#i was reading the book and thought i'd share some of the stories

[swallowedabug]

Maxim - Carmen Queasy (feat. Skin)

I was delighted when Maxim contacted me and said he was doing a solo album and asked if I wanted to record a track with him. I went over to his place in the countryside near Peterborough, and we spent a day working on 'Carmen Queasy'. It was a magical house with a huge playroom attached to his studio, so ideal for creative work. Maxim had sent me the music beforehand, and that inspired me to rap/sing a melody. I had a story in my head that involved a tumble of words like old-school 1970s rap, or loping '90s jazz rappers like the Pharcyde. I thought about how, during my career, people have given me advice about what I need to do in order to sell records, and I created this sardonic character, Carmen Queasy, who sings: "So now you're telling me it's so damn easy/Try to see yourself as Carmen Queasy/'Cos money-making is a wonderful thing." I wrote dozens of words and phrases, and Maxim took them, restructuring them and creating a chorus that had a dark vibe and swing to it. I'm a singer, he's a rapper, so we found a happy medium and it fel very collaborative, with him focusing on how we could get the story across. We shot a video for the song, which was directed by David Slade, who soon afterwards made a name for himself making off-kilter videos for space-rock superstars Muse. Maxim and I were both dressed in black, looking like sinister, futuristic vampires. I wore a slinky Alexander McQueen suit with cutouts that showed a lot of flesh, and my make-up artist Gina Kane stuck long white feathers to my lower eyelids. During filming I fluttered my eyes and didn't feel them, because they were literally as light as a feather. The song had a hook line that really stuck in your head, and it's still the one collaboration I get asked about wherever I go.

Quote from Skin's memoir It Takes Blood and Guts.

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

for whom good omens is being written

Hey maggots and the rest of the fandom, it's the Good Omens Mascot here. Today I read a post about this tweet:

The accompanying video genuinely made me cry. And I've been thinking about this for a long while, as far back as February, when I saw a lot of conflicting opinions on what people wanted from the third season. It really is true that no matter what you do, some people will be dissatisfied. But what matters is that Neil is writing this for Terry.

And I was reminded of some paragraphs from the Good Omens TV Companion, which I'd read in Amazon's sample excerpt of the book. I know this is a long post, but I really truly do think you all need to read these, I've done my best to select only the most important parts. Here you go:

'His Alzheimer's started progressing harder and faster than either of us had expected,' says Neil, referring to a period in which Terry recognized that despite everything he could no longer write. 'We had been friends for over thirty years, and during that time he had never asked me for anything. Then, out of the blue, I received an email from him with a special request. It read: “Listen, I know how busy you are. I know you don't have time to do this, but I want you to write the script for Good Omens. You are the only human being on this planet who has the passion, love and understanding for the old girl that I do. You have to do this for me so that I can see it." And I thought, “OK, if you put it like that then I'll do it."

'I had adapted my own work in the past, writing scripts for Death: The High Cost of Living and Sandman, but not a lot else was seen. I'd also written two episodes of Doctor Who, and so I felt like I knew what I was doing. Usually, having written something once I'd rather start something new, but having a very sick co-author saying I had to do this?' Neil spreads his hands as if the answer is clear to see. 'I had to step up to the plate.' A pause, then: 'All this took place in autumn 2014, around the time that the BBC radio adaptation of Good Omens was happening,' he continues, referring to the production scripted and co-directed by Dirk Maggs and starring Peter Serafinowicz and Mark Heap. ‘Terry had talked me into writing the TV adaptation, and I thought OK, I have a few years. Only I didn't have a few years,' he says. 'Terry was unconscious by December and dead by March.'

He pauses again. 'His passing took all of us by surprise,' Neil remembers. 'About a week later, I started writing, and it was very sad. The moments Terry felt closest to me were the moments I would get stuck during the writing process. In the old days, when we wrote the novel, I would send him what I'd done or phone him up. And he would say, "Aahh, the problem, Grasshopper, is in the way you phrase the question," and I would reply, "Just tell me what to do!" which somehow always started a conversation. 'In writing the script, there were times I'd really want to talk to Terry, and also places where I'd figure something out and do something really clever, and I would want to share it with him. So, instead, I would text Terry's former personal assistant, Rob Wilkins, now his representative on Earth. It was the nearest thing I had.'

(...) As Neil himself recognizes, this is an adaptation built upon the confidence that comes from three decades of writing for page and screen. But for all the wisdom of experience, he found that above all one factor guided him throughout the process. 'Terry isn't here, which leaves me as the guardian of the soul of the story,' he explains. 'It's funny because sometimes I found myself defending Terry's bits harder or more passionately than I would defend my own bits. Take Agnes Nutter,' he says, referring to what has become a key scene in the adaptation in which the seventeenth-century author of the book of prophecies foretelling the coming of the Antichrist is burned at the stake. ‘It was a huge, complicated and incredibly expensive shoot, with bonfires built and primed to explode as well as huge crowds in costume. It had to feel just like an English village in the 1640s, and of course everyone asked if there was a cheap way of doing it. 'One suggestion was that we could tell the story using old-fashioned woodcuts and have the narrator take us through what happened, but I just thought, “No”. Because I had brought aspects of the story like Crowley and the baby swap along to the mix, and Terry created Agnes Nutter. So, if I had cut out Agnes then I wouldn't be doing right by the person who gave me this job. Terry would've rolled over in his grave.'

And, finally, this paragraph:

"Once again, Neil cites the absence of his co-writer as his drive to ensure that Good Omens translated to the screen and remained true to the original vision. 'Terry's last request to me was to make this something he would be proud of. And so that has been my job.'"

I think that's so heartwrenchingly beautiful, and so I wanted you all to read this, too, just in case you (like me) don't have the Good Omens TV Companion. It adds another layer of depth and emotion to this already complex and amazing story that we all know and love.

Share this post, if you can, please, so that more people can read these excerpts :")

Tagging @neil-gaiman, @fuckyeahgoodomens and @orpiknight, even if you've definitely read these before :)

[dduane]

I just received a copy of a book I've been very much looking forward to by a favorite author, but the quality of the book itself is... not great. Cheap paper, weak binding, even a weird illustration of the main character on the cover that I'm having trouble believing the author approved. Obviously, I don't want to leave a bad review on Amazon or GoodReads or anywhere, as I'm 100% certain the content is as excellent as her other work. But how can I best let the publisher (Baen) know I'm disappointed without threatening to never buy her books again? Because, well, if this is the only option, I'm gonna keep buying them even in my disappointment.

Well, the first thing I thought when I read this was "Wow, I'm really glad I don't have anything in print from Baen at the moment except a couple of anthologized short stories." :)

As for the rest of it, let's take it point by point.

Adding a cut here, because this will run a bit long. Caution: contains auctorial bitching and moaning, painful illustrations of cases in point, and brief advice on how to complain most effectively. (Also links to paintings of cats.)

Cheap paper: This has been an accurate complaint since well before COVID—and it's often been worse since, with supply chain issues also being involved. That said: one way publishers routinely save money on printing books, especially the bigger ones, is by going for thinner/cheaper paper. I remember one of our UK editors going on at great length and with huge annoyance—during one of those late-night convention-bar bitch sessions—over how the only way they could get some really good books published (because Upstairs insisted on reducing the per-copy production costs) was by reducing the paper quality to the point where you could nearly read through it. Sacrificing decent text size(s) also became part of this. Nobody in editorial was happy about the result: but there wasn't much they could do.

Bad bindings: Similar problem. Sewn bindings used to be a thing in paperbacks... but not any more: not for a good while, now. These days, it's all glue. Even hardcovers are showing up glued rather than sewn. Don't get me started. :/ (This is why I so treasure some of the oldest paperbacks I've acquired, which are actually sewn.)

Crap covers: I've had my share of these—though my share of some really good ones, too. And one of the endless frustrations of traditional publishing is that the writer routinely has little or even no influence over what the cover will look like... let alone how much will be spent on it, or (an often-related issue) how good the execution will be.

There are of course exceptions. If you're working at the, well, @neil-gaiman -esque level or similar in publishing, a lot more attention is going to be paid to your thoughts. You may even be able to get "cover veto" written into your contracts, so that if you disapprove, changes will get made. But without actual contractual stipulations, the writer has zero legal recourse or way to withhold approval. (And I bet even Neil has some horror stories.)

The normal workflow looks like this. After a book's purchased, its editor and the art director discuss what it's about and what the cover should look like. The art director then hires an artist and tells them what to do. After that, the artist executes their vision and gets paid. It is incredibly rare for a writer to have any significant input into this process. And as to whether or not they approve of the final result, well... the publisher mostly just shrugs and goes back to eyeing the bottom line, muttering "Who told them they get a vote?"

Now, I've been seriously lucky to occasionally be an exception in this regard. In particular, my editors at Harcourt (when Jane Yolen and Michael Stearns were editing Harcourt's Magic Carpet YA imprint) would ask me what I thought would be a good idea for the next Young Wizards cover, and I'd think about it a bit and send them back a paragraph or so about some core scene. They'd then talk to their art director, and after that send their notes and mine to Cliff Nielsen (who started doing the covers for the hardcover and mass-market paperback editions of the series in the mid-90s) or to Greg Swearingen (who was the artist on the digest-format editions). And the results, by and large, were pretty good. ...I also think affectionately of the UK artist Mick Posen, who insisted on seeing pictures of our cats before painting the covers for the Hodder editions of The Book of Night with Moon and On Her Majesty's Wizardly Service (the UK title for To Visit The Queen).

But this kind of treatment is a courtesy—not even vaguely suggested in the books' contracts, and very much the exception to the rule. And for every writer who's midlist, there are times when the luck runs out. For example: one time I wrote a book that was an AU-Earth-near-future fantasy police procedural, thematically pretty dark—dealing with issues of abuse of megacorporate power, institutionalized bigotry, and (explicitly) attempted genocide. And the cover, done by an artist who's a good friend and some of whose fabulous art hangs in our house, came out looking like this. It was... let's just say "not ideally representative."

So I was glad, when my local workflow allowed it, to recover the current, revised version of the book with something at least a little more apropos. But the original cover's not the artist's fault. He did what the art director told him... as a cover artist must do to get paid, and (ideally) to get hired again. At present, that's how the system works.

...So. You've got a badly-built and -presented book on your hands. How best to make your feelings known in some way that might make a difference down the line? (As you make it plain that you'll keep buying this author's books this way if you must.)

First of all: when (as part of my psych nursing training) we were taught how to complain most effectively, we were told that the first and most basic rule of the art is this:

Only Complain To Someone Who Can Actually Do Something About Your Problem

So I salute your desire not to waste your time taking the issue to the reviews on Amazon, or the pages of Goodreads... because they can't do anything. The odds that anyone from production at Baen is reading the comments there strike me as... well, not infinitesimally small, not being hit-by-a-meteorite-while-in-the-shopping-center-parking-lot small... but really low.

So: write to corporate.

In your place I would go online and rummage around a bit to find out who's on record as the publisher at Baen. I would then write them a letter on paper. And I would lay out the problem pretty much as you laid it out up at the top.

The tone I think I'd choose would be the more-in-sorrow-than-in-anger approach. I'd say, "I write to comment about your recently published book by [X Writer], whose work I love. I have to say, though, that I don't think the cover on [X Book] is terribly representative of the quality of the prose inside. And also, the construction and production quality of the book itself was a disappointment to me because [here spell out why].

"I'd really like to see [X. Writer's] books succeed with you, and I'd like to buy more of them without wondering whether I was going to be disappointed again. But if this is typical of how they're being produced, I'd also be concerned that the state of these books is setting up a situation in which the author's sales will be damaged, and you would stop publishing them... which would really be a shame. Whereas on the other hand, better production quality could keep previous purchasers coming back and buying, not only more books by this author, but books by others whom you publish."

This phrasing, as you'll have seen, walks a bit wide around the issue of your further purchases, while directing attention toward the bottom line... which will routinely be what the publisher's looking at from day to day. And—being, one has to hope, in possession of the wider picture as regards what's going on with their production costs—maybe they can actually do something about it.

Anyway, nothing ventured, nothing gained, yeah? It's worth a try. All you can do is hope for the best.

And finally: please know that I admire your commitment to the author: whoever she is, she's lucky to have you. It's a terrific thing to have readers who'll willing to spend the time to hunt you down, and who're willing not to judge a book by its cover. :)

[a2zillustration]

Farewell

Not "farewell," but "see you later."

| First | | Previous |

[[ All Croissant Adventures (chronological, desktop) ]]

[[ All Croissant Adventures (app) ]]

...Time to blather on under the cut. I've got thank yous, some notes about potential future comics, and if you scroll to the end of the post, I've decided to compile Croissant Adventures into a physical book. It's mostly for me, so I can hold all TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE of these strips in my hands, as a brick, but if you'd like to own a copy as well, I'll have a link to the preorders down below. If this is where you're going to stop reading, I'll extend a quick heartfelt thanks to you for joining me on this adventure!

Thank you, reader.

This is undeniably the largest project I've ever tackled in my art career; it was never supposed to be this big, and I expected maybe a handful of people to read it, at most. Instead, it became this massive project that I've been working on for ten months straight, and in the end these characters meant so much to me. I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who's bothered to read my little comic strips, whether it was just one or two, or if you've been here since the beginning, following Croissant's adventure from the minute they plummeted off the nautiloid. Thank you so much for being here and supporting this project. Thank you to everyone who left kind words and comments, sent me asks about Croissant, liked or reblogged these posts, or just read these and enjoyed them! While I was determined to finish this project no matter what happened, you certainly made it all the more fun and kept me excited to tell you the next part of Croissant's story.

Thank you, Larian.

If by some chance someone at Larian ever happens to see these, I also want to give an immense thank you to everyone who was a part of making this game. I don't play that many games these days, but BG3 rocketed to the top of my all-time favorite games almost immediately. (It was also the game that made me feel the most out of anything I've ever played; I got legitimately depressed for a few days during my run don't worry I'm fine now we're all good haha). You can tell there was so much work, and so much love involved in this game's development, and I'm so happy the studio has been rewarded with multiple awards in recognition of that dedication to making a fantastic game. Thank you again for sharing this story with us, and I can't wait to see what the studio does in the future.

Is this goodbye?

I'm hoping this is less of a "goodbye," and more of a "see you later." I'll probably take a bit of a break, since I've put off other projects for months, and art fight is happening, but I have many more things I'd like to add to Croissant's story! I have yet to play the epilogue, and I intend to illustrate parts of that depending on what happens. I also have a handful of comics for post-game Breadweave, in addition to some scenes I thought would've happened in-game but weren't canon so I left them out of the original story. (If I haven't gotten to these in a few months and you find yourself wondering about Croissant again, my ask box is always open, feel free to give me a good kick to get me back into their story, lol).

...A book?

I said I never intended this project to be so large, and I meant it. But now that I'm sitting here with two hundred and five Baldur's Gate 3 Tav comics, I really wanted to compile them into a physical book for me to hold. This is mostly for me, but if you'd also like one, I'll have a preorder available in my shop until the end of July.

✨✨✨ Croissant Adventures Preorder ✨✨✨

If you made it to the end of this post, I can only thank you again, from the bottom of my heart. I hope Croissant's story brought you joy, and if you're able to play BG3, I hope that you're having just as much fun in your own tavs' stories.

[ladylannisterxo]

... the one where spence takes an interest

Pairings; Spencer Reid x fem!Reader

Words; 0.6k

Warnings; one use of Y/N but this was written back before I stopped using it lol but other than that, none, just fluff!

Summary; {requested} "Not to pester you, I had this thought and wanted to share is all, but could you imagine talking to Spencer about something you're really excited about (like a movie/tv show/game or something) and the next day he starts talking to you in length about it, and it turns out he went home that night and read/watched everything he could on the subject."

A/N; goodness, I wrote this years ago on another blog and since I've been rewatching Criminal Minds, I figured I'd go ahead and post it again (cause why not?)... the one and only thing I ever wrote for Dr. Spencer Reid ajdhsakdshak

{ masterlist }

You didn't plan this. Really, you didn't. But you know how it goes when you start binging a new tv series: just one more episode... and then before you know it, it's 2:00am.

Now you're sitting in the bullpen. It's 8:00am and you're constantly rubbing at your tired eyes and chugging coffee like your life depends on it.

And Spencer is wearing a curious expression, already extrapolating possibilities as to what could have kept you awake last night.

But he doesn't mention it. Not when the team is discussing the new case, not even on the jet en route to your destination. He waits until it's just you and him, paired off to go talk to the medical examiner about the latest victim.

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, just a little tired."

He smiles warmly, offering you an amused glance before fixing his eyes back on the road. "I gathered. What kept you up?"

"You know, I just..."

But then you realize you don't want to tell him, not really. To you, staying up super late to watch a tv show seems embarrassing when compared to how he most likely spent his night.

You imagine that he read around six books, most of which were probably in a language you didn't understand. Or maybe he called his mom to check in with her. Or maybe he had nightmares himself and so he thinks that's exactly what happened with you...

Any scenario you think of infinitely sounds better than oh, you know, I just stayed up super late watching some trashy guilty pleasure tv show because I have no self control.

"Nothing really," you settle on, "it's dumb."

"Try me."

So you cave, mostly because you're too tired to fight. He listens intently as you tell him about the new show you found, how it's completely ridiculous but it allows you to step out of your life for a bit and relax.

He doesn't say much, just nods along as you talk and before you know it, you've arrived at your destination and it's back to work.

Spencer actually doesn't mention your conversation again for the remainder of the case and finally, the unsub is in custody and the team is back home to enjoy a nice, long weekend.

You don't see or hear from Spencer during this time but first thing Monday morning, he's greeting you as you step off the elevator with a cup of coffee and a bright smile.

... and then he tells you he spent the weekend watching the first season of the show you mentioned and to his surprise, he really enjoyed it.

To say you're confused is an understatement but you listen as he discusses every character and what he thinks of the current story arc.

"Spencer," you laugh, resting your hand on his arm and halting his speech. "Not that I'm not thrilled to talk about this but I really wasn't expecting you to go home and watch an entire season of a show just because I mentioned it."

He smiles sheepishly, eyes lingering on where your hand still rests on his arm.

"You were really excited about it though."

"And?"

"And it seemed important to you... so it's important to me."

A smile pulls itself across your face and you open your mouth to respond when you're both interrupted by Garcia letting you know there's another case.

"Hold that thought," you inquire.

"It's impossible for me to forget it."

And just like that, you're discussing trashy tv with Dr. Spencer Reid during any downtime that you're granted. You gush about your favorite character and he theorizes future story arcs while simultaneously pointing out behavioral inaccuracies.

"People do not speak like that in that kind of situation, Y/N."

"It's tv, Spence, it's supposed to be unrealistic. That's what makes it fun."

+ Bonus: if it's a series that is currently airing, you both come into the office the next morning and excitedly discuss every single thing that happened and then theorize on what could possibly happen next.

[tamberella]

Congratulations on your author debut, I'm so excited for your book!! 😇💕

Would you consider talking about the whole process of becoming a book illustrator /children's book author?

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!! And I'd be happy to share the process!

It all started for me with my 3dTotal artbook. 3dTotal is a small publisher in the UK, and they mainly focus on collections of artists' work. They use Kickstarter to fund each book, and my agent (the amazing Seth Fishman at Gernert) discovered me through the Kickstarter for my artbook Windows to Worlds!

He asked if I had any interest in working on graphic novels or picture books, and I had already been thinking about picture books! He found me my first picture book project with Penguin Workshop, Mother of Sharks, written by the awesome Melissa Cristina Márquez, which came out last year!

While I was working on Mother of Sharks, I was also talking with him about developing The Bakery Dragon, based of course on this painting, which was (and is) one of my proudest artistic moments.

For a little background on the painting, I painted it right after a really challenging couple of months medically - I was dealing with medical complications from my chronic illness for about 6 months, and I wasn't able to finish a single painting the whole time, I was just too exhausted from hospital visits and being in pain. That painting was the first piece I was able to actually complete (both emotionally and literally) in about half a year. So it always held a really special place in my heart, and I really wanted to keep living in that little world. I think there's something in it that is very special to me, about being outside in the cold, seeing warmth and love through a glass barrier, and wanting desperately to reach it.

With Seth's guidance, over a couple months, I developed a pitch for it. The script developed slowly alongside the designs for characters, locations, etc.

(Early version of Ember above! He has changed a bit!)

I thought I had already read a lot of picture books, I've always loved them, but I read hundreds and hundreds during this process. There is something uniquely fun and challenging about telling a complete narrative in 48 pages (which is already a long picture book, many are 32!) My book also pulls some elements from comics, such as speech bubbles, which I found to be incredible assets for humor and character development.

My pitch included designs, some early example spreads, and a rough script with story beats and jokes! My agent took it out into the world, and the publisher we ended up going forward with was Knopf, an imprint of Penguin Random House! I absolutely love the Knopf team and the beautiful books they put out! My editor, Katherine Harrison, really understood what I wanted to accomplish and has been so incredibly helpful in her guidance!

And from there... through rewrites, dialog adjustments, and lots and lots of drawings, it became a book! I'm happy to answer questions about the process! I'll leave you guys with a little preview from the interior of the book! (And of course you can pre-order it here, gotta learn the author skill of always including that link haha!)

[starlostseungmin]

whispers ─── lee felix.

✰ notes : first of all i'd like to announce that i reached 3k friends here! thank you so much for that and i appreciate every single one of you! <33 anyway if you watched ABOUT TIME movie, you are already familiar with this scene because it's inspired by it. i just made a bit of changes and with felix in it so i hope you guys like it (this is not proofread btw) also, please DO NOT FORGET TO REBLOG, COMMENT AND LEAVE TAGS after reading! thank you <33

✰ tags : @notastraykid , @ameliesaysshoo , @l3visbby , @reignessance , @lix-ables , @skzfelixlove , @rachabreathing , @hyunverse , @minluvly , @sleepyleeji

masterlist | taglist.

felix went home a bit late that one saturday night after work. he had to see the movie he promised to watch with jeongin at the cinema. you bailed out after he invited you when he mentioned he got tickets and made a reason to sleep on a day off. he parted ways with jeongin around the block and walked home, alone. 

it was cold, he could see the smoke coming out from his mouth as his hands shoved inside the pockets of his jacketーthe stars were illuminating the dark sky with a few clouds in sight but his eyes wandered around the streets. he was supposed to take the train back to your shared apartment but didn’t want to be disrupted by noisy passengers with loud music banging their ears from their earphones and he tried to take some time to think. 

you’ve been dating for the past three years and it has been amazing. he never felt so happy and contented. the joy cannot be compared to any other things. it was that time when the two of you met at a diner just outside the office where you were working. the purpose was to grab dinner and go home then, this wonderful man showed up who had gotten the love at first sight experience. an opportunity came in and a conversation. he invited you to dates every weekend until the feelings got deeper after getting to know each other for weeks, made the relationship official with labels, and decided to live together. 

for the past three years, it was magical as it made tons of memories that you and felix couldn’t write every single one of them in your journal. the polaroids that were taken are hanging on the walls of your room with dates written on each one of them. those plushies he won for you sat on the shelves, the books being piled up being read or untouched, the albums from your favorite artists being displayed on the table along with the music player and vinyl, the flowers on the vases, the letters and other gifts you’ve exchangedーit was sweet. 

having this amazing relationship with felix is like reading a book without a synopsis or a summary from the covers or even the first pages. you don’t know what’s going to happen. it’s like living every day and there are things you cannot control. it’s either you read and go on with the story with curiosity and braveness or do not read the book at all and miss a series of events that could change your life. yet, you chose to read the book and the author created a love story you could ask for. it did change your life as well as felix’s but one thing’s for sure, there are a lot of trials on the way but it would start by holding your hands together to make a stronger bond, just like how chemical bonds create structures. 

he went inside as quietly as possible as he didn’t want to ruin your slumber. the lights were switched off in the living room and only the entrance’s light censor made him see through the dark as he removed his shoes. 

felix has thought of all the possibilities and the impossible, the rights and wrongs, the obstacles and smooth ways while walking. the consistency of this relationship must remain and be locked. he knew it wouldn’t be fancy but he promised himself that he’ll do it in a way that the two of you would prefer. and now, he’s here, looking at your sleeping figure being wrapped around that white duvet. 

“baby,” he called softly as he shook your shoulder lightlyーkneeling down on the carpeted floor of your room. 

“hmm?” you hummed in response. “five more minutes.” you muttered making him let out a soft chuckle. 

“no, baby, wake up,” he said. “i have something important to ask,” 

your eyes flutter open, from a blurry vision to a clear frame directed at his face. a smiley felix welcomed you as he caressed your hair when you were about to sit up. 

“no, just lay down,” he said. 

“okay,” you smiled. “what is it?” you asked, feeling relaxed on your soft mattress and the coziness of your pillow. 

“you know that we’re happy, right?” he paused as you nodded in response. “i don’t know if it’s the movie i watched with jeongin that made me feel this way, it's always the romance genre that would hit me to reality and the thought that i always have you by my side—” he added when you put your index finger on his lips, hearing a piece of romantic music playing gently from the living room as it echoes through the open door of your room. 

“is that romantic music?” you asked. “and you’re on your knees while saying something that i doubt is not just a love confession,” you added while fighting to stay awake which felix laughed shyly. 

“yeah,” he said, licking his lower lip in embarrassment. “i am,” 

“go on,” you smiled. 

“will you marry me?” he asked which made your smile bigger and now you’re fully awake. 

“i think,” you paused, clearing your throat. “i’m going to say, yes to that,” you added, looking at him in awe, saying; “and thank you for doing this that does not involve a lot of people and other crowds. i don’t like many people,” 

felix smiled gently and placed a soft kiss on your lips before tracing his fingers on your cheeks, “i also don’t like people,” he said. “thank you for saying yes,” he whispered before leaning forward to kiss you again. 

“i love you, darling,” you said in between. 

“i love you more,” he answered. “get back to sleep, alright? i’ll join you in 10,” 

“okay,” you said softly as he smiled, leaving a kiss on your forehead before exiting the room shushing han and seungmin for playing the instruments he asked for support outside. 

©️ 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐎𝐒𝐓𝐒𝐄𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐌𝐈𝐍 , 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

OMG RAVEN YOU’RE INTO EVER AFTER HIGH? I love it but can’t talk about it bc none of my friends have seen it 😭 I wish it was talked about more, especially with how deep their lore runs. I love EAH’s dynamics with the complexities of destiny. If twst followed the same logic as eah’s world it would be so interesting. How would you feel if the worlds were to mesh together and how it would work? You can interpret that in any way you want; the characters meeting or twst being bound to the same rules and societal expectations of eah, or whatnot.

Also who’s your favorite eah character compared to your favorite twst character (Leona)?Jade, right?

And have you read the eah books? I haven’t, but I’m going to try to sometime!

Eah alt account when?

I'm still salty that the Monster High x Ever After High crossover movie never saw the light of day-- Part of the reason why I don't like Disney (I mean the faceless corpo, not all Disney products) is because they have such a strong association with fairy tales that it pushes other interpretations out of the market or it leads to people assuming Disney "owns" those fairy tales. Ever After High's lore and themes run so much deeper than most other fairy tale reimaginings I've seen (and I've seen a lot). It's such a shame it doesn't get the respect and recognition it deserves even though EAH is the one out here challenging the status quo whereas modern Disney is content with mediocrity that appeals to the masses.

I think EAH and TWST, at their cores, share similar ideas so combining them would work well. Friendship, self-identity, defining your own future, questioning what "good" and "evil" truly are... It's all there. I'd imagine that if Twisted Wonderland (or at least NRC) followed the same rules as EAH, then everyone would be descendants of their Disney counterparts. (This is actually a common misperception of what TWST was to new fans; people mistakenly believe the TWST characters are children of the classic Disney villains. This has never been canon.) Unfortunately, I'd have to take away the Disney villains being twisted to be "good" guys in Twisted Wonderland's world in order for this to work by EAH rules, so... There's that to consider. This, in turn, can result in the student body splitting into Royals (pro-following one's destiny) and Rebels (anti-following one's destiny). Perhaps RSA and NRC could be one school in this AU...? Just so we have a mix of "good" and "evil" descended children in the same vicinity as one another. A must-have are the constantly bickering Narrators!! It's only really when Yuu shows up that the majority opinion starts to shift. Maybe then Crowley becomes concerned with students rising up and fighting back against the system that relies on them being complacent to keep the cycle of stories going. I've seen some readings of EAH which theorize that Royals guaranteed a happy ending is a stand-in for privilege, and that interpretation leads into very interesting conflicts when we also consider that magic in Twisted Wonderland is a privilege afforded to few.

To cover just the dorm leaders (because covering all the TWST characters would make this post way longer), I definitely see Riddle, Kalim, Idia, and Malleus as Royals and Leona, Azul, and Vil as Rebels. Here's my thought process:

Riddle is pretty self-explanatory. He comes from a background where he's used to being told what to do by his mother and so he also heavily relies on her strict, unyielding teachings to play by the book when he goes out there in the real world. Riddle is inflexible and hesitant to go against the grain--and, more importantly, he fully believes that following the rules will lead to his happiness... that doing as his fairy tale ordains will lead to a happy ending. What happens to the Queen of Hearts is dubious in the end since it's framed as Alice's dream, so I think that vagueness gives Riddle hope that by behaving himself, he'll earn the happiness he desires.

Leona is a Rebel, and not just because that's the aesthetic of his dorm. Being that he is highly intelligent and demonstrates a lot of foresight, he'd be aware of what future is in store for him and aggressively fighting against that. It would make him more desperate than ever to prove his worth, because not only does everyone see his powers as terrifying, but they also see him as a future brother murderer and dictator that will bleed the land dry of resources. It'd make the situation with his family even more strained than it already is, not to mention the extra jealousy he must feel toward Cheka, who is still too young to understand what's going to happen later.

Azul is someone who acts like a Royal but is actually a Rebel. He acts polite and like he plays by the rules, but clearly he doesn't behind the scenes. I see Azul as the kind of Rebel akin to Duchess Swan... as in, he believes he can steal away someone else's destiny for himself. Azul would constantly be looking for loopholes to save himself. He's put way too much stock into becoming a better, stronger person and he'd want to defend this new life he has made for himself. His obsession with protecting his contracts could translate well here.

Kalim is a Royal because he's mega rich and has been sheltered from the concept of bad things that happen to normal people; he has nothing to worry about. It also helps that Kalim is twisted from a character that doesn't meet a bad ending. I think he'd be aware of Jami's doomed destiny, but Kalim is so ignorant that he thinks it'll just be fine and it'll work itself out. Part of his growth could be being forced to reckon with the reality that Jamil is suffering under the legacy assigned to him and accepting the role that he plays in that by not acting.

Idia is a Royal--or at least pre-book 6 Idia is. He's a very pessimistic guy and repeatedly expresses hopelessness about the future, bemoaning the curse he and his family have to bear. Idia doesn't want to try to fight his fate, he's already accepted that it will happen and so closes himself off from others to save himself that heartbreak. Post-book 6 Idia will have swapped over to the Rebel side thanks to Ortho reviving the hope in him.

Vil is a Rebel simply for the fact that he fights social conventions. He's already out here shattering gender roles, but finds it much harder to breach that expectation that villains are just villains and nothing more. Vil keeps getting rejected at every turn, told that it's impossible to rewrite his story, that his frustrations are the natural result of jealousy and an ugly heart that festers in side of him. He steels himself to prove that notion wrong, working himself to the bone to get up on that stage and stay on it, waiting to be lavished with praise that he truly is the fairest one of all. I feel this would be so fascinating for Vil's own arc about self acceptance; maybe he wears himself down emotionally because he HAS to basically be perfect due to his job but also denies himself normal feelings like anger and jealousy because confessing that you have such "ugly" feelings only validates that you're shallow just like the stories say you will be.

Malleus is a tough one, but I settled for Royal in the end. Maleficent is doomed to be slain by a sword, right? So am I saying that THE Malleus Draconia, who is infamously arrogant about his magical abilities, would lie down and take a stab like that? Of course not! However, I do think that Malleus is initially someone who values tradition and living up to noblesse oblige. As the future ruler of a nation, people's stories are relying on him to play his expected role out, which he'd be fully cognizant of. I also think Malleus would be afforded the luxury of not having to face his destiny as soon as his peers are due to his long life span. This is in part because the person destined to slay him doesn't come into his life for literally hundreds of years. Then when book 7 arrives, Malleus has to deal with his loved ones leaving and/or betraying him as well as the realization that this is his destiny: dying alone and unloved. That'd just break him.

ahdbiqwdbqwli I COULD TALK ABOUT THIS AU FOR FOREVER BUT I'LL CUT IT SHORT OR ELSE I'LL NEVER SHUT UP 😭

EAH has so many good characters and interesting storylines, it's hard for me to pick a favorite! I of course love Apple and Raven's dilemmas, but I feel like it's cheating to pick one of them as my favorite. The whole Wonderland gang is also fantastic... I'm a sucker for their aesthetic, but they're so fun and silly in general. Kitty, Lizzie, and especially Madeline are 👌

Mmm, when I think long and hard about it, I think my favorite EAH character has to be Briar Beauty, daughter of Sleeping Beauty. Firstly, I love all the pink, roses, and bramble in her design. Secondly, I love the layers to why she is the way she is. Briar's a party girl not because "lmao, wouldn't that be a funny haha subversion of Sleeping Beauty" but because she wants to live life up before she falls asleep for 100 years and literally loses all her friends and family to the natural passage of time. That's seriously so smart and such an inventive way to think about the trauma a descendant of Sleeping Beauty might have. Seeing Briar transition from one of Apple's besties and biggest supporters to an outright rebel is satisfying as heck. (Gotta take a moment to shout out this classic moment :3)

I don't know if I would compare Briar to Jade since they're entirely different characters. However, looking at the source material, I'm actually surprised I like Briar as much as I do since I have never cared for the story of Sleeping Beauty. A part of me finds this ironic since Malleus harbors a similar fear as Briar (losing loved ones) yet I see Malleus's desire as way more selfish and self-serving than Briar's. I believe that's because Briar doesn't have the same arrogance as Malleus, so I'm more forgiving with her. EAH's actual equivalent to Malleus is Faybelle, daughter of the Dark Fairy, but I don't like her as much as I do Briar (hence why I'm comparing Malleus and Briar, not Malleus and Faybelle).

I haven't read the EAH books but I want to one day! I'd prefer to borrow them since I don't have enough space in my room for more physical books, so as soon as I find copies at a library or something...

This blog has kind of become a place where I occasionally talk about my other interests, generally as it relates to TWST, my main interest. I'd like to keep it like this since managing multiple blogs can be so draining. It already takes quite a bit of time to regularly write responses to asks just on one blog!

[reidmaniac]

first date || spencer reid x fem!reader.

warnings: none just fluff.

a/n: im sorry for being gone for like forever guys, but here’s a short and simple first date story, it’s kind of a continuation of them meeting in the coffee shop, but you don’t have to read that to read this.

spencer reid stood nervously outside your apartment, his fingers tapping an uneven rhythm against his thigh. he adjusted his glasses for the third time in as many minutes, his mind racing with facts about first dates, statistical probabilities of success, and the best ways to make a good impression. when you opened the door, his thoughts scattered as he took in your warm smile and the light in your eyes.

"hi spencer," you greeted, your voice soft and welcoming. "you look great."

he blushed, tugging at the collar of his shirt. "thank you. you look beautiful," he replied, his words sincere. "i brought you these." he handed you a small bouquet of wildflowers, their vibrant colors reflecting the excitement and hope in his heart.

"they're lovely," you said, your smile widening as you accepted the flowers. "let me put these in some water, and then we can go."

spencer nodded, watching as you moved gracefully into your apartment. he took a deep breath, reminding himself to stay calm and enjoy the evening. it was, after all, just a date—a chance to get to know you better and share a few moments together.

you returned quickly, flowers now safely in a vase. "all set," you announced. "where are we going?"

"there's a little bistro downtown that has great reviews," spencer said, his voice gaining confidence. "i thought we could try it."

"sounds perfect," you replied, linking your arm with his as you stepped outside. "lead the way."

the walk to the bistro was filled with easy conversation, spencer's nervousness gradually melting away in the warmth of your company. he told you about his latest case, carefully omitting the more gruesome details, and you shared stories from your work, your laughter a soothing balm to his anxiety.

at the bistro, you were seated at a cozy table near the window, the soft glow of candlelight creating an intimate atmosphere. spencer found himself relaxing even more, his natural curiosity and enthusiasm taking over as he asked you about your favorite books, movies, and hobbies.

"i didn't know you liked science fiction," he said, his eyes lighting up. "i have so many recommendations for you."

you chuckled, delighted by his passion. "i can't wait to hear them all," you said. "but only if you let me recommend some of my favorites, too."

"deal," spencer agreed, his smile wide and genuine. he reached across the table, his fingers brushing against yours. "i'm really glad we did this."

"me too," you replied, your touch lingering on his hand. "i've been looking forward to this for a while.

the rest of the evening passed in a blur of laughter, shared stories, and the comforting realization that this was only the beginning. as spencer walked you back to your apartment, he felt a sense of contentment settle over him.

"i had a wonderful time tonight," he said as you reached your door. "thank you."

"so did i," you replied, stepping closer. "we should do this again sometime."

spencer's heart skipped a beat as you leaned in, your lips brushing softly against his. the kiss was sweet and brief, but it held the promise of many more to come.

"i'd like that," he said, his voice filled with warmth and certainty. "goodnight, y/n."

"goodnight, spencer," you whispered, your smile lingering even after the door closed behind you.

as spencer walked away, he couldn't help but feel that tonight was the start of something wonderful. and for once, he didn't need statistics or probabilities to tell him that. he just knew.

[dreadfuldevotee]

I'd like to discuss the elephant in the room. Why did we get zero Loumand sex scenes? We got hints and implications, but season 1 was pretty explicit. Do we think that that's a creative choice or something else is happening?

I'm glad I ended up ruminating on this for about a week because episode 7 & 8 really solidified my opinion on it.

I do wanna start by saying that it's very clear to me that there was supposed to be more explicit scenes between them. There has been some thoughts tossed around that censorship happened with the 9 pm timeslot (as opposed to the 10 pm timeslot of S1). I believed this hearing Assad and Jacob talk about the BDSM dynamic between Louis and Armand, but what really sold me on this was Production Designer Mara LePere-Schloop talking about the bedroom set and more specifically about their beautifully carved custom headboard. (If you're a production nerd like me or just want to know more about the design philosophy of IWTV I recommend giving the entire thing a listen!).

I think there are several reasons I think as to why they decided to leave any more explicit scenes on the cutting room floor but above them all is: you cannot separate Armand's sexuality from his abuse. I am really against pulling a "well if you read the books" card but reading just the first couple chapters of "The Vampire Armand" makes me understand so much about not only Armand as a character, but the care being taken to his adaptation. It's clear to me that alongside Rolin & Co.'s commitment to not watering him down to a one-dimensional villain they are also trying to not fall into Anne Rice's tendency to romanticize his trauma.

Sex and sexuality is not the same pillar of Louis and Armand's relationship it was in Louis and Lestat's and so I don't believe their story suffers from the lack of on-screen sex. But I also firmly believe that maybe we don't need to be slutting out the character who we literally just watched talk about how he doesn't remember his life before being sex trafficked. And even when he was "freed" he was still being repeatedly assaulted at the hands of, and under the eye Marius de Romanus. Like it is extremely important to remember that Armand's craving for dominion in his relationships is a manifestation of trauma that deserves the same level of care and depth given to every other trauma portrayed in this show.

I think people have gotten too comfortable calling IWTV a romance when it has always been Gothic Horror. Romance and sex are pivotal to the story but I have found the demands for sex scenes this season a bit absurd and also? unfounded? Loustat share more kisses on screen but there are two sex scenes and both are very plot relevant. I truly figured we were all in agreement that the eroticism of this show is found in the various displays of power, and the dynamics it creates and not the actual clapping of ass-cheeks...which also wasn't happening in S1 either. S2 does not suffer because of the lack of sex-scenes, but the likelihood if it suffering trying to make one work is

[teaboot]

I used to dream of finding Home.

Somewhere between my tweens and my teens, the house my family lived in stopped feeling like a comfortable pocket where I belonged and started feeling more like a roomshare with strangers.

I'd read a lot of books. A lot of stories about outsiders and misfits who fell into grand adventures that led them into perfect little keyhole they were destined to slide into. I thought that someday, in a much less exciting or eventful way, the same would happen to me. If I worked very hard to be good and kind and forgiving then I'd stumble into Home.

It never happened.

I moved from town to city to country, and didn't find it. Every building felt the same, no matter how long I stayed. None of them felt natural, or easy, or safe.

I was living in a dilapidated loft above a busted-out mortuary when I figured it out.

No running water. No heat. No AC. No furniture or mattress or internet, and a dusty bathroom with a broken toilet and a sink inexplicably pre-filled with cigarette butts, and it finally clicked.

I ripped out the old carpet. Swept the floors. Taped the sun out of the windows with foil and foam and big black garbage bags. Cleaned off an old shelf, stole a cot, piled all my blankets on top of it, painted pictures and taped them to the walls and spray-painted a mural and leaned a tarnished old mirror up against the wall.

I found a room divider in an old office room and took a lamp left out with the trash and set up an empty coffee pot with cheap silk flowers. Hung a shower curtain in the morgue and turned a storage bin into a bath and hooked my towel on a loose nail stuck into the wall.

And when I left, and left everything behind, I found another little empty hole in the world and did it all over again.

That's something I don't think I could have learned from all my stories. It's not something very interesting to read about, some lonely stranger puttering about by themselves in a hot, dark room. But it's important to share it, I think, so I've done my best.

I think that a Place is a beast, and to make it a Home, you have to dig in your claws and fight for it, tooth and nail.

Then, once you've tired it out, string up lights below it's ribcage and pet it nice between the ears until it purrs.

[vanteguccir]

I NEED more x bookworm!reader with either matt or chris! please make it happen, butterfly ty! (also hope you’re not bothered by that pet name lol) 😚😚🩷

── ୨୧ !　a small blurb of a morning with chris and a very bookworm you

　　　　　　　　𝒄𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐 x reader

The morning sun streamed through the big window, casting a warm glow across the cozy living room. Y/N was nestled into the corner of the grey couch, a steaming mug of coffee on the small side table, her fingers delicately turning the yellowish pages of a new book Chris had bought her the day before. Her eyes danced across the lines, fully immersed in the world of her novel. She was in her element, perfectly content to spend the entire weekend lost in stories.

Chris watched her from the kitchen, a fond smile playing on his lips. He knew her so well. The moment he handed her those books, he knew she'd be glued to them until Monday. But he didn't mind; in fact, he cherished these quiet moments. He opened a new Pepsi can before padding over to the living room.

"Good morning, bookworm." He greeted softly, not wanting to startle her.

Y/N looked up, her eyes brightening as she saw him.

"Good morning, prince." She replied, her voice soft and warm. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did, but I missed you." Chris admitted, remembering the confusion in his mind when he woke up without her by his side, taking a seat next to her. He glanced at the book she was reading, recognizing the cover. "How's the book?"

"It's amazing." Y/N said, her excitement palpable. "I can't put it down."

Chris chuckled.

"I figured as much. That's why I thought I'd join you." He took her hand, gently urging her to stand. "Come on, up you go."

Y/N looked at him quizzically but stood up, still clutching her book. Chris settled himself into the corner of the couch, where she was seconds before, then pulled her down onto his lap, positioning her sideways so they could face each other. She let out a small laugh, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"This is new." She teased.

"I wanted to be close to you." Chris said, his tone earnest. "And I thought maybe I could read to you for a while."

Y/N's heart melted at his words.

"You don't have to, I know you aren't very fond of books." She said, though her smile betrayed her excitement.

"I want to." Chris insisted, taking the book from her hands delicately, knowing she could kill him if he crumpled a page or bent the cover. "Now, where were you?"

She pointed to the page, and he began to read aloud, his voice steady and warm. Y/N nestled against his chest, her head resting on his shoulder as she listened to him bring the story to life, her eyes traveling constantly from the pages to his perfect face, running through his features. His voice added a new dimension to the characters and the plot, making the experience even more enchanting.

They spent hours like this, the world outside fading away as they lost themselves in the pages, completely ignoring when Matt or Nick walked into the living room or kitchen. Chris's arms were wrapped securely around her, his hand occasionally brushing her hair back from her face. He'd pause now and then to ask her thoughts on a particular phrase, and they'd discuss the intricacies of the plot, sharing theories and favorite moments.

As the afternoon light began to shift, casting a golden hue over the room, Chris leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her temple.

"Are you hungry, dove?" He murmured.

Y/N smiled, tilting her head to look up at him.

"A little." She whispered back. "Thank you for this. It's perfect."

"I will make you some sandwiches in a few. Let's just end this part, yeah?" He smiled like a child.

They continued like this, reading and talking, the warmth of their connection palpable in the air. The world outside could wait; for now, they had each other and the comfort of a good book.

I don't mind you calling me butterfly at allll, I love it 🩷😚

[obeymeshallwedateaddict]

Love and water

Imagine a scenario where MC and each of the brothers shared a romantic moment in the water? What could happen? Will the story have a romantic, tender and steamy ending or will you get in trouble?

Contains: Fluff, slight NSFW (Nothing too serious)

You can find more of my work here: Masterlist

Lucifer

It was a nice evening in the Devildom. Quiet and peaceful. You were reading a book that Satan had recommended, while listening to music. That's when you heard a knock on the door and someone's voice call out from the outside.

-MC? May I come in? – You immediately recognize the voice. It was Lucifer. But what was he doing here at this late hour? Could it be something urgent? Did you do something that you shouldn't have done? You find yourself lost in thought rethinking your day.

-MC? –The oldest repeats himself, which helps you out of yours thoughts.

-Come in, Lucifer! –You speak loud enough for him to hear. Afterwards the door opens and the raven-haired demon walks in, closing the door behind himself.

-MC, I have to talk to you about something. –He says with a firm yet relaxed tone. 'I'm in serious trouble' you think to yourself.

-What is it, Lucifer?

-So recently Diavolo gave me access to his private beach for a night and I thought you might want to go with me? It will be just the two of us, I assure you. –Your eyes widen in surprise. Was Lucifer asking you on a date? And here you were thinking you got in trouble.

-Are you asking me on a date?! –You question in visible for him excitement. He chuckles and nods.

-What do you think?

-Yes you are! –He smiles at you and nods.

-I am. Now pack a pair of clothes and your swimsuit. Unless.. you want to skinny dip of course. I wouldn't mind that nonetheless. –Lucifer winks mischievously at you, which you respond with a soft, pinkish blush and a nod.

You finally arrived at the beach! It was calm and there was nobody around. The water was hitting the sand and waves were dancing on the surface of the sea. You had changed into your swimsuit and patiently waited for the eldest brother to come out of the changing room as well. When he finally does though you look at him with wide eyes in complete disbelief. Swimming trunks.. Lucifer is wearing only swimming trunks instead of his usual diving suit he wears in front of his brothers. His body was toned, abs covering his abdomen and his V-line leading down to the low waistband of his trunks. The sight left you breathless. You could barely keep your eyes off of him. How can he be so handsome??

-MC –He chuckles– you are staring.

-Of course I'd be staring! I mean it's not every day that I see you in swimming trunks instead of that forsaken diving suit. –Lucifer rolls his eyes and giggles softly.

-I wear that 'forsaken' diving suit as you call it to prevent my brothers from taking pictures of me and using them to blackmail me. I have to keep a reputation as the Avatar of Pride, sweetheart. And I have put some trust in you not to follow my brother's path. –Lucifer states and sits next to you on the sand, wrapping an arm around your shoulders. The warmth of his body reaches you and you smile in contentment.

-Why didn't you bring your brothers with us, Lucifer? –You ask curiously though you think you know the answer to that.

-I wanted to spend some alone time with you and plus my brothers have been misbehaving lately. They haven't earned it.

-You are too strict with them! -You poke his bicep to which he turns his head to you.

-We need to maintain a reputation as the seven rulers of the underworld as well as give a good example as officers of the student council. They have to be kept in line. And as the eldest I take that responsibility.

-Yeah right... Let's go to the water! –You escape his embrace and run to the sea. The water is cool over your body as you swim away from the land. You are quickly followed by Lucifer who also turns out to be an advanced swimmer. After all the Avatar of Pride has many skills. He catches you from behind, wrapping an arm around your waist as he pulls you flush against his chest.

-Ahhh! Lucifer! You are too fast! –You splash some water at him and he laughs.

-I have many skills. Though the one I'm most proud of is this one. –With that he leans down and plants a kiss to your shoulder, kissing his way to your neck, up to your ear. Afterwards he leaves a gentle nip to your earlobe.

-I am guessing that I made you blush. Mission accomplished. –Yes he did! That was completely unexpected! How could you NOT blush? The feeling of his lips trailing over your shoulder and neck.. it can drive you wild in seconds. You turn to face him with a smirk.

-Though I also have a similar skill that I'm proud of. –You lean in and kiss him softly on the lips, which earns you a low growl. Lucifer takes control of the kiss and soon enough both of you are making out passionately in the middle of the sea. The cool breeze surrounding you and waves splashing over your intertwined bodies. One of his hands trails down to your waist and pulls you flush against him while the other finds its way to your jaw.

-You win. –He admits in between kisses. You and Lucifer proceed to share a night full of passion and love.

Mammon

You and Mammon were walking down the street on your way home from RAD. Mammon has his hand on your lower back as he guides you along with him. It was rare that he'd actually do that but considering it was just the two of you the Avatar of Greed wouldn't miss an opportunity to put a claim on you and show the world his finest treasure. You. The second-born was telling you a story about one of the 666 mysteries of RAD. You swear he is either overly obsessed with them or horribly terrified though you can't quite tell which one. That's when he suddenly stops in his tracks.

-MC? Ya free, right? –Mammon looks at you with curiosity in his eyes.

-Yeah. Why?

-Let's go then! –The white haired demon quickens his pace and drags you along with him.

-Hey! Mammon! The heck are you doing? Where are you dragging me like that to? –You ask but Mammon stubbornly tugs at your arm.

-Come on! The Great Mammon's takin' ya somewhere nice. And when I say nice I mean real NICE. –He responds though it doesn't really explain the whole ordeal. He continues dragging you when you finally reach a lake, surrounded by fireflies. The moonlight was hitting the peaceful waters and which made them shine like diamonds. You look at the greedy demon with a questioning look in your eyes but you see only pure bliss and excitement as he looks at the lake.

-Ain't it nice here? I discovered this place a few days ago and I just remembered I wanted to take ya here. Just the two of us. We don't need those other bastards with us. –The second-born explains and rushes to the edge of the lake.

-Hey Mammon! Don't run like that or you are going to fall inside! –You warn him and thankfully he stops right on time before he slips into the lake. You walk up to him and smile.

-Though it really is nice here. –You respond to his previous statement.

-Ya bet! Leave it to the GREAT Mammon to discover places like this to take ya to! –He makes sure to harden his tone at the word 'great'. Mammon style.

-Come on! Time to get inside! –The white haired demon pushes you into the lake and you fall into the surprisingly warm waters of said lake.

-Mammon you dumbass! I'm fully clothed!!

-Who cares anyway? It's just the two of us. Live a little. –He jumps into the lake as well, splashing water at you.

-It's a race! Whoever reaches that branch over there first wins! –He points at a branch from a three that was hoovering above the water.

-Wins what? –You ask, confused.

-Eh...I didn't think about that...we will establish that later! Three.. set GO! –Mammon starts swimming away from you and you try to keep up though you are unsuccessful.

-Hey, Mammon! Slow down!

-Not happening. I wanna win this thing! –He continues swimming exceptionally quickly and reaches the branch in no time.

-Come on you slow ass! Swim a little! –He cheers on you as you reach the branch as well. You splash him with water and he screams and laughs afterwards.

-You didn't warn me! –You snap.

-Oh I did. Sure I did. –He splashes you back and you laugh.

-Now.. as for my reward... You gotta kiss me! –He demands confidently with his chin up in the sky. You shake your head and swim up to him.

-Deal. –You murmur and press a gentle kiss to his lips before pulling back. When you opened you eyes you see a disappointed Mammon, practically glaring at you.

-What was that?!? Is that what yall humans call a kiss? Let The Mammon teach ya how it's done! –The demon puts his hands to your waist and drags you to his body. You are flush against his chest. He proceeds to wrap his arms around you tightly and brings his lips to yours in a heated kiss. Your tongues are fighting for dominance as both of you let out low groans or moans. You wrap your arms around Mammon's neck and play with his dripping wet hair at the back of his neck. You spend the next few minutes making out soundly inside the lake, surrounded by the relaxing sounds of the forest at night. When you get home you find yourselves on your knees before the eldest who is angry and incredibly disappointed in both of you's disappearence without saying a word to Mr Father figure about where you're going and how much time you'd spend there. On top of that Mammon gets an extra scolding about the fact that both of you came home dripping wet. You spend the night looking over at Mammon lovingly while pretending to listen to the life-long lecture of the angry Avatar of Pride.

Leviathan

You were quietly listening to music with your headphones in your room. The song was bursting into your ears and you were quietly mumbling the lyrics when somebody bursted to the door which made you jump.

-I swear to god, whoever it is..–You begin speaking as you take off your headphones.

-MC! Let's hang out. I found this new open world game that would be perfect for the two of us! –You look over at Leviathan and shut your mouth not wanting to offend the third-born with finishing your sentence. Though yes. You had free time so hanging out with Levi would come amazing.

-Yes! I would love to! –You speak with enthusiasm and Levi leads you to his room where two VR sets are waiting at his desk. You stare at them with questioning look.

-We are playing a VR game? –You ask and look into Levi's yellow eyes filled with excitement.

-Yeah! Isn't that awesome? The game has a VR version along with the PC one and of course I bought both! So come on! Put on one of the sets while I play the game. This will be EPIC! –You chuckle at Levi's enthusiasm and walk over to his desk. You grab one of the headsets and put it on while patiently waiting for Leviathan to set up the game. A few minutes later you see a beautiful world through the VR set and you gasp. The purple haired demon laughs and puts on his headset as well.

-Get ready for the amazing world of "Open world dreamscape" –You assume that is the name of the game since he never really mentioned it to you. And then you see an anime version of Leviathan through the VR set and chuckle to yourself.

-Oh my god, Levi! Look at you! You look absolutely adorable! –You state and begin walking around the provided world from the game.

-AHHH! DON'T SAY STUFF LIKE THAAAATTTT!! –The third born screams and you laugh a little louder. You know that Levi is blushing which makes you genuinely happy. You and Levi walk around the beautiful open world of the game. There are flowers, threes, animals and a lot more things that made the world seem so realistic and so calming. After a while of walking you and Leviathan reach a small lake. It is surrounded by threes and the moonlight is hitting the waters.

-Let's walk around.. –Levi murmurs and begins walking away from you to go around the lake.

-No! Wait! Let's go for a swim! –You speak and jump into the water.

-You could've at least waited for my opinion before jumping in, you know? –The third-born laughs awkwardly and you watch his anime character jump into the waters of the lake in front of you.

-That's the spirit, Levi! –You say and begin swimming around the lake.

-Wait up! Not that fast! An otaku like me can't swim like a champion! –Leviathan shouts from behind you as he tries to keep up with you but is unsuccessful. After a while you stop and wait for Levi to reach you.

-Warn me before you go swimming so fast next time! You know I'm not good at this.. –The purple haired demon mutters as he looks away.

-Hey! Don't be so negative Levi! It's a game so I was having fun! Weren't you? –You question and look into his eyes. He looks back at you and a faint blush covers his cheeks.

-O-of course I was! I always have fun when... When we play t-together. –He smiler awkwardly. You notice his stuttering and the blush on his cheeks. A smirk makes it's way onto your face as an idea pops to mind. You swim over at him and pull him close by his hands.

-M-MC? Wh-What are you doing? –You move your lips towards his and kiss him tenderly. The demon yelps but kisses you back. He tries to keep up with the movements of your lips but hardly does. You find it adorable when Levi tries to kiss like that. He has never been much of a good kisser but it was enough to satisfy you. Though the kiss feels a little too real for a virtual reality. You decide to take off your VR set and yes. You were in fact kissing the demon in real life. His cheeks were flushed and his hands your holding you by your hips. You take off his VR set as well and when he sees how close you two are to each other he screams..

-AAHHH! I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL IN GAME!! IM SO SORRY, MC.. –He immediately begins apologising but you pull him in for another kiss which earns you a gasp. Both of you proceed to make out. Never noticing where you are walking towards, soon enough you find yourself underneath the third-born, laying into his bathtub of a bed. Things take an intimate and passionate turn as you and Levi dont get much sleep that night.

Satan

You were sitting at your desk in class and you were absolutely bored. Today's lesson was nothing but dry material. You were laying on your arms onto the desk, trying not to fall asleep when suddenly you feel something lightweight hit the back of your head. You almost shout in frustration when you find out someone had hit you with a crumpled paper. You reach for it and right before you throw it towards someone else you see someone's handwriting. You decide to uncrumple the paper and when you do you see Satan's handwriting. You turn around and glare at Satan who just winks at you in return. You shake your head and look back at the letter. It says that Satan got two free passes for hot springs tonight. And if you'd like to go with him. At the bottom of the page there were two squares underneath each it said 'yes' and 'no'. You take your fountain pen, dip it in some ink and wonder whether you should mess around with Satan and mark the 'No' square but you can't bring yourself to do that, so you mark 'yes' and crumple the paper again before throwing it aggressively at Satan who chuckles quietly. When the class ends you gather your stuff and wait for Satan outside the classroom. When he comes out and winks at you ones again you roll your eyes and send a mischievous glare his way.

-Satan! What's the big idea throwing papers at me in class when you could just tell me afterwards? –You ask, crossing your arms at your chest.

-Thats when it came to mind. Anyway... I'm glad you decided to come with me. –Satan smiles at you lovingly.

-Of course I'd come with you. –You speak and shake your head.

The same night Satan leads you to the hot springs and now you are in the changing room, looking at yourself in a bathing suit at the mirror. Satan was probably already waiting for you so you walk out. You see Satan in his own bathing suit, setting the water temperature.

-Hey! Satan! –You call out for him and look at his well-shaped body. He turns his gaze at you and doesn't hide how thoroughly he checks you out. You roll your eyes and feel your cheeks heat up to which Satan chuckles.

-You look great. Get in. The water should be good for you. ��When the fourth-born says that you carefully walk into the water and take in a deep breath in contentment. The water is warm enough to help you relax but not hot enough to burn you into ash. The demon follows you into the water, also sucking in a breath. Though the difference is that he doesn't look as comfortable.

-Satan? Is something wrong? –You ask in clear concern that you hope he notices. He looks over at you and sighs.

-I can't hide it from you can I?

-Nope. –You state confidently. Satan shakes his head and nods.

-Well, MC the water is a little cold for my liking. But the water i'd like to bathe in would be hot enough to burn you into ashes. –You bite your lower lip, staring at Satan. You did hear somewhere that demons have a lot higher tolerance to temperature than humans. And that demon hit springs are deadly to human kind. Satan chuckles to your expression. -Don't worry about me though. I knew what I was getting myself into when I asked you to come with me. –He makes himself comfortable in the water and thinks for a moment before speaking.

-You know.. you could always help me and warm me up.

-And how do you recommend I do that? –You ask and look over at Satan's lustful expression.

-Come here and sit on my lap. –Satan says in a firm voice. Your cheeks heat up from the fourth-born's demand and look away.

-Come on. Don't be shy, kitten. –Satan murmurs. You raise from your seat, swimming over to him and lower yourself onto his lap. He wraps his arms around you and whispers in your year.

-Mm.. much better.. though I'm still not warm enough.. kiss me, MC...

–You suck in a breath. You swear that you can feel your cheeks burn like fire. You lean in and slowly kiss the fourth-born on the lips. The kiss was sensual and passionate. The upcoming night in the hot springs became steamy and passionate.

Asmodeus

You were playing cards with Mammon and Belphie in the living room. Satan was watching closely every move that Mammon makes so he doesn't cheat. Which led to him being the closest to losing. Beelzebub was eating snacks while helping Belphie with his moves while Lucifer was quietly reading a book next to you on the couch. (May or may have not whispered to you a few winning moves that led you to being the closest to winning...) Suddenly Asmo bursts in through the door.

-MC!! What is my sweetie pie doingggg?? –Asmo calls out in a flirty tone.

-Asmo, please refrain from flirting with MC when the whole family is present. –Lucifer scolds in a firm tone while flipping a page.

-As much as I hate agreeing with Lucifer he is right, Asmo. –Satan states and punches Mammon's shoulder who tried to snitch a card.

-Yooo! Satan! What's the big idea hittin' me like that?!? –Mammon shouts, turning his gaze at Satan.

-Don't let Mammon stop you, Satan. –Lucifer murmurs and flips another page. Meanwhile the fifth-born had come up behind you and wrapped his arms around your waist.

-This card right there and you'll win. –Asmodues whispers into your ear while pointing at the card you of course drew next. And bingo! The win was yours. You turn to Asmo with the biggest smirk on his face and hug him tightly while whispering a soft "Thank you" to his ear.

-So MC... I was wondering.. do you want to have a bath with me? I recently acquired some new bath salts and shampoo that I would love to try out with you. –The demon speaks quietly to you and you nod.

-I'd love to. –You murmur happily.

-Great! Can't wait to see you in your birthday suit, Hun! –Asmo chuckles.

-Asmodeus! –Lucifer growls in a harsh tone. Apparently he hearded him. Typical Lucifer eavesdropping on every conversation he gets ahold of.

-Eeeek! Better slip out, MC! Before Lucy here snaps. –Asml takes your hand and begins sprinting down the hallway towards his bedroom, dragging you behind him. When you and the fifth-born finally reach his bathroom you are panting. You swear, every demon in this house has learned how to run exceptionally fast so they could run away from Lucifer. Though apparently all six of them are not good enough for the eldest. And here you though as the oldest, Lucifer would also be the slowest as a typical father- anywayyyy

Asmo had already begun stripping out of his clothes while you were trying to calculate how fast each of the seven runs and before you know it Asmodeus is flush naked Infront of you. You drag your eyes up and down his beautiful figure and move your gaze away when you set your eyes at his crotch. He only chuckles and gets in the bath. You undress yourself as well and join him in. He doesn't waste any time and pulls you flush against him with a deep inhale.

-It's been a while since I've seen you naked, MC. You should do it more often. –Asmodeus murmurs in a lustful tone while checking out your features.

-You mean three days? -It has really been three days since the last time you took a bath along with Asmo because he had gotten new hair conditioner he wanted you to try.

-It's tooo longggg.. –The fifth-born whines and begins pecking your neck with pepper kisses. You chuckle at his whining and shake your head. Asmo works his way up to your face and eventually kisses you on the lips as well. The kiss was long and lustful. The water became cold before you and Asmodeus got out that night.

Beelzebub

You and the seven brothers were having a barbeque in the forest near a river. The atmosphere was relaxing if you ignored the fact that Mammon and Asmo were having a loud argument about who would cuddle with you on the blanket or the constant creepy laughs of Satan and Belphie who were scheming the next prank at Lucifer who on the other hand was helping Beel cook the meat. (By helping I mean stopping him from eating it before the rest even get to see it)

After a while the food was all done and the only quiet moment was when everyone were chewing on the meat. It's rare to be with the seven of them and also be quiet. But the meat is more chewy so the brothers were quiet while chewing it. After a while Beelzebub moves next to you and looks over at you.

-Do you like it, MC? –He asks you while chewing on a sandwich.

-Yeah it's tasty... –You say and chuckle to the sight of Beel devouring the sandwich in one breath.

-Glad you like it, MC. Lucifer helped me quite a lot. If it wasn't for him I don't know whether there would be anything left. –The sixth-born says and reaches for another portion of devil sandwich with half-dead soul meat.

-Yep. You do need someone to remind you when not to get ahead of yourself with eating sometimes. –You murmur and finish your food.

-Can't deny it. Hey MC.. I think I'm good for now.. do you want to slip away from my brothers? –The orange haired demon asks with a hopeful gaze in his eyes.

-I'd be happy to. –You utter and grab his hand, leading him away from the loud bunch and walk along the river.

-MC.. what do you think about swimming in the river? The weather is nice today and it would be awesome for a swim. –Beel questions and takes off his jacket.

-You are right. Let's go! –You say happily. Both you and Beel undress down to only underwear and jump into the river. You swim along with the sixth-born in the river while talking with him. After not so long though you slow down and Beelzebub looks at you with concern.

-MC? Is everything okay? –Beel questions and slows down his pace.

-I'm a bit tired.. can we take a break?

-Of course, MC. –The sixth-born leans on the basin and you look at him. He is really well-looking with a great body. His muscles are showing and the abs on his abdomen are showing more than ever. The water droplets over his skin make him shine like a diamond which makes him even more handsome.

-MC? What are you looking at? –The demon asks, curiously. Looking at you with an innocent gaze.

-Bee, how do you manage to eat so much yet look so nice? –You ask shyly.

-I mean.. I do work out a lot.. –The orange haired demon mutters.

-Beel.. could I.. touch you? –You murmur the request and look away in embarrassment.

-Of course, MC. Do as you must. –You swim over to the demon and slowly caress his abs and muscles. He shivers underneath your touch. Beel looks into your eyes with this expecting gaze as if he is asking you to kiss him. You slowly lean and and press your lips against kiss in a gentle and loving kiss. He wraps his arms around your body and pulls you close. You wrap your arms around his neck and continue with the gentle kiss. You and Beel proceed to spend a little longer than anticipated inside the river that when you get back the rest of the brothers look extraordinary suspicious of you two.

Belphegor

It was a peaceful afternoon and you were sitting in the living room with Satan while reading a book. Suddenly Belphegor walks into the room with a mischievous look in his eyes.

-Hey! Satan! MC! I have this great idea to prank Lucifer! –The youngest states and Satan looks up from his book with bright eyes.

-Say no more. The stage is yours, Belphie. –The fourth-born leaves his book on the coffee table and crosses his arms at his chest. Belphegor walks over to both you and Satan and looks high into the sky.

-So my plan is that we get Lucifer to walk into the gazebo that's in downtown. The one that's abandoned. And lock him inside with one of your hella strong spells, Satan. –The youngest shares his plan confidently and looks over at Satan.

-It's not bad but how in the three worlds will we get Lucifer to go to the abandoned gazebo? –Satan questions and rubs his chin with his fingers.

-We can use MC as bait! Lucifer would do anything for them so if we say that MC is kidnapped in that gazebo he will be there in a millisecond. –You scoff at Belphegor's suggestion.

-Do I look like bait to you? Are you crazy? I'm a person, Belphie! Use Mammon. He is more suitable for a position like this. –You say and look away, trying to look upset.

-Do you think Lucifer will go running just because Mammon got kidnapped into a gazebo? No. He would laugh it off and wait until Mammon comes home himself. He'd only go if Mammon doesn't come back within a few days. I'm sorry, MC but it'd be a great prank if it works out. –After a while you finally agree to help the two Anti Lucifer demons. The same night you find yourself in the gazebo. Satan bound you to one of the walls with demon duck tape (A lot of it) while Belphegor was setting up the place like there was a fight going on before you were bound to the wall. From the looks of it, it looked really convincing. Now the only thing left was for the two demons to walk away from the gazebo and call Lucifer. They told you that there was a secret exit which both of them put a curse on. You could leave after Lucifer helped and the door would lock itself automatically after you left. Everything was planned out. Belphegor put up a worried façade and called Lucifer, explaining to him that you never got back home so Satan and him went looking for you but didn't find you. The problem was that the eldest didn't seem a tiny bit concerned. He instead said that he saw the three of them leave the house with a bunch of demon duck tape and fake blood. He mentioned that he wasn't sure what you three were up to but knew that you were safe with the anti Lucifer demons. The first-born hung up even before the youngest could explain the situation and both he and satan sighed. Satan let you free and without saying another word he left the place. Belphegor had finished as well so you walked around the area to look for him. You were losing hope when suddenly you saw Belphegor sitting by a pond with his legs inside the water. He looked almost devastated.

-Belphie... It's no use.. no need to be upset over it... Next time we will manage to get it back at Lucifer! I know it. –You say, trying to cheer up the demon and sit next to him at the pond.

-We had to think it through... Me and Satan had to think that if we went the three of us together that asshole would notice us leaving.. ugh sometimes I wonder how Lucifer even finds out about everything?!? It's pissing me off... –When Belphegor says that you shake your head and wrap an arm around him. Then suddenly an idea comes to mind.

-Hey, Belphie..? Do you want to swim in the pond to get your mind off of things? The pond is not small... –You say and look with a hopeful gaze at the youngest.

-Sure. That's a nice idea. –Belphie responds and takes off his clothes until he is left only in his underwear. He splashes you with water as you undress yourself as well. You join him in a bit. You swim over to him and wrap your arms around his waist, hoping to bring him comfort. He smiles and wraps an arm around your body as well and kisses the top of your head.

-MC, what kind of magic are you using? You always manage to calm me down in situations like these.. –He mutters and you look up at him, smiling. He chuckles to the sight and moves his hand to your cheek. Bringing your head up he slowly leans in and kisses you on the lips gently. You kiss him back with more passion than before and slowly the little gentle kiss turns into passionate love. As time passes by Belphie and you get home late into the night.

[daysofyellowroses]

noodles

carmen berzatto x reader | 1.9k | based on this absolutely adorable request from my darling @thecapricunt1616 enjoy it then i am beyond happy 💗🌼🫶🏻

It didn't matter how many times you shook the plastic stick, the little pink plus sign didn't fade. You tossed it in the trash can, where it joined three others with matching pink pluses. You couldn't really get your head around it, you'd been careful, taken things relatively slow..well, kind of. 

Things had just progressed a little quicker than you'd expected. One minute you're applying for a hostess job, thinking you probably won't even get an interview, seeing as it was a Michelin-starred hotspot, then next thing you're front and center at a fancy restaurant and spending large portions of your shift flirting with the head chef. 

It was never serious flirting, it was just silly and fun. You made flirty comments to everyone, you just particularly meant them with Carmy. He finally seemed to get the hint when you asked him upstairs after he'd dropped you home for the 10th time. 

Nothing really happened that night, you just shared a drink, cheap wine from your refrigerator, and made each other laugh with stupid jokes. You told him you meant it when you flirted, he insisted you were joking. It was only when you kissed him that he finally got the message, kissing you back with a fervor that had your head spinning in the most wonderful way. 

From there you two developed a relationship that suited you both. You were professional at work, still had some nights apart when you were both exhausted or just needed some alone time. But you had spent hours sitting on his kitchen counter watching him cook, told him stories from your past, encouraged him to tell you some stories too. You watched movies that you didn't pay full attention to, you read your book with your legs over Carm's lap, rolling your eyes with a grin when he would tease you for looking so serious. 

It was the best relationship you'd ever been in, and while you weren't sure what the future held, you were positive Carm would be a big part of it, that you two would keep going, develop your relationship.

Sure, you had thought about kids, marriage, a home together etc., but in a kind of just-for-fun-daydreamy kind of way. 

Now, one of those things was becoming a reality. It wasn't exactly how you would have planned it, you and Carm weren't even living together. Sure, you stayed at his most nights of the week and had more than a few personal belongings left there, but it wasn't the same.

It felt like moving in should have been the next step. The excitement of starting to really build a foundation together. You were just skipping ahead a step or two, apparently. 

Eventually you left the bathroom and chose to sit on your bed for a while instead. You called your doctor and made an appointment, more as a formality. Maybe it would feel more real when your doctor told you rather than seeing it on a plastic stick you'd peed on.

Once you were dressed you went to make a coffee before stopping yourself, wondering if it was ‘allowed’, even though it was so early on. You decided to play it safe, having a herbal tea instead, which you nearly choked on when your phone rang, Carmy's ID flashing up on the screen.

Did he know? How could he know?

“Hey,” You smiled as much as you could, trying to feel normal. “How are you? How is everything?”

You hoped you didn't sound too unusual or not yourself, feeling annoyingly aware of yourself.

“Hey, everything's good,” Carm replied and you felt yourself relax a little. “Just..there's been a slight change of plan for today.”

You stifled a laugh, nothing Carm could say could be a bigger change of plan than an unexpected pregnancy.

“Oh? You raised a brow, lightly tapping your nails against your cup. “What's up?”

“So, it turns out that apparently I promised Richie and Sug that I'd babysit while they have some meetings. I hate to ask when it's your day off but..could you help me?”

You couldn't help but laugh, resting your head on your head on your hand and letting out a soft sigh.

“Of course I'll help, don't worry. When do you need me?” 

An couple of hours later, you found yourself at Carmy's apartment, smiling as he opened the door looking flustered, a toddler on his hip and a doll in his hand.

“Perfect timing,” He smiled, stepping aside to let you in. “I'm outnumbered.”

“Who said I'm on your side?” You raised a brow, smiling at the little boy on Carmy's hip and gently stroked his cheek as he giggled. “I'm here to help the kids gang up on you.”

“Oh good,” Carm nodded, lightly tapping you with the doll. “Bring it on.”

You made your way to the living room, smiling as you spotted Eva on the couch, giving her a little wave.

“Hey girly girl,” You grinned, going to sit next to her. “Hope you've been keeping your uncle busy?”

“Yeah,” She giggled, leaning over to you as Carm came into the room. You leaned down, smiling as she whispered in your ear.

A half hour or so later, you went to open the living room door as there was a knock, adjusting the toddler on your hip before opening it and trying to keep a straight face as you met Carm's eyes.

“Hi, can I help you?” You asked, raising a brow.

“Uh, yeah, actually,” Carmy nodded, trying to keep a straight face. “I have an appointment, I'm a little early but..maybe you could squeeze me in?”

“Maybe,” You nodded, biting your lip softly. “Come in, follow me.”

You turned and walked further into the room, gesturing to the couch. “Take a seat.”

“Yes ma'am,” Carm nodded as you walked to the kitchen door and opened it.

“Your two o'clock is early,” You said, glancing back to Carm for a moment.. “Do you want to fit him in now?”

You nodded before turning back to Carm and gesturing to the kitchen. “She'll see you now, come through.”

You walked into the kitchen and smiled as you watched Carm walk in, the smile on his face as he spotted the makeshift beauty salon that had been set up.

“Take a seat,” Eva gestured to the seat across the counter, an adorably serious look on her face. You placed the baby into his high chair by the table, smiling as you heard Eva boss her uncle around.

“Hands in the bowl, keep them still.”

You went to the fridge, taking out a little light blue lunch box before glancing over to Carm with a smile.

“What color do you want?” Eva asked, pointing to the handful of nail polishes sitting on the counter. 

 “Hm, I'm not sure,” Carm mused, looking at the colors. “I got a big date tonight, I wanna look my best. What do you think will suit me?”

You smiled to yourself as you put the lunch box in the microwave, laughing softly as you heard Eva tell Carm to hold still.

After lunch and Carmy's nail appointment, you decided to take the kids to the park, feeling a new wave of love for your boyfriend that he made no attempt to remove the red nail polish. When you were taking the stroller to the lift, one of Carm's neighbors passed you in the hall and smiled at you and realized that it wouldn't be long before the baby in the stroller would be yours.

You brushed off the thought, trying to focus on just having a nice, fun day. As you were en route to the park, Carm asked if you could have a little detour, and you were sure the look on the kids faces when you arrived at build-a-bear would never leave you.

Carm took his nephew from the stroller and placed him on his hip before taking him to pick out a teddy, your heart swelling in your chest, moreso when Eva took your hand and asked you to help her choose.

You found yourself subconsciously placing your hand on your stomach, wondering what it would feel like to hold your own baby on your hip, feel their hand in yours, see the excitement in their eyes when they were presented with a cute little toy.

Carm's nephew had picked a bear (perhaps with a little nudge from his uncle), that ended up in a chefs uniform (that one was a total push), while Eva chose a bunny that she chose a performance outfit for. 

When you got back to Carm's, you were more than happy to chill on the couch, though you practically melted into it when Carm got a book and read to the kids (and their new toys) til they were asleep. 

“Not a bad effort,” You smiled, looking over to Carm and trying not to imagine the toddler that could be in his lap one day. “You might actually be pretty good at this whole uncle thing.”

“I might just be,” Carm grinned, reaching out to touch your hand. “Had help from the best though.”

“You're welcome,” You smiled, gently stroking his hand. “I presume that's why you're taking me on a..big date, was it?”

“Oh absolutely,” Carm nodded, looking serious for a moment before he grinned. “the biggest.”

“Hm, guess I'll have to get glammed up,” You smiled, looking over to Eva. “Maybe I'll see if I can get a last minute appointment.”

That evening, after a quick trip home to grab a change of clothes, you were back in Carmy's apartment. It felt so quiet without the kids, you found yourself putting on music just for background noise. 

When you were in the bathroom putting on your makeup, you felt a wave of nausea hit you, more out of nerves than anything else. You hoped it would leave, but before you knew it you were bent over the toilet, taking a deep breath as you waited for the inevitable.

There was a knock on the bathroom door when you were washing your hands, looking up at the mirror taking a deep breath. Even with makeup you still looked unwell. 

“Hey,” Carm smiled as you opened the door, the concern evident on his face. “Are you okay? I thought I heard..”

“I'm fine,” You nodded, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh as the concern didn't leave his face. “I just..need to talk to you.”

You walked into the bedroom, sitting on the bed and trying to think of the right words.

“Okay,” You began. “this is..really not what I thought would happen, and I don't know how you're going to take this but..oh god..”

As you buried your head in your hands, Carm was immediately by your side, his arm around your waist. 

“Whatever it is you can tell me,” He assured you. “I promise. Just let it out, we'll handle it.”

“I'm pregnant.” You said before you could stop yourself or build it up more, lowering your hands and looking over to Carm.

“You're..wow,” Carmy nodded, rubbing his jaw. “Well, thank fuck for that. I mean, I knew, but I thought you were dumping me.”

“Wait what?” You raised a brow. “You knew? How did you know?”

“I just knew,” Carm shrugged with a smile. “I mean, I guess I hoped I was right..I know it's skipping ahead a little but..I want what we had today, all the time.”

“Can you stop being so perfect for like one day?” You rolled your eyes with a grin, resting your head on Carmy's shoulder. “Or maybe just after the big date.”

[cosmicatta]

One Piece Novel: Law — a short analysis

So, after a long time trying to get my hands on the Law light novel, I was finally able to read it recently! And, because I'm an obnoxiously intense person who can't just be normal about things, I found myself taking notes about everything I judged interesting.

And I thought I could share! So here's a mostly improvised essay about the Law novel, how it portrays Law and what it reveals about him as a character.

Some notes before I start:

The edition I've read of this novel is the official Spanish translation by Planeta. When quoting and mentioning numbered pages, I'm referencing that edition.

I originally posted this on Twitter as a thread! If it sounds familiar, that might be why.

For those who haven't read the novel and might want to: be mindful of some trigger warnings, including gruesome medical descriptions, suicidal thoughts, mentions of abuse, and violence in general (I won't be touching on these subjects here though).

These are just my personal impressions, I'm not trying to tell anyone how they should interpret the novel or Law's character. I'm just doing this for fun!

The story takes place right after Cora dies, following young Law's journey as he makes it to Swallow Island and desperately tries to survive. There, he will meet Bepo, Penguin and Shachi, as well as Wolf, a novel-exclusive character that welcomes Law and the boys into his home as a family.

Overall, it's a very short read, agile and straightforward. The style is very juvenile, but that was to be expected, and I'd say it does a pretty good job at capturing the feeling of watching a One Piece episode. The novel does kinda feel like a mini arc.

I'm unsure if light novels can be considered 100% canon in general, but since the contents don't contradict anything from what we've already seen in the manga/anime, I'm going to assume we can at least take the events described in this one as canon.

But I'll leave the plot aside a little bit to focus more on Law's psyche, analyzing everything in the novel as material that helps us further understand him.

The entire book (save from a few specific passages) is written from Law's point of view and in first person, so it offers a more in-depth look at his way of thinking, motivations and ideals.

What I find most interesting in this sense is that the whole story is very centered around Law's kindness. Though he does admit several times that he had wanted to see the world burn when he was under Doflamingo's care (as we already know from the source material), the novel makes it very obvious that Law's true nature is compassionate. His inner voice even explicitly states that he enjoys helping and making others happy. (Quotes roughly translated from Spanish):

P. 27: "And I felt very comfortable collaborating with the task of helping others."

P. 92: "Knowing that I was going to free a person from their pain [...] gave me a joy I had never experienced before."

P. 136: "Just imagining the surprised faces of the Old Man, Bepo and the others brought a smile to my face" [when planning on getting fresh fish for dinner as a surprise].

And, despite living under Wolf's motto of "give to take," Law never expects anything in return for any of his good actions. In fact, he gets furious at Wolf himself when, after saving his life, the old man insists on giving Law anything he demands as compensation.

P. 120: "I didn't save you because I wanted a reward!" [...] They [Bepo, Shachi and Penguin] burst into tears of happiness when they realized that you had survived. That's more than enough for me! [...]" I won't let you belittle their tears!"

But even then, Law keeps arguing that he only saved Wolf "on a whim," much like he would say years later when asked why he chose to save Luffy's life. This is a common theme throughout the whole book (which is also pretty obvious in the manga)—Law doesn't recognize his own kindness.

It's not modesty or shyness, his inner monologue makes it very clear that he doesn't see himself as good-natured, and is often confused at his own motivations.

In their first meeting, when Bepo asks him why he is so nice to him, Law doesn't know what to answer; and after that, when Law finds himself wondering why he's trying so hard to save Shachi and Penguin despite their past history, he blames it all on "doctor's pride."

P. 48: "I wasn't even a good person."

Still, regardless of what Law might think of himself, living in Swallow Island seems to be making him progressively gentler. He was wary and hostile towards Wolf at first, but eventually lets himself trust people again, trying to honor Cora's memory and what he taught Law.

In Swallow Island he builds his new found family little by little, though never letting go of Cora and what he meant to Law.

P. 39: "Cora and I were family, that's what I felt at heart, I had no doubts. We had loved each other without saying it out loud [...] Would I feel the same for the Old Man and Bepo eventually?"

Slowly, he starts finding comfort and joy in community. He lets himself be carefree around his new friends, treating them with open affection, laughing and being surprisingly enthusiastic (although he quickly starts taking his role as a leader very seriously, and sometimes avoids showing weakness around them so as not to worry them.)

Law even gets to become an active part of life in Pleasure Town, where he and the other boys are cherished after 3 years living and working there. He's comfortable with his role in the community and appreciates the people in town. His sense of duty towards them shines especially when the pirates arrive to attack the town.

Again, this contrasts with how Law sees himself even in the manga/anime, where he insists that he acts mostly out of selfishness and only seeking his own benefit (or, in the best of cases "on a whim.")

But the truth is that Law's decisions are almost always related to other people's desires.

In this sense, the concept of guilt is also key to understand Law's motivations and his relationship with the world as a whole. This is especially obvious when it comes to Cora—Law even briefly wishes that they had never met, so that Cora would still be alive (p. 128-129.)

In a way, guilt is what moves Law forward, and what slowly starts transforming into a thirst for revenge, into rage and hatred towards Doflamingo and possibly towards himself too. It's a kind of tragic guilt born out of love.

His love for Cora still haunts him, his last wish for Law is the big enigma that he tries to solve during his 3 years in Swallow Island: be free. What is freedom to Law? How can he fulfill Cora's request? This is the question that gives meaning to the novel.

We know that Law wouldn't feel free until finally taking down Doflamingo and avenging Cora's death many years later, but he hasn't reached that point of determination in the novel yet. Maybe that's what gives the narration that hopeful and optimistic tone, with a young Law that's still finding himself, experiencing wonder in loving again, and learning what it means for him to be true to his values. It's the start of an adventure, and its core theme is love.

The ending illustrates this very well; I especially like the moment where Law names the crew as they're setting sail:

P. 243: "Cora's love that he showed me, Wolf's affection, the trust I had in my companions. One word embodied it all: Heart."

It is love that gives Law a reason to keep going. And I'm so glad that the novel doesn't shy away from this fact and isn't afraid of sounding "sappy" or "corny," because I do believe emotion is a very important part of Law's character.

The epilogue closes with a very interesting quote in the last page:

"You hear that, Cora? This is my... This is our pirate crew."

It is unclear if by "our" he is referring to himself and Cora, as if dedicating this new beginning to him, or if he means him and his crew. I'd personally like to think he means it both ways. But in any case, it's interesting that he openly shares the honor of "owning" his crew with someone else. He is the captain, but not the owner. It's another little way in which his generosity is evidenced.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable read, and it left me wanting more. Obviously, it's not a literature masterpiece, but it gives a lot of interesting material for character analysis, which is super fun.

Finally, here’s a few fun facts for those who can’t/don’t want to read the novel but enjoy the little trivia:

The Polar Tang was built and designed by Wolf.

Law’s first tattoo was "DEATH," and he got it at a local tattoo shop in Pleasure Town at around 15 years old.

Shachi and Penguin are childhood friends and likely met through their parents.

Shachi had always wanted to be a hair stylist.

Law is bad at cooking.

Both Shachi and Penguin are good at cooking, especially Penguin, who worked as a waiter in Pleasure Town.

The Hearts’ jolly roger was collectively designed by Law, Bepo, Shachi and Penguin days before leaving Swallow Island.

Law decided the name of their crew upon setting sail for the first time.

And I think that's all! ♥ I hope my rambling was enjoyable at least!

Edit: I've now posted an analysis of the Ace novels too!

[theprettynosferatu]

Shelter

Good evening. I'd say it's a surprise to see you here again, but we both know that would be a lie, wouldn't it?

I've been thinking a bit, in this shared night of ours. Can you hear the wind? Of course, it might not be windy where you are. After all, we are talking across time and space thanks to the magic of writing. Isn't it a wonderful thing? How my words just appear in your head as you read? By reading, you're letting your brain be colonized by someone else's thoughts.

And with all the books, all the stories and random texts on the Internet... you come here, again and again.

It's the wind. No, not the literal wind. The wind in your life. The constant demands life makes of you, the myriad choices big and small you have to make, the ever present fear you'll fuck up, you won't be enough, that the wind will become too much and sweep you away.

But here I offer an Oasis. Shelter from the weight of that wind, the horrible pressures of being a person. You come here to relax in this place that exists only between us. And let us not speak falsely now, you come here because of the way you feel here, the warmth between your legs.

No need to be coy! It's so simple, isn't it? The pleasure. The ability to drown in it. To tune everything out and just be a vehicle for that primal, shining sensation. Beautiful. Uncomplicated. Pure. Shamefully delightful. Outside the burdensome shackles of thought and morality.

And I'm happy to create this space for you, I truly am. But you must have realized by now that there's a toll you pay every time you come here. You leave a little piece of you behind. Sure, it's so small, so miniscule, like a grain of sand. But they add up, as I'm sure you have noticed. the greatest desert is all grains of sand, after all. Slowly, gradually, inevitably you are twisting your mind by coming here.

Now, let's not kid each other. We both know the thoughts, the dirty, demeaning, kinky thoughts haven't been exactly staying online, have they? Tell me, how often have you dreamed of slinking off to a bathroom and edge like a good girl when you know you shouldn't?

Did it happen at work? Did it happen at a friend's house? Did it happen while you were trying to do some serious academic writing?

Did you do it? Don't worry. You will, sooner or later.

Have you started looking at others differently? In a more... sexual light? Have you been tempted, just for a moment, to buy those slutty clothes?

Well, I'm sorry to tell you: you will no get better. Every caption you look at, every story you enjoy, every text you read will keep taking just a little bit of your mind, every single time. Weakening you. making the line between your online self and your other self so fuzzy...

And I'm taking zero risks by telling you. Because you're addicted. You're too far gone. You won't stop. Sure, you might quit... for a bit. That only makes the relapse so much more delightful.

So why tell you? Because I want you to know. I want you to be fully aware of how you're fucking your own mind. I want you to know what I'm doing to you. And that even knowing it, you won't stop.

And I'm telling you because I know that your awareness of your own downfall will feel so, so good for you...