#including the prologue

[godforbidfate]

FROM THE DESK OF TAYLOR SWIFT Chairman, The Tortured Poets Department (2006-2024)

[mumblesplash]

im afraid i have added a fourth fic to the tetris spoilers tag (sorry?)

sure ok. there’s four fics in the ao3 tag for my tumblr poll now. that’s probably within normal parameters. everything is still under control

[aeb-art]

somebody's probably done this before but,,, i made an edit

original below vvv

[futuristicdoormats789]

Water guns at the ready

[theflyingcosmos]

NO SHAME SORRY FRIENDS WHO FOLLOW ME ON HERE

Anyways I'm falling back down the UTMV rabbit hole and making an AU type thing, but just with the Sanses because I'm insane(aren't we all)

ANYWAYS X2 my little AU idea is ofc using the NMs castle idea and it's like kind of a fantasy world also Cross is a Lycan HEHEHEHE I'm losing my mind I feel 14 again /pos

[kj-munch]

man, MLAD turns three today! wanted to do SOMETHING for it this year, because even though i rarely draw it these days its still very much on the mind basically daily, these guys are real special to me

hopefully one of these days ill be able to find the energy to start regularly drawing and posting it again! going through my older mlad art has made me realize a lot of story beats have changed or at least shifted since the earlier drafts when i was actively posting, and i do sincerely miss involving others in the telling of this story

[moeblob]

I unfortunately picked up Bravely Default 2 again (I bought it back when it released) and then started over since I last played it in June 2021. And. You know what. I like these silly beans. And then I saw concept art for Dag's expressions and I am not the same. Why did they decide to give him huge fangs in it.

(also I'm trying so hard to avoid spoilers less for plot but more for characters so if you know anything that happens to characters shhhhh. also the expression concept is below the read more so you can see what I mean.)

[beastsovrevelation]

A weirdly specific plot element in many of my (obviously yet unpublished) Good Omens fanfics

[kyofsonder]

Brain in Daylight Hours: There is no mental or emotional space for writing. There are no new ideas, and no structure for old ideas.

Brain after Dark: Here's 38 new ideas, 3/4 of a structure, official permission to write, and -- oh. The only place to write in the dark is your phone? ... Never mind.

[energeticpoltergeist]

Part 1: Mad King's War

Prologue: Diverged History(pages 11-16)

[bi-the-wei]

A Stay of Execution

Prologue

Wei Wuxian had always thought that it should rain on the day he died. That the sky might see fit to open up and weep for him seemed the very least it could do. Instead the small breath of wind that trickled through the narrow slit in the stone that functioned as his only window brought with it the scent of warmth and sunlight. He imagined he could almost hear a bird chirping somewhere, trilling a merry tune. Honestly, it was almost insulting. Though, he supposed, if the sun had deigned to come and watch his final moments... Perhaps he truly was as rotten as they all said.

Either way, there was no longer a soul alive who would weep for him now.

In the end, he hadn't fought being captured. He'd gone rather quietly. In fact, he still hadn't said a single word. Not to anyone. He hadn't spoken as they stripped him down to brand his skin . He hadn't spoken when they'd sheered off his hair, sawing at fistfuls of dark locks with a dull blade that ripped more than it cut. Or when they bound his hands . When they spilled his meager rations on the floor. When they taunted him. Insulted him. Beat him. He didn't speak when they closed the door to the dank cupboard that would be his last home. When they told him that he would be executed for his crimes. Not a word. Not a sound.

Wei Wuxian stumbled a bit as he was dragged out of his cell. It had been months since he'd been able to fully extend his legs and torso at the same time, the chain that bound his arms to the floor too short for him to stand at his full height, and the room too narrow to extend them while sitting. The three guards assigned to take him to whatever fate awaited him laughed and tried to make him stumble again, spitting at his face when he didn't.

"This is more than you deserve," one of them grumbled bitterly. His voice was like a fuse and flint stone, clicking on hard consonants and hissing his S's. "A quick, clean death is more than you were willing to give." "I guess no one else is twisted enough to do what you did though," sneered the second guard. This one almost sounded like a whine, thin and nasally and pinched. "No one else could be as monstrous as you."

The third guard said nothing, but his boots still fell heavily on the stone floor. His grip on Wei Wuxian's arm was the most painful. ' That'll bruise by tomorrow' , Wei Wuxian thought dully. ' Well, it would have anyway .' As they began to climb up a narrow staircase, the cloth they had kept over his eyes slipped just enough that he could almost make out the color of his drab, rough robes, as well as the sinister design that adorned them. His foot caught on a rough stone, but he didn't stumble again.

~*~

In the end the guards had to half-drag Wei Wuxian for the final length of their journey. After months of abuse and disuse, his legs just couldn't carry him the entire way. They trembled to bear his weight, and it was a challenge just to keep them moving one in front of the other.

In the end this was fortunate, because if he had been in charge of supporting himself alone he may have collapsed the moment his face hit true sunlight.

The gentle warmth of the sun felt like a scalding brand on his cold skin. The light was blinding even through the cloth over his eyes. His first breath of fresh, clean air after months and months of smelling nothing but wet, rotten dirt and stone made him so dizzy he nearly retched. And the noise- oh the noise- so much noise.

He took in every overwhelming sensation with careful attention, cherishing the pain it brought him. It was as if knowing that his final breath was drawing near, he thought he could take in the rest of his natural life all at once if he tried hard enough. It was okay that it hurt. He welcomed the burn.

The wind scraped against his skin, his chopped hair, now grown back nearly past his shoulders, making his neck itch - a neck that he was lucky to still have.

All this in only a moment before he was pushed forward again - up uneven stairs and onto some sort of platform. The heavy chains that still bound his raw wrists were grabbed and yanked so violently he had no choice but to fall hard to his knees. When he tried to catch himself with his shackled limbs, the chain was wrenched again. He only just managed to keep his face from smashing against the ground and received a hard kick in reward, causing him to fall backwards instead. All his breath left him and he couldn't help but curl in on himself, coughing and rasping to get it back.

In the end it was the third guard who graciously helped him back up onto his knees. With a helpful hand grasping him by the hair, he was pulled unceremoniously upwards. With just as much care, his blindfold was ripped away. He cried out at last, flinching as the unfiltered light from the sun assaulted him again. He heard screams as he blinked out in the vague direction of a crowd. A crowd that shrank back away from him, terrified of him even now. Even in the state he was in.

"Have no fear!" called a familiar, booming voice next to him. "We took great care before bringing him here before you today. See the symbols on his robes! He has been bound and sealed. I have cut him off from his heretical magic. I have stopped his murderous ambitions and denied him the joys of his evil. His eyes can do you no more harm. He is contained and you are safe at last!" It was then that Wei Wuxian realized that some of the bright, flashing gold that blinded him was not just from the sun, but rather the illustrious gaudy robes of a tall man standing beside him. Of course, after what he had done to his son, it would only make sense for his long over-due sentence to be overseen by the great Jin Guangshan himself. Even Wei Wuxian had to admit that was only fair, even if it meant he had to listen to the man postulate his own magnificence and blather on and on and on.

In all honesty, he'd really rather they just get on with it. The showmanship seemed a bit redundant.

"This man. This devil. This Demon of Yiling. You all know of him. He haunts our children's stories; a tale of caution to those who seek power!" he expounded. Wei Wuxian stifled a scoff. "He who started as a servant, who used a terrible war to greedily climb rank and assert his will over the lives of innocents. A parasite who manipulated the very life force of the world to do his bidding so that he may claw his way into society. So that he may fool us into believing in his consequence. This evil creature who corrupted the dead with his black magics! Who stole the life energy of my only son! I bring him now before you so that you may know his crimes."

The silent guard gripped him again, yanking him up forcefully by the hair once more and bringing him closer to the crowd, where all could see him in his shame. His neck strained with the effort of supporting a body his legs still could not hold. "See him now, his hair shorn in his shame. His honor cast aside with it. See him now and judge him guilty!

I lay before you the record of his evil. Hear me now and know them."

Jin Guangshan preened under the attention he had commanded. He basked in the silent anticipation of his next words, pausing to let them sink in further before listing the numerous crimes in question.

Really the true list wasn't THAT long. Yes it was true that Wei Wuxian had found a new form of magic - one that manipulated life force instead of spirit. But he hadn't used any of the life force of another living human. He drew a firm line in the sand that he swore he would never cross. He could steal only the life forces of plants and trees. The last breath of a fallen soldier. Himself.

And he kept that code. He hadn't stolen life directly... not until... Until he'd been face to face with true evil - with Wen Ruohan himself.  It was heady watching the light leave his eyes. Here was a man who used his wealth of spiritual power, cultivated with such care, who had hoped to use that power to obtain true immortality - who had thought that it gave him the right to force his will upon the world.   To watch as all that power came to nothing, as all that power was not enough to stop Wei Wuxian from draining his life away. The surge of power that rushed through his meridians - the full life force of a living human... It would have overtaken a lesser man. Heady and instantly addictive. But he'd pushed through it. Pushed it back out and dispersed it into the air. What use did he have for such power? The war was done. He'd saved them all. He'd done it. They were free and now he could finally pursue his own desires. His own freedom. His own life. His own...

He had broken his code, yes, but surely this end justified those means? As long as he never did it again, it would mean that at his core he was still a good man. He wouldn't have said it felt good, but he could at least live with himself. He had fought harder than any other soldier. Protected more than any other soldier. He had won countless battles and finally, finally ended this pointless war.

Wei Wuxian and Wen Ruohan had fallen to the floor in tandem. It wasn't until he'd woken a week later and noticed how people flinched when they saw him, how they skirted away when they could avoid him entirely, that he realized he'd had an audience to his horrors. And even then, none of that could be called a criminal, despite the tale being twisted now. No, nothing he'd done in the war could be truly held against him... But what happened after...

"Unsatisfied with the killing, no longer able to slake his thirst for violence with a war, this monster sought out his next victims! The poor innocents, guilty only of a shared name, were hunted down like sport! He took their very souls simply to sate his own blood lust!   "And when my Zixuan, my precious son... When he tried to stop this senseless slaughter - to try to reason with this deranged creature - to show him mercy and compassion! When he tried to put an end to the blood and death, this demon stole his soul as well! And now my grandson grows without a father. My daughter in law without a husband. My wife without a son." Again he paused, letting sympathy and anger stew in the crowd's hearts. "See now as we give him more than he would have given them; a trial! He may have decided to bring about his own twisted justice, but see now that we shall not! A demon he may be, but let none say that we judge him unjustly!   "Speak, demon! And tell us of your guilt!"

Wei Wuxian's hair was tugged again, drawing the crowd's focus back to his gaunt form. His eyes, finally adjusting to the harsh daylight, searched through the mass of people. He wasn't sure what he was looking for. Sympathy? Familiarity? Sadness? Of course there would be none - he was guilty and had no intention of denying it.

"Did you or did you not create black magics, evil and heretical, and use this power to slaughter thousands?" "I did," Wei Wuxian said. His voice, rasping with dehydration and disuse, did not waver.

"Did you or did you not hunt down remnant factions of the Wens, men and women that should have been brought to trial, only to cut them down instead?

"I did."

"Did you or did you not, when my son tried to stop the violence, to plead with you to stop the fighting and lay down your wicked ways, steal away his precious life?!"

"I did."

"He admits it! You hear now from his very mouth - the plea of guilt! You hear now the sins against his soul! The evils of his actions!" There was no silence now. The roiling anger of the mob before him was like the agitated buzzing of a hundred angry wasps.

"For this crime, I would have his head!" Jin Guangshan bellowed. Wei Wuxian was once again forced to move. This time he was half dragged to a solid block of wood. Stained red and jagged from use, he was pulled forward until its sharp splinters dug into his neck. A mirror was angled carefully so that he could see the executioner take his position behind him. Ah, so that's why they let him keep his eyes.

"Tell me now, would any of you here speak against this judgment? Tell me now if anyone would speak against this justice? I stand before you in grief and anger and ask you now will anyone claim this man?"

Wei Wuxian had never known true silence before this moment. It was as if the world itself had decided to hold its breath. He watched as the executioner grasped his axe. He watched his muscles tense to pick it up. He watched as--

“I will speak for him."

The silence was cracked by a cold, even voice. Wei Wuxian tore his eyes away from the reflection of that sharp blade and searched desperately for who had spoken.

Lan Wangji.

His voice had been firm and matter of fact. His golden eyes hadn’t even flickered in Wei Wuxian's direction. The maddening silence took on an almost desperate tone now, all eyes passing between the two men.

He spoke again.

“I will offer my hand to save him from this sentence.”

Lan Wangji finally looked at him then, his expression as unreadable as it had always been. He seemed to be waiting for something

“Wh-What?” he wheezed. He didn't understand what was happening. This couldn't be real. Maybe this was just a delusion he'd conjured to comfort himself before the ax finally fell.  Maybe it had already fallen.

"Lan Wangji, you speak for this man?"

"I do."

"Despite his crimes, which he himself admitted before your very eyes, you would spare him?" "I would."

"You would tie yourself to this monster?"

"Yes."

The crowd was anything but silent now. Cries of shock and outrage poured from every direction. The righteous Lan Wangji was sparing the Demon of Yiling? The man who knew only justice and virtue, the hero of the war, would take that evil man into his home? Marry him?

Somehow, through the clamorous noise, Jin Guangshan made himself heard once more. He spoke through gritted teeth, as if each word came at a great cost.

"Wei Wuxian, Demon of Yiling. This man has offered himself to you. Would you accept his hand? Or do you accept my ax?"

The pressure holding him against the block was released, letting him sit up to consider which fate he preferred: to bind himself in a loveless marriage, or to regain what little honor he had left in death. How kind.

Lan Wangji stood straight and firm and unyielding before him. Wei Wuxian had loved him for so long - since they were children. He had always dreamed of being wed to this man... But not like this.

Lan Wangji thought he owed Wei Wuxian a life debt. That's why he was doing this. Out of duty. Moral obligation. Not love. Wei Wuxian would be truly cruel indeed to accept this. To force Lan Wangji into a marriage with a man he couldn't stand....

"I, Wei Wuxian, accept your hand, Lan Wangji. I will marry you."

[gunthermunch]

um part three no context spoilers board

[ladyanaconda]

The Beginning

Contrary to what most people believe, living in Solas isn’t necessarily expensive. It has more to do with the neighborhood, the size of your home, the amenities you get, and your salary. Even someone with a low salary could get a decent place to live if they know where to look and adapt to whatever their income can afford. 

As its name implies, the ‘middle-ground’ neighborhood—also called The Outskirts— was in the city’s western suburbs. Most of the dozens of homes were small but with their own yards and gardens. The residents had enough income to live comfortably, nothing more. But they were happy. 

The one thing Besteel did not like about this neighborhood was that the houses all looked alike, especially at night and under a torrential downpour. He was glad he’d chosen to don his traveling cloak, or he’d be soaked to the bone right now. 

Something wiggled against his chest. He looked down at the sash wrapped around his shoulder and chest, holding something within. The Dorcean clutched it tightly—yet tenderly—to himself and patted it with his lower hands. 

“Sh-sh-sh. It’s okay, little one. We’re almost there.” He cooed, getting the little bundle to soothe down. 

Besteel kept looking around for a while until one house, in particular, caught his eye, warm light faintly shining through the first-floor window. Still, he couldn’t help but feel nervous as he approached the door. Is this the right house? The last thing he needs right now is a stranger chewing him out for awakening them at this hour. 

However, he needed to get a roof over his head right now.

After a deep breath, Besteel began banging on the door. 

...

Redimus’s sleep was suddenly interrupted by a loud, almost violent banging on his door. He was tempted to ignore it but had to relent when he realized it wouldn’t stop. Damn it, who could it be at this hour?

Reluctantly, he went downstairs. The continuous knocking started getting on his groggy nerves.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” He growled under his breath. “Who’s this?”

“Your worst nightmare.”

The familiar voice snapped Redimus out of his drowsy state, and he opened the door. 

“Besteel?”

His brother was the last person he expected to see on his doorstep at this hour. Is he still in bed and having a dream? 

“Can I come in, or are you leaving me out in this climate?” Besteel asked dryly.

Redimus was about to say he might do the latter as punishment for waking him up this early until he noticed Besteel’s lower arms protectively holding something to his chest, shielding it from the rain. 

“Is that…?”

Besteel folded a part of the sash away to reveal a tiny, red-furred Dorcean cub peacefully napping against her father’s chest. 

That was all the confirmation Redimus needed, and he moved aside, wordlessly granting his brother entry into his home. Besteel sighed in relief as he sat on the couch, pulling his hood down. Thankfully, his daughter was still sleeping. 

“I’d offer you something to drink, but I ran out of usquebaugh.”

“Whose house did you wreck this time?” Besteel inquired half-jokingly.

“Haha, very funny. Don’t make me wish to have left you outside.” Redimus murmured. “What brings you here at this hour, anyway?”

“You haven’t heard? I guess news travel much slower in Solas.”

Redimus was confused by his brother’s response. But then he recalled hearing some rumors from some Dorcean hunters around Solas. He hadn’t paid that much heed back then, but now…

“Is it about…?”

Besteel looked down. “I’m retiring, Redimus.”

A tense silence hung in the air. 

“I guess the tribe didn’t take it well if you came all the way to Solas.”

“You could say they had a divided opinion. Some understood my reasons, and others didn’t. I’ll leave it like that.”

“Did ‘you-know-who’ make a big fuss?”

Besteel stiffened. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

The red cub started squirming again. This time, she began to cry and squeal, prompting Besteel to take a red pelt out of his cloak to swaddle her in. The little one immediately soothed down as she snuggled into the warm fur. 

“Do you have a place to stay?” Redimus inquired. 

“Not yet, considering I just arrived a while ago. I was going to start looking in the morning.”

Redimus thought, then said. “You know… I got a spare room upstairs.”

“Oh, no, I can’t ask you for that. From what I’ve heard, you’re barely getting by.” 

Redimus crossed his arms. “Do you think that little of me, brother?” He asked, offended. “I’m not doing that badly. I know when to save money. In any case, having a housemate might lessen the financial burden.”

A thunder startled the cub awake again, and she began to cry.

“…’Sides, what kind of brother would I be if I let you go back into that storm with your daughter?”

The spare room upstairs was small but comfortable, with a window that overlooked Solas’s skyline—granted, it still needed some cleaning and fixing, but the brothers figured that could wait until morning. Right now, they just wanted to lie down and sleep—especially Redimus. 

Besteel tenderly cradled his daughter in his palms as he lay down, watching her content sleep. She began to squirm again as thunder startled her awake. 

“It’s alright, my little beastie. We’re going to be okay as long as we stick together. It’s gonna be the two of us against the world.”

The cub opened her eyes, acknowledging him—they were light grey, just like his. Her tiny claws touched his nose, giving him an adorable purr. Smiling, Besteel nuzzled her little body, chuckling as she clung to his snout in a hug afterward.

“Sweet dreams, Fayluna.”

[windchords]

Prologue from the Okami Original Soundtrack Masami Ueda

[notsohehehahanow]

apparently i shouldnt write fics while overwhelmed fuck you mean "he felt like he was being watched." MICHAEL???? MICHAEL ARE YOU GOOD??????

[simgerale]

CHAPTER TWENTY ; 1/3

TRANSCRIPT:

sheridan: Princess, would you like to join us? As a Volais representative, of course.

olette: Oh… Why, yes. I would be delighted.

. . .

magdalena: Gentlemen. As we all know, the treaty ends in a matter of days. Five years ago, our rulers agreed to stop the fighting under the guise that it would continue once we resupplied. I cannot be certain of Eden's efforts, but my empire has tried to keep the peace for as long as possible. We do not want another war.

antoin: If that is true, your majesty, then would you mind explaining your sudden interest in obtaining a husband?

advisor: [clears throat] We feared that the war would go on, so an alliance was sought.

an: So you admit that you made plans to fortify yourselves. Why would you think that Eden would not see this as an act of aggression?

m: I do not believe my advisor mentioned fortification, Emperor. Rather, Volais desired aid in case the worst occurred. In your professional opinion, is it not wise to prepare for all outcomes?

an: …Your point?

m: My point is that we are not our fathers, and our people do not deserve to go through tragedy over an outdated grudge. I propose a permanent alliance between Volais and Eden. And yes… I intend to propose to your prince, as well.