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asexualbuthorny · 8 months ago

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I’m a background character but the villain’s mine pt.3

Content warnings: mentions of toxic relationships, toxic relationships, abuse, starvation mentions, threats of human trafficking, fear, future smut.

Time was running out. IT WAS RUNNING OUT!!! Mendella was at a loss of what to do. He looked through countless files on nobles who would suit his requirements but they all were either complete creeps, old men or had simply rejected Mendellas proposal outright. The young man was falling further and further into despair as the deadline for finding a suitable alpha approaches.

As he was wallowing in his misery the door to his room opened and in stepped his older sister Livone. She walked towards his desk with calm and measured steps, her tail held loosely in the air, ears relaxed by the sides of her head and face as unreadable as ever. Before Mendella could utter a word the woman lightly threw a file on his desk and left as suddenly as she entered. The young lord stared at the file as if he had never seen one before. With shaking hands Mendella picked the file up all the while fighting the hesitant spark of hope slowly blooming in his heart.

Mendella opened the file and what greeted him was....a completely average face of a lord in his twenties. The man in the picture wasn’t stunningly gorgeous but he wasn’t ugly either. Short (h/c) hair, (e/c) eyes and an easygoing and relaxed smile...it was kind of charming actually. Shaking his head Mendella went on to read more information on the man who was, for all intents and purposes, his last hope. (Name)(Lastname). 24 years of age (okay that wasn’t bad at all. Mendella was only a little older at 27). No illnesses, has investments in the merchants guild and in some fashion stores. Runs multiple businesses of his own. Known not to particularly enjoy human company and keeps to himself. Perfect. A simple man who has enough money and doesn’t appear in the public eye too often. This was just what Mendella needed. Just then something else on the paper drew the omegas attention and made his ears perk up in interest. This nondescript man was the one who owned the famous “crystal flowers”. Those “plants” were a rare and very sought after item among both the nobility and the commoners. The stem and petals were regular plant but in the center gems and magic stones of various kinds would grow and be harvested and later used from anything from jewelry to magic to medicine. The organic parts of the “plant” would also be used for a variety of things as well. This one thing raked in great amounts of money for (Name) and many people tried to get closer to him in order to obtain the secret to the flowers but none succeeded so they had, at one point, left the alpha to his own devices....

YES!YES!YES! He was perfect! This was Mendellas ticket out of being sold off and out of that house. It didn’t even matter if that man was inattentive or even abusive, anything would be better than what his the omegas family had in store for him. Mendella has found his perfect (or as perfect as can get in this situation) match. The only thing that was left to do was to send the marriage proposal and hope for the best...

You were currently sitting in your office filling paperwork with the help of your loyal beta butler Ilsith. You swore to everything in this and any other world that if it were not for him your life would have fallen apart. The man was a literal godsent. Your ears were laid flat on your head and your tail laid limply on the ground (you were so clumsy with all that at first). “Uggghhhhhhhhh” you whined as you began reading another stupid, boring document. “When will this eeennnddddd?” Ilsith turns to you “My lord, with all due respect, there isn’t much to be done today so you can stop being overdramatic” he says with a small but friendly smile. “Yeah. You’re right. I should just power through this and have the rest of the day off” you grumble as you get to working. Then the sound of a knock came through the door and in came your trusted maid Camilla. “My lord, the mail” she said as she set the letters down on your desk. She always spoke so little...whatever you do you girl....”Thanks Camilla” you grinned at her with a small raise of the hand. She bowed and left to attend to her other duties. Boooo..so business like..no fun at all. “Welp! Let’s see what we got here~” you sang as you began to shift through the mail. “Invite, invite, invite, blah blah blah, boring, boring, boring~”. Damn. You really never got anything interesting...that’s the way you liked it though so you had no right to complain. Then, your entire world seemed to stop as your eyes zoned in on the insignia on one of the letters. The symbol of the de Gregorian family. What was that doing here? Were you hallucinating? “Ilsith? Can you come look at this for me? I think my eyes are broken.”. He came to you and took the letter from your shaking hands. The butler squinted at it before confirming what you just saw. “Yes, yes. This is the symbol of the de Gregorian family. Now what could those people possibly want with us?” The dislike of the name was clear in his voice as he said it. Well...they kind of deserved it. The de Gregorian family was notorious for their arrogance and rudeness but you weren’t really surprised considering this was the “villains” family. Of course they’re assholes. You took the letter back and opened it and read the contents. As you were reading your ears slowly perked up and your tail began to wag as you read the piece of paper again and again. “Ilsith read this for me I think I’m seeing things”. Ilsith sighed as he took the letter from you and began to read aloud. It was true. It was really true. Mendella de Gregorian himself wrote to you requesting to meet to discuss a marriage proposal. This was.....AN ABSOLUTE DREAM COME TRUE! You could have the man of your dreams just like that? Life is good, the birds are singing, your crops are thriving, your skin is clear. You would have honestly just written an agreement then and there no meeting needed if it were not for EtIqUeTte. Fuck these old ass rules and these dumbass nobles. Fine. You could play by the rules. You didn’t want to, but you would. For the sake of your perfect, lovely, magnifiscent, incre- *ahem* for the sake of your possible future spouse Mendella de Gregorian or, if everything goes well, Mendella (Lastname). “Ilsith grab me a pen and paper I have a letter to write!”. You were on fire. Your poor butler watched helplessly as you spent the next few hours penning a letter worth your obsession. You didn’t have that day off afterall...

#my story #original work #omegaverse #omega male character #alpha male reader #isekai #reincarnation #male reader x male character #I'm a background character but the villain's mine #dom reader #dom!reader

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silent-browser · 2 years ago

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Playing with so many ideas right now... First up on the "get out of my head" list. Also warning. My writing bad. This is me venting basically. So writing bad.

Child noble reader x yandere child servant

The sun was warm in the garden as the children were let out from their stuffy academy classrooms to roam, play and socialize. Curiousity, energy and connections were important in this life after all. However two children seemed to be standing away from the large cliques that the other children played and laughed in. Sitting in the shade of a very large flowering bush a young girl sits, carefully observing the flowers and the leaves and occasionally looking down at the book that lay in her lap.

"Maybe viburnum..." She ponders softly, looking closely at the illustrations. "Butterfly bush..?"

The other child, a servant who had been deemed ready by the head butler of her household to serve her stands quietly watching her before he finally speaks softly. "It can be what ever flower you wish it to be my lady. Hydrangea, snowball bush, viburnum, butterfly bush. Any of them can be or become what every you wish."

The young noble giggles back a response, "silly, that's impossible. If it's one kind of flower how could it ever become some other kind. That's like saying that a chesnut tree is actually an apple tree" she giggles on at the absurdity of the statement.

"I would do it" the young boy whispered, far too entranced with his master's laughter to ever think of disturbing it. "If only you continue like this for me"

Their peace was soon cut short by alarmed shrieking coming from the other children. Professors urge the children inside, warning of a sudden invasion of bees on the property.

"What is everyone so afraid of?" The young girl huffed to herself, annoyed at the sudden loss of her reading time. "They are only bees. They don't want to hurt anyone."

"Still, they may be dangerous." The boy fretted. Knowing what his precious lady might do if left outside with the insects. "Let's get you inside where you won't-"

"We need bees don't we? At the house?" The girl humed to herself, unknowingly interrupting her companion. "The chef always complains of honey prices right? And keeping bees on our property would make for better, brighter flowers in mothers garden." Nodding with growing excitement she smiles. "Yes, bees would be a fantastic addition to our home. Fetch Cassidy and tell her that I will be bringing along some friends home and to prepare a very large wooden box. I already have a match box that we can keep the queen in. All I need to do is find her!" After giving her orders she hops up and carefully dusts off her dress before clutching the flora book to her chest and rushing off in the direction of the bees.

With exasperation and deep affection the young boy she left standing by the yet-to-be classified flower bush sighs and moves to follow her orders. The master and madem would not be happy with this, he thought, but if it made her happy that is all that ever mattered.

The next day, after a very long trek home and an even longer explanation as to why there was suddenly a box of bees in their home the noble girl was back in school. Proud of her successful relocation of the bee swarm with no stings AND successful convincing of her parents to let her keep them she sat at her homeroom desk and drew. The next task was designing a bee box with removable frames so that they might harvest and profit from the bees and fully impress her parents with her find. As she quietly was drawing up some very crude plans for the bee box she had not noticed the two boys sneaking up behind her desk until they had unceremoniously dumped a sizable spider onto her desk.

"Here," a jeering voice called from behind her, "since you like bugs so much we got you this one."

A second voice mocked "maybe now you will finally have a friend"

As the pair laughed at their prank the girl sat frozen in her seat, staring at the spider as it lay motionless on top of her half drawn and very messy plan. Unable to scream or stand she was forced to sit and watch this large dead spider. She wanted help. She needed help. She doesn't do well around dead things. Even worse if they are some kind of spider or crawly thing. In this moment time froze for her. Her lungs felt as if they were made of lead, her heart racing as though preparing for a life or death fight, her mind blank. Before a hand crashed into view, blocking her direct line of sight with the spider.

"How dare you" a rumbling demand that caused the laughter to stop. "You knew this would scare her. You used it to your advantage. You are supposed to be the best of the best. The smartest, strongest, most clever in all the kingdoms. You are, both of you, acting like common idiots. For scaring a girl. How. Fucking. Dare you."

He was enraged. He wanted to rip their heads off. He wanted to feed these thoughtless insects the spider they were so proud of. He wanted to display their tortured bodies on the flag pole of the school to show any and all those who would ever touch his lady what would happen if they made her upset. She was supposed to be celebrating her victory. Not nearly passing out because of some stupid boys idea of a prank. But as much as he wanted to force them to grovel at her feet his first task and priority was to move her elsewhere so the wretched creature could be taken care of and she would have time alone to breathe. He quickly scooped her up into his arms, taking only a moment to relish the act of protecting her before quickly making his way back to the garden and quietly resting her once more under that flower bush where she finally allows herself to fold into a small ball and weep openly.

Those boys will pay, he thinks. But not right now, right now my duty is to my master. My sweet, thoughtful, beautiful master.

#soft yandere #yandere servant #child reader #yandere #yandere x reader #yandere child servant #noble reader #noble child reader #princess reader #she heckn loves biology #isekai if you squint

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misc-obeyme · 7 months ago

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hihi I'm back again, and here to ask who in the cast you think has the skill to do hair/up do's?

I'm 5'9, but my hair is now down to my mid thigh, and like around three feet long ?? I haven't chopped it since 2018, only trimmed it. Yet I only know how to do a simple braid, my hair basically lives in a low ponytail lol (though my mom will still do my hair if I ask her for help, which I'm grateful for)

anyway I got to read vol 2 of the manga and I remembered that the artist drew their interpretation of Lilith. So, it made me wonder if Beel or Belphie would know how to do hair, since they were the closest to her, and if she ever asked them for help?

I think Levi would be able to follow any tutorial, or figure out how to do something by trial and error since he cosplays (I bet he made his ruri-chan wig himself). I'd love to show him a picture of the heroine from whatever anime I'm watching and ask if he could help me recreate their style

Asmo we've seen in the dame cards, he's done some cute hairstyles!! I bet I could go to him if I had a fancy event.

I still think about Mammon's dame card... The chokehold it has on me is wild. We saw him do his own make-up in the art, and I think it was said he made his own outfit. So he's a maybe I could go to him? Or he'd put a lot of effort into learning because he knows it'd make me happy lolol

Barbatos also looks really pretty in the dame card !! I haven't read that devilgram, so idk if he did it himself, but what can't he do? I know in TTWF devilgram he literally makes MC's outfit and it made me SWOON

my last thought is if you can just do stuff with magic instead. Does it drain your energy to keep the style, or is it a one and done kinda spell, and don't gotta worry about it? Could a really powerful sorcerer change their hair color, and never have to worry about it fading? That'd be really cool, since I need to re dye the streaks in my hair. That would save lots of money LOL

okay I'm done 😅 time to wait ten billion years for my hair to dry now and try drawing (aiming for every other day to create something new to get better!!)

- ✨ anon

HOW do you handle having hair that long?!?

I'm 5'7" and I used to have my hair down to my low back. It was during the pandemic when I couldn't exactly go get it cut, so I just let it grow lol. And it grows dang fast, but I don't think I've ever had it past the low back area??? Do you accidentally sit on it sometimes? Or is it usually okay because you have it tied back?

All I know is I was so relieved to chop it all off lol! It's super short now, which is how I like it. It takes me ten minutes to wash and style it. I just don't have the patience to maintain it when it's long. And it's naturally curly, so having it short also means I can just let it curl and not worry about it. Ah but I am pretty envious because I always wanted to be able to have one of those really long, thick braids...

Anyway, getting off topic here, back to the question! I do think magic can be used to alter hair! I think sometimes you can get stuff that's temporary (I do believe there was a daily chat about this where Asmo put some kind of potion or something on Lucifer and Mammon?), but I would be surprised if there wasn't some kind of magic spell to permanently keep your hair whatever color you want. I think it's probably just a one and done situation so you wouldn't have to maintain it. Or at least, they'd want to develop something like that because otherwise it wouldn't be worth it right?

As for the characters, I agree with your assessments! I do think in a general sense, they'd all try their best to do your hair if you needed them to.

But as for who would already be capable without having to learn first, I think Asmo is a top contender. Barb can absolutely do anything and I don't doubt that styling hair is something a good butler should know.

I think Levi is another good option for the same reasons you said! I think he probably does have some skill at wig styling! And due to his ability to do costuming in general, I kinda think he'd be able to do a good job on real hair as well if he wanted to.

I love the idea of Beel and Belphie being good at it because of Lilith. Like I'm imagining they only know some really basic styles that were her favorites, but they're happy to do them for you any time. Maybe they get a little misty eyed while doing it because it reminds them of her so much. Awww...

I actually think Lucifer would do a good job, too, but expect to be sitting around for hours because he's gonna make sure no hair is out of place. Only perfection will suffice.

I think Mammon probably mastered whatever style he needed for his dame outfit, but I do think he would learn for you if you wanted him to.

Satan probably already learned from a book or maybe just from watching Asmo doing his hair. But I could see him wanting to do really elaborate styles or maybe using magic to style your hair.

I think Solomon would also be someone you could try, but he would absolutely use magic. I think if you really wanted him to, he would know how to do simple styles by hand. I could see him being really happy to carefully braid your hair by hand. But he wouldn't be able to resist a little bit of magic, maybe to give it an extra sparkle or a streak of color~ I think he'd develop all kinds of hair styling magic if you wanted him to lol.

Diavolo strikes me as willing but perhaps not the best at this particular thing... he doesn't exactly have experience with his own hair.

And I'm not sure about Simeon. I feel like he's pretty competent (except for technology obviously), so he would probably be able to learn how to do it fairly easily. But I don't know if he'd already have some knowledge. Same with Raphael. Though I love the idea of both of them like... doing the hair of little angels~

Mephisto would know about a bunch of fancy Devildom styles, but would he be able to do them? I think you might end up with your hair braided like a horse's mane instead.

Thirteen would know how to do everything. She's got her own long hair and there's no way that she hasn't experimented with it over the years! I love the idea of her doing your hair and her own hair in the same style so you match.

Anyway, I hope you have been able to get some drawing done! Every other day is an excellent goal! I'm rooting for you!!

#I liked having long hair #but I don't regret chopping it #I go through phases with it lol #but I don't expect I'll grow it out again any time soon #obey me #obey me nightbringer #✨ anon #misc answers

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drtyelvisfantasy · 1 year ago

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Puppy Love🐶🩷

Parings: Austin Butler x reader

Summary: Austin surprises you with small little puppy for birthday and also decorates your house with balloons of your favourite colour and surprises you with flowers🩷💐

Song for the fic: Puppy Love- Paul Anka

🩷🐶🩷🐶

The sun was already beginning its ascent into the sky as the reader stirred awake, feeling the warmth of the morning light filtering through the curtains. It was your birthday, and you couldn't help but feel a flutter of anticipation in you chest. As you stretched, you noticed a little note on the bedside table, written in Austin's familiar handwriting.

"Good morning, beautiful! Get dressed and meet me downstairs. I have a surprise waiting for you. Love, Austin🩷."

A beaming smile spread across your face as you quickly got ready, curiosity dancing in your head. With your heart pounding, you ran downstairs, your steps light and filled with excitement.

As you stepped into the living room, you froze, your eyes widening in awe. Pink balloons floated in the air saying happy birthday, streamers adorned the walls, and twinkling fairy lights cast a soft, ethereal glow. The room was transformed into a dreamlike wonderland, and at the center of it all stood Austin, a grin playing on his lips.

"Austin, what's all this?" You asked, your voice filled with wonder.

Austin's eyes sparkled with mischief as he gestured toward a small box on the coffee table. "Happy birthday, my love. Open it."

Your hands trembled ever so slightly as she approached the box. She carefully lifted the lid, and her heart skipped a beat. Nestled inside, a tiny puppy with soft, fluffy fur and curious eyes stared up at her. It was love at first sight.

"Austin, you... you got me a puppy?" the reader whispered, tears of joy glistening in her eyes.

Austin nodded, his voice filled with love. "I know how much you've always wanted one, and I thought it was the perfect time to bring this little bundle of joy into our lives. Happy birthday, my love."

Overwhelmed with emotions, you scooped up the puppy into your arms, feeling its warmth against your chest. You showered the pup with gentle kisses, your heart swelling with love and gratitude for Austin's thoughtful surprise.

As you played with the puppy, Austin reached behind his back, revealing a bouquet of pink roses. Their delicate petals bloomed in an array of shades, releasing a sweet, captivating fragrance. He extended them towards you, his eyes filled with adoration.

"Because pink roses represent love and affection," Austin explained, his voice soft. "And I wanted to remind you of the love I feel for you every single day."

Tears streamed down your cheeks as you accepted the bouquet, feeling overwhelmed by the depth of Austin's love. You buried your face in the roses, inhaling their intoxicating scent, and turned to Austin, your voice filled with gratitude.

"Thank you, Austin. This is the most incredible birthday surprise I could have ever imagined. I'm so grateful for you."

Austin wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into a warm embrace. "You deserve every bit of love and happiness, my dear. I couldn't imagine my life without you, and I promise to cherish and love you, always."

They sat on the couch, the puppy nestled between the two of you, as you both spent the day reveling in each other's presence. Laughter filled the room, mingling with the sweet scent of roses, as you both created memories that would forever be etched inside your hearts forever.

As the day drew close to an end, you leaned your head against Austin's shoulder, with your fingers entwined with his. The puppy curled up your lap, finding comfort in your love. In that moment, the two of you realized the beauty of your connection, the immense joy you both found in each other's presence.

🩷🐶🩷🐶

#austin butler x reader #austin butler fluff #austin!elvis x reader #austin butler #austin!elvis imagine #elvis presley x reader #elvis presley fluff

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seaoftheworst · 3 months ago

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🍌 - What drew you into the fandom in the first place?

🍉 - If you considered a time travel thread, when would your muse go? Adding: And which muse would you choose for it?

🍓 - What’s your sweetest rp experience so far?

🍍 - How many drafts are you stalling with this meme?

🍌 - What drew you into the fandom in the first place?

The fandom as a whole I got into when I found the first book volume of shonen jump, I don't think I have ever seen that version of shonen jump outside of that.... I then found the first DVD set of the 4Kids version of the anime, which I think was only four episodes. I have been hooked on One Piece since, only pausing back in 2013-2017 due to college and work. During that time I was also spoiled on some big reveals for Dressrosa and Whole Cake by a sibling which was very upsetting. The friendship and bonds that Luffy has with his Nakama drew me back in after I moved states and I have binged it to the point I dragged Silk into it. We found the RPC rather recently when Yuki's Zoro crossed my dash in another RPC.

🍉 - If you considered a time travel thread, when would your muse go? Adding: And which muse would you choose for it?

Pre-battle Marineford, and it would be Sabo.

🍓 - What’s your sweetest rp experience so far?

Back when I was in the Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji RPC I wrote with a Joker on my Edgar Redmond blog and people sailed that ship so hard that they drew us fanart. I miss you @jokesandjugglingballs

🍍 - How many drafts are you stalling with this meme?

I tend to also draft memes... so we are looking at... 100... not as bad as the 231 on my other blog that I am kinda just ignoring... I definitely need to do a drafts day and play ADHD focus music while I write

#🇮🇪 outofbounties: ramblings of the mun #🇮🇪 ka lick: answered transponder snail messages #//i cried when i saw the pineapple

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pandoramsbox · 9 months ago

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Sci-Fi Saturday: F.P.1

Week 10:

Film(s): F.P.1 [AKA F.P. 1 Doesn't Answer] (F.P.1 antwortet nicht, Dir. Karl Hartl, 1932, Germany)

Viewing Format: English language version, DVD

Date Watched: July 16, 2021

Rationale for Inclusion:

Like Just Imagine (Dir. David Butler, 1930, USA), and a lot of films to follow on this survey, I discovered F.P.1 [AKA F.P. 1 Doesn't Answer] (F.P.1 antwortet nicht, Dir. Karl Hartl, 1932, Germany) by browsing a Wikipedia list of science fiction films. Aside from it being an example of a sci-fi film with aviators as protagonists, and featuring an experimental aquatic base, what drew my attention was that it was made as a multiple-language version (MLV) film.

Prior to dubbing and subtitling becoming the standard ways of distributing films to foreign language markets, studios would concurrently produce multiple versions of a film, using the same sets, props, etc, but have the spoken language be different in each one. Sometimes they would keep the same actors and/or director across versions, like with The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel, Dir. Josef von Sternberg, 1930, Germany). Other times it was a completely different set of actors and directors, like Dracula (Dir. Todd Browning, 1931, USA) and Drácula (Dir. George Melford, 1931, USA). With F.P.1, director Karl Hartl shot all three versions, each with a different cast, in German, French and English.

Which version did we watch? In early 2021 the only version I could track down was a Grapevine Video DVD release that included the German and English versions, but no subtitles. Had we paused our exercise, or been okay with going out of chronological order for a few weeks, we could have obtained Kino's August 2021 Blu-Ray release, which also features the German and English version, but includes English subtitles with the German version. Since we did not wait for that to become available, we went with the English version in the Grapevine Video transfer.

Reactions:

After doing multiple movies in a row where science fiction was intertwined with horror, it was nice to have a change of genre. With its aircraft carrier of the future at the center of the narrative, we got a military story and the first example in our survey of aviators as protagonists, or the "aeronautic sci-fi" subgenre as I like to identify the grouping.

F.P.1 also represents what my partner refers to as "gas era" sci-fi. This era covers works where some kind of special gas serves as a superweapon or bleeding edge technology. Given the use of mustard gas in the first World War, it's not surprising that aerosolized chemicals became a trope in science fiction prior to the Atomic Age, when nuclear technology became the new default for advanced tech. Anyone who has ever watched the 1966s Batman television series knows that aerosol weapons never completely vanished from the genre post-Atomic Age, they just appeared less often.

As for the film itself, it was okay. I liked what I saw enough to pick up the Kino Blu-Ray release. I was hoping to do a re-watch and comparison of the German and English language versions for this post, but could not find the time to do so. I will do a follow up post in the future comparing those versions. I wish I could compare the French version too, especially since it stars Charles Boyer, but it seems inaccessible on contemporary video formats at present.

#sci-fi saturdays #aeronautic sci-fi #german cinema #multiple language versions

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acehardy · 1 year ago

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@hondagirll Tagged me to share my top 9 books, which I don't think is a physical possibility for me to do. I love books and choosing my top 9 would be a crime. There are single series that I could choose 9 books from, so instead I am going to do the top 9 that I have read this year. It'll probably be mostly YA books - I don't tend to read too many adult books bc there's too much smut for my little asexual eyes.

Make sure you check TWs before reading any of these. Some of them dealt with some pretty heavy topics.

So out of the 63 books I have read so far this year, my favs are:

They Hate Each Other by Amanda Woody - This is a mm enemies-to-lovers fake dating contemporary book. The characters (or specifically, one of the characters) was a little over the top sometimes, but I adored them. They were both dealing with so much shit and there were some really mature topics that were offset by the humor. First sentence: "Jonah Collins is dancing on my table, and I think... yes. I think I'm about to lose my shit."

The Sunbearer Trials by Aiden Thomas: This is pitched as Percy Jackson meets The Hunger Games, and is the first book in a duology. This book is so diverse and so queer, and I need Aiden to release the second book as soon as humanly possible. I love all of the characters, even the ones who are little shits, and I can't wait to see how the series concludes. First sentence: "First, there was only Sol among a sea of stars."

The Luis Ortega Survival Club by Sonora Reyes: This was a tough choice because I read both of Sonora's books this year. I loved their first book so much that I immediately picked this one up. But I sobbed so many times reading this book, it was a little ridiculous. I think it might have been my first time reading a book with an autistic main character, which I obviously need to work on correcting. First sentence: "The driver looks at me like he knows exactly what I just did."

Sparks Fly by Birdie Lynn: If you wanted to psychoanalyze me, this is another queer enemies-to-lovers, fake dating book. But this time it takes place at a magic school and also includes soulmates trope. Do I need to say more? First sentence: "Hit me with your best shot, Pham."

Imogen, Obviously by Becky Albertalli: I just know that Becky had a vendetta with this book, and I am absolutely thriving at the way she took the horrible way that she was treated online and channeled that into this book. This book examines the way that some people think there is a "correct" way to be queer, and absolutely challenges that. Let me catch Gretchen in a dark alley, I swear. First sentence: "I haven't quite unclicked my seat belt, but I'm getting there. Obviously."

The Sun and The Star by: Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro: What is a favorites list without something from the Riordanverse? I am so happy that we got a Nico-centric book, since he is one of my favorite characters. I also loved getting more information about Will Solace. I'm glad that Rick brought in a queer author to help make this book a reality and I really think their writing styles blended well together. First sentence: "Nico faced the worst decision of his life, and he was certain he was going to mess it up."

Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler: This book was a lot. It was dark and gruesome and I spent the whole time completely horrified. It was also very real and unfortunately stands up too well to the test of time. I listened to this on audiobook and do I ever have some visceral memories of what I was doing when certain events in this book happened. I absolutely want to continue with the series, but that's something you have to be in the right frame of mind for. First sentence: "I had my recurring dream last night. I guess I should have expected it."

The Invisible Spy by Lisa McMann: This is the second book in The Forgotten Five series. I'll admit that I started this series because the author is the mother of the actress who plays Nancy Drew, but I genuinely enjoy these books. They're really solid middlegrade books and I enjoy the characters. Think Descendants meets superheroes. I like watching these kids come to terms with the fact that their parents maybe weren't the best people, and seeing how they deal with the moral quandary of having villains for parents. First sentence: "President Daniel Fuerte sat at his cluttered desk in the presidential office on the top floor of Magdalia Palace."

Skye Falling by Mia McKenzie: This book proves that picking something you've never heard of up on a whim can be a good thing. I desperately wanted an audiobook and I chose this off of my library's small list of queer books that were available at that moment. I had never heard of it before, but I adored this book. It tells the story of what happens when an almost 40 year old woman, who avoids conflict and personal relationships is faced with the very real product of selling her eggs at age 26. First sentence: "I'm lying very still on top of a hotel bed's rumpled sheets."

I'm not gonna tag anyone in this but if anyone does want to do the post, please tag me in it!

#personal #tag game

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killerandhealerqueen · 8 months ago

Note

3 and 19 for the “weird questions for writers” ask meme!

Thank you friend!

3. What is your writing ritual and why is it cursed?

I don't have a writing ritual so...maybe that makes it even more cursed

19. Tell me a story about your writing journey. When did you start? Why did you start? Were there bumps along the way? Where are you now and where are you going?

So...my writing journey started at like...the age of 5? I drew some sort of story and my elementary principal, who was a big support of me at the time, thought I was talented and said that she would like to hear more of my "stories". I never got around to writing those stories, just because I couldn't think of a story to tell. But my imagination was always very active and I was always coming up with stories whilst playing with my dolls or playing in the dirt/mud/sand at my grandparents house.

Cue like middle school and that's when I really started to actually tell/write fanfiction. I started out on deviantart and I think wrote my first fic based off of a Vegeta x Goku fanart that I saw. Then I started writing for Black Butler and Hetalia before I got into Kpop and moved to AsianFanFics (or AFF). There I started writing kpop fics and was quite popular, ngl, before I eventually in 10th grade I believe moved to AO3. I started posting works there and there I ran into some trouble because I posted some of my kpop stories over there and people on AFF thought I had plagarized/stole my own fics and that got my account deleted. Fun times. So, I ended up deleting my AFF account and primarily stuck to ao3, where i've been ever since. I also posted here on tumblr and did a lot of prompts, especially when the Untamed came out and that's where I dove in cdramas and writing for cdramas and I haven't looked back.

Where am I now? Currently/mainly writing cdrama fics (primarily for Killer and Healer, though I have been dipping my foot into White Cat Legend and that's been fun) and where I'm going...I don't know. I don't know, but I'm excited for the journey and I hope y'all will continue along with me

Weird Questions for Writers | send me asks

#sass answers #corset ☀️#weird questions for writers

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emomeishibot · 5 months ago

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Why I chose these two outfits is that I read these two official arts closely and find them perfect for the prompt I was going for…which was rciel haunting ociel.

In the first one, ociel is lying on a coffin… whose coffin is it? After I studied the clues I’d like to think that it’s rciel. But it’s completely my opinion and may be wrong. There’s just my interpretation not much proof other than the official art itself so bear with me!

The whole scene shows the sacrificial ritual symbols. The black tea puddle resembles the sacrificial blood that triggered the summoning of the demon, who is stepping on that puddle; the lilies, standing for souls, ociel has two of them while the butler has two buds and one full bloom on a silver plate. The afternoon dessert tray has both strawberry cakes and chocolate cake on it; and there’s a empty plate seems like someone finished a strawberry cake with it. There are two chairs, one knocked down, as if someone left the tea party violently or was removed by force. This chapter is the chapter that Sebastian is tracking down the headmaster in Weston arc. The chapter that has rciel in it but we don’t know yet. Also the black branches I read as the force of the demon/death, for it crossed the lilies in the plate, the bigger bud and the blooming one, but not the smaller bud; it may be referring to how rciel’s soul has been taken, and ociel’s soul will be taken when it’s ripe. Also the dark branches crossed everything, the lilies, the blood/black tea, ociel’s fetish heels bound feet, indicating he can’t never run from the demon; but left only the tea set completely untouched, almost deliberately, you can see how a branch almost touched the plate but never went across it. As if it’s a metaphor of the butler’s façade, how he delicately serves tea as a mastery of his service…ociel maybe dead at the end of the contract but it’s not the time yet, but the blood has already been split. Which just makes me think that it’s rciel in the coffin. (Also there’s a napkin under ociel’s knees, seemingly set ready for the demon…more to the sacrificial ritual resemblance)

The second art is rciel’s on Halloween at the year of twin reveal. He’s awakened from death, and as a vampire, even the cross on the head and the wooden cross shaped stake through his heart won’t put him back to rest…he’s so back…also for clearance Yana made him do the victory gesture meanwhile is pointing out the 2 in the handwritten titles, emphasizing the reveal of the twin

I drew them together because I think it’d be a struggle for ociel to make a decision to kill rciel for good… to stab the cross into his brother’s chest like how he did once with a dagger; the haunting ghost that won’t leave him alone. His inner turmoil would be hard for me to ever imagine but anyway this is what I was thinking about when I was drawing this one😭but I gave rciel bat wing shaped cape just for the aesthetics lol

Also this coffin that undertaker is resting on is much shorter compared to undertaker’s size, so this could very well be a child’s coffin…and when you go back to the rciel vampire drawing, there’s green highlights on him just like the green color of the titles in the undertaker one; not to mention they share a purple background. It’s easy to say they are the same setting, I just can’t unsee this connection…

Missed you too much to die

#I make very wild guesses about Yana’s symbolism and happy to be delusional

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anoddreindeer · 11 months ago

Text

Impolite Society

Lady Eugenia Maycock settled herself in the library as her butler, Bowles, placed a tea set and a bowl of gruel on the low table between the two sofas.

She had been feeling poorly for the past week, and her doctor had insisted that a diet of thin gruel and broth would be the best means of balancing her humors. While Eugenia had privately disagreed, her husband had espoused the idea to the servants and they had served her nothing else for several days; the dangers of not bringing at least a few servants from one's old household - not even the kitchen maids would take pity on her and give her some of the serviceable meat pies they served for the downstairs luncheon.

She suppressed a sigh and poured herself a cup of tea, then - after a surreptitious glance around to make sure Bowles had truly left - poured the cream and sugar meant for her cup into the bowl of gruel. It made it palatable, if still not particularly appetizing, and she quickly sipped at the gruel. While the cook for the house made excellent meals, ones that drew many compliments from guests, she also made the worst gruel Eugenia had ever had the misfortune to taste and letting it go cold would only make it worse.

She had just finished and was about to take a restorative sip of tea - black though it was - when the bell sounded at the front door. Eugenia glanced at the clock in surprise; it was only just barely an acceptable hour to expect visitors, and she had sent the kitchen boy Todd around with notes to all her friends about her illness. Who, then, could be at the door?

Her question was answered posthaste as her dear friend Lady Letitia Datchery, Baroness Mowbray, pushed her way past Bowles and into the library.

"My dear Eugenia! Oh you look positively transparent, and I know I am being terribly rude but I simply must tell you the news!"

Eugenia hastily rose from her seat and gestured Letitia to the armchair beside her sofa.

"Not at all Letitia! You are, of course, always welcome in this house. You must forgive my attire, I was not expecting visitors; Bowles, please fetch some more tea and some scones for Lady Letitia, and see if cook has any biscuits as well."

Letitia waved away the apology and Bowles looked between the two women briefly bowing with a courteous "My Lady" and disappearing in that way all good servants could. Letitia settled onto the couch, her elegant skirts more rumpled than the motion would have cause and her hair only barely contained in an updo - there were even a few hairs escaping the pins, little coils hanging loosely in a manner that spoke to haste. Indeed, she could barely contain herself as Bowles reappeared with a new tray, this one containing a larger teapot, an additional teacup, and a plate of scones and a little pot of jam.

It was only when he had placed his bounty on the table - with a murmur to Eugenia about biscuits being forthcoming in another twenty minutes - and withdrew that Letitia began to speak. She didn't even wait for Eugenia to pour, simply dashing right in.

"Oh I know you have been feeling unwell this past week my dear Eugenia, and yet I wish to G-d that you could have been to the Turell ball yesterday evening!"

Eugenia handed her a cup - more cream than tea, as she knew Letitia had particular tastes when it came to blends and had complained the first time she had come to take tea in Eugenia's then-new abode - before refreshing her own with cream and taking one of the scones.

"Why, was it so perfectly dreadful? I had heard it was her first time to host, but her mother has always put on a good party."

Letitia waved vaguely, as if brushing aside some nonsense that had no place whatsoever in the conversation, before taking a scone herself and adding a generous serving of the strawberry jam to the top of it.

"No, no, it was quite a good time - though Lady Petra was there and of course she brought along her beastly man Chompa. Really, I don't know what she sees in the lout, all he does is stuff all the food in his oafish mouth."

Eugenia snickered and took a bite of her scone. It was a very good scone, being neither too dry nor too crumbly, and as it was the first solid food she'd had in a week it tasted as the very manna from heaven. If Lord Chompa had been present, she would not have gotten any and he would have drunk the whole pot of tea besides; she'd attended a party or two where he'd been present before.

"Did you starve the rest of the evening, then?"

Letitia shook her head, dislodging another curl from her coiled hair.

"Oh no, it was too wonderful! I don't know how her staff managed it, but the footman contrived to never get within arm's reach of Chompa! It was the most glorious comeuppance for that bottomless pit, for they passed close enough for him to see the food and smell, but never so closely that he managed to grab a bite! Well, until he stood up and accosted one of them, which was a bit of a disappointment for I've never known the crass fool to be put in his place so solidly."

Letitia took a meditative bite of her jam-smeared scone.

"No, it was a masterstroke worthy of an experienced hostess, and I must regret that what happened later so overshadowed it."

Eugenia raised an eyebrow as she sipped at her tea. Having solid food in her stomach had quite restored her appetite for gossip; whatever had happened later in the ball must surely be the scandal of the Season if it overshadowed someone finally getting the better of Chompa's disgusting displays of gluttony.

"Oh"

Letitia actually put her scone down and leaned over to place a hand on Eugenia's arm, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"The Bow Street Runners came and clapped Baron Kingsley in irons!"

Eugenia dropped her teacup, the delicate blue Wedgewood shattering as it met the dark wood floor. Heedless of the mess, Eugenia put her hand to her mouth.

"The Baron! Whatever for?"

Letitia grinned, clearly relishing in Eugenia's shock.

"Nobody knows; well of course, the party couldn't continue after a thing like that! That may not be the worst of it, though, for the Baron."

Eugenia could feel both of her eyebrows rise in disbelief as Bowles and a maid appeared in the door to the library. Bowles held a new cup - from the same set as the old, thankfully - and a plate of fresh biscuits, and the maid had the pieces of the old cup swept up tidily in short order; fortunately, the cup had been empty so no mopping was required.

"Thank you, Bowles, Ailse. What do you mean, not the worst? Surely there can be no worse fate than being pulled in front of the magistrate like some sort of common criminal?"

Letitia giggled. It wasn't a mean giggle, by any means, but it did have the sort of edge to it that meant there was satisfaction to it at another's expense.

"Do you remember the Van der Gunchs? With their perfectly horrible smelters in Cheltenham?"

Eugenia nodded, slightly mystified at the change in topic.

"Well, their youngest - Periwinkle - was at the party, brandishing a weapon - do you remember the incident at the Tremaines' hunting party last year? Some silly clunch gave her another gun - and the Baron took it away from her and removed the cartridges from it in a very professional manner before storing it in his own pocket. Well, you know how the silly chit is about her guns so she is convinced he is in love with her and she is, of course, head over heels for him, and all she need do to hear wedding bells is remove the bars from around her beloved!"

Eugenia did indeed remember the incident at the hunting party; Periwinkle's then-fiance had indulged her unbecoming interest in firearms and brought her on a grouse hunt. Neither of them would say what exactly had happened, but young Bray had been confined to bed for several weeks with a bullet lodged in his thigh and the betrothal had been broken rather frostily.

She pursed her lips.

"Well, it cannot be the worst match; I hear the Baron has gambling debts in need of honoring, and the Van der Gunchs are a very rich family - indeed, I imagine her mama is all but salivating over the Baron's title. I would be surprised if she didn't push for the idea harder than Periwinkle."

Letitia laughed, a bright and happy sound, and the conversation wound away from the fraught Turell ball.

#short story #perceptionstudio #good society RPG

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intrepidradish · 2 years ago

Text

Media: Jeeves and Wooster

Year/my age: 2011/21

What drew me to the media:

It was Stephen Fry (Britophile Terror's words haunt me Britophile. It's my mom's fault, Terror! Sheesh!) I was lowkey obsessed with him. Enough for it to be meme worthy since my friends edited me into images of him, loosing my shit. I was going through his work and I stumbled on Jeeves and Wooster.

The opening for the show is insanely addicting too. I still have the tune stuck in my head and will randomly hum it. Check this shit out.

youtube

It's also such a lighthearted, stupid show. It's got that perfect touch of British witticism and slap stick humor. The plots are also confusing enough to keep you watching again and again. And haha! Most of them are super duper free! You can watch them on Youtube.

What made me a fan:

The dynamics between Hugh Laurie and Stephen Fry is just *chef's kiss* phenomenal. They are so funny together. I also dabbled in A Little Bit of Fry and Laurie afterward.

Oddly (not that oddly) I never made it full circle to the original PG Wodehouse stories. At the end of my time in college, I was completely gutted for energy to read or write serious anything. I bet its in public domain now, but...you know I'm just not motivated in that area right now. Maybe someday.

But! More importantly! Jeeves and Wooster was the first time I actively searched for fanfics that were romantic and gay! (Yes, I would say this is my original OTP, even before Good Omens because I actively sought it out and was like 'yes please') Also mmmm they are mostly made up of Dom/Sub undertones. Jeeves is very service top as a butler, but his class as a servant separates him from the landed gentry of Wooster (ooo power dynamics). I didn't know jack about any of that, but I did suck it up like the hungry little worm I am (through a straw, licked the spoon, rolled in the dregs to get the smell, etc etc)

ALSO regardless of reading the original stories or watching the show or even having the slimmest of knowledge about Jeeves or Wooster, you can read the fanfics. The idea of Jeeves the butler is so universal a concept for westerners, that it's very easy to pick up without knowing anything, which is great.

Have I written fanfiction for it?

Nope!

Why or why not:

No idea! It probably was related to what I mentioned earlier. I was graduating college, was miserable, and completely devoid of interest to write. I thought I was a very bad writer, in fact. I still can't essay myself out of a paper bag. My arguments and frameworks don't seem to work in methodical, non-metaphorical fashions. I likely drew some very tame stuff in the margins of the my notebooks, but nothing serious or even memorable.

Opinion on the fandom:

No idea either! *clicks my tongue* I was a lurker then. I didn't comment. I didn't like. No touchy. I wanted no mark left, like stories were national parks and I was only a tourist enjoying the pristine views. I still struggle with internet finger prints, but since most internet users only visit like 10 sites max these days, their paths are well beaten, unlike the past where you could move through so many small digital checkpoints without anyone knowing where you came from or where you went. Crazy that was only ten or so years ago.

My guess is by being into Jeeves during this time, I bypassed the Sherlock fandom! HAHA! Take that! I did watch Sherlock (but I gave up a season or two in), but for some reason, Jeeves took station in my heart where Sherlock would normally fill. Ultimately, I think I dodged a bullet. Thanks Jeeves!

Would you read again?

Yeah! That stuff doesn't go stale! But I should probably read the originals.

Lo!

Some of his work is in the public domain. I'm not sure if all of them are Jeeves stories though.

The list of Jeeves stories are here instead:

It looks like My Man Jeeves and Right Ho Jeeves is on Gutenberg.

But, in short, if I ever came across a great Jeeves Wooster story, hell yeah I'd read it.

Master Post

#my personal take

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house-of-laminations · 3 years ago

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The "Incident"

A follow-up to this ask and technically part of the 'From Afar' series (though can be read as a standalone). The strange instances occurring around MC have lead demon hunters right to their door. This is how MC and the brothers cope (spoiler alert: they don't). Now with bonus Lucifer angst at the beginning and some recovery fluff at the end! Set post S1. This one is long (~4500 words).

cw: starvation, sleep deprivation, isolation, exorcism mentions. This one has MC being in captivity for an extended period of time, so if those themes make you uncomfortable, maybe give this a bit of a miss. Also violence and murder and cannibalism bc this has people going absolutely feral bc of the brothers.

Lucifer

The explosion of malevolence at was once the gazebo drew the attention of - well. Everyone in Devildom. But the only ones brave enough to directly confront it was, unfortunately for Lucifer, the Prince and his butler.

He tries to explain, excuse their actions. Beelzebub, Asmodeus, and Mammon occasionally pipe up, adding their own stories, their own thoughts. But it's impossible to explain what it's like to be at the mercy of their own power for the first time in millennia, not to someone who has no point of reference for what it's like to be an Avatar.

Diavolo puts his foot down - figuratively and literally - when they try to move past him to get to MC.

“You can’t attack humans for harming one of their own - Heaven would see it as an act of war.”

"Who cares about the Heaven!? MC is in trouble and we've gotta-"

Mammon’s voice becomes muffled as his body is frozen in place, his cursed being trying and failing to fight off the hold of the only one who is stronger than him. His forms rapidly shift between human, demon, and other, but nothing seems to shake the hold on him. Eyes, icier than they’ve ever been, glare venomously at Lucifer, and he can practically hear the sound of the House coffers emptying.

"You're not to enter the human world with the intention of attacking humans who have not provoked you directly. Promise me," Diavolo says, gaze sweeping over the fidgeting, restless demons.

Leviathan tries to step in, shifting his gaze from Lucifer to Mammon quickly like he’s not sure who to focus on. Lucifer extends the reach of his curse to Leviathan easily, the third-born considerably less of a challenge to keep under control than the second.

Diavolo seems unaffected by this display, his voice stern: “I need your word, Lucifer.”

His eyes glow with power, the serious countenance reminding Lucifer of-

“You must pledge your loyalty to me, Lucifer.”

- the circumstances are uncomfortably familiar, too. Someone he loves in so much trouble, yet the tensions and the will of others around them making help nearly impossible to come by. There's no way out for him, bound as he is to... huh. Alright.

Lucifer knows his brothers realize how he will respond as he wraps the younger four up into his curse as well. It's a precaution.

"Of course," he says, bowing, "I have pledged my absolute loyalty and allegiance to you, Diavolo."

Diavolo eyes him wearily, and that almost hurts more than his brothers' betrayed gazes. Lucifer has always tried his hardest to prove his loyalty to his prince, that it's not just his word but his desire tying them together.

The Prince nods, turning to leave. Barbatos follows him silently. Lucifer watches them go.

The second Diavolo’s presence is no longer felt in the area, he releases his hold. The cries spill out, each hitting him like a knife to his nonexistent heart.

“Lucifer you bastard! MC’s in trouble - the puny human isn’t going to last on their own - “

“- the most powerful but the most stupid, cowardly… why do you get to have all that power when you’re not going to use it to - “

“- ̴g̸o̵i̸n̸g̶ ̵t̵o̷ ̸t̶e̸a̸r̴ ̵y̵o̴u̶r̴ ̶r̶e̵m̴a̸i̷n̶i̷n̷g̸ ̸w̷i̵n̶g̷s̸ ̴o̴f̵f̴ ̶a̴n̸d̸ ̴f̵o̶r̷c̵e̸ ̸t̴h̶e̵m̶ ̸d̷o̴w̴n̵ ̷y̴o̷u̷r̸ ̵t̵h̶r̸o̵a̵t̵ ̵j̴u̴s̴t̷ ̵t̸o̴ ̷s̵e̸e̸ ̴y̵o̵u̴ ̴c̷h̷o̵k̵e̵ ̶o̵n̷ ̴-̸ ̵“̴

“-pathetic. You just pretend that you’re strong, that you have any interest in anyone to hide the fact that you’re just a miserable, scared, cosmic mistake who - "

“ - thought things were better, that you’d at least consider helping them -”

“- proves you don’t love anything or anyone, not even yourself -”

“Enough.”

The cries of his brothers are silenced with that one word. Not through a curse this time, but likely because of the crack in his voice betraying his own feelings. Lucifer forces himself to meet the eyes of his brave, stupid, loyal brothers, not for the first time feeling the distance between them - that he had caused.

I will take care of it, and I'll take care of my brothers no matter what. He knows this. But they don't. They don't trust him at all.

And that's his fault.

There's a part of Lucifer that wants to run away, curl up and hide in the face of this knowledge. But he can't. Not because of his responsibilities, but because he's physically, spiritually incapable of doing so.

Taking a deep breath, Lucifer tries to explain himself.

"Diavolo is right in that we can't all storm the human world - no, Mammon, let me finish - unprovoked. But humans are so fickle, so easy to corrupt," Lucifer pauses, making sure he has the attention of all his brothers, "It would be a shame if they allowed their basest desires to overtake them."

Surprisingly, it's Satan who first retracts his claws and his overwhelming rage, the green (and many) eyes narrowing contemplatively.

"Alright," he says, his voice promising retribution if he doesn't like what he hears next. "Let's hear your plan."

When you tear yourself from unconsciousness (more violently than you have in months. This is not the grasp of your beloved Sleep), there’s a blindfold over your eyes. It smells of sage and other rich fragrances. There's a constant dripping sound coming from somewhere in the room, echoing slightly against what you're assuming is concrete, or maybe even stone.

You're not sure what's more unsettling - this experience, or waking up in a hall that looks like a courtroom, while figures who look human but are not, with smiles too smooth and fingers too long, inform you of your unwitting enrollment as a 'human sacrifice exchange student'.

Honestly, probably the former. At least in the latter, you weren't tied lying down on a table (?), blindfolded. You don't pretend that you had more autonomy back then, but at least there was the illusion of it.

Trying to wiggle out of your bonds doesn't work - you're tied too tightly. You're probably not on a table either, as your attempt to rock the surface you're on from side to side has exactly zero effect. You take a deep breath, pushing down the panic that starts to grow in your chest.

You don't know how long you spend lying there, listening to that drip ... drip ... drip ...

... drip ... drip ...

...drip...

“...You were right about this one, Inquisitor. Their home is overgrown with the flowers of Hell,” says a vaguely familiar voice. It’s slowly getting louder as whoever is speaking gets closer to you. “It was way more than a typical witch or sorcerer should be able to withstand. The Corruption must go deep.”

You feel rage begin to overtake the panic building in your chest. You recognize that voice - ‘Jonathan’, the one supposed friend you’ve made since returning.

You hate him so much. How dare he betray you - he needs to ge̴t̴ ̷w̴h̵a̵t̵ ̸h̴e̸ ̵d̶e̸s̷e̴r̷v̵e̵s̴ -

Silence fills the space for a moment before you hear a deep hum. This is a new voice. Deeper, older.

"We'll have to be very thorough in our cleansing. This may be the best opportunity we have for a substantial blow against the Corruption."

Any reply was drowned out by the sound of keys rattling, and then a heavy door squeaking open. You hold your breath in a futile attempt to make yourself as unobtrusive as possible.

Unfortunately this doesn't quite work, and you smell stale breath fan across your face before a hand roughly grabs the blindfold and pulls and -

Bright light hits your eyes, and it burns. You blink rapidly, trying to clear your vision. Slowly, bits and pieces come to you.

The room is large. Stone walls and arched columns. Ivy and moss growing up and over, clinging to the sides of the altar you're tied to. Jonathan is there, staring at you dispassionately, while beside him holding the blindfold, is an old man wearing gaudy-looking robes. There’s wrath in his eyes, his stare tearing to the core of your being. It’s the first time in a long time that the promise of pain, of revenge, has made you fearful.

You turn your head, trying to avoid that gaze. That may have been a mistake.

Directly above you like the world's most expensive skylight is a large, bright stained glass window. Depicted between the multicolored shards of fire and flame are two battling figures. One is bright, wielding a sword, and clearly triumphing over the other - a dark, pained, familiar figure, forced down into the flames below. There's text around the edges in a runic language you've never seen but somehow understand: May the Pure Triumph Over the Corrupt for the Good of All Mankind.

You've never met Michael, but now you think you've seen his likeness.

"I've cleansed a lot of your kind before, but I must say I've never seen someone so corrupt," the old man says, breaking your gaze from that window.

"Please," you try, "I have no idea what you're talking about! Where am I - who are you?"

Jonathan scoffs at your question, eying you disdainfully. You want so badly to tear off these bonds and claw out his eyes.

"There's no point playing the fool, young sorcerer," the old man answers, "accept your defeat with dignity, and you shall have an easier time of the Cleansing."

Sorcerer? But you're nothing like Solomon - you can't summon your pacts without borrowing magic, or cast any spells.

Also. What the fuck is the 'Cleansing' and why did it sound like a Capital C affair?

"I- I"m not a sorcerer, I don't have any magic of my own," you try to explain, though the lie is flimsy.

Jonathan ignores you, turning to the old man.

"What would you have us do with this one, Inquisitor?"

The old man ponders you for a moment, before answering. "Around the clock Cleanses. If the evil has taken root so deeply, it could be possible this is a case of possession, and the victim is innocent."

"But, sir -"

"We are here to rid the world of evil, my young protégée. We must take care that we do not give into it ourselves," the Inquisitor says, his voice firm. You can tell Jonathan isn't happy with this answer, but honestly, fuck him. He betrayed you.

"Yes, Inquisitor, as you say," he grumbles, and then the Cleansing starts.

...

Over the next few hours... days... (weeks?) ... you're forced into somewhat of a routine.

Sleep is denied to your for longer than an hour at a time, and you're only allowed to consume water that tastes too pure. Your stomach has stopped grumbling, and you know if you were allowed to stand up, you'd immediately collapse in a faint. This is all interspersed with sometimes painful attempts at cleansing, or whatever these psychos are trying to do to you. Sometimes it's 'Jonathan', sometimes it's other hooded and masked acolytes. It's never the Inquisitor personally, though he oversees every attempt.

These 'ritual cleanses' range in being yelled at in a language that makes your teeth hurt and your bones feel too brittle under your skin, to being harshly doused in water that feels both freezing cold and boiling hot. Sometimes it's a combination of both things - chanting in that language that hurts while water and sometimes oils are applied liberally to your face and body. These are the only times the blindfold is removed, and you're forced to stare at that horrible, beautiful stained glass effigy.

You're not completely unaware of the world and the situation around you, however.

Your guards are quite chatty after the past few days - never responding to you, of course, but quick to gossip with one another.

They talk about a new club that's opened in town, and how unfair it is that there's all these beautiful people who go, but their order is forbidden from partaking in the pleasures of the flesh. There's jealousy in their tone.

Jonathan returns, calling you a vessel of temptation and desire while lighting scented candles that make your throat feel tight with pain, suffocating you. He's glaring at you, the vitriol in his gaze screaming 'this is your fault'.

It's only a few days later that they're gossiping about deserters amongst the rank and file.

The Inquisitor oversees another round of chanting, joining in at the end. His words sear across your skin like a brand, and you hear nothing but a high pitched ringing.

There's also apparently a string of thefts - their order permits very little in terms of material possessions, but that which they do have is seemingly hoarded amongst the higher personnel.

The Inquisitor's gaudy robes stand out much more after learning that. His ring is heavy as he slaps you across the face mid-chant, attempting to 'expel the evil'.

Infighting and tensions in the sleeping quarters.

The Inquisitor and Jonathan both return, though you notice the hateful gaze of your once-friend also begins to stray to the elder.

Food isn't stretching as far between supply runs.

The new guards, for your originals have both disappeared in the past few days, hold you down as you're forced to swallow that horrible, horrible water. Your body seizes for a moment before it's absorbed. Your pact marks tingle, but then they burn comfortingly.

New recruits are too lazy, oversleeping, napping on the job.

They no longer let you have that hour of sleep. Now you attempt to get your rest in the 20 minutes between each Cleanse. It's not enough, not by far.

You think maybe this was once a tight ship, but in recent days it's all started falling apart at the seams.

...

The last straw is apparently Jonathan, much to your disgust.

You're making up stories about what could be causing those constant drips in your head to entertain yourself when you hear the heavy door slam open with a force you hadn't heard before. There's angry, heavy breathing that gets closer and closer until the blindfold is yanked off your face so abruptly that your head snaps back against the stone altar as it's pulled away.

"What have you DONE?" the Inquisitor growls in your face. You flinch away from the spit and spittle that lands on the stone beside you. You notice there's a deep cut in the old man's face, blood flowing freely into his eye.

You laugh, though the sound is little more than a wheeze.

"I'm sorry Inquisitor, I'm not sure what you're talking about. I'm a bit..." you cough before you can get the sentence out, "tied up."

This enrages the old man.

"How did you enchant my protege? You've been weakened, tied up, and you rest on hallowed ground. How did you corrupt him?" He shakes you as he screams this in your face, and your head knocks against the altar again.

You wince as the world gets fuzzy from what you're sure is either sleep deprivation, hunger pains, or a concussion (or any combination thereof). You feel the last of your restraint leave you. You're honestly surprised it lasted this long.

"You should have given him more credit. It's not my fault he got jealous - though what there is to be jealous about, I'm not too sure. Those robes are atrocious."

He screams, pulling out a very sharp, wicked knife from his belt. Light from the stained glass window reflects off it in a myriad of colors, and at least you're going to be killed by something beautiful.

"I am going to des̶t̸r̸o̷y̸ ̴y̶o̵-"

The Inquisitor seems to cut himself off, his body locking in place. You get a glimpse of wide, panicked eyes before they're quickly overtaken by a frightening, comforting, green.

"Cat got your tongue, Inquisitor?" purrs a familiar voice.

It echoes throughout the chamber and yet there's nothing but silence, save for the panicked breathing of the guards around you.

The dripping that has been a constant metronome has also stopped.

Instead, now it is a flood of liquid, pouring into the chamber down from the roof. Reflected in the surface is a humanoid shape, though not one that belongs to anyone currently standing in the room.

"You held out longer than we initially thought you would - of course, putting them at greater risk. I should commend you. You had too much drive, to much temperance for my youngest brothers to take hold - " Lucifer's reflection says, and as he does, you notice the dark flames in that stained glass get darker, despite the bright sun.

"- Not envious either, you're comfortable with your lot in life. For a moment or two there, we even thought you might give into lust. I shouldn't blame you - they are stunning. But..."

Glass shatters, raining down from above. You close your eyes and flinch away to avoid being cut. None of it lands on you, or the altar. You open your eyes a crack, and are greeted with a dark, leathery, miasmic wing.

The shadows whisper around you, "no sharp glass for the small, fragile human. The Great Mammon will protect you."

The moniker has never felt more appropriate, as his being seems to curve up and shield you from more than just above. The darkness wraps around you and the room, cutting off all light besides that coming from the flickering candles. Beaks, many of them, peck at your hair, your bonds, and your clothes. The touch should hurt, but it's the best thing you've felt in ages.

Another voice, smoother and sickly and sharper continues Lucifer's thought.

"...They're not for you."

The guards are now scrambling, but it's hard to fight off what's coming from within. One of them - the one who spoke out that envious thought - stiffens before his flesh darkens and he screeches in agonizing pain. He bends over, coughing up a dark, shadowy, viscous sludge. It splatters all over the floor, broken up only by the blood and viscera also forcing its way through the guard's throat. His shadow grins at him, becoming larger, darker, until its scale is immense and unknowable.

One of the other guards seems to faint though they don't stir even as a third descends upon their fallen form, teeth tearing at armour and flesh, consuming with a ravenous hunger. A fourth seems transfixed by the sight, a pink sheen to their eyes. They lean into the biting and gnawing of that third guard, even as their flesh is torn to shreds.

You watch as one by one, the guards and acolytes around you fall to their vices:

their greed turning their blunt fingers into claws that grasp and tear;

their envy filling their throats, suffocating from within and without;

their lust that shatters their inhibitions, to make them see the joy in this depravity;

their gluttony ensuring their stomachs are never full, and all around them is a feast of fresh meat;

the creeping slothfulness sapping at their will to fight back, to embrace the nothingness, the meaninglessness;

and their wrath building in retaliation to this all.

They turn on one another violently, in action and in drive.

Throughout it all, you feel the satisfaction, the pride that your enemies are getting what they deserve so thoroughly.

From above you, the Inquisitor shakes, but it's too late to let go of the wrath that wraps around his heart and soul. He can only give in.

His fingers release their hold from the dagger one by one, before it clatters on the altar beside you, barely audible over the cacophonous buzzing of flies, the cawing of crows, and the trampling of a thousand hooves.

The Inquisitor screams painfully, and the door bursts open, Jonathan stumbling in, putting pressure on a freely flowing wound.

Talons guide your own hands to pick up that shiny, beautiful dagger tha̶t̷ ̸b̶e̵l̷o̴n̸g̵s̶ ̵i̶n̴ ̸y̴o̵u̵r̷ ̶h̵a̸n̶d̴. The hilt is freezing in your grip. The feeling spreads up your arm and into your chest. The dagger slices through the Inquisitor's neck like butter. And, oh, how beautiful that spray of blood makes you feel.

"Please, MC," Jonathan begs and you can see him trying to lean on the old rapport you once so easily had. "Stop this. Drop the spell, please!"

But it's not a spell. This is life, and it's so easy to just. Take. It's all m̶e̸a̷n̷i̴n̵g̵l̸e̴s̵s̴, and really, what does it matter if a few good-for-nothings drop dead anyway? It's never going to be enough. Nothing satisfies you.

Everything that has been done to you, everything that has happened hits you all at once. Instead of collapsing into a pile of pity and regret, your heart hardens and you pull yourself up to a sitting position. You're strong. So much stronger than them, you would never give in. You are going to make them regret hurting y̶͚̿ǫ̷̅u̶̯̓.

The dagger sinks into Jonathan's chest and you feel -

peace.

Drip...

...Drip...

Silence.

Then immediately, all your senses are overwhelmed by the seven figures that seem to coalesce from nothingness. Soft, clawed hands lift you from the altar and you're placed in the arms of one, no, two, three? of them as they pet your hair and your skin, skimming over the wounds and burns left behind. You smell blood and coffee and roses and expensive alcohol as your face is pushed into someone's chest by a strong hug, turning slightly so you can also nuzzle into someone else's neck. Feathers and horns and eyes and light and shadows all blend together into a mindbreaking tapestry. Soft coos and chirps and clicks whisper in your ear, sweet nothings streaming in from all around you.

It takes a moment for you to comprehend the words they're whispering, the pleas they're making.

"-so sorry it took us so long -"

"- you're safe now, I'm never letting you go again -"

"- held out much longer than we thought, we're so sorry-"

"Please... I can't -" you rasp, and they all quiet. "Why now? Why didn't you... sooner?"

One of the bodies tries to withdraw, but you snap out a hand to grasp at something to keep it in place. Your fingers sink into plush, sharp feathers. Lucifer relents, reaching back instead of pulling away like he had tried to.

"Diavolo forbid us from directly interfering," he explains.

You glance around the room (as much as you can while in the middle of your demonic cuddle pile). You think your face must display some of your feelings - mostly the incredulous confusion.

"Humans are fickle," Levi explains, the one who can most easily see your expression. "We couldn't directly interfere, but..."

"It's not our fault if we're invited in," Asmo continues.

"We were here right from the beginning - you made sure of that," says Beel. His chest where your back is pressed against it rumbles as he speaks.

Belphegor snorts in derision, "but Lucifer didn't want us to do anything until we were felt by everyone. Which was dumb and put you in danger and -"

"Ultimately the best choice," Satan interrupts, and it must be winter in devildom if he is defending Lucifer's decision. "The old man was dangerous, and he was pretty good at keeping a lid on his desire. He could've seriously hurt you if we did anything sooner."

"I'm just grateful Satan was able to snag him at all," finishes Mammon. "I was this close to just burstin' in there, Diavolo be damned."

A laugh bubbles up in your chest and it's the second best thing you've felt today - right after everything you're feeling right now, held as you are.

"Diavolo's already damned. That's the whole damn point," you manage to get out.

And like that, the tension is broken. There are laughs. There are tears.

It takes you a long, long time before you leave their embrace.

...

Recovery takes time. It happens in fits and spurts. But it's helped (mostly) by your demons.

Lucifer checks on you constantly. In his presence, you feel the strength you need to be able to talk about your experience, your fear, and your resentment. You're not sure if that strength is his or your own, but you don't care. It helps to get it all out. He bears your screaming and your crying, and his touch is soft when you're done. He knows precisely what to say to give you back your confidence, to reassure you that you're safe, you're home.

There's always at least three crows in your general vicinity - even more when you return to the human world to see to some unfinished business and settle some affairs. You find you always finish your day owning and wearing more precious jewelry than you started with. Mammon's physical form always clings to you whenever he's allowed to, and you're too greedy for his presence to turn him away.

Levi makes sure to catch you up on all the episodes you missed while you were locked away. His tail anchors you in place as you watch and does not let go even for a moment. Instead of struggling out, you lean into him, lacing your fingers together. He blushes so prettily every time.

Satan reads to you on the nights you don't want to sleep. He curls up in your lap like a cat, allowing your fingers to run through his hair. He is completely at your mercy - something you didn't realize you needed. You think maybe part of it is an apology for taking his time, but you reassure him constantly that it's not his fault. He submits to your wrath, and that wrath is cuddles and sweet nothings and kisses.

Asmo pampers you all day, everyday. There's always a bath waiting for you when you wake up that smells of your favorite salts, the water colored by your favorite bath bombs. He's quick to kiss away your fears about your recovering body, paying special attention to the scars you gained. He makes you feel beautiful, desired even at your most insecure.

Beel never makes you feel bad about how little you eat when you first come back. More than a few mouthfuls at a time makes you feel sick, but he takes care of the leftovers so quickly that no one has a chance to look at you in worry. He makes sure there's constantly a snack in your hand or nearby, just in case your appetite picks up again.

And Beelzebub is not above letting himself influence you, even slightly. You do feel hungrier in his presence, and you're able to stomach more when he's nearby.

You never sleep alone. But more importantly, you never dream alone. It doesn't matter that you can now see your demons whenever you want - you still find your dreams visited by the very being whose lap you fell asleep on in the first place. Belphegor fights back your nightmares, and when they're too strong to overcome, he holds your hand through them.

You don't think you'll ever understand how these demons, these Avatars of Sin can love you so selflessly. Not when it goes against their very beings.

But maybe that's it.

Maybe to love is to be selfish.

To love so fiercely, so strongly, that it's alright if the world breaks for you, for your love. To make that love the only thing that matters.

eheheh happy devil day everyone! | back to masterlist

#obey me fic #obey me #obey me x reader #obey me lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmodeus #obey me beelzebub #obey me belphegor #gore tw #can u tell im an ix designer by the way i use this mediums properties (color and style) as another tool for storytelling #soon my work will become indistinguishable from house of leaves #if its not clear luci's presence is mostly through MC's doing rather than their captors #om from afar

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ufonaut · 2 years ago

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Will you please share your black adam thoughts?? I was also very nervous about it and how it would handle the JSA but i actually really liked it! I actually work at a movie theater so i saw it twice already 😂

i'm putting these together because they're all related to my thoughts on black adam 2022 and i thought it'd be more convenient for everybody (even if they're wildly antithetic povs)! i absolutely loved black adam and i think i'm gonna see it again quite literally as soon as i can. given that i only got back approx ten minutes ago, here's some jumbled thoughts right off the bat:

i think what makes or breaks a superhero movie is whether the people involved think comic books are beneath them or not (as the folks over at the mcu often seem to do) and black adam certainly loves comic books with its entire heart and soul and you can tell. from various black reign panel recreations to carter's picture perfect thanagarian ship from hawkman 2002, this is a very sincere and earnest movie with none of the parodic tone i so often despise in superhero media.

VISUALLY GORGEOUS. SIMPLY GORGEOUS. the fact that 99.9% of the film takes place in daylight immediately resolves the lighting issue of all modern cinema but lawrence sher (of joker 2019 fame) as cinematographer simply changes the game with this one. in fact, i can say the same thing about the magnificent use of cgi -- cyclone's powers, in particular, are one of the most beautiful things i've ever had the pleasure of seeing in action.

while there are certainly a few things i disagree with, such as carter's estate and kent seemingly having a chauffeur/butler, i think most of the major changes were unavoidable either in a lost in translation sort of way or simply in order to make this movie palpable to average audiences used to marvel. over all, i felt the jsa's dynamic was captured perfectly and what drew me to the team in the first place is very much still there in a way that's definitely absent from stargirl, for example. they're still a horrible little family made up almost exclusively of weird uncles.

SPEAKING OF. AL PRATT? I SCREAMED.

i thought it was made clear that this isn't the entire team but rather just the members carter chose for this particular mission, which i also enjoyed. and while we're here, to touch on some of the points from the anon, i don't think any marvel-style humour was actually present? or at least, it didn't come across that way to me. i mean, it's a very funny film, i was laughing nearly the whole time (or tearing up! or simply absolutely on the edge of my seat!) but it all felt perfectly natural to me, especially in al's case where it's a clear consequence of powers he's obviously still unused to. the relationship between him & carter is actually exactly the element that made me feel a first spark of recognition like.... man i'm seeing my favourite lil comic book guys up there on the big screen.

ALSO THE LEGEND OF CARTER - KENT GAY HOMOSEXUALITY LIVES ON. OLD FRIEND? CARTER CRYING? YES OKAY OKAY I'M ON BOARD. IT'S NOT CARTER IF HE DOESN'T HAVE A BIZARRE WARRIOR BOND WITH SOMEBODY.

considering i was all set on hating this portrayal of kent, i also can't believe how much i ended up completely utterly loving him. the movie definitely has a knack for making you fall in love with its characters nearly instantly (maxine!!!!!!!!! oh maxine!!!!!!!) because it's so well written but kent's random outfit changes for no reason whatsoever, the bit where he's parading around in a dressing gown on carter's ship, "i'm not that kind of doctor", the entire scene in adrianna's apartment... yeah babey. actually i was losing my entire mind at "i remember the day i saw my first aeroplane...", the way pierce plays him might not have been intended to be hilarious but by god, giffen himself couldn't have done a better job. you can tell he's not all there (and i did also enjoy maxine calling him possessed by fate) and it's precisely how kent should be even in the absence of unnatural youth.

the narrative actually allowing carter to be his usual arrogant asshole self-appointed leader with a heart of gold self was also a welcome bonus, i loved seeing him the way he's always been written at his best and i loved that his sharp edges haven't been dulled any by a script that could've easily gone the sanitized route. his black and white thinking is also something that's always been a part of him and i don't think it's necessarily odd to have him say superheroes don't kill -- superheroes certainly don't kill as easily and indiscriminately as black adam does, not even the jsa.

on that point, the jsa's actions are clearly framed to be in the wrong? i loved black adam's arc, i thought mr the rock was acting his little heart out and succeeding like never before but we're also definitely pushed to be on his side to begin with. adrianna and amon are the moral centre of the movie and they certainly stand with black adam! the movie doesn't simply co-opt anti imperialist languages for the hell of it, the jsa is plainly told they're coming here with a us-centric pov and helping nothing & nobody in the name of some nebulous form of justice. i thought it was definitely abundantly clear that the conversation opened around a colonized kahndaq does not condemn adam's actions against intergang etc.

FINALLY, MY THOUGHTS ON THE FATE HELMET AT THE END? HERE'S HOW JARED STEVENS CAN STILL WIN.

this got long enough but god, i really did love it. i loved black adam. i loved the jsa. a respectful, loving, beautiful cinematic adaptation like i never thought we'd ever get.

#asks #anon #black adam #jsa

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it-happened-one-fic · 2 years ago

Text

A Companion Quite as Enjoyable - Jade

Author Notes: Hiking with Jade with a dash of daisies. That is honestly all there is to this one. Simple but I enjoyed writing it and I hope you'll enjoy reading it. Reader is, once more, gender-neutral.

Type: Fluff/Platonic or Romantic

Word Count: 1303

I paused, resting a hand against a tree and breathing heavily from exertion. Up ahead I could clearly see the young man I'd been trailing after what seemed like hours. His eyes were bright as he knelt, finishing a quick sketch of what was no doubt a mushroom.

His book shut with a snap and he stood, slipping the book into his pocket and turning to look at where I stood in one fluid motion. “We’ll be at a good resting point soon… Do you believe you can make it?”

At first I couldn't decide if his grin was simply amused or mocking but the closer I drew to him the more I felt it was the latter. “You know Jade, when you said hiking I didn’t realize you meant an excursion quite like this one.”

He tilted his head, mismatched eyes glittering with poorly concealed amusement at my evident fatigue, “Yes, well. I suppose I should have warned you that I have grown quite used to such exercise.”

Mocking, Definitely mocking.

He turned, leading me further up the invisible path he seemed to know by heart. It made me wonder exactly how many times he’d gone hiking up this mountain. But I followed him with no complaint because, despite the fact I was alone in the woods on a mountain with Jade Leech of all people, I wasn’t concerned.

This venture had, to my surprise, turned out to be quite enjoyable. It was true that the walk was exhausting but I’d learned quite a bit about my infamous classmate.

He was an avid lover of plants, especially mushrooms and the poisonous variety. He also was an exceptional landscape artist. His little sketches were both accurate and attractive. He could also be quite the chatterbox as I'd learned when I'd questioned him about one mushroom that had been glowing an ominous orange color.

I smiled to myself as I thought about the almost charming quirks I’d discovered about my current companion. It was hard to view him as quite so scary or intimidating now that I’d seen him geek out about mushrooms.

“Y/n, we’re here,” His ever calm voice caught my attention, sending my gaze sliding back to where he now stood. He held a branch just slightly out of the way to reveal a sight that immediately made me smile. It was a veritable field of daisies.

What it was doing out here in the middle of nowhere I had no clue. But if my time at NRC had taught me anything it was to enjoy life’s little delights. So I did, trotting out into the clearing with a bright smile.

“My, you do look pleased.” I turned at his words, vaguely startled to see Jade smiling at me as he unloaded our lunches from his oversized yellow backpack. I’d honestly completely forgotten about Jade’s presence.

His butler persona was back in full force but I hardly cared. Instead, I found myself trotting back over to him as gleefully as ever which only seemed to further amuse him, “I take it you like these flowers?”

I nodded almost immediately at his question, “Yeah, I guess they remind me of home.” Something familiar in a largely unfamiliar world.

I smiled at him, refusing to let such thoughts dampen my current mood, “When I was little I’d pick bundles of daisies and present them as bouquets to my mom. The stems were so short she’d have to put them in juice glasses.”

I chuckled slightly at the memory and shook my head slightly, “Poor things never lasted very long since I would always squeeze them half to death before getting them to her….”

I trailed off, realizing I’d been rambling when I noticed his smile. I hurriedly turned my gaze to my food, clamming up in embarrassment.

I hadn’t actually talked to anyone about home since I’d gotten here and I certainly hadn’t expected the first person who would hear about it would be Jade.

“I see,” He sighed slightly and I glanced over at him to see him looking out across the field with a singularly odd expression. “I suppose these flowers are quite common since they even grow where you’re from.”

I tensed slightly at the direction the conversation was taking. It would be awkward if he asked where I was from. Especially since I’d been keeping the fact I was from an entirely other world a secret.

“Do you like them?” The question spilled from my mouth in a desperate attempt to steer the conversation in some other direction. My attempt was a success considering he turned to me with wide-eyes as if he were surprised by my sudden question.

“I… I hadn’t ever really thought about it. They are nice enough I suppose.” I hummed, half-way amused by his faltering reply. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him falter save for in extreme situations.

“They’re edible, you know. I’ve never eaten any so I don’t know if they’re any good, but they aren’t poisonous or anything at the very least. Ruggie might have some recipes for them.” I thought out loud, recalling something my mom had once told me years ago when I was small.

I glanced over in time to watch as his expression brightened with sudden interest. He leaned forward, intrigued by my fun facts, “Are they? I may have to collect some to try at the Monstro Lounge.”

I snorted at his newfound scheme, Azul would likely have a fit, “Like I said, I don’t know if they’re any good so you might want to try some for yourself before putting them on the menu.”

He hummed thoughtfully, probably thinking about how he could bully his housewarden into putting them on the menu, tasty or not. I almost felt bad for telling him but I found myself grinning as he put down his lunch as went about collecting flowers.

I kind of felt bad for Ruggie too since I’d mentioned him. Jade would probably harass him about getting some recipes…..

“Y/n,” My head snapped up to see Jade looking down at me, a bundle of flowers in each hand. He wore a polite smile, one that I now recognized as a mask that he frequently wore around customers. That wasn't strange. What was strange was that he was holding out one bunch of flowers in front of me, “For you.”

I stared wide-eyed at the dainty flowers just in front of me, I certainly hadn’t expected this. I looked back up at him, confusion likely showing in my eyes since his smile changed from carefully crafted to amused in a blink and you’ll miss it instant.

“As thanks for accompanying me. It’s difficult to find anyone interested in joining me on a hike, much less a companion quite as enjoyable as you have been.”

I hesitantly accepted the bouquet, my hand brushing his surprisingly warm hand as I took it. I don’t know why but I’d thought his hand would have been cool to the touch, instead it was warm, just like any other hand.

Something else that made him a little less intimidating and a little more approachable. I smiled up at him as I pulled the bouquet close to my chest, “Don’t mention it. I had fun.”

He straightened, his amused smile still in place, a tiny glimpse into his actual thoughts, “Then can I expect your company on my next trip?”

I grinned outright at his oddly playful question, nodding my head without hesitation, “I wouldn’t miss it for anything.”

He nodded, apparently pleased with my response, “Then I will look forward to it, Y/n.” I didn’t respond but as I watched him pack away our leftovers and his bunch of flowers I realized that I too would look forward to our next outing.

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