#remind me also to explain the different ways one can enjoy a character because no one seems to understand that enjoyment is nuanced

[nekropsii]

what would sov!mituna do with cronus? like, how would you respond to her abuse?

His.* There is no "her" in this equation.

Elaborating further is entering spoiler territory, since we delve into their dynamic quite a bit... But what I can say is that he's still a pretty meek person, in his own regard. Though he's known for being loud, abrasive, and at times overly defensive/aggressive in response to oftentimes seemingly innocuous things, these traits don't typically extend to things that are legitimately hurting him. He has an awful habit of just taking things sitting down... Especially if he's scared of you. It sucks. Fear in particular is a great way of forcing him into a form of submission- he finds articulating and defending himself much more difficult when under stress. There are severe limits to his capabilities in that department. It's a trauma response. You know how it is. This is taken advantage of, unfortunately.

So... TL;DR: what he does with Cronus at the start of the story is... Essentially nothing. He just lets it happen. It's... Really not Mituna's fault that this happens to him, though. To claim that would be Victim Blaming. Cronus just latches onto people he knows he can control to some extent. It's an unfortunate result of copious amounts of horrifically unchecked entitlement. He sucks, but... We definitely tried to make him sucking make logical sense. It wouldn't be interesting if we didn't try to make sense of it, and it wouldn't be interesting if we did nothing but dehumanize him, either. That's a topic for another day, though.

[requiemforthepoets]

this is me trying 𖦹 OP81

PAIRINGS: oscar piastri x female!reader

SUMMARY: growing up, the only thing you know is that you need to be strong, provide, and take care of your sister. but being with oscar, it was different, he made you feel things—that it’s okay to not be fine, vulnerable, and to be taken care of.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: i have this fic finished the other day but i was debating on whether to post it or not, but here we are. it’s been a while too since i last wrote for oscar, and this is like a comfort (?) fic idk lol. also, can i just say that LANDO ON POLE FOR THE SG GP!!! 😭🧡 ok, i hope you guys will have fun reading this one. enjoy! :)

REMINDERS: this is purely fiction, the way how the character is portrayed in my story does not reflect the person that is portraying my character in real life. always separate fiction from reality, and do not repost or copy my work in any way.

WORD COUNT: 3.6k

WARNINGS: not proofread, typos, eldest daughter syndrome, no use of y/n, cursing, unnamed sister, named friend, and parents death

You were sitting in the living room, surrounded by case files and legal books, trying your best to prepare for the court trial that you’ll be doing soon, but your mind was elsewhere. You can't focus on the work that you’re working on in front of you, no matter how hard you try. Your phone buzzed, and you almost didn’t answer, thinking it’s just another work call, but when you saw Blaire, your friend’s name, flash on the screen you quickly picked up, expecting a casual chat.

“Hey, Blaire, how are you?” You greeted her, trying to mask your exhaustion.

Her voice on the other end was hesitant, not the usual warm tone that you’re used to. “Hey…I really hate to bring this up, but I was wondering when you would be able to repay the five thousand dollars?”

Your stomach dropped. “Repay?” You repeated, utterly confused. “What do you mean five thousand dollars?”

The conversation between you and Blaire unraveled quickly. She explained how she had lent the money to your sister out of need, thinking it was for you or with your approval. Rage bubbled in your chest, your pulse quickened, at this point all you can see is red. You thanked her hastily, barely able to end the call before fury overtook you. Without thinking, you dialed your sister’s number, the beeps echoing in your ear like a countdown to an explosion.

“Hello?” Her voice was casual, completely unaware of the storm coming her way.

“What the actual fuck did you do?!” You yelled, not caring if it was late at night. “You borrowed five fucking thousand dollars from Blaire without asking me!? How could you?!”

There was a pause, a brief moment where you could almost feel her shrug through the phone. “Oh my god, can you relax? It’s not like you can't afford it. It’s not that big of a deal, you can just easily pay for it with how big you’re making, it’s barely a scratch on your bank account!” You couldn’t believe what you were actually hearing.

“Not a big deal? Did you spend the money already? Do you have any fucking idea how humiliating it is for me that you did this without even consulting me? You think just because I make good money, I’ll fix every mess you create?” You were seething.

“Well, yeah,” she responded with a laugh, clearly not grasping the gravity of the situation. “You’re my older sister. Isn’t it your job to take care of me, right?”

Your grip on your phone tightened. “I’ve been taking care of you your whole life! I’m working myself to the bone just to make sure you have everything you need, sending you to that fancy school that you’ve always wanted so you can have a better future, and this is how you repay me? By lying and stealing?”

The silence on the other end of the line felt heavy, but your anger has not subsided. She mumbled something that sounded like a half assed apology, but it was already too late for that. You immediately hung up and slammed the phone down on the table, heart racing, pulse pounding in your ears. Anger still swirling inside you like a storm, the words of your sister still echoing in your mind. You can just easily pay for it with how big you’re making. Her carelessness, lack of respect—it hit harder than anything you had experienced before. It wasn’t about the money, you could handle the five thousand dollars easily, but the way she completely dismissed your hard work, as if it was nothing, as if your sacrifice and years of struggle meant nothing—that was what burned deep. It hurts like fucking hell.

You sat down there on the couch, trying to calm yourself down, tears started to prick at the corners of your eyes, but you blinked them back. You didn’t cry. You cannot cry. You have always been strong your whole life—the provider, carer, and protector. That’s who you were. No one had ever taken care of you, not since your parents passed away when you were fifteen and your sister is only ten. It has always been you, alone, against the world, and now, it felt like even your sister was against you.

You didn’t hear Oscar enter the living room until his voice, soft but firm, broke through the silence. “Hey, I heard you from our room. Are you okay?”

You swallowed hard, your body automatically stiffening instinctively and continued browsing through your documents like nothing happened.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry,” you lied, though the quiver in your voice betrayed you.

Oscar walked over and sat down beside you on the couch, his hand gently resting on your shoulder. “You don’t always have to be fine,” he said quietly. “Tell me, what happened?”

You exhaled sharply, your hands trembling as you ran them through your hair. “It’s my sister,” you muttered, trying to keep your voice steady. “She borrowed money from Blaire. Five thousand dollars. Without even telling me. Now, she’s acting like it’s my job to fix it.”

“Five thousand? That’s a lot.” Oscar frowned, his brows knitting in concern.

“I know,” you said, “she doesn’t even care. She just assumes I’ll take care of it, like I always do every time she gets into stupid situations. She thinks just because I earn good money, I’m supposed to fix everything.” Your voice cracked, and before you could stop it, the tears you had been holding back for so long finally broke free. “I don’t know how much longer I can do this, Oscar. I’m always the one fixing things, I’m always the one who has to be strong.”

Oscar didn’t say anything for a moment, he just stared at you, his eyes filled with understanding. Then, without a word, he pulled you into his arms. You tensed at first, still not used to being vulnerable, but Oscar’s embrace was warm, grounding. Slowly, your body relaxed into his, and the weight of the world seemed to lift just a little as you rested your head against his chest.

“It’s not fair,” you whispered to him. “I’ve always had to be the strong one. I’m tired, Oscar. I’m so fucking tired. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

His hand gently stroked your back, his voice soft and reassuring. “I know. It’s okay to be tired. You don’t have to be strong all the time. Not with me.”

You pulled back slightly to look at him, your eyes searching his face, “I just don’t know how to let anyone help me,” you admitted, voice barely audible. “I’ve been doing this for so long, I don’t know how to not be the one in control.”

“I get that. But you don’t have to do it all alone anymore. I’m here. Let me be strong for you, too.” Oscar smiled gently, brushing a tear from your cheek with his thumb.

For a moment, you didn’t know what to say. The idea of letting someone else carry even a fraction of the weight feels completely foreign to you. But as you looked at Oscar, his eyes full of sincerity, something inside you shifted. Maybe, it’s time you let it all fall down, you didn’t have to carry everything on your shoulders all the time.

“What am I supposed to do about her?” You asked, your voice small but steady now.

Oscar sighed softly, thinking for a moment. “You have all the right to be angry and upset. Your feelings are valid,” he said. “She needs to learn that actions have consequences. But at the same time, she’s your sister. She’s young, and sometimes young people tend to make mistakes. You’ve been doing everything for so long that she probably hasn’t learned how to take responsibility for herself yet.”

You nodded, wiping your eyes. “Yeah, maybe. But I can’t just let her think she can keep doing this.”

“No,” he agreed. “But you also don’t have to do this alone. We can figure it out together.”

You looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time in a long time, you felt like you weren’t alone. Maybe you didn’t always have to be the strong one, the provider, the protector. With Oscar by your side, you could learn how to let someone else carry the weight with you.

“Thank you,” you whispered, leaning into him once more. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Oscar smiled, pressing a soft tender kiss to your forehead. “You’ll never have to find out, I’m not going anywhere, my love.”

The next morning, you stared at the screen of your laptop, fingers moving quickly over the keys as you finished drafting the contract. The legal jargon was familiar, comforting even, but the fact that you had to use it against your own sister left a bitter taste in your mouth. The contract was firm, direct, and laid out the consequences clearly: five thousand dollars, to be repaid in installments, with interest and penalties if the deadline is missed. You hated doing it—your heart never felt so heavy—but you knew it was necessary. You had been too lenient for far too long, if she didn’t learn this now, she might never understand the true value of money and the responsibility that came with it. It was time for her to learn the hard truths you had known your entire life.

Oscar was sitting across the table, sipping his coffee, watching you in silence. “You’ve finished it?” He asked gently. You had told him last night that you need to straighten everything out, and told him your plan, in which he quickly supported you.

You nodded, eyes scanning the contract one last time before saving it. “Yeah. She’s not going to like it, but this has to be done.” You sighed, “I’ve been too lenient, too forgiving. I can’t keep cleaning up after her messes.”

“You’re doing the right thing.” He said as he reached over, placing his hand over yours. “It’s tough, but you’re teaching her a lesson she won’t forget.”

“I hope so,” you sighed, glancing out the window, the weight of responsibility pressing down on you once more. “I’ve never been one to ask for anything back, but she needs to learn that she can’t just treat me like this. I want her to be successful, but she can’t rely on me forever.”

Later that day, you booked a flight for her to Monaco, and notified her about the flight schedule. She was studying in Switzerland, and it would be a four hour flight from Switzerland to Monaco. It was time to have this conversation face-to-face. You couldn’t keep allowing her to avoid responsibility just because you were miles apart. This is a conversation that is long overdue.

A couple of days later, she arrived at your and Oscar’s shared apartment. She seemed different—more subdued, perhaps. You could tell the weight of your anger still lingered in her mind. She greeted you cautiously, her eyes flickering to Oscar, who stood nearby, his presence calm but protective.

“Sit down,” you said, pointing to the couch.

She looked at you, clearly trying to gauge your mood, but she did as she was told. You sat across from her, with Oscar by your side, and the freshly printed contract lying on the table between you. The tension in the living room was thick.

“I had already settled your debt with Blaire,” you began, your voice calm but firm. “But this conversation is not just about the money. It’s about respect, about responsibility.”

“I said I was sorry.” She crossed her arms, trying to play it cool.

“Sorry doesn’t fix this,” you snapped, your patience was already running thin, barely hanging on by a thread. “I have been providing for you because I want nothing but the best for you. But what you did was careless, and you disrespected everything I’ve done for you. You didn’t even ask me before borrowing that money, and then you just blatantly assumed I would handle it. You do this every time to me, you always get me into awkward and humiliating situations.”

She bit her lip, her attitude wavering. “I know, but you make so much—”

“That’s not the point!” You cut her off, about to lose your cool but Oscar had managed to calm you down by softly caressing your back. “Yes, I make good amount of money, but that money just doesn’t magically appear. I have worked hard, harder than you can imagine, to get to where I am. Do you want to know what’s worse? What’s worse is that you’re not even thinking about how hard it is to earn that money, how I burn myself off everyday. So I’m making you earn it back.” You slid the contract towards her.

“What’s this?” She looked down at it, then back at you, looking all confused.

“It’s an agreement,” you said. “I’ve decided to give you the five thousand dollars. Consider what you bought from that money as a gift, because I know you’ve been doing well in school, and it’s been a while since I’ve given you anything. But this will never happen again. You owe me that money, and you're going to pay it back. Every cent of it, with interest.” Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth to protest, but you cut her off before she could even speak.

“This is not negotiable. I’m still going to support you, I’m still going to pay for your tuition, but you need to learn how hard it is to earn this kind of money. You’re going to work for it, and I'll expect proof—payslips, records—everything. If you miss a payment, there will be penalties added, and if you refuse or try to make a fool out of me, I’m not afraid to take legal action.”

“You’d sue me? Your own sister?” She stared at you in disbelief.

“Yes, I would,” you said coldly. “I don’t want to, but you’ve left me with no choice. You are already eighteen and will turn nineteen in two months, you are already capable of knowing what’s right and wrong. You need to understand that I’m not going to bail you out every time you mess up, this is your responsibility now.”

For a long moment, she didn’t say anything. Her face was a mix of shock and anger, but you could tell the gravity of the situation was already starting to sink in.

“I’m not trying to be harsh,” you said softly, leaning forward. “But I’ve been in your shoes, and I know firsthand how hard life can be. I have shielded you from that, and maybe that was my mistake. But if you’re going to succeed in this world, you need to understand that nothing is free, nothing in life is free. Everything comes with a cost.”

Oscar then leaned forward, gently placing a hand on your shoulder. “Look, we’re not doing this to hurt you,” he added, tone gentle but firm. “But this is a wake-up call. You need to understand how your sister has worked so hard, and how important it is that you start contributing. No one’s saying you have to do it alone, but you have to start doing something.”

Your sister’s eyes shifted between the two of you, and for a moment, you saw a flicker of guilt in her expression. She glanced back down at the contract, and you handed her a pen.

“Okay,” she whispered. “I’ll do it. I’ll pay you back.” Her attitude and defiance slowly faded from her face.

“Good.” You nodded, “then sign it.”

She hesitated for only a moment before scribbling her signature across the bottom of the contract. You felt a strange mixture of relief and sadness, knowing you had to be this tough, but also hoping it would be the turning point she needed.

“You can stay with us while you’re in Monaco,” you told her, “but I expect you to find a job as soon as possible. If you fail to keep up with your end of the deal, there will be consequences. Understood?”

“Understood.” She nodded, though her expression was still a mix of resentment and defeat.

You exhaled, feeling a small sense of relief wash over you. This wasn’t easy, and you hated having to be this strict with her, but it had to be done. Oscar wrapped his arm around you, his touch grounding as soon as you watched your sister head towards the guest room.

“You did the right thing,” he said quietly.

“I hope so,” you whispered, leaning into him. “I just want her to grow up.”

“Don’t worry, she will.” Oscar assured you, pressing a soft kiss to the side of your head. “With you as her sister, she doesn’t have much of a choice,”

Later that evening, the apartment finally fell quiet, dinner was definitely awkward and quiet, but with your sister already tucked away in the guest room, the weight of everything you had said and done began to settle in. You were sitting at the edge of the bed, heart heavy and mind replaying what had happened earlier over and over. The way your sister had looked at you—hurt and angry—it cut deeper that you were willing to admit.

You had always been strong, but this strength had come with a cost. Now, sitting in the stillness of the night, the reality of your actions hit you like a tidal wave. It wasn’t just the contract or the money, it was the fear—the fear that in trying to teach her a lesson, you might have pushed her too far. That in being the disciplinarian, you had damaged something that might never fully recover or heal.

Oscar entered the room quietly, sensing the shift in your mood. He sat beside you, his presence had always been comforting, but it wasn’t enough to stop the flood of emotions you had been holding back.

“Was I too harsh, Osc?” You whispered, voice barely audible.

He frowned slightly, tilting his head to look at you. “No, you weren’t. She needed to hear all of it.”

“I know,” you replied, voice trembling. “But what if I lose her because of this? What if she hates me for it?”

You felt your tears welling up again, but this time you couldn’t stop them anymore. They spilled down your cheeks, unchecked, as you finally let go of the tension and frustration you had been carrying.

“I’m not being harsh to punish her, I just want her to understand how hard life is, how much I’ve sacrificed. But what if all she sees is me being cruel?”

Oscar pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you as you broke down. You rested your head on his chest, sobs coming in waves, guilt and fear crashing over you. You had always been strong for so long—too long—and now, it felt like everything was unraveling.

“She’s my baby sister,” you choked out between sobs. “I don’t want to lose her. But I don’t know what else to do. I don’t want her to think I’m just some heartless person who only cares about money.”

Oscad held you tighter, his voice calm and steady as he spoke. “She won’t hate you. Not forever. She’s upset now, sure. But she’s young, and right now, she probably doesn’t understand why you’re doing this. But she will, trust me. One day, she’ll look back at it and realize that you did this because you love her.”

You shook your head, your chest tightening with the weight of your emotions. “I feel like I’m always the one who has to be the bad guy. I never get to be the one who’s just there for her, to support her without judgment.”

Oscar stroked your hair gently, his voice soothing. “You’ve done more for her than anyone else ever could. You’ve given her everything. You’re not the bad guy, you’re her protector, even when it means being tough on her. Yeah, maybe this will cause a rift for now, but it won’t last. She’ll come around, she’ll see that you’re doing this because you care.”

You pulled away slightly, wiping at your tear-streaked face. “What if she doesn’t?”

“She will,” Oscar said firmly. “But even if it takes time, you can’t keep beating yourself up for doing what’s right. You’re teaching her a lesson that no one else will. You’re giving her the tools to grow up, to be responsible. Sometimes, that means being tough. That’s tough love.”

You nodded, but the guilt still gnawed at you. “I just wish I didn’t have to be this person all the time. The one who fixes things, who keeps everyone in line.”

“I know. But you’re not doing this alone anymore, okay? I’m here. Whenever it feels like it’s too much, rest on me. You can always rest on me.”

You leaned into him again, his warmth easing the ache that you’re feeling inside of you. “I just hope she understands someday,” you whispered.

“She will,” Oscar said softly, kissing the top of your head. “And until then, you’ve done what you needed to do. You’ve set her on the right path, and that’s what matters.”

As the tears slowly subsided, you felt a flicker of hope, knowing that even though this was hard, it was necessary. Even if your sister doesn't see it now, you could only hope that one day, she would understand that everything you did was out of love.

The weight on your shoulders became a little lighter, knowing that Oscar was right. Even if it took time, even if there were still battles to fight, you knew you weren’t facing them alone anymore, and for the first time in what felt like forever, you allowed yourself to breathe. You had done what needed to be done. Now it was up to your sister to follow through.

[xoxo-ren-xoxo]

Hermitcraft / Life Series Fic Recs

Because I love so many of them...

I'll split the fics into completed and updating fics, and try to only recommend currently updating fics (i.e., not abandoned). I'm going to write a little about why I like each fic and what the general vibes are - so this is also a kind of review I guess?

I've tried to @ the authors if they have a public tumblr. Sorry to anyone who didn't want to be tagged, I can remove any @ if you ask (or if I have embarrassingly tagged the wrong person). Anyway, enjoy, and I appreciate reblogs because I want as many people to see these fics as possible!!

This ended up being incredibly long so I'm putting a divider here. Click to keep reading!!! Also, fair warning: shipping ahead! Some fics will have mild sexual content, please read the tags if you are unsure <3

Updating Fics

I have already recommended Help Me To Breathe, lost in the dark (he's got a heavy heart), and There Are Monsters Nearby in this post, so I won't explain why I like them a second time, but definitely check them out!!

Death's A Good Gig by @mawofthemagnetar is probably going to be finished by the time this post gets to you, reader, but I'm putting it here anyway. It's short and sweet, one of my favourite representations of Zedaph (or, Zedeath) I've read, and just a joy to experience. If you like grim reapers and discussions of unions, this one is for you. Also I need more Zedaph in my life.

Look, I'm Sorry, Please Stop Scaring Everyone by @cat-in-the-desert reminds me a lot of a particular TV drama I liked when I was younger, which followed a similar premise. This fic follows Mumbo (vampire) and Grian (ghost) as they get up to various housemate shenanigans and meet their local magic-expert and salesman Scar. This fic is fun, but still includes a nice amount of Feelings and hinted-at Angst which I really love. It's lighthearted, but never boring.

It Hurts To Hope by Inquillitory is my favourite of the "Grian crash lands into Hermitcraft and causes problems for everyone" genre. Seeing how many fics there are with that premise, I think that says a lot. It handles Grian's weird Watcher stuff really well. Honestly, I just want to know what happens next!

killing the boy in the tv by @raspberrystruck is like a sickfic on steroids. If you want Grian with so much past trauma he forgets how to function in society, this is basically the fic for you. I really love how hybrid traits affect the characters' interactions in this fic, and how everyone is kind of messed up because of the imbalance Grian brings. It is wonderfully descriptive in all the right places!

Love Me Like I'm Dead by @daniofcrows is such a gem. You know how hard it is to find good Xisuma whump? It's impossible. I absolutely love how Xisuma and Evil X are characterised in this, and I am obsessed with the unique take on hanahaki disease which I have never seen handled in this way before. The balance between flashbacks and present day is maintained wonderfully and I cannot wait to continue reading this one. Wow.

Oh, you wanted me to do a verse? by @bugbbear is... kind of indescribable. It's horror. It's comedy. It's the apocalypse. It's boatem. Scar eats someone. One of the most interesting and unique apocalypse stories I have read. Slowly updating but worth the wait, in my opinion. This one NEEDS more attention.

So Much For Stardust by @a-plethora-of-peters is basically one of my all-time favourites. Which is a damn good achievement seeing as I don't usually read ZITS fics. Like, ever. In this fic, Skizz is a human abducted and hurt badly by aliens, now recovering in the care of good aliens who don't know how 'sentient' he is. Every update of this one makes me smile, it is wonderful. I love how the characters are written and how the different perspectives are shown. It is just great.

Solar Waltz by @raspberrystruck and aroundtheclock is a brilliant and very very sad regression fic. I love fluffy regression fics as much as the next guy, but this one just... hits different. The hurt/comfort levels are off the charts. Grian is so damn cute the whole time, while also being harrowingly complicated and sad. I am so ready for whatever comes next.

Tango's Castle of Cards by @evilrat-sabre is the one where Tango is a BUG. He's just a little guy (horror). This one is so beautifully written, with poetry-type interludes and perspective changes that really make everything feel so much more impactful. Finding out your buddy is a murder bug isn't the easiest thing in the world. I love this so much.

Traveling Thieves {Dark Fantasy AU} (series) by @amethystfairy1 is basically one of the series of all time. I know I keep saying that but it really really is. I love a good fantasy au, and I love an au with hybrids even more. In this world, hybrids are treated like slaves, but it isn't all doom and gloom for the main characters of each installment. There is a lot of hurt/comfort and the different stories feed into each other in really interesting ways. I try to read as much as I can, though I've missed a few because my emails are buggy. Definitely worth reading these fics, especially since now they're all starting to come together!

Completed Fics

Solving Counting Sheep by @theminecraftbee might have rearranged my brain chemistry a little. Another strong contender for 'fics that inspire me to kill Grian', this time with a more concrete notion of "replacement". Three is my favourite fucked up living weapon. It's so rare to find Evo fics in this day and age, too. This fic had me immediately clicking on every update as soon as I got the emails.

Rescue Fire by @imaginethat0327 is one of the most unique takes on a fictionalised life series game that I have ever read. The whole concept is explained in a realistic and easy-to-follow way, as we learn what's happening with the characters. There are several brilliant storylines happening in this one, but my particular favourites are Jimmy & Tango, Joel, and of course Scar & Grian. This fic is full of whump and, well, read the tags, it isn't always pleasant, but those are my favourite things ever. Definitely worth checking out this fic and its currently updating sequel.

don't you know about me? by takenbadgering is a wonderful comedy of errors with just the right amount of angst for a realistic setting type of fic. If you enjoy polyamory miscommunications, rave aesthetics, kandi, school teacher dynamics, and a lovely blend between grumbo, cubscar, and mumscar, this is the one.

Eventually the Birds Must Land by @milo-hypno follows a polyam ship I would have never thought of, and I cannot believe how much I loved it. This married-as-friends fic premise is wonderful, and captures the main trio (Grian, Mumbo, Impulse)'s personalities so well, while balancing them with the incredibly terrifying descriptions of the Watchers and their power. There's a lot of angst here, but it is ultimately hurt/comfort to the maximum degree. I loved reading it as it updated. Yay for gay marriage!

From The Archives (series) by @sixteenth-days was the absolute inspiration for my own Comms AU, and I will never forget its influence on me. As someone basically unfamiliar with TMA, I thought this series might be hard to follow, but it was not! I read all 57 parts in the span of two days, and I think it altered my brain chemistry. Please read it, even if (especially if) you don't know anything about TMA. The Cleo and Grian storyline lives in my head rent free. I mean it. This is horror at its finest. Also there's an audio series of this fic being released rn, which is very cool.

SUPERCRITICAL by @masque-of-plague hits different. It is such a wonderful take on the superhero/HotGuy trope, and it gets so super dark at some points! This one really takes swings at it's fictional government, which of course I love, while at the same time building this brilliantly emotional relationship between Scar and Grian. I do enjoy a bit of enemies to lovers, but the actual plot mixed into the story makes this one extra special. It is thrilling, with action that I don't get to see too often! Great work.

I am weary with contending! is one of the mumscarian fics of all time. From 'this house has people in it'-type horror, to magic gone wrong, to childhood trauma, to attempted assassination, to gender fuckery, this fic has it all. Usually I don't go for convex siblings, but this one is good enough to get a pass from me. Amazingly detailed worldbuilding alongside a brilliantly creative story.

It Spreads by @foxxology may not count as a fic, actually. It's a comic. But it's posted on ao3 so it counts. I was obsessed with this one as it was updating, honestly. It rocked me to my core. The art is phenomenal. The writing is brilliant. I love sculk.

Luck of the sea by Sleepy_Duck is a lovely take on mermaid and human interactions, with Grian as a marine life conservator and Scar as a very neglected mer. This one takes us emotionally in all sorts of directions, and offers lots of hope for the future of the characters. I heavily enjoyed this fic - if you like mermaids and marine biology, check it out.

there are many downsides to being a marine biologist by donnerstag is another mermaid fic but with a pretty different vibe. First of all, it follows what I would consider a rarepair Doc/Martyn. Second of all, reading this as it updated was a thrilling experience that nearly made me cry at certain points. I love how the relationship builds in this fic. It is honestly amazing. The whole idea of experimenting on a sentient sea creature, learning that he can communicate, then losing funding and having to save him from being dissected?!?! It's crazy. I love it.

Thus concludes my fic recommendations. I hope you enjoy at least some of these, and consider reblogging to spread these wonderful fics around <3

[schlong2]

latest fix rant time

none of my friends want to talk to me about monkey movies and then i remembered i have a whole blog dedicated to my latest fixations so. i've watched Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes two (TWICE ✌️) times in theaters. this was after watching the newer trilogy (Rise, Dawn & War) and the first 1968 original in prep.

things (SPOILERS!!!):

Kingdom's run time is 2 hours and 25 minutes. this is incredibly long for a movie. compared to 1968's 1 hour and 52 minutes, that's a half hour difference. Infinity War was 2 hours and 36 minutes for reference. that's a whole marvel cinematic convergence, but ape. the run time isn't exactly the issue i've seen talked about. it's the pacing. sitting twice through this movie was not a problem for me. i sat there engaged all the way through. on the second watch, i tried to be mindful of times in which it might have been dragging for the average person, and i like, literally couldn't find any. pretty much every scene had meaning and didn't drag imo. which is something these newer movies do extremely well. Kingdom is pretty equally split between verbal communication and sign language compared to the first three before it. the apes use both verbal and visual cues to talk. but because they don't talk every single time, it makes every moment that they do feel special. it reminds me of the Quiet Place concept, where most of the movie you only hear a human voice a few select times when it's safe to do so. Rise, Dawn, & War were kind of like this, as Caesar only really spoke when he was trying to make a point or communicating to humans, who are mostly speaking in those movies. he speaks more as he gets more fluent, and by War, he can speak very well. we see other apes like Koba, Maurice, Blue Eyes, and Bad Ape also speak English. these moments are rationed pretty well throughout Kingdom, making the dialog more select and meaningful. this makes every time these beasts talk feel like it means something and isn't just fluff to fill your ears. every other scene feels like it's building or showing a side of a character we hadn't seen before, and the scenes between those advance the plot or are like, really action-packed. i just don't see why some people say it has pacing problems. it's just long. i understand the average person's attention span is super short, but when you're sitting down to watch two and a half hours of movie, you gotta know there's gonna be downtime. moments where they're not fighting or advancing the plot. and i think that's GOOD man. but im also not one for action/adventures very much so maybe that's it? i think a lot of people maybe watch these apes for the violence and conflict rather than their introspection, genuinely thoughtful world building, and complex characters. and hey, that's completely fine to enjoy, but POTA is originally about morals and asking the audience questions and posing dilemmas to popular beliefs at the time. ok

Raka. he's great. Peter Macon has this butter smooth voice that's just perfect for the kind of character he plays. you can't help but like him. but he dies like 1/3 into the movie and is really only there to religion dump about Caesar (ape jesus) and then he's swept away. people are complaining that that's all he was really there for. to explain the real values of Caesar and provide a foil to Proximus. and i agree to some degree. i really hope he's not actually dead. his presence and death are felt throughout the movie, as both Mae and Noa (mostly Noa vocalizes it, Mae just silently shares in his loss and i think cries at one point?) seem to mourn him, saying shit like "if Raka were here..." and especially at the end when Noa gives the Caesar pendant to her. it's the shared memory of Raka and what he devoted his life to. but they never really like, actually linger on his death. there's a moment after he's swept away, and the shot stays on the rushing waters, Raka no longer visible and plays some sad tunes, but like. C'MON. he's not really dead. he isn't please tell me he isn't PLEASE

Noa isn't Caesar. i honestly do not get why you would want otherwise. of course, he isn't Caesar. we don't need another Caesar. he had a whole three movies to be the center of. i would be extremely disappointed if they just made a carbon copy of him or made Noa like a direct descendant of him or whatever. i hate that Chosen One bullshit. Caesar was just a guy that wanted peace for his people and that got him killed in the end. Noa is also a guy who wants peace for his clan. they're both leaders and have good hearts, but like. they're different characters. i LIKE that Noa has no relation to Caesar, i LIKE that he's his own character with his own ideals and purpose. Owen Teague does a wonderful job making the character his own. i mean Andy Serkis is Andy fucking Serkis. pretty big shoes to fill and i think Teague has the right foot size you know. i heard one guy say like "we've had our time to mourn Caesar" and yeah. we have. let's accept that and move on

WHERE MY APE DIVERSITY AT. we get a fuck ton of chimps, ONE orangutan, ONE gorilla, and ONE bonobo. what the hell. i mean. what is with the bonobo villian. Koba i fucks with because bonobos are some of the most playful, nonviolent apes out there. that humanity and its cruelty could twist a naturally peaceful creature into what Koba became.. i mean, that's great. but again with Proximus? maybe trying to evoke some of the same energy and nuance Koba had? ALSO. GORILLA PSA they are like so sweet. all that muscle is there to protect their families, and they're strictly vegetarians. i feel like Rise, Dawn, & War portrayed this better with most of the gorillas getting bodyguard jobs because of all their bulk. especially when Luca tucks that flower in Nova's ear. man. and Red going out like he did. gentle giants. in Kindgom we just have Sylva. gorilla henchman for Proximus. that's it. then we have Raka, the one orangutan character that i saw. wise and knowledgeable, guides and accompanies Noa and Mae then dies. at least we get one female chimp character that's more than just wife or mother. wikipedia lists Soona as Noa's love interest, which i can totally dig, like it's there. he takes her to the telescope at the end of Kingdom, which is more than what we saw romance-wise between Caesar and Cornelia. and the only other important chimp female is Dar, Noa's mom. in Rise, Dawn & War there was usually only one of each species of ape assigned a main role, but we saw much more diversity it felt like. maybe that's because there were smaller in numbers and have since spread out in the last 300 years? also like, bonobos are known for having female-female & male-male sex. dont know about the other apes. my friend mentioned that Raka said something about having a male companion and promptly searched reddit. all they had to say was: gaype?

the visuals. dear god the visuals. this movie is just visually stunning. absolutely breathtaking. they did a great job. i mean Rise, Dawn, & War are all triumphs of cgi and are excellent examples of the animation style done right. i did hear some guy say there is a loss of texture, as mostly everything in Kingdom is cgi, from the characters to the landscapes. but there's an explosion of texture in this film. there's one point where Noa is covered in the ash of his village and you can see it on his fur. there's quite a couple water scenes where the moisture clings to the apes' fur. It's all very impressive. great work

the references!! Rise especially has a ton of them (IT'S A MADHOUSE!!! & GET YOUR STINKIN PAWS OFF ME YOU DAMN DIRTY APE), and names like Nova and Cornelius, but Kingdom... i picked up on at least three main instances, but im sure there are more. there's the scene where the apes are rounding up the feral humans, and its very reminiscent of the scene from 1968 where they're doing the same thing for sport. there's the scene where Mae is running in the field, and she jumps on that log structure to get to Noa, which is nearly identical to a similar scene in 1968. the scene when Noa, Soona, and Anaya are exploring the human bunker and they come across an old classroom. one of them picks up a doll that says a distorted "Mama" which was huge in the original because that was evidence that once man did speak, why else would he make a doll that talked? superb call backs to the og. respect what was there before

SCHLONG THEORY

here me out guys. the starring ape-human relationship in Rise was between Caesar and Will. this type of love is called storge and describes the love a child has for a parent as well as the love a parent has for their child.

the starring ape-human relationship in Dawn was ultimately between Caesar and Malcolm. which i believe is truly philia towards the end, the love between friends and allies. just two dudes trying to keep peace in the world.

in War, i mean Caesar well and truly hates the Colonel. like more than he's hated any human in his life before. close to mania, obsession. anyways it's a study on this type of relationship between an ape and a human. true, all consuming hate.

SO in the newer movies we've explored familial love, platonic love, and hate, between an ape and a human.

in Kingdom the main ape-human relationship is between Noa and Mae. and their relationship is complex. not really that friendly and certainly not familial. no trust. some kind of begrudging respect maybe? i just think it would be neat if in further installments they explored a romantic love between a human and an ape. ok.

i KNOW Noa and Soona are probably going to get ape married and they're never going to touch on the subject but i just find it hard to believe that in the last 300 years or so that's NEVER been heard of. apes have the same level of intimacy between each other as humans do in this universe and can willingly consent. what are you so afraid of wes ball

after all, the whole franchise is about how apes, when given intelligence, compare to humans and begs the question: how different are we really?

is it possible for an ape and a human to fall in love?

[chloe-skywalker]

Easter Celebrations - Billy Hargrove

Billy x Fem!reader

Warnings: religion is mentioned if that is a warning?

Word count: 648

Summary: Billy’s family doesn’t really do holiday’s. Not like most families at least. So why not join in and see how his girlfriends family celebrates them. He was invited after all.

Authors Note: Don’t ask me why pretty much all my holiday imagines end up being “Billy Hargrove” imagines. Because I don’t know why it ends up that way. I think it’s because the character just ends up working perfectly for my idea of the story.

P.S - Easter is a religious holiday so if that’s a warning them there you go. Warned, but I only really mention that they go to church not any views or etc…

 Also to those who celebrate it Happy Easter!

Masterlist

Stranger Things Masterlist

Holiday Masterlist

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

(gif does not portray what goes on in the story on this one its just different I hate reusing gifs)

“I’m so glad you came.” Y/n smiled at Billy as she opened the front door to let him in.

“I wanted to see how you do Easter. I’m sure it’s a hell of a lot different than how it’s been done in my family.” BIlly shrugged putting his hands in his pockets as he entered her home.

“Well, my little sister isn’t up yet. So no eggs have been hunted, and no basket’s touched.” Y/n told him excitedly, closing the door behind him, pulling him into the living room. “Mom made you a basket too.”

Billy looked at her in shock. “She didn't have to do that.”

“She wanted to.” Y/n smiled reassuring him that it was okay, Y/n reached out for his hand and squeezed. And it did.

^     ^     ^

“So how’s Easter so far?” Y/n asked, nudging him with her arm as they sat next to each other on the couch.

“I’m shockingly enjoying it.” Billy smiled at her. He was enjoying it, more than he thought he would. Watching Y/n help her little sister hunt for egg’s and they even did egg’s filled with treats for the dog’s. Her mom was even nice enough to put together a basket for him like Y/n said. Filled with different chocolates and some other stuff.

“I’m glad.” Y/n nodded with a smile also on her face.

“Billy, hunny. We’re going to church in an hour for Easter service. You can stay here if you want. Catch up on some sleep I’m sure.” Y/n’s mom offered not wanting to force the young man to join them.

“Actually…” Billy stopped Y/n from getting up from the couch and her mom from leaving he says with hopeful eyes. He actually wanted to go, he hadn’t been since his mom was around. Hence the necklace. “I’d like to join you all. If that’s ok.”

Y/n turned to look at him, trying not to show her shock. “Of course it is baby.”

“Great. We leave soon.” Y/m/n sent a smile the boys way before going to finish getting ready and help her younger child and their cousins as well.

“Are you ok?” Y/n asked once they headed up to her room for some privacy.

“Yeah. Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” Billy nodded, not sure why it seemed to be a big deal.

Y/n shook her head side to side not wanting him to think she didn’t want him to come. “Just checking. I mean, have you ever been to church before?”

Billy thought for a moment but he trusted Y/n. So maybe he should share a little more of himself with her. She knew more than most people anyway.

“Back with my mom. When I was younger. I remember what I learned there. It’s always stuck with me.” Billy told her thinking back on his childhood, the few good memories he has.

“Does that have to do with the pendant?” Y/n asked curious since he was in a sharing mood. Moving across the room to stand in front of him as he currently sits on her bed.

“Yeah. It was my mom’s, she gave it to me. It always reminds me of her, and that one day I might see her again… Thank you. For inviting me to celebrate Easter with you and your family.” Billy explained, resting his hands on her hips as she played with the pendant around his neck.

“Billy, you’re part of my family. I’m glad you enjoyed it.” Y/n smiled happily running her hands over his shoulders.

“I’ll always enjoy every day of any life as long as you're in it.” He stated pulling her to fall on top of him laying back on her bed, and the two started to passionately make out. After all, they had some time before church.

Taglist: @gruffle1 @padawancat97 @starkleila

[ladymischievous]

A Few Thoughts on Alastor in Ep 5

-o-o-o-As a warning, spoilers ahead.-o-o-o-

Something I noticed, and it really hit home here in Episode 5, but is it just me, or is Alastor more tolerant/kinder to women over men? It's very clear and detailed throughout the episode and a bit prior to the series' official release.

Alastor has problems with Lucifer right off the bat and becomes outright antagonistic. We know that Lucifer has problems and that there's strain in his relationship with Charlie. She explains part of it to the rest of the cast, except Alastor isn't there to hear it. In fact, he noticeably comes into things a little bit later, as the cast is prepping for Lucifer's visit.

Now, one could easily say that he's possible gleeful at the thought of stirring up trouble, but I don't think that's the case at all. In the latter pic Alastor looks more agitated. His smile is more of a sneer, with that slight curl to his lips and the narrowing gaze. This agitation is even more apparent when Lucifer arrives.

It's a very different look from his usual smile, and afterwards the back and forth and Alastor finally saying 'Fuck you.' to Lucifer's face is said in such a tone of disdain, Alastor has a problem with Lucifer.

Now in their duet, Alastor is clearly trying to get under Lucifer's skin. He can see that there's cracks and strains in their relationship and prods at them to get at Lucifer. He's cozying up to Charlie and hitting where it hurts. But events afterwards brings up the question of whether or not there might be a part of him that might care on some level. Maybe not in a typical way, but it might still be there.

It's after Mimzy's arrival that we start to see different sides to Alastor. With the way he speaks and behaves with Mimsy, it feels like he has a friendship with her. She even refers to how Alastor likes to take care of her. It's a side of Alastor that we really haven't seen so far, there's a genuine feel in how he interacts with Mimzy. And even when he asks her to leave. He makes the point about her bringing danger and him protecting the hotel. Mimzy calls him out about how he can't possibly actually care. Up to this point, Alastor has made references to his own agenda and being their solely for his own amusement and enjoying to watch people fail. But that wasn't said here, to Mimzy who knows him on a more personal level. It's not something he'd really have to hide from her because she seems to know what he's about. But he makes no reference to anything like that this time. Alastor even mentions to Mimzy that if she's actually looking to try for redemption she'd be allowed to stay but knowing that's not 'her style', he insists she leaves.

After Alastor's prior interaction with Husker, we're reminded that Alastor can be vicious when he feels insulted. Mimzy then insults him to his face. She's very comfortable around him, even after him displaying how dangerous he actually is against the Loan Sharks.

As of writing this when episodes 5 and 6 were released, this appears to be a pattern. It's especially more noticeable when you have characters like Adam, especially with him appearing in episode 6. Alastor seems to at least have more patience or (for lack of a better word) care with women most of the time.

I remember a comic called 'A Day in the Afterlife' where this was also a noticeable detail.

I know there's a theory that Alastor has a connection with Lilith, and I support it as well. I am looking forward to seeing more and just what that connection is.

There is something very strange going on with Lilth. We already know what she looks like:

There's no attempts to hide these old family photos. But in the second musical number, Lilith is shown like this:

If Alastor has connections with Lilith specifically, it could explain some of his immediate issues towards Lucifer. Especially if he considers Lucifer as the one at fault in their split.

Another little detail about Alastor and Lilith potentially having a connection with each other, is her talent for singing.

Music and Radio are very important to each other after all.

Anyway, those were just my thoughts. I hope you enjoyed.

[chaos-in-deepspace]

L&DS Rafayel: Fireworks Display | Drabble

Fun fact about the writer: I am terrified of Fireworks. They're too loud and scary. They freak me out almost as much as thunderstorms do.

Pairing: Rafayel x Reader Warning: None Disclaimer: This is an original fan work for “Love and Deepspace”. Do not repost on other platforms or plagiarize. All characters shown in this fic is 18+.

Blog Information | Masterlist

Rafayel

The setting sun felt beautiful, no longer beating down harshly on your skin. You relaxed in the lounge chair you shared with Rafayel, pressed against him with a head on his chest. It was perfect, and you could see the fireworks going off on the beach a few ways away from your location.

You glanced at Rafayel, who had his phone out and seemed to be endlessly scrolling through something. The fireworks were loud in the distance, and you heard a thunderous bang. You looked over to see a blast of blues and purples raining down into the ocean below.

“Raf, weren’t you the one who wanted to see the fireworks?” you asked, noticing he hadn’t flinched when that one went off. It was a vast display, and he had called you early that day to see if you were free that night. The moment he told you there would be fireworks on the beach, you were already making your preparations. Now that you were here, he seemed too absorbed into his device, something that certainly wasn’t like him in the slightest.

Rafayel shrugged, “This thing happens a few times every year, so I’ve seen it a thousand times,” he explained, taking a moment to glance at you. You huffed, almost pouting at his lack of interest in the explosions.

You were no longer looking at the fireworks, instead resting your chin on his chest so he could get a good view of the disappointed look on your face, “Okay, but this is the first time you’re seeing it with me. It’s totally different, Raf,” you whined, wanting to kick your feet in a mini tantrum just to get your point across in a language he can understand.

Rafayel locks his phone, placing it to the side, “Don’t give me that look,” he began, “You’re making it seem like I’m a criminal,” that’s because he was judging by how he wouldn’t enjoy these things with you right now, “Not to mention we saw a fireworks display two months ago over in Linkon,” he just had to remind you.

“Okay, but that’s not us being curled up on a lounge chair on a beach watching fireworks. It was crowded in Linkon. Now it’s just us two,” you crawled a little closer, “It’s a totally different experience,”

“Oh, but when I want to celebrate eating oysters together, suddenly it’s a weird thing to do since the week before we celebrated having crab for the first time together?” he finally said, and now you were laughing.

“Totally fucking different, Raf,” you shook your head, “Besides, what were you so interested in on your phone? You normally never ignore me to be on it,” you said, going to grab the device. You could feel Rafayel tensing up underneath you as his eyes widened.

“Oh, it was nothing,” he tried assuring you, but this only made you curious. You pressed your thumb down on the finger lock, happy that the man had allowed you to put your thumbprint in there months ago. You guys trusted one another enough, and he also had his own thumbprint on your phone.

The page that opened was a shopping page, and you could see sparklers of all colors there. Before you could question it, he grabbed the phone out of your hands and held it out of reach. “I said it was nothing.” Oh, he had that adorable flush on his cheeks again.

You laughed, looking behind you to see people on the beach playing with them. They seemed too far away, just little dots, but you could hear the laughter that seemed to be carried on the wind.

“Raf, were you jealous we didn’t have sparklers of our own after watching everyone else playing with them?” you asked, amusement clearly in your voice.

“I was not,” he protested,”

You laughed some more, grabbing his cheeks and squishing them, “You’re so adorable when you try to lie about these things, Raf,” you said with a smirk, “If you wanted to play with sparklers that bad though, we could always do this again next weekend?”

“There aren’t any fireworks going off next weekend,” he reminded you, and you shrugged.

“Then we can get our own fireworks,” you said as you leaned in. You couldn’t help it; he looked too adorable not to kiss. Your lips pressed against one another for a moment, and Rafayel instantly melted, dropping his phone to the sand below as his hands went to grab your waist.

“Promise you’ll set off fireworks with me?” he asked as soon as your lips parted. He stared at you like a lovestruck puppy, which made your heartbeat go a little faster as you licked your lips.

“Wouldn’t have said it if I wasn’t going to follow through,”

You leaned in again, wanting to kiss him. A loud bang followed, lighting the two of you up as your lips continued to melt together.

Rafayel is so down bad I'm telling you...like he wants to experience everything together.

[keruimi]

His Definition of Love

Pairing: Akaashi Keiji x reader

Warning: Angst, Trauma, Comfort

Note: Oh how I badly want to hear from someone, the words he uttered. I'm not really a big fan of him but damn, this oneshot made me start liking him. Hope you all enjoy it!

_____________________________

When I was young, the person I loved the most was my father.

A person I would choose over others. A man who was the reason I grew up in a comfortable and loving family in my childhood days.

A father and a husband that anyone would love to have. I vowed to myself that time that I would love the same man that resembles my dad.

Until across the bridge where he used to take me, I found him embracing another woman than my mom.

It was one of the memories that always reminded me that everyone has their own bad sides.

No matter how kind, nice, and loveable my father was, he still broke my mom's heart leading to the downfall of our family who was once envied by many.

I was so young back then that I disregard my mother's heartbreak and keep siding with my father no matter how she keeps begging me to choose her.

I hate how I used to think back then.

Just because I don't want to lose my father.

"Little one" my father called me as the sobs of my mother is the only thing I heard in the house as I tightly clutch on my father's body.

I keep crying especially when he successfully removes me from his legs before he crouches in front of me.

"Little one, please stay with your mom. I don't want to influence your pure heart, dear"

The tears on my father's eyes made it clear to me that day that he was not pure as I saw him.

That he really did something I thought he would never do.

My father suffered because of the complicated emotions he has. He loved my mother but he also liked other women.

So does that make me want to hate him?

Yes, so badly. But I also knew that he is aware of his mistakes, aware of how those complicated feelings that ruined the family he once built.

I caught up with it.

But for the best, he made me stay with my mom in fear that I would take after his footsteps if I did live with him.

He is the man who wanted the best for me.

I saw my father in such a way that I blamed my mother for leaving him just because of one mistake, forgetting all the good things that my father did for us.

But that was the first time that my father made me open my eyes to the reality of the world.

He was guilty, not innocent. He is the cause of our heartbreak, not the victim.

He explained to me that even a nice man like him can become a man I wouldn't want to love me.

He is unfaithful, one of the unforgivable sins that destroys one's marriage.

He was not always perfect, he also fell into temptations.

In other words, he doesn't want me to turn into someone like him.

So I decided to stay with my mom to become someone she can lean on. But I knew how my presence broke my mother, because I greatly reminded her of my father.

I finally understand our family's situation and my father's character the moment I step into junior high.

I can't stay liking one man.

When I like someone, I would start to like someone who I deemed better than him.

And it was scary. That I would be the reason for someone's heartbreak.

I finally understand how complicated feelings are. And my father never found a solution to that problem.

He really loves my mom. But if he did love her, then why would he like another woman?

Yet I can't bear to hate my own dad. Because I went through the same obstacles.

If ever I ask my mom for advice, I know that she will remember my dad again so I didn't bother anymore.

Seeing my mother's situation, I told myself that I would just stay alone for my entire life.

Before history repeats itself.

I rejected many men because I was hell-bent on being single.

I am fine with admiring different men every time I deemed them as someone great.

And that would be no different on Akaashi Keiji.

A calm and composed setter who always seems to control their Ace's movement.

He knows the country's Top 5 Ace like the back of his hand.

He is a gentleman, a one of a kind man.

And a person who reminded me of my father's good side.

I groaned in frustration as I slid down on the wall I lean on after watching Fukurodani's match. The frustration I felt when I couldn't get my eyes off of him.

Deep down, I want a family where I would run to. But if I selfishly did that, it would turn into ruins as I started showing signs of my non existing loyalty.

Like a curse that the memory engraved to my mind.

That's why my secret admiration for him surprisingly lasted for a year.

Even if we just passed by each other, the giddy feeling on my chest never left as I always find my eyes looking for him.

He is really perfect.

That even if I started liking one man, whether I catch a glimpse of him, that admiration would disappear and my heart would be set to him again.

Like a damn cycle.

But with my feelings this way, I don't want to take a risk.

Until we met on the school's rooftop.

The time he first came up to me just to lend his handkerchief when he noticed how my tears seemed to escape from my eyes.

A man who showed his concern to a complete stranger.

How can I be loyal?

That is always the question that keeps repeating on my head like a broken record.

I want to be happy, to be in a relationship, to give the love I keep to myself.

I wanted to express my emotions, but I am afraid that it will be poisonous.

That's the reason why he found me on the rooftop, crying. Because I can't take it anymore.

Those fear of betrayal that I might let others experience, keep holding me back from freely loving someone.

That love that I want to give to the man standing in front of me.

"I'm here"

He uttered the same words that my father used to tell me whether I keep crying.

"I'm scared" An emotion that showed the worst part of me.

"That I can't keep loving the same man forever"

It was the greatest fear that my father felt. And when he tried to go against it, that nightmare happened and he lost everything.

Including my trust in him.

Now I'm having a hard time with the same challenge.

Whether I need to go against it or just keep avoiding it.

"What do you mean by that?" There was not a hint of judging from his voice. He simply asked me to open up for him.

And I desperately clutch to that chance of letting out everything.

He unknowingly became someone I can open up with, without the fear of judgement and simply understanding one's problem.

"I can't stay liking one man"

"And?" He stated that made me finally look at him as we waited for my next words.

"And it scares me..." I trailed off, hesitating on my words until a small smile lifted from his lips.

"That's normal" I felt like my world stopped when he let out those words.

"Infatuation, puppy love, or having a crush is normal in our age. It's not a permanent attachment that you need to get scared of." He continued as he decided to sit in front of me so it was easier to continue the conversation.

"Like and love are two different concepts but has an oddly similar meaning" he continues as he moves two of his fingers.

"Liking is when you feel happy with them, watching them, admiring them but it was simply a temporary emotion that is a shallow version of the word Love. Liking someone because he has something you love is its definition"

"But if we're talking about love, it's a more powerful emotion like hate. Love is when you stay with the person you like no matter how much the world wants you to separate. Loving someone is when you accept their flaws and shortcomings. When you understand how they act. When you are there on their lowest like you were with them at their highest moments" his smile never left his lips and I felt like my chest lightened up a little.

"Love is not always about happiness, it will always be tested by challenges." He leaned down for our eyes to meet and I felt him softly gaze on my own ones.

"I don't know what you went through to think that way. But life is always about developing one's self. You might look down on yourself right now and get scared, but one day, you will need to face it. Challenges would never stop coming, but you will know who truly loves you when they join you with it" he removed the strands of my hair that was on my face as he tucked it behind my ear.

"You can't be happy without healing yourself"

Those words gave me the strength to finally face my father.

The man who I once look up to. But the one who is also the root of all my fears.

"This is the first time you finally faced me after all these years" he spoke up first before he faced the sunset in front of us.

"Dad" I called out as I saw how he fisted his hands but he kept his eyes in front.

"I don't deserve to be your father" he muttered as I felt my eyes turn glossy.

"What is love for you?" I whispered, ignoring his previous worrds. Because he was still the father who love me and my mother.

"I never found the real definition of that word. I only know that when I really felt the unexplainable happiness with that one person" he replied with a shaky breath.

I know how it was difficult to face me.

One of the people who really love him, and can hate him.

"Did dad love mom?"

We were silent before he finally spoke the words I badly need to hear.

"I love your mom so much. But I didn't manage to protect the relationship we both have" he finally chose to face me as I saw a small smile adorned his lips yet his eyes portrayed a different feeling.

"My insecurities clouded my mind that I didn't manage to think of the consequences. The fear that I keep following me finally catch up to me" he manage to let out.

"My daughter might be asking herself that if I indeed love your mother, why would I seek comfort on another woman, right?" A tear finally slid on his cheeks.

"The fear that your mother would get tired on the way I think, made me seek comfort on another woman. But it was a wrong move of mine, Y/n. I badly regret underestimating your Mom's love for me" he sighed out as he blink his tears away so he won't broke down on me.

"I cheated, and it was a choice, not a mistake"

"I don't want to cause you trauma, but it seems like I already did, didn't I?"

I felt the tears that gather on my eyes finally slid down from cheeks as he wipe his own ones.

"I'm sorry Y/n, I really am" I wiped my own tears as I took a deep breath.

"I hate myself for hurting both of you" he sobbed out.

And without any other words, I wrapped my arms around him, the things that he always done to me.

I badly wanted to heal...

And I knew I need to start with my family.

And if we finally manage, maybe...

I would start to look at myself differently.

Like what he told me.

"Keiji!" I cheered from the bleachers as his team managed to win in the semi-finals.

The happiness I felt was indescribable as the man looked up and gave me a smile before taking a bow as a thank you for cheering for them.

I will start healing, and I knew I wanted him to be with me throughout all the way.

And he didn't mind.

The first person I became friends with before that gratefulness turned into an admiration.

A man, even with a different personality and interest, he chose to become someone in my life.

He started as my friend before he became a man I started to love.

The person who never made me feel fear, a man who first lent a shoulder for me to lean on. The first person who made me look at myself differently than what I used to.

The person who understands my problems better and manages to comfort me with the words I wouldn't question myself for.

A guy who made me feel like I was not the person who I think I was.

The person I knew I would want to spend my life with. The man I would grow with, learn from, and love until my last breath.

Right now, I'm clearly aware of how different my thoughts were when I like someone, rather than the way I think when I start to love someone.

I really did start loving Akaashi Keiji.

And this time I am sure that it was really...

The emotion called Love

[txttletale]

I'm not a dnd player or even a ttrpg player, so sorry if this is a dumb question, but in one of your latest dnd complaints (love these posts btw) you mentioned the d20 pass/fail system as a negative. Could you maybe explain why? The concept reminds me a lot of how disco elysium's skill check system works, which I enjoyed a lot, and I think I'm just not knowledgeable enough to see any meaningful difference here?

Thank you for your time :]

the key difference is that disco elysium consistently 'fails forward' -- when you fail a check in disco elysium hdb often does or saus something ridiculous and you get to experience some of the best dialogue of the game (ice-cop-hat-fuck-show, i want to have fuck with you, mr. evrart is helping me find my gun, limbic system karaoke, going to the island with cuno). the plot or scenario develops--the failure changes the situation in some way, or leads to a new interaction that spotlights a side of a character you wouldn't have seen otherwise.

and while this could happen in your dnd game if you houseruled it in, as the rules stand, the default outcome on a failure is 'nothing happens'. and this doesn't have to be the case! powered by the apocalypse / forged in the dark games have for a long time now made 'failing forward' (as in, failure always results in Something Happening, the plot moving forward, even if that thing is bad) a core part of their resolution systems. that's the main reason why binary 'you do the thing' or 'you don't do the thing' systems are kind of lame.

i mean, i think anyone who's played dnd can attest that casting a save-or-suck spell and having the enemy save or use a legendary resistance, or swinging for your one attack for a turn and missing, fucking sucks and is disappointing and boring. and these mechanics are in the game because of dnd's origin as an adaptation of wargames -- but in wargames you're usually rolling tons of dice because you're making 'saves' or 'to hit' rolls for dozens of individual units, so the chances of nothing happening are extremely slim.

so ultimately the difference is that failed rolls in dnd can (and most often do) result in boring anticlimax. also, because disco elysium uses 2d6, the roll distribution is a bell curve, which means you can be more sure you're going to be able to do something you're good at, while dnd is wildly swingy.

[clovers-little-starlings]

Baby Steps: Drinking Water!

This is the first installment in a series of posts I'd like to do expanding on some of the things I've talked about here (which- blew up by the way??? thank you all so much??? <3) and here!

Long intro/backstory to this post series below!!

I often tend to immediately tense up at the thought of handling a big upcoming project or tackling something I've procrastinated on or neglected to do, even adding things to my daily routine like brushing my teeth or wearing my retainer- even drinking water, since I've spent a majority of my time in my room just sitting, over the past few years.

I know I have different little posts 'n' such that talk about these things already, but I want to expand on things and get a little more in-depth on advice and things that have worked for me and helped me out!

This series is separate from everything else, though I'll probably list more things in other "regression activity lists" or scenes- You might see some of the same content in multiple posts, is what I'm trying to say- but I do that because different things work for different people, and I know regression in particular isn't all sunshine and rainbows for everyone. I want to try to appeal to a wider audience and learn more from the community, be a bigger part of the community so I can help people out, because that's something I enjoy.

My regression in particular is voluntary and solely for stress-relief, so to me, I kinda feel like I only know surface-level things about it, although I've been doing my research.

There may not be that much to it anyhow, I just-

I just wanna help people as best I can, I think. ^^; Which is why I'm so intent on interaction and explaining that I don't know everything but that I want to learn, so that I can help y'all out.

Anyway!!

★ This will probably be a repeat bullet point in this series, but if you have a device that can set alarms, maybe a timer of some sort- any kind of time-keeping device that dings in certain intervals, I'd recommend using it.

Alarms on your phone, timers, any little reminders you can make to help you with the things you struggle with, if you're like me and stuck sitting a lot or don't do much during the day (or are the complete opposite and do so much during the day) that you tend to neglect taking care of yourself.

★ Fill up or grab a water bottle whenever you start your day or are about to do something, and keep it with you! This way if you do end up thirsty, you don't have to stop what you're doing and worry about getting water, you'll already have it on you!

When it gets empty, that's what you've got your reminders for! Maybe every half hour or so to check how much water you've got and if you need to refill, or maybe make something as a reminder once the bottle's empty to refill, just so you've still got water and don't have to go back and forth to fill up a cup so often.

★ You could also put ice or fruit in your water! Different shapes or sizes, and whatever fruit (or veggie? I've heard cucumbers taste good!) you want if that sounds yummy! I like my water with lemon sometimes. -w-

I'm not recommending any sort of flavoring or those Cirkul water bottles with the flavor pods because I'm not sure how healthy or reliable they are, or how much sugar they have, stuff like that. If anyone has any info on those sorts of things they use and would recommend, please feel free to share!

Edit: Check the notes, we've got insight! Thank you to everyone for their input!! :3

★ You can customize your water bottle, sippy, bottle, bowl (for the pets!) with whatever you want! Maybe stickers, maybe a straw, you could get one with your favorite characters on it- make it fit and customizable so it works for you, have fun decorating it and make it something appealing to the eye so it might get you to take a sip!

If you have any other tips, feel free to share! ^w^

Know that I'll always be here for you if you need me, and I'm very proud of you for trying!

"Fluttershy protects this blog! SFW interaction only, please and thank you! ^w^"

"Wouldn't show a kid? Doesn't belong here!"

[queenoftheantz]

Top 5 Anime/Manga characters of all time and why?

oh wow hmmm....

Completely subjectively:

Oikawa Tooru (haikyuu!!)

Oikawa... he is just yknow. My Character. But I also often in my daily life have a little Oikawa in my head reminding me that my passion is my passion because it's fun and I love it. That talent and skill are intertwined but also not static or pre-determined, that I might not be as good as I think I should be, and I might never be, but if I don't try I definitely won't. Maybe I will reach my goal today, or tomorrow, or in 30 years. And I can do it at the pace and path that suits me. He speaks of all this AS WELL as the very bitter feelings that preceeds these revelations. I also really love his focus on facilitating others, of reaching potential together, of trust and faith in his team and their in him!

2. Marcille Donato (Dungeon Meshi)

Oh Marcille. (Manga spoilers here) Marcille started out so silly and to be honest? Annoying? Girly and anxious and squemish. But then you realise that these parts are absolutely true, but she is also determined and loyal and scared and unafraid and skilled. The firly and squemish becomes charming in contrast to her being excited to experience death and morally ambigious enough to use ancient magic or become a dungeon lord. And then you learn even more about her and her family, the way she grew up and how she probably is... pretty young, considering everything. The knowledge and life experience of someone being 40 maybe, but with the brain to handle it of a 19 year old... she is so afraid for everyone to die away and yet she cant help but love people! Isn't that lovely!? And as someone very afraid to lose my parents I really really feel for her relationship with her father. I think Marcille was a character who really illustrates the progression of tone in Dungeon meshi, represents the themes of the story so well, and really grew on me. Also gay. hi.

3. Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion)

I know people don't like this guy but he shaped me so much as a teen. I think his journey through lacking self-esteem and depression and self hatred is both fascinating, nuanced and in the end, encouraging! Imagine being offered to join humanity all as one, never feel rejected or alone again and then DESPITE all he has gone through, chosing to be yourself after all! And frankly I love that the show lets him be cowardly and weak and unsympathetic, it makes him more real and make his strong moments stronger. Also gay. hi

4. Mob (Mob psycho 100)

Mobs story is more low key, but I also enjoy a story about a young boy who FIRST has to find the motivation to improve himself, and THEN has to realise that improving yourself and being a good person does not necessarily mean to surpress any negative or strong emotions. Once again, a story about acceoting yourself, even the sides you have a hard time controlling and find off-putting or scary. And I think Mob gets to realise this in a silly and gently way!

5. Abe takaya (ookiku furikabutte)

Oh Abe. It's that one page. When he is explaining to Sakeaguchi his backstory with Haruna, and he is talking about it so casually, it's no big deal, but you can tell. "Everyone is afraid of pain". It makes my heart clench every time. It's his control-issues, his fast felling into caring about Mihashi as a person, but then slowly realising what that actually means. It's him being shocked by the smile, it's him doing anything to win, it's him not realising how mean he is. In a different story Abe would have been a bully. But fortunately for him Momoe and the team and Mihashi himself are not putting up with any of it and he slowly and also gently improves himself. I gotta catch up with oofuri. (also gay. hi)

Shout outs to: Hinata Shoyo (of course), Mihashi Ren (also of course), Edward Elric, Sophie (Howls moving castle movie), Reigen (im not immune), Tamaki (ohshc, sometimes i just think about him and hes so charming and fun and i relate), Kanamori (Keep your hands off Eizouken!, shes just. so cool. It's a fun show but every time shes on screen im blushing a bit shes just! Wow!), and the straight college student from one of my fave BL's who has to go on a personal journey to accept that he actually likes a man who's bigger and taller than him and has a big ass. Shoutouts to him too.

[yuurei20]

I had been wondering about this since the friend thing was brought up, but Idia says “not all of these people are our friends,” which suggests that he considers at least some or one of the people present to be a friend. Since he follows it up by stating that, “Ramshackle dorm isn’t the prefect’s house,” in response to Ortho declaring they’ve visited a ‘friend’s house’—add in the whole yobiste moment with the prefect in the Glorious Masquerade, which occurs after Book 6–could it be that Idia actually considers the prefect to be a friend?

I could be wrong about these two moments on the EN server, since I don’t think he really uses the word ‘friend’ in the Ceremonial Robes quote and even on EN I can’t be certain about whether or not he’s solely referring to Grim when the Ramshackle duo or added to the Glorious Masquerade trip and he says “AND valuable emotional support,” or if he even mentioned it in JP. But they seem to lend credence to the idea that Idia considers the prefect a friend or at least more than an acquaintance.

Hello hello!! Thank you so much for this question! 

This is a very good point!! When Ortho points out that they have "traveled to the residence of an acquaintance" Idia responds, "not all of these people are our friends," and one interpretation could be that there is at least one person who counts as a friend present at the time! 👀 (another interpretation may be, "It's not like we're all friends.")

(While Ortho does say "we've experienced hanging out at a friend's house" at first, he then corrects himself to call the prefect "an acquaintance." Referring to other students as Idia's friends despite Idia's and/or others' protests is something Ortho has done before!)

Idia himself says that he has no friends at NRC, but the characters having a less-than-accurate understanding of their own interpersonal relationships is a running theme! (Re: Idia and Azul)

As you say, one of the rare interactions between Idia and the prefect involved Idia not using an honorific during Glorious Masquerade, but this was revealed to be a proof-reading error:

The re-release of Glorious Masquerade in 2023 added "-shi" to Idia's dialogue when he is speaking with the prefect ^^ (This was actually on my posting schedule to share today! You have amazing timing!)

You are also very right about Idia's ceremonial robe's voice line! He does not use the word "friend," but he does say that he trusts the prefect as a fellow introvert!

While looking for the best way to describe the word Idia actually uses (仲間) I found an interesting explanation on the One Piece wikipedia!

(It reminded me of these screenshots from the American drama Firefly!)

The person explains, "The word simply means '(part of a) group' you use it to refer to members a group or members of a group of friends just as you would also refer to your coworkers as your 'nakama' in Japanese, even the ones you hate, because they're part of the same group as you," and I agree ^^ (EN translating the word 仲間 as "friend" is not unusual!)

Concerning Idia's comment early in Glorious Masquerade, I think you are right again and he might have been commenting on the emotional support that Grim provides as a cat!*

*We do not yet know whether or not Grim is technically a cat 👀

Overall I am not sure that we have seen enough of Idia and the prefect interacting on-screen together to be able to say that they are objectively, officially and canonically more than acquaintances, and this is likely by design: the game seems to be going to great lengths to leave as much up to interpretation as possible so that it as many different people as possible can enjoy it.

That said, up until now the pattern has largely been "the prefect teams up with the main character of the previous story in order to solve the issue of the current story," re: teaming up with Riddle in Book 2, Leona in Book 3, Azul in Book 4, Jamil (and others) in Book 5 and Vil in Book 6, so it is possible that we may see more of Idia and the prefect moving forward!

And there is of course no harm in someone going in the direction of "maybe the prefect and Idia are friends" for something like fanfic purposes, for example, if they so wish ^^ It is all a part of the fun! But I might not call it canon just yet :>

[genshin-impact-writings]

Can i ask for headcanons for scaramouche, Tighnari and xiao? I was thinking what makes them feel loved and how they show their love in return... so, like, their love languages? No idea if that's the right term, lmao. Thank you so much! 😍🥰

Hey there! <3 I What a cute request, thank you for sharing that idea with me! I really had lots of fun working on this one, although I think Scaramouche might be a bit ooc. But I hope you'll enjoy the headcanons nevertheless. :)

Characters: Scaramouche / Wanderer, Tighnari, Xiao

What makes them feel loved & how they show their love in return (ft. gn!reader)

Scaramouche / Wanderer

Let’s keep it real, Scaramouche isn’t an overly affectionate person. For others, it’s probably hard to tell if you have a genuine relationship or if you just hate each other because Scaramouche never misses an opportunity to call you names and tease or even mock you – all in a playful manner, of course. Even he is not so cruel to hurt his lover’s feelings on purpose.

He rarely initiates any physical affection like kisses or cuddles but when he does he makes sure to put all the things he can’t put into words properly into these gestures. Every kiss from him is a silent declaration of love, and every time he hugs you he doesn’t let go until he can be sure that the hug lasted long enough to make it very clear how important you are to him. He’s also always willing to provide you some comfort whenever you’re not feeling well or had a bad day.

One thing he really hates is being away from you. Whenever your ways have to part for whatever reason, he always makes sure that you have something that reminds you of him – like a piece of clothing, a hastily scribbled note or a small gift. He doesn’t say anything about it though, so you oftentimes just find these things completely out of the blue. 

What makes him feel incredibly loved is the fact that you’re so content around him and always treat him in such a kind and gentle manner. Scaramouche is used to others avoiding him for many different reasons, one of them being fear and distrust, but you obviously confide in him so much that you can even fall asleep with your head on his chest. You don’t judge him for anything he did in the past and just accept him the way he is which is truly a rare experience for him.

He would never ever admit it but Scaramouche really turns into putty in your hands when you give him loving pet names (when there’s no one else around to hear them, of course – after all, he has a reputation to lose). There’s just something to tender and intimate about this way of addressing him, and he’s absolutely sure he will never get tired of how soft your voice sounds when you call him ‘dear’ or ‘darling’.

Tighnari

Tighnari is incredibly busy with his duties as a Forest Watcher and often spends days away from Gandharva Ville to ensure that the ecosystem of Avidya Forest is balanced or to deal with the effects of the Withering. So, there are sometimes periods of time where you don’t see each other at all or just for a couple of moments before he has to leave again.

This is why he mainly shows his love by spending uninterrupted quality time with you. He loves to take you on long walks during the forest where you can either talk or dwell on your own thoughts while you wander around together, holding hands and enjoying each others’ company. He shows you all of his favorite spots around Avidya Forest and takes the time to explain things to you if you have questions about a specific plant or animal you encounter on your way.

From time to time, Tighnari also surprises you with a picnic. He’s not a particularly talented cook but there a few dishes he mastered (including your favorites), and sometimes, he just bursts into your house with a blanket and a basket filled with food and drinks in his hands to drag you out into the forest. He just feels so at home there, and he wants to share the peaceful atmosphere with you while you enjoy a nice meal together.

One thing that makes Tighnari feel really loved and appreciated is when you show interest in his work. Just asking him about his day and the things he encountered in the forest is enough to make him fall in love with you even more, and he will happily tell you everything that happened during his patrols.

Also, the fact that you never complain when he starts to ramble about a super specific topic, like a rare and special plant or something like this. He’s so grateful that you’re never annoyed by that and oftentimes encourage him to keep talking when he realizes he’s been rambling again and starts to go silent. He also has such a soft spot for compliments. Tell him he did a good job with something and he will be putty in your hands immediately.

Xiao

To be honest, Xiao really struggled with accepting your love at first because he felt like he doesn’t deserve it, although he really couldn’t find a good reason for that, even if he tried. It’s just something that was always in the back of his head when you started to get closer.

So, with that being said, he also doesn’t really know how to show his love for you. It’s not something he ever needed to worry about but now that you’re in his life, he can’t help but feel like he’s not doing enough. In his opinion, you deserve the entire world and he sometimes thinks that he can’t give you that, no matter how often you reassure him that he makes you the happiest person in all of Teyvat. Generally speaking, Xiao isn’t good with expressing his feelings with words, hence why he focuses on proving his feelings with actions instead. He’s the type of guy who fully believes that actions speak louder than words, so whenever you need him he’s there to support you.

He allows you to take care of him when he’s not feeling well or when he’s injured, even though he’s so used to tending to his wounds on his own. Around others, he usually hides his pain because he doesn’t want to be a burden but around you, he just feels safe enough to let his guard down. You’re one of the very few people who are allowed to see his more vulnerable, soft side.

What makes him feel loved is that you accept his boundaries without ever questioning him about them. He has dealt with so much pain in the past (and still is, for the record) and it absolutely means the world to him that you don’t pressure him to talk about it more or ask him dozens of questions about this time. But he’s also well aware that you’re always there for him, should he ever need someone to talk, and that’s another thing he really appreciates.

Xiao melts on the spot every time you let him rest in your arms. There’s just something so soothing and comforting about your presence that he drifts off to sleep almost every time you hold him close, playing with his hair or whispering sweet nothing into his ear.

Thank you so much for reading! If you enjoyed it, please consider liking, reblogging or leaving a comment. I’d really appreciate the support. <3

Taglist: @ajaxstar @genshinparty @kaeyas-beloved @the-gayest-sky-kid @caesars-bubbles @the-fifteen

[blue-slxt]

FWB

*Request: maybe some idea for u : feisty humain!reader having mood swings w her best friend (Loak or Neteyam) because she is in her ovulating week and he teases her until making her tell him why she is acting weird like that today. then he asks her to explain the "symptoms" and she says that she want to fuck more and that she’s more attracted to people during this time and he asks if it’s applied to him too & u already know the end of it🤭🤭 hope u can take something from it, xo 😘*

Okay, so this is my first human!reader fic so go easy on me 😅 I might redo this one in the future with Neteyam because I’m curious about how much different it would turn out if I wrote for him instead. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this one 🤗 All characters are aged up.

🔞Minors Do Not Interact🔞

Smut under the cut.

Pandora was beautiful. Even though you had to admire its beauty through the shield of your mask, it still left you breathless every day. Looking out at the bioluminescent flora and fauna every night through your bedroom window was unlike anything you had ever seen on Earth. You wanted to be out in it every day. But today you were hit with a painful reminder that you were human.

You jumped out of your sleep drenched in sweat. What were you dreaming about? You couldn’t fully remember. The memory came in flashes and blurs. Moans, smacks, and heat is all you’re able to really make out before you lose the visual. You suck in a sharp breath feeling a dull ache in your breasts. You cautiously press on one trying to figure out what was causing the pain. You find nothing and brush it off as a consequence of sleeping on your stomach. When you make your way to your bathroom to get ready for the day, you strip off your sleep clothes and notice a giant wet spot on your panties. That’s weird. And then it hits you. You check your app on your phone and realize what week it is. You’re ovulating. You roll your eyes and make a mental note to plug in your toys before you leave your room.

After a shower and brushing your teeth, you go join everyone for breakfast. While you’re fixing your coffee, a familiar voice enters the lab. Everybody greets Lo’ak as he walks through the cafeteria over to you. “Hey, I found this awesome lake with a cliff that’s perfect for diving. We’ve gotta check it out!” he’s oozing enthusiasm and excitement and it’s adorable. All of a sudden, it feels like there’s a throbbing between your legs.

“Sounds cool, Lo’ak. Maybe another day though.” You say about to walk away, but he blocks your path.

“Are you kidding me? I’ve already been waiting for like 2 days because of training. We’ve gotta go now.” “I’m not in the mood Lo’ak.” Your irritation is growing. You loved Lo’ak. He was your absolute best friend, but he was persistent. And while that could be endearing in certain circumstances, it could also be kind of a nuisance. Right now, you really just needed to get back to your room and take care of your little problem.

“What’s up with you today? I thought you’d be dying to go.” He’s starting to get a little concerned looking at your face. “Your face is getting red.”

You can’t handle the way he’s looking at you right now, “Nothing is ‘up’ with me Lo’ak so will you drop it please?” you push past him and continue down the hall to your room.

Lo’ak follows right behind you though. “I’m not leaving you alone until you tell me what’s wrong.” You roll your eyes as he follows you into your room. “What? Somebody eat the last of your snacks or something?”

You huff out a big sigh and set your coffee on your desk. “If you really must know, I’m ovulating.”

His face screws in confusion. “Okay…What does that mean? Is that a human thing?”

Right. You and Lo’ak are so close that sometimes you forget he is actually an alien. “How do I explain it….it’s like when a na’vi woman goes into heat, but for humans we also can get bloated and moody and crampy and a whole bunch of other stuff. You follow?” you do your best to try and explain to him and his eyes jump around while he’s trying to make the connections in his mind. ”So you’re in a bad mood because you’re in heat?” he does his best to try and make sense of your situation.

“Basically, yeah.”

“So how do you make it better?” he crosses his legs making himself comfortable on your bed like he often did.

“There’s not really a way to make it better. I kind of have to just ride it out. Unless, I got pregnant, but it’s not like that’s gonna be happening anytime soon. But I’m irritated because I’m insanely horny and I can’t really get any relief.”  You brush your hair to the side with your fingers trying to soothe yourself and Lo’ak watches your hair brush over your neck and expose your shoulders.

“Well, what if I helped you out?” he asks casually.

Your body freezes in place. “Lo’ak I couldn’t ask you to do that.”

“That’s why you’re not asking, I’m offering. I mean what kind of friend would I be if I knew I could help you out and I did nothing?” Lo’ak had always kind of had a thing for you. You were his closest friend and he found a comforting familiarity in you that he didn’t feel with other na’vi thanks to his slightly more human traits.

You think about his offer for a split second before snapping back to your senses. “How would that even work? I think you forget that you’re like 8 feet tall. You would quite literally split me in half.”

He chuckles knowing that you’re not wrong. “Just lay down and let me handle it.”

You’re skeptical. “What are you going to do?”

“Just lay down. You trust me, right?” You slowly make your way over to your bed next to him. “Yeah…”

“Okay then. So don’t be so uptight.” You lay back and let your eyes scan the ceiling of your room. Your breathing gets faster when you feel Lo’ak hook his fingers in the waist band of your shorts and panties and slide them down your legs. You close your eyes trying not to focus on the fact that your best friend was now staring down your exposed cunt.

This is crossing so many lines, but your mood would only get worse if you were to stop now. Work yourself up just to rip away your chance at real relief? You weren’t in the mood for edging today. There was no turning back now.

Meanwhile Lo’ak is wide-eyed as he stares at your body. He’d never tell you this, but he had imagined you exactly like this countless times. When he’d come to see you and you’d be dressed in barely-there comfy clothes, when you’d bend over to pick something up, when the front of your shirt would fall a little lower than it should and he would catch a peek at your cleavage. The restraint he had to hold on to was legendary. And now here he was licking his lips greedily as he almost gets stuck just staring at your form that squirmed with anticipation and nerves.

He lowers his head between your thighs and carefully swipes his tongue against your throbbing clit. Your whole body jolts from the feeling and a small moan escapes. Lo’ak’s ears flick in your direction and he’s now painfully aware of how hard he is right now. He continues lapping at your soaked entrance closing his eyes to savor the sweet taste on his tongue. He groans against your heat and the vibrations make your hips grind against his face. “Mmf…Fuck…Lo’ak!” your voice comes out in a breathy whine.

One of his fingers teases at your entrance before he slowly slides it inside of you. His finger is huge stretching you deliciously. You look down at his face and he’s already watching you. The eye contact makes you lose it. “Yes! Yes Lo’ak! Right there! Oh, fuck you’re gonna make me cum right there!”

“Shit, so fucking tight. Cum for me.” He says between sucking on your clit. It’s too much. The way his finger curls up to press against the spongey part inside your walls and the sound of him French kissing your cunt sends you over the edge. Your body shakes violently and your walls squeeze around his finger. Your head falls back while you reach your peak and subsequently come down.

Lo’ak reluctantly pulls his mouth off of you and pulls his finger out of you and watches your chest rise and fall rapidly while you regain your composure. He tries to position himself so that he can hide his bulge not wanting to let on just how badly he wanted to fuck you dumb right now.

“Feel better?”

You lazily nod your head at him.

“Good. So can we go diving now?” he tries to lighten the mood before any kind of conversation can follow what just happens. You’re not really ready to talk about it yet either.

“Alright, let’s go.”

He jumps up in excitement and you get dressed and find your mask.

“Thanks, Lo’ak.” Even if you weren’t really ready to talk about it yet, you still felt like you should at least thank him.

“Trust me, it was my pleasure.” He shoots you a playful wink before walking off.

[aingeal98]

Cass or Tim for the ask game

Gonna do Cass because she gets favourite blorbo privileges

three facts about them from my personal headcanons

-The dip in the Lazarus Pit removed a few of her latest scars. She's still covered in scars, it's not enough that anyone would notice, most of them look at Cass and are horrified by the bullet exit wounds covering her skin. But Cass knows what each scar is from, and the loss of even a few of them hurts her afterwards for reasons she doesn't quite understand. She got stabbed through the chest by her brother and yet there is no evidence of it. Some nights she gets tempted to scratch at where the scar should be, digging into her skin until she catches herself and snaps herself out of it.

-Her favourite music genre is metal and rock. She doesn't care about the differences between the genres despite Stephanie as a fellow Metallica fan eagerly trying to explain it. Cass just likes "Mosh pit music."

-Due to being homeless as a kid she got used to sleeping anywhere and everywhere. Her favourite place to curl up and hide was inside a washing machine, normally ones that were old and abandoned. She stopped as she got older but the washing machines in the manor are huge so she started doing it again when she felt low. This has given Alfred several near heart attacks when he goes to put clothes in and finds his grandchild curled up fast asleep.

a reason they suck

Batgirl issue 37 is one of my favourite issues and highlights some of the reasons I find Cass a compelling character but it also does objectively show one of the ways she sucks. Projection can be helpful or it can make you too self absorbed so you end up making bad choices. In this case it was the latter.

a reason they are great

Literally everything that makes Batman cool and compelling but with none of the downsides. Her downsides are different from his due to not having the narrative protection of being the white male lead. Her downsides are also deliberately and competently written. For further information see my entire blog.

a reason I relate to them

Autistic, mentally ill, used to be suicidal, awkward socially but enjoys violence not for malicious reasons but purely for the fun of it (I like boxing and martial arts.) Just everything about how she expresses herself and thinks and interacts with other people it's like wow. For a character with such a ridiculously comic book fantasy backstory she sure is incredibly relatable in down to earth ways!

(what I consider to be) the top tier otp/ot3 for that character

Stephcass. Steph is the Lois to Cass's Clark, the MJ to Cass's Spiderman. But Steph is also a vigilante in her own right and that adds extra flavour. If DC would give me one of those six issue mini runs they're so fond of I could do so much with it.

five things that never happened to that character that I believe should have happened

-Her Batgirl run should have had a proper conclusion not pushing her towards character assassination evil turns

-She should have become Batman.

-She should have been a part of the family from the beginning of the New 52 era. An essential part, closer to everyone than Jason and with more years in the family than Damian.

-She should have gotten to kiss Steph by now but I'll accept it if DC makes it happen this year.

-She should have gotten one final confrontation with David Cain where he comes back to life for 24 hours to remind DC of why her original run hit so hard and center her more on those themes than on being random Batgirl number 2.

five people that character never fell in love with and why

-Kon El. He's a good friend but she's a lesbian.

-Tai'darshan. He was a valuable part of helping her understand what she liked and didn't like romance wise but unfortunately he fell on the "didn't like" side in the end. Also she's a lesbian.

-Zero. He was her first fun civilian romance and while it wasn't serious it was nice while it lasted. It never would have been able to get serious though for multiple reasons. One of which being that she's a lesbian.

-Tim Drake. Shockingly being a lesbian is not the only main reason for once. Here it's also due to them being adopted siblings. While he loves Cass and was canonically mildly attracted to her at times during the early days, by the time they became adopted siblings they'd been through enough that any potential had fizzled out into pure platonic sibling menace energy.

-Harper Row. Being a lesbian is not an issue here at all actually. The issue is that in Harper's universe Cass killed her mom and in Cass's main universe she killed someone else and never met Harper until the world rebooted. Cass is not emotionally mature enough to wade through all that for a relationship. Especially when she can choose to wallow in guilt and stare awkwardly and painfully at Harper when Harper doesn't notice instead.

[geraltofriviacollection]

Chapter Eight

Paring: Geralt x Reader

Summary: Reader is thrown into the Witcher’s world. Will she survive? 

A/N: sorry that I haven’t posted anything in a while. I got a promotion at work and things have been crazy. Please enjoy this next chapter. I have not edited or proofread. Please do not repost, translate or copy my work without permission. Please leave comments! ❤️

The journey to The Temple of Melitele is a tense one. All of us are on edge for different reasons. Ciri because we wouldn’t let her kill herself. Geralt because he thinks Ciri is always hurling herself to deaths door and myself for well all of that and what’s coming next in this fucked story. The panic of what’s going to happen to Ciri comes crashing against me in waves. I know they are both picking up on my strange behavior.

Our first night away from the Witchers keep is oddly quiet. Once we have finished eating Ciri immediately settles into sleep. Something that I find out of character for her. Normally she is a chatter box full of questions, asking Geralt and I for stories. I walk over to the other side of the fire where Ciri has tucked herself into her palette.

“Are you alright? You’ve been rather quiet today.” I ask her softly as sit looking down at her young face.

“I’m fine.” She says not meeting my eyes. I narrowed my eyes at her before replying.

“Is this still about us not letting you become a Witcher?”

“No, This is about me not being able to make my own choices.” She explains finally looking at me.

“Ciri, I know why you want to sacrifice yourself so badly, but even after you will still have the guilt you feel at surviving what others did not. We want you to make your own choices. We also want you to make those choices for the right reasons.” I gently stoke back a loose piece of her hair before pressing a light kiss to her forehead. “Get some sleep.” I tell her before leaving her.

I walk back over to my spot on the other side of the fire. I stare at the flames so deeply I don’t notice geralt's return until he places a few larger sized logs he found on the fire. He comes and sits next to me while we both watch the warmth dancing in front of us.

“Is something going to happen?” Geralt ask breaking the silence. I look at him with shock and a questioning look. “I can tell now. You start behaving differently before.” He admits.

I feel that light ache as if warning me from saying too much. “Things have changed in ways that I didn’t expect and knowing but not knowing always sets me on edge.” I sigh, placing my head in my hands, rubbing my eyes with my palms. Geralt pulls my hand away from my face and I find myself staring into golden eyes that reminds me of the sun itself. He looks at me gently stroking the back of my hand with his thumb.

“ Most would have ran off by now but you are still here. Stop overthinking and underestimating your ability to handle whatever may come. You can’t let fear consume you. Ciri needs you….I need you.” He admits. His words bring heat to my cheeks.

The softness of how he looks at me makes my heart begin to pound in a new way. I swallow as my throat feels dry in the intimacy of this moment. My tongue darts out to wet my lips and his eyes dart down to catch the movement.

I take his advice and bring my lips to his before I can overthink it. My eyes close as I move my lips against his, it takes a second to realize he’s not kissing me back. As I start to pull away he places a on the back of my neck as his thumb strokes my lower jaw and he kisses me back. The kiss is full of emotion that I can’t place. His tongue darts out and licks the seam of my lips. I squeak in surprise. I feel him as he pulls away. His thumb lightly strokes over my swollen bottom lip. I open my eyes to see a strange expression on his face.

“What is it?” I ask, pulling his hand from my face.

“I may not be able to give you what you want.” He says looking down at our entwined hands. He stands and starts to pull away from me. The reasonable part knows I should let this go and never speak of this again especially because of what’s yet to come. I start to let him go but a voice whispers “He might not choose her.”

I grab him tighter, stopping him from pulling away from me. “I want you to give me what you can and I will do the same for you. Only what we can.” I emphasized,looking up at him. He pauses for what feels like a dozen beats of my heart. Then he turns back to me and looks back down at my hands before meeting my eyes.

“Only what we can.” He agrees before sitting back down next to me. Geralt grabs my hand again and we simply sit there staring into the fire.

The next day I’m consumed with the thoughts of Geralt's lips on mine and the ‘only what we can’ agreement will mean when we get to the temple. Even after Geralt's encouragement not to worry I can’t help but have some anxiety of what’s coming. The day has passed by with my being stuck in my own head. I have to force myself to tune in to the beginnings of an argument between the two of them.

“…..We were safe.” Ciri says. This is the first time I have head her speak since we left Kaer Morhen.

“The trial of grasses isn’t safe.” Geralt replies. I sigh already knowing where this conversation is going. It’s enough to make me want to throw myself off Roach just to not have to hear this argument again.

“Not Listening again.”

“You want to kill yourself trying to become a mutant so if you survive you can killl yourself trying to get revenge. Which part did I miss?” Geralt dully remarks. Ciri opens her mouth to reply, I cut her off.

“We are not starting this all over again. I feel like I can literally say what is coming next from each of you. You both make good points. I mean for goodness sakes both of you…”

Geralt pauses Roach and looks up at the trees. A small tingle runs down my spine. As the air becomes still. We continue forward reaching the lake.

“This is the shallowest part of the river. I’ll check that it’s safe to cross.”

“What do you mean safe?” Ciri ask

“I’ll try and draw it out first.” He says look out to the water.

“Draw what out?” Ciri frowns. If he could just give a little more detail on the front end I swear we could save hours worth of this.

“It’s some type of chernobog.” Geralt answers.

“I don’t know what that is.”Ciri Replies.

“I’m sure whatever the hell it is, it's not good.” I mutter under my breath. Geralt tells us to say where we are and he walks into the water. He’s only thigh deep when a monster with wings appears out of the sky. Ciri calls Geralt back as the beast nears. My heart starts pumping harder.

Geralt pushes the monster back with an invisible blow. It recovers before flying back, geralt tries to hit the beast again but only catches the foot. The thing screeches and makes a dive toward us. Geralt shouts for us to get down. I push ciri from the horse. She tumbles to the ground. I push off just as something catches the back of my right shoulder. I cry out as I finally hit the ground. Geralt shouts for us to run.

Ciri and I get up and run for cover as Geralt looks around for the monster. After a few moments Geralt motions us out from where we’re hiding. Ciri runs to roach , seeing her on the ground. The deep cuts on the end of her body from the monster. Ciri and Geralt both lean down to comfort her. I look away, tears forming in my eyes.

“Is there anything we can do?” Ciri ask. Geralt pulls a small knife. Ciri walks to me and places her head on my shoulder. I hear the sound of roach’s last breaths. I hum to ciri to cover over the sound of the knife cutting into Roach. Geralt stands, I pull gently away turning from Ciri and place a hand on Geralt's arm. He brings his large hand to cover mine.

“I think we might have a problem.” Ciri calls out a bit frantically.

“What is it?” I ask turning back to her. I grab her face turning it from side to side. Pull away and look over her. “Are you hurt?” I ask still inspecting her. She steps back from my hands and look behind me with wide eyes. I turn to Geralt. “What on earth is wrong?” I almost shout panic is rising in my throat.

“You’re injured.” He says walking up and turning me around.

“I don’t feel anything” I tell him to try to pull away.

“That’s either shock or adrenaline.” He places his hand on my right shoulder and I jolt away from him. The pain slams into me at his touch. “I think you got caught by the claws jumping from Roach.” He explains. I twitch in pain.

“Stand still.” He almost growls.

“Well now I can feel it and it hurts.” I say still squirming. He holds a firm hand on my neck and shoulder to stop me from moving as he places a bandage on it. “That will have to do for right now to slow down the bleeding.” He says tying the last knot I wince a bit. The monster screeches coming back for a second go around.

“It’s time.” Geralt says walking over to ciri. “Are you ready for this?” He asks, looking at her. Ciri nods her head saying yes and Geralt gives her instruction to go up on top of the rock. She looks at me and I nod encouragingly. She heads that way and Geralt turns back to me, pulling a small bottle from his pouch drinking the contents. The black webs form around his face and when his eyes open blackness. Has covered the golden hue I have found myself so fond of. “Stay here.” He says before stalking forward into the forest.

The beast spots Ciri from the rock and aims right for her diving down. I feel the warmth come and my skin begins to glow as the beast gets closer. I have a ball of light aimed and ready when Geralt appears from nowhere and slices through the best causing it to fall crashing to the ground. The forest shakes as the huge body lands.

We continue on our journey and my back stings in pain from the rake of the bog monster's claws. I’ve definitely slowed down the pace of the entire group. The Temple of Melitele finally comes into sight after hours of walking. I stumble as we pause to look. Geralt shoots me a look before walking over to me and placing a hand on my head then grunting. He turns me around my back facing him and I stand there looking at Ciri.

“You’re losing too much blood.” He says pulling the quickly made bandage away.

“Will she be alright?” Ciri calls out looking past me to Geralt as I hear something tear behind me and something presses against my wound. I grit my teeth at the feeling.

“I'll be fine. I’m sure the temple has talented healers that will fix me right up.” I reassure her. She comes and holds my hand in comfort. Geralt puts more pressure on my wounds I grunt. He holds it there for a minute until he begins tying things back in place. Once he finishes he moves in front of me and just stares.

“Can you make it the rest of the way?” He finally asked me. I nod my head, I start walking to prove how fine I am. Something happens behind me and I hear their footsteps join mine. A short time later Geralt scoops me into his arms.

“You can put me down. I’m fine.” I tell him quietly glancing over a Ciri who is strangely interested in the sky without clouds. I look back up at Geralt who just grunts and rolls his eyes.

“You’re slowing us down and I would like to reach the temple before night falls.” He says looking dead ahead. I start to open my mouth but he cuts me off. “This is me giving you what I can.” He leans down and whispers. My mouth closes and I settle back in his arms with pink cheeks.

@freegardenbanananeck @kas0417 @lillianacristina @mxtokko @wonderlandfandomkingdom @lovemesomuchhh @novaacanee