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mechaknight-98 · 16 days

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Confusion (NSFW) FT Arin

Operator’s Notes:… um i um… enjoy? I guess

It was just after midnight, and I had finally settled into my armchair with a book, ready to lose myself in a world far more thrilling than my own. The apartment was quiet, save for the occasional hum of the refrigerator and the distant whoosh of cars from the street below. It was the kind of peace I’d been craving all week.

And then came the knock.

Not a loud, obnoxious knock — just a soft, almost hesitant tapping that echoed through the empty hallway. I glanced at the clock: 12:07 a.m. It's not a usual time for visitors.

I opened the door, expecting a lost delivery guy or a neighbor with a package that had ended up in the wrong mailbox. What I got instead was... her.

She stood there, drenched from the rain, strands of dark hair sticking to her cheeks. Her eyes, a shade of brown I recognized instantly, were wide and uncertain. For a moment, my brain refused to process what it was seeing. But those eyes. I knew those eyes.

“Dio... it’s me.” Her voice, though softer and slightly higher, was unmistakable.

“Arin?” I blinked, gripping the door tighter as if the world might shift beneath my feet. This had to be a prank. Or a dream. The kind where I’d wake up laughing and shaking my head.

But she just stood there, fidgeting with the hem of a jacket that seemed a size too big for her new frame. “Yeah...can you let me in.”

“Uh, I yeah?” I stuttered dumbly, stepping aside to let her in, though my brain was still catching up with my body. My best friend of 4 years was standing in front of me, but *he* was now... *she.*

"Long story," Arin muttered, pulling the jacket tighter around her as she crossed the threshold. "Do you have any tea? Or something stronger?"

I nodded slowly, still too stunned to form any coherent response. Tea... that seemed like the least absurd thing in this whole situation.

As I moved to the kitchen, trying to suppress a million questions crashing through my head, I heard Arin sigh. “I’ll explain everything, I promise. But you should probably sit down for this one."

After finishing making the tea she sat across from me and I noticed Arin’s mannerisms had changed. Gone was the burly athletic friend I played rugby with instead this demure and insanely attractive young woman who made me feel things.

“Stop staring at me,” she said it’s freaking me out. I scowled as I said

“Nah bro you don’t get to say shit like that when you’re over here looking like the girl of my dreams…sorry that was weird I had no idea where that came from.”

Arin waved it off blushing. “It’s fine.” She fidgeted with her sleeves before taking one of my mugs. She smiles as she takes a sip.

“Ah just right” she coos and I get a visceral feeling of attraction and affection that I suppress.

Arin flashes me a gorgeous smile. “You are always so good at this,” she says happily. She stops speaking and stares at me wistfully

“Arin um transformation explanation,” I say.

It snaps Arin out of her trance, “Oh right well um. yesterday I was a dude and now I’m this.” She says, “Here’s the crazy part so far you’re the only one who remembers I’m a guy. My parents even don’t remember that I was a boy. In fact when I mentioned you they referred to you as my boyfriend.”

I blink rapidly trying to process a million things right now but only can think about how cute Arin looks

I stared at her—him?—trying to make sense of it all. My best friend, the same guy who once smashed me into the mud during a rugby game, was now sitting across from me looking like something out of a romance novel. And the worst part? She wasn’t acting like it was weird. Not really.

“So… your parents think we’re…” I trailed off, my head still swimming.

Arin chuckled, though there was a slight nervousness to it. “Yeah. Crazy, right? My mom went on this whole tangent about how I’ve always had a thing for you, and how it was only a matter of time before we made it ‘official.’” She made air quotes, her slender fingers moving gracefully, in stark contrast to the way she used to pound her fist into her palm when making a point.

I blinked again, still not sure whether to laugh or panic. “And you’re just… okay with that?”

I leaned forward, running my hands through my hair. “But why me? Why do I remember?”

Arin shrugged. “You’ve always been stubborn. Maybe you’re just too hard-headed for magic.”

Despite myself, I cracked a smile. “That’s probably true.”

There was a beat of silence, one that felt heavier than it should have. The tension between us—the one I hadn’t ever felt before—was suffocating. The warmth of her smile, the way she fiddled with the mug in her hands, her soft laugh… it was doing things to me. Things I wasn’t prepared for.

I cleared my throat. “So… what now?”

Arin sighed, leaning back against the couch. “I don’t know, man. I thought I could just ride this out until we figured out what happened. But now…” She looked at me with those same brown eyes, and for the first time, I saw the fear behind them. “Now, I’m not sure. What if this is permanent?”

I opened my mouth to reassure her, to tell her we’d fix it somehow—but the words stuck in my throat. Part of me didn’t know if I wanted to fix it. And that terrified me.

“Well,” I said slowly, “whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together. Like we always do.”

Her expression softened, and for a moment, it was just like old times. Two best friends, sitting around, tackling whatever life threw at us. But then she smiled again, a smile that made my heart skip, and I knew things would never be the same.

“Thanks, Dio. You’re a good friend.”

I forced a grin. “Yeah, let’s stick with ‘friend’ for now.”

But deep down, I wasn’t sure how long that would last.

“Hey, Dio can you do me a favor?” Arin says with a cute lilt in her voice. I nod, and she asks that I check my phone for photos of us together. I unlock my phone and look, sure enough, there are pictures with male Arin still there which only further complicates things. I hand Arin the phone as she struggles with the snacks she is trying to open. I smile and she hands the snacks to me. I open them for her and slide them back.

“Good to know your appetite is unaffected,” I teased

Arin rolls her eyes but I sense something else in her expression. As she enjoys her snack I found myself fawning over her. Arin notices then looks away blushing

“Can you please not look at me like you want to make out with me? It's making me uncomfortable,” I nod and look away. I am trying hard not make her uncomfortable but she's so pretty, so ladylike in all the best ways. She's fluid graceful, and… no stop that brain she's a he. She's your bro. I walk out of the room to my bedroom where my feelings of loyalty to my bro fight my feelings of attraction.

Moments later Arin walked in her feet ever so light

“Dio are you okay?” she asked. I shook my head.

“Look I'm sorry for looking at you like you're a piece of meat,” I responded. Arin sighed and then said,

“Dio it's okay I know it's weird having all these feelings it's weird for me as well.” Her voice is soft empathetic and oozes feminine charm. I want her no need for her, but I suppress those feelings further and further yet they only grow stronger and stronger.

When I finally do open my eyes Arin is staring into mine lovingly. The tension between us is too intense. I grab her face and pull it in for a kiss. Arin is surprised at first but quickly melts into my arms. Her aggressive response in kissing me back does surprise me though.

When we finally break the kiss she looks at me with a possessive glare.

“Thank God I needed that!” she growled while I was left dizzy and lightheaded. Arin smiled before kissing me again.

“Dont think Dio just follow your instincts,” she said

The room felt like it was spinning, though I wasn’t sure if it was from the kiss or the fact that my best friend—*who had been a guy until recently*—was now in my arms, looking at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.

Arin’s lips curled into a satisfied smile, a glint of something playful—and possessive—in her eyes. “You okay there?” she teased, brushing a thumb across my cheek. “You look a little... flustered.”

Flustered didn’t even begin to cover it.

I stumbled back a step, gently prying her arms from around my neck. “Yeah, I just... need a second.”

Arin’s smile faded slightly, but she gave a small nod, her expression softening. “Okay. Take your time.”

I retreated to the opposite side of the room, trying to steady my breathing. My thoughts were a mess—swirling between what had just happened and what it *meant.* The kiss had felt... right. Too right. And that was the problem.

“You kissed me back,” I finally managed, running a hand through my hair. “Why?”

Arin crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, shrugging. “Why not?”

I blinked, taken aback by how casual she sounded. “I mean, we... you’re still you. And I’m still me.”

“And that’s supposed to change how we feel?” she asked, arching an eyebrow. “Look, Dio, I know this is weird. Believe me, I do. But pretending like we don’t have... whatever *this* is, isn’t going to help. Do you want to go back to how things were?”

I didn’t have an answer for that. Because the truth was, I wasn’t sure I did.

Arin took a few steps forward, closing the gap between us. She reached out and placed a hand on my arm, her touch soft but firm. “I know this freaks you out. But we’re still the same, you and me. It’s just... different now.”

I swallowed hard. “But what if this isn’t permanent? What if you change back?”

She paused, her hand slipping from my arm. Her expression darkened, and for a moment, the lighthearted confidence she’d been carrying slipped away. “I don’t know. I don’t even know how this happened in the first place.” She looked down, her fingers playing with the hem of her hoodie. “But... I think I like this version of me, Dio. Maybe more than I thought I would.”

The weight of her words settled heavily between us. I could see the vulnerability in her eyes, the uncertainty she was trying so hard to hide. This wasn’t just about me or the kiss—this was about her figuring out who she was now. Who she *wanted* to be.

I sighed, sinking onto the edge of the bed. “So what do we do now?”

Arin sat down beside me, careful not to get too close but close enough that I could feel the warmth of her presence. “We figure it out. Together. Like we always do.”

I let her words hang in the air, my thoughts still racing but slowly starting to settle. I didn’t have all the answers—hell, I didn’t have *any* answers. But one thing was clear: this was no longer just about a spell or some magical fluke. This was about me and Arin—about the connection we’d always had, and whatever it was evolving into.

“You’re right,” I said after a long moment. “We’ll figure it out. But for now... let’s just take it slow, okay?”

Arin smiled a hint of relief in her expression. “Slow sounds good.”

Later that night, after Arin had gone to bed, I found myself lying awake, staring at the ceiling. My mind wouldn’t stop spinning. The kiss replayed in my head over and over, and every time, it felt more real—more right. But the nagging voice in the back of my mind wouldn’t let me rest.

*What if she changes back?*

*What if this is temporary?*

*What if things get more complicated?*

But the one thought that kept me up the most?

*What if I don’t want her to change back?*

As I think about this my mind replays the scene boring into my brain. “Dont think follow your instincts!” which meant to me make her mine.

After work the next day I arrived home early and called the one person I could always when weird things happened my friend Isabela.

While I was on the call Arin had popped shortly after and waited for me to finish the call.

I paced the length of my living room, phone pressed to my ear, trying to explain the unexplainable.

“So you’re telling me,” Isabela said, her voice incredulous on the other end, “your best friend, who was a guy, is now... a *girl*? And the whole world thinks this is normal?”

“Yeah, that about sums it up,” I replied, rubbing the back of my neck. “Except me. I’m the only one who remembers.”

A low whistle came through the speaker. “And you’re not freaking out?”

“Oh, I’m freaking out,” I said, glancing over at Arin, who was curled up on the couch, her lips pressed into a pout. She had one of my hoodies on—her favorite from before the change—and it swallowed her up, making her look even smaller. She kept shooting me sideways glances, and I could feel the tension radiating off her like heat.

Isabela didn’t hesitate. “So what’s the problem? Are you upset about losing your best bro, or is it that you’re realizing you might be into her now?”

I nearly dropped the phone. “Isabela!”

“What? It’s a valid question,” she said with a shrug I could hear through the phone. “I mean, if it’s messing with your head this much, maybe it’s because your feelings are changing too.”

I sighed, glancing at Arin again, who had grabbed a pillow and was hugging it tightly. Her eyes flicked to mine for just a second, then quickly away.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “It’s just... complicated. I’m still trying to figure out how I feel about it.”

“Well, figure it out fast,” Isabela said, laughing softly. “Otherwise, you’re going to drive yourself—and her—crazy.”

I rolled my eyes. “Thanks, Isa. Helpful.”

“You know I’m right,” she teased. “But look, take your time. Just... don’t wait too long to have that conversation with her. If she’s anything like she used to be, she’s probably just as confused as you are.”

“Yeah... maybe,” I muttered.

I could hear Isabela smirking through the phone. “Anyway, I’ll check in later. But don’t overthink it, okay? Just be real with yourself.” I noticed she read this line Overthinking. I chuckled wondering if it was as common as I thought.

After hanging up, I let out a long breath and slumped onto the couch next to Arin. She didn’t say anything at first, just kept staring at the TV, which was off, as if it held all the answers to the universe.

“Isabela being a know-it-all again?” she finally mumbled, still hugging the pillow.

“Something like that,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “She thinks I should... you know, talk to you about all this. About... us.”

Arin’s pout deepened, and she cast me a sidelong glance, her lower lip jutting out just enough to make my heart skip. “There is no ‘us,’” she muttered, though her tone was more vulnerable and saddened than defiant.

I frowned, not sure what to say. “That’s not what I meant. I just... look, this is new for both of us. I’m trying to process it, okay?”

She shifted in her seat, her knee brushing against mine, and I felt that now-familiar jolt of awareness. “Yeah, well... you don’t have to call Isabela every time you need to ‘process’ something. I’m sitting right here, you know.”

I scowl at her and she gives me a serious look then it hits me.

“Are you jealous?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Arin stiffened. “What? No. That’s stupid.”

But the way she crossed her arms and looked away told me otherwise. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Sure,” I said, leaning back. “If you say so.”

Arin scowled, but the blush creeping up her cheeks gave her away. “Shut up.”

I chuckled, feeling the tension between us shift slightly, but the undercurrent of something more was still there, waiting. Neither of us was ready to acknowledge it just yet, but it was there, lingering in every look and every word.

That attraction grew only more aggressive within even with me suppressing it. In the back of my mind, something told me this was a bad idea I couldn't bury it forever. Arin would trigger something and all the floodgates would open and I'd be caught in that tide fully, with no control for or of how that. I decided the best course of action would be going to rugby practice tonight. it was mostly free play since the season was over.

“Oh you're going to play with the boys can I come watch?” I nod and we head out. When I arrived on the pitch I noticed Arin was shivering in the autumn air. She notices my awareness and says, “It's nothing.” I roll my eyes go to my trunk take out the Twice Blanket there and drape it around her. She snuggles into the warmth before saying “Thanks babe,” my heart flutters and I shut that shit down.

“No problem Arin,” I say flatly and I notice a little frown creep in her face. My urges overcome me in a moment of weakness before I kiss Arin and say, “Love you too.” Arin smiles as I go onto the pitch.

“Hey Dio who's that girl you with she's cute.”

My brain warps and I feel reality shift for a moment and respond instinctively, “Oh that's Arin, my girlfriend.” I have internally as everyone gives me happy cheers.

“Aye the Demon Flanker finally got a girl and a pretty one too, almost angelic,” another player teases. I sigh and continue through practice. It helped clear out the brain fog and emotional constipation I felt and by the end of it, I felt almost normal. When practice was over I got back into the car with Arin after she finished talking to some of the other player's girlfriends

“You know when I was a guy I never realized how scarily strong you are,” she says as she rests her hand on my thigh. I noticed a hungry look in her eyes when she looked at me.

After practice, I dropped Arin off at her place and headed home to clean up. The hot water did wonders to shake off the lingering tension from the field—and from the kiss. I had half-convinced myself that what happened earlier was a momentary slip, just another weird part of this whole situation.

Then Arin texted me.

**Mom says dinner’s at 7. Be ready. ;)**

It was supposed to be casual, just dinner at her parents' house, but the winking face set off warning bells in my head. I ignored it, chalking it up to Arin’s usual teasing, and got dressed.

When I pulled up to Arin’s place to pick her up, she was waiting outside, dressed way nicer than I expected—jeans and a simple sweater, but somehow it looked... different. She looked good.

“Ready to go?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral. She grinned and hopped into the car.

Dinner started normal enough. Arin’s mom was all smiles as she served us, but now and then, her gaze would linger a little too long on me. At first, I thought I was imagining things, but then she dropped a line that made my brain short-circuit.

“So, Dio,” Arin’s mom began with a casual air that seemed far too deliberate, “you’re quite the catch, aren’t you? Handsome, strong, good with my daughter...” She shot Arin a pointed look, as if daring her to react.

I nearly choked on my water, while Arin’s fork froze mid-air.

“Uh, thanks, Mrs. M,” I muttered awkwardly. “I’m just—”

“Just what? Single?” she pressed, her eyes gleaming with mischief. “I find that hard to believe. Someone like you doesn’t stay on the market long, does he?”

Arin was glaring daggers at her mom now, her cheeks flushed. “Mom...”

“Oh, sweetheart,” her mom waved her off, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “I’m just saying, if you don’t claim him soon, some other girl will.” She winked at me.

The temperature in the room shot up about ten degrees. I could feel Arin’s eyes boring into the side of my head, but I didn’t dare look at her.

“Mom, seriously,” Arin snapped, her voice a little sharper now. She shot me a glance that screamed, *Help me shut this down*. But her mom was having way too much fun.

“Come on, sweetie, it’s just an observation,” her mom said, feigning innocence as she reached across the table to refill my glass. “But really, Dio, how *are* you still single? I’m sure the girls must be all over you, especially with the way Arin talks about you.”

I shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how to navigate this without causing a scene. “Well, uh, I’ve just been focused on... rugby,” I said, latching onto the first excuse that popped into my head. “And work. You know how it is.”

Arin’s mom wasn’t buying it. She gave me a knowing smile. “Mmm, yes, I’m sure that’s it.”

I risked a glance at Arin, who was now glaring at her mom like she might actually fling her fork across the table. “Dio’s not *on the market* because he’s mine,” she yelled I caught it—and so did her mom.

“What was that, dear?” her mom asked, her tone teasing but with a challenge hidden underneath. “Did you say something?”

Arin’s cheeks were burning now, and for the first time since this whole mess started, I saw her squirm. “I said,” she repeated, a little less loud this time, “he’s mine.”

Her mom leaned back in her chair, satisfied. “That’s more like it.”

I blinked, my heart thudding in my chest. Arin wasn’t looking at me, but I could see the tension in her posture, her shoulders stiff, her jaw tight. She wasn’t just embarrassed—she was frustrated. Maybe even scared.

Dinner went on, but the mood had shifted. Arin’s mom kept the conversation light, but now and then, she would glance between us with a smug look, like she’d won some invisible battle. Arin, meanwhile, stayed quiet, her usual wit buried under the weight of what she’d just admitted.

After dinner, we walked out to the car in silence. I could tell Arin was still brooding, but she wasn’t about to bring it up first. So, naturally, I did what I always did when things got awkward—I tried to make a joke.

“Well, that was... fun,” I said, unlocking the car. “Your mom is, uh, pretty intense.”

Arin huffed, crossing her arms. “Yeah, well, she’s been on my case about you for ages.”

I raised an eyebrow. “About *me*?”

She rolled her eyes. “Don’t act like you didn’t know. She’s been waiting for me to... I dunno, *claim you* or whatever she said.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I wasn’t sure what to say to that, so I just leaned against the car, watching her.

Arin let out a sigh, running a hand through her hair. “Look, I’m sorry about my mom. She’s... she’s just being herself. But... she’s not wrong.”

I blinked, caught off guard. “Not wrong about what?”

She finally met my eyes, her expression softening. “About me liking you. I don’t know when it happened, Dio, but... this isn’t just some weird side effect of the transformation. It’s been there for a while. I just... didn’t realize it until now.”

Arin paused, and for a moment, I could see the conflict in her eyes, the way she was struggling to find the right words. “Ever since I changed, everything feels... different. Like my body, my senses... it’s hard to explain. The way I see things feel things—it's like my brain’s rewiring itself. I catch myself thinking or acting in ways that don’t feel like ‘me,’ but also kind of... do.”

She shifted uncomfortably, glancing down at her hands. “I mean, I’m still me, right? But this body... it’s like it’s pushing me to feel things more intensely. My emotions, my instincts—they’re so much stronger. And it’s not just physical stuff either. It’s like... I’m more aware of you. Of the way I feel when I’m around you.”

I felt my heart skip a beat, but stayed quiet, letting her continue.

“At first, I tried to push it away, to tell myself that it was just the transformation messing with my head. But the more time I spend in this body, the more I realize... it’s not just that. I’ve *always* had feelings for you, Dio. It’s like this change has just... ripped down all the walls I didn’t even know I’d built.”

Her voice softened, a vulnerability creeping in. “This body... it’s made me confront things I’ve been ignoring. When we’re together now, I don’t just feel like your best friend anymore. I feel like I want more. Like I need more.”

Arin took a deep breath, her eyes searching mine. “And I think... I think this change has made me realize that I don’t want anyone else to have you. Maybe that’s why I’ve been acting so weird—jealous, possessive, whatever. Because now... now it’s not just about being your bro. It’s about being someone who *wants* you. And I know it’s messed up, but I don’t care.”

She gave me a weak smile, the honesty in her words hitting me like a freight train. “I just... I need to know if you feel it too, Dio. Or if this is all in my head.”

My mind clears of its fog and as predicted the floodgates break. I aggressively kiss my friend who melts into the kiss with a practiced ease. Everything feels so right with her. His arms wrapped around mine. Our lips pressed together I need more. More of her more of us. When I break the kiss my mind has fully accepted her as “mine”

We speed (responsibly) back to my place and can barely make it in the door before we pounce on each other again. Her tongue aggressively probes my mouth as she tries to find some way anyway to be closer and nor intimate with me. Eventually, she does so when she starts sucking my tongue into her mouth. The attraction between us rapidly turns into lust I pull Arin’s jeans down to find she wasn't wearing panties.

I broke the kiss and said, “Naughty girl.” Arin moaned and said

“Do you have any idea how you affect me?” her words are pointed hot and sexy. I lift her shirt and I find her perky tits roll right out to greet me.

Come on babe fuck me,” she moans as palms her petite pert tities. Arin repeats her previous message this time in a louder frustrated tone.

“I need you inside of me. I need all of you,” she whines desperately. I open my slacks and align myself with her wet folds before plunging in Arin wails like a banshee in heat

“Oh fuck you're so big. You're gonna tear me in half.” then she adds the following and I lose control “Do it use me like a sex doll.” I grab Arin’s waist tightly before bending her over and plowing into her pussy because it's mine and I own it. Arin moans in delirious pleasure.

The sound of slapping skin echoes in my apartment for a while as our bodies just follow their instincts. Feeling around the rest of Arin’s body I find the soft jiggle of her ass wildly appealing and begin to spank it as I rail her with my cock. She moans saying “Oh fuck Dio keep going! Keep it up.” I nod and thrust into her harder and more deliberately until she says.

“Harder!” so I go harder. Arin wails as her sodden pussy clenched around my cock trying to keep me as close as possible. Her fingers claw into my back as begs me to cum.

“Come on Diovalo cum in my pussy make it yours make me yours forever,” Arin says desperate and it sends me over the edge as I blast into her. Arin moans as her orgasm overtakes her but we keep thrusting and grinding into each other as the friction of our bodies hopefully fuse in an endless dance of pleasure… it doesn't but we smile at each other as our bodies calm down. We stared into each other’s eyes in silence with nothing other than our affection and love holding us together.

“I love you Arin. I say and Arin blushes wildly but responds, “I love you more Dio.”

I laugh and say, “Good to see your competitive streak is still there.”

That sounds like a perfect wrap-up to bring everything full circle! Let me integrate that into the scene, giving it a heartfelt and fulfilling conclusion:

---

The night after dinner was a blur of quiet confessions and the kind of closeness we hadn’t ever dared to admit we wanted. We didn’t need to talk much after that; the weight of our feelings was already out in the open, hanging in the air between us like some fragile, precious thing. And when Arin finally leaned in and kissed me again, it was different—less tension, more... certainty.

We spent the night together, wrapped up in the newness of it all but also in the familiar warmth of having been best friends for years. Somehow, it felt like nothing had changed and yet *everything* had.

When I woke up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was how peaceful Arin looked. She was lying on her side, her hair a tousled mess, but there was a calmness in her expression, a kind of acceptance that hadn’t been there before.

I watched her stir, slowly waking up as the sunlight filtered in through the curtains. Her eyes fluttered open, and when she saw me, a soft smile spread across her face.

“Morning,” she whispered, her voice warm and full of something I couldn’t quite place—contentment, maybe. Or relief.

“Morning,” I murmured back, reaching out to brush a stray strand of hair from her face. She leaned into my touch, and for the first time since this whole crazy transformation happened, she seemed... *settled.*

“I feel... good,” Arin said after a moment, her eyes closing as if she was savoring the feeling. “Like, for the first time since I changed, I’m not fighting myself. I’m not confused or freaked out. I just... *am.*”

I smiled at her, my chest swelling with affection. “You look like you’ve finally found your balance.”

She nodded, her gaze softening as she looked at me. “I think I have. I mean, this body... it’s who I am now. And I’m okay with that. More than okay. I feel like I’m finally who I was meant to be.”

There was a moment of silence between us, comfortable and warm. And then something flickered in the back of my mind—a memory, faint but growing clearer the longer I lingered on it.

“Hey... do you remember a few weeks ago, when we went out to that field to watch the shooting stars?�� I asked, my voice slow as the memory sharpened.

Arin’s eyes widened slightly, and she nodded. “Yeah... yeah, I do. Why?”

I smiled, the memory flooding back in full force now. “We were lying there, talking about... I don’t even remember what. And then, out of nowhere, you said, ‘I wish I could just be who I want to be, with the person I want to be with.’”

Arin blinked, her expression softening with recognition. “You said the same thing,” she murmured, a small, surprised smile forming on her lips. “We were both staring at the stars, making wishes like kids.”

“And now here we are,” I said, my heart pounding as I realized how perfect it all seemed. “You’re who you’re meant to be. And... I think I’m exactly where I’m meant to be, too.”

Arin’s smile widened, and she leaned in closer, her hand finding mine. “Maybe those stars were listening after all.”

I laughed softly, pulling her closer until our foreheads touched. “Maybe they were.”

And then, just like that, we kissed—slow and gentle, like the universe had been leading us here all along. Everything that had been building between us, all the tension, the fear, the uncertainty—melted away, leaving only this quiet, certain happiness.

When we finally pulled apart, Arin grinned at me, her eyes sparkling with a kind of joy I hadn’t seen in her before. “You know, I think we just got our happily ever after.”

I smiled back, my heart light. “Yeah... I think we did.”

And with that, we kissed again, the memory of those shooting stars lingering between us, as if they’d granted our wish after all.

#kpop fanfic #fanfic #male reader #oh my girl arin #arin smut #choi yewon

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imgeekgirlfan · 2 months

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The Curse of Cassandra│(Qimir x Reader)

Read in Ao3 : here

Pairings: Qimir x f!reader(SEA Reader) [The Acolyte]

Content Rating : Mature 18+ Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warning (AT YOUR OWN RISK)

tags/themes : Alternate Universe - Dune & Star wars, Partners in Crime, Strangers to Lovers

Summary: Being a prophet is both a gift and a curse; you see the future and you’re burdened with the weight of knowing that every decision you make could shape or destroy entire universe, with the overwhelming pressure that the fate of the galaxy hinges on your choice, and every path fraught with sacrifice.

Status: work in progress (This is a long fanfic that will be about 10+ chapters.)

A/N : I'm thai and english isn't my first language (sorry for the broken English)

This fic exists 'cause I got high (thanks to weed!). So my work's full of random shit in many ways. But I hope you'll dig it.

I got inspo from novels and movies I'm obsessed with: Dune, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Blue Eye Samurai, and Anne Carson's Cassandra Float Can. (Hence the title "The Curse of Cassandra," linking to the Greek myth)

It's a mash-up of different universes, not just Star Wars, with a lot of tweaks for my storyline. If you want fanfic that strict Star Wars canon, this fic isn't for you.

Also, diversity FTW! the reader in this fic isn't white, she's a SEA woman, we gonna representing ASEAN pride.

➡ EP : I // EP : II // EP : III // EP : IV // EP : V // EP : VI // EP : VII

[Intro] A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away

What fate could be worse?

Being captured by Jedi

Or being hunted by Sith

You close your eyelids, frowning at the stabbing sensation creeping into your brain. It's always like this when you try to sink into the stream of time, pondering what's yet to come. The price for this wicked foresight is torment of both body and soul, intensifying as your senses expand.

You see, you hear, you feel. The moisture in the air, the sound of water droplets hitting the ground, the wind rustling through the grass, the capillaries in your nasal cavities twisting and rupturing before blood gushes from your nose.

As you casually wipe away the red fluid with the back of your hand, you suddenly realize certain truths that have always been part of you.

You are an aberration, something repulsive. An Abomination.

And abominations must be eliminated—so they say.

You let out a long sigh, allowing your mind to drift through the past, present, and future—every possible event and situation. You watch it all with a numb mind, as if you've seen the same movie hundreds or thousands of times, a movie whose ending you already know well.

Yet there's one thing you still don't know: which ending will the path you're on now lead to?

Something pulls you out of your meditation, coinciding with the moment you sense someone's piercing gaze openly fixed upon you. That man is watching you from the shadows behind a large tree, not with malicious intent but with curiosity mixed with several other complex emotions too ambiguous to explain.

You remain seated in meditation at the same spot, amidst the blood and corpses of the Jedi, not daring to move, almost forgetting even to breathe.

You are the last one still breathing, the final victim of the Jedi massacre carried out by the mysterious Sith—The Stranger who is now closely observing you.

His face is completely hidden beneath a dark, twisted metal mask. Yet you can still feel his gleaming eyes surveying your body, as far as sight allows, focusing excessively, even invasively.

The curiosity in his mind is so intense that you find yourself trembling.

You see visions of what might happen—there's a high chance he'll rush in to slice you to pieces with his red lightsaber, searching for secrets or whatever might be hidden inside your body. Or he might subjugate you with his Force, using his power to penetrate your mind, deep into your subconscious, hoping to taste the forbidden fruit of secrets that you alone possess.

But he will never know, as long as you don't wish him to.

The scent of death hangs heavy in the air as heavy footsteps crunch over gravel, approaching you slowly, like a predator toying with its prey. You freeze, every muscle in your body tense, as you face the tall figure in dark robes, his visage concealed behind a strange metal mask carved into a distorted smile.

For a moment, this man reminds you of the grim reaper from ancient religious myths that vanished thousands of years ago.

He is the harbinger of death everywhere he goes, including your own death

Awareness strikes like a warning signal. Various possibilities flash through your memory, similar to how a dying person recalls everything that happened in their life.

You instantly realize how crucial this moment is. This is an incredibly fragile juncture.

There's a fifty percent chance he'll kill you, and another fifty percent chance he'll spare your life.

Fear spreads throughout your flesh, imprinting itself on your soul, turning your blood ice-cold. Your pulse races with panic.

You take a deep breath, quickly focusing, trying hard to regain control of your shaken mind. "I must not fear," you mutter to yourself, the same phrase your mother used to teach you as a child. "Fear is the mind-killer, fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration..."

A low, hoarse laugh escapes from behind the metal mask. Clearly, he heard what you said. "Oh, I think you should fear," he says, his words teetering between mockery and sarcasm.

You know he wants you to fear because, for the Sith, fear leads to power.

You do the opposite, swallowing the lump of fear in your throat, maintaining a calm demeanor as you force a faint smile for the person before you.

"Humans fear what they don't know, just as they fear me, and just as they fear you." You pause momentarily, carefully considering your final sentence, which could determine your fate.

Finally, you speak, firm and unwavering, "But I know you, so I do not fear."

There's a fifty percent chance he'll kill you, and another fifty percent chance he'll spare your life—this thought returns to your mind once more.

He had always kept his secret well, never letting anyone who knew his true identity survive.

'Why does this woman know who I am?' He must have thought.

You know well that your revelation will bring about an end that changes everything, both for better and for worse.

This is the gamble you've already placed your bet on, for this purpose and for this moment.

The lightsaber hilt in his hand remains tightly closed, showing no sign of the red flame that has taken countless lives. He kneels before you, his action clearly revealing vulnerabilities in his body. You could easily grab the lightsaber from the Jedi's corpse and behead him in one stroke.

But you don't kill him, just as he doesn't kill you.

You look into his eyes, he looks into yours, gauging each other in silence.

His large hand reaches beneath his mask, unlocks the mechanism, and slowly removes it, revealing the familiar face in your sight.

His face is sharp in every proportion, with messy jet-black hair. His eyes, once gentle when touched by sunlight, now cold as ice, contrast starkly with the smile slowly spreading wide, in the same fashion as the smile on the mask he wore earlier.

"Qimir"

His name sounds strange when you utter it, as if it's not a name you're familiar with, and the man before you is not the man you know.

The man chuckles softly and moves even closer, cutting off any chance for you to escape. You swallow hard, trying to turn your face away from his intense gaze. But he doesn't let you. His fingers, wet with others' blood, dig into both of your cheeks, pressing hard enough to hurt, forcing you to look only at him.

"Surprised?" He leans in closer, his hot breath on your face, and whispers softly in your ear, "I told you, you can't run away from me."

#qimir x reader #qimir x y/n #the stranger x reader #qimir fic #qimir x you #the acolyte x reader #star wars #the acolyte #qimir #star wars fic #the acolyte fic #Angst and Tragedy #Strangers to Lovers #no gods no masters no beta not edited either im going to sleep #english isn't my first language #The Curse of Cassandra

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prokopetz · 6 months

Note

Hi. I just found your The Far Roofs post and I'm smitten by the beauty of the prose and the images it evokes. I'm reading through the kickstarter page and I'm going to look up what I can about the author, but it doesn't do harm to ask you directly too:

I'm not necessarily into playing this or the other games by the author, but I absolutely need to get my hands on more texts like the one you shared about Unicorn. Are the rulebooks the only place to read them? And if so, is there a grander story (that would necessitate reading the books in a particular order) or are these just flavour texts accompanying each new chapter or game mechanic?

Sorry if this is A Lot, I just hadn't read anything like that and it moved me in ways I wasn't expecting for such a brief excerpt.

(With reference to this post here.)

There's a grander story in the sense that, like many of Dr. Jenna Moran's games, The Far Roofs has a default campaign structure with some fairly specific plot beats. Technically the rats and the Mysteries are part of a broader setting set forth in greater detail in Chuubo's Marvelous Wish-Granting Engine (an earlier game by the same author), though it's not necessary to have played or read CMWGE to understand what's going on in The Far Roofs.

If it's the prose in particular that grabs you, however, you might check out Dr. Moran's published novels. The Night-Bird's Feather is probably the most accessible starting point of the lot, being a collection of literary fables loosely structured around the life story of a minor NPC from the CMWGE canon. My personal favourite is An Unclean Legacy, though I wouldn't suggest starting there; it's a less refined and more eclectic work, and getting your hands on an electronic version may be problematic if you're participating in the Amazon boycott, as I don't think the e-book is presently available elsewhere.

(Also, strictly speaking An Unclean Legacy is fanfic with the serial numbers filed off, and if you're going in unspoiled, you will be so mad when you figure out what it's fanfic of.)

#gaming #tabletop roleplaying #tabletop rpgs #the far roofs #dr. jenna moran #crowdfunding #kickstarter

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daydreaming-nerd · 7 months

Text

The Bonds That Break Us (Rhysand x Female! Reader) Part 4

Part 1 , Part 2 , Part 3, Part 5, Part 6, Final Part

Request: "Would you do a Rhysand x fem!reader series? Maybe fem!reader is Rhysand's mate and Tamlin's sister? So secret love?"

AN: food's ready, come dish up guys

Summary: It was almost as if the cauldron liked to play games, as if it had sensed years of boredom and predictability and begged to be entertained. Its method of absolving its melancholy? Mate the High Lord of the Night Court to the younger sister of the High Lord of Spring.

Warnings (so far): SMUT (consensual), oral (female receiving), intercourse, dirty talking, unprotected sex, masturbation, mind speak sexting?, physical abuse, mentions of SA.

Word count: 6993

(all photos are from pinterest)

That night, after Rhysand reclothed me, we talked about the future and how Tamlin needed to know, before things got messy with Eris or before he finds out and flips. All I had to do now was wait for the opportune time, which never seemed to come as Tamlin and Tarquin had been having tension. It seemed that part of the Spring Court’s lands on the border were prime farming spots for some of the spices that the farmers in the Summer Court grew. Tarquin had asked Tamilin to purchase the land and of course when Tamlin said no things started to get messy. Tamlin would go out and negotiate daily, and everyday he would come home angry.

Tonight was no exception.

I was sitting in one of the tea rooms reading my book when I heard him come home. The front door slammed, shaking the house, and then his office door slammed even harder.

I flinched.

It has been like this for three days now. I looked at the clock on the wall and figured it was better for me to retire to my room with my novel for the night.

I barricaded my door just for safety and crawled under the covers lighting a candle so that I could pick up where I left off. The main characters had finally confessed their love for one another and things were starting to get steamy. My eyes flitted across a particularly hot line and I felt my toes curl without warning once again. I should’ve known I was going to feel a little tug at the bond, but I was unprepared for the taut pull Rhysand gave me.

Up late reading your dirty books mate?

“Yes, I just needed the distraction,” I replied.

Did you tell your brother yet?

I felt a pang of guilt, he had been waiting so dutifully for me to do so, and yet another day had passed where I was too scared, “I didn’t, he came home slamming doors and breaking vases again. I’m sorry Rhys.”

There’s no need to apologize. I want you to be safe after all.

“Thank you for understanding,” I say sweetly

Of course mate. Now tell me what in this book has you all riled up? He says and I can hear his smirk.

“A lady never kisses and tells,” I quip back.

Ahh yes but ladies also don’t let strange men eat them out in secret rooms at balls. He says coolly.

“Rhysand you little shit!” I laugh down the bond.

Come on my love, I’m dying to know what gets you off… Besides my tongue of course.

I roll my eyes and try to send the emotion down the bond, It’s nothing special really, he’s just fucking her, but he’s waited a while to do it so it’s extra steamy. I laugh.

Poor bastard, I know the feeling. Rhys chuckles and I feel arousal flood between my legs.

I can’t help but let my hand drift between my legs. Since Rhys touched me at the ball it’s all I’ve thought about (not that I would ever let him know). But suddenly the need for him has been so much stronger, I chalk it up to the mating bond strengthening, needing to be consummated. I let my hand dip between my panties and I try to keep my emotions from flooding the bond, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of knowing I could get off on his words alone.

“Subtle Rhys,” I chuckle.

I don’t need to be subtle, I told you exactly how it was going to go down that night at the ball did I not?

My heart races and I let my finger on my clit speed up.

“I suppose you’re right,” I say.

Are you touching yourself darling? He purrs.

Shit.

“No,” I lie.

You’re a terrible liar and you always have been, he chuckles. I can feel you, my mate.

“Damnit,” I curse, pulling my hand from my panties.

Oh don’t you dare stop now, not when I’m currently fisting my cock.

The image of Rhysand laying on his bed, naked, glorious and pumping his cock sends a wave of arousal straight through me and I practically scramble to shove my hands into my panties.

Now tell me, are you playing with that beautiful little clit? The one I licked at the ball?

Oh I was so in for it with this man, I was so utterly and terribly fucked.

“Yes,” I admit quietly.

Then I am terribly jealous of those delicate fingers.

“Rhys,” I moaned back. It was all I could think about, him.

Slip a finger in that tight little cunt won’t you darling?

As stupid as it felt I did it, and god it felt good. Not as good as his felt, but it would have to do.

“It doesn’t feel as good as you,” I say, trying to play the game.

I hear him chuckle, No my dear they don’t and they never will.

“Are you close?” I ask, feeling my own orgasm coming.

Let me hear those little begs again and I will be, he drawls.

I know exactly what he means. After he feasted on me at the ball and I nearly jumped his bones afterwards. When he said he wanted to wait I pathetically let out a whine.

“Please Rhys, I need you.” I plead.

Fuck y/n, I hear him moan and it’s enough to make me hit my climax.

“Oh fuck!” I cry down the bond.

His own string of curses followed as he came himself and I could picture him lying there, chest sweaty and heaving, the aftermath of his orgasm all over him. It was almost enough to make me reach my hands down my panties again, almost.

“So mind sex? That’s your thing?” I taunt him.

A loud chuckle reverberates through my mind, No you’re my thing darling.

“I’m flattered,” I laugh.

A moment of silence passes and my chest continues heaving as I crawl further under the covers and blow out my candle. Romance book long forgotten. I sit in the quiet for a little longer waiting for Rhys to say something, until I finally speak up.

“Are you still there?” I ask timidly.

Always, simply catching my breath. How was your day today?

“Boring, I don’t really have any friends here except my ladies maids and they are all terrible snoops. Tamlin has them in his back pocket.” I sigh.

Just wait till you meet Nuala and Cerridwen, they’re snoops too. He laughs.

“I can’t wait to,” I say.

I’m happy to finally hear you say that. He muses and I can practically feel his smile.

“Well I better get some sleep. If I plan on telling Tamlin tomorrow I’ll need my wits about me.” I sigh.

Goodnight darling, I love you.

There’s a hopefulness in his words. One I can’t meet. That phrase, ‘I love you’. I knew I should say it back. But I didn’t know what love meant. Didn’t know how it felt. I couldn't bring myself to return the sentiment.

"Goodnight Rhys," was all I could say.

The next morning I woke up and Tamlin had already left, which was a damn shame because I would’ve liked to have told him before he had gone to fight with Tarquin all day.

I paced most of the day in the tea room as I was beginning to grow antsy. Last night proved to me just how much I needed Rhysand, physically of course because of the bond. My skin was nearly sweating with need. I tried to read my book but it didn’t do much to help. I tried to go out and pick flowers for the dining table and it got me nowhere. To make matters worse it felt like Tamlin was gone for longer than usual as the darkness slid in, the moonlight shone, and all the lanterns and candles magically were lit.

I started pacing in the foyer waiting for him to arrive home. Maybe he was taking so long because he had finally reasoned with Tarquin. I thought to myself. But as the doorknob jiggled and a fiery looking Tamlin came in I knew how dead wrong I was.

“How was your meeting with Tarquin?” I asked, trying to seem sisterly, like that had ever won his affections.

“Awful! The stubborn brute wants to take part of my land and only give me 20% of its profits per harvest!” he yells storming through the hall. I follow him.

“20% isn’t bad, maybe you could show him what a generous High Lord you are by accepting the offer,” I chirped enthusiastically.

“Are you out of your mind?” he whirls to look at me. “20% is cheap sister, not that you would ever have the mind for money. All you know how to do is spend mine.”

“Tamlin, that's not fair and you know it.” I reason.

“What does it matter anyways,” he rolls his eyes and begins storming off again. “You’ll be worth your weight in gold once you marry Eris and become his consort.”

Fire boiled in my veins, “I already told you Tamlin, I don’t want to marry Eris. God how fucking selfish and cruel do you have to be to sell your sister off to a monster?!” I scream and as the words leave my mouth I already regret saying them. I had never been so bold in my life, at least not with Tamlin.

I don’t even have time to react before I feel a harsh slap across my face knocking me to the ground. “YOU ARE MY SISTER AND A WOMAN IN THIS COURT!” Tamlin screams at me. He picks me up by my hair, “and you will not question how I rule it.”

Tears prick my eyes as the skin of my cheek burns. Tamlin releases my hair dropping my body to the ground and I’m left in a heap of tulle and tears as he slams his door.

Are you okay? My mate calls into my mind.

I press my cold hand to my cheek, “yeah I’m fine.”

No you’re not, you're hurt.

“I’m fine Rhys, it’s not bad,” I say, pulling myself up off the floor and winnowing to my room.

What happened?

I sigh, knowing he’ll badger me until he gets an answer. “I tried to get Tamilin to make amends with Tarquin so that he would be in a good mood and he hit me.”

He hit you? I could hear him growling, feel the anger down the bond.

“It’s really fine Rhys, I’m in my room now and I’m safe.” I say trying to calm him down.

I’m going to fucking kill him y/n. I’m coming to get you right now. I’m not letting you stay there another minute.

“Rhys please! Stop and be reasonable. If you barrel in right now it’s going to piss Tamlin off even more. He could hurt me or worse. We have to be civil about all this.” I reason with him.

Fine, but no more after this y/n. I can’t stand it any longer. It’s killing me from the inside out. To know you’re in that horrible place. When you could be safe and warm here.

“I promise I will figure this out, I just need time,” I assure him.

I know you will, my beautiful strong mate.

“Tamlin hurry up, we're already late!” Lucien screams from the foyer. It was another council day and I had hoped that Tamilin would finally be able to reason with Tarquin.

Yesterday I went into town to shop for a new dress, it seemed I had exhausted all my other purple ones and I wanted more. I picked out a dress that was a far darker purple than any I had worn before. But it seemed fitting, seemed more Rhysand.

“Let’s go,” Tamilin ordered entering the room in a huff. He peered at the dress I was wearing, “Purple again? I’d think you’ve grown tired of it by now.”

Was this really his method of trying to make up for hitting me and yelling at me? Giving me a somewhat backhanded compliment?

“Viviane said that it was my color,” I replied, not entirely a lie.

He didn’t say anything, just grabbed Lucien and winnowed us to the Night Court.

I had no clue what to expect from the Night Court. I had never been before today. I had only ever heard stories. Stories of its darkness and its monsters. When we arrived I almost couldn’t believe that this is where Rhysand lived.

The large city under the mountain had a darkness to it, while faelights bobbed all around, it didn’t hide the darkness in the shadows that lingered. The city under the mountain was a metropolis, and it was terrifying with its large spires all around. Every surface is carved with lovely, hideous artwork: figures dance and fornicate, beg and revel. I was surprised Tamlin even allowed me to come with him today.

We enter into a dimly lit chamber where all the Lords are already seated and waiting for us to arrive, Tamlin apologizes and chalks it up to me taking too long to primp, a lie of course. As my eyes scan the room I see only two chairs open and one happens to be next to Rhysand. I try to hide the smirk on my face as I take the seat next to him, forcing Tamlin to take the other one.

You look ravishing as always. Croons Rhyand.

“Thank you, the dress is new,” I smile.

New and purple? You flatter me mate. He smirks.

I chuckle down the bond, “Don’t flatter yourself too much, Vivianne said she liked me in purple as well.”

Well then I’ll have to thank Viviane later. He smiles.

The council begins and just like I figured Tamlin and Tarquin laid into one another right away. All the other Lords but Rhysand and Kallias chimed in to solve the issue, but the winter and night court Lords seemed content to watch it all play out and I didn’t blame them. It took everything in me to not turn to the side to look at Rhys. His presence was so commanding especially in his own court and I had missed his face, those eyes, so much.

I felt a large hand being placed over my own under the table.

You’re going to get me in trouble. I gripe at Rhys but flip my hand so I can hold his back.

Shh no one can see, I just wanted to feel you.

Eventually the fighting dies down as the Lords end up forcing Tamlin to accept the deal Tarquin has offered and I try not to smile as my brother’s pissed off face. Turns out I was right and 20% isn’t such a low number after all. Rhys lets go of my hand to stand and address the room.

“I think we’ve had more than enough political talk, why don’t we disband.” he states, and it sounds like his voice booms off the walls of the room.

A murmur of agreement fills the room as the sound of obsidian chairs scratch the stone below, signaling that the lords are getting up. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I feel my stomach pit, is Rhysand stupid? But when I turn around I’m met with the raking stare of Eris Vanserra.

“Hello my little fox, I was wondering if I might speak to you for a moment?” He asks, and I can practically feel Tamlin staring daggers into the side of my head.

“Yes of course my Lord,” I smile taking his arm.

We promenade outside the council meeting room and into the hallway. I look up to find faint faelight glowing from large chandeliers, the walls are filled with tapestries and statues of people fucking and begging just like in the rest of the city. Large pillars shoot up from the aisles supporting the large room and I still wonder how Rhys could possibly live here.

“I’m sorry for taking you away so soon, I know that you love to talk to Viviane, but I just had to see you,” Eris says.

“No apologies necessary,” I reply, still taking in the sites around me.

“I know that your brother and my father are still negotiating the terms of our marriage but I couldn’t wait to give you this,” he says before pulling a long black box out of his pocket, and opening it up.

Inside lies a rather large and beautiful necklace. A huge golden crystal is attached by a string of glittering diamonds. If it was given to me by anyone else I would’ve thought it beautiful, but I knew it’s true meaning, it’s true purpose. It wasn’t just a piece of fine jewelry, it was a collar, meant to show everyone I belonged to Eris now. I took a mental deep breath.

“Oh Eris, it’s beautiful!” I gasp, running my hands over the chain.

“I knew you would like it,” he smiled. “Here allow me to help you put it on.”

I turn around and feel him place the heavy jewel around my neck. The weight of it already making me feel shackled. His fingers dust over the nape of my neck fastening the clasp. He kisses my shoulder when he’s done and I feel his hands gently turning me around so he can see it on me.

“It looks beautiful on you, like it was made for you,” he smiles, hand caressing my face.

“I love it, thank you,” I say, trying to hide my discomfort.

“I promise you that when we are officially engaged you will have even bigger jewels,” he smirks, stepping forward even closer, causing me to step back. “And when we’re married even bigger jewels,” He croons and my back hits one of the many pillars. “But I’ll save the biggest and most expensive ones for when you bear me our first son.” he smirks and there’s nothing I can do to stop him from crashing his lips on mine.

Eris kisses me hungrily and needily as my hands fly to the pillar my back is pressed on, any little movement to keep him farther away from me. His hands drop to wander my waist and I feel the entire room shudder causing pieces of dust to fly up everywhere. Eris pulls himself off of me.

“What was that?” I ask afraid.

“I’m not sure, I’ll go check,” Eris replies and he leaves me to run back to the council chambers to confer with the rest of the Lords.

I step forward from the pillar and take a deep breath. I start to follow Eris back to the council room but then my skin starts to buzz again and I stop in my tracks. Rhysand’s hands graze up my arms from behind me as he leaves gentle kisses on my neck.

“That was you wasn’t it?” I smirk.

“Maybe,” he smiles into my skin. “He had a lot of nerve kissing my mate in my court.”

“To be fair he didn’t know,” I giggle.

“I don’t care, he was lucky I didn’t rip his head off,” he says, continuing to kiss my neck.

“This place is terrifying, how do you live here?” I laugh.

“I don’t, this place is just where I entertain other Lords,” he explains, kissing my neck still.

“Then where do you live?” I ask, reaching up to press my hand against his face, encouraging him not to stop.

He smiles against my skin, “I want you to tell your brother that you’re staying with Viviane again tonight.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Because, I finally have you here, in my court. I want you to stay here with me, even if it’s just for one night.” he emphasizes his statement with a long lick up my neck that has my toes curling in my shoes.

I turn to look at him, “are you sure my brother won’t find out?” I ask, finally looking into those violet eyes I had been missing.

“I’m positive,” he smiles and his eyes glance down to the necklace. “You weren’t wearing that earlier.”

I roll my eyes, “Eris just gave it to me. He said it was a gift but it feels more like a collar.” I say straightening my shoulders in discomfort from the weight of it.

Rhysand doesn’t say anything, he just reaches a hand around the back of my neck to unclasp the necklace. I immediately feel the weight fall off into his hand and he looks at it before chucking it somewhere in the room.

“Rhys!” I laugh.

“Much better now we can see your pretty neck,” he smirks before leaning in to kiss me. I practically melt into his touch.

Because the rest of the Lord ganged up on him, Tamlin left early and just like Rhys asked, I told him I would be staying with Viviane tonight. Tamlin didn’t even bat an eyelash. It wasn’t long until the last couple, Kallias and Viviane, left. I turned to see Rhys staring at me from across the room with that playful smirk I always wanted to kiss off his face.

“Are you ready to go mate?” he asked, holding out his arm to mine.

I took it eagerly, “To go where?” I asked earnestly.

“To Velaris,” he smiled brighter than I had ever seen him smile before and before I could question further he winnowed us away.

When the shadows cleared I was in a house. A lush, beautiful and homey house. Thick red wool carpeted the floor, and the walls were made of a rich wood. Comfy chairs and chaises were littered about and a warm fire sprung to life. It looked lived in and loved compared to the mansion in the Spring Court.

“So this is where you live?” I ask taking in my sights.

“Yes it is. The place we just were? We call it The Court of Nightmares, that’s where we conduct business to keep up appearances for other courts. But this is where I live, Velaris, the city of starlight.” he explains watching me take it all in.

I look out a large window and see the golden fae lights of the village beyond. It sits below a large snow capped mountain. It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen, and it already feels like home.

“What do you mean we?” I ask. Before I can answer two large crashes come from the terrace outside causing me to jump.

“I mean my cousin Mor, my second in command and of course Cassian and Azriel.” he says nodding to the doors where the two Illyrians from the ball are waltzing in. “Y/n this is Azriel, “ Rhysand nods to the one with the shorter hair and Azriel waves. “And this is Cassian.” he nods to the one with the longer hair.

“Ahh yes the one that bites,” I muse.

“Only sometimes,” Cassian chuckles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you y/n,” he says, holding out his hand.

I shake it and my whole hand nearly disappears in his just like Rhysand’s. “The pleasure is all mine, I’ve never met an Illyrian before.” I say looking over his large wings.

“Then you’re missing out for sure,” he says looking at Azriel who just rolls his eyes.

“Your wings are magnificent, would you mind if I…” my words fall short as I hold up my hand.

“Touch them?” Cassian asks. “Go right ahead y/n,” he smirks, eyes flitting to Rhys.

I reach my hand out to graze over the material of his wings, they feel like leather. They are rugged to the touch and I can tell that they have seen many years of battle. I hear what sounds like the snapping of leather behind me. I turn around and my jaw nearly hits the floor. There before me, Rhysand stands with his own Illyrian wings.

“I have wings too you know,” Rhysand says as he tilts his head.

Cassian erupts into laughter, “Feeling a bit jealous there Rhys?” he jokes.

Rhys just rolls his eyes and pulls a hand out of his pocket and offers it to me. I take his hand, still too stunned to find Rhys with wings to even speak.

“We’ll see you two later, I’m going to give y/n the rest of the tour,” Rhysand drawls leading me towards the stairs.

“Goodnight you two,” Cassian drawls before taking off with Azriel.

“I didn’t know you had wings” I say, still bewildered staring up at them.

“It’s not really something I make a spectacle of. I only have them out when I’m going to use them, otherwise they tend to get in the way,” he explains, leading me up the stairs.

“So you can shift back and forth between having them and not having them?” I ask.

“Essentially, yes,” he says and shifts back to his wingless form just to prove the point.

“So what was the deal with me touching Cassian’s wings? Is that like taboo or something?” I ask, feeling my cheeks heat up remembering how Cassian smirked at Rhys when I asked.

“Illyrians can feel through their wings and are known to attack first and ask questions later if they are touched without invitation. It was basically like if you ask if you could touch his abs,” Rhysand chuckles.

“Oh,” I said, my heart stopping. “Now I feel bad.”

“Don’t feel bad, Cassian loves teasing me. He let you touch his wings just to watch my face as you did so,” Rhys laughed again, opening a door to our left. “This is one of the guest rooms.”

I look around at the somewhat dark room, the same lush carpet coats the floor along with the same wooden paneling. It was quaint and perfect. Rhys continued leading us down the hall to show me another guest room which was much like the first just a little bit bigger. He explained that they were the rooms Cassian and Azriel slept in for Solstice.

“And this is my room,” he explained before opening the door to the last room in the hallway.

The room is much larger than the other two, the huge bed was made with dark black and purple blankets and pillows. I heard the door close as I continued to explore. The bed sat next to a balcony that had the same view of the living room, the village lit with fae lights and the snowy mountain. To the left was a large bathroom with a bathtub, large enough I realized, to fit Rhysand’s wings.

“Your room is-”

“Our room. This is our room now.” he says and I turn to meet his gaze. “I’ve waited so long to see you standing here. In Velaris, in the townhouse, in this room.”

“And what is it that I’m normally doing in this room, Rhys?” I smile, faking my innocence.

“Well,” he drawls, stepping closer to me. “It goes a little something like this,” he muses before placing a hand on my cheek and kissing me.

This kiss is different, less heated than all the others we shared before it. It holds all the passion of what’s to come, what we both know is coming. His hands slide to my waist and I let out a small moan and I can feel Rhys trying not to smile. My hands tangle in his hair pulling him closer as I feel my legs hit the mattress. He pulls me closer to him so I don’t fall and I feel him turn me around so my back is facing him.

“Normally I would use my magic to take your clothes off,” he says voice low, his hands unlacing the corset in my dress. “But I want to take my time with you tonight,” he continues undoing the last lace.

I nearly melt at his words, but I feel the dress start to fall and I grab the top of it to keep it from falling down. The dress didn’t allow for any undergarments meaning I would be completely bare to him.

Rhysand places a kiss on my shoulder, “You’ve never let a man see you naked before have you?” he asks.

“No I haven’t,” I say shyly. I feel a moment of fear but turn around and let my dress fall to the floor in a giant pile of purple chiffon. Rhysand’s eyes rake down my body and I move to cover my breast with my arms as pink tints my cheeks.

“Don’t you dare cover those perfect breasts mate,” he says gently, pulling my arms away. “You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’m so lucky to call you my mate.” he kisses me again, absolving any fear I have as I feel his hands finally roam my naked body. I push him away lightly.

“I want to see you too,” I say breathlessly looking into his eyes that are suddenly a darker shade of violet than they were before.

“As my mate commands,” he smirks, standing back to take off his clothes. His eyes locked on mine, never breaking eye contact until he stood before me completely bare.

I let my eyes rake down on him. His body ripples with strong and lean muscles, the upper part of his chest and shoulders are covered in swirling tattoos. My eyes dare to travel lower over his abs to his straining cock. All I can think to myself is there’s no way that’s going to fit inside me.

Rhysand chuckles, stepping towards me, “I promise it will fit mate.”

“Shit I said that out loud?” I curse ducking my chin in embarrassment.

“No you didn’t, but your thoughts were so loud you might as well have,” he laughs tilting my chin up to meet his eyes.

My eyes drift down to his chest again and I finally let my hands wander the muscles on his chest. His skin soft and smooth under my fingers, I run them up his abs, over his pecs, across his shoulders and down his arms earning a low groan from him. I take his hands and place them on my waist, throwing my own over his shoulders and as I look into his eyes the words just tumble out of me.

“I love you Rhys,” I breathe.

“You don’t have to say it just because I said it the other day,” he says almost sadly.

“I’m not. I love you Rhysand,” I smile.

A smile spreads across his face, “I love you too mate.”

His hands pull me closer to him and I can feel my breasts pressing against his chest as he seals our lips again. This time the kiss is more needy as I feel my heart rate pick up. His frame backs me up and I can feel his cock pressing into me making me practically moan into the kiss.

My legs hit the mattress again, this time he lets me fall onto the bed. I open my eyes and watch his eyes rake down me again, nothing short of a predatory gaze behind them. His knees hit the mattress and he crawls over me, caging me in with his arms. He kisses me deeply and begins to move his lips down my jaw and to my neck again. I can feel his restraint as he tries not to leave love bites all over me. His lips go lower and lower and my chest starts to heave in anticipation of what I think is next.

“Your breasts,” he says, kissing the top of each one. “Are the most beautiful pair of breasts I’ve ever seen. I should’ve worshiped them the moment that dress hit the floor.” He smirked.

He started kissing the underside of each breast, then the sides and then the tops again purposefully avoiding the one place I wanted his mouth the most, making me squirm.

“And these pretty pink nipples,” he says before finally taking one in his mouth and suckling.

“Oh fuck,” I breathe having my back arch into him. His other hand comes up to draw little circles on my other nipple.

“Dirty mouth mate,” he teases before resuming his menstrations.

My hands fly to his hair as I pull him closer to me needing more of him. Needing all of him.

“Wouldn’t want this one to think I don’t love it,” he smirks before sucking my other bud into his mouth.

“Rhys please,” I breathe tugging at his hair.

“So eager are we mate?” he says kissing down my body till he gets to my core. He skips over it and sits up, taking my leg and kissing my ankle. He draws a path of kisses all the way down my leg till he reaches the inside of my thigh. He gives me an evil grin before sitting up and beginning to do the same with the other leg.

“Ugh Rhysand!” I groan, causing him to chuckle.

“I told you I wanted to take my time mate,” he chuckles against my calf. “Was there a certain body part you were hoping I would kiss?” he asks suggestively.

“Your favorite part,” I muse.

“You cruel wicked thing. As if I could ever just choose one part of you to be my favorite.” he says, acting wounded, putting my leg down. He leans into my pussy and places a kiss there running a finger through my folds. “Though I will say that one of my top contenders is this pretty little clit.” he hums lowly before flicking his tongue over the bundle of nerves.

“Ahh,” I scream, my hands going straight to his hair.

“Precisely why I love it. I love the little sounds you make when I lick it,” he growls before diving in to feast on me.

“Oh my gods Rhys!” I scream, grinding my hips into his face.

That’s right y/n I wanna hear everything. We’re not in Beron’s office anymore, scream for me mate. He says into my mind and I do.

I scream and writhe and moan. My eyes flit down to where his mouth is attached to my pussy. His darkened eyes look up at me watching the pleasure rake through my body. One of his hands comes from my hip and I feel his fingers tease my entrance before he slides one into me. His mouth continues suckling on my clit as his fingers curl to massage that spot inside of me that I didn’t know was there until he touched it at the ball.

Gods your pussy tastes so good. After we’re officially mated I promise to spend a whole night between your legs eating you out until you can’t move.

“Rhys!” I scream, his words my undoing as I cum on his tongue. He works me through my orgasm until my legs stop shaking and then he pulls his finger from me. He places a kiss on my clit one last time before moving up the bed. He watches me as he sucks all my leftover cum on his finger off.

I grab his neck and pull him down to kiss me again. He slips his tongue into my mouth and I can taste myself on him. My hands run down his back feeling the powerful muscles there, gods I could just sit here and touch him all day. He was as beautiful as I had pictured him that one night not too long ago. He was everything and he was mine.

“That’s right mate, I am yours,” he said between kisses. Clearly my thoughts we’re projecting again.

“And I am yours Rhys,” I breathe, and he takes a moment to study my face trying to read if I really mean it, like he thought the words would never leave my mouth.

“Mine,” he grumbles, connecting our lips again. “Beautiful and perfect and all fucking mine.”

I feel his cock nudging my entrance and I gasp. I want it, I want all of him, but I’m scared.

“Rhys I’m scared, I’ve never had sex before,” I say.

“Don’t worry darling I wasn’t going to push in yet. Do you think you’re ready?” he asks sweetly.

“Yes I’m ready,” I nod.

“Okay tell me if it hurts too much and I’ll stop right away okay?” He says, kissing my forehead.

“I will, I promise,” I assure him, cupping his cheek.

“Here we go,” he says and I feel the tip of his cock at my entrance and it’s enough to have a large wave of arousal flood between my legs once more.

He pushes his tip in and I start to feel the burn but I don’t say anything as he slowly continues to push in. I feel him stretching me and the mixture of pleasure and pain starts to take over my body. Once he’s nearly fully inside me I wince and he stops.

“Shh it’s okay, you’re doing so good my mate,” he coos, kissing my brow.

“I’m good now, keep going,” I breathe.

I feel him bottom out inside me and I scream in both pain and pleasure once more.

“Fuck y/n,” he groans, but he doesn’t move trying to give me time to adjust. I relish how full I feel with him all the way in me and I look down at his arms. His muscles are taught and his veins are nearly popping and I realize it’s taking everything inside of him not to pull his cock out and slam it into me. The thought of him taking me so rough puts butterflies in my stomach.

“Rhys please move,” I cry trying to rock my hips into him.

He pulls out a little and thrusts back in and I hold back my cry as he does it again. He starts to build up a good slow tempo and after a while the pain disappears.

“Fuck you’re taking me so good, you’re doing so good mate.” he groans trying to keep himself from losing control.

“Harder Rhys,” I whine running my hands through his hair.

“No I don’t want to hurt you,” he shakes his head watching his cock disappear inside of me looking for any hint of discomfort.

He’s being gentle, trying to make sure I feel good. But all I can think of are his whimpers and moans from when he stroked his cock a few nights ago, and how desperately I want to hear them again. How desperately I want my pussy to be the thing that draws them from his lips.

I grab his face and force him to look at me so that he can see how dead serious I really was, “Rhys I want you to fuck me,” I ordered him.

“Fuck y/n,” his eyes widened and I could see all resolve has left exit his body.

His hips thrusted into me harder and I strangled cry left my mouth as he continued to fuck me. The sound of skin slapping skin filled the room as my nails raked down his back, bringing those moans of his to the surface, I could’ve came right there.

“Fuck Rhys it feels so good,” I say blissfully.

“Gods mate how is your pussy so tiny and tight?” he groans into my neck fucking me harder. “You feel so good wrapped around me.”

I feel his lips crash onto mine again, hips never faltering. I can barely keep our lips attached as he keeps pulling moans from me and all I can think is how utterly his I am.

“Say it again,” he grits out and I know exactly what he means.

“I’m yours Rhysand,” I hum.

“Mine,” he grunts fucking me even harder.

The new pace has me seeing stars as I grip onto his shoulders leaving crescent shaped marks in his skin. I feel the ever familiar knot in my stomach growing and I’m moments away from cumming with his name on my tongue.

“Rhys I’m gonna cum,” I warn him and I can see the muscle in his jaw flicker.

“Me too. Cum with me mate,” he grunts before flicking my clit. I crumble the moment he flicks the sensive bud.

“OH GOD RHYS!” I scream digging my nails into his back again.

“Oh fuck y/n,” he groans, hips stuttering as he spills his seed into me.

We’re a heap of sweat and ragged breaths as he keeps himself propped up as not to crush me. My hands smooth back his hair and I leave sweet kisses on his brow.

“I love you so much Rhys,” I whisper in his ear leaving a kiss there. I mean every word, my soul so full of love for him that tears prick my eyes.

“I love you too y/n.” he smiles, pressing our lips together.

He sits up pulling out of me and I feel a breath escape my lips, disappointed at the sudden emptiness. He sits on his knees and I watch as he stares between my legs. His eyes light up in amusement.

“What?” I giggle sitting up a little on my arms.

“I’ve waited forever to have this view,” he smirks.

“What view?” I ask.

“You, naked, in my bed, with my cum dripping out of your pussy.” he muses, leaning over me again. “Totally and completely mine.” he smiles, kissing me again.

I hum in approval at his words and kiss him harder feeling his skin melt against mine. I try to pour every ounce of love I have into it. The way he kisses me has me seeing stars and I suddenly feel hot again, like I need more of him.

“Rhys I want more,” I say between kisses.

“I fuck you one time and you already want more?” he chuckles. “Don’t worry mate, I’m not done with you yet.”

Taglist: @crystalferret202 @heyyitsnat21 , @cheshire-salvatore-mikaelson , @randomperson1234sblog , @local-fangirl09 , @bleh-81, @annaaaaa88 , @cauldronboilmetakemetovelaris @tenaciousperfectionunknown , @judig92 , @aunicornmademedoit, @sharknutz , @slytherintaco , @isa1b2h3 , @nickishadow139

#rhys acotar #rhysand #rhysand x reader #rhysand angst #rhysand fluff #rhysand smut #rhysand x reader smut #rhysand acotar

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yallemagne · 1 year

Text

Then, too, Lucy, although she is so well, has lately taken to her old habit of walking in her sleep. Her mother has spoken to me about it, and we have decided that I am to lock the door of our room every night. Mrs. Westenra has got an idea that sleep-walkers always go out on roofs of houses and along the edges of cliffs and then get suddenly wakened and fall over with a despairing cry that echoes all over the place. Poor dear, she is naturally anxious about Lucy, and she tells me that her husband, Lucy's father, had the same habit; that he would get up in the night and dress himself and go out, if he were not stopped. Lucy is to be married in the autumn, and she is already planning out her dresses and how her house is to be arranged. I sympathise with her, for I do the same, only Jonathan and I will start in life in a very simple way, and shall have to try to make both ends meet. Mr. Holmwood—he is the Hon. Arthur Holmwood, only son of Lord Godalming—is coming up here very shortly—as soon as he can leave town, for his father is not very well, and I think dear Lucy is counting the moments till he comes. She wants to take him up to the seat on the churchyard cliff and show him the beauty of Whitby. I daresay it is the waiting which disturbs her; she will be all right when he arrives.

Lucy has inherited sleepwalking from her late father. She has sleepwalked before now, it is an old habit of hers. Dracula is nowhere near the coast of Whitby nor does he know who the fuck Lucy is.

THE SLEEPWALKING IS NOT CAUSED BY FUCKING DRACULA.

Stop, that's literally the excuse used by shitty adaptation writers who shorten the story down for the sake of convenience. And you may ask them, well, why is Dracula trying to make Lucy, a young lady he doesn't even know, sleepwalk to him from so far away, adaptation writers? THE ANSWER THEY ALWAYS GIVE IS "well, she's a slut, he can sense that she's a slut, he's trying to get at her to punish her for her transgressions and get to his pure reincarnated wife uwu."

IN THE BOOK SHE IS LITERALLY JUST A SLEEPWALKER IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DRACULA RIGHT NOW.

Do you think that when she sleepwalked years ago as a child that was also Dracula??? Was her father sleepwalking to Dracula as well?? She is stressed about the future and her restlessness has caused her to start sleepwalking again. She dreams of showing Arthur the view from the churchyard, so she tries to go there in her sleep.

Please I swear to god when you lean into the whole "Dracula has a vendetta against Lucy and has made her a sleepwalker in order to hunt her down and punish her", it's victim-blaming and doesn't even make sense in the context of the novel.

sorry if this comes off aggressive, but I'm just like grrr I'm like rrr no fuck you Coppola get off my dick.

#dracula #dracula daily #re: dracula #lucy westenra #dracula rant #July 26 #all caps

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nyerus · 9 months

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Hello! I'm really sorry to bother you with some stupid questions but I'm a little bit confused. Can you tell me about the TGCF revised version and what to expect from it? I made my research a little bit but I'm not sure I get the full picture. I just finished reading all the novels in official EN translation and it bugs me a little that I just got everything settled in my brain and now...smth will be changed in the revised version? What does it mean for canon?

I'm sorry it I make no sense, just a little bit disoriented. Thank you for answering in advance!

Hello Anon!

I totally understand how confusing it could be! I'll try to help clear it up, so no worries!

There are two main versions of TGCF now:

Original/Serialized

Revised

The original webnovel was released in a serialized manner, and this is the one all existing printed translations are based on. Including the official EN translation! This is also what the manhua and donghua are adapting. It was never released as a printed version in mainland China.

The revised version was released in early 2023, in mainland China only (thus far). It has significant changes here and there such as: removal of some minor characters, revision of certain characters' backstories, fleshing out of some inter-character relationships, expansion of existing Hualian-centric scenes, several additional scenes (mainly Hualian-centric), modification of some arcs/plots (e.g. the Bloody Banquet is quite different -- all the way from the lead-up to the ending -- though the broad strokes of it remain similar to the original). Plus just a lot of general streamlining! However, the overall structure of the story and the main plot remains the same.

The printed revised version that was released in China is also a censored edition (for obvious reasons). There is no publicly available uncensored edition available for us to read. That being said... the audio drama is actually working on the uncensored revised version (which they got from MXTX directly, it seems)!

The AD is absolutely fantastic, and if you're interested in checking out the revised version, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's easily my favorite adaptation, by far. This is an old guide on how to purchase + listen, but it still mostly works (you can purchase the entire season with google pay now too). Follow this for enabling EN subs (MTL). There are folks doing fanTLs, but those are not yet complete and still in the very early episodes as of now.

Additionally, there is a fan translation for a few select chapters from the printed revised version, done by Clearnoodle256. Though while yes, it's censored, the plot stuff and extra scenes are absolutely amazing. There's a lot of extra insight into Hualian especially, but also other characters like Lang Qianqiu! Check it out here!

If you'd like more information, I also made a twitter thread about the different versions, but it's similar to what I have already outlined here!

MXTX has said that both versions are just as "canonical" as each other, and fans are welcome to pick-and-choose aspects of both. Personally, I adore what I have seen and heard of the revised version thus far (though there are a few parts where I prefer the original ver). It doesn't feel like a whole new story, but more like seeing the same story with fresh eyes and getting a lot more details! It's very exciting to be able to somehow experience TGCF all over again! 💖

#tgcf #tian guan ci fu #hob #heaven official's blessing #asks #anon #sorry i am COMPELLED to shill for the audio drama whenever i can because it's THAT PERFECT

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askew-d · 3 months

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Hello again....if you don't mind me asking, can I ask your top 5 (or top 3) favorite characters from MDZS? And why you loved them? And your top 5 favorite moments from the novel? Sorry if you've answered this question before....Thanks....

sure! its no trouble at all. sorry i am embarassingly late and thank you for the question, i loved making this list :)

1. wei wuxian, our selfless yiling laozu

alright, you can call me cliché, everyone loves him, right? but kendrick lamar said it’s all about love and hate in the game so let me tell you, i love this man. i love the way that he walks, the way that he kills, the way that he dresses, the way that he mocks others, the way that he protect those he loves, the way he’s unbearably and so utterly good to the core (no irony or pun intended), regardless of everything he’s been through. because let’s come clean: other characters, such as xue yang and meng yao, did have their reasons to be evil, i comprehend them! i validate their motives to be who they are, but it does not, for the love of god, excuses their actions.

and that’s the thing! because wei wuxian has been though hell and back, way worse than them, yet he chose to continue doing good things. it’s just who he is (unbelievable, right?). he is, essentialy, someone who pursues justice. he sought revenge for what he suffered, that he rightly did, but he didn’t lash out on innocent cultivators who had nothing to do with his injuries. and the amount of strength, resilience, kindness and sheer wisdom that resides in this makes my admiration for him grow as deep as the ocean. he’s the ultimate main character of every fictional world. no one’s doing tragedy, revenge, inteligence, selflessness, love and being a troublemaker like him, ok. he’s one for the history books. and with that we go to:

2. lan wangji, our beloved hanguang-jun

i said this before, but i will say it again: i feel like wei wuxian might kill me every time i go around saying ‘lan zhan’ or even start worshipping him too much. however, who wouldn’t worship him? he’s a god among humans; a superhero in a novel about cultivators. if wei wuxian’s considered by some an antihero, he’s the true, righteous captain america right here. and it’s not just the looks, he’s a whole package: a terrific father, a dedicated brother and nephew, an esteemed cultivator, a marvellous husband and a fair human being.

most of all, i dearly love him for the fact that he’s been loving wei wuxian since the beginning and never let that go. this man fought for his love like no one else did. he remembered wei wuxian when no one else did. he tried and tried, for him. he waited thirteen years, for him. in fact, if wei wuxian had never returned, he’d just have been waiting and waiting, living his life in grief, watching the moonlight alone…… but that’s a thought for another moment.

the amount of love this man carries is unbearable, really. it’s who he is too. and i also adore the fact that he has a lot of personas: he’s a serious senior for the disciples, a feral animal in bed, silly in some moments and painfully romantic in others. he’s just unreal!

3. lan jingyi, the most atypical lan that has ever lanned

if this boy was in the modern times, im sure i would make friends with him. hes everyones spirit inside this story. he is one of hell of a representation: he can judge, yell, put some sense into other peoples minds, act even more senseless and tell truths without caring for the consequences (and then crying when faced with the punishment of headstands). and the best part of all: he is, oddly, a lan! i love him! best boy ever (alright, perhaps after lan sizhui, but i relate to jingyi harder).

put him in a modern school. can you disagree with me that he would be the one student lurking in the far away desks acting all angelic when the teacher comes close only to act like a little devil, screaming, laughing loudly and hiding food in his backpack during activities? can you disagree with me that he would be the one to run and jump like a maniac when its time for p.e class and sleep out of boredom when the teacher starts explaining serious stuff? can you disagree with me he would pretend to enact the rules only to receive bad grades and pull the most stupid facades to hide it from his parents?

in some ways, he does have similarities with wei wuxian. but wei wuxian is a genius who wouldnt even go to class when he didnt want to, sleep instead of play-pretend and even so receive the best grades ever, annoying everyone. theres this difference. but lan jingyi isnt a genius, he is just one of us. and i love him for it.

4. wen qing, my beautiful doctor

wen qing, my beloved, you didnt deserve that backlash.... this woman deserved to have a happy family, alright. she deserved a little bit of happiness! she deserved to have her brother with her! she deserved to be well and to not have suffered so badly just because of her surname. if there is one thing i agree with (and i dont remember exactly who said it, but it was from twitter), is that the girls from mdzs are underrated, underappreciated and deserved tons more love. but anyway, let us mention wen qing!

this woman protected wei wuxian and jiang cheng, did a procedure to give jiang cheng a golden core, never killed anyone, ran from fighting in the war against innocent people because she does not share these wicked principles, and still ended up watching her family get tortured, his brother dead and was burned alive. the sheer cruelty of what they put her (and them) through is unbelievable. i wanted her to have a lovely family and to continue being a great friend to wei wuxian, seriously, they were such a great duo. i cannot get tired of aus in which they are rommates or something! she is usually sarcastic, fierce, bossy and so responsible. how could someone not like her?

5. a-qing, the girl who went to her limits and beyond

this girl went over the limits of heaven and hell, in fact. i love her determination and how clever she is! look at how long she managed to trick xue yang! who else who could that? i believe not even wei wuxian could have topped it. she deserved to continue living within that world with xiao xingchen. i also cannot avoid to point out that she was not a cultivator. she was a simple girl, left to struggle in the streets, who still achieved what she achieved. she lived with an esteemed rogue cultivator, manipulated one of the most essential antagonists, returned as a ghost to protect people from this specific antagonist, used a lot of her spiritual strenght to show wei wuxian the truth, continued to give wei wuxian and hanguang-jun directions to find xue yang, and received many support, compliments and faith from the main group of our story.

personally, i cannot think of another female character in the story who did more than her. wen qing did a lot, sure, but she came from a big sect. jiang yanli too. mianmian was a cultivator too. a-qing was not, and nonetheless, this girl rocks! unbelievable. if i went through what she did, i would have lost all will to persist long ago. that is another thing mdzs brought me: the perspective that, even when you are kind and did nothing wrong, you might still have tragedies happen to you. people will die anyway. including you. kindness is important, and sometimes it may save you, but sometimes it may also cause you harm. are you strong enough to have all the kindness and all that tragedy and still endure?

because a-qing, wei wuxian and so many of them did.

well, now onto my favorite parts from the novel! i will try and make this quicker. haha, lets go.

when wei wuxian and lan wangji were stuck (stuck? not actually, i believe, wei wuxian caused it) in that farm and our main character just simply laid on top of lan wangji. and he still dared... to call himself.... not a cut-sleeve. yeah, sure, bro, no homo and all that. and thats definitely not a boner beneath your clothes, huh.

when wei wuxian starts falling real hard and he wonders if he will ever be able to sleep in a bed without lan wangji again, and later on after they have sex, he f i n a l l y realizes that there is no wei wuxian without lan wangji. in a dramatic mood, even. like, seriously, dude?? what a way to pine, but ok. go get your man or something, we all waiting for it.

every extra. i just... love every bit from the extra.

in the scene where lan wangji is drunk and they start playing hide-and-seek. and lan wangji just hides himself behind smth. and shows only a bit of his face. he nods, pouts, begs with his face to continue. i died right there.

the confession. the confession. the tear. the confession. the shock from everyone else. the 'hug me tighter!' after. the confession. the hug. THE CONFESSION.

hahaha i admit it, for me everything is about them. is it not about them? you cannot tell me otherwise. i love wangxian with all my heart. also, your asks are all lovely, i love them, feel free to always send whatever you want :) hope you have a great day and week ahead of you.

#mdzs #the grandmaster of demonic cultivation #the untamed #cql #mxtx #wei wuxian #lan wangji #a qing #wen qing #lan jingyi #mdzs novel #wangxian

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mrs-fatu · 4 months

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Blossom in Summer

Chapter 1: Why me?

Paring: jey uso x Jasmine (fem!reader)

Warnings: Language, anger, confusion

WC: 2,824

Summary: Jasmine wakes up in an unfamiliar bedroom with no memory of last night. Who is this man? And why did he pick her?

As I slowly opened my eyes, the morning sun cast a warm glow across the lavish bedroom, bathing me in a soft, golden light. The silk curtains, adorned with intricate patterns, seemed to dance in the gentle breeze, and the sweet scent of dior Sauvage wafted through the air, filling my senses. But as I sat up, my head began to pound, and I was hit with a wave of confusion. Where was I? This wasn't my bedroom. The silk sheets tangled around my bare legs felt luxurious, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was a stranger in this unfamiliar surrounding.

I forced my eyes open again, taking in the room around me with a sense of disorientation. The walls were a deep, rich blue, accentuated by traditional lavalavas hanging in beautifully crafted frames. To my left stood an antique black armoire, its intricate carvings telling a story of elegance and sophistication. The plush blue rug beneath the massive four-poster bed seemed to have been imported from a far-off land, and I felt like I was sleeping on a cloud.

As I sat up, holding my throbbing head in my hands, memories of the previous night began to trickle back. The fancy cocktail bar with my friends, doing shot after shot of tequila until the night blurred into a haze. Stumbling into a swanky hotel suite afterward, though I couldn't remember exactly how I'd gotten there. Who did this room belong to? And where had they gone? The questions swirled in my mind like a whirlpool, pulling me under.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood up on shaky feet, clutching the bedpost for support. My head felt like it was going to split open, and I needed to figure out what happened and get out of here. As I looked down at myself, I saw that I was still wearing the silky black dress from last night, now wrinkled and creased. It was then that I noticed something heavy on my left wrist - a tennis bracelet so bright it almost blinded me. What was it doing there?

Just as I was trying to make sense of the strange circumstances, the door on the side of the room swung open, and a tall figure emerged. He stood at 6'2", his chiseled physique on full display as he walked towards me. His ebony shorts clung to his toned thighs and waist, accentuating his inked legs and tribal tattoos that glistened against his damp skin.

His hair was styled in a seductive mullet, and his lips sported a perfect shade of color, revealing his dazzling grillz as he parted them. It was like he had stepped out of a steamy romance novel, and I felt like I was staring at a character come to life.

"Morning," he spoke, his deep voice low and husky.

I stood there in shock, unable to form words. He walked around me, opening a drawer from his dresser to pull out his clothes. My eyes followed him, mesmerized by the way his muscles flexed as he moved.

"I'm sorry, who...?" I stuttered before I could finish.

But before I could even get the words out, my stomach began to churn and I felt like I was going to vomit. I stumbled backward, but it was too late. The morning sickness washed over me, and I threw up right on the floor.

He darted towards me, concern etched on his face. "Shit, you good?" he asked as he brushed away a dangling curl from my face.

"I'm sorry...I'm..." I spoke, feeling tears pricking at the corners of my eyes.

But before I could finish speaking, he ushered me towards his bed and sat me down on the edge. "Sit down," he said softly.

As he left the room, leaving me alone with my thoughts and emotions, I felt like my world was spinning out of control.

I just wanted to go home, to crawl back into my own bed and forget the reckless night I had just endured. But instead, I found myself in a luxurious bedroom, surrounded by the opulent trappings of a life that was not my own. A diamond tennis bracelet glinted on my wrist, a constant reminder of my foolishness. How could I have been so irresponsible, drinking so much that I ended up in this strange and unfamiliar place?

As I sat on the bed, trying to gather my thoughts, my phone began to ring. I picked it up from the nightstand, hoping for some semblance of normalcy in this chaotic situation. "Hello?" I spoke, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Girl, where the hell are you?" asked my best friend Natasha, her voice laced with concern.

"I...I don't even know," I replied, trying to gather my thoughts. "I'm with a man, and...and I threw up on his carpet, so..."

Natasha's laughter came through the phone, followed by a gasp. "Wait, is he sexy?" she asked, her tone playful.

"Um, well...he looks like he's from some kind of Pacific Island or something," I replied. "He has all these tribal tattoos and lavalavas on his wall."

Natasha's squeal of excitement was music to my ears. "Don't stop there, bitch! Tell me more! How does he look?"

I took a deep breath before launching into a detailed description of the mans handsome features. "Well, he has a short-cut mullet, and he's kinda muscular. His thighs are thick...and he has bottom grillz...and his voice is low and smooth."

Natasha's reaction was immediate. "Oh my god, Jas! You're in trouble!"

I glanced up to see him standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "Shit, I gotta go," I said hastily. "he's back."

"Okay, girl, let me know if you need me to pick you up," Natasha said, her voice dripping with concern. "I love you, be safe Jaz."

The line went dead as Natasha hung up, leaving me alone with him once more. I felt a sense of trepidation wash over me as he walked towards me, his eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat.

As I stood up from the bed, I felt a sense of unease wash over me. He had just finished cleaning up the spot where I had vomited, and now his eyes were locked onto mine with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I met his gaze, my mind still foggy from the previous night's excesses.

"I'm really sorry...I need to leave," I said, trying to sound apologetic as I began to step into my shoes.

His eyes darted as he stood up, his expression unreadable. "You just gonna forget about last night?" he asked, his tone laced with accusation.

I hesitated, searching for the right words to say. The truth was, I didn't remember what happened last night. It was all a blur of music, laughter, and tequila shots. But I knew that I couldn't keep it up forever, not when I had no idea what had happened or who this man was.

"I don't..." I paused, feeling a sense of embarrassment wash over me.

The man let out a huff, his expression turning annoyed. "Damn, you don't even remember," he said, his voice dripping with disappointment.

"I am very sorry," I said, trying to apologize once again. "And...the bracelet. You can have it back, I'm sorry."

I started to unhook the bracelet, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I handed it back to him. But instead of taking it from me, he spoke up again.

"Just keep the bracelet, Jaz. I don't want it back. If you want to leave then go, the door is over there," he said, his tone hostile.

I was taken aback by his words. "I'm sure you spent hella on it," I said, trying to reason with him. "I don't want to..."

But he cut me off again. "Bruh, keep it, Jaz. I gave it to you for a reason."

His words were laced with aggression, and I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that he was genuinely upset with me. But why? What had happened last night?

As I stood there, feeling a sense of unease wash over me once again, he spoke up again.

"And I bet you don't even remember my name huh?" he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.

I lightly shook my head, feeling a sense of shame wash over me. How could I have forgotten someone's name?

He sucked his teeth in disgust before speaking up again. "It's Joshua, Jey Uso," he said agitatedly. The name sounded slightly familiar but not quite.

With that, I grabbed my purse and made my way towards the door. As I left the room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over me. I had no idea what had happened last night or who Jey was or why he was so upset with me. All I knew was that I needed to get out of there before things got any worse.

I stood on the sidewalk of the penthouse, my head still throbbing with a dull ache. The morning sunlight was harsh, and I winced as I squinted up at the towering skyscrapers. I pulled out my phone and dialed the familiar number, hoping that my friend Tiffany would be able to come and rescue me from this situation.

As I waited for her to answer, I took a deep breath and tried to clear the fog from my mind. What had happened last night? Who was Jey Uso, and why did he seem so angry with me? And why, for that matter, had he let me keep the diamond tennis bracelet? It didn't make any sense.

The phone rang again, and Tiffany's cheerful voice answered. "Hey, what's up?"

I took a deep breath before speaking. "Hey, can you come get me? I'll send you the address."

Tiffany's voice turned serious. "Yeah, I'll see you soon. Be careful."

The line went dead, and I was left standing alone on the sidewalk, feeling like I was in a fog. Who was Jey Uso, and why had I ended up in his penthouse apartment? What had happened last night, and why did I have such a pounding headache?

As I stood there, trying to make sense of it all, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a car approaching approaching. It was Tiffany, looking stylish and put-together as always in her benz.

"Hey, girl, get in" she said, concern etched on her face. i stepped into her car and took a deep breath, "What happened?"

I shook my head, feeling a sense of relief wash over me as I handed her the keys. "I don't know," I said. "I don't remember anything from last night."

Tiffany's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"

I shrugged. "I don't know who Jey Uso is or what happened. But I need some coffee and some crackers. Like, right now."

i rubbed my temples in an attempt to alleviate the throbbing headache, my friend Tiffany's eyes lit up like a bright light bulb. "JEY USO?" she yelled in question, her voice piercing the morning air.

I winced, feeling a wave of pain wash over me. "Goddamn girl, my head," I groaned, trying to hold onto my sanity.

Tiffany's eyes sparkled with excitement. "I'm sorry, but you said his name is Jey Uso, right?" she asked, her voice filled with curiosity.

I nodded my head, feeling a sense of resignation wash over me. "Yeah, why? Then he let me keep this bracelet," I said, holding up my wrist to show her the diamond tennis bracelet.

Tiffany's reaction was immediate. She squealed like a little child, her eyes wide with excitement. "YOU STAYED WITH JEY USO AND HE GAVE YOU A TENNIS BRACELET?" she repeated, her voice rising to a near-shriek.

I palmed my face, feeling a sense of embarrassment wash over me. "My head. Please stop screaming," I begged.

Tiffany's laughter died down, and she looked at me with a mixture of amusement and concern. "Oh, girl, I'm sorry. Jey Uso is the WWE wrestler, and he's fine as hell!" she exclaimed.

I gave her a skeptical look, feeling a sense of unease. "What? Come on, you can't tell me he's not sexy. He's main event Jey Uso. And God, the way he flicks his tongue... We have to go to the supershow tonight, you gotta see him in the ring," she said.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of trepidation. "I mean, he's okay, but he was kinda rude. If going to the show will make you happy then sure. But I really need some fucking coffee," I said.

Tiffany rolled her eyes. "Fine, we'll get you coffee and then get ready for the show," she said before driving off into the morning traffic.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion. Who was Jey Uso, and why did he seem so angry with me? And what had happened last night? The questions swirled in my mind like a whirlpool, refusing to be silenced.

But for now, all I could think about was getting home and getting some coffee into my system. Maybe then things would start to make sense again.

—

I knew that having a hangover wasn't the best, but coffee always seemed to come in handy.

I reached for my trusty brush and gel, and began to work my hair into a sleek, curly ponytail. The hard bristles of the brush glided effortlessly through my locks, leaving them smooth and tamed. I then moved on to my eyebrows, using a precision brow pencil to reshape them into a thin, arching shape that I preferred. The gentle strokes of the pencil seemed to calm my frazzled nerves, and I felt a sense of clarity wash over me.

With my brows in order, I turned my attention to my makeup. I carefully applied a light foundation to even out my complexion, followed by a subtle blush to give my cheeks a healthy glow. A swipe of mascara added depth and drama to my lashes, and a swipe of lip balm left my lips feeling soft and hydrated.

As I finished up my makeup routine, I stood up and surveyed my reflection. I was pleased with the results - my hair looked luscious and bouncy, and my makeup was understated yet effective. I then gathered my clothes, selecting a nice outfit that would see me through the day.

As I dressed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the simple pleasures in life - a hot shower, a good cup of coffee, and a fresh start. The night moonlight streaming through the window seemed to hold promise, and I felt a sense of renewed energy coursing through my veins.

I took one last look at myself in the mirror, smoothing out any wrinkles or creases in my outfit. Satisfied with the result, I headed out into the night, ready to face whatever happens.

As I emerged from the hotel, I was greeted by the warm night and the sound of Tiffany's horn blaring in the distance. I rushed towards the car, my mind still foggy from the lingering effects of the night before. As I slipped into the passenger seat, Tiffany flashed me a bright smile. "You look good, girl!" she exclaimed.

I smiled back, feeling a sense of gratitude for her kind words. "Thanks, you look good too," I replied, taking in her stylish outfit.

As we hit the road, Tiffany began to drive, her eyes fixed on the windshield. "Okay, so remember, we're going to see Jey tonight. I got us front row tickets, so at least cheer when he comes out, because I definitely will," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of confusion wash over me. What was up with this man? Why did women like Tiffany drool over him so much? I mean, I got it - he was hot as hell - but I didn't understand all the hype. The traffic lights seemed to be flashing in sync with the diamond bracelet on my wrist, and all I could think about was why me? What had happened? Would it all come back to me?

As we navigated through the crowded streets of Las Vegas, my mind began to wander back to the night before. The anger in Jey's eyes as I told him I didn't remember anything was still etched in my memory. It was enough to keep me away from him, to make me realize that I didn't need another angry man in my life. Not again.

After dealing with Aaron, I had promised myself that I wouldn't dare let another angry man into my life again. And now, as I sat in the car with Tiffany, I knew that I had to keep my distance from Jey Uso. Maybe after the show, I could find him and give him the bracelet back - never look back. It would be for my own good.

As we pulled up to the venue, I took a deep breath and let my thoughts settle. I had five days left in Vegas, and I was determined to make the most of it. No more worrying about waking up in a random man's bed. No more drama or stress. Just me, myself, and a fresh start.

#fanfic #jey uso #wwe fanfiction #jeysuso #main event jey uso #wwe #jey uso fanfiction #series #jey uso x oc

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dicenete · 5 months

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Hey, I'm rambling about IkePri again

Okay, I just need to get these thoughts I have about Gilbert von Obsidian out because I enjoy predicting stuff and overthinking design and narrative choices even tho they might not be right. :P But there really isn't that much predicting other than me overthinking about narrative and design choices. This time there will be most likely spoilers of Gilbert's route so far, and route of Clavis and some thoughts I have just gathered while playing the game in general. I try to put these thoughts in cohesive order, but well... I don't know if I can really, because I just need to get these out of my head. These are my thoughts, ramblings and opinions. Feel free to form your own and certainly disagree with me! I apologize about the lack of art in this post. I'm busy with work currently so no fanart for a while. I'm also not native English speaker, so there might be grammatical errors and such. Sorry about that. Everything under the cut.

To start with Ikemen Prince is a romance visual novel first and foremost. That doesn't mean it can't be deep (and it certainly has been deeper than I initially expect, which left me positively surprised). I suppose there is somesort of thematic vibe that there is no prince whose ideals are the main thesis of the game itself. But that also kinda leaves that fact there is no huge catharsis regarding the world and it's state. Everything so far has been left quite open. And the more I have learned about lore of the world, I really feel like anti-monarchist here xd Clavis really sold me the idea for real. Or atleast throw away the absolute monarchy. That's where I think things should go, but that's my own belief. (really, the last king of Rhodolite... He umm... I have some opinions.) Chevalier and Gilbert First things first: I don't hate or dislike Chevalier as a character. There are just some things that give me Deus Ex Machina feels. But I know it is what they are going for with him. This genius that so far ahead of everyone that it is so alien concept to rest of the people. And well that is a very hard concept to pull off without being a genius yourself as a writer. Or that is what I feel like. But what I do love is what the writers are doing with him and Gilbert in thematic sense! (Hence why Chev x Gilbert sounds so juicy to me)

I really took steps to the deep end as I started to think about why I have enjoyed Gilbert's route or was interested in his story to begin with, but have little interest in trying Chev's one. Because they are so similar but they really aren't.

How I would describe it is that where as Clavis is the complementary to Chev, the purple to his yellow, the emotionality vs rationality, the heart vs the brain, Gilbert is more like right brain to Chev's left brain. If it makes sense like that xd Their color schemes are harmonious. Not opposite. Almost like how Nokto and Licht's color schemes are harmonious with each others.

(Nokto (Blue + white + gold) vs Licht (Blue + black + gold)) Not to mention that their names clearly are meant to mean light and dark. (Licht: variant for light, Nokto: comes form latin nox or noctis, meaning night = dark) But that is a rambling for another time.) Both their crests are tigers. White and black tiger. Chev's color scheme is White + gold and black. Whereas Gilbert's is Black + gold and white. But then the overall color that game devs use to signal about the characters baffles me a bit. Gold/Yellow vs Black/dark red. They don't seem to have too much connection or that of which comes to my mind quickly and without digging deeper. (because I believe that if you dig deep enough, you have digged yourself into a trap of overthinking about things. (Justifying things because you want to justify them, which I'm not big fan of. And sometimes things don't need meaning and we have to live with that. As much as it pains my overthinker brain.)) But here is my impressions about Gilbert so far. I'm at the point where MC has left the Clavis's party (I loved it btw). Gilbert really does give me toxic INFJ villain feels, but let's not get too hang up on terms such as that. But he is someone who is driven forth by his own ideals and desire to change the world better. He, like Clavis, seems to cloak himself in this idea that he is the villain and is okay, even happy, to take that role. He is the one who, like Chevalier, has thrown away emotional attachment out of the window (or so they say) unlike Clavis who makes his choices based more on emotion rather than rational thinking. Maybe that's why I like Clavis and Gilbert, they push MC out of their black and white thinking. That things are not so easy peezy as "choose a right king and everyone will be happy". There will always be someone who is mad about it. That's why I really loved the scene with Gilbert with the orphaned kids and the Clavis's party. He seems to enjoy the company of children (who are not morally corrupted or tainted) and he really empathically listens to those who are angry. He believes in the idea that "no one remembers what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel". (A quote with debatable origin, people say that it was coined by Maya Angelou. But I really love this quote, because I think it is the truth.) Gilbert isn't trying to rationalize against someone's choices with pure intellect. He uses empathy to guide him to the most rational outcome in that emotional scope. But he also uses this to manipulate people with fear. He uses fear extensively and he does it actively. Where as I feel like Chev just has that aura about him automatically. Hence my next thought: Action vs Stasis!

Gilbert and Clavis are action oriented. They shake the gameboard, they make the first moves. Gilbert probably more than Clavis. They both want change. Is it change for the better, we will see, I still haven't finished Gilbert's route but he really gives me this "I'm willing to become the greatest threat so that people unite to defeat me." or "I will conquer all so there will no longer be wars.". Chev, on the other hand, symbolizes stasis. His goal is to keep the kingdom of Rhodolite going. That's his duty and he is willing to take it. (even tho we can debate if that is something he really really believes in or even thinks about that much. I feel like it is out of obligation rather than of personal ideal. But alas, I have not played Chev's route yet.) Chev is reactive rather than proactive. He waits for the opponent to make the first move and reacts accordingly. (I'm not saying he is not reactive once game is on. More like "if there was not threat to deal with, he wouldn't create one".)

Chev doesn't care what you think about him. Gilbert does. He might seem like he doesn't but he is really there to prove a point. (I will pick up his dislike for lying later >.>) Chev is not. Chev knows that his way is the right way for him and that is enough for him. Chev also actively makes a "gettaway plan" for himself in Clavis. He knows that Clavis is the final thread that keeps him from going overboard because he understand that he has to be blind for "individual people" aspect to be a good ruler. Gilbert probably understands this about himself too, but he is trying to prove a point. So he needs to go overboard. Because masses of people need absolutes to react to. If it is something banal, it won't do. His evil actions need to shake the very foundation of ideas. The people have to face those things head on and see it for themselves. They cannot be sheltered. Gilbert gives me the vibes that he is willing to sacrifice himself not for the kingdom, but for the betterment of all mankind. He is happy to become the villain #1 if that means that other people will rise and take down the corrupted Obsidian or the corrupted idea. I would say that he is Lawful Good going on about things like Lawful Evil.

Gilbert asking questions means that he wants you to think, he wants to challenge your opinions and how you look at the world. Same as Clavis. They yearn for change. They want to change the world. Where as Chev wants to maintain things as they are. Chev "If it is not broken, we don't need to fix it" Michel. Where as Clavis and Gilbert want to improve the system. They are idealistic. Gilbert and lying

This is something very interesting. At first I thought that he was all "I dislike when people lie to me." but he really is "I dislike lying in all its forms." And he does say that he doesn't lie. And I'm starting to believe that is really the case. All the things he says are true. But because how other people see him, they are suspicious anyway. Like MC is. Like we all probably are when we start the route and think "So what is your trauma, baby girl?" When he is unsure or knows that he shouldn't say the thing he really thinks or that is true, he will deflect or give a very vague response. Which makes me quite happy to replay his route at somepoint with this in mind. In conclusion: Welcome to my TED talk, with no head or tail, just me overthinking about things about a otome gacha game. If you read this far, thank you for your time. Remember, if I ramble about it, it just means that I'm invested. Have a good day~

#me rambling about ikepri #dicenete rambles #ikepri #thoughts #gilbert von obsidian #clavis lelouch #chevalier michel #is this what they call a character study #or analysis #TED talk #ikemen prince

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yuseirra · 3 months

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Anaylsis on Ai Hoshino's character and speculations of how her relationship with her ex-boyfriend actually went

With the upcoming second season of the Oshi no Ko anime, I think this is a good time for me to write how I feel about this character. The manga seems to be reaching the final arc too, so if I make any guesses, it's probably now or a never thing! I'd like to post this before I get utterly proven wrong and it gets totally useless XD and who knows? Maybe I just may get some things right.

I had a chance to talk about how I felt Ai with @aihoshiino through an ask (their analyses are so good and I'm sure they'll write tons better than what I can offer) and it led me to realize how interesting the character is. So I ended up jotting my thoughts on my own and it became quite long.

This post will touch on how I think Ai's mind worked, and how it may have affected her relationship with her ex. I've been following the recent chapters, and I read up to ch. 152. This means I'm aware of most spoilers, and that this post would be swarming with it! If you're okay with it, please read ahead!

*I originally wrote this in a different language. I'm too tired to write the whole thing over again, so I used DeepL translate! I fixed some nouns that got lost within the translations, so should make sense for the most part. Sorry for the clumsy writing in advance!

While thinking about the recent developments in the onk manga, I noticed some things while listening to the opening of the anime version, so I'll write it down. The other day, I had the opportunity to discuss the characterization and personality development of Ai with someone else, even though it may be brief. There were some things that were notable in the behavior of this character in the novel version as well. I don't know how the story will develop, but from the information I got thus far, I feel I can outline what kind of person she is to some extent.

Ai has a very strong desire for "love" because she's never been loved properly. Rejection from parents in early childhood takes a tremendous toll on a person's development of self-assurance and self-esteem. I'm not an expert so I can't make a professional statement, but I think Ai often resorts fo have an avoidant (withdrawn) attitude. She want to have deep relationships with people, but she doesn't want to reveal their intimate "real" selves to others because she's unsure if she'll be accepted. Self-hatred is a big part of why she keeps it hidden. There's a very selfless reason why Ai decides lie: she does it because everyone likes the pretty, bright, lovable version of her. Ai protects herself by pretending, but they also protect the "outside" from the "ugly" version of her. Everyone prefers Ai to be this invincible idol, and so Ai acts that way because it's the way to contribute to the group and the world around her. In the end, Ai becomes so good at performing this idolized persona to the extent where she shows signs of being broken or disheveled, the others will react "That's not Ai" and deny it. But even though she's initially happy to be loved and accepted and have a place, ultimately that's not the kind of "love" she wants. This character has a very idealized idea of what love is, and she wants that kind of love where you put yourself out there and it's accepted, but when you think about it, it's her parents who should have given her that kind of love. What she wants is the unconditional, the agape type of love, the type she never got that early in her life. In reality, she was actually always getting the love from her fans, and she was giving love in return, whatever form of love it was. It was just that she wasn't sure if it was love at all. That's the sad part about this character, she has a very strong image of what love is, and she's not sure if it's love when it comes to these whole other variety of emotions. That's why she says in her idol songs that she really wants to love her fans, even though she's already doing it… When Ai became a parent and was in the position to give unconditional love, she began to think, "Will I know what love is? (Regardless of whether or not this was to be a wise choice to do this at such a young age, there are definitely people who actually have this sort of mental state. It may not make sense if you look at this character's emotional state and judgment from what's considered as the norm, but this is the flow of her thinking. It's not a healthy state, but it's not fair to just dismiss it as thoughtless, and foolish because this character has never experienced normal love.) However, the "love" she thinks of didn't just happen when she gave birth to and raised her children… Even for her own children, she kept putting on a bright face and couldn't live unadorned… This is how acting (lying) is a form of love for her. She tried so hard all the time. She lived as much as possible to fit in with others. She thinks this is showing consideration for the other person. This is another sad point, because she doesn't realize that when she reveals herself, others will still love her for who she is.

When interpreting the character of Ai, you shouldn't interpret her as someone who is emotionally stable and loved. The MV for the song "Idol" was my first introduction to the work "onk", and the initial feeling I had when I saw it was discomfort. This was because I felt like it was exposing a very vulnerable and precarious psychology of a young child. To compare it to other works, I think it's similar to the psychological state of One Piece's Tot Musica or Fleeting Lullaby, but even more extreme in a way because there's not even a metaphor to cover it up. It's a very honest song, and so I was like, "Is it okay to lay it all out there?" and at the same time, I was like, "This is going to be popular, but do people like stuff like this these days?" because it's about something that pretends to be okay, but it's really not. It's a song about struggles, about trying and trying. This discomfort dies out a bit when you "get used to it", so now I just enjoy the song like the crowd in the song going "Whoa! Whoa!" but the song is too "easy", it's… It's really, really easy to understand, because the lyrics are what it is. You don't even have to scrutinize it to recognize what it says. It's painfully honest.

But when I read the comic, I realized that was the entire point. Ai wanted to be honest, to reveal all of his intimate details, to be accepted, to understand others, to obtain what she thought was a "genuine relationship," and that's why he wrote this song. That's the core of the character. If the core of Aqua's character, which we talked about before (I wrote a different analysis on Aqua once too), is his inability to forgive himself, then the core of Ai's character's motivation is her desire to realize what she thinks is an "ideal form of love."

The problem is that this "lie" as a form of love comes in direct conflict with Ai's idealized notion of "love." After all, in Ai's mind, "true love" should be free of lies. Even when Ai has proposed the idea of lies being a form of love, she didn't even fully believe it herself. Because she kept wearing the mask of an "invincible idol" as an extension of her work, even in her daily life, she wasn't sure whether the love she was giving and receiving was really "love" or not. I think Ai is a character who thinks a lot about these things. This aligns with how celebrities are in real life, too. I realize that there must be many people who think differently from the image they are to be shown in the media.

I think this is what led to the breakup of her relationship with her ex-boyfriend, and I think she was trying to confess all of these feelings in the documentary, and I think it was meant to be a shock to the said character. It's probably going to be something that would hurt her ex-boyfriend in some way. I think this would only work if the boyfriend really loved her. I think she would have had good feelings towards her, love or not on her end as well. It just never came across. Ai's so used to pretending she's okay. She's the type of person who's very secretive and evasive when it comes to deepening a relationship. I think she avoided Kamiki because she thought it would be better for the both of them if she stayed away. On the other hand I think Kamiki would've been very dependent on her, and since this was a relationship he's had when he was very vulnerable and had been through some serious mess, Ai must've been kind of like a lifeline to him. He may have clung to her because she doesn't show her heart very often. Kamiki is an anxious attachment type, but Ai is an avoidant type, and I think that backfired in a very bad way. I don't think Kamiki was able to convince Ai to stay when the breakup happened… I don't know, maybe he was near the hospital when she gave birth because he really wanted to see his kids from a distance, this seems more likely given the how the storyline is going so far.

When Ai says, "I don't know," when Kamiki asks her, "Does Ai love me?" desperate for affection, she's trying to be honest in her own way. She can't simply say "no," to that but she really doesn't know if her feelings for him's really love. She can't lie to herself, so she wants to be honest. (Kamiki would've been so heartbroken, but when you look at the character of Ai, it's surprising to see a relationship without pretense. She wanted to be perfect in every moment, but she wasn't doing that with him.) I believe that Ai may have came to a conclusion that she's never loved anyone, whether towards her fans or to Kamiki, but she wants to "love properly" now. (Now that I think of it, Kana is the polar opposite of Ai. She's very honest and just plain states that she doesn't like her fans that much. It took Ai a really long time to say it, and if Ai was all wrapped up, Kana just went out and blurted it lol… I think that's what makes her so charming.) The song "Idol" was a song that summarizes the whole character of Ai, and I think she wanted to tell everyone that she loved(s) them, just like she could tell her children at the very end of the song.

She didn't want to get back together with her ex because she wanted to continue being an idol. She couldn't have a public relationship. But I think she wanted to show her kids to him because she gained a little bit of courage while raising them. That she could show her real self. When you look at a Ai, you can infer she has a lot welled up. They had always hidden themselves, and now they have "secrets" that are not just their own, living, that grow with time. She's always had vicious circle that led to self-hatred from all the lies she'd been creating, which led to anger and stress…and it was this close to being let out through the movie. Maybe that's why Aqua believes making movies is for her. It's to fulfill her desire to be freed from the lies.

When it comes to whether she loved Kamiki as much as the children or as much as Kamiki craved from her, it's hard to say for now. However, I've always noticed how Ai, who is very careful and cautious when it came to keeping her image, was willing gave her address and tried to show her children to him. That means she thought him as someone who she could trust. I thought that the ex must have liked Ai because they had a positive effect on her after their meeting. Considering their age, it is likely a case of two children who were unprotected and emotionally vulnerable and became close by relying on each other. I'm sure there were to be some type of bond at least.

It's all a matter of speculation, but Ai's method of "caring" usually boils down in ways that the other person has no idea about how Ai herself feels and her circumstances. I think that's what happened in her relationship with her boyfriend. She's like the rabbit doll in the beginning of Mephisto, with her colleagues in IDOL going "You're great! You're never sad or angry!". Everyone around her ends up adoring and blaming her like an object to project upon, without having to think about how Ai feels inside. I think the 15 year-lie would have acted as a confession of that situation, with the message being:

Isn't it possible that she cut him off unilaterally to "protect him from herself," and then when there were signs that things were stabilizing over time, through the children, the president, and the fans, she took the time to call him back when she could, for it to have ended up like this? It's possible that Ai seemed to be so unmoved that her potential feelings didn't resonate with the other party, who felt betrayed at the time because she seemed so cold and distant. Ai doesn't like herself, and may have decided it's better for her to leave. She may have thought that Kamiki's obsession with her was bad for himself, or with him being so driven to the point where he thought that she was all he had. At that point Ai didn't believe she knew love, so she thought he'd be disappointed later. This is only a speculation but Kamiki could've wanted to take responsibility for the children if he knew, but it was Ai who thought it'd better for her to carry all everything and go her separate ways, because if she kept her mouth shut and kept it a secret, it wouldn't hurt him… and it's a child she wanted to have (and if this were to be the case, Kamiki's own wishes probably were never taken into consideration at all). Surprisingly, Kamiki may have feelings of affection for the children he had with Ai. He's never come to met them, but that could be because Ai told him not to. He complimented how Ruby grew up to be so beautiful resembling both him and Ai, that'd mean he must still like her, right? He has a love-hate relationship with Ai, but he's never harmed or came into close contact with either of his children until they were grown up. Could it be that Ai told him to stay away from her when they had the breakup?(And then she calls him up years later and asks if he wants to see the kids, unintentionally driving him insane)

"I've been lying about loving you all this time, and I don't want to do that anymore. Now I'm really going to tell you what's on my mind, and we're going to start over. We're going to build a relationship from the ground."Something like this? Something like this would be best.

If it's something like this, it'll be a blow to Kamiki. It'll be the same as Ryosuke, because he'll realize that he's the one who stabbed the hand that held out to love him and killed it, and he'll never be able to have that love again. It'll be revenge to realize that.

I can be wrong, but… But I still think there was something Ai would've wanted to convey to kamiki through that movie.

Ryosuke is a scumbag, and if Ai's meant what she said to them, I think it would be more of a statement towards all the fans who loved him than it was about him. Kamiki, if he really did instigate Ai's death, also needs to be punished for his respective crimes. Ai contributed to a part of his misery maybe, but… she's never actively harmed anyone. She may have hurt people's feelings, but she never did anything to deserve to die like this, and I don't think it should have happened, no matter what. It's a stalking and killing crime. I think Ai's life was very lonely, but I think she kept reaching out and trying within her limits. I hope all children grow up to be loved. The idea of love took over "Ai's" life, and I think she lived up to her name.

Beyond this are some more speculation, though it's likely to be more off than the stuff above.

For now, that's how I feel about this character.

I don't think Kamiki would have taken it that way, though. it was twisted, in more ways than one.

+ I think the Ai's feelings for Kamiki were… I think she's liked Kamiki quite a bit. Whether it was love is ambiguous. I don't think she would have been able to say for sure that she loved anyone at that point. This character hasn't been taught what love is, so her ideas of theoretical love, and the barriers to it are pretty high. Ai would've been confused going "Oh, is this what love is?" even if it's a level of emotion that most would consider to be love. What they had between them seems like something that could have been love, but never really came to a conclusion. In fact, the contradiction of Ai's character is that she wants to love, but blocks deep feelings for fear of being hurt. I think it would have been difficult for her to love him like she did for her own children, with whom she has an unconditional connection through blood…it would have been impossible for her at that time.

This is completely speculative, but I wonder if when she found out she was pregnant, she hid it, called it quits, and disappeared, because she felt like it would be a burden for him to know, and she thought she could handle it all on her own. She didn't ask for any help, and she didn't ask for anything when she agreed to keep the baby. Kamiki somehow found out and came to the birth and sees it from afar. Ryosuke runs away because he killed someone, but this character didn't do anything harmful to Ai that day. On the contrary, Kamiki may have been subconsciously been influenced by the person who exploited him. He may not have hated the children Ai had with him as much because he saw them as his connection to her. Perhaps after having seen her loving her children he had with her, raising them well, he had hopes that maybe she could get back together with him someday, and maybe she even cared about him a little bit. After he got that call from her, however, he realized that she needed the children but not him, and he despaired that there was no place for him in his life to begin with. Kamiki may not have any hard feelings toward his children. Rather, there might be some kind of inner affection he holds towards them proving as evidence that there was still a relationship between him and Ai; and that's why he sponsored the movie?

As for Ai, It would have been hard for Ai to truly love the children of a man she didn't even like, but there are no signs of that with her, either.. I don't think she broke up with him because she didn't like him. If you look at the phone scene, you get the impression that Ai broke up with him in a pretty casual way, there was a level of willingness to talk to him again and keep in touch and build a relationship from the beginning. This is a big deal coming from Ai because she has little to no friends and only a limited number of people with whom she's had a deep relationship. She's still wanted to form some kind of relationship with her ex-boyfriend, and here we can infer that Kamiki is a pretty important relationship for her. From her point of view, there was room for the future in that relationship. I think she was thinking about starting over with a more authentic relationship with her fans and with her ex-boyfriend. As she grew to love her children, she was subconsciously preparing herself to do so.

By the way, is it really true that Kamiki has been committing murders all this time? I think it could be a huge detriment to the manga's completeness and immersion to reveal the real culprit was someone entirely different at the very end, but we've never seen this character directly do anything, so I think it would be a good idea for the author to bring a twist the plot. It could be just that he feels responsible or guilty because he couldn't stop what's happened… He might actually be someone like Aqua who feels intense guilt for something he wasn't responsible for (I say this is like a 5% chance). Ryosuke is a stalker, so it's possible that he stalked Ai for four years and found out her address on his own. In the case of the actor, it's also possible that Kamiki's warned her to be careful beforehand, but she died anyway, so he's self-loathing saying it's all because of him. If you look closely, he seems to be blaming himself, so he keeps repeating the phrase "because of me." Did he actually kill her? This could be a narrative trick. You see how he's had a terrible past. Himekawa and Uehara may not have been the only ones that died around him, maybe he's cursed? Maybe there's a god that makes people with great talent in the arts unhappy… Anyone would have been suspicious if people around Kamiki kept dying in the first place, but Akane, who did the background check on Kamiki, didn't suspect anything like that, did she? It's never revealed in the story if he killed people, and if so, how many. People just come to infer "oh, he's a psychopathic killer" but just how much of it's right? We'll get to see that soon, I guess.

++Lying is also a keyword that's constantly stressed.

Like I said, I don't think it's very likely… Now that I think about it, the bouquet is a possible connection to Ryosuke. However, he may be less guilty than we thought. If it's true that he's killed other celebrities, the most intuitive reason I can think of is that he didn't want anyone to shine more than Ai's ever did. But what good does that do? What exactly does it mean to this character to feel the weight of his life? :/ Is it actually a positive thing for him, does he want to have a heavy life, does he want to do anything with it? This is something I can't say until the author explains it, because I don't have any information. There is also the matter of God in this story, but I don't know that'd get tied it into the the plot even though the manga is nearing the end. Ai and Kamiki are supposed to be characters who are connected to the gods, probably but I can't make any guesses. I was more confident about the psychological analyses than my plot predictions.

Isn't "15-year old lie two things? Ai lied to her fans that she loved them, and she lied to her boyfriend that she couldn't love him even though she had feelings for him. She told two lies about love, and now she's spilling the beans and saying, as she said before, that she wants to try to love again with her true heart.

The song "Idol" is what summarizes the whole storyline. If there is a lie that can be maintained for 15 years, I think it would be this.

In that case, assuming that the boyfriend loved the child, it would definitely be revenge from Aqua's point of view and give Ai what she's wanted… After all, Ai's narrative is a journey of a child trying to be true.

#oshi no ko #ai hoshino #hikaru kamiki #spoilers #I'll just post this before new chapters drop #how ai's felt holds a huge importance of this story's narrative from how I see it #and I think she's really well written in terms of how real she is #I wouldn't say it's a healthy personality but it's what she's had and I don't think it was her fault that she was like that #she's tried very hard. if there's someone like her.. I think they deserve a hug and some genuine showers of love #idk how this story will end up but the characters are written pretty well. I think that's this writer's strengths #oshi no theories

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shadowuserannie · 27 days

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KOTLC Miraculous AU

So it goes without saying;

Marinette: Sophie

Adrien: Fitz

I know, I know. (prepares to get attacked, holds up shield) BUT THINK ABOUT IT. FITZ BEING FORCED BY ALDEN TO BE PERFECT. FITZ GETTING TO UNLEASH HIS INNER ANGER AND INNER KEEFE AS CHAT NOIR (because YES, let Keefe infect all the people that love him)

This is FANFICTION I CAN MAKE A NONTOXIC FITZ AND DO WHAT I WANT

Besides, I want a character journey where Fitz learns his true personality; not the jaded but joking Detruire (it means destruction in French, I like the name) and not the picture-perfect Fitz Vacker. A guy toeing the line between both. Being pessimistic but not too jaded, learning to let go of the mask of optimism and finding people still like the person underneath. Being sassy but kind and still TRYING HIS BEST BUT NOT PERFECTLY. Let him find who he is!!

So the rest are a little more complicated, but;

Alya: Dex. Let Dex create the Ladyblog and get popular as a result. Let him associate the Ladyblog with being liked and chasing Sophie's secret identity as a result. Let Sophie smack some sense into him and CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT TO MAKE HIM A GREAT BESTIE (because it'd be boring if they were all perfect at the start of the story)

Nino/Chloe: Keefe. HEAR ME OUT. Keefe growing up with Fitz because Alden approves of his family, but then Keefe becomes more rebellious and they can't meet up as often anymore BUT KEEFE REBELS. AND GETS FITZ TO REBEL MORE. AND GETS FITZ ENROLLED AT FOXFIRE NEXT TO HIM. Keefe rebelling against Cassius and accidentally becoming a bully because of it. Keefe realizing there's a line between pissing off his parents and hurting others to do it. Because THAT COULD BE GOOD. Keefe canonically goes pretty far in his attempts to piss off his father.

Also a possible Chloe: Stina. Stina got her own half-assed bullshitted redemption (wow Astruc, thanks SM) and DESERVES BETTER.

Oh but fun fact about Sophie; she's actually quick to categorize people as 'good' or 'evil'. So having Stina be mean to her and getting categorized as 'evil' as a result, but that eventually changing over time, would be a good application of her KOTLC character development to this AU.

So ik that on a surface level, Keefe fits Adrien's role better than Fitz-daddy issues, blond hair, et cetera. BUT. I realized that while it would be fun, a story with Fitz would be harder to write and thus more interesting-plus I realized that somehow I have to integrate the other characters PLUS BIANA in, so a wild ride overall! It'd be the same refresh, repeat, if they were all exactly like their roles.

ALSO THEY ARE CANONICALLY DIFFERENT AGES. LEMME JUST-(screams internally)

(@tiana4evahh I am so sorry I got sidetracked reading the KOTLC graphic novel I might just publish the KOTLC human! superhero! AU first)

THIS IS MY FIRST DRAFT/RUNTHROUGH. STUFF MAY CHANGE IN FUTURE POSTS

(or I may also scrap this AU entirely?)

#kotlc fandom #kotlc #fitz vacker #sophie foster #miraculous au #miraculous #keefe sencen #dex dizznee #anniekotlcmlbau

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pumpkin-spice-whump · 6 months

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Okay I'm super nervous to post this. This is a snippet of my novel I'm going to be publishing later this year (!!!!) And i want to share a bit here. It is an apocalyptic thriller heavy on captivity whump. This is a flashback to our main character being kidnapped and sold. He just got out of the back of a semi where he suffered heat exhaustion. This is one of the pieces I'm happy with so far, so sorry it's throwing you in in the middle!! But hopefully I'll post a bit more as I get further along editing!!

Looking back, Jack realized how close he was to death those first few days. He should’ve been in a hospital on an IV, but you know traffickers. They don’t care all that much about human lives.

Every so often the driver of the truck would wake him up and make him drink water, pee in a bucket. He’d blink behind the stupid duct tape blindfold, fumbling for a sense of direction. Sometimes he could hear people talking and walking beyond the walls and windows of the truck and he knew they were at a truck stop.

Faintly, he remembered seeing posters on the inside of stall doors from a trip he took for basketball last year. About the sign for help. Again, he wished he cared enough about kidnapping to remember any of that.

“Can… can I go to the bathroom?” he asked, hoping for a miracle.

Something thudded. “Bucket’s there kid. I’m not looking.”

Jack had no way to know that was true. It was in the back of his mind every time. “No. I gotta like… go.”

It thudded again. “Yeah. I know. Bucket’s here.”

“I’m not… Not in front of you.”

“That’s up to you. But if you shit your pants then you are definitely riding in the back, so keep that in mind.”

He probably would’ve followed Jack into the stall anyway.

Every time Jack was done, the man would give him pills to knock him out, and then wake him up again.

This time, he shook Jack awake and made him sit up. Jack’s head lolled back for a

moment before he could fully wake up. He was so weak and tired, there was no way he would’ve been able to walk to the bathroom anyway. The duct tape was ripped off and he inhaled a deep breath before the water bottle was pushed to his mouth.

“You gotta piss?” Jack shook his head when the bottle left. “Good.”

Then his hands started to tear away the tape over his eyes.

“What’s going on?” Jack asked, tongue heavy in his mouth. He blinked hard against the bright light and was suddenly filled with hope at the idea that he was being let go. Maybe the man felt guilty and wanted to fix the error of his ways! However, after his eyes adjusted he realized that it wasn’t the afternoon sun in his eyes, but the overhead light in the cab.

“My leg of the trip is over. Keep quiet or I’ll put the tape back on got it?”

Jack nodded, too scared to do anything but follow along as the man led him - half carried him really - out of the truck and on the dark pavement.

They were at a rest stop, an abandoned one by the looks of it. The streetlight was off, the bathroom doors boarded closed. There was a broken swing on the overgrown playground.

There was only one other car in the parking lot. A man leaned against the hood. Tall, with a long face set with lines telling his age. Couldn’t be less than forty, maybe fifty. He was wearing a dirty jacket and jeans, like he’d been working outside all day. A baseball cap covered what looked to be graying hair.

The driver let go of Jack and he fell to his knees without the support. A hiss of pain escaped him as loose gravel dug into his knees.

“Will it do?” the driver asked.

The new man looked Jack over, never moving from his spot leaned against his car. “He will.” He reached into his rolled down window and pulled out a manilla folder, tossing it to the driver.

Jack felt like his skull had been cracked open and ice cold water was poured over his skeleton as he realized what was going on. It was a trade. A deal. A traffik. Is that what it’s called? He was being sold like an animal.

The driver took a peak in the envelope, nodding satisfactorily. “Will you be needing anything else from me?”

“Not at all.”

“Pleasure doing business then.” The driver turned to leave but Jack threw himself at his feet suddenly, wrapping his arms around his legs.

“No!” he cried, desperate to not be taken even further from home.

Even though he’d already been passed through two people and driven who the hell knows where, as soon as he got in that man’s car it was final. No more traveling. He was going home with this guy. How would he call for help then? How would he get away? He was taken and now being sold to -- to who?! Maybe he really will be raped. Or experimented on or cut up and sold for parts or--

“No please!” he begged. “Don’t, please I wanna go home! I wanna go home!”

Hands gripped his waist and he tried like hell to kick out, to fight back. He even tried to bite at him, but only got open air. Jack was just too frail at the moment. There was no way he stood a chance against this strong stranger.

The trunk opened and Jack threw his feet up, attempting to stop himself from getting in, panic enveloping him once again. “No! Don’t make me get in there! I won’t be able to breathe!”

His knees were kicked in and he fell right in, arms bound uselessly.

“Feel free to scream as much as you like,” the new man said as he slammed the door shut.

Jack did. He screamed and kicked so much that he did run out of air and passed out. When he woke, the trunk was open again, cool night air filling his lungs and making him cough.

The man threw a bag over his head before roughly taking him by the arm and dragging him out of the trunk. He ignored all of Jack’s tearfilled demands to be let go immediately.

“Some stairs now. I recommend you tread lightly if you don’t want to be thrown down.”

He did, taking shallow breaths like he would be able to hear the stairs better if he did. The bag was taken off of him after another short walk at the bottom, once he was pushed to his knees.

“You can call me Mr. Reeder,” the man said, smiling down at him. “And this is your new home.”

That first night was one of the hardest. Jack had to try to go to sleep himself for the first time, with no drugs or panic to aid him. The only thing he knew to compare what he was feeling to was when he went to summer camp when he was 10. First time away from his mom, like really away. He couldn’t call her when he wanted to leave, couldn’t hear her voice. It’s all encompassing, realizing that you are isolated. That you are alone in a way you never have been before.

But even at summer camp Jack knew that he was going to go home in a week. This? There’s no end to this. Jack might… die here. Alone in the basement without seeing his mom ever again…

He buried his face in his pillow and screamed and screamed. When he was too exhausted to keep going, he curled on his side and imagined he was in his mom’s bed with her by his side.

#whump #kidnapping #i really am nervous for this #it gets more interesting i promise this is just one part im pretty okay with #it can do with another couple rounds of editing but im impatient #anyway tell me what you think!

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bakedbakermom · 1 month

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Here is my spoiler-heavy review of/bitch session about Perihelion. I, uh, didn't like it much. I can see the hard work and the love that Claudia Gray has for this series and these characters, and I appreciate it. But. It didn't work for me.

I went into this completely blind. As in, I didn't even read the am*zon blurb or the inside flap to see what it was about. I saw "new official X-Files book" and blacked out and then I had it in my hands. It's part casefile, part mytharc, picking up shortly after the events of My Struggle 4, and clearly meant to be a launching pad for continuing the show as a series of novels.

The casefile is about a killer targeting pregnant women, and Mulder and Scully get called in to investigate because of electrical disturbances in the vicinity of the murder. The mytharc is about the group that moves in to fill the power vacuum left behind by the destruction of the Syndicate (a group calling themselves the Inheritors) and the genetic fallout from the Syndicate's experiments that has resulted in people developing, um, superpowers. Like legit X-Men-style superpowers. And these X-Men aren't happy about it.

Okay let's talk about the casefile bit first. Look. I am sick to fucking death of this show's treatment of women and fertility. If I had known that was going to be the focus of part of this book, I don't know that I would have read it. There are some fairly graphic descriptions of one of the crime scenes early in the book that really turned my stomach, not in a "this is a fun scary story" kind of way but in a "this violence hits far too close to home and I am experiencing the starts of a panic attack" kind of way, so be mindful of that. There are also some scenes from the killer's POV as he stalks his victims - including, of course, Scully 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 - that are so enraging and pathetic I could barely get through them.

And then - TWIST - it turns out he doesn't have electricity powers.... SCULLY DOES. Yeah. Straight up superhero "shoot somebody with a bolt of lightning like DPO" powers. I. I don't.... I can't talk about that part right now or I'll stab myself in the face but...

Look. I love that we got a vehicle for Scully to address her trauma, get some agency, and kick some ass. She needed that. We all needed that. I do like that she completely handed this guy's ass to him when he showed up at the door expecting to face a scared pregnant lady and instead got taken down by Scully FBI in about oh 3 seconds like the pathetic misogynistic sack of shit he is. But FUCK please stop making Scully the target of a fucking serial killer. Stop.

And the book never does give a satisfactory explanation for why the electrical disturbances around each murder could have originated with Scully. Yes, she was near the scene of each crime. Yes, for SOME of them she was in an emotionally charged state. But y'all she was fucking ASLEEP during one of them. And there were many times she was emotionally charged and nothing happened. I don't mind when XF is vague about this shit, that's kind of what they do, but it could at least make sense. I thought maybe it would turn out not to be her but her baby, sensing the danger and acting out to protect or warn the others, but no... Scully just happened to be upset and nearby each time this guy hacked a pregnant woman and her unborn baby to pieces? That is a level of coincidence I just can't get behind. No. (It could still turn out to be the baby, though. I am not convinced.)

Also, unfortunately, Scully handing this guy his own ass on a silver platter was kind of a disappointing ending to that storyline. Satisfying for Scully as a character does not equal satisfying to the reader as a story, sorry.

Okay. Now. The Mytharc.

The shadowy Inheritors kinda suck. They're rich douchebags in ivory towers pulling strings to keep themselves in luxury. If the Syndicate was the generation that pulled themselves up by their bootstraps or whatever, the Inheritors are the trust fund baby generation who are just... there. They don't actually do very much in this story, but I suppose that could change if they try to carry TXF on as a series of novels. So far they seem focused on finding the X-Men that the Syndicate created by accident so they can have a standing army of mutants to do their bidding and keep them on top.

Two such individuals are Vane, who can turn into smoke and travel like Nightcrawler (and yes that's a comparison that's made in the text, which is NOT helping the X-Men allegations) and Craddock, who can channel the dead. (Cherish Craddock is my angel baby and I love her and will hear nothing bad about her. She has superpowers that could destabilize the very structure of society as we know it, and just... uses them to run a wellness cult because it's easy and fun and she doesn't have to work in an office. Honestly, same, love that for you.) They are secretly working against the Inheritors to turn the X-Men to THEIR side instead. There's a fucking secret underground training facility and everything.

There's also a new boss at the FBI who - gasp - has questionable motivations. And a new informant in pop culture tees who - gasp - has questionable motivations. Par for the course I guess, but if you're as sick of the constant rehashing of the mytharc tropes as I am, you're gonna be rolling your eyes. The mytharc just needs to die, okay. It is too broken. Turning The X-Files into The X-Men isn't going to fix it. Casefiles forever from here on out, okay?

Scully has a nice little sidequest where she asks a friend at work to help her figure out the whole "uh there's an alien virus spreading through the population that's causing various degrees of weird mutations including literal fucking superpowers and maybe we should, like, NOT let it do that" but nothing comes of that in this book.

So overall it was kind of a weak casefile, and a mytharc that felt like a lot of set-up for a payoff that may never come, and a ridiculous pivot into superhero territory that I am just not here for. Mulder and Scully are well-written and definitely them, which I appreciated, though given where canon left off with them it's not exactly fun to hang out in their lives/heads. There was one incredibly sweet scene toward the very end where they go to a sonogram together, and that's one of perhaps 3 scenes that I am snatching up like a thieving squirrel at the birdfeeder and taking back to my treehole nest to build my headcanons around.

Also.

There were a few things that absolutely infuriated me.

So the same friend of Scully's doing the genetic thing is also helping her work out the origins of her current pregnancy, and in doing so reveals some information/hope regarding William, which Vane also confirms, and SCULLY DOESN'T TELL MULDER THIS. They do so much work on their shared grief in this book, healing and communicating and reuniting, and she DOESN'T TELL HIM THAT THIS BABY IS HIS AND MAYBE WILLIAM WAS TOO AND THE WOUND THAT RIPPED THEM APART MAYBE WASN'T EVERYTHING THEY THOUGHT IT WAS??? He deserves that information and it pisses me the fuck off that she didn't share it; William is his trauma too, and keeping that from him is just so fucking mean and feels so out of character. They end the story hiding shit from each other and WHY do we still have this as a plot device Jesus Fucking Christ.

I am also so beyond angry that CSM came back for a visit via Craddock's channeling to help Mulder. Either he did that because he's genuinely had a change of heart now that he can see things from "the other side" (oh fuck you, gag me, vomit, do NOT try to redemption-arc this man to me, not ever), OR he's using Craddock to try and continue manipulating and controlling M&S even in death and FUCK YOU NO. I don't even care which one it is. I don't want to know. That man needs to never grace my screen (or page) ever again. Can we just leave his rotting, burnt out husk on the roadside and never deal with him as a character ever again??? CAN WE MOVE ON FROM THAT FUCKWAD PLEASE.

One more thing: there was a bit where Scully is ruminating on the trauma she's endured and there's a kind of throwaway line about Mulder having suffered too, though not as deeply. Dude had part of his BRAIN stolen. He was abducted and tortured. His entire life was a rollercoaster of trauma as he ripped himself apart to uncover the truth about Samantha, only to find out that his father was part of it and also not his father and oh btw every bad thing that ever happened to him and everyone he loved was that guy's fault. DUDE WAS LEGIT DEAD AND BURIED FOR MOOOOOOONNNNTHS. I am not saying what he and Scully endured are equivalent, but this dismissal left a bad taste in my mouth.

This review is so incredibly negative and I'm sorry for that. There were parts of it I had fun with. If this wasn't an XF story but instead an original universe, I might have liked it. But if this is where XF is heading... I think I'm out. Every fan has a breaking point and Scully growing lightning powers to fight Nightcrawler in a secret underground supermutant training facility is mine. I get where you're taking this train, Claudia Gray, and I respect your effort, but this is my stop.

#perihelion #perihelion review #perihelion spoilers #txf

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