#monsters like me do this to people. It's what I do and have been doing

[gallusrostromegalus]

I noticed when reading through all your worldbuilding stuff a bit ago that you changed from having isshin remember some stuff to not remembering shit and while i am absolutely not complaining, im curious why I out changed it? Like, cool either way, I'm just interested in the process ^^

I did and did not change it?

Amnesia is almost never a total void- it's more common for people to have SOME memories, but a total lack of context- the memories play out like a movie scene, but the person has no idea who the people in it are, or why they're doing that.

So Isshin has... some memories, but no context for them. He remembers a family member named Kaien- was that his cousin? A young uncle? A neighbor? He's not sure. He remembers a scary old man and some kid and the world's most annoying woman (affectionate), but he doesn't know who they are or how he knows them.

He also has memories of monsters, and the lore about how to avoid and destroy them- was it something Masaki told him, when they were both recovering in the hospital after his accident? Or something older? He doesn't remember.

Ichigo's taxidermy cat starts talking and walkign around and says his name is "Kon" and he's something called a "Mod Soul". Isshin thought that was a subgenre of music, but something about Kon's story follows a pattern of... something. Who knows what.

There's something familiar about the girl Ichigo brings home one night- his classmate, Rukia, who he found sleeping rough, can she stay here? Of course she can! Isshin has a good feeling about her, but heaven knows why.

Ichigo is going through something that he's weirdly reluctant to talk about- all boys get weird during puberty, but locking himself in his room or hanging out on the roof for hours on end, talking to himself? Odd, even for Ichigo. Especially when Isshin tries to eavesdrop on the conversation and it sounds like Ichigo is talking to an unseen friend- this "Zangetsu" guy. Why does that name sound familar? Why does Isshin even try to remember anymore?

Something is wrong. Something is terribly catastrophically wrong. Kon has been Piloting Ichigo's body for DAYS and won't say where his son's spirit has gone. He was doing the dishes and then suddenly... woke up on the kitchen floor. Karin and Yuzu are sluggish, all feeling like they'd been drugged. There's people asleep in the street. There's a terrible, heavy feeling in the air, like an impending hurricaine, despite the clear blue sky. Isshin is running to the hospital- if everyone's been knocked out, there's nobody watching the ICU, or what if someone was doing surgery when this happened-?

There's a man in the road.

"Shiba? Is that you? Is Destiny serving everything to me today?" he calls out, laughing. He's handsome, with a smooth voice and disarming smile. In the surroundings, it makes Isshin's skin crawl.

"...Don't you remember me, Captain Shiba?" the man asks, sounding vaguely disappointed.

Isshin absolutely does not. But he knows, deep in his bones, that this is a wicked, evil man. And that he doesn't have a chance against him, save for one thing- a ripple, less than half a sense of something, but a man knows his son in any shape, coming up behind the man at speed, he just needs an opening.

"OH HEY!" Isshin says, like catching sigh of a co-worker in the grocery store and shouting the first name that comes to mind because somehow he knows this will make the wicked man apoplectic with rage and blind to Ichigo's rapid approach. "URAHARA! KISUKE URAHARA I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU FOR AGES!"

[nightingale-prompts]

(Ooo, I love it. You did great. Harvey is complex and I'm still learning too.)

Living a double life isn't easy. Sure, he isn't running around doing petty bank robberies these days despite what his Associate wants. Harvey has been keeping up a good image with a few backroom deals. No better than any other lawyer in Gotham. He placates his other half with plans to kill Batman as it is still his nature to destroy order as he is chaos.

But one thing he knew that would improve his reputation is to take a page out of Bruce's book. Take in a ward. The bonus was that the teen is just like him. A matching set. A two of a kind. A perfect match.

Just like he liked it.

His new ward was guarded but he was offered a fair trade. He helps Harvey with what he needs the boy for and the boy gets room and board.

"You're not some rich fruitloop, are you?

He beared his sharp canines at Harvey be fore his face softened.

"We don't like being around rich people."

Harvey laughed.

"Me neither but their money is good. I'd say wealthy, but not rich. Enough that you will end up in private school whether you want it or not."

"He sure complains a lot." The voice of his Associate rang out internally.

After a few weeks of waiting and paperwork the (not actually) orphaned Danny was now Danny Dent or Double D as Harvey called him. Danny hated the nickname and the amusement it gave his adopted father.

Danny wasn't even surprised when Harvey was revealed to be a bad guy. It wasn't the first time a crazy rich guy wanted to adopt him. At least Harvey didn't want to kill his dad and date his mom. Harvey wasn't obsessed with him either and preferred to leave him to his own devices while he worked.

At least Danny wasn't nearly important enough to be on TV like the Wayne brats.

Harvey even gave Danny his own set of goons to order around when he took off that prosthetic and let his Two-Face persona out. Danny felt almost jealous how liberating it must have been.

Call it misguided but Danny helps Two-Face when he decides to hold up the Gotham art auction. It was money laundering anyways and Two-Face promised Danny a hefty allowance. But Batman had to show up and stop them. Sure, it was robbery but it's the rich, they don't count. They steal all the time and they aren't killing anyone.

It ended up being a face-off with Robin who was definitely surprised to see him.

"Who are you?" He questioned between blows.

"Call us Twofold." They said.

Twofold as in twice as great. A sort of jab at Two-Face but even that monster couldn't help but laugh when he heard it.

"Twice as great? You're just in two. You have to prove to me you deserve that name but I'll allow it. For now."

The heist went well and Penguin now had a nice collection of art to fence for them. The Dents get the money and none of the risk of holding the art. Harvey wasn't willing to stain his reputation with Two-Faces actions and warned Twofold to do the same.

"Be nice. Keep your other half quiet today. We are meeting with the Waynes today."

"Those brats?"

"Yes, Bruce has been my friend for many years and we will keep it that way. These may come a time we're you will find the Wayne children helpful to your career."

"And kiss their ass?!"

"Don't argue with us!"

"Sorry, mister Dent. We'll nice. Promise."

"I know YOU will but keep the other under raps, even if they make you mad."

"Fine, but if they call me Double D I'm punching them."

"Don't say that. We need to be nice. Just tell them to stop."

"But it's more fun to hit them."

Harvey ruffled Danny's hair. He guessed he could understand Bruce at least a little. A kid was at least entertaining.

After Image AU- DCxDP prompt

"Do you hate me?" He asked rolling to face Danny.

"No." Danny said simply "Go to sleep."

They had found shelter for the night, it was only temporary though. It was an old abandoned church next to a cemetery.

"But it's all my fault."

"Hush. Hating you would be the same as hating myself."

"They could have separated us."

"That would have killed us both. I may not like sharing a body but we are meant to stay together."

Danny knew they were wrong. That's what happens when your conciseness was split in two. One remained alive the other dead. They had the same memories and emotions but they were so different. The other's logic just diverged when it came to ghosts vs mortals. More then that neither knew who was the original. If there even was an original. Maybe the Danny from before no longer existed and the split made them imprints of what was no longer there.

Now they were Danny. They both had to believe they were the original. Because if they weren't...what were they.

But after everything that happened at least they weren't alone.

"We ruined everything"

"We survived."

"I miss them."

"I'll protect us."

That's all that matters anymore. Survive.

They weren't heros or villains. They were just victims of a situation they couldn't change. They had to figure something out soon though. Gotham was their best bet so far. If there was anywhere where they could live normally it was here. They disagreed about how to do it though.

"Being a goon for a bit might get us enough money."

"And what? We won't be able to get out and who's going to hire a 16 year old?"

"Plenty I bet. What is your plan then?"

"Maybe join the league. We have powers and-"

"And what? Study us? Separate us?!"

"You don't know."

"You don't either."

So who could they go to? They looked like they were nothing more than a homeless mentally ill teenager. Talking to himself wasn't helping his case. At this rate they'll end up at Arkham.

[sgt-seabass]

I KNOW THE END ⋆ sylus x female reader

During a date at the museum, you and Sylus' growing affection intertwines with the portrayal of an ancient battle on a mural, uncovering feelings deeper than you could ever understand. But for Sylus, he knows the end of the story. w/c: 1.2k warnings: angst, feelings, no use of y/n, abstract references to sylus' myth notes: inspired by whatever the fuck was sylus’ tour memo chapter 4 cause that shit hurt beta: @vesearlee

It had been strangely pleasant to spend time with Sylus on his vacation. The atmosphere was domestic and natural, as if your being together was exactly what the world intended.

And even though you were at the event as Mr Sylus’ friend, it was clear to anyone that looked close enough that there was more at play than friendship —fleeting touches, soft contemplations, and the way he would stare at your lips any time he got far too close for a friend. 

It was nice to be out in public with him, to not have to hide in the shadows of the N109 zone.

The night was a flurry of activity, from the excitement of the donations, presentations, and various people coming to speak to Sylus; it wasn’t until you went for a private, late-night walk around the museum that you finally had some time alone with him.

There were many exhibits, each of which you only spared a glance at. Sylus seemed uninterested in the displays, until he stopped in front of an aged, cracked stone mural.

The mural, while only a fragment of the full picture, was a striking depiction of a female warrior with a sword in both her hands, the blade piercing the chest of a beast with horns and wings. 

You leaned in a little closer, feeling Sylus’ eyes watching you as you squatted down to examine the etched stone. Something about it made you feel a hollow pit in your stomach.  Even though it had been restored and the years had done its fair share of wear and tear, you could feel the anguish in the unfinished picture, sense the hesitation in the warrior as she made her final blow to the monster. 

Although for a fiendish monster, he looked remarkably like a man. Even with the features of a fearsome creature, he seemed… small, almost defeated in that moment. As if she held the fate of the world in her hands, and he was nothing but a victim of it.

Was she brave for slaying him? Or was he brave for facing death's door?

Your eyeline followed the intricate etchings of the mural, and as you focused on where the sword pierced the beasts chest, your own hands felt warm, as if you were burdened with his blood on your hands.

Slightly shaken, you stood back up, and Sylus placed his hands on your hips and his chin on your shoulder from behind. “What do you think? You seem entranced,” he asked.

“It’s… Poignant. It seems a bit melancholic; don’t you think?” You asked, relaxing in his hold, the smell of his cologne invading your senses.

Sylus hummed, the sound vibrating into your shoulder. “Hm. I think it’s rather beautiful. But it’s just a warrior slaying a monster, why do you find it sad?”

You considered the mural, letting your head lean against his, your heart thumping in the comfort of his embrace. “The monster doesn’t seem so monstrous to me. He’s not fighting back. If anything, it looks like he’s… he is actually helping her kill him — like she couldn’t deliver the final blow.”

Sylus let out a mirthless chuckle. “You really see so much in just an old fragment of stone?”

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it. It just… feels that way,” you said gloomily, unsure as to why you felt so connected to the ancient piece of art.

“Well,” Sylus hummed. “I can’t have you sad on a night like tonight. Come.” He extended his hand from your waist.

You took his offered hand, and he twirled you around to face him, your eyes meeting. The garnet of his eyes shone in the low light as you gazed upon him.

He truly was beautiful.

“Would you honour me with a dance, miss?” Sylus inquired softly, a gentle smile gracing his lips while warmth bloomed in his crinkling eyes.

“Of course, Mr. Sylus,” you quipped, a playful lilt in your voice as you allowed him to take the lead.

The soft strains of music floated through the elegant gallery of the museum, and Sylus enveloped you in a dance. Each step felt like a silent conversation, your bodies gliding across the polished floor with an effortless grace that spoke of your love. You made a mental note to dance with Sylus more when you both returned back home, each movement more freeing than the last.

Your gown swirled in a cascade of fabric, flowing elegantly with each spin, while Sylus moved with an elegant poise, his strong yet delicate hands guiding you like a master painter bringing life to a canvas. During those moments in his hold, your feet skimmed across the floor, light as a feather, while you twirled and lost yourself in the music. 

A radiant smile adorned your face, and you surrendered to the experience, closing your eyes for a moment as you spun under his careful guidance.

Yet, amidst the enchanting waltz, you couldn’t help but notice Sylus’ fleeting glances towards the mural adorning the wall, alternating between the artwork and your face. It was subtle, but you knew him well enough to notice it. “What is it?” You asked gently, still moving in tandem with him.

He seemed to consider his answer, a thoughtful look crossing his features. “They call me a monster, you know. So I suppose I see some of myself in the beast.”

You shook your head, the idea utterly absurd to you. “You’re no monster, Sylus. Misunderstood, maybe. But you are not a bad person.”

“I’ve done bad things,” he countered quickly, his brow arching as he twirled you around, a flicker of tension made his face grow taut. 

“Good people do bad things,” you replied firmly, your hands gently cupping his cheeks when he came to a stop, placing a chaste kiss to his lips. “I know you, and I know you’re a good person.”

A shadow passed over Sylus’ face, and his smile fell just shy of his eyes; it was clear he didn’t believe it. “Mm, it is your judgement I care about most. I shall have to take your word for it, kitten.”

Your lover pulled you back into the dance, this time his eyes fixed on you, as if he were trying to imprint every detail of the moment into his memory. “When we get home, will you play that song for me again, the one you know on the organ?” Sylus asked hopefully.

“Of course, it is your favourite.”

Without warning, Sylus pulled you into a deep kiss, and the world around you blurred as your hands instinctively found their place in his. A wave of passion coursed through you, sending your mind spiralling into bliss. Your evols instinctively resonated, your hands illuminating your grasp.

You didn’t leave his side for the rest of the evening, not for a moment. Sylus practically clung to you.He had a tendency to become like this sometimes—wrapped in a quiet anxiety—as though he anticipated the world would collapse around him.

 As if he would wake up tomorrow and you’d no longer exist.

As if he believed you were meant to be the brave warrior depicted in the mural. 

As if he expected you to sacrifice him—the monster—for the promise of a new world.

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[cece693]

could you do a percy jackson x child of dionysus reader? either fem or gn?

The Vine and The Sea

pairing: percy jackson x gender neutral reader tags: child of dionysus, your the comedic relief in most situations, percy sees beyond that though, simple concept but really cute

The first time Percy Jackson noticed you, it wasn’t because you were causing chaos—though, as a child of Dionysus, that was often your specialty. It was because you were sitting on the steps of the Big House, twirling a grapevine lazily around your finger while everyone else was busy preparing for the next game of Capture the Flag.

Percy, never one to shy away from meeting new people, approached you with that signature crooked smile. “Not into bloodshed?” he teased, nodding toward the distant sounds of swords clashing in the training arena.

You looked up at him, your expression unreadable. “Oh, I’m all for a little drama,” you replied, a mischievous glint in your eye. “I just prefer mine with less bruising and more theatrics.”

Percy chuckled, plopping down beside you. “I’m Percy. You new here?”

“Y/N,” you introduced yourself. “Yeah, just got here. They weren’t too thrilled when I turned the strawberry fields into a wine vineyard, though.”

Percy blinked, unsure if you were joking. “Uh, yeah, Mr. D probably didn’t like that.”

You smirked. “Surprisingly, he didn’t mind. I think he respects the creativity. The strawberries are fine, by the way. I’m not a monster.”

Percy found himself laughing again, drawn to your sharp wit and the way you seemed to carry yourself like the world was one big stage. Over the next few days, he noticed you more and more. You had a knack for turning even the most mundane moments into something theatrical, your Dionysian flair manifesting in spontaneous bursts of laughter, color, and music.

But what really caught Percy’s attention was your ability to calm even the tensest situations. One afternoon, when Clarisse was on the verge of throttling a camper over a sparring match, you stepped in with a simple snap of your fingers. Suddenly, the air filled with the intoxicating scent of wine, and the vines creeping along the fence began to blossom. The tension dissolved into laughter as Clarisse and the camper found themselves wrapped in vines, unable to move without giggling.

“You’ve got a gift,” Percy told you later, as you both sat by the campfire.

“More like a curse,” you replied, your tone softening. “People expect me to be the life of the party, the one who fixes everything with a little magic. But it’s not always that easy.”

Percy frowned, his sea-green eyes meeting yours. “You don’t have to be what everyone expects. Trust me, I get it. Being the son of Poseidon isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, either.”

You smiled at him, a genuine warmth breaking through your usual mask of sarcasm. “Thanks, Percy. I guess we’re both trying to figure it out, huh?”

Over time, your bond with Percy deepened. He admired the way you could make him laugh, even on the darkest days, and you appreciated the way he saw through your Dionysian theatrics to the person underneath. You joined him on quests, your powers proving invaluable when diplomacy was needed more than brute force—or when monsters needed to be distracted by a particularly theatrical illusion of a Bacchanalia.

One night, as you sat together by the shoreline, the moonlight dancing on the waves, Percy turned to you, his expression unusually serious. “You know,” he said, “for someone who says they hate being the center of attention, you’ve definitely become the center of mine.”

You raised an eyebrow, your heart skipping a beat. “Is that your way of saying you like me, Seaweed Brain?”

He blushed, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess it is.”

You leaned closer, the scent of salt and sea mixing with the faint aroma of grapes that always seemed to cling to you. “Good,” you whispered. “Because I like you too.”

The kiss you shared was soft and fleeting, but it was enough to cement what had been growing between you for weeks. Together, you were a force to be reckoned with—the sea and the vine, chaos and calm, perfectly intertwined.

[phoebepheebsphibs]

OOH THIS IS INTERESTING…

My first (and current) fav superhero is Spider-Man. I loved how genuinely real he felt, how he was the only superhero (that I knew of) who would crack jokes mid battle. While most superheroes were portrayed as depressed or dark or overly serious or filthy rich, he was a broke high school kid and that was relatable (despite the fact that I discovered him when I was like 4 years old).

My fav turtle depends on the iteration. I’ve only really seen Rise and those two live action films from like 2014, though I’ve seen some of the 2012 series. Across the board, Donnie’s always been my fave — not just because of purple, but he was the only one who was actually concerned with the plot and he wasn’t completely incompetent lol. But Rise Mikey stole my heart instantly, which was a shock since usually he was my least favourite. Rise Donnie is my second fav tho.

Mm. Relax. What’s that?? (Not exactly joking, but I guess writing stories would be my relaxer. Or watching Agatha Christie murder mysteries like Poirot or Marple!)

I. Love. Platypuses.

Reading’s always been tough for me (undiagnosed ADHD), but my fav book series is definitely PJO. Currently my mom and I are watching Marple together each night!

I am an introvert. People exhaust me.

Fav thing in my room… apart from my bed and laptop…? Maybe my art board, or — oh, oh! I know! I have a giant post-it that has notes from old college friends and coworkers.

Uh…. I’ve never had cider and I’m not a fan of hot chocolate. I’ve been told I make the best coco, tho! Which is weird, considering I won’t drink it…

Fav dog breed would be my dog, Coulson. He’s a mixed breed, but we think he’s tiger-pitbull boxer mix with some beagle in him.

I do not know my zodiac, and I do not care. No offense to anyone, but astrology is not my thing.

And NOW FOR YOU UNFORTUNATE SOULS —

Name a core memory? (My first trip to Disney World and watching the fireworks on my father’s shoulders. 🥹)

Sweet or sour pickles? (Sour. Sweet pickles should not exist.)

What colour would you assign your soul? (I think like… purple or even a tealish blue for me.)

Dream job? (Animator/content creator.)

What’s a word you can’t pronounce no matter what? (I said “par-meeshian” instead of parmesan once. I have yet to live it down.)

A story — book or fanfic — you’d like to recommend? (I read “The Humans” for college and always recommend it for grown ups. It was a COLLEGE BOOK, so there are some moments that aren’t great for kids. Plus a lot of swearing. But overall an engaging and interesting story that I loved.)

Name a fictional character you would fight on sight? (Krang Prime. I’ve never wanted to annihilate a character so much.)

A message you’d want to give your younger self? (You aren’t a freak, you’re just programmed differently than other humans and that’s okay. Also, don’t hold yourself to achievements or standards that you feel make you important. You’ll be okay.)

A song you are OBSESSED WITH? (Creating Monsters by Set It Off)

Breakfast, lunch, or dinner? Or, the forbidden choice, POST MIDNIGHT SNACK??? (Lunch or post-midnight lol)

@boots-with-the-fur-club @daboyau @littlemissartemisia @truths33k3r4 @cheetochild989 @exhaustedwriterartist @psychologicalwarclaire

Ten questions to ask a mutual

Instructions: prev asks ten questions and you answer them, then ask ten new ones and tag ten people to keep the chain going! I’ll go first

What is the weirdest thing you’ve eaten? (For me it’s the time I accidentally drank ants)

do you like purple or green more? (For me it’s a 50/50 I love them both)

what is your favorite two color color combo? (For me it’s purple and gold)

are you a cat or dog person? (Dogs 100%)

what is your favorite painting (Miranda by John William Waterhouse)

Mountains or beaches? (Mountains)

what’s your favorite dessert? (Lemon bars)

are you right or left handed? (Right but I used to be left handed)

salty or sweet? (Sweet)

summer or winter? (Winter)

I’m tagging 11 people but it’s whatever

@wra1th-k1ng

@bladevoyager

@tragedyanddust

@kindred-spirit-93

@urfavgreekmythnerd

@sickneurotic

@ry-diggity

@we-are-but-dead-stars

@thestarryfalls

@tamaruaart

@hermesmoly

[redisthenewblue]

TINKER-Twisted Wonderland x Tinkerbell!Yuu/Fem!Reader Part 3 Part 2

You know, it’s easy to say that [Name] was really annoyed. She was clinging tightly to a rock, hovering above this monster, and let me tell you, she had been in this precarious position for what felt like ages. Now, don’t get me wrong—she’s not the type to be impatient, at least not by fairy standards. But honestly, if those guys didn’t get their act together soon, she was ready to kick them so far underground that they’d be greeting Hades himself. Maybe this was just karma for laughing at the very people she should have been helping. You know how it goes; they’d probably forget her the moment they got out of the mines.

“H-Hey, monster! I’m uh… I-I’m over here!” [Name] perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. Never in a million years did she think she’d feel relieved to hear Grim, but hey, tough times call for tough measures.

“Grrraaawrrr! BEGOOOOONE!” The monster’s booming roar made the entire mine tremble, and a startled yelp escaped the girl.

“Insect?!” The cat stared in disbelief at the girl dangling for dear life. The monster growled again, catching Gris’s attention. “He's coming our way! Yuuken!”

Yuuken glanced up at [Name] and exclaimed, “You have wings, remember?! You can fly!”

“Oh right!” [Name]’s wings sprang to life, keeping her aloft. “Watch out!” she called out to the cat and the boy. With a powerful flap of her wings, she dove down, swooping up Grim and Yuuken in one smooth motion.

“Right over here, monster!” the black-haired boy taunted, waving his hand at the creature.

“Grrurgh? Thieeef thiiis waaay tooooo... Neeevvva giiive stooones! Neeevvvaaa!” The monster growled, chasing after the teens as they scrambled to escape the cave.

“Eep! If it lands one of those punches, we’re toast!” Grim squeaked as [Name] skillfully dodged the monster’s attacks.

“Aieee! I’m scared!” Yuuken slapped a hand over his mouth, bashfully glancing at [Name].

“Really, Yuuken?” Was [Name] now the knight in shining armor? She could’ve sworn she was just the damsel in distress a moment ago.

“Begooone! BEGOOOOOOONE!”

“Ugh, this guy’s breath is horrendous,” [Name] muttered. Soon enough, they caught sight of a glimmer of light emerging from outside the cave. Once they had distanced themselves enough from the mine, she unceremoniously dropped Grim and Yuuken on the grass and then landed gracefully beside them.

“We got him a good distance away from the mine!” Grim exclaimed, clearly relieved.

“Now’s our chance!” Yuuken urged as Ace and Deuce took up defensive positions back to back.

“You bet! I’m ready! One extra-large gust of wind, coming right up!” Ace flicked his magic pen at the monster.

“And I’ll add my blazing-hot fire to that! MYAAAH!”

Ace grinned, “How’s that for a combo?! With my winds fanning them, even Grim’s flames can turn into a raging inferno!”

“Whaddaya mean ‘feeble’?! You really don’t know when to keep your mouth shut, do you?” Grim shot back at Ace.

Yuuken’s eyes widened as realization dawned on him. “The monster’s afraid of our flaming tornado!”

“Just stay calm, aim carefully… and pull out the biggest, heaviest thing I can think of… Get ‘em, cauldron!” Deuce shouted, brandishing his cauldron.

“Nailed it! The plan’s working! Look, Yuuken! That monster got smashed flat by a falling cauldron, just like Ace did!” Grim teased, taking a jab at the orange-haired boy.

“Could’ve done without the reminder, thanks! This has been one drag after another,” Ace rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed.

“Quick! While it’s distracted, we need to grab that magestone!”

“Guh?! Waaait! Nooooooo!”

“That’s it! That’s a magestone!” 

“Dooon’t tooouch thaaaaat!”

“Uh-oh! Looks like it’s almost wriggled free!” Ace took a step back, clearly on edge.

“I’ll help, I guess,” [Name] said as she took to the air, fairy dust swirling around her like a gentle snowstorm. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out a small circular device and tossed it at the creature, which expanded into a net that wrapped around its body.

“Wait, you could’ve helped back in the cave?!” Ace exclaimed, a hint of offense in his voice.

“I’m helping now, aren’t I?!” she shot back. “Besides, you guys left me back there,” she said, crossing her arms defiantly.

“I told you we forgot something!” Deuce argued with Ace, who had accused him of being ridiculous.

“Nnngaaaah!”

“We got the magestone! Now let’s get out of here!” Grim and Yuuken rushed up to join the group.

“Roger that!” Ace grabbed [Name]’s wrist and pulled her along with him.

“MYYY STOOOOOOONE!”

“Are you kidding me?! It’s still coming! It broke all the nets?!” Ace tightened his grip on the fairy, causing her to wince and poke him with her other hand.

“Ooooooooogh...! Giiive it baaaaack...!”

“It’s too fast! It’s about to catch us!” Deuce started to panic.

“Then it’s kill or be killed!” Yuuken shouted, a hint of fear creeping into his voice.

“Easy for you to say, Yuuken! You don’t have to fight it!” [Name] exclaimed, pulling out her magic pen with a sigh as she held it close.

“Aw, fine! Let’s just smash the thing. Try not to wet yourself, Deucey!” Ace quipped, using the hand that had been around [Name]’s wrist to retrieve his magic pen.

“Same goes for you, Ace!” Deuce replied, following suit.

“I’m gonna show you why they call me Grim the Great!”

“Shut up and help,” [Name] said, her annoyance evident as her wings jingled.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

Deuce was panting, leaning against a tree for support. 

“Is it... over?” Ace whined, collapsing onto his back in sheer exhaustion.

“Yes, I mean, I guess watching it disappear right in front of your eyes doesn’t mean anything,” [Name] shot back with a playful sass.

“Even after that intense battle, you still find room for attitude?” Ace questioned, raising an eyebrow.

[Name] laughed, “We?”

Yuuken glanced over at the girl, who was still cackling. Even though he had only known her for less than a day, he was already getting used to her quirks.

“I think... we won? I think we really did it!” Grim exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.

“All right!”

“Woohoo!”

“Give me a victory high-five!”

“I’m not doing that,” [Name] said, turning onto her side. Grim grunted but raised his paw anyway.

“Shared adversity really brings people together, huh?” the black-haired boy said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

“Uh... I don’t think that has anything to do with it,” [Name] replied.

“Yeah! Spare us the clichés, Yuuken!” Ace chimed in.

“There’s no ‘together’ here! We won because of me! This is all thanks to my magical genius!” Grim declared proudly.

“Magical genius, my a—” [Name] was cut off mid-sentence.

“You know... I hate to admit it, but we mostly won because of your plan,” Ace said, smiling at Yuuken.

“Right? If you hadn’t kept your cool and directed us, we never would’ve snagged this magestone. I can’t believe it—now I won’t get expelled! What a relief!” Deuce scratched the back of his neck, glancing down at his feet.

“I’m just glad nobody got hurt,” Yuuken shrugged, brushing it off.

“Yeah, yeah, lessons learned and all that. Can we just go home already? I’m wiped,” Ace said, clearly drained.

“Using all that magic made me hungry! Huh? What’s this?” Grim’s eyes widened as he spotted something.

“Is that... a part of the monster we just beat? It looks like... a magestone? But it’s as black as coal! I’ve never seen one like that before,” Deuce pointed out.

Grim sniffed at the black stone, “What IS this? It smells amazing!”

“Are you out of your mind?” Ace stared at the cat, utterly dumbfounded.

“It must be some kind of fancy monster candy that it was hiding from us!”

“Why don’t you just eat it then? I bet it tastes delicious.” The boys looked at [Name] as if she had just sprouted three heads. Did she really just suggest that? Before they knew it, Grim plopped the stone into his mouth and started munching on it.

“Wait!” A look of horror washed over [Name]. “I didn’t actually think you’d eat it?!”

“Did you seriously just eat that?!” Yuuken rushed over to Grim in disbelief.

“MYAAAH!”

“Are you okay?!” Deuce asked, panic creeping into his voice.

“That’s what you get for eating trash!” Ace laughed, unable to contain himself.

“Oooooogh... Urrrgggh... That... was AMAZING!”

“What?!” the group exclaimed in unison.

“Rich in flavor and full-bodied... It’s like sweet, fragrant flowers bursting into bloom on my tongue. A whole field of them! Right in my mouth!”

“What are you? Are you even real?” [Name] looked at the cat, a mix of confusion and disgust on her face.

“Gross. Monsters must have some seriously weird tastes,” Ace recoiled, grimacing.

“You might be onto something there... Most humans don’t just pick up random stuff off the ground and pop it into their mouths,” the dark blue-haired boy added.

“Monsters really will eat anything, I guess.”

They turned to [Name], waiting expectantly for her to explain. “Wha—oh, I dunno,” she shrugged, tapping her foot against the ground, clearly uninterested.

“Myah ha ha ha! Man, that was fantastic! Don’t worry about me. I don’t have a weak stomach like you humans do,” Grim boasted with pride.

“Hmph. We’ll see if you’re still so smug when you’re sick later tonight,” Ace retorted, ever the snark.

“Okay, let’s get it together. We need to deliver this magestone to the headmage!” 

[Name] dramatically fell to the ground. “Deuceeee,” she dragged out, “Carry me there, I’m exhausted,” she curled up into a small ball. Deuce blushed, flustered by the request from a pretty (albeit sassy) girl. Slowly, he picked her up and settled her on his shoulder. Ace scoffed at the boy’s red cheeks while Yuuken sweat-dropped at the girl’s antics.

“Come on!” Grim beckoned, and off they went.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

[Name] was peacefully snoozing away, her soft snoring confirming she was in dreamland. Meanwhile, Deuce was on edge, tensing up every time she shifted in her sleep. Suddenly, a wave of ugly sobs filled the air, pulling her from her slumber. She lifted her head, squinting through her blurry vision, and was stunned to see none other than Headmage Crowley in tears. Seriously? What’s up with him crying like a baby at his age?

“What’s this guy’s problem? Crying in public like that? At his age?!” Grim exclaimed, his jaw dropping in disbelief.

“In all my years at this school, today marks a monumental moment! The students of Night Raven College have finally united to confront a common enemy!” Crowley dabbed at his tears with a handkerchief, clearly overwhelmed.

“Whoa! No way am I joining hands with that guy!” Deuce protested.

“First off, there was no hand-holding involved. Gross. And second, just how old are you, Headmage?” Ace chimed in, echoing [Name]’s thoughts.

“Right now, I’m just too moved to express myself. This moment has validated my hopes. Yuuken, my doubts have vanished! You hold the talents of a beastmaster!” Crowley declared dramatically.

“What talents are those?” Yuuken asked, tilting his head in confusion.

“My students have been chosen by the Dark Mirror for their exceptional abilities. But with great talent comes great pride and huge egos. Most of them are so self-reliant, they wouldn’t even think of working with others,” Crowley admitted, looking down in shame.

“You make it sound like that’s a bad thing,” Yuuken replied.

“But you, Yuuken, you have no magic. Yet, in spite of that—or maybe because of it—you managed to rally those who do have magic to work together for a shared goal. Your ordinary, everyday vibe might just be what Night Raven College needs!” Crowley continued passionately.

“But... none of that sounds good?” Ace responded, unimpressed.

“Yuuken, I genuinely believe that people like you are essential for the future of this school. My instincts as an educator tell me so. Trappola, Spade—I’m revoking your expulsions! And you, Yuuken, I’m granting you the qualifications you need to officially attend Night Raven College!”

[Name] shot upright, eyes wide. “WHAT?!”

“You remember I can’t use magic, right?” Yuuken said, confusion evident on his face.

“Of course, and this is incredibly generous of me. However, there’s one condition. Your lack of magic is unacceptable for a mage. You wouldn’t be able to keep up with the curriculum! And Grim... your actions today show you have enough talent to become a mage. Considering everything, you and Yuuken will share a single enrollment at Night Raven College.”

“Ughhh,” [Name] sunk deeper into Deuce’s shoulder, “Does Grim really have to go to school?”

“Silence, insect! I... I get to be a student? Not a janitor?!” Grim exclaimed, excitement bubbling over.

“Exactly. But! There can’t be any more incidents like today. Clear?” 

[Name] couldn’t help but chuckle; she knew Grim wouldn’t last a day without causing chaos.

“It’ll be a pleasure working with you,” Yuuken said, smiling down at the cat.

“Don’t lie,” Grim retorted.

“MYAAAAAH! I FINALLY DID IT!” he shouted, jumping in joy.

“Now, I’ll present Grim with the magestone issued to every student here,” Crowley announced.

“Heh! A magestone, huh?!” Grim said, eyes gleaming.

“Just don’t eat it…” [Name] cautioned, watching Grim slump at her words.

“It usually attaches to the ‘magic pen’ each student uses, but I doubt your paws can handle that. So, I’ve got a custom solution for you. Am I too kind or what?” 

“Ah, sweet! A magestone collar, fit only for the legendary archmage, Grim!” Grim beamed.

“Are you even listening? Yuuken. As you can see, Grim is completely clueless about human customs. You need to keep him in check and make sure there are no more incidents! And you, [Name], will be placed in the ramshackle dorm until a room in Diasomnia opens up. I’ve already put your uniform by the door,” Crowley explained.

“Wow, that’s quite the upgrade. From janitor to student to prefect—all in one day,” Ace said, clapping playfully.

“Oh, I see. So if your dorm is just you three, and the headmage himself is putting you, Yuuken, in charge of Grim, that makes you... Yuuken the dorm prefect and [Name] the vice-prefect.”

[Name]’s jaw dropped. She had magic, so why wasn’t she the Prefect? She shot an angry eyebrow at Crowley but eventually lowered it in defeat.

“Well, that’s gotta be a Night Raven first! A magic-less prefect and a girl in one dorm? Sure, why not? Whatever works!” she said, rolling her eyes.

“I’ll do my best!” Yuuken declared, determination shining in his eyes.

“Heh heh heh. Good luck, Magic-less Prefect!” Ace chuckled.

“Ah, yes. I suppose that makes you a prefect. And I just so happen to have a job for you, which will make it much easier to... uh, I mean, congratulations! I have something for you. Behold, the ghost camera!” Crowley showcased the camera proudly.

“Camera?” [Name] and Yuuken echoed, intrigued.

“Ooh, my grandma mentioned those! They’re like, super old magic items, right?” Ace snapped his fingers in recognition.

“I wouldn’t say ‘super old’… ahem. But it might have been invented when your great or great-great-grandmother was a child. It’s a camera enchanted with a special kind of magic that allows the user to photograph not just the subject’s physical form but parts of their soul too,” Crowley explained.

“Wait, that sounds... sketchy,” Deuce said, narrowing his eyes skeptically.

“Right…” [Name] agreed.

“They’re called Memories. Here’s the catch: when the soul bond between the photographer and subject grows stronger, the Memories captured in the photos can come to life!” Crowley continued.

“Soul bond? Jumping out?” [Name] and Yuuken exclaimed in unison.

“When the photographer and subject get closer, their photos become animated like videos... and sometimes the photographs even take on a physical form and leap out. Isn’t that what you kids would call ‘wicked cool’?” 

“That sounds like ghost photography!” Deuce commented.

“Very observant. That’s why it’s called a ‘ghost camera’. It was created as a more vivid way to capture moments before video existed. As Spade noted, back in Back in the day, people would freak out when they saw their memories literally jumping out of photos, yelling things like, "Ghost!" I’ve heard so many stories about folks who were absolutely terrified of being snapped by those kinds of cameras.”

“Honestly, this whole tech situation seems like it could cause more headaches than it’s worth.” Ace stretched.

“Luckily,it’s not you handling the camera,”[Name] said as blunt as ever.

“Yuuken, I need you to grab this camera and take some pictures of Grim and the other students, documenting your campus life,”Crowley said.

Grim chuckled, puffing out his chest, “Myah ha haaa! That sounds like the perfect way to capture all my greatest moments!”

“Ahem... Just make sure to focus especially on the little antics of certain students who might have a hard time controlling their impulses. Trust me, keeping a photo journal is way less of a hassle than writing me those long reports, don’t you think? As a prefect, it’s your responsibility to keep an eye on things and document them. Plus, just look at how generous I’m being by letting you use this rare magical item that even someone like you can handle. Isn’t my kindness just off the charts?”

“I’ll give it my all,” Yuuken replied, determination shining in his eyes.

“Alright, it’s getting late, so we’ll have to dive into the details tomorrow. You’re all dismissed, so head back to your dorms!”

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁

“Wow, Yuuken,” [Name] wrinkled her nose as she looked around the inside of Ramshackle, “Let’s tackle this mess tomorrow. Oh, and remind me to grab a mop and duster too. Got it, Prefect?”

Yuuken and Grim exchanged shocked glances. Was she really going to lend them a hand?

“Thank y—” But before he could finish, a fairy wing swooped in and covered his mouth.

“Don’t thank me,” she said, lifting the wing away and watching as he coughed up a cloud of fairy dust. “I’m just doing this because I want a clean space.”

“At least we’re making some progress around here,” the black-haired boy chimed in, brushing off her comments.

“Yeah, yeah. And just so you know, I’m calling dibs on the bed!”

Taglist: @itwaszzmoon

[alexa-fika]

Just imagine a child reader with each of the crews (strawhat pirates, heart pirates, whitebeard pirates, kid pirates, and red hair pirates) like 7 or 8 and they are just a menace. Like they have insane adhd and acts like they drank multiple monster energy drinks every morning but they can also be so sweet and adorable sometimes. They just run around and cause chaos but everyone on the crew just takes care of them but they make it so hard. Spontaneous hide and seek? Everybody’s freaking out because they’re missing and all the sudden they will just pop out of the most random place and declare themself the winner and everybody is like huh?? the winner of what?? They’ve been there for a while, and people have grown attached. I can imagine ace just having the most fun with them. And for the strawhats like they joined around when the strawhat crew fist went into the grand line so they have been there from the beginning and all the new crew members are like “why are they still here??” and zoro is like “to be honest i dont know” they are luffy’s best bud on the strawhats Sorry for the rant, i just read a fic and it sparked this idea and reminded me of your writing. I just kind of wrote down my train of thought, congratulations if this makes sense to you thanks for listening. 

Who’s it? ( Law x Adhd!reader)

A/N Hey hey! Here we go, I think we haven’t done a Law/heart pirates in a while so yippee, also i’m sorry nonnie, I couldn't do so many crews at once so if you still want to see the other crews don’t be afraid to send another request! In other news; Guys I start work soon 🥲so i’m not sure what the upload schedule will be like next week

Dividers by @/firefly-graphics

Reader here is replaced by Dokucha which stands for Reader in Japanese for the enjoyment of both reader and oc character readers!

Penguin puffed as he leaned his hands on his knees, trying to recuperate his breath after running multiple laps around the sub. Despite the physical strain his job required on a daily, especially under a Captain such as his, he could never get used to the exhaustion and anxiety that taking care of a tween with adhd brought.

“D-Did you guys find them?” He sputtered out, lifting his head to look at his crew, who sported similar exhaustion

“No. I’m sorry,” Bepo cried, putting his head down in shame. The mink had been the first to realize the child had disappeared as the crew had breakfast. It was not his responsibility alone, but as always, he could not help but think he could have prevented this if he had paid more attention to them.

“There has to be someplace we haven’t looked!”

“Mate, I checked the workshop top to bottom; wherever they are, I know it's not in my bloody workshop,” Ikkaku said, shaking her head.

“I um.. I checked the cockpit. I didn’t see them there,” Hakugan piped up softly.

“Nothing in the map room, I’m sorry,” Bepo added.

“Stop apologizing!” Shachi snarled

“I’m sorry!”

“Nothing in the Kitchen; I thought for sure they would have hidden there,” Bart grumbled out, scratching his head, confused.

“I checked the common rooms, but I couldn’t find them,” Cline reported

“I checked the storage rooms, but nothing,” Shachi sighed, looking toward the Penguin.

“And I just checked our chambers; I was hoping they were sleeping, but no one was there,” Penguin cried.

“Pen, seriously? Of all things, you thought that ankle-biter would be taking a kip? We can’t even get them to sleep, let alone a kip,” Ikkaku scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

“I freaked out! I just don’t know where else we could look.”

“Well, that would leave only one place, doesn’t it?” Clione called nervously

“No way!” Penguin yelled as he straightened up at the insinuation

“It’s true, isn’t it? We have already looked through the whole sub, Penguin! They have to be in the infirmary.” Uni shot back with a frown

“Even if they aren’t, I think we should ask Captain for help.”

“Are you serious, Uni?! He’ll kill us if he hears we lost them again. I don’t want to go another day with switched limbs!” Shachi shuddered, hugging himself tightly

“It’s not like it can be helped; that kid acts as if they were injected with steroids all the time, always berko, we can’t keep up with em” Ikkaku sighed.

“Okay then, who’s going to tell him then because it’s not going to be me” Penguin questioned, looking up at her

“Well, that’s obvious, isn’t it?” Shachi muttered as he and the crew all turned to the navigator, who, upon noticing the attention that had fallen on him shook his head nervously

Despite his meek outer appearance, it was common knowledge aboard the Polar Tang that the singular best way to deliver annoying or bothersome news without suffering punishment or repercussions was to have Bepo deliver the news to the Captain, as even the surgeon of death himself was vulnerable to the mink’s adorable demeanor.

And so, once again, Bepo stood in the infirmary, delivering such news to the Captain. It followed the same pattern when situations such as these occurred: Bepo would enter nervously, Law would instantly realize something went wrong, his anger would spike, Bepo would cry, Law would fall for his cuteness and usually solve the problem quite promptly.

“Room,” Law called. Scanning the submarine with his devil fruit, he took just a few seconds to mutter a small ‘there’ as he managed to locate the child.

“Shambles,” he spoke, throwing a small stone in the air, catching the child that child that replaced it and glaring at them as they began laughing.”

“You found me!”

“Dokucha-ya. What were you doing?”

“We were playing hide and seek, and I was winning! I still won 'cause you used your powers, and that’s cheating, so I’m still the undefeated champion!” They cheered, raising their hands in Victory

“You were playing hide and seek?” Law questioned, looking up at Bepo, an angry, accusing glare on his face at the information

“N-no!” He promised, shaking his head furiously, sighing as Law turned his accusing glare back on the child.

“Oh! I forgot to tell them. Well, now you know, so let's play again!” they grinned, running off again only to be shambled back into Law’s hands once again.

“No. You are going to sleep.” Law told them, standing up and putting his arm around the child’s stomach as he carried them away, rolling his eyes as they let out a slight whine at the news.

“You can go, Bepo. I’ll put them to sleep,” he ordered, waving the bear off, much to the latter’s relief. The bear wasted no time running off.

“You. Sleep,” he instructed, tossing the child into an infirmity bed, turning around, and walking back to his desk to continue the medical journal he had recently found.

“Yepee!” they cheered as they bounced on the bed. Rolling around on their stomachs, they began kicking their feed, letting out a pout.

“Come on, Law! I’m not tired! I want to play a little more, please?”

“No.”

"Talking is fine, too.”

“Alright, Then. " He agreed, shutting the journal and giving the child a smirk as a hopeful and gleeful expression grew on their faces.

“How about we talked about why you skipped your medication again?”

They groaned, getting their body fall into the bed face-first,wishing they hadn’t opened their mouths to avoid the scolding they knew was now invertible.

“Dokucha-ya,” he warned

“No! I want to sleep!” they called, turning away from him.

“Too late, You know I’m not going to let this slide; the sooner you tell me, the sooner I can stop asking you and interrupting your playtime,” he reasoned, turning his chair towards the bed.

“Is it the taste? I can teach you how to swallow the pill; I can mix it into food as well.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then?”

“It’s nothing.”

“If it weren’t nothing, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.Dokucha-ya, listen. If you tell me what is wrong with them, I can fix the problem.”

“They make me feel weird,” they muttered, flipping themselves over to meet his eye, watching as his eyebrows furrowed at the information.

“Weird, how?” he questioned

“It makes me feel yucky; I don’t want to do anything when I eat it.”

Law frowned as he realized what they meant. He had thoroughly researched all of Dokucha’s medicine and potential medicines and was well aware that depression has been previously reported as a side effect for ritalin in some patients. The hard part of medications for conditions like these was that the only way to know the best medicine for them was trial and error, trying different Medicines until they were able to find the one that worked best. His thought process was interrupted as the child let out a small apology.

“it’s not your fault; you can’t control how the medicine will react; thank you for telling me; I will change your medication, alright?” he reassured them as they stood up, walking to the shelf and pulling out a book

“Hmm, we will try Staterra instead. I will give you 0.5g. It’s the lowest dose for your age, and it will help me see how your body reacts.”

“Will… it help me study better again?” they asked nervously, fidgeting. Most of his medical talk was lost to them, but they were able to understand the gist of it: that he was trying to help them fix the problem they were currently experiencing.

“That’s the goal. We will start the medicine tomorrow. If it does well, I will raise the dose in three days, and we will see from there. If it makes you feel weird again, let me know

Dokucha smiled, themedical jargon and what most people would see as an emotionally disconnected doctor Dokucha knew to be the way the man showed that he cared, and although it perhaps wasn’t what other kids might like, it made them feel appreciated and loved. After all, other kids probably have to worry about managing a condition, and not all caretakers are as involved and determined to find a solution as the Captain was, and for them, it was enough.

“Okay!”

Whoop whoop!

[leonastarry]

the 4th wall breaking trope with Jinwoo and the reader, except they're both canon characters and now have unlimited access to seeing what their fandom is like, the bad side and good side. i feel like Jinwoo would be kind of depressed because he went though all of this just for entertainment, while the reader is relieved because they feel like all of the consequences of their actions and responsibilities have been lifted off of their shoulders. also, this is such a random detail to add, but the readers gender is left ambiguous, all of the characters use different pronouns for them and their literal official wiki has their gender listed as "something that only Beru knows" (spoilers, he doesn't know shit) they found out about ot while randomly looking through their own wiki page because they were bored.

[ Req 7 ] Unexpected truth. ✧. ┊    s.jinwoo x reader.

It started innocently enough—a slow day, no gates to raid, no monsters to fight. You were lounging on Jinwoo’s couch, scrolling aimlessly through your phone, while Jinwoo sat nearby, flipping through a hunter’s report with his usual laser focus.

Then, out of nowhere, you asked, "Jinwoo, have you ever Googled yourself?"

His pen paused mid-scribble. He looked at you like you’d just suggested he train Beru to do stand-up comedy. "Why would I do that?"

You grinned, holding up your phone. "Oh, I don’t know. To see what people think about you? It’s fun."

"Fun?" he repeated flatly, his disbelief evident.

"Yeah. You’d be surprised how much creativity people have when it comes to us."

His brow furrowed. "Creativity?"

With a sly smile, you spun the phone around, showing him the first thing you’d found: a manhwa called 'Solo Leveling.' "And there're some fanfictions too"

The color drained from his face as he read the description. "This can’t be real."

"Oh, it’s real," you said, biting back laughter as his expression shifted from confusion to sheer mortification. "And there’s a lot more where that came from."

Jinwoo leaned back, his gray eyes darkening with something almost resembling dread. "Then what I have done was nothing? Why are people writing about me like this? Do they not have better things to do?"

"For entertainment," you said with a shrug, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Our entire lives are, apparently. Didn’t you know? We’re the stars of someone’s power fantasy."

He stared at you, his silence deafening. Then, slowly, he ran a hand through his hair. "You’re saying everything I’ve been through—every fight, every sacrifice—was for someone’s... entertainment?"

"Well, when you put it like that, it sounds depressing," you said, tossing a gummy candy into your mouth. "But think of it this way: none of it really matters. No consequences, no pressure. Isn’t that freeing?"

Jinwoo didn’t look convinced. In fact, he looked a little pale. "Freeing? It feels like it’s all pointless."

"Oh, come on," you teased, nudging him with your foot. "You’re the Shadow Monarch, for crying out loud. Stop sulking. Here, let me cheer you up."

You shoved your phone into his hands, open to a page on your own fan wiki. Jinwoo hesitated before reading the top line out loud. "Your gender is listed as... something only Beru knows?"

"Yep." You smirked. "My proudest achievement. Wanna know the best part?"

He looked at you warily. "Do I?"

"I asked him once," you said, barely suppressing a laugh. "The poor guy started buzzing like a broken lawnmower and said, 'I dare not presume, my liege’s companion.' So yeah, Beru doesn’t know jack, but apparently, the internet thinks he does."

Jinwoo groaned, passing the phone back to you. "This is ridiculous."

"Oh, it gets better," you said, scrolling down. "People can’t even agree on what pronouns to use for me. Some call me 'he,' others 'she,' and a good chunk go with 'they.' It's chaos."

"Why do they care so much?" Jinwoo muttered, clearly still grappling with the concept.

"They’re invested," you replied simply. "I mean, look at you. You’re basically the internet’s ideal boyfriend. Overpowered, brooding, loyal. It’s a miracle your fanbase hasn’t declared war over who you should end up with."

He gave you a deadpan look. "You’re enjoying this too much."

"Oh, absolutely."

He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Is there anything on here that’s not completely insane?”

"Not really," you admitted cheerfully. "But it’s not all bad. Here, look." You navigated to another page and handed him the phone.

This time, his expression softened as he read through the comments. They were filled with admiration, people praising him for his strength, his determination, his love for his family.

"They get it," you said quietly, watching his reaction. "All the pain you went through—it wasn’t meaningless to them. You inspired people."

Jinwoo didn’t reply right away, his eyes lingering on the screen. Finally, he let out a breath, some of the tension easing from his shoulders. “I guess it’s not all bad.”

"See?" you said, leaning back with a satisfied grin. "Told you. Now, do you want to see the fan art?"

He shot you a glare that could’ve frozen a gate. "Absolutely not."

You laughed, tossing a gummy candy at him. "Suit yourself. But for the record, I’m the one with the best fan wiki. You’re just lucky I let you co-star in my story."

"Your story?" he repeated, his tone dripping with mock disbelief.

"Yep." You popped another gummy into your mouth, grinning. "Face it, Jinwoo. I’m the main character here."

He shook his head, a faint smile tugging at his lips despite himself. "You’re insufferable."

"And you love it," you shot back.

Maybe this whole 'fictional character' thing wasn’t so bad after all.

That's an interesting idea =)

Hope you like it ❤

[icyowl]

Save Me

Pairing: Vampire Megumi Fushiguro x reader

Synopsis: You discover Megumi's true nature in the worst way: when he nearly devours you in a frenzy. Gojo saves your life, but Megumi is held captive under the school, starving, unable to consume any blood. Can you save him? Will you try after what he's done?

A/N: I promise i'm not dead! Sadly I keep running out of steam before I finish any WIPs, but I powered through for you on this one! Been wanting to do vampire megumi foreverrrrrrr

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

The hot blood pouring from your shoulder had been reduced to an afterthought now that the vampire who nearly tore your neck open was barreling after you. There was only one thing you could do:

Runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrun

Out the bedroom, through the hallway, down the stairs — you passed through most of the building without really taking it in. All that existed were the dank/steaming/slobbering/moist snarls behind you and the burning in your lungs. Air couldn't come fast enough.

His weapons — a pair of bloody inch-long canines and countless claws — were one bad step from having their way with you.

A flash of guilt had your steps slowing for a fraction of a second. You could maybe reason with him or somehow pull him out of it, so, against better judgement, you turned-

“Megu-”

The crazed animal that took his place slammed head-first into the wall next to you, missing your carotid by one flinch of your quivering muscles. Splintered wood sprayed everywhere. If your survival instinct hadn't kicked in when it did, you'd be right in his war path, and likely ripped open (again). Face still partially embedded in the wall, mouth gorging on wood fractures, one of his pulsating eyes fixed you in its wild gaze.

Red hot, with a slitted pupil constricted to a razor sharp sliver.

It wasn't simply inhuman; it was the farthest thing from human. Curses didn't compare to whatever was in those now-ruby eyes.

You gave yourself splinters trying to yank yourself out of his reach. Maybe you could have reasoned with him, maybe you should have, but you didn't trust him not to kill you if you tried. What about the movies where the monster's love interest could subdue his deadly instincts? Yeah, this wasn't a movie. Fuck that.

Every slip of your feet on the hardwood flooring sent a bolt of fear through each nerve in your body. Where could you go? Did you stay away from people and keep them safe, or try to find help? Could you manage that while keeping yourself alive? Air stung your lungs with every brash inhale and your legs began to fatigue. How much longer could you keep this up?

You exploded out of the dorm into the muggy summer air. In time, he would catch you, end you, devour you. Bad idea or not, you needed help.

A bear trap full of claws closed around your side. You screamed as they tore through your clothes and into your skin. In a fit of sheer willpower and for the second time that day, you deliberately pulled your skin from him, the ripping and tearing only worsening. It sucked, but you didn't have a choice. Could you try and lose him in the forest? Lock him in a building? Lure-

You were too busy keeping an eye on the gnashing teeth and snarling yowls of your boyfriend to stop yourself from running head-long into someone. After recovering from the initial shock of hitting the ground hard and heavy, you looked up to a moment of great stillness.

Gojo stood, one hand in his pocket, and the other outstretched to Megumi. What had once been your violent animal now floated helplessly in the air, his lashing talons catching nothing but the humid breeze. He growled deep in his chest, trying with everything he had to break the invisible chains keeping him suspended and kill you, and yet Gojo simply smirked, humored by it all.

“Megumi,” he chided, “I told you something like this would happen.”

It was almost laughable — almost — now that you were safe, alone, staring down your ordinary visage in the bathroom mirror. Three days until you could get a full night's sleep, five days until every sound didn't send your heart into overdrive, and now, one week removed from the incident, you could nearly believe it never happened. Apart from the bandages. Megumi had done a number on you and likely would have feasted on you had Gojo not happened to be in the way. His moans were pained, and when his words turned to garbled growls. . . all this time, he was so different from you, and all this time, you hardly suspected a thing. How could you not see something so important? How could he have deceived you so completely? Would he have ever told you? Was he fine with hiding so much of himself from you?

Your shoulders dipped down and forward. Megumi’s backpack was still at the foot of your bed. His cologne was on your pillow. You smelled it last night before you dreamed of him — a ballad of warmth and peace. Every time you looked at your phone screen you saw a glimmer of his grin from that trip to the carnival however long ago. Dark bruising curtesy of a healing hickey on your throat snickered at you from the mirror; he had been so gentle then.

You would have gone to him already, had Gojo not turned you away at the basement door. It probably wasn’t a good idea to go down there before you’d healed — what if you made it worse? If Megumi lost control from some kissing, what would he do when he saw the bandages or smelled the stitches digging into your skin? But it didn’t feel right to know he was locked up just a ways away while you hid like a child in your room.

Your phone’s buzzing nearly sent you through the ceiling.

Principal Yaga.

“Hello?” You asked warily. Was a week really all he’d give you before he sent you back to class? Your wounds could hardly be considered healed.

“Fushiguro needs your help. Come to the sealing chambers if you can. We're out of options.” His tone was grim (when wasn’t it?). All at once your heart galloped like you were back in the courtyard running for your life. You didn’t see your reflection in the mirror. The lack of color, slack jaw, none of it. All you saw was an image of the man who read to you at night now locked away in a dark room, bound and gagged, a starved circus animal.

At the first door of the sealing chambers it wasn’t Yaga who met you but Gojo. Even with the blindfold, you could tell he wasn’t happy. He held the door open without a word. As soon as you entered the dark hall, tortured cursed energy pressed in on your chest. Sealing tape lined the long corridor Gojo led you through, along with every staircase and every doorway. Talismans of different origins and scripts from countless religions hung from the ceiling. You’d be fearful if Gojo’s words hadn’t kept you preoccupied. Megumi had been unable to keep down any blood he’d been given since your attack, and, since he’d been starving enough by then to trigger a frenzy. . . he was in dire straights now.

“Why can’t he keep anything down?” You asked.

“It’s called taste aversion. You get food poisoning from a restaurant, you never want to go to the same company or get the same kind of food again. His goes beyond that, though. The mind is an incredibly powerful thing – the shame, self-loathing, guilt – his psychological barriers are just as real as any physical ones. Without consuming any nutrients… he’s dying.”

As soon as you walked through the next door to a long, narrow walkway with cells on one side, the shouting and thumping reached your ears.

“No! Don’t bring her in!” Megumi said from down the hall. He could smell your cozy allure, the infernal whispers beckoning the frothing beast under his skin to break through. His teeth ached.

Your stomach squeezed when you saw him; shackles held his wrists on the end of chains bolted to the ceiling. He was on his knees, covered in grime, and wearing the same clothes you’d last seen him in. Stains and a few empty bloodbags dirtied the floor.

As soon as he saw you, he shoved his head in his shoulder to the point of cricking it and slammed shut his bloodstained eyes.

“Get out!” He screamed.

You looked at Gojo who was already studying you. His message was clear: do what you think is right. No judgement. If you ran away yelling, he wouldn’t hold it against you. This was merely something he was willing to try, if you were too. You looked back at Megumi. Dried blood caked his wrists where the cuffs had dug in. His skin touching the metal puffed out smoke where the skin underneath burned. They must have chained him with silver. His skin was pale and gaunt, a sure sign of a starving man. Bits of his hair lay around his knees where it had fallen out. Around him, the walls were etched with staines, fingernail scratches, and symbols of faith.

You knelt across from him. The hard floor pushed at your knees. All you could think to do was roll up your sleeve and hold it out to him. “I’m letting you take my blood, so no more of this aversion stuff. I’m telling you it’s okay, so you can’t reject it.”

Something guttural made you flinch back. He kept his eyes shut even when he turned to say: “I’m never touching you again. I don’t want you here, understand?”

You sighed. Water flooded your mouth and eyes. “You have to eat, Megumi, or you’ll die.”

“Then let me.” He bit back.

You looked to the teacher for answers. Gojo held you in his eyes for a long moment before nodding and bringing up two fingers. Using infinity, he forced the cuffs open. Megumi’s ruby eyes shot open, looking at his hands, sharpened nails still present, to you, and to Gojo.

Megumi only had time to hiss before Gojo was behind him, wrapping an arm around Megumi’s neck and wedging his student’s chin in the crook of his elbow. Gojo’s other hand spread out on the back of Megumi’s head, forcing it forward and putting him in a suffocating headlock. Megumi lurched and growled but couldn’t budge Gojo’s insurmountable strength. He turned frantic when you approached and his noises turned to snarls, hating showing this side of you but hoping he’d reach that primal flight reflex inside you and get you to fear him, to run and leave him in his misery.

“Don’t do this.” Megumi warbled out. His voice was whimpering and tortured. It broke off with a foreign growl. His instincts tried to make him submit. Your heart pulled itself from your ribcage when his eyes watered and his canines descended against his will. Every part of his body was trying to reach for your supple skin, close the gap, find that sweet release, but his mind was fighting valiantly to resist the pull. In the middle of the war was his heart, damaged and vulnerable and begging for salvation.

“It’s okay.” You tried. You pressed your arm against his lips. Still, he wouldn’t budge. You pressed harder, until his teeth were smashed to your skin, yet he wouldn’t bite.

Gojo tightened his hold until Megumi involuntarily gasped for air, giving you a chance to dive your arm into his open mouth and impale it on his fangs. It fucking hurt, sure, you yelled and flinched in spite of yourself, no doubt making it worse for Megumi, but you were far more focused on him. Megumi clawed at Gojo’s arm, trying to pull away, but soon the sensation of your blood flowing down his throat hit his nervous system and he stilled, eyes glazing over and a tear escaping down his cheek. Audible swallows interrupted the sudden quiet and you let out a heavy breath. As scary as he might have looked, glowing eyes and snarling face and intermittent growls, the relief you felt at hearing those quiet gulps washed over you from head to toe.

His claws turned from trying to push himself out of Gojo’s hold to pulling you closer. Megumi’s grip became untamed, readjusting and tightening, not caring how he tore open your skin. Hot tears fell from your eyes. You weren’t sure how long you could keep from wailing. “How much does he need?”

“Depends.”

Sweat was breaking out over your face. “What?”

“If you can hang in until he recovers himself, he might see he can control it. That should cure the avoidance, but it won’t be fun, and it might not even work. It’s up to you.”

Your neurons turned to sludge, so all you did was nod. Against your will, your sense of balance was leaving you. To comfort Megumi, and anchor yourself, your other hand rested on his head, petting the thick, unruly strands.

“It’s okay. Even when I saw what you were. . . I trusted you. That’s why you bit me before; because I believed you wouldn’t kill me. I’m sorry I wasn’t someone you thought you could trust. I. . . I’ll be better, from now on.”

Again Megumi’s struggling changed. His eyes, previously wide open yet unseeing, slammed shut, his face pinching in a struggle. Moans of pleasure became grunts of effort. Your forehead fell against his. From here, you could smell your blood and his shampoo in the small space between you. “It’s okay, don’t fight it. I want to help you. I want this.”

Though he writhed against Gojo’s abominable strength like a predator in a bear trap, you were growing statuesque. Cold crept up your arm. Blood turned frigid in your veins. Shadows settled in your ears and eyes until the world seemed very far away. All you felt were the fine serrations on his canines as Megumi’s movements wove them deeper into your sinew. His growls took on a melodic quality, a primal war chant from a bygone era. It was a deep rumble you imagined sounded just like the thrum of the earth. This was easy. Peaceful, even.

A herculean pull yanked your arm off his canines with a squelching pop and spray of blood. Megumi’s effort made you tumble onto your back. Blood poured from the wounds on your arm. When he could finally get his eyes to focus, you were unconscious and unmoving.

Some sort of hissing moan escaped him. The fresh blood in his belly threatened to come up. “No. . . no.” He groaned around his fangs. His words were unintelligible. Gojo could sense his cursed energy - the guilt within - and let him go. Megumi crept to you, and stopped with his hand just above your arm. He strained over the sound of his tears to barely catch the whoosh of your breaths. Alive. Still alive.

Something gripped his muscles - not hunger or thirst, but a different kind of insatiable desire. A feeling to have you, not as food, but as. . . something necessary all the same. He had to draw you to him or risk some kind of death; he could feel it in his bones. At the edge of your consciousness, your latched into his grimy shirt, right where the lurch in his stomach had begun to calm. Megumi worried about his claws on your skin - he’d hurt you so many times with them already - but nevertheless couldn’t let go.

“That’s pretty cute, like a dog growling over its bowl.” Gojo remarked, smirking at the glare his student was giving him. Megumi didn’t even notice the hisses leaving him or the baring of his sharp fangs. “Tell me, do you feel sick?”

Fire or love tinged his vision an opaque red. His teacher, the prison, even you were reduced to a slurry of wavering shapes and twisted movement. The blood had begun to settle in his stomach, and with it came the grip of shame. Fck, what had he done? He was such a monster he couldn’t even see that carnage he left behind, but he smelled the blood mixing with the dirt on the ground under you, could feel it coagulating between his fingers and cooling under his nails, heard the weak rasp of your lungs fighting for every inhale. He had ruined you.

Something gnawed at his stomach. His hand rushed to his mouth. The blood roiled in his belly and began digging its way up his esophagus. How could he have done this to you?

Still blind, he felt your chest tense, heard your hand push through the air, but nevertheless flinched when your wobbling fingers brushed at the blood and tears drying on his cheek. Your thumb pushed away his upper lip to caress the flat of his fangs. “Please,” you whispered, “don’t stop me from helping you. Don’t keep me from loving you. It’s what I want more than anything.”

And more than his desire to protect you was his need to fulfill you.

Megumi swallowed the tears and the blood at the back of his throat. If this was what you wanted, then he had to try. If he was good for anything, let it be this. He pressed his forehead to yours, staining your face and filling your nose with the stench of dirt and blood. Who knew love was so vile.

“Not that this isn’t cute, in a teen angst sorta way,” Gojo chimed, “but she needs a transfusion. You need to let go.”

Megumi’s eyes cleared. The first thing he saw was your gaze, glassy and sluggish, but unwavering from his own. He smelled the oxytocin wafting from you.

“No,” he shook his head while his fingers kissed your face, “she only needs me.” His hand dove into his mouth and with a silent snarl he burrowed his fangs deep in his wrist. You tried to stop him, but weren’t fast enough. The sound of it should have made you flinch, but the gleam of his scarlet eyes and the slitted pupils had you fascinated. He pulled his mouth away with a wet schlop and held it against your lips.

You pulled your lips around the wound and began to suck. To be fair, you didn’t expect to feel different right away, but as soon as you swallowed, a warmth spread out from your core - knitting the cuts, curing the bruises, and healing the puncture wounds. The pounding in your head, the adrenaline dumped in your veins, it all dissipated in the gentle heat of a morning sun. After a couple of gulps Megumi’s own bite mark had closed, leaving nothing but a pleasant aftertaste under your tongue. Even his own blood didn’t want to harm you by tasting bad.

Megumi’s head lurched towards the door, seeing past Gojo, hearing something far away.

“Who’s coming?” Gojo asked.

“Yaga. Nanami and Ieiri, too. They’re not happy.”

A rush of hurried steps followed some time after. Yaga was sweaty and livid.

“Gojo,” he roared, “she was meant to comfort him, not feed him!”

Gojo rose to stand in front of him. “I wasn’t gonna let anything bad happen.”

“This,” he threw a hand at the two of you, “doesn’t count as bad?! You’ve endangered your own students!”

Gojo was having none of that. His playful tone evaporated. “If I thought for a second he might kill her, I’d have stopped him instantly.”

The bickering continued in your peripheral. All you concerned yourself with was brushing the dirt off his face while he watched, listening to the ever-stronger beats of your steady heart.

[fictionfixations]

ive been going through the artbook with like a translation app

slowly because i keep hitting low battery

but so

ive learned like. a lot of things. (feel free to correct me, i dont know korean me is using translation from translator app that sometimes translates different things depending on how focused the characters are in the image)

this is really more for my sake so i just have a list of this compiled for me to go back to instead of hunting down the pages all over again with my phone out cause the app drains my battery FAST 😭

there is stuff ive glossed over tho or didnt include

mainly ivan focused because he's my favorite

for some reason i started adding stuff about round 6 while i was in the middle of stuff for round 3 💀??

also ive only just realized that when it says unknown its probably referring to mizi so im just sat here like how many times has it referred to 'unknown' earlier and it was actually mizi i cant remember 😭 i was just rolling with it like unknown? sure

(1) apparently theres like a 'crack' that happened in like the wall. there are ghost stories spread about it so not many go there but theres like a hidden passage. but so ivan was very curious about till and led him to that crack. seeing him get back up over and over to protect mizi made him realize the uniqueness of till, that he couldnt be till or understand him so it led to that curiosity turning into obsession. also the monster there is for security purpose)

(2) when till was being discounted (sold) and ivan had been like sold(??) or something in the slums they saw each other once. then they forgot that was their first meeting im going insane i remember reading this but i cant remember what page and i cant find it??? i want to recall what circumstances ivan was in 💀 cause like for all i know he was taken out for a walk or something IDK MAN 😭😭😭

(3) ivan having had a rough childhood in the slums was able to get the upperhand on fighting till (when they beat each other up and ivan was smiling), to which till unaware of his past and just thought ivan was naturally good at it also to ivan, hitting till was expressing his feelings, and that till was someone who accepted those feelings, which attracted him. ..?

(4) ivan having been underfed in the past, made him smaller than the other kids but as he grew he ended up catching up to till's height (also i dont think he had his fang when he was younger. if you look at ivan at (2) there was like a note about his tooth not there yet or something in the artbook)

(5) He also kept close to Till like he wanted him to know he existed, and as his expression as a child was blank, Till couldn't understand him at all.

(6) The way Ivan looks at Till is a little too creepy to be defined as love, and that his one-sided feelings for Till eventually became an indescribable concept.

(7) Kissing was an unfamiliar act to modern humans. There'd been a time where kissing on the cheek was popular in Anakt Garden, which lingered in Ivan's mind and gave him an idea. It shouldn't be just a kiss, Ivan concluded. It's a section where various emotions were driven to act. ("Thank you for being the victim of my shallow emotions" still has me breaking im) (I would also like to mention there was like a comic or something about Ivan asking Till for a kiss on the lips, and that other people have been doing it) (I'm relying on the translator app but I also saw this translation first so)

(8) It's described as Ivan acting like a child, unilaterally pouring out his feelings to Till 💀 (when kissing him)

(9) his outfit on round 3 has symbols of the brands that he's sponsored by, and show that he's 'being sold as a product'

(10) in the slums, when being held over like the edge due to the anger of a dealer, he faced the fear of death at such a young age that it stuck with him, that death was always near him. the shooting stars that then appeared stayed with him unconsciously (the translation it gives me is "the ecstasy faced with death took place intensely in Ivan's deep unconsciousness.")

(11) ivan gradually feels anger and affection towards till to where its hard to tell when his feelings started and eventually it turns into obsession

(12) the lyrics of black sorrow dont fully explain him. in the last chorus he recalls the start of his old emotions, showing affection for a brief moment before returning to reality

(13) originally the relationship between ivan and till overlapped too closely with mizi and sua so it was changed to be about like possessiveness control and obsession

anyway the only thing i havent checked so far is like pages 240+

other things: ??? when was i gonna learn freddie(?) apparently was a father to two wtf till did you just orphan children 💀

in the sort of like detention room(??), the only sound you can hear is your breathing

tills clothing in round 6 is meant to signify that hes become kind of more obedient? he doesnt believe mizi died but he is like a lot more subdued. also tills shoes are apparently made of metal wtf (which shows urak's lack of care for him)

SORRY??? WAS THE SONG TILL WAS MADE TO SING BE MY CLEMATIS????

if i look at whats in in <> are and compare it to the korean characters of My Clematis.. yeah. thats my clematis alright. oh damn.

he refused to though and i guess we have more context why but holy fuck man.

originally started because i wanted to share my findings about till being told to sing my clematis, and also apparently that we couldve gotten mizisua but ivantill and i need someone to make an au of that so i can live in denial that its one-sided 💀

then i just ended up compiling a good chunk of the stuff about ivan from the artbook

[arcane-ish]

Embracing the Monster: Why CaitVi kind of felt left out compared to Zaundads/Timebomb/JayVik

Let me start with some disclaimers: I have have wrestled with the way CaitVi was written in season 2 and tried to make sense of it in this post. And I have wrestled with myself and my tastes and why I actually feel very ill equipped to really say whether CaitVi is shippishly having issues or just being written for a different taste/target audience.

I have my very subjective often very oddball tastes of what I consider a good ship that often goes aggressively what either the general public or the popular fandom public considers good. In the end I can only report on what I saw.

IMO: looking at Arcane season 2 act 3 specifically there is just a really natural thematic flow.

Have you seen the meme: "Arcane was about love? Always has been"?

To me the overall message of Act 3 in particular (but that you can go back to and see traces of it in plenty of other act) is about Embracing the Monster.

And to me, despite the choppiness of much of Act 3, there's just a certain grace to how this is done.

It starts with Silco and Vander formulating the concept. They tease the promise, whether you see Silco or Vander as "the bad one" in this constellation, if you embrace, if you forgive, something great can come out of it.

This flows directly to Ekko who actively listens to it and tries applies it to himself

And it ends with JayVik symbolizing the concept. and ending the cosmic threat with it. Viktor expecting bad treatment due to his actions, Jayce embracing him anyway.

A lot can be said about the pros and cons of that theme (and I will do that), but there's just to me pure power in repetition and thematic congruency that just gives power and makes it hit more even for couples I don't actually like or ship all that much.

The problem is that even though CaitVi is the primary romantic couple of the show, they don't feel like they are part of this thematic trifecta of s2Act3.

CaitVi is too different to fit in, but not different enough to act as a counterpoint

From a story point of view, CaitVi could have been part of this general theme of big hearted understanding and forgiveness. I've seen a lot of discussion about has Cait apologized, has she apologized enough. I think that's besides the point.

We don't see whether Vander apologized to Silco. Jinx probably didn't apologize to Ekko and Viktor didn't in so many words apologize to Jayce. The point of this theme isn't about apologizing.

Considering the bad or misguided things Caitlyn did, she could have been part of that theme. But it would have required Vi to be a lot more horrified by her. To gulf between them would have to have been much larger so it can feel like a big deal for Vi to jump that gulf and embrace Caitlyn despite everything that has happened.

The show plays a little bit with "could Caitlyn become a monster", but in the end it doesn't go there in the way people react to her and how she carries herself. Because the show is hesitant to portray her as monster, for Vi to see Caitlyn as monster, they do not fit into the "embracing the monster*" theme that the other stories have going on. Again I speculate that that might have been intentional and that it might be their way of portraying CaitVi ultimately as a more functional couple.

There's catharsis in CaitVi's big payoff scene. But it's a different catharsis than what the other stories have going on.

Again, the theme of the other pairs is embracing the monster.

The theme of CaitVi is choosing happiness/being liberated from responsibility.

Picture a world where the themes of the other couples had echoed CaitVi? If let's say Ekko had actually felt burdened by his responsibility as a Firelight when he really wants to be with Jinx and him choosing her is about throwing away the shackles of that responsibility? If JayVik had been about Jayce's responsibility on the council and to Mel. If Vander's letter to Silco had been about "I thought I needed to expel you because people told me to, because of my responsibility to the Lanes, but I was wrong and I hate myself for it".

Can you see how if all stories, all relationships had been about choosing love over responsibility (whether it's Vi's responsibility to take care of Jinx or Caitlyn's feeling like she's supposed to live like her mother would have wanted her too), how that would have strengthened CaitVi's story. If the other stories had established a baseline how different characters deal with love and responsibility and set the baseline that this is an important topic that many people struggle with?

Or imagine the reverse, if rather than everybody joining CaitVi's theme, what if let's say rather than the relatively breezy/jokey/flirty/soft mood of the CaitVi scene pre sex had been about Cait having a full on ugly crying scene to the tune of "I'm a monster, I treated you badly, I went the wrong path, I don't deserve you" and Vi had embraced her anyway. If CaitVi had actually spelled out the implied confrontation that maybe went down or should went down between Zaundads, Timebomb, JayVik?

I'm not saying that it would have made a better show or made CaitVi a better couple. What I'm trying to explain what would have been required for CaitVi to feel like "part of the gang". And why right now they feel like the odd ones out, because the theme of three other storylines roughly match each other and CaitVi has a different theme compared to everybody else.

(MelJay is a different case for a couple of reasons)

In the end, it's not a crime that CaitVi doesn't follow everybody else's theme. I have speculated that it might have been intentional, that their theme is in the end maybe healthier/less dysfunctional from a future relationship perspective. Or maybe it's supposed to make them more special that their have their own unique theme.

IMO there's potential logic to going against the grain. But imo for my personal tastes, CaitVi not sharing the same theme would have worked better if they had actively contrasted the other stories by being completely different.

That's the problem of CaitVi being different, but not different enough. Because Cait does physically hurt Vi just not as aggressively as Vander hurting Silco or Timebomb trying to kill each other. And Cait did go down a dark path and lost herself in darkness the way Jinx or Viktor likely did. But it is not treated the same way.

The potential is there, but because the involved people react so differently to the situation it doesn't feel like it's the same theme, not "part of the gang". But it shares too many elements to feel like counterprogramming.

Again imagine a show where CaitVi are the one couple who feel full on differently. Who manage to stay sane and loving and supportive all the way through. If rather than Cait going all "Zaunites are animals!!!" and hitting Vi with the butt of a gun they had a sane and supportive breakup where Cait just tells her "I'm sorry, I can feel like I'm losing myself and I know I cannot be in a relationship now. Just go away, you probably have your own issues to handle first", And the rough corners of the plot had stayed the same of CaitVi being apart in Act 2, Vi doing her Jinx and Vanderwick arc and Cait losing herself in police work and responsibilities, but they always stay respectful and communicative with each other while all the other people around them are way more dysfunctional and hurt by poor communication.

IMO, for my taste (again as somebody who if firmly not a wlw shippers, just an occasional shipper of wlw couples), CaitVi would have resonated more powerfully if the show had gone for either option: join the same theme as the other characters (at the risk of making them more dysfunctional as a couple) or be a more aggressive contrast/the haven of difference and sanity and health in a chaotic world (at the risk of making them more boring/less melodramatic/less meatily shippy).

ETA: I hope it's okay that I tag CaitVi rather than anti. Because this is written from a place of affection, of "what could the show have done differently to make them pop more" (with the stipulation of "for a general audience" with the understanding that that might never have been the goal in the first place)

*I should probably add the "monster" here is naturally metaphorical most of the time and it's not about portraying Jinx, Viktor, Vander&Silco as monsters and more about whether you are missing out by seeing them as monsters, whether monsters like Vanderwick are actually a lot less monstrous than they might seem, that you can come back from anything etc

[elephantshoetoo]

Hey there! Loved the recent YT video of yours. Um, Let's dive straight to the question.

First, I am a massive Byler believer. (all for the right reasons, I believe) But recently I keep seeing posts on "why Byler isn't happening" and the reason people usually drop is "the story is set on 80s, it was a difficult time to be gay"--- And I'm like, 1. well, it's mainly a fictional show. there isn't upside down or at least we have yet to find that to be true . so writers can do what they like. 2. just because 80s was a difficult time to express openly to others that they were gay doesn't mean people didn't fall in love and decided to love and live with each other for the rest of their lives. 3. am I really watching the same show with the rest of the world? am i overanalyzing it? or am I really gonna be kicked on the stomach when Season 5 releases (which I hope releases soon, every day of wait is killing me) What's your take on this? Hopefully you'd answer. I rarely open Tumbler but I will come back for your answer. Lots of Love, A Fellow ST Fan

Ooh, thank you for your question - this is my first real ask. I'm so excited 😊

Take heart, dear Byler shipper. This is a show for the underdogs, a show about fighting against forced conformity and righting the wrongs of the past.

I grew up in the 80's, and yes, gay people existed, though many of them were closeted out of fear or denial. I had gay friends and dated several gay guys, so I do understand why people might think it would be unrealistic for Byler to happen, but yeah, it's a sci-fi show, not a documentary. It's not about realism or showing how it was. It's about showing how it should be (in the end), so I don't think the time period is going to stop them.

In fact, I think the time period is significant. I think the monsters and the Upside Down are all symbolic of the horrors of growing up as a gay person in a place and time that was hostile towards them.

But also...

The first Pride celebration in Indiana happened in Indianapolis in 1987.

1987.

Why does that date sound familiar...? Oh, yes. That's when most of ST 5 takes place - the year of their first Pride celebration. Hmm... Coincidence?

And Byler can happen without them coming out to the whole town. They could keep it amongst their friends and family, the way Robin has only told Steve so far. Nobody doubts Rovickie happening, even though they are also gay in the 80's (making those arguments against Byler completely invalid). Vickie has far less queer coding than Mike Wheeler and is also in a straight relationship, but everyone sees it coming after only a few flirty scenes, because nobody knows or cares about Vickie's boyfriend or had any preconceived ideas about her character that they now have to adjust. People don't like adjusting their preconceived ideas. It makes them uncomfortable. It makes them question the safety of their familiar little world and forces them to expand their minds. Growth is never easy.

But... if they don't already see the queer coding behind Mike and all the hints that Byler is on the horizon... adjusting their preconceived ideas would actually explain Mike's whole character arc, the "journey" he's been on and the weird behavior that makes no sense through any other lens. That airport "hug"? Pretending to ignore Will all day while furtively glancing at him and noticing every little thing he does? Classic crush behaviour. It's so obvious unless you're straight-up in denial. They've used so many of the traditional romantic tropes (love triangle, boy-next-door, "just friends" to lovers, Cyrano De Bergerac, etc...), yet people refuse to see it because Byler isn't a traditional couple.

So, yeah... It's a story. It can do whatever it wants. If it's a good story - which I believe it is - it will pick up all these breadcrumbs it's laid down and follow them to a satisfying conclusion. Otherwise, what would have been the point? Why have Will believe he's never going to fall in love? Why have him fall in love with Mike specifically, and leave a whole bunch of hints that Mike returns his feelings, making the audience root for them, if that's not where they're planning to take this? It would make no sense at all and be sloppy storytelling, imo.

Thank you so much for your question, and for watching our YouTube video! I hope this cures you of any Byler doubt.

Love,

Byler Mom

💙💛💚

[murfpersonalblog]

IWTV S2 Ep1 Musings - From Jim Crow to literal Crow

No one ever talks about the word the Romanian kid said to Claudia, and what it means. That little pissant had the nerve to walk up to Claudia, poke her on her effing face, and called her a "cioara."

Like, you know racism is a DEEPLY embedded problem in a country when even the KIDS are effing demons, totally unprompted. That mini-Nazi turd bubble called my daughter an ugly black N****r!

Felecan, Oliviu. "A Psycholinguistic Approach to Nicknaming (With Reference to Nicknames Given by Students to Teachers)." Names and Their Environment (2014): 65.

During the 1940s, the Romanians showed their entire arsehole by emulating their Aryan bestie Adolf Hitler (Romania was Germany's ally in WWII). But the dehumanization of Black people (and ofc the Roma) in Romania is rampant to this effing day.

This 2020 article describes racist activity on Facebook that seems mighty similar to what happened to Claudia in that effing Trial in 2x7--brute force being the only way to "discipline these people...savages" by LYNCHING crows.

This racist braindead fandom LOVES to run around saying It's Not About Race~!, esp. wrt to the Trial, decontextualizing Delainey's Vulture interview to dismiss any & all conversation about the racial dynamics of Claudia & Louis' treatment in predominately white communities that HATE them--esp. when Black people talk about it.

AMC had Delainey's character called N-word in a foreign language "Cioara!"--which AMC translated for everyone's benefit so we all knew she was being called a Crow--then they have Delainey POKED in the effing FACE by this white kid before she SHOVES him in the effing dirt. But y'all expect me to believe AMC never talked to this Black woman about race!? Y'all think she ain't never asked the writers what these all Romanian words even she was learning to speak meant!? Just cuz they didn't discuss race on set during Ep7 doesn't mean they NEVER talked about race, stop it! 🤦

AMC had Delainey's character praise the Paris coven BECAUSE they're predominately white but had a dark-skinned Asian Master--after they'd left racist AF Jim Crow America, after they'd lived all over Europe having Nazis mock them for being Black Ukranians, being called cioara by Romanians, and having Soviets throw their travel papers in the effing mud. But y'all expect me to believe AMC never talked to this Black woman about race!?

And AMC planted the seeds allllll the way back in 2x1, having that dirty white kid poke Claudia's face & call her the n-word, just like the Alderman's lawyer poked Louis in his effing face AND called him an "exceptional Negro" in 1x2, just like the coven hamstrung Claudia and burned her alive at the stake & called her a defective monster in 2x7.

This fandom has a chronic issue of being terminally incapable of putting 2 + 2 together, ESPECIALLY when it comes to identifying racial, historical & cultural nuances flying CLEAR over their heads.

I've been stressing this entire time that AMC deliberately made black!Claudia's experiences worse than book!film!Claudia's, specifically because of her race. Vampirism gave her NOTHING. Just her being dehumanized & demeaned & diminished & disrespected.

The messaging is ALL OVER the series--

--I can't even--

But this has nothing to do with race, y'all! AMC never talked to Delainey about race, y'all! Color consciousness doesn't exist, y'all! All lives matter, y'all!

[citystain]

an/cw: self sabotaging behavior? idk this is a weird vent-y hurt comfort piece Read At Ur Own Risk although it really isnt that bad, uuuhh per usual i dont want to know if you notice any grammatical errors n enjoy

wc: 742

there's not a single thing more terrifying than love. no monster, no prophecy, no clash of swords could ever match the primal fear it instilled in you.

percy is... something. he's been romancing you for the past few weeks and you've been letting him. it was fun. the banter, the feigned ignorance of what was happening between the two of you—it was all shiny and new and most importantly, your brain hadn't caught up to it yet.

before, anyway. now, it had its destructive hands all over it. the thought of percy no longer gave you butterflies but an unsettling feeling in your gut. the kind a deer got before running. now, he felt more like a wound you couldn't stitch up rather than a boy.

you hadn't seen him in a week (officially, now— you'd been counting.) and no, it wasn't avoidance. you were just... busy. the life of a demigod is a very hard one. you didn't have time for romance—not now, at least.

up until the fifth day, it had been bearable. now, you can hardly sleep without him haunting you in the quiet of the night. the memories of the two of you were painful to think about in any context: how he used to cradle your name so gently on his tongue, how every time you thought of him, you used the past tense, how you were currently ruining any sort of bond the two of you might have had.

when you're alone, loving him is horrific. it's choking on something too big to swallow.

percy was always too observant when it came to you. he noticed all your little pieces, ones you didn't even know existed. the smaller things, like how you took bigger breaths in the cold (so he could drape his sweater over your shoulders), and the bigger ones, like how you were throwing yourself into any activity to keep yourself away from him.

...

"are you avoiding me?" his voice startles you out of your daze. you hadn't even noticed him walk up, but he's there, standing in front of you, and it makes you want to bolt.

"i've been busy." you lie, not meeting his eyes.

"with what?"

you hate the way his voice still holds the warmth it always has with you. how he hasn't started hating you for your blatant disregard for his feelings with your behavior.

"stuff." you try to sound irritated, but it comes out flat.

there's silence. you glance at him finally, and know it's a mistake the second you do. his gaze is steady, unwavering, and so full of something you can't (or rather, won't) name that it makes your throat tighten. he's foolish to think, of all people, he could love you.

"listen.. i know we've been fooling around or whatever, but i know his ends, and it's not good, so consider this a favor." this is how it always goes. someone is naïve enough to keep trying with you, not knowing you crush all hope of love between your fingers with vengeance, and everyone gets hurt in the end.

despite the cold, fake-casual mood you've set, he sits next to you. "we haven't even got to the start and you're already talking about the end?" hes good at casual. certainly better than you.

"well- i'm just warning you." you look away, hugging your knees to your chest.

he nods, looking at you with a stupidly sweet smile. "alright, duly noted. now will you stop being dramatic and start talking to me again?"

your chest aches at how willing he is to fall into normalcy with you again, after the way you've been acting. you frown, though it's half-hearted. "i'm serious. i don't want to hurt you."

he laughs, and it aggravates you in a way that makes the pit in your stomach ease up a bit. he holds eye contact as he pulls your hand into his. "you won't hurt me. i promise."

you stare at him, eyebrows pulled together seriously. "you don't know—"

"how could i? how could i know anything when you keep running away before i can find out." he says with his signature, stupid, stupid, boyish charming laugh. you're too caught up in your own head and next rebuttal to put up a fight when he pulls you into his side. "please, will you at least try before you throw in the towel?"

you don't have the heart to deny him.

[aplaceinthedark]

chapter 4: SOUL on my SLEEVE

Summary: The Appalachian Mountains hide numerous monsters, and it's up to Taylor and the Bad Omens to prevent them from causing any harm.

Word Count: 2.2k+

CW: Supernatural themes, one misgender, angst as in the cute couple argues, brief suggestion of sexual assault

Banner: @saradika-graphics

A/N: Sorry this one is so short. I got tired of looking at it.

This is RPF, and thus will contain real people, but names and events will be changed. If this bothers you too much, then please leave this temple without causing harm.

NICHOLAS

A FEW DAYS AGO

The past few days, he had been searching through the translated hex books to see if there was anything to be done about the Pale Things, or to prevent whatever might come lurking next. Unfortunately, the ones he had translated had mostly been about various methods of scrying or folklore-y ways to cure basic ailments. So he had to start working on the ones that still needed to be translated.

And then he wished he hadn't.

Nicholas did the first thing he could think of. Noah, we need to talk, he projected into the forest.

WHATEVER IT IS, I DIDN'T DO IT.

Nicholas let out a weary sigh, knowing that it would still transfer into Noah's mind. It's not about you for once–

WOW, RUDE.

Do NOT interrupt me. It's about what's causing the disturbances.

There was a moment of silence, in which Nicholas thought to prod, before he got a reply:

BE THERE IN A FEW.

It was more like a minute later when Nicholas heard the tell-tale creaking wood sound of Noah converting into human form, then the sound of him hurriedly walking to the door and opening it. Nicholas looked up just as he heard the clatter of antlers knocking against the doorframe; Noah reeled back and bit out the words, “Ow, fuck!”

“Watch the door,” Nicholas said flatly.

“Every time!” Noah swore once more, ducking his head as he entered. “What’s up?”

Nicholas sighed. “You’re not gonna like the answer.”

“I figured that out already. What did you find?”

Nicholas pointed to the two notebooks on the table in front of him: Granny’s hex book and his translation notes. “Since there’s no nice way to say it, I’m just gonna come out with it. The Stag was sacrificing people for a good reason.”

Those words had the effect he had anticipated on Noah. “What's that supposed to mean?” he growled, eyes nearly turning black.

“The forest needed something to keep it quiet, and the Stag gave it blood: your guys’ blood,” Nicholas explained. “When you took over, you didn't kill anybody ever since we… destroyed the cult. Nothing has been given to the forest, and now the darkness in it is waking up.”

Nicholas watched Noah's face slowly fall. After a few moments, Noah looked back up and quietly pleaded, “There's gotta be another way.”

“I… think I might've found one, but it's a lot more complicated,” Nicholas said.

“More complicated than killing someone?” Noah asked.

“Well…” Nicholas trailed off, then flipped through another hex book to a marked page. “Granny's great-grandmother once was a part of a ritual that was dedicated to the Green King–”

“Another form of the Watcher,” Noah said.

“Yeah, when they worshipped him before they found out the Watcher was in the form of the Black Stag,” Nicholas confirmed. The Watcher of the Woods had many faces in which different groups believed in, but it had been the Black Stag that had held dominion over the Woods for millennia.

And it was the Towering Man who now held the title.

“Alright.”

“Well, she uh… she went with a guy and they… Well, they fucked,” Nicholas said.

The blank face on Noah's was almost comical. “Okay?” he said. "How is that more complicated?"

“Because that guy, who I think might be my great-great-great grandfather, stood in for the Watcher. We don't really need a stand-in when we have the Watcher in a human form.” Nicholas motioned up and down.

“Yeah, well, you're gonna have to find a stand-in, cause no one is gonna want to go near a guy with these things growing out of his skull,” Noah bit out, pointing at the antlers that were nearly at their fully grown point.

“I said it was gonna be complicated," Nicholas said. “And believe me, I would love to fuck Taylor out in the Holler, but I can’t channel you when you're... out there.”

There was a beat of silence, before a diabolical thought popped into Nicholas' head. His eyes snapped up to Noah's at the same time Noah's eyes snapped to his; maybe Noah read his mind, or maybe he came to the same conclusion.

“There is no way–” Noah started.

“They already know about what you are!” Nicholas argued back.

“There's no way they would agree to it!” Noah snapped. “Are you listening to yourself, dude? You're talking about someone else fucking your girlfriend!”

“Partner!”

“Whatever! Just because they have the parts, doesn't mean it'll work!" Noah sucked in a breath. “Find something else. I'm not doing that.”

“And if I don't? It could take ages to go through the rest of the hex books. And we don't have that kind of time.”

Nicholas could almost see the war going on behind Noah's eyes. Nicholas didn't want Taylor to do this either, but if they had no choice? Either Noah kill as innocent person or fucking his best friend's partner?

Noah would have to swallow his pride.

But would Taylor?

TAYLOR

PRESENT DAY

You could hear a pin drop, or a book in my case, as the hex book slipped from my suddenly numb fingers. I caught Noah’s eyes following it. “What– Why me?!” I shouted.

“Told you they wouldn’t take it well,” Noah sighed.

My head whipped around to Nick, who visibly winced. “You thought of this?” I asked incredulously. “What?!”

“Taylor, it was the only thing I could come up with,” Nick said in a rush. He was slowly rising out of his chair, hands out like he was trying not to spook a wild animal. “You said it yourself; the other options were to hope someone would have sex with him, or he killed someone innocent.”

“So what, I’m the lesser evil? If I don’t do this, things will get worse?”

“Pale Things were just the start,” Noah said matter-of-factly. “If we don’t figure something out, other things will start coming back. Things like Folio or Jolly.”

Whatever the Thing that I saw in the library's parking lot came to mind. “But… you’re suggesting I… have sex with…” I trailed off, looking back at Noah.

Nick opened his mouth, but Noah cut him off. “What, am I so bad that you'd rather the evil come out of the Woods and attack people?” His upper lip twitched into a snarl as he pushed himself off the counter and rose to his full human height. The tallest points of his antlers nearly touched the ceiling.

“Noah.” I could hear the warning in Nick’s voice.

“No, I want to hear why they won't do it,” Noah snapped. “What’s your excuse?”

There was a moment of silence as I tried to register if he was serious or not. I sputtered out, “Well, isn't it obvious?!” Noah raised an eyebrow, and I realized that I'd have to spell it out for him. “Because I'm not in a relationship with you!”

“Semantics,” Noah scoffed. “The Woods don't care. Nick doesn't care either.”

“Dude, I do care. I care about Taylor, and I'm not gonna force them to do something they don't want to do,” Nick stated. He took his hair tie out, letting his long dark locks tumble down over his shoulders.

He then turned to me. “Believe me, if there was some other way, I wouldn't have suggested it. But we're running out of time.”

“When? The solstice?” I asked. It was less than two months away, but at least I would have two months to find another way.

Noah shook his head, but it was Nick who spoke. “Too long. We have to hurry this along, and this kind of ritual would need May powers.”

“B-but like, late May… right?” I asked, failing to keep the uneasiness out of my voice.

“The next Day of Power is May Day, the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice,” Nick said, grimacing. “Which is May First.”

I quickly looked over at the kitchen calendar. May First was next Wednesday. Less than a week away.

“You could've given me a warning!” I said through gritted teeth.

“We wanted to find another way, Taylor!” Nick shouted exasperatedly, sending the cats scurrying for the bedroom. His patience was snapping. “I didn't want to pressure you into doing this! But unless you have a better idea, this is all we got!”

I didn't have a better idea, and with two pairs of eyes on me, I could barely breathe, let alone think. I needed out.

“I need some air,” I said more to myself than the guys. I turned away from them to grab a jacket.

“Taylor, wait–” Nick started to say something, but I had purposefully walked past him and Noah to the back door to the back porch.

Currently, the back porch has been settled for an outdoor storage area. Empty plant pots dotted the space, some holding down a kiddie pool to keep it from blowing away. Pretty soon they would be filled with various ferns or flowers for Nicholas to grow, kept separate from the garden we had already plotted out.

Normally, I would sit at the glass table in one of the lawn chairs we had acquired, but various tools and smaller pots sat in them. And I was too frazzled to deal with the hammock. So instead I sat down on the steps that led down to the backyard. My toes curled as I hunched over, still cold and now slightly damp. At least the rain had stopped.

My mind was buzzing loudly. I had to have sex with Noah; someone who I would call a petulant little brother on a good day. The fact that Nick was actually encouraging it made it feel harder to comprehend.

I had never cheated on anyone. I had strong feelings about anyone who cheated on their partner. My first girlfriend had cheated on her boyfriend with me for several months, and I hadn't known until she broke up with me. Ever since then, I swore that I would never cause that kind of heartbreak.

But was this considered cheating?

“Hey.”

I looked up to see Noah's tall form looming over me. “What?” I asked flatly, not showing the whirlwind of emotions that was going on inside of me.

“You've been out here too long, and it's after dark. Nick got worried,” he stated. He then folded himself down next to me. The wood steps groaned under our combined weight.

“So why didn't he come out here instead?” I asked. Instead of looking up into his face, I focused on the intricate lines of green and black ink on his left arm. Over the winter, I had found the runes and images twisted within: a wolf howling at the moon, a fish jumping out of a river, an owl mid-flight. All tied together by Celtic knots and symbols of binding and power. It all ended at his wrist; the back of his hand was clear, unlike his right hand.

“Because he thinks you hate him and don't want to see his face right now,” Noah said.

“I don't hate him,” I muttered, turning away from him and resting my chin on my knees.

“You know, I didn't want to do this either.”

I looked up then. “Mainly because the thought of fuckng my best friend’s partner made my skin crawl. But I got over it, cause it was that, or kill somebody. Or the third, more horrible option.”

“What–”

“Also, this is gonna be hard for me, too, you know?” He said.

“Cause it's me? The bane of your existence?”

“No,” he scoffed, annoyed. “Because it's been more than five years since I've even had sex, and the last girl I had sex with stabbed me later that night.”

Elin… I had completely forgotten about her. No one liked to talk about her, so the only thing I knew about her was that she lied and told everyone that Noah ran away, and she was killed by him in revenge.

“I feel like my feelings are invalid,” I said.

“You've got five days to talk to Nick about this. I'm sure you two will figure something out.”

“You seem really sure for someone who was upset at me back in the house.”

“Because I thought it was something stupid like you thought I was ugly,” Noah said, “or some shit like that.”

I elbowed him in the arm, making him snort out a chuckle. He then grabbed the hood of my jacket as he stood up. “Come on. It's late and I don't wanna have to babysit you all night out here.”

Noah didn't follow me into the house, instead waiting outside the back door until I locked it. The inside of the house was dark. I managed to feel my way through the laundry room and into the kitchen, but I could easily tell that Nick wasn't in the living room. I tiptoed down the hall and into the main bedroom, where the shape of him rested under the blanket on his side of the bed.

I silently changed into pajamas before sliding under the covers to curl around Nick's warmth. As I wrapped my arms around him, my bare hands settled on his tummy, and the cold alerted him into wakefulness. “Tay?” he groggily asked, sounding as if he'd been asleep for hours.

“I love you, Nick,” I said over his shoulder. I felt his hand wrap around mine, and he gave them a small squeeze.

“I know,” he said before settling back into my embrace. I kissed his shoulder and tightened my hold on him, like I would never let him go.

tysm for reading! If you enjoyed this, please reblog to share the word of the Revered Father. Next chapter coming soon.

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[korgidorgi]

Mel Medarda x Winged!Reader Headcannons!

Before I begin:

I’ve just had a LOT of ideas for this one OC I’ve crafted. I guess I just want to write a bunch of my favorite headcannons/prompts in my head. So I think I’ll be posting little drabbles about different happenings. They’re all part of the same story, the same people and same relations. Guess I just wanted to share this character with you :)

There’s a bit of everything, some fluff, some angst, some rambling. All from different times too. I don’t know what order I’ll post them, or if it’ll be clear when they happen. It’s more of a personal thing, just wanting to get my ideas down and being able to share them. I guess it also helps me develop the character and story a bit more.

I think I’ll have this post be the “headcannons” list post, but I will put links to other oneshots/drabbles with the prompts if/when I post them. And I’ll probably update this post as I add more oneshots that weren’t originally on the list :)

Please also understand that these updates will be random, I’m not the best with sticking to projects, let alone have much time to work on this. But I’ll be chipping away at it. Thank you guys for reading and keeping up with me! Anyways, on with the post!

Mel Medarda x You

Meeting back when she was first cast out of Noxus by her mother.

You’d been on your own journey to Piltover, ultimately running into Mel’s transport. It also just so happens to have both of you guys enemies trying to track you two down. It’s a whole thing that the two of you bond over, given you’re now stuck together. In the end, you part ways, Mel joining Topside and you disappearing into the Undercity.

You acquire your wings during your time in the Undercity. It wasn’t the most… pleasant experience.

The addition of your wings gives birth to a new persona, a new purpose for you: King Raven. Silco and the Chem-Barons fucking hate King Raven.

Meeting with Mel again (S2). You finally catch up with her, getting to know her once again.

When the two of you have downtime, she’ll preen your feathers. It’s one of her favorite activities with you when you’re both lazing around.

Draping a wing over her shoulders if she’s cold. Wrapping both of your wings around the two of you when you hug her. Using your wings to protect her.

Her mother hates you. Despite witnessing you protect her daughter, she refuses to believe in you, trust you, like you, accept you. This leads to conflict with the warlord. Especially when she discovers that Mel has disappeared.

If you’re hurt, Mel always tends to your wounds, no matter how much you try to fight her on it.

“It’s just a scratch, Mel, I’m fine—“ you protest, though your wince gives you away as she touches the wound.

It’s clearly worse than ‘just a scratch’.

“Just shut up and let me take care of you.” She manages to persuade you, sitting you down on a chair so she can mend your wound.

An ask from anon: * At the end of your HC with Mel, you mentioned that Reader and Mel see each other after the fic with Ambessa. So, and hear me out, Singed turns Reader into a giant monster to fight in the war‼️

I didn’t exactly do giant monster!Reader, but I will if you guys let me know!