#this is all just placeholder for myself if it ever happens?

[thecherrygod]

i havent been into it for too long but im kinda surprised i havent seen a harrykim good ol classic florist and tattoo artist au

like yeah im not so sure how the logic of either of them being in those proffessions would work but im talking mostly aesthetics here

like. harry being a florist just. does something to me. like when kim is like he needs hobbies if you get the gardening gloves he suggest gardening is just very good. maybe its a bit of like instead of becoming a teacher first hes a florist first and stays there. or when he was a teacher they had some of a garden in there and he learned and then maybe got a part time job at a florist to support him on his teacher salary bc those usually arent enough. also i think he still has at least some of his adiction issues but not necesarily to the in game level (maybe amphetamines to be able to keep up with his lifestyle also maybe he grows weed but less relevant until later). and maybe he actually got to marry dora and is actually divorced here. working too much, not making enough money, and when back at home hes still an addict, maybe the relationship lasted more but still it never got good enough to keep.

and kim... theres a few options. either undercover just being on the tattoo shop somehow which is like. not the most sense making but still a possibility. or.. he never became a cop, either, got too disappoined by the system early on, noticed the injustice, but realized that it didnt matter what he did it wouldnt be enough. or he did join the rcm for a bit and then quit bc of that, maybe also eyes died in here too and that was the last straw for him leaving. maybe hes not necesarily the guy doing the tattoos, but more of the designs and piercings (i assume its a million times easier doing piercings than tattoos. i dont mean that it doesnt require a technique too tho but getting a needle through skin for a piercing seems easier than having the pulse to work on a permanent piece in someones skin with specific pressure with consistence, and if he was a cop and quit maybe he has shakier hands.... idk. i dont know how stuff like this works generally ngl. also idk. can you have a tattoo.. parlor? and do designs but not the tattoos themselves? id assume you can but no idea)

ok yeah something like that maybe. and also the shops are either side by side or right across the street. i can imagine harry walking through the tattoo parlor and looking at the designs and looking at a few plant based designs and liking them and just. going in. not exactly for a tattoo or anything but more to like. know how it is and maybe meet the artist and then he sees kim which i imagine with a lot of tattoos and piercings which is sort of whats fueling this at this point bc i wasnt gonna think about it for too long but now im too deep into it and like i imagine this kim as.. kind of distant as he tends to be, will try to hide the fact he was a cop bc at this point hes not proud of that, he just likes making designs while listening to speedfreaks fm, which you can hear from outside the parlor while walking on the streets, but he is cool, and if you talk to him he will talk to you, hes just maybe awkward but also he is kinda weird (which has harry like 👉👈)

and this was just going to be me saying "man i havent seen any of this" and instead i sort of made my take on it and it got longer than i expected. anyways!!!

[phlurrii]

Really hoping I am posting this at the right spot…

Hey there, loving your work, you got me to jump into the theory wagon out of sheer suspense. Here is my try at seeing what will stick to this massive theoryboard of mysteries~

Missingo went from a creature stuck to Meau's shadow to having a body/vessel powerfull enough to kill Palkia.

Which braught me to what vessel could be powerful enough to do so? Meau's first cub died somehow (stillborn? Necktube fatality?) Meau designed Bucket after the Necktube drama to remove the necktube. But a cub that predates or happened to die during that drama should still have the old blueprints of being bigger and having a necktube. Traits Noe physically holds. Noe being a prototype non-ancient mew baby could explain why he and Meau could exist at the same time.

But that leaves an additional questionmark on why their lifeforce are linked.

Which is where I bumped into theory two (the most probable one I think) in which Meau was so done with living that she tried to birth an ancient mew. But if the birth went wrong and the ancient cub died there could have been a glitch. The world must have one ancient mew. If Meau passed her lifeforce to the cub yet the cub still died both should technically be dead. But that goes against the laws of the world. There needed to be something to fix/ballance that glitch. Missingo could be the way the world tried to fix that mess. Missingo might have inhabited the dead cub and taken on a weird alive status of not quite living. And whatever ballance his manifestation created could have allowed Meau to wake up (a lot more weakened than an ancient mew should be but alive nonetheless)

Both are merged to the same lifeforce and function or count as a placeholder for one ancient mew.

Meau + Noe = one ancient mew. Cause of problem? = Lifeforce transference issue.

Why would the world chose Noe over deca? Probably becouse Noe was already present. Being at the right time at the right place. Or technically wrong time since he was way too early…

Basically the ingredients of stopping the whole world from imploding where already in the bowl so the world just mashed them all together into a weird yet functioning chimerical mush. What a way to recycle your resources.

Deca born all late because he became extra. When could this have happened? Why was it the domain of space that had to die? When and why did Noe and Giratina go rebel? My brain does not compute numbers very well. Not touching anything timerelated with a ten foot pole.

Anyways congratulations Phlurri, you got me to use the comment function on this site for the first time. Got me typing out a whole tower of text from the get go, have a good day~

First, let me say I am HONOURED to be the cause for your first even commenting, as a lurker myself I feel that XD

Second, 100% correct place, I LOVE these asks, but they definitely make me go dormant for a day or two in order to proceed and write my response carefully ehe

Anywho, ONTO THE THEORY!!!

To start off, Meau’s first cub did not die, Bucket is Meau’s first mew child. Bucket is currently comatose in a bubble in the Tree of Life. So I know that throws a wrench in the theory, but dw you have a lot of foundational things correct; just the bridging between points isn’t X3

As for the necktube stuff, Meau did create bucket without many of her own traits/characteristics due to her own experiences. She wanted to remove those issues from afflicting her child!

However, Meau specifically avoided EVER having a child until she felt she was mentally capable of raising one. Hence why she never had one in the nearly 4.5 billion years she’s been alive. Adopting? Sure, but raising a functionally immortal mew? Definitely not ready…. Given she was struggling a lot mentally with… things. So bringing a child into that mix was something she actively refused to do until those issues were no longer severely afflicting her. So she never attempted to have a cub, let alone an ancient cub, to remove herself from the picture.

But, I am genuinely impressed beacuse again, your foundations for things… are mostly correct, which makes me very excited to know someone can go through the comic and asks and get EXACTLY that,,, the foundations correct,,, meaning the rules and whatnot I attempted to put in place has indeed made it though in time for the Noe arc >W<

Noe indeed did not have a vessel and COULD not have one until a certain criteria was meant. Meau did assist in that criteria being meant, however his appearance was early and not how it was suppose to occur. It was a glitch, just like Noe is himself. The way he obtained a vessel… you’re awfully close, but it does not involve dead children I want to be clear!! Regardless, it’s scary and exciting at the same time at how close you are, I think one person (you know who you are.) may figure it out with the publication of this, but until then… I cannot comment further.

The way he obtained a vessel and comes into the world connects into how and why him and Meau share their life force. Though I will say, Missingno. cause the split, not Meau.

Also for the rest of time stuff you are too scared to touch, don’t worry, I spent 3 weeks figuring out how all it would work and then another 2 making. Digestible and simplifying XD

It will make sense, I have made SURE of it. As well as it will be satisfying most importantly. Very excited to be looser lipped about this all with how close it is ehe,,

Anywho, ty for your tower of words I quite enjoyed them and well DONE on the foundations, again that’s huge. Your skeleton is very close, the connecting tissues though would be hard to guess for anyone X3

[bloggingboutburgers]

First of, I'm a big fan of your work. I love your comics and art and was happy to hear about the engagement 😁

As for my question, I love writing stories and creating OCs/characters. In your recent comic you called out that the only ace/aro rep always seems to be "the creator said so on Twitter" (a problem with a lot of rep. in media).

So I was curious, if I wanted to create an aroace character (and write a story with them), how could I naturally show them being aroace? Do you perhaps have any idea?

Thank you so much for the kind words!^^

Arguably my complaints are ironic because I myself haven't done proper aroace rep in my own fiction thus far – though I guess I'm compensating for that with my current comics, haha 🙈 But also, I've said it before and I'll say it again cus I'm annoying like that – Bojack Horseman did it, in my opinion, so that gives the rest of the media less excuses I guess.

So, again these are my personal views, and they're possibly demanding, but this would be my checklist for ideal aroace rep:

The aro/ace character needs to... BE a character. Actually have arcs, that matter within the story. Whether they're about being asexual or not doesn't really matter as long as THEY matter as a character.

...Ngl I feel they need to matter BEFORE they're revealed as aro/ace too, and obviously after. If they don't, they'll just feel like a placeholder who's just there to tick a box to me.

The fact that they're aro/ace needs to be addressed and not pushed under the rug or left up to interpretation. Leaving things up to interpretation will have so many people interpret them as allo for sure (just like in real life). And conversely, saying they're aro/ace may spark some curious questions and possibly awkward conversations (just like in real life). (...Again tbh Bojack Horseman was great at doing it naturally. The confusion from the ace character themself, the ace character's friend assuming they're gay because yeah that always happens, the MC having a friendly yet clueless "haha you're lucky that'd save me so many problems if I didn't have sexual attraction"... I could go on.)

By that I also mean... Actually NAMING the orientation at some point. If it's not named people who consume the media and don't know such an orientation exists will be none the wiser. (I'm guilty of that myself tbh. In one of my webcomics I had an alloaro character but never had the orientation mentioned within the story, I left it at showing he has sex and him having a conversation with his family explaining he doesn't have a favorite person because he just can't, but I feel like that's not enough, and I've been feeling a bit bad about it.) A good way of bringing that up fairly naturally would be to have the character figure out their orientation within the story, as a way to have the audience learn alongside them; but it could also be played for drama, which I don't think I've ever seen and would like to dabble with myself at some point – like, imagine you have a friend you hold dear who's key to your personal development and suddenly you find out they see you as sex / romance prospects and not as a friend like YOU do? That'd be crushing but that could definitely make for a good conflict. I should try writing that. I'm rambling anyway. Bleh.

Another thing that, to me, is key to the aro/ace experience is that the character may have some moments of questioning their place in the world. Our world is obsessed with sex and romance and fiction exacerbates that to the point where some characters barely even exist if they don't have romance. This could range from "Do I NEED to even identify myself as something" (again, Bojack Horseman did that great) to "Friendship is the most important relationship to me but not to my friends, what if they all abandon me once they find the one person they consider 'more important'". I dunno. I feel like there could be some interesting storylines there. I definitely would love to dabble into that myself a bit more, though I lack the time and talent – those concepts and the lack of things that are done with it live in my head rent-free.

...Actually I feel it could be good to show aro/ace characters as full of heart (if it fits their personality), having their own feelings and emotions outside of the usual romance spectrum, to show that they're just as human and compelling as the other characters. (...AGAIN Bojack Horseman did that great imo, I feel bad that I'm only ever quoting that show but that's still the best example I can ever think of.) Like – betrayal, loneliness, grief, kinship, literally ANY other form of love than romantic love... We feel all of those too (aside from people who don't experience any form of attraction at all, in fairness), and those deserve to be addressed in stories just as much (if not more) than the pining or simping that's kinda everywhere.

Oh yeah and speaking of being human... Yeah, human. We need more human aro/ace characters. Making it so that only the aliens/gods/demons/robots/whatever are ever allowed to be aro/ace only serves to dehumanize these orientations.

...IIIII think that's it. I might be forgetting some things I'd wanna add on later but I think that covers everything that would make for ideal rep in my own opinion

[vacantgodling]

as stated, much of these are placeholder names, ideas, and concepts—this is just doing something fun for fun

chapter 1: the march hare runs

As March tore through the woods—she really had to wonder, what was wrong with this picture here?

She was a princess of Nectaria, one of the most prosperous kingdoms in all the land! And here she was, tripping over her own two feet, covered in mud, debris and even some of her own blood, trying to escape the shouting guards that had somehow caught up to her only a few days removed from her flight.

“I thought—” She huffed aloud, nearly missing tripping over an overgrown Glowtree root. “—That I had given myself—” She tripped over a second Glowtree root that had sprung up, deglowed, so nearly invisible in the dark. Face planting in the dirt, she didn’t even bother to finish her sentence, letting out an enraged huff that blew her messy hair out of her eyes. She planted her hands firmly in the ground, mud and clay squelching between her fingers, almost making her want to gag—the sensation was awful, to push herself up into an all-fours position.

“I think she went this way!”

“Get her!”

“Shit!”

March didn’t linger for much longer. She pushed herself back up to her feet, taking off downhill into the deep woods before her, praying that her tracks would be covered by the darkness that was ever lingering here; only ever illuminated by luminescent plants like Glowtrees and lumen flowers. She wasn’t sure how close to the border she was—any border, really. And that would be a problem. All of her papers and identification she left back in the palace, not thinking about it in her haste to just leave. If she was smarter, she would’ve left sooner. But no one thought that Princess March Hare of Nectaria was smart. They thought she was pretty. They thought she was kind. They thought she was a bit ditzy, or airheaded—and apparently that she… smelled good? That’d been the first thing to absolutely weird her out regarding her recently (forcibly, she would add) betrothed future-husband; the Prince of Doffensdu. He had taken a lock of her hair between his fingers, smelled it, and then with the most sickeningly disgustingly lecherous smile that anyone in all the lands could muster, he uttered that she smelled good. Divine, really, that was the word he’d used, but it still made her skin crawl.

Her elder brothers, Jan (short for January) and Feb (short for February—yes, with all 12 of them her parents had been remarkably original) had laughed at her. But they didn’t have to worry about marriages, at least not yet. They had been pathed to their militia and scholastic academies, since the two of them (unless, heaven forbid, something happened to them) were slated to become candidates for the next ruler of Nectaria, and they needed experience before their father stepped down from the crown and retired. But for the daughters and youngest sons? Oh no, it was all about alliances now—and as the third child, and unfortunate, unlucky eldest daughter—since the time she was fourteen, March had been introduced to suitor after suitor. Candidate after candidate. And frankly, if you asked her? They all were awful! Either too old, or far too young. Too boring, too plain, or too stuffy. Or, like the one her father had finally, finally settled on, too… weird! Everyone had their kinks and preferences to be sure; March was no prude, and she had a few of her own—but that’s certainly not how she would lead a conversation with someone she just met, nor one she planned to marry!

Regardless—she knew that her father wanted the best for her. She never doubted her father’s love—and surely in his mind, securing his eldest daughter’s future with a prince of Doffensdu was, on paper, extremely advantageous. Their kingdom was rich in ore and traded goods from the sea; being coastal, while Nectaria was located extremely far inland so it had access and was a hub for all the land trades. Having the two kingdoms combined through marriage meant an opportunity for more strategic and safer roads—things that March learned in her economic scholasticship, since her tutors knew she would be the most likely daughter to secure an advantageous trade marriage. And March had been fine with literally all of those things on paper. She knew her place as a princess, and she knew that just as people paid taxes, she was a bargaining chip for resources for her subjects.

But she just didn’t want to marry someone so… off!

Of course, she thought as she ran through the dim forest, tripping every few feet due to the low visibility, It is selfish of me to kick up such a fuss about this. Because she knew that many others didn’t have, well, the freedom to be spoiled like she knew she was being. And of course, she wasn’t only running away from this betrothal to a, probably decent man, just because he smelled her hair weirdly one time. Sure, he did make her uncomfortable whenever they were in a room together beyond that—though her sister below her, and closest confidant, April, assured her that she was just building him up to be some terrible guy in her head because she had a complex about getting married. Well, maybe she did! What was wrong with that? She knew that once she was wed that she’d be expected to perform…. wifely duties, and as a young maiden of just 23, that didn’t sit right with her!

March wanted to explore the world beyond the palace walls; educate herself in the lands beyond Nectaria’s rolling fields and bustling markets. Each new trinket that she could find from some far off place in one of the tiny corner stalls at the bazaar outside the palace, was another piece of the puzzle of the grand world just outside of her doorstep. But a queen couldn’t travel freely; she would be a kept woman, bound by duty, and state, and children, and more besides… and well. That terrified her! She was not so stupid to admit it! And so, she’d stolen out, just three weeks from her proposed wedding day, and disappeared without a trace.

Or so she thought.

She didn’t know what part of her plan went wrong. Did the note she left on her door dislodge? Or were there sightings of her among those in town? She wasn’t planning on staying away forever… probably. She did have a plan… One that did fall mostly apart after she lost her map in a swamp, was robbed just outside the kingdom’s walled border, and now this—stumbling through the darkness in mud and woods as she tried to put distance between herself and her captors. She needed somewhere to stop, to think…

And then—a stroke of luck.

March’s racing thoughts about all that transpired to land her racing like a little hunted rabbit through the forest, came to a screeching halt when she cleared all the glowing foliage and skidded into a clearing. All around her the trees loomed over the surrounding landscapes; their thick canopies obscuring light of the moon overhead; but the lumen flowers underfoot still bringing a soft shine to the surrounding wilderness. Not a single thing moved in this clearing; there was no wind in the grass or through the trees, no animals overhead or underfoot. Nothing but a chilling, eerie silence.

And in the middle of it all, stood a tower.

March stared, her thoughts quieting for a moment. Then they slowly began to churn, faster and faster as she slowly approached it. It appeared to be made of all manner of materials: wood, stone, brick, clay, terracotta, glass… harder to discern the further she peered up at the structure. The tower was narrow at some points…. but then March wandered around the base of it and it seemed to go around for miles at the same time. It took her nearly 40 paces to get around the length of the tower on one side, but that seemed far too wide for a structure that seemed so thin as it appeared. She couldn’t make out it’s spire, but she almost imagined that it pierced the clouds—if somehow the night swallowed it like it had.

A yell in the distance made her jolt out of her curiosity. Fear makes haste. So she quickly approached the base of the tower again, feeling around until she could try and find some sort of door or opening to hide herself in; at least for a moment. But no such door—one you could push, nor one you could pull, could March feel. In an act of desperation she began to test some of the sides of the walls, seeing if there were any pushed out or loosened stones she could use to grapple onto the side of the building, racing around the structure as fast as the panic in her throat would let her. But to no avail.

Except—she found something better.

Right as she was certain that the guards looking for her would descend upon her (as the noises in the woods as she searched the tower grew closer, and closer), she felt something coiled and sturdy, almost rope-like. What she didn’t see was the trapdoor that the “rope” had fallen down from as she circled away from this side of the tower only a few moments before. March only took a split second to make a decision: she had always been a decent climber. And now it was time to put those skills to the test.

March hiked herself up, wrapping both hands around the rope to begin to scale the wall free tethered. She could absolutely die if she fell the higher she climbed, but in her frenzied mind, it seemed better than getting caught. Until, suddenly, a snap sounded in the silence of the night; louder than any other noise that she heard near or far since she entered the clearing, and even louder than the sounds of the far off soldiers that would surely now come this way.

But it didn’t matter. Because with the sound of the snap, the “rope” unraveled only just, where March’s hands gripped it, ensaring her in its grasp and yanking her up the tower like a sandbag cut loose from a boat, and through the trap door whence it came, slamming shut with a thunderclap behind her, drowning out her startled scream.

[thequeenofsarcaasm]

Chapter 9 of Love is in the hands

Thanks again to @bearhaviour for inspiring 50% of the nastiness of this chapter and to @fah-keet for always encouraging me to take artistic decisions that will lead me to hell.

Summary

After getting kicked out of his home for being queer, Suguru comes across his childhood sweetheart in a strange gay bar that is owned by his new “family”: a bunch of queer social rejects who were taken in by Yuki, an eccentric matriarch. He finds a new home (and his lost love) there.

Glimpse

“I don’t think I ever made someone cum that hard and that says a lot for coming from an ex professional piece of ass as myself. Are you okay?” Satoru asks.

“Still a bit overwhelmed. I’m sorry,” Suguru says, feeling gross over the mix of cum and sweat covering his body. 

“It’s okay. I think I should be the one apologizing,” Satoru says with a laugh. Gently, he rubs a warm, humid towel over his partner’s bare abdomen to get rid of any trace of their previous activities.

“You were great. I just-yeah. You were great. Too great even. My skirt- Shoot.” Suguru covers his forehead with his hands and shakes his head. Suddenly his voice is tangled up again and his cheeks are wet, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on with me,” he sniffles. 

“Did my dick break my boyfriend? Did these people even pay me what I was worth?” Satoru asks himself aloud. But his attempt at humor is fruitless. Suguru can’t stop sobbing.

“Suguru,” Satoru discards the towel and pulls him in a tight embrace.”What’s wrong? Is it because of your parents?” he asks against his hair while gently petting it. 

“I’m fine. I just need a few minutes,” Suguru reassures in ragged breaths. What an embarrassing day for him. 

“Do you think tea would help calm you down?” Satoru asks. “Lavender maybe?” he suggests. His voice is so kind, so loving and his gaze so tender that the tears threaten to flow again.

“Maybe,” Suguru says.

Satoru collects his cum stained t-shirt and shorts from the floor and slips into them. Hopefully, he won’t meet anyone on his way. “Just give me two minutes. Okay? I’ll go fetch you some. Cuddle with my Kuromi while I’m gone. She smells just like me.” He leans down for a quick forehead kiss and walks out urgently. 

Indeed, Kuromi proves herself to be a great placeholder while Satoru is gone. Suguru fights against the cold by holding on tight to her, cradling her head like a human child. A few minutes later, Satoru comes back with his favorite mug, the one not even Suguru is allowed to touch, in normal circumstances at least. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” he asks as he hands it to Suguru and sits on the edge of the bed..

“Yes. I-That pounding was for the books. Are you mad at me or something?” Suguru jokes. The mug is warm against his palms.

“I just got carried away,” Satoru laughs shyly. 

“Well, you might be a brute but you sure are great at aftercare. Thank you, Satoru,” Suguru says with a smile. The tears are gone.

“It’s the least I could do after making you cry. You were hot though. Super hot,” Satoru comments shamelessly.

His partner can’t help but chuckle. “I heard you the first time. You’re a sadist,” he says. 

“Can’t help it.” Satoru shrugs. “I’m not really normal about you,” he admits. “Besides, you’re not especially kind to my body either.”

“Can you remove your t-shirt and turn around for me?” Suguru asks as he places the mug on the bedside table and scrawls closer to examine Satoru’s back. He traces the red stripes with the tip of his fingers, earning a slight shudder from Satoru. “Does it hurt?”

Satoru turns his head to look at him. “Nah. It’s fine. I deserved it anyways,” he reassures. “You better trim those nails though. An accident could happen.”

“Do it for me later?” Suguru asks.

“Sure.” Satoru says.

The raven scoots even closer to him, pressing his chest against his back. “I love you, Satoru. With all my heart.” he whispers against Satoru’s shoulder, nuzzling him closely.

“Why so sentimental suddenly? Are you going to cry again?” Satoru taunts.

“I'm still dick drunk. Don’t mind me,” Suguru says. “Wait,” he perks up. “ Maybe I really am a cock slut.”.

Satoru claps his hands proudly. “Congratulations, you just unlocked the skill of self awareness,” he jokes.

‘Stop teasing,” Suguru giggles, more at the memories awakened by the clapping sounds than anything else. He rubs his cheek against Satoru’s freshly shaved undercut and leaves a little kiss just underneath. ��� Hey Satoru,” he calls softly. “Do you think I should try something new with my hair?”

[beyourownanchor6]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

thanks for the tags beloveds @wikiangela @spotsandsocks @bi-buckrights @hippolotamus 🩵

How many works do you have on ao3?

—246

What's your total ao3 word count?

—1,469,436

What fandoms do you write for?

— 911, teen wolf, animal kingdom (not actively but still counting it)

Top five fics by kudos:

if i lay here, would you lie with me (forget the world)

nobody can do everything

i want to love you (but i don't know how)

five + 1 (idk who allowed me to name a fic this 💀)

someone to stay

Do you respond to comments?

—always! even if it takes me a few weeks, i always respond to them. i'm so so appreciative of anyone who takes the time to leave them 🥹

What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

—come back home (version 2) i just had to get it out of my system, sorry 🥲

What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

mmm, idk besides the one listed above and one other, they're all really sappy and fluffy endings 😅 it'll probably end up being whatever sappy ass ending i write for the chris doesn't come back au after everything i've put them through 😂

Do you get hate on fics?

—not really, more like just annoying people nitpicking stupid things

Do you write smut?

—i do indeed 😏 can't say if it's good, but i've got lots of it posted 😂

Craziest crossover:

—umm i write tons of au's but idk if this refers to that or doing an actual crossover with another fandom?? i wish not to talk about the one that still haunts me, but i did use characters from the step up movie for my au: let me lose myself

Have you ever had a fic stolen?

—not that i know of...

Have you ever had a fic translated?

—somebody asked once but idk what ever happened with that

Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

i have! 3 different times with my wife @loserdiaz 🫶🏻

—no body, no crime

—this is my idea of fun (playing video games)

—i don't want to keep secrets just to keep you

All time favourite ship?

—buddie! the brainrot for them has been unmatched jsiodj

What's a wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

—uhhh probably my divergent au...i've had the placeholder for insurgent with like 3 sentences sitting in my wip folder for forever 😬

What are your writing strengths?

—i'll just list the things people have told me because i have no idea sjwioe. i always get compliments on my characterization, descriptions, and metaphors <3

What are your writing weaknesses?

—shutting the fuck up and writing anything short 🫠

Thoughts on dialogue in another language?

—i've done it in the past but not really anymore

First fandom you wrote in?

—teen wolf

Favorite fic you've written?

—that's like asking me to pick between my nonexistent children 😭

i'm picking 3 idc

coastlines

if i lay here, would you lie with me (forget the world)

the ducking of evan buckley

tagging: @redlightsandicedtea @monsterrae1 @honestlydarkprincess @onward--upward @daffi-990 @wildlife4life @underwaterninja13 @bigfootsmom @thewolvesof1998 @eddiebabygirldiaz @elvensorceress @zainclaw @watchyourbuck @ronordmann @queerbuckleys @spaceprincessem @jacksadventuresinwriting

[sordidmusings]

Welcome🤍

Thank you for stopping by my blog! I hope you enjoy the clown show lol right now I'm keeping this chatty section real sparse to get this out but hoping to make it (and this whole list) more robust and comprehensive with time! One of the first things on the list is to have fic summaries instead of just titles and better formatting for multiple parts. At least this works atm haha For now, just know this is both a sfw and nsfw blog and nsfw will be tagged with #thirst hours

I hope the reading guides you on good daydreams and fantasies 💜

Daily click for Palestine

NSFW ☄️

Fluff 🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑 Angst (how much easy vs. harsh emotion)

AU 🪐

Non-canon elements in focus ✨

Tender Love and Care

Hair Care 🌖 Massage 🌖 Part 1 Part 2 and Part 3 - Coming Soon

Switching Up Roles 🌕☄️ Part 1 and Part 2

Loose Lips

Thirsty Thursdays ☄️

With Pissed Off Buggy With Lucky Brat Buggy With Insecure Buggy

Comforting His Partner on Their Looks 🌕

Age Gap Headcanons 🌕

Punk Buggy with a Tongue Piercing☄️ - Riff off of @hey-august's wonderful Punk Buggy

Let Go and Grip Me Tighter 🌖☄️

Fixing What Ifs 🌗

Well Earned Praise 🌕

How He Deals with Falling in Love 🌕

Jealousy Ficlet 🌕

Hickey Headcanons 🌕

Thirsty Thursday

The Hat Stays ON

Fireside 🌖 - coming soon

Bonding Exercises ☄️ - coming soon

Jealousy Ficlet 🌕

Jealousy Ficlet 🌕

Hickey Headcanons 🌕

Give (In) and Take (Me) ☄️

The Wrong Rest 🌑

Across the Great Divide 🌘 - Coming Soon

These Hoes Depressed 🌖 - Coming Soon

Brushing Souls 🌕✨

Coronary Tale 🌗✨

Face Sitting Headcanons ☄️

Hickey Headcanons 🌖

Eventually this will mean poly BUT for now it is where headcanons with LOTS of characters are until I have more fics under more characters (so Its not just a fuckload of headers all with the same fic under them lol)

Cuddling Headcanons 🌕 Straw Hats and the Three Unwise Men (Buggy, Shanks, Mihawk)

Cuddling Ficlets 🌕 Straw Hats and the Three Unwise Men

X Marine Reader Headcanons - Coming Soon

Straw Hats and the Three Unwise Men

Bonus Characters (Ace, Sabo, Law, Kid, Killer, Sir Croc, Doffy)

Sweetly Scented Secrets 🌕✨

These are ones I add to and build off of instead of it being just something for a one-shot. Currently a placeholder but wanna get posting for these soon! Gotta organize the massive thought dumps I have down first lol

Modern AU (Coney Island inspired)

Hybrid AU

ABO AU

On Their Feet - current priorities (Most have coming soon and up on Masterlist to kick my ass into gear atm lol)

Lifeline - in brain and touching on

Purgatory - letting them happen when they happen

Hell - uncertain if they will ever happen 💀

Random ass shit that doesn't have a spot yet wHOOPS

Now and For Always - One Piece Rendition

Andddd a reminder to myself to possibly link sketches eventually andjkjaskda

Enjoy the hot mess in progress LOL

[george-weasleys-girl]

Enemy Mine - Chapter 7

Warnings: a few curse words

~•~

Y/N winced, watching the pink handprint blossom across Fred's cheek. Of course, she couldn't blame Angie. She would've slapped the shit out of him, too.

"How dare you fucking use me like that!" Angie raged.

"I didn't use you!" Fred held a hand to his burning cheek.

"Bullshit!" She yelled. "I really was just your consolation prize all along, wasn't I?"

"No, you were never - " Fred began, but Angelina shut him down.

"So, tell me, Fred," she stepped closer to him. "We're you trying to make Y/N jealous, or was I just a placeholder until either Y/N gave in or someone better came along?"

~•~

Forgotten completely by the embattled pair in the middle of her living room, Y/N exhaled a shaky breath, stood and made her way outside, to the little bench in the furthest corner of her backyard. Breaking up someone's relationship was never one of her life goals. And yet, here she was, doing just that.

At least Angelina didn't blame her.

"I'm so sorry, Angie," Y/N had said. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

Angie shook her head. "None of this is your fault. This is all on Fred."

"Maybe," Y/N shrugged. "I just can't help but think that if I wasn't in the picture - "

"No," Angie cut her off. "Fred would be an idiotic asshole with or without you in the picture."

Y/N had only nodded in response. She appreciated Angie's vote of confidence, but it wasn't nearly enough to quell the ever-present guilt burning in her chest.

~•~

The back door swung open, startling Y/N from her thoughts. Fred walked toward her, his footsteps falling heavy and slow on the grass.

"Is Angie ok?" She asked.

"She will be," was all he offered. "Are the two of you friends now?"

"I'm not really sure, honestly. We're at least not enemies."

"That's good." Fred nodded. "Can we talk?"

"Probably should," she sighed and scooted over to give him room on the bench.

~•~

"What exactly did you think would happen?" Y/N asked. "That you'd confess your love, and I would leap blithely into your arms?"

"I don't know." Fred shrugged. "Maybe."

Y/N closed her eyes, massaging her aching temples. "That's not how this works. This isn't a fucking movie, Fred."

He shifted his gaze downward. "You hate me, don't you?"

"No, I don't hate you," Y/N sighed. "Not anymore, anyway."

"And how do you feel now?" He raised his eyes to meet hers.

She shook her head. "I don't know. I don't know how I feel. I just know I can't forget the last several years."

"No, I don't suppose so," he mummered.

"I'm sorry, Fred. I really am."

"It's ok. I'm the one who fucked up and I've got to learn to live with it." He shrugged and gave her a half smile, before turning away again.

Y/N watched him as he curled in on himself. She'd never seen Fred like this, as if he was trying to crawl inside himself. Trying to hide himself away. She had no doubt that if he were alone, his cheeks would be wet with tears.

A dull ache formed in the center of her heart. They might have been enemies, but she wasn't so cold and jaded as to revel in his pain.

"Hey, umm," she spoke before she could change her mind. "Maybe we could we could try the whole friendship thing again."

A one-sided grin appeared on his face. "Fred Weasley is being friend-zoned," he chuckled. "Never thought I'd see the day."

"No. That's not what I - " Y/N sputtered. "I just thought - "

"It's alright, love," he smiled. "I'll take whatever you're willing to give me. And, maybe in time, I can prove myself worthy."

Y/N gave him a small, tentative smile. "Maybe."

~•~

@milivanili99 @fancy-pantaloons @turvi @zvummyummy @pansexualwitchwhoneedstherapy @georgie-weasley @nighttimemoonlover @jsjcue @wzrd-wheezes @fredweasleyyyyy @hufflepuffie @alexistonks @anvaaryn @lastwandastan @samshifts @asuperconfusedgirl @superduckmilkshake @mysticsheepsoul @gemofthenight @1lellykins @junerprsh @sierraluvz @wolfkill16 @smallsweetvanillabean @costheticbabe @thatonepersonwhocantwrite @charmedfandomgal @loveosewood @hanne-montana @rhunew @greenapplegrass @lizzytrees @spididerman @igncrantbliss @28cnn @saintlike05 @millies0bsimp @yeah3459 @leeknows-wife @pandoraneverland @wickedsandwich08 @bai-wuxiangs-mask @c-yberstar @soosheee @ivvees-blog @withered-rxse @maddiedinosaur @astahsvea @impossibelle

[bugsbenefit]

Who’s going to die in s5 and does anyone even need to die?

putting my thoughts on this out there now because i'm curious how they will hold up with s5 canon or if the characters that i think are narratively untouchable will bite it in the opening

because objectively, no, no one needs to die. not every story needs to kill off major characters to be "dramatic". strangers things has even gone out of it's way to avoid doing that since it’s first season. the characters that Do die are always ones that were introduced in the same season with the specific purpose of dying. Barb, Alexei, Eddie, all the vecna victims

they even skirt killing main characters, like how Eddie in s4 seems to be the placeholder for Steve since they didn’t want to kill him yet. there’s also interviews saying they wanted to kill him in s1 or 2 but then didn’t because they liked his character and wanted to keep him in the story. (also a fan favourite character too yk). similarly El was also supposed to die in s1, but even before st becomes a multi season show it's implied she’s alive right in the last minutes of s1

so while St sure loves killing people (see just how many people died in lab massacre 1 in 1979, lab massacre 2 in 1984, and the flesh flayer human meat incident) you’re pretty save as long as you’re a main character and survived your first season on the show

so s5 continuing with that and not killing any main characters is definitely an option, they don't need to kill. no matter how much the audience is waiting for "stakes" to be set, not every story needs to kill it's characters

on the other hand, there’s also a lot that suggests they might kill someone for real this time. challenging the perceived safety of main characters in the last season with a world ending stakes set up in s4 seems reasonable. there’s also the more theoretical perspective that we're in the final season now and there’s no coming back for any of these characters anyway, no matter if they live or die. the logic of making it to the next season that saved some of their asses before no longer applies

it would also make sense and not be uncommon for a story to kill someone important during the final installment to make it apparent how BadTM it is. most of the audience is also aware by now that the show isn't killing long running mains so changing that rule would serve the final season well (especially if it happened before the last 2 episodes and put people more on edge for the finale, now that mains apparently aren't completely invincible anymore)

so leading up to s5, I really think the chance of them killing at least one major character for real this time is the highest it’s ever been. the question would just be, who? and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone agree on this ever so I just want to go it over myself, get my thoughts on this out pre s5 spoilers rolling in. trying to evaluate how solid a build up for a death would be

going over various characters under the cut

there’s obviously some side characters that could reasonable die but I think would be the weakest choices, if not an outright joke at an attempt of “emotional impact” on the story

for example, they could kill Murray, there’s really nothing stopping them, but it wouldn’t be a very impactful death. the only one who has a real connection with him is Joyce. if they wanted to kill more than one character I can see them going for it, especially if they killed Murray earlier and had a bigger character die towards the end of the season. but otherwise, if he’s the only one dying it’d be funnily underwhelming. this also goes for Dimitri (depending on if he will be back for s5). easy to kill but would suck phenomenally as the only death

same for characters like Vicky and Argyle, who are both incredibly new characters so killing them would be very underwhelming. here with the added aspect of them both being minorities, and while you can obviously kill minority characters just fine, if they were the only characters dying it would look pretty bad compared to the 90% white and het cast that’d be alive. killing Vicky with her ongoing romance plot where they need to establish an entire relationship first would also be obviously stupid

moving to main and secondary characters of the show that have more significance. secondaries like:

Robin, who like Vicky and Argyle, would also be a weak choice. killing her at the end of her romance arc set up for s5 would be extremely unsatisfying in a way that doesn’t fit any of the shows themes. also again, killing just her would look horrible, and even if two people died, she’s been the public queer rep of the show before they officially had Will too post s4, would be kind of an insane choice to kill her

Steve on the other hand has much more merit to him. he’s the character we know the Duffers wanted to kill years ago and only held back due to the actors charisma and potential they saw for his story. and both of these points would be moot in a final season of the show. there’s also been enough foreshadowing of a death that would stand out on a rewatch and make it feel more planned. like the funnily long handshake he and Dustin have in s3 including Dustin stabbing Steve and him “dying”. killing him would also work to impact a significant number of characters as well as the audience since he IS a fan favourite. on the other hand, it would be a bit questionable to kill the other "guy that's close with Dustin" right after he had Eddie die on him. Eddie was a pretty clear place holder for Steve in s4, so killing Steve the season after wouldn’t be very different from a storytelling pov. but I could see them go for it, easy death, enough set up, potential to be upsetting, not whole show-vibe ruining

because compared to that, Hopper is someone I honestly don’t see dying at all. he not only had a full fake out death, the whole of s4 russia arc was about getting him back alive. if they just kill him anyways most of s4 will feel pretty pointless, especially after he’s Just at the point where he might see that he isn’t a curse on all the people around him. killing him would negatively impact his character growth AND fall flat with him already having died and come back right after. killing him fr right after he came back would honestly just be really funny, like, i don't know how serious people would even take it, i'd just expect him to come back again tbh

Joyce… is just kind of out there. killing her off would be brutal with how central of a character she is. her and Mike really were the two plot leading characters all the way back in s1 and her character seems to be a bit of a face of ST alongside with characters like El. it would also be rough on Will and Jonathan, like, character altered forever rough, so if she died these characters would have to change drastically. which would need her death to happen before the last two episodes if they wanted to do it justice. and killing her that early on would also feel odd with how much she’s a part of the core story. and of course there’s the whole deal with her just having gotten together with Hopper which should at least give her a few episodes of protection to explore that. overall, I think they could do it, but they would have to be insanely careful to pull it off well and I’m not sure it’s something they’d go for or something that's even possible to do well with only 8-9 episodes

Jonathan is someone a lot of people seem to think could die, but I also feel like a that idea comes from general lack of interest in his character. he Could die, yeah, it would also be interesting how characters dealt with it, but just like with Joyce, killing him off in the last episode would very much feel like a cheap kill for shock value since the strongest aspect of killing a character like him would be seeing the ripples it has over the story. and killing him would also put an extremely tragic end to his character arc which he hasn’t finished yet. he’s constantly parentified, steps back in favour of other people, he still couldn’t tell Nancy he wants something different than her for college, and so on. his s5 arc would have to focus more on his own growth over the series and accepting himself and his worth, so dying would be insanely tragic for him. again I feel like they Could do it, but it’s questionable if they’d be able to do it justice and not make it feel like his character is from a Shakespearean tragedy while everyone else is from a different genre

Just on reflex, Nancy is someone I don’t see dying. killing her would be really bold. all with her being one of the few women, and a character that's always been near the center of the story, and with her being the deciding party in the middle of a love triangle. but on the other hand, I could see some merit in killing her. she was the main leader in s4 and arguably already had her moment to shine when she shot Vecna (even if they still lost, it was arguably the most epically framed “win” moment of the season). she also finally got some closure on Barb���s death, ie. knowing Vecna killed her. you could also definitely argue that it would be interesting if Nancy was the one to ultimately die instead of the vision where she saw her mom, Holly, and Mike, dead (or implied to be dead, she doesn't say the word). so the longer I think about it, the more I could see a positive impact on the story. but it'd still be rough, and it would mean upsetting both Jancy and Stancy shippers by having neither have a happy ending, which, actually, would be kind of interesting, but I’m not sure the Duffers would go for

and then there’s of course the kids where it gets really hard imo. both based on the tone of ST and how it would be insanely dark

Erica is just someone I genuinely don’t think they can kill, ever. she’s the absolute youngest, also one of their 3 poc characters. don’t see any reality where she dies. they already didn't handle her character particularly well since her introduction so, no way they're insane enough to kill her

similar to my point about Hopper earlier, I also don’t see Max dying at all. she almost died in s4 during her initial encounter with Vecna, barely survived, and then got got for real and was dead pre El reviving her. her dying for real in s5 wouldn’t hit particularly hard anymore after she starts the season lost in some variation of a coma. her s5 arc already has to be about finding her, and presumably her dealing with the trauma of waking up. also whatever role she plays in the season, since we don’t know how many episodes it'll take before we can get her thoughts and actions again. killing her at the end would be kind of repetitive and absolutely fuck her character arc over since she just realized how badly she wanted to live regardless of her depression

El's character would also not have any benefit from dying, it would actively cut her character arc short, which has been a central point of every season up to now. her whole deal is learning that she’s not a monster that’s responsible for everything and figuring out who she actually wants to be as a person that can make her own decisions. her ending the series dying or sacrificing herself like so many people seem to think she will would be very weak writing imo. having her finally reach a point in s5 where she's free of Brenner, and guilt over what happened, and her het relationship with her boyfriend who doesn’t love her, and finally starts to realize who she wants to be, only to have her make the decision to die for the people she loves would just suck. it’d be compelling... if ST was a drama story and trying to tell a story of hopelessness. which is not at all what ST has been up until now and is also not what anyone involved has said s5 to be

Will is also unkillable without completely breaking the genre of the show. people are right that him dying in s5 would be full circle to s1. and showing the inevitability of the UD killing him after all and how he couldn’t get away would be fun sure, but it’s not stranger things. aside from actors already having said Will gets some form of happy ending, killing him just wouldn’t work. everyone was trying to get him back alive all the way back in s1. him eventually dying after all is a cool concept in theory, but it doesn’t work with the show at all

Mike is also hard to kill. with Byler happening, it would be insane to kill either of the two parties right after having them get together or confirm each other’s feelings. Mike is one of the characters with the most consistent allusions to something bad happening, especially in s4, with the whole set up of “hasn’t unpacked yet”, jaws poster, “death count is going to rise”, and Nancy’s whole vision about him presumably dying, but it’s much more likely he just won’t have a good time in s5, not die. he already had a fake out death as far back as s1 with the cliff, so if they want the show to go “full circle” they could just have him almost die again, or have someone Think he died for a bit. perma killing him just doesn't work with the mleven to byler arc they set up for s5

Lucas doesn’t have any death flags and there would be no benefit in killing him. killing Will for example would at least be interesting on a meta writing level if you disregard the genre of the show, but killing Lucas would just… feel insanely unjust, he's just a kid who already went through writing fuckery in s4. he also almost lost Max, and his s5 arc seems to be very focused on her and helping her. killing him off right after Max survived would just be plain bad. do not see Lucas dying in any reality

And Dustin is my "if they had to kill a kid". there Are some lines you could definitely catch on a rewatch post death that would make it feel less out of nowhere, be it the “if you die I die” said to Steve, or Suzie talking about Dustin feeling like it could foreshadow a death. Dustin also doesn’t have the protection someone like Mike has, where he’s in the central gay childhood best friends to lovers plotline

overall, I think Vicky and Argyle are essentially guaranteed to be fine. there’d be not much emotional payoff for the audience and only the killing of the few diverse characters of the cast. Robin would also be hard to kill without making it look weird with her just introduced romantic interest. Hopper and Max are too much “been there done that” to die for real. and the kids dying would at best seriously derail the expectations the show set until now and negatively fuck some of their character arcs over at worst

so. tldr, my thoughts on this: killing Joyce is possible imo, but extremely hard to do justice. similar sentiment about Jonathan, even more so bc it directly conflicts with his character's core struggle. killing Nancy would probably be the most interesting choice to go for, to me, if done well, but it’s something I don’t really see happen in the show. Steve seems like the most likely choice to die since he’d be a pretty easy kill, the audience and a significant amount of characters like him so it would have impact, there’s enough death flags to make it seem foreshadowed… would just work really well. and if any of the kids died it would have to be Dustin imo, even though I’m still of the belief that they won’t touch the kids when it comes to killing characters

also, Murray's just a free kill to me, not impactful enough on the characters to fully derail character arcs but still with the show long enough to be a bit sad to see go. if they’d kill only him it would be a bit wasted because it would feel like a copout of killing an impactful character, but if they want to kill a primary character and make stakes higher by killing someone else, Murray is the easiest to turn to for that, especially if they want someone to die in the earlier episodes

and this is just about the "main" characters (as a broad term here). characters that could also ofc die are other kids parents, police officers we know like Callahan, other side characters like Mr Clarke or the mayor. but most of these would not really have much impact on the story and would pass more as casualties along the way

the Wheelers are a bit of an in-between here, because while none of them get regular main character focus and don’t even know about the UD, they still come back every season on a personal level and have the most solid characterization out of side characters. Karen even has a noteworthy character arc, which none of the other side characters have. Holly will be fine honestly, Ted is really just there, not much screen time, i don't really see much benefit in having him die, if he did it would most likely have to be in passing or in mass casualties. so Karen would be the one I could realistically see be compelling to kill. as a side character I’d put her on a Murray level, where she’s consistently on screen and everyone knows her but she’s not really someone people would be upset for days about

the Murray treatment also goes for someone like Owens btw, where I could easily see him die as a side note (not as the main death). he's been with the show for a while but doesn't have enough impact on the story to really force you to keep him alive. there's for sure info we can still get from him in s5, but after we have a full picture of what happened with El and Henry at the lab and how Owens was involved there's really nothing keeping him alive as a character

and everyone's done, wall of thoughts over!

that’s where I’m at with all the characters as of now, especially from looking at their past arcs up to s4. I’m just really curious how this will hold up with the actual s5. Maybe they’ll just go in bold and kill someone I would have said has a 0 chance of dying right away, who knows who knows

[yearnfactory]

situationship

I want a girlfriend- no- not a girlfriend- that’s too intimate- too time demanding. I want a hole. A hole that I can spend all my time with, a hole I can be intimate with.

I want a hole to take on dates! No- that’s too much- not a date, I want a hole to platonically kiss at the beach, to platonically hold hands with under the dinner table, to platonically make out in the elevator.

I want a hole that cares about me, takes good care of me, I might even introduce the hole to my parents! I want to spend more of my free time with it than without it. I might even catch feelings for it, I might even tell it I love it on accident!

Of course none of it means anything, it’s always been casual! Why would any of those things make it think I was starting to care for it seriously? No- absolutely not- I do not want a girlfriend, I want a hole? Why would you possibly think I want a girlfriend?

Oh god- it thinks there was ever any possibility of me wanting it! The hole says it aches and yearns, it must be defective. It says it feels like a temporary girlfriend, a distraction, a placeholder, unimportant. I hate when the hole has feelings. By god! It even has self respect! It wants to be more than hole of the month? It can’t just have sex with me 10 times a week and pretend it never happened?

Why is this one so defective? If I hurt it, it will tell me! What an insult, what slander! What gives a hole the right to nag and nag? It must be crazy, none of this could possibly be my fault, I’m a good guy? The hole is gaslighting me! I spit it out like food stuck in my teeth and watch it go down the drain. I fix my hair, I shove its clothes somewhere the next hole won’t find it. I go out, looking for a new hole to run from myself with.

[justathoughtfulangel]

When the Party's Over ~ A Kai Parker One Shot

*not my gif

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you get to spend today and all days ahead filled with joy and peace :)

Pairings: vampire!Reader x Heretic!Kai; ex-boyfriend!ElijahMikaelson x Reader; Damon x Elena; Klaus x Caroline

For the purposes of this story, Klaus and Caroline are a couple living together in Mystic Falls. Kol Mikaelson is still alive, but Finn is not.

This IS a reader insert fic; I just don’t like writing with Y/N in the place of names. Use Rosalie/Rose as a placeholder for Y/N and Wilson for L/N

Requested: No

Word Count: 5,562

Warnings/Callouts: Mentions of breakups/heartbreak, minor angst/darker emotions, scattered mature language, fake-relationship trope, best-friends-to-lovers trope, smut (18+ readers only!), soft!Dom!Kai, Daddy kink, blood sharing, unprotected sex (be responsible and safe!)

I got the idea for this piece while re-reading "I'll Wait." It is technically a sequel but will still be easy to follow/read as a oneshot if you haven't read that one.

Description: What do you do get when you put a bunch of vampires together in a room with a lot of food in November? You get a Mystic Falls Thanksgiving. Be wary of Original exes crashing the party...

Kai’s POV:

The alarm buzzed, and I turned over to shut it off. I’d already been awake for quite some time. The morning sunlight danced on the ceiling as I listened to the sound of Rosalie’s even breathing in her room down the hall. Five months ago, Rosalie drank herself numb and passed out in the Mystic Grill. I brought her to my apartment, and we’d been living together ever since. Her old apartment was one she’d shared with Elijah, and it was too painful for her to live there again. I, out of the goodness of my heart (or, more accurately, my own selfish desires), let her move in with me. 

Life was a lot easier now; there were no vengeful siblings, no new villains knocking down our doors. For once, life in Mystic Falls was… normal. Shocker, I know.

What exactly defines normal in a town where every second person you walk by is a supernatural being? Normal is waking up in the morning and not anticipating something horrible will happen. It’s when things are calm, and you can trust the people around you. Strange how normal is the most abnormal for someone like me.

My feet touched the cool wooden planks, and half the blanket followed me up. With a quick snap, the bed was made. Coffee was brewing, and bread was toasting. This was the rhythm we had fallen into. Whoever was awake first took care of breakfast, and the other managed the cleanup after.

I didn’t bother throwing a shirt on. Being roommates came with its unique forms of intimacy, though not in the way I would’ve wanted. Nevertheless, I’d promised myself I’d wait. I’ll wait for her until she’s no longer hurting – when she’s ready to accept how I feel.

Rosalie’s POV:

“Rosalie, I have to leave you,” Elijah spoke solemnly. He had rarely loved in all the centuries he’d been alive, and it was even rarer the love was returned. Unfortunately, something always trumped the pursuit of love: his honor and his family. 

If anything in this dream came back in perfect detail, it was the wave of emotions I felt. My mind replayed them night after night. First came the confusion and denial. “What does that mean?” Elijah had answered me, but even now, I don’t remember his words. My ears refused the intake of all sound. The heartbreak had taken over. “We… I am leaving you.” It couldn’t be true. He was my everything. He was my first. He swore he’d never leave me, not for the rest of our immortal lives.

Without warning, something in the scene shifted. Suddenly, it wasn’t Elijah turning my heart to dust. It was Malachai. Within me, I felt a snap. My knees gave out, and I stumbled to the ground just as I had with Elijah. The stream of tears down my cheeks was new. 

I had not sobbed this way when Elijah left me. This was a new pain entirely. “Kai, please…” He looked down upon my curled figure on the ground, completely silent. When the hot tears blurred my vision, I could just barely see him walking away, leaving me even more broken than I already was.

When the dream escaped me and consciousness came back, I didn’t want to open my eyes. Though I was awake, my mind was plagued with jarring images of Kai leaving me instead of Elijah. Somehow, though I was only his friend, I believed losing Malachai would hurt so much more.

Shoving my comforter aside, I dragged myself to the bathroom. The lightbulbs flickered on, and I stared at my exhausted expression. When Elijah left me, I felt like I’d been discarded. There was no other word for it. Someone who promised to never walk away left for a reason as flimsy as needing to protect his sister – a thousand-year-old vampire perfectly capable of protecting herself. Klaus and Kol didn’t run off to Rebekah’s side, so Elijah volunteered.

The worst part was the "honorable man" card he got to play. How are you supposed to fault someone for leaving to protect their family? It was all so frustrating. From the kitchen, I heard the coffee maker chime and the bread pop out, a signal that my little pity party needed to end. Gathering up some cold water from the running faucet, I splashed it against my face in the vain hope of getting some color back.

When I walked in, Kai was reaching up to grab plates and mugs. Turning around, he gave me a quick smile in morning greeting. I had to return it, of course. During all this time, Malachai was the one that kept me grounded. He’d been so patient – goofy when I needed a laugh and silent when I needed someone to listen. He was the perfect companion. If he was tired of me, it didn’t show.

Still silent, he handed me my plate, bringing his own over to the couch. I plopped down beside Kai, glancing at him from the corner of my eye. A random Netflix show began playing in the background as we ate. Whether he knew it or not, Malachai brought me a great deal of peace.

I looked at him once more, my heart throbbing painfully as it reminded me of the horrid dream. This time, Kai’s eyes met my own with an unspoken question shining in them. He raised a brow slightly, and I shook my head, attempting to smile. He seemed unconvinced, but he didn’t pry.

Thank god for that. If he had, I would have lied.

Kai's POV, later that afternoon:

“Rosalie, hurry up! According to the manically detailed itinerary Caroline gave us, we were supposed to be at the Mikaelson’s place twenty minutes ago.” Even as I spoke, I pulled the caramel apple pie out of the oven, fanning it to get it to cool some. The whole apartment smelled wonderful, like an autumn day come to life. I closed my eyes, enjoying the scent of apples, cinnamon, and toasted sugar.

When they opened, I met with the sight of Rose slipping into her coat. I couldn’t fight my smirk when I saw her outfit. Without planning it, we were completely coordinated: deep green sweaters, dark wash jeans, and long, flowing black coats. I saw the realization in her eyes and adored the sound of her resulting laugh. “Are you trying to copy me, Malachai?” Letting out an exaggerated sigh, I grinned at her. “Me? I’ve been ready to leave for thirty minutes. If anything, you’re trying to copy my style.”

Wrapping up the pie, I grabbed the car keys, spinning them around my finger. “Don’t worry, though. I pull it off much better than you.” Rosalie rolled her eyes, giving me a playful shove. “Let’s go before Caroline decides to murder us on arrival.”

~

The engine hummed to a stop. The sun had already set, bathing the surrounding land in darkness. When the headlights switched off, Rosalie and I shared a look. I wanted to reach out and touch her silken hair, to let her know she wasn’t alone. I knew tonight would be difficult for her – spending time with Mikaelsons wasn’t her favorite, not with all the memories it brought back –and Rose needed to understand I was there for her. “You can do this. I’m right beside you.” Without giving me any words in response, she reached for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze of gratitude. 

“Let’s go.” We walked to the front door, the dessert in my hands. Rosalie opened the door, thoughtfully left unlocked by the hosts, taking the pie from my hands. Caroline stormed to the foyer, partially receiving her guests as the hostess and also ready to rip us both a new one for messing up her schedule. “Before you say anything Care, you and the house both look lovely.” 

Rose gave Caroline a heart-stopping smile and annoyed as she was, her friend had to smile in return. “Alright, alright, just come in.” I helped Rosalie out of her coat, hanging it up on the golden coat hooks before taking care of my own. Everything in this house looked like it was antique and ridiculously expensive. Our matching outfits didn’t escape Caroline’s attention, but she was typing something. Rose’s phone buzzed with a text seconds later. 

She read it and froze in her tracks. Caroline took the dessert from her hands and went inside, perhaps to give her a moment. “Rosalie?” Still saying nothing, Rose handed me her phone, letting me read the message myself. ‘I should’ve told you earlier, but Elijah is here.’ I waved a hand, putting a silencing spell on the room so our conversation wouldn’t be heard by anyone else.

“Elijah, like – Elijah?” She nodded, visibly trembling. “Kai, I…” Biting my lip, I took hold of her shoulders, turning her so she’d face me. “What do you want to do? Do you want to get out of here? What do you need? What can I do?” Though she was upset, I couldn’t stop the barrage of questions I threw at her. Rose only shook her head again, which wasn’t enough of a response for me. Thankfully, she spoke without any more questions from me.

“No. We’re here to have a nice Thanksgiving with our friends. He’s here. I suppose it makes sense. He’s Klaus’s brother, after all. Of course, he’s here.” She rambled on. When she looked into my eyes, I could read how conflicted Rose was. My teeth gritted together, and as my hands left her shoulders, they clenched into fists at my side. Being civil with Elijah was going to be an uphill battle, and I hadn’t even set eyes on him yet.

Even so, my anger wasn’t important. Whatever Rosalie needed tonight she would get. “Just… don’t leave my side, Malachai.” I wrapped my arms around her, enveloping her. It didn’t matter if she was just relying on me as her best friend. This hug was for me, the one slip I was allowing myself after months of swallowing emotions back. “I won’t, I promise.”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, I lifted the silencing spell. Rosalie whispered her quiet thanks, and I didn’t let go of her hand. We just didn’t realize someone was watching. 

A man I hadn’t seen before, presumably Elijah, cleared his throat. By instinct, I expected Rose to let go of my hand, but she only held on tighter. Clearing her throat, she walked towards him with me not far behind. “Hello, Elijah.” I was impressed with how she sounded: perfectly composed and unbothered by the man she still had torturous dreams about. “Rosalie. You look good. Happy…” 

The word trailed off of Elijah’s lips, hanging in the air between us. “And this is?” She released my hand then, though I could tell she missed the contact as soon as her fingers slipped from mine. Or at least I hoped so. I know I did. 

“Malachai Parker, Heretic.” The hand that was in Rose’s met his in greeting. “Elijah Mikaelson.” In stark contrast to hers, Elijah’s hand was ice cold. “You must be her new boyfriend. Congratulations.” The words weren’t spoken with any hint of malice, just resignation. Was it so easy for him to let her go? If it were me and the girl I loved dated was with someone else, I’d be livid. “Elijah, Kai isn–”

“Kai is pleased to meet you.” I smiled at Elijah like he was an old friend, ignoring him once I put my arm around Rose. She caught on very quickly (that’s my girl!) and mirrored my action. One hand came around my waist while the other rested comfortably yet casually on my chest. “Thank you. We’ve been dating for, what, maybe three months now?” 

She looked up at me for confirmation, her eyes shining. We’d spent too much time together recently; if the wordless conversations we had daily were any indication, we’d be able to pull this off very well. “Three months and five days.” Within the statement was a veiled truth; we’d been living together for five months and three days. 

Elijah looked between us. We just kept looking at each other. For now, I had free reign to look at her the way I wanted, to touch her as if she were mine. I wouldn’t let that go for anything or anyone. I didn’t know what she was thinking, and I wished some part of her wanted me, too.

Presumably uncomfortable, Elijah cleared his throat. “Well, um… it was nice to meet you, Malachai. I think I should take my leave. Niklaus, Kol… I’m heading back to New Orleans tonight.” His brothers rushed into the room, filled with questions. We simply stood and watched the show. With one last glance, Elijah left, and Kol trailed behind him. “Elijah! Sorry, brother. Thanks for the invitation.”

Klaus raised an eyebrow at us, comprehension gleaming in his expression. “And then there were six.” With great reluctance, I let Rosalie go. The act was up. 

“Rosalie Wilson!” Caroline’s high-pitched voice echoed through the large foyer. Elena leaned against the doorframe leading to the dining room, also looking equally upset. “You and Kai have been dating for three months and you didn’t tell me?!”

Then again, maybe not.

Rosalie’s POV:

Oh boy. Caroline was pissed. Swallowing nervously, I attempted a cool smile. Linking my arm with Kai’s – who thankfully continued the show with me – I responded, “I know, Care. It’s just that… after my breakup with Elijah, I wanted to take things slowly and just be careful. After being with Kai day in and day out, I knew I wanted to be with him. I didn’t want to risk anything by moving too quickly.” My monologue had come to a close, and Kai finished the script. “We were planning on telling you all tonight anyhow. It just happened to come out in a… not-so-fun way.” Everyone stared at us, all with varying degrees of interest.

Damon was swirling his bourbon around in an ornate glass; he was all set and didn’t care much about anyone except Elena. Elena seemed to have heard and understood where I was coming from. Klaus was playing with Caroline’s hair as he hugged her from behind, perhaps trying to quell her distress. And Malachai…

Kai was staring at me with this pure, unbridled love in his eyes. I thought it would hurt to play the role of a happy girlfriend. In that moment, I found myself believing that if I was with Kai, I wouldn't be hurt again. I had the same thought months ago when I was deeply mourning my breakup. Even then, I’d thought about being with him. For now, even though it was make-believe, I’d cherish it. 

“So!” Kai’s voice bounced off the walls. “I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m starving.” 

~

Dinner was wonderful. Caroline was always the perfect hostess, and the food was wonderful. Given that two of the guests had disappeared, there was plenty to go around. Garlic and rosemary mashed potatoes, a gorgeous roast turkey, savory apple and sausage stuffing, orange cranberry sauce, cornbread… we’d all be eating leftovers for a month.

Malachai was even more caring than usual now that he was playing the role of my boyfriend. He made sure I didn’t have to reach for anything I wanted, refilled my water whenever he did his own, and kept some form of physical contact with me sporadically. The only thing missing from this equation was flirting, but this was better. It felt… real. Grounded. As easy as breathing. 

Before we played a game or two, I’d excused myself to take a breather. This whole day had been a rollercoaster. With my scarring dream to Elijah showing up to this drama Kai and I were putting on, it had been overwhelming. I leaned against the shut bathroom door, just taking a few deep breaths. 

My phone chimed a special tone that rang only when Kai texted me. “Don’t take so long, darling ;)”

My eyes looked upwards from my phone screen to the mirror in front of me. The expression on my face was one I never imagined I’d feel again. It was true, unadulterated joy. For the first time in what seemed like an eternity, my smile reached my eyes. Only Kai could make me feel this way. 

Kai's POV:

I slipped my phone back into my pocket, pleased with my playful flirtation. I’d wanted this for a long time; I was going to milk it for all it was worth. Klaus handed me a glass of this warm spiced rum, which I graciously accepted. At least it wasn’t Damon’s bourbon again. Bourbon wasn’t my thing. I was secure enough in my masculinity.

I lounged on the couch, my feet propped up on the glass table. One wince from Caroline, and I straightened up. Rose came back then, and I took a seat on the floor where Elena was setting up Settlers of Catan. She sat down next to me, leaning against my shoulder. The line between friends and something more had always been blurry in our relationship. This made things even more confusing. How much of this was the act? How much was what she truly wanted? 

Ultimately, it didn’t matter. Hadn’t I already decided to make the most of this time? I wouldn’t let the idea of losing it ruin what I felt right now. Playing my role – and giving into what I wanted all along – I hugged Rosalie closer to me, resting my head against hers. I handed her the glass of spiced rum, encouraging her to try it. She took a sip, humming thoughtfully. I knew she didn’t truly like rum, but she seemed to like this. Taking full advantage of the opportunity, I kissed her cheek softly. I heard her heartbeat hastened in response; was it from anxiety or excitement?

We played the game with our friends, laughing and enjoying the party. When it became apparent the only possible winners would be Caroline or Elena, we joined their boyfriends in cheering them on. My hand clasped Rosalie’s under the coffee table, linking our fingers together. No one saw our hands there. This was just for us. The night wore on. The more I got to live out my true desire, the more I feared I wouldn’t be able to let it go. I was selfish that way. What would happen when the party’s over?

Rosalie's POV:

It was midnight before we realized it. A full moon climbed up the night sky, visiting its starry friends in the sky. We bid our friends goodnight and headed home. As Kai slipped into the driver’s seat, turning the engine on, I realized I suddenly didn’t know what to say or do.

Malachai seemed to not have any ideas either, and we drove to our apartment in absolute silence. Even our deep understanding of each other wouldn’t help here, not when we were trying to uncover something we didn’t have a name for. 

The drive had somehow been both unbearably long and unbelievably quick at the same time. We walked inside side by side, my ears picking up even the clink of the lock as it opened. “So, um… you really saved me tonight. First with him, and then with Caroline.”

Kai grinned at me while taking off his shoes and hanging up our coats. Even in the low lighting of our home, I could tell it wasn’t the same. “I did, didn’t I? That’s what best friends are for.” I don’t know what fantasies my mind had begun spinning. Malachai was just saving my skin. We would tell them all it was an act later. That made sense, I suppose. “Best friends… right.” 

 “Oh, screw this.” Within fractions of a second, Kai’s hands cupped my face. He looked at me almost severely, his eyes swirling with so many emotions at once. It was an unnavigable storm, and I was nearly lost in it. I would’ve been had he not crushed his lips against mine.

I didn’t freeze, nor was I all that surprised. This was Malachai, and I knew him as I knew myself. I’d wanted him for a long time, I just wouldn’t let myself admit it. Our lips meshed together, sliding between each other’s beautifully. His hands traveled from my face to my neck. Continuing down my sides, Kai finally reached his destination when his palms slipped into the back pockets of my jeans.

“Jump up onto me, baby.” He pulled away to give me his breathless command. I eagerly obliged, wrapping my legs around his waist. Claiming my lips once again, he carried me off to his room. I fell back onto his bed, and Kai followed suit, hovering over me. Raining kisses down my neck, Malachai elicited a moan from me, something that made him stop.

“Rosalie… tell me I’m not alone in craving you. Am I aching for you all alone? Tell me you want me, too.” His eyes were imploring, his voice so quiet it only reached me. I tenderly dragged my hand across his cheek, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “It’s not just you, Kai. I… I never realized how much I needed you. Not until tonight.”

That was all he needed to hear. Enveloping my lips with his once more, his left hand took hold of both my wrists, holding them up above my head. The other trailed down my torso, landing on my waist and sneaking under my sweater. His warmth, his scent, and even the smallest of sounds he made were perfection. When his fingers found the button of my jeans, I froze up under him. Our passionate embrace came to a skidding stop.

“What is it? Did I go too far? I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean–” He rambled with concern, and I cut him off with a soft kiss. “No, it’s not you. You’re perfect. It’s me…” The last person I was with – the only person I’d been with – was Elijah. When he left me, he shattered some hidden part of my soul. If Malachai and I were to cross this line, there would be no turning back. I’d need him forever, and if that wasn’t what he desired, then he shouldn’t waste his time with me. “For me, this isn’t about right now.

“It’s about forever, which means something very different in our world. If that’s too much for you, or if that’s not what you want, I don’t think we should go there… not tonight.” Kai released my hands, and I was staring down at the bedspread. With an unanticipated, gentle gesture, he lifted my chin such that I looked into his eyes. His were certain, unwavering. There seemed to be no doubt at all in his mind as he spoke.

“I love you, Rosalie.” My breath caught in my throat, and I momentarily tensed up. The way I felt for him was consuming, stronger than anything I’d known before. But I’d been hurt at this same crossroads, and I didn’t know if I could travel down that path just yet.

“You don’t have to say it back. Just listen to me.” Malachai’s hand shifted from my chin, now resting against my cheek. I nuzzled into it instinctively, desperate for his warmth and closeness.

“I love you. I’ve loved you for some time now. Loving someone… well, it was never something that I thought could happen to me. But you…” Kai began playing with my hair, moving us so that I was sitting in his lap. I rested my head on his shoulder as he spoke, listening intently. “You brought so much into my life. You are my best friend, and I know you as well as I know myself.

“You don’t have to say it back. If you want me to, I’ll wait for as long as you need.” He squeezed me in his embrace, resting his head against mine. “I won’t cross any boundaries until you take them down.”

Lifting Kai’s hand from my waist, I gingerly opened his palm. With a deliberate softness, I pressed my lips to each of his fingertips. He had to know how much I cared about him, even if I couldn’t put it into words as he had.

Malachai understood me instantly, and when I looked up at him, his kiss stole the rest of my thoughts. Turning in his lap, I wrapped myself around him. My fingers snaked upwards, intertwining with the hair at the base of his neck. Kai only tugged me closer until every inch of me melded with him. 

“Mm… Rose…” I couldn’t pull away, even as he tried to speak. “Rosalie…” Whimpering ever so slightly, I obliged and moved away just an inch. “Are you sure you want this tonight? I need you to be certain, princess. You need to be prepared to be mine, from now until forever.” I nodded, unable to find my voice, but that didn’t seem to be enough. “I need your words, Rose. Tell me if you want this. If not, I’ll stop, I promise.” 

“I want you, Malachai. Please…” He smiled, and it warmed my heart. The next kiss he pressed to my lips was so very tender, as if he were touching something dearly precious to him. Perhaps he was.

Kai's POV:

I held Rosalie delicately, shifting us so she lay beneath me once more. I was afraid of frightening her, making her run if I made too many of my needs known too soon; with how long I’d desired for this, some were bound to slip through despite my best intentions. I moved away from her lips, finding the sensitive skin of her neck instead. Trailing my mouth across her collarbone, I nipped at it playfully, loving the little gasp I got from her in response.

One hand pulled the sleeve of her sweater off of her shoulder, and I nestled into the crook there, sucking on her flesh and leaving my mark there. A deep, primal possessiveness woke within me when Rosalie’s hands found my body. She wrapped her arms around me, clutching me close to her. “I’m here, baby. I’m not going anywhere.”

Moving ever so slowly, I stripped her clothes from her. With every inch exposed, I peppered more kisses onto her skin, hoping to find the light within her and make it mine. When Rose lay bare beneath me, it took immeasurable control to keep things gentle. There would be more time for other explorations. 

With the way my arms enveloped her, Rose couldn’t move much. When she asked to touch me, to feel me as I felt her, how could I possibly say no? With frenzied hands, she undressed me. Her cool skin was flush against my own, getting hotter with every passing second. My erection pressed against her trembling upper thigh, eliciting a desperate groan from us both. 

There was much I ached to do before I claimed her for the first time. Looking into her eyes, I let my fingers slide down her stomach to her sex. That one touch made me lose to the lust I was trying so hard to hold back. There was a narcotic power in her gaze. Whether she knew it or not, I was at her mercy and would be for as long as she wanted me. 

I sank a finger inside her, laying kisses down her body. Pumping it in and out steadily, I studied her reactions. She was exquisite. Her eyes were shut tightly, her fingers clasping at my shoulders as my tongue flicked against her hard nipples. My cold rings rubbed against her outer folds with every thrust of my fingers, and the shudder she gave was delicious. 

When my lips finally met my fingers to pleasure her, Rose bucked forward off the bed. Pinned down by my firm grip, there was nowhere for her to escape the ecstasy I had in store for her. My fingers pushed deeper into her with each penetration, curling upwards to find her pleasure center inside her. She screamed for me, and I fucking loved it. “That’s it, baby girl. Just let go. Let me make you feel good.” My tongue joined in, sloppily consuming her liquid desire. I’d yearned to worship her body this way for so long, and I wouldn’t be done for a long time. Her walls clenched around my fingers, her legs splayed over my shoulders. “Are you going to cum for me, Rosalie? Are you going to cum for me like a good girl?”

Her reply came mixed with breathless moans and eager whimpers. “Yes, Daddy… I’m so close, please don’t stop!” Daddy? Her words pulled a growl from my chest, and I was invigorated. Pulling away, I gave her the command to cum for me, my thumb rubbing her clit while my fingers didn’t let up their attack. “Cum for Daddy, princess. Show Daddy how good he makes you feel.” 

The dam of her pleasure exploded, and she unraveled under me. It was so fucking beautiful, and it was all mine. She was all mine. The sight of her made me desperate to quench my own thirst, and before her first orgasm could even subside, my throbbing cock replaced my fingers, my lips silencing her sounds.

Rosalie's POV:

Stars clouded my eyes. The only thing on my mind was Malachai. It took me over completely. I was his, and I didn’t want it any other way. Our tongues danced together when our kiss grew more torrid, our bodies rocking together and the bed along with us. He pulled away, staring down at me. One strong arm stabilized his body on the headboard, his muscles tensing with effort; his other hand wrapped around my throat, holding me down. 

One orgasm melted into the second, making me writhe under him. “Ohhh, fuck!” His heated gaze bore into me as I came undone once more. My eyelids shut tightly in rapture, but that earned another growl from him. “Keep your eyes on me, Rosalie. I want to watch you cum for me over…” His hips slammed forward, making my breath halt in my chest. “Over…” Driving into me, Daddy stole all ounces of my sanity. "And over again. We’re not done until you’ve cum so many times you can’t think.” 

“Mmgghh, Daddy! I’ve already – ahh! – done that!” My body quivered, overwhelmed with the sensations still coursing through me. My aching sex clamped around him as he continued pounding into me. “One more, baby girl. Can you give Daddy one more orgasm? Please?” Kai almost begged, and it was the hottest thing I’d ever heard. 

Digging my teeth into my lower lip, I nodded. Kai leaned down to kiss my neck, whispering a soft, “Thank you, princess” in my ear. With the way he sped up, I could feel he was reaching his climax. Both our labored breathing and groans melted into the sound of our skin slapping together. “Bite me, love. Drink from Daddy.” 

With an eager moan, I sank my teeth into his neck, loving the bite of him down the same. We drank from each other, completely connected by mind, body, and soul. Malachai reached the zenith of his pleasure, bringing me tumbling down another wave of bliss along with him. Our lustful sounds of orgasm were drowned in each other’s necks as we drank our fill.

When the sensations subsided, our lips met with a sense of completion and exhaustion. The lingering essence of each other remained in our mouths, making the kiss all the more fulfilling. When Kai slid out of me, I almost complained. With a kiss to my forehead, he summoned a washcloth, wiping away our sweat, blood, and love juices. 

“How are you feeling, baby? I tried to go slow at first, but I don’t think I was all that successful.” Once cleaned up, Kai wrapped himself around me, spooning my smaller body with his larger one. I couldn’t see his eyes this way, but I could feel his heartbeat thumping against my back. It was soothing. “I’m perfect, Malachai. Thank you for tonight.” Earlier, I’d mentioned how he’d saved me tonight by pretending to be my boyfriend. I hadn’t realized it, but he’d saved me in many other ways. He saved my heart, got it back, and put it together after someone else crushed it. I would always be grateful to him for that. 

Unable to stop himself, Kai pressed soft kisses to my chin and neck, holding me even closer. “Anytime.” He chuckled about something, and I was just about to inquire when he said, “That’s what boyfriends are for.” Laughing at the clever echo of his earlier words, I turned to face him. My hand rested on his cheek, his blue eyes shining in the dim lighting. My thumb caressed his skin, giving him a small fraction of the love and affection he deserved.

“Malachai Parker, I hope you know how perfect you are.” He grinned, kissing my nose. “Am I? Be sure to tell me that, at least three times a day.” Taking one of his hands, I kissed each of his fingertips once more, cherishing every part of him. “You are, and I love you.”

~~~

Thank you so much for reading! (I haven't written in first person in a long time, oof)

I hope you enjoyed this piece as much as I enjoyed writing it. I welcome your thoughts, comments, constructive criticisms, or anything under the sun!

If you enjoyed this piece, check out more of my Kai Parker stories from my Malachai Parker Masterlist. If you’d like to be added to my taglist, please send me a message or comment on this post.

Until next time, JustAThoughtfulAngel

Master Taglist: @socio-kai-path1972, @bluelicious, @prettybitchfatwitch, @genevivetaylor, @kolsangel, @phasmatos-incendia

[satohqbanana]

Rewrite Tag

A couple of rewrites from other writers here! If you do not wish your work or yourself to be included and/or linked in this list, please inform me and I will take that part down.

There's five rewritten snippets here, so please look under the cut for the rest of the rewrites, as well as a new line for rewriting from myself!

OG by @finickyfelix:

Shylar and Knoron hesitated for a moment, before she offered her arm, smiling up at him. His hands shook, but he took her arm, and they followed the others.

Mine:

Time stilled. One. Two. Three. Then Shylar offered him a smile and an arm. With shaky hands, Knoron forced himself to be polite and go along with the others - as things should be.

*Despite going through OP's blog, I wasn't able to identify which pronouns refer to which characters! These placeholders are supposed to be for the characters' names. EDIT: OP provided clarifications for the names. Thanks!

OG line by @melpomene-grey:

As her hand closed around the hilt of the sword, a vast, humming energy filled the room, and one by one, the gas lamps that lined the walls went out, blinking away like eyelids on a many-eyed machine. The doors behind her slammed shut, and she realised with a sinking feeling what had happened. They were trapped.

Mine:

Eyes cast on the prize, the woman swung her hand to grab the sword. She had merely touched its ornate hilt when a pulsating energy shook the room. Lamps burst. Darkness filled her vision. Pressure crushed her body. Sweat ran down her skin. Trapped. She were trapped! They were all trapped!

OG by @kaylinalexanderbooks

I ran out of the house and didn’t stop until I reached the edge of the forest, at which point I collapsed. I looked up, staring into the dark abyss of the woods in front of me. I dropped my gaze to the ground. The stupid grass was greener than I’d ever seen. I closed my eyes and sobbed for a moment. Not this again. Not again. Not again.

Mine:

I ran out the door. And ran. And ran. And ran. My legs soon gave out. I gasped for air. My blurry vision caught sight of green. The forest?! This has to be fake. I scanned left and right, but found nothing else but thick foliage and dark wood. No! Not again! My eyes prickled. I choked on tears. I need air. I can't do this again!

OG by @somethingclevermahogony (has some mention of gore):

The farmer wailed at the sight of his livelihood reduced to a tangled pile of broken timber and flesh. Narul had little time to catch his breath, Mikrab was back on his feet, his back dripped with the blood of the swine.

Mine (also still has mentions of gore):

Narul had barely gotten air into his system and Mikrab had only just managed to get his wobbly legs stable on the ground when they made eye contact with the farmer. A guttural screech echoed through the land. The scattered lumber, lumps of flesh, and splashes of blood meant a gruesome cleanup for everyone involved, but the farmer's well-meaning companions agreed - with fatigued grimaces - that this was all the fault of the man's highly priced and aggressive boar stud in the first place.

OG by @illarian-rambling:

He traced one of the images with a finger; two gods debated furiously on twin mountain peaks. A mature woman with ears of gold, a winged lizard coiled around her feet, and a young girl holding a copper-furred hound by the scruff. Their faces were so similar, like a mother and daughter.

Mine:

A certain portrait caught his eye - a depiction of two gods, from within their own mountains. With an amused smile, his finger trailed around the gods' strikingly alike faces. On one side proudly stood a woman with a golden headdress and a winged lizard by her feet; on the other a young girl held a defiant gaze in her eyes and a red hound by her hands. A very typical mother and daughter pair, it seemed.

Here's a new line from me that you can try rewriting. This is an open tag, so anyone can try!

They're bag-weights. They don't help us hunt. They don't help us cook. They don't help us set up for the night, pay for the inns, or even try to help the folks we've been doing little errands for along the way. And yet we feed them, we tuck them into bed, we protect them in battle. Any day now, we'll die to an ambush because we're busy babying these two.

[achillez-on-pawz]

Tips on how to find your theriotype: May not be accurate.

Hi. If you've ever seen any post of mine, you'll know that I may have an upwards of 4-5 Theriotypes. Domestic cat clado, red fox, golden tiger (*), and unknown domestic dog.

I will put everything else under the cut, because I don't want a huge text post to absorb everyone's dash.

I awakened as a tiger (*) mainly after a conversation with a friend. They sent pictures of golden tigers and a liger, and after seeing that, I got a feeling in my chest. Resonance.

It feels like a deep hit, almost heavy and thick, right under where my heart is, center of my lower chest.

After some research, although, not much, (I'm studying for a Spanish exam), I can say with like, 60% certainty, that I'm most likely the previous animals mentioned.

But how did I come to that so quickly?

If you're like me (impatient), you probably hate the unknown feeling sitting inside you, like uranium in the snow /ref.

Well, here are some tips.

Write down your feelings (or do the equivalent) Writing down what you feel, feelings associated with your unknown self, can really help. Here's what I said in an audio log of my tiger/liger exploration. "It feels...super big. Feline too. My paws are HUGE.[...] it feels almost lazy? Like, I could knock you over with so much ease, but I just don't feel like it. [...]connection to water. Lounging in the sun." This, combined with my emotional/physical reaction to ligers/golden tigers is what lead me to very shallow research. I would also like to mention that placeholder theriotypes are a-okay. You're still figuring yourself out, and if labels help, feel free!

Measure your emotional reaction. This makes sense, if you're spiritual or a physical therian. (Note that I'm physically Aziraphale, and such, my knowledge on physical therians may be incorrect or limited) You will have emotional or physical reactions to your theriotype. I cry when I see myself. I may also do vocals involuntarily, and may do quads. These are both physical and emotional reactions.

Research! Light research is better than no research. And with more research, you can find and place your feelings more accurately. Going on blogs for that animal, Wikipedia, Reddits for that animal (if there is one), and veterinary websites are very good places to start.

Shifts. Write down what you feel, if you have physical, mental, vocal, or phantom shifts. These could help. For example, when I have a fox shift, I feel playful, fluffy, small, and my paws feel petite.

All in all, take your time. I remind myself to go slow. It's not the end of the world. Placeholders are okay! Just make sure to update yourself once you've put more time into it :D This is just what I do. I've had a therian journal for a longgg while. Around 2-3 months. It helps to write down what you feel. Just know that whatever happens, your identity being therian or not, you're valid <3

[vasilinaorlova]

Unexpectedly for myself, I wrote a poem in the Ukrainian language 😳 After years of not writing poems in the Ukrainian language, I wrote a poem. My Ukrainian is very poor, and I am not sure I have the right to write in it. And yet, poems are something that either happen or not. The spirit is breathing where and as it pleases. I don't know if this is a good poem, and if I even can show it to somebody, and if I need to show it, and I am sure someone has to correct grammar in it and perhaps suggest a more natural flow to some phrases, but--I am not a foreigner to writing poems in the languages I don't exactly speak. I wrote many poems in the English language, which isn't my native language and will never be my native language even though I grew to like it, feel it, and be relatively comfortable with it, like you're getting comfortable to prostheses or a corset, I suppose. I am not a foreigner to writing poems in the languages I do not really speak and using dictionaries to write those poems and replacing placeholders. Some of the poems that I wrote make me cringe, looking back, but so do some of the poems that I wrote in the only language I do speak or in which I consider myself more than simply competent enough.

But of course with the Ukrainian language, it is so much more than just the issue of the insufficient knowledge of the language. Writing in Ukrainian has always been, and now even more so, intensely political. To me, the language is covered in the triggers, its field is mined. The central issue is whether I dare to write in the Ukrainian language. Is writing in Ukrainian having grown up in Russia allowed? Can it be permitted? Is it cultural appropriation? The question is fraught with a lot of stuff. A lot of stuff comes into it. Some of the stuff that comes into these languages is useful and necessary, and some of the stuff that comes into these languages is hindering and unnecessary. It shouldn't be like that when you recall the language your grandmother spoke to you, the language to which you're a heritage listener rather than a heritage speaker, but this is like that. At the same time, I am wary about Russians dragging their Ukrainian grandmother and grandfather in every conversation. I am acutely aware that I am the one who is doing it as well. I am wary of myself, and nevertheless, here I am, again. In my mind, I already created a whole explanation (that nobody is requesting from me, and I am the only one requesting of myself--the severest censure is self-censure, as they say), an apology, a timeline: look, I have begun writing about my Ukrainian grandparents, and my mother, and my aunts and uncles, and my cousins, long before the war began, from way before 2014, my first book with the novel Vchera (Yesterday) about my Ukraine--my imaginary Ukraine--came out in two-fucking-thousand-three, yes, 2003, and I wrote that novel even earlier, in 1999. And yet, I often feel like somebody has to issue, sign, and stamp me a permission to mention my grandparents. And yet, I am also the one who is doing it--I am reissuing this permission to myself (again). All of this is to say that the act of writing in the Ukrainian language isn't easy. And yet, I have written a poem, unexpectedly and without an intent to do so, and I don't know if I type it or I ever show it to anyone. Thankfully, the language has a capacity to act entirely by itself, and this is what I celebrate and welcome.

[norcumii]

For future reference

Surprise! The first draft of Balance, story 9 part 2 (of 5 probably) is DONE!

Actually, that's a lie. This is like, the third draft, not the first. See, back in oh gods HELP WHUT IS TIME AND HOW DOES IT KEEP PASSING?????? 2014 (????!!!!?!?!?!?!), when we first started tossing around ideas for Balance and we began world-building all willy-nilly, this chapter was one of the first things we wrote as flavor. I have the original file, all 370 words of a scene that was mostly dialogue and stage directions.

I still adore this exchange just as much as I did back then, when it was sleep-deprived wildass speculation tossed onto a page to be volleyed forth as "we don't have to commit to any of this BUT HEY WOULDN'T IT BE COOL IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED????"

We didn't even start posting Balance until 2015.

We cleaned this bit up and added scene setting and whatnot....hmm. No sooner than mid-2016, which I only know 'cause I cribbed some details from stuff Dogmatix made and posted around then. I distinctly recall giggling madly to myself about how I was using that, with the full intent that it was a placeholder except she dug it immensely which meant win! we could easily keep those details! :D

...oooh. Oh, I bet it was when we were writing Echoes of Naboo, because parts were feeling evocative and I was feeling nostalgic and surely, surely we'd be able to get to this bit Soon (tm).

(...yeah. I know. We aren't the fastest writers in the world.)

Given all those revisions and how long this chapter has had to percolate, it's almost certainly going to be the fastest draft we're ever going to put forth, but that's cool. It's been expanded significantly and is many times better for all the changes, but the core has never changed to any major degree. I kinda miss some of the small bits we had to cut because the world we've built has some very different details than the world we initially speculated on, but that's ok. We still have the roughs, and the more I think on it, the more I suspect we actually used that imagery earlier in the series.

Go us! :D

[shinysamurott9]

Alright so now that it's been a day and I've had some time to collect myself, I want to give my thoughts on Xenoblade X Definitive Edition.

Holy. Fucking. Shit. How is this real.

Ok so, I'm a pretty big fan of Xenoblade X, though I wasn't as much when I first played it in a Xenoblade marathon in the months leading up to 3. I didn't think it was bad or anything, it just didn't click with me the way the rest of the trilogy did at the time.

That is until I played it a second time roughly a year later alongside Xenogears and Xenosaga leading up to Future Redeemed. Before I got to it, I had made an effort to try and figure out the game and avoid the mistakes I had made in my first playthrough.

And I loved it.

Compared to the first time it was crazy, I didn't want to put the game down at all. Naturally after that, I really wanted to see some kind of follow up or for X to get some kind of second chance. Being a late Wii U game in a series that was at the time quite niche meant not a lot of people have gotten to play it. So a remaster on the level of Xenoblade 1's Definitive Edition felt like something X sorely needed as a way for more people to have a chance to play it and as a way to follow up on some of it’s infamous cliffhangers. People have wanted it for years for those reasons as well as the prospect of having the entire series on Switch.

And then Nintendo decides to come in on a random Tuesday out of nowhere and just drop the insane bombshell that a Xenoblade X Definitive Edition is real, is coming to the Switch and seemingly doing all of the above. I genuinely did not think it would ever happen. Monolith have put out statements before talking about how difficult and costly porting X would be, understandably so given how demanding that game was for the Wii U. Between that and just how late we are into the Switch's life, I felt like X on Switch was a pipe dream at best. Plus with the supposed Switch successor rumored to be a notable leap in power, I expected that if an XDE was on the table it would be saved for that to take advantage of the improved hardware.

But, here we are, Monolith have pulled out something I never thought possible. So far it seems like the graphics aren't overhauled as much as 1DE, which is fair, X holds up way better, especially in comparison to Xenoblade 1. But of course there are obvious changes to the character models and geaphics overall, so far everyone is looking pretty good so I'd say I'm already pretty happy on that front. There do also seem to be some minor tweaks to character designs, nothing major for the most part namely Lin only has one Monado hairpin instead of two.

What may be the most notable thing here is that finally after nearly a decade, they are finally following up on some of X's hanging threads with confirmed new story content. We can also see here the character people have called The Black Knight up until now. We never get anything close to a proper look at them in game but datamined models have shown us his model from the ending cutscene. He's we can already see he's been pretty heavily changed from the datamined model which makes sense. That model uses recolored grenada armor with a hood added so it was probably more of a placeholder than anything. I am very much looking forward to seeing where this goes.

What I am most curious about though is how this game will perform on a technical level. The original version was already struggling to run well on the Wii U even after the 15GB worth of performance patches, so I can't help but wonder how this game will turn out on the Switch. There's really no way to know til people get their hands on it.

That's about all we know for certain til we hear more, but there is a fair bit I would like to see from this game, a lot of it being general qol stuff, such as let me change my party or the time of day on the fly, give me better inventory management stuff like that. More options to customise my character would be nice too but given the precedent set by 1DE more armor pieces is probably a given. I would like it if some of the outfit pieces that differed between genders became available to both just to have more options, especially in regard to casual wear.

The biggest thing that I hope they implement though, that personally I think is borderline required for this game is some actual explanation for how the game mechanics work. The main reason I had such a hard time with X the first time is because most of its mechanics are never properly taught to you and they're just not intuitive enough to figure out on your own. Most egregiously this includes Overdrive, not just the cornerstone of X's combat system but an incredibly fun mechanic unique to X that not a lot of players got to fully appreciate because they didn't understand how it works.

I know the Wii U digital manual explained some of these things but people weren't really reading manuals in 2015, much less digital ones that are somewhat disconnected from the actual game. As far as I'm aware the Switch doesn't even have digital manuals like the Wii U so actual tutorials maybe something they need to add if they want any of the presumably many new players to figure out how to play the game.

Other than that though I'm very happy with what we've seen so far. I'm really looking forward to playing this game again with hopefully a much more active online playerbase for things like squad missions or nemesis battles. Will certainly make getting reward tickets much easier and more fun.