#proceeds to describe a fucking musical

[toasted-valentine]

I’m an adult and won’t go on a rant about how much I hate Joker 2 I’m an adult and won’t go on a rant about how much I hate Joker 2 I’m an adult and won’t go on a rant about how much I hate Joker 2 I’m an adult and won’t go on a rant about how much I hate Joker 2 I’m an adult and

So elliot and I are going to watch joker 2

[whateveriwant]

might I request how tf 141 tries to turn you on maybe? Sorry kind of a weird request you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to ;-;

Not a weird request at all, anon! Hope you enjoy! 18+ only, GN!Reader

Price

Three words: full body massage

That man loves to get his hands on you, and it doesn’t even have to be sexual in nature, honestly. Any opportunity to touch you, to caress you, to help ease the tension from your body, he’ll gladly take it (and if afterwards you’ll let him ease himself into you, well, that’s just an added bonus 😉)

He might use special rollers or electric massagers sometimes, but mostly he just sticks to those big, strong hands of his

He'll start by slicking up his palms with some oil, warming it up before he applies it to your skin

Beginning with your shoulders, he’ll slowly work his way down your body, paying special attention to the areas you need most targeted

Aside from those tender spots, he’ll also be sure to focus on a few of your more erogenous zones, namely your thighs and your ass (he's an ass man for sure)

By the time he's finished, you're all supple and pliant before him, but there’s something else too – a sort of warm, fluttery feeling in your gut

Luckily, he knows just the remedy for that sensation. And oh! Would you look at that? You're already in his favorite position: prone

Ghost

We all know he tends to be a man of few words, and this applies to every environment he finds himself in

…At least, every environment outside the bedroom, that is

Because when he's in the mood, you best hold on tight to your pants if you don't want them flying off from how he talks to you (but, I guess, your pants coming off is his end goal anyway)

You'll just be going about your day, minding your business, when you'll get a call from him while he’s “busy” at work

He'll start off casual at first, inquiring about your day, your plans for the night, etc., but it won't take long for the conversation to steer to the real reason for his call: to describe the way he's going to fuck you when he gets home

He'll go into excruciating, toe curling detail about all the things he's going to do to you; just how good he’s going to fuck you until you forget your own name

I hope you're not in public when you take his call, otherwise you better have the poker face of a lifetime if you don't want to make a scene in front of several dozens of witnesses

Gaz

He's a big romantic at heart, so rather than just going straight for the bedroom, he'll slowly work his way up to it over the course of the evening

First, he'll treat you to a nice dinner – either by cooking it himself or by taking you to that fancy restaurant you love but think is much too expensive for every day dining

Beneath dimmed, romantic lighting, together you'll share a delicious meal, a glass or two of wine, and of course a tasty dessert to cap it all off

The conversation will be light and pleasant (nothing unbecoming whatsoever), but while he might not outright voice the plans he has for you later in the night, that look he keeps giving you from across the table speaks volumes

When you’ve finished your meal and gradually made your way back home/to the bedroom, even then he still isn't done buttering you up just yet

He'll put on some slow music, maybe light a couple candles to really set the mood, even draw you both a bath if you're feeling up to it

Once he does finally take you to bed, it'll be a seamless transition from an evening overflowing with desire and passion

Soap

‘Subtlety’ is not really a word in his vocabulary, so most of the time when he's horny, he's just turning to you and asking if you want to fuck

However, sometimes when you need a little more build up than that, he has a few tried and true methods he knows will work you up

He'll change so that he’s walking around your flat wearing a pair of gray sweatpants. Wearing only a pair of gray sweatpants, mind you

Whilst wearing said sweatpants, he'll proceed to stretch and flex around you, showing off all those muscles he knows you love, as well as highlighting a few other assets he knows drives you crazy (i.e. bulge printtttt 😍)

He'll then get really touchy with you, starting innocent at first – brushing an eyelash from your cheek, straightening the neck of your shirt – before he gets more and more brazen with his petting

And when he's real close like that, leaning right into your ear, he’ll mutter soft praises to you: telling you how beautiful you look, how good you smell, how soft your skin is where he’s touching just there

By the time he finally goes to ask if you want to have sex, he doesn't even get the words out before you're jumping him like a wild animal. All according to plan…

[twstafterdark]

Aftercare

Author's note: ever wondered what they do after a session?

Content: a little bit of rot was placed here | slight graphic language | post-nut moment lmao

Sebek Zigvolt

The many times, Malleus and Lilia drilled into his head to treat the intimacy between him and his lover with utmost respect; to enshrine his lover’s body as soon as the act was done. Such lessons manifested itself onto Sebek’s conscious, his body already moving to the tissues, the tender kisses down your body, and sweet whispers tickling your skin. 

He asks for your wellbeing, his eyes basking in your afterglow as you regard him with hazy eyes. A while ago, the young man was on the verge of tearing up, clinging to you tightly in desperation, his rhythm passionate yet profoundly deep. Minutes ago, you were screaming out his name, gripping the sheets tightly as intense pleasure shook you to your core, Sebek’s being shuddering behind you as he groans a sigh. 

You watch him mutter whispers of love, his gaze sweeping upon your body as he wipes you clean, his touch gentle yet light. Following a pattern of hickeys from the throes of passion, Sebek leaves a trail of kisses on your body, doses of pleasure spreading across your numb body as you cave in before his touch. One couldn’t properly describe the beauty that was before him - sensual yet vulnerable in his eyes as you beckon your lover to your arms once again. 

He restrains himself, not wanting to abandon his duty to ensure you’re properly cared for before joining you in the after of what was passionate lovemaking. He had to ensure that every crevice in your body was spotless, not a sight of excretion on the surface of your body. 

Only then did he see your spotless body return to your arms, warm satisfaction bathing him as he watches you smile. His arms find your waist, a familiar sensation as he nestles next to you, now fully recovered from lust’s spell. He gives you a kiss on the forehead, the fires of love ever burning in his heart.

Rook Hunt

Rook is a self-proclaimed expert of cleaning up, his enigmatic nature even permeating to the bed. He finds ways to ensure the best quality of care after the deed, ensuring you don’t have to go through the trouble of cleaning yourself. Many find it troublesome, but he finds this chore entertaining. 

As you recover from climax, you can fathom feathery kisses ghosting on your skin, bringing goosebumps from where he’d mark you. You coax him to stop, but he doesn’t let up, singing whispers of passion by your skin as he massages your body. 

Your groans music to his ears, Rook proceeds to tease you even more, stirring your loins aflame as he sensually touches every corner of your body, deftly cleaning remnants of sex from your being. Your senses, dulled from before, hone in on his touch, pleasure following afterward. 

Though your body weary, something about Rook’s touch spurred you alive, wanting to go for another round as your bowels sought nothing but the shape of Rook’s cock. Desperation weaves your words in pleas as you cling onto him, pleasure seizing your body once more. 

Seeing this predicament, Rook can only take this as his fault; he simply had too much fun with cleaning you up. He can only keep going, ensuring his lover was satisfied until fatigue came of them. The real clean up can wait. 

Leona Kingscholar

Lazy may describe this man with his usual habits, but he is quite meticulous in the way of bed. One minute, he was fucking you crazy on the sheets; the next minute, your body completely lathered in lotions, oils, and rose water after a session, your orifices wiped clean of excrement. 

His touch, before rough and desperate, now conveyed a tenderness that you didn’t expect from him. You lean to his touch, feeling his warmth through his fingertips. Leona revels in the sight of you as he partakes in cleaning you, his eyes greedily scouring the hickeys and marks he left, blotches of red and purples his signature on the canvas of your body.

You feign surprise as Leona makes himself scarce as he implements this regiment onto you, He shakes this gesture as a common practice for lovers in his homeland, how partners often use such aromatics to soothe the bruises and hickeys and heal the body after a session. 

You thought this as a sweet gesture, knowing that this feline had a soft side with you. The urge to tease was strong, yet you kept that thought to yourself, knowing very well that he won’t take kindly to your amusement. Besides, your fatigued body needed rest, and Leona took the time and space to ensure your body was healing after a passionate session. 

You can still feel his shape, your innards craving more stimulation - you watch Leona’s silhouette, his sensual gaze doing wonders to you as you feel another burst of energy. He senses this shift of energy, chiding you to rest as he imparts a kiss by your clavicle. In due time will he return to indulge in you, but for now, a nap was called for. 

[nqctar]

εϊз salt air, and the rust on your door ; anton lee

pairing. bf!anton lee x f!reader. genre. fluff, childhood friends to lovers. inspired by tsitp. synopsis. (the summer house pt. 1) breathing in the salty air during a hot august night spent at anton's summer house alters your brain somehow. you gather the courage to tell anton that you love him. warnings. kissing/make out, physical touch. wc. 883 words. author’s note. sorry that i disappeared for so long, i was on trial for fraud :/ i’m back now though !!

( 🐚 ) ONE SUMMER CAN CHANGE EVERYTHING.

you awake from your nap sometime late into the evening. in the distance you hear something orchestral, it’s soft and melodic and surrounds you like a chorus of angels welcoming you into your new forever. “must be anton’s cello,” you think.

of course it was. you step out of his bedroom, the floorboards creak one by one as you tip toe out into the living room. you’re greeted by his silhouette, the point of his shoulders broad as ever as he sits up tall, hands moving the bow as he plays. you hear him mutter a few frustrations.

he pauses, and then halfway turns to you.

“finally, you’re up. please sit down and tell me what the hell i’m doing wrong.” you smile as you sit crisscrossed on the shag carpet in front of him, somewhat reminiscent of the first kindergarten day you’d ever met him.

anton begins again, his eyes focused on the sheet music in front of him. you admire how handsome and focused he looks, his movements sophisticated to a standard you’d never seen before. he proceeds to play something that makes you feel as if you’re floating in the clouds. every note rings out thick through your ears, you’re practically surrounded by music notes by the time he’s done. whatever he’d just played had changed your life in only three minutes.

“fuck you forever,” he mutters. it catches you off guard and you look at him like a deer caught in headlights. anton notices your expression and quickly follows up. “oh my god, not you. the cello. i didn’t mean you.”

“why do i suck at playing today?” you shake your head at him. suck at playing? anton?? there's no way. "that's impossible," you retort. "i think i literally ascended just now. you're fine, anton. actually— you're perfect." he flashes that wide grin at you and woah, you are so glad you were already sitting down because you would've collapsed otherwise.

"thanks, baby. i hope you aren't just saying that because you're my girlfriend." you shake your head at him again. you could never lie to anton. to you, he was the greatest cello player on earth. you'd spend an entire lifetime proving it to the world if you could.

"anton, i'm saying that because it's the truth. and also because i love you." his head jerks back at your words, eyes going wide as ever. your face goes red and you question what overcame you to finally admit the quiet part out loud. was it the salty cape cod air altering your brain chemicals? had you been possessed by cupid himself?

anton puts his bow down and steps away from his instrument. you're curious as to what he's going to do. he walks over to you and then somewhat crouches onto his knees, caressing the back of your head with his hand. you're face to face and closer than you'd been all day. the air must be doing something to the both of you, because any of your usual shyness is gone. far, far gone. anton gives you a soft smile. you admire how pretty he is up this close, lucky that you're the only one who gets to see him in such an intimate way.

the silence between you two is more than comfortable. it feels like it was your destiny to be here, in this moment. the sound of waves crashing against the nearby shore fills the space around you. in a way, it's harmonious. it's just as comforting as waking up to the sound of anton practicing. perfect doesn't even begin to describe your summer.

he leans in and kisses you. first softly, and then with more intensity. his hands run through your hair, they caress your skin and light little fires all over your body. the both of you end up laying on the floor as you're on top of him, with your hands in his hair this time, sending shivers down his spine as he tries to find the meaning of love within your lips. by the time you both pull away for air, your lips are red and faces flushed with nervousness. "there's that familiar shyness creeping back," you think.

"i love you too, y/n. i love you so much." anton whispers as you hover above him. you two move so that you're sitting next to each other, backs against the couch. you lean your head on his shoulder and take his soft hand in yours. "you're so sweet," you say. "how did i get so lucky?" if the intensity of your feelings are only temporary, damn, you never want the honeymoon phase to end. you savor this moment. you savor every moment as if anton would disappear right before your eyes.

"i still don't believe you. tell me i suck at playing the cello and then we can do that again." anton says, disturbing the silence.

"oh my god, shut up."

"fine, you suck." you obviously lie to him.

anton smiles as he leans in once again.

[wonysugar]

hate rodrigo (literally) | aeri uchinaga

a/n: this is not even a fic this is a tiny little one shot that i wrote yesterday night AT LIKE TWO AM due to thoughts we had in a discord server ahem anyways I FELL ASLEEP THO. soo have this now!!

genre : really bad crack smut like i genuinely have no idea how to describe this

word count : like 600 something?

tags : one shot, smut (obvs), crack, ptv mention, falling in reverse mention, olivia Rodrigo mention, mcr mention, taylor swift mention (sorry @pupyuj)

pairing : angsty!giselle x whitegirlmusic!femreader (I HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO LABEL THISSFJEKF)

your music taste wasn’t something you particularly shared with people, but you didn’t hide it, either. to you, it was music, nothing more, nothing less.

however, one of your friends, aeri, took music very, very seriously, and it really showed. she had a certain aesthetic, she wore certain things and god, did she listen to certain music.

“no like i genuinely can’t grasp the fact that you unironically listen to olivia rodrigo?” she laughed, leaning back on her bed as you stared at her in disbelief.

“god aeri, some of her songs are good, you just haven’t tried them.” you snapped back, wearing a convinced smile as you proceed to jokingly hit her arm.

“okay, sure, whatever. but just imagine getting to know someone, going on dates with them, all the sha-bang. then, when it’s time to get down and freaky, they turn on their sex playlist and motherfucking driver’s license starts playing??”

she was basically cackling at that point and you couldn’t do anything to stop it. defending your cause seemed like it would’ve been difficult, with how far up her own ass she was.

“yeah, because that isn’t a sex song? olivia rodrigo doesn’t make fucking sex music?? try putting a falling in reverse song while you get naked, see how that works out for you.” you fight back.

“oh i don’t know about you, but i’d be soaked for sure. plus, anything would be better than hearing young adult women sing about their previous relationship like it was a war they fought in.” she kid, crossing her arms in victory, as if she even won the argument in the first place.

“i’m gonna make you swallow those words right back up, uchinaga.”

“try me, l/n.”

-

“f-fuck y/n, go- mmh- slower..”

so, it wasn’t supposed to happen this way!

it originally was just the both of you, taking turns and putting different songs on the bluetooth speaker and rating them based on ‘how wet it got you’.

turns out, while that was a theory stage, there seemed to be a practice one too, and you’ve been in it for the past 10 minutes now.

thrusting your fake cock in and out of her, paying no mind to the very loud, very obnoxious pierce the veil song that was playing in the background, you pinned her hands above her head. your pace increased with time, and the decibels of her voice increased with the pace.

“oh my god y/n pleasepleasepleasepleasee i’m s-so sorry i- fuck me- i didn’t mean-“ she cried, poor thing probably didn’t even realize that her black eyeliner was running all over her cheeks. her arms and legs wrapped around you,

“shut your fucking mouth and take it, you emo fucking cumslut.” you slammed your strap into her as she yelled out your name. while she was pleading and begging for something, you were on top of her perfect laying-in-mcr-bedsheets body.

she, herself, wasn’t aware of what she was begging for, her mind was completely blank. all she could think about was how good her pussy felt when you pounded it so violently, when you were being so aggressive with her that you just used her body however you wanted.

you thought that whole thing would be a one-time occurrence, but no, it happened a second time, when she said that taylor swift had mid music. was she doing it on purpose or something?

anyways,

yes, you fucked her with the 1989 album playing.

[osunism]

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 32, 35, 37, 40, 41, 42, 45, 54, 55, 59, 61, 63, 66, 75 and 77 for the Fanfic Writer Asks. I know there are too many, sorry! 🥺🙏🏻

Oh wow! These are a lot but I will take great pride and joy in answering them. Thanks for giving me something to think about!

2. Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

It's a little bit of both, honestly. Lately I have been practicing being more deliberate and planning my stories more thoroughly as oppose to just writing and posting without thinking. Apparently this has had a positive effect. I get more comprehensive feedback on my writing than I ever have.

3. Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic.

Generally I do what I call the "bookend method." That is, I usually have the first and last chapter planned out. I know how I wanna start, and I know how I wanna end. And I recently started imposing chapter limits on myself so each chapter is basically like a scene from a play in how I plan it. That is, I know who I want to include in each chapter, the general subject being covered in the chapter, etc.

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

Music. I am a maladaptive daydreamer since I was 6 years old. Scenes have been turning in my head since I was cognizant enough to remember. Eventually the scenes spin into full stories. Of course, I read widely and often as well and get inspired to cook up my own ideas.

5. Do you like constructive criticism?

When I ask for it, yeah. I don't like when people just assume I want it because the comments tended to get a lil' disrespectful back in the day when I allowed that. Everyone's version of constructive criticism is different. To that end, if we have established a rapport, I welcome it. Everybody else: talk to me nice or not at all!

7. How do you choose which POV to write from?

It depends on how deep inside of a character [heh] I want or need to get. I used to be a die-hard first-person POV writer. But lately it's third-person limited.

9. Do you comment on stories you read?

I try to. I usually want to make my comments more than the usual flailing and emojis and memes. I want to leave substantial evidence as to why I enjoyed the fic, how it made me feel, etc. And I'm very good about it these days.

11. Link your three favorite fics right now.

I'll do my faves:

Beneath the Silk by @phyx-m - Sukuna x f!Reader; I describe it as a dark and bloody Beauty & the Beast, only you're not really sure who the beast is in this situation. It's so good and Sukuna is so darkly seductive and menacing all throughout.

Academic Affairs by ChocolateGranola - Sukuna x Gojo AU where they are academic rivals-to-lovers. I'm riveted.

Kindred Spirits by SkipGabe - A Sukuna x OC fic with super cool lore, great worldbuilding, and a very cool take on Sukuna's origins.

Monster Hospital by mushmoon12 - A Gojo x Reader-ish fic that is most assuredly enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-??? and it's an emotional rollercoaster.

Like Silk by satans_onlyfans - A Sukuna x Reader-ish fic that...well. Let's just say there's more than one Vessel.

Cor Unum by @vampyrsm - Sukuna x Reader-ish fic that can only be described as a fucking masterpiece from start to finish. I would say this fic and Beneath the Silk are in conversation with one another thematically, and the exploration of Sukuna is so well-done. It does have dead dove elements so be forewarned.

The Tragedy of a Duality by @katerina-marie - a Gojo x Reader x Sukuna fic that...well it's in the title. I recommend all this author's JJK stuff but this one was an absolute standout for me.

Infidelity by @tawus - A Gojo x Reader fic where Gojo proceeds to cause the most emotional distress I have ever seen just because Reader wanted to go out to the club. I don't wanna spoil too much but oh my god. Seriously, a masterpiece.

Sweet Little Lies by mooglepaws - A Toji x Reader and Reader x adult!Megumi non-curse!AU where Reader makes the best most horrible decision. The smut in this fic is astoundingly hot. Like maybe don't read this one in public.

12. How does receiving or not receiving feedback/support impact you?

I used to let it get to me when I didn't get feedback on my fics, but I really do mean what I say when I say I write for myself. The stories I create for free are first and foremost for my enjoyment. That other people connect with and enjoy them too is now a bonus. I appreciate the feedback and support, but I will continue to write irrespective of receiving either. That being said, I won't lie and say getting feedback and support definitely helps motivate me to continue as much as my usual methods. :D

14. How do you write emotional scenes? Do you ever feel what the characters feel? Do you draw from personal experiences?

I draw from personal experience. When I want to evoke a certain emotion, I visit a memory of my own that evokes the exact shade of that emotion I want to paint on the page. I have...a lot of experience with some of the emotions that make more appearances in my fic than others.

16. How many fic ideas are you nurturing right now? Share one of them?

I've got quite a few. Let's crack open the Scrivener document.

This is currently every single fanfic project I currently have in rotation. This is levels of brainrot I haven't had since Dragon Age, and I have 60 published fics for that fandom. I have a lot of thoughts about this fucking manga/anime.

17. What do you do when writing becomes difficult? (maybe a lack of inspiration or writers block)

When I want to be inspired, I read. When I want to create, I write. Sometimes it's necessary to read and let my brain process and enjoy being a reader for a while rather than constantly thinking about writing [which my brain perceives as a problem that needs solving].

19. What is the most-used tag on your AO3?

Original Female Character, probably.

21. Would you ever collaborate with another writer for a story?

I have! While it was me commissioning the author for a story I created, we consider it a collaborative effort as we worked together every step of the way getting the story just right, and it featured my character in my continuity. I had hoped to be able to do this with more artists and writers in the future but the JJK fandom is...insular. I had plans for a little project featuring stories and art in my 'verse. There's writers whose writing styles I really enjoy and I would love to collab with them. :D

32. Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

@phyx-m

@septembersums

@tawus

And this isn't to exclude other authors I read [I have a very exhaustive list, actually], but these are my three faves for their portrayal of my favorite canon characters, their premises, and their prose.

35. What is one essential thing to remember when writing a villain?

They don't always have to have redeeming qualities for you to relate to them. It's okay to like that piece of shit for being a piece of shit.

37. How do you choose where to end a chapter?

Usually I treat it like a thesis paper. The chapter covers a specific subject and has a specific goal. I end the chapter when those objectives are met.

40. If someone were to make fanart of your work, what fic or scene would you hope to see?

There's a scene in Daughter of Disgrace where Yuji and Sundari get caught in Sukuna's domain. Sundari covers Yuji with her body and hugs him close while she casts her version of Hollow Wicker Basket, called Lakshmi's Lotus. It functions the same way as Falling Blossom Emotion in that it reduces the lethality of the domain. The Lotus technique layers this barrier and requires a lot of cursed energy. She was able to keep Yuji and herself safe for the duration of the domain [99 seconds].

The other scene is from the same fic, when Nadja...does what she does and shocks Sukuna.

41. Do you tend to reread fics or are you a one-and-done kind of person?

I honestly used to be one and done, but lately there's been some writers who have been knocking it out of the park with crafting stories that I love coming back to again and again. It might be the prose, the premise, the smut, whatever it is...I keep it in my bookmarks for a reason.

42. What’s the last fic you read? Do you recommend it?

The last fic I read was the Daddy Duty series by @sandwitchstories.

I highly recommend it if you like Dad!Kuna headcanons and fics. I have been craving some soft and wholesome Sukuna lately [and been too lazy to write it], so I was delighted when this popped up in my personal Sukuna feed on BlueSky. :D

45. Do you want to break your readers‘ heart or make them laugh?

My hope as a writer is to be able to do both, sometimes back to back.

54. What’s your favorite part about the fanfiction writing process?

When I get to write That One Scene™️ that's been rattling around in my brain for what feels like forever.

55. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

Nadja is my all-time favorite OC I've ever created. As I've said before, I don't get a lot of feedback on my work outside of my Dragon Age fics. Nadja is my favorite OC because she's complex. She's not very likeable [she's a terrible parent and literally kills for money], she is hedonistic, and she tends to be very self-serving. Something kind of fun writing a character like that. Honorable mention to Sundari because I love writing a tough, strong girl who kicks ass and has a bad attitude.

59. Does anyone in your personal life know you write fic? if not, would you tell anyone?

Literally everyone in my life knows I write fic. Whether I allow them access to those fics is another matter. My parents used to catch me reading/writing smutty fanfic when I was in high school so...yeah. Imagine how they feel now that I'm a published writer with a proper degree and everything. Let the kids read/write their fic!

61. Why do you continue writing fics?

It's so fun! I love making my favorite characters smooch my OCs.

63. Something you hate to see in smut.

Cervix abuse. Y'all. Please. That shit is not fun in real life, I promise. A few little taps, yeah, but constant bruising? NO PLEASE NO.

That being said, I know how to hunt for the good smut.

66. How do you deal with writing pressure (ie. pressure to update, negative comments, deadlines, etc.)?

I don't feel any pressure because I get no traction on my fics like that to feel like I need to update on any kind of schedule. So I write and publish whenever I feel like it.

75. What scene in [Fanfic Name] took the longest to write? What was difficult about it?

Since you didn't specify a fic name, I will pick one! Daughter of Disgrace, you're up!

The scene that took the longest for me to write was in chapter 11. Saddest thing I have ever written in years, I literally cried several times writing it, editing it, rereading it, posting it, etc. Sukuna and Sundari and Nadja deserved better than the hand fate dealt them.

77. Do you have a favorite scene you’ve written from [Fanfic Name] story/chapter?

Favorite scene I've written from Daughter of Disgrace? There are so many! I really put my heart into that fic and I have so many favorite moments I revisit. There's the scene where Sundari and Gojo kill the higher ups together. Then there's the whole birthday party. The Shinjuku Showdown with Plot Twist was also fun as hell.

Honestly that whole fic was a good time start to finish.

𑁍 Fanfic Asks 𑁍

[sisterofsomeone]

SisterofSomeone's Masterlist!

Hiya! I'm SisterofSomeone, otherwise known as Caitlin. I'm 23 and am slowly coming back to into the world of fanfiction writing. So here is my very barebones masterlist, and some little insights into some fics I have planned, enjoy! If you would like to be added to my tag list just send me a message or comment on here, I’d be more than happy to add you 🥹💜

Just as a little warning, I won't write: full non-con (cnc and dub-con are allowed), minors, excessive gore, full incest (e.g. brother x sister, but step brother x step sister is cool with me), pregnancy scares/unplanned pregnancy, more may be added as I think of them and I always hold the right to not answer/write for whatever reason I want :)

Seventeen

Choi Seungcheol

WIP: Seeing You After All This Time - Summary: Seungcheol, that gummy smiled, annoying boy you grew up with would always have your heart. Even if it seemed like he didn’t want it anymore.  Warnings: idol!Seungcheol x idol!fem!reader, lovers to exes to lovers, angst, fluff, mentions of depression/insomnia, mentions of self-harm/self-harming behaviour, references to disordered eating, bodyweight comments (but no actual numbers), swearing, established relationship, (more will be added as the series goes on!)

Yoon Jeonghan

WIP: In the Blind Spot - Summary: You’re Seungcheol’s little sister. Innocent and sweet. He’s always said you’re completely off limits to all the boys. You’re 2 years younger than Chan for fucks sake, way too young for any of the rabble. But unbeknownst to him, you’re being hounded by some of his best friends. Just can’t let big brother find out you’re not exactly opposed to spending some ‘one on one’ time with them. Got to get the deed done in his blind spot. Warnings: idol!Chan x fem!reader, idol!Seokmin x fem!reader, idol!Jeonghan x fem!reader, idol!Mingyu x fem!reader, swearing, smut MDNI 18+,

Hong Joshua

WIP: The Three Musketeers - Summary: When the boys are on tour they like to wind down with some good food, good drinks, good music, and good company. So when you’re batting your eyelashes at them in the hotel bar, they know they’re in for a good evening. Warnings: idol!joshua x fem!reader x idol!Seokmin x idol!Jihoon, smut MDNI 18+, unprotected sex, pet names, foursome

Wen Junhui

nothing here yet sadly :(

Kwon Soonyoung

nothing here yet sadly :(

Jeon Wonwoo

Until Death Do Us Part - Summary: On a wedding day in Baldur’s Gate, a marriage is sealed with a sanctified bond. A powerful magic that allows your minds to meld and cannot ever be undone. It is also required to share your darkest secret for the bond to be bestowed. There is a common myth passed around that once, a very long time ago, a woman was tricked into marriage by a demon of sorts and only found out when they wed. Every wedding at that moment the room falls silent, waiting for another scream, another myth making secret to be revealed. You just never thought you would be witness to it. Series Warnings: Wonwoo x fem!reader, slight Seokmin x fem!reader (because I can't help myself), established relationship/situationship, angst, fluff, swearing, drinking, smoking, there are references to end game BG3 and spoilers for the whole game so please proceed with caution! smut MDNI 18+, unprotected sex, pet names (baby girl, pretty girl, princess), oral sex (male and female receiving), breeding kink, slight daddy kink, size kink, reader has a vagina that gets described as a pussy/cunt, slight dub-con for a second then clear consent, (more will be added as the series goes on!)

Lee Jihoon

WIP: The Three Musketeers - Summary: When the boys are on tour they like to wind down with some good food, good drinks, good music, and good company. So when you’re batting your eyelashes at them in the hotel bar, they know they’re in for a good evening. Warnings: idol!joshua x fem!reader x idol!Seokmin x idol!Jihoon, smut MDNI 18+, unprotected sex, pet names, foursome

Lee Seokmin

Self Destruction - Summary: Lee Seokmin. No words could describe your love for him, how your heart raced when he was near. But you two were growing apart, his eyes and hands wandering away from yours. Now you harboured a growing hatred for the man you once loved so dearly, and as much as you wanted it to stop growing, he just kept adding fuel to the fire. Warnings: toxic!Seokmin x toxic!fem!reader, slight Wonwoo x reader, established relationship, lovers to enemies to ???, ANGST!!!, swearing, cheating, smut MDNI 18+, unprotected sex, pet names (baby girl, pretty girl), oral sex (male receiving)

WIP: Friendzoned - Summary: Warnings:

WIP: The Three Musketeers - Summary: When the boys are on tour they like to wind down with some good food, good drinks, good music, and good company. So when you’re batting your eyelashes at them in the hotel bar, they know they’re in for a good evening. Warnings: idol!joshua x fem!reader x idol!Seokmin x idol!Jihoon, smut MDNI 18+, unprotected sex, pet names, foursome

WIP: In the Blind Spot - Summary: You’re Seungcheol’s little sister. Innocent and sweet. He’s always said you’re completely off limits to all the boys. You’re 2 years younger than Chan for fucks sake, way too young for any of the rabble. But unbeknownst to him, you’re being hounded by some of his best friends. Just can’t let big brother find out you’re not exactly opposed to spending some ‘one on one’ time with them. Got to get the deed done in his blind spot. Warnings: idol!Chan x fem!reader, idol!Seokmin x fem!reader, idol!Jeonghan x fem!reader, idol!Mingyu x fem!reader, swearing, smut MDNI 18+,

Kim Mingyu

WIP: In the Blind Spot - Summary: You’re Seungcheol’s little sister. Innocent and sweet. He’s always said you’re completely off limits to all the boys. You’re 2 years younger than Chan for fucks sake, way too young for any of the rabble. But unbeknownst to him, you’re being hounded by some of his best friends. Just can’t let big brother find out you’re not exactly opposed to spending some ‘one on one’ time with them. Got to get the deed done in his blind spot. Warnings: idol!Chan x fem!reader, idol!Seokmin x fem!reader, idol!Jeonghan x fem!reader, idol!Mingyu x fem!reader, swearing, smut MDNI 18+,

Xu Minghao

nothing here yet sadly :(

Boo Seungkwan

nothing here yet sadly :(

Chwe Vernon

WIP: Secret Player Two - Summary: You’re enjoying a solo, quiet night in while your boyfriend is away at Milan fashion week by playing your new favourite video game when there's a knock at the door. When you invite Vernon in to chill with you, you never imagined the effect a video game sex scene might have on your, well, frustrated new player two. Warnings: idol!Vernon x idol!fem!reader, swearing, cheating, smut MDNI 18+,

Lee Chan

WIP: In the Blind Spot - Summary: You’re Seungcheol’s little sister. Innocent and sweet. He’s always said you’re completely off limits to all the boys. You’re 2 years younger than Chan for fucks sake, way too young for any of the rabble. But unbeknownst to him, you’re being hounded by some of his best friends. Just can’t let big brother find out you’re not exactly opposed to spending some ‘one on one’ time with them. Got to get the deed done in his blind spot. Warnings: idol!Chan x fem!reader, idol!Seokmin x fem!reader, idol!Jeonghan x fem!reader, idol!Mingyu x fem!reader, swearing, smut MDNI 18+,

WIP: Friendzoned - Summary: Warnings:

WIP: Little Miss Virgin- Summary: Your best friends Seungkwan and Jeonghan have always taken a weird pleasure in picking on you in front of the other members and watching you blush and panic. But one boozy night at Mingyu and Wonwoo's flat they push you a little too far and tell everyone your most embarrassing secret - you've never been kissed, never been wanted like that. The guys assure you that it's nothing to be ashamed of, "you'll find someone". But across the room a fire lights in Chan's stomach, and he needs to be your first. Warnings: idol!Dino x fem!reader, corruption kink, size kink, swearing, smut MDNI 18+,

Drabbles:

00:58 - chan fucks you in front of the guys

[guess-that-ship]

S13: Badly Describe Your Ship Round 2

well-thought out solution for a problem that is definitely real

cw: spoilers

Loneliest girl in the world gets taken in by a woman a fraction of her age who adores her. Girl then proceeds to get so upset at the very IDEA of the other woman dying that she tries to sacrifice herself and blow up a planet about it.

World's chillest guy x serial overthinker

Guy 1 beats guy 2's ass on something 2 was sure he was the best at, he thinks it's hot as fuck and is immediately head over heels for him. He has such a tremendous gay panic that he gets like three musical numbers about it.

[crooked-wasteland]

Hazbin Hotel Live Blog: Masquerade

So, been a few and we pre-gamed for this one extra special. I will be transparent in that I have a personal history with SA and quid pro quo sexual abuse as well as physical and domestic abuse. My partner has warned me prior on the larger portions of the shock value Medrano uses, but we both are not really sure how I will react to this.

Amazon has added an explicit warning for sexual assault to the episode that was not previously there. So good on them for that.

The audio between Keith David and Blake Roman feels like they were done in different parts of the world.

Tell not show. Husk just says all the things.

Angel Dust is shrill. I’ve never described a human being as shrill, but this vocal performance is shrill and I wish he never spoke again.

WTF was that animation as Charlie kicks her legs.

Valentino could be such an interesting character, but he lacks any depth.

So Charlie is just an idiot.

Blake completely loses the Angel Dust voice. He’s not even in character and the only thing he has to act with is his voice. You have to stay in character to be a voice actor.

The whole scene in the dressing room lacks any weight. Everything is so sudden and contrived. Charlie fucks up the shoot so Valentino has an excuse to abuse Angel Dust and it’s so obvious where the direction of events are going that it isn’t even emotionally investing. And it’s a testament to the fact that I was a pilot fan and invested in where Medrano would take the show to now saying I just don’t care.

“Just don’t hurt her” Where was the inclination that would happened. Angel Dust going off on Charlie was actually well written, but the fact that it is supposed to be seen as insincere ruins it.

The song has the most graphic depiction of sexual abuse and yet the whole message is confused.

Angel Dust is sexually abused and proceeds to Sexually harass Husk.

So Charlie ruined his day, but let’s blame Husk.

Why are we supposed to believe Husk is judging Angel Dust? He’s an alcoholic.

Angel Dust is living in self harm with his promiscuity and drug abuse, and that isn’t supposed to be who he actually is, it’s supposed to be his persona` to get by, but that feels like we are getting a whole new character introduced 4 episodes in.

Loser Baby is the worst thing I have ever heard musically and lyrically.

I stand by what I said about Loser Baby. It completely lacks any depth or emotional processing. It’s just two people who are making excuses for themselves and saying “well, I’m not the only one.”

So this is the shortest list I have because so much of it cannot be bullet points. Animation wise it lacks weight. The characters being hurt doesn’t feel real it lacks the sense of gravity needed for the violence to feel mature. This is less intense than Tom and Jerry. On the other hand, Blake Roman’s vocal performance is awful. He can’t keep his voice in character when he tries to have any amount of emotion, but the vocal deliveries that at least are in his character range are on par with Whitey from 8 Crazy Nights. It is ear splitting. Aside from that, the transparency of how Medrano is obviously ticking boxes to get to the emotional beats she planned, actual nuance and depth be damned. I just don’t care about what is happening, which actually is the only reason this isn’t so triggering. This episode revels in sexual abuse fetishism and it is equally as defensive about it. The signs pointing at Angel Dust are repulsive and to then have it set against the backdrop of “You aren’t alone so why bother changing” is appalling. I stand by the statement that this is group therapy without the therapy. The whole idea behind the group therapy setting is that you can learn from others on how better to help yourself, but this online generation has seemed to think that the group part was what made the therapy effective. In reality it is very easy for a group setting to become a cesspool of covert narcissism.

On the other hand, I don’t get how anyone could have thought this was about abuse of any kind. Because the whole episode treats sexual abuse as a joke from the beginning to the end. The only time it is taken seriously, it is whiplash. Angel Dust telling Husk how he wishes to become so ruined and broken that his abuser wouldn’t want him anymore is so heavy and abruptly serious when every other moment of abuse is either so cartoonishly done like the dressing room, or is played as sexy or a joke. It is a joke in the script from how poorly written the pornos are (which its shown Angel doesn’t want to participate in, but it’s made to be comedic so that aspect fades real fast) to how unimportant it is that Angel is literally attempted to be drugged.

And Charlie has officially become the worst character. I didn’t even see Charlie as a character, it’s very obvious where Medrano sources her inspiration. Just like how Lute is Peridot, Charlie is just Harley Quinn, except she has none of the charm and all of the annoyance. Which goes back to what I said before.

I think the worst part is that I don’t care. I really just don’t care because the characters just don’t care, and even when they do, I don’t know them enough to invest in them emotionally. This is not at all on the series being 8 episodes, this is exactly how I feel watching Helluva Boss, whom Vivienne is making a season 3 for as we speak. So the limitations are not why this series is so painfully shallow, it’s a reflection of a creator who lacks depth as a human being. Who has no life experience to draw from to really empathize with the characters and craft around it an emotionally visceral narrative. This is someone who lives their life as a simulation, pressing the right buttons, making the right choices to get the predictable outcome. If you told me Vivienne Medrano was actually a prototype android AI, I would believe you. This is how a computer thinks humans feel, even the abrupt changes in emotion is simulation of an AI program. Things move unnaturally fast in a computer, hours are like years in terms of social media. So I don’t think anyone is surprised that this feels like a script written and directed by ChatGPT.

This episode I didn’t find triggering. The episode itself does not affect me. What does trigger me is knowing the kind of person needed to make an episode like this in the first place. I don’t think anyone should necessarily be banned from telling any sort of story, but the byproduct of a machine and internet algorithms should never be allowed to tell human stories.

-20/10

[number1jaymerrickhater]

Marble hornets driving headcannons

Jay

Can not drive for shit

There are not enough words in the english language to describe what an awful driver he is

He’s the type of guy to put on his turn signal 2 seconds before trying to cut across 6 lanes of traffic

One time he gave Alex a ride to set and Alex vowed to never get in a car with him again

“Shit this is where we’re supposed to turn, hold on.”

Proceeds to slam on his breaks, jerks the wheel so hard he almost flips the car and nearly causes a 12 car pile up

It is a miracle he hasn’t died in a car crash.

He is banned from borrowing anyones car ever

Despite all this he still says he’s not that bad of a driver.

“See guys! We made it here in one piece. I told you I’m not a shitty driver” meanwhile Alex is riding shotgun with his life flashing before his eyes, Tim is in the backseat trying to make peace with god, and Brian is squeezing the door handle so hard it looks like he’s trying to break it.

They all unanimously agree to take Jay off the carpooling rotation.

Surprisingly his car would be relatively clean. Other than some crumbs and a few half empty water bottles I don’t think his car would be that messy.

Alex

Two words. Road rage.

I hc that before Marble Hornets Alex wasn’t an angry dude 99% of the time

Yeah that 1% of the time is when he’s behind the wheel

Scares the shit out of everyone in the car when he’s driving

He just gets so mad that someone’s putting him and his friends in danger because they can’t follow the rules of the road

Has a lot of anxiety about driving which manifests in him yelling for 20 minutes when some asshole cuts him off in traffic

His car is super clean, he absolutely hates it messy

He isn’t just a backseat driver he is the backseat driver

The only thing worse than letting him drive is having him sit next to you while you drive

He gets possessed by the spirit of a middle aged dad teaching his teenage kid how to drive every time he gets in the car with anyone

“Hey don’t you think you’re going a little fast? Maybe you should slow down a little?” While aggressively holding onto the ceiling handle thing by the door type deal

Idk he just seems like the type to be very passionate about road safety

His car has a “back off grumpy driver on board” sticker bc Brian put it there as a joke and Alex just never took it off

He says he hates it but secretly he does think its a little funny

Tim

He just does not give a fuck

Like he’s not going out of his way to be super reckless but he’s also not giving himself a panic attack over road saftey

He just accepted it is what it is, if he gets into an accident then it be like that sometimes

“Buckle your seatbelts everyone, or don’t its your funeral I guess. Just be on the lookout for cops I don’t want a ticket.”

His car reeks of cigarette smoke

He’s not a heathen, he won’t smoke when other people are in his car, but he smokes so much it hardly makes a difference

His car is also an absolute mess

Empty soda bottles, food wrappers, random papers, flannels, his car is so messy he could have anything in there

He’ll make an effort to clean it if he knows he’s gonna have people in his car, but his definition of clean is “everyone has a space to sit and a relatively clean section of floor to put their feet”

Does not put up with Alex’s backseat driving, if he tries it he’ll just turn the radio louder to drown him out.

Brian

Brian is also a bad driver, but unlike Jay it’s intentional

I mean what’s the point in driving if you’re not going 20 miles over the speed limit at all times?

The first time he carpooled everyone to set, he scared the shit out of them because (besides Tim) no one had ever been in a car with him

Like you look at Brian with his dorky smile, get in his car that has a million stupid bumper stickers on the back, and you expect a normal drive

Then Brian starts blasting the worst music you can think of and tearing down the street like he’s the main character in a fast and furious movie

He was also voted off the carpool rotation

Has a playlist specifically for when he’s in the car with other people and its just the worst music you can think of

Think like the gummy bear song and crazy frog (did those exist in 2006??? Well now they do)

He has actually good taste in music, he’s just a massive troll and thinks its funny

Same with the bumper stickers, bro has a million “honk if you’re homo” and “my other ride is your mom” type bumper stickers all over the back of his car

Still he’s a bad driver in a fully intentional good driver kinda way? Idk how to describe it but unlike Jay he actually knows what the fuck he’s doing

The only time he’s been pulled over was when he was with Alex. He managed to convince the officer that he was only driving so crazy because he was trying to get his friend to the hospital because he was having an asthma attack.

The cop bought it both because I mean look at Brian he looks like an honest stand up dude, and because Alex was actually having a panic attack at being pulled over so he sold it pretty well

[serraphinm]

☾ Chapter 3 - The Darkness ☾

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

WC: 11k

Warning: Violence and gore. Proceed with caution!!

Taglist: @bready101

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And she… doesn't love me back….."

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

"What- how the fuck did you-"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I'm gay, Y/n."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"So, how has work been?"

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

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

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

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

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

"Uh huh.. If you say so."

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

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

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

"I-

"You-"

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

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

But that was an ever-growing fever dream.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Holy shit, I just killed someone.

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

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

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

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

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

"Fuck now there's someone else."

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

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

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

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

"Ellie-"

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

Three dead bodies.

Three lives taken.

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

Three dead bodies

Three lives taken

One by my hand

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

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

"…reathe Breathe Y/n…"

I was trying, wasn't I?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Thank you, General Roe.."

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Ladies, I need a moment."

One protests, "But-"

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

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

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

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

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

"How are you doing"

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

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

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

"Don't."

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

"Don't what?"

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

"I should still thank you-"

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

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

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

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

"Why are you suddenly bringing this up-?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"What?"

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

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

"What!! Tomorrow!?"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"See you in two hours!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No one at the table looks surprised.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"You just seem… upset about something…"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Um, Hello there, my name is-"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Nope!"

I facepalm as Ellie chuckles.

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

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

"Is there something else wrong?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dinner tonight was… interesting, to say the least.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The rest of the dinner is quiet.

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

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

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

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

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

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

"I think I found her itchy spot."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Did I just gain Joel's approval..?

Approval for what..?

What the fuck just happened?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Just try and sleep…" She whispers.

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

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

Ellie Williams almost just kissed me.

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

Ellie Williams is in love with me.

And I was damned if I ever let her go.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I call bullshit, but only in my head.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

She slows down after that.

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

I stand there completely and utterly confused.

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

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

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

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

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

"What are you-" I start.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I stare at her in shock.

I was the light of her life.

"What?" I whisper, my voice cracking.

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

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

"Say it again.." I whisper.

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

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

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

I stare at her in awe and admiration.

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

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

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

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

"Say something…" She whispers.

I don't.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

..and kisses me.

[ohyoufool]

20k for 200!

In the spirit of everyone who has done such fun follower celebrations in the past, and the milestone I just reached (thank you for loving my ideas about these wacky little characters we all love??), I'm trying to write 20k total across different submissions YOU guys submit.

And, because I'm a sucker for chaos, this is specifically an alternate universe fic festival. Have an idea of an AU you think would be fun with OMGCP characters? This is THE MOMENT. These will be short pieces, written in order of submission over the next few weeks.

And just in case you're having a hard time brainstorming ideas... pulling back the shades on my AU ideas list I haven't written yet. Feel free to submit any of these or put your own spin on it!

The fun goes as follows:

Submit an AU. Can be from the list included below, can be one of your own ideas.

Jazz it up. Give me a song. A scene that comes to mind that made you pick the AU. A snippet of dialogue. Anything!! I want this to be a little bit a both of yours and mine, because I’m excited we’re all here to celebrate this fandom together.

Be following me, and submit it as an ask! :) <3

Submissions open until MAY 17!!

Window washer AU

Eel fishing AU

Asbestos removal AU

Ghost AU

Ice cream AU: Bitty works at an ice cream store and Jack keeps coming in and bringing different dates. Bitty catches feelings anyways, and it turns out that Jack has been bringing the dates there as excuses to see Bitty.

“Race 2” AU where Jack and Bitty get teamed up as a recently-retired NHL player and a food network star.

Sports AU: Any. give me a sport. I will write it.

Catering AU: Bitty is on the catering staff at a 5 star hotel. Jack is the best man at Shitty and Lardo’s wedding that he’s catering. 

Bitty is the PR person for the Falcs and Jack is on the coaching staff AU

I’m a night guard at a museum and you haunt the paintings AU

NASCAR AU

Space Bar AU

Bob and Alicia Assassin AU

Jack works at an upscale dude ranch, where Bitty is the celeb who comes for a getaway with his friends AU

Bitty is the newly elected President of the United States. Jack is the secret service agent assigned to him AU

Bitty!Angel AU

Jack notices slowly in little ways like Bitty always being in focus on photos and always smelling like pie and the ‘sunshine’ way that people keep describing him always makes Jack feel like the light on him is just a little wrong.

Mob Boss x Bodyguard AU

TV Show AU: The team is all playing themselves as characters in a Check Please TV show. Jack and Bitty are playing love interests. Horror ensures. 

Players in canon TV show but role reversal. Bitty’s parents were the famous actors. Gives a sexy chance for Bitty to have anxiety. Bitty looks at Jack the character and sees what is easy to love about himself. BECAUSE they are playing opposite roles. Jack loves him like it’s breathing. 

Airstream AU: Bitty buys a pair of hiking boots from Jack on Facebook marketplace. Bitty is doing the social media and cooking and driving for his best friends’ band while they’re travelling the states and hiking around America while he runs a cook vlog from their airstream trailer. Jack is a mechanic and failed motorcycle racer who sells him the boots. Bitty proceeds to text Jack photos of the boots accompanying him around the tour across the US throughout the summer. The vlog about the journey of the boots makes Bitty’s vlog blow up and go viral. The band starts taking off. Bitty (also their opening act), invites Jack to a show when they’re back in the area. Jack sneaks off to a show that he didn’t think he was going to be able to make it to and Bitty comes on stage and fucking SINGS A SONG ABOUT HIM. They make out against the airstream after.

High school musical AU: instead of troy and gabriella, they’re CHAD AND RYAN

Bitty the vlogger who has an ongoing series about how he has the criteria for the Perfect Date and he’s convinced that once he goes on it, he’ll have found the perfect guy. He slowly gains followers and goes on a date on a friend (Shitty’s) recommendation, and to his surprise, the guy gets ZERO of the things on his list. They fall in love anyways. AU

Rock band in the middle of the apocalypse. Yeah that’s it. AU

Politician and reporter AU

Wedding DJ x Wedding Party AU

Wild West AU

Band AU where Bitty is the lead singer and Jack is the drummer and they’re famous. Bitty has been in love with jack for forever and jack finally catches feelings. There is totally a gay angst moment where jack writes a song and it gets leaked  on twitter. So there’s Jack, in a backwards baseball cap with an acoustic guitar and IT’S THE DRUMMER POSTING AN ACOUSTIC LOVE SONG. sound the alarms. The worst part is it mentions blonde hair and brown eyes and it’s so about Bitty it isn’t even worth denying and ends up getting them together.

Witch AU where someone has a cursed item and is taking it to the other character, who is a cursebreaker, to fix it. (You pick who is who)

College track AU: Jack is an unbeatable distance runner and Bitty is the short and fiery sprinter who he can’t keep his eyes off of.

Speech and debate team AU

SECRET BONUS OPTION:

ALL THE AUs: Jack/BItty keeps waking up in different realities. He isn’t quite sure what it means. Based on the quote: “you don’t get what you want, but you get what you need.”

[shikishake]

today in "shiki finds something neat and proceeds to obsess over it for weeks or months", I started playing Project Sekai. y'know, the hatsune miku gacha game about lesbians and gays. that's what it's about, I promise.

that is, until I started fucking thinking about it more, and now I... well it's still about lesbians and gays, but also I think it's saying something about music. maybe. or maybe I'm projecting my own ideas about music onto a story, that could be it too. I did that with bandori but it was less comprehensive so I didn't post it.

so like. there's 5 units, each of 4 people, right? and they're like, entirely different groups, both in how they formed, what the dynamic is between them and what kind of music they make. leo/need is a group of childhood friends making a band, more more jump is an up and coming idol group headed by a newbie who re-ignited the passions of three retired/disillusioned veterans, vivid bad squad is a community-focused street group, wonderlandsxshowtime is a theme park musical theatre group, and nightcord at 25:00 is a group of depressed teenagers who met online coming together to make music about how depressed they are. that last one sounds negative but I don't know how else to describe it. they're my favorite though, so y'know. no hate.

but like. that's surface level stuff, obviously. and when you dig a little deeper, I think each of these units has a theme, more specifically a way to "use" music to express certain ideas.

leo/need is music as a way of connecting, and of staying connected, with the people you care about. it's a group of friends who had drifted apart, finding each other again through music. it's using music to take hold of the things that matter to you, the people you love, and keeping them tight against you. it's music as a way to stay grounded and aware of the people around you.

more more jump is music as a way of reaching for your dreams, of shooting for the stars. it's music as a way of igniting passions and inspiring hope. it's music as a goal, it's music as a goalpost to run toward, and it's music as a way to give others a reason to run with you. it's music as something that you give yourself to more and more and more.

vivid bad squad is music as community, as a way of reaching out and meeting new people, making new connections, finding new experiences, chasing new dreams. it's music as something that matters only in the moment it's made, it's music as something that doesn't need to be bought or sold, it's music as a group of people coming together to MAKE something. it's music that defines itself by the people who listen to it, not just the people who make it.

those three are kind of a trifecta of... not quite foils, but something close. they play off each other. leo/need's music as a way of staying connected with what you have vs vivid bad squads' music as a way of reaching out for something new. vivid bad squads' music as something home-grown and home-bound, something that reaches out NEAR to you, something for a community and by a community, for the people you know vs more more jump's music as something for the world, something kind of corporate but more than that something that reaches out FAR, made for the people that DON'T know you for anything except the image you put out. leo/need's passion for music as an end goal and more more jump's passion for music as a means TO an end, where leo/need strives to perform better because they want to have their music hit harder (aka for the sake of making better music) where more more jump strives to perform better because they want to reach more people.

and like. I KNOW what niigo, nightcord at 25:00, is. it's music as a way to heal, it's music as a way to preserve, it's music as a way to face the hardships of the past and keep going. it's music as life, as something that GRANTS life. it's music as a way to say "hey. life sucks. but it won't always." it's music as a way to save, as a way to find the light in a place that feels so so so dark, it's music as something that expresses the darkness, indulges in it, but at the end of the day it gives you a warm hug and says "it's dark and scary and painful, but we'll get out of here together." it's music that provides comfort specifically BY facing the dark head on.

but I struggled to figure out exactly what wonderlandsxshowtime was. there's the surface level answer, of music as a way to make people smile, but that's... like, have you read the lyrics to their commissioned songs? it's dark. the peppy tone and upbeat voices mask it well, but the things they're talking about aren't JUST about making you smile. but it's also not about masking pain WITH a smile, because they're too genuine. tsukasa, emu, rui and nene aren't hiding pain. they're not faking it. even when the stories show that they had troubles in the past or even still have troubles now, they're not a secret that has been uncovered, they're explanations and explorations of WHY they are who they are. tsukasa isn't faking his enthusiasm, his passion for acting and performing. his wish to become a star isn't FAKE, even through the loneliness of the past. emu isn't hiding some dark past, she's genuinely just like this, even during the more serious moments with her family. nene is shy, sure, but it's not like it took digging or even a lot of time for her to start being her true sassy self towards the rest. rui's lonely because him being himself scared people away, but it's not like he's NOT himself because of that. he's completely and fully his genuine self, and if people don't like that then so be it. he's the lonely alchemist, sure, but he never pretended to NOT be the alchemist.

so I struggled a little. until I realized that wxs and niigo are foils, too, in a very unexpected way.

wxs is death. it's endings. it's music as a way to acknowledge the inevitable end, and face that with a smile. it's music as the realization that everything you know, everything you love, will someday stop, and how to keep going despite that. it's music that looks at the hardships of the future and says "but even so, we'll smile". it's seeing the end of the ride coming into view but screaming and cheering even as it starts to reach the final descent. it's the merry-go-round that keeps spinning and spinning and spinning until it can't anymore, until it ALL stops.

niigo is life, the darkness surrounding you and the fire in the distance. wxs is death, fanning the flames with a smile as the dark encroaches.

niigo finds the light in the dark, wxs does its damnedest to keep hold of it.

niigo faces the massive road ahead and whispers "we haven't even started yet."

wxs approaches the end of the road and screams "we haven't even started yet".

[atenea14]

In the Wake of Heroes: Prologue

Soulmates AU

Masterlist

Pairing: Katsuki x Eijiro x Shoto x Izuku x OC (not physically described though)

Warnings: Season 7 spoilers, events of the anime not represented accurately, soulmates AU, slow burn, not beta read, nothing else for now.

A/N: Hi! I’m updated with the anime, not with the manga so possible spoilers for season 7. I don’t really know where this fic will go but I wanted to write something with Katsuki x Eijiro x Shoto x Izuku x Reader and couldn’t decide between abo or soulmates AU and between school setting or professional setting, I also couldn’t decide which character should I pick but why not all?. I’ve decided to do a soulmates AU with an original character and start in the school setting. 

The plot starts at season 7, there will be spoilers but I’m making up most of the events to be able to fit my character. 

Word count: 1,6k

- We will arrive in 30 minutes at the air coffin. Are you sure you want to do this? - She looks at one of the special agents that are accompanying her. 

- What else am I supposed to do? Do I need to remind you of all the pressure you’ve put me in? - Turning back her shoulders she puts on headphones. The rest of the adults look at her with worrying glaces but no one else says anything yet the music seems to calm her. 

I can do this, my singularities have been cause of discordance in all my life but today they will be useful. I can do it, I need to. I’ve been explained how my power can counter attack the disintegration of Shigaraki. I don’t need to be this sca… I’m totally freaking out. HOW THE FUCK I’M I GOING TO DO THIS? I wish I was like Star. I wished she was here to fight with me.

- Minus 20 minutes. - The same agent as before, Mike, puts a hand on her shoulder, taking her out of her thoughts.- I’m… I want to say I’m sorry but I don’t think I have the right to do so. I know you’ve never wanted to be a hero, just anonymously work in intelligence but you have a good base training and your quirk gives you a chance… and we are desperate. - He puts his head between his legs and covers it up with his arms. The girl stares at him and after some long seconds starts to slowly caress his back. 

- Actually… I want to do this, it’s my country too you know?- The agent raises an eyebrow while looking  at her. 

-  I thought you didn’t want to set foot again in Japan- The girl just sighs. 

- There’s a difference between not wanting to come back and wanting it destroyed.- The agent stares at her trying to decipher her but failing. - Anyway the plan is easy, I intercept Shigaraki and give that hero guy the chance to go fight the no face evil man I give my all and pray for my soul. - Some chuckles are heard in the helicopter while the captain approaches her. 

- No Saya, you give your all and if it gets too much you call for extraction.- Saya snorts. 

- And then what? I let that zombie looking guy kill the heroes there?- 

- You are not a hero Saya, nor have you been training to be.- She frowns and suddenly gets up. 

- No, I’ve always wanted to be a detective, old style but that doesn’t make me any less than the rest of the people fighting.- 

- That’s not what I meant…- 

- It is exactly what you meant. Plus how am I going to enter the interpol if I coward in the middle of a fight?-

- It is not any fight Saya, it wouldn’t affect your future.- 

- No, but today’s public exposition surely will.- Some agents sigh in desperation. 

- It won’t be as bad as you think, but you’re too stubborn to believe it.- 

- Enough.- Mike stops it before it gets more heated. - It’s not time for this, we are arriving and we need to have our heads cool.- Easy for you to say, you're not the one who’s entering a place called coffin with a psycho. 

- Opening the jumpgate. Prepare.- The pilot’s voice surprises everybody, Saya takes a deep breath before putting on a determined face. 

- I’ll proceed as planned, try and not to die without me guys. -

- You’re not the one that should be saying it.- Mike pets her and gives her shoulders a reassuring squeeze. Saya smiles at him and nods to the captain, who nods back. Then she just gives a really bright smile to everybody and let's herself fall backwards through the gate. 

- See you!- 

- That kid is going to provoke me a heart attack someday. -

Saya’s POV

Should have not jumped like that. Well… who cares. I see the hole in the barrier, that’s it, I’m entering. Once I take in everything that’s inside this floating enclosure I get breathless. It should have been caused by all the chaos, because of the destruction and all the fallen heroes… but no. I get breathless because of a couple of green eyes that look at me as if they had seen a ghost… Not surprising given the fact that my arrival hasn’t been notified. 

- YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE - How intense, my heart beats a  hundred miles a minute, he has scared me.

- Chill, you’ve scared me!- 

- YOU’VE SCARED ME!- Oh my, I got so anxious at the helicopter that now I’m numb, I should focus more. 

- There’s no time to explain but I’m here to fig - A chain of hands appears out of nowhere and tries to smash me as if I were a fly. Luckily I’m able to dodge it but since the green eyed guy tried to save me we collapse mid air and get destabilized. 

- MORE EXTRAS, I hate you. - Everybody is shouting in here, is this normal in group fights? 

- You have good reflexes. - His voice brings my attention again to him and realise that he’s holding me princess style. He grabbed me when we collided, my heart warms and I cannot understand why. While he is busy dodging Shigaraki’s attacks I use the opportunity to speak. 

- You need to go fight All for One, I’ll stay here and end Shigaraki. - He looks at me in astonishment. 

- That was not the plan!- 

- Things have changed, I’ll make an opening for you to run, use the opportunity.- 

- What? But I have been purposefully brought here I…- Luckily the heroes outside intervene, with communications open again It’ll be easier for everybody to catch up. - Okay, are you sure you’ll be able to fight him?- I mischievously smirk at him. 

- Don’t you know? I have good reflexes. - He chuckles and I jump out of his arms ignoring how his presence affects me. Shigaraki has been throwing a tantrum all the time we’ve been speaking. 

- One for All, what are you doing? It’s my time to kill you.- I activate my quirk and get in between the two of them. Suddenly his attacks get interrupted, the chain of hands stops proliferating. 

- Hello! I’ll be the one playing with you know. - 

- You’ll need to hang on for 5 seconds

- Ah??? Damned extra. ONE FOR ALL. - Shigaraki launches himself at Deku while tries to smash me again, but fails. I use the fact that he isn’t paying attention to me and concentrate my quirk at my punch, I teleport myself in Shigaraki’s face and punch him. Surprising nobody he avoids my attack, yet his attention is now focused on me and I start playing a game of attack and dodge with him. These are the 5 longest seconds of my life, but Deku needs them to be teleported.

I momentarily focus on an unconscious guy in the ground, he looks my age… is he dead? What a great moment for my numbness to subside. Seeing the results of the destruction makes my anxiety turn back tenfold. 

- YOU!… IS YOUR FAULT HE LEFT- Shigaraki’s rage is now completely focused on me makes him focus all his attacks, his speed seems to increase by the second, or I’m getting slower. A leg suddenly kicks him and gives me a little bit of breath, I look at my side and realise it’s Mirko. 

The next few minutes pass by in a blurr, I need to communicate with the rest of the present heroes but I don’t have the chance. At least not until a blasting explosion shakes the whole place up. I’m not going to miss the chance. Pressing my ear intercommunicator I speak. 

- I need to pass a message to the rest of the present heroes. - 

- Proceed. - A female voice replies to me.

- Due to my quirk Shigaraki won’t be able to regenerate if I fight hand-to-hand combat with him. I need your help, I can’t overpower him alone but if you create openings for me we will make it. - The female hero that stands watch outside passes my message to all the presents. 

- OI! You sure of what you’re saying?- It’s the guy from before, the one I thought was dead. I speak to him while the game of dodge restarts. 

- Positive!- He gives me a side glance but doesn’t hesitate. 

- Let 's go then! - 

The coordination and tenacity of the heroes here surprises me. It also surprises me their ability to trust me, a stranger. Without a doubt they all make their biggest efforts to allow me to approach him enough to attack him, and for once it pays off. I don’t know how much time has passed but Shigaraki finally gets weakened. Everything is a chaos and I’ve started merely reacting, the combat is extenuating but I won’t give up. The explosive guy is amazing, he’s the one who’s been making me possible to punch the devil and although it is the first time I’ve seen him we fall into rhythm easily, if it wasn't a fight to the death, I'd even enjoy it. 

Time pass by in a blurr, I don’t know what’s happening outside and I don’t know why Deku is here again completely bruised up. He doesn’t give me a chance to ask anything, upon arriving kicks Shigaraki in the face and due to all the damage we’ve inflicted him it really affects him. 

- Kacchan! Let’s do what we agreed! You! Punch him with everything you’ve got when I give you the signal!- The latter is addressed to me and I won’t be the one messing up. I concentrate my quirk at my maximum and once it is needed I attack him with all I have while Deku and the explosive guy also kick his ass. I don’t know what’s happened but suddenly everything hurts, more than it was already and I seem to be unable to keep my focus. Inevitably, the fall to the ground cuts off my breathing completely and I lose consciousness. 

Final note: Sorry for the inaccuracy of the fight, I haven’t read the manga and don’t know how it really develops further than chapter 12 of season 7. I’ll completely make up the plot in the following chapters :)

Next chapter

[yourgrantaire]

im rewatching the smosh liveshow and i wanted to keep track of my favorite moments so they are below the cut

angela's tippy tappy toes of joy at amanda's new jersey voice

amanda's "LOOK IT UP" for increasingly unrealistic things, and ending it with "are you at peace are you at peace are you at peace hello areyouatpeaceareyouatpeaceareyouatpeace anthony areyouatpeace DON'T GOOGLE ME"

tommy's "only a tragic life could lead to looking like if a motorcycle was gay ... i can say that, i'm a motorcycle" and him saying the meaning of anthony's tattoos was so that he could fuck goth girls. oh and how could i forget describing angela as an "amber alert on rollerblades"

the cool ass music when the guests came on, made by tommy bowe i think? i honestly would listen to the music from the show all on its own

brandon rogers' "let's. eat. anthony!" and then making a very emphatic pitch as to why it would be a great idea

THE HALF-TIME SHOW OF COURSE. i know that they mostly won't post the show on youtube but i really really hope they post the half-time show

also a detail i just noticed is josh playing that escalating carnival "do do do do!" when chanse and keith got iced

dan and phil's extremely explicit video message with dan's repeated references to jerking off onto anthony's sexy calendar

courtney as bikini girl while still wearing doc martins. and there's something about the rhythm of "get you a girl who can do both two things two one time! :D" that is so funny, as well as "women are so scawwy ooohh!! what's under your blouse, two perfectly round GUNS? OHH!!"

rhett and link showing up standing menacingly in the doorway, and their tag line being "A Jesus and a Lesbian Woman"

the multiple "ian loves drinking breast milk" jokes

the chosen: "you're probably wondering why i look so badass right now. its because we are on the cusp of the greatest battle in the entire history of the universe.

and also i got queso on my three wolf moon shirt.

and i fell off my razor scooter on the way here."

i am glad that even though they made him look cool as fuck, shayne still emphasized that the chosen is not nearly as cool as he thinks he is.

"worst of all, anthony padilla HAD SEX!" and then quoting the star wars prequels lmao

also shayne singing without any self consciousness was very funny to me, but i can't put my finger on what the song was

ian saying i love you but having to say it in a silly voice (and in the after show anthony saying he can say i love you back to ian because unlike ian, he's actually said it before)

anthony's joke about how he expected everyone to roast him about his "dick piercing" and the entire audience going "wait wait, go back to that, what did you just say" and him moving on with no further comment

anthony to shayne: "i won't talk about how you were once known for your promising tv career and now you're known for wearing a t-shirt with limes on it''

chanse just full on horror movie screaming when anthony said arasha was in an ad for a republican dating app. also arasha's faces for everything were so great

keith full on responding whenever someone addresses him (and sometimes reacts out loud just because), he did this in the other funerals as well but it delights me every time

anthony saying chanse slides into his dms all the time, and chanse immediately replying "you respond, bitch!" (and then later anthony saying that chanse can go with mythical and he "can call link daddy now" but "watch out, [chanse] dms")

i loved anthony's reference to tommy's show serving cunt

anthony to amanda: "you're like if jessica rabbit drove a mini van"

anthony to ian: "one thing we all know about ian is he might have some trouble showing emotions" ian proceeds to stare deadpan into the camera. it was fun watching ian's reactions because often he wouldn't react to a lot of it or he would react as part of the bit, i've already forgotten the one thing that he really reacted to, fuck so i might have to rewatch it again

and then my favorite part of the aftershow was amanda and tommy continuously leaning in to make out and then saying "no save it for the parking lot, save it for the parking lot", and no they were not going to go anywhere, they were going to stay in the parking lot at smosh and make out in the car

[gravehags]

having a bit of a 1am sad moment but imagining music nerd rain trying to get into ghoul bicycle reader's pants by showing her his vinyl collection is giving me the serotonin i lack rn

my man ushering her into his room and she's like oh hehe what's this all about and he's like :) and then proceeds to sit her down on the bed and describe in detail each album he owns with technical precision and she's like uh huh...where is this going...anyway he gives her a 45 minute long lecture only to be like "so in conclusion that's why this is the best album to fuck to. care to test it out?"

he absolutely makes it worth her while