#this casting at least makes me more hopeful that they might go with my preferred option

[exculis]

i like knitting way more than crocheting and yet i own way more crochet hooks. fascinating.

[my-burnt-city]

remember the brilliant beautiful vibrant performers of the burnt city, especially the transgender and the non-binary and the otherwise gender-non-conforming among them, how exquisitely they performed, how plainly they were put before us in their variously gendered roles without commentary or explanation or uproar?

remember when renowned antitrans hate-monger jkr turned up to the show one night with her dear friend hbc?

anyway, i'd say i have mixed feelings about this, but actually it turns out i really DON'T

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Punchdrunk (@punchdrunkint)

[grandline-fics]

hi! could i request for mihawk and anyone else of your choice reacting to their usually modest s/o wearing something scandalous and getting a lot of attention and they feel jealous or try to hide them away from prying eyes? thanks love you

DESCRIPTION: You’re normally modest and get a lot of attention from others when you wear something scandalous

WARNINGS: a little suggestive but nothing explicit at the end

CHARACTERS: Mihawk

WORDS: 1,285

A/N: Thank you for this request! I had a lot of fun writing it and I hope you enjoy what I came up with for it

*REQUESTS ARE OPEN*

MASTERLIST | PROMPT LIST

———————

“Another gala, Crocodile?” Mihawk asked dryly looking at the small decorated piece of paper in his hand. “Is my presence truly necessary for this?” His golden eyes looked at the information blankly and held back the glare to see it would be taking place on the island they were at. Any other time these events were held, Mihawk would refuse to travel so far for a measly party or would take up a bounty mission that would take him in the opposite direction so he couldn’t attend. 

“Oh humour me for once, Mihawk.” Crocodile urged, frowning around his cigar. “I can’t keep bringing that liability of a figurehead. If we want to convince those nobles and backers of our legitimacy I need someone who can actually manoeuvre in these circles. If we want to see Cross Guild succeed and be profitable you’re going. You’re not getting out of it this time.” You bit back a smile to see your lover’s eye twitch. He hated going to these kinds of things. Quickly you acted, stepping behind his seat to place a hand on his shoulder and offer him a smile. “Oh come on, might actually be fun. At least this time you’re not going under Marine orders, it’ll be different. I can go with you if that makes things easier?”

At that Crocodile let out a small scoff, making you and Mihawk look at him in annoyance. The gala invitation was an open one so he couldn’t say you weren’t allowed to go but it was clear you going had irked him in some way which was odd seeing as you and the other founder of Cross Guild were on relatively good terms. You would’t say we was a close friend but he wasn’t someone you loathed. You remained silent as Crocodile stubbed out his cigar into the ashtray on the table and slowly looked you over, his scrutinising stare showing his critical assessment. “No offence, but you’d be more out of place than the clown. Like I said, we need to make a positive impression with these people.”

Your fingers flexed against Mihawk’s shoulder in a silent way of telling him not to react to Crocodile’s remarks. You were more than aware that your appearance was vastly different from his rich fabrics and perfectly tailored style. You’d always preferred simplistic and comfortable over anything else you wore. This wasn’t the first time someone pointed out your modest and almost drab fashion and it never bothered you. At least not until you felt you’d be letting Mihawk down. You knew how important Cross Guild was to him. Quickly you placed a kiss against Mihawk’s cheek and smiled at Crocodile as you left the room, if it was a positive impression he wanted, then that’s what he’d get. “I’ll meet you both at the gala.”

————

Mihawk hated having to interact with people he thought nothing of, he hated having to practically parade himself around in front of rich people like something to be gawked at in order to fulfil their own boring curiosities. He would much rather be in his own quarters with you, enjoying each others company and peace. Sharply he glared at Crocodile for what felt like the hundredth time today as he stepped into the banquet hall of the mansion the gala was being held in. While you’d shown no hint of annoyance for his earlier disrespect, Mihawk was still pissed and no amount of expensive wine was going to change that. 

As he took the glass of wine offered to him, he cast his gaze across the filled room in search of you. Though it was hard to search each face properly especially with the group that had already congregated near the centre of the room, fawning voices spilling from their mouths in a strange chorus. Mihawk and Crocodile shared a look of confusion, as far as they were both aware Cross Guild were the main attraction. While Mihawk was more than happy for someone else to take the attention, Crocodile was less than impressed. Then a familiar laugh sounded from the middle of the group making both men freeze.  

The pair watched as one person moved slightly and it gave them a window to clearly see you talking to the group, allowing the host of the gala lift your hand to press an adoring kiss against your knuckles. Mihawk remained the outward image of calm but inside he was a mess, looking you over intensely. Gone were your usual clothes of comfortable layers of soft and understated fabrics, in their place was the richest material adorning your form like a second skin coloured a deep wine red. Your outfit highlighted your body’s attributes that were usually hidden and accentuated the allure and attractiveness that previous only he was worthy of seeing. 

“Well…”Crocodile managed out with a firm clearing of his throat, even he was caught by your makeover. “Seems I was very wrong.” Mihawk snapped his head away from your direction to throw the fiercest glare yet at his business partner. Oh how he wished he had Yoru with him to slash all of your admirers in one go. Moving briskly he wove himself through the sea of pests buzzing around you and snaked an arm around your waist smoothly in greeting. Upon seeing who you were attending the gala with and felt the murderous aura rolling from his frame, those that had been desperately vying for your attention in the hopes of getting more, promptly became stuttering messes as they made hurried goodbyes and dispersed, scurrying away like the rats Mihawk knew them to be. 

“Hello, love.” You greeted with a pleasant smile. “Something wrong?”

“I despise seeing lesser beings try to sully works of art.”

“Aww, as sweet as that is just say you’re jealous.” You laughed softly, smiling up at him as you let him direct you smoothly away from the centre of the room and away from the appreciative stares you were still getting. “So, have I made a positive enough impression?”

“You know you have. You could wear anything and would be the most attractive person in the room.” Mihawk told you smoothly and you smirked. 

“Then why are you trying to hide me with the edge of your coat?” You asked, looking down to see the hand around your waist also held his coat around your body in an improvised shield. Mihawk didn’t answer. He lowered his gaze down to you once more, fully taking in just how much more enticing you were to him. He thought suffering this gala would be torture enough but to be here with you, looking so ravishing and drawing so much attention was unbearable, even for his resilient will. 

Acting quickly he pulled you close for a kiss and bit back the satisfied smirk when you flinched at the sudden feeling of the wine in his other hand spilled against your shoulder. You pulled back to throw him an accusatory stare while he merely set the now half-empty glass down on the tray of a server walking by and stared at you blankly, completely unapologetic. “Oh, how clumsy of me. Looks like we’ll have to go back and change.”

“You really are childish sometimes you know that?” You muttered with a slow roll of your eyes, walking with him towards the exit. 

“We’ll have to be careful.” Mihawk continued, ignoring your comment, his hand releasing his coat so he could drop his hand to your hip and give you a quick squeeze. “With material this expensive we’d have to make sure it’s taken care of properly. Could take all night.”

Well who were you to argue with that?

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

TAG LIST (If I've missed anyone or if you want to be added just let me know) @3v37773, @tsaaps , @i-am-all-love-puns-and-lazy , @sanemisnonexistenteyebrow , @fiery-captain-spider-santa

[blackenedsnow]

Hola! Es la primera vez que pido algo :>

¿podrías preguntarle a shadow/lector masculino, donde el lector es un tipo muy relajado y astuto? ¿Cómo sería la convivencia de shadow y alguien así? (Perdón si no entiendes, el inglés no es mi especialidad x/)

balancing

WARNING: None

PAIRING: Shadow the Hedgehog x Male! Reader

NOTE: I don’t understand Spanish, so I got my Spanish-speaking friend to read this for me. I hope I got it right!

SUMMARY: Living with Shadow isn’t easy, but your relaxed nature balances out his intensity. In the end, you both find comfort in each other’s differences.

Living with Shadow wasn’t what most people would call “easy.” He was the definition of intense, and you? You were pretty much the opposite.

You sat at the kitchen table, leaning back in your chair as you stirred your coffee lazily. The early morning sunlight barely filtered through the blinds, casting long shadows across the room. Shadow stood near the window, arms crossed, looking as serious as ever. He didn’t talk much in the mornings, which was fine by you. You preferred things quiet in the morning, too.

But today, something was different. He looked like he had something on his mind.

“You’ve been staring out that window for a while,” you pointed out, taking a slow sip of your coffee. “Something bothering you?”

Shadow glanced at you, his crimson eyes sharp as ever. “No,” he replied simply, but you could tell that wasn’t entirely true.

You shrugged, not wanting to push him. You knew Shadow well enough to know he wasn’t one to just open up about whatever was bothering him. If he wanted to talk, he would. Until then, you’d just keep doing what you did best—relaxing and taking life as it came.

“Alright,” you said, placing your mug down on the table. “Let me know if you change your mind.”

Shadow didn’t respond. He just kept staring out the window, probably thinking about something that would stress most people out. You weren’t most people, though. You were calm, laid-back, and had learned to go with the flow. It was an odd balance, living with someone as intense as Shadow, but somehow, it worked.

Over the weeks you’d been living together, you’d figured out how to give him space when he needed it and how to diffuse situations when things got too tense. Sometimes that meant stepping back and letting him brood in silence. Other times, it meant making a sarcastic comment to lighten the mood.

Today seemed like one of those times when a little humor might help.

“You know,” you said, stretching your arms above your head, “if you keep frowning like that, you’re gonna get wrinkles. Not that you’d notice with all the scowling you already do.”

Shadow shot you a sideways glare, but there was a flicker of something behind his expression. Was that amusement? It was hard to tell with him sometimes, but you liked to think that your attitude had started to rub off on him, at least a little.

“If I get wrinkles, it’ll be because I’m constantly surrounded by idiots,” Shadow muttered.

You chuckled, standing up to grab another cup of coffee. “Well, lucky for you, I’m not an idiot. Just... lazy.”

Shadow didn’t respond, but he seemed a little less tense now. That was a win in your book.

Later that day, you found yourself lounging on the couch, flipping through channels on the TV. Shadow had been quiet most of the afternoon, busy with whatever it was he did in his free time—probably thinking about the meaning of life or whatever.

Eventually, Shadow walked into the room, his usual serious expression in place. He stopped by the couch, looking down at you.

“You’ve been sitting there for hours,” he said, his voice as deadpan as ever.

You grinned, not even bothering to look away from the screen. “And I plan on sitting here for a few more. What’s your point?”

“You waste too much time doing nothing.”

“Hey, someone’s gotta balance out all the brooding you do,” you replied, flashing him a smirk. “It’s called equilibrium, my friend.”

Shadow narrowed his eyes at you, but you could tell he wasn’t actually mad. He was used to your laid-back attitude by now. In fact, you suspected he might even appreciate it, though he’d never admit it.

After a moment, he sat down on the arm of the couch, staring at the TV screen. You raised an eyebrow, surprised that he hadn’t immediately gone off to do something more “productive.”

“Decided to join me in the fine art of doing nothing?” you teased, tossing the remote aside.

“Hardly,” he muttered, but he didn’t get up.

The two of you sat in comfortable silence, the TV playing some random show you barely paid attention to. It wasn’t often that Shadow sat still like this, and you weren’t about to ruin the moment with more teasing.

“You know,” you said after a while, “for someone who’s all about serious stuff and fighting for what’s right, you’re not so bad to have around. Kinda balances me out, in a weird way.”

Shadow glanced at you but didn’t say anything. His silence was enough of an answer, though. You didn’t need words to know that he felt the same.

[schrodinger-swriter]

The main cast of Hazbin hotel on Valentine's day

I know I may be a little late. I had to do some shopping today and hadn't had the motivation or time to get down and write until now! I apologize is some characters are given more writing than others... the truth is that I am bised for some characters or simply have more for them. :C

Regardless I hope you enjoy these, I likely won't do these large posts very often.

CHARLIE:

I hope you can forgive me for being a little short on Charlie's part, I had stated earlier what she would do for the holiday in an alphabet post! But to recap she makes you a mixtape with songs dedicated to you, songs made by her and songs she knows you like! The case is handmade too, covered in hearts as well as having a hand written note inside further expressing her affections for you. She would also give you some of your favorite candies! Expect to go out and do something fun and romantic too!

VAGGIE:

Much lower compared to her canon partner, Vaggie is not much of an enjoyer of the holiday. She keeps her thoughts to it to herself, though sometimes you might find her grumbling about all the pink and the red. She just doesn't enjoy the aesthetic all that much. However despite that she will still participate if she knows it will make her significant other happy! She would get you something small, like a stuffed animal and some flowers.

ANGEL DUST:

Respectfully stealing this idea from my mutual, but he already gets so many gifts and cards from his crazed horny fans. He hardly has the room for any more! Though.. he probably sells a lot of it for some extra cash, only keeping some of the candies. If you get him something, he probably wouldn't sell it. He's actually touched. In terms of what he does for you, he might treat you to a night full of him... in more ways than one if you're open to it. If you don't feel like going out he's fine with staying inside and watching some movies in his rooms... perhaps it's a deserved break after a rough day during the love season.

ALASTOR:

Similar to Vaggie, Alastor wouldn't do much. He understands the purpose of the holiday, but he simply. Does not care for it all that much. However I do rather enjoy the though of Alastor sending letters to his friends (Mimzy, Rosie, Niffty, ect). He even puts them in fancy envelopes and seals them with wax. How nice is that? If he can, he might even send a box of chocolates. Fingers, in Rosie's case. However, he doesn't do much to celebrate outside of that. That's assuming he sends anything at all, anyway.

SIR PENTIOUS:

He would go all out. He might even make a machine dedicated to you and gift it. He makes a mechanical heart that beats and gives it to you. He gives you all of the candy he can get his hands on, not exactly sure what you prefer. He takes you out for the night, to the nicest restaurant he can go to without getting jumped (because let's be honest... his days of trying to pick fights and climb to power has probably landed him with some enemies...). He's a total gentleman on the date, opening the door for you and pushing in your chair for you. Considering he's a little flustered that he is on a date with you, everything goes smoothly.

HUSKER:

He likes to stay in, but you can count that if you manage to get him to go out it's going to be a to a club or bar. Anywhere with alcohol. He'd much rather prefer a bar, since it's usually... lower in energy. He also isn't much of a Valentine's person, and he does show his disdain. He does tone down on talking negatively about the day around you, so there's that at least. A simple night in with an affirmation of love is enough for Husk.

NIFFTY:

She bakes you something and perhaps sews you something. A red throw pillow in the shape of a heart. Though you may have to tell her that's what you want because otherwise she's going to try something akin to the roach crown.... shivers... The baked goods are actually pretty good, and you'll be snacking on them for the rest of the week due to Niffty getting too excited and making too many. She will stab someone with a needle if they try to take one without asking you first.

LUCIFER:

He also goes all out, it might actually be a little overwhelming! He can conjure nearly anything he can think of, if his song was being literal! He wants to make sure you're loved, and that there's no possible way that you would ever think otherwise. Despite this he might rather stay inside, or maybe alter the home to look more fancy to make a mock dinner. Generally very sweet and you will be drowning in gifts from the second you wake up to the minute you go to sleep. He also makes you breakfast in bed.

[utilitycaster]

I'm glad to see you mentioning how disconnected the PCs are from Marquet! I'm a little surprised that I haven't seen more discussion of this in the fandom at large (although maybe I'm looking in the wrong places), since it was a point of discussion at the very beginning of the campaign in a couple of private PoC tabletop/LARP groups I was in. The consensus in the aforementioned groups at the time was that maybe the cast didn't feel comfortable representing characters coming from cultures that were explicitly based on real world PoC cultures (but the decision to have almost everyone be an "outsider" in a PoC-coded culture had unfortunate Orientalist overtones). This was very, very early campaign (like e10 maybe), though, before we really knew the trajectory of the plot (or that they'd spend so little time in Marquet).

It definitely came up a lot early on and I think a lot of the people who felt this either left Campaign 3 quite early and said "this isn't working for me" or else said, as I did, that it is what it is.

I think my issue here is that like...Imogen and Dorian are the only Marquet-born characters and while I have complicated feelings about how people see Imogen (see my previous comments about the bizarre bordering on creepy glorification of a very white-coded Southern culture that have spread into like...white anglophone but not United States portions of the fandom) she and Dorian are both very much coded to North American cultures (Imogen, accent aside, honestly fits any rural agrarian portion of the country and honestly reads closer to the great plains than the south, and Dorian is influenced by Native American culture). I actually do think that Taliesin did a good job making Ashton feel like they were part of Bassuras (and they aren't from there originally, but did grow up there culturally), but the fact is I've seen multiple people ignore that "Bassuras" is specifically taken from Tagalog (and that Makenzie de Armas was one of the Marquet designers) and hc it as Central American rather than Filipino despite Matt explicitly saying it's the latter.

I do think that the answer, if the cast was not comfortable playing Marquesian characters (and I am not a POC so take this with that grain of salt, but I also think, with some effort and some sensitivity work, they could have done so, particularly since Marquet is inspired by but not one to one), the answer should have been to either be clearer this wouldn't be centered in Marquet and would simply start there which would have lowered those expectations and to perhaps plan an EXU in Marquet that does primarily star actors who are from north Africa, or western, southern, or southeast Asia; or just set the campaign in Issylra or something. I get that Marquet is more central and cosmopolitan than Issylra by far, but we're now in an awkward position where we might have a campaign set mostly in Fake North America; a campaign set virtually entirely in Fake Europe/debatably central/northeast Asia; and a campaign that was ostensibly set in Fake SWANA/SEAsia but really was mostly about the moon. Like, the cast doing a thoughtful but perhaps imperfect go at Marquesian characters would have, at least in my opinion, been preferable.

If it helps I think the way Matt and the worldbuilders describe Marquet it doesn't feel (to me) overly orientalist and the fandom has definitely had way more "do you see this shit Edward Said" moments than the cast, despite the fact that only half the characters had spent significant time in Marquet. Really, the narrative issue is "the characters don't feel tied to this place or invested in the same way in this plot because the plot isn't tied to this place", and the unfortunate overtones come from the fact that it was the Ostensible Marquet Campaign that got the plot that's not really about Marquet.

(as someone running Netherdeep - I will say that helps. The bulk of that story is in a lovingly and sensitively reworked Ank'Harel. I'm hoping TLOVM also does a better job than C1 with Ank'Harel.)

[leaawrites]

hellooo, It's me again, and with a request from Graham again, only this time it would be something more romantic. Graham and the reader are going to be parents, and if the request would be of what a normal day would be like for her living with the band (enduring the teasing about her pregnancy and Graham) and Graham being the most romantic at the end, he doing a small photo session with a disposable camera and giving her some drawings that he did of her during the pregnancy

Best Days

Graham Coxon x pregnant!reader

summary: a day in the life, of graham and pregnant reader.

Warnings: pregnancy, swearing, arguing, angst, fluff, This is a bit more Damon Albarn x sister!reader, but I hope it's alright still. Honestly, it feels a bit rushed but I tried getting something out of it.

Wordcount: 1.1k

Masterlist

The arguments about music were something she could recite in her sleep already. Something she could hear without having to be awake just yet. It was there as a constant in their household of five, six soon.

Leaning against the door frame that separated their bedroom from the living room, Y/n watched the chaos unfold once more. Alex was saying something about his bass line, which Damon absolutely disagreed on based on his facial expression, all while Dave and Graham were simply enjoying the show.

Both a different one though.

Dave’s focus was on the chaos unfolding in front of his eyes, the wild hands that were thrown around the air in frustration and the rolling of eyes as the other person spoke.

Graham though was watching the woman leaning against the door frame - her eyes too glued to the argument - while he let his mind bath in tranquillity. Admiring the way the sun cast a shadow on the floor from her growing stomach and how it already was big enough to make the long shirt seem shorter on her.

“What do you think, Gray?” Damon asked, looking up as he got no answer and seeing the boy stuck in a haze of love. Following his gaze, a smirk formed on his face when he saw the prey of his friend’s love. “Ah, Y/n,” Damon mused, making the girls eyes snap over to him. “Fancy seeing you here.”

“I literally live here too, you know?” she shot back

“Right, forgot about it,” Damon said, his smile widening. “It’s not like you and Graham are all over each other now that you’re having a kid.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for wanting to express my love how I prefer to,” she said back, all the other guys stifling a laugh as they knew that this could go on for hours between them. Typical Albarn-sibling behavior. “At least I got someone to love.”

“Alright, alright, woman. Calm down. I was just saying that you have a baby soon, no need to rush for another one.”

“You know? If we’d had known that letting Damon’s sister stay in our apartment for a bit would lead to this, Damon would’ve strangled Graham himself,” Alex laughed at the scene as they sat together, eating breakfast.

“With greetings,” Damon added, half of his mouth stuffed full with cereals.

He always hated the idea of them becoming more than a one night stand that one time at a party, but he couldn’t deny how happy he was about becoming an uncle. No matter how hard he tried to sell the image, she could see right through him.

Sitting in the living room all alone, Y/n started tracing outlines on her belly, little drawings she hoped would cheer the baby up from where it was stuck in her. Ever growing, ever evolving. The guys just made their way to the studio, leaving her to her own devices once again.

“I don’t know if you can hear me, I bet you don’t,” she started talking into the silence. “But for what it’s worth, I promise to not let you become like me. No mater what might happen in the future, I won’t let anything happen to you. Ever. I just really fear Graham becoming scared and running off, I really do. Graham, he’s your daddy by the way. I couldn’t even blame him, quite frankly. I mean, he’s just at the beginning of his career and I wouldn’t blame him for taking that over this. I wish I could, but I just can’t.”

Tears were running down her face, dropping down her skin on her stomach. Unbeknownst to her, the door opened about five minutes ago, a bewildered Damon now standing in the door frame, watching his baby-sister talk like no one was there, because technically there shouldn’t be.

“I would kill him if he ever even thought about doing such thing,” Damon let out, making his presence known. Y/n spun around, her eyes widen in shock.

“Damon, I didn’t-”

“You know I would make sure that he’s staying, even when I make such a drama about you two all the time, right?” It was important to him that she knew, that he still cared for her, no matter what happened between her and Graham or any other person for that matter.

“I know.”

“And you know, that he wouldn’t do such thing, right? I mean, we’re talking about Graham, out of all people. That boy is in love with you since sixth form.”

“I know.” She knew. Deep down, she knew.

“Now get some rest,” he said finally, smiling at her and kissing the top of her head before disappearing out of the front door again. He would definitely have a talk with Graham about that topic later.

With the sun already setting, casting a shadow over her frame and displaying the way her body was shaped on the floor, Graham couldn’t keep himself anymore from pushing the thoughts away. An idea that ran through his head since the bump in her stomach started showing. A vivid image he’d see whenever he closed his eyes. It was true, they couldn’t just rush and make another baby right after having the first one, their life’s weren’t even planned for a first one, but he loved watching her like this. He loved seeing her pregnant, knowing that whatever she was carrying was his. It was theirs.

Slowly creeping out of bed, Graham tried his hardest to not wake her up. Walking over to the little dresser that was placed opposite the bed, he picked up the Polaroid camera she bought a while back to capture the process of their journey. Holding it up to his eye and finding a right ankle, he pressed shutter and waited for the little image to print.

His eyes scanned over the photo before he finally decided, he needed more of that. More of her.

“What you looking at?” Her voice sounded from the other side, pulling him out of his daydreams.

“Wait,” he quickly said as she started moving and tried to sit up. Halting in her movements, she waited for him to continue talking. “Stay like this. I know this may seem weird, but you look so fucking beautiful like that. Your belly and all.”

“Do you wanna photograph me, Coxon?”

“Only for private entertainment.”

“Pervert,” she laughed at him before laying down again, fixing her hair and clothes. Looking up at his almost hungry eyes, standing with his mouth agape, she blinked up at him innocently. “What you waiting for?”

[chronicbeans]

Let's Make a Deal! (Yandere Queerplatonic Alastor x Fallen Angel Reader)

Part 3: Deal, dear?

Part 1, Part 2

Tag List: @repostingmyfavs

TW: Invasions of Personal Space, Shady Deals

As much as you hoped having that conversation would stop Alastor from staring at you, it only seemed to make things worse. Now that he knows you are open to talking to him, he's gotten into the habit of walking over to you, asking you invasive questions, then walking away. Usually something along the lines of "Do you miss your family? Did you have any family in Heaven? Have you had a relationship before? If not, why not?" Then, he'd end the conversation with something more lightheaded, such as "What's your favorite color? Do you prefer coffee, or tea?". After that, he'd just leave. You feel way too unnerved and uncomfortable to say no to answering, most of the time...

A lot of his questioning seems to revolve around family, for some reason. You've also noticed Alastor becoming much more touchy with you. Not necessarily in an inappropriate manner, though. More like a sudden arm around your shoulder that lasts much longer than before, a hug, or him suddenly holding your hand. You don't really mind. It's definitely a lot better than you expected from somebody in Hell, but it's still noticable.

Today is one of those days, as you're sitting on the couch in the main lobby, watching some television, when you suddenly feel Alastor sling an arm around your shoulder. "Dear, what are you doing, looking at that picture box? I'm sure that there couldn't possibly be anything of interest on it."

You look up to him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, there's a nice show on. So I want to watch it-" You're cut off by him shutting off the television. "Well, I must speak with you about something. I want to make a deal with you, dear. Deals are much more important than a dumb little picture box." He then stands up, pointing to you. "You fell out of Heaven due to someone convincing them that you deserved such damnation, correct?"

You stare up at him, surprised by how forward he is being. You raise an eyebrow at him, crossing your arms. "Yes... but what-" "I want you to convince them to drop someone else from Heaven's grace, down here, into Hell." "What?!"

You then stand up, confused and dismayed. "You must be joking, Alastor- this joke isn't funny! Why would you possibly believe I'd be willing to do such a thing? Nobody deserves to be cast out due to an over exaggeration or lie!" You glare up at him, only to be surprised once you notice his ever present grin looking extremely strained.

His voice fills with static as he points to you, his eyes seeming to glow with either irritation, or desperation. "Dear, you're my friend. I promise you, whatever you want in return for this favor, I'll give it to you." You instantly lean away, continuing to glare. "I never agreed to be your friend." "That doesn't matter. You're my friend whether you like it or not. Please. At least consider it. Consider all of the things you could get out of this deal!"

You think, genuinely... At first, you are going to say no, but... what if he can get you to Heaven? Or, at least, find a way to increase your chances of getting to Heaven? "... Fine, but you have to try to find a way to get me into Heaven... Not just so I can get whoever you want to damn down here, but also so that I can return there. For good." Alastor pauses, before nodding, though you can tell he is upset. "Fine, dear. I suppose that is fair."

He then walks over to him, smiling. "The person I want you to get damned, is... actually, come over here. I don't want anyone else to hear." You nod, walking over to him. He quietly whispers a name into your ear, alongside a few of their negative traits, before pulling away. "I'm sure Lucifer may be able to help you set up an appointment with Heaven... it might just take some convincing on my end to get him to agree..."

"Well, why do you want this person damned, Alastor...?" You stare up at him, flinching as his smile turns cold, for a brief moment. He then looks away from you, before his eyes snap back towards you.

"You'll understand once they get here, my dearest friend. Now, shake my hand, and the deal is sealed. I'll get this person into Hell, and you'll get your precious home in Heaven back."

Without hesitation, you grab his hand and shake on it. Alastor's grin widens as you do so, but you barely even notice it. Your thoughts are trained on getting the poor sap he mentioned into Hell, even if you'll feel guilty in the end... you don't know how much longer you can stand being in Hell with him constantly looking over you.

[princessasmosprincess]

I saw your asks were open and I ran right here! Could you write something about Asmodeus finding out that adult!mc is inexperienced in love and still hasn’t had their first kiss yet?

I’m not very experienced in the romance department myself, so this is something I’ve thought about quite a bit since Asmo is my fav. It would be so intimidating to be with Asmo, just because he is so experienced and he’s probably done EVERYTHING. At the same time it might be nice to let him take the lead? I think he'd be very gentle and reassuring as your “first,” whether that means kisses or something more intimate. I also don’t think he’d be judgmental, he’s been with all different types of people so nothing would surprise him.

I don't know what spirit possessed me, Anon, but I saw your ask and the words just kept coming. I do hope you like it ^ ♡ ^

***

Taboo

Genre: A little fluff, a little angst.

Warnings: Nonsexual nudity, not really suggestive but it does dance around the topic of sex, MC is a virgin and has never been kissed and feels embarrassed about it.

***

“...And can you believe, no one had ever told Marchosias that he was a bad kisser! Now, I don't mind if it’s a little rough but I’d prefer any hickies to be lower than jaw level, do you know how hard it is to cover them up even with magic? I swear, it was like making out with a suckerfish.”

Asmo slipped off his robe before folding it and setting it at the edge of the tub, smiling when you laughed at his description of the kiss. He did love an audience, and you hadn't heard most of his stories yet.

You were already in the tub, basking in the warmth and the light floral scent that wafted up with the steam.

Every once in a while Asmo would invite you for an evening bath to relax and gossip. Before you knew him well, you’d been wary of his intentions, but eventually you figured out his motives were relatively pure. He never once crossed your boundaries or made you feel uncomfortable. By now, you barely even acknowledged each other's nudity.

Asmo stepped into the tub, sinking into the cloud-like froth of bubbles, “I know he’s got that whole innocent 'I only give true answers to all questions’ thing going, so you don't want to hurt his feelings, but someone had to tell him.”

“Poor guy.” You laughed.

Asmo was usually the one who did most of the talking, but you didn't mind as long as you were able to get in a word from time to time. He always had a lot to say, so unless something particularly interesting happened to you at RAD, you’d let him go on for as long as he wanted.

“Oh, don't worry, I was gentle with him. I even gave him a private lesson, if you know what I mean.” He smirked, “But we never really talked again after that.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah… I'm pretty sure he was just trying to use me to get to the Celestial Realm anyway, as if I wasn't disgraced and cast down. Like, Solomon probably has more sway with my Father than I do at this point.” Asmo sighed and stretched, leaning back against the tub. “But that's enough about me and all of that… What about you?”

“Me?”

“Yeah,” Asmo's amber eyes brightened, “I wanna hear about your romantic escapades, so spill.”

You hadn’t quite gotten to revealing many of the intimate details of your past to him or any of the brothers.

Your cheeks warmed, “I don't think any of my stories will be as interesting as yours.”

Asmo laughed, “Well of course not, dear, but that doesn't mean I don't want to hear about them.”

“I don't know, Asmo, I don’t really-”

“I won’t ask you to share anything too personal, if that's what you’re worried about,” He lifted a handful of bubbles to his face and blew them in your direction, “Ooh, what about your first kiss, you could at least tell me about that!”

You broke eye contact with him, chewing your bottom lip as you tried to come up with the right words to say, and when they did, they caught in your throat, “I- I can’t.”

A sly grin stole across his lips, “Darling, don’t be silly. Is it that embarrassing of a story? You can tell me, I promise I won’t share it with a soul.”

“That’s not it, Asmo.”

“Hmm?” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t understand.”

Your voice came out barely above a whisper, “I haven't had my first kiss yet.”

Asmo blinked a few times, the air felt heavy around you, though he didn't seem to notice. He was more surprised than anything.

You’d never had your first kiss?

“Does that mean you're also a-”

You turned your head, willing away the tears pricking at your eyes. It was stupid, you knew. There were lots of people like you. But you felt so ashamed. So unloved.

You knew the question was bound to come up sooner or later, but you still felt unprepared.

“Oh.” Asmo’s gaze softened, not that you could see it. “I'm sorry, I shouldn't have assumed-”

This was you, after all, adored by the future Demon King and the Avatars of Sin alike. He didn't think it was possible you could have lived for this long without so much as a kiss.

“It’s ok, Asmo, you didn't know.” You sighed, tilting your head back against the edge of the tub and closing your eyes. You needed a moment.

Asmo sank lower in the water, so his head sat just above the bubbles, his eyes never leaving you.

Asmo’s whole world for the longest time had revolved around himself and sex and carnal desire. That was just what it meant to be the Avatar of Lust. But in the grand scheme of things, experience in those areas didn't matter much at all. Passion was more important, whether it lasted a moment or centuries.

His heart ached for you. From your reaction, this was clearly beyond you simply not having an interest in intimacy. Asmo didn't understand how the opportunity hadn't come about for you. It infuriated him that other humans hadn't seen what he saw in you. How could anyone not love you?

Asmo hardly remembered his first, a face faded from millennia past, a kiss that hadn't made much of an impression after millions more, new and exciting feelings that had overwhelmed his senses at one point but would feel so tame to him now. But he did know that doing something new was always scary at first.

He could offer to help you take that step. To be your first. Of anyone in the entire universe, wouldn't the Avatar of Lust be the best possible first kiss? Wouldn't your first time with an expert make future opportunities feel less intimidating?

And if he was your first kiss, maybe he could be your first in other ways…

His gaze flickered to your lips.

But it didn't seem like the right time. Asmo had made a mess of things as it was. He knew he shouldn't have pressed you, but he had been too curious. Your feelings were already hurt.

He would talk to you about it some other time. Asmo didn't want you to think he pitied you and he didn't want to pressure you either. There was nothing shameful about your situation, whether you felt that way or not. It would do you no good to rush things when you were feeling so vulnerable.

No, he would wait for the right moment, and if you chose someone else as your first he would gracefully accept your decision.

Until then, he would show you how precious you truly were.

***

Cross-posted on AO3

[breelandwalker]

not sure if anyone else has asked this recently but my internet is too slow to do a deep dive in the archives rn so - do you have any advice for avoiding/preventing/dealing with a lot of 'backsnap' from spells? i.e. the wave of exhaustion/general physical and emotional crumminess after doing some heavy work. it's entirely possible that this specific instance i'm experiencing could be allergies or an oncoming cold, but since it hit me right after i spent an evening doing the first serious amount of spell-casting i've expended effort on in months, i'm inclined to connect it at least a little bit. now i'm wondering how best to bounce back or prevent it from hitting so hard in the future (aside from obvious health-boosting things like rest, water, vitamin c, etc). is it just a matter of exercise makes the muscle stronger or should i really not be neglecting to ward up first in my impatience to get to the fun part?

Good question!

This is something I hear about frequently enough that I feel comfortable calling it a common occurrence. Doing heavy, involved, or prolonged spellwork is taxing in the same way that any other task requiring a lot of focus or mental or emotional energy might be. I don't know that there's a way of wholesale avoiding it, per se, but you can mitigate it in a few ways with a little bit of preparation. You've got the right idea here, so allow me to offer just a few additional tips.

Set up your workspace ahead of time and make sure you have all your materials ready to go and within easy reach. Try to eliminate distractions and as many potentials for interruption as you can. The less frustration, distractions, or derailment you have during a casting, the easier it is and the less exhausted you'll be afterward.

Make sure you're rested, hydrated, and not running on empty or heading for a caffeine crash or the tail end of a medication cycle if you take dailies. Take a few minutes to calm yourself and focus on the task at hand before you begin. If you have any preferred grounding and centering techniques, definitely employ those. I've found that just taking a moment to bring myself into the present and sort of zoom in on what I'm doing has helped more than casting extra wards just for the sake of one spell.

If you're feeling ill or overtired or like you're on your last spoon, maybe do your spell another day. I know magical timing is a thing some witches rely upon, but there's almost always a way to spin timing to your benefit, and spellcasting should NEVER take precedence over your health.

Keep in mind, all of this is to MITIGATE the post-casting crash, not prevent it. It's still a good idea to rest afterward, maybe have a snack and hydrate again. Just make sure you clean up anything that needs cleaning, extinguish all fire hazards, and put up any materials that you don't want kids or pets getting into or that might be a trip hazard. (You do NOT want to skip this step and end up cracking a toe on your cauldron the next morning, TRUST ME.)

It does get easier as you go on. There's a reason we call witchcraft a practice - it takes PRACTICE. Doing small-to-medium spells and periodic exercises may help things go more smoothly, since you don't have to think about it as much once you've got the hang of things. (I try to do a little something every day and I have easy charms built into my schedule for this purpose.) Large, involved castings will still wear you out, not much to be done about that.

I have some other tips for battling inspirational slumps and blockages and helpful hints for your spellwork here:

My Intuitive Spark Feels Low - How Do I Get It Back?

I’m In A Slump - How Do I Get Out Of It?

I’ve Reached A Stopping Point - What Do I Do Next?

How Do I Make A Magic Circle For Spellcasting?

What Happens If I Get Interrupted While Casting A Spell?

Do I Need To Maintain Positive Vibes For My Spells To Work?

Hope this helps! 😊

[idkaguyorsomething]

Two personal preferences for the Jojolands: it does not end on a downer note and that the author does not play Jodio's mental illness for horror.

definitely gonna agree with you on the second one, though slight disagreement on the first one. part nine could very well be the last jojo’s we’re ever gonna get, so it makes a lot of sense that people are gonna want it to end on a happy note. and traditionally, every part has ended with the characters at least reaching some level of satisfaction and personal fulfillment, but there has ALWAYS been casualties along the way, ranging from that one side character to the entire core cast minus a literal child. the happiest ending we got was in part four, which definitely had a more relaxed slice-of-life vibe to it than part nine, which already parallels part five, a story where literally half the cast gets killed off as they brutally slaughter all their enemies. having everyone in the main cast survive to the end seems unlikely, and tbh, i do enjoy the fact that in a lot of jojo stories, anyone can die. even if i love these characters with all my heart, it is an effective narrative choice to kill them off in order to raise the stakes. nearly every death in this series feels like an emotional gut punch without sidelining the actual agency of the character being killed (rip george jr, the least important joestar). depending on what kind of story araki wants to tell, a bittersweet ending could be more effective than an unconditionally happy one. but hey, if it’s his final outing in the world he created, ¡he might actually feel like being merciful to his characters for once! and if it’s not, well, i’ll look forward to all the fix fics everyone writes where everyone lives.

as for jodio’s mental illness, this one has me a bit worried. araki has made a lot of dubious writing decisions in the past on sensitive topics like this (overuse of sa, “curing” johnny’s disability, side characters that come off as dated ethnic caricatures) but he has made a consistent effort to include a lot of demographics that don’t show up in a lot of manga, and his writing of characters from said demographics has considerably improved over time. tracking the women in his stories, from erina to lisa lisa to trish to jolyne to yasuho, and how they’re treated tells a fascinating story in and of itself. johnny has a lot of emotional depth and character beyond his disability. this series honestly has more black characters than any other manga/anime i can think of (though i haven’t watched afro samurai yet). there are absolutely problematic elements here to critique and pick apart, but i kinda prefer this flawed approach to representation than the nonexistent state of it in other similar stories. but getting back on track, araki has written a lot of shit in the past, so he could definitely fumble the ball again here. however, i personally think there’s currently more setup in the story for jodio to become more of an antihero in line with giorno or johnny. he’s on good terms with at least two of his family members, an achievement hitherto unheard of in this series, and he’s depicted as more of a goofy teen who makes bad decisions somewhat in line with the criteria for antisocial personality disorder than an irredeemable monster. it’s far too early in the story to tell where this is headed, though, so overall we just have to cross our fingers and hope that araki goes for a more sensitive, nuanced portrayal of a protagonist with aspd instead of going all “lol he’s joDIO what did you expect”

[sir-subpar]

Just curious, what do you think of Fizzarolli from Helliva Boss??

Whoa boy, this'll be long, bear with me

I'll be honest-

I like him.

He's very charming and funny

Love the prosthetics

The writing for him has been off lately, one of the very least he hasn't been butchered like everyone else. He's still very charming and funny, and well it confused me at first, I do now find his Dynamic with Ozzy to be very Charming. To be honest, they're kind of the only reasons I hold out even a tiny sliver of Hope for the show. The rest of the show has become very aggravating but whenever those two were on screen at the very least I'm entertained

Having said that-

His outfits are terrible

He deserves better than... This

This outfit especially

The colors clash and are strange. Very unflattering, especially for a character as Charming as him.

And I will admit, I'm a little biased because I am an Alex Brightman fan, I think he's very funny and very talented

His dynamic with Mammon feels off.

Maybe it's because he's the only one of the seven deadly sins who actually acts like the seven deadly sins, or maybe it's because Mammon looks like a Christmas tree

Or it might feel off because.. it feels like he shouldn't be that intimidated by Mammon when he's got Asmodeus right there. I don't mind the idea of Mammon being a jester, because if I remember correctly, one of his many nicknames was the "Lord of fools"

And I don't necessarily hate his voice either. I'm not sure if it matches him or not. I'm still on the fence about it, but the voice itself is all right.

I feel like Fizz could have had a very interesting Dynamic with Mammon, especially if the whole "Mammon's the reason he became successful and met the love of his life" is what they're going for. But I feel like it gets ruined by making Mammon such a caricature. There's no subtlety.

If Mammon really views Fizz as an ungrateful brat that he gave everything to, I feel like that should be explored.

Getting back on track. While I like Fizz, I'd argue he's probably my favorite character, I have an issue with him. Or rather, how the show treats him

Maybe it's just because I'm asexual, so when things are overly sexual I tend to be less interested, but I'm really tired of just how much are the cast is hypersexualized 24/7

Almost every character that is significant to Blitzo's story (other than his relatives, thankfully) seems to have to be a sexual or romantic interest at some point.

Stolas, Verosika, Fizzarolli, Striker, Chaz, Moxxie and Millie, Dennis, etc,

Don't get me wrong, the idea of a character using sex as a tool to get what they want is interesting. And is not necessarily bad. Even if it was against my preference, I can see potential in it.

But it seems like the majority of the queer characters are either mocked or hypersexualized. (I'll give Ozzy a pass, since he is the embodiment of Lust)

Moxxie is a punching bag, Blitzo, Stolas, Fizz, Striker (in the harvest moon festival), Chaz is basically nothing but a sentiant libido, Glitz and Glam, Verosika, etc.

It's just dissapointing how it's lacking variety.

Fizz himself is great, I like him a lot.

Originally for my redesign/reimagine project, I wasn't going to do the seven deadly sins but I might have to do Asmodeus and Mammon since they are so entwined with fizz story-wise.

Also because their designs drive me up the wall, but I'll talk about that more in their posts

Long story long, Fizz is the best character in the show to me.

For the record, if any of you like the show as it is, great! I wish I could, I really do, but I just can't enjoy it as much as I want to. And yeah, reimagining the show has been really fun! I'm not entirely sure why, but it is. Maybe it's just a good creative exercise

At the end of the day, these are just my opinions, I'm sure all of you have your own reasons for liking or disliking it, my word is not law. Feel however you feel, and I will feel what I feel.

And all right, I confess, these two are cute.

[mostofthingsmostofthetime]

My final thoughts about season 1 of Heartstopper

Was surprised by how little they changed from the books (despite being told as much by a very helpful fan).

It just felt like there was....more. Not saying Alice is a bad writer (she literally created one of my newest obsessions & is helping make the show), but the graphic novels are almost exclusively Nick & Charlie focused. Which isn't bad, persay. I literally love them as individual characters & as a couple, but it definitely makes the story feel "smaller" & a little rushed at times, to me (but I know she originally created Heartstopper when she was very young so I think stuff like that are very understandable flaws) & I'm sure tons of people don't have a problem with the pacing of the books & might even find the show too slow or "bloated'. I, however, personally appreciate the changes made (minus not getting to witness Nick whine to his mum about his boyfriend not being allowed to come on their holiday because that was hilarious). Most storylines were neither dragged out for too long nor so quickly resolved that things ended on an anticlimatic note, with most characters being given enough time, with the amount of episodes they have, for characters to doubt/second guess themselves & argue like obviously they're teens & are going through difficult stuff (I know haters wanna act like this series is "too perfect, that it's boring," but most of the characters are lgbtq+ & are shown facing at least some kind of struggle because of that). Which just gives the series a little more time to breathe. I think this is clearly shown/felt with the supporting cast.

The big moments in the book seem to be solely Nick or Charlie's. The other characters, much more secondary, only getting snippets of focus/attention tacked on at the end of volumes or their situations already being pretty much established by the time they're introduced. Theres little discovery for them, no getting to see the stirings of them first developing/realising a crush. Instead, Elle & Tao already like each other (even if they won't admit it) & their friend group already knows. Tara is just tottally open about being a lesbian from the get go (seemingly suffering no scrutiny) when we meet her in the book & so we never get Darcy feeling bad about how the change in their relationship is difficult for the person she loves.

I guess it's so we, the audience, can strictly focus on the development of the Nick x Charlie relationship. Which again isn't bad, but I definitely prefer it this way. Changes the serise from having two leads & the rest just being supporting characters to it feeling much more like an ensemble cast of genuine friends who all have their own lives & issues to sort out.

Also I actually kinda love the addition of Imogen like yeah she was annoying with the 'who your texting' thing & just how oblivious she was about Nick clearly not being into her (she over came that though, thank god) but even when she was at her most problimatic (I'm an ally) she was at least hilarious. I've said 'Come on Nickalous' to myself at least once a day since I watched that episode & you're gonna have to rip that habit from my cold, dead hands! In conclusion, some of you are a little too eager to hate on teen girls sometimes (like, at worst, she's cringey). I do hope she's more respectful in regards to LGBTQ+ stuff moving forward of course, but like character development is also a thing & unlike Harry & Ben (self haiting though he obviously is) she wasn't shown to be an actual bully. I just think the internet, which woobifies toxic male characters on the regular, shouldn't judge her as harshly as I've seen some people do (though I will admit a lot of them are probably doing so mostly as a joke, its just a little weird hearing adults refer to someone who's supposed to be like 15, as a bitch/slut). Anyway, rant over, lol.

Can't wait to continue this lovely series.

[jin-zixun]

Dark Fic. And I mean, like...Dark Dark Fic.

Hmm... I guess it depends on the way it is dark? Like I'm not super into bleak stories with like bad endings. (Like bad in the "bad end" sort of way, not bad as in technically). But if it's like a sort of twisted ending where a character makes peace with their torment/succumbs to whatever toxic/problematic relationship is happening, like a... happy-ending-but-not-really-due-to-the-nature-of-what-is-going-on that's totally up my alley.

But I also can't say I absolutely wouldn't write the other way either.

It's more an aversion to unresolved angst/hurt-no-comfort I guess? Which, like, I'd write, but I'd prefer at least a little hope. (But also my perception of what that hope looks like might differ based on the situation/ship/character/whatever)

If we're talking about what goes on in between the beginning and the ending? My "squicks" are a lot more mundane things, or specific things that only apply in certain scenarios, so I don't think they'd stop me from writing some darker stuff. Most of the highkey "problematic tropes" are things I like writing/reading, so depending on if they'd count as dark on their own, there's that.

But also also there's things that I'm like "hmm I don't like this" but then I have written them, so...

As for what character/pairing, hmm... For MDZS I would be cool with tormenting the Nies, but I don't think that would be darkfic, I think that would just be me venting my angst at the Nies, so I'm not sure about that. Same with Lan Xichen. Lan Xichen angst just fills me with glee at his torment.

Speaking of Glee... I don't want bad things to happen to Kurt. Um, I guess I have written/would write angst about Kurt in "AU where Dave dies" but I don't think that's "Dark dark". Just kind of angsty. Honestly, I think this one is less an aversion to angst and more an aversion to casting Dave as a serious villain. Unless... I guess if Kurt was the villain... Season 6 AU Yandere Kurt who takes over Sue's role of trying to get rid of Dave so K//laine can get back together, but realizes he actually just wants to keep Dave? Yeah that sounds fun. Don't know if it counts as dark enough, but hey, that's where my mind goes I guess.

And I can't get away from this without mentioning Star Wars. Sidgueis is pretty much made for dark fic. Honestly the things I've written are downright fluffy for them, but...

[galactic-glamour-girl-posts]

My Rosalina Wishlist for the Nintendo Switch 2 era

In order of what I want the least to want I want the most:

For her to make appearance in (at least one of) the RPGs

Maybe they could connect her to Geno, or to the pre-established star lore of the RPGs, maybe there's another copy of the book Paper Mario takes place in in her library, have her interact with Starlow (another being who uses star power), you could do a lot with her. She's already one of the most fleshed out in the mainline games, she'd flourish in the RPGs, games which specifically aim to develop (most) of the cast as characters.

Give her a Power Up band

Technically this (and one more addition later on in this list) is not a Nintendo Switch 2 related thing but if this were to happen it would likely be during the Switch 2 era, so it's relevant enough.

Years ago I predicted that her, Toadette, DK and Diddy Kong would get power up bands based on a leak. Since then, it's been confirmed that Donkey Kong and Diddy will be getting power up bands to go alongside the Donkey Kong-themed expansion of Super Nintendo World. I still think Rosalina (and Toadette) could get one, especially if they do a Galaxy-themed expansion. It would be nice to have one in time for 2027, Galaxy's anniversary, but that's not likely given that we'd probably know about it being built by now. It could still happen not too long after it. A space-themed expansion would definitely be popular (Toadette is part of the Toad Brigade, who debited in Galaxy 1, so she could get one during this supposed expansion too).

Even if that didn't happen, Rosalina does make an appearance at the park via the VR binoculars, and she was recently given a new plush made specifically to be sold at the park, so she's already one of the most likely candidates to get a band next.

A new Rosalina-owned Mario Kart stage

Not much to explain here. It's been over a decade since she got one, and that was her first (unless we retroactively count Rainbow Road).

An appearance in a Mario movie sequel

If not as a major character, then at least as a post-credits character. After a Luma was in the first movie, it seems inevitable that Rosalina will appear in the films eventually, I just hope it's sooner rather than later! Even if it's for a short time, I think they could fit her in movie 2 somewhere. Literally just show Lumalee going home or something. They might save her for movie 3, but that would probably also happen during the Switch 2 era (I could see it releasing in 2029 or 2030, the Switch 2 would've only been out for about 4-5 years by then).

Another appearance in a mainline Mario game

I'm welcome to it being a 3D game, but I'd prefer for it to be a 2D one because she has yet to make an appearance in a 2D game.

Bonus points if she's playable!

Her own solo adventure game

Even putting my bias aside, I genuinely think this could work! She's one of the most popular characters in the franchise, it would be a good chance to find out more about her origins or at least give a Mario-adjacent game a deeper story than usual, and outer space is almost always a cool setting for any piece of media. If it were to happen (I know it probably won't, but a girl can dream), I hope it's not essentially just "Super Mario Galaxy 3, but you play as Rosalina". I'd love it if the game had a genre the Mario franchise either hasn't touched yet or hasn't done often (I still think a Kingdom Hearts-esque action RPG would suit her very well).

Although if I had to order these from most to least likely to happen during the Switch 2 era, I'd say: an appearance in a new mainline Mario game, a new Mario Kart stage, her power up band, an appearance in the Mario movie sequel, an appearance in the RPGs, and finally her solo game.

But hey, prove me wrong Nintendo! Watch how I jinx it and none of these happen lol

[livums]

as herself. {🌹}

Hi! 

I’ve been adjusting my strategy for writing The Romance of the Demigods, and I think the best way for me to go is to write out of order, wherever the passion takes me. So... I started writing something that I think I prefer to the original opening of the story (the scene that used to be the opening will still happen, just... after this one). 

Anyways I hope to show off more of Kesh’s personality in this scene (which is why I think it makes a better opening). Anyways. more of it to come but here is the veeeery beginning. ok i love u bye.

Kesh was still growing accustomed to walking around as herself.

Her grin was as wide as her stomach was twisted. The dazed wind of late summer that ambled through the market alley did tug through her rusty curls, and at points blew them right into her dark eyes, as if to remind her that she was really doing this. That when she sauntered past the stalls and the wares therein, what the merchants and townsfolk would see when their eyes drifted over her (for truly she looked nothing special) was not the skin of one invented or imitated, but the light brown into which she had been born. And the freckles that stippled her arms, her neck, and her cheeks, blushing from the glee, had been splashed there by no intention save the Sun’s itself (or Himself, for they were in Host country).

She had always thought she’d sooner pick a pit to drown in than find herself strutting around in her true face not a full day’s ride (even on a shitty horse) from the capital. But Cora had a way of speaking the most outrageous designs into something that resembled reason. Or, at the very least, into something that seemed more worthwhile than lethal. He and his tongue of many talents.

Kesh could not help herself. Every twenty paces or so, she cast a look over her shoulder, just to see that he was still with her. And there he was, every time. Sometimes, she caught his gaze following her—a green that reminded Kesh of lying beneath a tree and looking up into leaves through which sunlight might peek. To this, to his watch, she was more than accustomed.

This time, when she looked back, his eyes were turned elsewhere. Far away. Shifting, as if searching the middle distance for something unseeable. Lost in thought, no doubt dreaming up lyrics. She wondered if he’d sing any more about her—those were her favorite.

Kesh could summon no reason not to take advantage of Cora’s reverie. With a deft turn on her leather-clad heel, she slipped unnoticed into the stream of market-goers meandering back the way she’d come.

It was done easily enough. It always was. Bouquets of clustered bodies were a home to her—safe harbor from eyes that would pry and seek in malice. Kesh rarely felt safer—one tile in the mosaic, one fish in the shimmering school. She would even, at her cheekiest, exit a throng of townspeople appearing wholly different than when she’d entered. And they would revile her if they ever knew, but while they didn’t, they were as shelter in a rainstorm.

The sky rumbled lazily above the city. She’d not been in Cill Tossach for much longer than three days.

Kesh took her sweet time sneaking up on him. Cora looked different from behind—broader, stiffer. Even beneath his tunic, she could see his shoulders held tensely straight and back. The littlest things about him now became foreboding, even the way his black hair curled just below the nape of his neck—that very lock she had twisted about her finger many a languid morning. Without sight of the faraway kindness in his eyes, he looked the kind of person Kesh felt in her gut and her spine it would be wisest to dodge.

He did not hear her in the afternoon bustle. Kesh threaded an unhurried trail in his wake, running her tongue along the edges of her teeth as she considered how she might reveal herself to him.

After several moments of good-natured stalking, she spied the unease that had settled over him. Cora’s hands worked into fists that flexed and rolled in growing distress. His head swung on his neck to face in one direction, then another.

Her nose wrinkled in amusement, and a grin bloomed beneath. He was looking for her.

Kesh spent a breath imagining those eyes of his in such a frenzy—she would normally have to work much harder for him to let her see his agitation. She might have swooned.

An indulgent moment slunk by before Kesh forewent her stealth.

When an arm soft and sure snaked its way round his waist, Cora visibly jolted. Kesh let her hand rest against his hip, her thumb hooking through the leather that belted his verdant tunic. By the time those eyes came to rest on her, she was beaming. He was not.

“Gods a—bove, Kesh…” He caught himself, for they were in Host country.

“Hail, troubadour.”

Her toothy grin failed to disarm him. Cora exhaled soundly through his nose, and said nothing where he might typically berate her for disrupting his artistic musings. Kesh saw myriad expressions tug almost imperceptibly at his eyes, his nose, his lips. The musician was, for once, largely inscrutable to her. She was proud of herself, however, for noticing the half-moment of his eyes darting towards the middle of the crowded thoroughfare. He was trying to understand what he’d missed. He hadn’t recognized her walking the opposite direction—in her woolen skirt, in her plain bodice clasping a homespun shirt low against her torso.

And when his eyes ran over her face—her face—she saw how it unsettled him. Kesh refused to stand in silence for much longer. “It was your idea,” she said, punctuating her reminder with a bump of her hip against his.

With one hand, Cora tucked behind his ear a strand of his dark hair. In better light, strands of it shone cherry.

“Aye. So it was.” His shoulders rolled a shrug he was not relaxed enough to truly mean, and he continued walking.

(tag, DM, reply, or fill out this google form to be added/removed from taglists)

The Romance of the Demigods taglist: @aalinaaaaaa​ @sarahlizziewrites​ @thecrookedwriterspath​ @inkspellangel​ @crystal-librarian​ @hallwriteblr​ @bluberimufim​ @wip-nook​

General taglist: @enchanted-lightning-aes