#lantern version of events

[the-monkey-ruler]

We know that Erlang saved his mother and reunited with her. However, in other versions, he fails and his mother dies. At what point did this version of the story become known or what are the first versions where Erlang fails to save her?

Well, it is kinda a complicated answer.

Elang has the famous story of him carrying the mountain and chasing the sun which came around the Song Dynasty around 960-1279. The story actually doesn't start with Erlang saving his mother, until the Ming dynasty 1368 - 1644 that which was connected to saving his mother. It was Erlang Baojuan where it brought up the tale of Erlang Shen splitting the mountain to save his mother, which was connected to the existing tale of Erlang chasing the suns. But in this tale his mother was actually attacked by Sun Wukong and that is why she was under the mountain and in this version, Erlang Shen is the one to put Wukong under a mountain in revenge. This could be where Erlang's mother being injured from being under the mountain comes from.

"Erlang Baojuan" tells a complete story: Yunhua, the mother of Erlang Shen, was pinned down by the monkey pilgrim at the foot of Mount Tai. Erlang Shen received the advice of the Queen Mother and carried the mountain to chase the sun in order to save his mother. He then split the mountain to rescue his mother, but her mother did not wake up. Erlang Shen also collected medicines and made elixirs, and boiled elixirs and holy water for his mother to take. Only then did his mother wake up and mother and son reunited. In order to avenge his mother, he pinned the pilgrim under Mount Tai." -baidu page

So this is more drama in another version, even if it doesn't work chronologically speaking with the Wu Cheng'en's Xiyouji canon but honestly speaking I think that there is just so many versions where Erlang's mother doesn't survive because of the 宝莲灯前传 Lotus Lantern Prequel that slightly changed this story as well. This show has it that Erlang does save his mother in the end, however, the Jade Emperor sends his ten sons to kill her, which they do. Erlang in his anger shoots down nine of the ten suns, connecting to his chasing the suns legend, but is stopped before he can kill them all. So kinda that Erlang killed his cousins to avenge his mother.

I could be wrong and this is also another version that I just cannot find out written anywhere before Lotus Lantern Prequal but if I'm wrong please someone correct me. Otherwise, the best I can say is that Erlang's mother dying is just more of a popular headcanon in the community (similar to Bailong being called Ao Lie) that other directors and producers have taken up on in other pieces of media.

[genshinmp3]

The Sanctification of Tao Dou from Azure Lantern, Jade Inkstone Yang Yang, Dou, Arcangelo Chen, HOYO-MiX

[fogaminghub]

🎉🌌 Travelers Unite! The new year kicks off with Genshin Impact Version 5.3 - Incandescent Ode of Resurrection! Team up with Mavuika and Citlali to tackle the Abyss and celebrate the Lantern Rite with amazing events and new characters! ✨ Are you ready for the journey ahead? Share your thoughts about the latest update!

[groundupcrystalflys]

Genshin Edits

Uh.. do we ever get clean edits of the 2D arts for events? Or did I waste my time editing the UI out of the picture for no reason… please tell me lmao.

There’s a tanned Nilou under the cut, just because these pics feel huge on my end

[astranauticus]

if i ever gain the like... art/character design ability to make fake arknights designs i really wanna draw like. is3 timeline iberia crew alters like... lumen the tidewatcher. irene the last lantern. thorns the wavesplitter. aaauuuugh <- forever insane about is3

[aster-draws]

Hey is there a specific universe that you base the DC off of or is it just your own homebrew version of the universe?

Definitely just homebrew lol. I take the bits I like from all the comics I like and ignore everything else

[sezja]

If you talk to Thaffe after the events of Mount Gulg, he says, "Thancred told us what happened. Are you all right?" and I just........

[aster-go-brrr]

IM SPOSED TO BE ASLEEP BUT WHAT THE FUCK DO U MEAN XINGQIU IS GETTING AN ALTERNATE OUTFIT FOR LANTERN RITE

[daily-nikki]

New Bloom Festival — Lost Cargo

To begin the Lost Cargo quest, you have to have first finished the Echoes of the Past quest line.

Once you've done that, meet Yun on the dock in Florawish by the White Jade. She will send you on your way to look for Lai to ask about information that may be of help to her.

Lai can be found on the White Jade where you started the Echoes of the Past quest line at the beginning of the season.

Lai will talk to you and lead you towards the west of Wishfield. That's where Leisurely Anglers is.

Head back to Yun in order to tell her what you've learned and then you'll be on your way.

Once you've reached Leisurely Anglers, you can find Donald near the store looking out from the dock.

There will be a scene between Donald and Yun. Once it's finished, so is the quest. Congratulations!

Now Wish of Lanterns is available under New Bloom Reunion — Fun Encounters.

[honestcompassion]

may you do a shadow milk cookie version of the yandere headcanons?

𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐒. having strong feelings of romantic love

𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚 yandere shadow milk cookie headcanons

warnings: obsessive and possessive behavior, physical abuse, psychological abuse, stalking, manipulation, brainwashing, implied forced relationship, potentially ooc

A/N: Of course I can! When Shadow Milk Cookie first debuted, I fell in love instantly. There’s just something about theatrical villains, especially the eccentric jester types, that captivates me. One order of yandere Shadow Milk Cookie headcanons, coming right up!

Shadow Milk Cookie as a yandere would be like a dark chocolate truffle—rich, alluring, and just a little bitter beneath the sweetness. His charm wraps around you like velvet, a perfect blend of theatrical flair and quiet intensity that feels as intoxicating as it is unsettling. His love is a shadowed waltz, beautiful and haunting, leaving you unsure whether to be captivated or cautious. It’s the kind of affection that feels like a dream you can’t wake up from—both a sweet escape and a lingering trap. You’ll find yourself drawn into his world of dramatic devotion, but beneath the warmth of his smiles lies a possessive hunger he can’t quite hide.

He thrives on grand, theatrical gestures to express his devotion, leaving you gifts with cryptic yet poetic notes signed with an elegant flourish. These gestures range from elaborate displays of affection—like lighting up a dark field with glowing lanterns in your honor—to eerily personal offerings, such as items he’s "acquired" from your daily life. Every act is calculated to make you feel like you’re at the center of his universe, even as it slowly closes in around you.

He views your relationship as a masterpiece, with himself as the playwright and you as the star. Shadow Milk Cookie meticulously plans each moment to keep you enchanted, ensuring you never have a reason to stray from him. If you ever seem distant, he’ll orchestrate events that pull you back into his embrace, from accidental encounters to dramatic rescues that only he could have staged.

Shadow Milk Cookie takes his role as the playwright of your love story to sinister extremes, orchestrating every detail of your life to align with his vision. His stalking is meticulous; he knows your schedule, preferences, and even your deepest fears. He uses this information not just to keep you under his watchful eye, but also to manipulate your circumstances, ensuring that you rely on him entirely. Whether it’s sabotaging relationships, creating accidents, or isolating you from friends and family, everything he does is designed to sever your ties to the outside world.

Anything proving to be a psychological feat are one of his most insidious tools. Shadow Milk Cookie weaves a narrative that convinces you the world outside is full of dangers and betrayals, leaving him as the only one you can trust. He’ll gaslight you into questioning your own memories and perceptions, using his silver tongue to twist reality into something that serves his control. "Surely, you don't actually believe their words? Ignorance is a sin only a fool can commit, dearest!"

His manipulation extends to planting seeds of doubt and fear in your mind. He’ll isolate you with subtle cruelty, belittling your connections to others or hinting that they harbor ill intentions toward you. At the same time, he showers you with affection, creating a jarring cycle of emotional highs and lows that leaves you dependent on his approval and affection.

Shadow Milk Cookie’s possessiveness becomes physical when his control is threatened. If you attempt to defy or leave him, his charm will shatter, replaced by a terrifying intensity. He won’t hesitate to use force to keep you by his side, gripping your wrist hard enough to leave bruises or blocking your path with an unsettling grin. "This was not part of the script, silly. You should know better than to anger me."

The brainwashing is relentless, as Shadow Milk Cookie works tirelessly to mold your thoughts and feelings to fit his narrative. He’ll whisper sweet lies in your ear, repeating them until they feel like truth. Over time, you’ll find yourself questioning your own desires and autonomy, your sense of self eroding under his constant pressure.

Any attempts to resist the relationship are met with overwhelming force, both emotional and physical. He’ll guilt you into compliance, framing your resistance as a betrayal of his devotion. "I've given you everything, and yet you still pull away. Why would you hurt me like this?" If guilt doesn’t work, his darker side emerges, and he’ll ensure you understand the consequences of disobedience.

Shadow Milk Cookie’s forced relationship is a gilded cage, beautiful on the surface but suffocating beneath. He’ll use every tool at his disposal to keep you trapped, from fabricated crises that require his intervention to veiled threats disguised as declarations of love.

Even as his behavior grows more extreme, Shadow Milk Cookie maintains the facade of a devoted lover, his gestures of affection as grand and theatrical as ever. He genuinely believes his actions are justified, that his obsessive, controlling love is the only way to keep you safe and happy. To him, your relationship is a story of fate and devotion, and he won’t let you rewrite the ending.

The moon hung low in the sky, casting a sickly pale light across the room as Shadow Milk Cookie paced back and forth, his hands tightly gripping the edge of his staff. His usually 'composed' demeanor was shattered, his face twisted with a mixture of rage and disbelief. His eyes, once full of affection, now burned with something darker—a madness that had been building for far too long.

"You insolent fool," he muttered to himself, his voice a low growl. "How dare you? How could you…"

His steps quickened, his once graceful movements that he kept up in front of you for so long becoming erratic as the fury inside him bubbled to the surface. His calloused fingers twitched as he thought about the escape. Your escape. The idea that you, his beloved, could leave him—leave him—was something he couldn’t fathom.

The room around him seemed to shrink, the walls closing in as his mind spiraled. Every crack in the floorboards, every rustle of the curtains, every shift in the shadows—it all felt like a reminder of your betrayal.

"You think you can escape, silly?" he snarled, his voice rising with each word. His normally playful tone had vanished, replaced by a harshness that echoed through the empty room. "You think you can get away from me? From me?"

His hands shook as he slammed his staff against the ground, the sharp crack splitting the silence like thunder. The smile that usually lingered on his lips was gone, replaced by a grimace of pure, unfiltered anger. His heart raced as the image of you slipping away haunted his every thought.

"You silly little pest," he hissed, his words a venomous whisper. "Running from me? After all I’ve done? I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me? You think anyone else could ever love you the way I do?"

He turned toward the window, the glass reflecting his distorted expression—twisted, obsessed, consumed. His breath came in ragged gasps as he gripped the edge of the windowsill, staring out into the night as if willing you to appear in front of him. The world beyond the walls was a blur, a fading memory he couldn’t bear to face.

"You can’t run from me. I won’t let you," he whispered, his voice soft but laced with a chilling promise. He slowly turned back toward the center of the room, the room where he had kept you, the room where you belonged. "You’re mine, and you will stay mine, no matter how many foolish attempts you make."

A low, manic laugh bubbled from his throat, sharp and cold. "Stupid puppet, always trying to run away," he muttered. "I'll break you down if I have to. I’ll remake you. You’ll beg me to stop." He ran a hand through his hair, his eyes wild, pupils dilated. His breathing became erratic as he stood, still trembling, his body humming with an anxious energy.

The thought of you—of you being free—drove him to the edge. Every second that passed without you in his arms felt like a lifetime. He couldn't fathom it. You, slipping away, making your own choices. You, defying him. His chest tightened with panic and rage.

"You’ll never escape me. Never," he snarled. "And when I find you, when I pull you back into my arms, you’ll understand. You’ll thank me for making you stay."

His eyes glazed over as he imagined it—the moment when you finally realized that the only way to feel safe, to feel loved, was in his arms. His arms, where you belonged. He could already feel the rush of relief coursing through him, the sweet, intoxicating satisfaction of having you back under his control.

He turned away, his fingers twitching, a smile finally creeping back onto his lips. It was small, but it was there—twisted, deluded, and soaked in madness.

"I'll have you back. You’ll come to me, silly little thing," he whispered, his voice slipping into a dangerous calm. "And I will make sure you never forget how much I love you."

You're going to wish you never met him after he's done with you.

[raguiras]

Music Weeks at NRC!

A Twisted Wonderland fan event

For a big event, Night Raven College splits into four large music groups, each with their own unique style and aesthetic. Follow the beat of your heart and create something miraculous!

These are just some quick sketches, but I'm pretty happy with them!

SHARING IS SUPER APPRECIATED!!! ♡♡♡

DEADLINE: none :) // My other ongoing event (ship art trades)

ALL INFO BELOW THE CUT!

☆ LORE ☆

RAGU Entertainment, an up-and-rising music company focusing on young talents, has offered Night Raven College a sponsorship and cooperation! The student body is being split into four large music groups, each with their own aesthetic and style. For every song made by the students, Night Raven College is rewarded with both exposure and money in exchange for promoting the company through the students' music. Some of the teens chose their groups themselves, others were assigned to one; some are performers, others work behind the scenes. Additionally, everyone is turning the music weeks into an unofficial battle — who makes the best, most well-received songs?

The NRC faculty members supervise the groups themselves, and Allen, the Ramshackle student known for his lyrical talent, organization skills and passion for music, is in charge of supervising the event's quality while simultaneously also working as the co-leader of his own group.

☆ GROUP INTROS ☆

Hazard/Riff: hip hop/rock fusion // street style aesthetic // leader: Deuce (+ Allen)

PASTEL BXMB!: bubblegum/dance pop fusion // pastel aesthetic // leader: Kalim

GLOWCHAIN: k-pop/EDM fusion //sparkly, mature aesthetic // leader: Vil

lonely lantern: indie/soft pop fusion // light academia/cottagecore // leader: Silver

The descriptions are rather vague so there's more room for you to be creative.

You obviously aren't limited to these pictures and can expand on the aesthetic as long as it's still similar! Draw your OC in whatever clothes you consider to be fitting.

☆ HOW TO PARTICIPATE ☆

Pick one of the four groups for your OC. Which one suits them best?

Use said group's designated background (scroll down in this post to find them) and make a TWST event card for your OC!

Write some voicelines, such as gacha or homescreen ones.

OPTIONAL: Make a GROOVY version portraying your OC in a music video scene (may be posted separately).

OPTIONAL: Include a few fun doodles or outfit-related stuff.

Post it with the hashtag ragu music weeks, tag (@) me so I can see it, and link this post in it!

I will link your OC's card in the official lineup section of this post.

Writing a fic, drawing something other than a card, or just doing anything creative in general is also allowed! You can obviously mix multiple of these things, too.

I'm looking forward to ALL types of entries.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ RULES ☆

No NSFW.

All types of NRC student OCs are allowed (except for fan children/another generation)! Faculty OCs are also allowed, but as supervisors instead of performers.

Your student OCs can be anything: a vocalist, rapper, dancer, instrumentalist, producer, lyricist, makeup artist, stage designer, director, choreographer, whatever! Just don't make them a co-leader without my approval.

You can obviously enter with multiple OCs!

Making cards of canon characters is technically allowed, but the event is supposed to focus on OCs. (I will draw Deuce's OFFICIAL card and maybe also some others.)

There are no canon ships (other than Deuce x Allen, which is only canon/extremely implied because Deuce's planned event lore is heavily dependent on his relationship with Allen), so please don't bash anyone for implying that their OC is dating/crushing on the same canon character as yours.

Don't make your OC beef with other people's OCs unless they've given you permission to do so.

Don't move a canon character into a different group. The official lineups can be found below.

☆ CARD BACKGROUNDS ☆

Hazard/Riff -> PASTEL BXMB! -> GLOWCHAIN -> lonely lantern

☆ OUR LINEUPS ☆

[Your OC will be added here with a link!]

Hazard/Riff (supervised by Vargas)

DEUCE, Allen, EPEL, ACE, LEONA, RUGGIE, FLOYD, Zian, Estella, Iyad, Estelle, Yuhua

PASTEL BXMB! (supervised by Sam)

KALIM, LILIA, IDIA, ORTHO, SEBEK, Carla, Bonbon, Astrid, Romeo, Fiend, Yumi, Yuya, Forsythea, Ben, Ruby, Victor (links will be added once I've regained them... they got removed 😭)

GLOWCHAIN (supervised by Crewel)

VIL, TREY, CATER, AZUL, JAMIL, MALLEUS, Ryuuni, Viviroe, Stephanie, Erin, Kyoi, Aurinelle

lonely lantern (supervised by Trein)

SILVER, JADE, RIDDLE, JACK, ROOK, Jinx, Cass, Yorrana, Illysabeth

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ OUR LEADERS ☆

DEUCE: Having adapted music as an outlet for his delinquent tendencies from Allen and enjoying himself with this form of self-expression, Deuce is the born leader of Hazard/Riff. Not only have his vocals and especially his rap greatly improved by now, but he also writes lyrics together with Allen.

KALIM: Spread joy! Despite it being different from his usual aesthetics, Kalim immediately felt intrigued by the concept of PASTEL BXMB! and knew that this was the group he wanted to join. Through his naturally positive aura and ability to bring people together, he fits them incredibly well, and serves as a vocalist as well as the main dancer.

VIL: GLOWCHAIN has a mature, elegant sparkly aesthetic — it was a no-brainer that Vil would be its leader. The ambitious, talented artist makes sure that the group stands out and draws people in with his preexisting popularity and charisma. He is a vocalist as well as the visual of the group.

SILVER: Being calm, kind and well-liked, Silver is a fitting leader for lonely lanterns, an indie group welcoming to all kinds of personalities and skill levels. With his soothing vocals, good looks and somewhat odd aesthetic, he became the face of the group.

(ALLEN: Being the person who introduced music as a coping mechanism to Deuce, Allen is the co-leader of Hazard/Riff. Not only is he a talented producer and rapper as well as an exceptional lyricist, but he also has a blind understanding with Deuce, and the two spend tons of time together. When it comes to the group, Allen is perfectionistic but enthusiastic.)

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ GROUP FOCUSES ☆

Hazard/Riff: Partial usage of instruments. Focuses on rap, rock vocals, and meaningful lyrics.

PASTEL BXMB!: No usage of instruments. Focuses on positivity, good vibes and dance.

GLOWCHAIN: No usage of instruments. Focuses on aesthetics, elegance and good vocals.

lonely lantern: Partial usage of instruments. Has no focus and is the most open-minded group.

☆ INSPIRATION PLAYLISTS ☆

Hazard/Riff — PASTEL BXMB! — GLOWCHAIN — lonely lantern

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ OTHER EVENT NOTES ☆

You're very much allowed to include my designs, Allen (his profile is linked in the leader section), or the Deuce x Allen ship (they have duo magic too!) in your OC's card's groovy version. No need to ask for my permission!

Interactions between your OC and Allen are very much encouraged! Feel free to mention him in your OC's voicelines, too.

I'll make a card for Allen, and I'll also make Deuce's OFFICIAL card. If the mood strikes me, I'll possibly also draw official cards for some other canon characters.

I'll reblog every entry on my reblog blog and also link all entries in this post!

If this event ends up being well-received, I'll do a second part someday! So far, the idea is that it would be vkei/electro swing/weirdcore/Europop.

All resources were found on and downloaded from Pinterest, then edited. The event art was drawn by me.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment!

[genshinmp3]

Lamplit Entertainment from the Rattan Immortals Web Event HOYO-MiX

[a3therc0r3]

Driving Out Into the Sun

summary: Sylus x reader proposal(or my version of it)

content: sylus x reader, fluff, established relationship, marriage proposal, surprise cameo at the end

word count: 2,871

a/n: hii! sorry for not uploading anything for a while, i had no inspiration and was just kinda in the dumps- i do have an idea for a series that i'm planning to work on but i wanted to get this out first. also please let me know if this is bad, i was zoning out a lot while writing. anyways enjoy! also posted on ao3

When Sylus had proposed a weekend getaway, you’d been somewhat hesitant to comply, wondering what his ulterior motive was. Sylus wasn’t exactly the person to just do things on the fly. He typically plans his events out; it’s you who is the spontaneous one, so obviously you were suspicious when he first suggested it. Though he had quickly waved you off, stating that you had been overworking yourself and needed some relaxation away from Linkon–and more importantly, away from the association. When he’d said it in such a gentle tone, holding your waist as you stood between his legs, looking up at you with those ruby eyes, who were you to say no?

So, he’d whisked you away in his jet to some town a few hours outside of Linkon. When you arrived, the first thing you noticed was the flyers. Dozens of them coated almost every billboard, shop window, and lamppost, all advertising their local lantern festival. Every spring, on a full moon, the entire town would release lanterns into the sky to mark another year their small village had survived. A few locals had explained that it was more about getting people together, and the releasing of the lanterns was a symbol of good luck. As soon as you heard about it, your eyes lit up. You loved lantern festivals; the warm glow of the flames, the handmade goodies people would bring out, the way the lanterns would float like stars that had danced too close to the earth–finding their way back to the night sky, the magic of it all was breathtaking.

When you’d turned to him with bright, pleading eyes, he’d complied immediately–ordering the two of you tickets for the event. Of course, his original protesting of the idea was all for show, though. Both you and he knew that he would do anything for you; he had burned down towns and slayed soldiers for you in your past lives, spent so long searching for you and earning back your trust and adoration in this one, a couple of tickets to a festival was nothing compared to the things he would do to keep you by his side. 

The rest of the day, he had whisked you all around the town; pulling you into personal fittings, sorting through pieces of hand-crafted jewelry to match, laying you down in a salon until you were pampered beyond belief. Any time you’d grown suspicious of his actions, he had leaned down and kissed your cheek with a sly smile, whispering, “Can’t I spoil my pretty love every once in a while?” 

You had smirked and slapped his chest but let him lead you down unfamiliar streets until the two of you were seated on a balcony with a cool breeze blowing through your freshly trimmed hair, stars twinkling above you as a waiter took your dinner orders. 

As he walked away, you tilted your head at Sylus who was looking awfully proud of himself, “What? Got something to say, Mr. Smug?”

He chuckled, “New nickname, sweetie?”

“Don’t change the subject!” You waved a fork at him accusingly, earning another laugh from the man across you.

“I’m just admiring the view.”

You scoffed, “You haven’t even turned your head enough to glance at the ‘view’,” you gestured to the skyline that encircled the restaurant.

  He winked with that signature glint in his eye, “You know as well as I that’s not the view I was talking about.” 

You rolled your eyes and hid the pink tint on your cheeks by placing your chin in your hand, letting out a deep sigh, “I like it here. It’s nice and quiet.”

“You prefer the quiet, kitten?” 

“Sometimes,” you shrugged, “I like being able to hear the birds in the morning and walking down the street without worrying that someone might come and grab me.”

Sylus laughed, “No one could grab you while I’m here, sweetie.”

“Sometimes you’re the one I have to be watching out for,” you joked, “But I do like the city too. It’s nice not having to drive far away whenever I’m craving fast food.”

Sylus nodded, following your gaze out at the town and hills below, “Noted.”

“Huh?”

“What?”

That night, you stayed in a luxury resort that conveniently had all of your bath products at the ready. Sylus had filled up the tub, squeezed in your favorite bubble bath and decorated the water’s surface with rose petals. He led you into the en-suite and helped you slip out of your clothes and into the warm water before following close behind you. He pulled you back into his embrace, his hands moving to massage your neck. You relaxed against his touch, letting your head fall back against his shoulder. 

“Sy?”

“Hm?”

“You’ve been spoiling me an awful lot today.”

He remained silent for a moment, turning his head to breath in your scent before responding, “The whole purpose of this trip is to help you relax, no? I’m simply working to ensure that outcome to the best of my abilities.” 

“Well, you certainly are putting in quite the effort,” you joke, elbowing him in his side. 

“Oh?” He wrapped his arms around your waist, “Would you prefer other methods of relaxation?” 

You giggled at the feeling of his breath against your ear, giving his arm a pinch, “Why do I feel like that wouldn’t be as relaxing as you’re making it out to be?”

Sylus chuckled and responded with a shrug, picking up a loofah. He began lathering up your back, careful not to get your hair wet after its wash earlier in the day. It had taken an immense amount of strength to not doze off in the salon when the woman had massaged your scalp and eased every knot out of your muscles. Now, in the safety of your lover's arms, the warm embrace of the water that was feeling more and more like a freshly dried blanket, your eyes began to flutter shut. You breathed in the comforting scent of lavender candles mixed with a smell that was undeniably Sylus. Something about the mixture of his touch and the low hum of the bathroom fan had the rush of the day rapidly catching up to you. You let your body relax against him as he scrubbed down your arm, letting out a deep sigh for the umpteenth time.

You felt the deep rumble of his laugh, heard him whisper something about always falling asleep against him. You vaguely remember him rinsing the suds from your skin and helping you slip into suspiciously new-looking pajamas. The two of you had cuddled up under the covers, Sylus’ arm curled around your waist, his fingers intertwined with yours. You’d fallen asleep to the sound of his heartbeat, unaware of the plans he had for the following day. 

The majority of Sunday was spent arguing with one another on which lantern design would look best, constantly washing glue from your hands or restarting completely after ripping the paper. After much longer than either of you wanted to admit, the lantern was finished. You had decided on a piece that featured a branch decorated in blooming flowers with a dragon flying in the background; you most likely should have chosen something simpler, but hindsight is twenty-twenty. Still, you were quite satisfied with how it had turned out, admiring it as you scrubbed the remaining dried glue from your fingers. 

“I think we did a great job,” you smiled.

Sylus, who was now reading through a brochure about the festival that had been given to you that morning, nodded with a hum, “I agree, we work well together, sweetie.”

“If only glue would work well with us too,” you sighed, drying your hands off for the third time just to find another patch of glue in the process. You groaned and grabbed another damp paper towel.

Sylus chuckled as he stood and made his way over to you, taking your hands in his and gently wiping them down with a kiss on the knuckles, “Why don’t you go put on that new outfit we got you? We’ll need to be returning our finished lantern if we want it hung up for the festival.” 

You nodded and practically bounced off to the bedroom to get ready. Sylus waited until the door shut behind you to pull out the small velvet box he had stashed in his pocket, flipping it open. Inside sat the ring he had purchased months earlier. He’d been planning this event, waiting until the right moment to mention taking a ‘vacation’. Unbeknownst to you, his heart had been beating extra fast since you had landed—if that was even possible—coming up with clever ways to avoid the real reason he had brought you to this town and making careful movements to ensure you never spotted the box he was holding. 

It was unlike Sylus to be as nervous as he was now. Deep down he knew you’d say yes, he could see the pure admiration in your eyes every time he caught you staring, but there was still a small voice in the back of his mind that told him when he got down on one knee, you would turn around and finally see him as the monster he knew he was. That you’d look at him with those same eyes that had held the cold barrel of a gun against his chest. And because of that voice, his hands shook ever so slightly as he closed the box and put it back into his pocket, following you into the bedroom.

Hours later, when the sky was a dimming shade of blue and the streets were decorated with lanterns that ranged in size and shape. Children ran up and down the asphalt, twirling around their sparklers or stuffing their mouths with sweets. Their parents watched from the benches or behind their respective stalls, calling out every so often when a kid ran a bit too far out of their lines of sight. 

You watched the night unfold from the balcony of your suite, the skirt of your new dress blowing in the gentle breeze. Sylus approached you from behind, wrapping an arm around your waist. 

“What are you thinking about, sweetie?” He cooed in your ear.

You smiled and shook your head slightly, “Just how amazing of a boyfriend I have,” you joked. 

He chuckled and gave your side squeeze, “Ah, now that’s something I can agree with you on.”

You giggled and turned around to face him, “Really though,” you took his face in your hands, “this has been perfect. Thank you.” 

For a moment, something flashed across Sylus’ eyes that can only be described as pure endearment and adoration, before his signature smirk returned, “Well, the night's just begun.” 

Soon, the local fire marshal gave the ‘okay’ for the lanterns to begin being released. Each attendee had been given a new plain lantern specifically to release, separate from the ones made to be decorations. Some people had written wishes on the paper, hoping their prayers would be received as the ink reached the sky. When you’d asked Sylus what he wanted to write on it, he had shaken his head and simply stated, “I have everything I could ever wish for right in front of me.” Your heart had then, naturally, burst. How could he say such things with such nonchalance? And expect you to do the same? Impossible. You’d blushed and hid your face from him with a mumble of a response.

When the sky was glowing from the cluster of flames rising into the stratosphere, you carefully shaped your lantern, making sure it looked perfect. Sylus held out a lighter, setting the fuel cell aflame. You held the edges, feeling the warmth spread to your hands, a comically large grin spreading across your face, given how relaxed all of the other guests seemed. 

“You do the honors,” Sylus said as he stepped back. You assumed he was recording you to remember the moment or make fun of you for the child-like joy you were exuberating. 

You nodded and waited a moment for him to pull out his phone before taking a breath and holding out the lantern in front of you, “Ready? Three, two…” You let go of the edges and watched as it slowly rose away from your grasp and was taken by the sway of the wind. That moment felt like everything you had imagined it to be, just as beautiful and magical as you had expected. Your gaze followed your lantern as it joined the others and was soon lost amongst the sea of luminaries. As each guest released their lanterns, your smile only grew. The scene was straight out of a fairytale; standing in your best attire with the love of your life, under a starry sky, while doing something you had dreamed of since you’d been exposed to Disney movies. 

“It’s so pretty,” you muttered, turning to look at Sylus, “Don’t you-” 

Your words were cut off at the sight before you. Your hardheaded, overly-confident, stupidly charming, and sometimes infuriating boyfriend was down on one knee, holding out an open ring box. Whenever you’d imagined how Sylus would propose, you’d pictured him to have his usual smirk on his face and saying something cocky that would make you roll your eyes, but now all you saw was a genuine smile; the same one that you had grown used to waking up to, the one he wore when he thought you weren’t looking. 

He extended a hand, and you took it immediately. He let out a shaky breath and you're pretty sure he said your name, but you could barely hear him. Your brain was too busy trying to convince itself that this was really happening. The way his eyes glimmered with the reflection of the lanterns behind you had you using all of your strength not to collapse onto the floor alongside him.

“You know I’m not the best at heartfelt speeches, so forgive me if I sound corny, I’ll try to keep it short,” he took another deep breath, “You have brought so much joy and love into my life that I didn’t know could exist before I met you. You’re fully aware of everything I’ve done—all of the blood on my hands—and yet you still smile at me every morning. You still hold my blood-soaked hands and kiss every wound I receive. You should know by now that I will do absolutely anything for you; I would impale myself on your blade if it meant saving you.”

Great, now you were crying.

“You are half of my soul, I love you more than life itself. I want to wake up and fall asleep to your face every day, I want to have a family and grow old with you,” Sylus squeezed your hand lightly, “Would you do me the utmost honor of marrying me?”

You had a hand covering your mouth in an attempt to suppress the gleeful sobs escaping your lips as you nodded. You tried desperately to keep your hand steady, falling immediately into his arms the moment the ring was on your finger. “I love you so much, Sylus,” you whispered.

When you finally pulled back from your hug, you could see tears of his own falling down his cheeks as he finally kissed you. Everything clicked in your head that moment, that he had planned this entire trip just to make it the perfect proposal, and you smiled against his lips. 

Little did he know that in your bag, sat the ring you had picked out, ready to take matters into your own hands if he hadn’t asked you in the next few months. You figured you’d save it for the wedding, mentally checking it off of the to-do list that was forming in your mind.  

As for Sylus, he was in pure bliss. Kissing his now fiance under a fading glow of the lanterns that carried their wishes off to another land, his already having been fulfilled. He truly had everything he could ever ask for; everything he couldn’t have all those years ago when he wore a different skin. Sylus would never fully forgive himself for that but he was doing everything in his power to make it up to you, and even if you’d forgotten the fiend, he knew you’d forgive him–even if he couldn’t. And that was enough. 

bonus:

Snickering and multiple camera clicks interrupted the moment, drawing your attention away from the man in your arms. You leaned over the balcony to find the shit-eating grins of Luke, Kieran, Tara, and Zayne looking back up at you. You rolled your eyes and turned back to Sylus, who simply shrugged, his smirk returning as per usual. 

“Are you two going to stop making out so we can celebrate?” Luke called, a tad too loud given the disapproving glances of nearby families. 

“Yeah, yeah, we’re coming,” you waved a hand in dismissal.

“No, that’s what we’re trying to prevent!”

“Luke!”

You heard him snicker and groaned, standing with Sylus and making your way to the stairs. Tonight was certainly going to be memorable. 

a/n: thank you for reading!!

[milksnake-tea]

(hi 🪼 i don't have a good sense of time so if this is way too late please feel free to bat this ask out the window)

can i ask for a nanook w/ prompt n. 5? (romantic) feel free to twist it however you want!!

❀ ˎˊ- prompts: They get caught staring at you. ❀ ˎˊ- 1k followers event ❀ ˎˊ- character: nanook ❀ ˎˊ- warnings: none ❀ ˎˊ- a/n: I'M ASSUMING U MEANT FLUFF SO THATS WHAT IM GOING W BC ITS CUTE !!! imma be honest im really bad at ending stuff so im not too happy w the ending here, but i hope u liked this !!

For such a violent Aeon, Nanook was a quiet soul.

Many of your conversations were one-sided, with you rambling about your day while Nanook merely listened and observed, occasionally playing with your hair or poking at you - much like a cat, you'd often say. Whenever you mentioned that to them, they'd only respond with a comforting rumbling of their chest, which was their version of a chuckle.

You laid on your side in their large palm, the Aeon currently occupied with other matters - most likely implanting another Stellaron in some unfortunate planet. Rings of molten gold glowed above you, some of that glowing liquid dripping down in waterfalls of melted metal. But you paid no matter to that.

Instead, you focused on tracing lines on the Aeon's palm, fascinated with the folds and scars that spanned over their dark skin. Beneath those thin stretches of skin glowed the golden blood of Nanook, much like a lantern. When you pressed your ear against them, you could briefly feel a pulsing beat against your head - Nanook's heartbeat.

You hummed to yourself, a sweet melody drifting through the endless void. When Nanook was busy, it was in your best interest to keep quiet. Any distractions, and Nanook might accidentally kill you instead of a planet (it's happened before).

It took a few moments of pure silence before you noticed a pair of eyes trained on your body. Knowing that there was only one other person in this space, you rolled over to meet Nanook's gaze.

You couldn't see the entirety of Nanook's body from where you were, but you didn't mind. The honey-like amber of Nanook's eyes was enough to enrapture you - no matter how many times you saw it, you were fascinated by their beauty each time.

The Aeon rested their head on one of their hands, leaning into their palm as they watched you - a hint of fondness making its way onto their expression.

You smiled cheekily up at the Aeon whose name sparked fear into the hearts of countless.

"Enjoying the view?" you teased. Nanook raised a brow.

"And if I am?" they mused. Their voice was low, yet unbelievably loud. It rumbled throughout the galaxy, both soothing and overwhelming to your ears.

Rather than replying, you sat up and beckoned towards them, making grabbing motions with your hands. Obliging, Nanook lifted you to their face so that you could touch them.

Their skin was warm like a fireplace under your skin. Nanook's eyes fluttered closed as you kissed their nose and nuzzled against them. A smile flickered onto their lips, but it was gone as fast as it had come.

"You know," you hummed, "for an Aeon of Destruction, you're awfully gentle."

"Only for you."

You chuckled, pressing your forehead to theirs as they tilted their head down. "Quite adorable too."

You didn't see it, but you knew Nanook was rolling their eyes at you. But you didn't really care. All that mattered right now was this moment, a silent yet intimate night among the cosmos.

reblogs w comments are appreciated !!

[alltimefail]

Why doesn't Edwin call Charles, "Charlie?"

I shared the isolated audio of Charles' death scene where his "friends" taunted him as they killed him, and in that video, they called him "Charlie." This confirmed what many people in fandom already believed: Charles, a sporty teenage boy in the 80s, would not have gone by his proper first name and likely went by a nickname/shortened version of his name instead.

Now that we know that to be true, it does beg the question: why does Edwin call him Charles? I told you all not to get me started on this in the tags, but you stinkers want me to yap, so let's get into it! 😜

This is a very uninteresting answer, but I think Edwin does not call Charles "Charlie" simply because Charles did not introduce himself as such. Had he introduced himself as Charlie, I don't think Edwin would call him anything else.

This actually brings us to the "meat" of this analysis, and the more important question we need to ask: why would Charles choose not to introduce himself as "Charlie" if that's what people seemed to call him?

I have a couple of theories:

The first one: when Charles meets Edwin he's in a fragile state. A boy he's never seen in all his time at school approaches him, seeming to come out of thin air, just to bring him a lantern without any strings attached (even though Charles cannot give him anything in return). Charles has never experienced that kind of unconditional kindness in his life, and I'm sure that alone was enough to be a bit earth-shaking, mind-scrambling, and intimidating.

But it doesn't end there! The boy who brings the lantern is also claiming to be dead. Delerium/hallucinations are a common symptom of hypothermia so Charles could have though that Edwin was not real or was maybe even some kind of angel-like figure coming to keep him company in his final moments. I mean, the boy's wearing a dated school uniform, enters in a halo glow of golden light, and can walk through walls...it's not the wildest conclusion to jump to.

I think either of thos things individually or a combination of having your guard up, being a bit frazzled from the whole "dying" thing, and believing you're in the presence of an ethereal deity (combined with the fact that you're a people pleaser at your core) is enough to feel compelled to introduce yourself not in formal manner. Not to mention if Edwin introduced himself first, hand outstretched in a formal matter and proper posh accent on full display (something I can totally see him doing), Charles might have felt a bit silly calling himself by such a casual title.

While I think all of this can be varying degrees of true, however, my biggest personal headcanon is that Charles might not have introduced himself as Charlie because who's to say he LIKED that nickname? My circumstances were similar to Charles' growing up, I also had many nicknames from friends and family that I didn't ask for but was given anyway against my will... and I always hated it. Still cringe at some of them to this day, actually! So I think it's possible that Charlie Rowland met Edwin Payne, with all his formal stature and proper professional-sounding name, and took the opportunity to choose what he'd like to go by, without the influence of family or friends. In that way, his chosen identity that would kick off the rest of his existence moving forward (unknown to him at the moment, but true from a narrative standpoint nonetheless) serves as a "Taking your power back" moment for Charles who literally just heard the name "Charlie" being hurled at him as he begged for mercy from people who were supposed to be his friends. Even if he tolerated the nickname "Charlie" before, it certainly wouldn't have fond associations following the event that ended his life (if it had any positive associations to begin with).

Again, speaking from experience, Charlie also sounds like the kind of nickname that could be sugar-sweet on some tongues, innocent even, (his mother cooing over a young Charles), but terrifying from an abusive figure... a scathing kind of mockery. I've always imagined that Charles' dad more than likely called him Charlie, for example, and not in a fond, loving way (in the same way his so-called "friends" were not doing so in a loving way).

So yeah, why would Charles WANT to go by Charlie?

Now that we've established that, we can go back to Edwin...what you came here for!

All that in mind, I still don't see Edwin as the nickname type at all. From a romance standpoint I could maybe see him using a few dated, sappy endearments, but we don't ever hear him use a casual name toward anyone. In his lifetime Charlie would have been a perfectly normal name, but the kind of "fond" nicknaming practices and casual male friendships that happened in 1989 were not common practices in 1916, the Edwardian era. Even with his infinite fondness of Charles, I could never see Edwin uttering "Charlie." It doesn't feel right.

Plus, let's be honest: Edwin says Charles' name with enough love and reverence that he doesn't need to use an endearment. His tone says it all (lol).

Beyond that though, like I said above, I can't see Edwin feeling to impulse to call him "Charlie" because that's not how Charles introduced himself. Edwin strikes me as the kind of person that would be like, "If he wanted to be called Charlie, he surely would have said as much" and left it at that. But a name like Charlie also conveys a sort of youthfulness, and while he and Charles are 16 forever, technically, they have been detached from their lives for a long time and they're MUCH older than 16 in experience and in their professional life.

The only question I was left with, and one I've seen several people ponder, is why Charles would suggest they call The Night Nurse Charlie, (like from Charlie's Angels), as it seems a bit strange if his own name is Charlie/he went by Charlie. My answer/interpretation isn't that exciting, but it's one I feel makes the most sense: I honestly think this can easily be explained away by the fact that Charles is so far removed from that identity and so dissociated from his life that he no longer associates the name "Charlie" with himself in any way. Like it literally didn't even occur to him, in that moment, that Charlie/Charles are so similar because he has built a barrier in his mind between himself and that nickname; they're two entirely different identifiers to him. Whether that be a coping mechanism, or simply just something he wasn't thinking so deeply about (it has been 30 years since anyone called him that, except for Brad and Hunter in Port Townsend), we can't say for sure. However, it's clear Charles does not want to go by Charlie, and at least now we can safely assume why.

Let me know your thoughts! Do you agree with my interpretation? Do you have your own opinion that I didn't cover? Feel free to share with me!

Keep streaming Dead Boy Detectives & screaming about it ! Hugs to each and every one of you! 💜

[genshin-impact-updates]

"May Fortune Find You: Spring's Premonition" Event: Log in to Claim Primogems ×1,600, Intertwined Fate ×10, and Other Rewards

It's that time of the year again! This year's Lantern Rite is sure to be super lively. Hehe, Paimon's so excited!

Ahem! Then let Paimon be the one to say it:

Traveler, how about we take a trip back to Liyue Harbor together? Who knows, we might just stumble upon something wonderful~

During the event, the "Fortune's Coming - Daily Login Event" and "'Old Memories, New Beginnings' - Lantern Rite Gifts" will be available.

The rewards include: Primogems ×1,600, Intertwined Fate ×10, Crown of Insight, Sanctifying Elixir, etc.

〓Fortune's Coming - Daily Login Event〓

Event Duration: 2025/01/22 04:00 – 2025/02/11 14:59

Eligibility: Adventure Rank 5 or above

〓"Old Memories, New Beginnings" - Lantern Rite Gifts〓

Event Duration: 2025/02/01 00:00 until the end of Version 5.3

Eligibility: Adventure Rank 2 or above

Event Details: Each mail can be collected until the end of the "'Old Memories, New Beginnings' - Lantern Rite Gifts" event. The mail will expire after 30 days, so don't forget to claim the rewards in time.