#i didn't even realize i cared this much about the isles

[mcgayvid]

goodbye goodbye goodbye. you were bigger than the whole sky.

[theblueflower05]

Crawling Back to You

(Part Two of First Love/Late Spring)

A/N: So like, I’m really excited that you guys seem to be digging this story. I was hesitant about it just because there’s so much of my own Na’vi/Metkayina lore thrown in there. Thank you for all of the kind response.

Word Count: 8k+

Warnings: From here on out, this story will be extremely explicit. Minors DNI. If Aged Up! Neteyam isn’t your thing, please exit to your left. Let’s all respect each other's boundaries, please.

Angst. Self deprecation. Alcohol consumption. Smut. Mutual masturbation. Fingering(fem receiving). Nipple sucking. Breeding kink. Scent marking. Public sex(if you squinttttt)

Summary: Neteyam returns from his Motnaui and isn’t in much of a celebratory mood when he realizes that he’s scrapped any chance of having a mate for Fertility season…or has he? Neteyam x Reader

Series Masterlist(all parts can be found here)

Previous< First Love/Late Spring

Next>: Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea

Secret's that I’ve held in my heart

Are harder to hide then I thought.

Maybe I just wanna be yours- Artic Monkeys

The brilliant Pandoran sun beats down on the crystal blue waters, fragmenting into bursts of light under the surface of the waves.

The Motnaui is intense, Neteyam’s lean frame isn't made for the open ocean but over the months as he trained intensely with the Metkayina hunters, he gained muscle he didn't even realize his body could retain.

His shoulders are broader and thighs thicker. He can keep up with the clan, he can help row the boats without his arms giving out on him.

Neteyam hasn't felt this way since they had fled the safety of the forest. He’s useful again. He’s worked hard to regain his title of Hunter.

Warrior.

Brother of the people.

He sense’s it as they jump between the endless maze of isles. Hunting and sleeping on the beaches under the open night sky. Swapping stories around the small campfires.

They don't see him as an outsider anymore. No, he is Metkayina. All of the hunters treat him as such. Clapping his back. Embracing him tight. Sharing in the whopping joy as he makes a clean, merciful kill.

They listen to the Omaticayan legends he tells the and fill him in on the lore of the sea.

The four days out at open ocean are needed and he feels sure footed now. Knows that he will always have a place in Awa’atlu. He can't wait for Lo’ak to complete his Iknamaya next cycle, to get to feel this feeling of deep belonging. Of acceptance.

The tattoo forever etched into the the skin on his on his shoulder burns. Throbs all the way down his elbow, ends right above his wrist. The permanent swirling ink a symbol of his place among the reef.

His third birth is as beautiful as his second. He is a man, twice recognized.

Neteyam reminds himself of that fact as he sits down next to Tonowari one night. The stars are sparkling and the dimming light of the dying fire makes the hulking chief look larger than life.

Still, the younger man gathers his courage.

“I wish to mate with Y/N” Neteyam states firmly. He had been Olo’eyktan in training for over a decade back in the forest. He uses the voice he’d take on when speaking of important matters “I would like your blessing to do so, sir”

Their brothers and sisters in the hunt surround them. Either asleep at the late hour or lost to their own conversations.

Or maybe they just know not to interrupt this important exchange. They only listen in with peaked ears and envious hearts.

Tonowari’s features go stern, his strong brows pulling together “Before my T’smuke returned to the great mother, I promised her that I would always take care of her daughter as though she was my own. I love Y/N as I do my children. Do you understand that, Neteyam?”

Neteyam is nodding “Yes sir, of course”

“She is a good woman. A very important member of our community, if I allow this courtship I have to be certain that you will honor that. That you will honor her place among us, and be serious about what that means for your own”

Neteyam mules over the words, thinks he knows what they mean. He will be marrying into the royal family of the Metkayina. He will be bound by blood to the clans chief. His future children will have a claim to the title of Olo’eyktan or Tshaik, third in line should anything ever happen.

“I am very serious about her, I will work hard to give her all that she deserves. I will build us a Mauri to raise our family in. I will dedicate my life to her and the tribe” It is not a vow lightly made, Neteyam knows this.

He had never been one to be fickle about responsibility.

It’s only when the intense expression on the Olo’eyktans face shifts, a broad smile stretching across his mouth, that Neteyam feels his posture untense.

Tonowari claps him hard on the back and offers him the leather flask of strong liquor that the hunters pass amongst themselves-

“Then you have my blessing” Tonowari laughs as the younger Na’vi man almost chokes on the burn of the Kava.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

When they return to the main island of Awa’atlu with their abundant catch they are greeted warmly by the clan. The giant horns are blown, drums play rhythmically. Children scream joyously and women dance scantly clad in ceremonial drab.

Its busy and blustering but there's only one thing on Neteyam's mind.

Only one person.

The same woman who had plagued him since his arrival all those months ago. You’re as elusive as the receding tide and he had become accustomed to having to look for you. To having to seek you out in a crowd, to go searching for you.

You hadn't seen him off and he hasn't spoken to you in many days. He misses you. It's an ache that he wants to soon remedy, that he knows he’ll never have to feel again. Not with Tonowari’s blessing fueling him.

Since he was young, Neteyam had wanted to be bonded.

He’d dreamt of sharing that special connection with another individual; the way that his parents did. He craved someone to cherish him, to take care of him and in return he’d do the same for them. He itched for a woman to braid his hair, to bear his children. To bury his cock in every night and wake up to every morning.

He was a simple man with a big heart and a lot of love to give. And he wanted to give it to you.

He just has to find you first.

Neteyam tries not to worry when he can't catch sight of your petite frame. Not one peek of your long hair or seafoam eyes. He couldn't scent the natural perfume of florally herbs that always seemed to surround you-

“Neteyam!” It’s Tuk.

She collides with him hard. Many years of being a climbing post for his siblings is the only reason he doesn't topple over. Is able to catch her mid air and hold her to his chest.

He’s greeted by his family-

And only a moment passes before he can notice that something is wrong.

It’s written all over Kiri’s face. In his mothers expressive eyes and the glances his father throws him as he embraces the Olo’eyktan from across the way. Even Lo’ak gives him something akin to a small glare.

“Whatever is going on, it will have to wait” Neteyam decides out loud, slowly lowering his baby sister to the ground. “I need to find Y/N, have any of you seen her?”

Kiri’s mouth opens and shuts, as though she’s trying to figure out what to say and it frays his nerves. His legs are antsy, burning with the need to run. To seek you out- still on the high of the hunt.

“I don't have time for this-”

“Brother, wait. It is about Y/N” Kiri grabs his elbow, keeping him still.

He doesn't like her tone.

Likes the expression on her face even less. She looks too serious, it doesn't suit her at all. Kiri had always been as airy as a tree sprite- carefree and bubbly.

Call it a gut feeling or the simple ability to read the room. He just knows whatever she’s about to tell him isnt going to be pleasant.

“What happened?”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

His sister pulls him aside, into the mangrove tree’s and away from prying eyes and ears so that she can relay what she’d heard. Fill Neteyam in on what he’s missed.

He listens to every word…and they settle like stones in his stomach.

“Y/N thinks that you have accepted an offer of courtship from another woman”

“I didn't- I’d never!” Neteyam hisses in protest, shaking his head. It’s all one big misunderstanding. He has to make find you, shake these thoughts out of your head. Make you see-

“But you did,” Kiri replies firmly, her mouth pulled into a grim line.

She explains the meaning of the Lei’s.

The gravity of him accepting one from another female and Neteyam hasn't felt so small in many years. He’d been forced into adulthood early. Taken care of his siblings from a young age and then was thrust into the war with the RDA before he had even fully come out of adolescence. He was wise beyond his years, that’s what everyone had always told him.

He doesn’t feel that way now.

He’d fucked up, made a mistake that could very well cost him the future that he had worked so hard to secure since coming to the reefs-

And he hadn't even meant to! He’d been as naive as a baby, as ignorant to Metkayina traditions as an untrained child-

He wants to scream in frustration. Wants to kick the absolute shit out of himself. Instead he listens to his sister, his hands shaking as he balls them into fists.

You had been devastated. Heart broken. Wouldn't talk to anyone or come out to eat. Couldn’t stop crying-

“Enough” He pleads, he can't hear anymore of it. Guilt rises in his chest like bile.

Imagining what the last days had been like for you as he’d spend them having the time of his life, galivanting with other hunters. Getting drunk and having carefree fun-

“Kiri, what do I do?”

She sighs. It’s so rare to see her older brother like this. He’s always so solid. So strong and stable. It’s unnerving when he loses his composure. When his carefully built walls come down

She had known that the whole thing was a miscommunication and had tried along with Tsireya to convince you of that fact. But you wouldn't hear it, and avoided her at every turn.

You and her brother are both such stubborn dumb asses. Rubbing at her temples Kiri prays to Eywa for strength. Sully’s stick together.

“We fix this”

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

As the evening eclipse starts and the sun disappears in the sherbert sky the beach lights up.

Bonfires roar, their flames tall and burning bright.

The air is filled with the smell of roasting Paokpak(island boar) and fish. Huge pots full of dishes that Neteyam had never seen line the long wooden table set up at the center of the celebration. Barrels of Kava have been brought out. The strongest of Metkayina liquors, brewed and stored for decades in airtight containers. Made from berries that are extremely hard to harvest.

This is a time for celebration, to gorge on the hard earned harvests the hunters have brought back. To celebrate the newly rited adults and prepare for the Fertility Season.

The beat of the drums is hypnotic. It's sexy and primal. It's a tune that all Na’vi know in their chest, one that their hips move to as if of their own accord.

Children play, Women sing, stories older then the briny deep are told. The air is electric; so full of magic and unity.

And yet, Neteyam is on edge.

He had been since his rude awakening earlier in the day. He’d spent his afternoon running around like an Austrapede with its head chopped off. Desperately trying to solve the issues that he hadn't meant to create.

After hunting down the culprit to all of this mess, a pretty lei made up of sunset orange lilies which he’d given to Tuk almost automatically after it’d been given to him, he returns it to its owner.

Seychelle is haughty. Rightly upset and shrilly confused as she takes the token of her affections back. Neteyam’s apology is poor and he knows it, he backs away before she can throw her drink in his face.

Tsireya had told him this was the only way to remedy the issue- to refuse the offer for courtship so that he could be open to be with another. The younger girl had been so relieved when he came to her, begging her to help him win back your affections.

“I knew you are a good man, that you don't have a mean spirit”

Tsireya is as eager as Neteyam to see her cousin happy. She doesn't think she could spend another night listening to your inconsolable weeping.

The last obstacle is the hardest.

You refuse to be anywhere near him. Are forced into the festivities because of your family standing, but pretend that Neteyam simply does not exist.

At every turn you evade him.

Sandwiching yourself between the hulking muscle of Ao’nung and Tonowari at the buffet table. Dancing in an enclosed circle of swaying women. Flitting away in a plume of smoke when he approaches you with your favorite ripe fruit in hand; leaving him standing there stupidly. Palms stained by the juice of the Lionberry as he squeezes it in frustration.

You’re hauntingly beautiful in the firelight.

He hates the fact that he’s not the only who notices it. The way the other males consume you with their carnivorous gazes makes him sick. His fingers clench and his knuckles crack of their own accord.

Long dark hair pours down your back in bouncing waves. The top that you wear clings to you like a second skin; the pearls and seashells glittering in the warm hue of the flames. Your own Lei, pink and pristine, is still resting on your throat. Many intricate bracelets and anklets clink as you walk and he cant take his eyes off of the way that the back of your tweng sits on your pert ass-

“Go talk to her” His dad suggests gruffly as he watches his son watch you. It’s getting hard to stomach at this point, all of that longing palpable and souring the atmosphere.

“She doesn't want to speak to me” Neteyam mutters. Trying not to feel too bad for himself. And failing.

Neteyam hadn't thought his return from Motonui would be like this. He’d envisioned a lot more kissing, and alot less moping.

“Woman aren't as complicated as they seem, son. You don't need some grand gesture-”

“Says the man who tamed Toruk after his first fight with his mate” Neteyam interrupts and Jake snorts at his unusual outburst.

His eldest son is usually so very put together- it's entertaining to see that a woman could bring out this side of him.

“I have nothing to offer her. Back home in the forest I could have given her- everything” Neteyam sighs as he admits what's been on his mind since he’d begun pursuing you “There’s no reason why she’d want to be with me, I’m aware of that”

Jake pulls his son close.

His first born. The apple of his eye. Neteyam was good to his core, and anyone who knew him could see it. Jake was so proud of him and wondered if this lack of self confidence came from the fact that he probably didn’t tell the boy of that fact enough.

“All that girl wants from you is reassurance. That’s all you need to give her, everything else will come with time. If she wanted to mate for status she would’ve done it long before you got here, kid. ”

Jake had been shitty at motivational speeches since his stint in the military. You would think his time as reigning Olo’eyktan would have given him some kind of skills. But still, his words are a bit clunky. But sincere.

After a moment, Neteyam gulps at the Kava in his hand. Drains his cup and then squares his shoulders before he’s off.

Eyes set unyieldingly on the prize.

Jake grins. If a good ol’ pep talk doesn't do it- liquid courage sure will.

You’re half heartedly participating in the conversations going on around you, just distracted enough that Neteyam’s able to stalk over. Unnoticed until he’s standing right infront of you-

“Y/N” His voice is firm, he wonders if you know how hard it is for him to keep it as such. “I see you”

Up close he can see how swollen your eyes are. How exhausted you look. You just nod, muttering out a quiet “I see you” in response.

Everything about your body language screams that you want to be left alone. Your arms are crossed over your chest, your ears tipped low. Your tail curls around your ankle and your nose keeps scrunching up.

He wishes he could let you be,

But you make him selfish. You bring out a side of him that wants to take. Has to be satiated or he’s going to lose his fucking mind.

“I must speak with you” He states his intentions, clear. Ignores the way Ronal glares daggers at the side of his head.

“I don’t think-”

“It will only take a moment. But I ask for the privacy to explain myself to you. If after you hear my words you still do not wish to talk to me I will respect that”

You glance at your family before responding to him. Sharing a look with both Ronal and Tsireya. Your cousin smiles encouragingly, your aunt gives a barley tolerant tilt of her head.

You sigh and nod, but step away from his hand when he offers it to you. It's an obvious rejection, but Neteyam tries not to dwell on it. His tail flicks anxiously behind him.

“We may speak in private. Come” your voice is low, before you begin to lead him away from the festivities. Down the beach until the firelight is in the distance and the beat of the drum is a low hum on the howling wind.

The storms will start soon. The sea is choppy, the clouds rolling in and the breeze cool.

It’s hard to find privacy on the sandy shores, intertwined couples can be found scattered along the waters edge. Lips locked. Speaking lowly and intimately.

Neteyam is pretty sure that one of his fellow hunters has his mate twisted into a mating press- if her breathless whimpers are anything to go by.

He avoids their writhing bodies, ignores the way it makes his own core tingle.

Fertility Season is all but here. The entire clan falling under its low boiling energy.

All he could think about as he had been out on the open ocean; is that this cycle he wouldn't have to spend it alone.

He’s not sure that is the case anymore.

After more walking, completely in silence, the two of you come to a mostly desolate area. Quiet and still, as private as it’s going to get.

You stare out at the cresting waves and Neteyam knows he needs to say something, anything. But all he can to is look at you.

At the way that the moonlight illuminates your silhouette, at the dusting of turquoise bioluminescent freckles that are scattered across your nose.

“I-Um-” You start, and that wont do. He cuts you off quick.

It is only him who needs to explain himself. “Let me start by apologizing to you. I am so sorry, Y/N”

You appear as though you’re going to start crying and if you do, he’ll lose all his carefully cultivated cool.

So he presses on.

“I had no idea that accepting Lei’s was a courting symbol here. I don't know how to make you believe me but if I had know I would’ve never-” Neteyam lets out a long shaky breath “I can only swear to you that in the future I will be more mindful of your clans traditions”

Time ticks by. The moon shines and the waves crash against the shore.

“Our clan” you break the silence, your voice gentle and melodic. “You passed your Iknimaya. It is your clan as much as mine”

He wants so desperately to hold you. He has for months, but the need is almost unbearable at this very moment.

“If I have lost my chance. Please, tell me now” it’s a plea. Because it hurts to look at you. If he can not have you- if you do not want him, he will accept it. Somehow. But being alone with you like this and not knowing is killing him. “I will…I’ll leave you alone, if you want me to”

You scoff, not looking away from him. Refusing to meet his eye, still staring blanky at the waves. “You act as though I am the one who accepted someone else’s offer. I have never wanted you to leave me alone, Neteyam”

“I’m sorry” Does he sound as idiotic as he feels? He surely hopes not.

“You already said that”

“Please, look at me”

“I can’t” you whisper- hissing at him warningly when he outstretches his hands “I- I don't want to ever feel like this again. You need to tell me what you want from me because I do not know. I will get confused again, if you do not tell me what we are doing”

He can tell by your expression that you are serious, and even so. He cant fucking believe it. Had he failed at courtship so immensely that you really don't know? He’s stuck in his head for a moment too long.

It makes you anxious, makes you back even further away.

“Please-” He’s all but begging, yet

you avoid his touch again and it feels like blades.

Your shrill warning hiss rings in his ears.

He returns it with a snarl of his own when you continue to refuse to let him touch you. Can't help it, the need to rebuff all of this uncertainty around the union that is so special to him is strong.

He grips the top of your arms, his long fingers holding your biceps.

You finally look at him. Your round eyes wide and vulnerable. Filled with unshed tears and unspoken questions.

“I want to mate with you” He starts because if you need to hear it all, word for word, then he’d tell you. “I want to build my life here with you by my side. I want us to have a home that will never know war-”

A tear rolls down the swell of your cheek.

“I-I want you to choose to be with me” He swallows, the lump in his throat getting bigger, higher. Threatening to choke his vocal cords “I will be good to you. If you let me”

His family had always required him to be the rock. Had leaned on him to take on the role of caretaker, he had had to keep it together. Keep them together. It wasn't easy for him to break open like this. It went against his very nature, all that self preservation he’d learned early.

But you need this. And he thinks he might too.

“Neteyam-”

“I will ask you again. If I have lost my chance tell me now”

Have mercy on him.

“I understand if you want to be with someone who can offer you more. I won’t fault you for it” he doesn’t know why he feels the need to tack that on. Why the self deprecating thoughts manifest their way into words that hurt for him to speak “I don’t have much here. But I’ll build it, for you”

Your muscles tense under his palms and he prepares himself for the rejection. The physical blow of it-

But then, you melt. Loosen. Your entire body sags fully into his grip. That pinched expression on your face slips away. Your full lips part and your eyes soften, brows furrowing together.

You look at him like he is something precious. Like you can see him- and he thinks you might be the first one who ever has.

He’d known it in his bones. Since the day he’d arrived. Since he’d first spotted your face in the crowd.

“Oel ngati kameie” you whisper, your hand coming up to cup his jaw. “Oel ngati kamei, Neteyam. I see-”

He leans heavily into your hand. His forehead clunking against yours, pressing hard. The contact stings, but its welcome. He needs it.

He needs.

“I don’t care about any of that. I don’t care what you have or don’t have. You know I don’t.” you murmur urgently, he can feel the words against against his skin.

When you press a whisper light, tentative kiss against the sharp of his cheekbone, something snaps. Something that had been strained and barely held together just breaks.

His control, he realizes as he crowds you.

As his fingers dig into your arms and he presses the line of his body against your own firmly.

You’re so soft everywhere. So much smaller than him. He’s all lean muscle, tall and hard. You’re pliable skin, a layer of blubber to keep you warm in the deep. So different from the women he’d grown up with. Your hips are wide, thighs pillowy.

You’d give him healthy children. His hindbrain howls.

When he captures your lips he hopes you realize that there’s no going back. That this is until death. He’d go to his grave before he was robbed of this again.

You gasp, sweet and small, and he eats it. Consumes all of the air in your lungs. You’re good at holding your breath anyway, right?

“Neteyam” you whine, pulling away, your lips wet and your pupils wide. You’re shaky, already a bit disoriented and he wants to keep you. Protect you. He’ll give you anything if you just keep looking at him like that.

“Are you ok-”

You reach up on the tips of your toes, slamming your lips back against his before he can finish his words.

Your hands tangle into his braids as you try to gain traction, pull him down to your level. Get a better hold on him.

Its intense, dizzying. You kiss him like you’re dying and maybe you are. Maybe you’ve been slowly dying since he first got here. Every moment that you hadn’t been able to be held by him had killed you- a slow torturous death.

You drag him down. Do you know he’d follow you anywhere? Under the waves, down onto the soft sand. He cups the back of your head, shelters your neck as he bullies his thin hips between your dense thighs and pressed you against the ground.

The months worth of tension isn't released gently, because it can't be.

The kisses are bruising. Wandering hands and desperate tongues. It’s carnal, Fertility season making both of your minds cloudy as you try to dig into each others flesh.

Nothing is close enough.

With a whine, your fingers slip under Neteyam's multilayered choker. Using it as leverage to tug on as you thrust your hips up violently. The heat at the apex of your legs grinding against his covered erection dangerously.

“Ah-” he gasps wetly “Easy, Narlor. Easy”

“Sorry” you simper, panting. Trying to get a hold on the feelings rushing through you. One hand gripping his necklace, the other slipping into the back of his hair, brushing the nape of his neck “I want- I dream about it all the time”

Fire rushes down Neteyam’s spine, both at your words and your feather light touch to his kuru. He wonders if you touched yourself after those dreams. If you had to take the edge off like he had. He shudders at the thought-

You’re kissing at his neck again, at all of that sensitive skin under his braids, near his ears.

Your quick touches are everywhere. Rushing all over his body. Manicured nails scraping over his skin-

“Ugh,” he warbles out as your curious hand disappears under his tweng.

Its a tight fit as your fingers dance along his hard cock. Delicate and teasingly light. He’s going to come all over himself like some inexperienced teenager that had never gotten a taste of pussy before if you don't. Slow. Down.

“Tell me about those dreams of yours. What’d we do in them?” Neteyam teases, his lips moving against the corner of your mouth. A distraction for both you and himself.

You can't form words, not as you feel how big he is. As you cherish the fact you’ll never be empty again. He's hard and pulsing in your hand and you want him inside of you. Your mouth, your cunt. You don't care. You want to be the only one who gets to feel him, no one else can ever-

There’s only one way to ensure that.

“Tsahelyu” you whimper, “Please Neteyam. Need it”

He slows down a bit, his head spacy but not totally lost. The bond is everything. It’s the most important aspect of Na’vi culture “I can't bond you here”

“Why?” its a petulant whine, your hips pressing against his again.

“I’m not going to bond you on the cold ground, Yawne. Out in the open”

“It’s okay, I don’t mind” you press and he chuckles, shaking his head “you could have me anywhere you want me”

It’s the raw honesty in your voice that drives him crazy.

Devotion in a way that makes him lightheaded.

He can't give you Tsaheylu yet, he wants it done right. He wants you tucked in a mountain of blankets with a warm fire going- at the height of Fertility Season. The ancestors watching over you as he intertwines himself into your soul for the rest of time.

“I will have you” He assures you, dragging his mouth across your clavicle, his long fingers working the strings of your intricate top loose “And you’ll have me. But you have to let me do it right”

You hate waiting. You tell him as he suckles his way across your chest. Moaning as he finally gets his mouth on your soft breasts. Your fist his braids, shivering as he feasts on your skin.

“I’ll make it worth your while” Neteyam promises between mouthfuls of supple flesh “You’ll want for nothing. I’ll give you anything”

He’s humping down into you, unable to stop his hips from shifting. His cock seeking your warmth. You’re right there, he could just-

“Please” you shiver, like you know what he’s thinking. Like you can read his mind and all the dirty thoughts that cross it.

You can't take it. All of his hesitating.

You’d heard that the Omiticayans were more reserved, more traditional when it came to mating but he was going to drive you crazy.

You push on his chest. Gentle yet demanding.

He doesn't want to remove his mouth from your breasts but he allows it all the same. His lips swollen, a thin string of spit connecting him to your tender nipple as he stares at you with questioning eyes.

Neteyam lets you push him off of you before he goes down onto his back, the sand grating against his shoulder blades as he lays flat. You grin the entire time. Your eyes sparkling with excitement. With hunger.

You look as horny as he feels and it kills him.

Your fingers pluck at the at the delicate ties of your tweng, loosening it until it falls from your curvy hips.

“Y/N” he warns as you then reach for his own. Tugging at the leather straps of his loincloth. He raises his hips, helping you shimmy it down his long legs.

“You can't bond me” You whisper as you straddle his waist, your small hands using his broad chest for balance, palms on his pectorals “Not yet anyway”

“Mhmm” Neteyams murmurs as his eyes roll into the back of his head. You're hot and dripping wet, the center of your legs steaming as you rub it against his groin.

“That doesn't mean you cant touch me” you coo at the man under you as you slowly begin to undulate above him. Your hips circling as your head lowers to tongue at the underside of his jaw.

“Shit” He curses in English, gasping at the night sky as you drag damply across his lower stomach .

“Yes?” you question him as you reach for his hand, leading it exactly where you need him most.

“Yeah” Neteyam assures, fingertips dipping where you're skin is plush and dripping- right in between your spread thighs “Yeah, Yeah”

Your hand is still leading his, cupping him firmly against your pussy as he feels how much you need him. You hadn't been the only one dreaming of this. You had danced behind his eyelids for months. His brain had played tricks on him, desperately splicing together mismatched audio in an attempt to conjure up what you would sound like when he finally got to have you.

A shivery keen escapes you when he presses on your swollen bundle of nerves and nah. His imagination couldn't hold a candle to this.

It’s not just how you sound its how you look.

Sat on top of him, resting on your knees with your chest bare save for that brightly hued Lei. Your kiss bruised bottom lip is skewered between your sharp teeth as you worry it in keyed-up concentration. Blue eyes low, your long eyelashes almost fluttering against your cheeks as you stare down at him.

It’s how you smell.

Ripe and earth wet- his mouth floods as he inhales lungfuls of it, your juices are all over him. His waist, coating his hand . Everywhere but right on his tongue where he wants it the most.

Exploring you where you’re the most vulnerable is slippery, your pussy swollen as he traces along the folds. Your clit beats with your pulse under his touch, inflamed and you cry out.

“Awe, baby” he tuts. Your hips chase him in jagged little movements, unsure and needy and it’s enough to get him grinning. You’d been so sure of yourself when you’d pushed him down and climbed on top of him.

Yet here you are a whining mess of his thing in his lap.

There’s no room to tease, he wants to watch you come all over him. Everything still feels too over sensitive. Too new and easily breakable. You’d spent the last near week questioning his feelings.

Neteyam had his words. He could wax to you poetic until your ears bled,

But he had this too. He needed to make you feel a way that no one else could and as he sunk his long digit inside of you he realized that this was better then any conversation. This felt like the most natural way to express all of his emotions, you sucking him in knuckle deep felt so right.

Velvet soft and vice tight, he’s hard between his own legs from just the feel of you. Just knowing that this was his.

You, your heart. Your body. Your tiny little cunt.

Tiny but taking him so well, not just one finger. But two. Then three. Your body moves like the crashing waves behind you, intense and wild. Shoving down onto him so hard that his wrist starts to ache with the demanding press.

“More” you pant wetly into his neck “Faster. Net-please”

He figures out that faster means harder, and harder means he has you all but vibrating on top of him. Bouncing in time with every thrust of his digits. The arm that isn't preoccupied comes around you to hold you steady as he finger fucks you until you're a squealing mess.

This isn't the first time Neteyam has done this.

There’d been girls back home. One girl in particular that didn't take it too personally that he needed tension relief from the war raging around them and not the arranged soon to be wife that everyone had been trying to shove down his throat back them.

This isn't the first time he’s done this but it’s the first time he’s felt this.

He nuzzles your head out from its hiding place in his shoulder. He has to watch your face, needs to see the way he’s making you fall apart.

This is the first time he’s felt the all consuming pull to be with another person. He wants you like this always. So close to him that he could taste the perspiration from your panting breaths.

You tighten up in his arms, going rigid as your pleasure crests. Your pussy fluttering and mouth gaping. It’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen. You’re orgasm is ethereal, raw and fervid.

It’s a glance at Eywa. He sees the great mother on your face as you writhe atop of him.

It’s alot, he can tell. Fuck he can only imagine what you’re feeling if it had been this intense for him. Neteyam lets you hide again after a moment. Your hair covers your face as you shake and he thinks you might be crying, but he just brushes a hand down your damp back. Soothing you back down from the high.

The stars are brighter, even as the clouds gather in gluggy gray storm clusters. Everything seems a little bit more beautiful with his fingers still inside of you. It pains him to slide them out, missing the tight clutch of you once his wet fingers are exposed to the cool night air.

Tsaheylu, you’d begged him earlier. His kuru throbs and gooseflesh erupts all over his body just thinking about bonding with you. He wants it more than he’s ever wanted anything.

You nuzzle against him, nosing at his cheek. Your lips ghosting at the corner of his own.

“You okay?” you wonder. Your voice deep and husky. So sexy it makes his eyes close for a second.

“I should be asking you that”

“Mmm, no need to ask. I feel so so good” you assure him, starting to sit up a little “I um-I kind of got really into it. I’m sorry”

“Sorry?” Neteyam questions, keeping his grip on you as you start to squirm. Not in pleasure this time. But in shame, the embarrassed kind. Coming down from the pleasure haze, that anxious edge comes back. Unsure even as you’re on top of him. “Don’t say that. Why would you be sorry right now?”

You huff, nose scrunching. Ears flicking “I made a mess all over you”

It might not be very nice but he can't help but laugh at you. His pearly white canines on display as he hoots, the belly laughs jostling you from your perch.

“What!” you grumble, but smile all the same. “Stop”

“Hmm. I love messes like this. Feel free to make messes like this anytime” his fingers, still glistening come into view as he brings them to his mouth. Your eyes widen, glued to him. At the slight suction of his cheeks as he licks them in earnest “See. Easy clean up, you’ve got nothing to worry about, Pretty”

You taste as good as you smell. His tastebuds tingle as he swirls the new flavor around. Complex; a sweet musk that he wants to bathe in. He’s acutely aware of the way you watch him, your sweet cheeks burning at his lewdness.

When he frees his fingers with a pop, he gasps as your tongue surges in his mouth.

Tasting yourself on his spit.

Fuck.

He lets you kiss him breathless. Lets you run your sloppy kisses all over his face, down his chin. Across his neck. He arches into it all, gives you all the room you need. He’s well aware of what you’re doing. Working your strong scent into every inch of his bare skin.

Scent marking is a vital part of Na’vi courtship. Ancient, ritualistic and respected. Practiced by your ancestors before the first songs.

It’s makes something in him pur, knowing that you want him to smell like you.

“I think that's enough” He grins when your tongue dips into his navel “They can smell me, baby. You did a very thorough job”

The pout on your face is beyond cute as you sit up on your knees. The little ‘hmph’ sound so adorably out of place in the highly sexually charged situation “But I wanna smell like you too. How will anyone know I’m yours if they can’t smell it?”

Neteyam's nostrils flare. His ears swivel on his head and his tail gives a good lash at that. You want to be marked by him too. Are willing to parade his scent around all of those assholes in the clan that have been trying to win your affections, even when it was clear you were uninterested.

“Lay down” It’s an order, spoken softly but directly and you follow it at once. A giddy smile on your face as you lounge on the sand.

You are a vision.

Hair sprawling and messy behind your head. Your legs spread, back arched. Pretty nipples pebbled hard and on display. The only thing covering you is the floral necklace around your svelte throat.

It doesn't take him long at all. He strokes his striped cock firm and efficiently. Too many years of having to get himself off fast enough not to be caught has made his practiced movements almost perfect.

You’re looking at him like that again. Adoration clear as day on your face. Soft for him. You see him-

“Ol Ngati Kamiel” your voice is saccharin as you speak and he grunts violently as he comes.

Ropes of it land on your belly, across your exposed chest. It’s almost too much when you reach down swiping into the translucent, sticky, mess and start rubbing it into your smooth skin. He collapses shakily beside you, needing to collect himself for a minute before he helps your cause.

It’s the most intimate thing the two of you have done all night, laying together. Basking in the afterglow. Your scents mingle, dancing together in the evening breeze and Neteyam wants to imprint this memory somewhere deep.

The festivities are still raging- and you really do need to get back. It’s an important night. Your clan wants you there, the two of you need to make your rounds. Keep appearances. He won’t keep you from your duties, no matter how much he may want to.

After a quick dip in the ocean, removing the filth of love making but still wearing the strong scent of each other's pheromones, you begin to redress.

Neteyam watches. Highly distracted as you shimmy back into your tweng before looping your top around your shoulders. He works clumsily at the leather of his loincloth.

“Wait-”

The two of you are starting the trek back to the bonfire when he reaches out to halt you. His fingers play with wreath of lilies around your neck and his eyes bore into yours pleadingly.

The smile you give him is more radiant then the silvery moons that twinkle in the inky sky.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Even at the late hour the ceremonial bonfire still crackles with life. The festivities have ebbed into something slower, more intimate.

The adults of the clan are all that’s left, children long gone and tucked into their beds or dozing off against their parents' side.

Kiri sits on a carved log, in a circle of familiar faces.

Her mother and father had left not long ago. Tuk had been fighting slumber but succumbed after the Elders crooned a particularly slow song about the Sky and Sea’s forbidden love. Jake had hoisted the young girl up and bid everyone adieu, swaying on his feet as his wife hissed at him about how after all these years, he still couldn’t handle his liquor.

Now, Kiri listens to stories as she sips slowly on her cup of Kava. Enjoying the pleasant burn;

But not willing to end up like her dumb as rocks brother who is sprawled on the ground. Lo’ak is all but unconscious, every time he opens his eyes they are unfocused and hazy.

That’s what he gets for trying to out drink clan members twice his size. He’d been on the losing end of the drinking competition from the start- he was just too stubborn to see it.

Lo’ak is lucky Tsireya doesn’t care much for drinking, and is more than willing to tend to him. She keeps trying to force him to drink water and nibble on bits of food.

Ao’nung isn’t faring much better; he stares at the moon with a dopey smile as he sings, incredibly off tune, to the song that fills the air. A gaggle of girls surround him. Each hoping to catch his eye.

It’d been an all night thing, affections being thrown at him while he ignored it all too easily.

“My bed will be full this season, I’m not worried about a thing” he’d shrugged it off when asked about it.

Roxto’s boisterous laugh had dwindled down when Kiri shot him an extremely unamused glare.

She’s debating on leaving Lo’ak to sleep on the beach for the night when out of the shadows comes her eldest brother; who had been missing for most of the evening.

The hours had bled away and Kiri had tried not to worry too much about the confrontation that was going on just beyond the jovial bubble of the Metkayina celebrations. You had been distraught and Neteyam had never been good at voicing his own emotional needs-

Huh.

It looks like she had nothing to worry about.

The grin on Neteyam’s face is shit eating. It’s the smuggest she’s ever seen him. Even at his first Inknimaya, back with the Omiticaya, he hadn’t reacted like this. All head raised high and walking on a cloud.

You tug him along behind you, you guys’ fingers tightly intertwined. Your hips sway excitedly as you bounce along the sand. Kiri’s brother's chest is puffed out in obvious pride as he follows your footsteps.

Around his neck is Lei made up of vibrant pink flowers. It matches the one in your hair, that sits kind of lopsided now.

As the couple gets you closer, and Kiri catches a whiff of your approaching bodies, she wants to wretch. You’re drowning in each other's scents and it’s quite obvious what you had been up to all night.

“So gross” Kiri gags in accusation once you’re both in earshot.

You two owed her so big. She thinks naming one of your future children after her would suffice.

· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·

Okayyyyy. This was so fun to write and I already have Part Three brewing! TAGLIST IS CLOSED.

So like. Lots to address here. Tons to talk about. I’m gonna start the conversation but I hope you guys continue it in the comments.

1. The Motnaui is something I completely made up(…yes after watching Moana and taking inspiration for the name) lol it’s a ritualistic hunt that newly anointed hunters and warriors go on after their Metkayinan Iknimaya’s. I know all the different clans Iknimaya traditions would be different and I thought this would be cool.

2. I read a story in the Avatar fandom where the liquor they drank was called Kava and it just stuck in my brain. I know Kava is a drink in real life too, but for the sake of storytelling, please think about them as completely different things. The drink in this story is more of a wine/moonshine mixture deal. Would really fuck your ass upppp.

3. Fertility Season is obvs totes made up. Why is it rainy during it? Because I myself would want a week of non stop loving making with a nice little fire going, under lots of blankets with it chilly and rainy outside. And at the end of the day I’m writing for me lol

4. NETEYAM IS A SWEETHEART WHO STRUGGLES WITH HIS SELF WORTH JUST LIKE THE REST OF US. Please listen to the Artic Monkeys while you read this chapter(wanna be yours, do I wanna know, 505. THE LONGING)

5. Expect more POV’s to come! It will always be mostly rooted from Y/N’s point of view but I love touching base with all of the other characters. It’s so fun. I’m thinking a snippet of Neytiris in Part Three!

[that1geek06]

Hi, how are you? Could you write Harry Hook and male reader? The reader is Audrey's brother and super shy, and he meets Harry when the group of VKs went to save Ben.

HOWDY THERE, I'm alright thank you for asking :D I hope your doing good as well, but I can DEFINITELY do this, I'm so happy that my descendents work has been liked by the fandom and its time for the FIRST ROMANTIC FIC YAYYY so I apologize if its not amazing, lmk if there's anything I can do betterr

-SEEN-

Harry Hook x Male!Reader

Warnings: None (lmk if that's wrong)

Audrey Rose, the most popular and recognizable child of Aurora and Phillip. But not many people know or realize that she has a twin brother, Y/N.

He doesn't blame people for not knowing his lineage, he was the complete opposite of his sister. He preferred comfort over style, singularity instead of popularity, and quiet rather than loud. The only one Y/N really talked to was Ben, who would often hang out with the twin when he courted his sister. But even when the VK'S came and he got with Mal, Ben still showed his friendship and even introduced him to the darker group.

And Y/N loved the VK'S.

They just didn't care, and he admired that, without having to talk to much he became close to the small group. They almost took him under their wing and looked out for him. Basically, he never had any issues with Chad once the VK'S started hanging out with him.

So when he heard about Mal running back to the isle and the plan to get her back. He begged to go along. Ben disagreed at first but with some convincing Y/N was allowed to go with.

He had never been so excited for something before, as Evie dressed him and Ben up the clothes felt so nice, the darker tones of red and grey felt suiting, she even made his outfit to be incorporated as a hoodie which he loved.

And then finally they were off.

Ben was very nervous about being there, but with some guidance from Evie, Jay, and Carlos, they got the ways down quite quickly.

They finally made it to Mal's hideout, and Ben went up to talk to her. Y/N waiting for him to return at the bottom of the steps with the others. Though the stomping of his footsteps proved their conversation didn't go to well.

"She's not coming." Ben said annoyed and stomped off through the streets. The others paced and tried to get the attention of Mal. But Y/N ran off to catch up with Ben.

After a small jog he's back at his side, "T-try not to worry to much Ben. Mal's going through a lot, I'm sure she'll come around here soon." He said in a soft tone, trying to comfort the soon to be king.

But Ben just sighs and shakes his head, "I doubt she will, I pushed her to far.."

The two turn a corner, when suddenly they see 2 other shadows, with a low chuckle one spoke. "Well ain't this just perfect, Uma will be please with this catch. A king and a prince, aye now that's somthin' special."

They step into the light, the taller one had a kind smile on his face surprisingly, his eyes set on Ben. "I knew I recognized you Ben! My dad wishes yours would rot in the underworld by the way." Y/N was confused by the guys happiness, and turned to look at the one the spoke earlier, only to find his eyes already on him.

The boy in the red coat smirked, twirling the handheld hook in his hand. "That you did Lad. Now, lets get this crown an' beauty to Uma." And then everything went black. But Y/N wasn't scared, he only thought one thing.

Did that VK really recognize him?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Y/N slowly opens his eyes, the smell of salt water stinging his nose. He squinted and looked around, eyes adjusting to the light, he tries to move, but he finds himself tied up to a pole.

A light chuckle makes him look up, "Welcome back sleepin' beauty, sorry ya didn't geta kiss like your mum." The boy from earlier smirked, but instead of feeling threatened, Y/N's heart skipped a beat, cheeks turn a light shade of red.

"...w-who are you?" He asks in a small voice, earning a large smile from the other boy. "How rude of me, tha names Harry, and I'm sure this piece o' metal can help ya fill in the rest." He answers, twirling it around once again.

He just nods, putting together he was Captain Hooks son. "Your a quiet one aint ya. Never really talkin' much at those fancy meetings up there." Harry comments, a teasing smirk on his face as he looks him up and down.

Y/N's eyes widened at that, "You've.. noticed me? You know who I am?" He asks in such a quiet voice it was barely a whisper. And he watches as Harry's face falls for a second. He goes to answer when Ben starts to wake up. And that crazed facade comes back as he turns his attention onto the young king.

After a few minutes though the other boy who helped capture him who he learned to be Gil announced Mal and the groups arrival. They had actually brought the wand. But when she pretended to use it on dude, Y/N knew that something wasn't right.

But Uma believed it.

Harry cuts the ropes off of Ben and Y/N, complaining about how his fun was ruined, though it felt almost as if his touched lingered a little longer than normal when he cut the ropes off of Y/N.

Then Mal and Uma trade, and the two royals were back with their group.

Mal starts trying to rush Ben away as Uma attempts to use the wand, and like he suspected, it didn't work. And then a big fight breaks lose.

Y/N fights, but nothing to harm anyone, he couldn't do any such thing. Finally they get space between them and the pirates and are getting ready to make an escape, until-

"BEAUTY!!" Y/N hears Harry yell, he looks back and makes eye contact with him, the pirate smirks, still dripping wet from grabbing his hook out of the water, clothes clinging to his body.

"I always noticed ya!" He yells again, answering Y/N's question from before.

He felt is face flare up and his heart drop as he stare into the other boys eyes. Only for the contact to be broken by Jay pulling him to follow out.

In a daze Y/N followed, mind and heart hooked on the pirate that had noticed him..

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YAYY I loved this sm I hope you do tooo, and anon I hope this makes your day dreams a little easier to imagine <3

-Also, if anyone's interested, I'd be willing to make this a part two?? Tell me if I shouldd-

Lmk if there's anything I can do to improve I welcome any and all help, also, PAUSE. RN. GET A SNACK. Reading is so fun on a full stomach, but anyways, HAVE A GOOD DAY/NIGHT MY GOOBERS, happy readingg 👾

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

SHANE MY BELOVED anyways gonna request based on an oc that i made/an ai chatbot chat that i did recently. selectively mute reader with shane, and how their relationship evolves? strangers to lovers probs. hcs or oneshot/drabble :3 -galaxy

WAHOOO

I got 5 hearts with him as we speak so this is perfect timing <3

......

Settling into Stardew Valley was certainly going to be a challenge, especially with the new life you wanted to build here..and of course that entails meeting new people.

For most of your life, you've been selectively mute, only ever using your voice if you absolutely have to.

You never used it much at your previous office job, but it was still quite soulless and didn't make you feel good.

Even so, Lewis doesn't think you should stay a stranger and insists you introduce yourself to folks in Pelican Town.

You couldn't ignore the letters stuffed into your mailbox forever..so you finally headed into town.

While some villagers regarded you as "quiet", many of them chalked it up to you being new and welcomed you anyways.

Although Shane is indifferent and annoyed--as he is to most strangers.

You accidentally bumped into him, and he thinks you're rude for not saying "sorry".

Your brain sorta panics as you sign the words...but from the way he stares at you, you realize he doesn't understand what you're saying.

By the time you get out your notepad, he's long gone, mumbling about being late to his shift.

Since then, you try being polite and wave to him anytime you see him in the street or at the saloon..but he just wonders why you're bothering him.

One thing he kept noticing at the bar was that you always gave your order to Gus on your notepad, and he starts thinking there is a reason you can't talk and you weren't just being a dick specifically to him that day.

Still, he doesn't ask you. You're probably gonna stop trying to befriend him sooner or later. So why should he care?

One day, you approach Shane while he's working at JojaMart and asked him where a certain food ingredient was, pointing to your shopping list..and you see that irritable look in his eye again.

He had customers mixing up things on the shelves and snapping at him for things outside his control--and you caught him on a rather bad day.

He says nothing and just points further down the isle, but you just smile and mouth "thank you", signing the words before continuing on.

Poor guy goes red, convinced you blew a kiss at him just now...and it's all he could think about for the rest of his shift.

The very next day, you show up at Marnie's place with a fresh pizza, asking if Shane was home.

He gets flustered as HELL when he realizes you were at the mart buying ingredients to make one of his favorite foods...and he acted like a total jackass.

You left a note inside the container, which basically tells him you're selectively mute and realized your farm was just down the road from his aunt's ranch.

After reading it, he awkwardly apologizes and asks for a fresh start, to which you just smile and nod.

Jas, at this point, can see he's got a crush on you.

After that was cleared up, you two become friends and hangout together at the saloon often or share a beer on the dock.

You don't talk, but tbh Shane appreciates the silence between you two. He didn't have to force conversation, and neither did you.

Although that also enables him to vent to you about how downtrodden and repetitive his life feels, with you simply listening and accompanying him home.

It doesn't change the fact he felt like a burden to everyone, and one night you found him on the cliffside, his face covered in mud and tears, ready to give up on the world.

In his drunken haze, he forgot you were mute and wants you to tell him why he shouldn't do it..

"No wait..I..forgot you can't-"

"Shane..I'm here for you." Your voice comes out low, hoarse, and a little shaky, but he stopped sobbing the moment he heard it..and he stares up at you in shock.

"S-So..you do speak.." He mumbles. "You sound....like--like an angel...fuck..maybe they do exist. So you'll...be here for me no matter what? Even if I did something stupid...?"

You simply nod, and that makes him change his mind.

He just can't believe that out of all the people in this town, you chose to open up to him--some sad sack of shit who was about to jump off the cliff--and decide he should be the one to hear your voice first.

You actually wanted him around. And you never hated him despite all the times he was rude to you..

After he nearly vomits all over your shoes, you take him to the hospital, knowing he needed Harvey's intervention, and since then you've been supportive of his recovery journey.

He only remembers bits and pieces from that night..although the one thing he couldn't forget was hearing your voice.

It was probably so difficult for you to find it again, and he appreciates you talking him down, even if you had to close up and go totally silent for the next few days or so.

If you ever go into why you became selectively mute, Shane will do his absolute best to understand (and maybe get a little overprotective in the process if someone makes fun of you for it).

But if not, he'll still defend you regardless.

You teach him a few general phrases in sign language, which he tries to grasp and eventually gets the hang of.

At some point down the line..he asks you out on a festival date after much pressure from Jas and Marnie, and you were so excited you nearly yelled out "YES"-

But instead managed to nod happily, taking his hand and dragging him towards the celebration without a second thought.

Soon that little date turns into a genuine relationship, with Shane eventually moving onto your farm to help you care for the crops and animals, switching to alternatives to beer and promising to cut back on the hours he spends at the saloon.

Some days you'll be away mining, fishing, slaying monsters, or helping the Junimos rebuild the community center, but other times you'll stay inside and just cuddle with him, your pet, and the chickens.

He was muddling over why you chose him (a lot of self doubt still festers inside of him), and you spoke to him again--this time to his sober-self.

That was "because I love you".

And yes...he did cry.

[abbysimsfun]

Sims In Bloom: Generation 2 Pt. 71 (Back to the Brindleton Light)

NOTE: I'm taking a posting break until the 16th for Canadian Thanksgiving since I'll be spending time with family. Still planning to read and comment but might be spotty, and after that I've got posts queued every other day until November.

The every day schedule is too much for the length of my posts, I see that now (both for readers and for me!) and I want more time to read simblr stuff I haven't been able to thanks to my current output! I like where we leave them with this one, and I like even more what's queued up for the 16th, so it feels like a good time to pause the plot.

Conrad hadn't shaken his belief that someone - maybe a ghost, maybe not - was using the Brindleton Light as a home. The station was always taking reports from locals about strange sounds at the lighthouse, but most of the other detectives dismissed them all as overhyped ghost stories.

cw: skivvies I didn't realize we're sorta, um, thin. Sorry! They love that lighthouse what can I say?! 😂🌶️

He'd engrossed himself in the The Green Lady's Lost Tome since their meeting with Grim, reading it whenever he had free time at home.

With Ash in the city few months after Hazel and Nicola's wedding, Conrad invited Heather to join him and Gord on Deadgrass Isle after she'd finished her monthly accounting. He hadn't forgotten the old man and his offer to show Conrad around the lighthouse after hours, but they made a quick circle through the museum and didn't see him. "He must not be working tonight, but I still want to check the lighthouse."

Heather followed him up the dirt path from the museum to the point, where white paint peeled off the old gatehouse at the base of the tower. Curious, he picked up a candy wrapper and showed it to Heather and Gord.

"Anyone could have dropped that," said Heather. "A candy wrapper isn't proof that someone's living in here."

But the light inside the gatehouse flickered on again as she spoke. "Stand back here," said Conrad before he knocked.

"Shouldn't you wait for backup?" she asked. "What if they're dangerous?"

A blond figure in a jacket raced into view. "He climbed out that window!" cried Conrad. "Stop right there!" The man hesitated enough for Gord to catch up with him.

He cowered, and Conrad approached him carefully. "It's alright," he said. "I just want to talk."

"Screw you!" the man shouted, tackling Conrad as he reached for his badge. He never liked to carry his gun around when he wasn't on duty, and with everything he'd experienced lately, he sincerely expected a ghost, at most - not a squatter. Conrad fought him under the shadow of the lighthouse, as Heather watched helplessly from several feet away.

"Be careful!" she screamed. But Conrad was stronger than his target and subdued him without much trouble. The blond man whimpered, holding his face with a grimace.

"Why don't you start your story by telling me your name."

"John Brindleton. My ancestors founded this town, and I'm the last of my stupid name. I moved into the lighthouse after my family kicked me out. Said I was lazy and needed to make something of myself. But they wanted me to join one of the fishing boats and I...I hate fish!"

"So you thought you'd just live in an old dusty lighthouse until...?"

"Until I figured out a way to override the electrical and shut off the lighthouse. If there's no lighthouse the boats can't come in late. And if boats can't come in late, I can kill the fishing industry in this town. Then I'll never have to work it!"

Conrad offered a pitiful sigh to the wannabe criminal. "So you weren't just squatting, you were plotting destruction? I thought I'd be able to get through your criminal report on Monday morning in about five minutes, but now you're a felon."

"No! I mean! I just wanted to take revenge on the other boats who put my dad's fleet out of business! He'd be too busy working to worry about me if not for them."

Conrad clucked his tongue in disapproval. "Well, now you can think about your failed attempt at revenge from a cell."

"I'm not going to jail!" cried the man, racing down the path toward the museum. Conrad took off after him, with Heather and Gord following close behind.

With the man subdued on the ground, they waited for the Brindleton PD speedboat to pick up the perp, handing him off to the weekend patrol crew to process the late-night booking. "Give him a weekend in the cells and make sure he talks to a lawyer."

The patrol crew gave their senior detective respectful nods, and Conrad watched the boat speed back to the mainland as Heather wrapped her arms around him.

Even with a cool drizzle in the skies, they both wanted to feel the breeze from the tower, to calm their nerves at the observation deck. The lighthouse was cordoned off with police tape, so they knew they were alone.

"You were kind of incredible down there," Heather gushed with a coquettish grin. "You were right. Someone was in the lighthouse the whole time...But they're gone now. Is the observation deck part of the crime scene?"

"No, he said got electrocuted by the fuse box once and thought it smelled like wet dog up here."

"It's a little dusty, but it's not that bad."

Conrad grinned as Heather's hand slid gently down his back. "Ms. Nesbitt, are you trying to seduce me?"

She smiled. Returning to the electrical room, they made love over the dingy old blankets - untouched since their last visit - until both were completely satisfied.

When they'd finished, Heather nuzzled against his shoulder in the dark old lighthouse. "We've really got to stop doing this here," she said. "After how hard I pushed to end the free love action plan in town, if anyone caught us up here...And really, should a man as close as you are to making sargeant be found with his pants off inside the lighthouse?"

Conrad let out a playful groan. "Your logic is sound, but I don't have to like it," he said, pulling her in for one last embrace before they moved to get dressed again.

Conrad watched Heather's silhouette in the quiet darkness. "You're the most beautiful woman in the world," he said. Heather blushed.

Arf!

They both looked toward the sound, like it had come from inside the room. "You heard that this time?"

She nodded. "I heard it. That's definitely not Gord. Do you think it's a stray? Maybe that weird squatter had a dog?"

"The squad checked over the place and didn't find anything. I think that's the old lightkeeper's dog."

"All the strays in Brindleton Bay and you're sure it's a ghost?"

He knew it sounded ridiculous. "Maybe not," he sighed. "I want to talk to that old man the next time he's working."

"The one you said reminded you a little of your dad? What's his name?" She pulled out her phone to look him up.

Conrad searched his memory but came up short. "I didn't ask. I had a lot on my mind the night we met..."

"Maybe he was a ghost, too," she teased after they'd finally dressed, but Conrad stopped in his tracks down the lighthouse stairs. "I was kidding! I'm sure he doesn't work every night. But I'll make you ambrosia treats to bring next time you bring Gord to run around. If the barking dog is really a ghost, maybe the treats will coax him out, finally."

Joke or not, Conrad's curiosity over the mysteries of Deadgrass Isle had hardly been sated by the evening's events. ->

<- Previous Chapter | Gen 2 Start | Gen 1 Summary | Gen 1 Start

NOTE: Gord is an adventurous dog and that unlocks these little CYO-adventures that are fun and cute but have no graphics. So this was my attempt to semi re-dramatize one of the adventures at the lighthouse where they catch a vengeful squatter, while ALSO trying to conceive a baby in a lighthouse to get a very specific 'lighthouse baby' moodlet if their kid ever comes back to the Brindleton Light. Heather does love to woohoo in inappropriate places (alleys, friends' couches, observatories...), but if you're thinking 'too clean, too weird, why didn't Conrad go to the station with the perp?' just ride the wave of trying to get those weird little gameplay bonuses with me lol.

[moon-alight]

i like your previous update

One more request 🥺

When you unconscious during a fight

Because you overwork yourself

Hello! I hope you meant &Team otherwise this is awkward 😅 (Also, I like to overwork myself, it is my form of therapy lol 🤣)

Masterlist

&Team reaction to their s/o fainting during an argument

Warnings: fainting, bit of angst

Word Count: 1004

-K

-This guy is a hothead, alright, but he would see the signs you showed of feeling unwell or ill so he tried to be a bit less harsh

-But he did not realize you were so ill you would faint. Absolutely startled when he watched your body fall to the ground.

-Immediately by your side and trying to wake you up but is unsuccesful for the first couple minutes until you finally do

-Absolutely scolds you (with tears in his eyes) that you should take better care of yourself and how much you scared him

-Forgets whatever you two had fight over beforehand and hugs you tightly against him

-Fuma

-The argument was probably about you not taking enough care of yourself as he had watched you get worse and worse

-When he was trying to prove his point, you fainted and he felt his heart sink in his chest

-You would wake up on your bed with a wet cloth against your forehead and a glass of water on the nightstand with painkillers and a note

-'You are the most worrisome person in this world. Take the painkillers, drink some water, I'll be right home with food x'

-The cold was both nice and cold which did not make sense at all.

-Fuma would arrive minutes later with your favorite food so you could still talk things out while regaining energy

-Nicholas

-My man had never called 119 (Japanese Emergency Number) as fast as he had when you fainted during your argument

-Absolutely shaking and trembling when he explained to the help-line what had happened

-You'd wake up before the ambulance arrived but Nicholas made you stay on the ground as he knew you'd still be dizzy

-Stays by your side the entire time even when the doctor is checking you for your vital signs and blood pressue

-When you seem to be just fine (maybe low blood sugar) he hands you a coke and lets the doctors leave

-Clings to you afterwards and never lets go, afraid you'd faint again.

-EJ

-It was a mild argument but it was serious enough to talk about it inside the kitchen in the afternoon.

-He watched you hold onto the kitchen isle and frowned but did not say anything until he saw how weak you'd become

-Didn't let you faint and instead sat you down on a chair as he got a glass of water for you

-Would sit next to you, rubbing up and down your arm gently as he encourages you to drink a little

-You'd soon feel better but the argument was long forgotten. Ej's just glad you're okay now.

-Yuma

-I say this at every oportunity but Yuma is a hothead!

-Will not notice anything until you've completely blacked out

-He would stare at your unconscious body for a moment in pure shock before he scrambled to get his phone and call 119

-Explains to the emergency line what happened but begins to ramble and does not know how to stop because of the pure panic

-When the ambulance arrived and checked your signs (probably when you're awake) he just stood there and watched

-Would complain about how much you scared him afterwards and ask you to never push yourself to that point again

-Jo

-Again, I wholeheartedly believe you never end up in a bad fight

-But argument happen (even if he tries his best to avoid them) and you're trying to talk things out

-You'd feel terrible suddenly and tumbled to the ground

-Jo called Ej because he had no clue what to do and the poor boy was panicking

-Ej called an ambulance for ya'll and explained to Jo that he should get you some drinks and food for when you'd wake up

-When you're checked by the doctors and have consumed a bit of the food Jo had given you, he'd stare at you with teary eyes

-"I thought I'd lost you."

-Please hold this man

-Harua (this time I didn't forget, aha!)

-Ya'lls arguments are usually easily resolved so just when you two had apologized to one another, you'd feel a wave of nausea wash over you

-He watched it happen and screamed when you hit the ground

-Tried to shake you awake to no avail which is when the panic probably started to set in

-Didn't even think to call the emergency number because he was freaking out

-When you did wake up and asked him for a glass of water this guy returned with water, chocolate, an apple and three cans of coke

-Helped you up towards the couch and hugged you as if you'd disappear if he'd let you go

-Taki

-He was listening to you explaining your point of view of the argument when he noticed you'd act weird

-He called out for you but you did not respond. After a second, you fainted.

-Taki was happy it happened inside the dorms because he could call out to K who came over and calmed him down a little

-When you'd wake up, K would give you some water before he'd leave to give you some privacy.

-You were sure Taki had never hugged you as tight as he had in that moment and stroked your hair to remind himself you were okay

-Maki

-You'd been complaining about a headache all day which he was reminded of when you'd faint during the argument you two had

-He knew it wasn't healthy to not eat or stay hydrated when it was so warm during the day so he wasn't very surprised when your body shut down

-Still freaked out a little but got you some coke (with lots of sugar) and an apple before sitting by your side and stroking your hair

-You'd wake up confusedly and he'd help you sit up while explaining what had happened

-He'd make you drink the coke so you'd at least have a bit of sugar in your system before he'd scold you for being so reckless

[sergeantsporks]

It's actually kind of hilarious that Belos didn't really seem to take witch kids into account with regards to his big bad super evil genocide master plan.

If he were smart, he would've made it law for sigils to be applied upon reaching school-age [Which could be anywhere from ages four to seven, depending on which country that you live in], if not at birth if such a law were politically palatable to the denizens of The Demon Realm.

Waiting until adulthood to apply the killswitch that you intend to use to, well, kill off the entirety of a different species, is just... weird. lol lol lol

It's like it genuinely didn't occur to him that children, due to their sigil-less status, would survive the DoU until, like, literally the week before it was due to go down. I wonder if the Collector had to point it out to him to finally get him to notice!? lmao

Even then, his way of "solving" the "problem" feels half-assed! And I'm not talking about how Gus ruined Adrian's sigil-applying mission to Hexside either! (Since the cover story for that was actually decent lol.)

No, I'm talking about how it never could've been guaranteed that every last child on the Isles would be at school that day. lmao

Some kids were going to be out regardless. Because they're sick or some family emergency came up or because they just didn't want to go to school that day. lol

Basically, Belos apparently had a child-sized blind spot when it came to the DoU, and it surprises me that more people don't seem to realize it.

Belos pretty consistently patronizes/underestimates Luz and the rest of the Hexsquad up until he gets stuck in the human realm with them. We also see how he thinks he can just manipulate the Collector into liking him again after he dropped them off a cliff. I think it's pretty safe to say that Belos has a pretty low opinion of children in regards to their threat level/general intelligence. He probably did just completely overlook the possibility that [gasp] children grow up and reproduce!

I don't think he's super in-touch with the day-to-day of his citizens, either. Willow and Gus' parents say they'll homeschool them; clearly there's a chance some students are homeschooled. But Belos doesn't deal with those kind of logistics. As far as he's concerned, all the kids go to school, and they'll all be there, all the time. He's hundreds of years old, and his "sick days" are the result of the rot eating his body! He's COMPLETELY out of touch with the tiny details. he did this much work; surely, his minions can take care of what's left. That's what he made the coven heads and the guards, for, isn't it? Delegating tasks? They'll take care of it.

[stop-talking]

No Abby, we're not getting ice cream.

Silly little fic about Mike and Abby going shopping. (Mike's POV)

Word count: 1.2k

Tags: Mike & Abby, bonding, sibling love, fluff, Mike's POV, pre-movie.

This is just a cute little one-off about Mike being the single mother he is. I love him.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------

Mike watched as Abby swung a leg over the side of the shopping cart and climbed in. She was getting a little too big for this, taking up nearly the entire cart. Oh well. Not like he could afford to buy much anyways.

"Okay Abbs, remind me what we're here for?" He asked, giving the cart a solid push to get it rolling.

"Dinner."

"And that means?"

"No asking for junk." Abby droned the words off in a monotone voice, and gave him a flat look. She didn't like to go shopping unless there was something in it for her, Mike knew, but he didn't exactly have anyone home to watch her.

"Here, you wanna hold the list for me?" He offered her a little yellow notepad and a pen from his pocket in an attempt to cheer her up. She eyed him for a moment, then snatched it up and started to doodle on the shopping list.

Mike sighed as he looked down at his little sister. Yeah, she was definitely a little too old to be in the buggy. She stopped fitting in the little seat up front years ago, so now she sat in the main area, legs scrunched to make room for groceries.

He probably should let her walk, but she had a tendency to... wander. And give Mike heart attacks. He always spent too long deciding what to get, or so Abby had told him. Sometimes he'd get lost in thought while calculating the best deal on a can of soup or the like, and realize too late that Abby was no longer by his side.

This usually resulted in him running through the isles and yelling her name, much to Abby's embarrassment. Hell, it embarrassed him too, but he'd rather be embarrassed than end up losing her.

"Hellooo, Mike? Earth to Mike?"

He snapped back into focus as Abby impatiently tapped the metal shopping cart with her pen.

"You passed, like, three things we need. Turn around."

Mike huffed and turned the cart around as dramatically as possible, slinging his sister back with the sudden change in direction. He got weird looks from a couple other shoppers, but it earned him a laugh from Abby, so he didn't care.

"What did I miss? Onions?" He tried to lean over and peek at the grocery list as he wheeled the cart back towards the produce section.

"Hey! You said I could hold the list." Abby held the yellow notepad to her chest protectively, determined not to let him see it.

"Fine. But no funny business. We're only getting what I wrote on there, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just take us that way." Abby waved a dismissive hand in the general direction she wanted him to go, and Mike listened.

"Potatoes, onions, and... co... ca... con...?" She squinted at the list, struggling to read one of the words.

"Carrots." Mike corrected her, already putting a bag of potatoes into the cart.

"Your handwriting is terrible. Aren't grown-ups supposed to write better than toddlers?"

"Maybe you could read it better if you hadn't drawn all over the list already."

Abby stuck her tongue out at him, and the corners of Mike's mouth twinged up into a slight smile.

"Where to next, little lady?"

"The... can isle?"

"You don't sound very sure."

"Just push the cart, mule."

Mike stopped smiling at that. Brat.

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

"You want corn or peas tonight?" Mike held out two cans to Abby, who pointed to the corn. He dropped it into the cart.

"Can we get soup too?" She reached out to grab a can, but Mike was already wheeling her into the next isle.

"We have some at home."

"Yeah, cream of mushroom. Who even eats that?"

"You do. Every time I make casserole."

"...gross."

Mike chucked to himself as they rounded the corner into the freezer section.

"What did we need from here again?"

Abby quickly scanned the list, they were most of the way through it now.

"Fish sticks... and ice cream."

Mike paused. One of those things was definetly not on the list.

"Abby. We're not getting ice cream."

"But it's on the list!" She held up the grocery list, which she'd apparently made many edits to. It has little doodles all over it, some items have been crossed off, and she'd added a couple things of her own.

Before he could argue back, a young girl, probably around five years or so, pointed and shouted something at Abby.

"Look, Mommy! Isn't she too old for the buggy?"

The girl's mother, who looked truly mortified, tugged the girl along by her arm and hissed something about it being rude to point.

Abby stuck her tongue out at the little girl, but Mike turned to her mother. She looked tired. He could understand that. He could also understand raising a little hellspawn.

He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he must not have done a very good job. The woman just turned and sped off, dragging her child around the corner and out of sight. Damnit.

"Chocolate or strawberry?" While he wasn't looking, Abby had leaned over the side of the cart and poked through the freezer.

"Chocolate." He finally relented, sighing as his little sister happily placed a carton of ice cream in the cart. Oh well. They hadn't bought any in a month or so.

"Thanks Mike! You're the best!" Abby blinked up at him with a false innocence. He saw through her little act.

"Yeah, yeah. We're not getting any other unnecessary crap." He grumbled, but still found it hard to fight back a smile. Why did she have to be so cute, even when she got on his nerves?

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

They bought other unnecessary crap.

Two boxes of cereal, a bag of chips, and a half-gallon of chocolate milk later, Mike blinked down at the total. Nearly fifteen dollars over budget. Damnit.

He handed the lady at the register a few bills with a tired smile. Oh well. He'd just skip lunch at work for the next couple days to make up for it. Mall food was over-priced anyways.

・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・・・・・・○・

"Do the thing!" Abby pleaded with him, making a truly pitiful pout as he pushed the cart out of store, with her still in it.

"What thing?"

"You know. The thing."

Mike rolled his eyes, but complied. He put one foot on the underside of the cart, and used the other to push off, sending it flying through the parking lot. Abby squealed in delight, which made him smile.

The damn thing would probably tip over if she wasn't sitting on the opposite end to balance things out. As it rattled through the uneven pavement, It teetered, as if threatening to do just that.

"Don't get used to this." Mike started, scraping his shoe along the pavement to slow them as they approached his beat-up Honda Accord.

"We're not getting all this junk next time."

Abby pretended his scolding got through to her, hanging her head as she helped him load groceries into the car.

Mike pretended to believe his words too, but he knew as well as she did that their next shopping trip would go much the same way.

Brat.

‐---------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: Thanks for all the love on my last fanfic?? Part one got 100 notes?? I'll post the first chapter of a Derek Danforth fic soon, so stick around. I just had this in my drafts for the past few days. I love Mike & Abby's relationship so much <3

[beaulesbian]

Thoughts and more thoughts about the potential of Rob Lucci after chapter 1111 - spoilers and theory

(disclaimer: this might be totally implausible and not at all what could happen, but it's something that's been on my mind since last chapter, so here are my thoughts on this. again, very long post ahead, I don't know how it keeps happening)

The way Oda allowed Lucci to feel during chapter 1111, is something I didn't expect to find so intriguing, and it points to how much depth really has each character in this story.

There is a subtle change of certain aspects of Rob Lucci's personality since the start of Egghead, and in the chapter 1111 even a bigger focus is on his reaction to meeting Mars Gorosei and asking for Kaku to be spared.

Given this swept away answer with seeing whom he's been serving all this time, there could come a realization that'd sort of wake him up. There's a potential to somewhat turn power of Cipher Pol agents from blindlessly following the World Government. To stop being the WG's shield.

It's very probable the story might deal with the reform or even collapse as a whole of the World Government - especially since the Gorosei are currently Luffy's main enemies. With that, the Cipher Poll intelligence could play a significant part of it as well, along with other moving pieces like the Revolutionary Army, Shanks, Luffy's fleet or even Morgans and his newspapers, and, of course, the Strawhats.

There's been comments of readers who only saw Lucci and Zoro's fight as one dimensional - one has to win, the other has to lose, and comparing points and skills without really diving into their respective characters - thankfully Oda knows those characters and knows how to make the story interesting and compelling. Where before I hoped we would get a follow up about the words directed at Zoro, instead Lucci was given more space for this chapter.

Where one would hope for Zoro to win and move to other parts of the island with the Strawhats, we instead stayed with Lucci and him witnessing Mars in his full on demon form - something that even Lucci was shocked to see.

Those two pages were such incredible moments for Lucci as a character who serves fully the Gorosei and the World Government in first place, yet! Yet! In the last part he's on the page, he's allowed and shown to be worried and caring for someone else than himself- after arcs and arcs where he appeared here and there just carrying out on orders and missions without seemingly caring about anyone to much depth before, he's given space to actually express the concern regarding Kaku.

Of course he's still this same of bloodthirsty killer, just like in Enies Lobby, (ch. 382),

both his immediate fight upon seeing Luffy on Egghead, and later against Zoro paints it clear what he's capable of.

Rob Lucci is regarded as one of the strongest assassin's in the Cipher Pol agency CP9 (and later with higher rank of CP0). Just reading his wikia to remember more moments, the section about his personality is mostly compiled of traits like cold-hearted, agressive, and especially taking the Wold Governments meaning of Justice into brutal heights, thinking all is allowed to accomplish his goals/missions/orders.

There's his past and how he has been trained by WG to do as they told him, or even go to length which he wasn't even ask to do, but knowing his position as assassin he did as he wanted.

By the end of Water 7 and leaving to Enies Lobby, where he preteded to be friends with Iceberg, Paulie and other shipwrights for 5 years, he didn't show any regrets leaving the place (contrary to Kaku, who seemed to really enjoy his work as shipwright and is sometimes shown really excited about new places and such)

Up until the chapter 1111 I mostly took him as someone really dutiful to follow orders through and through and not gave it much more thought beside that, but it's true that this already started to shift around chapter 1062, when we see Lucci, Kaku and Stussy on their way to Egghead Island:

"They want us to eliminate the most useful man in the world..."

"The last thing a man as keenly perceptive as you should be doing is looking for answers." (says Stussy, a double agent working for Vegapunk, lol).

I wouldn't call it distrust in WG, yet. At this point he was still adamant about following the mission to kill Vegapunk. But maybe it's more visible that he's thinking more about such orders and their consequences.

He fights Luffy immediately after setting foot on Egghead, calls it as it is in wanting to defeat Luffy and destroy his whole crew without any pretense (and maybe that honesty was why Luffy took his word for their brief cooperation in fighting Seraphim). ch. 1076

He says this honestly, yet after the Strawhats and Vegapunks are healing later on, Lucci still tries to attack Vegapunk, ch.1091

Once knowing Kizaru appeared too, Lucci returnes back to finish his mission, he strikes at Vegapunk again - unsuccessfuly because Stussy takes that attack, and Zoro pushes him from the lab and then keep him occupied until the latest chapter 1111.

And that is a big part of him, eyes always on the mission - get information to his bosses, to Navy/Saturn/Gorosei/Kizaru, and keep his enemies occupied or better yet - dead. This thinking was always present with him to this point in ch. 1111, and that is from where it could lead to even more nuance in his future decisions:

The first time seeing Mars in his demon form there's that blink-and-you-miss it expression of pure horror, hinting that even the highest ranking agents probably had no idea just what the true nature of the Gorosei looks like, and that a sight like that can pull this expression from Lucci:

After that brief shocked state, he goes back to immediately report all informations he has on Vegapunks, Strawhats, even their plan of escape, as well as mentioning the other Cipher Pol agents, trapped in the Lab:

then there's this panel, "well done. no further questions.":

which reminded me of very similar words Lucci said to Robin in Water 7, ch. 348: "you've fulfilled your role. good work."

Maybe it's not intended as parallel, but just that similarity of something he's been clearly hearing from his higher ups, that he added it to his own vocabulary.

But then there's this more surprising part of ch. 1111:

After his shock of seeing that monster in front of him, and after giving Mars all the informations, he still finds the strength to ask him to spare his partner's life, to save Kaku:

What he gets as an answer is along the lines of: "it might be difficult when everyone to us is like ants" and that's the last of Rob Lucci for this chapter.

Mars seem to share this same thinking like Saturn expressed before, while the navy guy heard that even the life of an CP0 agents isn't something Saturn (and Gorosei) would really be troubled over, if lost.

and hearing that from Mars could be an eyeopening moment for Lucci.

They're assassins and an intelligence agency of almost the highest standing among the World Governement, but even the lives of Kaku and such seem to mean nothing to the Gorosei.

The point of the current anime episode 1098 where Lucci & CP0 were just arriving on Egghead reminded me how he was asking Vegapunk about the missing Cipher Pol agents and their disappearances, ch. 1068:

It's not that he was only concerned about Kaku in the latest chapter, but since the end of Water 7 - and seeing how his crew cared for him to pay for his medical bills (cover story chapters 491 - 528, manga only, which is very interesting that the anime didn't adapt that cover story), I think he started to care more about "his own people" - the Cipher Pol agents in general - even to visit to their "hometown" while he was healing and defended that place (and the new young trainees) from the Marines who were sent to attack CP9 after their failure at Enies Lobby:

So the question is.. once Lucci saw just who he was serving all those years, the World Government and the Gorosei - and now seeing Mars in his bird monster form disregarding any care for any lives, even their own agents - will that be a tipping point for him?

He asked Mars to spare Kaku but got an answer that all of them, Cipher Pol agents even on the highest places, are still the same as insects in the eyes of the Gorosei

Could that be something that will help him make a certain change?

My possible theory of what he might do/what might happen (given that he still has the strength to walk after his fight with Zoro):

Find Kaku himself - he was trapped in the bubble like the other Seraphim - we don't know if anyone else un-trapped him in the meantime, and Lucci himself doesn't know about the bubble prison, given his flashback to Kaku is just him laying down, as he last remembers that from the Lab.

Sanji said to Kaku that Lucci abandoned him - something that Lucci kept taunting Zoro with during their fight - about the inability to sacrifice one from their team for the greater good. (It could mean that Kaku either wouldn't count on Lucci coming back, but it would work even better if it was shown Lucci actually coming back for Kaku

and they could go finish their side mission of rescuing the other Cipher Pol agents -

and that's another thing -

even during that brief panel of their rescue -they were thankful to Luffy! Despite their positions of agents of Government, which puts them always directly opposing pirates/Strawhats/Luffy, they appreciated and thanked Luffy for giving them food and saving them, ch. 1090

This together I feel could become a moment of all these agents realizing that Luffy isn't their real enemy - or wake up from their WG brainwashed thinking once they see just who is outside fighting: Gorosei in their monster forms vs. Luffy

I think that Rob Lucci stands there now as one of the few who could sway the Governments power to a tipping point from the inside.

Not precisely helping Luffy or Strawhats, but taking that power of the intelligence agency away from the WG and Marines.

It was shown in multiple pages how the Gorosei care more about the rank and position than any lives of their trained assassins, and think of them as something to be disgarded left and right.

Their intelligence agency and assassins act as a Shield to the WG, and the CP0 even carries that in their name: AEGIS, (a powerful shield from greek mythology).

If the other agents would follow Lucci in a different direction, he could be the one to take away that shield from the Gorosei, uncover one of the layers that act as their security, leaving them more exposed and vulnerable to future attacks (possibly from people like Dragon and Revolutionary army when the time comes for them to strike).

[morallysinner]

warnings: I don't know, there's fluff and a little bit of angst I guess. I don't know how to put proper warnings, I'm sorry, I'll learn. Also, another warning, English is not my first language so forgive me for any grammar mistakes or even phrases that could've been worded better.

Joel was forty-six when it all started, you were twenty, on your birthday, and the only day you allowed yourself to be back home. Most people would understand, most people judged, but it wasn’t something you controlled or even saw coming.           Now you’re twenty-two, Joel is coming close to his all-not-welcomed forty-eight, and no matter how much he tried you’d never let him live without saying he's getting to fifty.           It was easy, it was lovely until it wasn't, until everything didn’t make sense anymore. You two were not a thing, far from it, and neither was looking to be with anyone else, but only because you were too caught up with everything happening in each other’s lives that relationship was far off your minds.           So, you and Joel seated for best friends, or at least you did because you were almost certain Joel saw you as a kid he took care of. Someone to replace the daughter he lost, the one he couldn’t save. But for you, it was more than that.           You didn’t know when it all started when those feelings started threatening to stir and get ready to be out, but at some point they did and it was as horrendous as it sounds like.           The first time you realized wasn’t far from the present date. It was raining and you two got back after a day out in the city. Depression got over you that day and Joel was there to pick up the pieces, you put your hand on his hat and placed it on your head, slightly pulling it down so it covers a little part of your face.

          “Give that back, little shit.” He said playfully while you circled the isle in the center of the kitchen.

          “Never. I said it looks better on me, Miller.” A mischievous smile appeared on your lips. “And even that lady from the fair agreed.”

          Joel finally reached and stoned you in place right in front of him. “She’s nuts and was clearly trying to butter you up so you would but her shit.”

          Faking an offended expression, you said: “How dare you say that, Miller. Take it back,” you held up your finger, pointing at him.

          “Not when I’m right.”

          You raised an eyebrow and glared, baring your teeth slightly at him, and kept that staring contest for a while, until his fingers held your chin and his gaze softened. He still kept looking at you but it was completely different from moments before.

It was like you knew what went through his mind. Your eyes found his lips and you almost pulled in for a kiss, but all of a sudden he tapped the front of the hat and took a step back as swiftly as a robot could get.

"Yeah, you're right. It looks better on you, keep it." He coughed. "Hm, I gotta head upstairs, but if you wanna sleep over you can come too."

And that was it. All the butterflies were dead and incinerated while the both of you acted like nothing happened and the incessant ache of rejection prevented you from taking another chance. You should've trusted your instincts and respected the "protector x protected" boundaries of the relationship. Fuck, he must've felt sick after all of this. Then we have now, with you laid comfortably in Joel's arms. It was a hard day and there was a bruise on your arm you didn't tell him how happened so he brushed off for now after you nearly begged him to. "You know, Joel. It would be so much easier if you loved me back." That made him wake up from his almost-sleeping stage. Your fingers traced the outline of the button of his shirt. "But I know how it works. Sorry for bringing it up again." A soft smile displayed on your lips was what made Joel curse under his breath. "No, I'm at fault, you don't have to worry about anything sweetheart." He slid his hand through your hair. "You're young and we met under such bad circumstances. I should be the one to put boundaries between us." "You know I'm not a kid, right?" You moved so your chin would be resting on his chest. Joel sighed heavily "I'm painfully aware of that." "So why do you keep pushing me away like this? It's a little confusing when we're all this close all the time for when I try to make the first move I get rejected." It didn't sound like an accusation, just frustration intertwined with the calmness of the moment. Joel didn't have an answer, so he stayed silent watching you. "Ok, sorry for bringing that up. I'm gonna sleep on the couch." You got up and went to the door, hoping he'd ask for you to come back, but he didn't. Because as much as you needed validation, he also needed time to think, accept, and digest. It's not like he hasn't been in love with you for a couple of years now, but he still hasn't accepted the fact that he's indeed in the wrong. Joel Miller knew he wasn't a good man, but bringing you down with him wasn't an option and you were too out of limits for him to even consider the fantasy. For him to even dream of a day he would deserve you as his.

[sepublic]

From Pilot to Canon, Luz and Eda

With my belief that No Tree Left Behind was boarded as part of the pilot continuity (hence Lilith's depiction), I want to bring up that I think there's kind of a subtle difference between Luz in that episode, or 'Pilot Luz', and Canon Luz as we got in the actual animated show.

With Canon Luz, she's a more brash, confident individual, who can get in over her head; King mentions that she smells of overconfidence, plus there's Luz recklessly getting into stuff like in Covention or Enchanting Grom Fright in the heat of the moment. She has this overwhelming energy and enthusiasm that's unstoppable, but as a result she can sometimes forget about the people around her, hence Wing it like Witches.

And a lot of that has to do with Luz's relationship with The Good Witch Azura in canon, because it means that the Boiling Isles is her fantasy!!! It's her chance, it's her adventure, it's what Manny would push her to go for! So she gives it her all. And in the latter half of the show, Luz's willingness to go at any cost, even to her own detriment, borders on self-sacrifice. In a way she's secretly atoning for her own existence, it's like... 'Socially acceptable' self-harm by risking herself.

So there's a difference in Pilot Luz during NTLB, who is much more averse to the martyr idea; She's a lot more scared and reluctant to fight for Arborgeist, and in a moment of crisis admits she doesn't quite get what Eda is so worked up about. And this makes me think of how the in the pilot continuity, there isn't that same relationship with Azura; The pitch bible reveals we would've had an episode where it's revealed to be written by an ex of Eda's about her, so you can guess that Luz drops it afterwards.

And as the pilot even shows us, Luz didn't choose to be in the Boiling Isles! And in lieu of my latest reblog, that feels relevant because Dana mentioned how in the final show, Luz choosing that was so incredibly important; It was a foundational change to the character's storyline. Luz wants to be here, she wants to risk it, this is the adventure and if she gets bruised up, it's okay. Us weirdoes have to stick together, she declares passionately as she rallies a bunch of strangers against Warden Wrath in the first episode. She becomes in canon the kind of passionate, righteous person who will talk your ear off about a thing and she's right about it.

So looking at the difference between first episodes, it tracks that Pilot Luz is much more reluctant and just trying to survive, hence her not 'getting' Arborgeist, in the sense that she doesn't see what's worth potentially dying over. Whereas with Canon Luz, I think she'd be more than willing to deep dive into this culture and play the hero, she's a social activist.

This isn't to trash on Pilot Luz btw, nor canon Luz; I just find it fascinating to consider how her character has changed and developed, how the story has, and how the difference in first episodes alludes to this. First episodes are very important, they can establish a lot of the core themes and ideas and Dana herself confirmed the significance of certain differences from the initial pilot. So it's fascinating seeing that difference in action, shown to us, rather than having to be told, since normally we couldn't watch the pilot storyboards to see for ourselves. Pilot Luz and Canon Luz are different characters with different flaws and circumstances, and they're both beautiful in their own ways for it.

I'd even argue that in a canon episode like WilW, Luz ends up playing the role Eda has in NTLB! And her stepping down after realizing she (might) hurt a loved one who was dragged into this, only for them to understand how much they care and come back to help for that reason... The story beats live on. Canon Luz would probably be thrilled to see Pilot Eda show so much care about something when she normally doesn't; Whereas Canon Eda becomes more of a practical guardian who's reining her kid in out of experience, because she's been hurt herself and is worried, and a tad pessimistic.

It's like the dynamics between Luz and Eda reversed from pilot to canon, with a scared and reluctant kid and her mentor who can push her too much sometimes; And now it's this overconfident, excited kid who wants to try everything and thinks she's invincible, with her jaded mentor who's a realist but also she cares more than you realize and wants to provide a safety net, being surprisingly thoughtful at times.

It makes sense, because again going back to my last reblog, Luz being more enthusiastic about the isles was to also help her foil other characters better, including Eda, and vice-versa. So it's possible Eda was changed to lean more into her pragmatic mentor role -Not that she doesn't still have her irresponsible, reckless moments- while bouncing off of Luz's new enthusiasm, which can lead to conflict like Luz wanting to try the newest magic and Eda not being in the mood, which leads to Luz being a bit reckless (take for example The Intruder).

Eda being more tired and jaded could also tie to the development of her curse as a disability that exhausts her, since in the pilot continuity the curse only made her age more; In canon, it does that AND messes with her magic stores, which leads to more exhaustion! In addition to becoming a beast. And with Eda becoming disillusioned with the isles due to her traumatic experiences, Luz acts as the light in her life to reignite her passion, which leads to Eda taking a more proactive role against Belos in S2!

She believes in her efficacy more because of how Luz changes the isles because of Eda, which makes Eda become more of an agent for social change as she starts to believe she can make a difference again, just as she did as a teen in IFWOT. Maybe Eda's curse isn't something to feel shame over anymore, maybe she shouldn't let it stop her from rallying everyone...!

Thus, there's not just a difference between Pilot and Canon Luz, but also Pilot and Canon Eda in NWLB. Though I imagine Canon Eda would still help to defend the Arborgeist tree, I'm not as sure about her confidence in attempting to rally others to do the same; She's got that loner vibe who assumes she has to do everything on her own because her own family and lover wouldn't support Eda in her defiance to the coven... But now she does have support in Luz. And King. And some of those loved ones are turning around too, no thanks to Luz's arrival inspiring some!

All this helps culminate in the S1 finale with Eda being used as a rallying cry against Belos, signaling the beginning of the end for his regime as she inspires not just a kid like Luz but other youths like Gus and Willow, and even helps chaperone Grom after avoiding Hexside for years; Eda’s really starting to believe again and she admits that Luz has gotten into her head as the cause.

[a-random-weeb]

Hiiii can I request prince chuuya x reader in an arranged marriage?

Alright, I liked this idea but it wasn't specific enough to turn into a story, plus I don't think I could turn this into anything other than a oneshot, so... Here's a oneshot I'm quite proud of! Unless this wasn't for the event, in that case, here's your oneshot!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

You didn't want this. Why did this happen?! You came from a very rich family, your parents being owners of a HUGE business. You don't know how business stuff works (It's a fanfic I ain't doing a whole bunch of research as to why this very specific scenario could ever take place) but for some reason, you and THE PRINCE had to get MARRIED! You despised this fact, but it was for the business... Well... You didn't care, you didn't want to get married to some snobby prince with anger issues. Prince Chuuya was known for his horrible anger issues, he was pretty scary... You hated him, but alas, the wedding day is today. You sigh as the makeup artist finishes your makeup. Yes. Your parents got you a makeup artist.

"It's your special day, you're getting married!" Was their reasoning. You tried pretending to be sick, but your damn parents could see right through you. They were acting so sweet to you, but that's just because they're gonna make money off this marriage.

The makeup artist has to push you through the doors of the church, and you ungracefully stumble into the room. with all these people around there's no use in running. You gaze up at your soon-to-be husband, pissed off by the vail covering your eyes. Sure you can still see, but it still angered you. Chuuya notices your gaze as you walk down the isle and scowls, rolling his eyes. You shoot him a glare before tripping over nothing, falling face first into the carpet atop the grass. Some of the audience gasps, while others give a light chuckle. You were surprised to see Chuuya holding in his laughter. Either way you're incredibly embarrassed.

"I'm ok!" You scurry to your feet. You frown as you realize you ruined the flowers, they were pretty, but whatever. You continue to walk and blah blah blah. When you finally reach the end of the isle, the sun shines in your eyes as you try to look at Chuuya, looking away because of the sun. Chuuya wears his normal scowl. You don't listen to anything that's going on until

"You may kiss the bride."

You were disgusted, you didn't want to kiss this.. this idiot! He leans in, you're heart beats loudly... Why were you so flustered?! Why was he hot?! He leans in super close, his lips gently brushing against yours, close enough to seem like you two were kissing. The crowd cheers as the hot sun beams down. You throw the (ruined) bouquet out into the crowd, some fat, rich man catches it. You cringe, looking at your new husband. He smirks

"Your face is red"

"Shut up!!!"

"HEY! NO YOU SHUT UP!" You're guys parents shoot you glares and you both quickly shut up. The death stare he gives you tells you all you need to know about how he feels... he doesn't like you.

Throughout the next month of living in the palace, Chuuya doesn't even acknowledge you. Maybe the occasional glare while eating dinner or passing by in the halls, but that's it. Until... One day his overbearing parents announce you two don't love eachother as much as you should, and they're sending you both on a couples vacation where you're sharing a bed in a hotel room! You both groan at the same time

"HEY! YOU CANT GROAN AT THE SAME TIME AS ME!" Chuuya yells at you

"I DID IT FIRST, YOURE THE ONE WHO COPIED ME!!" You defend. Chuuyas about to yell again when his parents intervene

"This is what we mean." His mom sighs "You two have to get along, if you're both gonna be king and queen, you at least have to have the ability to collaborate. The only reason you're sharing a bed is because your father is a sucker for enemies to lovers trope"

And so, they send you and the angry redhead end up in a hotel room.. together... You avoid eachother all day, until bedtime...

"Alright dumbass, there's only one bed, so you have to sleep on the floor." Chuuya collapses on the bed, exhausted from the day he's had.

"I'm, excuse me? Oh hell nah" you push him over, scooting in next to him on the Queen sized mattress. A vain pops out of his head

"There's not enough room for both of us!!"

"Yes there is!!" You hiss. He pushes you off the bed. After you get up, you lunge at him, using your body weight to throw the both of you off the bed, landing on top of him. You burst out laughing, and he gives a slight chuckle, though quickly hid behind the usual scowl. You fall onto his chest while laughing over the situation and adrenaline.

"Get off of me!" A faint blush covers his cheeks

"Ah, sorry." You're laughter dies down but the smile on your face unwavering as you climb onto the bed, relaxing and giggling. Chuuya finally gives in and rolls over you purposely. A small shriek escapes your lips as he does so, but then... He smashes his lips against yours... Well that was unexpected...

⋆｡˚✮⋆˙*⋆｡˚⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆｡˚✮⋆˙+⋆｡˚⋆.ೃ࿔*:･⋆｡˚✮⋆˙+⋆｡˚⋆.ೃ࿔*.

[mdhwrites]

The issue with Owl House is that it’s cliche in the most boring way. A show can be filled with overused tropes yet still be entertaining yet the Owl House just…isn’t.

This is why I can’t rewatch the show because it’s just not exciting enough to do so.

So I'm mostly going to focus on the rewatch value of the show here rather than the trope elements, I feel like I covered that only a couple blogs ago. For why it's a bad rewatch though: I've said before that TOH is REALLY good at introducing elements and TERRIBLE at follow through. Amity was presented with a lot of great potential in just two episodes because of how clear it was that her current relationship with success was toxic but that you also didn't necessarily want to see her fail in her goals. Then she becomes just a love interest who entirely forgets her goals and has pretty much everything we had introduced in the first two episodes she appeared in swept under the tacky rug named Odalia. Literally two of the first 5 episodes... Wasted. Almost entirely pointless because you could jump in at Lost in Language and her character reads WAY more consistent... But less compelling. She wants to be good at school but it isn't consuming her mind, even at that point despite Luz not really having discussed that part of her at all. She's much closer to a normal, driven girl rather than one demented by the need to succeed. That is frankly just less interesting, at least without ANY explanation as to why besides 'girl crush'. It's akin to how by Escaping Expulsion, she's let her grades slip and only seems to care because her parents are saying she's not allowed to have friends because of it. Or, more importantly, Luz.

That's the thing: Most of the character arcs and elements in TOH don't build on one another. Instead, you start with this really well built house that could use a few additions but it's quite serviceable as is... And then each episode takes a sledgehammer to it. Even the world counts for this. An interesting dystopia fueled by greed where being normal is prioritized over being good? Where everyone is looking for a dime and would threaten to kill you for their own gain because they know they'll get away with it so long as they do it in a normal manner? That's FASCINATING. And that is explicitly the Isles we get for about three episodes.

But then with Covention, it shrinks. Suddenly people are just a little suspicious of Eda but you start realizing that she does run a market stall in the middle of town. That without posters, people practically don't care about her bounty. Cheating is seen as unacceptable rather than what should be the norm with the lack of morals on the Isles. All while it hasn't actually examined the world it implied early on besides honestly a pretty normal con artist and the fact the school was willing to kill an intruder.

Just think about any element really. The EC/Lilith? Presented as really cool and something that could genuinely be a philosophical debate against Eda. Then their second episode is Once Upon a Swap, where they end with their leader as a dog and can't control a witch who has pretty much no control over her magic. So interesting. -_- Hunter is FAMOUS for this. The Golden Guard is an entirely different personality from Hunter himself and implies a LOT of fascinating things about him... And then they're all immediately dropped by Hunting Palisman, even small details like him being a prodigy respected in the EC. Willow is an unexpected one as her first real return is Hooty's Moving Hassle which bungled her power issues so badly, it took Sport in a Storm for the majority of the fandom to realize they were resolved in the sixth episode.

It's also why the show keeps having to add elements rather than having anything to actually expand on. Eda gets pretty much her entire character finished up by the end of S1. She could still teach Luz about potions and genuinely examine the struggle she has with the difference between little magic and no magic but... Instead she gets glyphs and a super form rather than proper character development. Then she gets a love interest that is what she focuses on for a couple episodes of the season. They even have to escalate the curse, despite it being toned down being part of the S1 climax, just because they have so little to actually do with her at this point. They've accelerated her character so quickly past all the things she supposedly cared about that they have to grasp at straws for what can be pulled back. It's why Willow and Amity take effectively an entire season to follow up on the end of Understanding Willow because at that point, they're desperate for Amity to be able to do ANYTHING that isn't just Luz. It's why she suddenly gives a shit about her father out of NOWHERE. It's why Gus has to have the same problem rehashed three times but tackled at with his only two character traits and then sudden anxiety issues that technically aren't out of character but still feel like they came out of nowhere. Because if the show isn't adding something to a character, it only has so much room to go, at least from how the writers seemed to have thought.

It's actually part of why Luz is so incredibly stagnant in S1. Her character is actually really basic and the show itself has NO INTEREST in multiple elements of it. She can be described in the first episode as a bullied girl who is an outcast from normal people with a desire to live out a fantasy instead and has a good heart. Now that first half, the bullied girl who is an outcast, is jettisoned for the sake of making Luz's transition into the Isles easier/selling the idea of the Isles as a place she/the viewer want to be in easier. She never has social anxiety or the like, or even struggles to make friends and connections, because that would get in the way of seemingly what the writers actually care about like their romance plots and her wish fulfilment. So if you don't have those elements then all you have is her desire to live out a fantasy and that she has a good heart.

And for like half the show, that pretty much doesn't change at all. It's why a lot of the episodes with her effectively come down to her making a mistake because she wants to live out an Azura book, implicitly (Teenage Abomination) or explicitly (Covention), but then her good heart makes her set things right. And that is fine for your MC. It actually worked to keep her unobtrusive from the other characters as they worked through their arcs and lessons. MCs like this work well in general honestly. I've referenced Danny Phantom and Randy Cunningham as characters who fit this archtype, who also are pretty basic as both are teenage boys who would like to be popular but also have good hearts that will cause them to do the right thing even if it humiliates them, and those shows are great! There are issues with the style, and Luz has PLENTY OF THEM, but they work for a base.

But part of her stagnancy and issues with the trope is that she never seems to learn anything. That's because of TOH's problem of only tearing a character apart... Until it replaces. Lilith isn't Lilith anymore. She's now the cool aunt. Eda was practically never criminal or anarchist. She's just Momma Eda. The Golden Guard never existed, there's only the sad but mad boy. Etc. Etc.

The old character and their history do not exist and the new one... Is usually summed up really easily. Usually just with the statement of "A generally nice person." But having excised all of that old potential also means they can't do a lot with these characters without seeming to go back on their character development. This is why we get Hunter as a new Amity so someone can do her angst a second time since they decided to race past it all. It's why we get romance added more heavily because there are still tropes they can do with that genre and even love interests they can add. Why nothing gets explored because the show was so impatient to get to the big moments it wanted, even before the shortening since that mostly didn't affect the first half of the series so stuff like Amity's rushed development was not something forced on them, that it lost out on the chance to do the actually interesting ideas they pitched in the first place. Remember how Luz and Eda were pitched at the beginning as student/mentor? Theoretically, as the two main characters? And how after Adventure in the Elements, they have two plots together where they speak for more than like a minute with each other. Stranger Tides and Titan Where Art Thou, the latter of which actually rehashes a concept from literally a season ago (Grom) because they just forgot about Luz wanting Eda's approval until then.

All of this, all of this rambling, makes it so that while I am a firm proponent for the journey meaning more than the destination... It's hard to want to go back on that journey. To constantly be like "This is the best this character will ever be," through the first half of the show, if that, and then have only a couple character climaxes to look forward to. Worse yet is that even these introductory episodes HINGE on payoffs down the line, like Understanding Willow. That potential was part of what made them good when honestly a lot of them are kind of boring without the novelty of the potential story they're setting up. Knowing there's no payoff just makes the setup INFURIATING.

It also makes it really easy to understand why so many praised it so much harder early on. It comes out of the gate swinging but its punches have no follow through so when S1 was done and everything was introduced, the potential for the show was laid bare, we got HUNDREDS of animatics. We got thousands of comics. The fandom has NEVER thrived harder.

But by even the hiatus in S2... There's a reason why a LOT of people jumped onto Clarvee like ravenous hounds. A reason why a lot of people jumped onto Huntlow when it started being teased. Kept jumping to new elements being added because the old ones were left to rot, if they weren't actively sabotaged.

And the finale for a lot of people so actively contradicted one of those early statements, one of those early novelties people pointed to for why an okay episode was better than it was, that it really feels like it fractured the fandom. A lot of people saw Luz become a chosen one, literally empowered by God with no consequences and little work, and one of those things that people praised from episode 2... Shattered.

And suddenly they realized that strong house they thought they'd lived in the entire series had so many holes in it from the sledgehammers that it all simply fell as if it were always a house of cards.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[baladric]

in the spirit of 2024 art wraps actually, here's the sparkling top notes of character sketches for my in-progress book 🥹

introduction blurbs under the cut if you're interested!! they are. all i care about.

in order from top left to bottom right, glossing over the couple duplicates

MELECH PEL-AHN VIÇ ÇIMELLA

lawful good made manifest, melech is a career soldier reeling his way along with a mélange of battles scars, while the world moves farther and farther away from the moral and balanced justice he believes in—and which has begun to challenge that belief, as he realizes that sin and goodness are much muddier waters than he thought.

TAVI QAN

freighted with secrets on secrets on secrets, tavi is a cautionary tale on legs, as well as the wikihow on how not to cope with the stress of compulsive people-pleasing (and every other blessed thing.) what more is there to say? haha jk there's at least 90,000 words of things to say, but that'd be spoilers 😌

KITELLA PEL-FAR EVITT

they say the scribes of anniall are the incorruptible breath of the cosmic body of the gods, and also that this belief has just been summarily shattered by a single man. but kitt, for his part, rejects the idea that he has been corrupted. saint anniall of the sotheren star would want nothing to do with this age of empire and oppression, kitt will tell you. saint anniall would spurn a leadership that has strayed so far from the tenets of harmony and compassionate community, kitt will say. saint anniall would—so kitt asserts (and rightly so)—prize and encourage the underground resistance trying to incite a labor revolution. anniall, too, would pen an aching, cutting manifesto and inspire a movement-wide rebrand in the name of the long-lost friend of his youth. he, too, would [squints at smudge handwriting] land himself a death sentence by military tribunal and lose everything he holds dear in the escape. or something like that.

MINA YLL-SHEVRASK

don't let the youthful portrait fool you—mina is well into her middle years now, and the decades have put the world is on its knees for her. imagine magic. now imagine breaking magic and making it all over again for your own pleasure. imagine keeping the secret of it to yourself while you build greater and wilder things. imagine giving those things to the rising storm of a bastard daughter-turned calamity, remaking the world in your own twined images. also, imagine being super duper gay married to her while you burn the world to its struts 💕

QAILLANI IIKHAL

princess? wife? mother? hah! she's tried it all and walked away, and what regrets she once had, she has swallowed down as bitter pith to be passed. watch out for the cormorants, by the way. they know more about our players than anyone can guess.

AMAAN YLL-SHEVRASK

khai'eş. khai'eş? listen, she didn't pick the name. she has an ego on her, sure, and hubris enough for any homeric antihero—but even she's not enough of a cock-swinger to name herself after the thing feared most by sailors across the khimell sea. or, well... what used to be the most feared thing. that title goes to her now, with her spellwrought ship and her bloody-handed crew and the mage of the isles for a wife. too bad she's grown sooo complacent in the keeping of that other two-headed secret, though.

THEODORA KOSTAS

you could say a lot of things about theo, but you probably shouldn't say them to her face. fractious, viciously smart and just as quick with her fists as her tongue, she ran out of patience for being undermined years ago and has no qualms about making it your problem. but mind your own business and she'll mind hers, and buy you a drink while you're at it.

KETILL BELOW

the thing about loving magic is it can break your heart worse than any person. or so ketill thinks, young as they are. they'll keep doing it, though. it's all they have. no—had. had.

[mobirights]

MOBI DEAD GAY WIZARDS (not really but still) RANTTTT

I have major writers block, so for anyone who cares, I'm gonna talk (rant) about the Descendants movies/books while I write a chapter for my Descendants AU jegulus fanfic (the children are innocent linked here).

We DO NOT talk enough about how in the first Descendants book (don't talk to me about how canon or non-canon those books are, they ARE to ME, OKAY?) Ben and Mal had dreams about each other before the VK's got brought to Auradon??? like WHAAAAT. It adds SO MUCH to their relationship and those layers WILL be included in my fic. Like it makes so much sense???

Cause, like, even though we love Ben and Mal, we can all collectively agree that it was crazy how he just left Audrey, right? Like love potion, I know, I know. But my girl had every right to be upset because her boyfriend doesn't even break up with her, but just declares his love to the new girl who is a VILLAIN KID, through SONG, during a sports game where AUDREY was cheering for him??? And was low-key being weird (flirty, awe-struck?) with Mal from the second they met??? Like. Queen of Mean was so valid (and personally one of my fav songs).

BUTTTT if we think about it with the knowledge that he was DREAMING about Mal months prior, it makes so much sense. When he first met Mal when the vk's came to Auradon, that was the moment it clicked for him who he'd been dreaming about and he was down bad from there. I still think the whole love potion fiasco was unfair to Audrey, especially after Ben jumped in the enchanted lake and realized he was under a spell AND I refuse to believe that the scene at the end of Descendants 3 was the only conversation Ben and Mal had with Audrey about it. Like that apology wasn't even a real apology??? I head-canon that they had a much deeper conversation where they THOROUGHLY apologized to Audrey, her to them, and they ate strawberries and lived happily ever after friendship. But anyways.

It makes so much sense. Even though I hate what Ben did to Audrey, we also find out in the books that he had been questioning their relationship before he even met Mal or considered bringing the VK's to Auradon. He had been questioning EVERYTHING about his life in Auradon. (so James Potter coded of him honestly) Like we learn so much in the books and it's fucking crazy (I could make whole other post about THAT btw).

AHHHH. Like guys you don't understand, that children's book has me in a CHOKEHOLD because of... everything?? Like ugh.

But back to the dreams. That's so destiny, fate, soulmates coded of Ben and Mal. How did they dream about each other? THEY NEVER MET. We learn from Ben that he feels trapped in Auradon. Bro barely even leaves his castle??? Like at all??? (The United States of Auradon is an insane place when you think about it after reading the book) SOULMATES. IT'S THE ONLY EXPLANATION. He couldn't stop thinking about her after the dream. And at the end of the book, surprise surprise, he gets his idea to bring the VK's to Auradon after thinking about her. Like, of course he's doing it out of the goodness of his heart and because he wants change in Auradon, BUTTT.

It's also because of Mal.

He was thinking about her before he had the idea, thinking about how she is a poor unfortunate child trapped on the Isle. LIKE the way he stared out at the Isle before he made his proclamation (very much included and expanded upon in my fic) is so yearning, longing, 'I need you now, but I don't know you yet' core like- GUYS. you don't UNDERSTAND. They're everything to me. Soulmates, I tell you, SOULMATES.

The Descendants series has been all I can think about since starting this fic. Primary school me is having the time of his life because he too was obsessed with it. He didn't understand the NUANCES back then, though. I do. And I'm gonna share with it with the masses.

Everyone read the Isle of the Lost books by Melissa de la Cruz because so far it's so good! I'm only on the first one, but I love it. The writing style is amazing and also hilarious, and one thing you guys should know about me is that writing style means EVERYTHING to me. It's unfortunate because I've missed out on really good fanfics and normal novels because I just couldn't stand the writing style. But alas.

Expect more rants because talking about it inspires me to write and, as we've already established, I like to talk A LOT.

[justabeautifulgirl]

Kiss Cam

She loved her daughters more than anything, so when they asked to go to a baseball game for the first time since they were kids, she couldn't say no. By the time they got to the stadium, they were already hungry and the bickering started, so she tasked each one of her three daughters to go and get food they excitedly ran off to the long food lines. "Okay we're back! They didn't have any more pretzels! So I got nachos." Artemis was put out about the pretzels still though. "I got a burger and fries." Persephone as happy as ever. "I'm glad you girls got something you like at least. Any of you get any drinks?" "I got a hard seltzer." "I just wanted a water." Persephone didn't much care for alcohol anyways. "Where's Aphrodite?" "I dunno." They answered in unison. "Artemis said she went to go to the bathroom so she might still be in there." Persephone added. "I'm going to go look for her, you girls stay here and enjoy yourselves." She said with a smile. Hera set off to the area where Artemis saw her leaving for the bathroom, noticing just how many eyes turn to stare at her beauty. She went to the bathrooms that were near the food stands and called out to her but heard nothing back. Following the yellow line on the floor, she found a set of bathrooms far removed from most of the hustle and bustle. She went into the women's restroom and called gently for her daughter and in response, she heard Aphrodite let out a muffled sob. "My love, what's wrong? Will you open the door for me?" Aphrodite unlatched the door and flung herself into her mother's arms. She was trying to get food but was overstimulated and got shoved out of the line. She followed that same line and came to this bathroom to be alone for a bit but realized she was lost and started crying. "It's okay my dear. I'm here, I'll take us back to our seats when you're ready." "A-Are Artemis and Persephone there already?" "They're both worried about you. I told them to wait while I went to fetch you." They stood there for a few moments longer. "I think I'm ready." At these words, Hera bent over and kissed her daughter's cheek. They made their way back to their seats and were greeted by hugs from both sisters. After some brief explanations and hugs were exchanged they were able to get on with eating and watching the baseball game. Hera enjoyed the experience more than anything, especially between innings. The most unexpected part was the kiss cam. It started off focusing on straight couples but then moved to some same sex couples as well before finally landing on her and her daughters. All of them surprised but excited, each daughter got up and pounced on the chance to each give their mother a huge kiss on the lips, Aphrodite even slipped her some tongue and the crowd exploded in cheers, as Hera sat there blushing; the kiss cam lingering long enough to blaze her beet red face on the giant monitor. When all of her daughters finally sat down, Aphrodite decided she'd take the seat on her mother's left side closest to the isle. They held hands and even kissed a little more before her other daughters got jealous. She decided to take her daughters here more often.