#ty again nero!

[antariies]

20 19 questions for writers

tagged by @i-mybrunettelady!! ty nero :3c

tagging dama my friend dama @sylvaridreams

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

th. three.

2. what fandoms do you write for?

exclusively gw2 these days!

3. what are your top 5 by kudos?

i've only got the three published on ao3, so in order of most to least kudos is: forgive us, visions of the past: the departing, and HOW TO BUILD A CHAIR (THIS COULD BE GLORY) !

4. do you respond to comments?

yeas :•]

5. what is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

hmm! how to come back from the dead

6. what is the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

i would say all the gift fics i've written have pretty happy endings!

7. do you get hate on fics?

no. also how is that even a thing still

8. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

no, but i love to talk about ocs fucking creepy and wetstyle on discord with friends. if i were to write dedicated smut i think it would be a series of oneshots from my commander's pov. it's not harley's fault he has so much weird and freaknasty yet incredibly story-relevant sex. pussy that launched a thousand plots.

9. do you write crossovers?

once ☝️ when i was younger and on ff.net i wrote a SYOC pokemon/pjo crossover. it's been abandoned for years. poor thing.

10. have you ever had a fic stolen?

not to my knowledge

11. have you ever co-written a fic before?

yes! we haven't worked on it in a hot minute, but @hawkepockets and i have a fic about harley and prem's historic falling out pre-personal story, featuring our many headcanons about divinity's reach and the events surrounding the great collapse :]

12. what's your all-time favorite ship?

HARLEY/TRAHEARNE/GIL THE OT3 OF ALL TIME !

13. what's one WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

ummm i have a wip called "lessons learned" and it was supposed to be a series of 2nd-person vignettes from the pov of the sylvari commander. expanding more on early personal story and how being raised/mentored by caithe and trahearne kind of fucked them up. whose bright idea was it to let miss "i will walk on my knees for a hundred miles through the desert repenting" and mister "i want to martyr myself so bad it makes me look stupid" take a crack at the young and impressionable sapling anyway. now look at them. they're pushing aurene to meet the same unreasonable standards because it's the only way they know how to live. generational trauma fic. you know how it is.

14. what are your writing strengths?

give me a STRUCTURE! give me a set of RULES! if you say "here is a strict format you MUST follow" i will say "YESSIRRRR" and i will think inside of that box so hard and i will do it so good. i don't break rules but by god i'll bend them within an inch of their life. also i'm funny

15. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

more of it now and forever

16. first fandom you wrote for?

pjo high school au

17. favorite fic you've written?

due to recency bias, my fave fic is always the one i worked on last. rn it's my wip "how to make coffee"!

18. what are your writing weaknesses?

the fact that i don't do it. my turnaround time is abysmal there's like a minimum two years waiting period in between everything i publish :[ also according to my boyfriend just now he says sometimes i don't explain things enough. sometimes i expect the audience to know what kind of broth i'm making but i haven't thrown them enough bones. and i don't realize this bc the broth is already cooked in my head. it's obvious to me but not to them.

19. have you ever had a fic translated?

i've had someone ask once if they could translate my fic, but they also wanted to repost it to a different website. so i turned them down. sharing is fine, but i'm just not comfortable with my writing being reposted somewhere else even with credit.

[eorzeanflowers]

Nero! For the ask meme. For whoever knows him best.

Lucca is Nero's coworker at this point, having been in the Ironworks since a bit before the adventure of the Warriors of Light. So when Nero joined the company post Crystal Tower, Lucca saw him as a gruff, arrogant, egotistical, bastard of a man.

Nowadays, she sees him as a brilliant man, with interesting thought patterns, and a deep understanding of Magitek. If she has a problem with what she is working on, she tries to run him down and ply his brilliance. It was a rocky start, as they both thought the other was tedious.

They have a good friendship, easily talking Magitek with each other. She does envy the rivalry he has with Cid, as it means they get to easily interact. If only she could do the same! But alas, Cid is her boss, and she is not going to be as chummy as Nero is with him... She's tried instigating one, but Nero would constantly shut them down, saying "he only has room for one rival." Lucca still tries to wow him with something or another, just to earn that heated place of striving to do better than their peer.

[aequitaes]

‘ PATCH. ‘  - [ Nero ]  starts to heal / bandage [ Nico. ] // Did she get too close to the fight? Did one of her weaponry experiments go wrong? Inquiring minds want to know o.o

@kismetwilled​  & Nico

                    𝐴 𝑆𝑇𝑅𝐴𝐼𝑁𝐸𝐷 𝐺𝐴𝑍𝐸,  frown marks poking his cheeks, frustration displayed in tuts and shakes of his head.   "  And you say I'm reckless ...  "   Eyebrows drawn together as ocean blue eyes came to meet hers, albeit briefly. Tying the bandage successfully before standing up and observing his work. A sigh.   "  Hope you realise this means you're gonna be out of commission for a while...?  "   Although his instincts told him, her stubbornness wouldn't let that slide. Nero paced around the vehicle, reliving a bleak outcome in his mind.  "  Could've been killed out there....  "   Did he say those words to her or to himself for fear of losing someone who could be caught in the crossfire?

[prettyobsessed]

⋆·˚ ༘ *🎀Perfumed Reverie🩰* ༘✧˚⋆·

🌊 / pairings: Rafayel / fem!reader *. ⋆ / genre: Story plot with smut [nsfw 18+, mdni] 𓇼 / tags: nsfw, romantic smut, lyrical writing, slight action smut, smut with plot, mutual attraction, slight jealousy, perfume obsession, kisses, body appreciation, hand job, clit fingering, nipple kink, nipple licking, slight sub/dom play, tying kink, ribbon kink, cock teasing, kissing, clit stimulation, unprotected sex, perfume kink, cum in mouth, savouring cum, mature sexual content, romantic, romantic smut 🐚 / word count: 6.6k

 ₊⊹summary₊˚⊹

In "Perfumed Reverie," the narrator prepares for Rafayel's celebration with meticulous detail, anticipating the evening ahead. Rafayel's thoughtful gift adds to the excitement. At the party, amidst the vibrant atmosphere, the narrator finds herself drawn to Rafayel's magnetic presence. Their connection deepens as Rafayel's curiosity about the narrator’s perfume sparks a moment of intimacy. Amidst the chaos, their bond strengthens, leaving both eager for more.

𓍢ִ໋🐇₊˚*ੈ♡⸝⸝𓆝🧸⋆

The sun cast a warm glow over the bustling city streets as I set out to find the perfect gift for Rafayel, my heart brimming with anticipation. As I navigated the crowded sidewalks, lost in thought, I was interrupted by the unexpected voice of Nero, my teammate from UNICORNS.

"Hey, fancy meeting with you. Mind if I join you for lunch? I've been dying to hear more about that eye you keep mentioning the other day,” Nero said with a grin that seemed a tad too eager. A memory flashed in my mind, the image of what lay behind the mysterious curtain stirring a sense of unease within me. Ignoring the knot of unease tightening in my stomach, I forced a polite smile and replied with a hesitant nod, "Sure, why not. I could use the company... and perhaps your opinion on something."

We settled into a nearby café, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingling with the chatter of patrons. Nero leaned in eagerly, his eyes alight with curiosity. “So, tell me more about the eye. Could you describe it in detail? I'm fascinated by it," he urged, his enthusiasm bordering on obsession.

As I recounted the details of the memory, Nero hung on my every word, his fascination evident in the way he leaned closer, his breathless anticipation palpable. "Wow," he murmured, his voice filled with awe. Then, with a slight cough, he added, "Um, do you think you could draw it again for me?" There was a hint of demand in his tone, as if he couldn't bear the thought of waiting any longer to see the image.

Unease prickled at the back of my mind, a sense of distrust creeping in as Nero's fixation on the eye grew more pronounced. “It's just for research purposes," Nero added, his voice taking on a low and dark tone that set off alarm bells in my mind.Reluctantly, I hastily sketched the image for him, feeling a sense of discomfort lingering in the air. Sensing my discomfort, I shifted the conversation, suggesting we divert our attention to finding a gift for my friend, Rafayel. Nero readily agreed, and we set off on a leisurely stroll through the city streets, our laughter blending with the hum of conversation. As we strolled along, an unsettling feeling nagged at the back of my mind, refusing to dissipate. 

Yet, for the moment, I pushed aside my suspicions and focused on the task at hand.

Amidst the charming boutiques and shops, my gaze was drawn to a stunning opal watch, its iridescent hues casting a spellbinding shimmer in the sunlight. Each facet of the opal seemed to dance with a kaleidoscope of colours, evoking an ethereal beauty that captured the essence of elegance and sophistication. The sleek design of the watch, adorned with intricate detailing and polished to perfection, spoke volumes of craftsmanship and quality. As I admired its captivating allure, I couldn't help but be reminded of Rafayel's discerning taste and penchant for the finer things in life.

Nero glanced over my shoulder at the opulent timepiece, his curiosity piqued. "A gift?" he inquired, his brow raised in intrigue. I turned to face him, a smile playing at the corners of my lips. "Yes, what do you think?" I asked, eager for his opinion. "It's nice," Nero replied with a nod, his tone neutral.

Taking Nero's brief assessment into account, I made the decision to purchase the watch for Rafayel. Just as I was admiring the opal watch, the salesperson approached with a warm smile. "Would you like to add a personal message to accompany the gift?" she asked kindly. "Yes, please," I replied, grateful for the opportunity to personalise the present for Rafayel. Quickly, I penned down my heartfelt message: “To Rafayel, Congrats on the collaboration! I’m super proud of you. This gift is a token of my support and belief in your talents. Hope you like it ♡ With love, Y/N x”.

With a sense of satisfaction, I passed the note back to the salesperson, who carefully tucked it into the gift bag alongside the opulent timepiece.

I continued my journey through the lively streets alongside Nero. The vibrant energy of the city enveloped me, infusing every step with a sense of anticipation. Before we could part ways, a familiar voice called out my name—it was Rafayel. My heart skipped a beat as I quickly hid the gift behind my back, feeling a wave of nervousness wash over me. I stole a glance at Nero, wondering how he would react to Rafayel's unexpected appearance. 

As Rafayel approached, a nervous flutter danced in my chest, my anticipation mingling with apprehension. "Well, well, well, look who's out here on a date," Rafayel remarked with a hint of jealousy in his tone, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in our proximity.

Rafayel's gaze shifted to Nero, his expression clouded with doubt and suspicion. The tension between them was palpable, casting a shadow over the otherwise pleasant encounter. I exchanged a subtle glance with Rafayel, silently urging him to keep calm and not let his insecurities get the best of him. I mouthed the word ‘Stop it’ to Rafayel, hoping to diffuse the tension. “Rafayel, this is Nero,” I introduced, my voice steady despite the underlying tension. “He's my colleague. Nero, meet Rafayel. He's... well, let's just say he's always looking out for me,” I added with a hint of playfulness, attempting to lighten the mood.

“Hey, nice to meet you. Congrats on the collab!” Nero greeted, his voice laced with genuine warmth as he attempted to break the ice and alleviate the awkwardness of the situation. In response, Rafayel’s demeanour remained guarded, his arms crossed defensively as he replied in a monotone voice, “Thanks.”

Sensing the strained atmosphere, Nero decided to make his exit. "Umm, I better get going. See you at work next Monday?" he said, his departure a relief in the tense moment. I nodded in agreement, bidding him farewell silently appreciating his timing. As Nero walked away, Rafayel's eyes narrowed, his distrust evident in the furrow of his brow.

"Why are you being so rude to him?" I questioned, my tone tinged with suspicion, as I searched Rafayel's face for any signs of jealousy or insecurity. Rafayel's response was edged with sarcasm. "Oh yeah, why are you being so nice to him? You like him, that nerd?" His distrust of Nero was palpable.

I mirrored his tone, matching his sarcasm. “So what if I like him?” I retorted, feigning nonchalance. “There's nothing you can do about it.” Rafayel leaned in closer, his voice low and teasing. “Nah, I know you don't like him,” he remarked, his words carrying a hint of certainty. With a mischievous smirk, he added, “Besides, why waste your time thinking about anyone else when you could be thinking about me?” His playful remark caught me off guard, a flush of frustration rising to my cheeks as I struggled to maintain composure.

Reiterating once more that Nero was merely a colleague, I hoped to ease Rafayel's concerns.

“Pfft. Anyways, this is for you. Wear it to the party later?” Rafayel said, his tone softening as he handed me a small, elegantly wrapped package. “Ooh, what is it? Can I open it now?” I asked eagerly, excitement bubbling within me. Rafayel chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Not now. Open it later when you get home,” he replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Since Rafayel had already given me a gift, I pulled out the carefully wrapped present I had purchased for him. “I got you a gift too. Open it later and let me know if you like it. Or not. Whatever,” I said nonchalantly, though inwardly hoping that Rafayel would appreciate the gesture.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

As the clock chimed 6, signalling the beginning of the evening's arrival, I immersed myself in the preparations for Rafayel's celebration. My fingertips danced over the intricate jacquard fabric of my dress that I selected just for the party, marvelling at its luxurious texture and the way it cascaded elegantly around me. The crystal trim adorning the bodice caught the light, casting a mesmerising array of patterns across the room and infusing the ensemble with an irresistible allure. With its back lace-up closure, the dress whispered promises of sophistication and glamour, setting the stage for an unforgettable night. And to complete the look, I selected a white satin ribbon to adorn my hair, adding a touch of understated glamour to the ensemble.

Amidst the whirlwind of anticipation, my gaze fell upon the elegantly wrapped package Rafayel had presented earlier. With a gentle tug, the ribbon unfurled, revealing the treasure concealed within. Nestled within the folds of tissue paper lay a bottle of exquisite high-end perfume, encased in a pearlescent shell that shimmered like moonlight on water. As I lifted the fragrance to my nose, its enchanting blend of plum and freesia enveloped me in a delicate embrace, transporting me to a realm of opulence and elegance. Each inhale awakened my senses, stirring a symphony of emotions within me.

Accompanying the perfume was a handwritten note from Rafayel, his words infused with warmth and affection. "A gift for the beautiful Y/N," it read, his endearing nickname bringing a smile to my lips. "When I stumbled upon this packaging and scent, it instantly reminded me of you. Your vibrant spirit and unwavering kindness deserve only the finest. See you later, my silly goose."

The tender sentiment warmed my heart with a sweetness that only Rafayel could evoke, a testament to his thoughtfulness and consideration. Amidst the heartfelt sentiment, there was a playful touch that spoke of his penchant for light-hearted jests. 

With a smile on my lips, a flutter of excitement coursed through me at the thought of wearing the enchanting scent to the party. With Rafayel's thoughtful gesture nestled close to my heart, I eagerly anticipated the evening party.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆

As I made my grand entrance into Rafayel's house party, the room seemed to buzz with anticipation, a kaleidoscope of colours and sounds swirling around me. The air was alive with the tinkling of glasses, the rhythmic beat of music, and the low hum of conversation. Dressed in an ensemble that exuded elegance and sophistication, I felt a surge of confidence as I navigated through the crowd, drawing admiring glances from all who crossed my path.

Amidst the throng of guests, my gaze was irresistibly drawn to Rafayel, who stood amidst a cluster of people, his magnetic presence undeniable. Our eyes locked, and for a moment, it felt as though the rest of the world faded into oblivion, leaving only the two of us in our own private universe. His smile was like a beacon in the dimly lit room, warming my heart and igniting a spark of excitement within me.

Before I could make my way over to him, however, Thomas intercepted Rafayel, guiding him towards a group of potential clients. I watched with a mixture of disappointment and understanding as Rafayel was swept away, his attention momentarily diverted from me.

As I mingled with the guests, my thoughts kept drifting back to Rafayel, unable to resist the magnetic pull of his charismatic charm. Despite the gravity of my duty to protect him, my attention was unwaveringly fixed on him, drawn to his presence like a moth to a flame. Yet, amidst the distractions of the party, I remained vigilant, my focus unwavering as I monitored the surrounding and every movement. Ready to intervene at a moment's notice, I kept a watchful eye on him, ensuring his safety was paramount above all else.

Suddenly, a soft vibration in my pocket broke through my reverie, signalling an incoming message on my phone. With a quick glance, I saw that it was from Rafayel. "You looked stunning tonight. Can you rescue me from this crowd, pretty please?" His words brought a smile to my lips, a warmth spreading through me at the thought of him reaching out to me.

I quickly tapped out a reply, my fingers dancing across the screen. "You're doing great! Just a few more hours to go! Hang in there." As I hit send, I couldn't help but feel a flutter of excitement in my chest, knowing that even amidst the chaos of the party, Rafayel and I shared a special connection that transcended the confines of the room. With renewed determination, I plunged back into the festivities, my heart filled with anticipation for what the night might bring.

Discreetly, I checked the holster of my concealed weapon, its comforting weight serving as a reassuring reminder of my preparedness for any unforeseen threats that might arise during the festivities. As I moved through the throng of guests, my attention was momentarily diverted by a mirror reflecting the scene before me. In its glassy surface, I caught a glimpse of a looming figure, cloaked in darkness and watching me intently. 

A chill swept through me as I turned to confront the mysterious presence, but it vanished into thin air before my eyes. The image lingered in my mind—a spectre of unease that left me unsettled. I could have sworn I saw the glint of a pair of spectacles, reminiscent of Nero's distinctive style. Intrigued and wary, I resolved to investigate further. With each step, my senses sharpened, my hand instinctively gravitating towards the reassuring weight of my concealed weapon. Suddenly, a subtle vibration against my wrist alerted me to an urgent message on my Hunter's Watch—a Wanderer had been detected in close proximity, its threat level ranging from moderate to potentially dangerous.

Utilising my honed training and quick-thinking abilities, I sprang into action with a swift and decisive motion. With a determined focus, I swiftly herded the unsuspecting guests to safety, ensuring their protection before confronting the looming threat of the Wanderer. As the Wanderer crashed through the balcony roof like an uninvited intruder, its menacing tail resembling that of a scorpion's, I surveyed the room with a keen eye, ensuring that no one remained in harm's way. With a steady hand and unwavering resolve, I drew my weapon—a formidable tool enhanced by Protocore Energy—and took aim at the looming menace.

Rafayel stood at my side as the Wanderer's monstrous form bore down on us, his presence a reassuring anchor amidst the chaos. With a nod of silent understanding, we synchronised our movements, our synergy honed through countless battles fought together. Fuelled by deadly intent, the Wanderer lunged forward, its razor-sharp claws slashing through the air. In response, I unleashed a barrage of shots from my enhanced weapon, each blast powered by the pulsating energy of Protocore. 

The projectiles streaked through the air with deadly precision, finding their mark on the creature's armoured hide, but it remained undeterred, its ferocity undiminished. In the midst of the fray, Rafayel stepped forward, his eyes ablaze with determination. 

With a fluid motion, he unleashed his signature move, the Four Scourges—a devastating flurry of strikes that unleashed a torrent of energy upon the Wanderer, shaking its monstrous form to its core.

But the creature was relentless, its primal fury driving it forward with unyielding determination. With a roar that reverberated through the room, it launched itself at us once more, its jaws gaping wide in a feral snarl. Drawing upon our shared bond and unspoken camaraderie, Rafayel and I unleashed our ultimate technique: Abyssal Beacon and Abyssal Shadow—a dazzling display of power and precision that unleashed a torrent of energy, engulfing the Wanderer in a blinding vortex of light and force.As the echoes of our combined assault faded, the room fell silent, save for the gentle crackle of dissipating energy. The Wanderer lay defeated, its once-mighty form reduced to naught but a lifeless husk.

With a shared nod of triumph, Rafayel and I stood victorious, our bond stronger than ever in the face of adversity. 

Approaching the fallen Wanderer, I scanned the room for any lingering threats, my senses heightened by the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. With cautious steps, I retrieved its Protocore, ensuring no remnants of its malevolent energy lingered behind. As I claimed the precious artefact, the body of the Wanderer began to dissipate into sparkling dust, a testament to our hard-won victory.

With the room now safe, I gestured for the guests to return to the ballroom, their applause a symphony of gratitude for our valiant efforts. The sound echoed off the walls, filling the air with a sense of relief and triumph. Thomas stepped forward to address them. "Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation," he announced, his voice carrying across the room with sincerity. "For the safety of everyone present, we must end the event early. Please make your way home safely."

With heartfelt thanks and apologies, Thomas bid the guests farewell, his words imbued with genuine warmth and gratitude. Meanwhile, Rafayel remained by my side, his concern evident in the gentle scrutiny of his gaze. “Ms Bodyguard, are you alright?" he asked, his voice soft with worry as he inspected my injuries.

Turning to Rafayel, I felt a surge of gratitude for his unwavering support. "I'm fine," I assured him, offering a reassuring smile. "Just a few scratches." Rafayel's expression softened, his touch warm and comforting as he gently took my hands in his. "I'm glad you're safe,“ he murmured, his voice filled with genuine relief.

Amidst the few lingering guests in the background, helpers scurried about, diligently tidying the aftermath of the Wanderer's unwelcome intrusion into the party, as glints of glass shards shimmered in the dim light. Rafayel then led me to another room—a sanctuary within his embrace—his bedroom. The windows were open, allowing the gentle sea breeze to sway the curtains in a graceful dance. The scent of the ocean wafted in, mingling with the subtle aroma of Rafayel's presence, creating an atmosphere of serene tranquility. His room exuded a sense of majesty, adorned with elegant furnishings and offering a breathtaking view of the ocean beyond.

The soft glow of moonlight cast ethereal patterns across the room, illuminating the space with a magical aura. The walls exuded elegance, adorned with intricate tapestries and ornate moldings that enhanced the room's sense of refinement and sophistication. Plush carpets adorned the floor, inviting us to sink our feet into their luxurious embrace.

As Rafayel rummaged for the ointment to tend to my injuries, I couldn't help but admire the way the moonlight played upon his features, casting a halo of light around him. His eyes gleamed with a mixture of curiosity and admiration, his movements graceful and deliberate as he searched for the right supplies. It was moments like these that made me acutely aware of the magnetic pull he had on me, drawing me closer with each passing second.

“I almost couldn’t concentrate fighting the Wanderer. What is that scent you’re wearing?” Rafayel's curiosity sparked as he rummaged for ointment to tend to my injuries. "Is that the perfume I gave you?" he inquired, his interest piqued by the lingering fragrance in the air.

I nodded in affirmation, a small smile gracing my lips. I watched as his gaze lingered on me, his curiosity evident as he took in the lingering fragrance of my perfume. The air between us seemed to crackle with anticipation, charged with an unspoken tension that left me breathless with excitement. As he leaned in to take another whiff of the scent, I couldn't help but feel nervously attracted to him.

Rafayel exuded an irresistible allure tonight, his hair tousled in a way that accentuated his rugged charm. There was a disoriented yet undeniably magnetic quality about him, as if my perfume had ensnared his senses and left him spellbound. He moved with a sense of urgency, flitting back and forth between attending to my injuries and searching for the ointment, his actions driven by an unspoken desire to be near me. Clad in a white collared shirt adorned with delicate pearly buttons, Rafayel's attire only added to his allure. The fabric clung to his frame, hinting at the contours of his muscular physique, while his slightly exposed chest sent a flurry of anticipation coursing through me, my heart quickening with every beat.

"Show me the scratches," Rafayel requested, his voice laced with concern. Despite the worry etched on his face, there was an underlying warmth that drew me closer to him. Feeling a surge of confidence enveloping me in his presence, I decided to indulge in a playful moment, relishing the anticipation building between us. With a coy grin, I allowed my fingers to glide along the fabric of my dress, slowly revealing the scratch nestled provocatively above my upper thigh.

"Right here," I said in a low, teasing voice, relishing the subtle flush that crept up his ears and the intensity of his gaze fixed on my exposed skin.

Rafayel's gaze intensified, his eyes locked on the exposed skin, his breath growing heavy. With a sense of urgency, he retrieved the ointment from his drawer, his movements deliberate as he applied it to my skin. His touch lingered, evoking a tingling sensation that stirred a rush of anticipation within me. “And here,” I continued, pointing to the scratch on my chest, just above my décolletage, revelling in the closeness between us. Rafayel stood before me, his proximity closer than ever, his eyes glazed over with delight as he leaned in to inhale the intoxicating scent once more on my chest to my neck. His breath hitched, his fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against my skin, a silent testament to the effect I had on him.

My heart raced with excitement as his touch lingered, each caress invoking a cascade of tingling sensations that danced across my skin like a symphony of desire. The air between us hummed with a potent energy, thick with desire and longing.

“Are you okay?” I asked, a surge of concern washing over me as Rafayel seemed to falter. Supporting him to a bench nestled at the foot of his bed, I sat beside him and searched his eyes for any signs of distress. “I don’t know,” Rafayel confessed, his voice tinged with wonder. “I was fine before the party started. But as soon as you came, I got caught up with your scent. And the more I catch the scent of your perfume, the more it seems to bewitch me. It's like...” He trailed off, struggling to articulate the intensity of his feelings.

Rafayel's confession left me breathless, his words painting a picture of vulnerability and desire. "It's like your scent has woven its way into my very being," he murmured, his voice a mixture of awe and fascination, his breath hitching with each word. The intensity in his gaze held me captive, drawing me closer to him as if we were bound by an invisible thread of longing. As Rafayel admitted his vulnerability, a surge of tenderness washed over me, mingling with the raw passion that surged between us.

He took my hand, bringing it close to his face to revel in the scent, almost as if he were savouring a rare delicacy. His touch was electric, sparking a rush of warmth that enveloped me, each caress leaving me breathless and yearning for more.

It’s like he’s being taken over by my perfume. He’s caressing my hand with his face, indulging in the scent that’s making him high. While he’s being obsessed with my scent, I couldn't help but notice the opal watch adorning his wrist, the one I had gifted him. With a soft smile, I traced the lines of his face with gentle reverence, feeling the weight of his words in the air between us. “You’re watching the watch. It suits you well,” I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Rafayel's response was a whisper of his own, filled with promise and longing. "It's a reminder that I'm bound to you forever." Taking his hand in mine, I brought it close to my face, allowing him to revel in the scent that seemed to draw us closer with each passing moment. His gaze locked with mine, a silent plea lingering in his eyes.

"Kiss me, please?” he breathed, his voice a soft plea that stirred something deep within me.

Lost in the moment, I couldn't resist the allure of his disheveled appearance, his tousled hair adding to his irresistible charm. Without hesitation, I leaned in and kissed him, savouring the taste of his lips against mine. As the kiss deepened, I felt Rafayel's hands pull me closer, his touch sparked a symphony of sensations, each note playing a melody of longing that reverberated through every fiber of my being.

Rafayel's grip tightened around my waist, drawing me impossibly closer as our ardor surged to intoxicating heights. Feeling emboldened by his touch, I reciprocated his desire, my hands trailing down his neck to the exposed skin of his chest, then further down to the defined contours of his abs. With each touch, he reacted, his body jolting responding to my caress with a mix of pleasure and anticipation.

Still nestled in his embrace, I rested my left arm against his back, feeling the reassuring warmth of his skin beneath my touch. With my right fingers, I traced delicate patterns along his abdomen, following the enticing path of his happy trail as it disappeared below his belly button. Each stroke elicited a shiver of pleasure from Rafayel, his body responding to my touch with a mix of anticipation and desire.

With a daring glint in his eye, Rafayel teased, "Don't take your hands off me. Go further down, I dare you." His voice carried a seductive challenge, a playful invitation to delve deeper into the depths of our shared desire without inhibition.

His words hung in the air like a potent aphrodisiac, sending a rush of anticipation coursing through me, urging me to delve deeper into the realms of carnal delight. With a mischievous grin, I accepted his challenge, allowing my fingertips to continue their descent, tracing a tantalising path along the contours of his body. My fingers trailed from his abs to his pants, tiptoeing and caressing his growing erection with just my finger. Rafayel's hand reached out, a silent plea for restraint, yet his eyes betrayed the true depth of his desire. 

“If you don’t stop, I won’t be able to leave,” Rafayel murmured, his gaze locked with mine—a silent invitation to indulge in the passion that simmered between us. The essence of Rafayel's words permeated the air, lingering like an intoxicating fragrance that enveloped us both. His gaze, locked with mine, spoke volumes, silently beckoning me to embrace the intoxicating passion that simmered between us.

"Good," I purred, my voice laced with a hint of mischief. "Because I don't plan on stopping." Rafayel's reaction was immediate, a low, guttural moan escaping his lips at my words. With a boldness that matched his own, I brushed his hand aside, allowing my fingers to continue their languid exploration of his hardened length. Each stroke elicited a soft gasp from him, his body responding eagerly to my touch.

His breath hitched in his throat, a symphony of desire escaping his lips in soft moans that filled the air. 

My fingers traced patterns of arousal along his length, teasing and tempting him with every caress. Leaning in closer, I whispered words of longing against his skin, my breath hot against his ear. With each passing moment, the anticipation grew thicker, the hunger in his eyes mirroring my own. I revelled in the delicious torture of the moment, savouring the intoxicating dance of desire that enveloped us both.

With a daring glint in my eye, I continued to tease him, drawing circles on his throbbing arousal, each touch sending a surge of pleasure coursing through him. My fingers lingered on his clothed erection before deftly unbuttoning his pants, granting me access to his hard erection. With each button undone, my anticipation swelled, eager to explore the depths of his desire and fulfil our mutual craving for ecstasy.

Once I unbuttoned Rafayel’s pants, I liberated his shaft from its fabric confines. Unveiling his arousal, I found myself entranced by the mesmerising sight. Long, girthy and slightly curved. I couldn’t imagine the sensations it would evoke and how it would feel like being filled by him. I leaned in closer, my breath hot against his skin as I whispered words of longing. 

His hardened length stood tall and commanding, pulsating with an undeniable vigor that spoke volumes. Without hesitation, I leaned in, my lips parting as I released a small stream of saliva onto his throbbing member. The slickness of my saliva enhanced the sensation as I slowly wrapped my hand around his hardness, feeling the heat and hardness beneath my touch. Our eyes locked in a heated exchange, a silent understanding passing between us as I continued to stroke him with deliberate slowness.

The anticipation hung heavy in the air as Rafayel, emboldened by desire, reached for the top of my dress, pulling it down to reveal my pert nipple. His touch was gentle yet firm as he traced the contours of my breast, his warm breath igniting a tempest of sensations within me. I gasped as his lips closed around my nipple, his tongue dancing and swirling, setting my nerve endings ablaze with ecstasy. The intensity of his ministrations sent bolts of raw pleasure shooting through my body, kindling an insatiable desire that surged from the depths of my being.

"It's hard not to bite what's already near my mouth," Rafayel chuckled softly, his voice a velvety whisper tinged with desire. The playful edge in his tone heightened the already intoxicating arousal that surrounded us like a tangible heat. With each stroke of my hand and flick of his tongue, he seemed to embrace his primal instincts and his movements growing increasingly feral.

Sensing my eagerness, Rafayel lifted me effortlessly, guiding me to straddle him as we made our way to his satin bed awaiting us. His touch was electrifying, his hands roaming over my body with a possessive urgency that set my skin ablaze with desire. "May I?" Rafayel's voice was a husky whisper, his eyes dark with longing as he gestured towards the dress that adorned my form.

"Yes," I breathed, my voice barely above a whisper as I surrendered to the intoxicating pull of desire.

With practiced ease, Rafayel deftly stripped me of my dress, leaving me clad only in delicate lace and the weapon concealed within. As the dress pooled at my feet, I discreetly removed the gun, tucking it away in a safe place, ensuring our passion remained undisturbed by external threats. In turn, Rafayel shed his top, revealing the chiseled contours of his chest, each muscle defined and sculpted beneath the surface. Despite undressing, he kept the watch on. As he tenderly guided me onto the plush satin sheets, his gaze locked with mine, his lips leaving a trail of delicate kisses along my skin, each touch igniting a wildfire of sensation. With each caress, he worshipped every inch of my being, his hands tracing the contours of my body with reverence, as if I were a precious work of art to be cherished.

Descending with purpose, his lips trailed a path of anticipation down to my stomach, then further still, until he reached the apex of my desire. With skilful hands, he parted my folds, eagerly savouring my taste as his tongue explored every inch of my quivering flesh. Lost in the throes of passion, he ravished me with fervent kisses and expert strokes, driving me to the brink of ecstasy.

With a gentle gesture, he offered his fingers to my eager mouth, coaxing me to coat them with my saliva. Without hesitation, I complied, relishing the taste of our shared desire. As he slowly inserted his finger into my dripping core, a wave of pleasure surged through me, intensifying with each rhythmic circle he traced.

The sensation was overwhelming, my body trembling with need as he skilfully brought me to the brink of release. And in a moment of pure ecstasy, I surrendered to the pleasure, succumbing to the powerful climax he had orchestrated with his masterful touch.

As waves of pleasure continued to ripple through my body, I basked in the afterglow of my climax, feeling every nerve ending alight with bliss. I luxuriated in the lingering sensation, relishing the intoxicating rush that coursed through me.

But even amidst the haze of ecstasy, my desire for Rafayel burned brighter than ever, urging me to reciprocate the pleasure he had so generously bestowed upon me. With a languid grace, I shifted my focus, my gaze locking with his as I conveyed my silent gratitude.

“I wanna try something,” I murmured, a mischievous glint in my eye as I reached for the white ribbon that adorned my hair. Removing it with a practiced twist, I used the ribbon to bind Rafayel's hands, securing them above his head as I took my rightful place atop him. With a playful smirk, I teased his senses, trailing kisses and caresses along his body.

The satin ribbon felt smooth against my fingertips as I expertly tied his wrists, the fabric contrasting with the heat radiating from his skin. With each knot, I could sense his anticipation building, his breath quickening in anticipation of what was to come. “Is this like… a new kink of yours?” Rafayel teased, a playful grin dancing on his lips as he observed me with curious amusement. His eyes sparkled with intrigue, betraying the hint of excitement stirring within him. 

I responded with a coy grin, my lips curling into a mischievous smile as I nodded in affirmation.

As I leaned down to place a soft kiss on his lips, I could feel the tension in his muscles, his body straining against the restraints in a delicious mix of desire and surrender.

With his hands bound above his head, Rafayel lay helpless beneath me, his eyes dark with desire as I explored every inch of his body with kisses and feather-light touches. The air was thick with anticipation as I trailed my lips along his jawline, down his neck, and across his chest. With each caress, I could feel the intensity of his arousal building, his skin flushing with heat as he surrendered to the pleasure of my touch.

Rafayel's breath hitched in his throat as I continued my sensual assault, his moans filling the room with a symphony of pleasure. The faint scent of arousal hung in the air, mingling with the heady aroma of our desire as I teased him relentlessly. “Fuck…Y/N, stop teasing me,” His voice was a husky whisper, each word laced with desperation and longing. His hands strained against the ribbon, a silent plea for more, as I revelled in the power I held over him.

I leaned in closer, my lips hovering just out of reach as I whispered, "You know you love it when I tease you." The heat of his skin beneath my fingertips was intoxicating, driving me to push him further, to see how far I could take him before he begged for release.

With a wicked grin, I allowed him to untie himself, his hands immediately finding their way to my body, pulling me closer in a desperate embrace. His hands roam freely as he pulled me closer, our bodies intertwining in a passionate embrace. Guiding his throbbing member to my dripping core, I lowered myself onto him, savouring the exquisite feeling of fullness as he filled me completely.

I stroke Rafayel's cock with my clit, relishing the sensation of his hardness against my sensitive flesh. Releasing his cock from my core momentarily, I coat his pulsating member with my saliva, reveling in the intimacy of the act. The look of desire in his eyes fuels my own arousal, and I love every moment of tempting and teasing him.

Inching deeper, I circle my hips slowly, ensuring every movement brings him exquisite pleasure. His moans of ecstasy spur me on, driving me to explore every inch of his length with my tight, wet pussy. With each deliberate motion, I feel him responding to my touch, his cock throbbing with need beneath me.

"So fucking pretty, my princess," Rafayel moans, his words stirring a carnal hunger deep within me, every syllable like a siren's call, beckoning me further into the abyss of ecstasy. The endearing nickname he gives me only heightens my arousal, causing my pussy to tighten around him involuntarily. His eyes widen in surprise and delight, realising the effect his words have on me. With each fervent thrust, I surrender to the pleasure, riding him with an insatiable hunger that knows no bounds.

"I'm gonna—,” Rafayel groaned, his voice strained with desire as he neared the brink of release. 

With a wicked grin, I withdrew from his pulsating member, the taste of his arousal lingering on my tongue. "Cum in here," I purred, my lips parting in invitation as I offered myself to him once more. Rafayel's eyes widened in anticipation, his hands gripping the sheets tightly as he surrendered to the pleasure coursing through him.

In a moment of pure ecstasy, Rafayel released his cum into my waiting mouth, his essence a delicious elixir that I eagerly savoured. Being the insatiable vixen that I am, I devoured his cock for the last time, each movement of my tongue prolonging his orgasm and intensifying his pleasure. His moans grew deeper, more desperate, as he held onto me tightly, not wanting to let go. With a teasing swivel of my tongue on the tip of his cock, his whole body jerked in response, his desire reaching new heights.

As he throbbed with the aftershocks of pleasure, I met his gaze with a sultry smile, his heartfelt admission of love resounding in the air like a whispered promise. "I adore you, every inch of you," he confessed—his voice a seductive melody that danced on the edge of desire.

"Please… never leave me again," he murmured, his hands cradling my face with a tenderness that spoke volumes of his longing. The sincerity in his gaze, the yearning in his touch, echoed the depths of his desire to hold onto our love, to never let it slip away again.

Savouring the moment, I met his gaze with a sultry smile, my own confession of love hanging between us like a delicate promise waiting to be fulfilled. “I promise. Among all the fishies in the sea, you're the one who caught my eye. Unless you’re begging to be released again,” I teased, my voice tinged with affection as I gazed into Rafayel's mesmerising eyes, feeling the weight of my love for him in every word.

Rafayel and I found ourselves entangled in a playful banter afterwards.

“Says the one who doesn't know how to row the boat!” Rafayel teased, casting a knowing glance at me. The memory of our ill-fated boating excursion flashed through my mind, a moment of levity amidst the tension. "Says the one who ended up tossing his lunch overboard.... and well, couldn't resist taking the bait,” I playfully retorted, a mischievous glint in my eyes as I teased Rafayel. He mockingly gasped, placing a hand over his heart. "Oh, the audacity! Here I am, pouring my heart out, and you're just here for the catch and release." I leaned in closer, my lips curling into a smirk. "Well, you must admit, Rafayel, I do have quite the knack for reeling you in."

He chuckled, his laughter filling the air as he leaned back, a playful glint in his eyes. "Touché, my dear. Touché indeed." Just then, Rafayel leaned in, his lips brushing against my neck as he inhaled the lingering scent of plum and freesia. "I need you to spray more perfume on here, Ms. Bodyguard," he murmured with a playful tone, his breath warm against my skin. I playfully swatted his arm, laughing at the ticklish sensation. His playful request to apply the perfume only added to the intimacy between us, as I surrendered to the warmth of his embrace. Allowing myself to bask in the warmth of Rafayel's presence, I closed my eyes. In his arms, I found solace, a sanctuary where love and laughter intertwined to form an unbreakable bond.

—by prettyobsessed🎀⋆⁺₊⋆ ૮꒰ ˶• ༝ •˶꒱ა ♡

Editor’s note: this is for the Rafayel girlies out there! i intended to write something sweeter for Rafayel's smut, but the direction changed. hmm, we'll see. i might tweak around a bit more. also, doesn't Nero seem a little suspicious? i recently replayed the chapters again and started noticing his peculiar behaviour. but either way, hope you enjoyed this one! ᵔᴗᵔ

[gor3-hound]

MAMA'S BOY - NERO

ft. nero x fem!reader

a/n: if nero does not stop looksmaxxing omfg why is it so hard to find a pic where he isn't mewing? this is admittedly so super self-indulgent and idek what the dmc fandom on tumblr is saying so... if this gets four notes i'll still die happy. feedback and reblogs appreciated :3 ty to @thevirgincherry for beta reading !! ilysm MWAH

cw: 18+ content, mdlb, nipple play, tit play(?) in general, use of mama, handjob, cum eating, super sappy smut basically

word count: 1.8k words

“You've gotta be fuckin’ kiddin’ me.” Is the first thing that spills past Nero's lips when you mention shifting the dynamics a little bit in your relationship. He's giving you an incredulous look, one of his brows arching towards his hairline.

“I'm really not. You're so irritable all the time. You need to let yourself relax. All that cynicism is getting to your head.” You say with a frown, your brows furrowing as you look at your boyfriend. He's giving you that look again - the one that says he's about three seconds away from saying something downright horrific, but he's choosing not to - to spare your feelings, of course.

“Right. And so, what… you coddling me like a kid's meant to… miraculously make me a ray of sunshine?” He scoffs, his own brows pinching together in frustration as he runs his hand through his hair. The cybernetic one, ‘cause his human hand is currently twitching at his side. “Baby, I love you, but seriously. I've been handling myself for a long while. I don't need you to do it.”

You know it's not that - you know Nero well enough to recognise the uncomfortable shift of his feet and the way the tips of his ears turn a slight pink. He's embarrassed, even if he's trying to hide it. A sense of unease always comes over him when he thinks about being taken care of. It's a luxury he's never had - one he thinks he doesn't deserve.

You give him that look that he really, really hates. ‘Cause you really are the only person that's always looked out for him, so seeing the way your eyes narrow in frustration is enough to have him wanting to kneel at your feet with his tail between his legs, rubbing himself against your thighs and pleading until you forgive him.

Shit. Maybe he's more cut out for this whole ‘mama’ shit than he thought.

His resolve wavers, his hand awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck before he lets out a soft sigh and nods. “Alright, alright. I’ll try it out, but I ain't promisin’ shit.”

                              ˗ˏˋ ☆ ˎˊ˗

Turns out all Nero needs is a few stern words and gentle touches and he's rolling over like a good boy, exposing the soft underbelly he tends to try and keep hidden. When he comes home drained and you're quick to guide him to a bath, it's hard for him not to completely melt under your attention.

Scratch his scalp when you're washing his hair, and he's fully ready to go all ‘yes, mama’ to whatever you want. He's happy to bare himself for you. You want him bent over the back of the couch? On all fours? He'll stick his tongue out and beg for it like a good boy if it meant you'd give him that proud expression that makes his heart feel like it's beating again. Mama gets what mama wants, and that's an irrefutable fact.

“C'mere, baby.” You coo after he makes his way into the apartment after a long day of ‘work’. Blood splatters his feet dragging against the floor. His movements are exhausted - slow and rugged. You can see that glazed over look making itself present in his eyes, his gaze somewhere off in the distance.

His body is working on autopilot as he makes his way to the sofa you're sitting on. He flops down next to you, and the change in him is immediate. The tension melts from him as he buries his face into your chest, nuzzling his way between your breasts as his hands clutch your waist tight enough that it's almost painful.

“Mama…” He croaks out, pressing himself right up against you, trying to wriggle his way on your lap without ever having to disconnect any part of himself from your warmth. You cradle him as best you can - it's not necessarily the easiest thing to have a 6’2 demon hybrid trying to curl up on your lap like a kitten, but he always manages to find a way to worm himself into your arms, clinging to you like he's scared you're gonna vanish as soon as he closes his eyes.

He's never found it so easy to be loved by someone. You gave him that unconditional, no strings attached love. You loved him just ‘cause he was worth loving in your eyes. Not because you needed him for something, or because you had some sense of pity for his situation.

You were easy to love, and his love for you was unwavering and all consuming. It was far too easy to fall into you with your kind eyes and gentle touch. He didn't have to deal with the shit of his life when he was with you. He could finally relax. He was safe.

“Missed you.” He breathes out against the skin peeking out from the low collar of your shirt, his blue eyes flicking up to gaze at your face. His nose brushes your skin, his hands pawing at your shirt as if he's trying to entice you to take it off. “Mama… please.”

“You gotta ask properly, baby. Use your big boy words, c'mon. What do you want from mama?” You coo, running a hand through his white hair. You let your nails rake over his scalp lightly, enjoying the way he shivers at the touch.

His hands slide under the fabric of your shirt, trying to tug it off anyway. He's never been good at this part - getting the words out. His cheeks grow all pink and he gets quiet, just whining until you let him pull the shirt off of your body. As soon as your tits are in view, he's licking, biting and sucking at every inch of skin he can get his mouth on.

“So impatient, baby.” You scold lightly, helping him adjust slightly so you can slip down his trousers, freeing his cock. It's already rock hard and leaky, the tip flushed red as it oozes precum down his length. “S'okay though. It's not your fault. Mama knows you can't think straight without her help.”

You give his dick a squeeze, his face scrunching up so prettily as he bucks his hips into your tight grip, his cock pulsing in your hand. “Mama… Mama, please. I'll be good, c'mon. Been good, just tou-”

His words are cut off with a groan as you finally start pumping his length in your hand, circling your wrist and running your thumb along his slit everytime you fist the head of his cock. You let go to spit into your palm before stroking him again, leaving him panting into your breasts.

His lips latch onto one of your nipples as you continue touching him, slick sounds filling the room. He suckles greedily, his eyes becoming heavy-lidded as he looks up at you, his tongue flicking eagerly against your nipple.

Your free hand cups his head, holding him against your tit as you let him fuck your fist. Your thumb brushes back and forth on his scalp as he pulls away from your nipple, biting and sucking marks into the flesh of your tits instead as his thumb plays with one of your nipples, stroking and pinching the bud.

“You're making such a mess, baby. Leaking all over mama's hand.” You tease, digging your nail lightly into his slit as he bucks his hips, a low whine spilling from his lips. “You sound so pretty, though. Lucky I'm so good to you, huh, pretty boy?”

You can see the conflict on his face at that nickname, the twitch of his brows and the way his face heats up, his teeth biting down just a little harsher as if he's trying to protest the choice. He can act all he wants, but his dick doesn't lie - and it always kicks when you call him that.

“Mama… gonna cum, mama, please…” He grits out, fucking your fist with more urgency. He pulls his face away from your tits just so he can shift his body to gain better control of his hips, rutting into your hand desperately as he chases his release. “Tits, mama. Lemme… lemme cum on you, please. I'll clean it up, promise. Please.”

You pause to think about it for a moment, watching him writhe as he struggles not to cum, his eyes tearing up and his face all flushed as he continues to jerk his hips, unable to stop chasing the pleasure you're giving him.

“Alright, baby. C’mere then.” You murmur, shifting to lie on your back. As soon as your grip on him loosens, he's quick to straddle your waist, kneeling over your body as he hungrily fists his cock, aiming it down towards your breasts.

“Fuck, mama. Gonna… gonna cum.” He grits, his hand quickly coming down next to your head to support his weight as he slumps forward, ribbons of white coating your chest. His lips part in a silent moan, his breath coming out in heavy pants.

He takes a couple of seconds before he leans down, his tongue sliding along your soiled skin. He laps up every drop of his release happily, his eyes practically shimmering with satisfaction.

“There we go. Such a good boy, cleaning up your mess.” You say softly, your hand finding his hair once more, scratching behind his ear in a way that never fails to have him melting in your grasp. He rests his head on your stomach when he's cleaned you up fully, his hand reaching out for yours. He yawns a little, letting himself lie across the couch while using you as his personal pillow.

“You sleepy?” You ask softly, gazing down at his hooded eyes. Nero nods softly, blinking slowly a few times. You smile at him, still stroking his hair with one hand as your free hand comes down to rest on his back, your thumb rubbing small circles there. “Take a nap, baby. Mama will be here when you wake up.”

He gives you another one of his looks - the one halfway between pure adoration and complete confusion. He knows you're someone that sees him. That sees Nero behind the front he puts up. Somehow, you're aware of how fucked up he is, and you're still willing to stay. He doesn't know how to take it, he can feel himself getting choked up as he meets your eyes. And he can't cry, not in front of you. So he nods again, closing his eyes to keep in the unshed tears, wrapping you up tightly in his free arm while his hand squeezes yours as hard as he can without hurting you.

“Alright, mama. Night.” He croaks out, the words he wants to say dying on his tongue. But when you rub your thumb over the nape of his neck and squeeze his hand back, he knows you felt it. He knows you love him, too. He knows that despite everything, it's enough for you. 

He's enough for you.

[stra-tek]

Klingon D7/K'tinga Battlecruiser continuity DEEP DIVE!

Where it all began in TOS, designed by W. Matt Jeffries. The name D7 was an on-set in-joke between Shatner and Nimoy which stuck.

When Star Trek rebooted it's Klingons for The Motion Picture, they added tons of surface detail to the Klingon Battlecruiser too. The name "K'tinga" was given in the TMP blueprint pack (although the model was called "Koro class") and it stuck. This was considered the Klingons' equivalent to the refitted Enterprise seen in the movie.

Deep Space Nine's "Trials and Tribble-ations" crossed DS9 over with TOS' "The Trouble With Tribbles", and the DS9 VFX crew built all-new physical models for visual effects - and Greg Jein chose to add a green tint and K'tinga-style surface detail to the TOS D7 battlecruiser, making us all wonder if they were really meant to be the same ship type all along.

Voyager's "Prophecy" would show us a Klingon "D7" battlecruiser in the Delta Quadrant. Although called a D7 in the script, the CG model is clearly based upon the TMP K'tinga, with the extra hull detailing.

Doug Drexler designed this ⬆️D4 Battlecruiser for Star Trek: Enterprise's "Unexpected" as a predecessor for the ship seen in TOS. But The Powers That Be decided the ship didn't have enough windows (yes, really) and requested the D7/K'tinga CG model from Voyager be used instead⬇️ putting it's first appearance 150 years earlier in 2151.

For the TOS Remastered HD TOS project, the original look for the Klingon D7 Battlecruiser was retained, albeit in a somewhat low-poly PS2-ish form

The Klingon Warbird, seen during the Kobayashi Maru sequence of the 2009 reboot movie (and more so in the deleted scenes, surrounding the damaged Narada before Nero's imprisonment at Rura Penthe), was literally the TMP K'tinga with extra stuff bolted on and smaller windows implying an upscaling to match the enormous Starfleet ships in the Kelvin universe.

The Pike-era novel Children of Kings would reconcile the huge Klingon Warbird by saying it was a larger version of the Battlecruiser (of course, Klingons are no strangers to upscaling their Bird of Prey) and most feared ship in the Klingon fleet

Fast forward to 2017. Star Trek: Discovery has rebooted the look of the Klingons again and this time their ships as well, ten years prior to TOS. And in "Choose Your Pain" this ship ⬆️ (called Sech-class in behind-the-scenes art) is called a D7. But then fast-forward to season 2, when 5 concurrent series' of Trekspam were planned out, tying more closely into previous canon and Discovery backpedaled somewhat on it's unique designs - and a "new" D7 battlecruiser (a more modest updating of the Klingon D7/K'Tinga design, upscaled like the Kelvinverse version to match the bigger Discovery/Strange New Worlds ships) was planned as a unified design to united the 24 Klingon great houses, ignoring ENT: "Unexpected" and Disco's own "Choose Your Pain":

So yeah, the D7 class may or may not be the same as the K'tinga class, and it appeared "first" in 2151 and again in 2257.

[mariyekos]

Oooh yeah. I feel like Credo would have to jump through a bunch of mental hoops to justify letting the Order have Nero, but he'd definitely get there.

Quick addition after I typed the rest of it up, but it just occurred to me that there's a big difference between the Nero and Kyrie thing: Nero is the only one who would work (other than Dante, who's harder to capture) because he has the blood of Sparda. Kyrie's place could be taken by anyone, because all that's required for her part is a human. Credo would sacrifice Nero even though he loves him because he's the only one who could be sacrificed, whereas he wouldn't sacrifice Kyrie because (he loves her more and) her place could be taken by anyone else. Kyrie is taken specifically to hurt Credo and Nero, which goes against his moral code. Necessity in choosing Nero versus cruelty in choosing Kyrie. I see Credo as someone with a very strong moral code but also a strong sense of necessity, who can permit even terrible things if he thinks they're necessary for the greater good.

For why Credo would be okay with Sanctus using Nero, I have 2 trains of thought on justification:

1) Agnus/Sanctus tell Credo that Nero will be used to get closer to the Savior, but they don't tell him they plan for Nero to be absorbed and die. Credo accepts their plan because okay, helping to form the Savior is good, and even if it's an unpleasant process, Nero will be okay in the end. Nero may or may not forgive him, but as long as Nero and Kyrie survive, everything will be okay. The world they're creating will be safe and holy and all will be for the better, no matter the cost.

2) Agnus/Sanctus tell Credo that Nero will become a part of the Savior and thus technically die, but they also advertise it as a Holy joining of eternal bliss, and thus a gift to Nero. As in, they tell Credo they will bring Nero in, lead him to the Savior, and then he will essentially be carted off to whatever the Order's version of Heaven is. (If you're familiar with it, Galahad immediately dying/ascending upon touching the Holy Grail in some variations of the story comes to mind). Immediate, guaranteed Salvation sounds good to Credo. Furthermore, he knows Nero has had a hard life and has always been an outcast, so maybe this is for the best for him. His life has been full of suffering, but in death and sacrifice he will be at peace and part of a greater being and purpose. It would be an honor.

In both versions I could see Agnus placating Credo by telling him that momentary suffering is worth a chance at eternal bliss (either from being joined with the Savior in Scenario 2, or being one who helped usher in the New Age cementing him a blessed place in either current society or Heaven-equivalent in Scenario 1). Sanctus would use this to convince Credo that any pain/wounds Nero may be dealt when capturing him would be worth it. He promises they will do their best not to hurt him too badly, keeping injuries to a minimum and doing absolutely nothing that isn't strictly necessary, but whatever must be done to secure his cooperation will be worth it.

Now I'm imagining a scenario where Nero vs Agnus is drawn out a little more. Say Agnus beats Nero and starts toying with him. Stabs him over and over (even more than he does) to see how he heals. Credo makes it there but is somewhere far off, pretend there's another, distant observation deck, and watches in horror as Agnus monologues and has his way with Nero. At that point I think Credo would realize that no, this is not worth it. The Savior would not sanction this. Sparda would not condone meaningless torture. Even if Nero were to be joined with the Savior- which Credo is now starting to doubt, because if Sanctus and Agnus lied about how they were going to treat Nero prior to using him to power the Savior, why should he think they were telling the truth about what would happen to Nero during and after the fact?- he wouldn't want it. Credo can see that now. Nero fought until his last breath. His actual last breath. I'd have Credo watch Nero "die" when his heart stops after the last of the stabbing. Could have him cry out, distracting Agnus and alerting him to his presence, but still be out of sight so that Nero doesn't notice him as he Awakens, repairs the Yamato, and attacks Agnus.

From there Credo would be a delightful mix of uncertainty. What does he do now? Nero lived. He fixed the Yamato- one of Sparda's swords!- and healed from a mortal wound. How closely is he related to the Savior? Is this what true Holiness looks like? Why does he have a shade, where Credo transforms? Nero was calling out for Kyrie; the boy has a good heart and it really sinks in that Kyrie will never, ever forgive Credo if he lets Nero be killed, and while Credo had previously told himself that would be okay, he knows that's a lie. Seeing Nero die had nearly killed him. He can't live with himself if things go according to plan. He's a fool. The scene in the church was distressing enough, this moreso, and the peace that Sanctus claims will come to them at the end of their plan is not worth the suffering in the interim. And again, how does he know things will go according to plan when he's now seen the evidence of Sanctus and Agnus' lies? How can he place his trust in their promises of peace and salvation? How can he stand by and watch them hurt innocents for a future they promise will be worth it that itself has been built on the execution of a lie?

Again, I have a sort of split in ideas here. Agnus saw Credo, so I think Credo would be conflicted about what he does next. Does he confront Sanctus about what he has seen? Does he go back to Sanctus and pretend he's still loyal to secure more information, when Agnus saw and heard him and might tell Sanctus Credo can no longer be trusted? Does he go find Kyrie to ensure she's safe? Does he locate Gloria, who at this point he realizes is most likely a plant by Dante's people, and beg for her aid? Does he try to find Dante? Does he try to find Nero? Who can he trust? Who would trust him after what he has (and hasn't) done?

(tl;Dr I think in Credo's head, killing Kyrie is absolutely 100% not okay ever. Killing Nero isn't ideal, but it can be acceptable under the right circumstances if done for the good of the people and isn't too brutal. He realizes Kyrie may hate him for it, but all that matters is that she lives. In the end he cracks under the pressure regardless, because he loves Nero too and doesn't want him to die.)

i love credo dmc btw he kind of sucks. definitely the sort of person that would result from having to raise your own sister (and nero) when he was a kid himself, lol.

[tumbleweed-writes]

Deserving: Chibs Telford X Reader

Y/N was horrified. She couldn’t believe Jax was not out there searching high and low for her boyfriend.

The night had been long and so filled with dread.

It had all started out so normally. Nero, Lyla and Y/N had been the only ones working up at Diosa. Y/N had been training Lyla on some of the facets of her job at the companion service. Lyla was interested in coming to work for Diosa, helping Nero manage the girls and the office.

Y/N was thankful for the possible new hire. She’d been doing this on her own for a while now, and it was so time consuming that it was not even funny.

Nero’s sister Carla was not always the most helpful. She usually favored managing the girls and was less interested in helping with any clerical work.

That responsibility always fell on Y/N.

When Frankie Diamonds had shown up the energy in the room had shifted.

When the gun had come out it had been clear that Nero, Lyla, and Y/N were in danger.

Jax, Bobby, and Chibs had no idea what they were walking into.

Nero had been tied up. Frankie had taped her wrists and ankles together too tightly bound against the sofa.

Y/N stared up at Chibs, the bile rising in her stomach, she resisted the urge to attempt to yank from her bonds and run to him for protection. Frankie currently had a gun tucked into Lyla’s mouth and his hand on the trigger.

He’d pointed the gun in Y/N’s direction more than once over hte past hour. She felt sick thinking that he could easily pull the trigger and end them all at any moment.

Y/N feared any sudden movement from her would spook the man enough that he’d do just that. He seemed panicked and unpredictable. She feared just what he was capable of. 

He’d forced Nero to call the Sons and Y/N feared what he wanted with them. 

She watched helplessly as Frankie screamed out orders. “Guns and knives, drop them to the floor. Now.”

Jax spoke tying to remain calm. “Okay. We’re doing it.”

Jax spoke again holdling his hands out to Frankie. “Listen, they have nothing to do with this…”

Frankie spoke interrupting him. “Shut up and get down on your knees. Put your hands behind your heads.”

Bobby dared to speak stepping forward slightly. “What the hell is this?”

Frankie spoke his voice harsh. “What do you think? I want money. The cartel cash I know you got it in a safe in the chapel”

Jax spoke as Chibs, Bobby, and he did as they were ordered. “We aint a bank. Drug money comes from the Mayans, cash goes straight to the Irish.”

Frankie scoffed digging the gun further into Lyla’s mouth. “I don’t give a shit where you get it. I want $200 grand or I’ll kill Ope’s whore…I won’t stop with her either. I’ll kill Chibs’ whore while I’m at it, kill two whores with one gun.”

Y/N cringed at the statement she not missing the look Chibs sent her he attempting to be reassuring without saying the words.

Nero spoke a sigh leaving him “I got it. In my studio. There’s about 130 grand cash, a couple of gold watches. You want that?”

Frankie shifted his eyes from Nero to Jax as Nero spoke again his voice demanding. “Take that gun out of her mouth, okay.”

Frankie at least did what he was told nodding to Bobby. “Elvis move that fat ass. Go get it, move.”

He held the gun out waving it from Nero to Y/N. “You try anything I’ll kill them both.”

Nero spoke quickly rattling off the combination to the safe and its location.

Y/N bit the inside of her cheek unwilling to let herself cry fear crushing down on her. She kept her eyes locked on Chibs trying to keep her focus only on him. He was the only thing keeping her from falling apart at the moment. She let out a shaky breath the tape digging into her wrists sharply the pain intense.

Y/N tore her eyes from Chibs as she watched as Bobby. The older biker backed out the room going to get the money and watches Frankie was demanding.

Jax spoke quick to challenge Frankie. “How do you think this ends Frankie?”

Frankie shook his head his gun turning to point directly at Y/N as he thought about the statement. “This wasn’t my idea. Clay promised us shit he couldn’t deliver.”

Jax replied ot the comment. “You’re telling me Clay was behind the break ins.”

Frankie shook his head he fast to respond. “Come on Jax. You know he’d do anything to get the gavel back and his cash points.”

Jax spoke up his voice holding a dangerous edge. “He sign off on you going after me and my family?”

Frankie pulled the gun from Y/N pointing it at Jax. “I never went after your family.”

Jax was fast to respond his words harsh. “Someone went after my family. Someone went after Gemma and my kids last night.”

Frankie scoffed at the statement he tilting his chin up. “And why the hell would I do that?”

Chibs spoke up his words defiant despite the situation. “Because you’re a greasy scumbag animal.”

The comment earned Frankie pointing a gun at Chibs’ direction before he pointed the gun back at Y/N. “You want to try that again Chibby? We both know you’re sweet on this little whore. It’d be a shame to splatter her brains all over the wall just because you have a big fucking mouth.”

"I swear to God, if ye fuckin touch a hair on her..." Chibs spat out not getting to finish the threat as Frankie spoke.

"Shut up, I have the gun. I'm in charge. You always have something to say. It's about time you shut that damn mouth."

Bobby reentred the room he holding up a baggie containing the money and watches. “Hey, hey, hey.”

Frankie pulled the gun from Y/N’s direction using it to motion down to the coffee table. “On the table.”

He pointed the gun at Bobby as soon as the bag was dropped on the table. “Get back on your knees.”

Frankie spoke nodding to Nero. “Is that your truck out back?”

Nero barely had a chance to give the affirmative as Frankie spoke again. Shoving Lyla over to Nero. “Get his keys.”

He kept the gun trained on the three Sons as he leaned down reaching for the money. 

Y/N felt her blood run cold when Frankie motioned to Chibs. “Get up Scotty.”

When Chibs hesitated Frankie pointed the gun back at Y/N. “Get up. Remember what I said about her brains and the wall.”

Chibs did as he was told Jax standing as well trying to reason with Frankie all three men speaking at once Chibs speaking loud enough reassuring Jax to keep calm.

Y/N pulled against her bonds as Chibs shot her a look reassuring her. “It’s okay. It’s okay, Love.”

She felt her blood run cold as Frankie tossed Nero’s truck keys at Chibs. “You’re driving. Let’s go.”

Y/N dared to speak as Frankie pulled the gun from her pointing it at Chibs. “Filip, no...”

Chibs spoke before she had a chance to continue. “It’s goin to be okay, Mo leannan. It’ll be okay.”

Frankie pressed a gun to the back of Chibs’ head as he spoke the threat spilling from him. “Any of you come after me, I’ll kill him.”

Jax spoke his words tense. “You’re making a mistake.”

Frankie reacted by pulling the gun away just long enough to shoot Lyla in the upper thigh the action creating enough chaos for him to shove Chibs forward both men leaving the room.

Y/N struggled at her bonds, everything in her screaming as she watched helplessly as the man she loved was dragged away at gunpoint during all the chaos.

Y/N felt like the walls were shutting in on her. She scratched at the tape digging her nails into her skin trying so hard to escape and failing miserably.

She felt a chill run down her spine at the promise to kill Chibs if they were to go after Frankie. He was going to die wasn't he? Who was to say Frankie wouldn't kill him either way? The man she loved was going to die and she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

The chaos continued Bobby freeing both Y/N and Nero from their bonds as promises were made by Nero to call a client of Disoa who happened to be a doctor to patch up Lyla.

Y/N stared up at Jax, her words frantic. “We have to go after him. We have to go get him. He's going to die, Jax. We need to go get him.”

Jax parted his lips to speak but remained silent, the act filing her with rage. She spoke hitting the Sons President’s chest hard beating at him with her fists weakly tears spilling from her eyes her voice cracking. “You’re a fucking coward. You’re just going to do nothing? He would die for you and you're going to leave him to fend for himself. You're a fucking coward. How can you be so weak?”

She glared up at Nero as he pulled her from Jax and spoke his words reassuring. “He’s a tough bastard, Sweetheart. You’ve gotta trust it’ll be alright.”

Y/N felt the tears begin to fall harder sobs spilling from her as she plead for someone to please go get Chibs. She was unable to do anything other than break down.

She didn’t believe Chibs would be alright. None of this felt alright.

She felt like the walking dead as Nero drove her car to her apartment. He’d tried to coax her into spending her night at Diosa but she wanted no part of it. 

So, he’d offered to drive her car and borrow it to get back to Diosa. He’d told her to remain at home tomorrow as though she would have the energy to come in to work the next day. 

She glared up at Nero, her voice harsh as they stood at her front step. “If Filip dies, I will never forgive any of you. I hate all of you.”

“I know you’re hurting right now. I also know you don’t mean that.” Nero replied, cringing at the statement that had left her lips.

He sighed leaning in pressing a kiss to her temple, the act resembling something almost paternal. “He will be okay. I might not have been too thrilled that the Scottish bastard was sniffing around you at first. I will admit that he’s a tough bastard though. You’ll see.”

Y/N scoffed at the comment she fast to speak as she entered her apartment. “I don’t think bullets give a shit how tough he is.”

And with that she slammed the door in Nero’s face, surprisingly not ashamed to be so cold to the man who she adored and credited with saving her life.

She stood in her apartment feeling lost and utterly horrified. 

She found a bottle of vodka in her upper cabinet opening it and drinking straight from the bottle, not caring for a glass at this moment.

She allowed her mind to reflect on the Scotsman she loved; a man who she might never see again.

When Nero had begun his working relationship with SAMCRO, Y/N had been suspicious. She did not think anyone could possibly blame her for being wary of the MC. Afterall, she’d first met three members of SAMCRO when they’d been using Diosa to hide out from the local police department who was trying to scoop them up on a murder charge.

That alone had been enough to make her question her boss and long time paternal figure’s apparent choice to tie himself to SAMCRO.

She knew of course that the MC had only found their way to Nero’s front steps due to the woman he’d apparently taken a liking to.

Gemma Teller had been a one night stand who had turned into something more for Nero. She had seemed to bring trouble along with her much to Y/N’s frustration and dread. 

Y/N had not known what to make of the woman. She seemed intense to say the least…intense, secretive, and calculating.

Y/N had not been the only one who had some serious reservations about Gemma and SAMCRO.

Nero’s sister Carla had not been happy about Gemma’s new found place in Nero’s life nor the outlaw bikers who had come along with her. 

Y/N suspected that Carla and Gemma were just simply too alike to ever dare to coexist; though the thought of the two being so alike was worrisome given the very different type of relationships they seemed to have with Nero. 

Y/N knew enough and had been around long enough to know to tread lightly with Nero’s sister. Gemma seemed less inclined to tread carefully despite Nero’s frustration. Nero loved his sister, no matter how much of a pain Carla could be…no matter how disturbingly possessive Carla could be.

Y/N did not always see eye-to-eye with Carla, but she had to agree that Carla was right to question Nero’s choice to allow not only Gemma but SAMCRO to infiltrate their world.

Y/N’s worry had only grown when Nero had accepted a business deal with Jax which had turned into a business deal with SAMCRO.

Having girls from Cara Cara make appearances at Diosa and offer services to clientele had been a smart business move…but Y/N had remained wary of SAMCRO.

SAMCRO’s newfound partnership with Diosa meant that the MC had become prone to making visits to Diosa.

Y/N had found that she saw the Sons far more often than she’d prefer.

She hated to admit that she’d grown fond of a few of them…Tig for instance could be amusing in a sort of perverted mischievous sense of the word…Happy seemed intense, but he had been far calmer and more respectful than some of Diosa’s clientele. Juice had seemed quiet and she’d honestly sensed a hint of sorrow from him that she could not entirely pinpoint the source of. Bobby was talkative and usually in good spirits. He was always happy to talk about baking and music with Y/N once they’d found out they shared the common interest. 

Jax only came to discuss business with Nero and Y/N hated to admit that he still made her feel suspicious though he’d been polite to her and willing to help Nero out here and there. She’d held the criticism in due to Jax’s willingness to work with Nero on a few favors.

It was the man who usually accompanied Jax that made Y/N feel the most conflicted.

Chibs Telford was an odd one.

His brothers had been perfectly delighted to take advantage of the services the escorts at Diosa offered. They got discounted rates due their partnership with Nero, and Y/N had to think they were taking far too full advantage of those discounted rates.

Chibs had seemed uninterested in the services offered at Diosa though. He might hit up the bar and have a fat glass of expensive scotch, but she did not see him take up any offers of the massages offered by Diosa’s attractive female employees.

Y/N could admit she’d found herself observing the Scotsman far more than she would ever openly admit. 

She’d noticed that he always arrived with Jax and he usually always seemed to be watching over the man. If Jax went to chat with Nero; Chibs was close by. 

She spotted the kutte Chibs wore and patch worn on Chibs’ right side: SGT AT ARMS.

She knew nothing of what the title meant, but by her observations she’d assumed that perhaps the patch signified that Chibs had the duty of playing bodyguard to Jax Teller which would explain why he always looked as though he had an eye out for possible threats.

Much to her shock and annoyance Chibs had seemed to take notice of Y/N as well.

She could admit she’d been annoyed the first time he had made it clear that he had very much taken notice of her.

He had pulled up a desk chair and sat by her side at the front desk interrupting her work to speak. “Ye always look serious. Ye always got the slightest frown on yer face, like yer mad at the monitor yer starin at.”

She’d raised a well manicured brow at the comment, unable to keep the irritation from her voice. “How else am I supposed to look when I’m working? Maybe I’m frowning because I have a lot of work to do.”

“Aye, fair point…and what are ye workin on at the moment?” Chibs dared to ask, taking a slow sip from the glass of scotch he’d been holding leaning in far too close to her.

She’d ignored the realization that he actually smelled kind of pleasant; leather, cigarettes, the slight hint of the scotch he was drinking, a rich woodsy smell that she was sure might be cedar, and a hint of citrus.

She shrugged her shoulders hoping her avoidance of even glancing his way would deter him from continuing this conversation. “Schedules. Have to keep everyone’s appointments and availability on track.”

“So, ye jus do reception work here? I never see ye away from this desk.” Chibs dared to ask, still remaining far too close to her for her sanity.

The words left her lips sounding harsher than she meant for them to be as she practically snapped at him. “I don’t play the companion game, not anymore. That part of me is not for sale, not to anyone…not even you. So, don’t even ask for me.”

She took a deep breath taking notice of the fact that Chibs jerked away from her just the slightest the edge behind her voice taking him off guard. 

He spoke after a moment of silence, seeming to find the right words. “I wasn’ askin fer yer services, Love. Jus’ feelin bored waitin on Jackie Boy to get done talkin with Nero. Thought I’d find conversation with someone who wasn’t lookin to make a buck off me.”

She cleared her throat at the comment the pet name love making her heart do a strange flutter that she was certain she did not approve of. “You aren’t looking for a good time with one of our girls? I heard Uma does a peppermint blowjob.”

He smirked at the comment he quick to reply. “Not interested, tend to like my mint blowjobs in a non-transactional setting.”

He paused clearing his throat. “Not that I’m a cheap bastard, jus’ not interested in gettin my dick wet fer a price. Doesn’ seem like it’d satisfy me when it's all said and done.”

“Even for the discounted rate Nero’s been giving you boys? Pretty sure your friends are taking full advantage of that perk. I do the books and have noticed just how many services your brothers are booking.” Y/N dared to ask, hating to admit that this conversation was interesting to her.

She rarely met men who would not trip over themselves to get laid by a high class companion. The fact that Chibs was not tempted by the availability of the services offered at Diosa intrigued her. 

Chibs took a long sip of his scotch, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. “Nah, not my thing. The lads are enjoyin that perk a wee bit too much. Can’t say we’re a crowd that practices abstaining from indulgence though, Love.”

She parted her lips to respond to the comment but had not the chance as Jax reappeared from Nero’s office nodding to Chibs. “We gotta go, man.”

Chibs gave her a smile that read as far too flirty and confident for her liking as he spoke to her. “I’ll see ye round, Lass.”

She hated to admit that she was looking forward to seeing him around.

The visits after that had continued with the same pattern; Chibs sat at her desk insisting he was looking for conversation.

She’d been surprised to find that the conversation had come easily. It was unexpected given her past. She’d not always found that talking with men was something that she felt completely at ease with. Chibs was easy to feel at ease with.

The change in the odd friendship they’d developed had come when she’d gotten a flat tire. Chibs had just so happened to be around at the time and had insisted that her car would be towed by TM Auto and that he would personally provide her with a ride home.

Along with the ride home had been an offer for dinner at a nearby diner and despite her kneejerk reaction to tell him no, she’d accepted the dinner offer.

She’d been stunned as she’d opened up to him the words falling from her lips between slow bites of the fries she’d been eating.

“Nero found me almost eight years ago. I got picked up with one of his girls. I’d been in the game since I was barely eighteen…long story short I was young and naive enough not to see the red flags when the charming boyfriend I had acquired turned out to be a less charming pimp. I came from the foster system…my parents were not around and I had no real family…so, it was easy to fall into the life. At the time I figured my boyfriend was all I had and this was a chance to make money…even though it was not something I enjoyed. Things were violent and volatile at best. My boyfriend didn’t quite take care to really screen the guys he set me up with. I’m amazed I survived it all. I was involved with that path for a couple of years. I was barely twenty one when I got arrested and met Nero. The girl I got picked up with, Nero’s girl, she talked praises about her boss and insisted he was different from most of the guys running girls in Northern Cali. She talked about this companion business he’d started up…she talked about how he didn’t put his girls on the street, he set em up in much nicer digs, made them feel like they had control over their work. She was only out at that shit hotel with me because Nero couldn’t stop his girls from doing independent work…he was not amused by her independent work to say the least. When Nero showed up to bail her out, he also bailed me out.”

She paused, her stomach turning avoiding Chibs’ gaze. She felt a sense of anxiety wash over her; she was not entirely inclined to share the story with many people. “He got me talking, I opened up to him about how things had been for me…I was surprised he seemed upset by my experiences thus far. He explained to me that what had been happening to me was unacceptable…that it didn’t have to be like that. I, uh, I kind of fell apart on him. I admitted I wanted out. I was exhausted but too weak and scared shitless to get out on my own. I never wanted to be in the life to begin with. I still don’t know why, but he found use for me. He realized I was smart enough to not only do books for Diosa but to manage the administrative work he didn’t care to deal with. He encouraged me to find my own path. He promised me I didn’t have to sell myself and he kept that promise. He’s looked out for me, taken me under his wing. He feels more like family at this point. I like working for him; I’m thankful he still found use for me outside of companion work. I have zero interest in reentering that line of work ever again. I don’t care how desperate I get in my life…I will never sell my body again. I can’t be that weak and afraid ever again.”

She’d expected Chibs to bolt from the table upon hearing this information. So, imagine her shock when his hand had slid across the table caressing hers.

She’d been dumbfounded when Chibs’ fingers had laced with hers the words leaving him. “I promise ye, ye won’ ever have to reenter that life. Ye don’ have a reason to be afraid. I’ll make sure of that.”

Y/N had been stunned to realize she believed him.

There had been a shared kiss at the end of that night and much to Y/N’s shock the kiss had remained chaste. He’d kissed her so delicately as though she was the most fragile being on the planet to him.

She was certain no one had ever kissed her that gently before in her entire life.

The real change to their relationship had come a few months after that diner conversation and their first kiss.

There had been plenty of shared soft kisses between them after that night, but they’d not gone much further. 

It seemed that he’d sensed that she was a little wary of men at least when it came to experiencing that activity with men. Her past prior to Nero had left her feeling skittish and much to her relief Chibs had proven to be a patient man.

A new client to Diosa had not quite gotten the memo that Y/N was not available for any services.

Chibs had sensed something was wrong the second he’d entered Diosa and spotted the woman he had grown quite fond of.

Usually the sight of her in such a tight fitting little pink cocktail dress would have been pleasing to his senses. 

The man who had seemed to have cornered her at the bar though had made the sight of her in the cocktail dress seem less alluring.

The man was wearing a fine suit and was quite young looking. He was probably close to Y/N’s age. It was clear by the rolex watch on his wrist that he had money to spare. 

Chibs had practically marched over to the bar glaring down at the man who had cornered Y/N. He spoke nodding to her. “Ye okay, Lass?”

She parted her lips to speak but the man who had been just moments before harassing her turned his icy blue eyes up a Chibs a scoff leaving him “I was here first.”

Chibs glared down at him a bit astounded by the somewhat childish remark. “I wasn’ talkin to ye.”

The man didn’t sense the obvious aura of danger radiating off of Chibs because he spoke rolling his eyes. “Listen, Scotty, I approached her first. There’s plenty of whores around here to service you. Though by the looks of you, I don’t think you can afford it. This bitch is driving up a hard bargain. She keeps saying she's not for sale, but why the hell else is she here?”

“Ye watch yer fuckin mouth and leave her alone or I'm goin to beat yer face into this bar. She aint a companion.” Chibs snapped his hands clinching he trying to resist throwing the first punch.

The man let out an unamused chuckle at this. “You’re really threatening me over a whore? This some kind of white knight routine? Trust me man, she doesn’t need your protection.”

He paused a cruel smirk crossing his lips. “When I’m done with this pussy you can have it”

Chibs saw red reaching out at the words his hand pressing to the back of the man’s head. He slammed the man’s head down into the bar a sickening crack sounding out as the man’s nose was bent at an odd angle blood pooling from his nose.

He glared up at Chibs as he recovered from the shock. “You Son of a Bitch.”

He charged at Chibs not making it far as Chibs reacted by raising his fist delivering a harsh blow right square in the man’s clearly broken nose. 

The man howled out in pain he folding over clutching his nose the cartilage shattered.

Nero chose this moment to finally make his way out of the back office dumbfounded by the sight.

“What the hell is goin on here?”

Chibs spoke his voice harsh the words spilling form him. “I’m protectin my lass. Somethin ye shoulda been doin? Ye lettin slimy pricks in here and lettin em harass yer receptionist.”

Nero stared down at Y/N her voice soft she was a bit overwhelmed by the entire exchange she’d had with the man before Chibs had arrived. To be honest she'd found herself frozen in place until Chibs had arrived. The man who had been harassing her was all too like the men who she used to have to service back before she'd met Nero. Being around a man like that left her filled with dread to the point where she remained frozen in place unable to act or think.

“He kept trying to get me to tell him how much I wanted for my services. Kept waving the menu at me demanding I tell him how much he could get for each service from me. I tried to tell him I don’t do that…I tried to tell him I just work at the front desk. I just came to the bar to get ice for my drink. He told me I was lying, trying to get a bigger paycheck for my services. He kept throwing out prices at me and I kept telling him no, but he wasn’t listening.”

Chibs stepped aside stepping around the still pained man his hand reaching out to gently caress Y/N’s side his voice reassuring. “Ye told him no, Love. that shoulda been the only answer he needed.

She let out a shaky breath allowing him to embrace her she clinging to him tightly.

She took a deep breath daring to glance up at Nero though she did not pull from Chibs’ embrace. “Filip was just trying to look out for me. He saw I was afraid.”

Nero sighed running a hand along his face as he glanced at the still pain struck client. “Shit, I’ll take care of him.”

Chibs glared down at the man his voice harsh. “If he shows his face round her again, I’ll fuckin break somethin more painful than a nose.”

Nero held his hands up shaking his head. “No need to throw out threats. I said I’m going to take care of it.”

Y/N sighed pulling from Chibs her eyes spotting the dried blood caked across his knuckles. “Come on, I’ll help you get cleaned up.”

She didn’t speak again until she was pressing a soft damp cloth to Chibs knuckles her voice soft. “I just hope he doesn’t report us. I don’t want to be the reason for a damn raid.”

“Nero will take care of it, Lass.” Chibs reassured her hating that she seemed to be blaming herself for any outcome that might come of this.

She sighed shaking her head shame washing over her. “You didn’t have to hit him.”

“Aye, I did.” Chibs remarked furrowing his brow dumbfounded by the comment. What did she mean he didn't have to hit him? As though he should have stood by and let him harass her?

She sighed again a tight pained smile crossing her features. “He didn’t lie…I’m a whore, or I used to be…I mean, I work in the company of them. So, I might as well be one. So, he didn’t lie.”

Chibs was fast to speak his hand reaching out to press to her cheek the words certain. “Ye hated doin that line of work, Love. I ain't goin to sit back and let some prick call ye that word when I know it's a word that fills ye with nothin but pain. I know yer past filled ye with so much sorrow. Ye work so hard fer Nero and yer proud of the work ye do here. Ye keep this place runnin fer him. Yer more than what ye use to do almost a decade ago. Ye don’ do that type of work anymore. Ye told me ye’d never sell yer body again. I aint lettin anyone treat ye like ye can be bought. I know ye only wanna give that part of yerself to someone who deserves it. It can't be bought. I ain' lettin' anyone treat ye like ye can be bought or disrespect ye in any way shape or form. I’m goin to protect ye.”

She felt the tears fall at the words she leaning up pressing her lips to his, the kiss growing deep.

She managed to speak her hands taking his as she lead him from the small kitchen area in the back rooms of Diosa towards one of the “therapy rooms” her voice soft. “I want you to show me, Filip. Show me how much you deserve that part of me.”

He moaned at the request fully content to give her exactly what she was asking for.

Y/N felt tears leak from the corners of her eyes at the memories. She could remember that night that she’d taken him back to the rooms usually used by the companions and demanded he show her that he deserved her body. 

He’d shown her that he deserved her ten-fold. 

He’d made love to her that night; it was something she’d never experienced before in her life. It was an experience she’d had many nights since then. Each time took her breath away. Each time she was reminded of how much she adored Chibs Telford.

He loved her. Though he’d not said the words yet out loud. She was certain of it. 

She felt a sob escape her the fear she might never experience his love ever again washing over her.

She did not want to live in a world where his love was not in her grasp.

—---------------------------

The firm knock awoke her, rousing her from sleep. She cringed at the massive hangover that felt as though it was tap dancing on her brain.

She groaned, her mouth feeling sticky, a terrible taste on her tongue.

She felt bile rise in her throat, she shoving it down refusing to vomit.

She stared up at the ceiling in taking her a long while to gather the energy to get up from her sofa.

She glared at the vodka bottle on the coffee table as though it was solely responsible for all of life’s problems.

She stood up her feet padding across the carpet as she spoke her voice tense. “Keep your damn pants on, I’m coming.”

She peered through the peep hole to her apartment, the sight of her visitor making tears leak from her eyes before she could stop them.

She flung the door open, she practically falling into his arms full sobs leaving her.

Chibs held her against him allowing her to fall apart against him shaking sobs leaving her. He ran a hand up and down her back whispering soothing words to her.

She finally pulled back from him just enough to speak. “Are you real?”

He snorted at the comment, taking him off guard. “I think so.”

She let out a shaky breath fast to speak a million questions dancing through her head. “How did you get away?”

“Fuckin prick glocked me in the back of the head with the butt of his gun. Had me down on me knees in the middle of fuckin nowhere. I thought he was goin to execute me righ then and there, but someone started hokin their horn…he had a ride come fer him. He was on the damn cell all the entire time talkin to someone…Clay maybe, I don’ know. I guess he decided catchin his ride was more important than killin me.” Chibs explained a chill running down her spine.

He ran a hand up and down her back, his voice soft and reassuring. “I’m okay, all in one piece.”

She stared up at him, her brow furrowing. “How’d you get here?”

“Fuckin trucker found me lyin in a pool of my own blood. Took me to the ER to get stitched up. Told em I picked up a hitchhiker in Nero’s truck and the bastard robbed me. Gave a vague description of my hitchhiker. It’s fine.” He reassured her not shocked by the small frown that crossed her features at his insistence that it was fine.

She spoke not caring if she was possibly risking smothering him. “Let me see.”

He sighed leaning down parting his hair just enough to let her see the stitches on the back of his head. 

She spoke her voice small. “Jesus, Filip.”

“I’m okay. I promise.” He reassured her, straightening back up keeping the reminder of what had happened to him out of her gaze.

She shook her head her voice soft. “Your head tells a different story.”

“Aye, I know. I’m hardheaded though luckily enough. So, I’m gonna fare well.” He insisted his arms wrapping back around her, holding her close.

She spoke, sinking against his hold, needing to say the words. “You could have died, Filip.”

“Aye, I know. I know, Love. I could die everyday. It’s the life I chose.” He insisted, hating that the words could not bring her comfort though they were the truth. It was a harsh reality that he could not hide from.

She spoke her eyes watering needing to say the words though she’d never worked up the nerve to say them. “You could have died and I would have not had the chance to tell you that I love you.”

Chibs felt the breath leave his body at the statement. He allowed it to wash over him, the realization that she loved him making him feel warm and secure.

He spoke the words leaving him without fear. “When the slimy bastard had me down on my knees…when I thought I was done fer. I thought bout a lot of shite, my daughter, the club, my brothers, the choices I made…apologies fer all the shite I’ve done and all I’ve failed to do. I thought of ye too…thanked the lord fer bringin ye into my life…said my thanks fer lettin me have ye. Prayed ye’d be okay without me.”

“I wouldn’t be okay without you. I was so scared, Filip. I was certain you’d die. I was so mad at Jax that he wouldn't go after you. I told Nero that I would never forgive him if you died.” She exclaimed, soaking up his words he pressing a kiss to her temple, whispering soft reassurances that he was okay.

He placed a hand against her cheek, the words leaving him. “I love ye. I wish it hadn’t taken me getting smacked over the head with a gun by a greasy prick fer me to have the nerve to say the words.”

He pressed his lips to hers, the kiss brief before he spoke again. “I love ye Mo leannan. I promise ye that. Ye got no reason to be afraid with me, I got ye.”

She clung to him the words leaving her, she was certain of them. “That goes both ways Filip. You have no reason to be afraid with me either. I have you too.”

He held on to her so tight that it almost hurt he whispered soft words to her, the words intelligible between kisses to her skin.

She closed her eyes, soaking up the kisses and the promises behind them.

She might have been wary of the Scotsman when Nero had first brought SAMCRO into her world.

Y/N knew though that Filip Chibs Telford was her world. She had never known love before him. She would do whatever it took to give him that love in return.

She knew that he not only deserved her body, but her heart as well. She could not think of anyone else who would be more deserving of her heart than Chibs Telford.

[mako-neexu]

カドぐだ | 相棒 (partner)

“So this is the rumored ‘Gil-fes’, huh?” Kaodc heaved a heavy sigh as he tugged at his black shirt before clutching at the strap of the backpack he had in hand. “Oi, Fujimaru, where’s the venue for this...tournament?”

According to the archives, someone hosts this... martial arts tournament for the Servants using a Holy Grail. And that someone was either Emperor Nero or King Gilgamesh himself... like last year, and the couple years before.

But who knows who was going to host next year’s event!? 

Wait. Why is he thinking about the possibilities of an event like this in the future!?

Gudako hummed as she finished in tying her unlaced boots, “Well, Gil said it’s going to be at Madison Square Garden like last year. But for the rooms we booked in the nearest hotels? We have yet to find out!”

Her arm looped around his own and before he could react to it, they were off on the streets with his ever-reckless kouhai hollering like a maniac.

Please. Someone help him.

--

They ended up farming again throughout the whole ordeal, collecting hotdogs and fries as currency to exchange with Ishtar’s-former-consort-now-turned....golden sheep, Dumuzid. 

And he thought Fujimaru was describing the god as someone humanoid! Jeez! Did he really interpret that wrong!?

Even with all the craziness he can’t quite get used to yet, it was actually fun.

 And it even felt... a little normal since it felt as if it was the current timeline’s New York, just with some more colorful additions- and okay, he nearly got his face bashed by Spartacus for just getting shoved in front of him before getting declared as an oppressor for “standing” in his way.

So, on second thought, he wasn’t going to get used to this.

--

“Making Doujins!?”

“Yup!”

“Just to retrieve the Holy Grail and stop this time loop we’re stuck in!?”

“Uh-huh! So you better get your butt back to the drawing board, Kadoc-kun.” The way Gudako teased him with the honorific, and he felt faint about the situation.

They spent most of the week chilling and spent the last few days procrastinating. And somehow they discover along the way that time is repeating itself, with the reset being the day of judging the most popular doujin contest.

From across him Hinak- Yu Mei-ren seethes while glaring at her tablet, the pen she had on hand nearly cracking in her grasp, “If I don’t get back to Xiang Yu-sama within the week, I’ll blow this island up.”

Help.

--

“Fujimaru.”

“Yes, Kadoc-kun?”

Kadoc looks at the gothic, medieval castle, before reclining his head up to the large, upside-down pyramid, and the Himeji castle sitting on that same pyramid itself.

Kadoc blinks, and turns to look at the Master beside him, smiling as if this was something that could normally be seen in everday life.

“You know what? Nevermind.”

They were promptly turned into a wageslaves by the Amazonesdotcom CEO after that.

--

“Was it fun?” 

Fujimaru asks him as she lightly kicks on the pool’s waters, watching it ebb and flow beneath them.

Kadoc sips on a cocktail Moriarty had given him, before pursing his lips shit, “What? The entire thing with Las Vegas? Jeanne d’Arc’s talking-shark? Wait, actually, that’s 42nd of the most weirdest things I’ve seen in my list.”

She rests her head on his shoulder, no doubt now sleepy as they spend the last few days of their vacation in the comfort of the hotel.

“...Something like that.” She says, after a few moments.

The question was...weird. Fun was a concept he was still becoming familiar with. After all, all he’s ever known was to become a mage to survive a world that could kill you at a moment’s notice.

Even with the near-death experiences, and things that could easily break a normal person’s mind (he had only gotten so far by being a mage who had a decent amount of spells with him that maintained his reason and sense of self. Fujimaru had none and yet she was still smiling despite the fuckery happening almost every moment of the day.), he supposes that...

“-I guess it was ugh, crazy...” Kadoc mutters under his breath, a dust of pink decorating his cheeks.

Some Servants didn’t trust him, others were the opposite, many varied in their opinions on him but at least, all of them no longer deemed him hostile. As evidence by how he’s somehow alive and breathing right now. 

Fujimaru stirs, and they meet each others’ gazes. Her own was reflecting the stars above, a ghost of a smile spread across her lips, “Good crazy?”

He avoids her gaze and downs the last of his drink.

Her response was a chuckle. “I’ll take it that you don’t like the times whenever we rode on Drake’s ship or anything that involved motion sickness.”

Kadoc flicked her forehead, and while she yelped, there was no helping himself in pinching her cheek, “No shit Sherlock.”

“I am right behind you, Mr. Zemlupus.” 

The heart attack he got simultaneously made him scream before pushing him and Fujimaru to the pool to drown.

When they surfaced, they both glared at the laughing detective relaxing on the pool chaise. 

And seeing Ritsuka smirk deviously with a plan to prank the Holmes? 

Kadoc was in.

[jyminie]

Just finished the trials of Apollo and I NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT

These books were so different to me because they directly revolved around a topic Rick clearly wanted to touch - abuse. Specifically, familial abuse. Personally I think he’d done it gracefully in a way that really sinks in for me now, but I’m not a victim of abuse and don’t pretend to understand the subject.

Regardless, I think the way Rick wrote Apollo, Lester, was absolute perfection. There’s an art to writing a literal god in first person perspective, and have him be one of the most human characters in the entire franchise.

Lester STRUGGLES. And he’s not perfect at all, he doesn’t even begin to understand everything at the start - not the world, not consequences, not the stakes and not the people around him. But fuck he learns, he learns the hard way, the only way, by doing. And it’s not a linear journey either - between book 1 and his more or less lucid identity in book 5, he goes back and forth between learning, and relapsing to his old ways, and learning again, and trusting and understand and rising victorious in all the confusion. He doesn’t shy away from his emotions - he cries a lot, and gets frustrated, and laughs. He learns to feel for other people. But he also learns to heal himself. And he does it by helping others heal, too.

To me, this red thread tying the books together by a common serious subject, made the reading somehow more whole. I can’t explain it, but Apollo slowly verbalising (well, thinking), realising there are similarities between his relationship with Zeus to Meg’s relationship with Nero, was so satisfying. Although I feel like “satisfying” might be a bit of a harsh word. Mostly I felt proud of him. I /felt/ for him, so very much, for so long. He’s likeable because he’s so human, and that includes both his silly and tragic sides, because these coexist within all of us. And I think he as a character encompassed that beautifully.

Reading that last book, expecting a showdown of sorts between Apollo and his father, and receiving a short conversation, an understanding, instead, was amazing. Because that’s Rick’s way of showing us what’s important. No use trying to fix what we can’t, what isn’t our responsibility to fix, what makes us miserable. Humans have this natural ability to rise from their own disasters and forge out of them their own paths in life. And Apollo did just that. It took him time, but that’s how it goes for all of us. And instead of fighting Zeus, he chose happiness. He chose focusing on what’s important, his old hobbies, his friends.

In a way, I’m bittersweet- I wish he didn’t have to stay at Olympus. I wish he could spend as much time as he’d like on earth. But the thing is, a god is what he /is/. But now, he understands for the first time that he gets to pick what kind of god he should be.

And he chose the human kind.

[candycryptids]

Well, now I have to pop in and ask YOU a question. Which is hard because looking over all your characters pages, I'm sobbing on the fucking floor... I love them all so much????

But! I'd really like to know what sparked Chuusday's interest in technology and how did she get so good with it?! ♡

N..nobodies ever asked that before 🫣💦 So I’ll hammer some of the details out for you RIGHT MEOW! A 2sday-Wednesday special :3

Actually we’re gonna cover a lot of ground I haven’t talked about openly before so settle in

Chuu’s fascination with Machines n the like started REAL early, early when she was small. She wanted to…. Disassemble things. Crates, shelves, alchemist tools of the trade, Mammets… carts… she wanted to lay it all out. See how it fit together. And then MAYBE put it all back together again. And she lived on an island, in a port town, with her mom (an actual Viera) who was continuously unwell and kept getting worse every time she got better and sick again, and the sunseeker chirurgeon who was trying to treat her condition, and his partner, another sunseeker who if I recall correctly, was an alchemist. So. The house she was staying in had no shortage of things a Viera with curious + grabbing destructive hands shouldn’t be grabbing.

It takes coaxing to get her to start putting stuff back together again all the time, and by that point at least she’d stopped trying to pry nails out of things (wooden objects were a pain, she found, to take apart, and piece back together, the wood sometimes was old and slightly rotted, the nails came out unkindly, the shapes were often simple.)… things with screws and bolts were… fun. Her dads (in her mind, they were her dads, but out loud, it was sir, and mister) kept trying to send her out on Missions (chores; your mom isn’t doing well, we don’t want you to have to keep hanging around the house while her every breath rattles and her every cough is harsh and wet. Chuu knew. She was 14. It wasn’t hard to figure out…) for, small stuff. Fetch quests; go pick up ingredients for dinner, or hunt down this one small herb on the cliff side above town for this tincture I’m trying to make to help alleviate the cough symptoms. I have enough for now but having more to replenish what I’m using isn’t bad.. low stakes, yknow.

And when her Mom finally passed from her illness the pair kept Chuu on (Chuu herself will not comment on the her mom and the dads’ relationship, but I CAN and I’ll tell you those fuckers were poly. They might never have slapped a label on it but the love was there. It didn’t start that way, but it certainly was that way by the end.)

This ended up wildly off track didnt it. (Let me get it back on track, and in so doing gracefully gloss over the chunk of history I’m unclear on 💖)

She gets REALLY good at what she’s doing when she signs on with the Garlean Empire. It wasn’t… a hard choice. There was nothing left tying her down where she had been by that point; they’d offered direction, room, board… and, well… her current skills were enough to get placed under Midas’ guidance.

And she found that. Magitek is incredibly interesting compared to whatever she’s had her hands on before and she loves it. Purpose. Drive. She learns how to build things that she’d never dreamed of before under Midas’ guidance. She helps refine designs for two legged heavy artillery a lone person can pilot. To deal with the enemy. She does not think about who the enemy is. The enemy is a problem, and the Machine, glorious, flawless, violent, is the answer.

And then they blow up Bozja. Midas with it. An entire city, wiped off the map. She finds that the numbers- subjects- on the sheet that they’d been running experiments on have faces. Haunted, tired faces, with dull eyes and drawn cheeks and small hands. Children. You can’t just quit, but Midas was gone. Cid was missing. Nero was a thorn in her side and she didn’t want to continue work under someone less competent, or pursue someone else’s dreams. So …. She went missing too. Crashed an airship into Thavnair and stripped the wreckage to the bones for coin. Went into temporary hiding in Kugane, then Ul’Dah, and finally fell in with the slightly sketchy free company she’s with now. She maintains their airships and submersibles and they don’t ask where she came from 💖

I think I got a lil lost in the reeds and I was supposed to go to sleep like 4 hours ago but I kept turning this question over in my mind like a rubrix cube despite my best efforts >v>; The Long And Short Is; she’s always wanted to know how stuff worked, and falling in with Garlemald for (cautiously estimating her time there at about 30+ years) helped her understanding grow in great leaps. Around the start of 2.0 she awakens the Echo (Thrice damned Migraine Creator) and doesn’t realize it’s use until her next encounter with Allagan tech (where she interfaces on a personal level and. It kicks her new obsession up. And… allagans did quite a bit of soul research… it is, somewhat, why there is a Tuesday.)

… 🫣 thank you for the question !!!!!!! I’m. Hopin this makes even a lick of sense, ahaha… some of the stuff I had partially cemented in my mind… I had to fix, after reading the actual lore and wiki -w•;; but not much.

[edwinspaynes]

Another post pointed out yesterday that the Clave was so progressive in the 1800s and (especially) 1900s while being incredibly regressive in the 2000s-2010s. This is inarguably true. It also inarguably is true to real life when it comes to views on homosexuality. While male homosexuality was illegal in the UK during the Victorian/Edwardian eras, many (though not all) people tended to turn a blind eye to it assuming that everyone involved minded their business. (Oscar Wilde, for a relevant example, was pretty widely known as being a man who loved other men. He probably would have been able to carry on as he was if not for suing a powerful and influential public figure. But I digress).

Also, it's important to note that, yeah, the TLH kids' parents were overall loving and accepting people. The one who was not such a person blessedly died before his son came out. On the other hand, Alec's parents were in a literal hate cult. But once again, digression.

Because what I really want to talk about are Shadowhunter's shifting attitudes to technology and innovation. I would like to posit that Christopher Lightwood's death was the beginning of the downfall of innovation in Shadowhunter society.

In TID, Henry contends with mockery and side glances because of his drive to invent and create. This makes sense in what his son will later describe as an "arid warrior culture." However, while generally labeled as an eccentric, the Clave - including the Consul and Inquisitor - generally leave him alone to tinker and build. No one stops him. And when he finally invents the Portal, no one shirks it. By the time TLH rolls around, it's a widely-used, widely-respected part of Shadowhunter society. It's ingrained in the fabric of their people just as steles and seraph blades are, and we still see them widely in use in the modern day.

Now, we get to Christopher, Henry's protigee.

It's important to acknowledge that Christopher may have been left alone in part because Henry's Portal was so successful. With him primarily hanging about in the Fairchild lab, nothing could go wrong. Additionally, Charlotte was Consul, and she knew how brilliant her husband was. This probably contributed to Christopher's success greatly.

Christopher grows up shrouded in this love. He is free to create and innovate as he pleases, and he comes up with the idea for fire-messaging. We see him successfully invent fire-messages by early 1904, at which point he is tragically killed by Belial.

Fire-messages are the final piece of technology that we see invented before the TMI era. All other technologies in the modern TSC canon exist in the historical stories. Thus, we can conclude that Christopher's fire-messages are one of the last creations of Shadowhunter society.

(ADHD side ramble: I'm interested to see what Grace manages to accomplish, but I cannot think of something in the modern TMIverse that she may have created. I imagine that her status as not only a woman but a widely-disliked social pariah held her back. Hate it, but my point stands. I hope she's at least given a small amount of credit for the final touches on the fire-messages.)

Anyway, fast forward to 2012. The TSCverse now has another brilliant neurodivergent mind in Tiberius Nero Blackthorn. Of course, he is extremely different from Henry and Christopher. He is more mentally present, serious-minded, and a lot less spacey. But he also views things in a significantly different way than other Shadowhunters do, finding himself drawn to technology like computers in a way that most Nephilim would shirk.

Ty and his family are forced to keep the fact that they have computers in the Institute a secret. This is likely in part because mundanes invented them, but it also feels inconsistent with previous generations. Shadowhunters of old appreciated art; Jem and Alastair were openly musicians, for example. Matthew is an obvious aesthete with a penchant for the theatre and artistic pursuits. Even when Alastair notes that they aren't supposed to like mundane things like moving pictures, he does not seem worried about facing repercussions for seeing one. Ty and the other Blackthorns seem to think that they will see legal ramifications for having a computer, and this is in a world where Jia Penhallow is Consul.

Could the Blackthorns be wrong? Sure. But it feels to me that the Shadowhunters of old would not shirk a useful technology, and the computer has limitless capacity to assist them in their demon-fighting endeavors.

The Clave closed itself off to progress shortly after TLH, and Christopher's death feels a likely catalyst for that.

[adaru32]

The Red Devil's Chronicles: September 2024 Devil May Cry News Update - Netflix, Actors, Etc.

Hey there, how's it going? Here are the latest Devil May Cry-related news updates I've gathered: 1. New DMC1 Dante figure by Asmus Toys.

2. NSYNC's Lance Bass wants to voice as Dante in Devil May Cry.

3. The number of players in DMC Peak of Combat's dropping big time. b) Speaking of Peak of Combat, turns out that they have been possibly lying this entire time about Capcom supervising them.

4. Trish's Japanese voice passed away.

5. Capcom planning to continue with their IPs . b) Devil May Cry's current director Hideaki Itsuno leaves Capcom. c) Dante features in another Capcom promo art.

6. Presslee has made progress on their game.

7. Devil May Cry Netflix trailer has dropped! b) New content of the Netflix series will be showing on the 26th. c) And Adi hints at possible other familiar characters appearing in it.

8. Dante's voice Reuben Langdon is retiring from acting. b) Poor Johnny (Nero's voice) feels bad about sending out that info. c) But he has plans to bring him back.

My Thoughts On These Updates: 1. Asmus toys did a pretty good job on this figure. I can't help but notice, though....Why do most figure-making companies that make Dante figures have to always shade his lips too dark?

2. It's nice that Lance is passionate about voice acting. But...Yeeeeeaaaah, he needs to stay away from Dante...It's bad enough that he was chosen to voice Sephiroth in the 1st Kingdom Hearts game. Glad that didn't last for him 'cause he wasn't a good Sephiroth fit. I'm okay with whoever he voices, as long as his voice and acting match the character.

3. So Capcom still hasn't done anything about the whole Peak of Combat situation I see....And hard to believe that they possibly have been lying this entire time about any of the Capcom staff supervising. Well, at the same time I'm not surprised since Nebula Joy's a scummy company.

4. May Atsuko Tanaka rest in peace....61 is still fairly young....Dang....

5. Makes me wonder what IPs Capcom plans to continue with....Now that Itsuno and other members of the Devil May Cry dev team are gone... Dante is featured on their promo art again, and he has been ranked as the number 1 favourite character from Capcom, so here's hoping that we do see another Devil May Cry game in the future, and hope that it's as good, if not better than what we've had.

6. It's awesome that Presslee's made progress on their game. Makes me wonder what other content will be added.

7. Despite the Netflix series not tying with the games, I have high curiosities on how this is gonna turn out, and am excited for it. Pretty cool how Johnny Bosch kinda got his wish of finally voicing Dante (for those of you unaware, he has auditioned to voice as Dante in DMC3, DMC4, and DMCV before Reuben took over).

8. It's really too bad about Reuben's leave...Well, it was great while it lasted. If he wants to move forward with something else, then we should let him. People really need to chill and need to stop acting like a bunch of whiny and emotional karens when they don't get their way with things (I saw one post on Twitter/X from someone where they threatened to off themselves if he's not gonna voice Dante anymore). There are other actors out there, and all we can do is hope this new actor for Dante, if another Devil May Cry game gets made, that they're as good, if not better than Reuben. It would be cool if he can make cameo appearances in some Capcom media whenever he decides to take a few voice gigs. Johnny does plan to encourage him to come back if a Devil May Cry 6 is made, so let's see what happens from there.

[des-no9]

AO3 tag game <33

Rules: Go to your (current/main) AO3 account and find the following:

Got tagged by my lovely dear @reservoirmonks !!! ty my lovely <33

What ratings do you write most of your fics under?

E. Knew this without looking lol. I've written a lot of PwP, but even a lot of my longer, poetic stuff or plot driven fics, the sex is usually pretty explicit. I think I'm tagging it right idk? Occasionally I've tagged things M where it's a bit more fade to black or more dreamy and poetic, but generally my sex scenes are explicit, if poetic.

What are your top three fandoms?

JJBA, Overwatch and BG3! So happy BG3 reached my top 3 lately. It overtook World of Warcraft, and the insane brainrot has cemented itself truly on my AO3.

What is the top character you write about?

Prosciutto JJBA is the top. Doesn't surprise me, considering the amount of fics I wrote for JJBA. After that it's Risotto Nero, and then Mercy from Overwatch.

What are your top three pairings?

Lavellan/Solas, Prosciutto/Risotto and Maiev Shadowsong/Illidan Stormrage. The first fics I ever posted on AO3 were a bunch of Solavellan ones, and mostly short fics that came from my tumblr. The Ris/Pro ones again, no surprise. And the Maiev/Illidan ones, I did a big long series of them, again lots of shorter fics too. I write a lot more longer fics these days - relatively. Like I used to write a lot of sub 1k fics back then, now I write between 2k-10k around I'd say, especially for my Vanquish/Voss/Orpheus fic series. So, less fics but longer.

What are the top three additional tags?

One shot

Drabble

Angst

Checks out I guess lol

Does any of this surprise you?

Not really lmaol. I'm a chronic over-tagger so I always tag obvious things like one-shot fics, drabbles or whatever. It's stupid, but idk I do it a lot. And like I said before, I used to be a lot more prolific with writing a lot more sub 1k fics, but now I write a lot more longer things, comparitavely I guess. I write LOADS of smut. Like, I knew my most used rating is E. Sex is like, a language to me in writing. Maybe it doesn't always need to be tagged E, and I think my latest Van/Voss was actually M.

I'm anxious about tagging but fuck it lets go lol tagging @4th-make-quail @gothyanki @archangelsunited

[fizzywashere87]

💙Leo💙

Real Gone by Sheryl Crow

...Baby One More Time by Britney Spears

Wannabe by Spice Girls

Girls Jut Want to Have Gun by Cyndi Lauper

Material Girl by Madonna

Bubblegum Bitch by MARINA

Confident by Demi Lovato

Primadonna by MARINA

Thats My Girl by Fifth Harmony

Heart of Glass by Miley Cyrus (Blondie ver is better but Miley fits the vibes here better)

Oops!...I Did It Again by Britney Spears

Shake It Off by T*ylor Sw*ft (I don't like Taylor but this song low-key slaps 😔)

California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) by Katy Perry

Rich Girl (feat. Eve) by Gwen Stefani

I Kissed A Girl by Katy Perry

Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) by Katy Perry

Die Young by Kesha

💜Donnie💜

Blow My Brains Out by Tikkle Me

Empathy by Crystal Castles

Prince Harry by Sohodolls

Click Bait (DJ Edit) (feat. Gl!tch) by S3RL

Notalgia by plenka

Get Lucky (feat. Pharrel Williams and Nile Rodgers) by Daft Punk

Lent by Autoheart

Alien Blues by Vundabar

No by plenka

Child Protective Services Theme Song by Nero's Day At Disneyland

I Don't Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance) by Glass Animals

Fighting With The Melody by Jimmy Urine

I just heard my brother say 'I'm gonna booty fart all over your face' and now I'm scared 😨

i fucking hate taylor swift- LMFAO

BUT THIS IS A CUTE ONE i'm gonna add it to my spotify later if that's okay ☺️

is it bad i don't know a lot of these songs 😰

(ty pookie 🥰)

i would booty fart on ur face too 😔🤚

[avernusfuries]

wasn't sure the comments was the right place for this SO. After the Gortash Fight is when Calem realizes how much Karlach is scared and wants to live. Before he thought she was more like him and really just genuinely okay with dying. He begs her to go to the hells after that so he has time to go to Eorzea and grab Cid and Nero. He's sure the people he knows could build her a new heart, he just needs to give them time.

You see, that's the real fucking kicker about Karlach, really. The whole thing about her saying she'd rather die than go back to Avernus? Only really applied when she really had nothing truly tying her to Faerûn. Throughout the entirety of the game, we see Karlach slowly fall in love with life again, something that she had, briefly, lost in Avernus when she was going through the slog of The Blood Wars. She's literally seen the worst of what humanity / hell could truly do. Sell a friend. Kill. Murder. Fucking steal. The lot of it. So the second she high tailed out of it, there was always that phew, i'm back, if my engine kicks it, it kicks it. But Dammon gave her hope. Tav. The other companions. She fell completely and utterly in love with living again now that she could do it on her own terms.

The fact that she had friends? Honest to God friends who were less of a what she could do for them / they could do for her in turn. The fact that she willingly stuck her neck out for others and they did so in kind, because they cared about her and what happened to her.

The fear really kicks in around act 2 because she was functioning on mindless optimism, and that carried her right the way through to act 3, when she is standing over Gortash and she realised that while, yes, it was a victory, it was a hollow one. And death looming over her head like a guillotine? Kinda made her realise that she wasn't going to get fixed. She was either going to die here, or she was going to end up going back to Avernus. That loneliness. The mindlessness of fighting and now she wouldn't be offered whatever small grace she'd had fighting as Zariel's champion, because she would also be faced again Zariel's best.

Karlach swore blind that she didn't know why Zariel chose her because she was nowhere near her best soldier.

Though if we're being realistic about it, I am thinking Zariel saw a little bit of herself and how she was before The Ride™️, but that's a headcanon for another day.

Aaaaand I'm realising this isn't exactly what you planned this to look like when I answered this but ramblers are gonna ramble.

P.S: please take her to eorzea she needs a fucking break.