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yestrday · 1 year ago

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: ̗̀➛ NOT THE EXCEPTION . yan! isagi yoichi / gn! reader

you were the fool for thinking that he'd be the only sane one in a team full of batshít crazy athletes. now he has you cornered, and the look in his eyes tells you that you should have never underestimated a wólf in sheép's clothing.

+ happy happy belated birthday to the love of my life bbg (who shan't be named) AND happy new year to everyone!!

( HOW DO I WRITE KISSING SCENES????, forced kíssing, dúbcon, n/sfw mentions, mánipulation, hárem mentions [bc it's not yester without a hárem] )

You don't know why you thought he was the exception.

Maybe it's because, in a team full of egoists, Isagi seemed to be the only one to treat you like his equal. Shidou drapes himself all over you and leaves you icky with his séxual comments, Rin cooly glares at you and barely acknowledges your existence, you could nearly faint at the mere glare of Kunigami, and Bachira likes to play rough with your body as he clings and begs for your attention.

That's not even the complete cast. Even people like Nagi, Reo, and Chigiri came with their own set of problems. But not Isagi. You had thought it would never be Isagi. Sure, he had a tongue and attitude on the field, parading around his victory with a smug smirk and spitting poíson at opponents and teammates alike. Yet that side of his seemed to completely disappear whenever he stepped out of the field, his prédatory gaze softening into a fond look whenever you bounded up to him to congratulate him on a well-earned victory. He never tried your boundaries or let his touch linger like the others did.

He was a gentleman through and through, and thinking that was your first mistake.

Your second mistake was being alone with him in your living room. He's still wearing that soft expression and kind smile, but his hands are gripping your wrists too tightly.

"[Your Name]." He says your name in a hushed whisper, bringing up your trembling wrist to his lips so he can press a kiss on a new bruíse. You watch with wide eyes as those plush lips touch your skin and permeate an icy feeling of doom through the veins. His gaze meets yours.

"Don't you think I did well today?"

Though your gut is telling you that something isn't right, you're still a fool smitten with the gentle image Isagi had portrayed himself to be. You find yourself slowly nodding, entranced by those blue eyes that never look away from you.

"Why do you think so?" He presses another kiss on your wrist, before loosening the bruising grip so he can trail kisses up your arm.

"... Your metavision is still as keen as ever," you whispered. The television screen is reflected in his eyes, news of Japan's newest victory flashing on the screen. You can't look away. "You expertly led the others to victory; you instigated all the right chemical reactions for the perfect shot." You lick your dry lips. "... You were amazing."

He huffs a laugh into your shoulder, massaging your bruised wrist like he wasn't the one who left that mark. "You're not echoing Ego's words, are you? I want to hear your own thoughts, not that slimy bastard's."

"M... Maybe," you admit, tense with his grip on your shoulder tightening. "I don't know much about soccer, but I meant every word. You were amazing, Isagi, you really were."

His grip softens, you're still tense, and he hums contentedly. "Right. I was amazing. I devoured every single bastard on that field and left them gasping." Your hair tickles your ear as he pushes them back. "So, don't you think it's a bit unfair?"

"... What is?"

"That I have to share my trophy with the others." His hand feels cold on your neck. "Can't I have one thing to myself? [Your Name], look at me."

You follow. He smiles that gentle smile again. He thumbs your lower lip like a lover.

"Kiss me."

You read romances all the time. They had always described it as hot, passionate, fiery. But maybe you took fiction too seriously. Real life is always different, and the ice in your veins is proof of that.

You draw closer, breath hitched, and mustering all the courage and swallowing down the unease in your heart, you press your lips on his.

There is no fire like the ones described in the books. There is a heavy pit in your stomach. Is this what they call butterflies? You tremble under the scrutinizing gaze of Isagi, eyes still open even with your lips on his. Soon, he closes his eyes too and you feel his lips smirk against yours.

Returning the kiss, he pulls you in closer and takes your everything in deeply. You can't pull away, you don't pull away. In this very moment, he's devouring everything you can offer— for now, physically; soon, mind and spirit. You wince when he bites down on your lip, not even trying to be gentle about it. You flinch backward from the pain, but his hand on the small of your back allows you no escape.

"Kiss me back, baby," he whispers between kisses. "You're my trophy for the night."

You kiss with less passion than him, too nervous about making him happy. You match the softness of his lips with yours, lapping at his tongue like how he does. He laughs when he pulls away, finding amusement in the blushy and nervous look on you.

"Gosh, you're so cute," he sighs, grinning at you. It's no longer friendly, those lips. A bit swollen from your kitten bites, the way he's smirking at you feels too... smug. "Too cute. Those bastards won't have any chance now that I've devoured you."

You gasp when his hand tightens on your hip, and you shoot him a nervous look. "I– Isagi, what are you...?"

"C'mon, [Your Name], how could you possibly not have seen it?" He chuckles. "Bargin' into the locker room every time we're half naked, in those cute shorts, and you think that not one man in that room would think about taking you on the fuckin' bench? Think, cutie. But you've always been wary of them, good thing. They think they can devour you by intimidating and belittling you? Those fuckers don't know shit."

He catches your bottom lip between his teeth and laughs at their stupidity, vibrations buzzing your lip. "First, you gotta sweeten the trap with honey, you know?"

You are reflected in those captivating blue eyes, fluorescent lights illuminating your paling features. Taking you in again, he devours your lips once again, caring only for the taste of victory on his lips and your sweet sounds on his tongue.

Another victory snatched.

#blue lock #yandere blue lock #yandere isagi yoichi #yandere x reader #isagi yoichi #blue lock x reader #yester.writes

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waffledforbreakfast · 5 months ago

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Roommate - [MUTI! BLLK X F!READER]

Staring: Rin, Shidou, Sae, Niko, Kaiser, Ness, Otoya, Karasu, Reo

[ BLLK Scenario Masterlist ]

TW: heavy ooc (I MEAN HEAVY. forgive me, it gets a bit better later chapts i swear), bad grammar, bad spelling, bad formatting, etc.

Bllk as your Roomate

>Rin

It feels like he’s never home. But he is. You two always somehow eat dinner at the same time, so you eat together. He doesn’t mind :> You ask about his day (he’s not used to people caring, is secretly happy) and he’ll tell you about all the stupid things Bachira did that day LOL

He’ll even invite you to watch horror movies with him (he tells himself it’s because he can’t finish his popcorn)

If you have extra tickets to a festival, he’ll gladly come along! (he insists it’s because it’d be a waste of tickets if he didn’t)

A/N: Imagine if he runs into bachira and isagi there LOL

>Shidou

Y’all know about his morning routine- right??

No need for an alarm, this rat is never late.

Will barge into your room without asking, and rant to you about his day

He’s a great listener though, and he’ll offer to do your makeup! (He will be sad if you say no :c)

Great relationship advice. You have no clue where it comes from

He can and will comment on your outfits

Will draw you (i love artist Shidou)

Brings you left-overs from when he goes out (unless he dragged u along LOL)

>Sae

This man wakes up early. Too early.

He’d wake you up too (accidently)

Used to order take out like everyday. Until you came along and actually cooked good meals.

The first time he just eyed your food with a blank expression. You had no idea what he wanted XD

you awkwardly offered him some, he couldn’t resist and tried it

He then said he’d pay you to cook for him

When he goes out and sees smt you might like, he’ll send you a picture and ask for your thoughts. If you take too long he’ll just buy it

Will tell you about his day (after he naps)

>Niko

Will often just knock and peak into your room to see what you’re doing for no particular reason other than wanting to check up

Runs to you after reading a new chapter of his manga

“nOOOOO THEY KILLED HIM😭” sorta vibes yk? If you’re reading the same thing, you’d have to stop him from giving your spoilers, to which he’d wait patiently for you to finish so he can rant to you

Share your theories on animes/mangas together

Can’t cook, but he’ll buy the materials if you need them :3

Please get this boy a plushie, I think he’d love it sm

Man has his earbuds in 24/7 tho ;v;

He’d come into your room to steal manga

>Kaiser

Keeps calling you Ness outta instinct

This lead to you not cooking for him anymore (you’re not too sure when you agreed to cook for him in the first place, but he just kinda expected it-)

Will complain about said food, but then apologize and beg you to keep cooking once he realized you’re serious about stopping

Asks for your opinion on a lot of things “This outfit looks good right?” “Who do you think is the best striker?” “You like milk?!?!” etc. though you’re not sure if he actually cares about your answer

Kaiser would pace, rant, and talk to himself on a (concerningly) normal basis

This man would silently fold anytime you give him a genuine compliment though

He finds your affirmations very comforting, that’s why he asks you to compliment him so often LOL

He’d often give you bread. Just- bread. He’ll come home with a bagged baguette in his hands, and give it to you with a proud smile

>Ness

This man does *everything*

Ness calls you Kaiser on instinct too

Will get on his knees and apologize when he does so

Genuinely shocked when you shrug it(the kaiser calling) off

Non-stop talking about Kaiser turns into non-stop talking about you XD

“Omg you look so pretty today :D” “Let me dry your hair for you :3” “Can I braid it?” etc.

Has no clue what to do when you ask him about his day because no one has ever asked him before

But he’ll start ranting about it, and look over at you every few seconds to see if you’re listening and if you’re ok with him going on :>

Insists on doing all the house chores (except for cooking, he likes your cooking, but’ll still do it if asked)

>Otoya

…Does anyone actually want this man as a roomie??(Me.)

Would leave a mess EVERYWHERE and is genuinely shocked when you don’t offer to clean up

The way he acts has you questioning his upbringing…

Eats all your food, brings people over constantly, probably broke a plate and didn’t bother cleaning it up

The only thing he offers in return is to make out-

His jaw drops when/if you decine

>Karasu

Watches TV in the living room typa guy (ik that’s what ur supposed to do, but let’s be honest, y’all are prob cooped up in your room reading this)

Whenever you leave your room and enter his line of vision, he just stares

It’s genuinely unsettling. So like a normal person, you stare back. You’ve now been staring at each other for 2 minutes

Any/all gifts Karasu gives are things he observed from you (ex.Favourite food, scent, show, etc.) and I’m sure you’ll do the same in return

Will message you random pics he finds funny

“[Pic of a party hat on a trash can] haha, look at this”

If you cook for him, he’ll order takeout for you

>Reo

He’s either the best roomie, or the worst-

You guys never run out of food or supplies, and always have something fun to do

He’ll take you out on the weekend to do fun stuff, and you two get along pretty well!

As long as you don’t question why he has so many toothbrushes, he’s pretty chill :>

A/N: no an :3

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airybcby · 2 months ago

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in regards to spotify wrapped, my top artist this year is hoyo-mix 😭😭😭 red velvet is a close second 👀.

may i inquire thy wisdom on which of the lads from blue lock shall you pair me with, and the scenario that shall accompany us, my good sovereign?

ask and ye shall receive!!!

if your top artist was hoyo-mix i'd pair you with...

rin itoshi

જ⁀♡⊹｡° rage beneath the mountains

♡ a/n — for my spotify wrapped event♡ - this one was hard! i don't really listen to this stuff much, but i hope it's good!

♡ content — rin itoshi x gn! reader, childhood friends, insecure rin, i think that's all!

♡ synopsis — you'd watched rin itoshi grow up in the shadow of his brother

the screen flickers as you watch the game unfold before you. the stadium roars, the ball moves faster than your eyes can follow, but none of that really matters right now. it’s rin you’re watching, his figure standing out on the field like it always has, even when you and sae were kids.

you didn’t always know rin like this. you weren’t always watching him dominate on the world stage.

you knew him as the quiet younger brother, the one who watched from the sidelines while sae took center stage. rin always seemed happy to stay in the background, his frustrations and insecurities buried beneath layers of silent rage.

you, on the other hand, had always seen the cracks in rather perfect mask.

you’d been a friend of sae’s long before rin started to draw attention.

as time passed, things changed. you and rin grew closer after sae left, and the more you got to know him, the more you saw him change from a kind and happy child to a man with a cold exterior.

one night, long before blue lock, rin had let his guard down for a moment. the two of you sat on the roof of his house, the silence comfortable, as if you both belonged there.

it was then, in a rare moment of honesty, you told him something you knew he needed to hear.

“your brother will never be you, rin,” you’d said softly, your voice almost a whisper.

sae itoshi was your friend, yes, but with rin, everything felt simpler and easier. sae was amazing, but in your eyes he'd never have the sincerity that rin harbored.

at the time, you didn’t think much of it. it was a truth you could see clearly, even if no one else around him ever said it. rin had always lived in sae’s shadow.

his entire existence seemed like it was about proving that he was more than just the younger itoshi.

but rin, being rin, never responded.

he didn’t need to. you could see it in his eyes—the quiet relief, like he had never heard that before. like he needed to hear that more than anything.

now, as you watch him on the screen, scoring goal after perfect goal, that old feeling stirs in your chest.

you’ve spent years pretending to forget, pretending you’ve moved on from everything—everything—but watching rin play, watching him stand apart the way only he can, makes that old ache resurface.

there’s a part of you that wonders if he remembers those words. wonders if they still linger in his mind, especially now.

but as you watch him from afar, part of you wonders if he has truly moved on. the man on the field now is not the boy you knew. the boy who once confided in you, the boy who was still figuring himself out, who had doubts and dreams that didn’t involve his brother’s shadow.

that boy is buried beneath this polished, calculated version that has perfected the art of winning. but you still see it...the rage under the surface that only shows itself when he’s cornered.

the camera zooms in on his face after another flawless goal, his expression blank, calm and collected. but you see the flicker.

the tiny crack in his mask.

the man who no longer lets anyone close enough to see it.

you never wanted to be like the rest. you never wanted to stand on the sidelines, applauding the man he’s become when the boy you knew still aches inside him.

as you sit there, watching him achieve everything he set out to do, you realize something.

rin doesn’t need your encouragement anymore. he’s become something entirely different—something unstoppable.

and as the game rages on, so does the storm beneath the public facade. you wish you could tell him that you still see him.

but he’s long past needing you for that now.

to the world, he may have been the younger itoshi, but to you...he was just rin.

i wrote this at like midnight last night after a full day of school, so i hope it's okayish.

i hope you like it!

likes, comments, and reblogs are appreciated!

#★ · airybcbyy #airy posts #rin itoshi x reader #rin itoshi #blue lock #bllk #bllk x reader #rin bllk #rin itoshi bluelock #blue lock x reader #rin x reader

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kitorin · 2 years ago

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how they react when they catch you simping for a fictional character

pairings. shidou ryusei x gn!reader, itoshi rin x m!reader, mikage reo x gn!reader (separate)

contents. crack, smau, a sexual joke and a half (it's just ryusei being ryusei) shinonome akito slander (I'M SORRY I PROMISE I LOVE HIM BUT RIN DOESN'T), exposing my taste in men, written all in lowercase, spoilers for sounds of a summer event (project sekai)

a/n. i thought of this bc i questioned if i liked rin or akito more 😭, and sorry for rin's being so long since i had the most ideas for him :>. i also have no confidence with crack so please bear with me and it's my first smau

shidou ryusei - seong taehoon (how to fight / viral hit)

when he caught you gawking at the new viral hit chapter, taehoon specifically, he immediately joined you (as he should)

he straight up yelled "smash" at that one scene where taehoon's snacking and he's wearing a tight shirt so you can see all of his muscles

he begs you to re read the series with them, and now you two read each update every week together, fully engaged in the story and taehoon's abs

attempts to recreate all of taehoon's kicks (i headcanon that does taekwondo and has a black belt :>), proudly shows them off to you, with a huge grin on his face (please fawn over him too)

also extensively practices so he can show them off by incorporating them into soccer somehow (doesn't matter if it ain't practical he just wants to impress you), and if he ever has to use them on anyone making you uncomfortable

he probably has a folder in his gallery dedicated to every panel he loves (which is basically all) and recreates his absolute favs (with you as his photographer)

makes a lot of jokes about being in love with taehoon (so do you), but he'd stop them if they made you uncomfortable, and reassures you that a drawing can't compare to how sweet, amazing and perfect you are

honorable mentions to baek seongjun being his second favourite

wants you to do taekwondo as well cause now he has a thing for it after discovering taehoon

"i swear to god men who do taekwondo and can actually fight are so hot,"

"isn't that you?"

"... you don't agree with me...?"

"no you have a brilliant point"

itoshi rin - shinonome akito (project sekai)

during the sounds of a summer festival event you spent so much time glued to your phone, full combo-ing literally every hard, expert, and master song you possibly could, leveling up all character ranks, sacrifice countless of hours of sleep (if it's for akito it's very much worth it), and even contemplate spending money

you even tweeted about how badly you need him

rin notices the bags under your eyes, and the lack of sleep you had been getting, he's worried and when he asks you you're too focused on the event story to even register what he says, as you're on the brink of sobbing at young akito and ena

he observes as well, and immediately is jealous of how much of your attention this fictional character was receiving from you

as you're about to spend another few hours grinding, he stops you

"dumbass you need to sleep, and give your eyes a break"

"no i don't, i need summer festival akito,"

"who and what?"

soon you're rambling on how much akito's backstory and struggles already hurt, and how wholesome yet painful the event story was, with akito quitting soccer and ena encouraging him to give music a try, and it only nurtures rin's envy

"you're going to cry for a ginger guy who quit soccer and started his ambition because of his older sister? how lukewarm,"

"yes i am?? and he looked cute as a child and now he's a pretty boy with the best vocals. their event cards are beautiful too i need them. didn't you start soccer because of sae anyways?"

"tch"

"rin... are you jealous?"

"... no, i just don't get what you see in this idiot. i never quit soccer when it got hard and i know how to persevere, i don't give up, i don't experience despair when someone's better than me-"

"so you're jealous,"

"no"

"rin you always have and always will be my number 1. akito can't do anything you've done for me, and can't even compare to how pretty you are,"

"damn right,"

despite being salty, he still installs the game to read the stories, out of pure curiosity and wants to understand what kind of stuff you like

he ends up adoring ena and akito's relationship (the supportive part only ofc), as well as tsukasa and saki's (and secretly wishes sae was as affectionate as shizuku since she reminds him of sae in the past)

you do not shut up when you seem him struggle with hitorinbo envy on master

"I THOUGHT YOU SAID AKITO WAS LUKEWARM,"

"he is, i was just curious why you liked the stories so much,"

"YOU SPENT EVERY FREE CRYSTAL ON THE FIND A WAY OUT EVENT AND NOW GRINDING FOR MORE,"

"... i want his boyfriend"

"YOU READ THE MAIN STORY TOO ?! and you don't need touya you have me"

"THAT'S HOW I FELT ABOUT AKITO,"

"YOU FEEL INFERIOR TO A LUKEWARM GINGER?"

mikage reo - kang tae moo (business proposal)

he heard you squealing at a scene of tae moo getting flustered after sunghoon suggested his feelings for hari

he thought that you were having a heart attack and thought something was wrong

reo doesn't even need the show's context to be invested immediately, as he joins you and watches with great interest

after seeing you simp over tae moo, in secret, he binge watches the rest of the series in attempt to mimic any romantic scenes

full on posts the "do you know what my credit card and my love for y/n have in common? they simply have no limit" on his not very private twitter account, and it leaves you flustered by all the comments saying how lucky you are and their jealousy

deletes any comment revealing the source of that line (silently apologises to the writer(s) and credits ahn hyo seop for its brilliant execution)

little does he know nagi made a tweet exposing him

also recreates other cute scenes from the show, and starts looking for more kdramas to watch and recreate (still gets fully absorbed in the plot and dialogue)

innocently smiles when you realize he's just a kang tae moo copycat

"i didn't copy him i'm the inspiration behind him, rich, smart, pretty and utter perfection,"

"i can't deny the second part... i can't believe nagi's seen business proposal,"

"wait what?"

©kouyun : do not repost, plagiarize, change, or translate

#blue lock #blue lock x reader #blue lock x you #blue lock x y/n #shidou ryusei #shidou ryusei x reader #itoshi rin x reader #itoshi rin x male reader #blue lock x male reader #itoshi rin #mikage reo #mikage reo x reader #mikage reo x you

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enigmaticexplorer · 1 year ago

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Writing Advice: Third Person Point of View - The Problem with Head-Hopping

A personal pet peeve in fanfic—and even some published books, unfortunately—is an author head-hopping.

I understand that not everyone learned about writing point of view in primary school, and many fanfic writers are new to writing and might not even realize they're writing head-hopping.

So, this post is an educational means for those who are interested in learning how to improve their writing.

I'm going to give a quick overview of point of view, a breakdown of third person point of view, and how to spot head-hopping in your writing.

What Is Point of View?

Point of view (POV) is the perspective (voice) from which a story is narrated.

There are three POVs.

First person

Second person

Third person

Third Person: Limited vs. Omniscient

In third person POV, the author is narrating the story through third-person pronouns (she, he, they).

Third person POV is subdivided into two categories: third person limited and third person omniscient.

Third Person Limited

In third person limited, the narrator is an external observer who knows the thoughts and feelings of ONE character at a time.

Here's an example from R.F. Kuang's, The Poppy War, page 341:

The Cike were stretched to their limit, especially Rin. Each moment not spent on an operation was spent on patrol. And when she was off duty, she trained with Altan.

Note that this paragraph—the entire book, actually—is from Rin's POV. We have access to Rin's feelings, thoughts, and observations throughout the book, while also seeing how other characters are acting.

But we are only in Rin's head. We do not have access to the thoughts and feelings of other characters. This is third person limited POV.

Third Person Omniscient

In third person omniscient, the narrator is an all-knowing observer who has access to the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of ALL characters in the story.

Here's an example from Jane Austen's, Pride and Prejudice, page 104:

As they drove to Mr. Gardiner’s door, Jane was at a drawing-room window watching their arrival; when they entered the passage she was there to welcome them, and Elizabeth, looking earnestly in her face, was pleased to see it healthful and lovely as ever.

Notice how we have access to both Jane and Elizabeth's 1) physical locations, and 2) thoughts. Even though Elizabeth is in a carriage and Jane is inside a house, the narrator is all-knowing and can narrate both of them at the same time.

The problem I see from many fanfic writers: they attempt to write in third person omniscient when they're actually writing shoddy third person limited, constantly switching between the POVs of multiple characters.

This is called head-hopping.

Head-Hopping vs. Omniscient

Head-hopping is when an author shifts between the POVs of multiple characters without a scene break. Meaning, the author is inside Character A's head but abruptly—and randomly—shares the thoughts, feelings, and/or observations of Character B.

Here's an example:

Kathy arrived at the cafe in hopes of showing Brittany her completed sweater. It was the first time she had knitted and she was eager to share her hard work with her best friend. Brittany took one look at the sweater and cringed. She hated it, but she didn't want to hurt Kathy's feelings. She didn't know what to say.

In this example, we are inside both Kathy and Brittany's heads. Both characters have distinctive voices, and because of this, the narration of the story is inconsistent.

It's jarring to read, and pulls you out of the story.

Here's the same example written through omniscient POV:

Kathy arrived at the cafe with the intent to show Brittany her completed sweater. After hours of hard work, the opinion of her best friend was important. At Kathy's approach, Brittany observed the sweater in her friend's hand and wrinkled her nose. The sweater was hideous.

In this example, we are inside the head of the narrator. The narrator is telling the story through its voice, rather than the individual voices of Kathy and Brittany.

Remember: Omniscient means the reader is inside the NARRATOR's head, not the characters'.

The Scene Break to Denote POV Switch

Back to my definition of head-hopping: Head-hopping occurs when a writer suddenly switches POV without a scene break.

Like the first example of Kathy and Brittany—there is no scene break between their thoughts. If the author wanted to write from both Kathy and Brittany's perspective, the author would have to include a physical break to alert the reader to a switch in POV. See below:

Kathy arrived at the cafe in hopes of showing Brittany her completed sweater. It was the first time she had knitted and she was eager to share her hard work with her best friend. ~~~~~~~~~~ Brittany took one look at the sweater and cringed. She hated it, but she didn't want to hurt Kathy's feelings. She didn't know what to say.

The squiggly lines demonstrate a switch in POV, and the scene would then continue in Brittany's POV. [Please note that a single paragraph space (as seen in the first example of Kathy and Brittany) is not a scene break. It is a paragraph break, and therefore cannot be used to demonstrate a switch in POV.]

You can write multiple POVS throughout a story. These will all be in third person limited POVs.

For example, each chapter in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series is dedicated to ONE character. Throughout that chapter, the reader is inside the head—reading the thoughts, feelings, and observations—of that singular character.

Individual chapters can also have multiple POVs (again, these are third person limited POVs). These are denoted by a divider or additional paragraph space.

For example, Timothy Zahn's Thrawn switches between the POVs of multiple characters in each chapter. The switch between his characters' POV is shown by an additional paragraph space.

Why Should You Care about Head-Hopping?

If writing head-hopping makes you happy, then keep at it. It's fanfic, and most readers are so desperate for content they don't care.

But, if you're interested in improving your writing, here are a few reasons why head-hopping is problematic:

It's jarring to the reader, and takes them out of the story. Frequent head-hopping can confuse readers as they struggle to keep track of whose perspective they are currently experiencing. It disrupts the flow of the narrative and can make it challenging for readers to form a strong connection with any one character.

It makes it harder for readers to truly immerse themselves in your story. Consistent use of a single POV allows readers to immerse themselves in the story's world through the eyes of a specific character. Head-hopping disrupts this immersion by constantly pulling readers out of one character's perspective and into another's.

It hinders character development. When the narrative constantly shifts between characters, there may not be enough time or focus on any one character's growth and development.

It takes away the emotional impact of the scene. Head-hopping can prevent readers from fully empathizing with or understanding any particular character's emotions, motivations, and inner conflicts.

Even well-established authors struggle to write omniscient without head-hopping. It's a nuanced subject that can be confusing to understand and difficult to overcome.

Again, this post is simply to inform writers about third person point of view and the subtle differences between its subdivisions. It’s not an attack on fanfic writers.

#writing advice #writing tips #writing fanfic #point of view #third person pov #omniscient pov #head-hopping #limited pov

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vertiny · 27 days ago

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as 2024 comes to a close, we take time to reflect on it.

i was able to make new friends, i was able to strengthen the bonds with current friends, i was even able to create with friends. 2024 was a year full of ups and downs, and plenty of moments with my head in my hands, but hopefully, it's a year i can look back on and be happy with. i laughed, i cried, i screamed, i joked, i overcame fears, i did a lot of things. i'm a sappy person, but yet, i find it hard to describe all the emotions i felt this year.

either way, thank you all for being a part of my 2024, and i can't wait for us to explore 2025 ♡

now onto the truly sappy part, i love you my friends 🤍

the hhu wives; mary (@chwedout) bec (@storyoflight) and alex - my true ride or dies… god i don’t think i could've gotten through a good portion of this year without you guys, so thank you for that and for being there for me. you three have been pillars of my time here and i love being able to be a part of your time here too, being able to see you explore your interests and what you create. fr hope one day we can all meet up and go to that svt concert. i love you guys sm ♡

viv (@innielove) - my wiv, my wife !! you've fr kept me sane so many times this year 😭 you've been there through all my ups and downs, had to put up with my annoying ass “what do we think?” photoshop questions, and my questionable decisions with my time management. we’ve celebrated together, we've raged together, we've (joked about) gaming together (one day we will sdv together), we've cried together. i can't wait to see what mischief and bullshittery we get up to. you're (unfortunately) stuck with me, my forever point and laugher teammate ♡

rin (@leedonghun) - my rinlove ! truly one of my favouritest people on this app (and in this world). you're my (almost) birthday twin<3 i truly hope the coming year is kind to you. but as for this year? thank you for being with me. thank you for being there any time i needed someone to talk to. thank you for being so kind and open and loving to me. you are one of the sweetest people i’ve truly had the pleasure of knowing, and i’m always carrying you in my heart ♡

anne (@applejongho) - anne ! my literal twin from the other half of the world !! y’know it’s wild to me that we’re friends now bc you were such a big blog in my eyes for atiny, like, i was just waving from afar? but now !! all the shenanigans and tomfoolery is ours (menace!yeosang dot png) you’re such a wonderful person, and i genuinely get so much joy from our friendship and our conversations. i’ll make sure to keep two joker costumes on standby for us should we ever need them 😉 thank you for being such a kind and loving and amazing friend to me, you are stuck with me now sorry (not sorry) ♡

anna (@lavandulacosmos) - anna !! you are truly one of the sweetest people i’ve ever met !! you bring so much kindness in every interaction i’ve had with you and i almost always leave a conversation with you laughing. you are also so talented, your drawings are so detailed and cool and have so many callbacks hidden within. you truly are atzsource’s government assigned yunho. i’ll always have a second shovel on standby for us when the teezers act up and we need graves. thank you for being so kind and encouraging for all my ideas and tangents ♡

ann (@seonghwacore) - ann ! you are one of my favourite enablers. you also enjoy my stupid ideas (aka thank you for shopping at vertiny) and that’s plenty enough for me. you’re such a creative force, even if you haven’t had much time / much want recently to create, but i am always in love with your content, no matter what it is. it’s always fun (affectionate) to see the shinestar in you break out bc it’s so understandable. thank you for being silly with me ♡ (my eldritch being says hello to akira btw)

jules (@gymleader) - jules !! genuinely one of my favourite memories of the year was properly introducing you to onlyoneof and your reactions to it bc #real. i think we also fr need to yap about kingdom hearts together bc you get it and we deserve it !!! you’re always down to talk about anything and everything, so it’s always fun having conversations with you and i hope we can have more in the coming year ♡

linnea (@excitingsound) - linnea !! you’ve always been so kind and understanding, and i’ve had so much fun getting to know you and be in these fandom spaces with you. i hope you enjoyed diving into tbz and their music. you’ve been a powerhouse in keeping the net steady and keeping up to date with it, and i’ve always enjoyed our conversations, i can’t wait to keep getting to know you more ♡

shine (@yngseung) - shine !! it’s been so wonderful to reconnect with you this year and get to keep getting to know you. you were one of my first verrer mutuals and i always loved how beautiful your gifs were (still are) and i still like to look back on those as if looking back on photos in a photo album. it’s been fun to get to know you more, talk games with you, concert experiences (still holding out hope for that possible day6 concert !!) and come to understand that we’re on the opposite ends of hot and cold 😭 but fr, thank you for reaching back out to me and wanting to be my friend. i look forward to getting to know even more next year ♡

merry christmas, happy holidays, happy new year, i hope the year is kind to us all, and i can't wait to see what 2025 brings us ♡

#sarah talks #goodbye 2024 #take two now that it's actually DONE

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lumiambrose · 6 months ago

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Blue lock matchup for @hidden-oracle

I ship you with…

Rin Itoshi

hear me out hear me out… while rin could rock the extrovert x introvert trope, i think introvert x introvert suits him much better.

mans does not need someone as loud as shidou shouting in his ear 24/7. which is why he loves you so much. you guys definitely match each others energy; quiet, attentive and passionate.

honestly, i think rin would be completely fine with your autism and anxiety. he certainly understands that different people have different difficulties and stuff that they’re going through so he’s very understanding.

althoughhhh you gotta give this guy some time to adapt. rin has only had rivals in his life so he’s like a lost kitten when it comes to comforting a friend, or better yet, a lover.

rin is a good learner though. give him some time and communicate a bit and he’ll have it down quickly. need a hug? he’ll definitely pretend to hate it but he could hug you for hours. want to go home? he’s already called an uber.

basically rin is the perfect boyfriend.

but this guy has his own issues too. poor boy is still scarred from his brother so him opening up to you could take a while.

he’s never had anyone to hold so close to him. but once he’s able to open up to you? this man wouldn’t leave you for the world. especially knowing you’re just as scared as him.

oh and his hugs? the best. now in public he won’t hug you, but god he loves it when you hug him. like yes, show everyone how good you two look together.

he’ll definitely pretend to hate it for the first few seconds but you swear it looks like he’s sulking if you try to pull away.

hold his arm while you two are walking together. he loves it.

and in private? my god he matches your energy 100%. he will not leave your side. being alone together is the only time you’ll ever wonder if he’s more touchy than you.

honestly, you two don’t even need to be talking to each other. your presence is enough for rin.

while mans definitely loves to spoil you and take you out on nice dates, sitting on the couch together while you read and he analyzes his matches is almost just as good for him.

now as to how you two even got together? i’d say you met at a cafe. it was a busy day and as there was no space left other than on your table, so he sat there.

now none of you actually said something (god forbid human conversation). althoughhh you thought he was pretty enough to sketch and spent your time drawing him.

of course he noticed (he didn’t seem to mind it) and before he left he scribbled his phone number on your sketchbook and asked you to send him pictures of your sketches.

and that’s how a cute ass couple is born.

he reacts the same to your chaotic behavior as he does with pda. he pretends to hate it. he really tries. but alas he can’t hide the smile that pierces his lips.

the fact that you can keep him on his toes and keep things interesting has him in awe.

horror movie marathons. he loves horror. you love horror. you at least spend one evening per week binging your favorite scary movies.

he’ll also play horror games with you if you ask nice enough :p

personal favorite of mine but the HEIGHT DIFFERENCE? ugh… i love it.

5’1 and 6’1? yes. he’s over a head taller than you and thinks it’s hilarious.

definitely puts stuff on the top shelf so you have to call him to get it for you

as you said you’re quite observant. rin definitely values your opinion on his plays and matches. even if you don’t know much about football, he’ll take your words into account and discuss them with you.

sometimes after his matches, you two will sit together on the couch with some popcorn and analyze the match together. (peak quality time)

i may have written quite a lot for this one… :p

what can i say? i really enjoyed writing your matchup. i hope you like it! <3

#bllk x reader #blue lock #blue lock x reader #bllk headcanons #bllk #bllk imagines #blue lock headcanons #blue lock matchup #matchups #matchup exchange #ambrose.matchups

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rainbowfoxes · 1 year ago

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Yet Another IDW TMNT Theory: The Mystery of Donnie's Kids

Since the existence of Donnie's kids were first hinted at in #139, I have been foaming at the mouth about them. I adore turtle tots with my whole entire soul, so to say I was happy to have them confirmed in #146 is an understatement.

However, as we get closer and closer to #150 without seeing hide nor hair (or rather, shell nor mask) of these turtles, I become more and more insane about them and concerned that we will never see them at all, given the impending relaunch. I've got some Thoughts about these kids and since none of my friends read IDW TMNT, I'm going to inflict them upon you, the general public.

What are you even talking about, anyways?

For those of you who don't know, IDW! Donnie was recently confirmed to have kids in issue #146

[Image ID: Two panels from IDW TMNT #146. A young/current Donatello speaks with an elderly Leonardo. Their conversation is as follows: Leo: You created your children, and you left. Donnie: What? My Children?! Leo: Ah... I've said too much already. It's still hard for me to talk about. Donnie: I'm sorry, but... Is my future self still alive in this time period? Leo: Yes. He Lives in a Tower west of here, near Venus and Bludgeon's Aura Clan training grounds. :End Image ID]

These children were first hinted at in issue #139, during a vision Donnie had

[Image ID: A full page from IDW TMNT #139. Donatello holds a meditative hand sign with deep concentration as he sees four visions. The first is a vision of his past life as a human boy. The second is a vision of how he and Venus are connected through her having parts of his shell. The third is a vision of him looking into a tank containing four small turtles. The fourth is him in a cloak, holding a staff in one hand and small stick emitting some sort of energy in the other. In the air and on the ground around him are drawings of mutant turtles. behind him are three mutant turtles we've never seen before. There is a short monologue in text boxes scatter across the page. The text boxes read: "The lives you touch all have their own pasts and futures, and these are part of you, as well. And, in turn, your past and future are part of them. It is an eternal cycle. This is what the tenth cut represents. It is the whole." :End Image ID]

Now we don't know ANYTHING about these kids besides the fact that they exist. But there's enough hints available to us that I've come up with some Theories...

(Theories below the cut, to save you the long scroll)

Theory One: Donnie's Kids were Created Via Magi-Science

This one I'm pretty confident in. In #139 we see Donnie holding that weird looking stick. But this isn't the first time we've ever seen it! It actually first appeared in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game — Alliance #4. Donnie, having been messing around with time manipulation, ends up in the future.

[Image ID: Two panels from IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game — Alliance #4. On the far left is a fully body image of a much older Donatello. He is wearing a ragged cloak and various mystical-looking accessories. In his right hand he carries a staff with some sort of skull strapped to the top. In his left hand he carries a small stick with a glowing crystal attached to the end. He is saying "... Before my memory is wiped of all of it." Behind him is a larger panel, set inside his workshop / wizard tower. It features a close up of old Donatello contemplating his stick, which now appears to resemble a pencil. Hiding in the background, young Donatello looks on, whispering "It's me." :End Image ID]

But more importantly, we see the stone on that stick even earlier! It's part of Donnie's Gofu, an amulet he made back in #132 with crystals from the thin place to help him channel mystic energy.

[Image ID: Two panels from IDW TMNT #132. In the top panel, Donatello contemplates a glowing green crystal. To the right, a textbox reads "Rin, the first cut, is 'strength' and 'confrontation.'" In the bottom panel, there is a multifaceted glowing green crystals wrapped neatly in what appears to be some sort of vine or twine. To the right, a textbox reads "It is courage and steeling oneself for what will be confronted." :End Image ID]

And in IDW TMNT #135 — which takes places before Alliance #4 — we see Donnie experimenting with some of the crystals. Most notably, we see it attach to a pencil on his desk.

[Image ID: A page from IDW TMNT #135. It depicts Donatello in his workshop, tinkering with his gauntlet and adding pieces of his mystic crystal into it. A small chunk attaches itself to the eraser of his pencil. Swirls of energy curl off the various chunks to twist around his outstretched hand. As he is working, he is speaking into a tape recorder. His monologue is as follows: Donatello: After cutting the thin place crystal into sections, the gauntlet installation is much smoother. The energy of the crystal fragments — I hesitate to say magic, maybe arcane energy is better? — is successfully powering Dr. Lilja's gauntlet, but it's inefficient. Until I can determine where the crystal's power actually comes from, I won't know what limits this energy has, both physical and temporal. In any case, it's a very promising start, and I hope whatever I can create with these materials... will be enough to protect my family, friends, and community. Seri, off page: Donatello? :End Image ID}

So you might be asking: What's so important about these dang crystals?

I'm glad you asked!

Way back during Mirage Vol. 1, the very first Micro-series came out. Donatello's book was a story called "Kirby and the Warp Crystal." In it, Don meets April's downstairs neighbor, an artist named Kirby (in honor of the late great Jack Kirby). Kirby has a magic crystal that, when strapped to his pencil, makes whatever he draws become real, but only for a short time before they disappear.

That in-of-itself gives credence to the theory that Donnie drew up his children, but wait, there's more!

Mirage Vol. 4 #22 it's revealed that April is a living drawing herself. After being unable to conceive a second child, her father found the crystal and discovered it's magical properties. First attaching it to a pencil, he drew up a bouncing baby girl, who disappeared after a short period of time. He tried several more times before giving up. But he had one last idea — he strapped the crystal to a pen and drew the baby one more time. And she remained real, growing into the April we know today.

So, not only is it possible to create life with the crystal, it's possible to create permanent life with it. And it's not just the Mirage crystal, either! in Alliance #4, we see old Donatello draw up his family so he can say goodbye to them.

[Image ID: Two panels from IDW Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Armageddon Game — Alliance #4. In the top panel, old Donatello draws ghostly green images of his family onto a blank white background using a pencil with a glowing green crystal attached. In the bottom panel, he addresses the drawings of his family morosely, "Hey, guys." :End Image ID]

So knowing what we do, we can conclude that magic was definitely involved in the creation of the Donnie-Spawn. However, I do not believe it's the only factor. For one, these drawings of his family are generally lifeless and disappear quickly. For two, We did see him looking at those baby turtles, and there were all those drawings in that vision, too...

I posit that Donnie did his preliminary designs on paper, then used magic to mutate his children from ordinary turtles. It has a nice circularity to it, I think, considering Donnie's own origin as an animal test subject.

Also of note is that Sophie Campbell once said that she wanted to make a turtle character that was a drawing come to life but for the life of me I cannot find the source on that.

Theory Two: One of Donnie's Kids is Artemisia

This one is really just me going

[Image ID: The "I've connected the two dots." "You didn't connect shit." "I've connected them!" Meme from Buzzfeed: Unsolved. :End Image ID]

But I like it and you can't prove me wrong (yet).

In IDW TMNT #117, we get a shot of what the future Splinter Clan will look like.

[Image ID: A page from IDW TMNT #117. Along the bottom, the six core members of the Splinter Clan observe a portal haloed in sparking blue energy that shows them a glimpse of the future. The image shown to them is a camp set up in a desert. There is a small waterfall and what appears to be a Japanese maple tree in the background, as well as the ruins of skyscrapers to the right. The clan and their various allies are there, along with new members we haven't met yet. Despite the rough conditions, everyone looks happy. :End Image ID]

At the top left, sitting on a balcony, there is a mutant turtle. She has a bow and pink face paint. Her name is Artemisia — her name is not mentioned in the comic, of course, but we know this thanks to Sophie Campbell's presence here on Tumblr and the website formerly known as Twitter.

Notable about Artemisia is that she's the ONLY turtle in that glimpse into the future we haven't met yet.

I'd also like to draw attention back to the panel from #139:

[Image ID: A panel from IDW TMNT #139. It is framed in wispy purple smoke, indicating it's part of a vision. in the center foreground, Donatello stands wearing a dark cloak. In his right hand he carries a staff with a bird's head on it, in his left a short stick with a crystal emitting a magic aura attached to it. Behind him stands 3 mutant turtles. In the air above them and on the ground below them are drawings of mutant turtles. :End Image ID]

That turtle in the middle reads female to me. They have a more feminine shape language — wide hips and a slim waist, softer facial features, and the impression of wearing a skirt and crop top.

Plus the naming scheme fits. Artemisia is named for Renaissance artist Artemisia Gentileschi — it would not be out of line for Donnie to name his kids in a similar manner to how he and his brothers were named.

And that's about it for this one, really. The only "extra" turtle we have is a girl, one of the Donnie-Spawn reads feminine, ergo Artemisia = Donnie-Spawn.

I will not be upset in the slightest if this is not the case; the more turtles the merrier if you ask me!

Other Interesting Information

There was once a TMNT TTRPG called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness. One of it's expansions, Road Hogs, included a small comic set in a post apocalyptic future that featured old man! Raph with three students he all calls Mike (I am SO NORMAL about that fact, I promise). This is likely the inspiration between the old man! Raph we've been seeing in the current arc, as well as potential inspiration for the Donnie-Spawn. Sophie Campbell is a fan of the TTRPG turtles, and even drew them herself. It would not be impossible for her to have drawn inspiration from there.

Sophie Campbell also created another turtle for the group shot in #117. His name is Kirby, but he didn't make the final cut. His name is clearly a reference to Jack Kirby (tin-foil hat time: which could be a link to the Mirage Donatello Micro-Series story). There's another scrapped turtle named Kirby (again, for Jack Kirby), who was going to be in the would-be fourth TMNT movie who could also be a source of inspiration. He was dimensional traveler. Make of that what you will.

Fero Pe's designs for the Donnie-Spawn remind me of the new turtles from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin — The Lost Years. Particularly, the one on the far left is rather large like Odyn, and the one on the right is tall and slim, a bit like Uno. Considering IDW TMNT #139 came out in April of 2023, and the first issue of The Lost Years came out in January of 2023, it's possible that this is a result of synergy at the office — artists taking inspiration from each other.

Donnie being spiritual/magical isn't entirely out of left field. In Rick McCollum's "Donatello: The Ring" and "Twilight of the Ring" stories, Donnie proves to be very spiritual. I believe it also makes sense specifically in this context, because the crystal has always been heavily associated with him, even after the reveal of April's true origins. It'd be Odd to give the Kirby Crystal to anyone else, and having him use it to create his children is a nice homage to the original. Which also — it didn't come up in the main post, but old Donatello leaves a note for himself that reads "Life at best is bittersweet." This itself is a callback to "Kirby and the Warp Crystal" as Kirby leaves Donnie a note reading the same thing just before his death.

Donnie's design as an old man could possibly be a reference to the character Tsou-T'an-Jin from the TMNT/ Wild West C.O.W.-Boys of Moo Mesa crossovers, being an elderly, mystically inclined turtle. That would be a bit of a stretch, I think, but it's not off the table.

Unanswered Questions

How many kids does Donnie have? We see four turtles in the tank, but only three mutants. For there to be a "true" next-gen, there should be four (potentially five, if you include Jennika, or even six if we consider Venus) turtles. If Lita is included in the count, there could be three Donnie-Spawn, which would be in line with one of their potential sources of inspiration the TTRPG turtles. But there were four turtles in the tank Donnie looks at, and why wouldn't he make a "full set," so to speak? Were there four at one point, and something happened to the fourth?

Where are they? We only see Artemisia in the group shot from #117, and Leo is not specific about what happened to the kids after Donnie left, and that conversation takes place after that group shot. Where are the others? What happened to them?

Why did Donnie make them? We don't know why, exactly, Donnie made them. We just know they exist. Does he make them because he was told by future!Leo that they exist? Because he wants children? Because he's lonely? For some larger purpose?

PLEASE talk at me about IDW turtles. Do it in the reblogs, send me an ask, messenger pigeon, smoke signals — l do not care so long as it's about IDW turtles. Tell me your theories, argue with me about MY theories, I do not care. I am chewing on my own arms for lack of people to talk IDW TMNT with.

#TMNT #teenage mutant ninja turtles #IDW TMNT #tmnt donatello #future donatello #idw donatello #turtle tots #tmnt donnie #idw donnie #future donnie #tmnt comics #donatello #my post #meta #PLEASE TALK TO ME ABOUT IDW TMNT #or Mirage TMNT I'm not picky so long as it's comics

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twin-azure-dragon-wave · 2 months ago

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The Complete History of Tenseiga - Part 2

Continued from Part 1

Chapter 129-131

After his latest defeat at the hands of his brother, Sesshomaru is in an extremely weakened state and is left to recover in a forest near a human village.

The humiliation of being taken down by Inuyasha probably stings worse than any of the physical injuries.

While he convalesces, he meets a mute, orphan girl named Rin who attempts to care for him. Due to the extent of his injuries, Sesshomaru is barely able to move and thus has to deal with the unwanted attention after he fails to scare her off.

Sesshomaru: Are those gluten-free?

Despite his refusal to accept her help and his insistence that she mind her own business, Rin continues to visit him during his recovery. When she returns one day with bruises on her face, it sparks Sesshomaru's curiosity and he asks her how she got them. This a significant moment in his character development since it's the first time he's ever been shown expressing concern about another person. It also demonstrates that Rin's persistence has has paid off and has had an actual impact on him.

This simple inquiry about her bruises raises Rin's spirits and she responds by smiling at him. Which—completely baffles him, as in addition to asking about another's well-being, it's clear that being smiled at is also something Sesshomaru is not remotely accustomed to.

I wanted to say this is about Sesshomaru not understanding human emotions, but considering it's *Sesshomaru*, he probably just doesn't understand emotions in general.

Sesshomaru eventually returns to full health at the same time that a pack of yokai wolves lead by Koga attack Rin's village and kill her. He follows the scent of her blood and finds her dead body. After scaring the wolves away from her corpse he begins to leave when he remembers Rin's smile from earlier and turns back around.

I'm sorry, but can we talk about how Rin completely changed the entire course of this man's life just by SMILING AT HIM. Like, your fave could never. Rin is, low key, the most powerful character in the entire series and this is the proof.

For the second time (since demonstrating the blade's inability to cut on Jaken in chapter 126) Sesshomaru draws Baby Tooth Tenseiga. He feels a surge of power from the sword and then we see a group of tiny, horned creatures descend upon Rin's body. Depending on the translation, these beings are called either the messengers or pallbearers of the Underworld (Personally I prefer pallbearers since it sounds cooler, so that's how I'll refer to them.)

Jaken: Does Not Compute.

As the master of Tenseiga, he is the only one who can see the pallbearers (when he cuts them later, Jaken's remark makes it obvious that they're only visible to Sesshomaru) and this unique ability to see them is the reason he's able to use the sword effectively. The pallbearers will appear around a deceased character's corpse every time Sesshomaru is successfully able to bring someone back to life. The key word here being "successfully."

Interestingly, despite never using the sword before, Sesshomaru seems to instinctively know that he's supposed to cut the pallbearers in order to activate it's function.

Tag yourself. I'm the one in the gingham loincloth with the trident.

Sesshomaru's prepares to "test out" Tenseiga on the deceased Rin. Him framing of his actions here as a 'test' isn't exactly inaccurate; since he's never used Tenseiga in this manner before, he doesn't know what will happen when he does or whether he's capable of making it's powers work like they're supposed to.

But acting like he's only doing it as a way to satisfy his curiosity is also a way to rationalize what is likely an unconscious desire to save Rin. After all, it was the memory of her smile that had compelled him not to simply walk away and forget about her, so using the justification of, "I'm just testing put my sword, it's not like I actually care about her or anything" makes for a convenient way to save face. And honestly, Sesshomaru has to have come across a lot of dead bodies in his time, so clearly Rin was a special case if he was only willing to try Tenseiga when it came to her.

In the wideban, Takahashi explained that she created Rin's character because she wanted to create the opportunity for Sesshomaru's heart to soften, and if you remember at the end of chapter 129, Totosai stated that Tenseiga's destiny was "up to Sesshomaru's heart." Meeting Rin is the inflection point where Sesshomaru stops treating Tenseiga like a cumbersome burden and begins to develop the compassionate nature necessary to grow the sword to it's full potential.

Tenseiga University is in session, bitches.

Whatever his real reasons, Sesshomaru cuts down the pallbearers, destroying them with Tenseiga's power.

It's so on brand for Sesshomaru that he gains the power of resurrection and it still involves him getting to violently murder something.

His 'test' is successful and Rin comes back to life. This shocks Jaken, both because his master just raised someone from the dead, and also because he's probably never seen Sesshomaru save someone's life before, let alone a human's life.

Jaken is shooketh.

"That's totally unlike Sesshomaru-sama..." Again, Rin is the most powerful character in the entire series. Fight me.

Sesshomaru is pleased by the result of his experiment but, based on his reaction, I do wonder if he was aware before this that raising the dead was an ability Tenseiga possessed. It's stated he'd kept it because he knew that there was more to Tenseiga than just being a sword that can't cut, but given how familiar he is with Tessaiga's capabilities, it's notable that Tenseiga is a total enigma to him. Did he never witness his father wielding Tenseiga? Did he never bother to ask Toga what his other sword was for? Totosai probably would've been willing to explain at least the basics, but by then Sesshomaru's too resentful of the whole situation to hear out anything he has to say.

It makes me think that Toga's acquisition of the Meidou Zangetsuha and the separation of Tenseiga and Tessaiga into two different swords (Uh, spoiler alert) was something that probably had to have happened pretty close to when the Inu no Taisho died if Tenseiga is this much of a mystery to Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru: I'm sorry I called you dull and blunt and useless...

Tenseiga: Ah, that's alright, don't sweat it—

Sesshomaru: And weak and a burden and a stupid, ugly piece of worthless garbage—

Tenseiga: Okay, you can stop now!

So, there we have it. Tenseiga has been "activated" so to speak and now that Sesshomaru is aware of the power it possesses, he's able to start his journey toward mastering it.

Chapter 157-159

The next time we see Sesshomaru comes in the aftermath of Inuyasha's battle with a powerful ogre named Goshinki. Sesshomaru, now traveling with Rin in addition to Jaken, smells traces of Tessaiga (the blade that had slain Goshinki) on the ogre's fang. He takes the ogre's head and brings it to the forge of Totosai's evil ex-apprentice, Kaijinbo, a notorious swordsmith who fell out with his former master due to, among other things—using the blood of murdered children to craft his blades.

Sesshomaru asks Kaijinbo if he can forge a sword out of Goshinki's fangs and it's clear that he's still not satisfied with Tenseiga and wants a sword he can actually fight with. And since Totosai refuses to make him one, he's sought out Kaijinbo instead.

Kaijinbo: I'd need the blood of like, 20 extra toddlers.

According to Kaijinbo, a decent sword can't be made from "dead" fangs. This turns out not to be an issue as Sesshomaru demonstrates his ingenuity by drawing Tenseiga to resurrect Goshinki's severed head.

SKREE

Using Tenseiga this way is actually really clever and resourceful and it demonstrates how quickly Sesshomaru is figuring out it's workings. It's also notable here how he's initially not using it for anything close to a 'compassionate' purpose. He employs the sword's 'healing' power purely for his own selfish ends—to get a shiny new sword with the might to rival Tessaiga. By commissioning a remorseless child killer, no less!

It's clear he doesn't really understand Tenseiga yet. He's learning how to wield the sword in a functional sense, but he's still lagging behind when it comes the internal and emotional growth he's meant to be gaining from it.

"Chewed and snapped the Tessaiga" Is the Tessaiga a piece of gum all of the sudden?

Kaijinbo agrees to forge a sword for Sesshomaru, creating the blade Tokijin. However, Tokijin's evil aura is too much for Kaijinbo to handle and he is possessed by it's vengeful will, slicing Jaken in half and killing him.

When Sesshomaru comes across Jaken's bisected body, he revives him with Tenseiga, making Jaken the second person after Rin to be brought back to life by the sword.

Sesshomaru: Not my imp, you bitch!

Hilariously, Jaken's body still remains in two pieces after he's revived. Although we unfortunately don't get to see how he manages to "pull himself together," he's extremely grateful to Sesshomaru for reviving him and I do love how Sesshomaru doesn't hesitate at all to use Tenseiga on Jaken. It shows that no matter how he treats him, Jaken is genuinely important to him.

"Wind Beneath My Wings" begins playing from somewhere...

Chapter 296-297

Tenseiga is all but forgotten about for over a hundred chapters until the Band of Seven arc ends.

It's pissed it's not getting any screentime.

In chapter 296, we find out that Naraku's incarnation, Hakudoshi (who has the power to look inside people's souls), has been beheading demons in an attempt to "catch a glimpse of the land between this world and the next." One of the demons beheaded is the father of a river otter yokai named Kanta.

When Hakudoshi looks into the soul of a dead yokai, we get a cryptic hint of what the land between worlds looks like ("a world shrouded in a white mist"), foreshadowing that it's a location that's already known to the reader.

You can just see in Kagura's eyes how much she hates that little shit.

Sesshomaru comes across the headless corpse of Kanta's father. Since the last time we saw him he was looking off into the distance while remarking on Tenseiga's agitation, we can assume that Tenseiga had somehow lead him there.

The reason for this seems lost on Sesshomaru though, and his presence arouses Inuyasha's suspicion when he shows up with his group. Kagome and Shippo (who know about Tenseiga's supposed powers via Totosai's exposition from chapter 129) beg him to help Kanta's father but Sesshomaru declines, saying it's none of his concern.

Kagome: *Pretty* please?

It's here that we find out how far out of the loop Inuyasha and co. are when it comes to Tenseiga. Namely, that they have no idea that Sesshomaru has, or even can, use it to bring someone back to life.

Having not been witness to Jaken or Rin's resurrections, Inuyasha reveals that he's still under the impression that Sesshomaru is unable to use the sword, a misconception shared by his friends.

If side-eye could kill.

What I find surprising here is that Sesshomaru is okay with letting them believe that he's not just unwilling, but incapable, of helping them. I say it's surprising because, given his spiteful and prideful nature, I'd almost expect him to revive Kanta's father just to prove that he could and it's interesting that he's willing to let Inuyasha especially, get away with thinking that he's less powerful than he actually is.

But maybe, (like with him calling his resurrection of Rin a "test") he's content to let the assumption slide to save face. He still wants to maintain the image of an unfeeling, ruthless asshole and revealing that he can do something only someone with a "loving heart" should be able to suits him worse than the brief appearance of incompetence would.

Tenseiga, as usual, has other plans and before Sesshomaru can leave, the sword's energy becomes unsettled. Sesshomaru interprets this intense reaction as Tenseiga telling him to save Kanta's father, likely the reason why it drew him to the yokai's corpse in the first place.

Sesshomaru: My Tenseiga sense is tingling!

The reason Tenseiga compelled Sesshomaru to use it becomes clearer when Kanta's newly resurrected father tells an odd story about going to a strange place, "a world shrouded in white mist," after he died. His description matches Hakudoshi's from earlier, but he's able to give more specific details that reveal that the mysterious place Hakudoshi is attempting to locate is the tomb of Sesshomaru's father.

Home Depot?

Sesshomaru leaves confused about what Tenseiga was trying to tell him and what it had to do with his father's gravesite. This part is interesting because were seeing how strong Tenseiga's influence over Sesshomaru has become. He allows the sword to guide him and he submits to it's will even when it's contrary to his own.

Tenseiga: Pssst...tell Rumiko to give me more screentime.

Chapter 318-325

While Sesshomaru and co. are trying to find an entrance to his father's tomb (which we now know is in the borderland between the living world and the afterlife), they encounter Kagura, who informs them that the gateway to the borderland has already closed, but that Inuyasha and Naraku have managed to get inside. However, she tells Sesshomaru about an alternate, but dangerous way in.

Is that a challenge?

Sesshomaru arrives at the gateway, where he encounters it's two guards, Gozu and Mezu. Supposedly, the only way to enter the gateway is to kill the two guards, but even then anyone who tries to enter will be bathed in a strange light and turned to stone since only the dead are supposed to be able pass through.

Sesshomaru's attempt to kill the guards with Tokijin fails and Gozu and Mezu tell him that they can't be cut by a sword from "this" world.

Tenseiga pulses and Sesshomaru realizes that, unlike Tokijin, it can be used effectively against the guards. But after drawing the sword, the gateway begins to open and Gozu and Mezu kneel before him, telling him that he's allowed to pass because he carries the blade of the afterlife.

All hail Lord Fluffy.

This is the first we hear of Tenseiga being able to cut "those not of this world." We know it can cut the pallbearers of the underworld, but now we find put that it has the ability to apparently cut any being from other world, including Gozu and Mezu themselves. Tenseiga saves in the "living" world, but kills in the world of the dead.

Jaken's clinging to that Mokomoko like it's a security blanket.

Sesshomaru enters into the borderland to join the fight against Naraku and there's a part here with Inuyasha that I want to mention because, even though it doesn't have anything to do with Tenseiga, it's going to become thematically relevant later.

During the battle, Inuyasha is given the chance to strengthen Tessaiga by defeating Hosenki (the jewel maker who created the black pearl that was in his eye) but decides to shield his friends from Naraku's deadly miasma instead. At first, Hosenki derides this attitude as emblematic of his half-yokai nature, but it's later revealed to be secret test of character.

When Inuyasha uses the Kongōsōha (Adamant Barrage) for the first time, Hosenki tells him that the diamond spears would have killed him if he'd only cared about strengthening the sword. But because Inuyasha valued his friends lives more than increasing his power, Hosenki rewards him with the Kongōsōha.

Hosenki secretly replaced the diamond fragments with Folger's crystals.

Unlike Inuyasha, Sesshomaru is a pure demon, and doesn't hold back in his pursuit of power, even if it means putting others in danger. This mindset will later come back to bite him and that's why I find this part of the story illuminating in light of Sesshomaru's future trip to the underworld and what he'll have to sacrifice in order to strengthen Tenseiga.

Naraku: You're not like the other girls, are you?

Part 3 Coming Soon.

#sesshomaru #sesshoumaru #tenseiga #tenseiga meta #inuyasha #rin #inuyasha meta #iy rin #inuyasha rin #inuyasha manga #inu no taisho #toga #kaijinbo #tessaiga #jaken

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verbenaa · 10 months ago

Text

to eden | chapter two

𝓈𝓊𝓂𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎: “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The words are weak, spoken as her back arches. Astarion’s tongue licks flat against her skin once more, drinking up another line of blood that makes its way down her neck and towards her collarbone.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, my dear.” Astarion places a small kiss against the marks, blood still leaking out of the wounds.

✧· · ─── ·✧· ─── · ·✧

𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔: Astarion/Female!Tav 𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: M 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹 𝒸𝑜𝓊𝓃𝓉: 4,813k 𝓌𝒶𝓇𝓃𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈: light angst, implied substance abuse, blood drinking, poor coping mechanisms, unresolved sexual tension

𝒶/𝓃: FINALLY posting chapter two of this story, and I apologize for how long it's taken for me to get to this point! But it is here now and ready to be read. Let me know if you liked it and tell me what you think! Thank you all for following me along on this journey!

ao3

masterlist

There isn’t enough room.

Rin paces back and forth the span of her tent—three steps forward and three steps back—as she tries to calm herself. Her heart beats loud in her ears, the notes of it frantic within the confines of her chest as a leaded weight settles somewhere deep in her stomach, lungs constricting on every breath in and out as the walls seemingly close in.

All Rin can see is that little girl—Arabella, that was her name, wasn’t it?—laying there motionless on the ground, the life leaking from her small body with every passing second until it’s finally gone, spilled out of her like a cup overturned.

It’s an image she doesn’t know if she will ever be able to escape from, one Rin will be cursed to see behind her eyelids every time they close. She’s far from a stranger to death, her own hands long soiled with such things in the name of survival, but it never makes it any easier.

It all weighs too heavy on her soul, however patchwork it may be. She’s not made for such things.

For this.

Rin feels so far from anyone’s definition of a hero and certainly is no bleeding heart.

But she did not want that girl to die.

And yet, in the end, it does not matter because Rin can still hear Arabella’s parents wailing cries, sobs wracking their bones and weakening their knees as they fall onto the well-worn stone, lost in their grief for a child no longer of this world.

Their misery is like a depthless, gaping hole that lives somewhere in the back of her chest, the darkness of it threatening to eviscerate her very being as it grabs ahold of her ribs as if they were the bars of a cage.

A small piece of Rin’s heart breaks for them. She can’t truly relate, of course, she never quite had much of a family to begin with. But she can at the very least empathize with what it must feel like to see something so important—so wanted and loved— slip through fingers like grains of sand, unable to ever be truly held in hand again.

Her legs slow to a stop as she stands near one of the poles of her tent, leaning to rest her head on the rough wood as she braces her hands, trying desperately to take deep breaths and calm the rampant beating in her chest.

Arabella’s death, her parents mourning for a girl-shaped piece of their heart now lost, Halsin yet to be found deep within the goblin’s lair…

It’s all just too much.

Rin wants to forget about it all, needs to forget, and wishes not for the first time that she had simply been a casualty of the Nautiloid instead of one chosen for some yet unknown reason.

There’s a familiar want pulsing through her body, an urge to push all of the thoughts and feelings out of her mind; and the sudden pull towards the cache of wine that promises relief sitting somewhere outside the tent is a draw she can’t ignore as she swivels mid-step to face the small flap of fabric separating her panicked mind from the outside world.

With hurried feet Rin steps out into the fresh air of the night in a rush, flipping back the striped tent flap without care as she walks into the quiet of camp, any thoughts of stealth or poise discarded as she surveys the landscape around her in a desperate search for one of the many darkened glass bottles collected during their adventures.

The world is still at this hour, no one present but a lone figure sitting by the warmth of the fire, a head of white curls downturned towards something in his hands, his silhouette illuminated by the flickering gold of the fire.

Astarion.

Rin’s feet still as she stares at the place where he sits, eyes stuck on his form as Astarion’s back straightens; no doubt hearing her less than subtle entrance into the night.

She wants to retreat, desperately wishes she could return to her tent but she can’t. Not when she can still feel the staccato rhythm of her heart against her rib cage and the panic clawing up her throat aching to be free.

“And to what do I owe the pleasure of your company, little bard?” Astarion keeps his voice low, the words drifting over to where she stands behind him, not bothering to turn and look at her.

Her breath comes out of her in short little bursts, a hand coming to grasp at her tunic over her chest, gripping the fabric in between her fingers as she works to find something to say.

“I…couldn’t sleep.” She stands frozen to the dusty ground below, willing her voice to carry her usual casual composure. Instead it comes out just a shade too soft, a touch too unsure; a difference from her normal put-on confidence that Astarion no doubt notices.

Astarion always paid attention despite attempts to pretend otherwise, quick eyes always looking and pointed ears always listening, ready to glean whatever knowledge he can to find something to exploit. It’s one of the things about Astarion that Rin understands, an aspect of him that she so easily sees in her own self.

There had been something different between them ever since that moment in the cave, a subtle something new gleaming in Astarion’s eyes when he looks her way that she has been thoroughly unable to solve the mystery of. She knows she is nothing more than a game to him though she’s still unsure of the rules, as though she was playing a game of chess set in his favor.

Astarion was still just as flippant and haughty as ever, but there was a distinctly unfamiliar note to it all. A new tolerance, perhaps, between companions that wasn’t nearly as unwelcome as Rin had thought it would be.

“Well, are you planning to stand there all night then?” Astarion lifts his head slowly, his words already affected with impatience that break her out of her thoughts.

Rin briefly considers retreating back to her tent without a word, but the promise of caging herself back inside her own mind is simply not an option. Rin’s eyes dart around, looking once more for the bottles she seeks before coming up unsuccessful.

On soft footfalls, she makes her way over to where the fire roars in front of Astarion, the warmth of the flames brushing against her cheeks as she nears him. She can still feel the quick beats of her heart, thumping away as she lets loose a shaky breath.

With a quick look at the log on which Astarion sits calm before the fire, she lowers herself down on the opposite side of him, only a breath of space between their bodies.

Neither speaks as Rin adjusts herself gingerly on the wood, raising a foot to rest against the roundness of the log as she rests her chin on the hard bones of her propped knee.

The crackles and pops of the fire fill the nighttime air, the heat emanating from the flames a small comfort as Rin stares into them, the reds and oranges and yellows blending together as its tendrils reach up towards the sky like flowers in search for the sun.

Astarion’s head lowers back down towards his hands, and Rin notices for the first time something white draped over his lap, a corner of it held in one hand as a tiny silver needle sits between the nimble fingers of the other. She shifts herself, cheek moving to press against her kneecap as she swivels her gaze to take in the sight of Astarion sewing, of all things, in its entirety.

With tiny, delicate motions Astarion begins once more, weaving the needle in and out of the fabric—a shirt, she realizes—his hands mesmerizing in their efficiency. Rin may as well not be present for all the attention Astarion gives her, his focus solely on mending the shirt in his hands by the wavering light of the fire.

There’s a hypnotism to his hands at work, something strangely soothing about watching the movements of the needle move in and out, up and down, in a rhythm Astarion had no doubt perfected over his many, many years.

“I didn’t mean for her to die.” Rin doesn’t intend to say the words that rush out faster than she can help them, said on an exhale that escapes her lips without her permission as she stares at Astarion’s hands and the firelight that dances over his pale skin.

“Well you probably should have tried a bit harder then, darling.” He doesn’t pause as he speaks, not deigning her even a passing glance as he continues his work with evenly places stitches moving in a clean line across the fabric.

She expected such brusqueness from him, but it makes her flinch all the same, the line of her shoulders tensing as she squeezes her eyes shut, once more seeing the vision of Arabella’s lifeless eyes staring up into nothing as she lays dead.

“I don’t know what everyone sees in me that makes you all so willing to let me make the decisions. I’m not terribly good at it.” The words are weary as Rin says them, exhaustion dripping from every syllable.

“Frankly, my dear, I don’t know what they see in you either,” Astarion gives a long suffering sigh, eyes still downcast. “But our little cadre has decided on you as our fearless leader.” He spits the last two words out with derision, though Rin can’t say she disagrees with his sentiment as she sighs heavily in agreement.

“Has anyone ever told you, Astarion, that you have such a way with words?” Something about his outright honesty draws a small smile to her face, breaking up the tension in her body the smallest bit as she gives a humorless chuckle.

Astarion was nothing if not predictable in his reactions, at the very least.

“One of my finer qualities, certainly.”

Silence fills in between them once more—though not as uncomfortable as it would have once been—the quiet roar of the fire and the soft whisper of fabric in Astarion’s hands the only sounds, silver needle still moving with practiced precision.

With another deep breath Rin wills her body to let go and forget as she leans slightly forward to look beyond Astarion for any sort of alcohol. She’s far from picky and any promise of temporary delirium is as much a blessing as it is a curse. Anything would do in the end to numb her, to shove away the pain and anger and sadness from her mind and pretend as though it didn’t exist.

She spies nothing to her eternal discontent, settling her cheek back onto her knee with a scowl.

The tightness in her chest remains, still a vice around her lungs as she breaths in the night air. It would be so easy to get up and retrieve a bottle of wine or brandy or ale, to drink until the thoughts and feelings and sensations dulled and she could no longer remember who she was or the many mistakes she had made; the same as she had done time and time again as a means to cope.

But something keeps her sitting, a kernel of an idea that maybe she shouldn’t let what happened to Arabella be forgotten, the concept festering in her brain like a wound that refuses to stay stitched.

“I didn’t know you could sew, Astarion. How domestic of you.” Rin’s voice carries out into the air as she breaks the silence, another attempt at distraction from the thoughts clouding her mind.

“What can I say? I’m just full of surprises.” His eyebrows raise as he speaks, features ever expressive if unimpressed by her present conversational abilities.

“Indeed. And here I was thinking your only skills were murder and subterfuge.” Rin punctuates her words with a roll of her eyes, her exasperation towards him a blessedly normal feeling amidst the cascade of unease settled in her body.

“Speaking of subterfuge, you certainly have some quite nefarious skills for a bard, darling. Stealing, cheating, lying…why it’s almost enough to make me jealous.” Astarion gives Rin the barest of glances as he looks towards her, red eyes skating over her face for a brief moment before turning back to the shirt in his hands. “I’d almost think you know your way around a blade far better than that lyre of yours.”

“Well, I never said I was a very good bard, now did I? If you’re not careful, Astarion, I’ll have to take those words as a compliment.”

“Far from it. I don’t give compliments, darling.” Astarion makes sure to send a stern glare in Rin’s direction, a teasing smile on her lips.

“Ah, yes. Of course. Silly me.”

“So, the Elfsong was above your pay grade, then.” Rin decides to ignore the subtle jab in the words on the grounds of building camaraderie, settling instead on a small huff.

“Decidedly. Performing at the Blushing Mermaid would have been considered an honor,” Astarion looks her way again, disbelief written across his face. “There are quite a lot of bards out there, if you hadn’t noticed, so I decided to learn some more…practical skills. Turns out I’m not so terrible with a blade.”

“Well, aren’t you just so very pragmatic.”

With a swift motion, Astarion draws his knife up from the other side of him, severing the needle from the thread with a slice. He ties off the remaining thread with a small knot, pulling the rest through the shirt until it firmly holds against the final stitch.

“One must have gold, unfortunately, to survive. Therefore, I learned other ways to make some that weren’t quite so…reliant, shall we say, on a good natured audience.” She shrugs as best she can in her position, a subtle movement of her shoulders as she continues. “I’ve taken on my share of work with The Guild over the years.”

“Not one for the circus, hm?” Rin swears she can hear a note of amusement in his tone as he speaks, his hands busy with pulling out a small, worn leather pouch and depositing the needle and leftover thread inside.

“And be harassed by clowns day in and day out? I’d rather not. Besides, the wardrobe never suited me.”

That would have to be enough information to sustain him, she was neither in the mood nor drunk enough to delve too much deeper into her past.

Not that there was terribly much to say, anyway.

What worth was there in yet another story of a failing bard from the Lower City who—despite the good-natured attempts of her youth—was unable to sustain herself on her art; forced instead to take on feeble contracts and protection rackets to make a little gold to survive.

It was far from a unique beginning, at the very least.

There’s comfort in the fact that Astarion knows, maybe better than any of them, the price of survival. He would be the last to judge her on any of the less than ethical moments in her past.

Rin’s mind replays another conversation spoken by another campfire only days before, on the heels of a timely visit from a certain devil by the name of Raphael.

A conversation of Astarion’s own past back in Baldur’s Gate and of another vampire—Cazador.

Yet another tick to add to her somehow growing list of ways her perception of him continues to change and grow, a metamorphosis of its own.

200 years of slavery and torture and of no freedom.

200 years of hunger.

The thought of his sanguine hunger brings her mind around to another set of circumstance between the two of them, one bound by blood. He hasn’t asked, but that doesn’t surprise her. Rin knew from the moment she offered in the first place he would never ask for her blood.

Astarion had never seemed like someone who asked for much of anything, not if could steal it with sly fingers and quiet steps instead.

But he hadn’t tried to take it, either. Not like the first time, when he hovered over her sleeping form ready to bite into her neck.

This decision, at least, is a much easier one to make than the first time she found herself questioning it.

“You can feed on me, if you’d like.” Rin asks quietly from her place next to him.

A smirk alights Astarion’s features and the moment of easy exchange between them is gone, replaced instead by a hunger all too evident in his eyes.

“Why you sweet, generous thing,” Astarion’s lips curve up as he speaks, the little tilt of his head like that of a cat with a trapped mouse. “That’s an offer I simply can’t refuse.”

Astarion’s eyes flick downwards towards the line of Rin’s neck, the collar of her lightweight linen tunic falling open ever so slightly to expose the soft skin there. Pink spreads across her cheeks like watercolors at the heat of his gaze, his attention focused wholly on her ever fragile skin.

Rin averts her eyes from his face to fall onto the tendrils of the fire licking at the air, the pops and crackles of the flames low against the otherwise quiet of the late night air. The steady heat that emanates from the fire is like a balm against her skin as she moves to stand on slightly unsteady legs.

Rin keeps her gait easy, attempting to pull off her own version of Astarion’s unaffected grace as she takes several steps towards where he sits waiting, his face expectant as he watches her move and sets his mending to the side in a neatly folded pile.

“You’ll have to come closer than that, darling.” Astarion’s words fall over her like a caress, beckoning her to him, and with a breath Rin steels herself as she closes the last bit of distance between them.

She raises her brow as she stands in wait for further instructions, suddenly imbued with the tiniest bit of confidence, feeling a little more like her self once more as she stares Astarion down.

“Sit, you silly girl.”

“Does this suit you, Saer?” Rin can’t help her tone as she shoots Astarion one last look before turning to face the fire, lowering herself to sit on the dirt in front of him as she crosses her legs and waits.

She moves her hair off one side, still in its messy plait from earlier, little tendrils escaping the braid like the smallest of leaves off a vine as he settles in behind her, the beat of her heart skipping ever so slightly at the sound of his knees crunching into the pebbled ground. Astarion’s presence looms behind her, the shift of his clothing too close in her ears as he makes to kneel.

She feels the lightest pressure of his hands on her shoulders, a sharp exhale of air escaping her lips as one of his hands skates its way up her neck to settle around her jaw, holding her chin between his thumb and forefinger as he moves her head the tiniest bit to the side, baring more of her neck to his waiting lips.

His fingers are cold where they rest against the bare skin along the line of her face in a touch that could almost be considered delicate were it not for the pressure of his fingers, the hand holding her face just a shade too tightly for it to be anything resembling affection.

Astarion must be able to feel the rhythm of her heartbeat thrumming through her veins, the slightest bit of question skating through her body, though she does trust him not to kill her even if it’s against her best judgement. He’s every bit a predator as his grip tightens infinitesimally on her, no doubt able to see and smell the blood pulsing just underneath her skin.

“Relax, darling. We’ve done this before.” Rin can feel the words brush against her skin as he speaks, lips hovering just above her neck as he looks for a place to feed, the warmth of his breath and the chill of both his lips and hands sending tiny goosebumps down her limbs.

Rin feels the sharp points of his fangs mere seconds before they pierce her skin, sinking into her flesh easily as she winces against the brief flash of pain, her mouth opening in a quiet gasp. It’s the same as before, ice striking against the column of her throat that turns to a hazy warmth as her blood leaves her body only be captured by his eager mouth.

A small noise escapes her throat at the first suck, lips parting on the sound as Astarion’s own move against her neck. The cold pain contrasts against the heat inside her, every movement of his mouth as he drinks her in both wonderful and awful in equal measure.

Rin’s pulse thrums in time with his mouth as he drinks, the feeling of his plush lips against her neck intoxicating. The hand on her shoulder tightens, pulling her body closer to his own as he buries his head deeper into her neck. His silver curls are soft where they brush against her skin, the tips of the strands turning red as he drinks.

Blood drips down her back and chest, the thin rivulets of scarlet warm against the nighttime air that surrounds them. The tension in her limbs loosens with every drink taken of her essence, head swimming in the haze that begins to settle over her as the blood leaves her body.

The sensations of their bodies this close with his head at her neck, her blood rapidly draining into his mouth all send her mind reeling. Somewhere in the depths of her brain, she can feel her tadpole connecting with his own, a clouded bond forming between them, barely able to make out any coherent feeling or thought amidst a sea of exhilaration and hunger and a want of more working through his mind.

Distantly, Rin notices her reactions slowing to a point of alarm though she finds it hard to summon up a reason to care, not when the movement of his lips on her skin feels far too good despite the tiny bits of pain interspersed in the strange bliss of it.

But she does not want to die like this, not quite yet.

Drawing up her strength through slow and sleepy limbs, Rin finds the motivation to move her hand from where it rests to reach up instead, shaky fingers threading through the soft strands of Astarion’s hair against her neck.

“Enough.” A part of her rankles at the subdued sound of the word as it leaves her lips, the way it spills into the air like a lover’s sigh—soft and dreamy and sated.

Her voice falls on empty ears, though, Astarion still drinking greedily from her neck with what feels like no plans to stop as he relishes the deep scarlet spilling from her veins.

“I said enough, Astarion.” With one last effort to get his attention, the fingers threaded through his soft hair dig into and pull at the strands, her nails scratching lightly against his scalp.

It’s enough to make Astarion pause in his indulgence and come back to himself, a shiver working through his body at the sensation of her nails on his skin.

“Terribly sorry, darling. I got a little carried away, didn’t I?” Astarion gives a low groan as he sucks at the punctures, the air around them rife with the metallic scent of blood.

“Liar. You’re not sorry at all.” The feeling of his tongue on her neck sends a spike of heat straight to her pit of her stomach, her nipples brushing against the fabric of her tunic as she sucks in a breath.

“Takes one to know one, my dear,” Rin can feel his smirk against her neck, her little inhale not going unnoticed by Astarion as he gives another broad lick of his tongue. “Oh, you like this, don’t you?” He speaks without lifting his head from the skin of her neck, blood still leaking from the two small wounds there, his tongue absently collecting any stray droplets of blood that still fall.

Rin can hear an edge of arrogance as he speaks, the sound of it infuriating and grating despite her position in Astarion’s arms, body weightless as he supports her against him.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” The words are weak, spoken as her back arches. Astarion’s tongue licks flat against her skin once more, drinking up another line of blood that makes its way down her neck and towards her collarbone.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, my dear.” Astarion places a small kiss against the marks, blood still leaking out of the wounds.

Rin summons another burst of strength, the hand in his hair slipping out of his curls to grasp instead at his slick wrist before pulling it away sharply from where he holds her chin in his hand, her fingertips coming away bloody.

Astarion lets her get away with it, the knowledge that he could overpower her with barely any effort not escaping her as she shakes his other hand off her shoulder.

Rin gets up hurriedly on unsteady feet, swaying as she stands and turns toward him, the heat emanating from the fire warm against her back as she looks down at him.

Astarion reclines back against the log, lazily licking at messy red lips, the dark cherry red of her blood glistening on his chin. His pupils are blown, chest heaving as hard as her own as their eyes meet, dazed emerald connecting with fervent crimson.

They mirror each other in this moment; both of their collars stained red, drops of her blood running down each of their necks. Astarion has a look of pure euphoria on his face, the newfound power running through his veins far beyond that of what she knows to be capable of the living.

“Don’t want to stay and play a little longer, sweet thing?” Astarion tilts his head to the side as he smiles wide, bringing a hand covered in blood up to his lips—the one that had been holding her face, she realizes—tongue peeking out to lick the digits clean.

“I’ll pass.” It’s a wonder Rin has any blood left to rush across her cheeks and down into her stomach, pink flush heating her skin as her head swims. There’s not nearly enough power behind her words as she takes one, two, three steps back from him, each one a near stumble.

“Suit yourself, little bard.” That infuriating grin stays in place as he watches her flee to the safety of her own tent, practically tripping over her own feet.

Rin doesn’t bother to say goodnight to him as she all but falls behind her striped tent flap and onto her bedroll. She wrangles with the bloodied tunic as it sticks to the blood coating her shoulder, pulling it up and over her head with a harsh yank, uncaring of the twinge of pain that emanates from her neck at the motion.

Finally free of it Rin buries her face into her hands, her attempts to take calming deep breaths failing as her chest heaves with the exertion.

For fuck’s sake.

Her cheeks warm with embarrassment at the heat that has pooled in her lower belly, resisting the urge to press her thighs together to grant herself some modicum of relief.

She settles instead for stripping off her pants and throwing them into a heap next to her as she lays down, pulling up the threadbare blanket and closing her eyes, hoping to drift off into a dreamless sleep.

Rin doesn’t know if its mere minutes or hours that she lays there awake, mind spinning, before she falls into a fitful rest, twisting and turning in her bedroll under the darkened sky above as the forgotten blood on her neck dries to a dull red, flaking and crusting against her skin.

She sees him in her dreams against her every wish, her subconscious instead conjuring images of Astarion’s phantom hands and lips along her naked body, ghostly fingertips dragging lines across the expanse of her skin as he drinks from her neck.

When Rin wakes from the dream—or was it a nightmare?—it’s with a beating heart and flushed cheeks, a terrible realization dawning upon her, rising up like a wave as it washes away any remaining chance of sleep.

She is absolutely and unequivocally fucked.

#astarion bg3 #astarion x tav #astarion x f!tav #astarion x female tav #astarion #bg3 fanfiction #bg3 #my writing #fic: to eden #oc: rin

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