#the right reasons and ways and times to betray them but neither he nor the hearts ever did

[franeridan]

no but talking about the beginning of the kaido fight i dunno if it's just a personality of the characters involved sort of thing but i love the difference between the way lu zoro and law interact with each other vs with kidd and killer, there's an ease to their working off each other that's missing from how they move around kidd n killer and you would say it's normal since they've spent months together by then and all three of them fought doflamingo together already, but i love that oda keeps these things in mind when writing dynamics sm

[mykoreanlove]

on being real

“I don’t want to date you anymore, Jackson.”

The silver fork he was holding in his left hand fell onto the marble floor, crashing the silence caused by your announcement. Jackson was visibly irritated, big frowns on his face.

“You… what? Why?”

For days you had been practicing this moment, imagining how you would explain your reasons and set him free. And even though you went over this moment hundreds of times, you were not prepared for the gravel pit of anxiety in your stomach. You didn’t do this because you didn’t want him, no. Your feelings were as strong as ever, but Jackson never opened up, he never let you take a look behind his porcelain façade. You decided to no longer waste your time with someone that only portrayed his good sides.

“I don’t feel like knowing you, Jackson. You only show me your good sides, you never share your problems with me. I just…”, you stumbled to find the right words.

“Say it, y/n”, he urged you with a serious tone.

“I feel like I’m dating a fake.”

Ouch, the pit grew bigger.

Jackson hid his face behind his hands, shielding himself from you. You didn’t think it would affect him that much, but his silent sobs gave him away.

“I’m sorry, Jackson.”

It didn’t take long for him to change into his real self, which you finally saw for the first time after months of dating. His eyes, always sparkly but never serene, turned dead, drained from life and love. You silently gasped, surprised to see the abyss behind the veil.

Jackson broke out in laughter as he wiped away his tears.

“Dating a fake, huh?”

Tears started to form in your eyes, seeing him like that broke your heart.

“What do you want to know, y/n? How broken I really am? You think you’re going to love that?”, he spat sarcastically.

You couldn’t answer, you didn’t dare to. Jackson took another sip of his drink, grimacing in pain.

“Shall we talk about my crippling depression, then? You want to know what that’s like? To lie awake every night wondering if this is the life I want, the one that I deserve? Shall we talk about the accompanying anxiety which is clouding my mind 24/7? Am I doing enough? Am I true to myself? Is this really who I am? Shall we talk about my sweaty hands and rapid heartbeat? Me wondering if I’m about to drop dead any minute? Is that it?”

He paused and observed you, not understanding the reason behind your tears.

“Or shall we talk about my health problems? Did you notice how badly I’m griding my teeth? Should I tell you that my jaw is tense as fuck and my teeth are overly sensitive? That drinking and eating anything but warm liquor is making me wince in pain? You think I’m this skinny because I’m on a diet? No, y/n, far from it. Should I tell you how frustrated I am because I have tried literally anything, and no one can help me? You wanna know what that’s like? To be helpless in your own body? To be betrayed by your own fucking body?”

Your eyes wandered to the glass in his hands, finally understanding why he was always drinking so much. Jackson started pacing through the room while bearing his darkest secrets.

“Or shall we talk about the people I’m seeing for help? Because I’ve seen them all, y/n. I searched through whole fucking Asia, and everybody is saying the same shit. It’s all in your head, Jackson. Do you know how fucked up that is? Neither antidepressants nor the shit for my teeth is helping me and you wanna know why? Because apparently, it’s in my head. My body is hurting because my soul is hurting. Isn’t that hilarious?”

Jackson spilled some of his liquor, trying to make a point.

“Or let’s not forget about my love life, y/n. You wanna know what that’s like? You wanna know how much energy it took to portray myself as normal? I wanted you to think of me as strong and healthy and full of life but now you’re breaking up with me because that was, what, fake? I did all of this so you would never realize how broken, fragile, and weak I am. But I guess that wasn’t the right way to go about it either.”

Another layer of sadness washed over his face, tinting his brown eyes in even deeper despair. Jackson took a seat on the couch and hid behind his hands again, wondering why he told you all of this if you were already over him.

He flinched in surprise as he felt your arms around him, hugging him tightly. For once he just gave in and hugged you back, crying silently in your embrace.

“Thank you for telling me, Jacky”, you whispered sweetly into his ear. “This is exactly what I wanted.”

He looked at you surprised, so you explained yourself.

“I fell in love with you because you were a real one. Standing in your truth and being true to who you are. That’s how I have always perceived you, anyways. But then when we started dating, and I never got to know that side of yours. You were too perfect, in a way. And I don’t want perfect. I want real, Jacky.”

His thumb brushed along your cheek, tracing down to your jaw.

“How could you possibly want that?”, his hoarse voice croaked.

You chuckled in response.

“I’m not perfect, Jackson. And I don’t want to be. Don’t you think I get depressed from time to time? We can cry together then. And yes, the thing with your teeth sucks. But I will love you even if you get new ones. And besides that, my teeth don’t hurt but my head does. Often, I get insufferable migraines and have to lie in a pitch-black room, I flinch at light like Dracula himself. Do you think I like that? No, but we all have something. You make it sound like you have to be perfect to be loved. But you don’t.”

The newfound spark in his eyes was noticeable, if only for a quick moment.

“I agree with the people you’ve been seeing, though. Your soul is hurting, Jackson. And that’s okay.”

You grabbed his hand and squeezed it lightly, looking at him hopeful.

“You don’t have to heal on your own though. I’d like to help… if you let me?”

[amymbona]

Being involved with Tashi, Patrick and Art - headcanons

It was really difficult to put this together without revealing my deepest secrets and ideas, just in case I finally write a full fanfiction one day 😔 Also... Is my Patrick bias showing?

At first, you are nothing but an ordinary girl at Stanford, having no involvement with tennis whatsoever. You find your way towards the sport though, or rather the people playing it, as you're a kind soul who offers tutoring lessons and writes articles in the school newspaper.

The first person to notice you is Art - the social butterfly himself - as the two of you share some classes, and he recognizes you on the court one day. You surprise him, though, by slipping right past him and running straight towards Tashi.

The moment she first sees you, all thoughts about tennis and school and Patrick evaporate from her brain. Suddenly, her mind is full of you. You're hers and she's yours.

It's such an unbelievable thing for Tashi to do, become almost obsessed with somebody, to the extent that she counts days until the new number of the newspaper comes out and she can read the interview you did with her. Even Art notices and he finds it quite silly, considering the odd dynamic that Tashi and Patrick's relationship has. And it's no secret he has a crush on both of you.

Pretty soon, you become Tashi and Art's thing - their friend that they both desire, while desiring other people as well - they make sure you're sitting at the bleachers for every match and show off in front of you. And you adore them deeply, finding them to be the best tennis players at Stanford.

They introduce you to Patrick, someone so similar and yet entirely different to them. The guy scoops you up like a tsunami, offers you your first ever cigarette and treats you as if you two have grown up together. Whatever Art and Tashi like, he likes as well.

The four of you finally get closer over multiple shared cans of beer - something nostalgic, a deja vu for the three that they don't tell you about - and all three of them ask to kiss you. You let them, of course.

Somehow, all three of them want you, need you so badly, all while still wanting one another. You become some sort of a glue which keeps them together - even though they were functioning almost perfectly before you showed up - and none of them notice the showing cracks which you failed to glue up.

Some time passes, you become Tashi's best of friends, her safe space and the only person she's willing to display her vulnerability in front of. The effect you have on her is unreal, she's genuinely at her best, healthy, taking care of herself, and all of that just because of you.

Patrick visits more often as well. Both him and Tashi seem to fight for your attention, so it's natural neither of them really minds, considering they are almost actively trying to cheat on each other with you. But you love both of them, plus Art, too equally and too much to nice any different in their behaviour. If anything, you're just happy that you found yourself in such a lovely group of friends.

You're with Art, both of you waiting for Patrick, when Tashi's injury happens. You clutches your hand like you're her guardian angel in the infirmary, begging you not to leave her, just don't leave her alone. When Patrick runs in, trying to talk to Tashi, you're lost, completely. And when Art kicks his best friend out - for reasons totally unknown to you - you're baffled. What is going on? Eager to get an answer, you run after Patrick, abandoning Tashi.

After that, crumbles into pieces. Patrick wouldn't talk to you, suddenly seeing Art and Tashi's influence in yourself and he can't stand that, because you were their first. And even if you choose to go after him, he knows he can't have you. Nor can he have Tashi and Art.

Tashi is devastated, she feels hurt and betrayed, even though you have visited multiple times at the hospital and brought her fruit and fresh clothes. Art spends most of his time by her side, and somehow, he's excused from school to provide her much needed support. She doesn't want you there.

Few months later, Tashi has completely erased you from her life - almost unwillingly, and despite your attempts to reach out and offer her your support - and leaves Stanford after some time. So the only one of the three who you remain in contact with is Art. His presence feels like a ghost's, he only reveals that he hasn't talked to Patrick once since that day and that Tashi is healing. Physically. But it's clear that mentally, she is completely devastated.

You graduate from Stanford by yourself, leaving everything behind the gates of the school, and get employed in an editorial office. It proves to be difficult to completely forget about the boys, since they are both very much active and have pursued tennis. And just to your luck, you've been promoted to a sports journalist.

Due to your profession, you're one of the first people in the world to discover that Tashi Duncan has married Art Donaldson and she's now his coach. It's like a punch in the gut when you are the one to interview the player at the US open in 2012 - many years after the whole Stanford drama.

He answers all your questions, his voice as soft as you remember it, and he tells you how pretty you look after you turn off the voice recording. You only thank him simply, and leave the place as quickly as possible, slipping right past Tashi without sparing her a glance.

About a year later, you run into Patrick - it's the most random of encounters - but the two of you just bump into each other at some random match where he's playing. And you learn that he is completely miserable, having slipped down from the peak of his career and still playing mainly to keep himself living at a decent level. He tells you he hasn't spoken to Art nor Tashi in years.

Few words in, few tears later the two of you end up drunk - completely fucking wasted, actually - and move it to the closest hotel room. Another night follows and then Patrick invites you for an actual date. That day, you discover a completely new person, a Patrick you never knew could actually exist under all that bravado.

One reckless decision follows another and you accept the silver ring that Patrick slips on your finger. The proposal is fairly romantic but simple and spontaneous at the same time, a pretty sunset in the background to make it look like a fairytale.

As Patrick's fiancée and later a wife - and as a journalist as well - you accompany Patrick to some matches. Yes, he has managed to crawl a bit higher again, having found much needed motivation in your presence and kindness. Just like you used to be an angel to Tashi, now you're one to him. Speaking of Tashi, it's inevitable, meeting her and her husband again.

It appears like a shot from a movie - hand in hand with Patrick, you stand in front of Tashi, who's hair is now a lot shorter, and not so cheery looking Art. All four of you are pretty unsure who to look at first. Luckily, Art is not here to play, but the two have been offered tickets to promote the Donaldson brand. You know the business, make a public appearance every now and then so the world knows they're still relevant.

While you hop away for a quick bathroom break in between the matches, unfortunately, Tashi is there as well. She pulls you into an empty stall and says that both her and Art miss you deeply. She doesn't say a word about Patrick. And she mentions her daughter - Lily - you know about the girl, her baby photos were all over Twitter. Then she kisses you and leaves.

Your and Patrick's relationship is odd, to say at least. It's not like he doesn't love you - god forbid that he feels anything other than deep affection towards you! - but there are just certain gaps. Despite finding nothing but unconditional support from you, Patrick is still unable to open up fully, to accept the loss of his two past loves, even though he has you now.

It's hard to talk about family life when the two of you are at it, and while you wish for a baby so deeply, Patrick can't really give that to you. And that pains him. Because Patrick wants nothing more than for you to be happy in life, but he is too afraid of having such a responsibility over somebody else. He can hardly take care or himself, how would he possibly take care of a baby?

And that's the reason why the two of you eventually divorce towards the end of the year 2017, because you needed something Patrick could never give you. And you wanted it, wanted it more than him. However, you never find another partner to conceive with, you can't bring yourself to fall for somebody else, not after the loss of Art, Tashi and Patrick.

Two years later, you're invited as one of the journalist to the challenger match in New York, completely unaware of the things that are about to happen. When you're getting all set in the hotel, a pretty lady named Helen, who's taking care of your check-in waves at somebody behind you. And that somebody, shows to be Patrick. You run away.

And just around the corner, you collide with Tashi. Ever so gorgeous, she offers you one of her smiles, a tired, appreciative one. There is no mention of the kiss exchanged few years ago. The only thing she says is that Art would love to see you. You tell her you still have the same phone number.

In the evening, as you're getting ready to go to bed, he messages you, asking to see you. A bit late for him, as you know he always used to go to bed early, insisting to live a healthy life. You know you really shouldn't, considering the three shouldn't be allowed a way into your life, but you let him come to your hotel room.

There, he crumbles in your arms wordlessly and lets you stroke his hair. You can sense there's something hidden behind his silence, something he'd like to speak about, but is too ashamed to say out loud. Later, he tells you he's retiring at the end of the season. While the two of you lay there in the dark, you stay unaware of Tashi's current meeting with Patrick. Art, he knows damn well.

The following day, everything is at the stake. You are at the stake, but you don't even know that. Stood on the very opposite of Tashi, where she is sat at the bleachers, staring at you through her sunglasses like the picture of guilt and repentance, as stiff as you don't know her.

You keep your eyes on all three of them, failing to note a single detail, to snap a single picture. Nothing. You only only stand there, glued to your spot behind the umpire's chair, watching Patrick and Art battle on the court. It's clear they're fighting for much more than a simple victory.

Art is doing his best but it's clear he's nowhere near as good as Patrick, and he seems to have almost resignated too, while Patrick remains smug and confident. Although his smirk falls every so often especially at those moments when he locks eyes with you. Then, he looks almost remorseful.

At one moment, Patrick takes a while to serve, rolling the green ball between his fingers and then holding it over the empty triangle of his racket. When he fires, Art doesn't budge at all. In front of you, Tashi is awkwardly fidgeting in her seat, her expression hard to read. Now, she seems to be avoiding your gaze.

The match turns into something harsher, fueled by something that's hard to describe, with both of the boys playing like their lives are on the line. Both of them keep gazing at Tashi, while she's trying to escape their eyes. It's messy, it's weird and you don't like it a bit. But then, all three of them turn to look at you. You're still there, watching them play. You haven't left. You never left.

The balls keeps flying left to right, grunts filling your ears, until the boys get so close to the net that it concerns you. At one final moment, the boys collide, hugging over the net separating the two of them like two good friends who haven't seen each other in years. Tashi jumps up, cheering, and you do as well, applauding them with a smile.

[lollyposp]

okay im only slightly going insane right now about how MUCH i adore the way agatha is being portrayed in agatha all along. she's this awesome mix of horrible and sympathetic BUT not in the way that excuses everything she does. like, the other witches dislike her for good reason and even when agatha is nice to them or they realise she's got her own issues too like, that doesn't change what she's done in the past to get her reputation.

but ALSO it's so obvious that 90% or something of Agatha's personality is either a facade or an exaggeration of her bitterness because after everything we know of that's happened to her ("i can be good" "no you cannot", her son dying and rio's obvious involvement in that) it's like. how can she love. how can she trust when those she loved made her feel betrayed, or she lost them, or even both.

i think the first clue that a lot of her personality is a facade was the whole "just blast me" situation, because to me it felt like "well yeah Agatha's clearly nasty but how much of that is because she needs to annoy people into trying to kill her so she can grab their magic?" but I hadn't quite realised that there could be more to it than that

but episode 4 had SO MANY examples. i mean, Agatha's entire "no fucks given" attitude just fizzles out when the teen is dying and i feel like even the other witches picked up on it, like jen was clearly stunned by Agatha's grief as well as by Teen's condition. and then her sitting with Teen until he woke up, not even taking her eyes off him but as soon as he wakes up she pretends she just Happened to check on him Just as he woke up and that she didn't stay there the entire time.

and don't even GET ME STARTED on everything else. the scene at the fire where she very clearly struggled through having a positive interaction with the other witches?? and also the whole "she is my scar" but if i think too much about that i will actually go insane.

the scene that REALLY hasn't left my head all day is the scene where rio tells agatha that Teen isn't hers. ALL THE PROPS to kathryn hahn here she's an INCREDIBLE actress, but the way agatha just says NOTHING and slowly puts on a smile....😦 i was watching the episode with my housemates and the only thing i could say to them was "i literally saw the moment she put her act back on". because for all that agatha is so brash and loud, and no matter how much she might seek conflict with others, she runs away from all her emotional pain because it's too much for her to bear. because how do you even move on from the woman you loved being at least partly complicit in your son's death? whether agatha really DID trade him for the dark hold and regretted it immediately or whether the rumour IS just a rumour and nick and the dark hold aren't connected at all, RIO still is connected to either of those ideas.

(honestly as it stands right now im in whatever camp believes he WAS traded for the darkhold, but agatha somehow didn't realise he would be traded until after it was too late, because i feel like it's what explains her actions in WV and her hallucination the most. also it makes rio's actions all the more painful to agatha because it would have been a mistake she didn't mean to make, and rio would not budge even with that knowledge and OUCH. but that's neither here nor there)

honestly this whole incoherent essay was just to say that i love Agatha's character. i love that the question surrounding her isn't really "is she good or evil?" or even "can she be good?". i feel like it's clear there IS a good person in agatha but because she's ignored it for so long (some of that is probably due to the darkhold) the question kind of becomes "does it matter that she's got good inside her if she refuses to show it?". she's so firmly in the morally grey camp that while i do kind of want her to have a redemption arc and to have a whole found family thing go on, i honestly don't see it happening and i also at the same time DON'T want her to be redeemed when she's so interesting because she's this person who clearly has the capacity to be good and chooses not to out of pride and fear of being vulnerable and all the trauma she's accumulated.

oh i completely forgot to mention that im also obsessed with the sound booth scene???? i honestly can't figure out if she's just shit stirring when she projects her and rio's conversation for the fun of it, or if it's like a fucked up agatha way of trying to protect her new coven by giving them reasons to distrust rio and be wary of her, specifically because she thinks rio will betray her/betray them and reap them. I can't figure it out. it might even be both.

anyway live laugh love agatha

[aphroditestempleimagines]

I burn for you

Pairing: Satoru Gojo x Reader - 18+

Words: 3574

Warnings: jealous, yelling, cursing, passionate sex, rough sex, possessive behaviour (borderline yandere themes but consent guys nothing too wild), rubbing, vaginal fingering, oral sex (fem!receiving), spanking, gropping, restraints (hands), orgasm denial, overstimulation (tiny bit), nipple play

Summary: Your engagement to the heir to the Gojo clan has been arranged since you were young. Yet you can't help but realize that Satoru himself does not seem to care, neither about duty nor about you. In your sorrow you slept with his old, now criminal, friend Suguru Getou. You did not know just how much this would hurt Gojo.

Colour: Hot, rough and very angsty as always

His love series - part 2

Author's note: i'm at the ssn office for the 100th time and this time I'm writing smut. Joke's on them, i'm having fun this time, not gonna cry over them.

You lay on the couch as the slight footprints of Getou's cursed energy were washed away by the tide of time. If you could focus you could still feel the warmth of his embrace as it enveloped you. You could recall the safety of his arms as he planted a small kiss on the crown of your hair. Your hand glided over the cushions. Your heart ached. You would never have imagined that the memory of only one night could linger so much in your mind. Flashbacks of his love popped randomly in your head, from the way he caressed your skin to the words he whispered in your ear.

Gojo would never do that.

A knock on the door. You were not expecting anyone. You readied your fist with cursed energy behind your back as you looked through the eyelet. It was Gojo. You put out the spell and opened the door.

"Do you have any idea how worried I was?", he said coldly, "You left in the middle of the faculty dinner"

"And you honestly can't think of a reason why I left?", you responded harshly.

"What are you talking about?", he crossed his arms.

"You turned me into a joke, Satoru!", you yelled at his face. He looked left and right, checking the corridor.

"You don't have to yell, let's talk about this inside", he placed his hands on your arms.

"I don't want to talk about it anymore. I can't keep doing this. I can't keep looking the other way when you keep parading around as if you're this prized bachelor", tears of frustration spilled from your eyes in front of his shocked face, "And what the hell was that about wishing you were never engaged to me? I'm sorry Satoru. I'm sorry I'm such a BURDEN to you. I didn't choose this either but at least I'm TRYING to be DECENT!"

You heaved as you spat the last words. Everything you wanted to tell him spilled out like a cataract. He lowered his head. "I didn't mean it like that", he said. His eyes reached up and removed his blindfold, letting his hair fall in front of his frozen blue eyes. "I only meant....I....", he tried to find his words, "I'm sorry, I can see how it must have sounded but....", he raised his head to meet your gaze, but as he finished the sentence he saw something else as well. Like hypnotized he moved past you and towards the living room.

Your heart clenched. You knew already what he must have noticed. Gojo's eyes were not like anyone else's. He could detect cursed energy better than anyone else; no matter if the individual to whom it belonged was around or not.

He turned slowly, his eyes lingering on the floor again for a while before he raised them to meet yours. Instead of simply hurt, they now seemed betrayed.

"Who was here?", he asked but you knew he had already guessed.

You did not respond. He looked around, probably checking with his six eyes whether Getou was still in the apartment. You saw the sadness being painted on his face as he realized his friend was once again long gone. His gaze fell on the empty bottle of sake Getou had left behind.

"Were you drinking?", he asked puzzled.

"Does it matter?"

"Why was he here?", he approached you.

"Nothing, just visiting"

"How much did you have to drink?", he waited for a while but even without you speaking he got his answer. "Did you sleep with him?"

You walked back to close the door. The neighbors did not have to hear this as well. "You're being ridiculous", you told him.

"So you did", he rubbed his beautiful blue eyes, urging the tremble in his voice to calm down, "I can't believe he'd take advantage of you like this, he's changed for sure". He turned his back on you.

"He didn't take advantage of me!", you objected this time, "I wanted to-"

"That's even worse!", Satoru cried.

"Why do you care?", you screamed back at him, "You have Utahime and all the others you like to chase to pretend you're a fucking playboy"

"Fuck Utahime"

"I bet you have"

He turned back to face you, his eyes wide open.

You took a deep breath. "I understand that this engagement has been hard for you and you might think things were taken away from you", you avoided his gaze, "But do you think it isn't for me? I'm stuck with someone who not only does not love me but is also showing it off."

You peaked at his response. His face had straightened out, all the clownery he usually put on suddenly washed out. He moved closer.

"I don't love you?", he said mockingly.

You scoffed. He did not. You continued smiling until you realized how close he had gotten. You showed your anger in your face again.

"Are you expecting me to believe that you do?", you shot.

"I'm not the one who's been sleeping around"

"Do you think I'm stupid Satoru?"

His left hand pulled you by the waist, his right by the nape. He crashed his lips with yours into a deep kiss that took your breath away. You were still recovering from the shock when he tore himself apart to take a breath, the hot air collapsing on your cheeks as he heaved.

"I don't love you? Is that it? I've hurt you?", he said and you only then noticed the complicated feelings buried beneath the frozen lake of his eyes. You could have sworn you could just make out some tears forming at the brim. "I have loved only two people in my life. And they fell in love with each other"

You gave him a confused look. "What are you sayi-'"

He kissed you again, this time using his body to crash your forms onto the front door. He lodged his knee between your legs, all the while caressing your body.

"Satoru-"

"I love you", he kissed your neck, your shoulder, your collarbone. He slowly unraveled the tie of your robe and pushed it over your shoulders. "I love you so much I have to stay away from you", he said burying his fingers in your hair.

"Satoru...", you placed your hand on his head, threding your fingers between his silver locks. You carefully peeled him away from your torso. "Don't do this", tears brimmed from your eyes, "Don't let this be a lie".

He climbed back up. He was so tall, he towered over you. He took your hands in his and pressed them against the door, fingers entwining together. "I would never lie about this", he said against your lips. He kissed you again. "I lost him, I'm not losing you", he said determined, "I don't care if you don't love me. Just promise me you'll stay. Promise me you'll never leave me. I can't let you go. I won't let you go."

He alternated between words and kisses as his hands dove underneath your clothes to taste the warmth of your skin. You were losing your breath. He did not let go of your lips long enough for you to think.

"Gojo..."

"Did you call him by his last name too?", he growled against your neck. He turned your body around. His arms embraced your form, his hand sneaking down the collar of your shirt as he kissed your shoulder. He buried his face in your hair, but you could still hear the tremble of his breath. "He can't have you", he said, "He's taken away so much from me and I still wasn't able to hate him. But this is too much"

Some stray tears streamed down your face. "Bastard", you told him, "Couldn't you have said that once in all these years?"

He tightened his grip as if he feared you were ready to leave him behind. "I could", he touched his forehead to your shoulder, "I'm sorry".

"Gojo"

"No"

"Satoru"

He nipped at your neck in approval. His large hand cupped your face, thumb caressing your cheek.

"Do you love Suguru?", you asked. He sighed but did not respond. "Do you hate him?", you asked again.

"I will if he takes you away"

"If I leave", you said, "it'd be because you pushed me to"

He tightened his grip again. "I won't let that happen", he said.

"It's already been happening"

He caught his breath. "Do you want to leave?", he asked. It was clear he had to force his arms to loosen their embrace. He did not speak; he barely breathed as he waited for your answer.

"Don't let me go", you finally said, voice trembling.

He wasted no time to pull you back into his arms. One hand turned your head towards him so he could catch your lips in a passionate kiss, the other dove underneath your trousers until its fingers reached far enough to play with your bud. You moaned as his tongue entwined with yours. You could feel the hardness growing in his trousers as he pressed your bodies together. He scraped your lower lips with the back of his digits until he finally thrust one of them inside. His hand lifted your chin and he nipped on your neck and shoulder. You threw your arm back until you hooked it over his nape, keeping his lips close to your skin. He thrust another finger inside you. He curled the two of them together, scraping your walls with their pads. He took notice of your change in breath and gropped your breast underneath your cotton shirt. His one thumb circled your nipple as his other played with your clit. His hands slowly peeled away your clothes, discarding them along with his own. His knee urged your legs apart.

"Bend your knees", he whispered.

You did not understand the reason but you were too drunk in him not to do so. He crashed his fish with his palm in front of you and suddenly you were falling onto your bed. He pulled your body so that you sat on his thighs, back on his chest. He drew your panties to the side, his nail scraping on your bud back and forth.

"Don't tease me", you trembled.

"Where's the fun in that?", he touched his cheek to yours, "You're so hot right now".

"Then get on with it", your voice caught as you clenched around his scissored fingers, "I need you inside me"

"How many times did he make you come?"

He entered another finger. He had set up a proper pace but his question dispersed your clouded thoughts.

"What?"

"How many times did Suguru make you come?", Satoru asked again, "I'm not stopping until I make your body at least remember who will treat it best"

"Satoru"

"Two? Three?", he pinched your breast, his fingers plunging faster between your walls.

"Ngh, two"

Gojo scoffed. "That's weak"

You could not catch your breath. His hands were touching you in all the right places. His teeth grazed your skin every other moment, sending an ecstatic shiver all over your limbs. Your hips chased his fingers as they left your walls, only for your legs to trap his hand between them once he thrust them back in. You were so close. You circled your bud until your body began to tremble in the break of your orgasm. You came over his fingers and he traced their wetness over your torso, from your legs to your lips. In the last moment, he pulled them away and shoved them inside his mouth in an emphatic display. He took hold of your arms and restrained them with one hand behind your back. He reached for a pillow and let your head rest upon it as he had you on your knees.

"Don't cheat", he planted his face on your core, tracing your lower lips with a line of kisses. His silver hair tickled your skin. His tongue delved deeper inside your walls. You buried your moans into the pillow. He opened your entrance further with his other hand and placed another kiss.

He took a moment to breathe as he cupped your core. Then he returned his lips to your entrance, his hand reaching to free his erection. He pumped it at the sound of your moans, his thumb tracing the precum leaking from the top.

"Do you want me?", his warm breath collapsed against your core.

"Yes", you breathed, "I want you Satoru"

He seemed to take courage to continue at the sound of that. "I want you too", he said, "I need you so much it's killing me. But I need you to come one more time first". He flicked your bud with his tongue. "Think you can do that?"

You buried your face in the pillow once more. Your cheeks were too red to show your face to him. "Mhm", you squealed as his tongue traced your folds again.

"That's my girl", he whispered in a low tone before he concentrated fully on extracting another orgasm out of you.

Your body instinctively tried to wiggle out of his grip but it was no use. Your legs squeezed together. He let go of his length. He grabbed your thigh and pulled your core towards his lips. You could not soften your moans even with the pillow. Not anymore. You turned your head to the side and cried out loud as you lost your mind in the depths of pleasure. That only seemed to edge him on. His fingers rubbed on your clit vigorously and that was enough to send you over the hill. You heaved as your body climbed down from euphoria, your juices trailing down your thighs.

Satoru pressed your sensitive clit with his thumb. Your body twitched. He let go of your hands and took you into his arms again. You gave him a smile to let him know you were alright, a response that liberated his held breath. He reached forward and planted a kiss on your forehead.

"Do you have any idea what you do to me?", his words dripped with lust in your ear.

You had a pretty good idea what you were doing to him. In fact, you could feel it pressing on the small of your back as he held you close. Your hand reached behind you for his nape. The sense of his hair entwining between your fingers reassured you that this was real.

"Satoru", you looked up to him, "Do you really love me?"

Your question seemed to catch him by surprise. He touched his forehead to yours. "I adore you", he said, "Why won't you believe me?"

"Cause", you averted your eyes, "You're Satoru Gojo"

He caught his breath. His brows furrowed. He let you slide out of his arms and pulled himself up to lay on the bed. He placed his hands at your waist and lifted you up; to your surprise he placed you on top of him, letting his body fall underneath yours.

"What are you doing?", he led your hands on his.

He smiled. "I'm setting myself at the mercy of the woman stronger than Satoru Gojo"

"The hell are you talking about?"

He placed your hands over his heart, then pulled at them so you'd bent closer. "You've defeated me", he said, giving you a kiss, "I'm yours as much as you're mine".

You squeezed his hands. You guided them onto the mattress and realised he was letting you. Those brilliant blue eyes were looking up at you with adoration. The heart you once believed to be hollow, beated loudly underneath his bare chest. Your eyes grew wide. This monster of a man who kept jujutsu society in order under the mere fear of his power's immense strength, was now sitting below you, voluntarily helpless, and you knew he would not cower to fulfil any demand you made. It was a strange sort of power he had placed upon your lap and it was exhilarating.

"Do you understand now?", he asked sternly. He smiled at your nod. "I'm in pain when I'm around you", he smirked, "Will you help me?"

You chuckled. "You jackass"

He smiled as he opened the package of a condom with his teeth. You lifted your hips as he carefully rolled it down his length. Your hair fell round his face. He traced your lower lips with his tip; up and down, up and down, until your body trembled and your hips chased him.

"Satoru", you whined, "put it in"

He gave you a kiss. "What my love wants, my love gets", he said as he plunged his length between your walls. He guided your hips downwards until he bottomed out and held you still. You tried to wiggle your hips but he would not let you. His lips kept chasing yours, each kiss deeper than the previous one. "This is why I was trying to stay away from you", he said, "You're worse than alcohol"

"What are you talkikg about?", you tried to move your hips again.

He lifted you up enough to slam you back down. You tried to catch your breath at the sudden roughness. "I wanted you to experience life before we were bound together. But I can't do that anymore", he said, "I can't share you with some rando now that I've tasted your sweetness. I'm already drunk."

Once again he lifted you up, but this time he slammed his hips towards you as he brought you down. Your hand pressed at the mattress next to his head.

"Satoru..."

"I'm gonna fuck you so good you're never gonna want another dick in that tight pussy of yours", he breathed against your lips, "Would you like that?"

"Yes...", you felt your body catch ablaze.

He ran his hands on your sweated form, a mischievous smile on his face. He started moving your hips, twisting them slightly to drag his full length along your velvet walls. You fought the overwhelming haze that clouded your thoughts as he bounced you harder and harder against his cock. You brought your hand to wrap around his throat. He groaned. You felt him twitch inside you. You planted your knees more firmly and moved your hips on your own. Satoru smirked. Now he could thrust his own his up to meet yours. His eyes drank your reddened face, his ears your cries of pleasure; They joined his heart in the drunkenness that was you and he wished he would never be sober again.

His hands climbed up to your chest. He cupped your breasts with his hands, his thumbs pressing and circling their rosey diamond peaks. You were losing your breath. Satoru's body alone, spread like a magnificent artwork between your legs, was enough to drive your mind crazy. But as he drove his rock-hard length inside your folds your mind climbed up to a sky higher than the one you lived under.

You bend your body closer to him once again. You panted against his lips before you claimed them for yours. He moved one of his hands to your clit. He used his thumb to press and circle your bud. You bit his lip; he groaned. You could feel how his long length pulsated inside you as his pace grew quicker.

He stopped. You whined as he moved your hips circularly, making you feel every crevice of his member.

"Say that you want me", he rasped as he held you close to him by the nape.

"I want you"

He moved your hips once, then stopped again. "Say that you need me", his demand was as desperate as your answer.

"Ngn...Satoru, I need you!"

He picked up the pace again. His thrusts seemed even more mindblowing than before. He kissed your neck, grazing his teeth over your skin, covering the marks Geto had left with his own. You gasped as he drove his fingers alongside his length. You could not take it anymore. The knot within you was cut cleanly under the thrusts of his sword and you let your juices flow down on his fingers. He fucked you through your orgasm; it was not long before he came as well. His moans and grunts filled your ears as he wrapped his hands around you, burying his flushed face under the cover of your hair. You buried your fingers in his silver locks, pulling the strands as his convulsions hit your sensitized g-spot. You panted in each other's embrace, neither of you willing to let go.

"Y/n", he finally said between pants.

"Yes?"

He continued heaving in your ear, his hand petting your hair as he pressed his cheek to yours. He pulled away, taking your face in his large hands. He seemed terrified to speak; as if what he had to say would change the course of history. He swallowed.

"I love you". His eyes were dead serious as he spoke those words. "I love you", he said again to engrave the message in your mind.

You felt the tears sting your eyes. You watched them land on his reddened face.

"I love you too", your voice was strangled by your emotions. He meant it. He really meant it.

He pulled you into his arms once more. He held you like a desperate man as he hid his face behind you. "Then please", he said, "Stay"

[elswing]

in defense of elrond

it is ironic that elrond keeps accusing galadriel of being too blinded by pride while he's fallen equally victim to being blinded by his own frustrations. neither of them are being particularly rational about the situation because they're both hurt and feeling betrayed, and i think elrond's remark about how galadriel only sacrificed herself to save the ring instead of the company perfectly encapsulates that—because, yeah, that is a fair interpretation of it, but she did just tell him five seconds ago that she was only there to protect them, a fact that exists simultaneously with her possessiveness over nenya.

it isn't One Or The Other, just like both of their opinions on the rings, because in actuality they are both right about them. elrond has a limited perspective on it, but from his pov he is completely justified in hating the three feanorian crafted shiny magic jewels that everyone around them covets (🤨). all he knows is that sauron had a hand in making them and no one can possibly know how much influence he has over them because the true art of his craft is subtle. as in, you don't know it's happening to you until you're suddenly slapped with the consequences of it. it is equally fair of him to be suspicious of galadriel herself, because it is impossible to rely on whether she now believes herself to be free of his corruption when she never knew it was there to begin with. also, again, for emphasis—she knew sauron walked among them, she knew he'd helped make the rings, and she let it happen anyway. that doesn't exactly inspire trust, especially when it's the exact antithesis of the point she's trying to prove to elrond and she hasn't done anything to try and rectify that breach of friendship except offer an apology that does sound quite empty given she is still championing the rings.

on the other hand, galadriel is the one who spent time with sauron all this time. galadriel is the one who befriended him, and while even we as the viewers can't be sure which parts of halbrand were an act and which were genuine moments of connection, the main point is still clear: whether she wants it or not, they understand each other. even without their friendship, you can't spend thousands of years dedicating your life to hunting someone down without them becoming familiar to you in some way, and i think there is a specific manner of vulnerability that loss and grief gave her and it just tore her wide open for all sorts of habits and traits to take root. she became so devoted to her vengeance against sauron that the lines between identity and purpose began to blur.

i am not of the opinion that galadriel loves sauron (or vice versa, but that's a whole other post), as fascinating as their dynamic is to me. i do think that she is a passionate individual who was made for love and boldness, and losing everything she did was never going to mellow her out or slow her down. in her, vulnerability takes the form of rage, and it is there, in that twisted, not-quite-galadriel version of herself, that sauron was able to find a reflection.

there is no way elrond can possibly understand any of that, even despite suffering similar losses, because that's just not who he is. galadriel has the better intuition on sauron's manipulations, and she has a far better understanding of the depth of them, so of course her opinion should count here.

the issue is that they're both too raw and hurt that neither of them are willing to say "okay, so we BOTH have good points here. let's hear each other out instead of waiting for one of us to see reason and blindly agree with everything the other is saying"

i think it should also be noted that galadriel does end up being right about the rings' capabilities as a force for good, especially since the One to control them hasn't been forged yet. as unlikely as it might seem to elrond, her intuition isn't leading her astray here. we just haven't reached that point in the story yet (nor have we reached the point where galadriel begins to humble herself to the elves and seeks to redeem herself like morfydd mentioned, but i have a feeling they're getting into that now. after all, she did give nenya up to the guy who hurtled face-first off a cliff hoping to destroy them, so that's gotta count for something. baby steps!)

[katakosmos]

the crouch family

barty, emily, barty, winky, the grandparents

there was nothing bartemius crouch sr loved more than his job, except maybe for emily crouch. their son, barty, was third on the scale of importance. he was part of the family, that's true, but there was a reason he came after emily and his job: emily was his wife and the mother of his son, and his job was what allowed him to support her and the child. barty would never have been born if it hadn't been for these two. therefore, barty was third.

sometimes emily said, jokingly, that barty was married to his job, and that she only got in the way of their love story. other times though, she said the same thing, but angry. or crying. barty wanted to reassure her, but he could never find the words to tell her you are the most important thing to me.

he knew she was right, his job took up a lot of his time. it made him come home late, it forced him to lock himself in his office. it was a big effort, but necessary. and then, once he had shown everyone his commitment and his value, after having defeated voldemort and become minister, he would have had a lot of time to dedicate to his family. first work, then pleasure.

was that what ruined everything in the end? without realizing it, he had put work first. what would have happened if he had come home on time more often?

what would have changed?

emily crouch loved her son with all her heart... but, sometimes, she felt like she was betraying her husband's trust. he had been there before barty was born, she had loved him before their son. so, emily crouch loved her sweet barty with all her heart, but she loved her husband more.

when they met, they were young and immature. he talked to her about his dreams and goals, and she was enchanted by him. he seemed like a serious young man, with a life plan. someone who would give her certainties. it would have been nice if she could marry a boy like that.

on their wedding day he promised her love and respect. and he always kept his promises. it was important for him, who grew up with a violent father and a submissive mother. the horrible and strict grandparents that barty met only once when he was five, and never again. he told her that he didn't want to be like his father, and he didn't want her to have the same fate as his mother. he was always a great husband.

they argued sometimes, they didn't always share the same ideas. but they always found a way to fix everything, they loved each other. he had given her a purpose, emily was not good at anything, neither in magic nor in life. she would have had no future if it weren't for him. she only had eyes for her husband.

was that her mistake, maybe? she should have given barty more love. was she the cause of it all, all that went wrong?

if she had told barty how much she loved him, would anything have changed?

winky was devoted to the crouch family like no one else had ever been. she had deep respect for her masters, she venerated them, she served them with happiness. they were so kind to her, and she was just a house elf.

she served mr. crouch since he was a child, he was very dear to her. mrs. crouch was a wonderful woman. and when little master crouch joined the family, she was so happy: he was the kindest and most polite child she knew.

sometimes she had heard him say terrible things, terrible indeed, that she would never have dared to repeat. that's why she didn't tell her masters. she made a mistake and ruined everything, there was no other explanation. she was unable to protect the family, and when barty escaped from azkaban she did nothing to alleviate his condition. she should have talked to mr. crouch more, persuaded him to be more lenient. he was a man destroyed by grief, but he was forgetting his son again.

had master crouch felt lonely? had he felt unloved? but then, had he listened to her devoted and sincere words, whispered under the invisibility cloak, or had he simply ignored her all these years?

barty crouch jr hated his family. and it wasn't something he tried to hide, even if they didn't seem to understand it. bearing the name crouch was embarrassing and shameful. bearing the exact same name as his father was an insult. what was "family" to others was nothing more than an oppressive group of people to him. they accused him of destroying their lineage, but why would barty feel bad for doing so? why would he pity an absent father and a mother who only loved him when he was weak and alone?

he had to get rid of them to be completely free. and how ironic, after all, hadn't they all sacrificed themselves so that he would be? but freedom wasn't the air outside azkaban, nor his father and winky's desperate attempt to fix everything. freedom was power, control. and his "family" couldn't give him that. they couldn't give him anything... well, except anger and pain.

but, sadly, he already had those.

[sonnet009games]

I just finished reading the new chapter - a tiny bit late for once since I was busy with stuff - and damn... I'm actually sitting here and legit crying.

I know you won't be able to respond to it for a few more days for spoiler reasons but...

Yeah, it was such an awesome chapter. I love how it was as expected when it comes to the detective, and that the appartment - in the case of mine - became even more empty and sterile than before. And it was just so... incredibly emotional to just see that spark of life come back in the morning, at the end of the chapter.

Also, I really enjoyed the gorta fight! AND the fact I managed to deduce who was the culprit, even if I didn't know the full truth about what was happening. It was the fact Flea mentionned he disappeared right when HE came into the picture that tipped me off! But back to the fight, it was really cool to see that with time, the detective DOES become better at fighting demons. And that "oh shit" moment with the blood? Brilliant. The slight moment of delay between the "well that's a hunger demon for you" and "DAMN we know just WHAT are the effects of incubus blood" was perfection!

The whole tone of the chapter was so so bleak, especially with a detective who feels so extremely guilty and is so openly depressed about the whole thing. I guess the tone is quite different for a detective who betrayed Flea, but mine didn't so it was just plain awkward but without "true reason" (well, obviously there are a lot of reasons for the awkwardness, but neither Flea nor my detective did anything bad per se).

One thing that amuses me to no end is to imagine the sheer shit Ted is going to give the detective when he learns about Flea actually moving in. I'm sure he'll go feral over it with the teasing. Though I imagine he'll be happy too.

Oh by the way, I have a question this time - a proper one, not only gushing over the new content! It's a bit of a random one though, not directly related to this chapter's content (I don't mind waiting for the moment you can actually post this though). So, we know incubi and succubi are called different words depending on gender. But so far, it seems it isn't the case for the other demon types we've met. Now, obviously I imagine from a writing PoV you just did it that way because these are demons we know and "it's like that" in reality. But I wonder if in the setting of your IF, some other demon types are called different names based on gender, or is it exclusively an incubus/succubus thing. Yeah, it's the most random of questions, I know!

Anyway, just thank you for this chapter (and this whole IF, really)! I can't even begin to describe just how many emotions each chapter brings me. It's without any doubts one of my favorite IF - and even one of my favorite games I've ever played!

I was thinking about tropes I really love and if/how I might be able to fit them into the game, and ‘sex pollen’ was right up there on the list. I’m glad I got to use a variation on one of my favourites. ^_^

As for your question: You’re right that having incubi/succubi separated by gender was an out-of-universe choice based on the recognisability of the terms. In-universe, sex demons (all demons, in fact) are on a broad gender spectrum that will at times defy binary classification.

Thank you so much for your thoughtful messages and kind words! <3

[waterfire1848]

For the AU-Ask: Azula joins the Gaang-AU :)

Hello, @subterraneanwatcher! Thanks for the ask!

Azula joins the Gaang during BSS when her coup fails (because it always irked me how the Dai Li just went along with Azula) and she needs a way to escape as does the Gaang. Now that the city is controlled by Long Feng, neither the Gaang, Azula's team nor Iroh and Zuko can remain there, so they're all forced to flee on the most awkward bison ride in history.

The second they hand, Azula is ready to murder Aang. Both because she knows she can't return to her father empty handed and also because she's having a mini version of her breakdown (she's never failed before so failing this great on such a large scale is a blow for her). A fight ensues until the two groups finally agree to a truce for the time being while both of them figure out what to do next.

The Gaang still have to head to the Fire Nation because of the invasion and comet which is when Azula gets an idea. She knows Aang has a good heart and, because of that, he'll take pity on a "down on her luck" princess which means he might accept her if she asks to join their group. Then, when the invasion happens, she, Mai and Ty Lee can just betray the Gaang and they're already be back in the palace. It's a perfect plan. The Gaang doesn't trust them one bit but Aang is more inclined to see the good in them so they let them tag alone until they reach Fire Nation borders.

From BSS to the Fire Nation, it's a looooooooong flight, so you know what that means. Bonding moments! Mai and Toph start talking more and more because they realize that they come from pretty similar backgrounds after Toph makes a remark about her mom (still reeling from the whole fake letter and attempted kidnapping thing) and Mai agrees with her. Ty Lee and Aang bond because both of them would be the people who constantly need to move and stretch their legs so they get to talking on their little walks or when they decide to do a little climbing (Ty Lee teaches Aang a couple moves from her time at the circus). And Azula remains with, who she considers, the three most dangerous people here, minus Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Iroh. Of course, sibling stories begin with Azula and Zuko going back and forth between embarrassing childhood stories which is both hilarious for the other three but also makes it clear that these two siblings did once have a good relationship. And, of course, Azula and Katara training together moments.

By the time they reach the Fire Nation's borders, they're not friends but they certainly are closer than they were before. Everyone is ready to go their separate ways until Ty Lee finds a poster during one of her walks that says she, Mai and Azula are all traitors to the Fire Nation and working with the Avatar. Azula, of course, has a mini panic attack but calms herself down by reminding herself of the plan. Her father will surely forgive her when she brings the Avatar, her traitor brother and uncle right to him, right?

(Just some mini headcanons) - The first member of the Gaang Azula fully trusts is Appa. The first human Azula fully trusts is Sokka because they get into such heated debates but he's also oddly the most comforting person to Azula. Recently joined the Gaang!Azula is exactly like her beach self, a bit self conscious and really awkward but trying her best. Azula does not understand the team being so powerful but hardly using their bending, it's just such a big contrast against Azula's reasoning. Katara is the one who teaches Azula how to do her hair (an old Azutara headcanon of mine but I think it works here). Azula still refuses to share her sweets with the Gaang and this had led to more than one argument between her Aang and Momo.

[paleshroom]

Loo Loo Land may have some blink-and-you-miss-it foreshadowing for the upcoming Octavia episode, particularly Octavia’s relationship with Stella.

These are screenshots from right before Stolas sings You Will Be Okay to a young Octavia. On the wall are two major things: 1) Octavia’s drawing of her and her father, and 2) a portrait of the two of them together. Stella is absent from both. Note: this is a *different* father-daughter portrait from the one we see Blitz walk by during the Not Divorced party in The Circus. Thus, there are *two* known portraits of Octavia with just her father, and one drawing she did of just the two of them.

Neither Loo Loo Land nor Seeing Stars show any drawings or photos of Stella in Octavia’s room. There are zero portraits of Octavia with just Stella alone. We see two portraits of Stella with Octavia at all, but both of them include Stolas as well (the Loo Loo Land family portrait in the kitchen, and a more recent family portrait that can be seen in the background of Stolas’s room in The Full Moon and The Circus).

Also, in the opening scene of Loo Loo Land, although we hear her call “Mommy! Daddy!” after waking from her nightmare, when Stolas goes to her room, she says this:

“I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

Not “you and mom,” just “you.”

What does this mean?

I believe Stella and Octavia have always been distant and - given the line we see in the trailer - are only getting closer as a result of Octavia feeling betrayed by her father. I think Stella has primarily been using Octavia as a tool for power, including power over Stolas. Could she have some love for Octavia still? Maybe, but I’m willing to bet that’s not the only reason she has Octavia spend time with her on weekends.

I also think Octavia has probably had some inkling something was wrong for a while. She obviously doesn’t know the extent of the abuse, but there’s just no way she didn’t see or hear something at some point to make her pause and wonder what was going on (even if she couldn’t pinpoint what it was). You can try your best to hide what’s going on between you and your spouse from your kid, but kids know. Even if they don’t want to know - they don’t want it to be true, but they know. And from what we’ve seen of Stella, she’s not subtle period, let alone subtle about her distaste for “a boring stiff like Stolas.” And Stolas, as passive as he’s been with Stella until this point, can’t do anything to hide that part. And before I get someone saying something stupid, I am NOT saying Octavia is at fault in any way here.

As a final note - we know Octavia’s hurt comes from a fear of abandonment, but I think it goes further than that. I think it extends to not just losing him in general, but from a fear of having the same (or even greater) distance from him as she’s had with her mother. Stolas has been everything to her; she’s used to her mother’s (suspected) distance, but with him? After he promised so many times otherwise? That’s what really hurts. I think this is going to be the greatest contributing factor to her emotional state in that episode - the betrayal of a parent, who unlike the other, was supposed to stay.

[kateweathermachine2]

I’m 12 years late to it but let’s ramble about Scylla

Of course it took the Wisdom Saga nearly dropping for me to finally finish this

This may be a collective organized rant or it’s (more likely) gonna be a super-ramble nonsense jumble pile of me trying to words

A bit of background- I got into Epic right around the time the Ocean Saga released; I quickly got obsessed (as one does) and have watched a bunch of Jorge’s older shorts on the making of different songs, including just about everything I could find on Scylla’s song. I was enamored by the vocals Jorge teased us with and as the Thunder Saga drew nearer, Scylla was hands-down the song I was most hyped for.

And BY GOLLY I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED. I was blown away by Scylla on the livestream. Everything- the vocals, the instrumentals, the visuals- came together beautifully and I’m gonna ramble about it

But to really see Odysseus through this we gotta start with Suffering (which is an absolute bop); specifically when the siren tells Odysseus about Scylla. When she first says Scylla, Odysseus is repellent of that option, judging by his immediate “no”. He isn’t immediately on board. He doesn’t want to sacrifice his crew. And (even though we all knew this was coming) it takes the rest of Suffering and Different Beast before we finally see that he’s willing to go through with it in the opening of Scylla (what with him saying “this is our only way home” and all that).

Parts of Scylla sound like a waltz!! I haven’t noticed anyone else mention that yet. Maybe it’s just me. But in the first section during the “deep down”s and Ody/Eury dialogue the chords all sound waltz-y to me.

Odysseus only has a few lines in this song as well as some interesting parts when he doesn’t speak.

His very first lines- “the lair of Scylla… this is our only way home” aren’t in the same harsh tone as Different Beast. To me it sounds like he’s trying to justify his decision to himself. He has to go through with this. It’s the only way that he’ll get back to Ithica.

Contrast this with his tone as he speaks to Eurylochus- “not much to say”. It’s back to being rough and hard. He’s closing himself off to the rest of his crew, including Eurylochus. He’s becoming the monster to them. (Rawr rawr rawr)

The confession scene- THE CONFESSION SCENE MY GOODNESS. Honestly I wasn’t exactly expecting Eurylochus to have opened the bag but I’m not surprised either. It was a very “ahhh” moment for me. And Scylla’s words-

I’ve seen a few posts talking about how they believed Scylla’s words were directed to Eurylochus in this scene, but I never thought that was the case. I think Jay deliberately created the parallel there, but Eurylochus doesn’t seem like he’s *hearing* Scylla yet. (Remember- later on, he says “something approaches” as if that’s the first he’s seeing/hearing of Scylla.) No, these lyrics are meant for Odysseus, and what he’s about to do. Not to say there isn’t any relevance to Eurylochus here- “you hide a reason for shame … leaving them feeling betrayed / breaking the bonds that you’ve made” alternate with Eurylochus’s apology, as they shed light on what Eurylochus *had* done as well as what Odysseus was *going* to do. There is a strong parallel here- but it’s not Eurylochus Scylla is talking to. (This is also supported by the lyrics “you know that we are the same” and “we both know what it takes to survive”, neither of which have much relevance to Eurylochus here.) The lyric “you know that we are the same” is an interesting one, but I’ll get back to it later.

So Odysseus basically ghosts Eurylochus- and yes he’s probably furious about the wind bag incident but I think another reason for his silence is because he’s been hearing Scylla. Odysseus can’t forgive nor blame Eurylochus because he’s about to betray Eurylochus right back. Maybe he just can’t face speaking to Eurylochus with what he’s about to do.

Did anyone else at this point realize the sole purpose of the song “Full Speed Ahead” was for nothing more than to create a motif to be used absolutely everywhere

Then we get to Odysseus’s first words to Eurylochus! When first listening I could feel my heart dropping, as did likely everyone else who knew about Scylla from the Odyssey. But the DELIVERY. The simple DELIVERY of those CONDEMNING LINES- Eurylochus doesn’t even react to this order. This is really how you know that he- and the rest of the crew- don’t know where they’re headed. (I’ve seen plenty of people talk about Eurylochus’s thoughts during this scene and afterward so I’m not gonna tread over that same ground.) All I can say is my heart sank.

Did anyone else think about the lack of a “danger is near” motif in this song? I’ve heard a possible modified version in the song (1:14 if anyone wants to listen for it), but it doesn’t fully fit, and nowhere else is a hint of this theme shown. And there’s clearly about to be danger in this song- for six of Odysseus’s crew, that is. I think the reason we can’t hear a “danger is near” motif in this song because there isn’t a danger for Odysseus, and that’s who the danger is near motif is for. After all, the motif was present in “Mutiny”, right *after* they got through the danger of Scylla. Just another something cool I’ve found that I haven’t seen anyone else comment on before.

“Captain, something approaches”

“Hello.”

The DRUMS ON EACH BEAT, the VIOLIN RUNS, all with the background SHEPARD TONES falling and then rising, the SUSPENSE- THE ***SUSPENSE***

Before Scylla came out, I repeatedly watched the Scylla audition call video Jay put out, and from that I had the thought that the buildup section would be much shorter. Boy was that not the case and boy was that such a good decision the more I think about it. You really feel the suspense gradually build like it does for the crew, first seeing the vague shapes of Scylla and slowly having more and more revealed in the torchlight before the heads pounce.

Not to mention Scylla’s voice actor is amazing. She does a wonderful job of the smooth, almost angelic voice at the beginning and end, but in the chorus?! Jay’s videos on it didn’t do this justice! The MONSTROUS way she growls, the HARMONIES that come in in the second chorus- not to mention the crazy drums and other music in the background adding to the chaos.

And in the background you can *hear* when each man is scooped up, when each man is being devoured. Once again you’re right there with the crew, hearing your fellow friends get eaten. It’s not something I would expect to hear in the official song when their deaths aren’t the main focus during the chorus (the main focus being Scylla herself), but props to Jay for adding that detail.

One thing I noticed in the amazing animatic done for this section that I haven’t noticed many people specifically point out yet, is how Eurylochus doesn’t seem to catch on it’s the torches that are signaling to Scylla which men to eat until *after* he passes his own on. You can see it in the horror on his face as he looks at the second-to-last torch drop, then as he turns to the final man, the man he’d given his torch to (as he presumably went to try and help someone else from getting eaten? That’s how I interpret him leaving the torch with the final guy, like a “I need both hands for this” kind of thing).

Then the END- after the rampage- the final “We must do what it takes to survive”- it quiets down, the waltzy pattern comes back out, and the final line- “We are the same, you and I”

Back to that previous lyric I mentioned, “you know that we are the same”. Near the beginning of the song when I heard it, the lyric recalled to my mind that villain trope of “we’re not so different” (I think that’s a trope). And here at the end of the song that sentiment is repeated- and Odysseus SINGS WIRH HER. He AGREES. Up until now Odysseus hasn’t acknowledged Scylla talking to him, but here he’s given into the thought that yes, now he *is* the monster - to both his enemies *and* his crew. (Rawr rawr rawr)

And that’s how Scylla’s become one of my absolute favorite songs from Epic

[goodnightmemes]

THE CRAFT (1996) SENTENCE STARTERS

❛ I can't stay home and watch daytime TV for the rest of my life. ❜

❛ The almanac says today will bring an arrival of something. ❜

❛ We need someone to call out the corners-- north, south, east and west. ❜

❛ I am sorry. My defenses are up. People here have been really rude to me. ❜

❛ He comes on to anything with tits. ❜

❛ Everything in nature steals, you know. Big animals steal from little ones. ❜

❛ Maybe you're a natural witch. Your power comes from within. ❜

❛ I had a dream about you. In my dream, you were dead. ❜

❛ Man invented God. This is older than that. ❜

❛ Do you guys worship the devil? ❜

❛ Sometimes I will want it to rain, and a pipe will burst in my room and it will just get flooded. Or I will want it just to be quiet, and I will wish for it, and I will go deaf for three days straight. ❜

❛ Nothing makes everything all better again. ❜

❛ Maybe he was just trying to save face then... because... he's going around the whole school saying that... you're the lousiest lay he's ever had. ❜

❛ Why'd you lie about me? ❜

❛ Look, I don't want to go out with you again. Okay? Please stop begging. It's pathetic. ❜

❛ She's gonna cry, and then I am gonna cry. We're all gonna cry. ❜

❛ You girls watch out for those weirdos. ❜

❛ We are the weirdos. ❜

❛ Did you tell your friends? That you're a lying sack of shit. ❜

❛ Did you ever play that game, light as a feather, stiff as a board? ❜

❛ I think she doesn't want to be white trash any more. And I told her, "You're white, honey. Just deal with it." ❜

❛ Ever since I was a little girl I said, “All I want in life is a juke box that plays nothing but Connie Francis records.' ❜

❛ It's just that I can't stop thinking about you. I don't know why, but I think I love you. ❜

❛ I don't know what's happening to me. I can't eat. I can't sleep. ❜

❛ When you open a floodgate, how do you undo it? You unleash something with a spell. There is no undoing. It must run its course. ❜

❛ You should let him suffer. ❜

❛ It's not for you to judge suffering. ❜

❛ True magic is neither black nor white. It's both because nature is both. Loving and cruel, all at the same time. The only good or bad is in the heart of the witch. ❜

❛ Whatever you send out you get back times three. ❜

❛ You want to invoke the spirit? You must be experienced to do this. It's very dangerous. ❜

❛ You know, the serpent is a very powerful being. You should respect it. ❜

❛ Listen, all I am saying is I think it's enough already. ❜

❛ I know you think we're getting what we want now, but it's going to come back to us threefold. ❜

❛ Are we actually having a theological conversation here? ❜

❛ I mean, it's fun, it's scary. I mean, who gives a shit? ❜

❛ Stop trying to win them over, because it won't work. ❜

❛ How do you know what I look like? We're talking on the phone. ❜

❛ I disagreed with them once, and they turned their backs on me. That's not friendship. ❜

❛ Sometimes it's like we're one person. Know what I mean? ❜

❛ You should have seen the look in his eyes. It was so weird. They seemed empty, like it wasn't even him. ❜

❛ You're a witch! They were right. ❜

❛ The only reason you're in love with her is because she cast a spell on you. Sad, but true. ❜

❛ You don't even exist to me! You don't even exist. You are nothing. ❜

❛ The only way you know how to treat women is by treating them like whores! ❜

❛ He's sorry? Oh, he's sorry! He's sorry! He's sorry! Sorry, my ass! ❜

❛ Don't touch me! Everything I touch turns to shit. ❜

❛ You know, in the old days if a witch betrayed her coven... they would kill her. ❜

❛ I know I don't know you very well, but I just didn't know where else to go. ❜

❛ And now, it's like everywhere I turn, they're all around me. No matter what I do, ❛ they're still there. I don't know what to do. ❜

❛ She's inside my dreams. She knows what's going on inside my head. She can read my mind. ❜

❛ I can't control it. I always end up hurting somebody. ❜

❛ You must invoke the spirit. ❜

❛ If it isn’t real then why are you still bleeding? ❜

❛ Run! Run back up to your room like the little coward that you are. ❜

❛ What's going on? Why aren't you dead? ❜

❛ He came to me. Saved me. And he wanted me to give you a message. You're in deep shit. ❜

❛ By the way, what happened to [name]? They rushed out of here without even saying good-bye. That's bad manners. ❜

❛ Relax. It's only magic. ❜

❛ Look. I know I am a little crazy. I don't mean to be. ❜

❛ It all got out of hand, and I am sorry. No more games, okay? ❜

❛ We were just wondering, do you still have any powers? Because we don't. ❜

❛ Hold your breath until I call. ❜

❛ Be careful. You don't want to end up like [name]. ❜

[kocherry]

Click here for the full masterlist for my Nun!Reader mini-series ♡

Be With Me For Evermore

Capitano x Nun!Reader

Hello minna! I have another shortfic of my nun reader brainrot xD This is also an extension of my contribution for Valentine's Day ♡ Do enjoy reading as this is told from Capitano's POV

Content: Fluff, NSFW implications, Slight Angst, Religious Sacrilege, TW for Blood

< 3.3k words under the cut >

"Archon of mine, Tsaritsa, Your Majesty forgive me for I have fallen from grace."

Capitano knelt down with one knee, a hand gripping onto his sword pierced into the soft grassy ground. He lowers his head as he prays to the ever cold and beloved Cryo Archon asking for mercy.

Capitano's loyalty is questioned by none other than himself. He worships his archon and yet he wanted to put you in a pedestal instead.

The first time you two ever met was when some knights and his own men fought each other for petty reasons. He had assessed the situation and the knights were to blame for starting the fight. Oh how he recalls the way you blocked his sword from ever touching those knights

Capitano raised his sword his gaze is cold towards the knights who kept begging for mercy. He never would give that because they were the ones who instigated the fight and dishonored his soldiers. His grip tighten and his sword moves downwards.

"That is enough."

A threatening voice came from a woman as a bright red glow of an arrow blocked his sword from ever hitting the knights.

He whips his head to the direction where the arrow came from. And there he saw you standing up from the hill. You held a bow in a firing position and the veil on your head flow with the wind uncovering your face.

"Who gave you the right to judge them to death for a petty squabble?"

You had a calm expression but your face betrayed the fire in your eyes that sent chills down Capitano's spine.

"What do you propose to do?" He lowers his sword as stands tall.

"A duel."

The Fatui under his lead laughed underestimating a nun. Meanwhile the Knights of Favonius were relieved that you would save them. It was an odd reaction  considering he is deemed as the strongest human alive.

Are you powerful enough to beat him?

"Very well, state your conditions of this duel as I would honor a tradition in your homeland."

Capitano couldn't forget how he still could feel the pump of his heart getting louder as he anticipated a fight of his liftetime. No one would dare have a duel with him without knowing they would lose. Oh how he is excited to see what you're capable of.

At that time he didn't know that he had mistaken the thrill of battle for his growing affections.

"The day she defeated me was the first time I have ever began to admire her..."

How could he really avoid falling for an absolute ferocious fighter? You had outsmarted him in that duel, his men called her a cheater but to him, you just bended the rules to compensate for your lack in brute force.

And then Captain's admiration grew stronger when he had tried to get to know you.

"I have fallen for a Nun that worships the Anemo Archon. Her smile is bright, her eyes are bewitching, and her soul burns with passion."

Everything about you deserves to be worshipped not because of your fearless encounter with him. But because of how he had came to admire you entirely.

That's why his prayer is not asking for repentance but forgiveness and guidance for his feelings.

Normally the Captain is neither excited nor disappointed if he is sent out on expeditions. He would treat missions as such and emotions weren't needed in the battlefield. However he broke this habit of his when visited Mondstadt... He is rather excited to see you again.

A fiery arrow flew fast towards Capitano's helm but he managed to catch it before it could hit him. Beneath his mask he smirks at the sudden attack towards him. A rather amusing situation he is in right now.

"Did I surprise you?"

He asks, but he didn't take any insult that you tried to shoot him. You were rather cautious and shown that you distrust him.

"Very much so, I thought a Lawachurl is heading this way but it was only you." Youu never lowered your bow and kept your stance ready to fire another arrow at him if he gets to close. "State your business, Harbinger of Snezhnaya."

Yes this was indeed a good trait of yours, at least he is assured that you could handle yourself.

"I would like to have another duel."

If he could teach you how to defend yourself against stronger opponents he reassured you would be there to greet him the next time he is in Mondstadt

Although he would prefer if you wouldn't try and kill him everytime he approaches you.

That was the moment where your relationship with the Captain improved. A second duel became third, fourth, and so on. Having to battle each other refined a strong bond between the two of you. Capitano doesn't realize it but because of him you managed to finally feel free in the nation of freedom.

"Sister (Y/N)'s life in Mondstadt wasn't kind to her just like as my own hometown wasn't kind to me. In her presecence and in her arms I found a kindred spirit. I could only hope she also found comfort in me."

He contemplates about how you both became close and how you opened up to him about your situation.

In all honesty, the pyro vision that hanged by your neck didn't fit your situation at all. But it fit the fierceness in your soul in which Captano had really liked about you. However despite having blessed with a vision, you were also cursed.

You were a little dove shackled inside her cage.

"To prove to them I can be of use, I decided to hunt down the The Great Snowboar King in Dragonspine." You were having a small smile on your lips as if the time of your hardships is the very reason why you are here today. "And that was when I got my vision." You caress the glowing pyro vision on your chest.

Capitano reaches out for them and you let him touch your vision. It was proof of your ambition to fight for the life you deserve.

"I was so excited to show it to my father and mother hoping that my vision would release me from the shackles that binded my freedom." Your expression became sad once more and it ache Capitano's heart to see you in such state.

"I damned myself because they put me in a cage." You talk as if your vision is blessing and yet it is also a curse. "The saving grace I only had when the Grand Master of the Knights offered me a position in the Church. It gave me a little taste of this nation's freedom. And despite everything I can still feel the cage on my hands and the shackles on my feet binding me."

Grand Master Varka is a person that Capitano often hear from you with words of admiration. At first he often wonder if this Varka is the one whom you love. Only to find out he is also the sole reason of why you were able to have this conversation with him.

Perhaps Capitano can give you the freedom you always wanted.

"Forgive me, my story got so depressing, the point is I'm not really what you had imagined me to be. I'm just a poor little dove who's just there hoping for anyone... anyone to free me."

Capitano reached out for your cheek, he brushes your veil, and with a nod of approval he removes the headpiece entirely.

Though he always sees your face he never had seen you this vunerable. Without the veil covering your entire head it felt like he was seeing another side of you. A side of you that showed him your true feelings, one that he is honored to see.

"Thank you for wiping my tears, I think I feel better now that you heard my story."

And when you held his hand that was on your cheek and kiss his knuckles. Capitano is blushing underneath the dark void of his mask.

Another kiss is then placed on the side of his helm... and Capitano knew he is doomed to always think about how your kisses would feel against his lips.

Ever since the day you opened up to Capitano, you already gave your full trust to him. Only he had doubt it because he felt like he is unworthy of that trust. You trusted him thinking you finally had a kindred spirit and a friend. Capitano on the other hand thought about wanting you as a lover.

Perhaps it's the fact you weren't afraid and able to stand up for yourself against him. He is able to see someone eye to eye, metaphorically of course since you're rather shorter than him. But even if your height only reached his chest, he somehow feels like he is smaller to you.

"Is this how love would punish me? Or is this how its suppose to feel? Tell me Your Majesty... Do I see myself beneath her or do I see myself in doubt?"

How he hated to feel that way, confused and utterly lost on what to do next. When you approached him that day in his camp on Dragonspine, all his doubts were erased.

Remembering whay happened that night, he then continues his prayers to the Tsaritsa.

"If you are hearing my prayer Archon of mine, forgive me for I have deeply sinned in the name of love... my feelings caused me to desecrate her virtue." He knows that you were vowed to remain untouched and pure in honor of your worship to the Anemo Archon. And yet he destroyed your promise... just as how he destroyed his own vows to the Tsaritsa.

The Captain questioned his own loyalty because he feels like he is irrational when it comes to you.

"Dear Tsaritsa is it really a sin to have love (Y/N)?"

"I didn't know where else to go."

Capitano drops his pen on his desk as he stares at you blankly. And luckily for him his helmet masked his flustered state. He certainly didn't expect you to visit him so late at night.

If a woman visits a man at this hour it would mean...

Oh nevermind that you were bleeding through your white uniform.

"Who did this you?" He stands up striding towards you holding your chin up to his.

The dark void of his mask studies your features, you were utterly healed and yet the look of your eyes tells him you're in pain. Despite having shown a calm anger, Capitano's hands were shaking.

"The Lawrence Clan..." He whispered the name of your family as he then releasss his hold onto you. He was about to leave his tent when you suddenly embraced him from the back.

"Please don't... I don't need you to avenge me Capitano remember I can heal myself." Yes your pyro vision could heal yout physical injuries but it couldn't heal the ache in your heart. "I came here because... you're the only one I can trust. I just really wanted to see you..."

Capitano's anger dissipated as he could hear how utterly needy you were of him. He doesn't mind that you had come to him for comfort. By all means... he already decided you could use him for your own happiness and comfort.

And yet...

Why is does it feel like he's using you for his own selfish reasons? Especially when he had suggested to go to a more private place... like the cave of Starglow Cavern. How utterly perverse his ways are.

Could he really think that way when his cock is buried deep within the walls of your tight pussy? And yet you were enjoying this act of sin.

Your moans were loud and your mind went blank as he kept pounding deep inside you. The cold stone walls and his sturdy chest trapped you in a haze of pleasure.

Capitano whispers sweet words against your ear as he shifts the position. He sits on the makeshift bed and let his cock bury even deeper inside you.

It hit a delicious spot making you scream.

The way your mouth gape made Capitano swallow, you were utterly undressed while he only discarded his layered coat and armor. You had shown your soul to him first and now your body as well.

He only had shown you his heart filled with affection. "Before we start again, would you kindly remove my helmet my little blaze?" Even with his growing hesitation... he could trust that you wouldn't be disgusted with what you would see.

"Are you sure?" You ask in shock by his request.

"Absolutely, I want to kiss you (Y/N)." He huskily whispers as his thumb trace circles on your already bruised hips.

He could feel your small hands making an effort to remove the heavy helmet. And when you did remove it, Capitano didn't look away. He wanted you to see that he too is a human.

"You're breathtaking." You whisper as you craddle his face on your palms and press your lips against his.

Capitano breath's hitch as he had finally got a taste of your soft lips. His cock twitch inside your pussy causing you to whimper a moan. His tongue then slithered inside your mouth as his hand kept your chin in place.

He kisses you passionately and you returned those ferocious emotions as well. The grip on your hips tightened as he wraps his free hand around your waist bringing your hips down.

"C-Capitano!" You moan loudly as he started to thrust his hips again. Hands flew onto his shoulder gripping on them tightly leaving scratch marks in their wake.

Capitano didn't think anymore and neither did you as well. All you two ever wanted is each other, kindred spirits connected in each others body. You both chase the pleasure in exploring each others bodies that night until one of you can no longer stay conscious.

Capitano rose from his feet and stood up, his prayer is about to end. "How utterly foolish I was to have bedded her in amidst of her vows. But I would not regret that night as she had accepted me as I am." He turns back to the city of Mondstadt with a heavy heart.

"Though she have rejected my marriage proposal, may she find freedom with what I had done for her. Dear Tsaritsa... I pray that I would not love anyone else but her. No one could ever make me feel this way again."

He couldn't blame you honestly, for what could he offer other than a marriage of convenience? A marriage when he isn't home most of the time? A marriage where he may die one day and leave you all alone? A marriage of love... that he wouldn't have.

"Marry me (Y/N), and I promise you will not be caged like a bird. I will let you fly and I only wish that you will have me at your side."

Capitano could feel the thumping of his heart getting louder and his hands were trembling in nervousness. He confessed about his love then proposed to have you be free of your family's burdens.

You on the other hand suddenly froze as you let go of his hold. You bring your hands near your chest not knowing how to respond to his proposal.

"If I were to be your wife, you will treat me as your equal?" You grip onto your long white dress.

"I want you to always be there just like how we've been doing as always." He answers immediately and it sounded nice, the duels, the battles, the sharing of stories with his comrades, and the soft kisses being secretly shared.

And yet that newly found freedom scared you.

"Capitano I... I don't know."

The Harbinger is shattered by your indirect rejection. He kept his composure well and remained standing tall.

"I see but if you would ever change your mind I would still be here before sunrise tomorrow. Her Majesty is calling me back in Snezhnaya." He replies and the tone of his voice is filled with disappointment but with a heavy heart... he must accept your decision.

"Will you come back?" You were absolutely lost and yet hopeful, despite not being able to give an answer... Capitano is pleased that you would want to see him again.

"I will."

He answers while gently caressing your cheek with the knuckles of his armored fingers.

Capitano lied, he never will come back, he already have a letter sent to him by the Jester. They were going to have him stay within Snezhnaya for quite a while. Missions by the motherland always takes years to finish. But he doesn't want you to feel like he's making you come with him impulsively.

If you want him... then by all means come tomorrow before sunrise. Only that way he would be reassured that you came to him because you love him not because you have any choice.

"That is all what I say to my prayers to you, Your Majesty. May you guide my journey back to the homeland." Capitano looked up into the sky and it was almost time for the fake sky to began to glow bright again.

He would leave Mondstadt today with a heavy heart. But at least he would leave with reassurance that you will not suffer in the hands of the Lawrence Clan ever again.

It was a few hours after you had seemingly rejected his proposal. He barged into the estate of the Lawrence Clan. With his sheer intimidation and use of power imbalance your parents released their hold onto you. He is able to gain your freedom, he knew that marriage might not be an option.

Capitano may be ruthless in the battlefield but in the duel of gaining your heart... he would let your happiness win. That is why he opened the cage you had settled in and broke the chains that shackled you.

You were now a free little dove and if he wouldn't be part of your new life... then so be it. As long as you were going to fly and see the world in your own eyes. Just as you had always dreamed since you were a child.

"Let us depart, my comrades."

Capitano pulls the reins of his horse as the rest of the Fatui soldiers followed after his lead.

He would never look back in Mondstadt again because all he could ever remember is your smile. One that he would never see again... he would waste in his lonely desolate tower of melancholic heavy heart. He awaits by an open door and fools himself you'll walk right in and be with him for evermore.

"CAPITANO!!!"

Oh how wrong he was as he heard your voice call out to him.

Capitano turns his head up and saw that there is a bright light that illuminated the road. It wasn't the fake sun but it was you who embodied your pyro vision. You were finally a free little dove as fiery red feathers surrounded your body in the shape of a flying bird.

As the pyro died down around your body, Capitano is smiling behind his mask as he opens his arms to catch you. He was waiting for this ever since the day you had defeated him in a duel.

"My answer is yes, I want to marry you."

You place a kiss on his helm making him rumble a deep chuckle. He gently nudges your cheek with his helm as he wraps his arms around your waist tightly.

He would never let you go now that you were his.

"I love you, (Y/N)."

"And I love you too, Captain."

You were finally his and Capitano is finally yours and together you'll be with each other for evermore.

A/N: ayo i am absolutely tipsy rn so I don't know how tf did this shortfic came out I'll probably edit this tomorrow once I'm sober in case there are any errors lmaooo Anyways don't drink and type fanfics 💀

[iamnmbr3]

Zacharias Smith anon. I want to explain my reasoning for this interpretation a bit more.

First thing we learn about him is that he's on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team. Cedric was the seeker. I doubt anyone currently on the team is doing well.

Right off the gate he is already angry, more than I'd argue he has any right to be unless there was something else affecting his mood. (like, idk, the recent death of a friend/upperclassman you looked up to)

The only thing that Zacharias seems to actually be interested in hearing about is Cedric's murder. He immediately steers the conversation in that direction. Harry even picks up on this:

It had just dawned upon him why there were so many people there. He felt that Hermione should have seen this coming. Some of these people — maybe even most of them — had turned up in the hope of hearing Harry’s story firsthand.

Zacharias seems quite frustrated with the lack of detail that Dumbledore gave about Cedric's death, which makes sense. It would be like if a highschool student died on campus and the principal told everyone the student was killed by the booeyman and gave no further details. If you were friends with that student, wouldn't that make you angry? I mean, killed by the booeyman? What kind of explanation is that?

He strikes me as someone very firmly in the anger stage of grief, and no one picks up on that.

And then there's Cho. Her grief is a lot more obvious and acknowledged as grief. She also wants closure and thinks Harry is the only person who can give it to her. She is desperate to talk to Harry about Cedric during their date, but instead he shuts that topic down and unintentionally makes it clear he doesn't care about her feelings or her grief (and he doesn't).

I mean, look at this line after their disaster of a date:

“Women!” he muttered angrily, sloshing down the rain-washed street with his hands in his pockets. “What did she want to talk about Cedric for anyway? Why does she always want to drag up a subject that makes her act like a human hosepipe?”

Wow, Harry. Just... wow. If he couldn't give closure to Cho, Zacharias had no chance.

I think the next two years and torment by Ginny only served to turn Zacharias into a colder and more cynical person. It got to the point where in the climax he would rather leave wizard society to its fate than fight to defend the place that only served to make him miserable and took away all the good things in his life.

(This ask is a followup to this). This is very interesting and compelling. I love it. (My one point of disagreement is I will say I don't remember Ginny tormenting him systematically for two years; I remember her flying into him intentionally once, and I remember the twins being rude to him a couple times; but yeah other than that I love this analysis and I'm super here for it.) What a creative take. It's also neat because for all that he seems to not like Harry he also does come to DA meetings consistently and he never betrays them or expresses regret or uncertainty about his association with the group. And presumably he is not persuaded by the Ministry's viewpoint or the Death Eaters'. And yet he has utter disdain for Harry. Your analysis really adds some great depth and nuance to his actions and views.

Harry of course treats Zacharias like a normal person would treat someone they dislike - i.e. he doesn't spend time around him or thinking about him when he can avoid it, and thus neither Harry nor we ever learn much about him. (Harry was way too busy staring at Draco). But I love the idea of him having this whole complex inner world and conflict going on and it just not getting much play.

[moonlightblueandicegrey]

Jay and Ronin headcanons and personal opinions because of my last post:

Why they could have been good friends:

• Ronin is a thief - Jay is a little bit of a pirate (Jay could have been a great pirate, you can't change my mind).

• Ronin doesn't think that stealing is a bad thing because he is a thief. I believe that Jay thinks the same way:

When the ninja wanted to take the airjitzu papyrus from Ronin's shop in Stiix and Jay became a leader, his first thought was to steal the papyrus. He also tried to make stealing sound like a nice/positive thing in that situation by saying things like: "we are stealing from a thief", "we are stealing something someone stole so we can give it back to the original owner (after using it)".

Stealing is still bad no matter the final result but neither Ronin nor Jay think that way.

Also, Jay had no problem stealing those ninja chips in skybound. He was hungry, yes, but he was still going to steal.

• Both Ronin and Jay value money a lot:

I don't know Ronin's back story so i don't know why he values money so much but he definitely does for some reason. You can see it in many of his lines and through his actions.

Jay on the other hand wanted so much to be rich in skybound. He thought money could impress the girl he loved. He was also sad and embarrassed in general about the fact that he was poor.

• They are both betraying others:

Ronin betrayed the ninja lots of times and Jay did too in Skybound

• They both use fake personalities to get what they want/they are manipulative:

Ronin manipulated the ninja in possession and skybound by acting like a nice guy to get what he wanted and reach his goals.

Jay also uses a fake personality. His 24/7 smile is fake to me. He might use it, to cheer his friends and himself up, to hide his true emotions and feelings, to hide his real and honest thoughts, to keep enemies guessing, to look innocent, weak and even stupid while in reality he isn't and probably, to seem like he doesn't care about anything or anyone (like he doesn't need help). No matter what, he still manipulates others to think he is someone else and hides his actual personality. I can see Jay wearing an invisible mask, that thing being stuck on his face, he got so used to it that now he doesn't even know who he actually is anymore.

• They are both liars:

Ronin lies a lot to everyone in order to reach his goals. I remember that time in Seabound when he made the wooden Wo-Jira.

Jay also lies, during skybound especially, but i think he also lied to the other ninja about his home (he didn't want to say that he lived in a junkyard) and about the skybound events after his last wish. I don't believe he told them the truth about Nadakhan right away. Also, he lied to Nya about the Fangpyre's bite and how he almost became a serpentine on their first date.

• Both Jay and Ronin were probably born poor (I'm talking about Ed and Edna) and abandoned by their parents (Cliff and Libber). I think Ronin was also abandoned by his parents when he was a baby.

............................................................................

So, yeah... in conclusion, i believe that Jay and Ronin could have been good friends if things were different for them and if they had met each other differently.

(Jay is so relatable to me, I'm kinda worried now)

[luimagines]

A Dragon’s Dominance

Another commission.

They wanted Warrior Dragon au. In which case all the lu boys are dragons. I was given many creative liberties. It’s slowly consumed my very soul.

Masterlist

Content under the cut!

You had learned something new about your traveling group. Every last one of them was some variant of dragon.

It was surely a learning curve for you. With time, you had learned that there was a whole secret culture that you would have been completely ignorant to had you not have it more or less shoved in your face. They could see more, smell more. They had half forms and full forms and were incredibly possessive. They shared their bonds in ways you couldn’t even register. You had no idea.

And they had tried so hard to hide it from you.

While dragons are still considered mighty and powerful creatures…. They were received in less than stellar interpretations in some eras. These boys were quick to learn that it was better to play it safe than to be overly prideful.

You had ended up in Warrior’s era. Queen Zelda was quick to receive the weary group and decided that a party should be thrown for the Heroes of Hyrule.

No one was impressed.

But no one was going to fight her on this. As a dragon herself, she would treat her kind and her hero with the honor he would be (and has been) denied otherwise. Zelda’s and the royal family were typically the only tolerable dragons, you came to learn later on.

The boys began to get ready as the party began to be prepared. You were given an outfit to wear as well, courtesy of the Queen and a request from Warrior- should the grape vine be believed at all.

You tried to make it work but you had begun to feel out of your element as it was. You were going to run late if you stalled any more.

There was a knock on your door.

You jumped and froze. It came again, a bit softer this time and more hesitant.

Warrior called your name.

With relief causing your heart to jump into your throat, you dashed for the door, pulled it open and pulled him in. “Link, help me. I don’t actually want to go.”

The name had escaped you before you could stop it. You were too frazzled to even realize your mistake.

Warrior blinked. He took a minute to process it. You were beautiful. His heart was beginning to betray him. His palms began to sweat. He wasn’t sure if his own outfit would even compliment yours the way he would have intended.

“Well…” He starts. “I don’t plan on staying the whole time if that helps. I’m not… fond of this sort of interaction anyway.”

You begin to calm down. “Really? Why? I thought this would be right up your alley.”

Warrior kicks the floor a bit. You look positively ravishing. He wanted to do something reckless. Something irreversible. Easy boy. He coughs. “I may blend in but that doesn’t mean I like it.”

You take a steadying breath. “That’s… fair actually. … I bet you have some people throwing themselves at you, huh?”

“It happens from time to time.” He admits.

You frown. “...I see… I can imagine that wouldn’t be very fun then.”

Warrior smiles gently. “It’s just one thing though. I have other reasons but they are neither here, nor now.”

He looks you up and down. You can feel your cheeks flush and you struggle to look him in the eye for the time being. Warrior offers his hand, brushing it hesitantly against yours. “Hey, I think I have just the thing to finish your outfit off… If you’re willing to follow me for a moment anyway.”

Anything to keep you from going into the public.

“What is it?”

Warrior takes your hand, pulling you to his side. He wraps his arms around your waist and guides you through the halls of the castle. “Something I’ve been holding onto for someone special.”

Well that doesn’t answer any of your questions.

He stops in front of some doors.

You think you recognize them. This must be his room. 

Warrior lets you go. “Give me one moment.”

You nod and he disappears behind them. Three minutes pass.

He emerges with a ribbon of some sort. No, that’s not quite right. Warrior holds it up. His face is red and he looks bashful. Something in this moment seems significant. You can feel it in the air but you don’t know why.

“I wanted to give this to you for a while now.” He says quietly. “I couldn’t do it before because… well… I didn’t have it with me, obviously… but I think it compliments you quite nicely.”

He holds it up and you can see small fabric flowers, sewn onto a thin embroidered wire with ribbon hanging near the sides. It appears to be a headband… but much more intricate.

“Do we have the time to even fix that onto me?” You blurt.

Warrior laughs and steps closer. He brushes a bit of your hair to the side and starts the process of braiding the ribbon into the hair that will fit, making sure the flowers give the appearance of a crown along your hairline. “To be completely honest, as long as I’m your escort, it’s not like you’ll get in trouble. People won’t think you’re rude for showing up fashionably late.”

You have calmed down completely at this point. Vaguely, you can smell whatever Warrior must have put on before he left his room. It seems just like him. It smells like hickory smoke and the comforting feel of an old beloved book. At the same time… you think you can actually smell his cologne through the musk. You can only think of Warrior. Only he would smell like this.

“Well, I’ll just show up when you do.” You say quietly. “That way I won’t have to worry about doing something too stupid.”

Warrior chuckles, matching your whispered voice. His fingers work nimbly to secure the headband to your head and it feels nice to have your hair played with. The moment feels comfortingly intimate, even if nothing is necessarily happening. “If you fall, I’ll catch you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” He takes a step back, looking proud of himself. “Gorgeous. Just I knew it would be.”

You flush entirely. But this is just Warrior. Encouraged by his smile, you give a little spin, showing off your outfit completely. “What do you think? Am I good to go?”

Warrior smiles wider and offers you his arm. “I think the party can finally begin.”

You laugh a bit, placing yourself at his side. “Does that mean they’ve been waiting for us specifically? Would they then have permission to start?”

Warrior grins with you. “Naturally.”

“You’re so full of it.”

“You wouldn’t change a thing about me and you know it.”

“It’s just a shame that you know it too.”

The banter was easy and amusing. You always seemed to relax in the presence of Warrior. He was just so pleasant to get along with.

Before you knew it, you had arrived at the doors to the ballroom. Warrior puts his hand on the door knob and turns to you. “Ready?”

With him at your side, of course you are. You tell him as such.

Warrior grins in the dorkiest way he can manage and opens them. “Then let’s try to forget the present for a little while.”

You nod and follow him in without question. The music continues but you can feel the way heads turn in your direction. Your grip on Warrior tightens, refusing to let him go although you’re well within the walls of the party.

“Dance with me?” Warrior tugs on your arm gently.

You look back up at him for a moment. You nod.

Warrior smiles and leads you to the dance floor, letting the music carry you through the motions. You can’t get rid of the feeling of stares no matter how much you try to ignore it.

“I just need to stay for three dances more often than not.” Warrior informs you. “If you want, you can come with me and we can both get out of here.”

“You’d let me?” You whisper. A smile lights up your face at the thought. “I won’t get in trouble for doing so, will I?”

“Of course not.” Warrior laughs. “If I’m held to that standard, why would they ask any more from you? It’s nice that you’re here with me though.”

The song ends and Warrior bows a little for fan fare. “One down. Two more to go.”

The next song to start up is one you recognize and it’s a bit longer than your typical dance. You don’t look around the room for another partner. You simply grab Warrior’s hand again and start to move to the beat. “Well we can get one more in the bag before someone steals you away from me.”

Warrior grins and shakes his head. “I’m more worried about someone stealing you away from me.”

“Strange. You’re the popular one.”

“And yet, here we are.” He says.

Warrior spins you around and you can feel yourself being pulled closer to him with every orbit. You lean into it and drop your voice to a whisper. “I can’t be crazy, right? Everyone’s looking at me.”

“I know.” Warrior replies in the same hushed manner. “It’s because you’re the brightest star of the night, Sweetheart.”

“Well how do we get them to stop?” You  plan your hand by his shoulder. Warrior’s keep his hands on your waist and small of your back, swaying with you to the beat of the music in the background.

He sighs. “Unfortunately, I fear we can’t do that. …And I’m also afraid it’s my fault.”

“What?” You blink in shock. That can’t be it. “What do you mean?”

“You came in with me and you’re wearing my headband… well it was actually my mother’s.” He admits in a quieter voice than before. “But some people are more nosier than they should be because of my position… and standing with the princess… and defeating Ganon and all that jazz you already knew about.”

You stop moving with him. Warrior has to stop the dance and with small and hesitant movements, he takes your hand. “Allow me to explain? Please? It’s…. A dragon thing.”

“No need, Link.” A voice drops in, sugary sweet and skin crawl worthy. Cia drapes an arm around Warrior’s shoulders and sneers at you from over his shoulder. “If they don’t understand… well no one can hardly blame them for it. I would like a word with you however-”

“No.” Warrior steps out of her hold, standing over you protectively. A small tongue of flame flicks within his breath. “I’m going to be the one to do it. I claimed them.”

“Do they even know what that means?” Cia raises an eyebrow. She appears to be calm but at the same time you don’t understand what has Warrior so on edge. He looks ready to fight.

You grab his hand and hold it tight. “Maybe not. But I can learn.”

Warrior shoots you a grateful look.

Cia looks muffled. Her grip tightens around her staff but she manages to side step out of the way for Warrior to lead you to the doors that lead to the garden. He begins to take you out of the ball room even if you’ve only been there for ten minutes total.

You try to look for the rest of your group but you can’t seem to see anyone you would recognize. You’re not sure if that means they’re not there, that they’re hiding or that they changed their style and dress so much to fit the party that you just can’t recognize them anymore.

You get dragged out into the moonlight and into the rose hedge maze. Warrior still appears to be on edge. He looks over his shoulders multiple times as you move and eventually pulls you behind one of the walls of the maze.

You both look at each other for a moment, letting the words and implications drape itself over the both of you. You take a breath and pull a little bit of ways away from Warrior. “...Claim me?”

Warrior blushes. You don’t think you’ve seen him so flustered and bashful before. He coughs and brushes his thumbs over your knuckles. “Dragon term…”

You nod. “Yes. I’ve gathered that at this point.”

Warrior looks down at your hands. “We have hoards… We’re quite greedy as a species you see. When we see something we want we put a claim and a mark on it. Sometimes we can say either or and still mean that-”

“You want it.” You finish for him. “You want something, you take it, it’s yours. Am I wrong?”

Warrior bites his lip. “That’s the premise.”

You hum. It’s not necessarily a foreign concept to you. Finder’s Keeper’s right? “How do I fit into this then? You want me?”

Warrior coughs, breaking his character somewhat. “I’ve… wanted to court you for a while now. The others were waiting and teasing me relentlessly.”

“What did you even do?” You raise an eyebrow.

Warrior reaches over and touches your hair, twirling it around his finger. You tense and bite your lip. “The headband?”

Warrior nods. “It’s yours…. If you’d have me.”

You can’t help but to flush as well. “So when all the people were staring-”

“There’s been some issues in the past. Everybody is wondering if I’ll ever take a mate to a degree.  Haven’t shown interest in anyone and for good reason. I’m not known to have the highest merit. Or the best prospects or even the biggest hoard-” 

“You want me as part of your treasure?” You cut him off. “The headband was to tell everyone else that?”

Warrior pulls you closer and leans into your space. “I get it… If you don’t want literally anything to do with me. I’m damaged and my future is only going to get harder to deal with and that’s not even scratching the surface of the social pressure and expectation my name comes with-”

“Link.” You say it purposefully this time. The man shuts up instantly. “Let me see you…Scales and all…”

Warrior doesn’t move. He doesn’t meet your eyes. He doesn’t even appear to be breathing. You don’t think he’ll go for it. The thought that you’ve crossed a line vaguely passes through your mind. Warrior begins to shift in front of you. He grows a tail and horns. His eyes sharpen and fangs sprout just behind his lips. His scales appear to be a bright blue, with hues of green and purple that dance in the changing light.

“There.” He looks away.

“Is this all you can do?” You trace your fingertips over the scales that encircle his eye, dragging your nail down his temple and cheek, stopping just past his jaw and down his neck. You can see Warrior gulp.

“Well …no.”

“Show me?” You’re pushing it.

Warrior looks into your eyes. His grip tightens for just a moment before he steps back. Another shift happens and a full dragon stands in front of you. Smoke comes out of his mouth but he lays close to the ground, trying to appear smaller and as least threatening as possible.

“You’re precious.” You drop to your knees and cup his face.

He scoffs, sending more smoke into your direction despite his attempts to control it. “Now I know you’re making fun of me.

“I’m not.” Your heart drops for a moment. You don’t want him to think that you’re trying to ruin a sentimental moment as it is. You kiss the tip of his snout and lean back comfortably against the grass. “You are very pretty. Even as a reptile.”

Warrior shifts back into his half form. His eyes bore into yours and he’s quick to pull you closer. “Please don’t play with my heart. I need an answer. I can take it off if you reject me. I won’t try anything else-”

You kiss him.

Warrior freezes and doesn’t know how to react even as you pull away. You swallow the small lump in your throat. “You idiot. I don’t care about your dragon customs or whatever. I don’t know what the process is for all of this… But all you had to do was say something.”

You wrap your arms around his neck and hide your face in the crook of his neck. “You’re a sweetheart. I’m willing to give you a chance.”

You can feel Warrior’s heart beat against you. It’s quick and panicked. You have a feeling this isn't how he thought this night was going to go.

He hugs you back fiercely and begins to purr. This delights you to no end and it’s suddenly very hard to stop yourself from giggling. It tickles.

“I promise-” He says with a thick voice, heavy with emotion. “- that I’ll do everything within my power to make sure you want for nothing and that no one will harass either of us. I swear it.”

“And Cia?” You say beside his ear.

“...She’ll be a problem.” He settles on. “But she’s been acting out for a while now. Leave her to me and Zelda. And if you need anything else regarding the magic then talk to Lana. She’s more… flexible than Cia on more things than just me.”

You nod and relax into his hold. That smoky scent comes from Warrior is pleasant and comes in waves as you both sit on the ground within each other’s arms. Warrior relaxes as well and hugs you tighter.

“Easy.” You warn. “I might smell like you by the end of the night if you keep this up.”

“Good.” He mumbles. “That’s the point.”

“Eh?” You pull back. “Do you mean to say-” You push him back as well so that you can actually look him in the eye. “-that you’ve been doing that this whole time? It’s purposeful?!”

“Of course.” Warrior smirks at you. “You’re mine.”