#its like one sounds fine one is just straight up not the same character

[narwhalandchill]

OH????? actual massive W what the hell

[c-o-t-o]

OMG omg!! i have a question-- do i need to like pay or anything??? like this is so cool oml! this is what i would really like to see, and also idk if you are fine w multiple prompts in one but here-- can i request NSFW #9, #17 and #16, in one, with denji x fem reader?? sorry if its too much to ask but ur literally such a good writer i cant help it!! thank youuuuu ong

Dinner and Dessert, Part 1

Author: c-o-t-o

Character: Denji x fem reader

CW: 18+ only, sexual content/smut, character aged up, explicit language, pain play, teasing, light bdsm (some CWs apply to other parts)

Misc: ~2.5k words, Part 1. Requested by anon (playing with you under the kotatsu, teasing, and pain play)- I got too into this request and so is going to be much longer than anticipated! Keep an eye out for part 2!

About: You and Denji start teasing each other under the kotatsu after dinner, but it begins to turn into something much more playful.

*Do not remove info or credit from posts when reblogging or sharing!*

Denji was being his rowdy self, as usual. You all managed to make it through a dinner together without Power flinging food across the room or Denji and Aki yelling at her. Denji was, however, very energetic tonight.

Aki was in and out of the living room cleaning up after dinner, while power sat off to the side on some cushions watching TV with Meowy. You and Denji were still under the kotatsu since it was so toasty and warm.

Denji lays straight back and carelessly spreads his legs out under the kotatsu, one of his legs ending up on top of yours. He puts his hands back under his head, grinning wide and sighing contentedly.

“Denji…” you say, hoping he’ll just realize he’s being obnoxious. When he doesn’t pay you any mind, you start shaking your legs to shake him off.

“Denji!” You laugh, although somewhat annoyed that he’s just taking up all this space.

“Whaaattt??” He finally responds, shaking his legs back with a devious grin on his face.

You reach under the kotatsu and try to push his leg off but he pushes back against the force of your hand. Denji makes a “ahh haa” sound to mock you, sticking his tongue out.

This back and forth goes on for a few minutes. You push him, he pushes you back. You slap his leg, and he tries to swat at you from his lying position. Eventually you both start laughing at each other. Denji sits back up and leans his head on his hand. He smiles at you with his cheeks all red. Probably from all the kicking and gyrating he was doing. He reaches under the kotatsu and pinches your leg, and you let out a playful yelp. You reach back under to do the same, pinching him on what you assume to be the top of his thigh. But instead of Denji yelling or getting annoyed, his face begins to redden more, eyes starting to avoid yours.

Confused, you pinch him again, thinking he’ll do something back to you. But this time, he just closes his eyes and exhales through his nose loudly. You lower your face to try and look him in the eyes, but Denji instead turns his face away.

‘Does he… like this? Did he do this wanting me to pinch him back?’ You wonder to yourself. It’s no secret that Denji likes the thrill of pain, but you assumed that was just when he fought. Before you can let your thoughts wander more, you feel Denji grab your hand under the kotatsu, squeezing your fingers. You look at him, his eyes still looking down at the table. With his other arm leaning on the table, his hand covers his mouth, trying to covertly hide his expression and the redness creeping in on his face. Denji puts your hand on his thigh, and you feel his hand on yours. He starts dragging his nails down your skin, making you gasp out loud.

“What happened?” Aki peeks his head out from the kitchen while he does the dishes. Hearing this, Power tilts her head around to look at you and Denji.

“N-nothing! It’s nothing, sorry.” You say with your voice cracking a bit. You glare at Denji who is still trying to cover his mouth, but smirking now. “You…”

You do the same back to Denji, teasing him just the way he did to you. Scratching his thigh didn’t get much of a reaction out of him, though. He does it back to you, but harder this time. You quickly turn to look at him, and all you can see are his eyes looking up at you pleadingly. Your heart skips a beat, understanding now that he wants you to do it harder. When you do, you see Denji’s neck cringe from pleasure. The sight of him getting turned on by you and the small hints of pain in your teasing, inadvertently starts turning you on as well.

The blanket under the tabletop is big and heavy, so nobody notices when either of you start moving around more underneath it. Denji goes back to laying flat on the floor while you lay on your side. You’ve both pulled the blanket up to your necks now, allowing both of you to reach more than just each other’s thighs.

Living with Denji, you two ended up constantly flirting with each other. As boys usually do, Denji’s way of showing it was always to tease you. When it mattered the most, he did protect you and looked out for you. But at home, when he could be his weird self, he loved to tease you. You once came close to kissing him late at night when you both started falling asleep on the couch watching a movie, leaning on each other. But nothing ever came of it, until today. Maybe Denji couldn’t take it anymore.

You gasp quietly to yourself when you feel Denji’s hand move up your arm, making its way up to your chest. He glances over at you to look for a reaction, hesitating. With just your eyes, you scan the room to make sure Aki and Power aren’t paying attention, which they aren’t. You look back at Denji, making tiny nods with your head. His eyes widen in surprise and excitement. Without wasting any more time, Denji’s hand finds its way to your breast, cupping and squeezing it gently at first. He tries to nonchalantly watch you for your reaction.

Denji’s hands are so big and warm that it honestly feels really good. Your eyes close in pleasure and you start letting out small breathy moans through your nose, trying so hard to be quiet. But suddenly, you hear Denji chuckle. It’s so quiet you almost didn’t hear it. But before you open your eyes, you feel Denji’s hand go under your shirt, pinching your nipple with his fingertips.

You grab your mouth to try keeping yourself from making too much noise, not really able to do much of anything with Aki and Power in the same room. Denji, still being Denji, starts teasing you. His fingertips start circling around your hardened nipple, pinching it randomly, trying to get you to gasp out loud. You feel yourself start getting wet. Were you also enjoying the random bits of pain? Denji somehow found a way to make it feel good and not actually hurt.

To retaliate, you lean over and run your hand up Denji’s thigh, hand resting over the crotch of his shorts. His eyes flash open at you, and all you can do is smirk at him. He pinches your nipple again in response.

Your hand knew exactly where to go, because… well frankly, Denji was already incredibly hard before you even touched him. He got that freaking hard just teasing you and feeling you up. You find the seam of his shorts, take a deep breath, and start making your way up them.

You didn’t think your first time feeling him up would be during a situation like this… but damn was it exciting. Nervous and eager to feel Denji, you finally slide your fingers underneath the fabric of his underwear. He was so hot from being so stiff that it warmed your fingers to the touch immediately. Denji was pretty big, and it somewhat takes you by surprise. You drag your fingertips across his skin from the base of him to his tip. There’s already precum pooling at the top. You laugh to yourself and drag the tip of your finger across it, using it to lubricate your fingertip as it circles the head of his cock. Denji throws his head back in pleasure, letting go of your boob. Closing your fingers around him, you start pumping your hand up and down his length, watching his eyes roll back in his head. Once you get a good rhythm going and he starts getting into it… you suddenly let go, making him go crazy from the sudden withdrawl. His knees jerk and hit the kotatsu from inside, making him yell out.

“Okay, what’s going on in there??” Aki asks annoyed, coming out from the kitchen to see what’s going on. For some reason, your immediate response is to close your eyes and pretend you fell asleep under the kotatsu when Aki comes in.

“It’s fine, just go back to your chores,” Denji retorts, trying so hard to play it off. “I just hit my knees, no big deal, it’s fine.” Aki looks down at you, then glares at Denji.

“Be quiet, she’s sleeping. And you should be, too. In fact,” Aki says, turning to look at Power as well, “We should all be going to sleep. We all have work tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, yeah, got it. I’ll wake her up and tell her to go to bed. Just wanna finish my show.” Denji says, trying to convince Aki and Power to both leave. Which they do, because Aki takes Meowy in an effort to get Power to go back to her room and sleep.

For a few brief moments it’s completely silent. Out of nowhere, you feel something warm near your face. You open your eyes to see Denji hovering above you. He playfully grabs your chin, bringing his mouth to your ear. He licks the shell of your ear, then bites on your earlobe before whispering, “You’re really in for it now.”

[idiotmf]

Alien scientists who just really want to study you

Another one of my most recent favorites is my alien boy Xyon. Can you tell I'm a whore for 'y' in names? It's a curse, really.

Also, in case it's not blatantly obvious... I'm introducing characters and beings that I wanna write some good ol' smut on later. (▰˘◡˘▰)

For good measure: Minors scram, for the rest: there's going to be NSFW themes but they are more biological in nature.

A/N: Please feel free to point out typos and grammar wrongdoings so I can obsessively fix them. I write these on my phone and chances are I'm fat-fingering this tiny keyboard, since I use my thumbs for typing. Also, English isn't my first language, so there's also that.

This post is pretty long and covers a more in-depth explanation of this Alien species because I wanna use this as a reference sheet later...

Anyways, here's some random lore dumping about Xyon, Xenians and Xen'jai, their native planet.

As you may have already noticed, I loooooove naming patterns. In the previous post it was my shadow demon boys Aryllus and Oryllion, here it's Xyon, his planet Xen'jai and as you'll come to find, most of the other things related to his planet also start with an X. Here is why:

1. Language:

In the native language of Xenians, the X represents a prefix referring to a life form. Xenians are the people, Xen'jai is their planet, and Xyon is a person. Linguistically speaking, especially for humans, the X doesn't translate as such, it is a complicated sound that a human cannot reproduce and the closest possible sound for an accurate translation. (Can you tell I spend way too much time world building?)

Speaking of their native language, Xenians do not speak the same way as humans do; rather, they communicate via a mixture of various noises, including clicking and verbal sounds that could only be described as waving sheet metal in the air. Imagine this but less goofy and with various pitches, echoes and clicks.

For storytelling convenience, they of course possess a translator that can both pick up foreign languages and translate their own. Although I have one story where they just fully cannot communicate for a long time and that one's wholesome as heck.

2. Appearance:

Xenians are in principle considered humanoid. They have two legs, two arms, a head and a torso. Their posture is slightly different, due to the differing gravity on their planet, so their spines are entirely straight, rather than curved like a human's, which gives them a rather uncanny look at first glance. Although if you do meet a Xenian, honestly that is probably the last thing you notice about them.

The first thing is most likely their height. Xyon himself is between 2.5 meters (approx. 8'2) and 2.8 meters (approx. 9'2), which is considered average for a male of his species, with females being slightly taller on average at 3 meters (10 feet). A male Xenian, if threatened or putting on a mating display, can stretch its spine and torso to appear larger and more threatening. Females are incapable of doing so, but as larger and more intimidating presences, they have no need for it.

The bodies of Xenians are covered in fine, dark blue fur, even if it appears as skin to the naked eye of a human. Like the fuzz you have on your face, but more prominent.

Their gray skin underneath is almost leathery to the touch, which can be examined on their long, almost reptilian tails that serve multiple purposes, such as balance, showing emotions and affection, or can be simply used as an extra arm to grab onto things.

Their faces aren't exactly faces. It resembles more the face of a cat, featuring a short snout and a flat nose, although there are no visible nostrils, as Xenians have millions of microscopic openings in their noses to absorb and filter air. Just like felines, Xenians have sharp teeth and retractable claws, paw pad like palms and soles and most importantly, slit pupils, making some humans speculate that perhaps they are a species of highly intelligent bipedal felines. Xenians do not have whiskers or any of the like, since their tail does most of the work for them.

Unlike humans, Xenians do not wear clothes. Despite being a highly advanced race of what used to be carnivorous hunters, Xenians have no sense of embarrassment from appearing naked. They do wear an exoskeleton which serves various protective functions, however their genitals are sheathed, making Xenians appear genderless to the unschooled human eye.

3. Social Constructs:

Xenians are social creatures. They live in large groups, much like humans, often with their families until they are old enough to train for their purpose.

Unlike humans, Xenians are born with a 'purpose', a path chosen for them that they must follow; Xyon's purpose lies within studying intergalactic life forms. Thanks to their technology, calculations for things such as possible base intelligence, strength and overall health are possible before a Xenian even hatches, promoting not only the growth and increasing intelligence of an already highly advanced race but also unethical practices, such as culling of unhatched eggs with undesired traits. This may appear highly disturbing to humans but is extremely common and even considered a relief amongst Xenians, as they lay between five and twenty fertilized eggs that may hatch, yet only ever one to three Xenians hatch and reach maturity due to culling, keeping their race from overpopulating their rather small planet.

Xenians, while not the sole creatures of their planets, are the most intelligent, much like humans on earth. They have moved past their need for food, instead consuming gel-like substances with all their needed nutrients and calories, yet they will occasionally initiate fake hunts with competing parties as entertainment, much like a human would play a game of soccer with a friend. However, they do not kill any animals, rather using their own version of AI to calculate intricate escape routes and keep the game interesting.

While Xenians have both male and female as a base sex, gender and gender roles do not exist to the same extent as with humans. Taking care of hatched eggs is usually done by either of the parents, sometimes a different party entirely, as some Xenians live in mating groups. It is usually the male-coded Xenians that try to impress female-coded mates with their displays of stretching their torsos, however, same sex relationships are common, since mating isn't about offspring but mainly about spirituality.

Which brings us to the point you probably came here for lol...

4. Mating:

Unlike humans, Xenians mate for life, using pheromones present in their sexual fluids to claim each other once a bond is established. Mating is considered highly spiritual, finding a mate is an extremely important part of a Xenian's life.

As mentioned before, some Xenians will live in mating groups, featuring various different partners, which is a fairly new occurrence and sometimes frowned upon by followers of traditional mating practices, which are still upheld on Xen'jai but due to their beliefs in equality, those who frown upon this practice are usually frowned upon themselves.

Xenians with male genitalia possess two sheathed and usually hidden phalluses, which are extremely close together, like fingers on your hand. Both can be slightly moved and serve different purposes. The upper, smaller one can be quite similar to that of a human in both size and shape, it serves to fertilize eggs present in a Xenian with female genitalia, which renew with a new cycle of their native moons. This smaller phallus is extremely sensitive, much like a clitoris and the only of the two that can ejaculate.

The larger one on the bottom is solely used for pleasure, as female-coded Xenians have a mechanism that only allows for impregnation during heightened pleasure, thanks to an additional opening inside their equivalent of a vagina, which only stretches during arousal to let sperm through. Being used for pleasure, their larger phallus has evolved to be able to bring just that. It is both thick and long, covered in small bumps that secrete lubricant for ease of mating but also serve to stimulate the insides of their partners.

As you may be wondering, does a Xenian of the female sex have two vaginas, then? The answer is no. During mating, eventually both phalluses may be inserted into the female, which is a lot easier than you likely imagine, since their insides aren't as tight as that of a human (which is a delightful discovery Xyon makes when he gets to fuck a human for the first time).

Unlike female humans, Xenians do not possess a clitoris, another delightful find for Xyon, all of their pleasure is derived from the nerves inside of their vagina, most of them connected to the muscle that controls whether sperm can be let through or not.

Just like humans, Xenians have contraceptives, since sex is occasionally rather casual. They work differently, however. It is a gel, that must be applied to the smaller phallus, killing sperm as it comes out and blocking the production of mating pheromones that initiate a bond, by triggering the partner to release their pheromones as well. In case of a relationship that is made of two males, both must apply this gel, in case of female only, it is neither but can be triggered with a pheromone dispenser to initiate a female-female pheromone bond.

This is considerably longer than I thought it would be and I still left a lot out to shorten it... Like I didn't even mention that you have to teach him what kissing is and Xyon gets obsessed with it, or that they subconsciously wrap their tail around things and people they like, which... I'm sorry but that is adorable to me... (╥﹏╥)

At first I tried doing the cool headcannon thing some people do with bullet points but I just cannot keep myself short enough to do that*. I also just have a preference for flowing sentences, rather than bullet points. But man...

Anyways, yes, this is a reference sheet once I get into writing some good ol' Xyon x reader smut. (≧◡≦)

I also have another Xenian boi, Xenon, who is a geologist, rather than a biologist but he is still very new and there isn't a lot established yet. Xyon is far more fleshed out and I'm going to introduce him a bit more too, maybe along with some smut.

* as evident from this ending note lmao

Dear gods, I have so many established fantasy worlds I wanna share, so my next lore dump is probably in sight, if I'm not already writing another one.

[brackenfur]

okay so i kind of.......wrote a lot more than i really intended to, but long story short - years ago i had this headcanon/au of sorts that birchpaw/fall saw ashfur and hawkfrost at the lake together, standing over firestar. mostly because when you squint at that whole sequence it kinda doesnt add up in canon, but its not canon that birchfall saw anything - it's just me taking this what if scenario and expanding on a side character

anyways this was kinda a quick project so its not perfect buuuuuut i wrote something so ! enjoy :)

birchpaw is back at camp doing everything he can to avoid the worried looks of his clanmates when his mentor stops him.

"hey, birchpaw," the fur on the back of birchpaw's neck stands up, and he slowly turns to the other tomcat. "are you okay?"

birchpaw does the best he can to keep the nervousness out of his voice as he answers: "i'm fine, ashfur. really. i- uh, i mean, i really just wish i had...been faster, that i had..."

he can't look at ashfur's face. not now, maybe not ever again. he knows that as soon as he meets his eyes, he won't be able to stop asking questions:

what were you doing with a riverclan cat? why didn't you help firestar? did the other cat threaten you? did you-

"you did the best you could, birchpaw," ashfur tells him gently; he pauses, flicking his tail-tip, before murmuring: "come on, let's go over to the apprentice's den to talk. i can tell you're shaken up."

and you're not, birchpaw wants to say, but he's a coward. this is his uncle, his mother's twin, and he doesn't really know what he saw, anyways. maybe ashfur had been standing there, sure. and maybe firestar had been clearly injured, clearly dying - well, ashfur isn't a medicine cat. he couldn't have known that, even if birchpaw had been making a lucky guess. but maybe hawkfrost threatened him, or maybe he lied to him-

you don't believe that at all, he thinks.

but he follows his uncle all the same to the apprentice's den; whitepaw is comforting her father at the medicine cat den while leafpool treats firestar's wound. no one is around - they're all either out searching the territory to make sure hawkfrost didn't have any accomplices, or with firestar's family on the other side of camp.

"you did the best you could to get help as soon as possible, birchpaw," ashfur tells him softly; birchpaw is staring at the grass between his paws, not looking at the other tom. "everyone knows that. i'm sure firestar does, too."

"right."

"but i could scent your fear-scent," ashfur continues, "and it does seem like you didn't go straight back to camp after telling firestar about blackstar. why?"

birchpaw's whiskers quiver. he shouldn't be scared - if anything, ashfur should be worried. he's the one who didn't do enough to help.

but the look in ashfur's eyes. the blank, distant stare as he watched firestar gurgle at his paws.

even the badgers didn't look at sootfur like that after they killed him, birchpaw remembers.

"i....," birchpaw's voice wobbles. "i thought i scented another cat, and i was worried," he clears his throat, trying to stop the shakes, "about you. i thought- i thought maybe you were...in trouble, and i...."

ashfur is quiet for a long time; if birchpaw wasn't so scared - why should i be scared? he's my uncle and my mentor, he wouldn't....he'd never.... - he'd look up, joke with him. pretend like it's all a big joke.

but those eyes. that look. the sounds firestar was making.

"so you didn't go straight back to camp," ashfur says with a disappointed sigh, "and firestar lost a life."

birchpaw's heartbeat skips. his paws shake. "wait," he says, his voice becoming shrill. he doesn't want anyone else to hear, but- what ashfur's saying, it's not...that's not right. that's not how it went. "wait, i- i did go back, as fast as i could, and i told squirrelflight-"

"you waited to tell her, you mean," ashfur tells him, frowning. "and he lost a life because he lost too much blood."

"but i didn't....i'd never..."

"it probably wasn't your intention," ashfur murmurs. "but that's how it happened. what if it was his last life? firestar and i trusted you to do one simple task, and you couldn't do that. you can't even look your uncle in the eye when he's talking to you."

birchpaw quivers as he slowly lifts his eyes to look into his uncles. ashfur's dark blue eyes stare back at him, just as emotionless as they did hours before.

"that's better," ashfur tells him, but it doesn't feel better. all of this is wrong.

"i was just trying to help," birchpaw whispers. "i didn't....i saw..."

"what did you see?" ashfur asks him, with a tone that birchpaw's never heard him use before: it's low, angry.

it's terrifying.

"um," birchpaw stutters. "i don't- i don't know. i don't know what i saw."

i saw you. i saw you and hawkfrost.

"if you don't even know what you saw," ashfur says slowly, "then maybe you shouldn't say anything. not to me, or to your mother. not to firestar."

birchpaw slowly lowers his gaze. how did today end up like this?

"you didn't see anything out there, birchpaw," ashfur continues. "you're an apprentice - you don't know your left paw from your right paw."

"okay."

ashfur stares at him for a long moment, sighing. "i'm not trying to scare you, birchpaw," he murmurs, "but i don't want you to get in trouble for firestar losing his life. sometimes we make mistakes; i don't want this one to be the defining moment of your apprenticehood."

shame burns through birchpaw - shame that he can't stand up to his uncle and tell him that this is all wrong.

but more shame that there's a part of him, deep down, that knows ashfur is right. if birchpaw had been quick enough, firestar wouldn't have lost a life. hawkfrost would've been stopped quicker.

and maybe....maybe ashfur was just trying to help firestar. maybe in some way, he's embarrassed because he couldn't help him, either. is that what this is about? trying to save face, because brambleclaw once again saved the day when ashfur couldn't?

"i want to be a good apprentice."

"and i'll help you do that," ashfur tells him, his voice becoming warmer. "and we'll start by making sure that today stays behind us, forever. okay?"

"okay."

it doesn't feel okay.

--

the rest of his apprenticeship goes by largely uneventfully. ashfur isn't exactly the same as before he and squirrelflight drifted apart, but he never speaks to birchpaw the way that he did the day firestar was injured.

he becomes a warrior by the name of birchfall. he makes friends, falls into an easy routine. he even still spends time with his uncle - with each passing day, the events from that afternoon become a faded memory. sometimes it plays out differently in his mind - there's days where he thinks he did see ashfur try and help firestar. where he heard him tell hawkfrost to go away.

(and maybe it wasn't as bad as he thought it was back then if the memory keeps changing. if it really was so awful, wouldn't it be the same? was he just trying to make ashfur out to be a bad cat?)

everything in thunderclan is mostly calm, until ashfur gets lionpaw as an apprentice.

he's heard cats joke about being jealous when their old mentor gets another apprentice - how it's weird, seeing the cat who taught you everything teaching someone else the same things, telling the same jokes.

he's still ashfur's nephew, so he knows that his former mentor still holds a special place in his heart for him - but it's not exactly that jealousy that other cats talk about that he feels towards lionpaw.

he feels...strange, seeing them together; there's this weird fluttering feeling he gets when he catches ashfur's expression as lionpaw walks away from him.

sometimes he can hear a voice in the back of his mind, screaming at him to go and get between the two of them. to protect lionpaw.

but ashfur....well, it's ashfur. outside of that one afternoon moons before, he's a normal warrior. he wouldn't...

so birchfall does what he did over a year prior; he buries the feelings. he can't trust his eyes - that's what ashfur told him before. he doesn't know his left paw from his right paw.

(except that he's a warrior now, and a damn good one, so why-)

that changes one day, when the talk of thunderclan is how lionpaw and ashfur got into this huge fight - claws drawn, teeth bared. ashfur scratched up pretty badly, spiderleg had told him, shaking his head.

i knew that was going to happen, he's not a medicine cat or particularly gifted, but he knew. he knew, he knew, he knew, he knew.

i knew he was going to hurt him, birchfall watches as lionpaw trudges into camp, surprisingly fine physcially - ashfur is the one with the injuries, blood dripping on the camp floor as he trudges to leafpool's den.

lionpaw is standing there after all is said and done, after cats talk to him to ask him if he's okay. standing there in the center of camp, alone.

birchfall is only foxlengths from him, watching, and the thought slips into his mind easily: i should tell him that i know what ashfur is really like. that i saw the same look in his eyes that he probably saw. that he watched firestar die inches from his paws and did nothing to help him.

he almost does it, too. the memories from that day come back, flooding his vision - ashfur's dark expression. the white flash of hawkfrost's teeth. firestar's gurgles.

i'm so sorry, firestar.

"why are you staring at me?"

birchfall snaps out of it quickly; lionpaw is staring at him, amber eyes narrowed.

"what?" birchfall blinks. "i wasn't staring at you."

"yeah, you were," lionpaw tells him, shaking his head. "weirdo." lionpaw hisses under his breath.

and before birchfall can say anything, do anything, hollypaw and cinderpaw bound up to him to talk to him, stealing the moment away.

birchfall watches the apprentices for a couple more seconds before he turns away.

he didn't see anything that day. it's his fault that firestar lost a life, anyways. that's all anyone would be able to see - firestar is one pawstep closer to being gone forever because of him.

--

birchfall keeps his word for the moons to come; lionblaze becomes a warrior with hollyleaf and cinderheart. whitewing - his longest friend, the molly who withheld her warrior ceremony for him, just so he wouldn't be alone,

(and was there for him on the nights when all he dreamt of was the lakeshore, never asking him what woke him up shaking)

well, they become closer and closer until they're not really just friends anymore, and one morning she bounds up to him to tell him that she's carrying his kits. that leafpool had just told her moments before, and she couldn't wait to find him.

and it finally feels like maybe birchfall is at peace - maybe starclan isn't angry with him after all. maybe that one thing that birchfall didn't do years ago - it'll be okay. firestar is alive and happy, with grandchildren now.

the fire rages through thunderclan not long after, but thankfully there's no casualities - he grew up hearing the stories of the one from years ago, back in the old territory before he was born, and he's glad that everyone was okay this time.

well.

he heard berrynose say that everyone had been looking for squirrelflight, her kits, and ashfur for awhile - that ashfur had turned up, laughing. he wouldn't say what was so funny, though.

he didn't think much of it, until he saw the way ashfur was acting after the fire. the way he leered after squirrelflight and her kits; hollyleaf's eyes glaring back in defiance, lionblaze's hackles raised, jayfeather's avoidance.

i don't want any part in this, he thinks, focusing on whitewing and their future together. i didn't see anything. i don't know anything. ashfur isn't dangerous.

he repeats the mantra more often than he'd like; at night, he dreams of the lakeshore for the first time in years and wakes up shuddering against spiderleg's side. his older brother shakes him off, confused, but birchfall can't meet his gaze, or anyone elses.

i didn't see anything. i didn't see anything. i didn't-

and then just like that, one day ashfur is found dead on their territory.

someone said that a patrol found him in a river, throat torn out.

it doesn't feel real to birchfall until he sees his uncles body laid out in the center of camp, with ferncloud's muzzle pressed into his fur.

that's my uncle, he thinks as he watches spiderleg lead icepaw and foxpaw to their mother, trying to comfort her. he was my mentor.

you don't know what you saw. it's ashfur's voice, clear as day in his mind as he watches his clanmates gather around the tomcat. you don't know your left paw from your right paw. you're just an apprentice; how can anyone trust you after what you did?

firestar walks over to ferncloud and dustpelt, murmuring a few kind words to them. birchfall can hear his leader's voice carrying over the wind, mentioning something about dogs, about bravery.

he watched you lose a life, birchfall wants to scream, but he can't move. he stood there and watched you gargle for breath and did nothing.

birchfall shuts his eyes. no. no, it was because of me, because i decided to take too long to go back to camp, his mind can't decide what's right or wrong. it's my fault, that's what....that's what ashfur says, and...and now he's dead, so....

"birchfall," whitewing's voice is soft; he jolts, eyes wide as he looks at his mate. she leans against him, whiskers drooping. "this is so sad. i mean....ashfur, i just- i just talked to him yesterday. he was asking me about the kits, if i was feeling okay..."

you wouldn't want to be with me if you knew what i did, ashfur had never threatened him after that day, but birchfall knew that was what his uncle was conveying to him every time they talked after that day. that he could tell everyone, and everyone would know it was birchfall's fault that firestar lost a life.

or....or wait, maybe that wasn't right. not anymore.

maybe he should blame himself for not saying anything all these years. he could've told firestar and had ashfur punished, and he didn't.

the realization burns deep in his chest; he can barely register what whitewing is saying.

ashfur knew that if you said something, any cat could probably figure out that something about his story didn't add up, birchfall thinks, his heart thudding. and you were just too stupid to realize you could have said something years ago.

"birchfall?" whitewing says, frowning. "hey, birchfall. are you okay?"

birchfall's fur raises. "i'm okay," he tells her, taking a deep breath. "all things....you know, considering, i..." he shakes his head. "i'm gonna get some air, okay?"

whitewing touches her nose to his. "i'm here, you know that, right? i've been here for you since we were 'paws."

that stings more. i could have told you years ago, birchfall touches his nose back to hers, and turns away. i can't say anything now. she'd never trust me again, i kept this secret from everyone because i was too scared of my uncle. and now he's dead, and now....

birchfall resigns himself not to think about it anymore. he can't.

he can't. he won't.

--

after his daughters are born, birchfall wants this to be his new purpose in life.

forget about the lakeshore. the foxtrap. hawkfrost. ashfur. firestar is fine now; thunderclan is fine. sure, maybe there's been some earth-shattering secrets that have been revealed, but- all in all, they're mostly fine.

ivypaw and dovepaw mean the world to him; he can't imagine being without them.

he looks at them and wants to do right by them; they'll never know the fear he's carried for all this time, the same.

he'll teach them to say something if they see something; to be outspoken, brave.

but he can barely keep his head above water; it started when he met a cat from the dark forest one night. who promised him that he could make up for the mistake he made years ago; that he could do right by firestar. by thunderclan.

he trains every night but it doesn't make the shame go away. it won't scrub off after he bathes himself. nothing works.

it's not until the wall is lifted over his eyes - after his daughter, ivypool, a warrior grown - tells him what the true intention of the dark forest was.

all the moons he spent there, training, trying to prove that he could make up for what he did - gone.

and after the battle with the dark forest, both his mother and firestar are dead - killed by the cats that birchfall wanted to impress. wanted to show that he could be better, that he could be stronger.

how did everything go so wrong? he thinks as he watches his father crouched over his mother. dustpelt won't even look at him; he doesn't know about firestar, but he knows about the dark forest. and he hates him - despises him for training with the cats who are responsible for ferncloud's death.

he's right.

"birchfall," whitewing's voice jolts him out of his thoughts. "please. i want to talk."

it was inevitable - he knows that it's over between them at this point. he follows her out of camp regardless, deep into the territory. there's birds in the trees, chirping quietly amongst themselves, and everything is in bloom, yet nothing is beautiful to him at this moment.

whitewing turns to face him, her green eyes sad. "can you just tell me why?"

birchfal looks down at his paws, just like he did years before when ashfur told him to keep quiet.

"i'm sorry," he tells her, and she scoffs.

"i'm sorry isn't an explanation," she meows. "just....why, birchfall? why would you train with cats like that? and why- our daughter was there too, why wouldn't you try and convince her not to? what's wrong with you?"

i'm a coward.

"that's still not an answer," he hadn't realized he said it aloud. he finally looks up at his mate - probably soon to be ex-mate. "you need to talk to me. you're not a 'paw anymore."

and for some reason that burns more than anything else.

you're not a 'paw. you should have said something. you should have told everyone what you saw. and you didn't. it's your fault. all your fault. everything-

"i need to tell you something," he finally says; the story is bubbling at the surface. ashfur is long dead. firestar is dead. his family hates him. whitewing is going to leave him anyway; what else does he have to lose? brambleclaw might exile him, might not; he might not care what birchfall does.

whitewing is silent; birchfall opens and shuts his mouth a few times, trying to find the words, until he meows:

"i saw what happened to firestar on the lakeshore, that day when hawkfrost from riverclan died."

whitewing frowns; she looks taken aback, and blinks a few times.

"i....ashfur...he told me that he scented blackstar on our territory," the memory comes back hazy at first, but starts to clear as he goes on: "he said to tell firestar about it. i did, but....a few minutes later when i was heading back, i could scent another cat. and i remembered ashfur was out there, and i was worried for him, so i followed him and the other cat so i could protect him. and..."

the gurgling. the look on ashfur's eyes. the sound of the water lapping at the shore.

"ashfur was standing with hawkfrost over firestar's body. he was caught in the foxtrap and....ashfur, he...." birchfall shuts his eyes. "you should've seen how he looked. he didn't care at all that firestar was dying. i ran away, i didn't....i didn't know what to do. i thought maybe i didn't see anything at all, so i just told squirrelflight what ashfur had said about blackstar when i saw her. i thought....i thought maybe if she caught ashfur and hawkfrost, it'd....she'd know what to do, more than i would....."

birchfall stares at his paws. "when i got back to camp and brambleclaw had killed hawkfrost, ashfur told me....he said i didn't see anything, and it was easier to pretend i didn't see anything. and he was...he was right - i should've just gone back to camp right away. i should've just done the right thing, not been a stupid 'paw. i should've...it's my fault that firestar lost a life. he'd still be here right now if i just had listened back then, 'cus he'd have an extra life, and..."

birchfall trails off, shaking. "so that's...that's why i wanted to train at the dark forest. because i let firestar down. because i didn't say anything all these years, and i should've....i mean, what if ashfur had hurt someone else? and i just sat there and let it happen."

it takes him a moment after everything spills out to realize that whitewing is very quiet; he finally looks up at his mate.

she looks so sad watching him; and there's a bit of anger in there, too.

"he threatened you?" whitewing finally says; birchfall winces.

"i don't....maybe, it doesn't really matter."

"you were his apprentice and his nephew," whitewing tells him firmly. "of course it matters. he knew he was manipulating you, and that you just wanted to please him, so you'd do anything to make sure you wouldn't make trouble."

whitewing's tail lashes, and she shakes his head. "that- i can't believe he did that to you, that he made you think...."

"whitewing, it's-"

"it's not your fault, birchfall," her voice is gentle, yet he can tell she's holding back so much rage, rage for ashfur, pain for firestar's death. "if you really think for one second that you have anything to do with firestar laying in that clearing right now, you're completely wrong. that was tigerstar, first of all, and ashfur's fault years ago."

"but-"

"you went to help your mentor, and you were intimidated into keeping this a secret," she tells him, stepping closer. "and now you think that because you didn't say anything, that that's worse than what he did."

"i should have said something," birchfall tells her, harsher than he means to. "i mean - for starclan's sake, whitewing, i- i saw, and i didn't do anything. i'm no better than he is-"

"you are twice the cat that ashfur was," whitewing meows firmly. "and if i had even....if i saw him right now, i'd slash his ears for doing that to you."

whitewing shakes her head, looking at him. "all these years," she whispers, frowning, "all these years, and we- when you were in the apprentices den, having nightmares..."

"you couldn't have known," he mumbles. "i didn't tell you."

"and then....birchfall, i..." she presses her noses into his neck; birchfall is stiff from shock.

"i thought you were breaking up with me," he tells her, aghast; whitewing sucks in a breath, pulling away.

"what?"

"why not? after the dark forest, all of this...."

"i'm disappointed in you for training with the dark forest," she tells him softly. "but your mother is dead, and you....you've been holding this in for years, birchfall. i can put off asking you about the dark forest for awhile; i.....i didn't know. all these years, and i had no idea you were punishing yourself for ashfur's crimes."

when she puts it like that, a small - a tiny one, really, nothing huge - light begins to flick in his mind.

i've been punishing myself, he thinks, and it strangely makes a lot of sense - thinking about the lake all these years has felt like punishment. refusing to get close to firestar out of shame was his way of punishing himself, telling himself what he did was wrong.

"i don't know if i can tell anyone else," birchfall tells her in a whisper; whitewing nods, brushing her muzzle against his.

"that's okay," she meows, "because now i know, and now i can shoulder it with you."

"it's not a very romantic secret." he doesn't say it like a joke, but she still smiles a little.

"it's not," she shrugs. "but no one helped birchpaw back then; i'm here for you now."

[detectiveneve]

How To Know If Your Evil Vampire Boygirlfriend Really Likes You (a meta on Astarion's manipulations of Tav deeper into the romance.)

Okay, this was supposed to be a response to this ask right here, and it got so long I decided to just put it in its own thing for slightly easier reading. Thank you again to the asker for giving me an excuse to go off the rails talking about THE BOY. This also got long enough that it needs. Subheadings. And it is [checks notes] 3.6k words long. If you're interested in skipping the act 2 Scene Breakdown and going straight for the character analysis of Act 3 specifically, you can jump to the uhhh 3. Yeah He's Manipulative (Trauma Edition) subheading.

Prefacing that this is just my personal interpretation of Astarion here, the game leaves several moments ambiguous on purpose & I'd be super intrigued to hear what anyone else thinks is going on in this rancid little lad's head. This became more of a process of breaking down what I think he's doing in each scene than anything else, so I hope it's interesting to... you? reader? Since it's a bit long-winded and a lot of speculation and interpretation on my part for his wild ass behavior.

(Also, I haven't played far enough with an ascended Astarion to properly break down the differences between both--he'll have his own playthrough for sure but since I haven't gone far enough in that path, all of this is with no-ritual Astarion in mind) (I also don't have screenshots for everything but hopefully that's alright. just trust me bro.)

Fair warning, I didn't proof-read this & I moved paragraphs around so if it sounds incoherent that's a feature not a bug. Now. Let's get into the EVIDENCE.

1. but did he mean the kisses????

So, before the hug scene, the game leaves us a bit of room to interpret the progression of the relationship. I kind of wish we had one extra scene to sort of solidify his growing feelings in the in-between period of his "I'm just sleeping with you to secure my safety here," era (pre-confession as we'll call it) and his "oh shit I actually kind of care about you," era (post-confession, pre-ritual), but I understand why it wasn't included. Game mechanics & cost aside, the space between these two periods is left entirely up to player interpretation, & has lots of room for HC up to each individual player & Tav.

To address the easiest examples the asker gave, the repeatable kiss dialogues are all ones I'm going to mark under "sincere." Mostly because those are all post-confession, and after Astarion has acknowledged to himself (& the player) that he doesn't want to do anything sexual, but presumably kissing is fine (given that he's enthusiastic about the kisses & will shut down sex/intimacy acts otherwise.)

There's not really a logic to him being slinky here, and I didn't interpret any of his post-kiss repeated dialogues as insincere, much more so playful or coy or cheeky. The voice acting is subtle here, but I found it to be much more playful than his annoying little, for lack of a better word, purring "hello, beautiful" etc etc in act 1 / early act 2. Also, all these dialogues stay the same after the ritual happens, and your romance has been solidified in the grave scene, where he wholly says:

"I feel safe with you. Seen. And whatever the future holds for me, I don't want to lose that."

^ Not a lie. So I think we can mark off those particular dialogue as sincere.

In act 2, there aren't really a lot of places for Astarion to actually get into his manipulative tendencies. He overtly needs your aid with Yurgir (Repeat after me: thank you for helping me. It was very kind.) so he doesn't really manipulate you at... all...? in my opinion? Act 2 shows you his most sincere moment yet in the confession/hug scene. He is not lying. He is more honest in those moments than he has been in the entire game, and it shows in his wording, his body language. He's uncertain of himself, maybe. He doesn't know what to make of the situation yet. He says as much to Tav when you ask him "What are we?" and he says:

"I don't know. But isn't it nice? Not to know. You're not a victim. Not a target. Not just one night it's better to forget. But then... whatever in the world could you be?"

He has no reason to say that without sincerity. He could say you're his specialest babygirl if he wanted to keep up the lie. And other than helping him with Raphael, there's really not a moment where Astarion has an opportunity to manipulate you....

EXCEPT.

EXCEPT. For this moment in particular. which is one of my FAVORITE Astarion ones because it is gloriously bitchy.

2. what if we took over a cult, babe.

Context first: I played a paladin of devotion, rough around the edges but fairly good-aligned Tav. She was a bit of a jerk but she saved people for free, and I adhered to her dialogue roleplay hard, choosing the "destroy the Absolute" dialogues at every turn. I don't have a save for this scene sadly otherwise I'd replay it and compare/contrast answers like a pepe silvia meme, so I'm only able to break this scene down from that particular lens.

Secondary context: This scene is important because it highlights Astarion's manipulative routine while still with a Tav he's very fond of (exceptional approval in this scene) and the way he lays it out is necessary to understand the moments later where he tries to manipulate Tav again, since it has components of the same themes, ideas, and tendencies that go on.

So, Astarion will hit you with this hot take early-ish on.

"You know. I feel a connection between us. Like we're two souls walking the same path (...)" Astarion establishes emotional connection, and a foundation of similarity/commonality/shareed interest. This is pretty standard fare for him. He does the same thing a lot early in act one, where he's almost CONSTANTLY asking you to "trust him," (when you really should not.)

"You might be a little naive in the ways of the world, but I see promise in you. Ambition." - He kind of snidely reveals what he actually thinks--you're a bit naive, you "have a big heart,"--he's hoping that his emotional cloying and little comment and connection with Tav will be enough to sway them over to what he wants to do, and they'll give him what he wants because We're So Similar, See?

"So I was thinking, what would be the right thing do when we get to Moonrise Towers?" - He wields his language carefully. The right thing to do. That's a language he thinks Tav speaks. An interest in doing the Right Thing; so, he adjusts accordingly. He wants to do the right thing too, you see, and the right thing conveniently lines up with what he actually wants, which is real power. Astarion confesses he's not a details guy, yada yada, then--

"If we can take that control from them, imagine the power we'd wield." <- He lets slip what he's actually interested in. Astarion generally can't keep a charade up for too long. His real thoughts always come through, and he reveals his hand in conversations often, but usually in offhanded ways and, well--he's never made a secret really of where his actual interests lie. His attempts at currying your favor and persuading you (and you can really feel the persuasion here) are prettyyyyy overt, but still, he's trying anyways.

"I'm just saying there's an opportunity here. If we can control the tadpoles, we can keep ourselves safe and liberate the world from this evil." <- He brings the conversation back around to what's more neutral than Absolute Power -- keeping ourselves safe. He uses the We and Us language a lot when he wants to convince other people of anything, really. "We're all such good, trusting friends!" he'll say, lying through his FUCKING teeth. His manipulations here are like.... pretty clear, but he still gets an A for effort for trying to align himself with Tav & Tav's perceived goals & see if he can wriggle in his own in the process, put "become god-cult-leader" up as a Reasonable and Rational thing to Want to achieve.

The actual question here: does he care about Tav at this point? Up for interpretation, but I'm going to say yes with... the caveat that I don't think he's fully acknowledged it to himself, and I don't think it's love here. It is high approval though. I do think he cares about Tav, I do think he's including Tav in longer-term goals, he's depending on Tav at this point as an ally he can count on, and he's starting to get chipped away at.

I don't even really think it's a lie that he on some level would like to see Tav safe, and takes their wellbeing into account. He's been with them long enough to worry over their safety to some extent, and to at least partially lump it in with his own (in my opinion). Is that love? I don't think so. "We can finally be safe," is a reoccurring theme in the other scene I'm going to break down in just a second. And it's interesting for a lot of reasons.

And furthermore: you can care about someone and still be manipulative toward them. That's a core thing going on here, I think, with Astarion.

3. Yeah He's Manipulative (Trauma Edition).

"Is Astarion Manipulating Me In Act 3? " YES. A little bit. And here's why it's INTERESTING.

So, the confession scene in act two has already happened. Astarion has confessed some of his big mushy feelings to you. He likes you. You've slammed the "can I kiss you?" dialogue 100 times already because you're really super normal about the vampire twink. He doesn't know what to make of his caring about Tav yet. See: his "what are we??" dialogue.

MOVING ON. Astarion is also, a manipulative little shit, and he will NOT change his ways just because he likes you a lot and giggles when you give him a little kissy kiss.

Astarion is deeply, deeply traumatized, and his trauma has in his own words makes him act out the same cycles of behavior that he did prior to escaping Cazador. In its most obvious format, one of those behaviors was seducing Tav because that was the kind of behavior he knew, and it was the only thing he could think of to secure his own safety. By act 2, he's somewhat aware of the cycle, but--

Traumatic behaviors, like anything relating to surviving abuse & getting out of it, come and go in waves. You'll likely not find a survivor of abuse who doesn't revert back to coping mechanisms at times, especially in moments or episodes of heightened stress, or being put back into the old environment again. ->

Astarion going back to Baldur's Gate--and specifically with killing cazador in mind--is him going back to that same place where traumatic events occurred... almost constantly. Thus, he goes back to his old behaviors. Not to the exact same level, but it is there.

Safety. THIS is a word that comes back a lot with Astarion, it is one of his most reoccurring (if not the most) themes. He wants to feel safe. He associates power with safety, because the safest person in the world--as in, literally safe, not "safe for other people"--in his mind, is Cazador, who is powerful enough to repel any threats to himself & what he owns, has, possesses, and keeps.

Astarion is still, at his core, no matter what, self-serving. He will do what's best for himself first and foremost in almost every circumstance you put him in. Or at least, he will want to--if Tav or someone else stands in his way, and he sticks it out, it'll be begrudgingly. That's a fundamental aspect of his character & to try and do away with it makes no sense.

And in case it got lost, I'll reiterate that I do think Astarion's actual feelings for Tav at this stage are entirely genuine, & deeply felt. It shows, and it's obvious. He's just got several layers of behavior going on in the process.

"But I thought astarion liked me??? why would he consciously choose to manipulate me??" The thing is, once again, you can like someone and still try to manipulate them, pull on their heartstrings, or quite frankly guilt trip them into helping you kill like, a lot of fucking people so you can become godlord supreme emperor of mortals and vampire kind.

Let's get into the second scene I want to break down. Keeping all of what we've established above about how Astarion goes about establishing connection & togetherness & the idea of shared safety to sway Tav over to his side.

So let's set up one thing for sure. It's pretty obvious, everyone gets this scene, but let's set it up anyways.

"What's a handful of the wretch's servants? IF they're anything like me when I was enslaved, they'll all be begging for death anyways." <- apathy toward others, generally motivated by self-interest, lack of empathy for others' plights, a callousness that is fairly unrepetant. He's fairly sure this is what he wants, and--

"After two hundred years of pure shit, I think I deserve something better." Again, Astarion tells us exactly what he's thinking. And what he believes. And he's not wrong! He does deserve something better than what he had before. Or, at least, he doesn't deserve the level of cruelty he endured at Cazador's hands. However.

And then he follows it up with, "I know you do [care]. It matters to me too. I want to be able to protect you too." <- finally, we come back around to the reoccurring theme he'll use to sway Tav over to his side. He sees the soft point of Tav in the conversation--they care about him--and he needles that in; they care about him, he cares about them, they should help him complete the ritual for it, it's what's best for everyone. Except for the 7000 spawn, but. You know.

NEXT IMPORTANT SCENE. let's take a look at the scene that follows after you confront his fellow vampire spawn in the tavern.

I'm keeping the full screencap so I can keep his shifty little look in here. It's not the best format, I wish I'd kept videos, the body language & voice acting adds a lot to this moment, but. Neil you're so good at balancing Astarion's careful shiftiness, his gleeful/vindictive revelry at being so close to his end goal & confronting his siblings without flinching, his coy little pleading, and his near desperate watchfulness. He needs Tav. He cares about Tav, yes, but he needs Tav to help him.

Astarion is, again, fairly callous about the deaths of his brethren. You have to remind him time & again to maybe empathize with their suffering & similarity to him. But each time he reverts back to, "their lives" serving a greater purpose.

Astarion then follows that up with "But we're a team. If I become all powerful, then we become all-powerful." <- I think he genuinely does think of himself & Tav as a team, and as a good one at that. More than anything, Tav is the first person Astarion, in his own words, feels he truly cares for. They've killed a few gods chosens together, Tav has given him respect, patience, care. He feels fairly assured of their presence & kindness at this point. And assurance tends to breed............. let's call it, taking for granted?

I believe he's trying to again emotionally bid for their help & loyalty as much as gauge if they're still with him, as he does by going -> "We are a team after all. You're still with me?" Once again, the easiest way to secure aid is through emotional connections; someone's attraction to you, or better yet, their care for your well-being, are easy strings to pull on to try and entice someone to do what you want them to do. It's not necessarily maliciously intended, but it is a kind of manipulation.

"But Astarion just genuinely wants to know you're on his side!" Yes. And he also really wants you to help him with the ritual. ANY arguments against the idea that he's benignly trying to manipulate Tav's feelings, I'm just gonna put up this screencap right here, one of the last times he bids for Tav's affection & loyalty in this, in this particular conversation:

Look at his stupid pouty face and his "You want what's best for me, surely?" and oh god the voice acting. We're smacked right in the face with Act 1 Astarion's slinky, whiny little "truuuuust me it'll just be a taste I promise &lt;3333" voice. That PURE "I'm trying so hard to connive my way into your good will because I REALLY want this." voice.

His strength is your strength. And he will pleading face emoji his way through getting you over to his side if he needs to. It's honestly so funny, how the writing plays out, because SEVERAL times you can choose to fully fall for it, "yes of course I want whats best for you / want you to be safe / feel good" and every time, he's like "I know I know <333 and I want YOU to feel safe too <3333" and I don't even think that's a lie! I don't think it's a LIE, I just think it's the same pattern of manipulative behavior he's exhibited time and again even when he cares for you.

Astarion is still Astarion. He is very willing to kill, lie, and cheat his way through just about anything to protect himself, & all of that makes PERFECT sense for him. And if you're not on board with his plans, of course he will use every tool at his disposal to get you on board. It is, after all, what's best for both you and him. His power is your power.

4. "I'm doing this for you too." He said, lying. Or genuinely believing that but lying to himself too and executing it in the weirdest way imaginable.

So, this is probably my favorite interaction in the entire Astarion romance. Love the grave scene. Love the horny evil vampire turning. But this moment in particular is fucking brilliant, because it illustrates the dilemma here perfectly.

Astarion outright tells us exactly why he is the way he is, and why he cares for Tav while being able to be so cruel and callous about others. "No one ever looked out for me [...] you're the only one." Tav is exceptional--as in, THE EXCEPTION to the rule--because they cared for him in a way no one else ever has. He has ZERO reason to even bother lifting a finger for anyone else besides himself, because in his mind, none of them ever bothered to help him, why should he bother with them. But TAV. Tav he can make promises too.

On some level, I do kind of believe him when he says things like "I'm doing this for you too." -- As in, I believe that he believes that he's taken Tav into account here as well. I do think he genuinely thinks they'll be an even more magnificent duo of glorious bastards together once he's God Vampire Emperor Of Eternity. And on some level, he's probably right. They do take over the world together in some endings, so. Good for them.

However, do I think he's primarily motivated by anything but himself? No. Tav also benefitting from his mega vampire powers is just a bonus in a laundry list of reasons why Astarion wants to ascend at this point in the game. Why Astarion is willing to pull out every guilt-trippy, pleading face to get Tav to help him, if they show even a hint of reluctance. More than anything: Astarion is a survivor, and a survivor of severe abuse that pretty quickly explain why he is the way he is. Does that excuse what he does in the aftermath of that abuse, when it comes to harming other people? Not really. But it explains it pretty clearly.

Because Astarion is back where he came from, he's immediately thrust back into the cycles of behavior that both traumatized him & were what he had to do. The pattern of behavior, coping mechanisms, rooted in traumatic cycles, that he has done time and time and time again that has successfully gotten him, not what he wants, but what he needs to survive. Does his manipulation of Tav here mean he doesn't care? Not at all. It's just that he needs this work. He needs his allies to help him make it work, and he's willing to pull out every stop to see Cazador dead and himself with enough power to never feel so helpless or vulnerable again.

Astarion can love you & still be himself. He will never stop being a bit bitchy, a bit conniving, extremely focused on self-preservation at all costs. He might not seek out active maliciousness, but even in act 3 after the ritual, he still approves of generally being a sneaky bastard, taking short cuts, taking easy ways out. And none of this is necessarily... a problem? It isn't ""moral"", sure, but it's not really a problem. In some endings, he can pursue ""better"" paths, but his general deceivery and typical behavior aren't going away. Feature, not a bug. How each Tav feels about his ... fairly obvious deep romance manipulations is up to each player though, and that is what's interesting for each playthrough.

There are five more essays to write in here. There's the Astarion after the ritual, who agrees that fine, killing 7000 people is wrong. And there's the Astarion after the ascension, who is now fully entrenched in the idea that Power Is Everything, and all that means for him afterward, and his visceral, intense, obsessive controlling dynamic with Tav where they descend into Chaotic Vampire Evil Marriage. And there's Astarion and Tav together finally, honestly, openly, with the heart-wrenching intimacy of the grave scene. And this is almost 4000 words so I'm shutting the fuck up here.

So. I will end this by saying I'm peeling him like an onion rn I'm obsessed with him. He's gods horrible princess and he's never going to die.

[cyllres]

𝖄𝖆𝖐𝖚𝖟𝖆 | Portgas D. Ace x Reader

Scenario: Y/n shouldn't have insisted on bringing her drunken regular back home, or maybe she should've. Modern AU. Pairing: Yakuza Ace x Reader Trigger warning: consent wasn't mentioned, dumb fucking (This was requested by a friend and I already forgot about one piece so the character might be ooc)

wrds: 3.6k

“Hey, are you sure you're alright?” you asked, leaning down as you brushed the man's black hair away from his face. His skin was cool to the touch, clammy from what seemed like hours of sitting in the booth, lost in whatever thoughts had been keeping him anchored there. Ace only grumbled something under his breath, too low for you to make out, before slowly pushing himself up from the booth, his body swaying slightly.

“Are ya’ closin’ up for the night, d’rling?” Ace slurred, his words thick with alcohol and exhaustion. His usual sharp features were softened under the dim diner lights, his bloodshot eyes barely staying open as he tried to focus on you. The man had been one of your regulars for the past week, always sitting in the same booth, always coming in just before closing. While it was strange for someone like him — with his tailored suits and the faint smell of expensive cologne clinging to him — to hang out in a place like this, you didn’t mind. The diner was old, its paint peeling and the neon sign outside flickering like it was about to give up any day now. Most of the clientele were rough around the edges, men who stumbled in drunk and greasy, coming back for the cheap food made out of who knows what.

But Ace was different.

Despite his disheveled appearance tonight, he was always polite. A gentleman, even. He never stared too long, never tried to get too familiar like the other patrons who sometimes forgot where the line was. Even in the diner’s crummy waitress uniform — a faded blue dress with a stained apron — you never felt uncomfortable around him. The others would have made some crude comment by now, especially on a slow night like this. But not Ace.

“You sure you can get home okay?” You asked again, glancing at the clock. The diner was about to close, the last of the other patrons already gone, leaving only you and Ace. The silence felt heavier now, only the low hum of the fridge and the distant buzz of the sign outside filling the space. You weren’t sure if you should offer to call him a cab or just let him stumble off on his own. Something in his expression told you he wasn’t used to being in this state.

“Yeah, yeah,” he waved his hand dismissively, though his movements were sluggish. “I’ll be fine.”

But you weren’t so sure.

You watched Ace as he tried to wave off your concern, but his hand was trembling, his face pale under the flickering lights. He was in no shape to be on his own tonight, and something about letting him stumble off into the dark streets felt wrong.

“You’re not fine, Ace,” you insisted, your voice soft but firm as you stood up straight, wiping your hands on your apron. “Come on, let me bring you home.”

Ace blinked at you, his bloodshot eyes struggling to focus. He chuckled, the sound rough and humorless. “Nah, can’t do that, d’rling,” he muttered, a lopsided grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Wouldn’t be… safe.”

You raised an eyebrow, confused. Safe? What did that even mean? Before you could ask, Ace pushed himself up too quickly, stumbling. He barely managed to catch himself on the edge of the table, his legs wobbling. You reached out instinctively to steady him, but before you could make contact, he lurched forward, and with no time to react, he vomited.

It hit both of you, splattering onto his expensive clothes and ruining your uniform. You froze for a moment, grimacing as the sour smell filled the air. Ace, on the other hand, groaned lowly before his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed against you, his dead weight almost knocking you over.

“Well shit,” you muttered, struggling to hold him upright. His body went limp, his head resting against your shoulder, completely passed out. His heavy breathing was the only sign he was still conscious enough to be alive.

“Great,” you sighed, looking down at the mess. But you couldn’t leave him here, not in this state.

With a grunt, you shifted his weight, wrapping one of his arms around your shoulder. You cursed under your breath. He was heavier than he looked, solid muscle hidden beneath his expensive suit, which now reeked of vomit.

“Looks like I’m bringing you home after all,” you muttered, half to yourself as you began the slow process of dragging him out of the booth. The diner was only a few blocks from your apartment, and at this hour, the streets were mostly empty. You doubted anyone would notice you lugging a passed-out man down the street, and if they did, they wouldn’t ask questions.

It took longer than you would have liked, but eventually, you managed to get Ace out of the diner and into the cool night air. The neon sign buzzed above you as you glanced up and down the empty street, making sure no one was around. With a deep breath, you started the walk toward your apartment.

-

By the time you reached your building, your back was aching, and your clothes smelled even worse. Ace was still out cold, slumped against you with no sign of waking up. You fumbled with your keys, managing to unlock the door, and half-dragged him inside.

Your apartment was small but tidy, a far cry from the mess both of you had become. You led him to the couch, gently easing him down so he wouldn’t fall. For a moment, you stood there, catching your breath and wiping your forehead with the back of your hand.

Ace’s suit was ruined, his shirt stained and wrinkled. You stared for a moment longer before sighing. This was not how you imagined your night ending.

With a resigned shrug, you grabbed a towel and some water, then set to work cleaning up the both of you, starting with him. As you wiped his face and tried to salvage what you could of his clothes, you couldn’t help but wonder what exactly you had gotten yourself into.

“I can't let you sleep in this. And you'll stain my couch,” you murmured as you gently unbuttoned his shirt. The fabric was damp from sweat and spilled alcohol, and you were careful not to disturb him too much. But as you pulled the shirt open, your breath caught in your throat, and your fingers froze mid-motion. Your frown deepened, heart skipping a beat as your eyes landed on the elaborate tattoos etched into his skin.

You had seen these kinds of markings before—the intricate, swirling designs that stretched across his chest and down his arms, framing his lean, muscled body. A Yakuza member. No, not just any Yakuza member. These were the markings of someone high up, someone dangerous. Your gaze followed the ink, a mixture of mythological beasts, waves, and flames, each curve and line telling a story of power, violence, and loyalty to a world you were never meant to be a part of. The sight of it brought a chill that crawled up your spine and settled deep into your bones.

The tattoos peeked out from beneath his open shirt, winding down his torso and wrapping around his biceps like chains. The thought of what it meant—what he had done to earn those markings—sent your mind racing. You quickly grabbed a towel, your hands trembling as you dabbed at the vomit on his skin, your eyes refusing to linger on the ink any longer than necessary. Each second felt like an eternity as you fought back the growing unease swirling in your gut.

Your decision to button his shirt back up was quick, your fingers fumbling slightly as you tried to erase what you’d seen—pretend it was never there. But before you could finish, a strong hand clamped around your wrist, startling you. You looked up sharply, only to meet Ace's half-lidded gaze, his grip firm but not painful.

"You shouldn't have to, really," he slurred, his voice heavy with sleep and intoxication, yet there was a flicker of awareness in his dark eyes. He lifted your hand to his lips, brushing them softly against your knuckles. "But sweet ol' Y/n... can't just leave her grown-ass regular out in the cold, huh?"

Your breath hitched. His words, though laced with drunken humor, felt heavier now. Did he know you had seen them? The tattoos, the truth beneath his charming, reckless exterior? A part of you wanted to pull away, to retreat, but something in his eyes stopped you. They weren’t the eyes of a dangerous Yakuza right now. They were tired. Guarded.

But still, the weight of what you had uncovered tonight lingered between you like a shadow you couldn’t shake, suffocating the air around you. Your heart pounded, each beat reverberating in your chest as you struggled to process what you had seen and what it meant. Ace’s grip on your wrist tightened slightly, but it was his gaze—sharp despite his drunkenness—that held you captive, making it impossible to look away.

"I—I won't tell anyone, Ace. I promise," you stammered, your voice shaky. The words felt fragile as they left your lips, like glass on the verge of shattering. Your breath hitched, caught somewhere in your throat, and you could feel the weight of the room pressing down on you, thick with tension.

Ace's smile was slow, deliberate, and chillingly calm. “Really?” he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes glinted with something darker, something you hadn’t noticed before—control. "The consequences of knowing the face of a higher-up Yakuza are very, very heavy." The words dripped from his mouth like honey, sweet but laced with venom. He leaned in closer, so close that you could feel the warmth of his breath ghosting over your skin, making your pulse quicken. "What can you give to make sure that promise would be a promise? A concrete, tangible symbol?"

Your mind raced, but the moment felt too heavy for you to think clearly. The space between you and Ace seemed to collapse as his presence filled every inch of the room. His dark eyes bored into yours, seeking something more than just your words. A concrete, tangible symbol. What did he mean? Your stomach twisted in knots, but the answer slipped from your lips before you could even think.

"Anything." The word hung in the air, sharp and immediate, like the crack of a whip. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing—just the raw, desperate need to make sure this secret stayed buried. His smile widened, not with kindness, but with the satisfaction of someone who knew they had the upper hand.

"Anything," he echoed softly, almost as if tasting the weight of your agreement. His fingers brushed against your jaw, his touch unnervingly tender for the threat that lingered beneath it. "You should be careful with that word, Y/n. In my world, 'anything' can mean a lot of things. Things you might not be ready to give."

Your heart pounded harder, blood rushing in your ears as you held his gaze, unsure of what you had just agreed to.

-

“Ace.” You whined as you felt his tongue graze on your clit. The bathroom was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the steam that rose from the shower. The cool tiles beneath your feet were slick with water, and the air was thick with the scent of soap and your arousal. Ace's head was nestled between your thighs, his hair damp and clinging to his forehead. The sound of water cascading down from the showerhead mixed with the wet slurping noises he made as he continued to tease your clit.

You clenched your fists, nails digging into your palms, as he increased the intensity of his licks. His fingers, strong and calloused, dug into your flesh, urging your legs further apart. The sensation of his teeth lightly grazing your sensitive nub made you jerk and a whimper escaped your lips, mingling with the sound of the shower.

Ace's hands, still wet from the shower, moved up your inner thighs, the water trails leaving goosebumps in their wake. He cupped your breasts, his thumbs finding your erect nipples, and he rolled them between his fingers.

The sensation of his teeth lightly grazing your sensitive nub made you jerk and a whimper escaped your lips, mingling with the sound of the shower.

Ace's hands, still wet from the shower, moved up your inner thighs, the water trails leaving goosebumps in their wake. He cupped your breasts, his thumbs finding your erect nipples, and he rolled them between his fingers. The contrast between the cold water and the warmth of Ace's hands sent shivers down your spine.

Your back arched involuntarily as he continued to tease your clit with his tongue, the pressure building inside you. Ace's breath against your skin was hot and moist, the contrast with the cool tiles beneath you only serving to heighten your arousal. As his fingers continued to play with your nipples, you could feel the wetness between your legs growing. The anticipation was almost unbearable, and you could feel your body tensing. Ace's tongue, skilled and relentless, continued to dance around your clit, each flick and lick bringing you closer to the edge.

You could feel the muscles in your stomach tighten, and your breaths came in short, sharp gasps. The cold water continued to fall, oblivious to the intensity of the scene playing out beneath its cascade. Ace's grip on your thighs tightened, and he moved his head closer, burying his face between your legs.

The combination of his tongue, teeth, and fingers working in perfect harmony left you breathless, your body trembling with the force of the impending climax. Your eyes rolled back in your head, and you cried out, your voice echoing faintly in the steam-filled room.

"Did my d’rling cum?" he whispered, his voice a low, sultry rumble that sent shivers down your spine. You felt your cheeks flush with heat, trying to look away, but he wouldn't have it. He gripped your face firmly, pulling it towards him for a searing, possessive kiss.

"It's not fair," he teased, the playful note in his voice. He lifted you effortlessly from your feet, your legs instinctively wrapping around his waist. You clung to him, still feeling the lingering aftershocks of your climax.

Ace turned off the shower, the sudden absence of the water's roar leaving the bathroom quiet. He carried you out of the bathroom, your skin slick and cold against his, and made his way to your bedroom. The journey felt like an eternity, the anticipation of what was to come building with each step.

Once in your bedroom, he laid you gently on the bed, your skin leaving wet trails on the sheets. The hunger in his gaze was evident, as he hovered over you. His lips found yours once more, the kiss fervent and hungry, as if he needed your taste to survive. His hands roamed over your body, teasing your nipples, and tracing the outline of your hips. The sensation of his calloused fingers on your wet skin sent shivers down your spine.

You arched into him, your body begging for more. Ace, in response, placed your legs around his hips, pressing you into a mating press. He positioned himself at your entrance, the head of his erection nudging at your slick folds.

You could feel the heat radiating from his body, the scent of sex and desire filling the room. Your heart raced, the anticipation of being filled by him making your breath hitch. Ace's eyes locked with yours, the intensity of the gaze making your core clench in need.

With slow, deliberate movements, he pushed inside you, inch by torturous inch. The sensation of being filled was overwhelming, the pressure building with each thrust. A low, guttural moan escaped your lips, and your back arched, encouraging him to take you deeper.

"Fuck," he murmured, the word a breathy exhale as he continued to push in. The lust in his eyes was undeniable, the desire to claim you overwhelming. Ace wanted to take you roughly, to chase his own high, but the need to hear your whimpers and moans was stronger.

He paused, his hips nestled against yours, his eyes never leaving yours. The room was filled with the sound of your ragged breathing, the heavy thudding of your hearts, and the wet, intimate slap of skin against skin.

Ace began to move, slowly at first, drawing out your pleasure. Each thrust was deliberate, a dance of control and desire. You clung to him, your nails digging into his back as he set a rhythm that left you breathless.

His hips moved in a steady, unyielding rhythm, and the pace gradually increased. You moaned his name, the sound guttural and filled with need. Your hands found their way to his head, hugging him, gripping him tightly as if to anchor yourself to the world.

The way he pressed into you, the relentless, unyielding pace, was intoxicating. It left you breathless, your mind fogging as your body responded to his every thrust. The words "slow down" formed on your lips, but they emerged as a garbled mess. Speaking seemed a distant, unattainable luxury as your body focused solely on the sensations coursing through you.

Ace's eyes locked with yours, the intensity in his gaze making it impossible to look away. The sight of him, the feeling of him, was overwhelming. Your body arched, a silent plea for more, for him to not stop, to take you to the edge.

The room was filled with the sound of your moans, the slap of skin against skin, and the rhythmic creak of the bed .

As the intensity of the moment grew, so did the pleasure building within you. Your body tightened, the muscles in your stomach clenching in anticipation. Your breaths came in ragged, shallow gasps, and you could feel the heat rising in your cheeks.

Ace continued to thrust into you, his pace unrelenting, his eyes locked onto yours. The room was filled with the raw, primal sounds of sex. The bed creaked beneath the force of your fucking, the rhythmic sound to the intensity of the moment.

You clung to him, your nails digging into his back, leaving faint red marks. The sensation of his body against yours, the way he filled you completely, was all-consuming. Your mind was a haze of lust and desire, the world outside your bedroom fading into insignificance.

The pleasure coiled tighter, the edge of release within your grasp. Your body trembled, and you could feel the telltale signs of your impending climax. Your breath hitched, and you cried out, your voice a high-pitched, desperate plea.

Ace's thrusts grew more intense, his body tensing as he felt your body preparing for its release. The sight of you, so vulnerable and needy, was almost his undoing. His pace faltered for a moment, and then he began to thrust with a newfound urgency, as if to push you both over the edge.

The room was filled with the sound of your moans, the wet, intimate slap of skin against skin, and the creaking of the bed. The scent of sex and sweat hung heavy in the air, and the atmosphere was electric with the raw, unbridled passion between the two of you.

Your body convulsed, the release you'd been waiting for washing over you in a tidal wave of ecstasy. You cried out, your voice high and breathless, as the pleasure coursed through you. Your inner muscles clenched around Ace, milking him as you rode out the climax.

Ace's eyes rolled back in his head, his body rigid with the force of your orgasm. The sight of you, your body writhing beneath him, was his undoing. With a guttural groan, he thrust deep inside you one last time, filling you with his cum.

Your body quivered as he continued to pulse within you, the aftershocks of your climax merging with the rhythmic contractions of his release. The two of you lay entwined, your breaths heavy and labored, as the last remnants of your passion ebbed away.

Ace collapsed onto your chest, his forehead resting against your chest, his body still trembling from the intensity of the moment. The room was filled with the soft sounds of your heartbeats, the slowing of your breaths, and the occasional twitch from your spent bodies. In a haze of post-coital exhaustion, Ace pulled both of you up, too tired to even know what he was about to do. You clung to him, your body still buzzing with the afterglow of your shared pleasure. He positioned both of you so that you lay on top of him, his now softening cock nestled deep inside you. The sensation sent a soft whine escaping your lips, your bodies were still attuned to one another.

“Let's just talk about this tomorrow d’rling,” Ace murmured, his voice heavy with contentment and exhaustion. He patted your still damp hair, the gesture tender and affectionate. “For now, just sleep.”

You snuggled closer to him, the warmth of his body and the feeling of being cradled in his arms lulling you into a peaceful slumber. The room around you faded into the background, replaced by the comforting rhythm of your heartbeats as you both drifted off to sleep

-

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[factual-fantasy]

27 asks/walls of text where I ramble about FNAF <XDD

@ninaandthegames

AAAA THANK YOU SO MUCH!! 😭😭💗💗

@taizarack

Actually I have 2 swap AUs. A true swap and a partial swap. In the partial swap, only Chica and Freddy switch places with Foxy and Bonnie respectively. The rest of the characters and world are slightly altered because of this change, but otherwise the story continues as normal. With Gregory coming to the Pizzaplex and the overall back story of the AU remaining the same.

Meanwhile in the true swap, which I haven't drawn yet.. everyone is paired with someone and swaps places with them. Freddy and Bonnie swap, Chica and Foxy swap, Roxy and Monty swap, even DJ and DA swap. And most importantly, Gregory and Vanessa swap. Which means that everyone's role and design are completely swapped.

And this means that Gregory is the adult sus security guard, and Vanessa is the scared little child living in the basement.. 👀👀

@jackal-lantern

I'm glad you like my Octonauts and submas stuff! :DD I was actually just thinking about Ingo and Emmet funnily enough XD I've been considering finally committing and playing Legends: Arceus, so that I can learn more about that world and Ingo. Also so that I could come back with more knowledge about the twins and make a proper AU :00

@ash-attxck

Thank you for asking first! And as long as it isn't directly taking my idea, then yeah that sounds fine to me! :}}

That would be cool yeah! :0

@toaster-os

To be completely honest, the multiple arms thing is mostly just a running joke <XD

But also magically growing a 3rd arm when ever I need it is very convenient XDD

@voids-call

That's a good question, hmm.. Well, I guess I'll go in order.

Gregory's fears cant really be revealed for lore reasons, but Freddy's can. Freddy has a lot of fear surrounding Gregory. He fears for Gregory's safety, his health.. but most of all, he's afraid of the others finding about about Gregory. If the others found out about him, surly they'd call security, right? If that happens Gregory would be taken away by Vanessa. Which would destroy Freddy..

Now Chica, Roxy, Monty, Foxy and Bonnie don't.. really have a #1 biggest fear that I can point out exactly.. or at least I cant think of any atm..

But DJMM? He doesn't have a biggest fear per se, but he is worried sick about the Daycare attendant. He hasn't seen him in months by this point. And no one has really told him anything straight. He has no idea why he's been gone for so long and if he's okay or not.. :(

And DA's biggest fear is definitely being caught in the dark. He knows very well that something is wrong with him and that he doesn't act like himself when in his moon mode. So he is terrified of the dark and does everything in his power to avoid it..

@andysalleyway

I do know of monster high actually! :00 I think its pretty neat, I've seen a lot of dolls being customized by Dollightful on YouTube. I highly recommend her! (Totally not a Dollightful advertisement XDDD)

(Post in question)

Thank you so much! :DD I'm a bit late to respond to this ask <XD But I'm all better now. My cold is gone and my leg healed up nicely :}}

And the cones name is Cody! :D

@burningmusicfunnygiant (Post in question)

Monty and Roxy do look different in this AU, although they still run the Golf course and Raceway respectively.

As for the bots meeting their other selves.. I image swap Monty would be rather surprised by his counter parts severe temper. OG Monty is so crushed by grief and shame that he's just constantly angry and lashing out. Also because of his shame he has closed himself off all these years which has only made his anger worse..

In the swap AU, Foxy was there for Monty. They became best friends and really helped each other through the grief and pain. Foxy helped Monty with his anger and in present day he's a really mellow person. Just sore with grief but not angry.

Meeting the others as well, OG Bonnie would be surprised by how.. mean his swapped form is.

Swapped Bonnie comes off as a real jerk. If you try to talk to him he'll either just stand there with a vacant stare and refuse to look at or talk to you. Or he'll be short and rude with you and just overall have a vibe that says "I don't want to talk to you, leave me alone". After every performance he just sneaks off to his room and stays there all night. If anyone tries to talk to him about coming out of his room more often or engaging with the group, he just snaps back. Telling them to leave him alone. His and Foxy's friendship has greatly suffered in this AU..

OG Bonnie would be floored by this version of himself. Bonnie would never speak to his friends like that. He would never brush them off if they were standing outside his door in tears. Begging to just talk to him. He couldn't believe the way his other self was acting..

But the thing is, Swapped Bonnie is just under an extreme amount of stress and pressure. He is an Animatronic that was designed only for smaller groups and a more quiet environment. He is a naturally slow animatronic and has a really relaxed personality. The only times he would be put on stage in front of a big crowd is every few weeks or so when the band would do a big performance together. Then right after it was back to the slow and relaxed bowling ally..

But after Freddy's accident, he was put on stage in Freddy's place. Bonnie is now on stage every day. Huge crowds, lights, noise, constantly on the move, go go go, noise noise noise- Bonnie come do this- Bonnie take this picture- Bonnie sing these 3 songs- Bonnie move that- Bonnie come over here- Bonnie sing happy birthday- Bonnie its time for another performance- Like-- it never ends!!

So whenever Bonnie has the time, he just completely shuts down. If he has a 5 minute break to just stand here? He's going to stand completely still and not do or say anything. If he gets to go to his room, he's going to turn off the lights and sit in complete silence for as long as he can. Any time anyone tries to talk to him he just pushes them away. The last thing he wants to do in his free time is more talking, more processing, more movement. He just wants to be where its dark and quiet..

Swap Bonnie is being pushed to his absolute processing limit, every. single. day. If you were constantly being overwhelmed and pushed beyond your limit every single day, for years? Well you'd probably be a grump and just wants some peace and quiet too..

I could go on with the others, but these paragraphs are already super long- <XD Maybe in another ask if anyone is interested!

@random-entity-363

In the OG au and the Partial swap AU, Sun and Moon are the same person. There are no separate animatronics or separate personalities. The "bug" just only really seems to effect DA when he's in his moon costume. And in the Partial swap, no it doesn't effect his Sunny side..

Although in the true swap? It might actually switch and effect his sunny side instead.. 👀👀

Foxy! :}}

@pinkbomb08

I have fully recovered from my cold, thank you! :} And you got it right! Foxy is Gregory's favorite character and he takes Freddy's role in protecting him :}}

@mr-damian-s-power

:DD Thank you so much!! I would like to come back sometime and do a deeper dive into the Wario bros. I had so many ideas for them that I never got around to.. <:/

@k-art8901

Bibi is a boy! :}

Aw, comparing yourself to people you perceive as better isn't going to help you feel better.. <:( Just keep trudging on with your own work and you'll improve over time. I believe in you! :}}

@joeyjambo122

Oh yeah, I've seen Bluey alllll over the place XD It seems like a really wholesome show! I've seen a lot of clips and art of it, although I haven't really gotten into it or watched it myself. My go to pre-school type show is Octonauts <XD

Maybe someday! :}}

:DD Thank you so much! Maybe I'll come back around to it sometime! :}}

@ur0neand0nly

0___o; Well uhh... so here's the thing about Paani. No offence to anyone who likes him, but personally? I reeeeeaaaaalllly don't like Paani. :x

The first episode just gave me a really sour taste in my mouth. And I just haven't been able to like him since 😅

I have intentions to add him to my Octonauts stuff in the future. But what I plan to do is re-write/make an AU about above and beyond which involves uh.. removing everything I don't like about it.. Including Paani. :x

I mean he'll still in it!-- But my AU will completely rewrite his character and remove all the things that people criticize him for. He will basically be Paani 2.0, and will be a completely different character... I feel bad for wiping his personality clean off my AU, but maaaaan I just cant like Paani, sorry! 😭😭

@hexyz09

I might not be understanding the question here, so my apologies-

My Gregory and canon Gregory are very different characters for a few reasons. For one, I completely rewrote the events of the game so they did not experience the same things while at the Pizzaplex.

I also made up a backstory for my Gregory that justifies him being more shy and skittish then canon Gregory seems to be.

I also didn't like how evil/gremlin-ly Gregory is in canon/fanon. So I thought screw it, I don't like canon/fanon Gregory being a lil turd, so I'm just going to make my own Gregory that acts the way I want him to <XD

@flowers-on-my-eyes

XD Aw, that's a nice idea. But poor Bonnie might be embarrassed to have a hook put on his stubby arm. It might just make him look tacky and draw more attention to it. Poor Foxy might have to keep his hook for now :x

You know, Bonnie likely did have a few custom bowling balls made just for him. But who knows where they are now.. Rockstar row? Somewhere in the bowling ally? In a box in the basement somewhere? They may never know.. :(

@euanpc

Aww!! That's so cute! Wet floor cone buddy for the win!!! 💗💗

Thank you! 😎😎😎

[arklayraven]

I can't sleep rn while this annoyed/pissed off. So time to remind people OM is canonly a queer game as hell and to tell the queerphobes and transphobes to FUCK OFF. (Seriously, why are you following me if you hate queer and trans people/characters? Get out of here.)

This is a official post by OM devs over the creation of OM and their MC. Read the left section well.

"OM isn't a queer game" many like to say.

The game, writers and characters beg to differ.

From someone kind who felt they knew all about the game and characters well, even tho they played it themselves.

Let's go back to that official post by Solmare about OM and this section specifically.

Hope you read that well, and the person(and many who think/believe this) learns how damn wrong they are.

Also...God don't bring up my Asmo and act like you know all about him. Another thing from that kind person.

Firstly, canonly none of the characters have set labels. But they are all in fact canonly queer. Whether you like to believe/accept this or not. It's fact, was fact from day one.

Asmodeus is the most openly proud queer boy in the series, and gender nonconforming too at that, even if he uses only he/him pronouns(but he's been shown to be fine being called princess, queen, etc. So he's clearly open to all gendered/less pronouns/labels I feel).

He drips of gender fluidity, and going against gender presentation norms(Babe has presented so fem and nonconforming for awhile now. Learn to look at him and appreciate him better). So take note of all of that, and never say again he's not queer, because that's a damn fucking lie.

Also I hate how bi is used as default for queerness as a whole for characters who are interested in more than one gender, and wish for the day people stop using it as so. (Use MSPEC or just queer if you wish to sound more inclusive of all possible labels/identities for a canon queer character with no canon label set.)

Second, back to what I said before, ALL THE CHARACTERS IN OM ARE QUEER. If you ship your MC or yourself with them, know that's a canon queer character you're pairing them/yourself up with. And you can't erase their queerness and identity. Especially if it makes you personally feel bothered or crap.

And before you say anything, dating them, as a straight woman, doesn't automatically make them straight now too. They are still queer, but are dating you, who happen to be a straight woman. (stop being damn queerphobic challenge.)

I'm already tired of this crap, so gonna end this now and fast.

OM is a canon queer game, and was made with a MC who is genderless to be inclusive of ALL PLAYERS. This opened the door quickly for men, nonbinary, etc players to enjoy the game too, and be part of the fandom as well. There's as much men and nonbinary players in the series like women are, but only difference is in the fandom mainly. Many people choose to see which fans or MCs are more accepted in the community, and which ones to show more love/attention too.

If you tried to expand your horizons more, you will surely quickly find people who identify as men, nonbinary, etc in the fandom as well. And learn how we're here, always been here, just greatly drowned out or ignored by a vast majority of people just because of who we are. (Lots of people with dislike for MCs who are men, or just plain damn queerphobia and transphobia in the works.)

The more people try to ignore the clear fact men and nonbinary people play OM too. The more easier it is for them say OM and its characters aren't canonly queer, and they can feel special/happy about playing the game. That they want to believe was just made to cater to women only. But in reality it was made to be catered to all players, no matter their gender identity or lack of, and same for romantic/sexual attraction.

Also another thing I forgot to add to put more facts that OM is a queer game to be inclusive of ALL PLAYERS.

Already, the undateables from day one are canonly queer too. If you need to be reminded and stated that as well.

That's pretty much it on this annoying tiring topic.

Enjoy playing OM, the canonly queer game made for ALL PLAYERS. <3

[victimsofyaoipoll]

Round 4

Joan Watson

How were BBC Sherlock shippers so rancid about a WOMAN who wasnt even in the SAME SHOW?????

Martin Freeman of BBC Sherlock insulted Elementary and specifically Lucy Liu in the press. He straight up called Lucy Liu a "dog" in an interview APPARENTLY as a joke, because calling female actors ugly is hilarious. Benedict Cumberbatch was more measured about it, but he still said he was cynical about Elementary because it would lose the "male friendship" dynamic, which of course Johnlock shippers used against Joan Watson fans. Even the lead BBC Sherlock actors got in on the yaoi victimization of Joan Watson... 😔

she wasn't even in the same SHOW as the yaoi I've been convinced she deserves to win the entire poll. I was a Johnlocker but I did watch the first season of Elementary and it was fine????? It was totally okay????? Especially in hindsight given how hard Sherlock season four flopped. Also Lucy Liu is a queen and deserved zero vitriol for *checks notes* playing a character???? A fucking fictional character???????? Oh my god we were all SO mean to this show and we (or at least I) thought it was like The Good Fight™️, like we were defending BBC Sherlock against copyright infringement and straightwashing and Jonny Lee Miller's bizarre scarf, (it wasn't a good scarf I do stand by that) but then Elementary didn't make Holmes and Watson a couple either???? And also it didn't insult its audience constantly etc etc we've all seen the Hbomberguy Sherlock is Garbage video. This is really long sorry hashtag justice for Joan Watson.

Misa Amane

she gets treated in-canon the way fandoms treat female characters that Threaten an m/m ship. it's like, "oh why don't you go sit in the corner and be pretty, misa, while the Men have intelligent conversation and pretend they aren't ten seconds from fucking each other, doesn't that sound nice?" it's infuriating. and MAYBE it's better now but i remember her getting treated the same way in fanfiction too, like we all need to do just as badly by our female secondary characters as fucking tsugumi ohba, but with the added insult of making her be alternately oblivious of the relationship between light and L or actively trying to sabotage it—incompetently, of course, because god forbid misa be allowed dignity or moments of cleverness.

she's one of the first characters I think of when I consider old school fandom misogyny. The annoying bitch and clingy crazy gf allegations were AFTER HER ASS. She's also a lot more intelligent than people gave her credit for, but most seem inclined to take the Very Biased word of our unreliable, narcissistic narrator and his homoerotic arch nemesis and claim that just because she's bubbly and into romance that she's also a complete moron. Which is blatantly untrue. Everyone was afraid of Misa girlbossing too hard. Killing people and devoting yourself to the deranged twink of your dreams even though you know he'll never love you back??? Having a hardcore goth aesthetic and being so Hot even literal Death Gods are into you?? God forbid women do ANYTHING!

Not only is she the victim of yaoi culture, she is the victim of early 2000s misogyny by an author that wanted to introduce a girl character because he knew his male rivals were getting too homoerotic. She is a goth bimbo icon who portrays what I think is one of the few callouts for stan culture and what parasocial relationships can do to both the stan and the idol. The fact that she is a toxic fan of Kira and also hot, funny, sociable is tragic in its own way, which I think the author did try to touch on but was too misogynistic too really get through. Of course, she was reduced to villain status by the fandom and anime alike because she got in the way of the supposed romance in their psychological horror anime.

[antiaure]

One of these nights

characters: geto x reader (gn) - star plasma vessel arc S2 SPOILERS

synopsis: an angsty passage in which i take you through a typical night after you have suffered the traumatic incident of witnessing haibara’s death

cw: slight gore? its the same level of jjk gore, slight graphic description of what a curse looks like, not proofread sorryy this took me 2hrs!

It was like this every night.

Everyone would finish up their dinner for the day and wrap up their conversations before bidding their friends goodnight. They'd go home to their dorms and let their bodies melt into the night, dissolving into sleep.

The first part of the nighttime routine was fine for you, you could pretty much eat your food and enjoy the company of your 3 best friends. But when all was said and done and you dragged your way back to your dorm sullenly, you wouldn't sleep. Never again.

Because upon sleeping the scene would replay again and each night it got more vivid, you could hear the sounds too.

It was a special grade for sure, unregistered, yet still a special grade. Its body was designed in a way that it was covered in a grotesque plethora of holes that would ooze with tentacles if it so wished to capture its victims. Each tentacle had spikes and so when you saw the spikes wrap around Haibara you froze. It didn't even take long for him to let out piercing shrieks and so again you froze. If you fought you'd die, if you run he'd die, when you guys came you watched people die and so you froze.

Are teenagers supposed to live this way?

You lifted your body up from your soft futon upon feeling a solitary tear trail down your face. You'd only noticed you were really crying when you tasted the salt on your tongue. When you looked down you eventually noticed the goosebumps that swelled all over your arms and the chills that swooped over your body as if there was a gust that travelled within your blood. You gently tiptoed to your door.

Everyone is sound asleep right now.

The moon seemed to be glazing as brightly as she could today and the beams penetrated into your room. It's not sight someone should be familiar with as the night was meant to be slept through, not something to observe.

But you knew you weren't the only person like this and it calmed you.

"If you don't get your full 10 hours of beauty sleep, you'll never be as strong as me, (Y/N)!" Satoru exclaimed, poking his tongue out at you playfully as he was walking by Suguru whom was right beside you. At this, Suguru jerked his head straight in your direction. Satoru knew what he was doing. He knew that he couldn't help you and had to make Suguru help you. Because only he could do something.

Only he.

"What is this about?" Suguru asked, stopping in his tracks. You stopped too and let out a soft sigh. You both allowed Shoko and Satoru to head on, back to their dorms. You bit your lip in hesitation before deciding how to reply.

"He's just being dramatic. 8 hours of sleep works just the same, no?" You smiled up at him, praying he'd drop the topic. It's not as if you were afraid of opening up, you just didn't want to be a burden especially to him. You knew what he was going through himself, why did you have to be included in the equation?

"It didn't sound like he meant 8, (Y/N)," Suguru sighed. Why did he worry about you more than himself?

"7 and a half?"

"I'm saying this because you always tell me how you can hear how strongly the wind howls when its nighttime and everyone's quiet," he started, "and how it freaks you out." He's giving you that stern look again and you didn't want him to. The same look he gave you when you accidentally let it slip out that you would always go outside to play with snow forgetting to put on a jacket or scarf. You didn't want him to fret over you when he was losing himself. He was one to talk because you knew he always told you how each night the moon shines with various intensities and how beautiful it looked. You knew he was one to talk because he told you that the spark that blessed the moon matched the spark of your very own eyes and he softly admitted that he has only ever seen the beauty of the world when looking into your eyes. You didn't know what he meant, whether he loved you too or not, but you knew that you loved what he said.

And you also knew that just like you, he knew what went on deep into the night and was suffering just as much as you.

So you tiptoed straight to his dorm but paused at the door. Would you be disturbing him? Would he let you in?

"Suguru..." You whispered as you gently knocked on his door. You jumped back in surprise as the door whipped open before you could deliver a second knock.

He must've been at the door already.

"I..." he began, "I wanted to find you. But I didn't want to wake you up." You look up at him in shock. His raven tresses fell down against his shoulders and he wore a tight, long sleeved, black top with simple shorts for the night. It was his eyes, his sly, sharp eyes that you cared about now because in those eyes was the liquid drop of desperation and yearning. Yearning for you. When he saw the tears continue to stream down your cheeks as you walked towards him, he knew no more words needed to be said. He gently grasped your hand and led him deeper into his dorm, closing the door behind him. He sat you down on his bed and he sat right next to you.

"I can't sleep anymore, Suguru," you mumbled and more tears fell.

He wiped those tears with the smooth thumb of his right hand.

"I'm scared that if I do, I'll see it again. I'm tired but I'm afraid of sleeping," you cried and even more tears fell.

He wiped those tears with the top of his index finger.

"Why does it have to be us?" You asked. Whether it was a question to him or the air around you, you didn't know so you weren't surprised when he spoke without answering your question.

"I wanted to find you tonight because I wanted you to see it for yourself. Look how beautiful the moon is. A celestial pearl, never-ending glow. I never took notice of it until we started high school," he was distracting you, prompting you to look at the moon and abandon your fears. When you looked you saw a floating fish appear in front of you, following your eyes where it went. It was a pretty looking curse he had summoned for you, distracting you again.

He took note at how you'd stopped trembling where you sat and how he didn't need to wipe tears from your pretty eyes anymore.

"So many things will happen to us when we grow. It'll be good, it'll be bad, it'll be ugly. But there's nothing to be afraid of or feel guilty for. If it hasn't changed the beauty of the world around us, like the moon, then the pain will pass," he whispered, wrapping an arm around your head and pulling it directly to his chest.

His heart was beating rapidly, much like yours.

He continued, "You won't see it again, (Y/N). And even from now, with the new world I'll create, you won't experience anything like that again." He muttered this as he stroked your head and back and shoulders.

Inevitably you succumbed to sleep and instead of a nightmare you saw nothing. You were at peace. You barely got a chance to question his own eyebags, whether or not he had slept himself or why he kept mentioning this new world.

But you were grateful. That each and every night you'd come with tears pouring down your face, despite you wanting to avoid burdening him, he'd let you in. It was just like this every night, crying, hesitating if he'd let you in again, letting you melt into his arms.

So who could blame you when you lost your mind when he'd left? You pledged that one of these nights, you'd find him again. Whether he loved you like you loved him or not, whether you agreed with his new ideals or not, you needed him.

And you hoped it was just as much as he needed you.

[hazshit-hotel-hater]

What are your opinions on each of the songs? (you can answer with as much or as little detail as you'd like)

Big shocker that the songs from the 2 good episodes are in S and the only one that isn’t is still B tier/sar

The first 2 songs in S made me either tear up/shake violently or cry, and therefore they deserve to be up there IMO. Out for love is also just genuinely catchy and had actual build up to it. Also God “Ready for This” just. OOUGGGHHH IT SCRATCHES MY BRAIN SO GOOD LIKE A WARRIOR CATS MAP. I like it a lot. You cant have multiple characters sing about working together and expect me to NOT cry.

“Stayed Gone” isn’t one I listen to often but it’s so peppy and fast and full of hatred I can’t help but enjoy it. Also everytime the song starts my brain does this

I dont know anything about Welcome Home

I have. Issues. With “Loser, Baby” but aside from those the song holds a lot more weight to it than I usually give it credit for. And for as cheesy as the start if it is, the line before of Angel talking about self destructing resonates with me a lot. Also Husk lays down in a puddle of vomit and no one talks about that ever.

I think the first song in B is “Happy Day in Hell” and I’m adding it there 1. Because it is the first song 2. It gets a reprise thing 3. Charlie almost gets hit by a truck. Other than that it’s not really my favourite but I respect the impact it has.

“Hell is Forever” just fucks. End of story. Alex Brightman killed it.

“Respectless” is good I love Velvette’s VA, but the sudden start of the song and the ending are so out of left field the first time me and my friends watched this show we had to pause cause we lost our fucking minds. Could’ve been better but I’d listen to it again, yeah.

“Hell’s Greatest Dad” is silly and funny and maybe I’m biased as a violin player and jazz enjoyer but a lot of the instrumental tickles my brain so nicely. I will say though it confuses me so much because why does Alastor care about being seen as a father figure?? My mom said it could just be him wanting to show up Lucifer and that’s it but I dunno.

“More than Anything (Reprise)” AKA “Charlie and Veggie Kiss Scene - Hazbin Hotel”

This song sounds like it’s straight out of Barbie & Th Diamond Castle and I’m honestly pissed the girls in the movie didn’t kiss so I’m coping with this. ALSO THE FACT ITS A REPRISED SONG ABOUT LOVE MAKES ME A BIT CRAZY. I never noticed this was the same song Lucifer sang to Charlie SOMEHOW but that’s actually really cute.

“It Starts With Sorry” Has a big part in Sir Pentious’s character growth and just his character in general. I’ve been working on this in my Pentious rant but I never see people mention how much this song probably meant to him. Yeah it’s super corny, but he was fully expecting to be killed and had just been told to kill himself. This was definitely huge for him and I’m not gonna be convinced otherwise.

“You Didn’t Know” is really good but Lute’s part is by far the best and I pray to GOD she gets her own song in S2 her voice actor can SING. GODDAMN! I am very interested in Lute’s character development and I love seeing what people do with close-minded characters like that and hopefully Vivzie doesn’t condemn her to Vivziepop Woman Syndrome. If she isn’t important in S2 I’m going to be pissed but I dunno maybe S3 if we get one.

“More Than Anything” Wish my dad was like this! This song is incredibly sweet and I appreciate it a lot. Honestly might go way higher on the list if I keep thinking about it.

“Whatever It Takes” Sorry you will never be Imagine Dragons. Vaggie doesn’t sound anything like herself cause her VA is making her voice so much more gruff for her character, which is fine! I like her voice (the voice direction is not very good but I digress) it’s just her voice is so high in this I can’t even tell it’s Vaggie.

“Welcome to Heaven” is boring, but we got a Molly cameo!

“Poison”. Read this and this and this. -10/10. I’d rather make out violently with Elon Musk.

[arkhamasyl-m]

I genuinely think one of the best Harley’s I’ve seen recently (IMO of course) is the Gotham Knight’s Harley. So let me rant about her.

One of my favourite things of upfront is that she’s clearly not that young. That might sound weird but lemme explain. One of my biggest pet peeves about comics, is female characters who are supposed to be the same age as a male character, yet they look like they’re 20 whilst that male character looks age appropriate. In every Harley adaptation, she is canonically supposed to be the same age as Bruce and yet… If you pick up any modern comic with the two characters, Bruce looks late 40s, early 50s (which he is) yet Harley looks to be in her 20s. It’s gotten to the point where I’m not surprised if people do think Harley is supposed to be decades younger because of this, which is just sad. In Gotham Knights, she looks the same age as Bruce and still has a great design and characterisation. She isn’t a grandma, but she also isn’t a college student. It makes sense in the story since this is an older Batman, and the story is late in his career when he already has a full Batfamily and Harley’s already left the Joker. No way could a 30-year-old Batman have done all of this yet, so he’s not 30, he’s middle aged and so is Harley. It’s a weird thing to bring up I guess, but I appreciate a story about a Batman whose career has literally ended, having a Harley who clearly isn’t 20, and is still written amazingly.

The next thing I love about her is she’s not an anti-hero. Here’s the thing, I don’t mind Harley being an anti-hero, she’s a character who since the beginning was always written to he sympathetic and redeemable so her becoming an anti-hero and even allies with Batman himself is fine in most comics (as long as they don’t just skip straight to that point) but I do miss Harley being a villain, as it’s just a fun thing to see the character do. This is a late career Batman story, so she is no longer with the Joker which is great but, she’s also not an anti-hero saving the day, she’s still a villain but is no longer bound by the Joker and is free to do things her own way. Her schemes are both chaotic, funny but also scary, making her a real threat whilst also not making her as evil as the Joker. She’s fun in the way you don’t really mind she’s being a nuisance, unlike the Joker who is fun in the way that you want it to be over if that makes any sense.

Another thing I love is her relationships with the team. It’s clear from dialogue with the Batfamily that she and Batman have a friendship, reminding me of the old Batman the Animated Series episodes where Harley and Batman were allies. She was still a villain in those episodes, but she ended up doing the right thing and was genuine in her attempts to help Batman. Here’s its very similar, even though we never actually see Harley meet with Bruce, we know from how she speaks of him that she is on good-terms with him, and has been his ally for a while even though she is villainous. This just comes down to preference, but I much prefer a Harley Quinn who will enact a villainous plan, but also genuinely help Batman with his vigilante stuff over a Harley who completely reforms and just becomes a shitty “hero” who is like a Wish version of Deadpool. This Harley seems genuinely upset that Batman is dead, and not in the way “Oh, I have nobody to play with” but in the “Oh, my friend is gone” kinda way. Her relationship with the titular Gotham Knights is less developed despite it being assumed she has faced them before, yet it’s still there. Her dialogue with Red Hood is best out of all the Knights as he is genuine when he talks to her about her help, and she is genuine when she talks to him. No trickery, no unspoken anger between them. Just two people genuinely trying to help each other, even if Harley is planning a comeback behind the scenes, her conversation with Red Hood is genuine and heartfelt. Even after being captured she compliments the Knights and tells them they will do good following in Batman’s footsteps.

I also think her plan is rather dumb but in the good way. It’s very comic-booky without being too stupid that it’s just annoying or too serious/realistic that it doesn’t suit a superhero game. It’s the right amount of camp AND suits Harley. A mistake I see a lot with Harley being a villain, is her plans just being things the Joker would do, but now it’s Harley doing that. Maybe for an early-career Harley who just broke up with the Joker sure, it makes sense her plans would just copy his without her own personal flair, but if that Harley has been without the Joker for a while, but her plan is literally just something he’d do exactly the same, it’s stupid. She’s not the Joker, she needs her own style to be part of her plans or it’s just a Genderbent Joker. In Gotham Knights, the plan is similar to something Joker would do. Harley brainwashing civilians to become reckless, deranged and dangerous on paper is something a Joker would do, but it’s in the execution. If this was the Joker, he would spray laughing gas on a crowd, and the crowd would have deformed Joker smiles on their faces as they went nuts. Harley though, she uses her psychology degree and her own brains to convince people they need to feel safer, and then those pills make people reckless and insane. The way it’s shown too, it kind of implies Harley meant no harm from it, and it was just so she would have fun with a bunch of people like a party I guess. The issue is, these people aren’t in control of themselves and their bravery and lack of fear means they have no issue doing dangerous stunts that will kill them. It’s villainous for sure, but fine with good intentions. She’s not an anti-hero, just a fun villain.

Her design, admittedly isn’t the best, I don’t like the bob she has in her main Harley design BUT I think this is the best casual Harley design. Most of the time a casual Harley outfit is just Harley in a themed outfit that isn’t her costume but is similar, like Harley in a red and black jacket and pants. Sure it’s casual, but when Harley is out in public doing normal things, or just lounging around at home is she going to be wearing a full face of clown makeup and a tactical, high-quality red and black jacket? I doubt it. In this game, I LOVE her casual outfit. It’s just her hair up in her signature pigtails, a white tank top with scribbles all over it, some prison pants and some red and black slippers. Yes there’s elements of Harley, which is good, but it’s not what she would wear whilst fighting the Justice League just like how her jester outfit isn’t what she’d wear whilst binge watching some show on Netflix whilst on her couch. I can tell who it is from the design, and her own personal touches add so much character to her. She’s drawn Batman on her shirt, she’s clearly very crafty as shown from her hideout and makeshift outfit with the torn up sleeves and the scribbles and doodles all over her clothes. I genuinely prefer her casual outfit over her fighting clothes, but it’s just so fitting for her, and I love this Harley sm.

We barely see a late-career Harley Quinn but this is exactly what I imagined and I’m glad with how she came out in this game. Everything about her works so well, and my only complaints are small nitpicks not minor issues. I want more of her and I adore her character.

[lemon-natalia]

Nona the Ninth Reaction - Chapter 16

and there’s another new chapter image, this time some kind of building with a turret. could maybe be the mysterious tower being mentioned in the message?

i’m glad Angel is at least trying to protect the kids in the school from getting involved or hurt, even if she can’t protect them from everything going on as a whole 

also i have such a bad feeling about how this whole broadcast is going to go, especially with how high tensions have been, the RB’s causing even more violence and fear. between this and Camilla not coming to pick Nona up at all, i'm also very concerned for her

is it gonna be John himself giving this broadcast i wonder. very curious as to how Nona would react to seeing him, or if she would recognise him at all

like most of these kids, my favourite animal is also Noodle 

and very concerned for Nona and Hot Sauce planning to go to this broadcast, it really doesn’t seem like its gonna end well

more speculation about the mysterious Angel, who is definitely some form of important figure given she’s being dropped off and has security, that could also mean she’s in some form of custody/under watch like Pyrrha, Cam and Nona are by BoE. and if she’s so important, why is she teaching at a school?

‘Who had taught her that [...] This isn’t the Hokey Pokey’ okayy some very interesting stuff going on here. on one hand the whole thing about going all in seems very like Gideon and Gideon’s tone of voice … but the whole Hokey Pokey thing also sounds kinda like John to me, if Nona is Alecto or somehow connected to her, then that could be something John said in the past?

‘she aged fifteen years, no longer a child among that throng of people’ everything about Hot Sauce just breaks my heart honestly  

okay so the Houses are trying to get the planet to sign some kind of contract. but it being reliant on every single person not violating the conditions is hardly fair or realistic, which may very well be the point 

ok who on earth is this person. their really pale skin made me think Ianthe, but they have brown hair, and the eyes, blue with brown bits are very reminiscent of Lyctors??

IANTHE NABERIUS??? what the fuck is going on genuinely 

‘Her Most Serene Highness, Crown Prince Kiriona Gaia, heir to the First House, the Emperor’s only daughter’ !!!!!! WHAT. what the hell. ok so theres a whole lot of revelations here. the girl with skull facepaint that Nona’s been dreaming of is Gideon. Gideon, or at least her body, is out of BoE custody and has been picked up by the Emperor’s forces. also this is such a small thing to note, but she’s wearing the same type of creepy finger bone crown that John does, which is … disturbing

Gideon just sitting there, saying absolutely nothing is not at all like her. given how HtN ended it is very ambiguous if she’s even alive or not. either this is just straight up her dead body in a Cohort uniform or something is very strange with her rn. cmon this does NOT count as Gideon returning 😭😭

awww Nona trying to help Hot Sauce breathe and be there for her like Camilla does for her, and looking out for her the way Hot Sauce does for the other kids, is so sweet 

on a not so sweet note, Hot Sauce has very much noticed that Nona cut her hand but is still fine, which is not good at all. i don’t know how much she’s realised, but so far Hot Sauce has been very observant, and i feel like its only a matter of time before she figures out there’s something necromantic up with Nona

speaking of Nona’s building, why exactly is is referred to as ‘The Building’ and everyone seems to be wary of it? i’m guessing because it’s somehow controlled by/used by BoE to house people they need to keep track of? 

the driver’s speech cuts off when saying ‘Aim-’ so its ambiguous if they were going to say something else or continue saying her full name … although honestly the only similar character name i can think of right now is Aiglamene? which i highly doubt. and i am also very curious as to who on earth this mysterious driver is 

also Nona has mentioned about her ‘tantrums’ and being on the verge of one a couple of times now in a way that feels very ominous

and oh shit Pyrrha is missing? it could have something to do with whatever sketchy stuff she was doing at the burnings? or possibly the broadcast, its not good that she’s disappeared as soon as House forces show up

[miilkyrolls]

okay fine, Murder at homecoming, YOU WIN

so i finally finished MaH after putting off continuing past chapter 1 since like...february and, i almost used this book as a diamond mine cause i preemptively was like "this looks lame 😒"

... i came, i laughed, i gasped, i yelled, i cried and i left... then i CAME BACK BECAUSE HOLY MOTHER OF REPLAY-ABILITY BATMAN🥲

but no this book hits right where it needed too. I know one of the biggest upsets people have with MaH is A) the villain being guessable and B) not solving Perdita's disappearance and sorta C/ B.2) it being a standalone. and imo for A, that's up to you to feel that way. imo cause choices is a visual form of content, it's kinda hard to have genuinely surprising "twist" villains cause the visuals already clue you into who done-did it unless they pull the twist straight out they ass(i feel this way about movies and shows too. the only way surprises genuinely get me is in books or podcasts, so non visual entertainment)

and B/C, i actually think NOT solving perdita's story AND making it a standalone was actually very mature of PB (first and possibly last time i'll ever say that in this day and age 💀). it's possible they might've made it their next teen drama series if they had the budget. But unfortunately it's honestly realistic. unfortunately a lot of women go missing and rarely do they get found alive and in a short amount of time (esp if you have as a bipoc mc/ perdita). it's an extremely tragic cookie crumble that unfortunately a lot of mysteries in our lives often take us our entire lives to solve and a lot of them we'll never solve in our lifetime. it's a great paradox / parallel to gabbie's death. it took us all of say 4/5 months (cause in the US, most schools go on winter break in late December) to solve with justice being fairly swift, fair, and harsh but unfortunately a lot of victims don't get their day for a long while, if ever. it's a healthy ying and yang of enjoying fictional justice but it being unrealistic with acknowledging the devastation of losing real victims while acknowledging those lost and their unsung stories that we should never completely give up on their days to come. (ofc however, i hc that perdita is still alive and uncovered corruption in the city and knew that making her family deal with legal repercussions would make their lives more difficult and be ostracized by the elites of Beachwood, so she just left and changed her identity. i like to think she did it also cause MC deserved to have a normal teenhood and not be ousted for her actions)

also i love the open and candid conversations around the treatment of queer children, bipoc mistreatment , misogyny, sa and grief. idk why but the ability to choose if you'd experienced homophobia/ transphobia based on your pronouns and who you've romanced, and tyler talking about thinking he was straight before meeting us (i had a masc body) idk why but i like that touch. i feel like PB kinda grazes over the aspect of being queer / trans and the concept of love, coming out, and society acceptance when your same sex romancing/ nonbinary so it's real shocking when they actually..idk address that thing😭. it's nice to have characters acknowledging their sexuality rather then just be automatically playersexual and everyone around them is just immediately accepting/ suddenly bigotry just seems to evaporate for mc's life/ society

also also, WE CAN BE POLY AND LIKE ITS CALLED POLY AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY AND THE LI WE DON'T CHOOSE AREN'T FORCED ONTO US/ GIVEN AS A OPTION

smaller things: i like the heavy usage of sound effects, idk why but i do. i like the flashbacks into mc's and perdita's relationship, the mix of free and paid clues that are non linear, STEVIE (yes she needs her own category)

overall: 9.2/10. i really like this book, it's going on my personal shelf next to the likes of crimes of passion (minus proposal...), Queen B, big sky country, blood bound, immortal desires 1, and with every heartbeat for my good book shelf

[aotopmha]

I have finished Dawntrail!

I will have a spoiler-free post (this one) and a spoiler-y post (probably one of my following ones) of my very general thoughts.

If there's a wish to avoid even this kind of post, then the warning is here.

For spoiler-free impressions, I will say that I did notice a bigger inconsistency in terms of the voice work.

The final boss had straight-up flat delivery that didn't exist in most cutscenes for ALL voice actors.

Everyone is also mostly fine when talking normally, but when yelling or stronger feelings are needed, especially the newest actors feel strangely off.

Wuk sounded absolutely fine and consistent in 6.55, but there were points where she just sounded really flat in the actual expansion.

I'm also in the camp that the credits theme sounded off. The chorus was fine (and the same track was completely fine when used in a couple of other cutscenes), but the main vocalist sounded really off. It took me out of what was otherwise a very solid final stretch of story. And the singer has done some great stuff before!

It's all really odd and I didn't think I would have these complaints ever again after A Realm Reborn because the voice work since then has ranged from good to amazing.

I'm really curious about what's going on behind the scenes.

FF14's vocal tracks have been weak at points to me, but not once have I felt a vocalist sounded absolutely awful.

Otherwise this expansion is up there in terms of the soundtrack, might be my favourite so far. Incredibly strong all the way through aside from the vocalist in this single track.

The graphics update has done wonders to endear me to the world and this will be the first expansion I will absolutely max out the FATEs for perhaps even just this reason alone. It's a miracle how much more strongly you can sell a world with better lighting and just a little bit more object density.

The content itself is also absolutely fantastic - if the story really bores you, I at least recommend skipping through it to do the dungeons and trials and maybe go back for the story via New Game+. The encounter design is refreshing, from a whole bunch of new mechanics to more interesting fodder enemy usage.

The class changes, while feeling relatively minor have felt like really good smoothing out of awkward elements.

I especially feel this with Dragoon, and as much as I miss Plunge, Dark Knight's new ability animations alone go a long way to add to that smoother feel, as well.

i also adore Viper, which I think is my favourite melee out of the ones I've played. Simple, but speedy and satisfying to play.

I will absolutely still remain a DRK main in a general sense, though.

Will be running dungeons to get everyone along all of the game.

Finally, I think the story came together really nicely by the end, with some interesting threads left behind.

It is much more simple than Shadowbringers and Endwalker, but I think it was still effective. As I've said in previous posts, it's just really thematically strong and followed that strength right to the end, even if I have varied opinions on all of the characters.

In terms of immediate impressions, content-wise (dungeons and trials in particular), as far as base expansions go, I'd place it above ARR, Heavensward and probably Endwalker (Endwalker's solo duties rocked and narrative and gameplay integration is still unmatched, but the encounter design itself isn't as distinct).

Story-wise I'd probably place it above A Realm Reborn and Stormblood because it has a similar spirit of exploration with much better pacing within its individual areas. Every time I felt the story started dragging in its own ecosystem, it moved on and the answers by the end were satisfying and made sense while ARR and StB actually didn't have that many mysteries to even think about, so had much less impetus to at least seek those out.

It had no Labyrinthos, Ruby Sea, Moogle quest or Mt. Gulg setup. But it wasn't as complex in terms of character writing as Endwalker, Shadowbringers and to some extent even Heavensward and Stormblood.

Though, as said, this is only speaking in terms of the base expansions, the only comparison I can make. Because the patch content did amazing narrative things for both Heavensward and Stormblood in particular in my eyes.

(I actually have no idea what to expect from the Dawntrail patches. Which is, once more, both super exciting and scary because the threads left behind are pretty much a complete mystery.)

So in a general sense, I'm an early Dawntrail defender. I enjoyed it a lot. It truly felt special as my very first on-content expansion, too.

Now on to the optional dungeons!

(Have heard some great impressons on them!)

[clickoly]

O'Knutzy Week - Day 3

Part III of Starboys, a Cubs Formula One AU

Characters by @lumosinlove, for @oknutzy-week-2024

Prompts: Vacation, Sunglasses

Links to: Part I, Part II, Ao3

Late summer days on the French Riviera 🌊

•••

Why don't we call it love? 

Summer rolled into the second week of September on the French Riviera, and Finn was soaking up the mild Mediterranean heat as much as he could. He woke up to the rising sun every morning to enjoy his runs along the Monaco Promenade, with its calming view of the sea and the addictive salty scent.

On a Thursday morning like that, with no planes to catch and no races to run, Finn came back from the gym craving nothing more than rest. He had just put in a couple of grueling hours of neck training with his teammate, whose company always eased the pain of doing something that felt pretty much like torture. Only, Kasey had acted funny all morning, like he couldn't quite look him in the eye. Maybe Finn was just being paranoid, but when he'd asked if everything was fine and Kasey had put on a weak smile and told him not to worry, it hadn't sounded very convincing.

Finn dropped his gym bag as soon as his feet hit the foyer floor. Home sweet home , he sighed with relief.

AirPods still on full blast, he kicked off his sneakers and ran straight to the kitchen, desperate for something to eat. 

It was the buzz of his phone that quickly distracted him, as a new string of texts popped up on the screen

Croissants on the road

And weekend at my parents

???

Finn automatically hit the call button next to Logan's contact picture. The phone rang once and then an unintelligible mumble made him laugh. "Did you just wake up?"

"Mhm."

"Mhhhm," Finn parroted. "What's the plan?"

"My parents just landed," Logan yawned loudly. "Nolly's there too. She asked about you before I could say hi."

Finn's smile widened. He swayed a little on his feet.

"Pick you up in half an hour?" Logan offered.

Finn didn't so much as hesitate. "Hurry up, I'm hungry."

"D'accord," Logan laughed, then grumbled something else in French that Finn didn't catch and hung up.  

Logan was late, as usual. Finn was so used to his chaotic ways that he had long since accepted his fate and waited patiently for him. He would always wait for Logan, no matter where, no matter how long.

Finn rushed through the front door of the building with only his weekend bag in hand and a light heart. He was so relieved that everything was back to normal.

He thanked the doorman with a friendly smile and a slightly accented bonne journée for the second time that day, before slowing his way down the stairs.

Waiting in the driveway was Logan, leaning against the hood of his brand new Porsche with a playful smirk on his lips. A baker's bag from their favorite boulangerie in town dangled from his wrist.

Logan must have noticed the hint of surprise on Finn's face because his own features softened. Bright green eyes watched him intently as he came closer.

Finn couldn't tell if it was the sun, high in a cloudless sky, or the anticipation for the days ahead, but he suddenly felt a tingling heat all over his body.

Logan seemed different, but at the same time he'd never looked so much like himself. He was wearing a thin linen shirt, he noticed, sheer white, with the first two buttons undone. The silver fleur-de-lis that usually hung around his neck was on full display above the tanned skin of his chest. There was no trace of a hat, just a wild tangle of soft brown curls pushed back untidily under well-worn Ray Bans. Finn had bought a matching pair for the two of them with the first money he'd earned in his Formula 4 days.

Before he could close the distance, Logan silently tossed him a key. Finn caught it on the fly.

"You're kidding," he managed.

Only then did Logan step away from the car. The playfully annoyed roll of eyes was there, but so was the familiar grin that drew wrinkles along the smooth bridge of his nose. Finn couldn't look away when Logan took the bag from his hands.

"Coffee's in the cup holder," he said. "Let's go, they're waiting for us."

"I'm gonna make a quick detour," Finn poked him from the driver's seat.

Logan turned around a bite of his pain au chocolat. "Quoi?"

That made Finn chuckle. The curves of his profile crinkled, and Logan's attention was captured by that single, darker freckle that stood out on the side of Finn's upper lip, just above the delicate bow. Logan traced all his favorite details about Finn over and over. The dark red stubble that covered his cheeks and sharp jawline, all the way down to his strong neck—a week-off feature he had only recently started sporting. And the auburn waves that fell softly over his pale forehead, tousled by the warm breeze from the open windows.

"...is that okay?"

"Hm?"

"I said," Finn exhaled, "I want to buy flowers for your parents."

Logan shot him a look. "Fish, you really don't have to. They're so excited you're coming."

"I know," Finn said casually. "But it's sunflower season. And your mom loves sunflowers. Am I right?"

Logan's heart squeezed. "She does."

"It's just... Un petit cadeau?" The French rolled off his tongue more fluently every day. "To say thank you. You know, for inviting me."

" I invited you," Logan corrected, watching Finn smoothly turn the steering wheel as he guided the car through the roundabout.

A sneering grin curled Finn's lips. "What? You want flowers too?

Logan turned to look outside, muttering under his breath. "Shut up."

   

He waited in the car, parked by the curb outside the florist's window. A majestic arrangement of lavender and dark green foliage draped the length of the arched doorway. It welcomed customers with a pervasive scent that Logan could smell with the window only a few inches open.

Logan's phone rang in the middle of making a last minute music playlist. Surprised, he smiled at the sight of the contact's name. 

"Knutty?"

"Tell me," Leo's tone was teasing. "Why did Sirius decide that I should be the one to remind you of all your responsibilities?"

"Merde," Logan felt a pang of panic. "Please don't tell me you're waiting for me."

Leo snorted a laugh. "I refuse to believe you're that unreliable," he said. "In fact, I'm sure you remember perfectly that you're supposed to be here on Monday , 2pm BST, to test the new side pods. Right?"

"Of course," Logan lied.

"Of course."

"Of course I remember. But thanks, Peanut ."

Leo groaned at the nickname. "Okay, I'm hanging up on you."

"See you soon," Logan chuckled.

Leo's voice came back softer. "Bye, Tremzy." 

Just as the call ended, Finn walked out of the shop carrying a lush bouquet of radiant sunflowers.

Logan had to swallow the sudden thought that he might have actually enjoyed getting flowers from him. And when Finn had sat back next to him, closed the door, and handed him the bouquet to secure for the ride, maybe Logan had pretended it was for him, too.

What he hadn't expected, though, was for Finn to pull a single, long-stemmed red rose out of nowhere. What the soft look on his face meant, he didn't dare ask. Instead, Logan stared at the velvety petals in front of him, at the long fingers confidently holding the stalk.

"Thornless," Finn said quietly. "So you won't get stung."

Logan found he could barely breathe as he took the flower from Finn's gentle hand.

"Thank you, Lo." Finn smiled when their eyes met, and Logan knew he wasn't just talking about the weekend getaway. His careful whisper had him burning in the sparkling fire behind two sweet, chocolatey rare gems.

Finally, Logan found his voice again. "Take the coast." It was a little raspy, so he cleared his throat. "Good view all the way to Nice."

And there it was, the Finn O'Hara smirk. " Sap."

"Fuck you." 

–

A piece of Heaven on Earth, that's how Logan felt about his family house in Nice. It wasn't the soothing landscape, the privacy of the gardens, or the infinity pool that skimmed the horizon. It was about his past, the memories this place was steeped in—of a carefree childhood and a handful of weeks that had left indelible marks on his heart.

Noelle was waiting on the porch, tying her long, dark hair into a messy bun.

"What's that look on your face?" Logan nearly shouted to cover the loud scratching of his footsteps on the gravel. Behind her, he saw his mom sigh theatrically, but the wide grin that swept across her face immediately betrayed her.

It always happened like this, more or less. Logan would make some random comment to break the ice—especially after months of not seeing each other—and then one of his sisters would immediately make him feel like he'd never left, as if they were all just children being spoiled with love under the same cozy roof.

Noelle just stared back.

"Quoi?" Logan laughed, stopping in front of her.

"For me?" She eyed the rose in his hand.

Logan tucked the flower behind his back and shook his head. He flashed her a goofy smile, a panicked attempt to cover up the whirlwind of emotions inside him, as loud and insistent as the rustle of the waves crashing on the rocks in the distance. It was the same tactic he'd used that one time, long ago, when he'd broken her favorite toy by accidentally tripping over it. A painful plea disguised as a childish smirk.

Noelle, of course, knew better. Her eyes immediately landed on Finn, who was offering their mother the sunflowers, then leaning into her embrace. When she turned back to Logan, she blinded him with the sweetest of beams, a warm ray of sunshine on the first day of spring. 

"Une rose rouge?" She murmured. "De ton Rouge?" 

Ever so slightly, Logan nodded. Just a tiny, single nod of his head that could have meant anything. But when Noelle carefully stood on tiptoe to hug him close, he knew he'd given himself away. She could always read him like an open book. 

"I love you, Lolo." 

Logan clung to her. He squeezed her waist between his arms and rested his head in the crook of her neck. "Love you, too," he whispered back. "I was going to say I missed you as well, but that sounds way too mushy." 

Noelle pulled back enough to pinch Logan's cheeks between her fingers, until his lips puckered into a pout. "I missed you too." 

"And me?" Finn chimed in with a silly frown. 

"You? Hm. Let me think..." She tapped her lips with a finger, her gaze wandering upward.

Finn's eyes widened exaggeratedly. "I thought I was your favorite!"

"That's not fair, Bambi," she protested, moving to cup one of Finn's cheeks tenderly. "Who can resist those big doe eyes, huh?" 

Logan smiled to himself. At least I'm not the only one.

He watched Finn melt into his sister's embrace. It was casually familial, and Logan's heart was ready to explode, overwhelmed with joy and something even greater he struggled to name. 

Home, his mind quickly supplied.

"So, am I still your favorite?"

"I mean," Noelle scrunched her nose, pulling away. "I'm the only one here who didn't get flowers, so..."

Finn grinned and cocked his head toward the car. "What about the two bottles of your beloved rosé in my bag?"

"Oh, Harzy," she mirrored his bold smile, "I missed you so much.”