#thank you Orchid

[teleiapotami]

⋆ “god, you’re freezing! come here, let me warm you up.”

NaLu please ✨🔥

I'd love to! Anything for you, lol.

Words: 1,600 (Oops, that's longer than I meant it to be!)

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Lucy watched the snow begin to fall, coating the hood of her car thickly. “Typical.” She let loose a few colorful swearwords and glared at the ‘No Mobile Network Available’  that blinked unrepentantly on her phone. The snow was only coming down faster, and if the cell networks were down because of the storm…

She let out a low sigh and grabbed her jacket and purse. Staying in the car waiting for her phone to work was likely a death sentence. With one last glance at her mutinous phone, she shoved it into her purse and climbed out of her car.

“Holy fuck!” she muttered to herself. Inside the car, it looked like a peaceful, if heavy, snowstorm. Now, standing in it with the wind screaming around her, it was anything but peaceful. It was hard to tell exactly how far from town she was in the dark (which is exactly how she had run out of gas in the first place), but it didn’t matter. She didn’t have any other choice but to seek shelter wherever she could. With a shiver and a pit of growing dread, she began walking.  

She was just starting to think she was going to have to go back to the car if only to stay out of the wind when another car pulled up beside her. The window rolled down and a man leaned over. “Get in! You’re gonna freeze out there!”

Lucy hesitated for half a second before climbing into the car. The stranger in the car might be dangerous, but she was going to freeze to death if she stayed in the storm. The heat in the car drew a low whimper from her. “Thank you,” she managed to whisper.

“No problem. You belong to the car back there?”

Lucy managed a small nod, shivering too hard to respond properly. “Well, I’ll take you back to my place until the storm ends. My little sister should be there, so at least you’ll have someone besides some strange guy around. I’m Natsu, by the way.”

“L-L-Lucy.”

They pulled into a long driveway a few miles down the road and Natsu let out a low curse. “Looks like the powers out. Come on, let's get inside and see if Wendy’s been able to start a fire.” Lucy followed him into the house, gritting her teeth against the shivers that still racked her body. The house was dark and quiet when they entered, and Natsu sighed from the kitchen.

“She’s gone. Says she went to her friend’s house when the power went out. Give me a minute, I’ll get the fire going. Lucy moved slowly through the dark house, following him. It took him less time to build a fire than she had ever seen, and soon he was carrying in a stack of wood from the backrooms of the house.

“Here,” he said gently once he had finished building up a pile. “You need to get out of that jacket, or you’ll never get warm. I’ll hang it in the closet.” He watched her struggle with the buttons and zipper for a moment before he reached out. “May I?”

Lucy nodded and he helped her out of the jacket easily. He returned and took hold of her hands, rubbing them slowly. “You’re way too cold Lucy. How long were you out there?” He didn’t seem to expect an answer. Instead, he brought her hands to his mouth and blew on them, keeping his eyes on hers. She felt pinned under his dark gaze and her fingers trembled against his lips lightly. He was incredibly handsome, she realized, with messy pink hair and black eyes that glittered in the firelight.

He took in the paleness of her face and she felt his lips twitch into a frown against her hand. “Sit by the fire. I’ll get some pillows and stuff so you can stay beside it.” He waited until she tugged her hands out of his grip before he moved away. Lucy knelt beside the fire, trying to keep herself from shivering so violently, but the fire just didn’t seem to be enough.

Natsu came back with a veritable mountain of bedding and set about building a cozy nest of pillows and blankets. He frowned at her again. “Your lips are too blue. He reached out and brushed his hand against her cheek and his frown deepened. “God, you’re freezing still! Damn, why’d Wendy have to run off now?”

He kicked off his shoes and sat down on the pallet of bedding. “Listen, I know how this sounds, especially as a stranger who picked you up on the road, but the best way to warm you up right now is—”

“B-body heat,” Lucy said, nodding as she kicked off her own shoes. Natsu shed his shirt and glanced over at her.

“I can….I can help with those buttons, if you need me to,” he offered slowly, eyeing her button-down blouse. Lucy fumbled with the buttons for a moment with stiff fingers, then dropped her hands with a frustrated huff and nodded. “Why were you out in the storm instead of in your car?” he asked, making quick work of removing her shirt.

“I-I was trying to find y-you I g-guess.”

“Me?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“S-someone to h-help, I mean. Staying in the car,” she cut off, biting her lip when his hands dropped to hover over her hips.

“These too,” he mumbled, waiting for her permission to remove her jeans. She looked away and nodded.

“I-I know. U-Um…no one would have f-found me i-in the car. I was looking for help or somewhere t-to stay,” she finished, moving to sit on the blanket once he helped her out of her pants. She could hear him shedding his jeans behind her before he appeared beside her.

“Well, I don’t think this is gonna get less awkward, so let’s get comfy, yeah?” he said, gesturing vaguely at the pillows. Lucy couldn’t help but smile at his effort to dispel the tension and lay down, pulling a blanket over herself. At least if he couldn’t see her, it might be easier to snuggle with a stranger in her underwear. He crawled into place and tentatively pulled her against his chest.

“Jesus Christ,” he hissed when her cold skin pressed against him. At the same moment, Lucy let out a low moan at his warmth.

“How are you so warm?” she mumbled, unconsciously pressing tighter against him. He chuckled and nudged her legs until she tangled them with his.

“I’ve always run warm. Guess it’s a good thing now, huh?” He smiled when she let out a shaky giggle and relaxed slightly against him. She tucked her head under his chin and closed her eyes, letting out a soft hum.

“Can I sleep?” she asked after a few moments of silence.

“Yeah, I’ll make sure you wake up,” he murmured, slowly running his hand along her back soothingly.

“Natsu?”

“Lucy?”

“Thank you…I’d be d-dead if you hadn’t shown up,” she whispered. His arms tightened around her slightly at the thought.

“Nah, I was always gonna save you. Always will if you want me to,” he mumbled. Realizing how strange what he’d said was, he was glad Lucy couldn’t see the blush that dusted his cheeks. He cleared his throat nervously and pushed the thought away. “Sleep. I’ll keep the fire going.”

The storm raged through the night, turning the world silent under a thick blanket of white. Lucy stretched slowly as she woke, her fingers brushing over someone’s bare chest. Her leg was draped over one of his, her head rested on his chest, and a warm arm held her close to his side. She tensed slightly when a low, raspy voice sounded against her ear.

“Please don’t freak out. The floor isn’t the most comfortable spot in my house, and I have a headache.”

Lucy turned her face into his chest and let out a soft sigh that turned into a giggle. “It was Natsu, right?” she asked as she sat up, holding a blanket against her chest. He nodded with a tired grin.

“Yeah. How’re you feeling? You slept like a rock,” he chuckled, sitting up on his elbows as she pulled on her shirt. She smiled over her shoulder at him as she buttoned it.

“I feel better than I expected. I really can’t thank you enough.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, pulling on his jeans. “Let’s get you back to your car so you can head home.”

It took far longer than it should have to get back to her car even though the highway had already been cleared. Lucy tried to get out and help him, but he just shot her a look that seemed to dare her to disagree with him before he ventured out into the weather on his own. It took him all of five minutes to come back.

“Keys? I’ll warm it up for you,” he said, holding out his hand. Lucy rolled her eyes and handed them to him after a huff, which he endured with a maddening smirk. He leaned against her door while her car warmed up and glared at her when she rolled down his window. “You’re letting the heat out,” he grumbled.

Lucy giggled. “I’m not going to get that cold again in a few minutes. Besides, you can warm me up again if I do, right?” At Natsu’s quirked eyebrow, she blushed darkly. “That’s not what I….I mean…”

He chuckled and opened the door for her. “Don’t worry about it. I’m glad I was here when you needed me.” Lucy gave him a small smile, hyper-aware of his eyes following her as she moved over to her car. She tossed her purse into the seat, then turned to him after a moment’s hesitation.

“Natsu?”

“Lucy?”

She blushed again and bit her lip before continuing. “Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

His face split in a grin. “Absolutely.”

[thesituationroom]

all a tour really needs is 1 boston show 2 philly shows 1 new jersey show 3 new york shows and 1 toronto show. maybe a buffalo show

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

He's sensitive about that

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[beausbugbiome]

happy birthday! have this orchid bee

[inkblackorchid]

queen of faithshipping content, i need your 2cents, do you think that babies kissed off-screen in the finale? 🥹

Ok first of all "queen of faithshipping content" is a title I don't think I deserve (yet) but I'll happily take it ^^"

That said. Do u know what u have just unleashed. Listen. Listen.

Obviously they kissed off-screen. Like, I get it, the writers were cowards about the whole thing because it's a strictly genre-defined shonen show aimed at twelve year-old boys, yadda, yadda, but for the love of all that's holy.

Their faces are reflected in each other's fucking eyes. They must be standing so close together I can't.

AND THEN AKI CLOSES HER GODDAMN EYES. WHAT THE FUCK WOULD SHE BE CLOSING HER EYES FOR IF NOT FOR A KISS. You cannot make this shit up.

^ Extremely intimate way to hold hands.

Like. Look. Look. I'm not mandating that everyone needs to ship these two. People have their Yusei ships, people have their Aki ships, live and let live, I occasionally enjoy content shipping these two with other people too. It's literally fine. BUT. As far as the actual show is concerned for me, they are canon. At least as canon as toolshipping, roseknightshipping, treasonshipping, firebirdshipping or what have you, at any rate. And unless the actual, real-life team who wrote, storyboarded, animated, directed, and voice acted the scene above literally comes out of the woodwork to tell me otherwise, it's always going to be a kiss to me. Case closed.

So, did they kiss? Short answer: Yes.

Long answer:

[nebulations]

Fish, 7 (For your prompts! ❤️)

Hi, anon!! Thank you for the prompt, you were the very first one to send one in! 7 was, again, the wildcard, so I randomly generated a different number to land on Yue Qingyuan (from Scum Villain)! I have no choice but to dedicate this to @bytedykes, because I told her about this prompt and she said “yqy pet fish mental health speedrun” and we went, uh, a little insane about it. Enjoy some yuefang, folks!!!!

“Mu-xiong,” Yue Qingyuan says. “I’m sorry to bother you. Are you available?”

“Yue-xiong is never a bother,” Mu Qingfang says warmly. “And I am, actually, yes. Is everything okay, Yue-xiong?”

“I think I need help.” A bit dramatic, perhaps, and Yue Qingyuan hates to trouble Mu Qingfang on a rare day off, but Yue Qingyuan and impulse have never been the best combination, and he would appreciate a second opinion.

Mu Qingfang’s voice turns hard. “Where are you? I'll come right away.”

“What—?” Yue Qingyuan stares at his phone like the blank call screen will tell him why Mu Qingfang suddenly sounds so serious. “I'm at home, but—”

“I'll be right there,” Mu Qingfang says, and hangs up.

Yue Qingyuan stares at his phone for another second, then lifts his gaze to his sparkling new aquarium. His new betta, white and black and resplendent of fin, stares back. Was his crisis of faith about his viability as a fish owner really so deserving of such urgency…?

—

“So,” Mu Qingfang says. “This was your emergency?” He looks about as unimpressed by the betta as it does by the two of them.

Yue Qingyuan feels obscurely like he’s being scolded. Mu Qingfang is one of the nicest men he knows, but that just means that his censure takes the form of a blunt instrument of mass disappointment.

“In my defense,” he points out meekly, “I didn’t say there was an emergency. Mu-xiong just assumed.”

“That’ll teach me,” Mu Qingfang huffs, but at least he looks amused. “Yue-xiong should get used to asking for help more so this gege doesn’t have to panic every time he does ask.”

Yue Qingyuan’s mouth almost drops open. He can only hope his cheeks aren’t as red as they feel. “Er—well, I asked this time, didn’t I?”

“You did,” Mu Qingfang allows, looking something horribly close to fond. Yue Qingyuan swallows and tries to hurry on.

“So—not an emergency, but I do want your opinion,” he coughs out. “I’m having… doubts. About the fish.” Mu Qingfang’s eyebrows contract. Yue Qingyuan rushes it out. “Do you think I should keep it?”

“Yue-xiong…” Mu Qingfang looks politely incredulous. “Why does my opinion matter? The fish is already yours, isn’t it? If you don’t think maintaining its upkeep will be feasible, that’s one thing, but… Surely Yue-xiong did the research before getting it?”

He doesn’t sound judgemental, but Yue Qingyuan feels his cheeks warm. “I did, but I wasn’t planning on getting a fish; I was only admiring the tanks. There was a salesperson who was… very insistent.”

Mu Qingfang regards him doubtfully, which is fair. Yue Qingyuan towers over most people he meets, and his bulk only further adds to the impression of immovability. It’s only when he opens his mouth that it becomes clear how spineless he actually is.

Yue Qingyuan falters. “I had thought… I thought it might be nice.” The bettas had seemed so majestic in their tanks, iridescent monarchs of false grass and plastic coves, and Yue Qingyuan had thought, wildly, that one might be rewarding to keep, might breathe a touch of life into his immaculately sleek living room. The whole affair hadn’t even been expensive by his shiny new standards, forget difficult to physically arrange. It was only when installation and set-up for his new aquarium had finished and he was left to watch that jewel-bright being swim disaffectedly through its new home that doubt had seized him, all-consuming and black. He had, admittedly, panicked a little after that.

(Yue Qingyuan’s apartment is very large, and very clean, and very empty. It holds the barest amount of decoration and muss to qualify as lived-in rather than a snapshot from a magazine ad. The fish may, in fact, be the only thing in the entire place which really qualifies as his. No wonder Yue Qingyuan wanted to jettison it from his life as soon as he got it.)

Mu Qingfang’s expression hovers between concern and simple confusion. “I’m sure Yue-xiong will be a more than adequate caretaker,” he says, more gently than Yue Qingyuan and all his neuroses probably deserve. “What’s this really about, Yue-xiong?”

Ah. There it is. Being the mildest person of Yue Qingyuan’s admittedly sharp-tongued social circle doesn’t preclude Mu Qingfang’s wit from being as keen as the scalpels he works with.

“I don’t…” Yue Qingyuan falters. How to express to Mu Qingfang how manifestly unfit Yue Qingyuan is to care for any living creature at all? He changes tack. “I think he hates me,” he admits dolefully.

Mu Qingfang stares at him for a long time, long enough to imply that he’s reevaluating certain opinions about Yue Qingyuan’s intelligence. “Yue-xiong, with all due respect to your new pet—it’s a fish.”

“Fish have emotions!” Yue Qingyuan argues. He flushes at the volume at which it comes out, and at the way Mu Qingfang’s eyes go wide-eyed in startlement. But the salesperson had been very insistent about that, as well. “Bettas are intelligent animals. They dislike certain colors, apparently, and they’re very sensitive—ah, to environmental disruptions, that is. And—”

Mu Qingfang’s eyebrows are still high, but his face has relaxed into a smile. “It sounds to me like you like it quite a bit already. Isn’t that reason enough to keep it?” His tone curls with sudden mischief. “Have heart, Yue-xiong—you’ve hardly known each other for a day! Give it time to adjust to you, and I’m sure you’ll win it over as surely as you do everyone else.” And he grins, sure and easy in his trust that Yue Qingyuan won’t fumble and shatter something so small and monumental as a life that he could cup in his palms.

While Yue Qingyuan is still dazed by that, Mu Qingfang’s eyes alight with interest. “Ah, Yue-xiong—what have you named it?”

“...”

Mu Qingfang’s face falls as devastatingly as it had lit up. “Yue-xiong…”

“Mu-xiong is aware that I was unsure of whether or not I’d keep him!” Yue Qingyuan is terribly aware that his ears are now heating up to match his cheeks. Mu Qingfang’s ensuing laughter does not help with that matter.

Yue Qingyuan is not very good at holding onto things. More often than not, he makes a mess of whatever he’s set his clumsy hands to, lets it fall right through his scarred fingers. But Mu Qingfang’s words ring through his head: Isn’t that reason enough to keep it? And, well, isn’t it? Surely Yue Qingyuan is adult enough to follow through on this. Maybe happiness can be look like his new betta swimming up to the tank to observe the new colorful form moving in front of it, can come as easy as Mu Qingfang quipping that his knowledge about fish is clearly lacking and vowing casually to read up on bettas to be a better fish uncle.

Yue Qingyuan buries a smile and walks over to let Mu Qingfang know that bettas can be trained to follow fingers around. The betta’s clear preference for Mu Qingfang over Yue Qingyuan is as good a marker of intelligence as any fun fact the pet shop worker could have given him. Yes, Yue Qingyuan thinks with a smile—he thinks he’ll be keeping this after all.

[ki1ldeer]

A more direct redraw for winter-break-redraw-a-thon #2 of ??? As before, original under the cut oh yeah woo yeah

The quality on this original is particularly crusty I think because my room was dark and idk. From either late 2019 or early 2020 at the very beginning of my art style transition when things were very much AWKWARD. I wouldn’t start drawing ears until I drew fan art of Grace from infinity train

This is an old oc named… robin? I think? I don’t remember much of her backstory other than it was unnecessarily edgy because I was ✨17✨. If I had to guess based on the few drawings of her and her husband (who I chose not to draw because if I did he’d look too similar to current oc Finn’s brother) she was a disgruntled housewife either from the 1950s or early 1900s— I seemed to flip flop— who loved to manipulate her husband into committing crimes with her. Loved her for a hot minute. I think parts of her backstory got recycled for Emmeline and Heidi’s backstory lol

[bumblingbabooshka]

how do you think Tuvok would do with being on a farm/taking care of various farm animals? He seems like such an ethereal high horse city dwelling kinda guy it’s tough to picture, but imagining him in overalls and flannel is… tempting. Omg and with a biggggg straw hat with two holes cut out for his bigass ears

I have a personal headcanon that Tuvok doesn't really like animals and they always want to bother him when he's around, reinforcing his avoidance of them. However, when he was a temporarily disowned teenager at the monastery he had to take care of the Vulcan Chicken-Equivalents as his chore sometimes and he always had a difficult time. His hands were always pecked bloody and his clothes got dirty and he kept breaking eggs by accident. He kept getting assigned to the chore though, especially if he complained v_v I think current Tuvok would do alright with gardening but actual farmwork is VERY laborious and I don't see him being particularly interested in animals...I do really WANT to see him doing farm work though, bc it'd provide a lot of avenues for slapstick comedy. Neelix: Be sure to let me know if you get too tired, Mr. Vulcan! Tuvok: After [Vulcan Experience] this is hardly a challenge, Mr. Neelix. Neelix: Mhm, oh good...Watch out for that rake! Tuvok: Ra-? [BAM] Chakotay, Later: Nice work, Neelix. Naomi. ...? Where's Tuvok? [Neelix & Naomi look at each other and giggle] Neelix: Oh I'm sure he's hanging around here somewhere, commander! [In the background Tuvok is in a tree, staring down a large animal which clearly wants to attack him] <- Neelix & Naomi aren't helping him because he said he didn't need any so OK~! Good luck~!! Another headcanon I have!! Tangentially related - is that Tuvok did not know how to grow crops and the airponics bay's vegetable supply is mostly due to Kes and Neelix at first. [Kes teaches him as they go]

[m2nlight]

Welcome to my page ⭐

Hello to my lovely traveler and all dearest for visiting my page! i would like to introduce myself a little. But first, please leave if you are a minor or not comfortable with any content i do or like. And pretty please put your age on your bio or else i'll have to block you.

I'm an artist with any name you can call, m2n or even your babe- Btw i'm pretty fine with pet name so go ahead. I am a girl but go with any pronouns. Some of fandom i'm in⭐ - degrees of lewdity - any yandere visual novel - monsterfucker What i do in my content⭐ - 18+ art not just sex scene but for gore too or just some cute drawing. - many kinky stuff. Some personal # ⭐ - #m2n art for any of my art content. - #m2n repost for any of my repost. - #m2n ramble just something i wanted to talk about. - #for my dearest♡ for any FA i do for anyone. - #thank you dearest♡ for any FA i receive. OC stuff⭐ - #m2nlight sona just my sona, nothing much. - #lalita the orchid dol's pc CMS INFO⭐ https://m2nlightdearly.carrd.co/

Mostly important is my page welcome anyone as long as you not a minor, troublesome and making any trouble to anyone.

[moonsorchid]

Rewatching ep.30 of Love Between Fairy and Devil and blogging my reaction

(because I guess I want you to suffer with me?)

What is that feeling called when you miss something, but at the same time you are fully aware it's going to break your heart to pieces?

Well, that's what I am feeling now as I am starting this episode. And yes, I use sarcasm and silly humor, that will definitely not make you laugh, to deal with my emotions, so consider yourself warned.

(spoilers ahead)

So the episode begins with Xiao Lanhua looking at fabrics for her wedding dress. Imagine watching this for the first time and thinking "we are definitely getting a happy wedding, everything will be OK"

Whenever I see them walking on this balcony? platform? what would you call this? I always wonder how many people have fallen out of pure clumsiness. Why are there no railings? So if you are close to the edge and you accidentally stumble, ooops you are gone, buh bye

"Between Shangque and I, who is more stupid?" - Future Moon Queen of Cangyan Sea

Xiao Lanhua is taking DFQC's measurements for his wedding outfit. He tells her the war is coming, but she is in denial (just as I am - everything is fine, everything will be just perfect)

"No matter what happens, we face it together" *melting*

DFQC is sitting by her side as she is sleeping – which is the cutest thing ever – but she has a sort of nightmare with Chidi. She tells her that only one of them can survive. When she wakes up, DFQC is so worried. I am struggling inside, because I want him to tell her all about the bracelet. I know he can’t and that there would be no sense in doing so, but I just hate that he is keeping her in the dark.

Aaaand that’s the moment the evil Qi enters DFQC through his eyes.

DFQC is waving his sword against Tai Sui (he mainly strikes the air around him) and all I can think is how HOT he is while doing so.

I love love watching them like this

I would never imagine while watching the first episodes that there would come a time when Xiao Lanhua would tell Changheng that meeting her is inappropriate and ask him to leave.

“I am Xiao Lanhua, not the Goddess of Xishan.” These words will haunt me during the next episodes

“Tomorrow’s wedding is not your destiny.” Seriously? Just leave my babies alone! *pouting*

“Why can’t I love someone and the people at the same time?” My goodness, this is heartbreaking :(

Xishan is so beautiful

She loves him, she loves him sooooo much that not even the god turtle can stop her or Changheng or anyone.

Poor Changheng trying to badmouth DFQC to make her stay with him. Oh well

OMG, XUNFENG I SWEAR IF YOU KEEP TALKING -

Xunfeng takes her to the fake Arbiter Hall to imprison her, and yes, I hate him again (our love story is a rollercoaster, enemies to lovers to enemies), but what I notice also is that the sky is black and there is lightning and thunder. DFQC is not well :(

“Luckily I am smart.” I love you, Xiao Lanhua

Not them destroying the beautiful flowers :(

You take too much pleasure in this, Xunfeng

Great, you’ve made my girl sad, are you happy now????

For some reason I can’t hate Jieli. At least I know she is in pain. She does not like at all what she has to do. She hates herself first before anyone else can hate her.

And now Xiao Lanhua has gone to DFQC and he is hostile. It’s like watching his emotions being ripped away for the second time.

No :(

How did he find the courage to speak to her like this? I know I know why he did it, to save her blah blah blah, but still. I am telling you it feels like his emotions are being removed all over again. I hate it, I HATE IT

My heart is broken indeed:( See you for the much dreaded episode 31

Bonus: drinking game every time you read the word “hate” in this post

[orchid-151]

Character Ask

Hello, Orchid.

How long were you traveling the world? How hard it is?

(Wanted to add color and shading, so might post that one later~)

[Takes place after comics]

"Oh well, I've traveled for a while now. At least for 3 to 4 years by now~"

"Terrain can be quite unpredictable though... you could find yourself climbing mountains, or traversing 'deep darks'... or you could find a nice quiet path by a stream. But no matter how treacherous the travel, I always end up ok in the end~"

"It's like I have my own guardian angel by my side~ "

[idontmindifuforgetme]

hi ily btw <3 you remind me of orchids. checking in on you!!!

i remind you of THESE… my heart is about to burst

[ningtual]

teo compliments always have me go

[sunsetsandsunshine]

Random thing that happened today ig???

So basically how my school works is there are people how board at the school and there are people who don’t and only attend during the day.

The boarding students are called Boarders while the others are called Day Students.

So I was showing one of the Day Students my dorm room bc they’ve never been in it before, right?

And when we went in she saw my Mutant Mayhem poster I had hung up and she deadass said “Yeah…you seem like the kind of person who likes TMNT…”

LIKE HELLO 💀😭???

[inkblackorchid]

Honestly, as someone who's mostly a Roseknightshipper, it's been a lot of fun to go through your stories and discover your decision to make Sherry the Shounen Homoerotic Tension Rival. Obviously it's a pipe dream for it to actually happen, since Faithshipping has been locked in since chapter 1, but I can nonetheless get a lot of enjoyment out of Sherry testing the limits of Aki's sexuality.

Weirdly, I find your writing of their dynamic a lot more appealing than a lot of actual Roseknight fics, since it plays on an aspect that they tend to skate over: that is to say, Sherry isn't a very good person. She's not evil, per se, and certainly nowhere near as bad as Divine, but compared to Yusei, she represents a much more dangerous option, while Yusei comes off as the safe boyfriend you could bring to meet your parents (which is deeply funny for a guy with a well-earned criminal record).

As you write her, Sherry plays into all of Aki's worst instincts and attitudes, but unlike Divine, she's not doing it for selfish reasons (at least, not entirely). She wants Aki to fuck shit up, not for the sake of using her as a tool, but because she genuinely thinks Aki is at her best when she's in fuck-shit-up mode. And unlike Divine, she actually has a point--Aki trying to outright bury that part of her is indeed unhealthy, even if Sherry's solution is hardly the correct one. At the same time, this means she has the capacity to take Aki's own jabs at her seriously, because despite it all, she does seem to have a real fondness for her.

Point being, it's a neat dynamic, and I'm interested in seeing where it goes.

Considering the faithshipping endgame in my fics is, as you said, telegraphed from miles away, I find it hilarious but also genuinely flattering that Aki and Sherry's dynamic is still compelling enough to appeal to Roseknight shippers. Because yeah, I did purposefully write Sherry as ye olde shonen rival who's a bit too up in Aki's business and a bit too close and personal not to send mixed signals. (And honestly I have a lot of fun doing it. The weird sexual tension is hilarious to write.)

And Sherry certainly isn't a great person, no! But that's part of what makes her so interesting to me. Sherry may be valiant and dashing, but while her motivations are certainly understandable... they're also selfish, to be honest. Like yes, Iliaster is evil (mostly). But Sherry isn't fighting them because they're evil, she's fighting them because they took something away from her. And the second they promise to give it back, she chooses to switch sides. Because ultimately, she's not in this for the world or for the Greater Good or for justice, she's in it for herself. Which makes her very interesting and me very sad that she wasn't written better. Sherry being the dangerous option VS Yusei being the boyfriend you can show off to your parents made me chuckle, ngl. (Also, not inaccurate, as ironic as that is.)

And your description of Sherry's motivations is pretty much spot on for what I had in mind when I wrote her for my adjusted canon. Her "guidance" for Aki isn't coming from a place of malice, but Sherry has a skewed view of the world, so her solutions are also skewed accordingly. What she thinks is good VS what would actually be good are two different things, even if she'snot wholly wrong to tell Aki not to put herself in a muzzle. But yes, the fondness is real and I love playing with the back and forth between these two biting each other, then going back to trading genuine wisdom and life advice. Mixed signals galore.

Thank you very much! I hope you'll enjoy the future encounters these two will get in my stories. The resolution is already planned out, I just gotta get to writing it, haha.

[orchidshroomgardenselfships]

Hello, Pitaya Dragon Cookie, and happy FOvember! I hope you and yours are doing well! Do you have any special plans with Orchid Cookie coming up? What's something you like to do together? (-dragonsmooch)

"Sssssomeone approachesss!"

"Yessss, we do have planssss! It'ssssss mosssstly more mortal traditionsssss, sssssuch asssss that one holiday in december! My treasssssure'ssss birthday isssssn't too far off from it either. She ssssssaid she didn't have plansssss, but I plan to ssssssmother her in affection~ It'sssss a sssspecial day for mortals, after all~"