#pretty sure this is me trying to find a loophole to the fact that I can't have my friends who live across the country all gather

[harpsicalbiobug]

Making a list of friends to invite to my birthday and my brain keeps saying: "you should invite your tumblr mutuals!"

[lalacliffthorne]

modern!batboys as (your) roommates - headcanons.

because let's be honest, we have all thought about that at some point.🦇

(this is the introduction of my new drabble universe!!! I can´t tell you how fucking excited I am.)

it would be wrong to say that your life was boring before you met the three idiots you now call your roommates

sure, it wasn't as exciting

but you had your tiny little apartment, went out with friends once in a while and mostly enjoyed having your own space and routines

but then

shit hits the fan

and by shit I mean your landlord

because of a loophole in the rental agreement, he's able to kick you out of your apartment with only a months notice

in other words

you're fucked

or, as your best friend Feyre, who you met the first week of orientation and became inseperable with, says -

"That bastard." Feyre's eyes are stormy.

"What the hell am I gonna to do?" You bury your face in your hands, your voice muffled when you mumble: "How am I supposed to find a new apartment in a few weeks? For this one, I looked over a year, and it's a glorified shoebox!" Your voice rises as you feel a wave of dread crash over you and your heart rising into your throat.

"Hey, it's okay. If worst comes to worst, you can crash at my place,", Feyre raises her brows, "even though we'd have to share my bed, but - I won't just let you sleep on a park bench if that's what you're worried about. Unless you find another glorified shoebox that's technically out of your budget, it's you and me, crashing on my bed, climbing over your stuff to get to the bathroom, finding out what married life would feel like."

even though you love her to death, that really does not sound like an option you want to explore

so you try everything

scouring every paper for apartment advertisments, posting on your uni's socials, going to all the viewings you can find -

nothing

but just when you're ready to just give up

a miracle happens

the miracle is 5'5, has impeccable style and hair, a love for deep red lipstick and drops by for lunch

Mor has been your friend for two years now, since you almost spilled your coffee over her laptop at the library

(she's still not letting you live that down)

she also likes to get you out of your comfort zone

"Are you serious?" Mor stares at you wide-eyed.

"Yep." You tiredly stir your coffee. "I've been turned away for twenty apartments in the past few days alone. I'm aready seeing myself bunking with Feyre. She offered, but her bed barely fits into her apartment as it is."

Mor breathes a giggle before hastily clearing her throat. "Sorry."

You grin weakly before rubbing your face. "I don't know what I'm gonna do. I know it could be even worse, but -"

"It already feels pretty shitty,", Mor ends. You sigh in confirmation and are about to change the topic, because you haven't seen the blonde in weeks and feel bad about ruining your lunch. But before you can open your mouth, Mor suddenly squints in thought. Then she looks at you.

"How much do you value your privacy?

Given the fact you'll be basically homeless on the street in about a week if you don't find a new place - not much.

Mor begins to grin, and there's a bright twinkle in her eyes.

"Well, then I might just have the solution."

the next day, Mor drags you downtown

she takes you to an old but sophisticated building you wouldn't even dream about living in

a single month's rent there would probably empty your whole bank account

but Mor just winks and pulls you up the stairs

on the third floor, a guy leans in an open door

and that

is how you meet Rhys.

Mor's cousin is annoyingly beautiful

tall, with perfectly tousled dark hair, a perfect grin that causes his cheeks to crease and, from the looks of it, the also perfect physique

he's also annoyingly charming

if you'd met him somewhere without Mor, you would have probably gaped for a moment before catching onto the mischievous twinkle in his nearly violet eyes and promptly avoided him, because someone that pretty had to have some fault

as it turns out, Rhys' fault is offering practical strangers to live with him without even batting an eye

"What?"

You blink at Mor from where you just sank onto one of the two very comfortable couches, because she can't possibly -

"Okay, before you freak out, just listen, okay?" Mor is grinning giddily. "The guys have a free room they don't really use anyway and you really need a new place - so you could just move in here!" She beams. "The place is definitely big enough, and you'd fit in perfectly, I promise! They're just as chaotic as you, but also very responsible -"

"Mostly." Rhys' eyes are twinkling. He's looking completely and slightly concerningly unbothered by the prospect of you, a factual stranger, moving in with him and his friends.

"- they don't have any bad habits, they're fairly neat -"

"Mostly."

Mor widens her eyes at you. "It's perfect!"

You blink at her.

"I've already talked to my roommates." Rhys' deep voice is almost soothing - mostly because he sounds a lot calmer than Mor, steady and reassuring.

"If you want, this can be temporary, until you find a place just for yourself, but this way you don't have to stress about needing to find a place in a certain time, plus,", he cracks a grin, "I don't like the idea of you having to crash on somebody's couch in the foreseeable future, that's just bullshit if we got a free room here no one uses anway. And if this works,", one corner of his lips quirks even more until his grin is a lot closer to the wicked twinkle in his eyes, "none of us would mind another roommate."

"You don't have to decide right now." Mor smiles brightly. "But I think it would be great, and you'd make a bargain with the rent, because Rhys loves to play sugar daddy -", her cousin flips her off, "and I think this would be a really good idea." She grins, suddenly a little sheepish.

if you weren't so desperate, you would whip out about a dozen arguments about why this probably isn't a good idea

like the fact that rooming with three dudes sounds like a lot of testosteron, or that you don't even know them, and that they don't even know you -

but from the way Rhys lounges in his chair, smirking easily while Mor beams at you, he doesn't seem to see too much of a problem in that

also you are very, very desperate

but there's still that one thing -

"About those roommates -"

When you hear the door, you raise your head, your heart doing a slightly concerning flip in your chest.

It's a day later, and you just finished the tour of the apartment Rhys has given you. Even though it's huge and very grand with it's high ceilings decorated with stucco and the original hardwood floors, it feels warm and cozy. The room you'd be sleeping in is as big as your whole current apartment, light with two big window and a view of the trees on the street outside.

It kind of makes you wonder where the catch is.

Maybe it's about to walk through the door.

You hear a deep voice and heavy footsteps, then a dude appears in the door to the kitchen.

Your heart does a somersault, and you feel your lips part a bit. Because frankly, it's a miracle he makes it through the door without hitting his head.

The guy's huge. His shoulders and chest strain against his t-shirt; he looks like one of those dudes who basically have muscle in their DNA, all corded muscle under ridiculously wide shoulders and a solid middle, muscular long legs under black jeans -

And you're staring.

Big time.

The dude's looking over his shoulder, which means he thankfully doesn't notice you oggling him. The half of his hair that isn't pulled back in a bun brushes against his neck when he grins, his cheeks creasing. He's really good looking, in a rugged kinda way, with his roughly curved jaw and the scar on the side of his face, and when he looks back ahead, his eyes twinkle warmly.

Then, behind him, another guy appears in the doorway, and your breath catches.

Because if Rhys is annoyingly beautiful, the guy in the door is drop-dead gorgeous.

Just like the other two, he's tall and all lean muscle. His shoulders shift under his black t-shirt as he leans against the doorframe, his hands sliding into the pockets of his black jeans. His eyes look like amber in sunlight, his dark hair is tousled, a strand curving over his forehead. His face is all angles and soft lips, with dark brows that look like he likes to crunch them in a scowl, but right now, he looks fairly relaxed, though his gaze is watchful.

And on yours.

Feeling warmth wash into your cheeks, you hastily look away while crap, crap, crap echoes through your head, because of course he caught you staring.

On to a really great start here.

Your gaze grazes his hands and the bit of uneven skin that merges into veiny, tan forearms before your eyes trail over the tattoos scattered over them, some peaking out from his sleeves.

There's the sound of someone clearing their throat, and you feel the heat in your cheeks deepen when your eyes dart up and meet Rhys', a twinkle in his iris when he sends you a lazy grin.

"Boys, this is Y/N." He raises a brow. "Our new roommate."

and that is how you meet Cassian and Azriel

it almost makes you reconsider

because you're really not sure you're gonna survive rooming with three guys that pretty

but after thinking it over for a couple of days, you realize that you really don't have a choice

and so a week later, Rhys and Cassian come over to your apartment to help you move the first half of your stuff

neither blink an eye at the fact it's about the size of a broom closet in comparison to their home

Rhys does however scowl when he sees the condition of the bathroom

you're ready to sink into the floor when you hastily explain pretty much all the apartments in the building look like that

(a lil dingy and moldy)

but when he turns, Rhys just glowers and grumbles under his breath about how he'd like to rip your landlord a new one

it's the first time you realize that under all the aloofness and swagger and cheeky grins, Rhys cares

it's proven again when you move into your new room a week later and there's a new mattress on the also new bed

you haven't bought either of them, but when you try to protest, Rhys just huffs about your back probably being fucked up because of your old one and about how he'll add it to your rent

he never does

you get used to rooming with three guys surprisingly quickly

sure, it is pretty much a total 180 -

going from living alone in a tiny apartment

to sharing a huge flat with three dudes who make the place vibrate with laughter and bicker like they have been married for thirty years

but even tho you never thought you'd be the type to actually enjoy having roommates

you find that with them - you don't really mind

of course it is nice to have the place to yourself sometimes

and after about two weeks, you're comfortable enough to blast your music and dance through the kitchen when you're alone

(yes, at some point, they catch you - it takes you about a minute to realize there are three guys standing in the doorway, watching you dance with a broom. you get a mild heart attack and Cassian and Rhys start cackling while Azriel smirks)

but even if usually there's always someone around -

you find that all three of them are very good at both respecting your boundaries and leaving you be when you need to curl up in your room

but also seem to know when you need someone to drag your ass out into the world

and something about knowing at least one of them will probably be there when you get home makes you feel very warm and fuzzy

and even tho you weren't completely sure about this situation in the beginning

you get roped into living with the three guys instead of just rooming with them pretty easily

it really starts with Cassian

probably gets used to you living there the quickest

after barely a week, he's treating you like you've lived with them since the beginning

like just sticking his head into your room and making you help him with dinner

it surprises you a little that they all have dinner together

from what you've heard from friends who have roommates, they usually all do their own thing most of the time

but it makes you realise that these guys are more family than just roommates

Cassian is surprisingly easy to talk to

he's quick with the quips and the banter

also very flirtatious

constantly makes you laugh, his deep, boisterous chuckles infectous

also super affectionate

you're convinced the man is actually just a huge teddybear

after just a few weeks, you're used to hugs that lift you off your feet

cheek kisses as greetings

and being casually lifted out of the way like you don't weigh anything

not that you're the only one who gets that treatment

no, there are hugs in greeting that make Rhys groan dramatically like his air supply is cut off

and pats on the shoulder and smacking forehead kisses that make Azriel crinkle his nose

Cassian quickly becomes the one you go to when you need advice

he always listens attentively

doesn't sugarcoat things

stays objective while never making you feel bad or less about anything

and it quickly becomes pretty clear he'd put everything aside if any of you ever need help

gives you rides in his beat up truck to uni

and always picks you up when studying at the library gets late bc he doesn't like the idea of you out alone after dark

with Cass, even mundane things like grocery shopping become fun

he's just casually funny and teases the shit out of you at every opportunity

has no understanding of the concept of personal space

and with most people, that would kinda put you off a little in the beginning

but Cassian just has something about him

something so inheritly good and warm and sunny

that he never once makes you feel uncomfortable

if anything, with him around, you feel a lot more at ease

and not just bc it's always nice to have a guy in your back that towers over you like a lighthouse

though the whole massive, tatted dude with the dark eyes thing kinda goes out of the window as soon as he grins at you

dimples and all

but still, don't be fooled

when the grin's gone and he's glaring, you know why people make way for him immediately

he works at a gym to earn some money at the side

once, he takes you with him just for fun

then that one time becomes another and before you know it, you tag along twice a week

and it would be wrong to say it's not doing something to you when he crouches in front of or behind you, his deep voice rumbling as he mumbles encouragements

"Alright, come on, sweetheart, gimme one more."

Trying not to make a very embarassing groaning sound, you crunch your face in concentration and slowly lower yourself into a squat, your muscles trembling slightly.

"There you go, that's it." You can feel Cassian in your back, spotting you, his deep voice rumbling through you, and it's just almost distracing enough for you to -

"No, no, come on, you can do it." Cassian's deep chuckle sets you at ease, and he lightly pats the side of your thigh. "You got this, c'mon."

With a soft groan, you push yourself up again, and you can hear the triumph and wide grin in Cassian's voice when he goes: "Yeeessss, good job, baby. C'mon, you can do one more."

Blowing out a heavy breath and glaring at nothing in particular, you ready yourself.

when one day, he makes you lose focus, you're gonna throw something at him

you're pretty sure he does it on purpose just to see how red you can get

but Cass is really good at pushing you without overdoing it, always teasing and encouraging

and if you manage to do something, in the gym or otherwise, he grins so widely you're almost sure he's more proud of you than you are yourself

Rhys is a flirt.

and after you get over the first initial blush that just won't leave you alone for the first few weeks

it actually becomes entertaining

now bantering back and forth is basically all you do

it gets so bad, Azriel constantly rolls his eyes at the two you

but just like you suspected, behind all the flirtiness and mischievous grins

Rhys cares

a lot

whenever you're upset, he looks like he's contemplating ripping apart whatever or whoever made you upset

and whenever someone has a go at Cass or Azriel, Rhys picks them apart with lethal precision and a wicked smile

if Cassian is most affectionate, Rhys is close second

he's slightly more casual about it

pinching your nose, flicking your ear softly, offering his cheek for a kiss in greeting

always down for amazing hugs tho

whenever you get on your period, Rhys turns full mother hen

it's actually quite entertaining to see a 6-foot-something dude grumble because you don't want to take painkillers

"I just don't like to take them until it's really necessary, okay?" You glower at Rhys, curling up on the couch and trying to suppress a wince.

Rhys incredulously narrows his eyes.

"You're bleeding from inner organs and look like you want to curl into the couch. I'd say it is pretty necessary."

behind all the snark and arrogance, Rhys cares

also seems to have a rather unhealthy tendency to put everyone else first

you catch on pretty easily that even though his father is absolutely loaded, Rhys doesn't particularly cares about his money

in fact

he doesn't hesitate to spend whatever money his father pumps into his bank accounts for a second

when you ask Mor about it, she just smiles lopsidedly.

"I think it's his kind of protest?" She squints into the sun shining onto the balcony of the flat, the big glass of iced tea in her hand glittering in the light. "You know, spending all that money, preferably on his friends? Mostly because I don't think his father really likes them."

You wince.

"He knows he can't win against his father." Mor crunches her brows in thought. "I think he came to terms with having to take over the business one day, and he cares about the people who have their jobs there, so he won't let them down. It's just hard sometimes, if your whole life is already planned out for you." She shrugs gently. "Doing this, living with Cassian and Azriel and now you, spending his fathers money on it and actually having a good time instead of just being bitter and stuck up - it's his way of not surrendering completely."

you have never met Rhys' father, but even tho he's powerful af

you really feel a strong desire to kick him in the balls

Rhys has a knack of knowing exactly when you need to talk and when you need to be distracted

it's not unusual that after a bad day, he just joins you on the couch, plopping down and pulling your feet onto his lap

it either leads to you venting and him listening

usually giving very appropriate responses of either huffs, scowls or downright glowering

or, if you don't want to talk

he either lets you use him as a human pillow, grumbling over your choice of movie while scratching your head

or he takes you out

to the cinema, a museum, the theater -

you're pretty sure you've grown a lot more cultured in a few months than the whole of your life before that

it never gets boring tho

the whole thing kinda annoys the crap out of you in the beginning bc he never lets you pay for anything

but you get better at finding ways to pay him back in other ways

like taking over making dinner on days when he's exhausted

coaxing rants out of him when his father gets to him

dragging him out on nightly walks through the city when he can't sleep

and after a while

you understand that it's just one of Rhys' love languages

and it is fun to spend his father's money ;)

especially when it means museum Saturdays with the two of you just sitting and staring at paintings

or going to the cinema and pigging out on popcorn and greasy stuff while whisper-hissing fun facts at each other

even takes you to stuff like wine tastings

Rhys is a foodie

likes super fancy pickles, trying food you can't even pronounce and splurging on dinner

and if he decides the two of you need to get out of the apartment

one way or another

it usually ends in a restaurant

always orders like half the menu

also cooks the best out of all of you

like I'm talking freaking perfection

whips up the fanciest, most delicious far-too-many-courses meal for holidays

and goes all in even if he just makes dinner

you often get lured into the kitchen by the delicious smells

usually ends up with you on the couch at the table while Rhys moves around the kitchen

talking about everything and nothing

(also not above slapping anyone's hand away if they try to sneak a taste)

Azriel is quiet

not shy; you catch onto that pretty quickly

he's too quick and easy on any dry remark in response to his friends' boisterous teasing for that

and his gaze too firm and piercing

rarely shies away when you catch his gaze

in the beginning

that intimidated the shit out of you

the way he appears without a sound, towering over you, all dark and quiet and brooding

it's like he perfected the art of going unnoticed

tho you're not quite sure how

bc how could anyone not notice him?

after a while tho

you realise that even tho Azriel is dark and glowering and brooding

there's something gentle about him

it surfaces in the smallest things

like how his lips curve the softest bit when you grin up at him

how light and careful his touch is

how he is always respectful, putting himself between you and the street, holding doors open without ever seeming to think twice about it

and how everything about him seems to darken when he witnesses anyone being treated poorly

but even if anger rages within him like a quickly rising tide, quiet and dangerous

you still always feel safe with him

maybe it's bc, even in those moments, you just know it will never be directed at you

and that even tho there's always that darkness within him, it's never something that feels unsettling or dangerous

and instead soft and welcoming

like something about him and that steady, dark gaze just calms you

maybe because he's so quiet, Azriel seems to see and hear everything

in record time, he begins to catch onto every little detail about you

mundane things

like how you like your favorite drink or what your favorite ice cream is

the only reason you know he notices is because he begins to hand you cups in the morning that are exactly right and the freezer starts to always hold a big container of your favorite ice cream

but also seems to know exactly what your tell is when you're nervous

uncomfortable

or tired

what makes you upset

happy

nervous

what causes you to giggle uncontrollably

and so on

it should probably unsettle you, how easily he sees through you

but it doesn't

sure, it's a bit weird at first

but you quickly realise it's strangely comforting - that someone pays enough attention to know even the smallest thing about you

Azriel is your favorite person to be around when you just need a break

it's like something about him is grounding, steady

like being around him makes your thoughts calm down

makes it easier for you to sort the chaos your mind sometimes becomes

you quickly realise that beneath all of the quiet watchfulness lies a wicked, dry sense of humor

his mumbled remarks make you snort laughter or beam widely up at him

always makes his lips curve

he reads a ton

when you first see his room, you almost gape

because the man has books

they fill the shelves

balance in towers on the floor

sit on the window sill and next to his bed

most of the books in the shelves in the living room are his as well

has a great dislike for movie adaptions

sits there with that scowl of his, glaring at you until it's over when you make him watch one

says it destroys the pictures in his head

(to be fair

you don't think he's entirely wrong about that)

always has a camera in reach

got a few, all older ones; no fancy digital ones, but all on film

just like he seems to catch onto everything

so does his camera

it's like the manifestation of his quiet perception of things

to fix things onto film

he captures everything

most of the time, you don't even notice

only sometimes you raise your head to find the camera in his hands, a slight curve to his lips

develops all pictures himself, in a dark room on campus students can book

spends hours in there, just working in silence

there's usually a lot of bugging involved before he shows the developed pictures to anyone

usually ends in all of you leaning over them eagerly, trying to figure out when he took them

Rhys standing in the kitchen, grinning over his shoulder like Cassian just made a bad joke

you and Feyre, laughing so hard you lean into each other

Mor, lying upside down on the couch while focusing on the cards in her hand while you're next to her, mid-motion, a focused expression on your face

Cassian napping on the couch, twisted in a very uncomfortable position to fit all six feet something of him onto the cushions

there seems to be an endless number, and they're all carefully stored away in his shelves

some, he refuses to show to anyone

it takes you so little time to feel at home in the huge flat, the prospect of looking for an apartment for yourself is off the table before you can actually start

and it doesn't take long until you're part of the routines like you'd been there since the beginning

Saturday and Sunday evenings are for movie nights

sometimes, Mor joins you

you sit with Azriel on the couch, sharing a big bowl of popcorn while staring at Rhys and Cassian argue about which Star Wars movie to start with

in the summer, you take trips to the lake for swimming and laying in the sun

have game nights

evenings sitting on the balcony, squinting into the setting sun

barbecues

and afternoons in the park, one joining in after the other

in winter, you go to the ice rink

bake together

and spend whole weekends on the couch, watching movies

you go to the gym with Cassian or accompany him on his runs

(well, he's running - you're on your bicycle, because there's no way you can keep up with that dude´s long legs)

or get dragged out onto hikes by Rhys

in the evenings, you usually all end up in the kitchen for dinner, banter thrown over the dinner table

Azriel and you mostly take care of the grocery shopping together

it usually entails you trying to reach something on a high shelf and Azriel huffing, moving to grab it without even having to stretch

sometimes Cassian joins in, and you both make it your mission to annoy Azriel until he cracks a grin

both Az and Rhys regularly give you rides on their motorcycles

while Cassian likes to stick to his old, beat up truck, Rhys has a car as well, but alternates between it and the motorcycle

more often than not, he uses it as opportunity to flirt

small cleaning duties in the apartment are rotated between the four of you

but big-once-a-month-deep-cleans are something you make a day of

blasting music, you divide the flat and get to work

(bathroom duty is rotated)

in the (very rare) case of an argument, it usually ends in one of you being mediator

which means after a cooling off period

the arguing parties are locked in the pantry until they've talked things out

works surprisingly well

sometimes, the boys bring someone home

it usually comes with a text

or the very oldschool sock on the door

tho you ban that one after Cassian forgets it

and you walk into the flat unsuspectingly only to be flashed

Cassian apologizes profoundly

after he's done laughing

there are also a few awkward encounters in the hall in the morning that leave you contemplating not running around in just big t-shirts

Feyre still gives you rides to campus and back

but sometimes, it's Azriel waiting in the parking lot instead, leaning against his motorcycle, two helmets next to him

it does not help with the way your heart seems to speed up whenever you find his amber eyes on you

but you're very adamant on pushing that away

it's probably not that serious anyway.

so

it would be wrong to say your life was boring before you met the three idiots you now call your roomates

but it sure as hell is a lot better now that you have

even if they do drive you a little nuts sometimes

@azrielshadows1nger @waytoomanyteenagefeels

[batsylabs]

I need to hear the fandom's thoughts on this immediately. I have a new headcanon and it's gonna take a whole lot of words but listen the meme potential is great stick with me here

Okay so there's this henchman of Bill's named Kryptos and though he has literally one line of dialogue I think about him a lot, not just cause he has superb Funny Little Guy™️ energy but for the obvious fact that he's also a weird 2D shape creature like Bill.

In the novel Flatland (which portrays what Bill says is a "pretty good idea" of what his home dimension was like), shapes are divided into different social classes based on their number of sides. Four-sided shapes such as Kryptos hold esteemed jobs, mostly doctors and lawyers.

One of the things we know for sure about Kryptos is that he is a criminal of some sort, and I was thinking about what the hell this Soos of the Nightmare Realm -ass dude had done. At first I just kinda figured that he was complacent in Bill's transdimensional arson and that was good enough, but I thought of a way fuckin funnier idea:

Kryptos was a lawyer, probably even met Bill trying to get him out of trouble in their home dimension 'cause he was idk stealing candy from babies or whatever else Bill does, and miraculously managed to waive all the charges. Bill keeps Kryptos around currently because he's constantly breaking laws (local, planet-wide, physics...) and occasionally gets arrested by the Time Police or whatever in particularly sticky situations. Kryptos is loyal as a dog and always, ALWAYS finds some kind of underhanded, not-totally-legal loophole-through-a-loophole way to mediate things.

So, in other words, HE IS BILL'S SAUL GOODMAN

[tender-rosiey]

Hey are you doing good? Your writings are just so CUTE AND WHOLESOME (guilty of reading them over and over) And when you're free and if you want, could you please write how Yuji, Megumi, Gojo and Geto would react to their gf preparing food for them for the first time but it doesn't taste as good🥺? Thanks!

"MADE FOOD? OH NO..."

—making food (to the best of your ability) for gojo, geto, yuuji, and megumi

a/n: i am doing well; thank you so much for asking! and thank you a ton, sweetheart! I am glad you like them <333 I hope you enjoy this as well! I honestly relate to this so much

GOJO SATORU:

"I AM HOME!” satoru announces loudly and you run to him and tackle him in a hug. he happily squeezes you tightly and spins you around, “YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH I MISSED YOU, SWEETS!”

you giggle as he starts peppering your face in kisses, “the curses were so ugly as usual, eugh, I am so glad I can finally look at something as beautiful as you.”

“oh shut up, you flirt.”

“of course, you’re no match to my beauty but I can accept it—“ he says but as is cut off by you, rightfully, elbowing him in the stomach.

you turn your back to him, “how disappointing and poor me spent time cooking something for your ‘beautiful’ self.”

"really?!" and the way he instantly beams at the mention of good makes you chuckle. it also make you just a tad bit worried and you involunatrily fidget with your fingers.

of course, he notices, "what's wrong?"

you sigh, "I am just worried that the food won't be as good as you think it will be, but I tried my best, I swear!"

he cups your face, "listen, the fact that you made it for me will make it the most delicious one ever; I know it!"

"I made kikufuku," you mumble and satoru dashes towards the plate and quickly takes a bite. he hums, closing his eyes to truly assess it. dramatic loser.

"it's not that bad!" he says, taking another bite—call it making sure I guess, "it's a tad bit dry, but after a couple tries, I think you will make kikufuku on par with the ones in sendai!"

he grins before stomaching the rest of the plate, "is there more?"

you shake your head and satoru gets his handy-dany catoru apron, but not before pressing a kiss to your cheek, "then let's make them together!"

GETO SUGURU:

"hey, honey, what is this?"

you quickly try to cover the plate, "it's nothing! don't mind it. it's just a...random plate."

"a random plate," he smiles, "that why you're trying to cover it?"

you sigh in defeat, knowing that even if you come up with a tons of excuses, he will quickly find loopholes in them. you swear that this man knows you far too well.

he chuckles before pressing a kiss to your forehead.

"so what is it?” he says as his arm wraps around your waist.

"a failure," you mumble as you hug him and bury your face in his chest.

he hums as he pats your head, "I asked what it is not what you think it is, sweetheart."

"soba," you murmur, sadly. he lifts up your chin and quirks an eyebrow and you repeat yourself, clearer, "soba."

truthfully, it looks like one really sad plate of soba, but you really put a lot of hardwork in it; he can see that, especially in the presentation. the soba itself does look pretty soggy, but he would be damned if he let your hardwork go to waste.

"I am eating it," he decides as he gets out his chopsticks and prepares to dig in.

you grab his wrist, "no! you don't have to do that!" you smile, "we can just order; it's okay!"

he presses a kiss to your lips, "I want to eat the food you made."

"even if it isn't good?"

"even if you think it isn't good," he then gladly starts slurping the soba. turns out, it's not as bad as it looks. could be better, but it's edible so he continues eating and you're already ordering a ton of dessert and already-made soba.

"y/n, I like it!"

"don't lie."

"but I really do!"

ITADORI YUUJI:

something really sweet yuuji likes to do for you is to cook for you. whether it's his famous meatballs or some other dish he knows you like, he makes it for you with the biggest smile on his face.

you thought that it's time to repay his kindness. you were a decent cook, not the best, but you made things that were at least edible.

so, after trying your utmost best, you have finally finished the bowl of rice along with some of his favorite toppings.

"y/n! y/n! y/n! I am here!" you hear him yelling. voice booming with excitement as he wraps his arms around you in a very big hug, "I missed you so much!

you kiss his cheek, "I missed you too and—sukuna, your ass better not come out today or I will kick your ass."

"like you could do anything, you filthy woman—" you throw a ghost pepper at his mouth. sukuna's eyes widen before he disappears from yuuji 's cheek.

yuuji starts laughing, "you have no idea how much he is cussing right now!"

you shrug and hold his hand, dragging him to the to the kitchen, "ta-dah! I made you your favorite food!"

he beams, pressing a kiss to your cheek, "thank you so much, babe! it means the world to me!" he takes a hold of the bowl and starts eating before pausing.

"...is it that bad?"

he quickly shakes his head quickly, "no! I like it!" he continues eating and you know that he won't tell you the negative things about the dish.

he is just too sweet for his own good.

"yuuji."

he keeps eating.

"yuuji, please, you don't have to do this."

the champ still keeps on eating.

you sigh, "I am getting the meds, just in case."

FUSHIGURO MEGUMI:

"soooo I cooked something."

and megumi has to hold back any reaction as he remembers the first time, you two were in the kitchen. you somehow, someway, managed to burn butter and he was convinced he was going to die at that moment.

eh, at least you were by his side, screaming your head off, but with him nonetheless.

that was in the past though so he has to focus on the present and his job as a boyfriend to be supportive, "mhm, and what did you make?"

"grilled chicken with ginger!" you beam and he feels his heart squeeze just a little. you always remembered details about him and he does his best to keep everything you say in mind.

he smiles, albeit small, "thank you," he instantly takes a seat in front of the plate.

his expectations are not high, but he appreciates the effort you went through to make him this.

he nods at you, gratefully once again, before starting to eat. after a few bites, he stops to look at you, "did you mix up salt and sugar, again?"

you gasp, "what?! no way!" you quickly snatch the fork and take a bite yourself before frowning and dramatically falling to the ground, "I really did..."

you bury your face in your knees as you hug them closer, "I am sorry, megumi; I wanted to cook something for you and I ended up messing up."

he sits down in front of you, taking your hands into his own so he could see your face, "y/n, it's enough for me that you did all of this for me."

you shake your head in disappointment, "but I messed up."

"but you still made something," he rests his forehead on your own, "that's enough, I promise you. just...let's keep cooking when we're both around."

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copyright © tender-rosiey

do not copy or plagiarize or you will be reported

[softlysilverfountainsfall]

Bear with me while I rules-lawyer the spirit of the Oath of Feanor because I'm pretty sure that's exactly what Maedhros did.

The Oath is specifically targeted at anyone who "hideth or hoardeth, or in hand taketh, finding keepeth or afar casteth a Silmaril" which I do not believe means anyone who touches a Silmaril, despite "in hand taketh" because all the other stipulations are targeted specifically at people who keep the Silmarils away from the Feanorians, by hiding, hoarding, keeping, or even throwing it far away. It would also just be bizarre if, say, a Feanorian follower returned the Silmaril to their lords and the Oath required that they kill them.

However, the strongest evidence for the Oath only applying (or being interpreted to only apply) to people who deliberately withhold the Silmarils from the Feanorians are Maedhros'/the Feanorians' actions before the 2nd and 3rd kinslayings: in both cases, they send a letter demanding the return of the Silmaril. Now, if by touching/posessing the Silmaril, the deaths of Thingol, Dior, and then Elwing are already demanded by the oath, why in the world would they send a letter (losing part of the element of surprise), not even to declare war, but demanding the Silmaril's return? Sending that letter implies that this can still be resolved peacefully if the Silmaril is handed over.

It's my interpretation that Maedhros/the Feanorians are rules-lawyering this tiny loophole in the oath (regardless of whether the oath is present magically/compulsive/just their own dedication) by deliberately closing their eyes to the fact that the current holder of the Silmaril definitely believes it to be their possession and is deliberately keeping it from the Feanorians---which lasts as long as that holder hasn't confirmed that desire.

After all, Thingol, Dior, and Elwing didn't steal the Silmaril, they received it from family members. If the Feanorians ignore the intent behind their keeping it (before that intent is confirmed by the holder's response to the Feanorian's demand), then they could consider Thingol et al to simply...coincidentally...happen to be holding a Silmaril, not possessing it for themselves and therefore not liable to the oath.

Actually, one line in the text from after Thingol refuses to return the Silmaril even hints that even after that, the situation might be salvageable if the Silmaril is returned by free will: "Celegorm and Curufin vowed openly to slay Thingol and destroy his people if they came victorious from war [this is pre-Nirnaeth], and the jewel were not surrendered of free will" (emphasis mine, Of the Fifth Battle, The Silmarillion).

Of course, the Oath drives the Feanorians to reclaim the Silmarils, and so I view the letters to Thingol, Dior, and Elwing as last-ditch attempts at solving this peacefully (via exploiting the above loophole). (Note: this is not necessarily meant to make the Feanorians more sympathetic, this is just me trying to figure out why they sent those letters.) However, this also dooms them to a kinslaying, because as soon as Dior and Elwing reject returning the Silmaril, they have explicitly or implicitly claimed it for themselves and have now "in hand taketh" the Silmaril instead of just touching it and happening to have it around, which means their deaths are now demanded under the Oath.

[veryace-ficrecs]

Jedi Culture and Customs Fic Recs

This list will include all ratings and tags, so read at your own discretion! :)

In Search of Comfort by BreakfastTea - Rated G

A collection of short stories in which Cal gives and receives comfort, originally posted to Tumblr in 2022 and 2023. Expect hugs, blankets and pancakes!

‘The Temporary Temple Guards’ by RoosjeM - Not Rated

It was a widely known fact within the Temple, that the Temple Guards stationed at the Coruscant Temple were experiencing a ‘shortage’ at the moment. Seeing as Knights were sent out to complete missions and went on protective details, they were also the Corp that was responsible for the Temple Guards. - “I may have an issue.” “What is it?” The boy was alone. No one else was around despite it being the middle of the night. Just the boy who made a bee-line for Obi-Wan. He was way too young to be out at this time let alone out here all alone. It was the boy’s training armour that tipped Obi-wan off that this was more than just a lost child. “I have a youngling in front of me. There is no one else around and I am pretty sure he’s Mandalorian.” Quinlan paused, then asked, “...Come again?” Obi-Wan peered down at the child tugging at his arm. “Aran, ner echoy'la.” Kriff. “Correction, I have a Mandalorian boy in front of me telling me he’s lost.” - Or it’s Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi’s turn to be a Temporary Temple Guard and of course one of his past missions comes back to haunt him.

My head is warm, my feet are cold by themonopolyhat - Rated T

No one knows yet how in the Sith hells Obi-Wan managed to sneak up to his quarters before collapsing, either. The fact that he did so on the morning of his own fucking funeral is so theatrical that Vokara may never forgive him.

Or: Obi-Wan rescues himself, gives a Padawan anxiety, and creates problems for Mace and Vokara.

An AU/remix of Night_Fury's if i don't make it back (from where i've gone).

Knights of the Republic by darkstars12 - Rated G

For too many years the Jedi have been mysterious to us. They have been idolized to the point of legend and today we’re here to set the record straight. The Jedi are not some kind of little gods, but rather a beautiful and unique culture that has yet to be explored within modern media. I’m your host Xiaan Pauk and this is Knights of the Republic: Unfiltered.

carried in your heart by grumpyhedgehogs - Rated G

“I am always with you.” Obi-Wan tells her. Her heart thumps painfully in her chest as her grandmaster rests his palm over it. The organ betrays her, beats away like it can crack her ribs apart and slip between them to leap into Obi-Wan’s chest and stay there with him, always. Slowly, tentatively, Ahsoka lets Obi-Wan guide her to rest her own palm over his heart. It pulses under her fingers, reminding Ahsoka at least one Jedi still lives on. “You are always with me.”

Mace's Headache by Siri_Kenobi12 - Rated G

The Jedi Council is shocked after that fateful meeting with Qui-Gon Jinn in TPM, but should they really be surprised that the ‘Maverick’ of the Order would somehow be the epicenter of the prophesied “Chosen One” and the reemergence of the Sith? Should they really be surprised that the Padawan raised by the defiant Dooku would find a loophole in the code in order to get what he wants? That he’d stubbornly stick to his position even if it meant he inadvertently crushed the future of a promising young man in the process? The question plaguing Mace’s mind now is, does he step in to try and fix it? Or does he just leave things alone? Either way Mace Windu already has a headache.

in the swing over the creek by ash_in_a_burrito - Rated T

Obi-Wan Kenobi was sitting in the corner of the crèche, drawing pictures.

Stardust Showers by ash_in_a_burrito - Rated G

Obi-Wan Kenobi looked to the left. He looked to the right. Now was his chance. Time to escape!

the moon slides down the stairs by ash_in_a_burrito - Rated T

Depa Billaba led her padawan, Caleb Dume, through the halls of the Jedi Temple. The path they took was one that was as familiar to her as the katas of Shii-Cho. or Shatterpoint Lineage Dinner, with a twist

Epistolary Investigations by Knifehawk - Rated T

History is an interesting thing, especially when it involves an organization like the Jedi Order that has records stretching back twenty-five thousand years. One would expect that such an organization would have a relatively clear and accurate understanding of their own history, especially history merely four thousand years in the past, but what happens when a single Jedi, desperately searching for any new knowledge that will quench the ire of his archivist friend, discovers information that calls the entire history, and doctrine, of the Jedi Order into question. Typically, debates would be had, accusations and rumors of heresy and apostacy launched, and the seeker would back down fearing their declaration as "fallen." When that Jedi is Master Yan Dooku, Padawan of Grandmaster Yoda, Jedi Shadow, and close friend of Archivist Jocasta Nu and Seer Syfo-Dias? It turns out that a great many things change. Probably for the best as time is running out, and a Force-gifted confrontation edges closer and closer.

then leaf subsides to leaf by The_Last_Kenobi (orphan_account) - Not Rated

You are a Jedi, and this is what that means.

a stitch in time by ash_in_a_burrito - Rated T

Obi-Wan looked out at his clan of initiates. The Dragon Clan had about ten younglings, all gathered around, looking at him with eager eyes. If he was being honest, he was feeling a little nervous about taking his first class. Quin had told him that it would feel natural, and he’d find it no problem, but Quin had also been practically raising Aayla since she was 4 years old.

Scarab by b1uebear - Rated G

“Master,” she said, “is it wrong for a Jedi to kill?” “It would certainly be wrong for you to kill that poor beetle,” Mace replied. Padawan Bo-Katan gets into a philosophical discussion with her Master. For Jedi June 2024.

Spread Too Thin by owlfeather - Rated G

A Jedi may not be able to help everyone. Elara refuses to accept it.

The Eight Younglings by ThirteenGreen - Rated G

The Jedi fosterer Master Laeus goes on another trip across the galaxy to collect younglings for the order. Her journey takes her to seven different worlds in the Republic, different cultures and peoples offering different receptions and glimpses of the galaxy, but all holding a part of the next generation of Jedi.

Little Muttamok Rescue by Jedi_Joanna - Rated G

“I want to keep her.” “No.” Dacken Harfai is a Jedi Initiate of Clan Dewback. Everyone says the war is coming to a close. This is great; now Dacken can figure out how to find who is meant to be his Jedi Master. And, of course, Amon -a muttamok who now lives with the clan- will help.

[sandhashira15]

Nevermore Theory pt.3

Alright y'all I think a few things are going to happen by the end of Nevermore you can tell me if I'm wrong or not

1. I have a distinct feeling that the deans are purposefully pitting people against each other because I have a feeling that there's some type of loophole in their rules that makes it to where more than one person can get that second chance at life but, they don't want that for some reason. And while I do think that there's more than one reason I'm pretty sure one of them is because they find having the students fighting more entertaining. Which is probably why they were trying to manipulating Annabel Lee because they knew that would she remember that Lenore used to be her lover and wouldn't want to fight her, so they made her come to the conclusion that she needs to kill off the other students. The same thing goes for Lenore, they knew that Lenore was somebody who cares deeply for the people closest to her so they made Annabel lee be the one to kill them because it would give the Dean's what they want, to cause enough tension between Annabel and Lenore to cause them to kill one another and their friends.

-Plus could be the reason why they continue to do challenges where the students with no specters have to fight against the students that do have specters.

2. Lenore, Annabel Lee and some of their friends by the end of the story are probably going to end up having the fight the Deans because of the fact Dean's first plan of having one person be the winner by them taking each other out didn't work, so they're going to try to kill the rest still remaining as to leave one person as the "winner". Leaning towards it being a squid game situation where it seems like there can only be one winner but in reality it can be more than one.

But Hey it's just a theory, thanks for reading and tell me what you think in the comments.

[letters-from-dekarios]

(you are incredible, truly, if I were to count how often I read the response letter, the number would be embarrassingly high.

I allowed myself some crossovers here because in the game, Astarion quotes Tell-tale Heart so that opens up a loophole for real life works to make some appearances here! And the author's name honestly sounds like it would exist in the world of bg3 xD

I saw multiple cameos of Tim Downie reading poetry and I desperately needed to find an outlet.......)

{There was a restless about him that Gale couldn't quite place a finger on. Busying himself with some tomes or preparations for work serves only as a temporary relief. But when another letter of his old friend arrives, it settles. A warmth then, spreads in his uneasy limbs. Comfort.}

⚝─⭒⭑⭒─⚝

Warm Greetings, Gale Dekarios

A little bit of an ego never hurt anyone, though I sense you might even disagree with me on that. I assure you, I don't mind you rambling on about yourself, especially after not hearing from you personally in so long. I am quite interested in anything you wish to share with me. When I heard of your companions for the first time, I definitely thought their descriptions were exaggerated, but as word of your achievements grew, it became pretty clear you were quite a colorful set of adventurers. I suppose such a variety of lives lived serve as quite the opportunity to learn about new perspectives and yourself.

Though the fact you traveled all that time on foot - I dread to think of the state of your knees! Borage fruits would be beneficial here should you ever find yourself on long walks again and Mandrake leaves for joint pain in general. Courtesy of my father, he insisted I should let you know. Surely there are healing spells for this but my old man is a bit scared of 'witchcraft' as he calls it. (You can't imagine the face he made when I had first told him about attending Blackstaff Academy. Being the sweetheart that he is, he supported me still. There are stories here I will save for when we meet in person. Stay tuned.)

I'm glad Tara and your mother are doing well, even if you had to endure quite a bit of scolding. You can't deny them their caring and at times overbearing nature - it's an expression of love. I've learned as much from my family. I'd be happy to ease your load on baked goods, motherly love is a magical ingredient in on its own after all, or so I've heard.

I'm quite pleased to know I inspired you, I suppose I was rather blinded by all of your talent back then and missed that side to our interactions. Frankly, I'm happy you thought of me at all. There's no denying that I feel a bit flattered even, I count my optimism as one of my greater traits and I've worked hard to maintain it throughout my darker times. See it as smoothing out a dent in the molding of that piece of pottery that is me.

Speaking of which, it has actually become a bit of a hobby of mine. There was a time I used to sit for hours in the basement and work on vases and pots, though usually smashing them was the end result - It's awfully therapeutic. But I have completed a few tiny ceramics that are mainly for decoration.

Currently my projects revolve around making specialized pots for my plants. I've become a bit of a homebody in the progression of my ailment and the greenhouse gives me motivation to drink up some sunlight along the greenery sometimes. I'm tempted to look into the usage of magical plants.

If there is one thing I'm guilty of, it's busying myself with things to fill out any gaps in my days. The more I do the better, lest I wake another day to find my limbs weigh a ton of bricks again.

Moving on, I wish you lots of luck with your professorship. Those nights spent trying to teach me a spell or two will finally pay off. I do hope I wasn't too bad of a student because you were an excellent teacher. You'll be a great professor also, I'm sure. And I wouldn't mind being a translator - there's a satisfaction in being able to explain something to someone else. And I admit I miss hearing you ramble before you put your thoughts into order for the common person.

I do very much hope the allies you've made will deter any enemies that you met along the way.. Although it would be quite bold to mess with someone who has defied both Gods and Devils. Perhaps you're lucky and there's too much of a risk factor to it.

And maybe that's how any potential suitor feels, too. I imagine it's quite intimidating to be with someone who has saved innumerable people from a Mindflayer invasion. Or they have certain expectations of you as a hero while I'm sure you still see yourself simply as a very ambitious mage. With a bit of an ego.

Either way, it's good to see you're not too hung up about it. I was going to joke that you are already committed to your work, but you beat me to it. Fair enough. If I am allowed to demonstrate a small annotation here, I think things like love are found in the most unexpected places. As you've said, you need a foundation to build upon rather than that sudden spark of love at first sight. It might take until the roof is put up or the furniture is being arranged for you to realize you have found yourself at home in the person right beside you, the only thing left to do then is to settle in. I'm also still in the process - an open lot and waiting for a permit, you could say. Those can take quite a while to be granted. But currently unhoused.

As you can tell, I also haven't lost my poetic tendencies. Although I am much more a consumer and commentator than a writer, I dabble occasionally and I am terrible at it. There's already a very good passage on this that I recall from a book I've recently transcribed, but I fear I'll be sending my whole library back to you, considering all the things I can think of that might be of interest to you in there. Perhaps you ought to see it for yourself some day.

I also want to say I was delighted by your sonett at the end. You have an incredible way with words and I find myself continuously quoting you in my mind ("Having everything yet nothing at all", "no longer a block of unused clay", "sui generis, of its own kind. Inimitable. Bespoke.".. you catch my drift). The pictures you paint are that of a skilled brush and they are brought to canvas by a man who has a mind that can put his thoughts into form, and it is commendable. While I am still stumbling over my words, I hope the ones of another that I attached to this letter might resonate with you instead.

Enough of the rambling on (we are awful at this), my family is well. My father has an apothecary here in town, but his assistant is usually the one at the counter while he's off traveling, gripped by a sudden sense of wanderlust. Right now he's trudging through the Misty Forest and visiting Daggerford for new herbs and writes me regularly.

I don't know if you remember my aunt at all, but she's usually the one to stick around and check in on me everyday in case of difficulties. She's also doing quite well, though I think my proneness to worry is definitely something I've inherited from her. Besides that, my friends are similarly busy with work and travel but overall doing quite alright. There's a peace in this stillness that life sometimes offers.

Do tell me all about the Academy once you've resumed your work there, I'm quite curious about the state of things. And if you have another piece of poetry springing from your quill anytime soon I'll be most eager to review it. Are you still in contact with the companions you've met on your journey? And how has your return to Waterdeep been received? I'm sure you were dearly missed. How does it feel to be back home, stationary and warm after being on the road for quite a while? There's likely a bit of getting used to the old ways of things again. Perhaps even some yearning and reminiscing of your travels, although less about the walking and more about the comradery and thrill, I assume.

I'm taking care of myself, I promise you. You better do so as well. Don't underestimate the power a bit of sunlight and a walk outside have on your mood (and health!!). You should know that your letters are a great joy to me and I am just as keenly anticipating your reply. Especially with the prospect of a visit on the table - I'll be glancing out of the window for the arrival of my mail without even realizing it.

~ Warm regards, Theo Rivershade

PS: I audibly chuckled at the part where you threatened to scold me, should I attempt to travel to you. You sounded exactly like my aunt. I think your mother and Tara are rubbing off on you a tad bit. It is amusing and somehow endearing.

PPS: Your "idiotic rambles" will be regarded as the musings of a wise man one day, just you wait. Although I beg of you to tone down on all those complicated words when you teach your students. I know they might sound better than modern synonyms and their etymologies are just so interesting but I assure you that your class will pick up on your favorite words and tease you with them. Coming from firsthand experience.

{Together with the letter, he finds another, smaller parchment on which a poem is written, Theo having made an effort to use his neatest handwriting here as well. The poem reads:..}

"When I compare / What I have lost with what I have gained, / What I have missed with what attained, / Little room do I find for pride.

I am aware / How many days have been idly spent; / How like an arrow the good intent / Has fallen short or been turned aside.

But who shall dare / To measure loss and gain in this wise? / Defeat may be victory in disguise; / The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide."

Loss And Gain - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

{ small annotations are scribbled by the side of the text, as though the half-elf couldn't help himself.}

"> days idly spent, not realizing time was running out. The thought was there but the courage to leap wasn't."

"> arrows are meant to hit a target, falling short or aside as though missing an opportunity, distracted by something or shooting your shot but with not enough momentum. The opportunity passes."

"> defeat/victory, ebb/tide, a low is the sign of a turning point, a second chance, one needed to fail to realize what had been lost and take that regret and reflection to turn their fate around and try again, intending to hit the target this time with conviction."

⚝─⭒⭑⭒─⚝

(let me tell you the way I grinned like an idiot on the train as I listened to the wizard himself read out that poem.. It reflected the way the potential relationship between the two of them slipped out of their grasps so well!!!

And also I'm so happy you like Theo?? I wasn't too sure if I was able to get across his character through text but it seems to be working. Thank you do much for this blog this is so delightful! Don't feel bad for being busy and not replying immediately, we all have lives of our own to take care of and I'm very happy you take time out of yours to indulge us like this. <3)

Dearest Theo,

I can assure you I was the most skeptical of their situations at first! But as the days grew longer and the nights more restless, the stories told made all too much sense for my companions. In an unfortunate kind of way, it put my circumstances into a perspective I’d never considered prior. Call it ignorance, or perhaps man-made stupidity, but I hadn’t thought that there were situations worse than I until I met all of them. It helps to lessen the blow of the anxiety in one’s heart when you recognize you aren’t at your worst as you once thought.

Please, I may be in my later thirties now but long-distance walking is no match for me! Though I must admit, because I can hear your incessant comments about that statement being untruthful, it would take a bit of a toll on these bones of mine. Whatever needs to be done to combat it, I am certain you will find a way.

How could I not think of you? Amidst our childish revelry and academic discourse, you were the one thing within my life that was constant. Even when my world changed so rapidly, you, Theo, you were the same. I could always count on you to be there. Whether it was to poke fun at me or laugh at my haphazard spell-casting, you challenged me in ways that I cannot forget. Oftentimes, I find myself reminiscing over those days as though I could turn back the clock and relish in them all over again. The day I stop remembering the glow of youth on you and how I imagined what you’d be like as you grew up is the day I am buried in with the dirt.

Pottery is an amazing hobby! I do not consider myself talented in the arts, but pottery has always amazed me. It takes a careful, steady hand to not pierce the clay that you’re moulding. Perhaps when I visit I can see the wonderful pots you’ve created, that would be nice. I’m sure your craft has improved much the more you’ve practiced, and I’ll be quite able to recognize the stamp of your originality you’ve placed on it.

Ah, you flatter me so, Theo! I do like to give myself a bit of a pat on the back, so to speak, when it comes to my lectures. Speaking in front of those curious, ever-hungry minds does remind me much of my attempted lessons with you. While my frustrations would get the better of me, it was good practice. I believe that is what has sparked my love for teaching— knowing that, even though it may take some students a bit more effort to grasp, in some way I am affecting their lives to their benefit.

I appreciate your confidence in me. It can be overwhelming sometimes, especially when my desk is stacked high with papers needing to be graded, but it comforts me to know someone believes in my efforts. But if you ever want to seriously consider it, I know the academy can make accommodations for you as you need.

Hah! You amuse me. Or maybe it’s the wine at this hour as I write to you. Intimidation is hardly the word I’d call it, but despite the ego I hold I can’t deny I minimize my accomplishments from time to time. If they are intimidated, I couldn’t imagine why. I suppose you have a point, however.

I guess you could say I cannot measure any potential suitor against my… mental requirements. As aforementioned, it’s difficult for me to allow someone in when they cannot compete with the idea I have in my head already. Perhaps I am stuck on someone or something. I simply cannot get past this roadblock and allow myself to indulge elsewhere. Never mind, though, that is what these pages and ink are for.

“An open lot and waiting for a permit.” My friend, you are as much the poet as you claim me to be. Perhaps we should contact our local authorities to get a move on with granting those permits, hm? It’s an odd sort of feeling, wishing to rush the granting while not wanting to finish the building. When the home is complete, though, the workers go on their way and I am simply left in an empty box. Does it get any simpler in this life? So complex these things are, it almost makes a man want to sell the lot entirely.

You know I am a sucker for good books and transcribed poetry. I would be happy to explore the contents of your library one day when I get the chance to visit.

You would be surprised how long that sonnet took to write! My mind was blanketed and uninspired. But I knew I must deliver for you since it has been so long. The words penned by Henry touch too close to home, your annotations only driving the point closer. I am ever thankful you share such things with me.

“How many days have been idly spent”, “The thought was there but the courage to leap wasn't.” How true your annotation is. It can often feel as though one is wasting away. Despite the efforts one wants to take, fear has a stronger grasp that prevents them from making the move.

“Has fallen short or been turned aside.”, “…shooting your shot but with not enough momentum. The opportunity passes.” This resonates oddly, you could say. Hesitating in letting go of the arrow prevents you from succeeding to the fullest extent, and thus the target has moved on and is no longer attainable. Not unless you can rebuild your momentum again, that is.

“Defeat may be victory in disguise; / The lowest ebb is the turn of the tide.", “one needed to fail to realize what had been lost and take that regret and reflection to turn their fate around and try again, intending to hit the target this time with conviction." Ah… I stated that the last one resonated, but this is even more so. Being knocked down time and time again can often blind oneself to the small victories happening around them. In my case, my fall to selfishness provided room for improvement and allowed me to gain a more sensible heart. When the intention behind the aim becomes clear, it is easier for the target to be hit. Failure is not often the last and final step, but it is the first one that allows a person to move forward.

I am glad your family is well! It sounds as though your father is having much fun in his adventures. He would do well to keep that spirit up! I’m sure he’ll find much satisfaction in it. For your aunt, oh I do remember her so. She reminded me of my mother in a way, and I’m glad to hear she hasn’t changed much. Sometimes we need that overbearing, motherly presence to help keep us in line. Sometimes that motherly presence comes in the form of a middle-aged human man. You cannot blame me for my concern!

Believe me, I will write you as soon as I set my eyes on this new generation. I cannot wait to see what attitudes these young ones have and how much has changed since we were once here in their positions.

I do still keep in contact with those that I can! As we have all resumed our new lives, it can be hard to keep up with all that’s changed. Astarion, bless the vampire’s changed soul, visits Waterdeep now and then when the moon is high enough to do so. Wyll, I’m sure you know Duke Ravengard’s son, writes often. As gentlemanly as he is, boy do his words get overwhelming. He’s almost like a small child, needing to write about every detail and every change in the city. The others I met along the way write when they can, as how things usually are. Each are busy with their respective new duties as I mentioned.

As for the welcome parade, once I returned home, it’s safe to say not many were pleased with how it happened, but a majority were relieved. Considering I isolated myself from most of them, choice words were exchanged, a scolding here and there, but for the most part, it was handled well. Having a hero in the City of Splendors makes the spot an even more firey tourist attraction, seeing where the great “Wizard of Waterdeep” once grew up as a normal young boy! Please, the flattery is exhausting. I much prefer being “Gale Dekarios” now. But I know they mean well, most of them do.

Being home, though, despite the gawking and attraction, is refreshing. Sleeping in my bed, with no worry of being attacked in the midst of the night, certainly eases my heart. Not wondering where my next meal will come from or whether I will have the strength to make it through the day is certainly calming, too. Resuming my not-so-normal life has taken some time, I’ll admit, but it’s better than it was on the road.

You’d be correct, though. I sometimes do miss the travels and the good times we’d share around the campfire. Late nights under the stars sharing a bottle of wine like we had no time left to live… the feeling of walking on the edge between life and death, the thrill of knowing you might die a hero without living to see if you would succeed… in its own kind of a way, it was exciting. It brought a sense of adventure that sitting at home grading papers cannot counter, no matter how much I enjoy professorship. But I doubt I’d turn this up to experience that all over again, I’m afraid my body cannot handle that any longer.

Good! You should be taking care of yourself, otherwise I may have to send a mirror image of myself to combat your neglect. I can promise you I am taking as best care of myself as I can. As I said, I’ve got both Tara and my mother to step in if anything happens.

Do you ever miss Waterdeep? Do you ever think you’d return if you had the chance, or would you want to? I know I do miss your presence around here, but I know health concerns can come in the way of that. Are you interested in continuing your studies at any point? It would be fun to see you as a translator and a student at the academy again, I can just imagine you there now.

I promise to send word when I have a moment to head to you. I cannot wait to hear from you again.

From the desk of,

𝑮𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝑫𝒆𝒌𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒐𝒔

P.S. Oh, please! I’m sure they’ll do fine with the more complex words. I’m now going to use more of them just to prove you wrong, Theo. I may have shaved down my ego, but you know better than to challenge a stubborn man with his own skills.

text reads: gale dekarios

staaawwwwpppp omg… that poem took so long trying to find words that rhymed and also had the right syllables. i should’ve payed more attention in english class as a kid haha. and yes!! theo is my little baby… i want to hold him and gale like tiny dolls and make them hang out. UGHHH i love the ocs everyone is throwing at me.. but theo has a special little place in my heart right now ~kore

[yukidragon]

How far do you think Jack is willing to go for his S/O? What lines wouldn’t he cross?

Fortunately we know for sure from word of Sauce that Jack isn’t going to force himself sexually on the MC or anyone else, and the next update of the demo will make that clearer. Since the game isn’t intended to depict non-consent and dubious consent, I think we can safely assume that SA in any form is a line he won’t cross.

Another thing they stated was that Jack has never killed a child and that it’s not going to happen in the story. So I think it’s safe to assume that harming a child is another line he won’t cross.

We have a good sense of Jack’s physical limitations due to his mysterious nature as a ghost(?) but let’s stick with things he likely would or wouldn’t do if he had the option.

One thing that limits Jack’s options is the character of Sunny Day Jack, rather staying in character as much as possible. For example, it’s been said that Jack is unable to swear, which makes sense, since no doubt that would be forbidden for any children’s TV host to do. This could be a supernatural limitation due to the nature of what he turned into, but I believe this is more of a psychological limitation. As such, I think it might be possible for him to overcome it, though I think he would suffer from breaking character too much.

Yes, this probably means one of the lines Jack would (at least try) not to cross is swearing. I find that thought pretty hilarious, not going to lie.

Allow me to show a picture Sauce drew that I think really demonstrates the psychological (and potentially supernatural) limitations Jack has in place to stay in character as Sunny Day Jack. While the canon of this picture must be taken with a grain of salt at this point in time, I do think it’s good insight to Jack’s thought process in general.

As always whenever I share some of the lovely artwork Sauce publicly posted, I want to make sure to credit them. I also want to remind everyone to please not repost anything privately posted over on the SnaccPop Studios Patreon. Let’s support Sauce and the team as best we can, okay?

Also, this is a good time to remind everyone that this game is for Adults Only and it deals with some dark topics, like self-harm, verbal abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, murder, suicide, yandere tendencies, and the like.

I strongly suspect that direct violence against someone is also a line Jack won’t cross. He’ll just scare them, and if that doesn’t work, he’ll break their mind until they commit self harm. It’s a loophole in a sense, since characters for young kids programming like him are written to never actually do harm to anyone. In order to stay in character, Jack would have to adhere to this strict trope.

Heck, even anger seems to be something that Jack would have as a limitation. After all, mentor characters in edutainment shows are meant to be showing good lessons by example, so lashing out verbally is a big no no. I did do a post about my thoughts on how Jack might snap if pushed to his limit though.

I think Jack works around these limitations in the character of Sunny Day Jack via loopholes, at least ones he justifies to himself. A character like his wouldn’t do anything above a G rating. However, if he frames it as showing MC love, then having NC-17 rated adults only fun times would be totally in character! After all, adults make babies with love, and MC certainly is just as much as an adult as Jack.

I believe that convincing someone to hurt themselves is the loophole Jack has when he wants to commit violence but can’t justify it in character. If his hand is on the handle of the knife at their throat, why, he’s just helping them do what they’re choosing to do, and it’s much more merciful if they finish it quickly, right? He’s not the one hurting them. In fact, he’s making it hurt less by being helpful. Isn’t that so kind of him?

Jack is a teacher, so it’s his job to teach others and guide them into making good decisions. What better decision would there be than to stop interfering with MC and Jack’s happiness?

Words can do just as much harm as a physical wound, sometimes even more so. However, if Jack frames it in his mind as him teaching and guiding someone to do the right thing, well, then obviously it’s not violence!

It’s also more in character for a teacher to say if Jack heard it from his own teachers while growing up...

Giving people nightmares, breaking them down mentally and emotionally with his words and supernatural powers... These are lines Jack can justify himself into crossing. Of course, I don’t think it’s without consequence, since I think it might cause some damage to Jack’s psyche as well for crossing these lines and driving someone to self harm.

But, like anyone with cognitive dissonance, Jack would do his best to justify his actions. It’s for the best. It’s all for MC’s sake...

Possession may or may not be among Jack’s abilities as a ghost(?) but I imagine he would cross that line if he was capable. Jack was an actor after all, and he’s very, very good at fully embracing whatever role he plays. I think if pushed hard enough, he could take someone else’s place and assume their identity if it means keeping his sunshine. This is a potential bad end route for the other love interests, but it’s purely my own speculation and there’s no real evidence that’s a possible outcome.

Manipulation of course is a line Jack readily crosses. He does it in big and small ways to everyone, including MC. He either can’t or won’t lie to them directly (or at least he implies he’s never lied to them), but he lies by omission. He’s careful about redirecting subjects and getting MC’s mind focused elsewhere when it’s inconvenient for him.

Gaslighting is another line Jack would cross. He blatantly did so in the demo when he claimed that MC mentioned Ian. This is technically the truth due to his mind reading powers, or even if he simply overheard them talking on the phone. He heard them mention Ian’s name. He just never said they directly told him Ian’s name, letting them fill in the blanks of the implication.

Jack might not directly lie to MC, but he does lead them into doubting their reality with his words.

Manipulation, doing things behind MC’s back, pressuring them, keeping secrets that he probably knows full well they won’t like... I think these are all things Jack is willing to do “for their sake.”

However, even this has a limitation. Jack has been called a softcore yandere, and Sauce confirmed that he doesn’t want to dim his sunshine’s warm and happy light. He’s not going to do anything that would harm MC. He wants them to be healthy and happy.

This means that Jack isn’t going to chop off limbs so MC can’t run away from him. He’s not going to break their mind like in the above picture. Even if the person is doing harm to themselves, they are still being hurt, and Jack doesn’t want any harm to come to MC.

So even though Jack is going to be manipulative with MC, he’s not going to, say, break down their self-confidence so that they believe that he’s the only person who could ever love someone like them. Rather, he’ll likely elevate their self-confidence instead while presenting himself as the superior option to all others. Here’s a couple pictures that demonstrate what I mean.

MC doesn’t need anyone but Jack. He can provide his sunshine with everything they need, better than anyone else ever could...

Anything that the world provides, no matter how nice it is, it’s not as good as what Jack can give. He won’t forget MC. He loves MC more than anyone else ever could. The world is so big and cold and cruel... it’ll forget all about even the brightest of stars like Jack or MC, but Jack never will. He promised his sunshine forever, didn’t he? And has he ever lied to them? That’s why he wants them to promise to do the same for him...

Rather, Jack is going to use positive reinforcement to lure MC in. He makes them feel good, improves their life, elevates their self-confidence, makes them laugh and shine bright. How can they possibly resist everything he provides for them so willingly and readily? Everyone else is clearly inferior compared to him and the love he has to offer his dear sunshine.

So... suffice to say, I think a hard limit Jack won’t cross is anything that would do any real harm to MC. Sure he might have some loopholes here as well, but only if the result is going to make them happier in the long run. Sometimes kids need to learn lessons that can be a little harsh on kids shows after all. Sometimes kids need to see that their reckless actions can have consequences on those around them.

But never anything too bad of course! There’s a big difference between a hard lesson and trauma after all. A good lesson, even a more firm one, never leaves lasting damage.

No, anything that might cause nightmares are better left for other people to suffer, not his precious sunshine. Jack only wants to make MC happy and make sure no one takes them away from him...

If other people get hurt? Well... sometimes these things happen. It’s better not to focus too much on other people too much. It’s not good for you, sunshine. You need to care about yourself more... and Jack will certainly love to take care of you in every way possible.

Of course, breaking other laws aren’t necessarily off the table as long as Jack can justify it while keeping in character. For example, Sunny Day Jack would never steal money, but if MC was in desperate need of money, well... I’m sure Barry wouldn’t mind the finances of Yogurtopia to get tweaked a little so that they have a raise in their check. That meanie pants of a boss really works them too hard, and Barry owes them for all that overtime! Plus, there’s other ways an invisible entity like Jack could get things for MC to take care of them...

Painting other people in a more negative light is another thing Jack has done in the demo. Or rather one person. Then again, given Ian’s behavior, it would be easy to argue that he’s justified in these accusations. It might be less a manipulation tactic and more projection and coming to a conclusion based off of how hurt MC is. We’ll have to wait and see whether or not this becomes a pattern with other people, though we do know he does view them as inferior to him and what he provides.

Though in the picture where MC is spending time with someone else, Jack does say the person they’re with is nice when he could have pointed out why the person wasn’t nice. It’s not technically canon, but it does make me wonder...

Sharing is another thing Jack just doesn’t want to do, at least when it comes to his sunshine, so this could count as another of his limits. That means it’s probably unlikely that there’s going to be a harem ending in Something’s Wrong with Sunny Day Jack. Heartbreaking, I know, but Jack just can’t risk anyone taking his sunshine away.

@channydraws @earthgirlaesthetic @sai-of-the-7-stars @cheriihoney @illary-kore @okamiliqueur 

[souglias]

I see there's still a slot left for foul legacy: raging tide so I hope I'm not too late to request something 👀

Three things about me:

As I said in my other ask, I love to draw and write and I try to do that as much as I can during my free time between hw and class. Although it's been much harder to find time during college and I am often plagued with art/ writer's block 😔

I'm a bio major and I have no problem with handling bugs and other little critters that most people get queasy about. Once you've dissected sheep brains and whole squids, grabbing a spider isn't such a big deal lol

It generally takes me a while to start seeing someone as a close friend rather than a friendly acquaintance that I sometimes see in class. In the same vein it also takes me a while to begin considering someone as a possible romantic partner bc I only start to feel attraction after I've known them for a while and established an emotional connection

I'm a big fan of the star student/delinquent trope and even though I'm not really the type that only cares about studying, I do generally prioritize that over other things

Thank you in advance!! I can't wait to see the rest of this event unfold :D

The Delinquent [Childe]

c/w: mentions and implications of rumours, implication of bad school culture, Biology dissection (not described in detail)

Note: Hello!! I'm so so sorry this fic took so long! I wasn't particularly inspired for this fic so I was holding it off, then school came in the way for quite a bit. I don't know much about dissections, but I did a quick Google search and I hope I've written it such that it's not too difficult to believe. I hope that you enjoy this!

word count: 1.5k

--

Sun and moon. Both you and Childe live worlds apart. The two of you are only in each other’s orbit, seeing each other from a distance. The closest that you’ll ever get is being a few seats away in biology class. However, even though you only share one class with him, you know him all too well.

Childe is the infamous sporty kid in school. He’s also one who often wins academic competitions for the school. The student body doesn’t necessarily dislike him either. In fact, the girls adore him. They think that he’s hot and charming. But outside of his friend group, everyone is mostly too intimidated by his aura to approach him. 

You can also always count on Childe to constantly talk back to teachers and staff. Now and then, you would catch him breaking school rules by exploiting their loopholes. The school hasn’t expelled him, given that he’s not causing harm or trouble to anyone. On top of that, he largely excels in many areas. Though… There are rumours of him beating other students up. But no one has actually seen him do so.

You, on the other hand, keep to your group of friends. That’s how you decided you were going to spend the rest of your school life. Comfortable with a group of friends that you cherish deeply, out of the spotlight. 

That is until Childe decides to collide into your world for a reason you cannot bring yourself to turn down. Okay, you could have, but you don't dare to.

As a short breather from studying in the library, you doodle a little. Childe walks up to your side while you’re doing so. 

With a volume lower than usual, he greets you. “Hey, [name]- Oh these look pretty cute.”

You dropped your pencil on your notebook, taken aback that the Childe is talking to you. 

“What’s up, Childe?” you ask as your hand subtly shifts above the doodles in your notebook. Honestly, you want nothing to do with him. But, at the same time, you are courteous enough not to shut someone out the first time they speak to you.

He smiles sheepishly as he requests, “Sorry to bother you, but could you give me a demonstration on the dissection of a sheep’s brain?”

You only blink at him in response. You asked him to repeat, making sure you didn’t mishear him. Assuming you couldn’t hear him, he raises his volume. Only slightly, so as not to disturb other students. 

“I need some help on dissecting a sheep’s brain and I’d like you to show me a demonstration. Would that be okay for you?”

Fumbling over your words a little, you agree to help him with his dissection. “Great! Thank you so much, [name]. Will tomorrow after our biology lesson be good?”

“Yeah, sure…”

With that, he walks off with a slight skip in his steps. But you, on the other hand, are highly preoccupied with your thoughts. You think you got a little too nervous around him. They say you shouldn’t show fear in front of what you are afraid of. Wait, since when were you afraid of him?

On top of that worry, you aren’t sure if you should be proud that Childe thinks highly enough of you to ask you for help, or if you should be concerned that you are now responsible for tutoring the infamous school delinquent instead. 

Do you really know the dissection like the back of your hand? What if he asks you about the details that you've thrown to the back of your mind? As an extra precaution, you start to relook at your notes on the dissection. Before you sleep at night, you give your notes one last read too.

The next day, you realise during lessons that you forgot to check if there was a supervising teacher present after school. For students to use the laboratory after school, there is a rule stating that a teacher has to be present. Childe probably wouldn’t heed that rule in normal circumstances. But since your last lesson is Biology in the laboratory with him, your teacher would definitely know both of you are staying back. If there was no one around, your teacher wouldn’t permit you two to use the room and kick the both of you out. 

So, you pray. You pray that there wouldn’t be any supervising teacher, so you’d get to slip out on Childe. But unfortunately, when class ends, you find out that your teacher is on duty today.

Sighing internally, you resign yourself to helping Childe. As you prepare your workbench, you catch your teacher's eyes darting between the two of you. Likely surprised that both of you speak to each other, you suppose. You'd be surprised too.

When all the preparation is done, you try to hide your disappointment and ask, “So, how do you want me to teach this to you?” 

“You can do a step-by-step demonstration, then I’ll try to follow along.”

After every step, you check on the steps that he executes. While doing so, you notice how slender his hands are and the little faded scars on them. 

“[Name]? We can continue.”

You snap out of your daze and mutter an apology, continuing the dissection. At some point, you stop him. “Hold on, you’re about to cut the wrong part.”

He shifts his gaze over to your scalpel, trying to assess the exact point to cut. Before he does anything, you move over to his side as you always do when you teach your friends. You wrap your hand around his that holds the scalpel and you guide his hand.

Childe becomes momentarily distracted by your touch on his. He tries to ignore the feeling of his skin tingling and regain his focus. 

(But it is for nought because all he can think of is how cool you are for being so good at Biology. Heck, not just Biology, but other subjects too. Words of your consistently stellar grades don’t escape him.)

You only realise the proximity between the two of you after you let go of his hand. Taking a step back, your leg bumps into the stool. You stumble for a bit. Childe’s hand reaches out to your arm and it hovers right above your skin, ready to catch you. But you don’t fall and a few moments pass.

Inside, you beat yourself up a little for almost falling onto the ground in front of someone you’ve barely spoken to before. You straighten yourself and Childe withdraws his hand back to his side. 

You clear your throat in an attempt to dissipate the tension in the air. “There’s only one more step left to go. I can show that to you and if you’re good, we can pack up.”

You note how hot your face feels and hope he doesn’t tell this to his friend circle. You don’t particularly like them, given the amount of drama they attract. 

You try to concentrate, though the incident earlier remains at the front of your mind. Soon, he ends the procedure without a hitch, so you assume that you’ve taught him the right step despite your lack of focus. With that, both of you clean up the workbench. 

Childe finishes cleaning up faster than you. He always packs up quickly after class, and you chalk up his speed to his desire to leave class early. You think he’s about to leave when he comes over to help you. When he does, he thanks you.

“Thanks for the tutoring session, [name].”

A few seconds of silence lapse. You’re not sure if you should thank him for helping you. But before you say anything, he asks, “Say… could I ask you for more help next time? I struggle quite a bit with Biology.”

Immediately, you nod. It'll just be more tutoring sessions that'll benefit you too. Though, you ask, “Don’t you have friends who do Biology?”

Childe’s face sours a little, a smile still plastered on his face. He whispers, “Let’s just say that while I do hang out with them, I don’t like to stay around them more than I need to.”

Your eyes widen slightly. The two of you have more in common than you thought.

As the two of you walk down the hallways to the exit, he exchanges contacts with you. Childe does a tiny fist pump in the air. “Nice! Now, we can easily arrange study sessions!”

He turns to look at you and offers, “If you need anything too, you can always ask me!”

Childe flashes you a smile. He’s really not so bad.

When the two of you part ways at the school gate, you wave to him. He returns one with that annoyingly vibrant smile of his. But, maybe you could get used to this.

Only then do you realise, oh, you are in so much danger. The moon is reaching its orbit closest to the sun now.

--

All likes and reblogs are appreciated! Thank you <3

[carefuldarlingibite]

@shimmerbeasts continued from here

At first, the suddenness of the touch caused Wyll to draw in the air in surprise. However, upon realising how soft and gentle the touch was, he relaxed somewhat. All the while trying very hard to not think about how gentle Mizora could be with him when she wanted to be. However, he could also tell that this wasn't her touch. As far as Wyll knew, Mizora did not touch someone's tail with her hand. Turning his head, he spotted Astarion, who had taken his tail into his hands and ran his fingers across it. His transformation had given him a long, sleek tail with a thining tip. It was as black as charcoal, the hide leathery, yet smooth, and it ended in a corpse-blue discolouration at its tip. The same tint of colour, which Mizora had. Wyll had tied a dagger to the tip with a small scarf. Astarion continued to idly trace his hands over his tail, examining it like he was seeing it for the first time. Wyll gave a soft huff of breath as he remarked: "Now, you suddenly care for it?" He could not help but examine Astarion himself. The pale elf with his tuffy curls as white as snow did not look like his deal with Mizora had changed him outwardly. However, Wyll could detect the same smell, he was surrounded by: Sulphur, Avernus' fiery blaze and the sickly sweet undertone of orchids. Mizora's own personal scent mark. Wyll carefully eased his tail out of Astarion's grasp and let it fall on the floor. He inquired: "Why did you not tell me that you intended to do this? It would have been nice to know what you were doing instead of having Mizora spring that all on us blindly."

Astarion was all too curious about the other warlock's tail, more so now that he was pacted to the same patron. He wondered, would he ever suffer the same sort of punishment one day? Or would she turn him into the 'little bat' she so fondly referred to him as? He never intended on testing those waters, of course, but he was certain Wyll never had either. Perhaps he would have killed Karlach himself just to avoid such a fate, but that was the difference between the two of them. Wyll was a hero, Astarion was a charlatan. Two sides of a coin. Especially now.

"Well, I was just thinking about the fact that if I piss her off as much as you did, I might be the owner of one of these fine appendages as well." Astarion said absently before Wyll slipped his tail out of Astarion's grip, letting his fingers linger along the length of it as it fell to the ground, the dagger clattering as it did so. "You seem to have found a cunning use for it."

Truthfully, he enjoyed the fact that he and Wyll now shared a Patron. He liked Wyll, for more than just his cute face and cunning wit. He reminded him of himself as a youth, so promising in a career as a magistrate to do good for the little people. Oh, that was a long time ago.

Perhaps the other warlock wasn't used to sharing, but he was sure with time they'd become a formidable team. And maybe he could keep an eye on Wyll, make sure his heroics didn't get in the way again. He'd only hoped that Wyll would warm up to them being pact-brothers eventually.

And then there was the question, why Astarion had made a deal with Mizora to begin with, why he hadn't voiced his intentions before. None had been too happy about it, though at least Gale and Shadowheart had been a bit understanding of why he did.

"I didn't tell you, Wyll, because I am pretty certain if I had told you that I was going to make a deal with the patron that most recently turned you devilishly handsome, you would have advised against it and refused to arrange the meeting." Astarion said simply, waving his hand as he spoke to emphasis his words. "Even if that deal involves my very own freedom from the man who's tormented me the past two centuries. At least Mizora is honest, maybe not entirely upfront, but as a former magistrate I can respect her knack for finding loopholes in her own rules and contracts."

He chuckled a little bit, leaning back on his heels as he crossed his arms over his chest and quirked an eyebrow. "Why does it matter to you in any case? Or is it that you don't want to share her attention?" His words were clearly teasing, a very playful tone and a lighthearted grin on his lips. "You'd be surprised, but, I'm very good at sharing."

[chronicbeans]

Dr. Randolph with a GN Reader in place of the Player (part 2):

TW: Captivity

Waking up, you frantically look around the room. You half expect to see the loophole, but your dreams are crushed when it is nowhere to be found. Then, the crumbled pieces of your dreams are thrown right into the fire when you realized that you seem to be strapped securely to a bed of some sort. The walls of this area look familiar in a way you don't like. A dingy yellowish color, with brightly lit windows that seem to look out to nowhere in particular...

"Ah, it's good that you are awake. I was beginning to think I gave you too much anesthesia..."

Your head whips over to the right, seeing none other than Dr. Randolph, himself. His dark eyes seem to gleam when you look at him, despite the fact that your expression should make it clear that you hold nothing but disdain for the man. The first thing you do is spit out "What do you want from me? Is it still my liver? Did you really go so far just to get my liver?"

He has that gall to laugh, as if you just told the joke of the century, before saying "You really think I would go that far. No, dear. I have a much different reason for all this. For now, though, just stay there and don't worry your pretty little head with that."

You flinch as he pats your head, your disdain growing at that condescending tone of his. As much as you want to make a venomous comeback to him, you need to think rationally. This man has you at his mercy, at the moment, and you do not seem to be in immediate danger of getting another needle dug into your neck. The best course of action is to stay calm, right? Placate him, maybe.

You silently watch him walk out of whatever room you are in, his movements no longer holding that confidence you saw before. He may be acting smug and condescending, but you can see that something you have done has shaken him up. Literally, mind you, as his hands are shaking slightly as he closes the door.

You take the opportunity to take another look around the room. It looks like the one that you found yourself in after first getting caught by Dr. Randolph, when you trusted him to help you, only to be betrayed. Small, brightly lit by the windows, and pretty cramped in a way. The only real difference is that the bed seems to be different, as well as the chair placed next to it. Looking down at yourself, you see leather straps wrapped around you, tying you down to the bed tightly. You can barely lift your arms or even move them away from your torso, much less sit up in bed. You don't see any clear escape routes, yet.

Dr. Randolph returns rather quickly, holding a cup of coffee in his hands. He seems a lot calmer than before, his hands no longer shaking as he sits in the chair next to you. He takes a sip, before saying "You seem calmer, now. Are you finally ready to talk without that harsh tone you had?" "Fine. Don't expect me to say much, though."

He looks down at his cup for a moment as he begins talking "I am sure you want to know why I brought you here, yes? The truth is, even I am not so sure, anymore. I used to believe it was entirely me wanting to prevent you from getting out of here. There are so many things that will happen if you, or anyone in here for that matter, escapes Heilwald. You most likely don't even know that you leaving will destroy the loopholes, do you?"

Your eyes widen, before you subconsciously shake your head. He lets out a half-hearted chuckle, before continuing "You will need to find a way to destroy the loopholes to leave. Then, by destroying the loopholes, you will destroy ME. I am... unsure about what will happen to the rest of us, but I know that I will be dead once you destroy those loopholes and escape. I can't have that happen. That's when I decided to go after you and try to stop you. However, I feel like that reasoning has changed. It is still a part of it, of course. Like most everybody else, I don't want to die. I really don't want to die... But it isn't the entire reason, anymore."

You sigh, looking him in the eyes. He looks conflicted about something. You ask "What is the new reason, then?" He hesitates, before smiling and shaking his head. "Even I don't know. For now, I'll take care of you. You don't have to worry about a thing."

[majaloveschris]

Chris has a lot better dodger pics than this one. But why this ? Because he wants the fandom to speculate the shoes ? And why didn’t he post with AB since they are official ? And why cropped the pic? Seems like he doesn’t want to be in the same pic with her nor her friends because the internet is forever that is why he chose to post this. This is somehow PR.

I mean, it's definitely PR.

We have two options:

1. He didn't realize there was a leg in the picture. He isn't really that sign-giving, trolling type; however, if his team is truly behind everything right now, it's not that far-fetched to think they wanted to achieve something with this. But if this was actually him (or even if it was his team) posting, I don't think the caption was anything more than a caption. He or they were talking about Dodger's paw, that's all.

2. They knew what they were doing. I think most of us think that right now he isn't in charge of his social media. That doesn't mean it's not him who likes other people's posts or that he is never active there, but I think most things are done by his team. It seems pretty impossible to me that his team wouldn't take a proper look at things, especially after the failure of this PR shitshow, and that they know people overanalyze every little thing. If it was intentional, it was definitely for PR reasons. I think posting a picture like this, which would give away a clue, is way easier than doing a full pap walk. It's not that bad, and he didn't need to be around her or them.

But I don't know. Maybe it was just a picture of Dodger and nothing more. It's really hard to tell after everything.

The whole "he doesn't give a shit about them being the way they are" or that "he just doesn't care what people think" makes zero sense to me. Maybe I would understand it if he'd ever posted a picture or story with Alba, Justin, or anybody from their gang. The closest we got to this was when he posted that really bad scare video compilation, and it was only up for 24 hours; he didn't even post it as an actual post.

We almost know nothing about this whole trip. We knew they were, so the fact that he might have spent some time inside the house makes no difference. It's nothing new; it's nothing we didn't know about.

I'm not trying to babysit him. He and his team made such a big mistake, and even if they wanted a way out, unfortunately, it's not going to be that easy. But something I can say for sure is that I think they are always trying to find a loophole to do the least they can, so Chris doesn't need to be actually seen with them. I think this whole thing could've been way worse, even from the very beginning. I also want him to be done with these people, and let's be honest, it doesn't seem he really enjoys being around them or being associated with them. If he does, why doesn't he post more pictures? Why did he send them home on a commercial flight? Why weren't they in Tara's group photo? Why didn't Alba stay to be with him? Why does his team remove her tags or most comments that are about her?

I also want this to be over, but if he truly signed a contract (which I do believe he did), it's not that easy. Even if he realized he was stupid and made a big and dumb mistake, he can't say it's over. Maybe next time he won't get into things like this.

[randomnameless]

Too late. But I saw your post about the Supreme Leader's family, and how we know more of Glenn than any of her siblings. I would also like to mention Raphael's younger sister, Maya, who, like Glenn, more is known than any of the her siblings. However, there's also Marianne, who I find outshines Supreme Leader in terms of family background loopholes.

It's funny how simple characters like Raphael and Ignatz have less of a problems than supposedly "interesting" characters like Marianne and Lysithea. But I think all of this falls under crests BaD.

Why no mention of Hilda anon? lol

TBH Lysithea is what I'd call here a "pétard mouillé", aka something that had some potential but ultimately ended up as underutilised/wasted.

I know it's because Adrestia 5evah, but the sheer fact Lysithea has nothing - no mention, no words in her useless and worthless support with Supreme Leader about, uh, papa Ionius being angry and sending dark mages to "test some science project" on her siblings, who died as a result, is completely bonkers - and we don't even have a weak "it's not daddy dearest who did it but the bald fatso who wasn't in power because the insurrection didn't happen yet but it's totes his fault daddy told me and if you question me more i'll stop pretending to give a fuck and ignore you" support, no, it's just... not touched.

Then you have the entire Solon/Tomas from House Ordelia thingie she only mentions in VW but goes "nope I'm not telling you" in WC which is completely, uh... ridiculous, and again, never called out. Heck, the game spends more time dissing Lorenz because his dad sided with the imperialists (to protect his people else they'd be Waldo'd) but not a thing is said about Lysithea who knew there was something wrong with Tomas/Solon since the day she saw him at the Academy and worked with the maniacs who tortured her family at the behest of the Empire! Lysithea saying this in WC would have destroyed Supreme Leader's "plans" in half, but w/c.

There are a lot of things completely stupid regarding Marianne, and I'm not even talking abou the Momo sobfest, but imo nothing concerns her biofam?

We could talk all day long on how she swallows Supreme Leader and Clout's nonsensical shit about "Church BaD promotes IsOlAtIoNiSm" when her own father managed to get fame and acknowledgment as one who can be part of the Roundtable because he's so successful in his trade with, uhh, foreign countries (tfw no isolationism?), or how she could tell Claude that sure a free market where goods and people could cross without any difficulties borders would be a good thing, if some people just want to trade goods and don't invade every saturday because I'm pretty sure if her dad managed to become "important" due to all of the trading he does it's also because the people he trades with don't set up raids for funsies once per week.

But instead we have... well, as the Nopes dev put it "cute girls" and apparently it's ok, because the "very serious (tm)" plot dgaf about how the world it depicted works and actually shits on said plot.

It's also too bad that for all the interesting aspects Ignatz and Raph bring as the new bourgeoisie in a world we're told is full of aristocrats who keep the non-aristrocrats down, nothing is ever brought up.

Some people already pointed out how much of a wasted opportunity it was for, say, Doro looking for a wealthy husband, not looking at the Alliance's bachelors who might not be nobles, but are rich as fuck, or my own favourite plotbunny that will go nowhere, maybe Ingrid's dad trying to set up a match between his daughter and... Ignatz. But no.

Instead they will both swallow the nonsensical "without church there won't be any nobility and the commoners will be happy and able to rise and fall on their own!!" - Raphael's fall not being dictated by his actions but by his parents fucking dying - when their own situation has strictly nothing to do with the Church or the so-called "Crust system".

At least I can write fodlan nonsense about Ignatz's nabatean radar or his wish to be a painter - aka an utterly useless job in a world that's only focused on the military, but maybe reveals that if Ignatz, a merchant's wealthy's son can dream to become a painter, then maybe the world isn't as "martial" and "crust obsessed" as it's supposed to be.

[sabineelectricheart]

Frustrated Escape

Summary: No matter how hard Rosalie tries, Sebastian always finds her. Perhaps it is better to just give up.

Rating: R - Content features heavy themes. Not suitable for most audiences. Consult warnings before proceeding.

Explicit depictions of violence and non-consensual sexual activity. Reader discretion is highly advised.

Words: 1000

Notes: That’s one sick fic...

Rosalie is a foolish, foolish woman. She has always been foolish, from the time she stepped foot in Hogwarts at fifteen, to when she first met her classmates, to the time she thought she could make a positive change, she has been the stupidest girl in the world.

She is older now. She thought she was wiser, or at least smarter, more capable, but it seems that she is just as much as an idiot as she ever was. There was no escape, there was no way to leave this place, and she was naïve to think otherwise.

The woman does not how he does it, how he always finds her. It is not magic, she is sure, as neither of them have used their wands recently. She because he took away hers, he because he fears that the Ministry will be able to find them if he does.

Yet, even as a wanted man, just as magicless as she is, he is always able to locate her. It may take a little while, a few days or so, but he can always do it, no matter how hard she tries to make it for him. Likewise, she never gets far enough to leave this damnable forest, she never finds no other person or creature, nothing flying overhead, just miles and miles of woods, rivers, mountains and absolute nothingness all around them. A hellhole in what she assumes it is Scotland, but cannot even fucking be sure of that.

Her lover’s moans careened from animalistic growls to howls of pleasure with each thrust, almost as if he was having trouble controlling himself. The bell on your collar, a new addition that made her feel like breeding cattle, rang wildly with each buck of his hips, easily and constantly echoing in the small room, the cage, she had come to know as home.

He chuckled, feeling her hips shamelessly buck against his to meet each thrust, like a sword eager to meet its sheath.

“I missed these hips. Merlin, how I’ve missed them!” He says, out of breath, but with a happy smile gracing his features. “How lean they are, how they feel when I carve my nails on them, how you feel around my cock…”

Large, calloused hands squeezed and kneaded at her emaciated hips, his fingers raking at her skin as if it is the last time that he would ever feel it again. Except this time, it would not be.

She is here now, she is his again. Another loophole closed, another escape frustrated. She is not going to try again, and she is certainly never, ever succeeding again. He will not be standing for any more of these games, he is not going to hold himself back anymore. The idea energises him once again, and he feels the rage coursing through his veins.

His hicks became shallow and slow, made to be strong, hurtful, much to her displeasure. Rosalie whined in protest, but Sebastian was too caught up in admiring her beauty, her presence, the fact that she cannot resist anymore. Dark brown eyes traced the blemished red scar on her chest, a scar that claimed her as his.

She is here now. She is finally here now, he realized. The weight of this information felt heavy on his chest.

“Sebastian? Help me. Please. I… I need…” The woman asks, weakened.

She is hungry and thirsty. She is so very tired. She had been lost for a time when he found her, and while he gave her the bare minimum to survive, she longed for a proper bed to recuperate. Alas, they have been home for hours now, and all he does is fuck her relentlessly.

His rugged expression softened, loving the way her named rolled off his tongue with such love and ease, no trace of fear or sadness dwelled, just resignment and tiredness. Sher pretty eyes slightly widened when he cupped her cheek, his face pulled into a delicate and almost grateful aspect.

“I fucking need you more than I need to breathe. I need you, Rosie. I love you so fucking much I could just die.” He said, suddenly. The words bloomed in his tongue and he just said them.

Her heart hammered against her rib cage, unused to this side of her angry, bitter husband. It has been a long, long while since he told her that he loved her, that he had anything good to say about her.

She is so tired, so hungry, so thirsty. Her hips hurt, and she has scrapped her knees trying to escape in the wet forest ground. She can barely focus her vision, and what once was a rather fetching, lean young man hovering above her, now is just an incoherent blur.

Rosalie feels her sense slipping away as she delivers herself to illusion and carelessness. It is not worth it to resist, to try and get away, to correct mistakes past, too past to even remember. She is here now, and there is nowhere else to be. Perhaps, if she closes her eyes one more time, if she pretends a little bit harder…

Smiling, a dainty hand reached to grasp his and placed it over her heart. “And I, you. I am yours.”

His hips slammed into her core, as if by instinct upon hearing her lovely words, as if he was glad that she has forgiven him again. She moaned and let her head roll to the side, still watching him through her peripherals with dazed eyes and a blithe smile.

With a groan and a thrust so hard it bled her, Sebastian finishes inside her. He does not worry about pregnancy, he had something done to that effect, yet another thing that he has irrevocably taken away from her.

He lets his body fall over hers haphazardly. “Don’t ever leave me again. I’ll kill you and die.”

Rosalie reached out again, letting her hand gingerly fall on his cheek. “I’m not going anywhere.”

*_*_*_*_*

Hogwarts Legacy Masterlist

[dragon-in-the-watery-bowl]

Blunda

Now, time for the Ghost AU's version of the Chapter 2's trial

Warning for a line about cannibalism.

Once they entered the girls locker room and found Chihiro's body, he was left paralyzed in horror, not being able to believe that someone else had ended up dying too.

Meanwhile, Byakuya immediately started investigating and pointed to him both the bloody writing and the fact that Chihiro had been left suspended in the air, having been tied up in the bars with a cable, telling him that, whoever killed her, they decided to leave her body as a macabre decoration for the others to see.

Soon after, Kiyotaka arrived and, after he saw her body, ran to warn the others about what just happened.

The wait for the others felt both too long and too short, with him not being able to do anything besides looking at her body.

He just couldn't believe that one of them could kill her and then leave her body in such a state.

Once everyone arrived, he finally found the strength to go to look at the body, only for Byakuya to stop him and set his sights towards the writing in the wall:

"Bloodstain Fever"

He remembered that, at the beginning of their imprisonment, they talked about a serial killer called Genocide Syo, thinking that they were the one behind all of this, and how they always wrote that message in the scene of their crimes.

But, even with Byakuya telling them that Syo had to be the killer, he had his doubts.

Only for Toko arriving, and fainting, at the scene of the crime to cut that conversation short.

It was clear that the bloody state of Chihiro's body had triggered her haemophobia.

But, once she woke up, she started to act in a pretty strange way, her eyes completely glazed over and talking in a more excited way about Chihiro's death.

It felt like she had become another person.

Aoi decided to get her back to her room to recover and, with Monokuma giving them the Monokuma File for Chihiro's body and adding a rule against more than 2 kills for student, the rest of them were left to start investigating.

The file said that she was killed through a blow in the head at 2 am, and, when he saw the bloodied dumbbell on the floor, he immediately knew that it had to be the murder weapon.

But, before he could look at anything else, Byakuya grabbed him and told him that they were going to work together for this case.

This sudden cooperativity from the Ultimate Affluent Progeny felt really weird.

And it looked like Utsuro was thinking the same.

After finding bloodstains in a poster and the room's carpet, probably from when Chihiro was given the fatal blow, and talked with Mondo and Sakura, who told them about how Chihiro wanted to 'become stronger', Byakuya dragged him out outside, and made him look at the card readers on the doors.

He remembered that those readers were locked to the gender written on the handbook, so only girls could open the girls locker room and vice-versa.

But Byakuya didn't believed that one of the girls killed Chihiro and, after calling Monokuma to explain, he revealed that there was a loophole on the rule against loaning your handbook to other students.

But he was being so vague about it that he just didn't understood what he was saying, so he dragged him towards the main hall.

"So I suppose that you haven't understood what's the loophole on that rule, right?" Utsuro had finally decided to talk to him, getting at his side while Byakuya dragged him by the arm.

"Yeah" He answered him with the softest whisper he could muster, to make sure Byakuya didn't heard him "Togami is being so cryptic about it, of course I wouldn't be able to understand what he's trying to say to me"

"Of course he would do it" The ghost gave a pretty icy glare towards the Ultimate Heir, before going back to him "If you want, I can explain it to you..."

"Please do it..."

"Ok" With that word, and a small nod, he then started to explain "I will use a hypothetical scenario to explain it clearly to you: The rules would make it impossible for you to lean your E-Handbook to, let's say, Aoi Asahina, but, if you ended up losing the handbook, and Aoi Asahina found it and used it to steal one dumbbell from the boys locker room, neither of you would be punished for it"

"Oh..." That explanation made much more sense than Byakuya's lack of explanations, but that didn't explained to him from where the culprit was able to get a handbook that could open the girls locker room, until he saw that, on the mailbox in the main hall, the handbooks of the deceased were being stored.

The culprit probably used Sayaka or Junko's handbooks to open the girls locker room and kill Chihiro and, once they had finished propping her body, returned it back to the mailbox.

But, while looking at them, they realized that Leon's was somehow broken.

They theorized that maybe it got broken during his execution, only for Monokuma to pop out and tell them that, even if they could be broken, that horrific execution wasn't the reason why, and left after he implied that the handbook was still working, even though neither of them could activate it.

Byakuya immediately left the broken handbook back to the mailbox, unconcerned by it, unlike him.

In fact, Byakuya was strangely obsessed with this idea that Genocide Syo was the one behind this murder, but, before he could show him his reasoning why, Aoi arrived and told them to go to Toko's room.

Apparently, since her fainting spell in the locker room, she had holed herself inside her room, completely terrified of Genocide Syo and what they could do to her.

And not even Byakuya's presence was able to make her leave her room.

After asking Aoi to keep an eye on her, Byakuya immediately left the hallway and walked towards the library, ignoring his attempts to get his attention in the process.

He had labeled her words as simple delusions, but he couldn't get out of his head the fact that they, apparently, had made a promise that she thought had broken, and tried to get an answer out of him, but not being answered.

Once they arrived at the library, Byakuya led him towards the room's archive, where books and files with secret information about the world were compiled, before giving him his 'evidence' about Genocide Syo being the culprit behind this murder.

A file that detailed all of their murders.

---

Genocide Syo, a murderer who ranked more than 30 victims in just a decade, hunted by the police for their crimes.

He never in his life crossed paths with them, his luck probably protecting him from becoming another one of their victims, but he knew some things about them.

Like the fact that all of their known victims were male.

And reading through the files that were hidden on Hope's Peak just made Byakuya's suggestions even less truthful.

Syo's victims were always stabbed to death, and hung, with an absurd amout of scissors that the murderer carried around.

But Chihiro's body didn't showed those kinds of injuries.

Once they left the library, Byakuya immediately left Makoto behind, clearly proud that he was able to make him believe his lies about the murder.

"So, you're thinking that Genocide Syo is the murder..."

"Oh?!" Makoto was caught by surprise by his voice, clearly having being thinking a bit too hard "Well, Togami's argument is pretty solid..."

"Well, i think he's lying"

"What? Why?"

"Because, if you compare their previous murders with Chihiro Fujisaki's, they don't fit at all"

Makoto was clearly surprised at his assertion "B-but, Fujisaki was also hung up, like their past victims, and wrote the 'Bloodstain Fever' message with her blood..."

"But all their previous victims were men who were stabbed to death..."

"...and Fujisaki was a girl who was hit in the head with a dumbbell" The luckster finished for him "But, maybe, they decided to bludgeon her to not get caught. After all, wasn't the point of the killing game to not get caught?"

"If that was the reason why, then why they felt the need to suspend her body and make the blood message?"

Makoto opened his mouth, trying to counter his argument, only for his face to fall in defeat "...yeah, you're right..." Then, his expression changed in disturbed pondering "Wait, do... do you think that Togami killed Fujisaki and then made the crime scene look like Syo's to deflect the blame on them?"

"Not exactly, I don't think that he killed her, just that he tampered with the crime scene to blame Syo of it"

"Why he would do that?" He couldn't help but to feel pity for the luckster, who was horrified by the sheer cruelty that Byakuya showed to his dead classmate.

A cruelty he wasn't surprised about.

Byakuya was just another member of the selfish and heartless elite, who did everything they wanted because no one could stop them.

"The files about Genocide Syo mentioned something about they probably having DID, so maybe he's trying to spook the non-murderous alter into confessing their identity" An identity he had already discovered thanks to the words of a certain someone.

"That's a possibility..." He said before starting walking back towards the locker rooms. Since he had that... anxiety attack after entering the pool, he had adquired an aversion towards that entire place.

Once they arrived at the doors, Makoto spoke to him.

"If Genocide Syo isn't the culprit and Togami is setting them up, I think I'm going to need to take another look at the locker rooms, to see if there's something I've missed the first time around" He then turned around to look at him "If you want, you can stay here while I take a look, I don't want you to force you to go to a place you don't like..."

He just nodded, he really didn't wanted to back to those rooms.

So he stood in his place while Makoto crossed the doors.

---

Once he crossed the doors and talked with Hifumi, who told him that Celestia knew something about the crime, he went to look at both locker rooms, and he ended up finding some strange things.

The biggest one was that the culprit had apparently changed the posters and carpets from one room to another. Not only the posters looked to be unfitting for the genders they were supposed to appeal, but also Sakura told him that a coffee stain she accidentally left in the carpet last day had suddenly disappeared from it, making him think about the similar stain he found on the boys locker room's carpet.

But Chihiro's body also had some interesting things on it. Before leaving, Kyoko not only told him that her E-Handbook had disappeared, but also advised him to take a good look to her body.

He decided instead to take a look at the rope tied around her body, making him realize that it was in reality an extension cord.

Probably it was the same cord he saw Byakuya use for the library lamp those days ago, with him having gave it use as a rope for his frame-up towards Syo.

Once he left the room, and told Utsuro everything he had discovered, he went back to the library, where he confirmed that the cord used to tie Chihiro's was the same one Byakuya was using those days ago, and, after that, he went to the warehouse, to see what Celestia had discovered.

She told him that she had seen her on this same warehouse before her death, carrying a duffel bag with a track suit inside it, a track suit she immediately hid once Celestia pointed it to her.

That just confirmed that, when she was killed, she had went to the locker room to train alone for a bit.

He then, once he left the warehouse, decided to take a look at Toko before they had to go to the trial room.

Only to see Aoi eating in the dinning room.

She told him that she had gotten hungry while waiting for Toko to get out of her room, and went to eat something, before they talked about how Chihiro always preferred to spend time with the guys rather than the other girls, and how weird it was from her part.

That was the moment when Monokuma warned them that the trial was going to start, so they left the dinning room and went to the elevator room.

Only to realize once they were all there that Toko hadn't arrived yet.

Monokuma immediately 'fixed' that detail, having dragged her out of her room and through the red doors and, once she was able to get up, everyone got on the elevator and went back to the trial grounds.

Where they're going to need to find Chihiro's murderer.

And condemn another one of them to a brutal end.

---

Once the trial started, Byakuya started to sprout his lies about Genocide Syo being the murderer, making Makoto glare to him before playing along with his deception, biding his time before he revealed that he knew about his trickery.

He just couldn't wait to see his face once his house of cards came crashing down.

But now, they just stayed quiet while the Heir revealed the one behind that moniker, Toko Fukawa, before blaming her for the crime in a attempt to free the murderous alter.

Her actions after she saw the crime scene immediately clued him about her connection with the murderer, and the things she said while she locked herself in her room just gave him the final puzzle piece for that mystery.

The only thing that surprised him was the fact that Hope's Peak apparently gave her a Ultimate Title once they discovered her, showing him once again just how low they were able to sink to fulfill their desires.

But, even if he did it, the others didn't made that connection, not even those who heard her ramblings inside her room, so they stood quiet while Byakuya gleefully admitted how he manipulated her feelings for him to lure her into this trap.

Something deep inside his soul found his actions absolutely disgusting even for him.

So he couldn't help but to smirk when Syo finally woke up and helped Makoto with revealing all of Byakuya's deceptions.

---

It took a while, but he was eventually able to both reveal what Byakuya did to blame Chihiro's death on Syo, and prove him innocent of the crime.

But the truth behind Chihiro's murder, and the one behind their death, that they ended up discovering ended up being worse.

The only way he could describe it was as a tragedy.

Chihiro, who everyone thought was a girl, was a boy all along, having spent his childhood being bullied by his physical frailty to the point he started disguising himself as a girl in a attempt to avoid the constant mocking of his peers.

But he still wanted to get stronger so, with the mastermind trapping them inside Hope's Peak for their killing game, and the threat of this secret being revealed, Chihiro decided that he had to get stronger, having found the inner strength to defeat his demons and tell them the truth.

Sadly, he didn't knew that choosing Mondo as the one whom to trust with this secret first was going to be an horrible mistake.

The Biker truly wanted to help him, but his words, combined with the threat of the motive, just dredged a painful memory from the depths of his mind.

About how he accidentally caused the death of his brother in a fit of jealousy, and how he had to hide what truly happened from the rest of their gang once he succeeded him.

The sheer stress he was suffering from all that made him completely break, and, once he recovered consciousness, the first thing he saw was his body on the floor, and the bloodied dumbbell in his hand, so he decided to move both his body, and the bloodied items, to the girls locker room, all in a attempt to protect his secret.

All because he made a promise, that his secret was going to be safe with him.

These reveals hit almost everyone badly, but, from all of them, the one who took this revelation the hardest was Kiyotaka.

He understood perfectly his reaction: They had become close friends is such a short time, so the discovery that not only he killed one of his classmates, but that he was going to die for it, was too much for him.

On the other side, Mondo had accepted his fate and, once the doors opened and the chain shoot towards his neck, he didn't fight it, and just let it drag him towards his death.

Once the metal gate was closed and they were separated from him, Mondo was tied up on a bike, and sent to a circular cage, that was fastly filled with so much electricity once he was inside it, that, for a moment, they were blinded by a strong flash from it.

Once the light diminished and they could see again, the only thing that remained of Mondo was the lonely bike, but the smell of burnt flesh and fat started to cover the room, the implications made clear once Monokuma presented them a butter container with Mondo's face drawn on it.

They all stayed quiet in horror, looking at what remained of Mondo while Monokuma ate it, before they heard a scream.

It was Kiyotaka, who fell to the floor in a mess of screams and tears.

Once the trial was officially done, he was the last one to leave, looking from Utsuro to the still crying Kiyotaka, and back. The Moral Compass' screams had died down, only leaving painful sobs at his friend's death.

He wasn't really sure what was the reason why, but he noticed that the ghost had been more expressive this time around compared to the day of Sayaka's death and trial.

He saw him grin slightly when he and Syo broke down all of Byakuya's arguments against her, he was as surprised as the others when Kyoko revealed to them that Chihiro was a boy, and lingered a furious glare towards Byakuya even after he got on the elevator with the others, clearly infuriated at his confession of having desecrated Chihiro's body for fun.

And now, he was just looking sadly at Kiyotaka.

His gaze then went back to the crying Ultimate Moral Compass.

He just couldn't leave him behind in this room, wallowing in the misery of losing someone so dear to him in such a way.

So he helped him to get up to the floor and walk to the elevator, so everyone could go back to their rooms.

But, at this point, they knew that more tragedies were going to happen eventually.

And there was nothing that they could do to stop it.