#the eye tattoos are like peacock feathers

[occudo]

Hi!!!!!! I love your AUs, I just binge read them!!!!!!! I love how you draw Georgie, Melanie and Gerry in particular!

I wanted to ask, in the Magus AU, what happened to Mary? And Eric? Did something similar to the Gertrude Still Lives AU happen?

Also all the details in their clothes (in the Magus AU) are stunning! Is there a particular reason why Gerry's outfits are always This Is A Titties Out kind of outfit?

Unfortunately, this AU is more like the canon than GiSA with the Keay family, except Mary wasn't a proper witch- no titles, no school, -just her trying (and failing) with magic. So no Eric in this one :/

I just think it fits this AU more.

For your outfit question: Does the Sun need a particular reason to shine?

It's also a power move, showing off his eye tattoos.

[loverangels]

I got Leo x Adopted daughter of Hera. Basically the girl (or reader up too you) is basically just a mortal who can see through the mist and hera is like 'that's my kid now' and then time skip and Hera is like 'erm I heard you're dating Leo so I want to meet him' and then that's my idea. Ba bam. 🥸

meeting the family

pairings: leo valdez x fem!reader

a/n: I think I fell in love with this ask. I can totally see Leo and hera having the most intense beef with each other 😭 also in this I kind ofade it so Leo and hera have never met.....hope you don't minddd!!

You adjusted the hem of your shirt nervously, your stomach twisting into knots. "So," you began, glancing over at Leo, who was fiddling with a random bolt from his tool belt, "any advice for meeting a literal goddess? Or... is this just going to be as disastrous as I think?"

Leo grinned at you, his dark brown eyes glinting with mischief. "Babe, you’re talking to the king of disasters. If anyone can charm Hera, it’s me. The gods love me."

You raised an eyebrow, your voice dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, really? Like when Zeus almost fried you with a lightning bolt?"

"Hey," Leo protested, pointing the bolt at you, "that was a misunderstanding! Zeus can’t take a joke." He hesitated, his grin faltering slightly. "But Hera… she’s, uh, a whole different level of terrifying. She already doesn’t like me, does she?"

"She doesn’t like anyone," you muttered, chewing your lip. "She’s... protective. Especially of me. You’re the first person I’ve dated since she, you know, claimed me."

Leo blinked, and then smirked. "Claimed you? What, like, ‘that’s my mortal now’? She stamped you or something?"

You rolled your eyes. "Yes, Leo. I have a tattoo that says 'Property of Hera.' Very funny."

Before Leo could make another smart remark, the air in front of you shimmered, and your heart sank. Hera didn’t need an invitation. She never did.

The goddess materialized in a flurry of peacock feathers, her golden eyes fixed on you with an unnerving intensity. She was breathtaking, her presence radiating power, but the thin line of her lips told you she wasn’t here for pleasantries.

"Child," Hera greeted, her tone cool and regal. Her gaze flicked to Leo, who stood frozen, bolt still in hand. "And you must be the boyfriend."

"Uh," Leo started, quickly stuffing the bolt back into his tool belt, "hi, Your Majesty. Big fan. Love what you’ve done with, uh, peacocks?"

You smacked your forehead. Hera’s expression didn’t change, though you swore her eye twitched.

"Charming," she said dryly, crossing her arms. "So, this is the one you’ve chosen?"

"Mom," you groaned, immediately regretting it. Hera raised an eyebrow at the title, but she didn’t correct you. "Can we just... not do this? Please?"

Leo, seemingly unbothered, stepped forward with a cocky grin. "So, uh, Mrs. Hera—"

"It’s just Hera," she cut in sharply.

"Right, Hera," Leo continued, undeterred. "I know you’re, like, super protective of your kid here, but I promise, I’m not that bad. I mean, sure, I’ve accidentally blown up a few things—"

"A few things?" you muttered under your breath.

"—but I’ve got a good heart. I’d never let anything happen to her. I swear."

Hera’s gaze bored into him, and for a moment, you thought she might smite him on the spot. Instead, she smiled—a cold, calculating smile that sent shivers down your spine.

"Tell me, Leonardo," she said, her voice deceptively sweet. "Do you always think so highly of yourself?"

Leo blinked, his confidence faltering for a split second. "Uh, well, yeah? I mean, I’m pretty great. People say I’m funny, smart, devilishly handsome—"

"Modest," Hera added, her tone laced with sarcasm.

You groaned, stepping between them before the situation could escalate. "Okay, that’s enough. Leo, stop talking. Hera, please don’t kill my boyfriend. Can we just... get along for five minutes?"

Hera sighed, her gaze softening ever so slightly as she looked at you. "For you, child, I will tolerate him. But do not think I am fooled by his... charms."

"Charming is kind of my thing," Leo quipped, earning a sharp glare from both you and Hera. "Okay, shutting up now."

To your surprise, the meeting didn’t go as badly as you’d feared. Sure, there were a few tense moments (like when Leo accidentally implied that Hera’s sacred cows were overrated), but by the end of it, things had smoothed over.

You should have known it wouldn’t stay smooth for long. Somehow, Hera had conjured up a lavish dining room that looked like it belonged in Mount Olympus itself—probably because it did. The table stretched endlessly, laden with food that looked too perfect to be real. You sat between Hera and Leo, the tension thick enough to cut with a celestial blade.

"So," Hera began, delicately slicing into what looked like ambrosia-glazed salmon. "Leonardo, tell me. What exactly do you bring to this relationship?"

Leo froze mid-bite of something that looked suspiciously like roast pheasant. He swallowed and grinned. "Oh, you know, the usual. Genius inventor, dragon mechanic, hero. And I’m not bad to look at either, if I do say so myself."

Hera’s golden eyes narrowed. "Yes, I’m sure your... charisma will save her in a battle against monsters."

"Hey, my dragon helped defeat giants," Leo countered, gesturing with his fork. "And I built him from scratch, thank you very much."

"And yet," Hera said, taking a slow sip from her golden goblet, "your dragon has also exploded... how many times?"

"Okay, that was one time," Leo argued.

"Three," you muttered, earning a betrayed look from Leo.

"Thank you, child," Hera said with a nod. "At least someone here is honest."

Leo opened his mouth to retort, but you shot him a warning glare. "Can we please just have a nice dinner? Without bickering?"

"But bickering is how I show affection," Leo quipped, leaning back in his chair. "Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?"

Hera’s lips twitched, though whether it was a smile or the beginning of a smite, you couldn’t tell. "How charming," she said flatly.

The rest of dinner passed in much the same way: Leo making snarky comments, Hera responding with icy jabs, and you desperately trying to keep the peace. By the time dessert rolled around, you were ready to crawl under the table.

As you said your goodbyes, Hera pulled you into a hug—a rare show of affection that left you momentarily stunned. "You’ve chosen well," she whispered in your ear, so softly that even Leo couldn’t hear. "But don’t let it go to his head."

When she pulled back, her regal mask was firmly in place once more. She turned to Leo, her gaze piercing. "Take care of her, Leonardo. Or you will answer to me."

Leo saluted, a nervous grin on his face. "Yes, ma’am. Loud and clear."

As Hera vanished in a swirl of feathers, you let out a breath you hadn’t realized you were holding. Leo slipped an arm around your shoulders, his grin returning full force.

"Well," he said, "that went better than I expected. I think she likes me."

"She doesn’t hate you," you corrected. "That’s a win."

"Close enough." Leo leaned down to kiss your temple, his voice warm. "See? I told you I’d charm her."

You laughed, shaking your head. "Let’s just get out of here before she changes her mind."

[macsimagines]

Yandere!Izana Kurokawa Soulmate AU

I would rlly appreciate feed back on this one!! I'm unsure if i made it big enough

MINORS DNI

WARNINGS: YANDERE BEHAVIOR, ABUSIVE BEHAVIOR MENTION OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE

Everyone is born with a tattoo that they share with their soulmate. A one of a kind design that can never be replicated and can only be connected to one other soul on the planet.

Izana's is on his inner wrist. A delicate spider-lily with peacock feathers that wrap around. The intricate lines and colors are so expansive and vibrant.

As a child he'd often get compliments on it, but as he grew older he had started to resent his soul mark. All it represented was that someone out there had truly existed only for him and yet they were no where to be found.

More and more people left him as time went on and it just truly deepened the feeling of being utterly alone.

Sometimes at night he'd stroke the lines of the flower petals, maybe even kiss along the feathers. He could feel you through this connection, he could feel you kiss and stroke the lines back.

"I'm here," is what it would seem to say, "You're not alone, I feel you, I love you."

But there were days that the isolation was too much, that the loneliness just seemed to consume him whole. Izana would scratch at his mark, curse it and bite at it, hoping you'd feel that pain and know that your absence was killing him.

You not being there was the greatest sin you could ever commit and he wanted you to know it. To hurt like how he was hurting.

Eventually, it didn't matter if he stroked his wrist with loving softness or if he'd rake his blunt finger nails so roughly he'd start to bleed. You'd stop responding altogether.

Izana didn't understand how he'd manage to loose something he never really had to begin with. How he could possibly miss someone he never even knew.

Years went on. He'd become a monster of Tenjiku. A ruthless king and soulless tyrant that ruled over all his subjects with an iron fist. He bit back that bitter hole in his chest and would ignore that withered flower on his wrist. He didn't need you, or anyone.

The very topic of Soulmates and Soulmarks were forbidden. One mention of it would result in a trip to the ER or worse yet the morgue. Soulmates just made you weak.

Or so he thought when Kakucho had approached him one day, a wary and tense look in his eyes.

"B-boss?" he'd said carefully, "I... I think I found your soulmate?"

For one split second hope had flooded back into him, bringing an ugly vulnerability he thought he'd eliminated as a child. But he quickly smashed it back down. So what? You meant nothing. You should mean nothing.

"I don't think I asked you to butt in needlessly. Should I just burn your mark right off and teach you a lesson?"

Threats like that were worse than threatening someone's life, and Izana feels a quick thrill in him when he watches his loyal dog put a hand on his mark, a beautiful and vivid butterfly surrounded by swirls on his chest. Right over his heart. Pathetic.

"S-she's working at a cafe. I saw the flower on her wrist same as y-!"

The king is sending Kakucho flying before he can even finish that sentence. His fist connecting with his chin and repeating over and over again.

Working. Of course. You weren't looking for him. You just moved on as though he meant nothing to you. He didn't mean anything to anyone.

When he's done with using Kakucho like a personal punching bag, he's getting the information he really wants. Your location.

He doesn't need you or want you. But you belong to him. He owns you and you don't get to live a life without him anymore, pretending he doesn't exist.

Izana walks in like he owns the café. Like he's ready to just grab you and throw you over his shoulder like a bag of rice, but then his eyes meet yours and something ugly in his chest squeezes.

Your eyes? They're so hollow. Like all the light has been drained from them and you're just wearing a human skin. It's like looking at someone dead.

He sees the mark on your wrist and there is no doubt that its his exact match but the colors look so dull and faded. Like the soul bond was slowly withering away from it.

But he steels himself. He pushes all that nonsense that makes his heart feel soft away and moves towards you. You don't even flinch when he slams his fist down onto the counter, making sure his mark is in plain view. "Hello and welcome to Kitten's Coffee, how can I help you-""Don't fuck with me. You know why I'm here.""To tell me you hate me in person?"

What the fuck? What would make you say that? You felt how much his heart yearned for you all those years ago. How it drove him completely insane to not have you.

But he's watching the dull color in your eyes get wet with tears, and something is telling Izana that somewhere along the way a grave mistake had been made. "You rejected me." you spit at him, voice shaking with a quiet rage, "It didn't matter how much love I poured into our bond, you were angry with me. You hated me. Scratching and biting at our mark like you wanted it gone, like you wanted me dead." Izana tastes something so bitter on his tongue it makes his stomach revolt. "Y-you weren't there," he hisses, "I needed you and you never came for me." "You didn't look for me either. Do you think you were the only one suffering?"

Silence fills the space between you. And Izana feels weight after weight fill his chest. Every emotion he held back every feeling he tried to smother down coming up in uncontrollable waves.

His hand reaches out and takes your wrist, delicately, and he traces the lines of your matching tattoo. You thought it was rejection when all it was was a punishment. He just wanted you to know how much he missed you.

Tears are streaming down your face, your perfect beautiful face. And Izana really takes you all in. His soulmate, perfection incarnate, in front of him. Everything he never knew he wanted and needed finally in front of him.

He takes you then and there. Not bothering to worry about the stares of all those on lookers. Who cares what peasants think? He loves that you don't fight, you must know that he knows best. That he'll make this right.

Izana doesn't hold back, the minute you two are alone he makes sure to tell you everything. He tells you about how he was abandoned and alone, how the world without you was unbearable. The first and only time he will accept that he was wrong was about you.

"I should've never taken it out on my mark. You're right. I should've just came and found you."

And you? Your head is spinning from all the whiplash. One second you're making coffees for Karens and the next your Tenjiku's queen. And if you don't like it? Too fucking bad.

You're moving in the very next day, and Izana is already discussing plans for marriage and a family. "The ceremony is only a formality. I just want people to see us together."

Of course he takes into consideration what you want. He wants to know it all, favorite foods and movies and clothes. He just won't listen to you saying you want to leave.

It's an unspoken rule with a looming threat of drastic measures if you do. "I can't imagine what would happen if I ever lost you, Y/N. It'd be a real nightmare for everyone."

Anyone that looks at you funny? Is disposed of at once. Any body rude to you? Sent to the ER on a stretcher. Someone wants to question or deny a request of yours? Dead.

Oh, Your soul mark? Its lavished with love and affection. He makes sure to use very expensive and high end moisturizer on your skin but pays extra attention to your mark. Kissing it tenderly and whispering sweet nothings onto the design like he's telling your very heart.

You wished it didn't have such an intense affect on you. But after years of thinking you were rejected and hated to suddenly being so loved and adored had your poor head spinning. "Don't worry, Y/N. I'll take care of everything."

[bamfwizard]

in honor of the birthday of the lady himself, "elements of juno that I headcanon or would draw in my version"

-chronic sweatpants wearer unless it's nureyev's turn to choose his outfit (they probably have one day, called something dumb like Fancy Friday, where Juno gives Nureyev permission to choose his outfit. it evolved into him taking the opportunity to style his hair, do his makeup, etc. Juno is content because it makes nureyev absolutely ecstatic)

-peacock feathers and motifs everywhere (probably a peacock feather patch on his boots)

-oh yeah, boots. big doc marten ass boots. chunky fucks. multiple pairs in diff colors. roses/dahlias on one of em

-mercury alchemical symbol earring on one ear, just because I've seen an earring like that and want to buy it because it's peak nonbinary fashion

-prefers minimalist or simpler clothes because he isn't much for receiving gifts, but most of his wardrobe just kinda.....appears there. it's obviously from nureyev. like, he knows that. a lot of it is more expensive than one would expect but he knows it's stolen and for some reason that comforts him?

-dresses whenever a heist or job allows for it. prefers sleeker, form-fitting ones that drive nureyev INSAAAANE

-curves curves ass ass so much ass and curves hips and booty just so absolutely hhhhgggg

-heels but never over 4 inches because he'd trip

-a few faded but very fashionable tattoos, most recently a tiny rabbit on his ankle

-GOLD EYE SHADOW EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME ALL OF IT HHHHH

-rita and him dyed the tips of their hair magenta at the end of s2 because FRIENDSSS

[sweetbunpura]

Host's new tattoos; Scarabia and Pomefiore

On their other leg up to the knee, a golden viper weaves around and covers up a multitude of stab marks with it's fangs about to close around the neck of an albino peacock with golden feathers, both of the creatures red eyes disguising more bullet wounds.

Their neck has three very thin and faded linear scars which now bloomed into three beautiful kinds of plants to designed to look like floral chokers, a small lilac apple blossom clipping with an apple growing in the center, a bunch of white chrysanthemums woven around a wooden arrow and a golden flower crown made up of indigo zinnias and foxgloves, all of them curling around their neck.

(You would not BELIEVE how long it took me to realise I could use the flowers in their Bloombrooms while writing Pomefiores...)

More tattoos!

(There, there)

[dent-de-leon]

The Plank King always greets the Mighty Nein with open arms, welcomes them with a banquet and lavish gifts and nights of drunken revelry, song and dance and stories shared of all their grand adventures. Every occasion is a celebration, another chance to witness and learn--to reconnect, reconcile with all the tangled threads of lives past and present.

But when Caleb Widogast visits, a certain anticipation hangs in the air, electric and kinetic. Kingsley's heart always raced the first time he caught a glimpse--the scent of fire and brimstone, Widogast descending in a flash of light and sparks, touching back down to earth on the runes he inscribed years ago. "Just in case," he'd murmured, the score of Kingsley's own blood hunter scars and reckless deaths left unsaid--

Kingsley rushing to embrace him with roaring laughter and affectionate warmth, cradling his cheek in his hand, reaching up to press a kiss to his forehead.

Kingsley wanting to spoil and pamper his Magician--shining pearls of every color, the prettiest the sea has to offer. Amber jewelry and shimmering trinkets. Arcane relics that still call to him like a siren song, treasures he gladly gives away. Anything to see that smile again.

King always covering his skin--something he never cared for in previous lives--making sure his crew never saw the countless scars or stunningly vibrant tattoos, the stories of other lives. Tealeaf baring all of himself to Caleb, trusting his Magician enough to let him run his fingertips over swirling peacock feathers with a quiet reverence. Pressing gentle kisses to the fatal scars he still carries.

Kingsley daring to ask, when the mood strikes. When he's had too much wine and Caleb smiles softly under the moonlight, the dreams and scattered memories still lingering. "What was I--he--like? What did you like? What did you hate? What do you see when you look at me?" A part of him too eager, longing to learn.

But Caleb is always happy to indulge him. He's open, genuine; he answers each of Tealeaf's questions with attentive care, offers warm reassurance with every flicker of regret in his searching gaze.

A part of King knows Caleb was the one who begged for his shattered shard of a soul to return to this plane first--who limped to his side still bloodied and betrayed, cradled him in his arms and willed him to return to life all the same. There's a kind of strange comfort in that, an unbreakable trust.

He thinks it was foolish, of course. That the thing that tried to kill them all should have been left to rot, and the Nein were all mad for risking their own skin to try and bring him back. They should have run. They should have run right from the start, leave well enough alone--and a part of him still hates that they didn't.

The worst nightmares are the ones where Joy and his Magician are still lying lifeless, their Eyes burning bright.

But Caleb Widogast had dared to reach for his fractured soul all the same, this little fragment of a piece. He's not sure he can ever thank him for that, if he could ever be deserving of that. But he wants to be. Wants the way he wants to lose himself at sea and never feel Empty, embrace that tender touch of softness and light.

Tealeaf melting in Caleb's arms when he holds him close and calls him Circus Man again. Fractured memories spilling over, making his heart ache until every fear is banished with a tender forehead kiss.

[libraryleopard]

The Spear Cuts Through Water main character descriptions for @aroaessidhe

Generally: world/characters seem to be inspired by pre-colonial Filipino society ("lola" is Tagalog for "grandmother" and she's from the unnamed "Old Country" where Keema and Jun's story takes place)

Keema

"Young man" (exact age not given)

Missing his left arm

Taller than Jun

"His body like that of a young panther's, slight but powerful, with eyes that bounced light like polished knives"

Wears a knife strapped to his thigh with a cord and sheath ("deep blue stone, with a hilt made of black leather and threads of colorful string")

Wears skirts

Jun

"Young man" (exact age also not given)

Shorter than Keema

Wears a wooden laughing demon mask, then switches it out for a wooden smiling fox mask

Red peacock tattoo on face (Red Peacocks are described as having "sharp cheeks and hungry eyes framed by a red beak and feather")

"When Jun touched the tattoo on his face that would never go away, and which would forever mark him as an outsider. Tears beading along the rain on his cheeks as he tried to scrub it off his skin, before Keema gripped his wrist and pulled his hand away, and gently licked the red-roughed skin of his cheeks and his brow."

"By the delicate glow, Keema saw Jun's face in full for the fist time since the start of their journey. It was an unexpected face. Not because of the peacock tattoo; Keema had already suspected his identity, if not outright then ambiently, like an itch without a name or location, until suddenly there it was. The unexpected quality was more from the delicacy of his features. The small, slightly upturned nose. The tapered chin. The eyes that reminded him of broken porcelain. This delicacy of his offset by certain scars, like the one that split the rightmost part of his bottom lip, and the hook scar on his left eyebrow. A fainter scar that ran down his neck. A chunk of his right ear, the lobe, missing. A body that had seen battle."

Shaved head

Wears a jerkin and trousers (pants are specifically "black and loose," rolled up to the shins with a cord in the hemline pulled tight because they're too large)

Sun freckles on his nose

Bonus: the spear

"You know it well; the blood-rent tint of the wood; the red tassel that chokes the gleaming and deadly point; the strange grooves and etchings that travel the length of the weapon in esoteric patterns."

[erigold13261]

“Failed Revolution”

Got an ask about their designs and decided to draw everyone!

Ask and notes on designs under the cut.

B2J: May lost her right arm so she uses a fuzzy sock to keep it warm. She has gained quite a collection of socks. She also cut her hair in solidarity with Zuke who had most of his hair cut off for head surgery, which is where he got the head scar from.

Zuke can’t close his left hand at all because of tendon damage. He also can’t walk long distances without a cane, which he could only afford a pretty cheap one but it gets the job done.

Tatiana/Kliff/West: Not much changes with their designs. Tatiana is just a bit more skinny, Kliff has a few white hairs, and West is a bit more unkempt (I also didn’t want to draw the pattern on his coat so yeah).

West also hasn’t found time to redo his henna tattoos so those are all gone right now. Plus he wears shoes a bit more.

DJSS: Still debating if Nova works for NSR at this moment, but whether they do or don’t, they aren’t dressing to impress anymore. Losing a lot of motivation, he just puts on one of his DJSS jackets that was defective and had no space designs to it (but still looks like his show jacket). His arms are also more noodle-y because he doesn’t try to keep them firm anymore. Space dust seeps out of the small cracks that have yet to be fully healed on his head. Because of this, no color is in their head, but it all seeps outside into the air.

Sayu (and Crew): Sayu is much more simple, both for animation sake and to ease the people of Vinyl City of her roboticness. She is also much smaller when she is out in the real world as a hologram. Tila, Remi, and Dodo all have longer hair (Dodo less so, but it’s still longer). Tila wears a long dress that she puts her jacket from canon over. Remi isn’t out publicly as transmasc yet but he doesn’t wear any kinds of dresses or skirts even though people around him expect him to. Not much changes for Dodo and Sofa except Dodo has a cybernetic voice/neck while Sofa is a bit more skinny because of an eating disorder/forced dieting from family.

Yinu and Mama: (I know it’s out of order, but I wanted to keep Neon+1010 next to each other). No longer are these two wearing any kind of red. Mama wears yellow to represent her keeping Yinu in her heart but also the flower lace shows how delicate their relationship is right now. Yinu on the other hand wears yellow and a full suit to be closer to her dad while avoiding any reds to stay away from her mother. Both of them have rooted hair, with Yinu’s roots being more wilted stems while Mama’s are just full on roots. Yinu still has a few flowers hanging onto her hair, but they lose petals a lot and will one day fully fall off if she doesn’t get some help in her life.

1010 and Neon: 1010 all have the same body with the same while lights. The only difference are the ties they wear and their heads. They have fully metal hair. Blue does not wear any sunglasses. Neon has a human head and does not wear his fluff unless going somewhere that might rain or get a bit chilly. He does not wear his medals, but does wear his wedding ring on a necklace under his sweater. He also doesn’t wear too much colors because he doesn’t see the point in it since he works with a lot of oily/messy machines (it’s easier to take off a jacket than de-oil-stain a sweater).

Eve: Eve still bases a lot of her outfit on Zuke like she originally did, but now she also bases it off of Tatiana. She tries to hide her red/pinkish skin under henna, mirrors, and crystals. She keeps illusion eyes out to help her keep watch of things around her. The peacock feathers and skirt are supposed to kinda look like a wedding dress, or the very least a fancy ball gown, to show she is married to her job (and to the ideas of people she has in her head). Also the glitter/stars on her skirt is mainly to piss off Nova (especially if he quit/was fired) because this is her way of saying she is better than him, as I feel the two’s relationship has gotten sour over the years.

[obey-moi]

Nearly forgot I have art of my MC, Herbert. Here are his “pact outfits”, which I was inspired by a friend.

Since Herb loves tattoos, I decided to give him specialized tattoos instead of sigils, along with their sin symbols. Like, sigils all over the back are sexy as hell, but it just ain’t Herbie. I headcanon that you can only use one of the pact powers at a time, for a limited time. But you can summon the outfit whenever lol. (I enlisted the help of Shoplook to create these outfits)

Lucifer: A peacock feather on the back of his neck. Being “stiff-necked” means being stubborn or too prideful about something. The special power he gets is the resistance to weak curses. After activating the pact, the curse can be dispelled. If it’s too powerful for him to dispel, he’ll have to go to Lucifer or even Diavolo.

The outfit is supposed to be professional and give Herbert a sense of confidence.

Mammon: A crow with a glittering marble in its beak, on the palm of his right (dominant) hand. You’re likely to grab things with your dominant palm. It’s canon that all pact-holders with Mammon have incredible luck. But I also think that he’s got increased skill in sleight of hand. DEX +5 lol.

Every bit of this outfit should exude luxury and wealth. Herb is also wearing the special earring Mammon gives in that one Devilgram.

Leviathan: A white and peach-coloured snake, crawling through the ear and to the eye. Things we see, and things we hear, we often experience envy. Envy clouds our judgment and twists our perception. With Levi’s pact power, Herbert can summon a weak, mini Lotan (Levi calls him “Chibitan”), who does all the water magic for him. Chibitan can’t flood an area like the main Lotan can do, but he can create water out of the vapors in the air, boil water, freeze water....... If you know anything about D&D, Chibitan knows all the water/ice-based cantrips and level 1 spells. (I like to think that if it’s a spell in D&D, it’s a spell in Obey Me lol).

I wanted to give Herbert a cosplay-look to him, something Levi would fawn over, lol.

Satan: A unicorn surrounded by thorny roses, on the back of his right (dominant) hand. When you strike someone, you usually punch or backhand them (ignore open-palm smacks). His pact power utilizes strong emotions to buff him in different ways (think MP100, where you experience 100% sadness, or 100% happiness, etc). Happiness bolsters his offensive magical ability, sadness makes his curses stronger, anger boosts his speed and physical strength, fear gives him a higher constitution and defense, and love gives him the ability to heal.

I honestly didn’t know what to do here. Satan has no style, but he has the grace to make up for it. I think when I imagine wrath, I imagine the punk movement. Does that make sense?

Asmodeus: A scorpion surrounded by pink roses, on his left hip/thigh. Hahahahaha it’s on his most sensitive area lmao. (Asmo hates that it’s a scorpion hhhhhh bugs!) This pact grants him the ability to charm anyone and anything (to an extent). He isn’t as good as Asmo, but Herb can at least calm others’ emotions and befriend them. Herb would most likely use this on animals.

SEX APPEAL SEX APPEAL SEX APPEAL. At first, Herb just feels so exposed in this fit, but he kind of gets used to it over time. Kind of.

Beelzebub: A lion skull framed with triangles and teeth, in between his ribcage. Pretty obvious why I put it there. This pact makes Herbert the APEX PREDATOR. He can amplify his senses, speed, strength, and endurance. The pact can also give him the ability to see in the dark and reduce any brightness around him. He can’t eat like Beel, but he can fucking HUNT. Also, thanks to the canonical fact that Beel’s pact gives MC the ability to “conjure large gusts of wind”, Herb can use that to hide his scent.

Something sporty and energetic. Not exactly hunting attire, but this is “Fantasy Demon Land”, let me dress him in something a lil’ slutty okay...?

Belphegor: A fox sleeping in its den beneath a tree, on his left shin/ankle. When you’re being slothful, you’re fairly immobilized, so you don’t really get up and walk around. Herbert can use this pact to create a “telepathic” bond with someone he’s familiar with from far distances, in a similar sense to Beel and Bel’s twin telepathy, where instead of reading minds, he can feel another person’s emotional and physical experiences. He can also send similar feelings to others he’s bonded with, which is handy whenever he’s in danger.

Silk, plush, baggy, everything to make him comfy. Sometimes he wears these as regular PJs for when he wants to sleep in.

[ask-calico-jack]

I'm glad your "free rides" tattoo actually does say that. Even the incorrect ones probably just say something like "choose one of these designs" or "no refunds".

(One of my tattoos eternally bugs me a bit because it's just slightly wrong but I might be seeing it wrong: it's a peacock, and he's meant to be staring at his feather train with a look of "what the actual fuck is that" but to my eyes he turned out looking too calm. Can't decide whether it's worth getting his eye redone to stare wider, as he does look pretty classy as-is - he just doesn't quite convey the intended message of "bodies do some weird shit sometimes".)

Knowing the people that did my tattoos they said something like "Stanley Wuz Here" or "blowjobs: 20 Doubloons"

[autistic-sidestep]

ok so (ye old rambling in dani's server) i got inspired by the explanation on this fanart to look at maybe incorporating nazars (these things 🧿) into argos' design (symbolically) cos it's a really good fit?

so i hc sura had a nazar bracelet/pendant they were gifted or maybe found itself (its regene tats also feature eyes.) and immediately post hb ricardo would wear it almost daily to keep sura closer. (maybe eventually getting a very small tattoo...... ���)

as for the argos suit, the nazar's outer ring isn't always that shade of dark blue and have different meanings too. maybe it can be part of the panoptes' (argos' crew in the mob boss route, or for anarchist path) callsign to denote territory or a calling card called the apotropaion (Something that wards off evil; an amulet or magic charm) - cos it works as a warning sign when it's cracked (and yknow how sidestep is associated with broken mirrors/glass/shards), AND as a pun cos... -paion is almost like paon, french for peacock

something something peacock feathers and eyespots meant to deter predators through intimidation, and the feathers resemble the evil eye. and. dual-edgedness superstition around it of both bad and good luck (varies between cultures)

and also something abt peacock feathers onstage and theatre superstition cos we can't forget sura is a dramatic fuck

also the eyes around the heartbreak site in the patreon story!!! it's all connected babey,,,,

it's about the Eyes 🤌

[mytraumanarrative]

My First Love - 2014-2016

Written March 17, 2024

Around the same time, whether in class or also rugby, I met Mikaela. Mikaela stood same as me about 5’5” but pear-shaped with mosquito bite breasts and thighs that could kill a man. Her long, brunette hair was always up in the messiest bun, almost too messy, revealing her large gauged earlobes. To this day, she had some of the most beautiful, baby blue eyes I’ve ever seen in my life. Mikaela was a crass only child from California who’s loving parents were still married. If I recall correctly, she did technically have a half sister who was much older than her, but she was raised and still acted like an only child. She was also younger than most of us freshman. My first notable memory of Mikaela is the team wishing her a happy 18th birthday at practice one September evening. She had a long, colorful peacock feather tattooed across her forearm, and that somehow stands out to me still as a worthy symbol of her personality. Mikaela was loud and confident and swore like a sailor. She was also very experienced at rugby. Though I found this endearing and immediately attractive, as a freshman, her confidence in the game didn’t sit right with some of the other girls; it read as arrogance. 

Caylee, Mikaela, and I quickly became inseparable. Attending classes and practice together, studying and laughing late into the night. It was the first time in my life I felt like I had a core group of girls that did everything together and that was a really good feeling. I remember one late night, we were probably supposed to be studying but had reached the goofy point of the evening where nothing makes sense and every small thing sends the whole room into a laughing fit. There were two other girls with us, the five of us crammed into Caylee‘s dorm room; one on the beanbag chair, one on the floor, Caylee at her desk, and Mikaela and I perched on Caylee‘s lofted twin bed. 

I was caught off guard when Mikaela initiated some play fighting and pinned me down on the bed! I wasn’t used to being physical like that. Being raised in the church gave me a warped sense of acceptable touch and body space. Once in middle school, a friend and I had to use a practice room (basically a small closet with a piano) to complete a school project. Later in high school, we both came out as gay, but at the time being a seemingly straight boy and straight girl in a small room alone gave me a sense of inherent wrongness, intense guilt, and panic that we might “get caught.” I remember, noticing my friend didn’t share the same fear. This is the first time I realized that I viewed closeness differently than some. 

So Mikaela has me pinned on the bed, and there’s a moment where the joke was over and releasing me would have been organic. But for a few moments longer than was natural, she held me there, my body beneath hers, our eyes locked, playful smiles remaining on us both. It was quick but it was significant. And just as quickly, she let me free. As I picked myself up, I awkwardly chuckled and looked around the room to see if our moment had been as private as I hoped it had. She hid it well at the time, but later in life, Caylee would tell me it had not. I felt both embarrassed and enthralled. The kicker here is that Mikaela was self-proclaimed 100% straight. Having played rugby for much of her life and being, well, her, she had been assumed gay more than once, which bothered her. But that sustained eye contact with my breasts pressed beneath hers was not heterosexual behavior, to say the least.

As a young lesbian, chasing straight girls is inherently exciting. I think we grow out of it as we age (thank god) but being someone’s gay awakening feels like a badge of honor, a queer ego boost. And the heartbreak that comes from chasing straight girls feels more like an inevitable, impersonal heartbreak. Maybe that’s somehow easier to face. For the next few months life went on and Mikaela and I built a genuine friendship. I felt truly honored. My flirtations continued, testing the limits of just how blatantly I could hit on her before the gay panic took us both. It was a subtle exhilaration. But now she was on her own journey of self discovery, one that couldn’t be rushed. I shook up every piece of her sexuality which she had so vehemently defended, and that’s a scary thing. It takes time. 

One late night after studying in Mikaela‘s dorm (or drinking, or both), we decided it was best I stay the night instead of walking back to my dorm across campus. Her roommate was almost never home which meant there was a spare bed available. Yet we still chose to share her twin mattress. We started out butt-to-butt and with casual shifts, as if to innocently find a comfortable position, we found ourselves facing one another, her arm under my neck. My heart was racing and I could feel and hear my breath quicken. I wondered if she noticed and if she felt the same way. I don’t remember who made the first move, but suddenly we were kissing. Slow at first, but soon exploding into sloppy, teeth-knocking, moaning kisses. I still remember what it felt like to be on top of her. I had wanted this for so long, and it was truly an honor to be her first in this way, in this body. I also gave her her first orgasm! As she had only ever slept with mediocre, cis men, she had never had one before. As she got close, her moaning turned to panicked laughter which she later told me was because she thought she was either going to piss or die. The next morning I snuck out down the back stairwell. We were so loud that her dorm hall mates would tease her for the foreseeable future all the while never knowing it was me, not even when I moved into the room across from hers in the coming weeks. This was somewhere near finals week and leading into Christmas break. For a while we didn’t talk about it much except for checking in. “I hope that was okay!” “It was more than okay.” And in the best way, nothing changed between us. She went home for the three weeks of Christmas break while I stayed in our college town for most of the holidays. 

Throughout this time, my pursuit of Sara continued. Sara had an on-again off-again girlfriend, a sorority sister of hers who would frequently break it off, or was too afraid to commit, or some other reason Sara would come up with in the moment to make sense of things when I would ask. Which I did ask that one night in January when she came back from Christmas break a few days early. This was the first night we had sex.

Over Christmas break I moved dorms to be closer to Mikaela, across the hall and over one. (Gay.) we were still “just friends” but the feelings were there. Sara and I sat on my lofted twin bed, much like the one that Michaela had tackled me on that one night. I don’t remember how it got started, but I remember the lights were so bright, and neither of us took our shirts off. It was honestly pretty awkward and weird. Afterward, she left. For a bit we didn’t talk much after that. My feelings for Mikaela had started to pick up and her interest in me was becoming more obvious. When it came down to it, between that drive to heal Sara and the genuine desire to be loved by Mikaela, who I still believe truly saw me, my heart won. 

Mikaela and I started dating shortly after that at the end of January 2015. We were so in love. Near Valentine’s Day, she came out to her parents. She was so afraid but she did it anyway, for me, for us. Her parents were accepting which was not a surprise, but still a huge relief. If this ever becomes more than a nameless, faceless blog on a rapidly declining social media site, Mikaela will get more than one chapter. Mikaela deserves her own damn book. We dated for only a year and a half, living together for the better part of it. The end of it was ugly. We made many mistakes that, in hindsight, I believe contributed to our demise.

One of those mistakes being living together so soon. We had signed a lease as friends before we became more. Actually, we signed a lease with Caylee but when Caylee‘s parents found out Mikaela and I were gay, they told her that they wouldn’t help pay for her portion of the rent if she lived with us. So she didn’t. At the time this felt unforgivable and ended our friendship. But of course as I write this now at age 27, I understand. The summer before we moved in together I went to California to stay with Mikaela and her parents for three months (another mistake). I didn’t like her mom and I pitied her dad, and I put Mikaela right in the middle of it. During that time, Mikaela went on a three week backpacking trip around Europe with her cousin. I was jealous, I was insecure, and I was needy. I wasn’t fair and she wasn’t nice.

Mikaela and I fought a lot throughout our time together but I still think of her so fondly. We yelled, drank, partied, studied, played house, argued, sang at the top of our lungs, traveled, fucked. Fucked a lot. All of it hard and all of it good. We were so young, barely 18 and 19, and having our first taste of real independence. Mikaela had her flaws too. She was rude to my mom, had a temper, held a grudge, didn’t mind leaving a big mess for waitstaff at restaurants, didn’t put her grocery cart back. She had a hard time sharing. When we lived together, she made us all buy our own spices. We had three of everything each with our initials on the caps. I, on the other hand, was far too eager to play house and operate as one collective human. This was also around the time my anxiety started to get really bad. Textbook anxious attachment anyone?! I cried a lot, guilt-tripped, sought attention in childish ways, picked fights, and didn’t advocate for my needs by any remotely healthy manner. We were both just so young with so much growth to do and no idea how. 

But we were truly-deeply-madly in love, and I will always think of her in this way. Mikaela lives on the opposite side of the country now with a long-term boyfriend. I wish now that I could be her friend. Maybe if we had met at a different time in our lives, or if our paths ever cross again (though I am polyamorous and she is not), things might have been different for us. Nonetheless I will always be grateful for the time we had and I wish her all the best.

Another one of my fatal mistakes with Mikaela was my never ending ties with Sara. Unlike me, Mikaela saw right through Sara and didn’t put up with any of her manipulative bullshit. We were all rugby teammates, so Sara was inevitably still around, and even though I didn’t believe I had feelings for her, my obsession with rescuing her had a death grip on me. The cycle would go like this: Sara and I start talking, she guilt trips me for choosing Mikaela, she makes it about her “not being enough,” I play savior and try to convince her she is good enough, I get mad/Mikaela gets mad, Mikaela says “I told you so,” I block Sara. But I always end up unblocking her and starting the cycle again. So much so that I begin hiding it from Mikaela. Only sometimes, not always. Because at the time, I had convinced myself that I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Because “I don’t actually have feelings for her!” And maybe I did, maybe I didn’t, but looking back whatever those feelings were, it certainly wasn’t love. Instead it was some sort of desperation, born from some sort of savior complex, fueled by some very strategic moves on her part. But whatever it was, hiding it was wrong and I knew it.



[ferinehuntressmoved]

☾ *  ― Baroness Caitlyn has a meeting with Chem Baron Finn, and it doesn't go according to his plan.

The Baroness sat in her little coffee shop, in the far corner of a plush dark blue leather seat. Her legs crossed, as her finger tapped lightly against the back of the seat. She didn't need a shower of gold, or people around her to elude the sense of power she displayed. Her arms spread out like a pair of wings, and the tapping of metal talons on her pointer finger displays her predatory nature despite her origins in Piltovan blood. Most people were completely unaware of her Ionian history, and she liked to keep it that way. However, her face displayed a fashion of boredom, her lips pursed with eyes narrowed on the preening yellow jacket of the chem-baron before her. "Bold, Finn, marching into my territory as if you own the place,"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A tilt of her head came just slightly as she watched Finn's walk. Heavy steps, stretching out his legs like a false predator. Stretching out his jacket like peacock feathers as he settled down in a chair across from Caitlyn and she pointed her finger. "Close enough," She threatened a hint of danger on the tip of her tongue. The false bravado of the man came with a smile as he leaned forward, arms against his knees as he twisted the lighter in his hand. A slickjaw, golden lines to enhance his 'display' of his power. Even his tattoos meant to give him a bigger display of danger yet a peacock's feathers, like his markings, were all display and no action. Every mark meant to make him look dangerous. The tattoo of kill emboldened on his chest, the hyena on his neck. She wondered if Finn realized that Male hyenas had absolutely no power. Male hyenas were hated by the females, and the females were often aggressive and cruel to males. A male hyena can not dominate a female hyena, and she had no problem displaying that here in this moment.

"I think, you and I should have a talk, Caitlyn," Immediately Caitlyn's hair prickled against the back of her neck as she grabbed her cane and pressed it up against Finn's chest.

"Baroness. Make the mistake again to informally calling me by my name again, and I'll carve it into your chest," Caitlyn threatened, refusing to get on friendly terms with the prick. Finn let out a chuckle, as if amused by her behavior yet Caitlyn knew she had power in this room; Finn's arrogance could only go so far to protect him. He was on her territory, she could easily kill him right now for walking into her place without a formal invitation. However, he had a use, one that she would not take away from Silco. Finn was the garbage boy, and she enjoyed the amusement of watching him clean up the messes. "I would prefer to be on friendly terms, you and I have a lot in common; despite your unfortunate origin," Low blow. Caitlyn just smiled as she crossed her legs, bouncing her foot lightly.

"Speak plainly, Finn, I do not have time for flamboyant conversations," She spoke, another couple of taps from her talon pointer finger. A quiet yet subtle threat. Finn waved his hand a little annoyed but leaned back up and gave a nod. "I'm offering a hand of partnership. You never know when things change down here, Baroness, in a brief span of hours, the change of leadership can happen," Caitlyn didn't react, but she could tell Finn trying to make her fearful, cornered, perhaps trying to make her desperate to seek out partnerships. If she did that, it would continue to make her look weak. Unlike Finn, Caitlyn knew she held more power than what Finn knew. Picking up a cigarette, he placed it in his mouth and lit the end of it, taking his time. "You would do well to have me as an ally, rather than an enemy,"

A little smile touched Caitlyn's lips as she tilted her head. "Feeling threatened?" Caitlyn quieted, letting Finn pause as he pulled the cigarette from his lips. "What do you imply, Baroness," Caitlyn gave a small shrug as she stood up, the heels of her boots clicking against the ground as everyone went silent in the cafe. The barista behind the counter stopped cleaning the cup and took a step back, a couple in the corner froze mid-eating a cupcake and eyes on Caitlyn. The entire room silent and focused on the Chem-Baroness. Power eluded from her walk, slow and steady as she started to walk around Finn and she placed a hand on his shoulder, digging her talon pointer finger against him. "I'm implying that you are the one looking for allies, not me," She whispered and leaned over his shoulder, leaning closer toward his exposed neck and a whisper in his ear.

Finn tensed under her hands and growled, and all Caitlyn could do was smile. "Be careful what you say, your actions speak more than your words, Finn. I don't need you, and you should count yourself lucky that I don't rip out your throat right now. Now, on the term of allies," Caitlyn said, letting go of his shoulder and walking the rest of the way around him, stalking him like a wolf as she was back in front of him. "I'll send a message your way if I ever need your services. But next time you want to speak, you better send a runner. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill you. In fact, I know a couple of people who would quite enjoy to feast on your blood," Caitlyn spoke and before Finn could speak Caitlyn lifted her hand to stop him.

"Leave. We're through. Take your ruffled feathers and get out of my territory before I unleash my people on you," Caitlyn demanded, her icy blue eyes narrowed on him as Finn let out a growl before laughing.

"Big mistake, Baroness. Remember, you need friends down here, we all know a Piltie can't make it in these harsh streets," Caitlyn allowed a cruel smile to touch her lips.

"Oh Finn, it's cute when you try to scare me. You have nothing to say that I haven't heard already. Now tuck your pretty little feathers and go on," She said, as she saw the disgruntled look in the chem-baron as he walked out of the cafe. Caitlyn turned toward one of her henchmen and tilted her head. "Make sure he leaves, I don't want to see him in our streets without invitation," Caitlyn said, as the brawler of a man tipped his head and immediately walked out with three others behind him. A little soft sigh left her lips as she walked to the counter and the barista had already made up a cup of chai for her. Taking it, she took a sip and sat back down on her couch. "He's getting scared, he's going to make a move," She whispered to herself and smirked. She wondered what had set him off to start looking for allies. She would have to tell Silco about this, she would be sure he would find the information most illuminating.

[kazscrows]

Six of Crows Reread 🪶

Chapter 28: Inej

Kaz was watching her intently, his bitter coffee eyes glittering in the light from the dome.

The classic Kanej stare

You can’t tell me he’s not worried about her-

I’m sorry but the thought of Kaz and Matthias even trying to blend in with the Menagerie is hilarious

But of course Kaz has a different plan

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” said Kaz. “Helvar’s been holding out on us.”

“Have you?” asked Inej.

“It’s not—” Matthias dragged a hand over his cropped hair. “How do you know these things, demjin?” he growled at Kaz.

Because he’s ✨Kaz✨

I love when Matthias calls him demjin

And of course Kaz’s plan involves going back on just about everything of his original plan

The man has plans A-Z in his head, but none of them are simple

Jesper held up a hand. “I’m sorry, isn’t Black Protocol the thing we want to avoid at all costs?”

 I can just hear Kit saying this really well for some reason

Probably because in season 1 he says something vaguely similar like “You want us to get on that skiff??? The one full of people who, oh right, want to kill us—“

Kaz gazed out at the White Island, head tilted, eyes slightly unfocused.

“Scheming face,” Inej murmured.

Jesper nodded.

“Definitely.”

I am once again here for Jesper and Inej’s friendship and Kaz’s scheming face

Inej thinks about how she’s going to miss his face because she’s decided on hunting slavers-

“I’m all for locking the Fjerdans in their own ‘fortress’,” said Jesper. “Truly. But how do we get out? Once we trigger Black Protocol, you guys will be trapped on that island, and we’ll be trapped in the outer circle. We have no weapons and no demo materials.”

Kaz’s grin was sharp as a razor. “Thank goodness we’re proper thieves. We’re going to do a little shopping – “

That grin is going to kill me someday—

Inej upon receiving the peacock feather tattoo again:

Inej took a deep breath. “It’s warpaint,” she said, both to Nina and herself. “It’s my mark to take.”

The knowledge that they might never see each other again, that some of them – maybe all of them – might not survive this night hung heavy in the air. A gambler, a convict, a wayward son, a lost Grisha, a Suli girl who had become a killer, a boy from the Barrel who had become something worse.

Classic classic line

And hey- they do all make it through book one–

Oh Jesper just said the open casket line—

I never know how I feel about the show using quotes early.. it’s fun, but also kind of disappointing?

Like Jesper can’t say that again if we ever get the ice court adapted…

But on the other hand it was quite fitting where they placed it in season one

The StrUGgLe—

Anyways….

Get ready for a lot of Kanej

You can just assume I’m the equivalent of a keyboard slam for the next several quotes

“I have something for you,” she said as she pulled his leather gloves from the sleeve of her prison tunic.

He stared at them. “How—”

“I got them from the discarded clothes. Before I made the climb.”

“Six storeys in the dark.”

She nodded. She wasn’t going to wait for thanks. Not for the climb, or the gloves, or for anything ever again.

He pulled the gloves on slowly, and she watched his pale, vulnerable hands disappear beneath the leather. They were trickster hands –

“When we get back to Ketterdam, I’m taking my share, and I’m leaving the Dregs.”

He looked away. “You should. You were always too good for the Barrel.”

It was time to go. “Saints’ speed, Kaz.”

Kaz snagged her wrist. “Inej.” His gloved thumb moved over her pulse, traced the top of the feather tattoo. “If we don’t make it out, I want you to know …”

Gaahh say something Kaz!!!

The heart is an arrow

She reached up and touched his cheek. She thought he might flinch again, even knock her hand away. In nearly two years of battling side by side with Kaz, of late-night scheming, impossible heists, clandestine errands, and harried meals of fried potatoes and hutspot gobbled down as they rushed from one place to another, this was the first time she had touched him skin to skin, without the barrier of gloves or coat or shirtsleeve. She let her hand cup his cheek. His skin was cool and damp from the rain. He stayed still, but she saw a tremor pass through him, as if he were waging a war with himself.

“If we don’t survive this night, I will die unafraid, Kaz. Can you say the same?”

His eyes were nearly black, the pupils dilated. She could see it took every last bit of his terrible will for him to remain still beneath her touch. And yet, he did not pull away. She knew it was the best he could offer. It was not enough.

You’re right Inej. It’s not enough

But give him time

I think you’ll find him ready one day

Go sail the world and take on the slavers but maybe come back and check on him every now and then

He’s changing too

You also just short circuited his brain

She had her aim now, her heart had direction, and though it hurt to know that path led away from him, she could endure it.

But is it really aimed away?

Truly?

Maybe it goes straight through him—

Connecting you together…

—————————————————————

“Inej looked down at the wolves chasing each other around the rotunda floor. “I’m not sure why I began this,” she admitted. “But I know why I have to finish. I know why fate brought me here, why it placed me in the path of this prize.”

She was being vague, but she wasn’t yet ready to speak the dream that had ignited in her heart – a crew of her own, a ship under her command, a crusade. It felt like something that was meant to be kept secret, a new seed that might grow to something extraordinary if it wasn’t forced to bloom too soon. She didn’t even know how to sail.

Hm… what if the diamond necklace Heleen wears will be replaced by the necklace Alina gave Kaz in the show?

Poor Nina. No one can move as gracefully at the Wraith

A lot of this chapter is just Nina tumbling from air vents

Inej tying up the other Suli girl-

Oh gosh…

Nina smoothed her hands over the ridiculous costume. “I’m about to be very popular.”

“I wonder what Matthias would have to say about that outfit.”

“He wouldn’t approve.”

“He doesn’t approve of anything about you. But when you laugh, he perks up like a tulip in fresh water.”

Nina snorted. “Matthias the tulip.”

“The big, brooding, yellow tulip.”

Bless Nina for making this moment so ridiculous Inej can’t dwell on it for too long

But then of course they get separated

First | Previous | Next

[movedtoferinehuntress]

☾ *  ―― Baroness Caitlyn has a meeting with Chem Baron Finn, and it doesn't go according to his plan.

The Baroness sat in her little coffee shop, in the far corner of a plush dark blue leather seat. Her legs crossed, as her finger tapped lightly against the back of the seat. She didn't need a shower of gold, or people around her to elude the sense of power she displayed. Her arms spread out like a pair of wings, and the tapping of metal talons on her pointer finger displays her predatory nature despite her origins in Piltovan blood. Most people were completely unaware of her Ionian history, and she liked to keep it that way. However, her face displayed a fashion of boredom, her lips pursed with eyes narrowed on the preening yellow jacket of the chem-baron before her. "Bold, Finn, marching into my territory as if you own the place,"

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A tilt of her head came just slightly as she watched Finn's walk. Heavy steps, stretching out his legs like a false predator. Stretching out his jacket like peacock feathers as he settled down in a chair across from Caitlyn and she pointed her finger. "Close enough," She threatened a hint of danger on the tip of her tongue. The false bravado of the man came with a smile as he leaned forward, arms against his knees as he twisted the lighter in his hand. A slickjaw, golden lines to enhance his 'display' of his power. Even his tattoos meant to give him a bigger display of danger yet a peacock's feathers, like his markings, were all display and no action. Every mark meant to make him look dangerous. The tattoo of kill emboldened on his chest, the hyena on his neck. She wondered if Finn realized that Male hyenas had absolutely no power. Male hyenas were hated by the females, and the females were often aggressive and cruel to males. A male hyena can not dominate a female hyena, and she had no problem displaying that here in this moment.

"I think, you and I should have a talk, Caitlyn," Immediately Caitlyn's hair prickled against the back of her neck as she grabbed her cane and pressed it up against Finn's chest.

"Baroness. Make the mistake again to informally calling me by my name again, and I'll carve it into your chest," Caitlyn threatened, refusing to get on friendly terms with the prick. Finn let out a chuckle, as if amused by her behavior yet Caitlyn knew she had power in this room; Finn's arrogance could only go so far to protect him. He was on her territory, she could easily kill him right now for walking into her place without a formal invitation. However, he had a use, one that she would not take away from Silco. Finn was the garbage boy, and she enjoyed the amusement of watching him clean up the messes. "I would prefer to be on friendly terms, you and I have a lot in common; despite your unfortunate origin," Low blow. Caitlyn just smiled as she crossed her legs, bouncing her foot lightly.

"Speak plainly, Finn, I do not have time for flamboyant conversations," She spoke, another couple of taps from her talon pointer finger. A quiet yet subtle threat. Finn waved his hand a little annoyed but leaned back up and gave a nod. "I'm offering a hand of partnership. You never know when things change down here, Baroness, in a brief span of hours, the change of leadership can happen," Caitlyn didn't react, but she could tell Finn trying to make her fearful, cornered, perhaps trying to make her desperate to seek out partnerships. If she did that, it would continue to make her look weak. Unlike Finn, Caitlyn knew she held more power than what Finn knew. Picking up a cigarette, he placed it in his mouth and lit the end of it, taking his time. "You would do well to have me as an ally, rather than an enemy,"

A little smile touched Caitlyn's lips as she tilted her head. "Feeling threatened?" Caitlyn quieted, letting Finn pause as he pulled the cigarette from his lips. "What do you imply, Baroness," Caitlyn gave a small shrug as she stood up, the heels of her boots clicking against the ground as everyone went silent in the cafe. The barista behind the counter stopped cleaning the cup and took a step back, a couple in the corner froze mid-eating a cupcake and eyes on Caitlyn. The entire room silent and focused on the Chem-Baroness. Power eluded from her walk, slow and steady as she started to walk around Finn and she placed a hand on his shoulder, digging her talon pointer finger against him. "I'm implying that you are the one looking for allies, not me," She whispered and leaned over his shoulder, leaning closer toward his exposed neck and a whisper in his ear.

Finn tensed under her hands and growled, and all Caitlyn could do was smile. "Be careful what you say, your actions speak more than your words, Finn. I don't need you, and you should count yourself lucky that I don't rip out your throat right now. Now, on the term of allies," Caitlyn said, letting go of his shoulder and walking the rest of the way around him, stalking him like a wolf as she was back in front of him. "I'll send a message your way if I ever need your services. But next time you want to speak, you better send a runner. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to kill you. In fact, I know a couple of people who would quite enjoy to feast on your blood," Caitlyn spoke and before Finn could speak Caitlyn lifted her hand to stop him.

"Leave. We're through. Take your ruffled feathers and get out of my territory before I unleash my people on you," Caitlyn demanded, her icy blue eyes narrowed on him as Finn let out a growl before laughing.

"Big mistake, Baroness. Remember, you need friends down here, we all know a Piltie can't make it in these harsh streets," Caitlyn allowed a cruel smile to touch her lips.

"Oh Finn, it's cute when you try to scare me. You have nothing to say that I haven't heard already. Now tuck your pretty little feathers and go on," She said, as she saw the disgruntled look in the chem-baron as he walked out of the cafe. Caitlyn turned toward one of her henchmen and tilted her head. "Make sure he leaves, I don't want to see him in our streets without invitation," Caitlyn said, as the brawler of a man tipped his head and immediately walked out with three others behind him. A little soft sigh left her lips as she walked to the counter and the barista had already made up a cup of chai for her. Taking it, she took a sip and sat back down on her couch. "He's getting scared, he's going to make a move," She whispered to herself and smirked. She wondered what had set him off to start looking for allies. She would have to tell Silco about this, she would be sure he would find the information most illuminating.

[dent-de-leon]

Thinking about animated Mighty Nein again, and—I want to see that moment when we get a glimpse of all of Molly’s tattoos and scars for the first time. And in the campaign that’s the bathhouse, when Molly is at his most comfortable, the Nine Eyes hidden away in the coils of a snake and vibrant feathers. Lucien’s scars never mattered to him, and it’s really only the tattoos that the rest of the party are interested in.

But then there’s also that one moment very early on that always stuck with me, in episode 2. When Caleb just looks at Molly and says softly, “You have a lot of scars.” Because he knows what that’s like, of course he knows. And Molly can see the bandages Caleb always keeps his arms and past wrapped up in.

I think it really says something about Molly. Not only that he brushes off the comment so easily--"That's a very funny story, actually"--but the fact that he doesn't mention Caleb's own scars. He knows what it's like to run and hide, desperate to leave the past behind. And he understands Caleb's pain, more than either of them could ever know. Missing memories. The fire. Their scars and ghosts that won't let them go--

Thinking of Molly just relaxing in the bathhouse, perfectly content, indulging in the warmth and comfort and luxury. The rest of the Nein admiring his tattoos, the flashy peacock feathers and delicate flowers, a beautiful moon shining beside the sun. The eerie red Eyes. But then maybe there's a moment when Caleb's gaze drifts to Molly's scars, to the signs of a harrowing past that he'll always carry. And he realizes they aren't so different after all--