#mainly for my old followers who may be interested!

[ninjahaku21art]

Just a tiny reminder/FYI!

I have an account separate for my old OCs/stories! (If you’ve followed this account for years, you may remember XD ) I have drawn new art pieces as well!

Check it out if you haven’t!

[desireangel]

Infernal Desires | Part One

Aemond Targaryen x fem!Reader

Synopsis: When your family is caught up in treasonous scandal, the Prince Regent makes an offer that is impossible to refuse. To avoid what certainly would have been death by his sword, your family promises you to a man who is followed by whispers of violence and sin.

Warnings: mdni 18+! Strictly. Dark-ish ??? Aemond! Bad language, reader is implied to be from a certain family but not really, rushed & unedited. Sexual tension, allusions to sex, mentions of death and killing, Aemond gets angry handsy, hair pulling, mention of the noose bc Aemond would never tell just anyone how he feels. This is mainly a word vomit - I am once again incapable of limiting my writing to one part.

Word Count: 3.4k

A/N: aaand I’m back with a rewrite of an old fic I started last year! hopefully this is somewhat decent to follow along with - I wrote this while severely sleep deprived, stressed about procrastinating my uni work and knackered from work. Let me know if we are even interested in a part 2 or if I’ve missed any warnings!

It is a debt to be paid and an alliance to be made, that is all it is. 

Easy enough for them to say. After all, it was you who suffered from the mistakes of your family and not them. They may as well have left you to the dangers of King’s Landing with nothing more than a shattered dignity and the tears that trailed down your cheeks. 

Shit. Crying wasn’t going to do anything and while you never intend to present yourself as weak to anyone, there was nothing you could do to stop the angry tears that welled in your eyes. You wondered if your parents truly pained to see their daughter cry or if the tremble in your mother’s lip was nothing more than a pretence. 

Your father stared at the ground by your feet. “It was not meant to come to this.”

“But it did. Are you really going to barter me to–”

“We are not bartering you. Stop saying that,” He snapped. “All you will have to do is take the title as his wife and give him children. It cannot be that bad.”

The glare you sent his way was full of malice and rage. How could he say that? You were better than that, smarter than that and the thought of being reduced to who knows what that man had in store for you as his wife - they may as well have cut your tongue out and made you a slave. Knowing that your family, whom you loved endlessly, were so sure of selling you so easily to a cruel man like Aemond Targaryen caused a dull ache in your chest. 

It seemed hard to breathe through the betrayal, your chest heavy with deceit and heartbreak. Had you known what your father had been planning, you could have run away and found a way to survive without the comfort of your family lands. 

“What Prince Aemond has offered has saved us,” Jericho stood leaning lazily against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He stared at you, his little sister who would have died before leaving him to such a fate. “I do not expect you to understand the complex relationships between our Houses but consider this, dear sister. Would you rather him have the Vale burned to ashes? Have us hung from the walls of the Red Keep? I made a mistake. I know this, and I am sorry but this is the only choice we have.”

There was a tense silence. Jericho had ruined everything with little chance of repair and it was you who had to pay the price. You knew how the Crown punished Rhaenyra’s sympathisers and Jericho had damned the future of your family. What was happening is wrong - war is never worth the price it takes. You wholeheartedly agreed with that but there was something inherently stupid about putting the people you cared about at risk just to send a raven with a conditional offer of a bent knee. 

You blinked as you tried to make sense of it all. “Explain it to me. I do not understand.”

“Aemond Targaryen is Prince Regent but I was once his only friend,” Jericho said. You knew he used the word friend strategically. “He extended an olive branch. Repent our House’s treachery through our last daughter and a pin for the Vale on King Aegon’s map. You could not understand how generous that is. Refusing would have been a sentence of death.”

Friend? Generous?  You would have laughed if you could. You briefly wondered how Jericho had managed to barter with the Prince Regent before they had taken his head. Alas, it would be of no use to ask a question you would get no answer to. The men of these walls underestimated the capabilities of a woman’s mind and a woman’s strength. 

“All he gains is something to hold over your head, brother. Paying off your mistakes with my life? You have heard the stories - he has become a cruel man. Warming his bed when he sees fit and making his heirs will not fix what you did. Many have been executed for far less.”

Your father cleared his throat. “It is our only option. We have nothing more to offer in place and a ruined reputation. The family name holds the last of our power and without what little power we have left, your brother and I would lose the Vale. It is a miracle we have not already.”

“The Prince wants to dangle you over our heads? Fine. If that is what it takes for him to spare our lives.” Jericho’s voice was so rough. It was the first time you had seen him as anything other than gentle to you and you felt a heaviness at the sight of him so distressed. 

There was not much left for you outside of the empty empire that your father’s father had built for your family. At least you still had each other and your titles, and despite the situation that they’ve forced you into, at the end of the day, you all loved each other to death. It would have been a death sentence but you could have run away instead, could have found a life for yourself somehow. But how could you live with yourself knowing that you’d damned those you love because of your pride and fear of life as a princess?

So reluctantly and tearfully, you nod your head and silently agree.

Aemond wondered whether he was making the right decision by giving Jericho a second chance. If it were anyone else, he would have had them hung without a second thought. But you and your brother were different. 

It was a moment of weakness, an inexcusable lapse in his judgment to have spared Jericho’s treason because he remembered you and to have further justified his actions by claiming the Vale through your betrothal. While it was his first and foremost motivation and Aemond was bound by duty to take advantage of the opportunity, it was not the only reason he had suggested the idea at the Small Council.

There was hardly a person in Aemond’s life whom he could call a friend. There was not a soul in this world that Aemond could truly trust, not even Jericho who had been by his side for the first parts of his childhood. 

Nor you, who had at once shown him kindness in his youth despite the mockery that was often made of him. You had only accompanied your brother and father to King’s Landing on three occasions, and what started as your soft conversation and willing smiles for him had left his memory entirely until he heard word of Jericho’s treacherous message. 

Aemond, despite your attempts at friendship, had never returned your kindness. In truth, he didn’t know how to. And quickly, your smiles had turned to frowns and your attempts at friendly talk had become sarcastic remarks and quiet scoffs.

It was also a moment of selfishness and a decision made with nothing more than foolish curiosity. You had always been there, in the back of the picture and unnoticed by everyone apart from him. There was not a person in this world who had peaked his curious desire more than you and the two of you had spent the brief occasions together bickering and pestering one another. Regardless of your initial efforts, Aemond was never your friend. While he had never actually done you wrong before now, you were never really fooled by his deceiving nonchalance and forced manners. 

The indifference that you had for each other had no cause to fade. Even less so with the recent murderous, vile stories of Aemond the Kinslayer who killed his nephew and (while most wouldn’t dare utter the words beyond certain walls) who may have crippled his own brother with Vaghar’s fire. You had almost fallen to your knees upon hearing of your betrothal to such a man.

Aemond was now twenty and three but when it came to whatever distorted plot he was planning, he felt juvenile. Your brother and your father were the perfect pawns. You were the perfect leverage - perhaps a pawn yourself. As much as he convinced himself that having you in his possession would mean he would have invaluable power over your House to do exactly as he wanted within his twisted politics while he has the power to do so, the idea of having you in the palm of his hand, in his control and eventually beneath his body was exciting. 

He was never one for meaningless entertainment. But what was the harm in indulging himself this once?

It was a formality. Being presented at King’s Landing for the first time to your future husband, his family and to those whom he currently ruled over as the woman to be his wife. 

You had changed since the last time Aemond had seen you. It had only been two years but he would never admit to his surprise at just how different you had become from the cowering young girl he remembered you to be when you were just ten and four. 

He had rushed through the formalities of greeting you and your family, welcoming you into what would come to be your home. The lunch was painfully awkward as little was said between anyone. The Dowager Queen spoke formally yet kindly with your mother and shared a few words with you but you could barely engage with her conversation under the burning gaze of the Prince Regent who sat across from you.

It was over quickly, before anyone could start bickering about the traitorous reasons behind your presence. Aemond shortly convinced his mother that no escort would be needed, so long as Ser Criston Cole was there when you both were left to acquaint yourselves in private. You gulped as you were lead shamelessly into the Prince’s chambers. 

Aemond only set a glance upon Ser Criston and the raven haired man took his place outside the closed doors.

You were sure that the Prince’s chambers were as large as an entire wing of your own home yet you felt claustrophobic under his gaze. His eye was hellfire as he silently stared at you, leaning back in his chair and resting his fingers under his chin. There was little you could do but stare back at him, anxiously tapping your foot on the marbled floor.

In your eyes, Aemond had always been torturously beautiful. But here, as his gaze fell upon you and you shared the silence of his personal space, he was ethereal. It caused your breath to catch as you waited for him to address you first.

Shakily, you broke the silence. “Why am I here, my Prince?”

“You are to be my wife,” He drawled, fingers tapping on the desk that he lazily dragged his hand along. What a stupid question. “That is why you are here.”

“I believe you know that is not what I ask, my Prince.” You scowled at him. It wasn’t smart to talk to him in such a way, you knew that. He is Prince Regent, after all. A memory of your brother’s warning to be careful flashed briefly in your mind. 

His expression deceivingly calm, Aemond considered putting you in your place. He may be behaving in a way he does not recognise of himself but he would not tolerate your disrespect. 

Instead, he somewhat answered your question. “We will be married so that your brother’s treason shall be forgiven and your House will be sworn to the King. You will stay here, in my chambers. Do whatever the seven hells you please, it does not matter.”

In any other instance, Aemond would have detested the sight of you gaping at him, stumbling over your words stupidly as your wide eyes confidently held his own. You had changed. Or maybe he had just been blind to the perfect curves of your body or the way you looked at him like he ruled the realms, so submissive yet so full of fire. So tempting. 

He’d condemn himself to the noose before ever admitting to his thoughts. 

“What?” you almost gasped. There was no chance that you could stay in his chambers like this. You were sure the whispers of the Keep were already running amok with Aemond’s insistence on isolating the two of you behind the doors to his private chambers.

Aemond took pleasure in the way you seethed. “I will not make it so easy for you to return to scheming with your treasonous family.”

You could hit him. If he weren’t a Prince, you would have. “You are keeping me prisoner? For something I have had no such hand in?”

“No,” he stood from the table and in two strides, he was in front of you. So close that you could smell the woody oils he bathed in mixing with the smell of his musk and the leather of his clothes. You shuddered. “Maybe I am. Call it what you like. You can do as you please, eat as you please, wear whatever you please, you can explore these halls as you wish. I do not care. But you will listen to me and it will all be as per my will.”

Before you could respond, Aemond continued. “For all they know, I’ve made it clear to everyone that you will stay in the chambers that I have chosen for you, on the other side of that wall.”

Aemond’s eye was a violet-blue inferno as it held yours. He was closer now and you let your eyes drag across every part of his devastating face, swallowing at his beauty and wondering what lay under the leather of his eye patch. 

Struggling not to lose your breath, not to lean in to touch him and feel him, you held your head high and turned your back to him. “Fuck you.”

A gasp fell from your lips as Aemond’s hand found the back of your head in an instant, slender fingers weaving into your hair gently before closing into a tight fist and pulling back slowly so that you were forced to look up at the roof, the back of your head resting against his chest. His other hand wrapped around your waist, holding you back firmly against him. The tightness of his grip on your hair ached and left you dizzy, an unfamiliar longing for his hands to find more of you with the same fervour had you holding back a pathetic whine. 

Suddenly, you were burning from head to toe, a fire setting on your skin as he held you roughly against him, so close that you felt the feather light tickle of his breath grazing your hair when he spoke. He was scorching you through the leather of his tunic, your dress doing little to shield you from the heat of his body.

More than his anger, Aemond’s amusement made the air heavy. The way he unashamedly let his stare fall upon your lips, tucked between your teeth as you struggled to hold your glare, had your breath snatched from your lungs. 

Aemond dropped his head enough so that his lips lingered just under your ear, close enough that you could hear him draw in a breath, dragging his nose across the dip where your jaw met your neck. Your face burned at how shamelessly he had inhaled your soft scent.

“Is that how you talk to your Prince?” Aemond’s voice was low, dripping with a dominance that commanded respect. Placing his free hand on your left shoulder, he slowly turned you to face him, making sure to keep you tightly pressed against him.

Aemond was disastrously beautiful. The curve of his nose, the strength in his jaw, the way his scar painted the top of his cheek, the soft fall of his pin straight hair and the soft shine of his lips which you so badly yearned to feel. You cursed yourself for thinking such a thing as his low voice broke you out of your distraction. “This is my home. Right now, all of Westeros is mine. You are here because I said so, because I own everything. Everything. Including you. You would do well to remember your place while you are here, pretty thing.”

The fire in your blood was rage. You had never felt such desire that had your body craving another. It was anger driving you mad, it had to be. Despite your better judgment, you whispered once again, “Fuck. You.”

His jaw ticked and with a strong yank, you were flush against him. The pounding of your heart was violent and you were sure he could feel it against his chest but you were stuck under his burning gaze. Aemond was angry. And you couldn’t help but think that it suited him. It made him all the more desirable. 

Aemond was strong and hard against your body, tense as he held you so intimately yet so roughly. 

By the gods, you couldn’t even think. What was happening? 

“My Pr-”

“Quiet,” Aemond commanded. His deep voice, raspy with lust and with rage sent shockwaves down your spine. “What a mouth on you, my Lady. Fuck me, is that so?”

You muttered incoherently under your breath, the desire and the fear making your eyes flutter shut as you trembled against the Prince who held you so roughly.

“Hm,” Aemond chuckled when you let out a short whimper. He squeezed you tightly, his voice low and dark. “I could have you begging on your knees, crying for my cock all day and all night and you would never deserve it. You best careful, ñuha dāria, because I can ruin you.”

Another gasp fell from your lips and Aemond took pleasure in the way you squirmed against him, thighs pressing together as you felt the flush of his words through your body. He hummed, you were so reactive. Somehow, you fit perfectly against him, so that he could feel every little tremor he caused in your body, every goosebump that he placed on your skin. His gaze never left you, his resolve solid as iron. 

Your mouth watered at the thought of the things that Aemond could do to you. Thoughts you had never imagined yourself capable of harbouring, especially not for a man like Aemond Targaryen. It overwhelmed you - he overwhelmed you. 

But all you had to do was glance at the map that was splayed over his table and the weaponry he had discarded at the foot of it before you were trying to shove him away from you. Aemond stepped away from you upon noticing the panic in your movements. You barely noticed the flash of worry that passed through his features before he so skilfully replaced his mask. 

The rise and fall of your chest was heavy and you had the sudden urge to punch the sultry smirk right off of Aemond’s face. That was not okay. Right now, you didn’t even want to think about the way your body reacted to him, they way you would have let him have his way with you right there and then despite all the consequences that would rain down upon you. 

“I will not stay in here,” You closed your eyes to avoid his stare, chest heaving as you caught your breath and reminded yourself of the formalities of Aemond’s title. And of the possible repercussions for denying him so stubbornly. “My Prince, it is not appropriate.”

You hadn’t heard him make his way across the room until you heard the door open. Aemond hesitated, his resolve was not as strong as he had thought given the way his heart was beating as if he had run a mile. The strain at his pelvis was almost painful and his hands urged to be tangled in your hair again, squeezing your hips, feeling the warmth of your skin underneath your clothing. Perhaps you weren’t wrong and Aemond returned to his hardened self at the thought of being unable to control his desires. 

“Hm,” he drawled, stoic as ever and standing tall at the doorway and gazing down at you over his shoulder with a red hot spark in his eye. Aemond’s mind raced with a million words, many in the alluring language he knew you could not understand and they all tasted dangerous on his tongue. “You are not wrong. It is not appropriate until we are wed, ñuha dāria.”

[mynnthia]

compiling my headcanons for what video games dungeon meshi characters would like, if they were gamers in modern day

some taken from this post and my reblog additions there. added more characters, with some suggestions by friends/mutuals (marked by *asterisk ).

this can also be a games recommendation list based on your fav/most relatable characters too, if you want

characters that are not are included are bc i dont have ideas for them. if i only list the genre name but not any specific titles, its bc im not familiar enough with the character/genre to pick a specific game.

this list is, of course, biased towards games im more familiar with. feel free to ask me to elaborate on my choices or make suggestions in the comments

Laios' party:

Laios: plays lots of Monster Hunter. loves Spore but he doesnt often play past the tribal stage. likes Pokemon but he's more focused on catching the pokemon than following the story. played WolfQuest and DragonFable back in the day. enjoyed the concept of Bugsnax but wasn't interested in dealing with the NPCs

Marcille: mainly Dwarf Fortress, RTS games, some colony sims. but also sometimes The Sims, and dollmaker dress-up games. i could see her also enjoying Rollercoaster Tycoon and making elaborately-themed parks. might also occasionally indulge in some visual novels if she's in the mood for narrative she has Stardew Valley so she can have something to play co-op with falin, but its not a game she plays a lot of otherwise. when playing with falin, marcille micromanages the farm to maximize productivity, and does the decorations

Chilchuck: puzzle games and hidden object/escape room games as a video game-equivalent to finding/dismantling traps and lockpicking. i think he'd also enjoy Bejeweled.

Senshi: mainly Wii games and Cooking Mama. occasionally plays Snake on his 15-year-old nokia phone. i dont think he would enjoy games like Overcooked or restaurant manager games, because he likes to take his time making food, not stressing about customer service

Falin: some *Legend of Zelda games – she likes the exploration aspect in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, maybe also some of the toon zelda games like Minish Cap or Wind Waker she also plays Pokemon (*Pokemon Go when she's traveling), and i think she would enjoy some indie games, like Penko Park or Chicory: A Colorful Tale. plays Stardew Valley co-op with marcille – falin mainly takes care of the animals, mining, and picking the crops. occasionally makes improvement suggestions that marcille didnt think of

Izutsumi: i could see her enjoying games with parkour mechanics, like *Assassin's Creed, or Mirror's Edge. or maybe something simple but requiring cat-like swipes, like Fruit Ninja. despite her impatience, i think she could also enjoy action games with interesting longer narratives, as evidenced by [this omake] (relevant portion pictured below), so maybe *Final Fantasy 7 – my friend who's familiar with the game said "she’d find Cloud and Vincent relatable"

[ID: a dungeon meshi omake, where laios' party watches a nightmare monster manifest marcille's dream. there are snippets of dramatic soap opera-like dialogue. the rest of the party are initially enthusiastic but get bored over time, meanwhile izutsumi remains enthralled]

Kabru's party

Kabru: definitely Crusader Kings. maybe also some rpgs with relationship/faction mechanics, such as *Fire Emblem (one of the older ones or FE:3H) or Fallout: New Vegas (hes maxing out the speech stat asap) i think he would also enjoy mystery games like Pentiment and Return of the Obra Dinn – he would love the process of getting familiar with the many characters and deducing "who did what" in both games.

Rin: she takes pride in being an indie gamer (translating her disdain for upper class magic academy mages -> disdain for AAA games). given her chain-lightning magic in canon, i think she'd enjoy games with AOE-type magic, so maybe games such as Vampire Survivors. my mutual also suggested she might enjoy indie mystery visual novels like *Paranormasight, and that her AAA guilty-pleasure would be *Final Fantasy 14 – that rin is "a hardcore ff14 raider. would join PUGs and shot-call every week. #holm and diya might also play ff14 casually with rin but holm would be fishing mainly"

Mickbell: mainly Bethesda games like Fallout and Skyrim– enjoys the bootstrapper power fantasy in them. the type to go out of his way to pick up all the loot he can, to later sell

Kuro: enjoys the same games as Mickbell, but for the open-world exploration and investigation factors

Toshiro and Tansu's party:

Namari: her interest in fighting and weapons could translate to brawler/fighting games and action games with a focus on weapon stats – so maybe *Street Fighter, *God of War, and/or *Dark Souls. might play *Monster Hunter with laios but for the weapons. i could also see her occasionally enjoying truck simulators

Toshiro (Shuro): has the perseverance for soulslikes and other high-difficulty action and/or metroidvania games, but would take his time overthinking item/weapon synergies sometimes. given [his fondness for bugs], i could also see him enjoying Hollow Knight

Tade: would enjoy the cute aesthetics and lighthearted gameplay of Animal Crossing and Katamari. would also like idol anime rhythm games

Kiki: i think she would enjoy horror games such as Resident Evil, but would play it while super chill. i dont have much reasoning for this aside from vibes

Canaries:

Mithrun: plays Doom. got into Hollow Knight but still hasn't finished it because he keeps getting lost. senshi introduces him to Cooking Mama later on, which he finds surprisingly therapeutic

Cithis: plays Hitman and enjoys staging elaborate accident kills. i think she'd also enjoy The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood, with her background as a devious fortune-teller

Fleki: surreal indie games like Hylics. also plays Team Fortress 2, and is a scout main. occasionally joins lycion in Animal Jam

Lycion: active WolfQuest and Animal Jam player. occasionally joins fleki in tf2

Pattadol: plays Stardew Valley – shes comparatively a normie, but on the meticulous side. she would enjoy perfecting her in-game farm

Otta: plays Genshin Impact. the serious reasoning is because of her (earth) elemental magic and how genshin has an elemental magic system (from my understanding. ive never played it). the joke reasoning is how some genshin players play to collect "waifus", and how otta goes through a lot of women in her dating life

Other:

Leed: runs her own guild in World of Warcraft

Winged Lion: god-games like WorldBox or Simmiland. and Darkest Dungeon (this ones mostly a joke)

Thistle: plays the original Plants VS. Zombies. also plays Minecraft and is very serious about it, but hasn't updated his game in years (translating the fact hes a 1000-year-old kid frozen in time -> playing "slightly old" games popular in the early 2010s)

[ID: tweet reply by twitter user ranchuppi – "thistle calls it lord delgal's server but he is the only mod. whole royal family is locked in spectator mode. Hell. living hell on earth."]

[thebowieconstricker]

Head Over Heels - Prolouge

(The Creature x Reader)

A Lisa Frankenstein (2024) fic

masterlist link

Alright, monster lovers, I’m gonna try something a little more ambitious: an actual fic. Constructive criticism welcome! Please be kind because I have no proof reader and I’m still learning how to write good stories lol. I’m also gonna be fleshing out some characters to better fit the narrative I have in mind for this story. I hope you enjoy the prologue!

Warnings: slight language, my best attempt at worldbuilding, and our gender neutral reader is an orphan, so discussion of that. Also, (N/N) stands for nickname!

~~~

1986, Brookview, Indiana

“Oh. My. GOODNESS, (Y/N)! You have to try a face mask! It’ll help you with those dark circles under your eyes!”

“But (Y/NNNN), pink is totally your color! Just give it a chance, your nails would look SO pretty!”

“You didn’t even jump! It’s like you’re built for these movies, (N/N)!”

Comments like these had already gotten old around- you checked your watch- two hours ago. You considered yourself a survivor of some ancient teenage girl ceremony. Saying polite “no thank you”s to Taffy and the rest of her much too perky friends was becoming quite the laborious task. Some may say you were being too stubborn, as they had treated you with nothing but kindness since you came to town, to which you’d argue that Tricia certainly seemed like she had a bone to pick with you. Along with her, you had unfortunately seen enough of the world to understand one of the most important rules of high school:

The popular girls were mean, and these girls were certainly popular.

You had no idea why Taffy had run up to you on your first day of school and excitedly introduced herself, her gaggle of friends confusedly following after her. You figured this was some kind of territorial power move, checking out the fresh meat before inevitably deciding to kill.

But then Taffy kept hanging out with you. And complementing you. And begging you to hang out with her group of gals.

You took it as some kind of elaborate bit, but hey, they were nice.

At least they didn’t look at you like you were a rotten corpse walking down the halls.

Your thoughts snapped back to your current situation at Taffy’s house. Her mother, Janet, had actually sneered at you when you walked in, but other than that, the night was shaping up to be your average “new girls first sleepover”. Grease had taught you well. That was, until the truth or dare game started.

Lori had brought it up, and it started pretty normal.

“Who’s your crush?”

“OMG, I’m not telling!”

“Come on, Misty! We won’t tell! Right, (Y/N)?”

“Uh, yeah. I mean, no.” You mentally cursed yourself.

This is how it continued for a while before you finally perked up.

“I dare you to go to the Bachelors Cemetary Grove.”

“WHAT??? No way, Tricia! There’s no way in hell-“

Your eyes widened in intrigue and you blurted out without thinking, “There’s a bachelors cemetery?”

The girls turned to look at you.

Tricia raised one of her perfect eyebrows.

“You haven’t heard about it? It’s like- uber haunted.”

That piqued your interest. Life in the foster care system had caused you to grow accustomed to the darker sides of life, and you had always had a special interest in the dead. Your own parents had died in a mysterious fire when you were just a baby, leaving you with no real memories of them. You believed that everyone deserved to be remembered, especially the average, unremarkable person.

(Mainly because you knew that’s how you would turn out, and you’d like to be remembered.)

Enough of that, though, because everyone is still looking at you, so you cleared your throat.

“Would I have to go tonight? Or like, right now?”

Tricia rolled her eyes. “I mean, I didn’t ask you-“

“Oh, shush, Tricia! She’s participating!” Taffy smiled widely at you.

Tricia shot you a look.

“Fine. Yes, tonight. And you’d have to bring back a vine to show that you actually went there. The place is full of them, so it should be easy for you.”

You detected a hint of challenge in Tricia’s tone, but ignored it. You wanted to do this to quench the thirst of curiosity that was bubbling in your brain. This seemed like the first interesting thing you had heard about in this boring town.

You stood.

“I’ll do it.”

Taffy cheered and Lori looked at you in amazement. Misty immediately began to try to talk you out of it, worrying about your safety, while Tricia went silent.

Your mind was set, though. Time to see what all the hooplah was about.

~~~

The walk to the gravesite had been much more peaceful than you thought it would be.

Taffy’s house was constant noise, light, color, total overstimulation. However, the cool mist that danced across your skin along with the eerie silence of the woods soothed you. It helped you clear your head.

After walking through the woods for what seemed like hours, you finally came across the old rusted iron gate that sadly displayed the text, “Bachelors Cemetery Grove”. You frowned, finding the disrepair of the cite pitiful. This place should be filled with respect, not to be forgotten by vines and leaves.

Speaking of, holy shit, Tricia was right about the vines everywhere.

Thick, bright green foliage covered every inch of the area, graves poking out here and there to display faded names. It was enchanting to see so much life growing in a place of death. You could have snapped off a vine and booked it out of there, but you were drawn to this cemetery. Careful steps led you deeper and deeper into its heart as you swerved this way and that to try and make out the occasional name.

Then, through a beam of moonlight that shone through a break in the trees, your eyes caught on a specific grave.

You walked closer and came face to face with the stoic expression of a handsome young man, carved in the same stone his grave was made of. He had a strong nose, with beautifully curved lips and hair that flipped upwards on the ends. He was looking slightly downwards, his eyebrows painfully curved upwards, as if to express a dramatic feeling of grief. Resting beside his bust was an arm and a hand, attached to nothing and slightly curled. He looked like a man that would recite beautiful poetry, professing his deepest desires and most intimate thoughts.

Your mouth was slightly agape as you admired him. Despite your more logical thoughts, you brought a hand up to gently caress his cheek, finding a raised texture chiseled there that suggested sideburns. A sigh escaped your lips as you realized the romantic-ness of it all. A man who seemed perfect, a lover, full of life and emotion, condemned to a permanent fixture in a buried world.

You could say it was love at first sight.

[silenzahra]

Luigi serenades Daisy 🎶✨

This post was originally shared on 14th July 2024 on my old blog, which was deactivated the next day. Due to this, I decided to redo it since there were too many links that led to my old content and therefore didn't work anymore.

I came up with this idea thanks to @kelbreyworshipper who sent me an ask (to my old blog I mean), and I decided to play with my own musicians headcanons to create a romantic ambience for Luigi and Daisy as well as a few headcanons for their relationship in my lore. You may also find a couple of hints to my Luigi the Bookworm post.

Many people read this one before and I really appreciate your support, and I'll be linking your reblogs to the original post below as a way of saying thank you 💖

Still, for those of you who read it before, I'll be adding some paragraphs and sentences here and there that I believe will enrich the reading experience, and I'll highlight them in different colors just in case you'd like to check them 🥰

@bberetd @kimasousparky @artycomicfangirl @keakruiser

@aqua-peri @jellyfishinc @doodleydoo101 Hope it's okay that I tag you since I believe you didn't get to see the original post and I thought perhaps you might be interested. Of course, if you want your tag to be removed, just let me know! 💖

As I mentioned here, I decided to redo this post mainly because of the songs I linked and translated on my side blog, as the original ones were lost when my old blog was deactivated. I want readers to have the chance to listen to each song and understand their meaning if they're interested, so that they can enjoy the entire experience. Still, some of the lyrics would change a bit in Luigi's version to fit with Daisy's appearance (like the "white cheeks" for example, as I headcanon Daisy has tanned skin) and their love story. Apart from that, they are songs that make me think a lot about this couple and their romance, so I hope you'll like them if you give them a listen! 🥰

Without further ado: let's-a go! ✨

Spontaneous serenade

The first time Luigi sang for Daisy was almost accidental. After their first date many more followed, and Luigi gradually became more and more comfortable in the company of Daisy, who showed him by her actions and affection that she liked every part of him and, therefore, he could be himself when he was with her.

Since they had danced together in the park on their first date, Daisy suggested one night that they go to a club to dance for a while. Luigi wasn’t too sure, as he’s not very fond of crowds, but Daisy had taken this into account and took him to a very quiet place located near the beach, in the Muda Kingdom in Sarasaland. Some of its inhabitants were there, but not too many, and the music was at a volume that allowed conversation. This certainly reassured Luigi and allowed him to enjoy the evening after all.

Daisy, knowing his shyness, didn't ask him to dance in the center of the dance floor: they kept to one corner, chatting while standing, and they had a few drinks as they enjoyed the music. Sometimes they’d sway gently when some lively song played, encouraging them to let themselves be carried away by the rhythm. But then one of Luigi's favorite songs came on, and enthusiasm shone on his face as he discovered that Daisy loved it too. He immediately forgot that they weren’t alone: in a sudden display of boldness, Luigi grabbed Daisy by the waist and improvised a dance with her as he began to sing with all his energy and passion.

Daisy was taken aback but did not complain at all. Since she loves dancing, she immediately adapted to Luigi's movements, and with a rapt smile, kept her eyes fixed on him while Luigi sang the romantic lyrics of the song, totally devoted and enjoying every note. He even took her by the hand and spun her around before drawing her back to him, and as he continued to sing, he did so while looking into her eyes with intensity, as if declaiming poetry, his voice laden with a sweetness that rivaled that of honey.

And Daisy felt herself melting. That was the moment when she knew with absolute certainty that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with that sweet man whose bright blue eyes watched her with such warmth and devotion. That sweet and charming man who used to be so shy but who didn't hesitate to show his confident and daring side when he was with her. She loved that contrast in his personality, and it filled her with joy to know that she was one of the few people with whom he felt comfortable enough to bring out his bold side.

It made her feel so lucky and privileged.

Art by @lizannamae on Tumblr.

Songs for Daisy

That night, as he sang with his eyes lost in Daisy's, Luigi realized that she had loved listening to him… and found that he had enjoyed it too. After all, it was a way of expressing how much he loved her and how deep his feelings for her were. And he found himself wanting to serenade her and use music as a way of declaring his love for Daisy.

So he set to work. First he tried taking the ukulele with him on some of the dates they had in the park and on the beach, and he improvised some romantic melodies and lyrics for her while Daisy listened mesmerized. Sometimes she began clapping in rhythm, and other times she got up and began to rock softly to the pace of the tune Luigi plucked from his instrument.

And he treasured every second, but he felt he could do more for her. That she deserved more.

She deserved the world.

Art by LinkerArts on Deviant Art.

The ukulele offered a good way to improvise quick, happy tunes, but Luigi felt a fervent desire to create music pulsing in his veins. He wanted to compose songs for Daisy, songs whose lyrics she could learn in order to sing them along with him if she wanted to, songs that would entice her to sway her body with that hypnotic charm that captivated Luigi and left him speechless. The melodies flowed in his mind, as did different lines born from his deep and pure love for the flower princess.

He then began to write them down. Phrases that alluded to her beauty, her joy, her energetic personality. Sentences that expressed how she drove him mad in the best way possible, how he was simply unable to stop thinking of her, how he couldn't wait to spend every second of his life with her, his desire to always see and make her happy. Luigi poured all his feelings onto paper as he hummed the tunes in his head and decided to replace the ukulele with the guitar to try to give them shape.

Not long after, Luigi surprised Daisy with a moonlit picnic in a quiet corner in the woods near the beach where he had so often jammed music for her on the ukulele. The sound of the waves lulled them as they dined on the delicious dishes Luigi had prepared for Daisy, her favorites, and the candles he’d brought were hardly necessary given the brightness of the huge full moon.

Due to nerves, Luigi was almost unable to eat, but he enjoyed watching Daisy savoring the dinner he had cooked for her. The princess, however, realized that something was wrong with him, always concerned about his well-being and comfort. Not wanting to worry her, Luigi decided to grab his guitar and leave the food for later.

And, looking Daisy in the eyes, he started playing.

(Song: Tragicomedia, Estopa)

"Yo, que vivo en la luna, quiero darte mi granito de arena..."

Daisy was speechless. Luigi's hands flowed with delicacy and mastery as they plucked chords from the guitar, and his voice emerged from his throat firm, confident and somewhat husky, and he was singing in Spanish! For her! The princess was convinced that, had she not been sitting on the grass in front of him, her legs would have turned to jelly, and she would have needed to sit down urgently.

The sight of Luigi playing and singing for her, the guitar resting on his crossed legs, his hands moving deftly up and down the neck of the instrument, his eyes watching her intently with a special, intense glow shining in them, the soft, confident smile dancing on his lips as he intoned the most romantic lyrics Daisy had ever heard...

"Y si tengo que morirme, que me muera en primavera, pa' poder echar raíces y vivir siempre a tu vera."

A sigh escaped from deep within her core and she needed to bring a hand to her chest to calm her racing heartbeat. Her cheeks were burning.

Luigi's smile widened, and his voice gained assurance as he realized that she was enjoying the experience. Daisy listened to him attentively for a few seconds longer, her heart melting at each line with which Luigi expressed his love for her, an endearing smile painted on her lips. She didn't notice she had begun to silently cry until Luigi himself, concerned, stopped playing and reached out his hands to cup her face lovingly. Daisy was surprised to feel the wetness on her cheeks, but smiled and reassured her boyfriend that they were tears of emotion. Luigi's gesture had touched her heart.

Despite the tears, she couldn't restrain herself: she leaned her head forward and kissed him.

Art by @arktm on Tumblr.

Luigi the Musician

The first song Luigi wrote for Daisy was followed by many more. At first, Luigi was afraid that the princess would get emotional again, so he thought that maybe he should keep his new songs to himself. They emerged from deep within his soul, and he couldn't, and wouldn't, hold them back, so quitting creating them was out of the question.

But, to his surprise, he found that, on their next date, Daisy sheepishly asked him if he had written any more songs, as she’d love to hear them. Luigi hadn’t brought his guitar with him that time, but he didn’t hesitate to start singing with the sole accompaniment of his hands clapping, something that Daisy began to replicate almost instantly (Song: Cuando amanece, Estopa). That time, even though she was also moved by the beauty of his verses, she didn't cry, which encouraged Luigi to keep bringing his guitar to their next dates to continue serenading her.

Daisy came to enjoy the experience of hearing him play for her so much that she ended up improvising her own dances to sway to the music he created, fulfilling Luigi's wish that they could share their passion for music and enjoy it together. He went on to create many, many songs during the early years of their relationship, including a very special one he composed after the first time they slept together (Song: Tan dulce, Estopa).

Daisy learned them all by heart. More than once, when he came to Sarasaland for a surprise visit, Luigi found her singing, with no musical accompaniment, the lyrics he had written for her.

And on those occasions it was he who was moved.

But Luigi doesn't just play the guitar and ukulele. Another musical instrument that he's passionate about playing is the violin, because it is, in his opinion, one of the instruments capable of creating the most beautiful and harmonious melodies that reach deep into the heart and soul of those who listen to them and can make them dream and be transported to faraway lands where everything is possible. He learned to play it when he was in high school, and he came to be a great violinist, but, unfortunately, a bad experience with his classmates made him move away from his passion for the violin for a long time.

However, it was precisely thanks to Daisy that he remembered how much he enjoyed plucking beautiful notes from this instrument after so many years devoted almost exclusively to the guitar. On one of the occasions when they were alone at his home, Daisy noticed the forgotten violin lying inside Luigi's closet when he opened it in search of a blanket to cuddle up with so they could read together on the sofa. She was fascinated when he explained that he used to play it, and she immediately started to clap as she expressed her eagerness to hear him play.

Luigi couldn't stop the bad memories from flooding back into his head, but Daisy's lovely and shiny gaze, filled with excitement, accompanied by the good feelings she kindled in him, managed to eliminate those remembrances in the blink of an eye. When he was with her, Luigi felt safe, comfortable, secure. Nothing bad would happen if he played the violin for his beloved princess.

He felt rusty after so many years, so it took him a few minutes to get used to it again. However, once he did, he decided to surprise Daisy by playing the same song that played on their first date and made them dance together for the first time. Their first song.

And Daisy recognized it and, again, was moved, but the smile on her lips made her face glow with pure joy.

Luigi didn't know how to compose a song on the violin, so he was content to leave the creation to his guitar and decided to treat Daisy to the most beautiful melodies he knew and that, he hoped, she’d like. Merry go round of life was only the first, for it was followed by many others such as Mi manchi, A postcard to Henry Purce and Valse sentimentale, as well as several other famous waltzes that sounded wonderful on Luigi's hands.

Daisy loved them all, but above all, she adored the passion with which Luigi played, always closing his eyes to let himself be completely caught up with the melodies that emerged from his violin and reached the princess' heart. She took the habit of almost always wearing a dress to their dates, or at least a skirt, so that she could dance not only to the songs Luigi wrote for her with his guitar, but also to the ones he played on his violin. Even though she always preferred to dance with him, and he with her, she knew that he loved to watch her dance to his music. He was hypnotized by her movemens while she was entranced by the tunes he played. So she let herself be carried away by the beautiful chords of the violin and performed the waltzes by herself under his attentive and ardent gaze.

And then, when they were alone in the princess' chambers, Daisy would "steal" Luigi's cell phone and select all those songs, one by one, so they could dance to them in the privacy of their room and, at last, together, giving them the chance to let the passion that burned in their hearts take the lead.

A very special night

Music and dancing, like reading and gardening, became two of the many passions Luigi and Daisy shared. They were very important to them, practically essential to their relationship. Whenever they saw each other, some harmonious melody would accompany them, either played by Luigi or playing in his phone to make their evening more pleasant and entice them to dance. It was something vital in their lives and it also defined their relationship, as music had witnessed the birth and growth of their romantic bond and how it only became stronger over time.

Therefore, for Luigi, it was only logical and natural that music also attested the moment when he would ask Daisy to be his forever.

More than that: it was going to be what helped him propose.

On this occasion, he preferred to arrange an intimate dinner in a place where they could be completely alone. He wanted the evening to be special, to make Daisy feel special, just as she is in his eyes. But he also didn't want it to be all public so that she’d be forced to say yes if she didn't want to take the next step. Luigi knows all too well how horrible social pressure can be, so there was no way he was going to subject his girlfriend to anything remotely like that.

So he decided to surprise her at the Sarasaland library, where they've spent many good times since they first celebrated Book Day together. Daisy had a busy day ahead of her with her royal duties as monarch of the empire, so Luigi suggested that, when she finished, she put on her best clothes and join him in the library to have dinner together and relax after her tiring day. He doesn't know yet how he was able to conceal the nerves that gripped every corner of his body.

While Daisy was away, Luigi, with the help of Mario, Peach and Toad, organized everything in the library. The day before, Princess Peach had helped him choose the most suitable dishes for such a special night, so they prepared them together in the morning and brought them to Daisy's home from the Mushroom Kingdom. Together with Mario and counting on his invaluable help and talent, Luigi had composed what was his most romantic song to date, with certain parts in Spanish to surprise Daisy so that she’d truly understand what a huge place she had earned in his heart.

He simply couldn’t see his life without her in it anymore.

Art by mong_milo on X

During the afternoon, Peach and Toad advised Luigi about his outfit, as he was unable to make up his mind and his anxiety was skyrocketing as the time approached. Finally, the princess encouraged him to opt for a dark blue suit jacket, very elegant and appropriate for a proposal, and Toad chose for him a green bow tie and a light blue shirt that enhanced his eyes.

They left for Sarasaland all together when dinner was still a couple of hours away. Luigi was a bundle of nerves, his heart fluttering in his chest like a hummingbird, and he clung to the guitar as if it were a life preserver. Mario made sure to be by his side, comforting him with soothing words and cracking a joke or two to get a few laughs out of him and help him relax.

When they arrived, Daisy had not yet finished, which gave them some leeway. They made their way to the library and Luigi chose the corner by the window to set up the table. Peach and Mario helped him serve the dishes, and Toad took care of placing Luigi's guitar near the table. Luigi was surprised to discover that Mario, secretly, had decided to bring Luigi's violin and ukulele as well, just in case he felt like he needed to de-stress a bit by playing something quieter first before asking Daisy the big question.

Peach disappeared shortly thereafter to meet Daisy and help her choose her outfit, and Mario and Toad encouraged Luigi to practice the song as they’d rehearsed it to try and keep him as calm as possible. Luigi thanked them heartily.

Art by Fioreandresr on Deviant Art

His brother and his friend left him alone shortly before the appointed time. Mario said goodbye with a tight hug that gave him warmth and reassurance, and Toad did with an energetic handshake that elicited a genuine giggle from Luigi. As they left, they continued to wink and cheer him on to wish him the best of lucks.

Then Daisy appeared in the doorway. She was dressed in a beautiful purple dress that matched her auburn hair perfectly, with star patterns on the flowy skirt and a tight, sequin-covered bodice. Her gloves were lilac and a bit longer than the white ones she usually wore, her beautiful hair fell down her shoulders like a cascade made of autumn leaves, and she had put on a light pink lipstick that made it extremely difficult for Luigi to look away from her full and tempting mouth.

He gasped first and swallowed later. She looked more than stunning. She looked radiant. She looked dazzling. She looked breathtaking.

He certainly seemed to have forgotten how to breath.

He was going to propose to the most beautiful woman in all universes and his heart galloped wildly in his chest at the mere thought.

During the date, despite his nerves, Luigi was able to give Daisy the attention she deserved while she told him about the boring day she had had as she was forced to attend to her royal duties. For her, this dinner meant being able to relax and be herself at last, plus, of course, having a nice time in the best company. She didn’t fail to praise the food that, again, he had prepared, though Luigi made sure to point out that Peach had helped him this time, especially with the dessert, a delicious marble cake that they’d chosen especially for her, as it’s Daisy's favorite.

The princess, as smart as ever, noticed that Luigi had brought his three instruments with him, and asked if he could play one of her favorite pieces on the violin after dinner. Luigi, relieved to have a little more time to work up the courage to ask her to marry him, didn’t hesitate to oblige. Daisy closed her eyes and rocked to the melody, enjoying every note Luigi played for her, and he found himself feeling more and more relaxed as the piece progressed.

Next, since he hadn’t jammed any verses for Daisy in a very long time, Luigi opted to pick up his ukulele and let himself be carried away by what came from his now tranquil heart. He serenaded Daisy about her beautiful hair the color of autumn leaves, about the constellation of freckles that dotted her lovely cheeks, about the deep, beautiful sea into which he plunged every time he looked into her eyes, about how the dress she wore tonight made her look like a shimmering star fallen from the firmament. Daisy felt her heart swell more and more in her chest and a lump form in her throat at the profound and sincere love that this sweet man felt for her, which she, of course, reciprocated. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world. She knew she was the luckiest woman in the world.

Then, after a few cuddles and kisses, it was time. Luigi stood up, switched the ukulele for the guitar and turned to Daisy with the instrument ready in his hands, the princess gazing at him with her blue eyes shining with anticipation and affection, a soft smile in her beautiful and full lips.

And just before he started singing his new song, Luigi realized that he felt no trace of nerves.

(Song: Cuando cae la luna, Estopa)

He began to play the first notes with confidence and poise, his eyes fixed on Daisy's, piercing her with his intensity. His voice came out steady and serene, flowing effortlessly, as easily as the air flowing in and out of his lungs. It felt like this was what he was meant to do, the reason he was born. After all, he was expressing his feelings to the woman he was deeply in love with and for whom he’d give his entire life without a second thought. For him, it was simple, natural, spontaneous. For him, loving Daisy was like breathing.

The princess had stood up to listen to him with her full attention and, also, to dance, but, given the passion that radiated from Luigi's eyes as he sang for her and only for her, she remained staring at him spellbound, mesmerized by his deep voice, his beautiful words and his gaze full of sheer adoration and devotion. She just rocked softly, with a sweet, soulful smile on her lips, whose color matched perfectly with her dazzling dress and her tanned skin. She couldn't take her eyes off Luigi's.

He had been approaching her as he sang, smiling assuredly, also swaying to the rhythm of the melody he was creating. He felt entirely in his element, not just confident but also delighted, enjoying the moment to the fullest, and Daisy’s entranced expression only encouraged him to go on. She made him feel brave, strong, capable of anything, and he decided to allow himself to be carried away by the boldness she roused in him and started to kneel slowly to her attentive and surprised gaze. His grin widened when Daisy, realizing that Luigi was now singing in Spanish, put a hand to her chest with an amazed gasp.

“Y yo te digo: ¡morena, vente conmigo! ¿No ves que me desespero? Escucha bien lo que digo: prometo llevarte al cielo si te casas tú conmigo.”

Daisy gasped even louder and covered her mouth with her hands. She remained like that for a few moments until she managed to breathe again, but her breath sounded choked with emotion and her body began to tremble before the first tears sprang to her eyes. Noticing that Luigi, concerned, stopped playing and sat up, one arm outstretched toward her, Daisy was quick to nod, shaking her head up and down frantically as a strangled sob broke from her throat and ended up turning into a high-pitched shriek. She pounced on Luigi as she laughed and cried at the same time, wrapping her arms around his neck and squeezing him with all her might, and he barely had time to let go of his guitar to return her embrace with the same intensity.

Delighted at her reaction and relieved to have been able to carry out the proposal as he wished, Luigi chuckled as well and began to spin around with her in his arms, at which Daisy raised her head and stretched her arms out to her sides, laughing with joy as tears of pure emotion spilled down her cheeks. Her auburn hair and flowing skirt danced with the movement, creating a myriad of colors that made it impossible for Luigi to look away. She was more beautiful than ever.

As he twirled, Luigi couldn't stop gazing at her. After a few giggles, Daisy returned his glance fervently and rested her arms around his neck again. Luigi stopped swirling little by little, his eyes trapped in those of the princess, his girlfriend, his future wife, the queen of his heart. She slowly leaned towards him with a knowing smile. Luigi also drew one quickly before their lips met and started devouring each other with passion.

That night they danced a dance in which neither music nor words were necessary.

Just the two of them.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you so much for reading! Here are the reblogs the original post got so you can read other people's opinions if you'd like. Of course, thank you so much to each and every single one of you for your lovely feedback! 💖

-@dragon-fly34's reblog.

-@vulpixfairy1985's reblog.

-@teegeeteegee's reblog.

-@peaches2217's reblog.

-@itsavee4117's reblog.

-@knighted-princess's reblog.

-@dragon-fly34's answer (sorry I didn't get to reply btw! 🙏).

Of course, thank you to @wahooitsamee, @megamagimugi, @kelbreyworshipper and @ask-rosalina-and-her-family for your lovely comments on the original post! I deeply appreciate it 🥰

Also, I hope it's okay if I ask those of you who already reblogged the original post to perhaps consider reblogging this one too, so it reaches a wider audience now that it's fixed. I'd sincerely appreciate that 🥰

Comments and likes are obviously more than welcome too, and please remember that my asks and PMs remain open for whoever would like to reach out, share an idea, ask me anything...

Thank you so much for your help in building up this new blog, and I hope you're ready for more Luaisy and musicians content coming in the future 🥰

EDIT: I would just like to add that it's totally fine if you'd like to create something inspired by this post, as long as you properly credit me, of course! That's all I ask for 💖

[doukeshi-kun]

regarding beandaifuku

hello, people. as you may have known, i have deactivated my old blog (beandaifuku) since about a month ago or so. i really appreciate the love and support received for the blog and the memories created there. as it was my first time creating in tumblr, i am grateful that fun memories were created there, as well as the amount of friends i've made from there

i understand that it was hypocritical of me to delete that blog when i did say i will just keep it archived when i first moved here because i understand the feeling of having works you like deleted. firstly, i am sorry for that. so, i created a collection in AO3 where i have archived some of my works from beandaifuku to there. aside from that, i also have reblogged a few fics and works such as the headcanons to a side blog. you can visit them with these links

AO3 collection

@keshi-medley

as of why i deactivated the blog in the first place—it is mainly because i want to fully move on from it. the writing, the works—they are quite immature writings, so to speak. there are works that i am NOT proud of and i do not want to see it existing. i know it won't fully get deleted since some people did reblog the works, but at least it will just stay in that bubble.

i have archived some fics but i definitely will not archive ALL works or drabbles i have done. because then, what's the point of deleting the blog if i'm just gonna have all works stay up.

and honestly, i also don't see the point of keeping it up when i do not even use the blog anymore. the blog was also infected with (porn)bots liking and following. and quite a number of my fics were flagged unfairly with community labels. as of now, i am very comfortable with my not-so-new identity and blogs.

now, onto some other things.

i know some people probably noticed my attitude on vampire!nikolai AU. frankly said, i have 100% moved on from it. i lost interest with it. generally, i do not really reblog those posts about writers and readers discourse/opinions—usually about how readers should at least give some comments or appreciation for the works a writer has done. i never talk about it, but that doesn't mean i don't care. in fact, i was heavily affected by it in the old blog.

that happened with vampire!nikolai AU after its so-called hype has passed. i was still enthusiastic about it as there were a few people giving asks about it. but that enthusiasm was not reciprocated, which led me to lose interest about it totally. i have completely moved on and i have other AUs i want to explore and write about, such as my latest ongoing series, Trash Sugar Magic.

on a side note, just saying, one of the reasons i'm not sick of stalker!au despite it has basically ended a few months ago is because some people literally analysed the fic and its details—which is like my favourite type of discussion. trust me, your enthusiasm towards a writer's work will keep their enthusiasm alive too.

i really appreciate people who love and find joy in my old works. i definitely am. it was a hard decision for me to deactivate it either since i know people are still tuning in. matter of fact, i have contemplated it for months and started by slowly taking down/privating the stuff i have posted there. and for that, i am deeply sorry.

these are all the information i could share. i honestly do not want to talk about it and keep the rest of my reasons private. but i hope you guys understand and respect my decision. i have no plan of deactivating doukeshi-kun and/or cherikolya. the worst i do in this blog are just blocking people indiscriminately and deleting old insignificant posts.

tldr; i deactivated the old blog because i have moved on and i don't want to see the fics i'm not proud of stay up and my enthusiasm wasn't reciprocated which led me to lose motivation and interest to continue on with certain AU.

[mostrovskaa]

Hi! I love your art, your color and shape work is amazing!!

I wanted to ask if you have any Polish media you can recommend to us non-Poles - movies, shows, stuff like that

Hi! Thank you so much for the ask! It is a great pleasure for me to share some Polish media to the people! I just have to preface this and tell especially my fellow Poles that: I am by no means an expert on the subject, I like a lot of bad media, I like a lot of children's media and mainstream media that I love to shape by my own creativity ok and I don't know every single niche thing so please don't come for me. Be nice please or I'll die of embarrassment! With that being said, here are just some of my picks of some cool things I like that I would recommend to check out! (Again I don't know about how available these are around the internet and what would be the subtitle situation but still, i love these pieces of media and think they are interesting to even just read or check out visually if anything!)

- The Akademia Pana Kleksa movies (Akademia Pana Kleksa, Podróże Pana Kleksa and Pan Kleks w Kosmosie) (1984-1988)- These children's fantasy and fable inspired beautiful movies based on a book incorporate beautiful puppetry and set designs, visually they are one of my biggest inspirations. Having both dark,whimsical and sci-fi elements they have been in my visual language since I saw them as a kid! Really really recommend looking into them, even though they may be wacky and strange at times! 

And they contain absolutely amazing songs :

Available to watch without subtitles unfortunately here, but worth to check out the visuals of all the movies in the series: https://www.ninateka.pl/vod/dla-dzieci/akademia-pana-kleksa/ 

- Poszukiwany, Poszukiwana (Man- woman wanted) (1972) (one of my favorite movies ever!) - a comedy film about a museum curator who gets accused of stealing a painting and goes into hiding as a maid. You would think with polish humor it would be the typical: haha man dressed as a woman, hilarious! type stuff but no! It’s funny, charming, sweet and smart and surprisingly based. Marysia, just one chance please queen. 

available to watch with subtitles here (alongside many other great Polish movies): https://35mm.online/vod/fabula/poszukiwany-poszukiwana

- Ranczo (tv show, 10 seasons, I believe it’s available on Netflix) - the epitome of Polish society. This is just pure Poland in tv show format. A timeless classic, never gets old, never stops being funny and relevant. Watched it a million times and could watch a million more and not get bored. An American woman with Polish heritage comes back to her family village and chaos ensues. I think the characters are so well defined you don’t need to know so much deep Polish lore to get what is going on so I really recommend it!

Other stuff you can find on Netflix I recommend are: 1670 - comedy show about 17th century Poland, Rojst (all seasons)- crime show set mainly in the 90’s.

And something that’s a Polish phenomenon that I absolutely love is media based around popular copypasta: a short film Fanatyk  based on this timeless classic of a copypasta, and a tv show called Emigracja XD - about polish guys finding work in the UK.

And obviously the shows I make art for are always something I encourage people check out like Czterdziestolatek (amazing old show with a cult following) and Ojciec Mateusz (absolute shitty formulaic 30 season tv show that i love with all my heart).

Thank you again, sorry for the long post! There’s obviously many more cool Polish media to watch but this is just what immediately popped into my head! :-))

[marclef]

new About Me post time!!!

hello there! i'm Marclef/Marcus/Marc/whatever you wanna call me, i'm 24 yrs. old, he/him pronouns, and welcome to my blog! here i mainly post fanart as well as dumb things i like, here's a little bit about me!

my biggest interest right now is Pizza Tower, which is probably what most stuff i draw is gonna be, but i may end up doing more in the future! the main tag you can find all of my art here is #my art !

i also do a lot of OC art! the OC i post most about is Eyhm the Cat, who i've been mainly using for Pizza Tower art lately! here's some information/references for her though if you need them!

feel free to draw her (and any other OCs i might post) if you want, i absolutely love seeing other people's art!!

BUT, importantly, here's some important Rules and information you'll need to know while you're here!

i'm proudly and openly Transmasc! 💙💗🤍💗💙 this means you'll probably see me reblogging a lot of silly posts and art i can relate to. if you have a problem with that, i strongly suggest you leave. ANY hate or otherwise offensive speech i see on here will result in an automatic block!

as an adult, i may also sometimes reblog/draw some raunchier content, so if you're younger, please be aware of that! i WILL allow those 17 and younger to follow me, as long as you behave and don't get upset just for the "weirder" things i might post! once again, any misbehaving here will result in a block!

on a similar note.... i will admit that i'm kinda a big Weirdo sometimes. but, if i ever draw/post something that's especially weird, i will make sure to properly warn you about it, so if you still look at it and get weirded out, that's on you!!! please do not leave any rude/weird comments on anything i post or reblog though. likewise, any disrespectful comments on any art here (mine or otherwise) will likely result in a block, so PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL!

i'm still a little shy around new people, but i do like getting messages and talking about my art! feel free to send me asks/messages about stuff, i'll do my best to respond! if i don't, either i don't want to answer, or i'm too nervous to respond right away, but i do see everything that gets sent to me! i might be a bit slow to respond to asks as well, please be patient, but i will try to answer as many of them as i can!

i'm open to art trades, but be aware that i usually only accept if you ask for characters i know! generally this means OCs or characters from stuff mentioned above, i'm more likely to respond if you're somebody i know as well. sorry, i'm still a bit socially anxious, so please don't get upset if i don't respond to you about them!

any other questions you might have though, feel free to ask!

oh, and here's some important links to look at as well!! ⬇⬇⬇

My KO-FI (please feel free to support my art if you like it!!!)

My Artfight

DUMB STUFF I'VE DONE!!! :

Pizza Towerria (Pizza Tower texture pack for Terraria)

Fake Peppino for Don't Starve Together

Monster (short story about Fake Peppino, Peppino, and Eyhm)

other than that, as long as you follow my rules and respect everything, we should be good here! have fun checking out my blog, and feel free to message me with art requests if you'd like! but... HAVE FUN!!! ✨✨✨

[stringsbasement]

Hey so did family odd parents get a new series? Who’s the purple hair guy you ship with who I assume is Timmy. I just stumbled upon you blog by chance and I want to know what’s up with your blorbos.

Who are these people and why do I recognize them?

welcome, welcome! i'll be happy to tell you all about it :) i'll try to keep it short:

to recap, the original fairly oddparents show mainly revolved around timmy turner, a 10-year-old boy who was given magical fairy godparents who'll grant his every wish to help him cope with his miserable life. in the show, his found family of fairies consists of cosmo (godfather), wanda (godmother), and poof/peri "purple hair guy" (baby godbrother). the show aired on nickelodeon from 2001 - 2017, and it was popular enough that even people who didn't actively watch it might recognize it

the new series, fairly oddparents: a new wish, takes place decades after the original show's events. it follows a similar premise with a (mostly) new main cast of characters: hazel (protagonist), dev (deuteroganist), and their fairies. cosmo and wanda came out of their 10,000 year retirement to godparent hazel, and dev later on acquired a now-adult peri as his godparent

peri (originally named poof), for the entirety of the original airing, was only shown as a perfectly marketable sphere baby. so when he showed up as an actual adult with design elements taken from both his parents blended in a unique, balanced way, with a personality reminiscent of pilot cosmo (suave gentleman)... something changed inside me

and now here i am

as for the ship, i think you've mistaken dale with timmy

it's the brown hair and blue eyes. don't worry, if i didn't know the lore prior, i could believe this was the same character too!

timmy is peri's brother, and they've been raised as such since peri was born. they were separated after timmy lost his godfamily (and his memories) sometime after growing up and becoming independent. godparents are only ever temporary, afterall. these siblings are made especially tragic by the fact that timmy is the reason peri was born— fairies were banned to have children, until timmy wished for cosmo and wanda to have one because he wanted to see them happy

meanwhile, dale is dev's father, completely unrelated to timmy. He's an antagonist, a terrible father, and the reason for dev's misery. he first appeared as a one-off character in the original show as a poor child laborer who got trafficked into a sweatshop working for a lemonade factory (i cannot make this up). in the current show, he's an irredeemable rich jerk for who i hold absolutely zero respect for. but, from a character perspective, he's fun to watch, and i love it when he shows up to ruin my mood

the shipping comes from the fact that peri and dev gets separated by the end of the first season, so lots of people headcanon that peri came back for dev by disguising himself as his human babysitter, which he'd of course have to be hired for...

those circumstances make for very interesting potential conflicts and dynamics, so it's not hard to see why some might take to it

(lots of people have shouted at me and made it abundantly clear that i may have accidentally fanned the flames for that one, whoops

it's hilarious, because i don't actually care much for the peridale ship at all. i might draw more, but it's far from what i like about the franchise)

a new wish was well received because it took many issues people had with the original and improved upon it. they gave cosmo and wanda a healthier dynamic, for one (it essentially used to be full of "i hate my wife" and "my husband is a moron" jokes, which didn't work well in the long run). the people working on it has also shown clear passion for the project, which i don't see much with show revivals these days. the jokes land and the emotional moments have their weight, and above all, it does it's job at being entertaining

for a show i didn't think much about as a child, a new wish has done well to revive my passion for absolutely overanalyzing and reading up upon every little thing within a franchise. it's kind of rare that i rant and rave about a show this often. the only other contender that reaches this level of insanity being... well, niche enough that i dont get the chance to talk about it online, unfortunately

but yeah, that's the gist of it! i hope i was able to satiate your curiosity

:)

[cramathonn]

Masterpost

Status: CLOSED!

Hello, dear stranger on Tumblr. You may call me Cramathonn or Cram. I am just a silly guy who wants to write about his favorite characters casually, accepting requests every now and again. I prefer to be referred to with he/they/it pronouns, eventually the neos bomb/bombself.

Instead of sharing the fandoms of which I will most likely write/yap about, I will share the characters in specific, for I find it easier and less stressful for myself. That way, I won't feel obligated to write for charactes I'm not that interested in.

I will write for gender neutral and male readers only. However, when requesting nsfw scenarios, please do specify if the reader is afab or amab, solely for clarification and to make my writing experience easier. If not specified, I shall try my utmost to make it as generalized as possible.

However, if you desire to see some of my art, please go back to the main blog, @cram-cram ! I have recently wiped its history so uhhh yeah. An archive blog is tagged on the intro post if you wanna see my old stuff tho!

Without further ado, back to this blog and the info about what I write:

Green means go

★Fluff, angst and NSFW are all game

★Gore is on the table (be aware for my gore writing is VERY explicit)

★In NSFW content, majority of kinks are ok, the ones I won't do will be specified later

★Platonic and romantic scenarios

★Poly relationships!

★Monster x human

★Heavy subjects such as abuse and mental health (all with their due care and respect)

Red means stop

† Dubcon and noncon are a no go

† Watersports and age regression are a red in NSFW (if more surface, they will be added here)

† Very big age gaps! No thank you!

† Incest (not even stepcest)

† Character x character (more of a "don't feel like it" type of thing)

As for writing styles, you might get a drabble, a headcanon or a one shot. It all depends on my mood and how packed that week/day is for me. Please be aware that I am a college student and have a job, so I will be very very slow with publishing stuff.

Sensitive subjects will be properly tagged, so please pay attention as to not trigger yourself.

Now, finally, the list of characters I am currently obsessed with and desperately want to write about/read about. The sources to which they belong to will be in parentheses.

The menu

Billy Kid (ZZZ)

Anton Ivanov (ZZZ)

Grace Howard (ZZZ)

Alexandrina Sebastiane (ZZZ)

Seth Lowell (ZZZ)

Qingyi (ZZZ)

Piper (ZZZ)

Pompey (ZZZ)

Lighter (ZZZ)

Kafka Hibino (KN8)

Reno Ichikawa (KN8)

Iharu Furuhashi (KN8)

Meursault (Limbus Company)

Heathcliff (Limbus Company)

Gregor (Limbus Company)

Rodion (Limbus Company)

Outis (Limbus Company)

Welt Yang (HSR)

Kafka (HSR)

Gallagher (HSR)

Kuro Kiryu (ES)

Rinne Amagi (ES)

Scar (Wuthering Waves)

Yuanwu (Wuthering Waves)

Yinlin (Wuthering Waves)

Please keep in mind that I haven't met Yuanwu in the story yet and that I haven't finished the main story of Wuthering Waves! So those two characters are the ones I am least familiar with.

These are the characters for now. This list will be constantly updated, with additions and removals always being a possibility, so please do keep an eye out! If you want to check if I write for a character, don't be afraid to ask! I tend to be rather forgetful, so ask away.

If you simply want my take on a headcanon you have about one of the aforementioned characters, please do send them! I love debating about headcanons and sharing my thoughts (I am a yapper at heart)

There will be no masterlist! However, the posts will be tagged by fandom, characters and writing style. So, if you came looking for specifics, clicking on my profile and using the desired tag should filter everything properly!

As to differ random yaps from requests, here are the following tags you should look for:

#yappingdemon → for headcanon debates and just me being absolutely deranged/insane about something (mainly a character or game)

#storytellerdemon → for actual writing, be it headcanons, scenarios, drabbles or oneshots

This masterpost will be tagged as both yappingdemon and storytellerdemon, to mark the beginning of both categories in the blog.

Thank you for your attention and for considering requesting from this blog in the first place! Yapping request shall always be open, however request status will be updated both here and in random posts, so please do keep an eye out.

I wish you a pleasant timezone

- Anxious Demon

[knizuu]

💠 INTRO POST !! 💠

Never forget your daily clicks! +this

Heya hiya! I’m Knizuu [you can also call me Naz(rafer)], a Peruvian-American artist!✨ I’m a minor, so please respect the general boundaries around that.🫧 I’m an Aroace Bigenderflux fellow! [Who prefers he/him pronouns please!]🌸 Birthday is December 30th, yay!🎉 Once I find more ways to describe myself, I’ll shake things up here!📀 +If I do anything offensive, please do inform me ^ ^’

I may be heavily mis-understandable… [So best to keep the tone tags in mind as I use them heavily.]

IF YA WANT-I do have other fun names: Randall, Snakes, Crunchy, Riku, Apiary, and Veffon!

SPECIAL INTERESTS!? Why YES! I mainly love Sonic, Godzilla, Dog Man, and I cherish a lot more! [And trust me, I love a LOT of things!]🦐

Oh yea I love marine life! [Idk why-just get used to the lobster talk lmao!]

And when it comes to a DNI list-I’ll simplify it to-I will just sort out limits when it comes to anyone that makes me uncomfortable.

LINKS!!

ART FIGHT!! [Exited for next year!]

Toyhouse [It’s just my goobers all…goobering around]

Scratch [DUDE I’M LIKE 3 YEARS OLD ON THERE-]

TikTok [Cough I get scarce there sometimes </33]

Pinterest [There’s nothing special ‘ere, dang!/silly]

Wattpad [It’s just for my Dog Man AU cough]

Strawpage [It's very purple hehe :3!! I love purple-]

Bluesky [Up and running! Gonna have fun there yes yes!]

// OH YEA @/im-just-a-dumb-gay is my sibling yaya :D [go follow em if you like coiugh]

[fanhackers]

Platforms and Fan Experiences

This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about platforms and the way in which they influence fan experiences. As a consistent lurker, I have been on Tumblr for more than a decade, and more recently on Twitter for the past few months, and have been reflecting on my experiences of fandom on both platforms.

In a roundtable discussion published in a tumblr book: platform and cultures, speakers Flourish Klink, Rukmini Pande, Zina Hutton, Lori Morimoto and Allison McCracken discuss the ways in which Tumblr is a very visual platform:

Klink: Tumblr fandoms tend to be much more visual than other fandoms. I often find that this  is the most difficult part of Tumblr for people who are not familiar with it. The visual languages in play on Tumblr are as meaningful and complex as any slang or textual interactions on Twitter… Klink, Flourish, Rukmini Pande, Zina Hutton, Lori Morimoto, and Allison McCracken. “A Roundtable Discussion about the Cultures of Fandom on Tumblr.” In A Tumblr Book: Platform and Cultures, edited by Allison McCracken, Alexander Cho, Louisa Stein, and Indira Neill Hoch, 167–80. University of Michigan Press, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11537055.23.

I find this particularly interesting—and also ironic, in some ways—given that to me, as both a lurker, and a Fandom Old, the draw of Tumblr is that, while it may be a visual platform, it is not necessarily a visible platform, particularly in comparison to Twitter. There’s little chance of the celebrity you’re writing RPF about coming across your racy post or interacting with you directly.

In the same discussion, they go on to talk about the ways in which Tumblr’s visual culture has often led to progressive politics and practices, like race/genderbending.

Hutton: …One of my favorite things about being on Tumblr is seeing the way that members of the fandoms I’ve been in— primarily the DC and Marvel fandoms—reimagine their favorite characters as characters of color and give them queer and gender identities that match theirs. You can see photosets reimagining the Batman family group as more visibly diverse, and fancasts ( fans re-casting roles with actors of their choosing) of Marvel superheroes where they’re portrayed as women of color. And these fancasts generally push back against the idea of whiteness as a perpetual default. Klink, Flourish, Rukmini Pande, Zina Hutton, Lori Morimoto, and Allison McCracken. “A Roundtable Discussion about the Cultures of Fandom on Tumblr.” In A Tumblr Book: Platform and Cultures, edited by Allison McCracken, Alexander Cho, Louisa Stein, and Indira Neill Hoch, 167–80. University of Michigan Press, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11537055.23.

While Hutton also points out the ways in which a lot of it can turn into clickbait activism, later on in the discussion, without truly engaging with what it means to racebend a character beyond simply making a visual edit, it’s Pande’s comment about interacting with white fans that echoes my own experience:

Pande: When I first came on Tumblr for instance, I mainly followed people I knew from LiveJournal and “Big Name Fans” whose writing I had followed in previous fandoms. This resulted in my Dashboard being filled with almost exclusively white-dude content. In retrospect this is not surprising, but the visual-ness of Tumblr made it particularly apparent, especially post-Racefail at a moment in fandom in 2009–10, when POC fans had started becoming more vocal about this whiteness. Klink, Flourish, Rukmini Pande, Zina Hutton, Lori Morimoto, and Allison McCracken. “A Roundtable Discussion about the Cultures of Fandom on Tumblr.” In A Tumblr Book: Platform and Cultures, edited by Allison McCracken, Alexander Cho, Louisa Stein, and Indira Neill Hoch, 167–80. University of Michigan Press, 2020. http://www.jstor.org/stable/10.3998/mpub.11537055.23.

As a PoC fan myself from the Global South, particularly one that does more lurking than posting, I often find that Tumblr does not always have the kind of linguistic inclusivity or even fandom inclusivity I am looking for. Perhaps it’s that I am a lurker, or perhaps I am not looking in the right spaces. Whatever the reason, I find Twitter has more of that inclusivity; whether I am looking for a fellow Hindi-soap opera fan, or a Supernatural fan, I can find both. And depending on which platform I choose, the content I make/consume differs—not just in form, but also in language and meaning.

What do you think? How has your platform shaped your fandom experience?

[ladyiristheenchantress]

Working with Water

Welcome to the first part of my elemental series! Today we will explore some aspects of working with water like offerings, devotional activities, common lessons, aspects, and more! With all that said lets get started!

To preface: I am a devotee to water itself, I am a west witch practioner which means I work within the domain of water, the past, divination, and psyche! I also am a general elemental practioner and have experience working with all of the elements and their aspects!

What is working with water like?

The verified gnosis depends on what pantheon or historical significance we are looking at, however some things are constant! Water is fluid, represents motion and an unbridled force, but people can work with aspects of water! Water doesnt have a gender (neither do any of the elements) so asking during a working relationship is a great way to bond! Some people use she, he, they, and anything inbetween mainly because there are a lot of dynamics world wide!

In general, Water is primordial, being one of the first elements on the planet to house life as the primordial soup. In general her energy carries this! It has many aspects, from ocean, abyss, stream, river, and more, and spirits/traditions change depending on where you are looking! It mainly has to do with formations on the earth and how water presents to you!

Some people who work with more general bodies like streams, rivers, and lakes have a more relaxed time, learning more about how to go with the flow, tackle divination, and working with aspects of transcendence as many bodies of waters were considered to be portals. When it comes to larger and deeper bodies of water like ocean, abyss, and the primordial soup you will learn lessons more about the human condition, shadow work, and taking on the past.

Some things to note, waters personality is not set in stone, however elements are not omnipotent or omnipresent because they physically exist, its best to call on the energies of the elements before attempting to interact, and this also means they wont be around you all the time. Also, do not be suprised if an element isnt kind to you from the start. In a lot of cultures, elements dislike what we are doing to our planet and in general water may mention the plastic problem and pollution and encourage you to clean up our lands! Its important to remember that to the elements we are simply animals like any other bear, bird, or deer! Remember that you can learn a lot from a distance, so dont be offended if water would rather have you observe nature rather than directly give you answers via divination. UPG: In my experience water tends to be a portal, it is stoic, never saying 'i love you' or 'im proud' simply because it doesnt follow the human system of love. It is billions of years old and interestingly enough, water does rule over the psyche and past and is extremely emotionally intelligent, but has a preference in showing someone how to love themselves rather than giving out the term itself. It humanizes the element too much. Another aspect is even as a devotee it isnt heavy ritual work, a lot of it is introspection and action based!

A good thing to note is water does have a primordial “womb” aspect because of the Primordial soup! Most of the elements will have a birth aspect. On the contrary Water also has a death aspect within Abyss (the darker element) as it relates to death and the shadows. Working with these entities follows a similar feel to working with water itself, however the primordial soup teaches more about the human condition and what it means to evolve, while abyss teaches how to accept our darker flaws and translate them into good.

What are common offerings?

Most people place altars to water in wet rooms, bathrooms, and showers! Or at least near entrances and thresholds! Water tends to enjoy hand picked items, items from your adventures, and things you find interesting in your research. It tends to really enjoy having a set space.

There is heavy emphasis on action, and usually there are types of offerings! Net Positive, Net Negative, and Neutral! Positive offerings are anything that benefits the water ways which include beach clean ups, enjoying the water with reef safe sun screen, and creating a floating fish feeder! Neutral offerings refer to offerings that neither help nor harm water ways mainly is taking things home and charging them in moon light or on an altar then bringing them back, introducing native florals or herbs to a water way, or creating a biodegradable floating offering. Practicing at home in your shower or with drinking water usually is neutral or even positive. Net Negative are any offerings that negatively impact waterways like introducing salt from an offering, floating non-native florals and herbs, adding crystals to the environment.

Its important that you are aware of the offerings you introduce into your area, research is the key, and if you cant and still want to honor water look into how to conserve water in your own home like creating moon water from potable water, creating potions and other things in a respectful manner, and practicing safely

Some common practices include visiting local water spots, clean ups, potion crafting, collecting waters like moon or rain, meditating during water moments like during rain, cleaning up your bathroom or mudroom, enjoying shower and bathing magic, using steam, and so much more!

What are some correspondences?

Crystals - aquamarine, Ethically sourced coral, turquoise, sapphire, sodalite, lapis lazuli, blue topaz, moonstone, Brass

Herbs - seaweed, seamoss, jasmine, aloe, lily, mugwort, cucumber, rose, catnip, belladonna, willow, lotus, nettle

Colors - Blue, white, navy

Energy Centers - Throat, Crown, Witches Eye

Zodiacs - Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Tools - Chalices, Bells, dowsing rods, Tarot Cards

Scents - Sweet, Oceanic, citrus, Salty

Resources:

https://www.tumblr.com/a-seas-song/151886812943/sea-magic-references?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/a-seas-song/151843326843/recreationalwitchcraft-witchcrafts-for-the-sea

https://www.moodymoons.com/2020/07/01/sea-witch-harnessing-the-power-of-the-ocean-2/

https://tropical-sea-witch.tumblr.com/post/641611893093613568/charm-bags-sea-witch-style

https://a-seas-song.tumblr.com/post/171029487233/animals-in-sea-witchcraft

https://a-seas-song.tumblr.com/post/171024318373/songs-in-sea-witchcraft

https://www.tumblr.com/a-seas-song/151886878168/tips-for-landlocked-sea-witches?source=share

https://www.tumblr.com/a-seas-song/151886793018/wretched-waters-working-with-the-tides-tides

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/waterwitch/

http://www.waterwitchcraft.com/about

https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2020/02/water-folklore-correspondences.html

https://www.flyingthehedge.com/2020/04/tools-of-water.html

https://healing-sun-witch.tumblr.com/post/183508828289/sea-witch-cleansing-use-sea-salt-and-salt-water

https://www.moodymoons.com/2018/03/06/sea-witch-jar-spell/

https://northernlightswicca.com/2020/08/31/methods-of-divination-water-gazing/

https://www.lenntech.com/water-mythology.htm

Tip Jar

[crashimminent]

Hello! Might I request transmasc Anya headcanons if you do those things? Anything is fine, I just want my daily dose of transgender. Yum!

YESSSS YES YES YES ANON YOUR BRAIN

I will be referring to Anya by He/Him pronouns on this post- if this isn’t what you had in mind, please correct me!

The big question is always “is he on hormones?” and honestly? No, I don’t think so.

T can be a lot! Gel can feel gross, shots can be scary and painful, patches may slip, etc etc etc.

Not to mention costly. He’s already struggling with nursing school, damn it. A prescription is just another hassle.

Top surgery is definitely on the plans up there. He’s still anxious about the idea, but knows he won’t really regret it.

Until then, his binder will do. He takes extra precaution to follow the safety rules, especially while in space.

Pony Express hired him, at the very least. Even if they’re a corporate who’s likely deeply transphobic at their core, they want money, damn it!

It’s sort of illegal to ask about that anyways. So it’s fine.

He prefers to wear bigger, baggier clothes. Nurse scrubs tend to be unisex, so it’s not like his clothes options are limited…

But sweaters and turtlenecks seem to be big favorites.

He likes his long hair too. It’s easy to tie back into a ponytail. Frames his face nicely.

The socks and sandals were deliberate though. That was a specific euphoria producing thing. People groan and call him an old man.

It’s just a nice idea to think he’d get there. To grow old as himself.

It’s not really poorly received though. The crew has other worries than the personal lives of the others.

Jimmy himself isn’t really… transphobic. Just sort of… anti-Anya. He makes lots of remarks to make Anya feel self conscious or dysphoric.

Mainly about his body. A lot about his body. It’s hard to determine whether he’s trying to help Anya “pass”, or if he just wants to jab at insecurities.

Curly… is trying! He doesn’t quiiite get it, but he’s accepted Anya as “one of the boys”, and tries to engage in almost frat style humor.

And you know what? If there’s a different name he prefers, the name “Anya” is getting nigh erased from the ship. Curly sure likes his paperwork to be accurate, it it’ll be accurate!

Swansea doesn’t care. Really, why would he? He’s not thrilled to be on a ship full of guys, but it doesn’t change anything.

( He does chat up Anya though, compares him to his own sons every now and then. He’s an oldtimer, but that’s no excuse to be a bigot. )

Daisuke takes this as an invitation. Whenever Swansea isn’t working him like a dog, he’s down in medbay, talking about girls and sports and video games and whatever he can think of that Anya might have an interest in.

Like, Anya’s a guy, right? He’s GOT to be interested in girls. What do you MEAN that’s not how it works? Daisuke knows everything there is to know about the ladies, and he’s gotta tell the guy!

He seems to forget Anya used to have hands on experience.

It’s… a bit of a relief that the restrooms on the ship aren’t separated by gender.

The crew tries to give him space, even if he doesn’t entirely mind that much. They don’t go in the showers if they know he’s there.

Swansea once came in while he was showering. They didn’t really say anything.

What’s he meant to care? They’re in different stalls, and…

Well. Swansea has a bigger rack than him. If anyone’s staring, it’s Anya. (Which of course, he didn’t- he’s got priorities.)

It’s still a little awkward navigating the social environment as a trans guy- a lot of effort is put into making him fit in when he really just wants to be treated normally.

But it’s nice to be seen and heard about one thing.

[scarletvanfleet]

Pairings: Josh x Danny, Sam x F!OC "Lena", Jake x M!OC "Kit". SLASH PAIRINGS!

Word Count: 9k

18+ NO MINORS! NO SMUT IN THIS PART BUT THERE IS SOME IN PART 2. ADULT CONTENT BELOW CUT.

"Sometimes when you want something so fucking bad, it doesn't go away. Even when it breaks your heart. Sometimes it just... Sits there. Waiting."

Read on AO3

Part 2 (TBA)

Warnings/Tags: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fraternity, Angst, Mutual Pining, Graduation, Implied Sexual Content, Jealousy, Awkwardness, Hugs, Crying, House Party, Alcohol, Love Confessions, Explicit Language, Awkward Flirting, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Arguing, First Dates, Awkward Conversations, Frostbite, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia-Not Serious, Jake is smitten, Classic Cars, Arts and Crafts, hand holding.

A/N Below Cut.

A/N: Hello! I'm back! A couple of you were interested in a follow up story to Philia, or a "not sad Josh/Danny fic". Well, in true Scarlet fashion, I have delivered. May I introduce to you.... Pragma. The sequel to "Philia", as well as the second installment in the "Greek Loves Universe".

Special thank you to my lovely Beta reader and best friends, @kultavalo and @jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka for your continued support, ideas, and interest in this world of fiction. You are the best friends a girl could have.

𓇢𓆸

Sometimes when you want something so fucking bad, it doesn't go away. Even when it breaks your heart. Sometimes it just... Sits there. Waiting.

This was the thought that was currently making its way through Josh's head as he crossed the stage to collect his diploma and move the tassel on his hat to the other side. When he looked out to the crowd to see his friends and family who were loudly whooping and yelling his name, he caught the eyes of the very person who he'd been tiptoeing around for the past three years.

So much had changed since that day when he and Danny had sat in his old beat-up car on New Year's Day, and he'd let him down as gently as he possibly could. But he knew that he had broken his heart, as well as his own that day, and damn near destroyed their friendship.

Josh knew that the damage to their friendship wasn't intentional. It just happened. Danny needed distance after that night, and time to heal. He was hurt, and Josh understood that. He also understood that he had to be real with himself and with Danny. That's why he did what he did. Sure, it was selfish, and he'd continued to be selfish in those years since then. Just as he'd implied that he would be.

He explored, he experienced. He worked his ass off in school, focused on his major in education and came out close to the top of his class. He partied and was involved with his Fraternity. He dated around.... Well... He went on dates. Slept with people of any gender, very rarely seeing someone more than twice, and he never formed a lasting attachment to anyone. He had friends and he had short term lovers. Distractions. That's what they really were.

Distractions.

𓇢𓆸

In the fall of the year after the New Year's party, Danny joined the Kiszka brothers at Michigan State and pledged the fraternity. He even got his own apartment near the university, which was pretty nice. He still came around regularly, mainly to do frat related activities and hang out with Sam. But that didn't mean there weren't times when they'd be relaxing on the couch when Josh would walk in the front door with someone neither of them recognized, barely offer them a passing glance, and lead his partner into his room.

The first time this happened, Danny clenched his teeth and sat through the movie with Sam. He tried his best to ignore the moans and grunts of pleasure that seeped under the door and through the thin walls of the house. He swallowed the lump in his throat and held back his discomfort until the credits started to roll, then quickly gathered himself and left the house with a promise to text Sam when he got to his apartment. He could see the turmoil on Sam's face. But what could he do? It was Josh's house too.

The subsequent times after that when Josh brought someone home, Danny had very quickly dismissed himself and left the house. Sometimes Sam would tag along with him, and on rare occasions so would Jake. They never really spoke about it, but Danny knew that they’d both harbored some guilt even though they really had nothing to do with it.

Other than those instances where Josh would bring someone home, Danny rarely saw him. In between their conflicting schedules and everything else, they'd almost never see each other. When they did, it would be at a fraternity gathering where they kept their distance most of the time, or at Sam's shared house where Josh might join them for dinner.

Their conversations were cursory in nature. Very often being a "hey" or a quick "how are you" followed by a curt answer and then silence until Sam cuts in with a random topic to kill the awkwardness.

Danny was immensely grateful for Sam at those times.

There came a point when the walking on eggshells, quick vague conversations and distance just became too much. After being friends for most of their lives the sudden change to near strangers was affecting all of them.

Josh thought that something had to change as he changed the direction of his gaze and began to walk off the stage to resume his seat next to his twin.

The ceremony went on for a long while and he politely clapped for each graduate as they collected their diploma and went on their way. He saw a few faces he recognized. Friends from classes, fraternity brothers, hook ups. When they were finally done with the last of the graduates, they all stood and cheered. Some threw their hats and others hugged their friends and went to hug their families too. Josh and Jake navigated the sea of people until they found their families and Danny all huddled together. They hugged all of them tightly but when it was Josh's turn to hug Danny, he hesitated. The two met eyes and Danny's hands twisted together anxiously before he sighed and let his hands drop to his sides. Ronnie, the Kiszka's sister, eyed the situation curiously as Danny stepped forward and brought Josh into an embrace. The surprise on his face was evident but it only took a few moments for his body to catch up and he put his arms around Danny's back to hug him in return.

It felt nice to be close to him again after the years of distance. He could smell Danny's after shave and that hair product he always used that smelled vaguely of coconut. The sensory experience made some tears well up in Josh's eyes as he sunk into Danny's chest. He hadn't realized how long they'd been hugging until he heard a cough come from his twin and quickly pulled away, avoiding eye contact while quickly swiping at his lower lids with the back of his hand.

No one said a word about it and Josh was ever so thankful for that.

"So.... Who's hungry?" Jake quickly said, addressing the group.

"Ooh! Me! I'm starving. That ceremony took forever!" Sam yelled loudly, his arm shooting up in the air.

"Yeah, well you better get used to it because you'll have to come to mine next year!" Danny laughed and clasped a large hand over Sam's shoulder before guiding him towards the exit as the others followed.

𓇢𓆸

After they ate, the family split off and went to their hotel to get ready for the graduation party which would be taking place that evening, and the brothers went to their house to begin preparing. Danny too had gone to their house to help with set up. Sam insisted on the twins taking a back seat to the process since they were the ones being celebrated. So, it was really just Danny and Sam who started cleaning up the house and setting up tables and chairs as well as putting decorations in the backyard.

"Do you think we should put some balloons in the pool?" Asked Sam as he tied off yet another black latex balloon before securing it onto the banner above the door.

"That would be cool. Might be kind of messy though if they pop and you have to pick rubber out of the grass." Danny answered while he arranged one of the tables outside where the cake was supposed to go.

"Wouldn't be my first time picking rubbers out of the grass." Sam giggled with a shameless grin on his face.

"Oh, ew dude. I do not need to hear what you and Lena get up to out here." He rolled his eyes and grabbed a few balloons out of the package to start blowing up.

"Oh come on. We both know that's probably the most exciting thing you've heard recently." Sam scoffed and tied off the balloon before walking over and tossing it into the water of the large above ground pool they'd set up, even though Jake had insisted it was way too early in the season for it.

"Excuse me?! What exactly do you mean by that?" He said as he regarded his best friend with a glare.

"Come on dude. It's been like three freaking years, and you haven't gotten laid once." Sam pointed out and grabbed another balloon from the bag to begin blowing it up as Danny gaped at him.

"You don't know that." Danny said defensively as he threw the tied balloon into the pool.

"Seriously? We're best friends Daniel. If you're not in school, at the frat house, or with me, you're hiding in your apartment all alone. What gives?" Sam threw his now inflated balloon in the pool and instead of grabbing another, he sat on the porch step and patted the concrete next to him.

Danny glared at him for a minute longer while he finished blowing up the balloon, tying it off before throwing it in the pool as well.

"You know what gives, Sammy." He grumbled, throwing himself down on the step next to his friend.

"Still?" Sam raised a brow as he waited for Danny to answer.

"Yeah. I feel like it's never going to go away." He looked off into the yard that was sprung to life with green grass and a small vegetable garden that Sam himself had planted, saying something about it being good for the psyche or whatever.

"So, you still...?"

"Love him? Yeah. I do. " Danny scratched the back of his head and continued to avoid Sam's gaze though he could feel it burning into his skull.

"So, every time he ... "

"Yeah. It sucks.” He interrupted. "But you know... I can't say he didn't exactly warn me that that's what he was going to do. So, it's like I can't even really be mad at him."

"Just because he told you, doesn't mean you don't have a right to your feelings. You can be mad, sad, whatever. I mean I know if I had to witness the person I loved sleeping with other people right in front of me I'd probably go nuts." Sam was using that voice again. The one that he'd developed in the last few years while working on his psych degree. The one where it's calm and empathetic. It nearly unnerved Danny because it worked too well.

"Well yeah. I mean it's definitely been hard. And I have tried, you know. But whenever someone tries to talk to me or ask me out I just ... I can't. I don't know, that probably doesn't make any sense and I'm just being stupid"

"You're not being stupid Daniel. You still hold a candle for him. But the thing is, how long are you going to keep holding that candle? Eventually it's going to melt down and burn you." Sam nudged him with his shoulder and Danny smiled a little bit.

"If I could just blow it out and move on I would. But I just... Can't." Danny explained.

"Well ... Have you tried talking to him again? Maybe see if things are different now?” Sam suggested.

"No Sam. We barely talk as is, and I don't really want to put myself out there again to get hurt you know? I already did that once. I don't think I can do it again." Danny finally turned and met Sam's eyes which were lit up like clover honey under the late afternoon sun.

"So, what you're saying is, you'd give it a chance if he was the one who made the first move?" Sam asked, again raising that manicured brow.

"I mean yeah. I absolutely would. But I really don't see that happening." Danny replied.

Sam hummed in response, and they sat quietly for a moment before the sound of a doorbell alerted them to the arrival of guests.

"Well. Come on then. We have entertaining to do!" Sam smiled as he got up from the steps and brushed off his pants before heading up to the back door. Danny nodded and followed him inside.

𓇢𓆸

A couple hours into the party, the house was full of friends and family alike. Members of the fraternity showed up with cases of beer and seltzers, a few girls from Lena's sorority accompanied her and even the Kiszka brother's next-door neighbor showed up, bearing gifts for the twins.

Sam and Lena, as well as a couple others, had braved the cool water of the pool which was still not quite up to comfortable temperatures but, due to a couple of beers and shots, they could hardly tell a difference.

The boy's parents were currently flipping through baby books of Jake and Josh while the twins feigned embarrassment and Ronnie cackled.

That left Danny back on the step in front of the porch watching it all unfold.

"Danny! Get in here! Stop being a stick in the mud!" Sam yelled, which caused the other pool goers to erupt into pleas for him to jump in.

Danny simply rolled his eyes and stood up before kicking off his shoes and pulling off the shirt he'd changed into. He hadn't exactly planned on swimming, but anyone who knew Sam knew that he always seemed to get his way. So, Danny threw the shirt down on top of his shoes and began making his way to the pool amid the cheers and whistles coming from the swimmers.

He climbed the pool ladder and was beginning to step down into the water when he looked up and caught Josh very obviously looking over his bare torso before realizing that Danny was looking at him and met his eyes with a blush. Danny raised a brow at him but continued to get into the water as Josh quickly looked away.

"Hey buddy! Finally! About time you joined the party." Sam hollered bounding through the water towards him, carrying Lena like a backpack.

"Yeah, yeah. I know. " Danny huffed as he struggled to adjust to the cool temperature of the water.

"Hey Danny! How are you?" Lena smiled wide at him and raked her eyes over his half naked body just as Josh had done moments ago.

Lena had become another staple around the Kiszka house as she and Sam officially began dating around Valentine's Day the year after the fraternity New Years bash. Danny didn't mind her. She was a pretty cool girl, if not a little ditzy and maybe a bit on the promiscuous side. But Danny didn't fault her for that.

"Hey Lena, I'm pretty good. Cold now, but it's fine. How about you?" Danny responded as he watched Sam swish her back and forth slowly in the water, making her giggle.

"Oh, I'm good. You know, just working on that music degree. Say, how did you do on the final in Professor Reynolds class?" She asked and the conversation evolved into the topic of finals and grades and plans for the following year. Sam pitched in here and there but mainly just listened to their conversation.

Once the topic was exhausted and the silence set in, Lena excused herself from them with the intention of helping herself to some of the food set out. Danny watched as Sam eyed her figure when she pulled herself up the ladder and over the pool wall, her tiny red string bikini leaving almost nothing to the imagination.

𓇢𓆸

Jake had just finished dressing up his hot dog with all his favorite toppings when he saw Lena walking across the yard towards him.

He had gotten to know her a little over the years of her dating Sam, but she always seemed to rub him the wrong way. She was just so over the top and he didn't know how to respond to it. He tried his best to avoid eye contact as she came closer, even picking up his hot dog and making it about three quarters of the way to his mouth before Lena was standing right next to him. A little too close for comfort. He took a half step back as her generous bosom bumped against his elbow and made him pause mid bite.

"Hey Jakey." she cooed as she continued to invade his space.

"Oh, uh... Hey Lena..." He responded quietly, sighing as he set his hot dog back on his plate and she engaged him in an unwanted conversation.

"How have you been? I haven't seen you around very much!" She continued on in that flirty high-pitched voice while wrapping a piece of her hair around her finger.

"Oh uhm... Fine. Yeah, I've just been busy you know. School and ... Stuff " He didn't want to be rude to her, but he really did not want to be small-talking when he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

"Oh? Stuff huh? Is that code for a girl you've been seeing? I'm sure it's not. I never see you with anyone." She boldly pointed out.

Now Jake was annoyed by her prying into his personal life.

"No, if you must know. But then again I'm not sure exactly how you would've seen me with anyone when you barely see anything besides the sheets of my brother's bed." Jake said coldly.

She blinked in surprise but quickly recovered with a shake of her head.

Jake heard a choked laugh that was covered by a fake cough from somewhere behind him, which is when he recalled that there was a man at the table making his plate just a short distance away.

"Oh my gosh! Are those barbecue chips? I love barbecue chips! " Lena said excitedly and before Jake could stop her she'd reached up, snagged a chip off his plate and popped it into her mouth with a smirk. The smirk quickly evolved into an expression of exaggerated pleasure.

"Oh my…Mmm… So good." She moaned louder than was necessary.

Jake felt his mouth drop in shock.

She finished the chip with a few more small groans and then looked at him seductively.

"That was amazing. Ugh, reminds me of going to the lake. I am so glad you guys set up the pool because it gave me a chance to wear this swimsuit. Isn't it SO cute?" She giggled as she posed for him, making her breasts jiggle and then squish together when she changed positions.

"Uh... Yeah... It's great." Jake responded awkwardly, looking up to meet Sam's eyes who was eyeing the situation curiously.

"Do you go to the lake, Jake?" Lena asked with her overly sugary voice.

"Yeah, of course. We used to go quite often actually. " He told her, again trying to be polite but looking anywhere but directly at her.

"We should go sometime!" She suggested.

"Oh yeah that could be fun. Get all of us together, Danny and Sam and-"

"No." She cut him off. " Just us. " She said again in that seductive voice as she got closer to him once more and placed her hand on the center of his chest.

"Uh... " Jake stammered as his brain flatlined and he struggled to find the words to respond to her through his utter shock.

It was then that he heard a plate get thrown to the table and footsteps come up behind him quickly.

"Girl... " Came a warning voice to Jake's left. "Don't you have a man? Why don't you go to him and stop harassing Jake who is clearly not interested."

Kit. Jake recognized the voice now as he turned towards the man in the sage green dress shirt with his ginger hair in a slightly messy, curly, cropped cut. One of his finely manicured brows was cocked and his arms were crossed firmly over his chest.

Lena scoffed and regarded the man with a scowl.

"And you are?" She said arrogantly, dropping her hand to Jake's relief.

"Kit. Jake’s neighbor, and you're Lena. A girl clearly barking up the wrong tree. Seeing as you're currently hitting on your boyfriend's brother. So go on. Shoo." He responded and waved his hand in her direction dismissively.

She groaned in annoyance, rolled her eyes, and turned to stomp away from them.

Jake sighed and looked back down to his plate. The stress of that conversation had made him lose his appetite completely.

"Ugh. Just repulsive." Kit sighed and rolled his eyes just as she had.

Jake looked up at him, nodding in agreement. "Thanks Kit. She just... Doesn't know when to stop." He grumbled and set his plate down on the table.

"That's obvious. Hey, are you okay Jake? You haven't even eaten any of that.” He said, eyeing the man's untouched food.

" Yeah, well… Welcome to my life. " Jake mumbled and looked off towards the pool where Danny was currently chatting with friends. It was then that he noticed Sam's absence and looked around the yard for him.

He soon found Sam and Lena in the throes of a heated argument with lots of hand motions on her part.

Kit followed Jake's line of sight and chuckled. "I guess he wasn't too happy about that. Had to happen sometime I suppose."

"Yeah, I guess. Just bad timing." Jake grumbled and distracted himself by observing Kit's face.

He'd seen Kit plenty of times in the years they'd lived in the house. But he had never really noticed how attractive he was before. With pale porcelain skin, rosebud-colored lips, and sparkly blue green eyes. His jawline was sharp and nose cute and upturned. He knew Kit to be a few years older than him. Already out of college and working as a Kindergarten teacher.

"Hey Jake?" Kit's voice snapped him out of his reverie and made him blink a couple times, realizing that he'd been staring.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to get out of here? Maybe hit up IHOP or something?" He casually suggested.

Jake was a little surprised at the offer but one quick glance around the party and his mind was made up.

"Oh, hell yes." Jake beamed.

Kit smiled and reached over, taking Jake's hand in his own.

"Can I really leave my own party though?" He worried out loud.

"It's your party, you can leave if you want to!” Kit said in a singsong, playful way and pulled him towards the back door.

𓇢𓆸

The yelling steadily got louder until Lena was nearly screaming at Sam as he continued to talk to her with a calm demeanor though visibly upset.

The overall mood of the party had quickly shifted, and guests were beginning to gather their things and head for the door. Even the Kiszka's own family had given Josh their goodbyes and waved to Danny as he got out of the pool and dried off. As soon as they were gone, Danny realized that only he and Josh were left, besides the couple who were still currently going at it.

Danny looked around and saw that Josh had located a large trash bag and was starting to collect garbage and toss it in. He sighed quietly to himself before throwing his towel down on a chair and crossing the yard to where Josh was cleaning up. He grabbed half empty cans, dumping their remaining contents into the grass before crushing them in his hands. He’d gathered four or five before he approached Josh with them.

Josh saw him coming and held the bag open for him so he could throw them in. "Thanks. But you really don't have to help if you don't want to. You're a guest. "

Danny scoffed and started collecting more trash. "And it's your graduation party. So, I guess we're even." He gave him a shy smile and saw Josh return it apprehensively.

Together they cleaned up the yard, put the food away and broke down spare tables and chairs. At some point the yelling had stopped and Lena and Sam had gone into the house.

Josh sighed as silence filled the air "Thank goodness they're done. That was ridiculous."

"Yeah, they're definitely something else." Danny agreed as he plucked the balloons out of the pool and let the air out of them without causing a loud pop.

"So .... How have you been Danny? Is college treating you well?" Josh asked, grabbing the broom they used for the back porch and starting to sweep off the concrete.

"I'm good. College is great. I'm glad I decided to come. It's been a real adventure. I've learned a lot, experienced some stuff, and had a lot of fun." He responded, fishing yet another balloon out of the water.

" That's great. I'm so happy for you. I know Sam's been glad to have you around. Are you going to stay here after you graduate next year?" Josh continued sweeping the porch, keeping the conversation light.

"I don't know. It depends." He responded.

"On?" Josh inquired, halting his motions and turning to face Danny.

"If there's something worth staying for. Otherwise, there's a program that Jake and I have been looking at in Nashville that helps music majors find jobs in the industry. I might see if I can find a band to play with or an artist to support." Danny shrugged while he continued messing with the decorations.

There was a short moment of silence before Josh responded. "Oh. That's... Yeah. That's cool." He said slowly, looking down at his shoes.

Then finally Danny spoke up. "And you? What have you been up to?"

"Oh, you know. Same stuff. Glad to be done with school. Ready to actually get out there and start teaching some kids." Josh smiled up at him and then went back to sweeping the porch until it was nearly cleared.

Another long moment of silence in the freshly fallen night was broken by Danny's voice.

"So, Josh, did you get everything you wanted?" He asked, with extreme effort to keep his voice neutral.

Josh stopped again and looked up again to meet Danny's eyes with furrowed brows.

Danny prepared himself for the answer. Because if he said that yes, he in fact had. That would mean in Danny's mind that their ship had sailed and Josh had moved on. Left Danny completely behind in the pursuit of his own adventure. But if Josh said no? Well Danny wasn't sure exactly what that would mean.

Josh cleared his throat and looked off into the dark sky for a while before replying. "It wasn't all it was cracked up to be."

Danny met Josh's eyes with an expression of subdued surprise.

"Oh?" He inquired, curious to hear more from Josh in this first full conversation they'd had in years.

"Yeah. I-" he began but was quickly cut off by the sound of the back door opening and Sam stepping out onto the patio.

"Hey guys. What are we talking about?" Sam asked as he bounced down the stairs and approached them.

"Oh uhm, nothing much. I was just telling Josh that I think I'm going to head home now." Danny responded, reaching down to grab his discarded shirt from atop his shoes. Josh noticed that he grimaced as he picked it up. He saw Danny sigh, his head dropping in defeat. It was then that he noticed Danny's pallor and the blue twinge to his lips.

“Oh my god. Danny! Your lips are blue! Are you okay?” Josh dropped the broom and sprinted over to him, grabbing him by the face and forcing him to look up.

" Yeah, I'm just freaking cold, and my shirt is soaked.” He grumbled.

"Yeah... Sorry, I think that was Lena. You can borrow something from me?” Sam offered kindly.

Josh rolled his eyes and spoke up. "Come on Danny. I have something better.” He then turned to head in the house as Danny slid on his shoes and followed him inside.

Soon he found himself standing in the warm embrace that was Josh's room. He'd never been here before. Only seen glimpses as the door opened and closed. But he loved it. It felt like a genuine outward expression of the man in front of him who was currently rummaging through a pile of clothes on an antique wicker chair.

Danny took in all he could as he looked around. The room was bathed in the soft glow emanating from a few salt lamps and they illuminated various old movie posters framed on the walls and piles of books on all available surfaces. There were also a couple of very well taken care of plants by the window and a pretty backflow incense burner. The whole room smelled like a mixture of Nag Champa and cozy, earthy spices.

“Aha!" Josh announced as he pulled a shirt from the pile and held it up in victory. The garment was an off-white and had the name of an indie band emblazoned across the chest. Danny recognized it almost immediately.

“Is that…?” He questioned in disbelief, reaching out to take the fabric in his hands. The shirt was slightly more threadbare than when he'd last seen it, but it was still soft and in good condition though the design had faded some.

Josh looked a little nervous, if not kind of embarrassed as he nodded and quietly replied "Yeah”

"I wondered where this had gone. Why didn't you ever tell me you had it? I've been over here loads of times in the past three years Josh.” Danny inquired.

" Well... You left it here that morning after…yeah. I just… I don't know, held on to it. I guess I should have given it back before now. Sorry.” Josh scratched at the back of his neck and avoided eye contact with Danny, choosing to look at the floor instead.

Danny nodded and slipped the shirt over his head and sighed at the warmth of it. It smelled like Josh, and he found himself wondering how long that scent would last. He was about to speak when there was a light knock at the door.

Josh went to open it and the youngest of the brothers leaned against the frame looking at both of them curiously.

"You know, you're always welcome to stay here Daniel. There's a pull-out couch with your name on it." Sam smiled knowingly and Danny just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm not doing that again okay? I'm going home. I'll see you guys later." Danny moved past Josh and gave him a small wave and a thanks before maneuvering around Sam and giving him a hug.

He walked across the living room around the aforementioned couch and pulled open the door, disappearing to the outside quickly.

They watched him leave silently and after the door closed Josh finally spoke up.

“So, is Lena gone?"

"Nah, she's asleep in my room." Sam replied, entering the room and taking a seat on the bed next to his brother.

Josh simply hummed in response. He knew chastising his brother for his choice in partners wouldn't help anything.

"So... You guys are talking again? You and Daniel?" Sam asked, leaning back on the bed and looking over at Josh.

"I mean we weren't ever not talking, really." Josh replied.

"Oh please, spare me. That's such bullshit and you know it. Did you forget I was there after you broke his heart, or?" He scoffed.

"I didn't do it on purpose okay!" Josh defended.

"Well, I know that. But you still did it, and bringing hookups around all the time didn't necessarily help matters either." It was obvious that Sam had no intention of letting him off the hook this time.

"Listen. I make no apologies for what I've done, okay? I did what I said I was going to do. I lived, I experienced, I grew. Danny gets that." He enforced, standing his ground.

"He might, yeah. But he still loves you. You know that don't you?" Sam asked rhetorically.

Josh's heart dropped when he realized that Sam didn't say "loved", he said "loves".

Danny loves him?

"I ... " Josh struggled to find the words to respond but Sam knew what he wanted to say.

"I know." He nodded.

"You do?"

"Well yeah. I mean we might not be twins, but I'm still your brother. I can read a room. I see how you look at him. You don't look at someone like that if you don't love them. Also you squirreled away that damn shirt for three years. Normal people don't do that." Sam gave a small smile and Josh nodded solemnly, confirming his assessment.

"How long?" He asked after a moment.

"A while. I mean I knew I liked him as more than a friend for a bit. But I didn't really realize that I... Love him .. until I saw him leaving the driveway on New Year's Day.” He breathed out before continuing, "But by then I'd already fucked everything up and decided I wanted the full college experience more than Danny and it was too late. The damage was done. " Josh confessed.

"It's not too late though." Sam encouraged.

"What do you mean?" He asked, confused and wondering what it was that Sam knew, and he didn't.

"Well, I think you need to try. If you still want this, then you need to be the one to instigate it this time. Pursue him.” the younger man advised.

Josh considered this for a moment before the realization struck him and he chuckled.

"You know it's funny that you're sitting in here giving me advice on my love life when yours is currently a shit show." Josh said with a raise of his brow and another sarcastic laugh.

" Wow, okay. I'm just trying to help. But whatever, you do you. " Sam said as he got up from the bed without another word and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Josh sat there a moment longer in the still silence listening to Sam's door close, and the loud giggles start.

He stood and quickly shed his clothes before climbing into his bed amongst the fluffy blankets. He then grabbed his phone from the side table and opened up the Instagram app where typed Danny's name into the search bar and smiled to himself when it came up and showed they were still mutuals.

He scrolled back to the last post he remembered seeing of Danny's and started going through them all slowly until he was caught up. He saw clips of him playing various instruments, sometimes even singing a cover. He took beautiful pictures of scenery and of plants and animals, each captioned with a lovely lyric from a song or a quote from a book or film.

He felt like he'd missed so much in just three years. How much more time did he really want to miss without Danny by his side? Maybe Sam was right. Maybe he should flip the script and be the pursuer this time.

He gave it a little more thought before he made up his mind.

He was going to fix this.

𓇢𓆸

It was early on Sunday morning when Josh was woken to loud raps on his bedroom door and his twin poking his head in.

"Hey, are you awake?" Jake asked as he observed Josh in his freshly woken state.

"Well, I am now. What do you want Jake?" He grumbled, throwing an arm over his eyes to try and hide from the sunlight.

Jake let out a little snort and came in the room completely, throwing himself down on the bed next to his brother.

"Well, you know Kit?" Jake asked, even though he knew that it was a stupid question.

"Yeah, I know Kit. Our neighbor that you snuck off with last night without even telling me hi, bye, or fuck you." Josh dramatically threw his arm off his eyes and across the pillow beside him.

"That's the one. Well, he asked me to go to the farmers market this morning and I really want to go." Jake said excitedly but Josh knew he was up to something.

"Okay? So, go. Why are you in here bugging me? I'm not mom, you don't have to ask me for permission."

"Well... I'm kind of nervous to go alone so I was wondering if you might come with me?" Jake asked with a hint of desperation as he chewed his bottom lip.

"Why don't you ask Sam and Lena to go with you?" Josh sighed as he sat up on his elbows and looked Jake in the eyes.

"Tried. They already have plans today, and Lena kind of freaks me out. Please Josh? You could even see if Danny could come along? Sam told me that you guys were talking again." Jake said and gave him a tiny smile.

"Did he now?" He asked, not surprised by his little brother's loose lips.

"Yeah, and if I know you. Which I do. You've finally pulled your head out of your ass and you're actually being his friend again.” Jake incorrectly assessed.

Josh sighed, but didn't correct him. "Yeah, okay, fine. I'll go. Let me send Danny a text to see if he's free."

Josh knew a wide smile had taken over Jake's face as he jumped up off the bed in victory.

"Yeah, yeah. Now get out of my room." Josh huffed as he grabbed his phone from his nightstand and turned over on his side, away from Jake.

𓇢𓆸

About an hour later Danny had joined them at their house and they were all sitting in the living room waiting for Kit to come to the door. Danny and Jake were on the couch while Josh sat on the recliner and flipped through the channels on TV. Currently Jake was looking through the curtains and out the window towards Kit's house.

"Jake, get away from the window. He's going to see you and think you're weird." Josh scolded him playfully.

Jake glared at him for a minute and then went back to looking out the window until he suddenly jumped up.

"He's walking over." He said, his voice shooting up an octave.

"Jeez Jake, calm down. I've never seen you so hyped up. It's freaking me out. " Danny remarked sarcastically as Jake gave him a death glare.

"Oh, shut up will you." Jake shot back while he paced back and forth.

"Do you have something you wish to tell us, Jake? " Josh asked with a grin.

Jake let out an annoyed groan that was cut off by a succession of sharp knocks at the front door.

There was a moment of silence before Josh spoke up.

"You uh... You gonna get that Jake? " he asked, watching Jake stare at the door.

"Right! Yes." Jake scrambled towards the door and threw it open to reveal Kit.

He had a sweet smile on his face and his eyes lit up as he took in Jake's flushed cheeks and wide eyes.

"Hey Jake. Are you guys ready to go?" He said in his charming cadence, a wide smile showing off his straight pearly teeth.

Jake struggled to find the words to respond as he took in Kit's appearance. He was dressed casually in a pair of loose light wash denim jeans, a white sleeveless muscle shirt with a light-colored striped button up over it and slightly hanging off one shoulder. The outfit was finished off with a pair of plain black and white converse.

Josh rolled his eyes and bounded up behind his twin.

"Yes, we're ready to go. Aren't we Jake?" He said, putting his hands on Jake's shoulders and shaking him slightly.

This snapped Jake out of his stupor, and he finally opened his mouth. "Yes! Yep. I'm ready. Let's go!" He waved over to Danny for him to follow and they headed outside.

Once they were out on the lawn and walking towards Kit's house, they noticed a car they didn't recognize in his driveway.

It was a beautiful classic muscle car from the late 60s or early 70s if Josh had to guess. Its light blue paint shimmering in the morning sun. Kit walked over to unlock the doors and push down the seat so Josh and Danny could climb in the back.

"Sorry, it's kind of a tight fit for you Danny." He said as he regarded Danny's long legs.

"It's cool. I'm used to it. This is a beautiful car. What is it?" He asked, buckling in.

"It's a 1966 Mustang Shelby GT350 convertible. It belonged to my grandfather. He left it to me when he passed." Kit said while he pulled the seat back up and got in as well.

Jake got in on the passenger side and also buckled in.

"How come we haven't seen it before? " Jake asked curiously.

"I usually keep it covered in the garage. Only really bring it out for special occasions. " He winked at Jake then put the key in the ignition and fired the car up. It growled to life and Josh felt chills shoot up his spine.

𓇢𓆸

When they arrived at the farmers market and were able to locate parking, they realized that these markets were much bigger than the ones back home in Frankenmuth.

There were a great variety of local vendors with their own tents and set ups on the lawn and there were also some bigger tents set up off to the side where it looked like they were having workshops.

Jake and Kit walked in front of them down the aisles of small shops and peeked into each one that they found of some interest.

Josh and Danny hadn't really said much to each other since Danny had arrived at the house, and even then, it was just small talk.

Josh cleared his throat and turned to look at Danny as they stopped behind their companions who were currently looking at a shop of small crochet animals of varying shapes and sizes.

"Thanks for coming today." Josh said, watching as Danny turned to look back at him.

"Oh, you're welcome. I've been here a few times before. It's really cool." Danny gave him a smile and went to go look at a plush animal in the shape of a possum.

"Oh yeah? You just come here alone? " Josh asked out of curiosity.

"Hmm? Oh, no. There's some girls from my classes that like to come out here and get stuff so sometimes I'd give them a ride and check things out." He picked up the animal and turned it over in his hand before putting it back down on the table and going to look at a different one.

"Oh, that's cool. Kind of like... A date? " Josh inquired quietly.

Danny's brows furrowed and he looked up at Josh. "Not really, no. Just doing a friend a favor."

Josh could have smacked himself in the face for that one.

They soon left the tiny shop after Kit had picked out a pink axolotl and purchased it. He placed it lovingly in his canvas tote bag that was slung over his shoulder and then they were strolling through the booths again.

The group didn't get far before Jake had them stopped at a leatherwork shop.

They perused the various goods, and Jake found a small wallet with an emblazoned moon on the cover that he seemingly couldn't live without. He paid cash for it and slipped it into his pocket.

When they left this booth Josh noted that Kit had slid his hand into Jake's and their fingers were now entwined between them as they walked. It made Josh smile as warmth flooded his chest.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Danny said just loud enough so that only Josh could hear him.

"So cute. Jake seems really taken with him." He replied, watching as Kit led his brother to a booth selling old fashioned sodas.

"He does. I hope things go well for them. Jake deserves to be happy. You both do." He stated as he continued to observe the couple while they ordered their drinks and Jake insisted on paying.

"He does. You do too, Danny." Josh pointed out.

Danny hummed in response and motioned towards the booth, indicating for Josh to order.

He ordered a black cherry soda and Danny ordered a sarsaparilla. Right as Josh was about to pull out his wallet, Danny slapped down a twenty-dollar bill. Once he received his change and shoved a tip in their jar, he handed Josh his drink and then grabbed his own and began sipping on it lightly.

"That's so good. How's yours?" Danny asked him.

"Delicious. Do you... Want to try it?"

"Sure! Here, you can try mine too. Warning, it's a bit of an acquired taste." Danny said as he handed over the drink and took Josh's from him.

They both sipped at each other's drink and then observed the opposite person's face for their reaction. Danny's expression was of delight, while Josh's was of utter disgust. He quickly swallowed the mouthful and then shoved the drink back into Danny's hands and took his own, slurping at it greedily.

Danny full belly laughed and threw his head back while Josh glared at him.

"That is horrible!" Josh complained and Danny tried to reign in his laughter.

When Josh finally got over his dramatic reaction to the drink he looked up and realized that Jake and Kit were gone from their sight.

"Well, I guess it's just us now." Danny shook his head.

"Yeah... Sorry." Said Josh, not really sure what exactly he was apologizing for.

"Why are you sorry? I don't mind spending time with you Josh. Come on, there's something over here that I think you might like." Danny smiled and turned around, heading in a different direction than they were initially going. Josh quickly caught up to him and walked by his side.

They passed a few booths selling fresh eggs, vegetables, fruits and honey as well as some selling handmade aprons and blankets. Eventually they ended up at the larger tents on the edge of the market where it looked like they were hosting crafting classes. Danny quickly walked up to the instructor and before Josh could interject, he pulled some cash from his wallet and handed it to the small girl who had faux elf ears and a circlet of intertwined leaves and flowers on her head. She nodded and reached behind her, grabbing a couple boxes and handed them to Danny. She pointed to the various tables with flowers, leaves, herbs, decorations, and charms on it. He watched Danny nod and then turn back to walk the short distance to him.

"Here." Danny handed him one of the boxes, Josh took it and looked over the box emblazoned with "crown kit" in permanent marker and the name of the small business on a sticker in the center.

"Uhm. Thank you? Danny what...?" Josh asked shyly and looked up at him through his lashes.

"I thought you might enjoy it. Come on. I think she's about to start the class." He gave Josh a cute smile and turned back to the tent, going to one of the unoccupied tables. Josh paused for a second while he took in the sweet gesture and then followed him inside to the table.

It turned out that the girl was a pretty good instructor and the instructions on how to make your own flower crown were pretty simple to follow.

Josh's crown was made up of desert sage, white daisies, and baby's breath. He'd barely paid attention to what Danny was doing with his own crown as he was so focused on putting together his own. When it was done it was a very pretty, but simple wreath that he hoped would naturally dry and stay together.

When he was finished, he turned towards Danny who was putting the finishing touches on his own crown. He observed the waxy green leaves arranged neatly into a circlet and the small golden accents.

"Danny, is that...?" He asked curiously.

"It's a laurel crown. I- I read that the Ancient Greeks used to wear them to signify triumph. I thought it might be kind of fitting for you since you know... You graduated a couple days ago." He said and then turned to place the crown around the back of Josh's head and situate it up over his ears.

"You made this... For me?" Josh said nervously as he reached up to touch the leaves.

"Yeah. I thought you’d like it." He smiled and took out his phone. "Can I?" He gestured to his phone as if asking if he could take a picture.

"Yeah. Only if I can have one of you too." Josh stood up on his tip toes and placed the crown he made on Danny's head and took a moment to situate it nicely amongst the man's much more defined and silky curls.

"There. Perfect." Josh smiled once he was done and back on the flats of his feet.

He stood back a bit and let Danny take a picture of him. Then he pulled out his own phone and snapped one of Danny too.

They showed each other their photos and giggled. Then the instructor announced the ending of the class, and they all began to pack up and head out of the tent.

They were quiet again as they walked together through the shops.

"Hey, do you want to grab some food and find a place to sit?" Danny asked, looking over at Josh who nodded happily in agreement.

They quickly found a stand selling burritos and ordered a couple. Once their food was in hand, they searched for an open space on the lawn to eat. They found themselves a large tree to sit under in the shade and enjoyed their burritos in silence.

"You know... I missed this." Josh said, not looking up from his food.

"Missed what?" Danny raised a brow and looked up at him.

"This. Us. You." Josh blushed suddenly realizing what he'd just said.

"I missed you too." Danny gave him a shy little smile and went back to eating.

"Hey Danny, do you uhm-"

Josh was cut off by the sound of Kit's voice yelling out to them as they approached. "Hey guys! We wondered where you had gone!"

Josh looked up and saw the couple approaching, still hand in hand but Kit's tote was significantly fuller, and Jake's cheeks were pink. He also sported a new bracelet around his wrist that Josh noticed immediately.

"Hey guys. Did you have fun?" Danny asked once they were close enough.

"Loads. Josh, your brother is so sweet. Look at these!" Kit said excitedly and reached into his tote and pulled out a small bouquet of colorful flowers wrapped up in brown butcher paper and twine. "He picked out all of the flowers himself!" He nearly squealed as he handed them over and Josh inspected it closely before letting Danny take a look.

"That's so cute Jake." Josh said as he looked up to his twin whose cheeks were now turning more crimson.

Jake grumbled a thanks and scratched the back of his head. Kit took the flowers back and placed them in his tote carefully.

"So, are you guys ready to go, or was there more you wanted to see?" Kit asked them both.

"I'm ready if you are." Josh said to Danny though he really wished he had more time with him.

"Yeah, I'm good." Danny replied and he stood up and reached a hand out to help pull Josh to his feet. Once they were both standing, Josh didn't let go of Danny's hand. Choosing instead to hold on to it and give it a light reassuring squeeze.

Danny's brows furrowed a little as he looked from their hands to Josh's face, but he said nothing. Josh smiled and then looked over to Kit who was currently observing Jake's profile. He changed his gaze to look at his brother who was staring him down with burning eyes and a clenched jaw.

Josh thought it was a little strange, but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind and followed when Kit pulled Jake in the direction of the parking lot.

𓇢𓆸

When they arrived back at Kit's house, Danny and Josh said goodbye quickly and headed over to Danny's car while Jake said his goodbyes.

They watched the two interact as Kit pulled his bag of farmers market items from the trunk and then shut it. Kit stood with the bag slung over his shoulder and leaned against the car. They were clearly talking but neither Josh nor Danny could hear what they were saying.

Finally, they saw Jake reach for Kit's hand with his own. He cradled it gently before bringing the man's hand to his lips. The kiss lasted just a couple seconds before Jake looked back up at Kit through his lashes and said his final goodbye and then walked toward their house. He waved goodbye to Danny and headed inside.

Josh turned his attention back to Danny once Jake was gone.

"Thank you for coming today. It was really good to spend time with you again." He told him.

"Of course. It was really fun. Don't forget to hang that crown so it dries properly." Danny smiled and touched the leaves of the crown with his fingertips.

"I won't. Do you think maybe we could do this again sometime? Just us?" Josh asked, even though his voice cracked with nerves.

"Go to the farmers market?"

"Well sure, but I meant just... Hang out. The two of us." He had to really pull all his confidence when he said it as the fear of rejection looked over him like a cloud threatening rain.

Danny was quiet for a moment as he looked over Josh's face with surprise.

"I'd like that." He finally said, giving Josh a smile.

"Great! I'll text you?" Josh offered, giddiness filling his chest as the metaphorical rain cloud disappeared.

"Sounds good. See you later Josh. " Danny pulled open the door to his car, climbed in and started it up. He looked up at Josh and gave him a wink then pulled the door shut.

Josh walked over to the sidewalk and waved as he pulled onto the street and drove away.

𓇢𓆸

Taglist: @gracev0609

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[sciderman]

Yea, I am mainly reading some of deadpool's first comic books from 90's and sometimes when I decide to read some of more recent ones I always get confused, because it doesn't seem like he evolved at all. Like damn, its 30 years of comics and in his latest comics he sometimes seems to be less mature than 3 decades ago.

my GOD yeah. i kind of agree – wade as a character was kind of more mature, in the 90s – at least, he was more of an adult - or not necessarily, but the tone was different. maybe it was to do with his readership, but his comics dealt with more adult topics in a more adult way - i think it's the same for spider-man too, and comics in general. i think comics just – used to be better.

i think it's a problem that isn't exclusive to just comics - you'll find it kind of everywhere. how like, movies used to be for everyone, and now they're getting more and more targeted in their marketing. i think it ruins everything when you're like "this is FOR this specific group of people and we're going to alienate everyone else." no. no. bad tactic. targeted marketing is a curse. just tell a good story. a good story will find it's audience, no matter who that may be.

comics used to have that wider appeal, maybe - and now, they're kind of grasping at straws and don't know who their readership is. is it kids? yeah. probably. who's picking up a deadpool comic now? kids who watched the movie, maybe. fangirls, maybe. i don't know. do you know? it used to be anyone. everyone and anyone who'd pick up a book and see if it's interesting to them or not. they were kind of testing waters and weren't afraid to take risks with characters because the hope was that anyone who's interested in comic books will pick up a comic book.

now – most people who were interested in comic books hate comic books. and i think it's a snake eating it's own tail - they wind up alienating their existing readership because they're trying to appeal to new readers who were introduced to these characters via the movies - movies that, you know, have to be watered-down, simplified versions of the characters so they make back their budget. and so the comics wind up getting watered down to appeal to those new readers, and the old readers lose interest because their favourite characters are all watery, and the new readers are maybe interested for all of three weeks until they lose interest because there's no meat on these bones.

the problem is - a movie is fine to water down. you just want to entertain a person for two hours. a comic is meant to develop loyalty. you're meant to want to follow these characters across an entire title. they're meant to want to pick up the next issue. i think that's why the mcu is failing right now, they're taking the comic book approach. they want people to see the next movie. but people are realising there's no meat on these bones.

i think the last breath of life we had in deadpool comics might've been the duggan run – even though it's not my favourite, it might have been the last kind-of-mature approach to wade - where he's more than just a fluffy little crowd-pleaser. post-movie, that's kind of all he's been in comics. and it's just... i need meat!