#that characterization is what the general public sees him as. but still

[ducktracy]

never posted these here but wanted to prop this up: a well directed sequence! some VERY strong and in your face parallels (especially that up angle of Popeye and Bluto throwing Olive onto the couch, establishing her as the helpless middleman), little nuances that support those parallels, and just a great helping of personality that is always so dominating of the Popeye cartoons. that the dominating music here is “Love thy Neighbor”—used with an acerbic irony—ties it all together.

the punches Popeye and Bluto throw at each other is my favorite part. Bluto only needs to throw one punch—it matches how big, imposing, and “whole” he is. Popeye throws multiple; they’re smaller, just as he is, but more spry and split the difference. likewise, Bluto throwing in that extra “runt” after his punch is a great reflection of his character—he resorts to violence AND petty insults, making him seem even more unlikable. Popeye gets back at him with the violence, but he doesn’t stoop to his level with the name-calling.

even how they react to Olive offering candy is indicative of their character. Bluto is indulgent, pleasure-seeking (even if it is from a mere chocolate), and seldom thinks before he acts. Popeye on the other hand is more courteous, polite, and doesn’t succumb to his instincts as easily. his “no thank you,” is more genuine than Bluto’s own coy expression of thanks

[gatitties]

My hero academia gang reacts to a new student male!reader who has an unusual quirk of being extremely lucky. They can still fight and have insane strength of their own but their quirk when activated makes enemies stumble, their attacks weaker, get blown up by their own moves and perfect his own abilities. Not only does it affect them on the battlefield but outside in their daily life too. Everything seems to go their way without even trying. Perfect in school, perfect on the field, many lovestruck admirers, and a perfect hero in the making.

But in the reader’s eyes it’s more of a curse than a blessing. They try to minimize their quirk to the point it doesn’t have such a direct effect on their life. Reader comes from an insanely rich well renowned family who is thought highly of by society thanks to that lucky quirk. Also the reader is considered a pretty boy by everyone so he’s quite popular and a quickly growing fan favorite by the public. Everyone wants to be his friend. This actually makes them uncomfortable and insecure because they believe it’s just the quirk that’s making it all happen. Thats it’s not him that they want.

First meeting reader seems like the most perfect guy in the world who has it all. Confident, charming, and a model student. Everything goes right for him. But then people notice that he seems distant and avoids people some may see this as being stuck up but he’s actually afraid of making friends because he thinks it’s the quirk they’re really drawn to. But underneath he’s really an energetic, giddy, nerd with a lot of heart just wanting to break free of his family’s shadow and prove that he can make it on his own.

─MHA x male!reader

─Summary: Your family and your quirk don't help you trust others, but you try to make a change, step by step.

─Warnings: none

Sorry if this is too general and not focused on just one group more :(

─ When you start the hero course everything goes as you thought, your parents' position and old reputation at school only made you stand out like a sore thumb among the other teens, you were a correct, polite, patient, good student… a perfect model of the best version of a student.

─ Practically all the departments and teachers knew about you for one reason or another, of course, your influence and power made you be in class 1-A, where you found those who admired your quirk and others not so much.

─ It was more than nice, although strange, to be rejected by Bakugo without having really done anything, that guy just hates everyone by the looks of it, but since you had never been rejected, it made you feel that he was really sincere about his thoughts about you.

─ That didn't mean you stopped paying attention to others, the class itself was quite welcoming, there was that determination that characterizes all heroes, although the first few weeks you only leaned towards small interactions due to your insecurities.

─ Your ability was very useful and certainly something out of the ordinary, where you can find mutations or alterations of space, you are simply lucky and depend on your own body, many people find it incredible, and many people only approach you because of that same ability, if you think about it, you can have everything you want if you have luck on your side!

─ You hate it, that's why it takes you a long time to really be friends with anyone, no matter how friendly Izuku's group is, in your eyes they are not being sincere, on the contrary, Bakugo's group along with some other students from class B will think that you are conceited, that you think you are better than others and that is why you don't want to spend some time with them.

─ The fact that you minimized the use of your ability is what made you develop that good layer of muscles, since if you don't want to depend on your quirk, it's better to have your body and mind well trained, being in good shape also ruined your mood a bit, it made you more popular among some people.

─ The teachers are the only ones who know why you are like this, maybe they have received some warning from your parents, they know how hard it is for you to make friends and they didn't want you to close yourself off.

─ Sometimes they are the cause of this, you carry the whole family lineage and many hopes on you make you feel unsure if you will be as good as all of them, unintentionally they put those expectations on you, although you won't let them know.

─ Aizawa pairs you with Uraraka, Mina, Denki or Kirishima, since they are the ones who are most open to talking to anyone naturally, probably one of them will be your first friend.

─ All Might will leave you in Izuku's hands, he knows what his boy is like and this broccoli is willing to make you feel much better, although he doesn't understand why sometimes you still prefer Bakugo's company.

─ When small bonds of friendship begin to blossom, you decides that you should make friends on your own, since it had been the class itself who had taken the trouble to make you come out of your mental hiding place, this time you should be the one to initiate the interactions, you thought it would be a step forward to put aside your insecurity.

─ It wasn't easy, Monoma didn't like you very much (he just doesn't like anyone from 1-A), still, just like with the explosive blonde in your class, you were glad it was like that, you knew he was totally sincere, although if he went too far making comments here and there that could be hurtful, Kendo would take care of giving him a good punch.

─ Kendo, Tetsutetsu and Ibara are pretty easy going, so you consider it a personal achievement to have made friends with them on your own, when you tell your group of friends from 1-A they are happy that you have managed to leave behind the prejudices about your quirk and make more friends on your own.

─ As for Todoroki and Hitoshi (who you coincided with a lot because of Aizawa) they were the hardest to relate to, they also distanced themselves from people, like you at first, although they did not hide a personality as bubbly as yours once you move around in a more comfortable environment.

─ Quite nice once you manage to get past their walls, like you, they thought they did not need anyone to move forward, that company would be useless or interest moved people, but many people have shown you that those thoughts are false.

─ You also took the time to talk to your family, all the burden that came with being the son of a big company or two well-known figures, you wanted to have more room to make mistakes in practice, to experiment without having an accusing eye for your stumbles being part of the family, to demonstrate your worth without the need for your last name.

─ Almost everyone loves the new change (Bakugo is not yet in his redemption arc), before you looked good, but your gaze was lost and dull, now your smile is sincere, your eyes have a new light and you take the time to chat at length with every person who stops you in the hallways.

[tswhiisftteedr]

Not to be rude but you accidentally put val's story in vox's masterlist instead. Srry I didn't feel comfy dming you. Nothing against you at all I'm just a coward wanting to hide in anon haha. Ig while I'm here could I get vox general hcs pls?

What the Tv do? ☆ Vox General Headcanon + Drabbles (SFW & NSFW)

☆ Vox General headcanon + Vox x Gn!Reader(Employee!Reader??):

Some general thoughts about the tv man and also his relationship with the ‘reader’. This is silly, this is fun, fluffy and smutty.

Warnings: Mature Content, Not Proofread, Drinking, Death(literally overdose on coffe nothing gruesome), Drug use(c0caine and others substances), Sadistic Tendencies, Dub-Con, Power Imbalance/Power Play, Obsessive and Possessive Tendencies and Acts, Stalking, Voyeurism & Exhibitionism, Boss x Employee, Pet Play?(Just collaring and slight animal based pet names), Valentino.

Words: Total: 5496 = Sfw - 2609 + Nsfw - 2887

Note: I only wrote 1 drabble, i might add more if people request it about the specific headcanon they want more on. so I’m not good with request like these, I like when they are more specific so I have sort of something to base my writing on, so sorry if you anon or people don’t like what I’ve wrote, r.i.p. >:/ Though tell me if you want more!!

☆ more under the cut. ☆

SFW:

☕︎ Coffee addict and 𓏊 Alcoholic

Vox is the figurative and quite literally incarnation of the ‘don’t talk to me until I’ve had my coffee’ phrase.

But we’re talking coffees instead of coffee with him — two cups straight out of bed to be precise. When totalling the day’s consumption, Vox indulges on average, 6-7 cups of 10 oz coffee; in addition to his morning coffees, he likes to have a mid-morning cup, then two during lunch and finally 1-2 cups during the afternoon depending how late he is working.

Is this per say, ‘healthy’? No, not at all, Vox couldn't care less — worst ‘worst’ case scenario, he quote on quote dies, the coffee he had intake ends up intoxicating him due to the splurging amount of it, turning this mondaine drink into a lethal liquid for the overlord’s body. His heart would stop, sub-consequently, him and his body would be out.

Though the good thing — or bad, it all depends on your angle — about hell is that in about the span of 10 minutes his body will have fully regenerate and be back open for business. Some sinners call it it a curse, he calls it a blessing, as this part of the ‘eternal punishment’ practically makes him immortal.

So is he going to work on regulating his caffeine intake? Obviously not!

Worst thing he gets from his ‘little problem’ is a heart attack, and they don’t permanently keep him down. — Sure, they hurt like a bitch, and he would rather not be having them at all to be truthful.

But he honestly he doesn’t see his bimonthly cardiac arrests as that steep of a price to pay. (Honestly how can such a smart businessman be so dumb about his health. * face palming and baffled at the idiocy of it all *)

Now when alcohol is the subject of conversation, Vox takes a slightly different approach, albeit one still characterized by overindulgence.

You see, he prides himself on being the epitome of a charming, classy, and self-controlled casual drinker, compared to his drunkard of a pattern —Valentino— our lovely show host with anger issues and both inferiority and superiority complex is a sophisticated and savvy man.

However, beneath this facade of self-control, which he upholds quite well to the public eye, hides his obvious alcoholism issues.

While he may not be stumbling and blubbering around, picking fights,— in most instances at least— Vox is certainly what you might call a “day drinker."

In fact, this is actually a canonical trait, which was displayed in episode two of the show; Him discussing with others Vees on how to deal with the radio demon’s comeback, a drink in hand.

I presume thatit was a scotch on the rocks due to it’s colour but also it’s historical relevance in relation to Vox’s person— Scotch whisky poured over ice, gained popularity in the 1950s primarily in Western countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

It became a symbol of sophistication and leisure, often enjoyed in upscale bars, clubs, and lounges frequented by the affluent and fashionable crowd of the era.

Additionally, its popularity was bolstered by the rise of cocktail culture during the mid-20th century, as well as the increasing availability of Scotch whisky in international markets. — this fits quite nicely Vox’s character as it is both a drink of his time on earth but also one that remains relevant in the contemporary era.

It easily mirrors Vox's overarching desire to maintain relevance and significance, both in the present and in the ever-evolving future.

The overlord definitely adhere to ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere’ religiously. Though he does prefer to enjoy his daily drink around 5 p.m. PRT (Pride Ring Time).

He will occasionally enjoys a drink with his lunch, often opting for wine, although this isn't a regular occurrence for the man.

As someone constantly under stress, with his mind racing to keep up with the ever-changing trends and opinions in hell, Vox is a type to indulge in a nightcap or two before bed.

It helps him unwind and achieve the relaxed state of mind necessary for a restful night's sleep.

ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁 Sleep

While the notion of ‘Vox's dreams playing on his screen while he's asleep’ is an amusing concept for fanfiction or artwork, I personally find the idea of ‘the VoxTek logo bouncing around like the DVD logo’ to be more fitting for Vox.

Before delving further, it's important to note that initially, it wasn't necessarily the VoxTek logo projected on his screen; however, I'll address this shortly.

The reason I lean towards the DVD logo concept is because I find it unlikely that Vox's screen would be completely black during sleep. A completely dark screen would imply the device is completely off, no energy is being received or given by it, which would suggest that it is no longer alive. Having some activity on Vox’s screen while asleep would signify that his program is still active, indicating he's still functioning, essentially alive.

Now regarding the widely shared headcanon, I have my own personal take on it.

When Vox first manifested in hell, his 'real name' appeared on screen. By 'real name,' I mean the one he had on Earth, which I believe wasn't Vox —That name seems too futuristic for a person born in the early 1900s or the kind of name you'd associate with a 1950s businessman— Vox is a name he chose for himself after death, symbolizing a fresh start, though I do think that his real name might also have started with a V.

(This perspective extends to other 'Vees' as well, although Velvette seems more plausible as a given name, I suspect it might not be her original one. Valentino, on the other hand, feels like a name assigned to him, but he too might have adopted a new one after death.)

Initially, Vox was unaware of his old name appearing on his screen while he slept since he wasn't conscious during that time. It wasn't until about half a year into his time in hell, during which he introduced himself as Vox to everyone, that one of his acquaintances pointed out this aspect of his physiology. Something along the lines of "Who's V———?" or "Why does V——— show on your screen while you sleep?" triggered a cascade of reactions in him.

Firstly, he panicked, realizing that people had access to his old identity. Secondly, he was puzzled by this phenomenon since no TV he had encountered displayed such behavior, which was normal considering DVDs weren't invented before 1996. — Hell sure was weird, he possessed technological features as part of his physiology before they were even invented— Lastly, this revelation instilled in him a new fear of sleeping.

This behavior stemmed from Vox's desire to construct a fresh existence in hell, complete with a new identity, image, empire, etc. The thought of others accessing his old name and exploiting it to uncover details about his past, including his behaviors, weaknesses, and tactics, filled him with dread.

As a result, he became hyper-vigilant, refusing to sleep unless he was certain of his solitude, fearing the potential repercussions of his former identity being known.

It wasn't until the mid 1960s that Vox had finally managed to upgrade his system, replacing ‘V———‘ with 'Vox'. However, even after this upgrade, he still harboured reservations about sleeping around others for about a year or two. He feared a potential glitch that could revert his screen to displaying his previous name.

Around the late 1970s he had made an adjustment to this aspect of his body once more, replacing 'Vox' with the VoxTek logo after a certain moth had suggested it.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 Sexuality

Our beloved Tv Demon a canonical bisexual man, but I personally believe that while he may have bisexuality as his sexual orientation, — his attraction to men was something he only came to realize after death. Although there were subtle hints of his attraction to the same gender based on how he felt about them, he unfortunately didn't grasp them while still alive;

It would have been the late 1950s, and Vox had been in hell for about a year or two. In his earthly life, he had been with his fair share of women, and even in the "surprisingly not so fiery pits of the underworld," his ability to attract partners hadn't diminished much once got over his TV head appearance and let place for his charming and savvy persona to take over.

His love life seemed unchanged, perhaps with occasional exploration of new kinks, until that fateful night of October 11, 195X...

Vox had gone out for a drink after a grueling day at work, back when he was still toiling away at a low-paying job in an electronics factory, toasters, vacuum, etc. Despite the shitty work he had to go through, he had the perk of taking home broken scraps, which eventually played a role in his rise to success. But let's refocus on his night out, shall we?

He walked into his newfound favorite spot, a comedy bar where he sought solace in laughter and libations after a hard day. Arriving just as the performer began their set, he headed straight to the bar for his usual whiskey on the rocks, with nothing else on his mind. It wasn't until the comedian delivered a particularly hilarious joke that Vox turned to look at them and found his attraction piqued.

It was evident that they were a man with the specific style flashy outfit and makeup they wore. The voice was also a dead giveaway. The person now standing on stage, delivering one funny punchline after another, was a drag queen – a stunning one in Vox's eyes.

He couldn't tear his gaze away; there was something irresistibly captivating about the humorous individual on stage.

After the performance, as they made their way to the bar, Vox seized the opportunity. He introduced himself, and they exchanged pleasantries. They shared drinks and engaged in lively conversation, making for a truly enjoyable night that ended with a bang, quite literally.

In the morning, as clarity returned, Vox couldn't help but feel confused. He had never been attracted to men before, so he initially chalked it up to the alcohol or the fact that his night companion appeared so feminine that he mistook them for a woman.

However, as memories of the night flooded back, he couldn't deny his genuine attraction to every aspect of his partner, even the unmistakably male parts.

Initially, it felt strange to Vox as he reflected on the experience. However, after hours of deep contemplation, everything started to fall into place.

Vox realized he had always felt an affinity towards men, though expressing it as "liking men" might have appeared odd to outsiders. When he used that phrase, it wasn't in the context of sexual or romantic attraction but more of an admiration.

Yet, upon further reflection, he acknowledged that his feelings surpassed mere admiration.

He had never entertained the idea of it being anything akin to sexual or romantic attraction, but his recent encounter forced him to reconsider as he contemplated his life and the events of the previous night.

Vox liked men;

— Vox had always been drawn to the men of his time who exuded masculine confidence and assertiveness, finding their presence alluring and desiring to be in their company constantly.

He liked when they wore classic masculine fashion, such as tailored suits with narrow lapels, fitted jackets, and straight-leg trousers. These outfits oozed sophistication and professionalism, and Vox admired the attention to detail displayed.

Additionally, he liked when men would add classic accessories like fedora hats, skinny ties, cufflinks, and pocket squares to their outfit, they added to the polished and stylish appearance.

The preppy style also appealed to Vox, as he admired men who wore V-neck sweaters, button-down shirts, khaki trousers, and loafers. This style exuded a sense of casual elegance and refinement that he found attractive.

He also had a penchant for rebellious men who embraced a non-conformist aesthetic, often seen in leather jackets, denim jeans, white T-shirts, and motorcycle boots.

Vox liked when men were smart and witty, could keep up with the conversation and also teach something along the way.

Vox liked men who exuded strength and athleticism, finding their ability to handle themselves physically appealing. For instance, witnessing a fistfight between coworkers would stir his emotions, initially attributing his excitement to the violence of the altercation.

However, he would inevitably find himself gravitating towards the winner, intrigued by their display of strength and skill, and feeling drawn to them in some inexplicable way. There was something about winners that captivated him and sparked his desire to get closer to them.

He like men who were daring, adventurous, and unafraid to push boundaries, they appealed to his sense of excitement and thrill-seeking.

He liked men who were ambitious, goal-oriented, and willing to pursue their dreams with determination might have resonated with Vox on a subconscious level.—

After his one-night stand, Vox was determined to clarify things once and for all. Following another grueling day of work, he ventured out again, this time to a gay bar, seeking the company of someone who embodied the traits he found most appealing in men, wanting to ensure it wasn't just the alcohol or the femininity of his previous partner. Without delving into detail, let's just say he had quite the night and afterward, there was no doubt in his mind: ‘he liked women, and he definitely also liked men.’

Following that experience, Vox began seeing more individuals of the same gender. However, he still held onto the notion that while he might be attracted to men, he didn't believe he would be interested in them as anything more than sexual partners. That was until he met Alastor...

Initially, Vox approached the radio demon seeking friendship or perhaps a partnership, given Vox's burgeoning company and rising status as an overlord. However, he soon found himself enamored with Alastor. Unfortunately for Vox, his feelings were not reciprocated. After that, Alastor distanced himself from Vox, leading our TV host to regard his old love as an enemy.

In response to the rejection, Vox decided to cease seeing men altogether, engaging in a series of short-term relationships with women. However, he soon realized he was simply idealizing Alastor and shifted his focus from woman to men for meaningless relationships, attempting to prove to himself that any other man was better than "that Bambi bitch."

But this approach only intensified the emptiness he felt. Recognizing the detrimental effects of his frantic behavior on himself and his company, Vox resolved to regulate and get back on a more business focused path.

The fact that rumours began circulating about his supposed "homoerotic relationships," was also a big push into getting back on track, as a word like that getting out was detrimental to business, since being gay was still stigmatized even in hell, during this time period.

It was around the late 1970s, with the rise of gay rights activism, that Vox began publicly dating men. Coincidentally, this was also when he met and began his business partnership (and more) with Valentino.

𝜗𝜚˚⋆ Names

Vox has a penchant for using endearing or patronizing nicknames, regardless of the gender of his employees. He will refer to them as "sweetheart," "doll face," or simply "doll."

In moments of frustration or when faced with resistance, he's not shy about using terms like "little girl" or "little boy," or even "kid," to belittle those who question him.

Additionally, he might employ terms like "Princess" or "your highness" as forms of condescension, no matter the gender of the person he is addressing.

NSFW

𓊔 Party

Despite Vox's obsession with his and the Vees' image, when it comes to partying, he becomes a total animal — I’m talking ‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ type of wild.

Lavish gatherings marked by obscene spending and excessive drug intake, especially cocaine.

Vox typically indulged in doing lines off his desk or the luxurious crystal table in the lounge. However, what truly exited him was snorting lines off someone, getting his rocks off at their inability to refuse his advances and delighting in the control he exerted as he pinned them down to prevent any squirming.

The slight anxious tears and nervous mewls from whoever served as his snorting surface always stirred something within Vox. While he would grow irritated if they moved too much, the subtle signs of fear, such as the wetting of their eyes and trembling breath, would quickly reignite his unstable emotions. He found himself intensely aroused by their scared state, and more than once, he acted on these desires…

Drabble:

You were a VoxTek employee, more specifically; Vox’s secretary.

As Vox's secretary, navigating Alastor-related tantrums and enduring the grueling hours could be incredibly taxing, but the job itself had its perks.

Thanks to your position in the company, you enjoyed luxurious accommodations in the finest suites the V Tower had to offer.

Despite the challenges, Vox could be surprisingly pleasant, his charismatic charm reminiscent of his earlier days when his hypnosis wasn't as potent. And beneath the unconventional exterior of his TV head, there was no denying the appeal of his well-built physique.

Given the close proximity and constant interaction with Vox, it was inevitable to develop a small crush on your boss. His magnetic presence and the fact he was practically the only person you interacted with regularly since he requested you to work closer to him about three months ago only fueled this infatuation.

You liked your boss, but at this moment, you couldn't stand him;

It was 3 a.m. on a Sunday, the one day of the week you were supposed to have some semblance of off-time, with the luxury of sleeping in until noon.

But instead of enjoying your well-deserved rest in bed, you found yourself reluctantly entering the elevator, begrudgingly making your way to the usually closed-off top floor of the building.

Why? Because you had received a threatening and slightly slurry phone call from your boss, demanding your immediate presence or else face termination.

With your livelihood seemingly hanging in the balance, you complied without questioning, even though you loathed every second of it.

After punching in the code provided, you entered the lounge area of the top floor to find all three Vees lounging about. Valentino was enveloped in smoke, while music filled the air.

"Y/N! So glad you made it! Come 'ere," Vox exclaimed, his gestures frantic, urging you to approach quickly. He appeared laid-back, friendly, and strangely excited, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor of coldness and condescension.

Confusion clouded your expression as you approached the couch, unsure of what to make of Vox's sudden change in behavior. Velvette, noticing your bewilderment, chimed in with an explanation. "He took some MDMA before he called you — actually, he couldn't stop blabbing about your ass once that stuff kicked in," she divulged matter-of-factly, adding another layer of peculiarity to the already bizarre situation.

‘Ah, he’s high — that explains the weird friendliness.’ You thought to yourself.

But before you could dwell on it too long, Valentino's words snapped you out of your thoughts, "Yes, little Voxxy over there couldn't stop talking about how much he wanted his little secretary with him right here. He just had to call you, despite it being the middle of the night. I'm sorry you're losing your beauty sleep right now, cariño," he said, his tone tinged with insincerity from false remorse. A small chuckle escaped his lips as he finished speaking, adding to the surreal atmosphere of the moment.

“Val, Vel! You can’t tell them that! Or they’ll, they’ll… fuck!” Vox began to say, but something mid-sentence seemed to frustrate him.

Before you could question it for too long, Valentino answered that question for you. “They’ll figure out you have a little crush on them. Aww, don’t worry papi, it’s not like they can say no to you either way,” the moth darkly announced, frightening you, as it was technically true that you had to obey whatever order your boss gave you; it was in your contract after all.

To your somewhat relief, Vox scoffed at his part-time boyfriend's comment, as if to convey that he wouldn't behave in such a manner.

"Shut the fuck, Val!" Vox began, his frustration evident, before redirecting his attention back to you. "And you, lay down on the table." Confused by the request, you briefly wondered if he was joking, but the seriousness etched on his face made it clear that he wasn't. Resigned, you followed his instruction and laid down on the table as he commanded.

As soon as you complied, a smile spread across Vox's face. "Good, good. Now be a good little secretary and stay still as I do some lines off you, m'kay?" he instructed.

Before you could process anything or say something, he pushed your shirt all the way up, ending just under your chest, and tugged your bottoms down slightly — exposing your whole stomach.

Attempting to voice your discomfort, you were promptly shushed by Vox. "Shhh, you're being a table for me right now, and last time I checked, tables don't talk, now do they, sweetheart? So be a doll and shut up," he said, eliciting laughter from the two other Vees.

You complied with his instructions and remained silent as you felt him pour some powder onto your abdomen. Knowing the drugs he usually made you order on his behalf, it was probably coke.

With that, he quickly formed about three lines and began snorting them. The sensation felt odd and somewhat ticklish to you, but what you didn't expect was for him to lick the parts of your belly where the powder had just sat — long lines that started from top to bottom, causing you to squirm involuntarily.

Vox didn't appreciate your movement, because ‘how dare his table move?’. In response, he firmly gripped your waist on both sides and forcefully slammed your hips against the table as a warning to ‘stop moving’.

However, his claws dug into your skin, causing you to cry out slightly. Upon seeing the small tears in your eyes, his mood shifted once more, from aggravation to something more lustful.

He relished the sight of you with tears in your eyes, so he decided to inflict a bit more pain. With a predatory glint in his eyes, he bit at your sides, knowing that you couldn't retaliate due to the hierarchical difference between you.

His bites started from the top, gradually getting lower until they ended up just above your crotch. With a slight, heavy breathing, he remarked, "Now what do we have here? A snack for me? You shouldn't have." As he removed your bottoms, leaving you in your underwear, a slight moist patch formed due to the position you were in.

Sure, Vox was an entitled asshole, but god, did he look and sound incredible when he was being mean and bossy. How could you not get aroused, especially when his face and long tongue ass were so close to your intimate parts.

"You want me to play with you, darling?" Vox asked in a manner that almost made it feel like you had a choice. There was something about it that suggested he might respect your decision if you said no—sure, he wouldn't like it, but he definitely had this thing where he wanted you to want him, to beg for him, to need him. Forcing himself on you wouldn't align with that desire.

You nodded, but he tutted at you, wanting a verbal answer. "No, no, no, it's 'Could you please, sir?' or 'Would love to, Mr. Vox,' or 'Please, I need you, Vox.' You've got to speak up if you want me to do anything to you, got it, dollface?" he clarified, emphasizing the importance of explicit consent, whether it was due to genuine respect for your boundaries or just his enjoyment of your yearning for him, it was a bit unclear. However, knowing Vox, he probably just got off on your embarrassment.

"Yes, sir," you said, feeling embarrassed. "So? Do you want me to give some love to these," he asked, tracing the outline of your underwear, "lovely parts?" He perked up.

"I would love for you to, sir," you managed to speak out. With a 'perfect' from your boss, he was now eagerly devouring you with his tongue, sending small pleasurable shocks through you as he did. No part of you down there was left un-licked.

Just as you were about to reach that sweet, sweet release — Vox removed himself from you, causing you to whine at the loss of pleasure.

"Don't worry," he said, but before you could complain too much, Vox lifted you up and threw you onto the couch, your face soon hitting the satin pillows. As you heard the sound of his belt unbuckling, you felt your hips being repositioned, leaving you face down and ass up.

Vox quickly pumped his cock a few times, not needing much as it was already hard from the sight of you writhing due to his tongue. Getting close to your ear, he whispered, "Cuz I'm not done with you, dollface."

Then he promptly shoved himself inside of you. Thankfully, whatever he was doing with his tongue a couple of instances ago had prepped you, because, woof, did the stretch sting.

After giving you a few moments to adjust, he began pounding you into tomorrow, playing with your front and sending small shocks here and there. With no regard for his colleagues sitting right beside him —or should I say colleague, as in singular—Velvette had left as soon as he began working you with his tongue. However, Valentino remained, watching the scene unfold with keen interest.

Your soon came undone due to his rough ministrations, but he was far from done with you...

⫘⫘⫘ Ownership, ⛌⛌⛌ Humiliation & Collar

If you haven't already figured it out yet, Vox is a sadist. He thoroughly enjoys power dynamics and the act of humiliating others.

Continuing from the previous headcanon, picture yourself as either hired as his secretary or as a low-ranking demon in his company who catches his eye. If you're the latter, he'll undoubtedly arrange for you to be transferred to work closer to him.

But anyway, my point is, as soon as you're in his close proximity, he'll literally makes you his bitch on call in the blink of an eye. And obviously, you can't refuse because, one, he's your boss; two, he's an overlord; and three, he's Vox.

Who would refuse that hunk? Even if you weren't initially attracted to him, you'd find yourself becoming so after a couple of weeks, even if it's just some weird mild attraction—you're still into him.

Once he's got you in his grasp and has fucked you at least once, this is when he begins to play with you. He'll make you start wearing a vibrator under your clothes at work, ordering you to remove your clothing every morning and show him, to ensure you did it. Then he'd send you on your merry way.

If he wasn't physically with you, he'd be watching you through his cameras.

And every time you would be talking to someone and he deemed it too long, you weren't paying attention to him, or you were zoning out/getting distracted, he would turn the vibrator on to 'get you back on track'.

Though he did like to sometimes turn the vibrator on just to tease you. For example, you're in the middle of telling him about a shift in his appointment in a room full of people, and he would suddenly turn it on to fuck with you.

He also has a huge thing for pulling you by your soul chain. He just loves, loves, loves summoning it out of nowhere and just tugging you along with it.

For instance, you could be telling him about some issue concerning a recent project, and he would tell you to come closer so he could hear better.

As you walk closer towards his desk, he deems your pace too slow. Without warning, he summons and tugs at the chain around your neck, causing you to fall to the ground.

In an attempt to brace the fall, you put your arms out, catching yourself and ending up on all fours.

But as you try to get up, he would tut at you, ordering you to “Crawl to me.” You’re humiliated, but you still do it as he watches you like a hawk, a satisfied grin on his face.

If you also happen to scrape or bruise yourself when you fell and some small tears form in your eyes, let me tell you, he would get so bricked up as soon as he noticed them.

And of course, he would make you blow him, though it would end up with him face-fucking you, as it usually did.

He would also hold your head down as he dumped his cum down your throat, then he would pull your nose with his free hand, saying that “you don’t get to breathe until you’ve swallowed it all.” And of course, you would do it because you don’t want to literally choke to death on your boss’s dick.

Once he was sure you had swallowed it all, he would finally release you, allowing you to take some air in. Then he would make you stick out your tongue, and he would spit in your mouth, making you swallow that too.

𐂯 Training

He liked using small electrical charges as a ‘training method’, and this method has two stages. This would happen after he already had you as his personal toy— I mean, ‘secretary’.

At first, he uses electricity to reprimand you whenever you weren’t paying attention to him, questioned him, said no to things, or did anything that he considered as bad behaviour.

He would shock you, making you associate ‘bad behavior’ with pain, so you would end up automatically correct yourself before you even do or say something.

If you take a bit too long to ‘adjust’ to this new way of acting, he might resort to a little bit of hypnosis, but he would prefer not to.

He gets off on the fact that he can train you to behave just with his words and actions, without the help of any special ability.

Anyways, when he is sure that he has drilled into you what proper behavior is, he’ll employ phase two. He’ll start training you to enjoy the sting of his electricity.

So, whether he's fucking you, giving you head, touching you, or basically providing any sort of pleasure, every time you would be close to reaching your peak, he would send jolts of electricity through you, gradually increasing the dosage over time.

Things would get to the point that a small shock from him would be enough to get you turned on, and bigger shocks would be able to literally make you cum.

ฅ Pet

For the most part, he wouldn’t see secretary!reader as a partner. It’s only after a while, like a year or more, that he would start considering it.

He views them as his romantic interests, but not on his level. To keep face with the other Vees, even though they both knew about his crush from the beginning because he was so obvious with it, he would call you his pet.

Sometimes literal ‘pet names’ like puppy, kitty, bunny, etc. (Personally, I would love for him to call him his bunny <3.)

What he calls you all depends on your appearance and behaviors. For example, if you manifested with a more feline appearance, he would call you his kitten or kitty. If you didn’t have animal-like features but for example, were very needy, had a tendency to follow around, and were a sucker for praise, he would likely call you his puppy.

𓌏 Punishments

Besides using electric shocks, he is definitely into spanking as a form of punishment—whether it involves pulling down your pants or lifting your skirt, spanking you for every ‘transgression’ you’ve committed is something he’s totally down for.

It can be a really strange experience if you weren't a masochist to begin with because he'll end up having you conditioned to enjoy physical punishments;

For example, he would be spanking you, and you find yourself getting turned on, arousal literally leaking due to his rough treatment of your behind.

Edging and overstimulation are also big in his book, though each has its own set of circumstances where they would be implemented.

For instance, if you weren't paying attention to him because of someone else, he would overstimulate you to the point where you couldn't think about anyone but him, asserting his superiority over whoever had your attention.

If you weren't paying attention for any other reason, he would edge you, because ‘how dare you ignore him when he should be the most important to you!’.

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[wildsaltair]

This will be my single controversial rant about Gladiator and its sequel (specifically my thoughts on Maximus being retconned as Lucius' father), and then I will be silent on the matter because this blog is meant to be A Good Time and I just enjoy sharing my love for Gladiator with everyone on here :)

KIND OF SPOILERS FOR GLADIATOR AND THE SEQUEL (BUT NOT REALLY) BELOW

As everyone knows, Ridley Scott made the choice to reveal in Gladiator 2 that Lucius is actually the son of Maximus from a secret affair with Lucilla. In G2, it's apparently implied that Lucilla was trapped in a bad marriage, fell in love with Maximus, and kept the truth about Lucius' father a secret. Lots of viewers have been split about this, with some thinking that plot point was implied in Gladiator and others feeling that it contradicts what was established in Gladiator.

I am strongly of the opinion that this choice was a bad one, that it does interfere with the integrity of the original film, and that Gladiator 2 would have been much better without that change. I'll give my reasons below.

1. Yes, rewriting Maximus as a cheater does destroy his entire character arc in Gladiator.

We've all seen Gladiator, right? The one where the hero has everything life can offer but longs only to return home to be with his beloved wife and son? Carries their figurines with him into battle, cares only for them when his own life is threatened, lays down to die by their graves after he finds them dead? Spends the whole movie only wanting to meet them again in the afterlife and only gets peace once he's there.

Yeah. Apparently that guy cheated on his wife with a princess. His son and Lucilla's sons are the same age, which means Maximus would have to have been married to his wife while also sleeping with Lucilla.

Maximus' entire character arc relies on his pure, unconditional, self-sacrificial love for his family. Take that away, and you have a generic action movie about a guy who wants revenge because the Emperor tried to kill him once. Even when Maximus has lost everything inside himself and cares about nothing else, he still honors the memory of his family and fights to avenge them as well as join them. He is shown still talking to his wife in the afterlife through prayer and believing she can hear him. As @streets-in-paradise pointed out, it's the equivalent of having Aragon or Hector of Troy cheat on their wives — it's just painfully out of character for them.

There's also an element of Maximus' love and respect for his Emperor, Marcus Aurelius, another driving force in his characterization. I think Maximus has too much respect for Marcus to have had an affair with Marcus' married daughter, even if he knew Marcus maybe would have wished Maximus had married Lucilla. We never get much insight into that part of the past, but if we go by the virtues Maximus upholds throughout the movie, I just don't think Maximus would have considered sneaking behind Marcus' back to sleep with his daughter.

Either way, the emotional heart of Maximus' character is his love for his family, and retconning that so your sequel has a "bigger emotional impact" is nothing short of undignified and sloppy.

2. All the conversations between Maximus and Lucilla in Gladiator imply that they did have a romantic relationship — but that it was public (not clandestine) and took place before either of them were married.

Yes, Maximus and Lucilla definitely were in love at some point. Russell Crowe and Connie Nielsen have great chemistry, and their conversations (both of them) hold so much weight with "what could have been." Lucilla talks about how she wounded Maximus deeply as he did her, and their conversations are full of things like, "Is it so terrible seeing me again?" The weight of their previous emotional attachment pervades the movie in a way that is inextricable from the plot.

BUT. Maximus and Lucilla had their relationship A LONG TIME AGO. This is very clearly established by the way they talk to each other. Maximus has been in Germania for twelve years (taking breaks only to go home, but NEVER to visit Rome). He and Lucilla presumably met sometime before that, probably while the royal family was visiting some city where Maximus was serving in / commanding the army. The details are never established.

However, Maximus and Lucilla clearly had a public enough relationship that Marcus and Commodus knew about it, but there is never the slightest mention in Gladiator that Lucius might be Maximus' son — something Commodus surely would have exploited had he known it was a possibility.

Maximus and Lucilla were in love, but it was before they married other people. They were probably teenagers or young adults who fell madly in love, wanted to marry, but were stopped for whatever reason (probably Maximus not wanting to play politician's games, as he implies). Maximus met the woman he eventually married, Lucilla married Lucius Verus, and they carried on with their lives until they met again at the beginning of Gladiator.

Also, Maximus talks about the respect he had for Lucilla's husband (a far cry from what Gladiator 2 implies about Lucius Verus), and she talks about how she mourned Maximus' family. Sure, you can read into the script and find stuff about how Maximus could have been Lucius' father, but it explicitly goes against the values and implications of the overall acript.

Connie Nielsen stated that she played her scenes thinking that Maximus was Lucius' father. She's an actress, and she plays Lucilla brilliantly. But she's not the scriptwriter, and no matter what her intentions were, the script implies that their relationship took place much longer ago, before either of them were married. @becomelions made a great post about how Lucilla, too, can wish as much as she wants that Maximus was Lucius' father, but he couldn't have been. Not unless you retcon all of Gladiator as fanfiction.

3. Maximus' relationships with Lucilla and Lucius are not meant to replace those he had with his wife and son — they are meant to be reflections of some of the bigger themes of the film.

With all that said, this is not a hate post about how Gladiator should have been about Maximus and his wife and son, and how I hate Lucilla and Lucius' story and think it contradicts that blah blah blah. NO. The storyline with Lucilla, Lucius, and Maximus is one of the strong points of the whole movie — but not as a replacement for the family he has lost.

In a lot of ways, Lucilla represents Rome as the ideal Maximus always believed in: beautiful, noble, and proud. When he becomes disillusioned with Rome, he becomes disillusioned with Lucilla; when he starts to believe in the hope of Rome again, he starts to believe in Lucilla again. They're always linked. Lucilla is not the woman he wants to start over with and marry now that his wife is gone. She is an old friend and ally whom he eventually learns to trust again.

Lucius, on the other hand, represents what Rome can be again. Lucius is the grandson of Marcus Aurelius, and I think Maximus longs to honor his mentor by preserving the life of his last living heir. Lucius reminds Maximus of his son, yes, and he brings out the protectiveness and the desire to do for Lucius what he couldn't do for his own son. But that doesn't mean Lucius has to be his son for that relationship to have emotional impact, as I will explain further in point 5.

4. Maximus' relationships with Lucilla and Lucius are genuinely integral to the film, but as they are — not as what they could be.

Again, I absolutely love the dynamics between Maximus, Lucilla, and Lucius throughout Gladiator. Russell and Connie play off each other so well with those "I remember how you used to be but that was a long time ago" vibes. Russell and Spencer Treat Clark only share one scene, but it's one of the film's most memorable scenes.

However, we are not meant to question those relationships as "oooooh but what if Lucius is actually Maximus' son????" Maybe Ridley left that door open for the audience to consider, but again, I feel like the film contradicts that by implying that Lucilla and Maximus loved each other much longer ago.

When you make Lucius Maximus' son, Lucilla's seeking out of Maximus as his savior becomes less interesting. It becomes "I'm calling on you to save your son even though you don't know he's your son" instead of "I'm asking you to act out of the goodness inside you to save a boy who doesn't deserve to die any more than your own son did." The version we see in Gladiator is so much more impactful.

It also cheapens what Lucius' journey could have been in Gladiator 2! Again, @streets-in-paradise pointed out how much better the sequel could have been if Lucius had been acting in the shadow of a brilliant man who captivated the city of Rome but also was his friend for a little while. As I'll discuss in point 6, having the reveal of Lucius as Maximus' son is just the laziest possible route for a sequel, and it certainly drags down the dignity of the relationships we see in Gladiator.

5. One of the strengths of Maximus' choice to fight for Lucius' survival in Gladiator lies in the fact that he doesn't have any familial obligation to him.

This is one of my favorite points, because I do love the dynamics between Maximus and little Lucius! Maximus has a bone-deep obligation to save his family — he rides for days and nights to get home and save them, but he misses them by a matter of hours. He wrestles with guilt and misery because he feels like he failed them. He was supposed to be their protector, and he couldn't save them.

BUT. Maximus has no such blood ties to Lucius. This kid is the son of Maximus' ex, the grandson of Maximus' dead mentor, and the nephew of his most hated enemy. Maximus doesn't have an obligation to Lucius as his father: he doesn't even know him until Lucius approaches him in the arena.

And that's what makes his decision to fight for Lucius so powerful. Maximus sees Lucius as the hope of Rome, and he decides that's still worth fighting for — something he had given up on before. Even though he has no obligation to save Lucius as his son, he wants to save him as an innocent young boy caught in political matters over his head.

Again, making Lucius Maximus' son cheapens the impact of that decision. Ridley Scott built up so many amazing plot points and relationships, and it really disappoints me that he just cast them aside to make some easy money by relying on the success of the original.

6. Relying on such a trite, overused plot point to make up the emotional foundation of your sequel can only weaken your sequel and ruin the dignity of your original film.

My final point is simply that Gladiator 2 could have been really well done. They could have done something original with it (or something totally off-the-wall like Russell Crowe's vision LOL). But I think Ridley Scott was banking on that nostalgia factor, and he chose a plot point that he knew would be easily marketable — the hero of the second film is the hero of the first film.

We've seen it done literally hundreds of times, from Star Wars to Superman to Toy Story, and having that be the big reveal of Gladiator 2 is just lazy writing. To have Lucius trying to live up to the legacy of Maximus the hero would have been interesting. To have Lucius discover that he's the son of literally anyone else would have been interesting. To have Lucius discover that he's the son of Maximus is an eye-roll-inducing move that should have been trailer bait and nothing more.

Primarily! Because it can't be the emotional foundation of the movie! Lucius has to have his own journey if it's his movie; he can't just walk in Maximus' footsteps and be like, "Father, speak to me," if he's not going on his own individual emotional journey. We as the audience have to relate to our hero because he's our hero, not because he's the son of our hero.

I'll be honest — I probably wouldn't go see a sequel to Gladiator no matter what it was about because I think Gladiator is a perfect standalone movie and should have stayed that way. I just don't think you can recreate the scale and impact and simplicity of Gladiator in today's film industry.

However, I could at least have had respect for a sequel to Gladiator if Ridley Scott had shown some respect for his own movie. I just hate the fact that Maximus' noble, honorable character is reduced to a cheating husband whose only character trait of note is that he served Rome. Maximus is one of the best characters of the 21st century, and I love him too much to support a movie that trashes that legacy (as well as tries to replicate the beauty of my favorite film of all time).

Final thoughts:

Gladiator is a movie. You can read into it whatever you want, and it doesn't hurt anyone.

I love Gladiator more than I can say, and it's really important to me not just as a cultural icon but on a personal level as well.

Anyone who knows this blog knows how much I love Maximus Decimus Meridius, and Ridley's choice to change Maximus' character so drastically is one that really just ticks me off.

To me personally, Gladiator 2 is not canon, and I will never consider it so on this blog.

[echo-and-dust]

now that my brain has somewhat unscrambled itself i have gotten most of my thoughts in order about season 3.

and the first thing i will say is: i loved it.

while it was gutwrenching and polarizing in some ways and i feel that i am entitled to financial compensation for what its done to my mental health, i loved this season for pretty much almost everything it did.

i cannot fault people for having issues with much of the characterization and plot choices made—that’s been the trend during the entire run of the show after all, and imo it’s a testament to the phenomenal way it generates nuance—but i wanted to share my feelings on the recurring opinions i’ve seen about some of these things.

first, i do not blame simon at all for the things he said in the final scene. he’s a child who has been receiving endless verbal and physical harassment on top of all the trauma he is still trying to heal from. he just watched his boyfriend lash out in anger and hurt—while not at him, but it must’ve been a close resemblance of how he might’ve seen micke act. at least, that's what i thought, though i've seen others say otherwise.

and yes, wille is not micke, but just because wille’s source of outbursts is different from micke’s doesn’t mean simon is wrong in drawing similarities. at least he's finally getting a true glimpse into what wille has had to deal with. i've honestly grown to like that they didn't have simon immediately comfort him though; wille's mental illness is not his fault, but it is his responsibility, and instead of pushing a message of unhealthy co-dependence, the show has simon be honest: "but i see that everything hurts you and that hurts me too." and to me, that's so important.

plus, it doesn't make their love any less genuine. wille is a victim of the circumstances; he is not evil, and he is not undeserving of simon. he just has a lot of growing and healing to do, a lot of unlearning and exposure therapy because he's still blinded by privilege even when he tries not to be.

speaking of, i have so many thoughts about wille that i feel like i need to save for its own separate post, but to sum them up: i'll still defend him with my life, and he needs to get the fuck away from that institution.

also, the fact that the responsibility of controlling simon's media decisions was placed solely on wille confused me at first like—why wouldn't they get a professional to give him proper media training?

then i realized, this could be the royal court's way of sabotaging their relationship. they knew that making wille the one to tell simon what he can and cannot say or post would create distance and animosity between them. despite the ramifications of simon's behavior on social media, it seems they still thought it best to have his boyfriend be the one to try to mold him into the system. because they knew that's how they could get rid of him. in conclusion, fuck the royal court (we been knew but still).

one of the standouts this season was their transparency regarding the show's politics. it not only works well with the show's arc (wilmon is public, everything's out in the open now and there's nothing to hide), but also it felt necessary at a time where censorship has been rapidly gaining momentum. it felt so refreshing for these characters to talk so openly about racial discrimination and queerphobia and class disparities, forcing both character and viewer to acknowledge that they exist and you should feel uncomfortable about it.

i don't think i can add much more to what was already said about it—most of the fandom is more eloquent and observant than i am anyway—i just wanted to reinforce how important this season is to myself and the story even with how controversial it is to fans right now. a lot of people may disagree with me and that's fine.

[autistichalsin]

All dialogue options for Halsin's request for a story for the children in the epilogue

There are generic options, unique options for Durges, each Origin, and even for Origin paths (I.E. Justiciar Shadowheart vs Selune path Shadowheart) so I thought I'd collect them all here! There are some nice characterization moments here, and I love Halsin's reactions to some of these. (Also, I had no idea Gale could still ascend to godhood as a mindflayer? Or at least there's dialogue for it here...) I hope you guys enjoys these!

All characters/Tav:

Regale Halsin with tales of your past six months.

Halsin: You have kept yourself busy - I expected no less, in truth. I shall be able to keep the children enthralled for a few more nights yet, thanks to you. And should you wish to retell of your exploits in person? Well, I shall not object to a night off.

All characters/Tav:

The truth may be a little flat. Spice it up a little. (This triggers a skill roll for deception)

If the roll succeeds:

Halsin: You are truly incapable of disappointing. The children shall be rapt - and have no fear; all due credit shall be given to the tale's originator.

If the roll fails:

Halsin: Hmm, do I detect a certain... exaggeration? You could give Master Geddarm a run for his gold - though I suppose he has little need for it now, Oak Father bless him. In any case, my audience will favour a good tale over veracity any day - I thank you for your offering.

Any character who accompanied Karlach to Avernus:

Halsin: I am glad you and Karlach have an enduring friendship - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Any player who became a mindflayer:

My exploits have been limited by my new form. I live as a pariah, feared by most.

Halsin: Yet not by me. I shall tell the children of your heroism and sacrifice. They shall know what they owe to you, trust me.

Mindflayer characters who have plans with the Emperor:

I have been dwelling far from the public eye. Yet the Emperor and I have grand plans in motion - that I cannot speak of.

Halsin: Too murky for a children's tale, I fear. Perhaps I should focus on the hero you were, and the sacrifice you made. But thank you for sharing, nonetheless.

Mind flayer characters who are allied with the Emperor:

My new form demands discretion. I have been amassing power in the shadows with my ally, the emperor.

Halsin: I see. Perhaps the children can learn something from your ambition in the face of adversity. Thank you.

Mindflayer characters who killed the Emperor:

My exploits have been limited by my new form. I live as a pariah, feared by most.

Halsin: And with an appetite for the grey ambrosia that dwells within every skull, I presume? Perhaps I shall remind the children of your heroism and self-sacrifice... and skip over the brain-eating until they are older.

Dragonborn Dark Urge:

How about a ghost story? A spectral dragon who will haunt the little ones' dreams, if they don't behave.,

Halsin: Most enthralling - though perhaps it may lead to some sleepless nights for the younger ones. I can make something palatable with a little showmanship and creative licence - thank you.

Any Dark Urge:

Tell Halsin a detective story, where in the end, the intrepid Fist discovers they had been committing the murders all along.

Halsin: A touch bleak perhaps, but considering the amount of orphans in my audience, I am sure they shall manage. I can make something palatable with a little showmanship and creative licence - thank you.

God Gale:

Recall the parable of the Yearning Orphan, your youngest follower and already a great prophet spreading your doctrine...

Halsin: You are truly incapable of disappointing. The children shall be rapt - and have no fear; all due credit shall be given to the tale's originator.

Also God Gale:

Tell him of the tribulations of godhood. The politics, the bureaucracy, the endless prayers to answer...

Halsin: Well luckily for you, mortals have a habit of embellishing their run-ins with gods... I am sure I can muster something to captivate the children from what I can glean of you.

God Gale:

Well, I have developed a taste for togas, for one thing.

Halsin: I am glad you have kept yourself occupied. No doubt I will be able to spin a few yarns from the children from this. Thank you.

Mindflayer God Gale:

Well, I've been doing my best to not frighten my followers. I'd hate to be one of those gods.

Halsin: I am glad you have kept yourself occupied. No doubt I will be able to spin a few yarns from the children from this. Thank you.

Non-god Gale who went back to Waterdeep:

I've been researching the tale of the first Blackstaff, Khelben Arunsun. My abridged notes would make for a fascinating bedtime story.

Halsin: I see... well I trust your sources, of course. Perhaps the historical record can survive an embellishment or two, for the sake of the children. In any case, you have my gratitude.

Non-god Gale who didn't return to Waterdeep:

What haven't I done? Delved into dungeons, read secret tomes, taken out a rogue shadow mage or two. Enough magic and mystery for a treasury of tales.

Halsin: Why, Master Dekarios, I had no idea you would continue to stoke the fires of adventure. I commend you - as shall the children, once they hear of your exploits. Thank you.

Dark Justiciar Shadowheart:

Tell Halsin of how you consolidated your power over Lady Shar's church, purging the disloyal with bloody vigor.

Halsin: My. Perhaps a tale for the older children, once I trim off a few of the... less savoury details. But thank you, all the same.

Also Dark Justiciar Shadowheart:

I have been continuing to serve Lady Shar however I can.

Halsin: You are stalwart, even in service of darkness. There will be a lesson there for me to impart to the children... with a few details glossed over, perhaps. Thank you.

Selune path Shadowheart who killed her parents:

Tell Halsin of how you've roamed far and wide, now that you are free of Shar.

Halsin: The shadows were concealing a true adventurer's heart then. Thank you - the children shall be rapt.

Shadowheart whose parents are alive, whether Selune path or Dark Justiciar:

Regale Halsin with tales of your tranquil life with your family and coterie of animals.

Halsin: Yes, I thought I caught the scent of a wolf upon the wind... the children shall love this, but be warned - they may insist upon a visit.

Selune path Shadowheart:

I have been forging my own path, away from Shar's influence.

Halsin: I shall be honoured to speak of you to the children. To embrace change as you have shall make for a stirring example. Thank you.

Any path Shadowheart:

I've been at something of a loose end - roaming and adventuring as I see fit.

Halsin: Countless tales have begun with a roaming adventurer - I am sure I shall keep the children enthralled for years to come with your exploits. Thank you.

Orpheus path Lae'zel:

I have ridden a red dragon to battle as a Warrior of the Comet. The lich queen Vlaakith will fall by my hand.

Halsin: Oak Father preserve you - I hope you have a tight hold on the beast. But this shall make for a most stirring tale for the children. I may even have to tone down the details, for fear they get too excited...

Lae'zel who stayed in Faerun:

I have travelled the harshest lands of the Sword Coast, piercing the hearts of the lich queen's countless assassins.

Halsin: Ha! I think some of the more bloodthirsty children will relish this, thank you.

Wyll who became a Grand Duke and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

I embraced my hellish side and dedicated my life to rebuilding the grand city of Baldur's Gate.

Halsin: The makings of the multi-night epic. The children shall rush to their bunks in order to hear the next chapter, thank you.

Wyll who became a Grand Duke but didn't continue his pact with Mizora:

I turned from my hellish past and dedicated my life to rebuilding the grand city of Baldur's Gate.

Halsin: A noble calling. Your tale shall inspire a whole generation. Thank you.

Wyll who stayed the Blade of Frontiers and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

The Sword Coast is safe as ever thanks to the Blade and his infernal powers.

Halsin: The classic tale of the Blade, but with a twist? This shall go down very well with the children, I sense. Thank you.

Wyll who stayed the Blade of Frontiers and ended his pact with Mizora:

The Blade of Frontiers is back on the hunt. The Sword Coast is safe as ever.

Halsin: Many of the children have already heard of you, as it were - do you know some of them scarcely even believe this old bear could be acquainted with such a hero? But the authentic sense that your recollections bring to the tale shall win them over, no doubt. Thank you.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus and made an eternal pact with Mizora:

No hellbeast is safe from the Blade of Avernus and his infernal powers.

Halsin: Thank you, the children shall be agog. I do believe some of them use the number of beastly fangs and claws present in a tale as the yardstick for its quality - which puts yours right at the top of the heap.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus and but ended his pact with Mizora:

The Blade of Avernus is on the hunt. The Hells shudder at the very mention of his name.

Halsin: A classic tale. I expect it shall inspire more than a few of the children to start practising their ripostes with wooden sticks.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus, made an eternal pact with Mizora, and went to Avernus with Karlach:

The Blade of Avernus and his companion are on the hunt. No hellbeast is safe from his infernal powers.

Halsin: A formidable duo. I am glad that you and Karlach have each other - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Wyll who became the Blade of Avernus, did not make an eternal pact with Mizora, and went to Avernus with Karlach:

The Blade of Avernus and his companion are on the hunt. The Hells shudder at the very mention of his name.

Halsin: I am glad you and Karlach have an enduring friendship - it shall serve as a strong lesson for the children, as well as a stirring tale.

Astarion who didn't ascend, but defeated Cazador:

I've been revelling in my freedom, rediscovering the joys of the night.

Halsin: Sanguine joys, no doubt? Perhaps I shall smoothen out some of those details - the children do not need to know the full truth of your diet. But they shall be rapt all the same, thank you.

Astarion who didn't defeat Cazador:

Halsin, I've been hiding in sewers and eating rats. It's not a glorious tale.

Halsin: Ah, but the glory can be found in the telling. The children love tales of underdogs, facing odds most unlikely. They shall appreciate your story, trust me.

Astarion who didn't defeat Cazador and became a mindflayer:

Halsin, I've been hiding in sewers and eating rats' brains. It's not a glorious tale.

Halsin: Ah, but the glory can be found in the telling. The children love tales of underdogs, facing odds most unlikely. They shall appreciate your story, trust me.

Ascended Astarion:

My tales are a little heavy on murder and sex. But if the children want to hear them...

Halsin: Hmm. Perhaps I can substitute the bloodlust and... eh, general lust for cuddles and animals in the retelling. The children may be confused, but no matter - they will soon be asleep. Even with a few little white lies, rest assured that they shall be engrossed. Thank you.

Ascended Astarion who became a mindflayer:

My tales are a little heavy on murder, sex, and tentacles. But if the children want to hear them...

Halsin: Hmm. Perhaps I can substitute the bloodlust and... eh, general lust for cuddles and animals in the retelling. The children may be confused, but no matter - they will soon be asleep. Even with a few little white lies, rest assured that they shall be engrossed. Thank you.

Karlach who went to Avernus alone:

Tell him of how you lost your horn.

Halsin: Truly? I never would have guessed that is what happened. And to think I believed I had the measure of you... but I am glad to be wrong - the children shall be captivated.

[sleepysnk]

a/n: this is a repost. i hope you guys enjoy! also, my characterization may be shit, so i apologize if he seems ooc!

pairings: kunigami rensuke x fem!reader

warnings: college au, mentions of alcohol consumption, party boy!kunigami, tutor!reader, kinda enemies to lovers, flirting, nsfw, smut, public sex (they’re at the uni library), exhibitionism, use of pet names (baby, princess, baby girl), virgin!reader, loss of virginity, dirty talk, praising, creampie.

synopsis: you were assigned to tutor the infamous party boy, kunigami rensuke. you really didn’t like him and he felt the same way about you, but that all began to change when you two started spending time with one another. you planned to meet him to help study for his english final, but kunigami wanted to tutor you in something other than academics.

study buddies ft. kunigami rensuke

Being a tutor at your university came with lots of good.

To be honest, you hadn’t expected to become a tutor. It was something one of your professors had suggested you do for some extracurriculars and it honestly didn’t sound so bad. You excelled in all of your courses and you honestly didn’t mind assisting those who needed it. The people who often came into the tutoring center were polite and were always looking for help in the right manner. You even helped a few students pass exams they swore up and down that they were going to fail. It was something you genuinely enjoyed seeing. Being able to help someone else made you such a happier person. It warmed your heart seeing their smiling faces when they showed you their exam results a few weeks later. You didn’t think you would enjoy tutoring that much, but it eventually became something you looked forward to.

You were a sophomore in college, so you knew a bit more than the freshmen who were coming into your university. Although the majors often differentiated, you were able to help with basic general education classes despite being a nursing major. You helped mainly with English, since it was your strong suit. You would help the students with writing essays or with homework assignments that required lots of thinking. It was fairly easy and you were able to help them out a lot with whatever they needed. It was rare for you to see anyone come back more than once, but if they did by chance, you would help out no matter what. 

It was a judgment free zone.

However, that zone soon started to fizzle out when a certain someone walked into the tutoring center on a Friday afternoon. 

Kunigami Rensuke.

For a minute, you thought him being there was a complete joke, so that’s why you didn’t pay much attention to him at first. You thought that he was looking for someone in there, but that was untrue when he approached you and asked if he was in the right place. It annoyed you that he was there, but what got you going the most was that he needed help with English. The subject that you tutored people in. 

Obviously the professor who was there recommended you right on the spot, and you wanted to disappear into the floor right then and there. You didn’t want to tutor him if you were being completely honest. You and Kunigami were both in the same grade and you really didn’t like him that much. He was honestly one of those weird party guys that spent his weekends making his liver suffer with the sips of alcohol. You had also heard plenty of things on campus from your peers about him, and he wasn’t one of the nicest guys out there. He had a mouth and often messed around whenever he could. There was a time freshman year when he swore to god he had an ego because he won one of his stupid soccer matches. All he spoke about was soccer and it never really attracted you. It was just some sport to you and you never paid much attention to it. It honestly amazed you that he was still able to play with how much he partied. Though, you didn’t care much. He wasn’t your problem and you wanted to steer clear of him.

That was practically impossible now because he was now another student you had to tutor.

Kunigami was close to failing his English class required for him to pass into the next year, which was no surprise to you. He explained that he had two exams upcoming that he had to ace in order to maintain a good GPA for soccer, so you honestly had no choice but to help him. As much as you tried to oppose it, the professor insisted and you were left to tutor him. 

He never batted much of an eye at you. He had seen you a few times on campus by yourself or occasionally with another friend, but otherwise, that was it. Kunigami spent too much time practicing for soccer or partying that he didn’t really care much for the random people he used to see on campus. Though, he didn’t fail to notice how tense you always seemed around him. You always kept your conversations fairly professional and you never crossed over to personal ones. He knew it was normal to keep it that way, but it was so odd to him. He reciprocated that energy and you never seemed to dislike it. He assumed that you probably didn’t like him and he didn’t know why, so it annoyed him. He’s never spoken to you, nor have you ever had a bad interaction, so what was the big deal? 

For a little while, both of you really didn’t like each other’s presence. 

It was strictly just tutor and student. There was never a moment where you and Kunigami got personal with one another. Hell, neither of you even cracked jokes around each other, which was unusual for Kunigami because he was such an easy going guy. He loves to talk to new people and make friends, because that’s just who he was. Despite him seeming intimidating at times. 

However, that began to change a few weeks after you helped Kunigami pass his first exam. 

He came to you with excitement, for once. He showed you the grade he received on his exam and it showed that he had passed with a high grade. It was the first time in his entire life that he scored that greatly on an exam like that. He couldn’t hide how happy he was around you, and to his surprise, you were thrilled for him. You were actually taken back by how well he had done that it genuinely impressed you. It made you wonder if he wasn’t just some party boy athlete who didn’t have a brain. It sounded cliche, but you wanted to know more. You didn’t know why or for what reason, but it made you so damn curious that it almost kept you up at night.

So, eventually, you began to become more friendly to the athlete.

With being nice came him beginning to open up to you just a bit more. You learned a lot about him in your time studying with him, and it turned out he was actually a pretty decent guy. Despite having such a relevant nature to him, he was actually pretty cool and you learned that you had some similar hobbies. Both of you liked the same shows and even some of the same music. It completely astonished you that he was similar to you in some aspects. You thought a guy like him would be the exact opposite if you were being honest, so it made you even more curious to know more things about him. 

Soon enough, study sessions turned into full on hangouts and you both started seeing one another more often.

Along with that came some interesting things from Kunigami.

Kunigami, although he somewhat hated to admit it, thought you were pretty attractive. You two were on opposite sides of the world, yet that didn’t stop him from finding you to be really pretty. He never thought he would see you that way, but he did. He found himself thinking of you at random hours and even yearning to see you whenever he had free time throughout the day. It was so new to him, but he didn’t regret spending any of his time with you. You made him laugh, smile, hell, any little emotion. He just liked that about you. You were able to make his day better with one small text or smile, and it was honestly amazing to Kunigami. There was nobody else in his life that could do such a thing to him. It was almost overwhelming in some ways. He just didn’t know how to not sound so corny whenever he spoke to you.

That didn’t stop him from flirting with you, though.

He was a big flirt and it was obvious. There were times where he would compliment you or hit you with a pickup line that would make your cheeks burn. You couldn’t lie, some of them were actually really good and they would make your heart flip from it. He knew how to wrap you around his finger and it didn’t help that he was pretty handsome. He was tall and quite a big guy too, so all of it would make you feel nervous. He just knew where to get you. He must have known where your weak points were, because he hit them all at the right moment. It had to be like a talent for him. 

“You look good today, pretty.”

“Yeah? Someone’s excited to see me.”

“Heh, give me a kiss then and maybe I’ll consider studying.”

“Do we really have to study? I wanna check you out right now.”

It’s all he did. You tried to brush it off for as long as you could, too, but your friends constantly pushed you to make a move on him. You have had boyfriends before and stuff like that, but you never became intimate with them. It was all years ago and you honestly forgot how to date somebody. They told you frequently that Kunigami liked you and he wanted you more than just a friend, but you were so unsure of what to do that you refrained from making any sort of move on him. You didn’t want to make him uncomfortable with anything, so you wanted to just watch. It just bugged you on the inside that there wasn’t much you could do.

You had to meet up with Kunigami that same day. He had a final exam coming up for his English class and he wanted some help with it. It was honestly no surprise, so you told him to meet you in the library. You didn’t have much going on that day anyway, so it wasn’t much of a problem. You planned to meet towards the end of the day so the library would be extra dead when you both arrived.

You thought it was going to be a usual day. Help Kunigami with studying and then you would go back to your dorm and start your assignments.

However, it was the opposite.

You didn’t expect to be on top of Kunigami with his cock buried inside of your pussy. Both of his hands were on your body. One was on your waist and the other was on your hip, guiding your body as you rolled onto his cock. He couldn’t believe things had ended up like this, but he just couldn’t hold back anymore. There was so much tension inside of the study room that he would be damned to let you go without doing a single thing. He also just couldn’t keep his eyes away from the skirt you wore on that day. Your pretty thighs were exposed for him to see and his mind played the most delicious images of him grabbing them and spreading your legs apart with his large hands. 

He was big, much bigger than you had expected him to be. Sure, you had fantasized about what it might look like, but seeing it in person made your eyes grow with awe. You didn’t know if you could take it, but Kunigami helped you with everything. He made sure to prep you with his fingers, but that didn’t even assist with the incredible stretch of his cock. 

Not to mention, you were a virgin, so this was a lot for you.

You hadn’t expected your first time to take place in such a public space. You were in a study room with Kunigami in the library of your university. It was already pretty late. There weren't many people there, so it was honestly not that bad, but there were still people lingering. Someone could hear you or even see you on top of him. It was so fucking hard to not let out a scream. He was making you feel like you were on fire and he was only pouring gasoline on you to make it burn even greater than before. His cock was splitting you apart and finding places inside you that made you feel on top of the world. If you knew he was going to be that great in bed, you would have fucked him much sooner and maybe in a different spot than this one. 

Kunigami was in heaven with how you felt. You were so tight. Your walls were gripping him like a vice and you refused to let him go. He thought you were lying at first when you said you were a virgin, but that completely went out the window when he saw your nervousness about his cock. He thought it was so cute when you were shivering as he entered your cunt. It was so warm and wet. He didn’t think you’d be that good, but it was much greater than he ever imagined.

His palms squeezed your hips. He was trying to teach you how to ride him and to have that control, but you had no clue. Kunigami wanted to be the one who showed you every little thing that was great about your body. Nobody else deserved to have that access to you more than he did. “Shit.. that’s it, baby, just keep going like that..” he looked up at you like you were an angel sent from Heaven itself. You were so gorgeous on top of him with your tits in his face.

You had your hands on his shoulders, holding onto him for dear life while his cock pumped in and out of your hole. White stars danced inside your vision every time his tip kissed at the button in you. It was so fucking good. “Ah..! Kuni.. I can’t! ‘Too much!” you whined, digging your nails into the fabric of his shirt. 

He knew you were already close. Your pussy was starting to tighten and feel even more wet than it already was before. There was also something about your body language that told him that. Your twitchy thighs, sharp moans, your hold on him getting tighter with every thrust. He could read you like a book. It only gave him motivation to make sure you finished off nicely. He wanted to see you fall apart on his cock. You’d be satisfied once he was done with you and that was a fact. 

Kunigami then gripped your hips harshly. He started thrusting upwards into you, sending you over the edge with pleasure. Your mouth fell agape from the pace he set himself at. His cock was so fucking big that every thrust made your mind become cloudy. It was becoming even more difficult now to stay quiet. You feared someone would hear you or come by to see what was going on between you both, but you just couldn’t resist anymore. He was driving you up the wall that if you stayed quiet you’d probably go insane from it. 

The pit inside your belly was only growing deeper and deeper. You leaned into Kunigami’s ear so you could speak, but to also place your head on his shoulder. You felt so weak. Your body was pushed past its limits and you honestly wondered if you were going to be able to walk out of there after that. “Kunigami..! Fuck.. so good, it’s so good!” your fingers clenched around his shirt, trying your best to hold back any obnoxious cries of pleasure.

He couldn’t lie, he felt the same exact way about you.

He gripped the fat of your thighs and dragged his hands wherever he could place them. You had such a pretty body. It still astounded him that he was the one to take your virginity. “Yeah..? It’s good, princess?” he questioned, smirking. “Then cum on my cock, baby girl.”

You couldn’t hold back anymore and just let yourself go for him. After a few thrusts, your pussy clamped around his cock. Your orgasm hit you, hard. Your whole body practically shook in Kunigami’s hands and you couldn’t stop yourself from crying his name like it was a prayer. A creamy white ring circled around his cock and your walls spasmed while he fucked you through your orgasm. Seeing you act in such a manner made Kunigami all the more determined to finish up. He wanted nothing more than you. 

Kunigami continued bouncing you on his cock. You were tired, exhausted even, but that didn’t stop him from continuing to fuck you. His own orgasm was creeping upon him. His dick was twitching and there was a knot that had formed in his abdomen. “F-Fuck.. ‘gonna cum, baby!” he groaned. “Gonna fill this pretty pussy..”

Within seconds, he reached his high. Kunigami gritted his teeth as his orgasm finally washed over him. His cum filled your cunt, seeping into your womb. It made you shiver when that warmth spread across your belly, but it felt so fucking good that you honestly craved it more than you would like to admit. 

You both sat there for a bit, trying to recover from your orgasms. You were now pretty exhausted and Kunigami was somewhat sweaty. He had his arm snaked around your waist and your head was lying against his chest. You honestly wanted to fall asleep right then and there, but you knew eventually you would have to go back to your dorm which was kind of a lengthy walk. Judging by how your thighs felt, though, you weren’t sure that was even going to happen. You sort of regretted having such a fast pace put on you, but in the moment it was like you were on cloud nine.

Kunigami sighed, looking down at you with a grin. He thought you looked so cute laying on him like that. You seemed so sleepy and out of it if he was being honest. “I still gotta study for my exam..” he chuckled, which made you laugh in return.

You rolled your eyes playfully. “You are capable of doing it on your own..” you said, jokingly.

He placed his chin atop your head, feeling a big smile write itself onto his features. He really liked being with you right now. He never imagined he’d be in such a position, but he didn’t have a single regret about it. “Nah, I’d prefer to have my study buddy with me..” he replied, squeezing you tightly.

[atoriv-art]

What are your thoughts on Sasuke x Gaara

beautiful showstopping saved my life we love you sasugaa <333

ok to actually answer: i think they have a very compelling dynamic! i really really like their chunin exams era with gaara being weirdly obsessed with sasuke because they're both "damaged" to put it in some way!

i wish we got to see sasuke's opinion about it a little more, especially since it comes at a time where he's starting to come around to the idea of using his power to protect and not just kill itachi, but this "i relate to your pain and i need to make sure my pain (and to gaara, therefore my power) is still bigger and more powerful" dynamic is soooo fun to me as an introduction point between them! i find it a lot more compelling than what it got interrupted by 😅

i understand the value of having gaara see someone who is Literally just like him (ie also a jinchuriki), but imo having him deal with someone who he perceives as Emotionally just like him (ie traumatized, angry and lonely) was already excellent...

also!!!!!!!!!! i'm not a fan of how sasuke is characterized in the five kage summit in general (or rather how he's demonized by the framing of it all. i love a good public meltdown. his evil laugh lives in my brain) BUT i looooooooove the scene with gaara confronting him i was NOT expecting it when i was watching it the first time and it was like an angel smiled down upon me.

and and and (guy who gets to bring up the naruto games again) they do a fun reversal of their original dynamic there it in the ninja storm games, with sasuke being the one to flaunt his pain and power against gaara

LIKE SORRY I JUST THINK IT'S FUNNN!!!! they have a lot in common and deal with it similarly but when gaara's at his lowest sasuke's starting to get better, and that gets flipped later on: when gaara's figured himself out it's sasuke who's completely spiraling... hehehehe!

ok ill put the rest in a read-more. jesus

i get why the pairing isn't very popular (sasuke has like, two of the biggest pairings soaking up all of the fandom attention span alkdsmak) but i cannot standddd the weird consensus that they don't like each other 😭 gaara showed in that scene that he does still hold some amount of respect and empathy for sasuke, enough to offer him a helping hand when he was at his lowest, and sasuke himself was engaging in the conversation much as he disagreed with gaara... it's gaara who starts the fighting back up, not sasuke!

imo gaara's words to naruto later on that get twisted into a "girl dump him" speech (😒.) are obviously meant to serve as a warning to manage expectations, because he Knows his friend is still not going to give up on sasuke and might not even particularly want him to, but he's speaking from the kage angle as opposed to what he personally would want

gaara CRIED for sasuke and stopped the fighting specifically to talk to him for fuck's sake he doesn't HATE him, his siblings have to convince him to give up on trying to talk to him and there's a distinction made of what should be done as a kage. and while i have a thousand things to say about how i don't love how the manga handles its kage characters wrt framing them as Generally Good, i do think it's notable that it's this that makes him give it up

"personal feelings" meaning, his siblings can recognize that gaara doesn't fucking want to fight him and would really prefer to talk this out. I think about this a lot sorry KSMDKSMDK so much of the consensus is that gaara, specifically, can't stand sasuke and for WHAT.

and as a sidebar i think their insistence on calling e/o by their full names/titles ("Uchiha Sasuke" / "Gaara Of The Sand") is so fucking funny.

i know what you are. also:

sasuke engaging in battle banter. OPEN YOUR EYES

ANYWAY!

i actually think that of my "quirky" pairings (the sasugaaneji triad that is.) it's the one with the most canon basis and it's not even close. however it's also the one that i notice people engaging the least with ASKJDNSAKD which is obviously fine it's just a little funny to me

[fromthedragonsdesk]

On Visual Novels and Catharsis

I never had a high opinion of Visual Novels. In my mind, they always seemed to boil down to the most basic wish fulfillment tripe that we'd collectively assign to the isekai genre these days, I'd wager. To me it was a waste of time or energy trying to interact with them (as an aside, I'm well aware that the Phoenix Wright series is arguably a visual novel, but I missed that boat by not having DS-era device). Even today, with a glance over most of games tagged 'visual novel' on Steam, you'll see what could be generously described as fetish pornography. So, seeing all this, I reinforced my belief that visual novels were for people who wanted some plot with their porn, and never thought much of it.

To my surprise, Steam insisted on recommending visual novels to me. I usually just tossed them aside from the recommendation queue, until I got two recommended almost back-to-back: Mice Tea and Changeling Tale.

Mice Tea had generally positive reviews, and many of them cited that the game's writing and characterization were generally humorous and appealing. So, given that it was on sale during the Steam Winter Sale, I figured it was worth a shot. Then, after basically binging on the game for 20 hours, I walked away thinking that I might have misjudged the genre on some levels.

I wouldn't say I was entirely surprised by Mice Tea - the reviews did it justice in terms of you, as the reader, wanting to root for the main cast to succeed. Most of the conflict didn't necessarily arise from an outside force, but rather internalized conflicts and the struggle to essentially be honest with yourself and those around you, risking vulnerability, essentially. At its core, I still felt like it was wish fulfillment to a significant degree, but the implausibilities were generally smoothed over enough to allow for suspension of disbelief to ride along with the story. And yeah, there... was a fair amount of catering to various fetishes and such worked in, but all in a fairly world-consistent sort-of perspective? At its core, the story was light, cheerful with moments of self-reflection and introspection, and wrapped up in a generally nice bow all in the end.

But what Mice Tea ended up doing for me, personally, was allowing me to lower my defenses during a particularly stressful point in my life, staying present in my mind when I then read over the reviews and such for Changeling Tale. I brushed off the emotion reviews, thinking that they were likely being dramatic.

I could not have been more wrong.

While set in a backdrop of old Scottish fantasy, I continually found myself impressed at how grounded Changeling Tale managed to make itself felt. I believe this is because the main character / player character of Changeling Tale (hereafter referred to as "Malcolm") is primarily reacting to the supernatural events occurring around him, rather than necessarily driving them by his own volition. Malcolm is thrust into a world that he already feels disconnected from due to his service in the military, and it cracks further open as fae magic begins seeping into the world around him.

That said, no one in the backwater town in which Malcolm has returned to handles the public appearance of fae magic particularly well, much less the three parallel storylines available to the reader between Jessie, Marion, and Grace. If anything, the most unreasonable reactions come from the player themselves, in how flippant or otherwise easygoing they handle changes happening to the people around them. That said, many decisions have a snowballing / weighted effect that can change plot directions far later on than one might expect, leading to fallings-out with friends and family, or worse.

But then something strange happened to me, as a reader, while working my way through these split storylines. Core messages seemed to stick out to me, interwoven among the stories. But they cut me straight to the core as a person; after finishing all 3 major storylines I was left shaking and bleary-eyed, wishing events could have turned out differently, desperately trying to reject the messages that had been suggested despite knowing deep-down that they were right.

"Be the best you that you can be."

"Encourage people to chase their dreams, but make sure you're pursuing your dream too."

"Sometimes peoples' dreams are irreconcilable with one another. That doesn't mean the love is gone, it just means that it isn't fair to either person."

"The size of the dream does not diminish its value; the holder of the dream determines its value."

(I intentionally omitted the storyline associations I would make)

When I held all of these thoughts together, an emotional dam burst in my heart. For years I never considered myself as having dreams or goals. For years I felt kind of confused and wondering if what I was doing mattered, or had worth. But somehow, a visual novel about fae shenanigans that dances alongside a transformation kink broadsides me with the realization that I AM where I want to be, doing what I am doing. I have a family who l love and loves me back. I am not pursuing a dream; rather, I am cultivating and maintaining a dream I have already attained. I am doing what is important to me and my family, and even if I'm not changing the world around me and leaving a name in the history books, I know that I am here and directly affecting the lives of those around me, and I'm not sure what more I could want for at this very moment.

And for the first time in quite a while, I feel content and satisfied.

[icarusbetide]

hamilton & in the heights

i understand and often agree with the grievances people have with hamilton for perpetuating certain inaccurate narratives but i still love the way it intertwines and builds off of in the heights.

in the heights was probably on lmm's mind in 2008 when he read chernow's biography, since it won the tony for best musical that july. i can see why he was instantly taken in: the potential parallels are too good to be true. a biography about an immigrant from the caribbean, heavily emphasizing family or lack thereof. chernow's narrative (because he does create a narrative) is such a good parallel and foil to the previous musical it's actually crazy.

usnavi: the 21th century new yorker who yearns to return to the dominican republic. an orphan, but one that grew up in a strong community with love and support. family is incredibly important - he wants to find his roots. by the end of the musical, he realizes that he contributes to his culture and family's legacy by remaining in washington heights, keeping stories alive as their steady, dependable streetlight.

hamilton (musical characterized, not the historical figure): the west indian who yearned to get off of his island, and finds himself in revolutionary new york, never to look back. an orphan, but one shamed for illegitimacy. obsessed with legacy, but his own legacy, because what else does he have? he doesn't have "roots", a true community. constantly struggling between private and public duty. after his death, his wife picks up the mantle to protect their legacy, both the familial/personal and the public achievements.

i'd even argue that you can see hints of in the heights characters in hamilton. vanessa's "it won't be long now" would fit right into a hamilton prequel musical about his time on st. croix when he was still dreaming of a way out.

one musical feels burdened by the things that came before, usnavi's parents, nina's parents (and their parents), etc. etc. all passing something down to the next generation. hamilton seems to be burdened by the future and history as a concept - the weight of creating something entirely new, if that makes sense. it's only in the second act that loved ones take a forefront: philip & eliza during that tragedy. during the duel, we get theodosia (this man will not make an orphan of my daughter) and the long list of people hamilton thinks about (my son is on the other side, he's with my mother...washington is watching from the other side...eliza) right before the bullet gets him.

both are american stories, but there's clearly a very personal, continuing thread between them. i find myself willing to overlook certain issues if i think of hamilton as less an accurate retelling of a particular historical figure, but more about the themes that can be delivered effectively through that figure. i started this ramble with a point but i forgot it.

[clarabowmp3]

hate brigade? I'm sorry but joe alwyn is directly responsible for a lot of the mental hurt that taylor will have to deal with for the rest of her life. I don't understand how people can hear sll, half the songs on midnights not to mention the anxiety ridden lover album and not see the emotional gaslighting joe was putting taylor through! Like that takes a toll and fans qnd the general public alike has a right to call that out. Now he's saying ish about tayvis when none of this concerns him?? Like if that's not manipulative, my name is Bennett cuz he's literally re inserting himself into the ex he resented' life. Unhinged if you ask me. So I don't think it's fair to characterize people as doing the most in this case. Alwyn could have just kept quiet and ate and ate food but now he deserves the dragging. Peace.

wowww wow okay so a couple of things:

we don't know much about their relationship. all we have is speculation based on taylor's lyrics, but we have to remember she is an unreliable narrator, so at best we can take them with a grain of salt. that is excluding how she might have modified certain things to present herself in a favourable light. I'm not saying she did or didn't, but it's a possibility. I say this because of how she's written music about her cheating. She very obviously focuses on how she was feeling and what led her to cheat, rather than her considerations of how it would affect her partner, which I think is yet another manifestation of how she perpetuates her victim narrative. I'm not saying all cheaters are villains, there's definitely some complex emotions involved, but she writes in such a way so as to encourage the reader to root for her by default.

This plays into her desire to be seen as the underdog or hero that everyone wants to support. She did this with Miss Americana too where she spun this whole standing up for women and other marginalised groups narrative, which I think contributed to being a swiftie becoming a trend, along with her whole 'relatable' schtick, fostering personal relationships etc.

There is nothing wrong with liking her music (I'm not gatekeeping), my issue is with people who treat becoming a swiftie as some girl scouts patch to earn by ripping into her 'enemies,' most popularly her exes. Naturally, he has been put through hell on social media since the break-up, up till ttpd dropped and the attention shifted to matty instead.

I agree that many of her love songs from as early as lover are anxiety-ridden, but I think that speaks more to her personality rather than his actions. Certain events may have transpired and he might have acted in a certain way which made her feel insecure etc but we have no reason to think he did it maliciously. What we do have is reason to think this is extremely unlikely. 2016 was rough man, no one knew if she would ever recover from #taylorswiftisoverparty, and yet he still stuck around. To me I think that shows he genuinely cared about her, something taylor has also thought.

Could you elaborate on the emotional gaslighting he has done, (and hence the "mental hurt" he has caused her) keeping in mind all those other reasons why her music is not an accurate source of info ^^?

getting more specific with sll, I don't see how he did anything wrong? I don't want to get too much into it but I know what it feels like to be burdened by someone else's mental health issues, and I do feel irritated by it at times, even though at the end of the day I know it's something they can't control. There's nothing wrong with creating art about difficult emotions, but I think she did not need to release it for the whole world to hear, knowing that they know who she is talking about. The song itself isn't too egregious, she just expresses her frustration with the whole situation ("you'll find someone," "I'm not the one" -> even she doesn't blame him for anything let alone the emotional gaslighting you're accusing him of anon what are you on 😭) the main problem is when people like you use it to villainise joe. like explain to me what part of it shows his gaslighting

For context here is what the whole deuxmoi thing is about, taken from this post:

You can clearly see that he was expressing an opinion on what he thought was a private enough setting. How could he have known he was going to be overheard and it was going to leak to the internet and eventually reach taylor (if any of this ie even true)? She is his ex of 6 years and it's only been a year since their breakup, I think it's fine that he's still somewhat emotionally occupied with her. We don't know if he obsesses about her every day and since the London travis thing is pretty recent, maybe it was just on his mind that day? Also why does he have to keep quiet? taylor can write whatever she wants in her songs, I think he is more than justified to have a conversation in public. We have no reason to think he meant for this to get out or to "[re-insert] himself into the ex he resented' life," as you put it.

to end off, anon I really think you should touch grass (and I'm not trying to be condescending here) because it feels like you're blowing up select details out of proportion to fit the narrative taylor has created through her music. We don't know how accurate that narrative is.

[devieuls]

I’ve always been there for you. part.I

Childe ( Tartaglia) x Fem Reader !smut¡

Warning : Smut 18+ MDNI; Childe Dom! ; unprotected and rude sex; dirty talk; threats; slaps; spit; bites; hickeys; punishments; blood;  power play; teasing; choking, jealousy and possessiveness; pseudo-toxic relationship; violent foreplay; BDSM.

Reader with Cryo vision.

Synopsis : You are the only daughter of the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, heir to the throne and general of the nation. The diamond of that place characterized by the eternal winter, loved by the people and adored for the angelic but fierce facade that you show. The only person with whom this mask fell is your secret lover, the one who manages to make you forget your duties with a touch and takes you to heaven whenever you end up in bed together. Your relationship was reserved for the bedroom, although you liked to tease him in public, as the 11th Harbinger was also your personal guard.

Everything was great and perfect... until one day your game was pushed too far, breaking the thin thread that gave you so much stability. Appearances were deceiving, and everything you thought you had under control suddenly hit you, dropping that house of cards you built for fun.

Length : 3.5k+

Notes: In the story there will be some slightly violent or excessively harsh parts from the reader or Childe himself, read the warnings to better understand what it is. It’s a mini series, I hope you like it.

OH, CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT YOU'LL WEAR IN THE MEETING!

Part 1 ; Part 2 ; Part 3 ; Part 4 END

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The icy wind of Snezhnaya hit your still too sensitive skin after coming out of the warm bed sheets, causing you chills and goosebumps. Your gaze fell on the messy hair of the boy across the bed, failing to see his face completely because of the rebellious strands that hid him; His bare shoulders out of the blankets, showing much of his back, not reacting at all to the winter cold of the capital.

You stretched towards him, passing your hand over his soft skin, stroking with your fingertips some scratches left by you the night before, observing how he shuddered at that attention from you. That back, like his whole body, was your favorite canvas to paint with hickeys, bites and scratches, framed by some battle scars who aged with time.

You couldn’t say you didn’t appreciate your guardian, after all he was a passionate and devoted lover,  and it was he who took your virginity, making you completely obsessed with him, even if you didn’t admit it so easily. Not that your jealousy toward him didn’t scream how crazy and possessive you was toward him.

No one could know what was between you two, it would be too inconvenient for the princess of Snezhnaya to attend her own guardian, even if only sexually. A Harbinger was clearly a respected authority but was supposed to serve the Tsaritsa and her family, not fuck the princess of the nation.

You followed his column, slipping your hand, making the boy growl under you. Childe woke up slowly, enjoying your gentle touch on his skin, hoping to stay a little longer in that corner of paradise you had created as a loophole from public duties.

< Good morning, my Harbinger. Did you sleep well? > You asked once you heard that the red-haired guy had woken up, leaving a gentle kiss on his neck, approaching his face turned sideways.

< My princess, how could I sleep badly if I have you by my side? > He answered by turning towards you, then quickly locking you under him, putting his hands on the sides of your shoulders. You passed one hand over his bare chest and the other over his face, caressing him gently.

< You’re always so flattering, Ajax. > You said smiling, and then receive a kiss from the boy above you, who soon became wet and needy, as if the two of you hadn’t kissed each other until your lips were consumed just the night before.

The kiss was interrupted by the "knock-Knock" produced by your closed door, accompanied by a voice. < Your Highness, it's bath time... are you... are you awake? > she asked in a trembling and low tone, but always remaining delicate.

You raised your eyes to the sky, mentally vowing to have your caregiver cut off her tongue. Childe smiled knowing what you were thinking, breaking away from the kiss and then moving away from you.

< Your Highness, is rude not to answer the servants > he whispered on your ear, causing you a sigh of dissent.

< Come back in a few minutes, 15 minutes will be fine. I need to be alone for a while. > You said in a tone obviously annoyed and maybe slightly acid.

< But Your Majesty the Tsaritsa told me... > She continued obviously uncertain about the business.

< Your princess commands you. My mother will not disagree about a bathroom postponed for a few minutes, don't dare to bore me further. > Your voice now hard and sharp had made sure that the servant left apologizing.

The guy next to you looked at you and then laughed and bit his lip, holding a hand on his face and then in his hair. < Do you want to hunt me, your Highness? > He said blatantly provoking you, not that you were sorry, you liked the way Childe took these small liberties in private.

< Hmm... I don’t know, do you have something to offer me in such a way as not to bore me? > You said turning to him and taking him by the face with one hand.

< All that your highness desires > He answered the mischievous tone, knowing where you were going. < Sometimes I forget how sexy you are when you’re so bossy > he caressed your naked side and squeezed it slightly, admiring the little marks he had left you the night before.

< Oh, I think you know very well what I want. > Your gaze was mischievous, clearly suggesting to the boy your desires.

< My princess, fifteen minutes wouldn't be enough to ensure that you enjoy properly. I thought you understood after all those nights. > He answered taking you by the hips, carrying you above him, admiring your naked body and exposed to him. He would never get tired of seeing you like that.

You snorted at yourself from the bed, taking away your sheets and covering yourself with it, knowing that it was an obvious wrong to your lover.

< I’m your princess! I can have what I want whenever I want and as much as I like. > Your dramatic voice rang out in the room as you wandered around the room not to give him the pleasure of touching you again.

<  Y/n, you’re not just my princess, don’t play these games with me, you know I like to strip you of your titles. Also, in the bedroom, I’m in charge and.... Look, we’re in the bedroom.  Come here before the maid returns and forces me to flee like a thief. > he responded in tone, knowing perfectly well that your titles in that chamber were completely cancelled.

You approached him daubed, then you were greeted by his warm arms, resting your face on his chest. He began to kiss your head, caressing your body, causing you chills along your back.

Will you be at the meeting with the Harbingers today? Her Majesty is going to force you to participate if you refuse to be present again > He said by clutching you to his chest, hoping to persuade you to leave again.

< Her Majesty, Her Majesty and Her Majesty... blah, blah, blah, blah, she is always spoken of as the center of the universe. I’m not going to go along with her wishes like anyone else > You responded acidly, sinking into his warm embrace.

< My angel, don't do so... is still an archon and is our Tsarina, it's obvious that everything revolves around her in Snezhnaya. You should really participate out of respect for your people and your servants Harbingers > continued, stroking your hair.

< I don’t care about the other Harbingers, I already have you... what more can I want? > You said lifting your face and kissing his jaw. < I really don’t want to hear my mother’s plans to "bring peace to Teyvat". They are hers battles, not mine > You answered by mumbling between one kiss and another, touching the boy’s chest. < Don’t insist... Why don’t you skip this meeting and hang out with me? I know it bores you too > You continued, leaving a few bites and making pant the man under you.

He had to detach you so as not to give in to the temptation to really stay with you, it wasn't like him to disobey the Tsarina’s orders. He was loyal to her and deified her as the goddess she was, not that it prevented him from giving in to lust with you and letting go.

< Mh... y/n, one day you’ll take your mother’s place and you’ll understand... You are close to the throne, you should really think about participating, if not for your majesty, do it for me > He said as he got out of bed and dressed, knowing that the longer he was with you, the more he would be carried away by your rebellious spirit.

< Come back here, come on! It sucks when you’re so devoted to my mother, phew. > You snorted and dropped on the mattress, watching the guy putting his clothes back on. < How can I be here if I see you sexy in your Harbinger uniform? I wouldn’t stay focused and just think about the ways you fucked me last night. It’s frustrating for me, Ajax. Don’t do this to me > You grumbled with your hands on your face, making the guy who took you from the foot laugh and pulled you towards the edge of the bed, then get you up slightly and kiss your lips.

<  Not that I find you unattractive and sexy dressed as a general. If you showed up being a good girl, I could think of rewarding your good behavior > He said on your lips, and then pull away and approach the door before being stopped by yet another "knock-knock".

< Punctual as death. Perhaps it's better to get out of the balcony, I hope to see you at the meeting, my princess. > He whispered kissing the palm of your hand, then went out on the balcony and disappeared completely in the light fog of the capital.

You bit your lip with a smile, maybe he really convinced you to play your mom’s stupid power play. You covered yourself again and told the maid to come in, then follow her to the royal baths and let her wash you with the other women.

< Anya, no daily clothes today. I’ll wear the uniform of the nation’s general. > You said smiling at your most trusted servant, surprising her for the first time.

You had never directly asked to wear your uniform, except in military events that required your presence. The girl nodded and notified her subordinates to start cleaning and fixing your uniform.

.

.

.

Hours later you were ready for your entrance into the great hall built to house the Harbingers in the royal house. You had never heard that room of yours, it was yet another thing existing because of your mother, not that you hated her, she just always stood up, watching you and criticizing you in silence.

You waited to be announced before you entered the room, out of respect for the people who gave themselves every day to keep the nation safe.

Once inside, you found all the Harbingers standing solemnly bent over you, while remaining around the rectangular table. You could tell from their looks that they were amazed to see you come in, after all, it was a long time since you had actively attended meetings like this.

You could feel your mother’s sharp, burning look on your body, you knew she was surprised but you didn’t know if she was positive or negative, after all this time it wasn’t her who extended the invitation.

You took your seat at the head of the table, parallel to the Tsaritsa’s raised throne. That seat was usually reserved for the Fatui's leader, but it had to be ceded in the event of the presence of the General of State, namely you, as well as the princess of the nation and future Tsarina of Snezhnaya.

< I hope I’m not late, I know Her Majesty the Tsaritsa loves punctuality and it would be rude toall of you to arrive late. > You said and then nodded your hand to allow them to sit down again, sitting down after you gave the Tsarina a sharp look.

< Not at all, Your Highness. We're honored by your presence. > Pierro’s strong but servile voice broke the silence that was being created in the room, always with a calm tone as usual. You gave a gentle smile to Leader of Fatui, then crossed your legs and looked at some documents left on the table.

< So, what were we talking about? > You said looking up at the man waiting to be made aware of the various plans and events. Your tone was firm and professional, really interested in political dynamics, participating in the various debates and moves to be made to help the Tsarina get the gnosis and counter the power of Celestia.

The only thing wrong was to literally have your lover by your side, unfortunately or fortunately, the place assigned to Childe was exactly the one by your side and it was ironic how you could forget about it. Not that you were sorry, you had the opportunity to take a little risk, put a shiver in your hidden relationship.

You knew it was risky for both of you to look more intimate than you should, but who would have noticed your foot climbing on his leg? after all, the table concealed perfectly your hidden games, to betray you could only be poor control over your body or in the reactions of the face.

Ajax’s eyes were looking at you, as if to ask you what you were doing or why you were doing it; he didn’t mind, no, you would have noticed if you were invading his space and comfort zones, he liked it when you played like this, but maybe there was concern in his eyes. On the other hand, it was one thing to be discovered by a citizen or a servant, history changed if it was the highest authority of the nation to discover you two.

It was difficult, indeed, impossible not to drop the eye on the boy’s gloved hands, on the tight shirt or on the scarf that you yourself had given him; not to mention his posture so elegant but at the same time they made him seem annoyed or disinterested in conversation; the face in a perennial poker face, as if you were not touching his dick right at that moment.

You continued to play on his leg while discussing ways to retrieve the electro gnosis, possessed by the Raiden of Inazuma, famous for being ruthless and difficult to deal with; your speech was not an impediment to finish on Childe’s thigh, touching the groin and his crotch wrapped in his pants.

Suddenly Childe’s grip made you stop, tightening your grip slightly, fingering your stocking, making you shiver slightly, which could be excused by the slightly cold temperature of the room.

You sighed as you listened to the ideas of all the Harbingers and the Tsarina’s opinion about it, involving the manipulation of a certain Traveller who had become a renowned Hero in Teyvat. You looked at Tartaglia once it was his turn, talking about how he could direct this girl to do whatever he wanted. It bothered you his intimacy with such hero, since for months you were forced to stay away from the boy, all without being able to complain.

.

Your game of touches proceeded throughout the meeting, leaving both of you really eager for each other. Your professional demeanor, your authoritarian and firm tones, as cold as the nation you belonged to, had you two horny as fuck. Not that the clothing had relieved the thoughts of jumping on eachother, indeed, it was perhaps the first thing that had brought you back to the night before.

The boy left your leg just before he got up to bow down at the exit of the Tsaritsa, greeting her in the same way as everyone in that hall.

The Harbingers turned to you, waiting for your exit or permission to be discharged, they would never have allowed themselves out without your decision. You returned to your upright position after greeting your mother, immediately noticing how one of the Harbingers was watching you with an accomplice look, passing the gaze from you to Childe, smiling maliciously.

Shit, did he understand? You thought worried. You cleared your voice and looked at the other people in the room. < You’re discharged, go ahead... > you said and then take a short break. < Pantalone, please stay. I need to discuss some business with you. > You concluded by inviting the man to sit down again while the others left without any problems, except your lover. He gave you a confused look, not understanding why I let Pantalonve stay and not him.

Once you were alone in the room, you approached the black-haired man at a decisive pace. < I know you saw and you know. > You started with a firm and cold tone.

< My princess, I have no idea what you’re talking about > his tone made everything shine except innocence.

< Regrator, don’t play innocent with me. We both know what I’m talking about, don’t pretend not. That would be a huge disrespect to the royal family > You ended up putting a threatening hand on his shoulder.

< Princess, with all due respect, I think you disrespect the royal family plus what you and Tartaglia do. Don’t you think? > He responded by teasing you, he knew where to hit you and he did it fucking well. < Tell me, my general, does Her Majesty know what you do behind everyone’s back? I suppose not... that indecency, with one of his Harbingers...> He smiled brazenly, knowing he was right.

You held on to his shoulder, looking at him in a dark way. < You are not showing me respect by addressing me in these ways. I know you, my dear Regrator, I don't ask you to keep my secret at the cost of anything, you know better than me that I can give you everything you want. > You started by sitting in front of him, crossing your legs and your arms across your chest. < So, what is the price for your silence? Money? More power? Tell me what you want. > your tone was serious, just like your look, while his mocking and not caring.

< My princess, you shouldn’t ask a man what he wants, especially if you promise to give him everything he wants. > He breathed deeply, his tone was slightly mischievous. < Even if you are the princess of Snezhnaya, you shouldn't say such things... Now I could ask you anything and you couldn’t say no, are you sure you could afford it, my princess? > He concluded with a cheeky smile.

< A good general never retires when she knows she can win the battle. I do not take back my words, so tell me the price of your silence. > you slammed your hand on the table, waiting for an answer from the man.

The black-haired man approached you, placing a hand on your face, stroking it and then tightening the grip around your jaw and approaching him. < The battle, not the war, Your Highness. If my price was to have you? Could you really afford it, General? >

You swallowed looking at him, trying not to let emotions shine through your face. < What exactly are you asking me? > your words clung desperately to a stable and serious tone, hoping to have misunderstood his request.

< I don’t need to teach you about birds and bees. Tartaglia is always away on missions, leaves you alone for months and then comes back as if nothing had happened. I see you, my princess. How you look at him, how you need to be touched when he’s not around, the flesh is weak. You may have stability with me, I’m in the Tsaritsa’s good graces, and I wouldn’t mind ruling by your side in the future,  I wouldn’t mind your little flings with him once in a while, although I know you wouldn’t need it after trying. > your hand rose to strike his face after that blatant offense to your person, and then be stopped by his firm grip on your wrist. His lustful and ambitious gaze watched you. < Come on, princess, it’s a reasonable price for my silence. It would be outrageous if it became known that our princess is no longer a virgin. What do you think? >

You sighed heavily, turning your face to the side and removing your hand from his grip.

< Oh, maybe our future Tsarina can’t really afford everything, didn't she? > he said in a mocking tone, laughing with taste, getting a look from you.

< It’s not something I can offer so easily, as well you know. Are you asking me something out of proportion, aren't you afraid that I will cut your tongue or condemn you to death? > You spit bitterly.

< See, my general, I’m not afraid of losing anything if I can make more. I fear nothing, life is a game, why not bet everything? > He said by fixing his glasses. < The choice is yours, I will keep your secret until I receive a confirmation from you but... the time is precious, you can not know if tomorrow or in a week the price will be higher. > He ended by getting up.

< Is it a threat? > You asked furiously.

< only if you want to understand it so > he answered with the same amused tone  < How dare you! Get out of here, right now. > You responded coldly, with an acidity never felt, your gaze was sharp and threatening, which made the man feel chills.

< My princess... > he said to then bow and kiss the back of your hand, then take leave.

You brought a hand on your face, clearly nervous that he’d asked for something like this. The nervousness didn’t subside at the thought that he had known about you and Childe for a long time.

You got up from the chair and threw some papers on the table, pushing the chair where it was sitting and dropping it on the floor.

< Fuck it. You manipulative bastard. > You said clenched teeth, furious with anger.

What to do now? Risk your mother taking away your title and throne and degrading Childe, almost certainly exiling him, or accepting Regrator’s indecent proposal?

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

This one is so long I'm putting most of it under a readmore to save your dash

Anonymous asked:

AITA for stabbing a kid?

(this is less Am I The Asshole and more Was I The Asshole, bc it's really just a story from high school that I - as an adult in my mid-20s - was remembering recently and thought could be fun to toss to The People in as objective of a form as I can. anyways, all names are 100% made up to replace actual names, and everybody involved ends the story safe and alive)

I (16ish F then, 20s NB now) was trying to prep for an upcoming speech and debate tournament (yes, I was insufferable as a teen) with a group of other students in our debate coach's classroom. specifically, I was working with a younger student, Tammy (14ish F then), on understanding this specific type of debate (LD for my fellow insufferable teens out there) and brainstorming with her on some of the main components of her own case. as we were trying to work, another student, Tony (15ish M then), kept butting in to pester Tammy, making it impossible for Tammy or me to focus. in hindsight, I'm like 74% sure Tony had a bit of a crush on Tammy in that moment and expressed that feeling by being an annoying little shit towards her (as teens often do). that was at least how I would characterize the general vibe of Tony's actions and how he seemed to really need Tammy to be paying total attention to him. from my perspective and based on my basically decade-long memory at this point, Tammy (maybe?) asked him to leave her alone. she at least seemed frustrated and annoyed with him, or just generally flustered in a way I read uncomfortable. (take all this with a grain of salt here bc, regardless of how Tammy really felt, I was for sure super annoyed and that fact would almost certainly impact my interpretation and memory of the situation.)

idk if any teen girls out there (former, current, or future) have tried to teach or learn while a teen boy is flirt-bugging you or the person you're with, but it got old real fast for me. so, almost immediately, I asked Tony to knock it off so me and Tammy could work. he refused and kept bugging her. I continued to tell him to quit and he continued to ignore me, and this went on for a while. so, as one does, I figured it was time to threaten him with physical violence. I told him that if he didn't back off and let Tammy work, that I would stab him.

now, to give a bit of context for what the fuck I was thinking in that moment, I had learned a particular lesson earlier in my time as a supposed teenage girl dealing with supposed teenage boys in the 2000s-2010s: don't make threats you aren't willing to follow through on. so when I threatened to stab him, I 100% meant it. to provide a tad more context, I did also have a bit of a casually violent streak in high school for this reason (but maybe those stories are for a different AITA submission at another time, but they were all in a similar vein as this one in terms of cause and severity). also, does it help or hurt to add this was in a rural public high school in Texas? either way. to be fair to Tony, that's still undoubtedly a deeply unhinged and disproportionate thing to actually do, but would be a semi-common hyperbolic empty threat to make as a teen to another teen.

as you can assume based on the title here, Tony did not quit despite these threats. so, true to my word, after us arguing back and forth for a bit more, I stabbed him in the arm with the pen I was holding. he was obviously upset (to be clear, it did hurt him but did not injure him to the best of my knowledge beyond leaving a light mark for a bit of time that afternoon*) and he complained about having been stabbed. I said I warned him repeatedly that I would stab him before I actually did, to which he replied that that was an insane thing to actually do (fair enough, ya know?). the teacher was in the room, but if she saw any of this she ignored it. tbh, I don't see how she could have not noticed a kid loudly complaining about having been stabbed by another kid. so, I assume she chose to ignore it, possibly bc I was a bit of a teacher's pet (ie. president of the speech and debate team she was the coach of (I told you I was insufferable)). actually, now that I think about it, that was not the only time I stabbed another kid in her classroom in almost identical circumstances... maybe we are both TA....

anyways, in conclusion:

reasons I think I'm NTA: he was being an annoying dick to the friend I was mentoring at the time, and I did warn him that I'd stab him if he didn't quit being an annoying dick several times before actually following through (and it was only with pen and did no serious harm, but I think it does still count as assault regardless (?) and also I love the classic AITA storytelling technique of Being Dramatic, so feel free to ignore this point and *any other times I brought up that he was ultimately okay when considering how you wanna vote).

reasons I think I'm TA: I mean... I fuckin' stabbed a kid just bc he was being annoying and I fully got away with it bc the teacher liked me, plus I was a repeat offender of doing lowkey violence like this in response to other kids being Kinda Annoying and Shitty™. pestering other people on purpose bc you possibly have a crush on them is a very normal thing for a teen to do. stabbing another teen with a writing utensil just bc they did so though?... perhaps not.

(also, as an endnote: just to be clear, I do not stab teens at all in any context whatsoever since growing up. out of AITA-writing-character here, I think I was a kid who was just sick of guys around me crossing boundaries and dealt with that in a myriad of very unhealthy ways that were also informed by my general redneck upbringing that - understandably or not - sometimes saw some violence as a valid way to assert personal boundaries if it seemed they weren't being respected. that doesn't make it okay and is not at all a defense against being TA in this story, just trying to assure folks that regardless of whether you think I was TA I am now also a somewhat well adjusted adult who at least channels their overwhelming fury into organizing/activism stuff and mutual aid rather than stabbing annoying teenagers. while this isn't some stressful conflict that I feel torn up about or anything even close to that, I am interested to see what folks think, so thanks for reading if the mod(s) found all this worthy of posting for y'all!)

What are these acronyms?

[decepti-thots]

would you be down to give me a rough outline of how Prowl has been characterized over the publication history of the tf comics? I mean, in as far as you know about it. Every time you mention the costa stuff it makes me curious

I can try! I can't really drill down well without a thing to focus on specifically, but here are some general highlights.

Furman (and stuff that directly draws from Furman's run, like AHM as a whole) characterizes him basically as he did when writing Marvel G1, and gives him so little to do that not very much really comes out even then. Uptight, stick-in-his-ass, still a basically Good Guy TM and while he puts people's backs up a little, he's not under any level of suspicion. This is the closest to continuity-agnostic "fanon Prowl" you get in IDW, because that fanon figure draws quite a lot on the Marvel G1 characterization (when it isn't simply making things up wholesale, anyway). Furman copies his own homework, basically, lmao.

Roche is the guy who wrote phase two Prowl into existence as we know him. Rather infamously because he thought it was an interesting take on the character to er, ignore all the above stuff and make the Autobot SIC a rat bastard, lmao. Roche and Barber's interpretations came to dominate the character in IDW going forward, but they do differ. Roche's Prowl is more isolated from other characters (one does not really imagine Wreckers Prowl calling Bumblebee his best friend sincerely, as exRiD Prowl does), and people treat him as disliked by default. Even before the worst of what he does comes out, his reputation precedes him. Also, Roche's Prowl speaks fairly neutrally, whereas exRiD Prowl speaks more casually than fandom tends to admit to! Finally, Roche's Prowl is less spontaneously, outwardly emotional than Barber's is later on, and tends to fit the fanon stereotype of "always restrained" more.

Costa came in post-AHM but pre-Wreckers and hated all that, so he retconned it. LMAO. His Prowl is the archetype of the "good cop" protagonist surrounded by corruption, combined with surface level noir tropes that sort of work in tandem with those but lacking any grit. (Costa seems to understand what noir looks and sounds like, but none of the underlying narrative devices that make it function as noir.) This Prowl is specifically supposed to be (here's the retcon) someone who used to be more deliberately cold, removed and logical but who has specifically decided to change to be different following his experiences on Earth. (Spotlight: Prowl is a good one-issue explanation of Costa's perspective on Prowl, which is not the same as being a good comic.) As time goes on, the sheer unpopularity of this take pushed Costa to undo it a bit, and reintroduce some level of ambivalence to him... but by and large he remains kind of the "good authority figure who objects when the systems are misused" type, almost? His conflict with Spike is very much over the fact he expected better of Spike, see.

Barber's Prowl notably does not wholly throw the Costa stuff out the window. (This is why the Spike stuff features a lot; it's really the only strong emotional hook Costa's work gives you for his version of the character to grab at.) But Prowl is back to being a morally gray figure whose moral ambivalence is very strongly tied to his role as an authority figure- and that's worth mentioning. Prowl's downward spiral being intrinsically linked to his refusal to relinquish authority, and his abuse of it, is something that is all Barber and not Roche. (In Wreckers, Prowl is an asshole because of personal arrogance. In exRiD, he's more an asshole because of his role enabling a wider system, by the end. IMO that's a big difference, anyway.) He is not starting off exRiD loathed by absolutely everyone, or a figure of preexisting serious mistrust. That's something that develops over the course of the comic as things come to light for the characters in-universe, meaning exRiD Prowl feels like he's put up a more convincing shield in front of his worse dealings over the course of the war, perhaps. His position deteriorates significantly over the comic. He is more prone to balancing his deliberate cold-heartedness with angry or emotional outbursts than we saw in Wreckers, leading to him having multiple outbursts that worsen his situation over the course of the comic. This is the Prowl who holds grudges.

Roberts' Prowl is kind of different to talk about to the above because his Prowl in Shadowplay and his Prowl in Titans Return are different genres. I can do a post on that if folks really want but it probably is its own post, haha.

IDK feel free to clarify any specific stuff you'd like a vibe on if you want, this is all just what came to my mind instinctively!

[vendily-blog]

Here's the promised longer post I mentioned, on the topic of Mario and Luigi's brotherly relationship, though a significant portion of the post is filtered through the interpretation of Luigi's character over the decades. I touch upon both out-of-universe and in-universe points.

The best place to start is my motivation for writing this post in the first place, which is the annoyance regarding the subset of the fandom who act as if Mario is a cruel character, especially with respect to his brother Luigi. Obligatory, albeit tongue-in-cheek, "Fuck MatPat", due to his video positing Mario as a sociopath. I don't place all the blame at his feet, but he is an easy public target to point at, and I know some people would have been influenced by that video.

In anticipation for the length of the post, I've left the rest under a read more.

The one evidence MatPat mentioned in that video that still sticks with me all these years later was Mario grinding his shoe onto Luigi's foot after the latter wins his trophy in Mario Power Tennis.

However this ignores the context of the other trophy win animations, which are all comedic in nature, as well as the fact that a number of others also feature Luigi getting in some sort of trouble during them.

Mario Power Tennis initially released in 2004, the middle of the 00s. This time period was a marked shift in how Luigi as a character was used, as he really solidified due to Paper Mario 64 and Luigi's Mansion setting a baseline characterization. Later titles tipped further into the "down on his luck" and "lack of respect" aspects of his character.

But this characterization has started to be tipped back again, not having a bad thing happen to Luigi be the "be all end all" of comedy, likely in part due to the Year of Luigi.

Though overall, it's important to remember that the brothers have spanned 4 decades worth of media. That's quite a bit of time, and quite a lot of experimentation, even as the broadest strokes stayed constant. This brings me back to 1988. 5 years now Luigi would have existed, and the Super Show cartoon wouldn't start airing for another year. But we did get Super Mario Bros 3, and every time you booted it up, you'd get this title sequence.

Would you look at that? Luigi jumping on Mario's head? Throwing a Green Shell at him? What a terrible brother he is! This is sarcasm, but it does demonstrate how this really is one of earliest depiction of interaction between them that I'm aware of. (The other being the Japanese animated movie released in 1986, but that film focused more on Mario as the hero, with Luigi mostly causing trouble when he is on screen. It's a fun watch, but Luigi's character was still up in the air at the time.)

To loop back around to the in-universe discussion, they're siblings, these kinds of things happen, but they generally don't break the relationship. No relationship is always perfectly happy and content. It's fine to have moments where they're jealous, or annoyed, or otherwise not being on the same wavelength. But it doesn't mean they hate each other. To make a personal anecdote, my own sibling can get on my nerves at times and mine on theirs (sometimes even intentionally, haha), but that doesn't mean when push comes to shove, we wouldn't help the other. That's exactly the sort of energy I personally see in the Mario Bros. relationship.

This is also where I discuss the major sub-series, as they all emphasize different aspects of Luigi, which provides a different spin on the relationship (though never to the point where it'd flip to them hating each other).

Paper Mario's Luigi still cares for Mario, but he's also looking to prove himself, which is evident in his diary in 64 (wishing he could go on an adventure), his Marvelous Compass quest in TTYD (saving another kingdom), the intro of Super (attempting to interrupt the wedding in the intro), and his Peach's Castle key search quest in TOK (helping his brother by finding incorrect but still helpful keys). However some of his private dialogue in his diary could be read as more resentful or jealous, as Mario goes on yet another adventure while he stays at home. But, to take an in-universe view, just because Luigi has those feelings at times doesn't mean he always feels like that, and at the end of the diary, he's "looking forward to listening to the story of his adventure" and that he's going to "prepare a dinner to celebrate Mario's return". These writings are private, so they're effectively Luigi unfiltered, without some supposed need to keep up appearances for Mario's sake, yet we can see he's happy to see Mario back at home again.

Mario & Luigi's Luigi in contrast, is far more reluctant to get into trouble, with him intending to see Mario off at the start of Superstar Saga before being grabbed and taken along for the adventure, and generally being a lot more cowardly. Despite this, his love for his brother still shines through, with him forcing himself through bad situations because Mario's at his side, or because his love for his brother outweighs his fear of the situation.

Interaction between the bros doesn't happen as much in the Super Mario titles, but you could argue it being a middle ground between these two prior interpretations. Super Mario Galaxy in particular has Luigi collecting Power Stars by himself and getting in over his head, so he turns to the one person he can always rely upon, his brother. Though he also does decide that he's had enough excitement after a few stars and needing to be rescued.

However, one thing is constant, Mario is a great guy, not some cruel jerk. He cares about everyone, but especially about his brother, and Luigi wouldn't place that level of trust in Mario if he didn't deserve it.

[acuteobserv4tion]

I just watched Sonic 3 today.

Way too much punching, kicking, and squeeling on my part. I was in public and couldn't SCREAM.

I just have so much to say, but I'm gonna let it settle in my brain.

First and foremost, I LOVE how they handled Shadow.

Gonna be real, tho. I feel like that GUN director lady was a total waste of time. She didn't end up doing or being anything. Kinda like those two ex GUN agents in the Knuckles series. Utterly pointless.

They really gotta stop putting focus on characters in that agency when they don't matter. Looking at you, Randall.

I absolutely adored this movie. Didn't feel any wasting time beside that.

Gerald, Ivo, and Stone were extremely solid here on top of Shadow. A well-rounded opposition to our main trio.

I wanna know what Stone is gonna do now.

For some reason, I felt that Knuckles was lacking depth for a bit there, but then they pulled him right back in with the Tom stuff.

His saving grace is how he handles Sonic after what Shadow did. That was great. A great moment. Great characterization for all 3 of them in that scene. That was so real.

Tails was great throughout the entire thing. I could just feel how absolutely done he was with Eggman through the screen.

Our little buddy absolutely nailed his role.

Definitely can tell when character writing got focus. Both good and bad thing, but still, EXTREMELY happy with what we got.

I did get something spoiled for me, unfortunately, and I just kept thinking about it while in the theater, but I still had a fliptastic time.

Another thing I kept thinking about was comparisons to the story I already know, which, duh. Bound to happen, but it shouldn't impede anyone's enjoyment.

The way they handled Shadow's feelings was great. Like, actual cinema. No exaggerating that. Maria was an actual character, and this has gotta be the first time we Sonic fans were able to feel that.

That this little girl was taken. Shadow's only light.

A downside, though, is that we didn't actually get to see how Gerald was connected to either of them, which I found odd. We never even see him just pop in on the two having fun or reprimand them like the supposedly adoring grandpa he was.

There really should have been a couple of scenes of that to really drive in that they're both grieving family. Like, why did Gerald initially care about Shadow? Why was he and he alone comfortable enough with the powerful alien to the point where he lets Shadow and Maria become so close?

Literally, just have him watch in the background during that cute scene when Maria and Shadow first meet. Have him recognize Shadow as a person. Easy fix.

More spoilers:

I kinda wish they weren't afraid to allude to Maria getting shot. Or even maybe, Shadow in his burst of grief, creating a Chaos Blast that really killed other humans in the facility. They already gave us a half-baked story at the start that we would later be more informed on. Might as well hammer home that message of grief.

Speaking of which, Knuckles surprisingly didn't interact with Shadow at all. I thought they would at least reference the shared experience to help tighten the narrative.

Personally, I predicted that Knuckles and Shadow would have a short exchange, mostly via fists. But after the first fight, Knuckles wasn't used to that effect.

He kind of was just consistently used as the emergency muscle to bail us out. I think that's because the Chaos Emeralds didn't matter here. Like, at all. So, Knuckles wasn't given a specific thing to focus on, like Tails for technological aspects of the story.

A surprising change for the Emeralds after the setup of the last movie. But fair I guess, considering the wider general audience may not be ready for that.

They only have Gerald's empty weapon, but its power is fueled by a different chaotic source, which I found interesting, as well as Shadow's origin. With the way they framed Shadow's initial arrival to earth, I wonder...

Are they thinking of tackling Black Doom?

Anyway, I adored the direction they took this movie. It's a little questionable at times, but it's definitely worth the ride. Like any good movie.

Gotta say, that final Sonic and Shadow clash freaking HAD me. I'm still giddy about. Like, as I'm writing, it's been 4 hours later and I'm still jittering. I'm so happy that that part wasn't ruined for me.

The action is insane in this franchise it NEVER misses. They play into the abilities, and it is INCREDIBLE

And the inhibitor rings really came back into the fold. I wonder if the scientists made them for Shadow or if they came from his homeworld. It could be used to limit other characters' abilities. Wink.

I wonder what the next movie will be called.

I'm exploding on all this hype and narrative and turns out I'm only allowed 10 gifs per post. Stingy

So ends,

The Year of Shadow