#it’s not like he has any sort of diplomatic skill

[pjharvey]

genuinely disgusted with the democratic party bc it’s clearer than ever that a ceasefire could have happened months ago. though also i fully believe trump is lying about being primarily responsible for the ceasefire happening now lmao and it’s bizarre to me people are taking him of all people at his word

[ikeuverse]

criminal love | psh

pairing: killer!sunghoon x rich!fem!reader genres: angst, smut, maybe fluff wc: 4.6k+

꒰ 𝅄 warnings ꒱ : weapons, drink, drugs, swearing. mention and execution of murder, blood, fights (physical and verbal). unprotected sex (the details of the sex parts i'll add as i post the chapters), but there are more than two, for sure. lmk if i forgot anything else.

꒰ 𝅄 synopsis ꒱ : paid to kill people, sunghoon finds himself in the biggest dilemma of his life. getting paid the most money his profession has ever given him to kill a woman. but he can't do it because it goes beyond his principles, who has never laid a finger on a woman. what will he do when the twist is right in front of his eyes?

꒰ 𝅄 notes ꒱ : i had this initial idea for jay, but i don't know why i thought i'd write it for sunghoon. i've modified a few things and i'm thinking of making it a story with a few chapters. i hope you like it!

TAGLIST: i don't know if i'll do it, but…

꒰ 𝅄 masterlist | prologue | part 1 | part 2 [...] ꒱

None of this was new to Park Sunghoon. The eyes stared at him in fear, shining with a pair of panicked features as they begged for their lives. His index finger against the trigger of the gun before he asked to speak his last words and then fired. Seeing the body slowly collapse in front of you, the eyes losing life and the blood dripping through the fabric of the clothes and onto the floor. This was a very familiar scenario, even more so as a hitman.

If anyone ever asked him why he lived this life, the answer would come quickly: easy money.

Sunghoon got used to being on the streets in search of a job to maintain his almost miserable life after the death of his parents. His grandfather, an alcoholic who barely stayed at home, was the only living relative he had. And the only person who could give him a roof over his head at fifteen.

Wandering the streets in search of something solid led Sunghoon to meet all sorts of people and ways of making ends meet. He worked with a bit of everything until he found the job he had settled into today. It was through Jake, one of the first people he befriended, that he learned what it was like to kill for money. His friend's father had a scheme and paid him well enough to eat, dress, and live in his grandfather's house, which he barely saw.

Jake and his father became a family to Sunghoon, even if it was in the worst of environments, but it was the only thing he could get close to that bordered on a good feeling. The boy couldn't call it love because he'd never heard it from any of his friends, although they could say that they respected and cared for each other, but love, for Sunghoon, was too strong.

Who would say about love when, in fact, he was hired to kill? Often people from his own family and for financial reasons. So how could he believe that love existed when his job showed otherwise? Of course, everyone had family problems… Look at him! Sunghoon wasn't the greatest example of this, but come on, he would never have his grandfather or anyone else killed in his own home. It was bizarre, but unfortunately, that's what he dealt with most of the time. And that's what filled his pocket and made him change his life.

Moving into his apartment after his grandfather died, having more contact with Jake and his father about the business, and even getting on a bit more when things started to expand. This was all thanks to Sunghoon's skill and eye for instigating Jake's father to think bigger. It was risky for him to try to suggest that they think big, such as killing some CEO in debt or someone high up.

You've got to be crazy, he heard Jake mutter once, at an informal meeting they had after a successful case. Sunghoon could be crazy, but when it came down to it and money, the highest cases paid well. And that's what he asked Jake's father about until they had their first diplomat client. The amount to be paid was so high that they had never thought of having it in their bank accounts.

"We need to kill about four people to get that" Jake muttered after looking at the amount. A sigh left his father's lips before he agreed.

And so began the great social affair between Jake and Sunghoon – along with Jake's father – for bigger cases with fat sums in their money accounts.

It was dangerous, but Sunghoon lived for it. He didn't have anyone else, he didn't have anything to think about except his well-being and how he could have what he wanted more peacefully after living in poverty for years. He didn't want to go through the insecurity of not having anything to eat, or having to wander the streets looking for something to do or somewhere to stay so that he wouldn't have to be alone in a house where he didn't know who would come back. But now, in his apartment, he shared the peace of knowing that everything was his. Every little thing in there had been earned by him, even if the money wasn't in the cleanest way, but someone had to do that kind of work.

And it wasn't as if Sunghoon would kill just anyone either, he had strict criteria about this that he made very clear to Jake and his father before things got as strong as they are today. Like killing people who had only done some kind of harm to those who had asked for it. Like women who had been beaten by their husbands, or someone in particular who had physically or mentally hurt whoever was hiring the service. Or that person posed a risk to the society in question and they knew that no authority would do anything about it. So they did. And the most important thing of all was that under no circumstances would Sunghoon lay a hand on a woman.

But the universe seemed to play tricks on him that morning, arriving at the office and seeing Jake's eyes light up. It would be pointless to ask why, considering that he was one of the first to receive clients and their proposals, so someone had probably come to Jake to talk to him and give him a huge sum of money.

"Dude, I think we're rich" he threw himself into the leather chair that initially belonged to his father. But as long as the older man didn't arrive at the office, Jake took possession of it until that happened.

"What do you mean?" Sunghoon held back a laugh as he walked a little further into the office, throwing his body into the small armchair opposite the desk Jake was sitting at "A client with good money?"

"Better than that" he sighed, throwing his head back "This client wants to hire our services for two people, but the price is—"

"Jake, spit it out" Sunghoon said quickly.

"Bro, she'll pay two million" he looked directly at Sunghoon. That amount would cheer the boy up if he hadn't heard it before, or even been paid for it "For each of us, and for each of the two people we're going to kill."

Wait, that was new to Sunghoon. Two million for each of them, totaling two people to kill, so… Four million for him, and four million for Jake?

"Man, that's…"

"Insane, I know" Jake interrupted him as if he already knew what his friend was going to say. But something seemed a little off because he didn't have that much energy to say that amount. Normally Jake would have been bouncing around the room literally like a child, totally losing his hitman pose as he commented on the four million that would be playing around in his bank account for the next few weeks.

"What's wrong?" Sunghoon asked at once, noticing the change in his friend's mood as the seconds passed. Jake now looked a little uncomfortable in his father's chair and shifted his body a few times to try to find a comfortable position, opting to lean his elbows on the table and tilt his body a little.

"You know it's four million each, right?" he asked, watching Sunghoon agree "And that the percentage we give my father on each client is very small because, well, he already has a lot of money…"

"Speak up, man. You're stalling on something." Sunghoon wasn't out of patience, but he knew that Jake tended to talk too much when he was nervous. What could have happened to make him like this?

Jake nodded in agreement and continued to lean on the table, leaning towards Sunghoon, who settled into the armchair and imitated his friend's position on the other side. Leaning his elbows on the table and looking at the boy in front of him, who was now looking at his hands.

"A woman wants us to kill her brother and…" Jake slowly closed his eyes "Her niece."

Sunghoon felt a ringing in his ear and then his whole body tensed up. He couldn't explain why he had that reaction, but just mentioning that there was a woman for him to kill made everything seem completely out of place to him.

"You're kidding me, right?" Sunghoon asked.

"I really wanted to, man, I swear" he whined, watching Sunghoon's withdrawal appear little by little as he slid his arms off the table and leaned back in the armchair.

"And what did those two do to make her want to kill two people at once?"

"I don't know" Jake shrugged. "She hasn't told me yet, she's arranged a meeting and my father wants to go along. It's too high…"

"You two do it" he stood up, walking to the middle of the room before he heard Jake calling after him. Without turning around, Sunghoon closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He waited a few seconds before finally turning to his friend.

"I can't do this without you, bro. You know we've been working together forever" Jake began.

"But what are my conditions?" Sunghoon asked, and for a moment he saw a glimmer of regret in Jake's eyes. For mentioning or even thinking that his friend might do this kind of thing. Maybe the money had messed with his head a bit and he wouldn't deny it, but Jake knew Sunghoon well enough, he just wanted to try until he couldn't anymore. Even though he knew it would come to nothing because Sunghoon would never accept.

Silence was Jake's way of responding, not knowing exactly what to say because he knew Sunghoon's terms well. Everyone was aware and in agreement, so why change their minds at that moment?

"I just need your help, then" he said after some quiet time.

"I'm not putting my hands on either of you, be warned," Sunghoon said, a little angry about the whole situation until he saw Jake nod silently, implying that he had nothing more to say.

Then, as if on cue, he left the room and walked around the building in search of something to clear his mind of what had just happened. It was an unimaginable amount for him, but Sunghoon wouldn't go against his principles for it.

For the first time, he had refused something that Jake had asked of him. And he felt immensely awkward about it.

You could feel the migraine invading you little by little. The side of your head ached like never before, while your eyes stung and you tried your best to pay attention to people and their words of condolence.

It had been a week since your grandfather's death, and the only sincere tears you had seen – apart from your own – were those of your uncle. He was the closest thing to real family you had after your father's death a year ago. Having him around was comforting, especially as your family was driven by money and scandal. Everything revolved around social and financial status. Your grandfather's company was the focal point of all that arrogance in the family members.

But now, with his death and the will read, you had to assimilate that the only beneficiaries were you and your uncle, the one who was still crying over his father's death and trying to understand how it had all happened. And then there was him, a well-groomed gentleman who eschewed the stereotype of the rich old man and business owner who walked around with a glass of whisky in his hand. On the death certificate, his grandfather had died of cirrhosis, but you were surprised. Even though he wasn't a health professional, you could assume that this would be different, to say the least, since the old man had never drunk a drop of alcohol.

“This is terrible for your health” he once said. “Try never to drink more than necessary. And at parties, I promise to serve you the best natural juice.”

Those words always lingered in your mind because your grandfather was serious, in his own right, but he was very loving. You became so attached to him that you took an interest in the affairs of your grandfather’s company with a genuine gesture of helping him, which he appreciated.

Maybe that was what had made him put your name on that paper, inheriting half of the family fortune. While your uncle got the other half.

Millions and millions, or should say billions? It was so much money that you swore you would die and the amount would continue to yield in your account even though you used it almost every day. That was why you knew that some people who had always been there for your grandfather’s money were now furious because they couldn’t enjoy a single cent of it.

“We are so sorry for the loss of your father, Yvone” someone’s voice took you out of your thoughts, making your eyes dart around the people around you. A well-dressed woman with a tired expression was greeting your aunt. She didn’t have a trace of sadness on her face. That stranger seemed sadder than your aunt over the loss of her father.

“I’m sure you are too” she tried to fake a sad voice that you recognized from afar. Your stomach almost churned as she hugged the other woman.

Suddenly, your embarrassment became even greater, because your aunt's gaze was immediately on you. She seemed angry, with something bad inside her that immediately wanted to be directed at you. Your gaze soon turned away from her to try to find your uncle who was desolate.

Your steps through the environment were fast and precise, the sound of leather shoes against the devastated floor was inhibited by the sound of other people's voices and laments. You weren't running, but the things inside your body said very well that you seemed to be in a hurry.

Your eyes quickly spotted your uncle a little further away, sitting on a bench alone outside. You walked a little calmer towards him until you sat next to the man. He didn't need to look up to know that the only person with compassion in that family was you.

"I wish this nightmare would end" he said quietly, a sob breaking out of his voice when your uncle raised his head and continued to look ahead.

"I still can't believe it" you sighed. Your eyes are locked on the events in front of you. Some people were coming and going from your grandfather's mansion with small flowers in their hands or pieces of paper, like written notes of thanks. Of course, he wouldn't read them, he was dead. But it was a way of thanking everyone he knew, and the reading would be up to you and your uncle. The only ones who cared about the sentimental side of things.

"Do you think Yvone hates us now?" your uncle asked, finally looking at you. His eyes looked like they were going to pop out of their sockets and bloodshot from his eyeballs, they were so red. You swallowed a sigh and just nodded.

"For the reading of Grandpa's will? Of course" you laughed humorlessly, listening to him accompany you.

As if summoning a haunting, just saying her name out loud made your aunt's figure appear in the doorway of the mansion. She welcomed people by trying to look sad or convincing whoever was arriving. Her eyes quickly fell on you and your uncle, further away from the house and sitting on a secluded bench. She didn't show any reaction but took her cell phone out of her pocket to do something you didn't even care about. Her attention was on the man next to her.

“I can’t be happy knowing that my father left all this for me and you” he ran his hands through his hair, almost pulling it out if it weren’t for your hands stopping him. You held one of his hands and kept it in your lap.

“It’s okay uncle, I’m not happy about this either” you said. “Money won’t erase anything that’s happening to the two of us, you know that.”

Of course, he knew. You and your uncle could sometimes say that you were born into the wrong family because you were the only ones who didn’t count on money. Even though you knew that your whole life revolved around it. Even though every interaction you had since the day you were born was driven by money. It wasn’t your fault for being born into a family like that, but you could deal with it and think about how you spent what you had.

“How about you come in and get a drink? I bet you’re thirsty” your uncle said quietly, making you look at him after some time of contemplation while still watching people entering and leaving the mansion.

“I think I’ll go in a little while, I want to stay here a little longer” you smiled sadly at the man as he stood up and just waved in your direction. Just as you knew when he wanted some time alone, your uncle was also able to understand when you needed it.

Leaving him and going back into the mansion, you saw him disappear among the little people who had now gone inside the house. You remained there, looking around that immense land that your grandfather owned. One of them, to be more exact. You remember playing with your uncle and your father to guess which was the largest land your grandfather had in his name. Of course, the two older men always let you win, even though it was a rather unfunny game. But it was one of the few moments when the three of you were together, aware of the money you had and trying to make good use of it.

Your body slowly shrank with a small gust of wind, indicating that the weather was changing from sunny to something colder and almost rainy. You looked up at the sky, noticing the clouds beginning to darken. Rain was the last thing you wanted, but maybe you needed it. To wash away all that heaviness you've felt since your grandfather died. Rain could help wash away the dirt that remained beneath your feet and wash away all the bad feelings and burdens you would face in the days to come.

The decision to go back inside wasn't so difficult as your body shrank a little more, curses spilling from your lips as you missed a coat or a blanket that could cover your arms. Just a tank top and silk pants weren't a suitable outfit for the moment, but it was the first thing you could think of to wear when your aunt summoned the whole family to pay homage to your grandfather at his mansion.

You got up from the bench and stretched your whole body, trying to shake off some of the day's exhaustion and thinking about how you wanted to go back to your apartment and take a shower. Get all those sticky, fake hugs off your body. Those words buzzing around in your head lamenting what had happened. No one there really cared, so you at least paid attention to the fake tears in front of you.

You walked in slow steps to the front door, trying to avoid walking in with anyone who might greet you. You didn't want to talk to anyone anymore, just to be there long enough to leave. But your steps were quickly stopped.

Feeling a hand around your waist, you looked up to find your aunt standing in the doorway just as something covered your mouth. It all happened too quickly. Your vision began to blur as you struggled against a body that seemed much bigger than yours. Your hands were useless at grabbing any kind of skin to scratch because the arms holding you were covered.

You don't remember much, but the only thing that didn't leave your mind before passing out was the cynical smile of the woman right in front of you.

“What did she ask for?” Sunghoon was exasperated, pacing back and forth as he looked at your unconscious body on the other side of the room.

“To torture her and get a video of her saying she wants to pass everything on to her aunt…” Jake began.

“First of all, I never agreed to this” he interrupted his friend, controlling himself as much as possible so as not to scream and wake you up. They had just taken off the masks and all the equipment when they laid you down on the small mattress with almost no foam.

“My dad just asked you to help me bring her in, I know.” Jake sighed. “I don’t want to do this either, but—”

“Dude, listen” Sunghoon looked at him. “We can deny this and say fuck you to those four million. Seriously, there’s no way we can continue.”

The desperation in his voice was completely real, Jake could feel it. He was also desperate about all of this, although it wasn’t something new for either of them. But the cruelty in how his aunt was making requests of them without even knowing them or having finished the job. How demanding she was and how she wanted everything to be done as quickly as possible. Sunghoon never had bad feelings about his work, he just went there and killed whoever was necessary. But as soon as he looked at his aunt through the gap in the mask and noticed her smile, the way she behaved in front of the people who were entering the house, without even noticing that he and Jake were carrying her to a black car with no license plate.

He didn't know what he was doing, he didn't know why he had accepted all of that. Sunghoon was breaking one of his biggest rules and all because of money? Four million wouldn't pay for his principles even if his job was one of the worst possible. He already had too much blood on his hands, but that didn't matter when you had a woman unconscious and almost ready to be killed by Jake.

Arguing with Mr. Sim was out of the question, he had already tried since he received the offer and saw the man's eyes light up at the amount. Even though he knew that Sunghoon's biggest criteria were at stake.

"If you're not going to kill her, at least help Jake bring her here" was the only thing he said after finishing the little discussion he had started. He couldn't win this one, he couldn't deny something that he had at least managed to keep going.

Now here he was, pacing back and forth and going over what your aunt wanted Jake to do to you.

For one lousy moment, Sunghoon felt a twinge of regret and compassion for you. Your calm countenance while you were unconscious and the way you seemed harmless, something clicked in his mind telling him that you weren't as bad as the woman said you were. Maybe she'd done the worst kind of propaganda just to make you look bad enough for them to kill you.

"Sunghoon, hey" Jake called out quickly, taking off his black glove and throwing it on the table "What are we going to do?"

"I already told you," Sunghoon sighed once again, stopping walking and feeling his throat irritated because he had already shouted at Jake the whole way "Let's give up that four million, it's not worth it."

"Is that all I'm worth?"

Sunghoon looked in Jake's direction and they both froze. Eyes wide, breathing almost labored as they searched for something to cover their faces. But it was too late. As soon as Sunghoon crossed the room and focused on you, there you were. You were sitting with your back against the wall, your hands tied by the ribbons perched perfectly on your lap. Your hair was completely messed up, but he could still see every detail of your face. How, even so, you looked very beautiful.

"Shit" Jake cursed softly, turning away while Sunghoon stood there staring at him. He felt his friend pull him a few times so that you wouldn't stare so hard at his face that you wouldn't recognize him if something went wrong. But Sunghoon simply couldn't move.

"It's okay, I've seen you. I've been awake for a few minutes" your voice was hoarse, perhaps from lack of use, and because you tried to scream before Sunghoon put the cloth over your mouth to force you to faint.

Jake hesitated to turn around but did so when he saw that his friend wasn't moving at all.

"If you say anything—" Sunghoon made Jake look like he was speaking rudely when he landed a weak punch on his arm. He didn't know why he was defending you like that, not least because that was Jake's role, to be rude at first and gradually hurt whoever was in front of them.

Knowing this, Sunghoon already sensed that he would start being rude until Jake's hands were on you to hurt you. And he didn't want that.

"What did you hear?" Sunghoon addressed you for the first time. His eyes still glazed over at your completely weak and staggering figure in front of him.

He noticed that your eyes were bright, maybe watery, and if you blinked a little more, tears would fall like waterfalls. He was already weak just knowing that he had done this to you, seeing you cry would do what to him? Sunghoon didn't want to know. That case was getting too emotional.

"Just the four million part" you moaned a little in pain as you moved and felt your back crack. That mattress was terrible and you assumed you'd been on it for a long time, but it wasn't important. Your mind was elsewhere and on how you were here, so before you could even think of anything, you asked "It was her, wasn't it?"

"Her who?" Sunghoon and Jake asked at the same time.

For a long minute, you were quiet, just thinking about the little interactions you had with the woman who was supposed to have done this to you. Your heart ached, that wasn't possible. You never thought she could do that.

"My aunt told you two to kill me," you tried to keep your voice steady, "did I?"

It was the turn of the two boys to be silent right in front of you. Jake moistened his lips and tried to find the words to answer you, pondering whether or not to be rude to you. Not least because he didn't want to be punched again by Sunghoon. He swallowed dryly and looked away a few times, wondering whether or not to tell the truth.

"I triple it."

"What?" Jake raised his voice, echoing throughout the room as he looked in your direction and then at Sunghoon.

"I say I'll triple that amount" you moved again, trying to find a more comfortable position on that shitty mattress that was making all your muscles ache "If you don't kill me."

Jake laughed. Nervously, perhaps, but he tried to look a little more cool as he walked towards you and bent down right in front of you. Knees bent enough to bring him close to your face. If you were in the best condition, you could lift your leg and kick him in the knee, only to stagger and fall backward. But you just wanted answers.

"Do you think we're open to negotiations, princess?" he shifted his gaze between your eyes and your mouth but remained in your gaze, which was still sparkling. Jake didn't want to seem arrogant, but that's how he'd been taught.

That's how he learned to deal with that kind of situation, listening to everything and every possible appeal before doing his job. But he never received a counter-proposal, especially one as high as that.

"I don't think you'll even get paid that four million, actually" you looked at him, your voice becoming more and more shaky, "but since the whole inheritance is with me, I'll triple it if you don't kill me."

For a second Jake looked back to Sunghoon for support at that moment. He knew that his friend would probably accept because it would give him the chance to never lay a finger on you.

"Instead, I want you to kill my aunt."

That turn of events was making Jake and Sunghoon's heads spin. Hearts pounding as you let a single tear fall down your cheek. You tried to look convincing and strong talking to two guys who were about to kill you.

But being able to protect yourself was one of the few things you learned because it wasn't the first time someone had approached you out of interest. So why not use the money you had to your advantage? You never thought you'd be able to do that kind of thing, but you'd try anything to make sure no one killed you.

And if the case was to have those who wanted you dead killed, then you'd start with that.

© ikeuverse, 2024. do not copy, translate or steal my stories.

[gabessquishytum]

Okay so I have seen the Warprize Au and I would like to say I have a decent understanding of it. But I have a different idea for it! It’s perfectly okay if you don’t like it, you can just delete this.

But what if King Cow!Hob and King Cat!Dream are already married and have a whole union with their Kingdom’s. And everything is actually really good! Except for the fact that they’re different species so they can’t have kids together like they wish. This bothers Hob, but he does not try and let it show.

Until they get War declared on them by another Kingdom. It’s pretty brutal, but of course with the constant supplies and powerful warriors from Hob’s Kingdom and many skilled spies from Dream’s they are able to defeat the other Kingdom. 

So the King offers them one of his sons as a Warprize, to which they accept. Mainly to understand more about this royal family and see if they could get any secrets from the Prince. 

Dream is the one who the Prince will meet first, and because of how violent the War and the information that had been given from spies. had been Dream is expecting some sort of large man who had been in many battles or perhaps a spoiled brat. So he has the throne room decorated in weapons, spikes and he himself has completely covered himself in his own armor. 

Which was a complete mistake when *ten* year old Orpheus enters the room.

Dream: *Surrounded by heavily armed guards and has darkened the throne room to make it appear more intimidating.* 0_0

Orpheus: *Trembling and sobbing.*

While different people are hurrying about to hide all weapons and pulling open the curtains. Orpheus is standing in the middle of the room, unhealthily skinny, filthy, and properly terrified. So the plan of scaring the Prince worked?

Dream doesn’t know what to do, so he does what any normal King would do and calls his husband for help. And the moment Hob sees this child he has decided he is adopting. (“No Dream this is not negotiable.”)

From Orpheus–when he finally calms down–they learn that he does have older brothers, but his father had said they were far too important to give up. Then told Orpheus that if he had to send one of his sons to their death it would be the one that he could care less about. - RB (Ima just leave this here because emojis dont work-- Sorry...)

This is a really good elaboration on the idea of a warprize au, and I absolutely love it! I have a wonderful feeling that Hob and Dream will spend the rest of their lives "collecting" war prizes in the form of other neglected, abused or orphaned children.

Orpheus is also a cat hybrid, just a different breed of cat to Dream - so they have many things in common. After he realises that he's not going to be killed or tortured, Orpheus basically imprints on Dream and follows him around with a very serious expression on his little face. He wants to be just like Dream, to fight and hunt like him and be strong! Dream quickly becomes equally attached to Orpheus, nicknaming him "little shadow", taking him to counsel meetings, showing him the best nap spots and generally tutoring him. But Orpheus also quickly grows to love Hob just as much, despite being scared of his size at first. Hob is warm and smells really good, and he always has milk for Orpheus to enjoy. He's determined for Orpheus to have a proper childhood where he's loved and spoiled (Hob has always hoped to have children with Dream, even though he had no idea how it could be possible. You can bet he takes every opportunity to enjoy fatherhood.) Every night Hob falls asleep with two cats sprawled on top of him, soaking up all of his warmth, and he has really never loved his life more.

A few years later, King Hob and King Dream happen to meet Orpheus's birth father at some kind of diplomatic gathering, and they have a proper argument about who gets to bite the horrible, awful asshole first. The rival King never even bothered to ask for Orpheus back after the war, just abandoned him in another kingdom! But Orpheus calms his beloved adopted parents down. He's a strong, healthy cat prince with glossy brown fur and a talent for music, and he's not interested in raking up the past. In fact he's much more interested in one of Hob’s distant relatives, a bovine princess named Eurydice...

Hob and Dream are truly the proudest parents. And although wars are to be avoided, they will never regret the conflict that brought sweet Orpheus into their home <3

[mochinomnoms]

Besides ramshackle and octavinelle I’d love to hear how the new dorms are settling in ptm! I imagine the transition from Malleus to Silver must be new for the existing and new diasomia students (i wonder if Silver will get a fanclub just like how Malleus did). There’s also savanaclaw that’s got a new leader after leona (finally) graduated. We haven’t heard much of pomefiore ‘s new vice leader other than he’s very dependable or ignihyde’s dorm (is it still very introverted?). I’d love to hear any rambles or blurbs you have :D

-🪸

Sure! So Pomefiore and Ignihyde have unnamed NPCs for their vices and housewarden in Ignihyde's case.

For Pomefiore, they have a very reliable cat beastman as the vice who sort of makes up for Yev's overzealous behavior. Yev has the potential to be a great housewarden, he has the diplomatic skills and charisma to do so, but he is full of himself and is rather self-important. He also has the tendency to be mean to his underclassmen, so the cat beastman smooths things over. He is highly respected for his skills in potion making, and was under Vil's tutelage, as well as beautiful, which are the only reasons he hasn't been challenged for his position yet.

Ignihyde remains mostly unnamed due to them not having any impact on the story. But when I was making OCs, I was imagining that the roles of housewarden and vice housewarden got mixed together and a pair of twins based on Pain and Panic took over for the dorm. They often exchange responsibilities, but the dorm remains mostly introverted. Though now that they have more social housewardens, the dorm's members have been easier to get along with.

Savanaclaw has housewarden and vice! Ruggie was appointed as housewarden by Leona, and Ruggie recruited Jack as his vice. It came as a surprise, as usually Savanaclaw would have a somewhat brawl at the end of the year, in which the winner would be appointed the housewarden. At first no one questioned Leona, and Ruggie did a good chunk of his duties and chores anyways, he's generally respected, especially for his actions during Leona's overblot. However, the incoming freshman haven't taken to him, or some of the more spiteful dorm members. Jack, however, highly respects all his upperclassmen, Ruggie especially due to their share experiences, and so Ruggie almost uses him as a guard dog. If anyone wants to get to Ruggie, you gotta get through Jack first, and Jack is a very hard man to beat.

Octavinelle of course remains the same, though there are rumors that Azul has a little brother amongst the incoming freshman! According to gossip, Azul would like to appoint his little brother as the next housewarden, but one of the second years named Marino Del Reyes, is also a highly likely contender! Of course, Azul neither confirms no denies these rumors, as it's no one's business but his own!

Scarabia has been the center of much gossip and speculation, as their housewarden and vice switched places! It was a well known 'secret' that the brunt of housewarden duties fell on to him, despite Kalim holding the title. But after the events that occurred winter break, no one was anticipating that he'd ever take Kalim's place. To everyone, including the faculty's surprise, Kalim officially stepped down as housewarden and asked that Jamil take his place, as well as determining who his vice would be. To add to the ever growing shock, Jamil had Kalim take his place as vice! The rumor mill says that Jamil must have used his signature spell to get Kalim to hand over his title, while others say that Kalim was being threatened by outside forces and needed to step down to protect himself. The reality is that after Jamil's overblot and months of self-reflection, Kalim has become more aware of his limitations, and combined with being old enough that his parents want him to start learning the ins and outs of the family business, believed it would be best to step down and use his spare time to try and better himself. As much as Jamil was happy to finally be recognized for his hard work, he was still upset that he didn't really earn it himself, so out of spite he appointed Kalim as his vice, thus sort of making him a subordinate. It was an area of tension with their parents, but Kalim insisted that this was what he wanted, and what Kalim wants he gets. There's a lot more to the story, but I'll end with this: Kalim enjoys that he can actually be helpful and do tasks for someone else, rather than having everything be done for himself. Jamil finally gets to put his skills to use, and is the first step to perhaps a taste of being someone other than a servant. He does have to tend to Kalim as a retainer, but it's strictly separate from his duties as hosuewarden.

Diasomnia is being run as normal, though Silver and Sebek are highly respected as housewarden and vice due to their positions as Malleus's retainers. After all, who else knows the values of the Thorn Fairy better than he? And it's to be assumed that his retainers, the ones by his side, who will become great knights to the Thorn Fairy's birthplace, would be similar. Silver is seen as rather gentle, but firm, while Sebek is mildly feared but respected. Both support each other's strengths, and make up for each other's faults in wonderful ways, what else is to be expected of the two who are practically brothers?

With Riddle as the housewarden still, it's no mystery that his dorm retains the same high standards, though he's become more lenient and understanding since his overblot. Everyone desperately misses Trey, or his baking to be precise. They of course have more than enough people to make up for his skills, albeit none of their treats are as good as his, but his replacement, Timmy, is a new and welcome sight. Timmy, compared to Trey, tends to challenge Riddle and brings him back down to earth when he gets angry. People say it's because Trey specifically asked Timmy to do what he couldn't at first, and to not let Riddle get too out of hand or overwhelm himself, but of course no one but Timmy can confirm or deny that. One thing that amuses nearly the entire student body is how Timmy is always running late to things, much to Riddle's annoyance. When they see the rabbit beastman running across campus parkouring and scaling the side of the castle, bets are thrown to see if he'll actually be late this time. He hasn't, though no one knows how or why, especially when he manages to cut down a 15-minute walk across campus to 3.

[cybrsan]

ATEEZ as Benders

Masterlist | A/N: A glimpse into each member and their roles in my upcoming ATLA-inspired, Wooyoung x reader fic for the second part of my title track series. Will most likely end up writing a fic for each member and turning this into a sub-series of its own. Let me know what you think! Edit: As of 11/11/23, this has been turned into a series. Check out the masterlist here.

Hongjoong

Element: Fire

Occupation: Diplomat, Strategist

Personality: Intense, strong-willed, passionate, loyal, creative, intelligent, charismatic

Fun Fact: Hongjoong, despite being young, has become one of the government officials with the best reputation. He is incredibly persuasive and cunning, and he uses his skills to enact the will of the people and do his best for the good of the Fire Nation. He has a lot of secret admirers, often finding chocolates and other gifts in his office, but don't mention that to him or he'll get shy.

Seonghwa

Element: Water

Occupation: Artisan

Personality: Sensitive, nurturing, perfectionist, reliable, open-minded, adaptable, empathetic

Fun Fact: Seonghwa is known to make some of the most beautiful carvings and jewelry in the entire Water Tribe. All benders, no matter what nation they're from, would love to own one of his pieces. But secretly, he loves to make toys for kids to play with and prefers that to his main job.

Yunho

Element: Air

Occupation: Acrobat

Personality: Jovial, spontaneous, free-spirited, romantic, kind, helpful

Fun Fact: Yunho often tours the four nations with his troupe, and his solo act has become a favorite amongst children and adults alike. What makes his routine even more impressive is that he has an incredible mastery over his bending, and performs without ever touching the ground. Incredibly charismatic and entrancing to watch, his performance will capture both your attention and your heart.

Yeosang

Element: Air

Occupation: Meditative Guide

Personality: Unique, endearing, positive, dreamy, free-spirited, peaceful

Fun Fact: People often find Yeosang to be in his own world, a step or two behind everyone else. It makes it hard to believe that he's one of the best meditative guides hailing from the Air Nomads, helping troubled souls find their inner peace through deep and intense focus. Truthfully, he's aware of everything that's going on but only likes to pay attention to the things that really matter to him.

San

Element: Fire

Occupation: Firebending Instructor, Tactician

Personality: Passionate, unpredictable, alluring, strong-willed, independent, principled

Fun Fact: San is one of the best firebenders in the nation, having mastered the technique of blue lightning. People would pay unspeakable amounts of money to be taught by him, but he only teaches those without the means to compensate him, dedicating his time to the underprivileged. He gives free classes at the orphanage his father runs, while he gets his money from the government, advising military leaders on the most effective ways to deploy firebenders and utilize their bending skills in combat.

Mingi

Element: Earth

Occupation: Architect

Personality: Patient, conciliatory, persistent, logical, diligent, complex, gentle

Fun Fact: Mingi loves creating things, but he also finds himself wanting to leave a positive impact on the people and environments around him. That's why, when designing any sort of structure, he taps into the vibrations of the earth, seeking its guidance to foster a harmonious connection between the building and its surroundings. He believes that humans and the earth can live together in harmony, strengthening and taking care of one another.

Wooyoung

Element: Water

Occupation: Healer

Personality: Enigmatic, sensitive, giving, comforting, loving, altruistic, committed

Fun Fact: Wooyoung has mastered a unique form of healing that he calls "Wavesong" where, through singing and dancing, he can project vibrations through water that promote healing within wounded individuals, allowing him to help not only their bodies but their minds. People believe this is because he is moon-blessed, a child born under the Siren Moon that only rises once every 88 years. Wooyoung lets them believe that, not wanting to reveal that his true "blessing" is having prophetic dreams that tend to get him in more trouble than they're worth.

Jongho

Element: Fire

Occupation: Ceremonial Performer

Personality: Courageous, idealistic, adventurous, passionate, independent, powerful, dynamic

Fun Fact: When Jongho isn't participating in a ceremony or ritual, he often busks on the streets of the capital, entertaining passersby for fun. If you manage to see him, either in an official or unofficial capacity, you should consider yourself lucky. Whether it's due to his bending or simply his natural talent, his voice seems to imbue the listener with a feeling of warmth and a nostalgic longing for home.

[an-established-butt-dent]

“Solas?“

“Yes, Vhenan."

“What are you drawing?“

He still has his eyes on the piece of parchment in front of him, but slows down the repetetive movements of his hand tracing the shapes on paper, as if that might offer him more time to find his answer. "Oh, just some practice. It helps me sort my thoughts," he says with the casual air of somebody trying to evade a question.

“Can I see, then?“

He glances up briefly and notices she has stopped reading her book on the early history of Neromanian magic. She has one elbow propped up on the table and rests her chin on her hand. She is looking at him expectantly, her book clearly forgotten.

He pauses the scratchy movements of his pencil and says rather hesitantly.

"It's not finished."

She leans forward a bit more, trying to catch a glimpse at his paper. He subtly angles it away from her. She might have barely noticed, had she not noted his newfound secrecy regarding his recent drawings. She has become increasingly curious over the past few weeks, and his forced casual demeanor after her question only fills her with more anticipation.

It makes her think of the first time he showed her his artwork. …

The first time she had walked into the rotunda in Skyhold and found Solas high up on the scaffolding with a paint brush in his hands and a concentrated look on his face, she was surprised to learn of his motivation.

"History needs to be documented," he had said when she asked him what he was working on.

After climbing down the scaffolding and taking a step back to admire the process of his work, he continued, "Not by the words of diplomats, but through the eyes of those skilled in artistry. Words will be forgotten, but images? Those will hold significance across time."

She had been moved then. By the bold lines in the fresco and the fierce look in his eyes as he regarded her as he spoke. Like she was someone worthy of admiration. Like he truly saw her. It reminded her of his words before their first kiss.

'You change everything.' He had said.

She didn't really believe him then. She didn't want to be put on a pedestal, far removed from the world and the simple and nomadic lifestyle of her clan that she was accustomed to. She missed roaming mountains and hills, not fighting blighted Templars and navigating treacherous games of power with nobles. That life had seemed like such a long time ago, even though it had barely been a year.

But perhaps she didn't need to suffer though all of this alone. She had her friends. Dorian with his jokes. Varric with his stories. Cassandra with her quiet support and camaderie. Iron Bull helping her with her fighting stances and teaching her new drinking games with Cullen. Even Cole, though he was still figuring out what the word friend even meant. She would help him with that, she had decided then. Friends; they made the aching pull of homesickness more bearable.

But Solas.

Who was he to her? She could call him her friend the supposed. She had the feeling they were becoming closer and yet there was an undeniable distance. Always leaving space for interpretation and mystery while never backing away from any of her questions. So much knowledge he shared, and still she had the feeling she barely knew him at all. He had slowly and unknowingly developed a talent for surprising her with new insights and he did so later again that same evening.

The next hour passed quickly while they were still talking about art and the different depictions of elven lore. He had stared at her intently for a moment, considering her.

"I want to show you something." he had said.

She never passed up an opportunity to learn more so she had indulged him, following him to a plain-looking crate to the side of the room. He removed the protective wards with a wave of his hand. He then uncovered some, by the looks of it, handbound books. He observed them one by one carefully, with a nod of acceptance when he seemingly found what he was looking for and handed her one of the books.

As she opened the first few pages she discovered they were sketchbooks filled with rough outlines in preparation for the next installment of the mural.

Excitedly he pointed to notes in the margin and spoke of where he learned the techniques for collecting and grinding his own pigments. There was a red ocre in the Western Approach that he had recently discovered on one of their missions which was apparently incredibly well suited for his purpose. At her encouragement he had shown her more of of his other drawings too. First of symbolism and color studies, but then more personal ones: of the views of the mountains from Skyhold, running Halla, drying herbs and even of some of the members of the inquisition she recognized.

In turn she told him about how she used to carve wood, especially when winters were rough and her clan was stuck in the same place for long waiting out the biting cold and punishing snow. To keep her fingers from freezing and her mind from wandering to dark places, she had started to carve.

"I haven't had the time since, well you know, this whole mess." she waved the fingers of her marked hand which flashed a sliver of green. Solas had looked thoughtful after her comment, almost like there was a tinge of regret behind his eyes.

The conversation steered in a different direction afterwards, like the seriousness of their predicament weighted more heavily on their shoulders than before. The mysterious books disappeared back into the chest and not long after she had excused herself and called it a night. Somehow she couldn't shake the feeling she had overstepped.

A few days later she returned from a short scouting mission. She climbed the steps to her sleeping quarters, exhausted. She hardly noticed there was an odd-shaped package leaning against her bedroom door until she almost stumbled over it. Her tiredness trading itself for curiosity, she moved to pick it up.

There was no note attached but once she unwrapped the bundle she discovered a beautiful and distinctive elven carving knife and a solid piece of oak wood.

She couldn't help the warm feeling that spread though her body, feeling the comforting weight of the wood and the cool metal of the knife in her hands.

….

She shakes her head as she's brought back to the present. That same rotunda they have since spend so much of their time together. Researching, reading and talking. There had been barely an evening where she didn't end up in the rotunda with Solas. At least when she wasn't away from Skyhold, trying to save the world on missions throughout Thedas.

She looks at Solas from her spot at the table with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

It takes a lot of effort to hide her smile.

Whith an amused tilt to the corner of her lips she says, "You know, Dorian told me he found some sketchbooks laying around, depicting a rather familiar elf. Anything you would know about that?"

Is he… Is he blushing?

"Um, Well you see." he cleares his throat trying to school his expression. "Those were private… And hidden for a reason."

She can't contain a smile. Solas flustered, that's a rare sight.

"You've seen them?" he askes quietly. She notices he has started fumbling with the edges of the paper. She didn't believe his ears could turn a brighter shade of pink.

"Maybe," she says while averting her eyes to the ceiling. She glances back to him out of the corner of her eyes.

Solas looks at her like she has grown an extra pair of ears.

She leans back in her chair and stretches out her legs comfortably under the table. Knowing she has him she doesn't want to push more and decides to spare him some of her teasing. She turns to look at him and softens her expression.

"I rather liked them."

Knowing that is probably not enough to explain why she had looked at his private belongings without permission and seeing the dumbfounded expression on his face slowly making space for embarrassment she decides to tell the whole story.

"I know shouldn't have overstepped, but Dorian said he had something urgent to discuss and before I was even halfway up the stairs he assaulted me with flying books, shouting about discovering my secret admirer. Either I would have stumbled to death or caught them. And, well… Once I started looking I couldn't look away… " she trails off with a slight tinge of shame in her voice.

"You liked them?“

She lookes at him, surprised by the hopefulness in his voice.

A wave of understanding washes over her.

He hid the drawings from her, not because he didn't want her to see them but because he was afraid of her rejection. Even though they had spent the last few months becoming more and more tangled up with each other, stealing fleeting glances and sometimes passionate kisses, they still hadn't really taken a moment to talk about what there was between them.

When she saw the drawings he made of her she had finally understood his interest in her was genuine and went beyond anything resembling a casual dalliance - something she can now confess to have been rather afraid of, because she had developed deeper feelings for him from the moment he started sharing detailed stories dreamt in the fade and his perspective on magic intertwined with life. And then there had been that first kiss… Wel let's just say she's in way too deep to turn back now.

And for all the effort he put into keeping emotional distance between them, he had apparently failed from the moment he had started putting her likeless on paper. For she could see the passion and emotion in the lines, soft shadows and hidden meanings. It made them stand out from all the other drawings she had seen by his hand.

What he couldn't yet put into words, he had found a different way of showing.

"Yes I-" suddenly feeling unsure she pauses for a moment and crosses her arms looking for the right words. "The drawings, they reminded me of who I could be." She takes a deep breath finds her courage and continues. "Someone who people will tell stories about. Not stories about Divine intervention, but of an elven woman's fight for justice. For a kinder world. Somehow I never really managed to see myself that way when I look in the mirror. But those drawings… I guess it's easier to understand who I've become by seeing myself through your eyes. To see the change I'm part of, but most of all to remind myself of where I came from."

She had uncrossed her arms and angled her body towards him over the table. A determined expression rests on her face. He hadn't taken his eyes of her from the moment she started talking.

He looks at her thoughtfully for a moment, considering his reply.

"Very well" he says while some of the tension visibly drains away from his body. She raises her eyebrows in question. "Then it's only time you started showing me your carvings in return. Some good blocks of wood have gone missing. I overheard Blackwall complaining about recently." He shares the accusations with a bemused smile on his lips.

Now it was her turn to blush.

"I was planning on showing you, but first I wanted to practice… " she trailed off her sentence, knowing she doesn't actually have a valid excuse for hiding it from him. And it was not like she hadn't backed him into a corner first.

Feeling relieved he wasn't pulling away at her recent discovery she changes her mind with newfound courage and stands up abruptly while extending her hand in invitation. The purpose of their late night reading session forgotten.

"You're right. And I'm willing to offer you a tour of my recent carving exploits, but only if you can refrain from commenting over the woodchips carpeting the floor." He starts to move as if to get up but she makes him pause as she isn't done yet. "But in turn I will pose for your next drawing." Solas looks at her confused for a moment, as if considering her question.

She pauzes for a moment and adds without hesitation.

"Naked."

"What?"

"That's right."

From a balcony upstairs they could hear some muffled movement followed by a familiar voice echoing down "You know Solas, if you're looking for nude models you only need to ask!"

"Dorian!" they say in unison, horrified.

Solas quickly tucks the sketches under his arm and stands up to grasp her hand, surprising her by pulling her close so fast she has to steady herself with her other hand landing on his chest.

Only a breath away from her ear he says softly so only she can hear.

"It seems like you found yourself a deal, ma Vhenan."

She squeezes his hand in response and when she looks at him there isn't a hint of his previous embarrassment. Instead there is a look of hunger and challenge in his eyes. It's so easy then, to lean over and kiss him, her lips a promise and Dorian's earlier interuption temporarily forgotten. Before she can get lost in the soft press of his lips she pulls back and feels a delighted thrill in the way he slightly chases them as she takes a step back. With a teasing smile on her lips she tugs on his hand bringing him back to reality and encouraging him to follow. As they make their way quietly towards the door she throws a judgemental look over her shoulder towards where she imagines Dorian to be hiding.

She is just able to make out a muffled conversation on the first floor "… These lovesick fools seem to keep forgetting this is a public space, if they don't want an audience they should find a room!"

Not sure if she should be terribly embarrassed or slightly thankful for Dorians intervention she doesn't manage to hide her smile.

"Let's get out of here then." she says as they start to make their way through Skyhold.

He squeezes her hand.

"Gladly."

[crovvlipso]

MC - Agatha Crowley sheet

Information under the cut!

Basic Information

Full name: Agatha Chandra Crowley

Nickname: Ag, Aggie

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual

MBTI: ESTP

Species: Human

Date of birth: 18th June 1875

Nationality: British (British/Trinidadian/Siamese)

Blood status: Pure-blood/Half-blood (unclear)

Wand: Redwood wood with a dragon heartstring core 10 ¼" and quite bendy flexibility

House: Slytherin

Patronus: Dragon

Boggart: [LOCKED]

Amortentia: Burnt wood, Chocolate, Gasoline

Appearance

Hair colour: Platinum white

Hairstyle: Short soft curls

Eye colour: Magenta 

Skin tone: Medium-dark skin with yellow-golden undertones

Height: (unclear) 3cm shorter than Sebastian

Weight: 60kg

Other distinguishing features: Two moles under the bottom lip, Fangs, Black nails polish

Personality 

Agatha is confident and ambitious despite feeling neglected by her family and has developed a strong sense of self-worth. She's rebellious and doesn't conform to traditional gender roles, preferring to dress and act in a way that makes her feel comfortable rather than trying to please others. She can come across as cocky and sarcastic at times, partly because of her family's wealth and status, but also as a defense mechanism developed from her experiences with bullying.

While Agatha can be sarcastic and biting in her humour, she's also fiercely loyal to those she cares about and will go to great lengths to protect them. Her experiences with bullying have made her somewhat hostile towards those she perceives as a threat, but she's not inherently violent or cruel. She values intelligence and cunning.

Traits: Chaotic, Cocky, Charismatic, Sarcastic, Barbaric

Likes: Dragons, Insects, Leeches, Forbidden Knowledge

Dislikes: Milk in tea, Skirts

Good at: Martial arts, Animal Handling, Intimidating, 

Bad at: Showing true emotions and Affection, Persuade

Hobbies: Bug collector, Quidditch for fun(played as Beater), Drawing

Fears: Become nobody, Her father

Ambition: Domesticated Dragons

Family & Backstory

Agatha Crowley was born into a wealthy and prestigious pure-blood family known for their diplomatic skills and trading. Her father always wanted a son to carry on the family name and legacy, but instead, he was disappointed to have a daughter. As a result, Agatha was neglected by her father and most of her extended family. Only her mother showed her affection and attention, taking care of her and even allowing her to play with muggle children in their neighborhood.

Agatha's childhood was rough due to her family's neglect and the bullying she experienced from muggle children because of her unnatural hair and eye color. To cope, she became rebellious and defiant, refusing to wear skirts and acting more like a boy to try and please her father.

Despite not showing any signs of magical ability, Agatha's maternal grandfather, a Siamese man who was skilled in Muay Thai, taught her martial arts from a young age. Agatha fell in love with the discipline and art of fighting and trained vigorously with her grandfather.

At the age of 15 Agatha's magical abilities finally awakened, and she received her acceptance letter to Hogwarts, Though she possessed traits of a Gryffindor, her ambitious nature led her to be sorted into Slytherin, much to her family's relief.

In Hogwarts, Agatha's skills in martial arts proved to be an asset in her studies, especially in Defense Against the Dark Arts. However, her troubled past and lack of parental guidance caused her to develop a rude, sarcastic, and mean personality, often pushing people away with her hostile behavior.

Despite this, Agatha remained fearless and savage, always ready to fight for what she believed in, and became a force to be reckoned with in both academics and combat.

Father: Josiah Crowley

Mother: Chandra *Thai people still haven't had a last name back then*

Paternal grandparents: Victarion Crowley and Calypso Lovegood

Maternal grandparents: Narong, -

Uncles: Bran Crowley (Josiah’s brother), Edward Crowley(other brothers)

Aunts: Alannis (Crowley) Sanchez

Cousins: Isis Crowley(Bran’s daughter), Rose Sanchez, Jason Sanchez (Alannis’s children), Ramsay Crowley, Victarion II Crowley, Aretha Crowley (Edward’s children)

Pet: Bunch of unnamed insects, two leeches name Robert and Henry

Family home: London, Wandsworth

Relationships 

Friends: Sebastian Sallow, Ominis Gaunt, Giona Regali(oc), Natsai Onai, Poppy Sweeting, other fifth years

Best Friends: Sebastian Sallow, Ominis Gaunt

Love interest: Sebastian Sallow click

Others

Headcanon CV: Robyn Addison

Character inspiration:

Rhaenyra Targaryen - House of The Dragon

Nanno - Girl from nowhere

Veronica Sawyer - Heathers 1988

Cruella De Vil - Cruella 2021

Jo March - Little Women 2019

Agatha Harkness - Wandavision

[drakaripykiros130ac]

Fact: Rhaenyra is the most competent, out of all of Viserys’ children, to rule

Putting aside all legality and morality, it is also clear as day that Rhaenyra is the only one out of all of Viserys’ children who is capable of ruling.

As for her half-siblings:

1. Aegon: spent his entire life drinking, r*ping women and bullying his brother. Otto practically ordered Alicent to prepare him to rule. How exactly has she done that? The only contribution from her was instilling hatred in him for his half-sister and her children.

Aegon himself admitted that he is not suited to wear the crown. He clearly detests responsibility and he is not very intelligent either, not to mention extremely immature. He doesn’t have even an ounce of political training, the smallfolk are not very fond of him, he never sat in on any Council meetings and even now, with the crown on his head, his mother and grandfather are doing the thinking for him. Completely unfit to rule.

2. Helaena: not much needed to be said. The poor dear is lost in her dreams and is clearly incapable of thinking rationally. I am convinced she doesn’t even comprehend that a crown was put on her head. Although the smallfolk like her, she lacks strength, rational thinking and any sort of training. Completly unfit to rule.

3. Aemond: he is impulsive and violent (I believe he is an even worse version of Daemon). Aemond as King would definitely be Maegor 2.0. While he is a skilled warrior and passionate of history, he lacks diplomatic finesse and compassion, not to mention any sort of political training. He makes a fine knight, if kept under control by someone, but can’t be given ultimate power to decide anything in relation to the Realm. And from what I read in the book, aside from his cruelty towards innocent smallfolk, he is also incapable of accepting any kind of rational council. Anyone who disagrees with him would instantly meet the sword or Vhagar. Bottom line: Aemond is a warrior, not a king. Completely unfit to rule.

4. Daeron: haven’t seen him in the show up until now, since he has been raised in Oldtown. Based on the book, he is definitely nicer than his brothers. But he does end up torturing and burning a whole village of innocent people alive simply because they choose to support Rhaenyra. He may have more redeeming qualities than his brothers, but he can be just as cruel and unforgiving, he is young and inexperienced and he has spent his whole life away from Court, so has zero training. Completely unfit to rule.

Rhaenyra has been her father’s cupbearer from a very young age and has learned a lot about the Realm, the beliefs of the Great Houses and politicking. Once she became of age, she sat in on the Small Council Meetings as the Heir to the Throne and actually expressed rational thoughts on important matters.

She is loved by the Smallfolk, married to Daemon (who is himself beloved and nicknamed Prince of the City), is intelligent, rational, compassionate, diplomatic, patient, trained in matters of politics and is the only one of Viserys’ children who actually honors and respects the interests of House Targaryen.

WINNER: Queen Rhaenyra 🖤

[wannaeatramyeon]

Haven't seen the trash boi Goo for a while! How bout a different girl for him, a hard-working and honest girl who works in a small convince store as her part-time job. She doesn't really like expensive gifts or stuff like that, to her spending time with her boyfriend is way more important than any sort of materialistic brand.

Thanks for the ask anon! I've missed this stupid lil idiot!

Goo Kim x Reader: Money

Goo-fy wonders why you're with him

Goo is more than aware of your silly little part-time job.

On multiple occasions, he has offered to pay you himself so you didn't have to work the night shifts on your own. You thanked him, sweetly as usual, but said no anyway.

Well isn't that a pain.

How could he possibly just sit at home when he knows his darling girlfriend is working her butt off for pocket change. And think of the weird characters just like him that lurk around at night!

Goo shudders.

He makes up his mind to join you any opportunity he can.

.

.

The first time Goo shows up, you are practically buzzing with excitement. Holy crap, you're adorable.

Then you react the same the second and third and fourth time too. Come to think of it, it's every single time.

He starts to wonder if there is something wrong with you.

Yes, he is extraordinarily handsome. Yes, he is perfect. Yes, he is God's gift.

Still. No-one could be that excited to see him, right?

.

.

And what's even weirder, is the way you're looking at him and chattering away right now.

Do you even realise what Goo has offered?

He has given you complete, 100%, free rein in a shopping mall. The most high-end shopping mall in the country. It's all on him. He's got it, babe. Go shop your little heart out!

Yet... You're not sprinting towards the designer brands, you're not buying one in every colour. In fact, you're not buying anything at all.

(Goo did get you a juice when you said you were thirsty, but that hardly counts.)

You wander around with a ridiculous smile on your face, your hand in his, listening to him talk about anything and everything.

You steal glances at Goo when you think he's not looking, but he catches you every time.

No! Don't look at me! Look at this! This coat, this bag, these shoes!

It's the foodhall of all places that you two end up, seated at a little uneven table that tips on one side. Far, far below Goo's usual standard but he couldn't find it in himself to care with you next to him.

At the end of the day, you go home empty-handed, thanking him graciously for your juice, and Goo is left scratching his head.

.

.

If there are two things that Goo knows, it's how to fight and how to make money.

And you never particularly cared for his fighting skills. Sure, you're impressed. Everyone is.

Though if you don't care about that and you don't care about cash. Then... why are you with him?

Goo confronts you at work one evening.

He interrogates you about your feelings for him, about him, and you take it all with a straight face.

(You're not stupid. You don't date someone like Goo Kim unprepared for his unhinged moments.)

"-But it's good I'm rich, right?"

Of course you know what money means to him. It's not the same for you, and you try to be diplomatic about it. "Well... it's good that you can buy yourself nice things with it, I guess? But I don't need it."

Goo tilts his head, clearly confused with your response. "What? So you'll be with me even if I was broke?"

"Yup."

"If I had to wear ugly clothes?"

"Yup."

"If I couldn't take you out?"

"Yup."

"If I couldn't buy you things?"

"Yup."

"Not even," Goo looks around the store for inspiration, "this ramen?"

"Yup."

The cogs in Goo's brain stutters and stops. So then...?

You decide to put your moron out of his misery. You cup his face in your hands as he continues to look absolutely baffled.

"Goo. I don't need any of that. I just like being with you. You could make watching paint dry fun," you speak slowly and clearly, hoping that your words sink in. "You know you're also with me, right? And I don't really have any money."

As if your financial status would in any way shape or form affect his feelings towards you! Goo is appalled.

"My sweet lil honeybun, that's completely different!"

Honestly. You roll your eyes fondly and ruffle his hair.

Maybe, just maybe. He gets it. A little bit. Maybe money isn't everything-

Scratch that, money's pretty fucking important. Goo loves money. But, if he really thought about it, he loves you more.

[wing-ed-thing]

Madara Enemies to Lovers Headcanons

No Reader Pronouns

𓆃 Well, good for you. You’ve somehow managed to fit Madara’s uber-specific psyche-out standards... You’re not sure if that’s a good thing.

𓆃 It’s not hard to get on Madara’s bad side, and if you’re remotely on opposing sides, he’s not thinking twice about destroying you in battle. But given that you speak his language and you can maintain his respect, you can most definitely get somewhere

𓆃 Violence. The language is violence. And the respect? Earned through violence. 

𓆃 The battlefield is where Madara thrives. It’s where he feels most at home and the most comfortable. The best and only way to win Madara over is by giving him a good fight. 

𓆃 Battle is the only way you can gain Madara’s respect and in turn his affection. The respect comes first. 

𓆃 If it’s not through fighting, then it is through an extremely grand skill that could be of assistance on the battlefield, but this is extremely likely due to how much he belittles non-combatants.

𓆃 If you’re fem, good luck because that’s a whole other obstacle to overcome because Madara wouldn’t “allow himself to be bested by a woman”

𓆃 He needs to feel like he has an upper hand which translates accurately for his need for control— something that’ll basically describe your dynamic. To Madara, you have to be competent, but not more so than him. 

𓆃 He’ll admire your demonstrations of strength whether that’s in battle, putting yourself in harms way for your allies, or asserting yourself diplomatically. If any of these things are against his interests, he’ll admire begrudgingly. 

𓆃 It’ll always be this teetering of admiration and resentment until you prove yourself to him, likely indulging him in some psyche-out test of willpower that will surely demonstrate your worthiness. 

𓆃 Generally, the acceptance comes when you’ve conformed. You’ll have his affections when he sees you (or at least your potential) match up against his smattering of standards. Until then, he will always hold some sort of resentment toward you

𓆃 You think the same (or close to it), hold your own in battle, speak your mind, and have the ability to surprise him because he can’t quite wrap his head around different

𓆃 If you really impress him, he’ll be sure to put you on a high pedestal. And the moment you step out of line, beware of your fall from grace. 

Thank you to all who liked, reblogged, followed, and supported. Your support means so much and is greatly appreciated.

[essayist-unexpectedly]

any thoughts on the family dynamics on given and how they affect the characters?

I feel like the only family interaction we really get to see is with Uenoyama (his sister/dad). We get a little bit of Mafuyuu with his mom (and Kedama!) and Akihiko’s backstory, but we they don’t really go in depth. (also we get nothing on ugetsu and i would looooove to know more about his life)

Anyways, sorry for the random open-ended question, i love your essays!

first and foremost - thank you! I am super happy to hear you enjoy my essays! it's the biggest compliment I can receive

family dynamics in Given are genuinely something I wish were explored more. believe it or not - I specifically wanted more of Uenoyama's family, even though they are arguably the most developed. and I think I have quite a bit to say on them, so this will likely be quite long.

so starting with the adults, I don't actually mind not learning too much or seeing too much of their families? some adults do grow apart from their families, don't see them as often, it's just how it goes sometimes.

Akihiko does have the bonus of at least giving us that he isn't that close with his family, so that's great, that happens sometimes. I don't feel like I really wanted to learn about Akihiko's family, as he doesn't seem bothered by his not being too close to them. that being said - how they affected him? well, Akihito's father is a violinist in the UK, so that's likely where he got his love of music - especially his learning to play violin. it almost makes me wonder if he was pressured into violin specifically and that was part of why he started drums, as it wouldn't have the same pressure surrounding them. also, his father lives out of country, which likely plays a role in why they aren't that close, as it can be tough to keep contact when far away and with the time difference. I don't remember Akihiko's mother being mentioned, so I have nothing to say about her. my main thoughts are that Akihiko probably naturally drifted as he grew older and was influenced by his father in terms of his education and career (pursuing music but also specifically violin).

now onto Haruki. so he is canonically close with his family, which I think is great! I love that Haruki is a family guy, even if he doesn't necessarily see them after moving to Tokyo. the omakes with Haruki's sister are genuinely two of my favourites, I think it's really sweet to see that they're close, have an active family group chat, and that he is out and they're all accepting of him. again, as an adult, Haruki has grown away from his family, which is fine. they're all still close even if they don't always see each other, which is cute. I think they were probably pretty supportive with Haruki pursuing music, as he never seems to have any sort of struggle internally about deciding to do music. I feel like he's just completely healthy and normal family dynamics, which has also helped him be a good mentor towards the younger band members. I believe he's the youngest in his family, with two older sisters, which I also think would influence his attitude towards the younger band members - he can finally be the older brother figure and mentor.

finally, Ugetsu. I desperately want to know what Ugetsu's family is like - which I think was evident in my previous post about him. so what we know is that Ugetsu's father is a diplomat and grandfather a politician. I believe that it's possible that part of why Ugetsu failed at romance was because he may have felt more pressure from his family to be successful in his career. a diplomat and a politician are big to live up to, and definitely the type of careers and reputations where you're going to be watched as their legacy. I think that while Ugetsu has genuine passion for violin, he knows that his skill means that he can move up in the world and keep up a successful career line. I also wonder if Ugetsu is out as I'm assuming gay - due to homophobia being a thing, it's possible that he also wanted to hide his sexuality as that could impact the reputation that he has and the reputation of his family. on the other hand, there is the possibility that he wanted to be known for something other than his politically successful family and therefore decided to pursue music. it could really go either way.

overall, the adult family relationships are fine to me? I believe that they all make sense with their characters, and while I wish we got a little more, adults drift away because of moving or just not being close with their families, so that's fine to me.

now for the teens - which is Shizusumi, Yuki, Mafuyu, and Uenoyama. this is where families have the potential to get more interesting.

Hiiragi is not mentioned because his family isn't brought up other than one time, where he mentions them not being home soon after Yuki's death as an excuse to stay with Shizusumi. this is the only time we hear of them as far as I know. which is too bad, I want to know what family produced the absolute diva that is Hiiragi

Shizusumi is a foster kid though. I do think this can be seen within his character, as he's quiet, standoffish, and cares deeply for those who he is around. Hiiragi is basically Shizusumi's main person, which I believe shows possible attachment issues when it comes to family. his experience within the foster system isn't clarified, I don't know for sure that he bounced around homes or not, but I would think that if he did it's part of why he's a bit harder to read and appears only with a small group of people (Hiiragi, Mafuyu, previously Yuki, now Uenoyama). it's possible that parts of Shizusumi's personality are because of his growing up in foster care - he was in it from a very young age, like before he met Hiiragi even when they were tiny children. there's no confirmation for any of this of course, but I can't help but wonder if that's part of why he's a little more intense and also uncertain in his relationships. by uncertain, I mean with Hiiragi - as he comes off so strong and needs like proof that they can be together, that the memory of Yuki doesn't get in the way of them. I do wish that a little more of Shizusumi's background was known, I think it would be really interesting.

then there's Yuki, who has a similar story to Mafuyu in terms of family. Yuki was a latchkey kid whose mother worked and father committed suicide (as revealed in Strawberry Swing). so Yuki was reliant on Mafuyu more than his mother, as it's said by his mother than Mafuyu was his anchor. it implies that while they may have been close, they weren't as close as he was Mafuyu. because of this, Mafuyu was more influential, and it was an argument with him rather than with him mother that ended up triggering his suicide, as she wasn't his anchor. it's likely that Yuki had the same mental illness as his father, as they both committed suicide, ending their lives in tragedy. I think Yuki was probably close, but not actually super close with his mother.

now Mafuyu is also a latchkey kid with a single mother, but his father was abusive and was arrested early in his life. Mafuyu's quietness and inability to communicate at times is directly caused by his father - as he would hit Mafuyu whenever he spoke. I think this also gave Mafuyu his more reserved and shy personality, as a person who can't communicate or express themselves normally can struggle to connect with others. I believe that his father was the main reason for struggles that Mafuyu deals with in terms of his voice and expressiveness, leaving a long lasting nervousness around speaking up about his feelings and thoughts. as Mafuyu develops, this does fade out a little, he struggles less to communicate until he feels abandoned again when Uenoyama joins SYH - this is more of a history repeats itself thing that deals with Yuki rather than his father's abuse though. as for his mother - I think Mafuyu is quite independent, caused by the fact that he was a latchkey kid. I believe the same was true for Yuki, and that they learnt early on to grow up and be independent because they would be home alone while their mother's worked. this isn't a bad thing, and I still think that both of their mothers did their best, but it's really difficult to raise a child when you're a single mother. also, I say this as a latchkey kid with a single mother myself - you can sometimes grow up more independent, self-reliant in terms of anything emotional and educational simply because you spend more time on your own. I think that Mafuyu likely knows that he has his mother as a support system, but doesn't actually know how to communicate with her, therefore relying on bonds with peers - especially as seen with Yuki and his codependence. also, I wrote a post awhile back about how I think Kedama is a meant to be an emotional support animal given to Mafuyu after Yuki's death. I think that his mother knows she can't always connect with him because of that independence that was built after being distant due to work schedules, so Kedama was a way for Mafuyu to be motivated to get up and live his life, as he has another being relying on him now. I think that Mafuyu and his mother aren't too close but still love each other, just simply having some distance, and that Kedama was a really sweet and smart companion for Mafuyu in hopes that he would be more motivated to take care of himself after Yuki's passing.

finally, Uenoyama! so of course, we cannot talk about Uenoyama without starting with his beautiful sister, Yayoi. she's the most fleshed out of literally any family member in the entire manga - her personality, she social standings, her love life, her relationship to Ritsuka, all of this has substance within the series. Yayoi and Ritsuka have a pretty typical sibling relationship as far as I can tell - teasing and loving bullying, while still being supportive and understanding for each other. the one time this comes to a halt is when Yayoi discovers that Ritsuka is dating Mafuyu - and she becomes incredibly worried and slight uncertain about whether or not their relationship is even okay, if she should somehow stop him from seeing Mafuyu. I find that the panels where she tells Ritsuka that his relationship is "weird" and "unnatural", saying he'll "get hurt" show that while Ritsuka cares about Yayoi, she also isn't the most influential. some people will doubt themselves and their relationships when they're told that, people struggle with homophobia and internalized homophobia, but Ritsuka just acknowledges her words and barely listens to her. I think that he shows that in terms of big things like his love life, he won't be swayed by family, no matter how close he is with them - as Yayoi and him appear to be incredibly close. while he wants their support, Ritsuka seems to be a very strong person, as well as being quite independent at times. also, Yayoi is mostly just concerned and can't exactly wrap her head around Ritsuka being gay. to be fair - Ritsuka hadn't shown any sort of romantic inclination before, so I think she also figured he was just the stoic type. so to see him suddenly in a relationship with another boy, one who she doesn't know very well, her reaction was mostly shock and worry. it doesn't excuse her homophobia, even if it was born out of plain not understanding and worry, but it definitely means her wanting to learn how to understand makes sense. I think that after everything, Yayoi would end up being his biggest supporter not only in general but also his relationship. now this is one area where I kinda wish we saw more from Ritsuka's parents. we can gather that they're supportive in terms of his music and pursuing it, it's mentioned that Ritsuka's father is "a music geek and has been a big influence on him", so that in itself really says that yeah they're supportive of his music. however, I was always wanting more of a coming out arc for Ritsuka, as he is the character who discovers his sexuality and gets a boyfriend within the series. I didn't need it to be something big, but I don't think that his parents ever discover his sexuality or anything within the main series, and it kinda makes me wonder how they reacted. I also think that it would be a bit more of a way to show what his relationship is like with his family - if they reacted negatively, would Ritsuka be able to kind of brush it off like he did with Yayoi? would he want to change for them if they have more impact on his relationships in terms of romance? or would even care? would they go through an arc like Yayoi's of figuring out how to understand and support? a coming out arc or simply a small scene likely could've said a lot about what the Uenoyama family is like in terms of how close knit they are. again, I do believe that the scene with Yayoi shows that Ritsuka is secure in who he is as a person, so maybe it wouldn't have revealed too much about the family, as he appears closest with her. overall, Ritsuka is the one who's family I wish we saw more of, I think it could've been interesting to explore their reactions to his sexuality, as well as generally seeing them beyond the knowledge that they support him and his music and his father got him into it.

overall, I wanted more out of the families with the teens - mainly Uenoyama, Shizusumi and Hiiragi (like Hiiragi Mix doesn't give us anything, which I think is a shame). I'm good with what we got out of Mafuyu, but that may be because I grew up similarly in terms of only child with a single mother, and therefore have my own thoughts and experience as an insight to what I think he's like. I think a little more on Haruki's family would've been cute, I'm fine with Akihiko's situation and his family not ever appearing. but I completely wish we had gotten a little more on Ugetsu, as I think that it would've been really interesting to see if his family at all affected his career and his drive for his career over romantic and social lives.

I hope that this makes sense at all, I feel like it's just a ramble about the families and I ain't too sure about if it's the most comprehensive thing to read, sorry.

thank you for the ask! this was super fun, so I hope that it makes sense and answers your ask!

[singswan-springswan]

rebelcaptain fantasy mermaid AU since I'm apparently not done daydreaming about them rn.

Jyn Erso is mer nobility, being the daughter of a powerful sorcerer in the royal court. She's expected to be a prim lady, and she's certainly educated enough, but she much prefers sparring with soldiers or scavenging through human shipwrecks over mincing words at tea parties. many other nobles look down on her for her adventurous hobbies, especially since the Emperor has forbidden contact with the human world, and collecting surface world trinkets is pushing the boundaries as it is.

Cassian Andor is a captain in his kingdom's royal navy. He's unassuming, but he's skilled in so many different areas - including leadership and strategy - that it would be a waste to not place him in a position of authority. For this rank, he is also revered by the court as a member of high society. Admiral Draven often sends Cassian and his crew on scouting missions and the sort when the stakes are high and the weather is certain to be treacherous (mer have been making life difficult for ocean-going humans for the past generation or so, whether out of spite or territorial disputes, no one is sure. some believe the emperor is just salty about - quite literally - losing his right-hand man, who was a sorcerer powerful enough to bring the kingdom to unprecedented levels of subjugation)

Under the rule of her majesty Queen Amidala (shut up about continuity parallels and let me play with dolls), the human kingdom of Coruscant is thriving. Their sea trade suffers from the hostile weather, but everything else is going great! bountiful crops, art renaissance, good relations with neighboring nations and provinces, etc. in fact, their prosperity is their main drive for all attempts to open new routes by sea; they want to share their wealth with other countries and explore new lands in peacetime. (the king consort privately advises against this transportation of choice, but the presence of many powerful magic wielders in the ranks of the navy, including the prince, has perhaps lulled the queen into complacency about this).

it isn't until the worst storm of the season manages to catch Cassian's ship and wreck it along the coast that the humans begin to feel concern. He was tasked with escorting the princess home after a diplomatic trip to the neighboring kingdom of Alderaan. Their ship was laden with treasure and gifts, and ill-suited to maneuvering in such unexpected and inclement weather. Even with Cassian's great skill as a sailor, and the power of the princess' magic, the ship is easily overcome and destroyed. possibly blown up too, depending on how dramatic you want to be.

Now of course, the mer keep track of things like ocean travelers, and the emperor has always been weird about the queen and her family. no one is surprised when he decides to target her sailing vessel with his evil storm sorcery. Jyn might be one of the few mer who doesn't care. (besides, Jyn has diplomatic immunity! it's not like she's breaking any laws by looking at the ship from a distance). Jyn loves to watch the humans exchange treasure, and she's starting to grow fond of these ones, the more she continues to find them in her waters. especially that particularly attractive man with darker hair and even darker eyes. he's as rough a sailor as the rest, but kriff is he pretty. He's so serious, he doesn't smile much. Jyn saw him do it once, and if the sight almost melted her into sea foam, well, that's between her and the ocean current she escaped on. So naturally, Jyn is drawn to the beautiful ship with its beautiful goods and beautiful people. they're so festive in ways her own kind aren't. their parties literally explode. it's so lovely to watch that she finds herself climbing up onto the ship (definitely moving into illegality there) and tucking herself beneath the banister to watch them dance. Cassian isn't dancing, but she likes to watch him too. He seems in a light mood. he's almost smiling.

Then the storm hits and the ship wrecks, and Cassian being the captain is charged first and foremost with protecting the princess. He manages to get her out before it's too late, and her magic - though much quieter and less suited to storms than her brother's - is enough to keep the survivors safe in the life boats. Unfortunately, Cassian goes down with the ship because he's a good little captain and the plot likes him. Jyn thinks it'd be a shame for such a pretty man to die. She saves him and dumps him on the nearby shore. kriff, she thinks as the sun rises on the two of them, even drowned he's gorgeous. Cassian remembers none of the rescue. He is later collected by a search party sent to retrieve stragglers and beached wreckage. the queen rewards him for his bravery and stuff.

meanwhile Jyn gets found out for her highly illicit involvement in the event. Not only is she facing scorn in high society, but she may very well be imprisoned, or made an example of (the emperor has certainly never been shy of that move before). Not to mention her parents' reputations and positions are at stake. Jyn decides to just hit the bricks. not like she was infatuated with the mer world anyway, kriffing fascist regime that it's tending towards. Logically, the move for her is to become an international fugitive! and since contact with the human world is banned, that's the last place anyone will think to look for her. She enlists the help of her mother's old radical friend, Saw Garrera. While not himself a sorcerer, he's always claimed to be in contact with a few pretty powerful ones, and sure Jyn, of course he's got a spell or two you can use to escape the ocean. She transforms herself into a human and flees the cops by washing up on Coruscanti shores. Naturally, Cassian finds her 😏 she's pretty hyped about that.

Now technically the existence of merpeople is still mythical to most humans, so Jyn is careful to keep her mouth shut. She's not totally sure the extent to which her transformation spell extends, and she has no idea if there's anyone here on land she can ask or trust to ask for further insight. Better to play it safe than risk drawing attention and the possibility of some meddlesome human witch using her for experimentation.

She settles into life on land quite easily. She's a skilled, intelligent woman, and she has experience parrying her way through high society conversations, so it doesn't take much for her to secure herself a new home in the palace. Cassian is, naturally, immediately infatuated with her. He's not sure if it's the fire in her words or her eyes or the way she sometimes sways on her feet like she expects the air to cradle her, but he's captivated. He asks Leia if it's some sort of bewitching spell. She laughs in his face. Jyn says she's from a far away country and spins a web of lies and half-truths to explain herself to the Queen's court. Cassian is enraptured by this. It's under his advisement that Jyn is granted a position in the royal navy. He says they need strong sailors with good instinct and fearless hearts, and the royal family is inclined to give him whatever he wants these days, so Jyn ends up as a rookie on his crew. They are both thrilled.

It becomes promptly clear that Jyn was high born, wherever it is that she won't say she's from, even if her brash attitude and snippy words are unladylike; she has a very particular skillset. Cassian is especially impressed with her skill in combat. She finds it very different from fighting underwater: the mechanics are all different, and the footwork is boggling her mind a bit, but she's good. scrappy and vicious and good. She's good with strategy, and good with navigation, good with words and saying what she means. it helps that she's so happy to finally be here on land, surrounded by curiosities she's held most her life. She's really thriving. It makes her very attractive.

She and Cassian also happen to work together well, frighteningly so. Though Jyn has never known how to sail, she's a quick learner, and Cassian is the perfect teacher. there's no stopping them once she's been weaponized with the knowledge. Together, they are a force to be feared on the open seas. Somehow she always knows how to avoid the storms, when they'll come and from where, to the point that the rest of the crew calls her their seabird, their good luck charm. They're able to blaze new trails and find new worlds, even reaching as far as Lothal. Life is going great! Becoming a wanted fugitive might be the best thing Jyn's ever done.

bar the part where the cops are looking for her, of course. We're gonna say that Krennic is the emperor's bloodhound for the sole purpose of just including him in the story. While not a sorcerer either, he's a (mostly) trusted tool of the emperor, and can be temporarily imbibed with magic when tasked with hunting down a runaway mermaid. idk something something, he threatens Jyn's parents, then comes on land and threatens her, and that's probably really fun for me the target audience because it gives Cassian an excuse to be stupid protective of his bestie. I'm just thinking of the vibes rn and not specific details. feel free to use your imagination here. Somehow, it's revealed that Jyn is a mermaid, and there's a dramatic battle or whatever, and in the end krennic is defeated and he drops a loot tile which conveniently holds the secret to the emperor's power. the emperor is predictably pissed about that. he is summoned from the depths to try and throw a hissy fit, ends up destroying a lot of human stuff like their ships and coastal structures. Luckily, Cassian and Jyn play relay with the loot tile that holds the secret to the emperor's power and pass it on to the princess, and the princess gives it to her loyal sheepdog, and the sheepdog gets it to the prince, and the prince and his dad (who gets out to the water despite an incredibly uncomfortable trek through a beach of sand) use the power of their combined flamboyance to summon a lightning bolt from heaven and fry the emperor's scaly butt. the end everyone lives happily ever after.

turns out btw that queen amidala totally knew about merpeople! where else do you think she got her pathetic wet hot wizard of a bride from? Anakin's more than happy to live it up on land with his cool wife and wizard kids. man he's so glad he dodged a bullet being emperor palpatine's evil enforcer. Padme's cool mermaid friend Mon is gonna take over the mer kingdom now. she's chill and she cares about justice and stuff. hooray! fascism is defeated by lightning!

Jyn's silly little criminal record is cleared now that peaceful relations between mer and humans are miraculously established, but she's really come to enjoy her life on land and her life as a sailor at Cassian's side, so she decides to get a proper transformation spell and stay. Cassian is predictably delighted.

as an added bonus, the human and mer kingdoms decide to cement their new treaty with a marriage alliance. everyone decides it should be Cassian and Jyn, since they're both prominent nobles with illustrious careers in politics (working as ferrymen for actual politicians like Leia is close enough to count). Cassian and Jyn think this is a genius move. they're very in love

[spiderrmax]

king kyle & a human!s/o

request: could you write about king kyle falling in love with kupa keeps princess/prince? author's note: reader has the title "princess" it's the only part that is gendered tho. this was also originally a oneshot that's why some of the bullet points r weird lol

Due to your status as Princess, Kyle is aware of who you are.

Your Kupa Keeps’ diplomat, meaning he has in fact communicated with you on multiple matters. He knows you are a respectable person, and do your job with diligence, but since you are a human, he doesn’t think of you in high regards. You’re his enemy, it’s how it is written in the stars.

He’s only ever communicated with you over letters, and due to the fact you guys are left in your kingdom means  he hasn’t seen much of you outside of that.

That’s until the new threat of Clyde’s army comes into play.

With his supernatural army and the fact that he holds the stick, the humans and elves are forced to work together.

Kyle calls for a meeting in his kingdom, and when the humans arrive, you instantly catch his eye.

You don’t carry yourself with excess pride, and you're quite pretty. (For a human, his mind desperately supplies.)

You sit in the front row, next to the other princess and it causes Kyle to lose his train of thought occasionally. 

Kyle explains his plan: to send Commander Douchebag to get The Sparkles, and he will embark to get the Federation and the pirates.

It’s a decent plan, but the Grand Wizard finds a flaw with it anyway. 

“I won’t let you go to get the other factions. You’ll somehow mess it up!” The Grand Wizard stands up, bringing more attention to his point. Kyle laughs at that, “You think you’ll do better? You will just scare them away. You couldn’t be nice if it cost the universe, and hey, this does.” “No, I wouldn’t go either; Princess [Your Name] is a good diplomat, they should go.” Cartman argues, motioning towards you, who is still sitting next to Princess Kenny.King Kyle then looks at you, sitting politely and looking at the conversation occurring; when you notice his staring, you smile at him. He sighs, really not wanting to entertain the conversation with the Grand Wizard, and comes to a decent conclusion. “They can come along.”

That’s how he ends up on this journey with you.

He’s not thrilled you’re coming along, but he’s grateful it’s not an annoying human.

He walks swiftly, shoulders high; out of the corner of his eye, he sees you struggling to keep up, but he doesn’t slow down.

“We will head to the Federation first, and then speak to the Pirates on the way back.” He explains, not leaving room for argument; you nod along, agreeing.

It’s a tense atmosphere after that, as you walk behind him. He wants to talk to you, compliment your skills, just something.

The realization that you probably don’t want to be there strings a bit, but he can’t even argue with you about it.

Until you finally talk again, asking him, “what’s his plan?”

“I just planned to explain the severity of the situation to them; they should be willing to help after that.”

You laugh at that, and it’d be quite pretty if you weren’t laughing at him.

“What?”

“The Federation might not be willing to help; their leader isn’t the biggest fan of The Grand Wizard. We’ll have to offer up a trade, maybe fuel for their ships or new weapons they might need.”

As you explain exactly what will need to be done, Kyle is sort of glad you came. He doesn’t know if on the spot he’d be able to come with an exchange like you do; he sees why you’re their diplomat. Kyle has written many letters asking for services, but with pen and paper he has time to think over his words. He doesn’t express this much gratitude though; instead offering a small thank you, and slowing down his pace.

With your advice and presence, getting the Federation to fight alongside you is smooth sailing. Like you had predicted, Kevin Stoley did ask for something in exchange: he needed any parts from the crashed spaceship both of your kingdoms had, and finer weapons to provide the soldiers he’d be sending into this battle. You both agreed, giving him the meeting place, and were on your way.

Leaving the faction, Kyle walks next to you this time.

“Look, I know our kingdoms hate each other, but you really did help back there.” Kyle admits, hoping you hear it and that the wind is too loud and covers his words at the same time. At that, you smile up at him, not expecting his kindness, “It’s not a problem. Managing foreign affairs is my job.” You guys continue walking, and he can see you staring at him out of the corner of his eye. Your features aren’t painted with any disgust, and he hopes you don’t notice how pink his face gets from being under your attention. However, he hears the snap of a branch, and his attention turns to where the noise comes from; there, in your path, stands one of Cylde’s undead soldiers. Although Kyle has no doubt he can fight one soldier, he would prefer to avoid any potential injuries. He goes to hide behind a tree, but realizes you’re still walking, stuck in a daydream. Swiftly, he grabs your wrist, pulling you flush to his chest and covering your mouth with his other hand to muffle the yelp you let out. The zombie turns in your direction, but gets bored quickly when he doesn’t see anyone. Kyle’s heartbeat speeds up, and he prays his cloak muffles it enough so you can’t hear it. However, he loses that anxiety when he realizes he can feel an embarrassed heat on the hand covering your mouth, realizing you are just as flustered as he was. It makes him want to laugh, but he holds it down in case the zombie returns; he can’t bite down his smile though.When it’s safe, he lets you go, rolling his shoulders and standing straight up. Able to look at you again, he does see the heat in your face, and shock in your eyes. “Pay better attention,” he teases, voice light and airy, laughing slightly as he starts to walk and you run to catch up.

The pirates go even smoother; with Kyle being related to the captain, he doesn’t need to bribe them as much. He promises shiner swords, and that’s all it takes. When the captain calls you pretty, Kyle feels something bury in his stomach; he’s unable to pinpoint the emotion, but it disappears when Captain Ike stops talking to you.

You run into a few zombies on the way back to the Drow Elf Kingdom. He and you still duck behind trees in order to prevent unnecessary fighting; the proximity always causes him to get embarrassed, too aware of how close you are to him.

When you too return to the Elf Kingdom, Douchebag still hadn’t returned with the Sparkles; apparently they needed more than just shiny swords.

You have to return to the Grand Wizard, to speak about the terms and agreements. King Kyle feels empty when you aren’t there to keep him company, even if you are quiet.

He doesn’t see you again until the night you meet up to fight Cylde; however, his thoughts are still consumed by you.

He has an inkling that maybe, just slightly, he has a bit of crush on you. He tries to deny it. His knight, Stan, asked him about the journey, and Kyle couldn’t bring himself to talk about it, more specifically you.

He isn’t supposed to like you! You always weren’t supposed to be kind and pretty and become the only thing he can think about, which is untimely due to the war at hand!

You’re in armor when you arrive at the fight, forgoing any gown you’d typically wear on a normal day; he imagines a dress could get in the way, similar to his cloak. He thinks you look nice in your attire, but doesn’t say anything due to how close you stand to the Grand Wizard.

You, him, and some other soldiers start to make their way through the back, climbing the wall; Commander Douchebag had been sent to go through the inside, in order to open the doors and eliminate any threats inside.

When all of you meet up again, before entering Clyde’s throne room, you send him a smile, and that’s all he needs to feel confident in this battle.

However, he doesn’t have to worry about fighting, because Commander Douchebag is called to fight the zombie of an old friend, and chooses you as his partner.

Two things happen in Kyle’s mind at once: holy shit I’m going to have to watch them get hurt, unable to do anything and holy shit they look really good in battle.

(Maybe ignoring all those zombies was a bad idea)

You and Douchebag defeat the villain, and the Great Wizard banishes Clyde for good.

Kyle notices your wounds, the blood pouring from various cuts on your body, and wishes he could do something about it.

Instead, all of you go to get the stick, when Princess Kenny grabs it, preparing to fight for his right to it, due to his parentage.

Commander Douchebag returns to battle, and many of your allies go with him. King Kyle fights first, using his strongest move then returning to your side.

“Holy shit, you’re really bleeding, here.” Kyle goes to look through his bag, finding a health potion he was saving for this battle. He thinks about how if he didn’t know you, he’d be drinking this himself; he’s glad it’s going to you. Weak from blood loss, Kyle has to help you drink it. One hand cradles your cheek, while the other slowly tips the potion down your throat. He’s delicate with you, hand placed gently but firm to guide you to drink. He’s glad everyone is distracted with Princess Kenny to see the interaction, even if he knows it’ll be one he thinks of forever. The potion helps with the bleeding, slowing it down enough he can help sit you up. He moves you slowly, not wanting to cause you any more pain. “Thanks, you didn’t have to waste that on me,” You murmur, voice low with a lack of energy.Kyle smiles at you, grabbing your hand to rub your knuckles, “I wanted to.” Had he met you before the fear of Clyde’s power, Kyle thinks he wouldn’t have cared to look at you for long; his brain would’ve clumped you in with the rest of the humans. He’s glad that he met you now, where some humans have gained respect in his mind. That might be the one good thing to come from this war. “Are you guys gonna keep making out or watch Douchebag destroy Princess Kenny?” The Grand Wizard calls out, annoyed by your guys’ lack of care for the battle. Kyle did say some humans.

[beevean]

And isn't this a telling line.

I know why Lenore says this. It's very clear, and it weighs on her, that she is seen as the weak link of the Styria council. The others keep her around because of her diplomatic skills, but they don't really respect her as a person: we even see the others constantly making fun of her behind her back (Carmilla mocks her for her penchant for caring about animals, Striga implies that Lenore is saccharinely romantic, Morana accuses her of "being off with the fairies"), and if she has really eavesdropped Striga's proposal to hire mercenaries, surely she has heard them dismissing her strategy of "adopting" Hector, which might have been the reason she rushed things with the ring. So yes, her sentiment is understandable: her own friends don't seem to care about her, so she leans on Hector, the only one in the castle who listens to her woes like she's a person and not just a problem-solver.

This is, as per usual with Lenore, highly hypocritical on her part, because she too keeps Hector around but doesn't care about him as a person.

The common conception is that, by S4, Lenore stopped treating Hector like an animal and started to see him as a person, and this is why, only six weeks after effectively raping him into slavery, Hector is so chill with her and even does his best to protect her regardless of his own life. The two have off-screen organically grown to care about each other, perhaps bonding about their positions as the unfavorites: this is what Hector choosing to be with Lenore even after cutting off the ring symbolizes, that he's no longer bound to her by force but sincerely.

But think back on their two major scenes in S4 before the turning point of episode 6.

What are they about? Ignoring the stupid dick jokes, what is the function of both scenes?

Lenore venting about her issues. About how she feels pushed to the side, how she feels useless, how she doesn't see a place for herself in the world Carmilla wants to build, how Carmilla is overreaching which worries Lenore because they'll lose the stability she has worked for, how Carmilla might have lied to her. She even reveals her tragic childhood out of nowhere lmao.

Do you notice what it's missing?

Hector.

Oh, he's physically present. He sasses back because we need to establish them as a couple, but he also asks genuine questions to Lenore ("Are they sidelining you?"), and wants to listen to her. He even attempts a little connection with his "Just like Dracula lied to me," showing empathy.

But do you see Lenore ever asking about how Hector's doing? You know, since she raped a slave ring into his hand and now he's trapped in a castle he didn't want to be in, working for people who have at best ignored him and worst have hurt him in all sorts of ways?

How about asking if he's enjoying the castle? How about asking what is he doing when not working? I'm not even demanding she'd do something as outrageous as asking him if the ring is hurting or expressing any regret that it has to be between them when they get along so well, just fucking be invested in the guy the story is trying so hard to convince me that you care about! Hector has empathy for her, but it sure isn't reciprocated!

It becomes all the more egregious when you remember that Lenore did ask about Hector's desires and life at some point. When she had to manipulate him in S3! Do you realize how utterly scummy this looks? Much like her losing any sign of sexual interest in him once he got out of his cell and gained a shred of attitude, it really looks like Lenore only pretended to be attracted to him physically and mentally to get something out of him, but now that she has managed to trap him and got a good dicking, she won't bother to put in the effort!

Yes, learning about Lenore's inner turmoil is important to establish the rest of the subplot: the sisters losing faith in Carmilla, Lenore being so devastated by Hector's scheming that she'd rather kill herself, all the good stuff. But I think the priority should have been, you know, the victim here.

Well, we know how Lenore reacted the only time Hector expressed any resentment over his condition...

You know this was coming 🙂 the clip I linked may have conveniently cut this exchange, but I, unlike the fandom, am not ignoring this little part.

I want you to take a good, hard look at Lenore's expression, and tell me that she feels any remorse for what she has done. At best, she believes he's just whining for no good reason - why would he, when he lives in a nice castle, gets to do what he likes, and even got good pussy? Oh, silly Hector, joking around like that. At worst, she looks offended to be called out like that, because he's breaking the nice façade they have going on. And considering that the ring is objectively a failure because it barely does what it was meant to do, this only gives credit to my interpretation that she's pissy that her master plan didn't work as she imagined and only made things worse. It's not about how Hector feels, it's about her pride in her skills.

This line is, conceptually, a continuation of her tendency to throw off responsibility off her back to blame anyone but herself, and most imporantly this sentiment:

"You're not a real person, Hector. Stop complaining, and be thankful for what I give you. You can stand there looking pretty, like a good boy, and do nice things for me, but you're not allowed to express yourself: you'll make me look bad."

Tell me again how much she changed after the timeskip?

(and no, I don't believe Lenore was lying in this scene to play tough with the others. As much as I like the idea of her pretending to be evil to "fit in" a group of cruel vampires, this giddy, dehumanizing behavior is supported in other scenes where no one is around. There is, instead, enough proof to support the theory that Lenore resorted to forcing the ring on Hector instead of continuing with her manipulations because she got offended that Striga underestimated her methods, again fitting with her touchiness over being seen as "weak" or soft. It's about, once again, her pride.)

As the cherry on top, the line I quoted at the very beginning? Directly follows this. Lenore dismisses her rape of Hector, Hector concedes the point and urges her to keep talking about her woes, and she thanks him for wanting to listen to her. The very same thing she vehemently refused to do for him. Lenore angrily shuts down Hector when he tries to express himself in a way that would make her feel bad, but rewards him with appreciation when he acquiesces and makes her feel cared for. If this isn't an encapsulation of their dynamic, I don't know what is.

So let's move on before I spontaneously combust, because I'm not done! Have you ever noticed something interesting in the scene where Lenore, during Isaac's assault, decides that saving Hector's life has higher priority than helping her old friend Carmilla? Aww, see? How cute, she cares about him! She loves him more than she loves her asshole besties! And you know, in a vacuum, yes, this is the closest thing to a selfless act she does: she doesn't just think of saving her own ass, but her first thought is protecting Hector, a vulnerable human she has grown to care about.

Or does she?

And tell me, dear Lenore, where would this "somewhere safe" be? Still inside the castle that is currently being assaulted by a plethora of Night Creatures? Because you made sure that Hector can't leave it?

Lenore doesn't even mention the slave ring. The first time the ring is mentioned in this scene, is when Hector explains matter-of-factly to Isaac that he cannot command his Night Creatures to stand down, because "command and control flows through me to Lenore here and to her friends". You would think that removing the ring so that Hector can go outside the castle would have been her first thought, right? You would think that, at this point, she would have grown to trust him to the point that she would no longer see the ring as necessary to keep him at bay, right? No. She doesn't care. She wants to "protect" him, but still under her thumb, even if that puts his fucking life in danger. And while I could simply say that the writing is shit and it's trying so hard to make us forget how that ring found its way on Hector's hand...

... from a character standpoint she looks really bad, because this would have been a great opportunity to show that she no longer wants Hector as her pet, but as a true lover! Nope. The ring, of which she was reminded of a few days prior, is not a issue for her. She needs him to be dependent on her. And when he cuts his own finger by himself, she can't handle the loss of power: her main reaction, visible on her face, was despair that she lost power over him and Isaac was now free to kill Carmilla.

Because there's also her suicide! Or, to be more precise, her verbal suicide note, subject of discussion to this very day.

TvTropes phrases her as killing herself out of guilt:

I would love to see how they came to this interpretation, considering Lenore makes it all about, guess what? Herself:

I don't see any "I'm sorry for what I put you through. I believe your life will be better off without me keeping you chained here." Now that would show "severe guilt", not a shitty "welp, things have happened". No, she sounds so damn flippant no wonder her fans see this as an OOC decision. But even in the best interpretation I can give, she killed herself out of her abject failure at keeping the council together, and because Hector, who was also responsible for taking her queen life away from her (not that she points it out), made her realize that this is all her existence will amount to, even long after he and Isaac will be dead (which is why the latter shouldn't even factor into her choice: in the grand scheme of things that she has just finished talking about, he doesn't matter, he's going to die in 40 years or so).

Hector is nowhere near her thoughts, except for a quick "I'm sorry I can't be here to help you through… whatever comes next", appended there like an afterthought, but still expressing the sentiment that Lenore would rather leave Hector alone because she feels too sorry for herself to even bear sticking around for a few more decades, which are nothing for a centuries-old vampire.

By the way, what concerns her about her vampiric power is not that she'll cause harm to people, but that she'll always crave more power and end up losing her mind like Carmilla, which means her existence will inevitably lead to feeling miserable. It's all about her, again.

Back to the point, that very line, that overly dismissing non-apology, shows how little Lenore is concerned about Hector's feelings: he wanted to be with her, even after cutting the finger where she forced the slave ring on him, really you couldn't have a purer declaration of love - and her response is basically "well I don't, bye". Girl even says, verbatim, that Carmilla's desire for power "ruined her life", as if Hector had been living in paradise ever since Carmilla barged her way into his life while looking for power. Isaac, of all people, had the decency to ask about how Hector's faring without a finger, while she, the very reason Hector had to mutilate himself, doesn't, because she's too busy drinking her sorrows away, because only her sorrows matter. It's really hard to feel sorry for her suicidal intentions when she sounds and behaves so dismissively, and her suicide feels less like dictated by despair and more like she's running away from the consequences of her actions or, worse, from a few decades of a less than comfortable life.

And I'm supposed to be touched that she decides to look at Hector rather than the sun? It rings hollow, like many emotional moments in the show when it wants to wring tears out of you without putting in the necessary effort to build the necessary context - but unlike Dracula's "I'm killing my boy", which is simply less effective due to lack of concrete proof that he used to be a good father to Alucard, Lenore's final act feels like an active mockery after everything I pointed out.

(at least Lenore asks Hector "What will you do?" before sunning herself. This is the most interest she has ever shown in him as a person. Right before killing herself, something she knows will cause him grief, and after, as I mentioned, confirming she's not willing to support him anyway. peak romance)

So let's recap. How does Lenore show care for Hector? He keeps him in nice living conditions, as she promised: he can walk all around the castle, wear fancy clothes, do the work he likes, talk with other people, he's doing perfectly fine. She relies on him for emotional support, showing a modicum of trust. She's concerned for his safety: she "protects" him from Carmilla's ire at his stalling, and most noticeably she chooses to go to him and attempt to flee together instead of going to Carmilla when Isaac storms the castle. However, she shows no concern about his emotional state, dumping her own issues on him because he "listens to her", while never reciprocating the favor, and never entertaining the thought of going against her sisters and freeing Hector of the ring that makes their relationship forced and impure.

He's her pet. After all this time, Hector is still her damn pet: just because she doesn't call him "good boy" while on a leash anymore, doesn't mean the attitude has changed. Sure, you make sure your dog has all the comforts it needs, you might vent to it when you come home from a grueling day at work, and you make sure it doesn't run into traffic, but it's not like you're particularly interested in your dog's opinions or its life, right?

Everything, and I do mean everything Lenore does, ever since being introduced, screams of deep self-centeredness and lack of empathy. She only cares about herself, what she's going through, her status, her objectives, being respected, and most importantly having the upper hand in any situation. And she will trample over anything to get what she wants, and she will fold when she doesn't. I have shown more than enough proof of this. Her supposed "love for animals" is a mask to look, or feel, better than she is: and she will outright ignore any proof she is not as good as she believes to be.

tl;dr: Lenore is still loving Hector like a vampire would. I said it many times, but it bears repeating.

I genuinely love this line. I have quoted it many times. It is a very good interpretation of the way predators and abusers love, which is what vampires are. And I understand that the show didn't have the time to elaborate on this, but through Lenore, it could have given us so much food for thought.

Is Lenore really the kindest she could be? She took pity on Hector when he was dragged in the castle, she found a way to make him useful (in theory) despite her sisters' skepticism therefore allowing him to live, she kept her word when she promised him a comfortable life (and hopefully forgot about her promise to use him as a sex slave, the story conveniently ignores it), she relies on him for emotional support, and in the end she actively shows that he wants him to be safe from any harm. For someone like Hector, used to nothing but pain and rejection, these crumbs would look like a feast. But is this love? Do they even care about each other as people, or are they only each other's emotional crutches? Can you ask for more? Could Lenore do more? Are all the cruel, humiliating actions she took in S3 justifiable or understandable or forgivable due to her nature? Is she self-centered because she's a vampire, and therefore all she did is really her best love language, and this is why Hector, who has a similar love language shown in him reanimating dead animals to bind them to him through magic, never held all her previous abuse against her; or is she self-centered as a person, a flaw she never overcame, and Hector should seek the love he craves from someone else? Or, better yet, stop craving love, since it only made him suffer?

How human can she truly be? If she's nothing more than a vampire, then yes, what she did to Hector can only be read through the lens of a different species loving in a different way, but that would reduce her to the level of an unintelligent animal unable to rise above her instincts, and it would mean her efforts to be better than her species were for nothing. If she is more than a vampire like she so desperately wants to be, committing to the human values of pacifism and diplomacy that her kind scoffs at, then her behavior is as human as a toxic human can be, and condemnable.

Even better, Dracula of all people refutes Carmilla's claim. Carmilla herself mocked Dracula because he did what no vampire does with their human lover: he let Lisa free to go as she pleased, instead of turning her into a vampire or chaining her to the castle. Carmilla, used to men who take things from women, saw it as proof he didn't actually care about his "pet", but we as humans see it as genuine respect. Sure, after Lisa's death Dracula's brand of love is even more destructive than normal and his very plan of destroying mankind is disrespecting her memory, but not only the two had natural mutual chemistry when they just met, Dracula effectively loves like a human would. A severely unhinged human, but still, he never expresses the idea that he saw Lisa as his property. In this sense, Lenore doesn't go beyond the limits of her own species.

The show doesn't need to give us precise answers, but these questions do fit the general themes of the story, and they should have been hinted at.

But instead, we are meant to take Lenore's "goodness" at face value, with zero conflict. We know this, because Hector barely expresses himself in S4.

There is a noticeable lack of internal turmoil in him, and with all the screentime he got, most notably the montage in S4E2, he could have shown it. Imagine if he had developed the tic of fiddling with the ring: after six weeks, he still can't get used to this foreign object stuck on his finger (this would also be foreshadowing for his decision to cut it). Imagine if, in the library, we had a scene of him glimpsing outside, and then glancing at the ring, implying that he feels the desire to escape but knowing that he's trapped. Imagine a scene where, while bantering, he reaches for Lenore with his ringed hand, the scene putting an uncomfortable focus on it. Sure, they might be sassing and bantering and exchanging dick jokes, but it's an awkward, fragile façade, a warm genuine relationship all but made impossible by Lenore's past callousness.

Instead, the season politely removes any reminder that Hector has been living as a glorified slave after being intimately betrayed and dehumanized by someone he had grown to care about. Aside from not even forcing him to obey orders, the ring only briefly activates when he forges a Night Creature, and it looks like it hurts, but Hector doesn't linger on it because he has to take care of the creature: he doesn't express any sort of emotion over the fact that the sisters have taken even this one pleasure from him. And, as I said in the first part, he never speaks about himself with Lenore, because she's the only one who matters. There is no on-screen struggle to reconcile the Lenore who chooses to talk to him over her sisters, which indicates a moderate amount of intimacy, and the Lenore who smirked at his agony when she betrayed him mid-sex. One could think that he was mellowed out because he learned that Lenore is acting as a shield against Carmilla's anger, proving to him that she cares... but he learns it on-screen, six weeks after becoming their slave, therefore not explaining his friendly attitude with her in the dick jokes scene.

In fact, the one time he even dares to challenge Lenore for the cruel way she "solved his problem", he gets told more or less "you got your dick hard and wet so you have no right to complain," and he quietly relents to allow her to finish her sad vent, in what is clearly framed as wholesome banter. And, as an extra kick in the balls, he is appreciated for giving her the chance to keep complaining. This is what passes as ship tease! How isn't this enough proof that he, as a person, has never mattered, not just for Lenore but the story as a whole?

This one gesture is the closest time he gets to show inner turmoil, and it's still framed as character development for Lenore's sake, not his. That stump is the symbol of all the hardships Hector went through: he is giving Lenore the freedom that she herself took from him, that he had to regain by mutilating himself. Does he show any sign of being torn over this irony? No. This is nothing more than a romantic gesture. Hector grew more than Lenore did, but only enough for the show to paint her in the best light.

After all, unlike Isaac who was able to articulate how much he has come to appreciate life and how he's willing to live fully because he is a person worth living for himself, when Hector is asked what he wants, his answer is "I want to be left alone with Lenore" while looking with guilt and concern at his still bleeding stump. Hector's only desire is to soothe Lenore's hurt feelings like he has been doing ever since she raped him into a position of pet. This could have been painted as the depressing sign that Hector still hasn't grown from his instinct to crawl back towards the people who hurt him, or even as the result of his past tortures making him lose his will to live, and being confused on what to do with his life now that Isaac is giving him a second chance. But his emotions don't matter. This is meant to be seen as the proof that he loves Lenore so much, he wants her even without the binding of the ring.

A light criticism I have often read about Lenector in S4 is that they should have shown mending their relationship after Lenore's "scheme" (which is a nice word for what she did). My question is, why? Why can't it be treated like the Moral Event Horizon it is? Lenore doesn't show any sign that she was coerced into it or reluctant, and as I have proven there is zero regret in her actions and words. Lenore was a complacent part of the council, an important part even: unlike what the "Just the way Dracula lied to [Hector]" implies, Lenore was never tricked into collaborating by Carmilla, she was more than happy to help, and the sentiment she expresses in S4 is not "wow I did some fucked up shit for my sisters' sake" but "this plan is starting to feel inconvenient to me". Her kindness is hollow, and if Hector forgave her and slotted her in his category of "good people", it's only because his standards for basic decency are below hell, something that the show never addresses or lets him grow out of, only mocks him for.

To prove my point, there was the easiest compromise between "Hector setting the castle on fire and smashing Carmilla's and Lenore's skull with his hammer", which would have been cathartic but overall a sign of negative development, and him blithely loving his abuser: make him leave. Make him grow from a manchild hidden from the world to a brave man willing to face the world. Make him spare Lenore's life as appreciation for how she took care of him when no one would, but decide that he deserves better than what a vampire can give him.

But no, he isn't even granted this much dignity: his last shot in the entire series is him standing heartbroken next to Lenore's remains, stuck in the same castle Lenore forced him in, with no plans to build himself a better life (only writing a book about "his mistakes", which just feels spiteful at this point - he regrets his stupidity more than Isaac regrets the blood of innocents on his hands), with nothing left in his life isaac and whatever tentative friendship they could build doesn't count because hector routinely forgets about his existence because he only wanted to be with Lenore and he couldn't even have that. Fucking Dracula got a much more saccharine ending than he deserved.

But narrative cruelty aside, Hector's entire character revolves around Lenore, who in turn revolves around herself.

This is a profound narrative failure, from multiple angles. This is why I say that Hector effectively stops being a character in S3: his emotions and desires no longer matter unless it's for torture porn or painting him as stupid. This is why I cannot take seriously his big badass "redeeming" moment in S4E6, on top of him regressing morally and effectively only aiding Isaac who has hogged all the spotlight: he may have become smarter, but he doesn't have any significant character development. This is why I don't see the poignancy of him forgiving Lenore for taking advantage of him in the worst way she could have, or of him letting her go when she chooses death over him: it only looks like the same lack of spine that has fucked him over ever since his introduction (he could have trapped Lenore out of cruel mercy, but it's clear that it's just good-hearted mercy). This is why I don't see Lenore as a "good", nuanced person who went through character development and should have ended the story marrying Hector: she has depth (shown too little too late, but it's there), but it's completely negative depth, because the more I look inside her, the viler she gets.

And this could have been great! We could have had such a gripping story about the intricacies of abuse, how it's not just a man beating a woman, but yes it's made also of good parts, your abuser can still do good to you and you still deserve better than those scraps. Lenore and Hector's relationship could have been an intriguing discussion on morality, or the lack thereof, about the nuances of abuse and "kindness", the torn mixed feelings between anger and attachment, how being "human" doesn't mean being "good". In a well written story, Lenector would be one hell of a toxic, co-dependent relationship, built on necessity, shared misery, lies, mistrust, mutual harm, power games, and the eventual realization that they can only thrive if kept apart - if Lenore can even thrive, as a cursed undead doomed to only bring misery to the world and herself.

But S4 needed to be fluffy because S3 was the edgiest shit a 14 yo could write, and in its desperate attempt to write Lenector as yet another sassy cute couple like every straight couple in NFCV, the squandered potential and eagerness to forget about all the uncomfortable parts of their story in S3 becomes actively offensive, and I will never, ever understand what everyone sees in them, to the point that the arguments that Lenore is actually a good loving person honestly worry me.

There is a good story here, with a good villain and complex psychology. It's not the story presented on-screen, which is simplified, dishonest, and disgusting.

[tixdixl]

💬💥

"We received word of your acceptance to Night Raven's College."

(CW: Parental abuse)

The prince stood at attention, keeping his gaze locked on his mother as he awaited for the inevitable directives. After having been summoned seemingly out of the blue, it immediately set in that this entire conversation not only qualified as business, but whether or not the outcome of the conversation would remain positive had yet to be seen. Even instances where praise could have been warranted, his mother or father always found some way to criticize, or push the bar higher.

"The letter came in this morning," his mother's tone retained a sternness he had grown accustomed to, and yet despite this, he felt himself stead fast in waiting for the other shoe to drop.

His father then added on, "I'm sure you are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to travel and study in a new place."

"Yes, sir," Kingsley affirmed, with the levelness of a practiced soldier.

"Naturally, we are also ecstatic at the opportunity for you to advance your studies and your training," his father continued. The word "ecstatic" held an ounce of venom that the prince instantly recognized behind the tone of his father's voice. And he knew that they had been objectively lying to his face.

However?

"However-" called it "-we have a few conditions that we will require you to meet if we are going to approve of your send off."

He waited, knowing full well that neither of them wanted him to respond, nor were they waiting for a response from him.

"First and foremost, your father and I have found ourselves largely unimpressed by the outcomes of your studies with your tutors here. Even the time you have spent shadowing your father has been largely fruitless. We expect that you would be farther along in developing your leadership and diplomatic skills, and yet without fail, every single time we have asked something of you, you've failed astronomically. As such, we expect that when you spend your time at Night Raven's College, you will focus diligently on your studies. Waste no time in learning the ins and outs of magic, alchemy; but even more so, learn from your professors and your peers. I want to see you hone your leadership skills, and make your peers with nothing more than to follow your lead at every wake and call. You should be able to strike up deals; make alliances; and subject other students to agreements that are on your terms.

"Secondly, I expect you to take up some sort of extracurricular study. I refuse to have a son who is soaring around average and not preparing himself for the real world. You have more important things to do than lollygag and play around. Prove to us that your time is well spent, and more than just your grades should reflect that when we ask for status reports from you."

"Thirdly," his father chimed in, somehow managing the same tone as his mother had during her listings, "I expect you tell no one of the secrets of the Cantrevs unless given explicit permission by your mother and I, lest you disrupt our diplomatic prowess and put our entire nation at risk - do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir."

"And most importantly," his father seemed to bring the list of demands to a close, "you should absolutely be fully prepared and meet the standards of a Prince prepared for a royal coronation by the time your graduation commences. If by such time we do not find your efforts and growth satisfactory to take over a kingship, consider yourself unwelcome to the docks of the Cantrevs."

The deliberate word choice and piercing sharpness of his tone spoke even louder than any directness could have in that moment. He understood clearly that his parents had great expectations, and furthermore, that he would have to impress them beyond their own standards if he ever wanted to see his home again. And while he knew his parents not only doubted by discouraged his success, he knew in his gut he had what it would take.

The words sank in, like air filling his lungs. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. And with a roll of the shoulders, he opened them again. An intense ferocity filled his eyes, making them colder than the icy color they radiated. Behind the skull on his face, a darkness shrouded the view of his face, and of his eye. Determination was one hell of a drug.

"Understood."

Tag list: @cyanide-latte @simons-twsted-children @inmateofthemind @ramshacklerumble

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[iustitians]

ooc; headcanons - deep dive character sheet

yoinked from: Ree tagging: you. come closer

NAME: Neuvillette

BODY

height: 187 cm

strength ★★☆☆☆ || He has a degree of physical strength and I think he’s stronger than you’d think by looking at him, but it’s not really something he relies on much

dexterity ★★★★★ || More agile than his looks would suggest. He can jump around, move very quickly, and it’s helped by his abilities to float and warp. He’s also very good with his hands overall. He is beauty he is grace he will jump on your face CHILDE WATCH OUT

health ★★★★★ || I don’t… think… he gets sick…? In reality the lifestyle he leads would be very unhealthy for a human, but it doesn’t seem to have any consequences for him

energy ★★★★☆ || Again, I don’t think he really gets tired. Docking a point just because he’s not like, buzzing with energy or anything

beauty ★★★★★ || Very handsome in a middle aged man way. Has canonically had people (try to) send him love letters

style ★★★★☆ || It’s not something he thinks about beyond what is mandated by his station, but damn if he doesn’t have style

hygiene ★★★★★ || Again, mandated by his station, but also he just enjoys cleanliness on a personal level. And hey, he can take a bath in life juice whenever he wants

SKILLS

perception ★★★★★ || Not only does he have the ability to read the emotions of others, but also he can catch all sorts of even the tiniest details during trials

communication ★★☆☆☆ || It’s… complicated. At court, by all means, his communication skills are what runs the place. In a casual conversation he needs his partner to run the whole show while he just reacts accordingly to what they say. He’s done this to the Traveler for the majority of their encounters and he is So Sorry

persuasion ★★★★★ || Again, especially at court, but he also handles diplomatic meetings, including with the Fatui, and he knows how to stand his ground

mediation ★★★★★ || See above

literacy ★★★★☆ || Docking a point because he is possibly the most literate person on Teyvat when it comes to legal documents, but regular books can take him a while longer - not because he struggles to read, more that he can struggle to analyze and understand

creativity ★★☆☆☆ || He’s not super creative to be honest but I can’t give him a very low grade because have you seen the Neuviladle? As memey as that thing is it’s actually incredibly impressive work for what was his first time doing something like this

cooking ★☆☆☆☆ || He makes very good soup and that’s it. Many other things he’ll straight up refuse to touch or even think about. Also I don’t think he needs food at all so he doesn’t really give it too much thought

tech savvy ★☆☆☆☆ || I’ve talked about how I think that if Teyvat had mobile phones he’d need his daughters to teach him everything about them. He doesn’t use technology more than required, meaning he can use a typewriter, a Kamera and other such rather simple things. He can also use firearms and has authority over Gardemeks, so he knows how to set them up to some degree, but that’s about it. He’s a boomer

combat ★★★☆☆ || I’ve written a whole meta about how he’s very powerful but not actually skilled in a fight. He'll force his way but it won't be skillful

survival ★★★★★ || In a manner of speaking he’s a mythical beast, surviving on his own is normal to him and frankly more natural than how he’s living now

stealth ★★★★☆ || As said before, a lot more agile than his looks would suggest. Docking a point just for his clothes and the fact he fucking. glows

street smarts ★☆☆☆☆ || … Yeah no

seduction ★★☆☆☆ || Whatever skill he has here he’s unaware of

luck ★★☆☆☆ || Things work out sometimes but he doesn’t rely on luck at all to get shit done

handling animals ★★★★☆ || He is one does that count— Ahem. Yeah he can do fine, some animals he can also communicate with to a degree

pacifying children ★★★★★ || He’s better with children than he realizes and also I mean… He’s an adoptive father of probably a couple hundred

MIND

intelligence ★★★★★ || In many areas, not just his work, he is far more knowledgeable than he lets on

happiness ★★★☆☆ || Better than it was before the Fontaine AQ and especially his story quest but there’s still much that bothers him and sometimes he takes entire centuries to let go of things

spirituality ★★★★★ || He’s a god reigning over an aspect of Teyvat’s natural order, he is very aware of and connected to the world at large and all its workings

confidence ★★★☆☆ || A lot of his confidence is maintained because his work demands it. As a person, he questions himself and what he does A Lot, but for the most part at least, does believe that he’s doing the right thing

humor ★☆☆☆☆ || He'll make a better joke on accident than by deliberately trying. He also doesn't always understand jokes as made by others

anxiety ★★☆☆☆ || He has his anxieties under control because he has to but again, he questions himself A Lot

patience ★★★★★ || He will wait for millennia if he has to, no big deal

passion ★★☆☆☆ || He does things because it’s his job

nice ★☆☆☆☆ mean || Of course he stands his ground when he has to, especially when work demands it, but I mean… This guy is made of marshmallow and “cries” during almost every trial

brave ★☆☆☆☆ cowardly || Not in any sort of aggressive or arrogant sense, but we know that he never runs away from things and doesn’t intend to, especially once the time comes to judge the Archons

pacifist ☆★☆☆☆ violent || Prefers to talk through things, even with his enemies, and can accept a compromise to a degree, but he won’t let anyone walk over him for the sake of peace

thoughtful ★☆☆☆☆ impulsive || Considers every choice with care and is famous across Fontaine for the impartial and correct decisions he makes

agreeable ☆★☆☆☆ contrary || Again, can be negotiated with, but to a degree

idealistic ☆☆★☆☆ pragmatic || He wants to enact justice against the gods, but not at the cost of the world as it is now and its inhabitants, I guess that counts?

frugal ☆☆★☆☆ big spender || This applies to his management of Fontaine’s economy, which of course he does with care. On a personal level money means nothing to him

extrovert ☆☆☆☆★ introvert || I don’t think I need to explain more than I already have... He can not leave his office or speak to anyone outside of work for days

collected ★☆☆☆☆ wild || Yeah

ambitious / possessive / stubborn / jealous / decisive / perfectionist

SOCIAL

charisma ★★★☆☆ || At court? Yes. Outside of court? Uhhhhh

empathy ★★★★★ || Yeah. He’s like the embodiment of empathy

generosity ★★★☆☆ || I think he’d like to be more generous than he is, but his station forces him to maintain impartiality, preventing him from showing generosity too much

wealth ★★★★★ || Again, money means next to nothing to him personally, but still, both as the Iudex of Fontaine and as a Dragon Sovereign he is not wanting for anything

honest  ☆★☆☆☆ deceptive || He is generally fully honest, but during court cases we’ve seen him word things in a certain way to get the other party to talk

leader   ☆★☆☆☆ follower || Leader out of necessity. Among the dragons he’d also be in a leadership position as a Sovereign but he would also have someone over him, and when necessary, he can and will follow orders

polite    ☆★☆☆☆  rude || Again would be all the way polite if it weren’t for the necessities of the court

political ☆☆★☆☆ indifferent || Impartiality baybee

BELIEFS

higher power ★★★★★ || He… is a higher power, does that count

fate/destiny ☆☆☆☆☆ || What do I say about a guy who not only rejects Celestia’s system of fate but also lives outside of it

magic ★★★★★ || If we talk about elemental energy as it exists in Teyvat then I mean… Yeah, he embodies the very concept of one of the elements

soulmates ☆☆☆☆☆ || I feel like this kinda concept would connect to the system of fate and as such, Nope

good and evil ★★★☆☆ || He believes in benevolent and malevolent forces but he also acknowledges that the good are capable of evil and vice versa, as well as how the good can fall and the evil can turn over a new leaf

luck ★☆☆☆☆ || Again, things work out sometimes and that’s neat but it’s not something he would ever rely on

PRIORITIES

family ★★★★★ || When he thinks about his family he thinks about the Melusines and yeah he would die for them

friends ★★★★☆ || It’s very rare for him to acknowledge someone as a friend, but once he does, he dearly cherishes them even if he remains awkward about it

love ☆☆☆☆☆ || With family being a separate question, I take this to mean romantic love, which he doesn’t think of in the slightest

home ★★★☆☆ || He does all he does for Fontaine and he has developed an attachment to it, but it’s not something he actively thinks about all that much. Still, continuing to look after it was a choice he consciously made

health ★★☆☆☆ || Again, I don’t think he gets sick, and he doesn’t really comprehend the idea of taking breaks or time off. He takes care of himself to whatever extent he should not to worry or anger Sigewinne

praise ☆☆☆☆☆ || He literally doesn’t or understand why people praise and thank him for doing his job, and he pays no attention to it

justice ★★★★★ || Well duh

truth ★★★★★ || See above

power ★★★☆☆ || Keeps the authority he has, but actively avoids becoming some kind of dictator even though, in his position, he totally could

fame ☆☆☆☆☆ || Very similar approach as to praise

wealth ★★☆☆☆ || His care for wealth begins and ends with his care for Fontaine’s economy

others' opinions ★☆☆☆☆ || He won’t do anything for the sake of anyone’s opinion on him and in fact he’s surprised to find out his reputation isn’t particularly negative. At the same time however he believes that he should be seen as impartial. And, well, he is