#low res law still gets me even now

[beauregardlionett]

did i rant to my friends about dorian and orym just to be called a simp? yes i did. and i'll do it again.

these two characters? consume my waking thoughts. because just fucking think about this from a timeline/literary point of view for a second with me.

orym lost his husband and his father-in-law (who he always calls dad because he didn't have a dad growing up) in a violent attack on his leader a while ago and whatever magic was used to kill them kept them dead - no reviving magic worked to bring them back. in the space of a single attack, he lost two of the most important people in his life, and now he's a widow who still mourns and loves in equal measure even while far from home trying to save the world. he loves even though he's scared of losing again.

dorian is a runaway heir to a title he never really wanted, a musician for himself, a charlatan hiding behind an easy smile, who has really only ever wanted to see the world in his own time and make real friends for once in his life. and he did that! all on his own! he was with the group at the beginning of the campaign but then they ran into his older brother who was in trouble and needed to lay low and dorian went with him, falling back on old instincts that family by blood comes first. he ran from the group and from the foundations he was building with them. because dorian has only ever run from the things that scare him. but now he's back, re-traced his frightened footsteps toward the daunting promise of tomorrow - not yet with the group, we're getting his side of the story first. and he even said it himself, that he ran from the group and now he's not sure why he did it, why he left, when he stands here now and realizes everything he wanted was already in front of him.

they have sending stones, a once a day chance to say something to each other in 25 words or less. they've been using them, keeping each other updated on where they are, that they're still alive, and kindling this flame even without dorian at the table, without even seeing each other, and liam has been carrying this torch alone for 78 episodes but damn it the flame is still lit regardless!

and orym always updates on their progress and location first, and with whatever words he has left he drops in a sentiment to remind dorian that they still care - that orym still cares. and orym is practical through and through, he's a strategist so he always always always uses his words wisely because he's so fucking limited by this spell but the last message he sent? he repeated himself, he admitted a weakness, he faltered.

he told dorian where they were. he asked if dorian could come their way. he admitted to struggling while his voice broke. he asked again but in a different way if dorian could come their way. he ended the message with the most heartbreaking "fuck, i miss you," i have ever heard in my life.

orym, the man who messaged dorian 52 episodes ago and said "glad you're not here, wish you were anyway." because they're constantly in danger, and he wouldn't wish that on dorian, but he still aches to have him near. orym, the man who confessed 13 episodes ago during a trial with his friends that he's lonely, that he misses dorian and sometimes he thinks it's okay and sometimes he doesn't - because he was married and is still mourning and how dare he have feelings for someone else? how dare he move on even when his husband would WANT him to be happy again? he indicated dorian was missed by everyone in three of his previous messages before the trial, before finally shifting to 'I, orym, me - it's me who misses you'.

and dorian, the one who replied to a message orym sent him with "stay steadfast, sending you fairer winds" in the most longing tone i have EVER heard. dorian, who kissed orym's forehead when they parted ways but that is the closest they have come to acknowledging whatever is between them. dorian, who has been to orym's home between exu and c3 and met orym's mom and knows about orym's husband.

when orym died 58 episodes ago, he went limp and the sending stone slipped out of his hand because he was trying to message dorian before he died, before he ran out of words and breath. before he was revived, there was a moment he stood in the beyond and saw his husband and he told orym "you're not done," and orym said "i really wish i could stay," and then his husband said "i'll still be here," and orym said, heartbroken, "oh, i miss you so bad."

he told dorian, "i've really missed you," and "fuck, i miss you." i miss you is orym's way of saying i love you.

they're so close. they are so close. and orym fully died 19 episodes after dorian left, but he was revived and then never told dorian via sending that happened. part of me wants dorian to find out and the other part hopes he never has to feel like he failed orym by leaving. because nothing could have changed that from happening, not even dorian.

they are so close to reuniting, orym has needed dorian back for WEEKS and he's so close. i'm begging them to hold on so they can hold each other again.

and, again, from a literary point of view, you know the wildest part about all of this?

none of it is scripted.

[kimcll]

𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐨 𝐱 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐭.𝟐 🐈‍⬛

After the previous events, the relationship between Shinso and you grew stronger until he takes a step further, asking you out! What will he come up with and how will it go?

Word Count: ~2200

Warnings: none just fluff

Part 1 Part 2 X Part 3

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After school you made your way over to the library. You and Shinso were supposed to meet for a study session although you would spend half of the time catching up with what happened during the week. When you found together again after your dispute you liked spending time together although it was hard with all the school stress and being in different classes. To add on that your internship would start next week meaning less time as well. When you reached the big doors of the library and strode through you already caught a glimpse of Shinso's wild indigo mop of hair. His posture was slouching, the upper part laying on the table. His notes and books were buried beneath him. You could tell he was sleeping, which gave you an idea.

Shinso's POV:

A soft and tickling sensation spread over my face followed by a rougher damp warmth. My eyelids opened reluctantly, being immediately blinded by the low sun shining through the window. After a few blinks I caught glimpse of an all so familiar cat looking down at me with those vibrant eyes, pupils slowly going from thin to round. The white whiskers stroke over my nose and cheeks re-evoking that tickling sensation. A quiet meow came from the slightly opened mouth when another lick went over the prior spot. A chuckle escaped my mouth while my hand came up to cradle the tiny head between my fingers. My smile lingered a few seconds "What's up bud?"

Y/N's POV:

You jumped down on the chair shifting back while lazily leaning on the back rest. "Nothing much you know. What's with you? Didn't get any sleep this night?" you said nudging his arm slightly. The comfortableness between you made you feel like you had been friends for ever. He just hummed while looking outside the window "I rarely get a good sleep at night" - "Why's that?" you asked looking at his soft hair resisting the urge to stroke through it. "Dunno. I just won't fall asleep even if I'm tired and then my mind is occupied with thoughts." Your gaze lingered on his posture, seeing the slight shape of his back muscles stretching through the white shirt. "What thoughts come to your mind?" A thoughtful pause filled the room before he sighed "School mainly. Now that the festival is over I missed my chance to be transformed to 1-A and I don't know when the next opportunity will be." he trailed off still in a tired and sleepy glaze. "It's hard to convince those who think my quirk is a villain quirk that I could become a hero as well." His statement lingered in your mind, setting you in an equally thoughtful mindset. After a while he straightened up in his chair stretching beside you "We should start studying, you're already behind." Your hands rubbed over your face in frustration "Yeah I know. What were you studying?" - "Environmental science." he said while holding up one of the books. "Ugh, I probably have to dig into Japanese or Hero Laws and Ethics." you cringed at the thought of the big book covering all the laws and whatnot you'd have to learn. "Well, I can't help you with that." Shinso said lazily, already filling a page with notes. 

For about an hour you pulled through with staying focused on your studies but your brain got all fuzzy trying to differentiate the different cases. "Ugh, I'm done." you said wile flopping your head down on the book. "With your studies or your life?" - "Definitely the latter." you replied utterly defeated. "We can pack up if you want. I'm done." Shinso said his tired eyes travelling over your almost lifeless form.

You walked through the hallways, over the main campus in the direction of the dorms. You noticed that Shinso was quieter than usual but on the other hand he's always quiet so you dismissed the thought. Just when you were about to part ways, saying your goodbyes to each other, Shinso hesitated to say something.

His gaze shifted between you and the empty hall. "So... do you have any plans this weekend?" He asked almost sheepishly. You're eyes flew to his, a small smile grazing your lips "Not really. Why?" He hesitated for a moment. His hand came up to scratch the back of his neck, a trait you recognised as nervousness by now. "If you're not busy, maybe we could hang out. Just the two of us doing something fun, not like studying." Your heart made a step accompanied by a sudden urge of energy. You felt excitement. "I think I'd like that." You replied with a smile and shortly after you added "You mean like... a date-thing?" A hue of pink dusted his cheeks but despite his embarrassment he nodded "Uh, yeah. Like a date-thing." His directness didn't surprise you anymore, yet your stomach felt tingly upon hearing those words "Yeah, I'd like that." you said in a content tone. He relaxed visible at hearing your words, his shoulders easing. "Cool. Uh, great. How about Saturday? I'll figure something out we can do." - "Lovely"

--- ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡ ---

Saturday couldn't come any quicker for your likings. Shinso had been pretty vague with what his plans were, only telling you to meet him at the school gates at noon. When you arrived, Shinso was already waiting, his usual slouched posture with his earbuds in. You noticed that his hair looked slightly neater than usual, still keeping its natural touch tho. The thought of him caring so much to put some effort in his appearance made your heart flutter. Both of you had changed into something more comfortable. He had some pants that were slightly too big for him, matched with a white shirt and a black jacket, that hang loosely from his form. You put on one of your favourite outfits, nothing too special but something that made you comfortable.

"Hey" you greeted, trying not to sound as nervous as you felt. "Hey" he responded, taking his earbuds out and putting them away. "You ready?" he asked with a sly smile. You nodded and the two of you set off. He lead the way to a quiet café tucked away from the bustling streets. He held the door open and you stepped inside, the scent of coffee beans and baked goods enveloping you. The place had a cozy charm, themed in shades of brown and green colours combined with warm lights and lots of plants. And cats were all around the place! "A cat café!" you exclaimed joyfully "Does this have anything to do with our original meeting?" you said with a chuckle nudging his side. His hand went up to the back of his neck again and a nervous chuckle escaped his lips "Uh, not intentionally. I like to come here sometimes to shut off from everything. And the cats are a nice bonus..."

You ordered your favourite beverage and a piece of cheese cake each, sitting down in a corner booth. "It's nice here, I like it." you said while looking at the fairy lights shining through the plants that were hanging from the ceiling. "Glad you like it." he responded and you watched the kittens playing with each other "Do you have cats yourself?" you asked. "No, but I'd like one. Do you?" he responded sipping from his coffee. "I've got one at my uncle's but my parents don't have any pets. They're often away on business trips." He watched you intently as you spoke "So you're staying at you're uncle's place then?" You took a bite from your cake before answering. "Yeah, I visit him as much as I can on the weekends. I fear he'll get lonely otherwise." He hummed in response "I bet that's harder now with all the school stress, being part of the hero course must be time consuming." - "Yeah, sometimes I question if it was the right decision to join UA." you chuckled slightly, rewinding your doubts "We could switch places, you made it pretty clear that you want to be part of the hero course." you said jokingly surprising Shinso with what you said. "Why do you think that? Don't you want to become a hero as well?" he asked with genuine curiosity "Well... I guess it would be cool but I'm not sure if my quirk is really made for a hero. My dad offered me that he could arrange some kind of apprenticeship at a place where I would work as a spy for the military, which might be better fitting for a shapeshifting quirk." your mind trailed off, remembering the moment where you had to make your decision.

"But nevertheless you chose to go to UA and you made it through the entrance exam. Getting into the hero course is a huge achievement you don't just get if you do it light heartedly. Your ability gives you an incredible advantage of adapting to any situation. It might be bigger on defence but that shouldn't stop you. After all, you can decide in what area you want to work later on." His words actually moved you "Thanks, I guess it's what you make of it, right?" As those words left your mouth you realised something. It's what you make of your quirk. If you choose to use your quirk to become a hero so can Shinso. "Same goes for you, by the way." you added, his eyebrows wrinkling slightly. "I mean sure, so many villains could only wish to have a brain washing quirk like yours, but in the end it's up to you what you make of it. Giving in to your reputation is easy but going against it is something to be achieved and I'd love to see what you'll make of it." you shared your thoughts with all the honesty and sincereness you could muster in your voice. 

His expression was something of surprise, not expecting you to go so deep into that before he chuckled a bit. "Thanks. You're... the first person who doesn't run away in fear upon hearing about my quirk." the softness in his eyes betrayed his stoic facial features "Most people hear 'brain washing' and assume the worst, fearing I use it on them." You thought for a second "Yeah, people suck but at least you can filter out the good of the bad."

Shinso's POV:

Hm, feels nice. A warm smile creeps on my face. Over time I got used to the mistrust of strangers, their avoidance even if they haven't even talked to me before, but I guess I forgot how good it can feel to be treated like an equal. I'm glad I gave this another shot.

When I look up again they look at me with an all so obvious urge in their eyes mixed with hesitance. "What?" - "Oh, nothing." - "I can tell that you have something to say. Is it about my quirk?" my smile shifted into a smirk, seeing their bashfulness. "Maybe..." a short pause followed. "So your quirk only works when your opponent replies to something you said but do you have to understand them or just hear them? Like, what would it be if someone replies in a different language? And what about non-verbal vocalisations like coughing, clearing your throat or sneezing? Do those work? Can you command them to do anything or where are your boundaries? Could you brainwash me to go to sleep so I don't have to lay awake for hours on end or could you force me to make my homework? Does it also work with..."

A genuine laugh escaped my mouth subtle enough to not be heard over their rambling. A comfortable warmth spread in my chest at their shameless interest and I let myself surrender to the feeling for a moment. "Shinso? Have I gone too far?" Their voice shook me back to reality "No, not at all. What was the first question again? Kinda got lost in your rambling." I said teasingly to which they let out a small laugh "If it works for non-verbal vocalisation." Hard one. I actually never thought about that. "I don't know. I think in most cases it wouldn't but maybe if it was a laugh or a huff directed at something I said..." I thought about it for a moment while they retorted "So it's just about a response. A different language should work then, huh?"

--- ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡ ---

At the end of the day, you chatted until the sun set. On the way back you made a detour through the park walking along a small pond. The silence lingered comfortably between you as you both were a bit tired from the day. "Thanks for today," you said, breaking the silence, though your voice was still soft "I had a really good time." Shinso glanced at you from the corner of his eye. His hands were stuffed deep in his jacket pockets, his shoulders slightly hunched in a way that made him seem smaller. He nodded. "Yeah, me too." - "So there's a next time?" you asked with a smile. "I'd like that" he chuckled. And as you walked home his hand slipped out of his jacket brushing along yours until your fingers intertwined with each other leaving a warmth in both of you.

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[laurasimonsdaughter]

Dear magisowo

I just moved into a new home, and, on paper, it had everything I needed: close to my university, walkable city, and no low hanging lights I can hit my horns on. On paper, that is.

See, the issue started the day I moved in. The landlord gave me my keys, and I went inside. The interior was nice, however, as I quickly discovered, my new home was already inhabited by a multitude of ghosts, who were, to their credit, just as confused as me.

They're not troublesome spirits, far from it, but i was under the impression that a landlord had to disclose things like this before you sign the lease. (But it is my first time renting, so i may be mistaken) Either way, the landlord isn't returning my phone calls.

According to Martha (oldest ghost in the house, very motherly) none of them were informed the house was even open to new tenants. We're willing to compromise and try to live together, but as of right now, it's.. crowded. I wasn't prepared for roommates and they weren't prepared for me. Do we have any legal options here? I'm not looking to get them kicked out, of course, just wondering if we could get compensation from the landlord.. or at the very least a second bathroom.

- sincerely, one very cramped were-goat

(With the supervision of Martha, Daniel, Priya, Micah, Suki, and Horace, amiable ghost-roomies)

Hello!

We’re sorry to hear you were taken by surprise in such a way! Let us first assure you that your landlord should indeed have told you that the building you were renting is haunted. Not doing so is a violation of the duty to disclose that every landlord has towards their tenants.

Even if your landlord was not aware of the haunting (which, though unlikely, is possible if they lack all second sight) it is still their responsibility to have their property inspected for such things. Considering you are Sighted yourself and are not opposed to sharing with the ghosts, we are guessing you’re not looking to get out of your lease, but it is certainly grounds to renegotiate your rent.

When it comes to the rights of your ghostly housemates, that is rather more tricky. Our current laws still state that the incorporeal cannot have legal possession of physical property, but there are various provisions in place to protect their well-being. The following people may be able to help you:

The Dial-a-Ghost Agency, experts in (re)housing haunting spirits. In case any of your housemates wish to relocate.

The neighbourhood mediums of our Medium-ation Programme. They usually mediate between people like yourself and the spirits haunting them, but they also have a great deal of knowledge on the ghostly and will be able to communicate with your housemates.

If necessary we can help you find a lawyer specialising in tenancy law, or an Incorporeal Entity Advocate that can look into your housemates' options.

Sincerely,

~ the MagISoWo Team  

[with-love-from-hell]

An update.

(Created June 9th, 2024)

Hello my lovely readers (both old and new). It has been a very hot minute since I have posted anything and I recognize that. I just wanted to give a short little update on some asks/comments I've been getting recently about my very low activity outside of reblogs.

A lot of stuff has happened personally over the past year or so that has left my thirst for writing completely dried up. I won't go into a lot of details, but there have been a lot of changes in friendships, amongst me training to be a supervisor at work (and completely changing my location of practice and working through a company merger), some more internal conflicts about whether me and my partner are having/adopting kids, amongst many other things. The time I would usually spend writing was during downtime at work, where I had no charting and many cancelations, and that has not been the trend lately- plus there is now a security blocker on my computer that completely blocks Tumblr from use, as well as Google Doc, which were previously the only two places I would draft my writings.

This is not me saying goodbye to writing all together. I still really love and enjoy it, but am needing to find some more free time and get back up the motivation to continue writing, which I have been hoping for over the past 9 or so months, but never happened. Because of this, I haven't moved my blog into "Hiatus", which I'm thinking I'm going to do now to avoid shame over having it open reciecing requests, and feeling too overwhelmed to even respond to them.

So for now, I am putting my blog into Hiatus.

Tips on Kofi are still accepted, but I will absolutely not be asking for any since I know I haven't been giving my all to writing lately, plus there are much more important things your money can be going to rn, like victims of the genocide in Palestine and Palestinian liberation.

In regards to my ongoing series:

I will eventually return to Melancholia, I really just don't know when. I likely will need to do a re-read of everything I've done with it and the parent series before that happens though, which is a lot to go through. I'm not making any promises, but my goal is to finish the series- I will say that much.

As for 5-sides: I completely stopped writing this one for now because I am going through a re-write of the series. Mostly because of the friendship shifts which resulted in 1 individual in the series being removed from my life, plus some shifts in other dynamics in that group. In addition, there were some things I felt I rushed and I could have done better at writing or incorporating devilgrams into the story, so I want to go back and comb through that one as well. I know this one didn't get much engagement because it's OC/my insert content, but it means a lot to me and I will be taking time to re-do it.

As for requests: I am going to put a pause on them until Melancholia is finished (which, like I said, doesn't have a clear timeline). I will also remind folks who do send in requests once they do open back up:

I am not your therapist, so please don't ask me for specific help with a problem you're having. I'm professionally trained and licensed as a therapist, but it is unethical (and illegal) for me to provide services without any agreements, HIPPA compliant technology, or respect for licensing laws that vary state to state, and even if it was, it is not something I want to do in this space. If you need help, please utilize Google or Psychology Today to find any services in your area.

Please keep requests somewhat simple and generalizable to a wider audience. I'm don't necessarily like writing for an mc with a Laundry list of diagnoses/problems occurring at once that seem *very* personal to the individual requesting, as I have many content enjoyers who want to relate to the writing I produce for free. This also takes up a lot more of my time researching to ensure I'm depicting everything correctly. This type of request is much better suited for a commission, given how much time and personalization goes into it. That doesn't mean you can't request writing for a specific diagnosis or problem (such as an eating disorder, self harm, or trauma) though. That I do encourage!

I am a person with a life outside of Tumblr. I have a full time job, an elder pet who needs significant attention, and a decent sized chunk of family and fiends that I am engaged with regularly off of the internet. Please don't harass me about your requests unless I have given you a clear timeline and am not providing updates. If you're just checking in that I have recieved them, I will reply to that and inform you that status of your request. However, you DO NOT need to send me a ton of messages asking the same thing when I had clearly indicated I was/am going to be working on it or that I'm not quite in the space to work on it, but would inform you when I was or tag you in it when its completed. This makes me far less likely to want to write your request. While it doesn't happen often, I've gotten it about commission requests a few times over the past few months and I just wanted this to serve as a gentle reminder.

I do look forward to getting the motivation to write again, and I appreciate all my readers who have supported me (not just with comments, likes, reblogs, and engagement, but financially as well when times were tough). I am so grateful for all of you and I appreciate so much that you all enjoy my writing enough to want to see more. I hope you all understand where I'm at, and can respect that while I take the time that I need ❤️

[whochromatic]

I must not read chapter 109 and wait for the chapters to pile up.. I must not read chapter 109 and wait for the chapters to pile up.. I must...

*reads it anyways*

Why did I do that. Damnit, I should've known that reading that chapter would have re-activated my need for more. I was way better off ignoring anything related to Yohaji and just went about my day, not thinking about Yohaji every minute of the hour of the day of the week. But the damage has been done. Now I have to read the whole manga all over again just to satisfy myself once again. But no. That's not enough. I searched every corner to hunt every single content of Yohaji. Tumblr. Twitter. Youtube. Tiktok. Ao3. Our lord and savior Canada's account. The giver of reason in life, one who resurrects the dead, the sailor uniform to my life, Tanamai-sensei's account. I know that the Yohaji content in this world is not enough and will NEVER be. The moment I discovered this manga, I knew that it would be my life. The fact that it had only reached me last year, ber month is unforgivable. Why did it not have content as many as the amount of numbers there are to exist so that it could reach me at the start of it's existence? It should have been Yohaji. Not BNHA! Nothing against that anime by the way. Well, I am grateful that I stumbled upon Yohaji while it had 100+ chapters though. And the fandom being small enough to only have nice and cool people in it. But those fics in ao3 though? Why- I mean, I don't really care or pay attention to them but the fact that the amount of nsfw fanfics is probably (I'm saying probably because they might just be more) equal to the amount of sfw fanfics in there is- I swear, WHY ARE THERE SO LITTLE FANFICS OF YOHAJI?! 3 PAGES?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!? There might be more in other places but I only read in ao3 and Tumblr if I find some there. I'm so thankful for the translators though!!! I love y'all. I love the fandom. I love the characters. I love Yohaji. I love the creator. God- sorry I forgot I can't use sensei's name in vain. I'm telling y'all, Tanamai is the GOAT. A GENIUS!! Your brain is beautiful. What goes on in head yours? Tell and everyone might gain more braincells. What's with you? What's with your humor?? What's with your lore?! WHAT'S WITH YOUR ART??? WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!?! SENSEI WHEN I CATCH YOU OHH WHEN I CATCH YOU. But of course, it's not your fault that I'm starving for more Yohaji chapters. One month is nothing to me- IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!!! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO CREATE THIS WONDERFUL AND HEAVENLY HOOK THAT CAUGHT ME EVEN ONLY WITH IT'S TITLE AND ART?? HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO MEEEE?!?! Senseiiiiii*sob* waaaaaahh... Still, I'm sooo happy this is getting an anime this year!! I've been waiting for this ever since I found out it existed along with other Yohaji fans. I knew it would happen soon enough because it's the law. It's a crime to not make an adaption of amazing yet weird yet amazing manga like no other. Death row. DEATH ROW!! It's fine even if it's low quality. As long as it exists, I can finally pass on peacefully- when it airs it better be as good as the manga and look immaculate, I'm telling you. Haha, just kidding. Or am I..? I cannot wait until April or whatever how long it takes for the anime to air just please. Please even the trailer only. But I'm sure everyone is already working hard to make the anime for it. Do your best!! You're doing the right thing! And.... uhm.. 24 episodes... please..? AHHH HARUAKI'S SMILEEE!!! IT'S INVADING MY MIND!! GET OUT! PLEASE GET OUT!!! THIS LOWLY UNGRATEFUL UNDESERVING WORSE THAN DUST BUZZ BUZZ KILLABLE STUPID MORTAL ABOMINATION CAN'T HANDLE OR DESERVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT!! AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!! I can't do this. More. More. More Yohaji. I NEED IT. IF AIR AND SAILOR UNIFORM IS LIFE THEN SO IS YOHAJI!! RAAAAAAAHHH

Also I accidentally deleted a longer version of this and rewrote it with my memory. Thanks for wasting your time on this like I did.

[monsta-x-jagi]

Legal Affairs - Chapter 13

Synopsis: Utter bliss

Word count: 3.3k

Triggers: mentions intimate image abuse, kissing, unprotected sex, oral (f. receiving), hickeys

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Yoona practically cackled while you and Hoseok both remained shocked by the photo. 

“You’re lucky we don’t know who the woman is, but just remember we have this okay? We’ll be going now.” 

Yoona and Kazuha were at the door, when your legs finally worked and you ran after them. All the members had stopped whatever they were doing to look at Yoona now, so they began following you when you went after Yoona.

“That’s still criminal,” you said to the two women. 

“Tell us how,” Kazuha spoke this time and you realised even her voice was familiar.

“Intimate image abuse. Intimidation. Blackmail. I could go on,” you tried to appear nonchalant even though you were terrified. 

“God you’re really no fun,” Yoona said and rolled her eyes.

“Actually, y/n is about to make things very fun for you,” Hyungwon’s deep voice said from behind you from where the other members stood.

“I sincerely doubt that,” Yoona said scrunching her nose.

Hyungwon smirked and walked past you towards Yoona. “Y/n is the pushiest lawyer I have ever met. She doesn’t stop until her case is complete. She’s got the ear of the CEO of Seoul’s best law firm, and has prosecutors eating out of her hand. Believe me when I say she can make your life hell.”

Yoona seemed to tremble under Hyungwon’s gaze. You’d seen online comments that said Hyungwon cursed with his eyes, and you were starting to see that was true.

Hyungwon continued. “Y/n has also worked black market cases, so she’s got contacts in more places than you could imagine.” 

Kazuha cracked first. “Sunbae, he’s right.” 

To your surprise, Yoona followed soon after. She sighed in defeat and showed Hyungwon the phone as Kazuha deleted the images. 

When the two women walked away, Hyungwon turned around to face you and the rest of his members.

You spoke first. “I’m impressed, Hyungwon. You honestly seemed to handle that better than me.” 

Hyungwon smiled shyly. “Actually, I got the idea from Hoseok.” 

You looked behind you at Hoseok, who suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.

Hyungwon decided to explain to you. “Hoseok told me the first night after he met you that you were the CEO’s chosen one and apparently specialised in black market cases. I personally found that terrifying. Then Minhyuk told us about you driving his annoying ass at an even more annoying time. Then we saw what trouble you went into at the party and we just heard you threatening to sue Yoona to the ends of the world. Also Hoseok was really jealous about that prosecutor.” 

You nodded absentmindedly, processing everything. 

“He talks about you a lot, in case you didn’t know,” Hyungwon said.

Minhyuk walked up to you. “Thank you for everything, Miss y/n. I know I really threw you into the deep end there.” 

Minhyuk was right. You didn’t realise you’d be fighting with a snake like Yoona. But knowing how battered he must be after that, you decided to say something simpler instead. “It’s okay, you helped me get the suspects. As far as I am concerned, you cracked my case.” 

“Maybe that’s what was so terrifying for Yoona,” Kihyun said, joining the conversation. “It’s the fact you knew the black market, so you would probably see through her.”

Hyunwoo cleared his throat nearby. “Hey uh, let’s move back into the dressing room shall we?” He waited until all of the group walked back inside but stopped you. In a low voice, he said, “Please talk to Hoseok, okay?”

You found Hoseok sitting in front of a mirror, scrolling his phone. 

“Hey,” you said as you slowly walked up to him. 

“Y/n,” Hoseok gasped, quickly putting his phone down and looking at you. 

“I um wanted to talk to you about what happened,” you said while playing with your hands.

Hoseok held up a hand for you to stop talking and you felt your stomach drop in fear. 

But he resolved that feeling quickly. “No, y/n, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. I thought that because we’ve both said we like each other, you wouldn’t be so horrified, but I can see how it can be a lot to handle.”

You leaned your elbows down on the counter in front of the mirror. “No, Hoseok, it’s not that I am horrified by it. I was just scared. If an ethics committee found out we hooked up in the middle of the investigation, I would be in a lot of trouble. At least if it was dating, I could mess with the timeline so it looks like we only started dating after the investigation,” you explained.

Hoseok placed his hand over yours. “Y/n, I truly never meant to hurt you through any of that. But… if it’s any consolation, I haven’t taken you on a proper date yet, so your excuse could still work.” 

You smiled briefly at that but didn’t meet his gaze. “God then I think about all the signs I missed. Like how did we end up like that when we clearly knew each other? Like I mentioned I knew how the security system worked. And I knew you wore a onesie AND I happened to be with someone with a body like yours.”

Hoseok raised his eyebrows at you. “If I remember correctly, you’ve done nothing but salivate after me since you met me, and you were the same that night.” 

“I won’t deny that. You’re a very attractive man,” you said, finally meeting his gaze and holding up your hands in defeat.

“And yet you didn’t notice how I looked at you?” Hoseok asked as he gently pulled you towards him so you were standing between his legs. “Watching the way you fought for me was honestly just pretty hot. But then I couldn’t get enough of all those moments when your cold lawyer mask slipped, and I saw how sweet you are.” 

You knew you couldn’t stay mad at him anymore. You slipped your hands behind his neck and smiled down at him. 

His arms encircled your waist. “Y/n, you know I like you right?” Hoseok said softly. 

You nodded. 

“Then can we put this behind us?” He asked.

You nodded again. Tears began forming in your eyes as you felt the stress you had been carrying dissolve away. Hoseok moved a hand to cup your face and ran his thumb over your cheek. 

“Why are you crying, baby? There’s nothing to worry about,” he said.

You couldn’t form words to express your thoughts, so you snuggled your face into his shoulder. Hoseok rubbed circles on your back as he held you. 

While Hoseok was holding you, Hyunwoo approached you both and said to Hoseok, “Remember we’re on stage in 2 minutes.”

You pulled back when you heard that. “Hoseok, I should go then. But maybe call me later tonight if you have time?”

You started turning around to leave but Hoseok pulled you back in. “Not without a kiss for good luck,” he said.

And how could you say no to Hoseok? You leaned down, and gently placed your lips over his. After reciprocating, Hoseok brought his hand to your neck and pulled you in closer. The pressure made you squeak and Hoseok slipped his tongue into your mouth. 

“1 minute!” Hyunwoo yelled, forcing you and Hoseok to break apart. 

Hoseok kept his hand behind your neck and held you in place. “Wait until I come back, okay?” 

And you did. Hoseok pulled you into a sloppy and sweaty kiss again when he returned from the stage. 

“Are you doing anything tonight?” He asked you. 

You shook your head.

“Good. How about we go out somewhere? I can’t believe I still haven’t taken you on a date,” Hoseok said. 

“Hoseok, don’t you want to shower and rest? Not to mention, didn't we agree that a date can wait until after the investigation?” You asked.

Hoseok whinged. "But we just made up and I want us to spend time together.”

You thought for a bit, then suggested, “Why don’t we do what I did last time when I wrote my report at the dorm?”

Hoseok scanned your face questioningly. “You want to sleep with me?”

“No, I mean yes, but in like…” you stuttered then sighed. “Alright, maybe I’ll sleep over if I end up working for a while.”

Hoseok smirked when he heard you stuttering but didn’t comment on it.

You drove yourself to the dorm because you didn’t want a repeat of the many parking fines. When you arrived, Hyungwon opened the door for you.

“Hey come in. Everyone’s just taking their makeup off, but Kihyun beat me to the bathroom,” he said by way of greeting.

You took a seat on the couch. “I’ll just be here getting some work done,” you said and Hyungwon left to his room. 

A little while later, your felt familiar hands on your shoulders. Hoseok leaned down and looked at your computer screen.

“So, whatchu doing?” He asked. 

You smiled, lowered the screen and turned to face him. “I just finished writing an email to Seonghwa about checking up on some mysterious journalists. I left you and Minhyuk’s names out of it though.”

“Do you want to take a break? We can have ramen, watch a movie perhaps?”

You giggled. “You want to take a 2 hour long break?”

“Well you had a big day today. Don’t you want to take a nap or something at least?” Hoseok asked.

You cupped his cheek and replied, “Hoseok, I think you want a nap because you had a big day today. And I am guessing you want me to join you?”

Hoseok was already moving your laptop off you and helping you up so you could go to his room. “Of course I do.” 

Hoseok lay down on the bed first, before motioning for you to join him. When you lay down facing him, he wrapped an arm around you and pulled you in closer. You slipped a leg in between his, chasing warmth, and he rubbed your back soothingly.  

“I could stay like this forever,” you sighed as you felt your body relaxing at his touch.

Hoseok hummed and pulled you in tighter. 

“I’ve just about proved you’re not involved in anything. Seonghwa should confirm with me soon.”

Hoseok grunted softly in response. 

“If he doesn’t, I’ll have to go meet with him again,” you added, and Hoseok raised his head to look at you.

“You know I don’t like him,” he said. 

“But you also know he’s handling the investigation and has to talk to me because I am your lawyer,” you reply teasingly. 

Hoseok shook his head and whined, “But you’re my girlfriend, and he likes you. He kept finding excuses to touch you during that lunch.”

You found Hoseok’s jealousy cute. “Well, guess what? You’re my boyfriend, and I like it when you touch me.” 

Hoseok squeezed you tighter and ran his hands along your body as if cementing your point. You two remained embracing, quietly, with just the sound of your breathing filling the room.

After some time, you felt Hoseok’s grip loosen. You looked up to find him staring at you. He twirled a piece of your hair as he spoke slowly.

“You know, there’s one more thing I’ve been meaning to ask you. It’s about that night with the costume party.”

“You know I’m not mad at you anymore right?” You asked him.

A faint smile ghosted Hoseok’s lips. “No, it’s not that. I was just thinking of how you said you only kinda enjoyed that night because you were interrupted and distracted. But right now, everything is the opposite of that.”

You smirked even though you felt your cheeks burn. “That’s well observed.”

Hoseok’s gaze flitted to your lips, and very quickly his lips were covering yours. They moved in time with yours, and his tongue was eager to explore your mouth. Hoseok shifted so you were under him, and you wrapped your arms around his neck, pulling him closer. Your fingers twisted themselves into his hair, making him groan.

Hoseok trailed a hand down to the hem of your shirt, and you gasped when his fingers brushed over your stomach. Hoseok unlatched from your mouth and smirked before moving his lips to your neck. His hand moved higher, squeezing your breast through your bra. The sensation made you writhe your legs, softly moaning out Hoseok’s name which only made him suck harder on the flesh of your neck. 

“Does it feel good baby?” He asked in between kisses. 

“Yes…” you said breathlessly. “Hoseok, are you leaving hickeys?” You knew there would be marks tomorrow morning. 

Hoseok pulled back and smirked. “I want everyone to know you had a great night tomorrow,” he said as he slid both hands under your sweater to pull it off. 

“Maybe I should meet with Seonghwa tomorrow then, so I can show off all your hard work,” you quipped. 

Hoseok’s gaze grew predatory at that. “I am going to make sure you don’t even remember another man’s name tonight,” he growled. He harshly pulled down your bra so your breasts fell out. His lips circled one nipple as he ran his tongue over it while he kneaded your other breast. 

You reached across Hoseok’s back to slide your hands under his shirt and he helped you pull it off. It was hard to contain your gasp once he did that. You already knew how he looked, his photos could be found anywhere on the internet, but seeing his abs still elicited some primal, lustful response in you. 

Hoseok watched as you appreciated his body. “Like what you see?”

“God, so much,” you sighed as you trailed a finger down his chest towards his lower stomach. “May I?” 

You fingered the edge of his sweatpants, gently pushing your fingers in. Your hand enclosed around his length inside is pants, and he gasped. You pumped him a few times before he regained his composure. 

“No, baby, stop,” Hoseok hissed out. 

You pulled your hand out quickly. Had you done something wrong? Seeing the flicker of shock you couldn’t hide on your face, Hoseok picked up your hand and kissed it. “Tonight’s about you. Let me take care of you. Let me thank you and show you how much you mean to me.” 

After dropping your hand on to the bed, Hoseok brought his hands to your thighs, and  drew patterns over the material of your office pants, making your legs writhe. He then hooked his fingers around the waistband of your pants and tugged them down. He ran a finger between your lips which made you moan loud enough you were certain the other members would hear. 

“That’s it baby, let me hear you,” Hoseok groaned. He rubbed your clit and your legs quivered some more. “If only you knew what your moans did to me.” 

You knew. You knew very well. You could see the material straining in his sweatpants. “Hoseok…” you started. 

He inserted a finger into you. “I love it when you say my name like that.” 

Sounds of your sighs and grunts filled through room, occasionally punctuated by the squelching of Hoseok’s fingers, but you wanted more.

You pushed yourself up on your elbows and reached over to still his hand between your legs. He watched as you took his wrist and brought his fingers to your mouth. You swirled your tongue around them before pushing them into your mouth and licking. You flicked your eyes to Hoseok to watch his reaction. 

Hoseok threw his head back for a moment and sighed deeply. “You really want to tease me like that don’t you?” 

You smirked, then licked his fingers again. 

Hoseok groaned, “Now I just have to taste you.”

He wasted no time in pushing your thighs apart and placing his mouth in between them. He started with little kitten licks, where his tongue ghosted over the arousal already smeared on your skin from earlier. The lack of pattern and trying to guess when he’d finally reach your throbbing clit made you whimper.

“Hoseok please, just please….” You said between gasps. Wen Hoseok licked his finally licked his way to your folds, you practically shuddered. Your moan must have been loud enough for the rest of the dorm to hear, but neither you nor Hoseok cared about that right now.

Hoseok began fingering you again while his mouth remained on your clit, swirling and sucking over it. Your hand tangled further into is hair, and the tugs from your fingers only seemed to make him more eager to continue lapping at your sopping core. Your breathing became louder as you felt that familiar knot forming in your stomach. 

“Hoseok I’m close,” you gasped out.

Hoseok lifted his head up, and the little light win the room made his lips glisten. 

“I want you to cum around my cock baby,” Hoseok said.

He pulled off his pants, revealing his cock as it hit his stomach. His tip was already leaking. Hoseok slid his hands under your ass to tilt you up before lining himself up. 

“Ready baby?” He asked as he ran his tip along your folds. You nodded.

He inserted himself slowly, stretching you out. 

“That feel good baby?” He asked, his lips still glistening from earlier. 

“Yes, now please, move,” you breathed out. 

Hoseok braced his arms around your head, and your eyes flicked to his biceps. But then at his first thrust, your head tipped back and you whined. Hoseok kept going, and soon you were both lost in a chorus of grunts and moans. Your hands wrapped around him, digging into his toned back muscles.

Eventually you could feel yourself clenching around him. “I-I’m close.” 

Hoseok pressed a sloppy kiss to your jaw and quickened his thrusts. At this point, your words weren’t even coherent, ranging from “don’t stop,” to various breathless moans, to Hoseok’s name being a mantra on your lips.

And then your back arched, and one final guttural growl escaped from your lips. Hoseok followed soon after, painting your insides in warmth, just like the warmth that fluttered through your body. 

Once your highs subsided, Hoseok’s body came to rest on yours, though you knew he was hesitant as to whether the weight would be too much. You ran your fingers through his slightly damp hair and he placed a few gentle kisses across your shoulder before getting up. He returned with a warm wash cloth to wipe your thighs with. 

“Y/n?” Hoseok’s voice broke through the silence. “Are you okay?” 

You lifted your head off the bed. You didn’t realise you had been lying there in silence. “Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” 

Hoseok dropped the washcloth somewhere on the floor and lifted the covers to crawl under them again. He lay down facing you. “You just haven’t said anything yet.” He placed his arm on your waist and pulled you in closer.

You traced patterns on his arm, taking your time before responding to him. “I think… you will finally sleep well knowing your one night stand from the party enjoyed tonight.” 

Hoseok didn’t find your words funny. He swallowed nervously and asked, “Y/n, you know you’re more than that right?”

You trailed your hand up to his face. “Yes, Hoseok. I just wanted to tease you about the last time we were in bed together.”

“And just like last time, stay the night, okay?” Hoseok asked. 

You hummed in response. “With how you’re holding me, I didn’t think you’d let me leave anyways.”

Hoseok grinned at your response. You snuggled into him and got comfortable. Hoseok began stroking your hair, just like last time.

But before you fell asleep, you heard him. “Goodnight sweetheart. Tomorrow, I’m taking you on that date I promised.”

[jim-bones-spock]

Okay, alright, here’s my analysis of seasons 5 and 6 of Community, starting with Repilot (an episode that lives rent free in my mind!!!)

Repilot is the epitome of what I’m trying to say, it’s meta and dissecting the very essence of the show, since it’s a literal “do over” (Re-Pilot)

The ironic thing is that Jeff would have succeeded in his law practice if there wasn’t a season 5, but since we need him back at Greendale, Jeff fails.

Hard.

The episode is basically a huge mirror from the pilot episode.

The same character from season 1’s inciting incident, Allan, sends Jeff back to school. We see what Jeff would have become if he didn’t go to Greendale for four years, so we at least have this parallel to go on.

Our Jeff is not that defeated that he would go as low as Allan, right?

Right????

We already see Jeff’s delusion with the world, he’s back to his cynical self, drinking and wallowing. His red tie almost undone vs the red superhero suit in his commercial. It’s already darker but the narrative needs him in school, so it has to be a little extreme.

Then, Jeff goes back to Greendale. Immediately Leonard is there, blowing raspberries. Jeff sees his and Annie’s trophy. We’re having a much better time, even if it’s not for a long time.

Because Greendale has turned the camp and the chaos and the sheer stupidity to eleven. Because the narrative needs to remind us of how detached from reality the school is. Because it’s a TV show. There’s a class about ladders, for god’s sake.

It needs to be this wacky because the show has now shifted to: We’re gonna save Greendale. We’re gonna save the show, like it’s been saved on Yahoo.ca, whatever it takes.

When they get to the study room, the table has been buried - the show has been buried, too, but when everyone comes back (Abed: the Dean called me, I called everyone else) just like the pilot, they put life back into it.

Abed is still Jeff’s mirror here, and suggests that Jeff becomes a teacher at the school, because it would be the most TV-logical thing to do, especially since Jeff got his diploma in education hello!??

I LOVE how Jeff is like absolutely not. He’s still fighting the narrative, trying to make sense of his new role.

The Dean also has a very interesting speech about “Greendale is a good place for good people, that old spiel” basically having a cynical view of seasons 1-3 and making fun of the initial message of the show. We already know this, but Greendale has changed. Or maybe, Jeff has changed and is now starting to see the cracks.

Coming back to the study room, they immediately start to fall back into old patterns of bickering, because they all have something to hide and are too proud to admit they are miserable. Shirley brings them back to reality before they get too far. Once again, rooting us slowly into reality.

Jeff, for his part, forgot how good it felt to be bad. When he beats down Allan with his own tie… woof, that was rough. He takes the tie. Takes charge. Wants his own identity back, because it’s much easier to be bad than good. Much easier to pretend that he doesn’t care, than actually caring. Caring got him hurt.

Then Chang appears and makes fun of the absurdity of his character. It’s easy to see here, because when said out loud, Chang’s development is the most extreme. Like come on, amnesia? Get a grip, show!!!

Jeff then feels he has been robbed of his identity and starts to point out each character’s development:

Britta was an eclectic anarchist. She is now the airhead, which is heartbreaking and I don’t want to think about season 1 Britta too much or I go insane.

Shirley began the show by taking back her independence from her cheating husband and is now the one who cheated ???

Annie lost her go-getter attitude and settled for a job she hates.

Abed, multiple breakdowns. Like, at least one per season.

Troy’s Clive Owen Tumblr (what is his url u think) but no, seriously, always being with Abed and nothing else.

They did ended up like mixed up cartoons, and not only because of the “gas leak year”. They’ve become stereotypes, as sitcom characters often do. They’ve evolved, but perhaps not in the original direction intended, or not where we left then in season 3.

Now, it’s time for them to Get Something Back. Their narratives.

Annie says to Jeff: Greendale is in your hands. And it is. If Jeff talks long enough, he can make the people around him do things. It’s his power. Greendale’s fate is in his hands.

Then, Abed throws his words back at him: you make us see the right truth.

And that could be that Greendale is a place worth saving!!!! Jeff knows that, because, as usual, with one sentence, Abed has thrown off his resolve. Maybe Jeff needs to show them another thruth. But Jeff needs one last convincing first.

The Pierce hologram is my favorite. The fact that only Jeff could see it for some reason, echoes season 1 when Pierce was more of a grumpy grandpa that sometimes gave Jeff some nugget of wisdom and acted like a distorted father figure. Same here.

Jeff walks back in the school, screaming to the Dean about his power to destroy the place. But he won’t do it. He’s so desperate for something to matter once more and for that thing not to be dark and twisted.

And then. And Then. The Dean offers him a job.

Teacher.

The way Jeff looks up as he would be talking to god (non specific) when he whispers “Screw you Abed” as soon as he sees his path laid out for him: become a teacher at the school who, he thinks, stole 4 years of his life. He looks up like he’s delivering a monologue in theater, like he’s alone, like he’s praying.

As you can see, I feel VERY normal about the acting choices.

Screw you, Abed. Screw you, TV show. Screw you, logical way for my character to stay and have the rest of my story be mine, or trying to be.

The table burns, but that’s okay, because they build a new one together. This is truly theirs, now. They have the power to do anything.

And Jeff, well…

Jeff still, in his darkest moments, thought of his friends. In his most ironic moment, looked UP to Abed/his mirror/the narrative and said “Screw you…

…I’ll do it anyway.”

[sweetcloverheart]

Clover Rants Miraculously: Death Penalty

Look, I need people to understand that my issue with Gabriel dying isn’t simply just that it lets him avoid all consequence to his actions, but that it’s not a good consequence in general in the face of all the crimes he’s committed.

From season 1 to now, Gabriel has emotionally manipulated children for his own ends, arranged for former friends to be harassed or embarrassed so he can use them, has abused and isolated his own son, had a young girl re-orphaned by having her guardian murdered, put the entire world in jeopardy with nukes, had the city (families, children, his own son) placed in peril as the monsters he created destroyed everything in their path, taken advantage of people when they’re at their lowest and most vulnerable, led to his closest ally near killing herself with the same “illness” that took his wife, gave a manipulative young girl free access to his son despite the boy’s clear discomfort and threw her away when she was no longer of use, threatened his nephew and mistreated his sister-in-law, teamed up with a cult and arranged to use his own child as a bargaining chip, abused the magical creatures under his control, and ruined the lives of his son and said son’s girlfriend as they basically sacrificed their childhoods to fight him, and who knows who else that suffered from his rise as Hakwmoth/Monarch - and the only “punishment” he gets is peacefully dying of the magic-induced wound that was already killing him anyways while he gets everything he was mistreating his son and tormenting the city for.

“But he dies! He won’t get to enjoy the result of his wish!”

Doesn’t matter, he still won and got what he wanted in the end, and with no cost to himself or his legacy. He got to peace out knowing his son’s going to live the rest of his life thinking his father was a hero instead of the monster he let his grief twist him into and that the truth of his crimes will never see the light of day thanks forcing the young girl he tricked into thinking he was actually turning over a new leaf into keeping her mouth shut for “his son’s sake”. That sounds strangely like “enjoyment” to me. How do you look at the show practically bragging about how Gabriel all but defying his wife’s final wishes and making a mockery of Marinette wanting to help him find a better/safer way to save her is “good actually” with turning Paris into a “Utopia” and having him being thanked for it with a statue and think he’s in any way being “punished”.

(I would compare this to some those Superman continuities Lex Luthor gets heralded as a hero and avoids consequences thanks to his status as a billionaire, but at least in those, Lex doing that is portrayed as wrong/a tragedy (unless he’s actually on the heroes side in those runs, and even then he still faces some pushback for his past actions)).

“So what punishment would be fitting for you then?”

One where he has to face what he’s done; I wanted Gabriel to have to confront his son (and wife maybe) with how low he sunk, I wanted Gabriel to be faced with the lives he ruined in pursuit of his selfishness, I wanted Gabriel to realize he sacrificed so much for nothing, and most of all - I wanted Gabriel to not get what he wanted, especially not as a result of spitting in the face of Marinette’s mercy. Whether or not he lived at the end, I at least wanted to see him not be rewarded for all the damage he’s done and the lives he ruined, because rewarding your villain (especially one that is as onscreen abusive as Gabriel) for their crimes is just...no. That’d be like if the original starwars trilogy had Han defeat Vader and then be told to lie to Luke and Leia about what a kind and good soul he always was before he uses the darkside of the force to undo the making of the empire and bring Padme back.

There are ways to pull the “Villain dies/sacrificed himself for his goal”, and "Recreation” was not it. Frankly, I would have preferred the doing what was done in HZD at the end of the “Promontory” mission with the brain and fist choices (start at 1:58)

[darkdevasofdestruction]

Chapter 2 - Unwritten Laws

The next morning, Katrina woke up better than ever before - It was a beautiful morning with an even more refreshing feeling - Something she hasn't experienced in a very long time. She had a soft smile on her face so she dressed in the kimono of that annoying colour and braided her hair, doing a cute bow to tie it, only for someone to randomly pop up - Or, pop down, rather, from a tile from the ceiling. 

The man was dressed like one of those Ninjas in Naruto, only to have modern-day glasses that gave him away, somewhat. "Hello. I know we haven't properly met each other, but I was there when you went through the wormhole." he explained, making the girl snap her fingers in realisation.

"That means you have an idea of what and/or why it happened, right? Are you a scientist?" the woman asked, gesturing for the man to get out of the ceiling and sit down with her and chat properly.

"Yes. I am a post-graduate in Physics. We entered the wormhole at the same time, however, I arrived four years prior to you. And in this time spent here, I came to the conclusion that we are in an alternate timeline. I arrived at the place where Uesugi Kenshin collapsed. I saved his life with my knowledge of modern medicine. If this were our timeline, Uesugi Kenshin should be dead by now. Also, the Warlord Takeda Shingen, who is supposed to be dead by now, is also alive. Well... I predicted that you would do a time travel as well, and I searched for you, but I never imagined you would arrive four years after me." the man chuckled cheekily, making the woman look down with an amused smirk.

"Well, well, finally, someone who has brains around this place. Trust me, it's a real wonder. I'm a doctor now, but in the only day spent here, I didn't get to use my skills." she hummed in mock-superiority. "Anyway, I see these 4 years have been kind to you. To become such an excellent ninja requires true hard work and dedication... Not like you had anything else better to do, anyway. To think both Kenshin and Shingen are alive right now... As well as Nobunaga... Mitsuhide wasn't the traitor, he hasn't died in less than a week, and Hideyoshi isn't Japan's unifier yet... There truly are a ton of discrepancies compared to our own time's history. Well... Not like I know a ton about universal history and all. As you can see, I'm not exactly 100% Japanese, and most of my time I spent in Europe. I know the basics of history, with some details from some Wikipedia searches and... 'The Age of Samurai' documentary from Netflix. But I guess it matters for nothing now that we're pretty much re-writing history by just existing." Kat smiled wryly, admitting to her own ups and downs in common knowledge, but then she grinned charmingly, tapping the side of her face, pondering.

"I don't think we will need too much history knowledge with how much things have changed, but I suppose you could say that seeing the famous warlords of the Sengoku with my own eyes is a dream come true for me. My parents were big history buffs so I got my name from the Legendary Ninja that served Yukimura Sanada. Sarutobi Sasuke, the leader of the Sanada 10 Braves, the fictional group of 10 ninjas that supposedly assisted the warlord Yukimura Sanada during the Warring States, and since that's pretty much my name, I've basically taken his place, so my impact on history is pretty low. Unlike yours, Physician Princess." he sniggered friendly, making the girl shrug playfully.

"Rumours fly around faster with a ninja around. Anyway, I know we have no actual technology around... Except for what we were caught with in the wormhole, and that only works on the left-over batteries... But do you have any idea if there's any way to go back home? There must be a wormhole some time soon, right?" she theorized, and thankfully, the ninja scientist nodded in relief.

"According to my data, the next appearance will be in three months... But I'm still unsure of its location, so I believe it will be best if you spend these next three months here, since we're in the midst of a chaotic civil war... Ah, someone's coming. I'll be staying with my employed in the city below. Send a smoke signal and I'll come to your aid quickly. Bye, Kat, it was lovely meeting you." and with that, the scientist completely disappeared.

"Goodbye to you too..." the girl muttered, getting up and opening the door to her room, only to see Mitsuhide, wearing his usual fox-like smile, and two very soft and sweet looking women behind him, both holding some big boxes of unknown content.

"Hello. Please, do come inside... Although, I don't have any tea or snacks to serve you." she stepped to the side, welcoming the trio inside her room.

"What a lovely welcome, from one fire fox, to another silver fox. Well, I will be direct with you. Lord Nobunaga is calling for you. He wants to see you." crossing his arms and nodding to the girls to open the boxes, revealing several hair pins and hair decorations, along with a beautifully embroidered and painted flower-patterned black, golden and red kimono and matching haori and zori sandals.

"U-Uhm... I would like to thank you for your consideration... Truly, I appreciate the thought... But I simply cannot accept such a gift. I have done nothing to deserve or earn such expensive outfits and jewellery, therefore I must decline." the red haired woman looked away, embarrassed, fidgeting awkwardly with her fingers.

"My, my, how modest of you, little Princess. Well, then take it as an early payment for all the hard work you're going to put throughout your stay here, at Azuchi. Besides, if you don't accept them, it will be me Hideyoshi kills. He pushed these onto me and said, and I quote, 'She can't go dressed like that, take this to Lady Katrina'. Don't worry so much and let these maids take care of you today, then, you can do whatever you want." Mitsuhide bargained with the girl who remained quiet for a while, and then simply nodded. Whispering a soft "Okay." and "Thank you.", the two maids had Mitsuhide leave the room and called Katrina to take a bathroom.

The Faux Princess had to insist a few times to be allowed to wash herself... Alone... By herself. She enjoyed the soothing hot water that calmed down her overworked and stressed muscles, and soaked much longer than she realised, but damn, the relaxation was so worth it. She didn't even care for the wrinkly skin, she was just so happy.

Her apartment back home was pretty small, so she didn't have enough space for a bath tub, only for a shower, so there wasn't any chance for her to relax like this. Not bad at all... Maybe this will be a pretty fun trip... A vacation, maybe? Definitely worth it. With just this bath alone, Kat was content.

After what may have felt like ages for anyone waiting on her, the physician woman got out of the bath and dried herself off, allowing the maids - Aiko and Maki - To take of her however they felt fit, trying to erase the embarrassment she felt in allowing others to pamper her like that. But this kindness and politeness... Yes, these women were nice and all, but it was all fake. After all... She was a Princess, and everyone wanted to gain favour with the Princess, and by default, gain favour with the Lord who assigned them to do this. She's seen enough Imperial Chinese dramas to know the drill.

The girls carefully combed her long, crimson hair, and they made two decorative braids in the back, loosely tying them together with a beautiful, golden ribbon. They helped her with dressing, and then gave her some food - And an excellent dessert - And shockingly, Masamune was the one who cooked for her! Kat knew, cooking wasn't rocket science, but cooking in the 16th century, and especially something so spectacular... She was intrigued, to say the least, and it's the first time she was actually interested in learning something that wasn't revolving around her work-space.

When she was finally able to leave the room, she saw that Mitsuhide was still there, and he smirked at her, satisfied. "You look lovely, Lady Katrina. Shall I take you to Nobunaga's room? I don't believe you know your way around the castle yet well enough." he spoke, gesturing with his eyes to be followed.

"Thank you for your thoughts, Mitsuhide. Although... Please, do not use such honorifics when addressing me. You and I both know I'm not... Well... I did nothing to earn such a high social status, nor the respect of anyone, therefore, such words are nothing more than empty pleasantries that are used as an attempt at gratifying and elevating one as someone greater, yet it has no meaning, nor worth." she finally spoke after a while, making the silver-haired warlord stop in his tracks and look at her with slightly widened eyes, surprised by her words.

Instead of addressing her statement, he merely hummed in amusement and understanding, and took her hand, kissing the back of her hand. "I thought I'd ease your nervousness, yet somehow, I may have missed the mark. You seem even more tense. What dark thoughts are plaguing your mind, little fox?"

She didn't dare look at him - She could feel her cheeks reddening slightly, as she could only look to the side, fidgeting with her fingers and biting her lip. "I... I shouldn't... It's not..." she muttered softly, almost as if afraid to say anything, her eyes darting around carefully.

"There's no one here who could hear you, there is nothing to be afraid of, little one. Your voice is soft enough that not even I may hear it." the warlord mused, encouraging her with the teasing.

"In my time, what you did is a romantic gesture. All that considered... It never happened to me before. That's... That's all that I was thinking. Nothing of importance. Forget you heard it." and with that, the red haired girl stepped ahead, getting in front of Nobunaga's door, only to peer behind her shyly. "Although... It wasn't too bad saying it to someone. Thank you, Mitsuhide."

And thus, hearing a soft snigger from behind, the leaving footsteps left her all alone, in front of the beautifully painted landscape from Nobunaga's paper door. Announcing her presence to the Warlord, she was invited inside, only to see Drew already sitting there, playing Go with Nobunaga. And he was losing very shamefully.

Looking down and fidgeting with her fingers, Kat felt awkward and didn't know what to do, so she just stood there, by the door, awaiting further instruction. It didn't come until Nobunaga completely decimated Drew's forces and he won. Drew threw a tantrum and flipped the table, having all pieces fall around the room, but Nobunaga sketched no reaction - His face was hard and cold as an ice statue's.

The poor girl could only look away, very embarrassed at being associated with him, but also, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with having to witness such a... A fight. A one-sided fight. The man didn't even bother speaking to her - Instead, he stormed out of the room, cursing the warlord left and right. As well as him, the girl said nothing either, but unlike him, she moved for the first time since getting there. She got one of the vases that held the red pieces and began picking up each piece. However, as she was doing that, Nobunaga suddenly moved, grasping her wrist, stopping her at once.

"Why are you doing this? It was not you who made a mess of my room." he spoke, his eyes cold and almost ruthless.

"Yes, but what he did wasn't okay. A man shouldn't behave like a spoiled brat. He's always been a sore loser and would make a huge show whenever he lost at something. Mind you, he was never a great player at... Any game. As well as that, we are both from the future, and having him show such disrespect makes it look as if we are some ill-mannered savages or something." she explained, placing down the vase and putting her other hand gingerly over his.

"You feel responsible for his actions, is that it?" he scoffed, seeing the girl offer a small smile.

"Unfortunately, I do tend to do that a lot." she mused, freeing her hand and continuing picking up the pieces. "But I think it's more shame and second-hand embarrassment."

"A leader always takes the responsibility for his subordinates' mistakes, likewise, they are responsible for teaching them accordingly. Katrina, I do not understand you. It came to my understanding that you and that man were married, or in courtship, therefore you are not a leader, just a maiden trying to pick up the discarded sword of a broken peasant pretending to be a warrior. You could become an Empress, but you sell yourself short. It's pitiful, if not, pathetic." he grimaced, making the girl hang her head, but nod, nonetheless.

"Yes, you are right. I am aware of that - But it's not like I have much choice in the matter, do I?" she let out a dry, sardonic chuckle. "We are not married, and, truth be told... I don't have any positive feelings towards him either. I could end it any time, should I find something better -- I just hadn't found anything better than this wretch yet.." she shrugged simply, though the bitterness was evident on her face.

"Enough self-pity and servant-work. I did not call you here to clean my room." he swiftly ended the conversation. "A scout reported from the East. One of the daimyos there wants to revolt against me. We are facing a force of more than 2.000 men, so it is very small. I am going to lead the attack with my own army of only 500. You will be coming with me. Here's your chance to bring me luck again." he finally spoke with more vigor in his voice, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Oda Nobunaga, the Demon King of the 6th Heaven almost died... He must be weak, we can finally take our chance and win against him. We can defeat his army and take over Kyoto." Kat smirked softly, humming in amusement. "You're going to make quite the statement, Nobunaga - A 1 to 4 army... Very bold." she tapped the table, a habit she took whenever she was being playful or amused. "Is it true what they say? The safest place for anyone is near the general, for it is the most guarded one? Is there anything I should be afraid of?" she teased playfully.

The brunet warlord let out a boastful laugh. "You are brave, woman! Brave and witty, yet foolish to believe there is any place safe under the Sun. Get up, we are leaving now!" and saying that, he lunged to the girl, getting her up and leading her out of the room and into the stables, leaving her mute from shock as she, once again, was dragged up onto Nobunaga's horse with crazy ease.

Nothing more was said until they arrived at the camp - They sat on small wooden chairs, awaiting... Something. Tension was high in the air, and screams of rage, agony, war cries were splitting the air. It wasn't like in the movies, Kat knew that, but even so, curiosity, intrigue and slight fear mixed together in her heart. She wanted to watch, to observe, to analyse, but at the same time, she wanted to stay away and be safe. It wasn't that she valued her life much, but she didn't want to give it away too freely either.

Then, one of the warriors came by to his warlord, alerting that the enemy commander sailed out, risking his life in battle - Nobunaga was almost impressed, he could even say he was half-intrigued... Or maybe a quarter at most. And yet, the Lord got up from his chair and put his hand on the katana hanging from his waist.  He was going to go there and put an end to the enemy's life by himself.

"You must be bored of sitting there, silent. You'll come with me, I want you to see this." the man commanded, already striding to his horse, leaping up and going ahead.

"... You should have waited for me, at least." the girl muttered, and seeing that no one else was around, she held her clothes up, allowing more freedom of movement, and ran after him awkwardly, muttering curses under her breath.

Suddenly, she heard a loud, authoritarian shout - "Aim for Nobunaga's head!" - they said, making the girl's head snap up to the Lord's silhouette, barely a few meters in front of her, and then she saw an archer to her right, drawing his bow towards her. 

"Do I look like a man to you?!" she shouted at him, and seeing a dead soldier on the ground, she leaped down, grabbing up the corpse and using it as a way to cover her body as much as possible.

The familiar sound of an arrow being released, and Kat closed her eyes, not having a clue what else she could do to shield herself - But than the splitting of air by a sword was heard, and a familiar voice boomed through the place. "I am your enemy! Don't mistake me for someone else!" and with that, Kat peeked from behind the dead warrior as Nobunaga decapitated the archer, his blood splashing around like an artesian fountain. So that really was as flashy as in movies. "Katrina! Observe diligently what is happening around you!" he commanded, and with that, he turned around and went ahead to create more carnage.

Thankfully, the war didn't last much longer, for the warlord got to the enemy, and the red head ran up by his side as soon as he leaped down from the horse. "A demon!" some of the enemy soldiers shrieked in fear, seeing the merciless eyes of the sadistic warlord, along with "This man is a monster!" Nobunaga's cold, lifeless, killer eyes seemed to terrify the soul out of everyone... He was enjoying the way he scared and intimidated his enemies.

But Kat wasn't scared. Instead, she kinda felt sad hearing such words. In a period of only war, to call someone so gifted in the art of war, a monster, just because you're lesser than him - No, never mind, humanity hasn't changed.

The woman walked by his side, in front of the cowering enemy leader who was kneeling and praying, begging for his life to be spared. But Nobunaga was having none of it. None who rebel against him may live. And he struck him down on the spot.

"You lost to number less than half of yours. You should be cursing yourself for thinking you stood a chance. Understand it already! This is the end for you. And it goes without saying, your foolish vassals will accompany you on your fate." and thus, he ordered everyone from the castle to be pulled out - They were all bound and taken away - It seemed to Kat like they were inmates on death row, or maybe lambs to the slaughter, awaiting the guillotine blade to fall down on their neck.

Was he going to kill all of them? Even those who weren't involved in any way in the war, and just had the misfortune of being born in the wrong castle area? It seemed unfair, and yet, she wouldn't be surprised in the least. It's the Sengoku era, and she remembered how completely heartless Nobunaga was said to have been, killing and lighting up buddhist temples, women, children and anyone that was unfortunate enough to cross his path.

She could only look at them go by her with lingering sorrow, feeling her heart sinking, but she was saying nothing. She understood, and it wasn't like a warlord would take back an order and choose the mercy route, just because of a woman's plea. He was Oda Nobunaga, and he was a Warlord. The most feared one in the whole country.

As a physician, she looked at the irony presented in front of her - A woman who vowed to save as many lives as possible, next to a man who vowed to bring his success by killing. Did he even care about others' lives, or did he just see humans as pawns in a chess game, playing only to win? Was he truly not afraid, even by a little bit, of being in the middle of the war, among so much death and danger?

She went back to Azuchi almost robotically, not being aware of anything around her, as she was too deep in her own thoughts. Maybe someone tried to talk to her, but she behaved rudely by unintentionally ignoring them. But she wasn't sorry, she didn't want to do it, those thoughts were too intense and interesting to speculate.

And so, she got back to her own room and slumped on the ground, resting her elbow on her knee and propping her jaw on her palm, looking unfocused and just...Pondering. That is, until the room to her door was opened and, unexpectedly, Hideyoshi greeted her. She saw the man and gestured for him to sit down next to her and have the conversation he wanted - Why else would he be there, anyway?

"You seem unexpectedly well after what happened. Are you sure you come from an era of peace?" he asked with light amusement, no doubt trying to lighten up the atmosphere.

"Yes, I am sure." she smiled softly. "I've always been great at hiding what I'm feeling, and I naturally am level-headed and don't fall under the pressure, so I guess my rational thinking and composure saved me from panicking too bad. Thank you for your concerns, Hideyoshi, I truly appreciate your thoughts." she nodded as a thanks.

"I did come here to bring you some basic necessities and see how you were doing, but I suppose you are pretty fearless." he stated. "Did anything happen to put you in such deep pondering?" he asked, almost as if he were a big brother concerned about his little sister after her first day at school.

"Well... An archer tried to shoot me. The arrow was aimed at my face. That was scary. I leapt to shield myself with a body from the ground, but thankfully, Nobunaga was there in time and sliced the arrow... And then the archer. It was scary back then, but the adrenaline surging through your veins makes it bearable. When you relax, it's when the fear actually catches up to you - Rationally, at least." she recalled the story with a sigh. 

"Yes, I suppose for a woman who never even saw weapons her whole life and lived such a sheltered existence, having an arrow pointed at you and almost dying must be traumatic." he nodded, a serious expression on his face - But then he patted her head with a nice smile. "But that's not what's on your mind, is it?"

"No... You are right." she admitted. "After he killed the enemy lord, Nobunaga tied up all the vassals, including the women and children. In our history, he is known as a merciless man who kills anything in his path - However, there are enough discrepancies in this timeline from my own... So, I was wondering... Are these war prisoners going to be killed? Or will they be used as slaves or something?" Kat asked, looking pensive at the vassal in front of her.

"Kill? Lord Nobunaga would never do something so wasteful. The traitor will be stripped of his land, which will be put under the control of a new daimyo. The wounded will be treated and sent home to work the land as farmers and peasants once more. They won't be allowed to become samurai or warriors again, though." the man explained to her the process of taking war prisoners.

"I see. I suppose that makes sense. That means I will finally have some proper work to do of my own these days, that's great. I figured he wanted to get rid of this revolt quickly, with as few people as possible, to show that he's stronger now than ever, even in spite of the fast-flying rumours about the Honno-Ji incident... So he's thoughtful first, then merciless and valiant. I think I understand him and his reasonings better now." Kat nodded in understanding, letting a pondering silence veil the both of them for a while.

"I still don't yet approve of you, but now that you are a member of the Oda forces, and you have already been through one war, you have to try and understand what is going on around here. Things won't be easy for you, but I am sure Lord Nobunaga wouldn't put you in direct danger, considering he needs you alive. But that's all I can tell you now. Once you've calmed down and had enough time to sort out your thoughts and feelings, go to Lord Nobunaga and thank him." and thus, he extended his hand towards her, to help her up.

She graciously gave him a smile and got up with his aid, and they nodded at each other. "Thank you for coming here and explaining these things to me. I needed that. You're a very nice man, Hideyoshi, whether or not you approve of me. I appreciate it." but then, the man smiled and hummed cheerfully.

"Don't thank me. Also, before I forget - Have this. Put this on your wounds. While I won't trust anyone who seems suspicious until they prove me wrong, I wouldn't leave an injured woman untreated. It's not my style." and thus, he stepped out of the room, waving at her goodbye.

"Thank you, Hideyoshi!" the girl went out as well, waving at him as well.

"Thank Ieyasu, not me. I'm just giving you leftover medicine he made." he chuckled lightly.

"Ieyasu is interested in medicine as well?!" the girl's first real reaction - True interest and excitement - Painted on her face, her eyes gleaming eagerly.

"Yes, he is very gifted in this domain. He may be skeptical and apprehensive at first, but pay him no mind, he's just introverted. You can learn many things from him. I'm sure you will be his favourite student... And only one." with an amused look, he left the place, leaving the girl to her own thoughts.

"Fascinating... Very fascinating..." she muttered to herself as she found her feet taking her towards the Lord. "Well then, here we go again..." 

And thus, Katrina sighed, gathering herself and her thoughts, and calling out to the Lord, awaited for approval to walk inside - And she did hastely.

She walked in the demon's den as fearlessly as he expected.

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[belovedcorvid]

“For one human being to love another human being: that is perhaps the most difficult task that has been given to us, the ultimate, the final problem and proof, the work for which all other work is merely preparation.” ♥

❣︎ 𝓑𝓮𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓭 𝓒𝓸𝓻𝓿𝓲𝓭 :: an independent, head-canon driven, semi-selective portrayal of Donquixote Rocinante - code name Corazón - from Eiichiro Oda's One Piece. 18+, please read rules prior to reaching out. Loved to Death by Rabbit / Rory (31, he/him). Explores themes of:

defining love and family; breaking cycles of violence; sacrifice for others; how trauma lingers; defining the self outside of the expectations of others; and careful plans breaking apart.

❣︎ EST October 2023 - Remodeled July 2024

❣︎ 𝓐𝓯𝓯𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 ::

gumpistol / cptnslog | mingos / code01746 | sleeplesswork | aamaranthiine | onepiecc | intothewildsea | ryathenautykitsune

❣︎ | Meme Tag | Verses ( Mobile Friendly ) | Portrayal Notes | Promo | Thread Tracker |

❣︎ 𝓜𝓸𝓫𝓲𝓵𝓮 𝓡𝓾𝓵𝓮𝓼 𝓤𝓷𝓭𝓮𝓻 𝓒𝓾𝓽 ::

| mun |

Rabbit (or Rory) :: he/him :: 31 :: someplace in the northern US Activity Level :: Low and Random ( medical field + chronic illness )  I’ve written intermittently on Tumblr for the last 10-ish(?) years, so if we’ve met before then it’s great to see you again! If we’ve never met, then it’s nice to meet you! I like getting to know the people I write with, so hit me up if you’d like. In my spare time when I’m not doing this, I enjoy TTRPGs and building miniatures.  I’m probably sick right now.

-

| speed and posting style |

Anyone who’s played with me before knows that I’m the slowest guy. I used to worry over this a lot, but this most recent bout with illness has made me re-evaluate how I want to look at time here and stress about this less. I’m going to answer things when I can and keep a tracker so I can see everything and not drop things on accident, but I’m going to treat it less like a deadline. If you want to carry on a thing and don’t mind if I take weeks, let’s do it! If you prefer a partner that’s quicker, I’m not the guy for you.

I tend to write multi-paragraph style, with small text but otherwise minimal formatting. I use icons sometimes, but not always. If you would prefer I use normal text size / no images / etc, let me know - I can accommodate these things. 

-

| breadth of work |

One Piece is huge - I’m not fully caught up, but I am through Rocinante’s bit! I’m still very sad we only got to have him around for a little while, and may or may not make verses to explore alternatives to that.

But! If you want to chat about the manga or the anime in general, I’m all about it.

-

| fundamentals |

I’m not even sure if it’s necessary to add any more, but of course: it’s not cool to godmod, control other people’s characters, kill each other without discussing combat first, badger people for speedy replies, engage in callout culture, etc. Please be a nice human.

Not interested in interacting with people that engage in racist or homophobic / aphobic behaviour. Also not interested in looking at ships for this character that involve incest or large age gaps. I will not write Doffy and Cora as a romantic relationship, and I will not write Cora and Law or any similarly aged characters that way either.

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| tags and content warnings |

I will always, always, always tag triggers for you, especially if you list them in your rules page. If I miss one, or if you’d like me to tag something new, shoot me a message so I can add it to my tags! Violence and other NSFW content types will always be tagged and thrown under a cut.

Triggers for me: Please tag all images of dental injuries with ‘teeth tw’ or something similar. I have just about every iteration blacklisted. Additionally, please tag all content involving a/b/o threads/art/etc and, for lack of a less loaded word, ‘x humanoid character has/gets/is ‘cursed’ with x animal traits/whatever now’ threads/etc as well. I have just about every iteration of both of these blacklisted (I think). Any general a/b/o tag will work just fine; for the latter, I suggest ‘animal traits tw’ or ‘zoomorphism tw’. If you post this that’s fine, but I might not be able to follow you. Deeply personal reasons for me as an individual and as a professional / animal advocate - For clarity: hybrid or shapeshifter characters that actively deal with their hybridity and its consequences are not the same thing. I have a problem when humans put on animal characteristics like costumes for aesthetic purposes / kink / amusement / etc.

-

| shipping |

Writer and character are both of age, so shipping is fine as long as the other character and writer are of age as well. I will not write with underage muns at all, full stop.

I don’t really foresee myself shipping this character much, but if we’ve interacted and you ship a thing, whether it be romantic or platonic, you should let me know. I usually can’t see that sort of thing.

-

| asks |

Asks are neat. I try to answer them all, but again : I’m a slow guy and Tumblr eats them sometimes. If I can’t come up with a good response for what you sent me, I’ll let you know so we can do something else instead.

If I answered an ask of yours and you’d like to respond / make it a thread, that’s awesome! I just ask that you put your reply in a new thread and @ me rather than reblogging the original ask.

-

| memes |

I have a complicated relationship with writing games. I love them in concept and love getting to send my friends things and answer questions / draw prompts / etc, but the havoc they bring to my notes can make it impossible for me to run a blog. Please don’t reblog memes from me if you don’t follow me, or if we don’t interact - makes it too easy to lose replies when notes are a mess.

[observers-journal]

Hello. I know this might be sudden but I feel that I can reach out to you about the whole situation with Tenoch. If you want to share this with the others, that is alright with me. I appreciate you reading my long rant.

I usually don't post things on social media because, imo, it's all a fuckin' mess that just seems to aim on seeing the souls and humanities of people. But I just have this weight that I need to get off my shoulders, especially with what I have seen these past few months. I'm not going to mention all these crazy controversies that have been happening because it is all perfectly explained to me, and if others still can't understand or refuse to understand, then the problem is them.

With that out of the way, I am just wondering of the changes going on. I know that TH has to step out of social media due to what's going on, which I don't blame him for, but I'm glad that there has been positive things happening, and I think it is due to the dedication and courage of the people who truly believe in him, as they are braver than I am to be willing to step into the battlefield for a person who has been a beacon in this dark and cruel world.

While it has been slowly getting positive for TH, as for Maldemort (yes, who shall not be named), I feel that there has been some kind of shift. At first, with the events in June, it was all chaos and hectic, which I personally think she enjoyed, probably even more than the attention she got from her acid attack and the law she wants to take credit for. But now, the attention seems to have simmered even after her recent posts about her, especially her case about her, other than the tragic death of the deputy that she mentioned. Even the news seems to have simmered down regarding her, and even when posting things about her, there is either low views with no comments or heightened views but with comments that criticized them for not reporting on her behaviors and her crimes, and it's not just TH fans, but also people who seem to be unaware or neutral about her.

This is taking longer than I thought, and I apologized for it, but I am getting to the point. The reason why I am mentioning all of this is because I am wondering if these changes going on are due to what has been exposed about Maldemort, or if people are forgetting and moving on from it, or if people either see her for whom she is or they' re bored and tired of her and attention seeking schemes. I just want to know what you guys think, because I don't knownwhat to think and I could be wrong.

Anyway, I have got this weight off my shoulders and feel lighter for now. All I hope that TH has his lawsuit ready, and exposed the narcissistic psychopath of whom she truly is because something tells me that he's almost done and he's waiting for the right time to do it. He's a very intelligent man that many people have underestimated, and I think he has stuff about her that we don't know about since he has been dealing with this for over a year. And it might reach the point that she won't be able to defend the indefensible no matter what she would say or try to manipulate in social media.

Thank you for reading my long rant, and I appreciate all your opinions.

Hey nonnie, thanks for being comfortable enough to share this with me 😊 Anon asks can only be answered through posting (I think) so here it is. And I think the community will appreciate your thoughts on this too!

TH is way smarter than these people thought as you said and unfortunately he has been the subject of several attacks before too. Nor would she have seen coming the deluge of actual evidence-based allegations on her, and how her accusations were debunked so smartly by Tenoch supporters.

It's probably a mix of both forgetting and seeing through her BS I think. People are not fools to be played around, so yeah there's definitely both of those factors playing a role.

I think it's very wise for TH to stay away from social media. It brings more harm than good, especially in such situations. He does lurk around on IG though, although not as actively as before.

We all hope he sues the hell out of her. And can you imagine what all he possibly knows and has kept private to himself, when the public could dig out so much? Coz until then the media narrative in Mexico might favor MER as we now understand, as it is in the hands of people who dislike T rather strongly.

BUT, I just saw El Elegido is trending on Mexico! I would take that as a good signal? Great signal! Slowly but surely but he's coming back ❤️

Take care, and feel free to share more of your thoughts!

[kingbryancroidragon]

Darkness Rising Part 2 Commentary

Well, it is Sunday, so why not do the commentary for part two of this five-part pilot?

I honestly find it a bit weird that given Starscream's ambition Megatron left him in charge, but as it turns out in later episodes, Starscream becomes completely loyal to Megatron, so no doubt Megatron saw some in Starscream beyond his ambition. I also mentioned my own story that I would have sent to Hasbro in the previous commentary (doomed from the start because why would they ever accept it) and have it that Megatron himself had usurped the leadership of the Decepticons and had been the second-in-command himself so he wouldn't think anything about his own second-in-command trying to usurp him, it would just be the vicious cycle that was the position of Decepticon leadership.

"Three years in space", I really have to wonder what that is even like for a Cybertronian. In the Marvel comics, it was established that a million years was like a decade for a Cybertronian, if it is the same here, then how does that translate into a human lifetime?

I like the dark energon, it gives a different side to Megatron, suggesting he is actually interested in what is considered the occult on Cybertron and unlike the animated G1 continuity, he has knowledge of Unicron before that fateful meeting, though as the franchise was in its infancy, Unicron was not essentially the Devil, but he could have been interpreted as a devil, so there is a lot of difference from where we started and where we are now with some characters.

"Botswana", I feel like that pun is low-hanging fruit considering that the country already has "Bot" in its name.

Has any previous work ever brought this up? The possibility of a Cybertronian accidentally stepping on a human?

And so we are introduced to Agent William Fowler voiced by Ernie Hudson. I have the head canon, that Fowler has seen the Turkish remake of ET and he liked it.

And the beginning of the running gag of something Ratchet needs being broken is born. Wonderful!

And it is at this point that "Transformers Prime" dipped into the horror genre, a bit earlier than some works in the franchise.

I have the head canon that Miko started brainstorming a bunch of ideas for using the Ground Bridge, most of the being to see her favourite bands in concert, another being to have a beach day on Easter Island and a third being to TP the car of a teacher back home.

Our first large-scale battle and it is intense.

Raf establishing himself as the computer wiz to Ratchet is such a great scene.

I personally find that jump scare with undead Cliffjumper a bit predictable.

Something I find interesting and that I recently looked up, is that Starscream's various altmodes, excluding Armada and Cybertron, seem to have been predominantly all from the F series (F-15 Eagle, 5-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Eagle.) I don't know why, its just a nice touch and might be why I don't particularly care for his Armada alt mode in that while Cybertronian, it resembles a Sukhoi Su-35 and doesn't quite fit the F series that Starscream is commonly associated with, at least to me. It is nice that in this series he is an F-16 keeping with the F series.

I just love the observation of the kids, it is where it truly hits them that these are people, not just machines,

Optimus' question of "Have you broken the law?" is great. It is like he is still getting used to human figures of speech and in all honesty, he probably is.

Imagine if Optimus had been able to speak before Ratchet said he was busy, then he'd be the one Jack bonded with.

Enter June Darby. A few head canons about her: she privately believes in reincarnation, during her college years she posed for a calendar and her favourite movie is "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea." I also mentioned my Transformers story that I would have submitted to Hasbro and it would have featured re-imaginings of various past human characters. June would have been a former classmate of Spike Witwicky and the goddaughter of Isaac Sumdac.

I wonder what Arcee was thinking when Jack called her "abused."

A wake-up call from Arcee, who needs an alarm clock?

I take offense to that. I was watching cartoons when I was sixteen. I still watch cartoons, might be because with my original writing I imagine my characters as animated rather than live-action.

"Millennia worth of battles", does that still translate to "Decades worth of battles?" I really want to know, what are Optimus and Megatron's ages translated to human years?

Even Starscream is uncertain with this stuff and for good reason.

And how is that for a cliffhanger?

And that was the second part of the five part pilot. Thanks for reading.

[angstyaches]

Hey, can I ask what book(s) you were talking about in your last post? :)

Sure!

The series I'm currently re-reading is The First Law by Joe A/berc/rombie, and right now I'm on book 2, Before They Are Hanged. It's kind of dark, gory, high fantasy with lots of angsty and whumpy themes, but the character I'm specifically talking about is a highborn, spoiled, decorative military guy; the apathetic asshole type who's trying to do better.

I'll post details of my favourite scene below the cut in case anyone's interested!

CW: spoilers (I tried to keep it low-detail but still), death and gore mention, emeto caused by disgust/distress.

___

He’s lived a sheltered life of luxury, and now he finds himself wandering into dangerous, unknown lands with a ragtag bunch of folks he’d never usually give the time of day. When the gang comes across the aftermath of a brutal fight, the sight of so many slaughtered, butchered bodies makes him feel sick, especially since he's already feeling a bit funny from hunger and low blood sugar. But he’s strong, right? He’s a beacon of hope for the common people who've rallied behind him; he can get through this... right? For a moment, it seems as though he's calmed himself and his stomach down.

Then, cue the most brazen of the group shoving a hand into the open guts of a corpse, testing its warmth, and woops, there goes our guy, puking his breakfast down himself before stumbling away from his horse to heave again. Bonus: another character is determined to solidify the team's bonds by doing little acts of kindness and understanding for each of them, so he goes over to our queasy guy and offers him some water, and even agrees with him and backs him up when he sheepishly declares that he’s sick because of the food they ate earlier.

Honestly, this was probably my first encounter with the sickie/caretaker dynamic, and definitely my first encounter with two typically tough male characters showing vulnerability. Or if it wasn't the first, it definitely, as I've said, awakened something in me lol

[augusteofarles]

Hi this is the at the mercy of your doorstep anon! You shouldn't be worried at all, Little Louis's voice is perfect, you've captured the way he was charmed by Lestat in the show premier but is still observant and introspective like adult Louis. There are so many things he doesn't understand because he's a little boy but it's still SO him, he's not too mature or naive he's Just Right.

And it's so relieving that Lestat and Louis are going to be school mates oh my gosh that's so sweet! That'll give Lestat a weekday reprieve from the abuse and maybe he can pay for school lunches through a free or reduced prices meal program, even though Louis would probably be happy to pay for himself and his friend and then bear Florence's anger when his family get the bill...or just pack two lunches and convince his parents it's good Christian charity. And things will only get more complicated for Louis when Paul joins them in a year or two and he has to look out for his baby brother...I'm speculating away but I'm sure what you write will be heartrending and beautiful, pay no mind to me!

RE: Homeschooling laws, there are many states in the US with similar lax regulations on homeschooling and social services...Horribly realistic that boys like Lestat and Paul could be failed by the system severely in the 1990s or 2000s (Louis has a Game Boy so the fic is between 1990-2004 right now I think?) and not the 1780s or 1890s despite obvious abuse or need for mental health help. Thank you again for writing, I hope you won't mind if I come back to cry about these darlings in your inbox after every chapter 🫣

I'm glad you brought this up because I hadn't even thought about the school lunch situation! I was always low income growing up, so I always had free lunch at school, but it might also vary by state. Lestat's family will also be low income in this fic, but I'll have to do some research on that and how things are in Louisiana. (isn't it wild that the answer isn't just- children get fed at school for free, always? Ah, America)

"convince his parents it's good Christian charity" Interesting you bring that up, because the Du Lacs' relationship with Lestat (especially Florence) is going to be an interesting one re: the Christian charity bit will be in play in some ways🤫. I'm actually really excited to explore Louis' family dynamics in general. And of course Louis and Paul....ah my heart.

Yeah, the more I learn about homeschooling regulations, the more worrying it is, though not surprising :(

As for the year this fic takes place in, in all honestly, I've kinda left it ambiguous plainly because I started writing this very out of the blue and did not feel like committing or doing too much research at the moment 😅 but yes it takes place (in the late??) 90's (hence the 90s toys) and will reach up to the present when the boys are in their 30s (probably??? still in process of writing lol) Also I've been thinking...I kinda don't want them to have cell-phones until they're adults so...idk I'll have to think back on the year lol

"I hope you won't mind if I come back to cry about these darlings in your inbox after every chapter 🫣" ANON....anon look at me 👁️👃🏻👁️ I'm giving you a tender forehead kiss as we speak, and I've sent you a fruit basket. Come to my inbox whenever you want, it only motivates me to write more, so thank you 😭❤️

[unclevladscorner]

Book Review/Analysis- The Orchid and the Lion

It took me a while to get through this book, but HOLY MOLY was it a good read.

Before I start- this is a highly sexually explicit novel. At it's core, it's a dystopian sci-fi, but it's also a book about relationships, queer community, sex work, and BDSM.

The plot largely revolves around Dorian Vidales and Laith Ritter. Dorian is a genderqueer gay man, fem Dom and the star sex worker at La Vie Boheme- The premier brothel on the James Baldwin space station. Located halfway between Earth and Mars, the station is a haven for LGBTQIA+ people and others who've fled oppressive Purity Laws on Earth.

Laith Ritter is a newly arrived transplant. He travels to the space station in hopes of building a new life for himself, and he hopes to connect to a relative who mysteriously dies just before the novel opens. The story largely revolves around the dual plot lines of Laith's training to be a professional sub and the investigation into the murder of his uncle, Sam Beecher.

Laith essentially lies on his resume when applying to work at La Vie Boheme, saying he's comfortable with many sex acts he's never heard of. Dorian is put in charge of Laith, and given a month to train him. Dorian; while attracted to Laith, has a difficult time with the unfamiliar feelings of falling head over high heels for the man he's now tasked to train. The budding romance is fraught with challenges as each man has their own baggage, none more so than Dorian himself.

The high points are very high, and the low points are very low. For a debut novel, Gabriel Hargrave knocks it out of the gods-damned park. I would give this book a million and one stars if I could, I think it's that great. This is going to be a long talk, dissecting some of the themes and plot of the book. WARNING: There will be spoilers ahead!

First off, I am super grateful that all the sex depicted in the book is fully consentual; and while there are moments of violence, they are handled in ways that did not trigger my own PTSD. This is a rarity for me, and I'm always glad when I can get through a sometimes difficult read without feeling re-traumatized.

I feel like the characters are portrayed in a raw, but dignified light. Dorian is a mess, he masks his feelings from himself and has an incredibly difficult time accepting both loving another person and having that love returned. Laith is relatively well composed on the outside, but he harbors deep trauma from both his military service and his years on Earth living as a stealth transgender man.

That being said, all the characters in the book feel very real and well rounded. Their hopes, dreams, trauma, and motivations all read with deep emotional sincerity. Even at Dorian's worst, I deeply sympathize with him b/c he genuinely believes he cannot be loved, and he feels the need to self sabotage his new relationship at various points for various reasons.

Laith is also deeply compelling. Hiding behind a mask of calm composure, his emotional armor is different but very parallel to Dorian's own. He finds freedom and acceptance in Dorian's training. Dorian; in spite of his objections, wants the best for Laith and never does anything without consent and regular safety checks.

Laith starts the book very ambivalent about his choice to become a sex worker, and ends the book surrounded by a family of friends and love he'd never dreamed of before. Shy at first, he slowly opens up to Dorian, the trust they build feels both unbreakable and all too fragile as the two men navigate one another's fears and trauma.

Laith's ability to have agency over his own body; to name it and refer to it in terms he's comfortable with, and to choose how in what way he has sex (Which is admittedly a LOT of ways lololol), is deeply satisfying. I feel like even in the realm of transmasculine penned works, trans men and transmasculine bodies are still often filtered through a cis feminine lens. This book; and Experience Points By N. A. Melamed, are two I've read that I deeply connect with as the authors embrace their own deeply personal trans experiences to pen very real feeling and authentic transmasculine characters. It makes me feel seen and proud of my own transmasculine body, emotional scars and all.

In spite of everything that happens, Laith and Dorian's deep bonds keep them together through both internal and external conflicts. The love between them is raw and and feels delicate at times; but in spite of this, they find a way to navigate the difficult situations they find themselves in and back to one another in a very deeply real way.

[glamourstories]

JD Space

I saw the ping across my dash, someone was trying to contact me. I pinged back to get a look at them, know what I'm dealing with. A low res image of the ship popped up on screen, a small black ship, single person, probably a fighter. No colour meant they liked to hide in space and no livery meant they were independent. Could be a pirate, more likely a bounty hunter given how they hadn't fired yet.

I answered the call, a voice crackled through my headset. "What's your JD?" She said, blunt and to the point.

"Pinging you now." I replied in comms, tapping my console to give her access to my Jurisditial Designation code. I didn't make small talk, Bounty Hunters weren't the patient sort and itchy on the trigger if you didn’t give them what they wanted. I was also just happy to get moving anyway, I had a delivery to make.

I saw my console light up while her system connected to mine and we waited a minute as she pinged the local jurisdiction for decryption and verification.

"D&Vs clear, on your way." She said cutting comms, clearly not looking to chat. I saw her ship light up, thrusters glowing blue against the blackness of space as she flew over my cockpit. She didn’t need to fly that close, she had the whole sky she could’ve used. No, she was making a point; ‘Don’t mess with me’ she was saying. Now all bounty hunters had an ego, but this felt different, piracy and smuggling wasn’t uncommon this far away from the hypergate network, but I had a feeling she was looking for someone specific and was pissed I wasn’t it.

Except I had a feeling I actually was.

My JD code was actually a legal one. Just that it didn't belong to me or this ship. JDs are near impossible to forge so it was easiest to just duplicate one. Lucky for me Bounty Hunters aren't the patient sort, she just cared that it was real and didn't stick around till the JD ping got back to its home jurisdiction. If she had waited then she would have found out the JD I used didn't match my ship, she also didn't stop to wonder why a trader was halfway across the galaxy from their jurisdiction.

But I figured she'd get a notification in the next hour after the ping had made its way around the galaxy, so best I got out of there. I had a delivery to make after all. I made a silent prayer that someone at Corridian XIV would be able to get me a new JD and a paintjob, but I still had to get there first. My truck was a bit old at this point, a banged up mid-class freighter, so even if I did already have a head start on the bounty hunter, her ship was newer and sleeker so would easily be able to catch up if the ping came back sooner rather than later.

I burned excess to get there faster, I could have coasted and still got there with time to spare and I wasn't going to be happy with the extra fuel costs later, but better that than no payday and a year in prison. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting to get pinged so soon, I'd barely been out in this cluster a week, just having enough time to score a decent smuggling job (recommendations go a long way, even in black markets), so either this cargo was tainted or someone had set me up.

I'd have to add it to the list of worries along with my now compromised JD, but a job is a job and I'm sure the people of Corridian XIV needed whatever was in those crates.

This far from the hypergates supplies weren’t regular and the law was mostly left for people for people to sort out amongst themselves. So here we were; a bunch of pirates and bounty hunters stuck in a loop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tentatively calling this JD Space, just because it sounds fun and rolls off the tongue. Don't know if I could make it into a full story but I wanted to try my hand at worldbuilding, or galaxy-building I guess and I started with a small concept and wanted to include slang, I just like the phrase "What's your JD?" Others include "Off-Map" I.E. Having no JD Code so you aren't on the JD Map.

I think there's a fun story in this concept somewhere but it's weird; I usually start off with a short story then build the world around that as it makes sense, so this is backwards for me. But also interesting that I've basically come up with a universe based around bureacracy and I'd be curious if I could turn that into something interesting.