#i try to make sense of horse thing yeah?? trying very hard to not think about 'MAN' joke fghdhhk

[katyspersonal]

I had a quite interesting Bloodborne-related dream tonight (again)

I found Kos somewhere in the woods after wading though a lot. She was on sort of a shore, but not right there, water source was far enough for there to be grass and some bushes where she was. She looked a bit smaller than her normal size, was darker but more saturated shade of blue and had some... stars speckled pattern in her body? I still question if that was relevant to 'Stars' and cosmos, or some marine creature bioluminescence. She was crying...

I kept trying to comfort her or help her, but every time she was pushing me away in unusual way... by turning me into a different life form every time. :') And every time the "incarnation" would immobilize me and I'd 'restart' where I came from, like in a videogame. First time it was horse, second time it was some broccoli/cabbage (makes sense since Milkweed rune is likely voice of Kos), third time some marine creature that's a mix of a shrimp and a snail. Like nautilus maybe? All forms were saturated blue and speckled with shiny 'stars' too. That had a very strong 'leave me alone!' vibe to it - like you know, when person doesn't want to be seen crying or helpless.

But even more interesting thing - there was a grave digged next to her, with some boards. It was too small for her, but enough for humans. And several did fall into it as I've seen ._." That grave was practically hypnotizing people to jump into it and perish. Kind of the 'it's my hole, it was made for me!' deal? I swear one of victims of this trance was Adella.

This made me think of Micolash. Who else knows all about human sacrifices and loves Kos a lot? I could swear, the context was him ensuring a trap next to her, to convert human sacrifices in prolonging her life - she was at the brink of death, marine creature on the land is doomed. Not to mention what happened with her physical body... Kos doesn't want it and doesn't like it, she personally would rather die with dignity. It is one thing to create a Hell for hunters, but indulging in sacrifices is something Flora and Amygdalas do!

But Micolash is the type to do what will help someone he loves - even if this means doing something they won't approve of. Even it means they will hate him and curse him forever... This honestly felt so bittersweet. She did not even feel like that huge important godly mother figure - rather like a close soulmate of Micolash from another world, that now resents (if not "hates") him but he is ready to take the blow if it means she lives and gets better ;-;

Also, horse transformation perplexed me, because it seemed off, considering "cabbage" and marine animals made sense. I now start to grasp for ideas whether Ludwig's unique transformation indirectly had to do with her? I am saying crazy shit like how maybe he was helping with the massacre and ate heart of OoK or something, maybe not exactly but along these lines.

This just left me a lot to think about, and a lot of emotions. My brain just gives me free illustrated fanfics at this rate. Also I think I ship Micolash and Kos now, haha;

[beanarie]

of course 3/3

1/3

2/3

entire fic on ao3

in which tommy finally admits he should maybe see a therapist.

thanks again to @mooshkat for the original concept

(tw: heart problems, hospitalization, self loathing)

~

Bobby is the next to show up.

"Hi," he says, disconcertingly tall as he stands over Tommy's bed with a small tupperware. "I figured you can't have anything we would normally bring for someone stuck here, but there's this recipe I liked after my heart attack. It's just chickpeas tossed with olive oil and a bit of curry powder."

"That's very thoughtful," Tommy says, touched and confused. He starts tucking in immediately. The food here could be worse, but he never has much appetite when he's unwell. Maybe eating something will make the nurses frown less often. They're very frowny in this unit. Makes sense, as they probably have the highest proportion of deaths in the building, but it's shit for patient morale.

Bobby's still standing, so Tommy tilts his head at the chair and continues eating.

"How are you feeling?" he asks, once Tommy has left the now half-empty container on his tray table.

"Fine? Tired, mostly." Which is probably for the best when the only change of scenery he gets is the regular trips to imaging. All the napping doesn't leave time to develop cabin fever. "You?"

"I'm good. A little concerned."

Shit. So he's just jumping right in. Tommy works on his breathing. "Oh?"

Bobby nods. "Buck is getting released in the next few hours. He'll probably be up here as soon as they hand over the discharge summary."

Tommy doesn't eye the monitors, but he has a brief fantasy about ripping the leads out and smashing everything on the ground. It's been a long time since he's felt this exposed for this long. "That's good."

Bobby puts his hands on the armrests of the chair. "Hen seems to think you don't want to see him, which is interesting since Buck is behaving like you're pretty much back together."

Keep him away. Do it so I don't have to see his face. "I- I'm-"

Bobby looks at him like he's a spooked horse. "I'm not just here for him, okay? I wanna help you get clarity on what you're actually looking for before it blows up in both your faces again."

It's such a brazen offer Tommy can't help but laugh. "You're welcome to try?"

Bobby smiles a little. "Kid's got a heart the size of Alaska, but--or maybe because of it--he's like the La Brea tar pits. Once you're in, that's all she wrote. It's fine, though, great even. If that's your choice."

Tommy tilts his head, reconciling this man with the friendly, new in town captain who had a veil behind his eyes. In the last eight years, everyone at the 118 figured out how to open a vein for each other, and here's Tommy. Out, flying, and only able to meet his own eyes in the mirror half the time. "What if I'm a bomb," he asks. "Or... whatever destroys tar."

"Is that how you want it to be?" Bobby presses gently.

Tommy rubs at the side of his neck. "I'd be a monster and an idiot if I said yes, wouldn't I?"

Bobby spreads his hands. "There's no relationship jail, Tommy. Doesn't matter to me if you're either or both those things. All I ask is that you keep it away from people I care about."

"No. It's-" Tommy shifts his gaze, his vision blurring. "It's not- That's not what I want. But it's not that easy, Bobby."

"Didn't say easy. Didn't even imply it." Bobby moves a box of tissues from the nightstand to the tray table. "You're no stranger to tackling something hard because you thought it would be worth the effort. Maybe give yourself a little credit."

There are oval-shaped bruises in a roughly circular pattern on Evan's forearm, resembling a school of fish. Those weren't there after the crash. Tommy flexes his right hand, which has been stiff and sore for no apparent reason. "I did that," he says.

"Yeah?" Evan frowns in confusion. "You were suffocating. It wasn't on purpose."

It can be an omen if Tommy lets it.

"Tommy?" Evan says.

Omens are stupid. "Hm?"

Evan fidgets with his free hand, pulling at the edge of his sling. "You said of course you love me, like it was easy. Like it was a given. People don't- haven't said it like that."

"How did they say it?"

"Like they were surprised. Like it was the last thing they could've expected."

"I knew it was a possibility the first time I kissed you," Tommy says, tired of choosing between truths.

He looks up. "You did?"

"Evan," Tommy sighs, "you're the fucking sun."

His beautiful eyes widen and get wet at the corners. "I didn't want the first time I said it to be when- when you were dying in my arms." A shadow passes over his features and Tommy's fingers curl, gathering a handful of his blanket. "I wanted- needed to believe that I'd get another chance. I love you, too, Tommy."

Tommy is so grateful this conversation is taking place today, when he's recovered enough to not cause an international incident every time he does anything more stressful than looking at the color green. The specter of the alarm still looms, but he's done okay so far. "I might not have heard you, if you had said it then." Tommy gestures at his chest. "The wheezing, it was very loud."

"You heard some things, though? It felt like you- you were reacting."

"Yes, Evan. You kept me going."

Evan beams. Tommy aches from the inside like someone sprinkled salt in his IV bag.

"I need," he warns, "so much therapy."

Evan shifts forward in his seat, grunting softly in pain. "I can get you some recommendations."

"Of course you can." Tommy smiles.

Evan is inches away, practically falling out of the chair. "Can I touch you?"

"Do you have the slightest idea how many medications I'm on right now?"

He ducks his head and laughs. "You know that's not what I meant."

"Oh, well, show me what you m-"

Evan lays his free hand lightly, ever so lightly, over Tommy's battered heart before leaning forward and pressing their foreheads together. "I'm so proud of you," he whispers. "I asked you not to run, and you stayed."

Right after the alarm goes off, Tommy pulls away just far enough to capture Evan's mouth with his own.

[tmwcs]

Bad Boy

Warnings: reader experiences sexual harassment/potential assault from an unnamed ex-bc, rough smut, smut with a stranger, implied creampie, breeding kink…

Who is the bad boy? 😏

She’s a good girl, crazy about Elvis. Loves horses, and her boyfriend too…

I’m a bad boy…for breaking her heart.

Tonight was the night when the major football game took place. It was a make it or break it moment for your college football team as the game would dictate and highlight the most select players to be drafted for professional football. You and your friends joined up and gathered around the best set of bleachers. You had to. Your boyfriend was the team's quarterback and you had to be in the front row to cheer him on.

Things had been edgy between you two. The ongoing arguments were likely a result of the stress of tonight’s game and finals combined. It was more arduous for him, as he was in his final year of college, whereas you had just barely begun. Still, the hardship of maintaining a relationship and your grades wasn’t easy, regardless that you were a newbie to campus.

The score was close, yet in the end, your boyfriends team emerged victorious and earned their way towards a bright future.

He drives you back to your dorm, where both your friends would meet up for some drinks, or so you thought.

“Let’s hang tight and have some one-on -one time after everyone leaves.” He tells you. You felt a bit uneasy, considering he was giving you that look when you both had barely spoken to each other.

Left alone with him on the bleachers, you started the conversation, trying to establish closure.

“Look, I’m sorry about the fights. I know we haven’t really spoken much, and only made up yesterday but I want you to know I am very proud of you.”

He looks over but doesn’t make any effort to converse back, instead he hums a hollow tune as he begins to pull the sleeves of your dress downward. “Wait! What are you—“

He doesn’t even make eye contact, instead he becomes rather forceful in all the wrong ways. “Come on you like it when I’m rough.”

You used to…

Back before the arguments, you used to dig the idea of your boyfriend tossing you around and going all in like a Viking while you took it. But this time was different, you didn’t really feel that strongly for him anymore. It was something you wanted to refrain from bringing up until later, but now seemed to be the time to let him know that…

“I think we should break up…”

“What?”

“I…I know about what you did with…with her.”

Yeah. Maintaining a relationship is hard when you’re studying and trying to earn top grades. But it’s a lot harder when rumors of your boyfriend's infidelity becomes a popularized topic among your peers. To make the wound deep was that it was with your best friend that he was conducting the affair with. Last night, you saw the photos on her phone after she passed out, and as angry as you were, you didn’t have the heart to force any type of drama until after the big game.

“Okay…so I slept with her a few times. But I promise it was only during your periods.”

You shot a scorned look. “I saw the dates in the pictures.” Hinting at the timeline not meeting up, he sighed as he continued while you did your best to shove him off.

“Stop…I said stop!”

You began shouting when suddenly, a popping sensation stung your cheek. You were shocked as you realized he had just slapped you, but it didn’t become reality until the tangy taste of blood dripped from your lip.

He pushes you down and takes advantage of your short floral dress, and positions himself in between your legs as he rushes to undo his belt. You yell out and flare a series of kicks as you try to get away, yet he overpowers your attempts as he pins his weight down on your body. Plastering the sides of your face with his kisses, you shove and sneered away as you continued with your attempts, though it was all futile. Exhaustion begins to take over and you sense the horrifying loss as you feel the tip of his member poking your inner thigh as he tears your panties.

Suddenly…

“What the—“

The weight of his frame is lifted so abruptly off you as you face forward and gain a clear vision of what was going on.

“Get the fuck ou—“

The sound of your boyfriend's voice is halted still and shut as you hear the audio smack of knuckle meeting his jaw, or perhaps it was his cheek. It happened so fast that you couldn’t make out the difference, all you know was that you saw the one that conducted the deed.

Flinging him off as if your boyfriend was a ragdoll, you watched as the strong arms of your savior become tender as he leans forward and kneels, presenting you a hand. He doesn’t say a word, instead he nods as he implies for you to take it. He pulls you back up on your own two feet, and rushes you under his arm while he takes you back to his car nearby. The slight bit of cigarette smoke and the musk of his cologne mixed together impaled your nostrils as he opened the door and tucks you in the front passenger seat.

You recognized him. He was in the same year as your boyfriend…or former boyfriend actually. He was somewhat of an outcast, not one that you ever really conversed with though you normally spotted him hanging out at the bleachers smoking and joking with his equally delinquent friends. Dressed in jeans, a fitted tee with a flannel over shirt left unbuttoned, it was obvious that he wasn’t dressing to impress anyone.

He starts the old steel vehicle and drives off. Once he hit the main road, he finally spoke.

“Where’s your dorm? I’ll take you there.”

You shook your head as you started to sob once more, only quietly this time. Fingering the shredded tatters of your dress, you hang your head low as the silky strands drape over, hiding your face. “Please…just take me to the airport. I can’t be here….everyone is at my dorm and I don’t want to see anyone…I just want to go back to my home.”

He doesn’t say a word. The sound of the steering wheel turning left, then right, was all the noise that filled the entire car ride until finally he puts it in park.

He really took you to the airport?

“Come on.” He sighs as he hops out and opens the door for you.

“This…where are we?”

“We’re in my frat home.”

“F-frat? You’re a part of a fraternity?” Your surprised tone causes him to smirk as he walks you to the front door. “Yeah, I know.” He nods, already aware of the presumptive appeal that is otherwise an irony. “I’m a bad boy, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid.”

You’re not sure what made you even more confused, the fact that the college delinquent belonged to a frat or that he actually earned decent grades and was a promising student.

He walks you to his room quietly as he fixes the bed. “You sleep here.” Grabbing onto a spare comforter, he makes his own little nest on the small loveseat on the opposite end. You felt so humbled at the fact that the man was willing to lend you his bed while he prepared to sleep on such a small couch, considering his height and stature.

“Thank you…but I really don’t want to inconvenience you. I feel a lot better now, I think I should leave you alone. I don’t want to be trouble and get you involved—“

“I want to be involved.” His tone was deep and somewhat hoarse as he smiles, switching his gaze down to the floor before making their way back to you. “I’ve been wanting to get involved ever since I first saw you at the bleachers…when you came for orientation.”

His confession made your heart melt as you raised your eyebrows with peak interest. “Y-you did?”

He nods. It never occurred to you that you would catch the eye of a delinquent, just like you never realized that closeup, the man was actually quite handsome.

His lengthy strands delicately framed his brows as he steps closer.

“I…” he begins before taking a slight pause. “I can turn your night around…and do it the right way, unlike that scumbag.” He proposes.

At any other given time, you’re quite sure you would have rejected, regardless how dashing he may have appeared. But with the way he came to your aid and was presenting you the opportunity to consent, your heart faltered. “…show me.” You whispered.

He softly rubs your cheek as he swipes the dried blood from your lip. “It’s going to hurt…and I’m going to fuck you hard…remember, I’m a bad boy. There are no…safe…words…y/n.”

He knew your name.

You felt the tingle ringing in between your legs as he outlined the aggression of his passion and proposal. To hell with soft sex anyhow, you wanted it.

“Please…show me. I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give. Just turn this night around.”

He smiles. “Good girl.”

He pulls you in as his strong hands colored your entire body. Finishing what that bastard tried to do earlier, the man before you was a true man as he tore off your dress, but never lost the velocity of his tenderness and passion.

He sucks on your neck as he takes a fistful of your hair and aggressively pulls your head back, only to balance the moment out with him tenderly licking the bite wound. Reaching down, he inserts two of his fingers. They were cold and sharp with the way he injects them, yet immediately warmed up as your walls soothed the shocking temperature and created a beautiful sensation. His coarseness with your silky flesh, mending together as he thrusts his hooks in and out, starting off slow and steady, gradually increasing in tempo.

“Oh….oh my God!….”

“Tell me how good it feels baby…” he whispers as he nibbles on your lobe.

“Mmmph!” You bite down on your lip as you hang on by the clinging grip of his muscular biceps. Lifting your leg, you hook it around his waist as you yearn for more, in which he gladly obliged.

He looped his free hand under your kneecap and propelled you up and back as he slams your body on the bed. He coats your entire body with kisses as his fingers continue to thrive in and out of your womanhood. Finally, he releases his internal hold on you and presents his flick digits to your lips. You took the hint and licked the glistening coating off, until he shoved them into your mouth altogether, inheriting a whole new line of moans from your throat.

The sound of his jeans coming undone slightly echoed as he buries his face into your neck, mumbling against your skin while he tells you how beautiful and delectable you appear underneath him. With the tip of his nose pressed against your cheek, and his lips plastered against yours, he smiles. The stretch of his grin could be felt against your cherry stained pout, igniting a gasp as you felt yourself gush in front of him.

He takes the bold tip of his cock and slowly slides it in. “Ah! Y-you’re too big!”

“Fuck yeah I am.” He whispers rather ferociously as he continues to go in deeper…and deeper.

“I told you…I’m a bad boy…a big…bad…boy.” He grunts in between his words as he presses forward, burying his thunderous rod deep into your walls.

He settled once he was all the way in. “Ready to get fucked girly?”

You eagerly nod as you catch your breath, or try to. The moment he garnished your final consent of the evening, you were down for.

He draws out his length, slowly. As soon as you feel he is about to fully exit, he rams it all back in. Each of his inches swarms back into the cavity, but it didn’t stop there. Pumping it vigorously, he maintains a solid pace as he reaches further and deeper into you. What was this feeling? This sensation? It was mind blowing. Compared to all the instances when you engaged in sexual contact with your ex, none of them had ever amounted to the rage this man was taking out on you. He was massive, rough, hard, but also soft and tender. He was both black and white, your Heaven and Hell. He was…he was….

“I-I…I can’t breathe! Oh God! Please don’t stop fucking me!”

He continues to pump his shaft harshly and tenderly as he stilts himself on his kneecaps and rubs his thumb on your clitoris. In circulation motion, he gives the external stimulation of pleasure to pair with the drumming throb you felt inside.

“That’s it girly, let me fuck you real good. You’re doing so well, you know that?”

His stiff member thrusts in and out repeatedly. His testicular sacks slap into you, staining the under skin of your vaginal opening bright red as he jams into you. Your body absorbs the impact and shifts around. Like a ragdoll, you felt yourself being tossed by the momentum of his thrusts as your body went left, then right, only for him to grab you by the arms, pinning them to your sides as he straightened you back to center and never breaking the pace.

“Na-uh. Gotta stay still for me baby, we’re going to do this the right way…me and you.”

Your eyes remained squinted shut at the immense pleasure that rampaged in between your legs, yet the vagueness of his words caused you to reach for clarification. “The r-right way? Uh!” You gasped out as you felt the pinch of lightning pleasure the moment he flexed inside you.

“Yeah baby…the right way. Gonna turn us into parents—ah! Fuck!…gonna make you mine forever. Whadya say?”

It was careless, risky, and completely irresponsible…but it made it even more dangerously sinful and absolutely pleasurable. At that moment in time, you didn’t care about anything or anyone, you wanted him. All of him.

He pumps faster and harder, causing your breaths to shorten as you gasp for air while moaning your heart out. “Oh my God!”

“Fuck yeah baby.” He gasps as his rhythm increases. The shortness of his breath indicates he was close as his abdominal region moves at an awesome speed, back and forth as he pummeled into you wildly. Sensing that you were close as the squelching grew louder, he bids you to come undone as the knot snaps in your lower gut.

“Cum on it. I want you to cum on me baby.”

You released and let it all go as you felt loss of control in your body. The shakiness lasted for an eternity as you grabbed your own breasts and gripped onto his forearm for dear life.

“Fuck, make me cum baby.” He grits as he plunges one last time, deeper into you than before. A second later you feel the warmth of his seed staining your walls as he collapses against your frame, declaring his honest love as he decorates your face with small kisses. “Stay with me baby. I’ll never let anything happen to you, let me take care of you and be the one.”

It was like cupid’s arrow struck gold. A product of love and passion emerged as you wrap your arms around his neck and pulled him in. Here all along you thought the night was going to end terribly when your ex didn’t take your breakup well, only for it to end blissfully as your savior became the one to do the unexpected. Kissing him, you released as it occurred to you…

“I don’t even know your name…” your voice trembling as you recover your composure from the exploding shot of pleasure that still rhymed within your womanhood, even after he stopped and rested inside.

Riddling a tune, he softly says his name into your ear. His voice came out almost haunting in the most delightful sense as each letter tickled your canal. It was foreign and he exotic, and he knew how to get you to speak it aloud.

“Say it with me baby, S-u-n-ghoon.”

“Sunghoon?”

He paused as he bites his lip. “Oh fuck baby…when you say my name….it just….come here now.”

You feel yourself being dragged down towards him as he plasters baby kisses on your inner thigh. Through the overstimulation that robbed you of your other senses, you allowed him to continue. You would have been a fool to stop him, after all, it was a perfect night to make up for lost time, considering you spent all your life with the good boys. Now that you got a taste of you bad boy, you’re not sure if you ever want to be good again. It’s better to be bad.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

Ok, so reader is the daughter of Poseidon and Medusa, she’s going up against her father in ragnarok, he and the other gods didn’t know that she existed. She hates Poseidon and Athena for what they did to her mother and aunts. She has the powers of Medusa. And I think it’d be cute if her and Hercules got along. And if you can implement her saying ‘oh ya my brother is a horse with wings and I was born from my mothers decapitated head’ would be cool. Basically how would the Greek gods react to her?

-You cracked your knuckles, a slight glare in your sharp reptilian eyes, trying to keep yourself calm, not wanting to lose yourself to your rage just yet.

-Kojiro put a friendly hand on your shoulder and your snakes that made up your hair quickly stretched out to pepper him with kisses, making him laugh.

-He could see that you were fidgety, and for good reason, the two of your were partnered up to take on Poseidon and Athena in a doubles battle, and everything was telling you to take revenge for your mother and your aunts.

-Hercules approached from behind the both of you, “Y/N?” you turned, your eyes bright and sparkly, “Big brother!!” he grinned, catching you as you leapt into his arms. He had found you as a child and took you in, raising you after he found out who you were, finding you alongside your biological big brother, Pegasus.

-Hercules was initially hesitant on letting you fight as he and Kojiro could both sense your anger, wanting your revenge, but you were fighting it, trying not to lose yourself  to your rage.

-Poseidon and Athena entered first, both looking annoyed at this competition, as it was pointless, as humans were always going to be weaker than gods.

-When Heimdall introduced the two of you, introducing you as the daughter of Poseidon and Medusa, the shock and outrage was very apparent all over the stadium, as none of the gods, save a few like Hercules and the Valkyrie, knew about you.

-Poseidon’s eyes were wide as you glared hard, your snakes flashing their red eyes at the both of them, he had no idea he had a daughter!

-Athena smirked over at you, trying to rile you up, “I had no idea that Medusa had a child.” You folded your arms across your chest, “Yeah, me and my brother were born after she was decapitated, after you raped her, and after you punished her instead of her rapist, the bastard standing next to you.”

-Even though you were his daughter biologically, you had no love for your father, and you didn’t give two shits about him.

-The crowds roared with outrage, many remember the truth with your mother, that Poseidon, a god, raped your mother, a human priestess, and instead of punishing the man who raped her priestess and defiled her temple, Athena punished your mother, turning her into a monster.

-Their embarrassment was very apparent, getting called out by both humans and some gods, angry at their actions. Kojiro was silent, holding onto one of your hands, keeping you grounded, his thumb stroking the back of your hand gently as you continued, “You really expected a human to be able to fight off a god? Why didn’t you help her? And you- why do you and that whore of a brother of yours think that you can take any woman you want just because you’re gods? You ain’t entitled to jack-shit!!”

-Kojiro was fighting off his laughter while Hercules was facepalming, even though he raised you with tons of love and care, you somehow had gotten quite the potty mouth.

-Poseidon grew angry at your insolence, as he demanded respect from you, despite not knowing you, while Athena was red faced, hearing the jeers all around her, many asking her the same thing, wanting to know why she didn’t save your mother instead of letting her get raped and then turning her into a monster.

-Zeus had a rather guilty look on his face, getting called out as well for his past romantic escapades, especially since he was getting called out by his niece that he didn’t even know existed.

-Kojiro went for Poseidon while you charged for Athena, holding one of your mother’s swords and she had to admit you were quite strong.

-She blocked a blow of yours after you managed to knock her down, sparks flying from the clashing of weapons and she looked up and instantly froze, seeing you in tears, your eyes narrowed in a glare, “Why didn’t you save her?!”

-Athena kicked you back, sending you head over heels before leaping to your feet, “You wouldn’t understand!” the two of you became the stars of the battle as you both went on the attack, “What wouldn’t I understand?! You just didn’t want to deal with handling your uncle defiling one of your temples! It was easier to blame and throw out the victim than deal with that fucker!!”

-She glared hard and threw you back again, closer to Poseidon who managed to knock Kojiro down and he charged for you, not to kill you, but to discipline you. You easily spun and delivered the mother of all bitch slaps across his face, feeling your mother and your aunts giving you strength, sending him flying back.

-As the two gods faded away about ten minutes later, Kojiro and you standing victorious, but instead of feeling satisfaction, tears were easily slipping down your cheeks, feeling anguish.

-Poseidon watched you until he disappeared completely, feeling remorse as he had never gotten to know you.

-Kojiro and Hercules held you tightly as you bawled into your partner’s chest, feeling nothing but more rage, it didn’t make you feel better, if anything it made you more upset. Hercules felt guilty as he stroked your cheek gently, dabbing your tears away again, as you spoke, “You were right, I don’t feel better!”

-He pecked your forehead gently, feeling the kisses of your snakes, “I’m sorry Y/N, but I knew you wouldn’t understand if you didn’t realize this yourself.” You nodded softly, sniffling again, closing your eyes as the one good thought came into your mind, that your father and that bitch Athena wouldn’t be able to hurt anyone ever again.

[ryuichirou]

I forgot how down horrendous I was for Divus until I saw some fanart earlier today.

But that wasn't what I was going to ask, headcannons about the builds of the twst cast? For example, if anyone in particular is muscular or scrawny? - 🐩 anon

Yeah it’s always like this with Divus. You forget about him, and then boom! He is here to attack your eyes with his sexiness lol

It is a good question, Anon, and I had fun thinking about this, but I’ll also leave links to similar hc lists from before:

The one about butts and the one about chests (boys’).

Riddle – very skinny, ribs visible, but not as bad as it used to be a year ago – Trey’s pies help a lot lol But he has some muscles that aren’t visible, but you can still feel them. Mostly his core muscles + thighs. Because you know, horse riding.

Ace – average-looking, has some muscle definition on the upper half of his body?? Like the arms and chest area. Nothing super impressive though.

Deuce – also average-looking with some muscle definition, but in the lower half of his body due to running: his legs are pretty muscular. Both he and Ace have somewhat developed abs, but they aren’t very visible on either of them.

Trey – on a softer side, but still surprisingly muscular. Big chest, thick arms and thighs, sides are a tiny bit squishy. He doesn’t even exercise all that much to develop certain muscles, but he is good at sports + I guess naturally gifted lol

Cater – lean, pretty average, pretty much zero definition anywhere, but also not much fat: he is built like a perfectly flat cylinder lol I know it doesn’t make sense geometrically…

Leona – lean-buff, with visible abs, big chest and arms and stuff. He isn’t as soft as Trey is, but he’s pinchable if you try hard enough.

Ruggie – unfortunately visibly underweight, but also much better that he used to be a year ago. His muscle definition also has gotten much better now that his body has a regular intake of protein and can actually support having them.

Jack – the biggest and the beefiest of boys, he is one of the heaviest in the cast and is almost completely made of muscle lol Huge chest area, huge glutes, huge legs and arms, pecks, everything. But his legs are the most developed muscle-wise.

Azul – lean, with a fairly small waist and stuff, but also pretty muscular. He’s not huge, but his chest muscles are visible, his arms and legs muscles are visible, and his abs too, although the latter ones aren’t always very obviously there. When his muscle mass fluctuates, he loses his abs first. Also his thighs are squishy and soft.

Jade – swimmer build. Broad shoulders, big chest, defined abs, but also not very bulky (I know I draw the Tweels beefy af but still lol). His arms are muscular but it’s not as visible as it is with Jack for example.

Floyd – pretty much the same as Jade, but sliiiiiightly bigger in chest and thighs. No one would even notice unless they compare them side by side.  

Kalim – overall, he is kind of skinny. When he’s just lying around all lazily, he looks soft. When he dances or does anything active, his muscles become visible. He is an enigma of a boy. But in a natural state, his arm muscles are probably the most visible ones. His legs are pretty developed too…

Jamil – sharp shoulders, small waist, lean-muscular build, kinda slim. His thighs and overall legs are very well developed, after his club activities they’re super visible even when he isn’t doing anything. His arm muscles aren’t big, but visible: it’s obvious that he plays basketball.

Vil – lean, not bulky at all, low fat, but also absolutely not underweight?? Also slim, but bigger than Jamil. He balances out his natural features with exercise and diets in a way that it looks very… soft silhouette-wise, but very strong when you start noticing all the muscles. His stomach area, chest and arm muscles are especially visible, but his thighs are also pretty meaty. He tries really hard not to get bulky though, so it’s hard to balance things out.

Rook – bulkier than he looks. I will never get over the fact that he is supposed to be bigger than Trey despite looking smaller and being shorter lol So he is absolutely pretty beefy, with all of his muscles being prominent, but especially the chest and thighs area. He covers all of that pretty well. He also has quite a lot of scars.

Epel –  overall healthy boy, considering his height, just a tiny little bit skinny, but he would like to get bigger in every possible way. There is some muscle definition on his body, but it’s difficult to notice it yet, especially compared to other first years.

Idia –  very skinny. A product of “too busy/lazy to eat”, fast metabolism and a small stomach. He isn’t super too underweight, Ruggie’s situation a year ago was probably worse, but for Idia’s height he absolutely doesn’t take care of himself enough, so his ribs are pretty visible. He also has fairly broad shoulders, but hips on a smaller side.

Ortho –  if he was alive that is; his build would be similar to Idia in a way that he would also have broad shoulders, but with much more meat on his body. Maybe even some muscle definition, because he would absolutely be more physically active than Idia. Maybe he would have a build similar to Deuce’s… if he doesn’t randomly decide to get all jacked and stuff all of a sudden lol

Lilia – zero definition anywhere, seems skinny, as if he doesn’t have any muscles at all, but it’s a false assumption: if he tightens his belly his abs would be visible. But he isn’t as beefy as he used to be when he was younger: he has a much better definition thorough his body back then, with his chest, abs and especially thighs and legs being quite muscular, albeit still lean. Nowadays if someone was to touch him, he’s either soft or flat… But you know, we’ve seen his body basically lol

Silver – one of the better muscularly developed boys of the cast, but not as muscular as Jacks and Sebeks of this world. Still, he is muuuch more muscular than Aces and Deuces… He has round soft shoulders and small waist, but also strong hands and beefy thighs. He is also covered in small scars.

Sebek – BIG BOY, one of the biggest of the cast and still growing. All of his muscles are quite developed, but especially glutes, thighs, chest and arms. He has a very strong core, and he is wider in shoulders than Silver, which is one of the things that he is very proud about. He also has some scars, but not as many as Silver, because he regenerates better than Silver does.

Malleus – a long lizard boy lol his chest and arms muscles are the most pronounced ones on his body, his abs are visible, but the lower part of his body is more on a leaner side; of course that doesn’t mean that he doesn’t have noticeable and squishy thighs and butt, they are just not as huge as they could’ve been.

Crewel – he works out sometimes (when he isn’t too hangover to do so), but not to get super bulky: he is in great shape, has good muscle definition on the upper side of his body.

Trein – just grandpa :( Whatever he has underneath his robes will always be a mystery…

Che’nya – top-heavy, but not super muscular, I guess he just has broader shoulders and stuff. His legs seem too long sometimes, he is a bit… weird. But then again, at times he looks like a model lol

Neige –  no muscles, no nothing, just a lean boi that is also somehow soft and “friendly”. Not intimidating at all.

Rollo – a bit too skinny for his height, but not underweight. Broad shoulders, small waist, skinny long legs, also some scars on his body, mostly his back and thighs.

[lillysilvermoon]

What April will bring to you?

Pile 1

Hi pile 1! So I see that a lot of you are going through a difficult time in life. Some of you maybe are over thinkers and are feeling restricted by your own thoughts or a situation (for some I feel it's your environment that makes you feel this away). I think a lot of people here are going through end of cycles and has been really hard, especially because some of this ends are feeling like some kind of betrayal (I am so sorry Pile 1🥺) I feel like it is the end of friendship and relationship for a lot of you. BUT I have good news to y'all. This situation is because you are not seeing the BIG PICTURE, I know has been hard, believe me I know how it feels, but what I heard someone's guide say is "she is not realizing that SHE can figure it out! That's the lesson, it's all with her" and even tho not everyone reading this is a "her" I think this applies to a lot, really A LOT of you. Here me out: we can't control everything in life, endings can create space for new opportunities to emerge and hold on tight in this situation/relationship/thing will only cause you pain. April asks you go stabilize your energy, to try control less and go with the flow more. This month you bring you more balance and patience (for some it's what you will need to learn or work to be better at) and avoid extremes, maintain a sense of calm. I have a very good example: you know tiktok trend that "omg you wronged with me now I am the most BAD BICTH here me out are you seeing how bad I'm now?? Yeah now I hate you and don't care about anyone" it's what I'm talking about. Hate someone it's exhausting, and I'm NOT saying to have the toxic positive also, because this is a extreme too. Just.. focus on you in april okay? Focus on develope more patience, a calm mind and take care of yourself. April will be all about this, this "mind care" you know? And also to learn to go with the flow more, it's a big thing here.

April is about change, shapeshifting maybe, something is developing in y'alls lives. You know all this struggles and cycles? It's finalizing, and you know what the guide said about you can change the situation? This card here (it's from moonology oracle) says that YOU can still change the course of this outcome (you are in a toxic relationship and are thinking this is a sign that "ong I can change him/her blablabla" IT IS >NOT< but you can change the fact that you are in this relationship and put a end at it).

This card also talks about the need of more flexibility in situations.

I highly recommend to calm your mind because maybe will have some very emotional intense situations in this moment, maybe related to family issues (but don't worry, usually this card indicates the end of some challenge. It's also time to overcome your insecurities and stand up for yourself.

Signs: Roses, flowers, lake, oak trees (this was to specific lmao), landscape and horses (maybe you should check out Pile 2??) 4444, 6666, 222

Pile 2

Hi pile 2! Let's get into your reading, shall we?

So I think y'all have been working on something and its kind weighting on your shoulders. Maybe you are feeling overburdened, overloaded and/or having too much responsibilities and challenges, and because of this you feel like your life are lacking spontaneity... I HAVE GOOD NEWS!!!!!! I know has been hard, but you are almost there with whatever you are doing. April you brings to you lots and lots of good moments with family and friends, and for a very small group a lover (possible Soulmate connection) a feeling of true contentment you know? You will feel more confident and have the drive to overcome obstacles and moving forward in a very positive direction, I feel you will learn how to channel you inner power with very fierce dedication to bring your goals to fruition, and even tho will have work to do, will feel much more spontaneous and just happy in general, a sense of confidence in what you are doing. You will have more time to enjoy with friends and when is time to work again you'll be feeling happy and energized.

It's a moment to you stop and think abouts what you learned from your experiences rather than blindly forging ahead,you need to face your fears because they may be holding you back (you are also being called to listen to your feelings and allow your emotions to be free) it's important to you to have faith that whatever happens will be for the best. Some of you REALLY need time out for your own good and health, breathe, have time to relax because you just CAN'T be "on" all the damn time gosh, also if you feel you've hit an obstacle or failed in some way, now is the time to reflect about it and how you can do things differently next time (without judging yourself please, I feel I have to emphasize this a lot, don't be so hard on yourself you are just human)

Signs: books, wood/smelling of woods, barbie movies, color link, number 8 (I think it's a date, caterina, 222, 5555, 66, pisces, cancer

Pile 3

Hi Pile 3, welcome to your reading! I just saw 11:11 when I finished shuffling your cards and was like, literally just the time for to see it and then changed lmao. But let's get started! You may be in between 2 options or 2 paths and you don't know what to do, I think you have been daydreaming and procrastinating because of your indecisiveness and I have to be honest: you need to stop living in this wishful world. Pick and choose, but don't worry because your guides have your back, if you stop and really, REALLY be in silence (no music sir) and hear your intuition you will know which path to go, and be aware that I'm not saying will be easy, but your intuition will help a lot, I feel you may be a water sign because you got more cups, but you can just be very sentimental and make decisions based more on your heart and feelings (I got you🙌💗) and sometimes it's hard to decide where to go, what to do. I feel you need to put EVERYTHING aside, think what you wanna do? What would makes you happy? What you are good at? Those are good questions to begin with, maybe journaling would help too! I feel you maybe have to face you family disapproval depends on your choice and this is weight on you but honestly? It's your life and you have to do what YOU think it's better, because more you get older more you realize it's not worth be miserable just to make out parents/friends/etc happy. Really isn't. When you listen your intuition you will realize what you truly want, and will be easy to choose. April asks you this, and know that you shall succeed. If you are looking for a job or starting a business know that April may bring you a new start in this area, if you are unhappy it's the moment to look for something new and even tho you aren't thinking about work-related stuff it's a moment for a new plan or strategy, it's a moment to do long-term plans and think about where you want to be and who you want to be in the next 12 months, and take steps by this perspective (be realistic). And here this: you CAN be ambitious!!

You need to be more disciplined and realistic, it's also a good month to study or learn something new.

In general april brings you reflection to decide what you want, and once you have make your mind it's all yours, it's a very good month you just need to get off your head and make a choice.

For anyone facing a problem of any kind: it's reaching a solution and a fresh start in your private life is coming! It's also asked to you to take better care of yourself this month and nurture yourself more. And be aware of any insecurity you have, you need to work on them ie they will hold you back (maybe you can't make a decision because of this and as soon you take care of this you will be able to choose more calm!!) Its literally written in the book card that meditation may help with you with insecurities lmao I would give a try.

It's also a good month in family matters.

Oh, and one more thing: don't be to controlling and avoid people who are!

Signs: capricorn, cancer, water, earth, library, candles, green places, owl,55,1111, 22, 66

Pile 4

Hi Pile 4! April you be very rushing, you are progressing and gaining momentum. Lots of good moments and exciting times. If you are working on something you'll see results and you work and sleepless nights you be paying off (for some you may have some holiday romance 😏😏 there is any holidays coming? Here in my country it's just Easter - English is not my language and I actually had to go see how it's said because here it's called Pascoa lmao) you will be feeling more outgoing and full of energy (I am so happy for you Pile 4😭💗💗💗) and optimistic and independent. You will feel called to take charge of things and organize your life. Also, if you have problems to speak your truth, well, april it's looking at this problem and saying "bye bye🤭" because you will work on yourself and will stand up for you unafraid to speak up and be unapologetically you!

But I need y'all to pay attention because it's a general reading, and I see here that some of you might be turning down and refusing offering and after you can feel yearning and regret and then might start focusing on the negative. Don't do that! Sometimes, for a very big amount of reasons, we take decisions that we regret later (sometimes right after lol) but try to train your mind to think this away: it's experience. It's knowledge, take the lesson and live the rest behind with no regrets. If you need to take decisions this month don't be impulsive, contemplate and meditate over this and reevaluate what is best and important for you. Also focus on realizing what makes you feel bored or unhappy and make a change can help a lot.

And I have 2 options here: the first one is that you need to stan firm in whatever situation you are in (maybe you are recovering and things are kind hard) and the second one is that something is stuck, in this case you need to stop and think what is going wrong. Are you being stubborn and doing the same thing again just because worked in the past? If that's the case, it's time to try something new. Anything you are starting this month (business, relationships) may last longer. And you have a reminder to speak your truth (do you know that people who have womb can have problems if they don't speak? Thyroid problems too, This applies to a hell lot of stuff, feelings, traumas, anger. So please, speak. Put this out off you the better way you can) but remember the words you say have consequences and impact in the person who is hearing so be mindful. I also feel I should say this here: someone is interested in manifestation and use affirmations can help a lot, "your words are your wand, you create your own realitye every time you express yourself" (metaphysical Florence Scovel Shinn) so be mindful the away YOU talk to YOURSELF, say kind words to you even if you don't believe in them at first.

Signs: Gemini, fixed signs (taurus, leo, scorpio and aquarius), color red and orange, 444, 111, 333, 555, beach, oceans, trees and bicycles (?? Sometimes this readings are so specific that I just can't-)

Good april for all of you, I hope y'all be okay, happy and take care of yourselves (and drink you water please, also sleep well and eat right please. I worry about you all working too much) see you in my next reading.

Lots of love♡

- Lia

[soaps-mohawk]

oh my GOD. you were not kidding when you said that the end was good. it is genuinely one of the most beautiful things i think i have ever had the privilege of reading. the repetition makes your head spin, and it's such a cinematic thing to envision. you get to feel the determination to survive and prevail along with 'mega. something inside of her is so hard-wired to push on, like her soul refuses to give in. thank you for giving her a spirit than can't quite be quelled. you are absolutely extraordinary!!

anyways, about the rest of the chapter... i'm sensing that little spark between dr keller and ashley 😉 that was very cute!! also, the cow bit definitely did make me laugh. and that other anon got me thinking; somebody must've helped or at least noticed 'mega on her trek — but i'm so glad that she's by the sea, and that john remembered how she'd told him about it. he's still her alpha, still her lover, and i think that's so profoundly beautiful, despite the fact the bonds are fraying. i hope johnny gets a good hug soon, and that kyle is treated like absolute royalty for his efforts 😭 he genuinely is the best boy. john needs a cigarette and a cold cranberry juice, in my humble experience. simon deserves a proper cuddle. i bet scruffing her scared the shit out of him ☹️

anyways, how are you?? writing this on the walk to the field and hoping the horses aren't covered in mud 🙏 i hope all is well, pook!! lots and lots of love 💞

- 🪐

Aww thank you!!! Yeah, I'm very proud of that part and how it turned out. Really speaks volumes of where she is mentally and even physically. She's not going to give up despite the pain and exhaustion, and there's such a relief there too once she realized where she was. Literally made me cry writing it ngl.

Hehe...Dr. Keller and Ashley....perhaps 👀

They all are trying so hard and they all need a good pack snuggle in a big nest. Babies deserve a break. Price really does need a cigar though 😂 he'd stoop low enough to smoke a cigarette I think.

I'm alright. Adjusting to working again and the toll that takes mentally and physically. Hope the horses weren't all muddy (since this is getting answered late) 💚

[imabillyami]

Still thinking about this show, specifically about a conversation between them (main character and her friend) in Ep 9.

The whole thing made me feel so *seen* and I started crying uncontrollably cause YES. All of that! That’s how I constantly feel in this world!

Always overwhelmed and like I don’t fit and as if people attend some secret club where they learn how to do life and all these social interactions and rules and cues that I somehow keep messing up (and it always always always pisses people of that I don’t speak their secret language of silent expectations and assumed logical and rational behaviors).

Makes people look down at you constantly when you’re always three steps behind. And just… no matter how hard I’m trying to learn, I’m just never catching up. But it’s just so exhausting and confusing having to base your actions on the things people *don’t* say. Wouldn’t it make more sense if we all just actually said what we mean? Like… that would make things a lot easier objectively, wouldn’t it? And like… whose idea was this whole social etiquette and unspoken rules & cues anyway?

Anyway. I’m rambling.

-> My point: This convo is hands down the best moment on this entire show. <-

Convo under the cut. Spoiler alert 🚨

Harriet: *sees people laughing and making fun of Toby for his special interest*

Harriet: Toby, could I ask you something?

Toby: *walks up to talk*

H: Do you ever feel slightly lost? Or out of place like um… like a polar bear in a rainforest?

T: What kind of rainforest?

H: I don’t know, does it matter?

T: Yes, different rainforests have totally different vegetation. Some have more ground foliage in which case there’d be more uh, cutting plants with your paws, and… But yeah, you’re speaking metaphorically, aren’t you?

H: Yeah, I am.

T: Oh, yeah, okay. Got it. Then yes, yes I do.

H: You do?

T: Mm.

H: Because sometimes I feel like I’m made wrong. Um, or… or rather not wrong just… definitely different like I’m not made for here and I’m just constantly searching for somewhere safe, somewhere—

T: Snowy, where the other polar bears are.

M: Yeah. I don’t know how to find the other polar bears and it’s exhausting and scary and I just constantly feel like I’m wandering around on my own.

M: *stims by pulling her fingers*

T: *hands her his pocket watch (he uses for stimming), so she can stim with that*

M: *stims with pocket watch*

T: You’re not on your own. But I know someday it’s gonna be more… challenging than others.

M: *keeps fiddling with pocket watch*

T: Look, polar bears are awesome. Well, we’re the largest living land carnivores in the world. We’ve got big paws that we can use to catch fish out of rivers and given our genetic relation to European brown bears I think with a bit of practice we’re gonna climb trees too. Even the really tall ones.

M: But we still don’t fit in. And everyone else can see it. Does that not bother you, Tobes?

T: *long contemplating sigh*, *contemplating look at stage prop horse he’s still holding onto* Nope. *exhales deeply* The rainforest is a dangerous place, most animals end up getting eaten. Just try to enjoy being a polar bear. We can be quite powerful at times. Plus, though it’s not a specific category of competition, we do have the biggest, fluffiest paws.

H: *chuckles and smiles big and hands back the pocket watch* Thank you, Toby.

T: You’re so very welcome, Harriet.

H: And good luck.

T: Oh, thank you. *shakes horse and neighs before walking off*

[mariana-oconnor]

His Last Bow

Hey Tumblr,

I have 0 idea what happens in this story. Kind of hoping it's a bit like Curtain, the last Poirot story, because that's a bop. Well, it's very depressing, but I love the solution. Although I also really hope it isn't, because then Agatha Christie would have copied that and I really don't want that to be the case.

I also really want ACD to have done something insanely over the top and decisive to make it really clear that this time there would be no retconning. Like... idk, the world being invaded by aliens. Sherlock Holmes stealing the crown jewels and being executed for treason. Mycroft turning out to have been a double agent all along and destroying the entire British Empire.

I'm no longer feverish, although my lungs are still trying to propel themselves out of my body in a way that keeps leaving me a little asphyxiated, so that's fun. But no jellyfishifters this time I expect. Or sea turtles... Yeah, Idk either.

It was nine o'clock at night upon the second of August—the most terrible August in the history of the world.

Oh Watson, you sweet summer child. I bet I've seen worse Augusts. Even if Holmes does die in this one.

The sun had long set, but one blood-red gash like an open wound lay low in the distant west.

London... is now... a hellmouth?

Are we not in London? Is that the city from a distance. Where are we? Why is the sky split open? What is going on?

The two famous Germans stood beside the stone parapet of the garden walk...

The only two famous Germans. Ever. You know... those two.

Oh, so we're actually in the 'Sherlock is a spy' period. Weirdly I assumed that that was only going to be referenced. But no, we're actually going there.

So the red line is... the war front?

One of these was his present companion, Baron Von Herling, the chief secretary of the legation, whose huge 100-horse-power Benz car was blocking the country lane as it waited to waft its owner back to London.

Is the Baron compensating for something? Maybe.

But we're not in London and we're not near the war front, so... what is that red slash in the sky. Is it London?

This is probably not the mystery I am meant to be trying to solve. I should pay more attention to the espionage and less to the environs.

“They are not very hard to deceive,” he remarked. “A more docile, simple folk could not be imagined.”

Someone has not been down the pub when the home team is playing. Hoo boy. Docile is not a word I would use...

"One's first impression is that they are entirely soft. Then one comes suddenly upon something very hard, and you know that you have reached the limit and must adapt yourself to the fact."

That is, indeed, what she said.

“Meaning British prejudice in all its queer manifestations."

Oh boy. I don't think you mean what I'd mean by those words, but yet you have still brought upon me a great sense of national shame and wincing.

"I was invited to a week-end gathering at the country house of a cabinet minister. The conversation was amazingly indiscreet.”

Given the general level of OpSec shown by government workers, bankers, and just... everyone within these stories, I cannot say that this surprises me. I'm disappointed, but not surprised. The majority of government people we have met have been entire and total imbeciles in the matter of privacy, data protection and general best practices regarding secrecy.

“No, no, don't call it a pose. A pose is an artificial thing. This is quite natural. I am a born sportsman. I enjoy it.”

Ugh, I hate this guy.

“And all the time this quiet country house of yours is the centre of half the mischief in England, and the sporting squire the most astute secret-service man in Europe. Genius, my dear Von Bork—genius!”

I will say, they're commenting on other people not being discreet, and here they are just laying out everything without even a hint of subtlety. Using people's names. confirming their identities, confirming their true purposes. Unless this, in itself, is a subterfuge... They're not at a party, at least, I suppose.

“You flatter me, Baron. But certainly I may claim my four years in this country have not been unproductive. I've never shown you my little store. Would you mind stepping in for a moment?”

This all feels very Cask of Amontillado, don't you think?

Is Van Bork Sherlock?

He then closed the door behind the bulky form which followed him and carefully adjusted the heavy curtain over the latticed window. Only when all these precautions had been taken and tested did he turn his sunburned aquiline face to his guest.

Oh. My. God. Did someone just use basic security protocols to prevent someone from listening or looking in on them? Be still my beating heart. I might faint.

I am so confused about who is speaking right now. I need more dialogue tags. I have lost track. These two have merged into one very confused spy with multiple personalities. Or maybe just two heads. I don't know.

“Out of date and waste paper. The Admiralty in some way got the alarm and every code has been changed."

If that wasn't Sherlock or Mycroft, then I don't know who it was because every time the Admiralty has been in these stories they have been incompetent to the point of deliberate treason.

Will come without fail to-night and bring new sparking plugs. — —Altamont.

Is Altamont Holmes?

“You see he poses as a motor expert and I keep a full garage. In our code everything likely to come up is named after some spare part. If he talks of a radiator it is a battleship, of an oil pump a cruiser, and so on. Sparking plugs are naval signals.”

I take back that gif from earlier. Don't tell people the code words. Good grief, man! You've just compromised all of those phrases. I get that you're providing exposition for the audience, but still. STILL.

"I assure you that our most pan-Germanic Junker is a sucking dove in his feelings towards England as compared with a real bitter Irish-American.”

Fair.

...at a touch from the Baron's chauffeur the great car shivered and chuckled.

Is the car alive? I don't like this description.

“Those are the lights of Harwich, I suppose,” said the secretary, pulling on his dust coat.

THANK YOU!

It's Harwich... No hellmouth, just Harwich. Mystery solved.

"The heavens, too, may not be quite so peaceful if all that the good Zeppelin promises us comes true."

Oh, you mean the bustle in the hedgerow? No... don't be alarmed about that. It's just a spring clean for the May Queen. Or if you're talking about the piper, he's just leading us to reason. It's really nothing to be worried about.

...beside it, seated at a table, was a dear old ruddy-faced woman in a country cap. She was bending over her knitting and stopping occasionally to stroke a large black cat upon a stool beside her. “That is Martha, the only servant I have left.” The secretary chuckled. “She might almost personify Britannia,” said he, “with her complete self-absorption and general air of comfortable somnolence."

Is Martha Holmes?

Honestly, that makes a lot of sense.

Or Holmes could be the kitty cat.

It was a new experience to him, the silence and darkness of his widespread house, for his family and household had been a large one. It was a relief to him, however, to think that they were all in safety and that, but for that one old woman who had lingered in the kitchen, he had the whole place to himself.

DANCE PARTY TIME

“You can give me the glad hand to-night, mister,” he cried. “I'm bringing home the bacon at last.”“The signals?”“Same as I said in my cable. Every last one of them, semaphore, lamp code, Marconi—a copy, mind you, not the original."

No. No. No.

This is not how you do a treasonous handover of government secrets. I don't care how empty you think the goddamned house is. You don't say the actual thing. YOU USE THE CODEWORDS. THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE CODES. YOU UTTER NUMPTIES!

Fuck you both. You're morons. What even is this? This isn't espionage. This is slapstick.

Good lord.

I... I despair.

I guess if you're this good at it, then it's no wonder that even the bloody Admiralty managed to get a clue.

Mycroft's probably been feeding you information for years, you muppets.

It's the incompetence that gets to me, it really is. If you're going to be moustache twirling evil German spies then at least have the self-respect and decency to be good at it.

This is pathetic.

The Irish-American had entered the study and stretched his long limbs from the armchair. He was a tall, gaunt man of sixty, with clear-cut features and a small goatee beard which gave him a general resemblance to the caricatures of Uncle Sam. A half-smoked, sodden cigar hung from the corner of his mouth, and as he sat down he struck a match and relit it.

Oh yeah, this is Holmes, isn't it?

You couldn't even pretend to be good at being a traitor?

“So it's not quite as simple as you thought. It was four years ago that I had it made, and what do you think I chose for the word and figures?”

O

h

m

y

g

o

d

Tell me you're not about to do what I think you're about to do.

Please.

Tell me you have one braincell in your tiny head. PLEASE. You cannot be this dumb. YOU CANNOT BE!

“Well, I chose August for the word, and 1914 for the figures, and here we are.”

And you're being dumb by trying to show off how smart you are. That's the worst kind.

“How could they have got on to Steiner?” he muttered. “That's the worst blow yet.”

You literally just told a man your safe combination. I don't know what to tell you, my dude. Maybe you're just bad at this.

Then he sat dazing for a moment in silent amazement at a small blue book which lay before him. Across the cover was printed in golden letters Practical Handbook of Bee Culture. Only for one instant did the master spy glare at this strangely irrelevant inscription. The next he was gripped at the back of his neck by a grasp of iron, and a chloroformed sponge was held in front of his writhing face.

“Another glass, Watson!” said Mr. Sherlock Holmes as he extended the bottle of Imperial Tokay. The thickset chauffeur, who had seated himself by the table, pushed forward his glass with some eagerness.

Didn't call the chauffeur being Watson. Discounted him as Holmes for being too thickset. I guess since it's indicated Watson might have written this one I should have thought about Watson as well. Genuinely didn't think he'd be in this one, though.

"There is no one in the house except old Martha, who has played her part to admiration."

So Martha was working for Holmes this whole time. I think she wins the prize for being the best spy in the story.

"I shall no doubt reappear at Claridge's to-morrow as I was before this American stunt—I beg your pardon, Watson, my well of English seems to be permanently defiled—before this American job came my way.”

Oh no! Holmes used the word 'stunt' how scandalously unEnglish of him!

"The fact is, Watson, that this gentleman upon the sofa was a bit too good for our people."

Guess the Admiralty is worse than even I gave them credit for.

The last remark was addressed to Von Bork himself, who after much gasping and blinking had lain quietly listening to Holmes's statement. He broke out now into a furious stream of German invective, his face convulsed with passion.

No... no... Holmes. You're not monologuing in front of the enemy prisoner. Don't do that. I believed in you.

"And yet I live and keep bees upon the South Downs.”

...don't tell him where you live...

I give up.

“And most of that information came through you,” he cried. “What is it worth? What have I done? It is my ruin forever!” “It is certainly a little untrustworthy,” said Holmes. “It will require some checking and you have little time to check it. Your admiral may find the new guns rather larger than he expects, and the cruisers perhaps a trifle faster.”

god fucking dammit

Why are you telling him about the misinformation? The misinformation is meant to misinform. That's why it's called misinformation. You're undoing half of the work you did.

I... guys... guys, I just can't.

“My dear sir, if you did anything so foolish you would probably enlarge the two limited titles of our village inns by giving us ‘The Dangling Prussian’ as a signpost. The Englishman is a patient creature, but at present his temper is a little inflamed, and it would be as well not to try him too far."

Did he just threaten Van Bork with hanging. By referencing a possible pub name? A+ threat, but yikes.

The two friends chatted in intimate converse for a few minutes, recalling once again the days of the past, while their prisoner vainly wriggled to undo the bonds that held him.

They just... they just left him alone.

And went and had a chat.

I don't even know why I thought they'd drive him away immediately. Why would they?

"I have a check for five hundred pounds which should be cashed early, for the drawer is quite capable of stopping it if he can.”

Such a weird line to end this on. OK then Holmes. Go cash your cheque.

And that was the last of the short stories... It didn't quite have the same poignancy as Curtain. But it certainly gave me a lot to talk about.

This has been a really fun year and I've loved writing these up - and spending far too long finding gifs and sometimes making my own memes when I couldn't find the precise thing I needed to say.

If you've read all of these, I have no idea why, but Hi! 2023 was certainly a year, wasn't it? Thanks to all of you. It's been really fun reading comments and learning things when people added to the notes to answer questions I'd asked.

I hear we're doing the novels next year. I have definitely actually read all of those. But I do get them all mixed up, and I will have forgotten a lot of them. I think I also signed up for another substack, but right now I can't even remember which one. That'll be a fun surprise.

Hope you all had a good, or at least not terrible, 2023. And I hope we all have a better 2024.

Happy (almost) New Year!

[atrophiedemotion]

hey Cast! uh so this ask is about. alien stage. but imma send you another about some random shit because why not. anyways

the tags that you had on that previous post with me and plip (the one about ivan and till and how they show honesty differently and how we know about their characters a different amount because of how forthcoming or not they are) and my question for you is, how many of Ivan's actions do you think are representative of his true emotions? I don't think his body language, in general, is very forthcoming but I do agree that his actions can be pretty revealing (he strikes me as an acts of service person especially with trying to escape with Till) but uh yeah I'm wondering if there are any specific examples that you think of as being revealing of his actual thoughts or specific examples of him pretending to be someone else?

thanks for listening to me yap uh I hope you're doing well and that you have an awesome day!

rock... oh boy... this is gonna be a long one. wonderful question. thank you for the ask, i hope you have a great day as well!!

so, i didn't fully explain in the tags because i didn't want to write a full length essay on plip's post (ty plip for dealing w the rambling)(i was also very tired so i wasn't fully articulate lmao) but i meant that ivan shows his emotions through the outcomes/projected outcomes of his actions. he certainly isn't very forthcoming in the way he acts and portrays himself, but there is undeniable truth in the intent and meaning behind everything he does, even things that seem counterproductive.

i think that since ivan genuinely cannot fully be upfront and honest (due to trauma, his lack of self worth, and his decided survival strategy) his main truths show in the deeper meaning of the things he does for other people and himself. with ivan, it is all about intent. i've said before that the only way to understand ivan is to dig deeper and this is very much true here. he uses a lot of subterfuge to throw people off from his actual intentions, but they're there.

ivan often uses unconventional, roundabout ways to achieve his goals/get what he wants- especially when they mean something to him. he is a guy who is caked in layers upon layers of meaning only if you pull back the acres of curtains he's covered them with. he doesn't want people to know what goes on in his head, so he covers it up valiantly. this is due to his low self esteem of course, but also full on survival. in order for his plans to work, no one can be in on it. no one can know what he's thinking. all of his true feelings and thoughts need to be hidden in order to achieve success, but in the end it's fucking hard to not leave a trace of your true feelings.

with all that being said, examples!

the biggest and most obvious examples are mainly related to till (of course they are) and i also feel like they're the most telling. ivan's teachers specifically pointed out that he was only childish around till (they were relieved by it, too, because he was so damn serious the rest of the time and didn't behave like a child should). ivan has the hardest time hiding his true emotions around till, which makes sense, because till makes him feel the most emotion when his are always dulled. that doesn't stop him from going the 'i must hide my crush by pulling his pigtails' route but, y'know.

since most of these are talked about frequently and i dont want to keep beating a dead horse in an already long post, here's a (hopefully) brief list:

-the biggest one, the meteor shower. going through all of that to escape with till, specifically during a meteor shower that it seemed ivan was desperate to show till (to introduce his shooting stars to each other or smth im sure). ivan offered till freedom and denied himself of it when till turned around and he followed him back without question.

-his good behavior can arguably be considered to be due, in part, to the perks an obedient pet gets. this isn't just a till thing but ivan's obedience is very telling of his need and drive for survival, which considering his uhh,, track record is likely largely so he can protect till. gaining perks and learning insider information, like how to take collars off and gain access to isolation cells, assist him in assisting and caring for till.

-the sometimes silent companionship they share. the way ivan will poke at him to get his outright attention but is still at times satisfied with just existing in till's space and enjoying his presence says a lot about his genuine adoration and admiration of till

-his sacrifice. i don't think i need to say much about this as it's pretty self explanatory lmao but it is a Great example of what im trying to convey. ivan does honest things and has to cover them up at the same time. the 'violence' was to end the round of course, but it was also kind of like a familiar bandaid over the painfully honest feelings he conveyed with the kiss. even if he didn't really hurt him he couldn't just be honest

there are definitely more (most everything he does in regards to till tbh) but i wanted to talk about some others too

the comic conversation with sua about her sacrifice! such a big one. ivan's feelings about sua are very complicated, but to me i feel like he cares about her to an extent, almost pitying in a way. he's horribly jealous of her and the love she has, but he sees so much of himself in her that what he says in that conversation is probably at least half projection, even if he's not aware of it.

the way he looks at her without trying to hide his distaste feels like the way he would look down on himself. the whole thing shows not only his disgust with himself, but his anger towards someone who is so similar to him that she makes the same plans in her head even though she has something he believes he'll never have. it's envy, tried and true, and he doesn't even hide it at the time. he hides the self loathing behind it, but still. that might be the most honest we've seen ivan aside from the end of r6.

that conversation also does kind of show the fact that he cares for sua and mizi. sua in a way he acknowledges less to himself, but certainly mizi.

and speaking of mizi, my last example for right now is the way he watched round 5 like he was barely holding it together and sort of did his own recreation of it in round 6. the strangling was reminiscent of the way mizi lunged at luka and he almost certainly got the idea for his method of sacrifice from what she did. it kind of feels like an ode to her, in a way. an ode to mizi while offering himself up for till, which. is very sad but almost a little sweet, that he had a piece of mizi in what he was doing for till.

okay okay im sure i could keep talking about this but ive been writing for. a long time LMAO so i will stop here but! yeah. ivan shows his emotions inadvertently through his actions and about fifty levels of subterfuge. but it's all we get, so...

thank you for the ask again my dude, i really enjoyed answering it!

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Walking Shell

Debut: Rayman 2: The Great Escape

Hello! This is not a pencil. I know it looks very much like one. Please try to keep pencil thoughts to yourself until the reception after the post, where we WILL be serving tiny hot dogs. If you didn't think this looked like a pencil before, I'm sorry that now you'll only be able to see a pencil. But this is a missile! Shell, like a bombshell! Get it? Yeah! Ok.

It is a very cute and lovable missile, too! This is what Mario does to us. It makes it normal for missiles and bombs and bullets to be cute. This missile even has a skull-style emblem of the Bad Guy on its back... but it has legs! It is Walking Shell, after all! And that's not even the best and most precious part...

It has a DOGHOUSE!!! What the heck! This missile is literally an animal. Someone makes little houses for these missiles to sleep in. I think they are beloved! Even if they are just sort of like guard dogs, being Enemies stationed at certain points, I love to see such in-universe appreciation for a dawdling deathtrap.

When a Walking Shell senses Rayman (I think it should have the ability to Smell), it becomes a Running Shell, and really books it with those funny little legs it has! And with every footstep a lovely tock-tock-tock sound. They're gonna getcha! Gonna getcha! Until they get tuckered out. They stop running and just stand there, bobbing up and down, like they're panting!

I'm sure you're familiar with the classic All Animals Are Dogs trope, where regardless of species, an animal in a piece of media acts like a dog instead of its actual species (unless it's a cat, I guess). And boy, does that get tiring. I love dogs! But they are the only animals that act like dogs, because they are the animals that are dogs!

Anyway, Walking Shell acts like a dog, but THIS is a missile with two legs and no other features whatsoever! It's such a novel thing to act like a dog! A real innovation in the Thing That Acts Like A Dog department! With its two legs and pointed front, I would think if anything it would act like a chicken, and "peck" the ground as an idle animation, or something. But don't worry, farmheads! Look!

After it gets tired, Rayman can mount the Walking Shell, and it will rear up and neigh like a horse! Real dogs do not become horses. Yes, I do know many animal facts, why do you ask? Walking Shell will then cheese it and run over any terrain at high speeds! Sadly, the goal of these sections is to guide it into a wall so that it will explode on impact and destroy the wall. And that's so sad!!!

Yeah, this is a missile, it's destined to explode, but they also made a point of portraying it as an animal, a creature, one that can even be befriended. It's almost like if the Yoshi Dismount Jump was necessary to end every level where Yoshi was found. I think Rayman should adopt a Walking Shell, and walk it on a leash, and literally just let it be a dog. But be careful it doesn't bump into anything too hard!

Welcome to TOY CORNER. Toys are an important part of Walking Shell's history! Rayman is, obviously, a nightmare to design toys of. You could have strings to represent his floaty hands and feet, but then he doesn't look like Rayman, he looks like Ol' Strings Fer Arms Raym'n, who is not real! So, they had to get creative. And it worked, I think! In toy form, Rayman is always accompanied by some kind of prop that his hands and feet can be directly attached to. It may limit play possibilities, but it's better than the alternative, which is nothing. I hope you are getting excited reading this tangent on a post about Rayman's funny steed...!

Here it is! Walking Shell McDonald's Toy, for you to enjoy! The legs are sort of sticking straight out, but it is still unmistakably our friend. The exhaust pipe can be turned to make it go forward and occasionally turn in circles!

Gee. What a great concept. They get to put Rayman's hands and feet somewhere secure, and we get to know there are Walking Shell toys out there! It would be great if they did this again.

Wow! They did this again! This time in plush form! Walking Shell is truly just a creature so nice you gotta make a toy of it twice. This plush fascinated me for a few reasons. First, it's from Rayman 3, and Walking Shell is only in the GBA version of that game, which is absolutely not the Main version, and yet it gets toy spotlight again (this is a good thing). Second, it is directly modeled after the McDonald's toy, with the legs in the exact same position. I am intrigued by this, like, translating a McDonald's toy into a more "real" toy, if that makes sense.

Would you let Walking Shell sniff your hand? Be careful!

[alma-amentet]

OK, I think I'm officially done.

Last two days were awful. I'm mentally shattered and exhausted. Was getting better from prev time, but then... Yesterday I was just a click away from blocking a person, but in the end decided to hold. Blocked a tag instead, that was it (lrb, yeah).

So today she blocked me herself. I don't blame anyone (trying to not be hard on myself... bc yeah I tend to blame myself first thing. Hope this post doesn't add nails to my coffin lid, I'm just trying to speak abt my POV and not make it worse). It was 1:1, cultist 🤝 d*ckrider.

Yet still feel very bitter. We were nice and supportive in the past, that was the reason I hesitated, but recently it was only triggering. I nearly cried bc of her posts not once! Tried to be understanding, yet couldn't stop taking it personally. We had several talks, it wasn't helping. I know it's my own problem. My bad is that I haven't taken measures earlier (like explaining everything and parting peacefully). I too didn't want to loose nice moots... Even if it's obviously no longer nice. I'm not some vile toxic bitch (or stupid paladin hell yeah), you know, I have feelings, too. And everyone makes mistakes.

Maybe all for good. In the end, still hard.

The thing is I reblogged another post from a person she's had troubles with, she took it personally. OK that one was really too harsh, but then, me seeing all those posts about stupid brainwashed Miquella cultists day by day felt no different. I actually did a repost while still half asleep, maybe it was my subconscious reply to what was yesterday.

Guess I just happened to be on the wrong side, with people who did her wrong. They did nothing to me, I wasn't going to take sides at all (like discussing people behind their backs, bullying and such). Interacting with them really helps easing my frustration over the DLC, while trying to find sense in it really doesn't. I lost all that sense.

I totally don't judge people who keep doing it, even envious to some point. Would like just to stay dwelling peacefully in AUs, fixes and pre-DLC lore bc not ready to ditch this interest (actually now even afraid it may die with all this turmoil). Hate is not an option, but to me, all that 'disco horse' was also not easy to take, no better than people it was judging.

So yeah, all for good in the end. 1:1, like I said.

As for that reblog. I did it bc yeah, venting and ranting is my way of coping. It really helps. To feel not alone, to relieve the stress. Yet I never adrresed of called names anyone myself. And then... I explained enough already: was half asleep and really pissed off by previous day's stuff on my dash which happened not even once, that's it.

[sombersummerskies]

A Champion's Love: Chapter 40

Chapter 40: Farewell

Word Count: 4408

CW: None

Want all the chapters? -> Masterlist

~~~ <> ~~~

The newspaper crumples in your grasp at such speed that it makes the soldiers in front of you flinch with surprise. You blink your eyes as you feel your heart begin to race in your chest. It all makes sense. The whispering, the gossip, the sinking feeling you’d been having since you awoke.

One of the soldiers attempts to speak up, “umm… captain-”

“Take the day off,” you quickly interrupt him, voice tense as you fold the newspaper once more.

The trainees all seem confused. “What do you mean?” another asks.

“Take the day off,” you repeat, stressing each syllable as the words come out of your mouth like a hiss, “sleep, go fishing, take a hike- I don’t care! If anyone asks for me, tell them I left on a trip.”

Before any of them can ask you further questions you climb up the ladder and stomp your way over to the laboratory. No one attempts to bother you, a very clear aura of negative energy emanating from you as you march through the fortress. Once inside you grab a bag and begin to pack the necessities for a day of travel.

On the paper is spare parchment and ink. In quick, messy handwriting you leave a note for the princess to explain your sudden absence. Various ink blotches stain the page from how your hands shake as you scrawl across the paper.

Digging through your belongings you grab the final few things you need before you storm out the door, slinging the travel pack over your shoulder. At the mini-stable Persephone seems to notice your anger as she nervously slides her hooves on the ground as you strap the saddle onto her. As you secure all of the buckles you can hear faint whispering from the nearby shop.

“... can you believe it? That Zora prince is engaged!” “Yeah, and _____ looks pissed about it, do you think she knew?” “Serves her right, it says here in the newspaper that the engagement was arranged years ago. The knight’s been flirting with a taken man.” “What, no way! How scandalous!”

You turn your head and glare daggers at the gossipers, who turn out to be a Hylian man and woman. The pair seem visibly embarrassed when they realize you’ve overheard them but neither dare to attempt to apologize to you. They simply turn their heads the other way and lower their voices. You fight the tears that threaten to well in your eyes as you grab your horse’s reins and guide her out of the fortress.

Persephone gallops at breakneck speeds as you push her to her limits, faster than you’ve ever made her in the past. With one hand you cling to her saddle and with the other, you wipe away the tears that won’t stop spilling down your face. Your steed dashes across the many bridges that connect the roads between Central Hyrule and the Lanaryu Region.

This couldn’t be happening. You couldn’t bring yourself to believe it. All of this time waiting, pining, aching, hoping, wishing, praying- all for him to be taken from you in the end. Was it some kind of joke you weren’t in on? A prank everyone was playing on you? Were the goddesses laughing at you from up above, treating you like a pawn in the game they played with the universe?

Would you show up in Zora’s Domain and be the laughingstock of the region? Being belittled for ever believing you had a chance to be with their prince? Or would no one even acknowledge your presence, treating you as if you were empty air?

You flick the reins once more and gasp as Persephone rears back, standing on her hind legs with a loud whinny and knocking you right off the saddle. You fall onto the ground with a grunt, the wind knocked clean out of your lungs. You’d pushed the steed too hard, watching through bleary eyes as she trots away and angrily stomps on the dirt.

As you attempt to sit up you choke, throat tight from the crying as you try to gulp down fresh breaths of air. You claw at the ground as you crawl toward your horse before slowly wobbling your way back onto your feet. You lean against her side, still panting as you try to steady your heart once more.

“Sorry… I’m sorry,” you apologize to her, “I shouldn’t… have you made you go that fast. I just… I need to get to the domain…”

Persephone turns her head. She seems to examine you before lifting her snout and huffing, blowing air onto your tear-stained cheeks. Apology accepted, you supposed. She allows you back onto the saddle and you resume the journey, albeit at a slightly slower pace.

The morning sun was still rising in the East. The skies were clear, the roads were peaceful, and families of birds flew up in the sky. By all accounts, it should have been a beautiful day. But you felt anything but.

You only had a short while to prepare mentally prepare yourself for your arrival in Zora’s Domain.

…

Your nerves feel as if they’re on fire as you slowly walk down the Great Zora Bridge. At the entrance to the domain, Gaddison stands watch performing her duties as a guard. She gives you a smile and a wave of greeting, and you force yourself to smile in return. You nervously adjust the strap of the bag on your shoulder.

As you walk through the plaza many of the Zora offer you greetings. You can’t shake the guilt you feel as you fake your happiness and wave to all of them. It’s an especially hurtful pang in your heart when some of the children run up, thrilled to see you, asking about where you’d been all of this time. It takes you a moment to shake off Tumbo, who seemed to want to cling to your leg as he excitedly spoke about his day-to-day activities.

Once you manage to escape the crowd you make your way up the stairs and wince when you see some of the elders standing near the goddess statue. You brace yourself for the encounter as you walk up to them.

“You dare show your face around here, Hylian?” one elder, with a sawfish snout, sneers at you, “have you not heard the news? What more could you need from us?”

Though your body shakes with upset you attempt to steady your voice as you reply, “I’m not here to cause any trouble. I have something to return to Prince Sidon. I do not want to risk embarrassing him in front of his citizens, so please, could you find him and ask him to meet me in the highlands?”

The councilmen look at one another with odd expressions you can’t quite read. Another turns back to you and retorts, “how do we know you mean him no harm?”

You want to scream. You want to yell and throw them to the ground and rant and cry and vent your frustrations about everything you’ve had to endure for years. But you don’t. You know better. This is a fight you’re losing, and there’s nothing that you can do to change the tides of battle.

Your hands shake as you clench your fists and narrow your eyes. Though you continue to speak as calmly as you can muster, there’s a subtly contained rage behind your words, “I am not foolish enough to even attempt such a thing. All I’ll do is return the item and say my goodbyes. And then I will leave.”

The elders turn to one another once more and have a hushed, whispered conversation. After what feels like an eternity the one who resembles a sawfish finally addresses you once more. “Very well,” he says, an annoyingly chipper tone in his voice, “we will send a guard to relay this information to him. You may go.”

There’s confidence in his words as he dismisses you. It annoys you to the point of wanting to punch him in the jaw- but, once again, you force yourself to remain level-headed. “Please. And do actually inform him this time. I do not want to be forced to wait again.”

The elder rolls his eyes as if you’re inconveniencing him, “of course, yes yes, now go, little Hylian.”

Your anger is barely concealed as you walk away from the palace, swiftly exiting the domain by using the western bridge. Once away from the other Zora, you drop the act, a scowl on your features as you approach the rock. Stubbornly, and out of spite, you hike up the stone walls by hand, fingers digging in the rock as you hoist yourself up higher and higher.

Within the hour you find yourself at the top of the domain’s northern waterfall. You look up at the sun and judge that it must be the afternoon by now. Your stomach feels tight, but you’re too preoccupied to figure out if it’s from anxiety or from hunger- after all, you had skipped breakfast in your haste to make it to Zora’s Domain.

You peer down over the edge of the cliffs, the waterfall stretching before you for what feels like a mile. The palace of the domain seems so smooch smaller from this perspective, at this vantage point you stand taller than even the tip of its beautifully sculpted tail. There’s a deep sadness in your heart as you gaze down on it. A small part of you wonders if this is the last time you would ever see it.

When your balance begins to wobble you quickly step away from the cliffside. You’re not particularly in the mood for a fall, even if there’s water that will catch you. With a sigh you walk away, opting to sit at the edge of Toto Lake instead. You set your bag beside you and look at the water, your eyes idly following the fish that swim just beneath the surface.

You try not to track how much time passes. If you do you fear you may falter and back away rather than speak with the prince one more time. Instead, you try to calm your nerves, though it’s easier said than done. You nervously tap your foot and you have to force yourself to unclench your hands as your nails have begun to painfully dig into your palms.

It’s only when you hear footsteps in the grass that your entire body freezes.

Ever so slowly you peer over your shoulder. Your heart skips when you lock eyes with none other than Sidon himself. His yellow eyes stare back at you, his face carrying an expression of concern.

There’s a tiny voice in the back of your head that’s screaming for you to run away. Every muscle in your body feels tense, like an animal of prey that is ready to dart away at any moment. You silence the voice. You’re better than this. You are the Hero of Hyrule, and you’ll be damned if you ever run from battle- even one such as this.

You rise to your feet and turn to face him. You noticed a few changes since you had last seen him. A few new scars littered his body, presumably from battle. White gloves decorated his arms and his sash had been traded for new adornments which sat on his neck and chest. Your heart begins to race and you force yourself to look away, already finding yourself distracted by his presence alone.

He utters your name and you physically flinch, eyes shut tight. You couldn’t bear to hear him say it. Not like this. Not after all this time.

“You know,” you mutter, staring at the grass, “a warning would have been nice.”

Though you’re unable to see his face you can tell that your tone of voice catches him off guard.

“Pardon?” he asks.

At this you finally jolt, staring him dead in the eyes. You reach over and grasp your travel pack, ripping it open and digging out this morning’s edition of the Lucky Clover Gazette. You toss the stack of papers toward him, watching as they land at his feet. You watch as his eyes skim over the front page.

“This is how I had to find out?” you say, anger rising in your throat, “you couldn’t even say it to my face? Do you think that’s fair to me?”

He staggers back, flicking his gaze between the newspaper and you. “I had meant to tell you myself-” he replies, “I only just agreed to the engagement. I was not made aware that this would be published-”

“Then assume that one of your councilmen spread the word about it,” you retort, crossing your arms, “did you even think about how this would affect me?”

“Of course I did,” he says, voice barely louder than a whisper, “it’s all I could bear to think of. I tried everything that I could.”

The look he gives you tugs at your heart. You know that he’s not who your anger should be directed at. You know he doesn’t deserve your vitriol. And yet you can’t stop. It’s as if a dam has burst within you, and all of the sadness and pain you’ve had to endure has been warped into vile, vicious venom to be spat out.

“Do you know what’s being said about me? While you’re getting engaged I get to be the center of common gossip- my own soldiers are whispering about me, mocking me. People are talking about me as if I’m some kind of floozy, that I’ve been flirting with a taken man, talking about me like I’m some kind of home wrecker!” you shout, gaze fierce as you stare back at the prince.

Sidon takes a few steps closer to you, “I did not mean for this- I spoke with the council so many times, I begged for them to find some other way to maintain the alliance-”

You roll your eyes at the mention of the elders, “the council is lucky that I give a damn about their reputations- about your reputation. I have half the mind to march down there and tell them exactly what I think-”

“Please,” he interrupts you with a somewhat exasperated look, “there’s no need for that. We cannot be unreasonable-”

You laugh. It’s a sharp, tired cackle. “Unreasonable? Unreasonable!” you repeat, narrowing your eyes at him, “the love of my life is being stolen from me by the archaic practice of arranged marriages, and you want to say that I am the one being unreasonable?”

“I did not mean it that way,” he sighs, raising his hands defensively.

“Then please, Prince Sidon,” you respond, saying his name with such formality it’s uncomfortable, “elaborate. Because I have been kept in the dark for years now. I don’t get to speak with you in what feels like an eternity and then next thing I know you’re engaged!”

“And I did not want it to go this way!” he retorts, finally raising his voice in turn, “this is the last thing I wanted! I did not want to lose someone I loved so dearly again! I have worked tirelessly to earn the favor of the council and change their minds- but they have been rigid. My hand was forced.”

You cross your arms and cast your gaze aside. The fiery anger inside of you was slowly dissipating into a faint, ebbing sadness. “... did they force you into this? Into the engagement? Or did you choose it in the end?” you ask, voice softened.

There’s a hesitation before he answers, “... I chose this. It was not easy. But I did.”

Your voice finally cracks, “why make me wait? I’ve felt so alone during all this time- I spent so many nights in tears. Was there a point to any of it?”

You blink and as you look up you realize that the prince is standing in front of you. You force yourself to meet his gaze and you feel your heart break when you see the sorrow in his eyes and tears that threaten to fall. You couldn’t bring yourself to be mad at him.

This isn’t fair to either of you.

There was a question that had been lingering in your mind. It had embedded itself in your darkest thoughts ever since Sidon had returned from his diplomatic mission. You had been too scared to ask. But, this may have been your last chance. You suck in a shallow breath before you speak.

“Do you love her?”

The question visibly takes him aback. He reaches out, placing his hands on either side of your face. You feel yourself quiver beneath his touch.

He shakes his head, “no, she’s a friend, and nothing more. It’s nothing in comparison to my feelings for you.”

“... I think that makes this hurt even more,” you mumble, heart pounding loud enough to hear it in your own ears, “... why did this have to happen? Why us?”

Sidon sighs, his hands collecting the tears that slid down your cheeks, “we are bound by birth to your duties. Yours is to Hyrule and Princess Zelda. Mine is… to the Zora people and our domain.”

You knew that this was the answer. And you couldn't stand it. You loathed that this was the truth. Was this simply your fate? Destined to bear the sword, protect the princess, be a hero to the people- but never to live your own life or make your own choices.

With a sniffle, you step back, though it pains you to move away from the prince. You grab your bag once more which seems to confuse him. Though it stings your heart, you know you have to do this.

You lift up the Zora armor and hold it out to him. You hear his gasp.

“Please,” you whisper with a choked sob, “take it, please. I can’t keep this. It hurts to even look at.”

“Dearest-” he starts as he grasps the armor, though you quickly shake your head.

“Sidon, don’t-” you wince, “I can’t- not anymore- it hurts. This hurts.”

You try to turn and walk away though he quickly grabs your arm to stop you. “Sidon,” you repeat his name pleadingly, “we can’t do this-”

Yet, just as you turn your head- he kisses you.

You can’t bring yourself to pull away. You lean against him with a whimper, your legs shaking as he wraps his arms around you in support. It’s passionate, filled with longing. Your fingers trace along the cold metal of his silver adornment. His hands grip onto you as he cradles you against him.

You murmur his name, just barely pulling away, “Sidon we can’t- you’re engaged now.”

This finally makes him still. He loosens his hold, though noticeably he hesitates before doing so.

“What if someone sees us?” you ask as you slowly back away, “what would they think?”

His eyes are desperate as they look at you. He whispers your name as if it's a prayer and you want nothing more than to run back into his arms. But you don’t let yourself.

“I… I have to go,” you mutter, chest tight with pain.

“Please,” he begs, “just once more, please-”

You shake your head, “we have our duties, Sidon. Return to yours.”

It hurts. You don’t want to push him away. You know deep down you want nothing more than to selfishly keep him all to yourself- but you know the harm that would cause.

The prince lifts the Zora armor in his hands, fingers carefully tracing over the detailing and scales. He looks up at you and though it's cowardly you can’t bear to look back. You can’t bear to see the grief-stricken expression.

You attempt to clear your hoarse throat before speaking on final utterance to him.

“Goodbye, Sidon.”

And as you grab your bag and turn around, he responds.

“Farewell, my love.”

…

When you returned to Lookout Landing you didn’t even attempt to enter the fortress. You couldn’t face anyone, not with how you felt. You’d simply deposited Persephone at the mini-stable and snuck around. Now you found yourself in the ruins of Hyrule Castle Town, north of the landing. Luckily for you all of the construction workers had already left for the night.

An inky sky full of stars hung over you and yet you couldn’t bring yourself to admire its beauty. Crickets chirped as you listened to the trickling water of the nearby moat. You sat on the edge of an old building’s crumbling foundation. Your hands fidgeted with a scrap piece of bandage as you stared daggers into the ground.

“I thought I might find you here.”

You nearly jump at the sound of the voice. When you peer over your shoulder, you are met with a gentle gaze and green eyes. The princess smiled pitifully at you.

“I heard of what happened,” she continues, gravel crunching under her boots as she walks beside you, “would you like to be alone, or…”

It begins as a small sniffle. Then a quiet whimper as the tears well in your eyes. And before you know it you’re sobbing in Zelda’s arms. She holds you gently as you cry out, an absolute mess as you cling to her. The princess does not speak, allowing you to let it all out, comfortingly running her hand up and down your back.

“It hurts. Why does it hurt like this,” you sob, fingers gripping onto her coat, “my heart- I can’t take it- I don’t want this-”

Was this the price you had to pay for performing your role? You didn’t choose this, it was forced upon you. Were you really forsaking the goddesses, your duty, your birthright, just by falling in love?

Once your well of tears has dried out Zelda continues to silently take care of you. She wipes dirt and dust off of you and plucks grass and leaves that had stuck to your clothing after a day of travel. With a handkerchief, she gently cleans your face.

“I am so sorry that I cannot do more to help,” she says, “I fear that all I can offer you is distractions as your heart heals itself.”

“It’s not like it’s your fault,” you mutter.

“Even still,” she replies, brushing your hair back, “now then, how does this sound? You can rest in the laboratory tonight, and I will bring you supper from the shelter. I was thinking that tomorrow we could begin our investigation beneath the castle, but, I completely understand if you need time to rest instead.”

You shake your head, “no, no, I don’t want to sit around idly. I need to make myself useful.”

“You don’t need to make yourself anything,” she retorts, “you’re fine as you are. But if you’d like to venture out tomorrow, I’m ready as well.”

Side by side the pair of you return to Lookout Landing. Immediately you hide away in the lab, not in the mood to deal with any of your soldiers. The last thing you need now is to overhear more gossip or chatter. When Zelda returns to you it’s with a plate of rice and meat stew.

As you eat you listen to Zelda and Purah talk, discussing the new camera feature on the Purah Pad. Though the scientist had not mentioned it to you, she was likely acutely aware of what had happened with Sidon as well. You were grateful she didn’t bring it up, instead choosing to excitedly talk your ear off about new runes research.

You were glad the two women could lift your spirits.

When it is finally time for bed you wrap yourself in blankets, curling up into a small cocoon on the mattress. You’d exhausted yourself, too tired to cry again, instead, you stared at the wall until your eyelids grew heavy. It was difficult forcing yourself not to think of the prince as you finally dozed off.

In the morning you took your time to prepare for the journey ahead. After thoroughly scrubbing yourself clean you dress in your Champion’s tunic. You double-checked and then triple-checked the travel packs for yourself and Zelda, ensuring you had rations, healing elixirs, water canteens, a change of clothing, and flint to create fires, among other supplies.

You wore a steely expression as you walked through the fortress and it seemed no one wanted to risk upsetting you. With the princess, you went over your plan and preparations once more as you ate breakfast. Your soldiers seemed apologetic for what had happened the day before but you waved them off, and instructed them to return to their rounds instead.

Just as you and the princess prepared to walk out of the landing’s northern gate, you’re interrupted. A blond Hylian runs up, and it seems he has been running for some time as he needs to catch his breath once he stops in front of you.

“Link?” you ask, somewhat concerned.

His blue eyes frantically flicker between you and Zelda, although you notice his eyes very obviously linger on the princess. His mouth opens, then closes, then opens again, as if he debates speaking. Instead, he opts to shut it once more and quickly signs with his hands: you - are - leaving?

Zelda nods, “yes, we're investigating the castle. I’m sure you’ve heard, but people have randomly been falling ill when they approach.”

Link wears an expression of concern as he continues: please - stay - safe.

The princess smiles, a light blush dusting her cheeks, “we will, don’t worry Link. I’ll see you soon.”

The blond hesitates before bowing his head. Then he faces you and gives you a salute.

As he walks away there’s a gnarled, twisted, anxious feeling in the pit of your stomach. You turn and look up at the castle in the distance, something nervous clawing at the back of your mind. Your grip on your bag tightens and you adjust the Master Sword’s scabbard.

“Are you ready?” Zelda asks, giving you a small grin.

A voice in your head tells you to say no. To stop. To turn around. Something seems wrong. But this is your duty, it is your job to protect the people of Hyrule. Whatever lies beneath the castle can’t be any worse than what you’ve dealt with in the past.

Right?

“I’m ready. Let’s go.”

~~~ <> ~~~

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter (will be the 1st chapter of the sequel)

[realllyrandommann]

One day I thought I should get out of my comfort zone (my cosy little world) and play something harsher. On Forge. Yeah, severe lag incoming. Anyway, I installed a bunch of eerie mods and jumped right in. Almost immediately I started taking notes of my in-character experience. Here's what I wrote.

---

cut down one of those big trees. meant to spend the night high up but it's freezing cold, and I'd left my workbench on the ground. seeing monsterous creatures but fine so far.

these sights man. the aurora in the night sky is something to see.

getting so very cold. had to lit the furnace again. as long as there's something to burn, should be ok.

the day has come, but so did the rain. i had hoped to get warm in the sun but the sky is grey…

it's been raining the entire day. i need food, need shelter.

found a clearing with purple flowers and purple trees. upon being cut down, one of them revealed a core of deadly white.

i-i see eyes. i hear voices! noises- i must hide somewhere, quick!

something hit me while i was staring down a deep hole in the ground. i'm not alone! i cannot see a living soul but i'm not alone!

all horses stare at me

i smashed a snail. disgusting goo came out of its shell. ew!

back in the forest. it's much warmer than in the open.

i don't want to die! they're creeping all around me. the shadows. the shadows!

i… have calmed down a bit. but very weak.

extremely exhausted but with a place to sit for the night!

risked it all, risked my tired legs but got down to the river and collected some sand for window panes. and fish! i cut down fish! i can finally eat! only to get home-

so nice and warm by a firepit with my stomach full. i feel blessed!

how dangerous nature is, and how beautiful. i saw the sky tinted in reds as i was climbing the mountain last night. i must be at the very top of the world.

carelessly lost my sword in the river. i cannot keep killing fish anymore. i'm disgusted by it! have to find another source of food.

the sword is- i got it back. i don't know how but it's back to me.

went out to set up a crop farm and got ambushed by them exploding creatures. not setting a foot outside until morning. the tree i planted won't grow. i wonder if crops would?..

i simply cannot believe how good i feel. no voices or strange sound, no running through darkness and freezing night.

i'm making a mistake. it's getting dark, i am far from home and don't have anything on me. even food! only the rotten pieces from those monsters. although it seems to be warm here. i'm digging down.

working hard but still can't help thinking. what if i won't find the way home? will i perish in the darkness?

it's raining outside! i don't know where to go! is it morning or evening? i can see the overgrown field… faintly, in the distance. that's where i came from. will try to make it. i've mined a shiny stone.

the field be damned! i lost all sense of direction. what will become of me when it gets dark?

i'm cold. god help me! am i dying? there are creatures in the crying skies. huge, flying creatures. i can see something glowing ahead but dare not risk it. i-i will die.

there are pale lips in the sky, grinning with a wicked smile. …is this the moon?..

should i… should i eat the thing i got from these walking corpses? ah! the fire is out. i'm so hungry. what am i to do? the awful creatures are still waiting for me. if i survive this… i'll have only a day.

i- i- i ate the cursed thing. it's a bit more bearable now. it- it did me good. bah, cannot believe i'm saying it.

dawn! begone, awful demons!

what… what is this? am i… dead? was i?.. i went to investigate a mysterious frame standing in the open. there was a block of solid gold, but the place was so hot! my greed blinded me. oh, how embarassing! how i stumbled between the rocks, swoony and still hoping to somehow escape my fate. but- but i'm still here. i'll find that place. as i've said, i only have one day.

it's so very dark. but thanks to the night i found the place! the frame is broken and has a strange violet glow. and also, i- i'd seen my own body. not sure. it's not there anymore. i'm waiting in this unholy place till the morning-red and- i just want to be back home.

---

Even more beautiful screenshots ↓↓↓

Shiny!

[lizzydizzyyo]

Listen I'm not american I don't know shit about what you're going through, and to be honest, between the people who keep telling everyone to vote blue no matter what and the people who say both dems and reds are equally bad, idk who to believe anymore because I'm not there.

In perfect circumstance, you won't have to vote for either. The thing is, if you don't want to, you have to put in the work. You have to go down the streets and make your own grassroot movements to make sure you get enough people on board with an independent candidate. You need to do some sleuthing and deep research, quickly. Then stick with that.

I'm sure the "vote blue no matter what" people want to vote for a decent candidate too, but at this point, there isn't one that is feasible. Dems are slightly, marginally, microscopically better, so they latch onto that because there is nobody else. If you want independent candidate to be elected, you need to do more than just reblogging and writing tags about how "vote blue no matter what" people are fucking dense and evil and part of the problem.

These people latch onto dems because they don't know anyone else having good chance of winning, that is just not republican. Yes, you can argue all you want about how Biden is just as bad when it comes to immigration and Palestine genocide issue (although he was trying very hard to find ways to absolve student loan and codify gay marriage before everything went to shit, and for better or worse, he took US army out of Afghanistan in 2021). But you still don't know how much worse/better/similar it would be if Trump were in charge right now. It's not like when Trump held office, there wasn't any major Palestine/Gaza conflict or immigration issue either.

You need to convince these "vote blue no matter what" people to switch to your side, not with derision or insults or swearing or blaming, but by presenting them with an option who actually has a chance of winning. This candidate also needs a lot of backing because they're not just going against one party, but two parties.

You need to choose one independent candidate, at the very least by March, and do hardcore hands-on campaigning for this candidate until ballot day. Again, not with insult but with educating the plus points of this candidate and call for action. You need to be willing to be vocal beyond reblogging angrily on tumblr. You need to get over yourself and get the fuck off your high horse and start picking and sticking to your independent candidate you choose.

As someone coming from a country with upcoming election in 2024 too, who actually has three pairs of candidates to choose from (and mixture of parties, because there are over a dozen parties in my country and they can form coallition freely), it isn't the end-all-be-all that you think it is. It isn't easy or reassuring because the "good" candidate cannot rely on party backing or culture backing (one of the candidate is hardline syariah muslim campaigner so they have religious extremists' backing, and the other is the right hand man of my country's past dictator who reigned terror over the country for decades so they have the military's backing).

It's not the magical solution that you think it is. Some people simply plan to not vote at all because they have no hope that the "good" candidate will win and they don't want to give any vote to the other two either (Sound familiar? Anyone?). "But your country has popular/ranked voting!" Yeah, and guess what, when my country's dictator was the president, the "election" was by popular voting too.

Fact of the matter is, your country doesn't have it, and won't have it anytime soon. So be realistic.

If you want an independent candidate to win, you need to suck it up and be kind to the "vote blue no matter what" people. Present them with hope and solution instead of compounding their already deep sense of impending doom. You're doing yourself, your country, and the world (yes, hate it all you want as I do too, but USA unfortunately has quite a big influence globally) disservice by alienating them instead of inviting them to become your comrades in championing a decent independent candidate.

You need to make "vote blue no matter what" your allies, not enemies.

[sezija]

Hello! I recently saw your art of Ghali, Drephl and Rleiph, and decided to finally try out making wiki pages! I plan on making all three of them before adding them, but I have a few questions on about them. (Im pretty sure that you wrote the fic, but please correct me if I’m wrong)

first off, the fic is AMAZING, I cried multiple times while reading it, and everything goes together so perfectly there’s too much to talk about so I’ll stop here before it gets too long.

1) On Ghali, I wanted to double check that she took the last name Shims, because at some point it refers to the family as “the shims”

2) on Frihl, does he keep the last name Shims, or take his husband’s name?

3) can I say that Rleiph has pale speckles in her physical description?

4) could you give me more insight on Ghali’s , Drephl’s and Rleiph’s personalities? I personally struggle with describing those myself.

5) are there names for Drephl and Frihl’s parents, as I would like for them to be in the relationships category.

6) same for Rleiph’s girlfriend. Also, does she have a physical appearance? I’d love to draw the two of them together.

7) WEREWOLF CENTAUR. Amazing idea. What does the kid look like? I know that they’re described as a foal, but WHAT IS THEY JUST HAD A WOLF HALF INSTEAD OF A HORSE HALF, OR A WOLF HALF DURING FULL MOONS. I would love to know things like their skin tones and hair color too. (And coat) also thank you for all these centaurs, there isn’t even a catagory on the wiki for them yet.

8) what kind of clothes does everyone wear?

9) I know that Drephl and Ghali probably just went to a courtroom and signed some papers, but I really want to draw Drephl standing on a stool with her under an arch, where they just hug. This is also so I can mess around with possible wedding traditional clothing during that time period.

10) what is the name of Drephl and Ghali’s grandchild? The werewolf one?

Thank you for this amazing fic! Loved the art you made, and this will be very embarrassing if you didn’t write the fic!



Putting this under read more;;

Ok first of all. omg??? that's so cool what the hell!!! i'm so happy you liked my fic so much???

1) Yeah, she becomes a Shims

2) I think he takes his husband's name (which i don't have yet)

3) I forgot to give her some white in her coat in the art lol, but i decided to work that in; she's born with just a brown coat, but some white speckles start appearing as she grows older :3

4) They honestly don't have much, yet; the style i wrote in makes it really hard to add Character and Personality other than just stated facts like "she likes hiking" and "she's a computer programmer", sorry

5) Not yet, sorry

6)

7/10) I want to give them at least 2-3 kids so i can actually make them all different, though i imagine they probably have 5-8 year age differences cus raising just one is chaotic and hard enough lol. someone made really good art of their kid!!! (i've come up w the names Phil, Lei, and Majil so far) (j pronounced like (consonant) y)

8) currently i've just been drawing them in some clothes from our time cus i haven't had the motivation&energy necessary to figure out the Fashion of their time, but i can say that the blanket??? dress?? things the centaurs wear is like. actual clothing they wear in their time period&place

9) I love that so much. also, it honestly makes a lot of sense for them to hold an actual celebration; your wedding is basically the only time in your life where you have an excuse to gather every single person you're close to in one place for a big party (aside from your funeral but uh. yeah.) their marriage was meant as the point where they no longer cared what anyone else thought bc they were so secure in their meaning to each other, so i love the idea of them going all out and then just hugging.

also behold! look what i found from way back when i was writing the fic :)