#i feel like i may have repeated myself between this ask and the last but its fiiiine

[princessofxianle]

so ive been following your fx's backstory au for a while, and ik you haven't mentioned this for now so if it's a huge spoiler or something you haven't worked out yet then feel free to ignore this, but how does jian lan and her relationship with fx fit into your au seeing as that is one of the two positive relationships canon-vise we know feng xin had with a woman?

and on the same note, what about fx's relationship with xl's parents? they both seem fond of him in the canon, queen more so than the king, so im super curious to see how that would be involved in your au. will there be more on the mutual animosity between qi rong and feng xin as well? are fx and his father the only ones with ties to the royal family, and does fx's sister have any strong feelings for them or any sort of connection?

side characters are soooo fun to play around with, especially when it comes to characters like fx who were barely given backstories at all!! if you ever decide to publish this as a fic, i will be the first in line to read it!!

for reference: | more asks (1) | more asks (2) | meet the OC's | #fx backstory au | THE FIC (ao3) |

Ohohohoh yay more questions!!! (this was totally not sitting in my inbox for 6 months... to the day 😅)

1. Jian Lan and Feng Xin <3

Jian Lan is the first female relationship Feng Xin attempts to navigate on his own. I think he’s basically an overgrown teenager trying to deal with his first crush. It doesn’t start as one, but through their talks it grows that way fast. To be honest I don’t add too much to Jian Lan’s canon backstory (at least for the moment) since I think a lot of it is self-explanatory. Feng Xin did indeed love her. And she still sent him away. We don’t know the reason why, but I think its mostly because of his relationship with Xie Lian.

Comparing Feng Xin’s feelings for Jian Lan and for Xie Lian is a bit like comparing apples and oranges, they are completely different types of love and devotion. With Jian Lan his feelings are new, novel, and a bit of light in the very dark time that is book 4. It’s easy and its indulgent. But at the end of the day, Feng Xin can’t imagine his life without Xie Lian. Whether because he wants it to be that way, or because of his obligation as his guard (I think it’s a bit of both) his loyalty means that he will prioritize Xie Lian every time. And even if he loves Jian Lan, and she knows this, she also knows he simply can’t prioritize her. It doesn’t matter if its romantic bc Feng Xin cannot prioritize his romantic love anyway. And I really do think that’s the reason she kicks him to the curb. There’s no point in continuing something that can’t possibly work out. (There was a reason for FX, this was his escape, but at the end of the day it wasn’t his decision to make.)

As for how this all ties in, it just adds to Feng Xin’s belief that he’s cursed when it comes to women. They either die, hurt him, get hurt, or leave. It might not be true, but it’s a belief no one has ever challenged after his sister scared the shit out of him with it, so what else can he do except trust his gut?

2. Feng Xin and Xie Lian’s Parents

Im SO glad you asked. Feng Xin has limited knowledge on the parental front lol. He sees a lot of his dad in XL’s dad, but his bias toward Xie Lian means he is constantly on the opposing end of XL’s arguments with his dad. He finds this dynamic incredibly difficult to manage because he wants Xie Lian to get along with his father, but he can’t ever see a way for that to work.

Xie Lian’s mother, however, might as well be the mother Feng Xin lost. When XL and FX are around 5/6yo and start to become friends the first person XL introduces him to is his mother. He is, understandably, scared. But quickly warms up to her as he sees how important she is to Xie Lian.

3. Qi Rong, Shen Liang, and ties to the royal family

Y’know, I hadn’t thought of much in regard to him (maybe thatll change now). He really just see’s QR as a self-centered little brat. Their values cannot be more polar opposite. His job is to serve and protect, and QR has a history of doing whatever the fuck he wants and ignoring how everyone (except XL) is affected.

Shen Liang does not have any connection to royalty. So that makes it very easy to blame the crown when her mother dies. (Grief can make you believe anything if you can tie the right strings together). I’m still figuring out how much blame she has, but it does revolved around Xie Lian since both him and her didi were born around the same time and there was a lack of resources for her mother, with a very premature baby fx, because of the expectant royal heir (who was also late term.)

.

I hope that answers everything. Next chapter coming soon (first draft is done!), im very excited to share, hope you are still excited to read, anon! Thanks for the ask!

[devilyn]

stay by my side | tsukishima kei

— now playing: die with a smile by bruno mars & lady gaga

If the world was ending I'd wanna be next to you If the party was over And our time on Earth was through I'd wanna hold you just for a while And die with a smile

— synopsis: getting tsukishima kei to say 'I love you' more often is harder than you'd think

— genre: only a tinge of hurt, more comfort, needy tsukki

— word count: 1k

The first thing he sees every morning is you. The last thing he sees before he closes his eyes for the night is always you.

No matter what may be happening between the two of you, the reassurance of knowing you'd be there in the morning and at the end of the day always calmed his tumultuous heart. 

So when he opens his eyes in the middle of the night and you're not there, he jolts up in a panic.

His hand quickly skims across your side of the bed, briefly wondering if he may be delirious in his half-asleep state. When he notices the sheets are still warm, he grabs his glasses and slips out of bed in a hurry.

The kitchen, the bathroom, and the living room are empty. When he finally stops to catch his breath, he notices your keys aren't hanging by the front door, an indication that you've left the apartment.

The realization makes his heart stop.

He should've apologized earlier. He should've known you'd get sick of him. You were always so patient with him, letting him keep you at arm's length for the first year of your relationship while he got used to skinship and physical affection. You even dealt with his mood swings, and communicated openly with him as much as possible so he could understand your perspective when the two of you fought.

And yet, he reversed all that progress last night when he ignored your feelings.

How can he expect you to read between the lines all the time? He had previously promised you he wouldn't treat you like that again, and yet he took advantage of your endless patience and did it again.

“Kei?”

His head turns quickly, wide eyes meeting your surprised gaze. You're standing against the front of your apartment building in your pajamas. He's certain he looks even more disheveled, having just rolled out of bed in a panic.

“What're you doing out of bed?” He asks quickly, stepping over to stand in front of you.

Your gaze softens, and his uneasy heart finally finds a moment to relax at the sight of you right in front of him.

“Just needed some fresh air, couldn't sleep,” you say softly. There's a moment of silence between the two of you before you reach up and gently brush your fingers over his jaw.

He can't help but close his eyes and relax into your touch. He let's himself indulge in the moment further, his own hand resting on top of your own to keep your palm against his cheek. 

“I don't want to.”

“Kei, please,” you pleaded, “I just want an ‘I love you' every once in a while. I'm not asking you to profess your love to me everyday.”

“I don't think it's needed. You know I do, why do I need to say it too?” He grumbled, setting his glasses down on the bedside table. 

“Hearing you say it and convincing myself that your actions mean something are two different things,” you retorted, and you frowned at the way he rolled his eyes.

The two of you have been arguing over the same thing ever since you brought it up at the dinner table just a couple of hours ago.

“Don't be stupid,” he finally snapped, and he ignored the hurt that flashed through your eyes. “Just go to bed. I'm sick of having this talk with you.”

He turned his back towards you, but he still heard your shaky ‘okay, goodnight’.

“What're you doing out here?” you repeat his question, tilting your head curiously. 

He hesitates to answer, eyes still closed as if doing so could buy him more time.

He's sure you saw the panic in his eyes when he heard you call his name. In truth, he wasn't entirely sure why he panicked so much. The thought of you not next to him sent a coldness down his spine that he just couldn't live with. 

“...came to find you,” he finally answers, amber eyes opening to meet your gaze.

The hand on his cheek slides up to gently run through his tousled blonde bed head.

“I'm not going anywhere,” you whisper softly.

His heart skips a beat, and he can't help it anymore. His arms reach out to wrap around your waist, tugging you close so he can bury his face in the crook of your neck.

You saw right through him, reading him like a book.

“I thought you left me,” he admits, voice shaking. One of your hands rests gently on the back of his head, the other lightly running up and down his broad back.

“Where would I go?” you try to joke, “my home is right here with you, Kei.” 

You squashed his insecurities almost instantly with just a couple of words. Your ability to ease all his worries so seemingly easily always amazed him. 

“I love you,” he confesses suddenly, and he feels the way your frame shakes as you laugh quietly. 

He wants to provide that same comfort and sense of stability you give him. If saying ‘I love you’ more often was what you needed to feel that, then he'd do it.

“I'm sorry,” he whispers quietly after his confession. When he pulls back slightly to scan your expression, you're staring up at him with that look in your eyes. That look that tells him--’I love you more than I can even express’. 

Your fingers reach up to cup both his cheeks, tugging him down so you can kiss him gently.

“I love you too,” you decide to settle with those four words, and he rests his forehead against yours.

“Don't leave me,” he murmurs.

“I'm not leaving you,” you promise.

“Stay with me,” he quietly requests.

“I will, I'm not leaving you,” you reassure him again, and there's a hint of a smile on your lips. “Though, I sort of like seeing you this vulnerable.”

He rolls his eyes and makes a move to pull away from you. You catch him with a laugh, arms wrapping around his waist.

“...I'll tell you I love you more often,” he admits defeat almost begrudgingly, and you smile up at him.

“Okay,” you whisper, “Thank you.”

“Can we go back to bed now?” 

He slips his hand into yours, and the way your fingers instinctively lace with his own melts his heart.

“Yeah, let's go home.”

[callingmelili]

A deal.

So I am currently in a virtual class and I should probably be paying attention. I'm sure my teacher would not be impressed by me writing this when I'm supposed to be taking notes, but of course this would be the moment for the horny muse to come back. I may have a second part thought out too.

My set up is the usual, full-body mirror, one of those light rings I used to make fun of other girls from having, mat on the floor in case the gif he sends requires me to kneel. Mark's contact winks at me from the messaging app on my phone, online and writing. His messages always come between seven and ten pm, never at the same time, the bastard has been taking up this window of time every Friday for the last three months.

This time around, the message comes early.

It's only a gif, but it's the worst one so far. A girl kneeling on the floor in knee socks, hair in pigtails , tits bouncing inside a lace bralette as she bounces on a dildo stuck to the floor. A text comes in right after. 'You have 20 minutes, Mia.'

I sigh and head for my dresser, this is the first time one of Mark's gifs goes that far. But do i have another choice? I don't. He is not my boyfriend, he is not a man I can say not to, even if he didn't have a bunch of humiliating videos of me --if he made them public, he'd be shooting himself in the foot anyways, I have proof that he's the only person I've sent them to-- he has something worse… for now.

He and I have a deal. No, really. We do.

Honestly, when he first caught me cheating on a test, I thought I was done for. He was my advisor at the moment, able to report me without breaking a sweat. I never have been a particularly good student and I would have been done for.

I didn't make it this far into graduate school without being decently stubborn, though and I grasped at the one straw still within my reach. I would laugh at how cliche it is if it wasn't my life right now.

Obviously I told him to ask anything of me. I had seen how he looked at me during our one-on-one thesis, I was fully expecting to be asked to get on my knees and blow him, I was also more than prepared to do it if it spared me expulsion.

What he asked for was… a step further.

But I really had no other choice. It was either do this until the end of the semester or face being exposed and expulsed.  So far he has only asked me to emulate the gifs, nitpicking only rarely. I had to do a couple repeat performances  of the fourth gift he sent me of a blonde girl deepthroating a dildo. He kept saying it was not 'far enough' and my face was not 'red enough', pouting, I scroll up to glare at the finished product of that particular exchange. My eyes are watering and my cheeks are flaming red. Brown hair frames my face as I furiously work the dildo in and out of my mouth. It takes me a while to look away.

"I better get this over with," I say to no one in particular before turning up the light and leaving the camera on standby.

Sighing, I get my hair into the pigtails first before getting the dildo with the suction cup out from it's usual place in a box under my underwear. I have no bralette's that look just like the girl's so I end up wearing the top of a swimsuit instead. The socks I do have a pair of similar ones, only in baby blue rather than pink. Mark usually doesn’t mind small changes due to unavailability of certain items in my apartment, and anyways it shows about the same amount of skin.

"And now as for the pose…" The mat has to go so the dildo can stick to the floor and I can feel the skin of my knees protest as soon as I lower myself over it. The silicone meets slick, oversensitive flesh and I am torn between feeling shame or being relieved that I don't have to warm myself up for it.  My thighs are already shaking, skin prickling at the cold of the floor and how a hear seems to have settled deep within my pelvis.

As if on cue, my phone buzzes with a message, then another and another.

'5 minutes left, Mia.'

'Tic, toc.'

Drawing in a shaky breath I reach forward and turn the camera on. It's set up to stream only to him. Sometimes he will return the favor, I found it gross at first but it's even stranger to do all these things while only hearing his voice coming from my computer speakers. "You could be trying more with the top." He laughs, speak of the devil. Tonight he wants to keep his face hidden it seems, it doesn’t show up in the computer screen.

"Just why would you think I would have that sort of underwear?" I hiss.

I can imagine him shrugging. "You're the type that's usually prepared? Anyhow, I don't like it, just take it off."

"But--"

"Take it off, you're bare-cunted already. What's the damage with me seeing your nipples?"

My thighs shake. "Fine." The bra is the tie-up kind, two swift pulls and it's falling off my tits, leaving my nipples to stand in response to the cold air in the room. "Damn, you could do a better job pretending you don't like this. I can see how wet your cunt is from here."

I roll my eyes at the camera. "I like to be prepared, as you said." I lick my lips, glancing at the mirror. "Lets just get this over with."

"Aye," he laughs, "Well, first off, sit down baby. Aren't your knees getting tired?"

Of course, he means sit down on the dildo I am hovering over. I do so, slowly. Wet as I am, the intrusion stretches me beyond what I'm prepared for, making the descent a little shaky and making me moan. "That's a nice face," mark comments.

"Fuck-- Fuck you." I say, glaring at the camera.

"Of course you wish it was me baby." I can imagine him grinning. "Alas, you're gonna have to do the work there. I believe the girl on the gif has her legs spread out wider."  I shiver, but do as told. I can feel the tip of the dildo pressing up into my cervix.  "No, wider." I whine. "Wait, no, that's too wide, go back."

The inside of my thighs is wet already, moving on the dildo proves easier than it should. "Good?" I ask, between forced breaths.

"Hmm, good. But stick your ass out more." I do, and the tip of the dildo brushes something that makes me lose my balance and cry out. "Ha! Well, that isn't quite it but do stay there." He laughs, again. "Now, start bouncing."

If I could I'd sag with relief, but all I can do is bounce and hope he's satisfied soon.

Five minutes later I can't believe how wrong I was. "Nope, stop!" He calls, like he's directing a porno and I guess he is. I can't help the protesting jerk of my hips when he does. "Get off on this later, will you?" He huffs. "Cross your eyes more, Mia, and stay still for a second." Time stretches, silent for far more than a second. "Ok, now."

It's the second time he does it, and there are a third and a fourth. I'm not dripping on only the dildo now, but also the floor. He doesn't care, I'm sure enough now that he's somehow learned to see when I'm close and he always stops me at that point before pleasure becomes pure heat. "Isn't that enough?" I pant after the latest interruption.

"No, again. Push your chest out, show the girls off, will you?" His voice is lower now than it ever is in class and I'm so tired by now, knees aching and core throbbing that I just mindlessly obey, eyes crossing, hips slamming down  once, twice, three times. This time he doesn’t stop talking, but none of his words urge me to stop or slow down this time. Rather, Mike encourages me. I can't say he compliments me but it's all the same to my foggy mind. "That's it Mia. That's it little whore. The tongue is a nice detail but you're going to have to repeat this performance just for that." He laughs. "No, don't stop on my account, you're too far gone. I thought you weren't getting off on this? My little, pathetic Mia, don't think I haven't noticed just how you get all the other times." It's only his voice filling the room, only his voice and the sound of my ass slapping into the floor, losing rhythm as I come closer and closer, slumping forward and losing form. I know he'll make me repeat it now, I don't care, I just want to cum. "That's right, that's all you want isn't it? Not even to be free from our little deal, you'd sell yourself out for an orgasm, wouldn't you? Well go ahead."

I just want to cum, and I do.

Afterwards, I'm slumped forward, dildo still halfway inside me as I catch my breath. That's when I hear the tell-tale sound of the lock on the front door, and then a familiar voice, coming from both the living room and my computer. "By the way Mia I forgot to tell you I'd be dropping by to drop some material for your thesis off." Mark laughs, it echoes off the walls. "I also wanted to talk about a couple of things. Stay right where you are and maybe I'll be nice and give you a passing grade on this little recreation of ours, even though you didn't get it quite right."

[abilouwrites]

WHO TELLS A TEENAGE GIRL SHE’D MAKE A PRETTY BRIDE

AND THEN LEAVES WITHOUT WARNING, ON A FRIDAY NIGHT

I’ve never been comfortable with love, rarely found comfort in another person. Except him, cradled in his arms on a Tuesday night. My leg over his, his between mine. My arms around his neck and fingers twisting the green curls in my fingers. He peppers kisses against my chest and collarbone, “I can’t believe we’re about to be second years” I murmur. My breath hot against his skin as his hands slide up my tank top.

“I want to marry you” Izuku whispers, so faint I can barely hear it. In the privacy of my room with my fan blowing the words wish away into nothingness.

“I do too” I agree, a little more firm. A little more existant than his, I lay next to him a happiness of just existing next to him. Of being with him, a hopefulness of the future.

Oh how quickly that was ripped away from me. A startling Saturday morning, knocks on doors. Shouts from downstairs. Letters taped to doors, each one. Even mine. Scribbled handwriting and some stains through the ink. I stare at it as I ride the elevator down. Baggy sleep shorts and one of his shirts I took last night after we did our homework together.

Gone, just like that. Like he just disappeared; gone out to nowhere. Izukus excuse to leave me after telling me he loved me. Because he was worried about my safety. Mine and everyone else’s.

“How do you feel y/n?” Momo asks as I stare in silence at my letter. Biting at my lips and picking at my fingers, “y/n?” She repeats my name softly. Passing me a cup of green tea. It shakes in my hand that I grasp for it. Her reflexes catch it from my slippery grasp and she sets it on the table. She sits next to me, a friend from my elementary days. A girl I’ve known my whole life. She wraps an arm around me and holds me to her.

“I don’t understand” I repeat again and again, as if the more I say it the clearer his reason for leaving me will become. Leaving me after I’ve told him how many times I’ve been left. In this same situation, again and again I have loved and love has been ripped away from me, “why would he leave? He’s safest here?” I try to make sense of it. But there is none.

No logic was made in his choice to leave. But he still left, “he told me he loved me” I whisper, “he thought I was asleep but I wasn’t and he told me he loved me. And now he’s gone”

I’m still reeling from this, standing slowly. Iida chastises me but I’m in my own world. One where I need to lay in bed and mope, wail and cry until the hurt leaves my body. Until I don’t want to run out and find him, I’m too tired to keep begging for someone’s love and affection. I don’t have it in me anymore to love. And maybe that sounds selfish but to be gifted a note that says he wants to protect me and the school but still leaves me. Knowing it may hurt me more than death to see him leave.

I close my door, sinking to the ground on shaky legs and sore bones. A lump shoves itself into my throat; I bow my head and I’m overwhelmed by the smell of him. The sweet cinnamon of his cologne. Vomit biles in my throat as I rip the shirt off. A desperate attempt to rid myself of him. A shoving cleanse of everything he’s gifted me.

Tears fall down my face, thick hot tears fall down my cheeks. Bowing at the curve of my lips, snot running down my nose. I’m shirtless crying in my dorm room, wailing and sobbing like some stupid girl but the boy I loved and the boy who told me he wanted to marry me just left me. Left me with no good explanation. God I want to die.

Air doesn’t feel like it’s air, and I can’t breathe. I’m weak as Momo lets herself into my room. Quiet and gently she grabs a shirt from my closet and tugs it over my shoulders.

“Shh. I know y/n just breathe”

I don’t fight her, I don’t fight as she lifts me into my bed. And lays with me, I don’t fight. I don’t have anything to fight. As the tears fall from my face and collect on my pillow, as they stick my eyelashes in clumps. As my nose runs and tears fall into my open mouth.

“He told me he wanted to marry me..” I hiccup against her skin, “and then he left me”

I repeat it again, softer this time. Like the way Izuku said he wanted more, more than just a girlfriend, “he told me he wanted to marry me, and then he left me”

[starmocha]

I'm gonna finish this story, I'm gonna finish this story, I'mgonnafinishthisstory, I'm gonna finish this story

Main story of Bride of the Dragon King is currently at 26.7k words...and idk, I think there are like ten scenes left. Most of my writing notes got scattered in my phone, because I've also been itching to write a few other AUs and more of the LNDS babies series. I have a goldfish brain and the attention span of a golden retriever, sorry, I can't be fixed 😔😔😔

Anyhoo, here's a wip snippet to hype myself up lol

Prelude is already out and I am keeping track of who asked to be tagged when I post the main story. Just mention explicitly to me somewhere and I'll add your handle to the list.

“Come here.” “I will not!” you protested vehemently, arms crossed over your chest, back turned to him in embarrassment. You could hear the sound of water splashing, sensed his presence shifting. You blushed harder. Sylus sighed. “I do not like repeating myself.” You flustered, but continued to adamantly keep your back to him. “You are shameless!” Sylus smirked, tilting his head in amusement. “Am I, my beloved?” Before you could even think of deigning him a response, Sylus motioned with his hand, summoning crimson tendrils that wrapped around your body, lifting and dragging you over until you shrieked in shock, finding yourself submerging into a hot spring. You surfaced quickly, gasping and sputtering, choking on the water you had accidentally engulfed. You could hear laughter and you turned in his direction, glaring, red-faced from both anger and embarrassment. You immediately splashed him with the water, yelling, “How could you do that?!” You gasped again, not expecting Sylus to wade closer to you. You quickly tried to avert your eyes, well aware he was completely nude in your presence. The sound of the water splashing seemed to grow louder the closer he moved to you. You whimpered when he invaded your space, his hand gripping your chin, gently guiding you to meet his darkening eyes. “As you have said, my beloved,” he murmured quietly, eyes darting back and forth from your flushed cheeks to your quivering lips, “I am shameless.” You swallowed slowly, heart quickening as his lips moved closer and closer until he finally claimed yours. You weakened, letting yourself be tempted by this sweet kiss, and forgetting momentarily the salacious situation you were in. As Sylus kissed you, his hands skimmed down underwater, resting on your hips and rubbing slow, lazy circles on them, feeling the wet fabric of your clothes clinging to your skin. You could feel an unusual heat building inside you as he touched you, seemingly testing the boundary between the two of you. He pulled away first, eyes growing hazy with desire. You panted, unable to regulate your breathing after the whirlwind of emotions he had just put you through in the last few minutes. You tried to speak, but all coherent thoughts seemed to have left your head, and from the way he was smiling at you, a cross between teasing and adoration, you found yourself at an even greater loss for words. After a moment, you managed to find your voice, as feeble as it may be. “You are so shameless…” you repeated, attempting to look elsewhere, though by this point, Sylus made sure he was the only object of your vision. “…how can you ask a maiden to bathe with you?” “She will be my bride,” he answered unabashed, smirking at your gawk at his audaciousness. His finger traced over your trembling lips, the light, fleeting touch left behind a tingling sensation long after they were gone. He hummed in satisfaction at the reaction you had. “Am I not your lover as well?” You blushed deeper. “…in a sense…” He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement at your coyness and embarrassment. He leaned down, taking your lips for himself again, pleased as he was able to draw out your soft, sweet moans. Minutes passed, he broke the kiss, the warmth of both your breaths intermingled, breathing heavy, and your look of disappointment not missed by his keen eyes. His fingers glided along your flushed cheek, down to your chin, and with a light tilt up so your soft doe eyes met his own aroused gaze, Sylus husked quietly, “In all sense, I want to be your lover.”

[firelordsfirelady]

VII. Under Water

Author: @firelordsfirelady

Imagine: When Y/N—a princess of one of the Water Tribes—is told she’s leaving her tribe, she never expects that she’s to be betrothed to the Fire Lord’s son, nor was she prepared to be exiled the very day she arrived at the Fire Nation. With her life in the hands of her new fiancée, how will life change for the princess? 

Pairing: Zuko x F!Reader

Trigger warnings: arranged marriage, feelings of fear, banishment, mentions of burns/abuse, frustration, violence, betrayal

Word Count: 1476

Destined to be Yin and Yang 

I own no rights to Avatar the Last Airbender or any of the characters/story.

Author’s Notes

The characters as all aged up so Zuko’s banishment happens when he’s 16 

Keep in mind I am bringing a unique world with inspiration from ATLA in their characters, some of the events that happen, bending, etc. Not many things may align or occur with what happened in the show. It’s intended that way, so I hope you enjoy it regardless.

See Y/N’s inspiration here. 

Destined to be Yin and Yang Soundtrack (YouTube)

I stood across from Zuko on the deck of the boat. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so the moon illuminated the area of the wooden floors in between us. Zuko’s obsidian-colored robes looked more like charcoal gray under the silver rays of the moon. His hands were clasped behind his back as he began his lesson.

“What is one of the most important skills you need in order to properly defend yourself?” Zuko asked as his golden eyes shined with anticipation for my answer. Taking a moment to think about my answer, I said the second thing that came to my mind.

“Knowledge of your opponent’s fight style.” Zuko’s head tilted slightly to the right as he asked his next question.

“How do you obtain knowledge of your opponent’s fight style when your opponent is a complete stranger?”

“You learn to read their body language?” The infliction of my words by the end made the statement sound more like a question. Zuko’s right eyebrow raised itself on his forehead.

“Is that a statement or a question?” The firebender asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

“You learn to read their body language.” I repeated with a firmer tone. Zuko seemed to ponder my words before he quickly moved to attack me with a quick fireball. In the blink of an eye, I had thrown my own water whip to meet the fireball before it could hit me. Judging by the placement of his feet, I had a gut feeling he wanted me to prove my answer. I watched as Zuko shifted his weight slightly to his back foot. As he did this, I also shifted into a defensive stance and prepared myself for another attack. Zuko sent three rapid fireballs my way, but I pulled a large wave over the railing on Zuko’s side of the deck. The force of the wave knocked Zuko on his feet and pulled his prone figure closer to me.

Before the prince could move to stand, I summoned a large stream of water from the ocean to encompass the prince and freeze into a thick ice cocoon around him. Anger flashed on Zuko’s face as I watched his hands begin to burn--dully at first but grew intense as he used his fire to burst through the ice. I wasn’t prepared for the swipe he made at my legs, and I was sent flying to the floor. My body collided with the deck with an audible thud as the force of the impact took the breath from my lungs. I didn’t have time to catch my breath before I was pinned to the deck with Zuko’s right hand around my neck and his left raised with a ready ball of fire in the palm of his hand. His hand wasn’t tight around my throat, but it was tight enough to indicate that he had won.

“You lost.” Zuko whispered before he leaned in close to my face. “Not bad for your first fight.” I fought against the chill that ran through my body and down my arms as I felt goosebumps rise on my forearms. I felt the familiar rise of my cheeks’ temperature, and I knew the light from the moon and the fire in his hand provided Zuko with enough light to see the rush of blood to my cheeks. From my angle, I could see his cheeks turn slightly pink as the reality of our bodies’ positions flustered Zuko too.

“Does this mean you’ll train with me again?” My question was asked in a low volume, and the prince smirked as he leaned in slightly closer. He smelled like rainwater and moss, and I fought against the embarrassing urge to deeply inhale his scent.

“Shall we meet at the same time tomorrow then?” Zuko raised an eyebrow as he leaned back and stood up. I followed him, but the edges of my vision started to darken as I quickly grabbed onto Zuko for support.

“Sorry.” I said as my vision cleared slower than the pace to which it darkened. “You almost had me seeing stars.” I let go of Zuko’s arm as I laughed at my own joke. Then I smiled at Zuko before I gave him a small bow. “Thank you for training with me. I look forward to tomorrow’s lesson.” Zuko’s cheeks began to tint pink as he gave me a small bow in return. Leaving him on the deck, I walked to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. Smiling to myself, I flopped onto the mattress and stared at the ceiling.

My head felt light and my heart raced in my chest as I thought about Zuko. This interaction with him had been different than any other with the Prince in the past three years, and I liked it. After the excitement of the evening faded, I quickly slipped into a deep slumber.

Strange images and scenarios filled my dreams that night. 

A flash of a bright blue beam shooting from the middle of an ice-filled ocean while I stood on the deck speaking with Lieutenant Jee. I heard Zuko exclaim something about the Avatar as I suddenly stood face-to-face with a young airbender whose hands and hairless head had blue gray arrows. He stood in front of the desk in Zuko’s room with a small leather journal held in his hands.

With a sudden blast of wind, I can see Kyoshi’s shrine in the distance higher up on the mountainside as I follow behind Zuko. As Zuko turned around to face me, I found myself face-to-face with the snide face of an older man with thick sideburns. His eyes narrowed as he stalked towards me with a sinister smile on his face. My eyes widened with surprise as I saw the faint glowing blasts of fire and could hear the faint sounds of explosions over the frantic sound of water splashing. The water was cold as I weakly fought against the hand gripping my hair tightly as its own held my head down. I desperately held on to the oxygen in my lungs as my thrashing slowed. My limbs felt like a sky bison’s tail as my vision started rapidly fading to black.

“Princess!” I let out a gasp for air as I was suddenly shaken. In a panic from what had just happened, I thrashed against the hands on my shoulder as I scrambled to sit up. My chest rose and fell rapidly as I felt adrenaline coursing through my body when a small amount of fire lit to illuminate Zuko’s face in the darkness. “Calm down!” He harshly whispered. I blinked rapidly at the sudden change in light. Looking around quickly, I found myself back in my bedroom aboard the ship. “You were screaming, so I came to see what was happening.”

My heart was beating violently against my rib cage as I struggled to steady my breath. I tried to steady my shaking hand as I moved a strand of hair out of my face.

“I am sorry that I woke you.” I looked at the small window of my bedroom that had a small blanket over it to block out the light. It was still dark behind the blanket, so I had assumed it was sometime before sunrise. I wasn’t as successful steadying my hand as I reached for the glass of water on the table by my bed.

“Are you alright?” Zuko’s voice was laced with concern. “You were fighting me like you had been fighting for your life.” I let out a shaky laugh because there was no way that Zuko could have known what I had experienced that caused my scream.

“It was just a dream.” I took a drink to wet the back of my throat. It was hurting slightly from the screaming I had unknowingly done. Zuko’s face softened as he looked at me as I set the glass of water back down. “I appreciate that you came to check on me.” The Prince’s cheeks reddened slightly in the light of the fire as he shifted on his feet.

“Good night then, Princess.” He said before he bowed and turned to leave.

“Y/N.” I said as he reached the door. “Don’t call me Princess. Call me by my name--Y/N.” Zuko grabbed the handle to my door and walked out.

“Good night, Y/N.” I barely heard Zuko’s last words as he closed the door behind him. As I leaned back against the wall behind my bed, I relished in the sense of excitement that overwhelmed my thoughts as Zuko seemed to show some cracks in his rough exterior. I slid back down in bed and pulled the blanket over my head as I closed my eyes.

There was one thing I was almost certain of--Zuko’s walls were starting to crack.

Tag List @chevysstuffs @puttyly @ginger24880 @night-fall-moon @junieshohoho @0kauy @coolgirl458 @hypnoticbeing @angelruinz @preeyansha @playboygeniusphilanthropist @ssonniiu  @chi-ara

[chuuyasheaven]

Listen to the voices

“She’s so nice. .” – various! bsd! characters.

Tags: various! bsd! Characters / afab! Reader, mean! Character, degrading kink, slight praising kink, pet names, rough sex, VERY slight corrupting kink?, teasing?, slight spanking, inspired by my voices, creampie, overstimulation, might contain grammar errors, small drabble?, etc. Notes: As mentioned in the tags, shout out to my voices !!! Another important thing, both Dazai fics will be finished and posted during or after this week, otherwise, enjoy , my sluts !!

You’re the sweetest person he ever met. He’s absolutely in love with you, so are you, too. Buying him gifts, surprise kisses, and treating him right, most importantly. How can a person be so nice, he asks himself often. Because, he may seem to treat you good too everywhere but the bedroom. .

The bedroom, the place where he gets absolutely nasty and mean to you. “My pretty little slut,”, he grunted as he gripped your hips even harder, your ass pressing against him as he takes you from behind. His thrusts being nowhere soft, just straight up rough. But that’s okay, you’ve handled it many times before!! “Don’t you love it when I fuck you like the needy whore you are? I bet you do, hm?”, he asks you, only to not responded to. You moan as you feel him spank you. “I asked you a question, darling. Do I need to repeat myself?”

“N–not really. .”, you stutter, only to feel another spank against your ass. “Well, then answer it, I’m waiting, princess.”, he ordered you, knowing he’s completely ruining you. You grip the sheets as you try to answer his question. “. .I–i do,”, you said quickly, but he was still unsatisfied with those words.

“Do what? Tell me in full sentences, this is just the second round, baby. .”, he asked you in a mocking tone. “I–i love t–the way you fuck me. .”, you made it through the sentence, only for him to still tease you. “Like what?”, he asked with an smirk. “. .L–like the s–slut I am– ah!”, you continued until he thrusted up deeper inside.

“Good girl, gonna cum for me?”, he asked you, you nodded almost instantly, when you heard an chuckle come from him. “Do you want me to cum inside?”, waiting for your consent, he kept on chasing your orgasms. “Y–yes!”, was the answer he was waiting to hear. “F��fuck. . it’s cute how you’re so desperate for me, when you’re normally nothing like this. ,”, he whispered between breaths. “What a dirty girl.”, that’s not even true, it’s his fault that he makes you feel good?!

When you manifested your second release nearing, he wasn’t falling behind. With the last deep thrust, he emptied all his load inside of you, while yours was slightly spilling out around his cock. As he was looking down in heavy breaths, he chuckled again, leaning down to your ear.

“—Seems like you’re leaking, we can’t have that now, can we?”

DAZAI OSAMU, CHUUYA NAKAHARA, FYODOR DOSTOEVSKY, Nikolai Gogol, JOUNO SAIGIKU, Tetchou Suehiro, Akutagawa Ryunosuke, Odasaku Sakunosuke [+] all your fav! Characters !!

(y’all, it’s 2am rn.)

[swanimagines]

HEALING TOUCH | KAZ BREKKER

Summary: When you catch a sight of a wounded Kaz, it leads to somewhat sweet moment between you and your boss.

The night had gone sour for Kaz Brekker. He had been stupid, not expecting the new gang having gathered so many members already. He had fought them off successfully, of course, but not without receiving a nasty gash over his lip. 

And now he was making his way towards the Slat, wanting to disappear into his room without anyone noticing. Last thing he wanted right now was someone asking about the gash, asking if he was alright. He was in a bad mood anyway, so someone trying to fuss over him would only make him feel angrier. But of course luck wasn’t on his side, and he was met with you right when he walked in from the doors.

“Kaz? What happened to you?” you asked, eyes widening in concern as you took a few steps towards him, staring at the gash.

“It’s nothing,” Kaz replied curtly, trying to push you off and start walking past you.

“Nothing? Kaz, it looks painful, it needs disinfecting and stitches,” you insisted, but Kaz just took a glance at you, continuing to make his way towards the stairs.

“I said it’s nothing,” he repeated, his tone firm and final. “I can treat it myself.”

You sighed, clearly not letting it go. Saints, it was one of your features Kaz had a hate-love relationship with. Every time you showed you cared, he felt his feelings for you grow, and he absolutely hated that feeling.

“Kaz, please. Let me treat it. At least disinfecting it and putting some ointment over it. You want to keep your lips safe and intact, don’t you?” you pleaded, trying to catch his eyes.

Kaz paused and pursed his lips, hesitating for a moment but finally relenting. “Fine. But make it quick,” he grumbled, following you into your room.

You quickly got into work the moment you got him to sit on your armchair, pouring alcohol into a small glass bowl and dipping a small towel into it

“This will sting,” you mumbled, taking a better hold of the towel before you carefully dapped the lip. Kaz squeezed his eyes shut and took in a sharp breath through his nose, trying to silence corpses wailing in his head.

She’s alive, she’s alive, she’s alive.

“I heard one of the street vendors talking about the ship at the third harbor, it will arrive next week. It sounded pretty interesting,” you muttered, and Kaz opened his eyes, looking at you. He didn’t even register what you said at first, but you continued with your eyes still trained on the wound, “there’s supposed to be some valuables in that ship. Paintings and small statues made of gold at least. Probably jewelry too. Could be worth snatching.”

Kaz’s mind started to catch up with your words, and he managed to make himself reply, “Could be worth looking into. Did they mention anything about security?”

You nodded, dipping another towel in another glass bowl with something sticky and yellow. “Yeah. Stadwatch has increased their patrols for a few nights - stay still for me - and there’s some traps around the ship’s hold too. Might be tricky. That has to dry up for a moment, it may tickle but don’t try to scratch it.”

You sat back on your own chair, and you two stared at each other for a while. Only then Kaz realised you had already treated his lip and you smirked at his expression briefly, before your eyes softened.

“You know, Kaz, you don’t have to act so tough all the time. It’s okay to ask for help, let someone take care of you if you need it.”

“I don’t need anyone taking care of me,” Kaz said sharply.

“I know. But sometimes it’s nice to know someone cares,” you said with a soft smile, the one Kaz could never understand why you were looking at him like that.

“I don’t need anyone’s pity,” he mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper.

“It’s not pity. It’s caring. And I care about you,” you said, your hand reaching for him slightly. Kaz pulled away instinctively even though he knew you weren’t attempting to touch him, and you dropped your hand. “You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”

You sat there for a while, his eyes meeting yours. You caught something going past his eyes, just a flicker of something you couldn’t quite place. And Kaz’s head was going through a swirl of mixed thoughts.

I care about you too. If I could, I would hold your hand. I would let you close, I would tell you everything.

But instead of saying any of those things or anything that would even point that way, he stood up. “I should go,” he then said, as if nothing had happened.

You watched him leave, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness. Sometimes you cursed yourself for falling for a man like him, always fearing he’d break your heart in the end. But still, each passing day, your feelings for him just grew, and you just wished he would let you in, or at least would show a clear sign whether he likes you or not.

So once again, you wondered what the future held for you and Kaz. Would it ever get sorted out? Would he ever open up to anyone, you or someone else? Or would he always remain a mystery, out of reach, closed off?

Only time would tell.

---

Requests are always open! FANDOM LIST | PROMPT LIST(S) | RULES (READ!!!)

[vivalarevolution]

𝓜𝓮 𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓓𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓵

Devil Aemond Targaryen x Witch Reader

Summary: She wanted power and control , and she was determined to do anything to get it. She knew exactly how far she had to go and what she had to sacrifice to make devil himself appear and turn her dreams into reality.

A/N: There was a lot of inspiration from novels and series with witchcraft and witches, so there may be darker askpets in this work, as well as a slight devil worship. So if you are not comfortable with that , you are forewarned. Nevertheless , I hope you all will like the idea and as usual you will enjoy reading it. Please remember that english is not my native language, mistakes may happen.

Work contains smut , minors do not interact.

He stood before her. A fallen angel. The dark lord. The devil himself.

He was tall and lean, but behind the layer of blood she could see the muscles that tightened with every breath he took. His long hair had been tainted with a scarlet substance, but she could still see their silvery whiteness. One of his eyes was violet while a sapphire stone glowed in the other. He had long face which was decorated with a scar, but it only made him more handsome in her eyes.

There was a darkness around his person , a feeling of danger.

But despite this, she stood before him , staring at him. She did not fall to her knees before him , she did not bow , she just stood , silently watching the former God's soldier , who stared at her just as intensely.

-You came - she whispered after a moment , approaching him slowly.

-You called - he replied , smiling smugly , when he noticed how the woman looked at him , how she fought to control the trembling of her body.

The man allowed her fingers to brush against his pale torso, where his heart was hidden, taking pleasure in her curiosity , which seemed to grow by the second, with each newly touched patch of his skin.

-How should I call you? - she asked , leveling her gaze with him.

Suddenly he grabbed her wrist , that was touching his human flesh.

-You have called me , and yet you do not know my name? - he said, pulling her close to him, so close that their lips were almost touching, and their breaths mingled.

-You have many names and many forms - she replied , resting her free hand on his shoulder to try and push him away , but in vain.

The devil took one last look at her before his attention shifted to the witch's wrist, the same one he held in an iron grip, the same one he kissed extremely tenderly, leaving an electrifying feeling behind.

-Aemond - he muttered after a brief moment , his mouth moving upward, kissing her blood-stained fingertips - You will call me Aemond , little witch.

-Aemond - she repeated, tasting his name on her tongue.

-Again - he growled , embracing her around the waist , making her black , lace dress slowly become covered in crimson.

-Aemond - she whispered , looking at him , but his attention was focused on her full , soft lips.

-Tell me my beautiful Y/n- he murmured , catching her chin between his fingers, pulling her towards him again ,letting her addictive scent delude his senses -Tell me what you desire , and I will give it to you.

-You know my name? - she asked, but there was no surprise nor intrigue, which made the white-haired devil even more crazy about mortal woman.

-How could I not know the name of the witch who sacrificed so many innocent lives so that I could come down to earth? -he remarked, smiling tauntingly, out of the corner of his eye looking at the window, reminding her of the bodies lying in the forest deep in the ground and the sea of blood that she shed - I'll aks you one more time, what is it that you want? -he repeated himself, sliding his thumb over her lower lip , staining it with blood.

-I want Salem, I want it all for myself - she confessed without a shadow of hesitation in her voice.

-I'll give you Salem. I'll give you a town from the edge of the world, and with it all the miserable lives that are in it - he said - But I won't do it for free - he confessed, and the woman widened her eyes in disbelief and irritation, which she did not manage to hide from the man before her.

-I called you on Black Sunday. I have performed the ritual. I shed the blood of the pure and innocent so that you can stand here before me in a body of flesh and bone. I gave you all I could give. What more do you want? - she wondered , furrowing her eyebrows in an act of displeasure, which amused the devil.

-You- replied Aemond , stroking her cheekbone with his thumb -I want you to become Queen of the Night. I want you to rule at my side in hell as my beloved and as my bride. I want...to have you.

-Why me? -she asked, pushing him away moments later-What is so compelling about me that the devil himself wants to have me?

The woman looked at him expectantly, but he remained silent for a long time, trying to get close to her again, which resulted in her slowly moving back with every step he took towards her, playing a game of cat and mouse with him.

-Everything my beautiful Y/n - announced the king of hell , still following her silhouette , almost like a predator followed after its prey -I know your thoughts , your dreams , and your goals. When you made a pact with me, you let me see the darkness you hid inside your soul. The darkness that made me crazy about you - he growled , grabbing her by her forearm, pulling her toward him to trap her in his strong arms once again.

The young woman looked into his violet eye before her gaze focused on his scar. Her hand involuntarily lifted upward the tips of her fingers touched the thickened tissue , tracing its path.

Her act seemed to have no deeper purpose, but this was not true. That scar and that sapphire hidden in his eye socket spoke of the fact that someone had once defeated him, leaving him crippled and betrayed. And she knew that the devil was as vengeful as he was powerful and that no one would go unpunished as long as he existed.

And the witch needed this , she needed her own black knight ready to kneel at her feet.

-If that's what I have to do to get what I want - she purred like a cat, bringing her face closer to his -Then make me your queen - she whispered into his mouth , brushing them gently with every word she spoke.

Aemond growled lowly at her words , clenching his large hands on her waist before he attacked her soft, pink lips.

His body was hot against hers, giving her the impression that she was being burned alive, but despite this she did not move away from him, entangling her fingers between strands of his white hair, pulling at them and drawing him closer as he tore her dress off her shoulders, leaving her only in a black velvet choker with an obsidian crystal hanging lazily in the middle.

-Now you belong to me - he said , grabbing her neck and pulling her away from him -Your body and soul are mine. For all eternity - he muttered into her swollen lips.

-Yours. All yours - woman declared quietly, trying to reunite their lips in a fiery, passionate kiss, only to have the man's rough fingers tighten on her throat.

Devil laughed as he observed her actions.

The witch in front of him seemed so cold, yet one touch from him was enough for lust to take over her mortal mind.

She was almost like an enigma to him , but it didn't frustrate him , oh no , on the contrary. He was pleased with this fact , pleased that his new toy wasn't so easily broken.

But he decided to try break her anyway.

He pushed her body against a nearby wall , hovering over her almost immediately. Still avoiding her sweet lips , which called out to him , he kissed her ample breasts , going lower and lower , marking every , possible patch of her firm skin , until his tongue found it's place between her swollen and wet folds.

He tasted her as if she were the sweetest of desserts, causing her to let out a loud, erotic and lustful moan. Her fingers once again found their way into his long hair as she w writhe in convulsions of pleasure that the devil himself was giving her. His movements were precise and bestial at the same time, making the knot of her lower abdomen burst pathetically fast and impossibly intense drenching his face with her juices, which only made him more feral.

Aemond joined their lips in a sensual kiss , placing his hands on her thighs , lifting her in one , sure movement , as if she weighed as much as the feather itself.

Laying her down on the soft mattress , he did not even for a moment move away from her addictive lips , which so soft and sweet stimulated his senses . His hands, soon after, began to roam over the witch's delicate body , exploring every inch of her immaculate flesh just as his lips had done moments ago.

-Please - she panted - Please don't make me wait any longer.

The man leveled his gaze with her. Her eyes were misty and her lips were slightly parted. Her hair scattered over the red satin was almost arranged in a halo giving her an angelic appearance.

-Even if God himself offered me the kingdom of heaven, I would not be able to refuse you, my beautiful Y/n - he replied, tearing the leather pants he wore.

The witch let out a loud, uncontrollable moan when she finally felt him inside her, filling her, warming her body like a fire , which instead of burning gave her nothing but pleasure. Their sweat quickly turned into one as he moved inside her and as their naked and bloody bodies rubbed against each other creating the smell of sex that was so intoxicating, the two lovers couldn't pull away from each other. His mouth practically devoured those of the mortal woman, pulling away only to breathe after their heavy, wet and hot caresses. As Aemond began to pound into her harder, deeper and faster, the young woman's legs involuntarily began to shake, betraying how close to the end she was , and her hands, as if having a mind of their own, went to his back, driving her nails into his milky skin.

They were unappeased , passionate and almost brutal in their movements , making their act a sweet torture that went on and on , never stoping. Not even as night turned into day , and day turned into night again. They remained in each other's embrace , becoming more and more addicted to each other.

[sabrondabrainrot]

It's tinfoil hat times I have more observations for eagle eyes listeners (yes a Nightvale ref)

This will contain spoilers for recent TSAMS and LAES!

I gotta go to bed so I won't be able to contain everything but just some stuff I noticed recently and something I've been thinking about.

I won't be as organized as usual, warning spoilers below!

Picking apart what Dark Sun said and did...he used the word expunge. I don't know if this is problem of VA's picking a word that sounds cool...or they picked it know what it means? Expunge is a word that means 'to remove', 'delete', 'strike from the record'. So...why would he collect data on Sun's choice to kill Nexus and expunge that across the multiverse? Why would deleting that make Suns turn on Moons? I'm too tired to think about it past this but...it's interesting. What if D!Sun did delete something?

The biggest thing between Sun and choosing to kill...its his love and trust...but I wonder how Sun's decision to choose the greater good and his family would delete something? That sparkle nighttime Sun was beating his Moon while crying that he hated him...but did he actually? How can we know? I can't wait to find out more about the entire Sun on Moon violence. D!Sun said it was his hate for Nexus but that's not the case...because Sun himself stated he still can't get himself to hate Nexus. We also know, the only reason Sun's magic worked was because of what Ruin did...so I think my theory about the NSP and SP interacting to possibly make Nexus into a new being still stands. D!Sun knew Ruin planted that device when he made Sun choose.

I feel like history just keeps repeating itself where Sun's choices will never be choices and his decision will always be made for him. Moving into more stuff! The recent episodes omigod!!! Moon! He finally stepped up! I still have many things to point out though. I was talking in @goodolddumbbanana dms because like...we're both still disappointed by the episodes...(I won't type the entire dms cause like I want banana to do their piece too without me speaking over them)

When Moon talked to Sun at the pier, he still managed to make it about himself. Did anyone else notice that? He turned it into his normal "I hate myself" routine. He proceeded to let Sun know he's the best brother ever...but Sun just...I don't think he believes it. Even if Lunar and Earth also both tell him that. Even Solar. He just won't believe it.

Looking at how Sun's entire...existence has gone, it's pretty understandable why he'd think and feel this way.

He hasn't been shown by his family (except Earth) he's the best so why would he believe it? Especially coming from Moon who's done nothing but lie to him and break promises. Moon stepped up but...was acting annoyed to take care of Sun. He just was acting like he was ready to get stuff over with. Then...When Sun finally asked the million dollar question. "Did you hate me? Do you hate me?" He's always been asking that and never got a straight answer. Moon has always acted like he really did hate him in the past. Worst of all? Moon told Sun he did.

He told his emotionally beaten brother who's soul is shattered, that 'Yes Sun, I did hate you'...Moon...being honest in this particular situation...I don't think it's the best idea.

Moon, to an emotionally unstable - highly fragile - Sun, basically confirmed Sun's darkest fear. The soul deep ache Sun feels. It's not...gratifying...Sun may now have closure that 'wow he treated me like that because he did hate me' but the big issues with this? Moon has not really changed how he treats Sun. He stopped physically hurting him but he still hurts him. In small ways. We saw that first hand in the last few eps. He left to avoid Sun entirely. He broke promise after promise. He'd rather throw himself a pity party then buck up and just be there for Sun.

Sun always leads with the best intentions. He tells Moon he loves him. He encourages him. He builds him up. (I think i've said this before lol)

Then we get the MVP Earth ep. That episode was honest to God beautiful. Earth is an amazing sister and Kat knocked it out of the ball park with her vocal performance today. She put in so much emotion. I like how Earth's breaking point wasn't her taking care of Dazzle or Sun. Her breaking point was how her family was treating her and Sun like shit. They both left them to their own devices. It was so sad. I was wondering when they kept showing Solar who was taking care of Sun and honestly it makes so much sense it was Earth.

Then in the same episode she said Lunar is acting strange. I'm going to be honest, I know exactly why Lunar is acting mad at Earth.

I don't get a ton of opportunity to talk about Lunar. In the recent episodes his sorest spot was prodded by Taurus. Taurus is basically telling him to get over himself.

Which...I don't agree with how Gemini and Taurus are going about it. Letting go of your hate and hurt is so important but them just telling Lunar to do it isn't going to work. He needs to be taught how to.

So why is Lunar mad at Earth? Never forget, Lunar hasn't developed much he's still a very selfish immature person. He's mad at Earth he's stagnating. He's blaming her for his stunted emotional growth. He chose to numb himself to deal with his emotions and if he admits that was wrong then it'd be a long time of wasted efforts. He would have so many regrets if he admits he's been doing everything wrong.

After all, If Lunar wasn't so apathetic about N!Moon would he have made a difference in him becoming Nexus? (No, but Lunar could be thinking about that)

Lunar, I believe, is blaming Earth for not 'fixing' him. He doesn't understand he needs to want to change himself for it to happen. (it's the same thing for Moon, he knows he's flawed but has given up on improving) I think Lunar just kind of assumed Earth was supposed to automatically make him better with him not doing any work himself.

Then the crux of why he's mad at Earth.

It's simple.

She's friends with Eclipse.

That's really what it is.

Think about it, he hates Eclipse. Eclipse is now in the front of his mind to the point he's acting odd and watching Nutella ads for hours. He's trying to mute his rage. What Taurus and Gemini said would anger anyone.

Telling a victim to not only get over their abuse but also get along with their abuser? It's plain wrong. Lunar has the right to hate Eclipse, the only problem is that it is harming him. Hatred will always be someone's undoing. It is a negative, putrid thing that only destroys.

He's been shoving his emotions down for so long they're bound to explode. I know Lunar loves Sun and wants to be there for him but he's been apathetic for so long now he can't. So he's lashing out and projecting his own self anger onto Earth. She's right there after all.

Solar is basically acting like a keeper to everyone and despite doing better for Sun, Solar is still emotionally distant. Moon physically isn't there. Lunar won't lash out at Monty. He won't take his frustration out on kids like Dazzle and Jack.

Earth is also just...too nice. So yeah, I absolutely understand why Lunar is angry at Earth. He's being totally unfair and immature about it too, because it's not like there's other problems, ie Sun is literally broken and can't leave bed.

but I digress, I like that Moon is stepping up. I just hope he doesn't keep dropping the ball. I think Sun right now truly doesn't think Moon cares...Moon is going to have to do a lot to show him otherwise. I'm glad Lunar finally checked on Sun and I hope he does it more often, because Sun loves Lunar too. He loves the entire family. Earth was right to cry about how they were failing Sun.

I'm really proud of Earth and Solar for stepping up to help Sun.

[seoulmatez]

୨♡୧ MORE — bakugo katsuki x reader. suggestive fluff. allusions to sex. reader's gender isn't mentioned. all characters written 18+. minors do not interact.

“i don’t mean to be rude, but can i ask why you’re still here?” you stare up at the ceiling, the unfamiliar warmth of a body lingering beside you. it’s a foreign feeling, but one you don't mind. though, you wouldn’t dare get used to it.

“what, you want me to leave?” bakugo speaks up from beside you. his voice rumbles and you can feel it against your skin. you didn’t even realize your arm was pressed against his.

“i never said that,” you clarify, turning to face him. blonde strands of hair stick to his forehead with sweat and crimson eyes stare back at you. it’s hard to tell what was brewing behind them, but whatever it may be is different than the lust you’re accustomed to seeing. “i’m just… surprised that you’re sticking around.”

“why?”

“because you never do.” you hope it doesn’t sound bitter, but you both know that it’s true.

“does that bother you?”

he sure is full of questions tonight. it isn’t usual for him to be so talkative, hell, he would likely be long gone by now if it were any other night. though, you’re far from bothered by his presence; the better word to describe it is… confused.

while you aren’t exactly thrilled that he typically wastes no time getting out of your bed and leaving your dorm, you understand why he’s made a habit of doing so. this thing going on between you both is nothing more than a friends with benefits arrangement. at least,  that’s what the two of you agreed to a couple weeks ago. you didn’t mind it at first, but with each passing hookup, your heart sinks deeper and deeper every time you hear the click of the door signaling his departure. but you can’t allow yourself to be upset about it; after all, you knew what you were getting yourself into.

“no. i know what this arrangement is.” it isn’t healthy to suppress your emotions, you know that, but the last thing you want to do is humiliate yourself by confessing what are surely unrequited feelings. it wouldn’t hurt to be untruthful this once.

“does that bother you?” he repeats his question, though, it asks something else entirely.

“hm? what?”

“that we’re only friends with benefits.”

“why would it?” you shy away from the intensity of his gaze, looking to the wall behind him. did he somehow catch onto your growing feelings? could he feel what were meant to be absent strings beginning to him down? god, you knew something was up. why else would he still be here?

“so you’re still okay with us just hooking up?”

“yeah, of course.” it wasn’t supposed to come out as shaky as it did, but maybe your smile would hide the slip-up.

bakugo groans, pushing the damp hair back and off of his forehead, causing it to stick up haphazardly. you would have laughed if you weren’t so caught off guard by his reaction to your response. if anyone seemed bothered, it was him. “look, i can’t do this anymore.”

the small smile that was tugging at your lips falls upon hearing him. you thought your replies to all of his questions were enough to convince him that this wasn’t turning into something he clearly didn’t want it to. of course you wanted more, a real relationship with him, but you were more than willing to settle for the way things were if that meant you’d still have him around.

“this was a bad idea. i know we said that we’d keep things strictly physical but i’ve been lying to you and myself since the start. i’m fucking tired of trying to act like i don’t have feelings for you. but i understand if you don’t feel the same. and i’ll leave you alone if—”

“you like me?” it wasn’t your intention to cut him off so abruptly, but his hastily spoken words were taking an abnormal amount of time to process in your brain and you had to be sure you heard him correctly.

he frowns. “that’s what i just said, yeah.”

there’s a silence on your end before you speak up again. “really?”

“yes,” he firmly replies once more. his lips turn up but not in a smile—no, it’s closer to a smirk. “god, what’s wrong with you? you in some kind of post-sex haze or something?”

“shut up.” you can feel your cheeks warming in embarrassment at your less-than-called-for reaction. it isn’t that you don’t reciprocate his feelings, that couldn’t be more far off, but his actions in the past led you to believe that you were no more than someone he could blow off some steam with. so, if anything, your flustered state can be attributed to the fact that the man you had spent so long yearning for was just a hair’s breadth away—right within your reach. all that’s left to do is grab him.

“i don’t want you to leave.” you tentatively hold out your hand and it trembles, hovers, over bakugo’s face before making a home on the soft flesh of his cheek. your thumb brushes across his cheekbone and he leans into your touch. “i like you, too.”

“good,” he says, just above a whisper. his hand finds its way to yours, resting easily on top of it. in his years, bakugo had learned that being brazen wasn’t always in his best interest, but now, in this moment, it had worked out for him. it certainly wasn’t romantic and was far from anything he’d seen in those dumb movies about love, but it worked. and all that matters now is that he can call you his.

thanks for reading! consider commenting or reblogging if you enjoyed ❤︎

[louisupdates]

By Marcelo Fernández Bitar [translated from Spanish]

In just over 24 hours, Louis Tomlinson passed through Buenos Aires and caused a commotion, with hundreds of fans crowding at the door of his hotel singing and shouting his name, and also occupying almost the entire block where there is a FM radio station where he went to give an interview.

The fanaticism generated with his solo career by the former singer of One Direction in Argentina is so great that in fact he will give a recital in the same stadium where he was in 2014 with the mega-boy band. It will be on May 18 in Vélez Sarsfield.

Louis Tomlinson already has two solo albums and is touring the world presenting the most recent, Faith in the Future. It came out in November 2022 and surprised with his most rocky sound, close to the Brit-pop of his beloved Oasis, and less pop. It was number one in England and three singles came out, Bigger Than Me, Out of My System and Silver Tongues.

Hurricane Louis

The visit was really fleeting with the purpose of promoting his show next month, the old-fashioned way, when the artists toured the countries to advertise albums or tours, something they currently do on Zoom or with posts on their official accounts.

Louis arrived on Friday night and spent Saturday fulfilling an intense schedule of activities, to leave early the next day.

First he went to the Vélez football field for a television interview which will be televised later by TN, and then he went to the radio station Los 40 Principales, where his fans filled the entire Gorriti street, between Ravignani and Arévalo, to witness an interview where eight listeners joined to ask him a question each.

He finally arrived at 4 p.m. at the Four Seasons hotel, where hundreds of other fans were screaming for him. There he gave a series of reports and chatted with Clarín in a room equipped as a small television set, with lights and a set with his name and the cover of the disc.

"Never, not for a second, did I think I would be going through some of the same experiences," he said, "that I was lucky enough to live in the band. I thought that was something unique. So being able to come here and feel the level of love and the incredible reaction on today's radio station, means a lot to me. When I imagined what my solo career would be like, I really didn't know what to expect.

Re-filling stadiums

At 32-years-old, Louis Tomlinson has the experience of having been part of one of the greatest pop phenomena of the last 20 years, with sales records and sold-out shows in stadiums around the world. And now he is repeating the fury alone, just as it happened just a little earlier with his ex-bandmate Harry Styles.

In Louis��� case, he first sold out the closed Movistar Arena stadium in 2022 and now he goes through a huge soccer field like Vélez.

Q: Did you think that being a soloist you had to start from below and sing in smaller places?

Louis: Yes, exactly. But it turns out that I can still play in big places, so it's great.

Q: Can we really talk about a mania of a "louistomlinson-mania"? Does it happen everywhere or is it special in Latin America?

Louis: I think that in terms of the level of similar intensity, and seeing what happened a moment ago on the radio station, that certainly doesn't happen to me everywhere. Let me put it this way: it's incredible to be so far from home and feel that level of love. I'm very excited to think about what the show will be like here.

Q: It's incredible that almost exactly ten years have passed since the last time you filled Vélez. How do you feel when you return to the same stadium?

Louis: I feel very lucky to be able to play in those places again on my own. I also feel very, very proud of myself and my fans. I feel like we have created something that is quite special and we did it together. With them as listeners, but also as facilitators. That really helped my confidence and made me feel good on stage. It's a lovely relationship and I'm very proud of it.

Q: This tour started almost a year ago, how did it evolve with respect to the first shows?

Louis: I definitely feel in a good place right now with the show. Anyway, in advance I was excited about this tour because this album was designed for the live show. So I was excited to see how the songs would work. And the energy is great. I am very excited to show Faith in the Future to Latin America.

Q: How did the idea of making a live cover of Arctic Monkeys come about?

Louis: Arctic Monkeys grew up about 20 minutes from where I live. It was something very close, very fresh in the mind and obviously huge. I was growing up and I'm also a big fan. I usually do the song 505 because it's very pretty.

Often, with the versions, I probably think more about what I would like to sing than about what I imagine that everyone else would like to hear, which may be misjudged, but I'm enjoying it.

Q: When you were a teenager you sang Oasis songs and now you have a rock band that sounds very Brit-pop, almost closing a circle.

Louis: Thank you. I am very, very fortunate to have the band I have, but they also perform sonically and visually, everything that is really important to me. They sound absolutely incredible. I don't think I would be able to do this without my band.

Q: Live you also perform songs from One Direction. Did you feel that kind of shadow at the beginning of your solo career and now you are more comfortable looking back?

Louis: I think a bit about both things. I think that at the beginning of my career I would have been a little more worried about putting too many One Direction songs in the repertoire. What I wanted most was to spread my wings and show who I was. But I think that as time went by, the nostalgic moments are really charming. So it's like a beautiful mixture of nostalgia and it's very nice to do it.

Ping-pong

Q: This is the third time you have visited our country. If you had to describe your Argentine fans in three words, which one would you choose?

Louis: Passionate. Loyal. Affectionate. That’s okay, isn't it?

Q: The soccer player Kun Agüero said that there is a lot of talk to you through Instagram or Twitter. Have you ever met him in person?

Louis: Actually, we have never seen each other in person. Over the years we've talked a little here and there, but I never found time. I have a kind of crazy hope that he can come to the show.

Q: If you had to choose one of your songs, either from Walls or Faith in the Future, that reflects how you feel right now in your life, what would it be?

Louis: I would say that the name of the album (Faith in the future) represents where I am right now, but I think that in the future I would like to always be optimistic.

Q: And if all the One Direction discography was deleted and a song had to be saved. Which one would you save?

Louis: It's interesting... I would probably say Story Of My Life. That seemed like a real milestone. I would say it's a little more serious. And I also think it's a bit of a crazy song.

Q: You are a big soccer fan, do you have any preference for an Argentine club?

Louis: I'm very afraid to say something wrong... I'd better say that I love you all. (laughs)

Photos

Links

[lavenderarts]

Revamp: Monthly Subs and Reward Art!

Hi everyone! After a long hiatus on this due to inconsistent health, I'm back and feeling better than ever, and I'd like to re-institute my monthly subscription service for art rewards. These will be active on my Ko-fi starting on August 1st! Read on to hear about the changes from my old system and details of what you'll get for subscribing, but if you don't care about any of that and just want to see the rewards page, here it is:

Please share this and consider tossing a couple bucks a month my way to help me support myself and my dog! Details below the cut!

So last time I was offering art rewards, it gradually became unsustainable for a number of reasons, chief among them the fact that I was basically offering severely discounted full commissions of all styles, and it was exhausting to fulfill in addition to regular commission work. I just couldn't keep up and got overwhelmed. So to help prevent that this time around, here are the changes I'm implementing:

I'll have a single reward type: single character busts! These are easy to crank out in an hour or less, so I can keep up with demand better. I'll reserve the right to decide between lined/lineless flats and papercrafts as I see fit to keep them interesting and fun for me, but if it's your birthday month or your yearly sub anniversary, you can choose the style and get a little something extra! For examples of what a bust looks like, please check out my recent ArtFight submissions :)

I'm going to do my level best to institute a hard 3-week turnaround rate for all regular commissions, and save the final week of each month for giving these rewards full priority along with onboarding new batches of clients for the following month's commissions.

I'm moving my subscription service over to Ko-fi, where anyone can give between $2-9 a month as a very generous tip and get access to my Discord server, or give $10+ for monthly bust rewards, early access to adoptables, and more! You can choose to give more than $10, but no other rewards exist for higher tier subs, it's up to whatever you feel is appropriate! Ko-fi has both Stripe and PayPal integration, which should be easier on the subscriber end, and it allows me to use PostyBirb to post across multiple sites at once, which makes it much easier to post early-access WIPs and finished work than it was on my old subscription service. It also automatically handles Discord onboarding and role assignment, yay!

I'm on the hunt for a simple Discord bot that can post a single repeating message on the first of every month with a link to a Google form for everyone to submit their requests, so that I don't have to ask for them manually. (If anyone knows of such a bot or is capable of making one, please get in touch!)

Previously I offered a whole suite of other rewards in addition to the monthly art -- things like subscriber-only request streams, early claims on adoptables, and even physical merch, which were not sustainable for me. Going forward, early adoptable claims for a discount will still be available as a reward, and I may occasionally do request streams, but on a less formally-scheduled basis and only as I have the free time to do so. I am not able to offer physical prints/stickers at this time; I might revisit the option in the future, but I need to know more before I try it again! I'll also be continuing to offer a subscriber discount on all commissions that will stack with other sales and discounts, along with the ability to skip the waitlist and jump directly into the work queue.

So to recap, if you subscribe to me, here's everything you get:

For $2-$9 USD: Discord server access with a special role, and my thanks for your generous support!

For $10+ USD: Discord server access with a special role, 24 hour early adoptable access with the ability to claim for a discounted price, a bust of a single character each month, first looks at finished artwork and WIPs/timelapses, commission discounts, and potentially more down the line.

My Discord is open to anyone, and all members can freely chat, post art, attend/host art streams, and answer polls regarding prompts for adoptable designs and more. You just get some nice bonuses for subscribing! While these subscription tiers are available, one-time tips and donations of any amount are still an option for commission clients or anyone else who just wants to show some love.

I hope this all makes sense and sounds enticing; I really love seeing people's OCs and getting to bring them to life and put my own little touch on them, and I'm very excited to start giving something back to all of you out there whose support means so very much to me, and without whom I could never do what I do. Thank you so much for checking out the Ko-fi! As a reminder, reward eligibility begins on August 1st! The tiers are active on Ko-fi now, but if you subscribe before August you won't be rewarded for the month of July, so keep that in mind.

[extra-n1]

Imagine mha ended with Kacchan and Izuku taking a walk together and casually passing all the places we saw them together at when they were kids until they reach the park. "Look Kacchan! That's the forest where we used to play heroes!" He said with a smile, although it was tinted with nostalgia and something a bit bitter. "Wanna go over?" The blond asks and the next second their already there. They walk for a bit in silence until they reach a specific point. A fallen tree that crosses a very small river. With time, its flow has decreased but it's still running. Katsuki invites Izuku to sit on the trunk as they watch the stream of water flow under their feet.

5 minutes later, none of them has said anything, it's comfortable silence tho. The sunrays get stronger and Izuku comments on it. With an idea, Katsuki jumps off the trunk directly into the river and lays there. "Kacchan, what are you doing?" The freckled boy asks confused "Just refreshing myself" Izuku giggles and lays next to the blond. The stream not big enough to cover them so their faces are kept over the water as they stare at a few small clouds pass the clear sky. As the minutes pass, Katsuki can sense the air becoming tense, and then it comes.

"Kacchan, can I say something?" Izuku asks unsure. He knows he doesn't need permission to speak to Katsuki but- "What I'm gonna say may- no, will absolutely sound selfish, but I can't help it. I-I've loved whatever we had since we entered UA, specially those last months, that's why I can't help but feeling like I'm being unfair to you. You've been so sincere lately, so caring, and all I do is deny and ignore things. I really didn't want to say because it makes me feel like a scumbag but I feel like I may drown every second I'm with you and I don't say it."

"Hey-" Katsuki tried to interfere at the 'scumbag' thing but was interrupted by a hand clutching the side of his shirt. Then Izuku was half hugging him on the water and he was paralyzed.

"I want you to be a hero. I want to see you become great even if I can't. It's a path I wanted to walk besides you but, I've already had time to reflect and I'm okay with cheering you on from the sidelines. It's just-" Izuku's sobs felts like needles on Katsuki's weak heart, his own tears pricking at the edges of his eyes. "It's just that I don't want you to forget about me, about this, about what we had in UA. You're gonna keep growing and progressing and I'm just gonna stay here. It'll be better for you to move on, but I don't want you to leave" The last sentence was merely a whisper. Izuku could barely talk through the sobs "I know it's a selfish wish-"

Izuku stopped talking when he felt Katsuki's hand over his, removing it from his shirt. His heart was shaking and shattering. 'Oh, no. This is when Kacchan gets up to leave and never speaks to me again. I shouldn't have done it. Even if he's been caring about me for some time what are the chances he actually loves-'

"Izuku" The boy wakes up from his mental ramble and finds Katsuki's gentle eyes, then he smirks, but there's no malice behind it "Since you're so selfish asking me not to leave, it's only fair I make a wish too" Izuku is beyond confused, Kacchan is not mad? They're both sitting up, the gentle breeze making their soaked backs cold. Either of them noticed, either of them cared. Izuku did take notice tho that the hand previously removed from Katsuki's clothing was now clasped between the blond's own hands. Pink rose up to freckled cheeks and the boy looked away as Katsuki caressed his fingers, a one-in-a-million soft smile on his face as he did so.

"Izuku" He repeated. The deep tone of his voice making said boy's cheeks burn, but he was unable to look away now "Y-yeah?" They made eye contact "It may make no sense to you, but I want you to keep being selfish over me for the rest of our lives" The blond intertwined their fingers and Izuku's heart trembled. "I don't want you to cheer from 'the sidelines'. We've walked the path here next to eachother and that's where I want- I need you to be. As a hero parter... or just a partner..."

They fell into silence. Only the steady moves of the water and the sounds of birds to remind them they're still on Earth. Katsuki was the one to advert his eyes this time, embarrassed, looking down onto the calm waters. Izuku was unable to look away, not from that vulnerable face, the almost unnoticeable blush, the words he just said still ringing in his ears. 10 seconds later, Izuku's brain came to a realization.

"Ka-Kacchan, are you suggesting that...?" The fiery blond broke into a mess of excuses "I mean! Only if you want to! I'm also fine with staying friends! Well, no... but I'll deal with it! I wouldn't dump you! So, make sure you're totally on with this before you say anything because I absolutely am!" "Kacchan" Izuku's voice came out so weak and soft. Katsuki looked everywhere else before finally setting aside his cowardy and meeting Izuku's eyes again. "You want to...date me?" The shorter male asked, still incredulous "Yeah" Katsuki looked down at their still linked hands "I mean, yes." And then up again and firmly said "Yes" Izuku, who was crying again, rewarded him with a sincere smile, for the first time in a long time, not a sad one, a real one filled with joy and relief. Katsuki only got to see it for a few seconds before the other launched himself at him and trapped him in a bear hug. He did his best to reciprocate with just one arm.

"Thank you. Thank you, Kacchan"

[ninadove]

Nina reads Dracula 🦇

September 17th

OK HERE WE GO I AM MENTALLY PREPARED TO LEARN ABOUT LUCY’S DEA —

Lucy Westenra's Diary.

Nevermind that. Guess I’ll have to do it all over again.

Four days and nights of peace. I am getting so strong again that I hardly know myself. It is as if I had passed through some long nightmare, and had just awakened to see the beautiful sunshine and feel the fresh air of the morning around me. I have a dim half-remembrance of long, anxious times of waiting and fearing; darkness in which there was not even the pain of hope to make present distress more poignant: and then long spells of oblivion, and the rising back to life as a diver coming up through a great press of water.

The pain of hope alright…

To-night Dr. Van Helsing is going away, as he has to be for a day in Amsterdam. But I need not be watched; I am well enough to be left alone.

‘Cause here we go, go, go again 🎶

Thank God for mother's sake, and dear Arthur's, and for all our friends who have been so kind! I shall not even feel the change, for last night Dr. Van Helsing slept in his chair a lot of the time. I found him asleep twice when I awoke; but I did not fear to go to sleep again, although the boughs or bats or something napped almost angrily against the window-panes.

EVERYONE. IS TRYING. SO HARD.

Anyways BACK TO RENFIELD:

Suddenly the door was burst open, and in rushed my patient, with his face distorted with passion. I was thunderstruck, for such a thing as a patient getting of his own accord into the Superintendent's study is almost unknown.

Right. But he did escape the facility itself twice, including once with your complicity. So maybe the safety protocols need a liiittle bit of reassessing here.

Without an instant's pause he made straight at me. He had a dinner-knife in his hand, and, as I saw he was dangerous, I tried to keep the table between us. He was too quick and too strong for me, however; for before I could get my balance he had struck at me and cut my left wrist rather severely.

FIGHT!!!!! FIGHT!!!!! FIGHT!!!!! FIGHT!!!!

He was lying on his belly on the floor licking up, like a dog, the blood which had fallen from my wounded wrist. He was easily secured, and, to my surprise, went with the attendants quite placidly, simply repeating over and over again: "The blood is the life! The blood is the life!"

Renfield’s DYI Guide to Vampirism: now available in a bookstore near you!

I cannot afford to lose blood just at present;

This is a terrifying and strangely sweet thought and I will be reusing this turn of phrase.

Happily Van Helsing has not summoned me, so I need not forego my sleep; to-night I could not well do without it.

Telegram, Van Helsing, Antwerp, to Seward, Carfax. Do not fail to be at Hillingham to-night.

Now that’s what I call comedic timing.

Anyways back to… Lucy again… Oh…

I write this and leave it to be seen, so that no one may by any chance get into trouble through me. This is an exact record of what took place to-night. I feel I am dying of weakness, and have barely strength to write, but it must be done if I die in the doing.

Talk about an emotional roller-coaster.

Presently the door opened, and mother looked in; seeing by my moving that I was not asleep, came in, and sat by me. She said to me even more sweetly and softly than her wont:—

"I was uneasy about you, darling, and came in to see that you were all right."

I feared she might catch cold sitting there, and asked her to come in and sleep with me, so she came into bed, and lay down beside me;

SEE WHAT I MEANT LAST TIME. Yes Ms Westenra is dying but she still wants to watch over her little girl! Yes Lucy is a grown adult but she still needs her mum! It’s all about love

After a while there was the low howl again out in the shrubbery, and shortly after there was a crash at the window, and a lot of broken glass was hurled on the floor. The window blind blew back with the wind that rushed in, and in the aperture of the broken panes there was the head of a great, gaunt grey wolf. Mother cried out in a fright, and struggled up into a sitting posture, and clutched wildly at anything that would help her. Amongst other things, she clutched the wreath of flowers that Dr. Van Helsing insisted on my wearing round my neck, and tore it away from me. For a second or two she sat up, pointing at the wolf, and there was a strange and horrible gurgling in her throat; then she fell over—as if struck with lightning, and her head hit my forehead and made me dizzy for a moment or two. The room and all round seemed to spin round. I kept my eyes fixed on the window, but the wolf drew his head back, and a whole myriad of little specks seemed to come blowing in through the broken window, and wheeling and circling round like the pillar of dust that travellers describe when there is a simoon in the desert.

OK OK not to (surprisingly) turn into your local Mrs Westenra Defender™ but. But. If this exact ordeal happened to you and you did not have the benefit of knowing the lore, would your natural conclusion not be that the flowers attracted the wolf? Because that sure as Hell would be mine.

I tried to stir, but there was some spell upon me, and dear mother's poor body, which seemed to grow cold already—for her dear heart had ceased to beat—weighed me down; and I remembered no more for a while.

WAIT SHE’S DEAD????? WHAT ARE WE BLAMING HER FOR EXACTLY????? SHE FUCKING DIED

The maids shrieked, and then went in a body to the dining-room; and I laid what flowers I had on my dear mother's breast. When they were there I remembered what Dr. Van Helsing had told me, but I didn't like to remove them, and, besides, I would have some of the servants to sit up with me now.

I WAS TOLD LUCY’S MUM THREW THE FLOWERS AWAY AND THAT DIRECTLY CAUSED HER DEATH. THAT COULD NOT BE FURTHER FROM THE TRUTH. WHAT HAPPENED

My heart sank when I saw what had happened. They all four lay helpless on the floor, breathing heavily. The decanter of sherry was on the table half full, but there was a queer, acrid smell about. I was suspicious, and examined the decanter. It smelt of laudanum, and looking on the sideboard, I found that the bottle which mother's doctor uses for her—oh! did use—was empty. What am I to do? what am I to do? I am back in the room with mother. I cannot leave her, and I am alone, save for the sleeping servants, whom some one has drugged. Alone with the dead! I dare not go out, for I can hear the low howl of the wolf through the broken window.

WHO WHAT AND HOW

The air seems full of specks, floating and circling in the draught from the window, and the lights burn blue and dim. What am I to do? God shield me from harm this night! I shall hide this paper in my breast, where they shall find it when they come to lay me out. My dear mother gone! It is time that I go too. Good-bye, dear Arthur, if I should not survive this night. God keep you, dear, and God help me!

LUCY NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO —

Letter, Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra (Unopened by her.)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

My dearest Lucy,—It seems an age since I heard from you, or indeed since I wrote. You will pardon me, I know, for all my faults when you have read all my budget of news.

Why don’t you twist the knife even deeper Bram.

Well, I got my husband back all right;

A little bit of light in this God-forsaken world

'My dears, I want to drink your health and prosperity; and may every blessing attend you both. I know you both from children, and have, with love and pride, seen you grow up. Now I want you to make your home here with me. I have left to me neither chick nor child; all are gone, and in my will I have left you everything.' I cried, Lucy dear, as Jonathan and the old man clasped hands. Our evening was a very, very happy one.

And twist the knife deeper he did.

So here we are, installed in this beautiful old house, and from both my bedroom and the drawing-room I can see the great elms of the cathedral close, with their great black stems standing out against the old yellow stone of the cathedral and I can hear the rooks overhead cawing and cawing and chattering and gossiping all day, after the manner of rooks—and humans.

Windows! Parallels and contrasts!! Something monstrous VS something divine and most of all human!!! I’m fine this is fine we’re all fine —

How is your dear mother getting on?

ALRIGHT BRAM THAT’S ENOUGH TWISTING.

and Jonathan wants looking after still.

🥺🥹 (<- Hanging on by a thread)

And now I have told you my news, let me ask yours. When are you to be married, and where, and who is to perform the ceremony, and what are you to wear, and is it to be a public or a private wedding? Tell me all about it, dear; tell me all about everything, for there is nothing which interests you which will not be dear to me. Jonathan asks me to send his 'respectful duty,' but I do not think that is good enough from the junior partner of the important firm Hawkins & Harker; and so, as you love me, and he loves me, and I love you with all the moods and tenses of the verb, I send you simply his 'love' instead. Good-bye, my dearest Lucy, and all blessings on you.

Yours,

MINA HARKER.

(Thread snapped)

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[sunbloomdew]

Love Confessions in the Baxter DLC

The sequel! Monochrome obsession continues. Part 2/3

Part 1 "The Wedding Confession"

Welcome, or hello again! I played the Baxter DLC a couple of times and I like it a lot, so I wanted to ramble about some of my favourite parts. Specifically about love confessions in Baxter’s version of Step 4, because they are all very well written and make me feel good :3

Reading the first part of this "series" isn't necessary, the introduction is just a bit more thorough in the first post. Furthermore if you've read the first part it might seem like i'm repeating myself with certain points, since those moments share some similarities and i like to be meticulous.

It is time for the second confession and the last one that can be initiated by the player. If you don’t confess here and pick an option in which MC expresses hope of Baxter returning their feelings, you will later reach the moment where Baxter asks MC out himself. This confession is my personal favourite, so prepare for me losing my mind over every single detail.

Spoilers for Baxter DLC!

The confessions all happen after the wedding ceremony, so if you hadn't played to this point yet, i recommend skipping this post (and maybe coming back later, if you wanna chat about them with me)! I may not bring up every single line, but i think this post still covers a good part of what happens.

I call this confession, The Morning Confession, because it takes place on the morning after the wedding! Simple name but it does the job.

There is also another reason for this name, but i'll get to it later.

The wedding is over and most stuff had been cleaned up. MC returns with Baxter to his apartment, after accepting his invitation to stay with him until they have to come back to their home. The two have finally reunited and they aren’t ready to part ways yet.

During that evening, MC and Baxter share a moment by the fireplace in the lobby of the building. I wanted to dedicate some time to this moment, because I think it’s a valuable context to the confession. And aside from providing insight into the mind of Baxter Ward, I love the way it’s written. So sue me, i wanna talk about it.

Despite the fact that they have reconciled, Baxter’s reasoning behind his actions still isn’t fully clear to MC. While being in the company of other people made the lingering unease between them bearable, it still remains. They can't act casually, as if nothing had happened, as if the years hadn’t been lost. So Baxter offers to clarify his point of view. “As sorry as I am, I don’t think I’ve been as open as I could have been” he says and well, that is the truth.

If the player chose to confess to Baxter before this conversation, this moment provides a deeper understanding of the character and explains his reluctance to accept the confession.

It is here by a fireplace – a fitting spot for another personal conversation, considering the duo's shared history – that Baxter reveals his innermost thoughts and fears. At his core, he believes he doesn’t contribute anything to any relationship, because he can't see his own value. And to him, if he doesn’t add anything, then he has no right to form and be in deep, mutually supportive relationships.

Baxter convinced himself that he doesn’t matter. That his only worth is in the entertainment he can provide or the help he can give. In his own words, he doesn’t know what it means to be significant to a person, just by being yourself. Which is why he doesn’t let people get close to him. He assumes that upon finding out that there is nothing more to him, they will leave. So it’s better to not let anybody get to know him, that way no one can be disappointed by his “true” self. He is unable to see that none of that is true because deep down, he thinks he is worthless as a person.

Those feelings about himself are something that have influenced Baxter’s decisions about relationships with other people, for example with Xavier. As the baker reveals later, they always felt that if Baxter had no reason to contact them again, he wouldn't. He kept himself away from others and believed that every connection he makes isn’t meant to last.

Still, Baxter wanted to create bonds with other people. And it terrified him.

He wanted to have that with MC, but he was too afraid to take that chance five years ago. It couldn't have worked out back then. Baxter had his assumptions about himself and others, and he held onto them strongly. It’s sad, but there was no way to make him change his ways back then. He was set on leaving no matter what would have happened.

This Baxter is different from the 19 year old who put his comfort above all else. During that conversation by the fireplace he is being vulnerable in ways he never allowed himself to be before. He tells MC that he missed them over those five years. That they made him feel wanted that summer, and as incredible as it felt, he couldn’t believe it would last. He makes it clear that it wasn’t any of MC’s actions that made him feel that way - he applied this mindset to every connection he made at that time.

It’s incredibly sad to witness his thoughts out in the open like that. I think Baxter’s struggles are something most of us can relate to in some way. Low self-esteem can make people withdraw from social situations and spiral into self-hatered. It’s terrible, to be so wrapped up in disliking yourself that you assume that nobody could ever like you. That you have no good qualities as a person, so you have to make up for them somehow. It can feel like it'll stay this way forever, and so there is no point in trying to connect with others.

However that is not true. In the end, Baxter came to understand this as well. He is worthy of love and friendship. He grew and learned from his past mistakes, and so can we.

He apologises to MC once again, and expresses deep regret over not staying in contact with them. And at last, MC can say that they actually know Baxter Alexander Ward.

I think this moment is really beautiful. It’s an apology without excuses, that provides an explanation. Baxter never had malicious intentions, but even so, his actions had hurt people who cared for him (and who he cared about), so he owns up to his mistakes and does his best to correct them.

Aside from being a really good moment of taking accountablity and being vulnerable with another person this conversation also sets the mood for the morning confession. The air is finally cleared. These two characters can finally show how much they value each other because there is mutual understanding and trust between them again. It will take some time to get to know each other after so long, but they are willing to try, and they know they can be honest.

After a day full of emotional revelations, Baxter and MC finally head to bed. Not only the characters, but the players can take a breath and prepare for what’s to come. And boy are we in for a treat.

The next day arrives and the players are given an option to sleep in as much as they want. What time MC wakes up will have an effect on dialogues and is one of the many examples of how the game lets us customize the protagonist however we want, even in the silliest ways. It is something i deeply appreciate about the Our Life series. The comfort level also changes the lines, for example MC's response to Baxter greeting them in the morning.

Eventually the sleeping beauty wakes up and the pair moves to the living room. Despite sleeping in for a while Baxter is still out of it and it’s so adorable (he's just like me fr).

I think the tone set for the confession is lovely. The atmosphere in the morning is relaxing and light and to me it feels like this is exactly what those characters needed. A new day has arrived, not only literally but figuratively for their relationship. There is no negative tension in the air, just the feeling of peace. They are clearly enjoying each other's company and it's great to finally have that again.

This is only my opinion, but the way this moment feels is exactly why i like it more than the wedding confession. The previous confession is meant to feel rushed, high on emotions and full of determination to declare the feelings right away. MC feels like they have to be upfront about their feelings in that moment so they confess. I do enjoy this type of tension, but i simply prefer this kind of setting. As much as i love convincing Baxter to truly express his feelings by shooting down the reasons not to date him (it's so intense and dramatic! absolutely amazing) i find that i like this quiet admission of feelings more.

While it might not be that intense as the moment right after the wedding, there is still this nagging feeling that urges MC not to wait any longer. They love that they are included in this private corner of Baxter's life and they wish they could have been before. It's this feeling of not wanting to lose any more time, that makes them think about confessing then and there.

And so, the player is presented with a choice:

It is time to confess! Hallelujah.

Just like in the wedding confession we can pick the way we want to confess - with words or with a gesture. If we pick the third option you lose the chance to confess yourself. Instead Baxter will do this when the time comes.

Upon choosing one of the ways to confess, MC has the same internal monologue they do in the wedding confession. I've already shared my thoughts about it in the previous post, but i'll just say here that it's a very nice scene. They reminisce about their relationship with Baxter as a whole, eventually coming to the conclusion, that they can hold on to him.

After the monologue ends, the player has a chance to reaffirm their decision, as they did in the previous confession.

If you back out, MC thinks that they can be together just not in the way they'd want to. They are afraid of confessing, in case they ruin what they just got back and make Baxter run away.

But, if you reaffirm your decision, you get my personal favourite confession scene. Let's get right into it!

I mentioned in Part 1 that Baxter reacts to MC's silence, as they reminisce about their relationship. I find it a little funny when i imagine them just sitting in silence and staring intensely for a while. Kinda like when magical girls have their transformations and the bad guys don't do anything to interrupt them. MC monologuing definitely gives off the same energy. Writing inner monologues is tricky like that.

During the wedding confession Baxter is anxious and worried, waiting to receive MC's verdict. Do they welcome him back to their life? Or do they reject him (even though there is no such option in the game)?. It's stressful and the prolonged silence makes Baxter slowly come back to his usual behaviour to protect himself, in case his vulnerability was the wrong move.

This isn't the case here. His reaction is wildly different. There is no tension or stress, just curiosity and anticipation. Instead of being nervous he is very smug, clearly knowing or at least suspecting what MC is thinking about. I gotta say, when i first picked this option i was stunned. I did NOT expect him to act in this way, but it was a pleasant surprise. Mr. Ward is very perceptive and i love this confident attitude of his.

MC asks him what is on his mind, and he comes back to reality. Baxter encourages them to continue, but they insist he tells them what's going on. And that's what he does. He says that he was remembering a "funny story". Then he asks MC if they want to know something absolutely embarrassing. With that kind of an opening, how could they refuse?

Baxter tells them that Jude and Scott attempted to speak to him about his and MC's... situation. He was surprised that they noticed he was sad and wanted to help him, when he was supposed to be doing that with their relationship. I think it was his feelings of inferiority that made him feel that way.

Moving on, the reason he brought that up wasn't to draw attention to how his poor relationship management skills made others concerned for him. But rather to point out, that the men knew, that MC is important to Baxter. Baxter states that he was grateful they met and despite ending their relationship five years ago, he was never sorry he knew MC. He is kinda chaotic with his admission, one second bringing up the chat with the grooms and the other expressing his affection for MC.

Understandably, it makes MC confused. They thought they were the one leading the dance - or the conversation in this case - but clearly now it's Baxter doing that (i mean he is a professional). Even so, he isn't as good with his words as usual and doesn't quite manage to convey what he wants to MC.

He thanks MC for letting him "ramble" for so long and stands up. Shit's getting real. We're about to enter the boss fight.

He moves to sit on the edge of the coffee table, which puts him at the eye level with MC, only closer than before. And then this silly man leans closer acting all calm and confident. Dude. Please. Everytime i play this moment i lose my precious ability to formulate thoughts, not to mention actual sentences. Because. Oh my god.

And then he hits you with THAT. He absolutely knew what MC was thinking about and he is having a lot of fun with teasing them. They realize that he caught on to what was going on and figure that at least it makes it easier to confess. The dialogue varies in this place because of the comfort level - these are their thoughts on the Direct setting. They also think about how hard would it be to tell him they liked him before he opened up to them. I find it pretty funny, because it’s clearly a tiny poke, towards players who did confess right after the wedding and faced this struggle. When you’re replaying those moments it does make you chuckle.

Now we can finally confess our feelings! When doing that verbally there are a couple of options to choose from, as in the case of the wedding confession. One of the options is: "Could I consider all the time we spent together a date?" and you already know i love this one. It's playful, it's a reference to when Baxter asked MC out five years ago, it's perfect. There is no contender, i always choose it.

...Is what i would say, but i actually always choose the option to confess with a kiss during this feelings reveal.

Confessing with a kiss looks a bit different from the first confession. This time there aren't multiple options to choose where we want to kiss him, MC goes straight (or is it?) for the lips. And the way that kiss is described is everything to me. I'm an absolute sucker for kissing scenes and this one is just so, so, so good! I cannot find fitting words in english (and neither can i in polish) so i'll just drop one screenshot from it and move along before i combust.

It's so tender and sweet and adorable please-

While Baxter was acting super confident and cocky, the second MC declares their love for him/moves to kiss him he turns into a shy, blushing mess. Despite knowing or at least suspecting what MC was about to do he is still caught of guard. I think that his reaction is absolutely adorable. Baxter doesn't blush a lot, so it's always a treat when he does.

We can choose to tell Baxter, that MC wanted to be with him even five years ago and this stuns him again.

Now that MC have confessed their love they're waiting for Baxter to respond. But GOD, is he struggling. It's the first time Baxter is so flustered and it makes me so giddy. He allows himself to show how much MC means to him and holy shit, this man cannot look at them for too long because he will just blush even harder.

From the way he is acting it's already clear that he reciprocates MC's feelings. But the fact that he gets so shy? Stole my heart, sir how dare you be so cute.

Of course, Baxter Ward cannot stay flustered for long and he eventually recovers. Damn it.

His response to the confession is so sweet. He basically says "my turn" and tells MC all the things he loves about being with them, how they made him feel and how much he appreciates them. There is still a moment of self-loathing, when Baxter regrets trying to keep MC out of his life- twice. He is surprised that MC still has feelings for him, still wants to be with him despite all the pain he caused them.

He still brings up all the potential reasons why this could be a bad idea. Limited connections, his current financial situation and his past ways of managing relationships. But unlike in the Wedding Confession, here those aren't statements for MC to refute. I'd say they are less of a warning for MC and more of an expose of himself, to be sure that he revealed everything he considers a flaw before accepting their confession. "By all accounts, I shouldn't be doing this. But I am." - those are his words. Even if he still has his doubts, he isn't going to turn MC down anymore. If he let them go now, in fear of potentially not being enough in this relationship, he would regret it.

And so that is his response: "If you'll have me you will have me." Don't mind if i do- yoink.

While he calmed down a bit for this admission, he gets flustered yet again. It's so adorable to see him be so affected by MC and this situation.

Baxter says that it was easier asking MC out himself all those years ago. He is still so out of it that he voices out loud that he has no idea what to do now. His usual grace and poise are still on leave it seems. He follows it up with that it would be the best if he switched from sitting on the coffee table to somewhere with a backrest, just in case. Dude. Baxter is so strongly impacted by this confession that he is fully aware that there is a possiblity that he will just topple down. I'm melting, it's so cute!

He moves to the couch and MC joins him over there. Once Baxter calms down a bit, he says he is starting to "remember some possiblities" and the two kiss again. I can't even begin describe how much i love the way the kissing moments are written. They're amazing and i'm losing my mind.

The last question Baxter has is if his feelings were obvious to MC. He recounts when Jude asked him point-blank if he was still 'into' MC - we get a couple of dialogue answers to pick, either reacting to Jude even asking about it or answering Baxter's question.

And that is the end of this confession! Baxter overcomes his sheepishness at last, no longer blushing intensely. Quite a shame, but i think we all love his usual charming self as well.

There are no more reservations about showing his true feelings. The pair has been reunited after five years and are finally ready to start a long-term relationship. Good for them <3

Baxter shares one last thought at the end of this long conversation:

And yes, this is the other reason why i call this confession the Morning Confession specifically! It's entirely because of Baxter pointing it out. And because he is so surprised about this turn of events.

The second part is finally over! I worked on it during those two weeks (holy fuck, why) it took me to post it. I'm a bit bummed it took me this long to finish it, but i did my best <3

This part is definitely longer than the first, the brainrot got to me. I haven't started the third part yet but i already replayed the last confession scene and honestly? I forgot how good it was compared to the other two! Shame on me, truly.

See you in the third part! Peace out~

Part 1