#the title character is not the main character. if you don't keep it in mind your adaptation will be trash

[sainteclectic]

oh and in case anyone needs it, here's my process for describing my art:

what kind of drawing is it? is it a sketch? a painted piece? is it traditional or digital? are the lines messy, clean, or do they not exist at all? how much of the person is showing? I always put this part first {i.e. "A digital full-body painting of [...]", "A traditional bust shot sketch of..."}

who's the subject of the drawing? if their appearance is relevant or markedly different from their canonical appearance, describe it here. you don't need to describe every detail, just enough for it to be a clear visual in your mind. also, don't get too bogged down in the technical names of things {i.e. "he wears a strapless red ball gown" vs "he wears a vermillion ball gown with a semi-sweetheart neckline and a basque waist". the common reader will probably get tripped up by all the specifics, even if it is more accurate}. if the outfits aren't particularly relevant to the piece, or it's an already established design, you dont have to describe them every time.

what is the person doing? describe the pose—this can get tricky, so i like to take it one step at a time. what position are they in? leaning, sitting, standing? do the position of their limbs stand out in any way {i.e. hands on their hips}? if they're interacting with another person, what are they doing together? again, you dont have to describe every detail of their posture, just things that would stick out as relevant to the piece or the character's personality in it.

what's the general mood of the piece? does the character look happy? is the lighting moody? don't get too subjective here. focus on what the character is feeling, not what the audience might feel looking at them {i.e. "he looks down with a conflicted expression" vs "the drawing looks incredibly sad"}

if there's a detailed background, I like to describe it after the character since it's probably noticed by viewers in that order. describe the relevant parts a person looking at it would be likely to notice {i.e. not every book on a shelf, but noting that it is a bookshelf, and only mentioning titles if they're relevant to the imagery as a whole}

finally, if there's any text on the image, whether it be typed or written, write those down exactly as they come up naturally in the description {i.e. describe dialogue in the same part you describe that part of the drawing, but save things like bios until after the main description}

aaaand that's basically it! I use this as a general checklist for every description I make, and I think it's an easy way to start if you're intimidated by image descriptions. remember, it doesn't have to be a perfect description of every detail - because realistically, most people viewing it wouldn't notice those details, and you want to keep the description as close to the visual experience as possible

and any description is better than no description! every step towards accessibility is worth taking, even if it seems like a small one ^-^

[the-uncanny-dag]

Yeston/Kopit Phantom & the Beetlejuice musical suffer from the same problem that makes me hate both, and it took me years to connect the dots

[endless-ineffabilities]

be young, be dope, be proud

dynasty heir Aemond x heiress reader

a/n: randomly and carelessly drafted after a night out, so don't even ask me what this is. title obvi from Lana. also, I feel like the setting here is an acquired taste. so, enjoy? 💁🏼‍♀️🤍

themes/warnings: spoiled rich assholes, New York/modern references, language, clichés galore, Targs are like the Kennedys if that whole family was pure evil and Rep, SMUT, angst between brats who clearly want each other, also—you're kind of a hypocrite

main masterlist

The estate reeks with old money: marble columns, ancestral portraits, and a long dining table loaded with crystal and silver. Chandeliers try to warm the place, but it's all cold opulence. Outside, the gardens are cut and tamed to show that even nature has a price.

Your father always brings the family along to stately dinners up there in Westchester, with the usual crowd in attendance—the Targaryens, the Velaryons, the Lannisters—the whole lot.

Between them, they could probably purchase every building in Manhattan without creating a single dent in the bank.

Hell, maybe they already have. Generational wealth truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

You've tried to distance yourself from it. From people whose words drip poisoned honey and condescension. Being waited on like new order royalty.

But who are you to talk, when your father's lineage traces back to the fucking Mayflower? You and them are one and the same—filthy rich and borderline insane.

It is nearly impossible to maintain a steady sense of self, to have ample room for personal growth, when everything, every single thing, is handed to you on a silver platter. There is no tension there, no struggle, no need to exert any effort.

Failed your courses? Your father donates a building to the university. Aemond gets several DUIs? His great-uncle is a Supreme Court Justice. Aegon nearly burns his friend's house down while throwing a bacchanal-themed party? Let's just say that friend is grounded. For a week. Oh, the horror. Their family had many other estates, in many other places anyway.

When there are no real repercussions to your actions, you will feel like you can do just about whatever you want.

Burn the world down, for all you care. You can just buy a new, better one.

Granted, not everyone in your circle is an entitled egotist. There's Helaena, who strangely enough, does not possess a single self-important bone in her body, unlike her aforementioned brothers. Jace, who spends most of his time getting involved in political activism, for the side that his magnate grandfather Viserys steadfastly opposes.

You'd always sit beside either of them in these dinners, for the sake of your sanity. Unfortunately, Aemond and Aegon are never far. Especially Aemond—who occassionally stares you down as he sits across the table. Aegon, seated to his left, whistles at you. "Hey. Hey so... are you still slumming it with the art crowd?"

"I'm sorry?" You narrow your eyes at him. He didn't even say hello or mind if I cut in? as Jace was telling you about attending the DNC rally.

Aemond watches you again, so closely it raises goosebumps along your arms. He's been stealing glances at you ever since you arrived with your family. And you've been openly shooting glares at him when you sense it. Him and that steely one-eyed gaze of his always gets under your skin.

Aegon sneers, and you think how it's so in character of him. "You still live in Brooklyn? Cosplaying as a normie?"

"Fuck off, Aegon."

You've been living in Brooklyn for the past year, trying to finish up your Masters from Barnard. You would never hear the end of how this is the most redundant and useless thing, especially from people like Aegon. It does seem contrived, daddy's little heiress playing at being a scholar at Columbia, but at least you are doing something.

Besides, you have no desire to take over your family's empire. If anything, you want to branch out, maybe take on Jace's proposal on starting a charity foundation together.

"Aegon! Do you know how messed up that sounds?" Jace comes to your rescue, but you know it'll be for nought. Aegon's brain is too warped, too silver-spoonfed, to recognise his folly. You used to feel sympathy for the guy—this life is all he's ever known, and it isn't as if the adults around him ever set a good example, so can you blame him?

Used to. Now, he just annoys you. You grew up the same, but you are not like him, aren't you? So did Hel and Jace. So did Aemond. And Aemond, while still an asshole, is at least someone you can tolerate. He's vicious when it comes to his ambition, but he's genuinely smart.

He's cold and aloof, but he is also capable of tenderness.

You would never readily admit to anyone how you know this about him.

And he's staring you down, once again. You immediately know it's him when you feel someone nudge your shin under the table.

You eye him warily. What do you want?

He raises his eyebrows. Nothing. Just missed you.

At least that's what you're picking up from him. Why wouldn't he miss you? You're probably the best thing in his life right now. He should be so grateful you're still giving him the time of day, especially after everything he's done.

Aemond nods ever so subtly, the gesture meant for only you. You already know what he's getting at, but you don't feel like caving just yet.

It's another long moment of tuning in and out of your conversation with Jace, but Aemond's unspoken question lingers. When you deign to look at him again, he tilts his head to the side. Let's go.

He knows to leave first, and he stands and excuses himself from the table. Barely anyone gives him any mind, the adults debating passionately at the farther end.

You wait one whole minute, your heels tapping impatiently under the table. Then you follow suit.

"I need some air. Might have a smoke or something," you mumble to Jace. He wouldn't want to tag along, the scrunch of his face revealing how much he loathes the habit.

"Just the one," he tuts, raising a finger.

You roll your eyes fondly. "Okay, dad."

Aemond has just lit a cigarette when he hears you come in. The door to the private library lets out a tiny creak then shuts without a sound. He faces the window, his back to you. But he knows it's you. He can almost hear the derision in your exhale. A hint of your unmistakeable Guerlain scent is present in the room.

When you draw closer, he sees the ghost of your reflection on the glass, a mirage perched atop his shoulder. He thinks of the age-old visual of having an angel and a devil on either side. You would be the angel, and the devil... would probably be his own self.

The side he fights to keep buried. He knows you see it, and hate it, but you want him anyway. You let him have you anyway. And these stolen moments with you are the only times when he is truly free.

Without a word, he offers a cigarette to you, his hand moving with a smooth, practiced form that makes it feel like he's not just offering you a smoke but issuing a silent challenge. He lifts his lighter, an intricate, expensive thing engraved with his family crest, flicking it open with a soft metallic click, then holding the flame steady as you lean in.

He can't help but admire how beautiful you are as the glow illuminates your face.

"Do you ever get bored?" you sneer, folding your arms as you lean against a shelf. "Sitting there all night with that smug, 'yes, I agree with all of this' look while your family drones on about the 'sanctity of tradition.' Like a good little heir."

Aemond raises an eyebrow, barely looking up from his cigarette as he takes a drag. You sure have a habit of getting right down to business. "Funny," he replies smoothly. "For someone who 'hates' tradition, you play the part of Daddy's obedient little princess pretty well. I saw you batting your eyes at every gray-haired councilman at that table."

"Oh, please." You roll your eyes, heat flaring in your cheeks, though whether from anger or the way his gaze always seems to pin you in place, despite your best efforts, you can't say. "I'm not doing it because I like it. I don't sit there pretending I'm better than the rest of the world."

"You don't?" He cocks his head, his lips quirking into a wry, infuriating smirk. "Could've fooled me, princess. All I ever hear from you in these dinners are 'Oh, absolutely' and 'Oh, that's so interesting'—like you'd just die if they didn't think you cared."

"Wow, okay, says the guy who spent twenty minutes nodding along while they debated the tax breaks for HNWIs. Planning to cut yourself some more slack there, hotshot?" You take a quick, sharp puff, the smoke billowing out of your lips as you continue your tirade. "You're a damn statue, Aemond. Most of the time, you don't even say a word, and yet somehow you sit there looking like everyone should be grateful you graced them with your presence."

He takes a step closer, and his voice drops. This is something only you can do—you get to him, you hit him where it matters. Or, you're the only one he allows the privilege of doing so. "And you hate it, don't you? You hate that I don't care what they think. That I'm not actually here to impress anyone."

Your laugh comes out bitter. "Please. You don't care because you're so convinced they already think you're perfect. You don't have to impress anyone because you're Aemond Targaryen, right? The perfect heir to a glowing legacy."

"Better that than playing the poor, tortured rebel." He's so close you can count the facets of the sapphire in his socket, a dangerous gleam flashing behind them—another outlandish, excessive thing only a billionaire's son would think to do. "At least I'm not pretending I want to burn it all down while running around in the same circles as everyone else. Tell me, do you actually care about the policies Jacaerys painstakingly explains to you? Or is it all just for show?"

"You don't know me, Aemond."

"Oh, but I do. In fact, I think I'm the only one who knows the real you."

You clench your jaw, craning your neck up to look at him. How ironic that he literally has to look down on you too. "Unlike you, I actually feel something about all this. You sit there like you're above it all, and it's pathetic."

"Pathetic?" He lets out a low, humorless laugh. "You want to talk about pathetic? The only thing pathetic is you standing there acting like a revolutionary when you're just like the rest of us."

"At least I want to get out. At least I want to make a goddamn difference and—"

"Then do it," he says, his tone mocking, as he leans in closer, his breath warm against your face. "Get out. Run off, make your big escape. Show everyone how different and special you are, princess."

"Oh, right," you shoot back, trying to regain some of your moxie after his unexpected retort. "And leave you to taint my image after then?"

He scoffs, the gesture dismissive, almost cruel. "You wouldn't be here if you actually had the guts to go through with it."

Aemond may be a pretentious asshole, but he's right, and you know it. "You know what, Aemond? What if... I tell you that I like it. The power, the status, all of it. Is that what you want to hear?"

He smirks. "You'd be adrift without it. You'd be lost without all this to complain about." His gaze drops to your mouth, as if he could already guess exactly how a rendezvous like this is going to end.

How it always ends.

You feel your breath hitch, your pulse racing even as you grit your teeth against the draw of him.

"Don't look at me like that," you snap, trying to keep the upper hand. You should leave. You know this, know you should storm out and leave him here with that damn arrogant smirk on his face.

Call it a truce, and do it all over again next time.

"What's wrong? Afraid you'll do something you'll regret?"

The challenge in his tone has you seething, heat blazing up your neck. "You're insufferable, you know that?” You try to sound as furious as you feel, but your voice wavers, and the corner of his mouth tilts in a dark, smug smile.

"Then leave, princess." His eyes flash, daring you, mocking you, yet he doesn't move back. "Go on. Show me that strength you keep talking about."

The words are meant to push you away, to test how much you can take, but they do something else instead. They push you over the edge, sending you surging forward before you even know what you're doing, fisting the front of his pristine shirt and yanking him down to you.

Your mouth meets his, all anger and fire, biting at his lips as he smirks against you, welcoming the aggression. His hands find your waist, pawing at your gown, pushing you back until you stumble against the bookshelf.

You try to hold onto the anger, to use it to keep yourself in control, but the way he kisses you—rough, possessive, familiar, with a hunger that seems to match yours—makes it impossible. His hands slip to your hips, fingers digging into you with a desire that you both pretend doesn't exist anywhere but here, in the dark corners of your little meeting places.

"Stop," you gasp for breath, pulling away for just a second, trying to steady yourself, but he follows, his mouth trailing down your jaw to your neck, biting down just enough to make you groan.

His fingers slip beneath the slit of your dress, finding bare skin. "Then tell me you don't want this."

Your head tilts back involuntarily, the blissed hitches in your breath becoming frequent. You should tell him to stop, but the words never come, not with his fingers tracing up your thigh, the pressure of his lean body against yours, the electric shiver that races through you as his mouth tongue dances with your own.

You give in, letting your anger melt into something messier, something that's been building between you both for so long you don't know how to unravel it. Your hands move to his white-blonde hair, pulling him closer. His hand slips higher, while the other is braced against the bookshelf behind you.

There's nothing careful about it—gone are the dynasty heirs who are unfailingly curated and perfect and genteel in the public eye. It's all frantic, hands grabbing, mouths clashing, neither of you willing to let the other take control but both of you giving in to the heat. He yanks your dress up, lifting you and positioning himself between your legs, his breathing rough as he makes quick work of his belt. Then he lets his trousers and underwear drop halfway down his thighs, and his cock springs free, pressing on the draped material of your gown, which you hurriedly bunch to the side.

It's like a sick power play when he takes two fingers and plunges them past your soaked entrance, right to his knuckles. All without breaking eye contact.

But neither has the upper hand. You and Aemond are one and the same.

"Seems like you're ready for me, princess."

"Mhmm, aghh—" He hooks his fingers inside you, hitting that damned spot. "Just fuck me already."

And when he does, his cock practically propping you up against the bookshelf, it's fast, chaotic, your movements nothing short of needy and desperate, as if you're both trying to prove something to the other. You don't care about the priceless first-edition books that rattle precariously behind you, nor about the way his fingers dig into your flesh that guarantee bruises that will show tomorrow. Right now, you're past caring, past pretending that you actually ever cared about anyone but yourself.

And maybe... Aemond.

His groans come out unrestrained against your neck, his tongue flicking over the droplets of sweat, as if he can't bear you being any less than perfect.

Only he can taint you, only he can see you broken in and fucked out like this, your lipstick smeared to the side of your mouth. That same shade of rouge littering his cheek, his jaw, the collar of his shirt.

No words are exchanged, as if they've been used up in your twisted version of foreplay from earlier.

All he offers is, "Fuck, baby, I'm close," as his hips continue in its assault, his hands buried in the softness of your arse, keeping you in place.

"So am I," you counter.

He falls apart inside you, his cock sputtering while lodged deep in your clenched walls. The near-animalistic growl he lets out brings you to your climax, your forehead falling against his as your entire body is rendered limp in his arms.

When you finally pull away, flushed, your heart still racing, he looks at you with that same arrogant smirk, and you can't help but feel the distaste rising back up.

"Still think I don't know you?" he murmurs, smug satisfaction written all over his face.

You glare at him, pulling your dress back down, refusing to let him have the last word even as his expression uncharacteristically softens as he gazes at you, making you want to pull him close and kiss him again. Gentler, this time.

"This can't happen again," you force out your usual lie.

"That's what you said last time, princess."

Vhagar taglist: @kravitzwhore @litchifaerie @g-cf2020 @notsurewhattocallthisblog8888 @noxytopy @fan-goddess @m00n5t0n3 @diannnnsss @nsr-15 @the-awkward-barbie @rockstwrsz @yellowstonebaby @urdeftonesgrrrl @eddieslut69 @callsigncrushx @starwarsdinosaur @qweq-6802 @tulips2715 @joyismm @just-mj-or-not @crystal-siren @all-for-aemond @alokaaaaa @vhwyrm @purpleskiesandroses @technicallystrangereview @jjkysnk @inesdiary96 @weirdblob21 @lonelyladyghost @tssf-imagines @nurtargaryen @paula-lkr @queenofshinigamis @breezyjin @empfm @amanda08319 @unrealwinchester @optimizche @seamaiden @spoffyos @subliiminals @believeinthefireflies95 @ex0tic-vgh @anukulee @mrsmunson-harrington @romyfe06

[nellasbookplanet]

Book recs: Queer science fiction, part 1

There is a lot of queer sf out there, and I read a lot of sf. When I started working on this list, I quickly realized it was impossible to include all that I've read and enjoyed in one single rec post. Thus, this is the first of so far three queer sci-fi book rec posts.

A note: queer here does not necessarily mean "guarantee of an f/f or m/m ship with a happy ending", but rather simply a significant presence of queerness. Some of the books feature no romance but has a same gender attracted/trans/a-spectrum lead, or features an m/f relationship with bisexual, trans or aro/ace characters, or simply features a world-building which is heavily queer inclusive in ways that don't always compare to our own ideas of sexuality and gender. I have however disqualified works where the only queer presence is along the lines of "gay best friend" or a blink and you'll miss it confirmation that never comes up again.

Previous book rec posts:

Really cool fantasy worldbuilding, really cool sci-fi worldbuilding, dark sapphic romances, mermaid books, vampire books, many worlds: portal fantasies, many worlds: alternate timelines, robots and artificial intelligences, post- and transhumanism, alien intelligences

For more details on the books, continue under the readmore. Titles marked with * are my personal favorites. And as always, feel free to share your own recs in the notes!

The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley*

Dietz is a soldier in the war between Earth and Mars - to travel to the battle front, she and her fellow soldiers are broken down into light to be able to quickly travel across space. But something keeps going wrong with Dietz's travels; her memories don't match up with the mission briefs, as she experiences time itself turning in on itself. Is she going mad? Or are the things she's learning skipping through time the truth - and the war that's stealing her life the lie? A mindfuck of a book that's scathing in its critique of fascism and war. Features a sapphic lead but no romance.

A Psalm for the Wild-Built (Monk and Robot duology) by Becky Chambers

Novella. Long ago, robots, upon gaining sentience, simply laid down their work and walked into the wilderness. Long after, a tea monk looking for purpose follows after them into the wilds, where they come across one of the robots seeking its own sort of answers. While not plotless, this story focuses more on character and vibes over plot. Also has a nonbinary main character and features conversations on gender between human and robot.

Meet Me In Another Life by Catriona Silvey*

Thora and Santi are strangers, brought together by a coincidence and torn apart just as abruptly when tragedy strikes. But this is neither the first nor the last time they meet - again and again they encounter each other, as friends, lovers, enemies, family, every time recognizing in each other a familiarity no one else carries. But with every new life, a mysterious danger grows ever closer, forcing them to find out the truth of their connection. This is a puzzle-box of a story that goes some entirely unexpected places in a very wild ride, featuring a bisexual co-lead.

The Archive Undying (The Downworld Sequence) by Emma Mieko Candon

In a world where AI gods sometimes lose their minds and take entire populations down with them, Sunai was the only survivor when his god went down. In the 17 years since, he has wandered on his own, unable to either die or age, drowning his sorrows in drink and men. But his attempts to flee his past comes to a stop as he is forced back into the struggle between man and machine. Featuring some pretty wild world building and narrative techniques, this book will definitely confuse you, but it is worth the experience.

The Paradox Hotel by Rob Hart

January Cole works security at the Paradox Hotel, last stop for tourists heading for the timeport, which allows them to travel to and witness any moment in time. But years of proximity to the timeport has left its damage on January, making her unstuck in time, letting her relive memories of her dead lover even as her sanity slips away bit by bit. As she starts witnessing proof of a horrible crime in the hotel that no one else can see, January must race against her own mind, a killer, and time itself to solve it before it's too late.

A Fractured Infinity by Nathan Tavares

Hayes Figueiredo is a struggling film-maker who wants to finish his documentary, whose life gets turned upside down when handsome physicist Yusuf Hassan enters his life, claiming an alternate version of him is a great inventor who’s sent a mysterious device to their universe. As Hayes gets drawn deeper into the conspiracy - and his feelings for Yusuf intensify - he has to decide just how far he’s prepared to go to win the life and the love he wants. Featuring a very gay and very morally dubious lead, this is a creative and strange read.

Bridge by Lauren Beukes

When she was little, Bridge and her mother Jo used to play a game - one where they traveled to other worlds, inhabiting the bodies of their other selves. Now Jo is dead, and as Bridge is cleaning out her apartment she finds a strange device: a dreamworm, the very thing that supposedly makes inter-dimensional travel possible. Suddenly faced with the possibility that multiverse travel is real, Bridge is struck by a different question: could her mother still be alive? Scifi spiced with a healthy dose of body horror and some absolutely wild twists, Bridge also features a bisexual lead (however this is a blink and you’ll miss it moment) and a nonbinary co-narrator.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet (Wayfarers series) by Becky Chambers

Rosemary Harper just got a job on the motley crew of the Wayfarer, a spaceship that works with tunneling new wormholes through space. With a past she wants to leave behind, Rosemary is happy to travel the far reaches of the universe with the chaotic crew, but when they land the job of a life time, things suddenly get a lot more dangerous. A bit of a tumblr classic in its day, this is a cozy space opera with an episodic feel and vividly realized characters and cultures. While pretty light on romance and focusing found family, there is a main f/f relationship.

An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

Life on the lower decks of the generation ship HSS Matilda is hard for Aster, an outcast even among outcasts, trying to survive in a system not dissimilar to the old antebellum South. The ship's leaders have imposed harsh restrictions on their darker skinned people, using them as an oppressed work force as they travel toward their supposed Promised Land. But as Aster finds a link between the death of the ship's sovereign and the suicide of her own mother, she realizes there may be a way off the ship.

Ninefox Gambit (The Machineries of Empire trilogy) by Yoon Ha Lee*

Military space opera where belief and culture shape the laws of reality, causing all kinds of atrocities as empires do everything in their power to force as many people as possible to conform to their way of life to strengthen their technology and weapons. It’s also very queer, with gay, lesbian and trans major characters, albeit little to no romance.

The Left Hand of Darkness (Hainish Cycle) by Ursula K. Le Guin

1969 classic. Genly Ai is an emissary sent to the planet of Winter, meant to help facilitate Winter's inclusion in a growing intergalactic civilization. But he's unprepared for Winter's citizens, who spend much of their time genderless or switching between genders, making for a culture wildly different from that Genly is used to.

Too Like the Lightning (Terra Ignota series) by Ada Palmer*

Centuries in the future, humanity has deliberatly engineered society to be as utopian as possible, politically, socially, sexually, religiously. Written in an enlightenment style and featuring questions of human nature and whether it’s possible to change it, and what price we’re prepared to pay for peace, this book is simultaneously very heavy and very funny, and written in a very unique style. While still human, the society presented often feels starkly alien.

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley

This book fucked me up when I read it. It’s weird, it’s gross, there’s So Much Viscera, there are literally no men, it has living spaceships and biotech but in the most horrific way imaginable. Had I to categorize it I would call it grimdark military sf. It’s an experience but not necessarily a pleasant one.

The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling*

Possibly one of the most unsettling books I’ve ever read, and definitely the most claustrophobic. Gyre, a caver on an alien planet, ventures into the dark and dangerous underground, guided only by a woman who has no compunctions on using and manipulating Gyre as she sees fit to obtain her secretive goals down in the caves.

Escaping Exodus (Escaping Exodus series) by Nicky Drayden

While my feelings on Escaping Exodus were mixed, it cannot be denied that the dynamic between the two leads and the way they go from childhood best friends to enemies on different sides of a class and power struggle is very delicious. It also features some really cool worldbuilding of living, alien generation spaceships and the human culture that has developed inside them.

The Doors of Eden by Adrian Tchaikovsky*

The Doors of Eden is something of an experiment in speculative biology, featuring versions of Earth in which various different species were the one to rise to sentience, from dinosaurs to neanderthals. Now, something is threatening the existence of all timelines, dragging multiple different people and species into the struggle, among those a pair of cryptid hunting girlfriends and a transgender scientist.

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

Ascension follows Alana Quick, an expert Sky Surgeon who stows away on a spaceship in hopes of landing herself a job. But the ship and its crew are in deeper waters than she expected, facing threats emerging from a whole other universe, all of them searching for the same person: Alana’s spiritually enlightened sister. Undeniably a bit of an odd read, Ascension is also very creative and features polyamorous lesbian relationship.

Contagion (Contagion duology) by Erin Bowman*

Young adult. After receiving an SOS, a small crew is sent on a standard search-and-rescue mission. But what they find are not survivors awaiting help, but an abandoned site, full of dead bodies and crawling with something... monstrous. No romance, but features one sapphic co-lead and one who can easily be read as demisexual (however this doesn't show up until book two, which has more romance).

A Memory Called Empire (Texicalaan duology) by Arkady Martine

Mahit Dzmare is an ambassador sent to the center of the multi-system Teixcalaanli Empire, where she discovers that her predecessor has died. Trying to protect her home, an independent mining station, from being taken over by the empire, Mahit struggles to find out the truth of her predecessor's death while carrying the voice of his ghost in her head, guiding her as best he can. Light on the romance but does feature a sapphic relationship.

The Outside (The Outside trilogy) by Ada Hoffman*

AKA the book the put me in an existenial crisis. Souls are real, and they are used to feed AI gods in this lovecraftian inspired scifi where reality is warped and artifical gods stand against real, unfathomable ones. Autistic scientist Yasira is accused of heresy and, to save her eternal soul, is recruited by post-human cybernetic ‘angels’ to help hunt down her own former mentor, who is threatening to tear reality itself apart. Sapphic main character.

Dawn (Xenogenesis trilogy) by Octavia E. Butler*

After a devestating war leaves humanity on the brink of extinction, survivor Lilith finds herself waking up naked and alone in a strange room. She’s been rescued by the Oankali, who have arrived just in time to save the human race. But there’s a price to survival, and it might be humanity itself. Absolutely fucked up I love it I once had to drop the book mid read to stare at the ceiling and exclaim in horror at what was going on. Queer in the sense that the Oankali doesn't follow human ideas of gender and relationships, which is mirrored in their romantic relationships with humans. It is, however, pretty dark, with examinations of agency and consent, so enter with caution.

Remnant by Kate Genet

One day, Cass wakes up and finds everyone else is gone. Not dead, just gone, leaving her in a world which nature starts taking back with a dangerous, unnatural speed. But as she tries to survive this new normal, Cass realizes she may not be alone after all - but who else is out there, and are they a threat?

The Scorpion Rules (Prisoners of Peace duology) by Erin Bow*

Young Adult. Featuring a dystopian future in which an AI forcibly keeps world peace by holding the children of world leaders hostage. If anyone attempts to start a war, their child will be executed. Greta is one of these children, kept in a school with others like her. But things start to change one day when a new, less obedient hostage arrives. A unique, slowburn take on the YA dystopian craze, also featuring a bisexual love triangle.

Iron Widow (Iron Widow series) by Xiran Jay Zhao

Young adult. Zetian is a citizen of Huaxia, where mecha aliens are constantly trying to breach the Great Wall. To keep them at bay, couples of men and women pilot so called Chrysalises, giant transforming robots. But the pilots are not equal - the women almost always die, sucked dry by their co-pilots. When Zetian sets herself up to become a concubine-pilot, she does so with the plan to assassinate the male pilot who caused her sister's death. Features a polyamorous main relationship.

Bonus AKA I haven't read these yet but they seem really cool:

Survival Instincts by May Dawney

Lynn Tanner has been surviving the post-apocalypse alone with only her dog for a long time, trusting no one. But when she's forced to travel the dangerous remains of New York City alongside another woman, her priorities are challenged. Is staying alone really the best way to stay alive?

These Burning Stars by Bethany Jacobs

When con-artist Jun Ironway gets her hands on possible proof of the powerful Nightfoot family, controllers of interplanetary travel, committing genocide, she has in her hands a chance of taking them and their monopoly down. But the family and their allies won't go down easily, and sends two brutal clerics to stop her.

Everfair by Nisi Shawl

A neo-victorian alternate history, in which a part of Congo was kept safe from colonisation, becoming Everfair, a safe haven for both the people of Congo and former slaves returning from America. Here they must struggle to keep this home safe for them all.

[cleolinda]

The Scariest Movie I Ever Saw in a Theater: The Ring

I'll tell you up front that the story I'm going to tell you is about "The Ring (2002)," in the sense that it is about The Ring in the year 2002.

See, I don't know what The Scariest Movie Ever is. A quick google says that the consensus is The Exorcist (I haven't seen it, because I never felt like scheduling a day to freak myself the entire fuck out). But horror is specific, and not just to a person, but to a time and place, even. When I saw The Shining as a teenager in a well-lit living room with other people, I didn't even really flinch, but I bet it would play very differently to me now. I don’t think The Ring is at the top of anyone’s list, but twenty years ago, I had a personal interest in it—at the time, I was running a dinky little Geocities site devoted to movie news. Links curated and compiled from all the other, bigger sites I followed—basically, it was the linkspam format I have used on multiple platforms, including here on Sundays. And so, as someone who followed theatrical releases pretty closely for two or three years, I saw the trailer for The Ring, and I immediately knew it was going to be huge.

To locate you in time, this was just after three self-satirizing Scream movies and the Overcomplicated Serial Killer films of the '90s. The Ring was something completely different: chill aqua-blue color grading a good 5-6 years before Twilight; a mournful Hans Zimmer score; no jokes, no quips; and a slow, inexorable sense of doom. Grief, even, given that the movie begins with the death of the main character's niece. What immediately struck me about the first trailer was 1) the melancholy of it, and 2) how much it doesn't explain. Onscreen, you get the title cards,

THERE IS A VIDEOTAPE IF YOU WATCH IT SEVEN DAYS LATER YOU DIE

Concise! Understandable! A woman (Naomi Watts) is freaking out upon discovering that her young son has just watched it! Admirable job setting up the premise and the stakes of this entire movie in thirty seconds flat, without even any dialogue. That's all you need to know, and thus, the remaining minute of the trailer can do whatever it wants, and what it wants to do is be fucking weird. Echoing voices, TV static, a closeup of a horse's eye, ladders, a girl with dark hair, people reacting to things we don't see, drippy doorknobs, rain. Characters don't give us the whole plot in convenient soundbites of dialogue (like they do in a later trailer); we just hear lines, overlapping, murmured out of context—

did you see it in your head? she talks to you... leading you somewhere... showing you the horses... you saw it. did you see it in your head? she shows me things. Everyone suffers.

That you saw it has lived in my head ever since, and not once have I charged it rent. But the "best" part is Naomi Watts screaming at the end, because you don't hear her voice; you only hear this heartless telephonic beeeeeeep. It's 2002 and I'm watching this trailer, thinking, I have no idea what the fuck I just saw. This is going to be huge.

And it was, to the tune of $249 million on a $48M budget.

At risk of recapping what you might already know, Ringu, aka Ring, is a media franchise that spiraled out from a trio of Koji Suzuki novels into Hideo Nakata's film Ringu (1998), a landmark of Japanese horror, plus several other movies, some TV series, many comics, and even a couple of video games. The overarching story is about a murdered girl/vengeful ghost named Sadako Yamamura whose rage and pain have created a cursed video tape, you watch it and you die unless you pass the tape around like a virus, seven daaaaays, etc.

The "ring" in question is the rim of a well. Keep that well in mind.

The movie I saw is the U.S. remake, which itself had two sequels. (The iconic Sadako is now named Samara Morgan. Keep her in mind, too.) Director Gore Verbinski moved from The Ring to Pirates of the the Caribbean (!), and so Hideo Nakata himself would direct The Ring Two. I... honestly have only seen the first one. And I was right, it was huge, and it kicked off the American J-Horror Remake genre, for better or worse. But what gets forgotten about The Ring is its marketing campaign, which I followed pretty closely for my doofy little news site.

It was inspired.

The story of The Ring is partly the story of the sea change in the media landscape—how we watch movies. And the story of its marketing is a picture of the very last years before social media changed the wilderness of the internet into something that feels so big, like a billion people could see anything we say, and yet so small—only a tame handful of places to say it, owned by three or four companies, and corraled by algorithms.

Back around 1997-1998 or so, I worked at a video store (Movie Gallery, where the hits were there then, guaranteed) for about a year and a half. By the time I left, we had started adding DVDs to the VHS tapes on the shelves, but we hadn't replaced the entire stock. Video stores might have transitioned fully to DVD by 2002, I'm not sure, but people still commonly had both VCRs and DVD players in their homes. And I remember that The Ring was sold in both formats when it eventually hit home video. Which is to say—you know the analog horror genre today? Marble Hornets, Local 58, The Mandela Catalogue?

Analog horror is commonly characterized by low-fidelity graphics, cryptic messages, and visual styles reminiscent of late 20th-century television and analog recordings. This is done to match the setting, as analog horror works are typically set between the 1960s and 1990s. The name "analog horror" comes from the genre's aesthetic incorporation of elements related to analog electronics, such as analog television and VHS, the latter being an analog method of recording video.

Okay, but this is just what home media was like, and 2002 was at the very tail end of that—boxy black VHS tapes that degraded with time and reuse were just how we lived. At the same time, I'd been using CDs for music since about 1991, and all our software installs came on CD-ROM discs; a "mixtape" by that time had shifted to mean a rewriteable CD rather than a cassette tape. In college, I—well, I'll plead the Fifth as to whether I downloaded mp3s via Napster, but I was also taping Mystery Science Theater 3000 on VHS over the weekends. It was Every Format Everywhere, All At Once, and we kept half a dozen kinds of players around for them. Here in 2023, we stream and download everything invisibly, unless we choose to engage in format nostalgia. (I've already run into the problem of Apple Music deleting songs I really liked, due to this or that licensing issue, because I was really only renting them.) The year The Ring hit theaters was the edge of a last shimmering gasp of physical media where iTunes had only come into being the year before, and iridescent discs were still mostly what we used, but cassettes, both video and audio, were still viable. And so, people did not think it was terribly weird when they started finding unlabeled VHS tapes on their windshields.

Movieweb, quoting TikTok user astro_nina:

"Their marketing strategy was essentially 'let's get this tape viewed by as many people as possible without these people being aware of what this is, sort of raising intrigue," she says. One way they achieved this was by airing the tape, which allegedly marks its viewers for death within seven days, as a commercial with no context. The video would air between late-night programming "with no words, no mention of a movie, for like a month...so people would run into it and it would just go on to the next thing, and people would be like, 'what the f--k is this?'"

I remember seeing the Cursed Video as an unexplained ad at least twice, by the way. That TikTok also indicates that DreamWorks straight-up sent copies of the tape to Hot Topic stores, as well as planting them under actual movie theater seats. While running my movie site, I heard at least one story of someone finding a tape on the sink counter of a restroom at a club. Did the marketing department actually plant tapes in bathrooms—or did a freaked-out recipient leave it there, hoping to dodge the "curse"?

(I haven't embedded the Cursed Video here, by the way—but I could have. If you'd like to see the American take on it, you can watch both the full version and the shorter variant that appeared in the movie itself. A text description of what the fuck you're even looking at is here [content note for both: blood, insects, animal death, body horror, and suicide by falling]. The original version from the Japanese film is shorter, and it's eerie rather than gruesome.)

BUT WAIT, THERE WAS MORE: DreamWorks had something of an alternate-reality campaign going with a handful of in-character websites. This was only a year after Warner Bros. ran the groundbreaking "The Beast" ARG for A.I.: Artificial Intelligence: "Ultimately, fifty websites with a total of about one thousand pages were created for the [A.I.] game." (I lurked in the Cloudmakers Yahoo group.) Marketing for The Ring did not go anywhere that in depth, nor did it need to; it was both a smaller film and a smaller story. I saw at least two “personal” websites (seemingly amateur and a little tacky, like my own), but the one I particularly remember was about someone who owned/trained horses? I'm not sure if it was meant to be the actual Anna Morgan character—Samara's mother—or maybe someone who had noticed that the Morgans' horses were disturbed? I'm not even sure anyone even remembers this but me. Reddit users dug up a few other archived websites, but they're about Sadako, the curse and/or videotape; they aren't as subtle or character-oriented as the site I remember. (Honestly, I wonder if weird shit like "What Scares Me" or "SEVEN DAYS TO LIVE" were made by fans rather than a marketing department, but who knows.)

[The “About” page from Seven Days to Live on the Internet Archive.]

[The entirety of An Open Letter on the Internet Archive. “UPDATE” is a now-blank pop-up. I would bet $5 that it was originally a pop-up of the cursed video.]

I need to point out here that Facebook did not exist in 2002. It would not exist for another two years, and Twitter wouldn't exist until 2006. Even MySpace was not a thing until the next year. I didn't start my Livejournal until October of 2003. What we had, for the most part, were independent forums and blogs. We also had Creepy Internet Fiction like "The Dionaea House" and "Ted the Caver"; their use of the blog format, of people out there seemingly living their lives until something fucked up went down, gave the stories the shape of reality. And it helped that these blogs had comment sections, sure—sometimes more story unfolded there—but for the most part, an author could "abandon" a blog, and you'd just find the story there via word of mouth. Like the Ring blogs I remember, it wouldn't seem strange if no one replied to you, whereas today, you'd have to hire a writer to sit on Twitter, or Reddit, or even Tumblr, and interact with people in character. Could you do something like The Ring's mysterious, weird-ass blogs today? Would anyone even notice?

So: It's 2002, my head is full of Alternate Reality and eerie images and you saw it, and I'm hype as hell to go out and see The Ring. I'm perfectly happy to go see movies by myself, so I went in the early afternoon (best time to get a good seat). The movie ended up being a sleeper hit, and the first weekend, the public was still sleeping on it, so there were only 7-8 other people in that theater, grouped in maybe two clusters. I was off in my own little pool of darkness in the upper right quadrant. Functionally, once the lights went down, I was alone.

Despite some middling reviews at the time, The Ring is something of a horror classic nowadays. If you want a scary movie this Spooky Season, check out The Ring. Or don't, because it nearly killed me.

We're at the last, I don't know, third of the movie? And Our Heroine has tracked down the origin of the Cursed Videotape to some creepy mountain motel or whatever. SPOILER, it turns out that it was built over the Cursed Well (everything in this movie is cursed) that Our Villain was thrown into—that's why Sadako/Samara is a vengeful wet murder ghost crawling out of TVs now. While investigating this decrepit hotel room, intrepid journalist Rachel and her, who is it, her ex-husband? her kid's dad, idk, discover the well under the creaky old floorboards. And then, wouldn't you know it,

NAOMI WATTS FALLS INTO THE WELL

NAOMI WATTS FALLS INTO THE FUCKING WELL

THAT'S WHERE SAMARA'S BODY IS

[The rather slapstick moment when Rachel falls into the well. Does not include what actually happens next.]

I go absolutely rigid in my seat. Naomi Watts is splashing around this dark-ass death swamp of a well and I know, with as much certainty as I have ever known anything in my life, that Samara is about to pop up in all her pasty, waterlogged glory. All the sad creepy dread, all the desperation to figure out what the fuck all that shit on the tape was and stop Samara from killing Rachel's son, all the horrible contorted victim faces, all the alternate reality I’ve been soaking in, it has all come to this. I have to leave the theater. I cannot be having with this. I have to be gone from this place. My legs do not work. I cannot feel them. I am frozen. I want nothing more in this life or any other to get up and leave this cavernous pitch-black room, and I cannot. I start praying for death. I want you to understand that I am not trying to be flippant or humorous. This is genuinely what went through my head. I was too scared to even think, "You know, you could just pray to pass out or for motion to return to your limbs or something." No, I sat there in The Ring thinking, Please for the love of all mercy just let me cease being.

You know that scene in Mulholland Drive (also starring Naomi Watts)? Winkie's diner and the EXCRUCIATING tension? It was a little like that, except I wasn't watching it, I was experiencing it, and Samara was my dirt monster out behind the diner.

Except that the jump scare didn't actually happen. I mean, yes, Rachel finds Samara's body down there, but—I don't remember exactly, please don't make me go watch it again to tell you what actually happens. It's played more sympathetically on Rachel's part, as I recall, and she and her ex get Samara's body out so that she (Samara) can have a proper burial.

And then it turns out that this is not the end of the movie. It turns out that Rachel has Fucked Up.

I think I was relatively okay through the rest of it, although the climax is Samara emerging from a TV in her full glitching swampy glory to scare [SPOILER] to death. I don't recall praying for death twice. There's a point when you're so exhausted from fear chemicals that you're like, yeah, this might as well happen. Bring it, Soggy. I did have a hard time prying myself out of that seat afterwards, though, and my mom says that when I got home, I had the classic thousand-yard stare. How was the movie?

"It was great," I said, and I meant it.

I've seen things that were objectively scarier (I watched much of The Haunting of Hill House from behind a pillow, to be honest), and it's not like I've never experienced fear in real life. But I respect when a movie that can make me feel so intensely, and there's something weirdly precious about the way horror is a safe roller coaster, as it's often been said. So I love telling the story about The Time The Ring Nearly Killed Me—a movie that actually made my body stop working—and I love thinking of how embedded in a specific time and place that movie was for me. The last gasp of VHS when the Cursed Videotape still seemed plausible; the way the internet was still wild and weird and free; where I was in my life, keeping up so avidly with all the movie news, and finding myself in such a little pool of darkness early one afternoon. It's the scariest movie I saw in a theater; that's the alchemy of circumstance.

[kuromitos]

I have more shit to say about batcest shippers!

[ This is the last time I promise ( -д-) ]

This is more directed at brudick shippers but the thing i hate about the most is that they try to get on this metaphorical soapbox, and say how the their ship is better and valid due to the fact that's "queer history." When in reality, they're nothing more than a bunch of liars, and just saying, random stuff to support their weird gross ship.

Stuff like how dick was supposed to be closer in age to bruce, how their relationship was always romantic and stuff like that, which is false.

Since his debut, Dick grayson was always portrayed as a young boy, and his relationship with bruce was always familial, not romantic. Yes, they weren't father and son during that time, but they did have a familial relationship, which was more akin to brothers, so they still had a familiar relationship.

And yes, I will admit I'm not gonna pretend that there weren't certain moments within the comics that did raise some eyebrows in today's standards, but that was also a scenes just happening in comics in general. Did we all just forget about the comic where supergirl fell in love with her with her horse?

What about the storyline, where green lantern falls in love with a fourteen year old alien girl who had the ability to physically age up her body to an adult form but was still mentally a child?

That storyline is still infamous today to the point that people don't like how jordan because of it, even though they reckoned it years ago. It's still creepy, but I digress.

There are so many storylines and moments that happen in comics that are so weird, but we just chalk it up to it being a certain time period. And I feel that's also what's going on, with the batman comics back then.

Another thing these shippers have come to believe that batman and robin are the reason why the comic code authority came into existence. Which is not completely true.

There are many reasons why the comic code came into fruition during that time, but they act like batman and robin is the sole reason why.

One of the main reasons mainly deal with the fact of censorship within comics and of course the corruption of children, which brings in their major evidence as to why they believe this is the book called seduction of the innocent.

If you don't know what the book seduction of the innocent is it's mainly a book by a doctor who believe that comics was turning children into delinquents and how parents should keep it away from their children and one of the passage within the books talks about how batman and robin are turning children gay.

Keep in mind, This was the 1950s where a man can stand next to another man, and people will automatically give them the side eye so....

Also, just a small piece of information is the man who wrote the book. He lied about that. He interviewed some boys asking him about the comic that they had read, and few of them happen to be gay and claim that they like to read superman comics with another indie title But for some reason, he decided to lie and claim that they was reading batman comics , and they wanted to be robin so they can have sex with him. He also lied about Wonder Woman and how she makes young girls want to hate men, so there's also that.

I'm going to post a link to a post that goes into more detail about this it also plays another detail I particularly dislike these types of shippers, which is how they only care about queer history when it benefits them. It comes with evidence about this man lying.

Which brings me to my final point that i'm going to make on here is they like to contradict themselves a lot.

These people are the same people who state that fiction isn't real and These are fictional characters so they can do whatever they want with them, but at the same time they want to get mad at people call them homophobic For not liking this ship due to being queer history and have an impact on queerness in comics. When we know that's not true.

How does that work? 2 things can't be true i At the same time if it doesn't make sense. either fiction affects reality, or it doesn't. You don't actually care if this has any impact within queer comics. You just care that this validates your weird a** ship between family members.

And that's incredibly irritating.

Also I feel I shouldn't have to mention this, but I am not antiship, I generally do not care what ship you're into, unless it's like Pedo or incest.

Even then, I'm not gonna do anything to you. I'm just gonna read about how you are a weirdo and call it a day, probably even block you.

I personally believe no one should be harassed, doxs, or anything horrible happened to them due to them for liking a ship unless you're being an asshole to everyone.

That's why I don't personally like these shippers. Because they want to feel mentally superior to everyone else and act like that, they are better than everyone else here.

They wanna blame the most random stuff on why they're getting hate when, in reality, that has nothing to do with their hatred. Like they wanna blame purity culture on why they're getting hate.

Purity culture??

in this fandom??

the fandom that is known for sexualizing their female characters?? The fandom that has sexualized Dick grayson so much that he's reduced nothing more to his a**??

Purity Culture has nothing to do with why you've been hated.

You are hated because you are making shit up for a ship.

You are hated because you are shipping a father and son and turning every single moment they spend together as romantic and basically sexualizing a wholesome relationship between men.

you are hated because you say out of pocket stuff to defend yourself like "adopted family aren't real families"

You are hated because you try to act better than everyone when you are no better than the average person on the internet

It has nothing to do with purity culture or or homophobia, or whatever random excuse you're trying to come up with. you are hated Cause you are generally a weird person that has weird taste in ships. That is it

I'm officially done talking about these people. Because if I feel if I do I will start to hate the fandom in general, so i'm done and I will, I'll try my best not to talk about them anymore.

BYE(*^▽^)/★*☆♪

[wings-of-ink]

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to pop in and say hey and give some updates. They're all very mild, but I feel like I've been quiet lately so I wanted to pop something out here for you so you get a feel for where I'm headed.

I have some asks that have piled up and I will be chipping away at them here and there. I had a weird week that I am recovering from, and my mind has been super unfocused lately. I'm doing better now, but had a bout with a few days of insomnia and anxiety. I am already a sleepy-sad mess in the winter, so this does me no favors. I'm popping in when I have some bursts of energy. Your asks and comments have made me smile, think, and get pumped for the days to come though, so I thank you for that. ^_^

Even though my energy is down, I am still finding enjoyment in working on some of the extras! Even if I can only work in short bursts, it's helped me find some respite. I have worked out a short-form character creation for the Cursed Birthday extra. I also have that outlined. My goal is to have that released by the end of this month!

I still plan on opening a Patreon soon, but I have kept putting it on the back burner as I focus on just making it through this time of year, lol. I am just so stupid-tired most of the evening when I have free time and am very over it. In future years, I'll be working ahead during the other seasons and then take a solid block of time between December and January off. I vote that we hibernate.

Before I open up Patreon, I want to have some work banked up and ready to go. Part of the benefits will be voting on what you want to read, but I need to have some basis to go off of for that and content to put out in between. I'll post some teasers and samples so you can see if the extras I have in store will tickle your fancy. I have a running list of both SFW and NSFW extras I'd like to write. Someone asked me earlier to spill (leak) some of my tea on these, so I will happily share a few things I have cooking in my noggin.

Regular (mild) Extras: * A series of stories about being "snowed in" with each of the ROs and how they spend the day with MC. * Each RO will get character-specific stories, featuring cute and romantic moments for things like Zahn's birthday or baking cakes with Oswin.

Spicy Extras: * A series of tales that are erotic dreams that the MC has while traveling with the group. Anything can happen here. * Each RO will have stories featuring spicy content relative to their character's desires. For example, in the first month of Patreon, Oswin will be featured in the spicy tier. The story is titled, "Honey," and is interactive. You can use your imagination. (shout out to the anon who already read my mind and called me on this, lol)

**Addendum** I remember what else I was going to include here so I'm editing. I have some corrections (typos and grammar and such) and a patch for Zahn's moment in Chapter 5 to put through but I cannot get the itch "Butler" application to work on my laptop still. I can't patch without breaking saves all over again. I am trying to find another computer I can do this on so I don't break saves just for a patch.

I think those were the main bits I wanted to touch on (hell if I actually remember, lol). I am recovering from my weird week and am happy it's the weekend. My new kitties are doing fabulous as well. They are very cute and keep me on my toes. Oh, and Arlo knows how to open doors, so there's that. Miles, who was very shy at first, has become a sweet little socialite too.

Arlo just looks grumpy, but he is an absolute ham.

Miles likes to lay with his feets dangling.

[spnbabe67]

Darling, You Look Divine

Kinktober Day 21: Body Worship (D.W.)

Pairing: Dean Winchester x Fem Original Character

Rating: Explicit

Word Count: 2002

Warnings: Smut, Angst, John Winchester (Flashback), Fluff

Summary: When Tori starts to get insecure, Dean is more than happy to show his girl why she's beautiful

Authors Note: Title inspired by the song Eyes Don't Lie by Isabel LaRosa

Created for @anyfandomgoesbingo /Square Filled: Multiple Orgasms

Tag List: @zepskies @king-of-milf-lovers @nightxcreature

Dean knew something was off with Tori. She’d gone to take a shower after dinner while Dean was finishing up doing the dishes. When he came back to their room he found her standing in front of the mirror that he and Sam had hung up. Tori had complained about the fact that every time she wanted to see how an outfit looked, she had to go to the bathroom for the floor length mirrors in there, rather than the small one on the medicine cabinet in the room. She was standing there, gorgeous body on display, her hair still damp from her shower. Dean walked up behind her, placing his hands onto her hips as her brown eyes met his in their reflection. 

“What’s goin’ on in that pretty head a yours?” Dean mumbled as he leaned down to press a tender kiss to her shoulder.

He felt her shrug, dipping her head before looking back up, catching his gaze in the mirror where he could see the glistening of tears starting to form. 

“Talk to me, Sweetheart.” Dean wrapped his arms around her middle, but hesitated as he felt her stiffen under his touch. “What’s goin’ on, Baby?”

“It’s nothing, I just,” Tori started, taking a deep breath as she placed a hand over Dean’s arms. She laughed a little, tilting her head to rest against his. “God, I feel like I’m back in high school, picking myself apart in front of a mirror.”

Dean had an inkling that’s what was bothering her. Lord knows he’s spent enough time in his years placed in front of a mirror. After coming back from Hell, he kept checking his body for all the scars he’d earned after years of hunting. But everytime Alistair and his demons broke him down to pieces, they put him back together better than he had been, including getting rid of the scars and marks from before he was sent down below. That didn’t even take into account how many times before he’d met Tori that he’d stared himself down, loathing every feature that he shared with John, loathing the hardness of his features, the slope of his nose, the way his eyes had lost the spark in them. 

He vividly remembered being plunked down in a gas station bathroom, all dingy and covered in graffiti, stinking of piss and body odor. He couldn't have been older than 12 when John had decided that his hair had grown too long. He remembered pleading with him to let him keep his hair the way it was. Remembered the sternness of his fathers voice as he grabbed the clippers and a pair of medic shears from his bag. He could still feel the tears on his cheeks as John had taken the shears to his hair, then the clippers. When he was done, Dean glanced in the mirror, and he saw his father staring back at him, only John had already left the bathroom.

“Does my girl need a reminder of how pretty she is?” Dean said softly, smoothing his hands across her belly to her hips. 

“Dean-”

“Nuh uh.” Dean cut her off, squeezing her hips. “I want you to watch yourself in the mirror, alright?”

Dean waited for Tori to nod, catching her slightly confused look in the reflection. He kissed her shoulder as he let his hands brush across her body until they landed on her belly. 

“Let’s start here, shall we?” Dean traced small shapes across her skin, circling the tip of his index finger around her belly button. He knew this was the main source of her insecurity, she’d said so before, telling him how she’d gained weight living in one spot. She was the furthest thing from fat, not that he would mind either way. Bodies change, but no matter how she looked, she’d still be his Tori. 

“This is normal. This lets me know you are well fed. It’s my job to spoil you and make sure you are taken care of. This tells me I’m doing my job right. Besides, you know how much I love to lay my head here. Speaking of which.”

He slid his hands higher, cupping her breasts. Dean heard Tori’s breath catch, saw the flush of her cheeks. “Do you know how much these drive me crazy? How much you drive me crazy? Makin’ me go crazy when you wear those tight tank tops.” Dean rolled her nipples between his fingers as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “Don’t you think for one second I don’t know you’re teasin’ me when you wear them.”

Her laugh was the sweetest music to his ears, so breathy as she arched her back into his hands. He smiled into her shoulder, eyes catching hers in the mirror. Dean slid his hands back down her sides, feeling her shiver under his ministrations as one ended up on her thigh.

“And these?” Dean slid a hand along the inside of her thigh. “Don’t even get me started on these. I love the way these look in your jeans, and in those tiny shorts you know make me lose my mind. How many times these legs of yours have saved my ass, carrying me back home. So strong but so damn soft, I can’t get enough. Can’t get enough of the way they wrap around my head when I’m between ‘em”

Dean wasn’t sure Tori’s face could get any redder, her blush traveling down her neck, her breath growing shallower as he slid his hand higher and higher until he cupped her soaked core. 

“And I know you know how much I love this. Love to taste you, love how well you wrap around me. So responsive for me.” Dean pressed an open mouthed kiss to the side of Tori’s neck as he slid a finger down her center. 

She was already soaked as he ran his middle finger along her, finding her clit. His other hand wrapped around her waist, keeping her back pressed against his chest. “Keep those eyes open for me, Sweetheart.” Dean guided. 

Tori whimpered as he toyed with her clit, finding that perfect rhythm. Dean knew just how to make her fall apart. He’d mapped her body out in his head, knew every curve, every mark, every scar like it was his own. Most of all, he knew just how to have her moaning his name. His thumb took over as he slid his middle finger into her. She was so wet his finger slid in with little resistance, her inner walls fluttering around the digit. Dean watched on as Tori’s eyes were locked onto where his hand had cupped her core, where his fingers expertly moved in and out of her. 

Dean damn near purred as Tori reached up, carding her fingers through his hair, nails scraping against his scalp. He could feel her clench around his fingers as he added his ring finger, curling them upwards towards her belly. He was glad he had an arm around her waist as Tori’s legs started to shake, her hips rolling against his hand. 

“C’mon Baby. You got it. Let go for me.” Dean whispered to her. “Look how pretty you are when you cum for me.”

He cursed to himself as she clamped down on his fingers, moaning his name as she came, never taking her eyes off herself. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, panting as she came down from her high. Tori didn’t resist as Dean slid a hand under her legs, picking her up bridal style. He laid her down on the bed, pulling his shirt over his head before crawling up the bed to nestle himself between her legs. Dean placed a kiss to the inside of her knee, trailing hot kisses along the softness of her inner thigh all the way back to the apex between them. 

“You’re the whole damn package, Sweetheart. So beautiful, I can’t ever take my eyes offa you. Not that I’d ever want to.” Dean nipped at the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. 

His first taste of her was heaven. Instantly her hands found their way into his hair, tugging the strands as he laved his tongue up her center. Dean quickly found her puffy clit, pulling it between his lips, gently grazing his teeth against the bundle of nerves in a way that had her thighs squeezing his head. His hand snaked around Tori’s thigh and across her hips, holding them down to the bed, keeping her from wiggling too much. Her ragged moans met his ears, even through the tight grip her thighs had around his head as his tongue worked in and out of her, his nose nudging her clit

Quickly she arrived back at that high, keening as she came on Dean’s face. Dean happily worked her through her high, tongue flicking against her clit, dipping into her molten hot core until she was practically pushing his head away from between her legs. 

Dean pulled away, licking his lips as he pushed his sweats from his legs, his cock painfully hard from the moment he’d slipped his hand between her legs. He kissed his way up her body, starting at her pubic bone, letting his tongue drag every so often as he worked from her belly to between her breasts to the hollow of her throat until he finally claimed her mouth. Tori clung to him as Dean gently pushed himself into her. He moaned lowly at the feel of her velvet walls wrapped around him. There was no resistance as he slid in and in and in. 

“Feel so good, Sweetheart.” Dean praised, smoothing a hand up her side. “Takin’ me so well.”

He started to move once she had time to adjust to him, going slow at first as he kissed down her neck, hand coming up to squeeze her thigh as he placed it on his waist. Tori felt so good beneath him, so soft and pliant, juxtaposed to the hard edges of him. She was so damn pretty. Dean felt his heart swell with affection, in pride that he could say that this gorgeous woman was all his. 

“My pretty girl.” He mumbled against her mouth as he rolled his hips into hers, going at that languid pace that he knew had her barreling towards that edge once again. “Feel so good, my pretty girl.”

Dean could feel that heat low in his hips just as Tori started to sink her nails into his arm, whispering his name to the non-existent space between them. 

“I know, Baby, I know. Me too. Let go for me.”

Dean tried his best to keep the same pace, to keep his hips from bucking wildly into her heat as her walls fluttered around him, legs shaking. Tori’s third orgasm had her cumming hard, body going tense beneath him. She clamped down hard, triggering his own release. Dean claimed her mouth, moaning into the kiss as they shared their high.

Dean eased himself down beside her on the bed, pulling her to lay atop him as their breathing slowed. He caressed the side of her face, pushing inky strands of hair behind her ear. Tori smiled sleepily at him, both of them thoroughly fucked out. Dean traced up and down her spine, letting his fingers brush along her soft olive skin. 

“Thank you.” Tori pressed a kiss to his chest as she reached up, intertwining their hands. 

“No, thank you.” Dean replied. “I’ll take any chance I can get to show my pretty girl just how divine she is.”

Dean chuckled as Tori blushed hard again, hiding her face in his chest. She giggled as she looked back up at him. “What’d I do to deserve you, huh?” 

“I should be asking you that question.” Dean ran a hand through her hair again, the touch soothing for the both of them. “With you, I’m the luckiest guy in the world.”

[theblack3stday]

YOUR RAREST OF FLOWERS — Marlene Mckinnon

Pairing: Marlene Mckinnon x shy!reader

Summary: You are a naturally shy girl and you usually only hang out with Remus. But, one day, you find yourself hanging out with the Marauders and being teased by Marlene.

A/N💌: Thanks for the request, I hope you like it🫶🏻🫶🏻

Word count: 2.7k

Warnings: probably none

The weather was a perfect fit for the beauty of spring. The budding of the flowers, the greening of the leaves on the trees, the gentle wind blowing, and the shining sun made it all worthwhile.

As the wind passing through the open windows of the greenhouse spilled out, it also brought the scent of the flowers in the greenhouse and filled the noses of the students.

"The classes are over," said James excitedly as he sunbathed on the grass.

He turned his face to the sun and closed his eyes. In order to enjoy the heat better, he unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, took off his tie and put it in his pocket.

"We are free and we can do whatever we want!" Sirius concluded James' words. He was sitting cross-legged next to James.

He grinned and extended his hand to his best friend, who completed his sentence as he wished. James and Sirius high-fived each other. Remus and Peter chuckled at them.

As Lily and Marlene come, boys’ attention turned to their friends.

“My flower!” he jumped from his place to give a kiss to his girlfriend. Marlene set her place next to Peter.

“Oh, fuck!” Remus cursed with realisation. “I have to meet Y/n at the library!”

Remus quickly hurried to meet up with you.

Meanwhile, James continued to fawn over Lily, who smiled with satisfaction. Marlene frowned and shouted after Remus. “Who the hell is Y/N?”

“His book buddy.” Peter answered.

Remus rushed through the hallways, desperate to make his way to the library. Once there, he found you already occupying a seat, buried in a book.

You have been Remus Lupin’s book buddy for quite some time now. Despite his quiet and sometimes brooding nature, you always enjoyed your time together spent discussing your latest books and their characters. Before you knew him, you had thought that he’s a noisy annoying idiot like his friends, but he was the opposite. He was calm, nice and understanding. You were a shy person, but when you were with him, you feel like you are with your brother.

Remus had quickly picked up on the fact that you were a shy person, even if you didn’t realize it yourselves. But he didn’t mind at all, because he knew that he was the same way. He found comfort in your quiet nature, and he enjoyed having someone who he could truly share his thoughts and feelings with. It was one of the main reasons why he enjoyed spending time with you so much.

As spotted you reading, he paused to take a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. Once he was sure he would not let his anxiety get the best of him, he approached you with a small smile. "Hey, Y/n. Sorry, I'm a bit late." he greeted you, his tone gentle and warm.

You smiled back at Remus, your face instantly warmed by his gentle demeanor.

"It's okay, I haven't been waiting for too long. Don't worry about it." you assured him, keeping your tone equally as gentle as his.

The two of you sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, both enjoying the feel of the other's company.

“So, what's the book you were reading?” Remus eventually asked, breaking the silence with a lighthearted, inquisitive tone.

You told Remus the title of the book you were reading, explaining that you had just started it but that it had instantly piqued your interest. Remus nodded along as he listened, his own curiosity piqued by your description.

“I can give you the book, when i finish it.” you said. Remus nodded as you offered him that “Thanks.”

“Do you want to read outside? The weather seems nice.” you asked him, closing your book.

As you and Remus walk outside, you see the Marauders lying on the grass, enjoying the sunlight and chatting amongst themselves. You recognize them as James, Sirius, Lily, Marlene and Peter, and they seem to be having a good time. They notice Remus and smile at him, but don't seem to notice you just yet. You feel a bit uncomfortable as your presence seems unnoticed by the Marauders, who continue to chat and laugh amongst themselves. Remus notices your discomfort and asks you, “Is everything alright?”

You shake your head and tell Remus, “Maybe we can read tomorrow, you know..”

Remus understands where you are coming from, and he comforts you, “We are not intruding. They are just chatting amongst themselves, and they are actually friendly people if you get to know them. Trust me, they are not that what you think.” he whispered, so only you could hear him.

“Hey, who’s this, Moony?” James noticed you first. Or you thought like that. Marlene was the one who noticed you. She noticed you before the others, and she quickly looks away, a slight smile on her face. Your shyness was so cute she thought. As you look around to see that the Marauders have noticed you, you see Marlene's gaze turn away with a slight smile on her face. You feel a bit embarrassed and shy being noticed, but you can't help but feel like Marlene's faint smile was directed at you.

“This is Y/N.” Remus said placing his hand to your shoulder. Marlene's faint smile seems to grow larger for a moment when she hears Remus mention your name. You can sense Marlene's gaze lingering on you after you've been introduced to the Marauders. She seems curious about you, and there's the faintest hint of a smile on her face.

As Remus introduced you to them, your shyness seemed to catch their attention. Particularly, Marlene appeared to gaze at you intently as you nervously looked away from her, feeling a little embarrassed by the attention. Her grin seemed to grow larger when she understands that you realised that she was interested in you. That made you blush even harder.

"I guess this is our book buddy, eh James?" Marlene added with a teasing wink, throwing you a flirtatious glance.

James laughed and agreed, "The one and only! We can't wait for you to hang out with us more often, " He joked, a playful glint of mischief in his eye.

As Marlene made the teasing comment, you felt your ears heat up with an instant blush. You could feel the Marauders' gaze on you, each of them finding your blush immensely adorable in its own way.

"Oh, I'm sure she will," Remus replied with a grin as he looked over to you, his tone playful but also reassuring.

"Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves now."

James let out a boisterous laugh as he slapped Remus' shoulder jokingly.

Remus returned a wink, as he smiled at you reassuringly. Marlene playfully rolled her eyes and shot Remus a small smirk before turning her gaze back towards you, her playful flirtatious glances now laced with curiosity.

You could sense a playful tension in the air between the four of them. You didn’t know what to say. You just stand there watching them making jokes, having fun and enjoying the day. You laughed with them, but never joined the conversations. You stood quietly in the background. Remus seemed to sense your nervousness and reluctance to join in on the conversations. He kept a close eye on you as well, and his playful tone became a little more gentle in his efforts to include you.

Meanwhile, Marlene couldn't help but watch you with growing curiosity. Her playful glances kept getting longer, she was becoming more and more intrigued by your soft shyness.

You could feel her gaze, and you found it difficult to not look at her in disbelief as she continued to flirt with you in such a subtle yet noticeable way.

As Marlene watched you, you were unaware that she had been looking at you for longer than you'd expect. She suddenly picked up a flower from near her feet, quietly and subtly.

She then reached up and handed it to you, not saying anything but hoping you'd understand the gesture.

As Marlene gracefully handed you the flower, she smiled with a slight blush filling her cheeks. The gesture was innocent yet clearly filled with romantic meaning, sending your heart fluttering in delight. You felt your ears heat up and your heart beat a bit faster as you softly smiled back at Marlene.

As you accepted the flower from Marlene, a warm feeling spread through you, and you couldn't help but return her smile. The simple gesture spoke volumes, and you felt a connection with her that went beyond words.

"Thanks," you murmured softly, your voice barely above a whisper, but carrying a depth of gratitude.

Marlene's smile widened at your response, and she nodded gently, her eyes sparkling with understanding.

The exchange between you and Marlene didn't go unnoticed by the others. James nudged Sirius playfully, a knowing smirk on his face, while Lily observed the interaction with a fond expression. Even Peter couldn't help but glance over, his curiosity piqued by the subtle yet significant moment unfolding before them.

Remus, ever observant, caught the exchange between you and Marlene, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. He felt a sense of warmth and happiness seeing you connect with one of his closest friends.

"So, Y/N, what's your favorite book?" James asked you. As the group turned their attention towards you, you felt a mixture of excitement and nervousness fluttering in your chest. You swallowed softly, meeting their curious gazes with a tentative smile, ready to answer any question they had for you.

“You read?” Sirius frowned. James rolled his eyes to his best mate. You chuckled to their silly little ‘argument’. "Um, well, I really love that muggle book called ‘Little Women’"

“She read it 7 times!” Remus added.

James and Sirius were surprised to hear that information. “Did I hear that right?" James turned to his best friend.

“I think so.” Sirius said. Lily playfully rolled her eyes.

“This is a classic, I really love that book too! Do you have any other hobbies besides reading?" she smiled at you gently. You knew she was a nice and calm person. Once you were a group in the potions project.

“Hmm, I like to draw and paint in my free time. It's a nice way to unwind." you said.

“Maybe you could show us some of your works sometime?” Marlene grinned. The playful banter between you two continued, as Marlene seemed intrigued by your interests.

“Sure.” you played with your hair trying to avoid the eye contact between you and her.

“Maybe sometime, we could paint together?” she suggested.

“Sure, yeah.” you replied softly, continuing to avoid the eye contact.

After that day, you began to spend more time with the Marauders. The playful banter and flirtatious tones became a frequent occurrence for you, but you didn't mind it. Remus was still your best friend, but you get along with Lily too. She was so nice and obviously she was a crazy reader like you. The boys, Sirius, James and Peter, sometimes were very noisy, but you got used to it. They were fun, and it felt as if you could truly be yourself with them. Marlene continued to play with you. She loved making you blush, especially when your cheeks turned red. When you avoided eye contact, she knew she was doing it right.

It was an another sunny day. The year was almost over. The Hogwarts hallways were bathed in the warm glow of the midday sun, casting long shadows along the stone walls. Sunlight streamed through the high windows, painting intricate patterns on the polished floors. As students bustled between classes, the air was filled with a sense of energy and excitement.

“Y/N!” Marlene spotted you in the hallway outside of class. She playfully sprinted to keep up with your pace, she run towards you She tried to synchronise to your steps. She eventually caught up, giggling innocently at the sight of her chasing you around. “Do you remember that you promised me to paint together?” she playfully asked, matching your steps and rhythm.

You rolled your eyes “That was before I learned you can’t paint.”

"Then you can teach me, huh?" she said while placing her arm on your shoulder, continuing her playful flirtatious tone.

"Maybe..." you replied, with a confused glance to Marlene, who had a playful look on her face.

The two of you continued to have a playful exchange, with Marlene still matching your pace quite expertly.

"Come on, surely I can't be that bad!" Marlene said, continuing to playfully chase you.

"I wouldn't be so sure." you replied with a smirk, before continuing to walk casually as if the chase was no big deal.

Marlene playfully let out a playful huff of frustration as she continued to try and catch up to you.

"Well, if you want to see it so badly, I guess we're just gonna have to have that painting session soon!" she playfully pouted, clearly enjoying her own pouty behavior.

"If we do, I'll be sure to judge you mercilessly." you teased back with a laugh, as Marlene replied with an apologetic grimace.

As the two of you eventually made your way to the lake where the Marauders usually hung out, Marlene playfully commented on her lack of artistic talent.

"I may not be talented in painting, but I have other skills," she said playfully, as the two of you continued to walk along the quiet path.

“Like teasing shy girls?” you felt your heart beating quickly when you asked her that. You didn’t mean it, it just came out from your mouth and there were you, standing in front of her like a tomato.

"Like teasing shy girls." Marlene replied with a playful grin, causing your ears to warm with a blush of embarrassment.

Your shyness was something Marlene had grown quite fond of, and as such, she regularly enjoyed teasing you whenever the two of you interacted. The playful tone and flirtatious banter only made her teasing more enjoyable, causing you to blush more heavily and smile softly, albeit still feeling a little bit of embarrassment.

You were still blushing profusely when Marlene suddenly leaned forward and kissed you, completely taking you off guard.

You were stunned for a moment, but the feeling of her lips against your own was electrifying and made your blush grow even brighter.

Your shock at her sudden actions soon turned into pure ecstasy, and your cheeks felt warm and fuzzy as you enjoyed the unexpected kiss.

Marlene pulled her face away from yours after the kiss, her expression one of pleasure.

"I hope the shy girl likes me teasing her?" she asked with a giggle, her flirty voice filled with playfulness.

You were still a bit taken aback from the unexpected kiss, but you managed to reply with a soft smile and a nod.

"Good," Marlene said playfully, her playful tone and flirty energy still flowing through her voice.

Marlene giggled softly as she leaned closer and kisses you again, this time leaving no doubt that she had every intention of doing so. The playful flirtatious tension between the two of you only grew stronger with the repeated act of kissing, making both sides eager for more.

As Marlene and you engaged in another series of kisses, the tension and flirttous energy between the two of you escalated intensely, as if to compensate for the shyness and awkwardness you had experienced previously.

Your kisses grew more passionate and intense, and before you knew it, the two of you were deeply involved in a heated and fiery makeout session, oblivious to the world around you. Your hearts were pounding in your throats, and your breaths were coming quickly as you both enjoyed the intimacy of the moment.

@hrts4prongs ‘s request

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

As per usual, info under the cut <3

IM BACK BITCHES!!!

Alright, here's the design stuff:

I wanted to go for kind of a Lois Lane vibe, including the way she gets all the way up in business she should not be up in. At the same time I wanted to bring the super cutesy gothic lolita style in at least a little. So I ended up going with a poofy short jumpsuit with bows and teddy bears. I would love to make a specific thank you to @themooncallsyou for suggesting I look at the Moschino 2022 spring line for inspiration, it ended up having a very heavy impact on the final design.

I tried to lean into the investigative part of investigative reporter, so that's what the heavy coat is about. I thought adding that classic detective silhouette would be a nice final touch. Plus, I think Blondie likes the drama of the coat flying behind her as she's chasing down a lead. It makes her feel very cool.

Alright, so her original pet is a bear cub named Grizz but I have. Several problems with that. The main one is that it's not clear what the difference between Grizz and the actual sentient bears and her story is. There is never any differentiation between them. It's a Goofy-Pluto situation. Like it doesn't need to be explained, but the minute you start thinking about it too hard it gets weird real fast.

Anyways say hello to Honey the magpie!! Magpies are great mimics and lovers of shiny things, so I thought one would be a perfect fit for Blondie. She repeats bits of gossip and steals little trinkets and clues to help Blondie with whatever case she's on. Honey is where Blondie gets her infinite supply of bobby pins. Her scale is a little off, I don't think magpies are actually that big, but I still think she's cute so I'm not changing it now lol.

Now for character stuff:

Honestly I'm not really changing anything as much as I am exploring what's already there. I think Blondie has the potential to be really interesting, because she's unique within the class system of the school. She's kind of the inverse of Raven status-wise. Raven was born to royalty, but because her mom is the Evil Queen she's actually considered a commoner by society. Blondie was born to a wealthy commoner family, but her fear of rejection leads her to exaggerate the prestige of her lineage. Everyone sort of knows that she's not a Princess but she's so desperate to keep up the image of royalty that no one knows where she actually lands. Most of the royals assume her parents are Lord and Lady or Duke and Duchess or something. In reality they don't have any noble title, and Blondie is very insecure about that.

Blondie isn't so much ashamed of her family as she is terrified of exclusion and rejection. Her standing in society is the one major thing that makes her different from all the other royals, but she has major anxieties that she's always on thin ice. In her mind she's permanently one wrong step from total ostracization.

On a happier note, she does have a genuine passion for journalism! She considers her news blog/podcast practice for her future career. She starts out discussing school drama and gossip, but tries to stay a neutral third party. That's why her hair is so big. It's full of secrets. As the story goes on she starts reporting on more political and social topics beyond the boundaries of the school (and therefore becomes one of Milton Grimms worst nightmares). She is really, really, really good at getting into shit people do not want her to get into. She's got her eyes on prize and good luck stopping her

[gastersreturn]

YOU HAVE FOUND HIM

by : tinybrainboy

READ IT ON : ComicFury - DeviantArt

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GASTER'S RETURN MASTERPOST

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PROLOGUE

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

CHAPTER 1

Scene 1 : 1/5- 6/10 - 11/15 - 16/20 - 21-26

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GASTER'S RETURN - FAQ

What is the plot ?

Everything is in the title, it's a story about Gaster returning from wherever he was after his accident that broke him between time and space. This story is set after the Pacifist ending, months after monsters have been freed from the Underground

What are the main themes of this story ?

The story will focus on the difficulties he will encounter about this return in a brand new world, about searching for his place in this new setting and letting go of the old one, and also the impact of it all on his family and friends

Is it an AU (Alternative Universe ?) ? And how close it is from Undertale ?

Yep, it is. I want to keep it as close of the canon as possible, in order to really tell a story based on the game. But it won't be exactly the same as the canon.

Several details change in this story and this is why I call it a "AU", the main ones being :

Gaster : My interpretation of Gaster resemble the general interpretation of the fandom about him a lot, but not completely. It will be fun to play with what you know, or what you think you know about him :)

Sans and Papyrus's origins : In the original game, I strongly think that Sans and Papyrus don't come from Undertale, but from Deltarune (I won't elaborate more on that subject, you can make your own researches on this theory if you're interested), however it's not the case in this AU. In this story, Sans and Papyrus really come from the Undertale universe. It will change their characters, especially Sans, but I'll do my best to show them accurately (at least more accurately than the general fandom's representation of them)

Frisk : Frisk's personality have been imagined and adapted to this story. I wanted Frisk to be like a fusion of their actual personality in the game (because, yes, they have one even if it's really subtle) and the one of the player. So, you get it, the player in itself isn't really a thing in this universe (But it doesn't mean you won't have a role to play...)

How did you get the idea of making this AU ?

At the very beginning, I just started to make some random drawings of Gaster, and some KingDings (AsgorexGaster) sketches, then other Gaster related things, and a story began to form into my mind. I decided that I wanted to make something out of it.

So does that mean there will there be KingDings in this AU ? :0

Well, not really. the main focus of this story won't be romance. At this point of their lives, neither of them are ready for a relationship (if I want it to be healthy). I have thought about making a KingDings mini serie after the main one to develop their relationship, but I don't know if I really will, I didn't even wrote anything for it yet.

When will the next pages come out ?

I try to make approximatively 5 pages every two weeks (I have another Undertale so I'm working on one and the other every week)

How long is this going to take to complete the story ?

Long as hell, I have written a prologue and 3 chapters to finish the story, wish me luck

Am I allowed to make a dub of the comic ?

I honestly don't know if anyone would ever want to make one, but if you do, sure you can ! (as long that you credit me of course)

You are also allowed to make fanarts, or any fanwork based on this AU, again I'm not sure if anyone would, but just in case x)

Am I allowed to repost this AU somewhere else ? Or to make a translation ?

Mmmh….I would allow it, but I want to be informed of it before you do. DM me to ask me, and if you see someone else than me reposting it somewhere, please tell me ^^

The only places I post this AU in here, on DeviantArt and on ComicFury, anywhere else isn't me

Russian translation just here !!

I have other questions !!!

Then you can ask them ! I will answer the ones who are interesting/doesn't require me to spoil my own story

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WILL YOU KEEP SEARCHING ?

[limes-sagau]

Starting My Sagau Writing Journey

Ok Im wanting to dip my toes into the Sagau writing scene and I wanted to put out about 3 ideas I have and plan on writing. Each idea will be outlined below and people are welcome to take inspiration off of them just make sure to tag me in the writing. There will also be a poll at the end where you can vote for which one you want to see first. When I finish writing each chapter they will be put up on AO3. 

Shimeji AU: 

For those who don't know, Shimeji is a browser extension that spawns a chibi version of a character onto your browser. This character can then move around and climb on the borders of your web page and just be a cute little distraction (I know this might sound like malware but its not I've had a Venti and a Lumine Shimegi for a while now and haven't experienced anything that can imply they are malware) 

This would be more of a drabble and less of a full fic. 

Basically the characters in genshin become aware through their Shimeji and then begin acting up in your browser when you're out of the game (when you're in game you're fine).

If you leave your web browser opened when you leave your computer you will come back to it being on a weird page 

Like Venti looking at a wine website 

Diluc somehow ending up on a streaming service watching Batman 

Yae Miko finding your writing 

I'll likely start off with characters from Mondstadt and go down the list for each region.

Kidnapped by the Harbingers (not the final title): 

Exactly as it sounds, in the middle of the night you are taken from your college dorm (or room I likely won't specify) to Teyvat after the harbingers find a way into our world. 

Haven't decided which harbinger will be sent (leaning towards Childe because I feel like it would fit best and he'd be down for that type of experiment). 

Most of it will take place in a separate castle from Zapolyarny Palace. 

If you want to know my specific location I have in mind their is a visual novel called Dottore And The Spy where you become Dottores apprentice (highly suggest this visual novel) but its main story takes place in a castle in the middle of a frozen wasteland away from civilization where both Pantalon and Dottore live. This will be the main location for the story. 

I'll also be adding in Capitano as another permanent resident of this castle because I want to write about a big strong man who is the emotional intelligence of the three main harbingers present. 

The other harbingers and the Tsaritsa will appear but they will be much more understated in their role.

I want this fanfic to go into the mental load that being locked away from the world has on a person's psyche.

Readers' powers will slowly awaken, making it harder for the Harbingers to keep us a secret from Teyvat and specifically Celestia.

This won't be a full blown yandere fic with the harbingers, they will be slightly possessive but it is more about your safety since Celestia doesn't like you. 

Celestia will be the ultimate enemy over all but the story will not be focused on shooting down Celestia from the sky as readers powers will not ever reach the strength needed to face Celestia alone. 

Harbingers plan will not have changed; they are still working to take down Celestia.   

This will be taking place after Sumeru (so no Scara or La Signora and their will be less clones)

The story will also include 

Getting to know and bond with your castle staff like maids or ladies in waiting (I know these are typically only given to female presenting reader but I want to write about gossip and forming friendships so this is what I'm going with) 

Quality time with each harbinger

Impressing Dottore with your basic levels of knowledge on Astronomy (since Teyvats sky is fake)

Eventually a runaway arch

Lots of tears and mental breakdowns, but don’t worry there will be comfort as well

Shenanigans 

Possibly NSFW after reader finally convinces everyone to stop calling them “your grace”

To Make a Haven (Title might change):

Imposter (but reader is the real deal) AU

Reader gets killed once by a mob of NPCs 

I want it specifically to be NPCs so the reader still has emotional attachment to the playable characters

Reader seeks out a safe and secluded place  

Teyvat awakens to readers distress and opens up a hidden area of the map to the reader that can only be accessed through very specific means. 

Reader eventually starts bringing in Hilichurls to what for now im going to be calling “the Grove” 

Reader will begin messing around and experimenting with her powers and finds a way to somewhat heal the hilichurls 

This isn't a full fix it will be like layering a curse on top of a curse in order to negate some of the effects of the original curse

The hilicurls will not return to being human they will become something else (human like but not human) 

This fic will contain way more original characters 

Reader will be more spiteful in this fic but less in like a “make everyone suffer” way and more like “lets shake up the system and make everything more challenging for people because they tried to kill me” 

This fic will span over a larger span of time in world with the reader building a full city in the hidden area Teyvat made for them.

Well those are my three ideas! after this poll is done I'm hoping to get the first chapter out with that week, but I'm a college student and it been a while since I have written fanfiction so i make no promises.

[ask-the-pioneer]

Hello and welcome to @ask-the-pioneer! This is a scripted ask blog dedicated to a slugcat OC of mine called Marbles (she/her), titled the Pioneer. She is a re-interpretation of Artificer’s blue slugpup, set in a AU where the pup survives, grows up, and receives a name. The main story begins some short time after the end of Artificer’s campaign. At that point in time Marbles is already a young adult (early 20s in human years). She parts ways with Hunter - her mentor - and ventures out to seek the knowledge contained within the pearls that she was always captivated by.

This blog is run by @kalivasquez (@kalivasquezart). Keep in mind I’m not a native English speaker. There may be spelling errors or weirdly constructed sentences at times. This is my first ask-blog ever so idk what I’m doing but I’m trying my best 👍

CONTENT WARNING: This blog has content rating of +18 due to potential sensitive themes: mental trauma, depictions of violence, suicidal ideation, blood and gore, or other graphic imagery that may be uncomfortable, scarring or otherwise triggering to witness. Viewer discretion is advised. Posts containing mild themes will be tagged appropriately, while posts showing heavy themes will have "mature" filter applied to them. Please be aware that all the content shared on this blog is intended for an adult audience!

More info below the cut, including blog rules. Please read it!

Blog Rules 📜

Last update: 10th of October, 2024

By default you address the main character - Marbles, aka the Pioneer - in your asks. If you wish to inquire me directly (as an author of this blog), please include “[OOC]” at the beginning, or otherwise indicate that the message is directed at me and not the character.

Asks are answered in-character. Sometimes the character may react to your ask in a seemingly negative way. Please keep in mind that it is done from their point of view, and it does not imply that I (the author) personally reacted badly to your message.

I appreciate all the asks that I receive. However, I reserve the right to not answer some of them, at my discretion. It is not guaranteed that you receive a response. Still, I’ll try my best to answer as many messages as I can.

Be aware that some asks I receive may be skipped over, especially ones that are short and vague, in favour of more complex asks that help me push the plot of this AU forward. This is also relevant for asks that refer to the same subject (duplicates).

Please be tactful! Asks that are inappropriate or confusing in their intent (like spam, baits, asks containing slurs) will be deleted. Sorry!

Do not send me asks via direct messages (DMs)! I keep my DMs open in case someone needs to contact me for other reasons, like incorrect tagging or important offsite matters. If you send me a DM meant to be answered like an ask, your message will be ignored and deleted.

Do not repost my art onto your own social media accounts. Honestly, don't. I don't care about publicity, I have enough following here to last me a lifetime. Anyone can see this blog without needing to log in or register on tumblr.

More rules may be added later. Please check this section again periodically.

General Character Info ℹ️

As of now, this ask-blog has only one acting character - Marbles the slugcat, aka the Pioneer.

Name (given): Mirmyntasseth, Eight Marbles Cast in Stone

Title (given): the Pioneer

Nickname: Blue (for family), Marbles (for friends, after being named by an iterator)

Pronouns: she/her

Age: young adult (very early 20’s in human years)

Personality: energetic, curious, savvy, humorous, short-tempered, resilient, drive, a little naive and too trusting, exhibits mild case of abandoned child syndrome

Specific traits:

good at finding pearls (she loves them, goes about as crazy for them as scavs) and other trinkets,

knows martial arts, can incapacitate enemies by hitting their pressure points,

can craft explosive spears and grenades - they do less damage, but stun for longer; crafted explosives have deep orange color,

already has a mark of communication, granted by NSH,

Tools:

Marbles is often seen wearing a light colored “sling bag” on her back, where she keeps her pearls and other items,

at a muuuuuuch later point in time, she receives a gift from a kind interator - her very own citizen ID drone; the drone can read from pearls and translate slugcat speech into other languages.

Current reference sheet:

For more in-dept info and drawings/references of the character, please visit Marbles' ToyHouse page.

AU Timeline ⏱️

the story of Pioneer takes place some years after the end of Artificer's campaign, and begins at the same time as Hunter's campaign in-game

this AU assumes the following timeline for slugcat campaigns: Spearmaster -> Artificer -> Hunter -> Gourmand -> Survivor -> Monk -> Rivulet -> Saint,

Artificer/Hunter/Gourmand campaigns happen close together, with Hunter/Gourmand overlapping slightly; all three scugs are roughly the same age, with Arti being the oldest (early 40s), and Hunter the youngest (39),

Saint and Monk are still slugpups by the time the story of Pioneer beings,

Spearmaster is unlikely to be present in this AU as it is assumed that over 432 cycles have passed, meaning they are no longer alive,

Rivulet is unlikely to be present in this AU as here their campaign is assumed to have taken place *much *later in the future,

Saint is thought to be stuck in a time loop, and *may *appear in this AU.

AU Setting 📝

Pioneer’s Backstory (before the events described in this ask blog):

Marbles/Blue (the Pioneer) was born in the Garbage Wastes area, raised by a single mother (Artificer); the other parent remains unknown,

she had a sibling (who was also the runt of the litter) - a brother named Bryn, the green slugpup; the two were fraternal twins,

she got separated from the rest of her family in a scav toll incident,

was not killed, but abducted instead by the scavenger toll tribe, brought into their local shelter just before the rain started,

initially assumed to have been taken in as a fodder in case of predator attack,

in the end she has earned her keep when she learned how to make grenades and explosive spears, turning herself into a valuable asset for the tribe,

was treated fairly well, but never truly incorporated into the local scavenger community,

had stayed with the tribe for many cycles, learning how to fight and survive, but also how to look for valuables (mainly pearls) and haggle with other tribes,

could probably have run away, but she held on to hope that mom would come back for her,

whenever she got “lost”, the tribe would look for her to bring her back,

after one of her short solo expeditions, she came back to the camp only to find out the entire scav tribe has been wiped out,

ran away and been wandering aimlessly for a while, eventualy stumbling upon Hunter who adopted her, took back to NSH's superstructure, and underwent training alongside him (under NSH’s supervision),

promised to accompany Hunter during his important mission, but had to suddenly part ways due to unfortunate circumstances (just before the beginning of Hunter’s campaign).

Post Tagging 🏷️

I use the following tags:

#rain world, #rain world oc, #rain world au - default tags added to all answered asks (unless OOC),

#rain world spoilers - is included in posts that may spoil RW lore, for example: when answers hint to the conclusion of Artificer’s campaign,

#rw - rain world-specific characters that are present in a post, such as: “#rw hunter” or “rw five pebbles”; i will try to use the full name(s) intead of abbreviations,

#au lore - posts that contain important worldbuilding information for my AU,

#ooc- out of character posts, or anything else that doesn’t fall under “rain world” umbrella,

(more tags will be added to this section once I actually start posting stuff)

I also tag sensitive content with appropriate tags like #tw [trigger], if shown.

Text Key 💬

Most dialogue takes form of narrated drawings, where Marbles speaks in her own voice. The speeches are a part of the drawings themselves.

However, if a post contains additional text, the following key is used:

[Narration]

[The road was long and arduous, and she was glad to have finally found a shelter]

(Thoughts)

(This place is full of scavengers, I should be able to trade those pearls for some food)

“Speaking”

“How come you have not seen a vulture before? Climb up to Sky Islands, they are everywhere!”

//OOC

// more art coming soon woohoo!

Credits 📑

image in the blog's header belongs to Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

Yoŋasabi script (slugcat language, original conlang) in the top banner by @opashoo

all the other drawings posted on this blog were made by me, unless stated otherwise

[silverwhittlingknife]

hi Silver! o/ because that fanart made me wonder - would you happen to know when/where Dick's stuffed elephant plush Zitka turns up in the comics?

GREETINGS CAM <3333 THAT ART WAS SO CUTE

Yeah, I think your instincts are right - it's a truly adorable bit of transformative fandom, but I'm 95% percent sure it's not comics canon. Barbara has canon plushies, but I don't think anyone else does.

I got kinda invested in the investigation (it's hard to prove a negative!) and I ended up typing out an entire History of Elinore/Zitka, so, uh, if you're curious, meet me below the cut for:

Where does Elinore / Zitka - the animal - appear in comics?

Did Dick ever have a stuffed elephant toy in comics?

Where does Elinore / Zitka appear in comics?

We're gonna go in chronological order!

Dick's circus elephant friend was first created for practical reasons: in Batman 436, Marv Wolfman does a big expanded flashback to Dick's circus backstory as a way to subtly show us Tim before officially introducing him (so that we can have a technically-solvable mystery-of-Tim's-identity in LPoD). In this comic, there's an elephant named Elinore who loves Dick:

Aww. Such a cute elephant!

Batman 436 comes out in August 1989. New Titans 60 comes out a few months later, in November, and guess what? When Dick visits the circus, he is suddenly surprised by an unexpected blast from the past! It turns out that even though it's been years, Elinore still remembers him!

Here's the part where Elinore remembers Dick:

SUCH a cute elephant. I love her.

(Guess who else still remembers Dick even though it was so long ago. Guess which other character is about to be an unexpected blast from the past. Guess which character Elinore is directly paralleling guess guess guess sorry everything is about Dick and Tim in my mind but I can focus I swear)

Four years later, in 1993, Batman: The Animated Series retells Dick's origin story. They like and keep Wolfman's elephant, but they change her name to Zitka:

Wolfman doesn't return to the elephant beyond those two appearances, and a few years down the line, New Titans gets cancelled and Wolfman's not writing Dick anymore anyway. So the animal gets abandoned for a while, until Devin Grayson, a fan of both Wolfman and B:tAS, revives the Wolfman-era Titans team in JLA/Titans and then the ongoing series Titans 1999.

Grayson then brings back the elephant in a flashback to Dick's past in Titans 16 (Jun 2000), where she imports the B:tAS name. Sometimes I'm skeptical of TV-to-comics imports, but honestly, I endorse this one. You lose the alliteration, which is a shame, but IMO Zitka is a better elephant name than Elinore.

Here's Dick with the newly-christened Zitka in Titans 16:

Grayson also briefly references the elephant in Gotham Knights 20 and - in a final angsty callback - in Nightwing 88 (Feb 2004), where Zitka tries futilely to comfort Dick in the midst of his trauma conga line:

... And... honestly, I think that's it for comic appearances? The two Wolfman comics plus the three Grayson comics.

Both Wolfman and Grayson are writing multiple titles - Batman, New Titans, Titans, Gotham Knights, and Nightwing between the two of them, spanning a big chunk of Dick's post-Crisis canon - and both writers use the elephant for heartwarming moments of nostalgia, which means if you're doing a post-Crisis readthrough for Dick, Elinore/Zitka feels memorable. But I don't think she actually shows up that much.

For post-2011, I am not as well-informed - throwing this out to the dash? anyone know? - but I feel like Zitka the heartwarming symbol of Dick's heartwarming circus past is, uh, thematically very at odds with the Court of Owls evil!circus vibes, so my instinct is that this story element was almost certainly dropped in the reboot.

Did Dick ever have a stuffed elephant toy in comics?

In WFA, yes; in main comics continuity, no. Technically, I have not read every comic ever published, so I could be wrong!! But I don't think so.

Below, find my rambling reasoning on the tonal vibes of pre-Crisis, post-Crisis, and post-2011, and why this particular story element doesn't seem right to me for the first two.

Pre-Crisis (...okay, mostly the Silver Age): stuffed animal, yes or no?

tl;dr no, requires too much background knowledge on the part of the reader, plus the elephant wasn't a thing until later

Elinore doesn't get created until post-Crisis, but also just generally, pre-Crisis callbacks are more along the lines of this reference in Batman 129 (published in 1960), where, wow, Batman and Robin are hunting jewel thieves - and it turns out Robin recognized this strongman! BUT HOW?!

The comic goes on to recap Dick's entire origin story in flashback, on the assumption that you may not know it.

(BTW, if you'd like to know more about Haly's Circus throughout the years, nightwingology has a great post here summarizing a lot of fun plotlines and characters!)

Basically: Silver Age comics are very self-consciously episodic and kid-friendly; they're not generally gonna do overly-elaborate callbacks because they don't know what comics their kid readers may have randomly picked up or remember.

By the time of post-Crisis, comic books were being written for an adult audience buying from the direct market, i.e. readers who are collecting whole runs & don't need or want Dick's origin story to be recapped to us in full every time it's referenced. That's why in post-Crisis, we get stuff like "hey, neat, this particular soda brand is getting mentioned in several different books!!" or "in order to understand this story arc, buy SIXTEEN DIFFERENT COMICS in FIVE DIFFERENT RUNS and read them ALL ACCORDING TO A NUMBERED ORDER and also you better be following the individual plotlines and recognize these five minor characters who we don't bother to introduce!! Good luck!!" But the elaborate post-Crisis plotlines - and subtler worldbuilding like a stuffed animal callback to Dick's backstory - don't make a lot of story sense UNLESS you're imagining your readers as completionist adult fans.

So IMO a stuffed animal wouldn't be a pre-Crisis thing unless it was The Episodic Story Of the Week, and I don't think a stuffed animal is action-adventure-y enough for the fast-paced storytelling of the Silver Age. (Unless it, like, came to life and tried to eat you or something.)

Post-Crisis: stuffed animals, yes or no?

tl;dr: no, Dick's a manly tough guy, he's not gonna have a stuffed animal, that'd be lame, like something Tim might do

Part of the edgy grimdark adult vibes in 80s/90s comics is that some characters who used to be kinda silly & goofy & lighthearted - like Batman and Robin - get reimagined as Serious and Angsty and Edgy in a Tough Cool Manly Brooding Way. This massively affects characterization for Bruce, Dick, and Bruce and Dick's relationship.

(I obviously love this change & love the tense Bruce-and-Dick interactions, but plenty of fans of the earlier fluffy comics really disliked the edgy retcons of Miller / Wolfman / Starlin / et al.)

The upshot is that post-Crisis is a period when you could have a recurring reference like a stuffed elephant, but you wouldn't have a stuffed elephant, not for Dick. I think a toy like that would be too cutesy / childish / effeminate to give a male character in post-Crisis, unless you were poking fun at him.

Now, you could probably let Tim have a stuffed animal, because Tim is sometimes cool but also sometimes a tryhard loser who is faking being cool and not entirely pulling it off (see e.g. the Robin comic where he practices tough-guy faces in the mirror, or the Teen Titans comic where Conner discovers his cringy Enya CD, or when he's fanboying over Connor and it's awkward, etc etc.). A stuffed animal would be deeply embarrassing, and you'd have to be careful to compensate by having Tim do something cool afterward - but Tim's character concept allows for "he's kind of a loser sometimes."

But Dick isn't!! In post-Crisis, Dick's a tough / impressive / "cool guy" character, the kind of guy anyone would want to be, even in the flashbacks where he's Robin, and even in the stories where he's more lighthearted than angsty. It'd be kinda lame for Dick to have a stuffed elephant, so he wouldn't. I feel like Dick would be more likely to poke fun at it if someone had one, like when he's making fun of Wally for liking the Hardy Boys. Dick could have a Batman action figure, at most, and if he had one he would have it ironically.

Basically: in post-Crisis, a male character hugging a stuffed elephant feels more likely to be a punchline to me, not something poignant. (Even with Tim, Tim could have an embarrassing stuffed animal, but he couldn't hug it when sad - that's too far. Maybe Booster Gold might do this. Probably he wouldn't, but spiritually, he would. Sorry Booster ilu! <3)

Instead, Dick instinctively deals with his inner turmoil like the TORTURED ACTION HERO he is: by punching things and brooding and yelling and joining the mob and sleeping on rooftops and going on obsessive secret missions and acquiring Angsty Stubble!! Just like Batman!

(Technically I don't know if Bruce ever joined the mob but you know he would.)

Anyway as you know this is my favorite continuity and I am poking fun affectionately, but uh, yeah sdfsfdsfs. No stuffed animals.

Post-2011 / Infinite Frontier / Wayne Family Adventures: stuffed animals, yes or no?

tl;dr it's in WFA! Probably not anywhere else, but it could be.

Post-2011 stuff tends to be cutesier overall, most of all in the current Infinite Frontier era. So I don't feel like this would be tonally out-of-line with IF comics. Taylor tends to go for more meme-y references rather than fanfic references, though.

So the obvious best fit is WFA, which is aiming for a rough approximation of Silver Age family-friendly vibes - wholesome, episodic plots, Teaching Good Moral Lessons For The Youth, etc. - plus lots of Easter eggs for fanfic readers and some comic references.

And look, here we are:

Aww.

Whew - that's everything I could find!

Anyway as you can probably tell, I LOVE the elephant, so this was a very entertaining rabbit hole to go down, thank you <3

[tessa-liam]

Marabelle

Marabelle Series

Unspoken Words...

Chapter –16-

Choices – The Royal Romance, AU – (cross-over with Rules of Engagement)

Series Premise – An American teenager from New York City is introduced to the world of a small European country and its society of royalty, nobility, and commoners. How will her life story be transformed? Will this new adventure bring her happiness...or regret?

Marabelle Series Masterlist My Complete Masterlist

Main Pairing – Crown Prince Liam Rys x F!OC Lady Sophia (Sophie) Taylor

Other Pairings – Maxwell Beaumont x M!OC Daniel (from NYC), Drake Walker x F!OC Melanie Smithson

Most characters belong to Choices/Pixelberry Studios

Series Rating - M*🔞Warnings: this series will have NSFW material, drinking, crude language & innuendo, gun violence, terrorism.

Many thanks to @selina012 for pre-reading.

Category – Alternate universe/on-going series/angst/fluff/cross-over with Choices Rules of Engagement with sprinkles of Canon

Chapter Summary – After Liam addresses the citizens of Cordonia, a message from Sophie sets his world back on its axis. Liam discovers Sophie’s secret. Hana Lee arrives to attend the ill-fated graduation.

A/N1: Bethany Beaumont, Maxwell’s mother, is originally from the U.S. and is Barthelemy Beaumont’s second wife. Annabelle Beaumont (deceased) is Bertrand’s mother.

Music & Title Inspiration:

Unspoken Words - James Malikey

Words - Bee Gees

Tell Him – Celine Dion; Barbra Streisand

A/N2: ‘Social Season’ in this AU series refers to a traditional period in the spring/summer for royalty and members of the court to take part in Balls, dinner parties and charity events.

A/N3: Heartfelt thanks to @Selina012 for joining me in writing ideas and with dialogue/content for this chapter and series.

A/N4: Thank you @/artbyainna for your talents! Commission of Liam & Sophie⤵️

University of Cordonia, Capital

Liam’s POV:

“Sir, Lady Sophia has left you a message.” Bastien looked delighted as he held my phone up for me to grasp.

My head spun with a surge of conflicting emotions and energy. Fear and anticipation gripped my heart in an iron fist. Hope was winning out, but only barely. It was a good thing too; otherwise, I could've leapt for joy at those five seemingly innocent words. ‘...has left you a message.’ Bastien knew how desperately I needed to hear those words from him.

I tried to steady my racing heart.

I had to remember how to breathe.

It was impossible for me to think straight knowing Sophie was out there somewhere. It was agony trying to focus on anything else. She has always been brave and resourceful, but she is also no superhero. Anything could have happened to her. I do not want to imagine a world without her, especially if something had happened while I was unable to be by her side. I tried to keep positive and hope for the best, but I wasn't convinced I'd ever get her message. Still, I would have to have patience. I would have to have hope.

Everything in my heart and mind was screaming for Sophie. My soul was empty without her. It is amazing how a little text message, something that took seconds, could instantly bring the world back into focus. Suddenly, everything mattered again.

Her message was beautiful. Even without saying my name, I could see how much she loved me, and how she understood how worried I was. It was clear from her message that she was not upset with me for being gone. She understood my duties to Cordonia. With her simple but thoughtful message, she managed to soothe my aching soul and fill it with love and hope.

"...Don't worry about me. Just focus on what's needed right in front of you. I love you and look forward to seeing you soon."

A shaky laugh escaped my throat. A tear leaked from my eye as I continued staring at Sophie's beautiful message on my phone. My guards glanced at me and kept their distance, knowing me well enough to give me my privacy. Her words had the desired effect that settled me like nothing else would have. It gave me the focus I needed to deal with the mess left behind on the steps of the auditorium.

But I needed to feel her; to reassure myself of her safety.

Malic Motor Hotel/Emergency Safehouse

Liam, followed closely by Bastien and Drake, pushed the hotel doors open, the crisp ding of the door's bell brought all conversation to a halt. The employees and guests of the hotel suddenly stared, but quickly dropped to curtsy and/or bow in respect.

A brief time later, outside the Malic hotel, the sleek royal motorcade stopped at the entrance, under the vigilant gaze of Cordonian Police officers and local onlookers. When the SUV door was pushed open and Liam stepped out, everyone on the street was completely stunned. The paparazzi quickly moved forward in an attempt to capture the rare scene, but the Royal guard moved quickly to keep them at a distance, ensuring Liam's safety and privacy.

For the residents of the area, they know Liam is here for the tragedy, but most of them would never expect that a real royalty would come over at this hour to inquire about the injured. This shows just how concerned and generous the crown prince of Cordonia was for their welfare. It warmed their hearts to see him walking in the direction of the hotel, leaving behind a strong, imposing, and admiring aura.

After being escorted by the hotel concierge, Liam stood in front of the door for room 302. Bastien lifted his hand and rapped on the wooden frame. The hollow sound at once reverberated in the corridor, sounding just like his heart, beating like a drum now, Liam thought to himself.

The lock clicked open, and the handle was turned. Liam could not wait another moment. The moment the door opened, and he saw her, a moment of freezing, timelessness and perfect clarity overtook him. Sophie stood before him in the hotel room. Sophie, with her natural, soft beauty. She looked a bit tired and out of sorts, but she was whole, and in that instant, all was right in the world. His Sophie, alive and safe, stood before him.

In an instant, he knew what needed to be said. What she needed. All other things faded away, the guests in the hall, his security, Drake, Bastien; it was only the two of them.

He looked at her intensely; so profoundly, he could not breathe. With a soft smile, he simply said, "My Love..." and wrapped her tightly in his strong embrace. She could feel every inch of his toned body and feel the tremble of relief and suppressed tears of joy from his soul. His emotions were exposed for her alone, but still, he does not want her to see him cry. Her mind emptied itself of the chaos of the night before and was overwhelmed by the happiness and relief of reunion with Liam. She pressed her face into his firm chest and took a deep breath, letting the intoxicating masculine and his familiar cologne calm her even more. Nothing was said, nothing was needed. The unspoken words between them were loud and clear.

“Never again, Sophie. Never again, do I ever want to be away from you!” Liam’s breath rustled her hair, as he pulled back to gently cradle Sophie’s head in his hands. He brushed his thumbs over her cheeks to wipe the tears away that were now falling rapidly as she cried in relief.

He gently pulled away from her just a bit. Lifting her chin up slightly with his finger, he looked into her deep blue eyes and uttered the words his soul had longed to say, "I love you." The intensity in his eyes was palpable; the raw passion and the deep feeling of utter truthfulness clear.

"I love you too." Sophie’s eyes sparkled as the words softly rolled off her tongue, watching his lips. Liam ran his thumb gently over her bottom lip as his crystal blue eyes swept over hers; the corners of her eyes had a moment of wetness and sadness. The grief and terror of the previous night struck Sophie once again, and more tears slipped down from her eyes. Without hesitation, Liam reached out, and wiped her tears and held her in his strong arms until the quivering and shivers came to stop. His tender look, his warmth and breath comforted Sophie, immediately easing her burden and allowed her to have another moment of calm.

Gently, she finally extricated herself from his arms and the warmth of his body, to allow him into her room. Liam crossed the threshold, stepping forward in a fluid stride, followed closely by Bastien and Drake, never breaking contact with Sophie by lacing her fingers with his.

"Oh!" Sophie started a bit when she realized Hana was sitting on the sofa. "Liam, this is my roommate, Hana. Hana, you have not officially met Liam, this is-"

"...Just Liam. Hello Hana. It is a pleasure to meet you." Liam nodded and smiled.

"It is an honor to meet you, Liam." The words tumbled out of Hana’s mouth as the reality of the situation hit her. The atmosphere and awkward silence were broken swiftly by Drake.

"Hello, Hana." His voice sounded brusque, his brow a bit wrinkled as he sat in the chair furthest from everyone. His eyes traveled over her as he said, "you seem familiar ... but not."

"No! I'm definitely a newcomer." She smiled, a bit embarrassed, but friendly. She noticed that he had looked at her with more than casual interest. Sophie watched them with an air of bewilderment, unaware that Liam noticed the twinkle in his old friend's eye and made a mental note to ask Drake about it later.

"Taylor, it's fantastic that you found a friend. I'm glad you didn't have to spend last night by yourself."

"I just got lucky, Drake; I suppose. Hana was kind and generous enough to help me."

Sophie started telling the story of how Hana helped her and how she was instrumental in getting outside information about the attack with her cell phone. The next several minutes were dedicated to relaying all that had happened at the graduation. When she had finally finished, there was silence in the room. Sophie looked from one person to another.

"What? What is it? Tell me." Sophie asked apprehensively.

"I'm relieved," said Liam, finally, not knowing if she realized the extent of the attack. "It is all we can do at the moment. In the coming days and weeks, the details are going to start trickling in, and we will figure out who, the why and the what happened."

He crossed the floor to the hotel room window and drew the curtains aside. Sophie went over, leaning slightly toward him to catch a view of the sun peeking its way out of the clouds above. The sunlight shone down like a gentle kiss on their faces, reminding them there was hope, even on days such as these. Liam took her hand in his and interlaced their fingers, and for the second time, the only sound they could hear was the reassuring sound of their breathing and the soothing comfort of their touch.

Hana, Drake and Bastien quietly watched their interactions, keeping themselves on quiet standby. Hana was touched and astounded that the crown prince was not shy to openly express his affection for her. Bastien, as King Constantine’s personal guard, had seen Liam as a child and his entire adolescence. He was proud of the man he had become; a thoughtful leader with a profound compassion and loving nature. In the time he had been assigned his bodyguard, he had never seen him care so deeply about a lady as he did about Sophie.

After an extended moment, Liam gently caressed his thumb across her knuckles.

"I'm glad you are safe, my love. However, it is time we got back to work. We need to gather information, plan the next course of action and do our best to make sure something like this never happens again."

"Okay," Sophie replied calmly, feeling a small jolt of reality hitting her.

"But first,” Liam squeezed her hand, looking deep into her eyes. The reddened skin of her injury on her forehead as a reminder. "You need to have the royal doctor examine you. Let's get you some medical attention."

Street level, outside the Malic Hotel

As Sophie walked alongside Liam, her nerves began to settle slightly. She was not looking forward to being poked and prodded by strangers, but she knew, however, that Liam wanted to make sure she had not sustained any serious injuries. Having convinced her new friend to join her, Hana accepted the offer to get checked out as well.

Liam and his security team escorted Sophie and Hana to the waiting royal cars. Sophie had never been driven around like a real member of the royal family, but at the moment, she didn't really care. She was far too preoccupied. Liam was with her now, and that was all she cared about.

As the Royal motorcade drove off, Bastien tapped Drake on the shoulder and pointed him to a few police officers in the area. "There, --some of the Cordonian National Guard are among the officers investigating this attack. See if you can gather any intelligence from them and determine if Maxwell or anyone else needs urgent medical attention."

Drake gave a small smile and nodded, "on it." He went over and approached a tall police officer with his Cordonia-issued badge on display. He flashed a smile and clapped the officer's back. "Excuse me, buddy, I heard you were leading the investigation here. I'd like to get your help to search for my missing friend. His name is Maxwell Beaumont. I want to make sure he's alright."

"Yes," the police officer answered succinctly, a bit intimidated to be standing beside someone who seemed so close with the royal guards. Quickly tapping the name into the database, he answered, "room 419.”

The walk along the endless corridor that took Drake, and the officer seemed long. When the police officer wracked his knuckles a on the door. After a few moments, the police officer glanced at Drake. "This is it. Shall I call a paramedic to check on his condition?"

Drake did not hesitate and called out, "Maxwell? Open the door." No answer. Drake raised his voice, "Maxwell? Max, it's me." Still, no sound. Drake turned back to the officer, "Open it now." The officer produced a key card and slid it through the scanner. A series of sounds came from the scanner, then a beep, and the green light lit up and the door clicked, "it's unlocked now." Drake thanked him briefly, then took hold of the metal handle and pushed it open.

"Max?" He called out as soon as he walked in. There was no response. He did a thorough search of the suite but could not find Maxwell or Daniel anywhere.

The officer, waiting patiently in the hallway, "is your friend not in there, sir?" Drake did not have any more time or patience to exchange small talk. He stormed out the door in an intimidating manner as the officer said, "I'll check the CCTV right away. Let's go and I'll show you."

“No need!” Drake answered brusquely. Before that, Drake had snapped up a small sheet of paper that was left in the corner of the coffee table. Written clearly in his friend's familiar handwriting:

'"Danny, going for food. BRB" love, Max.'

***

When the cars arrived at the hospital, the security team ushered Liam and his entourage to a V.I.P. entrance at the back of the hospital. Hana was at once handed off to a couple of doctors, as Sophie watched her hand slip out of Liam's grasp as a man and woman pulled her away. As much as Sophie trusted them to do what was best for her, it was still upsetting to be taken away from Liam. After a few minutes, however, she became very focused on the details of the examination before her.

The doctor led her through some basic questions about how she was feeling. Once Sophie assured them that she had not suffered any lasting damage, the doctors set to checking her for any other concerns. While they ran an ultrasound, an EKG and an entire range of other tests that seemed far too extensive, the nurse called the doctor's attention to Sophie's back. The bruising from her altercation with Neville a few days ago was slowly fading but perked the attention of the nurse and doctor.

She turned to Sophie, who was sitting on top of the examination table. "Dear, this looks like..." she muttered, inspecting it closer.

"It's from a couple days ago. I got a little clobbered during a polo match."

The doctor made a noncommittal sound before glancing over at her colleague. They exchanged a knowing nod, and Sophie could tell that they did not believe her, but thankfully, they decided not to pursue it further.... until they did.

"How did this happen," the doctor finally asked.

Sophie did not give an immediate response; but knew she was not going to tell them that she was attacked. Especially not since she was certain it would probably get back to Liam.

"Just the result of a hard collision. Nothing out of the ordinary in polo," Sophie lied, knowing they must have noticed the bruising on her back and side.

"Does this hurt when I press on it?" the doctor asked, pressing a cold stethoscope on her back. Sophie cringed and had to bite down a yelp of pain as the stethoscope was pressed right onto a deep bruise. "Hm." The doctor made another noncommittal sound and gently prodded a little lower on her back, much to Sophie's distress.

"Oh, oh no ... that hurts," she whimpered. The doctors noted that one of her vertebrae was a bit tender and her muscles seemed pretty knotted up. Sophie could almost cry from the agony of the touch.

The doctors left the room and a moment later the nurse returned to escort Sophie into a private recovery room. After closing the door the nurse left her alone in the room. Sophie closed her eyes and breathed a deep sigh. Although she had not sustained any real physical damage from her experience at the university attack, the memory of the encounter with Neville and being apart from Liam drained her energy entirely. For the time being, she should rest and heal her wounded psyche. The wait ended suddenly, and the doctor poked her head in to explain she would talk to Liam, after all, and then a quick wink before disappearing again.

After the doctor left, Sophie closed her eyes for what seemed like only a minute but was likely much longer. She awoke to find Liam in the recovery room with her, holding her hand. He sat beside her and listened intently while she relayed every excruciating detail of what had happened after the polo match. As her story reached its dark crescendo, her emotions got the better of her, and tears threatened to fall. That is when he took her in his arms, and she rested her head on his chest.

It was just the two of them, and the outside world had faded away. Every inch of the worry and fear was exposed, and the next flood of relief swept over each of them with a deep sense of cathartic comfort. Liam caressed her arm, "thank you for sharing this with me, Sophie."

In his mind, Liam wondered why she did not tell him about Neville's attack earlier at the Beaumont estate. But instead of asking directly, he chose to guide her in a more gentle way.

Her statement is calm, reasonable and meant as an explanation, not an apology. Liam stared at her a moment, remembering the conversation.

"I was planning to ... but couldn’t find the right moment. That night, you were asking me to marry you and ... and then ... then that was the farthest thing from my mind.” She said bluntly, watching his reaction carefully.

Remembering the pure joy on her face in their special spot by the river, remembering how elated she had looked while her words saying "yes" rang through his heart.

He hung his head and let his hands rub along her arms and finally joined around her shoulders to pull her in.

"Yeah, you should have," she quipped. There was a hint of playfulness and teasing in her tone, trying to ease the heaviness in the room.

"I should have taken you to Italy with me," he whispered. His voice full of remorse and regret.

A smile curled around Sophie's lips.

Liam laughed heartily, shaking his head. “My cheeky little monkey.”

He wrapped his arms tighter around her as Sophie breathed him in, overwhelmed by the rich smell of his cologne. How it clung to his skin and radiated from his very essence.

"But seriously, Liam. I was able to fight him off and he fled.” Liam contemplated, stoically, how to react. He had the overwhelming urge to protect her. How could he not punish someone who had hurt her? Neville had it out for her ... to attack her in broad daylight and risk harming her in such an egregious manner? But then he paused, thinking about Sophie's perspective. She was a stranger in a foreign land, thinking that she had no recourse or rights. As far as she was concerned, no justice would come.

Sophie extended a hand toward Liam. Their eyes locked and he swallowed hard. His blood began to boil. His intense expression caused a look of concern on her face. The image of Neville attacking her was burned into his brain. A dozen things that he could have done to make sure this would not have happened flashed through his mind.

Liam placed a calming hand atop hers, saying, "That can't happen. You should know that you can come to me for anything. I am always available for you and there will always be a means of communication. Just for you. If you are in distress, please come to me right away. I can't promise what we would do at once, but I would ensure we investigate and take every necessary precaution to avoid it happening ever again. Especially not to the future queen of Cordonia. It is an insult to me and to the Crown."

His words lingered a moment in silence as he locked eyes with Sophie and held her chin up in his gentle touch. He was proud and thankful she told him everything and grateful for her strength to fight. At the same time, it deeply troubled and rattled him knowing how bad and in danger she had been. From someone in his court, nonetheless.

"In my mind, it makes sense, as the future queen of Cordonia ... You need to be protected from any sort of harm. So, I have decided to assign a personal bodyguard as well as putting you under the protection of the crown," he stated, sounding protective and determined.

Sophie didn't respond right away. Her first instinct was to reject the offer, but she paused and let his words sink in. "I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to have someone watching out for me. Someone who could be on my side who I could trust.r"

"Trust me, Sophie. Your new guard will be the best choice for you," smiling at her fondly. "With their expertise, they can ensure your safety at all times. And ... it wouldn't hurt for you to get to know them and learn from them too."

Liam wrapped her in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Especially if I can't be there to personally be your bodyguard." He winked and grinned suggestively.

She smiled at his teasing and hugged him back, "thank you for everything, Liam. Thank you for rescuing me, for your unwavering support and for believing in me."

He gave her a soft, lingering kiss on her forehead. "There is nothing to thank me for, it is the least I can do. Being able to have a true, loving partner by my side, in sickness and health, to love, honor and cherish above myself. It is my pleasure. I'm only trying to hold up my end of the bargain and you're the woman I want to have a future with ... only you."

Gazing lovingly at each other, Liam drew her toward him, as she nestled against his chest. His hand on her hair, twirling his fingers through a tendril, sending shivers through her. Their faces tilted to face each other again and he cupped her chin in his hand, his eyes flickering between her lips and her eyes, Sophie leaned in toward him and their lips met in the perfect balance between longing, passion and desire. It was just enough and yet not ... in perfect unison.

They did not pull away until the nurse had entered to announce that the Royal doctor was coming to discuss the test results, after which Sophie was all set to go home. Then they exchanged another glance of admiration. Liam tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear and caressed the side of her face, letting his fingers wander to her chin where he raised her gaze to meet his.

"I need you to always feel safe and remember, you will always come first to me, and there will never be anything, or anyone, more important," Liam placed a kiss on the inside of her wrist and rested a palm on her cheek, stroking her smooth skin with his thumb.

"I love you so much," she whispered, drawing his lips to hers for another brief kiss. She kept her eyes closed for a moment afterwards, resting in the blissfulness of their private moment together. Then her eyelashes fluttered open, and she was greeted by a pair of blue eyes as bright and brilliant as a winter sky. Liam's hand stroked her cheek softly, brushing away a tendril of hair that had gotten loose in the tumult of the day.

Sophie giggled as the nurse wheeled the EMG (electromyography) machine into her room, breaking their embrace. She frowned, unsure why Liam didn't seem like he'd heard the sound. As she turned, Liam mouthed the words again.

"I love you."

She smiled at him fondly, shaking her head. Everything felt like it was finally returning to normal and now it was just them, taking everything at their own pace.

She couldn't hear the nurse or the doctor's soft comments. It all seemed like white noise to her. It didn't even faze her when the doctor jokingly swatted Liam's hand from her own before they began hooking Sophie up to some more equipment for the nerve conduction study.

All Sophie could focus on was Liam. The fact that he was smiling down at her, the way his hand fell on hers as he absently squeezed and let go in a calming rhythm. Everything was all about him, his presence. Sophie could no longer imagine her life without him. Liam seemed to agree. Everything in his expression was pure bliss. The sight warmed her from within, a warmth that radiated in her core, even stronger than that of the adoration, or perhaps, something more.

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[shunin-gumis]

Designs of Happiness - Track A14

L4mps Main Story Translation

Title: Imposed Blessings

Characters: Nagi

Summary: Nagi is working alone at his shop after abruptly leaving the Friday Film viewing. The protagonist chases after him, and he finally explains his unique predisposition.

Thank you aca @463ce6, jes @arcanecrayonn myun @/myuntachis and Niri for helping me with proofing!

Also a gentle request from me, please do listen to the chapter in-game alongside the translation if you don't do so already, the voice acting is very precious 🥺🥺

Location: Flower Laundry

Sonia: Nagi-shan, here ish all the flowers you can use! 

Nagi: …Oh no. This isn’t nearly enough.

Sonia: You came back all of a sudden from HAMA House, sho you have no right to complain! 

Nagi: Sorry. Please get whatever’s left in the storehouse too.

Sonia: Aye aye, Shir! Geez, I’ll bring back as much as I can!

*bell jingles*

Customer A: ‘Scuse me! Sorry for popping in last minute—

Nagi: Oh, that’s alright. What can I do for you?

Customer A: Just a quick question– Does the laundromat here accept IzuPay? 

Nagi: IzuPay… Ah, we don’t use that here yet. There were plans to add it as an option but it was delayed… Sorry about that.

Customer B: Darn… out of luck, huh. I guess it makes sense, not everyone would bother getting the ward’s special payment method.

Nagi: Other digital payment options are still available, and we accept cash too.

Customer A: Huh? Can’t believe there’s a laundromat that still takes cash… 

Customer A: I thought they’d all be gone with the ‘Valley of the Sky’ or somethin’. POTHARU! and all that. 

Customer B: Hey, don’t be rude… He’s standing right there, and that scene is long since over. Um, sorry about that. 

Nagi: …It’s fine. 

Nagi: (Right. I guess the film viewing would be over by now, too.)

Nagi: (...Why did I have to think about that now?)

Nagi: (I wouldn’t have lasted much longer in that situation… Just thinking about it gives me chills. I’m sorry I didn’t stick with Toi till the end, but I had no choice, I had to leave for everyone’s sake—)

Sonia: I’ve prepared the flowers for you!

Nagi: Thanks. —Let’s go, we need to leave right now.

??: Um, excuse me… 

Nagi: Oh, yes, welcome—

Momiji: Good evening… again.

Nagi: …… 

Momiji: Do you mind if we talk for a bit, Nagi-kun?

Momiji: …… 

Momiji: (I can’t believe he ran out of HAMA House during the viewing… I guess he must’ve hated it that much, huh…)

Momiji: (Maybe I was being too naive in thinking that he’d open up with enough time…) 

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: (I can’t believe she noticed I’d left… I might have messed this up worse than I’d thought. She must be annoyed with me…)

Nagi: (No, I shouldn’t jump to conclusions, maybe she’s just here to check up on me. I clearly suck at communicating with others, so that might have gotten her worried…)

Nagi: (Still, it doesn’t change the fact that I troubled the Chief… I’m worth less than a plant louse that preys on flowers. I mean, even plant lice are useful to ants, yet I’m…)

Nagi: (No one would want a Ward Mayor that’s worth less than a louse.)

Nagi: (I wanted to take responsibility and see this job through to the end, but…)

Momiji: …You see, Yodaka-san just informed me earlier. 

Nagi: Yes?

Momiji: That you haven’t slept at HAMA House even once, Nagi-kun.

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: (So he knew. He’s too sharp to slip past, huh.)

Momiji: …… 

Momiji: (Ah… He’s tensed up.)

Momiji: (I wonder if I should’ve approached it more delicately…)

Momiji: (I’d readily help him if he’d just let me know what he’s having trouble with, or if there’s something he’d like changed… But what if he says that he never wanted to be a Ward Mayor in the first place? Hrm… What should I say…)

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: (She looks really troubled… I feel guilty that she’s worried over someone like me.)

Nagi: (I should just explain everything, even if it makes me uneasy. I know it’s the right thing to do, but… If I really just blurt everything out, she’d probably think I’m some kind of weirdo.)

Nagi: (But if I keep quiet any longer, she might feel hurt instead. What should I do…)

Nagi: (...The cyclamen at the storefront just caught my eye… In flower language, they mean “resignation” and “words of parting”...)

Nagi: (And next to it are the anemone, meaning “abandonment,” and the calendula, “sorrow of parting.”)

Nagi: (I see… I get it now.)

Momiji: Um… 

Nagi: (I should… brace myself.) 

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: …If I don’t hand out flowers, it rebounds. 

Momiji: Huh?

Nagi: The other side of the Yajirobe*. 

Momiji: Uh?

Nagi: This is just a theory of mine.

Momiji: O-Okay… 

Nagi: I believe that, just like with human emotions, if a person experiences great fortune or misfortune, then they will eventually have to return to a neutral state.

Momiji: Uh huh...?

Nagi: In my case, the rebound is especially strong. If I experience any fortune, then misfortune is sure to follow soon after. 

Nagi: That’s what happened when I got caught in that bee trap before; I’m sure it’s because I’d won a set of tissue boxes the day before, at a raffle in the shopping district.

Nagi: This is my theory on the phenomenon I call “The Yajirobe of Fortune and Misfortune.”

Momiji: I-I see... It’s like when people say bad luck doesn’t last forever, or how something good is bound to follow after something bad… Is it like that?

Nagi: …Are you a genius? I feel embarrassed for making up a whole theory now. I’ll just use your explanation next time.

Momiji: No, no, I understood what you were trying to say with your Yajirobe theory.

Nagi: …To avoid having the Yajirobe go crazy, I need to avoid any situation that might make me happy, intentionally or not. 

Nagi: Even a single slice of cake is too much for me. That sort of kindness… is too much happiness for me to bear. 

Momiji: (So he’s saying the cake made him so happy that he had to avoid accepting it, and even ran out of the dorm just so he could avoid inviting misfortune…)

Nagi: But sometimes, no matter how careful I am, the happiness just piles up anyways.

Nagi: That’s when I bring these out.

Momiji: Flowers…?

Nagi: My special ability– Flower Power: Imposed Blessings*.

Momiji: …Um?

Nagi: By imbuing flowers with the energy from my accumulated happiness, I can impose the excess onto others. There's no limit to how many flowers can be handed out. The only debuff I have to suffer is embarrassment.

Momiji: (Oh…)

Momiji: (Is that why he was handing out flowers in the middle of the street the first time I met him…?)

Momiji: (Honestly, I’m not sure how much of this I’m supposed to believe… But at the very least, I can tell Nagi-kun is being serious about this.)

Momiji: I…see. So if you give away your flowers—

Nagi: The misfortune’s rebound gets weaker. 

Momiji: –The misfortune’s rebound gets weaker…… Right. 

Nagi: (As expected, she looks really confused.)

Momiji: Um, let’s see if I got this right– You felt that joining HAMA Tours, and living at HAMA House would—

Nagi: Accumulate a debt of happiness.

Momiji: Which is why you left.

Nagi: Yes. Something like–

Nagi: Something like working together, and living alongside others, just like a ‘family’... There’s no way to predict the amount of happiness I’d receive from just being there.

Momiji: (The amount of happiness…)

Nagi: Being surrounded by happiness like that… Holding hands, and shouting POTHARU together with everyone—

Nagi: It wouldn’t surprise me if an earthquake hit right after, and HAMA House ended up as a pile of rubble…! 

Momiji: …… 

Nagi: (She looks stunned. I guess that’s expected.)

Nagi: (It was just impossible for someone like me, who’s always avoided other people, to suddenly work with others and live alongside them.)

Nagi: (She probably thinks I’m a weirdo. It’s not something you can wrap your head around. It’s a natural reaction.)

Nagi: (I’ll just get myself fired right here and now, so I can return to my old lifestyle. A life with no big waves, just the mundane everyday.)

Momiji: I understand your situation now.

Nagi: …… 

Momiji: Can I have all your flowers, then? 

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: —Huh?

Momiji: You just have to reduce that, um, debt of happiness, by giving away your flowers, right?

Momiji: But it’s probably difficult for you to find people to give flowers to on a daily basis, huh?

Nagi: …Is that… where this conversation is supposed to go?

Momiji: I think so?

Momiji: Then um, maybe your costs increase because you have to give out more flowers?

Nagi: No, that’s not really a problem. I can get a good discount if I buy it in bulk, so… 

Momiji: I see. Then, it’s just a problem of who you can give your flowers to. Accosting strangers to give them flowers is probably taxing for you, and confusing for the other person too.

Momiji: But, since I know what’s going on, I can take as many flowers as you want to give away.

Nagi: I… I guess that makes sense. 

Nagi: Wouldn’t it be a bother to you…?

Momiji: Of course not. You can never have too many flowers! I mean, flowers give a feeling of a fresh beginning, you know? They’re always nice to have.

Nagi: …… 

Nagi: Here.

Momiji: Oh! A flower! Thank you very much. You popped that out like some kinda magician!

Nagi: …Flowers have always been a part of my life, before I’d even realized it. That’s why, it’s always there, right beside me, where I can reach for it whenever I want.

Momiji: Still, what a large flower! What’s it called?

Nagi: Peony.

Momiji: Aw, it’s so pretty! And it smells so good too!

Nagi: —......

Nagi: Next, this one.

Momiji: It has such a unique shape… What’s its name? 

Nagi: Serruria.

Momiji: It’s so peculiar and cute! I wonder what I should decorate with it… 

Nagi: Here.

Momiji: This is a crazy amount! It’s starting to look like a huge bouquet at this point!

Nagi: Here.

Momiji: Oh dear, the colors are clashing…!

Nagi: Here.

Momiji: I can’t see in front of me anymore…! *giggles* But—

Momiji: Thank you, Nagi-kun!

Nagi: I should be the one saying that.

Nagi: Thank you for taking on my happiness, Chief. 

Notes:

Yajirobe is a term used for Japanese balancing toys. The mechanism involves balancing the main body at a fulcrum and making sure it doesn’t tilt too far in either direction before it’s balanced again, swinging back like a pendulum.

The name of Nagi’s ‘special ability’ literally translates to “imposing happiness/good fortune onto others through giving away flowers” which is super long hence why it got changed. He’s the type to make up silly names anyways.

Flower Language:

Peony Bashfulness, Shyness

Serruria Yearning, Beautiful heart

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