#lief don't look

[ghostietea]

I'd have 3 nickels

[wickedcriminal]

We're going on a quest 🎶

To find seven shiny gems🎶

Traipsing through the laaaand🎶

Shiny waistbaaand🎶

[ask-team-misfit]

(@lightofunova): A flurry of brilliant white flames comes into your vision, swirling together until they form a sparkling scroll on old parchment. Unraveling it reveals old text stamped with flowers at the bottom of the letter. Though it seems almost impossible to read, the text begins to shift and translate itself for you!

“Dearest guest,

You are cordially invited to a night of fun and games at Lady Reshi’s request. Should you wish to attend please come to my tower and bring your finest sleepwear. We will have plenty of entertainment, food, and more for you to indulge yourself in. I eagerly await your arrival.

Reshiram”

[ @lightofunova ]

Lief: "What's this?"

He took hold of the parchment in both paws, staring with bewilderment. He skim read it at first, only to pause at reading the words "cordially invited."

Lief: "What? Yeah, right."

He blew it off before even bothering to read the rest. Or really read it at all.

[ ID: A grayscale bust drawing of Lief slightly angled away from the viewer towards the left. He appears dismissive, glancing away towards the right with very narrow eyes. He's visibly flushed all over his face, with the blush shown in color. Lief's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Lief: "Me? Invited to something? Please. When Spoinks fly."

That said, he found himself looking at the invitation again after some moments. Then rereading it with interest.

Then rereading it multiple times, his tail slowly beginning to wag.

Lief: "Then again..."

[ Looks like he's considering attending. ]

[chutiyaaa]

I gagged in front of a patient today 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭 😭

[myladysapphire]

His Sapphire Princess (IX)

After the night in the brothel Rhaenyra is married to Laenor Velayron to protect the birth of her child. who in the years to follow is the only one of Rhaenyra's children that is believed to be his, she is loved by all in the red keep, even queen Alicent adores the girl, so when Rhaenyra proposes a marriage between Aemond and Rhaenyra's daughter Visenya, Alicent happily agrees.

The children having been best friends in their youths are more than happy to be wed but when the incident at drift mark occurs things change, will it be for better or worse?

word count: 2,455

CW: angst? some fluff (like they reunite and don't hate each other and decide to start over), tensions, refrences of past SA, not proofread!

Fem!oc x Aemond Targeryen

Masterlist | series masterlist | previous part | next part

disclaimer:  i do not own any of claim any of the A song of ice and  fire characters, all rights belong to GRR MARTIN, all characters are his except for my OC

a/n i hate this, but it's kind of a filler chapter anyway

Aemond

Aemond had been both eager and nervous for her return.

Though counting down the days, planning on how he would greet you, he also was scared.

He know she felt ignored by him, betrayed by how he had just stopped replying to her letters. Ignored her name days, ignored her completely.

But that was not entirely true.  He had wanted so badly to reply, writing letter upon letter, though some were just mindless scribbles. But not once did he find he wrote a letter worthy of her, worthy of the emotions he felt. He needed space and he had shown he needed it in the worse possible way.

He had hated how he knew some version of her, a guarded version. Her letters expressing less and less, over time just mere updates of her life before stopping altogether. And he hated that the version she knew of him was the scared little boy he had tried so hard to get ride of.

The version of Aemond he had gotten ride of, in all ways but with her. He wanted to be the old Aemond with her, but hated that he did. It was why he needed the space, the time to heal, the time to become the man he is today.

But as he stood in the training yard, staring at her as she talked to him, so ddiffernt, so cold.

He knew he made a mistake.

She was so different, she had changed, and not just her personality.

But her looks also. Gods she was the most stunning and beautiful woman he had ever seen, he had always thought it impossible for her to become more beautiful.

But her beauty was clouded by the look in her eyes, the anger, the hurt and the loneliness.

She looked so alone, even as she walked out the courtyard with her brothers, laughing. She same old melodic laugh that could capture a room. The loneliness ceased slightly when he looked into them, as if she was finally being seen.

He understood. There eyes always talked to each other, expressing their true emotions, it why he knew his eyes mirrored hers, but they also showed another emotion, regret.

Regret for reading your letters time and time again, annotating them as if they were quotes from his favourite novel. Regret from the stack of unsent letters he kept in his bedside draw.

Each filled with his thoughts. Most mindless scribbles, unfished letters ending with angry scribbled out words as words escaped him, as  fear filled him.

He had tried to write of the events in his life even detailing his fights with Ser Criston, his rides with Vaghar, the books he read. And yet he could never send them, fear of her seeing his liefe and not understanding why he needed the space, or fear that he would see the darkest parts of his mind grew as the years went on. The sweet kind boy she had once new fading, and a cruel, vengeful man taking his place.  

He had once longed to be a protector, her sworn sword, doing good in her name. now…now he revelled in fear. He loved how the woman would run at the sight of his sapphire eye, a sight he knew deep down she never would. He revelled in revenge, revenge by going to the brothel, the place of his hurt, and burning it.

It was ruthless, but the second he had done it, he felt free, healed.

And yet fear still gripped at him, fear of wheat you know thought of him.

Fear that she would not accept the new him, but as he had started at you he felt like the old sweet Aemond was still in there somewhere, but only for her, his Sapphire.

Watching her sway away he knew he had limited time, this week was the first week of their official courtship, but the week after they would begin the moon long celebrations for their wedding.

Celebrations were they would spend day after day, hour after hour together being the perfect couple.

And he didn’t want it to be an act.

He had returned to his rooms, opening his bedside draw, but instead of reaching for her letter he reached for his own, and realised what he wanted to do.

He waited, two days. Two days of agony.

He had somehow hoped those two days he would be able to approach her, talk to her. But now, all he could was watch her. Watch her spend day after day in someone else’s company

Whether it was one of the tens of ladies begging for her favour and chance at becoming her lady, or her brother Jace, or even Aegon.

Gods he had forgotten about Aegon’s obsession with her. He knew they wrote, Aegon often bragging about it. With Aegon telling him about her, their little jokes, their shared secrets.

Not that he was jealous, no. He was not jealous of how Aegon seemed to act as if they were betrothed to each other. For two days they seemed to walk everywhere together, sit with each other at dinners. Though her eyes were often searching for Aemond’s, Aegon’s eyes were always firmly planted on her. And whenever she wasn’t with him, he was like a lost pup, waiting for her to appear.

Those two days, though never alone they often found the other staring, their mouths would being to form words that they were never able to form. And so he finally built up the courage and sent her his letters.

Visenya

When she had received Aemond’s letters she did not know what to expect.

They had appeared on her dresser, all 112 of them. Though some were scrapes of paper with random thoughts scribbled across them. One just one word repeated, 110 times.

Her name written, again and again, in the same neat, perfect handwriting Aemond had always had.

She then realised what this was, an apology.

She found the first letter he wrote that was left unsent, and she felt her heart break.

Dearest Visenya,

I am so sorry, I can not say why it has taken so long for me to only now reply.

Prepahs it was the guilt.

I never should of come to Winterfell, You had been kind and sweet, but I fear your kindness is unwarranted. I do not desire pity, I regret coming that night, I regret allowing you to see me so weak and scared. My whole life I have sworn to be your protector, your sword. And that night as I cried in your arms I felt like a small child, I felt smaller than when I did when Lucerys tore out my eye. And I hated it.

I have tried to look past it, look at it in away where I do not come across a whiny little boy and I am nothing but ashamed.

I had hoped to write you, bragging of my successes and yet all I can do I wallow In self pity at how I acted that night.

It matters not that I bested ser Criston for the first time, or how often I ride Vaghar.

For all I can think about it the look of pity you gave me.I do not need nor want your pity, my sapphire.

You gave me a place to stay and a place to cry, but I shall make it clear to you that the Aemond you saw that night is long gone. And shall never return. He can never return, not for you not for anyone.

So sweet, I shall not answer your request to come to Winterfell, I need the space, the time and so do you.

I fear distance is what we need, though we may hate it, I need to become Prince Aemond, and not just scared little Aemond, the boy who lost is eye, the boy who cried in your arms.

Yours, whether I say it or not,

Aemond

Dearest Visneya,

It has been near six moons since I last wrote you, and you are writing less and less.

I have been cruel, I know. I have ignored you in the favour of bettering myself.

I do not deserve you, or your kindness even still.            

You seem to be doing well, a fact I envy not too see. But I myself am not.

I miss you more and more each day, I find myself looking for you ate very turn. And yet it has been over a year since you were at the red keep.

So much has changed, Aegon and Heleana are to wed soon, I have started training with a real sword.

I no longer wake in sweats from that night.

So much has changed and yet I have so little words to say, I hate it!

I used to have all the words in the world for you, never once fearing how you viewed me. For I knew how you viewed me then.

And now I fear you will judge me.

Hate me.

Resent me.

I fear I have become a stranger, and yet I have a dozen unsent letters all addressed to you, read and read time and time again your own.

I know you, and I fear you.

Fear your opinion of me, how you view me.

I fear-      

Most of his letters just ended, frustration finding him far to quickly, some were just mindless words and phrases.

Visenya,

I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you  I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you I miss you .

Some were hateful, words said in anger, at how she still cared.

Dear Visenya,

Stop writing me.

How long must I ignore you to realise I want not to know you as we once did.

How am I to become the man you desire we spend all our time writing each other, stuck in our silly little heads!

Then gossip filled the red keep, gossip that Cregan had asked for your hand.

Visneya,

please, my sapphire, I beg of you do not marry him!

Your mother bids it but I do not!

Please.

And then her letters had stopped and he left once last letter to her.

Visneya,

Please, don’t stop writing me!

I know I have not been a friend to you but a stranger but without your letters the world has stopped.

I now I am a hypocrite, a hypocrite who cannot find the words. Who never has been able to speak his feelings, but show them.

I know not of a gesture to prove I want you till, I crave you and I need you.

but please, I cannot live without you, knowing you, please.

Please!

forever your Aemond.

Gods, she thought, he had to been hurt. Though not by her, and she had resented him for it. Resented how he had opened up to her, and then abandoned her ignored her for so long.

She knew it was hard for, he was never one for words. Gestures yes, but words? They always frustrated him, he could never formulate his feelings and yet this, the scribbled erratic thoughts and letters, unedited and rushed. They showed so much but also so little.

She has spent the whole day reading those letters, seeing no one bar her maid delivering her meals. And had it not been for her mother coming to grab her for dinner, demanding her presence, she would have sat on her thoughts all day and night.

But as she was sat next to Aemond she realised she would have less time to think on what Aemond’s gesture meant and what it meant for them.

“Aemond” she greeted, flipping her hair to the side as she sat.

“Senya” he greeted in response, eyes firmly on her.

 She squirmed in her seat, unsure on where to start. “Senya” he said again, capturing her attention, as they made eye contact some tension left her body.

“why?” she asked, its all she could think of, why?

He coughed awkwardly, clearly not expecting this conversation now, “I was never one for words, Visneya. But gestures, have always been something I excel at.” He moved his head closer to her, their conversation too private for prying eyes. “ I never should have ignored you, I know realise, it hurt us both, more than I ever thought” he shifted in his seat “seeing the look in your eyes when you arrived and realising I had made a mistake”

She nodded, urging him on, as she began to plate up her food.

“I focused solely on myself, I was selfish, but I won’t lie to you, my sapphire”

My sapphire, she liked that.

“I have become selfish and cruel, I have become a man who craves fear, but not from you, never from you”

“then what do you want from me?” she asked softly, before nervously looking to make sure no one else was listening to their conversation. “you did not want companionship from me, you ignored me for years on end, and yet by the end of the moon we will be wed!” she took a breath “if you have truly become selfish, and cruel, how do I know that it is for your betterment? And how will I know that you wont ever make me fear you?”

“because I became that person, so that I never have to feel fear again, feel the fear I felt at Driftmark, at that… at that brothel” she sighed, taking her hand in his “ I want to be your protector, it is all I have ever wanted, and how could I become that if I remained that scared, naïve little boy?”

Everything he was saying was true, but it also made her realize she did not know him anymore.

She breathed in “perhaps we should start over? Get to know one another again?”

He nodded, “I would like that”

next part

Taglist

@cathy1514@iiamthehybrid@melllinaa@aleemendoza2425-blog@cassandra1995-blog1@deltamoon666@aelora-a@ryiana@isa-beenme@unique7676@adriennepoison@idontknow12346hello@taragryenmoony@blossomedflowerofluv @violet-potter @flrboyd @theanxietyqueen17 @zillahvathek @dark-night-sky-99 @apollonshootafar @leavesmealobe @deeeeexx @winter-soldier-101 @bunbunblogsblog

to be added to Taglist

[brights-place]

I just took a look at your random list and MY INNER DEMONS??

That's so super crazy who would request that hahaha..

so uhh you got any chance of writing for asch??

Yk for a friend

Prince Asch dating headcannons

Pairings: Asch X Reader

Warnings: Fluff, Cursing

A/N: Asch dating headcannons YIPPEEE! Finally someone requested M.I.D which is fun to write since Asch in art is AWOOGA! But he isn’t my favourite nehehehe…

- Okay Asch has anger issues and what’s even more annoying is how he was suppose to be choosing an future partner for him - He stood infront of all the people that were chosen and each one appearing he grew more aggravated it was useless to have an partner with this magic crisis going on

- If you were human and he arrived to earth with his knights it would be this whole thing - Asch wouldn’t notice first about how he feels about you… It may seem like how he felt with Ava just for a moment then he saw you

- He had his breath taken away and he couldn’t help but be pulled in

- You were more obedient yes but yet you had this spark that made him question himself - Rhys noticed this and was quite confused and so was Rhys both agreeing that you may have casted an spell... but you didn't cast one that's the thing you just existed - Asch's personality is demanding, rude, and harsh. He likes to do everything his way. Most of the time he acts tough and has an interest in intimidating people... but with you he has an soft side which made him feel weak and pissed him off - Though when you told him he could have an weak side he was confused yet calm not wanting to be pissed off - He has his ups and downs so it's hard for him yet you try help him the best you could. - He burnt you by accident once and he panicked checking your burn... he showed weakness and he grew even more annoyed at himself - He would 'Command' you to or allow himself to just wrap his arms around your waist - Asch command you to stay beside his side which was confusing to you but you stood beside him - Asch was waving dismissively to his knights who stared at you with absolute confusion as Asch threatened their heads if they questioned him - One day you asked him if he ever felt love - He didn't know what to say and told you how daemos call it weak and you couldn't help but feel pity for him and all other daemos - One day he asked to court you... you were confused but when the other Daemos gasped the explained it was well... even more confusing till Ava was laughing and told you Asch wanted to date you - You took an page out of Ava's book and fainted - Asch would court you doing grand gestures as you stare at him with confusion - I have been convince asch would have Asthma! - Asch should has asthma because of his fire's smoke because he uses his fire very often !! - He holds your hand and looks away as you stare confusingly at him while he tells you not to question him - He does dumb things to impress you which always works - You kissing him on the cheek makes him blush - One time you accidentally touched his horns out of pure curiosity and he froze blushing telling you not to do that - Another time of you being very questionable and weird was when you slept in his room the next day he see’s you trying to sneak away with his red cape… - He chased you around as you screamed for help - Pierce had protected you as Lief join in with Asch to chase you down out of pure entertainment - Random kisses secretly and gets pretty jealous easily

- Even if your Human and He is daemos he will try his best…. - He holds you close and tries hard not to let them wise you as a magic source… he had grown fond of you and won’t let others try to take you from his grasps.

reblogs + comments are appreciated ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡

©brights-place 2023 — do not repost on another platform, copy, translate or edit my works! if you fit my DNI list please don't interact

[fraugwinska]

This is a prologue to 'Game Night' (about 80 years before) enjoy! TW: murder, gore, mentions of war, mentions of SA Minors DNI!

Getting called into you Boss's office was bad. But getting called into you boss's Boss office was even worse.

When Archie staggered over to you, almost tripping over his storck legs, he looked almost panicked. "I don't know what you did, but Zestial wants to talk to you. What the fuck did you do?!"

You didn't react. You kept on typing the end of the article you were currently writing, ignoring the worried stare from the other employees that were working on the same floor. Zestial was one of the overlords in hell and the owner of the newspaper agency you were working at, an extremely tall, thin and ancient demon that exuded a machiavellian charm, enticing yet dangerous. You had no idea why he would want to talk to you. You didn't remember doing anything wrong, or at least, nothing worth that would him getting personally involved.

When you finished the last sentence, you stood up and walked past Archie, who was still waiting nervously for an answer, his gaze fixated on you, a mixture of curiosity and horror on his face.

"Hey, aren't you even a little bit worried?", he called after you. You shrugged, and smiled.

"And what good will that do? If I'm in trouble, I can't change it now, can I?"

You walked through the hallway and knocked at the big, dark mahogany door. A deep, sonoric voice called out to you, and you opened the door. Zestial was sitting at his desk, his slender fingers intertwined on the tabletop, next to a steaming cup of tea.

"Ah, my dear. I wast awaiting thee. Cometh in and sitteth down."

"You wanted to see me, Sir?"

Zestial nodded, and smiled, gesturing at the chair in front of him.

"Ah, yes. Thy work has been quite outstanding for a while, mine lief. Thou hast impressed me greatly. Therefore, I have an offer."

Your smile widened, a little out of nervousness, but more out of curiosity. A job offer was the last thing you had expected from this meeting, based on Archibald's behavior and the fearsome looks of your coworkers. Zestial pushed the delicate cup in your direction.

"Drink, it'st not poisoned. It'st my own recipe."

"Thank you, sir."

You took the cup, careful not to spill the hot liquid, and sipped at it. The tea tasted unusual but delightful, earthy and tart and a little bitter. You couldn't quite identify the ingredients, but they had to be rare and expensive.

"A lovely blend, thank you."

"Thou art most welcome. So, my offer: One of mine aquaintances, Miss Rosie in Cannibal Town, hosts a party this evening. Sadly i wilt not beest able to attend... So i'd like for thee to go in mine stead."

Your eyebrows shot up. Not a job offer. This was a surprise, indeed. You had heard of Rosie and her own peculiar district. She was an overlord too, but in contrast to her peers she didn't show any desire to expand her territory, focusing instead on improving Cannibal Town as a community.

"I would be honored, Sir. What's the occasion for the party, if I may ask?"

"Ah, no occasion, really. Miss Rosie is just the kind to host parties whenever the fancy takes her. She'st a very charming woman, I am certain thou wilt enjoy thyself."

Zestial stood up and walked over to you, putting a hand on your shoulder and smiling down at you, a genuine smile, that even reached his four green eyes. You smiled back, and set down the cup. It was apparent that your work somehow got you in good grace with Zestial, and you would've been a fool not to seize the day.

"Thank you very much for the opportunity, sir. I shall be sure to make the best of the occasion."

***

Stepping out of the taxi, you made sure not to step on the hem of your ankle-length red dress, clutching the small purse with your invitation and essentials in one hand and a gift for the hostess in the other, and stepped onto the pavement. All the windows of Rosie's emporium were lit, creating a warm atmosphere and luring guests into the center of the colony with a glowing, eery yellow vibrance. There was music in the air, and a sense of unusual merriness as guests talked and laughed, holding colorful drinks and glasses in their hands.

You made your way through the crowd towards the towering demoness, who was greeting oncoming guests left and right.

"Miss Rosie, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The woman turned, her lips pursed as her pitch-black eyes focused on the source of the sound, on you. Your smile didn't waver.

"Pleasure is all mine, sweetie. You're... Zestial's little newcomer, aren't you?"

You nodded with a grin that matched hers. "Indeed, Miss Rosie, that's me. It's an honor to be invited." You handed her your gift - an embellished, silver cookie tin with long, golden filled cookies inside. "I hope you don't mind homemade treats? I made them myself - they're called langue de chat."

"Cat's tongue. How fitting... ", she giggled, peeking inside. "Thank you my darling one, I'll be sure to hide them from all the hungry mouths here - wouldn't want to waste them, wouldn't we? Now please, hop right in, mingle a little and have some fun tonight. No work! And enjoy my little buffet, you'll surely find something to suit your diet."

Relieved from your official obligation, you snatched a glass of rose colored champagne as you decided to wander a bit without being seen and made yourself invisible. It was the newest of your powers you developed, and a most useful one for looking around and observing, very interested in the strange but not unfriendly atmosphere that lingered. An atmosphere that was so different from the district you had settled in - It seemed almost human. The cannibals were old-fashioned - you appreciated that- but they were friendly, courteous and downright delightful sinners to be around (if you were minful of their diet).

You watched the dancing couples, women twirling around in colorful dresses, the men accompanying them with fine suits, everyone adorned with flamboyant bow ties and flashy hats, wearing shiny leather shoes and polished heels. And that music, jazz at it's peak. Everyone was laughing, joking, the air was electric with happy chatter and jokes and it felt as if all your worries simply evaporated. It had to be, one of the most unique places you had been, in Hell.

You made yourself visible again, startling a group of young cannibals next to the buffet. With a giggle and a swish of your magenta-and-black striped tail, you set down your emptied glass on one of the silver trays. Turning back to look for another refreshment, your vision was blocked by a red pinstripe suit. A man had stepped in your path, a charming smile on his lips, and he seemed amused.

"Moving is a funny thing to do when no one's watching."

He offered you a glass of wine with the same burnt red color of his hair, his teeth glinting as his eyes scanned your body - not in a lewd way, but with bemused interest and impish curiosity. You chuckled, taking the glass with a head tilt.

"Why thank you, stranger, but you know, moving without being seen is just half the fun. Getting where you want without being noticed is the other."

You twirled the glass in between your fingers, sipping the expensive beverage, watching his expression with delight - how his grin widened, eyes locked to yours, amused and captivated by what you just said. Of course you knew who he was, your tail shivered and bushed up as you thought about it. Hell, you wrote more than one article about him.

One couldn't exist in hell without hearing the stories about the radio demon - the up and coming overlord, toppling long-established powerholders like dominoes and broadcasting their screams on every radio in the pride ring. Known for his gentlemanly manners, his brutal ruthlessness - and his never-fading, signature smile.

"Spoken like a true feline. The name's Alastor, darling, pleasure to be meeting you.", he mused, and tilted his glass towards yours, awaiting you to clink it. His crimson eyes were shining like rubies, glinting dangerously yet so strangely intriguing as they watched your every reaction, and his lips curled up into a challenging, cocky grin as your glasses chimed together and you told him your name.

"Say, would you care for a little dance, dear? Your tail seems quite desperate for some frivolity, why it looks like it will come to life in a moment."

You glanced towards your backside, the traitorous appendage whipping completely out of control in anticipated excitement, the damned thing. You laughed, downing the rest of the drink, and made the tail disappear. Alastor rose a brow at your innocent expression.

“Seems like my tail has a full dance card. I, on the other hand, am quite free..."

His other eyebrow raised along the first one, and he chuckled ass he gave you a little bow, which he coupled with an outstretched, clawed hand.

"I can only hope you are able to compensate the loss - it looked quite eager."

The next thing you knew he had you on the dance floor, pulling you close to his body and guiding your steps, spinning you around with ease. One hand was around your waist, the other had a hold of one of yours. You quickly lost the feeling of time and space - all you were able to focus on was him.

"Your smile never falters, darling. I can't help but wonder why?"

You giggled, a gloved hand covering your mouth as he turned you, crimson glowing eyes never leaving yours.

"I don't know, really. My papan used to tell me that it was the only thing I had going for me, and it's what made silly soldiers so easy to kill."

You could feel the air around him tense and shift, his grin widening at your words as he turned you in again.

"Ah, a lady after my own heart. I can appreciate a woman who knows how to have fun."

You didn't say anything to his comment, just smiled, and he pulled you closer.

"Why don't we have a little fun of our own? I have the right mind for a little game, if you're up to it, darling?"

The music ended, everyone around you applauding but you were captured. Entranced. Frozen. By those eyes, this most unique and alluring voice. Oh, yes it was alluring. He was charming and intense, the mystery of this person was attracting you so hard, you could almost taste his taste, feel his touch.

The way he offered a game... he had the same dangerously mischievous expression you had, back when you planned what to do with your next victim. Only that you were absolutely sure, you were invited as a player, not as a pawn. And that made you burst with excitement, you hadn't felt such thrill and lust for a challenge in so long, you could almost physically feel your hunger taking hold of you, your craving for that sensation, for an opportunity to rise to this occasion.

***

The night was chilly, for hell's standards. You both had bid your farewells to Rosie, who in response only cocked an amused brow at Alastor and wished you both a fun rest of the night. After Alastor gallantly offered his arm, you had started walking, seemingly aimless, but you didn't mind. He proved to be a very pleasant conversation partner, and you soon found yourself very relaxed and amused around him.

You enjoyed listening to him, laughing in amusement about his animated gesticulation and his storytelling skills. And there was more, a tension, a strange attraction in the air, an electromagnetic current that almost hummed between you two. When he asked about your heritage, you were pleased to notice how enthralled he seemed that you were french in origin and the fact that you killed german soldiers during the still raging world war stirred up his sadistic and malicious sense of humor. When you explained to him how you met your end, a grin that could only be described as purely diabolic curled up on his lips.

"Why, you're my favorite type of femme diabolique, aren't you a scintillating creature?"

His ears flicked and he stopped in his tracks, grin widening as gestured for you to walk next to him into the shadows of an alley. Intrigued, you made yourself invisible and followed him, hearing faint voices as if in a fight.

"As exciting as I found our conversation to be, darling, the night is young - and I do owe you a little fun, wouldn't you agree?"

His voice sounded lower and remarkably more sinister, shoulders tense and almost trembling as he stalked forwards, pressing you into his side. "It seems we have found the finest opportunity. What luck he have."

The voices became eligible, and you instantly knew what he was talking about. Two shark sinners were standing in front of the back-entrance of some dubious bar, sharing a smoke. The fight seemed to be about a girl they intended to drug and take advantage of - both of them insisting to 'break her in' the first. Abominable scum. You felt your teeth itching to sink into their necks to break them.

"So, madame - two wasteful beings, two players. How would you like to set the rules for our game, hm?"

You shivered with delight. "Sometimes I find the most simple approach is the best, d'accord? You show me what you can do, I show you what I can. After they're dead, we vote who won best kill. If it's a draw, no one wins et la partie est perdue."

Alastor grinned wider and hummed, apparently delighted by your idea.

"An uncompromising game - I like the style, I say, game on! Now, for the winner's reward..."

"Une carte blanche? - but no souls, I'm afraid.", you grinned at him, slowly fading into nothing from the bottom to the top, until there were only your eyes and your smile left.

"Sounds fair enough, let the games begin, darling! I'll take the left one."

And with that, he melted into his own shadows, creeping up behind the left sinner who had just extinguished the cigarette to a tiny piece of tobacco butt on the floor. You followed him entranced, fully invisible now, and rounded the right one - he wasn't as fat and greasy as Alastor's victim, with droopy eyes and lanky legs - perfect for breaking.

"Fuck you, Ollie, I saw her first, so I get the first fuck, too."

With a last glance to the moving shadow you leaned into your prey.

"How about we make it a threesome, baby?"

The man spun around in a panicked startle, and you could smell the alcohol seeping out of his pores. He was intoxicated, and sloppy on his feet. Just how you liked it. His friend tried to say something in warning, but was quickly muffled by dark tendrils that shot out of the dark shade below him, binding his limbs and wrapping around his face.

"What the fuck... who are you, bitch?"

"Aw, come on chèrie, you don't need to know my name to have a great time. You don't even have to drug me first."

You shifted to become visible, the man's eyes bulging out of his skull as you did and took a tentative step towards him. His friend was screaming behind him, his arms and legs wrapped up in shadowy tentacles, the sound muffled and the tendrils slowly squeezing him, wringing him out like a moist rag. It was a truly bizarre and yet absolutely hypnotizing sight.

"Oh shit, Ollie... H-hey, listen, we didn't... uh, fuck, we can all just forget this and, and... fuck, get the hell out of here!"

You laughed, it echoed in the cold night, a sound so eerie that even the man before you shuddered, his eyes fixated on you as you advanced and circled him, claws dragging over his neck and shoulder, and a shiver went down your spine when you saw Alastor, emerging from the shadows, as fixed on you as your victim was, but with fascination and satisfaction rather than fear and panic.

"Oh no, cherie... let's make this a night to remember, oui?"

With that, you pushed the man forward, your tail wrapping around his ankle to swipe his leg off the ground. With a sickening crack he fell onto his back, a pained scream escaping his lips and rendered helpless as you pinned him down by kneeling right onto his crotch before he could even move. This bastard would never be able to use his dick on poor, unsuspecting women again. You let your head fall back into an unnatural angle, watching behind you to a still unmoving, enthralled Alastor.

"Are you just going to watch, cher? It's quite rude to stare at a lady like that."

For a split second, his grin faltered, before widening once more, a low chuckle resounding in his chest, a sound that made you shudder.

"Why, my dear, how could I not, when you're making such a captivating sight."

His words spurred you on and stretched your smile so wide it started to hurt, your body hot and eager - you wanted to impress him, make him crave more of this. More of you. You shifted, turning your head back, and reached a clawed hand onto the man's throat. You concentrated on the feeling of your claws against his grayish, leathery skin as he choked.

"Let's make it a real party, then."

You willed magenta glowing mirror images of your claws into existence, envisioned them scratching and slicing the sinners body into long, thin ribbons - his screams told you it was working. He was cut up alive, his thrashing restrained by a few of the many hands you conjured. They lifted his mangled body up, it looked almost like a bastardized version of a crucifixion, and gave him a sickeningly sweet smile.

"Cela ne fera que très mal."

You've only ever let your full demon form come out once - right after you fell and were attacked by other newcomers. It still felt new, almost untamable, but you were desperate to show him. For Alastor to see you, not as a damsel in distress, or some silly girl playing checkers where others played chess. So you let it take over, your form growing longer, your skin becoming black fur with glowing pink streaks, claws sharpening, and your maw growing. Your victim was still howling and fighting the hands holding him, his blood dripping onto the street and mixing with the puddles on the concrete. He screamed in terror as your jaws opened and you bit into his throat, ripping him to shreds with your sharp teeth, his intestines sloshing onto the pavement and the smell of blood filling the air and the sweet and bitter iron taste ran down your throat.

And just like that, the last remains of his body hit the floor with a mundane, squelching noise. The silence that followed was deafening. You couldn't hear anything, except for the rapid beating of your heart and the rush of blood in your ears. Then, you heard clapping, slow and rhythmical. You turned your head to see Alastor standing, the other sinner still bound, his face twisted in agony and his eyes bulging out of his eye holes.

"My my, a breathtakingly gruesome display, my dear. Truly enticing!"

He walked towards you, the shadows dissolving as he came closer, the tentacles retreating and the man falling onto the pavement. You watched him with a manic expression, your smile still on your face as your demonic form receded and you could feel the coolness of your victims blood on your fangs as a gust of wind blew through the alley, ruffling your hair.

"Now, for my own part... I have to admit, yours is a little hard to follow, but, oh well."

He snapped his fingers and his shadow stretched out behind him, towering above him with its head bowed, and you saw his eyes glow and transform into dials as a green glow and strange symbols surrounded the sinner's body, his limbs bending and his joints cracking, the sound of snapping bones and gurgling blood filling the alley, as the shadow slowly pulled the man's insides out through his mouth and ripped his head from his neck. It fell onto the concrete, and rolled right into your direction. You watched the eyes of the severed head turn gray, and smiled.

"Very impressive, cher. A true work of art, no?"

"Thank you, darling, I appreciate the compliment."

With another snap of his fingers the gore was gone, the streets cleaned and the corpses - or rather, what had been left of them - vanished, leaving no evidence behind. He turned to face you, the shadow retreating behind him as his dial eyes vanished and returned to their normal, intense red ones, an inquisitive grin plastered on his face as he came to a stop just before you.

"Now, there's only one thing left to do - the determination of the winner."

You laughed, brushing a stray strand of hair behind your ear. You couldn't care less who won. Alastor's eyes darted downwards, to your lips, and you felt the corners of your mouth twitch, the urge to bite your lower lip growing.

"I'd say we're both winners, but rules are rules."

"I fear so, darling."

There was a pause, neither of you said a word. Then, slowly, he raised a hand and brushed his fingers over your bloodied cheek. You closed your eyes, your breath catching as his claws traced the outlines of your lips. The moment was charged and electrifying, you didn't want to say anything and maybe break the spell. He laughed, low and sweet, leaning into you.

"I think I'm inclined to give my vote to you, darling. Do I have a choice, really?"

Before you could respond, your words were stolen from your lips as they met his, crashing together in a passionate, heated, long overdue kiss. He wrapped his arms around your waist, lifting you and pressing you into his body with ease and your tail curved behind you, happy to know your feelings were mutual as his long claws buried themselves in you blood-stained hair. You sighed against his lips, your own hands clutching to his neck and shoulders, a feeling you couldn't describe in your stomach.

For the first time in forever, you were kissed without it being because you were just pretty, or just a girl, perceived as a weak thing to be taken advantage of. This kiss was because you were powerful, you were impressive, because you were something of an equal in his own image - and if the world wouldn't stop here, if it went on forever and on and if time itself would cease to exist, this kind of passion would not.

A purr escaped your throat as his tongue danced with yours, tasting you - the sweet yet bittersweet, almost metallic taste of blood - yours, the sinners, you didn't care. You'd die all over again, a thousand times more painful than the original time, just for another second of this bloody kiss.

All too soon, it ended and his mouth left yours, making you feel the strange warmth radiating from his skin as he pressed a light peck on your parted lips, brushing his fingertips over your soft skin, red-stained and glowing. You panted, opening your eyes, and your own magenta irises met his, staring deep into them.

"It's a draw, then.", you said, the corners of your mouth tugging up to a smirk as you gave your vote to him unspoken.

"Which means the game is lost.", he answered, and you laughed, knowing you'd never been happier to lose at anything ever, and with a smile your lips chased after his once again.

"Hmmm... with a reward like this, I suppose a victory wouldn't be near as satisfying, anyway." He chuckled into the kiss. "And there's always a next time, right, darling?"

Translations: et la partie est perdue - And the game is lost Cela ne fera que très mal - This will only hurt a lot

[mdhwrites]

I’ve been watching Amphibia while studying. I should definitely do a rewatch during the summer, but it’s occurred to me that Amphibia’s strengths are criminally underrated.

Amphibia feels like a more focused show than TOH. It has its flaws ofc especially in Season 3, but Amphibia’s cast comes across as a lot more developed than TOH’s cast. I mean, Andrias got a dedicated flashback episode and Belos didn’t???

Amphibia’s execution of the found family trope is one of the best things I’ve seen in animation. In contrast, I always felt that King, Lilith, Eda, and the Hexside crew are plot devices to get Luz where she needs to go. Eda has some depth but generally speaking TOH never “got into their heads,” unlike with the Plantars, Sasha, Marcy, Grime, and Andrias.

And I gotta praise Amphibia’s ending!!! I wish more kids cartoons embraced the idea of permanent, bittersweet change. The idea of letting things go but not forgetting them.

So while I agree Amphibia is more focused, I actually don't think that's what the bigger difference is between TOH and Amphibia that I think needs to be highlighted. No, instead, I'm interrogate something you said: Does Belos not get a dedicated backstory episode? For that matter... Does he potentially get MORE time spent on backstory than Andrias?

Andrias literally only gets The Core and the King. He actually gets VERY little screentime, mostly because the effects of his cruelty are more important than what he does himself. So for backstory, he gets 11 minutes. MAYBE you could stretch to like 12 or 13 if you want to include hints to Lief but that's all post her time with him. So 11 minutes because Andrias only gets one segment, not two.

What does Belos get?

Well... I think everyone just forgets about Elsewhere Elsewhen. That IS backstory. That is previous characterization. It's not a flashback but it is still interacting with a Belos earlier in the timeline, like a backstory exposition dump or a flashback does. And interacting with Philip is the main purpose of the A plot of the episode, even if it takes a bit to get to him and then he dips out before the end.

As the author of the journal though, he also counts for backstory whenever passages of the journal are told to us. It's unreliable but it is still previous characterization. So stuff like Eclipse Lake and the end of Looking Glass Ruins adds a little here and there.

Then of course... What the fuck do you call Hollow Mind if not a dedicated backstory episode to Belos? The majority of the run time is literally go through his brain, and his memories, to show his rise to power. His backstory. And while there is technically a B plot, it doesn't take up much time so probably at least a third of the episode is spent on this and these are 22 minute episodes. If just two thirds get spent on backstory, that's more than Andrias gets.

So why doesn't it feel like that? Why does it feel like we get a VERY complete version of Andrias' backstory, despite seeing cumulatively three days in a row of his life, while it feels like we were never told Belos'?

Efficiency. Amphibia is a VERY efficient work. It crams a LOT into its run times. It's part of why the episodes are so satisfying because they actually manage to tell complete stories with morals, sometimes their own A and B plots in an 11 minute segment and actually move the characters forward a full step within the span of that time. It does this while also being hilarious and action packed, much more than TOH or, honestly, a lot of cartoons. Not every episode segment counts for this but ESPECIALLY the important ones do and The Core and the King should be taught in classes for how to get across a character's motivations and backstory in a nuanced, breezy way while also being DENSE. AS. FUCK.

In eleven minutes, we get a clear idea of the utopia that Andrias used to live in, the cost of that utopia, the pressures upon him as a prince, how deep his relationships are with two other characters, Lief gets some genuinely good characterization that helps explain her choice, a logical progression of events that matches with the sillier side of Andrias we know of, an escalation and then a climax. We can VERY clearly see what Andrias lost, what he is trying to get back, and why he would want it back on multiple levels, both societal, familial and even personal, that will motivate into being a MONSTER for a thousand years. All while still being a lot of fun and having some really great jokes. It introduces so many elements but it never feels bogged down by any of this. Instead, it chose the PERFECT moment to get across everything it needed to and left very few questions that you as an audience couldn't figure out yourselves. This also all while being explicit about much of the motivation and what not instead of relying on background details.

Which TOH can't claim for Belos. In Elsewhere Elsewhen, we see that Philip hates witches, that his journal is unreliable and that he has ALWAYS been an asshole and a manipulator. That's befitting who he will be but doesn't actually tell us jack shit. It also includes I guess how he met the Collector but that's moving plot, not expanding on your villain. Because the journal is unreliable, it tells us very little to nothing about him except for some reason he donated his journal to the people he fucking despised. Then Hollow Mind shows how he came to power... But not who he is. Not his motivation, what he actually wants to accomplish besides murder, etc. like that. The paintings in the background tell you far more just by being far more suggestive of what he's been through.

TOH is fucking awful when it comes to density. Most episodes, not even just Belos, have the problem of only taking half steps. Each of Belos' parts are those half steps. Revealing only one or two elements when it easily could have shown more to be more satisfying. As an example: Amphibia has a GREAT episode between Ivy and her mom about rebellion, the consequences of fighting what your parent wants for you, why they might do the things they do, etc. like that. In 11 minutes, we get a genuinely complex relationship between Ivy and her mom who haven't had much talk about each other or their relationship up until now. Meanwhile, TOH decides to focus on Luz being expelled for the episode about Amity and Odalia, meaning Amity is in like... Three, maybe five minutes of that episode? A full minute of that being the intro to the episode where she's just showing off the abomaton?

Because it isn't actually focused on Amity, the relationship between Amity and Odalia isn't actually explored. Because they can't explore that, they also need to now make Odalia cartoonishly villainous so as to fit the fact that Luz also spends very little time with her due to making the conflict be about Hexside so we have to waste some time with a stock standard montage of Luz, Willow and Gus trying to get back in. And by the end, what is the resolution between Amity and Odalia? "Get in my way again and I will kick your fucking ass."

Much deep. Very brave.

There's TONS of stuff like this where Amphibia is genuinely the work trying to do more interesting, more meaningful and deeper things than TOH and managing to do it in literally half the time. If not even less. That breakneck pace is part of what makes Amphibia feel like a kids show but it's also what makes it just more enjoyable to watch.

Which actually makes TOH fit in better with our current era of streaming television. TOH is constantly baiting you for the payoffs it promises. It keeps swearing that its elements are deeper than they appear so make sure to tune in next week because this SURELY can't be all there is to, right?

Unfortunately, that is all there is to it. And once you realize that and look at the show with that sort of lens, it starts falling apart. It's part of why TOH should be thankful it was shortened. It lets people more easily claim that it just needed another season. Another fourteen episodes. That TOTALLY would have solved all the problems with episodes that happened even before the shortening.

That is extremely rarely how this works everyone. Sorry.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

A Twitter you can follow too

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[mushroom-madness]

🍄 ROUND 6: THE FINALE 🍄

🍄 Which of our buggy bois will be crowned TUMBLRS MOST FAVORITE FUNGAL FUN GUY!! 🍄

🍄 Vote for your Favorite Fungi! 🍄

Descriptions Below ⬇️

Leif

"Leif is one of the protagonists of Bug Fables, they're a cordyceps fungus inside a moth host. They've been in some other tournaments (notably the graveyard gambit tourney, for zombie characters). There are other cordyceps in Bug Fables but since Leif is a protagonist they're the most qualified for polls in general. They're an ice wizard who uses plural pronouns (we/us/our), has Fungus Autism(m), and their favorite things are food, cute creatures, and card games. They had a wife and kids, they don't know what glasses are, and sometimes they speak in keysmashes. Not to be biased but they're the best character ever made” - Submission 46

“*slaps roof of moth* This mans is SO full of 'shroom (which is. A major spoiler for the game, but hey! He's a fungus (cordyceps) and I lobve himb)" - Submission 67

"He may not look like a fungus, but he's actually a moth zombie reanimated by Cordyceps fungus. He is both bug and mushroom:)” - Submission 104

"Lief sweep let's gooooo" - Submission 139

Caduceus

"He heals wounds with fungus and makes tea from dead people which is, like, basically what mushrooms do" - Submission 97

"my sweet son. my baby boy. love and cherish him" - Submission 136

[deltoravivisection]

I wrote a joke into the dream sequence of Shifting Sands where Lief hallucinates everyone with their anime designs... I don't like looking at this I feel queasy.

[ghostietea]

Tohru Honda when the function has beautiful angsty women with black hair that she can dramatically chase after before befriending

[wickedcriminal]

My boy, Leaf of Dull

[ask-team-misfit]

[ previous ]

Safety is comforting, quiet, still. It stays out of the way of the world as it crashes against itself.

It's why you keep so many things close to your heart…

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of Lief running on his fours through the Fae Wood, during a rainstorm. He's shown from his left side and has a look of clear concern on his face. Lief's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Heroes don't get paid for the risks they submit themselves to.

Why should you involve yourself now? Why risk that safety that you craved so much?

A few hours prior…

Hazel: “Hey! Stop!”

Hazel was starting to get winded in her sprint. In comparison, Fenninkou looked more dead set on outrunning her.

Hazel: “Wait up, dammit! How are you not tired by now?!”

Fenninkou: “I’m not going back!”

The Fennlin finally yelled back in response.

Fenninkou: “I-I want to do something! All the adults ever talk about is how bad things are!”

Her eyes shut in frustration, and she went on to declare:

Fenninkou: “I hate it! I hate being small! I HATE–”

Only to stumble. Her right hind foot got caught on something.

Her eyes snapped open to look back with a glare. Annoyance became confusion as she saw some sort of black goop latched to her ankle, from a tiny puddle on the ground.

She was about to try and free herself when the puddle grew. Her foot became submerged. She felt herself being dragged in.

She clawed at the ground and pulled, trying to put up resistance. Her strength didn’t even compare.

Confusion became shock. Shock became panic.

Hazel: “Shit, shit, shit!”

By the time Hazel caught up and intervened, her underside was close to becoming stuck. She watched as the larger Pokemon wasted no time in grabbing her front legs to pull her out, making significant progress.

She was clearly exhausted. Her face was reddened, and she was breathing heavily–yet she was strong enough to put up resistance.

Hazel: “H-hang in there! I gotcha!”

The goop stretched, refusing to let go–until something else did.

The Fennlin yelled out in pain. Many patches of fur were now missing from where it had stuck to her.

Fenninkou: “OWW…!!”

Hazel, holding the Fennlin close in her arms, quickly scampered well away.

Fenninkou, shaken, her leg stinging with pain, but alive, stared unnerved at what she almost drowned in.

The puddle was now a pond. Big enough to block off the path.

Fenninkou: “Wh… what is…?”

Hazel: “E-even here… this stuff is appearing even here…?”

Fenninkou looked up at Hazel upon hearing her speak, looking more alarmed once she saw and heard how shaken up she was.

Hazel: “I-I gotta get you back to town. If void-matter is appearing even here… uhh, which way, which way–”

Fenninkou: “Void-matter? Hey, do you hear me?”

Hazel: “We came from that way, and then… shit, where did we turn?”

Fenninkou: “Hey!! Hello?”

Any further attempts by Fenninkou to ground Hazel back in reality went on ignored at first. The fat ‘mon quickly became panicked–she literally spun in place.

Hazel: “It happened again. We’re lost. I-I don’t know where we came from, where that pit trap was or–”

Fenninkou used Scratch!

Hazel: “Ow, hey…!”

Fenninkou: “Snap out of it! What is void-matter?”

With a grunt, Hazel held onto Fenninkou more tightly with both paws, staring her down with a gaze that made the other stop squirming upon meeting it.

Hazel: “Really cheap shot, hitting me in the belly like that. But void-matter is…”

She trailed off. Her serious expression softened once she saw the state of Fenninkou’s leg. Specks of blood in the shape of tiny claw marks were all over the bald patches.

She only looked more uneasy when her ear somewhat perked up, hearing something in the distance.

Hazel: “W-we’d better get away from this puddle first. And out of sight. You’re lucky that the fur on your leg is the only thing you’ve lost.”

Hazel: “But void-matter is, well. No one really knows what it is. It just started appearing one day, and anything caught inside it just vanishes.”

As Hazel rushed off with Fenninkou, Pikavee and Rue were catching up.

Rue in particular clung for dear life atop Pikavee’s head. Meanwhile, the giant in question did her best to mind where she stepped as she speed-walked forth.

Rue: “Shouldn’t be much further!”

Pikavee: “I-I’m not seeing them, Rue… do you think they’re alright?”

Rue: “They have to be. Please, Hecate, they have to be…”

Hazel: “And if a Pokemon happened to get caught…? S-something else crawls out, looking for more to eat.”

Rue: “Oh no.”

Upon spotting the void-matter in their path, Rue immediately grew tense.

Rue: “Stop. Pikavee, stop!”

Pikavee: “Huh–?”

Rue: “Don’t touch it!”

Rue’s urgent order came out before Pikavee could ask about it. Startled, she skidded to a stop, her paws nearly making contact with the void-matter’s edge.

She took some hasty steps back to make distance. Her movements were so sudden that she felt Rue slide forward from the inertia.

She looked with wide eyes at the pond of void-matter right at her feet, big enough for even her to be submerged in. She initially assumed it to be a shallow puddle of some liquid–maybe oil or tar.

Hazel: “Sometimes they look just like the Pokemon that was… y-you know. Don’t make me say it.”

Fenninkou: “Th-they?”

But the more Pikavee stared at the blackness, the more her hairs stood on end. She was getting a feeling of dread looking at it–she even took a couple more steps back.

Pikavee: “Wh… what’s wrong with it? What is it?”

She feared for a moment that she may have flung Rue off, but she still felt the familiar weight of the Vuling on her head.

But Rue still wasn’t saying anything. Her breathing had gotten shakier. Her grip on Pikavee’s hairs remained tense.

Pikavee: “R-Rue?”

It was another moment of confusion and concern before Pikavee noticed what Rue must have.

The lone paw clinging to the ground. The rest of the body, submerged.

The Pokemon pulling free and rising from the void-matter, the goop in question peeling off the body like oobleck.

Pikavee: “R-Rue! That’s…!”

She would learn quickly it wasn’t who she thought. Both of them did.

For it resembled Fenninkou in all but face.

Flesh bubbled as if it were slime, and a single, bulbous eye formed in the center.

[ ID: A grayscale drawing of a void shadow taking the form of Fenninkou and staring up at the viewer, but where Fenninkou's actual face would be, there's nothing but a giant eye. Its entire right side and its tail are drooping, as if melting. Fenninkou's appearance is as described here. End ID ]

Hazel: “Void Shadows.”

[ next ]

[the-white-void]

Life, Death, Rebirth

~Sypnosis: "Thee hadst been thrown into teyvat wh're i did rule. Thou art mine own heir, mine own physical f'rm, yet those daws besmirch t by leaving thee with scars and wounds. And i shall nay longeth'r standeth aside while those imbeciles taketh our headeth"

Mentions: Mental instability, trauma, small violence, blood.

"My dearest, wherefore alloweth those trait'rs runneth free? wherefore not alloweth those folk seeth the real thee? the real. Us?" wouldst yond not beest satisfying "

You then jolted awake once more, in this dreadful world that has brought you nothing but pain and neverending pain. This world you once thought to be magical had stabbed you in the back for its backhanded prejudice and discrimination to your name, no... their name, it's their name now, they can f*cking keep it. They called that name and removed your head from your body leaving it on the cold and smelly basket that caught your head countless times from the countless deaths you had to endure because of that THING who stole your name.

You ran and ran away but no matter what you did, it always ends the same, a cold and headless end. Then it always comes back to the beginning, a beginning of suffering the moment I see someone, anyone, then the cycle of pain repeats. "There's no hope for this" you whisper as you lie next to astream. "Why can't I just die? Why does it have to go over and over again? Isn't one time enough?" the words left your mouth as you gaped in pain, you breath hanging deep as you accept being a puppet to a neverending broken play, one that is bound to repeat till the very end.

You look to see the reflection in the stream "what did I do for this again?" You asked your reflection before taking a handful of water to drink, then after the ripples faded you see your reflection looking at you with an eerie gaze and an uncanny smile while yours was scrunched and tired.

You took a closer look at it and noticed a few odd things about that reflection, other that it's peculiar behaviour, the colour of its iris was an unnatural hue of milky white, and it's sclera bloody red, as if it were bloodshot. The moment you blinked was the moment the reflection jumped out of the water and dragged you in their world.

You were petrified, you held yourself close hoping nothing would happen to you. The still and suffocating air filled your lungs before opening your eyes to see an empty void filled with nothing but red ichor on the ground. You looked around to see anything but the red void, but nothing, until you looked behind to see the —reflection— that pulled you in here "Who are you?! What do you want? Are you doing what the others want to do? Kill me? Again and again?!! Is that what you want...?" You yelled at them with all the hurt you felt since coming here.

...

"Nay mine own lief, I has't cometh to talketh, speak of what thee've been through and haply assisteth with thy troubles" the mirrored image spoke whilst slowly approaching you. You stumble back, a little familiar with its words, but still unclear of their intentions "I- I don't understand" you uttered while looking on the bloody floor, the floor that made you shudder whenever you looked directly at it. Silence filled the air until you looked up and saw your double right in front of you, stumbling back onto the floor, it too, kneels to you closer "I... will help you" it softly spoke while it points directly to you with a smile.

"Help me? What do you get for helping me? Is this some sort of... trick?" You looked away, distrusting this person. It was confusing and alien to you when trusting anyone in this world, especially someone who kidnapped you from a stream and into this scary domain. "I und'rstand thy disdain of me, aft'r the hooligans i hath left behind hath followed a narcissistic chop-logic, and hast did cause thee to falleth into this pitiful state. Howev'r, t is still mine own responsibility, as thou art mine own descendant" s

[madrone33]

So, I've been re-reading the Deltora Quest books for the first time in years because my obsession with them has recently been revived (just finished Valley of the Lost), and man, I don't think I realised before just how, like, absolutely devoted Lief is to getting rid of the Shadow Lord and freeing Deltora. It's especially apparent in the first few books.

The Belt is basically all that matters to him. Not even finding the Heir is more important, honestly the heir is very much secondary to the Belt. They're just the person who will put on and activate the Belt's magic; they are a means to an end. His own life is secondary to the Belt - which isn't to say he's not afraid of dying, he really really is, but when shit gets real and it looks like this is the end, his thoughts almost always go to the Belt. Just like the heir, Lief thinks of himself as a means to an end. (Which is ironic, seeing as how he is the heir.) Lief will make the Belt, and the heir will wear the Belt, but it's the Belt itself that matters most to him. Because it's the Belt that will save them.

'Do not worry about me,' Lief whispered, trying to keep his voice steady and calm. 'Nothing matters but that we seize the gem. If I die in the attempt, it will not be your fault. You must take the Belt from my body and go on alone, as you have wished.'

I must prepare myself for death, Lief thought. But he could only think of the Belt around his waist. If he was killed here, the Belt would lie forgotten with his bones. The gems would never be restored to it. The heir to the throne of Deltora would never be found. The land would remain under the Shadow forever.

'No!' Lief cried. 'Wait!' At this moment of terror, his one thought was for the Belt of Deltora and the topaz fixed to it. If he did nothing to prevent it, this golden eyed giant would surely find the Belt after he was dead, take it from his body- and perhaps give it to Thaegan. Then Deltora would be lost to the Shadow Lord forever. I must throw the Belt over the cliff, he thought desperately. I must make sure that Barda and Jasmine see me do it. Then they will have some chance of finding it again. If only I can delay him until I can do it...

[Literally just died] Lief felt himself pulled to his feet and slung over Barda's shoulder. His head was spinning. He wanted to cry out, 'What of the crown? The opal?' But then he was that the crown was in Barda's hand.

Lief's fingers felt for the clasp of the Belt he wore under his shirt. If necessary, he would unloose it and let it fall into the mud at the bottom of the stream. It would be better for it to lie there than for it to fall into the hands of the Shadow Lord again.

And maybe it didn't really hit me when I first read them 'cause I was approximately A Child, but it's really sinking in now just how bad things have been in Deltora for the last 16 years. When they talk about slavery and fighting arenas and brandings and starvation and executions in the streets. For some reason all these human atrocities are hitting home a lot more than before. It used to be the monsters that seemed the scariest, but now I can see that yes, the monsters are horrifying and traumatising and terrifying, but Lief and Barda and Jasmine continuously choose to keep going, they willingly put themselves through hell, because the Shadow Lord is worse.

Anyway, all this to say, Deltora really couldn't ask for a more selfless and loyal King that Lief. This kid is willing to die so many times over if it means his people are safe.

(The only thing he tends to go off mission for are his friends and family, but even then, I'm thinking of that part in Isle of the Dead where Laughing Jack holds Jasmine hostage and demand the Belt in return. And Lief refuses. Because his people must come first. And he knows Jasmine would never want him to betray their land for her. Like??? So many feels.)

[the-offside-rule]

Frenkie De Jong (FCBarcelona) - Swift Coded

Requested: yes

Prompt: Reader is listening to Taylor Swift and she decides Frenkie is in fact Swift coded, leaving the dutchman very confused

Warnings: swiftie frenkie

As Y/n sat in the back porch watching the rain drizzle down and sketching on her study folder, her mind was elsewhere. While she listened to the Lover album from Taylor Swift, she found herself listening to each and every song and having a deep connection with them. Now obviously with the exception of London Boy, every other song rooted itself to Frenkie. She had met Frebkie in their younger years when she became an exchange student in Amsterdam to better her Dutch and met Frenkie by simply being partnered up with him for a project of some sort. However, she remembers distinctly being told he would possibly not even be around to help eith it because of his football. Nonetheless, he still showed up to the library everyday after school before having to head off to training or matches. And on the off-chance he had to travel away for a match, he still did his part on the bus over. From there, Frenkie missed their regular hangouts to finish the project so they started hanging out regularly and that turned into dates and surely enough, the began dating.

Her head turned as she heard the front door opening and closing followed by footsteps echoing throughout the house. "Lief? I'm home!" He called. "Out the back!" Y/n replied. Frenkie walked through the house and spotted his girlfriend sat on the porch with a cup of tea on the table whilst she sat scribbling away. "You know you need to stop writing on your study folder." Frenkie chuckled as he kissed her cheek and sat down beside her. "Mmh. I don't know. I think it's fun." Y/n replied. "Your final year in college and you're drawing."

"Maybe they'll appreciate the trees I'm drawing." She lifted up her folder to show the back, a forest sketched into it with pencil. "I don't think that would give you enough credit for get a degree." Frenkie grinned and looked out into the garden. The rain laced their comfortable silence before Y/n spoke up. "You're very much a Taylor coded man." Frebkie turned to his girlfriend with an arched brow. "Like her boyfriend. All the songs written about him is the closest comparison I can find to how I feel about you. You know?"

"But I'm not English?" He replied in a questioning tone. "Neither is she." Y/n said. "Yes, but isn't her boyfriend? I think I remember you telling me that on our first date." Frenkie chuckled. "I did not talk about Taylor Swift that much." Y/n scoffed. "You talked about her more than yourself I think." Frenkie joked. "In my defense, it was the one thing I knew how to talk about from my Dutch classes in school. I needed to talk about an interest for a full five minutes." Frenkie chuckled and interlocked his fingers with Y/n's. "If I could have the option to go back to when we met and fall in love all over again, I would love to do that."

"You're very romantic." Y/n smiled, starting to make their hands sway. Frenkie laughed. "What can I say? That's just how you get the girl." He replied. Y/n grinned. "I have trained you well, Frenk."