#i'm merely heavily implying it then saying i'm not

[starlit-mansion]

Read the medium review about the hotel hell show and. To be fully honest. I really can't tell if it's "worse" than the dross level stuff i watched on adult swim in the aights/early teens. Like stuff like vbros or moral orel were genuinely artful, but it would be squeezing blood from a stone to criticize the character arcs on other shows that were mostly just splashy, violent, vulgar and sexual-in-a-regressive-way.

Which is. Not to defend the show or anything. There's clearly criticism-worthy elements in the way it portrays sex, queerness, abuse and black and jewish coded characters (based on the review) even within the scope of "this is a vulgar taboo comedy." But also the observation of 'what if people treated my gym partner is a monkey with the zeal and aggression they have for steven universe' is haunting me lmao.

[5iyoomi]

Thangyu NSFW Alphabet

Warnings: poly!thangyu x fem!reader, they're probably so ooc here I'm so sorry, not proofread I'm posting this at 4 am, mentions of drugs & alcohol, implied dubcon/under-negotiated kink in one part, somnophilia, just general smut stuff A/N: FINALLY POSTING AFTER 20 YEARS LMAO. If this sucks don't @ me the last time I wrote was idek how long ago now

nsfw under the cut

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

☆ If we’re being real here aftercare with them heavily depends on how they’re feeling…. But either way it’s pretty minimal, especially considering one of them practically falls asleep immediately (Thanos). Nam-gyu will make sure you’re all cleaned up and run you a bath if he feels like dealing with the mess right after. 

Thanos on the other hand takes it upon himself to cuddle up to you, long limbs entangled with yours as he presses a sloppy kiss to your cheek or forehead and murmurs sweet nothings you can’t make out half the time.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

☆ Both of them are tits men, it doesn’t matter if they’re big or small, they don’t give a shit. Even in a non-sexual manner, Thanos just likes to keep his hands under your shirt since he tends to run cold and it’s one of many excuses to be close to you. 

Nam-gyu isn’t as vocal about it but he doesn’t try to hide it. Whether it’s with an arm slung around your shoulder and his palm brushing your breasts, or full on touching you if he thinks another guy’s getting too close for comfort, you’ve gotten used to the constant feeling of hands on you.

On that note, Thanos’ favorite body part is his hands. He doesn’t necessarily get full on manicures, but he does take good care of them. He adores how big they are compared to yours and even Nam-gyu’s. The mere sight of his thick fingers wrapped around your smaller wrists never fails to make him dizzy.

If Nam-gyu had to choose, he’d say his hair. He likes when you tug at it while he eats you out because then he knows he’s doing something right. He gets greedy with it, guiding you to run your fingers through his hair just for the hell of it sometimes, or (not so) begrudgingly saying yes when you ask to braid it or put it in a ponytail.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

☆ Both of these freaks like to cum inside you and watch it spill out of you but especially Nam-gyu. There’s something about marking his territory that gets the raven-haired man off, because only he and Thanos get to fill you up to their heart's content. 

If there’s time for a quickie he’ll go about his day with a smug look on his face knowing you’re walking around dripping his and Thanos’ seed into your underwear. That if anyone were to flirt with you you’d be reminded that no one satisfies you like they do.

Thanos likes how it glistens on you after you blow him and let him cum on your face, using his thumb to further smear it on your skin until you’re whining in protest. It’s his way of staking his claim, in a way.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

☆ Thanos likes to make you come at least twice in your panties that way he has something to jerk himself off with when he knows you won’t be around for a while. He’ll inhale the scent of you with a tight fist around his cock, thinking about how cute you looked with his fingers pressing down on your puffy clit.

As much of a dominant streak as Nam-gyu has it’s almost laughably easy to flip the roles on him. Almost. You have to catch him when he has his guard down, which is usually right after you have sex or when he’s too high to realize what you’re trying to do. 

He doesn’t let it happen very often, and he won’t admit how much he likes it, but having you ride and praise/degrade him while Thanos watches is a guilty pleasure of his.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

☆ We all know both of them were up to some freaky shit in club pentagon like c’mon… And they can both be assholes but they’re hot and they know it, they 100% know how to please a girl. 

They aren’t the most experienced in serious relationships and romantic stuff, but they’ve had random hook-ups and one night stands before. You’re in good hands, literally and metaphorically.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

☆ If they’re in the mood to use you like a ragdoll, they’ll put you in doggy style with your hands tied behind your back so one of them can fuck you into the mattress while the other uses your throat. 

Otherwise their favorite is missionary. Not only can they watch every expression you pull while you’re blissed out and the way they sink into your warm heat with every thrust, but it’s easier to manhandle you like that, pushing your thighs up to your chest or pulling you into a needy kiss.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

☆ They’re more talkative and energetic when they’re high but I can’t see either of them cracking that many jokes during it in general. There might be a few here and there with both of them chuckling to each other, but they’re mostly serious.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

☆ I think it’d be absolutely hilarious if Thanos dyed his pubes purple but for the sake of discussion the carpet technically matches the drapes, it’s all natural color down there baby. He trims but still has a nice little happy trail that starts at his navel and leads down to his dick (he’s sensitive there, too. Do with that information what you will.)

Nam-gyu is more well groomed but he doesn’t care to fully shave, it’s less of a hassle that way.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

☆ They fuck you like they hate you but their actions give away how much they truly love you. Nam-gyu will tuck strands of hair behind your ear to keep it out of your face and trace comforting circles against your ankles while he has you bent over. 

A more sober, softer Thanos makes sure you’re okay when they’re being particularly rough. Either way, neither of them like being too far away from you for too long anyways, and you know they mean it when they say ‘I love you’ because they aren’t doing it just to say it.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

☆ 90% of the time they don’t see the point because they have you, so what’s the point when they have a girlfriend that’s just as willing? On the rare occasion you’re not an option and they can’t get to each other they’ll scroll through the pictures and videos they’ve got of you and make it work.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

☆ This goes back to the hand thing but Thanos likes choking. He never puts too much pressure on you, his grip loose enough that you can usually push him off if you want or need to, but the power trip makes him impossibly harder. 

The veins in his hands bulge where they’re wrapped around your neck, and the slight sting of pain from your nails leaving moon-shaped indents on his forearms? He’s a goner.

Nam-gyu has a huge thing for somnophilia. It probably happens one night when he can’t sleep; he’s too lazy to get himself off but turned on enough that he can’t get back to sleep. 

Thanos is a deep sleeper, and he’s about to try to wake you up when he sees how peaceful you look: the soft rise and fall of your chest, lashes fluttering and the strap of your shirt falling off one of your shoulders. 

You groggily wake up to him pressed up behind your back, your panties pulled to the side as he uses your slick to slide his cock between your thighs.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

☆ Literally anywhere inside of your shared apartment but they’ll never do it in any public setting hands down. Both of them are possessive and jealous, they wouldn’t even risk someone else being able to see you at your most vulnerable. Screw the neighbors that have to listen to you scream every night.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

☆ Just you, really. You dressing up pretty in lingerie does wonders too, but they aren’t picky when it comes to you and they definitely don’t need anything special. Pray that YOU can keep up with THEIR libido, actually.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

☆ Seriously hurting you is a no-no. They’re up to trying anything once if you or either of them wanna try something new to spice it up in the bedroom, but there’s a certain line they won’t cross. 

If they choke or slap you in any way it’s because you asked for it, and they’ll make up some sort of safe word or action like tapping them three times if you need them to stop/slow down.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

☆ Service doms? Nah, they eat you out for their pleasure. They don’t care if you’re shaking and pushing them away from you because you’ve lost count of how much you’ve come, these two get drunk on the taste of your pussy. 

They both have long fingers that curl just right to hit your sweet spot dead on, and Thanos’ are thicker, too. That paired with their rings and they’ll have you crying for them. Don’t get them wrong, they won’t argue if you get on your knees and pull on the waistband of their pants instead.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

☆ They do both! They can fuck you so hard and fast you’re seeing stars afterwards or they can take their time with you, pouring all their desperation and want into making love to you. They’ll never call it that, though, but you know they’re secretly saps.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

☆ They’re always down. There will genuinely not be a time you ask them, even if you have to be somewhere within the next 5 minutes, that they say no. They might not happen often but if a quick session can sate all of you for long enough then running a little late is more than worth it.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

☆ Back to them being disgustingly possessive they aren’t big risk takers in the sense of doing it anywhere semi-public or straight up public, but they’ll always experiment. In their mind, if they already know your body like the back of their own hands, why not play around with things that’ll enhance the experience? 

They start out simple with handcuffs, and if you’re up for it they might introduce toys too. They don’t mind stuff like anal either.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

☆ They could go all night if they wanted to, but Thanos doesn’t last very long with the amount of stimulation unless he’s purposefully trying to edge you or himself. Nam-gyu has a bit more stamina being younger than him, so if Thanos gets tired he’ll keep himself busy pleasuring you while Nam-gyu uses your cunt.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

☆ Not many, they have handcuffs and rope that they’ll use to restrain you sometimes. They have a paddle that they’ll break out to use on you if they’re feeling mean, but not crazy often.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

☆ Nam-gyu is the fucking KING of teasing you oh my god. He’ll finger you and ignore your clit for hours, stopping when you clench around him because he knows you’re close. 

He’ll hold your hips down so you can’t grind against him while you’re sitting on his lap and making out, signaling Thanos to run his hands up and down your sides and pressing feather-light kisses to the nape of your neck but nothing more.

Thanos likes to tease you from time to time, but usually it’s more torture for him to hold back from sliding into you than it is for you to feel him slipping the tip just past your tight walls before pulling back out.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

☆ In general neither of them are exactly loud, but they’re not quiet either. They’ll grunt and pant in your ear, deep, guttural moans that send shivers up your spine.

If you’re topping Nam-gyu (or Thanos) he’s more loud, but he’ll try to bite down on his tongue or bottom lip to contain his whines and whimpers. You’ll have to force a thumb between his teeth if you wanna hear him.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

☆ They’ll occasionally smoke weed or drink before they fuck you because it’s a different kind of high from their usual drugs, and they won’t force you to do it but if you do wanna try they like to shotgun the smoke directly into your mouth and then kiss you. 

It usually starts with Nam-gyu teasing you about your apprehension, then being surprised when you climb onto his lap and ask for a hit. He’ll give Thanos that look, then pull you in by your chin and tell you to open. 

The simple but direct command has you clenching your thighs together, which doesn’t go unnoticed by either man.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

☆ Thanos is about average but he’s thick and veiny (and he’d be uncircumcised hear me out). His dick also curves slightly to the right. That’s ALL I’m saying about him otherwise I won’t shut up. Second more in-depth post later maybe.

Nam-gyu’s isn’t as thick but he’s longer than Thanos, reaching into the deepest parts of you and stretching you out with ease.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

☆ Let’s just say high. They’re both already always horny separately, but together you’ll be lucky to get any sleep.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

☆ Light sleeper Nam-gyu 🤝 Deep sleeper Thanos. Very much self explanatory but Thanos will be out like a light within minutes, meanwhile Nam-gyu likes to wait until you’re both asleep to really get comfortable anyway <3

[rosen-und-mondlicht]

Lucifer x fem!Reader

Failed Assassination Hurt/comfort , 1.8k

CW: blood, alcohol, implied murder, a bit of smut (implied male oral receiving, female oral receiving, p in v, cum eating), Lucifer's pet name is Luz because I say so.

also MDNI, I will start blocking ageless blogs liking this.

How did things come to this? one moment you're beside your husband drinking champagne and the next you're locked away in your bedroom while the staff frets nervously around you.

The rush of the past few minutes was dizzying as you sat on a chaise lounge, the staff staying nearby to offer you whatever you needed while Lucifer handled the situation, whatever that was.

You didn't even recognize your trembling until a maid wraps you with a cozy throw blanket and another gently pushes a warm cup of tea into your hand. the tiny clink of the fine porcelain against your ring finger bringing you back to the present. your shaking hands jostle the tea to your lips, and the soothing warmth is welcomed although you'd much prefer the comfort of Lucifer's embrace.

Speaking of the literal Devil, where had he gone?

A mere hour ago, you were on his arm, joining him for one of Hell's biggest annual event. Dressed to the nines and standing beside your husband as his consort, you feared nothing, until the thin, fluted glass in his hand shattered and you were pushed aside and hidden by his wings. the scratch left behind by the grazing bullet on your arm, the only evidence of the assassination attempt aside from the bullet that stuck into the floor, smoldering into the carpet.

Lucifer summoned a portal behind him and shoved you inside without a second thought, the chaotic frenzy of the party left behind as the portal blipped away and left you at the foyer of your home.

The staff was quick to aid, bandaging the scratch, quickly removing your outfit to mend and get you into much more comfortable clothes in the safety of your home.

Evidently, the housekeeper - bless her - was given the situation by Lucifer and took control, whisking you away to the royal bedchambers, the most secure location in the manor. The maids made sure to comfort you as best they could, while the housekeeper silently orchestrated your comfort until Lucifer arrived.

When he finally arrives, he's like a bristled hellcat; sharp claws and teeth, with a whipping tail behind him.

The maids can feel the oppressive tension and the anger and they all quickly curtsy before scurrying away, leaving you with him.

He's quick to come to your side, dropping to his knees and reaching for you.

Crimson stains his hands and the cuffs of his pristine shirt and suit jacket. He's about to touch you before stopping. almost as if he's afraid of tainting you with treasonous blood.

“Darling,” he heaves, clearly distraught. he makes a small chirping sound when you reach for his face and he melts in your hands, leaning heavily into your left hand.

“Lucifer.” his eyes close at your voice, lips trembling.

“You ok?” his voice cracks but he opens his eyes, soulful eyes searching for any evidence of pain or discomfort.

“I'm fine,” you assure,” it was just a small graze.” the breath he lets out is heavy with relief. he wants to hold you but instead leans his body on you, keeping his bloody hands away from you.

“Let's go wash you up,” coaxing Lucifer to his feet as you pull him gently to the adjoining bathroom.

Lucifer Morningstar,

the Fallen One,

the Devil,

Prince of Darkness,

King of Pride, lets you take him by hand reluctantly as if he's ashamed of touching your precious skin with his sinful hands. You have to bite back an ironic chuckle; it wasn't as if you were a pristine soul yourself, after all, you are a Sinner.

You lead him to the sink and turn on the water, helping lather his hands with soap and he leans into you, breathing in your scent as you clean. He's distracted by your presence, kissing your neck, smelling your hair, lost in you until you nudge him.

“Luz,” you murmur. He hums, looking drunk off your presence alone. “C'mon, let's get you out of this,” your hands brush on his sleeve, the red stain turned pink. He hums in agreement and lets you strip him from his suit jacket and dress shirt, exposing his scarred chest and blacked arms.

He wraps his arms around you making the job of removing his pants even more difficult. his lips kiss any and all exposed skin in his reach, pulling at the collar of your sleep shirt away to kiss at more skin. Once he's stripped down to his boxers, you gently push him out back to the bedroom, but he's being stubborn. taking your hands in his and kissing them, his eyes are soft and pleading.

“Oh, Luz,” you coo. That seems to break something in him.

Tears come to his eyes as he hugs you tight to him, a hand grasping the back of your head as he refuses to let you go. quiet sobs leave him and you hold him close. you try to gather him into your arms but he's quicker and picks you up to lay you on your bed before smothering you with kisses and surrounding you with his wings. he hides you away from anything that isn't him.

Normally you're used to his antics with his wings. The vibrant scarlet and bright white feathers are usually a blanket for the cold, a visor for harsh light on your eyes, a screen for privacy during intimate moments, but now they are a shield.

“Oh, Lucifer.”

“I don't know what I'd do if I lost you,” he admits into your skin. his lips brush over your neck and face, tears beading on your skin. his hands are occupied in holding you close but you feel your shirt being pulled up. a brush of warm leather on your ribs tells you it's his tail.

Lucifer lifts your shirt with ease, his kisses going feverish with the new expanse of your body available to him. his tears continue to wet your torso, but his tail wraps around. you as a hand wanders over to the injury. the small injury wrapped in gauze makes his eyes go red, the peek of his horns emerge from his skull.

“If only I kept them alive. I would have personally punished them for eternity for what they've done.” he snarls, his sharp teeth flash in the dark. The devil is calmed when you cup his face with your hands.

Warm hands.

Soft.

Alive.

The warmth is cut with a small glint of coolness though. He sees the flash of gold on your ring finger. his ring on your hand, the physical embodiment of his claim on you.

“It's done. They're gone. I'm here.” you whisper the affirmations to him and he snuggles into you, burying his face into your neck as a new wave of emotion hits him.

_________

The staff knew better than to return to your chambers, especially with how furious Lucifer seemed. they especially wouldn't come near when your cries and moans bounce though the wing of the manor.

You're a mess.

Makeup smeared and ruined by tears and cum as your husband takes charge once more. He's over you, legs on his shoulder as his face is buried into your sweet cunt. his claws are digging into your plush hips making sure you can't move a millimeter from his mouth as he makes a mess of you again.

“C'mon, sweetheart, one more. gimme one more,” his voice is muffled against you, his lips teasing your clit as he speaks. He moans loudly, obscene slurping noises as he tries to encourage another orgasm from your tired form. you cry and pant under his sinful tongue until he's cramming his tongue into you to feel and taste you as you sigh one last time before he's got you cumming on his tongue for the third time.

You shudder softly under him before his tongue retracts into his mouth, not before he's licking the mess off his face.

Lucifer gently presses kisses into your plush thighs, nibbling softly at them and sucking marks as he pleases. He's being more delicate than usual, but no less passionate.

The devil crawls over your body, his lips trailing up from your thighs and mound to your soft belly, up your sternum and around each breast. his golden eyes never leave your face.

You reach out to cradle his face and he melts at the touch.

“I'm not going anywhere,” you remind him, your voice hoarse. he turns his face to kiss your palm.

“I know. Father knows I would burn everything down to get you back safely into my arms again.” he shifts slightly and you feel drops of cum fall onto your stomach.

Your left hand grabs for his aching member, making him hiss softly as you gently pump him.

“I want a taste again.” he cleans your face of his cum and your tears, forked tongue tickling your cheek.

“no, darling, let me, let me have you. please?” he's trembling, whether it's from pleasure or grief you don't know.

You cannot deny him anything with that sweet plea and so he's got you beneath him, bodies close and shifting with each gentle thrust. his wings are once again covering you. his face is pressed into your neck as he kisses and marks you.

Lucifer is gentle, unusually so. he's slow, but no less fulfilling. “Luz you can go faster, I'm not made of glass.”

“I know my love, but please, humor me just this once, please.” his voice cracks towards the end and you pet his hair back to soothe him.

The night ends much more softer and quieter after everything that's happened earlier. He's at your beck and call, bathing you gently, wiping down his mess and makeup gently from your face and body, caring for your hair and skin. He wraps you up in a fluffy robe and a pair of panties after moisturizing.

He follows with his own routine quickly and dresses into a robe and boxers. the manor is quiet but knowing Lucifer, all security is heavily armed and on alert on top of all the wards that Lucifer himself has placed.

Lucifer wanders the corridors down to the library with you in his arms where the large fireplace glows bright and warm. He brings the sofa closer to it and sits down with you between his legs, throwing the soft throw blanket on top of you and cuddles you close.

He purrs against your back and buries his face into your neck. his wings and tail curl around you protectively as he nuzzles and kisses your neck softly.

“Thank you for protecting me,” you murmur. Lucifer says nothing, instead he hums softly while bringing you close as his eyes droop. the comfort of the warmth, along with the scent of you, lulls him to peace and he curls tightly as he sleeps with you in his arms.

No one, Heaven or Hell, will not touch you. He'll make sure of that.

[untoldstar]

male yandere psychologist x fem patient reader [introduction]

warnings: heavily implied that the reader is a patient at a psych ward, obsessive behaviors and tendencies, abuse of power, toxic environment, yandere themes, might not show in this part but for the future Ivan takes advantage of the readers vulnerable mental state.

There aren’t intense scenes in this at all (as I see it) BUT as for the coming parts of this OC it still has to do with a character who struggles with mental illness, an extremely toxic psychologist who abuses his position and being in a psyche ward so if you feel like any of that sounds triggering or there’s a possibility it could be triggering I would urge you not to read this or other parts of this OC.

pls be careful what you read guys and stay safe mwah🫶

Tick..

Tick..

Tick..

Ivan taps his foot impatiently and pushes up his sleeve for the millionth time to reveal his wristwatch.

2:59 PM

Just a few more seconds..

Tick..

3:00 PM

Ivan smiles, his stiff body finally relaxing and just like everyday a knock is heard on his office door and in walks the nurse pushing you forward like a criminal into his office. He only spares the nurse and nod and a polite smile before his attention is directed at you, focusing on your every move anticipating what you’ll do next. You huff and plop down in the chair in front of his desk rolling your eyes "Ah [name], how are we doing today?" he clasps his hands Infront of him and stares at you expectantly.

Just like everyday.

‘Why does he ask the same question every day? What could possibly change in the matter of a single day? They should've made these cheek-up's weekly instead. This is becoming such a pain.’

"Fine. Just like always." you answer curtly. He hums nodding "Well, I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut to the chase today there’s something I must discuss with you.” You quirk a brow. You have to admit seeing the serious expression instead of the easy going one he usually has is a bit unnerving “I'm sure you already know that your..leave is to be expected soon." his lips twist in displeasure as if merely saying that has left a bitter taste in his mouth. You nod "Yes..what about that?" he sighs "Well, I'm afraid I've come to the decision that you'll have to stay a while longer, just to be safe." Your heart plummets. Sure you haven't been kissing Dr.Ivan's ass or being necessarily..nice to him but that shouldn’t have anything to do with your treatment. You know you've been getting better so what possible reason could have you stay here "Just to be safe? What is that supposed to mean?" you shoot daggers at him but he doesn't seem the least bit bothered by it "We’ve witnessed many patients show signs of improvement and seem like they’re ready to leave but there were also many instances where patients leave our facility and end up..falling into old patterns. Not that I expect that from you but I would like to guarantee your safety." You swallow the lump in your throat. Can they even do that? Is that even legal? "..How long?" a few beats of silence passes by while he blankly stares at you before answering "A month." Your shoulders drop down exasperatedly. Another month??

You feel frustration bubble up inside your chest. You feel hopeless as if you’re never getting out of here. You can’t take it you can’t take seeing the same hallways the same people this same fucking office everyday.

You don't say anything when you get up from your chair and start charging for the door "Our daily check up isn't quite done, my dear." His voice booms behind you "I don't fucking care." You spit back and go to reach for the door when his hands suddenly slam the door on either side of you, trapping you against it "Why are you always trying to leave me?" he whispers his shaky breath fanning against the side of your neck "..What are you talking about..Doc-" his hand clenches into a fist "Don't call me that!" You flinch trembling slightly "..I'm sorry I raised my voice, but I've told you countless times before you don't have to call me 'Doctor' my dear. Ivan is fine." You stay quite and he sighs "You won't even say my name.." he leans his head on your shoulder his body slumping almost exhausted from the interaction.

You hold your breath eyeing the door handle inches away from you "Why do you hate me so much?" his voice almost breaks "You roll your eyes at me, you barely say a few words in our daily sessions, You can't stand it when I go to visit you in your room.." he steps closer, his body now flush against your back "You throw a fit and almost walk out on me.." he moves his head to the side sniffing your hair and you hear him let out a groan “God I thought you’d be happy about staying here. All I want is for you to love me. Why won’t you love me? hm?” his arms slide down for the door to wrap around you squeezing tightly “Am I just the annoying psychologist your forced to talk to? Is that all I am to you?” he keeps talking almost in his own world too intoxicated by you, having you in his arms body flush against his your scent enveloping him “Damnit why won’t you-“ you take advantage of his vulnerability and decide to make a run for it, using the door to push back all of your body weight to at least have his arms off of you immediately taking a hold of the door handle and leaping out of his office, you run down the hall never looking back. You’re surprised he didn’t pull you back in maybe he was shocked maybe he wasn’t and he just..let you go. Whatever the case was you had to get as far away from him as possible.

Ivan’s left alone in his office panting, cheeks flushed and an obvious tent in his pants. He lets out a low chuckle looking far off into the hallway ‘Soon..instead of running away from me you’ll be running to me. I’ll make sure of it darling.’

[akaakeis]

home. -- sakusa k.

synopsis : sakusa kiyoomi and yn have been dating for some time now, with kiyoomi dedicating time to his volleyball team and yn dedicating time to their education. in their final year of university, however, they need to travel for a semester to fulfill a credit requirement for their degree. finally, they come back home.

wc : 1661 .ᐟ

gn!reader x sakusa kiyoomi (2nd person)

notes//cw : i'm kinda following the american school system for this since i'm not familiar with any other school system!! (like the months that school runs, when semesters end, that type of thing),, this is msby sakusa so it's like... 2019,, reader is a university student,, reader is implied to be living with sakusa (but this isn't explicitly stated),, kinda sad in the beginning,, fluffy ending,, HEAVILY projecting onto yn with any parts describing how she feels oops,, NOT proofread again,, i was inspired to write this when i heard 'coming home' by beabadoobee!!

January 6th, 2019.

you sit on your bed and open your laptop with a sigh, reading through your class schedule for this upcoming semester. this is your final semester, ever, and it's finally starting to sink in as you read through your schedule. to fulfill a requirement for your degree, you'll have to travel this semester to take your classes. the classes were, unfortunately, unavailable at your own university. you knew you would have to at some point, but it's just awful that you'll have to be away for so long. a quiet thump can be heard as you close your laptop and put it to the side.

rustling can be heard outside of the bedroom as sakusa comes in with a package that was, presumably, just delivered to the front door.

"hey, what's wrong?" he asks immediately, eyes scanning over your face with a slight frown. he can tell from your expression that you're stressed about something.

"mm.. nothing, come sit down, omi. i gotta tell you something." you say, your voice soft and slightly sad. he obliges you, putting down the package on the dresser and sitting next to you on the bed. he looks at you attentively.

you take a deep breath and start to explain the situation. "...so, for this semester, i'll be traveling for my classes. i'll be staying a couple hours away."

sakusa's breath hitches for a moment before he lets out a quiet sigh. "that's okay, you'll do amazing. i'm sure of it, yn." he says, his voice resembling something of reassurance, though he seems a bit upset himself.

you offer him a slight smile, gingerly taking his hand into yours. "it'll be okay. i'll be back in may," you say softly, running your thumb over the back of his hand.

he nods slightly, giving you a slight smile back. he gives your hand a quick squeeze. "yeah. when do you leave?"

"in a week," you reply.

who knew that week would go by in the blink of an eye? it had felt like a mere hour.

January 13th, 2019.

the two of you sit in the car, him in the driver's seat and you in the passenger seat. you quietly squeeze his free hand, keeping your eyes on the road. he was driving you to your new dorm.

it was a two hour long car ride, which both of you spent in silence. you were both enjoying each other's presence while you still could.

the car gradually comes to a stop in front of your new dorm. it's a huge building, and there are numerous people outside, hauling things inside. you assume they're all moving in for the semester as well.

"come on, i'll help you bring in your stuff," sakusa says softly, lightly nudging you.

it takes about an hour, but you and sakusa managed to bring in all of your things and set up all the essential things. you're both seated on your dorm's bed now, not wanting the moment end, for him to go back home. you lean against his shoulder, holding onto his hand.

"i'm really gonna miss you," you whisper.

"i'll miss you too," he says back softly, gently running his thumb over the back of your hand. "it'll be okay. we can call and text whenever."

before either of you realize it, it's already 10:00 at night, and sakusa needs to go home. he has practice tomorrow, after all. with that, the night draws to a close, and the bed feels empty. you're homesick already.

January 14th, 2019.

it's your first day back to school, and unfortunately you have a morning class... at 7:00 am. aside from the fact that you suffered while trying to get up early enough to prepare yourself for the day, the class went smoothly.

everything felt like routine throughout the day as you went from class to class, listening to the lectures and taking notes. this continued until you headed back to your dorm, kicking off your shoes and dropping onto your bed. you had to forcibly stop yourself from getting up to go look for kiyoomi, because you knew he wasn't there. oh, how awful it is to be homesick.

the days seemed to drawl on and blur together as you went to day after day of classes. you managed to text sakusa every once in a while, but he always seemed to be a little busy. since he seemed busy, you obviously didn't want to bother him, so you stopped frequently messaging him.

the homesick feeling never went away. you felt as if you would do anything just to be with him. you felt so far away in your dorm.

March 20, 2019.

it took a while, but you finally felt less homesick. today was sakusa's birthday, and you had something planned. you had coordinated a plan with the rest of sakusa's team to get them to have a celebratory dinner in the city, so that you could surprise him and wish him a happy birthday in person.

the day took an agonizingly long time to pass by, but you eventually made it through all of your classes for the day, heading straight home to prepare for the dinner.

you get dressed nicely for the birthday dinner, wearing semi-formal attire and nice shoes. it's a really short walk from your dorm, so you arrive there quickly. to your surprise, however, the entire volleyball team is already there, including kiyoomi. you immediately rush over to him, hugging him from behind.

he's startled by the sudden hug, but realizes it's you, putting his hand on top of yours. 

"happy birthday, omi. i'm so happy that i'm able to celebrate with you." you say softly, just loud enough for him to hear. the entire team, but particularly atsumu, watches smugly as they see sakusa's face soften over you.

dinner passes by in a blur, but then suddenly, one of the waitresses bring out a slice of cake, placing it in front of sakusa. there's a lit candle on top. everyone present at the table sings happy birthday to sakusa, cheering as he blows out the candle. it's clear that he's extremely happy about all the gestures that have been done for him, despite his more stoic demeanor. those who are familiar with him can tell he's happy.

"thank you, yn. i'm so happy to see you in person... i miss you," he says quietly, gently squeezing your hand.

"of course, omi... i wouldn't miss celebrating your birthday for the world. i miss you too," you say back, offering him a soft smile.

with long, drawn out goodbyes from everyone on the team, the night came to a close. the team drove back home, and you went back to your dorm, knocking out. it felt comforting to see kiyoomi again. it had been a while. in about two months, you would finally be able to say, "i'm home."

May 28, 2019.

today was the day. you could finally go back home. you'd be lying if you said you were more thrilled about the fact that you're finally getting your degree than the fact that you're finally able to go home and see kiyoomi. you packed up everything in your dorm as quickly as possible, heading for the train home. 

the ride home seemed to go by faster than usual, passing by in what felt like 20 minutes.

you walk home quickly, eager to see kiyoomi. once you get to the front door, you quietly unlock it. you open the door slowly to prevent it from squeaking, and you leave your luggage outside so that he doesn't hear the sound of it rolling around as you enter the house. as you close the front door, a quiet click is heard, which you silently curse at yourself for.

you can hear the sound of running water in the kitchen, along with the sound of a plastic bag being rustled around. you peek into the kitchen, trying to see what kiyoomi is doing. he's, apparently, cleaning the kitchen. he's taken the plastic bag out of the trash can and replaced it with a new one. the full trash bag sits on the floor, waiting to be taken out. by the kitchen sink, you can see kiyoomi peacefully washing the dishes. you let out a soft sigh, coming up behind him quietly, peeking out from his side to see what he's washing.

"i'm home," you say softly, causing kiyoomi to turn around, startled by the sudden voice behind him. his face immediately softens upon seeing you. he grabs the dish towel, quickly wiping his hands dry. 

he engulfs you in a hug, his arms snaking around your waist to hold you close. "welcome back," he says quietly, burying his face in your hair.

"let me help you," you say, lifting your head to look up at him, loosening the hug. you let go of him, grabbing the bag of trash that had been sitting on the floor. "i'll take this out, and i'll be back to help wash the dishes."

he smiles slightly, nodding as he watched you walk out with the bag of trash in hand. you step foot out of the house, tossing the bag into the trash bin and heading back inside. you head back to the kitchen, lightly nudging him to the side of the sink so that you can help him wash the dishes. 

the two of you clean up the kitchen in silence, just enjoying each other's presence yet again. once all of the night's chores are done, however, the two of you head to bed almost immediately. kiyoomi holds you close to him, keeping his face in your hair and muttering, "i missed you a lot. glad you're home."

you feel your heart sputter at his words, and you smile slightly, bringing up a hand to play with his hair. "me too. good thing i didn't get home late."

notes :

₊ ⊹ we're all gonna collectively ignore the photos i used because i don't have the energy to actually make it look good... thanks !!

₊ ⊹  yeah i have no idea how university works in case that wasn't made painfully clear at the beginning sorry </3

₊ ⊹ just pretend it makes sense i guess, cause i was NOT about to research how to make that part of the fic make sense 😋

₊ ⊹ not proofread as per usual (are we surprised atp)... please lmk if you find an error though !!

₊ ⊹ after not releasing anything for like a week cause of like everything in my life deciding to gang up on me... WE ARE SO BACK 🗣️‼️ (lie)

₊ ⊹ i randomly got this idea when i was listening to all the songs on bea's new album... honestly i have ideas that i got from a bunch of the songs so stay tuned!! i'll probably write some more oneshots based off her new songs

₊ ⊹ my motivation peaked and then fell within like an hour but i pulled through to get this done😭

₊ ⊹ any other works can be found on my masterlist! (it's pretty small at the moment since i just started though!!)

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🏷️ : @iiwaijime + @bokukos <3

[lu-is-not-ok]

Something I just realized is that both Hong Lu and Jia Xichun share Rupture as a part of their kits, but they also both have a secondary element. For Hong Lu it’s Sinking but for Xichun it’s Poise. Feels unique but weird. Thoughts?

See, I've been thinking about status effects in a more general sense as to what they represent more literally. I feel like there's a bit of a difference between Xichun having Rupture+Poise and Hong Lu having Rupture+Sinking, mainly because of what I think those statuses might represent.

Rupture, the status effect both share, is a representation of "true damage". Either damage done to precise weak points, as implied by Seven or Cinq, or damage done with enough power to break through defenses, such as Devyat.

For both Xichun and Hong Lu, I believe it represents their physical prowess and techniques, likely trained into them by the Jia Family.

Poise is a status effect that I believe quite literally represents moving gracefully and with intent. A building up of physical momentum or focus to deal more powerful strikes. Getting into the rhythm of the fight so to say.

This fits Xichun very well as we see she fights with fans, in an almost dance-like fashion. A combat style that would likely focus heavily on moving with intent and keeping up proper focus and momentum.

And while a lot of Hong Lu's IDs move in a graceful dance-like manner as well, they're usually not movements done for the sake of strengthening attacks, but merely for their performance. The only ID of his that does have Poise, Full-Stop, is shown to be explicitly moving with intent in his Uptie Story, weaving in and out to direct enemies into the line of sight of Heathcliff's sniper.

Sinking is an interesting status, as it represents mental, sanity damage. I'm guessing it could represent a lot of things. For the Butler and Dieci IDs, it could represent a sort of overpresent mental pressure. For Spicebush, it could represent the somewhat mind altering nature of the flowers. R Corp Ishmael literally deals damage directly to the psyche. There's a lot it could be, really.

...Which is why base Hong Lu having Sinking is so intriguing to me. Because there's only so much it could represent. Is it a representation of a sort of mental pressure he exerts due to something related to his status? Is he in some way actively taunting the enemy so that they lose resolve? Something else we don't yet know about?

There's also the implication of the juxtaposition of Rupture and Sinking next to each other. Rupture is a very physically-focused status effect, it reflects direct damage to the body. Sinking on the other hand is a very mentally-focused status effect, reflecting damage to the mind. Body and mind.

The very interesting part of this all is that this combination only exists in one other ID as of now - Sunshower Heathcliff. An ID that not only inflicts both Rupture and Sinking, but also gains Sinking as well, a reflection of how the E.G.O gear actively alters the user's mental state. The usage of both Rupture and Sinking here could represent how in Lobcorp terms, this gear could inflict either Black damage, or both Red and White damage. Basically both physical and mental.

So yeah. I think Hong Lu's status combo is much more intriguing than Xichun's, and I'm not sure if the reason for that is the same for both of them. It's a lot easier to explain Xichun's Rupture Poise than it is to explain Hong Lu's Rupture Sinking.

[extremely-judgemental]

This is the last time I talk about Elain (hopefully!). I honestly don’t understand where you’re getting the idea that she is sweet. Elain is polite, like ‘my neighbour is nice to me’ sort of way. That doesn’t warrant how everyone puts her on a pedestal.

Her actions are mostly glossed over as self-preservation, but that doesn’t seem right to describe her behaviour either. At least, not in a sympathetic way. I'm sure there’s going to be an overload of trauma to justify this, because how can SJM’s heroines have mere mediocre problems when they can be abused or have lost a loved one?

I digress. Ever since Nesta’s grooming came to light, the same is assumed about Elain—that she’s groomed to be ‘nice’. That’s not entirely true. Their mother and grandmother focus on Nesta because getting the eldest married well will bring more prospects for the other two. In their mother’s words, Elain needn’t worry because she is a born beauty, and so she is not trained in courtliness or politics. And, Feyre has enough liberty to lock herself in their father’s office. As a middle child, Elain chooses the ‘nice’ mask because it’s what gets her attention in a family full of stubborn heads—her mother, her grandmother, her sisters.

During their poverty years, even if she could do chores, it’s hard to believe Nesta let her given how much she coddles Elain. And, Feyre treats her like a fragile doll. Elain essentially enjoys the best of both worlds like her father without contributing much to the family. She benefits heavily from her sisters’ animosity against each other—she’s the kind one while the other is the bitch. She’s also quick to secure a marriage alliance right after they regain their wealth. This isn’t to say it wasn’t out of love, but the plot is set in somewhat medieval times, where the order in which the sisters marry is crucial—Elain already wed before the eldest leaves a mark on Nesta’s reputation, making it difficult for her to find suitors.

Elain goes her entire life without being blamed or hated by her family, or even the IC. To have gone through all those struggles, having done literally nothing, and still cherished by everyone? Kindness doesn’t buy you that kind of a pass. It’s not her fault that everyone puts her first, but it’s the result of the image she actively cultivates to achieve her means.

This is why the paintbrushes don’t hold much value either. She doesn’t make Feyre’s life easier or take away some of the burdens, but gives her presents and everything is okay between them? This comes off like love-bombing to me—making Feyre feel special so that Elain isn’t the villain. Which worked, as Nesta is the one called ungrateful. When you’re struggling and someone offers you a bit of joy and relief, it is impactful, and Elain’s gesture could have been that if she had contributed to the family. But now, it comes off as manipulation.

And here’s my issue with her betrayal in Silver Flames. No one gives two fucks about what she thinks is best for Nesta. The IC won’t sit around and wait till she’s convinced. If she decides to lock herself in her room and cry again, only Feyre might care a little. Until then, she’s never included in any major decisions and she’s too perceptive to not notice this. She doesn’t even have to side with Nesta, but to pack her things to send her away?

She even goes on to throw in a ‘you don’t have to be miserable’ when Nesta is being imprisoned with a man. Imagine Elain trapped with Lucien to get her out of her funk. Feyre violated Lucien’s mind when he asked for a few minutes alone with her. They were chaperoned by the entire family for one simple tea. Clearly, Elain is not so stupid as to not know what she’s implying. She lets Nesta suffer not out of self-preservation but because she, like Feyre, believes Nesta is hopeless.

Later, she manipulates Nesta into scrying and insults her in front of everyone who hates her. She blames her ‘invisibility’—she crafted for herself—on others. It isn’t about her owning her life, because she could have done the scrying right away without that conversation with Nesta. And it’s not about protecting herself from the IC. Her outburst felt more like her resentment, that she couldn’t handle losing her shield.

There are many who want Elain to stand up to the IC, but the thing is, she has no reason to. When none of her actions are held against her, what would she fight for? The IC’s behaviour is borderline psychotic with Nesta to prove she wouldn’t be welcomed into the family unless she becomes reputable enough to be Feyre’s sister and Cassian’s mate. In Elain’s case, she is already forgiven and accepted.

Though it still falls under the broad term, her self-preservation carries heavy undertones of selfishness and manipulation. It is not even a survival response triggered under pressure. Most of her life, Elain never has to make big choices. She always gets what she wants without lifting a finger. No responsibility at home, more attention from family, the only one to receive her father’s love, her engagement to Graysen, going to Graysen for help, being left alone during the battles, having her own gardens in Velaris, learning to cook, leading a simple life, to be away from Lucien, pursuing Azriel. When exactly is she ever denied in the first place to preserve her happiness?

Also, Elain is definitely not a helpless doe. She is an opportunist. Her ‘kindness’ is a mask to escape scrutiny from others when she neglects her responsibilities. It serves her too since ‘Elain is Elain’.

And that’s fine because these flaws add layers to her character and there’s room for growth. But when the narrative ignores them and paints her as an angel because it supports the glorified hero, that is wrong. We see it happen with Feyre, Rhysand, and the Inner Circle. Elain is underdeveloped, yet she shows prominent traits at major plot points and still is considered ‘sweet’. At this rate, she’s just going to be another bland cutout who can never do anything wrong and is universally loved (like Feyre).

On the other hand, all this masking, the cunning, and the pettiness are great agents for her obvious future bonding with Rhysand who is quite similar. But her true nature has to be acknowledged first, which is clearly not happening in the narrative or the fandom.

There are obvious issues to be resolved in Elain’s character—shedding these traits and loving others without exploitation—but the focus will be on what SJM deems worthy for her plot. Elain went from being content to staying in the background, tending to her gardens, and creating beauty to wanting to step out of her sisters’ shadows. Though she never gave that vibe, it will be shoved down our throats because these leads need to be badasses. At this point, she has more chances of turning into another Feyre with her ‘coming out of the shell’ journey because that’s the only way women can grow in this series. I don’t like Elain the way I don’t like Feyre, Rhysand, or Cassian. She is, and will likely never be, held accountable for anything she does. Nesta has self-awareness, her flaws are portrayed as such, and she makes amends for her mistakes because that allows Feyre to be right again. But what reason does Elain have to be better when she hasn’t done anything wrong until now?

[romanticizing-writing]

—Meet the Cast!—

(Part Four: The Neglected Rich and Loved)

(Trigger Warning: Patricia's section contains allusions to child neglect, abuse, use by parents, manipulation, and devaluing of self-worth. It doesn't go too heavily into detail, in my opinion, because the entire post is supposed to be structured like an article written from an outsider's perspective, but it's still there. Please consider either skipping the whole thing together or scrolling down to Alzamirano(Actor!Soos)'s section if you're sensitive to this type of content.)

Patricia:

Patricia has made her mark in the world as one of the most famous tweens of this day and age. Originally, her family was just your average one, living in common mediocrity. However, one day the young blonde asked her parents if she could participate in a beauty pageant, believing that it would be fun. They decided that it couldn't hurt and prehaps give their unplanned mistake of a daughter to become something worthy of their attention for once, so she was enrolled into the annual "Sprouting Elegance" contest. She immediately won and was gifted millions of dollars as the cash price. The amount of money was unlike any her parents had seen before, the luxurious life it allowed them to live was addicting. Thus, they became to crave more of it, desiring more and more, so that they would never have to live how they had before. Driven by greed Deciding that it would build character, they soon began to enroll her in numerous other pageants, collecting waves of money. They started a family blog to post updates on their life, displaying just how lovely and wonderful their family was, how they were living the dream. Patricia certainly dreamed; she dreamed of a world where she never came up with the idea, where she had better parents.

Eventually, her mother came to her and suggested developing a career in something that would let her put her pretty face to even more good use — acting! It would build an even more stable living for them her and maximize their her success. It was perfect! There was no reason to decline, no reason at all. So, of course, Patricia accepted and went along with whatever acting roles they were able to find for her. I mean, why wouldn't she? They knew best. Besides, without them, she would have never earned the stardom everyone else could hope of receiving. Without them, she was nothing. They created her. They were the ones who molded her into the perfect child, into who she was today. The least she could do for them was every. Little. Thing. They. Asked.

It wasn't that difficult for her to rise to the top as a child actor, considering she was already famous and of much status. Her most recent role was playing popular, rich girl "Pacifica Northwest" in the TV series "Gravity Falls". When asked on she felt about the character, she gave an intriguing response.

"It's complicated. And to-tally none of your— ... I mean, it's...personal. I feel like I know her very well and not just because I'm her actress. Though, I probably know her the best out of everyone solely because of that. That's all I'll say. You figure it out if you're so obsessed with mysteries (and me), weirdos," she said when delving into her implied love-hate relationship with the character she played.

She can frequently be found hanging out with Hadron (actor of "Fiddleford McGucket"). When she first arrives on set — her dad leaving as soon as she walks through the doors to there — she stands around, her eyes scanning through the clusters of people hanging about. She then will walk on over to where Hadron is ( typically talking to a bushing Stan [actor of "Stanley Pines"]) and tug on the sleeve of his fern green, button-up shirt in order to get his attention. He will turn his head and smile at her, and the two will engage in conversation. The mere sight of him always makes her eyes light up and twinkle, though she will try to act like she doesn't care.

She's also decently close to Mason (actor of "Dipper Pines") and his best friend, Mabel (actor of "Mabel Pines"). Mabel will occasionally drag Patricia over to where she and Mason are, and they'll all talk together as a trio. Mabel will knit a sweater, using Patricia as a model as she does, and will chatter away about stuff that delights her as the blonde and other brunette exchange amused looks, entertained by their friend's antics. In reverse, Patricia will kidnap Mason and paint his face with makeup, promising to turn him into the 'most beautiful boy who's ever lived' as Mabel giggles loudly at the scene. (Mason either swears at her the whole time or fumes in silence when this happens; Patricia only smirking in return.) When their peppy friend is not around, the duo will fire insults at each other like the sun won't come out tomorrow (some of them were used as inspiration for the actual script of the "Northwest Mansion Mystery" episode).

Also, contrary to popular belief, Patricia's hair really is naturally blonde.

Alzamirano:

Alzamirano, or commonly referred to as simply "Alza," was cast as the actor of "Jesus 'Soos' Ramirez" from the show "Gravity Falls". He was an orphan as a kid before he was adopted by a nurturing family. Their love and care allowed him to blossom into a kind person who always looked out for and after others. In order to give other orphans like himself a chance and a better place to grow up than in some of the terrible orphanages they're placed in, he started his own orphanage. That way, he could try his best to help the community and know he was giving every effort to truly assist people.

However, running an orphanage wasn't cheap, so he took up multiple jobs. He became a cook, a bus driver, a tour guide, etcetera, etcetera. Eventually, he stumbled across an ad requiring understudies for a film. It stated that they didn't have to be professionals and the salary was reasonable, so he decided to sign up. Last minute, the main actor he was an understudy for ended up calling off, so he had to take their place. Stepping into the spotlight and performing felt natural, and the crowd loved his show. Soon after, he started to get calls for jobs. He had found a career he could truly become successful with and gain a steady pay from to keep his orphanage stable and thriving.

On set, he's very a chill guy who gets along well with Mabel and, in all honesty, who wouldn't? He inquires about the living conditions for all for the children and has been seen to check in on Patricia specifically on a regular basis. He's bought multiple clothes and packages of food for her after realizing that she pretty much wears the same four pairs clothes all the time, just in different combinations, and how unhealthily thin she appears to be.

"Do you really have to try and spread gossip? Don't you have anything better to do or is your life just so sad that you live off of other people's lives to be fulfilled. Anything and everything about her personal life is personal! It's in the name. She's not required to share anything with you, nor am I. Why Mr. Alzamirano does what he does and what he suspects, if anything at all, is none of your business. You want to know something? He's a nice person and the stuff he does is nice. There you go. There's your hot scoop. Go crazy over it," Mason defensively stated when we questioned him about the Alza's gifts for Patricia.

He's friends with Stan and appreciative of the constant donations he sends towards the orphanage he runs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next Part

Previous Part

[nicorenarin]

Depravity of the Media: An Early Look at P5X's Fourth Arc

(Keep in mind, I'm using screenshots from BuffMaister's playthrough of the game, so there will be very wonky translations, but it's the best I have.)

After many months of the glorious Katayama-Akashi Arc, P5X finally progresses onwards as we reach what is currently dubbed as the 'Shimotsuna Arc', focusing on the new Phantom Thief, Shoki Ikenami, and the palace ruler, Shimotsuna Takami. The former is the son of two-accomplished stage actors, whilst the latter is an extremely powerful media mogul who has an... apparent attraction, let's say, towards Ikenami and other male members of the party like Shun and Wonder.

First off, the bar is often quite low for the Persona series when it explores the possibility of older female characters and younger male characters in relationships, take the Devil social link from Persona 4, the Hermit social link from Persona 3 and... well, a good chunk of Persona 5, that most people tend to scrub from their minds when discussing the series' social life aspects. Whilst P5X is no stranger to including romance options with older female characters (that even the writers don't appear to like), Shimotsuna, however, is treated like the predator she is made out to be and the situation early on is called out for being extremely uncomfortable. So, fair enough! In the mainline games where this would be probably laughed off, it's treated as it should be.

Shimotsuna is made out to be quite a depraved and vile woman from the moment we meet her. She threatens to jeopardise Ikenami's career, (something we'll return to later) takes pictures of the group without their consent, and refers to her secretary (who seems to be another important character in this arc), Daichi Ousaka, as a "dog" and her as his "owner". She is the classic example of a high-profile influencer of sorts using her power and connections within the media to both ruin lives and take hold of them. This is where we dive into the main themes of this arc; the media itself, and how it can ruin lives.

We learn from Ikenami that whilst his parents are seperated, the two are still in love, just seperated by country. An article (that's heavily implied to have been written by Shimotsuna) implied that Ikenami's mother had cheated on his father. Due to the nature of the scandal, Ikenami's mother's career was ruined, with it getting so bad she had to return to Italy, not allowed back in Japan again due to fear from the media. This is something that I don't remember P5 exploring a lot outside of Mishima and the Phan-Site, that being how the media can manipulate reality itself, almost subconsciously. With enough power and influence, forged realities can then become the truth in people's eyes. This tore Ikenami's family apart, it made him a target of bullying, and whilst Ikenami remained close with his mother, his father became a shell of himself. It already makes the early beginnings of this arc incredibly personal.

Ikenami even states in a conversation with Wonder and Shun that for the longest time, he hid his true feeling away from his parents, playing the good child who wanted to be an actor just like them. In a world where false stories tore his family apart, he himself put up a false smile to keep his family together.

When we get into the palace, Shimotsuna's Shadow resides in the 'Anthill of Pride', a fairytale-like land where those who work underneath her are seen as ants, mere workers who serve their queen. It matches her position in the media, whilst some of the puzzles within the palace require Wonder to "praise" Shimotsuna in order to temporarily transform into an ant with a construction helmet, further symbolising that Shimotsuna sees those who praise her as simply servants willing to serve a greater purpose.

Even Shimotsuna's weapon of choice, a wand of sorts is referred to as a "magic recorder", reminiscent of her phone in the real world that she uses to capture damning evidence to then publish to the world. She's able to use this wand to turn some of the party members into magazines, symbolising that to them, they're nothing more than an image on an article, words underneath a headline, all to push her own agenda against the world.

Ultimately, we end this first part of the arc with Ikenami's awakening and Shimotsuna forced to retreat further into her palace, and with the preview of the next part featuring both Daichi and Aran, it's exciting to wonder exactly where this arc will go. There's one thing for sure though, and it's that we're going to dive even deeper into how depraved and desperate the media can get, what distances they'll go to get a story, with the consequences for the Phantom Thieves potentially being critical if things go wrong. The stakes are only getting higher and higher.

[gynandromorph]

Hey! Question about Idletry. Even with the most bare bones critical analysis of fiction, as a socially isolated, lonely, heavily theripized lesbian, its hard not to idolize Jessies, even more vile actions. Or even see a bit, if not a lot of myself in her actions. Do you get this often? I know with the political climate, isolation is gonna get even worse for folks.

do i get this often as in do i get people who relate to her and idolize her? not frequently, but not unheard of. most people do not find jessie relatable and if they did i don't think she would be an accurately written outcast.

do i see myself in her often? she has a lot of feelings i used to have. i think i'm just tired now. people are pathetic, selfish animals, and i cannot blame them for my social suffering in the same way i can't blame my dog for eating something off of the counter when i left her alone with it. sometimes a particularly unsavory, visceral hatred will boil up in me towards, ironically, other lesbians, for having what i've been deprived of by nothing more than luck. i didn't stay in one home for my entire life, so i never really formed strong attachments to friends like jessie did. it is really the people you expect to care about you that don't, though -- in her case, friends she had, in my case, community i am inherently a part of. you can see the threads cross briefly to reach a similar endpoint here

i can't feel that hatred without knowing that there are people out there with an equally justified hatred for me as well, because i have at least gotten to be in a relationship before. at least i haven't ALWAYS been alone. that cognitive dissonance interests me, but also neatly puts a bow on the irrationality of the thought. for jessie, even after she does have a romantic partner, i think she'd take offense to the notion, because it isn't really about the unfairness as much as punishment for causing her perceived pain. and i think that's where we differ so drastically that i don't often relate to what she's saying even though i objectively know what the feelings she's having are like. i don't really care to punish people for hurting me because it won't undo the pain. we can see throughout the story that jessie remains unhappy no matter what she does and who she punishes because it doesn't *undo* the pain and isolation. it still hurts that it happened and it doesn't bring her closer to anyone else (or them closer to her). i also just have a much stronger empathy and people pleasing response. that anger just becomes nothing to me once i have to actually interact with someone and i generally have to look away from even fictional pain because it is so distressing to me. i would hate to imply that jessie is like simply due to an empathy or lack thereof; we see that she has much more empathy as a child and does care about fairness and hurting other people's feelings. she has practiced non-empathy mentally for an extended length of time with very little actual interaction to erode that. the actual biggest difference between her and myself is probably merely her lack of a fractured personality that can rebel against her if she steps too far out of line. and a massive skill issue.

[beepingmemesauce2727]

I'm really sorry for all the bald Finn posts, everyone, I hope y'all can forgive me

This whole thing was just a very shocking experience for me, and I'll admit, I feel like I've overreacted.

I just don't want to add onto the pile of toxic fans shitting on Finn for his new haircut, which is why I'll be deleting all of the recent posts regarding this whole thing.

I don't want us to give Finn the impression that we hate him for this decision, quite the opposite.

One of the reasons I love him so much is his non-conforming attitude, I find that aspect of his person to be infinitely beautiful and I don't want him to feel like he has to put on a performance for us to love him.

And no, I was never asked to write this, I wrote all of this of my own free will. This is something I feel like I need to say.

We should all support Finn for whatever decisions he chooses to make for himself.

Also, all the fans who are abandoning Finn for this new hairstyle decision need to consider this: This is the exact same way of thinking that homophobic parents have when they find out their kids are gay or LGBTQ in general. Please don't sink to their level.

We shouldn't make him be afraid of us, as one person said that even though Finn hasn't stated directly that his fans have contributed to his anxiety disorder, he HEAVILY implies it.

And it shouldn't be that way. We should make him feel loved, like his mere existence makes the world a better place. Because it does. Not to sound corny or cheesy, but I feel like this world would be a MUCH darker place if he wasn't in it. His life is a blessing.

So we need to cherish him and make him feel like he can be himself without any strings attached.

Plus, this new look is starting to grow on me :)

That's...pretty much what I have on my mind. All I'm saying is treat Finn with respect.

So yeah lol

[mer-acle]

Snippet: Zeus' Favorite

with @evermorecatra

Pt 2 let's gooo

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

Pt. 1 | Pt. 2 | Pt.3

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

"Forgive me, I merely wanted to have discussed all options," Athena says, her voice growing a tad quieter. "I wasn't implying we should gift them what they wanted without anything in return."

They are walking near the middle of the lake now. Athena's steps are light, like she's aware of how she's treading. Zeus walks casually, but with the quiet threat that this landscape does not rule over the god king anymore than the rest of the world.

"We will see what measures will be required," Zeus says easily. "Tell me about your little creatures, Athena. I am growing fond of them, so malleable, the females especially."

Athena swallows thickly.

"They invented the wheel," she says then. "Pr- I was interested how quickly they would manage it without my intervention."

Zeus nods. "A study as befits you, I see. You'll have a library filled about them in no time." His pride is almost dismissive, 'as expected' it says. "So I hope," Athena replies.

"What else?" he asks.

Before Athena can reply, a crack echoes through the ice below.

Underneath Zeus, the ground remains firm, the god's elemental powers strengthening the ice naturally. But under Athena, fine lines break through the frozen surface. She winces almost imperceptibly, instinctively walking a few steps further, keeping pace, not falling behind.

Her wings spread at the last moment, stiff from the frigid temperature. But it's too late, the ground gives under her.

She doesn't scream, the edges of Quick Thought racing past her, but not slowing enough. She has the time to know exactly how much nectar she would have needed to save herself, nectar she could have had if she hadn't messed up at the banquet the other week-

The icy water closes above her.

She gasps instinctively, inhaling a lungful, feeling it burn inside her like fire as her oceanic side struggles to expel it again as all her vessels contract at once.

Weakly, way too weakly, her wings try to offer an upward motion together with her arms, but they are like stone, the colder water seeming even heavier, pulling her feathers like it means to rip them out.

She breaks through the surface, gasping, blinding grabbing for the edge, her only thought a thank you to the fates for not letting her drift.

Her fingernails scrape across the ice with a sickening sound as she tries to hold onto the slippery surface to pull herself out- fates, she doesn't know how to pull herself out.

She treads water, her ichor freezing in her veins, she's not getting leverage, her wings are basically deadweight, there's still water in her lungs and she's begging for air.

A sound escapes her throat, high and frightened, a broken whisper: "Dad... help…"

For an endless moment, the water claws at her like a wild animal, her hands are slipping, she's going to- A strong hand reaches in, grabbing her by the wings and hauling her out of the hole onto the solid ice.

Athena collapses against her father, soaked, trembling so hard the world blurs, or maybe it's a forbidden sheen of tears, but she presses her eyes shut, holding on to his cloak like a lifeline.

Her wings drag heavily, feeling swollen and wrong with water, she still can't breathe, from fear this time, but his arm wraps around her and she buries her head against his chest, grasping for the comfort she's been offered.

"I'm sorry," she whispers. "I'm sorry, I couldn't-"

His hand finds the back of her neck, running over her dripping hair.

"I know," he says evenly. "I know, you panicked because your wings got wet and because the cold shocked you."

"I'm sorry," she repeats, but she burrows closer as he holds her, his body so mercifully warm despite the freezing weather. He never gets cold.

Effortlessly, Zeus lifts her into his arms. She weighs nothing to him, every part of him is naturally made stronger than she is, but in that moment, she wants to be nothing else but safely cradled against his chest.

He strokes her hair again, taking a step closer to the edge of solid ground.

"You'll have to learn," he murmurs. "This will not do, Athena, this will not do."

She's still gripping his cloak when he lets her fall.

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

[solarcanic]

I'm so normal about Maxie. He's so complex and the general fandom never reads his ORAS dialogue enough to understand that.

He's distant and formal, yet somewhat sensitive and dramatic (as seen in the Seafloor Cavern). He's rash and stubborn, but has a strict moral code and follows it heavily, meaning the best for humanity (just corrupted by the mentioned stubbornness). He can be read as a perfectionist, and likely relies on routine to feel stable (the morning meeting). He cares about others but tends to be impulsive (In Pokemas it's more evident, he has dialogue where he says he tends to ramble, and in the delta episode he apologizes for not thinking of Courtney first, so he is likely not only impulsive but by the time Groudon's settled, he's aware of it). I personally read that he has HIGH compassion but struggles with empathy (actually reading people's emotions) because of the scene in pokemas where he's like "And I know his feelings are real." About Archie...

I read that scene as implying part of why Maxie continues the rivalry, is not only for his own ideals, but because he assumes it's best for the both of them. He doesn't hate Archie, to me; he wants to improve the world for people, I don't think he'd exclude Archie from it over some personal quarrel (and the symbolism of the model boat). He still wants Archie to thrive and grow, just not. Biblical flood. But, given his rigid morality, he can seem like he hates Archie with the harshness, when he merely hates Archie's ideals.

He can also be overconfident, yet seems insecure in a way to me(?)

I might be biased, but his harsh view toward himself after breaking his own moral code (scene after you catch Groudon) strikes me. I think he's very turbulent in his view of himself and/or others (perfectionism too). He does something right and his mind displays overconfidence, but crashes into near self-loathing upon mishaps, as well.

And the general, non-pokevillian specific fandom just. Doesn't notice. The TrueGreen7 poll for the villains where Maxie and Archie were last fucked me up because DOES NOBODY READ THE DIALOGUE?? DID NO ONE PLAY ORAS??? DOES NOBODY SEE WHAT I SEE???? IN THIS MAN???? Give him a chance. He's not a "simple character" YOU JUST. DIDN'T. LOOK.

[amruwa]

i'm sorry, but please wait for me.

dan heng x gn!reader.

summary: he loves you, but he feared that his memories would hurt you. as uncertainties swirled in his being, he looks into your hopeful gaze for the last time.

cw: angst, implied lovers, kissing, spoilers/lore-based, purposefully written in lowercase, not proofread, possibly ooc, written before 1.2 update, lmk if i missed anything else!

for years, danheng was afraid. terrified for his being, as he'd fear that his own past would reach him. he'd longed for peace, trying to vanish from the shackles of his homeplace's memories.

he had tried escaping his own reality, searching for a place that he could call home. as he wandered, danheng had finally found a crew that was willing to take him in, called the astral express. even so, the express had done little to ease his conflicting mind.

though his mind was disordered, you were there. as if your mere presence could dissipate his conflicted being, washing all away his uncertainties. but, he was afraid. he was afraid of his own past catching up to him, fearing that it would even hurt you.

as each day passes by, his love only grew for you, seemingly as if he found new reasons to love you. your sweetest smile and warmest embrace was enough to calm the raging storm inside his heart.

but, he didn't want to hurt you. not when he'd awoke to nightmares every night, seemingly as if it haunted him. cold sweat clings onto his skin, cascading his features as he pants heavily from the aftermath. images of his memories flashing through his nightmares, it only made him afraid.

he didn't want to lose you. not when his own power overwhelms him, causing him to be haunted of his own past everytime.

as he caught wind of the stellaron hunters' mission in xianzhou luofu, his heart sank. he had ran away, avoiding his homeplace. he felt so conflicted.

but, he knew that it'd be best, if he went on that mission in xianzhou luofu. he'd take any chance he could get, if it only meant that his uncertainties of his future with you, would eventually disappear. danheng had a flicker of hope inside him, hopefully wondering if it'd make a difference.

if it meant that he could stay with you forever, he must go on this mission.

"something's troubling you." you softly mumbled, gently resting your head against his shoulder as you mindlessly caress his hand.

his breath suddenly hitches, a troubled expression laced his features. you grew worried, the longer you gaze at him.

"what's wrong, danheng?" you quietly ask, lips slightly pursed as you await his response.

"y/n, i.." his voice trails off, uncertainties clouding his mind once more.

you gently cup his face within the crevices of your hands, a hint of concern was evident in your visage. danheng sighs shakily, gazing into your eyes.

"i must go on the mission in xianzhou luofu." the aloof man says quietly, slowly placing his he couldn't bear to meet your pained gaze, because he knew too well that it'd break his own heart.

your heart sank at his words, tears beginning to form in the corners of your eyes as you looked into his eyes, disbelief was written in your face.

"danheng, it's too dangerous.." your voice was shaky as each word leaving your lips had suddenly become hard. "i can't handle the thought of you leaving," you quietly mutter, tears cascading your cheeks.

"if it would mean coming back in your arms in peace, i have to." he reasoned with you, sincerity laced in his tone. his calloused, yet gentle hands make its way to caress your face, wiping away your tears.

"danheng, i don't want you to risk that." you admit, shaking your head as more tears streamed down your face. "i'm contented with what we currently have, please.."

"y/n, i don't want to risk losing you," he pauses, a defeated smile forms on his lips. "i'm sorry, please wait for me.." he says softly. he presses the softest kisses on each and every crevice of your face, as if he was engraving his love for you.

it pained him to leave you, it genuinely did. but, it was needed for you. he wanted nothing more, but to rest in your arms with no worries.

"please promise me." your voice finally broke, sobs leave your lips as you struggle to form coherent words. "...promise that you'd come back to me."

he gently kisses your tears away as he gazes deeply into yours, his own eyes held so many untold emotions.

he kisses atop your head, pulling you into the warmest embrace. his comforting warmth engulfed you entirely, seemingly as if he shielded you against all odds.

"i promise you, i will come back to you." he whispers, finally kissing your lips before he leaves.

but, in the end, he knew. he knew that no matter where he went. you were his home, his sanctuary, his peace. he wouldn't want to change that for anything in the universe.

[alexas-fandom-and-random-blog]

I need to get it out of my chest so here's some Striker theories/speculations fandom has come up with that I heavily dislike and why.

Striker has some royalty blood from one parent or both.

Oh God that would suck so much if it became canon cause it absolutely defeats the purpose of his character so far, that of being a lower class imp hating royals with valid reasons even if his actions are violent and sadistic.

As he is he has such an interesting antagonistic role in the story and offers a bunch of good lines directly opposing and questioning the heroes values, choices and morality.

His mere presence and open bashing of the upper class is just good social commentary! If his hatred stems from a combination of his narcissistic nature and bitterness that being born an imp (even mixed or hybrid) robs him from ascending further into the social ladder or even if he survived a traumatic encounter with a royal as its implied and it's fuelled by anger or a combo of all those things all are good for telling a compelling story! All can be done in very interesting ways!

But making him yet another character tied closer to royalty than just being a random person that got screwed over is honestly an underwhelming concept.

Getting screwed over for no good or justified reason should be common with Hell's racist and classist system as its been presented so far and we should get confirmation of that instead of having Striker added to the trend of each of the main characters having special connections with higher ups. It's not only redundant at this point but would make his motivation and social commentary that much weaker.

I swear if it just becomes another daddy or mommy issue imma rage quit so fast!

Striker is half shark demon

His sound design is explicitly constantly emulating the noises a rattlesnake makes. Since he's most likely a hybrid and he says to Blitzo how they are "superior to most of our kind" he's definitely part imp. So we got two halves and we got snake demon and imp, so it's basically covered? lol I don't know how this theory became so popular😅

He doesn't even look close to the design of the other sharks

he only looks like Chaz a little bit.

And lots of characters share similar characteristics like that snout.

This one had some merit with the ringed eyes and imma be real I haven't noticed those elsewhere but like even if he had a grandpa shark what purpose would that serve?

Bah I just don't like it. Let the man be a slimy snake! Its more unique and it suits him better!

Striker is asexual cause he got grossed out by sex jokes

No...just no..

To be clear you could totally read him as asexual! But the reason being the damn sex jokes is giving me whiplash. Striker got flustered and frustrated at best cause the timing of each sex joke was inappropriate as all hell and cause everyone did it as he tried to be intimidating and threaten/kill them. If anything they were bruises to his ego not any indication to his libido.

But like... In all seriousness asexual confirmation deserves more than a reaction to sex jokes.

Hellaverse does it better with Alastor. In his case it does tie in with his sexuality.

Same goes with all the theories that he's homophobic too.

He did the sexy villain thing trying to seduce Blitzo like so explicitly and smiled when Blitzo called it hot then! What are you talking about?

Different situation, more receptive to sexual undertones and instigating them too. That's what I'm trying to say!

And again. Asexual reading can apply. But it can't be just the sex jokes alright?!😭

(yeah yeah it's a joke on itself. still valid I get it.)

Striker is related to Crimson and Moxxie.

Oh this one is the worst one and absolutely gives me a heart attack and thank goodness for the crew's soft confirmation that they aren't via strixxie fanart cause no joke I'd cry since its my favourite ship!

It's just similar horns!!! Striker was designed as a mix between Moxxie and Blitzo and that's the only reason why!

Striker also had sexual tension with Blitzo on screen are you gonna tell me they are related too cause he was designed with half of him in mind?

I hate this theory so much.

Granted purely for shipping reasons but holy shit it got popular and I hated that!

I've had enough with turning every ship into potential incest just cause and harassing fans over it!

Got such "Fizz and Blitzo are siblings" deja vu😬

Ahem...

Anyways yeah that's all.

To end it more positively I love the snake man! Didn't spot him on the trailer but still hope we see him in the upcoming episodes🥺

Preferably doing shit like this and traumatizing everyone lmao! (with no godawful statue jokes in sight thank you very much)

[hot-on-my-watch]

The Hobbit Trilogy Part 3 or "DID THEY JUST KISS?"

I'm going to preface this by confirming that it IS a joke. An extended joke made by a person stuck in bed for over 4 years with an odd sense of humour and literally thousands of hours too much experience of listening to Critical Role to think twice about shipping a halfling and a dragon. I do not actually ship Frodo Baggins and Smaug. Fictionalising real people is a very complicated area, and I do not ship Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch. It is a joke! They are safe!

That said...

In my watch through of The Hobbit Trilogy, we have finally encoutered "the big boy" Smaug himself. I was pleased that there were a lot more opportunities for me to imply that Bilbo and Smaug are ahem hot for each other thsn I foresaw, even though I have read The Hobbit at least twice and heavily suspect that some of the lines come direct from source. For instance:

Smaug: I hear you. I smell you. I feel... your breath..... come now, don't be shy! There's something about you.

Bilbo: I merely wanted to gaze upon your magnificence. To see if you were truly as great as the old tales say.... truly, the tales and the songs fall utterly short of your enormity... oh Smaug the stupendous!

Smaug: You have nice manners...

Bilbo: Your reputation preceeds you, oh Smaug!

Smaug: I know the smell and taste of dwarf!

Alright mate, TMI! ;-)

Anyway, I noted that, in the subsequent fantasy lore of DnD, dragons have the ability 'true sight', and as such The Ring would not have protected Bilbo.

Me and my partner did discuss the weirdness of dragons being so intelligent and yet mainly concerned with staying all alone in one place with no books or games.

And I recalled Talisen Jaffe of Critical Role, when asked what his character Percy would hoard, replying gold and magic rocks i.e. he is a dragon in human form.

It's good that in the film, at least some of the townsfolk are trying to prevent the dragon from being drawn out and setting fire to everything. I don't remember that happening in the book!

We also had Stephen Fry as The Master, and I had to announce that in the most recent Sherlock Holmes films he played Mycroft. It really does seem like there are only about 20 actors in the world sometimes! I was amused when Bilbo put The Ring on and saw Sauron- I thought 'that man really CANNOT get away from Benedict Cumberbatch!'

I am very much looking foward to revealing whose dulcet tones give life to Smaug soon. And a while later, while Sauron is on screen, saying "Do you know that that's Benedict Cumberbatch?" and having my partner think it is absolutely definitely a joke this time.