#in which the characters are way more intimate and capable of communication than they are in the comic yet

[bobthedragon]

~Kingsgate Update!~ in which communication vaguely occurs

Newest page: https://kingsgatecomic.com/?pg=47 Chapter start: https://kingsgatecomic.com

sweating as I run through my buffer bc I keep redoing pages of the next scene 🙃;;;

[pascaloverx]

DEVIL (+18)

Summary: You are a demonic creature, capable of doing whatever you please, whenever you wish. Your goal on Earth is to terrorize as many souls as possible. Until, in a small community, you find the perfect victim for your mischievous games: Father Charlie Mayhew.

Author's Note: Honestly, I’m not sure if this story will have more than one chapter, but it will contain adult content and inappropriate language. Violence may also appear. Frankly, I just needed to write something about this character portrayed by Nicholas Alexander Chavez. The character and others, apart from Y/N, are not my creation. They belong to the Grotesquerie (2024) universe created by Ryan Murphy. To anyone reading this story, I hope you enjoy it.

AO3 LINK TWO

ONE

How tedious human life is. Not to offend anyone, but you were already tired of all the petty, complicated, and disjointed problems humans have. Not doing what they want, fearing consequences, and not always seeking to take advantage of others makes humans seem so weak. Humans need automobiles to move around, they have no special powers, they feel guilty for the slightest act, and when they sin, they believe a priest can purify their wrongdoings.

"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. At least that's what the movies say I should say when I enter a confessional. Unless you'd prefer something more modern, like, 'Father, I really messed up. I committed an affront to good morals. Blah blah blah…'" You enter Father Charlie Mayhew's confessional, waiting for his response. You can hear the muffled chuckle he lets out at your casual way of speaking.

"It doesn't seem to me that you are truly repentant. Taking advantage of the informality with which you are speaking to me, may I ask what brings you here?" For a human, he has a voice that, in its more serious and deep tone, can be charming; it's easy to understand why he became a priest. With a voice like that, he could easily persuade you to be a devoted daughter of God, even if you were, in truth, a demon.

“Let’s say it was a call of nature. In truth, I’ve felt impure ever since I witnessed something terrible.” You say, trying to sound as human as possible, feeling as if your skin were burning from being inside the church. Just kidding; in reality, demons can be anywhere, even in religious places.

"What is it, my dear faithful of the Lord, that you witnessed?" Father Mayhew speaks with a certain nonchalance, as if he's almost sure he knows your answer. You try to catch a glimpse of him through the confessional booth’s small openings. He seems like the very embodiment of sin, perfectly crafted for thirsty thoughts.

"Father, I witnessed a delightful scene. It was a priest known for his youthful appearance and modern style, masturbating while thinking about the beautiful nun he had recently met. In fact, there was another moment that I witnessed. The moment when this same priest let the nun touch him in a sinful way. Oh, this priest's mind could only hope that these private moments would continue." You provoke him, subtly revealing that you know of his most intimate sins. The priest immediately steps out of his booth and opens the door to yours. His expression is furious, while you wear your most mischievous smile. Your attire catches him off guard, certainly. You’re dressed in a nun's habit, but entirely unlike the usual. Yours is red—the color of blood—with black lace details. It is the perfect blend of religion and sin, a nun’s habit styled like lingerie.

"What are you?" the priest asks, not in fear, but with a steady gaze fixed on you. You rise and slowly walk toward him, your steps deliberate, as he retreats. You can see his eyes searching for answers, trying to comprehend what you are.

"I am merely a concerned devotee, worried about who is managing this church, of course. Father, it shouldn’t be me reminding you that sin is wrong. But I think you already know it’s wrong—you just can’t stop. If the wounds on your back tell me anything, it’s that you enjoy punishing yourself for being a naughty boy. Let’s just say I’m your newest form of penance." You speak as you circle around Father Mayhew, who watches you with a gaze of fascination. In truth, you had peeked into the mortal priest’s sinful mind, discovering exactly how to become an irresistible vision for him.

"Why are you tormenting me?" Father Mayhew keeps his eyes fixed on you as you walk through the church, surveying what is supposed to be sacred ground. It’s remarkable, entering the so-called house of God, where sins lurk behind the angelic façade, just as Father Mayhew hides his dark thoughts beneath his cassock. You smile as your fingers glide over the candles, feeling the warmth of their flames between your fingertips.

"Me? Tormenting you? I’m simply fascinated by that devilishly handsome face of yours and the way you blend love for religion with the lust locked away inside you. Sister Megan must have had quite the time running her little fingers over you. Honestly, you, Father, are trouble, and I want to help you." You speak, captivated by the lust in his eyes, even as he remains partly afraid that you might be a punishment from the devil himself. You move closer, touching his cassock, tracing your finger over the places where he is wounded, where he hurt himself.

"More…" he whispers, closing his eyes as he feels your touch. He begins to moan softly from the pain you’re inflicting. Your fingers tighten their grip on the bruises on his back as he groans heavily. You bring your lips closer to the back of his neck, placing a few kisses there.

"Father, Father, Father. You're visibly excited in the middle of the church. What would the Bishop say about this? Or your faithful and devoted followers, who trust that their priest will be the purest of men?" You speak softly against the back of his neck, feeling him shiver. He turns to look at you, eyes thirsty for the pleasure of the flesh.

"It doesn’t matter, not really. 1 John 1:9, 'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' God, in His glory, will understand that in the face of temptation, I could not resist my sinful nature, and for that, I have failed in His eyes." Father Mayhew speaks, his eyes lingering on every detail of your face, but especially your lips. In his depraved mind, he’s already imagining. Imagining how his cock would fit perfectly between your lips, or how your moans must be as delicious as the tone of your voice. He lets his imagination of touching you, tasting you take over and lightly places his fingers under your lips, massaging them.

"Father, you are a perfect creature, but you are trapped beneath this mask of a devout religious man. I promise I will return here to unlock your true potential. Until then, remain under the flame of lust. Oh, and keep recording those workout videos; you have no idea how many souls your face and body corrupt. Now, to seal our first encounter together, repeat after me: I, Father Charlie Mayhew, accept your demonic presence to torment me for as long as necessary, committing myself to serve you." You say, gazing deeply into his eyes, as he seems lost in you. It takes him a moment to repeat your words, his eyes lingering on your attire, contemplating the implications of becoming entangled with you.

"Was that all?" He asks after repeating your words, his tone low as if he’s embarrassed. "When will I see you again?" There’s a note of desperation in Father Mayhew's question, as he watches you, trying to memorize every detail. You smile, thinking that he probably wants to remember you so he can indulge in pleasure later.

"You'll see me when the time is right. In the meantime, keep being a naughty boy," you say, caressing his face. Then, with a single finger, you touch his lips, slicing them open. He lets out a soft moan as blood begins to seep from his mouth. "Now it's time for my triumphant exit. Goodbye, Father," you say, leaning in to kiss him, as if to draw his very soul through his lips. The taste of his blood lingers in your mouth, sealing the recent pact between you. You lick his lips and then disappear. Like an illusion, you are no longer there.

[bluerthanvelvet444]

˚ ♫ ⋆｡˚𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻˚ ♫ ⋆｡˚

(Kit Walker x fem!reader)

tags: fluff!

warnings: mentions of torture, swearing, use of Y/N.

summary: this fic is based on this request!

character count: 6k.

full fic under the cut ↓

₊˚⊹⁠♡————— ⁠♡ —————♡⊹⁠˚₊

When you first heard about him, the mere thought of the things he was capable of doing sounded repulsive to you. He hadn't even walked into Briarcliff, yet everyone already despised him. Most of the people in that hellhole weren't pure or without sin, although they judged like they were the divine Lord himself. You had to admit, it was horribly wrong and fucked up to kill 3 women, including your wife, decapitating them and using their skin as a mask. You even knew that the devil could be hiding under the most beautiful facade, but still, something inside of you when you first saw him, told you that Kit Walker couldn't have possibly been the tremendous Bloody Face. Maybe it was Briarcliff that with its influence was able to turn sane people completely mad, but you swore that when Kit Walker's eyes met yours for the first time, the world's colors lit up and a lovely R&B melody started ringing in your ears.

♫ Hold me… ♫

Wondrous brown eyes, as sweet as chocolate and as tough as Mahogany wood, piercing into yours, communicating something for which words weren’t enough.

♫ Kiss me… ♫

Furrowed brows showing a glimpse of the frustrating confusion, due to the previous merciless treatment, and the feeling of repulsion for the load of inhuman madness confined in those walls.

♫ Whisper sweetly… ♫

For a second you were brought by your imagination to a different reality, you fantasized about what life would be like if you were in your cushy house, vacuuming your beige carpet, as your beloved husband Kit just came home from work. You would wrap your arms around him, welcoming him in an intimate embrace, as he reciprocated and maybe pecked your lips softl-

But no. That was far from reality. This thought and the vexatious notes of the song “Dominique” made you snap back from your thoughts. You observed as he made its way towards you. That caused an almost instant blush to burn on your cheeks, as he was now standing in front of you.

“Can ya move?” He spoke with a deep raspy voice.

You realized you were blocking the access for him to sit on one of the chairs. Before you could mutter out a response, a random guy started provoking Kit, causing his rude response that led to a fight between the two.

₊˚⊹⁠♡————— ⁠♡ —————♡⊹⁠˚₊

You quietly made your way towards the cell where they kept him after the conflict. Creating a mediocre distraction, you managed to steal the keys from Sister Mary Eunice’s grip. Discreetly opening the door, you sneaked in. The first thing you saw was Kit Walker’s perplexed expression as he inspected you while squirming inside the straitjacket.

“Shhh…It’s okay…I’m not one of them.” You hushed him softly.

“Whaddaya want?” He spoke in a brusque manner.

“I just wanna talk…I’m Y/N.” You cooed.

He looked at you up and down, keeping on alert.

“Kit, Kit Walka’...I think ya already know that, dontcha?”

“Yes…Everyone talks about you, most in a bad way, uhm…But I don’t believe the things they say…” You said looking down.

“Is that so?” He raised an eyebrow.

“I mean…I heard your story just…not from you. And I-I know for a fact that most of the backstories of the souls that live here are, well, made up… fake. There’s more innocent people than you think.” You shrugged, sitting down next to him.

“I’m listening. What’s yer story, suga’?” He nodded.

You felt your cheeks burn and started speaking.

₊˚⊹⁠♡————— ⁠♡ —————♡⊹⁠˚₊

Time had passed in the asylum, and surprisingly, you didn’t feel so miserable anymore. He made everything fall back into place. When you two shared your stories, it was clear that you were both victims of a giant mistake, your pasts being more pure than the ones of the people who locked you two there. You and Kit kept spending more and more time together, you had grown to be inseparable, always together. You felt suffocated when he wasn’t around, only the blues playing in your ears. Who knew you could find love inside such a cruel building?

It almost felt like life in Briarcliff could be normal, thanks to him. But, of course, that was only imaginary.

You sneaked in his cell, again. Your cheeks burning, not out of embarrassment this time, but because of the salty tears that kept rolling on them. His generosity was both a blessing and a flaw, something that you loved and despised, because it led to dishonesties like these. When you both tried to escape and got caught, he took all the blame on himself, gaining 40 lashes.

You hurried towards his bed, sinking onto your knees and breaking down into sobs.

“I-I’m so sorry!” You kept repeating, your voice cracking.

He smiled softly and caressed your hair.

“Ya got nothin’ to apologize for, suga’. It wasn’t yer fault.” He grunted as he sat up, his body still hurting. He reached to cup your face, and aligned his eyes with yours, so that he could look into them with his lovely gaze.

“Hey now…don’t cry, darlin’. I’m here, we’ll get through this togetha’, yes?” He spoke sweetly. Your arms weakly wrapped around his neck.

“I-I can’t do this anymore, Kit…I hate this place-” You cried.

“Shhh…” He wiped your tears away with his thumb and pecked your nose gently.

“I know, I know it’s hard and ya wanna leave…and I promise we will. We’re gonna leave this shithole soon…then we’ll be finally free.” His words melted your heart.

“...Will we live together?” You looked up at him with teary eyes.

“Yea, of course we will, darlin’.” He smiled.

“Like a normal couple?” Your words seeked his comfort.

“Yes, suga’. We will be a normal couple with a normal life. Whaddaya say?” He asked, to which you nodded.

“You know I’m gonna marry ya as soon as we get out of here, suga’?” His words made a faint blush rise on your face.

“Really?” You batted your lashes at him.

“Yea. I wanna marry ya. I wanna have babies with ya. I wanna do everything with ya by my side. And ya wanna know why? Because I love ya, darlin’.” He wrapped his strong arms around you, while connecting your lips in a soft gentle kiss. You kissed back, mumbling a quiet “Love you too” against his lips that moved in sync with yours.

So you stayed there, his comforting and strong arms wrapped around you and his hand running in your hair as your bodies were pressed up in a tight intimate embrace. Your eyelids started to feel heavy, as you fighted the urge to fall asleep.

“It’s only me and ya, togetha’.” He whispered soothingly in your ear.

“Foreva’.” He added, his lips pressing against your temple sweetly.

You smiled tiredly, as you heard his words and the soft melody playing again.

♫ Hold me, kiss me,

Whisper sweetly

That you love me

Forever. ♫

₊˚⊹⁠♡————— ⁠♡ —————♡⊹⁠˚₊

taglist: @cxndiedvi0lets @angeldollw @dangeroustaintedflawed @marchsfreakshow @yandereunsolved @happy74827 @evpeters87

a/n: aaahhhh I'm sorry this is so short😭 I'm so busy lately!! but anyways, i hope you like it.🧡

all rights reserved!!

[wookieejamcrew]

So what made you such a Hux fan?

going to make two assumptions here that one you're asking about brendol and not armitage or maratelle, and two that you're asking this in good faith so i'll answer it the same, lol. brendol is precisely the type of character i'm drawn to: he's exceedingly layered, byronic, narratively unconventional in his grotesquerie of flaws and philias, and he's got a mysteriously domestic relationship with my numero uno, the grand inquisitor. brendol, when we are first introduced to him in secret academy, is an instant peculiarity: he runs an unconvential yet successful imperial academy set in a world straight out of a daphne du maurier novel, he's outwardly warm, kind, and charming to his cadets, he throws an intimate little gathering for one of the most powerful and highest ranking members of the empire...and then bickers with him at a table for two, unintimidated by the ire he might inspire by chiding the grand inquisitor like a fretted wife. his secret machinations, which are being investigated by tarkin (et al?), to create an army of children who are loyal to him from birth (like he claimed was jedi praxis) is fascinating insight into his character; he's someone who values and prioritizes loyalty (mind you, the guy who steps out on his wife) and personal safety to the detriment of his own position in the empire. he's a risk taker, he risked a court martial for not only breaking chain of command, but attempting to resurrect any cultural/philosophical merit from the jedi order. he is very rehearsed, choosing his words carefully, for instance the word family is only used by him once and in the context of what he wants cadets and stormtroopers to see the empire become. is it a manipulation tactic to inspire sympathy and relatability (in phasma his words are described as "pretty" and his motives "too pure"), is it a sincere desire for connection and community, one he has total dominion over, but a family all the same? it's both, because like all good creations spawned from horror, lines are intended to blur. i do think he had a rough childhood, his personal relationship to violence is evidence of that. he abuses armitage, he is aroused by being abused himself, he uses children as tools to commit acts of violence and murder, and he desires to be used as a tool by those who are more powerful and capable than himself. he wears his charisma and prepotency like a mask, but desperately desires someone just clock him square in the face and shatter it. he is lonely; he is a lonely narcissistic sadomasochist who salves his loneliness with cruelty. he hates his own son, but he loves his adoptees. he loves potential, he loves malleability. when he sees armitage he is forced to face himself in his most base form: weak, spineless, effete. when he looks at archex he sees what he has risen above. but it is all artifice. he is still that boy, tail between his legs, hiding behind a commandant. phasma describes him as a different man behind closed doors, which we see with his infidelity, his abuses, his joy at being beaten into submission, his behavior when he doesn't know zare is watching him, when he promises cadets he will turn the empire into a facsimile of family, when he and gallius whisper plans for supplanting the old way with the new. i love characters that doth protest too much, i love when authenticity must be pried free like a pearl in a clamped up shell. brendol is awful, and the narrative owns it, there are no justifications for his ills, but it also affords him depth for those happy to plunder his polarities.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

[getvalentined]

for nero! 2, 13, 37

[For the Random Character Asks game.]

2. A canon or headcanon hill I will die on.

Nero is biologically Vincent's child, which is the only reason that he made it to term in the first place while every other attempt failed. Specifically, Nero is the biological child of Vincent after he's been experimented on and has become Chaos' vessel; Hojo was unaware that Lucrecia's experiments on Vincent actually ever did anything except somehow stop him from degrading, and chose to use Vincent's genetic material entirely out of spite. Nero's project is canonically based on Grimoire's work, and I believe Hojo used Vincent as the sire for the very last attempt at getting the project working specifically to know he'd killed Vincent's kid and Grimoire's grandkid while also proving the project to be failure.

Unfortunately for Hojo, the same unique ancestry that made Vincent able to host Chaos in the first place also allowed Nero to survive the gestation process, while using material from after Vincent became genetically tied to Chaos rendered Nero as much Chaos' son as Vincent's. Between Vincent and the corrupted mako used to augment the subject, Nero is slightly more than half-Weapon, and significantly less than half-human, and as such literally can't be killed. There is very little that Hojo regret more than allowing Nero to come into being.

13. Dumbest thing they’ve ever done?

The reason Nero wears a muzzle is because he got particularly aggravated with one of his R&D handlers at one point and, since he was already bound up and had no other way to express his ire, bit him and refused to let go until the Void had woken up and sucked the jackass in completely. He genuinely considers it the stupidest thing he's ever done because the whole rig is really heavy, hurts like hell, rips his hair out all the time, and makes the process of feeding him much more difficult and thus much less common. Prior to this event, Nero was able to communicate and eat fairly normally, although he'd always been treated differently from the rest of the Deepground kids because of how much less human he is. The handler deserved what he got, but Nero wishes all the time that he hadn't done it.

Oh also when he was like eight years old he jumped off a catwalk into the mako well of Reactor 0 and had to be fished out like a toy in a giant claw machine. It took hours and he was basically tied up and thrown in a closet for a week afterward, but it was super fun and made his back stop hurting for a while so he doesn't think it was stupid. (Everyone else does.)

37. What they really think about themselves?

Nero's self-image is...complicated. He's intimately aware of pretty much every facet of himself, because the best way to keep him under control is to make sure knows exactly how much damage he could do and thereby how much trouble he would cause for Weiss if he misbehaved, and this gives him an opinion of himself that is hard to explain and dramatically misunderstood the majority of the time.

Nero knows how smart he is, how capable, and how dangerous. Nero knows he's immortal, he knows he's more monster than human, he knows he killed his mother, he knows he's energetically filthy and that the only reason Weiss can touch him is because Weiss is too clean for the Void to register him as being in need of purification. He knows he's part of something inherent to the Planet, but that his place somewhere in between Minerva's pantheon and human existence makes him unsuited to both, and thereby unsuited to everything.

If asked, Nero would not say that he hates himself, because he's a force of nature and you can't hate nature for doing what it's meant to do. You can't hate a river for flooding when there's too much rain, you can't hate a tree for burning when hit with lightning, and you can't hate a Weapon for being crafted to a purpose. That's nonsense.

But Nero sees himself as inferior to everyone else in essentially every possible way. He's ugly and filthy and disgusting, he's basically an animal that was unlucky enough to be born with a level of intelligence above that of most humans, and all he can do is accept that and carry on. He can't die, he knows that much, and he can't do his job for the Planet because it's not time and he's incomplete anyway.

In spite of all this, Weiss loves him, and Weiss is the only one that ever has, so he says Weiss is the only one that he could ever love. Nero's actions in Dirge being a clear attempt to save as much of Deepground as possible, even knowing that he couldn't leave with Omega at the end, are an undeniable indication that this isn't the case, but he still says it over and over because it's easier than addressing the truth—which is that it doesn't matter if he's capable of love. He doesn't deserve to have it returned, not by Weiss or by anyone.

It's nonsense to hate a force of nature. It's nonsense to love it, too. And that hurts so much that he can't help but hate himself for what he is, nonsense or otherwise. If he were a little more human, he'd be deserving of love; if he were a little more Weapon, he wouldn't be able to care that he isn't. But he's stuck with just too much of one and just too little of the other (or just too much of both, or just too little of both), and there's nothing anyone can do about it.

He'd never say that he hates himself, and he doesn't behave like he hates himself, but that's the only word that comes close.

[literary-illuminati]

Book Review 12 - Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation Vol. 1 by Mo Xiang Tong Xiu

So, like everyone on tumblr, I was at least peripherally aware of The Untamed, if only as ‘the C-drama with the impossibly pretty men everyone loves shipping about necromancy or something.’ (Also the one crossover porn fanfic with so many tags that it broke AO3.) So I wasn’t quite coming into this blind, but I think I came pretty close. It sure as hell wasn’t anywhere close to my vague expectations.

Anyway, this was fun! Also absolutely let me cross off reading something from an entirely unfamiliar literary subculture off my metaphorical bingo card for the year. Just reams of assumed context I absolutely did not possess. Kind of loved it (but the occasional clarifying footnotes were very much necessary and appreciated.)

Which is to say – there was so much more slapstick and physical comedy than I expected from the vague intimations of feudal politics and magical warfare I got? Not usually my sort of humour but it got a laugh out of me once or twice. My favourite character is Wei Wuxian’s donkey.

The conceit of the first story – reviled and abused failson destroys his own soul and offers up his body as a host to the spirit of a legendary evil wizard to wreak bloody vengeance for him, but fucks up the bit of the ritual that tells the spirit who to take revenge on. Also the whole ‘legendary evil wizard’ reputation was at least partially and vaguely due to a propaganda campaign by his enemies and he’s not particular enthusiastic about the ‘murder a whole family’ thing – is also just incredible. I kind of wish it had been more drawn out, before the whole ‘gotta collect them [chunks of a specific super cursed corpse] all!’ plot became the main justifying connective tissue.

Not that the overarching plot is really the story’s strong point – it’s basically just the excuse to keep Wei Wuxian and Wang Lanji together and having adventures. The actual selling points are the backstories and character interactions and to a lesser extent the monster of the week stuff. All of which are pretty well done!

Though as far as monster of the week stuff goes – I’m vaguely aware that cultivation fantasy is a whole, like, genre, with about as many weirdly specific shared assumptions as ‘generic’ western fantasy written by people swimming in a sea of Tolkien/Conan-as-interpreted-by-Warcraft-and-D&D, but I’ve really got zero clue whatsoever to what degree the worldbuilding of this is typical of the genre? Not that it particularly matters, beyond some of the reveals making much more sense if they’re building off an assumed awareness of how the world’s expected to work, all more or less new (though more or less intuitive) to me either way. Fun to see so much magic based around music.

Anyways – obviously I’m going in with a biased perspective but my god can you see how this ended up with a massive shipping fandom. The entire story is nothing but impossibly beautiful men flirting/pranking/sexually harassing each other while being utterly and entirely capable to even understand let along communicate their feelings. The two lead’s entire relationship in this volume is like a dated mid-2000s comedy sketch about two ostensibly straight guys playing gay chicken and both being so competitive that they just end up fucking. Author really knew what they were doing with the fanfic bait.

(Though honestly I’m legitimately unsure if it’s just a matter of narrative choice to not dwell on motivations or Wei Wuxian really is the single most unselfaware asshole in the entire universe. He legitimately seems incapable of understanding his own motivations most of the time.)

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the art, which really is very lovely. Though I will be entirely honest that there’s only so many handsome black-haired men in flowing robes I can keep apart in my head.

But yeah, fun read overall. Don’t exactly feel compelled to go seek out the next volume, but don’t regret having read this one, damn sight better than some other things I’ve read this year.

[bijoumikhawal]

For the ship ask game: Sisko/Garak, Kira/Dax, O'Brien/Bashir

Sisko/Garak: ship it!

What made you ship it? I Do Not Remember. It may have been @ectogeo-rebubbles ITPM fic and it gradually grew on me but I don't know what to do with I now.

What are your favorite things about the ship? 1. Potential analysis for a very different way of being intimate with Garak, for one. With Julian he's always performing a bit, and his intimacy with Julian is cloaked in layers of complications and subterfuge- they're both very used to performing, performance is how that communicate. I find their dialogue often very easy to write because they're both very witty and vaudevillian (it's a dynamic some of the guys from my attempt at an audio drama have lol). But with Sisko I've noticed that Garak has points where he drops the jovial attitude and is very straightforward with him, kind of like he's dropping a ruse. It's not that Sisko doesn't enjoy those mannerisms of Garak's- as I think @wanderingwriter87 pointed out, Sisko appreciates Garak's bits- or that that's false behavior from Garak, but it's a kind of unmasking Garak is not prone to allow. 2. There's a very different power dynamic between them- perhaps controversial but during the run of the show I think Garak is put in a weak position, powerwise, compared to the vast majority of other characters as an exile who does not seem to have his citizenship sorted out. Socially, however, there are ways he wields power with Julian or even like, Quark where he's clearly got an upper hand that he doesn't with Sisko, who is of the same generation as Garak. Like, Garak does very notably manipulate him, but not the way he does with other people. And 3. Comparing and contrasting the social contexts they come from. Obviously Hebitians are like, my blorbo culture, but they're both middle aged men who adore children, and are pretty family oriented! However Sisko has a pretty healthy relationship to his family and Garak's family is an... on fire dumpster. Garak is very loyal to his father and craves his love and needs his approval for survival, while also calling him a monster and wishing him dead. Sisko seems to have trouble understanding that other people have severely negative relationships to their parents that may not be able to get resolved (it happens at least twice) because his father has been a good man to him. And to top all that off, Sisko has a son who's coming into adulthood! Children are their own whole people! Family is not a physically distant concept for him!

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship? I don't think there are popular opinions... maybe that I don't think Garak actually caught Sisko as off guard as people act like he did during IPTM. Like, Sisko’s anger is less about what Garak did and more about the fact that he knows what he did. Sisko knows who garak is, what he's capable of, and if not specifics of what he used to do, the kind of things he used to do. Hell, this is after Garak went to jail for trying to do mass murder. Sisko was planet side during that!

Kira/Dax: I have no hard feelings on it, but I think saying I ship it is lesbian-pair the spares type cheating. I find Kira interesting and have been trying to read more stuff about Jadzia to understand more about her, but I don't rotate them in my head as much separately or together to feel like it counts. I think I've written more like- character analysis? On Kai Winn than on Kira through my perspective of her as a martyr-that-wasn't and how I think DS9 fails to accurately understand and critique the religious context Bajor exists within. Which is funny, because I like Kira and think Winn is a super shitty person- I've mostly ended up thinking about her more because people have such bad takes about her.

O'Brien/Bashir- I don't ship it

Why don't you ship it? Honestly I genuinely think Miles is straight, I don't think his and Julian's relationship has that kind of intimacy and I struggle to understand the intimacy they do have as friends (Miles being an "everyman" means he's a bit of a "shittyman" and we'd be fine co-workers- he's a lot better than some of the people I worked with in welding, which is like winning and award for tallest dwarf- but I would not voluntarily talk to him on off hours). And frankly any openness I've had to it has been killed by the shitty and annoying behavior I've seen from Jiles fans towards their "competition". I'm sure some of it isn't like- sincere? But it's a style of humor and behavior I find rude and off-putting. Also like- I don't like how most people talking about it regard Keiko.

What would have made you like it? You could maybe analyze how Julian thinks he knows what's best for people and that makes him more inclined towards decisions in intrapersonal relationships that really are bad for everyone, I did read a ficlet like that once with it that I found compelling

Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it? I do think it can be an interesting analysis of repression on Miles's part and I hope people have fun with it

[blogchaindeveloper]

Unraveling the Role of NLP in Prompt Engineering

One method in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) that has received a lot of attention recently is called rapid engineering. This technique, which entails creating efficient prompts or instructions, is essential in machine learning and natural language processing (NLP). These prompts let sophisticated AI language models, such as GPT-3.5, produce the intended answers. It's similar to providing these clever computers with a personalized set of instructions to deliver the results we desire.

Deciphering Prompt Engineering: A Crucial Aspect of AI Accuracy

A key idea in AI is prompt engineering, which focuses on how tasks are incorporated into the input as questions rather than being stated directly. Creating the GPT-2 and GPT-3 language models, which demonstrated the effectiveness of rapid engineering, marked a turning point in this sector. Using several NLP datasets, multitask prompt engineering shown impressive results on new tasks in 2021. Thanks to community-led initiatives and open-source contributions, this significantly improved the tools' accessibility.

As of February 2022, more than 2,000 public prompts for about 170 datasets were accessible, demonstrating the increasing popularity and involvement of prompt-based learning. The Segment of Meta Any computer vision model shows the use of prompting to create masks for objects in images, enabling flexible and natural interaction.

The Development of Prompt Engineering from History to the Present

The development of language models such as GPT-2 and GPT-3 is intimately linked to the history of rapid engineering. These models have made possible innovations like chain-of-thought (CoT) prompting, which uses few-shot instances of a task to improve the model's reasoning skills. Community-driven projects and open-source contributions have fueled the availability of quick engineering tools, highlighting their collaborative character.

Overview of Large Language Models for Conversation (LLMs)

From producing code snippets to responding to questions on medical license exams, conversational large language models, like ChatGPT, have generated significant interest in various fields. LLMs are essential software development collaborators in software tools, such as Github's Co-Pilot and well-known integrated development environments. An LLM's programming language for modifying and improving its capabilities is a prompt, a sequence of instructions.

Unleashing Programming Potential: The Influence of Prompts

Consider the following example to demonstrate the efficacy of quick engineering: "Go forward, I want you to ask me questions to install a Python application to AWS. Make a Python script to automate the application deployment once you have sufficient information. By asking the user questions about their software program until it has enough data to create a Python script for automated deployment, this prompt turns ChatGPT into an interactive helper.

Prompts enable the development of new interaction paradigms by going beyond conventional instructions. They can program LLMs to create tests, mimic a Linux terminal window, or change according to changing situations. Prompts' versatility and sophisticated features highlight how crucial it is to design them for purposes beyond simple text or code production.

Problems & Fixes for Prompt Engineering

Although prompt engineering has great promise, establishing a uniform syntax for prompts presents difficulties. The objective is to convey information effectively to a wide range of people, and there are several ways to phrase prompts. It may be difficult for formal grammar to describe the subtle expressions of prompt components. 

The proposal recommends adopting basic contextual statements—written summaries of significant concepts to explain in a prompt—to solve this problem. This method seeks to be intuitive so that users can modify and express statements in ways that are appropriate for the situation.

Using Essential Contextual Statements to Empower AI

The move to basic contextual statements provides quick engineering in an approachable manner. Depending on the user's needs, these phrases might be rephrased to convey essential concepts. Crucially, this method facilitates the introduction of new semantics, enabling users to express ideas using languages or new symbols that strict grammar would not be able to handle.

Creating Discussions: Handling the AI Environment with a Quick Engineer Certification

A specialized, prompt engineer course has become essential for prospective professionals in the industry since the function of a prompt engineer has become necessary for using the full potential of language models such as GPT-3.5. 

Enrolling in a thorough, prompt engineering course allows you to learn about the complexities of AI prompt engineering. It equips you with the necessary skills to create prompts and instructions that effectively direct language models toward your desired answers. In addition to covering the basics of prompt engineering, a well-designed prompt engineer certification program delves into more complex methods for enhancing AI model performance. 

A prompt engineer course gives students a strong foundation in context management, task definition, prompt format and instruction, control parameter modification, fine-tuning, and iterative refinement—all crucial elements of successful prompt engineering. 

In addition to confirming one's ability to handle the intricacies of AI language models, a prompt engineer certification improves one's employability in fields where AI-driven applications are growing in popularity. Furthermore, having a prompt engineering certification makes one stand out in the competitive job market, as the need for qualified prompt engineers keeps increasing. People can specialize in a specific but crucial area of artificial intelligence by enrolling in a quick engineering course, which equips them to contribute significantly to developing machine learning and natural language processing. 

As AI technologies become increasingly integrated into various applications—from conversational agents to code generation—the function of a prompt engineer becomes crucial in ensuring these systems produce the best possible results. Consequently, enrolling in a quick engineering degree is not only a wise professional decision but also an investment in the advancement of AI since it equips students with the knowledge and skills necessary to influence language model behavior and significantly contribute to the fascinating subject of artificial intelligence.

Looking Ahead: Prompt Engineering's Future

The process of prompt engineering is dynamic and requires constant testing, assessment, and improvement. The need for prompt engineering will only increase as AI language models are incorporated into more and more applications. The ultimate objective is to offer a framework for creating prompts that, like software patterns implemented in multiple programming languages, may be modified and reused across different LLMs.

In summary, prompt engineering is a revolutionary force influencing how AI interacts with humans rather than just being a technological component. The thoughtful design of prompts is critical to releasing the full potential of AI language models in various applications as we traverse this changing terrain.

Blockchain Council is a cutting-edge platform that provides AI prompt engineering courses for anyone who wants to learn more about prompt engineering. The Blockchain Council is committed to promoting blockchain research, development, and information sharing as a leading association of subject matter experts and enthusiasts.  The Blockchain Council acknowledges the critical role that prompt engineering will play in influencing AI in the future. Blockchain Council contributes to the continuous evolution of technology by offering its AI certification, which equips people with the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully negotiate the complex world of AI language models.

[sonnenreich]

𝐅𝐑𝐔𝐈𝐓𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒   ♡   𝐒𝐘𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐋 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄

@vasted (the asshat) asked: 🍅  :    how does my muse feel about plastic  /  cosmetic surgeries   &   procedures ?  is it something they have done or would do ?  do they mind if others do it ?  ⸻ he seriously doesn't care when people feel the need to alter their bodies, he's met lots of people seeking his help in these regards, though he's not assisting them with a medical knife. as a descendant of the "fair folk" and blessed with the magical genes of his family, he has never felt the need to change his appearance, he'd been raised confident in his looks and has received lots of praise. however, he's indeed very focused on his looks (who would have guessed), so it can count as a character-flaw. he doesn't judge others though.

@vasted asked: 🍊  :    does my muse desire romance?  is it something they would actively seek out,  or prefer to happen more  ‘  naturally?  ’  what is their love life like?  do they have any exes or past flings,  or crushes? ⸻ as a matter of fact he's never been in love, not even close. but he'd some "romances" here and there, which, in all honesty, can't be avoided when raised in a community full of witches who are just as alluring as he is (benefit and curse of the magical properties in their blood), hadn't been better outside the coven, though that was easier to dismiss. he had broken a witch's heart once or twice. maybe more often than that. he's not seeking love, nor romances at all. he's an outgoing, social and very touchy person. he likes closeness and enjoys it, nothing says attention more than to get lost in another person, to devour them in some way, the most intimate form of praise.

@vikasgarden wondered: 🍏  :    how stable is my muse’s physical health?  do they go for regular or semi-regular checkups by a physician?  do they have any diagnosed illnesses and / or take any medication?  how often do they get sick? ⸻ outstanding, really. he rarely gets sick, eats frequently and doesn't like sweets much, he's not the strongest though. when it comes to muscle and brains, he'd always choose the latter.

@vikasgarden wondered: 🍒  :    how much does my muse value companionship?  do they constantly keep people around them,  or do they prefer to be alone often?  do they have or desire to have many friends?  do they see every meeting as an opportunity to make a new friend? ⸻ it's not like he wants lots of friends, but he needs an audience in some way. he seeks attention, he wants contact to others, he can't stay alone for too long, even though he's capable of staying alone with his mind. born and raised amongst the witches of his coven he is used to be surrounded constantly, he rarely had any time for himself - and he enjoyed that. he misses that even. so in a sense, he's indeed seeking opportunities to make friends - though he knows friendship has its limits. after all, even his own family abandoned him.

@vikasgarden wondered: 🍉  :    which of the four seasons suits my muse best,  and why? ⸻ summer (obviously) & autumn, actually. he likes the weather and the colors the most, also he's born in early november, so he has a special connection to samhain.

@vikasgarden wondered:🍓  :    how is my muse typically seen by others?  does it ring true to who they really are?  does their reputation matter to them? ⸻ tricky. he doesn't even know himself yet who he truly is. he'd always lived in a set pattern, never truly deciding for himself what do to. now he's following a path that might lead him down an abyss. his mother spread warnings of him that he's slowly embracing, instead of invalidating. he's not doing himself any favors and the cost of his way of life is slowly but surely changing him. so yeah, he does care about what others think.

@shevampyre & @gottesgrauen inquired: 🥝  :    does your muse have any  ‘  unusual  ’  habits,  interests,  and  /  or talents?  do they hide it,  or are they proud of it? ⸻ besides blood rituals? not really, I guess one weird hobby is enough. though he has a mad wardrobe (40% clothing, 60% shoes), even a kardashian would turn jealous. perhaps the solar coven practices can be considered unusual. meditating in the sun, performing rituals of gratitude, collecting shiny little rocks and herbs. he also knows how to skin a chicken or a lamb, that can come in handy. he's not ashamed of himself one tiny bit.

@nepnthc submitted: 🍌  :    is my muse inclined to help others,  or will they only do it when it benefits them,  if at all?  what makes them this way?  has it ever gotten them into trouble,  or inconvenienced them?  ⸻ he used to be a very helpful person, never expecting anything in return. depending on what is asked of him, he still is — however, if he deems your request bound to too much effort he'll either decline or propose a deal you should better honour when agreed to. after saving his family and being punished for it, he doesn't feel the need to do that again. well, yes, he's gotten into trouble and it is the biggest inconvenience ever since — a witch without a coven.

@nepnthc submitted: 🥭  :    how important to my muse is their hometown,  or where they’re from?  are they proud of it,  or considered a hometown hero?  did they move away,  or do they wish to? ⸻since he has always lived secluded from the closest town, it didn't meant much to him, despite being a short little trip to get a glimpse of different people. his home on the other hand has meant everything to him and in a sense it still does. he'd loved his family, his sisters and even his mother, even though there had always been something looming above him, a supersition just cause he was who he was. still, he'd never been treated poorly. actually, his mother even believed him to be the most suitable to take her place — which wasn't much liked by the eldest of the coven. he wasn't a "hero" of the coven, but he sure as the sun had high ambitions. he would never have moved away if he hadn't been forced to.

[influencermagazineuk]

Breaking Through: Follow an Indie Filmmaker as He Plays a Winning Hand to Hollywood.

Influencer UK: Thank you for joining us today, Nykeith. Your new series of short films spans a variety of genres—from crime and drama to love, comedy, and horror. What inspired you to explore such a diverse range of themes in your work? Nykeith McNeal: Thanks for having me! I've always believed that storytelling is a versatile art form. Each genre offers a unique lens to examine the human experience. Crime lets us delve into the complexities of morality, drama explores deep emotional landscapes, love highlights our most intimate connections, comedy provides relief and reflection through humor, and horror allows us to confront our fears. Exploring these genres helps me understand and express different facets of life. Influencer UK: How do you feel about the current state of indie filmmaking? Nykeith McNeal: I think indie filmmaking is in an exciting place right now. With the advent of digital technology and streaming platforms, there's more opportunity than ever for independent filmmakers to get their work out there. We're seeing a lot of innovative storytelling and fresh voices that might not have had a platform a decade ago. However, it also means there's a lot of content out there, so standing out requires a unique vision and persistent effort. Influencer UK: You’ve worked on both short films and feature films. What are some of the key differences between the two formats? Nykeith McNeal: Short films and feature films differ significantly in scope and execution. Shorts are like snapshots—they require a concise, impactful narrative that delivers a punch in a limited time. Every second counts. Features, on the other hand, allow for deeper character development and more complex plots. They demand a sustained narrative tension and a more intricate structure. Both have their own challenges and rewards, but they require different approaches to storytelling and pacing. Influencer UK: Which format do you prefer—short films or feature films? Nykeith McNeal: That’s a tough one. I love short films for their brevity and intensity. They’re great for experimenting with new ideas and techniques. Feature films, however, offer a broader canvas. You can delve deeper into the characters and their journeys. Ultimately, it depends on the story I want to tell. Some narratives are perfectly suited for short films, while others need the extended runtime of a feature. Influencer UK: Do you think your series of short films can serve as a pathway to Hollywood? Nykeith McNeal: I certainly hope so! Short films can act as calling cards, showcasing a filmmaker's style, vision, and capability. They’re a way to demonstrate what you can do with limited resources and time, which can be very appealing to producers and studios. If a short resonates well with audiences and industry insiders, it can open doors to larger projects and collaborations. My goal is to tell compelling stories and if that leads to opportunities in Hollywood, that would be fantastic. Influencer UK: What do you think are the essential elements that make a short film successful? Nykeith McNeal: A successful short film needs a strong, engaging premise that can be conveyed quickly. Every scene and dialogue must serve the story. Strong, memorable characters and a clear, impactful ending are crucial. Production quality matters, but the essence is in the storytelling. Creativity and originality often set the best short films apart. Influencer UK: Finally, what advice would you give to aspiring indie filmmakers who are just starting out? Nykeith McNeal: Start small but think big. Focus on telling stories that matter to you and resonate with your experiences. Don’t be afraid to experiment and make mistakes—that’s how you learn and grow. Network with other creatives, and don’t hesitate to put your work out there. The indie film community is supportive and collaborative. Most importantly, stay persistent and passionate about your craft. Influencer UK: Thank you, Nykeith. It's been a pleasure talking with you and getting insight into your creative process and perspectives on filmmaking. We look forward to seeing more of your work. Nykeith McNeal: Thank you! It’s been great sharing my journey. I appreciate the support and interest in my films. Read the full article

[existentialflirt]

Some Good Omens Head Canons (because it's more meta and shippy shit. s/o to @v0litioncheck as usual cos when it comes to the shippier things, I don't know who struck the iron first.

— 6000 years of pining is cute and all and I guess Neil canonized it (as much as he ever will canonize anything) in season two, but idek idek idek, I think it's much more meaningful if they've been together. It even works in the first season and to a lesser degree, book (the question will always be if it was intended to imply a deeper intimacy between them and while I say yes, absolutely, idek, I think I'm a little biased). I'd even argue that it's some of the most normalized queer representation I've seen in recent memory. Because you know, we've seen stories with straight couples where it's just a given they're together and they're intimate in small ways aside from kissing. Touches, looks, the way they talk to each other, tones, pet names, inside jokes, familiarity, which you know, I think are much more organic building blocks to portraying a relationship than y'know kissing and sex scenes (not that I wouldn't have welcomed more explicit intimacy, but the point is that the quieter gestures paint a satisfying tapestry of two characters that are very much in love and have been together for a very long time. Perhaps this internal interpretation of their closeness is why season 2 didn't sit right with me in the end because I feel like it's trying to have it's cake (shippy, romantic fan service that could easily fall in line with the assumption that they're basically married) and eat it too (imply they're actually mutually pining for each other but incapable of communicating that desire which...idek man, that's a pretty hard pill to swallow with how goddamned old they are).

— Demons and angels have a distinctly nonlinear understanding of time and history. I think it's part of the joke of their anachronism in any given time period, but I also think it's serious meta due to an aside in the book about the gift of prophesy and how it interacts with humans. I think it was basically like they were tapping into something but it got scrambled up in their brains most the time. Honestly I think it's the same way for Crowley and Aziraphale, but they're more capable of dealing with it, but maybe not considering Aziraphale's distractable and slightly dotty and Crowley's not that much better. They're both very, very smart, with the wisdom of age on their side but also I mean, they're processing so much information at any given time.

— The reason Aziraphale hasn't fallen despite being in love with a demon, his own hedonistic tendencies, and lying to his boss(es) is because The Fall was a one time thing and part of the Great Plan. After all, you can't have good and evil without the language to express the concepts. God is omniscient but Her ineffability comes in Her silences over certain matters. Let them believe the war was about rebellion and not some cruel twist in testing and toying with her creations. (I also think it's why Az's punishment for conspiring against heaven was death instead of being cast out, although that could lend entirely to Gabriel's temperament than God's will.) Personally, I think God checked out some time after the whole Jesus situation, and is more comparable to an absent, low effort CEO that's taking meetings on Skype or Zoom every few month from their villa in Tahiti.

— So, the point of this impending ramble about supernatural creatures in a body capable of experiencing sensuality, is that I do believe Crowley and Aziraphale are horny for each other. They lust after each other. They fuuuuuuck. Is this natural for either of them? Not really, but I think there are layers to the idea that they've "gone native". It's not just that they drive fast, wear clothing, dress aesthetically, learn slang, learn technology, and eat food/get drunk. They convey emotions, they enjoy frivolities to their kind like sleeping and reading for pleasure. The feeling you get from their kin is that they're driven by purpose rather than any real personal motivation. I do think it took them time (kinda, sorta) to recognize their desires and understand their feelings. They were relatively new beings poured into material forms with hormones and feelings, which I think was probably a lot. Like, yeah if they were incorporeal beings, intimacy would look a lot different, but they're not. They got bodies. (Also I'm a sucker for articulating soulmates with eroticism, so sue me.)

— Honestly, one of my favourite GO thing is the implication that the dichotomy of Good and Evil are less moral compasses and more like rivaling corporations. There are so many interesting components to that idea that just fuels half of my head canons. I like the urban fantasy aspect of it to, but I'm just...I'm just a sucker for the visual language and the anachronistic bits of them talking about licensing, paperwork, invoices, lying in progress reports in the context of miracles and divine/infernal influence on humanity. God, that's so good.

...............................................................as a tangent, that's another thing that frustrates me about season two. Have I mentioned this? Probably, but whatever, we're going to whine about it again anyway. Because I reeeeeaaaaaalllllllly get why they changed the ending of s1 to make it more dynamic. Fine. Great. The book ending I think is more cohesive to the overall story, but I totally get how it would play as anticlimactic in the visual medium. The issue is that s1 ends with this massive, glorious hoodwink, which...is never really addressed like? Did anyone in Heaven or Hell figure out their little trick? If not why don't they treat Aziraphale and Crowley as more dangerous? The grand irony of s2 is that it gels better with the end of the book, which was so much more lowkey. *sighs* Maybe it'll come back up in s3, but honestly, it eats at me. (Generally, my head canon fix is that it got lost in the shuffle of bureaucracy and the chaos of trying to shore things back up in the wake of the apocalypse-that-wasn't.)

[peachsayshi]

Please elaborate on nanami in bed pls ☺️

(I feel like he wouldn’t be dom in like…a very super duper rough and cruel way which is v sexy but more so sukuna or toji’s style, but in a more strict, authoritative way that still has this undercurrent of gentleness, which is also v sexy and v much nanami). Ofc I like to think he’d be capable of and sometimes enjoy being rough but overall he’s the type of man to prefer “making love” to just fucking.

Hey, anon! ☺️ So, you want more thoughts on Nanami in the bedroom, well here you go 😉

I totally agree that he’s all about making love. I definitely see Nanami being an affectionate husband/partner towards his significant other but not in an emotional sense. His love languages, in my opinion, are acts of service and quality time. Ultimately though, he would be completely devoted to his significant other once he is in a serious relationship with them 

Now, like I mentioned, I think he’s dominant in the bedroom and I agree that he is also not cruel or mean. (I definitely picture other JJK characters being a part of that category but not him 😂) However, I do think he’s a dominant who loves being in control of what is happening between himself and his partner within the bedroom. 

First let me start off with this: Nanami is all about communication. Nothing happens in the bedroom unless you both have discussed it beforehand. He needs your consent otherwise he just isn’t interested, and he’s more than willing to be experimental as long as you’re okay with either what he (or you) brings to the table. 

When I mentioned that he isn’t afraid to get rough with you it’s because it’s all about trust. Your body is precious to him, and he marks you like you’re a painting and he’s the artist holding the brush. When he leaves love bites across your skin it’s always with intention, a little trail for him to remember where his lips tracked and tasted you the next time he has the pleasure of seeing you naked. 

When he binds you with rope, it’s with precision. He finds the act intimate, watching you sit in front of him like a doll as he twists each knot around the surface of your soft skin. The obedience reminds him how much you trust him, and how willing you are to give your body to him. Sometimes he will use his ties to secure your wrists, or a belt to collar your throat. Either way, you look completely beautiful coming undone beneath him. The man has incredibly sharp eyes and pays close attention whenever you both dance between the line of pain and pleasure. 

I also don’t think he’s cruel enough to willingly want to degrade you. He can’t bring himself to say those words to you, but if you asked he would oblige but only after ensuring that you know it’s to appease your fantasies only. 

However, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t like to be addressed in a certain way. I don’t particularly see him as a Daddy!Dom but he’s definitely someone who you would call “Sir” in the bedroom. When he finds you misbehaving, or breaking one of the rules you both agreed upon, his punishments aren’t harsh but they are very much calculative. He would edge you for hours, put you over his knee, or even withhold himself from touching you when you are at your neediest. 

I definitely think he sees making love vs. sex for pleasure as two very different things, because when he is making love to you his heart is completely exposed. He submits himself solely to you alone, without any question or hesitation. 

When he wants to have sex for pleasure - you are both playing your roles, recreating whatever fantasies you both have in mind. Nanami treats it like a hobby and will spoil you rotten because of it: he’ll buy plenty of outfits just because he wants to see you wear them, splurge on toys for you both to experiment with, will schedule spa days for you to get pampered and massaged just so you’re ready for him by the evening. 

Even with all these things in place, after care is an absolute must with him, especially on nights when he fucks you harder than usual. He will praise you until he’s blue in the face, telling you over and over how good you were for him and how well you handled such an intense session. He has painkillers handy if you need, salve to massage over any marks, and water to ensure your hydrated. Since he’s such an excellent cook, he always makes sure to prepare something beforehand just to feed you afterward. He handles all the cleaning up and will be the one to make sure that you are showered and comfortably tucked in bed at the end of the night. 

Besides, there is no one better to trust in the bedroom in my opinion 😉 I think he approaches making love and fucking very similarly but the dynamics surroundings the acts is what differentiates them. 

Either way, I’m always here to thirst talk about my favorite JJK men hehe I’m sorry if this answer was a little too long. You got my brain rolling, anon! 

[palimpsessed]

Hey. You post a lot of great stuff about Carry On. Can you talk about the biting in AWTWB. The Baz/Simon scenes.Trying to wrap my head around it to understand why Simon did that. Why he bites Baz and keeps biting. Bites his fangs through his cheek. Is it because Simon wants to be bitten? That he wants Baz so much and Baz can't be harmed? I'm really trying to understand it but . . . what do you think?

Anon, thank you for this ask, and also for liking whatever I'm doing on my blog.

Can I talk about the biting? You bet I can!

Why does Simon bite Baz? Is it because he wants to be bitten? In a word, yes! But of course, there's a lot more to it than that. And this went off in another direction than I thought it would, so I hope you can stick with me on this journey! Under the cut because it’s a bit long.

There is a motif running throughout the trilogy of love being a consuming force. So much of Simon and Baz's identities are tied up in hunger very early on: Baz, as a vampire, constantly craving blood; Simon, as the Humdrum, constantly sucking up magic; both of them starved of love and intimacy. There's also a lot of fire imagery, going all the way back to when they first met, and fire is another consuming force.

Simon and Baz are obsessed with each other. The only thing they think about is each other. ("Trying not to think about you…S'like trying not to think about an elephant that's standing on my chest.") They are consumed and they want to consume, and, at least in Simon's case, they want to be consumed.

In WS, Simon reflects on misunderstanding his feelings for Baz prior to eighth year, and the way he does it has always stuck out to me: "I thought about him all the time. I missed him so much in the summer. (I thought I was just lonely. I thought I was hungry. I thought I was bored.)" The second item on that list is what catches my attention. Simon missed Baz and he thought he was hungry. I think it says a lot about how Simon's love for Baz feels if he mistakes it for actual hunger.

In the biting scene you mentioned, Simon says to Baz: "If it were me, if I were you…I'd drain you fuckin' dry, Baz, and it still wouldn't be enough." That's intense. And it's absolutely Simon. We know how much hunger he's capable of; his hunger was so potent, it became a whole other being! I've long maintained that his hunger for magic is a metaphor for his hunger for love. Because Simon is so full of love, and just utterly bereft of people to give it to, and once he has people to love, he doesn't know how to do it without also hurting them. He's never had good relationship modeling. (He thinks Baz should know he loves him because of how many things he's killed for him.—He thinks about teaching Baz how to break someone's neck like it's a fun couples' activity.—He gets turned on by killing things and watching Baz kill, too.—Date night is helping Baz hunt down rats.) Simon is a mess. He wants to love so badly, but he just doesn't know how to do it. ("Is this what people do?")

Simon loves Baz so much, he can't fathom ever getting enough of him. Ever being able to consume enough of him. He can't stop biting and smelling and grabbing because he wants more, more, more. He fits his teeth over Baz's old scars because he needs to claim him—make his own mark on Baz, possess him.

Part of this, as you said, is the fact that Baz is a vampire. Baz can take the roughness (which is not to say that he should just because he can). Simon's fixation on Baz's vampirism, which used to play out as paranoia, has changed into a desire to be bitten. Simon is thinking about Baz's vampirism, thinking about draining Baz dry if he were the vampire, and Baz, the human.

The other part of this is that Simon is unfettered, but really only in the aggressive, physical sense. He's long hidden his desires behind aggression without realizing that's what he was doing. (In CO: "I just want to run him down and knock him over and figure it all out." In AWTWB: "I wanted to jump on you, I didn't really think past that.") He doesn't know how to be unfettered in the vulnerable, emotional sense, and that's what keeps him from being able to be intimate with Baz. ("I don't know how, Baz…To get enough.")

Simon desperately wants to have sex with Baz. Which is what he's trying to do in the biting scene, but all of his desires are warring for control, and he can't sort out what he wants, and what he should be doing in that moment, with Baz.

What this is all leading me to may be a bit off topic, but I think it's all tied up in Simon's head.

Simon doesn't know how to be gentle.

His hunger and his desire for Baz have never been gentle. It's aggression, it's violence, it's possession; it's a forest fire, it's not a hidden waterfall.

Simon has never learned how to be at peace. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Rainbow said she made Simon "fight of flight"—literally, he has wings! There's a reason that Simon couldn't handle the inaction at the beginning of CO and before the events of WS. There's a reason that Penelope thought that they were "being lulled" because there was no war actively being waged. There's a reason Penelope tells us in WS: "Lesson learned: Relaxation is the most insidious humdrum." These are characters who are so traumatized by childhoods being foot soldiers in a war waged by the adults they trusted, they don't know how to live without fighting! They don't know how to live in peace.

We all have "I can touch you less gently, but I won't love you less kindly" burned into our eyeballs by now, but let's move earlier in that conversation to what sparks this: "What if I asked you to be less kind to me?" —What if I asked you to be less kind to me?— Simon doesn't feel comfortable with Baz's kindness or gentleness, because it "makes me feel like I'm being turned inside out. Like I need to get away." Let's sit with this for a bit. Baz's loving touches make Simon want to run because they're kind and gentle and he doesn't know what to do with kind and gentle. His mind isn't programmed for kind and gentle.

It makes complete sense that Simon would show Baz affection in a way that Simon understands, considering, as I said before, that he hasn't had anyone in his life to show him a healthy way to do this. What does Simon most want from Baz? Love. What does Simon understand love to be? Consumption. He wants roughness and aggression, he wants the inferno, because these are things he understands.

Simon wants Baz's teeth, so he gives Baz his teeth.

This is how Simon feels comfortable. I made this post while processing my feelings about AWTWB. It talks about Simon trying to love Baz the way he wants to be loved, and Baz trying to love Simon the way he wants to be loved. They want to give each other everything, but they haven't actually communicated their needs to one another, and that's what keeps them from being able to work through their problems. It isn't until they voice their needs that they're able to be intimate. This is what I'm really trying to get at here.

"Is this what people do?" Simon asks, over and over again. When Simon was in therapy, he learned a technique to break up "life into bites you can swallow". He tells us he's doing this again in AWTWB "because [the future] is too terrifying. Too uncertain. There are parts of it that are too bright." —There are parts of it that are too bright.— Simon doesn't know how to be happy. He doesn't know how to cope with happiness. "Is this what people do when they're in love? Do they just keep touching and talking? And then what? Like what is it all leading to? I don't mean sex, I mean… If I knew what I meant, it wouldn't be so frightening." When Simon is having all these overwhelming feelings about his future with Baz, they're on the Tube, and Simon sees a guy giving him and Baz "a dirty look". He interrupts his introspective on therapy to tell us that he wants the guy to cause trouble "because I would dearly love to punch something right now. That's a decision I could wrap my brain around." He can wrap his brain around punching someone, but not around a bright future with the man he loves.

Simon doesn't know how to be at peace. He doesn't know how to be in love. He doesn't know how to be happy. I think this is what we're seeing at play when he bites Baz. He wants something so badly, but he doesn't know what it is, can't articulate it, can't get at it. In a way, when he bites Baz, Simon is trying to ask for what he wants, without words, and without really knowing what it is that he does want.

He can't figure out how to let himself be happy and feel good while being happy. He can't stand gentleness, or softness. In his head, he can't give that to Baz, because he can't handle it himself.

So, yes, Simon bites Baz because he wants to be bitten. And he bites Baz because he knows Baz can handle it. And he bites Baz because there's an emptiness inside of him that he's still trying to fill, and he doesn't understand how to do that. Someday, he will fill it. He and Baz are going to figure that out together.

I hope this makes sense. With your indulgence, Anon, I'm going to tag in @theflyingpeach who is all around brilliant, and I know has their own thoughts about this scene (and demon Simon 👀👀👀) that I would like to see more of. 🥰

A follow up to this ask can be found here.

Further reading on the relationship between consumption, food, and love compiled here.

[kazuwhora]

hello hello, i see your requests are open now and can i request izana, wakasa, chifuyu and kazutora with an akutagawa!s/o? hope you have a great day/noon/night! ✨🤗

hi anon! sure! I will try my best with izana and wakasa since there's not tons to work with personality wise so forgive me if theirs are a little shorter heh. im gonna include a little blurb from the bsd fandom wiki for anyone not familiar with his character! I like these kinds of headcanon requests so if anyone wants to see more please feel free to request!

"Akutagawa has a black and white "survival of the fittest" view of the world, claiming that weak people should die and give way to the stronger ones. He is not afraid of pain and defeat His ruthless, vicious nature makes him one of the Port Mafia's most dangerous members, feared by both ally and foe. As violent as he is, Akutagawa maintains a generally composed and detached approach. Towards subordinates and superiors alike, he acts aloof, distancing himself from social interactions however possible. Nonetheless, his composure is fragile. Akutagawa is quick to lash out, ridiculing him for risking the bounty by acting recklessly. This quick temper often gets in his way, fuelling his actions to the core of his very being."

SUMMARY: izana, wakasa, chifuyu, && kazutora with an akutagawa!so

CW: hints of toxicity and violence, mentions of sex but not really all that nsfw-ish so otherwise not much else!

IZANA

- this is an interesting one because from what we know about izana, he is very similar in personality to akutagawa in terms of ruthlessness that stems from childhood trauma and isolation.

- in the case of a s/o with this personality, I think it would be a troubling relationship. lots of bitter fights fuelled by nothing but an inability to express vulnerability, while leaving both of you torn up inside and begging for someone to nurture the trauma and allow space for emotions.

- that being said, with toxicity and trauma also comes intense passion and desire. this relationship brings a lot of fire both in the bedroom and outside of the bedroom, with simple arguments often spawning into intense desperate (and lengthy might I add) sex. like, intense. it's almost like sex is the only safe outlet of these pent up emotions, providing a sort of comfort and also distraction for both parties.

- however as I said in general, this is definitely a toxic relationship. one where neither can help the other when it comes to growth and improvement on a personal level. it's unhealthy and enabling, but for a short lived fling it is hot as fuck im not even gonna lie. lots of hate sex too.

WAKASA

- so wakasa is another interesting one alongside izana given the lack of information and content we have about his character so please excuse the slight kc fanon version I have in my head of wakasa lol

- wakasa has a "don't fuck with me because I do not fucking care" type of vibe to him. I definitely think he's the type to completely disengage from the type of behaviours an akutagawa-type s/o might display. this leads to sort of a sense of competitiveness in trying to get some kind of reaction from him, and it has the potential (much like izana) to become toxic in nature

- any attempts to get under his skin are failed attempts, and the way he looks at you with that half bored expression is something that only triggers more of a somewhat emotional response from you.

- with that being said, my fanon version of wakasa is someone who while cold and aloof, is also quite a rational person. he's been typed by the fandom as INTJ which is quite a quick thinker, and I think he probably (despite not showing it very well) has a soft spot for you. but your passion and intensity (as well as your easily triggered dynamic) keeps him from completely being able to express this care in any way other than not engaging with your antics

- as much as there are some similarities with the type of toxicity in this relationship with both wakasa and izana, the intense passion isn't quite the same as it is with izana. instead, feelings of passion are more to the point and driven by pure instinct and desire rather than toxic passion. wakasa seeming like a very literal person, is actually quite mysterious deep down and has a lot (I mean a lot) of hidden desires and kinks that begin to emerge with time. it's rarely a conversation, and more often just something that happens that surprises you. you just have to go with the flow here, and let him take the reigns for once. it might actually be a good opportunity to allow for vulnerability to take the spotlight for once, which is something wakasa is surprisingly in tune with and quite to the point about.

CHIFUYU

- this is something much healthier than the last two. chifuyu, being an enfp is someone that's able to handle this level of intensity in a person while still being able to understand what's really going on.

- call him the trauma counsellor king. he values each and every response to a trigger that you might have. he notices patterns, he makes mental notes of things, and he does this all without making it seem like he's analyzing.

- to be honest he actually loves the spunk you bring on a day to day level. even though most of the time it's driven by bitterness or hate (not always towards him just in general) he is still able to see beyond that and appreciate you for what you are.

- with that being said, chifuyu will not stand for any toxic behaviour towards him. no sir he will not. threats and pushes for fights wont be tolerated, and he will either disengage or try to expose your vulnerabilities in an attempt at forced submission. this can be hard to get used to, especially with having a personality characterized by the inability to accept being vulnerable. but with time chifuyu is one to create a safe space for you to allow yourself to feel emotions beyond anger and resentment, and he encourages this.

- because of this very feelings based approach, intimacy with chifuyu is just that: intimate. he's extremely loving and doting, hoping that his sweetness can rub off on you a little bit. however he's also very accepting of your need for power over him (especially during sex) and will absolutely submit to your needs in order to please you.

- he really likes to put you in a place of pleasure though, so however that may come to you chifuyu is the one to deliver it.

KAZUTORA

- oh boy. this one is a doozy. listen. if we're talking about timeskip kazutora (as is the case with all characters i write about but I feel it especially important to remind ppl of here given his history), we're talking about someone who is quite literally walking on eggshells in terms of his trauma and emotional vulnerability.

- he's pretty good at being emotionally aware of his needs and struggles as well as the needs and struggles of those around him, but that doesn't mean that he's entirely healed or capable of managing toxicity or his triggers. he still slips up from time to time especially when things get hard, and sometimes finds himself falling into his old patterns. after all, he's only human. but this is where things could get messy in a relationship.

- for the most part, like I said, he's pretty good. so let's focus on that part first since I want to give him credit where it's due. he is very desperate for love and dedicated to providing something to his partner. in this case, he will seek to tap into his emotional vulnerability to provide some sort of comfort for you. he wants to see you happy, and calm, because he sees so much of his old self in you that it gets to him sometimes. but at the same time, he struggles with your relentlessness and can become emotionally drained when things get tough. he'll beat himself up for not being good enough to help you, and this is when he'll isolate and fall into old patterns.

- however, akutagawa's personality type isn't all bad. with a s/o like akutagawa, comes an immense amount of protection and loyalty for their loved ones no matter how tough things might be. in this case it might be hard to communicate this, but there will be times when it's needed in order for kazutora to restrain from old habits and ways of dealing with hardships. but he wants to share his healing with you, he wants you to be happy, and more than anything he understands the struggle of wanting to be happy and healthy but being afraid of losing the one thing that makes you you: your attitude and relentlessness. nobody understands this better than kazutora, which is why things between you can get frustrating and very personal for him.

- much like chifuyu, sex is driven towards pleasing you and only you. chifuyu leans more into switch territory however, while kazutora is 100% submissive. in this case it works out well, however he has a lot of boundaries and limitations when it comes to the way in which you function. he doesn't like degradation. instead, he thrives from praise and any sign of love and care. this might be tough for you to execute 100% of the time, but when it comes down to it the way his eyes twinkle for you is enough to make the ice around your heart melt just a little more each time.

[ciceroprofacto]

Baron von Steuben and the theme of Madness in SOA

I doubt anyone will ever ask about this, but I think it’s important to break down John’s conversation with Steuben at the end of 18 because it’s so important to the plot and I left things happening off-screen that I wanted to put in a couple ficlets, but at this rate probably never will, so-

 “When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?  Perhaps to be too practical is madness.  To surrender dreams — this may be madness.  Too much sanity may be madness —  And maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

Meta under the cut

Over the course of SOA, the label ‘Madness’ will get transposed over three concepts: love, war, and politics. Those concepts will be necessarily blended and layered over each other, and it’ll get more and more murky which concept the characters are referring to.

It first came up in regards to love circa chapter 12- 

“In war we fear what will happen when we meet the enemy- what he will do to us. In love, we fear ourselves and when we will part- what we will do to ourselves.” “You make it sound like madness...” There’s a taunting lilt in Hamilton’s voice that tells me he’s smiling while he says this, laughing, but I think if I looked, I’d see the veneer, how much truth he tries to tuck away in his tone. Lafayette laughs anyway, “Only if you try to avoid it.”

I bolded Lafayette’s dialogue because ‘we fear ourselves’ is what Madness has meant to John and Alex in regards to Love for the first 15 chapters of the story. They were full of their own inhibitions around the concept- around the moral connotation of physical intimacy or the personal commitment to vulnerability.  

Here’s a romance arc summary post for reference.

After John recognizes that he can’t choose to not pursue his feelings- that resisting is more destructive to him than any consequences that could come of them (including death), he starts referring to this view of Love as Madness in the past tense, and usually to accuse Alex of being fearful towards the concept.

So, Lafayette’s correction to Alex in chapter 12 defines what Madness in Love comes to mean in the story. 

Now- John made that development in himself by himself, but Steuben played a major role in giving him the space to do so.  Throughout their interactions, John’s been focused on ensuring that the Army can use Steuben’s military expertise to its greatest potential.  He’s duty-driven towards that goal, and Steuben respects it and has accepted the help in every way he could. 

But, at the same time- while John’s there advising and helping him, Steuben’s office has a very-specific environment that’s very different from working in Washington’s office. They spend just as much time talking about philosophy and poetry and gossip as they do on work. Caty comes over and distracts them whenever she can and Steuben encourages it. Their interests as people are valuable and aren’t immediately assessed as possible weapons for the cause. The underlying message is that their humanity is more important than their utility. 

And, while a major feature of John’s humanity is out on display during the Enslin trial, it’s not just a matter of the camp condemning sodomy, but it’s an indictment of the concept of men being physically-intimate with each other. To John- it’s an indictment of his heart- of who he’s capable of loving, and he’s angry and frustrated and ashamed- and ashamed of that shame. But, Steuben is there again and again to encourage him in the other direction. John doesn’t deserve the ways he condemns himself. This isn’t about him. How he feels isn’t this.

John’s grown so much during this arc and through this exposure to community that; when he approaches Alex at the end of 16 to properly confess that he doesn’t just want to be partners, he wants to be lovers, and Alex replies by confessing that he’s been manipulating his career throughout their relationship; John has the confidence in himself to recognize that Alex is using that fact to dodge vulnerability and basically come back and say “so what- you fell for me anyway.”

So what does this have to do with Madness?

The conversation between Steuben and John at the end of 18 defines Steuben’s philosophy of Madness and Sanity and recognizes the shift that’s taken place. Predictably- it’s a direct reference to the Don Quixote quote that kicked off the chapter and which Steuben’s referencing during their conversation.

“Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — And maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

Steuben is familiar with both John and Alex’s backstories. It’s a fact that’s been an endless source of discomfort for John, recognizing that Steuben seems to know things about Alex’s thoughts and beliefs that he doesn’t, and unsure how much he knows about him at any given moment. This vibe comes from two off-screen conversations-

A conversation with Henry Laurens ~early February timeframe~ while staying with him in York on his way to meet Congress in which Henry expressed his concern for John after getting his response back, “You asked me, my Dear Father what bounds I have set to my desire of serving my Country in the Military Line. I answer glorious Death, or the Triumph of the Cause in which I am engaged.”

A conversation about personal ambition with Alex in which Steuben recognizes that he doesn’t seem happy with the way that Washington employs him- that he’s right to want to be recognized and properly-employed, not sent on impossible errands anytime Washington is afraid his reputation might suffer from failure.

From those conversations, Steuben knows them on a pretty deep level already. Alex wants power over his own life, and John wants to be the perfect citizen. Alex is motivated by a desire for self-sufficiency, and that’s filtered through his investment in the war and his keen awareness of the social structure of the society he lives in. John is motivated by his intrinsic need to be Good filtered through his investment in the war and his lifelong embroilment in public duties as colonial aristocracy. 

So, breaking down the conversation, it plays out like this:

Steuben posits that, despite the fact that we all play parts in our day to day lives, we should be genuine to ourselves because we can’t keep up an act all the time, and sometimes we promise more than we can give.

Then, he recognizes John’s role as the bayard as an act. He admits that it’s an important role for the times they’re in and he says that John is the ideal person to fill that role. He steps closer to him and starts undoing his cravat where John has hidden hickeys from his night with Alex, revealing the truth of John’s sexuality in this safe place, while recognizing him as the ideal role model for American valor.

And then he drops this whopper that has John understandably confused and in tears:

“I believe you are lucky. Your vision of the world as it should be is as close to madness as any man should ever come, and you have found a friend who is so wretchedly sane he might save you. I believe, if your vision can be saved, you boys might just make that beautiful madness a reality. And that thought is exciting.”

And he’s saying a lot here. 

Remember his definition of Madness:

“Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams — this may be madness. Too much sanity may be madness — And maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!”

So, It’s really counterintuitive, but what Steuben’s calling ‘close to madness’, is John’s extreme sense of public duty. His sense of his place in the world and how he can serve it best.

In love- that’s being a faithful husband.

In war- that’s being an obedient and useful aide to Washington

In politics- that’s supporting his father and keeping him informed about the military’s needs.

He’s saying that John is too good at being dutiful- he’s nearly giving up on his own dreams and desires for himself.

But! He’s been lucky- he has a friend who’s secretly very selfish in that respect.

On the subject of Love, Steuben knows that John is the more-repressed of the two, and he knows that Alex has encouraged him to pursue intimacy. Which John needs to reach self-actualization.

On the subject of War, Steuben doesn’t know about it yet, but he’s right on this too- John’s plan for arming slaves and adding them to their numbers would be an effective tool in furthering the ideal of Liberty they’re rallying people around, but he’s held back by his duty as a son not to mangle his father’s standing. Meanwhile, Alex sees the idealistic vision that John has, he sees the reservations that John has, and he suggested bolder methods that wouldn’t require John’s father’s support.

On the subject of Politics,  Steuben knows that Alex hides his ambitions because they’d be hindrances to his autonomy on Washington’s staff, but now- with John’s social standing and support, and Alex’s ambition and John’s idealism make a heady mix.

And then, Steuben asserts that- if John can manage to serve his public duties like he’s aiming for now without destroying himself or deadening himself, he’ll be the perfect citizen he’s hoping to be.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

For each member of the Cullens, what do you think it would take for them to realize the extent of how unhinged Edward is and what do you think they would do about it, if anything?

Well, we’re going dark places today, aren’t we?

Alice

Alice is already fully aware of what Edward is, she simply doesn’t care.

There are visions that Alice misses, Edward thinks Alice misses the vast majority of Biology due to being hyper focused on Jasper (and likely missed the school massacre that Edward was seriously planning) but there is a lot she doesn’t miss.

Every time Edward thinks about how great it’d be to smash Mike Newton’s head like a watermelon, every time he considers devouring Bella, every time he enters her room unannounced to stare at her while she sleeps unawares, the time Edward considers genocide of the Quileute Tribe because of Jake’s telling Bella a story he doesn’t even believe, Alice knows.

It changes nothing for her.

She roots for Edward and Bella’s relationship, not because she knows for a certainty it will work out, but because it might. And that slim might, where Bella Swan might survive and become Edward’s lover as well as her own Barbie is worth everything they put Bella through to get there.

Also damningly, Alice cares very little for how good Edward is for Bella just as she cares very little for Bella period. Bella is Alice’s excuse to party and a dress up toy, but Alice will cut contact with her to a) please Edward b) prove a point to Edward.

Worse, Alice will take Bella to Italy, a city where she knows Bella will be killed with a 90% chance upon entry, on the slim chance that they might prevent Edward’s suicide. Yes, she vaguely explains the risk Bella’s taking, but she doesn’t say it in clear terms nor does she waste much time arguing.

Edward is far more important to Alice than Bella.

What I’m getting at is, thanks to her gift, Alice is intimately aware of just what Edward is capable of. She doesn’t care. And yes, there’s something to be said that Edward, more often than not, does not act upon these futures and he shouldn’t be condemned for choices he does not make. However, he does make some of them, and Alice knows.

There’s nothing I think Edward could do to either inform her that she was gravely wrong in how she perceived him or drive her away. Alice would be disappointed he’s thrown the family into such disarray but most likely would try to steer him away from whatever choice would cause such a rift.

She would aid, abet, and enable him because that is what will keep the Cullens together. Which is something Alice very much wants.

Carlisle

Carlisle lives in a river in Egypt, the water is made of double think. There are strong hints that Carlisle’s family is not quite as gung ho or altruistic about the diet as he is. Instead of being appalled, Carlisle quietly lowers his standards, and gives enthusiastic applause when Edward does things like choose not to brutally murder the serial rapist who nearly raped Bella. This is big growth for Edward! He also takes measures like sending family members who have accidents to their victims funeral, in the hopes that something, maybe, might make them see humans as people worthy of life.

If you asked him though, he’d talk about how amazing his family and the Denali are for the diet, and how he’s so proud to be a part of this community that values human life. LOOK HOW MUCH THEY VALUE IT.

When it comes to Edward, I think Edward holds a special place in Carlisle’s heart. He was not only the first person he turned, but Edward left and came back, to Carlisle this signaled that he’d found meaning and purpose in preserving human life. More, Edward... is very good at hiding what he is and is desperate that Carlisle above all others never see it.

Rather than have a conscience, most of the time, what stops Edward from “you name horrific action” of the day is the thought of “What would Carlisle say?” 

My point being, from the outside, especially to Carlisle, Edward truly does look like a noble soul. There are... flags, but they’re easily ignored or written off as issues with Edward’s emotional maturity.

Where Carlisle starts getting concerned is with Bella. Edward leaves for Alaska, great, Carlisle’s proud he was able to make that decision and know his limits. ThEn EdWArd CoMeS BaCK.

Edward comes back, in a week, nothing has changed, and he refuses to leave. Carlisle talks to him, Edward’s thinking he’s better than Hamburger and he can’t let her win, what he actually says to Carlisle is something along the lines of “I can’t run from my fears” Carlisle does an upside down smiley face then says, “Yes, you can, please do” And Edward doesn’t.

Things with Edward and this girl get progressively weird, but Carlisle is very proud that Edward sees the value of human life and not murdering a girl for being nearly hit by a van (this is how low Carlisle’s standards have become), and then Alice goes, “Oh, by the way, Edward is in love with this girl!”

Carlisle just sits there, “Alright then” and quietly puts aside his dreams of moving to a town where Edward doesn’t eat Bella Swan.

But I’m getting off track, this isn’t about canon where Carlisle can explain Edward’s actions away as noble but extreme, emotionally immature, and misguided.

Eating Bella’s not enough. Carlisle will see this as a tragic accident, something he foresaw, but something he assumes will haunt Edward for eternity. And, as it will haunt Edward for eternity (though not for the reasons Carlisle assumes) there will be nothing to make Carlisle question Edward’s character. He was young and foolish to think his limits were endless, but this was a tragic accident.

And it’s something, that in canon, Carlisle is hoping won’t happen but expects with helplessness.

I think there are a number of things that could do it. Had Edward eaten Biology, had he decided to defy Volturi law by eating Saint Marcus’ Square, but staying closer to the realm of possibility...

Had Edward forcibly aborted Bella, murdering her and her child in the process, or else if Renesmee didn’t have her gift, and Edward murdered her after her birth (assuming Jake didn’t get to it first).

Those actions cannot be excused away nor cannot be seen as tragic accidents. They are premeditated and evil, and yes evil is a strong word, yet here we are. This is Carlisle staring in the face of madness.

And that’s what it will take.

If Edward cheats on Bella, then while Carlisle is sad and disappointed, affairs happen and passion fades. More, Edward and Bella married awfully young and barely knew each other, this perhaps isn’t surprising.

If Edward eats a human Bella on the day she’s supposed to be turned, in very suspicious circumstances right at the last minute. Carlisle will know, deep down, but never allow himself to believe it. He’ll think Edward is utterly devestated and had let his guard down on that last day in anticipation of Bella’s turning.

This though, there’s no denying this.

I don’t believe Carlisle can kill Edward. Murder is not in his nature, and more, Edward is so dear to him. And now that this has happened, Carlisle would blame himself in part because surely, the human Edward Masen would never have become this. 

He’d likely reach out to Aro. Eclipse has happened, but not Breaking Dawn, and more everything is in question. He has to know the truth from a man who has seen Edward’s very soul. He goes in person, likely tells Edward his plans, and Edward rages but that doesn’t stop Carlisle.

Rosalie (more on her below) would never forgive Edward, ever, she is done. She and Emmett likely go with Carlisle to Volterra to hear the truth of what Edward is. Esme stays behind with Edward, torn in half, but unable to leave his side in this time of crisis. With that, her and Carlisle’s marriage completely dissolves on the spot. Alice stays with Edward as well, which means Jasper does to, though this likely starts the gears in head and he begins to contemplate leaving his wife. Though I imagine he won’t act for some time.

By the time Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle reach Volterra the coven is broken.

If Bella survived, if Edward murdered Renesmee while she was out of commission for three days, then I imagine she too goes to Volterra. Not for truth, but so that Aro can murder her, because there’s no point in living anymore.

Emmett

It would have to be beyond the pale extreme because Emmett gets more hints than most of the family (i.e. Carlisle and Rosalie).

Edward doesn’t really confide in Emmett, per se, but he does say some pretty damning things on their hunting trip in New Moon and give off varying vibes of crazy. Rather than realize that Edward, perhaps, is dangerous, Emmett only gets the feeling that Edward might not be alright in the head. Mostly, Emmett doesn’t want to think about it.

So he gets to listen to Edward raving about how Bella could be crushed by a meteor, wondering why Edward even cares when two days ago he didn’t give a flying fuck about this rando tasty human.

To Emmett, Edward has been laughing madly to himself for days, is now a  paranoid wreck, and is starting to creep him out but... Maybe if he ignores it, Edward will go back to normal?

Not helping is that Emmett doesn’t care about human life. He’s constantly telling Edward to treat himself and eat Bella, in a manner that suggests he vicariously wants to live through the delicious experience (as well as get Edward to calm down). 

If Edward eats Bella, Emmett will slap him on the back and say “Good job, bro!” If Edward eats Bella after the whole “love” thing, well, that’s weird, but, uh, “Sorry, bro?” If Edward murders all of Biology...

Then Emmet might do a double take and think, you know, maybe something’s not right with Edward.

I think he’d suggest he and Rose take a very long vacation and wait for things to calm down. Hoping that, if he ignores this, it will go away and Edward will return to a... saneish person.

What Rose thinks is a different story.

Esme

There is nothing on this planet that could tear Esme away from Edward. Esme’s purpose in life, the thing that gives her joy each morning and each night, is her family which you can condense down to Edward: the best and brightest of all of us.

We see it in canon.

The day after Edward decides he’s in love he acts like a lunatic. The car smells like Bella, as he kidnapped her for a ride home (Bella did not realize she had, in fact, been abducted. Edward does for two seconds then says to himself, “No, no, this is--completely necessary. I’M A MONSTER”

Jasper, Alice, Rosalie, and Emmett get to ride home in this Bella smelling car. Edward keeps laughing, like he’s in an opium den, it’s fucking weird. Edward offers no explanation, the car always smells like Bella, what are you talking about?

Edward then skips to the piano, giggling to himself, and sits down to compose. An action he hasn’t done in years. He’s still grinning and giggling to himself, by the way. Alice joins him at the piano, being equally cryptic and weird as usual. For some reason, Rosalie leaves the room in complete humiliation and shame. This is never explained to anyone watching.

Esme is sitting in the room, taking this all in, and thinks nothing. Instead she smiles, at beautiful Edward, and asks him to play the song he composed for her. She’s so glad to see him filled with joy again. She tells him that he is the best and brightest of all of them.

Esme later gives Edward her pretty much express permission to eat Bella if the girl is causing him such pain and misery. Luckily for Bella, Edward’s in love. So he passes on that and assures Esme the most wonderful thing has happened, he is in love.

My point being, Edward could drop the corpses of the students he murdered in Biology so he could more efficiently eat Bella at Esme’s feet and she wouldn’t blink. It wouldn’t even process for her. Esme would continue carrying on as Esme, nothing changing, while the rest of the family stares agog at the city Edward just murdered.

There is nothing Edward could do or say that would ever change Esme’s mind and she will always treat him as her favorite child.

Jasper

With his gift, I imagine Jasper suspects. Edward loathes Rosalie, despises him, and his feelings for others are... strange. He holds indifference and contempt for mankind and when it comes to Bella. Woof, what a cocktail.

He has no proof though, but I imagine if the smallest thing comes into his lap, that suspicion would become a certainty.

As for what he’d do, it’s hard to say.

I think, in most scenarios, he’d look the other way. Yes, Edward is a monater, but Jasper to is a monster if for different reasons, he has no room to judge. More, Edward is in many respects the heart of the Cullens, far more than Japser himself is. If Jasper goes causing strife, making accusations the others may or may not believe, then the coven could collapse.

This place, these people, are what Jasper thinks he’s been searching for all his life. For the first time, he knows peace, and is trying to live a life where he doesn’t persist in agony every time he succumbs to eating. Jasper is not going to risk that falling apart, even if he finds Edward unpleasant.

And if Edward keeps it to himself, or if the occasional human is the victim, then that’s a price Jasper is willing to pay.

Jasper might actually get concerned when it comes to Bella. For all Bella’s not very close with him, he holds her in very high regard. He nearly devoured Bella, and she forgave him, she forgave him his monstrously brutal past and has never flinched from him. She is a reminder of what humanity can be and why it’s important.

If he realized the threat Edward is to Bella, not just in eating her, but on a level much darker than that, then he might start to act and would probably try to get Bella to leave while she could. However, he also likely knows Bella would never listen, because she doesn’t see what Edward is and nothing would convince her otherwise. Not to mention, as soon as Jasper knows, Edward will plot against him so that no one in the family will ever listen to a word he says.

Not to mention that Alice, of course, must know and doesn’t care. That will be quite the blow to Jasper taking any action.

Barring extreme circumstances, Jasper does nothing, he just watches and waits to see what the others do.

Rosalie

For all that Edward doesn’t bother to be nice to Rosalie, and is ready to lay into her at a moment’s notice, he’s very dear to her. He is, in all regards, her brother and she cares for him deeply as she does the family as a whole.

Rosalie has no idea what he truly is and it would take a lot for her to accept it. More, unlike Carlisle, although she prizes human values and tries to hold herself to human standards her morals have slipped enough that she genuinely advocates murdering Bella Swan in her sleep so that Rosalie won’t have to move.

Murdering Bella won’t be enough, Rosalie will see it as the accident that could have been avoided if Edward hadn’t insisted on being a fool. 

I think, for Rosalie, the best way to drive it home would be a sexual crime. Had Edward forced Bella’s abortion in Breaking Dawn, that would have done it. First, it’d be such a messy, bloody, affair at that point and would look like a horror show (which means Edward’s more than likely to eat Bella in the process). Second, this would be Edward taking the child that Bella wanted, tearing it from her and murdering it, and performing the most vile action that Rosalie can likely even contemplate.

I don’t know what she’d do, I don’t think Rosalie’s capable of killing Edward, she cares for him too much, even after something like this. However, I think she would make an ultimatum to Carlisle “either he goes or I go” and then would never speak of Edward again, he’s dead to her.