#though she kind of strikes me as someone who would just be happy as long as marcille and laios are with her

[caracoloco]

i kinda wanna see someone write falin's inner thoughts.. bc we never really get to see that in the story.

and I know that she is a deeply kind person but i kinda want her to be a little fucked up actually...

i mean... does she remember how her only brother strangled her to death?

[pimosworld]

Pairing-Joel Miller x f!reader 

Summary- Joel’s a grump when it’s hot and also when he gets jealous. 

CW- 18+, No outbreak au, established relationship, mostly fluff, grumpy Joel, reader is not described, possessive Joel, family dynamics, illusions to smut, joel is down bad for reader. 

  WC-1.9k

 A/N- I can’t wait for summer so I wrote this little snippet into the life of the Joel I think about often. May do a spicy part two if the mood strikes me. 

[Main Masterlist][Joel Miller Masterlist]

Not beta read

Dog Days

He told you he’d behave. Begrudgingly and with promise that you’d make it up to him. That’s the only thought he clings to as he sits in this lawn chair that’s too small for him. The only seat away from everyone else so he doesn’t have to do the small talk thing. He can still see you though. Sun kissed and smiling at something Maria is saying. 

  He still doesn’t know how you do it, how you make it look so effortless even on the hottest day of the year. His shirt clings to him and he’s sweating in places he wouldn’t speak of out loud and you just stand there all heaven sent like it’s a different temperature in your world. 

  Your world bled into his before he knew what hit him. He started to enjoy sunsets and stopped to smell the flowers, because that’s what you liked to do and he quickly learned that anything that made you happy made him feel like the most fortunate man in the world. He’s fortunate to have you every morning, waking up curled into his side as you steal sleepy kisses along his chest and his arms. He pretends to be asleep for as long as he can until he’s so worked up he has to make you come at least twice before you extract yourselves from the bed. 

  That’s where he wants to be right now as he stares at some prehistoric bug that’s landed in his warm beer, flailing and hoping someone can put him out of his misery much like he hopes after being dragged to this godforsaken barbecue. Despite it being his own brother he would have gladly come up with any excuse not to be here. He loves his family but sometimes he couldn’t stand Tommy. 

  ‘Who has a party on the hottest day of the year?’ You laughed earlier as he grumbled about in the kitchen helping you pack away the things you prepared in the cooler. 

  ‘He can’t control the weather Joel. You know he’s excited about the new house.”You with your rational thought and kind heart. 

  ‘Who’s side are you on Darlin?’ He caged you in against the counter as he ran his hands up your thighs. You shiver under his touch and he knows it wouldn’t take much to convince you to stay home. 

  Your hands meet his as you pull them up higher, bunching your dress a little to reveal those cheeky shorts he couldn’t get enough of. You wrap his hands around your waist as you run yours up his arms and around his neck. His chocolate brown eyes are glazed over as you slowly put him under some trance. Your lips kiss that spot in his beard as your nails scratch at his scalp and he has to brace himself against the counter to keep himself grounded. ‘I’m always on your side Miller.’ 

  “What’s up with you brother?” Tommy slaps his back bringing him back to this fresh hell. A man can’t even day dream in peace. 

  “It’s hot.” He grumbles and goes to take a sip of his beer before he remembers and chucks it out on the grass. 

  Tommy licks his lips as a smirk pulls across his face, no doubt thinking of something to say that will have Joel flying off the handle. His niece is running towards them with the same look on her face to save him from his impending death. Wild black curls bouncing in her face to match her parents. 

  Tommy holds his arms out for his daughter but she crashes her small body into Joel as the weight of her hit causes a small creak in the lawn chair. A muffled hi uncle Joel is said into his shirt as Tommy stands there defeated. “You stayin out of trouble?” 

  She just shrugs her shoulders and offers her hand out to him. An ice cold Diet Coke she’s barely able to get her little hands around. A mystery smudge is on her shirt and her pants have seen better days. Tommy wanted a boy but he was pleasantly surprised when her little personality started to take hold and he quickly realized he had his hands full with this one. Her two front teeth are missing and the smile etched across her face is a mischievous one. “Thanks sweetheart.” Joel takes it from her, it’s still cold despite having traversed the lawn and been subjected to the warmth of her hands. He’ll wait a moment to open it, no doubt jostled as she ran over here. 

  “My mommy said you look hotter than h e double hockey sticks.” 

  “Izzy!” Tommy snaps at her and Joel can’t help the laugh that bubbles up. 

  “What…I spelled it. I didn’t say Hell.” She rolls her neck and he swears he can see Maria in that moment. 

  “Isabella.” Tommy’s voice drops an octave in warning as she backs away slowly with her hands raised. 

  She reminds him so much of Tommy when he was younger. It’s only fair that he gets a taste of his own medicine. When Joel met you the decision had already been made that you didn’t want kids and Sarah was almost in college and Joel didn’t want to start over. It was a relief to find someone that could love his child so fiercely despite it not being their own. Izzy came barreling into their lives shortly after Sarah left and you loved that little bundle of joy like it was the last thing on earth. 

  There’s little hints of you in her sprinkled throughout your time together. Her insistence on correcting people and their grammar, the way she defends others although you told her she should try to use her words more after she punched some kid on the playground for bullying a smaller kid. Joel may have had a hand in that one. 

  Joel cracks the can as Tommy drones on about repairs that need to be done to the house. He already knows what his brothers’ getting at and he doesn’t even need to ask…of course he’s going to help him take on whatever project needs to be done to get the house in order for the new baby. He knew Tommy was nervous before Izzy arrived and this brings on a whole new level of responsibility. They were so grateful they’d found a house down the street from you and Joel with just two months to spare before this new bundle arrived. 

  He takes a sip of the bubbly cold drink, the sweetness is slightly off. You swore he wouldn’t be able to tell but of course he can. His doctor told him to cool it on the sodas and he made the mistake of telling you. You care so much…too much. You called his brother and Maria and now they’re watching him like a hawk so he has to sneak the ones with real sugar like a junky getting his fix. 

  In the brief moments he’d been graced by Tommy’s presence he lost sight of you. His eyes scan the large backyard, the kids playing in some dirt mound, some guys from the job site ribbing each other by the grill. You and Maria are by the cooler with some mystery man while you rub her swollen belly. His eyes roam down your body as you bend over to lay a kiss to it and whisper sweet words to your soon to be niece or nephew. 

  You stand and try to adjust the strap on that dress he loves so much. You’re always complaining about how the straps never stay up and he supposes you keep it just for him. He’ll have to remember to burn it when you get home as he grits his teeth and watches the man get an obvious look down the front of your dress. 

  “Who’s that?” Joel juts his chin toward the end of the yard as Tommy squints his eyes. 

  “Don’t.” 

  “I just asked his goddamn name Tommy.” He huffs at his brother and he just shakes his head. The heat was already getting to him before and now it’s at a fever pitch. 

  “His name is James, we just hired him.” Tommy holds his arms out in a mock satisfaction and Joel’s not in the mood for his theatrics. 

  “We? Hired him.” Joel shifts and he hears the chair creak again. He stands up abruptly not wanting to be flat on his ass because of his brother's crappy lawn furniture. 

  “Yes Joel…remember you put me in charge of staffing the site?” 

  Joel just hums under his breath as he crosses his arms over his chest. He’ll have to remember to start vetting the candidates again if this is the type of people Tommy’s got working for them. 

  The man is crossing the lawn towards them with a presidential smile and Joel’s already pissed. He greets Tommy and offers his hand to Joel as he begins to introduce himself. 

  “James is it?” Joel squeezes the man's hand a little too tight as he winces. Tommy retreats not wanting to be a witness to whatever Joel was going to say or do. At this point he knew there was no stopping him. 

  “Mr. Miller, it’s nice to meet you.” He doubts that and he can tell by the look on his face that he’s already sorely regretting walking over here. 

  “You don’t really have an eye for jewelry do ya?” Joel cocks his head waiting for an answer, an easy trap to set for a simpleton like James. There’s no right answer. Not when he’s got his teeth sunk into him. “See I noticed almost immediately that there’s a ring on your finger.” He gestures to the man’s hand and holds up his own. “You didn’t seem to notice my wife’s hand when you were eye fuckin the shit out of her.” 

  “Hi Honey.” Your sweet voice hits his ears as your hand travels up his arm, working your way behind his neck to rub that spot that seems to always make him deflate. 

  James uses this momentary distraction to run away with his tail tucked. 

  “You behavin?” You purr at him as he drops his head down to let you run your fingers through his hair. 

  “Always sugar.” His words slurred a little as he succumbed to your touch. You’re like a sedative the way you seep into his veins and put him in a trance like state. 

  He can’t see your eyebrows raised at him as you scan the backyard for the offending party. “Come on Miller, let’s get you home and cool you off before someone gets fired.” 

  He starts to speak but you shush him with your finger placed gently on his mouth. A quick glance over your shoulder and you lean up kissing him deep. It almost takes him by surprise how you still have this effect on him. No longer concerned with the heat or the stress at work or his brother’s constant annoyance. You can silence all those thoughts with just a taste of your lips. You break away when you hear the whoops coming from Tommy and Joel grumbles under his breath. 

  The strap on your shoulder slides down and you sigh a little as Joel runs his finger underneath, feeling your smooth skin turn to goosebumps. It’s intoxicating the way he knows he has that same effect on you. He’s smirking to himself as he reaches behind you and adjusts the strap, getting a glimpse down the front and the soft swell of your breast. 

  “Looks like you and James have something in common.” You laugh as he scowls at you, the kind of laugh that has tears at the corner of your eyes. 

  “Don’t push it darlin.” 

Comments and and reblogs are much appreciated

[flippinpancakes64]

How would the Cullens react when they meet a human with their last name who physically resembles them too much? And when they investigate it they realize that it is some kind of granddaughter or niece, And who is your only living relative?

I really love your writings!!!

The Cullens with a Relative! Reader

Thank you so much for the kind words!

This story is obv going to be with a platonic reader so just know that. And don’t come at me for the ages or specifics for family relations. I did not think about it so uhm… just get creative!

Thank you for requesting and I hope you enjoy!

Edward:

His original name was Edward Anthony Masen Jr

Masen is not an incredibly common last name

So when the Cullens show up to a new school and he sees you, reddish hair and defined jawline with his last name, he gets a bit suspicious

He starts combing through every newspaper article and obituary he could

He eventually traces you back to his mother’s cousin

He has no clue what to do with this information

Eventually, he gets closer to you, helping you with school stuff, inviting you over to the Cullen house

After a while, he tells you about how you’re related

Which also means telling you about vampires

You take it all surprisingly well

Your family never knew what happened to Edward

The story had always been that him and his mother had died in the hospital but his body had gotten lost somewhere in the process

You’re also so happy to find another “living” relative

Y’all become best buddies

He’s happy to find out that you also love to play the piano

Family bonding ❤️

Alice:

Her name was originally Mary Alice Brandon

So it’s not like a super uncommon last name

She’s met people with the same last name as her before

But none of them looked so similar to her as you did

The small stature, dark brown hair, and striking similarity to her personality

She had seen a vision of you not too long ago

It was nothing special, just you and Alice going out shopping and hanging out

She didn’t know who you were at the time or what your significance was, but now she’s sure that you have to be related somehow

She talked to you for a bit, pretending to just want to make small talk

Eventually, you got to the part of your family tree where your great-great-great grandma was Alice’s sister, Cynthia

You, again, had heard stories about your great-great-grandma’s sister who went crazy and eventually died

And here she was, right in front of you, definitely not crazy

You two became inseparable

Going shopping together, watching movies, going to every class together, everything

Alice is so happy to finally have a piece of her family

She’s always been so upset that she can’t remember any of her human life

Being around you makes her feel more connected to that part of herself that she can’t remember

Jasper:

His name is definitely one of the most original ones

Jasper Whitlock (no middle name mentioned sorry yall)

He has never, in his almost 200 years of living, ever met someone with the same last name as him

So he’s already a little sus when he hears your name

And then of course the blonde hair and the piercing (scary) eyes, the resemblance is uncanny

He’s more hesitant to talk to you at first

He does all of his research online

He starts with his younger sister, and from there he follows her bloodline and finds you at the very end

He also sees that everyone else in your family is dead

Your parents died not too long ago, and you’re living with some family friends now

He feels really bad, so even though he knows he shouldn’t, he starts to get closer to you

You start to get your own suspicions when you start to notice how similar he is to you, too

The more quiet, reserved personality

The love for Alice

Alice ends up being the one to tell you that you guys are actually related

You’re so happy to have someone from your family again, even if he is your great-great-great-great-great granduncle

Your favorite thing to do with Jasper is just to sort of coexist

He sits on the couch reading a book and you sit on the other side crocheting while a movie plays

Rosalie:

Her name was originally Rosalie Lillian Hale

She’s one of the few who kept her last name while pretending to be human

She might have met a couple of people with the same last name as her

But to be honest she does not pay attention to the humans at the school

She’s not too fond of them anyway so why would she care

But one day she passively noticed the sub teacher call your name during attendance

And then she really looked at you

Blonde hair, strikingly good looks, beauty mark, and a constantly annoyed look on your face

Instantly, you reminded her of one of her little brothers, and when she got home that night she did some digging

She hadn’t thought about her family in so long, it was very bittersweet for her to look back through all of the obituaries, marriage licenses, birth certificates, everything

Everything she was supposed to be a part of

But now you’re here, and she wants to get to know you

Instantly, she takes on the older sister role for you

You two hit it off instantly

Bonding quickly over your hate for stupid people and your love for cars

She asks you so many questions about your family, what everyone was like, how everyone died

She’s so sad that she didn’t keep up to date with any of this stuff

But of course, before the internet it was really difficult to

When she learns that the rest of your family is dead, she begs Carlisle to take you in

She feels such a maternal instinct for you, even if you’re the “same age”

She wants you to be safe

And she wants you near her

You’re family after all, and that’s all she’s ever wanted

Emmett:

His name was Emmett McCarty

Again, not a super common one but not like super uncommon either

He has never noticed if anyone else had the same last name as him

And he didn’t even really notice you either

Rosalie was the one who pointed you out, and that’s when he saw the similarities

Same last name, dimples, dark brown reddish hair, super tall

He just approached you straight up

“Hey. McCarty was my last name before Dr Cullen adopted me and we look pretty similar, who’s your dad?”

Just super blunt about it

He’s curious, so why would he beat around the bush?

Together, you two trace your family tree back to one of Emmett’s younger brothers

And of course, he has to drop the news that he’s a vampire then

You two are attached at the hip after that though

You both love to go outside and run around, he loves to play wrestle with you

You’re like having one of his siblings back

It’s nice for him

Canonically, he watched over his family for a while after he was turned and asked Carlisle to drop some money off for them

So he obviously cared about them a lot

So he’s happy to have a piece of them back

He’s not happy that the rest of your family is dead, though

He is moving you into the Cullen house instantly

You’re his family, family watches out for each other

No way he’s letting you live in a foster home or orphanage

Esme:

Her name was Esme Anne Platt

Another one that’s pretty uncommon

But when she first sees you, he mind doesn’t immediately go to you maybe being related to her

She sees the similarities, the dark brown hair, the nose shape, the face shape

But she doesn’t necessarily connect it

After all, she didn’t have any siblings or any kids, so realistically her blood should have ended with her

But after a while of getting to know you, the similarities just become too much

She ends up looking into her father’s side of the family and finds that he had a brother she had never met

And of course, it traced back to you

Making her your seventh cousin or something

She doesn’t know what to do with this information

Similar to Rosalie, she’s always wanted a family

She was never able to have that, and as far as she knew, the rest of her family died a long time ago

She’s stuck between wanting to be close to you, to tell you the truth, but also not wanting to put you in danger

She remembers all too well the danger that Bella was in just because she was close to the Cullens

The idea of putting her own flesh and blood in danger scares her

I feel like it would have to be extreme circumstances for her to do anything

Maybe the foster family you’re staying with is pretty abusive or you’re about to die or something

Only then would she tell you

Selfishly, she wants to turn you

She loves you so much, you’re like a sibling or niece/nephew to her, she just wants you to be safe

And she can’t imagine living without you anymore

Carlisle:

His name is just Carlisle Cullen

Keeping it simple

Cullen is not a very common last name, but at the same time, he’s been so many places and met so many people

The chances are pretty high that he’s met someone with the same last name as him

But he can instantly tell there’s something different about you

Blonde hair, blue eyes, square jaw, and affinity for helping people

Not to mention that you remind him so much of his aunt on his father’s side

It’s easy for him to do the research into your past

He’s pretty good with that kind of stuff

He does end up tracing you back to that aunt, and he’s so happy

He never had any siblings (that we know of), his mother died during childbirth, and his father would have been more than ready to kill him

So he never got to feel very close to his family

He sees you as an opportunity to do that

He doesn’t tell you outright who he is to you

He prefers to just hang out with you

Showing you around the clinic, taking you into town, giving you life lessons that your father might have not done

I can see him taking on a fatherly role for you

He would be perfectly content with never telling you

The only time he would would be if you were on the verge of death and he turned you

He would be secretly so happy

He has come to love you over the months/years since he’s known you

You are his family, flesh and blood, and he doesn’t want to leave you

Yippee for family

Vampire! Bella:

Isabella Marie Swan

Talk about a weird last name

She’s never met anyone else with it

Admittedly, she hasn’t been around for too long, but still

So she’s shocked when she sees you for the first time, dark brown hair, brown eyes, perpetual look of discomfort

She almost doesn’t believe it

But then she does the mental gymnastics

Charlie’s brother who died forever ago, his kids, you’re probably one of their kids

Making her your second cousin

The smallest age gap here tbh

Nice change of pace

She also doesn’t know what to do now

She’s socially awkward enough as is

She can’t even begin to think of how to approach you with this

“Hey, did you have a grandpa who died before you were born in a motorcycle accident? Cause if so then I’m your cousin!”

Like yeah no she’ll pass

She can’t stay away from you for too long though

You guys are so similar

Similar tastes, dislikes, personalities, senses of humor

She loves hanging out with you

She doesn’t want to tell you about her being a vampire or about her relation to you, but eventually it just comes out

Oops

Oh well

She’s not mad about it

Now she can spend forever with you

[youthofpandas]

Call Her Ishmael (or: a trans reading of one of my favorite Limbus characters)

Hi, I have been thinking about writing something like this since Canto V first released and today I finally felt inspired to actually make this... A compilation of the parts of Ishmael's story that lead me to reading her as trans <3 and why I think that understanding her character though that lens works so well

We begin with a woman stuck in the mundane. No plans for the future, no dreams of a life beyond the one she is currently living in, and that life is one she has long grown tired of. And she decides she would rather quit living that life, even if it would kill her. Everyone told her not to do this, but she wanted (needed) to do something new with her life.

She finds Ahab here, when she is at this low where she is unsure of where to go from here now that she has cast her old life away. She looks at Ahab and sees a woman with goals, determination, serious plans for the future she is willing to commit to. And she wants to be just like that woman. She wants to be a woman who will choose what her destiny is, choose what life she has.

"I hoped to be like her one day. To be someone who will face the destiny of her own choosing. To have something I could give it my all with conviction and without a moment of hesitation."

And when she gets on that boat and starts this new chapter in her life, well. There she meets Queequeg, and is asked for her name...

Queequeg asking her name, something that surprises Ishmael, and complimenting her hair is a defining moment in Ishmael's life and in their relationship. And not only is it the first conversation they have, it is the also last thing Queequeg asks of her. To hear Ishmael's name one more time is something that will bring not only herself comfort, but she knows will stabilize Ishmael as well in this moment. That it will bring her back to when they had first met, to the fond memories of a good friend who had asked for her name. Ishmael's name, her identity, the one she forged on that boat even through great difficulty is what shaped her into being herself... That is how their relationship begins and ends...

There is also a recurring theme of being reborn, of happiness being found in another life that is kinder to them both. Ishmael dreams of a life where they can break out of their cocoons. She wants to bury her past and had no dreams of the future before joining the Pequod, before meeting Queequeg and finding someone she wants a future with. Through Queequeg, through the woman who thinks her hair is the brilliant color of sunset and asked for her name, Ishmael is capable of imagining a destiny of her own choosing just like she had wanted when she met Ahab. (She isn't able to chase after it, not yet, because of Ahab's influence over the Pequod, but she for the first time can at least dream of a future where she is happy)

When tragedy strikes, she is left as, in her mind, the sole survivor of the crew, she has lost Queequeg, lost Ahab, lost her chance at finding happiness and purpose. It's then that she takes Queequeg's rope (the thing that kept her alive! Queequeg throughout their time knowing each other is always there to save her and help her keep on living) and makes it into a headband, attaches cute bows to it, a bit of femininity that is intrinsically attached to the woman who helped save her. She grows out her hair, her beautiful sunset colored hair, and it is so heart warming. For a long time I assumed that her not cutting her hair was done out of mourning, out of an unwillingness to move on from the life she had on that ship, but instead it was because Queequeg had loved her and she had loved her friend in kind.

In conclusion I love Ishmael very much and I like to rotate her around. Everything from her metaphors of being stuck in a cocoon and wanting to break free, her envy of Ahab's ability to find purpose so easily, her relationship with Queequeg that helped inspire her to dream for more to dream of a future where she is happy,, it is all very good and to me reading her as trans strengthens the themes of her story. I've watched the final part of the Canto V dungeon several times over when my friends arrive at that part of the story, and the Call Me Ishmael line always makes me start tearing up.

Ishmael starts as an unhappy office worker with no future and it is a life she cannot continue living, she meets an older woman who has the drive and passion to chase after her goals and wants to be like her when she is older, she has a life defining moment where another woman asks for her name and wants to be good friends with her, that woman will save her in so many ways and she will love that woman so deeply for how she helped influence her life, she sees herself trapped in a cocoon and wants to break free, she dreams of her and that woman will persevere, how they will live out the rest of their days, countless mirror worlds of happiness spent at each other's side. She starts the game proper with her hair grown long, ribbons attached to a rope that helped save her that represents the woman who had saved her before. She ends her chapter finding a new adventure to go on, one will she get to explore the world she lives in, she has found a compass in Dante who will help her chart her path forward.

Also I know we all make jokes about how inconsistent the art is when it comes to her chest but like... Come on look at the difference here.... I'm correct about this. But I mostly wanted to make this post to point out that her narrative arc is also trans and it goes so much deeper than just art inconsistencies.

Okay that's all I can think of now, thank you for reading, I hope you all also love her <3

[kurishiri]

epilogue . . . happy birthday, darius! ˗ˏˋ🪽´ˎ˗

— this translation may not be 100% accurate or may contain creative liberties for characterization or narrative flow purposes. if you enjoy, please consider reblogging, but don’t repost or claim these as your own!

— please note this entire story is told from darius’ point of view!

— cw: invasion of personal space.

I had taken her to be far too honest, and a bit of a fool too.

Someone who Crown seemed charmed by——just another human.

And also how she had by chance happened upon a place where they had passed judgment.

That was all there was to it, and yet Crown seemed quite attached to her.

She was important to them, and they held her dear in their hearts.

And seeing her surrounded by them like that, it very much resembled a ‘robin’ within a birdcage.

Lightning didn’t strike thereafter.

It was as though the raging weather up until now had all been a lie as I turned to the stars that showed themselves in the sky.

(You lucky girl, you.)

Having come to her senses, she looked as though she had barely escaped from death,

and yet, she also somewhat seemed as though she was unsatisfied by something.

Darius: Now that’s quite unfortunate, seeing the sky ended up clearing.

Just like that, I let go of her, and she went for the door in a haste to make more distance, but——

Kate: U-umm...

For some reason, she turned around and raised her voice, her trembling hands gripping her skirt.

Kate: Happy birthday!

Darius: ......... [surprised]

Kate: And good night.

I could only stare at her retreating figure from the open door for a while, dazed.

But then, I started to feel things have really started to get interesting, and laughter escaped me thereafter.

Darius: That’s the first time I’ve seen a human like her.

There wasn’t any human like her in Germany.

(But even in this country, it seems that fairytale keeper is one of a kind too.)

(That just goes to show how there are some odd humans, I suppose.)

I took out the handkerchief from my pocket, pinching it between my fingers, so the moonlight illuminated its embroidery.

Darius: Well, I already could see what she was going to choose.

I saw how she had been setting her sights at what she was going to choose from outside the shop.

And also how she had taken that handkerchief first, before all else.

Darius: It’s the first I’ve heard handkerchiefs being used as a charm, though... is it like wishing upon something, maybe?

Such as wishing not to get hurt, or to come back safe and sound.

For a long time now, humanity has entrusted their wishes on objects.

Darius: If that’s the case, though, I think this would find much more use in your hands than mine.

If someone who held no power whatsoever, such as herself, accompanied Crown on missions as fairytale keeper...

(The least you could do is make a wish on this that you can come back without getting hurt, no?)

But——

Darius: It is pretty interesting seeing a human like her worry over us Cursed ones.

In the beginning, I was wondering what type of human this fairytale keeper was, seeing Crown all around her...

(But I sure didn’t expect her to be the one to approach me first, so I didn’t even need to probe any further to know.)

She did seem perplexed, to be sure, but in the end she said that she had fun,

and while my words clearly scared her, it wasn’t as though she had run away either.

Darius: All that talk about celebrating with me forever was meant to be a joke, but now I’m starting to think a bit otherwise.

Realizing that my reflection in the window was smiling, I placed my hand on the corner of my mouth.

Darius: Which means it’s about time I start thinking about turning Crown’s little robin into Vogel’s.

D: If I do that, then I really can have her celebrate my birthday.

Holding the handkerchief, I turned on my heel.

Strangely, I didn’t feel any disgust.

Darius: Always and forever, until I draw my very last breath.

A few days after my birthday——

Suddenly, I heard reserved knocks from the door, and I raised my head, turning my attention to the one at the other side of the door.

Darius: Come in, miss fairytale keeper.

When she opened the door, surprise was on her face.

Kate: How did you know it was me?

Darius: I just took a shot in the dark.

D: But it looks like I hit the mark.

(Well, actually, I knew because you’re the only one who knocks the door the way you do.)

I had ended up remembering how she knocked, seeing as the servants and maids knocked in a completely different way.

Kate: Are those... milk puzzles?

She looked down at the milk white pieces scattered about the desk.

Darius: We chatted about doing these together sometime, didn’t we?

Paying no mind, I continued putting the pieces together.

Darius: So would you like to do it? They’re a bit harder than normal puzzles though.

D: It’s more fun to put together a pure white piece rather than some plain old scenery.

Picking up pieces that had fallen to the floor, she handed them to me.

Kate: Of course, beautiful sceneries are good, but I also think having no picture at all like a milk puzzle is a wonderful thing too.

K: There isn’t a single stain to be seen on the single colored scene, so if you put it up somewhere, it’ll catch the eye, I would think.

(There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that she’d say she preferred puzzles with a painting on them, but...)

My hands stopped where they were when I heard her response differ from what I had thought it would be.

Kate: But, it seems like it’d be harder than I imagine to actually do.

K: So, I wonder if I’ll be able to do these?

Her eyes seemed to sparkle at the half-done puzzle,

and so I handed her a smaller puzzle that I was going to do next.

Darius: This one has fewer pieces, so I imagine even you’d be able to do it, no?

Kate: Huh...? Is it alright?

Darius: Think of it as a thank you for celebrating my birthday.

Kate: T-thank you then.

Hugging the milk puzzle in her arms, she seemed quite happy, and I tilted my head at that.

(Is it really something to be that happy about?)

Kate: Uhm, actually, there’s something I’d like to give you today...

She set the box she had been hiding behind her back down on the desk, and when she opened it——

Darius: A berry tart?

In the box was a tart with an assortment of colorful berries on top.

Kate: We didn’t have a birthday cake, so I was thinking of celebrating once again, with this...

K: See, I gathered a lot of different types of berries, and prepared something elaborate!

Seeing her holding out candles, I couldn’t help but laugh.

(As I thought, she really is earnest, honest, and a tad bit foolish.)

It was as though she had forgotten all of what happened yesterday as she looked straight this way——

Darius: Is it okay to eat it now?

Kate: Of course! And since I brought these over, too, let’s put the candles in too.

From beyond the flickering flame of the candles, I could see a full smile play on her lips as she softly sang the birthday song.

(I’ve had my birthday celebrated a great many times up until now, but strangely...)

This time seemed infinitely more pleasant than any of those birthdays.

I heard her blow out the candles and clap her hands...

Kate: Happy birthday, Darius.

(...Just what is this feeling, I wonder?)

It was the first time I ever felt this way, so unable to put a name on it, I tilted my head.

Kate: Let’s eat it together.

She held out a fork to me, causing me to come back to my senses. I reached my hands for the tart——

And taking it as I pleased, I brought it to my mouth.

Kate: Ah...

The part of the tart that didn’t reach my mouth fell on top of the milk puzzle,

staining the pure white pieces a purplish red.

I tried to wipe the fruit juice that dripped from my mouth with the back of my hand, but…

Kate: You’ll get dirty...

In a panic, she reached out to do the same, and so I brought out the handkerchief from my pocket.

Then, I placed it in her hands...

Darius: Wipe it with this.

And gripping the handkerchief, she came in closer with a deliberate movement, her hand reaching out toward me.

(See, she’s approaching me without even a moment’s hesitation.)

Seeing her without an ounce of caution, I grabbed her wrist.

Kate: Wh...

Just like that, I pulled her toward me, and her body tumbled down in response. I then grabbed a berry in my other hand, and...

Kate: mngh——

I pressed it against those small lips.

The berry now crushed, those pink lips were stained a purple-red color, and a drop of its juice traced down to her chin.

(It looks like blood.)

My eyes felt awfully drawn to that, and using my fingers, I went on to stain her cheeks with the berry juice.

Darius: Indeed, ‘dirty’ sounds right.

(The milk puzzle, me, and you...)

Darius: You’ll wipe it all, won’t you.

The color called Kate, who had fell upon the pure white that was myself, was more lovely than I had ever thought it to be,

and, even still, I wanted to keep my eyes on that very scene.

← main story fin. letter →

full masterlist 🪽🍰 ╱ ko-fi

END NOTES: i feel like there’s just a lot to unpack with the tart scene. or just through this story in general, i’m really starting to understand what his voice actor, shigematsu chiharu, meant when he said when he mentioned how he found it charming that how he is very human-like himself despite sort of resenting humanity. i feel that tart scene really shed light on his own ‘humanity.’ or how he is clearly capable of feeling the same way other humans can feel, but is unable to put a label on it because with her, it’s the first time he’s felt the way he did… or even just the way he was confused or taken aback by this and that because of kate, you know.

overall there’s just a lot of this sort of dissonance to be had with his character, and i’m definitely curious about him and am excited to sort of get to the root of all this, like sort of finding out why he is the way he is and all that.

anyway, yeah, i’m thinking a lot about his character, but it’s a bit hard to form it into words maybe, haha. i hope you enjoyed the story!

[jester089]

(Romantic) Tadc cast x reader who's tail wag hard when near them pls

Puppy of a person

Autism brain strikes againnnn! I wasn't sure if you wanted just the tail or not soooo. I did just tail. Can be read with other animal features though.

Caine

He initially wouldn't get it. I mean I seriously doubt he has ever seen an animal in his life. It confuses him. Every time you realize he's in the room your pupils grow and your tail starts wagging. He patted you once and it was a blur. After enough time he brings it up with someone (hopefully not Jax. For your sake.) That's when he realizes what that means. And nothing changes. He might intentionally fluster you now but past that nothing is different. He still has a circus to run and a very loose grasp on emotions. But he at least knows it's a positive reaction so it brightens up his days a bit. And if he's had an extra bad day he'll do something nice for you just to see your tail turn into a blur behind you.

Gangle

She'll know what it means but outright ignore it. She's got some self worth problems and seeing your body start doing, that when she doesn't even do anything. It makes her all blush-y. So she tries to avoid thinking about it. Now if your talking to her that's another story. She can't just act like you don't exist. And all her ignored/bottled up thoughts pop up then. If you're able to get through a convo without her going pink, then start worrying cause that means she's had an abnormally awful day. If anyone can cheer her up thought it's you. Honestly just you giving her some attention and affection will brighten her right up. Do watch your tail though cause if it baps it it'll probably knock her over.

Zooble

Their are two ways this could go. 1. It annoys her because of the sounds it makes or how distracting it is so she'll ask if you can stop. All you need to do to make her take it back is pull some puppy dog eyes and she'll feel bad. 2. She finds it cute and uses it to tease you a bit. Only a bit though, she still cares about you. For this I'm going to focus on the second one cause it's cuter. You and her would be sitting in one of your rooms doing something chill when she hears the telltale sound of you staring at her. The little whap whap whap she hears behind her. She turns around and isn't surprised by your giant eyes staring at her. She's let out a little sigh then join you on the bed knowing she's going to be covered in fur and not let go for at least the next hour.

Kinger

Kinger would find it really cute. I doubt you're taller then him though so prepare to be at least a little condescended. He never means to. Your just too cute for your own good. He's also never startled by you. It's hard to be when you have a constant noise maker attached to you. He out of everyone would be the one to find all your little spots. You know when you scratch a cat at the base of it's tail and it gets incredibly overstimulated. Those. He'll find every single one. He also keeps a lint roller on hand now cause his impenetrable fortress and his robe always need them whenever you visit.

Ragatha

She strikes me as the kind of person who will try and hold your tail still. Then the physical touch and attention makes it wag even more. And you end up with her hair messy proudly holding your tail. She's still be gentle though, she doesn't want to mess up your fur. If she does mess it up without a doubt she'll brush it to help. She knows it wont stay brushed for long while you're with her but she's going to try. Overall she would love it. It's a little strange sure but she's a walking talking rag doll, this place isn't exactly normal. Every time she walks into a room, is relaxing in a room, or hanging out with you and she hears your tail beating against your legs or a wall it makes her smile giving her a little dopamine burst.

Jax

Oh poor you. Having a tail is basically just an easy target for Jax. But for this I'll chill him out a bit. He'll never admit it but it does make him happy. He's always thinking about how you deserve someone better or how you're going to leave him. But when he lightly yanks your tail as a joke and to get your attention. You spin around to yell at whoever it was but stop when you realize it was him. Then he gets to watch in real time your pupils expand and your tail start. It reassures him that you love him. He wont in public, but I unironically see him tying little bows around you tail then commenting on how pretty you look before switching back to usual. If you pay attention you'll notice he's kind of always staring at your tail. This can be for many reasons, wanting to mess with you, thinks it's cute, thinking about what it's like to have one. Up to you to decide which it is at any given time.

Pomni

Their isn't a universe where she doesn't find it at least a little annoying. I mean their's a good chance she's face level with it and gets whapped in the face every time you're together. Moving past that though because of her smaller height she can and will lay on it whenever she can. It's always all warm and soft, and she knows that it's connected to you. Makes her feel nice. I can 100% see her having a rough day and breaking into your room and without a single word flopping onto your bed and either you or your tail. I feel like she's one of those people who will half sneak up behind a cat or dog and start petting them freaking the animal out. She of course will do that with you too. She feels a little bad when you jump but gets over it when you turn around and realize it's her. Then she gets smacked in the face by your tail again and gets annoyed. She doesn't blame you though.

(Writing this used up my burst of energy so this is it for today. Hope you enjoyed it.)

xoxo, Jester

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Let Him Go

Summary; If you love someone let them go... That's what yn thinks when she overhears Eddie's crush, Chrissy admits he's cute.

It's Chrissy he wants, not her...

If you love someone then let them go... Eddie has always thought it was a stupid fucking saying.

Warnings; Angst, heartbreak, fluff.

If you enjoyed this then please consider giving it a reblog. It's very much appreciated 💞

I don't give anyone permission to copy my work.

💞

She should have known that she would get her heart broken.

"It's fine Eddie. This is just sex, no strings attached, we can just have some fun"

God, she was an idiot. It wasn't Eddie's fault though as she always knew that it was Chrissy he wanted.

She was just in the way of that and she knew she couldn't stand in the way of Eddie's happiness.

Now knowing that Chrissy thought Eddie was sweet and cute had put things in perspective for her.

That's why she had told Eddie she wanted to end this... thing between them.

His eyes widen and something flickers in his big brown eyes but she can't make out what it is.

Perhaps it's relief that he can finally be with the girl he wants and not her? The thought makes her chest ache.

"Sweetheart..." she cuts him off before he can say anything else.

"Eddie, I've always known what this is between us. That you really want to be with Chrissy and I can't... I won't get in the way of that"

She deliberately avoids looking at him because this is hard enough without his beautiful brown eyes staring at her.

The ache in her chest is threatening to rip open and she fumbles over her words to him.

"I can't... I don't want to be selfish and keep you from being with who you want to be with and I know it's not me. No matter how much I hope it was" she murmurs and he inhales sharply.

"Chrissy thinks you're cute and sweet and no doubt will probably plan on asking you out sometime soon, I overheard her saying to her friend Casey" she walks over to him and kisses his cheek.

"We had a good time Munson, I wish it lasted longer but that's life. I hope, - her voice nearly breaks but she plows on- I hope you're happy with Chrissy. I know you will be"

She lingers for a second and desperately wants to kiss him once last time as if sensing this Eddie gently presses his lips to hers and they kiss as they have never kissed before.

It's desperate and filled with longing and she doesn't want it to end but eventually, she pulls away, and with a last small smile at him, she leaves.

Maybe somewhere deep down she thought he might fight for her, tell her that he had fallen for her like she had fallen for him.

But that was just a fairy tale and she knew real-life was never like that.

💞

Nancy is talking to her about something for the school paper and she tries to listen but her head is pounding from lack of sleep and this constant ache in her chest.

It is in no way helped by the fact that she sees Chrissy immediately head over to Eddie's table and strike up a conversation.

The smile on Eddie's face is enough to know that she made the right decision in letting him go and even though she had no idea how to prepare herself for watching them be a couple, she would just have to deal with it as best as she could.

Watching Eddie look at her like she's the only girl in the world, holding her hand in his large one, knowing that Chrissy will get to fall asleep in his arms every night makes her want to throw up but she has to get over it.

Just because she knows Eddie will inevitably be with Chrissy she doesn't want to torture herself even more by seeing the first flush of their romance.

As long as Eddie is happy that's all that matters but she had to protect some of her shattered heart.

She supposed she could have been selfish and clung onto Eddie for as long as possible but what kind of person would that make her?

A mean, selfish one that's what.

Also, she wanted to be someone's everything, not just a fuck buddy. Not just... convenient.

Nancy speaks to her in a gentle tone and she turns away from Chrissy and Eddie feeling sick to her stomach.

She chose this though, this is what Eddie wants so she just has to deal with it.

💞

He can feel the stares of the Hellfire boys on him and he does his best to ignore them.

They know he's in a strange mood but not why and he can sense the curiosity in them.

"You sure you're okay Eddie?" Dustin asks him concerned and he nods and opens his locker his breath coming out harsh as he finds one of yn's scrunchies.

A blush pink one with white flowers, her favorite and his, it smells faintly of her shampoo and the pain inside him worsens.

Quickly he grabs his D&D notebook and slams his locker shut.

At this point, Chrissy approaches him, she's been hanging around for the last few days and he gathers that what yn overheard was right (about Chrissy thinking he was cute)

The thought doesn't fill him with the joy he thought it would.

"Hey Chrissy" she beams at him and out of the corner of his eye he sees yn with Robin, they are both getting picked up by Steve.

Eddie waits for Chrissy to ask her question but all he can think about is the deep ache in his chest that isn't getting better since yn left.

Or the fact that despite knowing Steve is only her friend- the sight of him with his arm around her and making her giggle makes him want to hit something.

Preferably Steve.

"I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date," Chrissy asks him, and a month or so ago that question would have made him so fucking happy.

It would have been everything he ever wanted but now? He had gotten what he thought was his dream and it felt... it felt all wrong.

"No," he says quietly and Chrissy looks up at him surprised and then blushes.

"Um... shit. Do you have a girlfriend?" she asks and a look of horror appears on her face, he shakes his head.

"No. Chrissy if you had asked me this a month or so ago I would be a happy guy but now? I... I'm in love with someone"

Her eyes widen and she turns to see what he is gazing at then notices yn and she smiles.

"Shit, if I had known Eddie then I would never have asked" she stammers out and he sighs.

"You know she ended things because she overheard you say to your friend that you thought I was cute, I could see it hurt her but she did it... so I would be happy, get to be with you" he rubs his head wearily.

"I'm not happy. Jesus Christ, I am miserable without her" Chrissy softens and pats his arm.

"Then tell her, make her believe it. Fight for her" fight for her? He looks back to yn again and he nods his resolve hardening.

That's exactly what he is going to do, he's going to tell her how he feels.

💞

It was one of those stormy nights in Hawkins that made her burrow under her blankets and read one of her favorite books.

She had made hot chocolate and was quite content to just snuggle up and forget the ache in her chest when she heard a gentle tapping on her window.

At first, she thinks she is in some very vivid dream because Eddie is perched on her roof and the tapping sound is him.

Gasping she gets up and let's him in.

"What the hell are you doing out in this storm? You could catch your death, Eddie"

He takes off his jacket and she can't help but admire him clad in sweatpants and a Judas Priest shirt.

"I had to see you" his teeth are chattering and she grabs an extra blanket from her closet and wraps it around him.

She eyes Eddie confused, why is he here? Is it to tell her about him and Chrissy?

"Shouldn't you be on a date with Chrissy?" the words come out of her mouth before she can stop them and she waits for his answer slightly dreading it.

He shakes his head and she sits beside him still unsure what is going on.

"Why? You want to be with Chrissy?" not with me she thinks sadly but doesn't say it but here's the thing, Eddie can read her like a book.

"Things change" she stares at him stunned, trying to work him out.

"Eddie, I don't understand. I know you like her so why are you with me right now instead of her, did she not ask you out and that's why you're here? "

Was she a second choice? She didn't want to be that, the thought makes her already bruised heart hurt even more.

He brushes a lock of hair away from her face and her whole body warms.

"She did ask me out and I said no and maybe I'm here because since you ended things I've felt like a wreck inside" she swallows and feels a tug in her chest.

"I don't understand" she admits and he takes her hand and squeezes it tightly.

"Chrissy stopped being my dream a long time ago, I have a new dream. An even more incredible one because it involves you... because somewhere along the line I fell deeply in love with you and you are all I think about"

He loves me... He loves me. Tears spill down her cheek and she smiles as he kisses her tears away.

"I don't want to be with Chrissy, I want to be with you. It's you who I love princess" she grins and wraps her arms around him.

"I love you too Eddie, that's why I let you go because I wanted you to be happy" he cups her cheek and gently kisses her forehead.

"I was miserable without you. Being with you makes me so happy sweetheart" his head rests against hers and he holds her close to him.

He leans back and pulls a book out of the carrier bag he was holding.

Lord of the rings, is one of their favorite books to read together. It was something they had been doing for a while now.

It relaxed her and she loved cuddling up on Eddie's chest as he read to her doing all the voices and making her laugh.

They settle in her bed and they kiss happily whispering words of love before he opens the book and begins to read.

The storm grows stronger outside but they are too wrapped up in each other to notice as Eddie gently strokes her hair until they are both lulled into sleep.

💞💞

[eunseoksimp]

Solace ; Lee Sohee

Pairings: Bf!Sohee x Gf!Reader

Genre: angst

Description: the struggles of trying to connect with someone who is deeply guarded and emotionally unavailable.

Warnings: reference to depression, suicidal thoughts, swearing.

solace [noun] : ‘comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness.

a/n: a very depressing true story, except he didn’t stay with me lol (not that he had to.)

.   ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ.   ݁ ˖ ࣪ . ⋆ * .♡ *:･ﾟ.   ݁ ˖ ࣪ .

lee sohee doesn’t know why you’re so distant.

ever since he first met you, a forlorn look continually swimming in your irises, he knew it would be hard to get you to open up.

you were almost pitiful, a broken girl, the idea of happiness a foreign feeling, something that had long since ceased to exist in your life.

there was barely anyone around you, your solitude only affirming your sorry state. what did sohee see in you?

love had blinded him of course, ‘i can fix her, ‘it’s probably only because we’re not close, ‘she’ll open up with time.��

words that used to provide him with comfort, with the rope of hope that he would cling onto, using it to anchor him whilst simultaneously moving forward.

it took a long time for you to even speak to him. often he would approach you, wide smile on his face, trying to strike up conversation. and you would just look up at him wide-eyed, slow blinking as if he was speaking a foreign language.

his friends thought he was crazy; why was he so determined to get you to open up to him? to say something?

there was something unspoken between the two of you, that he was sure others wouldn’t be able to get, but he did.

so even though there was no real gain on his part, he would show up everyday, ignoring the looks you would give him.

he would flash you the same wide-toothed grin, sitting a little too close for comfort as he continued to try and probe further and further into your life.

‘what’s your favourite colour?’

‘black.’

‘why do you always have your headphones on?’

‘because.’

‘the weather’s nice today, isn’t it. i heard that by the afternoon it’s going to be really warm.’

‘nice.’

it was always one worded answers with you, short and brief, like you didn’t have the energy to expand further. but despite this, a part of you became accustomed to his presence, constantly following you around, seemingly unfazed by your cold exterior.

‘i feel like he’s around everyday,’ your friend minjeong commented, pointing in the direction of the boy who had just left after spending the last minute explaining his favourite anime to you. haikyuu, your favourite one too.

you shrugged in response, going back to playing with the charm on your bracelet and she raised an eyebrow at you.

‘i’m just surprised you haven’t told him to fuck off yet, that’s all.’

‘he’d probably come around regardless,’ you answered, but that wasn’t the full truth.

in the weeks he had spent hovering around, there was a warm sense of familiarity, a part of your day that you were slowly growing to enjoy. what new thing would he gush about? what part of your appearance would he compliment?

would it be your raven tresses, falling messing around your face? or the new industrial piercing that had occupied the upper part of your ear.

‘your style kind of reminds me of wednesday addams you know, but a little cooler of course,’ referring to your choice of wearing various shades of black.

needless to say, he was starting to grow on you. and that explained why after not seeing him for three days, you were the one seeking him out for the first time since you two had ever met.

he was shocked to see you, shuffling awkwardly on your feet, twirling the ring on your index finger as you mumbled something he couldn’t quite hear, his friends staring in amusement.

‘i said, i thought you died or something. but clearly you’re um - very much alive so..’ unable to bare the embarrassment anymore you turn on your heels but he’s quick to grab you by the elbow.

‘so you missed me?’ there was that smile again, and you sighed, because you knew it was doomed.

perhaps if you had heeded the alarm bells ringing in your head, or pushed him away, chiding him about how ridiculous he was being, maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way it was now.

sohee, after finally seeing a sliver of hope, that the possibility of you returning his feelings were not as slim, was determined to make you his.

you resisted at first, but clearly not enough. he was too charming, saying all the right words, doing all the right things.

‘you’re going to hurt him,’ the small voice in your head didn’t give up, so you pushed even harder, but he was resistant.

‘i don’t know why you’re fighting it, just let me in,’ he put a hand over where your heart resided, drawing closer and closer. you had lost this battle.

and after three drawn out months, sohee was able to call you his. yet that title seemed to only have meaning ceremoniously.

he wasn’t expecting the relationship to be smooth sailing, that there was clearly something that you were painfully holding on, allowing to reside within you.

but you were his girlfriend, which meant he would always be there for you. he wouldn’t rush you, of course, but he would let you know that you could talk to him about it when you were ready, that he was here to listen to you.

it all seemed in vain. he cared about you, enough to worry about what would make you wake up breaking into cold sweats, or the reason why your eyes were sometimes red and puffy whenever you would meet up.

it was like he was in a relationship with a brick wall. on dates you hardly looked excited, you could go some days without hearing from him and not even bat an eyelid.

but what tipped everything over the edge was the crying. he hated knowing that clearly something was bothering you, eating at you from the inside, and he felt helpless just cradling you in his arms.

what could he do to make it better? what would make his love devoid of such bitter grief?

he figured all he could do was ask, he couldn’t venture into a place he wasn’t given permission to enter.

‘i’m fine just drop it,’ you weren’t even looking at him, picking at some fluff that had fallen on his couch.

sohee sighed, running his fingers through his hair in frustration. it was the same thing each time. watching your tearful figure, desperate to help, but he would be met with the same generic response.

‘you’re clearly not fine if you’re crying.’

you said nothing, fingers still fixated in the same spot, acting as if you couldn’t hear him. the tick of the clock hanging above the television was starting to sound incessant, mirroring the thumping of his heart.

‘please, why won’t you talk to me?’ he tried again, a little more desperate to delve into what was making you so miserable.

‘for fucks sake sohee, leave it alone,’ you snapped, already on your feet, and he didn’t have the strength to stop you. he didn’t want to argue with you anymore, to add on to the insurmountable amount of stress you seemed to be under.

‘i think i should go,’ you swallowed the lump in your throat, gulping once, then twice before taking a shaky breath. you weren’t okay, that much was obvious.

and he hated that. he weakly reached his hand out, a silent plea for you to stay, to free him from his misery. but you didn’t.

you leaned down until you were close enough to his face, kissing every mole that dotted his cheek. and then you left.

he watched you leave, sinking further into the couch, head thrown back as he silently stares at the ceiling, fighting off tears himself.

he just wanted to connect with someone he cared about, to make you feel safe enough to speak to him, to let him know what troubled you.

but you had put up emotional barriers, preventing you from truly opening up. no matter how much he pleaded for access to your heart, expressing his confusion over the reasons for the distance and wariness, you wouldn’t budge.

you spent most of your time living in your own head, like you weren’t even present, and it made him feel like he was on edge. he was barely scratching the surface of your emotional inner life, barely fitting for a significant other.

it was a complex dilemma, one which caused him to lay awake at night, contemplating what was right.

his attempts to reach out to you were always met with resistance. he knew that the distance was unintentional, that whatever had caused you to be this way had completely taken over your being.

but he wondered why it always felt like you were at war, explosive, ruthless, painful. anton had told him many times that it was not his job to get someone to open up, that a big part of relationships was healthy communication.

‘i don’t think you guys are right for each other.’

surely there was a less heartbreaking solution for your problem. something that wouldn’t tear his heart to pieces. he felt a strong desire to keep showing up, even though you never responded in the way he wanted you to.

so he’s rushing over to your house after the second day of no replies from you, ready to repeat the harsh cycle.

knocking once, then twice, he steps back, just wanting to see your face again, to know that you’re alright, to hold you in his arms.

and when the door is finally pulled open, and you poke your head around the corner, his face immediately falls at the state of you.

mascara streamed down your cheeks, the tip of your nose is red, mirroring your bloodshot eyes. he felt his heart shatter, knowing that the girl he loved was suffering so much.

‘now is not a good time,’ you sniffled, half ready to shut him out, like you always did, but his will was stronger as he held the door open, making his way inside.

‘sohee i’m serious, i’m not in the mood.’

he ignored you, waiting till he was in your living room, nostrils flaring, heart racing as he turned to you.

‘why? why do you do this to yourself, to me?’ he’s on the verge of breaking down. he just couldn’t understand why you couldn’t just let him in, practically begging for your emotional intimacy.

‘i don’t know what you’re talking about,’ you’re avoiding his eyes again, and frustration builds up inside of him.

‘are you always like this? do you keep your thoughts and feelings locked away from everyone or is it just me?’ he’s confused over your wall building tendencies. was it something to do with him? was it something he could fix?’

‘well excuse me for not wanting to come to you everytime i’m feeling sad. what would be the point of that?’ you’re combative, defensive, even though you knew that it was a character flaw of yours.

your life had progressed without having anyone reliable to depend on, not until you met minjeong, your one and only friend. human beings were evil, preying on your insecurities and vulnerabilities, and you learnt over time that some things had to be dealt with alone.

how could somebody care for you when you couldn’t even care for yourself.

it wasn’t the healthiest thing to do, you knew that. but it got you through life and it was something you felt would stick with you throughout it all.

you knew if you told sohee how you really felt, about the dark thoughts that plagued your mind, then he might be able to offer some relief. but maybe that was the part that scared you, letting go of the rapport that you had built with your depression, that had slowly morphed into a part of your identity.

you didn’t know how to let it go, and maybe you didn’t want to.

‘but you’re supposed to come to me when you’re sad, when you feel like you’re upset and just want to break down. you’re supposed to talk about your feelings, not bottle them up.’

‘ what are you, my therapist?’

‘no i’m you’re fucking boyfriend. seriously what’s my purpose in this relationship if my own girlfriend can’t even talk to me,’ he bites his lip, suppressing his tears because it’s not about him right now.

‘then maybe we shouldn’t have one. this relationship, maybe it was over before it started. i’m sorry,’ you still refuse to look at him, already ready to walk away and it pains him.

‘you’re doing it again. refusing to talk about the issue and distancing from me. please, i just need you to speak to me,’ his legs give in, hunched over on the cold floor, water splashing onto the ground, quiet sobs leaving his lips.

‘so what do you want? for me to tell you how much i think of dying? how ready i am to embrace it with open arms? about how much displeasure i feel when i just open my fucking eyes every morning? or how about the fact that despite all of that, i’m too fucking scared to do it. because what if it fails? then i’m stuck in this shitty life. every day is about enduring, just getting through another shitty day for another shitty life, without purpose, without meaning, without passion. sohee i’m so fucking tired of it all-‘

you're in his arms before you can even finish your sentence, his shoulders still rising and falling, possibly more sorrowful than you as he clings onto you, weeping as he pulls you in closer, until you are practically one body.

but it’s not like you’re doing any better. you weren’t even aware it was possible to spill any more tears, giving you had exhausted your water reserve just minutes before he arrived. but here you were, shedding tears again. only this time, it was his arms you were wrapped in.

you never truly got it, what made sohee so patient, so fixated on knowing more about you. there were no ulterior motives behind his actions, just a genuine desire to be closer to you.

it was a hard pill to swallow, that maybe out of the tens of people that had caused you to become this way, that one boy was willing to tear it all down. he was determined to tear down your whole belief system, to challenge your way of thinking, hurting himself in the process.

but why?

as if he could hear you, he lifts his head, fingers delicately moving strands of hair out of your eyes and tucking them behind your ear, hand still cupping your face.

‘i don’t want to be in your way you know. i never want to hurt you, i just want to be the shoulder you cry on. i want you to let me know, whether things are good or bad. i want to be in your world, even if it means dealing with your fears and anxieties,’ it was a heartfelt plea to his lover, to let him be the one she found solace in.

you were not okay, truthfully, and you both knew it. it wasn’t something that would magically heal itself, but to sohee you were worth it all. he didn’t care what he had to go through, as long as he could draw you near.

he knew you were scared, because he was too. but he wanted to face love together, because he only wanted to feel it with you.

[luniibelieves]

God Saved Me

Looking back, it's incredible to consider how much turmoil entered my life through those who opposed me, challenging my faith. I've faced many trials, but it was only a few months back that I was hit with intense depression. The combination of being overworked, facing deceit, lies, and the loss of a loved one all at once was overwhelming. One day, this culminated in a panic attack while I was in the back room at work. Suicidal thoughts started creeping up on me. Telling me, "Everything will be easier if you just end it here and now."

But that "end it here and now" wasn't the conclusion of my tale. With every ounce of breath and strength remaining, I clasped my hands together and prayed.

"God, I'm struggling to breathe. Father, I beg you. Help me to breathe. Lift this weight from my chest so, I may breathe freely once more. In Jesus name I pray, Amen."

As I wiped away my tears and took a deep breath, a profound sense of relief swept through me. The weight on my chest lifted, freeing my breath once again. It was as though the chaos had never happened. I was surrounded by a sense of freedom, peace, and comfort. God not only eased my pain but also sent someone to my workplace. Coming up from behind, she tapped my shoulder gently and said, "I don't know what you're going through, and there's no need to tell me, but may I pray for you?" Looking up with hope, I agreed, "That would be lovely." She hugged me close and prayed aloud in front of my boss, my coworker, and other clients, as I found myself weeping on her shoulder. This marked the beginning of my complete faith that God was present, saving and protecting me. It was at that moment I chose to dedicate my life to Christ.

Since that time, my life has overflowed with joy, peace, and happiness, even though the enemy occasionally tempts me to revert to my old ways. As I strive to draw nearer to God and strengthen my relationship with Him, I witness more of His blessings in my life. No number of thank-yous or hallelujahs could adequately express the glory of His amazing presence. His love, patience, kindness, grace, mercy and so much more are unparalleled. All I can offer are my stories and testimonies of the greatness he has brought into my life, with the promise of more to follow.

The client who prayed for me left a Bible scripture to help me through life's trials and struggles, which I will share here for anyone in need.

Psalms 91:

"Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely, he will save you  from the fowler’s snare  and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked. If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,” and you make the Most High your dwelling, no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will tread on the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.”

[paleoleigh]

Thinking about Stede building the Revenge for him and his family. How he knew he was unhappy and so was Mary and probably so were the kids, but his first thought/plan A was for them all to go live at sea together instead of running away himself. A stupid plan based on a self-centered idea of what might make things better? Absolutely, he clearly had a monkey playing symbols in his brain listening to Mary talk about her hatred of the ocean. But he built the Revenge as a home for his family, with a room for the kids (Jim and Olu's room?) and a library which contained children's stories and secret passageways for fun, for playing games.

Having listened to a lot of true crime podcasts with shitty-father villains, it strikes me how the idea that Stede could have just taken the kids is literally never touched on. Yeah, he probably knew he couldn't take care of them on his own, maybe didn't want to (we only really see him interacting with them by playing pirates), but Alma and Louis remain the only people Stede has canonically said the words "I love you" to (yes yes he loves Ed he was about to say it to him in s2e4 and switched tactics, but putting them in a similar category with Ed is pretty telling imo). Like...it probably never once occurred to Stede that another man might have taken the kids with him to spite his ex or to live their happy life of playing pirates on the high seas. Mary said I don't want a boat, I don't hate our lives, and Stede went welp, guess I'm on my own then.

There's a lot that can be said about Stede as a distant father who abandoned his family. I'm not saying he's the bastion of perfect fatherhood. But he's so clearly torn up about leaving them because he knows, morally, that was wrong, and even after he sets things right, he still talks about them ("two messed up kids probably/ didn't fit in with Mary and the kids") which tbh, I thought we were never gonna mention the Bonnet family again after s1e10.

Idk. I think Stede loves his kids as best he can for someone who probably never wanted them, and ultimately helped them out in the long run by not having them have to grow up in a miserable household with unhappy parents and an emotionally distant father who simply couldn't do better than playing games with them.

Also, thinking about how a lot of OFMD is thematic rather than verbally explicit...I think it's incredibly telling how upset Alma was when Stede came back, and that she wanted split the orange so they would still be connected no matter how far apart they were. That in a show with pretty heavy-handed symbolism of physically/emotionally abusive fathers and cycles, the kids are never, ever shown to be afraid of Stede, that when they play together they're all happy, that Stede says he loves them even though they were asleep and didn't hear it, and that the one time they physically touch, it's Alma reaching out to tug Stede's hair in a playful way, and he responds in kind. That Stede breaks the cycle of emotionally distant and abusive fathers by A. Not belittling them ever and B. Leaving when he realized his presence was making things worse.

Tl;dr Stede Bonnet is objectively a bad dad, but he still loves his kids.

[bookwormbynight]

You know, I've never really been one to ship batjokes even though I like fucked up romance. Dark!Superman, Two Face, Lex Luthor, his adopted children, I'm happy to explore the horror that would naturally come about from putting Bruce in any of those relationships for a time, and considering batjokes is not only huge but also way more fucking horrifying than any of those, one would think I'd spring for it, but... I don't know. The Joker's always felt like he was better used as a plot device for other bat-ships rather than to actually explore whatever he has going on. Maybe because Bruce has 0% chance of feeling any sliver of affection for him to twist into the fray (in my personal opinion)? That's probably it. What's the point of a good old fashioned toxic abuse couple if there isn't something compelling the victim to stay.

Anyway I reread Like Magnesium We Burn right around the same time I rewatched the BTAS episode "the man who killed batman" and Death in the Family clips, and goddamnit ig that was the perfect lightning storm to strike something up because I am starting to see the vision and it is consuming me a little bit

Bruce doesn't need to have conflicting feelings of affection and horror. All he needs to feel is pure, primal, animalistic fear as the Joker commits the most heinous acts known to man to both him and his loved ones - tortures and kills his kids - and his city with zero remorse, but dresses Bruce's wounds if he looks like he needs help and gives him a place to sleep and refuses to ever actually fucking kill him. Help help help help help. I still don't get most of you I think but I kind of get it now.

How did they get there. How did it start. Could Bruce have had any fucking clue just how bad it would get. What does the Joker even care about. What about Harley, was she ever able to tell in the midst of the fog of abuse and codependence that that thing existed long before she was there and would continue after she was gone, that she never even mattered to him, that the Joker only ever viewed her as a stepping stone to this goal he had decided he wanted to achieve long ago and could never be swayed from by someone like her, maybe by anybody. (She should hit him with her baseball bat.) Why is he like that - don't give me the one-bad-day shtick I'll kill you. Was there ever anyone else. Why is Batman The One to him. Does the answer even mean anything now.

[river-muse]

How do you think the DMC crew handles dancing?

Hello Prototype! I forgot to answer this ask yesterday because I received it in the middle of playing in my Starfinder campaign, so I'm answering this right as I wake up instead xD

Hmm. I could go the easy route and say "I can use the EX Provocations in DMC5 as my main evidence" but something about that feels almost like I'm chickening out of a challenge. So time for me to dig into my brain and see what comes to mind! (I might not hit the mark for what you're looking for but this was fun.)

Dante's shown very much throughout the series he can be a showoff if he feels like it- especially when claiming and testing out new Devil Arms. That man can definitely dance and will if he so feels like it (though it's questionable how modern his dance moves are even if Patty's tried to teach him some). I won't say you'll be catching him at the club anytime soon for his own entertainment, but when the mood strikes him he'll dance. It's just a shame more often than not that his audience ends up being demons who're about to get their asses kicked.

Vergil. You know, it would be so simple but so dismissive of him as a character to just be like "he doesn't dance." Instead imagine if he DOES know how to dance(probably the basics of a few styles from observation but mostly self-taught), maybe even better than Dante can. Yet- he thinks he's cringe as hell about it. So he sometimes dances when alone and Sparda help anyone who stumbles in on that. He'd probably tell them not to say anything then won't talk for a day or so not because he's pissed but because he's embarrassed.

Lady probably had taken dance lessons when she was younger. Most likely something like ballet. She seems like the type who would have been neutral about it- but definitely happy to quit the moment she had the chance. The basics of those lessons helped serve as a good foundation for her later demon hunting job. It's not uncommon in real life either for athletes of all kinds taking ballet to help their own profession, so it's not too far off to think the same could apply for Lady's own skills. I think she still does warm-ups when she has time to help maintain her body. Since she classifies her physical health as part of her work she doesn't care if anyone sees. She doesn't dance much anymore- but sometimes she thinks about trying it again.

Nero's not a fan of dancing in public(in this context places not overrun by demons) or around strangers. He'll jam to a good beat if it catches his attention. Nod his head to it a little or even headbang if the music's appropriate. In private? I think he enjoys dancing. Especially if sweeping Kyrie into his arms for a bit can get her laughing after either of them have had a rough day. He doesn't mind if Nico or anyone else from the Devil May Cry crew sees them. Though if Julio jokingly yells "ew" as loud as he can again then the little troublemaker's going to have a stern talking to.

Trish likes dancing. Not around or with anyone she knows, though Lady is an exception to that. She's probably tried a few styles out over the years and hasn't found a favorite yet to stick with for the long haul. If she ever asks Lady to join her either in private or at a club it's constant excuses as to why Lady won't dance with her- but the way Lady watches her is borderline envious.

Nico will swear up and down that she won't dance for no one, but the moment she gets one too many beers in her during downtime I think she loses that fight before it even starts. Put on one of her favorite songs and soon enough someone has to drag her ass back into her seat so she doesn't end up climbing onto the table. If called out about it later she'll defend herself- but won't deny that she did in fact end up dancing.

BONUS ROUND - Propaganda Edition

Patty absolutely loves dancing, and jumps at any chance to try out something new. Especially if it requires a dance partner so she can bug Dante to help her practice when he's lazing around the shop (he won't help unless she bribes him with strawberry sundaes or a good pizza). She'll say to his face that he has two left feet and a dance bar would be better than him even on a good day- but she knows he's just trying to wiggle his way out of their deal the moment he gets a chance.

[sadsongsandstories]

Snow is the original songbird

I have just started reading the book of BOSBAS after watching, and absolutely loving, the movie. The shift to snows perspective is fascinating, and makes one thing extremely clear: snow was always a songbird, long before he met Lucy grey Baird.

And I mean this metaphorically of course

Even though the title sets up a dichotomy, where we assume snow is the snake and lucy grey the bird, the book makes sure to subvert this idea whenever possible.

When we first meet snow, he is performing. He plays the role of the rich, secure noble, clinging to his supposed status as the last major resource he has. Among his classmates he recites his lines and puts on a face, complete with a cheap costume. His life has effectively become a performance, masquerading as the royalty he yearns to be.

As a character it's his greatest strength.

Then we meet Lucy grey, our supposed songbird, who immediately used a literal snake as her weopon against someone she hates. Her most powerful moment, of course, is one of song, spilling her voice and transfixing the world the country.

Throughout the first and second parts, they must both act, with snow playing the part of the mentor and noble, and Lucy Grey playing the fighter. Both in front of the cameras and his classmates, Snow continues to act, while Lucy Grey must become a snake of sorts to survive. It's the games, and one must strike or be struck. And so snow offers his venom, with the literal poison and drone strikes.

Their victory is through the deception of a snake, and the literal snakes in the arena, and the performance of a songbird.

It is in the third part, however, where the two characters seperate into their true forms

Because the truth is, while they each use the skills of songbirds and snakes, at their core it is in their motivations that these characters seperate.

Lucy grey Baird is a true songbird, which becomes clear in the third part, where she returns home to perform for district 12, happily and freely and without wanting anything more than to share her voice. In the capital, she performs for the cameras and the crowd, but only as a means of survival. It is back home where she is free, and free to shed her scales and return to her songbird nature.

She is content

Snow, however, is driven by the vengefulness and insatiable desire of a snake. He tries, and gets tantalisingly close, to running away and having a free happy songful life with Lucy grey, but is repeatedly held back by his need to strike. It's the natural response of a snake, of course: to strike when one feels threatened.

So he strikes at his friend, by selling him out to the capital (using songbirds mind you), he strikes at highbottom (using literal poison), and he almost strikes at Lucy grey, but not before she can strike him first (using a literal snake once again).

And then taunting him with songbirds

Because the tragedy of the ending is that they were so close, they could have run away together and been happy. But in truth, it was never an option. She was a songbird and he was a snake. It was never meant to be. To be together would violate each of their natures. They might have been able to work together throughout, growing to care and love for one another, sharing their skills and doing what it takes to survive, but when the dust settles and they are each free, there is no denying the impossibility of their unity.

Which is why, and if you've made it this far, thank you for staying with me, I promise I'm making a point here, snow is wrong about his final conclusion on the games as a reflection of reality. It might appear like we are all songbirds and snakes both, with the desire to manipulate, perform, decieve and betray, but that is not truth.

Lucy grey proves that.

While snow might not realise it, there are people with pure songbird natures: giving and kind and gentle, loving life more than power. These are people who solve porblems not by striking back, but by sharing their voice, opening their lips to utter compassion, shielding others beneath their wings.

That's why his empire falls: because he assumes that everyone is like him.

Snakes only see snakes in others

In hunger games, the participants all hold hands, Katniss and Peeta violate the games by sticking together, caring for one another in a system designed for killers

In catching fire, the parading of the victors, meant to inspire jealousy and hate, instead rallies support especially in 11

And in Mockingjay, it is katniss' voice that rallies the people and inspires them to rise against the capital, singing aloud with both her own voice,

And the song of one Lucy Grey Baird, transcending time to offer her own spirit to the cause

Katniss is a songbird, as is Peeta, and Prim and Finnick and so many others beside them

Gale is a snake, coin is a snake, snow is a snake

In a way, all of hunger games is a ballad of songbirds and snakes, not of THE songbird and THE snake, because in truth it's far more complicated than that. Inside each of us is a songbird and a snake, and the one which we choose to embrace will shape the future we are destined to share.

It's fear or love all over again

Which do you prefer?

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

IPKKND SS: Madaari

Madaari - Puppeteer. Trickster. Magician. Conjurer. A street performer who entertains the public by training (torturing) animals to dance. 

Warning: none | Word Count: 1316

#Chapter 1

When Shyam Manohar Jha had walked into her life, his kindness was beyond any she had ever faced. Strength, courage, wit and decency. These were the pillars of his character.

She was going to marry the man who saved her and perhaps stepped into the role of her provider long before any relationship was formalized between them. Any woman would be blessed to be engaged to the man whose personality bore striking resemblance to his namesake God. 

Except Khushi was far from happy. Everything was right,  but it was not.

“Jalebi?” Shyam asked, breaking Khushi’s chain of thoughts as he passed her a plate of sweets from a sweetshop on their walk back to Buaji’s house. His gifted bracelet and engagement ring sat heavy on her hand. Could she have developed an allergy to metal? When Rahul had put bangles on Anjali’s hands in her favorite movie, butterflies had blossomed in a young Khushi Kumari Gupta’s stomach. 

Yet Khushi did not feel any butterfly, except dread, settle in the pit of her stomach as their wedding approached.

But she did feel it once, when her anklet was returned, but her heart was not. 

“Ah!” Khushi shrieked, the hot syrup of the store bought jalebi burning her mouth. Shyam rushed to bring her a bottle of water. Oh, this burn was nothing compared to her wounds from Diwali. Khushi threw away the jalebi, the fake food coloring staining her hands, the chemical sweetner leaving a bitter aftertaste in her mouth.

If her father was not paralyzed, he would have a fit over people selling cheaply made sweets by presenting it as authentic Lucknowi jalebis in Delhi!

Even the ‘a’ of authenticity was not there in this terrible jalebi! How someone could pull wool over anyone else’s eyes was always beyond Khushi. 

“Here,” Shyam passed her the bottle of water, a sweet smile plastered on his face. Except this time his smile reminded her of chemical sweetners, his gaze just drifting to the skin between her dupatta and the neckline of her kurti. 

Shyam checked himself, offering his hand to walk the rest of the way back to Buaji’s. 

Khushi kept her hands to herself. 

— — — — —

Instinct must never be forgotten. Questioned, yes, challenged, yes, but forgotten? Never. Khushi never revealed her doubts to any of her family members - how did Shyamji know that Akash and Payal were engaged even before anyone had told anything to Shyam? Why was he suddenly so hostile against the Raizadas? He was a stranger to them, was he not? He vowed to dissolve the talks of marriage between them, then how were they in a situation where the marriage was being rushed, instead? Did she actually hear Shyamji’s voice on Khushi’s chat with Anjali? 

“Hey Devi Maiyya,” Khushi whispered to her angel faced Goddess lying on her study desk, “guide me.”

And she did. 

Clues fell across Khushi’s face like an unexpected shower in Delhi. Suspicion and fear squeezed the breath of out Khushi’s lungs.

She did not pray, nor hope. 

She did not know what she was expecting at all. 

By the time Khushi reached the terrace to call the ever elusive jija-ji, she reached the conclusion she tried to deny for days. There was no way she, and her family, could’ve been blinded so easily. But her hands shook as she watched the familiar form, the sweet voice and common laugh. With a soft turn in the blinding sun, the truth couldn’t have been more stark. 

Her fiancé, was the very married Shyam Manohar Jha.

— — — — 

Khushi’s body shook in rage and disbelief. Her mind scrambled to find logic. Who in their right mind would play such a twisted game to go after a nobody despite being married to one of the most wonderful woman from an illustrious family? Her palm still stung from the slap she had delivered moments ago. 

Her hand though, felt relieved without the ring and bracelet. 

Should she tell the truth to Anjali? What about Payal’s marriage? How dare he deceive her family! 

“Watch it!” Khushi stumbled into Arnav and collapsed on the floor. She tried to put together the pieces of his broken cup but her mind could not function. What could she tell him? That her fiancé was a married man? It is his beloved sister’s husband? 

Would he trust her? 

Had he ever trusted her? 

What about his heartbreak? 

Arnav had never recovered from becoming an orphan. He would not survive this heartbreak. 

Despite a maddening urge to throw herself into his arms and have his strong shoulders lift the burden hers, she left the safety of his embrace and ran as far away as her feet could take her. 

— — — — —

How would Payal take the news? What would happen to her impeding marriage? Mami ji would rejoice at the first step to break this alliance! What about Babuji? How would he bear this heartache-

“Khushi ji!” Shyam cried, pulling Khushi away from an oncoming car. 

“Please, what if something happened!” Shyam attempted to hug her but Khushi shoved him away, adjusting her dupatta further around her body. He disgusted her. 

Shyam’s face crumpled at her reaction, he tried to reach out and hold her hand, but she swiftly turned around and ran down the street.

“Khushi, please listen to me!” Shyam huffed, chasing Khushi. The audacity of that man! But what if his intentions wee further malicious? Just how could Khushi protect her and her family?

“Khushi ji if you don’t stop I’ll kill myself!” Shyam threatened, stepping in the middle of the busy road, waiting for one of the oncoming cars to hit him. 

For half a second Khushi wished one car would run over him… but she couldn’t take it anymore. 

Shyam never saw the car coming in his direction, because Khushi jumped in and pulled him out of danger. 

He did not get to thank her as well as the car pushed its breaks a little too late - throwing Khushi headfirst on the ground. 

— — — — —

Shyam waited in anxiety as the doctors checked on Khushi. He had taken Khushi into a private clinic, a couple of kilometers away. As much as he loved her, he could not afford the accident to gain attention nor any of their familiar hospitals recognize Shyam.

Goddamn Arnav and his charities. 

There were already too many loose strings. 

Shyam stepped by Khushi’s side, watching her pale face in morbid fascination. She looked beautiful even when she was nearly dead. For a moment Shyam was tempted to inject a painless lethal chemical into her saline. 

She deserved to die in peace, after all she still loved him enough to save his life at the cost of hers. 

And unfortunately, his one and only true love had become a hindrance and distraction in his plans. She knew too much, far too much. 

Shyam caressed her cheek and slid his hand to her throat. This was the most difficult decision in his life. She was so delicate, that he knew one strong squeeze would give him the desirable outcome. 

His gaze settled on her soft lips. 

A parting kiss was in due. 

Farewell, my dear, Shyam whispered, leaning down to kiss and choke her to death when her eyes fluttered open. He froze. The doctor too stepped in at the exact moment, forcing Shyam to retreat his hand. 

Khushi sat up on the creaky hospital bed. She held her head, wincing at the pain.

“Careful, you’re recovering from a head injury.” The doctor gently warned Khushi, checking her blood pressure before writing prescriptions and handing it to Shyam. 

“Doctor sahab, when can I go home?” Khushi whispered, still holding her head in her hands.

“Don’t worry, you can leave today itself but for that,” the doctor turned to Shyam, “please call a family member to sign her discharge papers.”

“Oh he can do it,” Khushi interjected, “he is my fiancé.” 

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

A/N: Yes, I am evil. Enjoy :D

tagging: @shaonsim @zaphbeeblebrox @shiyaravi @chutkiandchotte @featheredclover @goals1024 @honeybellexox @darkchocolatestuff @charucoal @thedupattaknowswhatsup @bigfatreader @lostafpanda @exosexosekai @hi-this-is-permabanned @scorpio-smiles @noor1025 @minpdnim @laad-governess @barshifan @whateverworks21 @maansiloves @samuraisamsworld @dropsofserenity @myloveforstuff @leila1 @onadaanparindey @urwatueat @dimaagkadahi @ijustchangedmyname @australian-desi @muttonthings (updating this list - lemme know who wants to be added/deleted)

[leightonfucker]

Trans girl sydney thats all 🙏🙏🙏

yes yes yes a thousand times yes. as obsessed with impregnating and/or being impregnated by the accursed cisgender sydney as i can be, i really do think trans* sydney is peak sydney, and trans girl syd is my favorite.

i think of her so often. p!syd doesn't quite understand the concept of a chaser or fetishization, she's flattered people like her but gets dysphoric if they focus too much on her cock. squirms uncomfortably being called a futa or a femboy but is too shy to say anything to the contrary. having said that! if she weren't so sheltered, she'd delve into corruption pretty quick. she'd absolutely be on social media posting pics of herself in chokers and crop tops and miniskirts and striped thigh-highs, extolling the virtues of gock and galls. dom 4 money, likes having a little extra cash for herself; generally a sub-leaning switch irl, though she won't pass up the chance to commit acts of sadism or be on top n breed. the kinks don't go away, anon, not in the slightest.

she strikes me as pretty likely to be t4t, would at least prefer someone who's queer so they could relate to her struggles seeking acceptance in the temple. her parents were very kind and supportive, and jordan was as well, but other initiates weren't always so kind.

when she finally meets you, it's just... it's so refreshing, to have someone who completely and utterly accepts her as she is. she's not like kylar, who doesn't care for acceptance so long as you'll keep your holes open wide for him. sydney wants to be loved, and though she keeps her secrets held close to her chest at first, being able to open up to you about everything... it's like a dam breaking. she's so so so happy she has you.

sex with her isn't quite as complicated as it is with kylar. she has her kinks, sure, but she's perfectly happy to keep it vanilla so long as it's pleasing you, assuming you'd keep her pure. if you corrupt her, though, you're in for a treat. she's gonna try to get you pregnant even if it's not biologically possible. raw dick in whichever hole(s) you have when she feels up to it, toys in them when she doesn't. fond of tying you up and making you stroke her ego. maybe if you call her the most beautiful girl in the world again, she'll let you go? ah, no, she's gonna keep you there longer now, loves the sound and feel of you worshipping her, can't resist the urge make you put that mouth to work other ways too. yes, balls in your mouth, anon. balls in your mouth. cock in your mouth if you're eager enough. the mouthfeel, anon, think of the mouthfeel!

she shaves as best as she can manage before she gets the cage off, and if you keep her pure to her she's likely to keep doing so. she knows cis women have pubic hair too, but it makes her feel dainty and feminine, so she doesn't particularly want to quit doing it. c!syd isn't so picky, but she will make fun of you if you ask her to quit shaving. you into pubes, are you, you little perv? should she let her pit hair grow out as well? should she quit washing? girlsmell for you, anon? sniff it all up, okay?

whew, that was a long one! i'm a little low on writing juice now, so i'll just give some ending notes... i'm the fondest of corrupting sydney post-promise, honestly, so i imagine that whenever i write about c!syd. believe it or not, i've only done rite of defilement once, and it was on a throwaway save. with cheats, even.

that's all for now. fuck, you can really tell i love women. send in more asks, everyone, give me more gock fuel and maybe i'll poast.

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

For Ella~ ✌️

5//EROS — How closely is their opinion of their own beauty (or lack thereof) linked to their confidence? Do they see themselves as more or less worthy of love or sex based on how attractive they feel?

1//STORGE — Did your OC’s parents love them unconditionally? If so then has this helped them feel confident as an adult? If not then how has this affected them? What were the conditions their family attached to their relationship?

5//AGAPE — Does your OC find it easy to empathise with their enemies? Or do they see it as important to dehumanise them in order to combat them with sufficient determination?

5//LUDUS — What seduction techniques are most likely to be effective when it comes to your OC? Are there some things guaranteed to get them going? Or are they immune to such things?

Kissing your forehead for this. Because you've sent a lot & I can get very wordy, I'm putting it under a readmore

Eros 5

Ella definitely thinks she's beautiful. Perfect cocktail of striking features that are mostly Valyrian (bless my poor valyriaboo daughter) & a pretty solid amount of "you are a hot girl" reinforcement during her teen & young adult years that has her fully convinced that she's the hot girl (& she's not wrong, she's gorgeous imo). That said, her confidence isn't necessarily super linked to the whole "I am pretty" thing, it's tied to her dragon & that will not change. Claiming Vermithor was The Big Thing that Ella needed to unlock her full potential as a confident, very intense, kind of insane bad bitch (in training for part of it, because she was 10 at the time). Like, she wouldn't have had the confidence needed to enhance most of her hotness without Jumbo Peepaw.

And, just because of how her mom raised her, she would think she's worthy of romance & true love even if she didn't think she was hot...but she does think she's hot so that just has her believing she's worthy of everything she wants all the time forever.

Stroge 1

Hoo boy, this one is...weird & complicated. Hi, yes. You have asked about parents for the parental issues fic, lol.

So Lady Rhea definitely 100% loved her 3 kids unconditionally. And Prince Daemon...the thing is, he just sort of didn't engage with Ella. Like, he loved her more as a concept & then just only ever had surface level interactions (especially when she did something that impressed him).

A lot of his "conditional love" requirements were things Ella assigned to him. In a sort of "my daddy will pay attention to me if I do [x], am [y] have [z]." And she wasn't wrong, but she wasn't right either. Doing stuff to get his attention & make him proud just got his attention for a few days & that's really it, then we were back to not engaging a lot because "I don't know what girls like. Girls like their brothers, right? Dragons? I know Rhaella likes dragons."

This is where we get the dragon kinning, "my confidence is having Vermithor," valyriaboo mentality 😅. Weird combination of "my mom made sure I loved myself & knew my worth, & she told me every day how much she loved me" & "my dad did not pay a whole lot of attention to me, but he imparted his weird issues while denying me my gods given right to be a daddy's girl"

Agape 5

LOL, she is not empathizing with her enemies at all--Daemon Targaryen, you are the father. That said though, she has a big heart & can be convinced to show empathy to someone she believes wronged her, but only after the fact & not even in every circumstance

Ludus 5

I don't necessarily think there's a whole lot her husband would need to do besides be pretty & flirt & let her know he's down. Ella is not immune to man with long hair & pretty brown eyes & happy trail who wants to put in effort for her & lavish her with attention.