#maybe he’s gay n ace who knows

[agoddamneddelight]

gay holmes literally means so much to me as a lesbian. like growing up realizing i’m gay and feeling rejected in a lot of areas of my life but having these stories to depend on; it’s so healing to interpret holmes’ withdrawn, “bohemian” nature to be caused by the same feelings of rejection. and also ofc theres something about this little mf surviving decades and getting to grow old w/ his life partner in a time where society hated his existence and it’s like maybe i can get through fucking tuesday. maybe there’s hope for me and i like to think people like me thought that in 1895 too.

[shuenkio]

Juno | Lhs.

Paring: Heeseung X M!reader | Genre: Fluff.

Synopsis: Thought he'd be disgusted by your love letter however who knows what he actually feels toward you? When your friend accidentally puts that for fun note in your gift that you're about to give him?

Cw: Nothing.

Non proof read | Eng is not my 1st lang.

This is a work of fanfiction, do not throw unnecessary tantrums on this nsfw/sfw blog. ©Shuenkio

A@N: Christmas's laterally 3 more months away but who cares, I wanna make a change 💪 plus Juno are on repeating, so why not make an inspiration fic about it?

The Earth's spinning, people are living their lives in their own way, especially with their loved ones. You wonder, to the point of this age, should you just grow old as an old bachelor or find someone? Well, looking at yourself in the mirror already answers all your questions; you find yourself didn't match your satisfaction.

Insecure about your look wasn't enough; another thing is you've been hopeless romantic all of your life. Deep down, you wanted to have someone stay by your side, holding your hand while looking at the sky when it's sunset, cuddle when it's rain, compliment all the sweet things you've ever needed every day, and last but not least, you wanted someone to love you.

It's a silly daydreaming; however, every single day you can't go a day without thinking about anyone randomly popping out, riding their white horse, kneeling in front of you, and asking you, Would you be their partner? That's kind of crazy. Ever since then, brushed it all off as if it's nothing.

Continue to work hard for your bill in this messy industry. Surprisingly, God always has his own plan; he won't let you die alone... Right? Apparently, there's someone just moving in next to your apartment, and it's a man. Oh my. No, you can't be thrill just because he's a man; M/N, behave yourself.

That's how thirsty you are; later on, you thought you're the problem and started to behave yourself to be less attracted to a stranger, especially a man. On one holiday night, while back from work as you were unlocking your door, it was a coincidence when the new guy came out at the same time. Both of you never get the chance to greet each other because you're such workaholics. He greets you with a warm smile on his face, offering a handshake, as you hesitated to but still did.

He then introduces himself as 'Heeseung' called 'Evan' for short. He also said he never gets the opportunity to meet someone, mostly who are his neighbors since they are always out of the house just like you. For now, Evan wanted to invite you for a coffee. Oh. Spare a glance at his towering figure up and down; you realize he's positive; no bad energy from him; yes, you happily agree. A day turns into a week, a week turns into a month.

Trying all your hardest not to fall in love with Evan, who likes to do all those weird gestures that make your stomach fill with butterflies every damn time. Maybe you lack affection, sort of. He looks cool, is an ACE in everything, at least he can cook ramen, is a green flag in your perspective, is gentle and respectful of the boundaries, but one thing that made you stop midway was he can't be gay.

Evan is probably a straight guy that you mistake with his clingy behavior. Sigh, a lesson of life learned as a homosexual person. It's not right to force him to like you back, isn't it? Not even right to confess your true heart when he's so straight code, or he's not? Or is it worth pouring away all the heavy weight in your chest? The TV play in the living room, an announcement that today is going to be snow on this special day too, a Christmas day.

Brainstorming to seek out his favorite thing as you pop out an idea by gifting him a logo set; he loves it too much you couldn't understand why. As you were preparing the gift with all your friends together in a room before going out to celebrate in the city, you suddenly wanted to write a confession note for fun—write everything that had been living in your heart for a long time that has been hurting—a poem, to be honest, well, a little freaky, because you know you'd throw them away anyway.

"You make me want to make me fall in love."

"Wanted you to adore me back, hold me like you always did, and always joke, telling me I'm your only friend."

"Sorry, I like you, but I can't help it."  "Liking you was the best experience in my life, and I hope for nothing but still us to be friends."

Out of the blue, coincidentally, once you finish the note, your friend happens to pull you for a group photo. While you were busy posing, one of your other friends had nothing to do, so they went to wrap all the gifts of all of them. Usually, at every Christmas festival, they are in charge of who does the wrapping. The group united is over; after they're all stepping foot in the city, they've all vanished. Holding your gift like a lost child, looking at the crowd of people who's busy with their own business.

The snow keeps falling down from the blurry sky nonstop, so cold yet it fits the vibe you were going for. Snuggle your hands inside of your pocket; you leave the scenes as you drag your feet to somewhere quiet, your favorite park that used to be lively but now it's a field of snow. Taking a hot breath under the cold temperature, a shadow cast towering upon you, looking up to see, it was actually your greatest neighbors, Evan.

"What are you doing here, Fox?"

"Me? Oh, just chilling; I don't like crowds anyway." response, the tip of your nose turns pink, which makes Evan find it adorable.

"Why? It's Christmas; you should go enjoy yourself!" Taking about Christmas alarms your mind; you take out the wrapped gift and hand it to him. He caught off guard to the gift you have for him. Everyone would give him gifts during this festival; never make him flinch but you, a different story.

"Ugh, don't get the wrong idea; you're my neighbors after all; neighbors gift neighbors, isn't that normal? Take it, unbox it," take a hold of his palm, and give him the gift while waiting patiently for his expression. Hearing you say those, he did as told. Unveil all the tie, tearing all of the paper. Evan sees a cartoon Lego set inside with a small scratchy note that is about to be trash. The corner of Evan's lip, tight into a cocky smile as he takes out the small note, and hands up to the light street nearby. Maybe he didn't laugh at the Lego set but something else.

Seeing a note that you did not put in there and a confession note too, your eye wide open. The heart inside of your chest is pounding and racing far from the beat. You were nervous and panicking. How can it flow in there? Oh, wait, don't tell your friend to put it in there; naur, screw you. Quickly get up from your seat. I wanted to grab that note away; however, who are you kidding, he was 180 cm while you? A tiny little person.

"Evan, give that back; it's not; it's not the right note. My friend mistakenly put them there. DON'T READ IT." jumping up and down, up and down to snatch the piece of paper away, which is no use. All you got was to exhaust yourself.

"Oh, let me see, hmm, mistaken? But I see your name under here from me, M-N. How is that a mistake?" Realizing Evan already read it, you stop there frozen; the outcome would be something you are not going to like. Same goes for Evan too. You thought he'd be all serious and disgusted by your love note yet replaced by giggles. Um what?

"You, M/N, why have you not told me sooner?"

"Because... You look straight, i guess. Sorry to assume, but you did look like it."

"Oh, come on, why should I be straight when you're alive?"

"I beg pardon??"

"The word 'I like you' is out trending, so I'd say I. Adore. You, my M/N. My gift for you is

'i love you too'

🗣️ please mind my English! ><

🗣️ Crd to all the room rightful owner: [divider Alanitalenia]

🗣️ ps: I was dead ass sick writing this, but still cooked anyway 🫂.

[sevasey51]

Scott and Chris always scare each other… what about Chris accidentally scares his little toddler reader who just got up from a nap?

Maybe only Scott can calm her down after this🥺 ???

Scare games gone wrong

Paring: Brother Chris & Scott x toddler! Reader

Summary; in the height of the lockdowns for the pandemic we all remember the scare games. Let’s just see one of those times it goes wrong.

Of course the whole point of war for the other not to know when it was going to happen but add their baby sister into the mix one afternoon.

All hell breaks loose.

Scott had put y/n down for a nap and was just chilling in the kitchen. Chris no where to be seen. He knew that probably meant a scare was being schemed, but Chris wouldn’t do that whilst she was napping right? He thought.

Time went by, he was just catching up on work, reading new scripts and replying to emails whilst listening out for if y/n woke up.

Most of the time she’d just climb out of bed because she had toddler bed with a rail just for her comfort and the brothers piece of mind.

Chris went to go scare Scott running round the corner into the kitchen, he soon found out he didn’t run into to him or dodger it was a sleepy y/n with her messy bed head, dummy hanging off her sleep suit and blankie tailing behind.

“Rawr!!! Scott I got you!!!” Chris screamed.

Tears lines her eyes, conflicted at why chrissy just did that, loud cries engulfed the entire room, echoing into the living room where Scott was currently going through emails on the couch.

“Chris what the hell is going on!” He asks as he walks into the kitchen, y/n running to him away from Chris. “Come here bubbas, you’re okay, it’s okay.” He tries to console a sleepy little y/n who’s basically having a meltdown.

Chris was sheepishly stood by the fridge, trying to make y/n a bottle as a little “I’m sorry”

It took a while for Scott to calm her down, before she would even let Chris anywhere near her or even let him try and get a word in without crying again.

“Bubs, come here sweet girl I’ve got something for you” He says as he shakes the bottle up for it to be ready to present to his little love.

“Mhmh Crissy” she mumbles from behind her dummie snuggling more into Scott before fully giving Chris another chance.

“I’m sorry sunshine, Chrissy is sorry baby” he sits in her room on the nursing seat that his sister insisted upon for her room at his house.

He rocks her as he tells her how much he loves her and how sorry he is, looking down at a sleepy milk drunk bubba lull herself back into her sleepy slumber he interrupted.

He knows next time, scare games can go wrong.

And let’s just say Scott wasn’t happy with him for the rest of the day…

Thank you guys so much for being patient and understanding with my massive absence on here. I just appreciate you all so much and that you guys still want me to write your requests.

I hope you guys enjoy, and I hope you guys could show it love and reblog it 🫶🏻

taglist! Send an ask if you want to be added!

@mcuamerica @positivelyholland @angelbaby-fics @angelbabydoll28 @ace-of-gay @bubblessunshinehoney @velvetcloxds @reginaphalange2403 @buckybarnesandmarvel @writersblog20 @youre-amazing-say-it @dumb-fawkin-bitch @imyourbratzdoll @anotherfuckingmarvelfanaccount @stuckysgirl27 @nana1000night @marvelstarker-mha98 @f10werfae @full-timephoebefanatic @steverogersluvbot @hulkstacos @jessybarnes @bergarasunsolved @haleyhunwritess @haleybr @yelenasdiary @babyhatesreality @lu-morningstar-2 @lyrarodriguez @harley-d

[dewdr0pz]

ok i know charlie and philza arent in your list of ppl you’ll write for so if this idea does not work or you dont wanna write if you dont watch sorry boys or anything then 100% understandable feel free to skip this

reader is a camera person who helps out filming the sorry boys videos, maybe helps edit them too?? and just all the fun shenanigans that entails, and the occasional goofy wink wilbur directs at you, and chillin together inbetween filming and yeah 🫶

🎥 Camera Girl (hcs) 🎥

a/n: HELLO POOKIE!!! im sorry that this is really short 😭

tags: @zuuriell @somebody-v @vibestillaxxx @ax-y10 @joviepog@themonsterunderurmom @ogelizasoot @wilburstan@smolsleepykitten@funnyreally2009@crows-death@dykepunz@aresriiots@0miamor0@defonotval@chipch0p@mazzistar16@unmellowyellowfellow@justalittlebitofchaos@thosecolorfulsheets@vopix@taylors-version-from-the-vault@aine-lasagna@merianakross@veeislost@urfav-sapphic-siren@shazbaz58-blog @wifiatthetrainstation@mcr-pr-fob@shd454@universe-friday@rqvii@idioticion@m0thza@artistphantom @ace-call-me-what-youd-like @lexx-the-gay-rubber-ducky @finleyforevermore @poraphia @radio-to-trenchcoat-demons @mysticalsoot(let me know if u don't or do wanna be tagged!!)

contains: wilbur & reader are dating, funny stuff, swearing, the Sorry Boys being Sorry

Wilbur would probs ask Tommy if one day you could be a guest in one of the videos & they could hire somebody else to film for a day

The boys would purposefully try & mess with you while you're filming. They'd try to make you laugh, Wilbur would wink at you, or Tommy would...be Tommy.

Relations with the members: Ranboo: chill buddies Tommy: chaos twins Wilbur: the cute couple that makes the others barf Philza: he has adopted you Charlie: the one who you make dirty jokes with

Ranboo would probs love your relationship with Wilbur, but the others would hate it

^^ You & the Sorry Boys have taken a lunch break. While waiting in line to take your order at a burger restaurant, Wilbur wraps his arms around your waist from behind & rests his chin on your hairline. "Aww," Ranboo says softly. Tommy & Charlie make loud barfing sounds, which causes everybody to look your way. Philza laughs hysterically at all of this.

During the editing process, Tommy would try & annoy or distract you

Wilbur would probs go to you for video ideas if they had creative blocks

[honkshoo-zzz]

How I see the Mercs within the LBGTQ+ Community

cause i keep seeing people posting things and EVERYONE KEEPS GETTING IT WRONG!! /j who cares i jus wanna make a funky list too

Scout: Def Bisexual, Trans ftm (can take or leave)

Probably has a preference for women

Probably doesn’t realize he likes men until he works with them 24/7 and all of his coworkers are hunky n sweaty and maybe a lil flirty

If trans, used Sex Bom tattoo to cover top surgery scars. Even though it’s definitely just worse than just having ts scars lmao

Soldier: Bisexual and Poly

I just love him dating Zhanna and Demo honestly

Fuck it, other mercs too, if they wanted

Tbh I also fuck with aro/ace vibes for him, he’s just kinda around for a good time with the homies in my mind. Both is good

I do see his preference being fairly equal though. Too busy thinking about his love for the US to think too much about tiddies/ass/etc.

Pyro: Def Ace, and either Aro or Lesbian in my mind. Also Nonbinary.

Either gender-fluid or just straight-up no gender enby. no in-between in my eyes.

I’m mostly all for Aro/Ace Pyro but I saw some Pyro x Ms. Pauling art and. love that. ugh, decisions…

Feel like they use whatever pronouns. Don’t gaf, will never gaf

Also no sex cause the suit just doesn’t come off. Also too busy setting shit on fire to care. More important shit to do.

Demoman: Pansexual and Poly

Again, dating Soldier who is also dating Zhanna

He’s also in a longterm relationship with Eyelander. Don’t ask too many questions about how that works though. But they are.

Also doesn’t have a gender-preference (obviously, he’s married to a sword). Semi-opportunistic in that sense, I guess (again he’s married to a sword. how many times do i gotta—)

Heavy: Bisexual, preference for Men

Idk man but Heavy and Medic have been married for a long time in my eyes

Also I feel like he participated in his sisters’ longing to “see another man” while living in Russia, had a similar reaction to meeting Medic upon taking the Merc job as Zhanna meeting Scout/Soldier

(For those who have yet to read the comics, that reaction basically just being: “you are man. I am horny. let’s bang.” and Medic would just be like o///o “aight” I think)

Biggest trans supporter tho, idk why but it just makes sense he would be the first to punch the teeth out a transphobe. Defends other mercs when confronted about gender shit 100%

Engineer: Bisexual, preferring Women; ftm Trans

The more top surgery art I see of him, the more I fall in love with trans Engie. It’s basically canon to me now. You can take this from my cold, dead hands.

Idk not much else to say. He’s a switch, though, if that adds much of anything HXSKFJEJX

No bottom surgery in my mind, either. Just makes his own straps n shit, cause he can (one of his 11 PhDs was in sex, actually, did you know?)

Medic: Gay, ftm Trans (again, can take or leave)

The most bottom-gay I’ve ever seen, personally (idk how else to phrase it, forgive me)

Again, I feel like he’s been married to Heavy for a long time

If trans, did his own top and bottom surgery, probably at the same time, cause he knew he could and he’s fucking insane (scars are a little wild as a result but he wears them with pride)

Sniper: Gay. das it HFSKFJEK

Gay, but the type of guy where you’d never know til his fuckin boyfriend walks out and kisses him or sum

Also he’s exclusively a top in my mind. Idk why but I feel like he’s got control issues HHEEKLEDP

Again, not super out-spoken about his sexuality, but *will* go out of his way to stab a homophobe. Not kill them from a distance, specifically stab. Shit’s more personal that way (is that too morbid? sorry)

Spy: Bisexual, Genderfluid

Another bottom, but will top if needed (like with most women, if he somehow gets with *another* bottom, etc.)

He’s also a whore. A slut, even. Good for him.

OH AND GENDERFLUID omg. Saw some stuff about that recently so it’s new to my pea brain but I like it.

Again, like Sniper, I feel like he wouldn’t really talk about his gender stuff a lot, but would discover this of himself when disguising himself as women and just feeling. Just as comfortable, if not more comfortable as them at times.

Kinda sensitive about it, though, probably. Will stab anyone who mentions it while he’s figuring it out. But gets better upon meeting the mercs and their gay-asses, lmao

“holy shit it’s not that crazy to like to have boobs sometimes” type-beat.

ok i’m done. again feel free to add stuff, fight me (like, as a bro), or whatever. Love talking about it cause I love these lil weirdos. Probably too much. oh well hdkafjejfk

[foxglovepng]

Pride Headcannons + ships🌼🥀

Characters: Riddle, Cater, Ace, Deuce, Jack, Ruggie, Jade, Jamil, Kalim, Vil, Epel, Idia, Malleus, Lilia. + Ship mentions Trey, Floyd, Azul Literally everyone.

CW: Mentions of internalized homophobia, ship mentions, probably incorrect dragon biology. Book 7 spoilers Lilia!!!!!! (Please don't come for my Idia and Cater ship name its a JOKE) I went a little unhinged with some of the ship names

A/N: Happy pride month since you gay and shit. When I was writing this I legit forgot Savanaclaw existed and accidentally left them out (OOPSIE). By the end of pride month, I am going to figure out if I am a lesbian or not.

(Just a disclaimer these headcanons don't change who I will write them for I just have these specific headcanons)

Likes and reblogs are appreciated <3

NOT PROOFREAD

Heartslabyul

Riddle (Closeted Gay man)

Riddle has internalized homophobia. For gender, he's questioning/experimenting, but because of his mother he very much has internalized homophobia.

Cater (Bi preference Men + Non Binary)

So if you look at Cater's guitar straps in his club card it's BASICALLY the Non-binary flag (He/They)

Like?? It's basically it maybe just missing a color but like?? You can't tell me I'm wrong.

He also gives off Bisexual with a preference for men. Like just looking at him he would date women however men are usually his preference.

Ace (Trans FTM + BI preference woman )

We all know about my FTM Ace headcannons and I will die on that hill for them, BUT Bi preference woman headcannon Ace.

Also because of Adeuceyuu, I will include that he's Polyamorous.

Deuce (Pansexual)

He's comfortable in his gender however he is Pan.

I know people are like "But but he gets nervous around women" fun fact I don't give a shit he's PAN

Also adding because of Adeuceyuu he's poly

Savanaclaw

Ruggie (Bisexual)

He gives off Bi vibes idk why.

Like you can totally catch him checking out guys and girls you can't tell me otherwise??

Jack (Pansexual)

Another Pansexual. I can see him not caring about gender he would date anyone.

(Insert Epel and Jack ship)

I think he prefers rather or not they are a good person and would workout with him.

Octavinelle

Jade (Unlabeled)

I feel like Jade experiments with Gender stuff and pronouns. I also feel like when it comes to sexuality he doesn't really care and chooses not to label himself. Who cares if his s/o is a male Why does that matter?

Scarabia

Jamil (Agender + Unlabeled)

He gives off agender vibes tbh like no straight man has hair that gorgeously long NO STRAIGHT MAN HAS A GORGEOUS SILK PRESS SMH (drop the hair routine or Kalim gets it)

When to comes to his sexuality I feel like he's unlabeled as he also probably doesn't care like Jade. He also isn't actively seeking out a relationship because of his position as a retainer.

Kalim (Pansexual + experimenting)

He'd date anyone for sure doesn't matter the gender.

Are they trans? sure are they a woman? sure are they am eldritch horror? sure why not.

I feel like he also experiments with his gender and plays around with pronouns. Like maybe one day he wants to dress in drag and he next he just wants to vibe.

Pomefiore

Vil (Genderqueer + Pan)

Vil is literally referred to with both masc and fem pronouns so it's giving very much genderqueer.

They would date literally anyone all that matters is their beauty n shit.

Epel (Bisexual)

He's bi because I said so

I could see him dating a girl, but I could also see him dating a guy..

Ignihyde

Idia (Aro/Ace)

I could see this man being Aroace. Like he really does not go out and if you have seen his Phantom Bride card you'd see it too.

Diasmonia

Malleus (Genderfluid + Pan)

According to my sources if I am correct Dragons are genderfluid (Source: Cafae latte)

Malleus is a dragon (DRAGON DEEZ NUTS-) so that makes them Genderfluid in my book.

And I also feel like they would be Pan because they would definitely date anyone and since being genderfluid I feel like gender wouldn't matter as He can make it work.

Lilia (Agender + Bi + Poly)

So because Peepaw is 700 years old I feel like he just messes around with gender and would use any pronouns.

For the Bi and poly headcannons

Ahem

IT'S LITERALLY CANNON

According to my sources in book 7 he tried to wife up Malleus's mom and Levan (Idk who Levan is he's just there)

Bi Lilia cannon fr

My favorite ships

AdeuceYuu (Ace + Deuce + Yuu)

Dumb and Dumber (Or Adhd + Autism) (Ace + Deuce)

Aceyuu (Ace + Yuu)

Deuceyuu (Deuce + Yuu)

Beauty + Fuckass Shining Armor (Vil + Rook)

Twink and a redhead (Idia + Cater)

Magicam freak + SFW Donut Daddy (Cater + Trey)

Octopus + Chef that would cook Octopus (Azul + Jamil)

Applejuice (Epel + Deuce)

Gym Rat + Small enough Gym Rat crush with his bicep (Jack + Epel)

Ships I can get behind but aren't my favorite

You aren't enemies you are just gay (Malleus + Leona)

You're honor they're gay (Azul + Riddle)

Terrorizer + Terrorizer's favorite person (Floyd + Riddle)

Beauty + Beast (Vil + Leona)

[serraphinm]

☾ Chapter 3 - The Darkness ☾

Notes: This is one of my favorite chapters. I had a lot of fun writing the relationships between the characters and such. You can imagine any outfit however you want if you don't like the ones I describe. Enjoy!

WC: 11k

Warning: Violence and gore. Proceed with caution!!

Taglist: @bready101

Rain pours onto my window and balcony... I had the balcony doors open cause I liked the smell of the rain. Kinda reminded me of her. It's been two moons since everything went down in court. My maids seemed concerned, but it hurt even more knowing one was faking it. Oren and I officially broke off our engagement two weeks after everything went down so things could settle. We even became friends. As my friend, he decided that since it was raining, we should read with warm blankets and drink any drink our little hearts desired. A book is open on my lap; I flip the page with a sigh.

"What's got you all down?" he asks, sipping his tea. Oren was surprisingly fun to be around, and I found myself happy we were friends. I'd come to trust him a little, so maybe it couldn't hurt to tell him about Ellie.

"Let's say I wasn't entirely straight …" I start off slowly, unsure how he'll react.

"Ok…" He looks at me like he's confused about how that matters. I huff and roll my eyes at him.

"Alright, and let's say… I like this girl.."

"Can't relate, but alright," I look at him weirdly before continuing.

"And she… doesn't love me back….."

"Wait, is this about Prince Ellie?" He asks, sitting up straight.

"What- how the fuck did you-"

"Ha! Knew it. My gaydar is never wrong."

That was the thing about Oren. He didn't seem all that straight to me either, but I didn't want to comment on it. Plus, I felt rude for just assuming.

"Your gaydar..? Seriously? What about me set off the alarm bells??"

"You look at that woman like she hung the moon. You kept her letters. Your style is impeccable, and you started listening to AC/DC just 'cause she told you it was good music, which was a big fat lie. Led Zeppelin is way better." He says, listing things off on his fingers. I throw a pillow at him, and he smiles.

"My point is… It was obvious to me, but it won't be obvious to others. The only thing is the letters. Where did you put those, by the way? I saw you carry them out of the courtroom?" he asks, taking another sip of his tea. I sigh, glance at the fireplace, and stick my tongue in my cheek.

"Might've.. Set them on fire.." I mutter. He looks at me like I'm crazy and sets his tea down.

"Bad breakup? You never get over your first…" He mutters that last part, but I still catch it.

"Shut up; we didn't break up; she just-"

"Said you were 'good friends' in front of a courtroom."

"Will you knock it off!" I say, throwing another pillow at him. This time, he catches it and grins.

He sets the pillow down and says, "Look… I know it may not seem like it… But I get it.."

I slowly look back up to him, confused. "What do you mean? Have you ever been in love?"

"Yup.. still am.." He says softly, looking at the ground.

"It's not right?" I ask, looking at him suspiciously. He looks up and glares at me for the first time in our whole friendship.

"I'm gay, Y/n."

"Hi Gay, nice to meet you," I say, grinning at him.

This time, when he throws a pillow at me, I squeal.

"What are you, my dad?" He asks, grabbing another pillow.

"No… you're dad would've called you a fag and beat the shit out of you."

"Ow… no need to get realistic on me here."

"Right, sorry.. At least you have parents."

"Come on…." He says, holding his arms out in frustration.

We burst out in laughter and he relaxes back into the couch.

"Seriously, though, I support you… Who are you crushing on, though?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows.

His face and ears turn a distinct pink. "Well…you know your aide? The one with the black curly hair..?"

"NAKIR?? You like-" His hands are covering my mouth in an attempt to shut me up. I pull his hands off and look up at him.

"That's so cute!! I can find out if he's into men for you." My offer echoed in the room, his face turning a deep red.

"Will you shush! I don't want anyone else to know."

I hold my hands up in mock surrender as he sits back down.

"Ehem, yes, it's Nakir." He sips his tea again and sighs. "I know he's into men, but I just can't get the courage to ask him out."

"Well, I'm not sure how to help you out there… As I'm terrible at it, too.."

We both just sit and sulk for a while when I break the silence.

"Look, how about we both just do our best from here on out. If something good happens or a chance appears… We take it."

Oren looks at me like I'm weird again before sighing. "Alright.. I suppose that'll work for now.."

"So, how has work been?"

"Seriously, you're bringing up work, of all things?"

"Well- I'm curious, alright… It's odd having a Duke that's actually on my side."

"I'm just glad I didn't inherit his cold, dead eyes," Oren says, fiddling with his teacup.

"You know Nakir has cold dead eyes… you sure you're not into that?"

"They're not cold and dead. They're just emotionless." He argues.

"Uh huh.. If you say so."

Bumping into Ellie after that mess of a court is the most awkward and painful thing I've ever done. She says nothing, yet her expressions scream, and all I want to do is get rid of the awkward silence. It happened again today as I walked through the halls of the palace. I decided to go to the library to see what it was all about so I could read about previous queens and how they ruled. Having a plan to change things and actually changing things were, well… two very different things. I turn the corner. Ellie almost runs me over with how fast she's walking. She seemed upset by something, but I didn't dare ask what.

She looks me in the eyes, and I see her own widening. As she takes a step back, I get a good look at her. Her hair was unkempt, more so than usual, and she had bags under her eyes. The sleepless night kind.

We both say nothing for a moment before we both start at once.

"I-

"You-"

Instead of being mature and talking to her like an adult, I decide I'm done with this conversation.

"I need to get to the library… Excuse me.." Obviously, I avoid her eyes and walk around her like some sort of coward before making a beeline for the library. I sigh as I enter the library, my heart heavy. Just moons ago, she was my everything… Now, I'm left picking up the scraps of what once was. I just wanted her back. The library suddenly felt a million miles away, and I wished for nothing more than to rewind to a better moment, to say the right things, to bridge the ever-growing distance between us.

But that was an ever-growing fever dream.

Another few weeks go by, and I've made more changes to my council and even parliament. I was one step closer to making my kingdom something I was proud of. So far, I hadn't been able to determine which one of my maids betrayed me, and I was getting no step closer. Whichever one of them it was had talent in the acting field. When I subtly asked any of them about it, they all gave me accurate answers that I couldn't diffute. Whoever it was would eventually feel my wrath.

Mulling over my thoughts in bed before sleep had become somewhat of a routine for me. So, like every night, I was thinking with my eyes closed. I was also maladaptively daydreaming a bit, too, if I may. However, tonight was… different.

There was a draft that I hadn't felt before, and my skin had goosebumps. I go to open my eyes when I hear movement and a click. Someone was on my balcony… and they had a gun. Reaching under my pillow ever so slowly, I wrap my hand around the dagger handle I kept under there. I open my eyes in the dark room and see three silhouettes. My eyes were already adjusted to the dark, but theirs weren't, so I had to be quick. I roll off the bed and throw my pillow off the bed in the other direction. I land as quietly as I can when a suppressed gunshot goes off. Looking under my bed, I glance to the other side and see feathers everywhere. Suppressing my fear, I crawl over to the nearest couch and hold my dagger high off the ground so it doesn't scrape. I wished I had my phone to call for help, but there was no use in wishing right now.

I had to think this through. There are three armed people in my room with weapons, and they are trying to kill me. If I take one out, the other two will surely kill me. But I couldn't go down without a fight. Maybe if I could make it to the balcony and jump down? The two guards down there were good, but I wasn't sure of the skills these three had yet. I may be safer hiding for now.

One of them creeps to the balcony door and closes it.

Fuck.. that only left two options, kill the three of them or leave through the front door somehow. My chances weren't looking good. If I wanted any information, I'd need to keep one of them alive. Deciding on what to do, I move to a crouch around the couch as they walk through my room. One of the bastards walks into my walk-in closet and steals a pair of my underwear, and I feel myself get red in the face. I was killing that motherfucker first. One stays near the balcony door, while the other stays in my closet, looking for me. Lucky for them, they were going to. My legs shake slightly as I maneuver around my room to the closet. I manage to get behind him and stand before I stab him in the neck. Blood pours from the wound, and I cover their mouth to keep them quiet. I pull the dagger out and hear the sloshing sound it makes before I gag.

Holy shit, I just killed someone.

My whole body shakes as I pat them down and take his suppressed pistol. Quietly, I let out a shaky breath and sneak back out of the closet. All they had on them were bullets and gum, oddly enough. The two other men seemed to have grown impatient and decided to come over. I just barely hide behind a couch when one of them flicks on their flashlight.

"Holy shit. I thought you said this was gonna be an easy job!" One whisper yells.

"They told me it would be! One of her little bitches was gonna leave the balcony unlocked, and we'd just shoot her and leave." The other replies. While they keep talking, I sneak my way to the door. I'm almost there when they come out of the closet and spot me. I screamed as loudly as I could, and they ran over to me.

"You! What the fuck did you do to Bram!" He says as he takes me by the arm and drags me to my feet. I drop my dagger, and he yanks the gun from my other hand. I pull as hard as possible, but his grip is too firm. "With a name like Bram, he had it coming," I say before spitting in his face. If I was dying tonight, I was going out my way. He grumbles, "You bitch.. You're coming with us," and turns me around so my back is pressed up against his chest. His grimy hand covers my mouth, and he nods to the other one. They begin to drag me to the balcony, and I kick and fight as hard as I can. Thinking this is it, I start to sob and scream one last time.

The man dragging me cuffs my wrists, gags me, and hauls me over his shoulder when the door slams open. I can't see who it is, but I decide it can't hurt to try to wiggle my way down. Slamming the metal of the cuffs against his back, the man groans but doesn't let me go. The person who just came in is now getting shot at by these two, and I worry for their safety. I don't hear them get hurt, though. The two remaining men cease their fire to reload.

"Fuck now there's someone else."

"We need to leave. Now. Get her out of here."

But before they can take me any further, the man holding me shot in both legs with a suppressed pistol. He cries out in pain and drops to the floor, me along with him. Once on the floor, I try and roll away.

"For fucks sake, I'm done with this bullshit." The remaining man says, and he aims the gun at me. I see my life flash before my eyes when suddenly a bullet goes through his forehead. He falls to the floor in front of me, and I scream into the gag. Someone puts a hand on me, but I jump and try to get away. I realize it's my savior and look up to see Ellie. She looks down at me, terrified, and looks me over once.

"Are you hurt anywhere??" Panic fills her voice, and she pats me down everywhere. I shake my head, and she grabs her switchblade from her jeans pocket. She slices the gag off me in the back and immediately pulls me into her. For a moment, I feel nothing… but a few seconds later, it all comes flowing out. I sob into her till my mouth is dry. She pulls me onto her lap and, with one hand, grabs the handcuff key from the dead assassin. A click sound follows, and she tosses the handcuffs somewhere before wrapping both arms around me. I was getting blood on her green button-down. My chest felt constricted, but I needed to thank her. I needed to say something.

"Ellie-"

"Breathe normally first. Then we will talk, " she says softly as she looks me over once more. Guards barge into the room and, along with them, light, light on the whole situation.

Three dead bodies.

Three lives taken.

My breathing becomes irregular, and I grasp Ellie's shirt tightly. The world spins, and I can't breathe. Deep, shaky breaths find their way to me before suddenly I'm gasping for air.

Three dead bodies

Three lives taken

One by my hand

I start to whisper it. "Three dead bodies… three lives taken… one by my hand."

I'm sobbing uncontrollably, and no one's voice reaches my ears. I feel a grasp, a pull, but it doesn't register.

"…reathe Breathe Y/n…"

I was trying, wasn't I?

I feel a hand on my back, and suddenly, my senses are filled with pine and bergamot, some weed, rain, and Mother Earth. Big gaping breaths become slower and more controlled as I inhale all that is Ellie.

I needed the darkness again. In the darkness, the light couldn't reach me.

Footsteps surround me, and orders are being yelled, but my head is still foggy. Fingers wipe my face. A forehead kiss so soft and gentle, given by Ellie to me. My mind clears enough for me to whisper, "I want the darkness again.."

Ellie stares into my eyes as more tears flow out of my own. She wraps her arms underneath my knees and my upper back and stands. Too weak to argue or protest, I just let her carry me and rest my head on her shoulder. She leaves my room and goes to hers, where it's dark and empty. I relax a little, yet I'm still shaking uncontrollably. The darkness is so intense here that I can't see anything, unlike my room. I feel Ellie shift, and she sets me fully on her bed. She goes to let me go, and I grab onto her and hold on for dear life.

"Don't worry..just grabbing you a clean shirt and closing the canopy.. promise.."

She whispers, and I slowly let go. I try to follow where she goes but can't see because it's so wonderfully dark in here. A drawer opens somewhere to the right of me, and I hear Ellie's footsteps. She sits back down on the bed and fiddles with the hem of my shirt.

"May I..? Don't worry, I can't see you. We just gotta get this blood-soaked night down off…"

I nodded before realizing she couldn't see me and inwardly facepalmed. I wasn't wearing anything underneath, but it didn't matter.

"Yea.." I say softly. My shirt is gone instantly with a type of skilled practice I don't want to know about. Soft fabric covers me once again, and I smell a bit of pine on this shirt, too. Maybe it was a cologne she used or something.

"Better…?" Her voice is soft; I can tell she's trying to soothe me.

"Mhm.. I.. thank you, Ellie…" I whisper.

I wished I could see her face, but for now, I was happy to hear her soft reply, "No problem… Get some sleep, Y/n.."

I yawned and lay down in Ellie's bed, in her shirt, next to her. It was a dream come true after such a nightmare. It took a while for me to fall asleep, but when I finally did, I certainly didn't remember a thing about it.

The next morning, I woke up with my head on Ellie's neck and my legs wrapped around hers. Realizing the position I'm in, I open my eyes and panic. I needed to leave before Ellie woke up anyway. Slipping out from our position, I sneak out and make my way to the door. Walking around the castle in just Ellie's shirt and some pajama shorts, I realize I have nowhere to go. Cursing, I decided to see the General and speak with him about what had happened the previous night. Knocking on his door, I fiddle with Ellie's shirt. The door suddenly opens, and a butler I've never seen before stares at me in shock before bowing and flustering together apologies. I mutter forgiveness before he moves out of the way and motions for me to enter. General Roe sits at his desk, flicking through papers with a concerned look when I walk in. When he sees me, he immediately stands up and bows to me.

"Your Majesty. I'd like to start by saying how sorry I am that this has happened. We're investigating it right now as we speak." "Thank you for the apology. Can you give me a.. Summary of what transpired last night..?"

He straightens up and motions for me to sit, "Of course. Where would you like me to start?"

"Start with how it happened," I say, sitting down. He follows and straightens the papers on his desk once more before clearing his throat. "They snuck in through the balcony, as I'm sure you already know. However, they killed the guards that were posted there instead of sneaking around them. This tells you they were after your life and possibly to bring you back somewhere with as little risk as possible. They couldn't afford to be caught, so they eliminated the risk instead."

So even if I had made it to the balcony, those men wouldn't have been able to save me. That makes me shiver, and I see a look of concern pass the General's face.

"I see… my condolences to your men.." Sorrow laces my voice as I express my sympathy.

"I'll tell their families, Your Majesty…As for what happened last night… If you can.. Could you explain what happened from your point of view?" His face is etched in concern, but I take a deep breath.

I explained what had happened from beginning to end in as much detail as possible. General Roe seems shocked that I killed a man, but he looks furious when I tell him how one of my maids left the balcony unlocked.

"Why, I ought to have each of them interrogated!" He says, banging his fist on his desk furiously.

"I've been trying to figure out who it is on my own, but I've had no such luck… Perhaps we could avoid hurting them while still figuring it out..?" I ask, a little scared for the innocent three.

General Roe sighs and rubs his temples in frustration. If I didn't know any better, I'd say his salt-and-pepper hair got even whiter.

"I will do my best, Your Highness… But until then, you'll need four new maids… I will have background checks done immediately." "Thank you.. I know I'm asking a lot."

"Yes, so I hope you don't mind me changing an aspect of your safety. I feel it would be beneficial for you to have a guard stationed with you at all times. It'll be the same person, so they'll get quite comfortable with you."

It wasn't the best outcome, but it wasn't the worst either. Hopefully, they were kind.

"Alright.. I suppose I'll allow it." I huff and stand. This meeting had been rather productive so I was happy with the outcome.

"Where will I be staying in the meantime?" I ask.

He looks up from the paperwork once more and smiles, "The king's quarters. Since there is no king right now, the room is empty. The head maid has already decorated it to your liking, so it should look quite similar."

"Right.." I'd have to thank the head maid, "And what about my maids for the time being?"

"I'll have them sent over right away. We have some safe options still of course. I'll take good care of your old ones, I promise." He says, bowing his head before looking back up at me.

"Thank you, General Roe.."

"Thank you for not firing me, Your Majesty." His grin is contagious, and I find myself smiling.

I nod once to him before I leave and head to the king's room or my temporary room. My new maids come around about five minutes after I get there myself and begin moving my things and bringing me food. Memorizing four new names and faces was going to be… annoying, to say the least. It felt weird to yet again have complete strangers be in charge of so much regarding my life.

A few hours later, I'm in new clothes and have had a deep exfoliation bath. My skin was still red, a little from how hard I scrubbed it. I was hesitant in fear that It had been poisoned, but they tested it for anything before I ate. Eating came easy when the first bite went down, and I didn't immediately kick the bucket. As soon as I take the last bite, a hard knock sounds at the door, and before one of the new maids can open it, Ellie barges in and rushes over to me.

"Did you just kick down my door? What the-"

"First of all! Why didn't you wake me up?! " she yells, waving her arms a little in a frustrated manner. I take a dainty sip of my tea and look up at her sweetly. "Whatever do you mean, Ellie?"

She glared down at me and glanced at the new staff before looking back at me and motioning for them to leave. I could tell she was a bit upset, which was fair, considering we still had much to discuss.

"Ladies, I need a moment."

One protests, "But-"

"Out," I say seriously. She immediately turns red in the face, curtsies, and rushes out of the room like a dog with its tail between its legs. I sigh and turn back to Ellie.

"Alright, go on.. They're gone."

"I'm sorry for yelling…but I was so worried when you woke up and weren't there I-"

"I'm sorry too Ellie.. I should've at least left a note. I sincerely apologize.." I say in a genuine tone of voice.

She visibly relaxes, and I watch her go from upset to concerned.

"How are you doing"

I feel spit go down my neck as the silence thickens. "Could be better.. I um.. I'm avoiding closets for a bit, I think.."

She nods in understanding and does that thing where she fiddles with her fingers.

"What you did for me last night, Ellie-"

"Don't."

She says suddenly, and I furrow my brows in confusion. She maneuvers the chair next to me so the back of it leans against her front, her arms resting on it as she stares at me.

"Don't what?"

"Don't thank me for doing exactly what you would've done for me." She says quietly.

"I should still thank you-"

"And you have.." Interrupting always pissed me off, but it seemed Ellie doing so was the exception.

"Fine… instead, is there anything I can do to repay you?" Her eyebrows raise, and she gives a pondering look before saying, "Come with me to Jackson."

This time, I was the confused one. "Ellie, are you sure those guys didn't somehow hit you in the head? I can't just.. Pack up and leave Midiri… I'm the Queen."

She rolls her eyes and huffs, "Yea, I know that you dork, come just for a little while… as like a diplomatic thing…"

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up-?"

"Joel found out about what happened… And he wants me home. I can't refuse his direct orders, " she says bitterly as she messes with her fingers again. My heart drops, and I realize I am now losing Ellie, too.

"No.. No… you're joking, right? Ellie, tell me you're joking."

"Come with me." She pleads, taking my hands in hers.

"We can keep you safe in Jackson until things are quieter here. It'll be the perfect getaway…Jackson is in the mountains, and I can show you so many things."

I stand and begin to pace. "Just..in Jackson.. With you… Dina..and.. Jesse?"

"And Joel..I joke about him being annoying all the time, but he's not all that bad. I'm sure he'd love you."

"Jeez, it's like you're taking me home to meet the family.." I mutter.

"What?"

"Oh.. nothing.. Anyway, when do you have to leave?"

"….tomorrow…." Her voice is slightly squeaky as she says it as quietly as possible.

"What!! Tomorrow!?"

She stares at me with that sheepish grin of hers, and I give her my best glare.

"Look, I didn't know until Jesse gave me his letter this morning. Apparently, he got word almost immediately. I wonder if he has a spy here… He probably does..whatever, the point is I gotta go, and you should come with me."

She rambles, and I almost miss the spy thing before blinking a few times to get it all to register.

I turned on my heel and stared at the floor for a second. This was pretty big. Going to another country as a royal for the first time when I was still freshly crowned was a massive safety concern. However, I trusted Ellie and wanted to go with her. Things could settle down here, and I would get a vacation out of it.

"I'll go on one condition," I say, turning to her once more.

"Anything." Well, damn, I didn't expect her to say that so fast.

"I want King Joel to know and be ok with it."

Ellie grins, and my eyebrows furrow. "He's already asked that you come with me." She boasts about it as if it were some major accomplishment.

"Fine.. then I'll come," I say with a small smile. She jumps up from her chair and tackles me into a hug.

"Fuck yea! Let's go pack right now; we gotta-"

"Woah Woah Ellie… I gotta let so many people know it may take a while."

"Man fuck those people, you're coming to Jackson!"

I roll my eyes but smile. "Yes, I'm coming to Jackson… Just give me two hours, alright?"

"Ugh, fine. But I'm timing you, " she says before she kisses my cheek and heads to the door.

"See you in two hours!"

I stare at the door in shock and shake my head. What was I going to do with her…

The trip to Jackson went very well, and I even got to fly in a private jet for the first time. Ellie nervously insisted I stay by her side to "keep me safe," as she said, but I wasn't buying it. I think she was just excited to show me her home. We hop in a limo, much like the first one I was ever in, and head to Jackson Castle. Ellie told me it was considered a castle instead of a palace because it was so much older than most things around here. That and it was mostly a military fortress instead of a home.

Once inside, we make our way to the throne room, where King Joel sits on a throne. He was exactly as Ellie had described—so much so that I had to stifle a laugh. Sitting on the throne, he looks utterly bored and is currently wearing flannel, jeans, and muddy horse riding boots. It didn't seem to be out of rudeness, as no one blinked an eye at it. Meaning he wore that in most situations. I smile and curtsey to him.

"Hello, King Joel. It's an honor to make your acquaintance." Lifting my head, I see he's not even looking at me and is walking over to Ellie.

"Just Joel is fine." He says gruffly before looking Ellie up and down as if looking for injuries.

"You alright kiddo?" Joel asks, ruffling her already unkempt hair. She swats at him, and he gives her a smug grin.

"I'm fine, Joel. Now knock it off." Rolling her eyes at him, she glances at me.

"Right.. Joel, this is Y/n.."

Joel finally properly looks my way and nods his head towards me.

"Heard what happened.. 'm real sorry; you should be safe here if I have anything to say about it, and trust me, I do." His tone indicates that he is serious, so I nod my head in thanks.

"Jesse, lead these two to their rooms, please." He adds that last part like he's not used to it and makes his way back to his throne. Jesse rolls his eyes and starts walking.

"Is he allowed to do that?" I whisper to Ellie.

"Not really, but Joel doesn't give a fuck so.." She shrugs, grabs me by the arm, and begins following Jesse.

We spend a little bit of time in our rooms before Joel calls all of us to dinner. Apparently, he likes to cook and usually makes dinner himself, so I was excited to try it.

Sitting around the table, I notice a few faces from newspapers I read in Midiri. Tess, Joel's right-hand woman and the one who basically runs Jackson sits to his left while Tommy, his brother, is on his right. They both gave me basic polite greetings, but refreshingly enough, no one was curtseying or bowing. Ellie sat next to Tess, with me on her other side at the other head of the table and Maria on my right. It was like a cute, tight-knit family. Other tables were spread throughout the room where other families had dinner. For instance, Jesse and Dina sat with his parents and Dina's older sister, Talia. I watch them for a few minutes before I tune into the conversation my table is having.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Maria asks Ellie and I.

"Ha! She told me that the current duke I had was a dick."

No one at the table looks surprised.

"Yea, that's Ellie," Joel comments, taking another bite of his food.

"Oh, come on! You could've at least added the part where I made you laugh so hard you cried, " she complains in protest.

"Yea, but that would make you look good." I counter with a playful expression. She glared at me, and I saw Tess grin from the corner of my eye.

"Jerk…" Ellie mutters, and the table chuckles.

"Oh, yeah, did you bring Savage Starlight back with you?" I ask Ellie before taking another bite of my food. Ellie nods and says, "Yea, I did. It's in my room. I'll let you read them later."

"Don't tell me Ellie dragged you into reading those comics too?" Tommy's voice rings out from across the table.

"Hmm, have I fallen into one of her elaborate schemes?" I ask, feigning disappointment.

"I'm 'fraid you have; she tries to get everyone to read them." He takes a sip of beer and shakes his head.

"Damn it, Ellie," I mutter as she rolls her eyes.

"I asked you to read it once, and you act like I held you at gunpoint and forced you to read it aloud, jackass," Ellie mutters that last bit, and I grin.

"What? Can't hear you from up here! Sorry, you're just too short!" Tommy jokes, and Ellie glares daggers at him.

Ellie mocks him by repeating what he just said only high-pitched.

"Oh, yea, that reminds me, did you get the pun book, Ellie? I saw one in there about a short ruler or something?" Joel says, effectively breaking up the fight. Ellie grins but rolls her eyes.

"That's not how it goes, Joel."

"Well, go on then.. Tell it."

She clears her throat and says, "Did you hear about the royal who is exactly 12 inches tall?"

Various responses are given, but Ellie just shakes her head. "They say she'll make a great ruler." The table chuckles, and I say, "Kind of like you, huh, Ellie?"

She turns her iconic glare on me, and I grin at her.

"Shut up…" Muttering under her breath and slicing her steak, Ellie tries to hide her pride. I guess she was proud of me for making the joke, no matter how much she wanted to pretend otherwise. Ellie was complex like that, an enigma—no doubt a beautiful one, though.

Dinner flies by, and afterwards, Joel stops me to talk. He lets Ellie stay so the conversation can't be too deep. I fiddle with my fingers, a nervous habit I've developed from Ellie.

"I was thinking 'bout how you can't access your affinity and figured you should pay a visit to the affinity master. Now I know it can be a lot, but I think you 'ought to give it a try." His gruff voice is oddly gentle as he gives me advice.

"I've thought about going to an affinity master but figured my affinity would show whenever," I explain. Joel nods his head and glances at Ellie, almost asking her to intervene.

"I understand that. But if something like that happens again, wouldn't you want to have access to that power?" he asks as he leans against the table and crosses his arms.

He did have a good point, and there were no risks going to an affinity master; I was just a little skeptical. Affinity masters were few and far between, and most countries only had one. Once per generation, a noble would be born with the sense to determine other nobles' powers and assess what was going on with them. Since affinities were so complex, it was helpful to have one around.

"You have an excellent point… I will go." My voice is respectful and determined. I can sense Joel sees that. He smiles a little and walks over to Ellie and me. She had been surprisingly quiet this whole time, and I was getting concerned.

Joel ruffles Ellie's hair again, and she rolls her eyes and fixes it once he's done.

"I'm glad you two are safe. Now get some sleep, I'll see you tomorrow."

Ellie and I walk in silence back to our rooms. I wanted to say something in hopes she'd tell me how she was feeling, but I didn't want to push her.

"Don't worry; the Affinity Master here is really nice, " she suddenly says. I look over at her and see an odd expression on her face. Our footsteps echo through the dark grey halls of the castle, and I can't help but wonder what's going through her mind.

"Ellie, is something wrong?"Finally, I asked her, stopped walking, and faced her. Jesse didn't stop with us and just kept walking.

"What..? No. Why?" She stops walking, too, and faces me.

"You just seem… upset about something…"

Ellie doesn't say anything for a moment. She's about to, but Jesse comes around the corner with a pissed-off expression.

"Will you two hurry up? I wanna get to bed before it's tomorrow, please." He says exasperated. Ellie and I glance at each other before she simply mutters later and heads off to her room. Quite frankly, I was this close to smacking the shit out of both of them.

Walking to my room with Jesse I shoot him a glare before I close the door and flop onto my bed. My new maids had come with me, and we were doing various things around the room. However, I didn't have the energy to be social with them. I wondered for a few moments about various things before sliding down onto the floor and lying there for a bit.

Who was to be my guard? And now that I was in Jackson, would they be coming all the way out here?

Eventually, I managed to get into pajamas and get some sleep.

The next few days were filled with Ellie and Dina dragging me to go sightseeing. They gave me a tour of the castle and showed me the garden where Ellie discovered her earth affinity. I thought that was pretty cool. Sometimes, Joel or Tommy would stop us along the way or join us, and I soon came to see their love for Ellie.

However, as much as I wanted to put it off, it was time to see the Affinity Master. Ellie walks by my side as we make our way to his office in the castle. According to Joel, he was expecting me, so I could just walk right in. This felt rude, so I knocked on the door instead.

"Come in!" A scratchy but calming voice calls.

I open the door gently and walk into the room as Ellie follows. She closes the door behind us as I introduce myself.

"Um, Hello there, my name is-"

"Yes! Yes! I know all about you; please come sit."

He seemed very energetic, so I tried not to get annoyed by his interruptions.

I sit down on a chair he had in the middle of the room. While he messes with something, I look around the space. The room is a striking round shape, its walls lined with tall bookshelves that reach almost to the domed ceiling. Each shelf is crammed with an eclectic mix of books—some old with cracked spines, others new and pristine—covering topics from ancient history to modern philosophy. Papers are scattered across the wooden floor, some neatly stacked and others haphazardly tossed aside, hinting at a whirlwind of thoughts and ideas that have filled the space. The centerpiece of the room is a large window spanning nearly the width of the wall. Sunlight spills in, illuminating dust particles that dance in the air. Outside, a view of lush greenery can be seen, providing a serene contrast to the clutter within. Above, the dome adds an air of grandeur, its curved top allowing echoes of sound to linger momentarily, creating a surreal atmosphere. The gentle arch creates a sense of intimacy, making the room feel both expansive and cozy. Amid the organized chaos, a sturdy wooden table sits under the window, its surface covered in an assortment of open books, scattered notes, and a half-finished cup of tea, suggesting the presence of a restless mind at work. A large, comfortable armchair, slightly worn but inviting, is positioned at an angle, offering a perfect nook for reading or pondering amidst the delightful disorder. Books upon books fill the shelves and even are stacked on the floor. Papers are strewn about with some crumpled and tossed into corners.

"Alright! Now, for me to begin, I'll need your hands." He says, finally facing me. His purple robe swishes, and his light grey disheveled hair falls into his eyes. I watch as he flicks it out of the way before holding his hands out to me. Glancing at Ellie for some confirmation, this guy is the actual affinity master. I watch as she just chuckles at my expression. Turning back to the Affinity Master, I hesitantly place my hands on his. At first, nothing happens, and my cold hands meet his oddly warm ones.

"Now just give me one moment and…." Suddenly, his hands get warm, so warm that it feels like they're burning. I resist the urge to pull away despite my brain yelling at me to do so.

"Just hold on a moment longer, Miss! I've almost got it!" His cheerful voice rang in my ears. I wince from the burning sensation when he suddenly pulls away, like it was him who got burned.

His cheerful expression turns to one of confusion and shock. He messily grabs a piece of paper and starts scribbling on it like mad. I watch as he glances at Ellie and then me before he goes back to scribbling.

"Is.. everything alright?" Ellie asks before I can.

"I'm not sure." He says, smoothing out the paper and continuing to write.

Ellie and I glance at each other before the affinity master suddenly stands up and runs over to one of the many bookshelves in the room. He immediately begins tossing books over his shoulder haphazardly, and I begin to grieve for the poor books.

"Ellie… what is going on?" I ask through clenched teeth.

"He's just like this… trust the process, I guess…"

Soon, the affinity master finds the book he's looking for and opens it to a specific page. His finger goes down the page until he finds what he needs. As he walks back over, he trips on a book and stumbles forward.

"Aha! I have found it! You have an energy blockage. From what I could sense, it's a type of emotional one." He says rather matter-of-factly as he hands the book to me. I gloss it over, but it doesn't click right away.

"I'm afraid I don't understand… What's wrong?" I ask.

"Why, I just told you what's wrong! You have an emotional energy blockage!" He says a little too cheerfully for my taste.

"Well, yeah, I get that part. I need more details, though. What is causing the emotional blockage?"

"In a sense, you are blocking your powers because you emotionally believe you do not have them." His smile pisses me off.

"So.. I physically have the affinity.. It's just blocked by my mental and emotional state?"

He slams his fist on his table in an excited manner, and I jump, "Right!"

"Then how do I get past it?" I ask standing from the uncomfortable chair.

"Hmm, well, in most cases, it resolves itself, but you are much more complex than that. Since you grew up believing you had no powers and were a, well, commoner, your mind altered its energies to adapt to that nature and turned your affinity dormant." He explains in a rambling nature and it takes me a second to process what he said.

"So to get rid of the blockage she just needs to trust that she has the ability? Like blind faith?" Ellie analyzes it quicker than me, apparently, and I start to feel stupid.

"So what? I just believe I have power, and ta-da! Magic!" I say sarcastically, waving my arms.

"It's a bit more complicated than that, but essentially, you are correct!" The Affinity Master clears his throat before explaining, "Back when our ancestors first discovered a way to tap into their energies, a lot of them struggled with believing it as well. So they watched the others use their affinities to gain a better understanding." He says, and I can tell he's pretty proud of his intellect.

"Alright, so I need to watch others use their affinities and try using my own?

"Can't hurt to try!" The Affinity master ecstatically says.

"Wait, try? You don't know if it'll work for sure?"

"Nope!"

I facepalm as Ellie chuckles.

"Well, we're you able to determine my affinity?" The thought had crossed my mind and I decided to ask.

"Ah! No…" His tone switches like whiplash.

"Is there something else wrong?

"In a way, no. However, like I said, you're complicated—the most complicated I've ever seen. You see, I couldn't determine your affinity because you are giving off two different energy signatures."

"Two? So it's deciding between those two or..?'

"No.. you have two affinities, and they're both trying to show themselves, but it gets lost in translation!" he says with a giddy expression.

"What!?" Ellie and I yell out simultaneously.

"I have two affinities? How is that possible??" My voice cracks a little, and I can feel my composure slipping.

"Yes! Two affinities! Good luck!" His little smile was rage-inducing. My jaw clenches, and I'm so close to going off on this man. Ellie picks up on that and practically drags me out of there.

"This has been great, thank you," Ellie says before taking my hand and pulling me towards the door.

"You're so welcome! Come by any time!!"

I slammed the door behind us and immediately stormed off to my room. It didn't make sense why I was so upset; all I knew was that I needed some space to think.

"I'll see you at dinner, Ellie!" I shout behind me so she doesn't think I'm upset with her.

Entering my room, I walk over to one of the deep green couches and place a faceplant on it. So much has just happened that it makes my head spin. One of my maids walks over and taps my shoulder. I groan and lift my head to see it's Mariah. She was the most social of them, and I talked to her the most.

"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the Prime Minister. It seems urgent." Her matter-of-fact tone reminds me of the Affinity Master, and I groan again.

"Alright, give it here." Once I'm sitting on the couch normally, she hands me the letter and the letter opener. I slice the wax seal off and delve into the letter.

Your Royal Highness Queen Y/n, General Roe has just finished giving me the full report on that awful night and has determined the spy among your maids. According to his findings, Rose was the spy. Her trial will be held as soon as you return. I'm sure you must be heartbroken. I shall send your other maids over as swiftly as I can. You may keep one of the maids you have now and send the other three back if you wish. Or keep all of them. Either way, stay safe, Your Majesty. Signed, Prime Minister Bennet Winton P.S. Your new guard should have arrived with this letter. General Roe chose her for you with your safety in mind.

I fold the letter back up and try not to cry. Rose had been my closest maid and a trusted ally. I had been hoping it wasn't her, but it made sense. Sniffling and tearing up a little, I hand the letter back to Mariah.

"You can bring the new guard in now. I'd like to meet her." I mutter simply as I stand. Mariah nods and puts the letter in her apron before walking to the door and opening it.

A tall woman with ebony skin and dark black hair walks in. She stands tall with a spear attached to her back and simple armor on. The signature silver and purple emblem of the Midiri empire is stamped onto her gambeson.

She bows deeply before introducing herself, "My name is Elody Hakim, Your Majesty. I come from the Hakim nobles who have been gifted with the lighting affinity. My sword is yours, my liege."

Her introduction is impeccable and straight to the point, telling me exactly what I need to know.

"Welcome to Jackson, Sir Elody. I appreciate you coming out all this way for me."

She doesn't smile, but I see a smidge of gratitude in her eyes.

"I will be here, my Queen, " she says, standing in front of the door. I decide to leave her alone and let the poor woman do her job.

Dinner tonight was… interesting, to say the least.

There was a lot of tension in the air, specifically between Joel and Maria. They both seemed upset about something and weren't talking while the rest of us chatted away. It appeared Maria finally snapped as she roughly slammed her silverware onto the table. "She deserves a ball in her honor, Joel! It would be the perfect way for people in this castle to have some fun!" Maria says, effectively egging Joel on.

"No, Maria! I said no! When people have fun, they let their guards down. I don't think Y/n even wants a ball in her honor." He argues back.

"You're acting like we're at war, Joel, nothing has happened since-"

"Watch it." He says suddenly. I realize Maria almost revealed some deep shit. I glance at Ellie and see she's getting a bit frustrated.

"Why won't you just tell me what the fuck happened, Joel?! I'm not a kid anymore." I could tell she was genuinely angry with him.

"You'd regret it, Ellie… just as I have. Just drop it, " he says sadly. Ellie's anger doesn't waver, and she persists.

"That's some bullshit, Joel, and you know it. Fuck you." She says as she stands and leaves the room. I debate running after her when Joel suddenly agrees with Maria, "Begin planning for the ball, Maria's right.." He says that last part a bit bitterly. "If people aren't happy, they'll start slacking… Maria, I trust you'll handle the planning then?" Joel wipes his mouth on his napkin before throwing it onto his plate.

She just nods and stares at her plate. He nods back and walks off with his plate.

The rest of the dinner is quiet.

Ellie wrote to me the next day saying she just needed some space and would see me at dinner tonight. I sigh but understand completely.

So here I was at the stables all alone. Dina was going to come with me at first, but her sister needed her, and Jesse and I weren't that close, so I didn't ask him.

Tending to Ellie's horse, Shimmer, I brushed and braided her mane. Picking the feet was always hard, but I didn't mind because I was helping out the stable people. I was brushing out her coat when Joel came around the corner. He had a bridle slung over his shoulder and mud on his boots.

Spotting me, he walks over with a small smile and tips his cowboy hat at me.

"Surprised to see you here, that Shimmer?" He asks, patting her neck.

"Sure is; figured I'd do Ellie and the stable hands a solid," I say, scratching her neck. She leans into it, and her head bobs up and down from happiness.

"I think I found her itchy spot."

"Whole thing is itchy most likely." He notes. It was probably true since horses were generally itchy animals.

"I'd be itchy too if I had all that fur on me."

"Heh yea, I guess you would be. Look about last night… I wanted to apologize."

"It's alright, and I don't expect you to explain; I just hope everything is alright," I say, continuing to brush Shimmer. Joel sighs.

"I still think you have a right to know. I'm sure you know, but Ellie isn't my biological daughter. I adopted her from Marlene after Ellie's mom died and Marlene couldn't take care of her… That disease.. It's a horrible way to go, and I don't want Ellie to get even more upset about her mother's passing. I just don't see a point." He explains, his grumbly voice a bit gentler now.

"I suppose I understand, but if someone you loved died, wouldn't you want to know how they went?" I counter. He sighs again and rubs the bridge of his nose. "I would..but it's not that simple."

"I'm sure she'd be able to handle it.." I say, watching his face and trying to read his emotions, "Only.. you don't want her to have to.. You'd rather keep it a secret.." I analyze.

Joel's eyes snapped to mine, and I suddenly couldn't read his expression.

"You have no idea what I want." His voice is rough once more, and I fear I may have overstepped. However, for Ellie's sake, I wasn't going to back down.

"Are you sure about that?" I reply, my voice unwavering and calm. I see Joel's glare ease and watch as something flickers in his eyes… acknowledgment.

"Hmm… I guess you're not dumb after all… see you around, kiddo." He walks out of the stall, and I'm left standing there, slightly confused.

Did I just gain Joel's approval..?

Approval for what..?

What the fuck just happened?

I spend the rest of my time grooming Shimmer while thoughts swirl in my head.

A week has passed, and Maria announced that the ball will be tomorrow. I am lying in bed trying to sleep so I'm not exhausted for it when I feel.. Fear.

It's been tough to sleep ever since that horrible night, but I have been managing. I just wanted one good night's sleep for fucks sake. No matter how dark it was, It wasn't dark enough. Getting out of bed, I sneak over to my door. A random guard is always posted there so Elody can sleep. I open the door to speak to them, only to find them asleep. The hallway is too bright, and I feel the fear creeping to higher levels.

Making a rash decision, I wander down the halls and reach my destination. Knocking on the door, I wait with bated breath. The door opens, and I see her face slightly illuminated by the moonlight.

"What are you doing here so late?" She whispers, her face full of confusion. Ellie stands before me in a wife beater and boxers with her hair down.

"I couldn't sleep," I whisper back. She nods and opens the door further, so I slip inside.

She closes the door behind me and makes her way over to the bed before sitting and patting it to signal me over. It was so wonderfully dark in here. I barely make it to the bed without falling on my own two feet and sliding under her covers.

"I'll keep watch k?" She says, tucking the covers over me a little more.

"Just try and sleep…" She whispers.

I whisper a thank you before I close my eyes and relax my breathing. After a few minutes, my heart slows, and I almost fall asleep when Ellie moves to lie next to me. I feel her fingers on my face and keep my expression schooled. It was not easy. She moves my hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. Her whispers break the silence, "So beautiful…"

It takes everything I have to not lose my mind. Ellie just called me beautiful.. While she thinks I'm asleep. Thankfully, it was too dark for her to see my blushing face, so I didn't have to worry about that. She inches closer and I can feel her minty breath on my face and smell her signature pine and bergamot scent. She leans in and kisses my forehead ever so softly. Then my cheeks, my nose next, and my temples. I feel her hesitation; I feel her thinking it through. She leans closer one more time, and her lips graze mine. Holding in a gasp was all I could do not to let her know I was awake. She pulls away and begins cursing to herself.

Ellie Williams almost just kissed me.

My mind spirals, and I can only reach two conclusions.

Ellie Williams is in love with me.

And I was damned if I ever let her go.

When I woke up the next morning, Ellie was not next to me. Instead, she was sitting on one of her couches reading Savage Starlight and sporting massive eyebags.

"Ellie?" I groan as I sit up and yawn.

"Uh yea?" She asks, not looking up from her comic.

"What time is it?" I sniffle a little from having a stuffy nose in the morning.

"There's a clock right there, Y/n." She says, still not looking at me. I glance at the clock and see it's 10:41 a.m. Ellie let me sleep in.

"Yea, yea, whatever, Els. You should get some more sleep. I didn't keep you up, did I?"

"I will once you leave." She says, simply flipping a page. I knew she was gonna be awkward, but I didn't think I'd be this bad.

"Ellie, are you gonna look at me? Have I turned into an ugly troll overnight or something?" I ask her directly.

She huffs and finally looks up at me. As soon as her eyes meet mine, I see a blush spread across her face. I tilt my head a little and get out of bed. She looks a bit panicked as I walk closer.

"Are you ok?? You're acting a little.. off?" I asked, knowing perfectly well what was wrong.

She rolls her eyes and goes back to her comic. "'m fine Y/n.. just tired. I was up all night watching over you."

I call bullshit, but only in my head.

"Well, thank you. I slept well for the first time in a while. I'll go now. Bye, Els."

She says nothing as I walk out of her room and close the door. I suddenly began to doubt if what happened last night was even real. If it was fake, how would I have been able to feel everything so vividly? Deciding to take my chances that it was real, I head to my room and get ready for the day.

Turns out I freaked out my maids and guard by not being in my bed this morning. Which checks out considering I forgot to leave a note. I apologize profusely to all of them as I decided to let them all have somewhat of a vacation here. I apologize to Elody next, who damn near lost her mind. Once everything was calm again, I went through my day working on paperwork and such, and before I realized it, it was time to get ready for the ball.

I slip on a pearlescent gown and some simple jewelry before a pearl-covered crown is placed on my head. My hair is done up in a loose bun, and I feel like the Queen of the Sea. Slipping on a kitten heel, I walk to my door and open it to Ellie standing there, fist raised and all. She blinks, looks me up and down a few times, blushes, and holds out a hand.

"Uh, hey.. Sorry 'bout that I was just coming to get you," she says, avoiding my eyes. I smile and slip my hand into hers.

"It's all good. Funny how I caught you right at that moment, though, huh?" I say with a chuckle. She closes my room door behind me and moves my hand to rest on her arm where her forearm and bicep meet. Ellie starts walking to the ballroom at a speed I can only describe as supersonic.

"Woah, Ellie, hold on, I can't keep up," I say, tripping a little. She catches me by wrapping her arm around my waist and dragging me upwards. I land against her side with an oomph.

"Be careful.." Her face looks like a tomato.

She slows down after that.

We make it to the ballroom in one piece, and they announce our arrival. I've had a few more dance lessons since our last attempt, so hopefully, I won't mess up this time. Once we make our way to the middle of the ballroom, she bows to me, turns, and walks off.

I stand there completely and utterly confused.

Did she just walk off on me? What the fuck, Ellie?

Just as I'm about to head to the balcony, someone taps me on the shoulder. I turn around to see Maria. She looks gorgeous in a baby blue pantsuit and some pearl earrings.

"Y/n, there you are. I wanted to introduce you to a few people." Her smile doesn't reach her eyes, and I can tell she's a bit upset about something. I won't comment on it, though, because it's none of my business.

"Sure, lead on." I smile, hoping to cheer her up a little. Besides, making a few connections can't hurt.

She starts walking over to a crowd and pulls one gentleman aside. He introduces himself as Lord Seth and bows to me. We talk for a little while before I'm suddenly pulled from behind. My immediate reaction is panic, but I relax once I smell bergamot and pine. It was just Ellie.

"What are you-" I start.

"Maria, I told you I didn't want her talking to that Bigot." She spits out, glancing between Maria and Seth. I watch as Seth pulls a face, and Maria sighs.

"Who do you think you're talking to, girl?" Seth bites out back.

"Alright, you two enough. You're right, Ellie. I'm sorry I just figured it'd be good for her to have connections." Maria explains.

"Then don't bring her to Seth; bring her to Viscount Gilbert, or Marchioness Elizabeth, anyone but this fool." Ellie counters, pulling me further and further behind her. I was tired of this conversation.

"Ellie, enough. We need to talk," I say sternly before turning to Lord Seth and Maria.

"I apologize for this interruption. I will be right back," I say sweetly before dragging Ellie to the gardens. Fury laced my vision, and I pushed open the heavy wooden doors. I take her hand in mine and walk over to a gazebo covered in vines and fairy lights.

"What the fuck is your problem, Ellie?!" I say to her, frustrated. Avoiding yelling out of anger was proving to be complicated.

"What the fuck are you doing Y/n? You shouldn't have been talking to him!" She yells. I snap.

"I can discern who is worth my time well enough, Ellie. I don't need you choosing that for me!" I argue back, a little wrath backing it up.

"That may be, but you do not understand this court the way I do! That man is not someone you should be talking to!"

"And why not!? You seem so set on who I shouldn't be talking to. You barely talk to me yourself! You think I haven't noticed you avoiding my eyes for ages now??" I counter.

"He is a homophobic piece of shit, and you are the light of the world! You shouldn't sully yourself speaking to someone who would hate you if he knew enough about you!"

"I'm not the light of the world, Ellie. You're being ridiculous! And I would've figured that out on my own and ignored him! I will take your advice, but I will not have it shoved down my throat!"

She swears and shakes her head. "You're the light of my life, ok?! He has treated me like shit my entire life! I didn't want him to tell you things I'm not proud of!"

I stare at her in shock.

I was the light of her life.

"What?" I whisper, my voice cracking.

Ellie seems to realize what she said, and her face drops.

"No.. no.. no.. I-"

"Say it again.." I whisper.

She stares at me as tears line her eyes. I watch as she takes a deep breath and bites her lips.

"You're the light of my life.." She admits reluctantly. Her eyes are filled with yearning, and I sense there's more she wants to say.

"When I saw you crying in that garden, I knew I couldn't walk away… It was already over for me. I figured it would be easier to hide my feelings instead of tell you…"

I stare at her in awe and admiration.

"I love you, Y/n.. so much so that when I see you, my world brightens and the stars align. Everything and nothing makes sense like some sort of dream. I want you near, but fear I'll become your ruin."

Her words make me tear up, and it dawns on me…

A poem.. She was whispering aloud a poem she had written for me.

Adoration fills my heart as I stare into her eyes, the twinkling of the lights filling them along with her tears.

"Say something…" She whispers.

I don't.

Instead, I take a step towards her. She doesn't move away and just lets me maneuver us. I bring her under the gazebo, minding my step, and place one of her hands on my waist and one on my own… and I dance. She seems confused but follows along and dances with me. The music from the ballroom carrying all the way out here. Steps feel familiar as we twist and spin, and I can see her confusion and desire. Wanting an answer, confused as to why I won't give it to her.

"And then I learned the truth, how everything good in life seems to lead back to you. And every single time I run into your arms. I feel like I exist for love. Like I exist for love." I whisper the lyrics of the song playing as my response to her poem.

I continue as she tears up, "Only for love…" A pause, "Cause when you walked into my life, I could feel my life begin. Like I was torn apart the minute I was only born, and you're the other half, the only thing that makes me whole."

I hum a few lines of the song along with the music in the background before I whisper the most important line, "I love you so…"

The dance comes to an end, and she dips me before slowly bringing me back up. I rest my hands on her shoulders and look into her eyes. Her hands are resting on my waist.

"Can I kiss you..?" She asks in a whisper so quiet I barely catch it. I glance at her lips and catch her doing the same before giving her one simple nod.

Ever so slowly, she cups my face, wrapping her other hand around my waist and bringing me ever closer. My breath hitches, and I see her give me a look to check again that this is alright. When I lean towards her, she takes it as a yes….

..and kisses me.

[anticidic]

Hello, it's " Ask Game for Fun" BSD edition....

1.) Who are 3 characters from BSD that really describe you (despite you don't really like them, maybe)?

2.) Which character that you dislike but you just love their designs?

3.) Which character that you love but you just dislike their designs?

4.) If you must choose, which 'super power' that you want for yourself from BSD? Why?

5.) Do you have any personal favorite head canons from BSD?

6.) If BSD og characters switch place with BSD beast AU, do you think they can survive? Why?

7.) If you were asked who are in BSD that you can see based on canon that are gay/bi/pan/demi/ace/aro/etc which characters are they?

Thanks if you want to answer 🍀

wait, is this an actual thing, anon?!

1.) Who are 3 characters from BSD that really describe you (despite you don't really like them, maybe)?

This one's a bit hard, because I feel like on a more surface level I relate to Dazai. And I think that's why I gravitated to him as my favorite character. The apathy, struggling to fit in with others, mental health struggles, masking. When I first got into bsd I was in a pretty bad spot, but I'm actually in a really good place now, so I'd say I still relate to the fact he likes joking around with others. Also, Chuuya because the short people problems are real and I have a friend irl who completely dwarves me and makes fun of me for it. 🫠 I'm also more of a wine drinker myself and I like being stylish! And third, I think Louisa! Even though I have to be super bubbly and outgoing in my job, I'm still awkward and shy with meeting and talking to people. And I also can get easily flustered. She's also a fellow coffee lover.

2.) Which character that you dislike but you just love their designs?

Another hard one. I don't really have many characters I actually dislike in bsd. Pushkin is one of them, and Ace is another, and Professor N, but that's honestly about it? Everyone else I'm either neutral/have no strong feelings toward, or like. But I guess I'll go with Ace for a cool design but a character I don't really care for.

3.) Which character that you love but you just dislike their designs?

Dislike is a bit strong for me to use. Atsushi's hair took a while to grow on me. I know why he has that haircut, of course, but I found it oddly distracting specifically in the anime. I really love his BEAST design though, having the shorter, sharper fringe. I also think Chuuya looks a lot better without his hat.

4.) If you must choose, which 'super power' that you want for yourself from BSD? Why?

My initial response was to say Chuuya's ability, because his gravity can be used in a lot of situations that aren't combat-related, but I wouldn't also want the Corruption that comes with it, sooo. UH. Maybe Oda's or Nikolai's? I'd like to be able to predict if something was about to happen to me, like a freak accident, and be able to avoid it, but Nikolai's is also nifty for teleporting. Gee, now Poe's sounds fun but I'd feel bad trapping people in my stories because they're usually angsty.

5.) Do you have any personal favorite head canons from BSD?

Dazai being touch-starved and emotionally constipated.

Though Dazai used to complain about how spicy curry was, he grew to like it because of Oda.

When Chuuya's in a good mood, he likes to hum to himself or repeat a song that's stuck in his head.

Before Atsushi started making some money at the ADA, he raided the employee fridge for food in a pinch and got caught by Kunikida.

6.) If BSD og characters switch place with BSD beast AU, do you think they can survive? Why?

Most of them are already in BEAST and did just fine. I actually think their BEAST selves would be more prepared for Fyodor's machinations because it doesn't matter about Dazai switching, he still has premonition of the other world and knows what Fyodor's plans are well in advance before they've even been put into motion. BEAST bsd characters would likely have had a way better chance of defeating Fyodor sooner before he got to where he was now.

7.) If you were asked who are in BSD that you can see based on canon that are gay/bi/pan/demi/ace/aro/etc which characters are they?

I headcanon Sigma as aroace. I just see him as someone who wants to go to work, do what he has to do, and that's it. He doesn't seem very invested in others beyond anything platonically. I'd also probably put Ranpo in that category. Ranpo doesn't mind making friends, but I feel like that's all he sees others as.

I'm not going to touch on Dazai, because I think he's a bit of an odder case. And also because my theories about this are actually incredibly dark. But Dazai doesn't have any qualms about using his body to get what he wants, and he's shown that in the manga. That's more of a mafia thing, though, and part of his manipulation. Him not valuing himself even extends to his body: he doesn't see intimacy as something to connect with someone or bond over, it's just another tool. I don't know about natural attraction, but he'll force himself to act attracted to someone if it'll get him what he wants.

[blunt-force-therapy]

Finally, an intro post!

POSTING LIMIT: no hit

Drafts counter: 1955 of 1750 left

ASKBOX: Askbox open, Asks w/ media open, Anons open

SUBMISSIONS: Open

Basics:

My name is Maximilian, or Max for short. I am Brazilian, 19 years old, NB, panmasculine but mostly nonhuman, bi, maybe a little ace. Preferred pronouns are it/its, but she/her is also fine (no they/them, he/him only if you know me). I've been here since January 2023 and still haven't figured this place out, but I hope you'll have fun snooping around my blog.

My Community:

So I made this thing. I didn't expect it to be approved but it is indeed one of the things that exist. Come in to have some fun if you want :3

Hobbies: work in progress

Main interests:

Academic: General history, particularly of European and Amerindian societies, ancient European history, early Slavic history, 16th and 17th century Taiwan, Tokugawa Japan, the Republic of China, and of course Brazilian history. Language and linguistics, particularly Romance and Slavic languages.

Anime: Code Geass, Soul Eater, Death Note are the ones I like the most (will reblog stuff from Hetalia, Dungeon Meshi, and whatever's gay, cute, or even both)

Fanfiction: Meh. Only recently getting back into reading Harry Potter fanfics and that's after a while. If you have fanfics from a fandom I'm not in I'll still read them though.

Games: Uhhhh, Minecraft? And Tetris? I play Grepolis too.

Literature: For non-fiction I mostly enjoy historical and biographical works; my favourite authors so far are Anthony Beevor and Laurentino Gomes. For fiction I mostly enjoy fantasy and historical fiction, some of my favourite books are the Harry Potter, Leviathan, and Artemis Fowl series. I also love anything ever written by Finnish author Mika Waltari.

Movies: I don't do that.

Random: Calligraphy, conlanging and conscripting, language learning (currently Russian), legal history, true crime, execution methods, calendar reform, antidisestablishmentarianism, and others, and others, and others.

D N I:

Have a look around and interact at your own risk. I reserve the right to tell you to go fuck yourself :)

If you're a minor and make any advances towards me I'll tell you to cut that out once, if it happens again I'll softblock.

If you're devoutly Christian and post about it very very frequently, I might not want to follow you back in order to avoid that sort of content. I have a high tolerance though.

Sideblogs:

Inactive: @official-svetka

Inconsistently active: @aljamianova @extendedcyrillicblog @official-macau

Good stuff about me:

Proficient in Word, Excel and PowerPoint;

Always willing to at least listen and in the case of an argument, to hear out your side of it;

Aspiring casual writer; occasionally creative and even poetic when not hysterical;

Poly, Trans, NB, Intersex, Therian, etc friendly;

Will make an effort to use your pronouns accurately;

Have been cringe enough in my time to not be upset with "edgy" humour, just vaguely disappointed;

Will react to your ships positively or neutrally, no ship is truly bad, I may not enjoy it though;

I pee sitting down

Bad stuff about me:

I have a lot of trouble with communication and that's very frustrating, so might take a good while to respond if you message me;

You might see a lot of very incoherent vent posts here, I don't mind interaction with them;

I don't enjoy talking or hearing about most subjects to do with maths or physics. I also don't enjoy talk of Christianity no matter how progressive;

I tend to lash out at mostly inconsequential things sometimes.

Tags:

#s3lf for posts I write myself

#pos reblogs for posts I reblogged where someone in the reblog chain is a genuine piece of shit (will specify who)

#büllshit (old) for joke posts, I'll figure out another tag to use sometime later

#mail💜 for asks from my beloved mutuals or asks I especially liked

#mail for asks from people I don't know

#...mail for generally weird asks and anon hate

#vent, kinda self-explanatory

#bad music, also kinda self explanatory

#!!!!!!!, for beautiful art and beautiful mutuals :)

#nsfw, anything my boss wouldn't want me to see at work if I had a boss or worked

#@~@ for all the horny shit I'm REALLY into

#boydinner for all the cannibalism, occasionally #girldinner if the context of the post requires it

I usually trigger tag starting with "tw", as in "tw blood", "tw violence", etc. Send me an ask if you want me to trigger tag specific stuff, I really wouldn't mind at all

I should collect those text bands that tell you stuff like "this user is a faggot" and other things like that. This is still a work in progress, I'll Ship of Theseus the hell out of this bitch

[sanyu-thewitch05]

Cupid's Arrows

Love Triangle

A/N: Fem! Reader/Yuu

"I can't believe I finished all my otome games and animes!" Cupid whines, turning over on his pink cloud. "Maybe something interesting is happening in one of the mortal worlds."  

He looks down and finds the world of Twisted Wonderland. He looks around and sees the Arcane School of Night Raven College.

"Ok, maybe a gay harem? I can make this work-wait! Who's that?! Gaia, zoom in on the girl with the black floating cat!" Cupid exclaims, getting excited. "Oh my god, she's beautifully average and surrounded by nothing but boys, princes, and future wizards! Bless the gods! I've found the next Bella Swan!"

Cupid picks up his best arrows and swoops into the world of Twisted Wonderland. He flies around campus, finding Yuu walking to school with Ace and Deuce. 

"I swear, I owe you for helping me with the alchemy project. You're my best friend!" Yuu says, hugging Ace and smiling.

"No problem, Yuu! Anytime!" Ace laughs, giving Yuu a slight punch on the arm.

Cupid's face fills with excitement, wonder, and imagination.

"Best friend! Friends to Lovers!" Cupid squeals, preparing to shoot an arrow. "But wait, does he even like her like that?!"

"Ha! Friends, right? Didn't you try convincing Yuu to let yourself be in the same bed as her?" Grim taunts, making Ace get caught off guard.

"That was only two times, and those were cold nights! I didn't want to be cold! You know Ramshackle has one blanket, and Yuu uses that one!" Ace retorts, his face turning red.

"Trying to get into his friend's bed and sleep with her? I need no more evidence!" Cupid declares, taking out one of his arrows. 

"Oh, Ace, I wouldn't have minded if we shared a bed. I know you wouldn't try anything," Yuu replies, smiling and nudging Ace.

Cupid shoots the arrow, and it goes straight through Ace's heart. A burst of passion and emotion rushes through his veins, and his heart beats wildly. 

"AAAHHHH~" Ace loudly moans, making the crowd of students around him stop moving and look at him in silence. 

They look at Ace, Ace looks at Yuu, Deuce looks at him, they look at Yuu, and everyone looks at each other. Yuu awkwardly turns away from Ace and looks at Deuce as Ace is bending over.

"Would you-uh-look at the pretty birds? Aren't they cute?" Yuu says, looking at the fake decorative birds some club made. 

"....Ace, this has gotta be one of your most embarrassing moments," Deuce comments, sighing and looking away from Ace. "Ma-maybe we should get going?"

"I-I don't know what happened. I just felt this burst-" Ace stammers, standing up.

"So, you randomly came in your pants? Is that what you're telling us?" Deuce questions, disgusted, as he moves Yuu next to him.

"No! No! That's not it at all! Wait, come back!" Ace pleads as Yuu, Deuce, and other people move away from him and into the main building.

"Maybe I was right when I said not to let you in bed with Yuu," Grim says, glaring at Ace.

Riddle passes by and disapprovingly shakes his head with Cater and Trey. 

"Good job, Cupid!" Cupid self-congratulates, turning into a pink dove. "Now to see my hard work pay off!" 

Ace walks into the cafeteria, making the whole room silent with a few snickers from peers. He huffs and sits next to Yuu as she gives him a pancake.

"So, how was clean up?" Deuce snickers, trying not to break out into laughter. 

Ace's fist balls up and reaches over the table, grabbing Deuce by the collar.

"I didn't do that shit!" Ace yells, about to punch Deuce.

"Ok, dude...I was joking..." Deuce says, trying to diffuse the situation. 

"Ace put Deuce down," Riddle commands, his magipen out. 

Yuu signals for Riddle to stop, but he doesn't listen.

"Stay out of this Ramshackle prefect. It doesn't concern you," Riddle says, not backing down from Ace.

"What did you say?" Ace asks, his face turning into one of scary anger.

"Ace, it really isn't a big deal. Riddle wasn't trying to be mean or any-" Yuu stammers, feeling nervous from the tension in the room.

"No, it is a big deal! You have a name, and he needs to use it! We all know he wouldn't like to be called the Heartslabyul prefect who overblotted because he wouldn't get an apology!" Ace responds, making the cafeteria burst into oohs and curses. 

"You know what, everyone needs to settle down. Riddle, apologize to Yuu. Ace, put Deuce down," Trey says, trying to stop a fight from breaking out. 

"Fine, I'm sorry I didn't use your name, Yuu," Riddle says, shaking with fury. 

Ace drops Deuce, and his head hits the marble floor. Yuu flinches, and Ace storms off, giving everyone the finger.

"Grim, can you stay here with Deuce? I'm going after Ace," Yuu says, chasing after her friend.

"Ace! Ace, wait up!" Yuu calls as Ace speeds up. "Ace, wait!"

"UGH! CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?! I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOU TO FOLLOW ME LIKE YOU'RE MY FUCKING DOG!" Ace lashes out, making Yuu stop in her tracks. 

"Wow, you are so mean..." Yuu sniffles, eyes turning watery. 

"Wait, I didn't mean to-" Ace says, turning around to face Yuu.

"Yeah, sure you didn't. I'm just a dog who follows you around, right?" Yuu whimpers, stepping back before running away from Ace. 

"...FUCK!" Ace yells, frustrated. 

Yuu runs out of the cafeteria, making everyone wonder what happened. She sits outside near the forest trails and finds a pink dove looking at her. 

"What a beautiful bird you are," Yuu sniffles, holding her hand for the bird to eat strawberry seeds. "These are the only seeds I have. Hopefully, you like them."

"Hopefully, things smooth out," Cupid thinks, eating strawberry seeds. 

"I get that Deuce and Ace have fights sometimes, but this is extreme," Yuu weeps, wiping her eyes.

"Maybe Deuce needs a little push," Cupid thinks, his mind getting ideas again. "A love triangle between friends! Will it unite them, or will it tear them apart!"

[underworld-park-offical]

TOLKIEN: Can you believe this shit, Jimmy?

JIMMY: H-h-h-hey

JIMMY: D-d-d-d-don't d-d-d-diss s-s-someone w-w-w-with b-b-b-big d-d-d-dreams 

JIMMY: N-n-n-not cool

TOLKIEN: I will if said dreams are ridiculous and stupid

TOLKIEN: Like being a jackass influencer

STAN: Can we shut up about Craig being a Dollar Store Addison Rae, please?

STAN: I'm getting a migraine listening to this idiotic babbling about how many likes he has

STAN: Just stop, he already does it enough

KYLE: Didn't you start bullying him though?

KYLE: Because it was funny?

STAN: Well it's not now sooooo…. shut up

CLYDE: WHO WAS MOVING THE POINTER THINGIE ON THE BOARD PLEASE CONFESS I WILL CRY

KENNY: I thought you were “manly”

CARTMAN: Woah Kenny, it is 2023 and you’re still throwing around male stereotypes?

CARTMAN: You’re getting C A N C E L E D 

CARTMAN: GUYS KENNY DOESN’T THINK MEN SHOULD CRY

KENNY: HE LITERALLY SAID HE HAD BIG MAN HANDS

KENNY: HE ADMITTED TO GOING TO HOME DEPOT????

KENNY: WHAT AM I BEING CANCELED FOR TELLING THE TRUTH?????

CRAIG: Wow, Kenny, and I thought we were friends, Smh my head

KENNY: WHAT????????

TOLKIEN: Can you move things, Mr. Spirit, sir?

CRAIG: That was so  gay of you

CARTMAN: Why would you assume it was a man???

TOLKIEN: Why would you assume, it's an it?

CARTMAN: ….

TOLKIEN: Exactly

CRAIG: Preach 

CLYDE: IT'S MOVING IT'S MOVING IT'S MOVING AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-

KENNY: CLYDE SHUT UP!!! AND STOP MOVING, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING BEHIND YOUR FAT HEAD

CLYDE: I'M GONNA CRYYYYY

KENNY: GOOD

KYLE: S….u…..r……e

CRAIG: Sure?

CRAIG: So the ghost wants to be basic?

CRAIG: Lmao based

STAN: Oh my god shut up

STAN: Please.

TOLKIEN: It could have just used the yes, why would it go through so much effort to give an answer?

CLYDE: Maybe they want to be best friends and are worried about messing things up or being impolite?

CRAIG: That's so based of them, frfr, lol

STAN: A ghost wanting to befriend a bunch of high, lowlife teenagers?

STAN: Yeah, I'm not buying it

CLYDE: F….u….

CLYDE: AWHHH

JIMMY: N-n-n-n-nice g-going st-st-stan, you r-r-ruined our ch-chances of be-be-bef-f-friending C-Casper, a-asshole

STAN: There is no way you actually believe this, right?

STAN: We are all in a simulation

STAN: None of this is real

STAN: We are all in a coma because the government wants to control us

STAN: Trying to make us all boy kissing gays

STAN: But not me, no

STAN: I'm smarter than all of you, so I know I can't be controlled

STAN: This Ouija board is the way for the government to mind control us

STAN: Do not be deceived.

TOLKIEN: Shut up Stan, quit talking out of your ass

STAN: Ass….A…S…S……Actual…..Super…..Sexual…..Sexual as in….Homosexual….

STAN: YOU'RE A GOVERNMENT SPY!

KYLE: Ignore him, Tolkien

TOLKIEN: Have been.

STAN: YOU’RE ALL CONSPIRING AGAINST ME!

CRAIG: Lmao holy shit I need to record this

STAN: YOU'RE ALL JUST MAD BECAUSE I KNOW THE TRUTH!!! YOU ALL ARE BRAINWASHED!!!!

CRAIG: Stan…. bffr… smile for the camera

STAN: NO!!! THOSE CAMERAS PUT MICROCHIPS IN YOUR HAND LIKE THEY HAVE THE VACCINES

CRAIG: Is he /j or /srs rn?

KYLE: He's serious, unfortunately

KYLE: Let's just move on before I get an aneurysm

KENNY: Good idea

KYLE: Is…. anything moving?

TOLKEIN: Oh I don't know, Kyle, can a blind person see?

KYLE: ….

TOLKIEN: No, exactly

CLYDE: IT'S SO DARK IN HERE I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK!!!

TOLKIEN: No, Porkchop, you aren’t

CLYDE: I AM NOW!!

STAN: Everything is all so dark

STAN: It's what they want

KYLE: It's what who wants? STAN: Aliens…. they want to steal our sun…

CRAIG: Haha lmao imagine believing in aliens, couldn’t be me

JIMMY: Wh-wh-wh-what's that n-n-noise?

JIMMY: C-C–C–C–C-C-Craig…. Is th-the ac on?

CLYDE: TURN THE AC OFF YOU MONSTER!!

CLYDE: LEAVE US BE!!

CLYDE: WE WANTED TO BE FRIENDS BEFORE YOU TOLD US TO GO FUCK OURSELVES!

CLYDE: BUT NAY! NAY WE SAY! CLYDE: WE, THE HUMAN COUNCIL

TOLKIEN:...... What-

CLYDE: SAY GO FUCK YOURSELF

CLYDE: GOOD DAY SIR OR MA’AM CARTMAN: OR MX!

CLYDE: OR MIXTAPE

CRAIG: Lmao okay slay, ate, ate and left no crumbs. Not a single crumb inside, bro ate the plate too frfr

(EDITS MADE BY @Pissblanket)

[pkmnprideflags]

Random Pokémon Headcanons

Any sexuality headcanons apply to adult versions of these characters. Please do not sexualize children :)

Red is a demiboy and uses he/it. When he grows up he also comes to identify as asexual and aromantic

Blue is bisexual but with a preference towards men. He can be a bit of a flirt but strikes out 90% of the time due to his cocky vibe

Kris is the daughter of that random woman who's in your kitchen talking to your mom at the beginning of GSC. Ethan and Kris's moms have always been friends & neighbors; Kris's dad is one of Professor Elm's aides. When she's young Kris wants to work alongside Elm, but as she gets older she becomes interested in Pokémon psychology - ways their brains are similar and different to those of humans, and how that knowledge can be used to help Trainers and Pokémon better understand each other.

Silver is demiheterosexual. I like to imagine that he and Kris strike up a relationship. In his adult years he works on-and-off with the International Police when incidents with Team Rocket spring up, but he refuses to join them because he doesn't always want to play by their rules.

May is pansexual, and either aromantic or just not strongly interested in relationships. She definitely dated Lisia at some point, even if only briefly

Leaf is a trans girl! I used to hc that her other name (Green in English, Blue in Japanese) was her deadname, but I know there's controversy around having trans/nb characters' deadnames revealed, and as someone who is not trans myself I want to be careful. Anyway, I imagine her exploring the Kanto we see in Pokémon GSC; in that game you first land in Vermillion City, so I imagine her being from there.

Both Lucas and Barry have very juvenile crushes on Dawn (with her in the "friend" role and Lucas as the protag). However, Dawn makes it clear that she isn't interested in that kind of relationship, and they get over it pretty quickly.

Would it be way too stereotypical to say that Barry has ADHD

Lyra caught her Marill as an Azurill in Mt. Mortar (yes I know Azurill isn't found there wild, but let's say someone snuck an incense in there or something). She didn't have any other Pokémon so she "borrowed" a bunch of Poké balls from her grandparents and just hucked them at the mon over and over until eventually she caught it

Hilbert and Hilda are twins! Hilbert is older by just thirty seconds, which irritates Hilda to no end.

Bianca and Cheren are both trans and when they get older they start dating. Their Neo Champion event was just giving t4t sorry i don't make the rules

Hilda & Nate are the two Unova protags; after B2W2, Nate stays in Unova to lead the Pokémon League, Rosa has a moderately successful career at Pokéstar Studios, Hilda goes searching abroad for N, and Hilbert becomes a frequent visitor on the Battle Subway, second in rank only to Emmet & Ingo.

Calem is a trans boy!!!

Shauna is a lesbian with a crush on Serena, Serena is straight with a crush on Calem, and Calem is completely oblivious to everything

Everyone just kind of assumes that Tierno and Trevor are gay and dating but actually they're both straight but queerplatonic

Hau is ace but girls usually assume he's flirting with them and then get sad when they find out he's not

Gladion probably uses he/they and maybe also some neopronouns

Chase, Elaine, and Trace are all painfully straight I'm sorry. Elaine becomes the Champion, Chase travels the world to become the very best like no one ever was, and idk Trace works at viridian city gym or something

Victor is nonbinary!!!! Based off my own experience of playing the game with Victor as my protag but feeling uncomfortable with my character using he/him. They can be a little awkward and apologetic about their identity, but Hop has been supporting them in their transition for years and will fight anyone who misgenders them. The downside of this is that Hop can be a little too overzealous as an ally and sometimes he makes a scene when Victor would rather just go incognito.

Rei (as protag) is the little brother of Lucas from DPP :) Idk Johanna got remarried or something

Juliana is genderfluid but identifies more with the female end of the spectrum. Depending on the day, they use she/her, they/them, it/its, or xe/xem.

Penny is a demigirl and uses she/they/he

[theonewhoseinlovewithfictionals]

Mr. Here To Stay

A simple romantic story.

Warning: It includes sexual languages. So if you are a minor, please do not continue.

Note: Modern AU with Marco as a doctor (obviously); Ace as an influencer; Thatch as a well-known chef; Izo as a ammunition business owner; Y/N as an Accountant. (N- name whoever you want)

PART 1

Normal day in a never-ending cycle in your office. You sit in front of your two monitors, checking each employee's pay is correctly calculated. Your eyes are getting sore now. You lean back at your ergo chair and decides to close your eyes for a minute. Suddenly, you hear someone shriek coming towards you. It's your co-worker/one of your pals in the group. Her name is (N1). She arrives at your department with blushes on cheeks and huge smile. Everyone in your station, five - including you and all of them are your pals, got attention so you sit up properly and waits her to land on her seat and maybe calm down a bit?

Another co-worker whose gay and also your pal (N2): (N1), spill the tea! Is he really handsome?

You narrowed your eyes, smiles and shakes your head 'no' as you heard the word 'handsome' and thought, here we go again...

(N1) just nods without hesitation: Super! then she giggles

Both of them shrieks but you contradicted them: Oh uh, handsome? He'll probably make you cry!

you laugh at their expression and (N1) slaps you at your shoulder while (N2) replied: Hey! Just because your relationship in the past failed, that doesn't mean you can be bitter as gourd can be!

You: Haha, funny! Speak for yourself, you never even had a relationship!

(N2) middle-finger you which makes you laugh. You love it when N2 pisses off.

(N1): Well, you should see him, you know! He's handsome than your ego super dumb ass ex-boyfriend!

You: Nah! I'll pass.

(N3, the Senior Accountant): Y/N, it's already been what? 9 months? still haven't move on?!

You nudge N3: Oy! I already moved on! It's just that...I just want to fully recovered before you know...date again.

N4 pushes the ergo chair towards you with a coffee on N4's hand: Don't worry, Y/N, (N's name) still waiting for you.

You: The HR guy? Isn't he too young for me?

N4: You’re older, a 2-year age gap.

You: ahh, no, I'd really prefer someone older than me.

N4: I get it, you prefer a 50s to 60s?

They burst out laughing at N4's answer which you fully well-know it's a joke.

You: N4, know why you're partner left you? It's because you are a dumbass. I said 'older than me' not 'waaaaaaaaaaaay older than me'.

N4: my partner came back.

N2: "You fucking let it? Your partner cheated on you! and yet..."N2 sighs and shrugs: "oh well, just like Y/N said, dumbass..."

N4: I love my partner!

N2: Yeah right, sounds like desperation to me!

N1 widens her eyes as she sees that our manager is approaching us. We all return quickly to our station and work.

The Manager places elbow on your left side cubicle: Y/N, here, include this on our pay period.

You receive the papers with a couple of pages. You read the form and couldn't help but eyes widen at the hefty signing bonus amount. You blurt out: Seriously?, then you look at your Manager whose face is serious and nods at you. You shrugs and sighs: Sana ol (I hope everyone experience that)

Your Manager places both arms over the chest: guys, I can hear your gossip up to my office. Have shame to those who can hear you when they passed-by!

N2: Manager, I heard the new doctor of this hospital is handsome.

Manager: Is that the noise about?

N1 and N2 nods.

The Manager raise one eyebrow: Okay, I'll check him out.

The Manager turns her heels and exited the department. While all of your workmate come close to you and checks the papers why you blurt out.

N1 gasps: OMG! That's him! That's his name!!

N1 shrieks again. N1 takes the papers from your hand and scans the pages: Gosh, look at the amount oh!

They all agreed. N1: Sis, if this ever become my husband, ay nako, I'll give him BJ everyday!

Your face crumples and chuckles: That's not how relationship work. I shake my head.

N3: Ay correct!

N1: Hmp! here, input it already so that my hubby get what he deserve!

You laugh and they all go back to their computers and start working again. You face again the monitor but before you enter it to the system. Your thought invaded you, Why he receive such a hefty amount of signing bonus?

You try to ignored it but eventually give up. You flip the pages and found an application form and resume. You read through it. Name: Marco Newgate Age: 45 Field: Internal Medicine Department: Healthcare

After that, you see a list of accomplishment and achievements, recognition and awards, not just from your local but international.

You nod and agree, he deserves it.

You flip again the papers to the front page. You look at the monitor but somethings bugging you. Your eyes subconsciously glance at the paper, tempting you to take it. Your left hand on the mouse started fighting whether to stay or to follow the temptation. Then, your head starts to ponder: what does he look like?

You freeze at a minute, wait, why am I starting to get curious about this Dr.? You chuckle and dismiss the idea. Minutes pass, you still can’t be over with the page you’ve been since an hour ago or so. You lean back and rub your face. Closing your eyes for a minute. When your thoughts calm down and you felt like you’re ready to do your tasks. Upon opening your eyes, a small picture (2x2) is the first thing you see. Without hesitation, you grab it and check the photo.

Flipping, you see the picture of the infamous doctor. Blonde hair in the middle like a pineapple. You also notice his half-lidded, gorgeous blue eyes with a genuine smile. You can’t help but to stare at his photo until you lost in trance.

N3: Why are smiling?

And that snaps you out. You blink many times and trying to recall what N3’s question. N3, being curious, look over at the paper you’re holding which you immediately flip over. You feel your cheeks heat. N3 clicks tongue, “it seems he caught your attention…somehow…” smiles at you teasingly.

You reply, covering your sin, “yeah, who wouldn’t when you have a huge signing bonus…” you said in a flat voice.

N3 just shrugs and continues to work.

You slap your cheeks and shake the thing off. You let your work drift you but one thing remains…

His blue eyes haunts you…

[powerpayback]

local ace looks for personal space, does not succeed

a/n: i wanted to write a lil smth for pride month and while this is technically non-canon... enjoy

For the years Magni and Sprout had been living in Bright City, they had settled on an arrangement. Magni, notorious hater of events with loud crowds and an abundant of technochatter, would go to Bright City Pride in October if he got to drag Sprout along to milder Pride events in June. Sprout, notorious extrovert, agreed. 

Bright City didn’t really do mild, but Magni kept his finger on the pulse. So when a bookstore not too far from them announced a queer book club night, he made Sprout go with him. 

The adorably named Night Light Books wasn’t quite bustling, but enough people filled the coffee shop that led towards the store. The buzz of people and technochatter seemed louder in the small space. 

“You want something to drink?” Sprout asked, glancing up at the menu. 

“Yeah, I’ll get a coffee or something,” Magni told her.

She turned to him, arms crossed. “It’s nearly seven.”

“And? Better than Red Bull.”

Sprout tilted her chin up. “I don’t drink it four hours before I go to bed.”

“Well, then don’t order Red Bull.” He looked past the people, deeper into the store. “I’m gonna go look around.”

She gave him a gloved thumbs up before he slipped away. The shelves were not as crowded. The wide aisle that separated the store was lined with street lamps that lit the large store. Between them, tables with displays of queer books were set up, where most customers had flocked to.

He was looking for a new queer romance to add to his shelves, but he saw something else. At first, he didn’t recognize Haley outside the bright yellow shirt of her Sunny’s uniform, dark blonde curls obscuring her freckled face. 

“Are you sure it’s not in the sci-fi section?” he heard her ask. 

It wasn’t an easy feat, with her staying quiet and his earplugs in as usual. But as she bickered with the man beside her, Magni recognized her voice. 

He wasn’t quite as nosy as Sprout was, but he still made his way over to the table. His best friend’s massive crush on Haley was hard to ignore and if she was on a date with this dude, he wanted to find out first. He went over to the other side and attempted to be conspicuous. 

Haley’s friend was a Black guy who only had a few inches on her short stature, hands tucked into the pocket of his hoodie. A black cloth mask covered most of his face, but Magni saw a glint of metal poking out on his cheek. Maybe a Talent, he figured, but that didn’t tell him much. With the mask pulled over his face, he couldn’t make out his reply, even quieter with the cloth concealing his mouth.

He must not have been as conspicuous as he thought, because Haley turned his way. “Oh, Magni! Hey.”

“Hi,” he said, fingers brushing against one of the books. “Small world, huh.”

“Yeah.” She grinned. One of the nearby streetlights that adorned the store glowed more in her presence. “We were just looking around. You know, always great to support queer authors.”

“Totally,” Magni said with a nod. “I usually prefer romance, but this-” He squinted to make out the title in front of him- “uh, history of Bright City’s gay scene and Talents seems pretty interesting.” It actually did, so it technically wasn’t a lie. Even if it was just a bit of a bluff. He picked it up. Hell, maybe it could be a bedtime read. “You looking for anything in particular?”

“Mm, kinda,” Haley said. “We were-” She turned to look at her friend, but he’d made a swift escape before he even learned his name. “Well, he must be looking for it. Just some author we know.” 

Magni glanced off into the distance. “Damn. Talk about a vanishing act.”

She shrugged, before looking back at him. “Nice shirt, by the way.” 

He looked down at the shirt he was wearing. It read, This Ace Needs Their Space. “Thanks. I thought it was fitting.”

“So, you’re looking for romance?” Haley asked. “I thought you read broody murder mysteries or serial killer biographies.” 

“My whole life is mystery, so reading about murder gets depressing,” Magni said. He decided not to mention that they didn’t really get murder cases anyways. 

“Okay, I’d also choose not to read about murder that much if that was my whole life,” she muttered. 

“Sometimes, a guy just has to curl up with a romance and get lost in Regency-era yearning.” He clutched the history book to his chest. “What’s your poison of choice?” 

Before Haley could reply, Sprout strode up to him, oblivious to her presence as she handed him a coffee. “Don’t bitch at me, but this is decaf.”

Magni scrunched his nose, but he took it. Coffee was coffee. “Fine.”

“Sprout. Hey. I didn’t know you were here,” Haley said. 

Sprout clasped her cup with both hands, clearly trying not to spill all over an entire book display as she turned to face her. “Oh, angel! I didn’t recognize you without the- neon yellow.”

The light hummed brighter than before behind Haley. “Yeah, well, I gotta have a life outside waiting tables,” she joked. 

Magni decided to take a cue from Haley’s friend and patted Sprout’s shoulder with the book he’d grabbed before he wandered deeper into the store. He’d been to Night Light Books enough to know that the back section of the books could be a weaving maze. Most of the action was near the front, but here, he could get a little peace and quiet. 

Bookstores weren’t really a safe haven free from technochatter. Wherever there were people, the noise from their phone followed. With one or two people, it was barely noticeable. But the more people there were, the more overwhelming it could get. He called it technochatter because that’s all it sounded like sometimes - constant chatter. Back here, the chatter was a safe distance away. 

There were no displays back in the tighter space. He’d missed the queer romance table, but frankly, he’d leave that to Sprout for the night. Besides, as he headed towards their regular romance section, they didn’t exactly slack off for the other eleven months of the year. 

Tucking the book in his hand under his arm, he scanned the titles they did have. He didn’t keep up with what books were popular, mostly because he was a ghost on everything but Facebook to keep up with his aunts. However, he spotted a book he’d heard good things about, something about widowed countesses and astronomers. 

He eased it out and wished he had somewhere to put his coffee down, turning it over to read the back. It would have been more successful if he’d put his reading glasses on first. Magni tried to add to his other book under his arm to pluck them out from his jacket, but that one clattered to the ground instead. 

“Motherfucker,” he muttered. He bent down to pick it up. 

As he did though, someone else pulled the book out of his reach. “You dropped this,” a man’s voice said.  

He stood up, ready to make a smart remark, but the guy in front of him was… well, he was hot. His baby blue button-down strained around his muscles, blonde hair swept out of his face. He held the book out to him. 

“Thanks,” Magni said, taking it back. 

“You know the action’s over there, right?” he asked, pointing a thumb towards the rest of the store. 

“Yeah. I don’t like action,” he said. He balanced his books on the edge of the shelf to take out his glasses.

“I can see the appeal of peace and quiet.” The blond held out a hand. “I’m Lloyd.”

“Magni.” He set his glasses down to give his hand a firm shake. One of the weirder skills he’d picked up as a detective was reading people through a handshake. His hand was soft, but his grip was strong. 

"Oh, Magni. Very... Scandinavian." He wasn't quite sure to take it as a compliment or not. Before he could decide on how to take it, Lloyd asked, “So, you like local history?” 

“It sounded interesting,” Magni told him. He slipped his glasses on, making sure none of his thin dreads slipped underneath the frame. “Talent history is so rich, but if you don’t have a parent who’s actually a Talent, you can underestimate its importance. Especially when it comes to the queer community, it can be even harder to learn about our past.”

Lloyd nodded. “I mean, I’m not a Talent. I wouldn’t really know. Seeing how those two intersect, though, that’s interesting.”

Magni turned to pick up the book he’d been looking at to actually be able to read the summary, but he heard Lloyd chuckle. “What?”

“Don’t tell me you actually read that stuff.” 

“I just love a happy ending. Sue me.”  

“They’re not real literature, you know,” Lloyd said. 

Magni often wished for a Talent other than technopathy. Right now, he wished that he had something useful, like enchantment, to get this guy to shut up. 

But he continued to prattle on. “It just lacks depth. I mean, I think you of all people would know that.”

“What does that mean?”

Lloyd gestured to Magni’s shirt. “Romance is just softcore erotica for bored housewives. And I thought you’d be bored by that.”

He did often skip the sex scenes, but he still took offense to that. Before he could reply, he felt someone lay a hand on his shoulder. “There you are! I’ve been looking for you!”

It wasn’t Sprout’s voice, so he glanced back looking confused. It was Haley’s friend, a couple books in hand. However, Magni knew an out when he saw one, and took his books. “Great conversation, Lloyd.” 

The masked man guided deeper into the store and out of sight. “Sorry, he just sounded like a dick.” 

Magni chuckled. “Yeah. A little.”

He glanced past him, probably trying to gauge if Lloyd was gone. “I know about dealing with dicks.” He turned back, dark brown eyes wide. “That sounded bad. Dealing with shitty people.”

“He thought he read my shirt, but clearly he missed the needs their space part,” he joked. 

“Seriously.” Though Magni couldn’t see his smile, his eyes crinkled at the corners. “I should probably go find Haley.”

“Yeah, she was flirting with my friend, so you can hide out a little more.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Alright. Good for her.”

Magni looked back to see if Lloyd had sulked off, before he gave Haley’s friend a smile and slipped away. He didn’t really feel like looking at romance anymore - he’d already grabbed a couple of books and his shelf was stuffed to the brim. Yet, he lingered near them until he saw Sprout round the corner. 

“How’d things go with Haley?” he asked. 

Sprout took a sip of her lavender colored drink. “It went fine.” 

“Did you get her number, finally, when she wasn’t on the job?”

Her shoulders slumped. “No,” she whined. 

Magni came up to her and bumped his shoulder with hers. “You’ll get ‘em next time.”

“What next time? How often do I run into her outside of Sunny’s?”

“That means you just have to come book shopping with me more often,” he told her, cheeky grin on his face. “They do have a great gardening book collection.”

“Fine,” Sprout said. “But for now, I’m feeling pretty book-ed out.”

“Did you even look at any books?”

“I looked at a few. We wandered to the queer sci-fi/fantasy table. Which, I never understood why they group them together,” she informed him. 

He shrugged. “They’re both speculative fiction.”

Sprout snorted into her drink. “Okay, nerd.”

“Don’t call me a nerd, nerd,” he retorted back. “Did you get the name of Haley’s friend?”

“No. I didn’t even see him,” she answered. “Why?”

“Nothing.” Magni finished off his coffee. “Let’s get out of here so I can actually start reading these.”

This night was mild by Bright City standards, but he’d had enough people for one night. 

[diamondsandlemons]

Hi sorry for being the least normal person on the planet about this but I saw you rbing some The Locked Tomb stuff and it's only been like a week or two since I got extremely into the series and it's nice to see someone I follow also show interest in it around the same-ish time as me! Can I ask abt your take on the books so far n fav character/s?

well I've only read the first book (I'm definitely interested in continuing with the series but I probably won't get to it for a while, esp. since I wanna get back into playing Ace Attorney games, as playing a visual novel kinda takes up the same time slot in my day as reading a novel, yk?) so there's def stuff I don't know abt yet.

but anyway yeah! I did really enjoy it. I appreciate the comedy in it, which I wasn't really expecting since like the cover art is so grim and it opens with some really dense politics stuff and a bunch of long names (that I just know should be pronounced with a british accent but I can't really make my head voice do that) and like the actual plot is very serious with deaths and stuff but nonetheless This Book Has Jokes

and its best when they're the dumbest, simplest jokes you could think of and Gideon says them out loud because thats the kind character she is. love her

Palamedes is great too because he entertains Gideon's antics while also being the one most focused on solving the mystery castle puzzles. (this girl who's been here for like a month and has never spoken a word to anyone is talking to me now? and she's rude? thats fine I'll just roll with it). he's also like the most normal dude in the whole cast. you feel comfortable when he's around

(btw what the hell was up with the thing he discovered about the rooms in Canaan House being from different time periods? like the different rooms are literally different ages? I don't think that was ever explained or brought up again???)

Also, for "lesbian fiction" being basically the one thing everyone says about this series, I was kinda surprised at the lack of a romantic plot in this one? I mean maybe there will be more of that in the other books idk, but like. ok so from the beginning it's very clear that Gideon and Harrow are gonna be the main pair here. and I was a little skeptical they were gonna be able to sell me on that because of where their relationship started, but nahhh I had nothing to worry about. they were meant for each other and enemies to lovers works great it turns out. but like. their relationship definitely improves a lot over the course of the story, but most of the time they don't talk to each other about anything but their jobs. its all bones and skeletons and locked doors with them.

don't get me wrong it has strong gay vibes all the way through (and Gideon is constantly commenting on how hot other women are, which is great) but at no point are Harrow and Gideon actually like. dating. closest they got was when I think it was implied they fucked once, after the pool scene. which like, good for them, I'm glad they got the opportunity to do that before, ah, y'know.

speaking of which I have NO clue what'll happen next based on how it ended. and the brief glimpse of the emperor at the very end was not at all what I expected, so that's curious as well...

OH yeah and speaking of the empire. uh at least the copy of the book that I have has a bunch of bonus material at the end, like in-universe essays and reports (and a pronunciation guide where I frustratingly learned I'd been reading half the characters' names wrong). and ONLY in that bonus material was it ever acknowledged that other inhabited planets exist outside of the empire. like for the whole book it kinda seems like there are nine planets that comprise the empire, and that's it. no humans anywhere else in the universe. no life outside the empire.

sure, the Cohort supposedly fights "enemies of the empire" but that's all that's ever said about that. could be like evil skeletons or some other kind of space monster for all we know. but no there ARE other civilizations, which I guess might be at war with the necromancers? it's cool to know that, that this story's universe is bigger than we've seen, and if I had to guess I'd say bigger than we probably ever will see, since there's still so many ghost/death mysteries and House history stuff our beloved necros have yet to solve.

ok thats probably everything I have to say about Gideon the Ninth for now. thanks for giving me an opportunity to put it all into words, lol

[themculibrary]

Coming Out Fics (2) Masterlist

part one, part three

American values (ao3) - orphan_account steve/sam T, 6k

Summary: Sam likes Steve. Steve likes Sam. But Captain America's never dated a guy before.

As You Are (ao3) - Eligh clint/phil E, 10k

Summary: When Phil accidentally comes out to Clint after a trying couple days, Clint takes this as his opportunity to finally make a move.

Almost entirely fluff.

cap’s quintet (ao3) - King_Hydroflax sam/bucky, maria/natasha G, 3k

Summary: sam and his team are all gay. they come out.

Curiosity (fanfiction.net) - serenelystrange steve/tony T, 2k

Summary: In which Clint's curiosity gets the better of him, Bruce and Tony are Science!Bros, and Steve may or may not be having a Big Gay Crisis. Written because even though I love me some science!boyfriends, I have love for Tony/Steve, too. Clint/Natasha in their way , Tony/Steve, Bruce, Thor, Fury, Coulson. Clint POV.

Fame (ao3) - Axinite25 yelena/kate G, 2k

Summary: Kate is recognised as an Avenger, with that comes a lot of online press. Luckily, Yelena is there for the difficult moments.

Kate/Yelena, coming out, the internet is weird

Hidden Aces (ao3) - oper_1895 steve/sam T, 1k

Summary: Sam’s not entirely sure what he and Steve have got going on, which means it’s time for an actual conversation. First though, Sam needs to put his own cards on the table. But it turns out Steve has an unexpected ace up his sleeve.

how to come out to the public (ao3) - cynthiagay sam/bucky T, 1k

Summary: sam and bucky have an interview.

many the miles (ao3) - CapnWinghead steve/sam T, 4k

Summary: After months of radio silence, Sarah Wilson travels to Brooklyn to track down her brother. When she arrives, she finds Sam living with a tall blond guy that seems to know more about him than she does at the moment.

(Not) Just between us (ao3) - orphan_account sam/bucky E, 15k

Summary: He survived battles, countless times now, but the last one felt different so he took his phone let his heart bleed a little.

He hadn't expected someone else to catch that on camera.

our secret (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor sam/bucky G, 752

Summary: Sam and Bucky finally get together, but Sam knows he needs to get his shit together before he and Bucky can start telling people about their newfound relationship.

pepper potts does not get paid enough (ao3) - haveufoundwhaturlookingfor sam/bucky G, 2k

Summary: Pepper is not happy when Sam posts a photo of him and Bucky together on Instagram.

Pride (ao3) - charlieflor sam/bucky T, 919

Summary: "It's okay," Sam says when they break the kiss, leaning with their foreheads together. "I'm here."

Private Stuff (ao3) - alba17 maria/natasha T, 1k

Summary: Natasha won't let Clint in her bathroom. He's determined to find out why.

Put it in all of the papers, I'm not afraid they can read all about it (ao3) - EarthsSassiestHeroes clint/steve N/R, 1k

Summary: A follow up to "You've got the words to change a nation but you're biting your tongue" Steve and Clint go on Oprah's Next Chapter to discuss Steve's coming out.

roots (ao3) - sweetwatersong G, 1k

Summary: The family tree in the Barton household isn't so much a metaphor as an actual orchard out back. As long as Lila can remember it has been inextricably entwined with autumn and apples, and all those she loves.

The Guide to Being a Displaced 106 Year Old Who Is Coming to Terms With His Sexuality (ao3) - ChaoticAce2005 sam/bucky T, 5k

Summary: “So, people like- it’s normal to like both?”

Because despite Bucky’s head being like scrambled eggs, he remembers love. He remembers attraction. To that one baseball player. To a cashier at a mart, he went to. To the king of Wakanda who, holy fuck had no right looking that good.

And he thought maybe Hydra had screwed him up. Maybe they screwed around with his memories. But even now there were men who would cause Bucky to pause.

Men like Sam.

But he thought Hydra had just broken that part of him. Because he liked girls too and there was no way- Maybe he was just making it up- It couldn’t be real-

“Yeah,” Sarah responded, “Bisexual for one, that’s when you like two or more genders. There are more broad terms like pansexual or polysexual as well, those mean liking all genders or liking many genders.”

Wait- what?

“Aren’t there only two genders?”

Sarah just shook her head, “Gender is more a binary now, think a straight line and at one end is male and the other is female, there is all that space in the middle that some people are in. Some people don’t even identify as a gender.”

What- okay, that was going to give him a headache.

The Interview (ao3) - mybuckystar clint/pietro T, 2k

Summary: Clint grudgingly agrees to do an interview on a morning talk show. Needless to say, it doesn't go as planned.

Your Listed Heart (ao3) - Willowe T, 18k

Summary: Bobbi Morse breaks up with Clint Barton almost exactly six months after their first date, and everything goes to pieces.

Romance, relationships, identities- he doesn't want to think about any of that. But one drunken night, and one drunken mistake, later and Clint finds himself having to confront something much worse: the person at the heart of it all.

One Natasha Romanov.