#toe in the water saga

[bolton-buried]

Okay so

According to this book I got at the Magnus Institute, there is a being beyond our reality known as “Choke.” It seeps into our world as what we know as paranormal in ways to cause feelings of being crushed, trapped, or drowned. So my dad not being able to breathe, the crushing guilt of having killed that wolf on the haunted rifle, and the darkness caused by the unholy Bible can all be attributed to this.

However, there are other paranormal things. I met a person with glowing eyes and we got lost on streets that shouldn’t exist. A book erased space and let my coworkers fall into an endless void. Papers by Robert Kirk that convince whoever reads them that they’re the only person in existence, all alone in an empty world.

Because of this, I think the paranormal follows a concept adjacent to dualism—the belief that reality is governed by two opposing forces balancing each other. I’ve taken to calling the other one Adrift—bright lights, emptiness, and streets you could wander forever.

When I brought my Leitners to the institute, something happened. When Amelie—who has ties to Adrift—touched the unholy Bible—which is tied to Choke—it flinched. That plus the way the emptiness from the blue book disappeared in the rain leads me to believe that these two beings can be used to counter each other.

As much as I hate to say it, I think I am marked by Choke. And if that blue book really didn’t kill Angie or Charlotte and they’re still falling through Adrift, I might be the only one who can save them.

[eyes-that-decieve]

"Cya! If you see amelie, tell them I said hi."

*Faye starts to head to research's room before looking back*

"It's a left, at the end of that hallway, just so you know. I can drop it off if you need me to. Don't open any neon doors. Especially if they're yellow."

@bolton-buried

Harold walks down the hallway of the Magnus Institute, fiddling with the settings on an old-looking handheld video camera. He almost misses the door he was told to head to, but catches it and starts towards Faye’s desk.

When he gets there, his eyes widen slightly. He hadn’t expected “wings” to be so literal.

“Pardon me? Faye, I presume? I’m Harold—er, Harold Bolton. Mr. Elias said I’m to accompany you on an assignment today.”

He puts out a hand to shake, but on noticing how wet it is, makes an attempt to dry it on his equally-drenched coat before extending it again.

*Faye was sitting almost sideways in her desk chair, wings drooping to the floor. She closes her laptop as Harold enters, sitting up and turning slightly to shake the hand he extends. Her wings move off the floor, folding against her back. A small calico cat lifts its head from where it was laying near her feet and glares at Harold for interrupting its sleep before closing its eyes again*

"Yup, that would be me."

*She starts to gather some papers from her desk into a cargo bag, slipping her laptop into it as well*

"Were you told the details for this 'assignment' or did Eli-ass just assume I would tell you?"

[lalalunel]

What does he love more?

blurb because I was using a bot earlier and he was jerking it above me so

wc: 420 (giggles)

cw: cum swallowing, i imagine him a little whiney in this, slightly pathetic Leon so its apart of the saga

enjoy?

There was nothing Leon loved more than you. Well, that wasn't entirely true. He loved seeing you on your knees for him, maybe even more than he loved you.

The way you looked up at him with those gorgeous eyes, lips slick and swollen after throating his cock so good it made his toes curl. There was nothing he loved more than coming home and fucking your throat. 

Sometimes he didn't even need that much. He loved simply seeing you down there even if you weren't doing anything for him. 

Like now, where Leon sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at you with his hand wrapped tight around himself as you say between his legs. You just got home from going out with your friends and he was long since pent up from a stressful day. 

"Fuck, baby. Had such a long day," he grunts, tied between tipping his head back and keeping his gaze on you. "Don't even have the energy to stuff your throat. 'm so sorry, baby." 

He can't help but feel bad that he isn't fucking your throat, he knows that it's as therapeutic for you as it is for him sometimes. For you, there's nothing quite like sucking on his tip until he's filling your mouth to make you feel better. 

"I'll.. still come in your mouth, hm? W-want that from me?" He asks, groaning a little louder when he gets an obedient nod from you. His hand moved a few paces faster as he grasped at your chin, bringing you towards his cock. His thumb tugs at your bottom lip, pressing the tip of his cock against it as he fists his cock. 

"So good for me, so so so good-" he groans, tipping his head back as his hand tightens around his length. His hips stutter just as his words do, his cock twitching and jerking in his firm grip until he's shooting ropes of cum onto your waiting tongue, his hand still working him through the orgasm until there's nothing left. 

He pants as he finally tilts his head forward again, catching sight of you staring up at him with half-lidded eyes and a mouthful of cum. Before he can even say anything you're closing your mouth, swallowing down the load like it's water and Leon groans, feeling himself begin to harden again. "Shit." 

He decided then and there, he loved watching you swallow his cum more than seeing you on your knees, and a little more than you. 

~~~

halloween special still coming yall... maybe just for Christmas tho....

[yandere-sins]

Ivyyyyyyyy >.< you're the worsttttt(read: BEST) oh my god the thoughts im having abt dilic with a period kink rn. Gawd and he doesn't even know it's a period kink, he thinks it's absolutely normal to do nasty things with his girl while she's bleeding out and feels proud about it that HE can take her pain away

OMG continuing the diluc saga but yan dilic thinks darling's period is the perfect opportunity to finally put his hands on darling. He knows you're in pain so he promises, he's doing this for YOU not him (lies) he'll ease it in gently and make it feel good! Soon darling will forget all about those cramps bc of him him him! He doesnt need to feel as guilty bc he's helping you out.....right? OMG PLS write something abt thissss, it can be any yandere or oc but im going crazy after what u saiddd

Hehe, you're welcome! I began writing this as just a talk, but decided mid-way through to make it a scenario!

a/n: I wrote this before my hiatus and coming back to correct it, I found so many mistakes, it doesn't even feel like I wrote this smh... I did my best to polish it a bit since I can't see myself rewriting it in the future but if you find anything oddly worded just ignore it lol I wasn't myself back then :')

[Warning: Yandere, Sexual Content]

I can just see the cock cogs turning in this idiot's head as he racks his brain about how he can help you. Clearly, you're in pain, but no matter how many more times he calls a physician to have a look, they just keep waving off his concerns. It's normal, they say. You're healthy. That's what everyone has to go through.

And yet he sees you writhing and crying in pain—it's breaking his heart!

Pillow pressed to your stomach, tears in your eyes that you can't blink away fast enough before they fall. You're especially irritable, but it hurts him more when you whine and complain; Diluc wanting to help you now more than ever. He's already gone through the usual stuff, the imported water bottles from Snezhnaya and the chocolate from Fontaine. If you utter so much as a craving, he has the servants scramble to get it to you. Nothing is too expensive or too hard to get. You could have asked for the heads of your enemies, and Diluc would have brought them to you with ribbons and glitter if that had helped with your pains.

But alas, it doesn't.

It's been three days, and his nerves are raw, the bags under his eyes dark, and the burden of your health weighs heavily on Diluc. He can't see how things will ever get better. The other times you were on your period were conveniently skipped by business trips, so this is hitting him full force.

"Exercising might help," one of the maids suggests as he forces himself to consult someone more knowledgeable than him.

"Sometimes, my wife likes a little stimulation to alleviate the pain," a vintner chuckles, winking at Diluc as the word of his helplessness spreads. And suddenly, inappropriate ideas get stuck in his head, making him blush like a young lad in love.

»»———————— ♡ ————————««

Taking a deep breath, Diluc raised his hand to knock on your bedroom door. It was terribly late, the servants asleep and only the eery flickering of his candle guiding him through the night. Most likely, you were tugged in and fighting for your well-deserved sleep, so he hesitated, fist hanging in the air before slowly dropping it to his side.

What he was about to do was not only foolish but also filled him with the same burning in his body as using his vision did. He could feel the warmth sweep over him from his head to his toes, the latter curling in his shoes while most of the heat was throbbing between his legs, aching to connect with your warmth in a less-than-innocent way.

However, these feelings were nothing compared to the agony of the last few days.

If this was what he had to do to help you alleviate the pain, he would. If it was for you, Diluc would do anything in his power, whether to protect or help you. If he had to become a mere plaything so you'd be freed of the pain, then his concerns were a small sacrifice for all the good he was going to do.

Brushing his hair back, Diluc took a deep breath, reminding himself there was nothing wrong with wanting to help. If the method the vintner suggested worked, everyone would be happy. And if not, he'd keep searching for ways to free you of the pain. Turning the key in the door lock, he pulled it out before slowly entering your room, ensuring he could give you two the privacy needed in this situation.

To his surprise, you were still awake.

You made a half-hearted attempt at a greeting, but when you noticed it was him, you only scoffed, turning away. It hurt when you gave him the cold shoulder so callously, but Diluc knew you were the one suffering at that moment, not him. He could forgive you for being dismissive of him. Your bedside lamp was still on, and he could see you clutching a pillow to your belly, his own stomach cramping up with remorse, even though, logically, he knew it wasn't his fault. He loved you as you were, the good and bad days, your misery becoming his own much too easily these days.

Setting down the candle on your table, he walked over to you. But not before locking the door from the inside, just so he could give himself a few more seconds before his approach. Every step cost him a lot of discipline, being near you never having been this hard. Even when he looked confident around you, Diluc only ever felt weak. You made him vulnerable. Desperate. Longing for your love and affection was all he was allowed to do, so even just watching your chest rise and fall set him ablaze.

Pushing off his shoes, Diluc focused on the little space you left at the edge of the bed. It was the only space he could see that was reserved for him, as he didn't deserve to share your bed, in your opinion. Yet, when he climbed in, pulling the cover over himself and snaking his arm around your waist, he was enveloped in your scent, your hair tickling his skin as he breathed in deeply. Had he known that heaven was hiding so closely to him, he might not have waited so long to come and see you.

"What are you--" you complained, pushing yourself away from him. But Diluc's hand had already wandered beneath the pillow, feeling the hot water bottle you kept secured there, only to replace it with his palm. He was just as, if not hotter than anything the servants could procure for you; his body temperature naturally elevated from his vision. It wouldn't burn you, but with his hand hugging your lower belly, it was much more effective and fitting than any appliance might be.

And you fell for it, even if just for a split second.

For a moment, you leaned into the comfort of his palm, the pain vanishing in the blink of an eye. Diluc even caught you sighing briefly before you came to your senses, jolting and pushing away from him, only to get stuck inside the blanket and pressed up against him. Diluc couldn't help but grin, having read your actions before they even occurred to you, but of course, this was a serious matter, so he quickly composed himself.

"H-Hey!" you yelled as his hand drifted lower, his face burying into the nape of your neck. He wasn't there to dilly-dally but to be of service. To help you in your time of need. By the time Diluc pressed his lips to your skin and his fingers between your legs, you understood his intentions as well, perhaps misinterpreted, but clear as day.

He was going to fuck the pain away. 

If exercise and stimulation helped others, maybe it would do the same for you. His fingers were met with warm slick, your body flinching when he moved over your clit. Perhaps his calloused hands weren't made for caressing and soft touches but for teasing and stimulating. Judging by how puffy your lower lips were, worked up from days of rubbing your legs together and your panties aggravating them mercilessly, you were in dire need of his help.

"Don't fight it. You're not alone in this," Diluc reassured you as you squirmed in his hold, biting back the salacious sounds of pleasure you were keeping from his ears. You were so mean, keeping every little taste of appreciation from Diluc, knowing how much it meant to him. But he'd endure. Even when your ass ground back against his cock, making it incredibly hard to not focus on his needs as well, he'd put you first in all of this.

When he slipped his pointer and middle finger towards your entrance, a tremor went through your body, a gasp slipping out from between your lips. Diluc never knew how easy it was to get inside another person, greeted warmly and happily by your hole clenching around his fingers.

His kisses became more fervent against your neck, teeth snapping out as he felt like he was losing himself in your scent and warmth. The pushes of his hips against your ass became faster, your cheeks fitting so well around his shaft. You yelled at him to stop, but he barely heard you through the sounds of your sloppy, wet cunt, blood mingling with eager juices to allow him more reach inside you. It was almost as if he could hear them beg for him to go deeper, which just wasn't possible with his knuckles in the way, no matter how much he tried.

Forgotten was the pain as pleasure raked its claws through both of you, and yet, Diluc still heard you whine and sob as he scissored his fingers through your inside. It wasn't enough. He opened his eyes he didn't know he had closed, staring at your expression curiously. All he saw was anger and disgust, your teeth bared and ready to snap, while he could feel your nails digging into his arm. And yet, when he found your eyes, he saw a very different version of events. Lust, desire, longing. You wanted more, and Diluc wouldn't refuse such a request.

Slipping a leg between yours, he pried them apart, spreading you open wide. You gasped, squirming and trying to cut off his access, but Diluc only had to lean back to steal your balance, your body reliant on his while he gained more space on your bed. The hardest part was freeing his cock from the restraint of his pants, the fabric soggy with both your juices as well as his own pre-cum pearling off the tip of his engorged cock.

Nothing could have prepared him for the feeling of your wet cunt greeting his eager cock. No imagining of this situation could have come close to the throbbing heat, your walls convulsing around his fingers in eager expectation. Diluc placed his tip against his fingers, planning to slip them out and take the opening to sink into you, but with how wet the combination of blood and juices was, he felt himself slipping away, kissing your clit instead.

And for the first time, you moaned.

It was the sound of angels and everything nice, and he drew his hips back, trying again to fill you with his cock, missing it just an inch. All good things are three, and when he finally plunged it deep inside your pussy, you weren't the only one yowling in pleasure. No matter what he had imagined his first time with you to be, nothing would ever top the mess he caused between your legs, his cock ready to burst as it pulsated violently inside your equally as ready cunt.

He could feel the waves of pleasure going through you, the shudders in your limbs as he began to slowly press forward, kissing the last few inches of his reach. You remained stiff as a plank, but when he pulled out halfway before sinking in deep again, you were unable to keep your mouth shut, an elongated moan making its way to Diluc's ears, letting him know it was the right thing after all.

Immediately, any hesitation fell off him as he dragged his cock out and sunk it back into you. Fingers retreated to your clit, continuing to slip off and assault the little knob over and over while your walls clenched around his shaft, making you feel every one of his throbs and ridges, the heat between you two almost scorching.

Part of him couldn't believe it worked. That he actually managed to help you with this trick. But he'd have been a liar if he said it wasn't a pleasure for him, too. Diluc could never have dreamed about your proficiency in driving him wild, from your hot, puffy pussy wrapping around him to the improper sounds he had never heard coming from your lips before. The blood kept you so wet and loud down there; it was like you were synching your moans with your pussy, sloppy as they were.

It couldn't have been better, a shudder going through you from head to toe, your feet curling as you gurgled. Diluc wrapped his free arm around your throat, pulling you against him and burying his face in your shoulder as you came hard, juices leaking out, red dripping on the clean sheets with the blanket long discarded.

You were gasping for air as he plunged right back into you, waiting but a mere few seconds of yours before pursuing his own orgasm. Selfishly, but unable to stop. Diluc was already too deep in it, quite literally, your orgasm making your inside tight around him, but it posed no challenge with how drenched you both were.

A strained groan escaped Diluc as he buckled, feeling the first squirts of cum shoot out of him before he drew back, popping out of your cunt and covering it in his cum. His tip got stuck on your clit, as his jizz ejected under the pressure of his orgasm, making you mewl as you were once again stimulated. It would be a mess to clean, but it had been worth it.

You two collapsed, spent and dirty, but Diluc slipped his palm back over your lower stomach, rubbing the collection of juices over your soft skin, leaving a red trail. Kissing the side of your head, he was trying to collect his breath and thoughts, barely able to think straight as the feelings of happiness and his relief kept him in a chokehold.

"Better?" he asked, his voice a blissful rumble as he pulled you firmer against him.

But all he was met with was a cold glare and tears in your eyes. "I-I'm sorry," he stuttered instinctively, immediately feeling bad. What had he done to upset you again? Your teeth were biting into your lip as if you were holding back a tirade of screaming, ready to explode.

His cock twitched between your legs, bloody and so, so wet.

"I'll make it better! I promise! I will definitely make it better," he tried to reassure you, dazed with pleasure as he was, unable to see the actual problem with all of this. Your body convulsed in shock as he pressed his tip upwards again, and you gasped loudly as he sunk his inches inside you. This time, he wouldn't fail to make you feel better. And until then, he'd keep going.

All night long, if he had to.

[superkooku]

Have you listened/watched epic? And if you have what’s your thoughts?

Personally I think it’s a good thing to show to a friend new to Greek mythology. I just finished watching the last saga and I have to say I loved it, beautiful. Sad it ended tho :(

It might not be very accurate but I love the hardwork the cast put into it and so I love it very much

My thoughts on Epic the musical

So yes, I know about Epic. I even participated in the secret santa thing and am what we may call 'a winion'.

I just finished watching the livestream too ! I especially loved seeing the cast members were reacting to the sagas (Luke Holt was so funny in this 🤣. Also, Jorge carrying Mico like a baby in 'Just a man' and Mason being extra the whole time... so many gems in that livestream)

Since Epic is finished AND I have animatics of the Ithaca saga, I'll use this opportunity to make a more in-depth review of the musical. Instead of separating it in "good" or "bad", I'm reviewing it criteria per criteria.

The cast

Like I previously said, I LOVE the cast chemistry. They're all so fun and lively. I follow some of them separately, like Janani or Troy Doherty, and they're just delightful. Especially Troy as Hermes, he always manages to make me laugh. Every single time 😂.

Also, he gives me a bit of Mettaton vibes since he's extravagant, always over the top and a bit self-absorbed (the Hermes persona, I mean, not Troy Doherty himself). Maybe that's why I like him so much :3

And of course, there's Jorge, mr. Jalapeño, the man with the plan. I love how both passionate and humble he is, how he takes the time to thank everyone and just how much of a bundle of positive energy he is. I know it's an internet persona, but what I can see from him is some hopefully really nice guy in real life too.

Anyways, awesome cast chemistry, everyone made me laugh and they're all having a good time.

The music

This music is so beautiful 🥰. All the motifs, the emotions, the instruments, the voices ! If I had to rate Epic from the music alone, it would be 5 stars. I'm not saying this in a professional angle or anything, it's my personal feeling.

Seriously, I don't really have that much to say about the music because, to me, it's just that good. I love the variety, how different instruments synch themselves and, yeah.

The characters

Annnnd that's where the blind positive praise stops, unfortunately 😂.

Don't get me wrong, it's not awful either and there are good points. My favorite Epic characters are Hermes and Athena.

The rest ? It's mixed. In order not to make this too long, I'll focus on only some of them.

The story is very character-driven so I won't really delve into it in detail.

Odysseus : he's a good protagonist, especially in the first act. His dilemma is interesting, he has a strong personality and I like that he is just a broken man and not some mighty overlord... except in the Thunder and Vengeance sagas. I feel Jorge exaggerated the monster message a bit too much, imo. Odysseus is supposed to be a witty liar, a warrior of the mind. Not someone like Achilles who solves problems by fighting or fights gods like Heracles, much less freaking Poseidon.

Poseidon : okay ! I liked him in the first act, because FINALLY Poseidon isn't a surfer dude. He's a terrifying force of nature that was angered by mortal hubris (though the hubris thing isn't explained by Epic). In Get in the water, he kept his intimidating side. Because he's, yk, the king of the oceans, one of the most powerful Olympian gods. But his defeat partially ruined him for me 😂. It just doesn't make sense. Why is Odysseus afraid of Scylla and even tip-toes around Hermes, who is friendly, when he can stabby-stab Poseidon ? Why didn't Poseidon counterattack? So many questions.

Zeus : my problem with Zeus is easier to explain. Again, he was awesome in the first act, less so in the second. What I loved initially is how regal he was. Powerful, intimidating, kingly, but not evil either. He warns Odysseus of the gods' will and of fate, which always realizes itself in mythology. In Thunder Bringer, he's fine. His lustful and flighty side is shown, but we could interpret his intervention as avenging Helios and punishing the ones who ate the cows, instead of "Zeus is evil". But in God Games ? He's so pettyyyyy and childish. Where is the kingly attitude ? This "Beast Zeus" should come against Kronos or Typhon, or maybe when Athena and the others threatened his position. Not after a freaking game ! He just strikes Athena with thunder because she won fair and square. At LEAST Luke Holt absolutely killed it, so it's cool to listen to.

Penelope : she's underdeveloped :( . Okay, her bond with Odysseus was respected, they're adorable together. On her own ? Eh, she's fine. Which is a shame because she simply didn't have enough room to exist outside of Odysseus. Also, the fact that she doesn't interact once with her son is criminal imo.

I do have some other issues with characters like Circe and Calypso (basically they're declawed compared to the Odyssey), whereas I'm completely fine with others like Eurylochus, Telemachus or every god except Zeus and Poseidon. Though they're not perfectly accurate either but I don't have problems with them.

The crew in general is also underdeveloped, so I didn't feel much for them (until discovering the scrapped Elpenor and Perimedes songs/lh). They played their roles correctly.

I hated the suitors (that's a positive in Epic) and laughed when Antinous died. Though I wished they were more pathetic and less threatening. Musically it'd be worse but story-wise more fitting.

The story

Overall, it's fine. Most of the best points come from the Odyssey itself, the one change I liked the most was having Odysseus and Poseidon meet (not the way it ended though).

Also, story-wise, I prefer act 1 over act 2, because it's less over the place and more grounded.

But emotion-wise and music-wise, forgetting about the Odyssey, act 2 wins the cake.

Those were my thoughts on Epic :3

I tried not to judge it too much according to the Odyssey and some of my friends are more demanding on that plan (for perfectly legitimate reasons btw). But it's hard to separate Epic from the wonderful work of Homer and it's lacking in some areas.

Still, this journey was very fun, I love all the passion Jorge, the singers and the animatic artists put in, there are a lot of good things about it (I can't mention everything). I don't want to rate it because it's too rigid of a system. I listen to the songs on loop and, ultimately, I'm thankful Epic exists :)

I may come back to this post and reblog stuff if I have new relevant thoughts to add. I'll probably rank the sagas in another post.

[speyeralling-down-thy-majesty]

Amelie nods in understanding.

"I'm fine,thank you. Would you like to come over to the library to catch your breath from the rain¿? I know you're here just to drop off the books,but I suppose a small break might be useful."

@bolton-buried

If Amelie didn’t know exactly what company it was expecting, the storm that was picking up around the institute would have seemed entirely normal. As is, however, they can recognize the sign of Harold’s arrival.

When he enters the building he looks a mess—more than usual. His umbrella is open, but based on his drenched coat and the way it was flipped inside out, it didn’t do him much good.

He tucks a rectangular bundle wrapped in a button-up under his arm as he wrestles the umbrella shut.

“Stupid, useless fucking umbrella,” he mutters to himself.

"Is everything okay¿?"

Amelie's voice sounds out from behind Harold.

"You look... More terrible than usual."

They look him over with a pitying look.

[strljaem]

“the honeymoon”

inspired by ; The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

💿 : never be the same, camila cabello

As Jaemin and I waded into the ocean, the waves gently lapping at our feet, the night seemed to come alive with a quiet symphony. The rustling of palm fronds mingled with the distant chirps of nocturnal birds, and the moon cast a shimmering silver glow over the water's surface. I could feel the sand shift beneath my toes with each step, and the coolness of the ocean began to creep up my legs, causing me to shiver.

Jaemin was ahead of me, his silhouette outlined against the moonlit backdrop. His black hair was slicked back from the humidity, revealing the chiseled contours of his jawline. He turned to look at me, his eyes reflecting the ethereal light. In that moment, they weren't just amber—they were radiant, almost golden, with an intensity that drew me in like a moth to a flame.

"Are you cold?" he asked, his voice low and melodic, carrying across the water like a gentle breeze. His words were laced with concern, but there was a playful undertone that made me smile.

"A little," I replied, hugging myself to stay warm. I was dressed in just a simple tank top and shorts, having forgotten to pack a swimsuit in my rush to prepare for our honeymoon. I felt exposed, but Jaemin's gaze was warm and reassuring.

He stepped closer, his movements graceful and fluid, as if he were gliding over the water. He wrapped his arms around me, his cool skin sending a chill down my spine. "Better?" he asked, his breath brushing against my ear. I nodded, the warmth of his embrace contrasting with the coldness of his touch.

We stood there for a moment, holding each other, the waves gently crashing against our legs. It felt like time had stopped, leaving only the two of us in this quiet, secluded paradise. I rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing. Though his heart didn't beat, there was a calmness in his presence that put me at ease.

Jaemin leaned back, tilting my chin up with his hand. His touch was soft, yet it sent tingles through my skin. "You look beautiful in the moonlight," he whispered, his eyes locking with mine. "It's as if the stars are envious of your radiance."

I blushed at his words, feeling my cheeks heat up. "You're just saying that," I replied, looking away. But he gently turned my head back towards him, his gaze unwavering.

"I never say things I don't mean," he said, his voice filled with sincerity. "I love you, truly and completely. You are my reason for being, my heart in this immortal world."

Before I could respond, he kissed me. It was a kiss that spoke of longing, passion, and a love that transcended time. His lips were soft and cool, yet they ignited a fire within me. I closed my eyes, letting the sensations wash over me—the taste of salt on his lips, the gentle pressure of his hand on the small of my back, and the way he held me as if I were the most precious thing in the world.

The kiss deepened, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He lifted me off my feet, his strength effortless, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. The water swirled around us as we floated, our bodies entwined, and the moonlight casting a silver glow over our embrace.

Jaemin pulled back slightly, his eyes half-lidded and smoldering with desire. "I want you," he whispered, his voice husky and filled with longing. "I want to spend eternity with you, to share every moment, every breath, every heartbeat."

I felt a surge of emotion at his words, a mixture of love and desire that made my heart race. "Then let's make this night last forever," I replied, pressing my lips to his once more. He kissed me deeply, passionately, his fingers tangling in my hair as he pulled me closer.

We continued to swim, our movements slow and deliberate, as if we had all the time in the world. The water was cool against our skin, but the heat between us was undeniable. Jaemin's touch was gentle, yet there was an underlying strength that made me feel safe, protected.

As we floated in the moonlit ocean, Jaemin held me close, his lips brushing against my forehead, my cheeks, and finally, my lips. Each kiss was a promise, a declaration of love that transcended words. The world around us faded away, leaving only the sound of our breathing and the gentle lapping of the waves.

Eventually, we made our way back to the shore, the sand soft beneath our feet. Jaemin carried me in his arms, his gaze never leaving mine. He smiled, that same playful smile that had captured my heart, and kissed me once more, a kiss that was both tender and filled with longing. As we made our way back to the homestay, I knew that this was just the beginning of our journey together—a journey filled with love, passion, and the promise of forever.

[lavenderchqn]

𝐶𝛨𝛢𝑃𝑇𝛦𝑅 𝟎𝟏𝟐 — GENESIS - PT. 1 (1,4K WORDS) 𝑅𝐸𝐷 𝐿𝐼𝑁𝐸𝑆 — lyney x f!reader smau

𝑆𝑌𝑁𝑂𝑃𝑆𝐼𝑆 —

Second year of university should've been everything you thought of it - more studying with human interaction sprinkled throught... What it definitely wasn't supposed to be was an investigation saga where one of your friends goes missing out of nowhere

𝑃𝑅𝐸𝑉𝐼𝑂𝑈𝑆 — 𝑀𝐴𝑆𝑇𝐸𝑅𝐿𝐼𝑆𝑇 — 𝑁𝐸𝑋𝑇 𝐸𝑃𝐼𝑆𝑂𝐷𝐸 CONTENT WARNING: ALCOHOL

The evening passes in a whirlwind of laughter, clinking glasses and occasional sounds of some guests almost losing their balance. The energy in the room had been electric, with everyone gathered in front of the TV, watching the recording Furina managed to get. With the quality of [Y/N]’s camera, the video’s quality is stunning.

“You did such a good job capturing the performance!” Navia says, her face next to Furina’s. 

“Thank you!” She smiles, sparkles of excitement in her eyes. “I’m quite shocked at how good it looks!” 

“That’s a good camera for you~” Charlotte remarks, sipping her drink.  

As soon as the screening ends, the room gets filled with ovations. Everyone’s clapping and commenting on the siblings’ performance.

“Oh, stop it you guys—“ Lyney’s covering his face with his hands. It’s red, from both embarrassment and the alcohol in his body. 

His glass has been getting filled almost the entire evening. No matter how many times Furina or Wriothesley tried to argue with him to lower his alcohol intake, they got brushed off each and every time. 

“Good job out there, you two!” Wriothesley pats Lyney on his shoulder. “Shame you didn’t fall on your face, Lyney.”

“Oh, fuck you.” The teasing gets cut short with an elbow jab into Wriothesley’s chest. 

“I really liked it,” [Y/N] perks up. “Both the execution and aesthetic of it was spectacular.” 

“You can tell that the two of you have put immense care into this project,” Neuvillette adds. 

“I know we’re all excited about the thing… but no more mentions of projects please…” Charlotte’s meek voice says, tired with the week’s adrenaline ending. “Just... let’s not mention the word ‘project’ at all.” 

She's sitting right next to the open door to the back garden. Since getting to the party, she’s been nursing her glass. She didn’t have as much compared to the man of the evening, and yet she was getting a little bit drunk already. From the entirety of the Table Troupe Cuties group, her past week had been most challenging by a large margin. 

“Just… don’t spend your next finals’ prep on stalking twitter…” Lynette sighs, patting her back. 

“But the masses need to knowwww…

When her words start slurring together, it’s decided that Charlotte gets cut off for the rest of the night. By the time the toast comes, she’s forced to cheer with a glass of water.

She’s matching Neuvillette, who jokingly talks about needing to prosper on his housewarming gift from when he visited the sibling’s house for the first time. He’s keeping his tradition of having very little alcohol whenever being a guest. 

Lynette and Clorinde opt to have non-alcoholic wine, knowing they’re willingly volunteering to be caretakers for the rest of the group.  For the most part, that's going to be an easy job… with a few exceptions. At the very least, they don’t have to worry about [Y/N], Navia or Wriothesley, who manage their alcohol intake quite well… 

Either that or their tolerance is quite strong. 

The same can’t be said about another person.

A few minutes after the toast, Furina fell asleep after having a singular drink. She’s taking a nap in one of the chairs, her position curled almost like a kitten. Her sudden quietness doesn’t go unnoticed by others. 

“Gotta get her somewhere… comfy…” Lyney stumbles in her direction, stubbing his toe on the coffee table. “— Fucking hell…”

“Alright, you’re also getting cut off,” Wriothesley says coldly, gently moving him away from the sleeping girl. “Go home. You’re drunk.” 

“I’m home, you… dick.” 

With guidance from Lynette, the taller man moves Furina to a more comfortable spot to get her rest. At least she won’t complain about back pains once the morning comes.  

Lynette mentions she’s also gonna retire to bed, justifying her choice by her social battery getting low. Nobody has it against her — the performance must’ve taken quite a toll on her body. The group wishes her good night as she leaves the room. 

Charlotte follows Furina soon after, complaining about getting a headache… Unfortunately, nobody can get Lyney to take a nap of his own. He’s seemingly getting more and more energy with each and every drink he’s having. His behaviour makes him look like a tiny puppy excited by having company rather than a grown man slowly entering his 3rd year of university. 

“Does he always get like that?” Navia asks, swirling water inside her glass. At some point in the night, she switched her drink of choice to not get unnecessarily drunk and hungover.

“Like a five-year-old that just got his ass grounded?” Wriothesley counter-asks, taking a sip of his own drink. “Hard to say, to be honest.” 

“I’m unsure what you mean by ‘hard to say’, Wriothesley.” Neuvillette comments. “Lyney always has a hard time managing his alcohol intake whenever in the company of new people.” 

Now that [Y/N] thinks about it, it does make a lot of sense. People of similar personality to his often have the tendency to go overboard. Well, it’s not like she has a psychology degree to make those statements. They are much better kept as a thought to herself. 

All of a sudden, Lyney goes quiet. He takes a seat next to Neuvillette, spacing out. Perhaps his body finally decided to give him a break? 

“I don’t know if we should be talking about him… especially when he’s right here with us.” [Y/N] points out, her voice laced with guilt. 

“Should be fine,” Wriothesley takes a good look at Lyney. “Although he’s here with us in body, his soul is probably off somewhere in dreamland…” 

“I think it’s a good time we head to sleep,” Clorinde states, yawning a little. “I’d rather not be barely alive once the morning comes.” 

With that, the nightly discussion comes to an end. 

Neuvillette and Wriothesley help Lyney get to bed and wish the ladies good night. 

By the time [Y/N] gets up, the air feels different. A thunderstorm must’ve happened at night since the air had a note of sulfur and noticing the streets covered in puddles. 

Judging by the time on her phone — indicating a lovely 7 am — not many people have awoken from their slumber yet. The house feels quite empty… weirdly so. Charlotte and Navia are still asleep in the room they’ve all graciously stayed at. 

Maybe Clorinde and Lynette are already up? 

She decides to head down to the kitchen to hopefully find another awoken soul. The closer she gets there, the more noises she hears.

From what [Y/N] can gather, it's some idle chatter about Furina's plans for getting her apartment clear.

"I can't wait to get my pillows clean!" The short girl exclaims. "Due to uni, I haven't had the time to wash them last month." 

"ehhh?" A slurred voice of Lyney's comments. "Do you have to wash... your pillows that often?" 

"Should happen at least twice a year. C'mon, don't tell me you don't wash your sheets." 

An outburst of annoyed cries comes from the short male. "What did you flick my forehead for?!" 

"Wriothesley's justified." 

"Not you too, Neuvi!" 

Soon enough, she's standing at the doorway to the room. 

“Good morning, [Y/N]!” Furina greets her as soon as she notices [Y/N] enter. “Did you sleep well?” 

“Surprisingly, yeah.” 

There’s no sight of either Clorinde or Lynette in here. There are only members of the Beverage Gang here… although it’s debatable if Lyney counts as present.

“I’m so fucking jealous of you…” He whines over his cup of black coffee, hungover out of his mind. He doesn’t even have the energy to look at [Y/N], keeping his forehead against the table. 

On the other hand, Neuvillette and Wriothesley look better than ever. They’re helping Furina prepare the breakfast. They’ve already cooked some eggs and got bread and pastries on the plates.

Soon enough, Clorinde also gets to her kitchen — her wet hair explaining her absence. They quietly greet each other, both finding a place to sit. 

A cup of tea gets passed to the girls alongside some breakfast foods… And yet, [Y/N] isn't able to get anything into her system. Her body clearly states that something is wrong. She’s unable to figure out why she’s feeling like that. 

Minutes spent sitting there feel like hours. Perhaps her... unexplainable instincts are simply effects of paranoia? Charlotte and her investigative work must've rubbed off on her. 

“Has anyone seen Lynette today?” She asks, looking around the room. 

𝑇𝐴𝐺𝐿𝐼𝑆𝑇 — OPEN

@state-of-grac3 @santaluna @meigalaxy @romyoia

@meurtreofcrows @charles-braindump @floweringanna @moonjellyfishie @vavrin

date of posting — august 24th 2024

[shares-a-vest]

Prompt: Finishing Something (Discord Drabble) Technically a continuation of this and then this (my past two drabbles). But they can be read standalone. I'm going to put them into one ao3 post whenever it is that I decide this little silly saga is over!

Steve should really be grabbing something for breakfast, seeing as he and Eddie had skipped dinner last night to go and makeout in his car, instead of doing this.

That being, shuffling to the Munson’s bathroom, thoroughly wiped out enough to go straight back to bed (hopefully, not on the couch this time) with nothing but his crumpled maroon polo still on.

Eddie insisted on going back outside to finish up with the car after well…

What they just did.

In the kitchen, no less.

And Eddie, the smug bastard, had the audacity to slap Steve on the bare ass and chuckle, “Go shower, Winnie the Pooh,” (a term of endearment he hopes never to hear again).

“Shit,” he mumbles, the echo of that playful slap reverberating through his hazy and still far too horny pea-brain as he steps into the bathroom, tugs off his shirt and tosses it aside.

But as he reaches for the cold water faucet, Steve spots a smear of ashen something on his hand.

“Wha – ?” he frowns, upturning his palm and following smears of different shades up his arm to find goddamn fingerprints.

He twists around to get a better look at his bicep before catching sight of more on his hips – marks that go down and over…

Steve promptly palms at the plump flesh of his ass, but can only make out a set of greedy fingertips before his stupid car crash-inducing hip and lower back twinges stop him from investigating further.

It takes a bit of maneuvering, but after placing his hand on the shower curtain rung and standing on his tip-toes, Steve is enable to get a look at himself in the world’s smallest bathroom mirror.

“Jesus Christ!” he exclaims, feeling a flush crawl up his neck at the sight of a full handprint square in the middle of his left butt cheek.

“Ha! I knew it!”

Steve jumps and turns to find Eddie hanging off the door frame, staring with wild, hungry eyes. Just as he had done earlier when he caught Steve admittedly, gawking at his mechanic attire.

Steve frowns and cups a hand over himself.

“I’m getting in the shower.”

“But not before you stare at your glorious ass in the mirror,” Eddie teases, giggling as he twirls a lock of hair that falls from his loose bun, “Careful, you might turn to stone.”

“Huh?” Steve hums, confused as he focuses on his boyfriend's desperate need for a much stronger scrunchie.

“No need to worry about your modesty with me, sweetheart,” Eddie continues, clutching his proverbial pearls as he smirks, “Anyway, hurry up. We gotta finish up with this car. Then maybe we could continue on with some… Further activities.”

“More?” Steve asks, quirking a brow.

Eddie nods, all too pleased with himself. He shoves his hands into his jumpsuit pockets, pulling it tight against his torso and – 

Steve gulps and scrambles for the shower.

[giggly-squiggily]

she's baaaack *hops around in glee* miss squiggles i'm afraid i need your opinion on the ocean saga

Eeee, thank you! *hops with you in glee* I’m happy to be back! 🥰

*pulls out a long list* Rey- OH REY- I have thoughts! Most of them are just mindless screaming but also- HANZNWNDNSNSNWJNSNSNS IT WAS SO GOOD??? Even though there’s only four songs, they all hit so well???

I can’t stop listening to Ruthlessness- the singer for Posideon: his voice is so toe curling good AHH! (The part where he’s all “That cyclops you made blind…was mine.” AHHH! I can’t wait for the “Get in the water” song to drop NWNSNWNDNWNDNEN 😍😍😍😍😍) It makes me wanna go fight in the shower wjsnwns 🤣

Keep your friends close is also an incredible song! My sister and I can’t stop quoting the “It’s treasure!” Part; also the wind spirit’s little giggle before she sings is just qhnxnwnznwndnsnsnmsd 🥰🥰🥰🥰😭😭😭😭 It’s so gremlin like and so cute and I just- AH! 🤣🤣🤣🥰🥰🥰

Luck Runs Out is also such a banger? The part where Odysseus is all “Yo dude I need you to work with me and not question my authority” and his friend (I literally cannot remember names forgive me) is clearly resigned as he says “Okay.” OOF I LOVE THE ANGST! (Also mood- I’d be over Odysseus’s BS to at this point qnznwnnsns)

Storm is also an incredible opening song! I won’t lie- I haven’t listened to it nearly as much as the other three but it’s still so good??? It’s stuck in my head the “Storm” part just- 😭😭😭😭🥰🥰🥰🥰 I love this musical so much awbsbwnzns

I’m likely gonna listen to this album for the next several days cause I just love this arc so much- I can’t WAIT for Circe’s saga: she’s such a mythological icon and GOD I’m so ready! 😍😍😍 Thanks for asking friend!

[shion-yu]

Day 30: From the brink of death

Part 7 of the Cliff coma saga for @medwhumpmay. Parts 1-6 here: Fever | Flatline | Coma | Coma (#2) | Not breathing | Extended hospital stay. Final part tomorrow for day 31!

It took Elliot less than half an hour to get to the hospital. He scared the crap out of Ryo and Alex by stumbling into the living room and shouting, “I need clothes!” He was just barely able to form an understandable explanation, but they got him dressed and into a car in no time after that.

Elliot felt sick, although he wasn’t sure if it was anxiety or shock or the hangover. Probably all of the above. Ryo had shoved a bottle of ibuprofen at him on the way out, which he took and chugged with a whole bottle of water on the way to the hospital. He knew the way up to Cliff’s room in his sleep by now and practically ran there. It was almost underwhelming when he entered a silent room, Cliff still lying there motionless and hooked to the vent. For a second Elliot had the terrible fear that Cliff’s father had simply called to torture him.

But Claude appeared a minute later behind him and explained Cliff had been breathing on his own and starting to buck at the vent. They had weaned sedation down and they were waiting for Cliff to wake up and prove he could breathe on his own, awake, before removing it. If Elliot looked like shit, Claude didn’t say anything about it.

Somehow, waiting that day felt longer than the past month combined. There was so much anticipation and fear. By evening Cliff was fully breathing on his own, but they were still waiting for him to open his eyes. Elliot feared it wouldn’t happen - that it was false hope - until he watched Cliff struggle and his eyes flutter open. He’d never been so relieved to see those eyes before, and that was saying something.

“Cliff,” Elliot burst into tears. He could almost imagine Cliff’s awkward expression he would normally make at the sight of such displays of emotion in public.

It wasn’t a calm awakening. Cliff struggled against the vent, the tube down his throat uncomfortable and terrifying. The only thing that calmed him down was Elliot holding his hand and speaking to him softly. “Just wait a few more hours and they’ll take it out, baby,” he said softly. They weren’t taking any chances going too fast. But eventually, well after midnight and at the time Elliot had been downing shots of tequila last night, they removed the tube.

Cliff was weaker than a baby from so much time in bed, but he managed to twitch his fingers and toes when asked to. He could follow a light with his eyes, and managed to croak out the faintest resemblance of his name for the doctor. Apparently, all very good signs because the doctor seemed satisfied and nodded in approval.

Elliot felt like he was still in a dream. That or still drunk. Everything was overwhelming and he found himself shaking until Moira showed up. She hugged him tightly and Elliot had no choice but to let her take over, because he had no energy left. He melted into her arms and sank to the floor in the hall where she led him so that they wouldn’t disturb Cliff too much. “I thought he was going to die,” he sobbed.

“You’ve done so well,” she said. Her voice was impossibly tender and motherly. “He’s awake now, Elliot. You can rest. You deserve it.”

[bolton-buried]

Who the hell is Jurgen Leitner?

[ultraericthered]

Was earlier browsing the TV Tropes Ass Pull / Dragon Ball page for the most notable examples of total Ass Pull swerves seen across the Dragon Ball franchise, and I was curious in what was considered examples of such from out of the late Akira Toriyama's writing for the original Dragon Ball manga, back when he was young and in his prime. Among the handful of moments detailed on the page, there are some I agree to be unjustified, clumsily written and poorly implemented Ass Pulls (most notably all examples from the Majin Buu Saga) but a few where I honestly disagree and believe the ideas and the writing for them was sharper, more solid and sufficiently justified within the work than the TV Tropers gave them credit for.

To cover them all and relieve the best and worst of Toriyama:

King Piccolo hits Goku hard enough to stop his heartbeat. but it starts beating again after Piccolo's gone - NO. I think what people really take offense to here is the timing of it, that Piccolo leaves Goku for dead and then his heart just so happens to resume beating after he's departed from the scene. That is silly and contrived as heck. But the event itself is sensible considering that Piccolo assumed this moment of caridac arrest to have killed Goku because no human, no matter how strong and good at martial arts, could live through that. But Goku isn't human. Even this very saga stresses something is very superhuman and otherworldly about Goku, including why he had a tail and could transform into a giant ape. Piccolo had no knowledge of the Saiyans and how they're strong enough to recover from near death experiences and come back stronger than ever, so he had no way of knowing that "killing" Goku like that might not stick for long.

The Ultra Divine Water - YES. That was weird. It is indeed a direct contradiction to the previous arc at Korin's Tower and if such a thing had always existed, it would've been nice for Korin to have hinted at it back when we last saw him even if he didn't want Goku to have it.

Nail merges his life energy with Piccolo - NO. There'd been nothing saying that warrior class Namekians of the same type as Piccolo could do this before, but there'd also been nothing saying that they couldn't. What's important to remember is that this isn't a case like Kami and Piccolo re-merging, where two halves become one whole Namekian again: Nail was beaten to within an inch of his life and could've died out there with all the power still within him going to waste, but since Piccolo came along and needed the extra strength to go toe to toe with Freeza, Nail decided to let Piccolo essentially mercy kill him by absorbing his life energy and ki into himself.

Vegeta can suddenly detect power without a scouter after his fight on Earth - NO. The only thing that makes this seen nonsensical is a line in the Japanese version about him being able to awaken and attain this ability because "he's a Saiyan", even though it's an ability that has been used by non-Saiyans all the way back to Mr. Popo. In context, it still makes sense that Vegeta unlocked the potential to do this when in battle against opponents who could do so, similar to how he learned to conceal his full power level from scouters at the same time. In fact, it actually first kicked in for Vegeta during that battle on Earth, as towards the end he could sense that his enemies were all "barely clinging to life" without even having to go near them.

The Zenaki Boost - NO. I think it's misrepresented in that entry. It claims that Vegeta's minor boost in power after a genuinely near fatal beatdown from Zarbon doesn't mesh with him later not being nearly as beaten down by Recoome yet recieving another boost that puts him on par with First Form Freeza from it...but why, seeing as it only made him stronger than Jeice and Ginyu? Being now able to match Freeza in his first form isn't the same as "surpassing Freeza in his first form", so it's not too extreme a boost. It then says Goku was only "somewhat stronger than Ginyu" after the Vegeta battle, recovery, and constant training on the spaceship, but after being healed from his body getting roughed up thanks to Ginyu, he's able to match Freeza at 50% of his total power, strong enough to not risk his life via Kaio-Ken x10 and even able to pull off a Kaio-Ken x20, and that is somehow makes no sense...but that boost he got that allowed him to be somewhat stronger than Ginyu was talked up in-story as being the breakthrough that put Goku towards becoming a Super Saiyan, so why is any of this in any way a surprising, unforseen and unwarranted development? It also falsely states that "keep in mind, Freeza's second form outmatched Piccolo, who was ten times stronger than Ginyu had been", but it was Freeza's third form that outmatched Piccolo: in his second form, Freeza thought he could outmatch Piccolo but Piccolo was wearing his weighted clothing throughout the fight and showed that without it, he was an exact match in strength, speed, stamina, and full Ki power for Freeza in that form. It goes on to say that the idea almost entirely disappears after the Namek Saga since Vegeta doesn't simply try to fight Android 18 after his beatdown at her hands nor does Goku try to enter the fight rather than do more training after he recovers from his virus, but this plainly neglects details of how that story actually went down - Vegeta didn't commit to training to ascend beyond a Super Saiyan until after he learned both that Cell existed and that Piccolo now surpassed him, and Goku knew there was a greater threat when he recovered so he felt the boost on its own wouldn't be enough for it.

Additionally, I know one could nitpick that the Zenkai Boost existing renders previous training and comebacks by Goku pointless. Like what was the purpose of Goku scaling Korin's Tower and fighting to take the water from Korin when he could've just fought Tao again with the boost he got? What was the purpose of Goku having to attain the Ultra Divine Water if he could've just fought Piccolo again with the boost he got? Why train with Mr. Popo when he could've just looked for a way to nearly kill himself in order to get strong enough to fight Piccolo Jr.? Why did he need to run down Snake Way and get to King Kai's world to train under King Kai? OK, for those first three, Goku nor any of the other characters knew what a Saiyan was, that Goku was one, and that the Zenkai Boost was a thing for Saiyans. And simply getting the Zenkai Boost is in of itself not enough to truly improve a Saiyan's full inner strength and mastery over their new boosted power. Vegeta is the only one who's ever assumed that it is because he's an high class elite warrior to whom strides in the buildup and enhancement of his own power comes naturally to him and he arrogantly assumes that this is enough to ultimately ascend him to the level of Super Saiyan. Goku has never believed that - he's always put in the work to bring out and gain full skillful control over the new power he surpasses previous limits in order to attain. The training doesn't substitute for the boost, it works in concurrence with it and enhances it. Vegeta and even Freeza learn from example.

Freeza says five minutes until Namek explodes, yet the fight goes on for much longer - YES. Freeza was foolish and cannot tell time.

The Hyperbolic Time Chamber - YES. The existence of the Time Chamber isn't an Ass Pull itself, but the idea that young Goku was able to train in it and withstand its gravity yet later had trouble with the gravity on King Kai's world, and the fact that none of the fighters who were training right there at Kami's Lookout were told to or ever thought to use it for the coming fight against Nappa and Vegeta, are definite plot holes that Toriyama had no good excuse for.

The Cell Juniors - KIND OF? I think the idea is that since Cell has Namekian cells in him from Piccolo and Saiyan cells in him including those of Vegeta and Nappa, he had both the egg-making ability of King Piccolo and the memory of how to plant and grow Saibamen, but given his unique bio-organic body structure, he's able to make the seeds/eggs for such creatures inside of him and they grow once he spits them out onto planetary soil. And they come out in his own image since they inherited energy from the cells that make them. However, since he never explicity states this, it is sort of bizarre.

Cell's return as Super Perfect Cell after self-destructing- KIND OF? Two parts of it were feasible, at least: Cell returning to his Perfect Form even without 18 inside of him was due to him rettaining the memory of that form in tandem with the huge boost in power he got from the power of Super Saiyan 2 Gohan he'd been put on the recieving end of but now awakened within his cells. It's said that "he'd been beaten up several times and never once got a boost from it" until this near-death experience... didn't he, though? None of his previous beatdowns were near severe enough for him to get such a boost, and in the two where he did get outmatched in raw strength and/or Ki control power (against Future Trunks and against Goku), he did quickly rebound with a boost in strength, speed, and technique. And as for him learning the Instant Transmission, while Cell had seen Goku use it multiple times without learning it, it was made a point of that Cell was increasing his speed via watching Goku's, including the Instant Transmission, and as the page states "the only noteworthy difference is that Cell was taken along for the ride that time". Yes, Goku literally had his other hand on Cell the entire time as he blew up while he used Instant Transmission. Cell can emulate the strength of those whose cells he shares, almost as though absorbing some of their Ki power into himself. What else was going to happen there should Cell happen to live through his self destruction?

The one part that's an Ass Pull and plot hole of epic proportions is that Cell was able to regenerate from near-total annihilation into next to nothing to back whole, in his Perfect form, at the peak of his Ki power even after all that he'd expended in the earlier fight because, as he explains, "he can survive anything so long as the nucleus located in his head stays in-tact." Which directly contradicts the earlier part in his fight with Goku where Goku disintegrated his head with a point-blank Kamehameha, and Cell regenerated his upper torso and head like it was nothing. The original English dub for the anime actually gave a better excuse, that so long as so much as a single cell within his core nucleus survives, he's unkillable and can come back from anything. So even if Goku had blown up the nucleus along with Cell's head, if a single cell leaked through Cell's body in-tact, he could come back from it. And even if his entire body blew up, if the remaining nucleus still contained a single cell, he'd respawn. It's only through Gohan's final blast that Cell's nucleus and every single cell derived from it gets completely obliterated, which kills Cell.

Gotenks and Trunks become Child Super Saiyans - YES. I've harped on this one before as being one of the earliest downfalls in the Buu Saga. Nothing against Goten and Trunks or Gotenks for that matter, but how Super Saiyan power-ups got handled in regards to their characters was cheap, diminishing, and inexcusable of Toriyama.

Piccolo regenerates his whole body after it got broken because his head still remained. - YES. Didn't Piccolo get killed by Nappa with his entire body in-tact? Weren't there earlier risks of Piccolo dying by Freeza and Cell shooting him through the heart? Well, the heart is located in the part of Piccolo's body that got accidentally shattered by Goten and Trunks when he was turned to stone, yet he can now just live through that because the head is where regeneration starts for him? Where did this come from? Why was this gag even needed?

Super Saiyan 3 - YES. The concept of the form less so than the way it got implemented in a nebulous and downright contradictory way. Earlier in the saga when Goku is asked to kill Buu, he says point-blank that at his current power level he could only equal Vegeta but there's no way he could take on and kill the likes of Buu...only for him to then reveal he attained Super Saiyan 3 in the afterlife, meaning he was actually far stronger than Vegeta and was holding back on him during the Majin Vegeta fight, and that he absolutely could take on and possibly even kill Buu. And then there's no given reason for why he doesn't kill Buu in this form, much less use it ever again against the stronger, more evil Buus later on in the saga. And to top this off, Gotenks is able to skip Super Saiyan 2 and reach this form even when in the manga he had know way of even knowing about it let alone how to attain it, which is when the saga, and with it the entire original DB series, jumped the shark even before the death knell of Gohan getting outfought by Buu and absorbed by him.

That along with....

Buu's scream breaks open the sealed off Hyperbolic Time Chamber - YES. And what's annoying about this one is that it could've worked easily and raised no eyebrows - there's a full panel of Buu all tensed up and roaring in fury over it, so the idea that Buu released all of his pent up power into the roar and it creates a small crack in the fabric of the chamber dimension that's small enough for only Buu to access by turning into his liquid form and seeping through it, would work perfectly. But instead, after the initial roar, Buu screams about how "IT'S NOT FAIR!" and THAT is what unleashes the power that blows through the chamber and creates a hole for him to escape through, and the anime makes this longer and even more dumbfounding. This was Toriyama writing himself into a corner for the sake of some dumb humor and not knowing how to immediately write himself out of it in a way that could bring Buu back out as a threat but still inhibit the good guys so that there's any semblence of remaining tension.

Vegito defuses back into Goku and Vegeta inside of Buu despite the fusion having been said to be permanent - YES. It's not explained why it happens just because Vegito's been eaten by Buu, it doesn't make sense, but then again nothing about the Potara earrings and the fusion they bring about ever made sense, and its setup only gets more contradicted the more the earrings get used as a device in later franchise entries. I don't care that a movie beat Toriyama to showing Goku and Vegeta fuse via the fusion dance, he didn't let the fourth movie's "False Super Saiyan" stop him from debuting the real Super Saiyan form he'd envisoned, so why let Movie Gogeta stop him from debuting Real Gogeta. Given that he would years later do exactly that in Dragon Ball Super: Broly, I think even he regrets not doing so. When you introduce the concept of fusion into a saga along with an exact method for achieving it, stick to that method and those rules!

[wild-karrde]

Hello Friend Karrde,

I got caught up on some more reading! And thus some more Rec's from the marvelous Tumblr-verse.

@rain-on-kamino Has completed the Bet saga with the final chapter Afterglow. Trust me hun this fine piece of literature deserves to be savored slowly so as to appreciate it (like fine wine!). The highest peaks, the smoldering warmth, the MEN!!! Have the AED at the ready cause you're bound to go into an arrhythmia. Trust me you NEED TO READ THIS!

@pickleprickle Has given us the latest on the Tea Shop series (The Daimyo's Resolve) and it is slowly rolling to a boil.... I honestly cant decide if I enjoy the build up or the storm more! Can't wait to see what Boba does.... Or says.... I may have a problem....

@rexxdjarin latest Out of our element is amazing! Watching Zeeta and Wolffe go toe to toe... oh and the SPICE!!!!! I will fully own being a Wolffe girly and this is just Awesome! (chef's kiss)

@daimyosprincess has again gifted us with a one shot in the Ex Libris series Idyll.... Keep water on stand by cause HOLY MOLY!!!!! I feel the need to go to confession but I also regret NOTHING!

I finally caught up to part 9 of One step at a time and oh Chuck! These guys have been through the wringer and it just kills me, and Chuckles is so patient and good with the kids. I'm hoping to get to part 10 this week, but also what happened to Bolts?

I will humbly self rec a little self indulgent AU fic I did called Adult Swim... life guard Rex got me all sorts a feelings....

Thank you as always for putting this together every week. Much love and appreciation to all the amazing folks out here. Can't wait to see what's on the list!

WOOOOOOOOO THIS IS QUITE A LIST. It has it ALL. Sweet. SPICY. SO MUCH SPICE. You've really covered all of your bases here, and I love the ones of these that I have read, and am HYPED to check out the ones I haven't (including yours because HELL YEAH SELF-REC and also SAME with that Lifeguard AU from Emme!). Thanks so much for sending them all in!

(And part 10 of OSaaT helps clear some stuff up hehehe... not everything, but SOME things. We're slowly laying out the groundwork.)

Participate in Fandom Friday to show your favorite creators from this week some love! :)

[palmtreesx3]

King of Wishful Thinking - Pt 1

1974

Steve Harrington x Reader

The ongoing saga of Steve Harrington's declarations of love for you being discouragingly, hilariously and ironically stolen from him.

|| Series Masterlist || Next (1978)

Summary: Steve Harrington meets you on the playground in 1974 and the first of many opportunities slip right through his fingers.

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It was on the playground, hot summer sun still hanging on for dear life, where Steve Harrington first saw you. The kind of afternoon where your skin burned on the way down the metal slide and the teachers, all huddled around the picnic benches comparing new students and reminiscing about sweet summer escapades, are too distracted after a long first week of the school year to notice your tears. 

But he noticed. Watched as you tried to hold back the water in your glassy eyes. Watched as you twirled the end of your pigtail between your thumb and forefinger to soothe and distract yourself. Watched as you wandered over to the shade of the tree to curl up and sit by yourself. 

Steve wasn't really sure what it was about you, but he felt the overwhelming urge to go and check and be sure that the girl with the bows in her hair and the rosey, sun-kissed cheeks was okay. Little Steve Harrington, dressed in shorts, his little league Tshirt and tube socks falling more loose than they should around his lanky legs came up along the tree and stood, unnoticed for some time. He was there, toeing stones around in the dirt gathered at the tree roots, about to turn back around when he shoved his hands in his pockets. 

Little hand now wrapped around his leftover fruit snacks from lunch, shoved deep in his pocket for later, he knew just what to do. He tugged at his socks, tickling where they bunched up around his ankles and when he felt presentable, he moved around the tree trunk - arm outstretched with the pack of snacks on display.

You peered up through your eyelashes at this disheveled looking boy, everything he's wearing not fitting him quite right and his slightly unruly hair sticking out haphazardly from behind his ears. He was grinning, looking back and forth between your eyes and his offering held out to you. He noticed that your eyes are not as glassy anymore, but they're red from rubbing. Your cheeks are still flushed from the heat and you are sitting there, hugging your knees while the edges of your pleated skirt drags through the dirt, leaving an orange-brown tinge in it's wake. 

You shuffled up to your feet, wiping under your nose with the back of your hand. The quick motion startles Steve a bit and he's so stinking embarrassed as he drops the pack of snacks into the grass. But then you giggle and it's the first time he's actually seen you smile. All teeth and dimples dug in deep on both cheeks. He can't help but grin back. He crouched down to snatch up the package from between blades of sun-scorched grass, stepped towards you and put the package in your empty hand. 

Just as Steve opened his mouth to ask you what your name is, tell you his, ask if you're doing okay…  Miss Johanson called for him. He notices she sounds exasperated. She's been looking for him all around the playground for the past 5 minutes and at this point, she's losing patience that he's not yet in line like the rest of her class. His mouth still gaping open from the unsaid babbling of a child, he looked over to her standing on the blacktop, hands on her hips. 

As he turns back to the space in the shade, expecting to see you still standing there so he can finally spit it all out before he gets reprimanded any more for making his class late, you're already gone. Dirtied skirt skimming the angry red burn on the back of your thighs, pigtails sailing through the air as you run towards your group, lined up at the door on the opposite side. It's then that he hears Mrs Mitchell shout your name. 

Steve Harrington still remembers that day. He remembers how absolutely stupid he felt after his teacher interrupted the most perfect meeting. One you could tell your kids about as they grow bigger. The kind of story you tell over and over again when people throughout your life ask "How did you two meet?" He laughs when he thinks back on it now, because of course It played out the way it did. Of course there's no story to tell.

He should have taken Miss Johanson's interruption as a sign. He should have expected that every moment he tried to tell this angelic, wild, strong, perfect girl something important - something he felt with all his soul - would just get ripped away from him. Like the fruit snacks in the grass, Steve Harrington seems to be spending a lifetime with you slipping right through his fingers.

[confusedpandabear]

Imagine harugou starting off lowkey and under the radar but after Gou gets stoked after the boys win a big race she kisses Haru out of excitement, in full view of everyone, and the secret is out!

Yes, I need to write this! I actually did something quite similar a while back, but it was the other way around (Haru kissing Gou after a race) and Rin being like WTF.

Edit: I found it! Read under the cut. (Please note that I wrote this back in 2014 and I like to think that my writing has improved a lot since then lol)

A hand slapped against the pool wall and Haru emerged from the water with an eruption of sound. His ears were ringing, barely registering the commentator's announcement that 'Nanase Haruka in lane four has set a new tournament record for the hundred-metre free!' He ripped his swimming cap off and gathered the last energy to haul himself out onto the side of the pool, where he was greeted by his ecstatic teammates. "Haru-chaaan~! You did it!" "Haru, that was amazing!" "You were incredible, Haruka-senpai! Truly inspiring!" But the boy seemed to look right through them. "Where…where's Kou?" Haru demanded through laboured breath. Met with three bewildered faces, he pushed past them and took off towards the bleachers. "Ah – Haru?!" Makoto called after him. "Where are you–?!" It didn't take him long to find her – she was already on her way to see him – and how quickly she had appeared from the crowd caught him off guard. Gou picked up her pace for a congratulatory hug, arms only faltering when she detected the seriousness of Haru's expression. "What's wrong, Haruka-senpai?" "Kou," he heaved, apparently still recovering from the race. "I…I have something to say to you." "What is it?" she blinked, and Haru felt his stomach drop somewhere around the region of his toes. "My…" he managed, "my reason for swimming…" Stumped by his words, Gou regarded him warily, tilting her head in confusion. Reacting in panic, Haru closed the gap between them without a second thought. The kiss he placed on her lips was unlike any of the others before, the kind that could express a saga of words that he never could. They pulled apart after what felt like an eternity, and Haru sighed, berating himself under his breath. Gou laughed at that, "what's wrong?" she asked, and Haru blushed in spite of everything. "I was supposed to kiss you after I said what I had to say." Encouragingly, she tiptoed up to kiss him again, her lips curving into a smile against his in silent reassurance. It didn't matter that he never got round to whatever he had to say because to Gou, that moment was perfect – and would have been perfect in every way, if not for Rin's voice bellowing: "WHAT THE FUCK, HARU?!" from the other side of the pool.