#it think u just have to make sure u limit the amount of characters or have the resources to balance many characters

[glamourscat]

Hi)

Saw your analysis on Kaiser, why can't you write about him and what he can be like in a relationship. You mentioned trauma, and I have a question for Shidou...

Yes, many in the fandom agree that Shidou most likely had a shitty (and even abusive) past, but in your opinion, what makes you think that Shidou (unlike Kaiser) wouldn't go down the path of manipulation/abuse in a relationship with someone, i.e. not projecting his possible traumas?

Thank you for your question, I hope I answered what u were wondering. Feel free to discuss it in the replies :)

Both Kaiser, and potentially Shidou, carry the weight of difficult pasts. However, their approaches to human connection couldn't be more different. Which is why a relationship with Kaiser would be destructive while with Shidou would be chaotic but not necessarily toxic.

In Shidou’s case we have a limited amount of infos. What we know is that he sees the world in this very artistic, peculiar way. And despite his strong presence on the field, off it, he doesn’t seem to hold the same characteristics (or at least not to the same degree.)

He is loud, anti conformist but most of all he has the most “sane” ego between the players. He plays for himself. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. Not only that, but it’s shown more than once that he compliments people who show real talent.

Unlike Kaiser, who feels threatened immediately when someone is better than him or sees it as a tool for dominance. Like I have said, Shidou recognizes and compliments others' unique strengths. He's not looking to break people down, he's actively acknowledging what makes them special while pushing himself to leave “a mark in this world”. This appreciation for individuality (which is the core of shidou’s character) suggests someone who'd be more likely to build up a partner rather than tear them down.

We also know he seeks physical touch and connection. From attaching to Sae immediately when, for the first time, he found someone who understood his way of playing. In a way it’s like a desperate reach of someone who’s trying to heal something deep within by physical touch, which in his case, could be the struggle in being different and misunderstood. His need for physical touch speaks to someone who's trying to reclaim what was taken from him rather than perpetuate a cycle of harm.

Kaiser weaponizes his past trauma, turning it into a shield and sword. He sees vulnerability as a weakness to use against you. Let’s look what happened with Ness for example. He knew from moment one that he was going to use him. Outside and inside the field. He made Ness codependent, using his vulnerability and naivety against him. A guy who wanted nothing but love and a sense of belonging, is turned into a puppet, because Kaiser knows despite his harsh words or actions, Ness will never leave.

Shidou wears his heart on his sleeve in the most beautifully chaotic way. He is honest, maybe to a brutal extent. But he doesn’t do that in a manipulative way, he does that because he is a honest person. When asked what made him cry recently, he gave that raw, honest answer about becoming nothing. That's not manipulation, that's pure, unfiltered emotional authenticity.

The projection of past trauma? Sure, it might happen. But, who doesn't carry some scars into relationships? But there's a huge difference between unconsciously working through your issues with a partner and deliberately manipulating them.

Would Shidou be a perfect partner? No. But he wouldn’t be a toxic, manipulative individual like Kaiser either. Shidou just... exists, in all his chaotic, genuine glory. His explosive side is confined to the field, showing the ability to compartmentalise rather than let his (possible) traumas bleed into every aspect of his life.

In the end, it comes down to this: while Kaiser isolates himself and pushes people away, Shidou actively tries to connect with others. His ways of connecting might not be conventional (they might be rough around the edges, maybe even a bit chaotic) but he's still trying to reach out and form genuine bonds with people. That's what makes him fundamentally different from Kaiser, who only seeks relationships to his benefit. That’s what would keep Shidou away from going down the same manipulative path as Kaiser.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 4/29/2025

made one of the best thrift store purchases of my life this week

listening

mental health watch: new mother mother single out and i have had that shit on loop basically all week. i would describe their (alt rock for chronically depressed girls resistant to most treatments) overall sound as “slippery”, but this song is slippery in the way the seaweed in miso soup is slippery. hope that makes sense. i heard the lyric “head shaker” as “exchequer” and this exact wording was stuck in my head for basically an entire shift at work.

-

reading

still having a tremendous amount of fun with Charlaine Harris’ Gunnie Rose series. just finished the third one, i think whenever you can get away with a character that you can genuinely and seriously call “the tsarina of all the californias” you should push that as far as it can possibly go and she does!!! it is so refreshing to read a book by an author who knows what they’re doing. who knows how to write and pace a longer series and who knows how to effectively play with dramatic tension. the bar is So low but i have been wrestling through these horrible lesbian novels and (new for me) trying to take three or four of the little scifi paperbacks ive been hoarding to work every week to stash in my desk to read when it’s slow. all of them have been bad so far. like gang rape page two bad :/ love scifi the best and worst genre

yet another frustrating week in the lesbian mines. finally finished Flight Risk by Kim Baldwin and i do not think i can fairly review it, bc i tried to read it at work in tiny tiny chunks over too long a period of time (two weeks) and got really frustrated with it bc i forgot something that happened in the first chapter. im sure its a perfectly fine book if u read it in fewer sittings but now it is like. contaminated by several unpleasant work shifts and i simply don’t want to look at it any more. also they fucked in the literal last five pages which i find tremendously annoying.

Second You Sin by Scott Sherman (also mid-aughts) is about a nyc callboy (gay) who keeps accidentally stumbling into murder mysteries. i could easily image every line of dialogue by every gay character delivered by ru paul so it was not a book for me.

and then by far the most annoying book, Change of Heart by Linda Hill (1999 published by my worstie Naiad) bc it does not read like the author has ever been in any sort of relationship. even though she is married. to another woman. it’s hard for me to review this one fairly too due to my own massachusetts experiences.

At the age of 38, British supermodel Julia Westgate watches in panic as her career begins to decline -- and she realizes she is truly alone in the world. Deeply closeted, Julia has always limited her encounters with women to secret trysts and one or two night stands. While on a shoot in Boston, Julia carefully disguises herself so she won't be recognized, then sneaks out to a secluded lesbian bar. There she meets local journalist Cory Hayes, who is celebrating the publication of a hard won story. After spending a passionate weekend with Julia, Cory is devastated when she wakes up to an empty bed.

(ed note: they do nothing more than kiss in the entire book. it’s truly debatable if there was even tongue or not)

Weeks later in a supermarket check-out line, Cory's jaw drops when she sees an exquisite face on the cover of a fashion magazine -- a face that looks more than vaguely familiar. Thus begins an all-consuming game of hide-and-seek, with Julia trying to run from herself and her uncertain future -- and Cory willing to risk everything to find her.

(ed note: cory does some light snooping to discover her last name, makes some phone calls for a single afternoon, and then comes across her completely by accident almost a year later).

this book takes uhauling to new heights bc they adopt a special needs puppy the first and only weekend they spend together, wherein they don’t even fuck and Julia flees into the early morning without saying goodbye, leaving a note, and leaving most of her stuff behind. i know why Cory cant stop thinking about Jules nearly a year on (leaving without goodbye in the middle of the night and leaving almost all your stuff behind is objectively bonkers) but i have no idea why Jules is so into Cory. or what either of them see in each other. or really why they’re into each other at all. bc again. they do not do more than kiss the entire book and most of the book is them feeling kind of weird about this singular weekend. NOT that you have to fuck someone to know how to feel about them but my goodness! sometimes it certainly helps!

it is perfectly tailored to piss me all the way off bc Cory asks for a raise bc she impulsively adopted a puppy, and her boss not only gives her a raise and a promotion but also heavily subsidizes her new house she rents. which he owns. which was so far from MY massachusetts job/housing experience we might as well have lived on different planets. however this book really does nicely capture the complete unwillingness of the massachusetts wlw scene to like. do anything more than talk shit about a kind of weird date you were on once.

would have loved to read more of a May/December romance about an aging supermodel and would have loved to read more about the worries and fears of someone aging who hasn’t really put down roots or formed many friendships at all in her life or really interacted much with the queer community at large, but the age gap in actuality is quite small and Jules is mostly exotically British and worried about facial wrinkles.

deeply annoying experience that could not be written today in a post-MTV’s Catfish world

-

watching

fallow week

-

playing

woe woe unending woe in genshin. genuinely really annoyed that i pulled for Varesa (girl who is a cow) in bc guess who’s coming back in about a month? that’s right, yae miko. the only other character i desperately want. and she’s going to be on a specific banner that does not build pity for any other banner. and i don’t even have quite enough pulls for halfway to guaranteeing her. however. buying enough in-game currency to guarantee her would be about $120. which is simply goofy. she will come back around eventually, probably in a year and a half, and i will survive. i don’t even want her for team building or combat purposes. i just think she’s got a cool design and i want a matched set of her (pink) and her wife, the shogun (purple).

-

making

one million small mending projects, including reinforcing the spine of some dorling kindersley BIG BOOK OF TRUCKS and BIG BOOK OF PLANES books for my bestie’s son’s birthday. no pics bc they were wrapped POSTHASTE!!!

also varied and assorted mending of clothes. managed to rip the casing for some pajama pants through brute strength and getting snagged on a kitchen cabinet knob, kind of half assed a ladder stitch, thought “that’s not going to hold” and then did a less half assed heavily overlapping cross stitch to reinforce (esp around the buttonhole opening for the drawstring) and then slathered it in fraychek.

likewise, my favorite obnoxious shirt had a rip up the side seam. carefully stitched it back up, blanket stitched the raw edge for a little more reinforcement without too much bulk, and slathered it in fraychek. u can see a much older repair there when it ripped horizontally from getting stuck in a filing cabinet drawer at umass lol.

and finally, some horrible shorts that were not adequate enough for my thighs, so i took the discreet one inch side vent and really opened that up to the bottom of the pocket seam. very annoying and fussy to match the topstitching and do two bar tacks by hand. the fit on the shorts is still not quite where i want them to be but they are at least wearable outside now. no fraychek here they’re nylon and got melted with a lighter as god intended.

[mystycalypso]

do u ever pray u lived in an au where the show wasnt cancelled.... i wish theyd made season 3 according to their original plans then just went on hiatus until that company merger or w/e was done n they had money for s4 </3

Okay so, I was going to draw some- very fruity Laserblast art ngl, but this ask hit me enough I sat down, and opened my laptop to write a real response. I've also got the series on in the background. I started episode 1 when I began typing, and we'll see how far I am in the series before I finish typing it.

First of all, I love using au to refer to real life, honestly better than various timelines. And secondly

Absolutely. Every day of my life. Every time I draw one of the characters, or see fanart, or hear the VAs or- anything. Because- I'm insanely hyperfixated on this show. A disgusting amount, unhealthily. It's not normal lol.

And I do constantly think about what could have been, I mean, after all once again my favorite character is Laserblast of all things. Not Venomous, Laserblast. The version of that man that has like five minutes of screen time and no canon first name. So much so that when on the Saberspark Q&A when he came up in a question for quote "Me and the three other Laserblast fans" I cheered out loud, alone, in my apartment. I would have killed to not have to pull at removing his mask myself and Ian's one tweet calling him a himbo to show people characterization.

And honestly the wiki makes it all worse, in a loving way. What do you mean we were going to get multiple sitcom comfy style episodes where K.O. spends the weekend with his dad? I could've had more proof that Venomous isn't an abusive dad, just an unskilled and undisciplined one? I COULD'VE HAD AN EASIER TIME SEPERATING HIM AND SHADOWY TO OTHERS?!

And sure, I constantly wish that somehow someway I'll wake up and Ian will have announced the movie, the Hue Troop spin off, post finale storylines, the works.

But, on the other hand, here's why I'm grateful for what we did end up getting (this will probably be the longer section, sorrey)

tldwr (Too long don't wanna read): Cartoon Network is dead and pathetic and I don't wish that suffering upon this wonderful show.

So, something you guys can also notice from Ian's posts and the wiki, and just from what the cartoon industry is like in general, that getting what you want out of your series, storyline and representation wise and all that is actually pulling teeth.

For an example of later episodes, things like a seemingly Radmond episode getting changed to rad and mikayla. Or Voxman having to be pretty heavily censored (although I'm proud of the subtext they managed so heavily) which is partially because, and this isn't to take away from wlw rep and how hard it is to get on air, but is more difficult to get outright mlm representation simply because- it's harder to censor.

After all, it's much easier to pull a "they're just close friends!" Thing for two fem presenting characters, than it is for two masc ones. It sucks and they shouldn't have to be censored across different countries at all, but it's just- how it is.

Which is why, realistically, as cool as the movie centering around a voxman wedding would be incredible, I don't think it would've made it past S&P. Not to mention, even if it somehow did, It'd either suffer the fate of being a TV movie, getting limited as hell views, OR best worst case scenario, a box office release which would get hate bombed by people for it's- everything. Because people suck. I mean, even not counting homophobic people there's a disturbingly high chunk of this fandom that hates Voxman- because... *checks wiki* Oh yeah, "Evil people not being perfect good guys = bad representation"

Also, cartoon network was- already starting to die by now, with less funding each year in the first place. Meaning we don't know if it getting that funding was even an option as time went on. And the idea of getting a longer season three, with the reveal being drawn out another season like they wanted, and then potentially never getting closure on- any of it? That's horrible even to think about.

Sure, the entirety of season 3 was rushed as hell. And I cry about all the missing stuff we'll probably never get, because well there's not even a cartoon network building to make this stuff in anymore, I'm glad that we have a finished storyline and understanding of where arcs would've gone to fill in things ourselves. I mean, getting to look into and imagine all the things we didn't get to see is much more fun than theorizing on an unfinished story.

So, yeah, I do wish that somehow, someway, we will get more someday. I'm at least glad we got a finished storyline and an ending that, while rushed, is still one of my favorites. I love let's fight to the end so much, I love how much I hate shadowy figure, and I love that I can be here making content for you guys!

Well look at that, it only took me seven episodes to write this whole thing, and I get to end this rant knowing Raymond was on screen. That's cool.

[inameating]

TOKYO GHOUL CHARACTERS GOING OT THE DENTIST listen i dont fucking know if these people (well not rlly) go to the dentist i dont know how ghoul teeth work but im treating this with my knowledge of dentistry which is limited to the fact that ive been quite often the alst couple months so in short trust me bro real ones know i love stypid hcs so here is some the dentist question has only been raised by one person on reddit 10 years ago so im just going to treat this like ghouls are human people who go to the dentist

starting with the quinx girl if u think shirazu goes to the dentist ur dumb. he walks in and the receptionist goes 'aww are you here to get your veneers fitted?' because he has sharp teeth like when ppl get their teeth shaved for veneers i think .. his teet h probably yellow as FUCK im not saying that hatefully i just think he forgets to brush his teeth sometimes .. thts all

mutsuki is probably scared of the dentist or maybe im projecting but i jsut think he is . and thats ok.. (he doesnt go) (but his teeth r fine he brushes thrice a day and prob uses floss and mouthwash)

urie goes to the dentist i reckon .. probably uses those whitening toothpastes too .. idont think hes afraid of the dentist but i think he'd get that kind of 'ugh do i have to' feeling everytime an appointment is coming up

saiko might go to the dentist if its a pretty girl who can bring all her tools to her bedside! so no she doesnt but she makes sure to pick food out of her teeth

akira mado has never missed a dental appointment and i strongly believe that . every 6 months . she opens her mouth and it hurts to look at bcos they are WHITE not whitened but just like naturally white . shes probably the healthiest person in that institution tbh

ui either goes to some posh dentist with super comfy waiting room seats OR he goes like once every 4 years . i choose to believe the former bcos he probably would be upset to have 'smoker teeth' ... he probably hates the taste of mint though but still uses mint toothpaste and breath mints cus hes an idiot

hairu!!!!!!!!! she probably has those trendy toothpastes that r in diff flavours in the cute pastel packaging, i saw them on tiktok . she probably has flavoured floss and like pink mouthwash aww😭choosing to believe she dyed her hair pink and she is just cutiecore as fuck by the way . she probably brushes her teeth twice a day because she doesnt want them to get bad . aww aw ... also she probably is on really good terms with her dentist and probably texts them like theyre her buddy . she probably goes a normal amount so like once a year maybe once every 9 months

juuzou hates brushing his teeth . which is bad because he likes sweets!!!! id like to think that hairu would give him a toothpaste to try (while internally praying he does so because his breath fucking reeks) and i think he'd be ok with it . i think he'd keep forgetting but he'd try to make a routine of it at least every evening (god forbid he tries to take up even more time getting out of the door in the morning) . juuzou has also many several dentists . shinohara encourages him to go and then eventually drags him into the chair and they always end up having a 'juuzou you cant just keep biting shit' talk

i cant think of any more yap ill make a part 2 maybe

[lauriegraham01]

i'll never smile again

pairings: 40s!bucky barnes x reader, nurse!reader

summary: with you and bucky away to fight in the war, you both can't wait to come back home and begin the rest of your lives together. what's left of your plans when a mission goes sideway? could you and bucky have been born so unlucky?

w/c: 1,423

c/w: takes place in CATFA, ANGST, major character death, themes of grief

a/n: this has taken me the longest to edit, not sure if im completely satisfied with the ending but it's enough. hope u enjoy, lmk if you like :)

Time of death: 14:37

You hang your head low in defeat, the death of another soldier baring on your soul. There truly was only so much that you could do. He had come in completely mutilated from barbed wire and eyes blinded form tear gas. With limited options, you and your team of fellow nurses ensured that he could be comfortable for his passing. One of the other nurses raises the white sheet to cover his face, and you gather yourself to move on to the next patient.

You had joined the army nurse corps a little over a year ago. There was news that we were loosing soldiers faster than we could kill enemies and you decided to join the war effort, believing you could do some good for your country. Nothing prepared you for the horrors you faced daily, the chaos and death that surrounded your every breath.

However you weren't alone in your pain. Your two best friends, Steve and Bucky had too joined the war. They along with the rest of the Howling Commandos were going on missions targeting Hydra bases. There was only so much they could tell you, but the little they did still left you uneasy. It just seemed so dangerous and you worried about the both of them- especially Bucky.

Bucky and you had only been dating for two years when news of the U.S. joining the war broke out. Yet after a lifetime of friendship you felt like he knew you better than anyone else in this world. You two had agreed that when the war was over, you would finally get married. These days it was your future plans with Bucky that gave you the strength to survive the war. That, along with the letters that he sent. Writing in detail about what missions he and Steve were on and how things were looking on his side of the war.

The rest of the day had passed by in a haze. By the time you returned to the nurses quarter on base, you feel the full weight of the day in the way that your back aches. Upon looking in the mirror you wince at the amount of blood that's caked into your face and hands. A shower lifts your spirits as you feel the stress from the day drain along with the water. Stepping back into the sleeping barracks, you squeeze past the crowd of nurses until you reached your cot. As you tuck your uniform away you see a letter placed on the pillow. Lifting it up with curiosity, you flip the envelope and a smile tugs at your lips.

Bucky.

You tear open the letter eagerly, it had only been a week since you had last heard from him but it felt like eternity waiting between letters. Unfolding the pages within your hand you read each line carefully, hearing his voice with each word, imagining as though he were reading it to you. As he told you about his latest mission, fear threatened to creep its way into your heart. Yet as you got to the last page, you inhaled a sharp breath- the world around you seeming to go quiet in that moment.

“Doll, I’ve done enough thinking, and I know what I want. I’ve loved you for a lifetime. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me and I know that there's no one else for me but you, y/n. I wish I could ask this in person but I cannot go another day without you knowing how much you mean to me. When the war is over we’ll get married and I’ll grow flowers like you, and your womb will carry the most beautiful girl in the universe. Make me the happiest man alive - will you marry me?”

You fell backwards onto your bed and closed your eyes, Bucky's words burned into your mind. Tears began to well up at your eyes as your heart soared at Bucky's proposal. Bucky wanted to build a life with you. You began to imagine your wedding day. The familiar faces that would gather to celebrate your love, what it would be like to become the mother to his children, and to be able to grow old with him. As you thought about this, you couldn't contain your excitement anymore. Hastily rising from bed, you make your way to the center of the room before grabbing the attention of your fellow nurses.

"I'm getting married!" You shouted, all the nurses turned to look at you before ensuing in cheerful screams. They all congratulated you and gave you and Bucky well wishes for the future.

As you and the nurses were still caught in the excitement of the news, you were suddenly interrupted when a knock rang on the barracks front door.

As everyone scurried to stand in formation, you felt relieved when you saw that it was Steve and Peggy who had walked through the door.

"Officer y/n, would you please come with us for just a moment?" Peggy speaks up.

Stepping out of formation, you grab your coat as you follow behind the two, stepping out in the cold winter air.

"Steve!"

"Angel." He coos as he brings you in for a hug. It had been about 8 months since you'd last seen him. While you were happy to see him, you were slightly taken aback to see him here.

"What on earth are you two doing here?" You breath out as you go to pull away from his embrace. When Steve's grip on you suddenly tightens, you're slightly confused. Looking up at Peggy and seeing the solemn look on her face you know that something was wrong.

“Steve?”

"I'll give you two a minute." Peggy excuses herself, making her way toward the field to give us some privacy.

“Steve, hey, hey, what's going on?" As he finally lets you go you look up into his eyes to see that they were glossy with tears threatening to spill over.

“Hey,” you hook a finger underneath his chin fixing his gaze from the ground onto you, "talk to me. I'm here, what's wrong?"

“It’s Bucky, he’s… he’s gone.”

A dreadful weight settles deep in the pit of your stomach as Steve looks at you in a way he's never before. So full of regret and heartache. You search his face for any type of deceit, any indication that what he said had been a terrible lie and that Bucky was alright- but to your avail you could find none.

Steve went on about the mission leading up to Bucky's final moments but it fell on deaf ears as your mind was anything but tethered to this reality.

"No, no." You mumble underneath your breath as you stumble backwards a bit.

"Woah-hey," Steve grabs a hold onto you, steadying your grounding. "I'm so sorry y/n."

“He can’t be gone," your voice comes out strained in a high pitch, "he just can’t be.” Your vision blurred as the crushing weight of reality settled within your head and within your heart.

Bucky was gone- for real this time. There was no rescuing him, there was no saving him.

You felt Steve wrap his arms around you as you buried your head into his chest. That seemed to be the tipping edge as before you knew it a sob began to wrack out of your lips. You cried for all the plans you've made. For the memories and time now stolen from you.

"We were supposed to get married." You manage to choke out between ragged breaths.

"I know, angel," he said softly. "I know."

When you returned to the barracks, it was lights out and you wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and wake up from this terrible nightmare. You found it cruel how the last time you were within these walls you were an engaged woman, and now you return a widow. Memories of Bucky plagued your every thought as your own grief made you restless, sleep evading you.

Bucky and you had shared a lifetime of memories. Growing into the versions of yourselves that both of you had come to love. Now they'll forever be a hole left where the rest of the story should have been written. When you return home, you'll return a widow. You'll never be able to hold him, to touch him, to marry him, have a family with him-

"I'll never love again", you thought to yourself. "There's no getting over you."

[inventors-fair]

Runners-up—or, slither-ers-up?

Our runners-up this week are @deg99, @izzet-always-r-versus-u, and @wildcardgamez!

@deg99 — Psychestrictor

I saw in the writeup that you chose to make this an enchantment creature to set it on Duskmourn; if you're doing that, you probably want to actually make it an enchantment creature on the card, my guy. That aside, I was tossing and turning a little thinking of how I wanted to divvy up the podium, and this card kept coming back to mind. And that's because it's pretty great! Bringing back unhinged is certainly a choice, and it works well enough that it feels pretty perfect here. The most fun part to me is the implication that you can force two creatures to both block and take double damage from an unhinged Psychestrictor, which is, like, a pseudo-lure, but also pragmatically a pseudo-double-fling?? The snake's not gonna survive the process, obviously, but it's a strange space.

Strange in a good way, I mean. The evasion/damage effect makes this a strong limited finisher for sure. As an on-curve menace creature it's powerful enough on its own. Five mana for what can essentially be double strike if you're ahead on board is radically powerful, but only in limited, and only in the cases where you can force the advantage sans removal. I think this card is pushed. I don't think it's pushed beyond the limits of what's reasonable. It's not something I want to see on the other side of the board, but who would? After all, it's the snake that makes people go crazy. Flavor-wise, I think having a snake wrapped around your psyche is a really cool concept as a fear. I hate to admit it, but snakes do have their fair share of people who are afraid of them. Well now you can ensure that you face your fears by losing your mind! Yay.

@izzet-always-r-versus-u — Cloudriver Coatl

Some weeks we get a lot of powerful cards and paring down to the podium is difficult. Here we are in one of those weeks, and really, I have no notes for this card. It's ready to go to print! The archetypical sky-beater has a fair amount of evasion, gets bigger early to pace the things in the sky, and positively rips through your deck to get to the cards you want to play later on. Like, that's what Duskmourn figured out with the U/G archetype: card advantage is key. As long as you can get your answers, the synergies are just as strong as other color combos despite a lack (sometimes) of absolute removal. I mentioned this briefly in the writeup, but I'm surprised that we had more than one explore-oriented card this week. Not too surprised, but surprised still.

This card in particular feels like the exploration is both warranted and pleasant as a theme. The snake is drifting through the clouds, completely wild, not some explorer's pet but a creature of this environment. It surveys its domain from above where it can evade larger predators and grow its psychic dominion. Maybe that's reaching into things, but hey, it's potentially sharing a sky with dragons! Coatls feel Alaran to me, and I like the notion of Alara being a world of new exploration now, with the shards converging and whatnot. Some day, I should write an essay on how Alara "worked," because... Well, I'm getting ahead of myself. Big flying snakes feel like something that Alara can support absolutely, and the power that this creature provides is enough to make me love it. I wanna slam this turn two every game that I can.

@wildcardgamez — Brambleside Adder

I will admit that it took me a second to really get this card, ha. Flavor-wise, I'm a little iffy on whether or not "snake rogues" belong on Bloomburrow, or if this card is intended to be a Bloomburrow character at all, because all the art depictions of snakes on that plane show them as predators/monsters. But! The play-to-flavor is really damn funny. I love all those baby bunnies you've made! Now we EAT THEM. Seriously, this is...probably one of the most snake-like sensations of snakeosity at this point in the contest, although I'm writing these in little advance chunks. I think you could've cut the flavor text for space because I already dig what you're doing with the mechanics as a flavorful portion.

On the board, this card's totally fine. Nearly every species on Bloomburow makes a 1/1 token of some kind, and the fact that this looks at all small creatures makes it that much better. Let's actually break away from normal Bloomburrow limited and look at if there would be another set that has offspring, yeah? Depending on those archetypes, if black had a couple sacrifice strategies, this card could go off early and really swing in. Your early game gets more aggressive by forcing your opponents to not block an army of small things unless they want Snake and Snake Jr. to get even larger. Menace on the little guy means that it's a free meal for the elder adder to make blocking that much harder, and so on and so forth. I think I might be in magical Christmas land, but I do enjoy what you're cooking with here, and I'd love to see people's realization about the implication here. Snake's gotta eat, after all.

I got about a quarter of the commentary done ahead of time, and I'll wrangle the rest tonight hopefully. Thank you all once more for your entries!

@abelzumi

[horrorknife]

can u expand on where they drop the ball on john's character bc outside of like spiral and jigsaw (which. i havent seen but what i hear about its backstory) i remember him being the most consistent one

honestly it just feels like they lost the plot with him after saw iii (the last one leigh whannell wrote) because like...a lot of it i feel is really clumsy in its execution. saw (2004) jigsaw is the most faithful portrayal of the character because it's the first and was the only planned instance for the character. leigh making amanda his apprentice in ii is a good play because it makes sense that he'd need a little bit of assistance.

john is definitely the most consistent character throughout the movies because he's the bread and butter of the whole series but i kind of...just think it's really bullshit the way they strip him of most of his ability to be involved with the traps after a certain point. and like, yeah, he's dying and old. but at the same time i feel like it's hard to ignore that he's pushed to the side as far as being involved almost at all with (onscreen) trap production and overseeing games in favor of younger and more attractive people getting that screen time. i just think it's kind of lame that we hardly get to see him doing his thing outside of showing amanda and hoffman stuff.

also not a fan of how the later saw films (notably v/vi/vii) lean so heavily on multiple-person games to the point where it's genuinely difficult to keep up with who's onscreen and what their minor indiscretions were. i know saw ii is a multi-person game but if we take into consideration that darren lynn bousman was just allowed to take his personal script and attach it to saw ii while tweaking it with leigh whannell...it doesn't and never has felt like a saw movie to me (because it wasn't one to begin with). and this unfortunately set the precedent for later films to do big fuckoff games with ridiculous amounts of people. it makes the emotional beats of the story get muddled and doesn't really give the audience time to care about these characters or feel fear. it feels inconsistent with johns ususal schtick to me because, like...i think if he were to do Big games like that the times should definitely be different? it doesn't make sense for adam and lawrence to get 8 hours but the nerve gas house folks to only be given 3 hours. i guess it's mostly just up to personal interpretation but i feel like john's character and motives become watered down the further we get from the original film. it's also just bad fucking writing for them to insist he's 52.

from what i remember of jigsaw (ive only subjected myself to it once because it was That Bad), he just feels like a shell of himself. yknow when a fanfic writer writes a character and you can tell it's based on their very limited and mediocre understanding of the character? it felt like that. he was there sure but his bones certainly were not lol.

not to mention the trap at the end of saw x which Really pissed me off because of the straight up hypocrisy? john's most hard and fast rule is that the subject does REQUIRE a way to get out because that makes it 'fair' to him (it isn't but we have to use his logic here lol). where is that in the epic bad luck scene? they straight up just kill that guy. i think that's hooooooorseshit because the entire fuckin reason hoffman was blackmailed into giving his life to john was for Straight Up Killing A Guy and disguising it as a jigsaw trap.

also i honestly do sometimes find the gideon plotline to be a little stupid. i'm sorry. john could have just been a crochety old man who hated drug addicts for the sake of hating drug addicts. it's just a little too convenient of a retcon for me to get behind sometimes. "his wife worked at an addict rehab clinic and we lost our baby because of an addict" feels like it reflects more on patrick melton and marcus dunstan tbh. "i want people to appreciate the time they have on this earth without ruining their lives" translates much better to me when it's because of his cancer. we didn't need another "reason" for his behavior especially when he's the main antagonist? mostly what i'm saying is that the writer collaborations/handoffs and yearly releases really hurt the character because he gets gradually weaker over the course of the films

[baeshijima]

OMG A FELLOW CALEB ENJOYER 👀 honestly that man has such a vice grip on me idek what to do with my life anymore... the fact he really is an actual love interest now really shows we've come a long way back when we were counting his eyelashes wishing for him to come back 😭

also if u don't mind me asking, how many of his cards do u have? i gathered u're pulling for him (and zayne bc i rmbr u liking him too hehe) on monday bc phew! those cards and the trailer😩 absolute insanity and the roller coaster of emotions it put all of us through was insane!!

FELLOW CALEB TRUTHERS RISE !! i will defend that man with my LIFE he is just too complex to be boiled down to one characteristic and even that undermines his character so much ;w;;; ourgh ive cried over him so much to the point ive probably conditioned myself into just bursting into tears the moment i see/hear him like its so bad but its also the first love syndrome ;w;;; look away zayne.... covering ur eyes... u cannot see anything.... haha............

STOP I REMEMBER THAT POST COUNTING EACH INDIVIDUAL EYELASH HE HAS 😭 we were all starved for him after the explosion and his one text wasnt enough... the amount of times i replayed chap 4 back then should be studied 🧍‍♀️

hehe idm at all !! the only card im missing is his limited one (painful signal) bc i plan to save for quint + zayne and calebs myth & bday cards 🫠 i dont think i can afford to pull on solo or some multi banners anymore bc now i have to prioritise 2 charas instead of 1 😭

but yea i have all his cards outside of painful signal (the 95% in the collection haunts me...), with 2 of them being fully ranked (farspace bloomfall & endless summer... why didnt any of the dupes go into farspace deprivation so i could unlock his torn and alt outfits 🧍‍♀️) and hidden waves being r1 !!

he treated me very well in his standard banner 😌 but also probably bc i had 349/350 pulls... that one pull remaining.... haha.......

and i am pulling on monday !! definitely will be going for zayne and caleb, but im not sure for the third slot bc after those two the rest are equal in my eyes,,, maybe rafayel tho bc him in the wolfcut just hits different 😩 also still bummed the outfit crate and hairstyle are separate pulling rewards... like they did it just fine in cat caretaker where everything was together and u could use all the items (the ears and tails) separately from the suit 🫠 manifesting they change it bc having to spend those extra pulls for the hair... haha.... no. infold u are greedy enough with ur rates and shoddy rewards esp in late game... stop making it harder...

[heros-shade-fanclub]

hello my lovelyyy :3 👑🙊💃🐳 for u 💃 in general tho not limited to botw . looks at u with my autistic eyes

<3 islandlobster

Hello my lovely pea!!!!!!!! <333333333 Yippeeeeeee!!

👑 Favorite version of princess Zelda

Botw/totk for sure!! I think I answered this one already? whatever I LOVE HER and she's under absolutely monstrous amounts of pressure and her character was probably my favorite thing about botw/totk's writing

🙊 Unpopular Zelda opinions

ooooohhhh i've never fully agreed when ppl make botw/totk link "the feral one" in their aus....like I get WHY that particular hc is so popular (just due to the way those games are meant to be played, the amnesia thing, etc.) but also. Have we considered that he essentially grew up in a castle? meaning he was exposed to High Society on a near-daily basis, therefore needing to be taught a very specific set of manners and social rules? And he's one of the few Links who actually was a knight prior to his adventure? Like YES he is capital w Weird but. I'm just saying that on the scale of "versions of Link who know what a fork is" he likely ranks pretty high (^THIS IS NOT TARGETED BTW this is just me throwing out my thoughts abt him. godspeed everyone with this hc)

I also dislike the idea that the Hero of Twilight was chosen because he had "the blood of the hero". like whatttttever girl he was chosen because he's an excellent big brother and loves all of the earth's creatures. and can wrangle giant goats

💃Favorite botw outfit

oh god there are so many good outfits....in botw specifically i like the climber set?? idk love me a good muscle tank. if we include other games i'm really really fond of the twilight princess zora armor :3 so pretty

🐳 If you were a Zelda character, what race would you be?

THIS IS HARD. ummmm if not a Hylian, maybe a zora?? I always love their designs and I'd love to be an Indigo-Go :] or a Stable Trotter maybe

[coredrill]

can u convince me to watch bravern? gurren lagann is the only mecha anime I've ever seen. should I watch it even? thank you.

i can do my darndest!!! 🫡 i definitely think it's worth a watch even if you've only seen ttgl - i've watched bravern with a few friends whose mecha experience starts and ends with evangelion, and they had a fun time!!! it's also standalone and only 12 episodes, so it's a pretty quick and easy watch!

anyways in terms of convincing you the first thing i will include is the OP, because from the moment i saw this i was like. i must watch this immediately. and i have been hooked ever since!!! and also it is sung by bravern (the main mecha) himself and it RULES. it does kinda spoil the gimmick of the first episode (the first 15 minutes or so try to sell the show as like. a serious war drama fslkdjfh) but it matches the tone of the rest of the show much better so i don't think you really lose much:

and i'm also gonna include the ED because everything about the show that ISN'T captured by the OP is shown in the ED…………i swear they made it this to give their audience a chance to wind down from how homoerotic the actual show itself is, LMAO.

in terms of things that might appeal to you as a ttgl fan - katsuyuki konishi (kamina's jp va) has a small but very funny role, LMAO. on the whole, bravern is also very much about characters surpassing their own limitations, and also the show surpassing its own limitations at the same time! i wouldn't say that the plot/stakes are exponential in the way that ttgl's is, what with them going to space and making universe-sized mechs, but it does give a very similar feeling of "surely this is as far as they'll go, right?………..OH NOPE NEVER MIND" imo!!! it's also so very much about the power of love that it got my hater ass rooting for the earnest yet bizarre romance that occurs, LMAO. i'd say that while ttgl's theme of "love conservative" isn't quite as explicit in bravern, it still applies!! overall bravern knows exactly what it's doing and loves every moment of it, just like ttgl does, which i think is a huge part of why i personally got sucked into it so hard LMAO.

also, the show is just fucking hilarious imo. the dialogue has so many funny out-of-pocket moments that made me genuinely laugh aloud and the situations that the characters get into feel like every time the crew behind the show was presented with the chance to make a decision, they chose the most unhinged option available in the best way possible. a non-spoiler example of this is that for some reason, the suez canal is still blocked in the bravern universe????????? like, this took me out when i saw it, because. WHAT IS THE REASON

honestly the one thing that really comes nowheres near ttgl is in its animation (of course), though i will say that bravern's 3d mechs look really good and are some of the best i've seen outside of studio trigger et al's recent work with promare/griduni!! also akira amemiya (who did a good amount of key animation in ttgl) did this cut in the OP which imo rules

i hope you enjoy it if you do check it out!!!! it's such a wild ride on the whole but it's really a special show and it brings me so much joy!!

[snailsgoingdowntown]

i loved your latest bsd work! also its v realistic (at least for me) bc i keep seeing these works of like, staying with them through thick and thin and while it is cute! kinda unrealistic 😭 i hope u have a good day 🫶

Gdhd thank you!!!

It really is unrealistic. A lot of people, myself included, would make the argument that everything would turn out alright if you would just stay. But that's neither healthy nor possible (majority of the time). Obviously yes, in some cases that works, but in many more it just won't.

I would know, because once upon a time I tried to stay with someone who was just... Toxic. It was not good for my mental health and I stayed up all night barely getting three hours of sleep in talking them out of well... Yeah.

The amount of times I cried and had mental breakdowns on the daily was not. Ideal. But it was exactly the memories of that, that made me think: "a relationship with these characters is impossible."

They have may issues that many people are just not equipped to handle, either because they were never told how or because they simply can't, regardless if they're in the same situation/have the same thoughts/feelings as these characters.

Like, realistically, ik many people would not be able to deal with Dazai. I wouldn't be able to, that man would make me fall down into a pit of despair where I return to my old habits and thoughts I don't want to go through again.

Kunikida would be horrible to deal with, at least Dazai would make a person laugh. He's way too strict and I have a fear of people like that, not only that, he tends to speak with his chest out in a loud voice. That's not a bad thing, but for him specifically, it makes him feel unapproachable, to me at least. If you're caught up with the manga, then you know how Aya's dad is, and I am afraid of him becoming like that if he were to ever find a lover or have a kid. Sure, it wouldn't be on purpose, but realistically, there is a decent sized chance that MIGHT happen.

I wouldn't be able to deal with Ranpo, we'd get into fights 24/7. He would make me cry and I would punch his face.

Chuuya... Haha, I honestly can't see him with anyone. Dazai and the sheep probably ruined that for him, along with that one guy in stormbringer who's name I forgot. They're lucky he still has trust in him for them.

Aku and higuchi are a very toxic dual, and keep in mind she likes him the way he is. So imagine if her affections were to shift to someone new, and based on how obsessive she is with him, it would probably be the same story, and remember, in one side story, she literally used her off day to stalk him. Not only that but she wanted to kill Gin simply because she THOUGHT she was romantically involved with Aku. And she did a total 180 when she found out she was his sister.

Tbh I think Gin would make a better choice for Higuchi cuz at least she doesn't slap her around.

But yeah, a relationship with any of these characters would probably be impossible for most, not all, but most. It's always good to be there for people, but please set boundaries, know your limits.

But yea, that's the joy of fan fiction, you can make anything work in fiction. But in reality it probably wouldn't. But fiction is nice. Idek what I'm saying anymore, it's 3am, but thank you for the ask and remember to take care of yourself too!!

[auspex]

Multiples of nine for Mark!!!

WHEW this took me 4ever im sorry. some good ones in here! :D Thank you

-

9. when in their life were they most scared?

I struggled with this one because there are a lot of contenders and it somewhat depends on the type of fear. The most horror they felt was probably standing over Sampson’s unconscious injured body after almost having drank from him (which would have killed them) and entering hunger frenzy. The most fear he felt in a more visceral way, for his life, was early on in his embrace, during the coup where the then-prince was ousted and the coterie was caught in the crossfire- since he was just turned I imagine that even though he’s been in other (un)life threatening situations that one was the scariest. And finally the most dread he probably felt was when entering Gaius’s lab, he confronted a large troll who was blocking the exit.. Thankfully that worked out cause it was Kyle. But Mark thought he was SO screwed.  -

18. what dish brings back the best memories for them? Mark got cookies from the neighbors one day and in his memory, its the best food he’s ever had. But I’m not sure if that brings up the best memories necessarily. Hm. 

I’ll say that he had some sort of celebration dinner after defending his PhD with Dr. Armatto and, whatever he had then, would be the dish that brings back the best memories for him. Not that he could eat it now in the same way :( I will decide what that is later… maybe some expensive steak that he wouldn’t normally buy for himself. -

27. how do they usually dress? why do they dress the way they do?

Answered!

-

36. how do they fidget?

Answered!

-

45. what lies do they tell themselves?

A few right now! Mark loves telling himself lies. I’ll go with the two most delicious ones. One that is VERY important for him to keep up: “I am trying to kill Julius but I don’t have to tell him that because it could never succeed because of how all-powerful he is. I should in fact NOT tell him I am trying to do this because then he would have to limit me, and I am useful to him right now. Limiting me would only hurt him and he should not do that because it is good to help him. Ergo, it is fine to hide that I am trying to kill him, from him, as he is in no actual danger.” 

He is intentionally keeping that one up so he can try to break free of Julius without dying YAYYY his skills in Repression have helped him. 

As well: “I enjoy hanging out with Cassidy because of our shared interests only and because there isn’t anyone else I could do that with right now. I am keeping an appropriate amount of caution and distance with a kindred far older than me. I am only wondering why he is gay because of recent comments he made and I have no investment in the outcome. I only gave him a whole TV because it was a very simple thing for me to do to make someone else very happy and also perhaps he manipulated me. But if he did it was only a small thing that doesn’t matter. It is ok. He cannot manipulate me further because I have normal, platonic, feelings for him, and can keep an emotional distance.” 

I love u Mark my god… u fool. 

-

54. how important is money in their life? do they save up for ages, or spend quickly?

Well, Julius gives him a monthly income of thousands of dollars because money is nothing to Julius and he doesn’t want Mark to have to worry about mundane things. However, Mark can’t save money this way - Julius just basically replaces whatever Mark spent that month. 

He will get income from his territory once that is finally set up as well which he could actually keep month to month I think!

Mark has good discipline about saving money so if he needed to he could. Right now he just considers it one less thing to worry about, thank god. 

-

63. what’s a meme or tiktok or vine (or whatever) that you associate with them?

Answered! 

[nebulacollege]

About your original story line

I was wondering if u would ever create like… side characters or would there be faceless mobs which just help with the storyline in your game ?

If you don’t wanna create more characters that’s fine- I was just wondering if you’ll create like… non-main people into blank silhouettes or just random sounds or voices in the background that indicate that someone is there ? ( I’ve seen these type whenever a character that’s not important talks or shows that it’s in a conversation ).

Your question is something that I’ve been thinking about myself! I’ve put off replying to your for a couple of days, and for some reason during that time I came up with a bunch of stuff for the story and, accordingly, for the game.

There definitely will be side characters apart from the main ones, and we will even get to see them, although maybe not all of them –I’m not sure, but I think all prefects for the houses will make an appearance, at least. There are also a couple of random students I have ideas for, but if I don’t need them for the story at least somehow, they probably won’t be used at all – so their overall amount is going to be limited.

And about the second part of your question – yeah, these types of mob-crowd characters will come in handy, but it’ll also depend on the scene where I might need those – they’re great for making it look like there’s actually a big number of students in the college. About the level of their... “silhouetteness” I’m still not sure, whatever is going to look good and is going to be easy enough to make.

Coming up with the sound design is going to be awful though 😔 as well as with the music. No idea how to do that apart from looking for royalty free stuff, but these problems are better to be left for later, when they actually arise

[venusianducklingcharlatan]

Before the insects have made their claim

a/n. wrote this as an exercise to get me back into writing. i just recently watched Edens Zero and i was intrigued by the robots’ internal conflict of their “humanity” so here’s an attempt to flesh out chapter 1 and michael’s character from the manga. im not gonna include every scene (esp the fight scene i suck at it) but im adding on the gaps of the manga chapter. hope u enjoy <3

~

“Ah, my arm broke again.” 

Michael had just woken up from his slumber and began to survey his surroundings. He wonders if the screws might have been too loose after its last tinkering before dismissively sighing it off.

Michael is no stranger to this kind of incident that he does not bother to pick up his arm to attach back this time. It comes to harass the inhabitants of planet Granbell one to five times a week, the occurrence growing more frequent as time pass by. It is a constant unwanted reminder that they had long overstayed their welcome, now free to lay their bodies to rest.

The right arm lies in his bed, as if mocking his life degrading each day of old age. Old age?  No, that’s too humanistic of a condition to apply to a mere robot. 

One can count the time a robot has been conscious from its launching until it’s disabled, but robots don’t age. Not in a traditional sense. Their consciousness is saved through data, transferable to another host if needed be. Death doesn’t come easily to them. But to battery-reliant ones nearing their expiry end, dwelling on a human-abandoned planet—its visit is undeniably inevitable. 

Nevertheless, Michael prefers to think of it that way. It is a concept his dear friend would find easier to comprehend. He finds the greatest joys in life revolving around making a certain human on their planet happy. And that involves anything human-related. This complicity of an excuse allows him to wish more freely for a human heart. 

Thus, it was not a slumber he had woken up from, but a pretense of a human sleep. A desperate effort to save whatever little energy is left to last the machines more days to welcome.

He grabs the stool beside his bed, his left arm supporting his weight, trying to get up while struggling to balance his body like he had just woken up from a coma. He moved his one foot right after the other, slowly pacing towards a mirror. It was not vanity that humans obsess over that he’s concerned with—not the absence of his right arm, nor the rust and dents displaying on his frame.

Small cogs spin slowly inside his head to form an inverted arch on his mouth, imitating a human muscle forming a smile. It was one of the few visible things that permitted him to show a human expressiveness within the limits of his being. A treasure that further fuels his drive to persevere. 

Michael thought himself indifferent to owing favors. As a robot, his program instructs him to abide by a “give and take” principle. But when Shiki gives him a reason to live, what could possibly amount such worth to match what is received?

A loud voice called from outside, demanding attention from his perturbing pondering. “Michael!” shouted a young man, knocking rhythmically on his door. “Let’s hang out!”

One could never have a peaceful amble when accompanied by Shiki, so Michael quietly pleads his body to function well today. 

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

Luck smiled today at Michael’s surreptitious attempt of hiding his slight predicament. Shiki hadn’t noticed, but his gait required more lifting and dragging than yesterday. Satisfied, Michael (tries to) merrily skips his way towards the town, leaving Shiki to his own devices.

He is so sure the ensuing days would be orchestrated based on Shiki’s whims. Smiling, his mind wanders off all things happy that come along with the young boy’s presence—all the laughter, all the adventures, all his dreams. But all the mind’s a labyrinth and his was a narrow path, the finish line always ending with the uncertainty afflicting Shiki’s future.

The quandary from this morning filled him once again with much apprehension. His forefinger anxiously tapping his thigh he once mimicked a human to calm his nerve did not help one bit. As luck would have it, his line of thought suddenly came to a halt when the growing loud chatter from a curious large crowd gathering at the entrance to the town diverts his attention. What’s going on?

“A guest!” Michael hears some bot exclaimed. Standing on his tiptoes behind the horde, he sees what could only be described as the unimaginable—a human girl and a talking cat.

Every machine present frenzy over the sight of their new guests after a long century of isolation—briskly lining up to greet them in a chorus. “Welcome! To Granbell, the Kingdom of Dreams!”

Michael, still astounded, watches from afar as his peers scramble their way to entertain the visitors, showcasing everything at their disposal: from venturing on quests and princess roleplaying, to a full-on festival invigorated with fireworks and cheers. He couldn’t hear when the guests began to talk, but he assumes they requested a repeat of the whole act as the robots reposition themselves at their designated starting points of the act.

The guests decided to replenish their energy at a nearby bar, introducing themselves as Rebecca and her companion cat, Happy. Unsuspecting of the many sneaky glances casting at the two, their lively conversation and earnest intentions reassures the machines of their nature. But still, the robots were no fools, they know better than to be quick at fully trusting humans.

The robots gazes at the pair exiting the bar, headed straight to the forest. They could only hope that they will get along with Shiki.

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

“Hello, traveler. I see that you have failed in your quest.” Mitra, the barmaid, says. She stands behind the counter, taking notice of the guests tromping back to the bar.

“Never mind that—I found a human! A human boy!” Rebecca exclaims. She slams her hands on the counter and adds, “I thought this place was all machines!”

“Ah, you mean Shiki,” Mitra replies kindly and as if on cue, the said boy appears behind her. Shiki ignores the shock Rebecca and Happy displayed and introduces them to all robots present at the bar. “…and this is my friend, Michael.”

“Oh, so you all know each other?” Rebecca asks. 

“We’re all friends here.” Shiki enthusiastically replies, pulling Annie and Michael to give a side hug. “Friends!”

As if letting nature takes it course, they held a party once again to celebrate the guests’ arrival. Everyone feasted on Annie’s best dishes; Rebecca dressed up in a lovely dress of boysenberry color. While drunk in beer, everyone dances and sings songs in merriment.

Not too far from the celebration, in a castle that stood proudly tall of all the buildings in the planet, the ruler sits in his throne of gas leaking from the pipes attached to his body. A messenger robot kneels in front of him, delivering news of the guests’ arrival.

“I know,” the Lord Castellan grimly said. “That time has come.”

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

The party from before has long since mellowed down and night has finally come for Granbell. Shiki, Rebecca, Happy, and Michael, all find themselves eating dinner together. The humans on table dominates the conversation, easily warming up to each another. 

Not long after, Shiki lets out a yawn, announcing his intentions to sleep before his head falls on the table unconsciously, breaking the table in half. Rebecca and Happy shrieks, expressing their concerns for the table.

“‘Why is a human living in a place like this’ is written all over your expression,” says Michael bluntly. Rebecca, mouth gaped open, thought out loud if he was a mind reader. Letting out a chuckle, he states that to be untrue. He continues on telling her about Shiki’s bizarre circumstances. About the demon king, and their attachment to him.

Mitra shows the guests where they will be staying but it would seem that Rebecca has another plan before going to bed. Crouched down, Rebecca stares intently at Shiki.

“What’s the matter Ms. Rebecca?” Michael asks from behind.

“Do you mind if I cut his hair?” Rebecca answers, her eyes glowing a sinister glint. “It has been bugging me.”

Rebecca and Happy retires to their quarters after giving Shiki a more polished haircut. Their conversation trails off in a distance, satisfied of the video contents they amassed, still unaware of the purposive stares they have been receiving all day.

The robots shared a knowing look, shuddering in excitement, agitation, and perhaps, fear. Lord Castellan had already informed the robots of the plan, the instructions passed off orally. A few robots carefully and quietly tuck Shiki in his bedroom, away from the clamorous group of robots ready to set their plan into motion.

Unbeknownst to everyone, Michael began harboring doubts of the human ethics their methods might entail. He isn’t keen on aggrieving a lady and her companion they would entrust Shiki on. But he swallows those doubts with a knowing sigh that nothing else can be done. He turns his head towards the direction of the young boy’s bedroom, probably drooling in his sleep. There’s no way Shiki would leave the town unattended. Not when everyone’s breaking each day.

Still, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Michael stands still; his back pressing against the wall, softly wishing that it would swallow his figure in the background. To his relief, several robots volunteered to do the arduous task. They walk with stealthy footsteps, mindful of their metallic feet creaking loudly on the floor.

Some robots leave to the storage room to fetch a rope, while the others go outside to set up the wooden logs. Everyone looks shamefully excited to tie up innocent travelers despite their best intentions. And as much as Michael would like to reprimand them for showing no remorse, he keeps his lips sealed. After all, he was rowing the same boat as those robots do.

The residents of Granbell all love Shiki, but this love comes with many sacrifices. A sacrifice he knew some bots could no longer endure after a beaming hope had finally shed its light. He is in no place to judge when just this morning, he finds his will to live slowly but surely waning. 

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

Everyone gathers patiently around the erected wooden platform where Rebecca and Happy were tied up. Guards stand behind them, holding a torch in their hands as if ready to burn a witch at the stake. Rebecca is the first to wake up, immediately asking what’s going on.

“I’ve waited a long time for this day… human.” Lord Castellan walks in front of Rebecca just as he sensed Shiki’s presence pushing his way through the crowd. Michael isn’t prepared for Shiki's imminent anger once he saw what they had done. Even more so when Shiki had declared that she is his friend. Lord Castellan continues his speech, raising the tension with each word he utters.

“We robots are not tools to serve humankind. Our race is not inferior to you humans.” He coldly says. Shiki turns to the other robots only to find their words aligning with the ruler.

“I am not a tool.” Michael says his tone in a timbre Shiki has never heard before. If Shiki wasn’t looking, he would have never thought those words were uttered from the mouth of the robot he considers his best friend.

“It can’t be,” Rebecca cries. “Have they been all infected with a virus?”

Lord Castellan confirms her supposition and claims that it gave them the freedom to think. To no longer be at the hands of vile humans, existing only at their convenience. Shiki, frustrated at the ridiculous assertions they have been spouting, turns to seek out his tools.

His march came to an abrupt stop when a torch nears Rebecca, threatening her life if he continues to take another step. Lord Castellan mocks his attempts to be pointless; invalidating all the time Shiki patched them up when it was actually Granbell’s Castle Auto-Repair System. And that they were only playing a role. Shiki was assigned to be the mechanic.

“No! I’m going to fix you” Shiki cries out, his eyebrows scrunching up in vexation.

“Impossible,” interrupted Lord Castellan.

“I will fix you! Please trust me. We’re friends, aren’t we?”

“You’re human. We’re machine. We cannot be friends.” the ruler says as he throws his cloak away, revealing a body resembling that of a medieval knight’s armor. He tells them of a time when humans and machines lived harmoniously in Granbell, the kingdom of fantasy and dreams. How when guests stopped coming, the humans abandoned the planet. Not even bothering to dispose what is left.

“But I’m a human!” Shiki shouts. “I never left you alone!”

His pleas went unheard. Accusations and condemnations continue to layer on top of each other, as if to shatter the friendship made fragile by the situation. Everyone goes to rile up Shiki: pinning him down and beating him up.

“I thought we were friends!” Shiki’s voice starts quivering. Daylight has never seemed much grimmer than the night. He is hopeless on the ground, every blow as painful as the words that betrayed him today.

Humans and machines are not friends. It tore Michael inside to lie, but he mustered a blistering coldness of hatred pointed at his friend. Shiki’s cries gradually fade in his ears, drowned by a resolute conviction to see through their promise with Ziggy.

And Rebecca, helplessly forced to witness such tragedy wails her words in despair.

“He said you were his friends! How can you be so cruel? You can be friends with anyone! It doesn’t matter whether you’re human or machine!”

At the sight of tears flowing from Rebecca’s eyes, Shiki finds himself getting up. If you have a friend who will shed tears for you, you better treasure them forever, he remembers.  

Shiki throws a decisive punch, dispersing the robots in the area.

“Guess we’re not friends anymore.”

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

The sun had begun to set and the robots, resigned to the floor, indulged themselves with the luxury of dying beneath its beauty. Michael imagines Shiki’s face, probably scrunched up in despair and muscles contorted in ways his own wouldn’t allow. He reminisces about the first time Shiki declared he would make a hundred friends. The adventures they shared all throughout the planet, every nook and cranny memorized. All ponds fished on, and the mountains explored. How they made each corner of their confined world, a home. 

He tilted his head towards the direction of the place, witness to all his merriment and ugliness. His house that was supposed to outlive him, disintegrated into dust and rubble. He feels–or rather–thinks he feels strangely melancholic about it. But there was no use overthinking things when the end is nearing. He just feels what he thinks.

All his life, like many other bots, Michael wished for a human heart. As mawkish as it sounds, this longing stems from something akin to an inferiority complex remaining suppressed in him like an unspoken secret almost all robots relate and are privy to. 

And yet for the first time, he believed himself fortunate to just be. If only he knew it was going to make goodbyes impossibly painful… If only he knew it would engulf him with an insurmountable loneliness...

Then he would have never wished for a heart.

▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️ ▫️

𝔞𝔩𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔬𝔳𝔢 ♥

[meganegatari]

its been so long and i am so sorry omg…i meant to gush over this properly right when you posted it but MY BRAIN. anyway now it is time.

well, to start, lyss, you are a worldwide national universe-wide treasure in every single way. i could go on and on and on about how much i adore you as a person and your entire existence, but we would break the tumblr word limit if it even exists, three times over. i am here to gush about your writing. i look up to you as a writer so, so much, everything you present reads so silky smooth— it is a DELIGHT. you're able to weave in absolutely stunning prose with stellar characterization of our silly girl, with the most delicately handled and well thought out plot i have ever seen. you really have a gift, and i am not just saying that…you know me and my hater ways <3

i love everything you do, but this fic in particular is SUCHHH a treat. im so glad to see you presenting us with some longer content, and im sure everyone else feels the same!! whenever you ask me…lil ole ME…for some kind of writing advice…bae honored is an understatement. you have such a skill for writing, like better than a lot of published authors i read (and i have read A LOTTTT) i wanna see you keep pushing!! i adore this fic so much. it is just the right amounts of silly, and sexy, and a really really fun time. i adore your introductions, you set the scene so well and paint the most vivid, gorgeous picture in readers minds UGH IT MAKES ME EMOSH….from when you sprouted this idea, to when u showed me the layout and the drafts and released it into the world…omg you ate so hard. thank goodness for modern glasses technology so my blind ass is able to witness this....

“you told yourself it was a coincidence, how often your visits lined up with her shift. you weren’t memorizing her schedule—god, no. you just… noticed a pattern. for advice purposes. obviously. she had the best advice.

and i love this part. your writers voice is so clear and you have so much character when you give us these beautiful stories I CANT STRESS ENOUGH HOW MUCH I LOVE IT AND EVERYTHING YOU CREATE. the feeling is so prominent and it oozes passion for the hobby and the character, bravo.

while the trial and error of gardening took up most of your time, another thorn lodged itself in your side—this one not literal.

and this too like…your brain???? you always think of the most clever little touches to add, i will never not be obsessed. and how you followed it up with a description that isnt anything but flawless….like you suck readers in so good !!!!!

she must have witnessed you struggling in your yard at least a dozen times by now. the tips. the encouragement. her uncanny ability to know exactly what should go where. the conveniently timed suggestions that always hit just right. and not once had she mentioned she lived next door? diabolical, honestly.

AND LIKE HOW YOU ALWAYS ACE HER HEHEHEHAFK. in a sea of mischaracterizaion, i thank you for your faithfulness because everything you write is so so so SO painfully ellie, you might as well be writing the new canon. beyond stellar. everyone gotta take notes.

ellie looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. and then—she grinned. of course she grinned, like she hadn’t just upended your entire understanding of reality. like you weren’t standing there, tin of cookies in hand, suddenly feeling ridiculous, and very underprepared for whatever this was.

THIS BIT ALWAYS MAKES ME GIGGLE WHENEVER I COME BACK TO IT PLEASE. what a ridiculous goofy goober omg i can see that signature stupid smile of hers THAT DORK ISTG and just before that…how you described her working…oh i am drooling. oh suddenly my phone disappeared…have you seen it? LIKE GODDAMNASDAKSLKDL you seriously write sex appeal and tension so so well istg you could write about…idk a banister a railing and id be creaming my pants BUT THAT IS BESIDES THE POINT your writing is immaculate whatever genre you dabble in.

your role is mainly reduced to handing her tools and keeping her hydrated. water swiftly proves to be necessary as ellie worked diligently, showing off her mastery, the early morning sun rises to a brighter, more oppressive, sweltering heat. you try stepping in to help a few times, but the firm swats from ellie’s palm—quick, pointed, and slightly amused—make it clear she’s not about to let you much of the heavy lifting.

and i love this part because especially the last bit showcases how well you handle flow. it is so natural, the cadence omg. your writing reads like a dance— like a ballet even, every word chosen exactly to convey and fit in with the others like the very last piece of a jigsaw puzzle. and the rest well…..

okok i need to stop myself before i go crazy, but GODSSSSSS. this is stellar, everything you do is a blessing to this mess of a fandom and i beg of you to never deprive us of your gift, okay? you add so so much, both as a mere presence in this space AND as a creator, to lose that would be so terrible. you are amazing. the most talented, genius person ever, and i am absolutely so grateful i get to write for this little ginger loser with you, but even more so to know you as a person. cant wait to see what you write next <33333

marigold crush

gardener ellie!au. what you thought would kick off a petty neighborhood feud ends up turning into something a whole lot hotter than the summer sun above. the reason? it starts with ellie, the cute employee at the garden center—who knows a thing or two about getting her hands dirty. thank you to my @meganegatari for providing input and proofing as always <3

wc 3.1k minors dni - making out, dirty talk, fingering (r!receiving)

with summer rapidly creeping up, you set your sights on a new project—upgrading your gardening skills. it sounded simple enough at first. plant a few things, water them, watch them grow. oh, how wrong you were. you realized, much too late, how surprisingly demanding it all was. soil types, lawn maintenance, what plants thrived where, which ones were perennials, how to keep them alive with proper care like watering, pruning, and mulching. before long, you were making an embarrassing number of trips to the nearby garden center.

not that it had anything to do with the pretty employee who was always ready with a new tip just when you needed one.

miss ellie—as per her name tag—carried herself professionally, politely enough. always eager to explain answers, she sometimes skipped over beginners’ tricks, then circled back to catch you up. everything she suggested, though, ended up helping immensely. you liked that. she was sweet.

you told yourself it was a coincidence, how often your visits lined up with her shift. you weren’t memorizing her schedule—god, no. you just… noticed a pattern. for advice purposes. obviously. she had the best advice.

while the trial and error of gardening took up most of your time, another thorn lodged itself in your side—this one not literal. your newish neighbor had apparently taken up the same hobby, and, enragingly, their results far outshone yours. how was everything so lively? why were their perennials already blooming? their yard looked freshly trimmed and popping with color every single day. yours, a work in progress, wilted a little more every time you glanced at the progress next door. you couldn’t help but sulk from time to time. it was starting to feel personal.

a part of you really wanted to give your neighbor a piece of your mind. in your opinion, there was absolutely no way they weren’t doing this on purpose. ever since they moved in just under a year ago, it had been the same infuriating pattern—everything you did, they somehow managed to do ten times better. halloween decorations, holiday lights, even their progressive political flags had wittier slogans than yours. and the worst part? you’d never even seen them. not once. this silent gardening supremacy—that you weren’t even sure they knew was a competition—was the final straw. how they pulled it off while staying completely out of sight was beyond you.

granted, your competitive streak might’ve been clouding your better judgment, and you were, admittedly, acting a little unhinged—but you had to know their secret. you had to meet them, to understand the method behind the madness of their picture-perfect flower beds.

so, in a move wholly unlike you, you got up early one sunny morning and baked cookies. warm from the oven, stacked neatly in a sewing tin—just a friendly, xenial gesture. no ulterior motives. none at all.

you step out your front door, ready to march up their porch and put an end to the mystery once and for all—only to freeze in place.

imagine the shock when there, in the garden next door, kneeling in the dirt with gloved hands and a quiet hum under her breath, was the very same ginger woman who had been giving you advice all summer.

ellie.

suddenly, it felt really personal.

she must have witnessed you struggling in your yard at least a dozen times by now. the tips. the encouragement. her uncanny ability to know exactly what should go where. the conveniently timed suggestions that always hit just right. and not once had she mentioned she lived next door?

diabolical, honestly. ellie was gradually unfurling under the strain of the heat and her work, of course. her white tank top, drenched in sweat, clung to her like a second skin. she tugged at the fabric to fan herself off. her flushed, freckled skin glistened under the early morning rays, and her auburn hair was plastered to the back of her neck. your gaze shifted to her arms—tense, fit, and tattooed—then to her hands skillfully handling the tools.

“you’ve gotta be kidding me,” you huffed, louder than intended, managing to reach her ears. 

ellie looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun. and then—she grinned. of course she grinned, like she hadn’t just upended your entire understanding of reality. like you weren’t standing there, tin of cookies in hand, suddenly feeling ridiculous, and very underprepared for whatever this was.

“well, hey there, neighbor.” she greets you far too warm, too chipper. 

you stared at her. “you live next door?”

“mm-hmm,” she said, standing up slowly to stretch out her legs and dusting her earth-covered hands off on her thighs. “for, like, ten months now. give or take.”

you glance down at the sewing box of cookies in your hand. despite ellie’s state—sweating, smudged with dirt—you hold it out for her.

“a welcome gift,” you offer. “just… ten months late. give or take.”

ellie breaths a laugh and takes the box, peeking inside, nodding in approval.

“damn. look at you. thanks,” she mutters, setting it down on a nearby plastic chair cluttered with gardening tools. your eyes flicker between your sad little yard and her perfectly maintained one.

“did… did you know? all this time? when i came in to ask questions?”

“yep,” ellie says, totally unfazed, hands settling on her hips. “it was kinda cute, watching you take my advice and, y’know… try it out.” she pauses, then adds to soften the blow, “i thought about coming over a few times. offering a hand. but you looked so determined, hacking away at weeds, replanting flowers i suggested, i didn’t want to interrupt...” she trailed off. 

you blinked, trying to recalibrate. “that’s okay, i just… wow.”

ellie notices your stupor and an idea comes to mind. “well. since you’re already here—i was about to head to the shed. wanna stick around? i could show you a few things. if you’re cool with that.” then, teasing, “no charge. this time. cookies count though.”

you find yourself trailing after her into the backyard—just as immaculate as the front—to a small shed tucked in the far corner of the lot. it doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside, it’s packed chock-full with every gardening item you could imagine, from seed packets, terracotta pots, and shelves lined with tools. half of them, you didn’t even recognize, which only made the sting of your amateurity more potent. 

thankfully, ellie’s easygoing explanations help ease the mood. she’s showing off her tools, fertilizers, and offering tips, and you’re taken aback by seeing her in this new light. she was always cute, which is why you’d kept timing your visits to the garden center a little too well. but this? watching her work in the summer heat, flushed and confident, completely in her element—it ignited something new in you. here you were, ready to start a petty squabble with your new neighbor, but instead, your stomach was full of butterflies. ellie added a few well-loved, indiscernible tools to a bag, slung it over her freckled shoulder, and ushered you outside before closing the shed door behind her.

“alright, so. show me the damage,” she said, jerking her chin toward your yard.

“my what?” “your flower bed,” she called over her shoulder, already walking ahead. “gotta check if you actually listened to me.” before you can say anything, ellie’s already knee-deep in your garden, pulling up the weeds you missed and fixing the patches where your mulch is spread too thin. you’re not sure what hits harder—the embarrassment from the sheer number of mistakes she’s quietly correcting, or the way her initiative turns you on.

your role is mainly reduced to handing her tools and keeping her hydrated. water swiftly proves to be necessary as ellie worked diligently, showing off her mastery, the early morning sun rises to a brighter, more oppressive, sweltering heat. you try stepping in to help a few times, but the firm swats from ellie’s palm—quick, pointed, and slightly amused—make it clear she’s not about to let you much of the heavy lifting.

still, she doesn’t treat you like a helpless maiden. eventually, she has you kneeling beside her, guiding your hands, her calloused fingers splayed atop of your own, instructing you through the same techniques she’s spent the season explaining in passing. her voice is low, sure, and steady beside you, her skin warm where it brushes yours under the sun. 

she starts with the marigolds, helping you replant them first—their vibrant yellows and oranges thriving in this full-sun corner. from there, it’s onto the petunias, where she fusses over spacing, then the dusty miller and the salvia. her encouragement is doing the opposite of helping. you try to stay focused, to press the soil like she showed you, but your thoughts keep drifting to the feel of her hand on yours.

"no—don’t just pat it down like that, you need to press a little firmer with the trowel. yeah, like this." she shifts closer, her hand curling over yours, both of you bent low over the bed of marigolds. you can feel her breath at your temple, her voice gone a little quieter, more raspy now. "there you go. knew you had it in you."

her sheer determination shouldn’t affect you the way it does, but damn. the moment your thoughts start lingering on the idea of licking the brine off her neck, you know you desperately need to cool off—literally and figuratively. it only gets worse when her hand holds the small of your back for half a moment too long, steadying you as you dug further into the soil. the simple touch sent a shiver through you, making your pulse race. it wasn’t just the heat anymore. did she know what she was doing? there was no way ellie wasn’t this self-aware. given she had let you try and fail at this garden all summer, she was probably more aware of her actions than you could easily wrap your brain around.

the rest of the adjustments come together quickly after that, both of you worn out and damp with sweat, but working in sync. at long last, ellie straightens up with a groan, wiping her glossy brow, appraising your now vastly-improved flower bed with lazy pride. “muchhhh better,” her eyes glint with approval, tossing the trowel practically molded to her hand aside. then she stretches, slow and unbothered, muscled arms rising overhead until they’re drawn taut, her off-white tank lifting just enough to entice your most lewd thoughts into wanting to see more. then she runs a hand through her damp, disheveled auburnette hair, leaving it even more a mess. “may i ask the lady for a drink? and a chance to wash up a bit?” your yes is obvious. you leave your tools just as they are on the ground and motion for ellie to follow you inside. of course she needs a rest, probably dying of thirst—though you’re probably the thirstier one in that moment.

the space is filled with the sound of the rush of crisp water and the clink of glasses as you both scrub dirt off and pour drinks. ellie mutters a soft thanks, taking hers after drying her hands on a dish towel.

she looks hot here. out of place, certainly—sun-streaked and a perspiry mess in your nearly spotless kitchen. but it only makes you want the cute gardener turned hot nuisance of a neighbor-turned... whatever this is... even more.

you swallow your nerves, chasing them with another sip of water.

“you know, i always thought you were cute,” you tease, eyes flicking to hers. “ever since you helped me pick out my first supplies.” you reflect like you’re feeling nostalgic, though you’re definitely up to something.

“yeah?” ellie quirks a brow. she’s smart, knowing exactly what you’re doing. the cute, tentative girl from the garden shop was gone- this was someone confident in every move. her voice dips low, eyes narrowing with a flirtsome gleam. “you still think i’m just cute now?”

“well,” you murmur, voice low, a little shaky, trying to match her coy pitch, “i wouldn’t say just cute.”

she tilts her head, flashing a zealous, lopsided grin. “i’ve got a lot more i could show you. with my hands. can i?”

when she then takes a step closer—your heart seizes.

was this really happening? were you about to get fucked into next week by the cute gardener turned next-door neighbor? your mind races a million miles a minute, the whole scenario unraveling like a scene straight from fanfiction.

well, you were right! just like that, ellie closes the space between you, her hand sliding around your waist as she nudges you back against the cool, angular side of the kitchen island.

the marble presses against your lower back, forcing a half-giggle, half-stunned, shaky exhale from your lungs. you realize you’re probably not hiding the gleeful expression on your face as well as you thought, especially given the cheesy grin the hot dork returns.

her roughened hands trail along your jawline, the juxtaposition of her tough-feeling skin with the most gentle gesture makes you feel woozy. “you know,” she murmurs, voice low and almost amused, “i thought about you a lot. the clueless girl always showing up on my shift, asking the kinda questions you knew i’d love answering.”

your face warms, and ellie clicks her tongue, clearly satisfied. “and here's the thing. i didn’t mind. kinda liked knowing you’d come find me.” she pauses, smirking as a vexing fire ignites behind her eyes. then she adds, “figured you’d eventually need help with the yard. saw you out there, all hot and frustrated trying to figure it out on your own. guess i was right, huh?”

the reminiscent teasing is cut short when her lips connect with your own, tossing the last of your inhibitions aside and letting blind instinct take over. all nerves melt, and your mind goes blank as her teeth catch your bottom lip and tug. you grab at her waist, hands sliding up to her ribcage — one curling into a fistful of her auburn hair, the other slipping beneath her dirtied tank top to caress the warm skin at her side.

time ceases to matter. all you feel is her hands, fervid and searching, and her hot, wet mouth moving against yours — heaven. the soft, immodest moans she lets slip only pull you deeper in. ellie traces your lips with her tongue, coaxing them open, chasing breathless sounds from you. the kiss is messy, to say the least. your front teeth collide with hers, noses bumping, spit dribbling down both your chins— it was clear she wanted you just as much as you wanted her. the waiting paid off. 

but, you feel a pause, and then loss of contact.“fuck i—” ellie huffs. she's breathless, her voice scratchy with need. the voracity at which she pulls away, breaking the fragile strands of spit that webbed across your mouths— it concerns you. 

you open your mouth to inquire, but she cuts you off by grabbing your hips with her muscled hands, and fleetly turns you around so you're facing away from her, and are bent over the counter. its hard surface is chill to the touch- your only reprieve from the heat between you two. 

your mind practically short-circuits. even though she isn't too forceful, the motion still makes you yelp. you want this, no— you crave it, and ellie’s animalistic side takes over, leaning over you with her front pressed flush against your back, one hand perfecting the arch of your back and then finding purchase at your waist. she starts shamelessly sucking purpled marks into the side of your neck and rutting her pelvis against the swell of your ass. pushing your hair further to the side, she bites down on your skin and soothes with her tongue, the acts sending goosebumps all over you.

you were completely at her mercy, no thoughts occupying your head other than everything about her: her voice, her touch— you couldn't get enough.  “ellie,” you moan her name, and she damn near purrs into your ear. you brace yourself against the cool surface, clinging onto it for respite, grounding yourself to keep steady as your legs grow weak. 

her right hand is pawing all over you, stopping to fondle your clothed breast, then snaking down your stomach and into your pants. hooking your panties aside, ellie lets out an unholy sigh at how wet you already are. 

her greedy fingers graze your slit, then begin steadily circling your clit as you mewl. ellie groans like she can feel it herself. her voice breaks, but she mutters against the nape of your neck, “fuck, damn baby. all this f'me?”

you weren't going to last, all the build up was about to bubble over momentarily. but you had to try, because it was all too good to end so soon.

descending further, she pushes her two middle digits inside your eager, sopping hole, curling as she fucked into you, your body gradually rising like a crescendo to a dizzying peak. “come on, cum for me,” ellie encourages, her free hand reaching out and landing on top of yours to share in your pleasure as your orgasm washes over you. she soothes you with a placid squeeze, a silent reminder she's got you. the pressure in your lower abdomen builds, until one last thrust sends you spilling ecstasy all over her fingers. she helps you ride it out, lightly rubbing your twitching clit and mumbling praises all the while. as your body shudders, ellie’s rutting against your ass slows, mirroring your panting and humming some encouragement.

upon coming down from the buzz, you rest your forehead on the counter's surface, trembling whimpers leaving your fucked-out form. the fingers just inside you meet ellie’s lips, tasting you on her like you’re something ambrosial, already addicted to your essence. her hands then run over your form in calming passes as you fully return to reality. “you know…” after some comfortable silence she starts, voice smug, “this could’ve happened a lot sooner—if you’d just said something instead of memorizing my whole damn work schedule.”

“oh, shut up,” you manage, still catching your breath, but content nonetheless.

ellie grins, brushing her thumb along your cheek. “what? i mean it. you're sweeter than anything i’ve ever grown.”

[ae-nar]

Do you have a list of things you are/are not interested in writing? That can help if people want to send prompts to know where your interests lie and what your limits are so you don’t get any prompts sent that will make you uncomfortable. Plus, it means tailor-made prompts to fit the kind of stuff you will actually be excited about writing! :D

wait, dear anon, that's so smart! im also incredibly sorry it took this long, i started writing it, then just... thought i was being too silly and going too much into details so uh... yeah... i had to scrape it all and start once again multiple times

characters/relationship

my fav characters r barba and carisi. amaro is also fun to write for, rollins is kinda close to that category. however i dont see myself straying too far from writing anything not barba and/or carisi centered tbh. theyll need to be main characters for me (the only exception might be amaro). also love my boys mike dodds and bruno with all my heart but i havent yet tried them in writing *shrugs* barisi, obvi. barmaro, barmarisi. im also open to experimenting with barson and bardorisi (last one i wanted to try with the whole double rut fic, but then it decided to be barmarisi....) as u can see a lot of it includes rafael simply cause i project on him, so its easier for me to write, but again im open to experimenting!

warnings, genres, tags

warnings: good with mcd, noncon. graphic violence is questionable, but no mutilation (or anything even remotely close to body horror) genres and tags: oh i was created for angst. yknow that story about midas and how everything he touched turned to gold? well thats me and angst. hurt/comfort is chefs kiss. omegaverse! god, thats delicious, i need more of that too. fluff is something ive got difficulties with. i haven't exactly found a genre im unwilling to do, but im afraid of casefics... i dont think id do justice to crackfics so i wouldnt try, tbh. anything involving mental health (illnesses, traumas, responses, etc) is a plus for me, i love experimenting with that! to be more precise i include my dv survivor rafael fics in this one - the words for what im trying to describe might be wrong, but im not sure which one would be right sex tags: im a bottom!rafael truther (my maximum in making him top would be like dom!sonny in the mood to bottom, ig), obvi sub!rafi enthusiast. however i have an... intriguing relationship with bdsm so no hardcore stuff. stuff including copious amounts of fluids is good if u know what im saying *wink wink*.

i defo didnt write about everything, and also i really love yapping, so yall r always welcome to drop by and simply ask me about sth! id be more than happy to talk!