#symbolism explanation under more

[sunst3rr]

fragile means that i can hear her flesh, crying little rivers down her forearm

[dravencroft]

A start, an end, a rise and fall No system eternal and no one immortal

Yet another dramatic illustration for little Dante and the many forces that are always trying to tug on his life and control his destiny. Sometimes I feel sorry for everything I put him through, but then I remember it makes him a great subject for this kind of symbolic drawings.

A quick explanation of most of the symbolism in this drawing:

The hands on top belong to Dante's Sire, Jonathan Faraday, current Prince of New York. He had decided to adopt and embrace Dante to groom him into his perfect successor, but a lot of things went wrong. Jonathan is still trying to force the crown on Dante's head despite everything.

The crown is bleeding because of all the lives that were sacrificed to try and mould Dante into the perfect Childe - first among them Dante's older brother, Nicholas.

The chains around his right wrist (left side) represent the Camarilla, the Ventrue clan, and Dante's own desperate desire to be perfect and strong (the Amaryllis flowers). The chains are taut because of how strict the sect's control on him was.

The chains around his left wrist (right side) represent the Sabbat and his current mentor, a Toreador Antitribu (the roses). The chains are slack because he has much more freedom in this sect, but he is still a prisoner.

In the background: the FIT Tower, HQ of Faraday's tech company and Dante's home for the first two decades of his life; on the right the tower is burning and destroyed, maybe a - hopeful? - auspice of what might happen in the future.

Dante isn't wearing any gloves. He always does, but whenever I want him to look even more vulnerable, I like to show his bare hands. They are bloodied without the protection of his gloves.

[gghostwriter]

Whispered Truths

Spencer Reid x Fem!Reader

Summary: Your weekly reading club with boyfriend, Spencer Reid, has never been as sweet and life-changing as this night Trope: Fluff! Just fluff! w.c: 0.8k a/n: This is actually a request from @bloodredrubyrose and I really liked how this came out. I also used my favorite piece of fiction here as a prop so I hope you like it! Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated! 💗 masterlist

Couples, no matter how new or old, tend to create personalized dates as a way to strengthen the relationship. Some go on hikes together, some go on travels, while some stay in the comfort of their homes—under a blanket with a chosen book on hand.

You and Spencer definitely fall under the latter category. It was quite obvious from the first meeting that literature would be one of the strongest bonding agents between you and him. After all, it was how you were brought together—crashing into one another at the library with books and miscellaneous items scattered on the tiled floor. A few shy glances and bewitching dates later, you found yourself spending your Saturday nights in the presence of your boyfriend of six months, hosting an exclusive reading club with just two members, you and him.

“I never thought of it that way,” your left hand paving an aimless path through Spencer’s curly hair while the other held the book up high.

The pitter patters of the rain outside softly echoed through the walls. You were propped up on the loveseat sofa, his head resting on your lap as he looked upwards in question in regards to your statement.

“Never thought of which?” His voice low and soft, striking a resemblance to how he gazed at you oh so lovingly. As if you were the most riveting piece if art he had ever laid his eyes upon.

“How water played a big symbol throughout the whole book. It was really focused on during the first chapters but I—I just never quite connected the dots,” you clarified, bring the book to a close.

It was your choice for the week, East of Eden by John Steinbeck—a modern classic and had been your favorite work of literature since high school. Spencer had lent his copy to you last week and you vice versa—both turning brown from age, pages about to fall apart from its binding, annotations scribbled on the margins and any lengthy self reflections written on various notebook pages sandwiched in between.

“Your explanation on the empty pages at the end—how water is capable of bringing both life and death. Water being essential for the crops but at the same time, drowned victims. It’s such a poignant note that I think I just fell more in love with Steinbeck’s writing,” you added. “It also made me realize how water in his novel represents the dual capacity of the human soul for good and evil. How we are all filled with conundrums and contradictions and what makes us different from the other species on Earth is our ability to choose whether we are good or evil—” Spencer had sat up and leaned in, interrupting your musings. “—what?” You breathed out as his lips hovered on yours.

The once cozy atmosphere quickly charged with tension and desire that seemed to ooze out of Spencer. There was little space in between and you had no doubt that from the outside looking in, it looked like he was kissing you but he was not, rather a sliver of air was still given space to pass through. So close but so far.

You studied his features up close. How his long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings beating against the wind as his molten, darkened, hazel eyes flickered between your lips and eyes. How his nose lightly caressed yours in an endless Eskimo kiss. How his cheeks stained into a lighter shade of red. And how his pink tongue peeked out to wet his pillowy lips. 

“I’m in love with you,” he whispered as if it was some kind of national secret that he now felt right to expose.

Your breath caught in your throat. This was the first time he had said it. His love for you had been conveyed with every touch, with every action, and with every silence but this was the first time he had put it into words.

His lips caressed yours—the pressure almost non-existent. A ghost of a kiss to gauge your reaction and consent.

“I love you,” he repeated a little louder this time, eyes locking into the very depths of your soul. “You and your mind have enchanted me since the beginning—so beautiful, so captivating.”

The butterflies set free in your stomach caused you to viscerally shiver in reaction.

“I love you too, Spencer.”

A smile graced his face and it was bright and as blinding as the sun, like it had finally decided to stop hiding behind the clouds and show itself in all of its glory.

He leaned in once more. The pressure from his lips now heavier and headier, trying to stamp his everlasting mark on you and in between all these kisses were whispers of his utter devotion and adoration until there was no more space—until you both became one on his loveseat sofa.

Comments and reblogs are greatly appreciated!

[rottenk1sses]

thinking of corrupting innocent art, maybe he grew up religious and his chastity ring is his most prized possession, but he can't say no to your advances, doesn't say yes either— but he never stays away for too long, anyway comes crawling back wordlessly like a puppy w his tail between his legs

cw : corruption, coercion/elements of dubcon (18+)

pastor’s son!art donaldson who stays in his hometown instead of going off to college; opting to help his father with the church as the months tick by, only fueled by a sense of duty and maybe a bit of religious guilt..

you knew the very instant you set eyes on him that you had to have him.

he always looked like an angel when he was stood behind his dad during services—the yellowed overhead light shining suspiciously brighter on him alone; his neatly groomed golden curls bouncing in front of his forehead with every obedient and devout nod of his head to the words of the verses. pretty, you had thought, pure.

the first time you ever tried to seduce him, the church had already emptied out to give you the perfect opportunity to slide into a pew and call him over to ‘talk’. of course, he was more than happy to do so. he talked with everyone, it was like a second nature to provide comfort to others.

he found you really attractive when he finally got a good look at you, sexy even. but the idea of perceiving you that way had curdled a gross feeling in his gut. it wasn’t right—it wasn’t him—and he knew that. but he still chose to sit down next to you that particular evening and indulge that disturbing part of himself. could it really be so wrong to appreciate one of god's fellow creations?

he knew deep down that god would be ashamed.

you had chatted him up for less than ten minutes (making up a sad story about how awful your life was going) before your hand was sneaking over his thigh, sliding over the dark fabric of his church slacks. he'd frozen completely stiff at the feeling, like he was scared of how he felt about the touch and petrified of the consequences.

art chuckled nervously and looked to your eyes, almost pleading.

“uhm,” he breathed out shakily, pushing your touch gently from his body, refusing your advances, “i don’t, uh.. im not—..”

he hoped that his lack of an actual explanation would be a good-enough one in of itself, but you pushed back anyway despite his protests. draping your leg over his, stroking his blond hair, leaning in to kiss his flushed neck. he was trembling all over. now god was really going to strike him dead.

“shhh,” you whispered, “just let me make you feel good, okay? that would really help me feel better…”

he wanted to say no. he wanted to shoot up from his seat and run away like a scared little pup, protecting the sanctity of his body and mind from whatever sin you were corrupted with, but he didn’t. a deeper, sicker part of him couldn’t. he was disgusted with himself.

an anxiousness started to brew just under his skin, and he felt it filtering through his blood like a petrifying poison. like a mess of flies buzzing around a decaying body that was buried deep in the midst of his morality. he couldn’t move; he couldn’t fight back.

but oh.. it.. it felt good..? and he did want to help you..

he was almost surprised by how quick he'd gotten an erection. it strained up against his zipper before you even got a chance to grope him properly.

and then you did.

and then he felt that awful, putrid, incredible feeling bubbling up from his pelvis; a feeling that he had only allowed himself to indulge in when he was at home, in the dead of night, tucked into the messy covers and rocking his hips into his mattress to chase the temptation.

an innocent loophole.

after all, he’d never physically touched himself there in a sexual manner, let alone with the hand of his that held a finger banded in silver—a symbol of his purity—so it would be alright in the end, right? he had only ever done it to scratch an itch. a forbidden itch, sure, but god wouldn’t want him to suffer like that. a quick bit of relief, and then it was over and done with. always.

but in that particular moment, when he was feeling someone’s touch over his pants for the very first time, he had decided that he wasn’t sure he wanted to indulge. maybe it really was as wrong as he knew it to be. he shook his head.

“wait—“ he gasped, squirming on the wooden pew as his head tipped back slightly, his trembling fingers squeezing the edge of the surface under him, “wait, wait, i— oh—oh-!”

he was letting out noises then that made him sound like an innocent fawn, wailing out in a mix of confusion and pleasure and shame and fear as he felt his cock spasm and flood his underwear with an overwhelming warmth. despite his verbal hesitation, he had pushed his hips up hard into your touch as he orgasmed—grinding against it as the shocks of release stung the finger that wore the ring of silver. he could almost feel the metal burning into his skin amidst all of the overstimulating ecstasy that caused his thighs to quake. guilt radiated through all of his bones; seeping into his marrow.

he had sinned, fully and wholly. he was a sinner.

your touch dirtied him. infected him.

you had made him this way.

he was supposed to be good; a good person, a good son, a good follower.

but you had ruined it. all of it.

he’d never been prone to anger, but right then he had wanted to shout. he wanted to shove you away, get down on his knees, and begin repenting. mumbling pleas and apologies with his hands clasped together and his head hung, bowed in penance. his body weighed down by the heavy stone of his own culpability in the situation; the realization that he hadn’t done enough to refuse your attention.

but, in the end, he couldn’t find it in himself to deny his body the gratification of being so close to you. he was no longer worthy of god’s forgiveness anyways, so he turned his head and looked to your eyes, tears pooling in his own. they dripped down his flushed cheeks as he pulled ragged, greedy gasps of air into his lungs. his chest rattled as he cried. the feeling of the slimy wetness soaking into his underwear had only made the sting of reality more pitiful.

if he had looked like an angel before all of this, he surely was a fallen one now.

“…th-thank you, i'm sorry…” he sobbed softly, “i’m sorry.”

he didn't quite know who he was apologizing to.

it had only felt right.

[novelistwriter]

The Al Ghul Siblings

DP x DC x MLB x Marvel Prompt

Damian wasn't the only child of Bruce and Talia, but the youngest of 4.

 

Mariam, the Eldest daughter of Bruce and Talia, whose strategies could turn the tide of battles she is part of.

 

The twins, Danyal and Boutros (Peter in Arabic), Danyal, who was so good at stealth that he wouldn't let you know he was there until he wanted you to know, and Boutros, whose awareness was so sharp, that none could get the drop on him, both Twins Rival Ra's and Taila in these aspects.

 

Damian is the child that excels in combat out of the four, constantly trying to he like his older siblings.

 

Mariam had to leave the League, because of what Talia overheard the plans Ra's had for her daughter. She sent Mariam to Paris under a new name, Marinette. Where Marinette would be left with people Talia trusts.

 

The twins had a bit more tragic fate, Boutros was fatally wounded during a rebellion in the League, he was dipped in the Lazarus Pit, but never resurfaced.

 

Danyal was sent away by Talia to an orphanage, Damian wasn't told where though, but a few years later, Damian was brought to Bruce.

 

Mari was contacted by Danyal one day via a letter with a familiar symbol on it, they send each other letters from time to time, but can't reach out to Damian, fearing that they would be found by Ra's.

 

The events of Danny Phantom happened regularly, but with Danny becoming the Heir to the Throne for the Infinite Realms.

 

But when the Nasty Burger does explode, Danny doesn't go to Vlad, he runs away and goes to Paris to be with his other sister.

 

Mari became the holder of the Ladybug Miraculous, and told her foster parents about her being Ladybug a few days before Danny came to their place.

 

When Danny did arrive at the place, it was during a heavy storm, and Danny didn't have a coat, so he was standing in the heavy downpour, arms crossed and looking so sad and heartbroken.

 

After some explanations, and seeing Danny being able to resist the Akuma Hawkmoth sent to corrupt him, Danny is welcomed by Mari's foster parents to live with them.

 

A few weeks with Danny living in Paris, a green portal opens up in the living room with Danny and Mari in it, they are ready for a fight, but they see an older (but still the same age as Danny) Boutros stumble out of it wearing a spider themed hero suit, it's a tearful reunion, with a being in a purple robe smiling to himself elsewhere, where a family is soon to be reunited, and where an almost exact replica of Boutros would be placed back in the dimension he found himself in to prevent the timeline of that dimension from destabilizing.

 

The twins and the Eldest Daughter worked together with Cat Noir and other Miraculous holders to take down Hawk Moth in a few days. The Trio of siblings decided that they will take a risk, they head to Gotham to reconnect with Damian

[alastor-simp]

Mistletoe🌿😘 - Alastor X Female Reader

❥Summary: It's Sinsmas in Hell, which means the hotel is decorated from head to toe in Christmas decor, including the festive tradition of the mistletoe. What happens when you find under it with Alastor?

❥Tags: Mistletoe kiss, Hazbin Hotel, Christmas, Fluffmas, Mistletoe, Holiday Season, Festive, Fluff and Romance, Sinsmas

❥Notes: Its time for some mistletoe kisses with our favorite deer demon. I've always love mistletoe kiss stories so I decided to write one. Enjoy 😊

❥Credit: Divider by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

Standing on top of a ladder, you were gently stringing up the ornaments on the Christmas tree that was standing in the middle of the hotel lobby. You and Charlie were in the Christmas spirit, or Sinsmas spirit, as that's what Christmas was called in hell, and decided to decorate. Charlie, with her powers, was able to string colored lights on the walls and stairs of the hotel, while you decided to do the tree.Humming to yourself, you continued to hang decorations until you heard a tapping noise coming from below. Looking down, you saw the radio demon himself, smiling up at you, hand tapping on the ladder to get your attention. "Enjoying the weather up there, my dear?" Sarcastically laughing at his joke, you continued to hang up decorations, "Do you need something?"

"Ah yes! Our dear Charlie needs you in the kitchen. She seems rather exuberated at the idea of making cookies." Alastor said, his crimson eyes continuing to gaze up at you. "Oh alright," Holding the box with decorations gently, you slowly descended down the ladder, as you were ready to meet Al at the bottom. Reaching the floor, you turned to Al smiling, as he motioned for you to loop your arm with his, as you made your way to the kitchen.Upon entering the kitchen, that was filled with the delicious smell of frosting and baked goods, the both of you stopped catching the snickering coming from Angel, who was sitting on top of the kitchen counter, phone raised up in his hands. "What's so funny?" You said, tilting your head at him. Angel continued to laugh as one of his hands pointed up. Looking up, you noticed the little sprig of mistletoe that was hanging next to the kitchen door, making your eyes widen in shock. Charlie had noticed too, since she was distracted by baking and a smile had risen to her face, heart symbols popping out behind her.

You knew about this tradition, "whoever is under a mistletoe has to kiss each other," and you were under it, with Alastor. Nope! NOPE! No way was Alastor going to do this, knowing how touch-averse he was. Yes, you had a crush on him, but you respected his boundaries, and you didn't want this to be overstepping them. Alastor eyed the little branch on top and gave a small head-tilt, confused at what was such a big deal about the item hanging above their heads. "What is a little weed doing up there?" Angel continued to laugh, while recording while Charlie realized that Al didn't know about the mistletoe. "Oh that's a common tradition that is done in the human world Al! The two people who stand under a mistletoe have to share a kiss!" Jumping with enthusiasm, Charlie pointed to the both of you, really wanting to see the two of you kiss. Al remained still once he heard Charlies explanation, his smile still on his face as always, but his body was tensed. His glowing red eyes locked on to you, staring into your soul, who honestly didn't know if he was happy or upset with what he was told.

His sharp gaze then locked on to the mistletoe and with a snap, the little plant had caught on fire, green flames burning it into blacken crisp. "While I am one to follow and uphold certain traditions, that is one that I will not partake in." He said, lips growing into an evil smirk, until he disappeared, body disappearing in the shadows, leaving behind the three of you with widen eyes and a small burnt mistletoe, that had fallen to the ground from where it was hanging. Okay that hurt a bit. You had a feeling Al would say no, but it still hurt coming from him directly. "What a dick!" Angel raged out, using his hands to flip off where Alastor once stood. Charlie, noticing your demeanor, approached you slowly, offering you a kind smile, "Umm want to continue making cookies with me?" She said, trying to help as she could tell you were sad by Al's reaction, but she felt like she was responsible as well, since she didn't think into consideration how Al would respond, but she had no idea Alastor would react like that. Shaking your head to rid of the negative emotions, lips drawing into a forced smile, you moved towards where Charlie was, hoping that this would distract you from what had happened.

**A Few Hours Later**

Spending quality time with the others, drinking hot chocolate and watching silly Christmas movies did make you feel better, but the lack of Al's presence kept reminding you about what happened. "He must still be angry." You thought, as your feet carried you back to your room, having grown very tired from all the activities you did with the others. Having arrived at your door, your hand slowly grabbed the door knob, opening it as you walked in, only to walk head first into someone. "AHH!" Screaming, you grasped your chest, back hitting the now closed door, as you looked at the intruder in your room. The intruder was the red deer man himself, hands placed behind his back, smiling down at you. "Ah! There you are, my dear! I was wondering when you would arrive." He bent down, face moving closer to you, smile breaking his face, since he so enjoyed scaring you. Still holding your hand against your chest, your eyes glared up at Al, wondering why he was in your room. "If I remember correctly, this is my bedroom, so why are you waiting for me inside my room?"

Chuckling, Alastor had leaned back up, but he remained close to you. "There was something I needed to complete and I require the assistance of another to do it, and who better to offer their assistance than you, my dear." Listening to him, you had managed to calm down from the previous scare. He wanted your help with something, well as long as it doesn't involve a soul contract or killing, you could help. "Oh! Alright then, what do you need help with?" You asked, tilting your head at him. His radio-static laugh resonated through the whole room, as his sharp gloved hands pointed above you, making your eyes draw up to the ceiling.

Above you, was a dark creature resembling Alastor, grin stretched across its face, dangling a little mistletoe above you. Widening your eyes, you looked back at Al in shock, "Wha- What?!" You stuttered out, brain still trying to process what was happening. Alastor noticed your reaction, laughing again, before he walked closer, his chest becoming extremely close to you, as you gazed up at him, gulping at the situation you were in. "I believe there was a tradition we needed to uphold when we are under this small leaf." He said, voice dropping the radio effects, sending shivers all over you. "But I thought you didn't want to do it? You burned the one in the kitchen." Your words were failing you, as you were too distracted by how close Al was, heart beating out of your chest. A gloved hand softly held your chin, tipping it up, making your breath hitched in your throat.

His eyes were tender, drastically different from his usual enigma ways, "It was merely a show of theatrics, my dear. I have a reputation to uphold, being the radio demon. I much rather partake in acts like this in private, away from the other little misfits, particularly the feminine spider. This side of me is only for your eyes to see." Fingers traced your bottom lip, as another hand was placed on your lower back, pulling you closer to him. "Well? Do you wish to continue?" He asked, voice dropping into a whisper. You pleaded in your head that this wasn't a dream, that this was really happening. The little nod you gave Alastor, made a soft smile appear on his face, as he slowly inched closer to you, lips planting against yours. It started with a small peck, nothing overly extreme, but the both of you refused to pull away, as you wrapped your arms around Al, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. Alastor stilled for a second, but his body soon relaxed, yet his tail remained wagging behind him.

The breathtaking kiss soon came to a stop, as Al slowly pulled away from you, his ashen face sporting a pinkish color, making you giggle. Alastor heard your giggle, and gave one of his own as well, static returning to his voice. The shadow version of Alastor had come down from the ceiling, appearing next to you, glowing red eyes in the shape of hearts, as it hanged the mistletoe above you and placed a shadowy kiss against your cheek, before disappearing. Alastor's arms soon engulfed you, holding you against his chest, his chin resting on top of your head. "Merry Sinsmas, Y/N" He hummed, nuzzling your head. Moving your hands slowly, you placed them against his back, returning the hug. "Merry Sinsmas, Al."

-END-

@alastorsgoldie @91062854-ka , @delectableworm , @iiotic

@cookiekyo , @demoarah , @danveration , @beebsbea ,

@veethewriter , @forbidden-sunlight , @pinkcrystal44 , @luujjvi ,

@unholycheesesnack , @saturnhas82moons , @jyoongim ,

@aceofcards0-0 , @ghostdoodlen , @yourdoorisunlocked ,

@starshipcookie , @ainsliemac , @aria-tempest , @nobuharashinyao

, @sweet06tart , @blakedbeanss , @ihyperfixatedagain , @ktssstuff ,

@yakultt-art , @mooniee123 , @nightmarenaya , @darischerry ,

@sadnessiscoldtea , @alastorssimp , @imacollasaltitan ,

@dilucragnvindr-my-beloved , @batmanmonstarr , @felice-jaganshi ,

@justchillaine , @crazed-flower , @ohmylovewhereartthou-blog ,

@akiooshizuka , @lokis-imaginary-friend ,

@themysteriousslenderman , @huntlowfan , @futureittomainn ,

@christinaatyourservice92 , , @just-trash-yeah-thats-it ,

@angelinevalentine89 , @yunimimii , @staryosh1 ,

@mihawksdemoness , @crystalreads , @blahblahbruhmeow ,

@madam-strawberryrose , @inkslayer , @azazel-nyx , @lixanjewel ,

@artemisandhunters , @thereeallink ,

[mariasont]

Sundress Season - S.R

a/n: spent all friday & saturday writing so sorry 4 dumping so many works 2night lololol

‧₊˚ ✩°｡⋆♡ ⋆˙⟡♡ ⋆˙⟡♡⋆｡°✩˚₊‧

pairings: spencer reid x fem!reader

summary: spencer decides to come help you out with some research and gets a little more than he bargained for

warnings: fluff, thigh kink if you SQUINT LIKE SQUINT

wc: 0.9k

You crossed one leg over the other, your nails drumming against the table, while your eyes bored holes into the book that lay open in your lap. You loved reading, more than most people, but when it was something you were interested in, not when the pages were smeared with the arcane symbols of mathematical algorithms that you could not seem to comprehend. It was giving you a migraine. 

At the call of your name, your head lifted abruptly, a welcome excuse the cast aside the loathsome book, expecting your coffee to be awaiting you at the counter. You weren't, however, expecting to see Spencer standing there. Your brows knitted together in a moment of confusion before you face relaxed into a warm, welcoming smile.

"Spence? Hey, what are you doing here?" 

"JJ said you were researching the neural network algorithms," Spencer said, his voice tinged with a hint of amusement as he pulled out the chair across from you. "I figured I could lend a hand."

“Oh, bless your heart, Dr. Reid,” you praised, hand dramatically pressed to your heart, “I could kiss you.”

The subtle rosiness that blossomed on Reid’s cheeks didn’t escape your notice, and you couldn’t deny the small thrill of saying things designed to elicit the delightful blush. It was cute.

“May I?” he asks, gesturing towards the book, ignoring your words.

You give a nod and pass it over, his fingers brushing over yours in the process. It was hard not to stare at his face, admittedly, your scientific knowledge (or any knowledge) didn’t rival his, yet surely there was some explanation for why you found him so attractive.

You watched, curiously, as he made quick work of the pages, absorbing the information with the ease of a child flipping through a picture book. Maybe that was it—his intelligence, now that wasn’t far off. I mean, who didn’t want a man who could effortlessly recite pi to the hundredth decimal?

You found yourself following the lines of his face— from the subtle shadows under his eyes to the rhythmic movement of his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he concentrated, down to the soft dip of his lips. God, he was so beautiful. And even that term barely did him justice.

Your blatant starring was broken only when you realized his lips were moving.

“Yeah, totally,” you said, bobbing your head in agreement, clueless to his actual words but hoping you said the right thing.

He regarded you with a puzzled glance, his brow raised while carefully marking his place in the book. “Is that so?”

“Absolutely.”

That famous, gorgeous smile of his spread across his face as his eyes darted around the coffee shop. His fingers patted his cheek thoughtfully in silent, teasing challenge.

“Wait, what?”

“The issue was with adjusting the weight initialization to prevent the vanishing gradient problem,” he remarked with an easy shrug. “Seems like the perfect time for that well-deserved kiss.”

His words sent a wave of warmth flooding your cheeks. Was he serious? You decided you didn’t care. Rising just enough to meet him, you cupped his face and planted a sloppy kiss against his cheek. As your drew back, you couldn’t help but delight in the sight of his ears, now tinted with a charming blush of red.

The intimate bubble burst as the barista’s voice rang out, announcing that your coffee was, in fact, prepared at last. You tapped his nose lightly before standing fully. “My hero.”

Spencer watched with a slack jaw as you walked away from the table, his eyes drawn to your thighs. The air seemed to escape him in a rush, his gaze locked on your outfit, now fully revealed as you stood up. He was so used to seeing you in dress pants, he’d never seen you in a dress, a sundress at that.

He was already burning from the feeling of your lips on his cheek but now it was spreading through every part of him as he traced your curves before landing once again on your supple thighs. God, you were beautiful, and that ass—

He was on the cusp of entertaining some rather less-than-holy ideas when the shrill ring of his phone intervened. He mentally berated the caller, wishing to preserve every detail of your image in his mind. Morgan. Naturally.

He swiped deftly at the phone, realizing it was FaceTime. Morgan’s head filled the screen, his eyebrows shooting up as he took in Spencer’s appearance.

“Morning, lover boy.”

Spencer was unsure what he meant. “Huh?”

Morgan simply flicked his cheek with a smirk. “Looks like ya missed a spot, hot stuff.”

Spencer’s face warmed with a fresh flush, hastily angling the phone away, his fingers working to erase the lipstick stain.

“Whoa, whoa, hold up, man! You on a hot date or something? C’mon, Reid, who’s the lucky lady?”

Once assured his skin was free of the pink evidence, Spencer lifted the phone again. He didn’t get a chance to ask Morgan’s reason for calling, as your face appeared behind him, curiously glancing at the phone.

“Oh, hey Morgan!”

Morgan’s mouth dropped open. “No way! You’re kidding me! Penelope is going to freak—,”

His words were cut short as Spencer swiftly hung up.

[nicotine-boi]

So much senseless pain..

YALL I FUCK SO HEAVY WITH THIS DRAWING IT ALSO TOOK ME A LITERAL MONTH TO COMPLETE BECAUSE UNI BUT I ALSO SNEEKED (?) A LOT OF symbolism ig IN HERE AND IM LIKE. SLSJSKKSKSN

Explanation + other versions below (excuse any typo I'm writing this up on my phone at 11pm)

A.) all the different hands are from characters that he (mostly) directly impacted.

Silco [top hand] because, intentional or not, their paths were always slightly intertwined. (jinx stealing hex-plans, jayce proposing peace, even back to vik's apprenticeship eith singed and him creating shimmer for silco). He's placed at the head because he was the catalyst of basically all the events in the show.

Vi [1st left] and Jinx [1st right] because not only did he lead them to were they went in act3, but their paths beforehand were also slightly intertwined throughout the series. THEY'RE ALSO A MIRROR IMAGE OF EACH OTHER BECAUSE THEY ACCIDENTALLY MIRROR EACH OTHER (2nd season Vi mirrors 1st season jinx and vice-versa)

Isha [2nd right] because he UNINTENTIONALLY led to her death by allowing her to bond more with Vander and to see him interact 'normally' with Vi and Jinx which led to her sacrifice. She is placed under Jinx because she was her shadow, mentor, kid, etc. and her sole purpose was to emotionally wound Jinx cus the writers suck lol.

Steb [2nd left] because he was tasked with destroying his cocoon thingy in the final battle. He is placed under Vi because he befriended her at least a little while they terrorized Zaun and also as he was the one charged with awaiting for Zaunites at the bridge when it came to recruiting for the final battle.

Mel [3rd left] is here because of her involvement with everything that is Hextech. From allowing them to break into the lab to the subtle manipulation it took to create the weapons, she was there through it all. She's positioned like that in the shoulder because it feels, to me at least, slightly condescending. I'm p sure she never directly addresses him for anything and that's how the hand placement feels to me, a dismissal.

Sevika [3rd right] on the other hand (ha ha) is there because she has always advocated for Zaun. She wants what's best for them and he represents that. They might've not met, but he an important member of society that, even for a single second, coexisted within Piltover as their equal. Her grip on his shoulder is more forceful, she wants to hold on to that idea for the entirety of Zaun.

Caitlyn [4th right] is between most Zaunites because of how she barged into Zaun throughout the season. She almost willingly stepped into the role Ambessa gave her in order to weed Jinx out. The grip she has on his arm is one typically used when helping someone walk (at least as far as I've used it with my grandma) this is to show how she turned the thing that caused his illness and hurt many others into a torture device, essentially.

JAYCE [4th left] UUUUGH. HES HOLDING HIS HEART BECAUSE IT WAS AFFECTION THAT HELD THEM TOGETHER. HE ALSO BLEW HIS FUCKING CHEST OUT. HE ALSO REMOVED ANY SELF-CONFIDENCE, FAKE AS IT MIGHTVE BEEN, THAT VIKTOR HAD IN THE COUNCIL SCENE WHICH LED TO HIM AGREEING TO BECOME THE THING JUST TO GIVE IT BACK WHEN THEY WERE IN THE ASTRAL PLAIN!! HE CRADDLES HIS HEART AT ALL TIMES EVEN IF ITS UNKNOWINGLY AND VIKTORS HAND ON TOP OF HIS IS BECAUSE, EVEN THOUGH HE WILLINGLY LETS JAYCE HOLD IT, HE'S HAD HURT IT BEFORE AND VIK IS JUST CAREFUL ABT IT NOW.

Ekko [5th left] is holding him back via the leg because he never really met him but he did want to stop him, he wanted him to wait so thats what the position represents and Vandor [5th right] is almost cradling his hip because Viktor was rebuilding the family he had left by bringing his soul back, he's almost holding him like he's precious because to Vander, he was.

B.) He is partly metal tin toy, partly astral projection because of the fact that that's how the characters saw him mostly. they met the monster once during the final battle but they knew him more as he was before.

C.) Gay rune circle because I say so.

D.) Hex patterns in the other bg because. because ^^

And now more versions because pretty

[moodyseal]

Meg and Apollo tarot card designs for @ferodactyl <3 I'm not an expert when it comes to tarot cards (this was actually the first time I looked into the full deck) but hopefully I got it right!

The explanation of the cards' symbolism is under the cut because it's a bit lengthy oof

Meg's card is the Knight of Swords, one of the minor Arcana, I think? Upright, the Knight of Swords refers to a person who is action-oriented, determined and unstoppable in what they set their mind to; however, when it's reversed the card also indicates a person who might be blind to the consequences of their actions and charges into things without having fully considered their options. Meg's choices throughout TOA point to her being exactly this sort of person: while her determination and lack of hesitation were exactly what was needed to balance out Apollo's occasional self-doubt, her impulsiveness was also what got them both into trouble multiple times. The fact that, eventually, she learned how to rely on others and slow down when needed goes hand in hand with the warning this card poses.

Apollo's card is instead one of the Major Arcana, and it's Death. The Death card is a symbol of change: it indicates a time of transition and new beginnings that are sometimes unexpected and difficult, but still necessary. Reversed, the card indicates that the person is resisting that change, and unwilling to let go of the past, which makes the journey all the more painful as the transformation that they're going through is inevitable and cannot be reversed. One of the major points in Apollo's character arc, and the biggest change he goes through, is the transition from the god he used to be to the one he would be in the future. It's a slow change, and one he didn't fully lean into at first—after all, if he chose to give up all that he had been up until then, what would he have left? However, ironically enough, death is exactly what set things in motion, and let him finally shed away his past beliefs to embrace his new sense of self.

[heavysighing-dreamyeyes]

Matters of Fact

CW: Mentions of death, mentions of mind-altering drug use, manipulation.

The Arkham Knight knows what he is, until he doesn't ~1.2k words

The Arkham Knight is a bad person. He knows this. Knows it even as he slips under the covers of your bed. Knows it when he leaves grime and dirt tracked across your windowsill and the floor of your room.

The Arkham Knight is cruel. He knows this when he leaves after you ask him to stay. Knows this when he disappears for days on end to plan his revenge, to train his men.

Knows it when he makes you cry and beg for someone he isn't.

The Arkham Knight is twisted. He knows this when he kills the man who gave you his number. He knows it when he holds you close and consoles you, tells you that guy wasn't worth dating anyway.

Knows it when he tells you that you don't need anyone but him.

The Arkham Knight is obsessed. He knows this because he dreams of the way your lips feel against his skin, the way your fingers thread through his hair, the way your pulse flutters against his hand.

He knows this because he can't seem to leave you alone, even if it would be better for you, and for him.

The Arkham Knight is a liar. He knows this when he tells you Bruce is going to keep him from seeing you. That his enemies will hunt you down, hurt you to get to him. That it's safer, to be tucked away in his base with him.

The Arkham Knight is mean. He knows this when you yell at him over his men stopping you from leaving his base. He knows it when he yells right back, when he grins wickedly as you snap at him in return.

Knows it when you don't shy away as he stalks towards you, tugging off his helmet and grabbing the back of your neck to pull you into a bruising kiss.

Knows it when you slam your fist against the plates of his armor before kissing him right back.

The Arkham Knight is sick, knows it when he slips a fine powder into your drink the night he takes over Gotham. It's nothing that'll hurt you, at least, that's what he tells himself.

The drug only makes you happy, relaxed, more compliant when he drags you from safe house to safe house without explanation.

The Arkham Knight is a mess. He knows this because he's not exactly the Arkham Knight anymore. His symbol torn from his chest, his helmet no longer blue but a bloody red. He knows this because he's crying.

He knows this because he's on his knees in front of you, and you look like you don't if you're going to hit him or hug him.

He knows he deserves to be hit. But he so desperately wants you to hug him. You don't do either. You kiss him. His heart is in his throat. He thinks maybe there's a chance for him.

He's not sure what that chance is. Maybe it's to be good. To be better. To really be with you.

But then you say goodbye. Then you break his heart. Then you leave.

He knows he deserves it for what he's done.

Red Hood knows he isn't good. He's not completely bad, but he's definitely not good. He knows this because people flinch when he saves them. He knows this because there's a trail of bodies in his wake.

But he also knows every single one of them deserved it. He thinks maybe that does make him evil.

Red Hood aches for you. He knows this because he finds himself following the familiar path to your apartment before catching himself.

He knows this because he still dreams of you curled at his side, your mouth pressing kisses to his jaw, your fingers tracing the lines of his back.

Red Hood is a shell of a man. He knows this because he goes back to his dirty, disrepaired apartment, and all he sees is gray.

He knows this because his days and nights are robotic, driven only by the mission. The hole that the death of Batman left in Gotham.

Red Hood is weak. He knows this because he opened the door when you came to his apartment. He knows this because he let you sleep on his bed while he stayed on the couch, unable to rest knowing you're so close but so far from him.

Red Hood is in love with you. He knows this because he'd do anything you asked, and everything you won't.

He knows this because when you break down in the morning over breakfast, when you finally tell him why you came to him, he tugs you to his chest and lets you cry.

Red Hood has no mercy. He knows this because he takes his time killing the man who frightened you. He knows this because he doesn't react to the begging, the screams, the terror in his eyes.

He only feels a sick sense of satisfaction, knowing you won't have to be scared of that disgusting creep ever again.

Jason Todd is dumbfounded by you. You keep showing up at his apartment door. He keeps letting you in, as if he could ever turn you away. You keep making him meals, filling his fridge, adding your things to his apartment.

There's throw pillows and blankets on his couch with your favorite colors. Your favorite movie is paused on the TV. You sleep in his bed more often than not, even if he never joins you.

Jason Todd has no idea how to treat you. He's only even made mistakes with you, only ever done things that should terrify you and drive you away.

But you keep coming back, even after the body of the man who hurt you was found by the police.

Jason Todd wants to be good, at least for you. So he tries. He knows he isn't great at words, but he tries to soften his voice. He knows his touch is rough, so he tries to be still and gentle when you lean into his side.

He knows he's scary looking, so he tries to be smaller when you're around. He knows what he does is dangerous, so he sets up even better security in his apartment, and with permission, yours.

He knows there's something wrong with him, so he reminds you not to hang around him so much.

He doesn't know why you don't listen. Doesn't know why you kiss his cheek, why you start to lead him from the couch to sleep next to you in his bed.

He doesn't know why you sleep curled at his side, on his chest, a leg thrown over his thigh. He knows a lot of things, knows a lot about you.

But does he understand why you kiss his scars and nuzzle his shoulder?

No. Absolutely not. But he doesn't think he needs to. Not when you tell him you'd like to sell your apartment. Not when he gets to help you move the last of your things to his your shared bedroom.

Not when he knows he loves you. Not when you say you love him. Not when he knows it's true.

[koiukiy-o]

orphic; (adj.) mysterious and entrancing, beyond ordinary understanding. ─── 008. the email.

-> summary: when you, a final-year student at the grove, get assigned to study under anaxagoras—one of the legendary seven sages—you know things are about to get interesting. but as the weeks go by, the line between correlation and causation starts to blur, and the more time you spend with professor anaxagoras, the more drawn to him you become in ways you never expected. the rules of the academy are clear, and the risks are an unfortunate possibility, but curiosity is a dangerous thing. and maybe, just maybe, some risks are worth taking. after all, isn’t every great discovery just a leap of faith? -> pairing: anaxa x gn!reader. -> tropes: professor x student, slow burn, forbidden romance. -> wc: 3.3k -> warnings: potential hsr spoilers from TB mission: "Light Slips the Gate, Shadow Greets the Throne" (3.1 update). main character is written to be 21+ years of age, at the very least. (anaxa is written to be around 26-27 years of age.) swearing, mature themes, suggestive content.

-> a/n: yum. good night, see you next week <3 -> prev. || next. -> orphic; the masterlist.

On the board: a rough, sketched spiral that narrowed into itself. Then—without explanation—he stepped back and faced the room.

“The Julia Set,” he began, “is defined through recursive mapping of complex numbers. For each point, the function is applied repeatedly to determine whether the point stays bounded—or diverges to infinity.”

He turned, writing the equation with a slow, deliberate hand, the symbols clean and sharp. He underlined the c.

“This constant,” he said, tapping the chalk beneath it, “determines the entire topology of the set. Change the value—just slightly—and the behavior of every point shifts. Entire regions collapse. Others become beautifully intricate. Sensitive dependence. Chaotic boundaries.”

He stepped away from the board.

“Chaos isn’t disorder. It's order that resists prediction. Determinism disguised as unpredictability. And in this case—beauty emerging from divergence.”

Your pen slowed. You knew this was about math, about structure, but there was something in the way he said it—beauty emerging from divergence—that caught in your ribs like a hook. You glanced at the sketch again, now seeing not just spirals and equations, but thresholds. Points of no return.

He circled a section of the diagram. “Here, the boundary. A pixel’s fate determined not by distance, but by recurrence. If it loops back inward, it’s part of the set. If it escapes, even by a fraction, it’s not.”

He let the silence stretch.

“Think about what that implies. A system where proximity isn’t enough.”

A few students around you were taking notes rapidly now, perhaps chasing the metaphor, or maybe just keeping up. You, however, found yourself still. His words hung in the air—not heavy, but precise, like the line between boundedness and flight.

Stay bounded… or spiral away.

Your eyes lifted to the chalk, now smeared faintly beneath his hand.

Then—casually, as if announcing the time—he said, “The application deadline for the symposium has closed. Confirmation emails went out last night. If you don’t receive one by tonight, your submission was not accepted.”

It landed in your chest like dropped glass.

It’s already the end of the week?

You sat perfectly straight. Not a single muscle out of place. But you could feel your pulse kicking against your collarbone. A kind of dissonance buzzing at the edges of your spine. The type that doesn’t show on your face, but makes every sound feel like it’s coming through water.

“Any questions?” he asked.

The room was silent.

You waited until most of the students had filed out, notebooks stuffed away, conversations trailing toward the courtyard. Anaxagoras was still at the front, brushing residual chalk from his fingers and packing his notes into a thin leather folio. The faint light from the projector still hummed over the fractal diagram, now ghostlike against the faded screen.

You stepped down the lecture hall steps, steady despite the pressure building in your chest.

“Professor Anaxagoras,” you said evenly.

He glanced up. “Yes?”

“I sent you an email last night,” you said, stepping forward with a measured pace. “Regarding the papers you sent to me on Cerces’ studies on consciousness. I wanted to ask if you might have some time to discuss it.”

There was a brief pause—calculated, but not cold. His eyes flicked to his watch.

“I saw it,” he said finally. “Though I suspect the timing was… not ideal.”

You didn’t flinch. “No, it wasn’t,” you said truthfully. “I was… unexpectedly impressed, and wanted to follow up in person.”

You open your mouth to respond, but he speaks again—calm, almost offhanded.

“A more timely reply might have saved me the effort of finding a third paper.”

You swallow hard, the words catching before they form. “I didn’t have anything useful to say at the time,” you admit, keeping your voice neutral. “And figured it was better to wait to form coherent thoughts and opinions… rather than send something half-baked.”

He adjusts his cuff without looking at you. “A brief acknowledgment would have sufficed.”

You swallow hard, the words catching before they form. “Right,” you murmur, choosing not to rise to it.

Another beat. His expression was unreadable, though you thought you caught the flicker of something in his gaze. 

He glanced at the clock mounted near the back of the hall. “It’s nearly midday. I was going to step out for lunch.”

You nodded, heart rising hopefully, though your face stayed calm. “Of course. If now isn’t convenient—”

He cut in. “Join me. We can speak then.”

You blinked.

“I assume you’re capable of walking and discussing simultaneously.” A faint, dry smile.

So it was the email. And your slow response.

“Yes, of course. I’ll get my things.” 

You turned away, pacing steadily back up the steps of the hall toward your seat. Your bag was right where you left it, tucked neatly beneath the desk—still unzipped from the frenzy of earlier note-taking. You knelt to gather your things, pulling out your iPad and flipping open the annotated PDFs of Cerces’ consciousness studies. The margins were cluttered with highlights and your own nested comments, some so layered they formed little conceptual tangles—recursive critiques of recursive thought. You didn’t bother smoothing your expression. You were already focused again.

“Hey,” Kira greeted, nudging Ilias’s arm as you approached. They’d claimed the last two seats in the row behind yours, and were currently sharing a half-suppressed fit of laughter over something in his notebook. “So… what’s the diagnosis? Did fractals break your brain or was it just Anaxagoras’ voice again?”

You ignored that.

Ilias leaned forward, noticing your bag already packed. “Kira found a dumpling stall, we were thinking of-”

You were halfway through slipping your tablet into its case when you said, lightly, “I’m heading out. With Professor Anaxagoras.”

A pause.

“You’re—what?” Ilias straightened, eyebrows flying up. “Wait, wait. You’re going where with who?”

“We’re discussing Cerces’ papers,” you said briskly, adjusting the strap across your shoulder. “At lunch. I emailed him last night, remember?” 

“Oh my god, this is about the symposium. Are you trying to—wait, does he know that’s what you’re doing? Is this your long game? I swear, if you’re using complex consciousness theory as a romantic smokescreen, I’m going to—”

“Ilias.” You cut him off with a look, then a subtle shake of your head. “It’s nothing. Just a conversation.”

He looked at you skeptically, but you’d already pulled up your annotated copy and were scrolling through notes with one hand as you stepped out of the row. “I’ll see you both later,” you added.

Kira gave you a little two-finger salute. “Report back.”

You didn't respond, already refocused.

At the front of the lecture hall, Anaxagoras was waiting near the side doors, coat over one arm. You fell into step beside him without pause, glancing at him just long enough to nod once.

He didn’t say anything right away, but you noticed the slight tilt of his head—acknowledging your presence.

You fell into step beside him, footsteps echoing softly down the marble corridor. For a moment, neither of you spoke. The quiet wasn’t awkward—it was anticipatory, like the silence before a difficult proof is solved.

“I assume you’ve read these papers more than once,” he said eventually, eyes ahead.

You nodded. “Twice this past week. Once again this morning. Her model’s elegant. But perhaps incorrect.”

That earned you a glance—quick, sharp, interested. “Incorrect how?”

“She defines the recursive threshold as a closed system. But if perception collapses a state, then recursion isn’t closed—it’s interrupted. Her architecture can’t accommodate observer-initiated transformation.”

“Hm,” Anaxagoras said, and the sound meant something closer to go on than I disagree.

“She builds her theory like it’s immune to contradiction,” you added. “But self-similarity under stress doesn’t hold. That makes her framework aesthetically brilliant, but structurally fragile.”

His mouth twitched, not quite into a smile. “She’d despise that sentence. And quote it in a rebuttal.”

You hesitated. “Have you two debated this before?”

“Formally? Twice. Informally?” A beat. “Often. Cerces doesn’t seek consensus. She seeks pressure.”

“She’s the most cited mind in the field,” you noted.

“And she deserves to be,” he said, simply. “That’s what makes her infuriating.”

The breeze shifted as you exited the hall and entered the sunlit walkway between buildings. You adjusted your bag, eyes still on the open document.

“I marked something in this section,” you said, tapping the screen. “Where she refers to consciousness having an echo of structure. I don’t think she’s wrong—but I think it’s incomplete.”

Anaxagoras raised a brow. “Incomplete how?”

“If consciousness is just an echo, it implies no agency. But what if recursion here is just… a footprint, and not the walker?”

Now he did smile—barely. “You sound like her, ten years ago.”

You blinked. “Really?”

“She used to flirt with metaphysics,” he said. “Before tenure, before the awards. She wrote a paper once proposing that recursive symmetry might be a byproduct of a soul-like property—a field outside time. She never published it.”

“Why not?”

He shrugged. “She said, and I quote, ‘Cowardice isn’t always irrational.’”

You let out a soft breath—part laugh, part disbelief.

“She sounds more like you than I thought.”

“Don’t insult either of us,” he murmured, dry.

You glanced over. “Do you think she was right? Back then?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Then: “I think she was closer to something true that neither of us were ready to prove.”

Anaxagoras led the way toward the far side of the cafeteria, bypassing open tables and settling near the windows. The view wasn’t much—just a patch of campus green dotted with a few students pretending it was warm enough to sit outside—but it was quiet.

You sat across from him, setting your tray down with a muted clink. He’d ordered black coffee and a slice of what looked like barely tolerable faculty lounge pie. You hadn’t really bothered—just tea and a half-hearted sandwich you were already ignoring.

The silence was polite, not awkward. Still, you didn’t want it to stretch too long.

“I’d like to pick her mind.”

He glanced up from stirring his coffee, slow and steady.

You nodded once. “Her work in subjective structure on pre-intentional cognition it overlaps more than I expected with what I’ve been sketching in my own models. And Entanglement—her take on intersubjective recursion as a non-local dynamic? That’s… not something I want to ignore.”

“I didn’t think you would,” he said. 

“I don’t want to question her,” you said, adjusting the angle of your tablet. “Not yet. I want to understand what she thinks happens to subjectivity at the boundary of recursion, where perception becomes self-generative rather than purely receptive. And many other things, but—”

He watched you closely. Not skeptical—never that—but with the faint air of someone re-evaluating an equation that just gave a new result.

You tapped the edge of the screen. “There’s a gap here, just before she moves into her case study. She references intersubjective collapse, but doesn’t elaborate on the experiential artifacts. If she’s right, that space might not be emptiness—it might be a nested field. A kind of affective attractor.”

“Or an illusion of one,” he offered.

“Even so,” you said, “I want to know where she stands. Not just in print. In dialogue. I want to observe her.”

There was a beat.

Then, quietly, Anaxagoras said, “She’s never been fond of students trying to shortcut their way into her circles.”

“I’m not trying to–.” You met his gaze, unflinching. “I just want to be in the room.” 

There was a pause—measured, as always—but he understood your request.

Then, Anaxagoras let out a quiet breath. The edge of his mouth curved, just slightly—not the smirk he wore in lectures, or the fleeting amusement he reserved for Ilias’ more absurd interjections. A… strange acknowledgment made just for you.

“I suspected you’d want to attend eventually… even if you didn’t think so at the time.” He said, voice low.

He stirred his coffee once more, slow and precise, before continuing.

“I submitted an application on your behalf.” His eyes flicked up, sharp and clear. “The results were set to be mailed to me—” After a brief pause, he says, “I thought it would be better to have the door cracked open than bolted shut.”

Your breath caught, but you didn’t speak yet. You stared at him, something between disbelief and stunned silence starting to rise.

“… And?”

He held your gaze. “They approved it.” He said it matter-of-factly, like it wasn’t a gesture of profound academic trust. “Your mind is of the kind that Cerces doesn’t see in students. Not even doctoral candidates. If you ever wanted to ask them aloud, you’d need space to make that decision without pressure.”

Your heart skipped a beat, the rush of warmth flooding your chest before you could even fully process it. It wasn’t just the opportunity, not just the weight of the academic favor he’d extended—it was the fact that he had done this for you.

You looked down at your tablet for a beat, then back up. “You didn’t tell me.”

“I wasn’t sure it would matter to you yet.” His tone was even, but not distant.

Your chest tightened, heart hammering in your ribcage as a strange weight settled over you.

You leaned back slightly, absorbing it—not the opportunity, but the implication that he had practically read your mind.

You swallowed hard, fighting the surge of something fragile, something that wanted to burst out but couldn’t quite take form.

“And if I’d never brought it up?” you asked.

“I would have let the approval lapse.” He took a sip of coffee, still watching you. “The choice would have always been yours.”

Something in your chest pulled taut, then loosened.

“Thank you,” you said—quiet, sincere.

He dipped his head slightly, as if to say: of course.

Outside, through the high cafeteria windows, the light shifted—warmer now, slanting gold against the tiles. The silence that followed wasn’t awkward. 

You’re halfway back to your dorm when you see them.

The bench is impossible to miss—leaning like it’s given up on its academic potential and fully embraced retirement. Dog is curled beneath it, mangy but somehow dignified, and Mydei’s crouched beside him, offering the crust from a purloined sandwich while Phainon gently brushes leaves out of its fur.

They clock you immediately.

“Look who’s survived their tryst with the divine,” Mydei calls out, peeling a bit of bread crust off for the dog, who blinks at you like it also knows too much.

“Ah,” he calls, sitting up. “And lo, they return from their sacred rites.”

You squint. “What?”

“I mean, I personally assumed you left to get laid,” Ilias says breezily, tossing a leaf in your direction. “Academic, spiritual, physical—whatever form it took, I’m not here to judge.”

“Lunch,” you deadpan. “It was lunch.”

“Sure,” he says. “That’s what I’d call him too.”

You stop beside them, arms loosely crossed. “You’re disgusting.”

Mydei finally glances up, smirking faintly. “We were betting how long it’d take you to return. Phainon said 45 minutes. I gave you an hour.”

“And I said that you might not come back at all,” Ilias corrects proudly. “Because if someone offered me a quiet corner and a waist as sntached as his, I’d disappear too.”

You roll your eyes so hard it almost hurts. “You’re projecting.”

“I’m romanticizing,” he counters. “It’s a coping mechanism.”

“So,” you ask, settling onto the bench, “Mydei, did you get accepted?”

Mydei doesn’t look up. “I did.”

Phainon sighs and leans back on his elbows. “I didn’t. Apparently my application lacks ‘structural focus’ and ‘foundational viability.’” He makes air quotes with a dramatic flourish, voice flat with mockery. “But the margins were immaculate.”

Ilias scoffs immediately, latching onto the escape hatch. “See? That’s why I didn’t apply.”

“You didn’t apply,” you repeat slowly, side-eyeing him.

“I was protecting myself emotionally,” he says, raising a finger. 

“Even after Kira asked you to?” you remind him.

“I cherish her emotional intelligence deeply, but I also have a very specific allergy to what sounds like academic jargon and judgment,” he replies, hand to chest like he’s delivering tragic poetry. 

You snort. “So you panicked and missed the deadline?”

“Semantics.”

The dog lets out a sleepy huff. Mydei strokes behind its ear and finally glances up at you. “I still can’t believe you didn’t apply. The panel was impressive.” 

You hesitate, staring down at the scuffed corner of your boot, when your phone dings.

One new message:

From: Anaxagoras   Subject: Addendum   Dear Student, I thought this might be of interest as well. – A.  

There’s one attachment.  

Cerces_MnemosyneFramework.pdf

You click immediately.  

Just to see.

The abstract alone hooks you. It’s Cerces again—only this time, she’s writing about memory structures through a mythopoetic lens, threading the Mnemosyne archetype through subjective models of cognition and reality alignment.

She argues that memory isn’t just retentive—it’s generative. That remembrance isn’t about the past, but about creating continuity. That when you recall something, you’re actively constructing it anew.

It’s dense. Braided with references. Challenging. 

You hear Ilias say your name like he’s winding up to go off into another overdramatic monologue, but your focus is elsewhere.

Because it’s still there—his voice from earlier, lodged somewhere between your ribs.

"A brief acknowledgement would have sufficed."

You’d let it pass. Swallowed the dry implication of it. But it’s been sitting with you ever since— he hadn’t needed to say more for you to hear what he meant.

You didn’t know what to say. Maybe you still don’t.

But you open a reply window. anyway.

Your thumb hovers for a beat.

Re: Still interested Nice paper, Prof. Warm regards, Y/N.

The moment it sends, you want to eat your keyboard.

He replies seconds later.

Re: – “Warm” seems generous. Ice cold regards, – A.

The moment it sends, you want to eat your keyboard.

It’s a small, almost imperceptible warmth spreading across your chest, but you force it back down, not wanting to make too much of it. 

Then you laugh. Not loud, but the sort of surprised, almost nervous laugh that catches in your chest, because somehow, you hadn’t anticipated this. You thought he’d be... formal. Distant. You didn’t expect a bit of humor—or was it sarcasm?

Your fingers hover over your phone again. Should you reply? What do you even say to that? You glance up, and that’s when you see it—Ilias’ eyes wide, his face scrunched in disbelief, like he’s trying to piece together the pieces of a puzzle.”

He points at you like he’s discovered some deep, dark secret. “You’re laughing?”

You groan, dragging a hand over your face, trying to will the heat out of your cheeks.

He doesn’t even try to hold back the mock horror in his voice after peeping into your phone. “Anaxagoras is the one that;s got you in a fit of giggles?”

Ilias gasps theatrically, pressing a hand to his chest. “Wait. Wait wait wait. Is he funny now? What, did he send you a meme? ‘Here’s a diagram of metaphysical collapse. Haha.’” He deepens his voice into something pompous and dry: “Student, please find attached a comedic rendering of epistemological decay.”

You’re already shaking your head. “He didn’t even say hello.”

“Even better,” Ilias says, dramatically scandalized. “Imagine being so academically repressed you forget how greetings work.”

He pauses, then squints at you suspiciously.

“You know what?” he says, snapping his fingers. “You two are made for each other.”

Your head whips toward him. 

He shrugs, all smug innocence. “No, no, I mean it. The dry wit. The existential despair. The zero social cues. It’s beautiful, really. You communicate exclusively through thesis statements and mutual avoidance. A match made in the archives.”

“I’m just saying,” he sing-songs, “when you two end up publishing joint papers and exchanging footnotes at midnight, don’t forget about us little people.”

You give him a flat look. “We won’t need footnotes.”

“Oh no,” Ilias says, pretending to be shocked. “It’s that serious already?”

You stomp on his foot.

-> next.

taglist: @starglitterz @kazumist @naraven @cozyunderworld @pinksaiyans @pearlm00n @your-sleeparalysisdem0n @francisnyx @qwnelisa @chessitune @leafythat @cursedneuvillette @hanakokunzz @nellqzz @ladymothbeth @chokifandom @yourfavouritecitizen @sugarlol12345 @aspiring-bookworm @kad0o @yourfavoritefreakyhan @mavuika-marquez @fellow-anime-weeb927 @beateater @bothsacredanddust @acrylicxu @average-scara-fan @pinkytoxichearts @amorismujica @luciliae @paleocarcharias @chuuya-san @https-seishu @feliju @duckydee-0 @dei-lilxc @eliawis @strawb3rri-bliss

(send an ask/comment to be added!)

[apple-onigiri]

Hands you a mic. Talk about the religions in ISAT please.

fumbles with the mic as the suddenly spotlight floods from above with a click

ohhh there's so much to talk about with this!!

as i said here, there's actually a bit of an overlap of between the change belief and the universe belief. it can only be expected, of course; the two countries are extremely close in proximity and beliefs of different cultures that have some trace similarities, often even started off from the same base source, a bit like languages!

to sum up the similarities from that post, both the change god and the universe have to do with fate and your place in the world. they're about leading you through life, offering protection and support during your journey through life and its avenues.

that's not to say these religions don't clash; first off all, the change god clearly has some divine beef with the universe and we'll get to it, but besides that there are certainly some foundational differences that you can see really well when the party examines the first key we can find - the circle key, the symbol of the change belief, portraying how everyone and everything belongs to this world.

siffrin can, after some time, question that even if the smaller circles are within bigger ones, the biggest one is not inside of anything. in their first reaction, and thus most honest one, they're quite indignant and ruffled about it, and even later throughout act 2 they seem wholly unconvinced.

this is of course because siffrin's faith has an explanation for it that the change belief lacks, although we don't learn about it until act 4, when they seem to not be able to hold it in anymore.

that's the first crucial discrepancy - the thing inset into the belief in the universe is the sense of belonging to something bigger than you can imagine, bigger than your mind can envelop. the change belief seems, in contrast to that, more cozy, approachable. this fits well with the concept of the houses of change that serve kind of as community centers for help and self-betterment, and with the housemaidens that serve as examples, help others fulfill their goals or help them get better, be it skill- or health-wise.

(the rest of this long ask response is under the cut for care of mobile users that can't use the J hotkey)

the change belief is about providing you with safety during your inner journey so that you can become your better self. it doesn't need anything bigger than the world because the world is where all the people are. the universe belief needs the world where everything and everyone is to be within something else because it's about trusting something bigger than you is in charge of your fate and keeping you on track.

i said this already in the other post, but the change belief largely focuses on your end goal. you can take any road you want, in any length of time you require, and take any measures you want in order to achieve change. in the end, what matters is that you've achieved it. the universe is completely the opposite here - it values your journey and your experiences during it, it leads you so you can safely follow it, and you'll end up where you're supposed to be because of that.

the universe, unlike the change god, in not an advisor; it requires your blind trust and perhaps baseless faith, and honestly this might be why the change god mocks the universe as a god that doesn't even talk to you.

they explain pretty well why the time loop goes against their nature; after all, the end goal slips from the story's grasp every time. they don't care for all the fluff between the points on the map, they want the result most of all. this ceaseless wandering is not their domain; it's the universe's. the change belief needs the possibility of change and evolution and the universe requires you to follow and journey both inward yourself and outward to the world to know and understand both—

HA! I HAVE TRICKED YOU AND LULLED YOU INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY!!! THIS POST IS ACTUALLY A HIT PIECE ON THE KING

if you really think about it, the king goes against the principles of both the religion of the country he grew to call his new home, and the country he hails from. him freezing vaugarde stops everyone from changing, making them stay exactly the same forever, but that part is clear from the text and rebuked by the party, especially by mirabelle. however, his wish also stops everyone and himself from advancing forward, from continuing the journey. he clings onto the scraps of the past with fear and desperation and is too scared to just trust the universe to lead him into a life that's different but no less good. he'd doubly a hypocrite.

if you can't take my word for it, siffrin's might do. after the event of the king trying to coax them into saying the name of the northern island with him, regardless of what you pick, this is how siffrin, who seems to be a pretty devout believer in the universe, seems to sum it up.

siffrin in general seems to have accepted that his home is gone - not in that he doesn't care or that he made peace with it but in that he is fully aware nothing can bring back what's been lost. it's gone forever and that's that.

(honestly that sense of finality seeps into even things that are far from being concluded often and siffrin overdoes it by accepting his conjectures as final truths that can't be changed. but that's neither here nor there)

the king twists the fact his wish got granted into approval rather than a tool for his journey, a goal that the universe sets you out in. because that's what wishes are - the universe sets and reroutes a path towards them for you, braids your fate in such a way that it's bound to come true. no wish in isat, when granted, gives you something material; you can't just ask for a new bike and have it materialize in front of you. the granted wishes, siffrin's and the king's, most prominently, aren't granted for their own sake. instead, they assist them in leading them to the fate that was preordained for them; the king, at the cost of being frozen himself, gets to remember all he lost and keep it with him forever in that form, and siffrin's wish, as broken as it is, makes him realize him and his family can and will stay together. you get exactly what you need to self-actualize as best as possible while enroute to the resolution of your wish. but the journey is the resolution, the process is the reward itself. that's what the universe's deal is.

(as for the expressions, we get very little on them but they seem the most typical to the pantheon of gods we're familiar with. they remind me a lot of the muses; an essence you seek guidance in that you hope will imbue you with its domain.)

thank you sooo much for giving me space to ramble about this ake you're the best ╰(*°▽°*)╯

[a-suspicious-number-of-ducks]

Hermit-a-Day May, day 18: JoeHills. Today's style/medium is puppet-making! Or mostly sewing with a few other things thrown in. I had a ton of fun with this one, even though it took...so much time to make. I usually explain why I chose a certain medium but this one is...pretty self-explanatory, I think. If you have any Joe clips you want to see a puppet show of, send them my way! Details, materials, and a couple more pictures under the read more.

Materials: this pattern by Abby Glassenberg and all of its required components (minus the eyes), googly safety eyes from Amazon, baby clothes from a local thrift store, and white fabric paint.

I was originally going to try to get doll clothes to dress the Juppet in, since I didn't want to sew the outfit from scratch, but couldn't find any that were quite right. After a couple unfruitful trips into stores, I stopped by a local children's thrift store and poked around their newborn and preemie section until I found an orange onesie and gray jacket/cardigan that were close enough to the right colors. I know the jacket on Joe's skin is probably a hoodie, given the pocket placement, but surprisingly, few people seem to be manufacturing hoodies for newborn babies. Once I got home, I hacked off the bottom of the orange onesie, hemmed it, and painted the at symbol on the back with fabric paint. The front (now back) still says "daddy's mighty guy" with a picture of two dinosaurs on it and that amuses me greatly.

The puppet pattern itself was a little tricky, and there were a couple spots that I think could have used some more explanation, but I made it through. In hindsight, I wish I'd used bigger eyes, but I couldn't find safety eyes (the kind that pokes through the fabric and gets secured with a washer) in a larger size and the style I wanted, and I didn't want to just glue regular googly eyes on because I was worried it wouldn't be sturdy enough (and the edges might look messy). I ended up having to hot glue the felt pieces to the inside of the mouth, even though the pattern recommended normal craft glue for that part, because it would not stick no matter what I did. If I were to make the pattern again, I'd probably try to sew the roof of the mouth and tongue pieces onto the pink felt before attaching it to the head, rather than gluing them on after.

Honestly, there are a lot of things I would do differently if I were to make another puppet, but I'm pretty proud of how this one turned out, especially for my first time doing something like this! I just. have a Juppet in my house now. I don't know how to feel about this. I know this is a pretty complicated piece, so if you have any additional questions, feel free to message me (or send an ask, or reply to this post, or send the message by carrier pigeon--whatever floats your boat).

[hyorijie]

No Smile | Alastor x Reader

Tags jealousy, established friendship, a not-so-platonic platonic relationship, Alastor loses patience, gaslighting, disbelief, Alastor being him.

Summary You simply watch as Alastor stops smiling.

N: Happy New Year, very, very, very, late, work has really consumed me. But I really hope the whole community can continue to prosper this year. I still have orders pending and of course I will fulfill them, orders are gladly open. Goodbye ♡

Alastor never stops smiling. His mouth always curves in a fixed and sinister smile, a perpetual gesture that seems sculpted in marble. That expression, as constant as the dawn and as haunting as the darkest night, has become an immutable law of your universe. Alastor's smile does not change, does not waver, does not break.

Until now.

It was a flicker, a brief instant, just long enough for your heart to violently flip in your chest. His smile-that eternal symbol of his twisted joy-crumbled. His lips relaxed, revealing something more disturbing than any macabre smile: vulnerability.

The motive was clear in the way his gaze drifted to you, watching you lean toward another, a hearty laugh escaping your lips. The conversation was innocent, devoid of any intent beyond politeness; yet in those red eyes a corrosive fire was lit. Jealousy coiled around Alastor like invisible snakes, squeezing until it left invisible marks on his soul.

But the real trap was your own disbelief. Seeing him without his smile, you felt the ground beneath your feet vanish. You closed your eyes for a second, searching your mind for a logical explanation, an argument that would dismiss the scene as a passing illusion.

And when you opened them, he had already regained his facade. The smile had returned, sharpened and entrenched with a renewed intensity, as if daring you to doubt what you had witnessed.

But nothing could hide the truth that pulsed in his eyes.

Those red orbs, normally dancing with cruel amusement, were now dark abysses, where fury and unease vied for control. Tension radiated from him like the heat of a fire hidden under the skin, about to consume and consume everything around him.

You realize, with a shudder, that his smile is not the strength it appears to be, but a mask to hide the storm boiling inside him. If that mask were to fall completely, not even hell itself would be refuge enough to escape what Alastor could unleash.

The world stopped.

It wasn't an illusion, it wasn't your imagination playing tricks on you. You saw it with your own eyes. For the first time in what seemed like an unbreakable law of the universe, Alastor's smile faded.

His mouth, always curved in that mocking, unchanging gesture, relaxed. His face, normally sculpted into a grimace of sinister mirth, was stripped of its usual mask. And in its place... a void. An abyss of pure, dangerous emotion.

The air felt thicker, heavy on your lungs, as if hell itself was holding its breath.

You closed your eyes for a second, convinced you were hallucinating. But when you opened them again, there he was, standing in front of you, his grin wide and sharp as a freshly sharpened razor.

As if nothing had happened.

No. No. No. No.

— Wait... No. — You blinked, your mind struggling to process what you had just witnessed. — You, you just... what was that?

Alastor cocked his head to one side, eyes sparkling with a playful glint.

— What was what, my dear? — He replied.

— Your smile. — Your own voice sounded strange in your ears, a murmur laden with disbelief. — It... was... gone.

Alastor's laughter erupted like dry thunder.

— Oh, my dear, are you insinuating that my lovely, charming smile is gone? — He snorted exaggeratedly as He folded one of him hands towards him in a quick gesture — What a naughty imagination of yours!

No. It couldn't be. You hadn't imagined it.

— I'm not crazy, Alastor. — You stared at him, looking for some trace of the crack you had seen in his facade. But there he was, with the same expression as always, mocking, amused, as if the whole conversation were a private joke.

— Of course you're not! Although, if you were, would you really know? — His laughter was light, melodious, but there was something... something in his eyes that didn't fit. A tension, a barely perceptible shadow behind the mask.

— Don't play games with me. — you frowned, and crossing your arms. — I saw it. Even if it was only for a second, I saw it.

Alastor sighed dramatically and put a hand to his chest.

— Oh, what a tragedy! My own friend doubting me, my poor heart is broken! — He blurted, as static flew swiftly through the air.

— Alastor. — You retorted.

His grin widened, fangs peeking out in a sharp glint.

— Yes! — He replied sweetly and effusively.

— Just...tell me. — You demanded quickly.

— Tell you what?

— That I didn't imagine it.

The demon bowed his head slightly, watching you with an almost feline curiosity. Then, with a light step, he approached, bowing just enough to be at your level.

His voice descended to a whisper, almost intimate, but the edge in his tone was impossible to ignore.

— If it were true... if I really lost my smile.... — Him eyes glowed, red as embers under the shadows. — Then what do you think would happen?

The air froze in your lungs.And, for some reason, you knew that was a question you never wanted to answer.

Oh, Fuck.

_________________________________________

[0viraptoraskblog]

Komodo and Dragon Info Dump 🦎

An archive of canon Komodo & Dragon information from Gato’s old blogs!

Check my page for other characters! Screenshots under the cut:

There are some text explanations between the screenshots this time!

That’s Dragon’s tattoo, and below is the alphabet for the demonic language they speak:

This is also the language Strade speaks in TINR, so it only made sense that he’d speak it in his demon form! (if you can’t see the faint letters behind the symbols, it’s going left to right— letters A-Z, numbers 1-9 and 0, and then punctuation)

Below is some concept art from early development. Back then they looked a bit different, and they were originally supposed to be an established couple before Gato said “nah, let’s make it complicated” lol.

And that’s.. kind of it, sadly. If I uncover more like I hope, I’ll add it to this post since it’s so small! So be on the lookout for that, just in case. I hope you enjoyed anyway ^^

I love them so much we need more content with them

[antivan-sprig]

Rook Literary Device Asks

I’m taking your Rooks back to Language and Literature class with these asks. I added a few examples to questions I found vague or difficult to explain. Hopefully it’s not too gratuitous!

These are based on common literary devices. I tried to pick more recognizable ones, or at least ones that autocorrect will pick up 📝

I’m considering doing a strictly NSFW one next. Lemme know if that appeals to you or not 💐

Dreams

I elect that Dwarven Rooks should still answer even if they don’t apply/aren’t canon. It can be theoretical for character exploration.

Allegory: What does Rook dream about?

Repetition: What are Rook’s nightmares? Did/does this change with age?

Cliffhanger: If a spirit wanted to trap your Rook in the fade, what would their best plan be?

Ex: Illusions of their past/wants, trapping them behind an emotion? (hello regret 🥚😔), promising them help in achieving their goals?

Tragicomedy: Would Rook make a deal with a demon? If no, what about a more benevolent spirit, would they make a deal with them?

Symbolism: The team is trying to rescue Rook from the fade. What five items do they use to do a summoning ritual?

Surrealism: How adept is Rook at navigating the Fade in dreams?

I believe it’s typically a sliding scale between these three points: no control (non mage) to some control (mage) to a lot of control (dreamer) but outliers definitely occur.

Morality

Hyperbole: Rook encounters two injured people. One a random npc citizen with a moderate but not life threatening injury and the other a venatori with a life threatening injury. As far as they can tell the Venatori was not actively involved in anything nefarious at this moment. Who does Rook help first (or at all)?

Foreshadowing: What does Rook think about Solas sacrificing the spirits of chaos and disorder? Would their opinion change if Solas had explained to the spirits that this was a mission they wouldn’t come back from?

Motif: What’s Rook’s opinion on the rite of tranquility? Is there ever a circumstance that could change this?

I know the fandom’s general opinion on tranquility is to absolutely admonish it, which is totally fair. But I also think OCs can and sometimes should have bad opinions or limited perspectives

Epigraph: What situation(s) would make Rook compromise their morals? How would Rook feel about this?

Point of View: Does Rook judge others for choices they made under duress?

Paradox: What’s Rook’s opinion on Blood magic?

Would they/have they ever participated in Blood magic (casting it, providing blood for it, was it their own or someone else’s etc.)

Personification: What’s Rook’s opinion on Necromancy? If your Rook is a necromancer, do they consider it a form of blood magic?

(AFAIK it canonically is, but that’s not an opinion held by all in Thedas)

Self Reflection

Anaphora: What lie is central to Rook’s worldview? How does this affect them?

Ex: Lisel thinks she can never regain the family she lost, so she neglects new relationships.

Extended metaphor: What inspires hope in Rook?

Dramatic Irony: Does Rook wonder why they’re the main character?

(As in, why they are in charge, why Varric picked them, why they’re connected to Solas etc.)

Do they have an explanation for why they are the main character? Fate? Chance? Skill? Maybe they don’t actually think they’re the mc?

Ex: Lise eventually comes to see taking the Evanuris down as a poetic justice. She dedicated her early (and happiest) life to worshiping Sylaise and feels it’s her responsibility to bring the remaining pantheon down. If they were ever the kind deities they claimed to be, she recognizes that they certainly aren’t now.

Exposition: What would Rook think of younger Rook? What would they tell them if given the chance?

Flashback: What past act is Rook most ashamed of?

Omniscient: Are there any secrets Rook is hiding? From others? From themselves?

Allusion: Who does Rook blame for their trauma, misplaced or not? Do they keep this a secret?

Physicality

Onomatopoeia: Describe how Rook speaks.

(Possible topics: Word choice, volume, phrasing, vocabulary, accents, tones, emotional intonation, speech impediments, etc!)

Isocolon: Describe how your Rook walks/runs.

(Possible topics: speed, agility, spatial awareness, grace, loud vs quiet steps, endurance, etc!)

Style: How does Rook sleep?

Archetype: Describe what another character might notice about your Rook physically.

Vignette: Describe the first time Rook got very injured. What was their reaction?

Juxtaposition: What’s their most prominent physical weakness and strength?

Bonus

Soliloquy: List/describe the most self indulgent headcanon/fic you’ve thought of for your Rook.