of narcolepsy.

I was prescribed Xyrem quite some time ago - at this point, nearly a year back. It took six-plus months of insurance, doctor's office, and central pharmacy wrangling to get the drug to my door. The whole time, I wondered: what should I expect from Xyrem? How do I know if it's working? How do I know if it's not working? What's it like? Lists of side effects and contraindications are readily available online, but I couldn't find a single detailed testimonial. This bothered me.

I've been on Xyrem for about a month and a half now. Here's what I can tell you about it.

You have to wake up at night to take a drug that's meant to improve your sleep. Everybody I explained this to found it funny. The standard practice is to split your dose in two - to take one half at bed, and the other half two to four hours later. If you're on Jazz Pharmaceuticals brand Xyrem and not the generic, they send you a tiny little alarm clock with a light on it to facilitate this. I have never needed it.

It takes 3 weeks to titrate up to the "full" dose, which is also the maximum dose. From there, you can titrate back down to a lower dose if you're experiencing unpleasant side effects. I'm in the process of doing this myself.

It doesn't necessarily knock you out. From the way the drug is described, one might get the impression that the moment it kicks in, you're going to be unconscious. I didn't find this to be the case. Your mileage may vary; I don't always fall asleep at all on the first dose, but it does at least get me sleepy enough to fall asleep on the second.

You have an unusual amount of agency in how you take Xyrem. This surprised me, especially given how tightly controlled possession of this drug is. For example, I metabolize Xyrem really fast. If I take it in two doses, I will sleep a maximum of 6 hours. I take the same amount of medicine and split it into three doses instead to compensate for how fast I metabolize it. That way, I'm more likely to sleep about 8 hours. This isn't just accepted, it's encouraged. You can even take a bigger dose first and a smaller one second, or vice-versa. The only hard and fast rule is: do not go over the max dose.

If you take it with alcohol, or within 4-6 hours of alcohol, it could kill you. A lot of drugs warn you not to take them with alcohol. I cannot stress enough that if you have ignored that warning in the past: do not ignore it here. Do not. Xyrem is a powerful CNS depressant. Alcohol is a CNS depressant. It really can kill you.

It works(?) Like many drugs that act on the brain, nobody is really sure how Xyrem works. It doesn't affect the most common (known) cause of narcolepsy (a lack of orexin/hypocretin). It's theorized that the drug acts on GABA receptors in a way that "consolidates" the fragmented sleep architecture of narcolepsy.

Narcolepsy can be thought of as an autoimmune disorder of sleep architecture. The sleep architecture of a narcoleptic is irregular, both within itself and from night to night. People with narcolepsy tend to have less of the deep sleep stages than they should. Narcoleptics also have a high percentage of stage 1 (light) and REM sleep. It's theorized that excessive REM occurs because it is of poor quality/does not serve its intended function, so the brain spams REM in an attempt to compensate. A diagnostic trait of narcolepsy is the ability to enter REM within 8 minutes of falling asleep - if sleep architecture is normal, this does not occur. While not all people with narcolepsy have cataplexy, cataplexy itself is actually REM intrusion into waking life. The narcoleptic brain is that screwed up about REM. Xyrem appears to regulate shifts between sleep stages and reduce the nightly percentage of REM sleep. I used to dream nightly. Subjectively, I do not dream at all on Xyrem.

The only difference between Xyrem and Xywav is salt. A full 9g dose of Xyrem contains 1,640mg of sodium. The maximum sodium intake recommended by the American Heart Association is 2,300mg. One of the few things I saw said about Xyrem prior to taking it was that it was disgustingly salty. It is very, very salty. I don't mind it, though. I've seen it said that Xywav tastes much worse, but I can't attest to that.

Subjective experience

Xyrem comes Priority Air Mail in a sizable cardboard box. An adult with ID must be present to sign for it. The first month's prescription comes with a light-up alarm clock. This kit and all subsequent kits come with:

The medicine, in however many bottles are required

A number of syringes, marked with common doses

A number of pill bottles

You put water in the pill bottles. They tell you to put about 60ml, but as far as I can tell, this is to make the saltiness tolerable. I made a little game of this - I try to put the same amount of water in each pill bottle, gauged by nothing but sound. I've gotten pretty good at this. I have my nightly dose split 3 ways. After adding the drug to the water, I close each bottle and swirl it a bit. I don't know if this actually does anything.

Xyrem works best if you're already tired when you take it. Hilariously, I have ADHD in addition to narcolepsy. Nighttime sleepiness isn't a thing I Do naturally. Consequently, the first dose of Xyrem only puts me to sleep about half the time, and it takes a while even when it does. I know myself well enough to know that if I wait until I'm actually "sleep for the night" tired to take it, I might be up until 3 or 4 AM. Instead, I take the first dose at around 11 PM. Even if it doesn't put me to sleep, it DOES make me sleepy enough that the dose I take 2-3 hours later will definitely work.

I was very careful to set alarms the first week or so of taking Xyrem, but I've never needed them. For reasons that are unclear to me, I always wake up when Xyrem is fully metabolized. Without more Xyrem, there is no urge to go back to sleep. When I've run out of doses for the night, I'm up for the rest of the day. There's no napping.

Some people have pretty nasty side effects with Xyrem. Headache and nausea are the most common. I had both of those, once each. The headache lasted all day but was otherwise unremarkable; the nausea was genuinely awful. The only persistent side effect I have, is tremors.

While I was waiting for Xyrem, my sleep specialist put me on Adderall. Nobody would prescribe this for ADHD, but you'll do it for narcolepsy? Sure, whatever I'll take it. I mention this because I thought it was possible that Adderall was causing tremors. I ran a little experiment: I took Xyrem but no Adderall one day and still had tremors. I took Adderall, but no Xyrem the night before, and the tremors subsided. It's definitely the Xyrem. While this is a known possible side effect, I can't find any information on how or why Xyrem, a CNS depressant, would cause something that seems very much the opposite of a depressed central nervous system. I am currently titrating back down from the max dose in an attempt to see if a lower dose will mitigate the tremors. If that doesn't work, I'm not... entirely sure what to do. Xyrem is a weird drug. It's strange not to dream at all; it's strange to wake up twice a night and still get better sleep than I ever have. Executive function has improved considerably, given that both neurological issues that cause executive dysfunction are being treated. Still: the tremors are, I will not lie, distressing. Not as bad as they were on Wellbutrin, which I was forced to discontinue! But - disruptive and distressing, nonetheless. I'm hoping that the tremors will stop eventually, or that dose adjustment will help.

Overall: would recommend if you have narcolepsy. You wouldn't think that a drug that obligates you to wake up multiple times a night could improve your sleep! Well, bucko, if your sleep architecture is already so disordered that you have narcolepsy: it can.

[xhikatsu]

Topaz's Awareness

I feel like people don’t give Topaz enough credit on how aware she is about her surrounding… It is easy to think she just blindly believes the IPC is good, or that Jade means well based on what she states. But there’s some nuances that shows her thinking is far more complex than that.

For example, just in her character stories alone, she goes against IPC rules in what she doesn’t believe in. This is shown through her rebellious behavior of purposely failing the business formality exam, or going around the rule regarding pets.

She didn’t agree and found it won’t harm her if she didn’t listen exactly to those rules according to her contract. She also tries to beef up her reasoning by proving it won’t hinder her capabilities to get her job done, making it harder to question her “exclusion” to said rules.

In a way, despite being stuck in a lifelong contract, she seems to try and go around the system as much as possible to operate the way she believes instead of blindly following the rules set.

For someone who was molded at a young age, you would think she wouldn’t be this rebellious. Especially if she truly did think that the IPC is ultimately good (added: which she actually has never out rightly stated). It’s more like she believes you can do good in the company, and she tries to take advantage of it to try and do that.

There’s only so much she can do at the end of the day, as the IPC clearly has specific conditions and goals in mind she still has to follow. However, she tries her best to examine all parties involved and present a solution that tries to make majority happy or satisfied.

This showed quite a bit in her approach with Jarilo VI. She did start off rather roughly with her initially engagement. Though she backs off to be able to assess the planet, trying to find evidence and proof for the IPC to say they can get a better deal because they have more value.

During her talk with Svarog as well, she states that she went out of her way to do extra research on seeing if planets could recover on their own from a Stellaron, indicating the possibility of not needing the IPC’s help.

For someone who claims that the IPC can help, this little action of hers shows that she doesn’t necessarily agree with the company’s method and would rather them recover on their own without the deal as long as they have proof to backup the claim.

If the planet is able to recover on their own, why sign a deal with the IPC and possibly be put on a lifelong contract like her? Topaz goes out of her way to try and find proof that they can recover on their own. However, she states her results were all negative about that search.

Going into the end of the Jarilo VI’s case when Bronya reveals the Engine of Creation, Topaz genuinely takes into consideration that the planet has a chance to recover without the IPC, giving them her full support by even taking a demotion to her position to ensure they don’t sign a deal.

This only occurred though because the planet appealed to Topaz’s rational/logical (added: risk-averse) side with proof, something she seems to value when making decisions. Without proof, she can’t take the words at face value and treats it as a note to maybe consider with some skepticism.

Now, this leads to her dynamic with Jade. Her voice lines about her does hold her in high regards, but most of it talks about her business skills and support she can provide (with a hefty price). (Added: Note that this is only EN TL, which is inaccurate as in CN, she actually refers to Jade as a benefactor and not “nobility”.)

In a logical and business standpoint, Jade’s skills are widely known and similar to Topaz’s style of getting things done efficiently. Especially as her student of sorts, she takes her teachings of business but places her own twist to it by adding in her kindness as a factor.

However, despite seeming to “idolize” Jade’s achievements and skills, Topaz has made points to show that she is aware Jade is not exactly who she tries to present herself to be as. In 2.3, she reminds her team to not call Jade “big boss”, saying they would get punished if so.

It hints that she is aware that there’s more to Jade than what she shows, especially knowing that Jade didn’t want Topaz to see her negotiate with the Family after learning how greedy they were to try and push the IPC out.

It was further hinted as well that despite seemingly knowing Jade for a decent amount of time and even being mentored by her, Topaz creates this “distance” with Jade when interacting with her. She would stay very formal ironically to her, calling her “Madam Jade” instead of "Miss Jade" until told not to.

Even when Jade insists that they are equals and there’s no need for such titles, Topaz still mentions that Jade is her senior. Even during their other talks, Topaz seems to try and strictly keep their topics to business, seemingly a bit cautious when Jade brings up Aventurine.

This is really seen specifically when Jade mentions Topaz’s trust in him. She seems to divert the topic to her logical business reason to why she would bet her cornerstone in this mission. But the minute Jade seems to casually speak about Aventurine, Topaz tries to go back to business.

It shows that Topaz is mindful with how she should behave in front of Jade, not wanting to divulge more into personal topics and strictly staying professional. This hints that she is aware of Jade’s manipulation and tries to extract what she learns from her.

What I mean is, she takes Jade’s teaching with value in a business sense. She clearly remembers her lessons and how to approach negotiation well. However, she doesn’t follow all of it by heart, changing it according to what she believes in and how she adds kindness to it.

She does value what she can learn from Jade, as it helps her strive and excel in her goal of helping others. But she navigates cautiously and seems to keep her guard up when gaining knowledge. It’s similar to Aventurine where he knows about Jade, but values what he can gain from her.

This doesn’t even go into the Keeping Up with Star Rail trailer where Topaz was co-hosting. She has always been good at analyzing and assessing. But it’s interesting she mentions not to test Jade, even hinting she was close to being “swallowed” by the abyss while looking nervous…

Ultimately, I just think Topaz is far more complex than she presents herself to be. I really don’t think she is that blinded as her words make her out to be, and her actions do seem to be contradicting to that as well.

This is just how I’ve come to interpret her behavior as I found it really off despite her words. She makes for an interesting character to analyze.

Original Date of Posting on Twt/X: Jul 3, 2024