#im just afraid that it seems like i am fishing

[solar-halos]

i dont mean to sound like a bitch especially if youre like "yeah sol we know we just didn't want to" but feel free to answer the any of the nosy questions with ur own answers!! in all honesty i know the questions might not overlap with your interests and again it is totally fine if you dont want to answer them, but i just wanted to put that out there!! those questions are for you <3 however i do love and appreciate that u wanna know these things about me my heart is getting all melty

[rayroseu]

I drew this for @chernabogs story Elegy !!! The way they wrote this scene was just so tender and soft, I HAD TO DRAW IT ‼️‼️😭😭🙏🏻💖💖✨✨ it was such a perfect treat considering how the previous chapters was "coarse" with how the story handled Malleus poor coping skills with loss, I love reading and rereading the chapters lol

I wishhh i was eloquent enough to verbalize how much I loved reading it 😩😩😩 The repeated questions of am i ill or that ever repeating quote that love is for the lonely then it gradually changed to its meant to be or or the way in every chapter there is always an element of Malleus wanting to get to know Yuu WAGHHHDJDBIEB JUST THE YEARNING OF IT ALL!!!!

ALSO ALSO ONE THING I NOTICED.... all the chapter names relates to a lament for the dead, and i just think thats such a devastatingly beautiful detail to add considering that even until the ending Malleus will still lose Yuu from death and he'll be alone just like how he always fears JUTSGUEGKFGDKBCHFKN i know it ended on a happy note but the chapter titles makes me think of that quote where "there WAS love but it didnt change anything" or smth😭😭😭

also love how "Malleus in a crisis" was written as well,,, malleus was so on character omfggg I swear Ames' characterization of this guy makes me feel like Yana Toboso is ghostwriting with them/lh ☠️☠️ LIKE HELLOOO the way the story sways erratically between Malleus accepting Yuu made an impact of his life and Malleus wanting to go back to being alone where he didnt know anything at all and wasn't quite in distress about having relationships, thats soooooo GOOD 😭😭💐💖💖💖 granted i cried from it though aihskwbks

Dont even get me started on the buildup????!!! and conflict that was all resolved in the final chapter was AUGHHH THATS BEAUTIFUL IM SO GLAD I CAN READ 😭😭✨✨✨ And and the realization that Malleus fears is not death but them?? Beautiful!!!!! 😭🙏🏻✨✨💖💖 Cuz really its true throughout the whole story he was more stressed that he's so attached now XD AND AND I LOVE HOW ALL THE MESSAGES(?) FROM PREVIOUS CHAPTERS MAKES A CALLBACK TO THE FINAL CLIMAX LIKEEE "He can be bold. He can be brave. He can say this.“I was not ill that night, nor are you at fault for that. I was… I am afraid." PEAK LITERATURE!!!!!!! I LOVE FORESHADOWS AND REPEATING THEMES, MAKES ME GO YELL ABOUT IT ALL 😭😭😭💖💖💖💚💚 I love the kobold on the last part as well lol he is a promoted therapist now 😭✨✨✨

also going back to the way the chapter titles are meant to be lamenting for the dead, "A new memory for each day he outlives you. He can capture those memories, store them in a glass ball so that he may watch them whenever he pleases. You will never truly be gone if you can both make it work." HELPPP THE RESOLUTION,..... AUUGHH IT MAKES ME CRY AIHWLDHOSHSK 😭😭😭💖💚💚

anyways my favorite part always ehehe grim fishing with lilia✨✨✨🥺🥺 and malleus having the naive expectation that first kiss is magical and wanting to test it out again skgixgsk😂

I love the part where Meleanor would raise an objection the moment its a human hes been contemplating about, this story just made me think.... LMAO MALLEUS IF MELEANOR SAW YOU LIKE THIS,,,, XD i feel like she'll tell you that if you fear living alone, just go out first and damned the other person about it instead JSKHDKDHHK i think it was really tragic how Lilia seemed to be set on dying for Meleanor only for the tables to turn ☠️

yes i did reference that acheswan dance from honkai star rail on lilinor part lol

[kuni-kuun]

please please please I'm clinging on to you by the toes how do you draw your perspectives so deliciously (ty for posting kunizai art too sm btw you're doing our wretched Lord asagiri sensei's work)

U guys flatter me sm but im afraid i do not know how i draw either .. its funny enough to ME that people are saying im good at perspective because i litterally have never been good at it before 😭 ill try to explain as best i can though from my own experience !

My first advice is probably to not worry about anatomy too much; im 100% sure my anatomy is hella off in all my drawings. But in perspective art, u can still somehow make it work with foreshortening!

Especially for parts like arms, i usually just simplify it in 3 parts, the shoulder area, the forearm and the hand - foreshortening can be helped a lot by the folds of the clothes, so you can kind of still create a border to differentiate the parts of the body. And feel free to simplify the anatomy etc. And also embrace more "cartoonish" shapes- i draw a lot of weirdly curved legs but it works for a more dynamic-looking piece (i think)

Next would be to think of the art piece in terms of shapes. And also to not be afraid of using curved lines instead of straight ones

Using curved lines for areas that are too close or too far seem to work best for me in creating a sort of fish-eye lense that makes the background look warped, but dynamic!

Next, my favorite shape in terms of composition would be triangles. Especially for perspective top-down poses, it really gives you a general shape that the body could take based on that view

For compositions, i like it because i think it works well for balance, it has a very strong shape and works for visualizing foreground, middle ground, and background (the largest part (base) is closest to the viewer, the farther it goes the smaller the object gets). It prpbably helps if you have those point perspective ruler stuff that comes with some art apps. Also i use ibis and i sometimes use the transform tool to stretch or reshape a part until it flows better in the composition.

In terms of color, i usually work darker to lighter, from foreground to background. Darker objects nearer to the front and lighter objects at the back work a lot better for depth since the ones closer are more in focus and detailed while the lighter the object gets the more it seems to "fade" away.

Anyways i am certainly no professional and to be honest, most of this is me getting an idea or picture in my head that i go through trial and error to execute so i still advise you all to search up guides or references (i look for a lot of ideas on pinterest) and have fun ! If you still have questions, i will do my best to reply

[tartigglez]

Hello tunblr user that I have NEVER spoken to before

Can I pretty please request dragon!zhongli doing dragon!Zhongli things

Like hoarding shiny things, and having a tail and hating random plants and squid 😭😭😭😭 idk I’m just hoping that something in this magically inspires your brain BUT feel free to ignore me

(I also really wanted to initiate ur ask box lol)

~ 🌷 anon <3

Why hello there tumblr user who i have also never spoken to! i hope this is uh,,, acceptable.

it was so hard to find a title for this oml

"my natural form...?"

zhongli x gn!reader

genre: fluff, pure unfiltered fluffiness, such fluff, many fluffitude

word count: 500-ish

tags: retail addict zhong bc we love to see it, possessive zhong, zhong hates fish zhong, protective zhong (hes a cutie patootie guys omgomomgomgomgogmogmHDKAJH), venti makes a cameo/reader is a traveller but not tHE traveller bc THEYRE MINORS I REFUSE TO WRITE THAT. thats kinda it

tw/cw: possessive dragon boi, it lowkey seems like lightly toxic behaviour but i think thats it

a/n: i wrote a little smol bit of this every night this week so its maybe a bit disjointed but whatever. this was fun to write ty tulip bb. zhongli is the cutest im so sOFT FOR THIS MAN AAAA. also send me asks, ples, pls, plsssssssss, pls.

dragon!zhongli who will buy pretty things without even realising that he quite literally has a retail addiction. will put things in random places in your house then get really confused when you move them. he keeps closely monitored stock of everything.

“darling, have you seen my golden vase anywhere”

“which golden vase?” 

“the one i purchased last week, at the market”

“i put flowers in it, it’s in the kitchen”

“okay, okay, good”

“you seem awfully worried about it”

“i am not, i simply… wished to know where it was… is all.”

“i see.”

dragon!zhongli who is lowkey possessive over you but refuses to admit it, also he feels that jealousy is not a good shade on him. But he’s a dragon, and you’re his most prized treasure, so it is only natural to him to protect you, right? it can’t be helped. he's got a really good sense of smell, so he can always tell who you’ve been around in the past few hours, but won’t tell you because he's afraid it’ll freak you out. 

(side note: he totally loves your scent and will compliment you on it all the time, like he’ll bury his head in your neck to calm himself down omg)

“my dear, who was with you earlier?”

“the guild had me teleport to mondstadt for a commission, why?”

“nothing my love, i simply- nevermind”

you look him in the eyes doubtfully

“tell.” 

“alright. you were with the anemo archon, yes?”

“i was. i was sent out to windrise to fight some hilichurls, i ran into him and he helped me defeat them, why?” 

“nothing, darling. the hilichurls didn’t hurt you, did they?”

“when has a hilichurl ever hurt me?”

“it is difficult to argue with that logic.”

dragon!zhongli who despite literally creating the harbour, refuses to go near the markets. he cannot stand the smell of the seafood that the merchants sell, so despite trying to “blend in” whilst in his mortal form, he will rarely be sighted outside the innermost parts of the city. 

“li’”

“yes, dear?”

“shall we take a stroll by the harbour? i have a free hour this afternoon and we should spend some time together. i haven’t spent much time with you this week, and i've missed you.”

“i have missed you too, love, however i think that-”

“you think?”

“i think that it is rather cold, down by the harbour. Shall we go to the teahouse instead?”

dragon!zhongli who is unconsciously protective of you in his sleep. he will wrap his tail around your form when cuddling, as a literal natural response. puts it around your waist and between your arms whilst spooning you so you can hug it like a teddy bear whilst he puts little kisses on your shoulders as you doze off. tells you the stories of years gone by as you sleep to vent his worries.

“li’”

“darling?”

“tell a story”

“must i?”

“yes, you must!”

“very well my dear, close your eyes.”

[grand-theft-carbohydrates]

replying to @caozihuanismyson

"If that was love, Cao Pi didn’t need it. Didn’t want it. It was better to be indispensable than cherished. He needed to become something that could not be left behind. Something that Father could not live without." my jaw just fucking dropped #i love this. im in love. holy shit#HE NEEDED TO BECOME SOMETHING THAT COULD NOT BE LEFT BEHIND SOMETHING THAT FATHER COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT#(im screaming louder so people in the back can hear)#(jk there's no one in the back cuz it's san guo on tumblr.com but still)#💀#thank u op i have ascended#also all the little details of ang trying to make up for father's absence for his lil bros..... when pi wiped his tears my heart broke#that part where cao pi imagined ang's last moments? holy shit i've never thought of it that way it's genius and horrifying#(ok i need a moment)#also............... i'm going insane about the part with fish and jade#and cao pi describing cao cao's expression of love towards cao ang as painful#and wanting to put him in his mouth like how soldiers keep their precious things safe#i thought this was going to be about ang's tragedy .... but it turned out to be about that and the horror of pi's existence#thank u for the meal op i'm so grateful

thank you so much, this is such a nice comment to wake up to!!!! it makes me so happy to have such dedicated readers who catch every single detail ;u;

Cao Ang has been my blorbo for a long time because he is a fascinating contradiction. he achieved nothing and did nothing of note, but seems to have left a significant impression on those around him. Cao Cao expresses regret for him on his deathbed. Cao Pi talks about how he should have been the rightful heir. Lady Ding was willing to disobey the most powerful man in the empire in order to get the smallest measure of justice for him. His death always struck me as, well, a feel-good narrative told by a guilty conscience. Cao Cao could have ordered any one of his bodyguards to give up his horse, but he didn't. It makes sense in the coldest, most logical way. Why lose an able-bodied fighter for a brat? You can always make more. I came up with a bunch of scenarios of what "really" happened, but in the end i realised it doesn't matter. Cao Cao still left his son to die. the horror comes from the ambiguity itself. I also wanted to explore how his actions would impact the remainder of his children. They realised overnight that they were all disposable and no one was safe. the real tragedy doesn't come from Cao Ang's death, but his father undoing all his hard work. Ang tried his best to give them love, curb their worst impulses, and foster good relationships between them, only for his father to stick them in the Sibling Royale. Climb to the top and uproot all your competition. ect. ect.

But I am an optimistic person and I believe true love can pierce the veil and save the day and all that. Cao Ang's ghost continues to haunt the narrative and in the end, he manages to effect his brothers in some way. Cao Pi comes to realise that, hey, this kinda sucks, actually. i think we're emotionally stunted and perpetuating the cycle of violence. maybe i don't have to trample all my brothers to preserve my own life. maybe i shouldn't become exactly like father. hmm much to think about. Cultural Context, for those interested:

funerary practices are not historical, but based on the modern shangdong ones i've experienced.

"putting your child in your mouth" is an expression of helpless tenderness. the full phrase is "i want to you hold in my hands, but i'm afraid of dropping you. i want to hold you in my mouth, but i'm afraid you will melt." i wanted to show this conflict within cao cao, the warlord vs the man. how his ambition corrupts him. ultimately, cao cao does not put his son in his mouth to protect him. he consumes him instead.

the opening scene is based on Cao Pi's poem "Traveling on the city wall." His poems are notable for being very emo, he talks about feeling isolated and unfulfilled despite having every worldly possession. I decided to connect it with Cao Zhi's (ahistorical) bean poem. the metaphor is less profound, but what can you do? he is the lesser poet after all ;))) .

[aladaylessecondblog]

Mousetrap, pt. 8 'The Rot'

Tav slept but did not dream - or if she did, she didn't remember any of it. She was glad - it was better that way. Better than risking nightmares that would only make everything worse. She was up earlier than most - save Halsin, who was already absent.

She saw that Cald, Mal, and Myr's spots were empty, and trying not to wake anyone else, looked first outside. They weren't there. Then she moved through the fireplace, looking about until she finally found them at Cald's little workbench. From a slight distance she watched them - noting at the last minute Scratch napping nearby.

It seemed as though he was making one of his little creations (a tiny version of what looked almost like a Steel Watcher). A dead bug of some kind was in front of it.

"Wow!" Mal called out, "It really zapped 'im dead!"

"How'd it do that, though?" Myr asked. "The zappy wotsit part."

"I'm a sorcerer, I can make the sparks on my own without learning like a wizard and then I can make them go away again when I'm done so it doesn't burn the house down."

Tav couldn't help but smile at the way the two goblin children oohed and aahed then, as the little metal man walked about on the table.

Enver, he's so much like you...

"I 'eard the wizard say you could fly," Mal said, "Izzat true?"

"Yeah but I try not to do it when I'm not a raven too much, my mother's afraid I'll fall." But after a little more prodding from the two goblins he laughed (putting out the metal man's power first) and then floated upward, until he was laying flat against the ceiling.

He turned his head just slightly--

"Mama!" He yelped in surprise and suddenly began to fall. Tav was just close enough to be in time to catch him and he fell like a sack of rocks into her arms. "I was just playing!"

Scratch woke suddenly, and barked once or twice before coming forward. She explained, and then looked to Cald.

"You could've gotten hurt, you silly boy." Tav laughed weakly, trying to mask the panic in her chest. "Broken something, even."

"I'm okay," he said, when she set him down on his feet. He wrinkled his nose a bit when she kissed his cheek. "Eww, mama, not in front of other people."

"I know, sweetling, but you worried me. Have you eaten yet?"

"No, the bear an' the fella with the horns iz fishin'," Mal spoke before Cald could, "We got the outside set up for takin' the fish apart so Cawd brought us down here to show us 'iz metal man."

"It's interesting, isn't it? You can build all sorts of things with metal, it's just you've got to know how."

"I think I can show them," Cald said. "If that's okay."

"Of course it's okay. Anything that's not going to lead to their getting in trouble. We don't want to upset Lae'zel, now." Tav gave a slight smile. "I am trying to be sure she doesn't mistreat you, but if you do something bad and I'm not there to stop her, she could get very angry."

"Yeah, we know," Mal replied. "The frog lady doesn't like us so's she gets mad real easy."

"Well, carry on then," Tav said, "And Cald, don't forget to brush your teeth before you eat, alright?"

The goblin children then turned to Cald, questioning him about this brushing teeth 'nonsense' and he launched into another explanation. She was worried it would annoy him, but - on the contrary, he seemed to like having someone else to explain things to. A natural little leader, her boy. It made sense.

Having spoken on brushing teeth she thought she'd get to it too, and then head up to see if Wyll was done yet. She gathered water from the little waterfall into a bowl, and sat down in a side room with a mirror, applied a little mixture of cinnamon-and-clove paste to her teeth--

She felt a sudden pain in one of her fingers and after quickly brushing and rinsing out lifted her upper lip to look. She'd never broken any of them, and surely she'd have noticed a split of any kind.

Had Tav been holding the mirror she would have dropped it.

Her canine teeth were pointed.

Instantly she was on her feet, running back up the path to the initial room with the fireplace. The others were beginning to stir and in the interest of keeping this hidden she headed for Astarion, who was up with his dagger, looking out the front door.

"Astarion," Tav said quickly, "I--I need to talk to you."

"Hmm? What is it?"

"When you bit me the other night," she said, "I--you didn't happen to accidentally give me some of your blood, did you?"

"Why would I do that?" Astarion huffed. "Having bad dreams, are we?"

She stepped closer still and lifted her upper lip. "If you didn't give me your blood then explain this."

It stunned him, and he leaned forward just slightly to look at them better. "You don't recall, perhaps, making any agreements with vampire lords? When did this show up?"

"I only noticed it this morning. It wasn't there yesterday...that I know of. And I'm sure you'd have let me know if Cazador had walked into camp." Tav lowered her hands then, and took a deep, shaky breath. "I've only made agreements with one man, and he wasn't a vampire lord."

"Oh, the one that fixed Karlach? The one that had you so frightened?"

Tav paled. "How did you--?"

"Darling, you practically broadcasted it, and he IS a devil, after all." There was a pause, and a shift in his gaze. Sympathy? She didn't know.

She took a deep breath. "He must've done this, but I don't know wh..."

A pause.

"Take some of my blood."

"Pardon? Right now? Well I'm not saying no, it's just..."

"I...had an idea, and I want to see if it's reflected in my blood, is all." She moved into the corner, Astarion followed. "Don't take much, just tell me if you notice anything different than the last time. Try and be quick, before everyone else wakes up."

At least, Tav thought, as Astarion pressed her against the wall and lowered his mouth to her neck, I don't have to go to Raphael for this.

A slight wince appeared when his fangs pierced her neck, and though he took a little more than she'd said he pulled back not long after the numb feeling started.

"Well?" she asked, reaching up to heal the bite mark.

"Well. Well," Astarion wiped a stray drop of blood from his lips, "I'd say you were right."

Tav gulped. "Why?"

No no nononononoNO!

"Your blood has a definite infernal tang to it now, that it didn't have the other day...or maybe it did, but it's stronger. I was a little too hungry to notice subtleties like that before."

"But now?" she took a deep breath, grateful the others hadn't seen anything.

"You taste...well, you taste almost like a tiefling."

Tav took a deep breath, nearly stumbled, raised a hand to her forehead.

"This devil," he said, on seeing her face then sink deeply into her shaking hands, "Is he--"

"--my Cazador," Tav stumbled on the words. "I'm going outside to see how the fishing is going."

Busy, that was it, she must keep busy, to prevent herself being alone with thoughts of him too long. Whatever he was doing to her, whatever he HAD done to her - this wasn't the time to focus on it.

At the same time...

No, she thought, I won't look at them. I won't even THINK about them.

But someone will notice eventually, mouse, she imagined Raphael's voice, And then what will you do?

Tav shut her eyes for a few moments, took a deep breath, opened them, and went outside before the others, who were already stirring around, could ask her any more questions.

Infernal blood. Everything else on her shoulders and now she had to worry about the blood that ran beneath her skin, too? Surely if Raphael had done to her what Mizora had done to Wyll, he would have it done all at once, the better to display to everyone his ownership of her? Why this piddling thing, shifting her blood and giving her fangs? What did he gain by this?

Perhaps, she thought, he just wanted to unsteady her further.

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

Halsin and Wyll were hauling a quite large catfish out of the water, and Orin was gutting a second on the surface of a rock nearby, tossing bits to the hyena, who stuck close to her and yipped whenever he was tossed anything.

Halsin caught her eye and his expression seemed to shift to something--pitying? He then said something to Wyll, who took the fish over to Orin.

Tav looked away as the bear of a man approached.

"You could have woken me," she said quietly, "I hate to laze about when there's work to be done."

"You look like you needed the sleep," he replied in a soft tone. "Your eyes are a bit...bloodshot."

There was a pause.

"Have I done something wrong?"

"What?" Tav asked, "No. No, of course not. I've just...there's been so much to think about. So many people to...look after."

"I would be willing to share the burden, you know. A burden shared is easier to bear."

"There are some..." Tav took a deep breath when one of Halsin's big hands came to rest on her shoulder. "...some burdens I'm...afraid of..."

A wave of fear rose, and once again she felt the slight tingle of a calming spell from the druid.

"What is it that has you so afraid? The devil Raphael? I know what it is to be enslaved to--"

"It's not Raphael...well, he's part of it, but..." Tav swallowed and looked up at him. "I spoke to him after...after the drow in the Goblin Camp said something to me. It was something I had to know the truth of, and for all his machinations he is...honest...when it comes to the deals he makes."

He would find out soon anyway. Eventually. Better to get this done now.

Better to ensure he is not close enough you lose him, she thought in Raphael's voice. Or rather, better to lose him now than later. Honesty sets you free, mouse.

"You can't keep relying on him, Tav, not--"

"Zes'diira," Tav said, gulping and looking up at Halsin again. "My name. It is Zes'diira. The drow looked right at me and called me by that name, said it like she was greeting an old friend. And...I had to know the truth."

Halsin's hand came down. He took a step back. "I think you've taken on too much, your mind is overwhelmed. You're--Zes'diira was cruel to the bone, a fiend of a woman. You are anything but."

"Then how do I remember nothing before the swamp druids that took me in? Why, when I was supposed to be a Seldarine drow, did the light burn my eyes so much? Why was the group I was told to be with conveniently all dead? And why...why did that woman say no one could tell me better who I was than my own sister?"

There was a momentary hardness in Halsin's expression. It was quickly wiped away by his usual one, but even that brief anger was enough to confirm her fears.

"It's...it's why I feel as I do about Orin," she said, looking toward the bald woman who was petting the overjoyed hyena, "If I was shown mercy, even for things I don't remember doing, how can I do anything less for her?"

What the other Orin (for this one and that were like night and day) had taken would never be hers again anyway. The Enver that now lived was not the same as the one who had made his home in her heart and whose ghost still dwelled there. She would have the chance to see him once again, and would have to be content with that. To hope for anything more was folly - the circumstances that lead to their love of before would not be repeated.

And the only one who could give Enver back to her, whose burden she could bear for what would be given in return, was the very one whose involvement would ensure she would be spurned the moment he learned of what had happened.

(She knew her fears compounded on themselves when she thought like this, which was why she tried so hard of late not to think on them.)

I just want to go home...

"You know Raphael could have lied to you."

"If he did, it was a very good lie. It all...made sense." She took a deep breath, and tried to make herself sound more agreeable. Then she made herself look at him again. "But what if he didn't?"

"You aren't Zes'diira. And even if you were--I will not say it does not matter now. But it is behind you, and you are instead of plotting to rise to the role of Matron Baenre, exhausting yourself caring for others. What of yourself?"

Tav took a deep breath.

"Do you not feel worthy of rest?"

"No," she said after a long silence, "I don't."

She didn't look to see the expression on his face then, too afraid of what she might actually see. But she let herself be pulled into a hug, and to shed a few tears. She felt a little bit better, as if this had taken the edge off the hollow feeling that Astarion's declaration had given her.

Then Halsin let her go.

"I know," he said, "What it is like to blame yourself for all the ill that follows a decision you made with good intentions. If you need someone to lean on, you must know it can be me."

Tav forced a smile for him, and said nothing through breakfast, but did speak up when the owlbear cub returned and was persuaded to follow them along.

"We go first to the mountain pass," she said when Lae'zel spoke up, "Then the Underdark, if this cure of your people's works. What you do then is up to you."

Tav had the distinct feeling that the creche would not be the solution the githyanki before her thought it would be, but it was a way she had not tried before, and so she thought there would be no harm in trying it.

As they made for the mountain pass she looked over several of the others.

Halsin seemed to be speaking to Mal while the owlbear followed behind him, Orin was saying something about being 'different' to the hyena, and there were conversations among the rest of the party she couldn't quite catch.

Shadowheart seemed to be arguing with Lae'zel about something.

It wasn't until her eyes caught sight of Cald chattering away to Myr with Scratch at his side that she found a genuine smile spreading across her face.

Protect him from everything, even me, if you must. Promise me that. Promise me, Tav.

The words ran through her head again. She would keep the promise she made to Enver, if she had to wear herself down until there was nothing left but bones.

Now more than ever did she understand Ketheric Thorm and his madness.

[sewersaga]

PROLOGUE: THE SAKURA SMILES

PAIRING: okkotsu yuta x reader

IN WHICH: Avoidance is your mother tongue. Born in Tokyo to a Japanese mother and Kenyan father, you were unable to see your homeland the same after your mother’s tragic and mysterious death. Out of all people, an awkward Japanese boy that your uncle dragged back with him teaches you to embrace rather than evade, but your family secrets run deep. Returning to Japan promises a shitshow, but you’ve learned there are many reasons to make it worthwhile, and most importantly, you’ve learned that what you don’t know can hurt you. In fact, what you don’t know has placed a bounty on your head.

WARNING: i am not kenyan!! please take this fic with a grain of salt, but don't be afraid to (nicely) correct me on the likely inaccuracies! im vv open to feedback! i am also not white! if you want to insult me for my stupidity, take into account that i am part black ok thanks.

You love your country. 

You love the rolling skyline of Nairobi, and you love the duality of the animals roaming on the savanna just outside of the city. You love walking the streets with your uncle as the vendors call out to you, offering the tastiest samosas on this side of the continent. You love your neighborhood, and you love your little house with its rusty orangey-red roof. You even love the unexpected house guests that your uncle drags in occasionally. 

You loved your father. More than anything. The main thing you remember about him was that he was large. Whenever you were afraid, he would take you in his arms and you’d feel like nothing could hurt you. Not even the things that would jump out at you on the street that no one else seemed to be able to see, the things that would whisper and beg you for help. You’d cry out, and bury your face into your Baba’s chest, and everything would be alright again. 

Then, he was gone, with little explanation, and little closure. You were thirteen, and quickly pawned off onto your uncle. He was a good guy, but he was no Baba. Your Uncle Miguel knew everything about everything. Around the same size as your father, he could easily intimidate anyone who challenged him, or god forbid, you. But he didn’t know the first thing about raising a child, let alone a grieving teenage girl. 

Your mother passed away when you were only five. You don’t remember much about her, but the stories stuck with you for ages. Back then, your family wasn’t living in Nairobi. Tokyo was where you called home, Mama, Baba, Uncle Miguel, and you. That’s where you were born, and the four of you lived like a happy family. Mama would read you stories, and take you for walks, and to the zoo, and to the park, and Baba and Uncle Miguel would tend to their business. 

But Mama got sick, and her decline was quick, her condition traveling an elusive downward slope. There were hushed conversations between Baba and your Uncle, puzzled doctors, and days spent curled in her side in an uncomfortable hospital bed. You remember the warmth as her gaunt hand curled around your smaller one, and the quiet beeps of the machines she was hooked up to, as if all the wires would somehow be able to tell the doctors what was going on. 

Whatever it was, it wasn’t anything that was discernible to the average man. You sat at the hospital window, watching as the sakura tree outside the window shed its blossoms. Mama slept in the bed behind you, her face pale, cheekbones sunken in. Soon you’d be starting kindergarten, and you decided not to tell anyone about the clump of monsters reminiscent of a school of fish that swam around just below the blossoming tree. 

While Mama quietly wasted away, you spent your days in front of the window, watching the clustered creatures for any sort of changes. They never moved, gargling unintelligibly at passersby who obviously didn’t hear them. For a time, you were never exactly sure if what you were seeing was real. You’d been told you had an overactive imagination, especially by Baba and Uncle Miguel. But the sight was so vivid. You’d seen things like it before, but never this close. You wanted to approach the monsters, to see if they’d scatter once they knew someone was aware of their presence.

Early summer came, bringing with it your chance to investigate your current obsession. Mama seemed to be getting better, eating more, sleeping less, helping you learn the kanji for your name as well as the Swahili. Since Mama had been so active, you’d had little opportunity to take to your favorite pastime in front of the window. Finally, after a lot of repeating and coaxing your small hand to hold the pencil correctly, she dozed off. You climbed out of bed, being careful not to wake her with the absence of your weight as you approached the window. To your surprise, the clump of monsters was not alone today. Near it stood a little boy close to your own age. 

You weren’t sure if he was in trouble, but he seemed to be looking directly at it. Surely that meant he could see it as well? You weren’t sure, and you had to find out. 

After skillfully evading the doctors and escaping the hospital, you found your way to the sakura tree just outside Mama’s window, one that now sported luscious green leaves on its branches rather than the blossoms that came with springtime. As you got closer to the creepy thing, you became aware of a voice shouting, and the boy that you had seen earlier. 

He was gesturing wildly at the thing. You weren’t sure if he was simply ignoring the odd stares from passersby, or if he was so consumed in his one-sided standoff with this monster that he didn’t even notice that they couldn’t see it. Either way, he seemed convinced that childish threats of violence would get it to move from its home beneath the tree. He was truly idiotic. You decided you had to let him know. 

“Hey. What do you think you’re doing?” The boy’s gaze snapped over to you at your exclamation, tirade quickly coming to an end. His brows furrowed, and you worried for a moment that his anger would now be directed at you. 

“What does it look like I’m doing? I’m trying to get this abomination to go away and stop scaring people.” His tone was cool, a sharp contrast to his outburst just moments earlier. You weren’t sure what the word abomination meant, but it sure made him sound smart. Maybe you were outclassed here? You quickly shook off the thought, standing your ground. 

“It’s not even that scary,” Your response isn’t a complete lie. It’s more off-putting than scary. And the closer you get, the grosser it looks. The gurgling noises it seems to be so fond of also aren’t exactly appetizing.   “So why are you yelling?”

“I’m not saying I think it’s scary,” He clearly didn’t want you getting the wrong idea. You couldn’t stop yourself from scoffing. The kid was scrawny, no matter the tough-guy image he was obviously trying to exude. “But others obviously do. They keep coming over here and running away because it looks so icky,” He stuck his tongue out to punctuate the last statement, an exaggerated shudder wracking his small body. “So, you gonna run away now,too, scaredy-cat?”

“Why would I run away? I already came over here,” God, he was annoying, with that presumptuous attitude. You weren’t afraid. You just didn’t want to be around that thing for longer than you had to. It was perfectly reasonable. “Plus, maybe people are running away because you’re shouting for no reason. Look at them. Do you think they can even see it?” You gestured to the people going about their day behind the scene he’d created, and lo and behold, now that things had reasonably cooled down, not a single eye was batted at the “abombernation,” or whatever word he’d used. 

“Maybe you’re right.” He spoke, his mouth twisting in a silent concession. You hated that he acted so disappointed that you had the upper hand. 

“Of course I’m right. Because I know lots, and you’re just an idiot boy who uses big words he doesn��t know the meaning of.” You crossed your arms over your chest with a small hmmph. He scoffed, quickly scrambling for words. 

“What? I read the dictionary all the time. I know big words because I’m smart. You couldn’t dream of knowing as much fancy words as me. Are you even Japanese?” He pointed at you with the last statement, seeming content to leave it there until something seemed to sink in and his cheeks flushed. “Plus, who do you think you’re calling a boy?” 

You were about to respond until it was your turn to have a realization. “Are you… not a boy?” Though when you thought twice, he really did have delicate features. You’d never seen a boy with eyes like that, and you had been wondering why he’d chosen a My Melody bandaid for a small scrape on his knee. 

“No! I’m a girl! You can ask my parents. Unless you want proof.” You visibly balked at her final comment. You’d never before met anyone your age who made comments like that. 

“I’ll take your word for it,” You paused, remembering one more thing you wanted to clear up. And by the way, I’m half Japanese. Remember it next time you wanna make fun of me.” 

“I didn’t mean it like that,” She ran a hand through her short hair sheepishly. “Yagami Rize. Sorry for the misunderstanding.” 

“Whatever. And I guess I’m sorry too. I didn’t know you were a girl,” You hold out your hand for her to shake. She looks at it with an indiscernible look in her eyes before taking it and gently shaking. “[Name Kariuki].”

“Kariuki?” Her hand goes limp in yours, but neither of you lets go as she tilts her head in mild curiosity.” 

“It’s Kenyan. My Baba is from there, and it’s the best country ever.” She drops your hand as her face lights up with visible excitement. 

“I’ve always wanted to go to Kenya! Have you ever seen a giraffe or a zebra?” You wondered if Yagami Rize had noticed that she was jumping up and down a little. Honestly, you suppressed the urge to react the same way at the mention of the awesome animals. But, something made you hesitate. 

“I haven’t really been there before. But Baba promises to take me soon, as soon as Mama is better.” You admitted, afraid of disappointing your new friend with the truth. But she simply shrugged. 

“I guess we’re in the same boat then. Just make sure to send me lots of pictures when you do go,” She smiled. “I’d better go now.” She began to leave nonchalantly. You were about to do the same when a suppressed gurgle reminded you of the reason for your meeting a new friend.

“Wait!” You called after her. “What are we going to do about that thing?” 

She tilted her head, thinking for a moment. “What else can we do? Yelling didn’t work. Obviously it’s meant to stay there until someone bigger drives it away.” Her words were confident, haughty, and definitive. But coming from her mouth, it was less annoying than it was reassuring. It reminded you of the self-assured way your Uncle Miguel spoke.

“I guess you’re right.” You sighed. And it was the truth, because what were two kids to do against something that adults couldn’t even see? It was frustrating, but at least there would be no break in your window gazing routine. 

“See ya then, Kariuki. Lemme know when you see a zebra.” Rize sent you a lazy wave, before she was on her way. You gave the creature one final look tinted with childish animosity before deciding to head back into the hospital. You wanted to tell Mama about your new, smart friend. 

When you came back into the room, Mama was still. She looked like she was napping, but something was different. Her hand was cold. Fear gripping your chest, you called for a nurse. 

Mama had the sheets pulled up over her face, but her hands were still free. They were just as cold as they were earlier. You pried her rigid fingers apart, forcing a pencil between them. “Please, Mama. Show me how to write my name again.”

At the funeral, you sat outside on the ground, dirtying your new clothes. You traced your name in the dirt with your finger, over and over again. [Name] Kariuki, [Name] Kariuki. Distant, resurrected. Mama was far away and she wasn’t coming back. You were learning Swahili. There was talk about Uncle Miguel moving back to Kenya, and he wanted you and Baba to go with him. You were just a child. What were you to do against the will of two adults? You spread the smooth, summery soil over the grooves of your name, and went back to where everyone else was gathered.

[thegeminisage]

ok. errands: run. internet: ON. my brother: ahead of me. whatever.

i'm still angling for either lon lon ranch or hyrule castle but i got sidetracked by an acorn minigame

aced the minigame, found castle town! i wonder when i get the ability to pull this hood off...

thought i was FLUSH with rupees but i'm still 200 shy for this anklet :/

on my way to lon lon ranch and got taken out by a wolfos <3 these mf are fast as hell

and again...maybe i need to use the peahat. i thought i'd be fine with keese...

GOT HIS ASS

found the ranch!! and a tektite

OHHH THE RANCH MUSIC...wah

why no cucco echo.................

seems like if i want a horse i need to head in the gerudo direction...i wanted to do jabul first........AGH, CHOICES

ok im just gonna do what i want to which is go see the zoras. i'll never <3 catch up with my brother

almost got my ass handed to me at the monster camp...i kind of like that i die a lot bc it feels like botw/totk in that way but it's also kinda frustrating sometimes that the monsters are so much FASTER than me unless im in link form

aaand i'm dead again. man...

ok, i finally made it over here in jabul...i really love the music here

CRAB GET!

interesting...this npc is using zora as the plural of the words. i thought it was zoras?

JABU JABU MENTION!!!

oh wow hes like mobile in this one...attacking boats like an orca...crazy

thrice failed to get the fish up to the little guy. will return later >:(

YAYYY OMG BUSINESS SCRUB

DEKU SCRUBS I MISSED YOU

i do love that the thing he needs is like right here when i went poking around. thank you grezzo

wahhh i found zoras domain...the music in here is really nice too. i am missing the old tunes a little but sometimes they have strains of them when you listen hard

turned in my bubble kelp i am SO HYPE for smoothie time

oh i've already fucked it up with dubious smoothie lmao. her face...

made it up here to the river zoras!!!! i've always preferred the ocean zora look but this is so nice too...this soundtrack does so much to set an atmosphere

got my flippers <3 i did have to sell a lot of shit, but: worth it.

PLEASE...this little zora afraid to swim...you can do it king

i JUST sold all that shit and now i get 100 rupees in a cave. priceless.

killed by bombfish

okay new post i'm FINALLY going into the dungeon

[okthatsgreat]

hi lee!!!!!!!! ❤️✂️🍎💀🍩🧠 for any oc yyou want to talk about YAYYY! :D

YAYYYYYYY HIIII LILY :333 IM GONNA USE SAE FOR THIS ONE I THINK !!!!!!!!!!!!!

oc ask game!

❤️ - what is one of your oc’s best memories?

URMMMMMMM. a lot of sae's best memories are really tame i think bhgfdghdfj just moments where she could sit back and say Yeah. I am Completely Happy :) BUT the BEST one i think is one she recounts a lot just bc she reallyyy felt like she had found peace. the fishing village near her afi's home holds a yearly festival for fisherman's day that she LOVEESSSS. and IF MY TIMELINE IS CORRECT she got an award i believe in 2012 (??) for her achievements and contribution to her community . and when the festival was over she got to have a long chat with her afi up on a mountain top overlooking the ocean and she holds that conversation very dear to her heart :]

✂️ - what is one of your oc’s worst memories?

(forgive me for being vague theres still a lot to be revealed in the rp hgdfjkggfdsjk!!) shes got a few but the WORST one she remembers suppperrrrr vividly just because everything seemed to happen all at once, the town she was living in was going through one of the WORST thunderstorms it had ever had, and she was seconds away from doing something SO rash . GOD awful day for a thirteen year old to have. BUT it was the catalyst for some major changes in her life, so while she would never go back and do that all over again sae can at least acknowledge that it switched what direction her life took DRASTICALLY. it led her to where she is today but that definitely doesnt mean she looks back at it with any sort of fondness gbhdgbsdf

🍎 - what is the oc's relationship w/their parents like?

her afi and amma were her legal guardians for the majority of her teenage years! and anybody within a five mile radius knows that she LOVES those guys. she takes so much influence from her afi particularly and holds him on a very high pedestal of how she should be behaving and what traits she should portray, just because he is an incredibly patient and wise man. her late amma also influenced her a LOT in terms of hard-work and dedication to others, and when she passed it only caused sae to work even harder to support her afi. not to mention sae truly considers her afi to have saved her life which means she feels she owes a LOT to him ghfdjkg

she doesnt speak with her parents!

💀 - does your oc have any phobias?

she isnt DEATHLY afraid of anything but she gets concerned over superstitious things that arent necessarily a problem to other people lmaooo. like for instance she does NOT fuck with bananas because they are considered terrible luck on boats. she rarely sails on thursdays, took the lucky charms off of her fishing hat and placed it around her waist just so the hat won't fly overboard again, never renames a boat, etc. ALL because she doesnt want to invite bad luck on her ship fghsjd

she's also really not a fan of loud noises!! thunderstorms have a tendency to freak her out but it really depends on the day honestly. catch her in a good mood and she can manoeuvre a boat through them easy peasy, catch her in a bad mood and she'll just sort of stare at the floor unmoving for a bit

🍩 - who is your oc's arch-nemesis or rival?

LMAO sae would never admit out loud that she hates anybody enough to consider them an arch-nemesis or rival. ESPECIALLY pre killing game. now does she dislike people? for sure. is this killing game definitely taking a lot of her pent up resentment and making it ten times worse? definitely

🧠 - what do you like most about the oc?

guy that tried so hard to escape the cycle that she is slowly turning into the very thing she was attempting to run from 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 she is NOTTT breaking the loop

[darkpoisonouslove]

If you've already answered this, I apologize.

Which winx character do you see matching which fairy tale figure? (Like is Bloom a Cinderella or Layla an Ariel? Musa could be a Pied Piper or Mulan?)

I dont know... Just... After the let down of Mythix and how it could have been, I'd like your thoughts. Maybe the boys and the teachers and villains too? Well the trix and valtor anyway... And the main teachers.

Im just curious. Thank you!

I don't really think that Winx correspond well to any fairytale characters. Honestly, including tales from Earth in the Legendarium was a mistake all along. They should have just made up stories that come from the Magic Dimension and fit each girl.

That said, I think the mirror from Snow White that Selina and Darcy used on Stella was an idea that had a lot of potential. She does have a kind heart and beauty that could have moved a huntsman. Her dad almost got married to an "evil stepmother" type of character. And the aviary is one of his favorite places which could in a way connect to Disney's Snow White (as birds seem to love her) if they also gave Stella a love of birds. Honestly, I think that given the whole story with Cassandra, the twist to make Stella into the Evil Queen was a really good concept that could have worked spectacularly with better execution. They could have addressed Stella's rage in season 3 over being replaced by Chimera in the spotlight and having her title taken away (it was discussed at the very least, although I am not sure if Radius went through with it eventually). To me at least, some of Stella's lines regarding that made it sound like she's more mad that Chimera gets to be the star rather than about what Cassandra was doing to her father so they could have used that in a continuation of her season 3 arc. There was a good story there; they were just afraid to dig deep enough.

I'd say Musa could work in a Beauty and the Beast kind of thing with Riven but with the twist that she needs to open up too, get in touch with her emotions and start to see the best in people (although 6x22 gave insane Little Mermaid vibes but that doesn't really fit her).

I can see Bloom a little bit as the Little Mermaid. Curious about the magical world and wanting to be part of it. Falls in love with a prince that has a dog (Disney version). Also a redhead and doesn't think things through before acting. Kind of a fish out of water at first because she didn't know she had magic for 16 years. Which also makes her resemble Sleeping Beauty to a degree (if the Sleeping Beauty story had bothered with Sleeping Beauty's experiences and perspective). Separated from her parents and her true identity because of a curse. That checks out. The finale of season 2 could also count as True Love's Kiss waking her up from a curse. But it's kind of surface-level.

Honestly, I feel that Layla maps out best not to a fairytale, but to the Greek myth of Atalanta. She has a lot in common with Atalanta and Nabu kind of resorts to trickery to get close to her (like the guy in the myth whose name I don't remember) but then they fall madly in love with her. Also, the end of that myth is tragic because their love leads them to exhibit hubris that Zeus punishes them for but I hate that just like I hate what the writers did to Nabu in season 4 so... there's that.

I'm not sure about Flora and Tecna. Like I said, any similarities to fairytale characters are a little vague at best, which is understandable. Fairytale characters tend to be flat, usually having one or two defining characteristics that keep the story simple. The Winx girls are a lot more complex despite the later seasons' best efforts and I don't think a fairytale character can encapsulate their personalities well enough. This is exactly the reason why I believe they should have made up stories from the Magic Dimension. It would have allowed them to tailor the legends to the specifics of the situation each girl would be dealing with and make the comparisons between Winx and the fairytale characters meaningful. I should know, that's the same approach I am using in one of the fics that I am working on to add more nuance to the story and reveal emotions.

[blackvail22]

documenting my asd screening so i dont forget when i have counseling next week

the assessment person and the psycologist were rlly nice. let me start from the beginning of the test tho

to start, i had blocks w different sides.. there were red and white sides and then half white & half red ones. ok. and then there was a picture that i had to replicate with my blocks, and i was timed each picture to see how long it took me to figure it out. some of them i did not figure out because HOWWW was it possible?

then i had vocab. she would tell me a word and id have to tell her what it meant. the words i remember are shirt, lamp, calendar, car, haste, mullify... there were abt 14 more words, but those are the ones i remember

next, i did another brain game. it was a pattern one... id like to say i did well on it. it was pretty easy until the last 8 (think there were 25 total)

had a short break, and then i had to explain a picture to her. there was SO MUCH going on. i would tell her, "oh, theres a person swimming" and she would ask me if i like swimming. she did that multiple times throughout, as well as saying something vague abt her. it was probably to see my conversation skills lol

theres a rlly funny part at this point. she asked me if i liked to swim in the ocean or in a pool. i told her pool, and then opened up abt my horrible fear of fish. she said "oh, im sorry to hear abt that"

on the next exercise, i had to read a book... with no words. i had to tell the story with there being no words... just pictures. IT WAS CONFUSING? but it made sense at the end. though, this is the funny part, this book had fish in it, and they looked more realistic. they were drawn smaller so i could just avoid looking at them by looking at a different part of the page, but i sped through that page.

i found it funny that the book had fish in it after i told her abt my fear of fish. i think the other book was abt a frog, though, so this one was prob the least worse of the two.

then she said "this may seem silly but pretend that this is the sink, this is ur toothbrush, and here is ur toothpaste. say i forgot how to brush my teeth, can you dememstrate how to brush ur teeth?"

and i ONLY KNEW NOT TO DO THE DAMN MOTION from a tiktok i saw. i think i did it like once but BRO? IF I HAD NOT SEEN THAT LIKE TWO DAYS AGO?????

i wouldve failed that

after that, we talked about things that made me happy, sad, afraid/anxious, mad, and relaxed and how i felt when i feel all of those emotions. we talked about my life... how i see the future, what i do now im out of school, if i had any friends.... talked a little bit abt school, too, and how i was when i was in school. oh, she also asked me if i ever feel lonely, how i cope, and how i think other people cope.

i filled out some paperwork (questionnaires, really). one was 50 questions long, nd the other was 100.

after that, i talked with the psychologist about some of the things i put down. she asked me if i was in counseling, asked abt my behaviors now, and if i remember any as a child, and how i came to seek a diagnosis

yeah, thats that.

she gave me a few questionnaires for my parents to fill out and send back to her to see me in a different perspective yk

my result appointment is in about a month

i am exhausted from this assessment

it was from 8:55a-12:15p

i am EXHAUSTED

But i got some bubble tea so im happy

[thelostdisaster82]

So once again ……

It all makes sense! From the white sand in my bed and only my side of the bed sheets comforter and mattress and pillows all wet the water next to the bed every time I get up in the middle of the night. My neighbor who knows a bunch of useless knowledge or at least pretends he does,. To me when they get talking I tone them out but for some reason there are few things my brain remembers….

1.“dry drowning.”

(When this airway closure happens and no water goes into your lungs, that’s technically dry drowning, explains Dr. Milk. “The injury happens from a lack of air and asphyxiation.”)

2. reflex called a laryngeal spasm.

3. Pulmonary edema

(causes you to have trouble breathing or experience frightening sensations like shortness of breath and chest tightness. “Liquid, or fluid, is actually in your airway,” he continues. “You’re kind of drowning in your own fluid, even though you’re not in the water.”)

4. Heavy, persistent coughing.

Shortness of breath or trouble breathing.

Fever

Dry mouth or foaming at mouth

Skin discoloration

So my neighbor old roommate was at his house grant u we haven’t seen her in few months since we had falling out bcuz I’m pretty sure she was screwing my husband . I called her out on it and she quit coming around or speaking to us. Or me at least I thought.

When we went over there she pops off with

Drowning would be a shitty way to die. I mean u just can’t breathe screw that. … i mean the cops done took my truck spray it down looking for blood on it couldn’t pin shit on us anyhow so fuck it!

My husband like ya hahaha

My neighbor says right then …

My neighbor starts going on about pulmonary edema Heavy, persistent coughing. Shortness of breath… their lungs fill up and they just quit breathing. Your lungs stop functioning correctly.

Idk wth the whole conversation ever came from bout drowning or anything and I was just completely flabbergasted.

And it hit me like a ton of bricks today.

My husband always telling me he gonna kill me and make it look like accident.

This would be exactly that. Im not a smoker yet when I walk from bedroom to bathroom im outta breathe my skin color has been off kinda grayish white and I feel like I’ve got something stuck in my throat all the time and I can’t seem to drink enough and Always have extremely dry mouth. Fevers on and off and the absolutely worst headache of my life and my legs and stomach and face are swollen.

The sad part is I just don’t fucking understand why someone who has done absolutely everything I could possibly do for him and yet he would want to hurt me like that? Craziness! It breaks my whole heart. Why would he do that to me? I know the other two people are fucked up sick twisted mf who I still ain’t scared of. Any man that has to sleep with pistol on his chest has some pretty fucked up demons and he says he shoots when they run well coward if ur gonna shoot me ur gonna look at me when u do it cuz I am not afraid to die….do me a favor but knowing the person u love would devise a plan like that? And as far as the fat bitch….I thought u was my friend but all u are is left overs has beens …with bleached out crotch panties….leave that shit at ur own house oh that’s right ……u don’t have one u lost it! I used to feel sorry for u but now I know why ur best friend friend fucked ur bf it’s called karma for doing the same to someone who didn’t even know ur ass yet I made ur bf look like bitch n took ur truck back left him on side of gas station looking like Edna bcuz u had to move out and he had taken ur truck. But it’s all good ! U will always be third wheel in ur threesomes…mf laugh at u bout ur sad notes u wrote them bout being third wheel … but my own husband to stoop down to this is beyond me. Gag is up Check mate mfs u lose….I’ll always be smarter than u! Not to mention I am Not a Holy person but I’m perfectly protected by my God! So kick rocks and eat fish heads…if something happens to me they know where to go!

[transhoverfish]

aaaaand onto the steam page!!

so it appears that we end up on this planet because we areee,,, looking for suitable plants for humans to live on? and while here we are "changing what it means to be human"? are we getting a revival of the transfuser?? how much other cut content has the potential to get put in this??? CAN WE GET DRAGONFLY INTO THE GAME AT LONG LAST? KITEWING SKYRAY????

and as i mentioned the ruins before ^^ THERE ARE RUINS!! and more comments on what really strongly appears to be dna altering as a gameplay mechanic. veryy curious about base building in this one, especially seeing as how much qol improvements were made between sub1 and bz, im excited to see what more they add!! i want hanging items like ceiling plants and lights!!! i crave base customization the likes we've never seen before!!!!

BASE CUSTOMIZATION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

these games will never convince me to build a flashlight. its a seaglide or a vehicle or i just dont see. i will never waste my materials on a flashlight ever ever. and new tools!! im telling u now one of them is 100% the transfuser they are BRINGING my baby boy back (holding out hope for the terraformer too 🥺)

i have no idea what to make of the end of that second paragraph. it almost seems like we crashed here again? that and how our ship's ai is "insisting" we "carry on the mission",,,, do we not remember what we're here for? or why?

BIOSAMPLER MAKING A MF COMEBACK!!!! EVERYONE WELCOME BACK THE BIOSAMPLER!!!! im curious into how madatory this evolving mechanic is, and how close it is exactly to the cut version from sub1. OH SHIT IS THIS GONNA BE LIKE SURVIVORS,,,,, DO WE GET SUPERPOWERS,,,,,, CAN I GLOW,,,,,,,

the final part is making fun of me specifically. IM ALWAYS SO SCARED OF THE DEEP DARK,,,, lowkey still afraid of the dark irl whyyy am i obsessed with these games that make me physically ill with fear and stress and whyyyyy am i going to keep playing them forever. THERE IS WONDER AROUND EVERY CORNER. WONDER AND BEAUTY AND AMAZEMENT AND FISHIES.

COUPLE OF SCREENSHOTS FROM THE STEAMPAGE. here's a big fish!! and a slightly updated scanner, really showing off the new game engine (LOOK AT THOSE SHADOWS AND THOSE HANDS!!!! LOOK!!!!) this looks like maybe a version of the kelp forest/twisty bridges, with more of those pink peeper replacements.

and HERE is a screenshot showing off multiplayer! and BUBBLE BOOSTERS. this appears to be either the same biome as the above screenshot, or an outer edge of it. look at hose sharks in the background! and salvage on the seafloor? :0

these look like the crab in the trailer, alongside some new fish! LOVING the inclusion of some more crustaceans, i need 4 more crabs in this game at LEAST. and a better look at the new vehicle! there appears to be geysers/thermal vents in the background too,and it looks a bit darker/murkier here, so this might be one of the deeper biomes (the 150-300 meter range, perhaps?). lookie at all those barnacles! the rock texture! the plants!!

thisss is my favorite of the screenshots so far. we're in a cave system! with lava and thermal vents! there even appears to be falling rocks i the background! the sharks here remind me of the shadow leviathan with its color palette, but its also a bit chelicerate in anatomy,,, very interesting, reallyy looking forward to seeing this guys in action. and look!! MESMERS!!!!!

another screenshot of what looks like the biome in the trailer, in some pretty shallow water! absolutely beautiful grass, scatterings of maybe eggs (or just some more plants), those ever recognizable shallows rock bridges, and these big fish that are seen in one of the above screenshots! it seems like they open up like the thermal lilies in bz.

and now, finally, the hidden time capsule screenshots!

plant?? egg?? tool?? what on earth is this thing?? it looks. phallic. please tell me im not the only one who thinks that. not sure how i feel about this thing. this image makes me confused. LOOK AT THE GROUND TEXTURE!!

i think this is a plant! it also looks weird! look at that tree behind it! so many new plants! I LOVE THE PLANTS!!!!

this seems to be that weird egg thing from a different angle, or perhaps the animal itself fully grown. I believe these are iridescent fins! once again, LOOK at the water, THIS GAME LOOKS SO PRETTY!!!!!!!!!!

OK TRAILER TIME

SO PRETTY!! now, because everything in this is cinematic (and it's only a teaser), i would take basically this entire thing with a grain of salt for how accurate it will be to actual environments and gameplay. the cinematic trailers/teasers for the first two games are full of things that didn't make it in. still looks VERY GOOD and im so excited!!!!!!

onto a few specific things, this specific area ^^ shows up in a steam screenshot (which i will get to later), and considering the high amount of light and coral, this is potentially this game's version of the safe shallows! that pink fish that swims by is also the youtube channel's current pfp, and as such is probably replacing the peeper, which was the old 'mascot' fish. this character is also using alterra tech, which i think is very interesting! are we still working for alterra, or are they just such a mega corporation that they make basically all water/space gear? the diving suit looks a bit like the stillsuit with its colors! the design itself reminds me of the cold suit,,, :o

now, the thing about this scene is that it goes by pretty quick, and is supposed to draw attention to the water vortex (and won't it be fun if THAT is an actual mechanic!!! god i would be so so scared), but upon a few pauses and look arounds... there's a building! that is so clearly some old ruins!! it doesn't look anything like the usual ruins/bases we've seen before, so i would guess that these are NOT built by the architects, and instead a new alien race. the assumption is that this planet is also very much abandoned,,, which begs the question, why? not the kharra again, surely? or is it just these surface-level ruins that have been left? and if they went deeper, why? this appears to be the only screenshot/sequence that shows any of these ruins. how many more are there?? I DEMAND ANSWERS!!

also, entirely possible im wrong, but this new character bears some resemblance to ryley, imo. the earlier scenes of him doesn't match too closely, and their hair is entirely different, but this shot specially depicts a very similar face structure, eyebrows, lips, and nose! now, this could be (and probably is) a new guy that just kinda looks like him, but if it IS ryley,,,,, what's he doin here? is he working with alterra still? is he just off exploring various ocean planets? even if this isnt him, i want to know these things. wheres my guy :(

another thing pointing at this being ryley is that this game is intended to be a direct sequel (as opposed to bz being a spin off), and if its in an entirely different environment, then it stands to reason there's a chance theres returning characters. otherwise,, this game would just also be a spin-off!

(also, would absolutely love if that oxygen warning is an actual popup ingame!)

and here's the second character that pops up! the steam screenshots also only show two people in co-op so far, and i do wonder if these are two of the playable characters and not just random models/characters used for the teaser (similar to how bart is a trailer for sub1 despite not being playable, and fred in bz's trailer). this person doesn't seem to be anyone from either game (she looks a tinyyy bit like lillian, but not enough that i can say it could be her), and she's in a new vehicle! everything still looks very atlerra, though, and the two characters seem to know each other, so once again i wonder if this is a lore reason, if these ARE alterra workers, or if this is just to fit in with the aesthetic of the other games.

BIG FISH!!!!! BIG FISH!!!!!!! this thing looks VERY new and introduced in the teaser in a similar fashion that the sea emperor was shown in the first sub1 trailer, so im wondering if this might be THE Big Fish (or simply just one that they've finished the design for). with brightness turned way up, it appears to have a nose and mouth on level with the two humans, much below the light on its head. a similar hunting tactic to anglerfish, maybe? and so many tentacles!! and pincers! BIG FISH!!!!

no exact date for early access, which makes me think we won't get it until spring at the earliest. however, the first two games came out in winter (december for sub1, january for bz), so its possible it will keep with that trend and be out before march. don't take my word for that, though, this is purely speculation.

with this teaser (or potentially before, i was not actively checking this LOL), there's also now a steam page up with additional ingame screenshots and description of the game with a lot of new information!! because tumblr has a screenshot limit, im going to rb this post later with all of the steampage info.

but there is a LOT of new stuff we've learned now!!! pair all of this with this article showing screenshots the devs have dropped in sub1 time capsules (which i will also talk about in the rb), and oughhhh it is a GOOD DAY to be a subnautica fan!!!!!! are we all ready to get dragged back into this fandom?? i hope ur all ready. we're gonna get water vortexed. help.

[ink-and-dagger]

BEGGING u on hands and knees to finish that silco virgin au please im desperate

I KNOW I'M SO SORRY SWEET ONE 😭😭

I promise I am working on it, and I'm determined for it to be one of the next things I post. I got stuck with part 2 and had to rethink some bits because they weren’t working. But I'm slowly ironing everything out.

How about a chunky snippet as an apology for taking so long? 🥃🖤

DWM The Virgin AU - Part 2 Sneak Peek

[Unedited and subject to change]

You tilt your face and press a lingering, open-mouthed kiss to the underside of his jaw. He exhales through his nose in a shivering stream that ruffles your hair.

Lay yourself at his feet.

Your hands trail down his sides as you lower yourself to your knees.

And there it is again – that edge of trepidation in his eyes. The sense that his controlled confidence is flailing within his grip like a fish out of water. The collar of his coat rising with the steady bunch of his shoulders.

Your brow furrows, and your palms follow the crimson seam up his thighs in a movement that’s intended to be as comforting as it is alluring. 

“I don’t like to see you so tense, Silco, Sweetie,” you coo softly.

His thighs quiver beneath your touch, and the front of his trousers strains tighter by the second. His complexion seems locked in battle between paling and flushing, and his cheek tics in response to the snap of a single button beneath your fingers.

“No better way to unwind than with a nice massage, hm?” You undo a second button, “After all, you're always complaining about my clever little mouth.” A third button, “I’m eager to defend its honour.” The final, fourth button.

His throat drags in a slow swallow, and even from down here it’s impossible to miss the dilation of his pupils.

You hook your fingers over the top of his trousers and pull them down enough to free those beautiful inky roses. You press your lips to them, one by one, and run your tongue over their velvet petals. Silco shivers, a small, gasping breath catching in his throat above you.

You nuzzle your nose into the trail of dark hair just beneath his navel, and exhale a long, warm breath out over his skin. His pelvis twitches and you grin, tightening your fingers and tugging the waistband lower—

Silco grabs your wrists hard. The fine bones and tendons within grinding together from the urgency of his grip. 

You peer up to be greeted with undeniable panic. It shoots ice up your spine like a frozen fuse and turns your stomach. You immediately unfurl your fingers from his trousers and back your head away to a less invasive proximity.

“Are you okay?” You ask softly, “Talk to me. What’s going on?”

As stark as a flipped coin; his fear becomes anger.

“The only thing going on is that you’re taking far too long,” he hisses venomously, “Get on with it, or don’t bother at all.”

He may as well have slapped you. 

Your skin turns clammy. Hurt – as thick as mud and cold as pressed oil oozes sluggishly through your veins. You stare up at him for an age. His expression is frozen in cruelty, but his gaze still contains that flicker of fear.

“Why are you lying to me,” you whisper hoarsely.

His nostrils flare slightly, and his lips thin to a sliced line.

“What are you afraid of—”

You almost fall forward as he spins on his heel and lurches away towards the door. 

A burst of fury, embarrassment, and unjustified heartache propels you to your feet, voice harsh and shrill, “If you walk out that door you won’t see me this Friday, or any Friday that follows.”

That stills his hand upon the doorknob – knuckles bleeding white and fingers shaking with the ferocity of his grip.

You fling up your arms in exasperated question, not that he’s even looking at you to witness the gesture. You let them drop, and the smack of your palms against your thighs fills the silence.

“What the fuck is wrong with you Silco?”

He doesn’t turn nor speak. All he offers are the bunched lines of his shoulders beneath his coat.

“This isn't you,” your throat aches as you battle the oncoming tightness, “This isn’t the man I know—”

You’re silenced by a horrific grate of laughter; cold and sharp as hewn flint.

“If you think me incapable of a little callousness then you know absolutely nothing.”

“I know your brand of cruelty and this isn’t it,” you snap, willing away the sting at the corner of your eyes and suddenly very thankful that he’s facing away, “It’s a blatant defence for whatever it is you’re hiding, and I am sick of being left in the dark.”

He doesn’t respond. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t even appear to breathe.

“So?” you prompt, “Are you gonna explain what just happened?”

You can hear the grind of his teeth, “I simply wasn’t in the mood.”

“Your raging boner said otherwise.”

His fingers rip from the door handle, and the silence is filled with the pointed refastening of four trouser buttons.

“So that’s it then?! You lead me on for months. You finally kiss me. And now you’re done with me? Is it all in the chase for you? You’ve lost interest now that you’ve caught me?”

“No.”

“No? What does that mean no?! I thought we were friends—”

“I am nobody’s friend, sweetheart,” he sneers, head snapping a touch to the side to glare at you from the corner of his hellish eye, “You are my employee. The other night should not have happened. It was inappropriate for us to—

“Oh you can cut that bullshit right now,” you yell, thrusting a finger in his direction, “You’re a fucking crime lord, you’re hardly concerned with workplace ethics. And even if you were, you and I both know you lost the right to that pathetic excuse long ago—”

“I would seriously reconsider your tone—”

“You can’t just use me and discard me like trash,” your accusation echoes off the bricks and settles heavily between you. His concealed scars appear to shift slightly with the tightening of his face, and that one, piercing eye averts its gaze.

Your lungs struggle as though you’ve just run up a flight of stairs. And you despise how small your voice is when it reemerges.

“I just— I don’t understand what I did wrong.”

Your words hang in the air, pathetic as they are. Silco turns his head back towards the door, jaw tightening and loosening in a repetitive pulse if the shifting of his ears is any indication.

Eventually he grits out, “You’ve done nothing wrong,” 

Perhaps it should make you feel better. But it only makes you feel worse. Your anger and frustration reignite in an immediate blaze.

“Then why am I being punished?”

You receive no answer.

The inside of your skull buzzes like a hornet’s nest. Damn your pride. You’ve hardly any left at this point, and you’ll trade what remains if it’ll only buy you a little fucking clarity.

“Do you want me or not?”

Silence. Your jaw creaks.

“Do you want me. Or not?” You grit out between your teeth.

Again, you receive no answer from Silco beyond the agitated curl of his fingers beneath his cuffs, and the ever tightening bunch of his shoulders, cranking higher by the second.

“For fuck’s sake Silco!” You explode, “It’s a simple fucking question! Do you want to fuck me or not?!”

He spins and swoops upon you like a storm, hand closing around your wrist in a bone crushing clamp as he drives you backwards. Eyes flashing frozen blue and flaming red, and expression twisted into something feral. 

“Yes, I want to fuck you,” he snarls through sharp, bared teeth. Spittle pooling at the corners of his mouth like some rabid animal. Your thighs hit the kegs and your spine bends backwards under the looming force of him, close enough for you to almost taste the tobacco remnants on his tongue. 

“You have no idea how badly I want to fuck you. How often I’ve thought about it. How I have pictured every position in which I wish to take you in explicit detail.”

His rage is staggering and laced through with venom, and you’re left completely breathless and utterly wanting beneath him.

“I have wanted to fuck you for months.”

That snaps you from your desirous daze, his words acting as an accelerant to the flames of your own fury. You bare your teeth right back and snarl, “Then why don’t you?!” 

“Because I have never done it before!”

[roughentumble]

a while ago i had the idea for an AU where geralt's mind is sortve sent back in time to right before the dragon fight, and he makes different choices at key junctures as a sort of fix-it fic. i agonized over it for a while, then it lay languishing and forgotten in my notes app, so im deciding to publish it as is, which will either encourage me to finish it, or at least put what exists out in the universe.

also he doesnt really Remember he's time traveled, he just gets Vibes at key points

tagging @fangirleaconmigo because she expressed interest in the idea way back when i first had it!

-------

geralt wakes up in a daze.

there's something on the tip of his tongue-- like when you don't remember a dream, but you remember the shape of it. he fights to recall it, because it seems so big, so important, as the last strands slip through his fingers. his body wills him to stand up, and so he does, as if he could chase the fragments that way, but moving only seems to dislodge them further. he doesnt even recall falling asleep. he sees-- jaskier, a few feet away with his back to him, far enough he'd have to call out to be heard, and everything is hazy as he stumbles over, some sort of need he cant name thrumming under his skin. he could get angry about it, or-- or...

he places a hand on jaskier's shoulder, and jaskier whips around in surprise, blinking owlishly at him. he starts to say something, brow furrowed with concern and sympathy, but geralt cuts him off with a squeeze of his shoulder. "i think you were right. we should go to the coast."

concern gives way to joy, like the sun breaking through the clouds, lighting up his entire face. "you-- really? actually, you'd want that? what caused the change of heart, did you whack your head or something?" he waves his hand in dismissal, keeps speaking before geralt can interject. "doesn't matter, really, what matters is that you did. i'll pack my things right away, and we can load up dear old roach, and i can compose a stunning ballad out of this whole mess because i am a miracle worker, and-- oh you'll just /love/ the coast i'm /certain/ of it! fine wine and pearls and the salty sea stretching out forever over the horizon, and the sunsets, oh! to die for, truly!"

perhaps he did hit his head. there's dirt in his hair, more than usual, and he doesnt think he woke up in a bedroll... but he can't find it in himself to care. it all came out so easy, and something about it had felt right. he reaches out to take jaskier's hand in his own, and jaskier only trips over his words for a moment, glancing down at them in confusion, then smiling even brighter, if that was even possible. that feels right, too. in the same way he cant put his finger on. he'll examine it later, when he's a little more awake. for now he just pulls jaskier gently by the hand towards camp, so he can do that packing he was talking about.

they leave the mountain, and the cursed dragon hunt, behind, without much fanfare or a word to the others.

===========

he doesnt like the coast much, as it turns out. sand isnt great for poor roach's hooves, salt sticks in his long hair making it unmanagable, and the large swath of ocean in front of him makes him edgy in a way he doesnt want to put a name to, because geralt of rivia does not /do/ being afraid. it's all logic, is what it is, giant sea monsters lurk in those depths, and surely no witcher is equipped to deal with their likes. a certain healthy cautiousness makes sense, he reasons.

he likes jaskier at the coast, though.

happy and free, laughing, backlit by the sun, sand on his cheek and pants rolled up to the knee. fancy shoes dangling from his fingers.

/foolish bard/, he thinks, stepping closer, brushing away the sand, /foolish, silly little bard, never brings the proper footwear anywhere we go./ out loud he says "i'm in love with you."

he watches closely the play of emotions across jaskier's face, the joy morphing into shock, disbelief, mouth gawping open like a fish. in the next moment he's dropped those fancy shoes to grab geralt's head, yanking him down into a kiss that's equal parts frenzy and passion and finally coming home. they kiss until the water laps up to their ankles, arms tangled around each other.

the incoming waves claim just one of jaskier's fancy, impractical shoes, and he curses the sea, running into the water as if he could fish the thing out, or else batter the sea into compliance. geralt laughs, and laughs, and pulls jaskier from the salty sea to kiss him again, and again, and again, even as he complains about his lost shoe. "you'll be compensating me for that, witcher." he warns, shaking his finger.

"wouldn't have it any other way," geralt responds, breathless with joy, and jaskier sinks into his grip.

========

"i want you to come with me. to kaer morhen."

jaskier stares at him with open-mouth. it isnt an offer given lightly. even in all their years of on-again off-again, geralt never extended this particular invitation to yennefer. maybe he was too scared of being known, or too scared of being trapped in one place-- if things went sour when they couldnt just leave, would it go away for ever? she's gone away forever anyway, for all his clinging and carefully calculated space. she said no, and he found-- he found--

years he's spent, dragging his feet. years, and with jaskier it's so old and yet so new, and he's decided that he is sick of the waiting, of the right pace. he wants jaskier with him, now and always. "this winter, the two of us. up in the blue mountains."

jaskier is nodding before geralt can finish speaking, tears welling in his eyes. "i want that too, love. gods, you know i'd follow you anywhere." and then he laughs, free and joyful and it's the best sound geralt's ever heard in his life. jaskier reaches out, touches his cheek, like he's confirming this is real, and geralt leans into his space to press their foreheads together. inhales the scent of his tears mingled with pure joy, and it smells like the ocean.

=================

they keep heading south, because it isnt time to head north yet, and because geralt's got a feeling he'd really like to disprove. can't explain where it comes from, exactly, just that he feels a tug, senses a rumbling in the earth, hears whispers on the streets. he climbs the rocky outcropping while jaskier waits by roach, idle and bored. he wants to be wrong. wants it so badly he hasnt even shared his theory with jaskier. he looks out over the path below.

he is not wrong.

a sea of black and gold. cintra is the gateway to the rest of the north, and it's about to fall.

============

he tells jaskier to wait in the marketplace. if this works, geralt will be able to meet him there without injury, or at least be able to send someone to fetch him. if it doesnt, he'll need to resort to drastic measures, which should put him in jaskier's path too. he's grateful for this decision when he ends up surrounded on all sides by calanthe's men-- he has no doubt jaskier would be able to extract himself from the danger as he always does, but he still doesnt like seeing it. he holds a knife to the throat of an old friend, and wonders why it feels familiar. wishes that it didnt.

when they fall through the portal, dodging calanthe's trap, jaskier is far enough away from their stall that he doesn't hear the commotion-- presumably, anyway. geralt wishes he could see him, just to confirm he was safe, confirm he actually made it, but he's too preoccupied to linger on the thought.

[transcribe partial convo]

[bars part w/ eist]

finally jaskier has wandered close enough to notice the commotion, and he calls for geralt

[geralt pleads for jaskier's safety, appeals to eist as a reasonable man, as someone who mightve once been called a friend. says he understands eist's commitment to calanthe, but begs him not to doom jaskier by throwing him in the dungeons when he's harmless. jaskier doesnt much like this, but eventually eist agrees, as a favor to someone he respects and as someone who can see reason. geralt makes jaskier promise to stay in his room no matter what happens, and they clasp hands before jaskier is dragged back from the bars]

[maybe describe getaway, but idk if needed]

============

"this is cirilla. ciri, this is--"

"ah-ah, let me do my own introductions, i get to say it so rarely, after all." he says, cutting geralt off and turning to ciri. his shoulders roll back, posture straightening, carrying himself with a sudden air of gravitas. "my name is julian alfred pancratz, viscount de lettenhove. graduate of oxenfurt, master of the seven liberal arts, and esteemed poet and minstrel, better known throughout the kingdoms as the famed bard jaskier. at your service." he bows deeply, a fluid, graceful movement, and when he comes back up he looks rather pleased with himself.

there's a beat of silence. "...my partner." geralt finishes his earlier statement, eyebrow raised and thoroughly unimpressed. ciri mostly just seems surprised. "don't worry, you get used to the chatter."

jaskier splutters, cheeks turning red in offense. "you! that was a perfectly lovely introduction, you

[bicker] i dont know why i put up with you [bicker]

[something abt the moment of levity, but then geralt is saying "we need to go to sodden hill, [why] i think yen is there and i need to find her", then the moment when geralt realizes she is (presumed) dead where jaskier's playful insults fall away]

============

[noticing eskel, gets feeling he needs to check, finds out abt infection, etc etc]

============

[change vesemir pov]

he doesnt think these flowers are the answer. he doesnt recognize them-- though if he knew every part of the formula, it wouldnt be lost to him as well. still, though, it doesnt sound right to his ear, even if he doesnt know as much about flora as one might if they'd dedicated their life to the study of it. he can imagine, though, being desperate enough to believe it. he thinks back to eskel, and how they'd almost lost him to such a stupid error. he feels the loss of their way of life, their traditions, weighing on his shoulders in a way he never thought he'd face in his lifetime.

the little scrap of paper in her hand is so innocuous. and even if it's wrong, or merely an approximation of what once was, he feels the need to keep it, to catalogue it, preserve it as he has everything else in the keep... even the unsavory ones. the metal rack so many boys died on, that countless others were changed in, /chained/ in, sitting in the basement like it's a coffee table. like it's nothing. like it isnt horrific.

but it's all he has. and it's what they needed.

his fingers curl around the paper. "how many other people know of this blossom? would be likely to put two and two together?" he asks.

"not many at all, i would imagine. even fewer would know how to apply the knowledge , or emough inner workings of witchers to make the leap. and it's only a theory, anyway, i cant confirm it as of yet." she replies, watching him closely.

their numbers, so weakened, so devastated. the continent is running out of monsters, but it hasnt run dry just yet-- witchers are still needed, and theyre dwindling. and yet...

he flicks his fingers, and the page goes up in flames. a little cast of igni, and suddenly the secret is unknown once more. "cant let anyone know how we're made-- sorcerers have been after the information for as long as there have been witcher schools. no telling what havoc they'd wreak across the continent if they had the recipe. and... there will be no more boys."

he looks at the ashes in his hand, and he aches in ways he doesnt have words for, for the life he had and the men he lost and all those boys. "i thank you for your diligence, and your offer," he says diplomatically, "but i urge you to forget what you've discovered, and tell no one. and if you do decide to divulge our secrets, then i can only pray your approximations were wrong."

she had looks surprised when the fire burst to life, but understanding settles across her features.

[ad-hawkeye]

hello, star anon here! life was kind and gave me a bit of a break so i finally finished my wip. i'm not apparently allowed to embed any links in the ask box, but it's up on ao3 with the title, "How Long Will I Love You? As Long as Stars are Above You (Longer if I Can)". i tried very hard to capture the game's style and artem's manner of speaking, but i deviated a bit from the former. still, i hope all the artem stans enjoy 😅 -🌟

HI. HI. HI. HELLO, HI! AAAAA THIS LITERALLY MADE MY FRIDAY NIGHT I AM NOT EVEN JOKING. OOOOH MY GOD OKAY, i am so sorry for being a day or so late, i purposely set this fic aside as a selfish reward for when i was off work and could get a nice drink to read it with and holy SHIT am i getting this whole thing tattooed to my forehead HAHAH

i am not exaggerating in the slightest when i say this fic literally made me feel Lighter. i also had to comment on all of it (that is all below i have so many thoughts and love and only good things to say) and i will be dropping a comment on ao3 itself very soon hehe

for anyone interested, the fic is here! it's a rewrite of artem's second anniversary card + eventual proposal! full recommendation to any artem stan out there. READ THIS! NOW!

without further ado... my screaming.

the bouquet toss is hilariously adorable i LOVE it!!! celestine fucking BOOKING that thing at him HAHAH

im insanely impressed at how well this fic manages to take what was in the second anniversary card (celestine talking to mc about marriage, the toss, the ride home in the taxi, etc) and just. wow. improve it. i feel like this is such a breath of fresh air

mc saying she wants to wait until she at least passes her exam and avoid claims of nepotism, yes ma’am!!!!!!!!!!! this would be such a dream scenario if it happened in tot omg. the reason why artem’s second bday card was a liiittle disappointing to me was because they brought up the issue of possible rumors and scandals with their relationship. and then just. never resolve it. then have them get ENGAGED a card later!! i wish hoyo wasn’t afraid to address this, your fic is the perf solution imo and another reason why i wished we got a later artemrosa proposal

THE MENTION OF MC NOT BEING READY TO HAVE DINNER WITH ARTEM’S PARENTS AHAHA OMG I LOVE IT!! deliciously petty in calling out the contradictory writing in artem's cards bless you for that

MENTION OF NEIL. oh my GOD i feel like 90% of artem’s cards just forget about this man’s existence and it’s a shame! you did him justice!!! i want him to talk to mc again and see all that’s happened ;_;

THE BAD GUY DUH JOKE REFERENCE SHUT UP HAHAHA personal story 3 was literally artem at his most iconic and i MEAN this

about time…. im gonna sob, like literally. dude this fic is literally healing me as i read it, it’s like a love letter to all of artem’s cards, stories, and events. and . AA

THEM JOKING ABOUT THE AMUSEMENT PARK MAKE OUT SESSION PLEASE THAT’S SO FUNNY

the whole conversation with celestine and artem about proposing is my favorite thing ever. in the second anni card, i thought artem was so oddly cold to her (which goes against previous cards and reads like someone seeing artem’s ‘stop teasing me now’ act back in the early timeline as genuinely mean disinterest????) so this is like. healing. crops watered. “thank you for being my friend” is going to make me sob holy shit.

random but i adore the idea of artem w a therapist. he seems like a guy who’d benefit from that. i say this with love.

HELP HIM TALKING TO HIS FISH. FAV

god the scene with his mother :(((( AAAA the apology and and and and ;_;

keeping the one good thing from the second anniversary card: artem avoiding mc's gaze for weeks before proposing. excellent. thank you

gasp. THE ORCHARD. YOU GENIUS. HOW DID I NOT EVEN THINK OF THAT. THEY NEVER DID RETURN TO THE ORCHARD IN CANON DID THEY.

god this proposal got me sniffling.. the about time reference… the mention of being partners….. dude i’m gonna sob ;_; literally this is the timeline i wish we got, im just gonna be on hardcore copium and accept this as my canon proposal. okay? okay.

PRACTICE FOR SIGNING THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE MC YES

mc yanking artem too hard and him yelping is making me shit that’s the funniest thing i’ve read all week LMAO

HELP THE LIFTING BEING LEARNED FROM AN ONLINE ARTICLE. YOU GET IT!!! YOU UNDERSTAND HIM!!

oh my gosh this whole end section is so wehhh ;_;;;; sweet and in character and with just the right amount of steam and ambiguity! ;p

CELESTINE GIVING THEM BOTH OFF HAHAHA THE PERFECT END

oh my god ok. if this didn't let you know how much i thoroughly enjoyed myself, let me state it here now. thank you SO much for linking this to me!!! oh my god i feel so free?????? EVERYONE READ THIS NOW