#this is just my attempt to explore how i see them as opposites

[cxtangerina]

k2 is such a funny ship to me, like it's just plausible enough to be kinda sorta realistic if you squint and pray and look at it sideways, not quite a crackship but not able to get off the ground as more than a particularly popular rarepair either. they had, like, one big episode together back in season 3, a handful of major moments over the years that people hold onto with an iron grip, and basically nothing else outside of a plethora of fantastic fancontent and dreams.

i think i like it for the exact opposite reasons that i like kyman, actually, they sorta stand as complementary ships in my mind. where k2 barely has any actual basis in canon & comes heavily from fanworks and speculation about how well the characters would match each other, kyman is practically canonical, at least when it comes to cartman's feelings, and is at least regularly joked about and referenced in-show. personally, i also tend to see k2 as a ship that is kinda miraculously requited, whereas kyman is usually stuck in unrequited hell, which...

...well, this gets into more specific character analysis, but a big part of this is that i tend to see cartman as having very fucked up views of both romance & sexuality that have especially interesting implications when you consider him to have a crush on kyle, specifically.

on the one hand, i think his cupid self is evidence enough that he has a very fairytale, idealized view of romance, based more out of the hollywood movie image of what love is supposed to be rather than anything in reality. south park adults being utter fucking idiots 99% of the time means that most, if not all, of the kids don't have a lot of good role models to base their actions off of. i'm not gonna talk out of my ass about childhood development more than i understand it, but i don't think it's too controversial (?) of a take to claim that kids understand & learn about the world through watching it just as much as interacting with it, particularly when it comes to their own parents.

cartman is a piece of shit, and while a lot of that comes from him and his own bigotry, he's still ultimately a kid in show and you can trace where some of his worst traits originate from in the people around him, even if he makes the personal decision to push it as much as humanly possible. i think the trend in recent seasons for many adults to try and at least appear more pc only makes this more obvious, actually (coughcoughrandy), though talking about that is maybe biting off a little more south park politics than i'm willing to chew for this particular post.

point is, cartman as a character in particular does not have a lot, if anything, to base his idea of what a healthy, happy romantic relationship looks like, which isn't only because liane is single though that may be a major contributing factor. love isn't work to cartman, it isn't about the maintenance of a relationship or communication or all the more realistic and slightly less pleasant parts of loving someone that hollywood doesn't find dramatic or interesting enough to show. rather it's a fantasy, something that happens to people that they have no real control over. i wouldn't be surprised if he believes in soulmates or love at first sight, even if the likelihood of him admitting that out loud isn't especially high.

on the other hand, i think his view of sexuality is greatly influenced by not just liane's sex work, but the way she is slut-shamed and treated like garbage by the rest of the town for it. i tend to view cartman as having a very transactional, cynical view of sex and sexuality, where sex is only used for personal gain (whether that be money or power, likely at the expense of someone else/the submissive party), and sexuality is an inherent character flaw, a weakness that must be overcome unless you are able to twist it and use it for your own (material?) benefit- see the streaming wars & cartman wanting his mom to seduce a rich man for money as a recent example of this.

it's a running gag in TFBW that cartman uses douchebag catching their dad fucking their mom as a tragic backstory, and doesn't seem to understand how reproduction actually works even when kyle basically says it straight to his fucking face. even as a joke, there's still a lot of underlying truth behind why he would believe this. cartman is aware of his mom's sex work, even if he may not want to fully admit/believe it, largely because of situations where he's specifically getting shit for it. he knows he has a father, and that he is (in)directly responsible for said father's horrible death & consumption, but he only really cares about that insofar as it means he's half ginger. sex has only ever been presented through its most vicious power dynamics to him- why would he see it as a good thing, as something that could ever be loving, especially when contrasted against such an idealized, purified view of romance?

(you could also extrapolate from this how cartman associates sexuality & romance with femininity & his brand of sexism to get some particularly delectable transfem cartman ideas, but i digress.)

ANYWAYS. this is all to say that cartman having a crush on kyle (or anyone, really, but kyle is obviously the most emotionally volatile example) instantly pits those two conflicting views against one another, like he wants something that he doesn't even think could ever exist: a happy, healthy romantic relationship, where sex is just a normal thing that they can choose to do or not. this is where a lot of kyman angst comes from for me, with cartman either trying to stuff that round desire back into the square hole of how he views the world, or having his ideals fall ever further apart when the feelings are unrequited. and, on top of that, none of this being actually said out loud because communication is impossible.

this is why i always see kyman as making each other worse, especially if they actually manage to make it into a romantic relationship. i simply Do Not see kyle being a patient enough person to help cartman work through the intricacies of all of his expectations and idealized fantasies and internalized fears surrounding such mutually screwed views of romance & sexuality- on the rare occasions that kyle does show some interest in romantic relationships it's usually pretty centered around himself, and to be frank i only see his interest in romance going down as he gets older.

i've heard some people talk about kyle before like he's the "moral compass" of south park or whatever and while that may be true by the end of the episode, one of the things i like most about him is the fact that he struggles so much to get to the best conclusions. this is kind of getting back into the k2 side of this analysis, but where kenny manages a much more effortless selflessness, even pushing it to the point of being both a strength and a flaw when kenny stops caring about himself for the sake of others, kyle is a lot more self-centered than he cares to admit and it influences a lot of his attempts at being a good person.

this is both my favorite aspect of kyle, that he really has to put in the work to be the good person that he wants to be, and also the primary bad trait that i think cartman brings out of kyle. by being such a notoriously horrible shithead, he gives kyle the perfect target to unleash his annoyance on, getting him so caught up in arguing and proving himself to be the better person that kyle forgets to actually listen to the people that he's supposed to be standing up for. cartman is a fantastic troll and, at least in show, kyle definitely has not learned to stop feeding him argument fodder yet.

sidenote: about kyman entering a romantic relationship... wasn't sure where to add this, but it's for this exact reason that i also see kyman (or this version of kyman where cartman gets worse with age, rather than better) only actually happening in the universes where kyle has lost all other meaningful connections, to the point that feeding a troll to get off on an argument is the best possible option, even if he's old enough to know better. especially if he's old enough to know better.

again, k2 is the opposite of this for me in that i see kyle & kenny as having a lot of potential to bring out the best in each other.

if kyle's worst trait is that he gets too caught up in his own feelings & desires to truly be the good, selfless, thoughtful person that he wants to be to actually do genuine good for the sake of others, kenny's problem is that he skews too far in the opposite direction. i kinda already said this, but to state it outright: kenny's biggest strength and his biggest flaw are the exact same, that he is selfless to a fault, to the point of consistently putting other people's safety and happiness above his own when he thinks it would be of help the majority/the people he loves. this was the key kenny trait that was established by the end of BL&U, and it has only gotten more prominent in the years since with his mysterion persona.

it is in this way that kenny both stands as someone that kyle can look up to & admire for how effortlessly he dedicates himself to the people he cares about the most, but also, simultaneously, as someone that kyle can take care of himself and offer the same help back to. and i don't even think kenny needs to say very much out loud to push kyle towards a lot of these conclusions, he kinda just has to exist and be noticed and kyle has the intelligence to figure it out himself, to recognize the shit that kenny puts himself through and his (usually) quite noble reasons for doing so, and want to offer him the same love and care and dedication that kenny never allows himself to have.

really, the difficult part of this is being noticed at all in the first place. again, i said earlier that k2 is kinda "miraculously requited," in my mind, specifically because the aspect that's missing in the show and almost always must be provided by fan content for k2 is that spark/push forward that gets them close enough to start talking and for kyle to notice kenny in the first place. it's just lucky that's one of my favorite things to figure out and write for those two, hehehe.

[butchvamp]

okay i've played a bit more and i have a lot of thoughts about Taash and the way gender is being handled overall in this game...

first i will say the positives which is that i do really appreciate the attempt at incorporating trans characters both in the world as companions and allowing us to make those options in the cc. and as someone who also writes dark fantasy stories with trans characters i do understand how difficult it can be to incorporate these identities into a world that doesn't necessarily have the same language as we do; but overall the way they've approached this feels very... i've seen some people call it unpolished but i actually feel the opposite. it's almost clinical (therapy-speak in general has been a main criticism of this game) and it's way too polished, in my opinion, which is what makes it so jarring to see.

there has been a trans character established in game previously, there is already a precedent for these identities to exist in this world, and they have never used this language before. the way Iron Bull talked about Krem felt far more realistic and integrated into the world of Thedas comparatively. was it perfect? no, of course not, but i chafe at the idea that it needs to be perfect, anyways. this is another problem the game has; past characters have had their flaws completely ironed out (Isabela is now a paragon of friendship and returns cultural artifacts instead of looting them, Dorian has multiple codex entries wallowing about how he used to defend slavery, the Crows have suddenly become a big found family-- on and on and on) and while i have my criticisms of some of these flaws (Dorian's pro-slavery rant in inqusition still makes my eyes roll) i dislike the way they're handling these changes and just expecting us to ignore all of the lore and worldbuilding from previous games. and all of this "political correctness" only for the game to still be so racist.

which brings me back to Taash.... Taash is very strange character, lacking agency around both their gender and their culture. they are simply a mouthpiece for the writer. while yes, it should always be made undeniable that your character is trans or gay or xyz, Taash really does only exist to be nonbinary. and to be clear, a nonbinary character like them could be very interesting, if their writing wasnt so... white. we know that the Qun has different ideas about gender than Rivain (and elsewhere) and this could have been a very interesting exploration of that; however, it is obvious that the Qun (and Taash's mother) are meant to be depicted negatively, and ultimately it ends with the player (not Taash) choosing between their two cultures. their gender is clearly far more important to the writer and the only facet of their identity they seemed willing to explore, which makes me question why even make this character qunari to begin with...

Neve and Rook are also the two that spur Taash into exploring their gender. this, on the surface, is not a problem for me. i'm playing as a trans Rook and while the dialogue was again very overpolished and clunky i found it kind of endearing. but the way Neve is used as this "foil" for Taash really rubbed me the wrong way. this assumption that Neve has no complicated feelings about her gender or being a woman (which i highly doubt considering the world she lives in & how misogynistic it is) and the implication from Taash that she only dresses the way she does for her mother/other people (which Neve doesn't even get to challenge) is extremely narrow-minded. Taash is the Only character that acknowledges gender; so far, even when flirting with other characters, it's only been Taash that i've been allowed to specify with that my rook is trans, despite Taash already knowing that from our previous conversation (i hope that this changes once i lock in with a specific character so feel free to correct me if it does).

but no one else really seems to have an opinion except that Neve drags Taash around to meet Maevaris, and we get the very goofy note that's just a list of modern gender identities and their definitions. i do partly sympathize with the writers here; again i've had to find a way to incorporate lgbt identities in my own writing and it can be difficult depending on your audience. i understand wanting to be very clear and concise. but this is... just goofy. and this desperation to be so correct around gender while simultaneously writing such an offensively racist narrative is really frustrating.

there's also an inconsistency that comes from this with Taash's character-- they are portrayed as this rough but awkward character that is bossed around by their mother, they are bashful with flirting early on and are almost child-like in comparison to the other characters. and then suddenly you get a scene with them where they very directly ask if you want to have sex and suddenly pin you against the wall. this scene was so jarring to me i referred to it as a jumpscare because WHERE has this character been this entire time? i want to see more of this, more of this character who takes what they want and knows exactly who they are (which they even say multiple times when you first meet them... but then need Neve and Rook to hold their hand about it?)

i do really like Taash, i like the idea of them, of this very self-assured and almost cocky character who is also a little silly, this person who is so sure of who they are but has to deal with their mother undermining them while also navigating a culture they feel disconnected from, and i also like that the player can help them through it... but the execution is awful, shallow, and racist. the idea that someone can only choose One culture is so offensive and also a laughable conclusion when compared to their coming out as nonbinary. the writer clearly understands that people don't exist within these little boxes when it comes to gender, but can't wrap their head around it when it comes to someone's culture-- which is also a very important part of a person's identity and often contributes directly to their gender and how they feel about it. all of these different characters have different experiences, come from different places, Davrin and Bellara are Dalish and even have differing opinions on what that means for themselves, but the game doesn't touch on any of it. all we get is a lecture from the writer that is completely removed from the world it's presented in.

i wish i could understand what it was this character was meant to convey. i stand by saying that it doesn't need to be perfect; i know there are people that had problems with Krem in inquisition, but at least Krem was his own person. Taash doesn't even get that here... i harp a lot about character agency when i give writing advice on my other blog but it really is so so so important for marginalized characters-- both gay, trans, and especially characters of color-- to have their own agency around their identities that is completely separate from the player & player choice, that allows them to exist as their own person within the world you've created, and i think Taash's character and story is an unfortunate example of exactly what not to do.

[lovelywyenn]

“Man Junk”

★college student! Kyojuro Rengoku x college student fem!Reader★ Synopsis★There was something too sexy about your roommate Kyojuro. You couldn't be blamed for wanting to grind on his meaty thighs.★ Includes★Teasing, Choking, Kissing, squirting, humping, thigh humping, roommate fucking★ ★W.C★3.2k

You were happy as hell to finally be on your own. No longer held down by your parents, free to grow into your own person. To explore the world as a young adult. 

Having gotten into a good college far away from home, you were bonafide by yourself now. Unfortunately that meant financially as well. Your parents gave you a choice. You could either go to college locally and they would help you pay for it as long as you lived at home. Or you could go, and cut off contact. And never see another penny from them again. 

It was a hard choice, but one you needed to make. You couldn’t be under their control anymore. 

So you left, packed all your things and got on a plane across the country. And here you were, at your new university. 

The first few weeks here were….expensive. A little too expensive for the small convenience store job you had. So soon, on campus living turned into an impossible wish. And late nights studying ended up being paired with searching for apartments nearby with tenants looking for roommates. 

It took a while, but eventually you found someone who was offering an affordable amount of rent and who seemed decent. 

A girl named Kyojuro Rengoku. It was a pretty name and the girl sounded nice enough on her profile. So after  a bit of paperwork and packing, you were on the way to your new home and to see your new roommate.

It was early morning when you arrived at the apartment complex. It was just as nice as all of the photos you had seen. Nice brown brick surrounded each complex and the area was nice and gated. You even spotted a pool on the premises. All this for only $500 a month on your part was definitely worth it.

You locate apartment building 3 and use the key you were mailed a few days earlier to head inside. The only bad part about this place was the fact your apartment was on the second floor. You decide to take this one bag at a time. Lugging your first suitcase up the stairs with you. You knock on the door, breathing heavily. You really need to get your muscles up. 

The door opens and you let out a sigh, “Hey girly!, mind helping me with my bags, i packed a shit ton and they’re heavy as-”

“Girly?” a voice says. And it was the exact opposite of what you were expecting. 

You peer up from where you were looking, craning your neck in an attempt to see the entirety of the person standing in front of you. 

Turns out Kyojuro was not a sweet girl. But a big ass man. A hot one at that. And in that moment you wished you weren’t in the baggiest and bleach stained sweater you owned, a raggedy scarf on your head.

This guy had to be a giant, he towered over you. It would have been menacing if his demeanor wasn’t so kind. 

“Kyojuro?” you question dumbly. Who the hell else would be in Kyojuro’s house. 

A deep laugh rumbles from the man, “Yeah, I'm guessing you’re Y/n” he says and you nod. 

“Gotta say, I thought you were a dude little lady” he says, and you gasp in slight offense. You had thought you came off as very feminine. 

“Well I thought you were a girl!” you say right back. 

Kyojuro’s hands reach out for your bag, easily lifting the suitcase as if it weighed nothing. Your eyes lingered alone in his arms. How in the world was it possible for a man to be so strong.

“Thank you” you find yourself saying as he leads you back to where your room was. Your eyes trail along the apartment, taking in your surroundings. Much like the apartment complex, the pictures of your new home were accurate. The kitchen was spacious, with nice brown cabinets. And the living room was cute and cozy, a flat screen mounted on the wall.

As you walk, Kyojuro tells you where everything is. The linen closet is to your left, the bathroom is further down on your right. Finally he passes his room and then makes it to yours. The room already has a bed. The room was pretty plain and it would take some decorating. But your new room was nice, and spacious. You could work with it. 

“Got any more bags Y/n?” Kyojuro asks and you nod, “Yeah, but I can get them-”

But Kyojuro’s already gone downstairs, pulling up boxes and bags you had. You could already tell that living with Kyojuro was going to be interesting. But it would be nice to finally have some form of independence. Plus, Kyojuro seemed like a really nice boy. 

A nice one with strong hands, and thighs that should be illegal.

—--------------------------

Life is a bit easier now. You were actually able to save money and weren’t scavenging for leftover money every month. Plus living with Kyojuro was so easy. He wasn’t a slob, he kept after himself. Washing dishes, cooking meals when it was his turn. He was a sweetheart too, helping you with homework and things like that. 

He was a year older than you, a sophomore at the same university you went to. Often driving you to class and things like that. 

It was stupid, the way you were slowly growing a bit too attached to your roommate. But how could you be blamed? He was too fine. It should have been illegal to look as good as him. You didn’t know you had a thing for bigger guys until you met him. But you had never met a guy built like him in all of your lifetime. 

He had a good foot on you, and never failed to make your neck ache from the way you had to crane it from looking up at him. His hair was long, dyed to mimic the colors of fire. Often, when he was home he let it fall completely down, the wispy hairs closer to the front of his scalp flowing over his face.

But your favorite part was how strong he was. His shoulders were so wide, sloping down into muscular arms and veiny hands. His thighs were so thick they almost beat yours. The only difference being that yours were soft and smooth. While his were heavy and strong. 

How could any girl not fall for him? He was strong, smart, and thoughtful. Triple threat. 

Too bad for you though. Your first crush with freedom seemed to be all but interested in you. It was admirable, how studious he was. But…you wanted his attention to be off his books and on you for once. 

You might have been delusional, some might even call you crazy. But you had a pretty good plan. What man could resist a pretty girl like you walking around in nothing but their panties.

There were a lot of things that could go wrong with what your plan was. Kyojuro could genuinely not be into you and you’d end up making a fool of yourself. Kyojuro could kick you out for being so indecent. 

But whenever you looked at Kyojuro, your care about all the consequences faded away. The possibility of pleasure clouding over your mind. 

So gradually, you walked around in less and less clothing. You even went a little over budget for the month and bought yourself some lacier panties. 

And the games began. 

Kyojuro noticed. How could he not. 

He had a very similar fascination with you as you had with him. When he first saw you, bare faced and beautiful it took everything in him to keep his cool. He had never seen someone as beautiful as you. 

You were short…ridiculously so. It hurt his neck to have to look down at you. But the view was worth it. So worth it. 

Beautiful you were, big eyes that always looked up at him with what he hoped was admiration. You were so gorgeous he felt himself losing his cool around you all the time. Fighting for his eyes to stay on your eyes instead of trailing all over you. He was a gentleman after all. 

Focusing on school and keeping his gaze off of you was the only way to not be distracted by you, constantly in his vicinity.

But that grew impossible, when you started walking around without pants on. At first, Kyojuro thought you were just wearing shorter shorts. After all, he had a few female friends who loved the short shorts and oversized shirt combination. 

Though he was proven wrong when you were carrying some papers back to your room and dropped a few. He meant to stand and help you pick them up but got his breath taken away from the sight of you bending over to pick your papers up. 

You were definitely pantsless. And the underwear you were wearing barely deserved the title of undergarments. 

It was pink, a color he learned was your favorite, with lace along the edges of it. The fabric was netted, see through, allowing a super clear view of…everything. Fuck you had a pretty pussy. He could see you had shaved, pretty lips on display. From this angle he could almost see your clit. And honestly, just the glance had him hardening in his pants. Now he was wishing he had chosen something that would have made his boner less obvious. 

As you stand up you peer back at Kyojuro. And you see his hands shoot to his cock in an effort to conceal his hard on. 

The man swears he sees a small smirk on your face as you strut away.

You have your torturous fun for weeks, always bending ignorant of Kyojuro in a new set of panties that let him get a gorgeous view of your pussy. 

But one day, you take it even farther than any other day. Kyojuro is just watching TV. It’s a bit late at night, and he had just come home from a late night class. All he really wanted was to unwind as today had been a bit stressful. 

As usual, as soon as he was comfortable, starting to relax. You strut in the room. For some reason, your tight pink shorts and even tighter little tank pop is worse than the see through panties. It’s as if everything is on display, yet not enough. 

You don’t just disappear into your room after showing off to him though. Instead you move to sit next to him. The look on your face was ridiculously sweet. As if the sight of you right now wasn’t giving him a boner that was a bit too hard to stop.

Surprisingly, you don’t make a sound, choosing to sit quietly next to him. Watching what he was watching without disturbing him. 

It's when the show ends, however, that you rile him up again. 

And this time is his last straw.

You reach for the remote that was sitting on the coffee table a little to the right of Kyojuro. To reach it you stretch your body, practically over the man’s lap to change the channel. And maybe also to wiggle your ass in his face.

Kyojuro lets out a sigh. This teasing game was getting tiring. Clearly you wanted him just as bad as he wanted you. And frankly, today he was a bit too tired to rub one out in the bathroom to the thought of you. Why do so when you’re right in front of him, begging for it. 

You yelp as a heavy hand smacks right on your ass. It hurts, and it stings, but you swore it was the best  feeling ever. 

You turn around, eyes as wide and innocent as ever as you face him. “Kyojuro, what was-”

“Shut up” he rolls his eyes, “Sit on my lap” he says. 

And you're sat as soon as the words leave his mouth. The tone of his voice made you feel like you were in trouble, like you were in for it bad tonight. 

“Usually I love teasing, I really do. You have a beautiful pussy Y/n” he compliments, “It’s almost as pretty as you”

You’re convinced you need to wake yourself up from a dream as Kyojuro leans to start kissing your neck. Your head feels a bit fuzzy. There was a lot going on, pretty fast. Your brain was barely managing to keep up. 

“But I'm too tired for the games today, so just take what you want” he tells you. 

And you have the nerve to stutter in response, as if you hadn’t been torturing him for weeks, 

“I-I-...I- d-don’t know what to say” you moan as his hands stay firm on your waist, massaging your lower back. 

He rolls his eyes, a hand coming to wrap ever so gently around your throat. The hold doesn’t hurt at all, but it does turn you on. Real bad. Kyojuro drags you closer, so your lips are close to his. “So you can be a slut all the time but not right now, huh?” he says, “That’s  a shame”

You could barely register his words though, trying to lean in to press a kiss to his lips. But Kyojuro uses his hold on you to keep you back. 

“Uh, uh, I don't kiss girls who can’t tell me what they want upfront” he says and you pout. Kyojuro swears it’s the cutest thing he had ever seen. But your cuteness wouldn’t get you out of this. Not now at least.

“You’re mean Kyo’ ”  You whine, hips unconsciously moving from how arousing this whole situation felt.

But Kyojuro just chuckles, “I’m the mean one, but you’ve been teasing me with your cunt for the past week” he says, “A nice girl would've let me taste it ... .play with it” he continues.

“Sounds to me like you’ve been mean” he counters.

His words make you imagine all sorts of things. You might die if he ever played with your cunt, and if he ate it you were sure you’d cum too fat. 

“Fuck, I want that” you moan. “I want it so bad”

“No, didn’t I tell you that’s what nice girls get,” Kyojuro says, “Remind me what you are again?”

You sigh, “I’m mean” you say, and Kyojuro smiles, finally leaning in and letting you kiss him. The kiss feels good, it is good. TO be fair, you hadn’t been kissed by many people before. Or any for that manner. But you liked the feeling, it was exhilarating. His lips were strong, guiding you through the kiss. He could tell by how clumsy your lips were against his that you didn’t do this often. 

But he took care of you, helping you get the hang of kissing until you were confidently pressing your lips against his. He pushed your limits by sliding his tongue into your mouth. It was weird, to have him stick his tongue down your throat. But you liked it. You were sure you’d love anything Kyojuro did to you.

Your hips started to grind down on the man's lap, whining into his filthy kisses. It felt like the hold he had on your neck was keeping the oxygen from itching your brain. Everything was intoxicating, the feeling of him everywhere. His hands on your waist, or really trailing all along your body now. His lips claiming yours in a sweet kiss. His thigh between your legs. 

Kyojuro could feel you grinding against his lap and he shifts you onto one of his thighs. You cry out as he flexes his thigh. And you can feel every vein on the appendage rubbing perfectly against your clit. 

You feel like a dirty whore as you hump against him, huffing into his mouth. It wasn’t even all that much friction, but you could feel yourself soaking your underwear. It was getting to the point that you were sopping through your underwear, your shorts too! And if Kyojuro’s pants were any lighter, there would be remnants of your slick along his thigh. 

“Nasty little girl aren’t you baby” he mumbles into your mouth, “So wet for me”

You grind yourself harder into his thigh as he talks to you, “I can’t help it Kyo, it feels so good”

It was embarrassing, how close you were just from a bit of humping. But something about Kyojuro just filled you with a nasty need. He was so fucking sexy, and you had  wanted him in any way you could get him. 

Just having him now was driving you a bit crazy. 

Your loud whines filled the room as Kyojuro’s hands started  to help you grind. It’s a lot, but it’s good. A little too good. You wish you could prolong the pleasure. Hell you hoped this moment would ever end. 

You press another kiss to Kyojuro’s lips again. It’s sweeter and softer than before. But the hand around your throat that pulls you away reminds you how raunchy this moment really is. 

“You close doll?” he asks lowly. 

“Y-Yeah Kyo, M’so close. I-I think i’m gonna cum” you moan. 

Kyojuro smiles. The sight of you. A whiny mess on top of him was almost worth ignoring the rock hard boner in his pajama pants. Made him wonder how pretty you’d look taking his cock. Would you whine?Would you cry?Would you cream?

But he would save that for another time. 

For now he’d grind you on his lap until he made your sloppy cunt cum. And then maybe. He’d give you what you really deserved.

“What are you waiting for then?”Kyojuro says, “Go ahead and cum”

His words seem to possess your body. And you grip onto the hand squeezing around your neck. Your mouth falls open in a silent cry as pleasure overwhelms you. Kyojuro sees nothing but the whites of your eyes as your pupils disappear into the back of your head. 

He’s made a fair share of girls cum but…never this hard. 

Kyojuro was almost scared you were hurt with how long your body was still. But he lets out a sigh of relief as your body shakes over his. You spew out a flurry of thank you’s and mess up whimpers of his name. 

And for a moment, Kyojuro freaks out a bit at the wetness that spills over his lap. 

He lands a mean slap on your ass and you yelp as he finally lets your neck go. You collapse against this chest, his strong hands wrapping around you, massaging your waist just as he did before. 

Kyojuro thinks you’re spent, how could you not be after how hard you just came. 

But as you pull back in his hold, eyes tired, droopy yet filled with need. A small request spills from your lips, “If I tell you what I really want will you do it?” you ask softly.

And Kyojuro thinks that tonight might be longer than he thought.

~ Kinktober Masterlist|2024

[soberpluto]

Examining Neptune's Spell

Apologies for not being here after so much time, but now I'm back and very thrilled to share this with you all! I'm hopeful many can find this helpful.

Unnecesary context aside, just recently I was having a long and deep conversation with a friend of mine about my semi-recurring mini existential crises. After hearing me patiently, with the dear intention of making me realize I was drowning in my tiny glass of water, he simply (and brilliantly) replied:

"I think you're problem is that you have unrealistic expectations about yourself."

Any attempt to blurt out in self-defense ceased instantly because of how deep these words sunk in my mind. I stared into the wall before for me and felt how the missing puzzle piece finally dropped into the perfect spot. Obviously, the thought of having my sun in Cancer and Neptune in almost exact opposition popped inside, and it took a WHOLE new dimmension. How could this statement not be true?! OF COURSE he was right! It's not that I wasn't told that before or haven't read about it multiple times in my astrology studies, but the truth is, (a very Neptunian thing now that I think about it) I didn't believe it quite applied to me. Because I don't like to feel mediocre and because I think of myself as a spiritual and highly self-aware woman, I was convinced that holding myself to "unrealistic standards" was definitely NOT the reason that triggered me to want fleed to a desert islands at times when reality felt like too much. It was bitterly humorous when I realized I evidently missed the fact that Neptune was making a hell of a job doing what he does best: casting its spells of illusion and glittery distorted beliefs about how things were "supposed to be" in a surprisingly unadverted way into my life. I was truly relieved to actually understand (or accept, better said) why trying to have a simple and happy life seemed too tricky at times. It all made sense.

Now, let me introduce Neptune, if you happen to be unacquainted.

Neptune in astrology is like the ultimate dream weaver, spinning a web of intuition, imagination, and mystery. It’s the planet of all things ethereal, where reality gets a little blurry, and you’re invited to dive into the deep end of fantasy, spirituality, and idealism. Neptune whispers, "What if?" and suddenly, we're seeing the world through a kaleidoscope of possibilities, but a "little" foggy on the details. We're all influenced by Neptune one way or another, but when it touches personal planets or points in our charts, it’s like life hands us a pair of customized rose-colored glasses, but the prescription is way off. Suddenly, everything feels a bit magical, like we're starring in your own fairytale, except the castle is made of mist, the prince might just be a mirage, and that enchanted forest? It’s actually a parking lot.

But why bother making us feel loony? On a more serious note, our master illusionist possesses the higher purpose of awakening our connection to something greater than the everyday grind. It gently pulls us out of the rigid boundaries of reality and whispers, "There’s more to life than meets the eye." It invites us to explore the depths of our imagination, spirituality, and compassion, blurring the lines between self and universe. The illusions it creates are really a nudge to dissolve our ego’s grip, helping us see beyond the material and embrace a higher sense of love, creativity, and unity with the cosmos.

As inspiring and touching as it sounds, the catch is that fulfilling Neptune’s mission can feel like chasing fog—just when we think we’ve got a handle on it, it slips through our fingers. Neptune wants us to transcend reality and connect with the divine, but let’s be real: that’s not exactly a day-to-day, grocery-list-friendly goal. For someone with heavy Neptune influence, this pursuit of higher meaning can be disorienting, leaving them feeling lost in a sea of "what ifs" and "maybes." And thanks to its grandeur idealism, it can push people to be hypersensitive, highly fearful of failure and completely inaccurate with what they may achieve in a day, let alone a lifetime!

For a Neptunian, the intuitive desire to be flawless and sufficient does not come from wordly expectations, but from a place of soulful calling that more often unconsciously than consciously tells them they're limitless beings living in a limited reality. And this is exactly the greatest challenge of all: to accept that the truth must be known while respecting the illusion, just as a spiritual teacher Michael Mirdad states.

That said, you can imagine what happens when mystical and whimsical Neptune gets cozy with your personal planets. Let's see in detail how it sprinkles its glitter them:

Sun

Soft Aspects: With soft aspects, your Sun is shining brighter than ever! Neptune sprinkles fairy dust on your creativity and confidence, making you feel like a superstar in your own musical. It’s all about embracing your spiritual side and believing that you can conquer the world—cape optional!

Hard Aspects: You’re the artist of your own identity, but the canvas keeps shifting. One day you’re an astronaut, the next day you’re a poet, and by the end of the week, you’re contemplating becoming a full-time mystic. Neptune tells you, "Be everything," but sometimes that just leaves you wondering, "Who am I, really?"

Moon

Soft Aspects: Your emotions flow like a gentle river, and you’re tuned in to everyone’s feelings like a super empath (you could be a cool wizard/witch or clairvoyant!). Neptune wraps you in a cozy blanket of intuition, making heartfelt connections feel like a warm hug from the universe. Cue the happy tears!

Hard Aspects: Enter the emotional whirlpool! Neptune can stir up your feelings like a cosmic blender, leading to mood swings and a general sense of overwhelm. You might find yourself daydreaming your way through real-life emotions, and good luck figuring out what you actually feel!

Mercury

Soft Aspects: With Neptune’s gentle nudge, your thoughts become a beautiful symphony! Communication flows like honey, and you’re bursting with creative ideas. It’s a fantastic time for writing, brainstorming, or chatting about all things magical and dreamy! You could be a music lover, a great singer or a romantic poet.

Hard Aspects: But when Neptune goes rogue, it’s like trying to read a recipe in a funhouse—everything’s upside down! Your thoughts get scattered, and communication feels like a game of telephone gone wrong. Get ready for misunderstandings and the occasional “Wait, what did you just say?” This aspect looks very similar to a Piscean or Sagittarian Mercury, a common link to ADHD.

Venus

Soft Aspects: Love is in the air! Neptune turns your romantic life into a whimsical fairy tale, where everything feels enchanting. Your heart opens wide, and connections deepen, making even the smallest moments feel like a scene from a rom-com.

Hard Aspects: But hold on! Neptune might have you wearing those rose-colored glasses a bit too tightly. You might find yourself idealizing partners or being swept away by fantasies, only to crash back to reality when things don’t match your dreamy expectations. Ouch!

Mars

Soft Aspects: With Neptune in your corner, your drive becomes a creative spark! You’re ready to take action with a burst of inspiration, making you feel like a superhero on a mission. Time to tackle those goals with flair and imagination!

Hard Aspects: When Neptune throws in a twist, it’s like trying to run through quicksand. Your motivation might wane, leaving you confused about where to focus your energy. It’s a cosmic case of “I had a plan… what was it again?”

To wrap it up after such long post, living with Neptune’s influence means you’ve got a backstage pass to the land of dreams, creativity, and big feelings. But it also means you might find yourself getting tangled up in illusions, setting sky-high standards that real life simply can’t meet. So when Neptune touches your personal planets, just remember: it's okay to dream big, but keep a little reality check in your back pocket. You can chase those rainbows, but don’t forget to pack an umbrella for when they dissolve into rain.

Thanks so much for reading, love you! 🥰

Written by @soberpluto

[lupinsweater]

Hi! I’m super new here but i’m Latina as well i’m Venezuelan!!! I was recently in England and it was funny to see how people were so so curious about me being latina. I think it was a little shocking for them since I speak english with an american just fine maybe with the tiniest hint of an accent/i get tangled up or pronounce things strangely. would you mind writing something about that for remus? so happy to see another latina gal on here!!!! love ur work <3

thank you so much to 🦉 for requesting this! i’ve had almost an opposite experience because i’m mixed, so i hope i was able to express this in a way that makes sense! most people don’t believe i’m latina until they see my mom or my brothers🫣 i’d love to explore this character more though! it was so special for me to be able to write. love to you!🤎

Remus Lupin x Latina!Reader 💌 1.1k words

♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡ ~ ♡

The familiar hum of the Hogwarts Express rattled beneath your feet as you boarded the scarlet steam train. You were excited to be heading back to Hogwarts for another year, the castle feeling more like home now than the place you grew up in. You dragged your trunk through the long corridor, glancing into each compartment in search of an open seat, but most were already packed. The train was moving now, and you started to feel a little self-conscious as you wandered aimlessly from compartment to compartment.

Just as you were about to give up and try squeezing into a full compartment, a familiar, unpleasant voice caught your attention.

“Well, well, what do we have here?”

You whipped around to find Severus Snape standing a few feet away, his arms crossed over his chest and his dark eyes fixed on you with the same disdain he’d shown since your first year. He never missed a chance to make a side comment, and it seemed this year wouldn’t be any different.

“Still wandering around like you don’t know where you belong?” Snape said, his voice dripping with malice as he approached you. His lips curled into a cruel smirk as he added, “Or maybe you just haven’t figured out how to ask for directions yet.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to ignore him as you made to brush past him and further down the corridor. You’d dealt with Snape’s snide remarks for years, but the insult still stung. He’d never been able to get over the fact that you didn’t fit his narrow idea of who belonged at Hogwarts. For some reason, your background made you an easy target for his cruelty.

Snape stepped in front of you as you attempted to maneuver around him, blocking your path. “What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Or is it just that you don’t understand me?”

His voice slowed deliberately as he spoke, each word exaggerated as if he was speaking to someone who couldn’t comprehend him. The mockery was all too clear, and the corridor suddenly felt too small, the space between you and him suffocating.

“Merlín ayúdame,” you muttered under your breath, taking a deep breath. “Get out of my way, Snape.” You hoped that would be the end of things, but he just smirked wider.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” Snape taunted, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction over your flustered state. “Can you try again in English? Maybe I should repeat myself just to make sure you know what I’m saying.”

“Or maybe,” a voice interrupted from behind you, “you should shut up while you still can.”

Your head turned sharply to see Remus standing in a compartment doorway, his wand in his hand, though he hadn’t drawn it yet. His usually calm expression was hardened into a glare, his eyes locked on Snape. You had always known Remus to be the more level-headed member of his friend group, but you could see that he had his limits when it came to Snape.

“Loony Lupin,” Snape sneered, his eyes locking onto him. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“I’m afraid it does,” Remus shot back, giving Snape a grin that didn’t meet his eyes. “I’m a Prefect now, remember? I believe I can take away points from you if you keep harassing other students. And you’re doing a pretty poor job of it, by the way.”

Before Snape could respond, another voice chimed in, “Yeah, if you’re going to be a git, at least try to be clever about it, Snape.”

James Potter stepped out into the corridor and stood beside Remus, grinning like he’d just won a thousand Galleons. His hazel eyes sparkled with mischief, but his wand was out, held loosely at his side in a clear warning.

Sirius Black was suddenly at James’s other side, his arms crossed casually as a smirk graced his face. “What’s going on out here, Snivellus? Already picking on people before we’ve even made it to the castle?”

“Mind your own business,” Snape retorted, his eyes narrowing as his face twisted in frustration.

“Funny,” Sirius snapped back, leaning against the doorframe of the compartment he had just been sitting in. “That’s what we were doing before we heard you making an idiot of yourself out here.”

Snape opened his mouth to retort but floundered, suddenly at a loss for words.

“Come on, Severus. Surely you can come up with something better to do than mocking someone for speaking more than one language?” Remus said, his eyebrows raised as he rested a hand on your shoulder comfortingly. You felt much more grounded with his physical support, and you felt your confidence return slightly as he continued, “That’s weak, even for you.”

Snape’s face flushed red, clearly caught off guard by the sudden united front defending you. He huffed, unable to come up with an excuse for his behavior, before turning abruptly, his robes swishing dramatically behind him as he stalked away.

“Pathetic,” Sirius muttered, shaking his head in disgust as he watched Snape disappear down the corridor.

“Unbelievable,” James added, huffing. “People like him never learn, do they?”

Remus, still glaring in Snape’s direction, squeezed your shoulder gently before turning his attention to you. “Are you okay?”

You nodded, though the knot that had formed in your chest hadn’t quite loosened. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“You shouldn’t have to deal with that,” Remus said gently, his expression softening now that the immediate tension had passed. “He’s an idiot.”

“And a coward!” Sirius chimed in, coming over to give you a playful nudge. “You don’t have anything to prove to anyone. You’d think after all these years, he’d have come up with some better material.”

James grinned, leaning forward. “Exactly. We all know you’re brilliant.”

“By the way, your English? Impeccable. Honestly, better than Remus’s,” Sirius said, jerking his head towards the scarred boy.

“Oi!” Remus said, though he was smiling down at you and you could tell he wasn’t bothered.

“Come on, then. There’s room in our compartment. No need to sit by yourself.”

You hesitated for a moment, but the kindness in his eyes was genuine, and you knew the boys wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Alright,” you said with a small smile as you followed them into their compartment. As you settled into your seat, the familiar buzz of the train beneath you and the laughter that filled the room eased the sting of Snape’s mockery. You knew that there would always be people like him, but with people like Remus, you knew you’d never have to face it alone.

[vmbrq]

okay so I was reading your post answering abt ethan being tied up and blindfolded and HOLY. SHIT. 👀

but honestly I wanna see more of dom ethan. don’t get me wrong I love sub ethan but I feel like a guy like him would absolutely DESTROY (im being dramatic LMAO) you. like this boy is strong asf and he would definitely use that to his advantage!!!

in person he would be sweet, chill and shy. probably stuttering around you and blushing H.E.A.V.I.L.Y. but once he got you alone…

he’d pin you down to the bed and whisper things into your ear, knowing the power he has over you.

i also feel like ethan COULD be into kink. idk it’s just a feeling I have abt him…

ONE MORE THING

his arms. HIS ARMS. HIS ARMS ARE SO STRONG FOR WHAT? A dork like him has arms like that?!?!?!? man. i ain’t never wanted a guy so badly in my life…😭

I’m so embarrassed. 😭😭😭

literally don't be embarrassed because you and i are in the same boat LMAOO and there's just smth so interesting about exploring the potentials of both sides of his personality. bc the way he yanked anika up off the floor and onto her feet with one arm? oh my god????? he's so strong????

in public and in non-sexual situations, he's all about forehead kisses and linking pinkies and flushes pink and laughs when you compliment him bc he doesn't quite know how to react yet. but i am also frothing at the MOUTH at the thought of him flipping the script in private LIKE???? HELLO????

it may have taken him a while, but he'd already be aware of how your brain just kinda melts whenever he shows off his physique in any way, such as lifting heavy objects from your hands to carry them instead, carrying you whenever you're too tired to move or your feet hurt too badly to walk, or even when he idly rubs his hand over his opposite bicep when he's lost in thought or stretches his arms above his head.

mentions of smut under cut ; minors dni

so when he finds out that it extends to the bedroom, he doesn't shy away from utilizing it every now and then. his physical prowess makes an appearance whenever you're burnt out or completely drained but still needing a release, the muscles in his shoulders and back flexing as he pins your body down or keeps your thighs pried apart so you can't escape the pleasure he gives you. all you have to do is let yourself go and give yourself over to him, and he'll make sure all you can do is lay there and take it.

but aside from that, tbh he would also do it just because he can. you honestly don't stand a chance against him in a competition of strength, but he thinks it's cute if you still try to squirm or push back against his grip to try to overpower him. he's heavy, pressing you right where he wants you, and you can't do anything about it. the little power trip emboldens him, and whether you've freely relinquished control or are still attempting to resist, he's talking. he rambles right in your ear, commenting on how well you're taking him and how pretty you look under him and how you want it so badly, he couldn't pull out even if he wanted to.

[seongwave]

⎙  » hidden agendas

pairing : lee woojin x kang!oc

synopsis : taunting the taboo couple.

warning : lowercase intended. not proofread. revenge. mentions of pedophilia. implied nsfw. usage of korean words.

a/n : a continuation of vengeance ?? and to the anon in my inbox, i definitely agree with you ! we need more hierarchy fics !

observing as their teacher strolled with a new hermes sack was a sight to see for chae. she was doing her best not to chuckle at how proud their pedophile teacher was, flaunting it.

'hmm, let's see,' chae thought as she planned things in her mind.

sitting on a stool at the bar in the private club known among the certain group of friends, chae patiently waited for a man to take the bait.

'well, that wasn't so hard,' chae thought, smiling slightly as she felt the next stool beside her become occupied by a certain man.

"never saw you around here before, what's your name?" woojin asked after ordering a drink, observing the girl next to him.

"chae laurent, pleased to meet you, mr.?" chae held out a hand, smiling slightly and batting her eyes at the man. seducing her target.

"lee woojin, a delight" woojin greeted her, holding her hand and kissing the back of it while tenderly caressing it, feeling like he had ensnared the girl when in reality, it was the opposite.

events unfolded and they found themselves in woojin's studio. bodies was shared throughout the night.

the ringing of a phone stirred them awake, with chae being the first to rise and woojin just stirring. noticing the caller's name, H, she smirked slightly and chose to answer the call.

"woojin? where are you?" their worried teacher's voice came from the phone. chae wanted to answer, but a hand stopped her from speaking.

woojin snatched the phone from her grasp and hung up the call. he questioned her in frustration, "why would you do that?"

"I picked up the phone when it was ringing for a long time, assuming it was urgent," chae replied, acting naively. "but why is ms. han calling you so early in the morning?" she asked, trying to provoke him.

"It's not your concern," woojin said gruffly, trying to leave, but chae stopped him and pushed him onto the bed. "why are you getting so agitated?" chae asked as her hands explored his body, their eyes locked. and bare bodies pressed against each other.

"it's not a big deal," woojin averted his gaze, while chae chuckled. "aww, you're adorable, you think I'm clueless?" chae teased, smirking as she caught him off guard.

"oh bunny, how could a teacher like her possibly have enough money for a hermes bag?" she teased as she moved closer to his face, her hands exploring his cheeks. "i also saw you both entering the art room, just so you know," she laughed. "just what happens there" she added, smirking widely.

woojin attempted to move her aside but chae caught him off guard by connecting their lips. despite the surprise, woojin reciprocated the kiss as chae drew him in closer. pulling way, chae started putting on her clothes when woojin asked, "what do you want to keep you silent?"

"hmm, don't fret, you have accomplished enough," chae said with a smile. what he didn't know she had placed cameras around his habitat. and stole a copy of the spy cam from the pen.

in the school hallway, a sophisticated lady and a cheap girl faces each other. "ms. chae, would you be open to having a conversation?" asked the teacher.

chae chuckled when she felt the woman's fear and craving for blood, "there's no need to talk, teacher," she said with a smile. "actually, there is. please come with me," she said, grabbing her arms, which chae dismissed.

"If you don't remove your hands off of me, I will shove my fucking mouawad diamond purse into your low-cost rear end, teach."

masterlist !

[mint-yooxgi]

{14} - Morning Mist - Yandere!Dragon!Ateez X Chubby!Reader

Yandere AU & Dragon AU

Genre: Mature, Horror, Angst

Pairing: Ateez X Reader (Focus on Yeosang and Yunho)

Words: 8,901

Warnings: Allusion to assault/boundaries not being respected. Violence/Fighting. Brief moments of fatphobia and homophobia near the end (not done by any of the guys). I think that's all, honestly. This is a Yandere story, it will contain themes such as stalking, violence, obsession, possessive natures, and just general overall creepiness and swearing. You have been warned.

A/n: Oof, it's really been forever since I've updated this series... my apologies for that! Honestly, I've been thinking about it a lot lately, and I might focus a bit of my attention to getting out a few more parts of this series over the next few weeks or so, but that's still to be decided. Anyways, a bit of a nicer, longer chapter update for you guys. I really hope you all like it! As always, feedback is greatly appreciated! Enjoy~

Also, gentle reminder that I do not do tag lists.

Chapter One - Chapter Two - Chapter Three - Chapter Four - Chapter Five - Chapter Six - Chapter Seven - Chapter Eight - Chapter Nine - Chapter Ten - Chapter Eleven - Chapter Twelve - Chapter Thirteen - Mini Masterlist

“Good morning.” A soft smile tugs at your lips as you greet the two males already waiting for you at the entrance to your village. 

As soon as they hear your voice, they’re both turning to face you. A satchel is slung over your one shoulder, the material a deep green in colour as you adjust the strap lightly.

“Morning.” The corner of Yunho’s lips twitch upwards.

All you receive from Yeosang in a stiff nod in response.

Perhaps he’s not a morning person.

“Ready to go?” You inquire, looking between them both.

A grunt is all you receive from the shorter male as the taller of the two nods in response. You quirk a brow.

The first few steps down the path and out of the village are silent, each male settling in on either side of you.

“Have you both eaten this morning?” You inquire casually.

“Joong wouldn’t let us leave unless we had something.” Yunho hums in acknowledgement. “He’s always looking out for us in that way.”

The corners of your lips twitch upwards as you nod faintly, “He’s a good clan leader.”

Little do you see the way Yeosang’s one eye twitches at your words.

“Have you eaten?” Yunho’s tone is light, sparing a glance at you out of the corner of his eyes as you continue down the path.

“I’m not much of a breakfast person.” You reply, a simple shrug to your shoulders.

“You should eat something.” Yeosang’s first words to you this morning are terse, the male staring straight ahead.

“I will. When I’m hungry.” The corner of your lips twitch upwards in amusement.

“How far is it to Rose Village?” Yunho asks, keeping pace with you as he spares a glance over at his brother on your opposite side.

“About a forty minute walk,” you hum. “Five, if we were to fly.”

“So, we’re walking because��?” Yeosang’s brow furrows, finally turning to you for the first time today.

“You should learn to not always rely on your wings,” You reply, somewhat stiffly. This time, it’s you who doesn’t meet either of their gazes as you stare straight ahead. “You may not always be able to use them.”

“Well, I think utilizing our legs will be good for us.” Yunho grins, purposefully stretching his arms above his head. “It’s nice to get out of the house every now and then.”

“Yes, the world is quite beautiful, if you’re brave enough to explore it.” You hum in agreement. “It has much to both offer and to teach us.”

You see understanding pass over both male’s features.

“Hwa told Joong that you said you’re willing to begin training us?” Yunho attempts not to look too eager, but there’s a certain gleam in his eyes that you still pick up on.

“If you are all still willing to be taught-“

“Yes.” Yeosang clears his throat, noting the way both you and Yunho immediately turn to look at him. “Please.”

“Very well.” You smile faintly. “When would you like to begin?”

“As soon as possible, if that’s alright with you.” Yunho responds, a sudden giddiness to his steps.

“That can be arranged.” You nod once, firmly. “We can start now, if you’d like?”

“While we’re walking?” Yunho’s brow furrows.

“While we’re walking.” You confirm. “Though, I must say, learning is a collaboration, so you shouldn’t hoard what I teach you to yourselves. You’ll never grow as a clan that way.”

Yeosang’s breath catches slightly in his throat. “We understand.”

“No wonder San and Wooyoung have been so eager to share your teachings with us,” Yunho mumbles.

“My rule of thumb is: if you can teach someone else what you’ve learned after you’ve learnt it, then you understand the lesson being taught.” You say, adjusting the strap of your bag over your shoulder lightly. “Everyone learns differently, and of course you can cater specifics to your own needs, but the base is usually the same.”

“You’ve been saying this whole time that you wouldn’t teach us, but you have been.” Yeosang observes. “Through them.”

“I take no credit for what you’ve learned from your brothers.” You shake your head. “That’s all from them.”

“Hwa’s got some catching up to do…” Yunho sighs, an amused quirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“Something tells me that both him and Canary Man are getting the rundown on everything while we’re gone today.” You hum, somewhat knowingly.

“I don’t know how you did it, but there seems to have been a shift in Seonghwa over the past few days. Ever since he came back home from seeing you, it seems as if he’s calmer.” Yunho states, his gaze darting to you once more.

“All it takes is one moment of kindness to show you a new perspective on life,” you smile softly. “I simply extended a hand out to him, just as I wish someone did for me when I was in that situation. He was the one that accepted the offer.”

“When you were in that situation?” Yeosang is quick to catch on to your words.

“Your eldest and I are a lot more alike than you think.” You tell them. “I was in the exact same place as he was, once. I almost lost myself, and he could have, too. I’ll be damned if I ever let anyone go through what I went through without helping them.”

“You’re wise beyond your years.” Yunho praises.

“You make me sound so old,” your nose scrunches in distaste.

Yeosang actually lets out a puff of laughter at the way Yunho begins sputtering out apologies. 

“I’m just teasing you, Young One.” You chuckle. “I appreciate the compliment, all the same.”

The tips of his ears begin to turn red as he clamps his mouth shut.

Yeosang clears his throat. “Our training?”

“Ah, yes,” you nod. “How would you like to begin?”

“Shouldn’t you decide that for us?” Yunho quirks a brow, managing to get his bashfulness under control for the moment.

“I don’t want to be teaching you stuff you already know.” You shrug. “I’ve never seen you in a fight, nor do I know how strong your senses have become since the first time we met.”

“I thought you knew everything.” Yeosang blinks, almost innocently at you.

You laugh, “Not everything, Yeosang.”

You swear you see a shiver caress his spine as you say his name.

“Well, what do you know of our powers?” Yunho asks, nothing but curiosity shining in his eyes.

“If you’re incurring whether or not I know what type of dragon you are, Yunho, then you should be specific.” You shoot him a small look. “Speak of your own desires before you assume to know someone else’s.”

He swallows thickly. “Then, do you?”

“Do I, what?” You press, quirking a brow all the while.

“Know what type of powers I possess?”

“I do.” You hum.

He frowns, “How?”

You smile, almost tenderly. “Your youngest seems to enjoy talking about all of you to me as much as he enjoys talking about me to you.”

You hear Yeosang take in a deep breath beside you, almost exasperatedly.

“So, Jongho told you.” Yunho nods his understanding.

“For the most part,” you tighten your grip on the strap of your bag. “I can sense more than presences if I focus, you know.”

“Is there anything you can’t do?” Yunho breathes, a wondrous look shining in his eyes as he looks at you.

Yeosang lets out another puff of air.

“Quite a few things, actually,” you confirm with an amused grin. “But that’s not important right now.”

“So, then,” Yunho hums, his body half turning more towards you in eagerness, “What’s my power?”

Nothing but mirth dances within your gaze as you see Yunho practically vibrating with excitement as he continues to walk alongside you. Yeosang seems to have slowed slightly, his shoulders curling in on himself as he crosses his arms over his chest. A small frown pulls at his features, and if you didn’t know any better, you’d say he looks irritated.

You meet Yunho’s gaze.

“Earth.” You state. “Rather, the minerals that fill the ground.”

Yunho smiles, nodding quite enthusiastically along with your words.

“It’s very fitting,” you add. “From what some of your brothers tell me, you are quite a stable rock in their lives.”

His blush returns, Yunho suddenly wiping his palms on the sides of his thighs bashfully. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me,” you chuckle. “Thank your brothers.”

Yunho spares a brief glance at Yeosang, noticing how the aforementioned male looks so irate.

“What’s the matter, Yeo?” Yunho’s head tilts slightly in worry. “You were probably the second most excited after San when we learned she would teach us.”

At this, your brow quirks.

Heat immediately flares to Yeosang’s cheeks, the male avoiding your gaze as he mumbles out a ‘just tired.’

“Well, it is quite early,” you hum in agreement. “We’ll be at Rose Village soon, anyways.”

“Is there anything we can practice while we walk?” Yunho inquires eagerly.

“Hone your senses.” You reply, almost instantly. At the way they both spare a curious look at you, you’re quick to continue, “You’ve been doing so already, that much I can tell. However, it isn’t enough. You,” turning your sharp gaze to the side, you meet Yeosang’s eyes, “should be able to sense things with the breeze for miles. It should get to the point where you don’t even need to expel any excess energy to do so; it should become second nature.”

He nods, eyes sharpening as he focusses on sensing the wind almost immediately after you stop talking.

“And you,” you turn your pointed stare to Yunho who straightens almost immediately, “should be able to sense the vibrations in the earth as to where your enemies are. Know your surroundings; hone your senses.”

“How do we know if we’re doing it properly?” Yeosang questions, his lips slightly pursed in concentration.

“You will feel as if you’ve become one with your surroundings.” You reply. “Having the powers you do helps tremendously, for when the time is right, such elements will feel as if they are speaking to you. Train your ears to notice the slightest of sounds. Train yourself to notice every scent in an area, and pick up on when they shift even the faintest bit. Trust your senses, and rely on your instincts. You’ll soon begin to notice things that were never there before.”

“And we’re supposed to do this while walking?” Yeosang frowns.

“The constant sound of our feet crunching the gravel is a good practice for a monotonous sound.” You go on to say. “It is repetitive, so you should be able to drown it out. You won’t always have time to gather your bearings while standing still. Search for the abnormalities within the constant, and you’ll master your senses much quicker.”

“I think I get it,” Yunho nods, almost absentmindedly.

“I know you’ve both already been expanding your sensory reach.” You comment. “It’s time to take it a step further. I have faith in the both of you. Don’t just think,” your eyes flash briefly as your head whips to the side, a bird taking off from a branch in the next second, “feel.”

Two nods are all you receive in response as the males begin to thoroughly concentrate on their surroundings. You can tell how intently they’re focussing, for they stare straight ahead, standing to their full heights as they continue down the path with you.

A small breeze picks up, and you can feel the ground beneath your feet beginning to hum with life.

“Good,” you nod casually. “Once you both feel as if you have a better understanding of our surroundings, let me know. I’ll test you.”

“Test us?” Yeosang’s head tilts curiously.

“I’ll start easy on you,” you grin, a knowing gleam in your eyes. “For example, there’s a squirrel somewhere close by. Find it.”

Both of their heads whip off to the right, a brow squirrel running down the side of a tree in the next second.

“Good.” You nod approvingly. “This is exactly what I mean. Everything is interconnected, and by the time you hone your sense, nothing will escape you.”

They both nod, soft smiles pulling at their features.

“This is also a good way to discern what you need to work on to hide yourselves better.” You continue. “Scent, sound, sight: everything can both work for you, or against you.”

“Now that you mention it, I can smell you a lot more, Yeo.” Yunho’s nose scrunches.

A small laugh escapes you, and you see the aforementioned male’s cheeks dusting red.

“Yeah, well, the sound of your footfalls are like a giant upon the earth.” Yeosang snaps back.

Again, you chuckle, noticing how Yunho’s ears begin to turn red once more.

“See, these are things you both can work on to hide yourselves better.” You spare a glance at both of them. “If you really want to test yourselves, ask Jaemin to track you. He’s the best of our clan.”

You do not fail to miss the way they both stiffen at your words.

“I don’t know,” Yeosang grimaces slightly, shooting a pointed look towards Yunho. “Wouldn’t want to stink him out.”

“If you’re worried if you smell or not, you don’t.” You reply, noticing how he falters slightly in his steps. “You actually have quite a pleasant musk, like fresh juniper and oak.”

Instantly, Yeosang’s spine straightens, puffing his chest out slightly as the corner of his lips tug upwards smugly.

Yunho, on the other hand, begins to pout.

“We’re almost there,” you comment, motioning ahead on the path with your chin.

Glancing forward, the two males can just make out the entranceway of Rose Village. Flowers surround the grand archway, and faintly, they can both begin to smell the pungent aromas drifting through the air.

“Who’s a better tracker, then? You, or Jaemin?” Yunho attempts to change the subject, if only slightly.

Your knowing smile says it all. “Do not forget that I was the one who taught him everything he knows.”

“Then, we should just ask you to track us.” Yeosang replies.

You shake your head. “You’ll never learn that way, and I won’t always be around to train you. My Neos are your best options if you even want to attempt to best me at anything.”

“Which is why you sent Woo and San to Ten and Taeil to start.” Yeosang hums in understanding.

“Exactly.” You nod in confirmation. “You should partner up with them if you want to learn how to better utilize your powers. If you want to hone your strength, ask Jeno to train you. He’s our strongest fighter.”

“Something tells me we’ll have to go through them before we can even get to you.” Yunho spares a look at you out of the corner of his eyes.

You meet his gaze, the corners of your lips twitching upwards.

“We’re here,” you pause just before the archway, observing the village with such a fond look in your eyes as you see people milling about just through the entrance. “Continue to hone your sense, you never know what you might learn.”

Without saying another word, you enter the village.

A smile pulls onto your features as you take in your surroundings. Many different stalls have been set up, lining the paths with different vendors selling their wares. There’s a fruit stand off to the side, a few different herb sellers, and multiple florists all chatting with potential customers.

Walking through the main road, you cannot help the wondrous shine in your eyes as you observe the daily lives of the townsfolk. That feeling of nostalgia that floods your senses almost serves to overwhelm you, your one hand tightening its grip on the strap of your satchel.

Little do you see the fond looks either dragon send your way.

“This way.” You voice lowly, shifting almost wistfully through the throngs of people towards the very back of the street.

Reaching the end of the row, the area opens up into a large square with a beautiful trickling fountain in the centre. Vines creep up the sides of the buildings, more flowers blooming from every angle and filling the space with vibrant colours of pink, purple, red, and orange.

There’s almost a renewed giddiness to your steps as you round a corner, more vendors lining the street. Your steps are precise and steady, heading directly to a specific counter right at the end of the row.

Silently, the two males follow but a step behind.

Two females can be seen conversing behind the stall counter. Both are quite tall in stature with dark skin. One wears her hair in tight braids, the tips resting just below her shoulders. The other has shorter hair, tight curls adorning the strands. Around their stand, three rambunctious children - two girls, one male - can be seen running around, hitting each other with different flower stalks.

Stopping in her tracks, one of the children seems to take notice of you approaching the stand. A large, dramatic gasp escapes her, causing her siblings and mothers to turn their heads in your direction.

“Auntie!” The little girl squeals, immediately running over to you with her arms outstretched.

The two males share a look as you wrap the little girl in your arms, picking her up and hugging her tightly as she giggles loudly.

“My goodness, you’ve gotten so big!” You grin, holding her against your hip as she rests her hands on your shoulders.

“What about me!” The other little girl says, tugging at your shirt lightly as she stands beside you.

“Yeah!” The little boy adds, standing tall with his hands on his hips. “It’s not fair you always pick up Delilah first!”

“Well, I do have two arms, Marcus,” you chuckle, shifting Delilah over slightly so you can pat his head affectionately.

Just as you go to reach for him, he runs away.

“No, wait! I’m too old for you to be picking me up!” He whines, hiding behind the stall counter with his parents.

“I’m not!” The other little girl says, running right into your arms so you can pick her up.

A moment later, and you’ve hoisted her into your free arm, giggles falling from her lips as she places a big kiss onto your cheek.

“It’s good to see you again,” the woman with the braids smiles kindly, an overtly affectionate look shining in her eyes as she stares at the scene before her.

“We’ve all missed you.” The other woman says, standing just a smidge taller than her wife beside her.

“I’ve missed you all, too.” You return their fond looks, nuzzling your forehead affectionately against the girl’s own.

They giggle in response, Delilah leaning into you further.

“Auntie, did you bring us anything?” She inquires innocently, blinking at you all the while.

“You know I always do.” You chuckle fondly, placing both girls back on their feet for the time being. “Jungwoo was very adamant about me giving these to you.”

“Oh, they’re from Uncle Jungwoo?” Marcus’ eyes instantly light up, coming back around the counter to stand before you.

Sliding the strap of the bag off your shoulder, you open the satchel. Reaching inside, you pull out three small wooden figurines. The deer you hand to Delilah, the eagle to Marcus, and the little dragon figurine you hand to the final little girl.

“Wow,” she gasps, nothing but pure awe in her eyes as she turns the figure around and around in her hands.

“Minnie, what do we say to your Auntie?” The woman with the braids smiles knowingly.

Immediately, the girl looks up into your eyes, a bright smile on her lips, “Thank you, Auntie!”

You chuckle, “Don’t thank me, thank your Uncle Jungwoo.”

“Auntie,” Marcus begins lowly, leaning into you as if discussing something secret. His eyes briefly dart past you to the two males still standing silently behind you. “Are you cheating on Uncle Jungwoo?”

A boisterous laugh escapes both you and the two females still standing behind the counter.

“Oh, no, Marcus,” you pat his arm assuringly. “Your Uncle Jungwoo and I are not together.”

“So, then, are these your new boyfriends?” Minnies ask, walking up to Yunho and tugging on the side of his pants. “Are you married to my Auntie now?”

You swear Yunho’s eyes nearly bulge right out of his head as he splutters over his own words.

“No, Minnie,” you chuckle, “We’re not married.”

“Why not?” Minnie turns back to you, blinking almost owlishly.

“Minnie, relationships don’t work like that,” the taller of the two ladies shakes her head endearingly.

“But you and mommy are married!” She scurries over to the both of them.

“That’s because we’ve known each other for a very long time.” The woman answers.

“Uncle Jungwoo and Auntie have known each other for a very long time.” Marcus voices.

“Not as long as Uncle Renjun, or Uncle Taeyong, though.” Delilah adds, matter-of-factly.

“My Neos are like family to me,” you explain softly. “Like my brothers.”

“What about Uncle Kun?” Minnie asks innocently.

“Children, that’s enough.” A sharp look is given to the three of them by the woman with the braids.

“It’s alright, Kamille.” You smile, but it doesn’t quite reach your eyes. You crouch down so you’re eye level with Minnie. “Uncle Kun finally found his special someone, and I’m happy for him. We agreed to just stay friends.”

“His loss,” the taller of the two mumbles.

“Trisha,” a sharp look is sent her way by you.

She shrugs, “Just saying.”

“Auntie! We have something for you!” Delilah exclaims excitedly, scurrying into the house behind the stall with the other two children in tow as they all remember their gifts for you.

You stand back to your full height, a curious quirk to your one brow.

The two women offer you knowing looks in response. Except, once they see what each of the children hold on their way back out of the house, they attempt to stop them. Only, they don’t manage to catch them.

“Mommy said these were your favourites, once.” Minnie extends a few flowers out to you, both Marcus and Delilah standing on either side of her doing the same.

Your breath catches in your throat as you see the children each holding out a few stems of bluebells to you with smiles on their faces.

A soft call of your name from Kamille sounds from behind the children. “We’re so sorry, we told them-“

“Did you grow these yourselves?” You cut her off, not even sparing her a look as your eyes begin to water.

Three proud nods greet your blurry vision, and your first tear falls. Softly, you grab the flowers from their hands.

“Look at you three!” You smile through the pain in your heart which suffocates you from the inside out. “You’ll be giving your mother’s a run for their money pretty soon. These flowers are beautiful!”

Happy giggles reach your ears, the girls twirling eagerly from side to side as Marcus avoids your gaze.

“Okay, children, why don’t you go grab some snacks for all of us at the bakery.” Trisha grabs a few coins and hands then to Marcus. “We have some things to talk about with your Aunt, here.”

“Okay!” Three cheers are heard as they all rush off down the street, disappearing into the crowd.

“I’ll go with them.” Yunho offers, already following after the three children.

Kamille simply raises an eyebrow.

“He heard the word ‘bakery,’ and now that’s all he can think about.” Yeosang sighs.

“I don’t blame him,” you wipe your tears from your cheeks, gazing almost longingly down at the bouquet of bluebells in your hand. “Rose Village bakery is one of the best around for miles. Seeing as he bakes, he probably wants to check it out.”

“Ah, found yourself a baker this time, have you?” Trisha jokes.

“I haven’t found myself anything.” You shake your head, a slight huff escaping you.

Both women finally step out from behind their little stall.

“It’s good to see you again,” Kamille says as she wraps her arms around you, making sure to avoid your back all the while.

“We weren’t lying when we said we’ve missed you,” this time, it’s Trisha’s turn to wrap you in her arms, hugging you tightly as you do the same back.

“I’ve missed you, too.” You pat her back affectionately.

“I thought you said you were going to come visit more often,” Kamille shoots you a playfully accusatory look.

“Yes, well,” you chuckle, motioning to Yeosang with your eyes, “Some things came up.”

“Oh, where are our manners?” Kamille immediately turns to the single dragon by your side. “I’m Kamille, and this is Trisha. We’re the Delaris’. Those three you saw earlier are our kids, Marcus, Delilah, and Minnie.”

Yeosang bows respectfully, introducing himself and his brother in the next moment.

“Yes, we’ve heard whispers about you Halas.” Trisha crosses her arms over her chest, a minor quirk to her brow.

“How did you-“

“The forest speaks in many tongues.” Kamille replies easily, moving behind her stall and rummaging around in a bin.

“You’re dragons?” Yeosang sounds more surprised than he figures he should be at this point.

“Not quite.” Trisha grins knowingly.

“They’re my oldest caster friends.” You explain, placing the flowers onto the counter before you.

Understanding passes across his features.

“Seriously, we cannot apologize enough about the flowers,” Trisha grimaces, her arms falling back to her sides.

“It’s alright,” you smile weakly. “At least they weren’t daisies.”

“But these were meant to replace daisies with-“

“Trisha!” Kamille’s sharp voice cuts her wife off as she pops back up behind the stand.

Both women spare a worried look in your direction, only serving to make Yeosang even more confused than he already is. At the pained expression you wear, nothing but concern pulls at his features, stepping the slightest bit closer to you. All he wants to do is ease your distress in whatever ways he can, his earlier irritation long since forgotten now.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve received bluebells from anyone.” You say, voice barely above a whisper. Gently, one of your fingers traces over a bloom. “They don’t grow on this side of the fjord. Naturally, at least.”

“We haven’t sensed any of them crossing over in quite a long time.” Kamille comments.

“They shouldn’t.” You meet her gaze, your eyes flashing. “Nor will they ever again.”

“What about Bokkie?” Trisha’s brow furrows slightly.

You simply shake your head in response.

Yeosang frowns.

“Anyways,” Kamille clears her throat. “I take it you’re here for your usual order?”

“I can’t come to see my old friends?” You tease.

“Hey!” Trisha protests. “We’re not that old!”

“You’re almost as old as I am.” You chuckle, your eyes crinkling at the sides.

“Give or take about a hundred years.” Kamille mumbles, a playful roll to her eyes.

Yeosang’s eyes widen in shock.

“Oh, you’ve gone and stunned the poor baby dragon.” Trisha tuts, turning to meet Yeosang’s gaze in the next second. “Us witches know quite a few tricks to staying youthful, you know.”

“Of course, it helps to keep your nose out of trouble.” Kamille adds.

“You two, staying out of trouble?” You quirk a brow. “Unlikely.”

The two women share a look.

“Guilty.” Trisha chuckles, shooting a wink in your direction. “Now, come with me and I’ll help you get those herbs you like so much.”

A simple nod is all you offer her in response, following her into the house and chatting idly as you leave Yeosang with Kamille.

“Are you sure the kid is going to be okay with Kami by himself?” Trisha asks from over her shoulder.

“I heard that!” Kamille calls after you both.

You chuckle, “I’m quite certain Yeosang can handle himself.

Little do you see how the aforementioned male straightens slightly, the corner of his lip twitching upwards faintly.

“Alright,” Trisha chuckles, guiding you into the back room of the house where their rarer herbs reside. “Well, as always, you’re welcome to anything and everything you’d like.”

“I literally cannot thank you enough,” you smile, already harvesting some thistle wart from its pot. “Oh, actually, before I forget, I brought something for the two of you, as well.”

Pausing in your movements, you reach into your satchel once more and pull out two leather-bound books, and two small carved crystals.

“I finished compiling that tome you asked me the last time, and I think you’ll enjoy the other one, too. The crystals are a gift from me to you, as a thank you for everything you two have done.” You place each item carefully into her own hands. “They’re also good luck charms.”

Trisha places both books onto a side table before carefully examining the carved crystals. One is in the shape of an obelisk, symbols carved along its side. The other is smooth like a river stone, perfectly oval in shaped. Both are milky white in colour, and her eyes flash with understanding.

“Thank you,” she bows deeply before wrapping you in another hug. “You’ve always done more for this family than we deserve.”

“Nonsense,” you shake your head, holding her at arms length once she pulls away. “You guys are my family, not just My Neos.”

“Then, you know if you ever need anything, all you need to do is ask, right?” She quirks a brow at you.

“Of course.” You nod, quite firmly at her. “Know that the same is true of me with you.”

Trisha returns your smile.

A moment later, and you return to harvesting the plants scattered around the room.

“So, are you going to tell us about you and those Hala dragons of yours?” She inquires, somewhat knowingly.

“There’s nothing major, really.” You shrug, placing some herbs into your satchel. “I consider them my friends, for my part.”

“There hasn’t been a raid from them since they attempted to harm your village.” She observes, and at your mildly surprised look, she clarifies, “Renjun’s been by a few times with Johnny.”

“Has he, now?” Understanding crosses your features. “Well, they’ve certainly calmed themselves since I’ve met them.”

“Any of which your doing?” She leans against the side table, tilting her head in your direction.

“I do not control other’s actions.” Comes your quick reply, but even she can tell you’re now avoiding her gaze.

“Normally Taeyong joins you on a day like today.” She observes. “Yet, two Halas are here instead. Either he knows something we don’t, or he’s currently on his deathbed.”

“If you’re suggesting Taeyong set me up, you’d sadly be mistaken.” You reply, glancing up at her from the plant you’re currently harvesting. “The two of them simply convinced him to let them take his place. Which reminds me… Yongie said he wanted some more of your roses, if you’d be so kind.”

“I’ll let Kamille know,” Trisha hums, watching you carefully.

A moment of silence.

“I’m going to train them.”

Trisha blinks at you in shock. She clears her throat, “Are you sure?”

“I said I would.” Comes your resolute answer.

“You haven’t offered to train anyone since the Wolves-“

“I know.” You cut her off, exhaling a deep sigh as you stand back to your full height. “I can’t keep living my life in the shadow of his betrayal, Trish. I’m tired of letting it control me.”

“This is about more than just training, isn’t it?” Her tone is soft as she takes a step towards you, placing a gentle hand onto the side of your arm in comfort.

“It’s been over fifty years, Trish-“ your voice catches in your throat as she begins rubbing your arm soothingly. Tears begin to gather once more in your eyes, your own hands clinging desperately to the strap of your satchel. “I don’t want to watch my life pass by from the outside anymore. I want to start living again, and maybe-“ you swallow thickly, “maybe even learn to love again.”

She smiles softly at you, giving your arm a light squeeze.

“And honestly, Trisha,” you suck in a sharp breath, “I’m terrified. I want to believe him- I want to believe in him so badly, it hurts, but I don’t know if I can. And then what happened with Kun…” You trail off. “I can’t go through another-“ you choke on a sob, “I can’t-“

“I know, sweetie,” she coos, shushing you all the while as she wraps you in her embrace. “I know.”

“The most terrifying thought, though, is that I am.” You whisper lowly. “I am starting to believe him.”

“The one outside?” Her brow furrows slightly.

“No, his brother.” You shake your head.

“The baker?”

“No, their youngest.” You clarify.

A noise of understanding echoes in her throat.

“Why do you-“

“I think it’s more than just the youngest that’s making you believe.” She observes. “Sure, he may have been the catalyst, but I know you. Even you would have had a difficult time agreeing to let anyone but Taeyong come with you to see us today. Hell, even bringing them to this festival is something you would have denied to anyone whom you didn’t trust.”

You take a moment to consider her words. “I suppose you’re right.”

“I’m not going to sit here and tell you what you should do. Only you can decide that for yourself.” She says, pulling away to stare deeply into your eyes. “What I can tell you is this: you are not the same person you were all those years ago. You know both Kami and I strongly believe in things always happening for a reason, and perhaps what happened with Kun was meant to happen so you could find them. Perhaps letting yourself believe won’t be such a bad thing.”

You nod lightly.

“Besides, I can sense the magic of this youngest’s Drygg Promise all over you.” She tilts her head knowingly. “It’s the strongest, most sincere form of magic I’ve ever seen from anybody. Even from you.”

“He is quite convincing.” You chuckle fondly.

“Convincing, or sincere?” She squeezes your arm once more. “Come on, the kids should be back by now.”

“I’ll be out in a minute, I just have a few more herbs to get.” You tell her, noticing how she begins to head towards the front.

A call of her name from you stops her.

“Thank you.” You meet her gaze, clearing your throat lightly as you compose yourself. “For everything.”

Trisha smiles. “You know we’re always here for you. I think it’s time you let some new people in, as well.”

Without another word, or waiting for a response from you for that matter, she leaves back out through the front door.

Perhaps she’s right. Maybe it is time for you to allow yourself to grow and let go of your past.

Finally, you think you’re ready to move on.

Stepping back out of the house a few minutes later, you see both women conversing with Yeosang. The tips of his ears are dusted a faint red, and even you can see the way he seemingly lights up as soon as he sees you.

“There you are,” Kamille nudges your side gently as you come to stand beside her. “Yeosang was worried you got lost.”

“I was not!” His eyes widen, greatly scandalized by Kamille’s words.

“Right.” Trisha laughs. “And you weren’t just thinking about storming past us to make sure she was still alive.”

The way he begins to splutter says it all.

“It’s okay,” Trisha pats him affectionately on his arm. “We know the signs all too well.”

“What signs?” Yeosang shifts his gaze between them, a confused, almost defensive furrow to his brow.

The two women share a look. “Denial.”

“The kids aren’t back yet?” You cut in, glancing around the area briefly and not seeing them, or a much taller male in sight.

“Not yet,” Kamille shakes her head, a worried pull to her lips downwards.

“Not that we don’t trust your brother,” Trisha adds, sparing a brief look at Yeosang, “but they should have been back by now.”

Your head tilts, and you notice Yeosang’s does, too.

“Mommy!” A cry is heard just through the crowd, and you see both Delilah and Marcus pushing their way through the throngs of people.

Immediately, you intercept the two children, their parents at your side.

“What’s wrong?” A frown is prominent on Kamille’s face as she picks Delilah up.

“Where’s Minnie?” Trisha is quick to grab ahold of Marcus who clings onto her side.

“That new bakery lady won’t leave Yuyu alone.” Delilah pouts.

“She’s worse than when you and mom start making kissey faces at one another.” Marcus’ nose scrunches in distaste.

“Minnie’s trying to save him, but it’s not working.” Delilah adds.

“I thought Rylie was married.” Kamille says, more to herself than anything.

“I’m sure Yunho can handle a few flirtatious comments sent his way.” Yeosang chuckles. “It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.”

“He popular like that, or something?” Trisha quirks a brow, somewhat teasingly.

“Or something.” Yeosang grumbles.

“Didn’t take you to be one to get jealous,” you hum, and you notice how his cheeks begin to dust pink for the nth time today.

“I’m not jealous.” He grumbles, gaze flicking over to you every now and then.

“Mom!” Delilah whines. “This is serious! Yuyu is in big trouble!”

“We’ll go check it out. Don’t worry.” You assure them.

“Hurry!” Marcus begins to tug Trisha down the street. “There’s bad energy coming from him.”

The three of you share a look.

Almost instantly, you and the two witches take off down the row, pushing your way through the crowd.

“What’s going on?” Yeosang manages to just keep pace with you.

“Marcus can sense shifts in energies, it’s his specialty ever since he was small. If he gets a bad feeling, almost always something bad will happen.” You explain quickly. “Your brother may be in danger.”

Rounding a street corner, the crowd thins slightly. You can see the awning of the bakery in sight, and you hurry your pace, the others following behind.

The bell above the shop door jingles as you six enter the shop. The owner, Nina, sends you a warm smile from her chair behind the counter. Once she adjusts her glasses, she’s offering you a friendly wave in recognition. Age, it seems, is catching up with her. 

You have just enough time to wave back before your attention is drawn to the side where you see Yunho backed into a corner, the new girl - Rylie - holding him hostage with her arm beside his shoulder. The way she’s leaning into him, and his stiff demeanour, says it all.

“Mommy!” Winnie scoots out from between them, panic clear on her features.

Kamille is quick to embrace the girl, cooing at her to calm her down.

“Rylie.” Trisha’s stern call of her name has the women sighing dramatically before turning her head slightly in acknowledgement.

Still, she does not move from her position.

“What?” Nothing but irritation lines her voice as her gaze flicks over to your little group.

“Tell her to stop bothering Uncle Yuyu!” Winnie crosses her arms, frown prominent on her features.

Your eyebrows raise slightly at the name she calls him, mirth dancing on your features.

“You heard the little lady.” You address the woman before you, noticing how she purposefully trails her gaze over you in disgust.

“If he wanted me to stop, he would have pushed me away by now.” She retorts, rather pointedly.

“Actually, I’ve been asking you to give me space this whole time-“

“Shhh,” she turns quickly, placing a finger over his lips as she leans into him. “You don’t have to lie to save her pride. I know I’m a better match for you than she is.”

You blink, not being able to keep the appalled expression off of your features. Honestly, you’re more amused than anything, but you contain your laugh of disbelief for now.

You share a look with both Kamille and Trisha. You smirk.

If this is how this woman wants to play, then you’ll gladly succumb to her games.

“What makes you think I enjoy the company of men?” You quirk a brow, beginning to slowly step towards this woman. The way your suddenly hooded gaze remains locked on her has her faltering for a moment. “You caught my eye since I first stepped foot in this little bakery, here.”

“What are you doing?” Her brow furrows, and she takes a step back and away from Yunho as you creep closer.

“It seems to me you enjoy assertive people.” You continue to approach, backing her into the corner and away from Yunho. “I’m just emanating you.”

“Don’t come near me.” She pushes herself against the wall.

You stop in your tracks, leaving a good two feet of distance between your body and hers. You blink at her in curiosity, tilting your head all the same.

“If you wanted me to stop, you would push me away.” You throw her words back at her, making sure never to lay a single finger on her the whole while.

“Just leave me alone.” She spits.

“To be clear, you’re asking me to stop?” You inquire, staring straight into her eyes expectantly.

“Yes!” She hisses. “Do you not understand the word ‘no’?”

Your eyebrows raise, but you remain silent. Your expression says it all.

A scowl is pulling at her features in the next moment as she pushes past you, knocking into your shoulder quite harshly. “Fucking bitch.”

The sound of the bell jingling above the door is the only indication you have that she’s left.

“Oh, I suppose it is time for her break.” Nina hums, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose.

“Seriously, Nina,” Kamille sighs. “You should find better employees.”

The old woman either doesn’t hear her, or chooses not to answer as she begins humming a soft tune to herself.

You shake you head, turning to face Yunho in the next second. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” his reply is somewhat breathless as he stares at you, blinking to clear his vision soon after. He clears his throat, seemingly coming back to reality. “Yeah.”

Winnie immediately runs over to Yunho, grabbing his hand in hers.

“Uncle Yuyu, you promised to buy us flowers!” She begins tugging him towards the entrance.

You quirk a brow, “Upgraded to Uncle now, are you?”

He grins, a red creeping onto his ears. “It was all them.”

Out of the corner of your eyes, you notice Yeosang pouting.

“Hey kids, why don’t you drag Uncle Yeo along with you, too.” The corner of your lips twitch upwards knowingly.

“Okay!” Delilah immediately rushes over to Yeosang, grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the door now, too.

“Have fun!” You wave them off, seeing as Marcus now holds the door open for them all.

The moment the door swings shut, the three of you breathe a sigh of relief.

“Crisis averted.” Kamille sighs, sitting herself down in one of the chairs nearest to her.

“Rylie has been a piece of work since she started here last month.” Trisha sits opposite Kamille, you joining them quickly.

“She new to town?” You inquire, noting how quiet the bakery is for a day like today.

“Yeah, her and her husband moved here about two months ago. She’s stirring up trouble wherever she goes, and we usually have to clean up the mess.” Trisha frowns. “Flirts with every male she sees, then usually her husband steps in to ‘defend what’s his’.”

You grimace, “Sounds like they’re both a piece of work.”

“You’re telling us.” Kamille nods. “We’ve had to step in a number of times before things get too out of hand. He’s already received two major warnings.”

“One more and we kick them out of here for good.” Trisha says. “Perks of being the heads of council.”

“You two run this village flawlessly,” you comment. “Of course you have final say. I’m honestly surprised you still let them live here.”

“Who knows, maybe we’ve become too lenient in our old age.” Kamille hums, the three of you sharing a laugh.

A few minutes later, the three of you are sharing a pastry, talking idly as you wait for the kids and the two males to return. The more you converse with your friends, the more your shoulders relax. Though, with the sound of the bell chiming above the door, and the ominous presence you feel entering the bakery, that happiness soon plummets into unease.

“That’s her.” You hear a harsh whisper behind you. “That’s the bitch that touched me.”

You nearly roll your eyes, but at the way the two women in front of you stiffen, you opt to sigh instead.

“Oi, you!” A loud voice draws your attention to the front of the bakery to see a burly man standing there. His arms are crossed as Rylie practically clings to his side, sneering in your direction. “You think you can just go around laying your grubby paws on my wife?”

“Actually, Sir, I never touched your wife.” You reply calmly, resting an arm over the back of your chair as you turn to face him. “It was your wife who continuously threw herself at one of my own friends, even after he repeatedly asked her kindly to stop.”

“So, you’re a fucking bitch and a liar?” He scoffs, rolling his eyes. “Should have expected that from a fat queer such as yourself.”

Your head tilts slowly in understanding. “Do you have more of an issue with me because I’m fat, or because I’m queer?”

“A smartass, too? Damn, I’m going to enjoy knocking your teeth in.” He cracks his knuckles. “No, I have an issue with you. You came onto my wife, and now you’re going to regret it.”

“I have no desire to shatter your already fragile masculinity any further, Sir.” You reply. “I’m sorry you seem to be stuck playing your wife’s desperate, attention seeking games. The two of you should strive to do better.”

“How dare you!” Rylie seethes, but is soon consoled by her husband.

“Shh, Honey, I’ve got this.” He pats her shoulder before rounding on you. His furious expression says it all. “How dare you!”

“Oh, I think we’ve got a pair of parrots on our hands.” Trisha remarks. “Too bad they can’t remember any of the important lessons.”

“Yeah, like ‘final strike and you’re out.’” Kamille hums, shooting the two of them a pointed look.

“Like hell you can kick us out of this town.” The male spits, brow creased as his face begins to turn bright red in anger.

“We can, and we will.” Trisha replies almost instantly, no remorse at all in her tone. “We’ve already warned you sufficiently. Please do not make us mad. You will not like what happens.”

“Are you threatening me?” He straightens, hands balling into fists at his sides.

You stand calmly to your feet, returning the plate to the counter where you see Nina has managed to doze off. Soft snores fall from her lips, and you spare her a small smile before turning to the couple fuming at the doorway.

“Depends,” you hum, leaning back on the counter as your cross your arms over your chest. “Do you feel threatened?”

“By you?” The man scoffs. “Not likely.”

“You should be.” You smile, and you notice them grimace slightly at how unnerving you suddenly look. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, my nieces and nephew are waiting for us to return to the festival.”

Just then, the bell above the door chimes and in walk both Yunho and Yeosang with the children in tow. A white pansy is tucked into Yeosang’s hair, just behind his ear. It seems to have been placed there very carefully so as to display his birthmark, and you just know Minnie probably had something to do with that, seeing as he holds her against his hip. Marcus holds onto Yeosang’s free hand, a yellow daffodil, a pink rose, and a sprig of lilac held in Marcus’ opposite hand. On Yunho’s back rests Delilah, her giggling suddenly cut short as she peeks over his shoulder to observe the tense scene before them.

“Auntie…” Winnie’s worried gaze is suddenly on you, and you notice how Marcus begins to tremble as he looks at the man before him.

“It’s okay, Winnie,” you smile assuringly. “We were just on our way out to meet you when Rylie returned with this fine gentleman here.”

The couple stiffens.

“Bad man.” Marcus begins mumbling, taking a wary step backwards. “You’re a bad man.”

“Don’t worry, Marcus.” You begin to usher both Kamille and Trisha out, you following close behind. “We’re finished here, anyways.”

Marcus immediately clings onto Kamille as she walks passed, Trisha taking Winnie from Yeosang’s hold instantly. You don’t even spare another look at the couple as you exit the bakery, both Yeosang and Yunho observing you carefully.

Only, you don’t manage to get very far outside of the shop.

“Don’t you walk away from me, you bitch.” The man grabs your arm, quite harshly at that.

Two low growls get muffled by the bustling sounds of the festival around you.

“Sir, I recommend you release my arm before you come to regret it.” You state calmly, angling your body away from him as a crowd begins to form around you.

“The only thing I’ll come to regret is not putting your smartass in your place.” He spits, tightening his hold over your arm.

You sigh, shaking your head as you slide you bag off of your opposite arm. “Trish, be a dear and hold my bag.”

Wordlessly, she grabs it from you.

You turn your full attention back to the man in front of you.

“This is your last warning,” you meet his gaze with a dark look of your own and you notice how he falters slightly. “Release me before you lose this hand of yours.”

“Like you could ever harm me.”  He guffaws, purposely raising his voice for the now growing crowd.

At the side, both Yunho and Yeosang stand, tense. They can barely keep their eyes from flashing, both males beginning to tremble in rage the longer they observe this scene going on before them.

Faintly, you begin to hear whispers around you, all in defence and worry of you and how often this man seems to pick fights with absolutely anybody.

“I don’t think you’ll enjoy it very much when I knock you flat on your ass.” You comment.

He scoffs, “I’d like to see you try!”

The moment those words are out of his mouth you have him pinned on the ground, a light cloud of dust floating in the air. Your knee digs harshly into the man’s back, his arm twisted unnaturally behind him as you shove his face into the dirt.

Rylie’s hands come up to cover her mouth in shock, a silence settling around the crowd.

“I warned you.” You hum, almost condescendingly at the male beneath you.

A scowl is all you receive in response.

“Normally, I would have broken your hand for touching me, but I think the fact that you’re being kicked out of this village is punishment enough.” You spit quite harshly. “After all, you’ll need all the strength you can get in order to vacate the premises as quickly as possible.”

A moment of silence before a small cheer is erupting from the crowd, murmurs of glee reaching your ears. Many even go so far as to exclaim that this couple’s reign of terror is over.

“You bitch!” Rylie shrieks, running over to attempt to tackle you off of her husband.

Easily, you dodge her, watching as she trips over her husband’s legs and lands in the dirt beside him. Not even a second later, you stand, dusting off your knees all the while.

“Be grateful this is all that you’ve received from me.” You crack your neck, grabbing your bag back from Trisha in one fluid motion. “Now, I don’t want to hear you’ve bothered anyone else ever again, and you better hope I never see your faces around here again. You won’t like what becomes of it, then.”

Slowly, the man pushes himself to his feet, Rylie helping him stand all the while.

“Get back here, cunt!” He bellows, closing the distance between the both of you in a few great bounds and swinging for the back of your head with his fist.

A sickening crunch sounds around the area, followed by a pained filled cry and a high pitched shriek of horror.

Turning reveals Yeosang crushing the man’s fist in his grip, his eyes the darkest you’ve ever seen them before turning their natural gold. A snarl paints his lips as the man desperately attempts to break free from Yeosang’s grip, blood beginning to drip slowly into the dirt at the male’s feet.

“If you ever lay a hand on My Fated again,” Yeosang growls, voice ringing out loud and clear through the deadly silence that now surrounds the area. His eyes flash. “I’ll kill you.”

[etherealfishyfeelings]

Synastry Notes: Sun/Moon

Disclaimer: these are just my personal experience with sun moon aspects in synastry. This is also essentially a rant.

Another Disclaimer: the conditions present in the natal chart such as signs, aspects and house placements can radically alter how one person experiences synastry aspects from another. As well as how developed someone is. I have moon conjunct mars and squared to chiron and widely squared to pluto personally. And it's in the 12th house. Please keep that in mind, I really don't like things poking at my moon. Also I am very sorry that this was so long. I did not think that I really had this much to say.

The Conjunction: I have a love/hate relationship with this one. I thoroughly enjoy being the Sun person in Sun/Moon aspects in general. But with the conjunction as the Sun person I really tend to feel strong sense of protective care over the Moon person. I tend to take their emotions very seriously, it may not show up that way though since its in Aquarius but internally I feel a very strong pull to ensure their comfort and support their emotional needs. However, as the Moon person, i don't really tend to like it. All that attention on my Moon in the 12th? Ew. I feel really exposed and I often feel like the Sun person just seems to have no comprehension that they are trodding all over sacred ground. It isn't all bad though, I often feel like the Sun seems very accepting of who I am(no matter how weird or wacky) even if they do kinda feel like a bull in a china shop. I find that they usually do mean well, and they tend to be very good listeners, I feel very heard when talking to them about my feelings and thoughts.

The Opposition: Also a love/hate relationship I love being the Sun person but I genuinely loathe being the Moon person here. As the Sun person it feels very similar to the conjunction, I take the Moon persons feelings very seriously and go through great lengths to give them comfort and keep them entertained. Lots of gift giving?? Now that I think about it. Like LOTS OF GIFTS now that I'm really thinking about it. However there were times where I really felt like I was missing the mark and I didn't really get the Moon persons reactions to things. On the other hand as the Moon person, just no. I felt like the Sun person constantly rained on my parade, and they often required me to explain myself, like a lot(Virgo vs Pisces at its finest). I felt very judged and boxed in. Very uncomfortable for me, and for them from what I could see.

The Square: This one really depends. As the Sun person(in Aquarius) here I really tend to struggle with Scorpio and Taurus moons. They tend to find me fickle and I really, I mean really struggle to understand their emotional needs and even the ones I do sort of understand are so foreign to me that I am left baffled anyway(like I get it, but I don't get it. Like I get why doing XYZ is nice for you but I would never do that for 6 hours day, especially if I was ???sad???) and any attempts I make to have fun or do anything really are usually seen as threats to their person security. This aspect is REALLY loud for me. Especially because I have Saturn in Taurus. It's almost like I am uncomfortable with how uncomfortable I seem to make the Moon person just by being me. And if you live with them it's basically arguments galore. And getting a lot of the silent treatment. When I'm the Moon person it's sort of better, mostly because it's between mutable signs. Gemini and Sagittarius are light enough in their demeanor that I can ignore most of the friction but this also means that their Sun Squares my Mars and its very evident here, esp with the Sag suns. Like waaay more evident here than in the opposition for some reason. Like there is a general sense of interest in just meandering through the world together, like it's quite explorative in the physical world and in thought but most of the Sagittarius Suns that I've interacted with said they thought I was a bit of a bully(and I quote, "Do you even care about anything? Why do you always have to be so rude? And loud?") and too aggressive for their liking(I did ask why every time, I never really got a clear explanation so I cannot confirm the exact reason. My interaction with Sag Suns generally tend to be goofy and nice if it's kept short but long term its just goofy and confusing). And the Gemini Suns were great, had a lot of fun with them but ultimately it just fizzled out after many of the big clashes between us became evident. Overall as the Moon person the aspect wasn't too loud. But I prefer these two signs as moons signs.

The Trine/Sextile: actually pretty neat? Like both ways, especially with the trine. Takes me a while to notice the serenity of them but when I finally do take notice, I am hooked. Being the Sun is similar to being the Sun in the conjunction, just far less intense and more playful. And this is the only Sun/Moon aspect where I thoroughly enjoy being the Moon person. I love how light and almost airy it is, even when I'm dealing with a Scorpio Sun. Which seems crazy but it really works fine.

[a-person-whos-alive]

Why TotK fails Zelda

Heads up, this is a long post. Ive cut this down like a motherfucker but it still reads very long. My thoughts are divided into four main categories;

1. Her relationship with her magic & tech

2. Her relationship with Hyrule

3. Her relationship with Link

4. Her relationship with the player

Also, these are my opinions, I'm certain there are people with far better analysis skills than me! I am just in love with this franchise and a little disappointed with the recent game. Zelda as a character holds a special place in my heart and its sad that her character was done dirty like this.

Theres a TLDR at the end and before I forget, SPOILERS!!!

1. Her relationship with her magic & tech

Zelda is not someone who magic came easily to, and I think BotW & AoC did a great job exploring that. They contrasted her natural interest with the sheikah technology and her lack of power and it was 😘👌

How did TotK do? With the Zonai tech being the main selling point, how would Zelda, a scholar at heart, interact with it? To my memory, the only interaction she has is to put Mineru's soul into a piece of Sheikah tech and hand it to a construct.

Well what about magic? Finding out she has light AND time powers was at first a great throwback to OoT with the Sage of Time. The fact that her Time magic awakened immediately unlike the Light magic in the last game was a nice contrast. But then, she immediately has a similar dilemma, she can't USE her magic to propel herself forward because she doesnt know how. Unlike BotW though, she has the "mother" she was lacking to teach her. This was a decent set-up. It was different enough to be its own thing but still was familiar enough. This is up to memory 4 - Mineru's Council

The issue the NEXT MEMORY, memory 5 - Gerudo Assualt shows her being even more proficient than Sonia. We don't see her train, or struggle, or even ask a question about how the stone works. She just does. It's not until memory 8 do we see her get any guidance about her powers? And even then we don't see her attempt recall at all. In the next memory she simply uses it perfectly and effortlessly.

The purpose of her strengthening Time Magic was to get back home. Yet, she gets back home by swallowing a sacred stone, that she already had the ability to do at any point. She turns into the LIGHT dragon, using her LIGHT magic to strengthen the Master Sword. Her whole arc about her magic was pointless because in the end she used the powers from the previous game for everything important.

2. Her relationship with Hyrule

Positives first! Its clear that Zelda loves her people, and during the 7? year gap she obviously took the time to connect with them and problem solve. Penn's quest really demonstrates this, and so does the Hateno school quest. (Even if the children don't believe in the Calamity). I found it very endearing that the people had such faith in her, that even with Ganondorf causing havoc with her face, people refused to believe it. The Great Fairies MUST have seen wrong because it was dark, Dorephan MUST have been mistaken, the Stable Trotters MUST have seen someone else - Zelda wouldn't do that.

I additionally liked that Zelda wasn't immediately trying to set up a monarchy again. In fact, she seemed to be doing the opposite. She wasn't living in Central Hyrule, at Looking Landing, she was living in Hateno. She was a teacher, and on some level a researcher (even if the Don Dons were scrapped ideas from the first trailer).

But the second she goes to the past, she is put back in her box. Her interests in tech are non-existant, she does not interact with anyone who isn't royalty, the King doesn't listen to her about Ganondorf and tells her to not to worry - after all she's just supposed to wear that white dress and hope her magic works soon. She's regressed back to before the Calamity, waiting for something terrible she knows is coming and is powerless to stop.

Crucially, she doesn't speak to Ganondorf once.

This is by far the most egregious waste of their characters in my opinion, and I've just deleted a 3 paragraph Ganondorf discussion - another time. But come on! This is legitimately the PERFECT scenario for Zelda to find about about WHY people opposed her royal family, WHY everyone she's ever loved died in Calamity caused by this guy, WHY she's had to go through all this. But no, if they did talk, it wasn't on screen.

Ive seen in translations of parts of one of the interviews with a developer saying she was able to see what a ruler should be like by going to the past, but until a see an official source I'm going to hope that's not true

3. Her relationship with Link

"Link is still entrusted with the role of protecting Princess Zelda." - Hidemaro Fujibayashi https://www.npr.org/2023/09/13/1199307678/zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-dlc-video-game. Maybe I'll write a post about Link sometime, but I'm focusing on just him and Zelda.

Whether you ship the two or not, the pair would obviously have a unique bond from both fighting the Calamity and losing the Champions/everyone. So, how did the pair cope with the destruction of everything the love? How did Zelda come to terms with the ruins of Castle Town, the harsh reality of all those who were dead? Zelda doesn't have Link's amnesia to temporarily soften the inital blow.

TotK explores none of this.

Similarly, there is a level of formality on how Zelda speaks of Link. When she tells Rauru of Link she starts, "He is a royal knight. He had been originally appointed for my protection, but later he became a hero by saving both me and Hyrule from a great evil". Not "he and I became close" or even "he became my friend". Zelda is talking to the two people closest to her right now,

All their interactions are the bare minimum.

Link has ALWAYS been a self insert for the player, but he's still a character, and more recently Nintendo has been acting like having emotions means a player can't project onto them. Zelda is Link's closest person, and when she returns he is piece of cardboard, at least help her up!

4. Her relationship with the player

First, as everyone who played BotW will know, many things were removed or changed in TotK to allow it to be standalone for new players. Sheikah tech was removed, important characters forgot Link, the majority of the last game was rarely if ever mentioned. Kass

However TotK does not properly establish Link and Zelda for new fans AND doesnt not elaborate for old fans. They interact twice until the end - the intro and memory 1. All of her characterisation is in that little history moment, the rest of it is 50% sacred power lore and 50% time power lore. Additionlly, anyone who is new to the game has no context for her light powers.

Actually, TotK literally retcons her light magic to be from Rauru and not Hylia. Which was the WHOLE POINT of BotW so great sequelling there guys.

TLDR: The Conclusion

Wow, you made it this far. Or you skipped to end, I would too. My main gripes with Zelda:

> She doesn't interact with Zonai Tech.

> Her arc is about learning time power to go home, only for her to not use said magic and instead use the light magic from the last game to fix the sword and be a light dragon.

> Having her worries about Ganondorf shot down by the King and not holding her ground/ insisting (did you learn nothing from Rhoam??)

> never interacting with Ganondorf him being in Hyrule as a diplomat

> nintendos approach to her and link, they dont once touch while both conscious. Not even a handshake or pat on the shoulder. See images above with prev. Zelda and Link.

> the instance on making it not complicated for accessibility to new players, but also not fleshing it out enough to be compelling on its own.

[robo-writing]

Y’know what I think I’m gonna elaborate on body worship with soap, because me personally? I need to give that man a long, long session all about him. I think he should be pampered like a princess ❤️

It was your idea to pamper Johnny, a sentiment he tried to fight against until he stepped foot into the water and almost immediately felt himself relax.

Your thumbs press into his upper arms, rubbing into the slickened skin as he complains once more, wishes it was your hand on his dick rather than his arms. No matter how much Johnny whines about his cock being untouched, you refuse to budge.

“Shut up,” you mutter, a smile tugging at the corner of your lips. Johnny does the opposite, never one to keep his thoughts to himself.

“Make me then.”

His tongue peeks out between his teeth, licking at his lips hungrily. His neck cranes back, an open invitation. “Know yer interested, go ahead and sit that perfect pussy on my face and shut me up.”

Pure sin laces each syllable, your fingers stopping for a moment before starting to move again. It’s enough for Johnny to grin in delight. He knows his effect on you, delights in your wandering eyes—knows that he can wear down your shaky conviction with a few well-placed words.

“Just think about it bonnie,” he groans, hips grinding against nothing. “Been gone so long I’ve forgotten what she looks like—what she tastes like.”

His eyes are trained between your thighs. “Don’t leave a poor man starving aye?”

He makes it really fucking hard to say no, especially when you can see how hard he is through the loose boxers. As much as you want to take him up on his offer though, you ignore his attempts at seduction because this isn’t about that.

It could be, you think to yourself, but it’s more than just pleasure. If you wanted you could peel off his strained boxers, sit on his face while he fucks your throat like a toy, but that would diminish the entire point of having Johnny this relaxed, this pliable. You want to show your appreciation, want to treat your boyfriend to a night of fun that doesn’t end up with you on your back, even if he’s desperate to ruin your plans.

“Quit being a fucking brat and let me take care of you,” you laugh, splashing him with some water.

“Y’would be takin’ care of me plenty,” he sighs. “Being between your legs is like being at the pearly gates.”

A deep inhale, you ignore how his words make your body warm. Your fingers continue their massage, letting them map out the curves of his body, every dip and divot explored by your gentle hands. He squirms a bit whenever you trace a scar, the faintest blush painting his cheeks. You can only imagine the stories they’d tell if they could speak.

“I ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

The words leave your lips abruptly, still mesmerized by the faded lines of his chest. You feel the rumble of his voice beneath your fingers.

“Could stand to tell me more,” he muses, but there’s a vulnerability in his tone, one that you often don’t see.

His walls are crumbling, and you take it as a sign to continue. It’s now that your fingers reach up and hold the sides of his head, thumbs caressing the apples of his cheeks. You can tell your words have an effect on him, his eyes lidded with both lust and adoration—a look you’re certain is mirrored on your own face.

“I love you Johnny.”

A beat, his breath comes out shaky. “Love you too, bon.”

[a-very-tired-jew]

"It's not my job to educate you."

How often have you seen this statement?

I've personally lost count, and I'm a scientist that has been active since the anti-GMO, anti-Ag, and anti-Vaxx discourses of the 00s.

I've seen it for years used as a way to completely halt discussions when the speaker is backed into a corner and cannot support their position. I've seen it used as a defense when they try and put forth extremely biased and/or outright incorrect resources and are called out for it. I've seen it used when a person wants to make their opinion and outrageous claims known without defending them whatsoever.

And here's the thing, you're right. It's not your job to educate others.

But you've also entered into a conversation, discussion, or debate where people are backing their opinions with arguments, experiences, and citations. When you use this statement you essentially say you want to enter this conversation with no confrontation to your own personal beliefs, thoughts, and ideals.

That's childish. That's the kid on the playground saying "nuh uh, you didn't get me cause I'm actually on base right now. Yeah, I know it's a stick on the ground, but I said it's base so it's base."

Personally? I hate this statement. In my own circles I've seen it used by the most uneducated ignorant people to justify conspiracies or beliefs that actively harm them and/or others. I've seen my friends with no formal scientific education or experience who fell down the anti-science rabbit hole use it as a way to deflect from their ignorance.

In Leftist spaces I've seen it used to bring discussions to a stop and dismiss another person. "It's not my job to educate you!" while the very same person was just trying to educate the other on the topic being discussed. This is often accompanied with the "Do your own research", which inevitably leads to the person not coming to the same conclusions as the person who uttered the aforementioned phrases. Said person then becomes upset when the other doesn't come to the same conclusions, but again..."it's not my job to educate you (I'm just mad you're not educated in the way I want)".

In a professional setting I have seen it used to justify outright ignorance, conspiracy, and vitriol by people who have no understanding of the subject matter at hand.

People often say they love discussion and debate, but in reality they just like making their opinion known with no opposition.

And this leads me to the point of this wall of text...it's a very culturally goyische thing to do.

The conversations on Cultural Christianity made me think about this and it sort of hit me. We, Jews, are a "contentious" people. We question, argue, and debate to the point where it's a stereotype in media (an accurate one, but a stereotype nonetheless). But what this stereotype leaves out is that discussion and debate is often accompanied by education. We, typically, revel in this type of discourse and love to argue and learn from the argument. Even if none of us come away with a new position.

The joke "2 Jews, 3 opinions" actually highlights how we come to a greater understanding through our "contentiousness". Our discussions are often meant to educate one another and explore trains of thought we didn't previously have. At no point in the Talmud do you ever see someone state "It's not my job to educate you" and only after every avenue of argument has been exhausted do they devolve into sniping at one another about dick size. If you've seen any posts since 10/7 by Jews on here you will often see an active discussion with an attempt to educate if and when people interact.

However, there is the caveat that some people end up sealioning. In these situations it is completely fine to shut down the entire thing as they're simply wanting you to waste your energy until they have a "gotcha" moment. Eventually you will say something that does not necessarily agree with a previous statement and they will pounce on that. In such a situation you just need to leave the conversation entirely. Sealions are bad faith actors and not actually interested in anything outside of their own opinions.

Healthy discussion and debate, which is encouraged in Judaism, does not look like sealioning. It does not look like getting answers you don't like so you keep asking the same thing in a different way until you get what you want. It's like someone arguing with the DM repeatedly to get a spell to do something outside of its defined application and way outside of its possible application even when the DM says no.

Now, you might be saying "but in my non-Jewish household we encourage this kind of thinking!" and that's good. But we are talking about cultural generalities and trends here. If you live in the Midwest or Southern USA you will have encountered a multitude of Culturally Christian people who have their own personal history about how discussion, debate, and education is shut down (sometimes in a violent manner). If you've existed anywhere a hot button topic becomes discussed there is a strong chance you have experienced this statement, either online or in person, and witnessed the complete halt and shift in dialogue it causes. This is by no fault your own or the other persons, but there is a distinct cultural difference in general.

If you're someone who is offended by this, I want you to sincerely ask. Is questioning, discussion, and debate earnestly encouraged in your culture? Is it encouraged towards authority figures? Does it make certain topics taboo? What happens when children question authority figures?

[bellestarot]

Jake's (ENHYPEN) & Yuqi's ((G)I-DLE) Relationship

December 01, 2024

Right Now

Both of them are living their lives. They're experiencing moments filled with joy and fun. I can see he’s having plenty of opportunities to meet new people and enjoy himself, and she’s also getting a great chance to explore other sides of her personality and share them with the world.

But what caught my attention here is how it feels as though they’re currently in a relationship—a serious one, even thinking about living together. They seem to have opposite personalities, but at the same time, there’s something about them that attracts one to the other.

Jake feelings towards Yuqi

He seems deeply in love with her, and it feels mutual. It’s not like he’s the only one feeling this way—she shows she feels the same about him. He admires her passion for her career and work as an artist, finding it beautiful. He sees her as the right person for him, and their connection started as friends before it grew into something more.

However, he feels like she tends to keep things that hurt her to herself and struggles to open up to him in that way. He’s already planning something even more serious than just dating. At the same time, he notices she’s exhausted from her work.

Yuqi feelings towards Jake

For her, it’s more complicated than it seems. She’s trying not to get too attached to him right now and is focusing on taking time for herself. There’s also someone from her past attempting to come back into her life, but she doesn’t seem interested in that.

She notices how much effort he’s putting in to show his love for her, but sometimes, she can be a bit detached about it. She might even have an idealized view of relationships. What’s interesting is that she feels such a strong connection with him that she sees them mirroring each other—both their positives and negatives.

She’s torn between continuing to nurture this relationship or seeking something new. However, she knows she needs to leave her past behind because she doesn’t want to return to the person she used to be. She’s trying to be responsible in how she deals with him.

Near future to them

I see them trying to make this relationship work. I don’t see them breaking up; instead, I see them moving forward. He’s much more relaxed about the idea of people—fans—seeing them together. On the other hand, she has a colder perspective on that. She doesn’t want their relationship to be made public.

She’s very protective of her heart and is slowly opening up to him. But still, there’s someone from her past who might try to reach out again, though I don’t see her going back to that person. Instead, I see her and him focusing on their relationship.

She seems to be the one most determined to try for a real relationship because she feels a strong magnetism between them.

[vi-is-badass]

This is going to be my scattered thoughts on Arcane season 2. Still reeling from the finale and some of these thoughts and opinions will change with time and re-watches. My thoughts have already changed a lot over the course of the last few days, so I might revisit this in the next couple of weeks, but for right now this is how I feel.

If you disagree with me that's fine. Everyone is going to have a different experience from you and connect with different things. That's why I love media and talking about it with other people.

Act 1 has really grown on me over time. Initially, I was a bit critical of the pacing and Vi's writing but with time, a re-watch, and talking with other people about it I have a significantly more positive view of it to the point I genuinely love the first act. Vi's writing especially works better for me when combined with what they do with her in the second act.

I love episode 3. It's a strong conclusion to act 1 and did pretty much everything I wanted to see in a follow-up to season 1. The Ashes and Blood sequence that cuts between Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger finding the anomaly and the fight between Jinx and Vi was so well done that it is one of my favorite sequences to rewatch. It’s especially incredible from an editing perspective. The way the fight ends is also great with each characters reaction to Isha’s involvement being incredibly powerful on a personal and thematic level.

Act 2 is easily the strongest act for me because it takes the time to slow down and really focus on Vi and Jinx. They are what I consider the narrative heart of Arcane and it's their relationship that made me fall in love with the series in the first place. I think this act is phenomenal for both of them, doing so much heavy lifting to explore their characters and trauma in a quiet and subtle way. It really takes a look at who they were before they lost their parents-- the core of their characters-- and how it informs who they are now. How trauma and hardship shaped the two of them and who they want to be vs who they were forced to become.

To me, the " Remember Me" montage is the most beautiful music sequence of the season. This montage does so much in so little time. I will write something to expand on how I viewed the scene, but for right now, I'm just going to say it never fails to work for me emotionally.

Episode 5 is my personal favorite of the season. I love the way it explores the relationship between Vi and Jinx. They get to be siblings, fight like siblings, and finally start to reconnect after years apart without any influences pulling them in opposite directions. It's also another exploration of their longing over what could have been (What if vander and silco succeeded in creating zaun, what If silco found Vander's letter, what if they were allowed to talk in season 1, what if things with their second family didn't fall apart). It's a strong episode that is centered around what I love most about Arcane.

The moment when Vi trusts Jinx and puts down her fists, calling out to Vander despite her uncertainty, and Jinx's desperate attempts to see what happened in the aftermath really shows just how much they love each other and their individual growth.

The family hug where Vi looks at Jinx and tells her "What are you waiting for? He's your dad too." and she breaks down crying, lunging into the hug, is also one of the most potent emotional moments for me. (This family makes me emotional if these thoughts don't make that clear)

Act 3 still has me a little split, but I'm going to talk about the things I loved first because there are a lot of things I loved! I was overall mostly positive on it, but I have a few nagging issues.

Episode 7 is phenomenal. This is a close second for my favorite episode of the season. It's such a beautiful exploration of "What could have been". The way it shows that Ekko, the character the most adamant in the first season that Jinx is a lost cause and that they have to look forward, is also bogged down by a wish that things could be different especially when it comes to his relationship with Jinx/Powder, hits like a truck. His decision to return to his own reality and change what he can in the present, reconnecting with Jinx and helping save Piltover and Zaun, makes his arc one of the most effective and impactful ones in the season. It

Episode 7 also gives Jinx and Ekko's relationship the most beautiful and satisfying exploration of any of the relationships in the season for me. Ekko gets to see what Jinx could have been, that she was a creation of her surroundings rather than through pure choice like he convinced himself in season 1, and that the girl he cared about and loved/loves is in there and worth reaching out to. This alternate universe allows him to let go of his anger and pain over how things played out and mend that relationship that was broken in his universe.

Side note for the spiel above: The fact that the episode has Jinx and Ekko talk about Vi in such an emotional and empathetic way only for people to use this episode as a bludgeoning tool against Vi, saying her death made everyone happier and she made Jinx, is incredibly ironic and deeply frustrating to me. (It took me a minute but I realized my issues with this episode stemmed from the bad takes I've seen online rather than anything in the episode itself, but I'm glad I took that step back)

The dance scene with "Ma Meilleure Ennemie" playing over it was gorgeous.

The way that Jayce and Viktor's arc ends worked incredibly for me. I was initially worried because they had no screen time together in act 2 outside of Jayce killing Viktor, but the way they had their conflict play out in act 3 subverted my expectations and was very satisfying to me.

I actually like how Jinx's arc played out in the season. It was a beautiful arc that I felt was fully explored for the most part. I'll also probably expand on my thoughts on Jinx's arc once I finally recover from my most recent rewatch of Arcane and can pull my thoughts together to make something more coherent.

This isn't an act 3 specific thing, but I absolutely love how much praise Mel has been getting as a character since season 2 started up. I thought she was one of the strongest characters in the first season with a fantastic arc and I was so glad she lived to continue her growth in season 2. (She was awesome in this act though so it is a bit act 3 specific haha)

This one is hyper-specific but the shot of Vander looking at little Vi and Jinx with so much love while the words “if there was nothing to fight or protect maybe then I could finally be free maybe death is like falling asleep” play over the scene in the finale makes me want to bawl every time I see it and/or think about it more than any other moment in the series. That hit me so hard and it really shows just how much this series and its writing made me love these characters.

Now for the negatives. I didn't like how much they sidelined Vi for the final act. I loved what they did with her in act 2 and I have grown to love what they did with her in act 1, but I really don’t think they did what they needed to for her character in act 3. I do think the end point for her character is where she needed to end up and that it was where she was heading since season 1. I like the moments on their own, but she’s not in the act enough and her perspective is explored so little that it doesn’t work for me as a whole. We go from her breaking down after losing what’s left of her family (from her perspective) to a happy ending with Cait so quickly that it feels like whiplash. The show didn’t give us enough screen time with her in the third act for me to buy into Vi's ability to move forward from the weight of her guilt and feelings of responsibility. It’s frustrating because it’s that very part of her character, the guilt and responsibility that comes with being parentified at a young age that stays with you into adulthood, that really resonated with me and seeing the transition and healing from that being skirted over disappointed me personally. Still love the show and Vi is still my favorite character but the way the show handled her in the final arc was disappointing.

I will probably get crucified for this take but I was also a bit disappointed with how the show chose to brush over a lot of the things between Caitlyn and Vi in act 3. Act 1 introduced so many issues between the two of them that still needed to be addressed in act 3 (Caitlyn’s actions towards Vi in episode 3 and her prejudice towards Zaunites in particular) that their big moment didn’t feel as satisfying as I wished it did. I genuinely did want them to get together, I like that they got a happy ending, and I actually do like the scene where they get together because so much of it evokes the empathy and understanding I liked about the relationship in season 1, but I was disappointed they decided to sweep so much under the rug between them. I might have a different experience as time passes and I genuinely hope I do, but that's just how I feel right now.

I also wasn't a fan of how Vi and Jinx were sidelined during the final fight. I already talked about Vi, but outside of Jinx's big damn heroes moment she was really sidelined as well. We didn't get to see her and Ekko rally the undercity and her fight with Vi against Warwick, while emotionally impactful, lacked any tangible impact on the course of the final battle. Considering how much emphasis acts 1 and 2 put on Jinx stepping into a leadership role and being a symbol for the people of Zaun I think the decision not to show her do exactly that was a misstep and something missing from her arc. I think the fight with Warwick should have had some sort of importance in winning the fight against Ambessa and the Machine Herald.

Overall these aren't things that make me hate the show or the finale, but they're persistent issues for me that make the third act my least favorite of the season as a whole right now. I can understand why people would think differently. This was just my experience. I don’t want to be a blog that spreads negativity and I hope others enjoyed the show and found something to connect to. I love this show and it was a big part of the last 3 years of my life. I will always love this show.

[ellawrites-if]

SHARED DESIRES

This short (spicy-ish in a very vague, very gender-neutral (i hope) way) story was inspired by Newmann fanart I saw of Hermann and Newt sharing a dream of them kissing. The artist is @/dad-dumpster.

As always this is unedited and vaguely proofread, so any mistakes are my own. I’m pretty sure the tense changes like 8x but whatever.

Your lips crash against theirs, knocking the breath from their lungs.

That’s not unusual, although it’s usually because of your mere presence rather than your lips.

They kiss you back with a fierce hunger, with a need to wreck you, to consume you, to make you crave them as much as they crave you.

Your hands slide up their stomach and push, and they’re powerless to do anything but fall.

They hit their bed and you’re on them. Your teeth nipping at the skin of their neck and soothing the sting with your tongue. All they can do is pant and tip their head back for you. Their hands latch onto your hips and dig in. They’ll probably leave bruises, and that thought thrills them even more.

Your lips have reached their jaw, but it’s too much and not enough all at once, and they delight in your surprised yelp as they flip you onto your back.

They immediately latch onto your neck, paying you back with a love bite that you’ll struggle to cover up.

Your hands fumble with their trousers, pushing them down just enough to gain access to what you want. Your fingers explore and they moan, their voice echoing across the space.

You laugh, triumphantly, even as your pupils swallow the colour of your pretty eyes. It drives them crazy to see how affected you are by them.

They decide to return the favour, pulling your hands away from them, so they can tug your own trousers down and lay between your thighs. The only thought in their head is that they’d die here quite happily.

Their mouth descends onto you, and your hips jerk as your snarky words are cut off by a choked out moan. A bit of information to file away for later.

They want to make you feel good. Want to taste your desire on their tongue. Want to be the one you pleasure yourself to thoughts of. Want to be the only one you turn to when the need gets too much.

They’ll ingrain themselves on your soul if they have to.

You scream, your thighs tightening around their head and your hands yanking at their hair.

They’re in heaven.

It’s the only explanation.

-

Ciaran jolts awake, their heart thundering in their chest and their breathes coming out in harsh pants.

They wipe the sweat from their brow.

A dream.

The only explanation that actually makes sense.

They take a few gulps of their water from the glass they had left on night stand, and attempt to do what they always do when it comes to you.

They shove their feelings down into an abyss and pray that they never come crawling out.

Once they calm down enough to get back to sleep, they place their water back on their night stand, and flop onto their mattress. They hit their pillow a few times and force their eyes to close.

Ciaran is a master of burying their head in the sand by now. This is no different.

At least, it isn’t until the next morning when they spot you and you can’t look them in the eyes.

Ciaran raises an eyebrow at your behaviour as they sit opposite you.

“What’s up with you?” They ask, curious. “You dream about me or something?”

They don’t know why they asked you that, but your reaction makes them freeze up.

Did they send you their dream through the connection between your minds? Did you send them yours?

Or…did you share the dream? Your subconscious coming together with theirs in a mess of both of your desires.

They shake the thought away.

Breakfast, surrounded by some of the sharpest minds in the world, was not the place to be thinking about such things.

“Idiot, just eat your breakfast and stop being weird.”

That snaps you out of it.

Good.

Your nonsense should hopefully be able to stop them from launching over the table and kissing you senseless in front of everyone.

[1moreff-creator]

I really liked all of your theories and analysis! It was a crazy one year (and 5 months). I wanted to ask what you think about Nico and how their story is gonna develop moving forward, now that Ace is about to pass away.

Glad to hear you liked my silly little posts! It really has been a pretty crazy year and months. As for the question itself, of how Nico will develop...

Spoilers up to CH2 EP15 (though there's spoilers in the question itself lol). CW: Murder

I have no idea.

Really; like their LGI numeral, "even if I try to think, IDK!!!." There's a lot to address with them, but I don't exactly know what arc they'll follow. It feels like for every path I feel their character could take, I can also imagine it taking the exact opposite at the same time.

Their relationship with Hu and Rose are certainly the most notable aspects to consider atm. I really don't have much of an idea of how everything with Hu is gonna go, especially since Hu doesn't seem to have moved on from defending Nico just yet (see: "you keep accusing Nico!" (paraphrased) from EP15), but I can't imagine it'll go well. Nico already seems to be getting annoyed at Hu, but given how most people around them might distance themselves from the attempted murderer, I could see a world where they try to put up with her as a sort of "only one who forgives me" sorta deal? Or not? I currently don't have a good enough read on Nico's character to tell.

Rose is the one where I feel Nico might make some kind of attempt to reconcile. She's very clearly upset, but Nico did apologize to her in EP15 when they still didn't seem all that apologetic to Ace (beyond a small "I'm sorry" voice clip over triple dot dialogue), and it's been established in FTE that Nico legitimately enjoys spending time with Rose. Especially as Rose's mental state continues to deteriorate (I pray she looks away from Ace's execution my girl will not handle it well if she doesn't), I could see a Nicorose resurrection for her to try and remain stable. As long as she doesn't completely break down, it would be an interesting arc to explore.

That is, if Nico doesn't distance themselves from Rose to avoid conflict, which is certainly a Thing that Could Happen.

They're not the only ones. Veronika could end up getting involved, given she now has some kind of relation to Hu via the secret pact, and she's probably curious about Nico's mindset? There is that one comic dev drew of the two of them for Christmas, I could see the dynamic being explored further. Additionally, Levi could offer some interesting foiling of some kind, given Nico and him are now both confirmed murderer/attempted murderers.

But standalone... I genuinely don't know, I feel it depends too much on what other characters do and what circumstances befall them. I have zero clue where Nico's going to go, and that's exciting! Hope this answer isn't too underwhelming, thanks for the ask anyways!