#ro: s

[deadend-if]

Okay look,, this was a lot longer than I planned it to be,, it was supposed to be half the length it is now, but oh well 💪😔

Anyway, I said I would post it today so here it is, the first of (possibly) many short stories. 💥💥

Santi's apprenticeship short story (under the cut)

There's nothing wrong with being a little early. Making a good impression on their mentor is more important than any discomfort from the blazing sun and honking cars. June Ko was someone Santi had been following for years, this is a dream come true. Her art style was something they always admired. The tattoos she creates move flawlessly with every curve and ridge of the body. They're bold, sharp, and elegant in a way Santi can only hope to recreate one day. The only reason they're not as nervous as they probably should be is, well, they've met her before. Evidence of their meeting is permanently etched on their body. They instinctively trace the dancing swirl of black and grey smoke that wraps around their body from shoulder blade to forearm. It weaves around a wilting bouquet of butterfly jasmine on their bicep. It cost them a pretty penny, but they don't regret a single cent.

This meeting was their first step into finally doing what they've been wanting to do for years. Even during their college years, art was the only thing on their mind. Now, after too long, they can finally prove that their fine arts minor wasn't pointless.

Santi checks their watch, sleek with brown leather and black accents. It was a graduation gift from their grandfather and about the same price as one month's rent. Santi pulled at the earrings on their left earlobe. Guilt prickles down their shoulders as they picture his disappointment, ceaseless in its haunting. He expected more, but what else was there to give?

A shout breaks their train of thought, whipping their head around at the sound of a slamming car door.

“Is that you, Vega? You're way early, dude.”

Oh, shit. Was that not right? Santi blanked for a second, thinking up a response as June leisurely made her way over. Strike one. They didn't think 10:45 was that early.

“Nothin’ better to do. Just thought I'd get a head start,” they finally respond after what feels like an eternity of June twirling her keys on her finger. They check their watch again as their new mentor unlocks the door. It's only been a minute. This day is far from over.

A bell jingles on their way in, and the first thing June does is flip on the lights. They flicker before settling into a bright, sterile white, illuminating the concrete floor and exposed brick walls. The shop is sectioned off with half-walls just past the front desk. Checkered tiles cause Santi’s boots to echo in the open space and they stand for a moment, taking it all in. They’ve been to a handful of different tattoo shops. It never gets old to see frames upon frames of art and knick-knacks stacked over the walls. The old-fashioned feel of Velvet Ink has got to be one of their favorites.

“Did you bring your portfolio? Tell me what you've been up to since we last talked.” June doesn't waste any time weaving through the lounge, grabbing a single folding chair leaning on the side of the wall beside the red leather couch. She doesn't need to look back to see if Santi is following, they trail after her like a lost puppy.

“I got it right here-” they lift their shoulder bag in emphasis, “I've been practicing on fake skin since we spoke, I have a few I wanted to show you, but they're nothing huge.”

“Wow, you're on that shit, huh? Sounds about right, knowing you.” June chuckles as she sifts through her desk. She swipes a few things into a drawer, making space for Santi's portfolio.

“Okay, hand it over. Let's see what you've added.”

“It's not that much-”

“I didn't ask how much it was, kid, I asked you to hand it over,” she retorts, tapping the table. Santi sits down in the folding chair June dragged over and begins to sift through their bag. They feel a twinge of annoyance, smothered by embarrassment. They haven't been called kid in a long time, but seeing the peppering of grey in her long black hair makes them feel a little less patronized.

Instead of responding, Santi dropped the binder on June's desk. They dug around for a few of the fake skin sheets. When they pulled it out, June took it, her thumb tracing a circle to feel the texture. She huffed in amusement but didn’t comment. It's not like they bought the expensive stuff, just a cheap machine kit, black ink, and a few sheets of fake skin. They learned only to buy the nice stuff once they could actually draw a line without ripping through the material. Having a heavy hand while sketching never bothered them, but it's a nightmare when tattooing.

“Looks good for a first attempt,” she said, breaking the silence of the empty shop. June traced a finger down some of the darker portions. She admires the piece depicting an animal skull, a bear, being carefully cracked down the middle by human fingers on either side.

“You need to be lighter in some places, but your art is beautiful. You have a real understanding of technique, but it won't transfer to the body the way you're thinking it will.”

That's high praise coming from someone as skilled as June, Santi gives her a weak smile as they tug their tongue piercing with their teeth. They spend another half an hour discussing their art with June and getting a very short lesson on how to use the transfer paper printers in the shop.

The bell rings in the front as two people walk in, nudging each other and laughing up a storm. Santi sits up straighter to get a better look. It then clicks that they both work here, their profiles are on Velvet Ink's website. The both of them have unique styles from what they can remember.

The taller one with short, choppy blonde bangs, known as Sawyer, has a neo-traditional style. They use a lot of bright colors and bold lines, their style is something Santi has never considered having a tattoo of, but they couldn't help but attempt a few neo-traditional artworks after they spent almost an hour scrolling through their social media.

The other artist dabbles in many styles, but they're popular for their watercolor tattoos. Santi thinks idly that her multicolored pastel hair makes her look exactly as her art does. What was her name again? It was a flower, that's for sure. Lily, maybe? They can't remember.

June greets the both of them as they walk in, and they cheer her name in sync.

“June! Is that your new apprentice?” Sawyer asks, B-lining it over to them.

“Yeah, Sawyer, Iris, meet Santi-” June gets quickly interrupted by who they now know as Iris.

“Woah! That’s sick, can I see that?” She leans over the half-wall, pointing to the many sheets of artwork on June’s desk.

“You alright with that, kid?”

“Yeah, go for it, some of them are kind of old though,” Santi gathers a few of their favorite pieces in their clammy hands and passes them over to Iris, they can only hope she didn’t notice them shaking. Sawyer peaks their head over her shoulder to make their own assessment at the same time, reaching over and pointing out a few details. Santi can’t see them from where they sit, so they wait (im)patiently for them to finish their appraisals.

“Huh, you took classes, didn’t you?” Sawyer has their eyebrows raised, seemingly impressed by what they see.

“I got a minor in fine art, yeah.”

“I can tell, this is some good stuff, let me know if you need a canvas-” their striking green gaze pans to the torn-up fake skin, “actually, on second thought, I’ll wait a bit longer on that.”

“Ah, I’ve got a heavy hand,” Santi responds, sheepishly tugging on their septum piercing with a wide grin.

“That's fine! You’ll just need tougher clients,” Iris jokes with a wink.

“Don’t give them any ideas, Iris. It’s their first day,” June cuts in, fondly exasperated with her coworkers.

“Just because they’re new, doesn’t mean they get any special treatment. Isn’t that right, Sawyer?” For a moment, Sawyer stares off into the distance as Iris pats their forearm with a cheeky grin. They grow quiet when June doesn’t respond right away. She looks at the practice design from earlier, something soft smooths the crow’s feet around her eyes. There’s a flutter in Santi’s stomach, making a home right below their ribcage as June traces the lines for a second time.

“You’ll get used to it, Santi. I have no doubt you’ll fit right in,” June says, and Santi can’t help but agree.

[goldendusk-if]

Who are the big spoons and who are the little spoons out of the ROs?

Amalea/Aleam Akerti

A likes being a big spoon feeling like they're doing something and wants to be ready to get up and leave if A is ever called to a meeting or something urgently.

Miyshti/Muyhid Begumei

M would rather be little spoon and the one given more cuddles and feel protected but if MC wanted to switch M would be fine with it.

Shazia/Shajibd Sheika/n

S could really go either ways just as long MC is there with them, but Shazia would prefer being Little Spoon while Shajibd would prefer being Big Spoon.

Did I do this right? I'm not entirely sure I answered this correctly...

[safehouse-if]

(Kinda NSFW)

How would the ROs react if MC gave them a full body massage in the relationship stage? Who would try to escalate things to spicy times? Who'll fall asleep lol?

Small 🌶

A: First few times a bit timid about all the intense touching. Will keep things as intended and "professional". Does not fall asleep but will get drowsy. On the other hand if MC's hands starts to wander before that... is not against getting more heated.

Eli: Loves it and the touching and the closeness. Will offer to give you one in return. But it depends on the relationship if things stay on the assage stage or go a bit further. If in a long term/committed stage, Eli will want turn things spicy as soon as appropriate.

Bob: Does not like naked times when it's not spicy time. Likes the massage gentle and nice, intimate. Will propably fall asleep about 50% of the time.

S: has a hard time accepting intense touching without it turning into something more involved. Doesn't see the need for massages if it's not spicy or not from a professional to help with the kinks in their back. hehehe, kinks

[thyfleshc0nsumed]

I think a lot of ppl don't realize that bottoming is like, an active role in sex, and like for lack of a better word, a skill

[magnecalliope]

The most important thing to Ros is being useful to others. She needs to be needed more than anything, and she will give her entire being in pursuit of this singular goal. She's also an emotionally driven person, which means that appeals to logic simply do not work on her. This is how you ended up with a Ros who is regularly offering up her life to others. She certainly has good reason to view her life as acceptable collateral to get things done; her twice over death is what finally got Clown to duel Pili, after all. If she thinks the best way to be useful to Bad is to let him kill her, then she will gladly allow it. Aimsey and Bad deal with the consequences of her mindset the most frequently because they often play devil's advocate with her belief system, but they rely on logic based arguments when they do. You cannot appeal to logic with someone who thinks with their heart. The reason Clown can convince her in a single afternoon what neither Aimsey nor Bad can over a period of weeks is because he appeals to her emotions. 

The key is not just giving her tasks to do, but to make her believe she is the only one who can fulfill those duties. You can't point to the castle alone as a reason she is needed when Bad has built a cathedral double the size of it twenty chunks away. However if you give her a task in secret, well now she's the only person who can complete that task, isn't she? Clown can't ask someone else to help him train if the only person he trusts with the task is Ros. Now she has to stay alive to help him train, because there isn't anyone else that can do it. And if you found a secret society alongside her...

What's interesting about the League of Secret Alchemists and the way it functions to give Ros reasons to live is that it isn't just Clown and his similarly emotion based reasoning that works. Sneeg also effectively communicates his need for her to live, despite being a more logic based individual. He does this by utilizing emotionally charged language to make logic based points. Above all else, Ros cares about the Kingdom, but you can't convince her of her importance by telling her the castle she built is the most significant symbol of the Kingdom. Instead you tell her that she IS the Kingdom. Now there's an association in her head that harm done to her is harm done to the Kingdom itself.

When she helps him in some way with one of his projects he praises her in an over-exaggerated way that resonates with her (calling her "my hero" for having amethyst on hand for the calibrated sensors). And because Sneeg is such an intensely private person, by drawing her into the fold of who gets to know about it and help him with it, he is making her an integral part of the process, irreplaceable to him and thus to herself as well. It's so effective he can even do this with projects that are primarily about protecting her without it triggering her guilt complex. In his desire to contribute to the Kingdom—synonymous, in Sneeg's mind, with Ros—he is giving her another way to feel needed by her closest companions.

[hadthatdreamagain]

Tbe lesbian spectum

[kalashnikovlobotomy]

vreau să zic ceva înainte să ajungem. vreau să știi că știu exact unde suntem și cine ești și că n-avem, de fapt, unde ajunge.

(i want to say something before we arrive. i want you to know i know exactly where we are and who you are and that we, in fact, have nowhere to arrive to.)

[risingsh0t]

AHHH i'm so excited to share this piece i commissioned from @sehaniine 💗 she was the absolute sweetest to work with and captured my ot3 better than i could've imagined! this is my hawke, saxa, with her love interests for each hand 😌 the details and expressions are everything to me. thank you again sooo much! highly recommend commissioning her or buying some of her art if you're able!

tag list:

@auricfog @tommyarashikage @queennymeria @silkcrows @florbelles

@leviiackrman @elvves @carrionsflower @statichvm @pinkfey

@thedeadthree @roofgeese @shadowglens @deadrlngers @adelaidedrubman

@shadowsofrose @imogenkol @loriane-elmuerto @shellibisshe @d-esmond

@inafieldofdaisies @katsigian @confidentandgood @greenecreek

[slumbrrrs]

holidays are almost over and i’ve been super duper busy so enjoy these sbr antag cookies i made last year since i never shared them here yet! (never making these again mixing the icing colors took forever)

[deadend-if]

biting the air because I adore s and kyo

i think that says a lot about me tbh but who care

It says you want a black cat friend/partner, and nothing is wrong with that 😌🙏

Glad you like S! I'm going to be posting their short story first 💥💥 (probably tomorrow)

Thanks for the ask!! :D

[goldendusk-if]

What are the ROs love languages?

Well, I haven't thought of these until this question but.....here it is:

Amalea/Aleam Akerti

Quality Time: A has always had to do stuff for others out of obligation and never had anything done for A out of just genuine care unless it was the rare family 'moments' from childhood or A's servants but even then they are paid to take care of them.

What A would really love is to run or even simply lay down in a meadow filled with flowers just chatting away A's worries with their future spouse or even just a friend.

Miyshti/Muyhid Begumei

Physical Touch: Despite M's tendency to chat away the night and day and to cause trouble M has always been rather isolated from others. Most people see M as out of reach and too far above them to be anything more than a Scion of Faith. And with that comes a rather clingy(physically) M, no matter how much M refuses to acknowledge it.

M would really enjoy just cuddling anywhere, anytime shamelessly with their spouse. Even though it's highly strange especially from someone in M's position.

Shazia/Shajibd Sheika/n

Words of Affirmation: Surrounding the mystery of S' identity lies a rather (Shazia) quiet and lonely/(Shajibd) chaotic and lonely existence. For S they have always needed to tangle their words up in nonsense and watch out their backs even when spending time with those that they consider to be at least surface-level acquaintances.

Being whispered sweet nothings or just random affirmations of feelings from their spouse will put S in a heavenly mood and get their heart racing.

[safehouse-if]

Hello author! Since it was my birthday today, I wanted to send this ask in to all my favourite blogs! How would the ROs plan for and celebrate the MC's birthday?

Happy Birthday!! 🥳🥳🥳❤️❤️❤️

A: Nice hotel getaway even if in a same city with spa treatments OR a weekend hike just the two of you in gorgeous scenery and sleeping in a tent/cabin. All alone and just the two you.

Bob: Something nice and different for a date outside then come home for takeout dinner and cake. (That way no one has to do dishes) Depending on the MC I'm thinking about going to the Zoo or a museum or a wine and paint thing, something along those lines.

Eli: Wants to throw you a big party. Will pout and sigh if that's not your thing, instead invites you over and you two can cook your favourite dinner together. He'll take care of the dishes. A surprise massage and a small 🎁 after the candlelit dinner.

S: jewellery set or something similar for you to wear. Maybe shopping trip to a designer store. That's not your thing? Too bad, because S doesn't have time to plan and organise anything special. You're lucky you even get anything.

Also, I'm one of your favourite blogs? Eek!😚

[spitinsideme]

ragatha acting like pomni doesnt give her attention 24/7 (pomni enjoys it actually, she wont admut it though !!)

(demon x nun au !!)

[captin-azoth]

BA BA BADUM BA DA~!

[art-ro-vert]

That’s a scene from this fic!

It made me laugh so hard, I had to draw it 😂

[twilight-skies]

BAIL ORGANA

BREHA ORGANA MENTION