#that prison realm scene has me GONE

[zeltqz]

imagine gojo playing with his blindfold as you ride him and lifts it just high enough for an eye to peek out and to see your form and he’ll readjust you on his dick for a better angle

[fairsweetlonging]

hear me out, svsss extras au where, some part after canon, when the original luo binghe shows up, shen qingqiu does go with him (whether forcefully or willingly) to the other world. of course, bingge being bingge he immediately starts planning a wedding and trying to take shen qingqiu to bed, but his spouse-to-be isn't having it. he has this thing called self-respect, you know!

so, shen qingqiu, trying to buy himself time, tells bingge he'll need to be properly courted first. after all, how can you marry a guy you just met? (frozen ref). bingge, though reluctantly, agrees.

and generally in my head it's a bit of a feel-good fic, in a way? at least before the angst begins. shen qingqiu is sweet and kind to bingge but strict and aloof enough to not be a different person entirely, and when shen qingqiu (teasingly) tells him to perform the qing jing sword drills, bingge blooms under the praise he's given when he performs them flawlessly, and there is something very calming about walking into shen qingqiu's suite and finding him curled up on the cushioned window sill with a blanket, a cup of tea and a book he's helplessly engrossed in.

in this au shen jiu is still alive, locked in the dungeons of the demon realm castle. with the new shen qingqiu here he's been severely neglected, mainly because bingge hates to taint his new image of 'the kind shizun' with his hateful despicable old shizun, clearly this is how it was always meant to be, and shen jiu can rot for all he cares. at first shen qingqiu (yuan) thinks shen jiu must be long dead and gone, but then he overhears two guard demons bickering about "food for the prisoner", and he gets curious.

it's a scene à la 'belle and the beast' where shen qingqiu goes to the forbidden wing dungeon, finding shen qingqiu chained up, bones broken, cultivation crippled. one of his arms is gone, and shen qingqiu doesn't want to look too long at the rotten remains in the corner of the cell. shen jiu is barely conscious at this point, but shen qingqiu spends a little time with him anyway.

when he has dinner with bingge later that night, he asks after shen jiu, saying he wants to see him. binghe gets a little paranoid, worried about them teaming up against him or that this shen qingqiu will think he's a monster too. but shen qingqiu knows to spin it in such a way that it basically amounts to "wouldn't it be great to have two nice shizuns?" (shen yuan knows how important closure can be). and. yeah. bingge does like the idea of two nice shizuns.

so then shen qingqiu gets to take care of shen jiu (who does have to remain in the dungeons for now), and if bingge hadn't seen it with his own eyes he wouldn't have believed shen jiu took to shen qingqiu so quickly, being the pitiful pile of broken bones, starvation and torture trauma that he is, but, clearly, the way he allows shen qingqiu to touch him, stroke his hair, how his face falls, just slightly, when shen qingqiu has to leave, he's getting attached. something in bingge's xin-mo influenced mind delights in the idea of something else he can take away from his old shizun (shen yuan won't let him).

there's a bunch of endings to this, whether shen qingqiu and bingge find love and get married, or maybe binghe comes to save his shizun and they take shen jiu back to their world, or shen qingqiu acts like a catalist between original binghe and original shen qingqiu for them to be together, or idk maybe everyone goes to the other (svsss) world and they become some insane quartet, take your pick!

[jelly-fish-wishes]

I’m feeling a little too sick to draw the rest of the Mario Movie changes, so I’ll just type them in.

Mario mentions that Luigi landed in a dark place and everyone grows silent. Peach tells Mario that’s Bowser’s domain and Luigi is in danger. Peach gets excited about a third human and wants to test Mario so she can have him tag along with her to the Jungle Kingdom.

Peach shows Mario the course behind the castle and passes it. Mario questions how he can do all of that since he is short. Peach calls Toad to demonstrate. Mario gets embarrassed and peach offers the Super Mushroom. Events from the film occur, except Peach leaves because she has business to attend, but Toad stays behind to cheer Mario on. Before she could leave completely, Mario makes it to the end, except he loses his grip on the pole and crashes onto Toad. Peach asks Toad to leave so she and Mari can talk for a bit. Events from the film occur.

Note: All of the Luigi events stay the same.

Mario and Peach are about to embark on the journey to get to the Jungle when a Toad asks who Mario is. Peach hypes him up as another human just like her. The Toads get excited and Mario gets flustered, but stays a gentleman by waving at the oogling Toads. “Are you just as cool as the Princess?” “Are you helping her beat King Koopa?” “Are you two getting MARRIED?”

Toadsworth insists to go with her, but she commands that he stay behind to take care of things while she’s gone. She puts a little blind trust in Mario to Toadsworth’s dismay. They start traveling until suddenly, Toad appears to tag along. Peach insists that he stays behind because she doesn’t want to bring him down if she fails, which resonates with Mario. Toad begs to tag along to prove himself to be a Royal Guard. Peach can’t resist the face and agrees. Mario rolls his eyes in an annoyed but endearing way at Toad because he reminds him of Luigi. Events of the film occur, except a Laikitu with a camera shows Mario with the princess. Kamek sees it through a crystal ball.

Bowser sings his song as usual and is informed that there are TWO male humans that have the same face. Granted, they are separated but one of them is with the Princess and the other has been captured and on the way. Bowser smiles as he realizes he can use this to his advantage.

Events from the film occur except Peach reveals that after attempting to return her to her realm, the toads found the warp pipe destroyed. (A part of me wants to add the deleted scene here, but the moment between the two doesn’t feel earned, so Mario inviting Peach to Brooklyn feels better during Rainbow Road instead)

Luigi and Bowser meet. Except Luigi takes an in depth analysis at his situation. Big throne, lava everywhere, the smell of spicy cinnamon, the biggest one in the room and the only one with horns. This guy is in charge. The interrogation goes just like the film except when. Bowser asks if Princesses find Mario attractive, Luigi says “Do Mayors count?” R.I.P. his mustache. He ends up in the prison room. (Luigi’s Escape Plan comic where he escapes with Lumalee and the Penguin King starts :3)

Events stay the same for the most part up until Peach gets back to the Mushroom Kingdom after Mario and DK fell into the ocean. Toad begs to stay behind and Peach tells him that it’s best if he helps his fellow Toads get to safety. Peach marches outside with Toadsworth to defend the kingdom. Same events occur except Kamek tortures Toadsworth instead. They take Peach and they toss Toadsworth into the prison room. Toad hides, witnessing everything and sneak onto the fortress to rescue Toadsworth. Toad bumps into Luigi and Lumalee.

We are now caught up :3

[kichous]

✧･ﾟ:*   you could use me

summary. you're afraid that two weeks in a box is all that it takes to undo all of the progress you've made. series. a night of dark trees. bonus scene ! pairing. gojo satoru x gn!reader. warnings. none. word count. 1930.

Gojo’s different.

Ever since he emerged from the Prison Realm, he has been taciturn, morose, subdued. It’s disconcerting. He’s one of the liveliest people you know. It’s one of the things you love about him.

You’re still not sure how he says those little words so easily. Gojo Satoru’s world was torn asunder years ago, and he’d been dealt the same debilitating, staggering blow that still causes you to panic every time you hear the three syllables ‘I love you.’ Yet, somehow, some way, Gojo finds it in himself to voice that simple declaration to you. And he means it every time, with every fiber of his being.

It’s harder for you to speak it, your vocal cords uncooperative to an almost petulant degree, your subconscious locking the action away even in spite of your visceral protestations. You’re still searching on your hands and knees in the murky depths for the key. Only alcohol makes the search a little easier. But in your heart of hearts, you know it—it is a certainty that you love Gojo Satoru. A fact, as immutable as gravity (unless you were Kenjaku. Then you’d have to come up with another simile).

To that end, his absence hurt you. The moment you allowed yourself to fall for someone else, to finally move on from that one great loss, he was torn away from you. But it’s not his fault.

It must've been infinitely worse to be Gojo himself, stuck in what was essentially a cursed deprivation chamber for any duration of time from eternity to an instant. Not sure if eons had passed or but a second. Not knowing if the world burned his absence and those who remained rued his name, or if it had survived and everyone moved on without him. If anyone even bothered looking for a way to free him. You tried to put yourself in his place, imagining if he had gone and found a third love while you were trapped. You would’ve been happy for him, but you couldn’t deny that the simple idea of it broke your heart.

After he emerged, you stood by his side, your hand in his as he was informed of everything that had happened—everyone that had died—during his imprisonment. With every word, his shoulders sloped more and more, crushed by the weight of the world in each consonant and each vowel.

He won’t talk about it with you. When you kissed his temple and stroked his hair, uncaring of your audience in Shoko and Ino, he’d sighed and leaned a little closer. But he was silent as stone.

You wish you knew what to say to him. The way he and Geto bantered was so instinctual, an easy back-and-forth like a tennis match. You can hold your own with him, no doubt. But you’ve also got a history of deepthroating your foot where he’s concerned, so you can understand why Gojo’s a little hesitant to confide in you. He’s never had to before, why should he start now?

Oh, maybe because you love each other and that’s what supportive partners do—lean on each other? If only he’d stick around long enough for you to just tell him that.

Naturally, he refuses to make anything easy for you. Satoru’s hardly alone these days. You can’t even fault him for spending every waking moment training. If he’s going up against the King of Curses, he’ll need every advantage he can get, no matter how confident he is. You support him where you can in that regard, but you have no choice but to ambush him in between sparring with Okkotsu and sparring with Maki to actually get a word in.

“Hey, dumbass,” you call as you approach. Where it might’ve elicited an equally dry ‘What’s up, shitlips?’ once upon a time, it now earns a tired smile. Not the ideal reaction.

“I didn’t do anything,” protests Satoru, allowing you to soften the insult with a quick kiss. He’s sitting on a bench with his legs wide enough for you to step in the space between, and he wraps his arms loosely around your waist. “Why’re you being such a meanie?”

“Why are you overcompensating?” The verbal suckerpunch gets him in the solar plexus, causing Gojo to stare up at you wide-eyed with his mouth falling open defensively. You press a finger to his lips. Satoru goes a little cross-eyed trying to focus on it, and so you flick him on the nose to retrieve his attention. “I get it, if it’s for the kids. You’re their teacher. You’re everything they want to be when they grow up, they see you as a protector, blah, blah. But you don’t have to be strong with me. I know you. I know you. You don’t have to pretend, okay?”

“Don’t I?”

That stings, probably more than he meant it to. You don’t imagine Satoru ever intends to be cruel, because even at his worst, his sadism is meant for curses. But you’d thought he considered you an equal. Or as close as one could be without being a special grade, at least. It was foolish of you to think that the wall between you had crumbled any, at least as far as your skill level was concerned. It’s been years since anyone ever talked about how you could’ve become the fourth special grade if you ever managed to get a tighter rein on your technique. Okkotsu’s taken your place since then.

Your teeth sink into your lower lip as you move closer to tuck his head into your sternum. “No, you don’t. We’re partners, aren’t we?” you whisper, running your fingers through his hair. Something warm stirs in your chest as his eyes flutter shut and he hums a quiet, pleased purr. You’re a haven to him. “You love me and I—I love you. That means you don’t have to do this alone.”

He says nothing at first, simply nuzzling closer. There’s no sound but your shared breath, steady and even. His arms tighten around you. It’s a little uncomfortable having to crane your neck down to kiss the top of Satoru’s head, but the little sigh he gives is worth it. It’s the little things with Gojo. With such a bombastic person, large and grandiose efforts are commonplace, attention-grabbing gestures all Satoru knows. The strongest must be larger than life. So you end up treasuring the opposite—the way his long, spindly fingers fit in the slits between yours, the way his long lashes tickle your cheek when you kiss, how he loves to rest his elbow on your shoulder when you stand next to each other, the perfect roost. These tiny bits combine to make everything feel grounded, real.

After a moment, he pulls away, and light starts to creep back into his eyes. They look more like the sky again, rather than an iceberg field in the Arctic Circle. Good. “Does that mean I can tap you in during the fight?” Satoru asks cheekily.

You toss your head and give an exaggerated tsk. “I haven’t decayed from my Grade One rank, I’ll have you know! I may not be a spring chicken, but I can still pack a punch!” For emphasis, you smash your fist into your other palm.

“Not a spring chicken?” Satoru repeats incredulously. “We’re the same age! What does that make me?!”

You tug lightly on a few strands of his snowy hair. “A geriatric old man, duh.”

He raises a brow. “Oh yeah? Could an old man do this?”

Satoru’s up on his feet in an instant, one hand sliding up your back and the other wrapping just below your shoulders as he dips you in a kiss. He savors it, plying gently past your lips with his tongue. Satoru moans as you slip your fingers through his locks, a sound that makes your lips and extremities tingle. He steals the breath from your lungs, and you don’t hate it.

“Well.” Your voice is but a rasp when he finally pulls away. The man radiates smugness. Somehow, you find it endearing. “I’m sure Harrison Ford could.”

Satoru’s face breaks open with a full, hearty, genuine laugh. Pulling you upright to use as an anchor, he buries his face into your neck. His entire body vibrates in tandem with his giggles, the warmth of his breath a pleasant sensation on your skin compared to the wintry frost around you. Satoru blinks as you use your index finger to tip his face upwards. “What is it?” he asks, a little breathless.

“I love your smile,” you tell him honestly. “I love you.”

His cheeks grow pink. You doubt it’s because of the cold, your heart fluttering at the thought. You’ve managed to make Gojo shy. In lieu of a verbal response, he gently rests his forehead against yours. You’re aware you’re probably obstructing the walkway, and that if any of the students happened upon you, they would violently gag, but you can’t bring yourself to care.

Satoru is here, in the flesh. You thought you’d lost him when he got sealed away, and then again when he emerged sweeping the broken pieces of himself under the rug. That even if you could hold him, it wouldn’t be the Satoru you loved, nor the Satoru who loved you. Who saw something broken in you that was worth cherishing, worth putting back together piece by painstaking piece. Who never faulted you for giving up but encouraged you to try again, whose heartbreak echoed yours and stood as proof that there was a brighter tomorrow. The Satoru who taught you it was okay to be okay again. You’re sick and tired of lost chances, of what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. Maybe that’s why the words finally, finally slip so easily from your mouth—so you wouldn’t ever miss the opportunity to tell him again.

Gojo rubs his cheek gently against yours, sharing his heat. He’s always run a little warm. “I promise that I’ll share my burdens with you from now on. Even if I can’t promise you won’t hate me by the end of it.” A solemn vow, the seriousness of his tone unfamiliar to you. But not unpleasant.

“I already knew loving you was going to be rotten work,” you tease. “That’s never bothered me. What you can promise me is that you’ll come back to me. Otherwise, I’ll bring you back as a curse when you die. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

Satoru chuckles. “Will you at least make sure I look prettier than Rika?”

“She heard that.” You have no idea how long Okkotsu’s been standing there—what he heard or saw, whether he’s going to blab to any of the other kids. There’s a small bemused grin on his face, but it’s eclipsed by the overall chagrin of his furrowed brows. He’s embarrassed for you. PDA at your old age? His generation probably thinks you look like two skeletons mashing their teeth together.

Breaking out of your frozen shock, you and Satoru share a glance. Then, after a moment, you break the silence with simultaneous cackling. It’s hard to tell whether it’s the situation or the looks on your faces that sparks such an interminable fit. You fall against each other in your laughter, using one another as a column. He’s sturdy and solid and he’s there for you. And that’s what you’ll be for Satoru too. Steady and strong and unmovable. Unbreakable. Everything he’s been for the world, you’ll be for him.

Whatever it takes.

[youhideastar]

out with the wolves deleted scenes

As promised, I come bearing deleted scenes from out with the wolves, the alpha/alpha installment of Wangxian A/B/O Bingo (which is now complete!). Many of these are nsfw text, just fyi. There's another content warning appended to the specific scene that needs it. I hope you enjoy!

I started this story in June 2022, and whoo, it has gone through a lot of structural changes. At first, it was going to be alternating present day and flashbacks, like Fit for Purpose. Then, it was going to unfold in three time periods: “Now,” which would start from the strategy meeting scene, “Then,” which would start from the Yunmeng Courier Station, and “Before,” which would start from WWX’s arrival in CR. When you read the finished fic, you can still see the traces of these structures, but I ultimately decided to go with something less formal, where there are some flashbacks but they don’t alternate every other scene—and the flashbacks are all very short. This is a story that unfolds in the present, and we only go back to the past long enough for LWJ to remember it – not long enough to actually create a separate narrative.

Anyway, this was a version of a CR flashback from that earlier structure.

Lan Wangji was not supposed to want Wei Wuxian: he was a troublemaker, and a drunk, somehow both frivolous and dangerous at once. And he was a beta, and Lan Wangji, like any alpha, was destined for a match with an omega, whose sweet, yielding temperament would naturally call forth in him a complementary tenderness and a fierce urge to protect and provide.

But it was not utterly unorthodox to desire a beta – someone more lively and spirited, someone who might playact at resistance before yielding eagerly.

Lan Wangji had such thoughts. Was cursed with such thoughts, constantly, at inappropriate times, with mortifying results. But those were not his only thoughts about Wei Wuxian. Sometimes…

Sometimes he imagined a resistance greater than mere playacting. He would return to the Jingshi after sparring practice and lose himself in fantasies of a battle that ended in a hotter, filthier collision of bodies. One in which Wei Wuxian fought tooth and nail, and did not simply allow Lan Wangji to take his prize.

They still ended the same way, of course. Wei Wuxian on his knees, on his back, moaning with pleasure as Lan Wangji possessed him.

Nevertheless.

It was not orthodox. It was not right. And no amount of meditation in the Cold Springs or anywhere else could seem to cure him of it.

It’s ridiculous how bad that is compared to what’s in the final version. And you can tell that the final version of LWJ’s character is waaaay more repressed than this.

Another thing that changed about the story’s structure was that I was originally going to follow the timeline of the drama exactly, meaning that LWJ’s conversation with LXC about whether the world is orderly would take place right after the strategy meeting and right before the courtyard fight. Abandoning that fidelity to canon—the “is the world orderly” convo now takes place at a totally different time and actually takes place out in the field rather than in the Unclean Realm—really unlocked this story and was a huge breakthrough for me.

Before that breakthrough, though, I had two scenes in a row that end on LWJ orgasming and then feeling horrified: the “LWJ gets blood on his mouth from his sleeve” bit and the dream scene that ends with LWJ waking and remembering his rut.  I couldn’t have those two scenes adjoining—they were too similar—so I needed another scene to go between them. In the finished fic, that is where the “is the world orderly” scene takes place, which is perfect thematically, perfect for character development, and does a great job of varying the content of the scenes. But originally, I thought I needed to cook up a new scene for that purpose, and I came up with the following. Content warning for attempted rape.

A LAN CULTIVATOR TRIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A PRISONER OF WAR. LAN WANGJI HAPPENS UPON THIS.

“Kneel,” he says.

She is an alpha, as he is – built for dominance. But her strength is as nothing compared to his. Her attempt at struggle is an eyeblink; then, her knees hit the ground.

“Draw your sword,” Lan Wangji commands. She does.

“Place the blade against your left wrist.”

Her eyes are wide with terror as her own hand, unwillingly, places the edge of her sword against her wrist. “Lan-er-gongzi,” she bleats.

His fury has turned to ice. Holding her gaze, he says quietly, “Do you doubt that I could make you strike?”

She shakes her head. Tears are streaming from the corners of her eyes.

“You did not succeed in your aim,” he says. “Thus, you may keep your hand. This time. No second chance.”

“Yes, Lan-er-gongzi,” she whispers. “Thank you, Lan-er-gongzi.”

If she survives the war, he will have her expelled from the sect. But, though the thought tastes bitter at the back of his tongue, they cannot afford to lose any soldiers now. “Go,” he orders, and she stumbles to her feet and leaves.

When she is gone, the Wen prisoner looks up at him. Her eyes are empty. When he steps toward her, she flinches.

“I will not harm you,” he says.

“You challenged for me, and you won,” she replies, voice dull. “I know what happens next.”

“No,” Lan Wangji says. He helps her to her feet.

When he begins to lead her back to the pen where the prisoners are held before transfer, she begins to struggle in her chains. A pitiful wisp of scent, tinged with seduction but mostly redolent of fear, wafts toward him. “You can,” she says, “I won’t fight, I—you’ve never had an alpha, right? It’s—it doesn’t make you a pervert, if you’re the one on top. I’ll let you—”

Lan Wangji stops, and captures her gaze. With the full force of his scent, he demands, “Why?”

She fights the compulsion. Fights it longer than she fought Lan Xihu’s. Whatever she is protecting is worth more to her than her body… but Lan Wangji knew that. After an impressive handful of heartbeats, she sags.

“My mate,” she whispers. The syllables are mangled – she is trying to bite her lips shut. “He’s there.” Her gaze flicks toward the prisoner pen. “Don’t hurt him,” she begs. Her scent is heavy with hopelessness.

I liked this because it hit some worldbuilding notes that touch on unanswered questions (“if it’s so stigmatized for an alpha to be penetrated, what about female alphas, Dea?”) and emphasize some points that the reader might otherwise overlook (the stigma of alpha/alpha pairing, what an alpha’s compulsion looks like outside of a sexy setting and how it would function socially, how a challenge works). But this is too far outside canon, in a way that doesn’t serve the themes or the character development. The very fact that it introduces two OCs was a sign that it wasn’t a good fit.

The “is the world orderly” scene in the final version ends pretty quickly; this was the original ending, starting after LXC gives his answer:

Lan Wangji feels a wash of shock—and then, fleetingly, rage: now, after twenty years of placing the rules at the center of our lives, you dare to say—

But to call it rage is to give the anger false dignity; it is, he realizes, nothing more the temper tantrum of a child denied an expected treat. When he asked the question, he expected a particular answer—one that would be safe, and comfortable—but that does not make it Lan Xichen’s responsibility to give it to him.

When Lan Wangji asked the question, he had expected the answer to be “yes.” That was what he had been taught since his birth—by Lan Xichen first and best. He had thought that Lan Xichen’s words would ground him; instead, he feels as if what little foundation he had left has been ripped away.

But it has the weight of truth. He cannot dismiss it, even as it frightens him.

Lan Xichen steps closer; his gaze is warm with sympathy. “Wangji…”

Lan Wangji realizes that if his brother asks him about Wei Ying again, now, he will tell the truth. He must not, but he will. He stares at his brother in mute desperation, almost lightheaded with dread.

Lan Xichen pauses. Rests his lips together. Then, with a soft puff of almost-scentless air, he sighs. “It is after hai shi,” he says, with undeserved mercy.

“Wangji will leave Xiongzhang to his rest.”

Parts of this remain in the final version—and those are the important parts. The rest was unnecessary.

Okay, then in the soup scene, there was this, which was again meant to establish more how alpha commands work:

She is cut off before she can finish speaking.

“Tell me what happened,” Wei Ying says—no, commands, with the full force of his scent behind it. Lan Wangji stares at him in shock.

The order hits Luo Qingyang with such force that she rocks backward on her feet. Nevertheless, she presses her lips together and sucks in a desperate breath through her nose. It is an impressive effort, but it will not last long.

“Tell him,” Jin Zixuan says, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. Luo Qingyang takes another deep inhale – this one of relief.

But this ground is covered in LWJ’s flashback about compelling WWX to make copies and so forth in CR, and by the scene where LWJ almost compels Jiang Cheng, so it was redundant—and it’s a distraction.

From here on out, everything is cut from the sex scene, which comprises about half the fic.

First, I had been racking my brain figuring out where they were going to get lubricant, and after finally reaching an answer, I had WWX recreate my thought process:

Abruptly, Wei Ying climbs off of him and begins to search the house. “A blacksmith must have—have sword oil, or—cooking oil…” His movements are jerky; frenetic. His hands are shaking.

“We stripped the town of anything of use,” Lan Wangji says, lifting himself up on his elbows to watch in confusion as Wei Ying stalks from wall to wall opening cabinets and boxes. “There will be no sword oil, or oil for cooking or lamps—”

“Lamps.” Wei Ying freezes, then stumbles toward the door. He reaches up, then tosses his prizes to Lan Wangji: candle ends from used-up candles. “Tallow,” he says; clever, clever Wei Ying, even in the grip of instincts that would crush a lesser man.

But why—

“You don’t know, do you?” Wei Ying exasperated. “All your big talk about how you want—”

I felt so fucking clever. I was patting myself on the back, smug af.

Then I realized they have qiankun sleeves. Duhhhhhhh.

This next bit came after LWJ first sees WWX’s scars.

But Wei Ying is not looking at him. He is looking down at himself, as if seeing his own scars for the first time. His hands come up to drape over his shoulders and he looks, for a moment, self-conscious.

Then his face turns hard. “Like what you see?” he asks – a challenge.

But the answer is easy.

“Wei Ying. Breathe.”

Wei Ying inhales, surely catching the scent of Lan Wangji’s arousal. His eyes go wide and flick to Lan Wangji’s face. “You—”

“Touch me,” says Lan Wangji.

I always love me some WWX insecurity, but by this point, having LWJ reassure WWX that he really was wanted was getting repetitive.

And then! One of the last things I did in the fic was cut this next piece. I so liked the idea of WWX coming all over LWJ as a possessive gesture before we segue into the penetration section, and this was one of the first scenes I wrote for the fic, but I could not figure out a satisfying way to get in to it that wasn’t repetitive/redundant of other themes in the sex scene (here, WWX’s possessiveness). Worse, this was contributing to this seesaw thing where LWJ kept getting brought in and out of subspace, in and out, in and out, which is confusing for the reader – I don’t want people thinking, “Wait, is he mentally with-it right now or not?” That should always be clear, and this chunk of the scene was sabotaging that goal:

“I’ve never,” he breathes into Lan Wangji’s temple, face hidden. His hips roll, down, down – the rhythm plays in time with Lan Wangji’s heartbeat. “Have you?” he asks, pushing himself up to watch Lan Wangji’s face.

Lan Wangji swallows. “Never.”

Wei Ying’s answering smile is wolfish. He leans down again, until his lips are pressed against the shell of Lan Wangji’s ear.

“I thought so,” he says, low and satisfied. His breathing is harsh; the rasp of it makes Lan Wangji shiver. “That means you’re—”

He breaks off, bowing his spine and sucking in a deep breath. He bites the join of Lan Wangji’s neck and shoulder, then laps at the mark he’s made. His hips begin to work faster; the drag of his cock against Lan Wangji’s is unbearably good.

“I’ll show you,” Wei Ying murmurs, eyes unfocused and cheeks flushed. His thrusts are becoming frantic. “Let me show you now, I’ll make you see, make you feel it—”

“Please,” Lan Wangji begs. His mind has spun into silk again, lying here beneath Wei Ying, his body Wei Ying’s to use. Whatever Wei Ying wants to give him, Lan Wangji will take. He wants to. He wants that more than anything.

Wei Ying is panting now, face pressed to Lan Wangji’s skin. “You’re so—I never knew, Lan Zhan—ah!”

Hot wetness floods the space between their bodies – one thick spurt, then another, and another, Wei Ying emptying his knot with his teeth buried in Lan Wangji’s shoulder.

For the space of two shuddering breaths, Wei Ying is still.

Then he lifts his head. His eyes are full of fire.

“Up,” he says, and when Lan Wangji is not quick enough to push himself up on his elbows, Wei Ying fists a hand in his hair and drags his head up. “Look,” he demands. “Look.”

Lan Wangji obeys: looks down at what Wei Ying has given him.

Spend is splashed across his body; smeared on his still-hard cock; pooled on his belly; dripping over the edge and down his sides.

Even in his most depraved fantasies, Lan Wangji never imagined this. He lifts a hand, dazed, to trace a curve through the mess. He thinks about licking his fingers; but oh, he wants Wei Ying to feed it to him instead.

“What do you see?” Wei Ying demands.

Speaking is difficult, with his mind so spun-soft. “Yours,” is all Lan Wangji can manage. “Yours.”

Wei Ying makes a pleased hum. “Yes. Mine.”

Against his thigh, Lan Wangji can feel Wei Ying beginning to grow hard again.

I also did a lot of takes of the fingering sequence.

Lan Wangji forces himself to control his breathing – to release the muscles of his hips, so tight they had begun to ache like a clenched fist. The pain is less now that the initial shock is past, he can bear it well—

And then—there is more, suddenly – another finger, it must be, just when the first had begun to feel like something less than an invasion. Lan Wangji closes his eyes, tries to return to his controlled breath.

But his next inhale carries the burnt-hair scent of frustration. “Stop fighting me,” Wei Ying growls

That hurts. “I am not, I am trying—”

Pause.

“Have you ever done this? To yourself?”

Lan Wangji shakes his head.

Wei Ying squeezes his eyes shut. His left hand is bruise-tight on Lan Wangji’s thigh. “You’ve never. You’ve. How.”

“I was. Afraid.”

“Afraid.” Wei Ying bleak, feeling like a monster again.

“Of—of myself. Of liking it. Of what that would mean.”

Bitter laugh. “Well. No need to be afraid of liking it, I guess.”

Lan Wangji shakes his head. “Wei Ying. I need…”

Intent. “What do you need?”

“Make me,” Lan Wangji whispers.

“Make you.” Gaze sharpens. “Lan Zhan ah, Lan Zhan.” Smile. Alpha pheromones, super jacked-up in rut: “Spread your legs. Good. Now. Let me in.”

I really liked the “Afraid, of what, of liking it, no need to be afraid of liking it I guess” aspect of this, like really really liked it, but it made an already long sex scene so long, and also I decided after this that LWJ would have fingered himself during his last rut, so this didn’t fit the chronology anymore.

Finally, we have the first draft of the final conversation, back when it would have taken place in the blacksmith’s house.

“I can’t go to Gusu with you.”

LWJ FEELING SUPER BETRAYED.

“Not yet,” Wei Ying amends. “They need me, Lan Zhan.”

He means the sects; the allies. The people who look at him with suspicion while they use him.

“Call it arrogance,” says Wei Ying, looking up at the ceiling. “But I know. They can’t win this war without me.”

It is not arrogance. He is correct. Lan Wangji knows this.

“But if you still want to help me…”

Lan Wangji stiffens at the word if – before he can object, Wei Ying continues.

“I’ll… I’ll let you. I promise.”

Lan Wangji inhales slowly. His heart, which raced before, settles into a grateful rhythm.

“Thank you,” he says.

Isn’t it so vague, so general, compared to the final version? That's what stands out to me, anyway. One of my favorite John Hodgman aphorisms is “Specificity is the soul of narrative”—thankfully, I got there in the end!

Thanks for reading!

[bookshelf-in-progress]

The Inklings Challenge Stories I Didn't Write

The Lake Queen: When my time travel story wasn't coming together, I brainstormed a secondary world story about a woman returning to the place where, centuries ago, a great kingdom was flooded. Her son was the rightful king of this land, and she'd been called to return to one of the islands in this area and rebuild some type of chapel/temple. The central part of this temple was some kind of Ark of the Covenant type artifact that was lost in the underwater city. Only the rightful king could touch this artifact without dying, so after several years of building a home and chapel on this island, she had find enough faith to send her child on this extremely dangerous quest alone. It was very Abraham and Joseph, but there was also a huge component of this woman developing relationships with the locals on the island, who distrusted these outsiders, but eventually came to trust her as she taught them about the old history and culture and religion. It felt, unintentionally, so much like The Wild Robot that I hesitated to write it. Anyway, the time travel story did come together, and since this idea was much more of a novella than a short story, I gave up on the idea of writing it for the Challenge.

The Mermaid Story: Reading one of the Epistles got me thinking about apostolic evangelization, and this story unfolded very quickly in my imagination. It centers around a mermaid who's the highest-ranking wife of a powerful lord within an extremely wealthy sea-dwelling culture. She goes to the underwater dungeons to visit a human prisoner--to ask him how he can possibly still be alive. He was trying to preach to the merfolk and angered them so much that they tried to drown him, but he finds himself miraculously able to breathe underwater. The man insists he's not alive by his own power, which leads to him telling the mermaid about his message of salvation. The mermaid is extremely educated in science and philosophy and can't resist engaging with these new ideas, that seem both wise and foolish. Anyway, she starts to befriend this guy as her husband keeps trying to torture/kill him, and this starts to endanger her political position (especially since her husband has an ambitious young new wife), until she finally has to decide to give up everything to help this human in his mission. This is another story that probably needed to be a novella. I considered writing it as a short story, but in that case the religious element probably would have come across as way too preachy, so I had to let it fall to the side.

The Lady Knights: A few pictures I saw during my September brainstorming process made me develop a world where lady knights ride on giant insects as they protect the realm. I would have loved to write a short story about this concept--any one of the themes could have provided inspiration--but I just couldn't come up with a plot. I think it would have worked best as a portal fantasy, anyway, with a timid young girl learning courage from these women.

The Reading Room: A time travel short story about a guy who has access to a library that, at a certain time in the evening, brings together people from across different points in time. It would have had a kind of ghostly but cozy vibe, and would have been about the C.S. Lewis concept of escaping the biases of your own time period by reading books of the past (and the future, if we could get them). I didn't have enough of a plot to write a story with the concept (aside from a vague idea that a very "modern" person could meet the MC and get book recommendations from the future that challenge their biases). I could have maybe gone for an atmospheric flash fiction sketch, and maybe I still could, if I could find the right angle.

Shadowstruck: When I was trying to think up secondary world ideas to replace my faltering time travel story, I got intense inspiration for a few scenes in Shadowstruck that came to me so vividly I felt like I had to write them. I did write a scene, thinking that maybe I could pull together a couple of scenes that could work decently enough as a standalone short, but it took more time than expected and needs some more development, so I decided to wait to give this story the time and space that it needs to develop into the fully fleshed-out version. But I still love this story idea and the inspiration keeps coming, so it's definitely going to be my main focus for a while.

[cursedvibes]

Fic Writer Q & A!

Tagged by @voxofthevoid Thank you 🤗

How many wips do you have currently?

In terms of stuff I'm more or less actively working on with a proper concept (not just vague ideas) and what I plan to finish: 9

Which one are you finding the hardest to finish?

The final chapter of Stitches Across The Eye 😖 I recently got a comment asking when I'm gonna post it, since the last update was over a year ago...well... It's just that canon has thrown me for a loop with the new Jin lore and also TenKen and Pinchan are hogging my attention lately. It has kind of messed with what I had originally in mind for the end of that fic. I will get around to it eventually though and if it's the last thing I ever do!!

What does it usually look like when inspiration strikes for you?

I write 5-10k in one sitting until my brain is mush and I can't form a single coherent thought anymore. Otherwise, if I have an idea for a scene, dialogue or general theme while lying in bed at night, I write it down as detailed as possible on my phone in whatever WIP document it fits. Thankfully Google Docs exists as an app too 🙏

Do you curate playlists for each fic or is your process different?

I have a playlist for Stitches, but I don't use it anymore. I prefer to listen to ambient-ish music to get into and keep myself in the mood I need for a certain fic. I have a whole YouTube playlist with 1h+ ambient compilations and whatever feels right for the fic or scene will play on repeat while I write. For example:

This is what I listened to a lot for my Pinchan fics

works well for TenKen fics

Chance Encounter

And the Official Prison Realm Lofi often fits as well like for example for Stitches

Do you go balls to the wall and write as you go or are you more organized?

I used to go balls to the wall. I did plan my fics, what would happen when, but I would only do that in my head and then write the fic from start to finish like I imagined it. No jumping around and only writing down what has been mostly solidified (excluding edits of course). Recently, I've gone to writing outlines in my docs first and then start writing, while deleting the passages in my notes I already finished. It has the advantage that I don't have to remember as much, I can add spontaneous ideas into my outline and don't have to hope I remember them when I get to that point in the fic and I write much faster when I have the bullet points further down as a reference. It's especially helpful for phrasing. And it's a nice feeling to see the bullet points slowly shrink, which makes it easier to finish WIPs even if I'm stuck at one scene. Has resulted in me getting more WIPs and jumping around between them more though.

Tagging (if you want): @hxhhasmysoul @kaitakushi @yukisdomain

[viiisenyas]

15 lines of dialogue (For Elaena)

Rules: Share 15 or fewer lines of dialogue from an OC, ideally lines that capture the character/personality/vibe of the OC. Bonus points for just using the dialogue without other details about the scene, but you're free to include those as well!

“I had hoped that Father would have been here for my wedding, but now he’s gone.”

“It’s the truth. He spoke the words to us, himself. He said Aegon would be the one to unite the realm, and he made no mention of my mother.”

“Five years ago, I negotiated sending hundreds of our prisoners to the Wall. I’m sure that Lord Stark will not forget a generous contribution to the Night’s Watch.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t know what it is to be loved by a husband. I only know what Aegon has shown me.”

“Prince Lucerys has been raised most of his life at Dragonstone. He can fly a dragon, yes, but can he command a fleet? I think not. The boy likely still doesn’t understand the difference between the mooring lines and tow lines.”

“He has no claim. And everyone knows it. Even without Ser Harwin’s public spectacle, it’s obvious. And now I have to reap the consequences of your choice in squeezing out his bastards.”

“Tell me what you did isn’t true, Aemond. Please tell me you didn’t murder my brother.”

“Unlike you, I am capable of setting my own desires aside to ensure my responsibilities are tended to.”

“I am not worthy of marriage.”

“I know she would be proud of both of you. Laena loved you very much, and she wouldn’t want you to forget that, all right?”

“Still feeding him lies, I see. The Velaryons are my kin, dear brother. You could at least show a sense of propriety for the sake of your own fucking sister.”

“He is abed with grief, Mother. You would know that if you actually bothered to attend to your family.”

“You didn’t put the dagger in his hands. The fault rests on Jace alone, Baela.”

“I am Laenor’s firstborn, Lord Beesbury. I would have a keener insight into the affairs of my family’s succession than anyone else seated here at this table.”

“Sometimes, the gods are just cruel.”

tagged by: no one, I snagged it from the dash ehehehe tagging: @samcadoodles, @tansyuduri, @lady-phasma, @oxygenforthewicked, @sulky-valkyrie, and anyone else who wants to!

[labyrinthdancer]

I wrote the scene that started Monarch's Will

I didn't mean for it to get so long but it got away from me a bit. I ain't a writer so plz be nice thx :)

Twilight hated this, the ballroom was packed with nobles, ladies brushing against his arms with their noxious perfumes that made his nose burn, and gentlemen talking loudly in his ears making them ring, Twilight wanted nothing more than to escape this gilded prison. A man bumped into Twilight making him want to bare his fangs and snarl but he caught himself, The others were around he couldn't afford to be a wolf now, none of the heroes look at him the same after Wolffie, Time doesn't look at Twilight the same, they expected a Hylian and got him instead. So he quieted the rumble in his throat and closed his mouth over his fangs, grabbing a glass of champagne Twilight found himself a quiet corner to watch the rest of the party from. Twilight stayed in his corner mostly unbothered and ignored, Time glanced over at him occasionally, a hint of worry in his eye but never approached. After a while, Twilight was about to ditch the party altogether and find himself a forest to unwind in, but his saving grace finally came in the form of his queen on the other side of the room, joining the party 'fashionably late' as she liked to call it. Twilight was by her side before he realized he was walking, Midna noticed him walk over and put her arm over his shoulders pulling him closer to her as she was talking to some noble "Perfect time, this is Link, MY Divine Beast he aided me in taking back my kingdom from Zant and save Hyrule from destruction" The inflection on my didn't go unnoticed by Twilight, but he didn't mind, it was a nice contrast from Hyrule's reluctant acceptance, Dusk being the only noble who would even agknowage him without a grimace. "oh, ah- well it's JUST LOVELY to see you again Hero of Twilight, I thought you had left the kingdom on some quest? Or had moved to that Realm of Dusk or something?" The barely repressed grimace on the nobleman's face was amusing to Twilight, "Twilight Realm. Yeah, Hylia sent me on'a grand 'o quest ov'r yonder, but it ain't 'dat big of'a deal I reckon" Twilight purposely thickened his accent to really bend the noble out of shape. Twi heard Midna hold back a snort as the man's face looked disgusted, quickly excusing himself from the conversation and storming off. "Hyrulians really don't like you beasty" Midna commented readjusting their positions to use both of Twi's shoulders as armrests. "I know, but it ain'ts mess'in me up if 'couple Hyrulians ain't liken me." They chatted among themselves for a while until Merida, a Lady of Midna's court, came striding up "My Lady I have just been notified that your rematch with the Challenger was meant for today, what do you wish to do?" Midna straightened up to address her "Bring him to the plaza outside, the Queen has been wanting to see more of our culture and ways, what better way than to witness a Challenge" Merida looked exasperated "As you wish my Lady." she then portaled away leaving the two alone in the crowded room again. Midna moved to look Twilight in the eyes, softening her gaze when it met his. She leaned closer to him and said in a lowered voice "Are you alright with doing it hear love? With all these people and dumb heroes around I could move it to a later date." Twilight could hear the concern in her voice, he put his hands on her arms and met her gaze with a confident one. "We don't know how long I'll be here for or how long I'll be gone, there ain't no way to plan around dat. It don't matter how I'm feelin the Challenge is important and needs to happen." She nodded and they started making their way out to the plaza.

you can read the rest on AO3

shaking in my boots I wrote something AND posted it very proud of meself :3

[honeycreammilkshake]

Thoughts on the clock showing 2:21 hours? According to Gojo fans that means Gojo will be back (I hope not, so tired of their sukuna slander)

anon, i fear that gege really will cater to the fans and bring gojo back. and i just don't get it. gojo's death was more impactful and meaningful to me than his entire life. because it served a really good purpose, because it shows us having too much strength can be a curse just as much as having no strength at all can be. because he actually looked at peace while passing on and that whole scene with him and geto would be absolutely meaningless if he comes back to life.

yuuji makes for the perfect mc because he's both strong and weak in so many different ways. he's physically stronger than most average people, but he's definitely not as strong as some other sorcerers are. he's emotionally stronger than pretty much everyone else, but sometimes his intense empathy hurts him as well. he's a really complex and fascinating character, and so much deeper than gojo is.

gojo is just pure strength and i guess the hardships that come with it, but honestly what suffering has he gone through that most of the other characters haven't experienced in even worse ways? i'm so much more interested in maki and mai's story because they were hated on for being different and "weaker" than others.

fans are saying the 2:21 represents gojo returning just like he escaped the prison realm in chapter 221 and i'm hoping (praying tbh) that it's not the case. but it probably will be because gege has been disappointing me a lot so far. it's fine, it's their manga, but i'm definitely no longer really a fan of it anymore. just here for any more sukuna/yuuji or any nobara and the rest of the trio content we might get. (because even if fans hated her return, i'm still glad she's alive. i missed her. the story would have been a lot better if she was brought back to life sooner, though.)

idk, anon. i'm hoping for the best but the quality of the story has gone down a lot compared to how it used to be. i wouldn't get my hopes up too much for anything really meaningful happening because gojo coming back would be some of the least meaningful story we'll get.

i'm just hoping there will be some answers and closure for us in the last two chapters. if there's a sequel series with gojo in it, i'm definitely not going to pick it up for any reason.

[psychewritesbs]

Hello any thoughts on the new jjk poster? People at X were confused whether the silhouette featured in the middle is Gojo or Megumi, although most conclude it's Gojo cause it does look like the panel from Shibuya when his reflection showed on the prison realm's eyes.

But, I kinda feel like Gege is being purposely deceptive here (cause that silhouette could really pass off as Megumi as well). For starters, the illustration feels like an overview of the entire Culling Games arc up until the current chap (esp. with Heian form Sukuna featured). And what's been at the forefront of the main cast's goal is to save Megumi (or at least that's how it is in Yuji's case). There's also the thing with Kenjaku's rule that everyone with the exception of Geto and Megumi must die for the CG to end. And feel free to correct me on this cause I may be misremembering/misinterpreting, but I've always thought the rule meant that 'Megumi and Geto must be the only ones left alive in order for the games to end'. So Megumi's survival is also to Kenjaku's best interest. And then we have Sukuna who is currently possessing Megumi, and Gojo and Yuji attempting to 'save' him. So like, the four main guys featured in the poster is involved with Megumi's current predicament one way or another.

Another reason why I think the silhouette isn't Gojo is because by chap 236 I believe he finally got an answer for Geto's question about who Gojo Satoru is, basically gaining enlightenment in death. And that scene of his reflection on the prison realm was moreso symbolic of his identity crisis right? So I think it's weird that a CG themed poster would backtrack on this despite the fact that the Gojo sealed in PR plotline was like how many chapters ago. The narrative and Gojo has moved on basically. And I also think it's redundant to feature Gojo twice in that illustration (esp. cause his unsealing is no longer the focus of the current events).

So I wonder, if the silhouette is indeed Megumi and this might be a hint on how he may come back, is the Prison Realm going to play a role in it?

Interestingly enough, there was a theory I came across before that one of the ways the main cast may go about sealing Sukuna is by using the Prison Realm. And if we're going full on with the symbolisms, and apply Gojo's confusion on his 'identity' being reflected on the PR's eyes, I think Megumi's current state may also mirror that very same concept. In the sense that, with Tsumiki (his moral compass) gone he has to reevaluate himself on a fundamental level. Basically rebuilding his identity from the ground up.

And idk I'm rambling now, I hope I'm making any sense cause I'm pretty shit at explaining my points. Anyways, maybe I'm just missing my boy but I sure do hope the center of that illustration is really Meg instead of Gojo.

I'm assuming you mean this one:

??

Let me overthink the hell out of it under the cut...

Ok so first thing's first, this is defo another mandala like the one from that jump giga issue with Yuji at the center.

What's relevant about the idea that it is a mandala, is that, in Buddhism they represent the universe and/or Buddhist teachings. I particularly like the idea that a "mandala generally represents the spiritual journey, starting from outside to the inner core, through layers" (Wikipedia).

Similarly, from a psych standpoint, Jung saw the mandala as a symbol of wholeness:

“I began to understand that the goal of psychic development is the self. There is no linear evolution; there is only a circumambulation of the self.”

circumambulation... what a word tho

“The mandala is an archetypal image [that]... signifies the wholeness of the Self. This circular image represents the wholeness of the psychic ground or, to put it in mythic terms, the divinity incarnate in man.”

I think I've talked about the Self in an ask before, where the Self (soul) (4) is the total sum of the holy trinity--mind is body is spirit (3).

ehem... you know the drill...

That said, I do agree with you that I don't think it's necessarily Gojo because, if we're talking about a mandala as a symbol of wholeness, it is redundant to show Gojo twice. Rather, it feels like Gojo is part of said wholeness.

Regarding the "eye" at the center, I do like the idea that it is an eye upon which someone can see themselves reflected the way it happened for Gojo.

Crack theory here, but what if this is actually about the reader seeing themselves reflected upon the manga--more specifically the four characters drawn on the mandala.

That's just a thought tho.

Regardless of who is meant to be reflected at the center, this particular poster is just loaded with symbolism.

It's kind of interesting you have two "good" guys and two "bad" guys represented in this drawing, so there is very clear yin/yang symbolism in it.

Each side (good and bad) has a character upside down, we also have the good guys not directly facing the audience, while the bad guys directly face the audience.

One of the things that feels very relevant about this particular positioning is that there is a circular motion happening, in other words, you can look at each character in a clockwise or counter-clockwise manner. Why does this matter? Remember that word from Jung's quote? Circumambulation fuck this word is the ritualistic act of moving around a sacred object. In Buddhism in particular, circumambulation is done in a clock-wise manner.

Ok, next layer.

Another VERY prominent symbol is the number four. I already talked about the wholeness of the Self as represented by the number four, but you will also notice the number is repeated in the poster.

In Buddhism, the number four shows up in a lot of motifs... too many to address here. One representation of the number four is the Four Inverted Views, which represent inverted views of Buddhist ideals, but there's also the Four Noble Truths, of which, the 4th truth outlines the method through which we can overcome suffering--that is, following the eightfold path.

The number eight as a motif also shows up with Maho-chan, who belongs to the Eight Legions of divine beings, and whose eight-spoke wheel symbolizes dharma.

Perhaps not so coincidentally, Maho's wheel is featured in the top left and bottom right hand corner of the poster.

ANYWAYS...

So this is the thing, right... going back to this idea that a character sees itself reflected in someone else's eyes and defines their identity based on that reflection, whomever is reflected in the eye at the center of the mandala is made whole by all 4 of the characters in the mandala.

What is interesting is that Gojo and Yuji are not looking directly at the audience, while Kenny and Sukuna are. And there's something so entrancing (mandalas are technically meant to put people in a meditative trance) about the way Sukuna and Kenny stare directly at the audience.

Ok, to put it all together though, it's almost like all of these characters make up a whole. To me, the circular motion of the mandala speaks to an exploration of identity through the eyes of these characters.

To bring it back to the idea that a mandala is also a map of spiritual evolution moving in a concentric manner from the outer edges and into the center, it feels like these characters and the themes they represent are but pit stops or stages of psychospiritual evolution on the way to "enlightenment town".

As for Mahoraga's wheel being represented, it speaks to Dharma or cosmic and moral order.

Is Maho's wheel an allusion to Megumi? idk, but I'm going to make a crazy leap of logic here and say that one of the themes at the core of Megumi's character is his gray morality and his dualistic thinking around good and evil.

With good and evil so clearly depicted by the characters represented, I kind of have to wonder because they are positioned in a cross-type shape. Esoterically, a cross can represent a union of opposites as well.

Anyways... these are my #thought and I rambled too, but hopefully this helps you with your own #thoughts. I feel like you could be on the right track with the idea that Megumi's identity is being rebuilt from the ground up if he is the character reflected at the center of the mandala.

Also, I miss Megumi too, anon... can't wait to see what the suffering he's experiencing makes of him.

Thanks for dropping by 🥲.

[debbeh]

Sigh... I made a list:

(there are 63 points so you've been warned)

Tragic backstory

Pretended to be a librarian (Bernard, The Negatus Redemption)

Went to Prison (and had minion(s) try to break him out)

PJs

Big robots

EXACT SAME HELMET (see kickball scene in Megamind)

Both cannonically good at kickball

[had] swarm of flying minions (with one stereotipical female one)

Teams up with female protagonist who is way more confident than he is and who he sorta has a crush on. Debby and Roxanne are utterly the same person.

Pretends to be other person to trick Debby/Roxanne and HAS to throw in how strong/attractive he is

Both have kind of a Christmas special

Both got memes (Wakkus Bonkus- yes that counts- and no bitches?)

Both have an iconic makeup look (lots of eyeliner or lots of lipstick) (and I love them for it)

Will Ferrell and Simon Farnaby look wicked similar...

Also similar first half of name... coincedince?

Don't know how to way certain words/phrases ("Ollo" and "Prawns in my game" for example)

Unethically sourced leather

Design their own logos and make graphs/presentations

Just a lil dorky guy <3

Blue people

Doofenshmirtz level sucess (0)

Can't read

Weird tiny goatee

Desperately optemistic

Probably same Romania outlet

Feet scene?

Probably not from Earth/Yonderland

Transitions (castle to onion/screaming to crowd)

Kidnaps female protagonist

Uses sci-fi skype (argument w/metroman, argument w/Imperatrix)

Surprised when plan actually works

Minions keep accidentally defending other side

Sets up base in fancy cement building (or what one may call a town hall)

Likes hoarding silly gadgets and teddy bear

Doesn’t know what a window is

“If my parents could see me know"

Graffiti's things

Props that anyone can own (I actually have Megamind’s lamp and the birdhouse from the Thanktival special)- not to brag or anything...

Chalkboard diagrams

“I got a bad idea about this”

Michael Jackson reference

Bad good good bad confusion

Secret hideout with unguarded back door

Hug/kiss from main female character makes him rethink his ways

Actually cares about city/realm (doesn’t want to die)

Superhero from rich family finds skill in another line of business (Metroman/The Bird)

“Power vacuum” when Metroman/imperatrix is gone

Fem protagonist tied up and held hostage by guy with goofy hair (Titan/Cuddly Dick)

Plot important tower building

Entire movie is the Dirty Ernie episode

Police car noises literally just remind me of DI Bones (Again, Horrible Histories but still)

Prison dance scene

End with recall to past/time travel

Not used to positive feedback

Cleaning lady outfit and perm

White haired alter ego (Santa/Space dad)

Accidentally makes villains worse than himself

“Say goodbye to your lovelife” “The gad guy doesn’t get the girl”

Female protagonist figures out his entire plan immediately

EXACT same diction

Gets big fancy battle suit that ends up not working but looking cool I guess

Has to be good when good guy goes bad

Real villains way more hard core than him

“Under new management” (Titan/Cuddly Dick both basically say this)

Mkay, thanks for reading! G'night

[beyonddarkness]

In the Darkness, Bind Them

Has anyone else wondered why Power was the proper exchange for Light? This line always stood out to me as something extremely peculiar, unexpected, menacing, ominous—you name it. It seemed like there was a lot more to it than what we perceive on the surface.

"You bind me to the light, and I bind you to power" (Sauron, 1x08).

The most obvious purpose behind Sauron using Power as incentive for Galadriel was, that the idea of having a realm to rule was very appealing to her. That's the whole reason she left Valinor in the first place.

"[...] but Galadriel, the only woman of the Noldor to stand that day tall and valiant among the contending princes, was eager to be gone. No oaths she swore, but the words of Fëanor concerning Middle-earth had kindled in her heart, for she yearned to see the wide unguarded lands and to rule there a realm at her own will" (The Silmarillion: Of the Flight of the Noldor).

Sauron would have fulfilled his promise, but OH BOY did he have something up his sleeve!!!

Those of you who have visited the Blog might have already seen this picture on the homepage:

I realized (at Peak Inspiration Hour, aka 2 A.M.) that the image draws an alarming parallel between Galadriel and Lúthien. Chapter 6 is all about parallels, but I assure you that when I made the image, this particular parallel was Unthought Of.

Once upon a time, Sauron heard Lúthien singing songs of power to Beren, in the hour of Finrod's death...

"Sauron stood in the high tower, wrapped in his black thought; but he smiled hearing her voice...

...for he knew that it was the daughter of Melian. The fame of the beauty of Lúthien and the wonder of her song had long gone forth from Doriath; and he thought to make her captive and hand her over to the power of Morgoth, for his reward would be great" (The Silmarillion: Of Beren and Lúthien).

Every. Single. Clause. has a connection to that scene in the prison (1x03), down to the name Halbrand literally translating to "High Tower" in Sindarin; BUT for this post, I would like to focus on the last line: "he thought to make her captive and hand her over to the power of Morgoth, for his reward would be great."

In prison, Sauron's true intentions were concealed, but on the raft, they were finally out in the open.

He knows that Galadriel left Valinor because she wanted her own realm to rule, so he tells her, I would make you a Queen. I'll give you power. But what he fails to mention is that the "power" he speaks of, means binding her to something far more sinister.

His language is expertly disguised, to make it appear as though he would give her what she wants. In reality, his plan for her was the same for Lúthien: to make her captive, and "hand her over to the power of Morgoth." THAT is the Power he planned on binding Galadriel to—the Darkness ("...and in the Darkness, bind them").

"Light" and "Power" are perfect opposites, in that context. He speaks fondly of the Light of the One, and tells her that he wants to be bound to it. In exchange, he'd bind her to the balance (or opposite) of that Light, handing her over to the Power of Morgoth...

"...for his reward would be great."

He's not going to give her what she actually wants, no more than when he gave Gorlim what he wanted (which was to be restored to his wife; but this desire Sauron granted, by cruelly putting him to death).

He wears puppy-eyes and sincerity in Galadriel's warped mind because that is what she can see. On the outside of her mind, Sauron has no need to hide (even though she's looking right at him) because she cannot perceive his expression, being stuck in the vision. But we can see it.

Behold his true intent:

"You bind me to the light the One, and I bind you to power Morgoth."

[lampmanliveblogs]

Season 2, episode 20. The penultimate episode of the season. Am I ready for this? Probably not, but whatever, let’s just go!

If you are only just now joining me, be sure to check out the two previous posts I made. In one of them I go over some of my theories and predictions for the finale. In the other, I tell you about the exciting game we’re going to be playing together during these two last episodes of the season.

Now. Let’s do this.

The portal has been moved to a cave in the head of the Titan by now and an abomaton is making the last few preparations.

I’m gonna be honest with you guys, the only reason I decided to grab this particular screenshot was because I noticed no less than four faces hidden in this image.

This really is it, huh? The end of the world as we know it.

We get a short scene between Belos* and The Collector. The Collector is impatient, begging to be freed from his eternal prison, with Belos countering that the draining spell has to work first. We get to see more of The Collector’s childish personalty, as they talk about all the games they wanna play. And this is the guy who’s apparently responsible for wiping out a race of island-sized giants.

(*sidenote: I kinda wanna start referring to Belos as Philip. Eh, I’ll wait and see. If Luz ever calls him Philip, I’ll start calling him that too)

Belos mentions that he doesn’t want to make another grimwalker until he’s dealt with Hunter, so I guess we can rule out other grimwalkers appearing. Unless Belos has reason to believe Hunter is dead I guess, but let’s not delve too much on that hypothetical.

It seems that Belos intends on returning home to the Human Realm once it’s all over, which makes sense I suppose. Gotta bring the good news right? The thing I’m wondering though is how long exactly he expects to survive there. Even without the violent mutations his barely human body goes through, he still relies on absorbing palismen life force to survive. There are no palismen in the Human Realm, so I imagine that he’d eventually run out of juice to keep him going.

(which may or may not be how he ultimately dies)

((I think Belos is gonna die, btw. i think i’ve mentioned it before, but just in case you forgot, or missed that post, or this is the first liveblog of mine you’re reading)

(((the jury is still out on the collector’s final fate)))

Another thing that I thought of while typing this: I’ve speculated that The Collector is going to betray Belos and not kill all life in the Demon Realm. But this could go the other way too; Belos might betray The Collector and not release them. Or at least try to keep him sealed, at this point I think it’s safe to say The Collector is going to be set free.

Oh, and another another thing I realized when looking at this screenshot. I wonder if the creepy robes and hoods is to make it easier for the animators to draw large crowds? I imagine that with how diverse the Boiling Isles are, any shot of a large crowd would be a nightmare to draw. Dressing everyone in single-colored robes makes that easier. I think, I don’t know all that much about animation.

Clouds on the Horizon

I’ve already gone over most of my predictions in a previous post already and I don’t really have anything to add as of now based on the title or what I’ve seen so far.

We can see some abomatons being loaded onto an airship while Odalia talks to Kikimora. I honestly did not expect Odalia to really be important, but who knows, maybe she will be.

Amity, Edric, and Emira are here, with the intention of telling their mom about the draining spell.

Emira points out that Odalia won’t believe them, which I could see her not doing, she is pretty stubborn. However, Edric follows that up with that even if she does believe them, she ”won’t care.” Which… yikes. Belos plans to kill everyone. Odalia’s no saint, but I don’t know that she’s such a  bad person as to not care at all about her kids and husband dying. And if nothing else, she is part of everyone, surely she has some sense of self-preservation? Even a lot of hardened supervillains know that there is no profit to be made in the destruction of the planet; it is very bad for business.

…or maybe she really will be that evil. This is the season finale, the Day or Unity is here, anything can happen and everything can change. I gotta keep my mind open.

She mentions a new product… that they’re going to test on Kikimora. Or maybe Kikimora will test it? Maybe it’s like an abomaton mech or something. That might actually make Kikimora somewhat threatening again.

(Odalia called Kikimora a gremlin. Is that her species… or is gremlin an insult on the Boiling Isles too?)

[for-dramas-sake]

The Starry Love ep 29, 30 thoughts

The debate: did Youqin and Yetan set off fireworks from their love or was Youqin just really happy that he and Yetan confessed their feelings to each other? I'm in the camp that of the latter merely because location location location.

Heshui finally becoming a character is long overdue. I love her dark past and her growing friendship with Yetan. In general, Yetan needs more friends to make up for her terrible childhood.

Once again Youqin helps Yetan by helping everybody. The boy can't just do a simple good thing for his girl because subtlety it not his main suite. It's the equivalent of the boy buying lunch for the entire class and not just his girlfriend.

This whole "Yetan doesn't get a fruit" scene was majorly lame. For a scheme it's a 1 on a scale of 100. It's borderline embarrassing. I've seen school dramas with better schemes.

Yetan has matured for sure. After spending a year hunting down soul shards and getting a political giant as her hubby, Yetan has learned not to throw the first punch. I'm proud of her.

Youqin and Yetan are both holding in their true selves: While Yetan wants to stand up for herself, Youqin would like to scorch that guy to his bones. But since they both in lurv and want to preserve their love they say nothing. It's so hard for both of them and yet the interaction between each other is huge. Her eyes are begging him not to do anything and he's gone still ready to attack.

Did anyone notice Dragonfly guy's face? He absolutely knew that Youqin was NOT happy and was a scared of what he will do. And then afterwards…haha!

This wet wipe of an Immortal deserves the punishment that Youqin gives him. An actual face slap!! LOL!

Chaofeng is helping his brother fall in love? It's really Qingkui, but he's going along with it and, of course, Haichou is being his sassy self.

Wudai is adorable and that Snake Lady is awesome! So many great women who just dominate their men in this show. Too bad she came on a little strong.

This emperor! Geez. He "cares" about his son, but only as a tool to protect, to serve and to kill. He talks more like a gangster to his underling than a father to a son.

Youqin just rejected the offer for the throne!! What?!! And now he doesn't want to be an Impyrean either?!

There's Bowser. I hadn't yet seen him in Youqin yet, but there he is playing with her even while in prison. It shows in his simple happiness. This dude is so whipped for her.

Wudai hiding from the Snake Lady is hilarious! This guy was so massive and terrifying at the beginning, but this guy is scared of a little woman who's coming for his lips!

I gotta hand it to the Void empress. She's an excellent schemer. If she can't kill Chaofeng directly, she has other means. And this particular scheme is dastardly.

It's nice to see Qingkui to play the smart one in the Void couple relationship. Chaofeng can't be the only one. And I like to think she's picked up a few things from her time in the Void realm.

And the truth comes out in the Immortal realm. Youqin put it perfectly, "this day has finally come." We all dreaded it and now the truth will come out.

First it was logic, now it's emotions that are pleading with the emperor to see the light, to turn around, but he remains steadfast. I think he's just intentionally being stubborn and needed a reason to hate Yetan. And with the truth out he's got one.

That ending! Youqin denounces his title, his father hits with his power, they walk out of the Immortal realm, and then Youqin FINALLY calls Yetan by her name. Oh man. That was crazy.

If you want to read more of me obsessing over Youqin, here ya go:

27,28 / 25,26 / 23, 24 / 21, 22 / 19, 20 / 17,18 / 15,16 / 13,14 / 11, 12 / 9, 10 / 7, 8 / 5, 6 / 3, 4 / 1, 2

[hail-gail]

Drabble prompt #16 from @urfriendlywriter "Where's the smile? They're going to think I'm holding you hostage, honey."

Okay, so the characters are from my current WIP and if I don't wind up using this scene I may be a little sad. Anyhow, for context Damian is a Warlord-type character who got into a war some years before the plot. Ella and him have history enough together that being from the other kingdom put her in the middle of both sides of the conflict. Now, the current plot has a third party pitched against both sides (after the first war ended) and he is in a position to stop them before they get to his realm but he needs the Council of Kings to agree to cooperate with him.

"I don't think this is a good idea, Damian. They're still sore about the Sol War, and if you make one wrong move it's all over." Ella pases to the window but doesn't stay to stare.

Damian raises a brow, following her with his eyes as she wonders the room. "You say that as if I haven't had to play a politician before."

She stops. "No offense, but you also had the benefit of being the one with all the power. You hung half the court three days prior to that meeting."

"Out of context that sounds heinous," his voice laughs, and the crooked grin spread over his face is nearly sinister. "It's their hides on the line. If the Council of Kings wants to accept my offer of help, then they may survive, but if worse comes to worst Soljern will be prepared to fight off the Shadows when they fall and that is that."

"Lady Sadem," someone knocks at the door. "The Council requires your presents."

If her face wasn't already pail, Ella would have gone white. Her jaw clenches and she stares blankly at the door with wide, unblinking eyes.

Damian stands and offers her his arm out of cultural custom. "Where's the smile? They're going to think I'm holding you hostage, honey."

"That may be a good thing. If you screw up they might not throw me in a prison camp."

He just laughs and escorts her to the council chambers.