#uhh above duke

[misc-obeyme]

Sprry for just answerimg a smoll part of thr ask my brain is m u s h rn (i jist woke up)

OH DANG but I love that idea about the maids and such in the castle! Demons that messed up so bad, now Barb keeps them at the castle to work??? What was that about not giving into the darkness???? lk;asdfkjlfd

that castle is huge and full of monsters. you can't tell me only lil D's and Barb & Dia live there. where are the guards ? the other workers?? little D's are more like silly children adopted by Barb- y'know when a family has debts to pay so the child goes to work at the castle

like that except there is no debt to pay they just want that lol

anyway so there are possibly more people in the castle, and Barb really doesn't.. do work that much. he mostly just bakes for Diavolo & when there are celebrations or other important things happening. that huge castle does not have one small kitchen istg the HOL's kitchen looks bigger 😭 and he also checks on the other worker's works, I prefer to think his duties are like Dia's. Diavolo is a very busy demon*, so he mostly does the work with people, and brings Justice™ to Devildom. ofc there are things Diavolo has to be present for, but most of the things are done either by Barbatos or people he chose (in different parts of the country, not everyone can meet the duke or the Prince himself.)

alright back on track I think the workers who work "above the ground" in castle are normal people/or "light" criminals or slaves left from war times (poor guys lol)

but lower, in the dangerous/more private parts of the castle like the dungeons or Diavolo's private garden The workers are poor souls who forgot everything they were. they're not allowed in the public unless its their body. I don'y think anyone truly knows if they've messed up so bad or Diavolo. just. just wanted them to work for him. cause theyre pretty perhaps?

And Barbatos is here to grant any of the young Lord's wishes.

*I still haven't thought of why Dia would be so damn busy I may even remove that part but its cool to think about. maybe he is still learning and chose Barb to do such things cause Barbatos knows all, and is trustable. idk really. but we know Dia is a spoiled brat so ?? maybe thats whats happening.

I really have to agree, there's no way Barbatos maintains that huge place by himself, demon or not. I've always headcanoned that he has a whole crew of helpers and guards and so on.

I also imagine the castle's kitchen to be absolutely ginormous. And he probably has a whole crew of cooks, too.

I like to think most of them don't live at the castle, though. Like they just work there and come and go and have varying shifts. Uhh but that's if they're just normal people and not criminals lol!

I suppose whether or not they actually did something terrible has to do with how deranged you want Diavolo to be. Like if he was really kinda off the deep end, he could absolutely just obtain people he thinks are pretty and for no other reason. That's real villain behavior generally speaking. But if you want him to be a little less that way, you could say they were criminals. Then at least there's a legit reason for it, even if the punishment is a bit intense... they are demons, so really there's a lot of ways you can go with it!

As for Diavolo being busy, I'm pretty sure it's canon that he is. I suspect it has to do with all of the crap that comes with ruling a kingdom. Paperwork, diplomatic meetings, making appearances at various functions, consulting with experts on things like constructions projects and the economy, and if Diavolo also has his own company in the human world, he likely needs to make appearances at meetings there, too... I'm just saying his canon job is extremely demanding. And then add RAD stuff to all that? Sheesh.

But this is one of the best parts of the castle stuff - they don't really get into a lot of detail about it. So you get to fill in all the details however you like!

[coyotecoining]

So uhh it has come to my attention that we are repeatedly being posted to r/fdc

(above pic is not my source, its just a pic i found)

So hi. To those who are not familiar with me, I am Uncle Duke, I am a Doonesbury fictive.

So recently Galaxy and Kermit coined a term called "infisick', where you have infinite diseases. Which is fine I guess. Doesn't harm anyone, AFAIK.

Then the users of r/fakedisordercringe came.

Someone from that subreddit posted the coining post to the subreddit and the follow up post kermit and tord made. We are outraged. Galaxy worked her best on that coin and you ruined it. You even mocked her flag that she made for the coin. How. Dare. You.

The Reddit admins (which apparently exist) have apparently done nothing about this. We request the admins to immediately delete any post about us.

They even decided to insult the existence of our NAHEs (non alter headspace entity) by calling them inside out. Please tell me what this means? Help!

I have source memories of being mayor so I have friends in high places.

(also i attached a photo of me in source)

[inanthesis]

@maskednihilism : "Please don't arrest me, it's my birthday, you wouldn't want to arrest the birthday boy would you?" Cue puppy eyes and making himself appear small and defenseless @ Wriothesley

"Hmmm, let me think about it." Wriothesley began, rubbing at his chin in thought. It wasn't exactly uncommon to have a wily one brought down to the Fortress of Meropide thinking they could game the system but this guy... Well, honestly the Duke was curious just why he was personally asked to keep an eye on this one. So far all he seemed to be was a little odd.

"Uhh... yeah, I would, actually. Little known fact: the day I was processed to serve my own sentence all those years ago- yes, those rumors are true- matches up with my records to have been my birthday so there's something we have in common if you aren't just lying through your teeth. That said, happy birthday- if it is your birthday- and welcome to the Fortress of Meropide! If you wanted to have a celebration above ground then you shouldn't have committed a crime."

[barry-j-blupjeans]

“You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me" with Taako :O ! thankie!

Image ID: an ask from duke-of-fire that says "5. “You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me.” with Taako and Lup? if you're still accepting prompts" End ID.

5. “You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me.”

((75 random dialogue prompts here - still accepting!!))

cw for discussions of character death and murder //

--

Taako being mad at her for dying wasn't really what Lup had expected to come back to, but it was what happened nonetheless. No, actually, what happened was Taako dragged her to their dorm, hugged her for a solid hour and pretended he wasn't crying, and then started yelling, leaving Lup in a confusing mess of "what the fuck just happened" and "someone sensible needs to fill me in on what I missed."

"Uhm, well," Lucretia said, flipping through her journal pages. Taako was outside on the deck, fuming. Lup had seen Magnus try to approach him, but it was like watching a mouse approach a snake. "You died pretty- pretty early on, so uhm, there's a lot-"

"Lucretia," Lup said, leaning over the desk to look at the journal. "Just tell me what's up?"

"Does it even really matter anymore, I mean, it's in the past. You know what they say, the past is past and we should just, uhh, forget it happened and move on our lives."

"No one says that," Lup said. "You don't even say that. Just tell me, Creesh. Quick, like ripping off a bandaid. C'mon, hit me wi-"

"Taako killed the people who killed you," Lucretia blurted out. She slammed her journal shut and went to exit, despite the fact that they were in her room. "Like, all of them? And then he almost killed Dav, I think, for asking if he was okay, and then he just shut himself in your room for the rest of the year, and anyway, I gotta go-"

She shut the door behind her. Lup blinked.

--

Taako was still on the deck when she went after him. He was ripping up a piece of paper- something Barry originally did when he was anxious, but Taako had picked it up in the last few years. The pieces were so small Lup wasn't sure they could be ripped anymore. He didn't look at her when she sat next to him.

"Hey," Lup said. Taako shuffled his paper into one pile. "Not cool dude."

"You're not cool, dude," Taako snapped. "'Cus like-" He looked up, glancing towards the door as if someone would be eavesdropping on them. "'Cus like, you said you wouldn't die, and then you did, so that's kinda fucked up. Really fucked up, actually, if you think about it."

"You killed people," Lup said and Taako sagged a little in his seat, shrinking down.

"Well, yeah, whatever," he muttered. "They deserved it."

"Did they?" Lup asked, voice rising a little. She cleared her throat and tried again, "did they, Taako?"

"They killed you," Taako said. "So yeah. You see, this is the part where you tell me you’re proud of me. And I'm not really hearing that, so I'm not sure if this is a conversation I wanna be having-"

"This isn't a conversation anyone wants to be having," Lup shot back. "But you can't just kill people who hurt m-"

"Wouldn't you?" Taako tried, finally looking at her. "Wouldn't you fuck some people up if they hur- if they killed me?"

"That's not what we're talking about."

"Wouldn't Magnus kill someone if they purposefully hurt Merle? Wouldn't Merle fuck some people up if they had purposefully hurt Dav? Like, you're not above the rest of us, Lup! And I'm tired of you pretending like you wouldn't kill the hell out of anyone who killed your family. First, you're like, "we have to care about everyone", and then you're like "don't care about me, though!" What the fuck is your problem, Lup, are you okay?"

Lup really wished she had a paper to tear up right about now. She sighed, rubbing at her eyes with the palm of her hands.

"I'm just worried about you," Lup tried, to which Taako immediately shot back with,

"And I'm worried about you, doofus. Look me in the eye and tell me you wouldn't hurt anyone who hurt me." She couldn't. Taako leaned back in his chair, frowning. "That's what I thought."

"I don't want to hurt people," Lup managed, taking a deep, shuddering breath. "I'm tired of all this, Taako, but I don't wanna have to hurt anyone."

"That's what it takes sometimes," Taako said quietly. "You know that. We've known that since before we left. You can't get mad at me for that."

"I'm not mad at you," Lup said, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't there."

"Yeah, well," Taako shifted uncomfortably in his chair. "I'm not mad at you for it. Not right now, I guess. But I don't regret what I did."

"I know," Lup said, the words "I wouldn't either" dying at the back of her mouth.

[millennium-puzzle]

11) Pegs: very cool villain, had by far the best deck in the season and the toons are very epic? too bad his very complex backstory is just an episode and not explored like it should have been; and what he did to Mokuba was suuuper creepy, Jesus, he really wanted to humiliate the Kaibas

12) Yami Bakura: can't wait to see him being relevant

13) Bakura: Can't wait to see him being relevant, also my fave hc for is that after Honda trew the MR Bakura woke up and started to desperatly search for it

14) Bonz (and pals): even if he is lower i think he is a better child character than Mokuba, he is feels his own person rather than another's extention, and he is easily the most badass child in DM, but still, protecc him tho

I like him in DL bc you can make him fight american machine man and dice satan and destroy them with Bonzy bc it's what they all deserves

15) Granpas: he is Yugi's personal damasel in distress ckhckhckg, he is Team Dad and a good grampa to Joey tho

16) Paradox Bros: i really like they don't have the anime nose

17) Duke, forgettable, at least he challenged the gang to something else other Duel Monsters, i hated his crappy cheerleaders tho, thank to god Bakura didn't get his

18) that guy that was robbed my Mokuba, he should return as endgame villain

19) the guy that duelled Mai and Yami Y. for their starchips: CREEP, and Ugly, but i must be honest, in his duel against YY i almost sided with him bc YY, just, never shut his mouth, of course he lost and was confused, YY's whole strategy was spamming insults nonstop!! annoying little shit :[, Mai must have learned this strategy bc she also never shut up when she duelled YY lol

20) EXTRAS: they exist, i wish for them many good first hands in card games, even the dead ones, the virtual world pals are uh high ranking extras

21) B5 i mean what scope do they even serve??

22) Tea: a big downgrade from s0, i mean she was as bland as in DM but at least she was more nice, funny and friendly, here she is such a terrible friend to Joey and Mai sometimes, i rank her higher than Tristan bc she was cool in a couple of eps at least but my feelings abt these two are almost the same

23) Tristan: he is the worst friend ever, if i was Jou i would have already cut ties with him (and Tea), he is like a over-protective mother with 0 faith in his children

also i wonder if the subbers made him and Tea even more henious bc i kinda think doubt KT really would make his heroes call Mai's beloved harpies "sluts" or call Jounouchi "a dog" (if a "friend" said that to me i would prob cry), i'm just,,,,,, SHUT UP NOBODY ASKED

Honestly Ryou was a way more pleasant commentator bc he at least knew what he was seeing and he just didn't spew the most obvious things

That's it, i think i said everything

Also off-topic, Joey is my favorite YGOTAS chara rn, he is super underrated, he is just ultra sassy, always calling other being shits while being a big shit himself

Also Joey x Kaiba is my YGOTAS otp

Bc it's been a while since i started s2 i want to make a charas rank based on the first season, in my s0 post i... weirdly managed to included every single characters and even more weirdly i can do it again, there aren't really many characters in this story, maybe even less than s0, so can make a more lengthy description:

1) probably Mai, i'm actually surprised that she ended up the person with the arc i loved more of all, but she was a very pleasant surprise, i didn't expect her character to be that good or consistent, specially for a girl in a shounen; but here i am, waiting for her to appear again.... and maybe win for once eh at least she has a win against Rex

2) Yami Yugi, much higher than the s0 ranking, it's ironic how despite DM!Yami Y is a way better person he actually feels much less than a Gary-Stu and more his own character, with real emotions, fear and desires; as much he sometimes makes choices that other people/characters don't like he is just a cool, nice guy at heart that just want to get along with other cool, nice people

3) Joey: i mean, i still love him for the same reasons in s0... that i didn't mention earlier, but anyway, it's so easy to like him i don't even mention why he did fell down from the top to bronze tho

4) uuuhhh Keith? He has the funniest design in the series and just like Mai he was much better than i expected, he is just absolutely, possessively, obsessed with revenge, and even if that's what consume 80% of his character (and personality) he still a enough dept to make him good, i'll tell you more, you know all those white male characters in "artsy" movies that are deeply fucked up and used as way to "criticize" american culture? Keith is infinitely better written and more interesting than all of them and wasn't even written by an american

Ok i'm done with the lengthy ones, these are my fave which are also the semi-finalist, i think the anime made a good job to make them care abt them, even as villans

5) Yugi, short king;;;;;; u know that i love you,,, but you should be more proactive sometime, and your Yami should be your magic pixie boyfriend not the reverse!!!!!

6) Mako, he appears for too few eps, but his good-natured personality and aesthetic are top notch, i appreciate his subtle mermaid theme, unlike everyone else his strategy is "remain on the beach and fish; actract opponent with food made by you, challenge them in a duel right so you can have ocean field vantage, win, take his star-chips and repeat" not too different from mermaids using their beautiful voices to actract sailors and causing shipwrecks, and he is very very hot and he is 19 just like me 0u0

7) Weevil or Bruchido in the ita ver. (why ita dubbers? Why?!): fuuuucking gremlin!!! Extremely iconic tiny bastard, he is a baby nerd bully, how can i not love him

Him trowing Exodia was one of the best defining moment of this anime and this 14yo smug kid did IT just because he couldn't find a way to beat a card game strategy, he literally defeated an ANCIENT GOD by trowing those divine piece of paper bc he didn't wait a banlist, accidental BDE

8) Rex; he is the dorky kid that is super obsessed with dinos,,, he is just "wow i like dinosaurs i wish i was one" dare i say relatable

9) Mokuba: the sweet Kaiba, whenever i think of him my brain goes :3

10) Kaiba: the edgy Kaiba, i would place him higher but he is a dick and also both me and Mokuba are waiting his redemption arc :/

[athys-obelia]

character/s: claude de alger obelia, diana of siodonna, felix robane

synopsis: it's...uhm....an empress!diana x concubine!claude crackfic 😭😭

warning/s: uhh a sprinkle of politics, the robane duchy is now siodonnan and not obelian screw canon, diana is lowkey mean to rogrog

a/n: i'm so sorry this is so bad

part one

felix's foot taps against the tiles of the empress' room impatiently. "you stayed up finalising the agreement all night, your majesty, perhaps some rest is due?"

diana spares him glance, turning sideways from her position on her bed. "what was his name again?"

  "pardon?"

  "the painter," she elaborates, pointing towards the painting on the ceiling above the bed. "i keep...i don't know, i keep finding new things the more i look at it."

  "is that so?"

the painting itself, a coronation gift from felix, depicts the goddess diana reaching out to the children of the world and vice versa. "if you look at the sky closely - remember our old siodonann classes?- 'for the people' is hidden in the stars. isn't that cool?"

the knight squints at the painting. "oh, i see it! i wonder why it's in old siodonann, though?"

  "i would guess it's because the imperial family wasn't worshipped in the old days," diana explains, "for example - right now, in some parts of the empire, my late father - bless him - and i may actually have shrines because people believe the imperial family's descent is from the gods. when the kingdom was just formed, though, kings and queens weren't allowed to ride alone in carriages as they greeted their subjects- they needed to have a slave with them at all times, who kept on repeating 'you are human' to them. 'you are human', 'we are all the same in the eyes of the true gods."

the sound of the army of maids behind the door is enough to pull felix out of his trance. "er...horatius calvus, your majesty."

  "hm?"

  "the artist, that's his name."

  "ah." diana turns to the painting once more, eyes staring at the goddess' hair that melted into the night sky. "would you be able to get in contact with him? i'd like to commission a piece."

felix bows gracefully. "as your majesty commands. oh, and - for the obelian delegates' farewell celebration tonight...has your majesty decided on an escort?"

she groans, falling back on the bed. "i've had so much free time lately, the harem is all i think about!"

  "very funny, ma'am. then...shall i prepare the usual?"

diana shakes her head. "i'll visit viscaria palace later and see for myself. the obelians brought some concubines with them as presents, it's be nice to weed through the bunch."

felix's eyes nearly pop out. "you're visiting the harem?! your majesty! did you find someone you like??"

she chucks a pillow at him before he can continue. "you weren't loud enough just now, fe, i don't think all of siodonna heard you."

  "...apologies, ma'am."

three years ago, when she had only just come into power, diana remembers being afraid of the large, gold doors between her and the council room. she remembers pausing before entering, regaining her breath, preparing her mind. projecting an image.

if there is one thing she has learnt, though, it's that only fools can be afraid of their own property. their assets. the larger-than-life doors swing at her command, allow or deny entrance with solely her permission. confidence comes easy when you act like you own the place - nevermind the fact that she did own most places.

but i have no reason to be afraid.

the obelian delegates stand at her arrival and bow like good little lords should before an empress. one of the more prominent ones stands to address her as soon as the meeting commences.

  "blessings and glory upon the sun of the great siodonnan empire," he says.

diana raises an amused eyebrow. this game, hm? "is that an obelian greeting, duke? how interesting. here, one would usually wish 'a long life to the protector of the siodonnan people'. that's all i am, after all - how could i be the sun?"

duke alpheus sputters. "er...i failed to acquaint myself with siodonnan culture appropriately, my apologies, your majesty. i shall do better next time."

how arrogant. still, she smiles, "i must confess, duke alpheus - i am slightly susceptible to praise, so i'll let you off this time."

  "thank you, ma'am."

  "although making the assumption that there will be a next time at all was quite courageous of you." diana signals the guards, who open the door to let the final participant of the meeting inside. "however -courage and bravery are traits best suited for kings and queens, duke. not lords."

the obelian delegates pale as they watch their - former - emperor, wrists bound, enter the hall with an entourage of knights.

diana glances at the newcomer. "although i suppose even for an emperor, too much of a bravado may cost a war."

anastacius de alger obelia glowers at her.

she frowns at the knights. "how come such a precious friend of mine is tied up like this? is this how we siodonnans treat our guests?"

felix bows deeply. "i apologise, ma'am - he was resisting far too much."

  "whatever the case. get a seat set up right here, beside me - after all," diana smiles at the fuming obelian, "we were dining together just a few months ago, weren't we?"

  "three months ago, to be precise," anastacius spits out, "after which you decided to switch tides and invade us like a coward."

she watches one of the knights set down a fancy chair to the left of hers, reaching out to untie the bindings on anastacius' wrist. diana frowns suddenly, waving over felix, "ah, is this the leash my brother used when he tamed his dragon?"

the former emperor flinches, staring down at it. "someone here tamed a dragon?" a light pink dusts his cheeks - did he really touch the actual leash of a dragon?

felix shakes his head with a small smirk. "this is the leash her majesty the late dowager empress used, ma'am. for her dog."

  "-ah, right, i remember now! all the ones marked with this little purple line are used for tying down senseless animals, aren't they?"

  "yes, your majesty." felix returns to his spot behind her, clear amusement swimming in his grey eyes as he watches the obelians try and maintain their composure.

diana gently lets the leash loose, a hand on the stunned anastacius' shoulder to lightly push him into the seat. "you aren't wrong - i did betray your hospitality, didn't i?"

roger alpheus winces at the sudden authority in her tone as the knights pass out a document to each of the obelian lords.

  "obelia's greeting and offer for peace was kind to me, so i must return this generosity. your country is now part of the siodonnan empire, so we should be parting on a good note. will a little present suffice?"

a brunette diana remembers to be a count speaks up, "...a gift, your majesty?"

felix moves closer to the table, watching the detailed map of siodonna carved into its centre. as he raises his hand, almost as if it were a chess piece, a small island moves to the left. its color flickers between a siodonnan purple and the obelian teal.

diana sighs. "i was planning on the island of delphine, since it not only contains a relatively large gold mine, but also much tourist attraction."

oh, she can see the stars in alpheus' eyes already. "thank you, your ma-"

  "but." he shrivels under her piercing gaze, "but, obelia doesn't need gold, does it? what you need is better foreign relations. and what better way to form an alliance..."

she eyes the map, and with a flick of felix's wrist, a small stretch of land connecting two continents switches from its original purple to a hue of blue.

diana looks up now, meeting even anastacius' shocked eyes. he eyes her suspiciously, "do you really-?"

she nods. "...consider it a gift from your sovereign. it is enough, yes?"

  "i- uh," duke alpheus blinks twice, "the isthmus of erven is...an adequate present, yes, your majesty. the people of obelia shall thrive due to your generosity."

  "it is not generosity, duke. your people are my subjects now. however, i hope you realise the isthmus isn't obelian property for obvious reasons. there is no trust between us. despite this, what i will allow is some access." diana stands, watching the foreign nobles mirror the action. "the terms and conditions of our relationship from this point onwards are in the papers before you and are, obviously, subject to change. feel free to approach me with concerns, should you have any."

  "you were firmer than i'd expected with the obelians, your majesty," felix comments.

diana recoils as his eyes light up at the sight of viscaria palace. "remember when i visited obelia for anastacius' coronation? i was only seventeen, but two years into my studies as heir - and they were all over duke renauld's son! poor cousin ronnie couldn't stop apologising."

felix snorts. "the renaulds wouldn't have dared challenge your majesty's claim, not while the late empress dowager was behind you."

  "ha! that's right, everyone was scared of mama." she grins fondly, "papa most of all."

the knight nods, murmuring a prayer.

  "i want them gone as soon as possible," diana admits, "but there's much to settle before that. i need to fix up anastacius before we can let him back, the second prince is still...what was his name, again?"

  "claude de alger obelia, ma'am."

she winces. "yes, he's an impo-"

a commotion sounds from within viscaria. felix raises an eyebrow at the shouts echoing from the beautiful building, a hand already atop his sheathed sword. "ma'am, stay back, i'll have a look- your majesty! where are you going-?!"

navigating through the decorated halls, diana halts before the entrance of the garden. the argument is between two men she doesn't recognise, as the older concubines gather to the side, amusing twinkling in their eyes.

  "attention!" felix roars, "her imperial majesty, empress diana celeste!"

the two freeze in fear.

  "disrupting my peace. how dare you?" diana demands.

one of them, dressed too finely for someone she hadn't even seen yet, steps forward. "your majesty, my name is xerre, i was only-"

she raises a hand, effectively shutting him up. tone softening, diana turns to the group crowding around the desert table. "lex?"

the group shuffles to let a young, silver haired young man forward. lex bows gracefully, laugh lines around his eyes crinkling. "yes, my lady?"

  "do you know what happened here?"

lex nods. "the monthly salary was being distributed, your majesty, and xerre - being a present from the kingdom of masur - had some trouble believing his amount was the same as a former obelian slave's. verhan stepped in to argue that your majesty was the one to decide this, and they began fighting."

  "shall i prepare for his voyage back to masur, majesty?" felix asks, as the rest of the concubines roll their eyes at his antics.

diana studies the masurian concubine, beckoning him closer. "it is common knowledge i do not generally accept gifted concubines from territories out of my own."

she watches his adam's apple rise and fall, tracing a nail over the well defined jawline. xerre shivers.

  "however, your king is new to his throne, and his queen one of my dearest friends. do you realise how our alliance will look were i to send you back?"

he nods cautiously.

  "i do not wish to withdraw support from someone i consider a brother, xerre. especially when he is engaged in armed conflict on two fronts."

  "i- i am prepared for any punishment your majesty deems appropriate."

diana sighs softly. "i would send you to work for me in the capitol, but the rules state every concubine entering must reside here for a certain amount of time. until then, bear with it. this palace, and a life of luxury, is only meant for my favorites. clear?"

  "yes, your majesty."

  "my apologies, ma'am," felix says once the crowd disperses, his head hanging. "i should've prepared for your arrival with more care."

she waves off the apology, heading to the guest hall to take a look at the new obelian  concubines.

  "vera leaves for her son's wedding for a week and we've already had an incident. honestly, felix."

  "...who's vera?"

diana pauses at the unfamiliar voice. her gaze falls on the figure sitting on the window seat, entirely immersed in the book in his hands. she blinks, stunned, watching the colourful window's filtered light paint the brilliant blonde of his hair.

felix is the first to address him, scoffing, "i believe your majesty's beauty has enchanted one of the gods - who else would dare address the empress of our nation so casually?"

diana chuckles, watching as the man stands, intrigued. she stays silent, breath hitched, as he towers over her, studying her with a curiosity that rivals hers from a moment ago. and only when he finally lowers himself to a knee does his hair part, and diana flushes at the red tinting his ears.

  "greetings to her imperial majesty, may the gods grant the protector of the siodonnan people a life long and blessed."

she offers him her hand. "rise. and tell me your name."

a beat of silence passes as he stares at her outstretched hand before hesitantly accepting. "claude, your majesty."

  "claude," diana tries, finding it rolls of her tongue deliciously.

he raises an eyebrow as she regards him. "your majesty...?"

diana smiles, her hand moving to touch the various jewellery adorning his fingers. gently, she slides off the gold ring off of his ring finger. "you must have a good reason to be donning an unauthorized magical item in my palace."

he doesn't answer, head lowered.

her hand lets go of his, raising to grip the blonde's jaw. diana tilts up his face, meeting his gaze. the dull grey eyes from before have vanished, replaced by glittering blues.

she inhales sharply. "you're...the obelian pr...the second prince of obelia."

he nods.

diana turns, more puzzled than angry. "why is he in my harem?"

  "... didn't your majesty wish for it?" felix tilts his head in confusion.

  "what? no?"

the knight frowns. "but i was so sure...your majesty said you didn't have an heir because you wanted a concubine as beautiful as me...when we took over the imperial palace, as the army swore their allegiance...your majesty said the prince was the prettiest you’ve ever seen?"

  "i- felix, i was kidding!"

  "...oh."

she turns to the prince then, "and you! you're a prince! how come you just went along with this??"

  "well...it was the most peaceful part of the palace..."

diana gapes at the two men, before finally sighing in defeat. "you're telling me i was scouring the lands for you, while you were right...?" she raises a hand to massage her temple, "...gods grant me patience."

felix cautiously steps forward, "your majesty...i understand this is shocking, but... tonight's escort..."

she glances up at the obelian prince. "allow them all to retire. i've found the perfect escort."

a/n: hmmm this was a bit empty claudiana wise, wasn't it? their development is coming though, i had to give empress!diana an intro :) also !! the situation may seem a bit confusing rn, but next chapter will clear things up! or you can just ask me for clarification <3

💕 felix is dying to find a concubine diana likes bc he really really really wants to be an uncle

💕 in siodonna, emperors/empresses are referred to by their first(diana) + middle name(celeste) and not a last name bc they technically can't belong to a house, they belong to the empire. but the middle name is important bc you have to ask for it (from someone you love and respect usually), you're never just born with one (so you could ask a parent / friend / mentor yada yada and they give you a name they believe fits best)

[cynergy-laughter]

Obey Me! One Master to Rule Them All Fanfic 1

The Price of Talking Mess ([MC] x Mammon) (Tickle fluff fic) (Some mild language)

By @cynergy-laughter

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How did you even get in this position? You were playing games, minding your own business when suddenly you heard a frantic rattling of the locked door knob, and a vicious knock at the door. You raise yourself up startled, at the ravenous rapping at your wooden door.

“Lemme in! Lemme in!” Came the voice on the other side. You smirk as you heard the all too familiar voice and super familiar tone of desperation. Sure enough when you open the door, who would fall through the wooden frame but the Avatar of Greed, Mammon.

“Oh [MC]! Took you long enough! Listen, I need you to hide me in your room, they’re after me!” Mammon said, crawling over and looked up at you.

“Who’s after you?” You ask, crossing his arms.

“No time to explain, I’m gonna hide under your bed.” Mammon said hurriedly as you stopped him.

“No you’re not, not til you tell me the situation.” You wouldn’t budge.

“Levi… he caught me taking one of his figurines… well I wasn’t really taking it, I was just gonna… uhh… show it to a few friends…” Mammon said, trying to slink around you to get under your bed.

“Mammon… you are a terrible thief, and an even worse escape artist… do you really think Levi wouldn’t come here fir-” Mammon grew antsy and put his hand over your mouth.

“Look, I don’t have time to hear a mini Lucifer lecture, [MC]! I’ll owe you one, alright?” Mammon said as he suddenly dived under your bed. And with a groan, you got back on your bed and plopped down on your bed, getting a groan from Mammon this time.

“Gah! D-Damn… did you… really have to get on your bed that hard…?” Mammon whimpered under your weight.

“Sorry, but you chose to hide under my bed instead of behind the vines.” You say as you heard heavy footsteps coming down the hall.

“MAMMON!! [MC]! Did you see scummy Mammon anywhere?” Levi asked as he slid to a stop in front of your still open door.

“No I’ve been playing my game ever since I came back from class.” You say, showing your controller.

“Oh? What game are you playing, oh my gosh, is it that new game from Akuzon? Remembering Your Name as I Fight for Our Future: Part Two; Shattering The Warped Crystal Mirrors?” Levi asked all excitedly.

“They made part two that fast? I haven’t even finished part one… and now, I’m playing the newest generation of Dévilmon, most specifically Horn version.” You say. It was silent for a few seconds, and then Levi snorted with a loud:

“NOOOOOORRRRMIEEEEEE!!! I can’t believe you are still hype on that, Dévilmon got bad after the 6th generation, you know after U and V.” Levi started, but then jumped up when you got up, looking a bit scared.

“You talking mess, Levi? This game is the closest I’ll get to playing the human world counterpart right now. You wanna discuss it, we can duke it out on my bed.” You said, patting the bed.

“N-No, I don’t wanna get into it with you right now, I gotta find Mammon about a Ruri-chan figurine he kidnapped. Ruri-chan, I’ll save you from scummy, thieving, stinky Mammon!” Levi said as he ran out the room.

You smirk and plop back onto your bed. “Yeah that’s what I thought.”

Mammon sighed loud from under the bed as he began to crawl out from under the bed, panting a bit. “Free at last! And why did that otaku call me stinky? I don’t stink…” Mammon said, stretching as he crawled all the way out and stood up. He turned around and went closer to you. “... Do I?”

You looked at Mammon, and thought it was cute the way he asked you such a self conscious question. You suddenly put your controller down and wrap your arms around your adorable first pact and with one arm held both of his above his head, and wrapped one leg around his waist. You proceeded to sniff at Mammon’s vulnerable side.

“Nah… you don’t stink here… Pee-yew! Your pits though… you could stand to use deodorant.” You say as you smell him.

“G-Gah! H-Hey! Gehet offa me you weird human! I didn’t ahask you to smell me!” Mammon said, wiggling around trying to get out from your grasp.

“Oh? Calling me weird? You talking mess, Mammon~?” You smirk as you start wiggling your right hand’s fingers. “You asked the question, and I wouldn’t know because I haven’t smelled you until now.”

Mammon’s eyes widened and his skin grew pale as he saw you wiggling your fingers. “H-Hey now… let’s talk about this… if you let me go… I’ll… I’ll split the figurine money with you…” Mammon was desperate to escape that... anything but that!

“I don’t want your money, I want to hear you laugh~!” He teased as he began tickling Mammon’s sides. Almost immediately Mammon was flailing and laughing his tail off. Mammon was possibly the most ticklish of his brothers, and it was a relief that none of his brothers had taken advantage of his weakness, cause their punishments have been nothing but pain inducing. That is… until [MC] became an exchange student.

“N-Noho! N-Not aGAAAHAHAIN!!! No plehease! GAhahahaha! Naht my SIHIHIHIHDES!” Mammon was giggling and breathing in greedily after every tickle fit. His sides, his pits, his abs, you lifted his shirt up to get at his abs, forget anything Lucifer had in mind, this was hell.

“You gonna apologize Mr The Great Ticklish Mammon Sir~?” You teased as you began to count his ribs.

“GAHAHAHAHAHA DON’T COUNT THEHEHEM! NOHO! I’D RATHER DIE, HUMAHAHAHAN!” Mammon said, you know, like a helpless, blushing idiot.

“Hehehe, so to double hell with you? Alright then, Mammon, stay!” Was all you said as you used your pact to make him stay in the position you put him in, and you got out from under him and pushed Mammon further onto your bed.

“H-Hey! Come on, gimme a break! Why do you always gotta-NO! GET OFF OF MY SHOES!” Mammon shouted as you began to scoot down to Mammon’s legs and take his shoes off.

“You know the rules, Mammon, no shoes on my bed. I don’t know what you stepped in.” You said, tossing his shoes onto the floor. “Oh that’s right, your legs are pretty bad aren’t they~!” You continue to tease Mammon as you began to tickle his feet all over quickly before your fingers start migrating up his legs. If Mammon wasn’t beginning to regret the day he met [MC], he certainly was now.

“[MC]!!!!! NOOOHOHOHOHO! Please please plEEEHEHEHEASE! Go back to my feet please, I can’t HAHAHAHANDLE IT!!! DOHOHON’T TIHICKLE MY LEGS!!” Mammon was shrieking and howling with laughter.

“Sorry, but you are just too adorable to leave well enough untantalized~.” You tease as you squeezed above his knees and got him behind his knees as well. “Like my new word? I learned it from Satan about a week ago~! Tickle tickle~!”

Mammon just wanted to be ended, humiliation was bad enough, but tickling, humiliation, teasing, and the fact that Satan had a hand in his teasing?! Just finish him off.

“GAHAHAHAHAAAA OHOHO! Okay! Okay okay okay! I’m so-HORREHEHEHE!!! I’m sorry I’m sorry for calling you weird, just stohohop already!” Mammon laughed in defeat as you slowed the tickling down to a stop and released him from his stay. “Dang it… I thought I was gonna see darkness...”

You smile as you lay down on the bed, next to Mammon’s exhausted, panting body. “Come on, you know I don’t stop until you say sorry, maybe Lucifer was right, maybe you are a masochist.”

“A-am not! I just… don’t really mind it so much when you do it…” Mammon said, blushing and crossing his arms in defiant defense for his ticklish body.

“Hehe, I know you don’t mind.” You said as you spooned Mammon, grabbing your controller as you began to cuddle him a bit more as you began to start your game back up, resting your chin on his shoulder.

Mammon blushes as he was being cuddled by you. This had got to be his favorite part of your tickle sessions; you would cuddle him until he had regained his energy, but Mammon wasn’t gonna be moving from this spot anytime soon…

“THERE YOU ARE!” Levi shouted from the open doorway. Although Mammon did say he owed you big time, maybe the cuddling would have to wait...

[lazuliquetzal]

Opening Line Tag Game

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Chose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

tagged by @theinternationalacestation.

I'm just gonna go ahead and do 10 stories because I'm not touching the fic I wrote in high school.

Can't wait to see how Predictable and Formulaic I am! Let's go!

Opening Lines:

“Hey, Sanada. You gonna come to practice today?” At the sound of his name, Sanada Shunpei tears his gaze away from the classroom window. When he finds himself back in reality, his teammate is sitting on the desk in front of him, arms crossed and a judgmental frown on his lips. (Sophomore Slump)

Miyuki’s having a water break when he hears the tell-tale signs of chaos happening over on the other field. So naturally, he has to drop everything to go see what all the fuss is about. (AA Batteries)

Sawamura will readily admit that he has a prejudice against city folk. (Theseus' Paradox)

"Psst. Wake up." [A/N: This one was actually a drawing.] (Blackout Blues)

Fuming at the sight, Takumi takes the soccer ball into his hand and kicks it with pinpoint accuracy. It hits Yuuto square in the back. (An Idiot's Guide to Defeating Writer's Block)

“Whatcha got there, Sawamura?” Sawamura, sitting cross-legged on the floor, looks up to see Kuramochi leaning over him. In response to the question, he holds up the item in his hands and beams with pride. (Candid)

Gertrude stares across at the uncomfortable young man sitting in her office. He’s eyeing her desk with something close to disgust, scowling at the loose papers and the organized chaos of the Archives. (Reflection)

As soon as I step out of the Academy classroom, Ume steps close and grabs my shoulders. Kazuki hovers just beside her. “You passed, right?” Ume asks, eyes deadly serious. (Denial and Deterioration)

First rule about writing fanfiction: you don’t talk about writing fanfiction. (B.N.F.)

Duke is in the middle of his post-school nap when an incessant buzzing interrupts his dreams. His hand snakes out and snatches the phone off of his nightstand. This had better be good. (oh, where do i begin?)

Disclaimer: Some of these are dialogue, so technically some of these are two lines, but I tend to think of these as units. So I think it still counts.

My Personal Favorite

"Sawamura will readily admit that he has a prejudice against city folk." is my personal favorite! The story it's from is not, but I like the snappiness and the Instant Character.

General thoughts:

WELL, I don't consider myself a very technical writer, so I'm not surprised that many of these are just straight-up dialogue and direct thoughts lmao. Do you want to know where the characters are? What the setting is? Do you want something memorable and poetic? Too bad! All you get is my fifth-grade level prose!

I am... not deliberate with my opening scenes. At all. I actually have no clue how I start stories: I sit down, the first scene appears, and then I reread the scene and decide if I can continue it or not.

If I had to analyze myself: I like starting off with dialogue because 1) it's safe, dialogue is my comfort zone, and 2) I exposit through dialogue. If you look at the speaking lines above, they're mostly questions. And even if you go to the other fics, you'll see that I generally enter the dialogue with a relevant question. That's because (opinion incoming) small talk shouldn't exist in fiction unless absolutely necessary. Ask your questions, get your answers!

I think it's nice to start off with answers. Specifically, I think it's nice to start off with wrong answers --

ajfd I don't think my opening lines are necessarily 'strong' which is something I may have to experiment with in the future.

UHH, TAGGING?? don't feel pressured also if you want to do this and i didn't tag you just go ahead and consider yourself tagged @blaizekit @dragonwarriorwriter @xxsolar-writesxx @ellie-tarts

[starlordquill]

uHH rank your most fav to least fav batfam member?

for the record I love and cherish them all so this is hard uuuhhh

Alfred is above everyone bc he's the one keeping everything together and i gotta respect that

Dick obviously, love his dumb jokes with all my heart <3 king shit

Tim

Jason

Damian

Barbara queen, I would die for her

Duke

Stephanie

Cass

Bruce I'm so sorry sir but I love your kids more, surely you'll understand

[anemeraldknight]

About Duke Cadash

I was “tagged” by @emerald-amidst-gold :p

Name: Duke Cadash

Alias: Herald, Inquisitor, Master Cadash (does this count?)

Gender: Male

Age: late thirties, I don't think I want to settle on a specific age (not just yet anyways); he’s a bit younger than Varric but only by a few years

Species: (surface) Dwarf

Zodiac: aquarius / aries / cancer / capricorn / gemini / leo / libra / pisces / sagittarius / scorpio / taurus / virgo / unknown

Abilities/Talents: Duke is an archer and I think he’s gonna specialize to be an artificer. Because of his background with smuggling and having to deal with all of that crap, he’s incredibly good at tracking and finding necessary things from around him in the wilderness. He’s also an absolute beast when it comes to card games, so Varric watch out.

{𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙}

Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

Religion: Because his parents were cast out of Orzammar and thus Duke was born casteless and grew up as a surface dwarf, his parents still believed in the Stone and instilled this belief in him as well. He's not super into it or anything, keeps it to himself mostly and is not bothered with protecting the ideology too much. Also, working as part of the Carta taught him that it's very important to use every little piece of information/thing to your advantage, so that is why he won't denounce those who think he is the Herald because he knows that them believing it could benefit him and the Inquisition. He's only admitted that he thinks it's bullcrap to Blackwall thus far. To others he usually says that he doesn't know what he thinks.

Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

Languages: Common tongue, a bit of Antivan. Idk yet

Family:

Friends: Best friends with Blackwall and Solas, will probably want to take Cole under his wing. He has growing feelings towards Cassandra but also Dorian so he is conflicted on what to do. Also has a bit of a crush on Josephine but he'll soon realize that they're not really that compatible so they'll end up as really good friends I'd say. He also gets on really well with the Iron Bull and Krem. Varric's also fine but Duke feels a bit weird about him because he finds out that Varric used to work against the Carta in Kirkwall so he feels a bit.... embarrassed about it? Just conflicted? Idk there’s something there anyways.

Sexual Orientation: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual (panromantic) / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

Relationship status: single / dating / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating/ (at the moment because he's just arrived at Skyhold so I'm not very far at all ╥﹏╥ )

Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent

{𝑃ℎ𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙}

Build: twig / bony / slender / average / athletic / curvy / chubby / obese (a thick mann)

Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black / other

Eyes: brown / blue (very very light though, almost grey) / green / black / other (gold)

Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / very brown / other

Height: he’s taller than Varric so uhh like 5′ ?

Weight: unknown

Scars: The most prominent scars are on the right side of his face, basically next to the nose on the cheek and then also a bit through his right eyebrow and above it. He has smaller scars all over his body because of his previous line of work, but the biggest one is on his left thigh where he once got shot with a crossbow bolt. He took a long long time to recover and the situation was pretty dire - luckily Duke managed to pull through though. It's still painful on most days though so he has to rub numbing ointment onto it before he goes anywhere, especially exploring. He doesn’t wanna let others see it though.

Facial Features: He has a very beautiful prominent nose and freckles all over his face from spending so much time outdoors. When you look at him head-on you can see that his nose is a bit crooked (to the right) because one time he broke it, it didn’t heal properly. He has hooded eyes but they’re pretty big and very long yet sparse eyelashes. Because he’s an oldd mann he’s also got quite a share of wrinkles and since becoming the Inquisitor he has developed dark circles underneath his eyes. He also has nice luscious lips ;) Oh! And he keeps his beard very clean and groomed. Every morning (if possible) he redoes the braids in it and combs it and stuff. He’s incredibly proud of it.

Tattoos: No tattoos. Even though he respects the Stone, he's very proud to call himself a surface dwarf and to him tattoos on dwarves, especially facial ones, only belong underground.

{𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑜𝑠𝑒}

Dogs or Cats? uhh neither :/

Birds or Hamsters?

Snakes or Spiders? (Duke is afraid of spiders, and I mean afraid)

Red or Blue? Yellow or Green? Black or White?

Coffee or Tea? Ice Cream or Cake? Fruits or Vegetables both?

Sandwich or Soup?

Magic or Melee?

Sword or Bow?

Summer or Winter? Spring or Autumn?

The Past or The Future?

{Tagging}

Literally anyone who wants to do this, it's really fun!! You won’t even have to tag me lol

[metro-headcanons]

YOu have any cool headcannons for Krest?

Uhh I can try lol

- Krest absolutely smokes weed

- He'll smoke it with Sam when they have those boring days traveling on the train

- He plays piano, but not very well

- But he tries his best

- Him and Tokarev bond over tinkering with stuff

- Despite what you would think, he gets a little irritated with Yermak sometimes.

- He prefers to work alone, rather than with Yermak

- He really wants to be good friends with Artyom, and is thrilled when he wants to take smoke breaks with him.

- However, Artyom prefers to smoke regular cigarettes, rather than weed.

- The Colonel has mixed feelings about the guy, but wants to make him into a Spartan at some point.

- When Krest invents/mods something new, he proudly presents it to the crew as flashy as possible.

- Krest prefers the back area in the train (the one with the car) because he loves the feeling of wind.

- That's also why he prefers to make bases that are high above ground.

- He's not very good at lying to friends for some reason.

- He can lie to strangers to his heart's content, and he makes an art of it, but he just can't do the same with friends.

- His lie will almost immediately be called out if he's telling it to the crew.

- Although he appreciates his alone time, he still loves being around people.

- His favorite thing is when Stepan plays guitar.

- When he was pretending to be a bandit back in the day, he hated it.

- He hates being around bandits

- He's one of those people that thinks he's a comedian but most of the crew isn't so amused.

- Alysha and Duke think he's hilarious.

Alright that's all I can think of for now.

[swanhookheart]

A Lucifer s5 theory I’m surprised no one’s talking about

THIS scene from the trailer. Umm, so, I have a theory, and you’re not going to like it. 

Things we know at this point:

Lucifer becomes mortal when Chloe is near

The real Lucifer will return this season, and the two brothers will duke it out. This much has been revealed with the fight scene in the trailer

Several months ago, we got an article from EW saying the showrunners had cast God for season 5

Maze’s demon blades are capable of killing an angel

The showrunners said in an interview recently that “Because [season 5] was written to be the end, it features some of the drama's most daring episodes”

In the trailer, Amenadiel says, “he’s stronger than you think” 

The rest is pure speculation, but it fits with the information we already have about this season. I’ll just come out and say it:

I think Lucifer dies this season. 

No, not “almost dies” because he’s close to Chloe, but actually dies. When Amenadiel says “he’s stronger than you think,” I think he’s talking to Lucifer, warning him about Michael. Michael is stronger than Lucifer thinks, so Lucifer shouldn’t go in guns-blazing trying to fight him. But, ofc, that’s Lucifer. I think Michael actually manages to kill Lucifer with one of the demon blades. 

And even though Lucifer and God are, uhh, not so much on speaking terms, I think that the death of one of God’s favorite sons (at the hands of his twin) would certainly be enough to bring him down to Earth to intervene. God coming down here could mean a lot of things: Lucifer could be brought back, Michael might be punished (by being relegated to the throne of hell), and Lucifer could finally come to whatever conclusion he needs to with dear-old-dad. 

Remember, season 5 was intended to be the finale. They’re gonna go BIG this time. I think that’s the scene we’re seeing in the screenshot above. Lucifer dies, Chloe is beside herself because she’s too late, and then, well, all hell breaks loose. I would definitely imagine this coming in 5B, not 5A, because the scales we’re looking at are far too grand for the first half of a season. 

That won’t be how it ends, but I feel like the showrunners have teased us with almost-deaths for years. I genuinely believe he’s going to actually die this time.

Edit to add that I never said he’d stay dead! I think big twists are coming.

[pip-n-flinx]

Music

Rules: you can usually tell a lot about a person by the type of music they listen to! put your favorite playlist on shuffle and list the first 10 songs, then tag 10 people. no skipping!

So uhh, I may be the only person I know who is like this, but I refuse to stream music and no longer keep any digital copies of any of the music I listen to. I only listen to CD’s and albums these days (though I do some listening on youtube as well.) I know, I’m such a f*cking hipster even I can’t stand it.

So, in lieu of this challenge, I’ll instead give my top 10 albums of all time!

In no particular order:

Where the Light Is Live in LA - John Mayer

I honestly have disc 2 of this set in my car at all times. This is my most listened to album of all time. Gravity, Belief, Slow Dancing in Burning Room.... I adore the vast majority of this concert

We Like it Here - Snarky Puppy

I’ve even written music trying to emulate the genius of this album. Recorded live in front of a studio audience, and STILL one of the cleanest albums of all time. I can’t help but admire these guys

Family Dinner Volume II - Snarky Puppy

The second entry here for Snarky Puppy, my favorite modern jazz ensemble, this one could make my list on the merit of one track alone: Sing to the Moon. I cannot get over how beautiful this arrangement is. Another live album from Snarky Puppy, this one isn’t my favorite but whooo boy does it have some highlight tracks!

Songs in the Key of Life - Stevie Wonder

I hope this requires no introduction. This is just a stunning album, from Past Time Paradise to Sir Duke, and everything in between!

Round About Midnight - Miles Davis

While So What may be the best selling jazz album of all time, I think Mile’s Round About Midnight features a more compelling track line-up and some of the best playing John Coltrane has ever done. Bye Bye Blackbird is just too beautiful on this record.

GO! - Dexter Gordon

I spent the first two and half years of my undergrad studying this album. I would be remiss to not mention it here.

Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto

This is the break out Bossa Nova record that hit the states in 1963 and I owe my entire music career to The Girl From Ipanema

Meteora - Linkin Park

This album easily has the most sticking power of the LP discography. Between Numb, Faint, Lying from You, Breaking the Habit.... I was late to hop on the LP bandwagon but this album still has a solid place in my heart.

The Open Door - Evanescence

Lithium, Good Enough, Lacrymosa... While My Immortal will always have a place in my heart, this is the Evanescence album that stuck with me.

The Epic - Kamasi Washington

Honestly, if he had a live album it would probably come above this one. The Epic often just sounds like a wall of sound to me, but it features several of my favorite Kamasi tracks, and is the reason I’ve been to see him live.

I’ll tag @crackinglamb @pigeontheoneandonly @rpgwrites @faith-less-one @cakeandcrows @citadelsushi @ljandersen @natsora @adaar-i and @femmeshep. No pressure, of course! Only share if you want to

[saywhatjessie]

Hey Baby (Uhh, Ahh)

Written for Lissa for Fandom Trumps Hate, Timestamp for “Nobody Puts Baby In a Corner”, 3.7k (Ao3)

Dean bounced on his toes, shaking out his arms in a useless attempt to increase blood flow to his fingertips. The blood flow was fine: it was the rampant anxiety that was making his hands tingle.

He watched the monitor backstage, trying to distract himself with some of the biggest names in wrestling having their moment – talking about the previous night’s match and setting up the challenges in the coming year.

Dean had actually gotten to see Wrestlemania the night before. He wasn’t featured – wasn’t even a name on the wind – but he’d been invited to watch the match the night before his debut on the main roster. And boy had he watched.

He’d brought Sammy to watch with him, childishly wanting to show off for his little brother. He was a part of it now. He was a part of this thing that they’d both loved. They didn’t love it the same – Sam would never audition to be a wrestler – but you couldn’t just turn off the wrestling groupie inside of you.

Now Sam was sitting off to the side, elbows on his knees, watching Dean pace.

“You’re ready for this, Dean,” he reminded him, not for the first time. “You’ve got momentum. You’ve trained for it. You’re ready.”

“Yeah, I know, Sammy,” Dean answered with a snort. “You can take the kid gloves off, it’s fine.”

Sam rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the monitor as Dean jogged in place.

Someone shorter than Dean came up to hip check him. “Hey there, butternut.”

Dean was already smiling when he turned to her. “Charlie.”

She grinned. “You’re on deck, babycakes. This match is ending and then we’re going on commercial, letting the youngins duke it out a bit, and once we’re back, you’re on.”

Dean nodded, his heart rate picking up the slightest tick. “Yeah, thanks, Charlie.”

Her grin softened in sympathy and she patted his arm. “You’re gonna be great.”

“Why do people keep telling me that,” Dean muttered. Charlie, laughed, punching him in the shoulder and sauntering off.

“Who was that?” Sam asked, his eyes still following the little redhead down the hall.

“One of the techies,” Dean told him. “Sort of assigned to me in my move, makes sure I go where I need to.” He grinned. “And a huge lesbian so don’t even try.”

Sam shook his head, scoffing. “I wasn’t, shut up.”

Dean grinned wider.

“Befriending her is still worth it, though, if you’d like. She’s lovely.” Came a voice, coming from a different hallway than the one Charlie had just left down. “Hello, Dean.”

Dean immediately flushed. “Castiel.”

Cas smiled, gently with his lips closed, inclining his head toward Dean. He was wearing his trench coat wrapped around him, actually tied at the waste to fend off the chill of the A/C they pump through the backstage. When he goes out to the ring it’ll be gaping open, showing off his amazing abs and the tiny little trunks he wears to wrestle. Dean was very familiar.

They’d met a couple times before, though not in any official capacity. An interview once. Party of a mutual friend. They’d only been officially introduced that week to go over script and choreography.

Because Dean was moving up from NXT. He was coming to the main roster: to Smackdown, officially. And a match with Castiel was gonna get him there.

Sam cleared his throat. Dean jerked, gesturing to him.

“Castiel, this is my brother, Sam. Sammy this is Castiel.”

“The Angel,” Sam said, coming out of his chair to shake Castiel’s hand. “It’s good to meet you. I’ve been following you.”

Castiel raised an eyebrow.

Sam flushed. “I mean your career! I’m a fan. Not a stalker fan but–”

Dean cracked up. “He knew what you meant, man.” Dean turned to Castiel, his eyes dancing. “It kills me that no one else knows you’re funny.”

“I’m not funny,” Castiel told him, but his eyes were also bright with humor before looking back at Sam. “But I was messing with you, Sam. I’m sorry,”

Sam shook his head, waving off the apology. “No, don’t be, it’s fine. You’re fine.”

“Yeah, he is,” Dean said, under his breath. Cas looked over at him, his mouth tilted in a smirk. He clearly heard him.

Well, Dean wasn’t wrong. And he wasn’t going to apologize. He winked.

Castiel smirked more, actually showing some teeth.

Sam rolled his eyes. “The longer we talk, the less angelic you seem.”

Cas turned to Sam, flicking his eyebrows once in a ‘Well…’ sort of way. Then he transformed in front of their eyes.

He lost the smile, his face smoothing out into an expressionless mask, his eyes going from bright amusement to simmering righteousness. He was a couple inches shorter than Sam, the big tree, but the way he held his body, his shoulders, he was looming.

“Read the Bible,” Castiel said, his usually gravelly voice coming out even deeper and more threatening. “Angels are warriors of God. I’m a soldier.”

Sam visibly shuddered.

Castiel smiled, his shoulders slumping again. he lifted his hands and tilted his head, as if acknowledging invisible applause.

Dean almost gave him some. Almost. That was extremely hot.

“That’s where my storyline is angling now that I’m heel, anyway.” Castiel said, as if he hadn’t just brought them to church, almost literally, with that performance. “I was thinking about doing some rebranding when I turn face again. Being the Seraph instead of the Angel.”

“Sounds like a font,” Dean told him, a little dumbstruck, still.

Castiel frowned. “Yes, I feared that too.”

Sam let out a little hysterical giggle, immediately covering his mouth.

“Okay, it’s almost curtain,” Charlie said, popping her head back in. “Dean and Castiel, with me. Sam, you’ve got a seat right up front.”

Sam cleared his throat, his mouth twitching. “Thanks.” He turned to Dean, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Break a leg.”

Dean snorted. “I’m supposed to lose.”

“So lose really cool.” Sam shrugged. “Make a splash or whatever.”

“Fuck outta here,” Dean said, shoving his hand off his shoulder, but he did move in for a hug. “Thanks.”

Sam squeezed him back, clapping him on the shoulder again as he pulled away.

They turned to Charlie and Castiel, both of whom were looking seconds away from ‘awwing’ out loud.

Sam reached forward to shake Castiel’s hand. “Good to meet you. Really,” he said, before letting go and heading toward the entrance to the floor.

The three of them watched him leave for a moment, Dean getting more and more nervous with every step Sam took away from him.

But the moment passed quickly and Charlie was corralling them both into following her to the entrance stage.

“So your brother,” Castiel starts, the two of them walking side by side. “Older or younger?”

“Younger,” Dean sighed.”But he’s so stupid tall nobody believes me when I tell them that.”

Castiel grinned. “No, I believe you. He suffers from puppy face.”

Dean barked a laugh. “Puppy face?”

“Yes. It’s not a baby face because he doesn’t look young . But when he talks to you he looks kind of excited, adoring, and wholesome. Like a puppy.”

Dean laughed again, his ears going pink thinking about it. “He is actually pretty wholesome. He’s in school to be an environmental lawyer, you know.” Dean lets out another laugh, softer this time. “Kid wants to save the world.”

Castiel hummed, his mouth serious but his eyes looking at Dean with a certain fondness.

Dean cleared his throat. “You got family?”

“No one close by,” Castiel said in a complete non-answer. “I have considered getting a pet, though. With this job, however…”

“Yeah,” Dean said. “You don’t spend too much time at home.”

Castiel hummed again, a noise of displeasure this time.

“Cats can’t take up too much work,” Dean continued. “You could get a cat. You just have to make sure someone comes in to clean the shit box if you’re away for too long.”

Castiel chuckled, eyes on the ground, smile quirking his lips. “I can certainly look into it.”

They arrived at the entrance stage, the light from the thirty foot high projection screens illuminating the back with a dull glow.

“Cue music,” Charlie said into her headset. The sound of wings flapping projected to the audience. Screams went up.

Castiel turned to Dean, his trench coat now untied and Championship belt on full view. He was sporting a wider smile than Dean had yet seen. “See you out there,” he told him.

Dean nodded but Cas had already turned away, pushing through the curtain to a gothic choir singing him to the rapture.

Dean let out a shaky breath, turning to the monitor set up just inside the door. Cas’s gait was confident and severe, stepping toward the stage with the deliberateness of a preacher walking to the pulpit.

He stepped into the ring, only deeming to duck his head to get through the ropes, but otherwise standing tall and firm. He discreetly grabbed a mic from a ref and brought it to his face, not saying anything. Just letting the audience feel his stare.

The audience booed. Well, half of them did. He was a heel; it was his job to be hated. But he was too damn lovable, he only got half the people in the stands to play along.

When the crowd had finally died down enough – not all the way, this was still a wrestling match, but enough – Castiel spoke, mouth very close to the microphone, in his deepest, most carrying gravel.

“Did you miss me?”

Cheers and jeers and boos and woos. Castiel’s face didn’t even twitch.

“How could you have missed me?” Castiel tilted his head, taunting the audience. “I didn’t go anywhere.” He spread his one arm wide. “I was champion before, and I’m champion now. No weak wrestler could take this from me.”

More noise from the audience. Castiel wasn’t as showy as some of the other wrestlers but he knew how to rile up a crown.

“I’m here, on Monday Night RAW, because I can be. Because,” he pointed out to the crowd, focusing on some lucky individual up in the stands. “You want me to be. I am the best wrestler here. We had an entire night to figure it out and last night, at Wrestlemania, I came out – I came back – with my belt.”

He pulled the belt off, raising it slowly above his head, the volume of the crowd rising with his hand.

Castiel’s presence was unlike anyone else on the roster. He didn’t saunter. He didn’t sneer. He just stood in the middle of the ring and told his truth. Like fact. Like he knew what was best and you’d just better listen.

It was captivating as hell.

“Your precious Gordon couldn’t keep it from me,” he said. “None of your supposed champions. No one who has ever been on this stage has ever had what it takes.” He pumped his fist in the air, firmly, the belt grabbing the light and throwing it back. “No one could challenge me. I dare any of you to come up here and try.”

That was Dean’s cue.

Well, the music was Dean’s cue. Four notes on a harmonica before the guitars came in, playing a vaguely rockabilly but mostly rock riff. Dean took one more deep breath before stepping out from behind the curtain onto a stage lit up with rushing colors of pink, blue, and purple.

He walked out with swagger, sweat dripping from beneath his cowboy hat but his face all cocky smiles and finger guns.

He didn’t get the same response as Cas – he was still new – but there were more people than he expected pumping their fists to Dean’s music. Screaming his name.

He had a pretty significant following already from NXT but… this was the big leagues. This was Monday Night RAW. To make his prime time debut during the Monday Night RAW after Wrestlemania was how you knew things were happening. This is where shit got real. 

People were excited to see him. He was excited to see them. His nervousness melted away and he became more and more the cocky cowboy.

The last few feet, he took a running start at the ring, rollind between the ropes and popping up.

He knew the commentators now were giving the audience back home all his details. His name. His background. How they thought he would do in the big leagues. But the audience at home wasn’t Dean’s concern. He had to connect with the audience around him.

He walked around the ring, pointing at the assembly and subtly pulling a mic from a ref on the sidelines, before stepping to the middle of the ring, thumb hooked through one of the belt loops on his jeans.

He recited his opening to the largest crowd he’d ever performed in front of.

“I’m Baby Del Mar and I think y’all are mighty fine.” Dean almost stumbled. Hundreds of voices were speaking with him. He channeled the enormous grin threatening to take over his face into an arrogant smirk. “It’s time for ass-whooping” He turned and stabbed a finger in Castiel’s direction. “ He’s next in line?”

Screams went up. Wolf whistles and cowbells. Someone had smuggled in an airhorn.

They had to have known he was coming – the WWE didn’t keep many secrets – but they were reacting as if nothing so shocking had ever happened in their lives.

“I’m sorry,” Castiel said, his gruff words cutting short the people carrying on around him. “Did you say your name was ‘Baby?’ ”

Jeers from the audience. Dean wasn’t sure if it was at Cas or at him.

“I’m sure I’ll have you crying like one by the end of the match,” Cas continued his face stoic. It was more effective than any sneer or leer could have been.

“They call me baby because everyone loves me,” Dean said, spreading his arms to receive praise from the audience. And, remarkably, there was praise to be received. “And they’re gonna love me even more when I beat you, Angel.”

Dean was supposed to say his name. Was supposed to spit the word ‘Castiel ’ like it was gristle stuck in his teeth.

Dean took a… flirtier approach.

Castiel raised an eyebrow. The most emotion he’d shown in his face since he walked out. “Is that so?”

Dean winked and went off script. “Don’t worry. You’ll like it. I’m–” Dean had to cut himself off, the crowd had gotten too loud. He took the time to lick his lips. “I’m sure by the end of this, you’ll love me too.”

Cas’s face didn’t break again but for the slight creasing at the corner of his eyes,his eyes themselves bright and humorous. He was smiling. As much as he could while in character.

“We’ll see about that.”

They wrestled.

Dean lost.

It was incredible.

At one point, when Dean had broken out of Castiel’s Cupid Chokehold and stood looming over him where Cas was sitting on the ground, getting his bearings, the audience had taken up a chant.

“ Baby’s gonna kiss you. Baby’s gonna kiss you. ”

Dean had grinned, turning to pump his fist at the crowd.

He was the bisexual cowboy. Everyone knew that.

But to have people chanting…

Dean thought that may have been the happiest moment of his entire life.

And it just kept getting better.

Once Dean had been pinned, Castiel’s arm raised and belt secure, Dean pouted in the ring. Acting the baby. It was his thing.

And Castiel had turned to him and winked. Which was not his thing.

He was out of eyeline of the camera so no one saw. He maintained his eerie angelic persona.

But Dean knew.

Dean got backstage first, falling bodily into his brother’s waiting arms, both of them laughing and jovial. 

“Dean that was amazing!” Sam crowed, slapping every inch of Dean he could reach. Dean was no longer wearing his shirt or his cowboy hat and was sticky with sweat but Sam didn’t seem to care. “I can’t believe you just threw your hat away.”

Dean smirked, feigning a shrug. He hadn’t gotten permission to give that hat away but “They’ll get over it.”

Sam laughed again, shaking his head. “You’re insane, man. But, damn, what a good match.”

“I agree,” came Castiel’s voice where he’d just joined them backstage. He was even smiling – a soft and crooked thing. “You’re quite the performer, Dean.”

There was nothing soft about Dean’s answering smile as it shone brightly out of his face. “Thanks, man! It felt really good being up there.”

“It always does,” Castiel said, his smile widening at Dean’s response. “And I think we worked rather well together.”

“Oh, fuck yeah, dude. It was just like,” Dean gestured back and forward with his hands, bringing them up to his head and making an explosion sound with his mouth. “Right?”

Castiel laughed, softly. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

Dean turned his grin to Sam who was also looking at Dean with more fondness than anyone over 30 should receive. “It was good, right?” He asked Sam. “Did it look as good as it felt?”

Sam nodded, slapping Dean on the shoulder again. “Yeah, man, it looked real good. I had it recorded so we can watch it tomorrow.”

Dean pumped his fist then frowned. “Why can’t we watch it tonight?”

Sam rolled his eyes, though he was still smiling. “I have an early call tomorrow. I need to go to bed .”

Dean frowned again. They were the headlining event so the night was technically over –  he could hear the rustling of and shouts of the crowds as they made their way out of the arena. But... he was still super keyed up: he wasn’t ready to go home yet.

“If your brother needs to leave,” Castiel chimed in, his shoulders curved in a little, his head tilted, inquisitively. It was a weird posture on someone wearing a pair of trunks and nothing else. “the two of us could get dinner?” He smiled his soft smile again.“I’m not quite ready for the night to be over, either.”

Dean perked right back up, his chest swelling. “Yeah. Yes! I could use a burger.”

Castiel huffed a quick laugh. “I could always use a burger.”

“Awesome.” Dean was bouncing on his toes again. “Okay so… we should shower?”

Castiel nodded. “I would say, yes. Shower. Then burgers.”

“Great!” Sam said bringing his hands together in a clap. “So, Dean, I will see you at the hotel?” Sam raised an eyebrow. Nothing salacious but Dean knew what he was implying.

He blushed, clearing his throat. “Yeah, Sammy, I’ll see you at the hotel. You good to take a cab or–”

“Oh, no, I’m taking a cab,” Sam’s grin turned more wicked by the second. “I think you’re gonna want to introduce Castiel to your baby.”

“You have a baby?” Castiel asked, his head cocked (adorably) again.

Sam just winked, clapping Dean on the shoulder again. He reached forward with his other hand to shake Castiel’s. “Really good match. Great meeting you. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you again soon.”

Castiel shook back, nodding in acknowledgement, still looking mildly bewildered but too polite to press the point. “I look forward to it, Sam.”

Sam nodded, his stupid hair bouncing around his ears, and he clapped Dean once more on the back and made his way out.

“Your baby?” Castiel asked again.

Dean chuckled. “My car. You’re gonna love her.”

Castiel huffed air out through his nose in a surprised kind of laugh but gestured with his arms for Dean to proceed toward their locker room.

They showered in the unselfconscious way of two athletes, despite whatever sexual tension might be going on. They kept up a steady stream of chatter through the whole process: How was living in Japan? (Dean) What’s it like being so close with your brother? (Castiel) What’s the best burger joint in town (They had a rather intense debate about this, though a smile was never too far from either of them.)

They took the elevator down to the parking garage below the stadium – reserved exclusively for the talent. Dean hung back so he could watch Castiel see his baby for the first time.

Castiel turned his eyes from Dean, a smile still on his face and turned toward the car. He barely paused, going immediately for the passenger door and waiting for Dean to unlock it.

Dean frowned. “Nothing? I don’t get a low whistle? Not even a ‘wow’? This is my pride and joy here, Cas.”

Cas blinked, his eyes a little startled.

It was then Dean realized he’s never called Castiel ‘Cas’ out loud before now. Only in his head.

Well, that was embarrassing.

Before Dean could apologize, though, Cas was responding, the corner of his mouth twitching. “I’m sorry, Dean, I don’t know very much about cars. I didn’t need one to get around in Japan and I haven’t really picked up the habit of driving since.”

Dean put a hand to his chest, dramatically betrayed. Really he was just relieved Castiel didn’t call him on the over-familiarity. “Blasphemy! No wonder they made you evil.”

Castiel chuckled, awkwardly adjusting the grip on his gym bag. “They’re actually talking about turning me face soon.” He shrugged. “Not much more you can do with the ‘dark angel’ storyline.”

Dean snorted, leaning forward to his rest his elbows on the roof of the car. He knew it made him look casual and just a little bit deviant. He’d struck the pose a lot. “So no more hellfire and brimstone?”

Castiel smirked, bringing up a hand to tap on the door handle, not quite as bold as Dean as to lean bodily on the car. “I’m afraid so.”

Dean hummed, peeling himself off the car with a flick of his keys. “‘S too bad,” he said, sticking the key in the lock. He waited for the lock to click open before he continued. “I do like a bad boy.”

Dean took a minute to revel in the mildly shocked but definitely pleased look that came over Castiel’s face before he jerked the driver’s side door open.

“Get in the car,” he told him with a wink. “We got burgers to eat.”

[kamino-ink]

Wounds | Lee Minho

✧ Genre: Soulmate!au, floof, lowkey suggestive, uhh lemme get some anGst

✧ Summary: You’ve always been aware that Lee Minho was your soulmate, ever since you were kids - but you were too naïve about the world and figured waiting to tell him would be a better idea. Everything starts to go downhill when he says he thinks the system is utter bullshit.

✧ Word Count: 3.7k

✧ Want to read other parts of this series? Check out my masterlist!

                                         ✧

 The whole entire soulmate system was complete and utter bullshit. What kind of world were people to live in where you couldn’t choose who to love, rather the universe meticulously wrote it down in fine ink since the way you were born - nobody got a real choice. Obnoxious soulmate bonds tended to become true nuisances to most in their day to day lives, leaving little room for them to think about anything else, really. Why wait for that one person who could literally be anywhere on the fucking planet when you could find someone who you choose to fall in love with and cherish till the end of your days?

 Those were the exact words that poured out between Lee Minho’s pink lips, effectively sucking the life out of you the second he started to curse the very existence of soulmates yet again.

 “Dude, who put a stick up your ass this morning?” Changbin snorted from across the living room, bringing his glass of coke up to his lips and taking a long, drawn out sip with a quirked eyebrow.

 You felt your world - no, your entire universe start to crumble around your very being, sat upon the couch just inches away from brushing against the resilient man’s arms that he’d sourly crossed over his chest.

 “Come on Changbin, not everyone is as lucky as the rest of you fucks. For all I know my soulmate could be halfway across the world in another country. The possibility of us actually running into each other is zero to none.”

 “That makes it all the more exhilarating. Imagine finally meeting the person you are literally destined to be with on like, a vacation in Paris or some shit. Now that is some quality young adult romance material.”

 “Vacationing in Paris - yeah, with what fucking money?” Minho retorts sharply, dramatically waving his arms around to gesture all around his small studio apartment.

 “You’re so pessimistic, Lee. Any man or woman would be attracted to a nurse-”

 “Oh sure, because my paycheck is so good that I have to live in a fuckass apartment at my age - how dreamy.”

 Sure, Minho liked to talk shit about his studio apartment, and you couldn’t really blame him half of the time since his home was super small compared to his friends’ places; not to mention he lived right beside an apartment housing a couple that never stopped going at it. Whatever noise complaints he had were dismissed with a lazy shrug, meaning the poor guy had to stuff his ears in the dead of night just to get some decent sleep.

 But then again, he had turned the small living space into something quite nice and, obviously, livable. The walls were painted a plain white, but Minho has spiced up the place by sticking some brick wallpaper onto a couple of the walls, as well as hanging up cute little houseplants here and there, scattered about the apartment. He also had two cats who got their fur everywhere.

 Not that you were complaining.

 “Y/N agrees with me, right?” Minho snaps at Changbin, quickly turning all of his attention just onto you within seconds. “I mean you don’t even know what your connection to your soulmate is.”

 “N-nope, still don’t know for sure. Could be anything for all I know.” You replied, your voice shaking slightly out of sheer nervousness and hurt. Minho hadn’t meant to intentionally hurt your feelings, and especially not in such a crude manner, but you couldn’t help the tugging at your heartstrings with his blunt statements.

 “See? That’s my girl, always got my back.” The man coos playfully as he leans into your side, slinging an arm loosely over your shoulders from behind to pull your closer to him. “We don’t need that stupid soulmate shit, yeah? I’ll find a great man or woman to marry and you’ll do the same. We can do some cheesy stuff and go on double dates!”

 You find yourself falling into a daze while weakly nodding in fake agreement with your friend, shifting your gaze so you wouldn’t have to feel the pain of making eye contact with him. While Changbin quickly snaps back at the brunette, initiating yet another argument between them with you quite literally stuck in the middle of it all, you take a moment to look down at the sleeve of your hoodie on your left arm. The material has ridden up just enough for someone to possibly spot the gauze lining your skin, but you discretely slide the sleeve down your arm again before either of the two arguing men can notice.

 Minho, on the other hand, lets his bandaged wound be seen by the whole world, still donning his short-sleeved pajamas from the night before. It is in the exact same spot your wound was, decorating the skin of your left arm just under your marginally scraped elbow.

 The other day you’d been mindlessly wandering around the heart of the city after meeting up with Minho for a diner date - well it technically wasn’t labeled as a date, but it still felt like one; and that was real enough for you to accept, at least. In the midst of your otherwise peaceful walk back home, two younger girls had skated by on the already narrow sidewalk, one of them accidently shoving you to the ground in an attempt to catch up to her friend who’d managed to speed ahead of her. The worst of the impact had been on your elbow and left arm, since you’d immediately tried to lessen the pain of the fall by landing on that spot - course you underestimated the roughness of the cement, leaving you with an ugly spot of missing skin and a bloodied elbow.

 And of course Minho had to go through the same exact pain as you, since that was essentially your connection - or, lack for a better term, your soulmate bond. Whenever one of you injured yourself, whether it be a teensy papercut or a scrape on your leg, the other person got the same exact injury on their body in the very same place.

 “- but you still know what your soulmate connection is, dumbass! Your other half is out there somewhere, fuck they’re probably wondering where the hell you are by now!”

 “Well fuck them, alright!” The man beside you boomed loudly, having clearly lost any and all patience with your other friend across the room. “I get to choose who I fall in love with, and they’ll just have to suck it up and deal with it. In fact, I have a date on Thursday with a person who is not my soulmate, and she is a fantastic girl who also thinks this whole system is a bunch of horse-shit!”

 That was the last straw.

 You abruptly stand up from the plush gray couch, tossing Minho’s arm off of your shoulders and onto the comfy material in a rush of mixed emotions. Their voices that had been so relentless in their harsh jabs at one another suddenly converged into one stunning harmony, calling out to you in worry; one more so with confusion, the other oddly knowing. Bearing no other utterance of a goodbye, you slip on your shoes sat by the front door and hurry out of the cozy home, quietly shutting the door behind your still retreating figure.

 “W-why did Y/N run out like that? Did... did I say something?”

 Changbin sighed softly to himself, staring sympathetically at the empty spot on the couch next to the concerned nurse.

 “She really has faith in this stuff, Minho, you should know that by now. Out of all of us, I’m pretty sure she’s the one most looking forward to being with her soulmate one day.”

 “Jisung for the last time, I do not want to go to the fucking party.”

 “Aww come on, Y/N! It’ll be fun, I promise!”

 “No.”

 “... fine, but that means you’re letting me spend the night and picking out movies to watch.”

 See, that was why you liked Han Jisung so much; while the kid liked to go out and party until the sun rose above the hillside, he never tried to force you into attending one with him - he respected how you preferred to stay home on Saturdays, taking the day off to simply relax in the mindless comfort of your own home.

 “Tell you what, we’ll go to the damn party-”

 “Yes!”

 “- but afterwards you’re paying for pizza and friend chicken. Deal?”

 You also knew how much Jisung liked for you two to actually be together and hang out like the best friends you were. He often abandoned his plans just for you, so you figured doing the same for him couldn’t hurt too much.

 “Deal!”

 Needless to say, you had been incredibly wrong, straying so far from the truth that when it finally hit you like a ton of bricks, you quite nearly puked on the spot.

 The party Jisung had managed to drag you to was a simple high school one, which meant there were underaged teenagers drinking their night away and making out with upperclassmen that would graduate in just a few months time, promptly leaving the hopeful boys and girls in their trail of dust. You weren’t at all similar to them when you were their age, instead choosing to pine after one of your male best friends that just so happened to be your soulmate - the person fate destined you to be with for the rest of your life.

 Said soulmate was in the middle of shoving his sinful tongue down another woman’s throat, husky noises bubbling from between his plump, slightly bruised lips when you and the blonde senior had stumbled into a vacant bedroom to, you know, raid the shelves of video games and duke it out while the other teens fucked around downstairs.

 “Minho?” His name slips past your parted lips, though it doesn’t even come close to catching his attention, nor the woman’s. Only moments ago you’d been a giggling mess, stumbling up the wooden stairs with a bubbly Jisung in excitement since he had overheard that the host let one of the guest rooms upstairs be open for anyone who felt uncomfortable or wanted to just hang out during the mess that was most certainly a stereotypical high school bash.

 But now... now you can feel your already frail heart starting to shatter like glass inside your chest. Because you fucking blew it. You chose not to tell the man that you were his soulmate, and that he was yours - that you were in love with him.

 Because he always spewed nonsense about disliking the entire system since you were kids, you were inclined not to speak of your bond with him at the tender ages you were at back then - besides, you were still mere children that screamed cooties when someone of the opposite gender was even affectionate towards another. Surely his opinions would diverge in the future.

 Except, they never did; in anything he became even more upfront with his thoughts on the ideals of fate as time flew by, cursing and challenging the universe with every other breath he took. While his blunt words had always left a lingering sense of regret in the back of your mind, nothing could have possibly prepared you for the condemning feeling of heartbreak that rolled over your frozen figure in the doorway of the guest room.

 “Dude, what the fuck?”

 You can just barely make out Jisung’s snort of disapproval and disgust at the sight before the both of you, and for a fleeting moment you watch as the two moaning adults hurriedly pull back from one another’s bodies as if the other was burning like a candlestick.

 “A-ah shit - um, guys, this is Ginny. She’s the girl I went out with on Thursday.” The breathless man explains, offering an awkward smile that compliments his even more embarrassed, flushing cheeks while his brown gaze darts between his two friends and his date. There’s a bit of a tent in his pants and there’s crimson lipstick smeared across his lips and neck. If you two hadn’t accidently walked in, then they would’ve taken another step further.

 The mere thought of Minho, the man you had so helplessly fallen in love with, having sex with another person crushed your soul. He was his own person, yes, but you felt the selfish urge to claim him as your own because fate wrote it so. Fate destined you two to join in a loving union, and you had fallen into its deadly trap - perhaps that was why it hurt so much more than it would have, had you not fallen in love with your best friend.

 So like any logical person who happened to be foolishly in love with their best friend and also happened to coincidently walk in on said best friend having a rather heated make out session with another wonderful human being, you turned tail and shot down the stairs of the house, ignoring Jisung’s call of confusion and Minho’s stunned shout for you to come back.

 Yeah, as if any logical person would walk right back into the very room their best friend was so about to have sex in - what was he thinking?

 “Y-Y/N, wait up!”

 What was he thinking?

 “Come on baby, slow down!”

 What were you thinking?

 “What do you want, Minho?”

 Why had you chosen to fall in love with the one man that didn’t believe in soulmates?

 “I - fuck, I’m sorry you had to see... that.” He goes to apologize breathlessly, as if he hadn’t just tore your heart out of your chest and stomped on it repeatedly.

 “So am I.” Is all you can say in response, too afraid that any other words you might utter would seal your fate and his own; one of likely rejection or awkward silences between two people - one of which was in love with the other, the second friend only seeing the other as just that, a friend.

 His bruised lips part to speak again, but you decide that you really need to split before he can unknowingly cause a mental breakdown in your head. With a swift turn on the heels of your feet, you face the other direction and begin to walk through the semi-crowded kitchen, the tips of your fingers gliding across the countertops to help steer you away from the center of the drunk crowd of teenagers.

 Without warning a sharp, searing pain runs up your veins all the way to the nerves of your hand grazing the gray countertops - it takes all of your self control not to let out a yelp of pain, although a weak, befuddled whimper does escape your lips in the heat of the moment.

 “Ow - what the fuck?” Minho hissed in unison with your whimper of utter pain, having started to follow close behind you in the sea of teens hovering in the already cramped kitchen area. “The fuck just cut my fingers-? Wait, are you bleeding?”

 You’d been in the middle of raising your bloodied fingers to your eyes to investigate the new wounds, little cuts from a stray knife carelessly splayed on the countertop stretching across three of your five fingers when Minho directed his attention towards you downcast gaze and red fingertips.

 He glanced to your wounds, and then his own.

 He hadn’t been using the countertop as a guide like you had been, as his arms had been pressed firmly against his sides to prevent himself from brushing against the other partygoers.

 “Is - is this your connection, Y/N?”

 “Do you mean our connection, Minho? Or should I go ask the pretty redhead in the bedroom if her bond is where she can suddenly have injuries appear on her body because her clumsy soulmate never stops getting hurt?” You’re not quite sure why you’re so furious with the man, and you know that by tomorrow morning you’ll be sending him various messages of apologizes for your rash, hurtful jabs. You knew it wasn’t right, blaming him of all people - but it hurt.

 “Our... connection?” He fumbles on his words, his eyes now searching yours for undying consolation - and he finds it, flashing across your now teary eyes as you stare at him.

 You can recall when and where you figured out Lee Minho was your soulmate. The both of you lived in a rural town not too far from the heart of the bustling city, growing up around cattle and barrels of yellow hay rather than flashing lights and nights of blaring music in the clubs across the streets. Naturally the two of you had grown close, labelling each other as the other’s “super-duper-bestest-friend” by the ripe age of six.

 Neither of you knew too much about soulmates and all that mumbo-jumbo the older kids and adults talked about pretty much 24/7, choosing to block their sweet confessions of love and endearment to one another by running around the park closest to your houses or going for a dip in the pond behind your fence.

 That particular day, though, Minho had dragged you to the quaint pond filled with cute orange fish the size of your pinkies and green frogs that croaked well into the late hours of the night. He wanted to try out “fishing” by catching the orange fish with his bare hands, that of course being the first mistake that day.

 You chose to simply watch the adorable black haired boy splashing away in the chilly water of the lone pond, your bottom sat upon a rounded stone a couple feet away; perhaps half an hour had passed when suddenly you felt an odd stinging sensation on the palm of your right hand, and at the same exact time you recalled hearing Minho let out a shriek of pain as he slipped his right hand out of the pond to cradle it into his chest.

 But even after finding out that it was your special bond with Minho, your soulmate, you kept your connection secret all the way until now by simply stating that you weren’t sure what your bond was. You wanted to see if you could convince Minho to see that fate was written for a reason, though you never forced your ideals upon him no matter how much it stung to hear him scrutinize the deep bond between the two of you - not that he had known, obviously.

 “Baby - I didn’t know, I’m so sorry.”

 You cut off his apologies with a shake of your head, backing away while you now cradle your bloodied hand into your chest. “Nothing would have changed, Minho. I should have realized that so much sooner.”

 And then you walk away, leaving behind your soulmate to collect his thoughts.

 Sunday mornings were usually a state of calm serenity for you, since you didn’t have any classes or shifts at work. They were days that resembled healing in your eyes, especially since you really needed some good time alone after the events of the night before.

 You wanted to scream and cry into a pillow all day long, in all honesty.

 You’re still lying alone in bed, tucked underneath the warm layer of a fuzzy brown blanket you’d been gifted last Christmas wrapped around your body like a sushi roll when you hear the unmistakable sound of your doorbell ringing. You know damn well who it is and why they’re at your doorstep - but you didn't feel ready to face them and own up to your mistakes and critical words.

 Somehow you get yourself to roll out of bed, not bothering to look all too presentable as you slowly saunter all the way to the front door where he is certain to be waiting anxiously.

 I can do this, I can do this, I can-

 “-Before you shut the door on me, please hear me out,” Minho pleads out to you in a rush of breath, his hands behind his back as he takes your silence into consideration, “okay I think that’s the go-ahead... Y/N, I still think people should be given the chance to fall in love with whoever they choose to,”

 Did he really need to remind you?

 “but I also think I like you - scratch that, I know I like you more than as a friend. I never tried to make a move on you because our views differed so greatly, and I know it was wrong of me to try and make you see my point of view in the middle of an argument. You always seemed so excited about the prospect of being with your soulmate, which I guess is technically me from what I understand, so I backed off.” He admits, occasionally having to force himself to slow down and say each word carefully so he wouldn’t be too overbearing.

 “Minho - you don’t need to apologize, I do. I should have told you sooner that I knew.” You breathe out softly, your eyebrows furrowing in confusion when he vehemently shakes his head in disagreement.

 “Lets just stop right there, because we could keep apologizing to each other for days and I don’t think these poor things will live that long without fresh water.”

 “What-?”

 “Ta-da! Flowers for the lovely light of my life,” he hums cheerfully, bringing out a small but beautiful bouquet of flowers from behind his back to told them out in front of his face, peeking out form behind them with red cheeks and a nervous smile, “I um, I hope this isn’t too cheesy. I’m kinda hoping that you might give me a chance and go on a date with me-”

 “Of course I will, cheesehead - here, let me put these in a vase and we can discuss where we’ll be going on our date.”

                                         ✧

[artemis-lesbian]

1,3,7,15,24,30 for the song ask

1. three songs that come up when you put your phone on shuffle

Cliffs Edge by Hayley Kiyoko

Palace by Hayley Kiyoko

We Are Young by fun.

3. three songs you were recently obsessed with

Except for the first one I wouldnt really say obsessed just that they got stuck in my head lmao

Flamboyant by Dorian Electra

Truth Hurts by Lizzo

Into The Unknown from Frozen 2

7. three songs you didn’t expect to like but eventually loved

Tbh idk lol. I havent really listened to any songs I thought I wouldnt like agshsh

15. three songs you want to dance with your love to

Omg uhh. This ones hard I cant think of more than one agshdh

Take me to Church by Hozier. Idk why

24. three favourite old songs

Take the A Train by Duke Ellington & Ella Fitzgerald

Smooth Criminal by Michael Jackson

Heart of Glass by Blondie

These are "old" right? Idk

30. three songs you really want your followers to know (for reasons other than all those above)

The Village by Wrabel (cook video. Abt being trans/gay. Makes me cry)

Little Wonders by Rob Thomas (from Meet the Robinsons. Makes me nostalgic idk)

Radio Friendly Pop Song by Matt Fishel (gay. Cool beat)