#if this is what I do with my free time I should probably reconsider my life choices

[aliesbienish]

Heavy is the head that wears the crown

Buddie x gn! reader (established) Domestic fluff

"Boy's I feel like measuring the doorframe was something you two should have thought of. You are firefighters after all!"

"Babe, you clearly forgot you were suppose to be the smart one in this relationship," Buck declared, ready to admit defeat.

"Mis amores, stop laying blame where it doesn't belong,"

"And where does it belong Eddie?" You questioned.

"Obviously at the feet of the salesman who sold us this mattress in the first place. If we had gone with the cheaper option we would not be in this mess,"

"To be fair to the poor man, it would only fit because it was hardly thicker than a camping bed. You could probably fold it like paper. Maybe we should have just stuck with the old bed."

"(Y/n/n) honey, I love sleeping close to you I do. But I cannot face another summer in that queen bed, it's barely fit for two people let alone three. And everyone time Chris comes in, in the middle of the night, I'm the one who always ends up with an elbow to the face."

"Yeah I wonder where he got that from," Buck grumbled under his breath, rubbing the bruise he had gotten on his forearm from Eddie the previous night.

"Okay okay, you're right. We needed this. And I am determined we will get it into the bedroom. So step aside, let me have a go,"

"Honey if we couldn't get it in I'm not too sure what you expect to happen... but sure yep have a go," Eddie backtracked, catching your withering glare.

You backed up, confusing the boys, before breaking into a sprint towards the mattress jammed in the doorframe. With one mighty push, an impressive yell to go with it, the mattress finally gave and you were through into the bedroom. The momentum toppled the mattress over and you fell ontop.

"Success!!" You yelled, star-fished on top of the mattress. "You two better start reconsidering what you bring to our relationship cause it looks like I am the smart one and the strong one! I think I rule this relationship"

"And we bow down," Buck declares as they both tumble onto the mattress and start peppering you with kisses.

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

My first foray into 911 fandom, hope you enjoyed. Feel free to shoot through any requests, but be warned I'm only a couple seasons in so can't yet write for Tommy, Ravi etc.

[flightnight]

So. An important question. Did Sunday try to convince Avenrutine to kill himself? Was it his way to ensure that if the Harmony curse failed to kill him, Avenrutine would end up dead anyway?

How would he know to use that against Aventurine?

It's a popular interpretation that most things Sunday knows about (and uses against) Aventurine he learnt while spying on Aventurine and Dr. Ratio.

And Aventurine openly talks about it himself:

Aventurine: To be honest with you, I didn't believe it and even tested it a few times myself — until I discovered that I couldn't actually die. 

Sunday probably witnessed these attempts himself too. So he's well aware of Aventurine's tendencies.

And notice what exactly Aventurine said. It's not "I knew I couldn't die here, so I tried it"; it's "first I didn't believe that I couldn't die", so he implies (to Sunday) that he actually expected for these attempts to end in his death. 

Later, after summoning Aventurine, Sunday doesn't just put the curse and the death sentence on Aventurine and send him off to solve Robin's "murder". He interrogates him. Some questions make sense (like asking him about the Cornerstone). But some questions are unexpectedly cruel, even for Sunday, and painfully personal:

Sunday: "Do you love your family more than yourself?" Aventurine: Yes. Sunday: "All the Avgins were killed in a massacre. Am I right?" Aventurine: No. Sunday: "Are you your clan's sole survivor?" Aventurine: …Perhaps. Sunday: "…Do you hate and wish to destroy this world with your own hands?" Aventurine: …

What was the purpose of this exquisite psychological torture? These questions seem out of place here. Unless it's to reinforce the idea that Aventurine should reunite with his family (which is an unambiguous euphemism for "to die")

Let's now look at the Harmony-induced hallucinations, Aventurine's "Past self" and "Future self". Their nature isn't clear. Are they purely manifestations of Aventurine's tortured mind, or are they sent by Sunday to torment Aventurine further and convince him to actively seek death? I think it's both.

I saw a detailed analysis of Aventurine's "Furute self", arguing that he was probably sent by Sunday, because it seems to not know certain things the real Aventurine actually knows. But I would argue his "Past self" isn't as innocent as he looks either, and is partly a manifestation of Sunday's will to make Aventurine kill himself.

While the "Future self" basically keeps talking about how his life isn't worth living (talking about what a faliure Aventurine's life is, how Ratio's "betrayal" wasn't an act, reinforcing his doubts, showing that he can't be happy ever again, and it's only going to get worse), the "Past self", a happy, innocent child, keeps talking about how great it is to have a loving family (do you have a family, mister? I do. And they love me, and I'm very happy about it. We are going to go and do some fun family things together. Do you want to go with us? You want to see your family again, right? Come with me, reunite with your family, i.e., die. That's the only way you can be happy).

So both are actively pushing Aventurine to kill himself.

And this is what actually nearly happened, btw. Acheron's attack managed to unintentionally free Aventurine from the Harmony curse that was supposed to kill him in several hours, but by this point he was so destroyed psychologically that he was ready to end his life right there regardless. Only Acheron's kindness and Ratio's note convinced him to reconsider:

Aventurine: …Then I shall get going. "Kakavasha": Mister… "Kakavasha": You're leaving? You ultimately chose to… leave this Dreamscape? Aventurine: …Yes. Because they are not here… My papa, mama, and big sis… "Kakavasha": Then where are they? Aventurine: They are in a place where everyone will go. A very, very distant place. "Kakavasha": Then are you going too? Aventurine: I'll get there, one day. Aventurine: But not now.

I don't have the time to go through all related dialogues, but is it possible that Aventurine didn't intend to actually die on Penacony? He loves toying with the idea of death, but was he actually serious about it until Sunday reinforced this idea for him?

What I don't understand is why he would do that. Imagine hating somebody so much that you try to convince them to kill themselves. That's kind of fucked up.

I mean, Aventurine isn't an innocent victim here; his goal was to peacefully wrestle Penacony out of the Family's control. But just confiscating the bag containing the Cornerstone would have solved this problem. If Sunday didn't invite him to humiliate him personally, Aventurine's plan would have failed. And Sunday says himself that he knows Aventurine has nothing to do with Robin's death. So why?

[eldritch-spouse]

Eating at my own fingers for some Berle smut 😫😫😫

[Don't worry, he'll eat your fingers for you.]

TW: Foodplay; Dubious consent

Berle's steps echo around the inside of the manufacturing area.

" Lollipop! My sweet little gumdrop, my tootsie pie! "

Oh he wants something.

Finishing helping a fairly depleted chocolate flavor into a vat, you seal the exhausted slime in there and shiver as you come out of the frozen rooms, rubbing some warmth into your arms. It's crazy to think how much it must cost to keep this place so cool in the middle of literal Hell.

" Yes? "

" There you are! "

He announces, so close to the skin of your back that it nearly frightens the soul out of your body.

" Come come come- I need you to taste something immediately! "

That's half of your job nowadays. Running around taking note of which flavors are depleting, take them to the vats, and put a variety of sweet ice cream novelty flavors in your mouth. You're really hoping there's enough magic in these things to prevent you from getting cavities. Or maybe that's why he's always buying you "the best toothpaste out there for humans".

Part of you thinks sometimes Berle isn't even making you taste-test new flavors, he just wants to feed you. Which is fine by you, less time actually working.

You're dragged to the front of the shop, sort of. More like the area where people can choose to have independent scoops of ice cream from non-living samples. A sort of tasting booth, to make sure you don't just call a slime-cream to your table, taste them, only to make a face afterwards. You'd feel mildly offended in their place.

The thing is, "free tasting", in Gluttony, is about three or four fat scoops on an already large cone. You've been living here for a while, and less than that would probably be considered insulting.

In turn, that is also what Berle regularly attempts to shove in your mouth.

The prince is behind the balcony, reaching for a fresh container and twirling an original brand spoon in his hand. More than the excitement in his eyes, his own tail seems to dance behind the demon.

" New flavor? " Your eyes widen.

Berle hums brightly. " Perhaps! Oh yes, maybe! But not yet, too much to test, too much to think about legally ahah, providers, but I wanted you to test it out for me just this once, okay? Really fast- "

It's only after he retrieves a spoonful that you can see the ice cream itself. It looks creamy, swirls of soft lavender and salmon blending together nicely, a sugary sweet scent to it. Berle has such a talent for making any kind of ice cream look appetizing. This gift of his has made you reconsider an embarrassing amount of bizarre flavor mixes.

" Open wide! "

You do. Probably wider than you should have.

But it's reflex at this point. Like most gluttons, he's got this habit of simply overfilling a spoonful. Loading it with so much that one would guess his intent is to make you choke. But no such thing, Berle insisted when you pried, he merely forgot your limitations. He loved you, so he wanted you to have more, always.

Recently, the prince has gotten better with dosing for humans, in no small part due to the growing popularity of his establishment, bringing in customer diversity. You however, have choked and coughed food back out enough times to trigger a brand new survival mechanism at the mere utterance of 'open'. Your jaws part as much as your feeble human anatomy allows them to, sometimes popping in the process, and your tongue hangs to further keep things unobstructed.

Berle is bad at masking what pleases him.

He enjoys that you've learned to do this.

Seen by the tint to his cheeks as he eagerly shovels the spoonful into your mouth.

Predictably, it's so much that it makes your cheeks puff humorously, but it's manageable. You don't choke, just shiver at the coldness and try not to bite down. You let it sit in the gradually decreasing warmth of your mouth, mulling on the flavor.

Sweet, incredibly sweet, but light all the same. The burst of sugar isn't long enough to let you get sick of it, fizzing away to a pleasant freshness. You can't tell the ingredients used in this. Funnily enough, you almost never can, aside from the most common flavors such as strawberry, chocolate and caramel, for example. Maybe it's just that you don't have the same complexity in your tastebuds as a glutton does, so your brain mixes and mashes signals into something unreadable. You're aware of lot of Berle's subtle work goes entirely unnoticed to your dull palate- That he keeps trying to provide new taste experiences for you in spite of knowing you'll never get as much pleasure from any as one of his own is a testament to the prince's morbid love.

" So? So? " He grins so incredibly wide that his cheeks strain, offering you a second spoonful that is slowly accepted.

He's graced with a response as soon as you're not nearly drooling. " Amazing, as usual. It's not as heavy, I feel like I could have a lot more of this one than anything else but... "

" But...? " The demon's malleable horns shift as he tilts his head.

" But, I can't really tell what it's made of. " He hasn't even told you the name of it either, so there's hardly a hint.

" Ah yes yes, I expected you wouldn't. See, it's more uhm- Synthetic, than my usual work. Not at all like me, I think you'd know that of all people, lollipop, ahah- But part of my work does involve branching out, constantly, right? I'd usually be against something so err fabricated, so... Implicative, but I just couldn't pass this up! You understand, right? "

While he blabbers, you begin to sense a slight increase in temperature. You know damn right that Hell would blink out of existence faster than the air conditioning in this establishment could fail, so something's clearly amiss.

" -Especially after they said it would be perfectly safe for human consumption! Of course, I can't just sell this willy-nilly without being sure that things won't devolve into a rampant mess, it could be weaponized I know this- But perhaps as an offer to couples who come here together on their cute little meet-dates, right? The effects then would be harmless, like now- "

It's getting really hot. You're sweating. Should probably take that jacket off.

Wait, what did he say just now?

" The what-? "

" Hm? " Berle pauses.

" You said... " A fog clutches the creases of your mind, massaging it into a fine, aimless pulp. God fucking damn it, what did he just make you eat? " ... Effects? "

" Mhm, right right! This type of ice cream is made using material from a person, causing whoever eats it to feel madly infatuated for said person, ehh needy, if you will- This means it has to be commissioned obviously, so there's a certain wait time and the material has to be handled carefully! It could be blood, I think most people will want to use their blood, but I personally used... " Berle's peppy expression turns into something much less innocent as he watches you squirm in place, trying to keep up with his chattering. Your eyes linger on his mostly bare form and satisfaction carves its way into those mismatched eyes.

" Something else, you know? "

There's a flicker of recognition in your gradually muddling brain. You manage to offer the royal infernal an annoyed, near frigid look, reminiscing about the unsavory part of your role here. Getting to taste-test flavors is a euphemism for being a bit of a lab-rat. And while you're sure that Berle wouldn't deliberately feed you something he thinks could genuinely cause harm, he's not above this type of scummy behavior either.

A pulse of want has your teeth clenching while your legs propell you to him, causing the prince to all but giggle loudly, putting the spoon and container away when you grab onto his stupid pink apron.

" Let me... " You murmur, fevered with the desire to have him. Any way, any part, you have a strange urge to get Berle into your mouth. Flashes of you kissing and biting and tasting every inch of his skin assault your mind.

Bizarre, as if out of nowhere, you developed an erotic oral fixation that was simply overwhelming in intensity.

" Oh hoo hoo, working well working well! How are you feeling, gumdrop? "

It starts with a searing kiss.

It's less genuine affection and more of a need to cram your tongue as deep into him as you can. A laughable objective, given Berle has a tongue that puts plenty of his own kind to shame. If that weren't enough, he's always enthusiastic, so you never had a semblance of a chance. He kisses back and, sensing your fervor, generously supplies more of that multicolored muscle into you. You choked aggressively the first few times he was stupid enough to do this to you without thinking, nearly threw everything back out, but your time inside this Ring has changed you in many ways. Not only have you become more voracious, it's as if your gag reflex is often muted in select moments. Given the thing dragging over all crevices of your mouth and throat, you should have started to flinch and panic, but all that's there is an unnerving breed of glee and mild oxygen deprivation.

Berle dominates, much to your slight frustration, pulling you back when the embrace simply becomes too gross to prolong. Not that you care if your chin is soaked, not that you care if the taste of all the cloying sweets he had today is now imprinted on your own taste buds.

A shameless hand darts down, feeling what it had hoped to.

Behind the rather thin fabric of Berle's apron protrudes the very thing you're sure he'll have no problem letting you stuff yourself with. Berle shares a concubus rib somewhere in his lineage, that's likely why he wears so little all the time, why he even thought of this flavor as an appealing suggestion. It's also the reason he somehow always seems to be able to tug you away for some quick tomfoolery.

There's no doubt he's the one pleasantly surprised when you drop to your knees and swipe that apron aside.

Berle's now throbbing length has the exact same coloration as his tongue, that borderline rainbow-like hue, like a pastel gradient of sorts. You've asked him before if he was born this way, as unlikely as it seems, but he doesn't ever provide a straight answer. Rainbow body parts are something you'd expect of a mermonsters and fey types. Not a demon, certainly.

Part of you believes he just got body modifications because it makes his cock look like some kind of rare candy cane. Somewhat of a dangerous gambit, given another glutton could get confused enough to bite him, with those infernal teeth...

But you're no glutton.

All you do is lick across the length of him like he really is no more than a rainbow twister lollipop, earning yourself a shaky gasp, before putting the very tip in your mouth and swirling around it. You have no idea why this is what you want so bad, why it's making you so happy, you just know you needed to feel him exactly this way.

For all his usual rampant excitement, all Berle can do now is grab onto the counter and watch you work a sizable portion of his girth into your throat. Another perk of your prolonged stay in Hell, you could say. The you from a few months ago could never swallow this much of a partner without crying and gagging real ugly.

" O- Ohhn- I do thhink maybe some alterations should be made -Ahahn- For humans specifically? Mmmm it seems to be taking you by stohh- "

You can feel Berle pulse within the walls of your mouth, lips flush against the root of his cock, kissing his slit. Normally, this would take some effort from your part, some warmup. A nasty noise follows as you slurp all the way back to the top just to chase that hint of tang. Berle's eyes roll back for a second and a choked moan escapes him. You're relentless, pumping him while catching your breath, only to dip back down with a dirty vigor, proudly feeling him hit deep spots within you.

Berle has learned not to fuck your mouth. All larger infernals must learn this sooner or later when they pick smaller partners, and the prince is no exception. But that doesn't mean he's not digging his claws into the counter for dear life and flexing his legs for control.

The only thing that makes you pop off his candy cock is when the confectioner's phone starts ringing, this jarring tune reminiscent of a festive jingle, breaking the mood. Berle himself looks annoyed, studying the caller ID before smiling and making a 'continue' motion.

Alright then.

He's talking immediately.

" Old friend! " Pause, one hand falls to the back of your head. " Yes yes yess- " That last one must have been for you. " I did get the sample, tested it already- Why, with a volunteer of course, I have my ways... "

His scummy ways.

Perhaps it's mean of you, but you take the opportunity to tease Berle and drag him across your lips like some pervert's version of lipstick. He nearly frowns, exerting some pressure to make you quit it. Whatever gargle of surprise you make is covered by his loud tone.

" Yes- Uhuh- Look though, we'll have to tone it down a bit. " He gasps. " No, it's just- My volunteer was human, and it really took them for a spin, y'know? No, I'm serious! Not even two spoons in, they were already under, that's fast! Very fast hhnoly shit- "

You would have laughed at that slip up, but all that happens is a devilish contraction around his shaft.

" N-No, it shocked me. " Berle coughs. " You should have seen-... I don't think so, royal lineage wouldn't make it stronger just on hhh its own. I think maybe you could make it a little less sudden, give it a little buzz period, y'know, hahahn Lords fuck- "

The person on the other side of the call appears to be blabbering just long enough that Berle feels confident in distancing the phone a bit and growling, making the most out of their rant by urging you to move faster with curt bucks of his hips. Sometimes he slips out of your mouth entirely, frustrating for the two of you yet desperate in a whole other dirty way.

When Berle pays attention again, the person must have been calling for him.

" Ah- Ahah, sorry yes I'm here- Excuse me if I sound muffled I'm always running around you know it's just how the job is it never stops please continue yes- " How does he fit that much air into his lungs?

It feels like he's close to cumming. Normally, Berle would be moaning and snarling about it, but he can't be nearly as vocal right now, so all you have to guide yourself is the oscillation of his composure and his tensing lower abdomen.

At some point, the prince throws his head back and appears to lean onto the counter as if to balance himself, blowing steam through his nostrils in a way the caller might mistake for exhaustion. His tail wraps around your chest loosely, getting to your neck and squeezing briefly.

That's the cue.

No mercy.

" Hrrhn... Nno no, it's perfectly fine, I know how it is with newer products. It's perfectly fine no one got injured at ALL- It's totally okay, I'm not disappointed no nooh- " He slams a fist on the counter, mad that the call is going on for as long as it has.

You've never actually seen Berle get angry from a lengthy conversation. It would be hilarious if you weren't so fixated on getting him to cum.

" I have a lot of faith in you guys I'm sure everything will work out and I'dlovetoworkwithyouallinthefutureokaybyebyegottagotoodles- " He launches the phone at some unfortunate wall. " My pretty pretty lollipop you're gonna suck the soul out of me like that- "

And you do. Because his usual yapping is cut short only a few seconds after, becoming nothing but senseless noises as Berle hunches and pants open-mouthed, giving you the rewarding rush you wanted. Much to his distaste, you pull back to get to taste it, regretting it when it's predictably too much and forces you to pull away. The prince makes a mess of your cheek and neck, ruining even the top you had picked, before you try to get the last of it on your tongue again.

And as soon as you swallow, the urge that had possessed you earlier releases its clutches, the cloud of need turning your vision pink fading suddenly.

You're left with sore knees, an aching jaw, and the moderately gross sensation of hot ropes on cooling skin.

" Couldn't you at least have asked before starting all t- "

You're interrupted by Berle's cumstained fingers wedging into your mouth. Not even this you're allowed to waste.

" But aren't surprises so much more entertaining? I really think they are, didn't you have fun? Besides, it'll be my turn soon, don't you worry lollipop, what kind of lover would I be if I didn't thank you for such wonderful feedback- "

You wonder who that supplier is...

[anxiousnerdwritings]

Himbo!Baratheon!Reader out here just stealing everyone’s hearts and living in their minds rent free. He’s probably the only Baratheon brother who thrives in the Red Keep and is closest to Robert, who insisted that Reader live/stay with him as a trusted strategist (Lets be honest though he just wants to keep having fun with his little brother who’s down to do almost anything)

I can see Cersei absolutely developing feelings for Reader when he is respectful and caring for her and listening to her ideas, even discussing them in detail. These genuine interactions has her wanting take the throne and have Reader instilled as the King with her as Queen consort. Not only that but he’s the best “uncle” her children could ever have. Giving them the warmth and care that don’t receive from Robert and can’t receive from Jamie. Speaking of Jamie, do you think Reader’s open friendly attitude yet sharp skill in combat and strategy awakens something in him 👀 Like at first he’s like “Stay away from my sister >:(“ but after getting to know Reader he’s like “You should come train with me :) Or maybe I can should you around Casterly Rock :)”

Omg what would happen if he managed to meet Dany after everything goes to shit? I don’t think he would have any personal qualm with her (if anything he’d probably only have an issue with the mad king) She’d probably see this big smiley puppy of a man and reconsider her decision to only have her dragons as her children. He’d probably tell her about Rheagar (possible exes 👀) and what he was like if she wanted to know 🍃

Oh, Himbo!Baratheon!Reader is stealing the hearts of both men and women alike, and definitely leaving too lasting of an impression to ever forget so no doubt he’s living in everyone’s heads rent free. Honestly, Himbo!Baratheon!Reader is the type who could happily thrive wherever. He’s terrifyingly good at making friends and allies wherever he goes, with most of those allies/friends wanting more than just that.

I really like to imagine that Baratheon!Reader has a good relationship with all his brothers, just an overall special connection with each of them respectively but Robert is the one most outwardly closest to the Reader (along with Renly) given how the two are similar in their enjoyments of having a good time. I like to think that Baratheon!Reader doesn’t whore around very much, he more so enjoys the company of others in general (especially making people laugh and let go) and of course to indulge in a fair share of wine and ale while he’s at it.

Like, this man has literally done the unfathomable by not only being the only one to make Stannis smile let alone chuckle, but he’s done the same with Tywin (although the Lannister will never admit to it or acknowledge it whenever brought up). Honestly, the stag man has got everyone wrapped around his finger whether they know it or not.

Cersei would definitely have set her sights on Himbo!Baratheon!Reader because he was everything she wished Robert was, especially in how he was with her and the kids. He’s respectful, he’s kind, he’s exceptionally in shape (and maintains it), he actually listens to her when she speaks and doesn’t just disregard her. I really love the idea of Himbo!Baratheon!Reader heavily respecting women, he drinks that respect women juice day and night so much so he’d die by it. Like, Baratheon!Reader totally sees how powerful and terrifying a woman can really be if she just so wanted to or was pushed to her limit, and he’s all for it. Cersei would definitely fall fast and hard for the Reader, especially seeing him be so attentive to her children and interacting with them so openly and warmly. He’s able to do what Robert has never done and what Jaime could never do, and all without much of a thought about it. How could Cersei not become captivated with Baratheon!Reader?

Regarding Jaime, I love the idea of him seething with envy and resentment that not only his beloved sister prefers the Reader over him, but also because of how the Reader is in general. The charisma, the respect, the overall love that the Reader receives from those around him; it makes Jaime feel especially threatened. Not to mention when his father eventually comes to hold some form of favor for the Reader too that certainly doesn’t make Jaime feel an better. It really wouldn’t be until Jaime saw and experienced Baratheon!Reader in the midst of battle that he would see him in a completely different light. All this time he thought the Reader was just an overrated, glorified idiot who was all muscle and a pretty face, that was until he was watching the man he internally labeled his arch nemesis in action. Honestly, Jaime would be in awe (not that he would ever tell anyone, not even his sister). Like, he has to physically keep himself from being slack jawed in front of everyone in that very moment. He would definitely have a new found respect and admiration for the Reader after that, not that he would let that on but he would act much better towards him.

Also, as much as I doubt Jaime would ever tell a soul (except maybe Tyrion, depending) that he finally came to understand everyone’s talk about the Reader and himself now harboring some like for the Reader, I love the thought of Jaime just running to Cersei after everything is said and done and the battle is won like an excited little kid and gushing about how cool and amazing the Reader was when in action. If anything the closet he would get to that would be by forcing Tyrion to listen to him ranting away about the whole thing, being both admiring and jealous in his rambling. It would be kind of funny and interesting to see if Jaime were to actually grow a romantic interest in Himbo!Baratheon!Reader, especially whether he would want to try and steal the Reader from his sister or maybe share with her?👀

When it comes to Daenerys, I could totally see Himbo!Baratbeon!Reader going himself to go seek her out. Especially after Robert said he didn’t want her dead anymore. I definitely think that Baratheon!Reader took Ned’s side when talk of killing off Dany came up. He didn’t see the point of it. I feel like Baratheon!Reader would stand by the idea of how a child shouldn’t have to or be forced to pay for their parent’s words or actions. He has no problem whatsoever with Daenerys, he didn’t share his brother’s disdain for all Targaryens alike. He only had his beef with the Mad King and maybe Rhaegar, but he saw no point in bringing Daenerys or Viserys into it.

Honestly, Himbo!Baratheon!Reader would probably leave without telling anyone before he sets off to make things right with Daenerys on his brother’s behalf. There’s a good chance that he may have told Ned of his plans but that’s about it. The Reader would definitely think that going to Dany himself would mean more than sending a raven or messenger. And when he does finally make it to Dany, she wouldn’t know what to do upon being met with the Reader right in front of her. Especially when he apologizes to her, telling her that his brother had called off his want for her assassination on his death bed, that he wanted to ensure she got word that, as far as he knew, the crown didn’t have any ill intentions for her anymore. Given that this would most likely take place after Khal Drogo’s death and Dany getting her dragons, I could see Dany saying she would only accept what the Reader was saying if he married her. Not only as recompense for everything (including the deaths of her brother and father and the loss of their home) but also as assurance that nothing will happen to her or her people. And I have no doubt that the Reader would feel all too inclined to do so just to make amends. Meanwhile, when Cersei gets word she absolutely loses her shit and is completely under the belief that Dany took the Reader hostage and forced him to marry her. It’ll be a hell of a fight between the women, physically, mentally and emotionally for the Reader.

Also, Himbo!Baratheon!Reader would be so kind and understanding towards Dany. She knows only what she’s been told about her father and brother, things that have been either misconstrued or made to shelter both her and Viserys at the time. She doesn’t know the truth or the other side of what exactly happened and the Reader would only be all the gentle and honest in telling her whenever she asked.

Imagine Cersei’s absolute horror upon the Reader getting back to King’s Landing with a heavily pregnant Dany in tow?? She would be utterly livid and enraged. Ooohhh! What if Himbo!Baratheon!Reader became the modern Aegon the Conqueror with Cersei and Dany becoming his Visenya and Rhaenys???? Or maybe instead of Cersei its Margaery who takes her place along with Dany in becoming his wives??

Also, after Renly’s inevitable death, I totally see Loras and Brienne latching onto the Reader as a surrogate for Renly in a way.

[demonslayedher]

Can we get a mini prologue to the low key married au? If you need prompts then have this:

Shinobu and Giyuu surviving the final battle, Shinobu loses her voice (somehow), giyuu losing his arm like canon, they become more expressive but still low key in public due to reflex. Now that Shinobu is mute, she uses sign language in the most menacing way. She smiles at someone while cursing out at them in sign language, and Giyuu is just sighing at his wife's antics. They do think of having kids, but it doesn't work out due to the fact that Shinobu became far too weak to carry a child. It took a while for them to overcome it, but they did it together. Shinobu is secretly glad she wouldn't have to name her child tanjiro.

Feel free to add more, It's 12 am I should go sleep now, I have school tomorrow. Peace ✌️ and take care.

What I enjoy about GiyuShino is that, despite (and maybe because) I don't see it as canon, it lends itself so way to many, many versions of AUs. Even in my Low Key Married GiyuShino AU, which has them married in the background for the bulk of what we see of their Corp service, I have envisioned multiple directions that could go in, which is why I haven't posted anything beyond the scope of canon because I like all the directions. I hope you don't mind that I'll stay within the realms of my canon-concurrent AU to give it some background and set-up.

SO!! They go on missions together and despite how much she bothers him, Shinobu feels drawn to Giyuu and Giyuu likes Shinobu's company. In this AU, Kanae had expressed a desire to get married some day, and Shinobu plays with the idea herself due to a desire to see Kanae's wishes come true and still have some presence in the world. This is only what spurs the thoughts; Shinobu's desire to marry Giyuu is more so on a whim and acceptance that happily ever after probably wouldn't happen anyway.

They wind up talking enough (amazing, she really pressed Giyuu's buttons somehow!) that they both wind up blurting to each other their insecurities as Pillars. Giyuu assures Shinobu she's worth her Pillar status for having killed demons no matter what method she uses, and Shinobu assures Giyuu he's worth his status no matter what went down at the Final Selection. They both find themselves comforted by having opened up and gotten encouragement.

This makes Shinobu find herself falling into that passing fancy about marriage, and she proposes it. Nothing to make them settle down or change anything about their mission; just two weak Pillars supporting one another. Giyuu responds right away by some excuse like "stay focused on the mission, Kochou" which is his way of backing the hell out of a conversation he wasn't prepared for, and Shinobu takes it that way initially, but then she reconsiders it later as his already having rejected her.

While away from each other, Shinobu is embarrassed and upset with herself every time she thinks of it, and chides herself for having been distracted from avenging Kanae. Giyuu, meanwhile, is all kinds of shaken up about it and can't get her out of his head, and while on a visit to Urokodaki, the topic comes up and Urokodaki (who, according to Fanbook 1, has a woman he fancies but things have never progressed with her) tells him he clearly wants it and telling himself he doesn't deserve it or anything is stupid. Giyuu tries to rebuke that he's, well, a Pillar (it feels strange to say), but Urokodaki reminds him there have been plenty of married Pillars, and urges not to fall into the same mistakes he did. This gets through to Giyuu, he realizes that yes, he wants to marry Shinobu, and in the time they aren't together, he's fretful that he's lost his chance and she's moved on, out of his grasp. (That sense she's out of his grasp won't leave him, even later.)

So they finally meet up and kick things off because he calls her out on her own BS.

She's embarrassed and initially defensive but it's actually kind of nice to be seen through so they talk it out, set their "Pillars first, spouses second" boundaries, and then make simple arrangements and seek Oyakata-sama's permission. They get married, and soon enough, they are off to work as usual.

[raccoonfallsharder]

✩࿐࿔ stop biting your goddamn nails. [new 9/10]

fluff | gn reader | no use of y/n | drabble | word count: 2,921. read more on ao3 | ✩࿐࿔ take what you need masterlist | main masterlist

if you don't stop chewing on your frickin' fingers, the captain will find a way to make you.

hey nonnie-love, you marvelous little bumblebee. i hope helps a little. i know you've probably already tried everything under the sun to break this habit but maybe it will help to remember that in some timeline or another, there's a cranky sentient raccoon telling you to knock it the fuck off. he's going to make your life a living hell till you stop. because he cares about you that much.

The syrupy light glows, warm and topaz-bright, in warm watercolor splotches across the counter. You lose yourself for the next few minutes while Groot picks at the basket of candy and nuts that Mantlo — with a wink — brings out just for him. You double-check the purchase list, reconsider the medpack restock and decide to double it, and then linger over the munitions order too. Rocket had wanted you to order a thousand hundred-millimeter vibranium shells to test some new ludicrously-large cannon he’s working on, but you know how his experiments tend to go — not to mention how many times he’ll want to try it out. Maybe you should double-up that purchase too, just in case— “Hey!” You jolt on your barstool, nearly dropping the datapad propped against the counter. Too late. Like the ringtone you’d chosen to warn yourself not to answer certain calls, Rocket’s voice alerts you to the fact that your fingers are pressed up against your teeth, and you’ve been mindlessly chewing at your nailbeds for at least a few minutes. You fumble your hands guiltily into your lap. “I told you to stop frickin’ doing that,” the Captain of Knowhere scowls, stalking up to you with strides that somehow always seem to cover more distance than his short legs should be capable of.

read more on ao3 ✩࿐࿔ for nonnie ♡

need more reminders from rocket?

the world is hard, and sometimes it's difficult to complete daily tasks & take care of yourself (aka rocket bullies you for your own damn good).

feel free to ✩ request reminders ✩ via reblogs, asks, and tumblr or ao3 comments if they would be helpful for you. it may take me a hot minute to get to them depending on life n stuff, but i will do my best. if you’d like to join my fanfiction taglist, please comment or send me a message or ask! ♡

this is about as wholesome as it gets (for me) i think. can be read platonically or romantically. mcu-based anthology, meant to take place post-volume-3, but headcanon however you want ♡

✩࿐࿔ take what you need masterlist

࿔ eat somethin. (wc: 576) ࿔ go to frickin bed already. (wc: 737) ࿔ get outta bed & get your shit done.(wc: 925) ࿔ take a damn bath. (wc: 1,375) ࿔ leave your frickin skin alone. (wc: 1,579) ࿔ take a fuckin study break.(wc: 1,020) ࿔ drink some goddamn water. (wc: 1,209) ࿔ stop destroying your frickin clothes. (wc: 1,609) ࿔ just buy the damn thing already. (wc: 1,271) ࿔ it's frickin laundry day. (wc: 1,923) ࿔ get some sunshine, sunshine. (wc: 1,614) ࿔ did you take your damn meds today? (wc: 1,288) ࿔ schedule your fuckin' appointments.(wc: 1,222) ࿔ do your goddamn dishes. (wc: 994) ࿔ brush your frickin' teeth. (wc: 1,774) ࿔ nobody fuckin hates you (wc: 1,231) ࿔ stop biting your goddamn nails (wc:) for nonnie ♡

if you find any of these at all helpful, they're meant for you.

banners & dividers by @/saradika-graphics and @/thecutestgrotto taglist ✩ @suicidalshitstick ✩ @glow-autumz ✩ @evolvingchaoswitch ✩ @wren-phoenix ✩ @pretty-chips

total word-count: 23,308.

[yellowcry]

Solarballs Battle of Planet X part 2 episode thoughts

Obv spoilers in case you didn't watch it so yess

— Planet X beefs with Ganymede like crazy. That's probably because of the Fact Ganymede was the one to challenge him for a fight.

Tho I also feel it might be a form of projecting. As Ganymede is the one who wants to be like Jupiter the most. And do I have to explain how it would affect X's opinion on him?

Plus the fact Ganymede is insecure, and, as we've seen with Uranus, X uses this ti his advantage. Only that with Uranus it was for manipulation by making him feel loved. And with Ganymede it's more that X tries to destroy his spirit and make him give up.

— Btw do we have to tell that Ganymede became an amazing leader in this one. From his speech before the race and how he managed to come with solution and gave Metis confidence she needed. Also I love the fact that he had acknowledged that revolution wasn't a good idea. (And Ganyropa is my everything they are so sweet I'm dying 'I'm proud of you for keeping your cool' EUROPA MY GIRL I'M GONNA ARRANGE THE BEST DATE FOR YOU TWO AFTERWARDS)

— BLUE COUSINS. The fact that Neptune had called Uranus the way latter refers to everyone (Mate) is probably what is the most heartwrenching for me. As well as how sad he looked in the moment. Neptune is genuinely the best. And you bet me, he's the smartest planet of all time. And so Uranus starts to reconsider things. (Not very effective according to Parteon free preview)

— X is so unserious, bro why do you act like a cartoonish villain lmfao? Him tossing moons with his gravity is just stupid af😭😭 and this laughter, bro what are you on? I honestly can't hate him, I just think this little bitch is stupidly funny.

— So the fact that Europa knew all the small moons is what gave them victory. As well as Callisto and Io knowing science behind orbital speed. Guess orbiting Jupiter gives them some knowledge on things. Speaking on which, I adore how Io, Callisto and Metis said that they orbit Jupiter, while they technically the moons of Planet X right now

"I remember someone telling me that we don't have hands" HELPSS MEE broo is so petty/aff love it for him. So good to see these two finally becoming friends.

Their final shot is epic and give me vibes of a anime fight lolz. My guess is that X should win the next round. Simply because if moons won two rounds, than the last would be rendered pointless with their victory already set in stone. And we all know Solarballs can't avoid cliffhangers to save their lives/aff since this episode had only one round I think its safe to assume the arc is going to have four episodes in total.

[ceasarslegion]

My advice regarding tattoos or any kind of body mods:

-don't shirk the expense. It's a labour intensive job, so what you're paying for is the effort and time and attention to detail. It's going to be on your body forever, so you want to make sure you have the best you can get.

-if your pain tolerance is very low, reconsider any tattoos that are super big or in bony places. I'm not trying to yuck your yum, but I am saying that if you can't handle the pain of it for multiple hours over multiple settings then you should reconsider redesigning it to something you can handle. You can build up your pain tolerance over time, but never push yourself past your limit for it or you run the risk of associating a permanent mark on your body with physical trauma.

-don't get tattoos from your kinda sketchy friend who bought a tattoo gun and says they want to practice on you for free. They aren't a licensed artist and they don't know proper sanitation and health and safety procedures. That is an infection waiting to happen, not to mention it's probably gonna look like shit

-tip the artist. Budget a few hundred for them, they do an extremely hard job where one fuck up is permanently embedded into people. A good tip will be greatly appreciated and they'll be more than happy to welcome you back for any future work and put even more effort into you if you show yourself to be a good client who treats them well. A good rapport makes for better art.

-its gonna be uncomfortable. It just is, that can't be avoided. Think of it on the same level of pain as a cat scratch but spread out for a really long time, so it won't like, kill you or make you regret being born, but it will hurt. If you get it all done at once, it'll be easier but you'll be pushing your body more than if you take breaks and come back. Talk to your artist about how you want it done and let them know what your plans are. That way if you like, wanna take a break to get coffee and lunch across the street and come back they both know you didn't like, dine and dash and they'll know what to tell you to do to take care not to damage it during your breaks. If you're getting a multi session tattoo, expect it to be spread out over a long time, so it's not gonna look great the first few times. But letting it heal and recover a few times will be essential for the final product. Make sure you're willing to go through that before you decide on like, a giant dragon with spread wings across your entire back.

-just... don't get face tattoos man. You're not Post Malone who has famous public figure status, you're some guy who has to be able to get and hold down a job. Every other part of your body can be covered in professional settings and piercings can be taken out, but unless you wear a face covering of some kind, your face is always on display. This isn't a moral or a judgemental statement, it's just the reality of the world we live in. Face tattoos make your life a lot harder than it has to be and you just dont have to go through that. Before anyone pisses on the poor about this one, I am obviously not talking about cultural face tattoos like the ones the moari people have

-do not get tattoos on an impulse, especially not tattoos of media properties. I'm not telling you NOT to altogether, I actually plan on getting tattoos of the truman show and back to the future at some point because those films really shaped me as a person in ways others haven't. That's what you have to think about though: do you just really like it right now, or has this media shaped you in some way regardless of your current enjoyment of it? Because the last thing you want to do to yourself is permanently draw something into your body that in a few months you just don't care about or even dislike anymore.

-do not get tattoos to make you feel better when you're sad. See above, but with an added dollop of regret. Get them in a completely sober and level-headed state of mind so you can be objective about them and if they will bring you joy for the rest of your life, not in the moment as a response to something negative.

-LISTEN TO YOUR ARTIST WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT YOUR RECOVERY WILL LOOK LIKE!!! If you throw out everything else on this list but one thing make this the one thing you keep. If they say you can't put it in water, don't put it in water, they'll tell you how to bathe. If they tell you it can't be exposed to sunlight, do not expose it to sunlight. If they tell you you have to apply a certain skin disinfectant or something to it every day, I don't care if it stings, you have to apply it. If they tell you not to scratch it, suck it up if it gets itchy. You have a massive open wound on your skin that is a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses and dirt and filth and is incredibly sensitive to everything. You can do everything from ruin your tattoo to contracting flesh-eating bacteria from shirking your recovery process, the latter of which is not that uncommon, but almost always happens to people who don't listen. Do not fucking do that.

[toujokaname]

Card shuffle / Episode 9

Author: Akira

Characters: Hiiro, HiMERU, Kohaku, Niki

"As you rest on the bench, it's 'me' who will step in as your pinch hitter."

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[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: MDM Stage

Ten minutes later. After hearing explanations from AkanP, each unit holds a strategy meeting.

Hiiro: —So!

The first round of Matrix, a ten-round contest to determine the better idols between ALKALOID and Crazy:B, is about to begin!

Everyone, let's give it our all!

HiMERU: Indeed. Despite feeling quite worn out already, HiMERU will do what needs to be done as a professional.

Kohaku: I'm scared of what's to come if I defy Hiiro-han...

Niki: Spare me from going without meals~!

Hiiro: Hehe. Since the first match is about "vocal ability," it means we'll be competing in singing skills.

Kohaku: Well, that's rather cut and dried.

HiMERU: Yes. It seems to be a familiar format in ES, similar to the DreamFes setup.

Hiiro: Umu. By the way, for Crazy:B, and ALKALOID, in each showdown—

In this case, the "vocal ability" showdown, we're free to choose several "representative players" at our discretion.

Of course, these representatives will be chosen from among the members of the unit.

In our case as Crazy:B—Hm, though I'm still getting used to saying that...

At maximum, we can have four members, me, HiMERU-san, Shiina-san, and Oukawa-san, as representatives of the team.

Kohaku: Normally, there'd be no reason to hold back. It'd make more sense to go all out with the full lineup.

HiMERU: True. Our Crazy:B songs are structured on the assumption of being sung by a full group, that is, four members.

If someone is absent, the burden on the other members increases, and their stage presence worsens proportionally.

Hiiro: Umu... But Matrix has a bit of a troubling rule.

The representative who participates in one day's match can't join as a player in the next match.

So, for example, if we use the full lineup this time, in the next match, we won't have any representative players available.

Niki: What happens in that case?

Hiiro: Naturally, if there are no representative players, it seems it'll be a forfeit. We'd lose without even competing in that match.

Kohaku: Uh-huh... That's pretty wasteful.

It means we could possibly snatch victory by sendin' just one player, but without any representatives, that possibility's nil.

Hiiro: Umu. By the way, in the ten-match series—in all ten matches, the content of the match will be announced in advance.

So, if we're not confident in that day's match, we should limit the number of representative players, save them, and challenge the next match with more people—

Those are the kinds of decisions that we should make.

That's what will lead to the final victory.

HiMERU: Looking at the bigger picture, it's necessary to strategically select the representative players.

Hiiro: Umu. And ultimately, after all ten matches, the unit with the most wins becomes the overall winner of Matrix.

Kohaku: Hm, hm. In those ten matches, there'll be times when we gotta make some tough calls, like intentionally throwin' matches where it's okay to lose.

It's like baseball. If you're so fixated on winnin' that you go all out every time, you'll unwittingly concede points, and wind up losin' in the end.

Hiiro: Umu. I think that instead of focusing on immediate victories each time, we should aim for an overall—ultimate victory.

Rather, in Matrix, that kind of approach is required.

Niki: Huuh~ Seems kinda complicated!

Kohaku: Ah, eyes that threw in the towel on tryin' to understand from the get-go...!

HiMERU: That's just fine, we'll handle the difficult stuff.

Fufu. HiMERU has reconsidered that AkanP a bit. Well, Anzu-san probably came up with most of the specific details.

Yes—It's not enough for an idol to just achieve instant results.

Of course, ideally, they should succeed every time. But ultimately, they should aim for a long-term, overall victory.

Being an idol is a life-long job. It's a career, after all. In the inevitable cycle of growth and decay, there's no such thing as a flower that is always in bloom.

HiMERU: No matter how successful an idol is, a single scandal could ruin everything.

And thus, such an idol will never be regarded as exceptional.

They should bloom beautifully when the time is right and avoid errors whenever feasible, so that in hindsight, they're remembered for leading a wonderful life—

That's the kind of "overall victory" one should be aiming for.

No, that's the kind of "outstanding idol" that deserves to be etched in history.

HiMERU: (...Isn't that right, Kaname?)

(While you're sleeping, your Onii-chan will do his utmost to let the entire world know that HiMERU was "an all-around wonderful idol.")

(As you rest on the bench, it's "me" who will step in as your pinch hitter.)

[ ☆ ]

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[dialovers-translations]

Diabolik Lovers CHAOS LINEAGE ー Laito [13]

ー The scene starts in the forest

Laito: Haah, haah...

It doesn’t seem likeーー the others are following us. I guess we should be fine all the way out here.

Can I put you down?

Yui: S-Sure.

*Thud*

Yui: Uhm...Laito-kun? What exactly is going on? Wanting to escape the manor all of a sudden...

Laito: Don’t worry, I promise to explain everything. Both the things I did...as well as how we’ll move forward from here, okay?

Yui: Okay...

( He’ll actually tell me even though he’s been dead silent about it this whole time...? )

( He’ll finally tell me how he actually feelsーー )

Laito: I suppose I should apologize before that? ...I’m sorry for making you cry. It must have been inconvenient to be chained to the bed?

Yui: Ah, well, yeah...

Laito: Also, I must have hurt you pretty badly by saying that I didn’t care who you got together with.

Yui: ...Yup.

Laito: I’m sorry. But I don’t even want to think about giving you away to someone else.

Yui: Eh...?

( What did he...say just now...? )

Laito: Everything I did was in preparation of our escape.

Well, coming up with plans or strategies has never been my strong suit, you see. 

So when I tried to come up with something on my own, the only method I could think of was to stir up commotion.

Yui: Eh...? Escape...?

But I thought you didn’t mind living there...?

Laito: Right. I do think it’s not a bad option, but...

...Do you remember the time when I got my memories back?

Yui: Y-Yeah. When I got kidnapped by Ayato-kun and Kanato-kun, right?

ー A flashback ensues

Laito: You two...You’re trying to burn the wrong girl...

In the past...We ended that woman’s life...

Don’t you dareーー make that same mistake again with her.

ー The flashback ends

Yui: ( Kanato-kun threatened me with fire, which is when Laito-kun... )

Laito: Honestly, it was the worst possible way to remember. It gives me the shivers. 

If possible, I would have preferred for a sweet, heartfelt moment between the two of us to have been the trigger instead. 

Yui: It was a bad memory...from when you were young which ended up triggering it, right...?

( He’s speaking in a cheerful tone now, but back then, he seemed to be genuinely suffering... )

Laito: Still, due to that intense memory from the past, I was able to recall both you, as well as everything else...

I also realized that we had gotten caught up in some kind of odd situation. 

Back then, I did find myself thinking for a split second that perhaps this kind of life wasn’t too bad...

Yui: To live here at this place in this situation forever, you mean...?

Laito: Yup, exactly. Like I mentioned before, in the city we lived in before, we constantly kept running into problems, didn’t we?

Yet here I am not being tied down by anything, isn’t that great?

Yui: ( I understand. Why Laito-kun would prefer this lifestyle which is free from any constraints... )

Laito: ...But then I reconsidered and realized I couldn’t do that.

Yui: Eh...?

Laito: I mean, in this World, you’re the key to becoming the Supreme Overlord, no? Everyone will fight over you.

To me, the scariest thing imaginable...would be to lose you.

To be separated from you would be unbearable, more so than anything else.

Yui: ...!

Laito: I just want to have fun. That isn’t a lie. Howeverーー

Without you, my World is empty and gray.

I won’t...let anyone have you.

Yui: ( This is...Laito-kun speaking the truth. His true feelings he kept hidden inside this whole time... )

...I thought...

Laito: Eh?

Yui: I thought you had actually given up...

I thought about it the whole time while I was in your room...

That you actually didn’t care as long as you got to enjoy life...

and that you probably wouldn’t mind even if we were to become separated when Carla-san becomes the Supreme Overlordーー

This whole time...I was so scared.

Laito: ...You silly girl.

Yui: ( ...Ah... )

ー Laito embraces her

*Rustle*

On certain CGs, little black roses will appear on the screen. If you click on them, you get an extra line of dialogue.

“Mmh. You can touch me even more. Confirm that I’m right here until you understand that I will never, ever give you up, okay?”

“There, there...I’m so sorry for scaring you?”

Laito: ...You really are a fool.

Yui: That’s easy for you to say. I swear I was actually really anxious...

Laito: Right. I guess I’m quite the fool as well for making my girlfriend worry like that.

But I couldn’t tell you any of this inside that manor, because who knows who could have been listening in on us.

Yui: Still, you didn’t have to go as far as to lock me away and attach a chain to me...

Laito: I guess that was a little much. But if I hadn’t done that, who knows when Kou or one of the others could have targeted you for your blood?

You always leave yourself wide open after all.

Yui: ( I can’t deny that... )

Laito: ...I’m sorry.

Rest assured now. There’s no way I’d risk losing you.

Yui: Okay...

Laito: Ahーah. You’re tearing up. You really are such a crybaby. 

Your eyes will become red and swollen again. ...Nn...

*Smooch*

Yui: S-Sorry...I didn’t mean to cry...

*Rustle*

Laito: ...Don’t worry. You can cry all you want.

I’ll do this until you calm down.

Yui: ( His hand stroking my head feels so very nice... )

...Thank you.

Laito: ...You’re welcome.

Yui: ( I feel really at ease in his arms... )

( For the first time in a long while, I feel like I can let loose a little... )

*TIMESKIP*

*Rustle*

Laito: I guess you’ll be fine now?

Yui: Yeah. I’ve calmed down quite a bit thanks to you.

Laito: I’m glad that’s the case. Don’t hesitate to tell me when you want me to dote on you again, okay?

I’ll keep my arms wide open for you at all times, okay?

Yui: Fufu, gotcha.

( I can’t believe he still manages to act like his usual self despite the circumstances...Actually, I guess that’s normal. )

( I thought it was strange while I was chained inside the room as well. )

( How he could stay so calm while everyone could potentially be in a lot of danger. )

( I’m sure that was also...his way of showing kindness, as he didn’t want to burden me with it... )

Laito: Well then, the real challenge starts now. Carla completely messed up my plan after all.

Yui: Your plan? Right, you said you’ve been planning our escape this whole time. 

Laito: Exactly. At this rate, you’d have to become Carla’s. I wanted to prevent that, you see...

I volunteered to do the interrogations so it’d give me a chance to talk to everyone but none of them showed any signs of regaining their memories.

Yui: ...! That’s why you interrogated them?

Laito: Pretty much. But not even Ayato-kun or Kanato-kun got any closer to remembering.

For me, I would get those dizzy spells every time I sucked your blood, so it could be that it’s triggered that way...

Yui: In which case, they might remember if I have everyone drink my blood!?

Laito: Listen, do you really think I - as your boyfriend - would allow that?

Besides, with how violent they are in their current state, you might just get killed if you’re not careful.

Yui: Uu...

( That...sounds a little too familiar. )

Laito: In which case, there’s only one way to get out of this situation. We have to get out of the country.

Yui: Can we do that?

Laito: Who knows? I don’t know since I’ve never tried it. I have no idea where this country even is, or how big it is.

But, I’m sure you also realize that once we get out, the Supreme Overlord of some tiny, enclosed garden will mean nothing to us, right?

As long as we can get out, we’ll be able to release the others in no time as well.

Yui: We better hurry then. I’m sure that over at the manor, things are currentlyーー

Laito: Right. I wouldn’t want it to turn into a bloodbath. I strategically positioned Carla and had everyone gather together in the dungeon to prevent that from happening. 

It might have been the only thing I could think of to get us out of there...It’s still a sticky situation.

I guess brainwork is more Reiji’s field of expertise after all. I’m just not cut out for it.

Yui: No, that’s not true. You’ve been trying your hardest all by yourself this whole time.

Thank you...

Laito: I’m the one who should say that. You’re the one who continued to fight alone this whole time, no?

But from here on out, it’ll be us two against the World. 

Let’s escape this place together, Yui-chan.

Yui: ...Yeah!

Uhm...Laito-kun?

Selection

→ Sorry for doubting you (🖤)

Yui: I’m sorry for doubting you...I didn’t pick up on your plans at all.

Laito: Of course you didn’t. I deliberately chose my moves so not even you would realize.

Still, I had a hard time. Seems like I’m not cut out to come up with plans or strategies.

I guess each of us brothers has their own skills we should stick to.

Yui: Yeah...You’re right. That’s one more reason whyーー

Laito: We need the others to snap back to their senses and quick, right?

→ Thanks (♡)

Yui: Thanks. I felt happy when you said that you wouldn’t let anyone else have me.

Laito: Why of course. I’m the one who can’t survive without your love, honestly.

I promise that no matter what lies ahead of us, I won’t let go of your hand.

Yui: Laito-kun...

Laito: Just kidding~ But I pulled off those lines aplomb, didn’t I?

Yui: Fufu. Yeah! You did a great job!

Laito: Well then, let’s hit the road. I have no idea how long it’ll take us to get there though.

Yui: Where exactly are we headed? I know you said we’d leave these lands, but...

Laito: We are headed to what lies at the very border of these lands ーー To the end of the World.

Yui: The end of the World...? Is there a place like that?

Laito: Most likely. While I was gathering information from everyone under the guise of an interrogation, something similar came up.

This country is isolated. Nobody can come in from the outside, and we’re the only ones living in this confined space.

Yui: Now that you mention it, if this was the Demon or the human world, we could have very well run into someone by now...

It is strange how we haven’t met anyone for days, isn’t it?

Laito: Exactly. That’s why I believe we are trapped in here.

There are various manors on these lands, which surround the Church.

However, nobody has ever set foot inside the forest which lies beyond there.

Yui: In other words, if we make it to the other side of the forestーー

Laito: We might be able to get out.

Yui: Then, once we’re out...as long as we can find a way back home.

Then your siblings...as well as the others won’t have to fight, right?

Laito: There you have it.

I’m pretty sure chaos has broken loose inside the manor right now.

They’re tough cookies, so I doubt anyone will die, but you never know. 

Let’s find the way back home before things go south.

Yui: Yeah!

( Just you wait, everyone. I promise that we’ll find a way out of this mess...! )

Subaru: Hold it!

Yui: Eh?

Laito: ...Uh-oh. This is bad.

Subaru: ...So this is where you’ve been...

Yui: Subaru-kun!?

( They caught up to us already!? )

ーー TO BE CONTINUED ーー

[sitp-recs]

Hi! I absolutely adore your blog, and your recs are soul-enriching.

I don't know if you're doing this still, but I would love if you had some recs for Draco having spent some time at Azkaban. I've read a lot of fics where he returns traumatised and weak and delicate - you know the type, the 8th year healing ones - but only a handful where he's just, simply, jaded. You know, he has this tattoo on his neck that was probably some prison code, and he's cold and haughty but also relatively much more mature and adult.

(Also, reasonably buff draco has me weak in the knees)

(P.S. I just realised this is, like, a laundry list or smth, so feel free to ignore. Much love to you either way!)

Thank you so much for the kind words! Love this ask, I haven’t read many fics like that but these are all great:

Good-bye to Yesterday by furiosity (NC-17)

Draco felt ready to face even a million years in Azkaban as long as it meant that at the end of it all, he would make Potter pay.

Death Dreams by @writcraft (E, 9.5k)

Draco likes to keep things casual, or at least he did before Harry Potter barged back into his life.

Kissed by Pie (M, 12k)

Draco Malfoy was attacked by a rogue Dementor on the night of his Azkaban release. He self-exiled to Muggle London and opened a late-night chocolate shop called Kissed.

any day now by @oknowkiss (E, 17k)

Draco supposes he should be grateful. The rehabilitation centres were the Minister’s idea, or that’s what the Prophet said anyway. Their stated objective is simple: to provide a safe space for low-tier Death Eaters and high-tier sympathisers to reconsider the entirety of their life choices.

One Thousand Bars by @lqtraintracks (E, 19k)

And I will hold on hope / And I won't let you choke / On the noose around your neck / And I'll find strength in pain / And I will change my ways / I'll know my name as it's called again

Vortex by @xanthippe74 (T, 20k)

Ten years after that conversation, the idea of perfectly-matched soulmates feels more like a curse than a blessing to Draco. Who would want a soulmate who was a schoolyard bully, a Death Eater, and a convicted felon? Certainly not Harry Potter. And Draco is determined to take this secret to the grave.

On One's Knees by pir8fancier (E, 34k)

The war is over and to the victors go the spoils. If you are triggered by infidelity, this is not the fic for you.

[away-ward]

Original ask here.

I want to preface this by clarifying that I understand why people don’t like Will. I didn’t like Will the first time I read through the series. In preparing this, I’ve struggled with how to explain my feelings about him, because while I do understand where people are coming from, I can’t help but appreciate his story arc and character overall, especially when compared to the three other Horsemen. I’m not entirely sure how to bring all my thoughts together to coherently present to you why I don’t hate that he got the girl in the end.

Before we start, please know that I am not attempting to change your mind. This isn’t a persuasive essay. I’m just explaining my thoughts on Will’s story arc and characterization, and you are free to agree or disagree as you please.

Please note that below the cut is about 7k on why I like Will Grayson. If reading that would upset you, please feel free to skip. I’ll catch you on the next post. No worries.

If, however, you are down to inspect this little nut case from my overly enthusiastic perspective, hit the button. Now, on to the insanity.

The Anon asked me to focus on Will’s growth, but the problem with that is that I don’t think Will has a ton of growth within the series. At least not a straight, upward linear path. The order of the series, the overlapping timelines, can make it difficult to track his trajectory, but if we start from Will’s earliest point in the storyline, which would be in Nightfall, and follow it all the way through to the end, Will’s character declines, almost consistently. With each installment, he almost always becomes a worse person.

I know. Probably not the explanation you were expecting from a Will defender. Hold on, I’ll get there.

When looking at Will’s story overall, I think there’s one key characterization that readers should remember. And that’s: Will lies. I mean, all the boys lie, but Will lies to the reader, and he’s good at it. I think of all the other Horsemen, Kai might come close to having this skill to a degree. Still, I don’t think he’s as good at it as Will is. Will wears a mask that fools just about everyone he encounters, and it was this interpretation that had me reconsidering my original impression of him.

I didn’t love Will for most of the series. In fact, I hated him so much I nearly didn’t make it to Nightfall because what was the point. Will was mean and rude, and the constantly drunk thing was old. I didn’t care about him at all.

But then I met high school Will. I was mystified, and in wonderment about this charming boy who loved this one girl with his whole heart. He was so sincere toward Emory. He was difficult to swallow and a bit obtuse at times. Yet, my heart bled for them and the reasons they couldn’t be together; how much it hurt him to lose her and how he didn’t understand.

It was impossible to reconcile Will from high school to Will in the present. They were not the same person. When I finally gathered the bits of my shattered heart off the floor, I went back through the series and read just Will’s scenes to try and make some sense of what happened. I first concluded that PD didn’t know what they were doing, because they unintentionally wrote two different characters. Will in Corrupt, Hideaway, and Kill Switch was not the same character in Nightfall. End of story. I brushed my hands off, ready to let it go.

However, I found that didn’t sit right with me. There had to be a reason. And this may be where my projections and head canons for Will start to take over. Where I see what I want to see and have no problem with that because at the end of the day, I just want to enjoy myself and my ship.

When I read through the scenes again, with the understanding that Will was lying in most of the scenes he’s in, I began to see three different versions of the character, each with their own motives and priorities. However, I don’t see all versions as authentic – the “real” Will. Again, he’s lying or wearing a mask to cover up his deepest thoughts and feelings.

In the original Will post, I did a fair job summarizing Will’s high school life. We know he’s wealthy; the grandson of a senator, the youngest son of one of the wealthiest families in the country; he was raised in an affluent area, surrounded by people just like him. It seems that his older brothers are probably a good number of years older than him, and so the family member closest in age would have been his younger cousins, Misha and Annie.

He says that he was his parent’s good boy, and that his mother always sought his company, but Damon says he caused them trouble. This leads me to believe that Will’s parents spoiled him. He is their baby, after all. At the same time, I think he was probably generous with them as well. Will says that he had a Doris Day marathon when his mom asked, and he also came back to Thunder Bay for her when all he wanted was to stay away, so it seems that Will went out of his way to please her.

Damon says that Will’s house was his favorite. I’ve head-canoned that this is because the Grayson’s are genuinely a loving, happy family, and this is what allows Will to make it to high school with the sort of levity he has.

Will likes a good time, and he likes being mischievous. In high school, he finds friends who have similar tastes, and then there’s no limit. The Horsemen are privileged enough to avoid punishment no matter what they do. Will has everything he feels that he needs, except for one thing. But as I said before, he’s also delusional enough to think it’s only a matter of time before Emory gives into him.

I liked this side of Will. See, this Will, while obnoxious at times, is kind. He’s not always nice, but in general he’s kind. In Hideaway, when Damon knocks Banks off her bike, Will stops along with Kai and calls Damon an asshole for it. In Kill Switch, when Winter gets pushed into the boy’s locker room, and the rest of the boys are taking advantage of her blindness, Will approaches to make sure she’s okay.

Will said it himself. He likes being nice. Being mean is not his default, and in fact, it takes a lot of pushing to get him there. We don’t know how long Martin had been pulling him over before Will started pranking him. And that’s where he began – small, and what he thought were funny, harmless pranks.

After Emory leaves him, he tries to ignore her, but he can’t. He’s still obsessed. He still watches her, and eventually he’s able to piece the puzzle together. I’m uncertain how long it took him to figure it out, but it doesn’t seem like it mattered. Emory had made her feelings clear, and he wasn’t going to continue throwing the dignity he had left out the window. He graduates from high school and all his friends go to different colleges. Much like Damon, Will isn’t good alone, and without his support system he starts to spiral out of control.

When people complain about Will, I often wonder if they realize Will hated himself too. No one’s saying anything he wouldn’t have agreed with, if he were being honest.

Getting into the past scenes in Corrupt, he seems the same as before. He’s loud, flashy, eager to party. He’s quick to tease, he’s not really being mean. Unlike Damon, he doesn’t mind that Michael is bringing Rika along. Like Kai, he’s seen this coming for a while, and it’s going to begrudge Michael his chance.

The Gazebo scene is a break from his usual demeanor. Will’s sudden shift is such a shock, that a lot of us found it to be the most compelling scene in the whole novel. Of course, right after that, he’s back to being loud. He deems Rika their Monster, plays air guitar, and gives her a lap dance. And by the end of the night, he’s black out drunk. So drunk that he doesn’t even know Damon has put him in the back seat of Michael’s car and is plotting with Trevor.

I think, at this point, it’s impossible to ignore the effect that seeing the completed gazebo had on him. Will was going to get drunk regardless, but I wonder if he would have gotten that drunk. From what we can tell, his drinking has increased over time in both frequency and amount. However, this was a special occasion – a reunion with his friends, and I think he planned to spend the night getting drunk with them, not before them. But then Michael was distracted with Rika, Damon had his own things going on, and now… the gazebo.

The following morning he’s arrested. As he sits in that room, aware the cop he assaulted is watching him, aware that it’s his fault the video exists and that he took his mask off, he’s as equally unaware that Emory has come to save him.

I image Will feels the burden for everything he’s done. I bet it stings, as he sits in that chair, knowing whenever the subject of Emory Scott comes up, he loses all sense of control. He can't help it. Meanwhile, she probably doesn’t even think about him anymore, having a great life at Berkley.

He doesn’t know why, but his family convinces him it’s better to plead guilty so that his sentence is lowered. Two and a half years of his life gone. His 21st birthday is spent in prison. Kai’s and Damon’s, too. Kai gets his degree, but he feels shame in it. Damon’s in solitary, his sentence longer. While he has nothing to do with Damon’s video, I think he still takes the blame for leading his friends to Martin.

Michael comes up with the plan for revenge as a way to keep them together. He needed a way to keep them from losing themselves, and keep that fire burning inside them until they're free to ride again.

And this is the end of the first version of Will. And in my opinion, this is the most authentic version of Will. This is who he is when he’s not trying to fool anyone. He cares deeply about his friends, his family, and Emory. He wants her to care about him, too, but he doesn’t want to force her to love him.

I’m not going to say he didn’t deserve what he got. As it was stated in Nightfall, Emory didn’t owe him her heart just because he wanted it. It wouldn’t have mattered if he did everything right, and she still didn’t want him. I think readers might be more sympathetic towards him if he had done things the “right” way. However, that he didn’t do things the right way doesn't change the fact that his motives for Emory were out of sincerity, and that’s why I think this is the most authentic version.

 Will is different when he comes out from prison. He’s impatient, more careless, and less trusting. When he teases, there’s a bitter edge to it. He genuinely wants to scare and hurt Rika. He’s angry.

Weird head-canon here, but I think Kai was the one who came up with the idea for the dagger and the note, Damon was the one who had the idea to get Christiane out of the way by sending her to rehab, and Will was the one who burned the Fane house down, though I may be forgetting if that was established. Correct me if I’m wrong. I just feel the fire and impulsivity of it goes along with Will’s anger. I also think it’s interesting that Will later moves into that same house with Emory after they pay to have it rebuilt.

Anyway, after the dust settles and Rika’s proven innocent, Will is shown to be able to quickly shift the way he thinks about her. He’s the first one to apologize, and he asks her if she’d like a drink in a “gentle voice.” When Michael tries to put Rika in her place, Will sits quietly, though she expects him to laugh. He's not finding this funny right now.

Michael starts the party. Will flies Alex down, but doesn’t seem to be paying a large amount of attention to her, since she complains that he left her to the high school guys. It seems his idea is the more, the merrier, and he’s not going out of his way for her. Again, it seems he’s just being nice and including as many people as possible because that’s what he’s known for. The next time he’s mentioned is the next morning when he’s dealing with a hangover.

He’s definitely taking this time to blow off some steam. Remember, he thought he was going to be getting his revenge on Rika for her betrayal. However, he was forced to talk about why he went to prison, forced to discuss Emory, and betrayed by Damon. Not the night he planned.

After this, Will is the most determined to get revenge on Trevor and Damon. He insists that it must happen soon, and that everyone needs to be on board, including Rika. Will’s sense of right and wrong is largely based on loyalty, so to him, Rika needs to get hers too for everything to be made right.

I thought it was interesting that Will is seen driving frequently, which to me tells me he wasn’t drinking regularly at this time. I doubt Kai or Michael would allow him to drive, especially with Rika in the car, if he were constantly drunk or hungover.

We all know what happened on the Pithom, and how Damon attempting to kill him would have affected him, so I think we can skip to what’s going on with him in Hideaway.

Hideaway is a weird period for Will. Michael and Rika are engaged, and Kai has secluded himself across town in the White Hall district and his focus is on finding Damon. He lives at Delcour and works at Graymor Cristane, but he’s left out of a lot of their conversations. Kai notes that he’s been “misbehaving” since Damon left, but it’s unclear what that means exactly. I understand that he’s been drinking more and getting into harder drugs, but what trouble has he caused? Regardless, it’s clear that Michael and Kai have been trying to manage him, so to speak. But their way of managing him causes more friction. It’s probably because Michael and Kai have much a much stricter approach to his habits. While their solution to the problem is to find Damon to give Will his revenge, I wonder if they’d actually worked with him on his addictions and communicated, if Will would have been able to recover sooner.

But they’re men who don’t want to appear weak by communicating or showing any kind of vulnerability. What can you do?

I think when Will is left alone, his thoughts circle back to Emory eventually, and this contributes to the cycle of his addictions. He’ll do anything to make the pain stop. Will wants to be comforted. He needs it, too, after everything he’s just gone through. However, with Michael and Kai distracted, Will only has one other person to turn to, and it just so happens that Alex also lives at Delcour, making it even easier for him to have access to her. I’ve spoken about how his relationship with her changed during the time jump between Corrupt and Hideaway, and I think this might have had something to do with it.

When Will speaks, though, he’s back to being rude and cutting, especially with Banks. There was one scene I found particularly interesting, and that’s when he’s trying to mock her virginity. Banks snaps back at him, and it seemingly shuts him up.

On the surface, this appears to prove that Banks is tough and witty, and that Will can’t beat her with sheer cockiness. But like I said before, being mean isn’t his default. He doesn’t like it, and I don’t think it comes naturally to him. At the same time, the fandom loves to compare Banks and Emory for their similarities. Dark hair, not traditionally girly, sarcastic, tough, having gone through difficult things at a young age which left them with a critical view of the world? Banks response to him much the same way Emory would, and unlike the girls he usually finds himself surrounded by.

Is it possible that Will was able to pick up on these similarities, too?

I also wanted to touch on the scene where Banks reveals what she knows to Michael and Will. You can tell me if I’m off my rocker or not, because this may be a very different view of the situation, but I don’t want to ignore the possible meaning.

Banks tells Michael that Will can’t go five minutes without reaching for a bottle, and that he’s being hounded by Martin again. This is supposed to tell us how much information Banks has; she knows things even Michael doesn’t know, and they’re happening right under his nose.

She calls Martin a “child-abuser” but as we know, Martin has abused his power in other ways. He was going to rape a sixteen-year-old before Will, Kai, and Damon stopped him. It’s not clear if she knows about Emory’s history yet.

Will defends himself with Michael, but then the subject is dropped. No more thought into why Will is acting this way. This is odd behavior for Will, because we know that Will doesn’t do things alone, so why is he trying to handle Martin without Michael or Kai?

Banks is looking at everyone closely, but this information is only surface level. It's what you’d get by watching people and tracking patterns. It seems more likely to me that she’s installed cameras to keep track of multiple locations and reviews the footage, versus her staking out each of the Horsemen in rotation. I think she’s gathered information, but doesn’t know quite know what it all means. She’s also strategic in a way, but in this case, only when it relates to Michael and Kai. Damon’s likely told her certain things about Will that aren’t entirely true, like when he told Rika Will is too stupid to add two plus two. That’s an exaggeration, of course, but the implication is that Will is stupid. It’s possible Banks is underestimating him.

It’s supposed to appear that Will can’t fool Banks, but he has. She doesn’t think deeply about what’s going on with him beyond the surface, trying to determine what’s causing him to act out and how it could potentially affect his future behavior, which is a variable she should want to know. And even later, in the following years when Will is spiraling even farther, and he disappears, Banks doesn’t seem to have any extraordinary insight into why.

So, either Banks is not as insightful as she seems, and is just good at gathering information, which doesn’t feel entirely true, though I am willing to consider this aspect of her personality has been exaggerated. To me, it’s more likely that Will is very good at keeping his true thoughts and feelings behind a mask that even Banks can’t see around.

Anyway, again, I may be looking at this from a different angle, and I hope I'm not pissing-off Banks’ fans, but I thought it was interesting. Remember, I’m not implying that she isn’t smart. Only that Will might not be as dumb as we think he is. Regardless, I personally would have preferred if in Kill Switch she continued pushing him and could see the cracks in his lies that the others were missing.

In the last half of Hideaway, Will comes around as Kai’s feelings for her become more evident. This is like what happened with Rika, though he is a bit slower this time around. He has less to feel guilty about and less of a personal connection with Banks, so I don’t think much of it. He still tries to be kind to her in some ways, and it makes me think that the times he was being mean was because he was covering up other feelings. I’ll point out again that Banks has a personal connection to Damon and could possibly remind him of Emory in certain ways; Banks also calls him out for hiding things, which might give him a moment to fear she’s seeing too much. He has reasons to be weary around her, but even then, when she asks him for help, he’s right there dog-nabbing with her.

And I can’t help but think that this is because, at his truest, best self, he is a kind person who wants the people he cares about to be happy. Despite everything, he’s allowed Banks to enter this circle.

This also got me thinking that everyone sees Will as the happy one. He’s jubilant, for sure, but I don’t think he’s truly happy. So it’s interesting to me that he would still care and go out of his way to make sure his friends get their happy endings, to make sure they have what they want and need, that they see “justice” served for them, but he doesn’t try to go for it himself.

Before getting into Kill Switch, I want to address another side thought, because it might become relevant later, and I’m not sure where it fits best.

I’ve noticed this trend in the Anon’s asks that people are mad at Will for a variety of reasons, but one that gets mentioned that I just can’t wrap my head around is that he never reached out to Emory in the time between his release and Blackchurch. This one is a difficult topic for me to respond to because I feel that Will not reaching out to her, for whatever reason, was the right decision for both he and Emory.

For three years in high school, Emory told him no and pushed him away. She said yes for one night, but then pushed him away again. From there, all he knew was that there was a secret between her and Damon, but he figured out about the abuse on his own. He continued watching her and thinking about her; even as he tried to ignore her, he couldn’t.

Looking at it from Will’s point of view, Will knew he loved Emory. He tried being honest and open with her. He revealed his heart to her, thought he’d made it clear that he was willing to do anything for her, but some reason she wasn’t going to trust him. Even when she had left Martin and was out of his control, she still didn’t clarify anything with Will. I don’t know what other conclusion Will was supposed to draw other then she didn’t want his help, and that she didn’t love him.

At the point that Will’s been released from prison, Emory is an adult and she’s out of immediate danger. If she cared, if she was angry, if she had any thoughts for Will at all, she knew where to find him. He had been at the same address for two years. In his mind, it must have seemed like Emory was communicating loud-and-clear: she wanted nothing to do with him. And he couldn’t keep forcing himself into her life; the constant rejection hurt too much. He’d take the loss and pretend like it wasn’t killing him.

Overall, he wasn’t in the state of mind to have a productive conversation with her, and they both would have come away more hurt.

This is not to say that I think Will was aware he was respecting Emory’s wishes, or that that’s what he was intending to do. I think Will was trying to ignore her because he was in pain, because his pain had caused problems for his friends, and because thinking of her caused more pain. But he was indirectly respecting the signs Emory had given him. At no point since homecoming night had Emory given him a green light to interact with her, and he kept his distance. I can’t hate him for that.

Disclaimer before anyone gets mad: Expecting Emory to make those kinds of decisions is expecting way more than he should. I agree with the decisions Emory made. At seventeen, Will had too much hubris, as a lot of young adults do, especially those who come from privileged backgrounds. It takes some experience and humility to look back and identify where you were wrong, and even then, you need to be clear-headed enough to accept it without being angry. Getting out of prison, Will had neither experience, humility, nor a clear head.

And I bring this up now because one, I think this is one of the small ways that Will does show some growth, and two, it’s related to the level of his happiness.

Which, going into Kill Switch, is at an all-time low.

Damon is back. We know that he’s reached out to taunt Will. I think this has caused his character to decline the farthest it’s been at this point. You see, he appears to be nice to Winter, but the truth is he has no real interest in her. Winter is the way to get to Damon because Will knows she is Damon’s ultimate target. He knows Winter is different, and that’s the key Will intends to use to get his revenge. Planning this on his own might be the most devious thing he's done.

His dynamic with Winter is a bit different from what it was with Banks. Winter’s already in with their group because she’s been around for a few years, and they’re somewhat familiar with her. She’s also a “friend” of Rika’s, and in fact it’s Rika’s idea to send Will into to help Winter train. I wondered if Rika had asked both Kai and Will to help, and Will was the one who accepted because of Damon. It could have also been that Kai was just busier and Will had more free time, but whatever.  

While he’s somewhat kind in his direct dealings with Winter, he’s also mean to her. The way he speaks about her to goad Damon outside the pool house, regardless of if he believes his words or not, proves he has ulterior motives. Also, the way he forcibly kisses her when she’s leaving Michael and Rika’s home as a desperate move to hurt Damon, shows a lack of consideration and respect for Winter. It’s worth noting that he goes this far after Damon brought up Emory in the pool house, but it’s up to you whether you think it’s connected.

Again, I can’t help but think this lashing out is… a mask. He hides his true thoughts and feelings under a mask, sometimes of cruelty, which he learned from watching his friends, and sometimes of happiness, the kind he used to have when things were better. And I think to face Damon, he felt he had to be cruel. What he found was that even his false cruelty was nothing against Damon’s genuine viciousness. He couldn’t compete, and if he were being honest, he didn’t want to.

We see a shift in the way Will begins to treat Winter in the last half of the story, when things are coming together for the group. It seems that at the first chance he gets to start being kind, he goes back to his default.

Because he never wanted to be mean in the first place.

This ends the second version of Will. I like to think that this is the least authentic version of him; or at least the one farthest away from who he’d like to be, and that he’s behaving in a way that doesn’t come naturally to him. I believe he’s acting this way because he’s in pain, not because this is who he is in his heart.

Looking at the life Will has experienced for the past few years, it’s interesting to me that at this point, Will seems to be in the best situation he’s been in for a while. With Damon back, he has the strength and willingness to stop using drugs. To me, this was a sign that he was starting to heal, and if he continued going in this direction, things would have only improved. Will was tired of himself, tired of dragging his friends down, and tired of feeling dead to the world, and this was the first step in the right direction.

I also think this is the first time he had women in his life who were friends and not nameless girls he could bed and forget, and this helps him to start to develop actual ideas of what it means to truly love someone. As he witnesses the things his friends are willing to do for their women, I can’t help but wonder if he’s started to reflect on the way he handled Emory. Again, we have no way of knowing, but it wouldn’t make sense if it didn’t come up sometimes. He also has Alex, who has her own heart break and way of masking her pain, but genuinely seems happy for his company despite all the problems he has. Which, unfortunately, Emory never got the chance to do, though we know she would have.

He’s getting the help he needs; business is moving forward. This is probably the time he finds Coldfield, buys it, and designs it himself. Coldfield is also where he parks the bus from homecoming night, which he somehow managed to secure, showing he’s still thinking about Emory in some capacity.

Who knows, maybe once he was fully sober and free of his vices, he would have reached out to Emory and tried to reconnect. Maybe once he felt like he had something to offer her, or a way to fight for her, or that he could stand a chance. Maybe, for the first time in years, Will is hopeful for the future.

He never got that far, though, because it was at this time that he was made aware of the document Emory signed.

Will says he went to Blackchurch for a few different reasons, but mainly because he knew he’d need the extra help getting sober. It couldn’t be just his friends; they were too generous with him. More than that, he wanted to be done with all of it, the drugs, the alcohol, and the women.

He also wanted to be able to bring something more to the table. This makes sense, in a way. Michael and Rika were brought their college degrees and inheritances, with a clear future already set. Kai and Banks, as well, had Sensou and the empire she inherited from Gabriel. With or without an inheritance, Damon was a force to be reckoned with. They were also starting families and planning their futures, and what did Will have? He knew Misha wouldn’t be interested, and his family was becoming more saddened with his lack of direction, though they'd never cut him off. He had no drive and nothing to be better for.

However, without the drugs and alcohol to numb his pain, Will is an open wound. Personality wise, he’s stripped bare, with nothing left to cover up the parts of him that are bleeding. Being in a nearly abandoned forest with no connection to the outside world might have served the purpose of helping him to sooth his anger. That being said, Will still isn’t dealing with the source of his pain. Locked on that island, he has no reason to; it’s not like Emory can just drop in out of the blue, right?

Yeah…

And again, there’s nothing to prove this, but I wouldn’t put it past Aydin to identify Will right away and decided to “help” him break down those walls he’s built up to keep his pain from ravaging him, and then wait for the perfect time to bring in the source of that pain just to see what happens. Aydin knows Emory is salt on Will’s wounds. Seeing her burns him like nothing else, and he has no way of covering it up. He’s given up those tools and hasn’t developed any coping skills. All he has is his cruelty to keep from falling apart. But again, it's false cruelty meant to hide what he is truly feeling.

As mean as Will is with his words, the actions he takes show that he still cares deeply, despite what he believes Emory thinks of him. It’s because, even after all this time, that he still cares about her that makes him so angry. But I think his anger is more directed at himself than at her, though it’s her he lashes out at.

It's interesting, though, that before Emory showed up, he’d already garnered the friendship of Micah and Rory through act so kindness. I’m reminded that being kind is what comes naturally to him. He just doesn’t want Emory to see it. He's protecting that part of himself from her. I think he believes if she sees it, she'll see how pathetic he is because of how much he still loves her, and that would slice him open even more.

In Nightfall, Will ponders over the reality of him pursuing Emory for revenge, and there’s an edge of doubt to his thoughts. This indicated to me that there originally was a part of him that intended to get sober just so he could seek her out, but that once he was in Blackchurch, he started to reach some clarity. Still, he's not prepared for her to show up, and so he is incredibly defensive with her. He doesn’t go out of his way to protect her, but he doesn’t want to see her hurt at someone else’s hands.

He tells Aydin he wants her gone, and Aydin accurately surmises that what Will wants is for her to be safe.

When Aydin spikes her soup and Emory tells the story of the day she got drunk at school, Will wonders if he saw her that day. And when she tries to drink again later, he prevents her because he knows what it’s like to lose himself, and he won’t let her do that.

The way that Will treats Emory when they get off the train feels like he’s starting to revert to his old self, but not the Will that he was before Blackchurch. The person he was before he went to prison. Though he is slightly different.

In high school, Will told Emory he would hurt anybody for her. I don’t think Will included himself when he said that. In fact, the actions he took when he was hurt by Emory, and the blame he placed on her for his pain, prove he wasn’t willing to hurt for her.

However, this Will is. He burns down the Cove because it’s time to move forward. The Cove was dead, and the Horsemen were always planning on tearing it down. They were just waiting on Will, who was still hung on up it because it was his last good memory of Emory.  

He also tells Emory he loves her, but he’ll let her go.

This is a Will who understands that when he says he’ll do anything for her, that has to include things that might hurt him. And it’s this willingness to let go that tells Emory he’s a safe place to land. He’s not going to try and trap her or control her or leave her when he's done, like she feared he would before. He left the choice with her in the fullest sense, and that’s what she wanted.

Will is able to show he loves her in the way that matters to her, not to himself, which is the standard he set in high school. This is his most significant change, though it's very small.

Like I said, I don’t think Will experienced a ton of “growth” throughout the story. I think Will in high school was the best of him, and from the point that we meet him in Corrupt to the present scenes in Nightfall, his character experienced a sharp decline in quality, but I also don’t think that everything we see from him is “true.” I think he’s lying to protect himself, and people who are in pain do awful things.

Returning from Blackchurch with a clear head of what he needs to do is when he starts turning around. I believe that that Will could eventually become someone that his high school-self could not only be proud of but impressed by. I also believe this version of Will is going to fair surpass who he would have been if prison had never happened.

The problem, all of that would happen after the book ends. At the point where the series ends, Will still has a lot of work to do, and it’s not going to be easy. But I see a return of his natural patience and inclination to be kind helping him greatly.

As an example, when Emory was talking of buying her old house, he thought it was a bad idea because of all the memories it held. Emory explains her reasons, and he listens, he nods, and simply agrees. He doesn’t continue to push for his way, like he did in high school. He understands that Emory knows what she wants and what’s best for her. He’s capable of change, and we know he’ll always want to be better for Emory.

This is what I see when I read his story. I don’t think his story is as sad as Emory’s by any means. Will caused a lot of his own problems, he moped and wallowed, and he made several bad decisions. Despite the fact that cruelty isn’t his default, he is still very capable of being as cruel as any of the guys, and he displays that in a variety of ways. I try to reason on, not excuse his behavior. But seeing him this way is what helps me to think that he and Emory are going to have a wonderful life together, that Emory is going to be happy with him, which of course, is my goal.

It would have been nice if Will had done all that work before reuniting with Emory. Maybe there is an alternate universe where he never gets that document Emory signed, gets sober, quits his vices, gets some therapy and heals before he goes to see her in San Francisco, just to apologize. They can take off from there on some sweet, second chance rom-com. Who knows.

Point is, he didn’t do the work before Emory was thrust back into his life, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t ever do the work. People don’t think that Will deserves Emory, which is funny to me because they say it as if Will thinks he deserves Emory. I think more than anyone, Will is aware he’s married so far out of his league, and he can only hope that she continues to think he’s worth it for some reason.

Now, I know this might not have meant anything to you. If you hate Will, you hate Will and that’s fine. But I think if we’re going to believe that Michael, Kai, and Damon have done enough to be “redeemed” according to PD, then Will would have done those things too if there’d been time. Although, I don’t want to see what those things would have been; I prefer my own version, thank you.

I’ll take this moment to answer some of the complaints I get regarding Will’s behavior and why they don’t bother me as much as they seem to bother others.

Will and Alex sleeping together; Will sleeping around in general.

I don’t care what type of relationship Will had with Alex because neither of them were in a committed relationship. They didn’t have anyone to answer to. They were two adults engaging in a relationship with dynamics they both agreed on. Will didn’t owe Emory celibacy, just as Emory didn’t owe Will anything. On that note, other than Alex, we don’t know if Will’s sexual habits changed greatly from when he was in high school. In Corrupt, Michael says that he buried himself in women the first few weeks he was out, but then it’s not really commented on again.

He also wasn’t forbidden from falling in love with someone new, either.

Now, I don’t believe Will ever developed romantic feelings for anyone, Alex included. I also don’t believe Alex had any romantic notions towards Will. I think they loved each other, but not that way. As I mentioned, Will used sex to comfort and soothe himself, the same way Damon used sex to control.

The truth is, Emory Scott has owned Will’s heart and mind since she was thirteen years old, and there was nothing neither of them could do about it. Will had to drink and drug himself into oblivion just to stop thinking about her. He eventually got to a point where he didn’t want to do that any longer. Not even Alex’s charm was enough to make him stay.

He used Alex to make Emory jealous.

Yeah.

And in the past scenes when she didn’t do what he wanted, he told her she could be replaced easily, even though he didn’t want to do that. Honestly, that hurts me more than the Alex thing. It’s so mean.

But look at him! In the nearly ten years they’d been separated he has one thing that would get a rise out of Emory. And that thing is not that he’s had a lot of sex. It’s that he fulfilled the fantasies he developed for Emroy with someone else.

It shouldn’t be the burn that he thinks it is. He’s basically telling on himself. Emory gets jealous, but I want to be like, babe, he still has all the same fantasies from high school… he’s still thinking of you. This man is obsessed and has not stopped thinking about you for ten years. Take the win.

It’s pathetic that he uses the idea of another woman to make her angry, but it’s also the only thing he’s got. It only works because Emory loves him.

He’s being mean, but it’s out of desperation, and that’s just sad.

He’s a horrible person.

You could count the redeeming characters in this series on one hand. I don’t know what to say. That’s the series.

But here’s some reasons I like him:

He didn’t deny that he was the one that needed to change, and took steps to make those changes before Emory was back in his life. He wasn’t successful, but he started.

He returned to college when he had every reason not to, even though he hated school and was embarrassed to be so much older than most of the other students.

He also was the only one who adopted a dog from Banks, and I’m going to give him extra points for that.

He seems to be a decent father who loves the mother of his children.

I can’t remember any of the other complaints at this moment, I could go look, but I’m sure someone will remind me soon enough.

If you made it this far, you deserve a treat. Let me know if you decide to treat yourself. I’d give you one, but all I’ve got are hugs and head pats. Let me know if there was anything here that changed your view, even if it was only one aspect. Or let me know if I’m completely insane. I’ll accept that, too.  

This was fun. Take care!

-KO

[rusquared]

i need to get some orv headcanons out of my soul without having to *gags* open Word and write a full-fledged fanfiction after 3 years...so...

yoo joonghyuk feels like the only real human left in this world. it's always been a ticklish feeling in the back of his mind, scratching away at him in quiet moments, but there was always the next scenario to focus on. but sometimes, just sometimes, it catches up to him.

"master, this is amazing!" jihye takes another large spoonful of the stew and hums in pleasure. next to her, namwoon is also digging into his food viciously.

joonghyuk watches them quietly. he tries not to - he really does - but finds the muffled memories sneaking back up on him.

"oh, master, you know how much i enjoy your cooking and appreciate it - really, i do - i just. really hate that plant. i had to eat its raw roots while clearing a scenario alone - not that i minded doing the scenario alone, by the way - and i just." she paused her rambling to make a face. "i just don't have a good association with it?"

this jihye didn't complete that scenario alone. she probably never saw this plant before in her life. he had... paused, just slightly, while preparing the stew. considered leaving the plant roots out, but then reconsidered. they should eat healthy food after all, and there were limited options in the apocalypse. and jihye needed to learn to be less picky, like mia was. and-

this jihye doesn't hate that plant. right. he had forgotten. or rather, he remembered. he remembered the wrong jihye. like he remembers the wrong scar on kim namwoon's cheek from the time he tried to jump in to save jihye - "you idiot, which one of us is the naval warfare expert here?!" she had yelled while namwoon gave her his best nonchalant grin. "master, i can't babysit this guy anymore if he keeps getting himself into danger like this." this namwoon's cheeks are full of food and free of scars. this jihye is telling him to not make a mess and this hyunsung is watching them with a content smile.

this jihye is alive. he hadn't always been able to say that. sometimes she lasted till the end with him. sometimes she rushed into a battle too early, too proud, too eager to prove herself to him. what was there to prove? he had seen countless versions of her in that high school classroom, shivering and haunted. he had seen countless versions of her ghost fleet manifest and wipe out the enemy. there was nothing left to prove. he was the one who-

"jihye, don't talk while eating" he says, and returns to his cooking. he leaves out the roots in the next batch of stew. just because.

[that-wizard-oki]

Oki I'm begging you, I just found out that they're planning on removing the furniture sets from the crowns shop and when I tell you I will cry if they do so, idk if you have any pull in these decisions but please if there's a way to make them stop then please do something 😭😭😭 sorry to ask this but those are some of the best items in the game and I love decorating houses, it won't be the same without it 🥺

Hey anon! So I can kind of answer this concern, but please know that whatever statements I make in this post may not be 100% what will happen- I am a character animator, so I don't normally know of/ any crazy changes to the crowns shop or other items for sale.

However, I am the animator specifically involved with the product team at KI- meaning, when I'm not working on stuff for the mainline wizard release, I'm the one who normally animates mounts/pets and some other stuff that's coming to the crownshop or will be in a bundle/pack/so on. If it Moves, i probably know a bit about it, but if it doesn't Move (so, furniture stuff lol), I usually don't.

I had no prior knowledge they were planning to remove some of the furniture packs- HOWEVER, I did talk to my product coworkers about it, and what happened was that **these packs were probably removed because a good many of them haven't sold AT ALL on over a year or more.

If something's not selling in the CS, we normally want to replace it with something that will. (kind of like how, if you're running a restaurant, and customers haven't bought your tomato soup bisque in six months, it might be time to take it off the menu and add a new soup to attract more customers & keep revenue/business going).

However, it sounds like their plan was to bring the furniture packs back for a limited time every so often, like for holidays or throw back Thursdays, etc.

Again, this is not an official statement by or from KI, so please don't treat this is fact. It's just some information i wanted to share because I totally get why it seemed like a sudden choice, and please feel free to (RESPECTFULLY) provide your own criticism- it defo helps us in decision making, or reconsider choices that have been made.

**Just a side note, we keep track and actively look at what is & isn't selling in the CS, among like, sooooo many other things. It's very rare that we (or, any company selling anything, really.) just "randomly" make choices on what to put/take out of the CS. It's not part of my job title to know/do that of course, but i do know our product team looks at these numbers every week to predict what we should do next, both short term and long term speaking.

Anywho, i hope this quells your anxiety anon! Just speaking as a player, those furniture sets are SO good so i was also nervous when i first saw the post xD But yea it (so far) sounds like they will return every so often and aren't going to be gone for good!

[dustedmagazine]

Listed: Chris Corsano

Chris Corsano is a New York-based drummer who has been active at the intersections of collective improvisation, free jazz, avant-rock, and experimental music since the late 1990's. He's been the rim-batterer of choice for some of the greatest contemporary purveyors of "jazz" (Joe McPhee, Paul Flaherty, Mette Rasmussen, Zoh Amba) and "rock" (Sir Richard Bishop, Bill Orcutt, Jim O'Rourke), as well as artists beyond categorization (Björk for her Volta album and world tour, Michael Flower, Okkyung Lee). Jennifer Kelly reviewed his latest album, The Key, observing, “All of which is a long way of saying that The Key has some monster improvised drumming on it, but it is also extremely musical. If you’ve been holding off on this one because, you know, solo drumming, you should reconsider. It is that and a lot more.” The new record has a fair amount of guitar on it, so Corsano dedicates this Listed to the guitar music he loves.

So, since I’d already done a Listed a while ago, the suggestion was floated to do a Listed of just guitar-influence records since the solo album I just did has a bunch of guitar on it. So here goes:

Teenage Jesus And The Jerks — s/t EP [aka the pink EP] (1979)

Lydia Lunch’s slide playing and grinding bursts of noise are some of the most incredible uses of a guitar my ears have ever come across. Perfectly matched to the emotion of the songs, and instantly affecting — I can’t hear it and not feel something. Impossible. Added bonus that one of my favorite guitar players happens to be responsible for this quote: “The only thing worse than a guitar is a guitarist.”

Sonny Sharrock — Black Woman (1969)

Sonny Sharrock’s playing throughout this whole entire album is an unbelievably perfect balance of both the gorgeous and the ferocious. An all-time favorite record, for sure.

John Lee Hooker — Sittin’ Here Thinkin’

I bought this record when I was about 18. I was in a record store, overhearing the owner and another “old” dude talk about how the one blues guitarist they just could not get into was John Lee Hooker. Just as they were saying that I came across this record priced at $4 and I took it as a sign to buy it. Now I’m 48... probably the same age as those two guys were at the time, and this is still one of my favorites by Hooker, even if usually I prefer solo recordings by him. But there’s a looseness and togetherness to this band that I love.

E Gayathri — Veena

Not a guitar record but a veena record. This is one of my favorite records by any stringed instrument, so it definitely has had an effect on my sense of melody and timing on guitar. I found a cassette of this record in a bin of tapes lying on the floor of a clothing & furniture store in Manchester, UK in 2005. I bought a handful of the tapes and went back a little while later to try to pick up more, but all the tapes had disappeared. Who knows what else I missed?!?

Susan Alcorn — And I Await the Resurrection of the Pedal Steel Guitar (2006)

Another record that’s technically not a guitar (per se) record, but what a record it is! Stunning. As in stunningly beautiful sound and pacing. And also stunning, as in knock you on your ass, jaw on the floor, seriously fuck you up it’s so good.

Scissor Girls — New Tactical Outline I & II 7"s (1995)

These were collected on the Here Is The “Is-Not” CD. I saw them live around the time these 7"s came out. Kelly Kuvo’s angular guitar lines interacting with Azita Youssefi’s bass lit up the same parts of my brain hit by DNA’s A Taste of DNA and Capt. Beefheart & The Magic Band’s Trout Mask Replica.

Metalux — Victim of Space (2005)

I’m not sure I could tell you all the parts of this record that are guitar-generated vs. synth vs. who-knows-what utopian future technology from outer-galaxy reaches. It’s not for mere mortals to say. But this is a great record full of all the kinds of weirdness I like. And as far as guitar influences go, I love the tones Jenny Graf Sheppard gets, and how she and MV Carbon create universes.

Magik Markers — Isolated from Exterior Time: 2020

I listened to “Machine” a whole hell of a lot in 2020. Partly because I was working on the solo record and wanted to reference the mix against things I thought sounded great. And more to the point, because it’s such a great song. Elisa Ambrogio rips on this as she does on all Markers records.

Ascension — Broadcast (1996)

This record in particular of Ascension’s kind of lit up intertwined pathways for me — Stefan Jaworzyn (guitar) and Tony Irving (drums) brilliantly firing simultaneously in directions of high-energy free improvisation and heavy guitar dissonance. This was the record that really convinced me of free improvisation’s ability to avoid historical/genre dead-endings. Anytime people express themselves like this at the outer limits, you can trust that’ll remain vital and forever present-tense.

Body/Head — Coming Apart (2013) & s/t (2013)

The liminal nature of Body/Head always knocked my socks clear off. Improvised and freer than free, but always with a song form just about to take shape as it’s also just about to dissolve. That they could sustain this for one record, let alone multiple releases, is a lightning-in-a-bottle level miracle capture. But seeing them remain in this state for a whole entire live set was transfixing beyond belief.

Comets on Fire — Field Recordings From the Sun (2000)

Twin guitar overload from Ethan Miller and Ben Chasny. Again, seeing them live really is the thing that blew my mind straight out of my skull, but cranking this record at regular intervals brings me back to seeing them at The Hemlock in San Francisco in 2003. It felt like the walls were breathing. heavy.

I left off tons of other guitar influences (Lou Reed — Metal Machine Music, Stooges, Hendrix, Sightings, Charalambides, Howlin’ Wolf, Blind Willie McTell, Jack Rose, Elizabeth Cotten, Sun City Girls, Myriam Gendron, Bo Diddley, Michael Flower, and on and on), but it’s 5:30am which means it’s either much too late or much too early to be working on a list about guitars anymore.

Oh, damnit. OK one more:

Germs — M.I.A. Anthology

Specifically, the three tracks on it from the Lexicon Devil 7" on Slash. Pat Smear human-being-lawnmowers through “Lexicon Devil,” “Circle One” and “No God” (with the opening quote of “Roundabout” which I didn’t know was a Yes song until probably a lot more recently than you’d think). Pat Smear is amazing. The whole band is on fire and Darby sounds like he’s about to crawl out of his own skin. And if you listen to it loud enough, you just might too.

[queenofbaws]

Maybe Laura and max but roles reversed (she’s the werewolf, he’s trying to save her with Ryan’s help?)

It was minute twenty into knowing each other and roughly, mmm, minute three into their walk that it finally occurred to him to ask: "Hey, so, judgement free zone here and everything, but the whole reason you keep sticking up so hard for Chris Hackett and all...can I just pop in here real quick and say if it's like, a weird...DILFy crush situation, you should probably take a step back and reconsider?"

In the time they'd known each other, it'd seemed to him that Ryan had two modes - brooding silence and broodier complaining - but for a second there, it seemed he had a third.

Shocked spluttering.

"I - dude, what the hell - "

"I'm just saying, like, I'm no expert or anything, but speaking from my own experience here, if you're sitting around writing your names together in little hearts all over your notebooks and stuff, you might want to take a sec and meet the family you're marrying into in daydream land, get what I mean?" With a shrug, Max shouldered the shotgun and resumed walking, catching himself listing to his blind side and readjusting before adding, "And, again, from my own experience, let me tell you, I've taken my own little dip into the Hackett gene pool this summer, and I'm just not really sure they're the kind of family you wanna get yourself all mixed up in - you for sure do not want T-Money to be left in charge of any best man speech, trust me on that."

six sentence sat(or)sunday!!!