#they do have outfits now so i should do a lineup....

[nathaslosthershit]

“Notice me” “Beg for it" (LN4)

Summary: After what feels like centuries of back and forth flirting, Lando and his Mclaren teammate have tired people out with their inaction to do something about their very obvious crushes. Aka the 5 times they confused fans with their interactions + the one time they made everything clear (SMAU)

Part of my summer event! Warnings: Zak Brown, Reader sort of takes Oscar’s place? Also the timeline on this is weird sorry

mclaren

liked by georgerussell63, landonorris, and others

mclaren Proud to announce our official driver lineup for the next season as yourusername joins the McLaren family🧡! Can’t wait to see her and Lando in action next season👊🎊

username1 oh I am about to be unbearable once we get more content with these two

username2 i have no one i can tell about this

mclaren guess how we felt having to keep it a secret!

zbrownceo welcome to the family yourusername!

yourusername happy to be here!!!

yourusername Thank god the news is finally out, you all don’t know how hard it was to not scream it from the rooftops once I signed my contract

landonorris Wouldn’t want anyone else as a teammate 👊

yourusername I would

landonorris wasn’t what you were saying earlier

landonorris “oh Lando, what a dream come true to drive alongside you, I’ll be such a good teammate you’ll forget all about Carlos-whats-his-face and the other old guy”

danielricciardo why am I catching strays?

yourusername you’re saying I haven’t made a pretty good impression? Maybe I should have stayed at Alpine…

landonorris definitely not saying that, please don't leave

username3 the vibe between these two is off-

yourusername

liked by landonorris, mclaren, and others

yourusername P3! My highest yet 👊! What a blast this year has been so far and we have still got a couple races to go! While I could talk about how thrilled I am with my first podium in F1, it wouldn’t be right to not mention my teammate’s spectacular race, earning him his first F1 win. So happy I could be on the podium right next to you, Lando, to celebrate your first (of many) wins! 🎉

username1 they sure do put every other duo to shame with how much they support each other

username2 Lando’s win was amazing but my god I would rather talk about her overtakes

landonorris always the best supporter 👊

f1gossip

liked by 15,158 others

f1gossip Spotted: landonorris and yourusername seem to be spending quite a lot of time together on their summer break! While most teammates like to take this time to get away from the people they work with every day, these two seem to do the opposite, getting quite comfy with each other while on a eurotrip together.

username1 they can’t do this to me oh my god

username2 completely unprofessional in my opinion! They are coworkers they should not be vacationing together, especially since they are wearing revealing outfits at the beach. Disgusting how much this sport has changed

username3 you will live i swear its not that big a deal

username4 usually id argue against getting into drivers' business but it does seem inappropriate to be going to the beach and having dinner alone with your teammate…

username5 dont know who i am more jealous of tbh

username6 im sorry do you people not want them to get along?

yourusername

liked by zbrownceo, carlossainz, and others

yourusername team meetings and court (mclaren) ordered teammate bonding

username1 lando norris make it less obvious how in love with your teammate you are challenge (impossible)

zbrownceo I don’t think we ordered any bonding, you guys are close enough already. Maybe I will file a restraining order between you two so you guys stop distracting one another?

landonorris sorry boss 😞

yourusername boo you are no fun old man

zbrownceo want to rethink that last comment yourusername?

yourusername we promise we won’t distract each other as much, Mr. ZakBrownCEO

landonorris notice me

yourusername beg for it

carlossainz you both may be happy now but just wait until he replaces you with a fancy new teammate and forgets all about you

yourusername stop being a diva

landonorris

liked by 53,836 others

landonorris Going into today I wasn't expecting the technical failure that would cause us to have to retire the car. Because it wasn’t an easy day for me by any means, id much rather take the time to congratulate my favorite person on her first Formula 1 win. Seeing you grow from your rookie season till now has been such a wonderful thing to witness. Its even better to be by your side while you do it. No one is more deserving of this win. Congrats on your first (of many) wins :) 

username1 he is so in love i am sick

username2 who do they think they are fooling

usernamer3 so sorry to see you dnf 😢but glad to see you are in bright spirits

yourusername Lando 😭 such an incredible day and an even better celebration afterwords. Thanks for being by my side all this time, I couldn’t have done it without you

landonorris we both know damn well you would be just as successful, maybe even more considering how much of a distraction I am for you 😉

yourusername the only thing distracting about you is your stupid face and annoying personality

landonorris I guess you are just spewing out a bunch of lies today huh?

username4 they are already hot rich drivers why do they get to be in love too? 

username5 fr leave some happiness for the rest of us

yourusername

liked by 97,839 others

yourusername yes, we know you all knew this but let us have this moment please

username1 oh my god what a shock 🙄

username2 how will we ever get over this news🙄

username3 how could they have deceived us for so long

username4 nah i can’t even pretend like this is breaking news.

yourusername I knew it was a rumor but I wasn’t expecting everyone to know 😀

landonorris I always thought we were kind of discreet about it…

username5 are you kidding? It would be less obvious if you guys held up signs that said “we are in love”

[shapelytimber]

I'm in the mood to sketch rn :) so here is a recap of my star wars sapphic au <3

And the lineup !

[COMMISSIONS]

But now, I would love some opinions on who should I add next soooo

Little pitch for each potential new character below vvv

Lando : I think making her a high femme mayor/pilot can be hot af lfkgkfk

I love Lando's character and design, and even tho I don't plan on keeping the mustache (a tragedy I know), I do have some ideas for a feminine version.

She's living the high life until her kinda failure of an ex comes crawling back to her with demands and a new gf :) too bad she already made a deal with Vader

Piett : middle aged stressed navy woman in uniform (even tho it's the kinda ugly imperial uniform fifkfkfk).

Piett is one of my absolute favorite sw characters ! So thank you fanon, you made something really cool for this one <3

And I adore his friendship with Veers, so they might be a muscle woman also in uniform if you pick his option ;)

Boba Fett : post sarlacc digestion butch booba fett. She's old, she's bald, and she will break your jaw <3

Also dykes on (hover) bikes :)))

PS : as always, the Palpatine and Dooku designs were originally made by Stagbeetleboy, so these are his designs

PPS : I drew Padmé in my favorite outfit of hers, and even tho she wore it in star wars 1 she isn't 14 here itjkff hope I didn't have to specify that but better safe then sorry- she's in her late twenties early thirties

[staridust]

Sunny Day Jack ★ Stari’s Versions

—

★ DO NOT USE/REPOST WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. NO MINORS.

—

Apologies for the tumblr inactivity, space crew! I’m much more active over on Twitter!

Here’s a simple lineup of Jack designs that I’ll be personally using for myself! I love when artists take a character and add their own personal twists on them, so I’ve done the same to my favorite technicolor clown.

I’ve also seen a few people be interested in two other designs that I’ve done, so I’ve added them to the lineup as well for others to use or to see their full outfits!

—

Here’s a explanation of each design element if you all are interested in that:

Sunnyverse Jack(Left):

Sunnyverse!Jack is my personal interpretation, artistic recolor, and story with him. He is basically a spin-off of the Sunny Time Town AU by JambeeBot.

I wanted his jacket to reflect looking up at a vibrant summer sky, with clouds, rainbow pockets, swirls, and stickers to add to the childlike wonder. His different color suspenders replaces the stripes on his shirt, which is now a sun on the collar!

I’ve personally always liked the idea of Jack’s hair cascading into purple tips, it’s been referenced in many other drawings of mine. Considering Papa Rise also has purple-ish hair, I think it fits!

This design went through a couple sketch phases and some reworks with the most recent showcase being the birthday drawing of Artemis, where this design can be seen in now outdated-concept!

Alternate Outfit (Middle):

Over a year ago, I made a drawing about Jack and bowties, spreading my bowtie propaganda…. And I still am HAHA. Listen, Jack with a bowtie is so cute, So I’m bringing that design back as well as a full ref!

I’d like to say that this is his work or side outfit, but this is not the teacher AU. I did not create that AU, so don’t refer to this design as the teacher AU!

Even though I don’t consider Jack as a rodeo clown, I gave him clown cowboy boots to reference [Redacted] and his southern residence somewhere.

Rainbow Factory Jack(Right):

RainbowFactory!Jack or RF!Jack is an AU I made last year as well, and finally got around to giving you all a full standing ref for him!

He got more attention than I thought, I know a couple of you like delusional men. I get it.

For his hair, aside from the primary highlights, I also changed the coloring to be a bit more muddled and darker on the teal spectrum, as I like to do that when I draw Jack in a not so-friendly manner. His hair is also more spiked, compared to the others who have more of a fluffy round curl.

His coat is very simple, red and yellow stripes down to a cloud border, and the inside of the coat shows a giant sun on the underside. He also has different color rainbow splotches in different places on him!

His eyes can vary in size or be consistent, and the colors of them can change or spiral too! Usually though, the right eye is lighter than the other. His colors are more saturated and darker than the other designs.

Cotton Candy Cupid Jack:

Finally, the last design I have in the lineup is Cupid!Jack!

This is the first custom design I’ve made of Jack. Shared in this post, this was meant to be the Valentine’s Day design I had for him! Though this drawings is extremely old and outdated now for both my MC and art, I decided to carry it on to a proper Cupid AU design for everyone!

He was originally labeled as Cotton Candy Jack in a wip post that keeps getting shared around from time to time, but I’m unsure if I should keep that name for this lover boy now! There was a community cotton candy Jack trend a month or two ago, so maybe I should change the name? What do you all think?

Design wise he parallels the classic Incubus Jack, which I believe was originally a Halloween costume. His design shares similarities on purpose, being the extended body paint gradient and the sheer fabric overlay on the pants.

Almost like an angel/devil duo, Cupid Jack is more pastel, softer/brighter primary hues, has fluffy wings! My goal was to have them be similar enough side by side, but also different enough to tell that they are different themes/holidays.

He has a motif of hearts, ribbons, and sun swirls. His hair gradient is also the most vibrant one, going from cyan to a vibrant pink at the tips.

He has sandals because I thought it fit the whole Cupid vibe, but drawing his dogs out every-time might actually be the end of me.

—

While I will use these personal redesigns, I want to make it clearly stated and obvious that Jack is not my original character, nor are these redesigns an attempt to change his character or completely detach him from his media. There are simply my fun artistic portrayals of him, as I admire his original design, media, and game as well.

The Rainbow Factory and Cupid AUs are technically my AUs. Ship art, written stories, headcanons, etc. of RF or Cupid Jack are completely okay to create! I just ask that you tag me so that I can see what you all do with him!

However, I ask that if Sunnyverse Jack is used, please ask for permission before using his custom design, as it is my own design of him that I use personally.

…and also, I wanna see more MV Jacks! Artists! Show me how you would draw him in your trademark! I love creative expression!

[hinamie]

wanted 2 make a bit of an update post to get a few things off my chest bc i feel like i've been a bit quiet on here compared 2 normal and for that i apologize gsdhjgfdsj I promise I will do better at being chronically online

in all seriousness though, ever since the jjk manga ended, I've started experiencing th dilemma where I am feeling less inspired but also twice as pressured to continue living up to the standard I set for myself by being so active while the manga was ongoing. i'm finding it's taking longer than it should to finish pieces that are not challenging enough to warrant the extra hours, it's harder to come up with what I think are original concepts, and overall i'm just anxious that the high i've been riding since april has finally begun its descent.

I know logically tht these expectations i'm worried about being unable to meet are entirely self-imposed. I /know/ that not every piece needs to be a profound character tribute packed with symbolism and hidden meanings, but tht doesn't change the fact that it still feels really disappointing when I try to dig for that emotional component that I was really loving in the art that was inspired by later manga chapters, only to come up short. I'm feeling myself defaulting back to drawing My Ship Posed Cutely, or Character Lineup In Cute Outfits, whereas before I was really feeling like my art was touching something beyond just surface-level aesthetic. This isn't to say that I don't think I can ever get back to creating those harder-hitting pieces, or that I /dislike/ my more lighthearted aesthetically-driven work, I'm just frustrated at myself for feeling like I have to now dig for what used to be so readily available.

there's no conclusion to this story gfhjsgd this is rly just a vent post. i've been doing this long enough to know that this is just part of what happens with any creative hobby. periods of feeling uninspired unfortunately come with the territory, n it makes sense that those feelings wld be exacerbated now that the series i take my main inspiration from has come to a standstill for the time being. but I don't feel burnt out on jjk yet, which is reassuring in that it means I know I still Want to draw the characters, no matter how boring or overdone all of my current ideas feel. i'm in no rush to move on from jjk as my main fandom either, although I do see myself sprinkling in more art for other series to pass the time n keep me Inspired while I wait for s3. so for those of you who found me through my art (probably most of u), i guess also pls take this as both warning and reassurance that you most likely Will see me start drawing for other fandoms in the coming months, but don't take it as meaning I've abandoned drawing for jjk

and as always, thank u all for sticking with me and for all the support and lovely words on my art, it rly does make my days brighter <3

[natinkart]

FULL FEM FORTRESS LINE UP

i finally FINALLY finished this lineup. those fuckers are in my head more that they should be. after writing my ideas for them i HAD TO DRAW THEM, i had such a clear image in my mind. the only one I've drawn before where engie, medic, sniper and scout, but those were just sketches.

if you wanna read what I wrote about them you can find the three posts here: defense | offense | support

full lineup, sketch lineup and design thoughts under the cut:

i always like the sketches more but i love the clear lineart, it makes the character more readable, so now it's time for some design thoughts:

engie - she was the first, she has seen everythin- no ok wrong franchise. i meant, she was the one i was more certain of. the outfit didn't change from the og but i made her have two small pigtails. i always viewed them as a cow girl hairstyle, and they're also practical. a stable hairstyle that keeps your hair out of your face.

heavy - the sleaves where kinda an instant idea i KNEW i had to incorporate. so i did a bit of reaserch on traditional russian clothes and their patterns. they seems to be very geometrical with not more than 5 colors, which two of them are white and black, usually at the seams or borders of the clothing. so i tried to do that. i really like how it came out.

demo - not much to say aside from me winging the hairstyle. i honestly didn't know which one to give to her, but i knew i didn't want a long hair style. maybe one day i'll draw her without the hat.

scout - she is the one with my favorite design. i LOVE how it came out. i fell it express her cockiness the best. i tried putting her in the og outift but eh, i prefer this one.

soldier - this is literally just normal soldier. i tried to but more "femminine" traits in her face. but still, just soldier with boobs.

pyro - it's normal pyro, with some stickers cause why not.

medic - she's my love. my beauty, the absolute perfection. i love her and every time i draw her she becomes more and more creepy. and i love her so much. at first i was unsure about the hairstyle, i tried to but her in a high bun but it didn't fit the face shape, so i just gave her a side swoosh. also you may have noticed she has the nurse hat, well, that's just because i think it's cute, and i mean, she is a field doctor and usually the women there where red crosses so, made sense to me.

sniper - ah, my beautiful, unkept woman. i had a hard time making her face look rugged without giving her 30 years more and doing that on women is actually pretty difficult. i had one time an art teacher saying to me "every line on a woman's face gives her 10 years more" and holy fuck if that's true. the second problem was the body type. a lot of people do her slim, and at first i drew her like so, but i found myself appreciating a bigger waist line, creating a sort of square siluette.

spy - finally the beautiful femme fatale. i will ALWAYS have problems with spy's suit color. i can't. it always feels so wrong aaaa. but that aside, i did a simple google search for 60s women's suit and i kinda went with it. it's a bit different from the og spy suit but it's also different from modern suits, so i had a bit of an hard time adjusting the jacket.

my asks are open if you wanna know more of them or if you wanna see them in some specific scenario!! and if you like tf2 i also did a team furtress lineup with explainations.

consider supporting me on my KOFI, i recently opened commissions!!

[bubbles-for-all-of-us]

Hi!!!! Can I request one with Rhysand and reader is sick and he just becomes a mother hen toward reader?

My ass got hit with some sickness and a wonderful migraine at the same time 😀 so the thought of Rhys just taking care of me cures me a tiny bit lol

Hope you have a great day🩷

Oh, dear, I'm hugging you tightly. I hope you're feeling better or will do soon! Stay strong, stay hydrated and rest!✨🫶🏻

Healer

Rhys was walking back to your bedroom. Hands full of stuff, running through the lineup of medications Madja had suggested for you to take. He was worried. Had been for a couple of days now. The sickness had struck you out of nowhere. Leaving you sweaty and breathless in bed. Whining at any light and sound that came.

"Oh, no", he nearly dropped the tray as he saw you trying to get out of bed. "You can't..", he rushed to your side. He moves so swiftly that you don't even catch him putting the stuff in his hands down. "Just going to the bathroom...", you mumble, trying to rise only to be swept into Rhys's arms. "You cannot do such a thing", he breathed out. And you can't help but raise your eyebrows, "I can't pee?". He partly ignores you as he moves to the bathroom, "You cannot walk. It will make you lose fluids quicker", he states firmly.

"You're unbelievable", you mutter tiredly. Rhys wets the towel, carefully wiping your face from sweat while you do your thing. "I would appreciate it if I could pee in peace", you plead with him but he once again doesn't move. "I shall remind you that I've seen it all", he says in his lordling voice. "Rhys, I am not dying. It's a cold", you know that it's been hard for him to stay calm.

When Rhys loved he loved with all of his arms and when he found you slumped up in his office chair, running a high fever. His heart leaped out of his chest. Worst fears clouding his mind. It should have been him. He wanted to take it all from you. Make it feel better. He could get through it but he didn't want to see you suffering.

"I find joy in looking after you, darling", Rhys brushed your sweaty hair away from your face. Madja said no showers till your symptoms eased just to avoid complications. "Looking at me in this state brings you joy?", you breathed out a tired chuckle, "I sure wish to fuel your nightmare list", You tried to make an angry predator face only to feel a sharp pain in your head. "Now that is venomous lies falling out of your lips, darling", he purred, reaching to lift you once more. Carrying your back to bed that was now stripped and covered in fresh sheets.

"I'll mix up your medicine. Then you'll eat. I'll wash you up with a warm cloth. Then tea and...", you cut him off, "I get it, mother hen". Rhys threw you a look, "I know that you would love me more if I was in a skimpy healer's outfit but..", he trailed off. You gaped at him before falling into light giggles that made Rhys's heart swell because he hadn't heard the sound of your laugh in a couple of days and it had been driving him crazy.

[whoishotteranimepolls]

Poll analysis part 3

Well I haven't done one of these in a while because I've been focusing on the nicknames and funny tags post But we are definitely due for another one because I've definitely noticed a change and behavior. Plus we've had a lot more and fandoms requested so that might be a contributing factor.

Let's start with the unhinged trio. Think we're due for a lineup change there. It used to be JJK, Black Butler and Dorohedoro. However the latter two only go crazy over a certain character.

Jujutsu Kaisen definitely still deserves its spot There's a reason I picked them to be the first fandom to get a Nicknames and funny tags post in fact they need an update Desperately because you guys are still up to your same old unhinged antics. I've just been busy with other fandoms (one piece) that say even more outrageous crap in the comments

Now One Piece I think you guys took that nickname and funny tag post as a challenge to be as unhinged and creative with your tags as possible because every time I think you all can't possibly get any worse. Someone puts a tag that's even crazier and now I have to update that post with more tags and new characters again.

Now the third spot of the unhinged trio should probably go to Trigun because you guys can't stop talking about Wolfwood's slutty Catholic titties and Vash's snatched little slutty waist. Plus someone has sent a match up request of their weapons no less than three times even though the rules plainly state no weapons so I think we definitely qualify for unhedged trio territory.

My Hero Academia You guys only showed up for the bunny girl and I get it. She's hot. Or to crap on endeavor, that's about it.

Attack on Titan. I finally have found proof of life. The fandom might be in a coma, but at least there's a pulse I thought that fandom was dead but someone or group of people is sending in quite a few requests for that fandom.

And now on to Naruto my problem child fandom. I am not kidding You're the fandom that refuses us to send in photos, but will throw a tantrum if it's not the photo from the correct era of the anime even though I have no clue what you're talking about. Normally when people don't like the photo with any other fandom a dozen better photos of the character will randomly appear in my inbox. Not with the Naruto fandom. I get 10 hate messages saying it's from the wrong era of the anime and I should know that. But does anyone send me a better photo from the correct era of the anime? No. Well actually that's not entirely true the a few times this fandom has sent in replacement photos it's from when in the anime I know the characters are still 14 I've done way too much research into when in canon characters turn 16 and what particular character design/outfit marks that in the timeline for this particular show because of how much I feel like I can't trust this particular fandom as a whole to follow rules. So, remember people I can't read your mind and you are the only fandom that wants to throw a fit over photos like this. Plus the few times I have tried to address the issues with the photos and try to fix the problem you guys want to get combative and very aggressive in the comments. Plus I swear you all are allergic to rules because at least 70% to 80% of requests relating to your fandom have some sort of issue. Whether it's trying to bend the rules or just outright breaking them to massive formatting problems. No other fandom causes me this many headaches. So please for the sake of my sanity do better

Sorry about that. I needed to rant about my problem child fandom maybe now they will start behaving.

When it comes to formatting there is a group of about three people that made requests either everyday or every 2 to 3 days and it was the max amount of request/matchups they could do in a single day according to the rules. They did this the entire time the box was open so they had their formatting down to a science. So basically any fandom that these people requested a lot of had really good track records for formatting and not trying to blatantly break the rules. So One Piece, JoJo's, Attack on Titan and Avatar/Korra all have very good track records right now

But with most fandoms they do a pretty good job of following the rules. No one is as bad as Naruto. Now there are some common issues and major incidents I've had so I'll go ahead and list them below

The common issues are just forgetting to put the name of the show or spelling, but Google can normally figure that out so that's not a major problem or people submitting a character that is video game only and not part of the anime adaptation. Persona, pokémon and Tekken are The worst offenders when it comes to this. Other major issues that come up frequently are with character ages? But it's normally with characters that look like they're adults. So I really don't hold that against people. I'm just guessing that people didn't realize they're actually teenagers but hopefully that will not be as much of a problem but since I dropped the age down to 16.

Now recent issues I've had to address were formatting issues where it was bad enough that I couldn't make it out due to dyslexia. Trigun has tried to submit weapons no less than three times even though that is blatantly against the rules. Like I mentioned earlier Naruto likes to submit photos from when the characters are 12 to 14 that doesn't fit the rules especially when photos are available from the correct age range that do follow the rules. So those are the ones I use no matter how many times they throw temper tantrums. Dungeon Meshi has submitted a 14-year-old and Soul Eater submitted a 13-year-old and said they were 16 in the request. So they lied. Luckily someone told me so I was able to delete those polls quite quickly, but now I can't trust anyone. So if you ever wonder why it takes so long for me to empty out the request box this is why

Oh but good news, no one has submitted a request since I've closed the box I basically consider that a miracle because the last two times there have been people that have not cared that the box is closed. So let's keep it that way please. I don't mind questions, just no requests. The box is closed I still have like 150 more individual messages that have multiple poll requests on them to get through before I open it again

Well that's going to be all for this post again. And I hope at least someone found this entertaining or informative or at least something. There will probably be another one of these in the future

[privatelivebait]

ACME Autumn day 2, things were a little quieter today so I was able to grab some sillier pictures and a lot more cosplayers. Was wonderful seeing everyone's outfits, art and skits. It's something I look forwards to every year and this weekend didnt disappoint! A lot of different fandoms all having a fun time together (and some VERY confused people from the medical conference happening next door). If you recognise any cosplayers from these photos please do tag them! Lots more photos under the cut and a little special mention at the end.

And now for a little aside, in the far-off time of 2022, I attended ACME Autumn with the Regimental Standard's first public outing. We set it up in a corner and let people take photos of us/it in the background. We often make little bits and pieces to hand out to youths and 40k fans, just as a little silly back and forth to help perhaps make the former not quite so scared of the scary masked men and as a fun little keepsake on top of the costuming talk and banter. That year we made some conscription notices from the Uplifting Primer and told those we gave them to that they were to collect a uniform and report to their nearest commissar upon completion. Little did I suspect that anyone would actually do it.

I am frankly overjoyed to show off a sucessful conscript to the Death Korps of Krieg! He told me how much I had inspired him (I'm still reeling from this) on our first meeting and conversation and how much he enjoyed seeing me in the Warhammer Fest lineup the year after, during which he was halfway done with his costume. He had remembered my advice about the coat and had bought the exact kind I mentioned as being very close to the model, he had made his own mask, helmet, pack, bedroll and grenades. He had even bought an actual surplus entrenching tool (though sadly this was refused entry at the door, sometimes security gets very strict with props). He then floored me mentally by asking me for an autograph. Me. Like I was somebody famous or important. I, surely shocking no-one in the audience, have a very poor opinion of myself. I do not consider myself to be worth much. But clearly my actions had counted. Of course I grabbed a pen and signed the requested item (a frag grenade, how very fitting) and tried very hard to come to terms with the reality of what just happened without seeming like a babbling fool. I have yet to fully internalise it. If somehow you see this, little Krieger, thank you for being you. I am certainly VERY proud of your fantastic work and you should be too. I greatly look forwards to seeing how you progress from meeting to meeting and wish you every success in your endeavours. I see you, your actions count and always will. If someone, somehow knows this lad I would implore you to get the above message to him if possible, because I dont know if I communicated how touched I was in the moment and I would like him to know.

[slifarianhawk]

Chapter 8: doctors warning

"Now be a good girl for me, sweetheart. I know you can handle all of me." Wriothesley said while having me pinned against his desk.

"Your grace, please. I can't wait much longer. It's just so hot." I tried pulling against the cuffs, but they remained clasped against my wrists.

"Don't worry, my sweet little princess. I'll get you where you need to be." He said his icy eyes alight with passion as he pulled closer, his lips nearly grazing my neck.

"Wriothesley, please, your grace." I panted out.

He smirked as I felt a sharp pang in my neck, "You're as sweet as how I like my tea."

"WRIO!" I gasped.

"Hmmm, you need to wake up, little princess." He chuckled as he stood up.

"Silva! Wake up! Silva!" I heard a muddled voice.

"But your grace." I whimpered as the chains faded along with most of the surroundings.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. I'll see you soon." Wriothesley said, fading to black.

I slowly opened my eyes. Sam was standing next to me with a female I at the end of my bed. He offered his hand, and I happily took it. He helped me sit and stand up.

"Thanks Sam, how's the wife and newborn?" I ask, stretching out.

"They are well. My little girl finally has slept through the night. My wife was so happy. She told me to tell you thank you if you pulled through. I'm quite glad you did." He said,"You probably want to shower and change, right? Melissa has been assigned to help you by Sigewinne."

"Well, I more or less actually volunteered Sammy. Hi, I'm Melissa. I'm this doofuses cousin. On behalf of my family, thank you for keeping him safe. Please call me Mel." She smiled.

"It's nice to have pleasant faces around, but I do agree a shower would be nice. Could you guys help me down to the gym? The water gets warmer there." I asked, looking for my toiletries.

"I'll be glad to escort you. That way, Sam can make sure your food is ready by the time you're done." Mel said, smiling.

"Yea, Wolsey has a fresh batch of Fontaine onion soup being made just for you, apparently." Sam chuckled, then looked at me, "His grace put most of your belongings in the crate on the table. You should be able to find your shower kit there."

"Thank you, Sam." I chirpped, quickly grabbing my shower stuff as well as a change of clothes.

Mel led me to the shower rooms in the gym. I quickly washed my body and hair. The pluie lotus scent gently caressed my skin. I had to unwrap the bandages before I stepped in. Old scabbing fell off, revealing scarred but new skin.

"Hey Mel!" I heard a familiar male voice shout.

"Hey Roussimoff, sorry on duty right now. I can't really talk." Melissa said.

"It's alright, Mel. I still have a bit to do. As long as I can change in private, it's fine." I sigh, "Hey Roussimoff, any interesting matches coming up?"

"No, the matches have been pretty dull. I want to schedule you, Silva. How bout it a couple of weeks and have you back in the ring?" He asked, letting out a hearty laugh.

"Given the fact I was dead less that twenty four hours ago, I think my comeback to the ring will need to wait longer than two weeks. But I'll say this when I do return, it'll be a good show." I chuckled as I scrubbed my thighs.

I heard Mel and Rouss continue to chat about mundane things. Weather outside and the lineups for an upcoming tournament. I heard Roussimoff say something interesting. That his grace was participating in the tournament as a wild card finale.

That tournament was in three months. I smiled. I'm sure I'd be at a hundred percent by then. I'm going to join that tournament.

When I finished my shower, I stepped out to find a fresh towel laid out for me. Swiftly drying off and changing into the light outfit I brought with me, I went to find Melissa.

Caddy in hand, I searched the weight room. I couldn't find Melissa anywhere in the gym. Suddenly, I felt a cold hand on my bare shoulder. I felt my body jolt as I turned around.

"Who in the archons fucking hell ....Wriothesley!" I shouted placing my hand over my heart as I saw his grace with the biggest smirk I'd seen on his face.

"For someone who was just dead, you turned around pretty quickly." He chuckled.

I sighed and took a few deep breaths, "Could you wipe that grin off your face? Archons, are you trying to kill me again?"

"My apologies, I was actually looking for you. I was the one who told Melissa and Roussimoff to go to the ring. I need to bring you to the observation ward. Sigewinne sent for a doctor when you didn't wake up the third day of your coma. He arrived a little while ago. He also instructed me to bring this." Wriothesley said, revealing the unopened letter from Zhongli.

"That would mean... She didn't!" I covered my mouth and ran past Wriothesley.

If I had to say so, I moved fast for someone who was dead not too long ago. Getting to the observation ward from the gym normally would take about a ten minute fast walk to the lift alone. But I made it to the lift in nearly six minutes.

Sam was waiting by the lift and sent it up as I stepped on. Once we reached the upper floor, I stepped off, nodding at Sam, and took off once more. A strong medicinal scent lingered in the air. I practically leaped the steps up to the observation ward.

"It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, I've heard nothing but good things about you from Silva." I heard Sigewinnes soft voice say as I dashed up to the observation ward.

"Like wise, and I must thank you, Ms. Sigewinne for being so kind to her. Silva is like a daughter to me. I'm glad she has such a capable doctor nearby." A sweet familiar voice said that brought a smile to my face.

She did.

"You two seem to have company." The shrill voice of the snake said.

"Thank you for noticing me, Changsheng." I smiled as I walked into the ward, "Baizhu, it's great to see you."

He simply let out a chuckle and hugged me. The scent of older medicinal herbs filled my nose. I squeezed tight as my heart shook.

"Now, now Silva, I need to take a look at you." He chuckled, letting me go gesturing to the closest bed.

I nodded and headed towards the bed, taking a seat. Baizhu quickly got to work, and Changsheng slithered around my neck. I simply closed my eyes and let him do his exam.

My mind drifted to my dream. How cold his grace's hands felt on top of mine. I imagined his lips being the same temperature. How he'd wear the smug look he had on earlier when I ask.

"Silva, what's going through that mind of yours?" Changsheng said, "Your pulse sped up significantly."

I felt my cheeks burn red. Baizhu had a light smile and pat my shoulder. His kind eyes were soft.

"I have some good news and a hypothesis for you, Silva. Which would you like first?" Baizhu said, offering his arm out to Changsheng, who remained coiled comfortably around my neck.

"The good news, archons know I could use it." I chuckled as Sigewinne pulled out a notepad.

"To start the dendro energy that resides in your body is finally stabilized. I noticed that when you came in for your check-up before you left, it wasn't at a safe level. It's why I had you take that course of dendrocide potions before you left. While I think it was enough to suppress it while through the dendro rich Chenyu Vale. When your assailant drugged you the first time, they reactivated the dormant energy. The people who attacked you and drugged you the second time, what they did forced enough of that energy out by over activating it." Baizhu explained, "Ms. Sigewinne told me you learned your mother was a dendro elemental. So I'm going to recommend you be taking that dendrocide potion here as well."

I sighed, "She's more than an elemental. I don't know if Monsieur Nuevillette would want me to say anything to his grace, but both of you are my doctors, so I think it's fine telling you guys."

"What do you mean, Ms. Silva?" Sigewinne asked, and Baizhu gave me a curious look.

"I am the daughter of Apep, the dragon sovereign of dendro and a human." I covered my face with my hand only to feel a thunck on my temple.

"Why do you look ashamed?" Changsheng said, wrapping around Baizhus's arm, which was now on my shoulder, "Do you even understand how much this explains!?!"

"If I was to be frank Mr. Zhongli had that theory. Once he saw the dendrocide potions in your bag and the reaction to being stabbed with the drug. He had me create you a special medicine for something. He had a feeling that would happen soon. It was in the parcel I sent. Given that you were in a coma and haven't been taking it, I honestly think in about a weeks time. You should be kept in seclusion." Baizhu said, "In all honesty, I'd rather bring you back to Liyue for observation, but I know I can't. The Iudex made that very clear."

"Is Zhongli's explanation on everything in the letter he sent?" I asked.

"That's my guess." He said, pushing my hair back behind my ear.

"Then, by all means, please take it. You don't have to read aloud." Wriothesley said, slowly walking in letter in hand.

"Dr. Baizhu, this is his grace." Sigewinne said, introducing them.

"It's a pleasure. As I told Ms. Sigewinne, thank you for treating Silva so well." Baizhu smiled.

"You're welcome, and I'd be beating myself if I didn't thank you for coming. In the short amount of time she's been here, I have grown quite fond of Silva." Wriothesley said, handing me the letter.

When our hands brushed, I felt my cheeks heat up. They were cold to the touch, just like in my dreams. I shook my head and flipped open the wax seal on the letter. Zhongli's voice played in my head as I read.

"My dear Silva, I'm glad to have your correspondence. I have done some research in liyue's and even some of Sumeru's libraries. I know who she is. I'm working on a way for you to meet her after you are released, but until then, I'm having our friend Baizhu prepare a medicine I myself am on for you. It'll prevent a very dangerous aspect of what we are. Please stay safe til I see you once more, my treasured friend, Zhongli." His voice ended.

"What does a dangerous aspect even mean?" I ask my green haired friend.

"Your mother being a dendro elemental means certain steps just need to be taken to prevent any harm to you or say someone you care about when you are experiencing your monthly cycle. Although that might be different as well." Baizhu said, sitting next to me and speaking very quietly, "Especially since the elemental you were born from is a dragon."

"I understand, Baizhu." I said, "Did you leave a good stock with Sigewinne?"

"I did. Now, I need to do a full medication work up and make sure everything is in working order for when I leave. Why don't you go with Mr. Wriothesley and get some food. I'll be in the infirmary with Ms. Sigewinne, but don't worry, I will come say goodbye when I'm done." Baizhu said.

I simply nodded and stood up. Baizhu offered his hand to his grace, to which Wriothesley shook it. Our previous conversation crossed my mind.

"Baizhu, what was your hypothesis? About me?" I asked.

He turned to me and smiled, "No need to worry about it, Silva. You'll know soon enough."

"Alright, I'll see you in a bit, Baizhu." I said bowing.

Wriothesley led me away from the observation ward. He walked on my left, his steps falling heavily against the metal floors. His handcuffs sway with each step.

"You're as sweet as I like my tea." Echoed through my mind as I watched him pull his cuffs off his belt,  spinning them on his finger.

I bit my lip as he pulled ahead. He was very much a fine looking man. Even with how many layers he was wearing, I could see how well built his back was. Something was different, though.

"Wriothesley, where's your coat?" I asked, confused.

"I had a guarde bring it to one of Fontaines' best cleaners. There was a pretty big stain on it." He said, looking back at me, "Come on, let's go to my office. I have something for you."

I nodded and followed relatively close behind. I noticed the gaurdes were out in force today. Was the fear of a riot, maybe?

When Wriothesley and I arrived at his office, he locked the doors behind him once we walked through.

"Why did you lock the doors your grace?" I asked as I walked up the stairs.

He sighed and pulled out a red box of tea I had once seen in the Kamisato house.

"Care for a cup?" He asked a bit of hesitation in his voice.

"Of course, I'd love tea with you." I smile.

Wriothesley sat in front of me, and he took my hand. He looked me dead in my eyes. He tried to speak twice, but no words managed to escape his lips.

"Archons, I didn't expect this to be so hard." He managed to wrestle out that much.

I walk up next to him, "it's OK, your grace. No matter what, you can tell me."

I forced my courage up and took his hand. At the contact, Wriothesley took a deep breath and pressed a kiss on my lips.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have," He said, trying to pull away, but I quickly pressed another kiss on his lips.

[pluck-heartstrings]

My mind is in shambles, I hope you know that. Here I am tangled up into like 3 different gauges and types of threads trying to determin the difference between steel grey and platinum and what becomes a hand and what becomes a dress while making her look like a creature of distinct parts. Should I double strand some cool pastels into her dress to make an Aurora affect ton mimic sun and moon taking on sun rise and set adjacent coloring? Or try and make her as acurate as possible with flat coloring so my brain doesnt itch? Maybe I could try and ombre her skirt in an attempt to make her face as striking as possible? Like a singular blinding star in the sky. Do I use micro thread for a tiny, figurine like statue, or more versatile larger gauges that look messier but allow for more variety, but a floppier plush like design? How much do I have to pay you for a reference sheet or should I go all and just freehand her a dress design? What color is the gem on her circlet I cant find a reference?!?! I know its non canon but she's about to get my ballet slipper pattern feet and become and en point queen. I could streamline the design by forgoing feet altogether and make a stand and thick skirts and pose her and straight up make like 10 of her! GOLDEN PRINCESS PLUSH! Oh my god, sleeping beauty dress split in sun and moon colors I can't. I feel a deep connection with Sun to the point of pulling my hair this princess has me in a death grip. Her aesthetic got me quaking. *her god damn head is a nightmare!!!!!!!* I've got a third of a two year project left to do *that I was paid for, and can not put on hold* or else I would be elbow deep in dragon scale patterns trying to make 3D eyelashes!

And part of this design process is trying to like... reverse enjineer Fazco type branding. What parts of ger are most marketable and thus, simplified and emphasized? With her and sun being the only two without "cool accessories" my brain wants to go whole fucking ham into the rose prop that will most likely be her signature and remove her legs so her skirts can become an inverted rose. I'll bet they'll be all over her merch.

Ima go die now. Or lie down and shake from overstimulation. Princess fixation always be hitting at 2 am.

Nelly I'm shaking you. I'm kicking my feet in a furious attempt to keep it together.

If there was a head of merch at Castle Faz I'd hire you in a heartbeat. You understand. /italian gesture hand/ No matter what happens Castle Faz is still a FazCo business and they'll do whatever it takes to make a profit.

Shitty little cheap plushies of the Princess? Fly off the shelves. Every little girl either buys one of the Princess cap crowns or a plush. Their parents bring them back to Castle Faz because the doll basically disintegrates with too much playing so they have to return to get a replacement. But the die-hard fans that follow the company and turn a blind eye to all the mysterious circumstances of the past? Those are the ones that shell out BIG BUCKS for the high resolution, hand painted figures. Especially one of the newest character in their lineup, the first in however many years. The Princess isn't well known yet, but if the business does well then she'll be the marketing face for the brand.

Her aesthetic is platinum, with an array of subtle colours. Picture fine particles of glitter that catch the light and refract into a multitude of colours. Because of her simplistic mask and hat, she looks good in all colours. That means her merch can change often, and it does! Dress up Princess dolls with changeable outfits for every occasion, holiday, theme.

See now you got me goin'

[lemmetreatya]

In Words I struggle to Express — Bassists!Onyankopon x Singer!fem Reader

➡️ synopsis: the launch party went absolutely great and the after partys going to be even better! but somehow, it was a certain someone’s presence you were banking on in order for the night to truly be a success.

➡️ word count: 2.3k

➡️ content: no warnings

➡️ author’s note: fuck. okay. this is…very very self indulgent and basically based off our silly little mmbcu (dont ask) so ive tried to take out all the stuff that needs context so everyone can read it without too much issue. however for clarities sake: reader is in a girl group (called MMB) whilst reiner (drummer), zeke (vocalist), jean (vocals/guitar) and onyankopon (bassist) are in a band. at this point of time, Ony and reader aren’t in an established relationship.

if anything, id like to thank @pisspope for coming up with this specific idea earlier this week. i hope you know it’s rotted my brain ever since. thanks.

It was a success.

After months of constant tweaking, track ditching, debating lineups and self-doubt in your artistry — at final last: You had performed your album in full for your ceiling-packed launch party of family, friends and industry names alike.

Despite the shortcomings that came along with it, you hope the album lands well as it goes public tomorrow. Your band members have done their best in assuring you of it’s legendary status (“It literally serves cunt, you’ll be fine.”) and so there was only room for you to have faith that it’d do numbers — even if it was a diversion from your usual group's musical sound.

But even now, as the dregs of adrenaline still coarse through your veins, it’s just you left alone in the green room. You were only in the process of changing outfits, silk pink gown snuggly sat on your frame, but it was the creepinks of wallowing unfulfillment that somehow found its way into your heart.

Your band members and their other halves have graciously said that they’d set forwards on to the afterparty. Something about being ready to welcome you when you eventually do enter the venue where the after party was being held. You were okay with that — and thankful that they were thinking of you in that regard — but since it now left you alone with your own thoughts and own reflection in the mirror, you could feel your performing high start to come down and realisation kick in. That ultimately, despite the many wins you’ve received tonight, you were still alone.

“Can I come in?”

Rather than it being the knock, it was the steady voice you were oh so used to that reeled you out of your trance, your eyes finally locking back into focus. As you turn your head away from your reflection and into his direction, you could automatically feel your heart pick up pace.

“Well, doors open and you’re already halfway in so…”

A breathy excuse of a laugh leaves your throat — a sorry attempt at making yourself seem more pious for him than you actually were — but it was absolutely no help at all. Within his presence, you only ever felt more anxious than you should.

Onyankopon tries his best to force a laugh back but it doesn’t translate well. It seemed pained, even more forced than yours, and so you had to avert your eyes —  Save yourself from reading into something you didn’t want to.

You had to do that more for you than for him anyways. Because it’s been iffy with Onyankopon these past few months and with how he’s been treating you.

Not that you were complaining; He was a man who treated you to nice things and valued your opinion. A man who understood when you needed to be handled or when you could handle your own. A man who also understood your craft and was more than happy to aid his own. It was all well and good between the both of you and he was a gentleman wrapped in one. Only issue is that Onyankopon has never clarified what the fuck you two were.

Which, in itself, was off-putting. But concerning he had so much creative process on your album? (Actually, most of his band did, but since you possibly liked him just a tad bit better, his efforts were well more noticed) And considering you had to stick so many unsolicited hard hours alongside him? And keeping in mind how you were practically eye fucking him from the stage half the time you were performing your album — the sultry songs all directed at him?! You figured he’d somehow get the hint that you were open, willing, waiting for him to make a move.

As he cautiously took further steps into the room, you wonder if your requested audience would result in pushing him to make that move.

“I won’t take up too much of your time.” He hums with one arm suspiciously behind his back. 

He attempts to clear his throat yet he’s unable to do so the first time. It takes him several goes, a cough and a bat at his chest, before he’s able to achieve his goal. By now he just feels stupid, fumbling something as simple as this in front of you but he chooses to champion on.

You however, can’t help but find it endearing.

“No, you’re good. Still got a few minutes till we’re heading to the Ritz for the after party.”

You turn around in your chair, silk gown that crosses over the intersection of your chest one tug away from being labelled ‘provocative’. Unintentionally, but definitely welcomed.

“You coming, right?”

And you know you’ve tempted him — far more than you should be — because Onyankopon’s eyes automatically wander to the exposed skin of your chest. Stare locked on for several seconds before he’s forced to recognise his error and flick his eyes back up to meet yours.

“I…not this time.” He clears his throat again. “Which is mainly why I wanted to come see you now since I won’t see you after this.”

“Oh…”

You try your best not to look disappointed; for your shoulders not to sag and your bottom lip to stay free of being snagged between your teeth but it’s inevitable to stop the way your heart sinks halfway down your chest and your gut wretches inwards.

Right, of course. He was a busy man.

In your head, you know he probably had good reason to skip out on this big night of yours, but you can’t help the small teasing voice that reminds you that every one of his bandmates found a way to clear their schedules in order to make the party tonight. Everyone but him.

Subconsciously you tug the material of your gown over your chest.

“Maybe next time then.” You feign. Suddenly you don’t feel enthusiastic for your own event.

Onyankopon knows he’s fucked up your mood and he’s mentally kicking himself for doing so. Personally, he wasn’t going to say anything— just not show up and let you enjoy your time without him. But it’s Reiner, the drummer of their band, who nudged him to at least apologise for not coming.

Actually, Reiner nudged him to say a lot more than just his apologies for not being able to make the after party. He had berated Onyankopon in wisdolic manner about asking you out properly as opposed to keeping you exclusively on his arm. A proverb about ‘hope deferred making the heart sick’, “And you don’t want her to be sick because of you, do you?” He warned. 

In all honesty, he didn’t hate what Reiner was saying. He really did want to make a move on you! And he genuinely had the intention to as well. He also thought it’d be ideal to ask you out considering he was very much planning on taking you to go meet his parents soon but…

It just wasn’t the right time.

“It’s never the right time, is it?” Says a more nihilistic voice in his head, but he ignores it for sanity’s sake.

Onyankopon shuffles his footing.

“I’m sorry. Something really important popped up and you know I’d usually be there and…Look, I just wanted to come see you and mention you were really great out there. I know we, well, more you, worked really hard on this album and all but I genuinely just want to say that I’m really, really, proud of you.”

There’s a twitch of recognition on your face but the man’s rambled words did nothing to lighten your mood. You only turn your head back to your reflection in the mirror.

“Thank you, Onyankpon.”

Okay, you’re using his full name. That’s how he knows you’re upset at him.

Now he’s regretting even coming here. Onyankopon doesn’t want to go round blaming Reiner for your lack of reaction to him but deep down, he knows that’s all him. He knows that either way, mentioned or not, his absence would have upset you. He doesn’t want to now give you even more reason to be upset so he guesses he should start wrapping this up. 

“Congratulations on the album launch. That was the main thing I wanted to say. I should have started with that first…”

With an outstretched arm from behind his back, Onyankopon offers you a box of luxury chocolates and a freshly picked bouquet he could fit all in one hand. In all honesty, he would have definitely gotten you something bigger, better than you could have ever imagined! 

But, he just didn’t have the time. 

“You never have the time—“ “Shut up. I know.” The voice in his head is cut short. 

However, contrary to the heart felt gift, it seems your attention can no longer be brought. Despite his presentation, your expression is fixed and occupied on your reflection. Onyankopon suddenly wonders whether you were always this down when he wasn’t around. 

You sniff once but not because any tears were about to grace your face. 

“Thanks.” You say without looking back at him. “You can put ‘em over there with the others.”

Onyankopon’s gaze follows where your eye line draws to within the mirror. 

Sure enough, towards the side of the room there's a table where a mountain of gifts, flowers and congratulatory efforts lay. Onyankopon takes two steps towards it before sheepishly laying down his now rather measly looking present within the only sliver of table available. 

If he didn’t feel so out of depth with you, he would have dryly laughed at how low effort his offering was in contrast to Jean’s, his band’s guitarist. 

As he could see, the man had brought you an expensive bag bouquet — a gift extravagant enough to take up half the wall behind it. There was even a large bottle of champagne and a D’usse that tagged along with it and a card that had your stage name curved in beautiful calligraphy. 

You and Jean didn’t share a relationship anywhere as near as efficient as you and Onyankopon’s to warrant this type of gift, but he guesses his bandmate took great pride in the help he had on your album. Onyankopon even feels a sense of irate jealousy as he remembers how the two of you danced back-to-back on stage as Jean played his guitar solo during your final song. 

His throat runs dry at memory recall of the performative sight. Surely, all of that was to provoke him. 

“Sorry.” You suddenly blurt out and Onyankopon’s attention is instantly brought back to you — the physical you. 

“I kinda need to get ready now. Vans almost in front.” You drastically avoid his eye contact. “If I could just have these last few minutes alone that’d be great.”

With your last sentence mumbled and your hands playing at your gown, he knows you’re not telling the whole truth but he was honestly out of his depth here. All Onyankopon could do was fulfil your wishes. 

“O-oh! Oh, sure! Sure, yeah I’ll let you…I’ll let you get to it.”

With almost bashful demeanour, Onyankopon backs away from the table and makes a beeline towards the door. 

But it feels wrong. It feels incomplete. 

It’s not like he wanted to force himself against your boundaries but he just knows that if he leaves now without saying anything — he might just wound your ebbing relationship beyond repair. 

In some sort of divine intervention, Reiner’s words about not being the ‘hope deferred’ that resulted in making you sick, kicked in. As soon as the phrase comes to him, a looped smile starts to grow onto his face. 

“Now's the time!” His inner head voice says and for once, he lets it speak. 

Stopping in his tracks, Onyankopon mentally gears his courage up before turning on his heels and blurting out the first thing that came up his throat.  

“Hey, uh…look, I really do feel bad about not being able to make tonight. I wanna make it up to you so how’s your availability for the day after tomorrow?”

You’re surprised by his offer but you don’t wholly show it. It’s the way you pretend that his preposition didn’t excite you that made Onyankopon want to burst out in laughter. You were so cute when you were trying to be aloof. 

“Depends.” You shrug as your eyes actively avoid his. “I have an early morning promo interview for the album and my evenings fully booked.”

Onyankopon enthusiastically nods. 

It made sense you were busy concerning the work needed to be done for your album drop but Onyankopon was determined. Onyankopon wanted to make this work! 

“Okay, that’s fine. How’s lunch time for you?”

There is a look of ponder on your face and a sparkle in your eye. You roll your lips in contemplation before quote mark nonchalantly, shrugging your shoulders. 

“Relatively free.” You quip. 

Yes!

“Great! Leave it open for me. I’ll take you out on a date.”

Onyankopon is pumped enough that he’s already heading out the green room and so you get up from your chair to shout after him.

“Wait— Ony, to where?”

The man turns round to face you, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips. Not the most infectious smile but it’s his and so automatically, you’re drawn to it. 

“Don’t worry about that. Just dress comfortably. I’ll pick you up from whatever studio you’re recording at.” He says before making his way out. 

With a huff of disbelief, you sag back down into the chair. 

It wasn’t unbelievable that within the spur of the moment, Onyankopon had thought up a date to take you to. He was like that — It was kinda his thing — but there was something about this particular mystery date that you found yourself looking forward to. 

The same smile from before grew larger on your face and your reflection in the mirror relayed the same message. 

Suddenly, you didn’t feel so down anymore.  

[toomuchracket]

the new photos of ross stood next to the stage are so rockstar-boyfriend-watching-pop-star-girlfriend coded and it’s all I can think about. him being so ridiculously proud and admiring you <3

oh this to me is very like... it's a festival and your band are the penultimate headliners of the day, and the boys are last on. everyone was making JOKES about the lineup when it was released, several "ross on top" things that made you be like "why r u all surprised i literally wrote a song about this already lol. but we should be headlining i think. we at least have choreo 👀" (yes, it was you who bullied matty into doing the liiwmi dance) lol. but yeah, it's the first time you guys have ever performed at the same event like this, and every time you and ross run into each other in the artists' area backstage you get a bit giggly and flirty, just because it feels so new being at work in the same space like this - but so SO good. you knock a bit frantically on the door of the 75 dressing room maybe half an hour before you go on, fully dressed and hair done and all, but there's something lacking in your makeup; adam opens the door and he's like "oh hi! you look cool!" and you're like "bless you thank you can i come in to pester my boyfriend for a minute lol" and (soundtracked by everyone going "wow!" "you look SO good" "fucksake we have to follow outfits as cool as that? christ") you go over to ross - who's like "jesus fucking christ you're perfect" - and say "hi my love can i have a little good luck kiss now before i have to go back and put lipstick on lol?". and ross laughs and he's like "oh of course", standing up to gently hold your jaw and pulling you into a deeeeeeep kiss (someone wolf-whistles in the back and you flip them off), before pressing another little one to your hair and saying "i love you. you'll be perfect, as always. i'm going to get ready now and then i'll be at your side of the stage to watch as soon as i can, alright?" - you nod and say "i love you. i'll see you soon, ok?", and he gives you a final hug before you make your way to the door. everyone else gives you a little good luck hug too, actually, which you find really sweet and so encouraging. once you're back with your girls (who tease you a little bit about you RUNNING to get a kiss) and your lipstick's on, it's time to go to stage. the crowd are GREAT and you're all performing so well, but you don't really kick it up to full throttle until a few songs in, when you glance to the side and see ross standing there all hot and smiling proudly with his pint and his best friend/your band's actual number one fan lol - seeing your boyfriend there just spurs you on a bit, and your dancing gets even sharper and singing a bit more passionate. the crowd are loving it, your boyf (and literally the entirety of the 75's touring lineup, who have packed in to watch and cheer you on ridiculously loudly lmao) is loving it, you're loving it... it's all so good. ross does get a bit blushy and shy when it comes to you performing that one really horny song you wrote about him, and you find it so cute - afterwards, you're like "it's a very weird experience making eye contact during a song with the person you wrote the song about lmao. but he's into eye contact, so he probably enjoyed it" and look at ross (shaking his head but beaming at you) and wink as the crowd (and matty, literally lying on the ground in hysterics) goes insane. but yeah, you guys are INCREDIBLE - i think matty literally says something like "i have no idea how we're meant to follow that up. fuck it, we'll try anyway" when the boys get onstage lol - and as soon as you get offstage ross literally scoops you up to make out with you and be like "i am so fucking proud of you, love, you smashed it. i love you so much". and then after you get changed, you guys have maybe 15 mins to hang out while the stage is reconfigured, so it's just ross being like "it was so cool when you did this" and listing his favourite parts of your performance and continuing to kiss you until it's his turn to go onstage and smash it, and yours to watch proudly from the side <3

[toujokaname]

Card shuffle / Episode 11

Author: Akira

Characters: Aira, Hiiro, Tatsumi, Mayoi

"I'll win by any means necessary. The winner is justice, and I was raised for the sake of protecting Amagi justice."

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[ Read on my site for a better viewing experience using Ois~su ♪ ]

Season: Winter

Location: MDM Stage

Aira: (Hm~...? He seems strangely confident despite being Hiro-kun? No, wait, isn't he always like this?)

(It was weirder in the summer when he was depressed, doubting himself.)

(Even then, he quickly perked up after I held him in my arms and comforted him.)

Hiiro: I'll surrender the opening move to you. After all, Matrix's plan was full of flaws, and there wasn't any indication of who should sing first.

Tatsumi: Discovering these shortcomings on the spot for the first time is also unsettling. It feels like crossing a tattered suspension bridge.

Mayoi: I hope we all make it across without falling... Uuu, if it comes to that, please save yourselves even if it means sacrificing me!

Hiiro: Hehe. In that case, we'll all fall and then work together to crawl our way back up. That's the way ALKALOID does things ♪

Mayoi: (Fufu... Thank goodness. I was concerned that Hiiro-san might have changed, since the Crazy:B members were strangely taken aback by him...)

(But, Hiiro-san is still Hiiro-san after all. Always earnest, bright, and positive. A good kid...♪)

Tatsumi: —Oh, our song's intro has started playing.

Mayoi: Ah, they haven't even sent the signal yet, but you sure are quick on the uptake.

Hiiro: Umu. I anticipated this turn of events, or rather, I realized Nii-san's strategy, so I informed the staff of our arrangement beforehand.

Aira: ...?

(S-Something's off... But messing up the start of the song would be the worst, so let's focus.)

(Being around Hiro-kun always makes me feel like I gotta be the mature one, but I'll show that we're perfectly fine without him!)

"♪~♪~♪"

Tatsumi & Mayoi: "~...♪"

Hiiro: "♪♪♪♪♪"

Aira: —Huhh?!

Mayoi: H-Hiiro-san? Why are you singing, um, didn't you say you'd let us go first? It's our turn now, isn't it?

Hiiro: "♪~♪~♪"

Mayoi: (Eh? Did he start singing his part of the ALKALOID song out of habit, or conditioned reflex?)

(No, Hiiro-san wouldn't make such a careless mistake...?)

(So, this could be some kind of scheme! What kind of...?!)

Hiiro: —Hehe, sure enough, it's painful for me to deceive everyone, so I'll confess. I'm sure you guys won't slack off on stage even if you know the truth.

Come on, look behind you.

Aira: Behind...? Ah, when'd they put up that screen?!

Mayoi: H-Huh? Huuhhh? But w-waaait, it's our turn now, right?

Yet the screen reads Crazy:B, not ALKALOID?!

Hiiro: That's right—It's not ALKALOID's turn now, it's my turn as Crazy:B.

At least, officially.

Aira: W-What do you...?

Hiiro: Even a makeshift trick like this can be effective under these circumstances.

You were prompted by me and started to sing, thinking it was your turn first.

But actually, as I told the organizers beforehand, it's Crazy:B's turn now.

This showdown is being broadcast live, and the screen should be showing "First to Attack: Crazy:B" right now as well.

Tatsumi: So—

Hiiro: So, you're performing now, not as ALKALOID, but as Crazy:B.

You're singing ALKALOID's songs, which our fans who have gathered here love.

Me, Aira, Tatsumi-senpai and Mayoi-senpai, our full ALKALOID lineup. Just the perfect four of us, untouched by any odd elements.

Tatsumi: ... Is... that so.

Hiiro: Umu. Naturally, the fans will be delighted and vote for you a lot. I'm sure they'll give you high scores.

That's why I'm on stage wearing ALKALOID's outfit instead of Crazy:B's.

To outsiders, this will seem like a complete ALKALOID performance.

ALKALOID fans will certainly give it the highest score possible. That's what they wanted to see.

And as the first team to attack, you'll get a high score that the second team will never be able to compete with.

However. It'll be the officially announced first team that will get it, us in Crazy:B.

Aira: Eh? Eh? M-My head's spinning from all this ALKALOID and Crazy:B talk. Is this really happening?

Hiiro: It is happening, Aira. You've been fooled by me, and inadvertently aided the enemy.

You've stormed the castle with all your might, and reaped the spoils of war.

But. Every single one of those spoils will belong to us, Crazy:B.

What is this kind of thing called in the city? Let's see, an own goal?

Even if you sing your heart out as the second performers now that you know the truth, it's futile.

I won't sing then. So, you'll become an incomplete ALKALOID without me.

And the scores you'll receive will be lower compared to the first attackers.

As a result, the first match will be won by the first team, Crazy:B.

Even though only the official members of ALKALOID are on stage, the winners will be Crazy:B.

Hiiro: —Hehe, how amusing ♪

Mayoi: T-This is outrageous...?

Tatsumi: Indeed. I never imagined Hiiro-san was capable of committing such a horrible deception...

Hiiro: I'm sorry. It pains me, too. I didn't want to deceive you.

However. I really am sorry, but this is a competition.

I'll win by any means necessary.

The winner is justice, and I was raised for the sake of protecting Amagi justice.

Aira: ......

[ ☆ ]

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[buggybuggs]

Fresh New Commission Sheet!

As I've been drawing more, I've decided to make some updates to what I offer commission wise!

i use PayPal and Ko-Fi for payment :) all prices are in USD!

Click below for more information!

Hey! Glad you clicked!!

The main difference between this comm sheet and my previous one is updating the prices, simplifying my finishing process, and to showcase more of what I can do with my art!!

Got the norm base prices - 20$ headshot, 25$ halfbody, 30$fullbody

Finishing is my term for shading, as I have two shading methods, and a wiggly-line style of art!

Examples below of Style 1 (smooth) 2 (pixel) and 3 (wiggle)

And I do offer discounts for symmetrical works! I didn't write it on my sheet but its usually 5 bucks, whatever makes the number look good.

Now for the 4 featured things -

Yes, I do have an 18 + account, i'm not linking it here but it shouldn't be too hard to search for my 2nd account on this blog

I'm also happy doing taur designs! I can even make them of usual non-taur creatures!

Nonfurry designs are cool too as you can see by my monster girls, here's a human though for good measure (her name is Sam)

And animations!!! I can do smooth Live2d Animations and also frame by frame animations!! Double the price of the usual commission for what it'll cost, so 40 for headshots, 50 for halfbodies, and 60 for full!

And not listed on the sheet.. Ref Sheets!

The base is 50 bucks for the fullbody and your choice of focus shots, and for 5 dollars each you can get a symmetrical outfit doodle added in!

Other than all that, if you see anything I post and want something like that with your characters, feel free to send it over to me!! Whether its a big OC lineup or some specific pose i did before, just let me know!

That's about it though! Here's my TOS below, and feel free to DM me if you have any questions!

I usually give updates for 1-2 sketch phases, a color phase, and then the finished piece. Once I send you one update, I'll wait for your approval before moving onto the next phase. During these updates, any requested changes should coincide with the stage of the artwork (Posing during sketching, color changes during colors, etc.). Please don't have any fear however if you do need to make a last minute change, just keep it reasonable please. I usually add filters onto my art, I'll be more than happy to send unfiltered alternate versions upon request. Feel free to also personally request different filtered looks (Making the piece pastel, adding a static filter, giving the piece a pride flag overlay, etc.) I'm always happy to experiment. When commissioning an animation, please let me know whether you'd like a smoothly made animation using Live2D or a frame-swap animation. Feel free to ask for examples, but just note that these you'll need to pick one or the other Feel free to message me here or on Discord (Mel#4367) for any questions, or if there's something you'd like that isn't listed here [By commissioning me, you agree that your commissioned piece will not be used for AI art, any cryptocurrency related means, or reused/resold for more than you paid.]

[artzychic27]

I just feel like blurting stuff

So, another au by yours truly. Nath used to compete in pageants and won many of them

He first started competing when he was six, just for fun

He got his hair styled a bit, his mom found a few nice outfits, and they didn’t expect too much… But then Nath ended up winning, so his mom signed him up a second time since it seemed like he enjoyed himself. Plus, she’s putting that money towards school, so… Yeah

Alix is the only non family member who knows about the pageants and refuses to let him live it down. But in private since he doesn’t want everyone at school knowing

He keeps his life as a Pageant King under wraps by going about his school life as his “shy artist” self and then wowing the judges with his amazing talent on the piano, cello, violin, harp, flute, and acoustic guitar (Evillustrator confirmed Nathaniel is good at music)

By the time he turned ten, he’s already won forty five pageants

With his victories comes a few people under the guise of managers trying to mooch off of his success, but Aya keeps them at an arm’s length. The pageants are quite enough and she doesn’t want her son’s face plastered on every ad

There are a few photos in a couple of magazines, but that’s just to recap the pageant, any celebrities who attended, and announce the winner

To balance school work and practice, Aya’s sister, Laney, home schools him when it’s pageant season, and her brother, Lance, helps him practice for the talent portion

The teachers know about him competing in pageants and slip him a few high fives when he returns to school after winning

His secret nearly gets out a couple of times when the class questions him about his hairstyle and why he’s gone for a few days during the school year, but he’s got a few excuses prepared thanks to Alix

Marinette: Why does your hair look so nice?

Nathaniel: Oh, so the class introvert isn’t allowed to look presentable once in a while?

—

Nino: Since when are you so good at the piano?

Nathaniel: Well, maybe if you paid attention, you’d know I have skills besides drawing.

Now he’s fifteen, won 97 pageants, and is ready for number 98

Also, his classmates have had enough. They went to know what he’s been up to for the past few years, becuase he’s definitely not telling them any time soon

They’ve tried going to Alix, but she’s remained tight lipped and won’t give into bribery

Everything eventually comes to light when Adrien’s been selected as a celebrity judge for the Adolescent M. Paris Pageant

Adrien invites the class along, barring Alix since she’s out of town visiting family and had no idea what they’re doing. They’re just walking around and venue, meeting some of the competitors who all look nervous for some reason because of who’s here

Alya: Wait, who?

Competitor 1: Only the actual threat here! Have you all been living under a rock?!

Competitor 2: I hear he’s playing the cello for this one, and he got his suit custom made from Milan. There’s real diamonds on it!

Competitor 1: That’s nothing. I heard he went to a private dentist to have his teeth whitened so much that the shade of white can’t be found on any color swatches.

Competitor 3: And he got his lips tinted.

Kim: Can we have a name, or-

Competitor 3: No! We do not summon him! I’ll be damned if that little weasel steals my crown again! Where the hell is my bronzer?!

Now the Akuma Class is intrigued, just who is this threat that has every guy on edge? Before they can ask around for a name, the competitors are all called to the stage, so they take their seats

And there on the stage, they find Nathaniel in the lineup

At first, they think, “Oh, he wants to come out of his shell and compete. He couldn’t have picked a worse time. He won’t stand a chance against whoever everyone is so threatened by. We should comfort him when this is over.”

To their surprise, Nathaniel acts as if he’s been doing this for years, walking with perfect posture and speaking clearly during the Q&A portion

During the intermission, they head backstage to get some answers

Nathaniel: I don’t know, because it’s kind of embarrassing. I just do it so my mom can put the prize money toward school. And did it really take you guys ten years to figure it out?

Akuma Class: …

Nathaniel: Right. Now if you’ll excuse me, I gotta get my cello.

Chloé: Wait! You’re the threat?!

Nathaniel: If that’s what everyone’s been calling me, then yeah. Look, I’m on about ten minutes, so I suggest heading back to your seats.

He only amazes them even more when he plays Paint It Black on his beautiful red cello

They’re not even shocked when he wins. Of course, one or two people take pictures to send to a mass group text, so Nathaniel had something to look forward to at school

He’s mobbed by guys asking for his number, popular kids inviting him to sit with them at lunch, and girls asking who does his hair, but he’s having none of that

They wanted nothing to do with him until it turned out he’s been in magazines and looks attractive without his dark clothes, so he wants nothing to do with them

He gives a few practiced responses to his friends congratulating him on winning and turns down Adrien’s Gabriel’s offer to model for the brand, and Marinette’s offer to model some of her clothes for her website

In his words, “My body’s not for sale.”

That doesn’t stop a familiar limo from pulling up to him

Gabriel: M. Kurtzberg-

Nathaniel: I NEED AN ADULT!

Gabriel saw the pageant from the comfort of home as a scout for the winner, and is now trying to get Nathaniel to model for his brand. He’s got a better chance than Bob Roth, that’s for sure. At least Nathaniel makes eye contact with him

Anyway, guys are still trying to pick Nathaniel up, and it’s getting really annoying, so he hides out in the basement during lunch hour where he meets Marc Anciel and prepares for shallow compliments

He just offers him an apple

Nathaniel: You’re not gonna try to flirt with me?

Marc: Well, someone’s full of himself.

Nathaniel: What? No, it’s just, every time I turn a corner, some guy is asking me out with roses and talking about how hot I look just because I won a pageant.

Marc: That was you? Wow, you are… Not what I was expecting. I was expecting a better haircut and designer clothes.

Nathaniel: Hey!… Thanks for treating me like a human.

Marc: No problem. Congrats, I guess? What is this, your fifth win?

Nathaniel: Ninety-eighth.

Marc: … You like AO3?

Marc and Nathaniel start spending a lot of time together, which gets some people’s attention, and they suspect he’s a gold digger, but Nathaniel shuts that down quickly and calls certain people hypocrites

Marc even introduces him to his classmates who aren’t completely starstruck by a 98-time pageant winner. They ask a few questions, but he doesn’t mind answering

One time, Juleka invites Nathaniel to the Liberty, because according to her, Luka wants to see up close how good he is at the violin. It leads to a competition where Juleka swears she saw smoke rising because of how fast they were playing

Anyway, it’s not long before Marc and Nathaniel start dating after Marc gets him to safety from some guy who refused to take a hint when Nathaniel said no to a date with him

That’s it

[cainluvr69]

Literally Just The Cain Parts Of Arc 2 Chapter 20 (chapters 1 and 2)

Owen: ……

Cain: Owen…

Owen turned his face away, without even a smirk on his lips. I glared at him. I didn't think I could do anything else. I couldn't see what expression Arthur was making right now. It's not as if I couldn't see him because of my injury from the [Great Calamity]. But I felt so guilty, the kind of guilt that can't be properly formed into words, that I couldn't bear to look at him. That was when I realized something. I was trying to come up with some sort of excuse for all of this. What the hell am I doing?

Arthur: It's alright. I have an escort. Ah, right there.

Arthur glanced over towards me. Owen was still not looking at me, his arms crossed--I'd never seen him act like this before. And then, I saw him sneak a glance at me. I just kept glaring at him full force. I'd never wanted Arthur to see me like this. I hated Owen as much as I hated myself. But for just a moment, I saw something I couldn't put a name to flickering in his eyes. That just made me feel even more guilty, and I didn't know why. It was as if…I was seeing the little Owen because of how messed up things had gotten. But soon enough, he met my glare with his own equally sharp one. Like a beast.

Cain: (If he's making that kind of face, he has to be the real one.)

Arthur: Alright, thank you. Owen. Could you come here too, please?

Arthur took one of Owen's arms and together, they came over to me. I had no idea what to do. Owen didn't, either. All I could do was steel myself and look up at Arthur. He…wasn't looking at me with contempt, or even disappointment. He was in his blue training outfit, and his clear blue eyes were sparkling. Seeing him like that…I felt my face turn grim, and I started to yell at him.

Cain: Artie, what are you thinking? Only high ranking military officers are allowed in here! Grunts like you should know their place!

I lightly knocked Arthur away and then stuck my finger towards his chest. The worst thing that could happen here is anyone else here finding out who Arthur really was. I was just trying to get him out of here safely. He looked startled at first, but on realizing what was going on, decided to match my pace.

Arthur: My sincerest apologies. However…

Owen: You don't need to apologize, Artie. Just sit down right there. Next to Sir Knight.

Owen roughly forced Arthur down next to me. The women and officers I'd been talking with quickly moved out of his way. It was me, Arthur, Owen, plus the women by me and Owen. That was our current lineup.

Woman: Have a glass. One for you, too.

Owen and I were handed glasses while we glared at each other over Arthur's head. I asked him something, keeping my voice low.

Cain: What are you trying to pull? This is a dirty prank.

Owen: Hmph. The only one playing around here is you. If you're really so sure of yourself, then surely you can keep doing the same in front of Sir Prince?

Woman: Prince?

Owen's slip of the tongue stabbed a bit of fear into me, but he simply crossed his legs and smiled at the lady next to him.

Owen: I'm talking about myself. I'm the prince of the Cerberus Kingdom. And I'll bite your throat out.

Owen had meant it as a threat, but because of the alcohol, the woman took it as a joke. She blushed, and then tilted back her head and presented her neck.

Woman: Ooh, how scary. But I don't mind if you want to eat me right up.

Owen: Are you stupid? You'd get along great with Sir Knight. I've fed him to my dogs before, too.

Cain: Come on…

Right as I was about to argue, Arthur suddenly moved to look at me. He took up my whole field of vision, the only thing I could see.

Arthur: I need to talk to you. Err, rather, I have something I'd like to speak with you about, Sir Cain.

Cain: What's up, Artie? Is it something so important you had to talk to me here? It's already late. Kids should be in bed by now.

Arthur: Kids?

Arthur raised one eyebrow. I think…I made him a little mad.

Arthur: It's an important conversation regarding your honor, Sir Cain. You are a very devoted person, but should you have betrayed yourself to that end…

I saw a pale finger extend past Arthur's cheek, and then Owen grabbed Arthur's face and forcibly turned his head. He murmured something into Arthur's ear. They glanced at me during their quiet conversation, leaving me completely baffled by their newfound…familiarity. This couldn't be anything good. I suddenly felt restless.

Arthur: …Understood.

While I was being set adrift in a sea of confusion, Arthur simply nodded, and moved away from Owen. This time he got closer to me, putting his arm over the back of the sofa. Arthur's lips approached my ear. His hair and skin smelled of expensive perfume, the kind that no amount of effort could hide. The idea of having a one on one talk with him was making me just a little bit nervous. Over Arthur's shoulder, I could see Owen. Arthur whispered into my ear.

Arthur: …Please don't do anything that would deprive you of your knightly spirit.

I didn't know how much he'd heard from Owen, but the sincere and earnest tone in his voice made my chest ache. As Arthur pulled away from me, I whispered something back.

Cain: …Don't misunderstand. I'm trying to win over the Western military to get information on Nicholas. It's dangerous for you to be here. You should leave immediately. Oz and Riquet should still be…

I glanced up, and my words trailed off on their own. There were heavy footsteps making their way towards us. They were even and composed, like those of higher ranked or commissioned officers. The lively atmosphere around us had become tense. Maybe the general they'd talked about earlier, General Barnett, was here.

Gill: ……

If it was the Western general, it was entirely probable that he knew what Central Country's crown prince looked like.

Cain: (I can't even imagine how things will blow up if the prince of an unfriendly neighboring country is found in a military club.)

I immediately pulled Arthur closer to me, my hand on his back.

Arthur: …Wha--?!

Cain: What's wrong? Are you not feeling well? You must've drank too much. We should get you on your way quick. Owen!

Owen: Excuse me?

Cain: Take care of Artie for me. Or at least take him to the inn.

Owen narrowed his eyes at me.

Owen: And why do I have to do what you tell me to, Sir Knight?

Arthur also looked up at me, frowning a bit.

Arthur: I am still not done talking with you.

I wasn't listening to either of them. I was busy worrying about if General Barnett was here, and I picked up the book I'd dropped earlier with one hand. This was a popular novel the general liked. I'd been reading it aloud to try and catch his attention. That was the plan, at least.

Cain: Sorry, but please, I need you both to leave. I need to read this book.

Arthur: Right now?

Owen: Why?

Cain: Because the general likes it. He'll be excited if we like the same things, right?

Arthur: Do you like it, Cain?

Cain: Well, I haven't read it yet…

Arthur: He won't be happy if you're only pretending. When he realizes you're lying, he'll only be sad about it.

Arthur's words reminded me of my mom, and my heart clenched in my chest. I shook my head, a bitter feeling at the back of my throat. I glanced around, and then murmured something to him.

Cain: …You and Oz are no good at telling lies. That's why this is something I have to do. I'm doing what I do best.

Arthur: Trust isn't something so easily won. Trust balanced on top of lies will come crashing down when it's most important. If trust is lost on the battlefield, then who can you entrust your life to?

I felt like he'd just punched me in the face. Exactly like Arthur had said, morale dropped under leadership that couldn't be trusted. Everyone put their life on the line for their pride and sense of justice at some point. And if you weren't sincere about it, all you'd get is corrupted authority and false justice. That's why you can't just start running forward. Arthur's eyes held the same noble look I'd seen in the portraits of previous kings in Granvelle Castle.

Arthur: Cain, you are my knight. You don't need to concoct any devious plots.

My heart was wavering in my chest. I wanted to live up to Arthur's pure, unsullied feelings. But, I think someone who betrays those feelings would serve him better. Nicholas and the white-haired woman. The sunken Adams Island expedition. Should I just give up and try a different method of attack? My honor didn't matter. What even is true devotion? What would Leno or Shino do if they were in my place?

✦✧☾✧✦

I stole a glance at Owen. He was frowning, and then he sighed as if to say "Well, there's no helping it." He reached over Arthur and put his hand on the back of my neck, pulling me closer. And then, he whispered something in my ear. Owen's voice was oddly shrill, as if he was embarrassed about something.

Owen: Hey… If it's the only way, then. I'll kill the Western general for you.

My eyes widened. Owen frowned, making a weird face, like he was trying to hide his embarrassment. He was messing with his bangs like he was annoyed, but he was eyeing me with a certain sense of pride.

Owen: But only for tonight, okay?

My blood drained out of my face and I shook my head.

Cain: Don't even think about doing something like that. It'd become a massive diplomatic issue.

Owen: …Hah?

Pretty sure Owen thought that he was offering to do a good deed, which was why he was so embarrassed about it, but it was still undeniably an offer of assassination. A Northern wizard killing the Western army's general in front of Central's prince was just a recipe for disaster.

Cain: You don't need to come up with any plots, just take Arthur and…

Owen: Plots? I'm saying I'll help you, and you say I'm plotting?

Cain: I'm grateful for the offer, but right now, your talents aren't really what I need here.

Owen's trunk appeared out of nowhere. I looked up at the ceiling, and then tried again.

Cain: I said not right now, right?

Owen: I'm going to turn you to stone. I don't take orders from anyone.

Woman: D-didn't he just pull that trunk from nowhere… Was that…magic?

Owen smiled threateningly at the pale woman.

Owen: That's right. Didn't I tell you? I'll bite your throat out.

Arthur: Could you kindly stop, Owen?

Woman: …I--I'm not scared! I'm not scared of wizards. There are so many officers from the Magical Weaponry Division here. Everyone, please…!

Cain: Let's calm down! Owen, put your trunk away! Absolutely do not open it!

Owen: …Don't order me around!

Arthur: We're not giving you orders. Neither Cain nor I are trying to subjugate you, Owen of the North.

Arthur placed his hand on Owen's arm, and then he looked up at me.

Arthur: This goes for you too, Cain. My desires are not meant to be chains. They shouldn't keep you from listening to your heart.

Those painful words felt so good. My heart. My thoughts and feelings could change everything. And how easily mine had been changed. What could I do with these feelings?

Gill: And what is going on here?

Owen and I stood ready at the same time. We didn't even have to say anything. Both of us were prepared to guard Arthur. I couldn't see who had spoken. But I could tell enough from the air around them. This was General Barnett. The cheery, drunken sense of relaxation in the club had changed. Not in a bad way. There wasn't any fear shooting up my spine. But all the soldiers in the room remembered something now that they stood before him. All he had to do was stand in the same room as them, and the Western army's soldier remembered their pride. Their spirit. I hadn't even seen his face, and General Barnett had already overwhelmed us. If he was this charismatic on a normal day, I wondered how far his leadership would take him on the battlefield. Speaking as a soldier from the neighboring country? I wasn't looking forward to seeing it.

Cain: …My apologies for disturbing you. I am Cain, a former knight of Central Country.

I smiled amiably and held my hand out to him. I could only wonder if he'd accept it. But I only had to worry for a couple seconds. A large hand grasped mine moments later. The same moment, a tall, capable-looking young man appeared in front of me. He had the sociable, reliable air of someone you could call an ideal commanding officer.

Gill: Gill Barnett, at your service. Would those be your friends?

Still feeling the strain, I introduced the two of them.

Cain: My subordinates. Artie and Wen.

Owen: You're a wizard, aren't you.

Owen announced that right to General Barnett's face. It caught me off guard for a moment, but I knew why he'd felt that, so I explained it to him.

Cain: Don't be rude, Wen. Watch your mouth. This is the man who leads the Magical Weaponry Division. Using that many mana stones can make someone have the same presence as a wizard.

Owen: Mana stones…? …Just how many would you have to use to feel like that.

Owen smiled a thin smile at him, the expression dripping with malice and hatred. But General Barnett was unmoved. His eyes moved to Arthur, and he gestured for him to sit down.

Gill: Please, sit.

Arthur: Thank you, sir.

Although Arthur took a seat, General Barnett did not. Instead, he sat down next to me, taking the place of a woman who had gracefully offered up her seat. His leisurely manner was also a smart one. And it wasn't like he was trying to intimidate or overpower us. It looked like he was being considerate of us.

Gill: You said you were a former Central soldier, didn't you?

Cain: Yes.

The general smiled at me, friendly-like.

Gill: As the general of Western Country, I could call myself its greatest hero, but surely that means little to a Central knight. From Central's oldest knight to its youngest trainee, each one is fearlessly brave. Now that's true glory. They don't get ahead of themselves when victory's in sight, and that's how the names of so many heroes have been engraved in their history. And you are one of them. It's a pleasure to meet you.

Cain: Ah… Thank you very much. I'm undeserving of such praise.

I knew it was nothing more than flattery, but my chest was still full of emotion. Even the general of another country saw the same splendor in the Central knights that I'd admired ever since I was little. Arthur's eyes also glowed with the praise.

Gill: And that is?

The general gestured towards the book next to me. Seems like the story about him liking this series was true. Finally, I could work on fulfilling my intended objective here. I picked up the book with vigor.

Cain: A book from a series I like. I'd heard that you enjoyed it as well. I was thinking of reading some aloud, if you'd be fine with that.

The general smiled at me, and I looked over my shoulder towards Owen.

Cain: Wen. Cover Artie's ears for me, would you?

Owen: What? Why?

Cain: I've got a feeling there's going to be some events that children shouldn't be listening to.

Arthur: You keep calling me a child, but I am no longer… I am not a child, Sir Cain.

Owen: I'll let him listen. Give us a tale so terrifying it gives Artie nightmares.

Arthur: No matter how terrifying a story it is, it won't keep me awake or give me nightmares. Because I am not a child.

Cain: It's not a scary story. Well, it shouldn't be…

I remembered the bit I'd read just before as getting a bit…spicy. I glanced over at the general. As if the friendly air he'd had earlier had been nothing but a lie, he was now completely filled with bloodlust.

Cain: Is… Is something wrong, sir…?

His eyes met mine and slowly, slowly his head turned to join them.

Gill: That book is a stellar adaptation… Don't speak of it as if it's some vulgar, tawdry product.

Cain: Ah… Um…

Gill: The play it is based on is an action/adventure coming-of-age story centered around the friendship of a landed noble caught up in an inheritance dispute and one of her maids. In any case.

Cain: Yes.

Gill: The two protagonists fall in love with a traveling merchant, and both compete for his affection in further more impossible ways. You said you liked it, didn't you?

Cain: Uh, yes.

Gill: To be frank, I am absolutely appalled. No further conversation is required.

Cain: W--wait! My apologies. Let me be honest. I'm…

Gill: The Sage's wizard, Cain Knightley. And that would be another Sage's wizard, the Northern wizard Owen. And this gentleman would be… No, enough with names.

The general had been looking at Arthur when he said that. Arthur, however, took a deep breath and said his next words very pointedly.

Arthur: Please, allow me to introduce myself. I am the prince of Central Country, Arthur Granvelle. My apologies for being misleading with my identity, General Barnett.

The general's eyes widened at such a forthwith introduction. For the first time in this conversation, he was shocked. After carefully observing his surroundings, he simply shrugged his shoulders.

Gill: …My sincerest apologies. I had not heard you would be visiting. Had I been aware, I would have knelt before you. To do so now would be, well, conspicuous.

Arthur: Let me apologize as well. I was distracted.

The general smiled at Arthur's immediate apology. He leaned forward, lowering his voice.

Gill: …Please listen without showing surprise. Important citizens of my country have of late been collapsing with sudden illness. Their health worsens very quickly, and as it stands, it is doubtful they can even make it through the night. Were it to be known that a foreign dignitary is visiting me during this plague, it would draw suspicion. Please, leave as soon as you are able.

Arthur: Western country's dignitaries…

Gill: I cannot speak further than this. You understand, yes?

Arthur: Yes… Thank you. However, may I ask one thing?

Gill: You may.

Arthur: Why did you warn me?

Gill: I'd rather not cause problems for myself by complicating things with easily-rectified matters.

The general smiled calmly. His manner was arrogant, but Arthur's eyes were happy all the same.

Gill: You are young, and there is still hope in your heart. Though we may live in a broken world, I keep faith that it shall one day be beautifully reborn. I would rather do you a favor of something more valuable than saying your name too loudly and bringing both of our nations trouble.

Arthur: My thanks, General Barnett.

Gill: Please, just call me Gill. Now, I would not say this is advice, per se… If you have no urgent plans, I would suggest staying in the City of Wealth for the moment.

Cain: Why?

Gill: A coronation ceremony shall be held on a day very soon from now. I believe the Sage's wizards were also given an invitation.

Those words alone told me everything I needed to know about the state of the West's dignitaries, and which among them had fallen ill. Western Country was a monarchy, after all. It seemed we'd arrived at a very delicate time.

Gill: Well then, I shall take my leave. May there be good company on your way home.

With a bow, the general began to walk away from us. I was after him in a flash. He was a fair sort of person. I needed to do something to get rid of the guilt of lying to him.

Cain: Hold on.

Gill: What?

Cain: …Sorry for lying to you. Err, my sincerest apologies, I mean.

His shoulders shook with laughter. At least the look on his face meant I hadn't insulted him.

Gill: What a very Central thing of you to say. No, it was quite fine. Why were you trying to gain my favor?

Cain: Huh?

Gill: You pretended to have read a book you'd never touched for the sake of my favor, to the point of troubling your comrades.

Cain: That's, well… I really do apologize for that. I mean it from the bottom of my heart.

Gill: It certainly seems that way. I've yet to meet someone from Central who enjoyed deceit. Nicholas was the same way.

My eyes widened the moment I heard Nicholas's name.

Cain: You remember Nicholas?

Gill: Of course I do. He was once a hero who stood as Central's head of knights. It was quite exhausting having such a great man foisted onto me as one of my subordinates.

After that bit of complaint, the general smiled at me.

Gill: I heard a bit of you from him. He called you the kind of genius that only comes around once every thousand years. Nicholas had been quite proud whenever your name was brought up. It was clear that he loved Central Country and Central's knights from the bottom of his heart. What happened to him was very unfortunate.

The general put his hand on my shoulder. The sudden rush of emotion in my chest was so strong, I could feel my breathing waver. Even if he had fallen as something evil, Nicholas had once been someone I admired. Hearing words of praise for him made my chest tight. Even though I'd tried to convince myself there was no other choice, I'd always hated how things had turned out. If the reason that the gallant knight I admired had become a villain was because I'd cornered him, then didn't that make me the evil one? The general shook his head, as if to reject the self-hatred I'd never voiced aloud.

Gill: My only complaint is that you led the knights after someone like Nicholas had been driven out. You're not the kind of person who would be here to try and gather information. The right person for the right place, after all. Though it's true Western Country tends to discriminate towards wizards, but we are still generous enough to welcome the philosopher Hart to the royal palace with open arms. Those from Central are less sociable. The generosity seen when the King of Knights Alec established that country alongside wizards is nowhere to be seen. The current system in place only shames that sincere warrior. You don't need to look at me like that. If you're going to turn your sword on anything, turn it on the system.

This foreign general's words were like a guiding light that had saved me. Perhaps they were simply honeyed words to win me over. But I wanted to think they were true.

Cain: Thank you very much, sir.

Gill: Even wicked customs can be changed that way. Should your revolution fail and you go into exile, I would gladly welcome you to our country.

Cain: I'm not planning on abandoning my country. I am a Central knight.

The general smiled warmly at me.

Gill: I thought that's what you'd say.

Cain: General Barnett. Did anything strange happen to Nicholas during his time in this country?

Gill: Why do you ask?

Cain: I heard that he headed an expedition to the sunken Adams Island. He wasn't exactly a man who was fond of the sea. But if he left anything behind that might tell me what his goal was, then…

Gill: I see. A very Central expression of camaraderie. I'm fond of Central's knights because you're all like characters in a book. Now then, regarding Nicholas… Although he was one for etiquette, there were times when he crossed the line when it came to me. I imagine he couldn't forgive himself for it.

Cain: I see…

Gill: Oh, but there is one thing I recall. He once asked me if I was an avid reader. Specifically, he asked if there were any accounts handed down through Western legend of an account of a path through Hell.

Cain: A path through Hell…?

Gill: Yes. I'd never heard of something like it. What about in Central?

Cain: This is the first time I'm hearing of anything like it, too.

Gill: I see. I apologize, but that's as much as I can offer.

✦✧☾✧✦

Arthur: A path through Hell… I've never heard of it, either. What about you, Owen?

Owen: Who knows.

Arthur: Perhaps you keep it within that trunk of yours?

Owen: Sure. Want to take a peek, Sir Prince?

Cain: Knock it off, Owen.

Owen: Hmph. So you failed to become a villain, Sir Knight. Well, it's just a matter of time. I'm looking forward to seeing it happen.

Cain: …tsk, he's gone… God, he's so…

Arthur: Owen was worried about you, Cain.

Cain: As if.

Arthur: That was why he came to me. …Am I wrong?

Cain: You're wrong. Maybe he's not as awful as I thought, but… He's still awful. Don't let him fool you.

Arthur: You think so…?

Cain: …A path through Hell… Sigh… All that work, and that's the only clue we got.

Arthur: We did get to meet with the Western general, thanks to your infiltration. Thank you, Cain.

Cain: Arthur… No, I should be the one thanking you.