#i just live him and his engagement with victor

[sarahreesbrennan]

Are all the themes in “in other lands” supposed to be a commentary on something? Or do you just like writing sex scenes between minors, age gaps, and reverse misogyny?

Genuine question.

Ohhh, my dear anon, I don't believe this is a genuine question.

But it does bring up something I've been meaning to talk about. So I'll take the bait.

Firstly. Yes, my work contains a commentary on the world around us. I wonder what I could be doing with the child soldiers being sexually active in their teens (people hook up right after battles), and the age gap relationship ending in the younger one being too mature for the elder. What could I possibly have been attempting when I said 'how absurd gender roles are, when projected onto people we haven't been accustomed by our own society to see that way'? I wasn't being subtle, that's for sure.

Secondly. Yes I do enjoy writing! I think I should, it's my life's work. Am I titillated by my own writing, no - though I think it's fine to be. The sex scenes of In Other Lands aren't especially titillating, to be honest. It is interesting to me how often people sneer at women for writing romance and sex scenes, having 'book boyfriends,' insinuating women writers fancy their own characters. Women having too much immoral fun! Whereas men clearly write about sex for high literary purposes.

… I have to say from my experience of women and men's writing, I haven't found that to be true.

I’m not in this to have an internet argument. Mostly people use bad faith takes to poke at others from the other side of a screen for kicks. But I do know some truly internalise the attitude that writing certain things is wrong, that anyone who makes mistakes must be shunned as impure, and that is a deeply Victorian and restrictive attitude that guarantees unhappiness.

I've become increasingly troubled by the very binary and extreme ways of thinking I see arising on the internet. They come naturally from people being in echo chambers, becoming hostile to differing opinions, and the age-old conundrum of wanting to be good, fearing you aren't, and making the futile effort to be free of sin. It makes me think of Tennyson, who when travelling through Ireland at the time of the Great Famine, said nobody should talk about the 'Irish distress' to him and insisted the window shades of his carriage be shut as he went from castle to castle. So he wouldn't see the bodies. But that didn't make the bodies cease to be.

In Les Mis, Victor Hugo explores why someone might steal, what that means about them and their circumstances, and who they might be - and explores why someone else is made terribly unhappy, and endangers others, through their own too rigid adherence to judgement and condemnation without pity. The story understands both Jean Valjean the thief and Javert the policeman. Javert’s way of thinking is the one that inevitably leads to tragedy.

Depiction isn't endorsement. Depiction is discussion.

Many of my loved ones have had widely varying relationships to and experience of sex (including 'none'). They've felt all different types of ways about it. If writing about them is not permissible, I close them out. I'd much rather a dialogue be open than closed.

I do understand the urge to write what seems right to others. I've been brain-poisoned that way myself. I used to worry so much about my female characters doing the wrong things, because then they'd be justly hated! Then I noted which of my writer friends had people love their female characters the most - and it was the one who wrote their female characters as screwing up massively, making rash and sometimes wrong decisions. Who wrote them as people. Because that's what people do. That's what feels true to readers.

I want my characters to feel true to readers. I want my characters to react in messy ways to imperfect situations. I love fantasy, I love wild action and I love deep thought, and I want to engage. That's what In Other Lands is about. That's even more what Long Live Evil is about. That sexy lady who sashays in to have sexy sex with the hero - what is her deal? Someone who tricks and lies to others - why are they doing that, how did they get so skilled at it? What makes one person cruelly judgemental, and another ignore all boundaries? What makes Carmen Maria Machado describe ‘fictional queer villains’ as ‘by far the most interesting characters’? What irritates people about women having a great time? What attracts us to power, to fiction, and to transgression?

I don’t know the answers to all those questions, but I know I want to explore them. And I know one more thing.

If the moral thing to do is shut people out and shut people up? Count me among the villains.

[vasilissadragomir]

people often use snow’s experiences with lucy gray as an explanation for how he engages with katniss, but i think that the true story of his downfall lies not in how lucy gray and katniss are similar, but rather in how they are different.

snow knew that it was never him that made the games what they are. it was lucy gray, with her scrappy, passionate artistry, that put on the show that kept people watching. more importantly, it was lucy gray that put on the show that kept HIM watching. all he ever did was give her the stage.

ergo, snow recognizes that the person with the power to usurp him is his natural counterpart, someone like lucy gray, who possessed both the charisma and humanity that he sorely lacks. however, in his mind, those traits are not real; they’re performed in order to obtain power. how could he know better, when he’s never experienced them himself, and the only person he ever truly believed possessed them betrayed him?

so snow keeps his eye out for performers, people with gravitas who could capture the heart of the nation, and squashes their spark as soon as he can. people like haymitch. people like finnick.

and that’s where snow goes wrong. he doesn’t see katniss’ similarities to lucy gray from the start, because while they both demonstrate astonishing, intriguing bravery at their reapings, their actions and motivations are completely different. lucy gray is motivated to perform by anger for herself, and katniss is motivated to sacrifice herself by fear for her sister.

but then katniss starts to put on a show for the audience, kissing peeta and being willing to die with the berries at the end of the 74th games. snow starts to see an entirely different side of katniss that resembles lucy gray to a concerning degree. he sees how, with peeta at her side, she could beguile the nation the same way lucy gray had. and, even worse, she was using the poor, helpless boy who had the misfortune of falling in love with her to survive. the moment katniss started performing, he finally sees lucy gray within her. but it’s already too late.

by catching fire, katniss is the spark fanning the flames of the resistance, but snow fails to understand why. as far as he’s concerned, katniss’ star power comes from her connection to peeta. he tries to weaponize their “love” for his own gain, but it doesn’t work, not because people don’t believe that she loves peeta, but because, for the first time, a victor offers their winnings to the family of a fallen tribute.

snow is caught in a catch 22 of seneca crane’s making—if he kills katniss, she becomes a martyr. but if he lets her live, she’ll be a revolutionary icon. either way, she’s the spark. so he has no choice but to allow the spark to flicker, just for a little while. enter the 75th games. snow knows he needs katniss to die a tragic death in the games. more specifically, he needs it to be a brutal death at the hands of a tribute, not the gamemakers, because he understands that as long as the districts see the capitol as the one who ended the life of katniss everdeen, she’ll still be a martyr.

but snow still doesn’t get it. in the quarter quell, the prey does not become predator. katniss’ allies protect her, ensuring she survives until district 13 rescues her. why would they protect this girl, assuming such a steep personal risk? why would they put everything on the line for a revolution they personally stand to benefit little from? he doesn’t know. but he does know that lucy gray katniss is at the center of it all, so he tries to eliminate what makes her look best: peeta.

and that is snow’s fatal mistake. what he, coin, and everyone but haymitch fail to understand is that it was never peeta that made katniss look good—it was katniss, who befriended and put faith in rue. katniss, who recruited mags, wiress, and beetee as allies. she is the source of revolutionary inspiration. it isn’t her charisma or even her compassion, and it certainly isn’t how well she performed those virtues.

katniss becomes the mockingjay because of her solidarity.

lucy gray was charismatic, like peeta, and compassionate, like both peeta and katniss, but she did not demonstrate solidarity. she was never truly “district” in the way katniss is. she showed kindness to jessup, not because he was from 12, but because he showed kindness to her. lucy gray left behind everything and everyone she loved when she left coriolanus, because she was first and foremost a survivor.

katniss was a survivor her whole life, but she survives exclusively to ensure the people she loves are protected. she always does what she can for people more vulnerable than herself. lucy gray couldn’t have sparked a revolution on her own because she lacked the solidarity that makes a hope for a better future authentic to others. katniss is the human manifestation of solidarity, and to a people divided by a common enemy, that’s the most inspiring thing a person can be.

only in the end, when katniss shoots coin, does snow realize none of it was a performance. choking on the blood of his countless adversaries, snow’s final moments are consumed by what he got wrong. what made lucy gray and katniss different ends his reign, but ironically, the final nail in his coffin is an act that both lucy gray and katniss share in their last moments with snow. they both prove, unequivocally, that he is not the center of their worlds like they are his. lucy gray put her own survival before her love for him, and katniss puts the future of her nation before her hate for him. in the end, he simply doesn’t matter. and that’s greater justice than could have ever been achieved if katniss had fired her arrow into his heart.

the greatest enemy to coriolanus snow could only be the person who reignited the embers of a dying revolutionary fire, who demonstrated to a broken people that while one spark alone might not be enough, thousands of sparks uniting in solidarity is an unbeatable force.

and really, he should have known better. after all, even when snow lands on top, fire melts snow.

[darknight3904]

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕽𝖆𝖈𝖊

ᴀᴇᴍᴏɴᴅ ᴛᴀʀɢᴀʀʏᴇɴ x ꜰᴇᴍ!ᴏᴄ! ᴛᴀʀɢᴀʀʏᴇɴ

ᴘʀᴇᴠɪᴏᴜꜱ ᴘᴀʀᴛ / ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ /ᴍʏ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ

Rhaella is 17, Aemond 16

132 AC

"Oh shit!"

"I'm fine." Aemond waved her off, avoiding the way she reached to soothe what she had just done.

They had been training for nearly an hour and Aemond suggested real swords instead of the boring practice ones. Rhaella had agreed not expecting to actually make any contact with him. She had been wrong and watched as a thin line of blood trickled down Aemonds face, just under his eye patch. Her sword had just grazed him, a result of his left side being blind and his slower reaction timing on that side.

"Perhaps we should stop," Rhaella suggested, feeling guilty over the small nick.

"I'm fine." Aemond huffed, wiping at the blood, and smearing it across his cheek, "I want to go again."

"You are tired, we can resume later. We should have lunch." Rhaella says, dreamily thinking of food.

"Once more," Aemond demanded

Rhaella knew why he was being so insistent on one more round. She had bested him multiple times today, Aemnd must've been thinking it was because she had better sword skills. Truly, he was the better one, Rhaella was just hiding in his blind spot and exploiting a weakness she knew he had. Something Daemon had taught her years ago.

"If an opponent has a weakness, you should use it. It's their fault for not fighting at their best."

As much as she hated the cunt, he was right about some things, fighting just happened to be one of his strong suits. Maybe his only strong suit, besides Craxes. Daemon's dragon was truly captivating.

She wasn't entirely sure how Aemond hadn't noticed what she was doing. Perhaps it was the heat. The sun was fierce today, she could feel the sweat making her skin stick to her training clothes.

"Call it a day, my Prince." Cole's words echoed across the training yard. He had been watching them while polishing his armor, "Lady Rhaella is clearly tired."

She was not tired. She was sweaty and hungry, and she felt bad for Aemond.

"Very well. Tomorrow then, and I'll be the victor." Aemond declared, taking the sword from her hands, and placing it in a barrel for the smith to sharpen later.

"Mmhmm, sure." Rhaella hummed

Aemond followed her back to her chamber where they ate lunch together, sitting on her balcony while the warm wind cooled them down.

"As my mother talked to you recently?" He asked

Rhaella's mouth was full of the sweet fruit from Dorne that her handmaiden had brought.

"No." She said, her voice muffled with food. She rarely worried about manors around Aemond, he never seemed to care if she stuffed her face full of food or sat with a slouch in her back.

"I was wondering if she and my father had arranged an engagement yet." He said, his eye fixed on the horizon.

"For you?!" Rhaella nearly choked on her fruit, Aemond wanted to be wed?!

"No, idiot." Aemond shook his head, "For you. You're of age."

"Don't remind me." She groaned, swallowing her food.

"Don't you want a family?" He asked

"I do...I just don't want to be shipped off like some broodmare to pump out heirs for my husband and then for my home. I want to live an exciting life, not some boring one." She sighed

"You fly one of the largest dragons alive and you feel like your life isn't exciting?" Aemond teased

"You know what I mean." She said

"I do...I'm presuming you want to actually get along with your husband as well." He said

"Yes well, if we have to marry, having someone I actually can hold a conversation with is preferred

"So every Lannister is out of the question then." Aemond said seriously

Rhaella laughed at his tone.

"I'm being serious." He said, looking at her

"I know. You're correct, that's why it's so funny to me. " Rhaella smiled

"Whoever you marry should expect our friendship to continue." Aemond declared

"I had no intentions of ever ending it." Rhaella said, "Daemon used to say marriage is a duty. I will carry my duty out to whoever I marry."

"You've spoken of Daemon quite a bit recently. Do you miss him?" Aemond asked

"Gods no. He has said some things that...come in handy at times. He's a fool but knows a bit about life I suppose." She said

"I suppose that's what happens when you're old," Aemond said

"I am sure Daemon isn't yet fifty," Rhaella said trying to remember exactly how old he was

"He is older than you and I, therefore old," Aemond said

"So does that make Maester Edric ancient?" Rhaella smiled

"Edric is simply a fossil, my dear." Aemond joked

Rhaella hated it when he did that. Calling her sweet names like it was nothing. It made her heart leap into her throat.

"I said to stop that." She blushed

"Stop what?" He asked, feigning cluelessness.

"The terms of endearment! How will I ever wed if you are standing next to me calling me names." Rhaella said

"Of course, I will stop. It was of poor taste of me to even call you those things in the first place" Aemond said

Rhaella looked over at Aemond. He looked ethereal today, even with dried-up blood on his cheek. Most notably though he had the slyest smirk on his face. It seemed to say "I don't plan on stopping, ever."

"You're a fool," Rhaella said, faux anger on her face

"Takes one to know one, my dear," Aemond replied

Aemond left Rhaella with her handmaids after another hour of conversation. Rhaella had declared she needed a bath after their training, her handmaidens had arrived and ushered him out of her chamber like he was on fire. Truthfully Aemond would've been fine, sitting there with his eye closed while she bathed. He hated not having her by his side. Having a companion was truly wonderful for him.

He found his way back to his own chamber and ordered a bath to be drawn for himself. He was sure the sweat was beginning to make him smell. Here in the hot water and soap, he found was the perfect time to think. His silver hair floated around him as he submerged himself up to his shoulders.

Aemond hated the idea of marriage. Not just for himself, but for everyone. He saw how truly unhappy his parents were, even if they acted as though they were not. Heleana was equally unhappy, although at least Aegon avoided her most of the time. His brother was a twat but at least he let her enjoy her bugs and such. Most of all though, he hated the idea of Rhaella marrying.

He tried to imagine her, whisked off to some castle, away from him, with some lord as her husband. He could feel the jealousy simmering in his chest. Aegon had teased him for it relentlessly. His usually drunk brother was surprisingly keen with his observations and discovered Aemond's crush about a year ago. Now, whenever Aegon caught his little brother staring at their cousin he'd make sure to whisper a remark to him.

"You are greener than the grass outside."

"Does she know about Madame Sylvi?"

Those being the most recent ones. Truly, Aemond hadn't seen Sylvi since his 13th name day. He hadn't even known her name until a year ago when Aegon had been retelling his times with her after stumbling into Aemonds room late at night.

Aemond was unsure of how he'd ever find a way to tell Rhaella not to run off and marry some other lord, to squeeze out heirs for Runestone with him. He could help her make the heirs for her families ancesteral seat. If only his mother could see that he was the best match for her. Not some Tully twat or a golden lion of Casterly rock, or gods forbid Benjicot Blackwood. As he often did, Aemond knew what he wanted, he was sure of it. He wanted Rhaella. He was just unsure of how to go about it all, getting what he wanted this time would surely be more challenging than in the past.

Next Part

Hope everyone is enjoying so far. I wanted to let everyone know I am on vacation I have one more part that is pre-written that I will release in a few days. I hope you all can hold on until I return and have time to write.

Also, am I the only one who, whenever Rhaenrya's kid Joffery is mentioned, gets violent-like flashbacks to Joffery as in Cersei's brat? GOT gave me PTSD I guess. Anyway, I'll share some fun pics of my trip when I return.

Comment below to join the taglist. (The taglist is not by chapter, once added, you will remain there unless you ask to be removed.)

Taglist:

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@starryhiraeth

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@holymusicalmothman

@koobratzy

@schelfinser

@mizuki80

@flusteredmoonn

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@fix5idiots @canpillowscry

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@vieenr0se

[dark-frosted-heart]

Roger Barel Main Route - Chapter 1

As usual, can’t guarantee 100% accuracy on this. I’m doing this for archiving purposes and you can probably find a better translation out there.

Destiny, unrealizable dreams, incurable disease, war, poverty…

It just goes on.

This world’s a bargain sale of despair.

And it’s called “despair” because you can’t do anything about it.

However, that’s not something I’ll allow.

If you can’t overcome despair— then what’s the point of me, of us humans, being born?

That’s why these days, I live my life flipping it off.

--

It’s been a week since I started my “sinful life” as a Fairytale Keeper.

It wouldn’t be long before I could go back to my former life after keeping this secret—at least that’s what I thought.

--

Darius: While I didn’t expect there to be a get-together soon after our arrival to England, I’m happy.

That night, a dinner party he called a get-together was held…

Between “Crown”, an organization directly under the command of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and “Vogel”, an organization directly under the command of Germany.

All members were together in one place.

Vogel had just arrived from Germany a few hours ago.

~~ Flashback ~~

Victor: Vogel is a research organization that’s dedicated to the societal contribution of the Cursed Ones. They will be staying in the palace for a few months as goodwill ambassadors.

Darius: Our motto is “the betterment of society through the Cursed Ones”

~~ End flashback ~~

(They looked friendly, not people you should be wary of)

However, there’s something that’s been bothering me for a while now.

Harrison, whose power allowed him to see through lies, said “they’re lying”— 

(So long as we don’t truly know them, we shouldn’t let our guard down yet)

Darius, who I believe is the chief of “Vogel” was sitting next to William and enjoying his conversation with him.

(For now I think it’s better for me to lie low and stay quiet)

On the table was a spread of dishes that Victor had put his all into preparing.

(Even though it all looks so delicious…I’m too nervous to eat)

Nica: What’s this? Robin, you haven’t touched your food. Then I’ll take this cherry.

Ring: Nica, you’ll get a stomach ache if you take a stranger’s food.

Nica: What’s with the serious warning, little brother? It’s just an excuse to make an appeal to be friends. Ring, you’re really out of touch.

Ring: …I’m ignorant.

The twins looked similar, with the same hair and eye color.

Kate: Nica and Ring…right?

Nica: Yep, you remembered our names? We remember yours too, Kate. Even though we just met, I think we’ll get along? Hey, show us around the palace. Let’s get out of here.

He slipped his arm around my waist with a practiced gesture and whispered in my ear.

(Wha…)

The moment I stood my guard, I felt someone tug my arm from the opposite side.

Roger: Sorry to interrupt, but Kate’s got a prior engagement with me.

Kate: Roger!

Roger: The queen’s aide’s great at showing people around the palace. He’ll be delighted. Victor, would you mind showing our guests from Vogel around?

Victor: Yes, of course! I will show you around every nook and cranny.

Nica: (¬_¬)…

Nica narrowed his eyes at Victor and then smiled.

Nica: Vielen Dank (Many thanks)

William: While I’d rather not, it’s time to call it a night.

Darius: You’re right, Lord Rex. We of Vogel would like to get along with Crown like a family. Should you ever be in trouble, we’d be delighted for you to turn to us for help, okay?

--

—In a room in Crown’s castle.

In a luxurious room prepared for Vogel, Darius sat comfortably in his chair and smiled.

Darius: What did you think of our get-together with Crown?

Nica: Amazing. I tried to lure the lrobin, but the hunter got in the way.

Darius: Hunter? Ah, you mean the “double-crossing hunter” Roger Barel. Hehe, wanting to snatch the robin* from them is quite reckless.

Ring: …About Roger Barel and that girl…are they together?

Nica: They’re not. But there’s no doubt that Crown cares for the robin a lot.

Darius: Gathering information is our main goal. It’ll be valuable material for eventually realizing our ambitions. Ring, Nica. Continue to gather any useful information on Crown and Robin.

Nica and Ring: Verstanden/…Understood

Darius: …Roger Barel. A former doctor with a strange fixation of “Cursed Ones”. Does he have a place in our “family”?

--

As the get-together came to a close, people started filing out of the room one after the other.

Before I knew it, even Roger disappeared…—

(H-huh?)

I ran out into the hall and saw his solid back.

Kate: Um, what was that prior engagement you mentioned, Roger…?

When I called out to him, he looked back at me in the empty hallway.

Roger: Did I make a mistake thinking you were in trouble?

You did that to help me? +4 +4

I was in a lot of trouble. +4 +4

You weren’t mistaken. +4 +4

Kate: You didn’t. Thank you.

Roger: You looked like a lost dog so I thought I did you an uncharacteristic favor.

(Dog? …No, I didn’t hear that right)

When I thanked him again, I saw a hint of scheming on his face.

Roger: By the way, I didn’t say I did it for free, did I? You’re gonna have to pay me back for saving you.

(Eh?)

Roger: I was thinking about going out drinking with Ellis and Jude. Join us.

Kate: Huh, now? Woah…Wait, Roger!

--

Roger: Phew~That hit the spot. The first drop of beer’s blood, you know.

Ellis: Heh, that’s what you always say.

Jude: Can’t believe he’s a doctor. Well he’s a quack.

(Before I knew it, I ended up getting dragged to a bar)

(It’s something I’ve noticed, but Roger can be a little…no, very pushy.)

Furthermore, it’s a wonder how Jude, who looked like the type to refuse an invitation, was sitting here with a sour look. 

Red-headed waiter: Here you are. Fish and chips, bramboraky(?)**, and…

Jude: Just how much did ya order? Ya ate a lot at the get-together.

Roger: I never have my fill when picking at those small fancy food.

Ellis: Are you full, Jude? I can still eat.

Jude: You’re still a growin’ kid.

The trio act like close friends…

Kate: Heh, hehe…

I couldn’t help but laugh and Roger squinted at me with a beer in hand.

Roger: The heck, so you can laugh like that after all.

Kate: Huh?

Roger: You know you haven’t laughed since you became Fairytale Keeper?

(What…what? But he’s right, this whole week, I haven’t…)

Roger: You don’t eat much and when you do, it’s like you’re chewing sand. Maybe you did…Or I should say, maybe you didn’t notice yourself?

(Tasked to keep a secret for a whole month as a Fairytale Keeper, and to record the evils before my eyes)

(Not to mention…Vogel’s sudden visit)

Desperate to just push through it all, I gradually neglected the things needed to live, like eating and laughing.

I was like a plant slowly wilting away.

Roger: I know you got a lot of things on your mind that make you anxious. But it’s times like these where you gotta work on yourself. Eat, sleep, play, laugh, recharge your energy. Otherwise you’ll easily get swallowed up by despair in this darkness, lil’ lady.

Kate: …

Roger’s words pierced my heart.

(He’s right…What was I so weak for?)

I could struggle all I wanted, but the anxiety would never leave until I’m safely out of this darkness.

I know that…but.

(The only one who can truly protect me, is me)

(I absolutely cannot give in)

Kate: …You’re right. There’s no time for weakness or despair. Thank you Roger. Now then, time to dig in!

As if to get over it…I stuck my fork into the steaming meat before me and brought it to my mouth.

Kate: Mm…delicious.

(...Somehow, it felt like I was properly enjoying food for the first time in a while)

(It’s so good to be alive and have delicious food)

Roger: …

Jude: Oi, who do ya think you are takin’ the first bite.

Kate: Ah, sorry! I got ahead of myself.

Ellis: Don’t worry about it Kate. Here, try these chips with rock salt.

Kate: Wow, this is really good! It pairs well with alcohol.

Roger: Oh, you drink pretty well. Barkeep! Two more beers.

Barkeep: Gotcha. Two large beers comin’ right up.

The golden beer and the food were delicious, and laughter reached my ears.

(...Ah, this is fun. I feel like I’m finally able to breathe)

(He pretty much dragged me here, but I’m glad I accepted Roger’s invitation)

I didn’t know how much of Roger’s actions were calculated and how much was in good faith.

But it’s a fact that his pushiness saved me.

(Roger really does have a lot of common sense and is like a mature older brother)

With those simple thoughts in mind, I continued on drinking and drinking…

--

—I woke up in a soft bed.

(Huh…last night I was drinking at the bar, and)

While in my drowsy and lethargic state, I groped around for a warm cloth when—

Kate: Hm…? …??

(...I’m naked?!)

I quickly wrapped myself up in a blanket with only my face peeking out.

…And noticed something familiar laying by my pillow.

(...Glasses?)

The black-rim and intellectual-looking frame was definitely memorable.

(These glasses…)

The moment I nervously picked them up, the bed squeaked— 

Roger: Hey now, those glasses aren’t a toy…Come on, give it here.

When the glasses were snatched out of my hand, I looked up to see a half-dressed Roger hovering over me.

Kate: …W-why are you here…

When I looked at him, he smiled as if to tell me the question was pointless now.

Roger: You passed out drunk so I had to carry you back. And after dropping you off, you wouldn’t let me go.

Whether it was true or not, the way he said it made it sound like I was pleading for him and my cheeks warmed.

(I-I held Roger back?)

(And…moreover)

My eyes took in his muscular chest and abs that were freely on display.

(T-too much stimulation…)

(I don’t know where to look)

Not just his bare chest.

Muscular arms peeking out from his shirt, broad shoulders that connected to a thick neck, and a lean waist.

(But, he was like beautiful sculpture)

My eyes unconsciously traced the supple skin.

His muscular body disguised his intelligent features and that gap alone was enough to make me dizzy.

Roger: …It’s not bad being ogled like this.

Kate: Eh?!

Roger gave me the wickedest of grins.

I’d been unconsciously staring at his body and my cheeks burned in embarrassment.

Kate: S-sorry…

Roger: Don’t worry about it. You’re a lot cuter than you were yesterday.

Kate: Did I…end up doing something yesterday?

Roger: “Something”.

Roger lowered himself and whispered to me.

Roger: …Yeah, last night was pretty hot, wasn’t it lil’ lady?

(N-no way…Me and Roger?)

Next

-

*Darius says red riding hood but the subtitle says robin

**Send help. I have no idea what the heck バンブリーキ is. Perhaps bramboraky according to @/hoerayner

[targaryenluvs]

ok ok but imagine dark!gimmick somehow falls in love with capitol!reader (a client of his) but she doesn’t want him unless she’s paying for him or wanna love him back so he does everything in his power to have her, threatens to share the secrets she told him that will probably have her hanged and so with that they live happily ever after 😆

UNREQUITED

pairing: dark!finnick odair x fem!capitol!reader

summary: you’d divulged one to many secrets to your favourite victor and he wasn’t afraid of using them against you. karmas a bitch!

warning: blackmail, prostitution mentions/insinuations, nc sex and pillowtalk??

a/n: bros getting revenge or som

the first time you saw him you couldn’t take your eyes off of him. you’d heard of people being able to visit victors away from prying eyes and the idea seemed boring until you remembered he existed. so why not take advantage of your station?

finnick was hoping for one night of reprieve but of course, he had someone to visit.

the card in his hand felt heavy and as he unlocked the room he stopped in his tracks. you were sitting on the bed with a flute of champagne in your hands. you were gorgeous, and for once he felt okay with it.

“finnick?” your voice was like music to his ears as he came closer. he nodded and you pressed your lips into a tight line, “it’s nice to meet you.” nice to meet you? are you stupid? god you had no clue what to say since you were literally forcing this man to be with you.

“so.” he laughed, “so.” he took the flute away from you before getting you standing, “where do you want me sweetheart?” you smiled.

and all the previous tension faded away throughout the night, finnick was amazing.

it had been months since your first time together and you’d only grown more comfortable with eachother. you liked him, he was nice. and he was obsessed with you. every time he saw you he knew what would be happening the following night and he could hardly wait. with you he took his time and focused on you the whole time, he loved trying new things with you, making you scream.

and afterwards you’d sit and cuddle, and at times even kiss. he was a nice stress relief for you, he always listened to your concerns and problems. your arranged boyfriend, the politician, and his like for younger men. his affinity for dipping his hand into the company savings, even though you were well off. your brothers and their mistresses, your parents and their expectations.

finnick listened intently, gave advice and was actually helpful. you were grateful to be able to get it off his chest. but finnick wasn’t going to let you go.

“i think we’re getting engaged soon.” finnick shut his eyes to calm himself down, it didn’t work. “no you’re not honey.” you cocked your head to his side, “what do you mean?” he smiled and it was so fake, “you’re meant to be with me, y/n. and you will be with me. do you know how much you’ve told me? about him, your friends and family?”

your eyes widened as you got up, covering yourself with the sheet. “i’ve already seen you, all of you there’s no reason to hide.” he pulled the sheet away as you covered yourself with your arms, “i’ve had enough of you finnick. get. out.” you enunciated before crawling away. he grabbed your ankle and pulled you back to him.

“i told you you’re not going anywhere. do you want me to let it all out? let everyone know every, single, dirty secret y/n?” your eyes welled up as you threw your head to the side, not wanting to look at him, “please finnick, just let me go.” you felt his chest vibrate as he chuckled. his fingers dug into your face, forcing you to look at him.

“say you’re mine and i’ll let them go.” you shook your head, thrashing against him to get away. his other hand bruised your hip with an iron grip. “fine!” his smile was sickly sweet as he began to kiss his way down, on the insides of your thighs as his strong hands held you down whilst you began to buck your hips up. “please finnick.” he looked up at you from between your legs and grinned.

“now you’re not so bossy huh?”

he had what he wanted and you were sure he wouldn’t let you go.

[silver-soul00]

ERIC IS A CHILD MONSTER

We have all somewhat forgotten what made Frankenstein's monster fascinating and disturbing at the same time, and James Gunn with Creature Commandos has managed to remind us of that for good measure.

Being a childlike creature, a child in its own right but with devastating physical potential makes its every action unpredictable and threatening.

The creature's first words, along with the effects of human gestation, also identify it as a human child. Picking up on Mary Shelley's book: "His eyes—if eyes they may be called—were fixed on me. His jaw opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds while a grin wrinkled his cheeks […] one hand stretched out to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs”. Despite Frankenstein’s response of revulsion, the Creature’s initial behavior seems very much like that of an infant, reaching out with a grin and a gurgle for his parent.

Although Victor Frankenstein reacts with revulsion, the creature's initial behavior seems very much like that of an infant, reaching out with a smile and a gurgle toward its parent.

For all intents and purposes in Creature Commandos we find this version of the monster with an extremely selfish mentality. It has no problem threatening its creator with death, demanding a wife like a child demands to have the toy at the supermarket. If he wants something then he will have it; human lives are worth only when it suits him. The Bride for Eric is a perfect wife, he describes her as we might describe a figurine, we like her and we take her. It is also doubly disturbing how Eric manages to talk amicably about his obsession, as if it were totally normal to own Bride all to himself, a love he says is complex: "My bride, she plays these little fetch me games, but she knows inside, as i do, that we are destined to be together ."

Just as in the series, Frankenstein's creature would not have become monstrous if Victor had taken care of him and provided him with a nurturing environment once he brought him to life, as a parent would do for their child.

Victor's neglect of the creature in the book, which we recall describes him as "more horrible than belongs to humanity," sets him up to be deprived forever of any sense of belonging.

A big thought to say that certain toxic and possessive mentalities can be beautifully avoided if one engages with education. And I will repeat myself as always but as the beginning of the new DC universe in the movie and TV world, I couldn't have asked for better ❤️

But hey, this series is the same as Guardians of the Galaxy so it's not worth watching.cit

(I WAS SARCATIC HERE DON'T WORRY )

[yuurikatsukienthusiast]

Something I love most about Victor is just how shameless he is about loving Yuuri.

Throughout the entire series, Victor is depicted showing his affection for Yuuri very publicly.

A few examples of this being...

When Victor hugged Yuuri from behind in front of the entire audience at the CSK championship.

When Victor got completely drunk and started hanging off of Yuuri in front of everyone before the Cup of China, and had absolutely no complaints about the picture Phichit posted of them.

When Victor wrapped his arms around Yuuri's waist while resting his head on his shoulder in front of the other skaters at the Cup of China

When Victor kissed him in front of thousands of people on live television at the Cup of China.

When Victor publicly announced their engagement the rest of the gpf skaters + the others around them who were also there to witness it in Barcelona.

Must I go on?

Moral of the story is, he's so proud of being able to love Yuuri that he doesn't even care about his title as the 'living legend of figure skating' who went off to coach some 'dime a dozen' Japanese figure skater. He doesn't let the possibility of backlash affect the way he shows his partner his love, and he doesn't care about what anyone else has to say about their relationship but the two of them, and I think that's such an amazingly healthy aspect about their relationship that just isn't talked about enough.

It says so much about Victor as a character. It shows that Yuuri is so much more than just his student, fellow competitor, or fan. He sees Yuuri as his equal, and as someone worthy of showing off and taking care of. He loves Yuuri enough to put him above his title, and to sacrifice his competitive skating career for him. He refers to Yuuri as his life and his love, and was absolutely devastated at the idea of Yuuri not needing him as his coach anymore.

He loves Yuuri more than words, and everyday I grow even more upset that we never got to see more of them.

[oatmealcrisp-freak]

Big fan of the idea that Victor THOUGHT he gave his number to Yuuri and that's why he was so jilted at first (on account of he thought he got played then ghosted), and then the next morning he's scrolling through his phone and realizes he doesn't have Yuuri's number and promptly realizes that oh shit no he didn't, that was someone ELSE he gave his number to, he misremembered!

Like, he didn't check before then because he wanted Yuuri to contact him first in an attempt at being coy, overthought it and got depressed ala 'omg he doesnt wanna talk to me after all wtf that bitch q0q', and then takes Yuuri's rendition of Stammi Vicino as just that. "....This is it. THIS IS THE SIGN. I've waited months for this!! Maybe he's just phone shy!!! Fuck it. Two tickets to Japan for me and my dog, pls!!!!"

And THAT'S why we go from "I have gold medals in negging too!!"

(BULLYING HIM. MEAN TO HIM. This is exactly what you say to a guy you barely know who you're trying to seduce yep yep)

to, "So...... who's my competition for your hand in marriage? How straight are you? I promise I won't judge you if you've been with a woman before, I have too!"

(I love how he just lights up the second Yuuri's like 'no, no girlfriends atm' lmaoooo)

Like maybe he was all touchy feely and "lets sleep together Yuuri!" in an 'I'm willing to put this aside to be with you' thing? But maybe after he had that little crying jag after Yuuri flipped, it prompted him to check his assumptions/that thing he'd been taking for granted as 'obvious' the past few months because none of this makes sense...

And realizes whoops he fucked up, cus he warms up, like. SO fast.

Also

I think that would make this reaction even funnier than it already is lol

"Not only did we not exchange numbers like I thought we did buT HE WAS BLACK OUT DRUNK THE WHOLE TIME?!?!?!??!?!?!? Holy hell what must he have been thinking this whole year. Oh my God. I can't believe this. I have fumbled this seduction on so many levels how tf am I engaged I can never tell anyone about this ever for as long as I live. I especially can't tell Chris, after all that bitching I did about getting ghosted he'll RUIN me."

And speaking of Chris, this could explain why he's so catty too about Yuuri 'keeping Victor to himself' and 'sinning'. His bestie retired to coach the asshole who ghosted him? Seriously?? Before Chris could even beat Victor to gold??? Nah hon. Who wouldn't be protective in that situation even if the bridges there are 'mended' so to speak? And then be forced to let it go when he sees first hand how close they really are and how happy Victor is because of Yuuri?

The second Chris discovers what the shit happened he's never gonna let Victor live it down, nope lmao That's going in the Best Man speech.

Speaking as a person with a terrible memory who has to do the 'did I remember to take my pills? Yes, I did. I recall that I did. ...No wait, no I didn't I'm thinking of yesterday' daily, I think this is a possibility!!

[thelittlestladylikesthis]

The Pink Rose, part 1

*GIF creator unknown

Part One- July 4th, 74 ADD Pairing: Haymitch Abernathy x reader

Word Count: 2,462

Warnings: 18+, fluff and smut, nightmares, witnessed death, implication of death, alcoholism, unprotected sex, sex after drinking, age gap, heterosexual relationship

**** Almost all characters and parts of the storyline are not my original creation and are credited to Suzanne Collins. And please be nice… I’ve never written fanfic or spicy things before- we’re starting vanilla. I will mark where the 18+ part starts and ends.

The cold night air smelled like fire and salt. The arena for the 61st Hunger Games was set up like a quarry next to the sea. [Y/n] was the 15-year-old tribute from District 12. Taking advantage of the low light and tall grass, the only other tributes were in her line of sight and fighting to the death. Spruce Silentsong - District 7 - and Millie Forge - District 2, were engaged in battle and had no idea [Y/n] was watching. Spruce was armed with two hand axes, which served her well-being from the lumber district. Millie had a sword in one hand and a mace in the other. The sword had once been in [Y/n]’s possession, but when Millie and the other careers descended on the District 9, 11, and 12 alliance, [Y/n] was the only one who made it out; without her weapon.

The gurgle of someone choking on blood sounded, followed by the thud of a falling body. [Y/n] thought Spruce must have hesitated. She’d scored high in the assessment, but Millie thirsted for blood. The gong sounded, marking the death of another tribute. 22 down, 1 to go. [Y/n] was still about 12 yards from Millie, but she knew she needed to act while Millie caught her second wind. She looked down to double-check how many throwing knives she had. [Y/n] looked away for half a second and her face rose to lock eyes with a piercing blue set, inches from her face. [Y/n] screamed.

She thrashed for a moment before realizing she was in her bed. She’d left the arena 13 years ago, but the nightmares stuck around. [Y/n] breathed heavily as she sat up and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead. Feeling the sheets next to her, she noticed they were cold and suddenly became aware of the early morning light streaming through the cracks in the curtains, highlighting the dust in the air.

Making her way downstairs, the familiar smell of hard liquor hit her nose. It’s too early for this- she thought as she scanned the room for her neighbor. Haymitch Abernathy was the only other living District 12 Victor. He’d won 11 years before her, and the last Victor from 12 was decades before him- it was just them to understand each other in their whole district. It was just them in Victor’s Village. Haymitch and [Y/n] had both lost their families due to their young defiance of President Snow and the Capitol. It wasn’t uncommon for one of them to stay at the other’s house in the month leading up to the Reaping. The closer the games got, the more frequent their demons seemed to visit. It was easier to help if they were under the same roof. In the last 2 years, they had taken to sleeping next to each other for comfort. Despite Haymitch’s frequent drunken stupor, they had developed a friendship built on sarcasm, life experience, and a unique outlook on the world that only a Hunger Games Victor could have. About 6 years of friendship later, the relationship turned platonic. This would seem odd to someone outside the relationship, but it was no bother to them. In his moments of being nearly sober, Haymitch was quite charming and a kind man with a sense of humor.

In the last two years, [Y/n] noticed that of all the people she interacted with in District 12, Haymitch was the one who could make her feel happy. He irritated the hell out of her sometimes, but she couldn’t deny that she had fallen for him. She didn’t expect him to return the feelings; people might not like the age gap and think her former mentor had taken advantage of her. Haymitch might be a good friend, but he may also be disgusted at the thought of any romance with someone he’d known since she was a teenager.

She stopped in the living room and found Haymitch asleep in the armchair with a bottle in one hand and what looked to be his shirt in the other. [Y/n] knew better than to get too close when waking up someone who’d been drinking. She stood a few feet away and threw a small couch cushion at him. Haymitch jumped and yelled at the sudden contact. “Dammit [Y/n]- what the hell are you doing?” he shouted after realizing where he was.

“Demons paid me a visit- do you have enough to share?” she nodded to the bottle that was still in Haymitch’s hand.

“Oh,” he faltered, “Help yourself, sweetheart,” She took a long swig before Haymitch reacted, “That bad, huh?”

“Don’t act like we don’t have the same dreams,” she pointed before taking another gulp.

The liquid had a comforting warmth as it ran down her throat but it still burned and created the feeling of stinging in her nostrils. The bittersweet feeling of downing alcohol was enough to take her mind off the Hunger Games. The more she drank, the more she understood why Haymitch kept himself in this state.

After almost an hour, [Y/n] could feel the heat in her cheeks and the chaotic feelings from earlier were almost gone. The dullness of her senses and her subdued anxiety were a treat. She looked over and noticed Haymitch was starting to nod off.

“Hey! Don’t leave me alone,” She said loud enough to bring Haymitch back.

Haymitch sighed, “What do you need sweetheart? You know I’m not the best company after drinking,”

Neither am I, she thought, “Hold me?” she suggested.

Haymitch stared at her before nodding his head and waving her over. [Y/n] climbed into his lap- he was larger than she was; this allowed him to envelope her in his arms with ease. She nuzzled her face into his chest. She could feel the old scars across his abdomen and tried not to think about when he got them. She was almost 5 during his games, but she remembered the vivid sight. Haymitch could feel [Y/n]’s slow, quiet tears run down his chest and he gave her a slight squeeze. Within half an hour, the inebriated duo was asleep.

Haymitch woke up, still mildly intoxicated, but much closer to sobriety than he was normally comfortable with. It was the day of the Reaping for the 74th Hunger Games. He heard the small woman in his lap begin to stir. She looked up at him with her deep [y/e/c] eyes and smiled. This girl- no- this woman was the closest thing he had to a family. He was the town drunk. He had business associates and people who tolerated him. Haymitch was a grown man, he never looked twice at the tributes or considered them family, much less friends. He’d hugged [Y/n] before, but this was different. For the first time in 24 years, Haymitch thought, What if she loved me?

He shook the thought from his head and felt disgusted with himself- she was so much younger than him and he didn’t want to ruin what they had spent the last 13 years building. When they met, he was already 27 and she was 15. The thought that they could be happy together would have been inappropriate then and it should be now. Right? Haymitch thought to himself that just because she was 28 and old enough to make her own decisions, that did not make a shift to intimacy okay. [Y/n] continued to smile at him; it had been a long time since anyone was happy to see him. He knew he irritated [Y/n], but she was never genuinely angry with him and still acknowledged him with kindness. They had developed some kind of relationship that was more than friends, but he couldn’t quite figure it out.

“Did you sleep alright this time, sweetheart?” he asked.

[Y/n] gave a soft chuckle, “I did- and it seems you did too,”

“What’s so funny?”

[Y/n] gave a little wiggle of her hips to emphasize that Haymitch had an erection and it was pressed right against her rear.

He gave a startled little jump and had a look of horror on his face, “I’m sorry-”

[Y/n] stopped him from getting up, “It’s okay, I don’t mind” She looked up at him through her eyelashes.

Haymitch raised an eyebrow and cocked his head to the side “Are you still drunk?”

[Y/n] laughed and quickly swung one leg over him so she was straddling him and he was situated right in front of her. He was so erect that he pressed against her stomach.

“No,” she leaned in and tickled his ear with a whisper, “But I’m quite wet,”

He gulped and tried to control his breathing. She was trying to… seduce him? But he’d been her mentor. But she was suggesting it. But he’d known her since she was 15. But she started this exchange. Conflicting thoughts raced through his mind. [y/n] saw the look on his face that was a mixture of shock and confusion- not someone who was willing to continue.

She turned her face away from him, “I’m sorry- I get it if I overstepped the boundary… I didn’t even ask,” she moved to get off him, but Haymitch grabbed her waist and told her to wait.

“[Y/n]- sweetheart- you’re beautiful and I’m not calming down,” he nodded down towards his erection, “But I’m not a good person. You deserve someone better- someone who won’t make you look bad in public. Not some drunk who takes advantage of a younger woman,”

[Y/n] didn’t know he felt this way. She grabbed his chin and demanded he look into her eyes.

“Haymitch Abernathy- I don’t deserve anything less than the man who is my greatest source of comfort, my biggest ally, my closest friend, and the person who currently has his cock in my lap,”

Haymitch was startled at her direct statement- he didn’t know she felt that way. He cupped her face with one hand and slightly tightened his grip on her waist. [Y/n] was more developed than most women in District 12. Haymitch couldn’t deny that he’d noticed her defined hourglass figure before, but who hadn’t?

“Kiss me” [Y/n] demanded quietly.

Haymitch nodded slowly, hesitated, and pressed his lips to hers. They started slow, and then [Y/n] traced his lips with her tongue. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gradually became less gentle in how she kissed him. She felt herself getting more excited and began to move her hips back and forth. Haymitch let out a deep sigh at the feeling of her against him. He ran his rough hands up her torso and his thumbs over her hard nipples. Her soft breasts filled his hands perfectly and felt so good as he cupped them. [Y/n] pulled her face away and swiftly removed her nightshirt. She hadn’t worn pants to bed so she now sat on top of him in her panties. She pulled his face back to hers in the neediest way she could muster.

“Haymitch, I need you,”

“You have me,”

“I need you inside me,” she clarified.

Haymitch’s eyes widened as he paused, but he wasted no time lifting her off his lap to rip off his pants. [Y/n] used this moment to remove her underwear as she noticed he didn’t have any either. They stood there naked for less than a second before Haymitch guided her a few feet over to the sofa. She lay down and Haymitch crawled on top of her. He reached between her legs and ran his thumb in soft slow circles as he made eye contact and used his other hand to line up his aching length with her entrance.

“Are you sure you want this?” He asked hesitantly

[Y/n] nodded.

“You have to say it,” he said seriously.

“Yes Haymitch, I want you- are you comfortable with this?” she asked.

“Yes,” he didn’t even hesitate; he hoped he wasn’t coming off as desperate- but that look she gave him was enough encouragement. Haymitch’s eyes turned dark as he slowly slipped into her. [Y/n] gasped as he pushed the rest of his length inside her soaking wet entrance. Haymitch was a little longer than average, but his girth filled her up as he thrust into her. He slowly picked up his pace- [Y/n] leaned her head back and moaned. Her plump lips made the perfect “O” shape before she said his name.

To see the way she reacted to his touch and hear how she moaned his name, Haymitch didn’t want this to stop- but he could feel the blood flowing and the heightened emotions. He didn’t want to be the first one to finish. He started to slow down and [Y/n] gave him a look of confusion. He cupped her cheek, removed himself from her body, and slid down making his face even with hips. [Y/n] looked down at Haymitch and smiled mischievously, biting her lip. Haymitch hooked his arms under her thighs so her knees were over his shoulders. He smiled up at her and then plunged his tongue into her folds. [Y/n] felt the jolt of electricity from the contact with her clit. Her hips bucked closer to his face and her head fell back.

“Oh my days, Haymitch,” she whined.

“How do you want it sweetheart?” he said with his mouth still against her.

[Y/n] smirked, turned around, and said, “Just fuck me, Haymitch,”

He quickly stood up and bent her over. She was so wet that it was much easier to dive his whole length inside her. Making her moan his name more, Haymitch gave it his all with quick hard thrusts. In the back of his mind, he prayed that this felt as good for her as it did for him.

Feeling her whole body tense up, [Y/n] groaned through gritted teeth, “Fuck, I’m cumming!”

Haymitch was almost there too, “Yes, beautiful, cum on this cock,”

Suddenly the door flew open, “Haymitch you better not - AHH!!” Effie Trinket covered her eyes and ran out of the room with an impressive speed for someone wearing heels that high.

Haymitch and [Y/n] froze how they were. Still inside her, Haymitch said, “Well that’s an experience I never thought I’d have,”

[Y/n] looked over her shoulder and asked, “What? Fucking me or getting caught doing it?”

Haymitch sighed, “Cumming at the moment I got caught by her,”

They both laughed as Haymitch stood up and walked over to the kitchen to get a towel. They needed to clean up and clear the air with Effie.

Masterlist

[aishangotome]

[Darius Vogel] I Can't Return to a Time Before You Part 1

Crown, Her Majesty's direct assassination organization.

From the night I learned their forbidden secrets, I became a Fairytale Keeper for a limited engagement of one month.

About a week has passed since then, and I've gotten a little used to them and the darkness of England they live in --.

A cruel angel descended upon Crown Castle.

Darius: "Nice to meet you, dear members of the Crown."

Darius: I'm Darius Vogel, chief of 'Vogel,' an organization directly under the German Emperor.

Next to him were twin brothers, Nica Schwartz and Ring Schwartz, who came to stay at the palace with their chief, Darius.

Their identities and purpose are--...?

The opportunity to know a glimpse of it came soon.

In an unexpected way.

-

Darius: Thank you for accompanying me today, Fairytale Keeper.

Kate: Don't worry about it. I was just thinking of going into town for a change of pace.

When I casually replied, a sweet voice admonished me.

Darius: No, let's do that again. We're lovers today.

Darius: Did you forget about the "condition"?

(Oh, that's right...)

*earlier*

Last night, I was summoned by Victor and went to his room, where I found Victor himself and the Vogel members gathered.

Kate: A tour of the city, with me?

Darius: Ah, I would definitely like to ask you to do that.

Ring: I... don't really need a guide.

Nica: I'd like to ask you since we're here. If possible, I'd prefer it to be just the two of us, little Robin.

Darius: Just the two of us, huh? I like that idea. Let's go with that.

Nica: Huh?

While everyone except Darius blinked, only he narrowed his eyes as if his heart was dancing with exciting delusions.

Darius: But it's not very stylish to just follow the Fairytale Keeper around town in a group, like a bunch of country bumpkins.

Darius: I don't like that kind of thing.

Darius: So, I'd like you to choose one of us, Fairytale Keeper, and spend the day as their lover.

Victor: Darius, that's quite a funny joke, isn't it?

Darius: Is it difficult to write about in a report like that? Then I'll rephrase it.

Darius: The reason for requesting to be alone with each member of Vogel is to deepen your understanding of us by facing each of us individually.

Darius: No complaints about that, right?

(That reason would make it look good on the surface.)

But Victor seemed hesitant to answer.

To Crown, the Vogel members are important guests who have come for a goodwill visit.

And I am, after all, an exclusive Fairytale Keeper for Crown.

It's beyond the scope of my original job to entertain the Vogel members––but...

Victor: I'm afraid that would...put a strain on Kate, wouldn't it?

(I'm glad Victor is trying to protect me, but...)

Kate: It's all right. I'll be happy to show you around if you'd like.

(I don't want to cause friction between Crown and Vogel right away.)

(It's definitely better for both sides to build a good relationship from now on.)

Darius: Wow, you're so kind, Fairytale Keeper.

Darius: Including myself, we're all well-behaved. You don't have to worry about us biting you. Hehe, nice to meet you.

Kate: Nice to meet you too.

-

––So that's how I ended up walking around town with Darius.

(I completely forgot about the "as lovers" condition...)

Darius: Hey, hey, are you always so formal with your lovers, Fairytale Keeper?

Darius: Or could it be that this is your first time on a date with a man alone?

Darius: I'm curious about a lot of things. Can I ask you all about it?

Darius: It's okay, right? You're my lover now.

(Aside from showing him around town, the "as lovers" condition is more of a challenge than I thought...)

But there's no denying that I was the one who agreed to it, including the conditions.

(I'll do my best to get through today.)

I pulled myself together and smiled at Darius, who was staring at me with interest.

Kate: I'm sorry if I seemed distant. I'm a little nervous... After all, it's a date with my "lover."

Kate: But I'm happy to be out with you, Darius.

Darius: Well, I guess it's okay. It sounded a little rehearsed, though.

Darius: By the way, why did you choose me instead of Nica or Ring?

At that time, what was proposed was to choose one person from Vogel and spend time with them as their lover.

(The reason I chose Darius is...)

Kate: Because I wanted to know more about you.

(When you first greeted us...)

*flashback*

Darius: "A better society through the power of the cursed." That's our motto.

Darius: Even though the cursed now live in the shadows, I believe there's a more wonderful way for us to interact with society!

Darius: A future where humans and the cursed join hands... Doesn't just imagining it give you chills?

*back to present*

Every now and then, I recall those words Darius said.

(What kind of world is Darius aiming for?)

Kate: I want to know what kind of world "a future where humans and the cursed join hands" or "a new order" would be.

Darius: ………… Hmm...

Was it just the light that made his gaze seem to change?

I felt as if a darkness I didn't know had been reflected in his honey-colored eyes, which had been sweetly swaying until a moment ago.

.

.

.

Part 2

If you’d like to support my translations, feel free to buy me a coffee here! :)

[yoificfinder]

Hello!!

I would just like to ask for Royalty au for viktuuri please and thank you! ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

every calculation falls silent by @thehobbem [T, 29K]

With an engagement arranged behind his back, Emperor Victor only wishes to have one last day for himself as a free man.

But the last thing he will be is free, once he meets someone who seems to have the exact same plans, and perhaps motivations, for today.

In Fire, In Whispers by @voxofthevoid [M, 12K]

“What do you think he meant by friendly stabbing?” Viktor asks, deceptively casual as he winds a lock of his hair around his finger.

“Sparring, probably.”

“Ah,” Viktor sighs, his disappointment loud and theatrical. “And here I thought he meant the other kind.”

Yuuri feels himself heat to the roots of his hair.

“Not here,” he snaps, hands clenching at his sides.

Viktor’s eyes sharpen, the veneer of pleasantness finally leaving his face.

“My mistake,” he says, his smile thin and icy. “You seem tired, Prince Yuuri. Let me escort you to your bedchambers.”

~

In which Viktor and Yuuri are the princes of warring kingdoms but manage to fall in love anyway.

My Love, We Deserve the Softest Eternity series by @japansace [G to E, 88K]

"A baby," Yakov gripes. "Not even a thousand yet, and he thinks he's in love!"

My Name on Your Lips by @feels-like-fire [E, 108K]

Yuuri Katsuki has been betrothed to the High King's son, Victor, since he was just a child; furthermore, as an omega, he's forbidden from practicing magic in combat. For years, he's been able to put off the former because the Prince was traveling abroad, and gotten around the latter by practicing with his mentor in secret.

Now Victor Nikiforov has finally returned home, and Yuuri is being summoned to the capital for their wedding. He needs a plan to put off marriage long enough to find a way to break the betrothal, while keeping his practicing from being discovered.

If only the Prince didn't have other ideas.

(Or, the swords-and-sorcery arranged marriage AU. Updates weekly.)

On Your Every Word by @stammiviktor [M, 71K]

It starts, as most things do, with an extravagant banquet.

"Dance with me?"

He’s holding out his hand. It’s an offering, an invitation, and a dare all in one.

The onlookers part and a blinding smile graces the dancer’s lips.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

(A Royalty AU, with a twist)

The Phoenix Lives by velvetcadence [E, 5K]

Prince Yuuri has banished yokai from the world. Now home from his travels, he must navigate another adventure: his arranged marriage to Prince Viktor Nikiforov.

But Prince Viktor is hiding a secret, one that may upset the fragile state of their marriage.

Please Leave a Light On When You Go by adjit [T, 19K]

Everyone knows tales of princesses trapped in towers and guarded by evil dragons, but, actually…

Yuuri is here by choice, thank you very much, and Phichit is quite a nice dragon, all things considered. It’s just that the knights who keep trying to rescue him don’t seem to be getting the memo.

And then there’s Sir Nikiforov, just another knight like the rest, except that he’s not. Because after he realizes that Yuuri is not, in fact, in need of rescuing, he drops it. And stranger still, he decides to stay.

the promise i'll make series by lily_winterwood @omgkatsudonplease [M and E, 102K]

When Crown Prince Yuuri of Japan escapes his army of minders at his Saint Petersburg hotel, he thinks he’s found the opportunity to explore the city as a commoner. When investigative journalist Viktor Nikiforov discovers the Crown Prince of Japan on a park bench in Saint Petersburg, he thinks that he’s found his ticket to redemption at the magazine he writes for. But like the stories of those stranded during the White Nights after the bridges go up, neither of them had anticipated falling in love. (Roman Holiday AU)

Roses of May by @cuttlemefishwrites [E, 47K] *WIP

At age five, all children are assessed for talent and beauty in the City of Hasetsu and the other eight cities of the Empire. Every year, five are branded with the mark of a rose before being carded off to the Emperor’s palace where they are trained to become Roses, or sacrifices to be sent every May to the Ice Spirit that lives in the castle at the top of the mountain. Roses never return, except for Katsuki Yuuri, who shocks the Empire when he appears again two years after his departure with a silver crown on his head and a blond baby in his arms, demanding the Emperor step down or face the wrath of his husband, the Ice King. But, not everything is what it seems.

The Dragon Prince and the Winter Swan by @sophia-helix [E, 121K]

Yuuri Stark is a noble son of the north, returning to Winterfell in disgrace after the latest disappointment in his checkered tourney career. He hasn't given up his dream of becoming a knight, but maybe it's time to find himself a new path, settling down at home.

Prince Victor Targaryen is the greatest swordsman in Westeros, but he no longer finds joy in competition. Things are uneasy in King's Landing, where politics are shifting and dangerous, and he seizes the chance to escape north in search of the young man who came so close to beating him in a tourney last year — and was so beguiling at the banquet afterwards.

Together they begin a journey to the great tourney of Harrenhal, with intrigue, honor, friendship and love along the way...and inevitable political conflict ahead.

(A Game of Thrones fusion with 90% less grimdark)

Technically Arranged by @ajwolf84 [E, 78K] *WIP

Yuuri is a tech genius working in Silicon Valley, but he never would have gotten this far if not for the support of the Russian Royal family who offered him a full scholarship to the elite Rostelecom Academy and have been supporting his education ever since. Of course, this help didn’t come for free. He’s now considered a member of the Royal family, which isn’t so bad, other than the inordinate number of weddings he has to attend. There’s also the small stipulation that he is technically a candidate to become the Prince’s consort, but that’ll never happen…

The Tsesarevich Lives by mothedestiel [E, 50K]

An Anastasia AU. Victor is an orphan with no name, no family, and no memory of a time before he was ten years old. Could he really be the missing Nikiforov heir? An adventure across Europe with two conmen will lead him to the answer.

The Vastness of Space by @shysweetthing [E, 17K]

As chief communications officer on board the Interstellar Alliance Fleet’s Star Ship Victory, Yuuri doesn’t have to think about who he actually is on his home planet. He just has to listen to his captain, do his job, and…not fall in love with his best friend, the ship’s science officer, Victor Nikiforov.

Well. Two out of three’s not bad.

Then his mother calls with the worst possible news: She, the Empress of New Nihon, has arranged Yuuri’s marriage.

There’s only one thing Yuuri can do: Fake a boyfriend, and fake one fast. Who better/worse to play that role than the friend he wishes was more? What can go wrong? It’s not like Yuuri can fall more in love...

With Two Hands by whatsup_buttercup [E, 28K]

“Do you think he’ll let you get a picture with him?” Phichit’s voice comes through distorted by the long chain of communications systems and the great distance between them.

“I imagine some official photos might be taken,” Yuuri offers.

“You should try to work ‘I became a translator because of you!’ into conversation. You know, casually.”

Yuuri takes a large sip from his mug of tea, refusing to be baited. “We’ll see.”

Yuuri Enchanted by the__magpie / @wecalleverythinglove [T, 58K]

At birth, Yuuri Katsuki was given the gift of obedience, although he quickly learns as he grows up that it is a curse. He has to obey any command given to him, even if it puts him or others in danger. Too afraid to face the terrifying outside world, Yuuri stays in his home town of Hasetsu, until a chance encounter with Prince Victor urges him to venture outside of his safe bubble. Determined to break his curse, Yuuri begins on an adventure involving fairies, ogres, true love, and courage he never knew he had.

-----

Other people's rec:

Equivalent Exchange by writingfromtheshadows

The Nature of Things by Zombubble

Thanks for the rec, @tanouska, @kittygoeswoof90! 💙

[drdrizzey]

(possibility part 1) of Putting Arcane characters, events and politics into our world's perspective! (Because why not?)

That french guy on tiktok pointed out the sociopolitical implications in arcane, linking them with actual political events or politically engaged individuals and dynamics in France and in the US, and I couldn't agree more on a lot of things he says.

I won't cite most of the french politicians he named because it's not that relevant, but I will break down a few of his points and add up on them. I find the captions pretty tricky when it comes to translation so I'm going to use my bilingual powers for that one<3

Silco :

For starters, he points out the way Silco portrays the instances where left wing revolutionaries who purposely intended to fight against capitalism (piltover) ended up reproducing said capitalism at their own scale (the shimmer empire). On that I'd like to add the fact that Silco's actions keep entertaining this whole concept of "becoming the person you're fighting against". In wanting his nation of Zaun, protecting Zaunites, he actually ends up making their lives worse in many ways, creating addicts, and insecurities. The same way piltover uses Zaun for its own cause, Silco ends up doing the same with many Zaunites.

Vander :

On the other hand, Vander is more of a portrayal of people giving up on activism to protect their personal lives, the same way that would be the case with activists stopping their actions after receiving death threats, or people that were very active in their communities when they were younger but gradually stopped when their priority switched to their family and when they got the occasion on going back on it they simply didn't, but never gave up their initial morals and values, simply the will and ambition to put them into actions. It's pretty self explanatory.

Jayce :

Then, jayce would portray the kind of people who due to their heritage are fundamentally more left sided socially speaking, but are more prone to range alongside more right wing politicians and elitists as a way to grab opportunities whenever they show up, suddenly brushing off their background, not that they are ashamed of it, but more that they need they "have to" in order to succeed and meet the expectations people might have of him, or to "open more doors" for himself, constantly leaving a bitter taste to any of his success. To a certain extent it could lead to him feeling like the lines of his own morals are constantly blurring, the same way it's shown in the scene where due to his fatigue he tells Victor that Zaunites are "dangerous". It's not only due to his mental struggles and tiredness at the moment but also due to his exposure to very closet minded people on the subject, enforcing ideologies that he maybe wouldn't have had on his own. It doesn't take much for him to switch from one way to the other, making it hard for him to make concrete decisions sometimes.

Jinx and ekko :

Jinx and ekko are the manifestations of the consequences of sociopolitical conflicts. They are a result of it. That much is also pretty self explanatory especially with jinx being a woman and ekko being black, and them both being late teenagers, even with the matter of racism not being directly a subject in Arcane, it is something that speaks to us as viewers. They both unwillingly are stuck in a position where their communities (Zaun in this case) are being minimised and dismissed in a way and they struggle to make their voices be heard (the same way this is often the case in both feminism and BLM movements.) It's a clear overpoliticalisation, and even if it's not on purpose (since arcane has a brilliant way of normalising diversity in the best ways possible), the fact that they are who they are just makes sense to a lot of people and reminds them how activism can be in real life as well. Ekko and jinx also have very different ways of manifesting their engagements in their actions. You could as well see ekko like those people making smaller communities and associations for exemple.

Caitlin :

Caitlin could be a right wing from a very elitist and more conservatism oriented household who's racist but "I'm not racist! My friend here is black." Or "x is different." And thrives off claiming wanting to help people and helping getting "insecurities and street violence" off and making the (higher classes) people (her own community) feel "safer" by simply converting their ideas into socially threatening actions and opinions towards minorities. Sugar coating hate speech or justify cop violence, basically.

Vi :

Vi would be anyone who came from more precarious households or minorities and ended up switching sides, turning up against her own people. It's kind of a more extreme Jayce case in a way. (Which makes them an even more interesting pair when we have that in mind.)

There's actually so much more to talk about, I've added a lot of my own interpretations but he also says that Mel is basically Kamala Harris (which is a bit funny, it is accurate.) those are just most of the characters he talked about but I could easily think of other things to say for pretty much any arcane character, it's part of why Arcane is so good.

Also a French moment here, can I point out how great it is that a french studio got to make a show with so much political implications and will for revolution and change while France is currently in a pretty politically complicated state at the moment? (When is it not honestly? but you get it.)

There's so much more to talk about so let me know if I should go over more characters, everything and everyone is a bit political when you really think about it.

I'm a bit tempted to go over more stuff on the subject now))

[anotherhumaninthisworld]

i'd like to know how bi (bisexual or biromantic) paul barras could be said to be.

The best evidence of Barras being attracted to men I’ve found in the hostile pamphlet Les Brigands démasqués, ou Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire du temps présent, etc (1796) by Auguste Danican. On page 103 of said pamphlet we can read the following:

[Before the revolution] Barras, finding himself without resources, joined all the Greeks, and was himself an excellent Greek (although he understood neither Homer nor Lucian). He was seen a lot at the Hôtel d'Anglais, the usual meeting place for a crowd of swindlers; he lived modestly on a fourth floor, rue Champ-Fleury; went from time to time to core two imperial écus, and found himself in terrible distress.

The work Sodome à Paris: protohistoire de l’homosexualité masculine fin XVIIIe - milieu XIXe siècle (2009) by Thierry Pastorello, besides bringing up Danican, also mentions that ”Talleyrand tells the story of the drowning of Raymond Valz on July 15 1797, Raymond was Barras’ young lover. Raymond drowned himself under the eyes of Barras who would have shown signs of pain so big that one said he had just lost his mistress.” However, checking what Talleyrand actually writes about this incident in his memoirs, at least I have a hard time reading this as evidence Barras was romantically attracted to Valz, nor can I find the exact formulation that Barras mourned him like a mistress:

Whilst I was engaged in reading I don’t recollect what work, two young men came in to ascertain the time by the drawing-room clock, and seeing that it was only half-past three, they said to each other: ”We have to go for a swim.” They had not been gone twenty minutes, when one of them returned asking for help; I ran, with all the persons of the house, to the riverside. Facing the garden, between the high road and the island, the Seine forms a kind of whirlpool in which one of the young men had disappeared. The watermen of the neighbourhood soon rowed to the spot, and two of them most courageously dived to the bottom. However, with all the efforts they made to save the unfortunate fellow proved vain. I went back to the house. The corpse of the young man was only found the next day caught in weeds, at a spot distant more than six hundred yards from the place where he disappeared. The drowned was named Raymond, Lodève was his birthplace. Barras was very fond of him; he had brought him up and, since he had been appointed a Director, he had made him his aide-de-champ. I was alone in the drawing-room, not knowing exactly what to do. Who was to tell Barras the misfortune that had just befallen him? I had never seen the Director. My position was really unpleasant. A carriage drove up. On opening the door, the gardener said: ”M. Raymond has just been drowned, yes Citizen Director, he has just been drowned.” Barras crossed the front yard, and rushed upstairs to his room, crying out aloud. After waiting some little time, one of his servants told him I was in the drawing-room. He sent word to excuse his not coming down, and requesting me to sit down to dinner at once. The secretary who accompanied him remained upstairs. Thus, I was alone at Barras’ table. A quarter of an hour having elapsed, a servant came to request me to go up to the Director’s room. I felt thankful for his supposing that, under the circumstances, the dinner served to me could have no attraction. I felt quite upset. As I entered his room, he took hold of both my hands and embraced me; he was weeping.

Pastorello’s work also brings up historian Oliver Blanc, who in L’amour à Paris au temps de Louis XVI(2002) apparently notes ”that in 1793, Barras, finding himself in Draguignan, meets a young barber that he finds to his liking, Victor Grand.” Here we can again return to the original source, which is Barras’ memoirs (though do enlighten me if there’s more info on Grand and Valz) and see what he writes about, as he calls him, his aide-de-camp. This is the only interaction described between them that I’ve been able to find:

[After escaping from prison] Victor Grand came in haste to throw his arms about me; it was with pleasure that I once more beheld this young man, who had already won my entire confidence, and was one of the few who never ceased to be worthy of it. 

Other than that, Pastorello only cites more historians that claim Barras was attracted to men — Michel Larivière who in Homosexuels et bisexuels célèbres (1997) ”notes that Barras has the reputation of loving boys,” Michel Missofile who in Le cœur secret de Talleyrand (1956) notes ”that Barras lived in absence of any female presence with his man of trust François Roland, his piqueur Louis Copillon and his aide-de-camp Raymond Valz” and claims he was ”this seducer without a mistress, this husband without a home.” On Barras’ wikipedia we can also read that historian Jacques-Olivier Boudon apparently qualifies Barras as ”one of the best-known homosexuals of the time” whose “interest in young men was common knowledge at the time” in his Le sexe sous l'Empire (2019). I don’t have access to any of these books, so I unfortunately can’t check if these people use any more primary sources to argue their case.

In this post @tierseta does however bring attention to a part in Fouché’s memoirs, where he writes Barras had both ”courtiers (a masculine word) and mistresses”:

The exaggerated disparagement of his behavior and moral principles was precisely what attracted to him a court of swarming schemers (intrigants et intrigantes) and vampires. He was then in rivalry with Carnot, and maintained a favorable public opinion only by the idea that, if need be, he would be seen on horseback, defying, as on the 13th of Vendémiaire, any hostile attempt; as a matter of fact, he contrasted with [his image of] the Prince of the Republic, occasionally going hunting, having trained dog packs, courtiers and mistresses.

Finally, according to this anon, Barras had sex with and raped both women and men but only felt affection towards the latter group, and also got raped by his father on several occasions as a child. As the best source for this is given Barras’ biographer Henry Monteagle, whose work unfortunately has never gotten published and is extremely hard to obtain, but Barras apparently also talks about his attraction to men and abuse committed by his father in his memoirs. I have to admit I failed to find anything when searching for the word ”father” in the version of the memoirs linked within the post, and I don’t have time to read the entire memoirs to check if he says anything about his relation to other men in them (and I’m probably not the best person to do either since I’m pretty bad at reading subtext), but there might be something in there…

[patrixjia]

Velvet Chains (Part II)

Plot Overview:

In this chapter, the battle of wills between Y/N and Chan takes a new turn as Chan reveals more of his calculated strategy to bring down her father’s empire. Rather than seeing her as an enemy, Chan tries to convince Y/N that their futures are intertwined—he’s not just after power, but after a partnership. As the tension builds and Chan continues to plant seeds of doubt in her mind, Y/N must confront her own growing uncertainty about her father’s reign. With stakes higher than ever, both are engaged in a high-stakes game of manipulation, trust, and dangerous alliances. But as the cracks in Victor’s empire begin to show, it’s unclear whether Y/N will stay loyal to her father or consider Chan’s offer to rewrite the rules together.

Warnings: BangChan!Mafia, StrayKids!Mafia, Mafia Themes, Mentions of: power play, manipulation, and betrayal, Mild Violence, Dangerous situations, Emotional manipulation, Strong language, Romantic tension (with a very slow burn), Mature themes related to family dynamics and control, Kidnapping. (IT WILL ALSO BE SMUT AT SOME POINT I PROMISE)

PART I, PART III, PART IV, PART V, PART VI

Author Note: Hey lovely readers! 💫

First off, thank you for sticking with me through the twists and turns of this story—it really means a lot! 🙌 I hope you’re enjoying this battle of wits between Y/N and Chan, because I sure am! 😈

This chapter was a little extra intense, and trust me, things are only going to heat up from here. Y/N is facing some tough decisions, and I love how her complex feelings are really coming to the surface.

If you’re on the edge of your seat now, buckle up—there’s so much more coming! I can’t wait to hear your thoughts—drop a comment, and let’s chat! 💬 I love hearing from you all, whether it’s your theories, your reactions, or your favorite moments. Stay tuned for more, and thank you for your endless support. 🖤

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Part II

The tension crackled like electricity, but you didn’t flinch. This was a battle of wills, and you weren’t about to lose.

Chan’s eyes held yours, dark and unreadable, a glint of amusement flickering just beneath the surface. He smirked as if he could see every thought racing through your head. “I’ll admit, you’re living up to the reputation,” he said, his voice smooth, dangerously calm. “Victor must be proud.”

You scoffed, leaning back in the chair, every movement calculated to seem unfazed, even bored. “If this is the part where you try to intimidate me, spare yourself the effort. I’ve been dealing with men like you my entire life.”

He laughed, a short, quiet sound that somehow made the room feel smaller. “Men like me? That’s cute. Tell me, Y/N, what exactly do you think you know about men like me?”

You didn’t miss the way he emphasized your name, as if testing how it felt in his mouth. It irritated you more than you cared to admit. “I know you’re predictable. Power-hungry, arrogant, desperate to prove something. Let me guess—this is the part where you tell me you’re different?”

His grin widened, slow and deliberate, like he was savoring the challenge. “No, this is the part where I tell you that you’re wrong. There are no men like me.”

You rolled your eyes, crossing your arms over your chest as if to shield yourself from the weight of his words. “Oh, please. Let me guess: you think you’re special because you’ve found some clever way to play this little game?”

Chan stepped closer, his movements unhurried but purposeful. The shift in his presence made the air heavier, like the room itself was leaning toward him. “I’m not playing a game.” He stopped just short of your space, his voice dropping to something almost intimate. “I’m changing the rules.”

You raised an eyebrow, your voice dripping with sarcasm. “Right. And kidnapping me was step one in your grand master plan? How original.”

He chuckled, low and dangerous, like you’d said something amusing. “Kidnapping you wasn’t the plan. It’s leverage. A means to an end.” He paused, letting his gaze trail over your face like he was searching for something. “Step one has already started. You just don’t know it yet.”

Despite yourself, curiosity flickered to life. You hated that he’d piqued your interest, hated the way his confidence made you second-guess. “Enlighten me, then,” you said, tilting your head. “What’s your genius plan, Chan? Because from where I’m sitting, this feels like a cheap power play dressed up in theatrics.”

His demeanor shifted then. The playful, taunting edge in his voice sharpened, giving way to something colder, more calculated. He crossed the room, leaning casually against the armrest of the couch. His posture was relaxed, but his gaze remained locked on yours, unyielding.

“Your father built his empire on fear and control,” he began, his tone steady, each word deliberately chosen. “That’s his weakness. It’s static, brittle—one wrong move, and the whole thing collapses.”

You leaned forward slightly, your arms still crossed. “And you think you can collapse it?” The skepticism in your voice was clear.

“I don’t think,” he said, his smile returning, but this time it was colder, sharper. “I know.”

There was an air of finality to his words, an unshakable confidence that irritated you as much as it intrigued you.

“Bold of you,” you said, leaning back against the couch with an almost lazy defiance, though your mind was already working. “And yet here you are, leaning on theatrics like everyone else who’s tried and failed to take my father down.”

Chan’s smirk didn’t falter, but his tone dipped lower, more serious. “This isn’t theatrics, Y/N. This is strategy. Your father’s empire looks invincible from the outside, I’ll give him that. But he’s been building on sand, and the foundation’s starting to crack.”

You tilted your head, skepticism dripping from your voice. “And you think you’re the genius who can wash it all away? Hate to break it to you, but smarter men have tried.”

“Smarter men didn’t know where to hit,” he countered, his gaze steady, unflinching.

Your lips twitched, but you fought the smile threatening to break free. “Alright, mastermind. Enlighten me. What’s the plan that’s supposed to send my father’s empire crumbling into the sea?”

Chan pushed off the armrest, closing the space between you in a few measured steps. The shift in his presence sent a chill down your spine, though you refused to show it.

“It’s already begun,” he said, the weight of his words sinking into the room. “The first cracks are there, even if Victor hasn’t noticed. He’s so focused on locking everything down, controlling every move, that he doesn’t see what’s slipping through his fingers.”

“Nice speech,” you said dryly. “But you’re still talking in circles. What cracks, exactly? Be specific, or I’ll start thinking you’re bluffing.”

He let out a low chuckle, clearly unfazed by your skepticism. “Fine. Let’s start with the basics, shall we? Your father’s supply chains? Compromised. I’ve already turned key players within his network—men he trusts, men he thinks are loyal.”

Your eyes narrowed. “You’re assuming everyone has a price. They don’t.”

“No,” he agreed, “but they all have ambition. Fear keeps them in line, but fear can be replaced with hope, with opportunity. I’m not asking them to betray Victor outright. Not yet. I’m giving them better options and watching the cracks widen on their own.”

You raised an eyebrow, refusing to let his confidence faze you. “And when my father finds out? Because he will. You can’t keep something like that under wraps forever.”

“He won’t find out,” Chan said smoothly. “Not until it’s too late. He’s blinded by his own paranoia—always looking for threats from the outside, never considering that the real danger is already inside his walls.”

You couldn’t stop your mind from running through the possibilities, even as you shot back, “Paranoia isn’t always a weakness. It’s also why no one’s taken him down yet. Victor’s always ten steps ahead.”

Chan’s smile widened, sharp and predatory. “Ten steps ahead doesn’t matter when I’m playing a different game. Your father’s methods are predictable—rely on fear, shut down dissent, crush anyone who steps out of line. But what happens when his own people start second-guessing? When the fear he built his empire on starts working against him?”

You hated that his logic made sense, hated the way his words burrowed into your thoughts like a seed. Still, you didn’t back down.

“Even if you destabilize him,” you said, your voice firm, “that doesn’t mean the whole empire falls. Victor has redundancies. Contingency plans. What’s your next move when those kick in?”

Chan leaned in, his voice dropping just enough to make your pulse quicken. “That’s the beauty of it. His redundancies are only as strong as the people running them. Once I’ve sown enough distrust, destabilized his supply chains, I’ll go after the rest—his accounts, his safe houses, his alliances. It’s all connected, Y/N. Once one piece falls, the rest follow.”

You frowned, shaking your head. “And you think chaos is enough to win? Even if you burn everything to the ground, someone else will step in and take control. Probably someone worse than Victor.”

Chan’s expression shifted, a flicker of something almost genuine in his eyes. “That’s where you come in.”

The words hung between you, heavy and electric.

You let out a sharp laugh, the sound louder than you intended. “Oh, no. Don’t even start with that. You’re seriously suggesting I betray my father and… what? Rule in his place?”

His gaze didn’t waver, his calm intensity infuriating. “Why not?”

“Because it’s insane,” you snapped. “I’d never—”

“You would,” he interrupted, his voice soft but unyielding. “Because you already know Victor’s empire can’t survive the way it is. You’ve seen the cracks, Y/N. You’ve watched him suffocate everything he’s built with his obsession for control. You know it’s not sustainable.”

You opened your mouth to argue, but the words wouldn’t come. He wasn’t wrong, and that fact made your stomach churn.

“You can fight me all you want,” Chan continued, his tone laced with quiet confidence. “But you know I’m right. You don’t have to like me. You don’t even have to trust me. But deep down, you know this is the only way.”

“You’re asking me to betray my family,” you said, your voice quieter now, but no less firm.

“No,” he said, stepping back just enough to let you breathe. “I’m asking you to save what’s left of it.”

The room felt suffocating, the weight of his words pressing down on you. You hated how much they made sense, how much they resonated with the doubts you’d buried for years.

“You’re dangerous,” you muttered, half to yourself.

Chan smirked, the playful edge creeping back into his expression. “I told you, Y/N. I’m not playing a game. I’m rewriting the rules.”

You crossed your arms, an instinctive move to shield yourself from the pull of his words. “Rewriting them in your favor, I’m sure.”

“In our favor,” he corrected smoothly.

That made you laugh—a sharp, humorless sound. “Let me get this straight. You want me to help you destroy my father’s empire so you can hand me the ruins?”

His chuckle was low, almost teasing, as if the answer were obvious. “Not ruins, Y/N. A foundation.”

He stepped closer, the confidence in his every movement setting your teeth on edge. “Together, we could build something stronger, something better. Victor’s world is dying. You can either sink with it… or rise with me.”

The words hung in the air, heavy with implication. You stared at him, searching for a crack in his armor, something to indicate this was just another power play. But there was nothing but unflinching resolve in his eyes.

“You have an incredible talent for making treason sound poetic,” you said, your voice sharper than you intended.

His grin widened, a flicker of amusement breaking through his intensity. “I prefer to think of it as evolution.”

Your jaw clenched. “You’re asking me to betray everything I’ve ever known. My father, my family—”

“I’m asking you to decide for yourself what you believe in,” he interrupted, his tone hardening just enough to make your stomach twist. “Do you really think Victor sees you as anything more than a pawn in his game? I’m offering you the chance to be more than that.”

You hated the way his words dug into the cracks of your own doubts, the truths you’d been too proud—or too afraid—to admit. Victor’s leadership had always been suffocating, his empire built on control so absolute it left no room for anyone else to truly rise.

But that didn’t mean you trusted Chan.

“And what happens if I say no?” you asked, forcing your voice to stay steady despite the storm raging inside you.

He didn’t flinch, didn’t hesitate. Instead, he stepped closer, close enough that you could feel the heat radiating off him, his breath brushing against your cheek.

“Then you’ll stay here as my guest until I convince you otherwise.”

You swallowed hard, refusing to back down despite the sudden tightness in your chest. “Guest. That’s a nice word for prisoner.”

“Call it what you like,” he said, his voice soft, almost coaxing. “But I think you’ll find that your time here will be… enlightening.”

“Is that what you tell yourself?” you shot back, your tone laced with defiance. “That you’re doing me a favor by keeping me here, playing these little mind games?”

Chan tilted his head, his gaze dropping to your lips for the briefest moment before returning to your eyes. “You can call it a game if it makes you feel better, Y/N. But we both know the truth. You’re as intrigued by this as I am.”

Your breath hitched, but you quickly masked it with a scoff. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

“I don’t need to,” he said, his voice a low murmur. “The way you’re fighting this? It only makes it more obvious.”

You hated the way he read you so easily, the way his words seemed to peel back every layer of resistance you’d built. But you refused to let him win, refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing you falter.

“You’re arrogant,” you said, your smirk sharp as a blade. “That’s going to get you killed one day.”

“And you’re stubborn,” he countered, his smile slow, deliberate. “That’s what’s going to make you dangerous when you finally decide to stop fighting me.”

The air between you thickened, charged with unspoken challenge. You could feel the battlelines being drawn—not just between you and him, but within yourself. Every instinct screamed at you to push him away, to cling to the defiance that had always been your armor.

But there was something else, something quieter, harder to ignore. A spark of curiosity, of doubt, of something you didn’t want to name.

You tilted your head, meeting his gaze with a smirk that didn’t quite reach your eyes. “Good luck with that, Chan. I don’t break easily.”

His answering smile sent a shiver down your spine. “Neither do I.”

He took a single step back, just enough to break the tension but not enough to loosen its hold on you. For a moment, neither of you spoke, the silence crackling with unspoken challenges and dangerous possibilities.

And for the first time, you weren’t sure which side you wanted to win.

[missheavenfield1215]

Have you noticed that Beetlejuice and The Corpse Bride have the same climax??

A dead person

Who wants to marry a living person

Although it was against the will of that living person

When I realized this... I couldn't stop drawing

Beetlejuice ~Corpse Bride AU~

*In this AU, everyone is an adult*

*All my drawings are below in this post*

In this AU, Lydia takes the role of Victor, Beetlejuice is Emily, Elder Gudnekt could be Otto, Adam and Barbara would be the Everglot couple (of course, here, they have no bad intentions).

Lydia and her father, Charles, come from the great city of London, to expand their funeral services franchise, in addition to having gone through another marriage.

Charles had Lydia's mother, Emily, who passed away when she was 8 years old. At work, Charles met Delia, who was suffering from a fatal illness, but never told Charles that she was sick. So 4 years after their wedding, Delia also passed away.

To forget his grief, Charles became obsessed with his work and abandoned Lydia in their grief (as she also got along well with her). Lydia doesn't want to get married and hates the idea of being trapped forever in a useless marriage, which will only take away her freedom. Although she thinks that marriage is just a contract, deep inside her, she really feels that if she falls in love, it will only bring her pain and sorrow, just like her father.

Beetlejuice, here called Lawrence Shaggoth, is the only son of the honorable aristocratic marriage Shaggoth. In his youth Lawrence had a preference for men, but despite that, Adam was one of his friends. But when the time came for Lawrence to marry a young woman that his own mother raised so that Lawrence would "become normal." Juno is a homophobic bitch, so after receiving the news that her son was eloping with his lover, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

Juno bribed Lawrence's lover, who really only wanted the young man's money. Juno told the boy that she would pay him whatever he wanted, if he took Lawrence, destroyed him emotionally and murdered him. The boy did so, but the young woman Juno had "adopted", Angeline (Miss Argentina) had witnessed the whole sinister plan.

Juno learned that once Lawrence married, he would inherit everything as stipulated in his father's will. So, to continue with the lie, Juno took a young prostitute to "convince" Lawrence to escape and leave everything behind and thus demarcate him from the surname Shaggoth, since in her eyes, Lawrence was unworthy of such a title. But it turned out that she found out about his affair with a boy, and apparently he was cheating on him.

Lawrence, about to die and feeling betrayed and very scared, recites a poem to calm himself, but he does not know that this poem would be his condemnation and his salvation. Once the conditions stipulated in the poem were met, it would come back to life.

That's why Lawrence needs Lydia to marry him, because then he will come back to life, but he doesn't really have the idea of really falling in love with that "someone" to help him.

Here Adam and Barbara are also aristocrats, but their family name is in decline and they are on the verge of poverty. They decide to adopt Adam's youngest nephew, named Vincent, to prepare him for a marriage with which they can cope with the imminent poverty that awaits their family. They believe it would be best if Vincent chooses his future wife, and he chooses Lydia to marry and she is forced to do so by her father.

Lydia runs away from the engagement after finishing the wedding rehearsal and, as if to mock her father, she says: "I'd rather marry a dead person than someone who doesn't know me!"

It is then that Lawrence appears and proposes to marry him and when he comes back to life, he will help her escape the country and her father.

But neither of them really expected to fall in love with each other when they got to know each other in depth.

But there is the problem of Juno, who no longer has money and it is then that she uses Lydia's disappearance to extort money from Charles and promise him that she will look for the young woman.

And after thinking about all that... That's when I started drawing

"I just want to be alive... And I... "

"I don't want to be alone"

"In this cruel world"

These are small test sketches

Here's a closer shot of a Beetlejuice killed by his lover...

This is Lawrence, moments before his death. When his lover asked him to elope with some of the wealth, Lawrence dressed in his white wedding suit, but it was dyed red when a shotgun bullet pierced his ribs. (yes in the same place where Lydia stabbed him in the musical, both wounds were caused by a stab wound in the back... A betrayal)

Well... I had many things to say... But in essence that is the basis of everything.

This AU really works with any version of Beetlejuice, but mostly works best with the Headcanons of the musical.

(New information, I'm going to upload the update on my headcanons about this AU, when the post is ready, here will be a link)

[onesidedradiostatic]

Personally I think they're both huffing a bit of copium about one another (Vox and Alastor) but Alastor is better at hiding it/maintaing his cool. We know that at least Valentino feels confident enough to goad Vox into taking the bait, that Alastor "almost" beat him last time. It's an interesting attitude compared to Vox's. Even Velvette doesn't seem all that concerned with Alastor, both her and Valentino are confident in the Vees current status and it's only Vox's personal insecurities that prevent him from sharing that mindset.

Vox's medium IS the victor in the grand scheme of things, he (along with the other Vees) ARE more relevant than Alastor/radio. And Vox is also capable of upgrading/improving himself over time in a way Alastor (from what we've seen) is not. It's so interesting seeing Vox unable to fully realize his strength/power - he can say it all he wants, but I don't think he really believes it. We the audience, however, know that visual media is king... case in point we are watching this series as a show on screens. Vox's hypnotism and electric powers are also pretty OP, he's got a good deck of cards (even though we haven't seen the full extent of how he can really leverage these yet).

And let's not forget Alasor BOOKED IT across town to get back at Vox during Stayed Gone. I think Alasor is (and should be) somewhat nervous (maybe "cautiously aware" is a better term) about the influence Vox and the Vees have regarding the future of media. He doesn't crack easily, as we've seen, but he cares enough to engage with Vox which he doesn't bother doing with outright "lessers".

In this way the dynamic is more even (in my opinion) than many give it credit for, which I personally prefer, but to each their own... for me, if it's not more equally matched, I struggle to see how the Vees will be worthwhile antagonists in the next season and that would be such a shame for characters that have so much potential. I just love the Vees!

(prev ask)

ehh I mean I do feel that they are on more equal level than some of the fandom may make them out to be but I still don't feel like they're exactly on the same level. like every time I see takes about mutual stuff between them I still can't fully agree cause to me, it's still on some level imbalanced. I do think they are of roughly equal power yes, but I think alastor being able to keep his cool is in fact a point towards him having the upperhand. it's the fact that vox is literally incapable of keeping his cool when it comes to alastor that spells more of his weakness when it comes to him I think. but yeah I mean how the vees, or rather vox will be a proper antagonist when he's so easily defeated by alastor is what I've been asking for a while LMAO.

and the thing is, we've seen instances like alastor being somewhat scared when zestial pops up, his mask slipping when starting stupid beef with lucifer (his eye is literally twitching the moment lucifer steps into the hotel LMAO), and of course with his fight with adam. we don't see any of that when it comes to the vees/vox, alastor waves them off as "nobody important" when niffty asks, easily tramples vox in stayed gone (and yes, he did immediately go back to his radio tower to bite back, but I don't think that's necessarily out of fear, could've easily just been he saw he was being insulted on live tv and HAD to bite back because he's a petty bitch), and gloated to him about having to "try harder than that" after failing to spy on him.

in my view, he doesn't see the vees or vox as a serious threat. HOWEVER, I do think that could easily be a point against alastor. his cockiness and not taking them seriously could very well come bite him in the back (JUUUUST like with adam!)

but when it comes to his current season 1 dynamic with vox, I do think he has the upperhand because of their different attitudes. if vox was able to keep his cool like alastor he wouldn't have caused a city-wide blackout over stayed gone LMAO. they're definitely more leveled power-wise though I think, the difference comes in their attitudes. if vox won the idgaf war a bit more they'd be more leveled, but he has chosen to obsess over him 24/7 so here we are.