#so it's exciting to think of the characters and couples she would explore in the future

[yazthebookish]

I feel like people who think the series is exclusively about the Archeron Sisters dismiss what Sarah said about the spin-off books (not to mention her statements about what the books are about in several interviews).

Feyre's trilogy is hers and is different from the spin-off simply for the fact that SJM said the spin-off books will follow a traditional romance route = each book will feature different romantic pairings, they'll have their own plot and it ties into the overarching plot that spans across all the other books. Basically they're interconnected standalones and each couple get one book with a promised HEA.

Examples of that being:

• Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter series

• Lisa Kleypas Wallflowers, Hathaways, and Ravenels series

• JK Ward's Blackdagger Brotherhood series

• Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series

Each series include books that follow different couples that are usually in the same circle or close to it. There aren't rules about who shows up "first" must have their story first or that an OG character can't end up with a new character or should only end up with an OG character.

It doesn't work that way. What matters is which characters and couples are complimentary and would contribute to the story the most. Even in these books, some OG characters ended up with brand new love interests. Some new characters became protagonists.

I do believe ACOTAR will continue even beyond ACOTAR6 (this is supported by Sarah stating there will be more books in the series). More characters and couples from this world will be featured.

[thormanick]

the post below contains some possible minor spoilers related to the look of guizhong

Accidentally saw someone mention that Guizhong looks like Sandrone and well the more I look into it the more I go "hm. the coincidences are indeed too peculiar"

[jaylalolz]

,,BEST PART’’ nicholas chavez

a/n : since none of yall wanted to make a fic about this lovely man.. imma do it myself

warnings : none

summary : in an interview, actress Madelyn Kennedy reveals her celebrity crush on actor Nicholas Chavez, sparking excitement among her fans. It quickly gets attention on social media, with fans buzzing about the potential chemistry between the two.

Madelyn Kennedy adjusted her microphone and smiled brightly at the camera. The vibrant buzzed with energy as the host, Jake Harrington, settled into his chair across from her. The air was thick with anticipation, not just for Madelyn's upcoming projects, but for what might unfold during the interview.

“Welcome back to Hollywood Spotlight! Today, we have the incredibly talented Madelyn Kennedy with us,” Jake announced, his enthusiasm infectious. “Madelyn, it’s great to have you here!”

“Thanks for having me, Jake! I���m so excited to be here,” Madelyn replied, her heart racing slightly. She loved these moments, sharing her passion with fans who tuned in from all over the world.

“So, let’s dive right in! Fans are eagerly awaiting Outer Banks Season 4, which is set to premiere on October 10th. What can you tell us about it?” Jake leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

Madelyn took a breath, her excitement bubbling over. “I can’t wait for everyone to see it! This season is going to be the biggest yet. We’ve really upped the stakes with the storylines. There’s more adventure, more twists, and a deeper exploration of our characters. I think fans are going to be on the edge of their seats!”

“Sounds thrilling! Any hints you can drop about what to expect?” Jake pressed, a grin spreading across his face.

“Well, without giving too much away,” she said, playfully biting her lip, “let’s just say the Pogues face some serious challenges that test their friendships and loyalty. It’s a wild ride!”

“Now that sounds like something to look forward to! But let’s switch gears a bit. On a more personal note, do you have any celebrity crushes?” Jake’s tone turned lighter, inviting her to share something more intimate.

Madelyn paused for a moment, a playful smirk creeping onto her face. “Actually, I do!” she said, leaning in slightly as if sharing a secret. “I have a crush on Nicholas Chavez. He’s just incredible!”

The studio erupted with a mix of gasps and excited chatter, and Madelyn’s cheeks flushed slightly. She could feel the buzz of energy in the air as Jake’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.“Nicholas Chavez! That’s a popular choice! What is it about him that draws you in?” Jake asked, clearly enjoying the moment.

Madelyn laughed, her confidence returning. “I mean, he’s such a talented actor. I loved his work on General Hospital and recently Monsters, and he just has this amazing energy. Plus, he seems like a genuinely nice person. What’s not to like?”

liked by madelynkennedy and 356,789 others

nicholasalexanderchavez muah

view all comments !

madelynkennedy just fainted

⤷ nicholasalexanderchavez need any help?

user the crossover we didn’t knew we needed

user wait bc they would be such a hot couple…

user madelyn forgetting that she’s on her main instead of spam LMAOO

user oh i’m living for this

user i ship

user white boy of the month

user no bc that one scene in monsters when he only had a towel on… DROP IT😫

user need him in a romcom w mads

user nicholas just pulled the baddest bitch

[sflow-er]

What Alice Oseman has said about the Ferris wheel scene

Cut for Heartstopper season 3 spoilers!

Apparently, Alice Oseman (@chronicintrovert) already said in May that the dialogue between Tori and Charlie would be different in the show and Tori's asexuality would only be explored in S4 (which has not been confirmed yet):

Not only that, Alice also referenced Tori's aceness in this Netflix Tudum article from a couple of days ago:

Although many Heartstopper couples are leaning into their relationships, one pair is in a bit of a gray area: Charlie’s sister, Tori (Jenny Walser), and her friend Michael (Darragh Hand). In the finale, we learn Michael is ready to call Tori his girlfriend, and Tori isn’t so sure. Even Charlie is confused about why Tori won’t say yes.  Oseman says that the answer to Charlie’s question lies in her fifth Heartstopper novel, which the show hasn’t caught up to. In Volume 5, Tori tells Charlie that she believes she’s asexual. “This is why she has been quite confused by her relationship with Michael,” Oseman explains. “She clearly cares about and loves Michael a lot. But she doesn’t really know whether it counts as a relationship or not.” 

So I hope that reassures those who are understandably worried that her aceness might have been erased from the show!

Personally, I think this is the better choice from both a storytelling and a representation perspective. Having her come out to Charlie on the Ferris wheel would have delighted those of us who already had more context for her character and relationship with Michael, but for the show-only fans, it would have come completely out of the blue. It would have felt more like lip service/ticking a box than actually portraying a new queer identity, because we saw very little of her and Michael's relationship and none of her feelings on it yet.

Also, the events of Solitaire don't seem to be canon in the show (as their first meeting was changed and they are clearly still going to Higgs), so the context we do have may not be fully applicable anyway. I for one am excited to see a new version of Tori and Sprolden unfold on my screen when S4 rolls around!

Perhaps we might even get to see the two ace stories converge, as the camerawork in the finale certainly seemed to hint at that.

[obessedwithfictionalmen]

Co-Stars pt.6

Callum Turner X Actress! Reader

Summary: Shooting a sex scene as a couple can lead to some stuff...

Warning: +18/ smut/ voyeurism/ public sex/ fingering/ unprotected sex/ Swearing/ use of Y/n/ nudity/

Word count: 1.2k

A/n: Thank you whoever wrote that request! <3

After they got together, filming scene together was more fun, especially the sex scenes. Which that was what they were going to shoot today, she was nervous because Callum suggested that they had sex on set, while filming. Y/n was curious, she wanted to see what it would be like to have people watching them while they had sex. When the costume designer finished the last touch on her outfit, she looked at it in the mirror, it was beautiful, it was a one piece, made in white lace that was see through. She had a thong that matched her skin color, so that no one saw her private parts. She made her way on set, where they weren’t that many people. When they filmed a love scene, they would only allow the people that are really important to the set, not wanting to have a crowd of people watching the actors having sex.

‘’So, Y/n, your character comes in Bucky’s room, to surprise him. You know what you need to say?’’ The director asks. She nodded. ‘’Action!’’ Y/n slowly walked into the room, in her character mindset of course. Callum was pretending to be asleep, excited to film with his girl. The floor cracked; it was supposed to do so. Callum woke up and looked at Y/n. ‘’Rose, what are you doing here?’’ he asked with an American accent. She swallowed and cleared her throat. ‘’I, uh, couldn’t sleep’’ she said, with a seductive voice. Callum let his eyes trail all over her body, she was beautiful. ‘’Why?’’ He breathed out. ‘’Couldn’t stop thinking about you’’ she whispered. She took the lingerie off, slowly, like it was written. She walked towards the bed, slowly, making sure to sway her hips. Callum seated at the side of the bed, so she’ll be standing between his legs. When she was in this position, she took his hands in her face. Bringing him closer to her face, their lips were close to the other. ‘’You thought about me?’’ He breathed as she nodded. ‘’What did you think about exactly?’’ He kissed her exposed stomach, placing wet kisses while looking up at her. ‘’What we did in the shower’’ she whispered. Callum smirked, slowly putting his head up. ‘’Did you touch yourself while you were thinking about us?’’ he said. Y/n nodded and blushed. He made a move that made the woman fell on top of him, but slowly. They both kissed passionately, touching each other’s body. Exploring it like it was the first time, even though they had sex multiple times. ‘’Show me’’ he ordered, with a low voice. ‘’Show you what?’’ she faked being innocent, because her character was. ‘’How you were touching yourself’’ He honestly said. Y/n frowned her eyebrows in pleasure, she bit her lips as Callum brought them under the covers.

She looked at Callum nervously, because her character was, Rose was a shy person, she did things out of love. ‘’Do you trust me?’’ Callum mumbled. Y/n nodded, he took her hand and brought it to her clitoris. She started to move her fingers on herself, with her free hand, she took Callum’s face to bring him closer. They both kissed, it was filled with desire and lust. ‘’Does it feel good?’’ he whispered. ‘’Yes’’ she breathed out. With his hand, he moved down to reach her entrance. He entered two fingers inside of her, pushing her panties to the side before he went in. The woman moaned, but it wasn’t a fake one, they were doing it in front of the filming crew. It turned her on, knowing that they weren’t acting, it was real. The white sheet covered their body, giving them a fake intimacy. Y/n felt her boyfriend get hard, and he was really turned on. Having sex in public was new for them, but it really was exciting. He moved his fingers faster, so did she. Y/n felt a not forming in her stomach, she was close. Callum felt his girlfriend clench around his fingers, he smirked. ‘’My beautiful girl, so sweet, so shy, and yet, so needy for me’’ In the last part, his British accent slipped out a little bit, but only Y/n picked it up. The praise made the not burst, she came on his fingers as she moaned. ‘’Oh my!’’ she breathed out. Callum took his fingers out and brought them to his mouth, he sucked on his fingers to drink her juice. It wasn’t in the script, that was pure Callum. ‘’Are you ready, sweetheart?’’ he said, with his American accent. Y/n couldn’t trust her own voice, she had to nod, or they would probably get caught.

‘’Cut! Holy Hell guys! That was amazing, it almost looked real! You have talent! We’re going to leave, to allow you guys to calm down, just come and get us when you’re ready!’’ The director praised them. Their bubble popped, they almost forgot that they weren’t alone, but they were still excited. ‘’Thank you’’ Y/n cleared her throat. The second the door was shut; Callum’s mouth was all over hers. ‘’ You naughty girl, you like having people watching us fuck?’’ he growled in her ears. Y/n moaned to his sentence, grabbing his back. ‘’No teasing, I need you to fuck me right now’’ she said, between kisses. As soon as she finished her sentence, Callum buried himself into her. Y/n arched her back, while holding on his back. Her nails were scratching his back, but he liked the pain. ‘’Holy shit’’ she whimpered. He rocked his hips fast, the rhythm was erotic, raw and was really showing the urgency of the couple. They needed each other, no time for foreplay or teasing, it was raw. ‘’You’re so fucking tight’’ he growled. ‘’And you’re so damn big’’ she moaned as she threw her head on the pillow. Callum smirked as he quickened the pace, chasing his own orgasm. He knew Y/n was close, he could feel her walls clench around him, and she was squirming under him. The smell that filled their nose was intoxicating, the mix of her perfume, his and the smell of sex was driving them mad. ‘’Callum I’m gonna – ‘’ she moaned as she came for the second time. Her walls wouldn’t stop clenching his dick, that triggered his own release. He crashed on top of her, her thighs were shaking from all the pleasure. ‘’We need to do that again’’ she managed to mumble to her boyfriend. Callum chuckled as they both took a moment to catch their breath. ‘’This scene might be sex Oscar worthy’’ he joked as he placed a piece of her hair behind her ears. She laughed and kissed him again. ‘’I don’t think they give Oscars for the best sex scene’’ she laughed. He smiled and kissed her again.

-

‘’I mean, if they were an award for the best intimate scene, you guys would’ve been winners because oh my, it was intense!’’ Jimmy Fallon said. Y/n blushed, remembering the sex they had after. The public screamed in agreement, and Callum laughed. ‘’I mean, we weren’t there, but rumor as it, it was very spicy!’’ Barry said, making Y/n laugh nervously. ‘’That’s when you know how good they are, as actors, because we thought it was real!’’ Jimmy said. Callum laughed again. The couple thought about the same thing: Don’t worry, it was.

[gyeomsweetgyeom]

[4:59 pm]

(cw: spoilers for Bridgerton season 3, description of a steamy scene from Bridgerton)

You had been waiting two long years for season 3. A season that for you and many other was highly anticipated since you already knew the characters that were going to fall in love. You were excited to see the shenanigans the Bridgertons would get up to, if Eloise and Penelope would med their friendship, and how Anthony and Kate would act like a married couple. You were beyond excited.

You'd gotten all your errands and some chores done earlier in the day just so you could have your afternoon free to watch part 1 of season 3.

You'd made it all the way through episode 1 with no distractions. Then came episode 2 and Jaehyun had lingered behind you while watching Colin "train" Penelope. 10 minutes later he was still standing behind you and asking questions. You were frustrated, sure, but you still paused the show to explain the Bridgerton lore. And 5 minutes later you were restarting part 1 for Jaehyun to watch from the beginning.

Now, here you were on the last episode of part 1 at the edge of your seat. You felt your heart ache for Penelope, Lord Debling really could have been a nice match for her. Was she in love with him? No, but what else was Colin doing besides being stupid?

"Wait!" You heard from the screen.

Jaehyun gasped, "it's Colin!"

"Shut up! I can't hear!"

The door of the carriage was pulled open and sure enough, there stood Colin. Jaehyun turned up the volume and you leaned forward, closer to the screen. Something big was going to happen, you knew it.

You bit your lip as you watched Penelope snap at Colin, ugh she was so right. You rolled your eyes as he gave his reasoning, as if she owed him anything. And then feelings! Colin has feelings for Penelope!

You throw yourself back and kick your legs with excitement, he likes her! Your heart soared hearing his confession, god, every confession in every season was amazing.

"But I'd very much like to be more than friends," Penelope breathed heavily.

Jaehyun yelled excitedly, "they're kissing! Again!"

You watched with your jaw dropped as the kissing got steamier and steamier, then the kissing led down her chest, and woah- exposed shoulder.

"What is his hand doing?! What is he doing!?" Jaehyun yelled with his hands in his hair, stressed but intrigued.

Penelope's jaw drops and the music peaks, Jaehyun gasps, "People can see! There's a window right there!"

Your own hand is over your mouth, watching in absolute shock as Jaehyun watches Colin... explore beneath Penelope's dress until the carriage comes to a stop in front of the Bridgerton house.

You both sit in silence, trying to process what you watched, taking in the words and the rest of the scene, too in shock to laugh at Colin's horniness.

Colin pulls Penelope's strap back onto her shoulder and your jaw drops once again. You can hear Jaehyun's surprised whisper, "his fingers."

Colin steps out of the carriage and you're confused, eyebrows furrowed, until Colin says, "Are you going to marry me or not?"

You squeal and Jaehyun stands in shock before pausing the show to gather his thoughts.

"That's it? He kisses the girl 2 times, has a sex dream, and gets under her dress and he wants to marry the girl? All the seasons are like this?"Jaehyun asks out loud.

You think it over, "um, similar but more angst."

"More?! What are we doing? Put them on!"

[the-fiction-witch]

Entertain

Media - House Of The Dragon Character - Daemon Targaryen Couple - Daemon X Reader Reader - Y/n Targaryen (Niece, Viserys Second daughter with Aemma) Rating - Flirty Word Count - 1056

Y/n giggled excitedly looking at everything like an excited child she had never been out of the castle onto the king landing streets like this and she clearly was loving the sights and sounds Daemon smiled as he watched her. “So cute” he called her in his mind. "You're loving it. I can think of many other things that would please you here." He teased, as he pulled her even closer to him, his voice husky and low. "Shall we go to a private place?"

"ohh where?" she giggled with a sweet innocence,

He whispered in your ear and grinned "There's a fine inn just around the corner. We can spend the night there. No one needs to know." His hand was on her neck now, his fingers dancing with each other, playing with her necklace. "The people love their Princess but you deserve a little more privacy, just for you."

she nodded excited for whatever or wherever he was going to take her on this little adventure, so Daemon led her to a nice looking Inn by the docks. He paid the innkeeper a bag filled with gold dragons. The innkeeper looked at her excitedly,

Daemon took her by the hand, led her to the room, closed the door behind him...

the room was impressive with grand stone and a view out across the city, a large fire burning, a grand bed and even a pool steaming with warm water, Y/n looked around excitedly slipping off her cloak to reveal her more in her beautiful gown clearly by her innocence smile she didn't know the sort of establishment this was

"Do you know where you are, princess?" he asked her, his voice husky.

She shook her head,

"The street is notorious for its, err... entertainment facilities." he growled, "And you're here with me, I wonder what they are going to think..."

"entertainment?" She asked, "Do they play music here? Theatre perhaps?" she asked excitedly,

He couldn't believe how innocent she was. It was so cute. He just wanted to take her by the hand, and have this innocent cute girl all to himself but he had better plans.

"... well. Not exactly that entertainment. And you're going to be the main attraction, princess. Do you understand?" He smirked at Her and took Her by the hand.

she shook her head she was confused but she had complete trust In her uncle,

Daemon grinned, how cute she was, completely in his control. He pulled her to the bed. "I'll explain, but you have to lie down on the bed first... this explanation might take a while."

she giggled and laid down on the bed on her back kicking her feet playfully

And he lied down behind her, and wrapped his arms around her kissing her shoulder as his hands explored her dress, "Well, you know how you are the princess, princess?" He smirked teasing her.

she nodded with a giggle,

"And the princess is supposed to be married to a handsome prince, correct?"

She nodded again running her hands over his own,

"And... all men would love to marry her. Yes?"

"I have to marry a lord father picked out he says so. I don't think anyone would want to marry me"

"That's the most foolish thing I've ever heard, princess." he said, "You know how men are. They like beautiful women only… and you're the most beautiful in the realm. Don't you believe me?"

"I suppose I have to believe you... But still, how does me being a princess connect to this place's entertainment?"

He smiled at her. So cute. She was still innocent, he would have to take matters into his own hands. "Men will love to have you, do you understand me? They would kill others to have you just for one night... Do you understand me, princess?"

"I do,"

"So. You are the... most precious thing in the whole realm. It's your secret, your beauty that makes you so precious." he cooed between kisses starting to pull at the ties of her dress, "Tonight... you'll learn how precious you are, princess."

"how will I learn that?" She blushed

"By... letting men see you, so that they can love you... just for one night." He smirked at her "It will be a new experience for you, something quite unusual. But I'm sure you'll really begin to see how precious you are afterwards."

"What..." she froze up,

He smirked at her. "This place is... it's not a normal inn, princess" He looked deep in her eyes, as he explained slowly, "This is... uhmm... it is a... a pleasure house, where men come to... entertain themselves."

"ohh..." She is taken back, "I see... But then why am I here? Why are were here uncle?"

He smirked "Well.. princess if all these men would love to see you, and know you..." he growled kissing her neck more aggressively keeping her in his grip even if now she began to squirm, "Then you'll give them what they want, right?"

"but I can't I... I have to be innocent for my marriage father says so"

"Oh princess, I know. You're a good girl. But no one would know, this... this is your secret, your uncle's secret. No one will ever know, I promise. You'll be the innocent good girl that the Prince will marry, and no one will ever suspect a thing."

she shook her head "I cannot, I've never..."

"It's... it's ok, I know it's a new experience for you," he grinned. "That's exactly why you should... learn it... you're the princess right? You have to learn how to... entertain... men... "

"I'm a princess it's not right" she tried to argue but he just held her tighter,

"Princess. It's a princess's duty to learn this. All those lords and princes, they need some entertainment to be happy, to support the king. Don't you want to entertain and make these men happy? It is your duty as a princess after all..."

"But uncle!"

"Princess... I know this might be a hard thing for you, but... it's the duty of a Princess. And you can't deny your duty, that's your responsibility, to be the best princess ever." he cooed,

"I- But I shouldn’t-”

"Your uncle loves you very much, princess. And I want to make the King... and the Lord's and Princes happy, because they are so desperate for you. It's your duty to entertain them... just one night. They're all waiting princes so please, Can you do that for your sweet uncle? "

[cozage]

Hi Coza. I sent a request in for a part 2 for a lifetime promise, but after reading what you said about writing second parts, I decided to change my request. Instead of writing a part 2 for a lifetime promise, could you do a Ace, Sabo x female reader headcanon where the reader is a water devil fruit user. Like how would a water user and fire user mix as a couple? Thank you. You work is amazing and always love to see what you do! 😊

This was really cute to write about! Thanks for the request!

Characters: female reader X Sabo, Ace Word Count: 600 CW: none :)

Ace

You are constantly putting out his fires, literally and figuratively. Ace loves to make a big show of his powers, but he isn’t always aware of his surroundings. 

The ship is of course always the biggest concern. But he’s also been known to accidentally burn down buildings and allegedly, a forest. His destruction rate has been 0 since you came around. You’re always right behind him, watching for stray fires he may not have noticed. It happens more frequently than you expected.

Whenever he says something ridiculous, you always spray him with a little bit of water and tell him “you need to cool off,” or “you’re getting too hot there.”

Water beats fire, of course, and you never let him forget it. He kind of likes that you keep him grounded. 

He feels a little bit more like a person and less like an element when he’s holding your hand. You have to admit you feel the same. You balance each other. 

People on the crew tease him relentlessly about how much he shows his love for you. In response, he’ll throw an arm around you and always say “She’s my weakness, what can I say?” You try not to let him see how much that silly statement makes you want to MELT into a puddle (sometimes literally you begin to melt. You can’t help it.)

After particularly spicy makeout sessions or…other things, the room is FILLED with steam. It’s basically a freaking sauna in there. Sometimes you can hardly see anything besides each other. And when you finally have to open the door and the steam spills out into the hallway, everyone on the floor knows what you guys were up to. No way to be sneaky about that, unfortunately. 

Sabo

Whenever Sabo comes up with some insanely exuberant plan, you always flick water in his face. “Don’t get cocky,” you warn. You had done it when he demanded to go to Dressrosa, but he had gone anyway. 

You’re delighted to discover your water flick still works on him (and is perhaps more effective) after he comes back from Dressrosa with a fire power. 

You find that since Dressrosa, Sabo has been kissing you a lot more frequently. Even his quick “see you at home” kisses turn into three or four. When you finally ask him about it, he just shrugs and says “I dunno how to describe it. It’s just so refreshing. You’re so refreshing.”

When he gets particularly frustrated in a meeting, he’ll look at you and say “cool me down, babe.” It makes everyone laugh as you pat his face with water, but you know he actually needs you to do it to stay calm. 

Sabo has always been a confident person who is independent and likes to take charge. After he comes back from Dressrosa, he’s still all of those things, but he likes being near you while he does them. You aren’t sure if it’s because of his fruit or if it’s because of whatever happened in Dressrosa, but you like him leaning on you a bit more. 

As he works to perfect his moves, he likes having you around. It takes him a while to get the right power level for the moves he has ideas for and he doesn’t want anything to burn down. Some days he even requests a little water barrier (think like The Birdcage, but with water and not malicious).

Now that Sabo has fire powers, sensations are definitely more heightened for both of you. Even when you all touch each other, the feeling is different compared to when he didn’t have a devil fruit. It definitely adds a new exciting and fun aspect to your relationship, one that both of you are extra eager to explore further.

[monstersandgirls-webcomic]

feel free to ignore this question if you so wish but i gotta ask:

is there anything you regret making/implementing into this specific comic line that you are aware of looking back? if so, why?

different question if you dont wanna answer that, what would Lili's and Sera's favorite pie be?

A couple things

I SHOULD’VE MADE POWERS AN AGGRESSIVE DICKHEAD LONGER AUGHHHHH. I just got really excited with a comic idea and couldn’t wait a year to reveal that she’s a demon. Shes still an asshole but since she’s not mean to Sera and Lili it makes the dunks on her a little difficult to write since I don’t want it to feel like bullying her, hence why Prince’s issues with her is addressing her past behavior

I don’t entirely regret it because I can explore some ideas but I do wish I held off on getting Sera and Lili married. My interactions were falling off at the time and back then, I just viewed this series as a hobby and a way to make money so I could work on Bugtopia so I thought “oh I’m sure I won’t regret this latter” I did. I did regret it later

I do regret making Violet and Lucy wives and I may just quietly retcon it

I wish I didn’t introduce Scylla as some crazy bodyguard because I actually prefer her being a grump her takes her job seriously. I think I have too many violent girls with anger issues

Prince’s design is something I’m really conflicted on. I was split between making them really skinny or giving them those big strong horse thighs and you can see which one over, but after the constant weird comments about being called a “Gooner artist” I did second guess some of my design decisions

I wish I didn’t make Mara a succubus 💀, in fact I do kind of wish I didn’t have so many succubus characters but they’re also fun to draw

Those damn comics where Luvart talked about fucking Powers because I don’t like making their rivalry explicitly sexual

I’m actually not crazy about Domino’s design but when I tried to redesign him I realize people would complain if I made him super different

I wish I didn’t make Lili’s mom a hellhound but I’m stuck with it now lol

Lili’s favorite pie would be apple and Sera can’t taste food

[jjenthusee]

A Part Of The Family

Roy Harper and Lian Harper Drabble!!! (feat. Jason Todd and Dick Grayson)

A/N: if you’ve kept up with me, you might have noticed that I’ve started to stan Roy YAY 😫 it was a crazy deep dive and I got attached to his character lol one of the main reasons i wanted to write for him was because of his Native American/Indigenous upbringing. I was shocked when I found out because (i don’t normally try to share too much about myself cause this is a public space) but i’m indigenous too ✨😌✨ i have to rep my people for Native American Heritage Month *confetti* but i thought i would have to share this to give context on how i plan to write and explore Roy’s character. At least from my research (sorry if this is wrong) but he did grow up on the reservation in some of the backstories and it’s not explored very much :( it explains his tattoo, knowing the language, and frankly, a lot of native rep is kinda bad, but i thought leaving out a major part of his childhood didn’t help reflect who he was. As someone who has experience and lives as a member of the tribe it’s based on, I wanted to share some silly thoughts :) ofc remember all people with cultural backgrounds have different experiences so read this or don’t but i’ll see how this turns out so ENJOY 💐 and comment, like, reblog

Summary: Roy shares a part of his past with Jason and now he’s determined to share an important moment of Lian’s life.

Word Count: 1.2k

“I don’t think she’s going to budge anytime soon.” Roy rested himself on the couch, overlooking his best friend and daughter. They were both on the floor, a soft blanket laid for Lian’s designated tummy time.

Lian blankly watched Jason hold toys, making noises as she followed the sounds, glancing up to look at his excited face as he talked to her.

“Don’t listen to him, Lian. Just over three months of life and we are already best friends.” Jason’s words kept Lian’s attention.

She would give the tiniest smile in return. No laughter yet, but she expressed her enjoyment of Jason’s presence, nonetheless.

Roy was grinning watching the two, a much clearer expression, but remarkably like Lian’s smile. He had been lacking some sleep, but Jason’s frequent visits were helping him get a couple extra minutes of rest.

To Roy’s surprise, Jason had been over almost everyday this week.

The company was fine, better even according to Roy, but he didn’t mean for this to happen. It had been a small slip, a tiny mistake, just a sleepy mumble of his brain when he watched Jason clumsily hold Lian for the first time.

Roy corrected Jason’s hands to be comfortable for him and Lian. In the movement, he had unconsciously spoken.

“This reminds me of way back, when there was a new baby in the community, all the kids would crowd around trying to make funny faces, trying to make the baby laugh.” Roy lulled along to Jason’s slight sway, more confident in holding Lian in his arms. “Then we would hear all the elders yell out to us that we would have to cook if we got the baby to laugh.”

Roy chuckled to himself, remembering the days back on the reservation, feeling the hot sun on his skin.

Jason set his gaze on Roy, never moving his head away from Lian’s tiny body, but focused on the man’s sudden reminiscent tone.

It wasn’t often that Roy mentioned the past, he didn’t discourage it directly, but he also didn’t freely talk about it either.

So, Jason took a chance.

“Cook?” Jason harmlessly questioned, smoothing out the tiny hairs on Lian’s forehead as she stared at his face again.

“Well, it’s a big deal when a baby laughs for the first time. We celebrate and it’s planned by the person who makes the baby laugh.” Roy got up from his spot once he heard the washer finish. “Almost costed my entire savings when one of my friends and I tripped trying to run to the baby first, luckily all we got was a big sneeze.”

Roy threw the damp clothes into the dryer, chuckling to himself.

“I wonder when Lian’s going to laugh.” Roy smiled at the thought. “I hope it’s soon. Wouldn’t mind a lil’ party.”

Roy should have been careful about his words that afternoon.

Now Jason felt determined to be the first person to make Lian laugh.

At this rate, Roy wouldn’t be surprised if he already had the decorations planned out and stashed away somewhere.

It was nice to have company. Roy had usually expected Jason to be there next to Lian, giving laidback greetings.

Then there was another Bat sitting before his daughter.

Dick had unknowingly found out about Jason’s frequent visits and Jason was very pissed about it. Despite his very noticeable apprehension to Dick’s presence, he bit his tongue in favor of Lian finding the new addition intriguing.

Too intriguing. Uncomfortably intriguing and an annoyance to Jason.

“Fu—Get lost, Dickface.” Jason spoke with slight venom in his voice, but it quickly disappeared as he held out his fingers to Lian’s tiny hands.

“But Lian wants me here. Isn’t that right, Lian?” Dick cooed, a twinkle in his eyes as he spoke. Making noises to get her attention.

“Don’t you have other red heads to bother?” Jason scooted closer to Lian, trying to nudge Dick away.

“You’ve been here five days in a row and you expect me to ignore that?” Dick stood up to make faces at Lian from above Jason’s head.

“A man can’t visit a friend?” Jason stood up blocking Dick.

“Then I’m visiting a friend too.” Dick maneuvered his way to Lian’s side in her bouncer.

“Just fucking leave—“ Jason threw Lian’s rattle at the back of Dick’s head.

The tiny sounds bounced off Dick’s back as it collided to his feet.

There was a brief moment of silence before Dick slowly looked back at Jason. A smile was on his face, but the vein in his head was bulging slowly.

“Dinner’s ready—“ Roy called out, making eye contact with the two men wrestling with a baby blanket as Jason tried to somehow twist the fabric to trap his brother.

Dick on the other hand was flexible enough to lessen the hold and pushed the side of Jason’s face with his free hand.

They murmured insults back and forth as calmly as they could, but the strained smiles on their faces couldn’t mask their current wrestling match.

“Stop pushing me—“ Jason grumbled.

“Then stop twisting my arm—“ Dick pressed back.

“Hehehe.”

Three necks snapped to the quiet sound from the ground, almost lost in the commotion, but there was little Lian.

She laid on her back in her bouncer, completely enamored by the noise and movements around her.

She made small movements in her arms in her excitement, a wide gummy smile on her face.

“I made her laugh.” Jason smiled confidently while tightening the baby blanket around his brother.

“I made her laugh.” Dick challenged, trying to kick back.

Roy walked around the two men to pick up Lian, cuddling her in his arms, and unbelievably happy to witness the delightful sounds from his daughter for the first time.

“Nuh uh, Dickwad, it’s my party.” Jason threatened.

“Jaybird, she was looking at me too! Wait, what party?” Dick finally asked.

“Why are you even here?!” Jason groaned.

Roy couldn’t even focus on the two bickering behind him, he was busy kissing the side of his daughter's head.

He tenderly kept her in his arms, seeing her gaze back up at him.

His smile was met with a smaller copy of his own.

Roy had seen and heard of the A’wee Chi’deedloh, the First Laugh Ceremony, in his time living on the reservation. As a kid, it was just a time for him to eat and play with his friends, but it also welcomed a new family member.

He remembers one of the elder women talking to him as a young boy who stood watching from the distance.

“We welcome the baby into our present world from the Spirit World, it’s a time that we share with everyone. It’s the first sign of a baby showing us they want to be a part of the family, to show and give love.” Roy heard the elder talk to him. “Don’t forget to eat and get salt from the baby, it’s their offering to us, to encourage them to be generous as they grow.”

At the time, Roy was involving himself more with the tribe, asking questions and participating. He remembers the look on the baby’s face as he received salt and a bag of goods.

He remembered how content he felt that day eating his sweets and now he would finally experience the perspective of a parent helping their child in the ceremony.

“Welcome, she’awéé’, my Lian.” Roy affectionately whispered to his daughter. “I’m happy you want to be here.”

—

Translations:

She’awéé’ — my baby

A’wee Chi’deedloh — First Laugh Ceremony

Roy Tag List: (temporary) @soysaurus @janybabyy @simpingforheros

[acotar-taylorsversion]

Another Little Rant

I'm sorry, but not everyone wants Lucien.

Not his court. Not his brothers. Not Tamlin. Not his mate.

Rhys only puts up with him for the sake of an alliance. And I think Feyre only keeps him around because of the friendship they once had. Azriel hates him and I don't think Cassian, Mor, and Amren care enough to about him to really say anything.

This is why he's finding his own place and home with the Band of Exiles. Hence the name.

Now, don't go thinking I hate Lucien. I can hear y'all now thinking I'm the worst person because I don't put him on a pedestal. I don't particularly care for him. I only see him being beneficial to Vassa's story, because I do think the small moments between them are cute and they might actually mean something. I'm convinced that this is one of the very few reasons why she has kept him around this long. I never found Lucien as this exciting, funny character. I almost put down acotar when it first came out because I found Tamlin boring and Lucien annoying and I was convinced Feyre was either gonna end up with the boring one or the annoying one (but then Rhys came along 🥰). The only thing that got me through the beginning of acomaf was because I could smell feysand from a mile away. And don't even get me started on the end of that book.

I don't see the appeal in elucien at all. I'm convinced the only reason people support that ship is because of the fact that they are mates and they have this unusual obsession with Lucien. Don't know why, honestly. I don't know how people can read where Elain literally loses her newfound boldness, shrinks into herself, and literally hides in the kitchen refusing to pour water in a cup to make him tea and think "omg I can't wait for them to fall in love 😍." Like, if Sarah makes them endgame then I will be convinced that she forgot about every other acotar book she has written. And don't say "well if you don't want to read about fated mates, don't read acotar." She's talking about rejecting the bond and exploring what happens after and who's the only other couple who hasn't accepted their bond yet? Yeah, that's right, Elain and Lucien. I can only assume it's gonna be them who reject the bond. And yes, that would mean Lucien not having his mate. But, you know what, he's a grown ass man and he's not the baby everyone treats him to be. "Poor baby Lucien, he'll be so heartbroken." "He deserves his mate, he deserves to be happy."

Like what about Elain? Eluciens don't care about Elain at all and nothing will ever convince me that they do. She has found her place in the Night Court with her sisters, and her new friends. She is happy there. She is finally accepting her new life now, and she's doing all of that without Lucien.

Sorry for the rant, y'all. I don't care if no one likes this or comments on this or anything. this is my blog and it is my safe place to express how I feel at certain moments.

And, please if you disagree with me, then by all means let me know. I'm open to any and all discussions.

[utilitycaster]

Hope I can phrase this in a way that makes sense but—

What well-known actual-play cast member is your favorite for each of the core D&D class? Not necessarily a specific characters, but I’m interested in which players you think brings the most to each class.

This is a very interesting question! It's a hard one to answer for some classes and very easy for others so bear with me; also there are a couple where I could not pick just one.

I'm sticking to the PHB 12 for, as you said, core classes:

Barbarian: While Travis did give us "I would like to rage," I think Ashley and Taliesin get to share this one for me. I think they both really explore what rage means to someone and while I love a good "I'm a tank because I can take the hits and that's what I do and what I'm good at" story, I also think Yasha's messy relationship with her feelings of guilt and grief, and Ashton's chronic pain, are both incredible ways to play with the barbarian archetype.

Bard: much easier. Sam Riegel and Krystina Arielle. I'm a sucker for someone who actually sings even as I don't think you have to (and have played bard without doing so). It's both clearly a class they each love dearly and it shows, and they're incredibly musically talented performers to boot.

Cleric: Lou Wilson. Especially since I didn't like Fantasy High season 1 Fabian until the end of the season Kingston blew me away. I would love to see him explore cleric again, though it's exciting to see him as a paladin on WBN.

Druid: Emily Axford as Moonshine. Emily as a rule understands D&D classes very well anyway, but I think the culture of the crick and the ways that Moonshine must grow as a character while being a druid take it to the next level. (Also I prefer a caster-heavy druid to a shapechanger-heavy one; that's just me).

Fighter: Back to NADDPod because literally who could I say other than Jake Hurwitz, the man who only plays fighters. People who are new to D&D when they start actual play can be hit or miss imo; some pick it up and some lean harder on being showy to make up for it and it doesn't play well for me personally, but Jake is the greatest hit.

Monk: Marisha Ray; Beau is just generally a great character, and I think Marisha's own experience with martial arts informs the way she plays her; monks can be kind of repetitive in combat even with strong players and she manages to avoid this through her description.

Paladin: This is actually super hard because people don't play straight paladin a lot. This is incorrect of them, but it is an intense class. I think Luis Carazo and Zac Oyama are like...the duality of paladin (and indeed, redemption paladin). The tragedy and the comedy.

Ranger: Laura Bailey, natch; it's funny because Vex is in many ways not the archetypal ranger due to having high charisma, but she is simply my favorite and that's that on that. Sorry the mechanics were so bad; I would love to see more rangers in D&D even though Vex will be hard to dethrone. I promise Tasha's fixed them!

Rogue: I think I'm actually going Murph on this one. I like when rogues are more of the detective/spy type than the assassin/criminal type [obligatory "of course that's what you'd say you stupid paladin stan"] and inquisitive and arcane trickster are probably my two top rogue classes so Riz it is.

Sorcerer: I do consider PF1e cheating here because it's technically a different system that also imo addresses a lot of the weaknesses of sorcerer/makes it way better, but Bryn Monroe of RQG did play a great sorcerer. In D&D? Giving Emily Axford a second spot here for Saccharina. I'm going to talk about this for warlock, but I think sorcerer is a class you don't have to justify but if you don't it's a little unsatisfying. Sorcerer really shines in the Crown of Candy setting, and metamagic often doesn't live up to its reputation but Emily makes it work for her.

Warlock: Travis Willingham. I think there are classes that are kind of self-explanatory, for lack of a better term; you can play a fighter or rogue or even a bard or druid without going super deep into why the character is this class and still be an incredible character (though a good backstory never hurts). But there are others where you really need to be engaging with the class at all times to make it work, and warlock is one of them, and Fjord explores the warlock pact and what it means like few others.

Wizard: Aabria Iyengar. NO ONE gets wizard hubris as a player like Aabria. Knowledge is power and boy do wizards love knowledge. I especially like that most people in 5e play wizards as genuine adventurers because it feels very easy to play them as old guy in robes swept up in events beyond them; Aabria plays wizards who are combat ready with the humanity and backstory to make the difficult decisions sympathetic and meaningful, and I think that's how you have to play it.

Note: I want to specifically call out Liam O'Brien and Siobhan Thompson as "people I trust in basically any class or system and just didn't happen to hit a favorite here due to sky-high competition/personal preferences". They are both very close seconds for wizard.

[thepunkmuppet]

thinking about an alternate season 7 wherein instead of every potential slayer being hunted and then activated, every past slayer gets brought back to life. I don’t really like post-chosen content anyway, but when I do read / look at it the whole slayer academy, everyone’s a slayer thing is really stupid to me ngl 💀

previous slayers, though… nikki wood and xin rong interacting with spike, actually finding out about the slayer before buffy, slayers with different backgrounds and situations and personalities, KENDRA?! I just love it so much.

you’d be able to focus on a relatively small cast of slayers, much like the potentials, throughout the season. this would include buffy, faith, kendra, nikki, and some other american slayers from varying time periods with a couple interesting international characters too (maybe a slayer from ancient greece / rome / egypt, or an anglo-saxon one or something). these are all experienced slayers, so no need to focus on training - it would be more about lore, history and their personal character journeys, assimilating them into society (creating some fun bottle episodes, maybe a day out on the town with dawn and a historical slayer) and trying to figure out why they were all brought back. also, if you want to keep the first as the main villain, then it can look like any one of them because they’re all technically dead, which means you can still have that episode with the dead potential revealing herself as the first and all the mistrust that’s threaded throughout the season.

plus with nikki back, there would be no need for the stupid sleeper agent thing with spike or the ridiculous fight between him and robin. all the same ideas (and the flashbacks to spike’s mum) could still be explored, and in a way better way imo.

I reckon the reason they were brought back would probably be the powers that be (tying nicely into angel ofc) trying to defeat the first. and of course the ending would be this huge battle, as all the slayers from around the world come to sunnydale, and maybe to add some drama they would all disappear and die again when the battle’s done as they have fulfilled their purpose (a classic finale knife to the heart that would have everyone sobbing, especially over nikki and kendra).

there’s also the added thing of like,, I appreciate the show was leaning towards a theme of “hope for the future” with the potentials angle, but literally every other aspect of the season is about harkening back to the past. faith, robin, the first taking the form of previous characters, the high school, the slayer origins, etc etc. so I just think this idea would work so much better with the themes of the season, and tie in really nicely.

and the most obvious perk of this concept is kendra! she was forgotten about so quickly, and this season would really give the writers a chance to redeem themselves for the terrible way poc characters have been treated throughout the show (ignoring what they did to robin. FUCK that but that’s another conversation). I think the show really downplayed how much kendra’s death would have affected buffy, and seeing the two of them interact after buffy has changed so much and kendra’s still the same would be amazing. there’s also the interesting concept that, having been brought back from the dead, kendra still be 17, and therefore closer in age to dawn than to buffy, which could make for some really nice interactions between the two of them. also of course the biggest most exciting thing is having buffy, faith and kendra all interact. they all represent places on a spectrum in terms of personality, and I would LOVE to see kendra and faith interact and how much of a unit they would likely become as a trio.

there’s also the theme of buffy feeling (and being) alone in this season that would hopefully go away, as she would now have dozens of people who truly understand her, giving her a proper support system which I would love to see (season 7 scoobies can actually eat shit btw <3)

so. was this born out of my hatred for insufferable kennedy and the annoying potentials? yes absolutely. do I now want them to rewrite and re-film the entire last season 20 years later? yes absolutely I’m so glad you understand

side note wouldn’t it be sick if in the final battle there’s just this one slo-mo shot where buffy stakes a vamp and through the dust she sees the first slayer looking at her from across the battlefield before she disappears amongst the fight. WHAT it would literally be awesome hello?!

also also other side note sorry but Mother(TM) nikki wood would NEVER kick buffy out of her own house. fuck them kids fr

[i-sneezed]

Come on, y'all. Elriel is happening

The recent TIME and Today interviews made one thing clear to me: SJM is interested in exploring new types of relationships in her stories.

One thing I see a lot from Gw*nriels and El*ciens is that "SJM is a fated mates author" and "she always writes couples that don't want to be together at the beginning."

And while, yes, those two things have been true for many of the couples that she's written, to say that's the only thing she capable of/willing to write is insulting imo. And the recent interviews, especially the one with Today, show me that she's ready to explore something new, which only Elriel would give us.

Let's take a look at how her previous couples compare with one another:

Rowaelin - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Feysand - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Nessian - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Elorcan - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Quinlar - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Laedion - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Ridia - mates + didn't want to be together at first

Chaorene - didn't want to be together at first

There's a pattern there for sure, so I can understand why people would assume El*cien is endgame despite evidence to the contrary in the text. They would certainly fit into the "mates + didn't want to be together at first" category. And because of Gwyn's trauma, the same may be true for her as well. Why do we assume she would want to be in a romantic relationship when she's not ready to leave the library yet? Mating bond or no, she has a lot of healing to do without the influence of a male.

But I digress. If SJM is interested in exploring something different than what she's already written time as time again (albeit with variations), Elriel is what's going to deliver.

For the first time, we would have a main couple who want to be together, but instead of the usual internal forces keeping them apart, it's external ones. Political ones.

She's never given us that before. She's never explored a rejected mating bond before. She's never done a secret romance before. All of those things would come with Elriel, whereas the other two ships would just be more variations on the same love story she's already told no less than 7 times.

I genuinely can't understand why people actively don't want Elriel. It doesn't have to be your favorite ship, but to entirely denounce it when it's not only the most logical but also the one that would give us something brand new is insane to me.

Let's not pigeonhole SJM by saying she's only capable of writing one type of love story, especially when she's explicitly telling us she's excited to explore something new.

3 brothers, 3 sisters would be cliche if all three couples were mates, but I think we'll end up with those pairings not because of the mating bond but in spite of it.

Every character reluctantly ending up with their mate is far lazier writing if you ask me.

[tragedybunny]

To Make You Feel My Love - Chapter 1 of 3

༺Summary༻

Astarion and Serafina continue to pursue their relationship as the confrontation with Cazador looms, and then during the fallout afterward. A couple of chapters that explore their deepening bond and their struggle to build "something real".

༺Pairing༻ Astarion x Serafina (Female Tav/OC)

༺Warnings༻ Angst, Hurt / Comfort, Attempted Sex

༺Word Count༻ 2776

༺A/N༻ Another fic featuring my Tav as a name character! Very excited to share more of Serafina. Thanks to my lovely friend @icybluepenguin for the beta and support!

Read on AO3

Astarion was a wretch, and he knew it. He was finicky, selfish, obnoxious, and difficult. But he also knew so much of that was because of life under Cazador. It was who he was outside of that life that he didn't know. He wasn't sure how to find out, either, or how much he wanted to. 

He’d expected it to be asked of him though, that eventually he should find a way to make himself more palatable. Serafina never did though. Sometimes it stuck in his throat like bile how kind she was to him. She never asked anything of him, only gave and gave, while he took and took, with gentle words and warm smiles until sometimes he worried there would be nothing left of her. 

It drove him mad, for several reasons. First, he was convinced that one day that fount of affection and understanding would run dry. She couldn’t love him as he was forever. Then there was the sensation that he somehow needed to repay it, even if it was never asked of him. Maybe it would balance the scales, maybe it would keep her from tiring of him. No matter what she claimed, she must expect something of him. Finally, and most strangely for him, he wanted to repay it. Didn’t she deserve it, after everything? And she most assuredly needed it. 

Despite her protests that everything was always fine and that she didn’t need anything extra, he knew different. It was ridiculous. He’d seen her going through days with tired eyes, giving smiles that only lasted as long as they needed to, and the way her shoulders would slump when things would upset her, but she wouldn’t say anything. 

Like earlier today, when he’d opened his mouth and ruined everything again.

Flowers. That’s how it had all started. They’d passed through a garden in full bloom, and words had tumbled out of him before he could think. 

“Bright and gaudy.”Inane prattle, complaining about something that had no effect on him simply because he could. He just had to lash out at something.

Cazador was looming over him, the plan already in place to take the fight to him sooner rather than later. His siblings' surprise visit the night before had spurred that decision. Fear gnawed its way into his mind, biting and clawing, ripping away the fragile sense of safety and comfort he'd built.

That didn't change the fact that when Karlach's elbow had collided with his ribs, he'd looked over to see Sera's shoulders drooping and her mood soured. How could he forget about one of the few things she’d let slip about her home. She couldn't reveal much about her past thanks to that pesky warlock pact, but there had been a garden of some sort. And he'd managed to shit on what she had. He was already terrified and he felt himself spiraling back into the thought that he didn’t know why she bothered with him. 

“What should I do?” he whispered desperately to Karlach.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, buy her flowers or something?” 

Which is how he’d ended up here. Everyone had made their way back to the Elfsong  but Astarion had excused himself with a hasty lie about needing to think. Sera’s brow had crinkled in concern for him and he felt a twinge of guilt when he pulled her close and gave her a quick kiss. He’d make it up later, or he planned to anyway. 

But now he was stuck, wandering around this shop that was an overwhelming riot of color and scents. Something about cut flowers didn't seem to fit, and he'd been paralyzed in front of the rows and rows  of them for minutes. They looked nice enough, but they wouldn't last. His gaze wandered to the other side of the shop through the crowd. Maybe a potted plant…?

“Can I help you?” A bubbly elf with blonde hair and tan skin appeared beside him. 

Her gold eyes looked up at him with such sincerity, he almost sneered. As if this shop contained some life changing secrets and not flowers.

“I…” He cleared his throat- he was not lost, just thinking. “I’m looking for something for my partner. Something that will last longer than flowers in a vase.” There, that wasn’t so bad, he could do this. 

“Of course, let me show you our selection of potted plants,” she said, gesturing enthusiastically. “Can you tell me a bit about them?”

“She, well, she… ” Why was this so hard? He felt so much for her, but speaking of her made him feel awkward and inadequate. She was the first warm light of morning washing over him and a comforting touch in the night. She was a hasty kiss after a hard won fight, and lighthearted laughter around the campfire. “She’s…”

“Newer relationship?” the elf said with a light giggle that made him want to reach for a dagger. The insinuation that he knew nothing about Sera was clear. 

“What does it matter anyway,” he hissed, drawing looks from the other patrons. 

The girl was thrown off balance by his sudden aggression and her gleaming smile faltered. “It might help to pick out something she’d like, but you’re free to browse for a while.” Turning away, she disappeared into the crowd, leaving him to fend for himself.

He almost went after her, but stubborn pride rooted him to the spot. With resolve, he eyed the shelves in front of him. Rows of bright-colored, glazed pots gleamed in the sunlight streaming in from the large shop window. Inside each one, a scrap of greenery he knew nothing about. Many had small blooms, some sported colorful leaves, and none of them were the right thing.

He began to sink into despair. This whole thing had been a stupid, impetuous idea. “Buy her flowers.” Apparently he couldn't even figure out the most basic of gifts for her. He'd just head back to the Elfsong, empty-handed, another day the scales between them were left uneven. If he just left now, it would be less time wasted. 

Just as he turned to go, it caught his eye. A delicate plant in a pot glazed in the colors of twilight, with a few small, blue blossoms. He stepped closer, drawn to it. The rich blue was the same color as Sera's eyes, he was sure of it. But it was tiny, like it would hardly survive the trip across town if the wind picked up. 

“Find something?” The irritating clerk was back, somehow having snuck up on him.

“That one,” he pointed. 

“Oh, the little forget-me-not!” 

Astarion cringed at the name as she reached for it. 

“Do you know the origin of it?” 

Of course not. It was a flower and before now, he wasn't exactly able to frolic in the sun and enjoy them. And it wasn’t like they were part of Cazador’s decor scheme. 

“No,” he said through gritted teeth, sure he was about to hear it. He should have just stolen it. 

“Humans didn’t come into being until long after elves. During those times, elves only coupled with one another, only knew lovers that would live as long as they did. But, eventually, an elven man met a human woman, and they fell deeply in love. The elf stayed by her side, even as she grew old and died, having only lived a fraction of his life. He buried her in winter and when he returned to her grave in the spring, he found these beautiful blue flowers had grown up over it. They were nothing like anything that anyone had ever seen before. They spread from her grave throughout the land, so that wherever he went, he was reminded of her. In that way, they earned the name forget-me-not. What a beautiful tragedy- a love so true, but one will live without the other for so long.” She sighed dreamily after she finished. 

Astarion swallowed the lump in his throat. “Right, well, that's lovely and all, but I have somewhere to be.” 

The elf huffed and silently led him back to the counter. He'd pay double if it meant she'd let him go without more chatter. 

“Oh, one more thing,” she said, taking his money, “this can be planted outdoors. Perhaps if you and your lady love have a place of your own someday.” 

Those words swirled around and around in Astarion’s mind as he gingerly carried the little plant back through the streets to the Elfsong. “A place of their own.” As if that was something he could even begin to aspire to. But why not? Why couldn’t he and Sera have a home of their own, and a  happy, beautiful life? Because that wasn’t him. Who would want a vampire for a neighbor? And why would she want a lifetime with one?

He took a deep breath and tried to silence those thoughts. Sera loved him. He knew that was true, even when it was hard to remember. He just had to keep it that way. His eyes glanced down to the plant nestled in his hands. It seemed a silly gesture in that light, a plant in exchange for her love. The whole thing was a bad idea. 

He should have done better. 

When he finally made it back, the rest of the group was eating dinner in the raucous common room of the inn. He’d never admit it, but sometimes he missed the quiet nights under the stars. For two hundred years, he’d known this type of hustle and bustle; its opposite had grown on him. Not to mention, it had given the two of them so many calm nights to get to know each other. A thought that caused his chest to tighten; he’d thrown so many of those nights away with his “perfect plan”, time he’d never get back. 

Cutting through the fringes of the room, he avoided the group, not wanting a public display of what was likely the most ridiculous gift he could have thought of. Natural stealth let him blend into the crowd and slink his way to the stairs. Bad luck put Jahiera right in front of him. 

“Bat pup, what are you up to, creeping around like this?” From her tone, Jahiera was only really half suspicious. 

“I…”  He glanced down at the plant his hands were protectively wrapped around. 

Jahiera’s gaze followed his. “I never took you as one for greenery, Astarion.” 

“It’s not for me, ” he blurted, cringing inwardly. What if she told someone? All of them? Would they get a laugh out of the vampire trying to play the lover?  

She lifted an eyebrow and smiled a small, knowing smile. “I see. Should I let her know you’re waiting upstairs?” 

For some reason lately, Jaheira had started to behave with the infuriating air of someone older, and wiser around him, despite the fact that  he had years on her. It was almost maternal in a way, and usually grated on him to no end. But today, he was quietly relieved to have her step in.

 “If you must interject yourself.” He shrugged, struggling to put the mask of calm indifference back on. 

“I think I will let the attitude slide for tonight, Astarion. Mayhaps tomorrow I will box your ears for it.” 

He opened his mouth  to snap back at her but she cut him off. 

“And I’ll expect a thank-you when it’s all said and done.” 

“Yes, Mother,” he sighed dramatically and began to walk away. 

As soon as he was sure he was out of sight, he hurried his pace, not wanting to be caught out in the hallway when Sera came upstairs. With the door to the common room shut behind him, he took up position in their shared corner. Two beds and a folding screen, the most privacy they could manage right now. Another reason to miss the outdoors. Even if sleeping on the ground had been hellishly uncomfortable, the tent had walls at least. 

It always struck him to see Sera’s things mixed in with his. A physical reminder that she had chosen this, him, even after his confession. And it gave him hope that she would keep choosing that way. 

“Astarion, you wanted to see me?” Her voice interrupted his thoughts from across the room. 

“Yes, darling, sorry to disturb your evening.” Perfect, just keep going, don’t screw this up. 

The distance between them evaporated and she was standing right in front of him, waiting for him to continue. He kept his arms behind his back, keeping the plant hidden, still doubting it. 

“I just wanted to apologize, for earlier today.” 

“Oh, you don’t have to. You didn’t realize-” 

“No,” he spat out more harshly than he intended and watched her eyes widen for a moment. Gods, why did he always lose his silver tongue where she was concerned. “Please don’t do that,” he softened his voice. “You’re always worried about my words when it comes to our companions, random strangers, and even my siblings. Don’t dismiss your own feelings so easily, hold me accountable for them, like anyone else’s.” Don’t make yourself tired of me, he added silently. 

“With everything going on, I just didn’t want to make things harder for you. But, thank you.” 

“See, that’s better, isn’t it?” He smiled, recovery made, things were going well. 

“So, what’s behind your back?” She craned her neck, trying to peek around him playfully. 

No avoiding it now. “I wanted to get you something to make up for it. It seems a bit foolish really.” Hesitantly, he presented the little plant to her. 

She took it from his hands with reverence. “Forget-me-nots,” she beamed at the small flowers that matched the color of her eyes. “They’re beautiful. Thank you, Astarion, I love it.” 

A small, awkward laugh escaped him. “Well, that’s quite a relief.”

And then she was moving, placing the plant on the table near their bed, before practically lunging at Astarion. The sudden force of her embrace knocked him from his feet and they collapsed back onto the mattress in a heap. 

“Sorry,” Sera said through a soft laugh before kissing him. “You're wonderful, you know that?”

“I mean, I do, but I could stand to hear it more.” 

“How about I show you instead?” She leaned in, kissing him again, lips parting tantalizingly. 

He wanted to devour her, to pull her in tight and taste every bit of her. His tongue darted inside her mouth, eliciting a soft moan. 

Ice ran up his spine, and he felt himself go rigid.

She pulled back and looked at him with concern. “Is it too much?” 

The hells take his traitorous body. “No, I-I want to try. Please.” He bit back a growl of frustration. It killed him to want her this bad and to have the only thing stopping him be himself.

“Alright.” 

She'd barely answered before he was pushing her back to the mattress by her shoulders and crawling between her legs.

He covered the exposed flesh of her neck with soft nips, fangs barely raking the skin. One hand found its way under her shirt, groping at her pebbled nipple. 

Whimpering, her hips bucked against his, the sweetest pressure on his hardening cock. He groaned against her skin, both hands now pushing her shirt up, exploring her soft curves. 

Head tilted to the side, she offered without words that delicious nectar he could never resist. Fangs burrowed into their favored spot and bliss filled his mouth.  

Fingers tangled into his curls as he rutted against her. Her tongue lapped at the shell of his ear before she moaned his name.  She was lost in him. Like a thousand others before her…

He froze, the world around him going hazy. 

“Astarion,” she called to him softly.

“I can't,” he gasped, hot shame washing over him. Sera wasn't just another one of them, it shouldn't be like this. “I'm sorry.”

Gentle hands guided him to the mattress, arms enfolding him, so his head was buried in her neck. “Hush,” she kissed his forehead. 

Neither said anything further about it, there wasn't need. He knew she didn't expect it of him, and she knew he had needed to try.  

“Drink if you want,” she whispered, stroking his hair. 

Gods, he loved her, even if he wasn't sure he'd ever told her properly how much. He bit back into the open wounds and drank lazily, eyes drifting to the bedside table and the little plant. Maybe there would be a someday with a place it could bloom outside, a place they both called home. 

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[jariten]

July 2024 roundup!! (Part 1!)

Had a great month for catching up on and starting new series with August already shaping up to be a wrap-up month. This round up will be a 2 parter, one for English titles and one for Japanese!

First is Ima Koi by Ayuko Hatta. 9 volumes is such a perfect length for the Margaret campus romance and what's better than a campus romance by someone who's been making them for 20 years. I can't find anything that I think is unique about the series aside from the fact that it hits all the right beats, the characters and their relationships are well rounded, and Hatta (known for titles like Wolf Girl and the Black Prince, and Bye-bye Liberty) knows just when to be restrained and when to give the readers what they want. I just really enjoy it when an author becomes so competent in a genre in this way and had a great time the whole way through. Hatta in the columns also expressed wanting to move on from the campus romance, which I'd love to see because I think an adult romance would release her full potential, but in the final volume announced that she's taking a hiatus from manga to explore various jobs in the food and service industry. I love that for her, and if she graces us with manga once again I will be there to check it out.

Hirayasumi by Keigo Shinzo I won't linger on for too long since I'm the one late to the party and only one volume in, but I already love the cast and how they interact and the tempo of the narrative. I'm so looking forward to keeping up with this series!

Her Frankenstein by Kawashima Norikazu is the debut title in Living the Lines Books new horror imprint Smudge which promises to deliver exciting deep cuts from the pulp world of horror manga. Her Frankenstein follows a man with a shattered sense of self which is further fragmented when he becomes haunted by his own past. Accompanied by an always thorough Ryan Holmberg essay this is a great read for psychological horror fans and horror manga fans interested in acquiring an even broader look at the genre landscape. The next title in the imprint will be UFO Mushroom Invasion by Shirakawa Marina expected to be released on October 1st

Last but certainly not least, I finally got my hands on Viz's long overdue edition of Ai Yazawa's Neighborhood Story volumes 1-2! Overwhelmed with things to say but will keep it short. First time I read it I was ever reliant on a dictionary but was nontheless swept into this tale of adolescent love, friendship, and growth. Coming back to it since then I'm once again overwhelmed with adoration for her work and how she is able to capture the ups and downs of the emotionally volatile teenage years. Timelessly stylish and one of a kind artistically I am so happy that new readers have yet another way to stumble across this work and that long time fans can finally have it in their collection! When I ran a poll a couple months ago asking if I should switch to english caps of the series when the time came the english caps won out, so next time I refill I will go back to volume 1. Will try to avoid dupes in order to speed things up, but if there is a specific cap I've posted in the past that you'd like to see posted again but in english let me know.