#this is a ramble and i hope it makes sense

[kiss-me-muchoo]

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐭 || 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐬 𝐀𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐱 𝐟𝐞𝐦!𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐱 𝐋𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐮𝐬

summary_ having an affair with General Acacius overseas while conquering lands turned into a problem after coming back to Rome, when you fell for a gladiator that turned out to be a missing prince.

warnings_ CRINGE, girthy age gap (legal) (I’m 20, sorry) historical inaccuracy, angst, violence, gore, animal death, sexism and misogyny, fluff but angst, a lot of canon divergence bc I said so. NO PROOFREAD, BEWARE!

note_ i can’t remember if Denzel’s character was named Macrino, I can’t remember which year the movie is set in, I can’t remember many things but let me know if I fucked up too much. And listen to fallen fruit from Lorde while reading.

♪ ♫ Pedro playlist | ✰ Index (+ fics here)

𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆ 𓆇𓆸

The sea was a free land. Nobody could conquer it because there wasn’t anything valuable floating around. Perhaps at the bottom of the ocean, a treasure may lay, but no man had shown the desire to dive into the deep.

The screams of the innocents are loud enough to make you feel empathy for them. But Acacius had trained you to put a mask of neutrality when leading war.

Loving the most effective soldier of Rome was your little secret. He married the daughter of an old emperor and he fought to get her privileges and prevent her from danger.

Always the insane little girl running around the palace, rambling about plants, the stars, a dream of Rome in flames. It was enough to be secretly sent to a scribe's university in Egypt for some time.

Upon your return, not much had changed, only that your father, once lead of the council, then the wise of Rome had died. Consequently, your evil stepbrothers were crowned emperors. They named you a soldier and made sure you were at every battlefront, hoping for your death.

But your general trained you well, and with months of practice, you ended up tangled up with him on his sheets in Greece.

Adultery was considered a crime in Rome and you’d give the perfect reason to your brothers to burn you like a witch. Or worse, to send you to fight at the arena of the Colosseum.

But the people who accompanied you and Acacius overseas were loyal and couldn’t care less if you had an older man fucking you each night. They only cared about you being a good soldier on the battlefront and being a good princess in Rome.

With a couple of hours left to be home again, you had your wounds checked. Conquering Numidia was one of the last African cities to be marked by the Romans and your brothers desperately wanted to own it. Only a few burns scattered across your leg and your shoulder needed stitches were the price to pay.

The wooden floor creaked and the general turned around alert but as soon as he saw you, he seemed to calm down.

Your arms wrapped around him and he immediately had to lean and kiss you. His lips tasted like devotion, peace, and lust. Acacius always grabbed your hips first. Then he moved to your waist, only to end up caressing your cheeks as his lips kept marking you his.

“What did the doctor say?” asked Acacius as he gasped for air.

“Nothing to worry about…” You nodded at him and he turned his back to you again, looking at his open windows, to the sea.

“What about yours? How is the scar on your nose?”

“It’s fine. Could’ve been worse” You walked towards him, sensing he had bathed like you as well, his hair looked perfectly curly and you couldn’t help but smile.

You could stay looking at the horizon forever, just because he was by your side. The sound of the waves calmed your mind after another day of calamities brought by war.

“For those who chose the sea, greatness waits at the end of the rainbow,” you said smiley. But the general remained stood silent.

“Those are ludicrous tells, the truth is that even war has infected the sea as well.”

“Because we chose to fight, then yes, the sea is also an arena. But if we chose not to, the way will not depict war” his eyes kept looking at you, completely fixated and even threatening, like Acacius was trying to understand how much you were judging him.

“We do this because we don’t have any other choice, princess y/n,” Acacius said, finally turning to look at you.

“We could run away, to the south, the islands of the Tyrrhenian Sea are empty, nobody wants to live there” your voice trembling, nervous and waiting for his response. He stared at nothing, probably thinking. And that made you uneasy.

“I can’t leave Rome, I have to go back to…” he said coldly.

“Your wife….Right”

Silence. Even the sea seized the sound of the waves.

“Haven’t you told her?”

“What’s there to be told? I said this was only a thing of passion and lust” You bit your tongue at his harsh words.

“Was it? Would you say that all those nights you shared your past with me meant nothing, Marcus?”

There it was. His most personal name, that one nobody used. The general got closer to you, paying attention to your face. Princesses did not have scars, but you did. He wanted to say so much, but he couldn’t. You noticed how his fingers were about to trace the pink scar on your chin but he moved away.

“I was drunk most of the nights, doping the pain” Finally your eyes crystallized.

“Do you love Lucilla, General?” His steps stopped then turned around to face you one last time.

His eyes looked doubtful but soon landed on his feet.

“… I do love her” you nodded, holding the tears and bursting out of his room in anger.

“Of course you do”

Your disappointment was so evident that Acacius was able to look at your face reddening and tears falling freely. He could only sigh and go back to pack his things and get ready to arrive in Rome again.

If only you knew…

…

The crowds of Rome couldn’t stop screaming your name. It was “PRINCESS Y/N!” and “ACACIUS!” everywhere.

You were no hero, you just wanted a peaceful life in a free Rome with the man you loved. And you can feel his hand brushing yours while his left salutes the parade of people chanting both of your names. The truth is you have no purpose but to serve your brothers and pretend that is your life.

The twins always hated you. Their mother was a wealthy woman but yours was the emperor’s true love. The twins used to pull your hair and always picked poisonous berries to give you as a meal while being toddlers. It got worse as everyone noticed you were your father’s favorite. And with him gone, you were utterly alone in the world.

Your clumsy steps made you arrive later. There was no crown for you waiting like it had been for Acacius. Geta and Caracalla were talking to him. And when you noticed the sword in the general’s neck, your face went serious.

“Do not forget the privileges we’ve made for your wife” you heard Geta saying.

“Same benefits we’re making for your whores, frater” The twins turned to look at you, quickly releasing Acacius and going straight to you. Their golden armors were a mere matter of display. They could barely wield a sword. They were bad with the bow and arrow and their reflections were poor too. They were good with numbers and shapes, but that wasn’t much in the city they shaped. One full of segregation and violence.

“Dear, soror… you’re back…” you think Geta gets closer to hug you, but his hand has raised and he gives you a sharp slap across the cheek.

“Dazzling and with such a big mouth as always” he added while you looked down, your cold hand against the reddening skin and sending him the worst look you had.

“Leave the princess alone, emperor. We should be focusing on the games ahead. We brought many slaves that some of them could fit as gladiators” Acacius said, looking affectionately at you, with disguise.

Caracalla only laughs in your face and his monkey reaches you for some seconds, but your brother pulls him away quickly. You wonder how far his disease has spread. Before leaving Rome, he was completely against seeing a doctor.

“Acacius is right, Geta. Let’s focus on the games” the twins agreed but sure, they had to humiliate you one last time.

“Alright then. But the next time I see you, dear y/n… I don’t want to see your hair down freely. You look like a whore and not the princess of Rome” he whispered loud enough to make everyone hear. But finally, the twins were gone.

“Are you alright?” The general asked but you rolled your eyes.

“I don’t need your help, Acacius. I’ve dealt with Geta and Caracalla since the day I was born. Which was before we met you” he sighed, understanding you were still mad from your last conversation. He appreciated your free hair, long and healthy despite the fires you went through while in combat.

“I just don’t want to see you hurt. It’s enough they sent you to serve in the war when you should be here, safe from the horrors”

“Go home to your wife, Acacius. Your dinner will be cold…” you spit out with a bitter tone before walking away, disappearing through the walls of the palace.

…

Standing naked, dripping, and waiting for servants to dry you up, you stare at the dress hanging in your room. It had been months since you wore a dress, used to armor and tight braids, and the sensation of the fabric felt odd.

As a kid, you wished to befriend your servants, but they remained professional and apologetically brushed away your questions. Which made you feel even more lonely while they dressed you up; placing gold jewelry and rings with quartz, spraying perfume, and cleaning your teeth. Geta and Caracalla always stole the sweets from you as kids, you thanked them because instead, it was Caracalla who ended up with a decayed tooth and a gold one as a replacement.

“You’re ready, princess,” said one of the servants and you smiled at her as a thank you.

The whole time while you and your brothers awaited to arrive at the Colosseum, you ignored them. You sneaked away as soon as you arrived. Knowing the place like the palm of your hand, you took a secret passage, in hopes to go and tend your horse to delay the entertainment as long as you could.

Gladiator fights were of no interest to you. But the people loved it. Their ignorance made you understand why they hadn’t tried to throw your brothers from the thrones.

But being months away made you forgetful of the architecture of the Colosseum, forgetful enough to end up in the cells of gladiators. Looking perplexed, you gulped nervously. There were indeed many slaves brought.

Being the only woman there made you the center of attention. Even worse when you looked exactly like a princess would do.

“Princess y/n, What are you doing here?” Asked one of the high-rank soldiers, running towards you.

“I wanted to tend my horse. It was brought here by accident” you replied, eyes wandering through the cells, noticing the people inside them were full of new people, probably from Numidia. You wonder if they recognized you.

Your eyes met the ocean-blue ones of a man, he certainly recognized you as he looked at you with anger. You gulped once again, looking away from him. But his gaze had been so strong that you didn’t hear a servant come running from the end of the hallway.

“A TIGER ESCAPED! A TIGER ESCAPED! CLOSE THE DOORS!” he screamed and soon everyone went into panic mode. You didn’t have enough time to process what he said and do anything. You stood there confused for some seconds. The violent roars of the animal could be heard closer. You looked around trying to find a weapon.

“Stay behind me, princess,” said the same soldier but you didn’t trust him so you went to grab a bow and arrow. The prisoners yelled and quickly you understood they were having a private show. They hated you for being Roman, and they thought they would see you dying.

But you wouldn’t give them that satisfaction as much as you sympathized with them.

The tiger appeared, big and imposing. The animal was angry, visibly distressed, and ready to attack.

You had killed men, but an animal was different. There was no exact description of what to do. Just pure instinct. So you try to calm yourself before the tiger spots you and the soldier, who are the only ones that remain vulnerable. The guards closed the entrances as protocol, unbeknownst that you were there. And it had been too late to use the secret passage.

You felt the same man’s eyes on you and indeed, he looked carefully at you, probably wondering what would be your next move.

“PRINCESS, STAY AWAY!” The soldier screamed when the tiger came running towards you two.

The tiger jumped and threw the soldier, roaring as it tried to kill him. So you ran away in hopes of aiming at the eye of the animal to gain time. Your hands shaking and you could feel your legs get tangled up in the fabric of your dress. But your nervousness isn’t visible as your hands work on getting ready for the arrow. You don’t have time to calculate, the tiger has already bitten the soldier’s fingers.

You hit it very near the eye and the animal roared even louder, in pain. That’s when you spotted the sword the soldier had left behind, where you threw yourself to, as the tiger had tried to attack you again. The man with blue eyes pushed the sword towards you from inside the cell and you didn’t even look to thank him, you only grabbed the weapon and rolled to the right before the animal could scratch your face and kill you.

You heard the soldier cry out in pain but you couldn’t help him. Thinking you could end the beast chasing you, you failed, sinking the sword in the ribs of the animal. You felt a deep scratch in your arm and you cried out. Anger quickly builds up as you know you had to get out of there before everyone at the coliseum found out. The tiger roared one last time and before it could throw you to the sandy ground you grabbed another arrow and directly pierced the eye of the animal. Blood starts pouring and before the tiger can try to bite and break your neck, your hands end up in its mouth.

The fangs were dangerously digging into your hands and more blood started coming. Scarlet droplets fell all over your face and you didn’t care. You screamed in pain and pulled all the strength in your body to put the pressure on your arms and hands. The men inside the cells cheered and made you even more angered. Until you had torn open the tiger’s mouth, breaking its jaw and killing the animal.

Breathe….

Pushing the dead animal aside, you sighed, resting on the dirty floor for a couple of seconds before taking a long breath and standing up.

Every man inside each cell looked at you quietly. What’s there to say?

Five guards open the main entrance and look confused at the mess, then at you tending the heavily injured soldier.

“Bring a doctor,” you tell them and they nod without asking more questions. Only one comes to your side.

“The games are about to begin, princess. I must escort you back to where you should be” Trying to catch your breath, you nodded.

“Do not say a word about this mess” The guard only bowed his head in agreement.

The least you could do was to put some bandages around the bloody hand of the soldier. Then you cleaned yourself and noticed you were a mess.

Giving that soon-to-be gladiator one last look, you tried to thank him with your eyes for what he had done to help you. He understood, giving you a cold nod.

And as you walked towards the royal platea, you wondered if that was the slave your brothers mentioned. A poet…

“Oh heavens! What happened to you?” Asked Lucilla as soon as you tried to take a seat beside Geta. Then everyone turned to look at you in horror. You noticed Acacius looked worried and he couldn’t keep his eyes away from the blood in your dress and bandaged arm.

“An accident” you replied politely at the woman, not in the mood to face the wife of your ex-lover.

“You look horrible,” said Caracalla.

“It won’t; happen again, frater” you tiredly answered, sinking onto the chair, ignoring Acacius’ eyes on you.

Soon you are surprised to see the gladiator who helped you in the arena. You don’t face him when he ends up winning and he looks at you. But you do notice Lucilla’s behavior and quickly you have connected the dots.

What an odd coincidence…

…

This time, you checked the animals first, then you made sure nobody had seen you entering the cells, but you went where the mysterious gladiator of blue eyes rested.

“Barbarian, monkey eater, slave, gladiator…. Prince of Rome, How may I call you? Hanno or Lucius?” Soon you had him inches away from your face. At that moment, you had time to appreciate his features. He was handsome and looked pretty much like he belonged to Roman royalty. But his gaze was fueled by anger and pain.

“What do you want?”

“I know Lucilla came before me. She had been waiting for you ever since I can remember” he looked at you with cold eyes and unbothered. But you knew he was curious about you too.

“What do you care? You’re the princess, you support all of this” his anger was palpable, it was part of his way of fighting you had noticed.

“Who did you lose?” You asked.

“My wife” he replied after a little silence, you nodded apologetically. He didn’t believe you.

“My father was a friend of your grandfather, part of the council. Now I realize that when he was elected emperor, he started hunting you down. I’m sorry”

“You don’t. You joined their cause and you fight proudly on the battlefront. I saw you…” you chuckle sarcastically.

“The twins you met the other day are my half-brothers. And they have tried to kill me since I was born. They sent me to war as punishment, but Acacius trained me well enough to survive each battle”

“So what? Should I pity you?”

“No, please don’t. But I don’t support any of this. I want to be a free woman and be with the man I love but I don’t think I’ll live enough to make it happen” he seemed interested in your words but pretended he wasn’t. Either way, you kept talking.

“You can’t kill Acacius. He’s leading a rebellion against my brothers” he stood quiet, trying to taste the lies in your words. But you seemed very truthful.

“Interesting that you want his head when all I’ve wanted is his heart” Through the cell his eyes sparkled and looked tentatively at you, for some seconds you got too attached to them.

“What about Macrino?” The old man had been trying to gain your brother’s trust and you thought that was suspicious.

“Don’t trust him. Stop sharing any detail that could tell him what you want or fear”

“I don’t trust you either”

“You shouldn’t,” you said, a little smile unconsciously appearing on your face. And to your surprise, Lucius smiled too. There was something about you that he found lovely. You seemed honest, but he couldn’t trust you yet. So he cursed once you had left, you had him looking forward to meet you again.

…

Across the room runs a large table filled with food. A variety of fruits, bread, lamb, duck, pork, and lots of wine. Your hands float around the punch though, reminding you of the first time you tried Egyptian beer. You ended up drunk with Marcus Acacius, laughing on the sand and soon both ended up naked. You frown, trying to forget that messy night.

“You’ve been oddly quiet these past days,” said Lucilla appearing by your side, grabbing more fruits and placing them on her plate.

“I’ve been busy”

“Have you met Macrino?” She said pointing in disguise at the man who laughs with some senators and your brothers.

“He’s been around for some time. But I don’t like him” you confessed.

“I’ve also met his poet gladiator” you added, opting to not look at her eyes because she responded very shocked.

“What?”

“He wants to kill Acacius for the death of his late wife, avenge his homeland, etcétera etcétera. I told him not to because we plan to free the city. You can’t proceed with the nonsense of taking him out of the Colosseum. Your son can’t be the alibi to start a revolution, Lucilla” you said whispering. She gasped in shock, wondering how you knew already. All while you carefully watched if any of your brothers or that nosy man were looking. Not even Acacius was looking.

You sigh, shrugging and looking at the woman.

“As soon as he came out wielding that sword in the arena, your face said everything. Then just by hearing his mysterious backstory. It was obvious, Lucilla” She didn’t say anything else, so you continued.

“I shall repeat myself once again. You won’t encourage Acacius to get your boy out of the Colosseum.”

“Why not?” you chuckled at the woman.

She was very pretty, sweet and caring. No wonder why the general loved her.

“You and your husband were lucky that I found out one of your maids heard everything and was about to spill it”

“What did you do, y/n?” She asked tired, thinking destiny was so meticulous and how you had ended up in such a position to hear and stop the maid before chaos unleashed.

“Let’s say I granted her eternal silence,” you said, Lucilla sighed, understanding. And before she could thank you, you spoke again.

“Wait till Lucius is in the arena to save him. And stop looping Acacius into this madness, you’ll make him get killed” She understood everything by the way your eyes looked at her. It shocked her, but she remained calm as you left to sit at the table. Only a woman in love spoke with a mix of venom and sweetness like that.

Taking a seat beside the General, he turned to look at you.

“What were you talking about there with Lucilla?” He asked in a very low but deep tone.

“Just gossiping about Senator Brutus and his new wife…” he knew you were lying but tried to act normal.

“Princess y/n… How true are those rumors about you breaking the jaw of a tiger?” asked a scribe, making you look away from Acacius, Lucilla returned to the table and your brother was already laughing at you for something you couldn’t hear.

“Well… it’s true, domine.” The table burst into laughter. Only the general and his wife remained silent.

“You did what?” Asked Acacius looking at you in horror.

“A princess shouldn’t be in combat” added Macrino, making you set your eyes on him.

“Oh I am a princess but I’m also a soldier, domine. And I have to thank my brothers because they made me a woman capable of wielding more than one weapon by sending me to war” The twins stopped laughing. Geta sipped from his wine and returned to you.

“That’s true. While you were there getting battle scars, Caracalla and I focused on diplomacy, ensuring we gained more land” You want to laugh at his face. The council did that, not the twins.

“Did you ensure the poor were stable by cutting from the rich? Did you do the math to financially cover each branch Rome rules, Geta? Or did you and Caracalla just point at lands on a map to get like prizes?”

“y/n…” Acacius whispered your name, trying to make you stop. The tension has risen very quickly.

“You have one task, soror. To give us India. A woman shouldn’t even be speaking on the table” Caracalla said when you were about to stand up and burst out. Marcus grabbed your hand under the table.

And immediately calmed you down.

“I’m only saying you should wisely rule this great empire. Do not let it fall…”

Soon the chatting turned into drinking after the awkward moment. When most of the men were getting drunk you returned to the table, cautiously grabbing food again. When you looked up, you encountered the image of Acacius kissing Lucilla. And it made your blood boil.

In a thick piece of fabric, you placed bread, some fruits, cheeses, and a small piece of lamb.

“What are you doing?” you nearly screamed when you noticed Acacius standing by your side.

“I’m grabbing food”

“Isn’t it a little late to eat again?” He wasn’t judging you, he never would, but he was very curious.

You would start up a little fire after seeing the painful image of him kissing his wife.

“It’s not for me…” before he could ask you you sprinted away. His blood boiled too, his hand firmly grabbed your wrist to stop you.

“What are you playing?” He asked.

“Playing? I’m definitely not”

“Is this some kind of punishment for what I told you days ago?” You sighed.

“I didn’t mean to say it was nothing. But… you have to wait, y/n” Acacius whispered and you chuckled.

“I’ve waited long enough to realize you will always be trapped in a marriage with two different kinds of love. And Lucilla will never love you like you want because her heart will always beat for that gladiator whose name was carved from the Colosseum”

You had raised your voice, Lucilla was looking at you two, and everyone else was drunk. So you violently flinched away from the man, who looked at you with a mix of pain and rage.

You leave and he immediately sends a guard to follow you in disguise.

“We must talk,” Lucilla said to Acacius, taking his hand.

He nodded.

…

What did that man have that made you feel safe? He didn’t protest when you walked inside his cell. He didn’t demand you to go away. He quietly lets you inside, talk, and explain yourself.

Two visits filled with food from your dinners were enough to let him know you had no intention of killing him. Your curiosity must’ve been too big, his eyes too attractive, and an odd vibration that warmed your chest.

To be honest, you had no idea why you came back to him. You just felt something. And you hated to admit it.

“If the emperors have made your life so difficult, Why didn’t you leave?” Lucius asked. He had eaten everything you gave him and was sitting beside you on the dirty floor.

“Every time I tried to escape, I couldn’t make it far enough. So I stayed and accepted my fate. To serve them will keep me alive ” he nodded, finally understanding why you hadn’t revealed yourself against the evil emperors.

“You didn’t come down here just to talk”

“I didn’t. I- I guess I just want to believe you’ll do something greater than I have always tried. Everyone talks about your rage but I think you quite act like a prospect hero… with honor” you revealed and wanted to cut your thong like you did with that old maid. You hated oversharing. But instead, Lucius chuckled and you frowned confused, expecting him to talk.

“You reminded me of my wife…”

“How so?”

“She said similar things to you” Most unexpectedly, you blushed. Thankfully the darkness of the cell made it unnoticeable.

“I’m trying to find a way to get you out of here before your mother does something rushed”

“I was very harsh with her”

“How couldn’t you? I would have behaved the same way. But she loves you and she doesn’t want to let you go just when she found you” Lucius smiled once again, making you remain still, unsure of what to do next. Soon you realized the sun was very close to coming up again.

How many hours had you spent talking with the rightful Prince of Rome?

“I must go, Geta and Caracalla will know I spent the night away,” you said standing up, trying to clean the mess your dress had become.

“Will I see you again before that revolution happens?” You smiled, walking back near him.

He was tall, you had to completely raise your head to face him.

“The final day of the games is closer. I’ll bring you more food and I’ll try to see what will the next encounters look like”

“Thank you. I judged you too fast…” he said and you chuckled.

“You still have time to change your mind”

You didn’t notice when he closed the distance. Just when his face had been inches away from yours, you gasped.

But neither of you two protested, your lips touched his at the same time.

Tasting the wine you brought him made you feel intoxicated. No intrusive thoughts appeared while you kissed him.

You could only taste his passion, his need to take control. But all his hidden softness too. One of his hand caressed with softness your cheek and the other grasped your neck.

“Stay safe, Lucius,” you said as you moved away from him.

…

The whole day was lost because you spent it sleeping. Only when you woke up for dinner, did you learn you had missed the games of the day. But Lucius was alive at least. You dreamt of his kiss but when you woke up you had an odd sensation in your stomach. Confusion filled you and then… ache.

As you brushed your hair, you got lost looking at a red candle. It had been a present from your father some years ago. A red candle to be lit whenever you felt like you needed to feel love, he had said.

The wise emperor had wished to see his daughter with her true love. Just like had always wanted but couldn’t.

There was a broad shadow that you spotted through the mirror. It made you pull out a silver knife and point a the figure.

Soon the cape was removed and you sighed but also gasped shocked to see Acacius standing in the middle of your room.

“What are you doing here?” You asked worriedly, standing up and hurrying to close your windows.

“You had spent all these past nights in the Colosseum,” he said, sounding a little angered.

“Now you’re spying on me, Acacius?” He sighed exasperated.

“What are you doing with that gladiator?”

“What do you care?” You asked with defiance.

“He’s going to get you in trouble, princess y/n” Your eyes pierced his, but you decided to move away, leaning against the towers of your bed.

“He deserves more. And not only him, but every slave we brought and all those we left in ruins” you admitted, looking at the fire of the candle.

“They do, but it’s not our duty, at least not yet. We need to focus on the plan we have…” you wanted to roll your eyes and yell at him, his wife could’ve ruined everything and he was only paying attention to you.

Only paying attention to you?

“Stop going to see that man”

“His name is Hanno and I’ll visit whenever I desire” you spit out with bitterness and you knew he was angry. Acacius clenched his jaw and sighed once again. Under his cape rested his armor, his hair messy, and his scars fading.

“Why? Because he makes you feel things?”

You remained quiet. As simple as it was, his question took you by surprise.

“I-… I don’t know. I had no reason to go back to him, but I did it anyway”

“Oh heavens, y/n. Don’t you see that I’ve always told you to wait? Because I’m counting every golden coin I have to give you that house on the island you always point at. To leave Rome with you…”

It took you on a curve. You didn’t know what to say, only the tears wanted to be present.

His hands found your hips and his lips seek yours. Sometimes, while being overseas, you two would argue. And the only cure was to be silent and kiss after a day of ignoring each other.

This time feels different. You feel so confused.

His forehead softly bumped yours and you two stayed like that for some time.

“If you had those ideas to fulfill with me. Why do you remain married, Marcus?” He smiled.

“That’s different, satis. I was set to marry when you were very young. I just can’t undo it.”

“Why do I feel like you’re only doing this because you feel pressured?”

“It’s not like that”

“Either way you wouldn’t tell me that you love me. So it’s in vane…”

“BUT I DO LOVE YOU!”

You frowned, biting the inside of your cheek. For a moment you thought you could only hear how your heartbeats slowly thumped. What you wanted to hear for years had been delivered. It felt good, even right to hear it. And when you were about to believe it, something clicked.

“No, Marcus. You just realized you hate the idea of me falling in love with someone else. Even worse when it’s the son of your wife”

Without the strength to say anything else, you moved away. Your feet quickly dragged you out of your room, and then out of the palace.

You walked through the streets of Rome, seeing all the hunger, poverty, the lack of love from the government.

By midnight you arrived at the shore. The warm sand cured your bolting mind.

There was an imminent battle coming up. You had a place in the rebellion. And yet you had to be only thinking in two men. Who had made a mess of you in a matter of days.

You had nothing with any of them. It was just the causality of what they made you feel.

Lucius made you feel like the woman you would’ve been if you had escaped Rome years ago.

Acacius made you feel adored like the woman you turned into wasn’t as bad as you thought. He believed in you.

But it wasn’t enough. None of them were enough. Your mind was spiraling and you realized you were sobbing in the middle of the dark. You can hear and faintly distinguish the sea. You had cracked, like the fallen fruit every poet and philosopher always mentioned.

And even when you knew you had to only focus on the war, you still didn’t know what to do. You barely knew the men that had you losing it.

_________________________

Taglist: @stargirl-mayaa @willowpains @nicolebarnes

I don’t love the ending but I genuinely don’t know who should reader end up with. PLEASE SEND IDEAS!!

[erinwantstowrite]

bear with me here because i'm gonna ramble about something i've been thinking about for a while... and i'm not complaining, i'm just noticing

sometimes i think we've leaned so far into the vigilante side of the batfam that we miss out on what really makes their characters: detective work. we need more mysteries in their lives that don't lead up to some big bad "we already know who's doing it" or an "end of the world" or "yet again: this fucking guy." we need more stuff where spy movie music plays in the background and dumb adventures that don't lead up to some huge grand event with a big name villain. the shock factor stops being shocking or interesting in any capacity if we're like "Gah! the Joker! ... Again!" or whatever

does that even make sense? like "yeah sure they're blowing up a building again and there's hostages. oh look they're gonna poison the water supply." these aren't bad and that's not what i'm getting at because obviously this is a classic for comics. you need to have characters/antagonists that show up more than once and who can make a story better by being in it. and i did say to bear with me- that's because im tired. so like i hope im getting this across the right way? it's just that sometimes i don't wanna see a huge explosion, i want these motherfuckers solving a regular murder or a disappearance or regular corruption in a local office without it being tied to a grand reveal like "actually this person knows you as a long lost relative" or "they were at that circus can you guess which night they went?" that kind of thing? if you get me? like... more of the small time stuff makes the big stuff important, it makes it stand out more. at some point, the format gets repetitive even if you're switching up the villains. you can make these situations/mysteries still fun to solve for the characters and fun to read for the audience if you do it right

the concept of a detective dressed as a bat and having a sidekick in traffic light colors is inherently goofy as hell??? but that is what is so charming about it??? i think we have lost the balance between them being silly while also being intelligent with important conversations that criticize the world as we see it and teach lessons and can go over dark topics. nowadays it's always end of the world problems or just straight up the most gruesome true crime you can think of?? or they can ONLY do the dark stuff and the criticism without offering a balance of the good in the world. or we keep coming back to the FUCKING JOKER-

like yes they are vigilantes and with that comes a different level of their work, but their brand should be a mix between a black and white detective film that can get very nitty gritty and a classic spy movie, that kind of thing. at the end of the day, it's what makes them so different from the superheroes. that's what appeals to me.

seeing them in the big superhero groups is fun, don't get me wrong. it's always funny to see them standing next to people who are so powerful they never really fit in with anyone but each other, who chose to step up and use their powers for good. the Bats' specialty is Gotham and yet here they are stopping a god or whatever. and they do stop the god or whatever, all the while being an important leader and strategist to their teammates. they're important to have in these cases. but if there's a world ending event every time i pick something up, it's not as fun

the fact that they are so very human and not fantastical is why i like reading them. it's what makes the joke of people, even Gotham citizens, theorizing about them being cryptids, funny. they're fucking weird but that's because they're detectives. people who love to solve mysteries usually have a fatal flaw of curiosity. they forget the bounds between social interactions sometimes because they're used to working through problems or being intertwined with partners that understand them. but they're very much human. so human that it hurts them in many ways. and idk i've just been thinking about it lately and idk what point i'm trying to get across actually

it's just that in my eyes that's how it really is for Batman- a black and white movie narrated by a very serious man who took up a job to help people, one that has a deeper commentary on the world and viewed outwardly as pessimistic but actually has a deep hope for his city and who tries to help even the people who have wronged others. He's a stationary man in the belief that him being a constant can serve to soothe others and help them move forward. He stays in the middle of the path so he can tell everyone what is up ahead. he blends into the Gotham rainy night to serve justice but in a way that saves both the victim and the perpetrator. (the way he tucks a Robin into his cape is the same he does for Gotham with his mere presence.) and his background is actually so important to his story and yet people still somehow gloss over the lesson from it? he lost his parents because of a man who was on the opposite end of the spectrum to where he was in life. and yet he chose to help the people like the man that killed his parents. he could have done anything else with his power and money, but he instead is choosing to bring as many people up with him as he can. He's Mr. Serious that no one else can get a read on. and yet he walks into a room and he's already piecing together your life and what you're going through because he thinks it matters. he comforts people who have lost something or someone or themselves. I picture Batman and I don't picture a man trying to save the world, I picture a detective walking around a crime scene and trying to save at least one person every time he puts on the cape. and he put on the cape and became a vigilante because then he could go out of the bounds of what laws have been set up- and specifically, Gotham has other people in power who are corrupt, keeping the system that way. that's why Batman being a billionare and throwing himself into helping people at the risk of his own life is so important. he knows that if you are alive, you have something or someone to lose, no matter who you are. the dude is a bleeding heart but he doesn't know how to express it, in fear that if he gets too close, if he moves down the path with them, he'll be lost again

and then he's met with someone who should be a complete opposite, but isn't at all, because they're two sides of the same coin. his partner in crime, his son, a boy that is nothing like the black and white world that he sees. and that's the point in his life where he first sees that potentially getting lost is worth the risk. Robin is color and passion that needs guidance to move forward, but can not do so unless the stationary man learns to move with him. the kid is loud and reckless and you'd think he's from a different genre from the detective but they aren't so different, really. not when you look close enough. Dick grew up moving from place to place and seeing the world, knowing so many different people from different cultures. He's been learning to fly and jump and embrace the free fall his entire life. He's clever and he's sharp, and he thrives in the action and adventure. it's that perspective that compliments the stationary man. one is steady and the other pushes. he's the same genre but a different generation. and Batman introducing him to the way of life he chose for himself was another way he could save someone. because let's be real for a second? Dick would have gone down a very dark path had he not had Bruce, who understood, who saw not just himself in the kid but also saw who the kid has been his entire life until now. he saw Dick's parents, he saw the family he had in the circus, he saw the joy he had in what his family was doing. he saw the grief and the fire and the color that Dick's world was made of. because to Bruce, it always matters. Dick had to come to terms with Bruce's perspective to help anyone who they come across, to always give more chances, and it kept Dick from losing his color

what gets me is that the man who lives in the black and white world can actually see many different shades of gray (because black and white always needs the medium), whereas the boy in a world of color and light can get so focused on the bright that he can become single minded. and yet the boy sees a world of color and delves deeper into the lives of the peolle they come across and can be much more open minded, and the man in the black and white world sometimes forgets the shades of grey are right there. they are just like each other. they can exist without the other, but do they want to? because the black and white can be built up into the colored image, like the inking and shadows drawn on a comic book page before the colors are added in. they meet in the middle to complete each other. Bruce has been passing the story over to the next generation for a long, long time, even before his story was complete. and just like with the first Robin, it was so for every Robin afterwards. they each color in the lines differently, but that's what makes Robin so special, so unique. they are an art style that branches into their own life, but can not forget where they started: tucked into Batman's cape and the inky black of his world

and so detective work really frames their hunanity to me. the mysteries they get their hands on, the glimpses into the lives of Gotham citizens that they swore to protect, it's fascinating. it's what makes their story stand out compared to the people who can lift trucks or cast spells or run around the world in seconds. so yeah ig that's what i'm trying to say? that i want to read more of that? in both canon and fanon. cause even the small time villains we see can be like. AWFUL people and it takes out the fun of their gimmicks. and if it were any other day this would be a more coherent post but alas, it is not any other day

[it-came-autumnally]

Why did nobody tell me that the plot for Tsukasa4 was so funny. "Tsukasa your acting is mid unless you're in hysterics. please go try to be normal" (cue 2 weeks of Tsukasa failing until he realizes the answer is to work with another guy to write a fanfic backstory for his side character with 3 lines. and even then he tries too hard and accidentally fails to keep his side character a side character)

[not-xpr-art]

gonna go a lil bit into my ideas behind this one!

think I did already mention it somewhere, but I wanted this to feel like an old psychology illustration, especially with the way they both spend much of the episode studying each other... (also a reference to the wider outdated psychology things they talk about in the episode)

I think a lot of how Blake and Drew are written are as character foils in a way (hence why I made the former red and the latter blue alongside the main drawings of them here... also yes those colours again, sue me pfft), feeling for a lot of the episode like opposites... the Sadist and the Depressive, couldn't feel more different huh?

except, their actions (especially at the end) mark them as being so much more similar than you initially thought! through both of their selfish actions there are innocent people (their kids) who have suffered and died...

(also a detail probably no one noticed in this (not that I expected anyone to notice pfft) is that there are various letters across the piece, most are lower case but the few that are capitals spell out the name ELLIE... the person in both their lives that they both hurt and let down...)

so I wanted this piece to show that contradiction between those two characters, two sides of the same coin if you will... I also think the tear between the two drawings is like two pages that have been ripped apart and stuck together (in a way I think I could have made this more obvious with a line there? idk maybe not lol...)

the whole idea of the trolley problem (the way I see it in the episode, that is) is less about the victims themselves and more about the person standing at the lever making that decision! having that choice over who to kill or not... that's enough to make someone feel like a god... and a god is seemingly untouchable... unless they end up going up against another god, that is lol

idk... there's something so greek tragedy about everything in this episode (which I feel like I'd love to explore more in another artwork ngl lol...) and the fact that yes, Blake is an evil bastard, but Drew also has a lot to answer for makes everything in this story so SO compelling...

final thing I wanna say is I think it was on this piece that someone mentioned how they liked the certain things about the character's faces I chose to emphasise and honestly I LOVE that people notice things like this!!! I'm always super interested in trying to create a certain feeling from a singular expression within my portraits, trying to encompass everything you see within that character in one moment is tough and I'm never really sure I'm doing a good job so honestly hearing that made my day <3

a fragile state of mind...

(illustration based on the inside no 9 episode 'the trolley problem')

(09/2024)

forever just SO fascinated by this ep and these characters tbh!

[ecstarry]

EUGEEE TALK ABOUT MORE ARCANE AND MY LIFE IS YOURSSSS (i love how all my marauders mutuals are also arcane fans)

jamie!!

ugh caitvi has taken over me, i think what keeps calling to me about them is similar to what calls to me with ships like rosekiller where i think a lot goes unsaid, not because they don't have the words (which they don't tbf) but because they really don't need it? and the words they do say to each other have so many layers between them, that's why i find it so so special how they look at each other and the gestures they have towards each other, how they can't help their decisions are influenced by the other weather they do it consciously or not.

i also think this dynamic happens to be this way more because it's how it works with vi, not so much cait. but cait who is so incredibly well spoken and probably has always felt like she must be assertive and all her words must be carefully chosen and meaningful just feels so fucking good knowing she doesn't need to do all that for her and vi to work out.

i think actions over words is something vi and jinx have in common. kinda why isha affected me so much, istg their relationship was one of my absolute favorite things, and ofc this non-verbal way of forming a relationship is the focus of isha and jinx but i think it's something vi is capable too. because it's also how it worked most of their arc between vi and jinx.

like once again it's a pair of siblings who the way they love each other will continue to affect how they love others. which shows i think in the other universe, with how jinx/poweder manages to love, because she loves vi in a different way too

here's the letter i wrote from jinx to vi, the fic is called Waiting Room because well "i know its for the better" just hits so much with them.

[earthchica]

Funny How Times Flies | 5

terry richmond x black, fem!/plus size reader

summary: you and terry have been locked in your relationship for five months, and with the holidays approaching, you both agree to finally meet each other’s families.

warnings: explicit smut (18+), slow jams, making love, oral (f), fluff, encouragement, family gathering, angst, anxiety, mention of a pregnancy scare, mention of kids and marriage, thanksgiving, words: (4k)

Note: Hiiii. I hope y'all eat some good food today and have a good time with your family. Please enjoy! Let me know your thoughts and if you want to be tagged in future parts.

series masterlist

-

You and Terry have been dating for nearly five months, and it has been so wonderful. Like any couple, you've faced ups and downs; for instance, Terry hasn't found a job since moving to Lafayette, and you had a pregnancy scare.

Fortunately, both of you were relieved to discover you weren't pregnant, but it did spark an honest conversation about wanting kids and getting married to each other one day.

Living together now has undeniably grown you both as a couple. You've fallen more deeply in love with Terry than before. Just waking up and seeing his handsome face every day was everything.

Of course, both of you established clear boundaries that have fostered responsibility, trust, and respect in your relationship. A gentle breeze pulled you from your thoughts, and you adjusted to the soft sunlight that filtered through the trees.

You gaze over at Terry, and you can't help but smile at him laying on his back on the picnic blanket. His eyes were closed peacefully, and his chest rose and fell gently with each breath.

You turn your gaze away from him and absorb the atmosphere around you. The park presents a stunning autumn scene, filled with the sounds of chirping birds and the rustling of fallen leaves.

Though the day's warmth is slightly more intense than you'd hoped for, it only adds to the coziness of the moment. You blink, pulling yourself out of your daydreaming, and turn your attention back to Terry.

You can't help but wonder what he said moments before, triggering his soft chuckle. You feel a warmth spread through you, a mix of affection and curiosity, and you can’t wait to hear what’s on his mind.

“I’ve been trying to find the best way to express this, but I’m not sure how—” Terry starts, his words tumbling out in a rush as he begins to ramble, quickly losing his train of thought.

You watch him with concern, sensing his hesitation. “What is it, T?” you ask gently, placing your hand softly on his arm to offer reassurance.

After taking a deep breath, he suddenly looks directly at you, his eyes sparkling excitedly. “I want you to meet my family,” he declares, his voice filled with enthusiasm.

Surprised and nervous, you widen your eyes and respond, “Really? You mean, like… your parents and your family?” Terry nodded eagerly, his bright, expressive eyes gleaming with warmth and genuine affection.

A wide, sincere smile stretched across his face. “Yes, baby! I want my family to finally meet the incredible woman I’m in love with,” he proclaimed, his voice infused with enthusiasm that hung like a melody in the crisp air around you.

“They’ve been constantly asking about you and are practically excited about getting to know you!” His heartfelt words enveloped you in a comforting embrace, easing the nervous flutter of uncertainty gripping your stomach.

The notion of becoming part of his family ignited a joyful spark within you, painting vivid images in your mind of laughter-filled gatherings and shared experiences.

Yet, despite the warmth swelling in your chest, you couldn’t shake a twinge of hesitation. You glanced at him, unsure of the expectations swirling around this moment.

Noticing the uncertainty in your expression, Terry's demeanor shifted. The enthusiasm in his eyes dimmed slightly as a shadow of concern crossed his face.

He shifted his gaze downward, struggling with his own words. Clearing his throat, he spoke again, his voice softening to a more tentative tone.

“But if you don’t think you’re ready for that, then it’s completely okay,” Terry said, his sincerity evident. He rose from the soft blanket as he took a few steps away.

You stood up immediately, your heart urging you to bridge the space between you. With a gentle resolve, you walked toward him and wrapped your arms around his waist. "Terry, I'm ready"

The sweetness of your voice prompted him to turn around, and in that moment, his expression shifted. Wonder flickered in his eyes, quickly replaced by gratitude and hope.

"I would love to meet your family, Terry!" you said with a warm, inviting smile, excited at the thought. He paused for a moment, his expression shifting to one of surprise.

"Wait, are you sure?" he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "Yes!" you replied confidently, your heart racing. Terry’s face broke into a bright smile, unable to contain his joy.

He scooped you up effortlessly and spun you around in a playful circle. "Terry, put me down!" you laughed with exhilaration and wrapped your arms around his shoulders.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm glad to hear that! I was going to ask you if you wanted to go with me this Thursday coming up for Thanksgiving," he said, gently setting you back on your feet but still holding you close.

"Of course I want to go! But only if you come with me to my parents' house tomorrow," you proposed, playfully poking your lips towards him, eyes closed in anticipation. "Seal it with a kiss."

He leaned in and kissed you passionately, sending a warm rush through your body. "Mmm, Terry…why do you have to do that with your tongue?" you purred, biting your lip.

You gazed up into his eyes; the playfulness between you was real. He shrugged, a smirk dancing across his lips. "Don’t act like you don’t love it," he teased.

Terry suddenly grabbed your ass, causing you to squeal in surprise and delight. You looked up at him, your eyes filled with a mix of affection and lust.

-

It was a bright, sunny day, the kind where the warmth of the sun seemed to create a joyful atmosphere. You and Terry strolled hand in hand along the familiar path to your parents' ranch home.

As you approached the front door, Terry glanced down at his clothes for the fifth time, a nervous look on his face. “Do I look good?” he asked, adjusting a collar that didn’t need fixing.

You chuckled softly, your heart swelling with affection. “Sweetie, you look absolutely handsome. Stop worrying! Now come on!” you reassured him, flashing a warm smile before pressing the doorbell.

After moments of waiting, the door swung open, revealing your mom with a beaming smile illuminating her face. Without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around you in a tight, loving hug.

“Hi, Mama,” you said, relishing the comfort of her embrace before gently pulling away.

“Hey, my baby girl—Oh,” she began, stopping mid-sentence as her eyes landed on Terry.

“Oh, hello! You must be Terry. It's so nice to finally meet you! We’ve heard so much about you!” she exclaimed, pulling him into a firm, welcoming hug.

“We would have loved to meet you sooner, but…” she teased, giving you a playful glance filled with maternal affection.

“It’s truly nice to meet you too, ma’am,” Terry replied, a little taken aback by the warmth of her greeting as he pulled away, looking genuinely pleased.

“Come on in, you two!” Your mom said, stepping aside to let both of you enter. The interior of your childhood home felt inviting and warm, filled with cherished memories.

Terry's eyes widened as he took in the various elements that hinted at your upbringing. “You have a lovely house,” he said, glancing around the cozy living room and noting family photos adorning the walls.

Each picture told a story, capturing moments of laughter and love with you and your parents. He added, “It feels so homey here.” You looked up at him and felt pleased to see the look in his eyes.

“Why, thank you, honey!” your mom replied, closing the front door gently behind you. Her eyes sparkled with appreciation, and Terry nodded admiringly at her.

His earlier nerves started to dissipate, and he switched his attention back to you, a sweet smile lighting up his face. Your mom led you both into the living room.

Your dad and some other family members were waiting there. He was seated on the couch, a comforting presence exuding the authority of a protective father.

"Hey...now, there's my sweet pea," your dad said, clapping his hands and standing up. He quickly crossed the room to envelop you in a warm, tight hug.

"Hi, Dad!" you said with a chuckle before pulling away from the hug to motion him towards Terry. “Who’s this?” Your dad asked, glancing over at Terry, his brow slightly furrowed.

Terry shifted his weight from one foot to the other, a subtle sign of his nervousness, while you instinctively squeezed his hand, offering him strength.

“Dad, this is Terry, my boyfriend,” you proudly introduced him, smiling warmly at your dad. “And Terry, this is my dad.” Terry took a deep breath, clearly feeling the weight of your dad’s scrutinizing gaze.

You shifted your eyes nervously between them, hoping this potentially awkward moment would pass without incident. “Terry, huh?” your dad began, his expression severe and unwelcoming.

“So, Terry, what are your intentions with my daughter?” your dad asked. Your heart raced a little at the question, but you understood your dad's protective instincts came from a caring place.

Sensing the moment's gravity, Terry straightened his posture, his voice steady and confident. “I intend to treat her with the respect and the love she deserves, sir. She means a lot to me;"

Terry moves his eyes away from your dad to look at you. "I love her and care deeply about her. I see myself spending the rest of my life with her, honestly.”

Your heart fluttered as you smiled at him, and Your dad nodded thoughtfully, a satisfied smile slowly creeping onto his face as he assessed Terry's response.

“Good answer. If you treat her right, we won’t have any problems. But let me be clear: if you hurt her in any way, you’ll have to answer to me and my shotgun.”

Terry was confused on the last part until your dad pointed the shot gun above the fireplace. He nodded, quickly understanding. “I understand, sir. I promise,” Terry replied.

“Alright then,” your dad said, visibly relaxing now. “Welcome to the family, son.” He extended his hand, and Terry shook it firmly, smiling genuinely.

Feeling a wave of relief wash over you, you laughed lightly. “Okay, let me introduce you to everyone else,” you said, taking his hand again and leading him deeper into the living room.

With a bright smile and eagerness, you announced to your family, “Hey, everyone! This is Terry, my boyfriend! Terry, this is my Uncle Eddie, my dad's brother, and his wife, my Aunt Clara,”

You pointed to each as you went along, “And over there are their kids, my cousins, Mia and Jalen.”

“Nice to meet you all,” Terry said, offering a warm smile as he waved, his nervousness fading as he engaged with your family.

“Welcome! It’s about time we finally met the guy who has our niecy smiling so much!” Aunt Clara exclaimed, her voice full of warmth as she pulled Terry into a hug as tight as your mom’s.

“Yeah, if you keep making her this happy, we’ve never seen her glow so bright!” Mia joked, her playful tone earning hearty laughter from the group.

You rolled your eyes at their teasing but couldn’t help but smile wider. “Alright, alright! Enough of that!” you said, laughing along. As the conversation flowed effortlessly.

The atmosphere in the room became lively and inviting, filled with laughter and childhood stories from your family. Soon, you all were around the table, and Terry gradually relaxed, engaging with everyone.

The mouthwatering aroma of the food wafted through the air, filling the room with the comforting scent of soul food, which always brought a sense of warmth and joy during family gatherings on holidays.

Dishes brimming with fried chicken wings, ham, collard greens, macaroni and cheese, and cornbread were spread across the table, each a testament to home-cooked love and tradition.

After everyone had gathered and offered a heartfelt blessing over the meal, you all began eating and drifted into a conversation about anything.

Your parents asked Terry a series of questions to learn more about him, curious about his interests and background. You chimed in with answers to ease his nervousness, sharing details that highlighted Terry's personality and values.

As the conversation progressed, your dad seemed particularly fascinated by Terry's marine background. The more they talked, the more your parents began to appreciate him.

Their growing fondness for him was reflected in their expressions and laughter. It was clear that Terry was making a solid impression, and you couldn’t help but feel happy seeing them get along so well.

“So, Terry,” Uncle Eddie said, leaning back in his chair with a stern demeanor, “Since you've been done here, have you found a job?” He asked.

You and Terry exchanged an apprehensive glance, silently communicating the unexpected question. “Uh...no...I’m still looking for a job, sir,” Terry replied, his voice betraying a hint of uncertainty.

“Wait, you’re telling me you’ve moved here to be with her, but you’re not working? Sounds like a cozy arrangement,” he remarked, his tone sharper.

Terry kept his composure, responding steadily, “I’m actively looking for a job, sir. Moving here was a big step for me, and I want to ensure I find the right fit.”

Aunt Clara chimed in, “Oh, come on, Eddie! It’s tough out there with the job market right now. Give the boy a break.” But your uncle wasn’t finished.

“Sure, but it sounds like he’s just living off her. What’s he contributing?” he pressed, crossing his arms, a challenging look in his eyes.

You felt the tension rise and placed a reassuring hand on Terry’s lap. “Unc, please chill out. Terry has been incredibly supportive of me, and he’s been working hard to find a job that suits him.”

“Supportive, huh?” Uncle Eddie countered. “What the hell does that even mean? How supportive can you be if you’re not bringing in income?”

Terry spoke up, his tone calm but firm. “I may not be working right now, but I’m doing everything I can to help around the house and support her emotionally.”

Your dad jumped in, sensing the growing hostility. “Alright, Eddie, that’s enough. Everyone’s situation is different; judging Terry without knowing him is unfair. He’s trying, and that's what counts.”

“Exactly,” your mom added, giving Eddie a pointed look. “Remember when you were struggling to get started? It takes time, and moving to a new place is hard. Terry deserves our support, not criticism.”

Mia and Jalen nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Pops, you’re being a bit harsh,” Jalen said. With a sigh, Uncle Eddie relented slightly. “Well, he’d better step up soon if he wants to stick around,” he muttered.

The conversation gradually shifted back to lighter topics, but you felt proud of Terry for standing his ground. You squeezed his hand, and he smiled slightly in appreciation.

After dinner, everyone moved into the living room to talk and play games; you took Terry's hand and led him upstairs into your old bedroom.

“I’m really sorry about my uncle; he can be quite overwhelming at times,” you said, observing Terry as he scanned your room uncertainly.

It felt like the silence stretched between you, heavy with unspoken words. He was lost in thought, maybe processing everything around him.

“Terry, baby, you know you can talk to me,?” you asked softly, your hand finding his shoulder gently. You assured him he could lean on you, especially in such moments.

Terry turned towards you, revealing the anxiety in his eyes. “I want to give you what you deserve and to provide for you; I can't do that without a job,” he began.

“Terry, don’t worry about my uncle; he just like talking shit. You’re doing your best, and I love you so much for that,” you reassured him.

“It’s not all about what you provide; it’s about the love we share and the support we give each other. You are a good man with a good heart. Remember, we’re doing this together.”

Terry looked into your eyes, his expression softening. “You always know how to lift me up.”

Desiring to lighten the mood further, "I know, handsome" you said with a playful grin, “How about a joke? What do you call fake spaghetti?”

Terry raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. “I don’t know, what?”

“An impasta!” you giggled, and to your delight, he broke into laughter, the tension easing away.

“What? That was terrible!” he chuckled, cringing while shaking his head, but the smile on his face told you it had worked.

“Well, I have plenty more where that came from!” you teased playfully, stepping closer to him, eager to close the distance between you.

Your lips met in a sweet, lingering kiss that seemed to capture the essence of your togetherness and love. When you finally pulled away, you gazed into his eyes, which sparkled with affection.

“I love you, Terry. I truly believe things will work out; we just have to keep the faith,” you said earnestly.

“I love you too, baby. Thank you,” he replied softly, a genuine smile lighting up his face and warming your heart. Hand in hand, you both left the cozy confines of the bedroom.

Just as you stepped into the hallway, Uncle Eddie appeared unexpectedly, his eyes widening in surprise at the sight of you. “Hey, there you are!” he exclaimed, but his demeanor quickly shifted to one of concern.

“I was just looking for you two. I want to apologize for my earlier behavior. I’m really sorry, Terry, and I’m sorry to both of you. It was unnecessary,” your uncle admitted, sincerity evident in his voice.

You glanced at Terry, who nodded in acknowledgment. “It's cool,” he responded, showing he appreciated the gesture.

“Um, Terry,” Uncle Eddie continued, his tone shifting to a more serious note.

“I remember you talking about your jiu-jitsu training in the Marines. How would you feel about a job at my training school?” His eyes reflected genuine interest, and you gasped in disbelief.

Terry’s expression transformed into one of astonishment. “What? For real? Really?” he questioned, his voice a mix of excitement and surprise.

“Absolutely! It’s the least I could do after everything. Plus, I could really use someone with your skills and passion. We can discuss the details later,” Uncle Eddie said, his voice laced with enthusiasm as he reached out to shake Terry's hand firmly.

“Oh, and you both are a beautiful couple. I wish you two the best,” he added warmly, glancing between you, showing a sense of remorse for his previous actions.

“Thank you, Uncle Eddie,” you said, your smile wide as you appreciated his words and the generous offer. He nodded, visibly relieved, before turning to make his way back to the living room.

Feeling pride and excitement for Terry, you squeezed his hand tightly. “See? Just like I said, things work out,” you beamed at him, confidence bubbling within you.

Terry grinned back, his self-assurance visibly restored. At that moment, it felt as though everything was finally aligning perfectly in your lives.

-

A few days passed, and the long-awaited day finally arrived: Thanksgiving. Today, you will be meeting Terry's family, and you have been preparing for this moment.

Terry carefully backed into a parking spot, allowing you to take in the cozy, welcoming home adorned with autumn decorations. You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for the introductions ahead.

Terry touched your lap and said, "You have nothing to worry about, baby. My family is going to love you, I promise." His comforting words boosted your spirits.

You both stepped out of the car and took a deep breath to ensure you looked presentable. Hand in hand with Terry, you walked toward the front door.

Just as you reached the halfway point, the door swung open to reveal a brown-skinned, petite, slim woman with dark brown, short hair. She stepped out of the front door to greet Terry, and when her eyes shifted to you.

You smiled shyly and said, "Hi!" Your heart raced a little as you stepped into Terry's mother's welcoming presence. She was beautiful, and it was clear where he inherited his good looks.

"Oh, hi, beautiful! Welcome to the family!" she exclaimed with warmth in her voice, and before you could respond, she enveloped you in a tight hug.

The sweet scent of her perfume filled your nose, instantly putting you at ease. You smiled back at her, and the warmth of her embrace made you feel accepted.

As you pulled away, you glanced at Terry, who was watching the exchange with a beaming smile, who was delighted. His contagious happiness made you feel even more welcome in this new family.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Richmond," you said, pulling away from the hug. She grinned and replied, "Oh, it's very nice to meet you too. Come on in."

As she walked you into her beautiful house, you exclaimed, "Wow, something smells good!"

Mrs. Richmond smiled and said, "Yes, dinner is almost ready. Terry, you and your girlfriend should get settled into the guest bedroom. Not everyone is here yet."

“Sure, Ma,” Terry replied, leaning down to kiss his mom’s cheek quickly before effortlessly grabbing both of your suitcases. You followed him upstairs to the cozy guest bedroom.

After freshening up and gathering your thoughts, you felt excitement mixed with nerves. Once you both returned downstairs, Terry introduced you to his dad.

"Nice to meet you, young lady" He welcomed you with a warm smile and a firm handshake. You couldn't deny how much Terry resembled his father.

Mr. Richmond exuded kindness, making you feel at ease right away. Then you met with his brother and sister, and things went similarly well; they were full of laughter, tales, and good-natured teasing.

His uncle was funny. "I see you, nephew" his uncle whispered, giving him a nudge. His niece and nephews, bursting with energy, excitedly informed you about his favorite movies and toys.

Terry's family welcomed you with genuine smiles, complimented your appearance, and was happy to finally meet you. This warmth washed away lingering nerves and filled your heart with a sense of belonging.

As you settled into the family dynamic, you laughed and joked with Janelle, his older sister. Her vibrant personality made your conversation flow easily.

However, while sharing a light-hearted story, your gaze drifted toward Terry. You couldn’t help but smile at how effortlessly he played with his nieces and nephews.

Janelle noticed your distraction, followed your gaze and her expression turned knowing. “Wow?” she said, raising an eyebrow playfully.

You shifted your attention to her, feeling caught. “What?” you asked, feigning innocence. Janelle continued, “I’ve never seen anyone look at my brother like you do. You’re really in love with him, huh?”

Her words caught you off guard, leaving you momentarily stunned that she had picked up on your feelings. You laughed shyly, brushing your hair back as you contemplated responding.

"Yes, yes, I am!" Your gaze drifted again to your boyfriend. Terry caught your gaze, and you both looked at each other lovingly. Before he could react, one of his nephews tackled him to the ground.

You giggled quietly and turned back to Janelle. "You know. I have known Terry all his life," She began with a smile.

"And he's never introduced anyone to the family before," Janelle said with a warm smile, "but until now, you might just be the one, girl. I'm really happy to see my brother with someone like you." Her words surprised you, and a swell of warmth filled your chest.

"Wow! Thanks, Janelle. That really means a lot to me, and I sincerely hope I am," you replied, feeling a rush of warmth and happiness. The atmosphere around you was inviting, and it felt like you were beginning to carve out a place in their family.

You and Janelle moved on to discuss—everything from favorite movies to embarrassing childhood stories—until Terry approached, a playful glint in his eyes.

"Hey, do you want to join us for a game of spades?" he asked, nodding toward his mom and Shawn, seated at the smaller dining room table.

"Yeah," you answered. After a few lively rounds of the card game, filled with laughter and friendly banter, you felt more comfortable with his family.

It was nice to connect and share these moments. Once the game concluded and the evening wound down, you and Terry bid goodnight to everyone.

Hand in hand, you ascended the staircase to the guest bedroom. As you removed your jewelry, relishing the feeling of the day winding down.

Terry wrapped his arms around you from behind, resting his chin gently on your shoulder, creating a cocoon of warmth. "Wasn't it so bad after all?" he asked, his voice low and comforting.

You placed your earrings carefully in your bag and, still caught in his embrace, shook your head in agreement. "So why were you so nervous?" Terry asked, turning you to face him.

His eyes searched yours for an answer. You wrapped your arms around his shoulders, trying to convey your feelings through the embrace.

"Honestly, I should be asking you the same thing!" You said, looking up at him sweetly. “Nah…I asked you first, baby girl," Terry replied playfully.

His expression softened into that sweet look you adored—the kind that assured you that you could share anything with him, the look indicating that, from the very beginning, you were meant to be together.

"I don't know," you started, feeling vulnerable yet open. "I just had this notion in my head that they wouldn’t like me, you know? But, of course, I was proved wrong. Your family is incredibly sweet, and I love them."

"I feel the same way about your family," Terry said, his expression earnest. "And honestly, even if things hadn't gone perfectly, it wouldn’t matter because I never let you go. Plus, I feel you’re destined to be Mrs. Richmond."

Your heart flipped at his words, and your eyes sparkled with joy. You couldn't hold back the surge of emotion; you leaned in and pressed your lips to his in a sweet kiss.

"I'm never letting you go, either, Terry. I’m forever yours!" you declared confidently, resting your foreheads together. Terry kissed you, but it became a bit heated. *edited* added some smut

Terry placed his hand under your skirt, feeling his fingers caressing against your now wet panties. You put a hand on his chest, halting him just inches from you. "Terry, we're not about to get it on in your parents' house."

He flashed a playful smirk, his eyes glinting with mischief as he leaned in closer, pressing his warm chest against yours. "Come on, baby," he urged, his voice low.

"All we have to do is be quiet." You raised an eyebrow in playful disbelief, curiosity mingling with a hint of challenge in your gaze. "Oh really? And how exactly do you plan on keeping me quiet?"

A smile tugged at your lips as you leaned in slightly, your voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "You know you love it when I get loud."

Terry took a step back, a glint of determination in his eyes. "I promise this time will be different. Just trust me. I’ll lock the door and play some music to drown out any sounds," he whispered, leaning in to gently kiss your neck, sending a shiver down your spine.

His words and the warmth of his breath against your skin made it hard to resist. You could feel your resolve softening as the moment's thrill washed over you. Slowly, you found yourself giving in, your heart racing with excitement.

Terry went to the Bluetooth speaker on the dresser, connected his phone, and began playing some slow jams. He turned back to you, giving you a look that you couldn't deny.

"Fine," you finally said, a smile creeping onto your lips and the lust hanging in the air. You pulled him down into a kiss, and both of you began taking each other's clothes off.

Terry lays you down on the bed, and you let a light moan as he begins kissing your inner thighs before giving your wet pussy lips the soft pecks it deserve.

You cover your mouth, trying to keep quiet as he spreads your legs out a little wider before going back to eating you out. You removed your hand from your lips and bit your lip.

You began rolling your hips to feel his face against your pussy, "Terry...ahh, it feels so good," you whimpered, and he looked up for a second with your juice on his face.

Terry plunging back between your legs and your eyes rolled in the back of your head, secured your hips up an inch to get a little bit more.

He let out a little growl, gripping your lower back to rock your hips against his face, soaking his nose and mouth. "Oh fuck…Terry. So feels good."

You cried in pleasure; that was always music to his ears. Terry couldn't get enough of hearing you telling him how he made you feel and the pleasure he gave you.

Your eyes rolled in the back of your head when you felt his tongue hit a good sweet spot. "Mmm, you're doing good, baby," He declares so deeply, voice sending shrinks down your spine to your dripping cunt.

Terry dives back in, tongue dipping in and out of your hole at an unforgiving pace. You gripped the sheets, "Yes, just like that." You whisper, feeling yourself get already close.

"Does my good girl need to come?" Terry asked in a whispter, and you nodded, shaking and tense. "I'm so close Terry…can I cum, please?" you whimpered, voice wavering more and more.

"Cum for me, baby," he ordered and you did, crying out his name…shaking from the mindblowing climax. You lay there quietly, trying to get yourself together.

Terry began kissing up your body to your lips, and you moaned tasting the juice of your cum on his tongue. You felt his hand grip your plump waist and wrapping your legs around his waist.

Terry pulled away and smirked, filling you up perfectly; you silently him as he moaned at the feeling of you clenching around him tight.

His forehead leaned against your forehead, pulling out slightly before thrusting back in. The thrusts were slowly and gently, the breathless moans between you, and the music wrapped around you like a warm embrace.

"Shit...baby, you're the best thing that happened to me; you lift me up, love me for who I am, and I'm forever thankful you know that," Terry whispered, kissing your neck.

"Yes, ahhh Terry. I'm so happy I met you on that trip, you give me so I'm thankful for you, too," you whispered, getting emotional as you looked deeply into his beautiful eyes.

Terry wipes your tears away and kisses you for a few minutes before lifting your leg to be on his shoulder to go deeper. "So deep, so fucking deep Terry"

You let out a light moan, placing your hand on the back of your leg to keep it steady as the music drives out the sounds of your skins slapping togather.

"Fuck, I love you baby." Terry moans, leaning his forehead against yours and looking into your eyes deeply, thrusting a little faster, setting a steady rhythm.

"Ah…Terry….I love you, I love so fucking much" You moaned softly, feeling your pussy clenching around his dick. Terry kisses you and feels yourself getting ready to orgasm.

"I'm gonna come," You whispered in a moan, pulling away from the kiss. "You're gonna come, huh? Fuck Me too, baby, I'm gonna fill you up, would like that," He whispers in your ear.

"Yes, yes, fill me up with your come, please, Terry, I need it," You said, pulling him into another kiss as he thrust a few times, and you both came together, muffling each other's names.

You felt the streams of his hot cum dropping out of your pussy once he pulled out. "Mmm, that's all me coming out of you" He smirks, glancing down at your pussy proudly.

You and Terry went to take a warm shower together. The steam filled the small bathroom, creating a cozy atmosphere as you washed away the fantastic sex you just had.

Once you finished, you both slipped into soft pajamas, feeling comfortable and relaxed. As you settled into bed, you turned toward him and rested your head gently on his chest, feeling the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Terry wrapped his arms around you, drawing you closer with a tender embrace, his hands softly caressing your arms. At that moment, everything felt right, and you knew nothing could stand in the way of this beautiful love between you both.

[mc-lukanette]

"Luka, do you believe in soulmates?"

Luka nearly stumbled after that question left Marinette's mouth. While conversation was common between them on their walks - regardless of if it was a walk to go somewhere together, a walk to find inspiration, or a walk to simply walk - he hadn't expected a topic like that.

Just about anyone wouldn't, actually, not when a vast majority of the population had soulmate marks. Luka himself sported one, as did Marinette.

He looked to her for clarification, but her gaze was distant, drawn up towards the sky like it might give her whatever answer she was looking for. Wanting to consider her question seriously, he asked, "Are you talking about destiny?"

"No ...maybe?" Her brows furrowed and she appeared just as confused as him by her own thought process. Throwing a hand out in exasperation, she tried again, "We're chosen. That's the idea, right? Because someone, or the universe, or something did it?"

"Yeah?" He supposed that was accurate even if he didn't know himself. No one could ever agree on the true cause and evidence was nonexistent, so it was largely left up to interpretation.

More religiously-inclined individuals would call it a God giving people a sign of their all-knowing nature, or giving their approval of two people being together. Depending on one's view, that theory ranged from being about a holy entity asserting their omnipotence to being about the most powerful shipper to ever exist trying to pair up the population to their liking.

For others, it was just a force of the universe, whether a conscious one or not. The way the marks changed as cultures did could answer questions about that, or it may only add them.

Some theories left it down to the individual: that people were magical or that their souls called out and found another, which ultimately manifested in a soulmate mark.

Luka didn't know, and it wasn't something that kept him up at night. The pondering of why soulmate marks existed and what they truly meant held about as much weight to him as why some random person on the other side of the world chose to eat an apple instead of an orange that day.

Of course, it wasn't always like that. There was a time when he was younger when he looked at the mark near Marinette's elbow, listening to her ramble excitedly about who her soulmate might be and what kind of person she hoped they were, and he felt jealous. He'd loved her knowingly for years, probably loved her unknowingly even longer, but he was happy.

In a way, not being her soulmate meant that she had no incentive or suggestion to be close to him beyond enjoying his company. That alone held great value to him, and he liked the simplicity: importance to someone without need of a fancy fate tattoo slapped on at birth to show for it.

"Ugh," Marinette groaned, running both hands down her face. "I get a headache whenever I think about it. It doesn't make sense."

"Which part?"

"Mm..." She pouted. "The good part?"

He still wasn't following, though he did like hearing her talk. He was happy to be her black-and-blue rubber duck if she needed it.

"Everyone thinks that soulmate marks are soooo great," she continued with an edge to her voice, waving her arms wildly, "but they don't always think about who, or what, or whatever's behind it! What if it—"

"Look out."

Luka caught a glimpse of what was about to happen just in time, reaching out to grab her shoulder and pull her back, the honest-to-God cream pie that'd fallen from above splattering on the sidewalk below. He looked up to lock gazes with the person who'd appeared to either accidentally drop or knock it over, but they were already ducking back inside in embarrassment.

Giving a quick glance at her shoes to confirm that the pie didn't get on them, his eyes went to her face next. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer, staring solemnly at the dessert on the ground, though that may have not been entirely accurate. It almost appeared as if she were looking at things all around it that weren't actually there.

He knew then what was happening in her mind before she spoke again.

"What if it doesn't care about you or thinks you're a joke? What if it gave you a soulmate just for a laugh?"

Marinette had never had good luck. Having known her since they were both kids, Luka knew that for a fact. He'd become so used to it that anticipating and preventing whatever insanely unlucky moments he could was like muscle memory to him. His body simply felt the signs and acted on its own.

Thus, her conclusion didn't come as anything strange to him, however depressing it sounded. The thought that there was some higher being taking delight in... whatever this was, it didn't sound impossible.

Cautious with suspicion of what her answer may be, he asked, "Did something happen with him?"

He normally wouldn't say anything about that relationship, nor do so much as to speak the boy's name. After countless times of watching Marinette lamenting some perceived failure that was, more often than not, either terrible luck or the universe personally spiting her, he stopped bringing it up. It made her miserable to talk about it and he had a dog in the proverbial race, so it was convenient for both of them if he kept quiet.

No matter how much he wanted and also didn't want to know how it was going or if any sparks were flying, that was her business and he would only pry if he felt it necessary. Most of what he knew was simply that she had seen the soulmate mark by accident and her soulmate had yet to see hers.

"Ha," she scoffed, turning her face away from him. "Nothing happened, that's the problem."

She went to keep walking, not feeling right standing in the same place on the sidewalk, and nearly stepped in the fallen pie before he caught her shoulder again. She tossed him a grateful look and they continued their walk side-by-side.

"I just wanted to get to know him better! Isn't it normal to want to know what your soulmate is like?" She huffed, face pinkening in shame. "But any time I try to talk to him, it all comes out wrong and it doesn't make any sense, and not even in a way that makes sense!"

She held her hands out, feigning holding a box.

"And the other day, I put a box of my parents' macarons on his desk with a note on it, but Chloe took it and told him they were from her! He even bought it!" She stopped talking, squinting at nothing as she turned to him and corrected, "Her story, not the macarons."

He nodded along and let her continue.

"Anyway!" She faced the sky with a glare, fists tight against her chest. "Like Chloe would ever be caught dead in my parents' bakery. She wouldn't even take the time out to buy a gift herself unless it was for herself!"

He chuckled, though there was sympathy too. He couldn't imagine what was crazier of a thought: that Marinette's parents would sell to their daughter's bully, or that someone would be unaware enough to believe such a story in the first place. The macarons couldn't have been that good.

Head tilted up towards the sky, she clasped her hands together behind her back and sighed. "Maybe my standards for guys are too high, or I'm missing something about soulmates. That's why I asked." Eyes drifting towards where her partly hidden mark was, she grumbled, "I don't think it's a coincidence anymore that it's where my funny bone is..."

Luka hummed, a question lingering in his mind but not one that was relevant to hers: in all of his knowing her, she'd never dated anyone, so he couldn't imagine where her "standards for guys" had come from, but he thought better of saying it aloud.

Turning his head to look at the rest of the world, so far removed from the little bubble they'd crafted for each other, Luka took in their surroundings: the pigeons flying overhead, the cars passing by, and a couple having snacks at a table outside a cafe. His lips twitched at the latter sight as a thought occurred to him.

"Do you remember when we were kids?" He met her confused gaze. "My favorite Jagged Stone song was Bottomless. I thought it was the deepest song I ever heard."

Marinette snorted, a delightful noise that he always loved hearing. "And when he got asked what it meant, he said..."

With a dramatic groan hearkening back to the emotions of his childhood self, he lamented, "That he was hungry when he wrote it."

Her chest heaved as she snorted again, putting a hand over her mouth as she tried to contain her laughter. It was all in good fun and he had fond memories of her comforting him at the time as if the revelation had destroyed his psyche, wanting to protect his innocence.

"I was devastated," he half-joked as he slipped his hands into his pockets, "but then I realized that it didn't matter."

Her laugh cut off with a choke, shocked by the statement. He didn't blame her, as he'd never really expressed the thought to anyone before.

And Luka Couffaine, not caring what Jagged Stone had to say about his own song? Unheard of.

"It didn't change how I felt about it, or what it meant to me," he explained. "Just because he was the one who made it didn't mean I had to see it the way he did."

Marinette was smart, and he could see the parallel clicking in her head. His thoughts on Jagged's song were much like his thoughts on his mark, or soulmate marks in general, in that he couldn't care less about anyone else's theories or ideas about them. Maybe his mark genuinely meant that the person with a matching mark was destined to be with him, or the exact opposite. Perhaps it was a warning about someone he could never get along with, or there was no person at all who matched his mark.

But he knew how he felt. He knew what he wanted, and it had nothing to do with a nonconsensual tattoo he had on his neck.

"What about you, Marinette? What do you want your mark to mean?"

They came to a crosswalk, the warning sign flashing red. Stopping along with her, Luka's hands fell back to his sides as he waited for Marinette's response. Her gaze was locked to her feet, which shifted against the sidewalk while she mulled over her answer.

"...I don't want it to mean anything. My life's already complicated enough without thinking about what I'm supposed to do about it," she decided. "I don't need a soulmate either, just something simple: someone to talk to, someone who comforts me like I comfort them..."

"I think that sounds great." He beamed, charmed by the promised simplicity.

She continued, voice quieting, "...someone to go on walks with."

...Wait.

She gripped the bottom of her shirt with the hand furthest from him, tangling her finger in the fabric. "Someone to hold hands with..."

Then he felt it. It was the lightest of touches, but he knew with certainty the feeling of her other hand's knuckles brushing his. The way her face pinked at her cheeks only supported that.

It was a question in the form of physical contact: Do you want this? Is this okay?

Without having realized, Luka had fallen into the trap of assuming everything about soulmates without meaning to, contrary to his own opinion. Marinette had put so much weight onto it when they were kids that he didn't dare to imagine anything else but that she wanted them romantically.

Had she really just wanted to get to know them? Or had she wanted him to be sure that she wasn't interested in them first? Was that why she'd asked him in the first place? To know whether it would matter to him or not?

A car driving by, causing wind to rustle their hair, brought Luka back to reality. Not wanting to be misunderstood for even an instant, he took her hand in his and brought it to his chest, holding it there so she could feel his heartbeat.

She gasped, but didn't pull away, staring at their joined hands in awe.

"What else?" he asked, sending every implication at her through his tone.

"Ah—" The pink on her cheeks spread further along her face, but she still answered, "S-someone who will touch my face, like..."

She trailed off, lost for a way to describe it, but Luka needed no further instruction. Taking a single step to be even closer to her, he raised his free hand. Fingers bent, he glided the backs along Marinette's cheek, a pleasant heat coming off of it.

"Anything else?"

She opened her mouth, paused to swallow, then gave him a hopeful smile. With only a hint of shyness this time, she requested, "Kiss me."

He did, his hand going from her cheek to the back of her head as their lips met. Cars continued to pass by, but he couldn't hear them over his heart pounding so loud he could feel it in his skull.

"Lu—" Marinette started to say, but whatever it was must not've been more important than kissing him. She tightened her grip on the hand he'd been holding, the other pulling at his jacket to keep him close.

As if he would've ever gone anywhere but right in front of her. The mere thought baffled him.

When they pulled away, hands still intertwined, it took Luka a few seconds for the world to come back into focus. The crosswalk sign signaled that they could walk now, but he couldn't say for sure whether it had done that recently or if they'd been kissing for so long that they'd missed a prior chance to cross. He couldn't bring himself to care either, not when she held his hand like it was something precious.

She smiled gorgeously at him and tugged him along. He followed after her eagerly, silently wondering if she had any further "requirements" that he could meet.

[coquexari]

Is it alright if you talk/ramble about your god designs?? :3 I’d love to learn about your thought process about them!!! :D

HI, YES, WILL DO :D!!! Okay, so, fun little thing, athena wont be here because I WILL be redesigning her, but not too much, just to basically match with Zeus a little more [favorite child moment.] For the most part, I basically try to put the branches that stem from the concepts of what they're a god of, like god of thunder and god of the seas, with both Zeus and Poseidon having elements of their environment. With Zeus' cloud hair and fluff, and his thunder like marbling on his skin, and Poseidon's water arms and fish features [the fins and black scales] Zeus' design wasnt as simple to think about as I thought, for the most part I kind of just dont put that much thought into it and think about it AS I go, I try to implement the leaves in other ways like his horns, and the MAIN thought in designing zeus is how much of a drama queen that he was that he'd want to make himself look more different than everyone else, my thoughts are pretty scrambled because i don't exactly know how to explain my thoughts in a linear pattern so im sorry if it cant be understood, basically just had idea after idea WHILE i was making him, his hair basically turns into his tail in the same design that Hermes has, just fluffier, AND his chest is charred/marbled with lightning coming from the center because power is where his heart lies. I wanted him to EMBODY, cockiness, king of gods energy, while also thinking it'd be funny that other than aphrodite he's the one with the most skin shown..just because. Poseidon's design was in similar existence with Zeus, but where Zeus was as big and puffy as his clouds, I wanted poseidon to be as sleek as water, his hair had to be waves that melded into the seas whenever he was in his element, and when he wasnt, his hair would flow to the floor giving the look you usually see in water breathing from demon slayer [image below] His hair flows in the same sense, while keeping its form for the most part.

Hermes! well, he kinda just came to me while I was doodling him, ngl I had to pull out google to figure out what hermes looked like the first time to get more than one idea, and decided that it'd be fun to make him more of a mysterious trickster of a mailman that is alot more threatening than he's let on, giving him a more 'biblically accurate angel' look with all the eyes came from the idea of him being a messenger and being able to go anywhere as quickly as he does, you'd never really know when he was or wasn't watching. I thought I'd just implement that more into his design, ALSO incorporate some spirity ghostly things mostly on his cape, just to make his role of guiding souls a bit more shown :3 APHRODITEEE Was simple, but a really fun thought, as the goddess of beauty and allat I wanted her to basically be as customizable as possible, marbling vitiligo with white hair, a canvas capable of change. She's able to mold herself as whoever you want her to be, and whoever she wants herself to be, but her main look is a dull pink with marbling vitiligo and hair so white you'd get blinded looking at her, I also added a bit to the dove look with her hair, making it look and flow like feathers whenever she moves.

Basically, again, all of my ideas usually stem from the concepts and branches of their titles, and my want to just make them all silly and pretty, i havent designed others yet but I hope this answers it! :D!

[honey-bell-aint-well]

How would Fresh react if a host he possessed, who knew what he was, wasn't resisting that much because they understood his situation and couldn't blame him, I mean he has to do that to live, and instead asked him to at least not drain them whole and leave them before they become unrecoverable, like that would be fair cause both of them deserve to live, and also just being very miserable and hurting and sad and silently begging for comfort and the same understanding they gave to him while they give him the saddest kicked puppy look in the mindscape/their imagination, ideally wanting to share control or at least for Fresh to occasionally humor them and listen to music or consume fiction they like, but doubting that would ever happen, and generally just hoping for Fresh to not be unnecessarily cruel?

First of all: Thank you for asking me a question about Fresh! Now I get to ramble >:3

Second: Interesting question. For the host it would be terrible, and I question why they would be so ready to hand their life over to someone else. Do they not have family or friends, are they not invested in their own life? Why? Are they a host by force or were they manipulated into it? Or did they give themselves up willingly? If it's the latter, then why?

Fresh probably wouldn't give them acknowledgement. He doesn't have the capacity to care about them, and he thinks of hosts as just tools. He wouldn't be cruel to them, because why unnecessarily hurt a body he's using? He doesn't want to feel pain.

But he canonically does enjoy it when the person he's possessing feels pain from him feeding on their soul. A quote from CQ: "In honesty, he’s just being sadistic and enjoys gaining control over others, especially if he tricked them beforehand. Possessing a crowd of people and making them do what he wants, just makes HIM happy. And by ‘happy’ I do mean his extremely numb, limited view on it."

But if he possesses them AFTER the Loveball? If he becomes capable of guilt, I think he'd still ignore their pleas, but this time out of a sense of self-preservation rather than indifference. I think he'd start to hate himself for it, but would be unable to even comprehend giving up the safety of having a host. His drive for survival is extremely strong. I think he can survive outside of a host, but his parasite form is very weak. I think he'd consider having a host to be necessary.

I also think he'd still be sadistic and enjoy their pain, but the enjoyment would be pretty soured by all of his new negative emotions.

I think, out of guilt, he'd let the host listen to songs and read fiction [as long as it isn't inappropriate. If it is then he'd censor it]. He'd probably do it very rarely though, and he'd be mad at himself for doing so. He's not used to guilt, and he doesn't understand why he's doing these things even though it doesn't benefit him. [Clarification: He'd be confused, but he'd default to anger because he's really bad at dealing with his emotions].

Over time as he feels more, he might begin to consider them more than just a tool. At that point, I think the guilt would be so strong that he'd feel physically sick. I don't know what he would do in that case.

And then there's the whole Loveball existential crisis. That definitely factors into this, but I'm not exactly sure how. He'd definitely keep trying to appear as his usual radical self, no matter how he feels. He might not succeed sometimes though, because having your entire worldview flipped.. that has the tendency of affecting people and how they interact with the world around them.

Thank you for asking! :D

[mvrdermeharder]

Now that the official translations are out I wanna ramble a bit abt the new chapter

First of all, I actually think that Isagi’s writing is very interesting here. He’s always been someone who could connect with others easily, and imo he’s been the most empathetic person in bllk (which makes sense regarding his upbringing ofc). But also, he’s used this empathy to his own benefit, as it came naturally to him to understand others and to feel for them. What obviously comes to mind is this scene with Bachira from the second selection

So it’s interesting how his new awakening is all about throwing his emotions and empathy away. And the more I think about it, the more I am on board with it. Kinda.

Because reading the new ch, I felt so off seeing how emotionless Isagi is all of a sudden. Especially these panels, his eyes look soulless and he looks so utterly empty inside that it’s actually off putting

And the puzzle-eye panel creeps me out even more: I know this is manga, but even then, the facial symmetry is uncanny, the perfect roundness of his irises looks unnatural, his face is drawn too perfectly. It literally resembles a soulless robot with a human face, and it actually makes me uncomfortable to look at him.

And throughout the whole chapter he either has an impassive expression on, or we see his back only… which is so weird, since he’s been quite expressive up to this point. Getting no emotions from him feels especially strange.

And to be honest, I kinda like this development. Because it’s interesting.

But also… if i think about it, subconsciously pushing aside his empathy for the sake of victory has always been there inside of him… and this mentality too, had been proven to be valuable.

This scene with Kira is where we first see his ego awaken, so maybe this is the truest, most original form of it…? Just like what Noa said in this chapter “we may have opened the door to Isagi’s ego”. And it might be about wanting to rewrite fate? Destroying stronger opponents and the expectations ppl have for them, as seen with Rin’s blocked goal in 284. (Or even Bachira’s development in the second selection is sort of Isagi destroying the script… huh. Even tho that’s based on empathy… hmmmmmm looks like there are multiple ways to destroy fate)

But back to the current development, I wonder if this is what Kaneshiro hinted at when saying that he hopes we’ll still like Isagi. Him changing to this unemotional, robotic player… It would be interesting to see how this could backfire w him hurting others because of his discarded empathy. (Ooo Kaneshiro had also said that Bachira’ll be important in the story again👀)

But what’s interesting, is that I actually think that Isagi’s recent proposition to abandon all feelings and ego is actually… good for Kaiser? Like, I wouldn’t say that it’s completely healthy, but it’s definitely healthy-er than the shit he has going on rn?

I talked about how Kaiser pushing himself into his childhood mentality isn’t the answer to achieve his goals, him perceiving himself as an “unlovable sub-human who yearns for love but can never gain it” is not the right ego and it can lead to catastrophe…

So Isagi telling him to “abandon our egos”?? That’s perfect, actually???? Isagi reassuring Kaiser that they will both put aside their dislike for each other for a while? For the very first time someone is not actively looking at Kaiser with some type of malice, or not just using him for their own gain, but putting him on equal ground instead? Even if it’s to use each other, it’s not… ill-natured. For the first time Kaiser is not a piece of shit nor a rotten manipulator full of malice.

Bc let’s not forget: Ness has never been on equal ground. He’s a dog subjected to malice. That is all that Kaiser (is allowing himself to) feel for him. And Ness’ love born out of manipulation can never be recognized as valid and honest. It’s so fucking hard to accept love and kindness from someone when you feel like you’ve manipulated them into liking you.

So well, getting back to 285, the team-up with Isagi does not equate to “feeling loved”, but still, it’s a peaceful neutrality.

And the best thing is, now that Kaiser is (likely) abandoning his own unhealthy ego, the real goal stays the same! He’s still encouraged to score, by which he attains a bit of love, but his self-loathing is put on a pause, so he doesn’t have to play in restriction. Isagi is right there for now.

And ofc, i’ll say it again: this is not the final solution to “fix” Kaiser’s psychological stuff. But it is still better than whatever he had experienced before, and it could be the first step to get used to being treated as an equal instead of an enemy - to accept something that is not kindness, but definitely not malice either.

I mean look. This is literally the first time that we see him get physical with anyone. Touching someone without ill intent. And that’s huge.

So all in all: This chapter was GREAT!!

(But as always, feel free to disagree, these are only my opinions)

[chokisnumber1fan]

reblogging this at 2 am so my thoughts are SUPER incoherent and very offtopic and tangential, sorry about that </3

this is such a good analysis of nagi's possible backstory! and while i haven't read past the BM v MC match yet, to me this gives a lot more depth to the relationship that nagi and reo have. i might be delusional since nagi is one of my favourites and also since i don't know much about the later chapters other than a really vague direction but i think this serves as a good reminder that neither nagi nor reo are inherently 'bad' or take up an antagonistic role— they are just two boys that got too codependent and need some space away from each other to develop on their own.

i see a lot of people jump to antagonising either nagi or reo, or judge their duo as a good/bad one, but imo it's more important to view them from a more neutral lens since this isn't just about football or just about their personal lives outside of it— we can see just how much their 'personal' affects their 'field relationship' and vice versa.

from here on out i'm probably straying from the main point that OP is trying to make, so you've been warned!!!

also, if we were to assume that nagi is indeed one of the neglected to some extent kids— then i believe that chris and agi could truly have done better with how they handled nagi. it's pretty obvious that nagi is heavily dependent on reo, but instead of cutting reo out entirely they could have trained the two of them together in a way that allows them to still play together but not be completely dependent on the other. but then again i can see why this would be a much harder task to pull off because of their respective goals and their feelings towards each other (more specifically, reo's feelings towards nagi) that would definitely get in the way. like, reo is entirely capable of scoring goals on his own but he chooses not to because his main objective has always been to assist nagi— and because of this, nagi's had everything handed to him on a silver platter by reo. their formation served them well in the initial stages of blue lock but it's falling apart now, in major part because it was mostly an emotionally driven formation, which makes it a lot easier to predict especially if you're someone like isagi who knows them and their relationship.

nagi and reo are somewhat unique in that their struggles are against their own inherent natures and pasts and not because of them lacking in some sort of skill or whatever. nagi doesn't have the drive to do anything unless he has a solid goal that he wants to reach— he just won't bother putting in effort it (just like OP mentioned).

reo is willing to give nagi the attention and validation he needs; and while this was fine in the beginning, you could say he's almost starting to smother nagi now— almost mirroring the relationship reo has with his own parents, ironically enough. it's gotten to the point where reo cannot be trusted as a narrator since he let his feelings distort the words that nagi really said to him at the start of the second selection. he projected his worst fears regarding nagi and made them true in his mind. i think that reo has a problem with idolising and devoting himself to people to the point of detriment, especially to himself.

lord help me i have rambled so much about this, honestly i don't think i'm even making any sense right now. i feel like that deranged connect the dots meme man right now. somehow this all links up and makes sense in my head so i hope my disorganised addition to OPs post will somehow telepathically make sense to anyone else reading this too 🙏🙏🙏👍👍

I have this foreboding feeling that while we are prepared for Sae's and Shidou's backstory, Nagi's backstory is going to sneak from behind and punch us in the gut.

No, I don't think it's going to be straight up depression like Kaiser's, but I do think that it'll hit close to home.

You see, Nagi got Laissez-faire parents which means they never really interfered with his life. Like, these type of parents—as I have read on some websites—will basically set their child free and let them do whatever they want with no or very few rules/restrictions. They will not tell you, "Oh! You should do this!" or "Oh! You shouldn't do this!" They will simply let you figure out your life all by yourself.

I'm not an expert on this and I'm not calling this type of parenting bad in any way. Every child is different with different needs, and I'm sure there are many who grew up in this kinda family and liked this parenting method. However, I do think that Nagi didn't like it that much, and I got two reasons to think this way:

1. "That's nice."

When Reo said that his family constantly meddles in his life, Nagi's immediate reaction was, "That's nice" instead of being surprised or disgruntled. If Nagi really liked his parents NOT meddling in his life, then he should've said something like, "Really!? Sucks to be you, Reo. I can't imagine living a life like that!"

You getting me?

Also, we all know how Nagi is—he definitely feels that telling someone to do or not to do something is a hassle, so he, probably, feels that if someone is doing all this for you, then you are important for them.

And before any one says, no, I don't think Nagi was tying up his tongue thinking, "They are his parents. They wouldn't want anything bad for their own child, right? I shouldn't say anything against them and should say good things about them just to be safe." I don't think he has this kind of filter in him.

2. "Don't die ."

So, why would you not want someone to die? Of course, because you care for them and want them to be with you.

"Want"

That's really what I'm tryna highlight.

It's a pretty common knowledge that some children are just naturally more independent while others are a bit more dependent and seek guidance from the elders. Considering Nagi's first reaction to knowing about Reo's parents' meddling, I think that Kiddo!Nagi falls into the latter category—someone who likes to be guided and helped by the adults. Now, place Kiddo!Nagi with his Laissez-faire parents... You are getting where I'm going with this one?

That's why I think that Kiddo!Nagi, probably, thought that his parents didn't love him/care for him. And what happens if someone doesn't love you or care for you? Yeah, they don't care if you die which, somewhat, explains why Older!Nagi was happy to hear, "Don't die [before us (probably)]" from his parents.

I have already talked about his potential backstory before too, so it was actually when I heard he had longer bangs as a child that made my head turn to him again—something felt odd.

I understand that having long bangs is not a big deal—Niko's bangs literally cover his eyes, but having it as a kid is way different, y'know. Once you are like 12-13, you somewhat become capable of doing your own hair and clothes by yourself, so you can manage whatever aesthetics you prefer. However, for a kid younger than that, it's the parents' responsibility to look after his/her hair and clothes, and we all know that long bangs are quite bothersome—blocks our vision, sometimes stabs the eyes, and even irritatingly itches the nose.

All in all, till his backstory drops, I'd firmly believe that he was, though unintentionally, a neglected kid—at least, emotionally.

Now I can't get this image out of my head where Kiddo!Nagi is longingly staring at other kids in a park where everyone is learning things like riding a bicycle or maybe playing baseball and stuff with their parents while he is just.. there, probably, all alone.

[kinardsevan]

Okay, wow, I read your thoughts about Tommy coming back and he and Buck getting back together. Thank you for sharing that and all the facts and tidbits you put into it. It is so optimistic (and makes sense) and even made me shed a tear, because so far I have only managed to be sad and angry about how it's been handled, so thanks for posting that and taking the time to writing all that down.

I mean here's the thing:

at the end of the day, I don't know anything more than you do. Unlike others in the fandom, I don't know anyone on the show. But as I often reference, what I do know is psychology. (They're giving me a whole diploma for it in a few weeks!) And when I line up all of the information we've been given, things make sense. Still, I have friends who are entirely on the other side of this and think it's great that I have this outlook and are extremely apprehensive. Truth be told, some days I am too. I do waffle back and forth on it, and I stand by the fact that if I'm wrong and they don't rectify this storyline by having it come to fruition, I can almost guarantee I may stop watching. As @rdng1230 got me to say earlier, I don't have hope. I'm hopeful. I don't equate those as the same thing because in order to have hope, I feel like you need something tangible to hold onto, and while that breakdown certainly references some tangible moments, we don't have a payoff on them at this point. However, I feel in saying I'm hopeful suggests there's something of possibility that hasn't been squashed yet. plus, at the end of the day, I'm also irritated with how it was handled. I said repeatedly that I didn't think it was a good idea to make fans wait 4 months for a payoff. Obviously they're holding onto the idea that we'll be over being mad by then and chomping at the bit for answers, but I don't know how likely that is. Yes, I'm less angry than I was 3 weeks ago, but I still feel really ambivalent. obviously things could always change, but who knows.

anyway, I'm rambling again. that's all. thanks for coming to my TED talk 😂😂

[nerdishpursuits]

Today’s episode was hard to watch. No doubt about it. But, sadly, this continues to be a reality for many women and raising awareness is crucial to combatting ignorance. Does it ever get any easier watching a woman being abused? Never. Is it necessary to show how terrifying and traumatic such events are? Yes. Even as Fina was rescued before things escalated further, this will profoundly impact her sense of self: her mental health, her emotional landscape, her relationship with her own body. The Fina we know is a vibrant, confident, deeply sensual woman. I’m sure she’ll be all that again but, for now, she’ll most likely have some form of ptsd. It’ll be another uphill battle but Marta will be by her side, every step of the way (given they’ve chosen to walk this thorny path, I’m hoping they’ll treat it with more care than Begoña’s own story of abuse; if done right, this can be a rewarding journey portraying the healing power of love and friendship, triumphant in the face of bigotry, victorious in the face of adversity)

Circling back to Marta. I can’t begin to imagine her despair at discovering Fina was abused. That all she’d been so desperate to prevent from reoccurring, has been attempted again, more violently than before. The guilt she’ll feel will be immeasurable, no doubt. And it will consume her from the inside out if she allows it to take root. Nothing is more hateful than failing to protect the one you love. And Fina is Marta’s everything, her whole world, her raison d’être.

Therefore, yet again, I’m going to remember that their story is meant to be one of hope and light. Which is what they are to each other. They’ll heal together, they’ll heal each other and grow all the stronger for it. The show’s not let us down so far. I trust this will end up a catalyst for many rewarding scenes together.

Which brings me to the foul reason they need healing to begin with. Thinking on it, it’s probably a mistake to call Santiago a psychopath, even as he displays plenty of traits that merit said label. He’s very much aware of his actions and deserves no leniency. Ultimately, he’s the product of a regime that glorifies in the systemic oppression of women. One whose very ideas, and ideals, derive from a deep-rooted misogyny. In Santiago’s purposeful narrowmindedness, a man is the epicentre of a woman’s life. Not being treated as such is considered a grave error and needs correcting. He’s the prideful despot who cannot fathom, or accept, rejection. One who cannot conceive of a world where he’s not given his due, as per the teachings of a society that views and treats women as second-class citizens, deserving of less and inferior to their masculine betters.

It’s all too clear Santiago’s worldview is also profoundly narcissistic, which makes his continued harassment of Fina even more disturbing. He genuinely believes he’s being magnanimous and merciful, extending his goodwill to her, the proverbial biblical sinner, so she can atone for her mistakes and be saved. In his own eyes, Santiago is a good man. In his misguided vanity, patronising and emboldened by a system that favours him at every turn, he even declares himself as such: a self-proclaimed saviour and Fina’s only path to salvation from a life of sin. Her sole path to redemption.

Truly, this character is utterly despicable and I cannot wait for him to eat dirt. But I also suspect he’ll cause more trouble until Fina and Marta are free of him for good. And while I’ll celebrate his demise with bells and whistles, I think the actor portraying this vile, sorry excuse for a man, is doing a spectacular job. They all are. Alba and Marta especially. Which is why this drama hit so hard when it made landfall. You feel Marta’s anguish and hopelessness, you experience Fina’s abject terror, you rage against Santiago’s condescending abuse.

That being rambled? Do I hate what Fina went through this episode? Wholeheartedly. It made me sick to my stomach, even as I’m grateful it ended with an attempt only. And damn, do I hate it’s necessary to show this nowadays because 2024 might as well be 1958 for many women still.

Also. I’m glad Marta didn’t have to ask Jesús for help, because she’d have never lived it down. Ultimately, I’m sure she would have done anything to liberate Fina from prison, even asking her older brother for help. But I’m glad the chosen path didn’t involve him. In fact, I’m pleasantly surprised Damián rose to the occasion. He keeps learning how to support and love Marta and he’s one gray character whose evolution I’m quite enjoying.

And finally? Marta so at ease with Carmen and Claudia. They’ve come such a long way and it’s a joy to see. From Marta feeling like she didn’t belong, back in the day, to them all falling into a much needed group-hug, knowing they can always rely on each other. Fina’s friends are becoming Marta’s friends and I love, love, love their scenes together. Not to mention they’re all kinda related now too, which adds some much needed levity.

Remains to be seen how they deal with the stigma of this entire situation. Poor Fina might as well have been branded with a scarlet letter. Plenty more fires left to put out once she’s out of prison. On the bright side, they’ll know whom they can trust and whom they need to keep hiding from.

Hopefully though, on to greener pastures at some point. Preferably healing at the Mafinca. Slowly but surely. And always, always together.

[nerdreid]

i don't really go here so feel free to push back on this but. as funny as the "i'm an ally!" line is i also think it's such an interesting manifestation of the specific struggle buck has with his sexuality. like, he's not using it as an identifier label for his identity per se. it's more of a deflection/denial of the root of his discomfort.

it was already clear at the restaurant but it became so evident in his conversation with maddie. buck was clearly nervous about going on a date with a guy, he had never done that before, and when eddie walked in he panicked even harder, lying about it being a date. and he feels so bad about it. but despite mentioning himself that it's his first date with a dude, he can't seem to make the connection that that's where his reaction is coming from. "so why do you think you did that [lying to eddie]" "i don't know"

because he's an ally! he's cool with gay people! so the not-straight thing cannot possibly be the problem. "shouldn't be, right?" he has a hard time grappling with how he feels and how this might change things for him. and i just want to grab him by the shoulders and tell him that it's okay to feel weird about your own newfound queerness. these are your feelings, it's new, it's different. being okay with yourself is a whole different beast than being okay with others.

[somnimagus]

My page for @sheikahzine; about Impaz's duty to her village, empty of people and full of memories.

[id in alt text]

[ekko-idk]

Laios: people are hard to understand... There's way too many social rules to follow, popular conversation topics, eye contact, etc. They also rarely say what they mean and often they say the opposite, so much so that misunderstandings happen regularly.. Monsters are predictable animals with a set of rules and precautions you can follow to either tame or defeat them. if you know what to do, they're very easy to deal with!

Kabru: monsters are wild creatures with jerky unpredictable movements.. Their attitude can change in a second and if you don't have an insane amount of knowledge about them they can be, and often are, very dangerous. Human cultures often have strict and easy to follow rules that depend on certain communication strategies that are somewhat agreed upon universally. People no matter of background also react the same to many things (smiling, frowning, pupil dilation, etc.). if you know what to do, they're very easy to deal with!