#the immediate kinship i felt for this man

[takemetodragonstone]

you can just say autistic, it’s okay

[j-onedrabbles]

What do you think about Stray Kids and partner privileges, what do they let their partner get away with the other members can't? This keeps me up at night I won't lie to you

Hmmmmm good question lovely. Here are my thoughts;

wc: 0.7k

Chan ♡ chan definitely let's you get away with distracting him from work. He knows you’re really just trying to get him to take a break and take care of himself, but he rarely listens to anyone else when they do that. You could walk over to him when he’s busy working on a track and just pull the headphones off him, don't forget to kiss his cheek too! “Break time baby.”

He’ll immediately pull you down into his lap and cuddle up with you. He may try and keep working but the way you're giving him little kisses when you see him go for the computer mouse has him stopping and just loving on you until he moves you guys over to the bed.

Lee Know ♡ partner privileges with Lee Know are pretty much the same as Han privileges with him. Just a lot more kisses and cuddle than Han gets.

literally whatever you want from this man, at anytime, it’s yours. there's times where he will quite literally drop everything for you too, even if he's working. He will figure out a way to get you want you want or be where you need him to be

Changbin ♡ you could get away with getting him not to go to the gym. But even then, he'll opt to just take you with him and you just watch until he's done with his work out— he will smother you in sweaty kiss and hugs after though.

But if you're staying over and he plans to go to the gym, just through some puppy dog eyes and pouty lips his way and he'll do it later. His baby is more important than some weights, same thing if he's staying over at yours. Cuddle > gym when he's with you

Hyunjin ♡ jewelry sharing. He has so much omg. But he thinks it's cute when you ask if you can barrow a necklace just because you think it would good with you're outfit that day.

At some point would offer a piece of jewelry when you felt like your outfit was missing something. He'd take one look and just now he has a piece that would be perfect. Also just finds it a little funny when you guys are out and someone compliments his jewelry on you.

Han ♡ drink sharing. Man loves his americano's. My lord. I don't think he would share his coffee with anyone but if you asked for a sip, he could never say no. As long as you give him a kiss after!

It would be any drink too, especially if it was something you didn't drink often and just wanted to try that he had, he doesn't mind. Just random every day things when you're just parched enough for one sip of something and he just happens to have a drink. He'll share a little.

Felix ♡ video games! man's possessive of his computer probably—i mean, he did build it himself. It would probably start with just sitting on his lap while he plays then him asking you if you want a turn.

Even if you aren't good at whatever he's playing, he'll teach you. Always will offer you to go a round when you're hanging out and he was playing before you showed up. Find's games you could play together too! Might even offer to build you your own pc if you want

Seungmin ♡ clothes! I don't him really sharing his clothes with any one but his s/o. But he loves when you ask to borrow a shirt or a sweater from him. He will help you style it too.

He will sit there for hours with you planning out outfits for you. Maybe he'll even base it around a piece of jewelry you had. He's always offering a shirt, sweater, jacket, or whatever of his. Has so much fun with it

I.N ♡ You are the only person he willingly cuddle with. Rejects the guys all the time but you? He's just as clingy as the rest of the guys. Always wanting to hold onto you somehow.

Comes home to you and lays his head on your chest and hugs your waist. The first time it happened, the guys were really confused but gradually got used to it, thinking their maknae was starting to actually like kinship. After an attempt of trying to kiss his cheek and him shoving them away, they figured it was just because it was you

taglist: @junebug032 @the-sweetest-rose @hanjingin @hyunjinshairband01 @miintmochii @ohish @changbinisabigboy @dreamingaboutjisung @tattywood @stepout-09-15 @cello--190 @just-randomm-stuff @greysweaters @hazyspirts @mhasimp666 @slay-and-gay @smally97 @bloom4yu @itstorimf @linoyouknow @fjseung @jungsodesjoyyy @jjwhorehouse @carinathefairy @litepowee @babyphotos @inniecore @jeonginssa @dolceem @stvrfir3 @tasteskz-sworld @ultimatestayandminoronce @seungincore @tinyelfperson @greyyeti @dimpledsatan @camixiez @chansbabygirlsstuff @thatlonelyalto @hopefulrascalstatesmantoad @donut-crazs @meloryme @rubyshoedpixie @cecepop15 @punks-rad @somsungiex @mcratyomama @lilylouise @stayconnecteed @kiko-o-luck @hyunjinswifeee @red-airhead @niaalove @emyferra08 @lovesunshinefelix @bunniieesstuff @enhaskzbtstxtsvt @nandinxoxo @producedbyy3racha @squiishymeow @luvrhyune 

[dyingswanpavlova]

My secret obsession - Pt. 1 || 》 Aemond Targaryen 《

pairing: Aemond Targaryen, sister!reader

warnings: incest between siblings (implied)

summary: Aemond's younger sister is secretly in love with him.

The thing that hurt me the most was probably that he did not belong to me. A constant reminder of the painful truth that broke my heart every day all over again.

All I could do was silently observe from the sidelines.

His face was the most beautiful piece of art and it was engraved so deep in my memory, that I would see it whenever I closed my eyes.

His voice was...silk. Honey. Sweetness.

But at the same time he was so manly.

The was no man in the whole realm who could keep up with him. His abilities were beyond compare and so was everything else about him. Many people feared him because he had the biggest dragon. Others loathed him for his ability to be resentful for...well, forever.

I did not.

In my eyes, he was perfect. He was everything.

"Did you hear what I said, sister?"

My head snapped up and I stared at Aegon in confusion.

"What?" I muttered absentmindedly.

He groaned in annoyance.

"You have not been paying attention again." He said so slowly that it was almost offensive. I shook my head and shrugged.

"Forgive me. I was distracted. What did you say?"

Aegon shot me a suspicious look and I immediately knew I was in for a questioning. I suppressed the urge to sigh. Or flee.

"You have been distracted quite a lot lately." He said thoughtfully. "What are you so dreamy about?"

I rolled my eyes. "People tend to think, Aegon, even if you do not."

Aemond was currently swinging his sword at Criston Cole. It did not take him longer than two minutes to defeat him. Again.

I let my gaze wander along the training yard. Despite Aegon's rather weak attempts at perceptiveness, there were some things he was good at reading.

I was one of them.

I did not need to look at him to see the lazy smirk that slowly plastered across his face.

"Thinking, hm? And what is it you are so thinky about?" He raised a brow and ruffled my hair.

I rolled my eyes again and gave him a quick shove.

"None of your business."

His smirk widened and he brought his face down so he could whisper in my ear.

"I think I know the answer. And I think it indeed is part of my business, considering our kinship."

"Aegon, do not dare-"

"Do you think I am blind, sweet sister? I see the way you look at him."

My face flushed so hard it was bordering on painful.

"You know noth-"

"In fact." He interrupted me, feigning thoughtfulness. "I think everyone knows it."

"Aegon, shut up!"

He laughed and raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Aw, come on. I am your big brother after all. Who is going to tease you if not me?"

I kept my gaze glued to the ground firmly. Suddenly I felt extremely uneasy. Nauseous even.

Aegon seemed to notice my discomfort and his eyes softened. He tipped my chin up with his index finger. I tried to look away but he made me look up anyway.

"It is more than mere infatuation, is it not?" He asked softly.

I looked down and remained silent. Infatuation. What a ridiculous word. No, I was not infatuated with Aemond. I was starstruck, I was obsessed, I was insane.

I swallowed thickly and nodded, unable to meet his gaze. The pavement was suddenly very interesting.

"Does he know?"

My head snapped up and my eyes widened in horror.

"No! No, Aegon, you cannot-"

He placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it.

"Calm down. I will not tell him."

I took a shaky breath and nodded. "Thank you." I muttered.

Aegon shrugged and returned his gaze to Aemond, who was currently busy tackling Ser Criston to the ground. That drew a smirk from Aegon. Aemond was better than him.

Aemond was better than anyone.

"You should tell him." He said suddenly.

"No." I said firmly and without hesitation.

Aegon snorted and shook his head. "Are you so sure that he does not feel the same for you?"

I swallowed and shook my head. "Even if he did. It is futile. Mother did not betroth us. She betrothed you and Helaena years ago. If she wanted me to marry Aemond-"

"She only betrothed us, because she holds on to the ridiculous thought that I will be king one day." Aegon said calmly. "Aemond needs a wife. And you most certainly need a husband."

I frowned and shot him a glare.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It simply means that nothing goes against you and Aemond together."

Was it really that simple? But then again...

Aemond was currently helping Criston back up, before he shot a nonchalant look at Luke. The tension was thick, but he would not act on it. Not yet. Aemond was not one to act recklessly. But he was one for retaliation.

Everything in the right time.

"He does not love me." I said quietly.

"How do you know?"

"He never...showed..."

"And did you?" Aegon raised a teasing brow.

I shot him a helpless look. "That's different."

"Oh, yeah? And why?"

I knew no answer to that. But a part of me was so mortified to find out the truth, that I preferred dying without ever finding out.

"You are not even in love with him. You are obsessed."

I gasped in shock.

"What?" I said in a choked whisper.

He nodded. "I can see it in your eyes. You would die for him."

"I would die for you, too, idiot. Or for Helaena. We are family."

Aegon let out a mirthless chuckle and crossed his arms infront of his chest. I hated it when he got smartassy like that.

"That is not what I mean and you know it."

"Aegon, shut your-"

"Sister. Brother."

I froze and swallowed before I looked up and met Aemond's intense gaze.

"You defeated Ser Criston." I said in a breathless voice. Aegon snorted. I would have gladly pushed him off a cliff, was there a cliff anywhere nearby.

Aemond nodded once.

"He taught me well." Was all he had to say.

We stood there in an awkward silence, before he cleared his throat.

"I shall go and get myself ready for dinner." He finally said and shot me a soft look. "Shall I take you to your chambers on my way?"

I was already about to respond, when Aegon pushed me and I crashed into Aemond's steel hard chest. He immediately wrapped his arms around me to steady me and looked at our older brother with increduloucy.

"You better, brother. I was just about to try my luck with Criston." Aegon said innocently. I glared at him before he vanished further into the training yard.

Aemond's hand lingered for a moment longer on my back and I tried not to look too affected.

"Are you alright?" He asked in that sweet voice. I forced a smile and nodded.

"Aegon was just being an idiot. As per usual." I muttered as he started walking me back towards my chambers.

"What did you talk about? You seemed agitated."

You seemed agitated.

He had paid attention? While engaging in a sword fight with our most skilled knight?

"He was merely being his annoying self. Nothing in particular." I muttered.

He was silent for a while. He had his hand on the small of my back while we walked. I tried my hardest to keep a straight back and appear like the effortlessly perfect princess I was supposed to be. As effortlessly perfect as he was. But for some reason it just got harder and harder for me.

"You were really good. The way you feinted to attack him, but then spun around and made him fall was splendid. The look on his face was priceless. He told me how proud he is of you the other day."

Aemond raised a brow in surprise. "You saw that?"

I tried my best not to blush as I nodded.

"You know that I have been watching you train for years." I smirked and added: "I have been watching Aegon as well, but after a while it got boring to watch Criston constantly beat him. It was like watching the same fight over and over again."

Aemond let out a rare chuckle.

"I get your point."

After a moment, he added: "Did you read the book I gave you?"

"The philosophy one?"

He nodded. I nodded as well.

"I did not know being would be considered such a fragile thing. But considering how quickly life finds its end, it should not have surprised me so much."

He smiled. It was subtle. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

"It is indeed. The metaphor with the flower reminded me of you."

"Me?" I spun around in surprise. "Why?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "You, too, seem to need other people around you to some degree, but you prefer the solitude of your own mind. Soliture and tranquility." After a moment, he said in a softer voice: "I am like that."

I looked at him thoughtfully.

"That could be applied to many people though."

He smirked softly. "Also, it reminded me of that book you read when you were younger."

"Ah, yes. The secret flower language." I smiled. "You remember that?"

"Mhm." He hummed softly. "Of course. You spent hours and hours explaining each flower to me and what they meant."

I bit my lip and shook my head. "Forgive me for the inconvenience."

His head spun around so quickly that he looked very unlike himself. "What are you apologizing for?"

"I thought...Well, I thought..."

"I was fascinated. Not annoyed." He said quietly. I blinked slowly, then my lips twitched into a soft smile.

"Oh."

He shook his head and smiled as well. A moment later we reached my chamber door. I looked up at him only to realize he was staring at me.

After a long moment, I said: "What?"

"You look pretty."

Without hesitation, I blushed furiously. And of course, instead of being a gentleman and ignoring it, he had to smirk knowingly.

"Can you not even handle a little compliment without blushing?"

I rolled my eyes, but I smiled, still blushing.

"Not from you." When I realized how that sounded, I quickly added: "You are my brother after all, how genuine can your compliment be then?"

He shook his head and sighed.

"I will see you at dinner." He said, reached out his hand and gently touched my cheek. Seemingly nonchalant and trivial, but my heart was pounding wildly in my chest. Every touch of his felt like the short, delicate moment of being ice, seconds away from melting. And then you are no longer ice, but water. Bland and sad.

The moment he withdrew his hand, I was exactly that.

Bland and sad.

"I will see you at dinner." I repeated in a soft whisper.

[codenamesazanka]

Shigaraki's memories I want Deku to see:

Shigaraki having genuinely wanted to recruit Bakugou because he saw Bakugou get chained up and gagged during the Sports Festival and felt a sort of kinship with the boy

Shigaraki accepting a paper-bag-over-head-wearing, too-traumatized-to-use-his-quirk-properly, incoherent Twice into the League

Heck, just Shigaraki accepting everyone into the League. Took in a bitter middle schooler. Managed to get Muscular and Moonfish - two people true to their bloodthirsty desires - to restrain themselves enough to work in a team towards a specific goal.

Shigaraki watching over a recovering Compress who just had his arm torn off by Overhaul

the League giving Magne a proper burial and keeping her magnet

Shigaraki revealing his face to Toga and Twice and saying he believes in them

Shigaraki telling Toga and Twice to grab "the girl in the middle of the Shie Hassaikai operation"

The League being buddies who stuck together even after losing comrades and resources, even when they're on the run with no money and no food and no clear purpose. Even when they have to fight a giant naked man nearly 24/7 on a mountain in the middle of winter.

The League rushing into great danger to save a kidnapped friend

Shigaraki not dusting ReDestro immediately when the man was bleeding out on the ground, despite having every reason to do so - ReDestro had condescending challenged him, harmed his friends, insulted him, maimed him, and destroyed The Hands. Shigaraki had every reason to just finish off his opponent while ReDestro was down, but he didn't; and especially not after ReDestro apologized and kowtowed.

Shigaraki ordering sushi for Mr. Compress and the League

[it-happened-one-fic]

Hours in the Moonlight: Somnolent Gloaming - 17. Those Hereafter

Summary: Your evaluation of the Diasomnia clan was complete, and while the response to your report did bring about new questions, you knew one thing for certain. You would always be welcome at this strange, dark clan of vampires you now called friends.

Series Type: Gender-neutral reader/ Vampire AU/ series/ romantic/ angst/ angst with comfort/ fluff/ sfw/ platonic interactions too!

Trigger Warning: Vampire

Word Count: 1351

Hours in the Moonlight Master-List

I’d barely made it through the doors of the Diasomnia headquarters before Sebek was shouting, “HUMAN! ONE OF CROWLEY’S MEN AWAITS YOU!”

I blinked slightly, somehow not stumbling away from the loud young man before nodding, a half-amused smile crawling its way onto my face as my gaze found his, “Thank you, Sebek, and hello to you as well.”

He blinked, a tiny, ‘Ah,’ slipping from his lips as his eyes widened at my teasing before he recovered and somehow managed to straighten even further, “INDEED. GREETINGS, HUMAN!”

  I almost sighed, smiling openly at the young man before gesturing for him to lead the way. I’d been right to hurry over here after leaving the Pomefiore clan headquarters. Crowley had indeed sent one of his men. It was just a matter of who.

I was brought into the library, a familiar place now, though the sight of the man garbed in his fluffy coat was new amongst the aged books.

I felt myself straighten even as Sebek left the room, unsure if I was pleased or distressed that it was him rather than Trein or Vargas, “Crewel!”

The man glanced over at me, his gaze perfectly unimpressed as his stare met my gaze, “About time you got here, pup. What have you found?”

I rounded the chair, sitting down across from him and lacing my hands together as I slipped into a more businesslike position, “According to the records here at the Diasomnia clan, we are dealing with an unprecedented level of insane vampires. Furthermore, I do not believe this clan to be related to this issue. They have shown themselves to be very much against attacking humans, and, as such, the propagation of insane vampires would serve them in no way and instead go against their other actions.”

Crewel simply nodded at my words, looking utterly unsurprised as he spoke, “I suspected as much.” 

I almost faltered at his blunt words but remained silent. It wasn’t entirely surprising that Crowley and his men already had strong suspicions and views about who they thought were or weren’t at fault.

Crewel tilted his head to the side, looking at me pointedly before he continued, “And? What of your relationship with this clan?”

I shifted in my seat, not wholly surprised by his words but feeling oddly wary nonetheless. He was the one who’d first recommended that I gain the trust of all of the clans, but I actually hadn’t expected him to outright ask about that.

Similarly, I wasn’t really prepared to answer that question. But then I remembered what Lilia had told me… That he was indebted to me, that Malleus had become fond of me, and that I would be welcome at Diasomnia for years to come. 

And even beyond that, there was Sebek and Silver, whom I’d grown to be fond of over my time here. In fact, if I were to be wholly honest, I felt a sort of kinship towards Silver just because of the similarities between our positions.

“I trust them, Sir. I have come to view several of the members of this clan as allies, including their clan leader.”

I watched in silence, carefully controlling my reactions even as a smile curved across the man’s face and he nodded, “Good.”

I almost frowned at his response, immediately confused as to why it would be good that I had befriended this clan.

But then, why did he want to know about my relationship with the Diasomnia clan anyway? None of the other reports had anything to do with that….

Unless it had something to do with his past advice for me to befriend the clans?

Crewel stood, looking down at me in a way that almost spoke of subdued pride and further confused me even as he spoke, “Your work is done here, Hunter. You can await your next orders.”

I nodded, rising to follow him out the door and stopping next to Sebek to watch in silence as he continued on his way. Vampires parting around him with widened eyes as their quiet whispers filled the air. And I had no doubt that the rumor mill was already starting to spin away in their midst.

I glanced over at Sebek, who also watched Crewel stroll away from us, curiosity filling me until I finally cracked and asked the question that had been steadily forming in my mind as I’d been evaluating each of the clans so far, “Sebek… how strong are the vampires that work for Crowley?”

Sebek’s voice was, surprisingly, a normal volume as he spoke, his eyes staying locked onto the man who slowly faded from view as he continued on his way, “It’s said that each of them is strong enough to lead their own clan. Though none of them could ever surpass my liege.”

He frowned, though, glancing my way with a perfectly confused expression, “Why do you ask, human?”

I shook my head, trailing off slightly even as I answered him, “No reason….”

Sebek’s eyebrows lifted at my words before he straightened, “Come. My liege wished to hear of your report on our clan.”

I nodded, feeling myself smile slightly as I followed him. Back once more to the room where I'd first met him and Malleus. 

The same room where Malleus had offered me immortality should I wish for it.

And as we walked, I realized that it was just like it had been with all the other clans. It felt like I’d been with the Diasomnia clan for far longer than I actually had been.

But as I entered the room and felt the three men’s gazes shift to me, Malleus and Lilia with a smile and Silver with a nod of his head as Sebek shifted to stand on the other side of Malleus, I knew that Lilia was right and that I would be welcome here even beyond this day.

“Well, little hunter? What have you come to think of our clan?” Malleus’s smile was as it always seemed to be. Tinted with amusement as he gazed at me, fondness filling his unnatural but now familiar green eyes.

And I found myself smiling in return, “I cannot deny that it is an odd place, but it is also a place I feel comfortable at. Diasomnia is a clan that, in my eyes, is innocent in regards to the current situation.”

He nodded, Lilia chuckling slightly at my words as Sebek preened and a faint smile flickered across Silver’s face.

Malleus continued though, his gaze continuing to rest on me, “And do you think you will return to visit us?”

The atmosphere seemed to shift with his words, and their expressions became more somber as they all looked at me. Waiting. Some of the gazes hopeful while others were more controlled.

But then, they were quite possibly concerned that I wouldn’t even want to come back here. 

Which, even if they didn’t know it, was honestly laughable. Odd, they might be, but they had also been kind to me in their own strange ways. And I was getting pretty used to odd anyway.

 I found myself briefly meeting each of the men’s gazes and smiling slightly before I met Malleus’s stare once more and answered without even a sliver of hesitation, “Without a doubt, I can see myself returning here. Though I must confess it won’t be tomorrow night, since I have plans.”

A smile reappeared on Malleus’s face at my words, and my own smile only spread further across my face. 

The young man stood, crossing the space so that he was standing right in front of me, “Then I will await your coming the somnolent gloaming after the next and even those hereafter.”

I nodded, hardly knowing what else to do in response to such words. Characteristically grandiose for Malleus, but still distinctly daunting in a way that perfectly matched the horned vampire.

But at the very least, it seemed that I’d added yet another clan to the list of allies and friends whom I could trust no matter what awaited me in the future.

If you would like to read more:

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Next: Hours in the Moonlight: Solitary Eventide

[dead-girl-prolific]

Masky/Tim x GN!Reader oneshot (Fluffruary) pt 2

A/N:

as you can see i'm very very VERY late on writing these oneshots, but i have everything organized now so it shouldn't be too bad lol. Here's the playlist!~

TW: discussion of eating troubles, themes of depression and abandonment issues, one mention of alcohol and cigarettes. mentions of murder(?)

Prompt: finding you wearing his clothes.

You were cycling down a rabbit hole of memories, especially about the past. You used to be a hard-ass who didn’t give a fuck about anything or anyone, even before the mansion. Now you are a socially awkward, clingy partner who still fights the urge to be a bitch from time to time. Tim sees it as progress; you think it's tedious, but you’d do it for him. Tim’s always saying he used to be almost exactly the same; the only difference is he was chosen to be a proxy, and well, you strive to be a proxy.

There were a few reasons you wanted to be a proxy; the main reason was for Tim. As soon as you met him, you felt a kinship and friendly rivalry with the man. If you had to be honest with yourself, you loved him, and although he would never admit it, he loved you too. Tim didn’t throw around "I love you”s a whole lot.

While you were drifting into dissociation, you heard the door to the foyer open and close. You were immediately pulled from your trance and watched the open doorway. You knew it’d be hard to hope for Tim to walk through the doorway, but you hoped anyway.

Time seemed to be frozen in place as you stared at the doorway into the foyer. You were in a trance until you heard your name being called by none other than Jeff.

“Y/n! What’re you staring at? Waiting for your prince in shining armor or sumn’?” Jeff joked at you, and your face flushed ever so slightly, but as you were distracted, someone entered the room.

Your head snapped in the direction of the doorway again, and there he was. Sweaty, muddy, hasn’t showered in seven days, covered in blood, Tim. You flashed a goofy grin when he looked in your direction.

“Tim!” you yelled and got out of your seat, forgetting all about the food Hoodie so graciously gave you. You bounded over to him and hugged him.

“Did ya’ miss me?” Tim asked, melting into the hug.

“Of course I did.” You nodded and let go of him.

“Y/n?” Tim asked, looking you up and down.

“Yes?” Your sing-song tone indicated that you were enjoying the attention after a week of not receiving it from him.

"Heh, are you wearing my flannel?” He smugly asked, crossing his arms and smirking.

“I-” You looked down at the shirt you were wearing, and your grin faltered. Your face flushed, and you grasped your face, concealing your blush.

“Maybe?” You said it sounded more like a question than an answer.

“Uh-huh…alright.” He turned around and headed up the stairs, which you quickly followed.

“Y/n! You’re forgetting your food!” Hoodie shouted from the dining room, and you cursed at yourself.

“I’ll do the dishes in the morning if you clean it up for me!!!” you hollered in response.

"Alright," you heard him huff and the sound of a chair scratching the floor.

You quickly made your way up the stairs after Tim. Tim’s crowbar dangled from his hand, dragging across the hall’s floor, and his mask was pushed to the side of his face.

You both made your way to the end of the hall and walked into his room, shutting the door behind you. He dropped his crowbar and took his mask off, carefully setting it on his nightstand. You can’t count the number of times you’ve stubbed your toe on his crowbar when you had to get water or pee in the middle of the night, from it being discarded on the floor. He plopped himself on the bed and shut his eyes, rubbing them with his palms. You sat next to him.

“So how did it go? Well, I'd hope.” You said as you leaned back into the bed.

“Did I get the job done? Yes. Did I enjoy it? I never do," he responded dryly.

“Ah…” You sighed and shut your eyes.

“I’d rather talk about you," he said after a long pause.

“Well, I mainly stayed in your room for the past week," you paused. “and wore your clothes. I’ve been wearing the same three shirts over my own.” You smiled up at the ceiling.

“Have you been eating well?” he asked.

“As well as someone could while missing somebody.” You responded, avoiding the question.

“Y/n? Did you eat?” He asked again, which made you flinch. You wouldn’t admit it, but you struggled to take care of your health, mainly wounds and feeding yourself.

“Not a lot, no," you responded.

“You need to work on it," he said as he pulled you in close, wrapping his arm around you and letting you nuzzle your head into his shoulder. He chuckled, and you inhaled, expecting to smell his usual scent, but instead you were met with body odor, blood, and an earthy aroma. You pushed him away and grimaced.

“Go shower! You stink!” You chided him, and he only chuckled again.

“Only if you fall asleep in my arms afterwards?” he asked as he stood up.

“I’d love to, but right now you need to go shower!” You responded, plugging your nose in childish mockery.

It's safe to say you both fell asleep pretty fast that night.

[rist-ix]

How do you think sparked!valtor and tbhtbh!valtor would react to bloom saying he's good enough to f*ck but not good enough to love?

Do fingerguns and say damn right I’m good enough to fuck. Then he waits a respectable 10 minutes just to demonstrate he's not at all affected before going to his room to cry.

Seriously though, I think sparked!Valtor's reaction within the canon of that fic already somewhat explores this. He proclaims his love for Bloom, she laughs at him a little bit, they fuck nasty and then later go their separate ways. Bloom even asks him how he's so ok with her lack of romantic reciprocal, which does seem untypical after his weeks of stalking, attempted kidnapping, and altogether just constant need for her attention, positive or negative. To which Valtor admits readily that he intends to Woo Her For Reals in the future, but given the very eventful past 36 hours, can afford not to throw a tantrum right away. Basically, he copes with a mix of delulu for the present and some resolute aspirations for the future. His absolute confidence in his charm and ability to seduce people certainly helps.

Now, Tbhtbh!Valtor… he's not gonna lie (except he absolutely is), Bloom not being madly in love with him does grate on him, a little bit. I think he has convinced Bloom, and himself for the most part, that he does not care much about whether she loves him or not, so long as she hates him so passionately she's always thinking about him. And it’s true! Her singleminded hatred is balm on his soul after he had absolutely nothing of her for three years. He can suffer many things (and enjoy them, even, like he does her animosity) but he cannot bear indifference. If he ever felt insignificant to her he would lose it, 100%. You can kind of see it whenever the Winx come up in conversation, he HATES not being Bloom's highest priority.

Deep down, though, he does crave her affection. He adores it when she initiates any sort of contact, he softens up immediately when she implies any regard for or feeling of kinship with him. Man is starving for CRUMBS, and still deluding himself into thinking that he does not care that Bloom will likely never love him back. It's such a funny conundrum, because on the one hand, he does every cruel thing within his power to ensure he can keep her captive, on the other hand, all those cruelties effectively deny him any chance of the thing he wants the most. He's sacrificing the possibility of Bloom's love for the certainty of her presence and attention. In a way, he has to delude himself to keep this up, because the alternative would be losing even the little bit of Bloom he has now.

In conclusion, Valtor values attention over romantic feelings. As long as he is her highest priority, (because he's her most dangerous enemy, or because he's really good with his tongue, doesn’t really matter which) he's a-ok with the whole Her Not Being In Love With Him — Yet! situation.

[la-principessa-nuova]

It’s weird being 5’10” and transfem

because, like, my older relatives are all like, “Wow, you’re so tall!” but then relative to people my own age, back when i was judged as a guy, i was average height (according to whatever i read at the time 5’9” was average, and 5’10” if you only looked at younger adults).

but i’d hear shallow girls talking about how anyone under 6 feet tall is short, so I always thought of myself as “technically average, but unfairly called short, and that’s fine”.

but i always had this weird feeling when i was in a room with only women (especially a large one like a storeh, and i was so much taller, that i think Taylor Swift described well with “and I’m a monster on the hill”

but like a (figurative) voice in my head was like, “You should be fine with this because you’re supposed to be a big, tall man”, but, like, i wasn’t okay with it at all.

and then if a guy walks in, i feel like i want to throw up or cry or something bc it’s like this immediate recognition over the heads of all the women in the store that there is some similarity between us and that just felt wrong in a way i did not understand.

but if a tall woman walked in, i did feel that kinship that i “should have” felt with the men who walked in. And especially if there were a few tall women, or a mixture of people of various heights with enough that i no longer stood out as tall, i felt so much better, like i could breathe in the anonymity of it.

i felt this a lot recently (except understanding what it was now) when at Habitat for Humanity ReStore looking at the used furniture, and it was entirely women in the store, mostly older women (and maybe some short kings blending in), and i was by far the tallest person in the whole store as far as i could see, and i just felt so other. but then a couple women about my height walked in and i felt so relieved to not be the monster in the room.

but yeah, now my older relatives are right, and i’m a bit taller than average now, but also i don’t feel, like, freakishly tall. like, i know plenty of cis women my height and taller, so like, compared to other traits that technically overlap with ranges for cis women but are so extreme, this one just isn’t a big deal. it only makes me feel weird in the same way it makes many cis women feel weird when you happen to not have any other tall friends around.

[brainbuffering]

Top New Manga of 2024!

Another year has come to an end, so it's time to talk about all the great manga that came out this year! So in no particular order, these are my Top 6 New Manga of the Year!

In the Name of the Mermaid Princess by Writer Yoshino Fumikawa and Artist Miya Tashiro

T: Junko Goda, Adap: Shaenon K. Garrity, L: Susan Daigle-Leach, E: Annette Roman Publisher: Shojo Beat

“In the classic fairy tale, a mermaid princess gives up her special abilities for love. What happens if she doesn’t? Princess Mio is betrothed to Prince Chika. However, they’ve never met, and he doesn’t know her secret—she’s a mermaid! When her tutor, Yuri, takes her out of the castle to meet her subjects, Mio begins to accept her true self. But Yuri has a secret too… And when Mio tells her father, the king, she wants to live life openly as a mermaid, he punishes her. How can she stay true to herself? Plus, a bonus story about a royal subject with wings!”

This series was an absolute surprise to me! I always keep an eye out for new Shojo releases, but I accept that I am not the target audience for all of them. I assumed that was the case here, Mermaid Princesses were something I felt was in my past. Yet I took a chance on it on the Viz Media App and felt an immediate kinship with Mio! The story of the Unhumans' struggles for safety and respect really resonated with me as a disabled person. The series acts as a great “Disability Metaphor 101” for younger readers. With solid artwork, an enchanting story, and really moving and relatable moments it’s definitely been my highlight of the year! 

Otonari Complex by Saku Nonomura

T: Jenny McKeon, Adap: Carly Smith, L: Aidan Clarke, E: Kristina Korpus Publisher: SevenSeas

“Kuji Akira and Ninomiya Makoto are childhood friends and neighbors. Since Akira is “handsome” for a girl and Makoto is “pretty” for a boy, their gender presentation is often confused. As they try to untangle their complex feelings about themselves and each other, they find out their friends are crushing on them, too. It’s a complicated childhood friend love story!”

This was one of the series I was most looking forward to this year and it did not disappoint! “Gender Fuckery” has been a key component of all good Shojo since it began! From Princess Knight to Rose of Versailles to Fruits Basket, narratives about people discovering their gender identity, and playing around with what that means, are some of the most beloved. This was the year that I finally came out to my family as Gender Queer, so a having a book that has such a complex look at the notion of gender and gender identity in such a queer way was wonderful. I especially loved the way it explored body dysmorphia and misgendering. When Makoto presents as female, they WANT to have folks use she/her pronouns for them! Even if they still identify as a cis-man throughout the book. Meanwhile Akira chooses to present masculine, but when she gets misgendered as a boy she doesn’t experience the same euphoria that Makoto does. For her, it’s something painful and shaming. Volume 2 hasn't shipped to me yet, but I’m very much looking forward to seeing how these two love birds’ gender journey goes. 

Tank Chair by Manabu Yashiro

T: Max Greenway L: Evan Hayden  E: Maggie Le Publisher: Kodansha

“Shizuka takes on the most dangerous of assassin jobs, but she's not the one doing the killing. Rather, it's her brother, Nagi, a strong assassin who took a bullet to protect his sister, leaving him in a comatose state and having to use a wheelchair. However, Shizuka has figured out the key to waking her brother up: he must be faced with killing intent! Thus begins a violent journey of recovery, battling the most dangerous foes!”

I’ve already written about why I loved Tank Chair so much, but it’s worth repeating that whilst series like “A Sign of Affection” and “Blade Girl” are still great to have for disabled representation in popular media – nothing quite beats the euphoria I felt reading Tank Chair and seeing people get viciously murdered with disabled rage fueled Boudica spikes.

Magical Girl Dandelion by Kaeru Mizuho

T: Mei Amaki L: Finn K Publisher: Viz Media (App)

“Magical girls and villains are enemies, but can neophyte Tanpopo's bond with the villain Shade topple that destiny?”

To my knowledge, this is the first Shojo Manga that Viz have been simul-publishing from the get go! And they absolutely picked a superstar to start! Western Manga Fans have been chomping at the bit for more magical girl series to get localised into English, and this has not disappointed! Whilst series like Cardcaptor Sakura and Sailor Moon take a few chapters to get to their darker tones, Magical Girl Dandelion gets to it right off the bat! With cool battle sequences, fun character designs, and the battle between good and evil being morally murky from the start – Dandelion has the potential to be one of the all time greats!

Tokyo These Days by Taiyo Matsumoto

T: Michael Arias L: Deron Bennett Publisher: Viz

“After 30 years as a manga editor, Kazuo Shiozawa suddenly quits. Although he feels early retirement is the only way to atone for his failures as an editor, the manga world isn’t done with him. On his final day as an editor, Shiozawa takes a train he’s ridden hundreds of times to impart some last advice to a manga creator whose work he used to edit. Later, he is drawn to return to a bookshop at the request of a junior editor who wants his help dealing with an incorrigible manga creator who used to be edited by Shiozawa and now refuses to work with anyone else. For Shiozawa, Tokyo these days is full of memory and is cocooned in the inescapable bonds among manga creators, their editors, art, and life itself.”

A slow, thoughtful manga that gives you plenty of time to breathe and contemplate. The slower, and more mature pace was a great break from my usual diet of high energy action adventure romance. The book is a somber look at what it is to work in the manga industry in present day Japan, how it has changed over the decades, and what it means to age out of a business that’s famous for working their most talented artists to an early grave.

Colette Decides To Die by Alto Yukimura

T: Max Greenway L: Inori Fukada Trant E: Nancy Thistlethwaite Publisher: Shojo Beat

“Colette meets Hades, a fellow workaholic, while he is ill in bed with a rash and fever. After treating his condition, she learns about the work he does and what drives him, in turn renewing her sense of purpose as an apothecary. Colette is sent back to her own world, but is this the last she will see of Hades?”

This was one of those series that half my social media feed seemed to be absolutely begging to get published in English. And having read the first two volumes, I can see why! Whilst I don’t think it’s doing anything revolutionary, it’s still a cosy story of two people who struggle with self care falling in love and providing support, with a fun backdrop of greek mythology (although the lack of accuracy would make academics rage harder than at Disney’s Hercules) which makes it absolutely peek HanaYume. And heaven knows how much I love HanaYume! 

[mitamicah]

Bojan meeting his danish doublegänger :3

I might need to give some context for this one x'D (look under the line if you are curious)

On April 22 I was at a concert in Copenhagen (it too was my birthday but that's not important for this part of the story x'D). The very first band on stage was called Cold Culture and my heart skipped a beat when I realised that the front man looked familiar; he sort of looked like Bojan!! (if Bojan was a slight bit taller, blue eyed and danish that is). The rest of the show I couldn't unsee this resemblance and so - as brainrotted as I am - I immediately felt a kinship to Mads (the name of the frontman). I even met him and his bandmembers afterwards and he was so kind and silly and very much Bojan coded in personality as well :'D xD

8 days later and my mind still hasn't let go of this thought so here's Bojan meeting Mads x'D.

The band itself btw was really good - probably the one making the best impression on me that evening. I have had their EP on repeat together with Kot Kot for a week now x'D. If you like bands such as Blind Channel and Bring Me the Horizon I can recommend Cold Culture ^V^

Comparison pictures of Mads (taken by me 04.22.24 in Copenhagen) and Bojan (taken by me 03.15.24 in Malmö)

Me with the band + Mads and Andy (drummer) hanging out around the venue after midnight.

[nichknack]

Wandering Witchbreed AU: Wade Wilson, That Damned Dead Fool

AU MASTERPOST

Armour

Wade's outfit in this AU is rather intricate. He wears a black and red jester's outfit that covers most of his body, complete with a jester's hat. His face covered with by a white porcelain mask with red diamond-shaped detailing around the eyes. He carries a set of Katanas with him wherever he goes, their scabbards are strapped to his back by black leather which crisscrosses over his chest.

Sexuality and Relationships

Wade is openly pansexual and polyamorous. At it's core, the AU is focused on Poolverine, but his relationship with and engagement to Vanessa also plays a massive role. This version of Wade also has feelings for Peter Parker (Amazing Spider-Man version), which I hope to explore once The Avengers and spider-men are introduced.

Past

Wade was born in the Kingdom of Kanata. Growing up, his family was extremely cruel and abusive. From a very young age, Wade learned to use self-depreciation and jokes as a coping mechanism to deal with his trauma. At the first available opportunity, Wade left his family and enlisted in the kingdom’s army. While he proved to be an extremely talented swordsman, his attitude and lack of respect for authority resulted in him being given an ultimatum: return home in disgrace or be executed. Not wanting to go back to his family, Wade strove out on his own. He spent years scraping by, taking whatever mercenary jobs he could get. Eventually, a job made him cross paths with Vanessa Carlysle, a prostitute with whom Wade found an immediate kinship with thanks to their shared sense of humour and sharp whit. While their life was hard, it was beautiful, and the two eventually became engaged. However, soon after their engagement, Wade’s health began to decline. Eventually he collapsed and was brought to a city healer who declared that there was nothing that could be done, he’d be dead within the year. Wanting to spare Vanessa the pain of watching him die, Wade abandoned her. Eventually, he was reached out to by a group of mages and sorcerers, who claimed to not only be able to cure his illness, but also give him abilities beyond his wildest dreams. Wade accepts their offer, believing he has nothing left to lose. Unknowingly, Wade had signed himself up for cruel arcane experimentation under the eye of a sadistic witchbreed, Ajax—who Wade quickly deduced was actually called Francis. The experimentation did in fact save Wade’s life, giving him the ability to rapidly heal and peer through the very fabric of reality itself, but also left him horrifically disfigured. While he was able to escape Francis, Wade felt that his disfigurement made him unworthy of Vanessa’s affection and fled from her once more, eventually crossing the boarder into the Kingdom of Ventra.

[the-lunatic-archives]

I cracked my eyes open slowly–the high midday sun was shining through the window and illuminating my room. According to my watch, it was just past 11:30. I guess I stayed online a lot longer than I expected to last night.

After removing the wires and tidying up my bed, I left my room in search of caffeine, or maybe some sort of painkiller. I noticed that there was a cold pot of coffee sitting on the kitchen counter, left there by my mother maybe four or five hours ago; maybe she was expecting me to be up at the normal time? I popped it into the microwave for a minute while I grabbed something out of the freezer for breakfast. A dull tension welled up between my temples. Where was that ibuprofen at, actually? It was pretty fortunate that my birthday fell on a Saturday this year; me and most of my friends got to stay up until 4 or 5 in the morning hanging out and shooting the shit without worrying about whatever the next day would entail. Out of my close contact list, only two others were already 18. They couldn’t make it to my party.

I waited until this past Friday–as late as was possible, in other words–to submit the last of my assignments and projects for school. I got to spend all of Saturday and much of the following morning chilling with my friends. For what’s left of my Sunday, since I’m pretty sure I don’t have any loose ends to take care of with my teachers, I’m probably going to keep offline for as long as I can before I have to go back in tomorrow. I figured I’d go enjoy the outdoors, and maybe pick up some ingredients to make something for Mom and I for dinner tonight. It was already noon, so she should be back from work in a few hours. I opened our front door and was immediately met with a small shipping crate; Mom does typically order the week’s groceries while at work on Sundays. After unpacking it and shooting a message to her from my watch, I threw the emptied crate over the walkway railing and watched its delivery systems kick on. In a moment, the crate started flying away, returning back to wherever it needed to go. I felt a weird sense of kinship at that moment.

“Essa?” My eyes refocused and I sat up–I had been spacing out at the park, enjoying the gentle breeze and stillness of being outdoors. One of the friends that was absent from the festivities yesterday had approached me. “Mariné?” “I’m surprised to find you out here. You haven’t been online or answering any of our messages! It’s unusual.” She bent down and sat on her heels to match my eye level. “Happy birthday,” she said. “Sorry I couldn’t make it.” “Nah, it’s okay,” I said. “I know your work keeps you busy. Won’t be too long now before I’m in the same boat as you.” I reclined back so I could resume staring at the sky, framed on all sides by buildings and punctuated by streams of air traffic. On the far side of the sky, the rest of the world twinkled in the darkness. “Is this how you’ve been spending your last day as a free man?” “I figured I would, while I still could.” “Since when did you have an appreciation for the outdoors?” I sat there, for a moment, before I could really think of anything to respond with. “Just now, I guess.” It’s true that I’ve basically spent my entire childhood within the Aethernet–pretty much everyone does. “What about you? How did you manage to get out here?” “I actually finished my last job early, so I’m giving myself a free day before I start on my next couple of projects. I was expecting to find you on the ‘net so I could surprise you, but I guess I ended up being the one that was surprised.” She smiled. “I don’t think I’ve seen you out here since we were kids. Mind if I sit with you?” I checked my watch and whistled. “Actually, I think I’d better get a move on, my mom should be returning from work soon. Let’s walk together, instead.”

Since Mariné and I would generally talk via direct messages every other day or so, it’s not like there was a lot for us to catch up on, other than my birthday party. We hit up a corner store for some meat and veggies and got on the train back to my place, chatting about life, work, school, and so on. It was just after 3:00 when we got back, and sure enough, we heard the sounds of my mother’s bed releasing her from stasis in short order. She stumbled out into the kitchen and yawned. “Hey, kiddo,” she said, scratching herself. “Mariné, good to see you.” “How was work,” I asked, before getting up to help her with sorting through the day’s deliveries. “You see Dad today?” “No, I didn’t,” she said, brewing her second pot of coffee for today. “Your father’s been too busy working with the engineers to come on down to R&D, both in there and out here.” She furrowed her brow imperceptibly as she unpacked her things. “Told him about your birthday, and he said to give you this card. You weren’t online to receive it when I got off work, though?” “I’ve been outside, actually.” She raised an eyebrow. “No shit? Well, might as well indulge while you’ve still got the free time.” She turned her head to the fridge, but kept looking at me with a side-eye sort of look. “Speaking of indulgence…” “Yeah, I went out and bought some fresh meat and veggies. Mariné agreed to help me make something for the three of us. For my birthday.” Mariné stuck her head out from behind the corner towards the living room. “I know a thing or two about cooking with this stuff thanks to the jobs I’ve been taking, so you’re free to relax out here while we take care of it.” “She’s only in it for the free food,” I said, to which my mother chuckled. “Hey, if I don’t gotta do anything, you can do whatever you want. Have fun,” she sang, before sauntering off back towards her bed, with a replacement liquid food bag in tow. “Message me when it’s good to go, would you?”

Mariné sliced the meat thinly, glazing it in a sauce she mixed up, while I peeled potatoes and carrots. A pot of rice was steaming on the stove, and we had a skillet on standby. “You know, you haven’t told me what you intend to do when you start Diving,” she said, without taking her eyes off her work. “I, uh, haven’t thought that far, to be honest. I’ve been trying not to think about it.” “If you wanna make back your monthly credit that’s going away tomorrow, you have to take at least one good job every couple of weeks,” she said sternly. “You’ll also never reach fourth class if you don’t perform in said job well.” Mariné took to being a Diver as naturally as a diver would take to the sea. Within six months, she was promoted to Class 7, and thus has a fairly significant presence in and around the Aethersphere. Despite this, she remains her cool, humble self… “I figured I’d just log in tomorrow and see what’s available.” “Essa…” “You think I could find a job doing just this? Cooking food for people?” “Maybe not exactly like this, no.” She set her glazing brush down. “When I turned 18, my jobs starting out were pretty much always debugging peoples’ pets, or cleaning up their home computers, or remotely operating grills and fryers for fast-food joints.” She took a deep breath and exhaled just as deeply. “Nowadays, I get the Aether Corporation commissioning me directly for all sorts of things. It’s good pay, but I basically don’t get days off anymore.” “And you’re choosing to spend one with me? That’s really sweet of you,” I said, earnestly, but in a teasing tone anyway. “Well… yeah. Kody and I have been waiting for all of you guys to catch up to us. He’s still somewhere out there in the Aethernet, been gone on a job for about the past 2 months now, I think. He would’ve come to your party, too.” Mariné whipped around and turned on the flame below the skillet, adding a dash of oil and some indeterminate blend of seasonings. “I still wish I managed to attend, but I think this makes up for it,” she said, as she tossed the glazed pork strips into the oil. “You and I both will have jobs to do tomorrow, online. I’m glad we could share this moment here tonight.” She looked at me, and smiled again. “Go ahead and ask your mom to log out here in a minute, yeah?”

Mariné left for home once we had all eaten and cleaned up, and Mom returned to the Aethernet right after. Determined to ride out the rest of my Sunday in the real world, I laid in bed, listening to the subtle droning of the cars and parcels outside. Starting tomorrow, I, like every other adult in this ensconced little world of ours, would become an Aethernet Diver, and be forced to earn my living and keep here. My watch buzzed periodically as I stared at the ceiling–messages from my friends and family were piling up in my inbox that I would save for tomorrow. Some wretched mixture of excitement, anxiety, wonder, dread, hope, and fear washed over me all at once. I laid there, clutching my connective headgear to my chest. And after what felt like ages, without warning, I fell asleep.

[rpfisfine]

an overview of the things we watched during my turbofolk seminar for @roadwhores @lofimp3 and my other balkan (and non-balkan) followers who might be interested

(my professor is bulgarian for context and unfortunately she hasn’t made the presentation with all the additional information public yet so these r just my personal notes & things ive remembered.Thumbs up)

we started with the only balkan song that is on the voyager golden record which i thought was sooooo beautiful as someone from a country who didn’t have anything interesting to contribute to the golden record besides the greeting to the universe i feel very humbled and reverent to have listened to it

goran bregović - bella ciao & kalashnikov at sziget festival 2012 (our professor mentioned that he’s kind of a piece of shit who steals songs from marginalized communities and profits off of it and has been actively sued for it in the past so i made sure to shake my head while i was listening to show that i didn’t agree with his actions)

recordings of traditional folk songs being performed at serbian weddings I forgot to write the performer’s name down but he played the clarinet beautifully and someone stuck a bill to his forehead while he was playing to show their appreciation which I think we need to bring back)

we talked abt ceca quite extensively and also looked at one paparazzi photo of her with some politician guy who besides being her biggest fan in the world is also apparently a huge fan of vinnetou & robert de niro which i thought was kind of a slay personally

we watched one lepa brena video from the 80s and one from the 90s to see the transformation of her style and the sound of her music throughout the years

+ also clips of her wedding to boba which we compared to ceca’s wedding to the serbian mobster who then ended up being assasinated (we didn’t touch on ceca’s personal criminal history too much but after a brief glimpse at her wikipedia page I think we should have im slightly obsessed with her i think)

the most aggressively 90s and vaguely bisexual music video by saška vaseva abt clubbing and drinking….loved it

neshto netipichno (probably not spelled right but i copied it from the yt title) by ivana

azis!!!!!!!!! he’s such an icon to me our professor showed us a selection of his mvs ranging from the time when he wasn’t out as a gay man yet to i think his most recent song so we kind of witnessed his whole transformation from his like full blown drag stuff (i.e "hop" - SLAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) to his most recent very aggressively masculine & americanized style but i am literally actually legitimately obsessed with his look from his old videos i need to look exactly like him immediately like . Are you kidding me

we ended with dubioza kolektiv - USA & no escape from balkan and i kind of want to tattoo the lyrics of the second song on my body if im being honest i respect what these guys have going on

overall it was definitely the best seminar from this course and im so glad i dragged my lifeless body out of bed in the morning to attend it bc i cannot even imagine missing out on it you guys have a very wonderful culture and i loved that 80s & 90s balkan music videos literally look identical to czech mvs from that time I felt a deep sense of kinship while watching them. Long live yugoslavia ❤️

[saiyanmazen]

Your fiery nature

Another Vegebul ficlet written for the Vegebulocracy's D&D event. I would've finished it yesterday, but I've been struck down by a virus.

The prompt I used for this is obviously rage. This piece is rated somewhere between T and M. Nothing explicit or sexual, but very direct about the topic of sex.

Can also be read here on AO3.

------------------------------------

Vegeta didn't think he would ever have anything in common with the Earthlings. He knew there were similarities between him and Kakarot given their shared race, but he'd been more than disappointed by how corrupted the third class Saiyan had been by the humans. There was very little of his heritage in his blood, beside the physical attributes he reaped the benefits of.

No, there wasn't anyone on this forsaken planet that could measure up to the Prince of All Saiyans.

Or so he'd thought.

The first time he felt the strange sense of kinship was when Baldy was visiting the compound. The small so-called warrior (although Vegeta begrudgingly admitted that he was the only one he carried a tiny amount of respect for - he had at least been ready to kill Vegeta until Kakarot stopped him) hadn't turned his back to Vegeta the entire time he was there; a good instinct to be honest. The midget's fear of him was justified. The Prince was the most dangerous being in the entire universe.

He hadn't paid attention to the conversation, only watched as the Earthlings interacted with each other. Maybe it could prove useful in the future. But it appeared that Baldy said something to the woman that made her angry. Her voice rose to mind-boggling shrillness as her eyes threw daggers at the midget and her mouth spewed the most heinous things at him.

The tiny man was quick to respond, backing away in fear of her wrath, and actually turned his back to Vegeta, leaving him open to attack. In fact, the bald man backed directly into Vegeta where he was leaning against the wall. Baldy didn't even flinch when he felt himself collide with the genocidal alien, still keeping his attention on the furious woman.

Vegeta was frankly offended. Why was a warrior afraid of a person as weak as her? She practically had no ki at all.

He pushed the midget to the side, possibly through the wall, and approached the hysterical female. Her rage was no match to his and, though he'd given his word that he would do no harm to her and her family, he wasn’t going to let her behave this way in front of him. Her screeching was awful to his ears and her language some of the foulest he'd heard in his life, but he would stop her. He shouted with all his might that she better shut up right this instant.

She quieted a moment, her blue eyes zeroing on him with blinding white rage, and then she directed everything at him. Her ferocity shocked him and, even as he returned her fire, she didn't back down, not once.

He'd never experienced anything like it. No one, even Frieza, had ever spoken to him like that. But he suddenly found something in another that he could relate to: an intense and burning rage.

She was magnificent. A wildfire hidden right beneath the surface of her deceptively weak appearance. In spite of the insults he flung at her, he was enchanted by her fiery nature.

After their fight somehow came to an end (which might have ended with him walking away in anger after she'd threatened to dismantle the gravity room), he felt invigorated in a whole new way. He knew that he would never look at her the same way again.

It quickly became clear to him that it wasn't just Baldy who feared the force of her wrath. Her little boytoy lost all his (unearned) bravado whenever her temper spiked, Kakarot would immediately do his best to placate her and even the Namekian was quick to disappear at signs of her nasty behavior.

Vegeta could never act so cowardly. He stood his ground and gave back, making her rage flare to almost explosive levels. It caused a strange sensation in him, an attraction to her that he eventually acknowledged had something to do with his Saiyan genes. The women of his race had been fierce and unafraid of even the greatest warrior, no matter how inferior their strength was. And Bulma’s steely gaze and cutting words made him feel more at home than he ever had before.

He began seeking her out, goading her into fight after another, relishing the sparks flickering between them as they exchanged blows.

It inevitably became physical, albeit in a way he was unfamiliar with. Not that it stopped any of them from pursuing this new passionate dance. They wrestled for dominance every time and it blew his mind every time. It drew him even more to her, much to his chagrin.

Over the time spent together, they learned not to come to blows at every turn. It took the birth of their infant child and the death of their future son for them to find a peaceful co-existence. They still argued, often to the point that the other inhabitants would clear out for a while until the dust had settled. It was usually after they'd aggressively worked things in a physical manner.

At times they'd be forced to put their quarrels to the side. Those were his favorites. She would pounce at him at an unexpected moment, push him into the mattress, a wall or wherever she attacked, wrath burning in her eyes, and put her whole body into releasing that anger at him. She would move like a wild beast, scratch and bite at him, pull his hair and even yell at him while they both reached the peak.

She was glorious, a true Queen worth of any throne, passionate and strong in all ways that mattered. He was lucky to have found a woman whose temper could match his own if not outdo him. After all, her rage could even make a god cower in fear. And Vegeta wouldn't have it any other way.

[leggerefiore]

Just saw something that I immediately applied to Ingo and Nero.

Nero comes over to Erin’s to hang out and play, and accidentally takes a bit of a tumble. Ingo comes over to check and cheer him up.

“How many times have you scraped your knee when playing with your dad?”

“Lots.”

“And what’s the first thing he always says?”

“Um… ‘Here’s ten dollars; don’t tell Mom.’”

“What?!”

His reaction makes Nero laugh, at least. But Ingo is giving Grimsley the most unimpressed side-eye when he comes to pick up his son.

Ingo felt panic rush through his heart as Nero tripped over something as the park and crashed to the ground. Erin stopped instantly in his path and tensed up at the sight of his friend. For a moment, the Subway Boss was conflicted on whether to comfort Erin before he inevitably started crying or to help Nero. But, bravely, Erin seemed to shake off his tears while Nero shifted to holding his knee with his lips pulled back into a grimace and one eye squinting. Ingo knelt down before the black-haired boy and gently pulled away his hand to examine the damage. Thankfully, there was no blood to be seen, just an abrasion.

His eyes met Nero's own. “… How often have you scraped your knee playing with your dad?” he asked, wanting to attempt to cheer up the boy. It was sad seeing such a usually confident child so meek and hurt. Erin had come over as his side and checked out his injury.

“… A few times…” Nero replied, averting his gaze. Was that embarrassment? Ingo certainly hoped not.

“What does your dad usually say after that?” he continued, hoping that thinking of something his father said would help improve his mood. Instead, Nero eyebrows scrunched together. He was quiet for a few moments following, clearly deep in thought.

“… Don't… tell your other parent…? I'll buy you that thing you have been asking for…” Nero repeated his father's usual words after he got injured. Ingo's facial expression grew sterner. Erin blinked a few times. Both turned to look at each other. Ingo's go-to response was to gently reassure Erin that it would heal, and he was doing good whenever he did not burst into tears. What was Grimsley doing…? Ingo felt annoyance growing towards the gambler. He already was not a fan of Grimsley showing up smelling of tobacco and cologne when picking up Nero, but this was something he would have to glare at the other man for.

~

“Thanks for watching him,” Grimsley waved at Ingo while holding Nero's hand with his other one. The Subway Boss gave an unimpressed glare at him. A brow was cocked up in response. “What? Don't want to be thanked?”

“… Why isn't he supposed to tell someone when he gets injured?” Ingo questioned, a hit concerned. Grimsley's smug face – his poker face – steeled onto his expression.

“Because I get made to sleep on the couch,” was his reply. Ingo blinked. What…? “He exaggerates things,” Grimsley shrugged, “But he's my boy, so I forgive him.” And bribe him. Ingo deeply debated the home life around Nero. Perhaps it was a certain kinship he felt with the boy as an older twin. He felt similarly towards one of his nieces, after all.

“… Hey, Nero, what does your dad do most nights?”

“He goes out drinking and gambling.”

Grimsley gave another shrug in reply to Ingo's more intense glare.

Apparently, he had not given up all his vices.

[kumeko]

A/N: For the @zackfairzine! I haven’t played the remake yet but please let there be more Angel/Genesis/Sephiroth and Sephritoh/Zack, we got such a tiny bit of their friendship before all things went to hell and I. Need. More.

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…

i.

Zack jumped back, narrowly dodging the swipe at his face, the blade just grazing his nose. True to form, Sephiroth relentlessly pressed the attack, his long sword moving as quickly as a blade half its size. There was something unnatural about how smoothly he fought. It was like watching perfection.

An elbow to his gut jerked Zack out of his thoughts and he tumbled onto the ground face first. He rolled over to the left immediately and Sephiroth’s katana impaled itself on the metallic floor.

And then disappeared entirely. As did Sephiroth, the platform, and everything that wasn’t part of the original, small training room. Flat on his back, Zack glanced at his right as the doors to the simulation room opened and Angeal stepped in. He waved weakly. “Hiya, sir.”

Angeal merely frowned, crossing his arms. Utterly unimpressed, he leaned against the wall. It couldn’t have been a comfortable position, especially with his ever-present sword strapped to his back. “I’m starting to think you like losing.”

Offended, Zack immediately sat up. While he was used to Angeal’s barbed teachings, that didn’t make them any easier to handle. “Hey, I’m getting better. I lasted longer this time. And he didn’t even kill me.”

“Better isn’t good and those are terrible metrics.” Angeal shook his head, disappointment dripping from his voice. His expression remained blank and impossible to read. “You still have a ways to go before you can even dream of becoming first class.”

“It’ll happen,” Zack replied confidently, puffing his chest and jabbing his thumb at it. “And my dream is to be a hero. First-class is just a stepping stone.”

“Big words from someone who can’t even face a hologram.” Angeal chuckled, pushing off the wall. Stopping next to Zack, he leaned down, offering his hand. “I’ve never seen a rookie as cocky as you.”

Zack grinned as he grabbed Angeal’s hand. For all his mentor talked about loyalty and honour, he was more cat than dog. The man just couldn’t be honest. “I knew you liked me. And that just means I have a chance, right? You haven’t seen anyone like me fail either.”

Angeal sighed as he yanked Zack up like a straw doll. The difference in their strength was jarring. He muttered, “I never said I liked you.”

“Sure.” Zack laughed, running a hand through his hair and smoothening down any stray bangs. Heroes had to look their best, after all. Though, the sweat dripping down his face wasn’t helping him any. “Say, you got any tips?”

Angeal snorted. Bluntly, he stated, “There are no shortcuts.”

Zack shot him a grumpy glare. “That’s not what I meant. And you know it.” Sometimes it felt like Angeal was being obstinate just because he could. “Shinra’s training program is amazing and all, but I need a little human touch. What do I need to become a hero?”

“You really want me to answer that?” Angeal asked, his expression as flat as his voice.

“…good point.” He’d heard enough lectures to last a lifetime. Angeal probably had a laundry list of flaws and issues. No, Zack would have to try a different approach. “Alright, what do you think is the most important part of being a hero?”

If anything, Angeal’s expression grew flatter. “Again, do you really need me to answer that?”

“Does he say anything aside from honour?” The door slid open as Genesis entered the room. He smirked and cocked his head. “I sometimes think that is the only word you know.”

Zack nodded, a sense of kinship welling up within him. “I understand the feeling.”

“Don’t start.” Angeal lightly cuffed Zack on the head. He turned to Genesis. “And I don’t want to hear that from you of all people. You’re early.”

“I didn’t think I’d get here before Sephiroth.” Genesis smiled softly. “The goddess—”

Angeal cut him off immediately with a glare. “I have enough of a headache without another quote. That’s probably the reason he’s late in the first place.”

Zack had heard that the two were close, but it was one thing to hear it, another to see it. This banter sounded like every other conversation he’d heard in the locker room. Angeal, gruff stand-offish Angeal, had a friend. It was almost enough to forget the fact that he was in a room with two first class soldiers.

Almost.

There was only one reason they’d both be here, in the training simulator. Zack grinned as he looked from one to the other, taking note of their weapons, their uniforms. “Are you two training together?”

Genesis glanced at him. “Why? Do you want to join?”

“Don’t give him any ideas,” Angeal grumbled before Zack could reply. He crossed his arms. “Zack, you’ve done enough for the day.”

“I can do more!” Zack exclaimed. When Angeal merely looked at him in disbelief, he shifted to his default tactic: squats.  This was unfair. Three first-class SOLDIERs in one place? Training? Just within reach? How could anyone expect him to leave? “See? Lots of energy!”

“Do you really want me to give you a list of flaws?” Angeal asked seriously. His glare grew more pronounced. “Because we will treat this like an extension of your training.”

Zack flinched. He’d had enough lectures today without getting three of them. “Alright, alright, I get it.” Pouting, he stretched his arms above him and sauntered toward the door. “But next time…”

“Next time, I’ll make sure you get the list,” Angeal snapped, no longer in the mood for games.

Maybe it really was time to beat a hasty retreat. Zack picked up the pace. “Thanks but no thanks!”

He could hear Genesis laughing as the door slowly slid shut. Before it could fully close, the man added, “My answer is friendship.”

ii.

Sephiroth tapped his chin as he leaned forward, his silver hair gleaming in the light. As bright as he looked, he paled in comparison to the flower wagon in front of him. Made of steel and iron, riveted together with bolts, glue, and a little bit of faith, the flower wagon was impossible to look away from.

Zack would know. Ever since he and Aerith had brought it out, kids and adults alike couldn’t stop staring at it. Granted, those stares were a mixture of fear (adults) or awe (children), but all attention was good attention in the world of business. The more people admiring the flower wagon, the more the flowers would sell.

Finally done his inspection, Sephiroth stood straight. “It’s a weapon,” he quietly declared. For a man as famous and powerful as he was, his voice was oddly soft.

The complete opposite of Aerith, who crowed loud enough to wake the dead. She smirked, vindicated. “Told you so.”

Zack scowled. They’d had this argument all morning and all he could conclude was that he was surrounded by blind fools who couldn’t understand a true masterpiece. He protectively hugged his flower wagon, trying to shield it from the harsh comments. “Come on! It’s really cool. Why do you keep saying that?”

“Keep?” Sephiroth questioned, glancing at Aerith. For someone who acted so cold in the office, he had a curious teasing streak to him.

It was like fuel to a fire when it came to Aerith. She leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially, “A scientist from Shinra came by earlier. He wanted to buy it for the weapon’s lab. I guess Zack has a backup job if the hero-business doesn’t work out?”

Zack clutched his chest. That was a far more mortal blow than anything else he’d put up with this morning. “Don’t say that.”

Paying him no mind, Sephiroth ran a finger across the wagon. “I’m impressed,” he stated, sounding absolutely unimpressed. “I didn’t think you had this in you.”

“His other wagons were cuter.” Aerith tapped the wagon sadly and shook her head. “And this one is so heavy. I’m afraid to leave it alone. What if it starts a war?”

“I highly doubt Zack would leave you with something that dangerous.” Sephiroth finally examined the flowers in the wagon. He brushed a finger against the petal. “I didn’t know flowers grew down here.”

Now this was familiar territory. Zack bounced back immediately, wrapping an arm around Aerith. “She’s amazing, isn’t she?” He squeezed her lightly. “You can’t have her.”

Aerith giggled, playfully flicking his forehead. “No fair.”

“Why?” Zack asked, gently head-butting her back.

“Because I can’t say the same thing.” Aerith pouted, balefully staring at Sephiroth. “He’s taking you away, isn’t he?”

“He will be back soon enough,” Sephiroth replied, not reacting to their antics. He turned around and started to walk away. “We’re leaving soon.”

Aerith whistled. “Wow, is he always like that?”

“Tall, dark, and mysterious? Yep, though I think he likes me,” Zack laughed, resting his chin on her head as he watched Sephiroth walk away. He wasn’t sure what he’d call the relationship between them, the odd bond that had formed after Angeal’s and Genesis’s death. Sometimes he almost felt like it was friendship.

“So, do I need to mark my territory?” Aerith asked, raising a brow.

Reluctantly, Zack pulled away and plucked a flower from the basket. He tucked into his uniform’s pocket, the flower sticking out just enough that it didn’t get squished. “There. Property of Aerith.”

Aerith glanced at him, then at the flower. Gently, she patted the bloom. “You better be back before it withers.” She reached down and squeezed his hand. “So I can give you a new one.”

Something soft and warm bubbled up within him and he grasped her hand. “Don’t worry, it’s not that dangerous.” Zack smiled reassuringly. “Just some normal hero work.”

“Mmm…” Aerith hummed, studying their intertwined fingers. “Do you know what’s the most important part of being a hero?”

The question brought back memories of a time long gone. Zack cocked his head. “Saving the day?”

“No.” She looked up at him. “Coming home safely.”

iii.

Zack was bored. It was the only reasonable explanation as to why he was on a winding path on a mountain in the middle of winter searching for a strange fire monster for a kid’s superstition. If he told Aerith about this, she’d rightly mock him.

Still, it was better than getting cooped up in an abandoned mansion while Sephiroth muttered to himself and read books. If only barely.

“I’m sure it should be around here,” Cloud mumbled, nervously checking their surroundings.

Well, at least Zack had a good guide. He glanced at the rookie. They were alone and this was as good a time as any to ask. “This is your hometown, right?”

“What?” Cloud turned to him. It was hard to see his expression through his helmet, though he sounded surprised. “You doubted me?”

“No, that’s not it.” Zack scratched his cheek. There wasn’t an easy way to say this. “It’s just…why haven’t you taken off your helmet?”

“Huh?” Cloud stiffened. It was obviously a sore point. It was definitely not something Zack had imagined. “That…well, uh…” He scuffed his feet on the ground, embarrassment ringing through his voice.

“That?” Zack prodded. He’d felt a kinship to the kid ever since he’d found out they were both hicks from backwater towns. If it was something he could help with, he wanted to.

“It’s just…when I left, I promised I’d be something. Someone.” Cloud tapped his helmet. “Now I’m just a grunt. Not a SOLDIER.”

“Oh.” Zack tried not to laugh. He hadn’t visited his parents either for the longest time because of that too. They really were alike.  “So that’s what’s bothering you?”

“Yeah.” Cloud slumped forward and hung his head. “I know, it’s stupid, but…”

“That’s not it.” Zack slung an arm over his shoulder. “Don’t forget, you’re a SHINRA grunt. That’s already impressive. It’s the first step to being a SOLDIER.”

“It’s not that impressive,” Cloud replied weakly. “Most people get this far.”

“And you were a hero earlier, remember when we were in the mountains before? And you helped keep an eye on the patrols and investigate? None of the other guys could keep up with us.” Zack squeezed his friend. “You’re doing great. You’ll be a hero in no time.”

“If you say so…” Cloud peeked at him shyly before looking away. “What…what do I need to become a hero?”

“That…” Zack laughed now. They might as well have been brothers; even their questions were the same. Though, he hadn’t found the answer to this question yet, despite how much time had passed. Sephiroth had once told him following orders, but he was certain that was because the man had been tired of cleaning up after Zack. “I don’t know.”

Cloud stared at him in disbelief. “You don’t know?”

“Nah.” Zack shrugged. “I’m still figuring it out. If it were that easy, anyone would be a hero, right? I’m sure the answer’ll come to me.”

iv.

A monster stared at Zack. No, not one, many. They stayed in their chambers, unable to move, unable to do anything but just stare as a fire raged in the reactor. Zack could only stare back. This wasn’t what he’d come for, what he’d expected when he’d taken on this mission. He’d only hoped to find the truth.

Well, he had found it. Every ugly bit of it. Shinra wasn’t good. Shinra wasn’t helping anyone. His pride as a SOLDIER, his pride in Shinra’s technology, all of it was for nothing.

A wet cough reminded him that there was more at stake than his shattered beliefs.

He forced back bile as he tore his eyes away from Shinra’s experiments. Tifa lay at his feet, blood spilling out of her as she covered her father’s limp body. In front of Zack, Sephiroth stood with a maniacal smirk, his eyes bright with a dark wish.

“Why?” Zack snarled, his hands tight around his blade. “We’re supposed to be heroes.”

Sephiroth’s smirk grew colder. “I am.”

The blood at his feet told Zack otherwise. His fingers shook. A white-hot rage filled him.

If this was what a hero was, he didn’t want any part of it.