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janghoefett · 4 years ago

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Hotline Bling (Jango Fett x F!Reader)

Jango invites his favorite girl over to Kamino for a booty call.

Rating: Explicit (18+) Pairing: F/M Word count: 1.7k

Inspired by the energy of the blue tunic scene that gets me flustered. Reader has some sort of implied sexual relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi that Jango is aware of, so he invites her over to remind her that things are much better with him. I’m literally so sorry I did this to Obi.

Warnings: 98% porn, 2% plot, unprotected sex (p in v), dirty talk, creampie, oral (f receiving), spitting in mouth, praise kink.

“Need you to come. Waiting on Kamino. J.”

There was no innocence about the bounty hunter’s message. You knew exactly what it meant.

The journey to Kamino was spent with a dull ache between your legs. How many times had you found yourself dreaming not about the Jedi Master who fucked you sweetly, but about the bounty hunter with a hundred scars who played your body like an instrument?

Jango knew about you and Kenobi. There was nothing exclusive about your relationships with either men, but you had found yourself in bed with the Jedi to feel the heat of another body as you resided on Coruscant. Obi-Wan was sweet and gentle… but Jango was dark and red-blooded.

Jango has no shame leading you inside his apartment despite watchful eyes. If a Kaminoan happened to be in the hall outside his door, or if someone recognized that you only came to stay in Jango’s quarters, it made no difference to the bounty hunter. Instead it only brings on a power dynamic that makes you feel like his prize to be flaunted.

His kisses burn like fire against your lips as he keeps you pressed against the wall just on the other side of his door. His musk is familiar; it’s a masculine scent that makes you swoon and entices your fingers to dance against his stubble. With Jango, you fall back into a fast paced rhythm despite weeks spent apart. Your bodies grind against each other without care, only greed and primal desire.

Jango turns you to face the wall suddenly, wrapping an arm around your stomach and pressing himself into your backside. Your breath hitches.

“I need to fuck you,” he breathes lowly in your ear, sending a chill up your spine.

You whimper at his words, gripping the wall for support, as your knees grow weak with anticipation. Jango slides your pants down and off your feet, and kneels to be level with your hips. His hands grip your ass, kneading the flesh before spreading your legs further apart.

You bend over further and arch your back on instinct, allowing Jango access to bring his mouth to your wet cunt. Your legs buck but his two large hands continue to support you as his strong mouth works at your center, sending shockwaves up your body.

You allow it to continue until the sensation proves to be too much.

“Shit, Jango! Take me to the bed! I- I can’t stand.”

“Yeah?” he says, smacking your exposed bottom. “You gonna let me fuck you there? Remind you who you belong to?”

“Yes!” you croak, bucking your hips.

The desperation in your voice stokes Jango’s fervor. He turns your body to face him and lifts you in an impressive feat of strength, wrapping your legs around him as he carries you to the bed.

You strip your jacket and top off your body, which you only now realize were slightly damp from your entrance to Kamino. The air bites at your skin.

Jango’s breathing deepens at the sight of you unwrapping yourself, and his eyes trace over the contours and curves of your body like a wild man. He discards his shirt easily, revealing the thick layers of a warrior’s muscles, and his hands work to unfasten his pants.

Jango’s head gestures for you to move back further onto the bed. “Bend over,” he orders simply, taking his cock out.

You shudder at the sight. Who were you to refuse him?

You do as he says, crawling up on the bed with your ass in the air and your forearms keeping you balanced.

Jango comes up behind you. Holding your hips down, he spits on your cunt, using large fingers to prime you. You bite your lip, taking deep breaths to relax, just waiting for that delicious moment…

He enters you quickly, drawing strangled groans from both of your lips. The stretch makes your legs quiver; you were just so full. Jango’s length was standard, but his girth? Feeling Jango push into you quite literally takes your breath away.

You lay there with your face pressed against the sheets and your mouth agape.

“Such a good girl,” he praises you, running a hand up your back and down your thigh. “All tight for me.”

Jango begins to move and picks up the pace quickly. You are practically soaking his length as he fucks into you, gripping the sheets in an attempt to hang onto reality. Your eyes close. Your breath is shallow and you can faintly can hear Jango’s rough breathing as he thrusts into you with strong juts. Your arm reaches back for him mindlessly as he hits something that pushes you closer towards the edge.

“Does your Jedi fuck you like this, princess?” he growls through gritted teeth.

“No…” you breathe, struggling to speak. Jango was marking you as his territory and it was going straight to your core. “He’s… he’s gentle…”

You can’t finish your sentence.

“Cockdumb already?”

Yes. You were.

He slows for a moment to bring your torso upright and continues his brutal pace. His hands come around your body, clutching at your breast and toying with your clit.

Jango starts to mumble phrases in Mando’a, and whether they were curses or praises you have no idea. “Atiniir… atiniir...” he chants. “Take it,” he’s telling you. The low vibrations of his voice push you closer to the edge as you take his thrusts.

You clench around him hard when he hits something new, coming around his length, as he supports your body. He slows to a stop after a moment, allowing your muscles to relax again.

“Come on,” Jango huffs, smacking your ass again. “Lay down.”

Obediently you move up onto the bed, laying back on a pillow and looking up at the hunter with wide eyes.

Jango takes you again with ease as he comes over you. You moan softly at the way his heat warms your chilled skin, and your legs and arms wrap around him.

“You want me to fuck you gently, mesh’la?” Jango taunts, remaining still.

“No,” you whine, grinding your hips into the bed. “Hard… please…” Your hand comes up to Jango’s cheek but he grabs it in turn, pinning your wrist down by your head.

Jango starts up a hard pace again, linking an arm under your knee. “Look how you take my cock,” he growls. “You know how good you feel on me, girl?”

Jango’s praises make you clench around him; you mewl slightly, inching closer to another orgasm.

Jango is greedy as he devours you, his strong arm snaking under your body to hold you close to him. He fills your senses while penetrating your aching cunt with strong juts, exploring your mouth, keeping his body flush against yours. Your toes curl and your legs start to shake. “Come on!” he growls.

“Fuck!” you cry. “Jango!” Your hands rake at him as you come again, pulsing around him for several seconds, but he keeps fucking you through it. Nothing exists for you in this moment except for a wave of hot pleasure that leaves you breathless.

Jango’s hand comes to grip your face, inching your jaw open with his thumb. His mouth comes down to yours - spitting inside of it - before closing your jaw back up. You whine pathetically in appreciation as you swallow. “Such a precious girl,” he coos, sealing the lewd act with a kiss.

You were stirring back to life and ready to come again. Jango never came more than once, he knew how to push through it, how to allow your cunt to milk him without spilling a drop. When Jango did finally release himself, however, it was going to be final and it was going to leave you full.

“I want one more from you,” he says with that low, raspy voice, as his thrusts become more erratic. “Come on, show me what a good girl you are, mesh’la. Show me how much you love getting fucked.”

You take his words as a challenge and begin to come again, picking up on the feeling of your last. Your hips start to grind again and your cunt pulses, eliciting a strangled groan from the bounty hunter.

“Come inside of me,” you whine desperately. “Please.”

Hearing you beg makes Jango come with a deep groan, stilling deep inside of you and leaving bruises on your skin. Your legs still tremble as you lie there in recovery, smiling at the fuzzy feeling of his seed filling you.

Kamino’s air nips at your skin when Jango moves away and you shudder slightly, still heaving with shaky breath.

“C’mere, mesh’la.” Jango grumbles, bringing you into the space under his arm. You roll over to face him, wrapping your arm around him and burying your face in his chest gladly. “Can’t have you going cold on me,” he says with an audible smile.

Rain beats down against the large windows, filling the silence.

“Do you want me to fuck you gently?” he had asked after you had called Obi-Wan gentle just a moment earlier.

You sit on his words for a moment. Was Jango trying to provide what he thought you craved? Would he have fucked gently if you asked, or was it another game to hear you beg?

“Do you have to get back to your Jedi?” Jango asks through the darkness, breaking the silence.

Your breath catches in your throat. Jango had said he didn’t mind you seeing other people, but there’s something different, something about the way his tone of voice feels detached. Something that shouldn’t be opened.

“He’s not my Jedi,” you say, avoiding his gaze. “He’s… a friend.”

You cringe at your choice of words as soon as they leave your lips.

“I don’t fuck my friends,” Jango laughs under his breath.

“Then what am I to you?” you counter. You prop yourself up on an elbow and bringing a hand to his warm chest, cocking an eyebrow at the man underneath you. Your fingers trace lightly over the contours. “A stranger?”

“Not a stranger,” he smirks. “I can teach you a few words for it in Mando’a.”

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Atiniir = “take it” Mesh’la = “beautiful”

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yes jango fett wrote hotline bling about u

#yes jango wants u to stop fucking kenobi #jango fett #jango fett x reader #jango fett x you #star wars #star wars fanfiction #smut

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araveticazx · 4 years ago

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dressed to the nines tonight

levi ackerman x fem-reader (modern! au)

tags: suggestive, car make-out :), fluff, comedy, romance, your batchmates go O.O

word count: 2200+

a/n: this is pretty much self-indulgent because i miss going to school events. chose 'i have a dream' by abba because it referenced levi's code name during the uprising arc which is 'engelchen' or 'little angel'

You find it unbelievable that it has been 15 years since you tossed your cap and went your separate ways. Time flies so fast and before you know it, you are already halfway through your life.

You’re still living the moment right now. You’re still in your early thirties, relatively young, and entering into your prime years.

You also can’t wait to spend the most and the rest of it with your boyfriend of six years, Levi Ackerman.

The moment the invitation landed on your hands, you had mixed feelings about it. Still, you want to see what your friends have become over the years. The past years didn’t really give you the opportunity to catch up since you are focused on balancing your career and your relationship with Levi.

“Alright, I’ll be your date.”

Despite disagreeing with the idea of social gatherings, Levi agreed to be your date to the reunion. He also figured that this might be a great opportunity to know what you are like and the people that you are with during high school.

Weeks before the said occasion, you two hopped from store to store to pick out outfits with matching colors for the occasion. Levi wasn’t really into it but did enjoy seeing you try on one dress after another-each one better than the last-until he finally settled on one.

His hand is on your thigh while he keeps his eyes on the road. Already on your way to the event. You traced the visible veins on his pale hand to distract your nervousness.

You released a deep sigh and started to fan yourself using your hands.

Altering from the steering wheels, you feel Levi’s palm cup your cheek, turning your head to face him. You leaned against the warmth of his palm until you relaxed. “Don’t be nervous, I’ll be there for you, remember?”

Levi’s eyes traced the lines of your face. To your styled hair, the makeup around your eyes, and dropped down to your lips.

Your eyelids fluttered and you shifted in your seat. Is there something wrong with your face? Did you put on too much makeup?

Your breath hitched and your heart nearly jumped out of your chest when Levi closed the distance between the two of you and captured your lips with his. Starting an enticing dance in the process that never fails to leave you breathless.

“Shit, since when did I get so lucky.”

Levi just can’t resist the way you look right now. An apparent goddess figure. A burgundy dress that fits you in all the right places reached a bit above the knees. Levi’s anniversary gift also lies comfortably on your chest. A gold plated nameplate in fancy cursive that he had specially personalized for you was hung securely by a gold chain.

You and Levi sighed into each other as your make out session started to get even more intense when suddenly your phone vibrated and saw that it was an incoming call from your friend, Marie.

Levi didn’t stop what he was doing. He continued his way down the side of your neck.

“H-hello Marie?”

“I’m here by the lobby! Let’s go in together!”

You try to push Levi away but he doesn’t let go. He continued didn’t go to an extent where it would leave a mark. Your dress is sort of revealing by the neckline. He chuckled when you released a soft whine which you immediately covered up with a cough.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes! I mean… Yes, I’m okay.”

You hung up and shared one last kiss before both of you exited the car. You helped him smoothen out the surface of his formal suit before checking that you have your invitation that can be used as an admission pass.

Even though Levi is not the kind to initiate public display acts of affection, he will make an exception for this night. He can also notice that you keep fidgeting with your fingers so he linked your arms together and started walking up the steps to the lobby with you at his side.

“So glad to have you here!” Marie warmly embraced you after she marched towards you excitedly. When she let go, her eyes wandered to Levi at your side and widened her eyes. “Wow.”

You laughed at her reaction. People’s first expression upon meeting Levi is something that you really find fun for some reason. The way their eyes would widen and how they would gawk at your boyfriend for an awkward minute.

Sure, there are handsome guys in your area, but Levi’s foreign beauty can’t be overlooked.

As if knowing his cue, Levi held out his hand and smiled softly to ease out the awkwardness, “Levi Ackerman, you must be the best friend she keeps talking about.”

Marie shook his hand with such energy and introduced herself. She started blabbering about how you two have been friends during high school and how she has witnessed your moments the same way you have witnessed hers.

“Would you like to hear about the creative excuses she makes up whenever she sneaks out?”

“Marie…” You glared at her to make her stop but her smile just widened further. “Stop it.”

“What? I think your ideas are brilliant. I even used some of them during my college days. Took a bit more effort though. Levi, when she was-”

You groaned and stomped your heels at the teasing. In truth, you are not actually sneaking out to cut classes. In fact, you would only sneak out to fetch something you forgot in your locker, which is not allowed during class hours.

When you turned to Levi, his head was facing you and the corner of his lips turned upward in a smirk. “I can’t believe you’re finding this funny.”

“You’re no fun.” Marie huffed her cheeks and playfully rolled her eyes. “Is she always like this?” Her question was directed at Levi then.

Levi shrugged his shoulders, “I guess you could say that.“

”Levi!”

You three shared a laugh together before you strutted towards the Warm Cabin Room, where it was reserved for your class reunion.

You can already sense that the organizers didn’t go easy on the decorations. Especially when fairy lights decorated the walkway’s ceiling made it look like stars in the night sky.

Large wooden double doors led you to a room enclosed in wooden walls and the warm white lights gave it its aesthetic. Overhead, chandeliers shone like raindrops hanging midair while the disco balls sparkled like a globe of stars. Round tables were set up which had a relatively intricate setup of glassware and flowers. With pictures of captured memories displayed in the middle.

The banquet table was situated on the left side along with the champagne tower. Servers are also present to assist you in your food, assuring that no one would be sticking in their used utensils into the food trays. Something that Levi dreadfully hates.

A stage was then set in the far end of the room and in the middle was the dancefloor and people were already getting started.

There is also an outdoor dance floor, with more fairy lights and a huge glass beverage dispenser on the corner. You can already predict that’s where you and Levi will be going to later.

Levi finds watching your reaction at how everything unfolded before you.

Especially when you would gasp excitedly and wave at the familiar faces that you encounter along the way.

Whispers were discreetly passed as questions started to arise, “Who is that hot date of yours?”

Curious head-to-toe looks were specifically directed at Levi, and yes, he is aware of it all. He then dropped a hand on your hip, wanting to feel you closer.

“You’re right, it’s a lot of people. Can’t lose you in this crowd.”

You feel a warm feeling rush up to your face despite that cold night breeze rushing in from the open-air room.

Marie led you and Levi to a round table near the stage. Where you reconciled with a bunch of your former classmates and got introduced to new faces.

You also introduced Levi to them which led to a friendly conversation which mostly consists of filling in on the details of the past years.

You feel proud seeing the achievements of your friends. Some of them already have houses, own successful businesses, and even have kids!

“Tell us, Y/N. How did you bag someone like Levi?”

“Actually it was a very interesting day … ” You started already smiling at the memory. In fact, you are not meant to meet Levi that day but rather another man whom you’ve met on a dating app. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, he didn’t come to your agreed meeting place. A hearty tea shop in the middle of the city.

You were upset about it, you were really looking forward to meeting them. However, that led to an unexpected encounter that would change your life forever.

It started off as small talks until it extended beyond usual hours, late into the night. It wasn’t intentional but you just really enjoyed Levi’s calming company. The kind that makes you lose track of time. Everyone was fascinated by the tale. You may be upset that you shelved that day but you might have to thank that person for ditching you that day.

The rest of the event was filled with exciting events and activities that somehow brought some nostalgia to your senses. Guest teachers were also invited to tell stories and share funny moments about your batch. A compilation video was then shown containing captured memories.

Levi’s face would glow up when a footage which features you shows up for a good minute on he huge display. “Was that you?”

It was footage of you singing on stage. A large smile plastered on your face as you vibe along to the background dancers. You remember that time, you were forced to participate in this singing contest because all the other event slots were already filled. Joining an event was mandatory so you have no choice but to accept it.

Levi would encourage you to take the microphone when the host-the former Student Body President-requested you on stage to sing for the audience. It was an impromptu moment and it has been a while since you have performed in public. Your voice is now reserved for Levi behind closed doors. You eventually agreed to it anyway.

“Eyes on me when you get nervous.” Levi squeezed your hand before you accepted the microphone. You hear Marie squeal taking in the sight of the two of you. Amused by your couple’s banter.

“I didn’t know you had it in you, Y/N.” The host teased you as you walked up on stage, her eyes going back and forth to you and Levi. “Why don’t you sing a song for your dearest over there. Would you like that, Sir?“

Levi sheepishly nodded, a smile hinting at his lips and a blush creeped up his cheeks.

The next few minutes felt like heaven to Levi as your voice filled the entire room. The entire time, your eyes were on him, and would turn away to the audience for a moment and then back again.

I believe in angels

Something good in everything I see

I believe in angels

And then there were just the two of you, in a huge spacious room, in your beautiful burgundy dress and him in his sharp formal suit.

When I know the time is right for me

I’ll cross the stream, I Have a Dream

The awards ceremony came next. Fun awards such as ‘Best Dressed’ and the ‘Highest Heels’ were given to those with the highest votes.

Levi also won his own award. He was bearish at first, saying it’s ridiculous but you proudly brought him up stage with you. A flame shaped plaque award with the words, ‘Hottest Date of the Night.’

“Hottest Date and Songbird, just the perfect match.” That’s what they say.

You also got the opportunity to converse with your former classmates who also brought their dates and exchanged advice and shared unforgettable relationship moments.

The warm environment eventually made Levi loosen up and even made acquaintances along the way.

You and Levi didn’t linger for too long indoors especially when the dancing started. Things started to get chaotic once they turned the lights down and artificial smoke started filling in.

Levi swooped you into the outdoor gardens and saw that the sky was filled with stars. He started to slow dance with you in contrast to the disco happening inside the Warm Cabin.

“‘Hottest Date,’ huh?”

“Shut up, I might just give that award to you.”

You and Levi continued to dance underneath the canopy of stars hovering above you. Stealing kisses whenever he feels like no one is watching.

When Levi feels that you are getting tired, he suggests going home already, he has more plans for you tonight.

You agree, you want to get out of these heels as fast as possible. You said your goodbyes to your friends and thanked your organizing batchmates for inviting you.

“We’ll make sure to stop by one of your tea shop branches in the city.”

You left the event with a smile on your face, glad to be given the opportunity to rekindle past friendships and even began new ones. Although seeing how everyone looked right now turned out to be an entertaining aspect during reunions.

Levi learned a lot about you from this event and he is glad he accepted your invitation. Knowing how you were like in your youth, how rebellious, talented, and smart you are. It just makes him fall for you all over again.

#levi x reader #levi x y/n #levi scenarios #levi fanfic #levi headcannons #levi fluff #aot fanfic #aot headcannons #aot fandom #snk x reader #modern au #levi ackerman #ara writes

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nitaescence · 5 years ago

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Akrasia

(¬‿¬ ) basically two strangers fucking in a crowded bus

pairing : (042419) Taehyung x reader genre : pwp word count : 3k moodboard cuzynot

It’s late in the afternoon but it’s still light outside.

Your eyes are drawn to the windows you are seated not so far away from, watching the scenery slowly passing by while the bus is swaying smoothly, almost lulling you.

It has been a long day and you can’t wait to get back home.

The driver makes a stop and even more people come to populate the already crowded car. You don’t look away from the windows. The bus drives away.

You feel your phone buzzing on your lap and take a look at the notification you have just received only to ignore it after deciding so.

You are starting to feel someone’s stare on you so you casually look around.

Most occupants are intently gazing at their phone screens while a few are discussing in low voices or simply quietly waiting for their stop.

And then, there’s him — that tall and dark-haired man who must surely be in his mid-twenties.

He is impeccably dressed, wearing a grey suit jacket that enhances his broad shoulders, open on a white shirt revealing his slightly protruding collarbones.

You can’t see past his waist but you are certain the bottom part is just as enticing.

You’ve barely studied his face, out of shyness. You give another try only to see Taehyung still staring back at you.

His fringe’s falling in his eyes and parted enough to show one of his thick brows, accentuating his penetrating gaze.

He’s not doing much, nothing at all but he’s still standing out.

You maintain eye contact for a couple of short seconds, his lips open a little and show his tongue running along his teeth languidly which has you averting your eyes promptly, barely able to hold a grin back.

The silent interaction has been enough to wake you up a little from your daze and you can feel yourself warming up from within simply from knowing that you’ve captured this seductive stranger’s interest.

You’re still not looking back at him but all your attention is focused on your peripheral vision where you situate him.

The bus stops to let yet again different flows of people getting in and off.

There is some commotion on your side. When you turn your head you notice a pregnant woman trying to make her way toward your side of the bus.

You naturally stand up so she gets your seat. She thanks you. You take advantage of the light stampede to walk further to the front of the bus, closer to him;

The engine roars again.

You’re standing right in front of the unused doors, holding one of the bars on your left to keep your balance.

The lights inside suddenly switch on and your reflection appears faintly on the pane facing you.

You instantly notice Taehyung holding himself right behind you and your heart begins to thud strongly in your chest at his sight. He’s gripping onto one of the straps above your heads.

You don’t know where it’s coming from but you are desperately trying to get a sniff of him and get pleasantly surprised when you find out that today’s hot temperatures didn’t seem to have any effect on the subtle yet sweet scent emanating from him.

You try to lean further back discreetly but get startled a little when you feel his body sooner than what you’ve expected. He doesn’t seem to mind.

Of course, he doesn’t.

The car slows down due to traffic. No one reacts inside.

He is subtle at first.

It’s his third try that dispels all your doubts and you have to bite your lip to restrain yourself from reacting out loud. You get a hold of yourself and attempt not to draw anyone’s attention.

Not that anyone is just about to notice anything.

Taehyung tries not to stare too much at the tent in his pants after he’s started rubbing it against your ass. There is still space left between your bodies but he can smell your shampoo and it is messing with his head.

The fabric of your mini circle skirt is so thin he has no problem feeling your rounded ass through the thickness of his trousers.

Your hand tightens around the bar and you keep your head down, refusing to meet his smoldering eyes through the pane.

You know he is done testing the waters when his hips become bolder and press harder against your pushing butt.

His cock is gaining in width and hardness, making you throb helplessly as you picture it without intending to.

You can’t help it anymore.

You rock your hips very slowly from side to side, subtly nudging his erection between your cheeks.

You drop one hand to your side to brush the fabric of his pants. You slide and position it where you’ve just felt him digging you.

A silent gasp escapes you when you lightly grasp it. When you thought he couldn’t be any more perfect. He instinctively squeezes himself in your palm.

The bus hasn’t moved for a while now and you’re hoping it won’t for the longest time possible.

You pinch the slider of his zipper and wait. If he didn’t want you to go any further he would've stopped you by now but nothing happens and so you proceed to slide it all the way down.

Taehyung cranes his head down and smirks when you remove your hand. He cannot believe you are willing to do something so risky with him, a complete stranger. He’s surprising himself just as much.

You are daring and he is loving it.

You make him throb and he swiftly reaches inside to take out his hard-on.

You trap your bottom lip between your teeth when he lifts your skirt and press your thighs together when you understand he is using his cock only to get access underneath.

There are still a couple of inches left between you two but his shaft still gets nudged against your asscheek. He has to tilt his hips back to poke you with his sensitive tip.

The bus is moving again at a very low speed.

You dare to peek down on your left and bite on your lip at the sight of his erection hidden beneath your skirt. You cannot believe this is really happening.

The car stops abruptly, dragging his cock right between your thighs in the sudden motion.

Neither of you move the short moment you need to regain balance.

It feels warm and damp there and it gives him another idea.

You close your eyes, appreciative when he eventually starts rubbing himself over your tights. He’s only swaying his hips back and forth in small motions but it’s enough to get you letting yourself go a little more and your temperature rising up.

It’s becoming more difficult to keep your whines down.

Taehyung stops during short seconds to get himself entirely out of his fly, always within discretion, and goes back to humping you.

You don’t need to be persuaded any more to start moving your hips as well in rhythm.

He stops again. You don’t feel him between your thighs anymore although he makes sure to keep his cock hidden by your skirt.

Your eyes flutter shut when he starts dragging the blunt tips of his nails along your thigh and asscheeks above your tights. He lets go of the strap to caress your other leg.

He ceases to tease and moves on to grope your butt in gentle handfuls, glad you’ve chosen to wear a thong today. Your breath gets caught in your throat when his fingers brush your neglected clit.

You unconsciously press yourself back harder than before. He pinches the tights between his tips and effortlessly, rips the thin fabric in a small hole. You wait expectantly.

You lean back a little, eyeing down over your shoulder. He is standing right behind you, mouth levelling your cheek. He blindly guides his cock inside that hole, forces it to stretch around his girth the more he pushes himself in.

Taehyung clenches his jaw at the feeling of your smooth skin the more he’s humping it. You want to whine your despair aloud to get him between your legs again, you feel like going crazy with his skin feeling this velvety.

He seems to grow impatient as well and you’re thankful when he eventually positions his erection back against your crotch.

He sets a gentle and steady pace which suits you for now as the tights are pressing him upward against you.

It’s almost embarrassing how horny he’s quickly managed to get you by just rubbing himself up on you.

You try to use his swollen tip as best as your position allows it to get it to stimulate you. You get startled when he cups your stomach, the sudden gesture tearing a small gasp from you.

His breath is fanning the side of your face. You remain still, curious to see what he intends to do. You don’t stop the movements of your hips.

His hands crawl to undo the first buttons. You are not sure you feel safe enough to get exposed like that so you raise your hand to stop him.

The bus halts, this time to allow even more people in. Complaints can be heard by the occupants in front of the growing number inside.

Taehyung feels pressure on his back and he carefully directs you in the corner in front of you two, shielding you almost entirely.

He slowly takes your hand away from your shirt. Now persuaded, you let him open two other buttons.

You notice something silver reflecting the lights, what seems to you like a wedding band on his ring finger but you don’t linger on it too long and watch his hand cup your breast over your bra, then the other, gently kneading them.

You frown a little when he twitches against you.

He slides his hand under your arm to tug the cup down and reveal your skin.

Your nipple is already hard when he pinches it. You push back again as he gently rolls it between his fingertips, and feel his hard balls. He grins in your hair.

His fingers are long and elegant and look great around your rounded breast. Your mouth waters at the sight and before you realize it you catch yourself deliberately dribbling on your nipple.

He instantly works your spit with his fingers on the sensitive skin. You move your hips to get him to rub you again and find yourself leaning a little forward when the muscles in your lower stomach tighten in response.

Out of the corner of his eye, he notices your hand clinging harder around the bar and understands he’s getting you near your impromptu climax.

Cupping your mouth, you feel it hitting you in subtle waves, triggering you enough to have some of your juices sliding down along your legs, ruining your tights.

You never came in public before but the thrill of it has made it worth it.

Taehyung circles your chest to press you protectively against him. Something within you is hoping for him not to call it quits.

You don’t immediately note his move but the second his fingers reach your sensitive lips, a broken whimper leaves you.

He quickly covers your mouth without removing his hand from your panties. You let your head drop against his shoulder and close your eyes while he keeps playing with your wetness, smearing it along your slit and clit. Your legs tremble in response and you’re struggling a little to keep yourself standing.

His warmth and nice, natural fragrance leave you cold and in a sweaty haze when he fiddles with the hole he’s made.

The cloth doesn’t make a sound when he tears it open around your ass. He blindly reaches for the strings of your thong and tugs them down around your mid-thighs and he‘s back against you to get his cock touching you with no barrier.

Taehyung’s stifling groans at the pleasant feeling of you coating his thick, pulsing shaft with your arousal.

He’s barely holding it together.

You are angling your hips to try to catch his leaking tip at your clenching entrance nonchalantly.

In the cramped space of a place that is anything but private, you turn your face back against his to quietly moan your helplessness and have him do what’s prohibited.

He circles your hips and reaches between your thighs. His mouth is inches away from yours and his smoldering eyes gazing at your closed ones. You are both kept on tenterhooks while his fingers slowly press against the underside of his cock.

He eventually gives in and inserts his tip but nothing more.

You let yourself adjust to his width and little by little begin swaying your hips back and forth. High on adrenaline, your core tightens but you need more.

Taehyung pouts a little, resting lightly his forehead on your shoulder while frowning down as he finally gets to feel you.

You are starting to feel suffocated from all the restrain and quietness that are incumbent upon you, especially when he is still not willing to give more than just those teasing to-ing and fro-ing.

It feels like a game to him and he’s enjoying every bit of it.

Your pleas seem to have been heard when the bus makes a sudden stop. Everyone inside barely moves due to the number of them but those invisible forces have been strong enough to have him involuntarily shoving his entire length inside you in the process.

You both still, tense.

Taehyung’s slightly bent over you. You feel him breathing hard and clutching your shirt in his attempt to calm himself down.

You can’t help yourself. Your walls clench repetitively around him in satisfaction, drawing him dangerously close.

His reaction is making you smile.

You push back to get him moving.

He eventually begins his deep yet slow thrusting much to your satisfaction.

His balls pull upward with every push inside your warmth, his hornyness messing with his mind.

The only thing he’s wishing for is to be able to fuck you, hard and rough. Especially when he can hear you barely managing to keep those cute little moans of yours silent when a stranger’s cock is buried so deeply inside you in the middle of a crowded bus.

You don’t mind his slow pace, it’s not like he can do otherwise and his impressive girth has been having you seeing stars beneath your closed lids for a while now.

Although you’d really love to see how else he could make you feel, now that you know just how well-endowed he is. He is a dominant, that’s for sure. You just had to see or rather feel the way he’s been making decisions for the two of you, how his large and strong hands are speaking for him and handling you expertly.

You have yet to get over what you are both involved at the moment that you are already thinking that he must be something behind closed doors.

The longer you picture him in other lewd stances, the wetter you feel yourself getting. He’s slipping right inside of you with no hindrance whatsoever and you’re enjoying it shamelessly.

He can feel you dripping along his balls and the feeling has him becoming bolder as the pace of his hips picks up. The small slap of his balls against your ass speaks for it.

You reach between you to knead them firmly. They feel big and tight and you’d love to be able to wrap your mouth around them. You’d also very much appreaciate a mirror of some sort at your feet to get to see him fucking you from beneath and please your eye.

His hand grasps your naked breast to keep close and to cover you the time needed during the umpteenth stop the bus just made.

You barely open your eyes and look outside. Another ten minutes and you’ll be arriving at your stop.

Your sight gets blurry once more as you’re getting lost in the feeling of his cock moving inside again.

It feels too good to have him stop anytime soon.

Your core is tightening like never before.

You never want him to stop.

His grip gets firmer around your body and his pace more desperate. You are feeling the familiar knot again.

His cock throbs out spurts of cum deep within you as he stills himself, keeping a firm hold on your body.

You open your eyes, biting your lip, not believing what’s just happened.

You clench around him involuntarily and cum on the spot.

You are barely holding yourself up, your thighs shaking harder than before as he remains inside you the time for you to come down your high.

Breathing hard, you keep your eyes closed a moment.

You whimper when he rubs himself against your sensitive slit. He brings you back to his chest and cups your chin to kiss your cheek lovingly at the same time he pushes his throbbing, still hard cock back inside. His thrusts are gentle and in some way soothing.

If only the circumstances allowed you to suck him clean.

Your high subduing a little by now, you button up your shirt.

He pulls your thong back up although you’re doubting the small crotch will be able to catch hold of the amount of cum he’s dared to fill you up with.

He tucks himself back in his pants and makes sure your skirt doesn’t give away the new condition of your tights.

You are hesitating.

What will happen now?

You are two stops away from yours. The sun has set.

You eventually turn around and gaze at his collarbones facing you. They’re covered by a sheer layer of sweat and if you hadn’t sobered up so quickly you would’ve licked a bruise on them.

You don’t know if you should look up at him so you keep your head down, bashful.

Taehyung lightly smirks at you.

Thinking, he drags his bottom lip between his teeth. He cups your face, doesn’t let you process things and kisses you. The sudden but sweet gesture has you clenching some of his cum out.

The bus stops.

Stupefied, you watch him disappear in the midst of people getting off.

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

Akrasia (n.) : Lack Of Self-Control (Origin: Greek)

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divinaes-bookofsecrets · 4 years ago

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can i get a spirit guide reading too? ): ive been dying to find my own..♎

Hi 👋 hello there pleased to meet you ♎

×JaxDessa×IS YOUR SPIRIT GUIDE CURRENTLY🐠🌏🐚

She is female inter-terrestrial Female-Sea Creature who visits middle Earth and thats about as close as she gets to you personal space other than being able to e a essence that communicates or manipulates your current or future circumstances.

As an etheric being, Mermaid is “out of time” even as magic. She can teach you to walk through different worlds safely. There are spaces and places where all time swirls together, opening infinite possibilities.

If Mermaid Spirit had a mantra, it would be “go with the flow.” Give yourself to the ebb and flow of Mermaid’s ties. This provides you with adaptability akin to how water takes on the shape of its container.

Lightworkers, such as myself, 🌐🐚🐠 believe that Mermaids may have come originally from Atlantis as shapeshifters. Afterward, they moved into the Etheric realm; this is the place wherein we can connect with them and learn their wisdom. Mermaid Medicine supports environmental health and the kingdom of the sea. If you are doing workings for the Earth, they are excellent helpmates.

Like the creature of myths, Mermaid Totems are drawn to water. The ocean, in particular, has healing and energizing qualities to it. The Mermaid Mage often works exclusively with the Water Element; and Jaxdessa is no different she happens to be an elite member of the aquatic Water Mystics in her colony in the ethereal realm of existence....

This Mer-Woman has been with you since your birth and will likely be with you until the END of time; but first let's dive fins deep into her bio and see what she's in your life for?

🦋🌏🦋Being female, the symbolism and meaning of the Mermaid ties to the Sacred Feminine, specifically Goddesses like Venus who rules love, and the Sea Goddesses like Calypso. This is not a woman who can be tamed. The fierce individuality among Mermaids is well known – so much so that they may resist settling down in any one spot. Here Mermaid Spirit appears linked heavily to uniqueness and non-conformity.

Are you looking for a way to express yourself? Trying to find clarity in love matters? Mermaid as a Spirit, Totem, and Power Animal can help! Mermaid teaches to find balance between the heart and mind! Delve deeply in Mermaid symbolism and meaning to find out how this animal spirit guide can aid, inspire, and balance you!

Mermaid Symbolism & Meaning

The myths of Mermaids (and mermen) are enchanting. The rich voice of the Mermaid calls out to us with symbolism and meaning that clarifies the role this Fantasy Spirit Guide plays in our lives. Many stories of the Mermaid tell of enticing beauty, raw sensuality, and humans who succumb to their haunting songs; in this, we see where Mermaid becomes an emblem of balancing our heart and head. We need to think clearly even in matters of love and lust. Additionally, there are times in our lives where its ok to dance to a different, magical tune. Individuality and non-conformity are definitely traits of the Mermaid.

Mermaid Omens: Mermaids seem to be fairly lucky in that, if in a generous mind, they might grant a wish. Having said that, sailors consider them a foreboding sign that the proverbial ship may never reach land again.

Etymology: Mermaid comes from the 14th century term mermayde, meaning Maid of the Sea. The Old English word was similar – merwif, or Water Witch.

Being female, the symbolism and meaning of the Mermaid ties to the Sacred Feminine, specifically Goddesses like Venus who rules love, and the Sea Goddesses like Calypso. This is not a woman who can be tamed. The fierce individuality among Mermaids is well known – so much so that they may resist settling down in any one spot. Here Mermaid Spirit appears linked heavily to uniqueness and non-conformity.

Reach out to Mermaid as a Power Animal any time you work with the element of water in ritual, meditations or magic. There are other goals for which Mermaid can help. When you need inspiration, particularly in song, she can release your self-consciousness, so you really sing from your heart. Regarding sexuality, she removes inhibitions that hold you back from true pleasure.

Mermaid represents transition and transmutation. When you face unique changes in your life, she can help steady the waters around you.

Finally, call to Mermaid when you struggle with your emotions or when your intuition seems to have dried up. Mermaid medicine heals broken hearts and discouragement, then goes on supporting your intuitive self so you can avoid the chaos.

Mermaid as a Celtic Animal Symbol

Celtic Tradition has a long-standing relationship with magical water creatures. Sprites and nymphs often lived nearby sacred falls and wells. The Mermaid, however, lives in the sea. In this culture, the symbolism and meaning of Mermaid is that of the feminine element of the Universe. It is powerful and mysterious. The image of the double-tailed Mermaid adorns many churches represents the ultimate Celtic goddess, Sheela-Na-Gig.

Native American Mermaid Symbolic Meanings

One story from the Mi’kmaq tribe tells of a bird who discovers a pond with five lovely women therein. He noted that they didn’t really look totally human, having silvery scaled skin and hair of seaweed. They adorned themselves with gifts of the sea, and the bottom half of their body was that of a fish.

The Passamaquoddy tales recount the story of how two girls became Mermaids (HeNwas). They went swimming in an area prohibited by their parents. They came to a spot where they were surrounded in slime. Their legs became snakes, their hair black and wearing silver bands on their arms and neck.

Sekani legend talks of the marriage between a human and a Mermaid. By the first winter, the Mermaid yearned for her ocean home. She begged for freedom. It wasn’t until the second winter, however, that the man complied so she could hunt for him. Each day she returned dutifully with food. They became happy and had seven children. After the last child, winter returned, and the man sadly broke a hole in the ice so she could return. When she began swimming, she realized her children could not follow her. She tried to work a spell, placing water on their lips and telling them to follow her. Sadly they drown and were never seen again.

Mermaid Dreams

Mermaids in dreams almost always represent femininity with all its lovely attributes. These dreams often reveal clues to your feminine side. This can be a happy omen unless you fear the emotions and insights Mermaid brings.

A Mermaid swimming in water may represent a girth of emotions that threaten to overwhelm. You feel as if you are going under and giving in to the pressures around. Find your life vest and get some help and support.

Far Eastern Mermaid Symbolic Meanings

There are numerous stories of Mermaids in China. Literature depicts her as similar to western Mermaids with the ability to cry pearls, shapeshift, foretell the future and craft magical items.

One story tells of a Mermaid who asked to stay with a human family for many days so she could weave and sell her cloth. In thanks for the human’s hospitality, she cried a container full of pearls and gave it to the family.

Mermaid Symbolic Meanings Key

Adaptability

Awareness

Discretion

Divination

Emotions

Innocence

Non-conformity

Psychic Aptitude

Shapeshifting

Uniqueness

Artists frequently depict Mermaids with a fish bone comb; this illustration came about due to sailors’ beliefs. If you had fish bones on board a ship, one could know what type of weather was coming through divination and take control of a storm to calm the winds. Another tool of the Mermaid is a mirror. This object has long been used for magic as a “looking glass” much like a crystal ball. Mirrors represent the moon and the intuitive self. Wrap these tools into a medicine bag, and you have future-telling abilities, far sight, sensitivity, and psychic aptitude.

WHAT DO MERMAIDS LOOK LIKE ?🧜‍♀️ 🧜‍♀️

Traditional Mermaids have the upper body of a woman and the lower body of a fish. Images of Mermaids appear as early as ancient Babylon. Sailors considered images of Mermaids as a good luck charm, which is why figureheads were carved with Her image.

Being tied to the Water Element, Mermaid may take on the meaning of a source of life, cleansing, and renewal. Water can also be a fierce foe, with crashing waves that threaten to take us under into the unknown. The ancients found themselves inexplicably attracted to the Mermaid, while also being frightened of their powers.

These “Angels of the Sea” appear most frequently at dawn and dusk. These are “in between” times when the veil between worlds grows thin. Some say they only show themselves to people who have pure hearts, giving he Mermaid the symbolism of discretion and awareness.

WHAT DOES JAXDESSA LOOK LIKE?

Here....She is .. 🧜‍♀️ 7:47 PM(look up the numerology or 747 and 757 , 759)

Those are your times you'll be likely to sense her close to you...

When Jaxdessa swims with you, she brings you into the realm of Water, which also speaks of our emotions. You will be challenged to dig deep inside yourself to understand your fears and scars fully. Only by so doing can you truly heal. Throughout this journey, Jaxdessa offers love and support.The Mermaid animal spirit may also bear a message about reconnecting with your inner child and nature. The innocence and joy of the child dances with the beauty of the world. There is a richness in this relationship building process, and Mermaid is your guide...

When working with your Mermaid guide, it is essential that you remain true to yourself: She will not condone facades. Keep it real and be ready to swim.

Those born with Mermaid imprinted on their soul feel at one with nature. They see the wonders of the world with an appreciative eye, but also know that there is much more going on behind the proverbial curtain. The Mermaid constantly interacts and exchanges various feelings with others including joy, peace, and liveliness. The Mermaid’s language of love is an affirmation.

Greed doesn’t really measure in the mind of the Mermaid. They do not seek to possess others, but rather walk with them in mutual goals and dreams. The Mermaid’s inner child is strong and very active.

More...SpiritGuide bio

The Mermaid person has intense psychic abilities. You see spirits, fairies, Devas, Angels, and other Fantasy creatures easily. Some of the gifts you may have include clairvoyance and hypnotic allure

The Mermaid is an amazing empath, but this can also be her undoing. She feels everything. A crowded room can become totally overwhelming. Thankfully with time and practice, she can learn to detach from others feelings and consider them much as one might watch a movie. This protects the Mermaid from psychic overload and burnout. ((YOU MORE THAN LIKELY CSN RELATE TO THIS AND MOST OF THE MERMAID QUALITIES BECAUSE YOU ARE HER SHE IS YOU;; DO YOU SEE THESE SIMILARITIES YET?))

💘 💜 💛 💚 🧡 💘

Regarding relationships JaxDessa people may not settle down, but they certainly enjoy a good lover. There is raw, unbridled sexuality here that begs for attention. Because they are very private people, however, some of these desires go unfulfilled.

Spirit Guides 3 Messages for me today (current date Jan 11th 2021)

First message: #1

ANGEL NUMBER 833

Number 833 is a blend of the vibrations and energies of number 8 and number 3, with number 3 appearing twice, amplifying its influences of 3, and relating the the Master Number 33. Number 8 relates to self-confidence and personal authority, discernment, higher wisdom, achievement and successes, practicality, consideration, giving and receiving, and serving humanity. Number 8 is also the number of karma; the Universal Spiritual Law of Cause and Effect. Number 3 is the number of affability, enthusiasm, assistance and encouragement, communication and self-expression, growth, expansion and the principles of increase, manifesting, broad-minded thinking, talents and skills, and the energies of the Ascended Masters. Master Number 33 (the Master Teacher) relates to the attributes of the ‘healer’, compassion, blessings, the teacher of teachers, inspiration, honesty, discipline, bravery and courage.

Angel Number 833 is a powerful message and sign that you are being fully supported, surrounded and supported by your Spirit Guides ...It indicates that you are successfully manifesting prosperity and abundance in your life by the positive choices you have made and are currently making. Put your personal attributes and talents to good use and be open to receiving your well-earned rewards and blessings. Trust that all is going to Divine plan.

Angel Number 833 brings a powerful message of love and support, encouragement and guidance, and your SpiritGuide(s) ask that you maintain a positive attitude and outlook to continue manifesting positive abundance into your life. Remember that what you put out to the Universe comes back to you, so ensure that you use your personal power and talents in a positive manner, always.

Angel Number 833 tells you to take ownership of your own life and discover your dreams. Use your personal creativity in constructive and productive ways, and put your skills and talents to work to achieve your heart’s desires. You get what you expect so make sure you radiate positive energies and expect the highest and best in return. Trust that you will find success in your chosen endeavours.

Number 833 relates to number 5 (8+3+3=14, 1+4=5) and Angel Number 5.

Now look up # 5 see what it is ? Thats your next mission .🧜‍♀️.

Second Message : WHAT I NEED TO HEAR RIGHT THIS MOMENT ...

If you were to bite into a piece of cake and think it's awful because of certain flavors or a lack of some ingredient, it would not be pleasant in the moment. Even so, the experience could be beneficial to you later on. Suppose you wanted to bake a special cake for someone. The experience you had with the unappetizing cake might inspire you to do things differently. Every bad experience has an upside, Dear Jaxdessas darling, even if it doesn't seem so in the moment. Remember that today if something doesn't seem ideal.

Third Message: 🌟 ⭐ 💫 🌠 🌃 ✨ 🌟 ♎ January 11 - January 17

A project that is in the final stage of development could get a really big boost this week, dear Jaxdessas darling. This may come out of left field, and the help you need may come from someone you least expected and perhaps you don't even like, but don't cut off your nose to spite your face. This is essential assistance, and you should be grateful for it. Success is possible with a work- or money-related venture that didn't seem to be going very well all that long ago. This is due to your persistence and your optimistic attitude, so let this be a lesson for future endeavors. Some venture that you have put a lot of time and energy into may wind up hitting a brick wall very soon. You may want to proceed anyway, and you may want to figure out how many ways there are to get over the wall that stands between you and success. But before you invest that time, think about whether this will be worth the effort in the end. There could be something else coming along that could take its place, and that could be easier and more rewarding in the end.

&&&

A creak you hear in the dark could be the settling of an old house, or it could be a burglar creeping on the stairs. Loud voices you hear coming in through the windows could be your neighbors arguing, or it could be those same neighbors sharing good news. The lamp going out on your nightstand could be a sign that electricity has shut down, or it could mean you need a new bulb. There is often more than one way to interpret something, and usually there's nothing to worry about. Remember that today, Taurus, if you are tempted to follow worrisome thoughts. It's more likely there's nothing to worry about.

FINAL THOUGHTS?.. THE WISE ADVICE FROM YOUR MYSTIC MERMAID 🧜‍♀️

Step 1) Define Your Core Values

Know what is most important to you by determining your values for your professional and personal life.

These are the principles that are the foundation for your priorities, choices, actions, and behaviors.

You can start by looking at this list of values.

Step 2: Practice the habits.

Pick one or two from this list of positive character traits above to practice for several weeks.

Write down the actions you want to take or the behaviors you define that reflect this trait, and implement them in your daily life and interactions.

Wear a rubber band on your wrist or create other reminders to help you practice these good qualities.

Step 3: Find people with good character.

Surround yourself with people who reflect the character traits you want to embrace.

They will inspire and motivate you to build these traits in yourself.

Try to avoid people who have a weak character and make bad decisions.

Step 5: Take some risks.

Start taking small actions toward a goal or value that involves some level of risk.

When you face the possibility of failure and challenge yourself toward success, you become mentally and emotionally stronger and more committed to your principles.

Step 6: Stretch yourself.

Create high standards and big goals for yourself.

Expect the best of yourself and constantly work toward that, even though you will have setbacks and occasional failures.

Every stretch builds your confidence and knowledge that your positive character traits are getting stronger.

Step 7: Commit to self-improvement.

Realize that building your character is a life-long endeavor.

It is something that is practiced both in the minutiae and the defining moments of your life.

There will be times you step up to the character traits you embrace and other times you falter.

Thank You for taking the time to meet your Spirit Guide today have a nice day 😊 ✨ 💛 ☺ 💗

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strawberry-cloud-analyses · 4 years ago

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Theatre Thurs - April 29th

Epic II takes place as Orpheus adds more onto his song, despite the encouragement of Eurydice in A Gathering Storm to prepare for the upcoming storm. This version of his Epic focuses on the glittering riches of the Underworld, as well as the highly contrasting construction that is always taking place there, which is done by all of the residents of Hadestown. We also learn that without Persephone there, loneliness looms inside of him, and that is why he turns to such projects.

King of silver, king of gold

And everything glittering under the ground

Hades is king of oil and coal

And the riches that flow where those rivers are found

Chant shows the listeners/viewers the true desires and the differences between the two couples in their relationships are revealed. Eurydice learns that Orpheus prioritizes his music over their survival and seemingly, even their relationship. Persephone sees that Hades has begun to prioritize growing his empire to mimic the world above that she loves so much over her. As the storm gathers, the characters will drive themselves farther and farther apart until it is too late for Orpheus to salvage his love while he still has Eurydice.

And that is the reason we're on this road

And the seasons are wrong

And the wind is so strong

That's why times are so hard

It's because of the gods

The gods have forgotten the song of their love

Hey, Little Songbird happens as Hades and Eurydice meet for the first time. Hades tempts to entice her into coming with him to Hadestown, promising luxury and safety through the deal, and playing into her fear that she will not survive with Orpheus, who is merely a poet and has nothing more than his music. Eurydice who has been going hungry recently and is fearful of the winter storm to come, is enticed by his offer of security and wealth.

Hey, little songbird, look all around you

See how the vipers and vultures surround you

And they'll take you down, they'll pick you clean

If you stick around such a desperate scene

See, people get mean when the chips are down

When the Chips are Down (”Songbird vs. rattlesnake) [Intro] begins as Eurydice is faced with the decision of going to Hadestown or staying in the world above, and leads into:

And Hades gave her a choice to make

A ticket to the underworld

When the Chips are Down takes place as the Fates appear and encourage her to consider the offer after Hades invites Eurydice to come with him to Hadestown. They tell her that she should and needs too look after herself now that she is starving and the “chips are down”, leaving her very own life in the balance of her decision.

Help yourself

To hell with the rest

Even the one who loves you best

What you gonna do when the chips are down

Now that the chips are down?

Gone, I’m Gone has Eurydice explain that, although she is in love with Orpheus, she cannot overcome her desire for the material protection, providence, and safety that she will be provided with in Hadestown. Orpheus is unable to provide for her, and because of this, she decides to go to the underworld where she is promised those things.

Orpheus, my heart is yours, always was, and will be

It's my gut I can’t ignore

Orpheus, I'm hungry

Oh, my heart it aches to stay, but the flesh will have its way

Oh, the way is dark and long

I'm already gone

Wait for Me (”Hey, the big artiste...”) [Intro] shows Orpheus as he realizes that Eurydice is gone, goes looking for her, and is told by Hermes that she has gone to Hadestown. He then tries to convince Hermes to give him directions to Hadestown, and it leads into the next song:

So... just how far would you go for her?

To the end of time

To the end of the earth

You got a ticket?

No...?

Wait for Me starts Orpheus’s descent into Hadestown as he looks Eurydice. Not knowing why she is there but determined to bring her home, he begins the long trek to the Underground. Hermes gives Orpheus the much-needed advice for the Underworld that he will need in order to survive the journey. On the other side, the Fates try to discourage Orpheus, saying that his trip is pointless and he will fail.

Wait for me, I'm comin'

Wait, I'm comin' with you

Wait for me, I'm comin' too

I'm coming too

Why We Build the Wall shows Hades leading a chant regarding the values and reasoning of “life” in the Underworld. These values include working for the sake of work, rejecting poverty, and isolationism. This song illustrates the silent power that Hades has over his kingdom, while his workers sing the creed. During the song Eurydice also learns from a resident of Hadestown what it is like to live there and how she is to spend the rest of her life.

The enemy is poverty

And the wall keeps out the enemy

And we build the wall to keep us free

That's why we build the wall

We build the wall to keep us free

Why We Build the Wall (”Behind closed doors...”) [Outro] has Hermes is guiding the audience’s attention to the fact that a lot can happen on both sides of a pair of closed doors. Eurydice may be signing a sketchy contract, but Persephone is letting the workers rebel and get a glimpse of freedom.

Now a lot can happen behind closed doors

That's for sure, brother, that's a fact

But a lot can happen on the factory floor

When the foreman turns his back

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Another Theatre Thursday is complete [(and with a whole hour to spare before my posting deadline (oops)] Next Week we’ll cover Our Lady of the Underground - Chant (Reprise).

Stay Sweet!

- Victoria Rodasta

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Next Week:

Miscellaneous Monday - Pretty Girl by Clario

Theatre Thursday - Hadestown Part Three

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Follow me for more!

Insta: @strawberry.cloud.art - Tumblr: @strawberry-cloud-analyses

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lightofsveta · 4 years ago

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What is self-improvement in psychology?

The study and practice of improving one's own life, including one's health, education, relationships, career, goals, and well-being is self-improvement.

## 1.Self-improvement in health

You may take concretes actions or an action plan to achieve your objectives with the healthiest self development techniques. This could entail the creation of a global strategy incorporating several tactics such as attention, exercise and cognitive restructuring (reworking your thoughts to improve your mental health).

Self-improvement is the consistent technique of enhancing your self, which include operating towards higher wellbeing.

Wellness isn't always pretty much your bodily self however approximately your mental, emotional, and social welfare, too. Self-improvement is what permits you to attain new ranges of happiness and wellbeing, which results in your wellknown well being and satisfaction.

Indeed, the complete private improvement technique is devoted to reworking components of your lifestyles to make enhancements on your bodily, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, or social state. It is the technique that publications and determines your standard wellbeing.

Some human beings arrive at a private boom choice factor after a important or demanding event, at the same time as others simply decide through the years that enhancements are vital for his or her lives.

By finding out to have interaction in private boom and improvement, you're you make a decision to enhance one or extra factors of your well being and happiness.

Personal boom is ready improving your conduct so you may be the great model of your self which you probable can.

Your standard wellbeing is the buildup of all of your each day conduct that result in your health and balance in all of the many regions of your lifestyles.

Therefore, your private boom at once contributes for your standard wellbeing in lots of methods. Here are simply 5 methods your private boom improves your standard wellbeing.

We all can experience disillusioned with lifestyles from time to time. You have the strength to alternate your lifestyles, the course wherein it's far heading, and the final results through making adjustments on your conduct and behaviors.

Self-Development is the pathway to wellbeing in each issue of your lifestyles.

## 2.Self-improvement in relationships

Love is what brings you to the other person to see the good. Respect is what makes you appreciate it and respect it. Commitment is what strengthens you in the face of hardship. There is another aspect of a successful relationship that is frequently ignored, and self-improvement.

What makes the own circle of relatives exciting is their tendency in charge others while matters pass wrong. Dad complains that Mom doesn’t recognize his pressures. Mom berates Dad while he runs past due and spoils dinner. Brother yells at Mom while his baseball uniform is dirty. Sister fusses while her brother’s time table interrupts her play dates.

Between the youngsters blaming the mother and father for incomplete homework, Mom nagging Dad approximately time together, and Dad criticizing the youngsters due to the fact Mom is stressed, it’s apparent that something’s were given to give.

Mom, Dad, and in the end their youngsters, found out that converting themselves turned into the simplest amendment they may actually remember on. And that modified everything!

Looking at ourselves approach we recognize others.

Human beings have unfastened will. When we recognize that reality in others, it has the impact of decreasing obstacles. Lowered obstacles cause multiplied communication.

Judge yourself, now no longer them.

Once I take obligation for myself, I generally tend to forestall judging others. “What can I do to make own circle of relatives dinners greater conversational?” is greater powerful than, “Suzie, I’m bored with your monosyllabic solutions to my questions.”

The domino impact.

When we alternate ourselves, the simplest alternate we are able to control, others withinside the own circle of relatives start to narrate to us differently. For example, if I display real hobby in my wife’s day, then she is much more likely to reveal hobby in me.

Owning my personal emotions results in correct mental health.

Once we forestall the blame game, we clean the manner to enticing our non-public potential, and are not blocked through the sabotage of giving over the strength for alternate to our youngsters or our spouse.

## 3.Self-improvement in career

If you develop yourself continuously in knowledge, skills, expertise and efficiency, your professional progress will continue. This means that if you are just seeking development in your job, your quest for success will most likely fail. However the outcomes should be a professional success if you are committed to self-improvement, drive and perseverance. To this end, five steps to improving oneself should lead to success in your profession.

While non-public improvement capabilities can advantage all components of your lifestyles, those unique practices can be beneficial withinside the place of business and assist you improve your career:

Be an energetic listener. Part of being a terrific communicator is being attentive to what different humans say. Concentrate on information what your coworkers and customers are announcing so that you can do not forget that statistics and reply properly. Use powerful and expert listening and conversation capabilities in the whole thing from telecellsmartphone conversations to task interviews.

Work properly with others. Good humans capabilities make you a valued group member. You must be capable of collaborate with and inspire others. Cultivate your social capabilities to construct relationships with colleagues, customers, clients and pals of all kinds and backgrounds.

Organize your time, paintings and materials. Plan out obligations so that you can whole them speedy and easily. Know what tasks to prioritize in case you are coping with greater than one. If you're properly-organized, you will be higher capable of meet your time limits and collaborate efficaciously with others..

Work via hard conditions. When handling a problem, determine your alternatives and decide the first-rate solution. Know while to invite for recommendation or studies unique scenarios. People who can suppose severely and paintings via complicated issues are much more likely to make excellent choices each in lifestyles and paintings.

Believe in yourself. If you've got got self assurance for your choices, others can be much more likely to agree with in you as properly. This high-quality power can assist inspire and instill self assurance in the ones round you. You are higher capable of cope with demanding situations and attain desires in case you technique them with self assurance as opposed to doubt.

Adapt to extrade. Be bendy so that you can address modifications in paintings and lifestyles easily. Adaptable humans can paintings properly each by myself and on a group, manipulate more than one tasks, paintings below plenty of conditions, be given new thoughts and greater. Being capable of reply properly to extrade also can make those conditions much less annoying for all and sundry involved.

## 4.Self-improvement in goals

One of the healthiest and most appropriate solutions you can take is to attempt to improve yourself continuously. We all want things to do for ourselves: improve the quality of our lives, achieve more, become better persons and attempt to make ourselves better.

We likely can’t let you know the that means of lifestyles (even though it could be definitely cool if we could). However, in terms of locating your ardour, that’s one in all our specialties. At Envision we're all-approximately assisting college students find out what they have been born to do – after which assisting them nurture that ardour through providing real-lifestyles talents and profession experience. Here are a few tips:

Write down a listing of factors you’d want to achieve, even though they appear far-fetched Once we discover our purpose, how will we stay it? What if it’s now no longer sensible? You’ll locate that in case you nurture your passions and aptitudes, there'll certainly be sensible approaches to make a residing from them. Start through pursuing the proper profession, after which locate approaches to make your passions even extra innovative and satisfying.

Want to paint? Consider image layout or indoors decorating. Want to write? Almost all organizations want proper writers, in marketing, consumer communications, etc.

#3 – Acquire extra talents

Most talents are acquired, as opposed to innate, so don’t strain in case you suppose you’re now no longer talented. It’s been tested that exercise does certainly make perfect. So, despite the fact that this recommendation might also additionally sound a bit boring, if there’s some thing you want to be proper at, paintings on it. Take a class. Ask for tutoring. Then exercise.

If you’re a student, Envision’s profession and management camps will assist you circulate your skillset withinside the proper direction. We have fine-tuned our curricula to offer management and twenty first century talents, in addition to specific, hands-on profession talents, experience, and contacts.

## 5.Self-improvement in well-being

Improve your performance by practice, preparation and learning in a given circumstance. For example, by identifying opportunities to talk to the crowd, you will be a better public speaker.

Two research have been achieved to check the connection among readiness for self-development (inclusive of components: readiness to enhance oneself and readiness to attend to one's fitness) and decided on measures of well being. The first take a look at investigated whether or not readiness for self-development is associated with the chosen measures of ordinary subjective well being (or existence pride). The 2nd one investigated in what manner readiness for self-development is associated with subjective well being at workplace (or paintings engagement).

The outcomes acquired in each instances confirmed that readiness for self-development is certainly associated with and does account for well being. In the primary take a look at, readiness for self-development (i.e. readiness to enhance oneself) accounted for ordinary existence pride inside crucial human existence domain names and pride with the prevailing and destiny existence. In the second one take a look at, paintings engagement, become appreciably related to readiness to enhance oneself however become now no longer with readiness to attend to one's fitness.

1. Take Proper Sleep:

It may also appear to be the maximum not unusualplace advice, however agree with me maximum of the humans don’t observe the primary strep toward their ordinary wellbeing. Our frame desires right sleep and relaxation to heal and renew the power to characteristic properly. This recovery is vital for bodily and intellectual hobby at some point of the day.

Sufficient sleep regulates the hormones which might be without delay associated with our temper and emotions. Most frequently while you sense an angry or emotional imbalance, possibilities are excessive that your frame lacks in taking sufficient sleep. An grownup frame desires almost 6 to 7 hours of sleep consistent with day. So make certain you are taking sufficient sleep.

2. Eat a Balanced Diet:

Sleep by myself isn't always going to provide you the specified benefits. You want to consume a healthful and balanced weight loss plan and make certain your frame gets sufficient quantity of nutrition. The meals you eat determines how healthful your internal machine is. Moreover, it additionally enables in figuring out your emotional fitness and intellectual ailments consisting of depression.

When your frame lacks vital nutrients, it results in critical fitness issues. Moreover, you become dealing with emotional misery and anxiety. Health and well being specialists recommend which you ought to consume culmination and veggies in enough quantity. Moreover, ingesting nuts and lentil additionally strengthens your heart. Try to keep away from caffeine, sugar and processed meals as tons as possible.

3. Expose Your Body to Sunlight:

Vitamin D deficiency results in numerous issues such and Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD. When you're uncovered to sunlight, it reasons the discharge of endorphins additionally called ‘happiness hormones’ this is liable for the productiveness of the brain.

So, make an effort from your recurring and spend a while in sunlight. But makes certain you put on sunblock to save you sunburn.

#self-improvement #personal growth

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lokimostly · 6 years ago

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Polaris (Ch.1/?)

Loki x Reader, Pirate!AU Word Count: 2,768 Warnings: none Summary: Your life has always been set in stone. Born to a wealthy merchant family in the Caribbean, you’ve spent your years as an heiress in the daytime, escaping at night to wander the streets of St. Thomas. Now, on the eve before your life settles into mundanity for good, you discover someone who could change everything-- if you choose to trust him, that is.

A/N: The bitch is back! (Me. I’m the bitch). I’m super excited for this, and I hope you are, too! It was promised a long time ago and it’s finally here. Let me know what you think~~

Chapter Two ~ Chapter Three ~ Chapter Four ~ Chapter Five ~ Chapter Six ~ Chapter Seven ~ Chapter Eight ~ Chapter Nine ~ Chapter Ten ~ Chapter Eleven ~ Chapter Twelve ~ Chapter Thirteen ~ Chapter Fourteen

Night fell like a curtain of embroidered silver stars over the port of St. Thomas. The moon rose in a honey-colored crescent over the black blanket of the sea, where the last ships of the day were tied to the docks: all of it visible from your window, the double panels open and welcoming the warm summer breeze. Mid-July was beautiful in the Caribbean.

This would be your last July here.

You fastened your cloak and set one final look to your bedroom door – locked, of course – before leaning over your nightstand to blow out the lone candle that flickered warmly. You shouldn’t have been awake at this hour; you had a pressing day tomorrow, a day which had already caused several quarrels with your father.

You also shouldn’t have been climbing out your window.

The dark material of your cloak weighed heavy on your shoulders as you bunched up your dress and swung one leg bravely over the windowsill, bracing yourself against the suddenly-stronger wind that teased and pulled at your hair, enticing strands around your face to come loose. You pulled your other leg over and shifted carefully, searching with one foot for the foothold you knew to be there.

A-ha. You planted your foot onto the brick, pushing out carefully – a fall from this height would be deadly – and stood with practiced balance. You exhaled softly, calming your nerves as the wind blew against your back and rippled through your dress. A gecko skittered across the wall and disappeared over the crest of the roof. You watched it go before pushing the panels of your window shut, leaving them unlatched for you upon your return, and began your descent.

You kept your hands on the windowsill and found the next brick. This convenient path of rugged stone was your tiny stairway to the world at night, to the city below, to freedom. Even though you’d done this so many times before, the taste of anticipation at the adventure to come made your heart flutter happily inside your ribs.

Your feet hit the cobblestone without a sound and you breathed a happy, exhilarated exhale, pulling up your hood. You cast one last glance at your window before turning and heading down the alleyway, towards the twinkling light of the oceanside town.

The night was yours.

Despite the sweltering warmth of the night, you pulled the fabric of your cloak a little tighter when you slipped by the front of your father’s estate. Even at this hour there were servants around, standing post at the iron-wrought gates or mingling outside the door to the kitchens. All it took was one pair of eyes, and your little expedition would be ruined.

Not that it mattered, really. You doubted that you’d ever get the chance to do this again.

You would never claim to hate your life. There were just certain aspects of it– the formalities, the frivolities, the bone-crushing corsets – that you could happily do without. But being the only child of a moderately wealthy shipping merchant meant that you were born into these things, and expected to die in them.

You relaxed as your feet carried you further downhill and out of sight from your estate. The streets turned narrower and more crowded despite how late the hour was. Soon, you were making your way through crowds of people: sailors, harlots, vagrants, fishermen, maybe even pirates… not that you would know one if you saw one. Everyone thrived under moonlight.

You would never get the chance to live like these people, so the most you could do was get close. Close enough to taste the salt of the sea, to imagine the feeling of coarse rope between your hands. There was so much you would never experience that you so desperately wanted to: what it felt like to get drunk on cheap tavern liquor, how to handle a ship in a storm, the taste of someone’s lips against yours…

Well, not the kissing part. Out of everything life had to offer, romance was furthest from your desires. Partly because you’d never been interested in anyone – which was far from a problem in your opinion – but also because it would be forced on you so very soon. The marriage that had been arranged for you since before your birth was coming to a head: you were meeting your fianceé tomorrow. The thought of it made your stomach turn in upset.

The way you saw it, marriage was the final nail in the coffin of an adventurous life, and you were about to be buried alive.

Once you were in the thrall of the seaside crowds close to the docks, you removed your dark hood and pulled out your braided hair. You inhaled the sweet, salty stench of the ocean, mixed with putrid perfume and the alcohol-ridden breath of the people who passed you by. The ships rocked gently, their wooden bodies creaking like aching joints. Lamplight and candlelight made the port feel like a living being with glowing eyes, blinking away the dark.

It was wonderful. But what to do?

You had every intention of staying out till dawn. Whether or not this was destined to be a remarkable night, you were determined to make it so. It was your last hurrah of freedom – consequences be damned.

The corner pub was positively throbbing with noise, like a pulse point of energy. Somewhere in the clamor you could hear someone playing a four-string fiddle. The sweet sound was mixed with raucous laughter and the occasional breaking of glass.

A perfect start to your evening.

You slipped in past the crowds outside and immediately found yourself immersed. Tankards clanked together, barmaids wove in between tables, and in the darker corners of the room men played cards and laid wagers amidst cigar smoke and sordid expressions. Everyone here felt open: there was no hiding behind etiquette or polished niceties. There was no stiffness or reservation like you were used to in the daytime.

Despite the hoots and wholly inappropriate catcalls of the soldiers, you slipped in entirely unnoticed. Free to observe without interruption. You briefly considered buying a drink, but discarded the idea almost immediately. You didn’t care for the taste. Cards, maybe? A quick glance at the tables told you no – there were no women playing, and you wouldn’t dare venturing to a table of burly men on your own. Your nighttime excursions had earned you a few friends through the years, but you couldn’t find any of them in the bar tonight. It was probably better that way – you wanted this night to yourself.

You found a banister to lean against, wondering what to do, when a laugh caught your attention. It wasn’t the rough and weather-worn roar of a sailor, or the tittering giggle of a barmaid. This laugh was clear as a bell, deep and light at the same time, drawing your attention almost by force.

The source of the sound was sitting at a round table, mid laugh with a tankard in hand. He was unlike any sailor you’d ever seen: fair skin and slick black hair that tumbled down in gentle waves against his shoulders. A jawline you could cut your finger on. The white, bishop-sleeve shirt he wore opened in a wide V that travelled almost halfway down his chest, revealing a scandalous amount of toned muscle. His smile was wide and brilliant and wolfish.

Your heart did a somersault in your ribcage. He was devilishly handsome, there was no denying it. The stark contrast between him and everyone else in this grimy seaside pub was staggering. But there was something about him that frightened you- something lurking beneath the depths. You couldn’t put your finger on it.

You decided not to stay and find out. You turned towards the door, and immediately collided with someone. The glass bottle in their hand hit the floor and shattered. For a split second, the tavern was entirely silent. Even the fiddler in the corner had paused mid-tune.

Then the sound resumed. The fiddler continued his jig; laughter howled and chairs scraped across the wooden floor. Your heart was in your throat as the sailor you’d just slammed into – and also cost a full bottle of rum – turned around with an ill-fated look in his eye.

Oh, god, he was enormous.

“Hello,” you began nervously. Why did your voice have to tremble so much? “I’m terribly sorry–”

“What do we have ‘ere?” He growled, snatching your wrist and squeezing it painfully tight so you couldn’t run. His eyes raked over your figure, surveying you like a choice cut of meat. His breath reeked of alcohol. You grimaced and tried to pull away, but his bear-like hand only tightened its grip. “No, I don’t think so,” he drawled, obviously more than a little drunk. “You got a debt to pay.”

Your eyes widened and you shook your head - you’d left your coin purse at home. “I’m sorry, I— I don’t have any money,” you pleaded, trying once more to get away from him. It was a futile attempt. The sailor yanked on your arm and you yelped as he pulled you forcefully against his chest. You resisted the urge to throw up – his shirt smelled even worse than his breath.

“Please,” you begged, cowering in spite of yourself as he towered over you. To think you had felt so brave only minutes ago.

The sailor gave you a nasty smile full of rotting teeth. “I weren’t talkin’ about money.”

Before you could think of a response (how were you going to get yourself out of this?) you felt the ghost of a hand on your back and a clear, polite voice that spoke through the noise of the tavern.

“That won’t be possible, I’m afraid.”

The sailor’s sluggish eyes drifted upward and his grip on your wrist loosened as he realized who was speaking: the dark-haired stranger, whose sea-green eyes were staring at the sailor with a fury so cold it made you shiver. This glare was elegantly countered by a charming smile.

“I’d be more than happy to mitigate the debt,” he continued politely, sounding very much like he intended to do no such thing, and would seriously hurt the man if he accepted. The sailor, despite being as drunk as he was, picked up on this subtlety, and dropped your wrist entirely. He muttered something indiscernible – with a few inelegant profanities directed your way– and went back to the bar.

You rubbed your wrist like it had been shackled, letting out a shaky sigh of relief. You hadn’t realized how fast your heart was beating. Now you had a chance to compose yourself, maybe find some of that courage you had been wanting for.

The dark-haired man leaned down and whispered into your ear, “if you’ll allow me to escort you outside, milady.” His warm breath on your neck made you shiver.

So much for composing yourself.

You managed a nod and made your way out of the bar with him close behind. You wove through the crowds easily, but people seemed to part for him instead, making way like he was some kind of prince.

Or maybe a pirate.

The thought occurred to you as soon as he stepped out onto the cobblestone street and beckoned for you to follow him, heading a little ways from the lights and crowds of the bar. He walked with a certain gait that you could only describe as cat-like: keeping his shoulders squared, but with a sort of elegance that made him seem quick on his feet. Like he always knew where he was going.

And against your better judgement, you followed.

“Thank you,” you began, still holding onto your wrist. He slowed, and turned around, gazing at you with eyes that seemed to glow in the dark. You shivered.

“Tell me,” He said, raising a dark eyebrow and setting his hands on his hips as he stepped towards you, “What’s a girl like yourself doing in there? Shouldn’t you be at a gala somewhere?” He sounded like he was teasing you, but the smirk on his lips threw you off.

You bristled, feeling your pride swell up a bit. “You don’t know what kind of person I am.”

He chuckled. “I’m afraid your dress speaks for itself,” He pointed out, nodding to your fancier-than-usual clothes. Your face flushed and you pulled your cloak around you. He was right. Despite your attempts to dress down, you had never owned anything that wasn’t embroidered with lace. The fact that he saw right through your disguise in less than a minute was more than a little embarrassing.

The handsome stranger eyed you curiously, watching as the gears in your mind turned over. He held out his hand to you– elegant fingers outstretched in silent offering. You looked down at his hand. Despite its initial beauty, you could see now that his fingers were calloused, and a few white needle-thin scars lined the palms of his hand. Curious.

“Allow me to walk you home,” he said. His words were phrased so sweetly, they were practically dripping with honey.

You forced yourself to remember why you were out here. What awaited you tomorrow, and for the rest of your life.

You couldn’t let your last night go to waste.

You shook your head, taking a step back. “I’m sorry, I can’t.” Why did you feel like you owed him an apology? You had nothing to be sorry for. Yet something about those sea-green eyes had you entirely at his mercy.

His eyes narrowed and he retracted his hand. “Why not?”

“It’s just… this is my last night.” His brow furrowed, but you continued on. “I don’t get another chance to do this, and quite frankly I’m not looking forward to the rest of my life.” You swallowed, staring at him and setting your shoulders. “I’m sorry,” you repeated. “I can’t.”

The handsome stranger merely stared at you. There were micro-expressions that crossed his face while he mulled over your words: a twitch of his eyebrow, a slight narrowing of his eyebrows. It should not have been so fascinating to watch a man think. Then again, he had destroyed a lot of your so-called certainties tonight: most particularly, the idea that you would ever want to kiss someone.

But god above if you didn’t want to press your lips against his. You were so distracted by them that you hardly heard him when he began speaking.

“Let me help you, then.”

You blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“Let me help make your last night worthwhile.”

Your eyes narrowed with suspicion and you crossed your arms, trying to figure out why on earth he would offer to help you. “Why?”

He shrugged and smiled, holding his arms out. “If you’re so intent on getting into trouble, you might as well have a friend.”

“We’re not friends,” you muttered, though the idea was sounding more appealing the more he talked about it. No, snap out of it! He’s playing you like a fiddle, your conscience pleaded.

Unfortunately, you were no longer listening to your conscience. His hand was extended to you once more, and he gave you a look that said ‘go on. Be brave for once.’

You were never one to shirk from a challenge.

“Don’t you trust me?” He asked.

There was that teasing tone again. You held back a snort. “Absolutely not.”

He grinned. “Smart girl.”

Hours later, when the sky was beginning to dim, you climbed the uneven brick wall with tired muscles and lifted yourself onto your windowsill, taking a moment to stare at the city. Even at near-dawn, the lights were still twinkling. The moving specks along the docks that you knew to be sailors were beginning to load the ships with crates and barrels. You breathed in the smell of ocean air, closed your eyes, and savored it for a moment before opening your window carefully, sliding off the sill and landing on the wooden floor. You latched the window behind you.

Your room was undisturbed. You took off your cloak and folded it quickly, shoving it into your dresser. Your dress came off just as fast, despite how tired you were; it fell from your shoulders and pooled on the floor around your feet. With a contented sigh, you fell into your bed, where sleep took you the minute your head hit the pillow.

And as the sun rose, you dreamed.

Next Chapter _____

A/N: Thanks for reading! The tag list is wide open. Tell me what you think! <3

Tag List: @neontiiger, @un-consider-it, @jessiejunebug, @nerdypisces160, @lokiisntdeadbitch, @e-wolf-90, @cursedmoonstone-blog, @kikaninchen-2, @bluebellhairpin, @evy-lyn, @midnight-queen-1, @travelingmypassion, @harrybpoetry, @adefectivedetective, @absolutecraziness13, @kumikokagato, @randomfangirl7, @timetraveler1978, @tarynkauai, @arcanethamin, @ornate-ribcage, @julianettedoe, @kinghiddlestonanddixon, @yespolkadotkitty, @befearlesslyauthenticc, @ladybugsfanfics

#loki #thor #marvel #loki x reader #loki x you #loki x oc #loki fanfic #pirate!loki #reader insert

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star-birthmark · 5 years ago

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Hello! I love your blog! i kind of have a weird request but it interests me... what are you personal head canons for La Squadra s/os? Like, what how do you head canon that La Squadra met their s/os, what do you head canon that they look like?

Hello everyone, I’m sorry it’s been so long (I’m also sorry this isn’t something you voted on) but I swear I’m working on your requests and other stuff. College is just kicking my ass right now I’M SORRY

Anyway, here are my La Squadra S/O Headcanons

Meeting Their S/Os

Risotto Nero

Risotto met his s/o after a failed mission. It was early in his career as an assassin with Passione, and he was too frightened to return to the hideout and face Sorbet and Gelato.

Instead, he decided to hide out in a bar, which is when his s/o first caught sight of him

The two of them chatted over drinks, eventually ending up together in a nearby hotel room.

All was going well until Risotto proceeded to take his shirt off (I headcanon he didn’t have the leather straps yet), and revealed a nasty cut he had gotten during the hit.

His now s/o, then stranger, immediately rushed to call an ambulance, but Risotto told them not to.

So instead, they rushed to a store to get supplies to bandage him.

As they were mending the cut, Risotto looked up at them and asked why they were helping even if he didn’t know them.

His s/o replied, “I don’t know… there’s something about you.”

What started off as a normal night of drinks and flirting soon ended in a heartfelt connection between two lost souls. They two kept talking and eventually began dating.

Prosciutto

Prosciutto met his s/o because they had been assigned to La Squadra.

He always knew he’d marry a mafioso/a, it’s what his parents had done, grandparents etc. Passione had been his whole life.

He remembers the day he met them well. Illuso was spreading a rumor around the gang that a “total hottie” was taking Polpo’s test, and the men were excited to see where they would be assigned.

The day Risotto came into the hideout with s/o in tow, Prosciutto felt his whole world freeze. They were exactly what he had been looking for in a lover all his life, he could just tell.

Since he was the one in charge of tutoring Pesci, Risotto put s/o under Prosciutto wing, but Grateful Dead’s user soon learned they were more than capable of mafia life without his teaching.

That only made him love them more.

Formaggio

Formaggio grew up in the same town as his s/o. The two of them knew each other as kids.

S/O would always follow Formaggio around, and the little boy decided to just bring them along - they were pretty cute anyway-

They spent their whole lives together, going to the same school, playing in each other’s back yards, slowly but surely falling in love.

That is until he had to leave for Passione.

When s/o first discovered that Formaggio was gone, their first thought was the mafia. Not that he had been abducted by the mafia, more like he left to go join the mafia.

They both had gotten in their fair share of trouble with the police, so the mafia was the next logical step for the young man, and s/o knew that.

So they left their normal life in their hometown and joined Passione after Formaggio, hoping to reunite with him.

And they did, and they’ve been dating ever since.

Illuso

Illuso met his s/o by approaching them at a bar. He was there with the gang, and Formaggio had challenged him to pick up the hottest person there. Before Melone could lecture about how beauty was in the eye of the beholder, Illuso was already on his way to his s/o

Striking up a conversation with them, it was clear that the two of them had a connection.

He could tell they weren’t part of Passione, so he tried his best to conceal his profession from them, but one thing that the two of them shared was an inherent curiosity. They kept asking, he kept not answering.

He was able to keep it secret until the two of them were dating, and his s/o told him they’d stay with him as long as he was safe.

That was when Illuso took them into the mirror world for the first time. He assured him that as long as he was in here, nothing could hurt him. That calmed his s/o’s nerves immensely.

Pesci

Pesci met his s/o on vacation. Each member of La Squadra is allowed one week of no missions in order to maintain their sanities and every time it’s his turn, Pesci takes a trip to Portofino to enjoy the sea air and to go fishing.

It was there that he met his s/o. He was calmly fishing by himself when the two of them literally bumped into each other.

The collision caused s/o to break their rod as they trip over Pesci’s things, and Pesci offers to buy them a new one, knowing the sorrows of not being able to go fishing.

They talk during the stroll to the supply store, both having effortless chemistry with the other. When they finally come back to Pesci’s seat at the dock, s/o decides to join them, and they spent a lovely evening together, and then a lovely week together.

When Pesci reveals that he had to return to Naples, his s/o revealed that they lived nearby and that they would commute to see him, and the two of them have been in love ever since.

Ghiaccio

Ghiaccio met his s/o on a mission. He was supposed to kill a corrupt politician in a local restaurant.

Right after he got the job done, he was about to make his escape with White Album, when he heard their voice yell out and ring through the whole building. They were complaining about their order and were throwing a perfectly normal tantrum (well, normal for Ghiaccio’s standards).

Ghiaccio was, to put it in a word, smitten. Finally, someone just as loud as him. He had to meet them.

He rushed to defend s/o’s opinion and the two of them were promptly thrown out of the restaurant together.

Having bonded from their shared experience and anger, the two of them soon spent time together in a nearby bar and a nearby hotel, having the angriest, hate-filled, passionate night either of them had ever had.

Melone

Melone met his s/o at a Passione ball. They were already someone else’s date, but we all know Melone has no shame.

He immediately began to flirt with them, and since they were only hired by their date to be arm candy, they decided to indulge Melone on his flirting

The two of them spent the whole night talking to each other, and s/o soon forgot about how they were supposed to be someone’s date at that event.

They were about to leave with Melone when their date ran after them in a rage that they were upholding their end of the bargain. But Melone turned to the man and personally gave him his money back for hiring s/o as his date.

The two of them left their ballroom in order to ‘bond’ some more, and one trip with Baby Face later, Melone went to collect the money he had given that man.

S/O Appearance Headcanons. These are my personal headcanons, so they’re under the cut if you don’t want to see them.

Your f/o loves you no matter what you look like!

Risotto’s S/O (link to picture reference)

Risotto’s s/o is a short, curvy woman with dark curly hair running down to her upper back.

She’s about the same skin tone as him and has these deep brown eyes that are almost as captivating as Risotto’s red ones.

She has a dark brow that intensifies whenever she is concerned with him, and she often is considering how much danger he gets into on a daily basis.

She’s often seen wearing baggy, black clothing to conceal her figure since she hates being objectified for her gorgeous body.

Risotto is absolutely fine with this since he takes pride in knowing he’s the only one allowed to remove those clothes at the end of the day

Prosciutto’s S/O (reference)

I picture that Prosciutto likes longer and leaner women.

The two of them contrast between his more muscled physique and her lithe appearance.

Her smaller curves also lead to an ego boost for the man, as it heightened the sense that he’s overpowering his s/o. Idk this man’s into power play.

Proscuitto wants someone as well dressed as him, so he’s immediately attracted to his s/o when she comes to work at La Squadra in a suit.

He’s attracted to her straight, elegant hair and her calm yet professional demeanor, and respects her mix of traditional femininity and more masculine attire.

Though he sometimes complains that her clothing is too impractical for their work, she proves herself by doing his job better than he ever could.

Formaggio’s S/O (reference)

Formaggio loves as many curves as possible.

He loves snuggling up to his girlfriend’s pillowy body and just relaxing with her together.

I also picture Formaggio being into blonds. He loves their light coloring and how it contrasts with his dark reddish hair.

He loves someone smaller than him and loves teasing her because of it.

In terms of style, he loves when his s/o wears form-fitting clothing, so he can ogle her whenever he wants.

He loves how his s/o is more serious than he is, it provides balance with how silly he is.

The two of them grew up together, and still to this day, he can’t help but blush when he thinks about how gorgeous she’s always been even from the day they met.

Illuso’s S/O (reference)

Illuso loves the contrast between his long hair and his s/o’s short hair.

The two of them are the same height.

Like Prosciutto, he loves a more androgynous style on his s/o, he finds it very enticing and mysterious.

He also loves her bright blue eyes, and how they bore into his soul.

He loves curves just as much as Formaggio, loving the comparison between his toned body and his s/o’s curvy one.

People often do not put the two of them together due to his S/Os inherent innocent look, but Illuso knows they aren’t that innocent behind closed doors.

Pesci’s S/O (reference)

Pesci wants someone cute and sweet that he can fit in his arms for a warm and comfortable hug.

He doesn’t mind what body type she has, but he does have a soft spot for someone with a soft tummy and cute round cheeks.

Whenever the two of them are lounging on the couch together, Pesci loves to play with his s/o’s curls, even if she lectures him not to.

Pesci prefers someone soft-spoken like him and someone patient who can help him through his self-doubt and anxiety.

His favorite thing about his s/o is her sweet, shy smile, and how cute she looks in really feminine patterns and colors.

Ghiaccio’s S/O (reference)

Ghiaccio loves someone who is as pale and wintery looking as he is, something hard to come by in the sunny land of Italy, but that only makes him more attracted to his S/O

He finds her large bright blue eyes mesmerizing, especially when they darken as her short temper takes over

He thinks she looks absolutely adorable when she’s angry, but seeing her so worked up really gets him going as well.

He loves curves as well but prefers ass versus chest, so he’s happy his s/o has such a figure

In terms of style, he wants her to cover up as much as possible because he gets really jealous whenever she gets looks in public, but she never listens to him and wears whatever she wants.

Really his favorite look on her is when she’s naked on their bed, hair in her face and her face bright red, but that’s for another time.

Melone’s S/O (reference)

Melone always thinks about someone’s genetic makeup whenever thinking about potential s/os. Who’s going to make the best combination with him? Weird I know

This is why he finds his s/o’s red hair so fascinating, as it’s the rarest color population on Earth, and she has it naturally.

He secretly adores that his s/o is taller than him. When the two of them cuddle, he feels safe as the little spoon.

He also loves her soft features and dark eyes. They have such a different look from his sharp angles and bright eyes.

He looks for someone most capable of supporting life. If he’s going to get married and have a family with someone, they better be ready.

He’s obsessed with hips and chests and loves gripping them on her when the two of them are laying in bed absently.

#JJBA #jjba writing #jjba hc #headcanons #la squadra #Risotto Nero #prosciutto #illuso #formaggio #pesci #ghiaccio #melone #part 5 #vento aureo #golden wind #please go easy on me for not writing recently #I've been busy

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inspirationdivine · 5 years ago

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Eye to Eye || Lydia and Amnon

A Spirit and a Fae walk into a bar...

@exorciseyourspirit

“Thank you for this. I’ll keep you in mind next time I need arsenic based paint,” Lydia said, as the man in green stood up. She rather loathed to deal with people who did not share their name, but as an alchemist he knew how to obtain things she did not, and so this would have to do. Now he was finished, though, her gaze turned to the non humandancers on the stage in front of her. Here, few hid. A lampade danced with her top off and her antlers out. A werewolf’s teeth glinted in the blue lights as he negotiated with a customer. There were no meals here, but plenty of talent, and perhaps someone who was immune to her lips to spend the night with. She sipped at her martini as she watched, curiously.

Amnon was a creature of many vices. It’s how he’d become what he was-- this monstrosity of a spirit, full of rage and anger and power. The world he’d been born into hadn’t been ready for someone like him, and he’d left the world cursing them all with his hate. But having been without a physical form for so long, being in one now only made him smile. Especially in such a body so full of energy. It made him want to enjoy his many vices over and over and over again. Freakture comforts had been a place he’d frequented back when Rebecca’s body hadn’t been his, and he’d been more than happy to return. He’d been preoccupied for a while, but then someone else had caught his eye. In the corner, tucked away, talking to another more regular looking man. One of them was probably a spellcaster, the other-- as soon as her counterpart left, he saw them. The iridescent eyes. Now what could someone like this be up to? He just had to know. Moving gracefully through the crowd, he sat next to her. “All these people,” he said softly, “and I somehow find you the most enticing.”

“Oh?” Lydia turned her gaze to the newcomer, an ordinary looking woman with one, notable difference. His eyes were red. Her first thought went to the dangerous gaze of Mara, but this red was much plainer. It did not glow, they were simply as red as the heels of Lydia’s shoes. She looked the woman over curiously, with a critical eye. “That is a high compliment, considering the available entertainment. You’ve a rather intriguing appearance yourself. I had been considering whether to leave or not, but perhaps I’ll stay.”

“Well, you’re certainly the nicest to look at here,” Amnon said in Rebecca’s silky smooth voice, letting a smile curl onto her lips, eyes flitting around before resting back on the other woman. Her eyes intrigued him as well, as they sparkled softly under her lashes. “Tell me, is it the eyes? Because it’s the eyes for me, too,” he said, stirring his drink with the two little straws they stuck in them. He’d watched bartending evolve over the years, and the little straws had always been his favorite addition, aside from the tiny little toothpick swords they served olives on. “I’d prefer it if you stayed.”

The woman had a seductive quality to his features, as he glanced around the room, before turning his gaze back to Lydia. “Are they now?” As the lights shifted across her irises, so did the colour of them, glimmering. “It is the eyes. I’ve not seen eyes like yours before. I’d normally wear contacts over mine, but I needed a contact to identify me.” He was so interesting, as he spoke with that lily soft voice. “If I’m to stay, do I get to learn a name? My name is Lydia.”

“Yours are just as interesting, though I’m sure I’ve seen them somewhere before,” Amnon said, tilting his head as he watched the woman with wide eyes. “Lydia? That’s quite the name. Can’t say I’ve met any Lydia’s in my lifetime, and trust me,” he nodded, taking a pause to pick up his drink again, “I’ve been around a while.” He swilled the ice in his cup before taking a sip. “You can call me Tamar for now,” he said, before shifting the conversation. “A client, you say? Now, what kind of business aside from the obvious could someone have here?”

“Tamar for now,” Lydia replied, with an eyebrow raised, but acquiesced with a small nod, intrigue glittering in her eyes. “Hardly anything too exciting. Occasionally my work requires ingredients one cannot acquire elsewhere, and that dealer in particular has an unusual taste for meeting places. There are not many people anymore who produce arsenic paint. It was rather routine, but my evening seems to have improved from there. What brings someone like you to a place like this?”

He liked watching Lydia’s eyes. They reminded him of the iridescent sheen blood took on in moonlight. Amnon shifted, his focus solely on her now. “Your work? Oh, arsenic paint. Haven’t heard of anyone using that in at least a century. Are you the daring type or just the ‘don’t have to worry’ type?” He gave a chuckle, in Rebecca’s soft tone. “I’m glad I can help improve it. Me? Oh, just...indulging. It’s been awhile since I’ve been so...corporeal.”

“I do it safely, with protective equipment. I work in art restoration. Some painting are very literally demanding as to the materials I use,” Lydia replied. “This one spits goop at me when I use the wrong material. Understandably, it is something I’m hoping to avoid.” She laughed, but her eyes were piercing as she looked him over. “I see now. That body wasn’t originally yours, then?” A ghost, or perhaps a spirit. Now that was interesting.

“Oh,” Amnon said suddenly, “You’re the restorer. I remember talking to you online.” Interesting, he thought, that people could meet through such a service. My, how the world had changed. He brought his eyes up to meet Lydia’s, loving the way her gaze tried to pierce his. “It spits at you? My, can’t say I’ve ever encountered something like that.” He leaned back, hand tapping against his glass. She caught on quick. Rolling his lip between his teeth, he grinned. “You’re clever. No, it wasn’t. But it is now. And that’s what’s important, right?” He met Lydia’s gaze again. “So I showed you my cards, do I get to see yours?”

“Ah. That must make you the anthropologist. Although I suspect a being such as yourself is more concerned with other things.” Lydia replied, tilting her head. She hardly believed a spirit like this would concern itself with being a Professor. “Indeed. I’ve dealt with paintings of all natures and statuses, but I will definitely be glad to see this one go. It’s one thing dealing with demanding clients, altogether another if the painting has opinions.” She preened slightly under the compliment, and watched him bite his lip. Lydia was, in some way, very aware that this being was not the safest to be around. But then, neither was she. “You can see my cards in my eyes, but perhaps I’ll give you another clue.” Her glamour slid off her face a little, just enough to reveal the tips of her ears. “Leanan-Sidhe.”

“Oh, no,” Amnon said, “I’m no anthropologist, though I have watched a lot of their history develop myself.” He followed her head tilt with his own, watching her closely as she spoke. “Hmmm, sounds like a hoot. I’m sure someone would pay good money for it once you’re done.” He smiled as she responded to his gaze, straightening herself up. When her glamor slid, his eyes widened, taking in the little gift he was being given. “Ahhhh, yes,” he said, perking up himself, excitement in his eyes. “Oh, I’ve met a few of you in my lifetime. Or, lifetimes I suppose. I admire your work, and I don’t just mean the paint restoration. What would it be like to feed straight from a human’s essence?” he bristled with eagerness at the thought. Though his power came from the soul, and other souls, he’d always wondered what it would be like to feed directly from a human.

So he didn’t have complete control then, Lydia suspected, not that she was about to ask. “You must be ancient,” she commented with deep admiration in her voice as she leant forward. “Someone is paying good money for me to finish it. They want it in their museum, in good enough condition that it doesn’t threaten the guests. Once I learnt about this painting’s quirks, naturally my quote increased quite drastically.” She sipped from her martini, watching him with a proud smile. “Depends on the human. Some of them are dry as unflavoured chicken, some are like fine wine.”

“Ancient is one word for it. Let’s just say I was there before Rome and I’m still here after,” Amnon commented. He liked to flaunt his age. With age came power and knowledge over others only time could give. It wasn’t something taken lightly, and he knew that. He could see it in the eyes. “Though, to be fair, I was killed long before even the Etruscans came around. Being a spirit has it perks, but I do often find myself missing the corporeal world. Hence, the new look.” He gave a little wave to Rebecca. “You like? She was an exorcist who bit off more than she could chew.” He watched her drink, eyeing her sharply. “I’m almost curious enough to want to see this painting for myself. I wonder who would pay for such a thing. And if that’s true, then, what’s your favorite flavor of human? I know your kind feeds from the ah-- artistically inclined, right? So what do you prefer? Musician? Author? Illustrator?”

“Before even the etruscans? I cannot imagine the things you have seen, what you must know,” Lydia murmured, looking him over curiously. “I have no desire for immortality like that myself, but I would love to hear the stories you must have to tell.” At the mention of the exorcist, she felt herself grow more comfortable, and more bold despite herself. Her reverence lingered, but Lydia also sensed a kindred spirit of sorts. “Classic human. A couple evolutionary quirks and they deem themselves fit to be the moral arbiters of everyone and everything else. It sounds like she has gotten what she deserves.” Lydia chuckled. “Perhaps you should come see it sometime. Word smiths of all kinds, although I like to keep my portfolio variable, so that I can keep a balanced palate. What about yourself? Why this particular exorcist, as beautiful as she is?”

“Oh, the things I’ve seen, darling,” Amnon cooed, as if wistful. “Empires come and go, men rise and fall. Cities built and burnt down. History written before my eyes. By my hand, sometimes. I could go on.” He stirred his drink again before finishing it off. “Immortality isn’t for everyone, I understand that. I didn’t truly ask for this life, but I suppose dying with a curse on my tongue is what got me here. Not that I’m complaining anymore.” A smirk, lips curling, eyes shining. He liked this Lydia. He liked her a lot. It wasn’t often he found himself fond of anyone, but he knew there was something different about Lydia. Something he could connect to. The slow torture of humans, after all, was in her DNA. Whether she believed she loved her humans or not, that’s ultimately what it was. Torture. A form of torture he’d never be able to compare to. But he would try. He had, after all, an eternity. “She certainly got what was coming to her.” A chuckle to match. “Ah, yes, the wordsmith. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that humans always have something to say about everything. Good choice. I bet they taste delicious.” He leaned back again, arms relaxing. “Revenge, mostly. She ruined my last body and chased me down for years thinking she could best me. I obviously proved her wrong. But her connection to souls is what really drew me in. And the fact that she’s one of the only exorcists around that practices the right type of ritual to out my certain kind of spiritual existence. It’s like...a safety measure, if you will.”

“You must tell me about it, some time. Whatever you’d like to share. History is always so much better when it comes from someone who was there.” Lydia looked at his drink with a smile. “Do you want me to get you another?” She asked, finishing hers too. She grinned, resting her chin on her hand.”No, you are certainly enjoying it now.” She glanced around the club pointedly, with all the people and drink to enjoy here. “They sure do. They’re such tools. If they must talk, then why shouldn’t I take advantage? Especially considering how they taste.” She licked her lips at the thought, although she’d fed quite recently. “Revenge is entirely justifiable, especially if you can take out a threat at the same time. That’s fascinating. She suits you well.”

“I’d love to. I have so many tales to tell, it would be nice to tell them to someone interested,” Amnon agreed. “If you’re offering, how can I possibly say no?” It was clear they were both interested in each other, though he wondered just how deep her interest ran. “Oh, I certainly am. Time will do that, to you. Change your mind about things.” Though the one thing that had never changed for him was his lust for chaos in all forms. He doubted it ever would. “More power to you, Lydia. Anyone who can benefit from a foolish human’s hubris is at the top of my list.” He perked up at her compliment, smoothing Rebecca’s hands down her stomach to the tops of her legs. “You think so? I thought as much. I’ll give humans this, some of them really do know how to catch the eye.”

“That they do,” Lydia thought, giving Rebecca a look again. She was older than Lydia liked her humans, sure, but for one of that age, fine to look at. She stood up, leaning over the table to pick up Tamar’s drink. “Another of these, Tamar?” She asked, before walking to the bar. When she returned, two full glasses once more, she settled down with eyes glittering with newfound curiosity. This town, while decidedly cursed, was also the place that kept on giving. “So, how about one of those stories?”

#amnon #para #chatzy #wickedswriting

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deliciousscaloppine · 5 years ago

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Unclean Realm

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 , Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8

Little short story about Meng Yao becoming Nie Huaisang’s attendant in their childhood. The dynamic duo goes on vacation, until Meng Yao spirals hard into adolescence and Huaisang feels like he is losing a friend.

A man has died. So he shouldn't be glad. But going away is such an exciting development. Who would think Nie Mingjue would have such a great idea. Unclean Realm being slightly more unclean than usual, it has been decided that the heir of the Nie Clan should be moved to a beautiful, secluded mansion in the woods, where he is to study for his first seminar with the Gusu Clan. It's still in Qinghe that he has to stay, but anywhere is better than their stuffy fortress. And come New Year he has to look forward to going to Cloud Recesses for the first time.

“You do know the Clan obeys three thousand rules, and everyone that goes there must know by heart each and every one of them” says Meng Yao who might or might have not have killed a man.

This is the great difficulty for someone so young as he, who has known the world only through books. It's very difficult to know what is reality and what is just an overactive imagination blending stories into dreams. In this he is not very determined to keep suspecting Meng Yao of murder. Although if Meng Yao who was so gentle, and so melancholic at times, was actually a ruthless assassin, well that would have been an exciting turn of events!

Logically, however, a fourteen year old could not subdue two men at the same time, or make them assault each other. Could he kill one in his sleep and frame the other for murder? Possibly! But Nie Huaisang was not ready in any way to part with Meng Yao's otherworldly ability to extort favors and procure snacks at the strangest of times. Plus he would need some help to memorize those three thousand rules.

“Just so you know, I think you are innocent” Nie Huaisang says on their way to this fantastical mansion he and his retinue are going to be staying.

Meng Yao doesn't say much at that. He only looks at him quizzically underneath his lashes before uttering “Thanks.” as if he has been given some great admonishment.

“You have this classical beauty. A fair countenance for fair deeds. For that reason I won't allow you to pretend like you know more than me.”

“I study your homework with more diligence than you. Of course I know more. You memorize things at the pace of a snail. Just by virtue of that I am more knowledgeable than you.”

“Alright, Meng Yao, say you are more knowledgeable than me. Then how come you are the attendant and I am the Master?”

“That's just how fortune is.” he says with not a trace of sadness in his voice.

He has heard what others have said. The painful truth that has never been discussed between them. Meng Yao's story seems like something out of a vulgar book. So he doesn't know exactly how to say this to him. Perhaps Meng Yao would have been better to think that his father wasn't rich, or powerful. But maybe it doesn't need to be said. Maybe being together like this, walking at a grassy path through the mountains to a beautiful sun-kissed mansion in the forest with a retinue of educated and pleasant people is a statement in itself.

......

Nie Huaisang has never lived such luxury. It must be past ten in the morning, but no one has come to wake him. “Oh, the young Master must be so tired from the journey, my heart weeps at the thought of having to wake him up. He looks as cute as a mouse nestling in silk in his fine bedding” a maiden says outside of his rooms while the cicadas rattle and a brook resonates through the garden surrounding his wing of the house. This is the life. Now if Meng Yao could receive some sort of telepathic message to bring some breakfast.

“Your hair is so messy, there are twigs in it.”

“I was looking at the moon on the porch and it was windy to say the least.”

“You are lucky you didn't catch a cold.”

“Don't you watch the moon, Meng Yao?”

“I like to sleep early, so I can rise early and bring the Young Master his breakfast.”

“Have you already cleaned out what you like”

“They feed you excessively, Young Master, surely you would not begrudge me a bite.”

“No, I do not begrudge Meng Yao anything. He has had such a difficult life.”

Meng Yao nudges him at that, but not really with any resentment.

“How do you make your hair like that? Is that why you wake up very early in the morning?”

Meng Yao doesn't answer. He likes to keep little silences like that.

“Will you make my hair then?”

“Wouldn't you have a maiden do it. Maidens have soft and tiny hands, they make quick work of braids and every one of them coos when she sees the poor orphaned Master. Oh! how I would want to console the poor, delicate boy, they say and flutter they eyelashes so.”

And Meng Yao flutters his eyelashes to demonstrate.

“Oh, you are the perfect illusion of a maiden, Meng Yao! You can braid my hair too if you want.”

But Meng Yao can't be convinced. At least not before he receives some honest flattery, which Huaisang doesn't know what shape that takes for Meng Yao.

“Do you know how to whistle with blades of grass in your mouth?” he asks.

“No” Meng Yao answers, and although he is very close to him, their shoulders could be touching, he seems distant like he is suddenly somewhere else.

“Do you know how to catch birds? Places like these always have interesting birds. I want to catch as much as I find.”

“You like catching birds?” Meng Yao asks. He is going to be fifteen next month, and already he looks so much older than Huaisang. It's difficult for him, like Meng Yao is pulled by some force away. As if he no longer has an interest in being a child and doing things like a child. He often sees him lately put on a sorrowful countenance, and scowl silently to himself.

“I grew up in a dirty town. All the birds were already in cages. Unless for those that were eaten by cats in the streets.”

“But you are not in a dirty town anymore. You are in a beautiful forest with me.”

Meng Yao looks at him like he really is an idiot. As if the forest that chirps and sighs with the first ray of the sun, is not here with them. As if Meng Yao really is somewhere far away and this morning when they are sitting so close on the silken quilt is nothing but a shade, or a dream about to be forgotten.

“You can't possibly know how to catch birds” Meng Yao says. “You are awfully clumsy. You can't even make your own hair.”

“If I catch you a bird, you will eat your words” he says.

Meng Yao doesn't smile, but he reaches for a comb.

Being pampered so is so envigorating.

“A nightingale” Meng Yao says.

“Nightingales don't sing in cages. They have to have been bred in captivity. How about a blackbird! They sing sweetly too and they are easier to catch.”

“Are you going to entice it with food?”

“I am not going to reveal my secrets” Nie Huaisang says.

....

Meng Yao who seats by the brook watches him with a sort of bored curiosity. His duties here are not very exciting. Just sleep by the Master's chamber, then bring him food and drink all day until it's time to play. As for studying there is always a headache at Huaisang's disposal. He does peruse his books sometimes. But if he is to learn everything there is in one summer what would be the point in living a long life. Then after a while, he hears some rustling. It's Meng Yao who has cut up some young reeds, and is weaving a basket. He didn't know Meng Yao could do things like weave baskets. His hands are so skilled.

Then in the evening he gives him that basket.

“You'll need it to catch the blackbird” he says.

Clever Meng Yao.

....

It was little frustrating in the beginning to have Meng Yao stray here and there. Without the strict masters of the Unclean Realm, he has become indulgent and rude. Only the other day he tried to get him to hike up a path with him and he refused. And what did he do? Did he pick up a book, or weave a basket, or practice swordmanship? No. All he did was perch up on a silly bridge and look at a young fisherman below catch fish. He did that all day. Looking at the young man with some strange wistfulness in his eyes.

It was as if Nie Huaisang never existed. Only Meng Yao and his silent sighs.

But Huaisang is clever too and birds are prettier than fish.

....

It's so early in the morning that he climbs up Meng Yao's quilt that the sun hasn't even come up. The country though is tinged in the purple glow of the retreating night. It's so pleasant and warm, but even warmer is the quilt Meng Yao sleeps under. He doesn't look cute. He looks fair. Like a dreaming deity covered in a cloud. He places the basket on his peaceful face, and it balances right between the bridge of his nose and his brow. It makes Huaisang laugh.

The little blackbird inside it flutters and the basket loses its balance, and falls down Meng Yao's face. He is so surprised that Huaisang can't help but laugh, but Meng Yao does not take it to heart. He hears the bird fluttering in its makeshift cage and rises up in an instant eager to see it.

“Wait” Huaisang says and fishes a thread out of the basket.

“Don't hurt it” Meng Yao asks with bated breath.

“Why would I hurt it?” Huaisang asks and wraps the thread around Meng Yao's finger. “I caught it for you.”

Then he opens the basket and the little blackbird, suspended by the thread, jumps fluttering right into Meng Yao's perfect hands. It must be worth to live just to see this kind of thrill overtake him. Meng Yao looks like he is holding a little beating heart, and not a bird. So overjoyed he is that with his smile, the two dimples appear again on his cheeks. He hadn't seen those in a while.

....

Tomorrow his brother is coming. It's not that he doesn't want this visit. It's that Mingjue will most certainly want to test him on his studies. And he hasn't been studying almost at all. Which means tonight he has to study everything at once. It's not just Meng Yao there to keep him company. It's also his elderly tutor who already knows what a fiasco tomorrow is going to be, and also a couple of young maidens that fill his glass with cold sugary drinks made of pressed fruit so he can have the energy to pull this all nighter. But both the maidens and the tutor, at some point fall asleep. It's only Meng Yao, sitting perfectly across him, asking him a catalogue of questions and providing the answers as well, when Huaisang becomes too sleep deprived to reply.

“How do you remember all that! It's only an hour since we opened this book” Huaisang exclaims.

“I have seen it so I remember it.” Meng Yao remarks as if its nothing. As if trapping words with your mind is a lesser feat than trapping birds with baskets.

It's really late in the evening when his brother arrives. It's already night, so Huaisang breathes, maybe there won't be an examination today. He arrives with one or two men, and just asks for a drink and to see him- the young heir of the Nie. There is a lady to wait them, but he sends her away, asks her not to trouble herself. Meng Yao is there however, and without calling his name, he asks him to the table where they sit and makes him pour his drinks. Nie Mingjue does not bother with “How you've been?” and “Pleasant Weather”. He sits heavily across him and asks “What is rule 52 of the Lan Clan.”, “What is the difference between a ghost and a monster.” “Who was the founder of the Wen”

He knows he has read about these things, but can't summon the words to his mind. Mingjue would like to be angry. That's why he sent the lady away, but kept Meng Yao. Rude as he is, he wouldn't scold him in front of an innocent woman. The scolding begins mildly. He just remarks on how many weeks it has been since he had the peace and quiet to study and better himself. But then it turns and becomes so vicious, Huaisang wants to cry. “Is it that you want to be useless?” Mingjue asks so quietly that it feels like he is whispering it straight to his soul.

He has a few words to say himself, but before they can burst out of him Meng Yao bows deeply before his brother, his brow touching the floor.

“The Young Master studied all night to please you, Clan Leader” he says with bated breath. “Please do not be angry at him that the words do not come to his lips.” And he is crying. Meng Yao is crying. He can see his tears like jewels falling from his eyes right on the wooden floor, becoming one with the old stains. “Ask me anything” he says with a stuffy nose. “My eyes followed his pages, I have seen everything he has seen. I will prove to you that he has studied.”

Mingjue looks at a loss. He feels silly, actually. He has that same expression Huaisang has when he feels silly. He probably thinks how unbecoming of a man it is to make two boys cry so late at night, so close to bed time.

“Alright” he says at the end. “I believe you. You don't have to pour your knowledge on me tonight. We can just stay like that.”

Meng Yao lifts himself from his elegant bow, and wipes his eyes with his sleeve. He looks so handsome, like he is the prince. Mingjue doesn't see him. He doesn't really look in the eyes of his subordinates. He just offers his empty cup, and Meng Yao with those impeccable manners of his pours him wine. Huaisang could look at Meng Yao pouring wine forever now. It is the most beautiful thing he has seen.

“Isn't it a little too late for you?” Mingjue asks. “Why don't you go and lie down?”

He rises to leave. Meng Yao has such a weird look on his face. He sits still, his posture perfect as if he is a bound little bird, and looks before him like that day on the bridge, when the fisherman was catching fish. He doesn't ask him to come with him. He leaves. It's only behind the curtain that he is going. Mingjue is going to sleep next to them. He can lie on his bed and look at the ceiling, and feel them both as near as the stains on the beams above.

Mingjue stays for so long, drinking from the cups Meng Yao pours him until for some reason he laughs to himself. He has never heard Mingjue laugh. But he does, and when he turns, Meng Yao, behind the transluscent curtains smiles, a fuzzy smile like a dream.

The next morning his brother is gone. Back to Unclean Realm it is. Huaisang seeks Meng Yao's quilt, so warm in the cool morning. His eyes are wide open as if he too counts stains on the ceiling.

“If you really look at them, you'll start seeing things” he says. “This one looks like an elegant teacup, don't you agree?”

Meng Yao nods so solemnly, as if indeed he sees.

“How about that one?” Huaisang asks and points at another indeterminate shape.

“It looks like a kiss” Meng Yao says.

“How do you know what a kiss looks like?” Huaisang asks.

“It's like when you let me hold the blackbird” Meng Yao replies, but he doesn't smile like that day. He just looks like he did in the night, when Nie Mingjue asked him to pour wine.

#the untamed #cql #nie huaisang #meng yao #nie mingjue #the untamed fic #unclean realm fic

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trinuviel · 6 years ago

Text

Winterfell’s Daughter. On Sansa Stark (part 13)

I’ve previously written a series of essays that analyse Sansa Stark’s narrative arc in Game of Thrones - during season 1 (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6) and during season 2 (Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10) and now during season 3 (Part 11, Part 12).

One of the important themes in Sansa Stark’s narrative arc in season 3 is her political importance. In season 2, Theon Greyjoy conquered Winterfell and when Bran and Rickon Stark managed to escape him, he killed a pair of peasant boys to deceive people into thinking that the two Stark boys are dead. Thus, in the eyes of Westeros, Sansa is now Robb Stark’s heir apparent to Winterfell and that makes her a very important piece on the political chessboard. If Robb dies without an heir, Winterfell goes to Sansa and whoever manages to secure her in marriage - and there are several power players who are interested in her: Petyr Baelish, the Lannisters and now the Tyrells who are emerging as a new power in King’s Landing with Margaery set to become Queen, her courting the goodwill of the common folk and her family not only supporting the Lannisters militarily but also feeding the starving populace of King’s Landing.

In my previous post, I looked at how Olenna and Margaery Tyrell’s initial interest in Sansa was solely motivated by some nasty rumours about Joffrey that worried them as Margaery is set to marry him. However, in episode 4 Lord Varys encourages Olenna Tyrell to take a further interest in Sansa after he learns that Baelish has plans to spirit Sansa away from King’s Landing. Varys approaches Olenna Tyrell and he broaches the idea of a marriage alliance between Sansa Stark and House Tyrell. He says he wants to help Sansa but his main motivation is to keep her out of the hands of Petyr Baelish.

This is the first time that Sansa is referred to as the Key to the North in the show, but it will not be the last.

As previously stated, Sansa is Robb’s heir apparent and as such her political value is very high - and Varys seeks to keep the Key to the North out of the hands of Petyr Baelish whom he deems to be one of the most dangerous men of the realm. Thus, Sansa becomes a political pawn in the shadow war between Varys and Baelish, between one who wants to serve the realm and one who only serves himself.

COURTED BY THE TYRELLS

The scene between Varys and Olenna is immediately followed by a scene where Margaery seeks out Sansa as she’s praying at a tree stump, the sad remains of Godswood in King’s Landing. The segue between the two scenes makes it clear that Olenna has sent Margaery to charm and befriend Sansa once again since Olenna managed to alienate the girl during their lunch in episode 2, a scene that I covered in my previous post.

Margaery approaches and uses her status as the future Queen to send away the Lannister soldiers that guard Sansa so they can have a private conversation.

Margaery: What did you pray for?

Here Margaery whispers to create an atmosphere of intimacy between them.

Sansa (smiling): I can’t tell you.

It is important to note that even while Sansa is genuinely friendly here, she doesn’t really trust Margaery. Even when Margaery presses her again on this subject, Sansa refuses to reveal anything about her personal feelings and hopes. Sansa is understandably wary about the Tyrells after the upsetting luncheon where she found out that they weren’t really interested in being kind to her for her sake but that they only sought out her company because they wanted something from her - and Olenna was pretty aggressive with her. So now Margaery has her work cut out for her.

Margaery tells jokes and anecdotes, making Sansa laugh. With these little secrets and inconsequential stories from her childhood she creates a sense of intimacy and companionship – as if Sansa is indeed a treasured friend, which is something that is incredibly enticing for a girl as lonely and abused as Sansa is.

Margaery: I want us to be friends.

Here the camera cuts to a close-up of Sansa, looking at Margaery with an almost incredulous smile on her face. She almost can’t believe that anyone would want to be her friend anymore. Sansa is THAT isolated in King’s Landing.

Margaery goes on to paint a very attractive image of Highgarden, featuring all the things that Sansa loved before she came to experience the hard truth beneath the glamour of the capital. When Sansa doubts that Cersei will let her leave King’s Landing, Margaery invokes her future status as Queen Consort, implicitly promising that she’ll make sure Sansa can leave King’s Landing after the royal marriage. Then, Margaery mentions the real reason for her seeking out Sansa:

Margaery: And if you were to marry my brother Loras… your place would be at Highgarden, wouldn’t it?

Sansa’s smile grows bigger as Margery is now offering her an escape from her abusers at court. But Margaery offers even more than just an escape, she offers the promise of family.

This is where Sansa becomes visibly overwhelmed, smiling through unshed tears as Margaery offers not just an escape from her torment but also friendship, family and sisterhood - things that Sansa has been without for too long. It is interesting that Margaery uses the same lure as Petyr Baelish: the promise of family. However, Sansa choosing Margaery’s offer doesn’t mean that she’s abandoning her family. It simply means that she’s choosing the less dangerous option of gaining protection and getting out of King’s Landing. Not only is it very dangerous to flee secretly, she has also been explicitly warned about Baelish by a person she trusts (Shae). In contrast, Margaery offers the protection of House Tyrell through marriage and the Tyrells are on the rise. They hold considerable political power as they are feeding King’s Landing and Margaery is set to be Queen. It is not unreasonable to assume that the Tyrells can secure her safety and happiness without exposing her to additional danger - unlike what Baelish offers.

This scene really highlights Sophie Turner’s stellar acting. She has a wonderfully expressive face and she manages the delicate balance between smiles and tears beautifully. Thus, Margaery successfully cultivates Sansa’s friendship and gratitude through a carefully deployed charm. What remains to be seen is whether Margaery’s friendship is a genuine offer.

In the very next episode we see Sansa and Margaery bonding as they watch Loras at weapon’s training. Once again Margaery assures Sansa that she’ll be able to influence Joffrey to let Sansa marry Loras and leave King’s Landing for Highgarden.

Sansa: Joffrey won’t let me leave. He’s got too many reasons to keep me here.

Margaery: And only one to let you go. Because it will please me.

However, I do think that Margaery is somewhat over-confident here because she doesn’t really know just how much of a monster Joffrey is because Sansa never told the Tyrells that Joffrey didn’t just kill her father and forced her to look at his severed head, but that he also has her publicly beaten by his King’s Guard.

This scene is immediately followed by a scene where Loras has sex with the squire Olyvar who is also in Baelish’s employ - and Loras lets slip that he is set to marry Sansa. This piece of secret information is subsequently conveyed to Baelish by Olyvar - and therefore Sansa’s new dream is already set to be crushed since Baelish has his own plans for her and that leads him to inform Lord Tywin of the Stark-Tyrell marriage plot.

“I FEEL LIKE I’M IN A DREAM”

Margaery is not the only Tyrell who tries to charm Sansa. Her brother Loras also courts Sansa, rather awkwardly, in the gardens of the Red Keep in episode 6. The setting is lush and romantic but their interactions are rather stilted and awkward, mostly because Loras is very uncomfortable whereas Sansa is all happy and soft-eyed.

For her this betrothal seems like the fulfillment of all her girlish dreams: a handsome knight for a husband who understands the codes of chivalric romance - like when he singled her out at the Hand’s Tourney and presented her with a red rose in season 1, thus enacting a tableau from the romantic songs that Sansa loves so much.

Sansa: I feel like I’m in a dream.

Sansa is, as said, all wistful and soft-eyed. This is, in a sense, a return to her earlier, girlish self since it seems as though those romantic dreams that she once entertained will come true – but it is also leavened with the prospect of a safe harbor from her tormentors as well as the promise of family and friendship that Margaery presented her with.

It is a scene that I feel very ambiguous about. One the one hand, I think that it is important that we get to see a hopeful Sansa since it will be so much more heartbreaking for us when her hopes are so cruelly crushed. Then there’s the contrast between the lush, romantic setting and Loras’ visible discomfort. While the betrothal represents both an escape as well as a fulfillment of her dreams to Sansa, it represents something very different to Loras since he is homosexual. On the other hand, the way the writers reduces Loras to a gay stereotype is downright offensive.

The placement of this scene was initially a bit puzzling to me since it takes place AFTER Olenna already has agreed to marry Loras to Cersei instead of Sansa! In fact, this very scene begins with Tyrion and Cersei watching Loras and Sansa as they lament their upcoming marriages, Cersei to Loras and Tyrion to Sansa.

Loras is clearly unaware of this development since he wouldn’t be courting Sansa if he was. Thus, from a Watsonian perspective, the placement of this scene doesn’t make much sense. However, I think that the placement of this scene within the narrative is due to Doylist reasons – it is designed to tug at the heartstrings of the audience. We already know that Sansa’s hopes will be crushed, that she won’t escape her tormentors and this lends a certain poignancy to the scene in terms of audience reception.

The thing that kind of ruins this scene for me is the fact that the writers decided to use Loras’ homosexuality as a punchline for a number of stereotypes about gay men as effeminate, i.e. excessively invested in subjects that are usually considered explicitly feminine. Thus they represent him as being pedantic about his jeweled accessories as well as have him wax poetic about his very detailed boyhood dreams about a large and lavish wedding.

This reduction of Loras to a gay stereotype is rather galling since it is not only a crude way to approach the representation of homosexuality but also has no foundation in the source material where Loras’ sexuality is never represented as effeminate. In the books, he embodies the ideals of manhood in his society in that he is a brave and accomplished warrior. This kind of crude joking at the expense of a character’s sexuality undercuts the poignant aspect of the scene, not to mention that it is simply a downright offensive representation of a homosexual man.

To be continued...

(GIFs not mine)

#game of thrones #sansa stark #winterfell's daughter #character analysis #margaery tyrell #loras tyrell #sophie turner

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princealigorna · 6 years ago

Note

So... I watched a Lily Peet video (bad idea, I know) called "Lore Bore" and I had a problem with the assertion that fans more interested in the lore are wrong as well as how the likes of MLP are "ruined" because of it. Except... that's way off. Honestly, MLP has only improved in tandem with its lore. It hasn't sacrificed its core ideals of friendship for the sake of peripheral details, I dunno, how Discord clips his toenails or something.

That and it's hard not to see what makes lore so enticing. That a story has far more beneath the surface, other facets of its world to explore. It's often what we don't know that piques our interest far more than what's been laid out for us right out the gate. This game of "keep away" can often be the basis of some bad faith criticism, don't get me wrong, like with how RWBY's teased Salem and Ozpin's story among other things to some fans' annoyance. Yet I don't blame anyone for wanting more.

I only agree insofar that fans should balance their discussions of lore in terms of how it could affect the story and characters. Like how should it be paced? Is now a good time in regards to where we are in the airing and/or streaming of the show to reveal XYZ factoid? What's more important and what isn't? However, the overall interest in a lore or worldbuilding shouldn't be decried nor does it mean that a show is worse of for focusing on certain things like on an episode to episode basis.

Lily seems to be a person that favors the idea of judging something based only one what is there. Her concern seems to be for the immediate present. What does a story say NOW, and how effectively does it work NOW. As such, I think she finds worldbuilding and fan obsession with it to be a distraction.As a bunch of wishful thinking that ignores the immediate story..

Of course, this assumption presumes that every story should be taken in isolation. But is that really possible, let alone the right route, in an ongoing story? Especially fantasy or sci-fi worlds that operate under a different set of rules than ours and need to establish them in order to properly function? What about stories that set up a bunch of backstory? That’s the thing with MLP: from the start, it suggested this was a very lived-in world, with a lot of history behind it. How are fans not going to want to see that explored? How are they not going to be curious about how that past affects the present story? How about games like Dark Souls, or Metroid, where to understand the present story, you need to find those environmental clues that help piece it together? Dark Souls is a series very much about the past affecting the present, but you’ll never learn the story passing straight through it. It’s revealed in chunks hidden throughout the map. Metroid works more or less the same way. The story is told largely through hidden things you need to seek out, backtracking to unlocked areas, and clues scattered throughout the map. And if you don’t understand at least the relationships between the major characters (especially Big Boss and his relation to everyone else), can you actually play an MGS game? I mean, you can. Each installment has a self-contained narrative that might get absolutely bonkers at times but isn’t so difficult as to border on undecipherable. But it’s fucking hard. The overall arc is so important to that series that taking any part out of it and expecting to understand the big picture creates a house of cards that’s going to crumble as soon as you even think about it.

This isn’t to say that there aren’t dangers to obsessing too much about lore. Some people do get so caught up in it that they do stop appreciating what’s right in front of them. Not every part of a story needs to be devoted to backstory, nor do we need backstory unloaded on us all at once. And I can understand Lily’s frustration with some of us bronies because we can be a little too harsh on the series when an episode seems like a good one to give us a history lesson and don’t do it. But unless you do something truly episodic, like Pop Team Epic, a lack of lore comes across as boring. As there’s nothing to get invested in, because there’s no history to the world or the characters in it. A lived-in world is what you want in an ongoing story. How can you make a world truly feel lived in if there’s literally no history to it? How can you have stakes when everyone is a newborn infant and the world itself doesn’t seem to have a sense of permanence to it?

#lore #worldbuilding #lily orchard #lily peet #criticism #matt0044

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finding-jericho-blog · 7 years ago

Text

Empathy (Part Three)

characters: Josh (dbh) x human fem!reader, and a Traci (dbh)

warning(s): Graphic description of injury?

word count: 2,592

A/N: Sorry for the delay! I made this one extra long to make up for it!

By the way, there’s a dilemma at the end of the chapter-- if you like, send me an ask with your decision (or reblog it and put your decision in the tags or something); I’ll tally it all up and that’ll decide what the reader does! You don’t have to participate, but remember; these characters’ fates are in your hands. >:}

Part Two

Part Four

Just as you were beginning to fear that it would never come, the bus you had been waiting on finally arrived, wheezing to a halt in front of your bus stop with a screech that might have been disconcerting if you’d really been paying attention. The automated doors hissed open and you wordlessly hauled Josh up to his feet and began to guide him towards the entrance, but he.. hesitated. It prompted your gaze to drift towards him, but his eyes were trained on the opposite door of the bus, the one that lead to the android compartment. “Don’t worry about that,” you uttered to him, and drawing his attention back to you. “there aren’t usually people on this late, anyway. If anyone does come on any say something, I’ll just tell them to fuck off.”

Seeming satisfied by this, Josh offered a meek smile and allowed you to lead him the rest of the way to the door. With no small amount of difficulty, you assisted him with stepping up onto the bus, but once he was inside he was able to maneuver himself along the seats for support until he finally slid into one of them, and you moved to sit beside him as the vehicle lurched forwards. It would be a few stops until you got to your destination, and the thought lit a fire of anxiety within the pit of your stomach; you could only pray that your companion would last that long.

It occurred to you, then, that Josh had no real way of knowing where you were taking him, but he was trusting you completely to do right by him; and you sincerely hoped his trust was not misplaced. You would do your best, but you knew next to nothing about androids and how to repair them, though you were certain you could do it if he just told you what to do. Part of you wondered why you were going to all this trouble to save an android from deactivation, but as you recalled those dark, terrified eyes burning into yours with absolute horror, you knew you could have never turned your back on him and not been haunted for the rest of your life. Machines don’t feel fear. But he was afraid.

A sudden shift beside you drew you out of your introspection and enticed your gaze to drift over to the android in question; his head was resting against the window and his umber optics were darting around the city that was passing you both by, and you wondered momentarily if it was the first time he’d even seen any of this. Or perhaps it was the first time he could really appreciate it. You noticed then that his arm was tightly curled around his abdomen, and although you knew he couldn’t feel pain, his lips were down-turned in a slight grimace.

“How bad is it?” The words tumbled out past your lips before you could stop them; Josh’s eyes shifted to meet yours, seeming to understand your question without a need for you to elaborate. He must have been worrying about the same thing.

“It’s not very good,” he admitted, drawing his arm away from his torso, and you both winced at just how much thirium coated the sleeves of his jacket. “my central thirium conduit has been ruptured; some of my other bio-components have been damaged, but that won’t matter if I bleed out before they can be replaced.” The apprehension you felt when you heard this must have elicited a very physical reaction, because his eyes snapped up to meet yours; although he wasn’t nearly as equipped to scan the human body as, say, a caretaker model would be, he was still able to sense the slight quickening of your heart rate and the sharper breath you’d taken in response to his words.

Pursing your lips solemnly, you turned to face him more directly, a worry crease forming between your brows as you furrowed them. “What do I do? How do I fix it?” You had no idea what a central thirium conduit was or what it did, or even what it looked like, but you would do whatever you could.

“It’s...” Josh clenched his jaw. “It’s complicated, but I can walk you through it. First we need to find one, though..”

“Don’t worry.. I’ve got a plan.”

Three stops later, Josh was surprised when you suddenly urged him to his feet, and he followed you out of the bus where you supported him on your shoulders once more. His eyes darted across the vast, empty space with apparent confusion as you lead him across the open area, and only when he heard fuzzy, distant voices did he finally understand where you’d brought him.

“Oh.”

The junkyard was teeming with movement as damaged and/or malfunctioning androids wandered around aimlessly within its confines; some were struggling to crawl up the steep incline, but each time it seemed like they might make it out, they slid right back down to the bottom. No matter how many times they did, however, they tirelessly began the journey once more. It was a seemingly endless loop, and it was.. horrifying. Josh’s gaze was trained sharply on the sight before him, his expression twisted into a wide-eyed frown, clearly disturbed by what he was seeing. You felt a wave of guilt rush over you, white hot and far too heavy; you couldn’t have known there would be so many, though. You’d thought there would be one or two deactivated androids you could salvage parts from, but there had to be hundreds of wailing, damaged androids, all trapped here with no hope of escape.

It was a purgatory of endless suffering.

Wordlessly, you lowered Josh to the ground, and now that he was unable to see into the pit, his attention was solely on you. “This.. conduit thing, what does it look like?” You asked him as you lowered yourself onto your knees beside him; neither you nor him made mention of the junkyard, leaving what you’d seen unspoken.

“Central thirium conduit,” he told you, shifting his weight so that he could support himself with one arm. With some degree of difficulty, he shimmied his jacket down his shoulders and freed his arms of it before he began to unbutton the cobalt stained dress shirt underneath, and once it was completely unbuttoned, he shoved it down his arms as well, then rested back on his elbows. With his clothing no longer obscuring his torso, you were able to see the extent of the damage the drunken students had inflicted; all along his chest and abdomen, his dark, synthetic skin was unable to form, leaving it a pale, stark white. There were four or five indentations where the baseball bat had struck him, and the jagged, broken plastic and machinery was fragmented in such a way that almost reminded you of shattered glass. Blue blood was seeping through the splintering cracks of each one, bleeding through like a most vibrant ink, but the injury on the left side of his chest was markedly worse, with the thirium pouring from it at an alarming rate.

Reaching out, you gingerly rested your hand over-top the bleeding wound, but jerked your arm back in shock when the plastic suddenly shifted away, revealing his chest cavity and, presumably, the bio-component that he had been referring to. It looked a bit like a pipe, curved in a crescent shape symmetrical with his thirium pump, and it had hoses attached to it snaking off presumably all over his body, with one, large hose connecting it to his heart. There was a crack right up the middle of this pipe, gushing thirium out with ever pulse of his artificial heart. You were finding it… difficult to look at.

“It’s a bit like a human artery, it conveys thirium to the rest of my body. They’re all standard for each model, so you don’t have to worry about finding one that’s compatible.” Josh explained, remarkably calm despite what you were both witnessing, and you wondered if he was simply trying to soothe your growing anxiety. You could see why the rupture was a problem, though; a sufficient amount of thirium couldn’t possibly be making it to the other parts of his body with it bleeding out into his chest cavity like this, and you knew he couldn’t possibly last much longer, losing thirium at a such rate.

“Okay,” You uttered, shoving yourself to your feet. “okay, alright.. I’ve… I’ve got this, I’ll be back.”

Josh watched as your form disappeared down the slope of the junkyard, silently lowering himself to lay on his back. As his eyes drifted upwards, his attention was drawn to just how many stars there were, each one shimmering almost gleefully within that inky blackness, as if to welcome his newfound consciousness into the world. For a moment, he wondered how it was that he had never noticed how beautiful they were; he felt certain that, if he had just looked up and seen them, he would have woken much sooner. It certainly would have been a kinder way to awaken, that was for certain. Still, though, maybe this was how things were meant to be. He wasn’t sure he believed in fate; surely there were no cosmic forces out there deciding the paths of man-made machines, but nonetheless, he couldn’t help but think that maybe he was bound to meet you this way.

Or maybe it was simply his old, philosophical programming talking.

Either way, he was glad to have met you, even if you couldn’t save him. It was.. a comfort, to know that there were humans out there capable of showing such empathy to machines like him. He was… so grateful.

Your feet slid down the embankment gracelessly, and you stumbled to a halt whilst holding your hands out at your sides in some attempt to keep your balance. Once you felt secure, your [y/e/c] eyes darted around the junkyard with some scrutiny, a grimace having found its home on your features. All around you was a stream of constant noise, androids repeating strings of dialogue they had been programmed to say over and over until you felt you may go mad from being here for even such a short amount of time. You knew what you needed to do, but you didn’t want to be here any longer than necessary; a little voice in the back of your mind reminded you; this is their reality, this was their every day existence, with no hope in hell to escape. You felt a pang of sympathy, but you pushed it aside; for now, you needed to concentrate on finding that central conduit unit.

Finding a deactivated android wasn’t proving to be more difficult a task than you had expected it to be; you didn’t want to take such a crucial bio-component from the androids who were still active, partly because you were sure they would fight back, but mostly because they were already suffering enough. Most were barely hanging on, but they were still active, and they watched you with unreadable expressions as you walked by. Part of you wondered if they were all awake and aware like Josh was, if they felt as forlorn as you imagined they did. It was a horrible feeling, to think that they’d been dumped here without even the courtesy of shutting them down so they didn’t have to suffer; you didn’t think they deserved to be deactivated for simply being damaged, but that was better than being left here to rot, wasn’t it?? You realized, then, that the horrible feeling you were experiencing was anger; you were angry.

Gritting your teeth, your eyes caught sight of an unmoving form and gravitated towards it; by the looks of it, she was a Traci model. She was lying across a ragged blue tarp, face tilted up towards the sky, her long red hair splayed across her shoulders. Her eyes were closed, and you thought that she looked strangely peaceful, despite the fact that she was missing both of her legs, her left arm, and the forearm of her right. Whatever had happened to her, it hadn’t been pretty; surely she was deactivated, right? With a healthy amount of uncertainty, you nudged the android with your foot, trying to see if she would react… there was nothing, no movement whatsoever.

Hesitantly, you leaned over her, your eyes flitting across her chest; okay… all you had to do check to see that the central thirium conduit wasn’t damaged, and take it out. It would be easy. Nothing to it. Just like.. taking a battery out of a remote, right?

Reaching out, you pressed your fingers against the skin of her chest, not nearly surprised when the skin and plastic shifted back to reveal the bio-component you were looking for. Her heart pulsed with an alarming crimson red, unlike Josh’s, which had been a healthy cerulean blue, but it pulsed all the same, which left you feeling a little disconcerted; was she not…? When your eyes drifted back up to her features, you found that her eyes were no longer closed; they burned into yours. Awake. Aware.

Stumbling backwards with a cry of surprise, you landed on your backside and scrambled back a few feet, but the Traci only sat up and watched you with an expression you couldn’t read. “I’m sorry!” You apologized, clenching your hands into fists. “I thought you were… Sorry, I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine,” she spoke, her voice ragged and plagued with static; it reminded you a bit of when you were a kid and you spoke into a fan, pretending you were a robot. “you can have it.”

“… What?” You remained in your place in the dirt, watching her with no small amount of scrutiny.

“Whatever you were looking for. You can have it.” A silence fell between the two of you. It wasn’t that you didn’t understand what she was saying; she was telling you that you could take the bio-component that Josh so desperately needed, but… Why? It would no doubt kill her. You couldn’t.. understand. As though reading your mind, the female android spoke. “I can’t stand another day in this place.” she explained, slowly laying back onto the tarp. “I just want to rest.”

Slowly, you hauled yourself back onto your feet, tentatively approaching the damaged Traci until you were beside her, where you quietly knelt down on the tarp at her side. Did she know what it was that she was offering you? That she wouldn’t survive you taking it? “But-- you’ll die..” You uttered, the childish statement leaving your mouth before you could stop it.

Traci laughed; it was a joyless, empty sound. “This isn’t living,” she muttered, her eyes darting to meet yours. “this is torture. This is day 40 of waiting for it to end already. Whatever you’re looking for, I’m sure they’ll appreciate it more than I can. Just take it. Please.”

You swallowed thickly, your eyes slowly drifting down to her exposed chest cavity; Josh needed that central thirium conduit, badly. For all you knew, he could already be dead due to how long this was taking you. But on the other hand… how was it fair to trade her life for his? Traci was just as awake and aware as Josh was, who were you to decide that her life was worth less than his?

What were you going to do?

(x) Take it from her. (o) Find another one.

#detroit become human #detroit: become human #detroit become human josh #detroit: become human josh #josh #Josh x reader #x reader #dbh

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theultimateegghead-blog · 6 years ago

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Modest Media Game Reviews Ninja Gaiden

Game – Ninja Gaiden Year of Release – 1988 (JP) 1989 (US) Developer – Tecmo Publisher - Tecmo Rated – Pre-Dates ESRB Genre – Action Side scrolling Platformer Platform - Nintendo Entertainment System, TurboGrafx-16, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Wii Virtual Console, Mobile phones, 3DS Virtual Console, Wii U Virtual Console

Ninja Gaiden is often referred to as one of the most insanely difficult games on the NES. A super challenging side-scroller platformer that has been simultaneously loved and criticized by fans and critics alike. Can a game be too hard for its own good? Lets find out.

Gameplay – To answer the previous question, yes, yes you can. This game’s difficulty is unfair and unbalanced. I am not saying its bad, but ill cover why it is unfair. First of all, enemies, they are the bane of this game. Enemies tend to spawn out of nowhere and in later levels spawn in such a way its almost impossible to avoid getting hit. This is best seen with the room before the final boss, where enemies rain from the ceiling and just try to hover over you while knocking you back and forth. Due to this game’s wonky respawn system, enemies immediately respawn when offscreen, and enemies that fly from the corner of the screen can appear infinitely. Look no further than the infamous birds for this example. Some enemy layouts are so complicated or so unfairly placed that its almost pure luck if you can escape. A good example is this one point in the final level where dozens of flying ninjas at various speeds and elevations bombard you while you platform, and due to the way enemies respawn, the bombardment never ends. Now with the negative out of the way, lets look at the positive. Level layouts are alright, straightforward and standard. Some of the games more infamous moments are only found late in the game regarding level layout. The cliffside is without a doubt the worst level. However, there are some good levels in there as well, the first level does a great job weaning you into the games style. Though it’s a rocky road from there. Some of the platforming feels stiff and Ryu lacks some mobility regarding his wall jumping, its easy to get stuck on a top of a wall and get hit, or an enemy might just decided to stand at the edge and make it a pain to progress. Ryu fights with a sword, meaning all foes must be very close to damage, various other things, like shuriken or fire balls appear in limited qualities. The extra tools can make certain parts a bit easier. Bosses in this game are a mix bag but are not overly difficult with two exceptions. The last 2 bosses, being Malth and the final boss room, are painfully difficult. Most of their moves seem unavoidable and losing to them means replaying some of the hardest levels in the game! I cannot give this game a very high score in this department, its not bad, but it is to frustrating and hard to be enjoyable. Please note that I did beat the game, so I’m not just moaning over not being able to beat it. Score – 12/20

Graphics – Pretty good. Each level has a color scheme that, while not realistic, is a constant. Ryu and the enemies don’t clash with the background, so you will see enemies on the screen along with interactable torches that could be hit for points, health or weapons. There are many enemy types, and the game can handle a lot of character movement at once. The cutscenes between levels look great for their time and are inspired by anime from the 80s. While some levels can feel dull or look boring, the games overall graphical presentation is up to par. Score – 8/10

Story – For a game from the 80s, where story was usually locked in the pages of a manual, Ninja Gaiden does tell a story. While this story, if told nowadays might better fit a cartoon than a game made to be taken seriously, it works really well. Ryu’s father is supposedly killed in combat, and Ryu, armed with the dragon sword seeks revenge. Ryu is hunted by the CIA, whom try to force him to help overthrow a cult trying to revive a demon. There is a romantic subplot…kind of. There is a plot point about Ryu’s father and of course there is the evil demon and the cult leader revealing his evil plans. Overall the plot is nothing special and again by today standards, it would be considered cliché. This was the 80s though, so this could be one of the most enticing game stories of the time. Couple this with the aforementioned cutscenes and you have a good solid plot. The game also leaves room for a sequel as well, but that’s a review for another day. Score – 7/10

Replay Ability – Low, there are no secrets in this game nor any elements in the game that are introduced in a subsequent playthrough. While some people speed run or try for high scores, the general audience might try it and put it down. Unless it is for nostalgia reasons of course. Given this games brutal nature, I think one playthrough will suffice all but the hardcore Ninja Gaiden fans. On the plus side, it is short enough to not eat up a day…if the player in question is good at it. Score – 2/5

Music – Pretty good! The majority of the ost is somewhat techno and upbeat. The music compounds the gameplay by being fast paced and organized yet hectic as well. Even though there is not much diversity in music, each level has its own theme. While it may sound repetitive in some cases, it is enjoyable nonetheless. Sound effects are alright, the main sound effects you will be hearing is the sound of the sword swinging and the sound of an item being picked up. I would recommend giving the ost a listen to. Score – 4/5

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Overall – This game is hard, so hard that it negatively impacts the quality of presentation. While this game shines in other forms of presentation, it is the fundamental gameplay that undoes it all. There is a difference between fair and balanced hard and unfair hard. Unfortunately, a lot of old school hard games had this more unfair spike to it. Now, I think this game is flawed, yes, but its not that bad. It is frustrating but competent with level design for the most part. If you are looking for a hardcore challenge, then this is a game worth trying, but if you want a genuine tough but manageable old school Nintendo game, look elsewhere. Final score – 6.6/10 – so - so

#Modest Media Review #game #video games #game reviews #nintendo #nes #famicon #tecmo #1988 #1989 #virtual console #wii #wii u #ds #ninja gaiden #ninja

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