#i'd disintegrate on the spot

[shield-and-saber]

so like, it would actually fix some broken part of me if sol fought this fucking hard for me specifically

maybe i need to write something

[misterreca]

I played the 2.7 hsr update with cn voices and I almost shit myself when I heard reca's en dub line where he's kissing the air (maybe even the trailblazer themself? Its a black screen in the game when it plays so we don't know for sure). I'm still thinking about it jfc

(link to a video where you can hear it)

[rosyheretic]

little bird (part 2) (steve rogers x fem!reader)

part 1

summary: steve rogers has been acting strangely around you for months, and now you know why: he found out about your crush on him and decided to tease you until you couldn't take it, as penance for your insubordination in the field. how much of steve's provocation can you take? and does he enjoy working you up? (part 2: oh yeah he does)

warnings: smut (18+), fingering, spanking, unprotected sex (bad), praise kink, size kink? ish? it's steve c'mon, witch reader, dirty talk, aftercare (fluff?)

notes: thank you guys for reading the first part! hopefully the grand finale lives up to your expectations. i plan to keep writing and hopefully improve, so let me know if you have any feedback or requests! up next on the queue is a sex pollen fic (with a twist!) because i'm a simple woman.

steve grinned at you and wrapped his arms around your waist, hoisting you up to perch you on the counter.

his big hands fell on your knees and pushed them apart so that he could stand between your legs. his dominant hand then slipped under your chin, tilting your head so he could kiss you.

steve rogers was a passionate kisser. he was hungry, taking possession of your mouth and exploring you with his tongue. he found the back of your neck and stroked it as he pulled back to speak.

"if i didn't know any better, i'd say you like smoochin' me," steve teased, drinking in your kiss-swollen lips and dazed eyes.

"oh, quit gloating and get to work," you fired back. a splash of magic escaped you and pink wisps guided his fingers toward your heat.

"since when do i take orders from you, dove?" steve pulled his hand free of your power and tutted. "the whole point of this exercise is to teach you to respect my authority."

"is that so, captain?" you sang back. "i thought the point was to rail me."

"i'm a talented guy," steve said, planting a kiss on your cheek so his lips were right by your ear. "i can do two things at once."

"then i suggest you get on it, rogers, because right now i don't see a compelling reason to change my behavior."

steve chuckled and captured your lips in another intense kiss. when you parted your lips to let him in, he used the momentary distraction to pick you up and haul you over his shoulder. your dress flipped up, revealing your upper thighs and your ruined panties.

"wha—STEVE! put me down!" you screamed, pounding your fists on his back. with one quick slap to your thinly clothed ass, he shut you up.

"you want a reason?" he said, slapping your ass twice more. "i'll give you 20."

he carried you to the couch, hitting each side of your bottom one more time before he sat down. he bent you over his knee, holding you down with his free hand splayed across your back.

"i'll just slip these off so i can see you, babygirl," he cooed as he dragged your panties down your legs. when he saw the large wet spot on your underwear, he laughed in triumph. "look at that. nice and wet for your captain, hm?"

steve gave you no warning before he resumed his punishment, landing slaps on every inch of your backside quickly and randomly. after what felt like hours of this punishment, you were delirious and helpless in his arms. or so you both thought.

he turned you over on his lap, hiking your dress up your legs again for access. when he forced your legs apart and moved his hand toward your mound, you braced for relief. instead you watched in horror as he drew back his hand, winding up for a slap right to your pussy. you flinched hard and shut your eyes.

when the spank never came, you opened your eyes to find steve's hand hovering in midair, its path interrupted by the electric fog of your magic.

"still resisting me, little bird?" steve raised an eyebrow at you, unfazed. then he started to push against the energy barrier. your involuntary magical defenses disintegrated under the pressure of his hand. he wore a cocky grin as your power fell away, leaving you defenseless.

you wanted to keep up the bratty act because the dynamic was fun for both of you. but in failing to protect yourself from his punishing hand, you had shown your cards. he knew how much you needed this, how powerless you were against the craving for your superior.

"betrayed by your subconscious," steve found humor in the situation even while you trembled beneath him. mercifully, he gave up on spanking you in favor of teasing your folds. you mewled at the first swipe of his fingers through your heat. "don't worry, i know you could still kick my super ass if you wanted to. but you won't, will you?"

"no..." you whimpered as his fingers sought out your clit, hovering over it and stroking around it to work you up. "wanna be good, captain, please."

"that's all i ever wanted to hear," steve said with a giddy smile. satisfied that he'd corrected your attitude, he gave in and rubbed your clit in earnest. "there's my good girl. i always knew you were in there somewhere."

"oh my god, yes," you breathed as he buried a finger inside you. he explored your walls with gentle thrusts, almost too gentle. you wiggled impatiently in his lap, creating friction on his bulge which was pressing into your side.

"careful," steve hissed. "you may be a super scary witch, but my cock would still split you open without some prep. you gotta be patient. can you do that for me?"

you whined but agreed to his terms. as a reward, he added a second finger. you could feel yourself stretching to accommodate his thick digits. sensing the resistance, steve searched for something to distract you—literally. he probed along your walls like a man on a mission, grinning when you cried out.

"gotcha," he murmured, almost to himself. your pussy fluttered and clenched wildly around him. "that's it, sugar, keep squeezing my fingers just like that. can't wait to be inside you, sweets."

steve's next move was calculated; he was a strategist, after all. as he worked in a third finger, he traced his thumb up to your clit, rubbing it harshly in time with his thrusts. you were a goner as soon as you felt three huge fingers stretching you out and doting on your g-spot.

"oh, princess, i know it feels so good. it's okay, you're doing so good, yes, my good girl, coming on your captain's lap like this," steve coaxed you through your orgasm with sweet nothings.

before you even had time to recover, steve swept you up bridal-style and carried you to the bedroom. "what happened to being patient?" you quipped as he put you down on the bed and unbuckled his belt.

"i haven't wanted someone the way i want you in 70 years," he responded, practically jumping out of his clothes to get to you. now fully nude, steve's cock bobbed between his legs, twitching and weeping precum. "forgive me if i'm in a hurry now that i finally have you."

his words rolled over you like a warm blanket, shielding you from all fear and uncertainty. steve climbed on top of you and rid you of your dress, the last item of clothing hiding your body from his hungry eyes.

"so beautiful, baby bird," steve marveled at your tits as he kneaded them, groaning out loud at their softness. you writhed underneath him, desperate to feel all of him. "ready?"

at your affirmative nod, steve pushed his hips forward and notched his mushroom tip inside your entrance. you sucked in a breath through your teeth at the intrusion. "oh steve, you're so —" you held your breath as he fed you another inch, "big! too big..."

"i know, lovebug, i'm sorry. i'm right here with you." steve cooed. he kept his hips still and peppered featherlight kisses all over your face. "you can take it. just open up for me, let me in."

"o-okay..." you whispered, relaxing your body. steve continued. he captured your lips in a greedy kiss, swallowing every moan and whine and mmph! you had to give him. before long, he was seated fully inside you.

"i'm so proud of you," steve pulled away from the kiss to shoot you a lust(love?)-drunk smile. "can i move now? you deserve a reward for being so brave."

"yes, ple—ah!" your reply was cut off with a squeal as he thrust forward at an angle, hitting your sweet spot with ease. he picked up the pace, more at ease knowing you were enjoying yourself. the burn of his cock stretching your walls now felt pleasant, especially when he snuck his fingers down to your bundle of nerves.

"fuck, angel, i'm not gonna last," steve panted, his dick driving into you even faster. "you're so tight, chokin' me... come with me. let go for me, love."

as he spoke, his fingers went into overdrive on your clit. this, combined with the near-intolerable feeling of fullness, sent you over the edge. you felt yourself clench and spasm around him, triggering steve's release. he came with a shout, rope after rope of hot liquid coating your walls.

in your warm post-orgasmic haze, you felt like you were floating. then steve pried himself away from you and off the bed.

"where are you going?" you asked shyly.

"to get a washcloth. you don't have to be afraid, little bird. i'm gonna take care of you."

you smiled to yourself and closed your eyes again, knowing his words to be true.

[seat-safety-switch]

Rust is my most hated nemesis. I have stared more than once into the crumbling mess of red death that was, long ago, a pristine steel panel. Many evenings have been spent cutting out rust, only to find more rust, and cutting out that rust only to find yet more rust. Everything on my car is actively trying to return to the earth, but I won't let it.

Maybe you're lucky enough to only own new cars, or so absolutely fortunate that you live somewhere that cars don't rust even when they get scratched. If that's the case, you can pretend that the rest of this story is actually talking about croissants. Croissants are delicious, rich, and buttery, and I'd probably have learned how to make them myself if I didn't spend what my Daytimer® estimates is three-quarters of my waking life fixing body and structural rust on my harem of shitbox cars.

For years, car folks have been lured by a series of snake-oil paints, oils, dyes, dips, and other formulations that promise to help prevent rust. Virtually all of them are horseshit: elaborate scams produced by an industry that knows they have a desperate customer, just like parachute companies. The most effective rust prevention is to hose your car down with lanolin, which is a sort of wax you make by crushing up sheep. It works well, but the trick is doing it every year, forever, perfectly, until you miss a spot and your car disintegrates at highway speed, like a sand castle being hit by an errant volleyball.

If you talk to someone rich, they propose simply driving a bad car in the winter, and keeping your good cars cooped up. This is impossible for me: not only do I have exclusively what the rich would call "bad" cars, but I feel shrieking agony every time I am destroying any vehicle at all through my carelessness and malice. That is, of course, unless I am racing the car, in which case it is understood by all involved that dying in battle is the most noble way for the car to ascend to Valhalla. There is no honour in scrapping a car because the rear subframe prolapsed on your way to work, so I enter my most precarious vehicles in ice racing in order to give them a good end-of-life experience.

Unfortunately, it turns out that the gaping rust holes reducing the weight of the chassis, and my devil-may-care attitude bumping rivals off the lake in fact is the secret formula to produce winning race cars. Now, I'm not as rich as your Inoues or your Sennas, but the $50 gift certificates to the local tire place really add up. I hear they've got anti-rust underbody spray, which seems like a good thing to do to whatever chunks of cars I can frantically weld together this summer in the few weeks before the leaves turn again. The cycle of life.

[eldritch-spouse]

Going out for ice cream with Obie and having him feed you the ice cream knowing FULLY WELL this is going to end with you cleaning the mess off his fingers with your mouth (of course there is intense eye contact, that's a given). I need to bother this man so he's steaming in public but unable to do anything about it ‼️ raaaaugh!!!

[Reader is implied fem, but can be read as neutral.]

TW: Semi-public; Foodplay; Unsanitary.

You've always been a bit nervous about taking Obie out to eat anywhere.

Meals are important for gluttons, which means that, to many of them, which restaurant you choose to have your dates in and what you order can be the decisive blow to a newly blossoming romance. Even if the mid-ranker who has his eyes on you doesn't exactly seem to be the snobbish type, you can't help chewing your nails in dread that you somehow fuck up and take Obie to the worst lunch date of his entire life- Getting brutally dumped in the process.

He laughed when you brought these concerns up, straight up telling you he'd eat off the floor if you wanted him to -Something that honestly made you worry for his sanity back then- That the mere act of trying to feed him meant everything to the glutton.

And for as much as you want to believe him, you always hesitate to make a decision, constantly fearing the worst no matter how unlikely it is that your choices would be that disastrous.

Seeing this, Obie often decides to take pressure off your shoulders by suggesting your next meal-date locations himself. And it does kind of make sense that a demon of his type would know all the best places. You just wish he'd stop recommending establishments in the Gluttony ring.

You're very scared of visiting Hell in general, it's not a place for humans, you don't care how many of them like to gloat that they set foot there and came back unharmed- You don't buy it! There's always a price to pay for dwelling in the sins. And even with a mid-ranker who was born and lived in the Rings for a good portion of his life to protect you, you're just not ready.

Obie laments this, though the demon has admitted it's clever of you to want to stay away. You're too soft, whatever he meant with that. Still, since you can't visit his favorite ice cream establishment in the Hells -That so fabled Sorbet Sabbath he's mentioned more than a few times- He's finally taken you to a surface alternative he deems decent enough.

It's nothing special, he said, as he handed you the most massive ice cream cone you've ever seen in your entire life. Three fat scoops of absolute sugary goodness staring at you with different toppings and syrups, appetizing enough to have you swallowing your own drool back up. Obie spotted that hunger immediately, beaming with that bear trap of a mouth, proud of nailing your tastes once more.

" What do you mean, nothing special?! " You nearly shout as the two of you pick a more secluded table to enjoy your treats. " This is gigantic! "

The demon wheezes, brows raised at you as if waiting for the other shoe to drop. " Dude please, this is a robbery, in Gluttony I'd pay basically the same and the scoops are double this size. "

" Fuck off. " He's joking. He has to be.

" No, for real! "

When you're both seated, you finally glance at your boyfriend's choice of treat. Your eyeballs nearly fall off their sockets. He's got like five scoops poorly balanced on that thing, there's so much syrup and sprinkles on it, you have no idea how the cone he clutches isn't disintegrating. He's going to make a mess, for sure. There's no way any person can eat that without making a fool of themselves, that little plastic spoon sticking out of the mountain of sweetness is borderline hilarious.

The yellow monster notices the staring, broken tail wagging. " Want some of mine? "

" Ah- No, no thanks. " You're pretty sure you'd have a heart attack.

Perhaps because he knows letting the thing sit for too long will end in disaster, Obie is quick to forgo conversation and focus on his ice cream. And by that, you mean he unhinges his jaw to python-like proportions, glittering rows upon rows of teeth connected by strands of hungry drool right in front of you.

An equally wet tongue slips out from its cavern to wrap all too easily along the length of the frozen delicacy, clutching it with a dexterity you've both coveted and lusted for several times, before it reaches the cone and swiftly sucks it into Obie's maw. Like a vacuum cleaner on steroids. If you blinked, you would have missed it. When the two of you started hanging out, you'd see the glutton eat this fast and you wondered if he even tasted anything he put in his mouth- You know better now.

Because after his throat bulges obscenely with the size of his meal, he licks his lips and lets out that content rumble you've grown ever so fond of. He tasted it alright, licking his lips and choppers for any trace of goodness he didn't miss.

It's an embarrassing amount of time until you tear your gaze away from him, eyes busy scrolling his form from top to bottom with an intensity that might make the hellfire creature burn alive. You could watch him for days.

You could watch him eat for days.

Damn you and your stupid fucking oral fixation.

" Hey uh- Bonbon, that's melting. "

Snapping into attention, you follow the direction of that lazily pointing claw to find that, indeed, part of your ice cream is already losing shape, dripping onto itself and nearly coating your fingers.

In the panicked pause you take to decide how to prevent the inevitable, Obie has already taken action. Bigger fingers than yours reach out to collect the stray trails, collecting the more melted sections too so that they don't start dripping immediately afterwards. You relax slightly, a ghost of a smile on your features as you expect him to shove them into his mouth and be done with it.

And yet, the demon hesitates, gaze veering from his hand to you in the sliver of a second.

" Hey now, that's my ice cream. Not fair. " You jest softly, far from expecting him to crack a toothy grin in reply.

" Oh? Yeah sure, don't let me stop you then. "

And, much to your chagrin, the glutton presents his sweetened hand your way, resting his chin on the other as he silently dares you to follow through.

Fortunately for him, you're stubborn sometimes.

There isn't a single thought resembling common decency in your mind when you lean forward and steal a quick lick of his finger tips, darting back into your seat as soon as you realize what a gross act that was to do in public.

Obie's perpetually squinted gaze widens the smallest amount, he exhales in amusement at your five seconds of bravery and his grin quickly acquires a tone befitting of his nature as a spawn of Hell.

" That's it? " He tilts his head.

" Obie, we- "

" You barely even tasted it. " That hand edges forward more.

" We're not alone! " You whisper-shout.

The demon laughs openly, clean hand gesturing to the surroundings. " Yeah? You sure? "

Your own curiosity betrays you, hues flickering all across the place and spotting only vacant tables, save for two other people seated a considerable distance away, not even facing the two of you. For all intents and purposes, you could get away with a lot. But like Hell you're saying that to his smarmy face.

" Fine. "

If his grin got any wider, it would escape his face.

The next time those fingers wiggle in your direction, you catch two between your lips, smiling as you thoroughly begin cleaning them. At the first rush of your tongue working, Obie appears to visibly shiver hard, a hint of color to the glutton's cheeks causing his shit-eating smirk to grow crooked.

Very satisfied with yourself, you leisurely pop off his digits.

" Is it any good? " Obie teases.

" Mmm. But I think you might just taste better. "

Oh.

Oh that got him revved up alright.

You gloat inwardly at knowing how to properly bother your glutton.

" Why not test that theory? "

He has the nerve to reach for your cone again, collecting more recently melted stray trails and making more of a mess than before.

After some paranoid glancing around, you decide to start with his palm, a flat and honestly less impressive muscle flattening itself against the soft creases of his skin. The quiet gasp that erupts from him only serves to further stroke your ego while you isolate one digit and thoroughly suck it clean.

" Hhn fuck. "

Your muffled giggle is almost mean-spirited.

Perhaps against your better judgement, you don't release Obie's hand, moving to the pinkie and offering it the same hungry treatment, going as far as to lick between digits before swallowing his ring finger and moaning around it.

Obie has been increasingly quiet and still throughout all of this. And even if it's always been very hard to kind of guess how much attention he's paying to something or where he might be staring, you know for a fact his attention blazes on you, rapt and unfiltered. Something that might be sweat condenses on the left side of his forehead and a faint sheen of drool coats his bottom lip. You only wish you could look beneath the table and check if there's anything going on. The possibility of Obie having popped a boner from this alone thrills you immensely.

The moment you start pulling back, the glutton jolts into movement, suddenly shoving his pointer and index into your mouth, your eyes widening like dinner plates.

" You're not done. "

That wasn't a tease anymore.

It's your turn to shudder, an almost violently quick outbreak of goosebumps raising your hairs when the very tips of his claws sit placidly on your tongue. Your shocked stillness doesn't halt Obie, whose breathing comes out in hot, barely muffled pants.

Without an inkling of shame, his digits glide on the flat of your tongue, a slow back and forth, coating themselves in your drool as he casually plays with your mouth. Your cheeks are catching up with his in terms of heat.

" Suck. "

You nearly choke.

You can't really turn your head to check anymore, so you simply pray that no one is looking when you do just that, enjoying the way he gulps and straightens. Obie's legs part the slightest amount, and you know exactly what he's trying to accommodate, the flames of your aroused confidence stoked to brand new levels.

The mid-ranker is an iota of carelessness away from cutting into his own lip while he essentially finger-fucks your mouth, humming every time you have to swallow the excess saliva or try to use your tiny tongue to lap around his digits. You know there's a myriad of nasty things going on inside that head, because you yourself are getting a few less than innocent ones. Lords know he's the kind of guy that would coat his dick in syrup in try to get you to suck him off the same way you're treating his fingers.

And the worst part is that you'd probably agree.

Maybe on purpose, or perhaps because he's getting too into it, Obie slips his digits too far down your mouth and triggers a gag from you, the sound and look of it making him growl loud enough to have you sliding down in your seat a bit from sheer embarrassment.

You're released from that lewd torment however, searching for a napkin to wipe the spittle from your lips, wondering just how much of a show an onlooker could have gotten just now. Obie feels no such pressure, playing with the strands of drool connecting his fingers while his clean hand dips to squeeze at something out of view briefly.

" I can't wait to put that little throat to use. "

He leers, grin sloppy and heated, chuckling when you lightly kick his leg.

" I guess... W- We should go home then? " Because really, he's not the only one left surprisingly turned on by this.

The glutton raises a hand. " Finish yours. Can't leave yet... "

When the demon makes a vague gesture towards his lower body, you can only snicker, nodding.

It's a bit hard to eat properly when you're aware Obie is lazily studying every lap and bite. And, at this rate, you just hope he has enough restraint not to push you against the closest conveniently placed wall...

[thepagansystem]

Blood of Gold and Tears of Stars [Genshin Creator AU]

soooooo, I've recently discovered the Divine Creator AU and got obsessed. Naturally, that means I started a new fic, lmao. It's going to be updated on AO3 Here, but I figured I'd post the first chapter here <3

--------

The people of Teyvat had long forgotten their Divine Creator, the usurpers from the Stars having used dark knowledge to seal Her and the memory of her away inside the floating islands of Celestia within a year of arriving on her planet. And this imprisonment lasted for many, many years. However, after the fall of Kaenri’ah 500 years ago, cracks in the magic they used began to form. The Tsaritsa, fair Goddess of Love, was the first to remember their beloved Creator. This revelation led to her creation of the Fatui--she hoped overthrowing Celestia and the Heavenly Principles would undo the blasphemous act and free Elysia Seraphine at long last. 

It was also around this time that the Ley Line Outcrops began to appear all across Teyvat--the first rumblings of Elysia’s returning consciousness. As the Ley Line Blossoms began to be purified, bits and pieces of the Creator returned to the people of Teyvat--and they began to remember. No one knew where the Creator was, but they held onto the hope that she would return to them one day and began chronicling the stories they could remember of her in the meantime.

And then, one bright sunny day--an immense implosion of elemental energy swept across the land, stopping at the central island of Celestia. Those nearest to the floating island of the Gods stared up in shock, and after a moment of unnerving stillness--the islands disintegrated in a burst of blinding golden light. At long last, the Creator had awoken from her imprisoned slumber.

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

Elysia fell from the sparkling wreckage of Celestia, the winds of Teyvat wrapping around her limp body and slowing her descent to the shores near Mount Mingyuan. As the sleeping Goddess neared the ground, a group of Dendro slimes jumped out of the earth and made a bed of elemental energy as the wind gently laid her down.

The Dendro slimes bounced around her protectively, as the teal-haired protector of Liyue appeared in a sudden burst of smoke--wide amber eyes staring at the peaceful form of Elysia Seraphine. He deflected the bursts of dendro the slimes shot at him, scowling at the interference as he swiped at the largest of the slime. “I’m here to protect her Grace, back off.” He glanced back at the Creator as he snapped at the slimes, suddenly worried he might disrupt her slumber. After assuring she still slept soundly, he squinted back at the slimes as they plopped back into the ground one after another--deeming him safe. The Vigilant Yaksha released his hold on his spear, letting it disappear as he carefully approached the Divine Creator.  Stepping inside her aura made him pause, a look of surprise crossing his face as the years of karmic debt he had accumulated just...faded to silence. The relief was as blessed as it was unsettling, but Xiao shook his shock off as he gently crouched down. It felt blasphemous to touch her so casually, but Morax had ordered her safe retrieval until the Creator awoke. Shaking his head again, Xiao gently lifted Elysia into his arms with her head cradled into the hollow of his neck and shoulder, before disappearing in another cloud of smoke. 

A pair of pink eyes narrowed in irritation as the two disappeared from sight, as the white-haired woman stepped out from the rocks she had been hiding behind. As the Dendro Slimes popped out of the ground to attack her, the woman materialized her sword and cut all five down with one strike of her blade. Glaring at the spot the Divine Creator had been, she scoffed before tearing open a rip in space and stepping back through.

----

Zhongli sat at the stone table he, Guizhong, and Cloud Retainer used to eat at atop Mount Aocang, lost in thought as he awaited the arrival of Xiao and Lady Elysia. To think that Celestia had locked away everyone’s memories of their Divine Creator...it angered him greatly. Now that she had been freed at last, all the hidden memories had rushed back--and he finally understood what the Tsaritsa had been working towards these long years. 

He blinked away his thoughts as Xiao appeared in a cloud of smoke, standing and walking towards the oft scowling Yaksha. His eyes immediately went to the still form of his Goddess, as he fell to his knees. She looked so peaceful asleep in Xiao’s arms, and the golden dragon of Contracts had a sudden spike of envy. Shaking himself from his stupor, Zhongli stood back up with a clearing of his throat, before turning to walk back towards the stone table with a hand beckoning Xiao to follow. He paused upon reaching the table, conflicted on laying his Goddess upon such an uncomfortable surface. Before he had a chance to think of a solution, the trees near the table shivered as dendro energy pulsed through the area, while a gentle breeze brought soft bedding of flowers and leaves to rest atop the stone table. Awed by the reverence the very land seemed to bestow upon her, Zhongli nodded to Xiao as the Yaksha stepped forward and hesitantly layed Elysia upon the created bed. 

The two stood in silence for a few moments, before Zhongli shook himself and took a few steps away from her, Xiao following behind him. “Did you have any trouble bringing Her here?” 

Xiao shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest. “No, Lord Lapis. She was being protected by Dendro Slimes when I arrived, but no one else was around.” He paused, contemplating his thoughts before hesitantly asking his Archon. “Do you really think anyone wishes to harm Her Grace?”

Zhongli hummed, looking back at the sleeping Creator, slowly answering the question. “I believe it is a distinct possibility that Celestia put fail-safes in place. It seems best to not risk Her injury until we know for certain.” Xiao nodded in understanding as the Geo Archon continued, “Everyone likely knows what the implosion of energy meant, and will come searching for her--with good and ill intent certainly. I’m sure the other Archons are like to trace her aura here before long, though I do not know if any will show themselves.”

Xiao nodded again, looking back at Elysia before scanning the surroundings for potential threats. “Have you summoned the other Adepti to guard her until she wakes?”

Zhongli nodded slightly, his eyes still locked on the sleeping form of his Creator, entranced. “Indeed, they should arrive before too long--I find it imperative to protect Her Grace from further harm.” As he spoke, he abruptly turned to stare out across the sky, sensing the abnormally shifting winds as he spotted a green and brown-clad form shooting towards them. He immediately stood and shot his arms out, “Solidify!” The pillars shooting up around Elysia caused Xiao to jolt, immediately drawing his spear and facing towards the inbound figure as a protective geo field formed around the Creator.

Zhongli only slightly relaxed upon recognizing Barbatos, the short windborne bard gracefully landing before the pair with an unusually somber and serious expression on his face. Xiao remained in his defensive stance, unsure if the bard posed a threat or not and unwilling to take the chance. “What brings you to my domain, Barbatos?” Zhongli’s tone was guarded and weary, his arms crossed over his chest and back rigid. 

Venti gave a shallow dip of his head, leaning to the side to see around Zhongli--eliciting a small gasp as he saw Elysia. He took a few steps towards her, before Xiao sliced his spear out to stop him as Zhongli unwittingly let out a low growl deep in his throat. Venti stumbled to a stop, blinking owlishly at the two of them before giving a weepy-eyed pout. “Why are you keeping Her Grace to yourself Morax? We all want to see her now that she has been returned to us.” 

Zhongli’s eyes and ends of his hair started to glow slightly, as his draconic instincts picked up, golden scales spreading across his cheeks. “I am ensuring her safety from those who may wish to harm her--we do not yet know for certain that Celestia has not sent people to attack her.”

Venti’s eyes widened, his already pale skin going ashen--he had been so excited to feel her presence that the thought of her safety hadn’t crossed his mind. “Oh.”

As the three continued their heated debate, Elysia’s golden eyes slowly opened. She stared up at the open sky in awe, slowly lifting an arm up in muted curiosity and disbelief. As she slowly sat upwards, she turned to look at the three who were serving as her protectors, a bemused smile on her face. With a whisper of wind helping her stand for the first time in at least 10,000 years, she took a careful step towards the three. Seeing the shimmering geo energy around her, she skimmed a hand over the surface and the shield dissolved. 

Xiao was the first to notice her, the angry voices of long dead gods quieting as she drew near. Dropping his spear, the Yaksha fell to his knees with his face upturned towards her. The two ex-Archons ceased their bickering to look over--freezing upon seeing their Divine Creator gazing at them mere feet away. Following Xiao, Zhongli and Venti both knelt on the ground, bowing their heads to Elysia in supplication. Of all the denizens of Teyvat, the Archons felt the most guilty at forgetting their Goddess--and bowing to her usurper.

She tilted her head slightly to the side, her long elegant tail whispering along the ground as it swayed back and forth. Taking another step towards them, she cupped each of the gods cheeks in one hand to lift their heads up. “Do not bow your heads in shame, my dear Cherubim. You are not to blame for my entombment and expungement from memory.” As the two gods looked up, Xiao felt a bitter sense of longing for her caress as well. As if she could read his thoughts, Elysia turned towards him and ran her fingers through his hair in a gentle caress. “Thank you for bringing me somewhere safe while I regained my strength, my brave and sorrowful Yaksha. You have done well, so please don’t view yourself so lowly.” She gave him a soft smile, drawing her hand back as she clasped both behind her back and watched the three with bemusement. 

Xiao blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to fight back the tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. After a moment of silence, Zhongli rose to his feet--causing the other two to follow in his lead when Elysia nodded encouragingly. Zhongli was also the first to break the silence, sounding uncharacteristically unsure of himself in the presence of his Goddess. “Your Grace..Is there anything we can do for you? I am sorry that you were so sacrilegiously treated for so long without us doing anything to assist you.”

She chuckled softly, her smile brightening at the sincerity in his words, “Do not fret, dear Morax. Even if you had learned sooner, there is not much more that could have been done. The usurpers used dark knowledge they brought from beyond the stars, and I was unprepared for such an attack.” As she spoke, her tail swished and she raised her head to look towards the glowing blue waypoint as it pulsed with energy. Curiosity sparked in her eyes at the unknown technology, another bemused smile passing onto her face as Zhongli and Xiao took up protective stances in front of her. 

They both relaxed as the form of Shenhe, Ganyu, and Xianyun stepped onto the grass. “One does not understand why ones charges do not visit unless there is some dire situation!” Zhongli cleared his throat, getting Xianyun’ attention before she could continue ranting at the half qilin and exorcist pair. 

Ganyu and Xianyun both let out a small gasp upon seeing Elysia, while Shenhe studied the Goddess with an impassive expression. Ganyu bowed deeply to her, while Xianyun dipped her head respectfully as she took a step towards them. “One is pleased to see you in good health, Your Grace.”

Elysia stepped between Xiao and Zhongli, smiling at the new arrivals as she neared them. “Thank you, Cloud Retainer. It is wonderful to see the sky after so long in slumber.” 

Venti, who had remained quiet this entire time, stepped around Zhongli and Xiao to stop beside Elysia. “Is there anything you wish to do, Lady Elysia?” 

She turned to look at him, her long sparkling hair draping across her shoulder as she tilted her head in thought, tapping a finger against her chin. “I would like to travel across Teyvat, and see what has become of my land.” She turned back towards the newcomers, walking towards them as she studied the waypoint with her hands once again clasped behind her back. “How do I use this curious device? Is it connected to my Irminsul network, as my memory blossoms are?”

Unsure how to interact with the curious Creator, the group shuffled together to look at her, before Zhongli answered her question. “I believe so, Your Grace. Anyone who can control the elements is able to access the system by touching the device, and it connects to all the other waypoints or statues in the area.” He hesitated as she hummed in contemplation, walking around the device thrice as she studied it. “Would..you allow me the honour of showing you my city of Liyue Harbour?”

She glanced up to him with a slight smile, but was unable to respond before Venti cut in. “Your Grace, my city of Freedom, Mondstadt, would be an excellent place to begin your journey~ It is where wayward travellers often start!”

Before any more bickering could begin, she raised her hands up in a placating manner, “Patience, please, my cherubim. I intend to visit all of the stations, and will gladly welcome a knowledgeable tour-guide.” She noticed Ganyu nervously wringing her hands, and tilted her head at her. “Is there something wrong, dear Ganyu?”

The half-qilin looked up at her with a nervous smile, “I’m sorry for my forwardness, Your Grace, but Lady Ningguang asked me to invite you to her Jade Palace if you felt so inclined.”

Elysia smiled at her, nodding her head in acceptance. “Very well, that is where we shall start then.” She looked over each of her welcoming party in turn. “I greatly appreciate your concern for my well-being, however...I do not wish to travel with a large party.” She smiled softly, dampening the bluntness of her statement.

Those gathered each bowed their heads, with Venti waving his arms in front of himself to ward off her apology. “Of course, Your Grace! We will gladly accept whatever you wish of us!” Zhongli and Xiao both nodded their agreement, with Xianyun giving a slight harumph. 

Xiao bowed to her with a hand on his chest, “If you have need of me, Your Grace, merely call out my name and I will be there.” 

“One shall return to Yilong Wharf for the time being! Come Shenhe, one wishes to ‘catch up’ with you, as they say.” The tall adepti smiled at Elysia, bowing her head once again. “One hopes you have safe travels, Your Grace, and that we may meet again soon.”

Elysia smiled after the two, as Shenhe gave her a nod as they passed to touch the waypoint and teleport away once again. Venti looked like he was fighting the urge to latch onto her, as the stormy-haired woman turned back to the waypoint with a nod to Ganyu. “I shall ask you to input where we are going, Ganyu. I will meet with Ningguang before beginning my exploration.”

“O-of course, Your Grace.” Ganyu bowed to Zhongli with an apologetic grimace, before she walked up to stand right beside Elysia. “U-uhm, I will have to touch you to teleport us both together, Your Grace, I’m very sorry.” The nervous adepti selected the Jade Chamber teleport point, looking at Elysia for confirmation.

She smiled encouragingly at her, placing a hand on the younger womans’ shoulder. “There is no reason to apologize, dear adepti, it is quite all right.”

The two disappeared, with Ganyu’s cheeks growing rosy pink.

----

When it was only Xiao, Venti, and Zhongli remaining, the anemo god sighed as he sank to the ground. “Whoah.”

Zhongli chuckled slightly, crossing his arms across his chest. “Our Goddess truly seems to be a kind soul. I am glad the history that we were able to regain was right.”

Venti let out a nervous laugh, nodding along. “I was honestly a little worried that she would be like the Heavenly Principles. The winds of Teyvat sing in her presence though!”

Zhongli nodded as well, “As does the earth.” His expression turned more serious, as he looked at Xiao. “Nonetheless, I wish for you to stay near her, Xiao. We must ensure she is not harmed, as it would be a great sin for her to have any more pain. We must ensure her happiness and safety now that she is finally free to roam her land again.”

“Understood, Lord Lapis.” Xiao nodded, bowing to both Venti and Zhongli before disappearing in a cloud of smoke. 

Venti stood back up, stretching his arms high above his head before grinning widely at Zhongli. “Well! I’m off to Mondstadt to sing praises for our wonderfully beautiful Creator! I’ll make sure everyone in my City of Freedom is awaiting her arrival~” With a giggle, the anemo god propelled himself into the air on a gust of wind, waving goodbye to Zhongli before flitting away.

Zhongli shook his head at Barbatos’s always carefree nature, before using the waypoint himself.

[softcitrus2345]

Slowly but surely chipping away at these prompts!! TTwTT 13. fREaKy FrIDaY - Damien and Matt going through some body swap shenanigans XP I love these two so much and the idea of them swapping bodies is so fun; they have such polar opposite personalities and seeing Matt's stiff demeanor in Damien's normally jittery body is so funny to me (and vice versa, seeing Matt's face and body language change to Damien's sorta softer and wimpy/nervous energy is so weird to see XDD)

That must've been SO AWKWARD for Matt and Vanessa once they realized what was going on LMAO Imagine going to bed like normal and waking up next to your best friend's wIFE.. CALLING YOU PET NAMES?? 💀 I'd disintegrate on the spot BFHISDKGJS Not two seconds after the last panel Matt definitely jumped out of his skin and fell off of the bed with a loud ass THUMP

Meanwhile Damien's on the other end trying to call them to no avail HAHFSDIG

Man it was so weird drawing Matt and Damien with stubble, I'm so used to their babyfaces!! 😭

[quackity-rp-blog]

[there is a small envelope in the mailbox, a brilliant shade of deep purple, with gilded golden words marking the edges, !¡∷╎ᒲᒷ'ᓭ !¡ᒷ∷⎓ᒷᓵℸ ̣ !¡𝙹ᓭℸ ̣ ᔑꖎ (prime's perfect postal). when it opens, a small card is inside, cream white with bold black letters, the enchanted purple words standing out]

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

Visit The Church of Prime today! receive a blessing!

light up a candle, speak to Us!

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

[a small charm, purple and rectangular, with a small point at the tip, a white middle with closed eyes on the charm (twitch logo but with closed eyes), falls out of the envelope. it's a necklace, some prayer beads engraved with protection enchantments decorate the string. this is a guaranteed Prime Protection charm] - @totally-not-a-god 👁

"What is this? I've never been holy enough for church. I'd walk in and boom! Disintegrated on the spot."

[gaybananabread]

Could we get headcanons for the LOV +Hawks? They're a nightmare found family and must have violent tickle fights...

⋋🕯️LoV Tkl Headcanons🕯️⋌

~Alright, got these in! I love doing these hcs, it's fun just splatting ideas down on here! I've already done KFC and Crispy Boi, so I'll link them below. These maniacs would absolutely get into some wild fights, especially when tensions are high. Warning, this is super long, so be prepared (⁠•⁠ ⁠▽⁠ ⁠•⁠;⁠). Thank you for requesting!~

(Hawks and Dabi hcs)

🎮Shigaraki⊰⁠⊹

General:

Neutral on tickling. Doesn't hate it, not super crazy about it.

He's just gotta be in the right mood at the right time.

Will kill anyone who tries to get him to admit it, but he doesn't totally hate it.

I'd say he's a lee. Besides the obvious risk of disintegrating someone, I just feel that he wouldn't want to touch another person like that for that long. Again, certain mood, certain time.

Lee:

On the semi-rare occasion that he does get into a lee mood, he tries his best to ignore it.

He's the leader of the League! “Leaders don't indulge in childish things, it's below me!”

Yeah, that fails after about twenty minutes of denial.

This touch-starved boyo can not fight off a mood like that for long.

He'll try to subtly provoke one of the other members into doing it. Wearing one of his more beat-up shirts, crop top, maybe a tank top. Sitting with his arms behind his head, sassing them, everything he can think of.

The only one who ever really gets him is Mr. Compress. Someone else might pick up on the hints, but are too scared for their lives to do anything about it.

Lighter stuff works best on him, though in certain spots, some good digging will be rewarded.

His worst spots are his palms and thighs.

It feels like his quirk would make those boys really sensitive, though you have to be careful around his fingers. Maybe some special gloves with the palm cut out? Eh, they'll get creative.

Melt spot would be his back. Light tracing, maybe feathers or something along those lines. Either way, he loves it.

Raspy, restrained little giggles at first. Boy refuses to laugh.

You get him good, though, and it'll be ear-splitting cackles and old-door-level squeaks.

📏Twice🎭

General:

Switchy-switch, depending on what side of him is leading.

His calmer, more rational side typically means lee mood.

His angrier, more violent side normally means ler mood.

Twice thinks tickling is a fun way to bond with his fellow members, as well as just relaxing and enjoying it.

Lee:

When he gets lee moods, they're often in-his-face and hard to ignore. Big, obtrusive need to get his shit wrecked.

The observant among the members can point it out. Extra giddiness, little jokes he wouldn't normally tell, and random giggles. Coin toss on who ends up giving a fuck, but still.

Hawks is usually his ler, though Toga is next in line. It's easy to get Hawks annoyed enough to send a feather after him. Toga is sadistic enough to wreck him whenever; it's asking her that's hard.

Worst spots are his ribs and armpits. Pitchy, boisterous cackles when you go for them.

Melt spot is his back. He loves back rubs that slowly become tickly, or just straight-up scribbles.

Ler:

Evil little shit about it. The harsher personality has a field day.

If he's having a decent day and is feeling cruel enough, he’ll make a clone or two to help him.

Big squeezes, drilling into worst-spots, raspberries, you name it. He wants to see his lee cackling before he's done.

The kind of mf to say “Citchie citchie coo~” without a hint of shame.

Most of the time, he'll give revenge tickles. Occasionally, though, there'll be a softer ler that pokes out just for comfort purposes.

Aftercare really depends on who it is. Most of the time, his nicer side comes out.

He'll do anything from smug comments to back rubs and a fluffy blanket.

🔪Toga🩸

General:

First off: girlie loves tickling

Can and will bring it up confidently. She's already kinda crazy—who cares what they think about this?

Gives ler-leaning switch vibes, methinks. Always ready to destroy someone, but wouldn't mind some pokes along the way~

Lee:

While they're less frequent, she definitely gets lee moods.

Knowing he'll almost always provide, she typically goes to Twice for tickly aid. If he's unavailable, though, it's skillfully tricking other members into giving her what she wants.

Very squirmy, can and will break your nose if you're not careful.

Worst spots are her hips. A few squeezes there and she's down for the count.

Melt spot would have to be her palms. She kinda gives off attention whore vibes, so she'd love any light, affectionate traces on them.

Got a bright and bubbly laughter that descends into cackles if you get her good. Blushes very easily, though she'll always have some blood-related excuse.

Ler:

Run for the hills, my friend.

Ruthless little ler, doesn't like to stop until her lee is a teary, tickle-drunk mess.

She loves building up anticipation, big on tickle games and hide-and-seek chases

Light tracing up and down a lee's midriff, stopping just shy of their worst spots before digging in.

Most teasing bitch to ever roam the Earth-

“Oooooh, your cheeks are so red! I love that color on you, cutie~” “Laugh for me! You know you wanna~”

“Oh, I'm sorry, does that word make it worse? A-tickle tickle tickle!”

Most frequent lee is Twice, though she's gotten everyone at least once before.

Not much aftercare unless you ask. Maybe a glass of water or some rubs. If requested, though, she'll cling to you for hours.

🎩Mr. Compress🔮

General:

So we can all agree he's the group dad-friend, right?

Tell me you don't see it. That's right, you can't-(/hj)

Sees tickling as a fun way to bond and de-stress. Often used by him as a cheer-up method.

I'd say switch on this one. He doesn't really seem to lean either way—only that his friends are enjoying themselves!

Lee:

Doesn't really get lee moods, though he's always open to a playful session with one of the League members.

Kinda like a human stress-toy volunteer

He doesn't mind it at all—it’s fun! What's the harm if it's doing somebody some good?

Worst spots are his belly and upper back. Get him there and he's a goner.

For melt spot, I'd say his tops of his thighs/calves. Man seems like he'd enjoy some leg tickles.

Deep, rich laughter. Kinda like Santa, but less ho-ho-hoey, ya know?

Ler:

Paternal tickle monster, no discussion.

He's got the “mental anguish” radar that good dads just seem to magically have.

He'll ask if they're okay and talk it out before starting his “special treatment” for their problem.

As said before, tickle monster gimmick is his thing.

“Is somebody stressed out? You know, tired minds are a special monster's favorite prey…”

“You'd better be careful with that frown around here. You don't wanna wake up…the Tickle Monster!”

“I can't hear you, dear! The Monster's taken over, and he's hungry for laughter!”

Seems like they'd kill him for it, but when they're upset, his silly antics are just what they need.

Tickles Twice and Toga the most, mainly to help with episodes or get Toga to wind down.

Shigaraki occasionally gets it, either for lee-mood help or pressure alleviation.

🗡️Spinner🦎

General:

He seems like a ler, ya know?

Like, he wouldn't hate being tickled, but he much prefers doing it to others.

Is a little too prideful to say it, but finds tickling people to be a fun way to wind down. Also, laughter is just adorable.

Ler:

He'd be kinda in the middle on the roughness-scale. He's not gonna go feather-light, but his goal isn't to kill you. Just enough to get some good belly laughter.

But like bro…have you seen those claws?

Ajhdbhwhs-

Ista-death, no matter how he uses them. Gentle traces? Butterflies swarming. And if he decides to be cruel? Kiss your diaphragm goodbye-

Also, the snooty-snout? Besides being cute, I'm betting tickle nibbles would be double-evil.

Teasing bastard, but affectionately. He can't help but be a jerk, but it's all in good fun.

“Man, you're so ticklish! I've got no idea how you've survived this long.”

“I didn't even know it was possible to blush that hard! You're teaching me new things every day, giggles.”

“Wouldn't it suck if I went for your worst spot? What's that? Hmm, guess I'll do it now if you're gonna be like that…”

Favorite lee would probably be Shigaraki

Picture it: fanboy getting to tickle his obsession-boy and hearing his laugh. And if Shiggy’s in a lee mood? It's a trillion times better for him.

After crusty-man, he'd go for Mr. Compress. Tickling the dad-man could make any one of the members smile, and Spinner is no exception.

Teasy aftercare. Besides the snide comments and little remarks, he's nice with it. Glass of water, potential couch-cuddles afterwards with a video game or movie.

[were--ralph]

Someone could tell me I'm ugly and unlovable to my face and I literally wouldn't care

But god if they say my fursona isn't cute I'd disintegrate on the spot

[fearandhatred]

Good omens, “feather”, for the writing ask meme! -goodoldfashionednightingale

bestie!!! thank u for this lovely word, have some post-final fifteen crowley pov angst

our minds don't work like human minds; it's not a fact that's hard for anyone to comprehend. the humans know it too, they write it in their stories. but our minds aren't separate entities from theirs altogether, just… different. for example, our minds can store more information than all mortals in the world combined and then some, both in breadth and depth. we have faster cognitive abilities, recognition that comes faster than the shortest unit of time humanly invented. we can replay memories in our heads as vividly as they happened.

it takes a thousand years to forget.

i'll plead guilty to some of it: even as the years passed, years and then decades, even when the image of your face behind my eyelids started to grow spots of mould and permanent sunlight—even then, i thought you'd return. it wasn't unlike you to change your mind, not unlike you to come back to me. and so when i finally had the sense that maybe i should be preserving some things of you, all the photos turned to ash under my touch. that was a hundred years in.

i found your feather in a drawer, a month after you left. i don't know why it was there, why you kept it, but a hundred years in, i was grateful. you'd taken the polaroid with you. in memory of me, perhaps. maybe you thought i wouldn't want or need it. or maybe you weren't thinking of what i wanted or needed at all, because two hundred years after you left, you were still gone.

i don't know when exactly it dawned on me that when you said you were leaving, you meant it. every time i try to remember, i remember an earlier time. five hundred years in, two hundred, twenty years, six months, a week. sometimes i think i'd known the moment you said it.

it's a february afternoon, with biting wind and rain that felt like snow, when i finally lose you. it's cold all the time now. the whole street is gone, bare land with not even a shadow where the bookshop used to be. trees don't bloom like they used to, and i've lost you. i'd never paid attention before to how a memory looked in my head; i'd never wanted to keep a memory as pristinely clean and spotless as it was before, until you left. but after all the papers disintegrated in my hands—the photos of you, the drawings of me—i started to take notice.

it wasn't all that dissimilar to how movies looked back then, when we watched them together: the memories started to flicker and pale, black spots like dust flecks in front of projector lights. then they lost all sound and colour, your speech wordless and mouth moving like a mute ventriloquist's puppet. and then they got blurry, smoothened, the lines of your face ironed out until you were featureless.

when i try to think of you now, the film strips jam and shred in the reel, and the screen remains black. all i have now are the words i used to describe you with in my head, ones i no longer remember the truth of—that and this yellowing feather, once a shade of white your wings might have been.

[noopienoopiernoopiest]

Hello! I'd like to request a Cubs or Coops snippet featuring Christmas and actual magic, take that as you will 💚❤️

thank youuu

(This one...got long. :) )

Finn breathed a sigh of relief as the kids finally left for the holidays. Sure, there would always be a couple, but Finn was guaranteed at least two weeks where he wasn’t going to have to chase people out of the back stacks on a daily basis.

”Rouge, come on. No one will find us here.”

Okay, so Finn could admit it was a good spot for a clandestine Hogwarts hook up, but still. Surely he and Logan hadn’t been that bad.

(Besides, there hadn’t been any hook ups, clandestine or no, for years now. So even if they were…time had surely reduced the average considerably).

It was maybe a bit morbid to oversee the place where so much of their history had played out.

The initial grudging friendship sparked by late nights studying at the tables while the rest of the Ravenclaws wondered what he was doing (“Seriously, Tremblay, just because you’re a Gryffindor doesn’t mean everything has to be red.”),

The shock of realization that bolted through Finn’s body while he was in the fiction section and realized that the only person he’d ever felt about the way Morgan Le Fey described Lancelot was Logan (“Uhh. Not tonight actually. Haha, yeah. Gotta go finish McGongall’s essay…NO, no. You keep studying.”),

The brushing hands, the burning eyes, the bitten lips over old history tomes that were so delicate the barest brushes of hands would have disintegrated their pages (“Yep. Just…just magic. No move your wand like—Here I’ll show you…oh, sorry. No I—”),

The fever of a thousand kisses in the restricted section (“You’re gorgeous. Do you know that? What? You are, and I’m going to say it and say it and say it.”).

Eventually, the dark night watching Logan’s retreating back, the quickness of his steps and the harsh hand he ran through his hair (“I don’t understand why you’re so scared to admit you love me, Logan? Where are you going? Logan!? Logan.”).

But Finn loved it here. He always had.

He loved Logan. He always had.

“Hi, Finn,” a voice drawled.

He looked up from his woolgathering and found himself looking back into the handsome face of their new Potions master.

Leo Knut had come in, stark in all his dark grey and black, and Finn had brief images of Severus Snape’s portrait, still harassing students in the potions labs years after he’d died. But then Leo had smiled and laughed as he introduced himself as not only an American and a fourth-year potions master, which is what he said, but also as sunshine in a bottle, which is what Finn heard.

“Any chance those scrolls have found their way over to us?” He asked hopefully, rich blue eyes wide.

“Alexandria does—” Finn started.

“Things on their own time. Yep. I remember. Lord, they’re so touchy. One fire and everyone’s got their tails in a knot for a millennium and a half,” Leo finished. Finn’s face did something dire, and he at least had the decency to look a little bashful. “Which is totally warranted on account of their significance to magical scholarship, of course.”

Finn gave him a little smirk as a reward. “Hmm. Good save. You’re forgiven.”

“I don’t remember saying I was sorry.”

“You were working toward it, I’m sure,” Finn said. They’d been like this for weeks and weeks and months. Flirting around one another, but there was always…

“Finn, are you coming to dinner or—? Oh. Hi Leo.”

Ah. There was always just now.

Logan had come back. He’d left but he’d come back two years ago, as lovely as all of Finn’s dreams, and just as remote.

“Hi, Logan. Didn’t know they had you hanging around, too,” Leo said.

“Oui, I thought maybe I could get ahead on the exam.”

Finn shook his head.

“If sixteen-year-old you could hear you, he’d laugh,” Finn said.

“Arithmancy exams are just as hard to write as they were to take,” Logan grumbled.

“You picked it,” Finn singsonged, waving his wand and watching the last of the books drift off to their rightful homes.

“How do you do that? Do they ever get lost?” Leo asked, wonder in his tone.

“Not if they know what’s good for them,” Logan answered. “Finn would never let them hear the end of it.”

“I just got struck by a fantastic question, Professor Tremblay,” Leo said, voice light with amusement.

“Oh, elucidate me, Professor Knut,” Logan replied, voice mocking the plummy tones they’d heard in the past from their own professors.

“How is it the loudest person we know is in charge of the library?” Leo asked, tilting his head at Finn. Finn gave a huff.

“Fantastic inquiry, Professor. One I suggest we examine at dinner.”

“You two are the worst. Empirically, emphatically, exclusively the worst,” Finn said.

They were walking out of the library when suddenly they were frozen in the doorway, trying to budge and having no luck.

“I swear to Merlin, the worst thing that ever happened was the day that Remus Lupin met Sirius Black,” Finn said, rubbing his temples and looking up.

“I dunno. Their wedding was sweet,” Logan mused, looking up at the inconspicuous little bunch of mistletoe. The Marauders Joke Company had been hilarious when he’d been fifteen and they’d gotten all the gags they wanted ‘in order to get the word out there,’ as James had put it. But now at thirty, he was determined to put forever sticking glue in Sirius’s hair potion the next time he saw him. “Give me a minute and I can figure out the counter charm,” he said, green eyes still considering the offending bundle.

“Hmm, could,” Leo considered. “But, I think I have a faster solution.”

“Oh? Well by all means,” Logan challenged. “Let’s see, then.”

Logan had just long enough to look up and smirk before Leo’s big hands came up to cradle his head and kiss him softly.

Finn wasn’t sure what to say.

But, he didn’t have to worry. A moment later, there was Leo kissing him, close enough now to smell the anise sweet smell of his lab.

Leo pulled back and looked at them both.

Both.

Oh.

Well…

“C’mon. Dinner’s waiting, fellas. We’ve got a lot to sort out afterward, you know. Time won’t wait.”

He was wandering toward the Great Hall, black robes billowing out behind him.

Logan’s hand found Finn’s, knitting their fingers in ways they hadn’t come together in years.

“He’s right, you know,” Logan said softly. As soft as crescent moonlight coming through leaded panes of glass spilling over oak shelves. Soft as the flickering lanterns that lit up the names of all the stories that’d ever been told except the one they were writing, all the things there might be to know except one another. “Time won’t wait, Finn.”

And he kissed him, full and hungry. Sweet and starving.

And as Finn turned the corner with him, he caught one last glance of the library and smiled.

[amysstarlesslife]

like jack came back thinking "oh he still loves me i'll find him again and it'll be a great surprise and things will be great" and then he thinks. rose. dies. but the doctor is still out there he knows that. so he still looks and thinks that they might be okay even without her and then he finds the doctor and the doctors just like "lmao no go fuck yourself over something you can't control. i hate being around you btw" like. jack harkness is a stronger man than me fr i'd disintegrate on the spot

LITERALLY LITERALLY LITERALLY OHH MY GOD !!! he waited over a HUNDRED YEARS for the doctor and rose, and he found out that rose DIED majority of the way through that, still waited for the 'right kind of doctor', only to find out that that right kind of doctor HATES you because of something you can't control, and that rose is alive but you'll never see her again.

[ryoshudoodles]

Had a dream the other day that canto 9 was released early and all i could think bt was “i wonder if the daily ryoshu person heard about that”

It's genuinely hilarious that when canto 9 does get released there will be a few people that will think "I wonder how tumblr user Ryoshudoodles is doing."

I am SO HAPPY to be a silly little brainworm in someone's mind.

But if canto 9 got released early I think I'd die from shock on the spot. (/JJJJJJ) If I couldn't stop thinking about her all day because of an uptie story, canto 9 will just disintegrate me. I'll join Samjo in the primordial soup.

[cucumberteapot]

Across the Spiderverse - End Credits Analysis

Good afternoon, everyone. I am back again to discuss this amazing film we all love and I wanted to talk about the end credits. Typically the end credits signify the end of the film but in this rare case, I feel there is a lot to speculate about the visuals and what they could mean for the future film. Afterall, the next installment will be called '"Beyond" the Spider-verse' after all. Beyond canon. Beyond animation and live-action. Beyond narrative conventions in film and storytelling.

So let us begin... one last time.

We are introduced to the end credits with the beautiful violin of Metro Boomin, Roisee and A$AP Rocky's 'Am I Dreaming', invoking Miles' dilemma of belonging to Spider society, hiding his identity from his family and the inevitable challenges he faces and will later face in the next movie. Personally, I'd like to interpret these visuals as Miles' actually dreaming in conjecture with the song's title, or an artistic representation of Miles' headspace. However you interpret it is up to you.

Regardless, this sequence takes place in a surrealist void and we see Miles' spiderman logo spray painted onto what we think is his suit but in actuality is one of Spot's spots. Miles is an artist and customises his costume accordingly, but when we learn it's on a spot, it conveys how Miles' personal and superhero lives are interconnecting and the dangers that pertains.

Then we see Miles properly and he is clearly overwhelmed by this new reality he has to navigate thus hefalls through one of the spots. This sequences makes the effort of conflating Spot's spots with the dimension travel portals and as we see throughout, they represent the uncontrollability of Miles' situation and the moralities of the characters going through them.

Thankfully, Miles is able to catch himself from falling any further. He slings his webs from what looks like buildings but are instead more spots.

Gradually the spots disintegrate, forcing Miles to keep swinging. As Spot threatens in his dialogue and his vision in Mumbattan, he is disrupting Miles' home dimension and forcing him to see him as more than a "villain of the week". Even if Miles goes home, his home will not be the same after the Spot's interference.

But even though Miles keeps moving, it's not enough and we see Spot's giant hands reaching through his holes to grab Miles and presumably pull him through them. I already talked a little bit about Spiderverse villains and their hands in a previous post so you can read more about that here. But here Spot is dehumanised and characterised by his hands, becoming a force of nature by the end of the film that Miles will need to reckon with.

And Miles does by jumping through the black hole in Spot's equally giant head. No longer is he trying to catch Miles or bat him away, but waits for him to attack. Miles leaps through him but he doesn't harm the Spot. He is still powerless against him on his own and so he keeps running, this time avoiding white spots or spotlights instead of black one, perhaps reflecting the inversion of challenges he will face in the Earth-42 dimension.

But then he is distracted. Miles is stopped in his tracks by another titan - the Earth-42 spider that bit him. On first watch I thought the spider was the Go-Home Machine but I feel the same imagery applies. Miles never choose to be bit. To be Spider-man. And he didn't choose to go to the Earth-42 dimension. All of these things were by the consequences of someone else's decisions or consequences. He quite literally can't fight against these components.

Unable to fight back, the Earth-42 spider bites down on Miles like when he was bit and sends him crashing through the floor, creating more spots to fall through. Interesting though when Miles falls, he falls upwards, which if you're aware of the upside-down imagery of the Spiderverse films you'd know that when Miles takes his 'Leap of Faith', he is falling but the camera pans it upside-down to make it look like he is rising to the city - to his responsibilities as Spider-man.

In this case, the inversion is happening. Miles is now Spider-man but he is falling upwards and backwards - he can't see where he is going on this new journey. Then we get one of my favourite transitions in this sequence and that is when Miles stops struggling and goes through one of the spots to become Prowler.

Man, what a cool shot.

But yes, I think the way Spider-man and Prowler deal with the uncontrollability of their situation if interesting here. When we first meet Prowler in the film, he is 100% in control of the situation regarding Miles' capture. But here (and perhaps internally), this isn't so much the case. as Prowler ascends he lets his body go limp as he is engulfed in purple - the colour represented by Prowler and Aaron Davis. Meanwhile Miles' backdrop is blue which I believe represents his father (he wears a blue uniform and a blue shirt in ATSV) as well as half of the Spider-man colours - blue and red. Note: Rio wears a red shirt in this film as well so this would signify that, yes, Miles is strong and therefore Spider-man because of his parents. Furthermore Miles struggle in the blue (father) could represent his struggle to save him from Spot while Prowler's limpness is because his Jefferson is dead.

However, while hued in Prowler purple, we see Rio's large head watches anxiously as a small Spider-man adapts to his situation and reaches upwards while multiple Prowlers in the background don't move at all. I don't think it's too difficult to interpret what Rio is reacting to. Rio is likely reacting to learning who Spider-man and Prowler are, but her expression is not so much as fear but concern for her son/s. Likewise with Spot and the Earth-42 spider, Rio is magnified in Miles' mind. By the end of the film, he summons the courage to tell Rio he is Spider-man, but it wasn't enough. Now Miles needs to reconcile with this alternative identity as the Prowler. An identity that was a villain in his dimension and who might not be willing to reveal that information to his Rio.

As Miles ascends, he sees his father basked in a red background (danger, blood) and likewise, he is giant. Once again all these people in Miles' life are overwhelming for him and are constantly just out of reach. When I watch this scene, I am reminded of the Andrew Garfield's Spider-man trying and failing to save Gwen Stacy. Similarly, Miles reaches for his father but it's not enough, and it doesn't help that the very person trying to prevent him from saving him is waiting through one of the spots.

Much like throughout the movie, Miguel assumes a predatory role as he watches for Miles before fully jumping through the hole. He then swings along to catch up with Miles before appearing as another giant force to contend with.

Interestingly, Miguel stops swinging and instead claws at Miles to catch him. Like the Spot, Miguel serves a similar role in threatening Miles' existence as Spider-man by trying to control him and fit him into some kind of dichotomy. With Spot, it's becoming Miles' nemesis even though Miles doesn't really care. With Miguel, it's making him experience a trauma based on self-projection and as Miles says, "an algorithm". Because that's the way it has to be. It has to be this big tragic origin story with nemesises and trauma.

But then Miles turns around with a response. No. We don't see him turn to face Miguel (we have to think this because Miguel just disappears) but after watching the movie, we know Miles doesn't view the Spider society with the same rose-tinted classes anymore - and this includes Gwen.

Speaking of, we see Gwen swing from portal to portal, presumably in search of Miles but is unable to find him. They swing in opposite directions, implicating their own separate journeys throughout the film but unlike the other characters beside Prowler, Gwen is scaled the same size as Miles. Pink is often used to signify romance and I believe this speaks to their reconciliation in the next film, but interestingly Miles does not seek out Gwen is return. Even if they do become a couple in the next film I feel like Miles' perception of Gwen has definitely changed and he no longer has this sketchbook-drawing idea of her anymore.

But instead of seeking out Gwen, Miles comes face to face with his reflection in a spot. He's confused for a moment before taking a step back and seeing it's Earth-42 Aaron. In the first film, Aaron was a source of comfort for Miles when his father didn't understand him. Now his living-ghost serves as another obstacle in his path and a reflection of who he could've been if not for the spider bite. This is further emphasised by how Aaron is framed exactly like the Earth-42 Spider, and in the next movie I feel like no matter how much Aaron and Miles loved each other, Aaron's influence would've led Miles on a very dark path if not for the morals instilled by his father.

Then Miles runs through another spot and is being chased again by giant versions of Miguel and Spider society. Specifically, they run after him, reminding us how Miguel is "not like the others," and his influence of the other Spider-people is detrimental to the Spider-man identity.

But then Miles swings away from them and we see the Spider-people again but scaled to his size, showing us that in the end how Miles embodies the Spider-man identity better than any other character in the film - "You're the best of all of us, Miles."

But even though Miles is swinging along with the rest of his Spider counterparts, he dimension travels through one of the spots or portal and this time it's a choice. He's not struggling anymore, he's letting the portal take him to where he needs to be and that is into the eye of a young Miles Morales from the first movie who doesn't have his fade yet. Miles remembers Rio's words about looking after his inner "little boy" and before we can pull out to see that little boy's full face...

The camera turns in another cool transition around the back of Miles' head to reveal Prowler standing face-to-face with Spider-man, both masked but not assuming any threatening body language. While Spider-man and Prowler were on unequal footing by the end of ATSV, here there is a sense of self-reconciliation and understanding. That no matter how giant Miles' problems are with the Spot, Miguel, Rio, Jefferson, Aaron or Spider-society, he will always have himself.

Roisee sings the bridge of 'Am I Dreaming' during this part and it completely encapusates Spider-man and Prowler's dynamic. Especially the lines, 'I choose me now, What's wrong with that?' - Straight chills. There's just so many layers.

Coming to an end now, the camera pans around Spider-man and Prowler disappears, presumably letting him return to his dimension, and Miles runs through his hoodie from the first film when he took that first 'Leap of Faith'.

This right here is the defining moment of Miles' Spider-man identity. It wasn't getting bite, it wasn't Uncle Aaron dying, it wasn't the training from Peter and Gwen and it certainly wasn't Miguel denying his identity.

It was right here on that rooftop when he decided to take the 'Leap of Faith' and chose to become Spider-man.