#so good enough X'D

[take-ya-to-the-ghey-bar]

{i once again interrupt my lurking for a touch of commentary--}

Because a certain someone is now grumpy, at having realized Shizuma's birthday is tomorrow, yet there might not be spare time to go hunting for a gift--

[yappacadaver]

THAT'S 24 FUCKING SECONDS BABEYYYYYYY

[fairytales-magic]

Not surprised about the first part, DEFINITELY surprised by the percentage.

I'd like to formally thank @finepairingspodcast for entertaining me through my 9 hr bakery shifts with their binge-worthy podcast, for making me duck into the walk in every couple minutes from laughing so hard, and introducing me to AU's and Pairings I NEVER would have come across on my lonesome (and also for being what was playing when I got into my car accident. Don't worry that's not what caused it ;D).

If you haven't, go listen! Join me! It's ridiculous, wonderful, and a side-splitting good time!

[unproduciblesmackdown]

the most recognized as comedic song being the best part of the movie musical because the conventions that serve as a mode of communicating ideas, for example "people just bursting into song" or "choreography" or "'noticeably stylized' cinematography" that accentuates nonliteral nonrealism-invoking choices, are regarded as Silly or Frivolous. and the effort to shove everything else that's more "serious" into what is expected to be read as dramatic cinema that's not stylized in any ways that seem too "Genre" which only makes [but someone's singing?] underwhelming and out of place because no other elements are supporting it

[countlessrealities]

@advnterccs sent: 💕 { For the Mortys 🤭 } Ship meme: in-depth edition || Selectively accepting !

[[ Replies under "read more" because my Morty ranted A LOT and it got really long xD ]]

How did they meet? ~ "T-Through our Ricks. T-They someone managed to, uh, split the timeline, b-by accident, you know? S-Something about a...portal gun malfunction. An-And all of a sudden t-there were two of everyone. M-Me included."

Who flirted with who first? ~ "I-I'm...not sure. W-We sort of complimented each other an-and stuff, b-but it wasn't real flirting? W-We don't really flirt even now tha-that we're together. J-Just from time to time, y-you know? We...are still learning how, uh, t-to do it properly. Haha..."

Was it love at first sight or a slowburn romance? ~ "S-Slowburn. W-We didn't like each other right away. A-Also because I...I didn't know that I, you know, l-like guys yet. O-Or maybe I did an-and didn't want to admit. B-But FM is the first boy I-I've ever had a real crush on, s-so...it too some time. An-And even after we realised out feelings...i-it took a while for us to tell each other. I-I mean, we even kissed thrice before, uh, g-getting together."

Did they start dating right away or were they friends before things became romantic? ~ "F-Friends. W-We got close really fast an-and he was my best friend, b-before I start to...feel more. An-And I think that's a good thing. B-Because even now that he is my boyfriend, h-he's still my best friend. I-It allows us to be more...comfortable w-with each other, in general."

What was their first date? ~ "I-It wasn't an official date, b-but...FM invited me to go with him to this p-pumpkin patch fair. W-We took pictures an-and strolled around the stands and...w-we got a ride on the Ferris Wheel. I-I asked the guy manning it i-if he could stop it w-when we reached the top an-and...he did, so we...watched t-the landscape and I...I kissed him."

What are their favourite things to do on date nights? ~ "I-It depends on where we are. W-We go to the movies at times, o-or out on some planet, b-but for the most we do home m-movie nights and play videogames. O-Or read comics."

Do they still go on dates after being together for a while? ~ "W-We've been together only for a few moments, b-but yeah, we still do. I-I just like doing things with him an-and dates are fun. T-They are an excuse to do that an-and also do something different, f-from time to time. An-And, uh, we can get...you know. Romantic."

What is their love language? ~ "I-I think...quality time together an-and being there for each other w-when needed? W-We also tell each other nice things an-and that's good b-because...neither of us is really used to it. T-To be praised and stuff, I-I mean."

Who kissed who first? ~ "I-I did. O-On the Ferris Wheel, as I said."

Who started the relationship? ~ "B-Both of us, sort of? W-We both planned to ask on N-New Year's Eve, b-but I guess technically it was me, b-because I asked first. An-And we kissed at midnight. I-It was...great. I-I've never felt like that. G-Giddy. H-Happy."

Monogamy or Polyamory? ~ "I-It's a bit too soon for...that. I-I don't know. I'm content w-with just him, b-but I see the Ricks being i-in an open relationship an-and...I don't know, i-it seems to make them closer, somehow? S-So maybe, when we'll be older...W-We'll talk about it. I-I think I'd be okay with being open."

Are they/do they plan on getting married? ~ "A-Again, it's too soon t-to think about this. B-But...I mean, the only marriage I've seen it's my parents and...l-let's say that it's not very...inspiring. An-And Rick keeps going on about how m-marriage is a trap and ruins relationships, s-so...I probably won't be the one to mention it. I-If we ever get there."

Who proposed? Was it a yes or no? ~ "A-As I said, I'm not very interested i-in getting married. B-But if in the future FM wanted to an-and he asked, I-I'd say yes. I-If it's what makes him happy, I-I don't mind."

Do they want kids? Who brought it up first? ~ "Aw g-geez, I don't know. Tha-That's...I'm fourteen. K-Kids are a big thing. So...uh, who knows?"

Do they already have kids, together or from previous relationships? ~ "W-We don't technically have kids together, b-but they...I mean, there's M-Morty Jr. an-and Naruto, an-and since we are the same person...t-they are technically the kids o-of both of us? ...I-I don't know, thinking about it gives me a headache."

Do they have any routines/rituals in their relationship? ~ "W-We usually hang out w-when the Ricks are busy with each other. W-We go in one of our rooms an-and talk or read comics or-or play videogames. I-If the weather is nice, w-we go for a walk in the park or-or to get ice cream. An-And well, I guess that there are the adventure. E-Even if those are, like, a group activity. An-And sometimes we have sleepovers."

How do they take care of each other when they are sick/hurt? ~ "I-It doesn't happen too often, a-also because the Ricks fix us if...if we get too hurt, b-but...The other visit the sick one an-and keeps him company, g-gets him food and water, tha-that sort of thing. B-But it's mostly being there, s-so he doesn't have to be alone."

How do they like to spend time together? ~ "I-It's pretty much I've already said. V-Videogames, movies, comics, walks. F-FM really like plants, s-so at times we go to the botanical garden o-or ask the Ricks to let us go t-to some other dimension w-where there are a lot of plants. Uh, safe places, o-of course."

What are their favourite non-sexual forms of intimacy? ~ "F-For me it's cuddling. I-I just like it when we hold each other in bed or-or lean against each other w-watching TV. An-And I...I like giving him little kisses. Y-You know, on the cheek or-or on the back of his hand. H-He always blushes a little an-and that's so cute."

What are some of their favourite things about their partner? ~ "Oh geez, I...I-I don't think there are specific things? I-I just like him. B-But I guess...H-He's so nice and brave. An-And he's super supportive. S-So understanding and patient. An-And...he accepts me. E-Even the fucked up stuff. H-He sees me, understands me an-and still wants me. H-He makes me feel good about myself. N-No one has ever done that."

How do they comfort the other when they are upset? ~ "W-We let each other vent, i-if we need to, o-or we distract each other with our favourite things. W-We also get each other little presents, t-to cheer us up. W-We're just there for each other, y-you know? I-I'd do whatever he needs an-and he'd do the same for me."

Who buys the other spontaneous gifts? ~ "W-We both do. W-We like bringing each other stuff. L-Like pretty things or funny ones w-we find during adventures o-or at some space bazaar. An-And then we give each other special gifts f-for the holidays or the anniversaries."

What position do they sleep in? ~ "I-It depends. U-Usually facing each other, h-holding hands o-of holding each other. A-At times we spoon."

Do they bathe/shower together? ~ "Uuuuh, I-I...no. W-We don't. N-Not yet, I-I guess. B-But I...I'd like to do that. S-Some day. An-And I think...I think FM would be fine with it. U-Uh, more than fine. J-Just...we're not there yet. I-It's still a little, uh, awkward, b-being undressed around each other."

Do they do anything else in the bath/shower other than wash? ~ "A-As I said we don't bathe o-or shower together yet, b-but...I...I mean. W-When we will, after a while, I-I guess that we could...kiss? An-And sit on each other's lap. An-And...who knows...Haha..."

In the bedroom - Vanilla, a little spice, or kinky af? ~ "W-W-We still haven't...you know. S-So...I don't...I mean. W-We are, uh, curious, so...I-I guess it wouldn't be just...plain. W-Well, at first yeah, b-but I guess...later on, w-we'd try...stuff?"

For applicable ships - who tops/bottoms?

For applicable ships - who is more dominant/submissive?

What is their favourite sex position?

Do either of them enjoy bringing sex toys into the bedroom? ~ "A-As I said, I-I can see us...experimenting. Uh."

Favourite place to have sex?

Most adventurous place they’ve had sex?

How often do they fight? What about? ~ "W-We didn't have big fights yet. I-I don't think that we have had actual fights. J-Just some misunderstandings. An-And it wasn't about super important stuff. I-I know that we'll have real fights, s-sooner or later. B-But I like to think tha-that we'll work it out together."

Have they ever broken up? ~ "N-No. An-And I hope we never do."

Messy breakup, amicable split, remain friends, ride or die or til death do us part? ~ "I-I want to spend all my life with him. I-If he wants to. N-No matter how long that will be. T-The longer, the better."

[jupiter--dream]

The second I realize that I was like "oh today's morning has been very easy" and then I was like "that's bc I didn't wake up with a big headache" and then I was like "I actually do still have a smaller headache but today I was in less pain and actually could have a normal morning. Is this how people without constant headaches and fatigue live every day???"

Siiiiigh, perhaps I shan't give up on getting my mom to get me checked with a doctor-

[kaaras-adaar]

What soft romance cliche are you?

Because i love you!

Passionate; you are the heated moment of an argument. When the person you care for has done something outrageously stupid or dangerous. All of your pent up emotions that you've kept inside of you come bursting out: "beCAUSE I LOVE YOU!" How could they be so dense. How could YOU be so dense. You've loved each other this whole time. Your love tends to be strong, and loud. Sometimes it might be hard for you to express your feelings but you let people know that they are cared for. You're also hot. Good for you.

Tagged: @felthubris ( thanks beb! ) Tagging: @seeasunset @dryadalismagicae @artifexx ( Gaultier ) @impcrriumm

[mymoshangthoughts]

oki look im back on my "binghe and airplane are similar and i love it" bullshit

except this time i want these two whiny cut-throat bastards to run a cafe together

like binghe is the chef, obviously, and airplane handles the business side of things, and between the two of them, they absolutely make the cafe succeed through underhanded means

like

could they succeed as a business with just binghe's talents as a cook and qinghua handling the bills while the both of them charmed their way through customer service with their fake ass smiles? abso-fucking-lutely. but would they? oh no

qinghua is like releasing rats into the neighboring cafes and salting their sugar in espionage to make sure that everyone knows that the surrounding coffee is shit and the only place for Good Coffee is their cafe. he's making multiple alts online to just destroy their competition through online reviews and switching out the labels on dairy milk with non-dairy milk so that all the lactose intolerant customers are throwing fits on the regular because look, qinghua knows that a small lil cafe cant stand up to the big chain restaraunts, but he CAN destroy the reputation of all the closest chains to him like an absolute bastard

and oki, maybe binghe doesnt NEED to mansplain, manipulate, and manslaughter his way through everything, but gosh darnit, it's second nature to him. he is absolutely gonna hunt down any threats to their establishment and break their arms. and literally everyone who looks down on his establishment or leaves a bad review or otherwise gets in the path of his vengeance trail? loooookk, he cant be blamed for the way he smiled to their face while stabbing them in the back. they had it coming! they insulted his mothers lemon square recipe and thats an arm breaking offense oki

between the pair of them, they have the entire area quaking in confused fear. cuz okay, something i wanna talk about, the pair of them are two-faced and terrifying but like... 99% of people dont know that lmfao

(off topic but a personal pet peeve of mine is when fanfiction has characters immediately notice that binghe or qinghua are lying liars who lie. like "he smiled but it didnt meet his eyes etc" and im just guys. it's VERY established that the pair of them are VERY GOOD lying liars who lie. binghe's main character trait is that he can lie so convincingly that even shen yuan isn't always sure when he's sincere or not. and qinghua was literally a double agent for HOW LONG without getting caught? dude HAS to have a convincing fake smile. so all im saying is that people wouldnt immediately be able to see through that)

so like, yeah, all the bad luck and shit started happening when these two chuckle-fucks opened up a cafe in the area so like, logically it has to be SOMETHING to do with them but binghe and qinghua are literally the two most harmless and charming lil dudes ever? qinghua looks like a harmless pathetic hamster and binghe will thank you tearfully if you like his lemon squares and these two are literally the most wholesome and sweet business owners in the area so clearly they're not behind it

like i just need people to losing their minds a little bit because bingplane have gaslighted them all into submission like the evil cut-throat two-faced fuckers they are.

i honestly cant decide whats better tho. the pair of them having a drink after work together where the vibes are "lmfao we're so evil lets bask in our victory" glow OR the two of them actually only have a faint idea that the other is ALSO an asshole x'D

oki i think i lean toward the latter bc i think thats funnier.

like binghe doesnt pay much attention to airplane bc, as stated, airplane is a pathetic lil whining worm and he legitimately could not care if the twerp lived or died so long as the taxes are filed on time. but tbh, even then, he's competent enough that he doesnt /need/ qinghua around. it's just kinda convenient to keep him around. so mainly he's just apathetic and ambivalent to qinghua, but like, he does sorta notice because they spend so much time together that theres a distinctly... ratty quality to the dude. like, qinghua disappears for an hour and no less than five minutes after his return theres a roach infestation found in their closest competition? sus as fuck. and theres a little bit of a game recognizing game type of energy, but bc binghe could not be paid to care about qinghua's existence, he doesnt really look into it

similarly, qinghua is like 80% sure that pathetic crybaby of a chef is just that, but also, look, he's not dumb and the last three customers who insulted his lemon squares came back to the cafe in casts and binghe is a little too quick to turn off the customer service charm sometimes. and qinghua has basically decided "i actually really dont wanna know". ignorance is bliss, whatever level of psycho his coworker is, he honestly does not care so long as the crazy fuck continues to bake like a god. he absolutely 100% does not get paid enough to know whether his coworker is a serial killer and he also has the self preservation to understand that the less he knows, the better

so they both kinda have vague hints that the other is a two-faced motherfucker, but it's something that they figured out over time. there was no immediate meeting and "oh i know what you are" it was like "oki we've been working together for a year and yeah, im starting to think this guy isnt what he seems". slowburn them into realizing that they have similar personalities, if you will

now as tempting as it is to taking this au in a bingplane direction bc im ngl, i am multishipping trash, i am much more interested in slowburning this as a friendship. or like, grudging companionship LOL because also that gives the opportunity for:

"i just had to ask the worst person i know for love advice" shenanigans

followed by "the worst person i know gives good love advice, fuck" shenanigans

maybe they're having a drink and it's friendly and binghe kinda jsut wants to go home because again, he does not give a fuck about the fact that qinghua is alive, and qinghua also sorta wants to go home but they've both sorta committed to the "we're friendly coworkers" bit so here they are at a bar and trying to map out the Soonest Possible Good Time To Leave when binghe unthinkingly asks

"how do you get someones attention?" because he kinda ran out of pointless weather-related topics and it was on his mind and he really didnt expect qinghua to give him a half decent answer but then qinghua DOES and also knows who binghe's crush is and also is tactfully NOT saying that he knows who binghe's crush is with the casual "look, as an example, that specific person might like~" type of thing

havent decided on a binghe ship tbh lol. like bingyuan is obvious but also would be fun to do some bingliu or bingmo instead lmao maybe bingning? look im a happy multishipper and binghe is shippable with Many Characters. tho for the purposes of this freeform au thoughtless drabbling, the binghe ship doesnt actually matter so i'll keep it vague lol

the point is that qinghua gives really good fucking advice and binghe is just Not Ready for that because he's absolutely seen what a Nightmare scene it is when qinghua tries to flirt

which is somehow how the two segue into a relationship where they talk about flirting and love interests and that sort of shit in the most "we are two stereotypical gossiping middle school girls on the planet who are giggling and playing truth or dare about our crushes" type of way lmfao

because yeah, they're both cut-throat two-faced assholes, but they're also both utterly Weak in love

might be fun if they cycle through a few different failed crushes, but still kinda have fun at each others houses in like pillow forts with martinis that binghe made and gushing about "omg he was like so cute, did you see the way that he brushed me off? ahh imma die, so hot" because also they realize that they both share a Type. they are both absolutely into the Cold Beauty type, altho luckily they haven't crushed on the same person at the same time Yet, but like, it's only a matter of time okay and they know it and they are fully planning to Destroy the other when the time comes bc it's not bros before hoes for them, ohno, it's "to get that hoe, i will bury my bro in concrete" between them and they both lowkey know it LMFAO

and look, mobei jun did not ask to be the culmination of that particular building battle between them. he just came for coffee okay. what the fuck is happening. why is this is life now.

because okay when the pair of them were crushing on individuals who popped into the cafe or people they met outside, there wasnt any sense of urgency to it because they'd just shoot their shot and usually it wouldnt work out, well, it worked out for binghe whenever he went after chicks but he quickly figured out that he was like Cursed with "women simp after me" virus and while it can be flattering to have a simp, it really isnt fun to DATE a simp, ya know? so those relationships usually ended badly. qinghua just has no game with men or women lol

but see, when they realize that they're BOTH after the same guy, then theres the realization that if they fail, theres actually the chance the other one will Succeed and that would be Bad because then they'd have to see the object of their affections dating a coworker and NOPE NO CANT DO IT, WOULD MURDER HIM, I NEED TO GET THAT MAN JUST TO SPARE MY COWORKER FROM BEING MURDERED. THIS IS REALLY ALTRUISTIC OF ME ACTUALLY

so now they're just A LOT more persistent than they've ever been before lmfao they are pulling all the stops, they are using every weakness, they are ready to fucking WRECK the competition

maybe i should aim for a bingyuanmoshang ot4 endgame lmfao. mobei jun and shen yuan are just a happily married poly couple and shen yuan is having the time of his life laughing his ass off every time his husband comes home from the coffee shop like "i dont know whats going on but im scared and weirdly horny" and when bingplane realize that the solution is that mobei jun has two hands (and a very attractive husband), things calm down lmfao

or alternate route for this path, instead of them both thirsting after mobei jun, shang qinghua just has the most pathetic crush in the world, so luo binghe decides to have mercy on his coworker and be a wingman. only he Very Accidentally catches mobei jun's attention instead and now airplane is actually kinda lowkey ready to kill him bc he thinks that binghe snaked him but for once binghe is innocent! he didnt mean to do it! and it's moshang endgame when mobei jun gets over his crush on binghe and notices the angry hamster desperate for his attention

OR OR OR WAIT I THINK I THOUGHT OF THE VERSION I LIKE BEST

oki instead of bingplane actively seeking out love at every corner, what if they're just not. like they do bond over crushes and stuff but actually they're kinda too busy with the cafe and life and hobbies to really think about romance more than a "omg he was so cute~" kind of way. so neither of them notice when they have customers who are just Actively trying to ask them out

like mobei jun has been desperately trying to flirt with the oblivious barista for MONTHS now and he's actually dying because qinghua will just say shit like "wow you're literally the most handsome guy ive ever seen" but then brush him off when mobei jun tries to ask him out bc qinghua just assumes he isnt serious and he's busy with the expresso machine and he has no idea that this man is just PINING behind him while he sighs pathetically to binghe later abt "man it's fun having crushes but dont you just wish someone could like you instead?" and binghe just like "look im actually desirable, cannot relate"

thinking bingliu route for this version bc i feel like liu qingge is just a lot more fitting for Uselessly Pining After The Barista than shen yuan is lol. also his attempts at flirting are basically just picking fights with binghe and he always loses and binghe has absolutely no idea how far gone qingge is for him LMFAO

also now that i think about it, mobei jun should be kinda bad at flirting as well LOL so shang qinghua is like 90% sure that mobei jun sorta wants to kill him

bingplane having their weekly gossip sesh in a pillowfort like "man oki idk why they keep coming to the cafe if they hate us so much... but also man they make for good eye candy, if they werent such assholes, i could see having a crush" and then maybe a terrible game of truth or dare results in both of them daring each other to flirt with the Mean Eyecandy Man and now moliu are about to get Wrecked LMFAO

look basically i think that this sort of au could go in multiple very delicious directions but at the base, i just want evil comrades bingplane running a cafe together with all of the gap moe in the world LMFAO

[readychilledwine]

Champagne Papí

Summary - Rhys just can't help but celebrate your recent accomplishments in the most extreme ways

Warnings - Alcohol, Mentions of wing clipping, Feyssian, drunk shenanigans, and sexual references/jokes

🎂Birthday Masterlist🎂

✨️Rhysand Masterlist✨️Master Masterlist✨️

All you had wanted to celebrate your new research publication was a quiet night with your mate and the Inner Circle circle, and Heavens knew you deserved it.

Years spent researching from dusk to dawn, countless hours with papers surrounding you with notes crossed out, rewritten, x'd out again, and then circled aggressively. Being a daughter of Day made you meticulous, a perfectionist, and frankly, too smart for anyone else's good. Helion being your uncle only made that worse.

You were practically raised in his lap, reading from a young age, asking him big questions, and only taking a nap once your curiosity had been sated. It had turned you into a scholar, and one the Night Court was desperate for once Helion shared you were near a breakthrough regarding the repair of clipped wings, but you just needed someone with wings to try it on.

Emerie was a shining example of your hard work. She was glowing next to Mor, repaired wings fluttering in delight as they were examined. You had found a surgical procedure that, in combination with healing magic, allowed you to reconnect the tissue and for everything to regrow. You had a small group of females you started with and all of them healed beautifully. Then from there, it was a camp of females, all housed away from their homes for a month while you and your team worked what they all thought was a miracle.

A hand brushed your waist, pulling you close and out of your thoughts. “You deserve all of this,” the soft purr of Rhysand's voice grounded your nerves. “My intelligent, beautiful, selfless mate.”

“The party is a little much.”

He scoffed, drinking his champagne before looking at you. “It isn't enough. What did you expect? A quiet gathering?”

Males and females were dressed to the nines in their finest threads, a lavish dinner was served, you had been forced to give a speech, and now drinks were flowing freely as other scholars and healers looked over the display of your notes and research, as well as looking at the physical evidence of repaired wings in graceful coordinated gowns paid for by the High Lord.

“Do you think they're happy?”A brow raised at you in a silent question. “The females, I mean. Do you think they're happy?”

“I think you've given them something back they thought they would have lost forever.” Rhys grabbed two more glasses of champagne, handing one to you. “The trauma is still there, but you will be able to single handedly create a new legion of warriors, heal little ones who had their birthright stripped from them, and now anti-clipping laws can be pushed harder. You've made it so there is a damage measurement, and therefore consequences other than imprisonment.” You took a sip of the beverage, savoring the flavor and soft bubbles. “I spared no expense. Only your favorites for a night meant to honor you, darling.”

You leaned up, kissing his cheek. “Thank you, Rhys.”

“Yeah, thank you Rhys.” You two turned to see Cassian with long legs thrown over his shoulder, high heels held in his hand as bare feet danced. “Feyre here decided that she needed, how many glasses, baby?”

He turned so you two could see his very flushed mate, her smile huge and eyes glassy. “Only 8.”

Cassian turned again only to glare at Rhys, “She called you her sugar male”

Rhys snorted, all signs of the High Lord gone as his shoulders relaxed and his smile grew. “What does that even mean?”

“You give her all the nice things,” another annoyed voice approached. Azriel was also glaring, Nesta on his back giggling as well. “Ness agreed.”

Rhysand felt his jaw drop, making you laugh, “This was for my mate!”

“Yes, well, Feyre and Ness decided tonight they are also your mates,” Azriel smirked as Nesta bit his ear before moving to kiss his neck. “What is it y/n calls you? Ness couldn't remember.”

“Champagne papí,” you answered while laughing. The nickname was an old joke. One passed along to all the new members of the Inner Circle.

Before Rhysand and you felt that bond snap when he returned home, he had courted you. Rhysand gave you expensive shoes, jewelry, books worth a pretty penny.

All because he wanted you to have the very best. And when he discovered you hated wine, but loved the bubbly, he started buying the most expensive bottles he could find.

Rhysand hated being called daddy, hated when he heard that name used between grown males and their partners.

But papí? Papí you could call him all day long. The way the native language of Day rolled off your tongue made him shiver and it stuck.

Rhysand rolled his eyes, “Papí is reserved for my delightful darling.”

Feyre's feet were still dancing to the music, her hair swaying behind Cassian, “And me!”

You couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as your mate sighed. His brothers both wished you a goodnight, leaving with their intoxicated mates. Rhysand was back to leading you through the party, letting other scholars stop you and ask their questions.

You were exhausted by the time you two collapsed in your shared bed, the soft silks welcoming you like gentle caress. But your mate clearly wasn't.

Rhysand's hands found their way into your hair, fingers digging at your scalp and sending a wave of chills down your spine. “You are the most amazing female I have ever met,” he whispered into your ear. “You so selflessly spent decades solving an issue your court wasn't even involved in. You've given so many females their freedom back. I can never repay you for this.”

“Rhys, it wasn't about repayment-”

“I know, darling. I know,” he continued massaging your scalp, fingers twisting your hair in the natural curl pattern. “Let me at least say that I love you then. That I am beyond proud that I have the honor of being your husband, mate, and High Lord.”

He watched your lips twitched up, “I got you a present. I wanted to wait until we were alone,” his hands left your head, making you whine as he stood and went to the closet you two shared.

Rhysand returned with a small black box, sitting next to you, “Neve out did herself with this, my darling.”

You sat up and took the box from him. The velvet was her signature black importanted from a fabric maker over in Scythia. You opened it slowly, laughing as you saw the stardust cut single champagne diamond centered on a delicate platinum chain. It was exquisite. Possibly one of the clearest diamonds with the clearest cuts you had ever seen.

“A champagne diamond from your champagne papí,” he purred in your ear as he put it around your neck. “And right now, I want to see you in nothing but this.”

He laid you back down, kissing you softly, and the true celebration party began.

General Taglist:

@hnyclover @glitterypirateduck @slytherinindisguise @mischiefmanagers @bloodicka @starsinyourseyes @the-sweet-psycho @mariahoedt @rinalouu @sarawritestories @starryhiraeth @starswholistenanddreamsanswered @cumuluscranium @loneliestluvr @eternallyelvish @azrielsmate3 @daughterofthemoons-stuff @meritxellao @aria-chikage @hungryforbatboys @lilah-asteria @fandomrejects @sleepybesson @tayswhp @itsswritten @milswrites

[howthesleeplesswander]

Given his ability to keep up with Kaeya to an impressive degree, Ryunosuke's fumbling in this moment spoke volumes. Kaeya could always find a way under one's skin if the desire struck; he could always read another well enough to turn the tide in his favor. Observation was one of his greatest strengths. Nothing escaped his notice.

Thus, in the moments after his calculated strike, the impish Captain caught the hitch in Ryunosuke's breath and the astonishment widening dark eyes. As his companion slowed to a stop, Kaeya's steps followed suit: keeping them locked in that orbit, dancing end-over-end in this game of cat and mouse. In the midst of his scrutiny—studying and memorizing every response he earned—Kaeya was struck by how charming Ryunosuke looked in his fluster. The mischief in his grin grew more pronounced the more he floundered.

"Hmm, well...Technically all of it was," Kaeya said with an easy shrug. "Surely I don't need to remind you that we're not, in fact, a couple." And while he didn't verbally acknowledge it, the gleam in his eye as he glanced down at their interlocked hands seemed to challenge that statement as much as the gesture itself.

"As I said: the main reason was to ensure the extension of our evening together. The second reason..." and he trailed off purposely, relishing in the drama, the anticipation of the pause— "...was to fluster you." Kaeya dipped inward with that admission, drinking in the swath of crimson that painted Ryunosuke's cheeks. "I'd say that was a resounding success.

"But if you want the truth?" Before that truth was even offered, those words felt foreign on his tongue. Bitter. Kaeya swallowed the taste; he wouldn't back down now. "I wanted to see how you would react. Onlookers have certain expectations when they think two people are a couple. If I were to speak about you that way, or touch you that way..."

Uncharacteristic for a man whose heart had long since fractured into shards of ice, his hold on the bend of Ryunosuke's fingers was gentle—even tender. Kaeya used it to tug him nearer. He stepped into his space, his opposite hand daring to cross that distance to settle at the curve of his waist.

"I can discern almost anything about anyone from the briefest conversation." His voice too had lowered; hushed not out of respect for the late hour, but for the preservation of this moment. Only for Ryunosuke to hear. "But I'm afraid that matters of the heart are where my talents find an abrupt end. I couldn't predict how you'd react."

Kaeya's thumb stroked over his knuckles—unconscious, almost hesitant. A coy smirk attempted to hide that uncertainty. "You still look like you want me to mean it. Am I wrong?"

And so, Ryunosuke would learn the hard way how big of a difference there was between expecting something… —and being fully prepared for that something.

Credit where credit was due, if not for his propensity to make foolish mistakes every now and again, he’d be somewhat at a stasis in his learning curve, now wouldn’t he? There always had to be people—or simply just things, events, misfortunes—keeping him on his toes, reminding him often that he couldn’t relax at the first sign of success. Because that “something,” no matter how expected it might be, would unremittingly knock him down more than just one peg.

Kaeya was the “something” of this equation. A man Ryunosuke had known long enough now to understand what frozen tendrils wove him together—brittle beneath an impressively convincing veil. He knew what to anticipate in his behavior, knew the refrain to almost all of his songs, had memorized his patterns both from his own attentiveness and a genuine, heartfelt curiosity to see what lay beneath that mask of his—or in his case, “eyepatch” would be more apt. Ryunosuke knew.

Circling back, however, none of that added up to his being able to steel himself this time around…

Physically, his feet stopped first. A hand reaching out to him caught in the corner of his eye seconds before brushing against his cheek. Then, it was his breath again snagging in his throat the very instant he locked his gaze on that impishly glimmering blue. Ryunosuke would fervently and passionately argue that he was certain his heart also stopped as that solitary digit curved beneath his chin… would that not have a much more devastating result if it were true.

Rather, he would attest to it skipping a couple beats. Stumbling over itself as one stumbles when missing a step on the stairs. And teetering there on the edge of the gently churning whirlpool that had become his insides.

Not a bad feeling, mind you. Expected. Yet for which a newly flushed lawyer was unprepared.

“Y-you… What?” Unhelpful, as responses went. Perhaps if he had given his brain more time to process where in the conversation they had left off, he could’ve taken those extra few seconds to manage something passable. Better late than never. Which had him standing rigid there in front of Kaeya while blinking a befuddlement he puzzled through. Kaeya was implying—

“Captain—!” he blurted on a weighted breath, eyes snapping wider with a (perhaps embarrassingly slow) realization. Then, as if also realizing they were still out on public streets—regardless of the hour—Ryunosuke lowered his voice even further, only after he brought his own hand up to gingerly grasp Kaeya’s and remove it from his chin. “Very well, then.” He didn’t let go, though. “Precisely… how much of that back there was a performance?”

[ourlittleuluru]

In summary, this memory was pretty good! It was so... SO MUCH. It immediately fried my brain half way through /@A@;;;;; It was insane. This memory (and the Unreturned Traveller) both left little to no room for any sort of imagination (,,>﹏<,,)

I may have some reservations about certain things with like pacing and such, but I get what they're going for (though at the same time I can't help but feel like they're also doing this spicy banner and heavy leaning on Xavier's jealous tendency in response to much of the vocal fandom really wanting it)

I won't say I love this card as much as the others but I see the appeal and still appreciate it~ I do still love the little moments in the cards and I'll put my trust with the writers still! (writers who are also fanfic authors, seriously... the wording they used during the kindled part just screams fanfic to me! 😂)

(ヘ･_･)ヘ┳━┳ into the Read-more it goes as usual! Fair warning. Long post is LONG (as per usual but at least it's not like branch story long lmao)

All in all this memory reaaaaally highlights a lot of Xavier's flaws, in a good way!

On one hand (i'm pretty sure this happened after 21 Days) now that Xavier has worked on expressing himself more with MC, he's letting the side that he's kept under wraps, out. This resulted with the Xavier we see in this memory. The insecurity, afraid that he'll lose MC-not because she'll die-but just losing out on any sort of time with her (maybe because he's also running on limited time???? angst potential????!), and his little more childish tendency to feel jealous.

He's just so baby 😭🥺 but also Xavier! You'll be okay! MC isn't going anywhere!!

For the first half of the date, I felt like there was some... unanswered questions? Maybe it's for us to figure it out. But I also felt that it was feeling a liiiiittle bit rushed?

Pretty much it seems the starting trigger for Xavier's jealousy began right in the first 3 minutes. Honestly felt that it could've been expanded on a little more, showcasing how it feels like MC would be snatched away from him 🤔 But since I'm sure there's a count to how long the dates should be, I guess they opted for this instead ｢( • ﾍ •) Which also still makes sense enough. But also just reminds me of the Tender Moment - Winter's Sun, where MC needs to go to a networking event and he's such a huge baby about it 😂

I think it's more than a little, MC X'DDD

This part though 🥺 The fact MC has given him access to their own place. And yet Xavier is still so proper about it. Such a gentleman uwu

MC had full faith and trust in Xavier. And Xavier, aware of it, but still would seek consent first. To which, after he has MC's consent, Xavier instead will make sure that MC knows it's him first. The care and thought in this 😭😭😭💖

HE'S LITERALLY PLAYING OUT THAT MEME I CAN'T EVEN 🤣

"You're the most jealous man I know" " You know other men?"

Ngl seeing this written where there's storm or dark clouds above Xavier's head is just funny because that's literally the vision 🤣 he's such an open book when it comes to MC

Him just wanting to hold onto MC at every opportunity even when people are around (/ω＼)

First time meeting Charlie and Xavier was still polite enough... the 2nd time tho... 😂

Poor Charlie! Of all people he first meet, it had to be Xavier and inciting his jealous streak X'D and he's oblivious to it... goodness

The way MC be pushing his buttons to figure out her suspicions on his mood tho 😭 and then the way Xavier literally be pouting in his voice when he says if there's other neighbours in the future that'll do things with her is just... BABY 🥺

Xavier essentially just be slowly putting his walls down, being more indulgent in showing his feelings. And the way he asks MC to see if they are okay with it 🥺

He's just seeking out for MC's reassurance at this point

How many times has some sort of sweet fruit been mentioned whenever it's them getting intimate >w< But this guy just casually leaving MC hanging on the edge.... wow 👀 he definitely knows what he's doing

Same MC... Same... u-u

Honestly, yes 🤣 Like sir, you have centuries and loved reading and also has shown to know so much. A bit difficult to assume you HADN'T ALREADY heard of it before

But the lines right after that just had me like 🥺 Imagine the times he just sat there alone, gazing. Thinking about the things that had passed. About how uneventful or how his life lacked some sort of anchor. His only reason for continuing his days is finding a way to deal with Philos's core and bringing the Backtrackers home. Or maybe to go to Uluru... stuff like that

Ngl... this line from MC had me be like ??????? cuz it made no sense to me;;; Not sure if it's just me not getting it lol.

But I went to look up the CN version and it's (very, very roughly) more along the lines of "If there's no fire, nothing would explode even with a fuse".

Interestingly enough, Xavier seems to avoid answering it? It also happened later, when MC tried to understand Xavier's change. I wonder why he avoided it. out of ego? inability to admit it because it'll be embarrassing? he doesn't know how to put it in words?

Anyways

The fact they be having such a sweet intimate moment and Mr neighbour Charlie came busting in. The face Xavier has. He couldn't even contain his emotions 🤣 thankfully he didn't need to run for his life.

Xavier really be staring him down at the side there 🤣🤣🤣 And Xavier just... 😭 I can't even with this baby. Charlie please read the room there if you know what's good for you...!

The way he just casually lies about this like....! Xavier please 🤣 One can tell he's trying to find a way to subtly tell Charlie to leave them alone I guess but you can tell he's also just letting his temper get the better of him and it came out this way

Okay this part of the whole date was like one of the biggest point to me :C

The way he has worded "do you want me to go back to how I was before?" was very much in a way referencing to one of their things about "every version of them". And the way that line was worded also reeked of Xavier's uncertainty. He was worried there. Was it too much? Is it going to end up driving MC away from him? MC of course did their best to try and ease his worry. It wasn't so much MC wanting Xavier to be how he was before but they just want to understand him more.

And the way Xavier just turns around and proceeds to take it out on the tree instead 😭😭😭😭 Xavier the tree is innocent...! That aside, he's definitely struggling to figure his own feelings out but that childish temper just pretty much got into his head so much that he couldn't keep his usual more level-headedness.

Also MC, did you really HAVE to kick him on his ass just to get his attention? 🤣 Man's angy enough and that definitely cranked his angy up to a 110

The way Xavier nuzzles saying he doesn't know (what else to suggest to help him calm down) was 🥺 he was needy and desperate at that point and he really didn't know how to deal with his emotion like... UGH muh heart

And MC THE INSTIGATOR...! The real freak fr 🤣😭 setting him off to go down the spicy route 😏 of course he's gonna respond in kind

MC gripping and stroking his chin like this 😩

and now that he knows he's allow to... man... MC just unleashed his desire

Him just smirking the rest of the way through.... asdfghjkl

LIKE HELP PLEASE (⁄ ⁄•⁄-⁄•⁄ ⁄)

The insane animation and voice acting for these round of cards was.... inasne... even the EN side has upped their game!

The kindled wasn't too long but boy did it show SO MUCH. AND THE SPICINESS WASN'T JUST IN THE KINDLED LIKE ASDFGHJKL

IT WENT BEYOND

And so much longer than I ever thought. Like after a short fade to black was the usual, so I was expecting that but OH NO NOT THIS TIME LIKE... WRITERS PLEASE ( //>///<//) MY SANITY WAS NOT ABLE TO TANK THAT

the devs making full use of their blended animation state machine with the spicy after-kindled scenario was insane. It's like on a whole new level of expressing their emotion. And the sweat...?! THE SWEAT! the heavy breathing too like... (๑/////๑ " )

You can't tell me this isn't totally a line used so much in fanfics LMAO

🥺 This. When he said "Don't go..." also screamed to me that he was afraid. He still was. The fleeting moments his has with MC, he was scared it'll just disappear

🥺🥺😭😭😭

ASDFGHJKL when this part came up I had to freak the heck out 🤣 jumpscared fr

JUST HOW MUCH WERE THEY GOING AT IT FOR?! 😭 like rabbits??

And him admitting that he's afraid, although indirectly (also sir, you're not answering the question again T^T)

And the way MC says "I know" here. It says so much about how they understand each other more than themselves at this point like 😭

MC reassuring Xavier after this as well, to make sure he understands and knows that he's not alone, and he won't be 🥺

I... what do I even say about this இ௰இ I'm sure there's something to say but brain not braining

And the return of their little domestic moments uwu💖

This had me cackling 🤣 One can never be too careful when Xavier's in the kitchen

And more little things to signify them as a pair. Filling their homes with pieces of each other

And Xavier putting the words he couldn't say into a card like... 😭💖

Him being surprised at himself for how much feelings he has held and how much more there still is. And despite all that he makes sure to ask MC if they'd be okay with it. Xavier always checking in on MC is just precious. 🥺 ensuring they're both on the same page. Be it about work, about the progress of their relationship. It's always about that. Being together and in the same step.

I previously had some reservations about how this memory was resolved but looking back at it again, Xavier's trying to show it in his own way and MC understood and also responded in a way that it's on the same page as him. Alongside with a small little banter to end it uwu

I can't wait to see how their relationship develops further. If and when Xavier grows to be more secure and knowing that MC won't leave him. I can imagine him being a lot more of a menace than he already is. Even if he gets a little jealous, he won't be insecure about it anymore and just kinda does his lil pouty baby act on purpose. That kind of thing! This might just be my own preference speaking but... yea •ᴗ•

[samishin]

the only thing i disagree with u on is gavin being good at/proud of his job. ive walked past this man at the precinct. i saw how he pretends to be working when someone is around and immediately drops the act & rests his feet on his desk the moment they're outta sight. hes just a slimy bastard who wants to keep having a paycheck, he probably lost any drive he had a while ago.

If you prefer to see him that way, then fair enough. I think he's a character who is only as interesting as you make him, given that he only has like 5 minutes of screen time and the depth they give him in game couldn't fill a teaspoon.😂

For me, I think of him as hardworking and good at his job because his character profile describes him as "ruthlessly ambitious" and that he will do anything to advance his career. I choose to interpret that to mean his job is more important to him than anything else and part of the reason he dislikes Hank so much is because he's an obstacle to that and he thinks he can do Hank's job better. As for him sitting at his desk and pretending to work, I've heard if you watch him long enough that Chris will attempt to help him with his computer that seems to be malfunctioning. My headcanon is that he's waiting for the IT guy to show up and fix it even tho Connor is right there and could probably do it immediately lolol Or he just came out of the breakroom and he's still on break, idk X'D

That's just how I choose to think of him, less flattering interpretations don't bother me tho; he's literally a character that was made to be hated in game. I think a large part of enjoying Gavin as a character is finding/making fandom interpretations you like because if you are only looking in canon you probably aren't going to find many reasons to like him.😆

[diminuel]

I see “RA treats Croc like their collective husband” and I raise you “Cross Guild adopts Dragon on accident”

At first Dragon seems cocky and annoying and like he takes up too much of Crocodile’s time but its pretty funny so Mihawk and Buggy tolerate it.

And then Dragon says something he thinks is pretty innocuous about his family/Garp and Mihawk and Buggy are looking at him in HORROR. Crocodile’s a little. Numb to Monkey family angst. But Buggy is the sea son of Roger and Rayleigh and Mihawk is maybe the bio son of Rayleigh and Shakky so they have like? Normal? High? Good? Expectations of a father-son relationship?

And then the follow up questions keep coming

And its all stiff like. When Buggy was a little boy and got scared at night Roger would come and sit with him until he fell asleep (sometimes roger just fell asleep with the boys). When Mihawk was little and too nervous to sleep Shakky would read to him until he fell asleep (he was like. 4) and then carry him to bed.

When Dragon was too scared to sleep because he was on an active Naval vessel that absolutely could be attacked at any time and he was without a doubt the highest-value ransom target — he would either be assigned night-shift work/drills (he’s 4) or Garp would demand he be left in an even DARKER, SMALLER room to ‘build strength’ and then he’d get yelled at all day the next day for being exhausted.

All I can think of is that Garp is fighting John Winchester for dad of the year award X3 I mean:

SAM: When I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a .45. DEAN: Well, what was he supposed to do? SAM: I was nine years old! He was supposed to say, don't be afraid of the dark. DEAN: Don't be afraid of the dark? Are you kidding me? Of course you should be afraid of the dark. You know what's out there.

X'D

But yes, I guess Cross Guild could let Dragon be a honorary member because he's clearly fucked up enough for it (even though Dragon would disagree. He's perfectly normal and well-adjusted.)

[shadowgale96]

Little Moments in S2E2 of Heaven Official's Blessing

San Lang's jewelry sparkling when he's amused (?) by something. This one happens when the ghost gambling bets his daughters life. Reminds me of an anime glasses character's glass shine. this happens several times through the episode and is usually accompanied by a high pitched metallic sound. Like the chime of a sword unsheathing.

The green deer demon girl is adorable. Loving the frog man too.

The wind master genderbending back into a man after being dragged to a ghost spa with the undead women and freaking out about what kinda of products they used on his precious skin.

Xie Lian physically grabbing the wind master to keep him from slipping away to find a mirror. You're on a potentially life or death mission my guy. Bring a compact mirror on your next adventure. Fast thinking on an excuse by Xie Lian though!

This guy having zero points in stealth on a mission that the emperor himself said must be handled discreetly to avoid conflict with the ghost realm.

I love how they both panic, than immediately accept Qianqiu's imminent death at Hua Cheng's hand after he continues to insult the man in his own establishment.

'This place of mine is meant for revelry. If you don't want to take the path to heaven, and break into hell, what else can you do?' Hua Cheng revealing that he knew who they were already. Which isn't surprising because they all stand out enough as is, even if his husband wasn't with them and standing within within eyesight.

Respecting the demons/ghosts for calling out Qianqiu when he said they're lacking humanity and decency. Like 'Bruh, We are literally NOT human. We don't share you're morals or sense of decency at all. Just let us live our lives.' Like, I'm actually in agreement with them.

Getting into an air bender battle, while San Lang is barely flicking his wrist at him. I like how San Lang crushes the table and sends the shards flying at him. Showing he could easily impale Qianqiu before pulling him up at the last moment. It felt like San Lang was trying to teach him. He might have recognized that Qianqiu was young and foolish, but was trying to do good. So San Lang warns him by showing him what could happen if he keeps running his mouth without knowing who he's threatening. That or he decided not to dice Qianqiu because Xie Lian was watching... could go either way

HuaLian having a tender moment looking into each other's eyes while everyone waits downstairs confused.

San Lang 100% offered Qianqiu as a prize to give Xie Lian the chance to help him and Him the chance to hold hands with Xie Lian X'D

We hear that metallic chime noise again here. I think San Lang gave Xie Lian some of is luck here. San Lang also holds Xie Lian's hands on the final round too when Xie Lian rolled two 6's and wins.

Everyone's reaction to San Lang calling Xie Lian 'Gege'. Qingxuan is curious and confused. Qianqiu looks shocked and a little embarrassed. and the grandma Pleakley looking demon's head falls off their body.

San Lang telepathically ordering his assistant to have everyone STFU while he's playing with Xie Lian.

Wind Master Qingxuan pelting Qianqiu with his fan for continuing to run his mouth.

San Lang being completely smitten with Xie Lian as he drops a man from the ceiling

Xie Lian making Qianqiu shut his mouth. Dude BE QUIET! They JUST saved you.

It was incredibly sweet how when San Lang approaches Xie Lian asking for the bet he's owed, Qianqiu steps between them and holds his arm out to protect Xie Lian from who he perceives to be a threat. Qianqiu knows he wouldn't win, but he moves to protect Xie Lian anyway. He's so foolish but so brave.

San Lang would eat stale pringles off the floor if Gege touched them,

Prince being to good for his own good again by telling Xie Lian not to lie to Hua Cheng. Despite himself not liking him at all for treating him like a pinata prize in front of everyone.

This was a very cute episode and there were so many enjoyable moments.

[nights-at-crystarium]

on authenticity

My mood in the recent months keeps going from bad to worse. Today I randomly fell into the rabbit hole of checking out other patreon artists, which always grounds me in reality and cheers me up, perhaps in a weird way. Essay incoming \o/

Authenticity is a blob of a word that sounds almost pretentious nowadays. It gets sneered at. You either sell your soul, or you don't earn with your art.

What's authentic, being true to yourself, will vary from person to person. It's like a sliding scale of suffering that you will tolerate in exchange for a coin, while convincing yourself that you have fun.

The harsh truth of modern world is that if your art pays for your living, you've already reached success, no matter how you may feel about the type of content you actually make for that money. Insert the meme furry nsfw art here. Or not furry. Or even sfw, but comms, lots of comms every month. Or merch. Anything that sells. Products first, art second.

Marrying passion and profession is virtually impossible, yet I'm doing it, only thanks to your support. I'm acutely aware that, even as I choose to be "real" and talk about an artist's money-making in a raw way, it's still patreon talk, and yes, I'll plug the link as well, so technically this entire post is an ad *fingerguns*

I just feel so privileged being able to create whatever the fuck I want, literally, I take no comms/requests/guidance on what and how should I draw/write, I post experimental, sometimes provocative stuff, and still make enough to survive. This sole fact should get me through the day, whatever other struggles I may be facing currently (I am. I don't wanna talk about it rn, instead I distract myself with this text), I should always remember the unique place in life I managed to carve for myself.

There are madmen (gender-neutral) who toss $10-20 at me every month. The majority "only" pledges $1, the notorious tier that gets treated as a tip jar with no rewards by many other creators. All of my rewards are the same at $1 and $20 (save for the one-time digital artbook download at $10, just to be perfectly clear), it's a conscious choice and a risk I continue taking because it's how I am. I used to split rewards between tiers in the past, before xiv, and it was a lot of busy work while it made me treat my art less as art and more as product. This pic goes into the cheap box, this pic goes into the expensive box. Every month. It's. Definitely not for every artist.

Logistic hell of splitting and delivering rewards, different posts with less comments per post, also my discord roles/channels would have to be split, nowadays it's just patron, whether you give me $1 or $20, there's no visual disparity, you're hanging out in the same cool kids' club, and collectively making happy noises on Fragments Fridays.

Could I be making more money if I got rid of the $1 tier? Yeah. But, mercifully, after 2 years I don't need to. I legit make enough currently, my only worry is to keep what I have. Patrons don't stay forever, 2-5 people would leave every month, about the same number would join (hence my patreon ads, I need to keep people reminded of it, even if it makes me feel guilty every damn time). I did Research (tm) in the past to find out that my "bleeding" numbers are below average, i.e. it's good, people generally tend to stick around.

I put a lot of emphasis on the $1 because I'm kinda proud of what I managed to accomplish while staying self-detrimentally humble. Literally doing an impossible thing in a world that keeps burning down. So yeah if you've been feeling bad for only giving me $1, what matters is that there's enough $1s to make a difference. Together you're creating a phenomenon, and you should be proud.

There are many stupid little principles, hills that I'll die on, that make up my authenticity. I chose to speak of it here and now in order to sorta sell myself, so it feels hypocritical x'D But if I don't shine a spotlight on this, who will. I'm old and jaded and increasingly terrified of how insincere the internet's becoming. Everything's fake, sugarcoated, polished for sale. My art's always been a scream of defiance against all that, now that I'm more or less established, I wanna scream louder. Thanks for hearing my screams. You can scream with me too if you want.

[howthesleeplesswander]

In the days since being placed under his charge, the Apprentice had never seen Lord van Zieks react quite like that.

Not that the two men were ever comfortable around each other, but the flicker of hesitation, of uncertainty, on his mentor's face after his question was unexpected. And yet, something about it was almost...comforting: it made the man seem like less of a brick wall veiled in a title of nobility, and more like a real, genuine person. Oddly, it gave the Apprentice a fleeting glimmer of hope.

All he'd managed to glean from observing his mentor was that the title of "Reaper" was well-known and unfavorable to all who uttered it. But if, even in the smallest moments, he showed that he could be more than just "the Reaper"...

Could the Apprentice also become more than just his shadow?

Two shakes of his head answered both of Lord van Zieks' questions. On the contrary, Lord Stronghart had been far from forthcoming with information about himself or his mentor—despite volunteering the both of them to be his caretakers. The Apprentice knew as little about the two of them as he knew about himself.

He watched the other man attentively, expectantly, hawk-like eyes shrouded by his mask.

It's the first time Barok has heard Kazuma speak.

And it's difficult not to recoil at the question. Hearing such a raw, raspy voice from his apprentice's lips... it's not unsettling, but the faint hint of an accent that's awfully familiar is, and there's something even underneath all that that has Barok feeling on edge.

It's not a feeling he can make sense of... but it's thoroughly unpleasant, and for a moment, it feels as if his sins have come back to haunt him. Which is a ridiculous thought. There may indeed come a time when Barok must receive punishment, for all that he has done and all that he has failed to do, but... why would it be at the hands of this man? No, he can't accept that his fate would come from the hands of a loathsome Nipponese.

...But there's also the question his apprentice asked, that strangely, he doesn't know how to respond to immediately. Because... in Barok's experience, everyone has always known what it means for him to be the Reaper. The people of London look at him with fear and scorn in equal balance, and Barok can't deny that it's a painful, lonely existence - but never one he's had to explain to another before. The Reaper is a shadow he can't escape. He's used to accusations, both spoken and unspoken, but a question like this... why does it feel different?

"Did Stronghart not tell you?" he asks, first. He feels no need to scold his apprentice for speaking and breaking Stronghart's orders - as much as he's sure that Stronghart must have his reasons, Barok's sure that he must've also known that this particular command of his could ever last.

"The Reaper is... a title. One given to me a long time ago." Unconsciously, his hand drifts to his badge, and he clutches it gently. "Are you familiar with the history of the defendants whose trials I prosecuted? Particularly, those who escaped justice through their own conniving schemes."

@howthesleeplesswander ( continued from here! )