#verse: i had grand plans (post)

[dewdropdinosaur]

Well Ain't You A Looker?

ALASTOR x (F) READER Summary: You and Alastor are from two completely different worlds, eras even. So what happens when you try and maybe understand his world a bit more? Warnings: NONE If you would like a GN version of this, feel free to ask!(REQUESTS ARE OPEN, see pinned post for details) This is based off a request from the dearest @anon-of-the-void

Y/N and Alastor had always been inseparable. From their time of meeting to an interesting friendship and now as they donned a romantic relationship, almost nothing had kept them apart. Their relationship was a whirlwind of laughter, shared musical interests, and undeniable chemistry. But there was always an unspoken barrier between them – the gap of time separating their worlds: Alastor being from the 1930s and Y/N being from the early 2000s. 

Often one would use terms, mannerisms, or speak of time relevant events that left the other utterly confused and needing clarification. This tension often accompanied dinner, walks around Hell, and even small talk in the Hotel. While both were a great match, it certainly wasn't one made in Heaven. As their relationship approached its six-month mark, Y/N found herself curious about Alastor's origins. She longed to understand the era from which he hailed. Determined to bridge the gap between their worlds, Y/N sought guidance from Rosie the Overlord, a figure well-versed in the ways of the past and a very good…if the only…friend of Alastor. 

And so, after a few weeks of secret planning, Y/N found herself in the bustling underworld, making her way to Rosie's domain. The Overlord welcomed her with open arms, her peppy demeanor softened by genuine curiosity. Rosie, intrigued by Y/N's eagerness, took her under her wing. Secretly relishing the chance to indulge her penchant for mischief, Rosie adorned Y/N in elegant 1930s attire, complete with a brown dress and a cloche hat. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, Rosie schooled Y/N in the art of 1930s slang and mannerisms, eager to see her impress her demon beau.

"Ah, so you're the lucky one who's captured Alastor's heart," Rosie remarked with a knowing smirk. "Well, darling, if you want to understand the 1930s, you've come to the right place."

Meanwhile, Alastor, with his keen senses, couldn't help but notice Y/N's newfound enthusiasm for his era over the past few weeks and her sudden absence. He observed her with silent amusement, marveling at her determination to understand his world. Yet, beneath his composed exterior, Alastor's heart swelled with affection for the woman who had stolen it. No one had quite done anything for him like Y/N did, so imagine his surprise when one evening, as the crimson hues of dusk painted the sky, Y/N made her grand entrance. 

Adorned in her vintage ensemble, she exuded an air of timeless elegance, her eyes sparkling with newfound confidence. Alastor, lounging in his parlor, couldn't tear his gaze away from her.

"Darling, what's all this?" Alastor inquired, his voice a melodic blend of curiosity and admiration.

Y/N flashed him a dazzling smile, her cheeks flushed with excitement as she sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. "I wanted to understand your world better, Alastor. So…I sought Rosie's help."

Alastor's grin widened, a glint of pride shining in his crimson eyes. "Well, ain’t you a looker?" he chuckled, extending a hand to his beloved as suddenly his microphone decided to play some tunes as if from an old LP. 

As they waltzed across the room, Alastor couldn't resist whispering sweet words of encouragement to Y/N. "You may be from a different time, my dear, but your beauty transcends all eras."

With each step, their love blossomed, a testament to the timeless nature of their bond. For in the depths of Hell, amidst the chaos and despair, Alastor and Y/N found solace in each other's arms. As they danced to the crackling tune of an old record, Y/N couldn't help but feel a sense of belonging in Alastor's world and he found a sense of belonging in hers. And as they laughed and twirled through the night, she realized that, no matter the time period, their love would always transcend the boundaries of time and space.

[gluion]

[TEASER] finger trapped (ripped to its seams) ➵ ji changmin

ji changmin x reader

with an unexpected reunion, you and changmin relive the memories of cheongju—and confront what could’ve been between you two.

inspired by ➵ "seasons" by wave to earth, the last five years

general genre/warnings ➵ friends to almost lovers, angst, fluff, the last five years story-telling method aka present will be told going backwards while past will be told moving forward (i hope that makes sense), missed chances, unexpected reunion, keeping secrets & lying, hurt/comfort, jealousy remains but love triumphs, tiger parents, journalist reader (u kno i had to do it), reader is a nerd and changmin is a student-athlete, kms jokes from jongseob (all /lh), finger traps aren’t efficient after all

word count ➵ est. 10-15k [now available! read here]

playlist ➵ end of beginning by djo // high school in jakarta by niki // i know it won't work by gracie abrams // no big deal (i love you) by dodie // keeping tabs by niki // no one knows by stephen sanchez & laufey // so what now by renee rapp // i wish i hated you by ariana grande // the 1 by taylor swift // seasons by wave to earth

a/n ➵ shhhhhhh.... i know that i'm still writing this but a lil motivation and accountability goes a long way SOOO !!! this is just a lil teaser for the upcoming jichang fic for the deoboyznet event <33 thank you again to my lovely @hcuyk for beta reading !!! (i've only written 1/4 please understand.) but i'm dedicating this to my lovely @sungbeam whose love for changmin is one i'll forever feel even to my ribs and @wavesmp3 who forever remains an inspiration in the way i write </3 plus, i've posted these snippets anyway so :P if ure interested in this fic, feel free to ask to be part of the taglist for this! and dont forget to always leave feedback <3

want to be part of my taglist? send me an ask! masterlists

it’s a late night on a tuesday, about to be a midnight wednesday, and you’re in a convenience store as you scout for your dinner. all hauled up in the newsroom, the idea of ordering food during a time where restaurants would still be open slipped your mind. now, you’re left to scan through the same options you’ve eaten for the past years since you started living in seoul.

the convenience clerks are familiar with you, both kim jongseob and kim jiwoo. with your constant late-night meals at the store, you’d talk to whichever one had a shift. jongseob is saving up to upgrade his setup at home to record more music. with all the stories he shares about his time in underground rap battles along with the short verses he’s performed for you, you’re positive that he’ll get signed to a label soon. as for jiwoo, this is one of the many jobs she has in order to save enough money for fashion school. you’ve seen her sketches and outfits she’s put together and you’re hoping that she’ll get accepted.

a sigh leaves you. you didn’t have a problem with eating the food here but you were craving for something new in your life in seoul. the perpetual cycle of eating takeout food and unconsciously skipping meals for work needed to be disrupted just for a moment. but you weren’t seeking michelin-star food—all you wanted was home cooked, something from home.

the spice of tteokbokki, the burn of freshly fried hotteok, and the sweetness of homemade peach iced tea—mr. kim’s convenience store had it all.

your tastebuds long for cheongju.

“planning to beat your record of spending 23 minutes on deciding what to get?”

you roll your eyes before looking to your right, seeing jongseob stocking up the drinks in the fridge. “i hate you.”

“what? i’m just saying, you’re taking a lot longer to decide today.” he chuckles before placing the last bottle of sweetened probiotic milk in the fridge. “none of the options look good to you?”

“sort of,” you hum before you scan through the aisle of packaged meals. “i think i’m craving for something different.”

“i get it. the food here can get boring, which is why i’m planning to order pizza if you want to split the costs.”

your eyebrows shoot up at jongseob’s suggestion. “really? you’d share pizza with me?”

“yeah, as long as you pay for your share.” he shoots you a smile before grabbing on a trolley carrying empty boxes. “unless… you want to pay for the whole thing.”

you bite back a smile as you shake your head. you should’ve known the guy would ask you to buy him food, but you knew that he needed the money and you at least had a stable income to keep you comfortable. “fine,” jongseob’s smile grows as you fish out your wallet from your pocket and pull out a couple of bills. “just order enough for us two.” 

“of course,” he says as soon as you hand him some money. “i’ll make sure to order the most expensive thing on the menu.”

you scoff at his joke. “just make sure to treat me to something.”

the bell by the door chimes. “sorry, can’t hear you over that! need to attend to a customer!” jongseob quickly runs away from you while dragging the trolley. that little shit just knew how to press your buttons, but you love the kid, anyway.

still, you stand in the middle of the mart and your heart longs for home.

then, you shut your eyes, and you’re transported back in front of the familiar aisle filled with bags of potato chips and sweet corn. the noisy fan along with the soft sounds of mr. kim’s korean drama fills your ears. a mix of yellow and orange hues paint every corner of the mart, including you—and you’re not alone.

your best friend stands on your right, wearing the unbuttoned school uniform polo over a tank top along with jogging pants. he’s lost in thought as he scans through the options of snacks you two can have for today’s afternoon. he starts to giggle to himself, probably from a silly thought he’ll share with you in the next second or a memory involving you, and the dips in his cheeks appear—your heart thumps in your ears.

and just like how quickly you were transported back to cheongju, your surroundings transformed into the cool-lit convenience store found in seoul. all you have left is the image of him bathed in the sunlight.

but he fades away like the ink on old receipts, never gone, because the glowing image of him warps into a different version who stands next to you in the cold mart. he’s grown a few inches taller and his hair doesn’t get in the way of his line of sight. while he wears a green sweater, you notice that he’s gained some muscles. his eyes scan through the aisle behind you filled with different brands of instant ramen.

but he bites the inside of his cheek, and his dimples appear.

it’s a tornado that brews within you, enough to uproot trees and displace buildings, all because of an unexpected reunion with changmin. why did the universe decide to bring two ex-best friends on a random tuesday night? what brings him to the convenience store at the same time you’re there? and why did it have to happen a day before the interview?

you weren’t going to commit the same mistake; keep your eyes off of him and make your way out of the store. it didn’t matter if you had an empty, growling stomach, or gave free money to jongseob. you need to leave without the distant, familiar face noticing.

your feet act fast, and you're almost certain that might’ve caught his attention, but it didn’t matter as you see jongseob standing behind the cashier with his phone out. “i just ordered the pizza. it should arrive in about… 20 to 30 minutes.”

“yeah, about that…”

“don’t tell me you’re taking your money back.”

at the sight of jongseob’s pout, you roll your eyes. “no, keep it. i just—i need to go.”

“what? why?”

you peek behind you. it seems like he didn’t recognize you, after all. “i’ve got… work!”

“but don’t you only have your interview with the bo—”

“hey!” your fingers snap at him. “you cannot—i mean, you just… just take the goddamn money.”

“but we’re supposed to share the pizza. you haven’t eaten.”

an exasperated sigh leaves you. “jongseob, just treat me next time. i can eat at home.”

and you’re ready to leave the convenience store, bid farewell to jongseob and a delicious pizza made for two, and never greet or say goodbye to the living fragment of what you last know of cheongju—

“y/n?”

and the plan failed.

when you meet his gaze, you’re able to take in the different version of him. he’s grown so much—it’s such a pain that you weren’t there to witness it. his eyes are a pool of emotions; you can’t identify them.

all it takes is one breath from you. “changmin.”

a beat passes.

“i’m just gonna… go through the storage,” jongseob points his thumb at the back of the mart, “and maybe kill myself afterwards. i don’t know.” before you can protest, he’s already gone. (and he still has your money. that fucker.)

taglist ➵@winterchimez @miusgirl @jenoscafe @sweet-unicorn-world @mosviqu @vernyangel @stealanity @deobi0412 @blue-rainydays @maessseongs

[rourouxiaobao]

MXTX FoodZine 2024 \o/

My MXTX FoodZine 2024 fics are finally live!!! On my AO3, that is (they've been live via the official Zine channels for a while now, just that I was overseas, and then fell sick with Post-Trip Flu).

I contributed 2 fics and 3 recipes for this year's Zine! I was supposed to contribute and 3rd fic (collabbing with someone else's recipe) but time and stress really got to me and I couldn't get it done (to my standards) in time. I'll save it for next year's Zine! :D

My contributions: - MDZS fic + 1 recipe (there are 3 recipes in this collab) - TGCF fic + recipe - Recipe for a SVSSS art collab Info for each contribution below, along with page numbers for where they can be found within the digital Zine! For the fics, you can click/tap on the header or fic cover image to be directed to my fic!

Accusations of Murder (And Other Sibling Things) [MDZS Fic]

Relationships: Xue Yang & A-Qing, Jiang Yanli/A-Qing, Song Lan/Xiao Xingchen Tags: Yi City Fam, Siblings Xue Yang & A-Qing, Sibling Shenanigans, Are You Really Siblings If You Haven't Accused Each Other Of Heinous Crimes At Least Once, Sibling Love Language Is Accusing Your Sibling Of Murdering Your Pet, But You'll Also Die For Them, And You'll Absolutely Murder Anyone Who Fucks With Them, Just Sibling Things, Food Fic, MXTX FoodZine, Suppportive Bro Xue Yang, Coming Out, No Hurt All Comfort, Sibling Bonding, Modern AU Summary: Something is bothering A-Qing and Xue Yang, in his capacity as her insufferable responsible big brother, decides to do something about it.

Bribery with food and unfounded! accusations of murder abound. Pages: 110-115 (Pg110 GhostySword's recipe; Pg111 DJ's recipe card; Pg112 my recipe + DJ's art; Pgs113-115 my fic) Please check the post-fic notes for DJ's and Ghosty's socials!

One Man's Trash Is Another Man's Grocery List [TGCF Fic]

Relationships: Hua Cheng/Xie Lian, He Xuan/Shi Qingxuan, Shi Qingxuan & Xie Lian, Hua Cheng & He Xuan, Jun Wu/Mei Nianqing Tags: Food Fic, MXTX FoodZine, Modern AU, Xie Lian's Absolutely Trash Luck, Xie Lian's Absolutely Trash Cooking Skills, But If There's No Cooking Involved It'll Be Okay Right, In Sanlang We Trust, Getting Drunk, Drunken Shenanigans, Hualian, Beefleaf, Hangover, Meetcute or Meatcute, Undergrad Extracurricular Activities, Getting Together Summary: Through the capricious whims of fate, Xie Lian (someone who can and has burned a pot of water) finds himself registering to be a member of his new university's Cooking Club. Worst still, he has to bring a dish to the annual party for first-year students!

Will the help and advice of his new (best?) friend Sanlang be enough to help him whip up something that won't result in disaster to his kitchen or the local hospital's emergency department? Pages: 229-236 (Pg229 my recipe; Pgs230-236 my fic; Pg236 Misty's art) Please check the post-fic notes for Misty's socials!

Triple-Choco Cookies [SVSSS Recipe Card]

Recipe: Me Art: Inu [inuthe3rd @ Tumblr | Twitter | Instagram ] Page: 53

What Was The Dropped Entry?

It was the SVSSS fic for Li's (chefyli909 on Twitter) Ice Cream Mochi recipe. It's a MoShang fic (with background BingQiu). I had Grand Plans to do a fic for each MXTX-verse. Idk why I keep trying to murder myself lol. I guess with Inu's recipe card, I technically do have an entry/contribution for each, but still... ^^;;;

All that said, please check out the whole Zine for excellent MXTX foodie works by many awesome and talented fanwork creators! ^u^

And many thanks to the MXTX FoodZine team for their hard work and incalculable effort in coordinating yet another year of excellence! I'm so glad to be part of this fantastic Zine once again!

[maiochiruhanabiraaa]

The Spider-Kiss 🕷️ (Alejandro Balde.)

Summary: In a vibrant city, Y/N, a romantic reader, lives in a cozy apartment. Alejandro, a thrill-seeking climber known as "Spiderman" by night, becomes enchanted by her. One evening, he scales her building to her window, hoping for a daring romantic encounter.

A/N: I just saw an edit of balde lookalike miles ૮₍ ˃ ⤙ ˂ ₎ა

Y/N lived in a cozy apartment in the heart of the city, where the bustle of urban life hummed beneath her window day and night.

She was an avid reader and a bit of a romantic dreamer, often losing herself in stories of adventure and love. Little did she know that one night, her own tale of romance would unfold in the most unexpected way.

Alejandro Balde, known to many as an ordinary guy by day and a thrill-seeking enthusiast by night, had a secret.

He loved to climb. Not just any climb, but the kind that defied gravity and thrilled the soul. His friends jokingly called him "Spiderman" for his ability to scale buildings with ease.

It was on one such night, under the cloak of darkness and twinkling city lights, that Alejandro found himself irresistibly drawn to Y/N's window.

He had seen her from afar at the local bookstore, her laughter like music to his ears. Tonight, he decided, he would take a chance—a daring, romantic chance.

With nimble fingers and a heart pounding with anticipation, Alejandro scaled the building, his grip steady as he ascended to Y/N's floor.

He paused outside her window, hidden in the shadows, heart racing not from the climb but from the audacity of his plan.

Y/N, oblivious to the figure outside her window, was lost in a novel that whisked her away to far-off lands and grand adventures.

The gentle breeze whispered through the curtains, carrying with it a hint of something unexpected—a flutter of excitement that stirred her senses.

Just as Alejandro prepared to knock lightly on the glass, Y/N glanced up from her book and froze.

There, clinging to the window ledge with a mischievous grin on his face, was Alejandro. She blinked in disbelief, her heart skipping a beat as she realized the absurdity and romanticism of the moment.

Alejandro gestured for her to open the window, his eyes sparkling with a mix of nervousness and determination.

With a playful smile, Y/N obliged, curiosity mingling with amusement as she swung the window open to reveal the daring climber outside.

"Surprise," Alejandro said with a sheepish grin, his voice carrying the thrill of the night and the warmth of his affection.

"I couldn't resist. I had to see you."

Y/N laughed, a melodious sound that echoed in the quiet of the night.

"What are you doing up there, Spiderman?"

Alejandro shrugged, his gaze unwavering.

"I couldn't sleep. And I realized there's something I've been wanting to do ever since I saw you."

Before Y/N could respond, Alejandro leaned forward, closing the gap between them in a heartbeat. His lips met hers in a gentle, exhilarating kiss—a kiss filled with the spontaneity of the night and the promise of shared adventures yet to come.

As they pulled away, breathless and smiling, Y/N couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement and affection for the daring man who had just swept her off her feet—quite literally.

"Maybe next time," Alejandro whispered with a playful wink, "I'll bring a bouquet of flowers instead of scaling buildings."

Y/N chuckled, her heart still racing with the thrill of the unexpected encounter. "I think I'd like that."

And so, under the starlit sky and the watchful eyes of the city below, Y/N and Alejandro embarked on a journey of romance and daring escapades—a love story that began with a daring climb and a spontaneous kiss, guided by the threads of destiny that bound their hearts together.

⚽⚽

Days turned into weeks, and Alejandro and Y/N found themselves inseparable, their romance blossoming amidst the backdrop of their vibrant city.

After the daring kiss that marked their beginning, Alejandro continued to surprise Y/N with his spontaneous gestures and unwavering affection.

One sunny afternoon, Alejandro took Y/N on a whimsical adventure through the city's hidden gems—quirky bookshops, charming cafes, and secluded parks where they shared secrets and dreams under the shade of ancient trees.

Their laughter echoed through the streets, a melody of joy that seemed to draw the city closer around them.

As they sat side by side on a park bench, watching the sun dip below the horizon, Alejandro turned to Y/N with a serious expression softened by the twinkle in his eyes.

"You know," Alejandro began, his voice quiet yet filled with sincerity, "that night I climbed to your window—it wasn't just about surprising you."

Y/N turned to him, curious yet touched by his honesty. "What do you mean?"

Alejandro took a deep breath, his gaze steady.

"I wanted to show you that I'm here, fully and completely. That I'm willing to go to great heights, quite literally," he chuckled, "to be with you. But more than that, I want you to know that I'm committed to this, to us."

Y/N felt her heart swell with warmth, a surge of emotions that mirrored Alejandro's own. "Alejandro," she whispered, reaching for his hand and intertwining their fingers, "I feel the same way."

Their moment was interrupted by the distant sound of music drifting through the air—a street performer playing a soulful melody on a violin. Alejandro glanced at Y/N with a mischievous grin, his eyes twinkling with a newfound idea.

"Come on," Alejandro said, standing up and pulling Y/N to her feet. "Let's dance."

And so, under the fading light of the setting sun and the serenade of the violinist's music, Alejandro and Y/N danced.

They twirled and laughed, lost in the magic of the moment and the promise they silently made to each other—the promise of love that transcended ordinary bounds and soared to extraordinary heights.

In the days that followed, Alejandro continued to surprise Y/N with his gestures of affection. Each time they met, he brought her bouquets of flowers—vibrant roses, delicate lilies, and wildflowers picked from their favorite spots in the city.

Each bouquet carried with it a message of love and admiration, a testament to Alejandro's unwavering commitment and the depth of his feelings for Y/N.

One evening, as they strolled hand in hand through a garden blooming with spring flowers, Alejandro paused and turned to Y/N with a smile. He gently placed a bouquet of sunflowers in her hands, their golden petals glowing in the soft evening light.

"Remember when we first met," Alejandro said softly, his eyes filled with tenderness, "I said I'd bring a bouquet of flowers instead of scaling buildings."

Y/N smiled, her heart swelling with love. She leaned in and kissed Alejandro, the warmth of their connection lighting up the garden around them.

"I remember," Y/N whispered, her voice filled with gratitude and affection. "And I'm so glad you did."

And as they stood together beneath the blooming flowers and the starlit sky, Alejandro and Y/N knew that their love story, guided by the threads of destiny and fueled by Alejandro's heartfelt gestures, was just beginning—a journey filled with adventures yet to come, each moment a testament to the depth of their love.

[thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai]

Writing Update: In Love an War

Since I had two very busy weeks, I fell slightly behind my revision schedule, which at this point is more annoying than a problem because I can look forward to a stress-free autumn with lots of spare time for working on the second post-canon story of my "A dream too large to bear alone"-verse.

The timing is just perfect, though because the story is launching into its most exciting. The honeymoon and the long hours of daylight of the northern summer with its scandals and dramas are over. The Grand Prix Series has just started and Yuuri and Viktor are burning to prove their supremacy over each other carve their undying love for each other into the ice.

When I wrote the GP chapters, I focused on the new Viktuuri dynamic that has been evolving since Viktor announced his return to competition. Now, I'm adding layers to the storyline that will flesh out the different facets of their character arcs like ghosts from the past and personal demons. My Young Vitya backstory has proven a great help in that endeavour so far.

I still have 14 chapters to work on until I can continue writing. I'm planning to be there in the second half of October, which will leave me two weeks to refine the plot of the remaining story, which I will write in November / December.

That doesn't sound like too much workload, but some chapters require more work than giving them a read, fixing poor wording, cutting redundant rubbish and adding important bits. Not to forget the chapter that popped up because of Vitya's backstory and that needs to be written and fitted into the story.

Getting a character who, in figure skating terms, is a geezer back to competition after a break of one and a half year and suffering from creative burnout, is not as easy as it seems. Even with a Yuuri helping.

[punderdome]

The Fine Print

Ok, so this is the first of many things for me: this is my first fic, this is my first time writing romance (no I do not count whatever weird smut I tried to write at 13) , and I've literally never posted on Tumblr, so you're going to have to just help smooth the edges a little. I would love any amount of help, but here is my first chapter and it's a good thing it's SFW

Major edit: The exposition (Chapter 1) should read a little bit differently now and a lot clearer. Huge thanks to @bitethedevil, @a-true-neutral, and @mslanna for help with tons of different things like writing structure, POV, and tumblr in general. I was able to start many of their corrections for Chapter 2, but I went back and gave another round of polish for Chapter 1.

Read on AO3: [Chapter 1]

Synopsis:

Rapidly running out of options, Tav signing Raphael’s contract was the only way to free herself from the tadpole and defeat the Elder Brain and save her love from his eventual ruin. She should have paid closer attention to the wording of the contract before she signed it. Now, Tav gets more than she bargained for, and the devil has come to collect.

Chapter 1: The Devil's Den

The Devil’s Den.   She had met with Raphael many times before but was never filled with this much dread.  He was some sort of evil cambion bard, verbose but not foreboding, versed in iambic pentameter not ill-omen.  He was rhymes and lullabies, cherries and sulfur.  He seemed like he should be a character in a play whispering out his dastardly plans to the audience while standing on stage right.

The desperation of the Illithid voice in her mind raged and howled as she walked across the balcony to the ornate door carved with the likeness of a devil.  The rage shivered down every vertebra one after the other, demanding to be heard.  She refused it.

“What are we doing here?” Gale demanded.  “You can’t honestly want to make a deal with the devil.”

Tav eased him gently, running her hand down the Karsite scar on his chest.  “He helped Astarion understand the Rite, he might have other information at a price we’re willing to pay.”  She knew what he wanted the last time they visited: the Crown of Karsus.  Gale’s latest obsession.

“You know what he wants,” Gale pounced.  “He wants the Crown.”

“And my Prince requires rescue.” Lae’zel reminded him firmly.  “The perfumed trickster inside will provide us the means to rescue him for only a small price.”

Gale’s jaw clenched firmly.  Ascension.   She knew Gale thought that would solve all their problems.  In his mind they would be together for eternity, wanting for nothing, infinite in power.  Gale had dreamed of what Goddess that Tav would become.  At night, when they lay together, he told her of his imaginings of her as the Goddess of Regrowth.  The Goddess of Winter.  The Goddess of Snow.  She was all of these goddesses, currently residing in flesh in his mind, and he wanted her to pick one.  He would trace the path of her white scales on her human form and regale her with stories of how much they would shine when she was with him in Elysium.

“This deal will only spell trouble for all of us,” Gale countered.  “You will save your people from the Grand Design only to doom them further.”  Tav could feel the pinpricks of the Emperor’s eager agreement to her paramour, but she did not care to remind him mentally that he never gave a shit about Lae’zel’s people or any of them at all.

Raphael’s prior deal had been tempting.  They would gain the tools needed to defeat an Elder Brain and would finally be free from the looming dread.  The Grand Design would be over.  Raphael even promised to throw in a lavish dinner at the House of Hope at the conclusion of their adventure, allowing her band of mighty heroes to celebrate their victory in style.

Gale couldn���t ascend.  Gale couldn’t have that power.

Gale couldn’t leave her.

She took a quick look behind her and saw the panic on his face.  He was trying to hide it behind a mild scowl and his glorious beard.  Tav knew Tara hated that beard, but she melted every time the lips within went to her neck and the bristles tickled.  He quickly shook his head in warning not to knock at the door.

Tav didn’t want to lie to Gale, but she knew the terrible row they would have if she told him the truth.  She had come to read Raphael’s deal, and likely, sign.  Their terrible predicament would have a path to resolution.  A path to redemption , Raphael had called it.  Forceful eviction of their other tenant.   She had purposely left Wyll and Karlach back at camp, knowing how disapproving they would be of what was about to occur.  She wanted to have left Gale back as well, but he forcefully demanded that wherever his beloved went, so he too would go.  So, she reluctantly agreed to drag him along to a meeting that would break his heart and destroy his dreams.  The dread pooled deeply in her abdomen.  This was the only way to be free of the tadpole - or it was the only way that relieved the guilt at her lack of faith.

Lae’zel stood proud, eager for her to knock on the door and grant her the path to Prince Orpheus’s freedom.  When Tav hesitated, she urged her on.  Enter.  Go.

Tav could feel the sweat on her palms.  She took a deep breath and whispered silently to herself.  You know Infernal.  He won’t be able to trick you with hidden loopholes.  She researched Cania and Hellfire magic at the university, though sorceresses were often not accepted in academic circles.  Her research was about to be put into practical use, though she wished the stakes weren't so high.

Gale’s face had drifted from furious into stony.  His rage had hidden but not extinguished behind his eyes.  He knew they were there about the Crown, despite whatever story she tried to tell him. 

Tav ignored his gaze and placed three firm knocks on the door.

She had to do it.  Gale would just have to deal with the consequences.

“Come in,” the deep voice purred from behind the door.  Tav opened it and entered.

“Ah, my most cherished client.” Raphael’s face was smug.  He was wearing his human guise and gave a grand gesture of welcoming with a smile.  “Please, please, come partake of the Devil’s Den where we have no shortage of sins to enjoy.”

Raphael strode to his desk, crossing his legs as he lounged in an ornate chair behind it.  He gestured again to three ornate chairs opposite him.  Tav seated herself in the center, but both Gale and Lae’zel elected to stand.

“Now tell me,” he purred.  “What can I do for my most favored client?”  He cocked a brow and leaned back, relaxing into the silence.

Tav wasn’t going to be put on the back foot so early into a negotiation.  She leaned forward and rested her head in her hands.  “I thought you always claimed to be a good host.”  Raphael’s eyes narrowed before widening again with a smirk.  He snapped and a bottle of wine appeared with four goblets.  He waved and a mage hand poured and served each glass.  Tav took hers but the the mage hand had to leave the other two in front of Gale and Lae'zel.  Tav and Raphael each took sips from their own goblets, but the ones before the other two were left deliberately untouched.

“I imagine you are not just the famished coming to feast, but there is a reason you have come knocking at my door.” Raphael countered, now that his abilities as host could not be challenged.

“We have come to deal,” Lae’zel finished for her.  “We have come to negotiate for the Orphic Hammer.”  Raphael’s brow lifted quickly and his smug smirk brightened.  Tav stiffened, and she thought she could audibly hear Gale turn to her in betrayal and anger.  What she had wanted to hide from him was now completely out in the open.  She was going to accept the devil's deal.  Tav tilted her head slightly to Gale and saw his face completely red and his hands shaking.  His eyes were forced closed.  Tav winced at how much this must be hurting him.

“Aha!” Raphael exclaimed triumphantly.  “Are you now?” His voice held a cocky musicality.  He always knew they would come knocking at his door, and as much as it hurt to admit it, he was always right.

“Yes, Devil.  We have come to negotiate for the Orphic Hammer," Lae'zel repeated, becoming more annoyed and impatient at Raphael's lazy interactions.

Raphael turned to Tav directly, still holding her goblet and asked again.  “You are the only one with whom I wish to make a deal.  Are you here to make a deal with me?”  Smugness radiated off of him.  Tav paused, and Lae’zel gave her a look that was surely going to result in Gith expletives if Tav wasn’t forthcoming.

She swallowed and refused to look back at Gale who was likely trying to summon multiple Scorching Rays into the back of her skull.

“Yes, Raphael, I am here to make a deal for the Orphic Hammer.”  Tav spoke plainly, knowing that any attempts at subterfuge would result in a much more complicated contract to read when the actual signing came.

Gale immediately stiffened, and she knew she there was no way to deny that she had lied to him on several occasions.  She knew him well enough to understand that his fears were contorting and consolidating into a verbose rage that probably would require a dictionary the morning hence.  He stormed out of the Devil’s Den to return to camp without another word spoken between them.  Tav hadn’t wanted him to be here for this, and she felt a heavy pang of sadness that he had decided to join.

“My Little Mouse,” Raphael started, the excitement in his voice palpable.  “Then I believe we should get started with the contract I prepared.”  He snapped his fingers and a pitch black piece of parchment appeared in his hands.  Even in his human guise, his grin widened and his eyes glowed.  Tav felt like she could feel flickers of his cambion gaze break through his glamor.  He handed her a document aglow with the fiery runes of an Infernal contract.

“I had this prepared for you, in hopes you would return.”  Raphael rolled up the scroll and passed it to her.  She unfurled it, starting to read the runes within.  The infernal script danced in front of her as she tried to parse its meaning, but this wasn’t her first time reading and translating Infernal language.  She rolled it out fully over the desk to get a better scope of what legalese awaited her.  Raphael leaned over, amused at her reading.  Her fingers traced firmly over the runes, reviewing the translations.

“Do you require assistance?” Raphael taunted.  He leaned back in his chair again, waiting for a reply.

“No.”  She didn’t need his help.  He would have demanded additional clauses if she agreed to any additional services.  Raphael would never do anything for free.  The devil always received what was owed to him.

Lae’zel was waiting eagerly but impatiently.  Her armored boot tapped against the wood floors of the Devil’s Den.  Tap. Tap. Tap. Orpheus. Tap. That energy seemed to radiate from her impatience.

Tav blinked and took a deep breath, hoping Raphael wouldn’t notice the momentary lapse of focus.  His brow raised slightly, before he relaxed again, appearing disinterested.  The language was intentionally complex, written to confuse rather than educate.  She took her time and traced each rune.  She occasionally sipped at her goblet while ruminating on the meaning held within the runes.  They were sharp and jagged and angular - nothing like her Common language writing which was looping and gentle.  As with all Infernal text, the true meaning was held deeply within.

Raphael’s smile widened as she persisted.  His Mouse was a clever one.

“Shall I translate?” Raphael taunted.  They both knew that he had to be honest in their dealings, but every moment of weakness would set her back some sort of irrational and irritating demand of his.

“Raphael, I am only taking my time.” Tav breathed in and out deeply, internally trying to regain some sense of control over the accursed document while remaining calm in front of the accursed devil.  The distracting foot taps from her Githyanki colleague were not helping.

“Of course, my dearest Mouse, we have all the time of the Hells.”  Raphael sat back and continued to drink his wine.  He studied her with uncomfortable concentration as she continued to read.

“Crown for Hammer… Unable to invade mortal realms…” Tav started to roughly translate aloud as she read her contract.  Raphael raised an eyebrow but didn’t say another word as her monologue continued. “Soul collateral… Tavara Aureum.”  Tav looked him straight in the eye, though she was numb from so much horrible legal writing.  “Why just my soul?”

Raphael checked his nails uninterested in her question.  “Why would I want the others?”

“Are they safe from you if I fail?” Tav responded nervously.  The Little Mouse was fatigued and nervous, and Raphael found this state delightful.

“Would you like them to be collateral, my darling?” he responded again, still uninterested in her concerns.

“No,” Tav responded firmly.  Lae’zel gave an affectionate and approving noise, though it seemed more like a tut than a hum.

“Very well.”  Raphael finished falsely examining his nails and continued to watch his favorite client read.  She paused at the bottom of a page on some sort of footnote referencing an appendix.  Oh Gods, how many appendices did he include?

“Something wrong?” Raphael challenged.  The Mouse bit.

“No,” Tav fought back.  She thought back to all of her wizard colleagues who disregarded her because of her innate sorceress gifts of winter and storms.  Ignorant sorceresses could not study Hellfire.  Dragon Children were too spoiled to be able to truly understand Hellfire.  Raphael clearly believed in the same fashion that Little Mousies could not understand his writing.

There was one clause that caused a multitude of rereadings.  She had a hard time deciphering it and didn’t know its meaning.  “Pater….” she almost tried to sound it out, the rest of the word huddled in her chest, locked in ice.  “Pater…” she repeated again.  It was part of a line, a subclause for Raphael’s duties to her.  He had agreed to protect her something something pater something.

Tav could do this by herself, and she definitely didn't want his help.  He was not going to translate, and he was not going to read it to her like she was a child. 

Raphael watched her intently.  Lae’zel’s foot tapped impatiently.

“Give me the quill, I’m ready to sign,” she declared triumphantly.

Wordlessly and with an unreadable expression, Raphael handed her a quill and ink.  Lae’zel’s eyes burned through her as she signed the contract.  The resident devil clasped his hands in joy before snapping and handing Lae’zel the Orphic Hammer.

“Thank you,” Tav deadpanned, fatigued and still frightened of Gale’s reaction.

“Thank you, Devil.” Lae’zel didn’t bother waiting for a response before heading back to camp.  She was out of earshot before Raphael responded to her.  Delight was a new look on his face that she had never seen before.

“You are most welcome, my Lady.”

*****

When she returned to Gale at camp, he was hiding: fuming in his tent.  Tav approached him, hoping she could lure him forth so they could speak.

“Gale, please come out.  I want to talk,” she pleaded quietly, so the entire camp couldn’t hear her.

“You didn’t want to talk before, and I certainly don’t want to talk now,”  He bit back angrily.  She paused, sadness biting at her and a horrible feeling of tension lay beneath her sternum.

“Please, Gale.  Please talk to me.”  Her voice became lower, and before she realized it, she was softly begging him to leave his tent or welcome her inside.

The reply became short and stiff.  “There is nothing for us to talk about.”

“Gale…” she took a sharp breath.  “I did it for you.”

Incensed, he sharply stood up and ripped the tent flap open to stare at her in the face.  Fat tears were rolling down her cheeks and her look pleading.  Mocking, he raised his voice so everyone could hear him.  “For me?  You threw away everything that I wanted and dreamed of.  You discarded all of my gifts and all of my ambitions for what ?” His voice was now a shout, emphasizing his final question.  All of her companions in the camp turned to stare at the two of them.

“Prince Orpheus!” Tav could hear Lae’zel call from behind her.  Gale’s face became red and angry.  He was obviously not expecting a third party to intrude.

“My love,” Tav pleaded, her voice missing the any confidence she might have had at her negotiations with the devil.  The confident, competent front she wore meeting with Raphael had eroded, leaving behind only a weak vulnerability.  Tears continued to fall, freezing on her cheekbones when they hit patches of scales.

“Do not call me your love.  I gave, and I promised.  You took, and you keep taking.  You stole godhood from us, Tav.  We could have been together for eternity.”

“Gale, Mystra would have ended you.  I couldn’t let her hurt you.”

“Why will I never be good enough for you?” Gale challenged.  He prodded his finger at her, which lightly struck the sensitive patch of scales on her chest that mirrored his own scar from the Orb of Karsus.

“You were always more than enough…” Tav continued to cry, but her pleas went unheard.  Gale’s face became red again and he turned away quickly.

“I will help you defeat the Elder Brain, but then I never want to see you again, Tavara Aureum.”  He threw his hands up in a grand gesture of exasperation.  “I’ve wasted too much of my energies on you.  We will get rid of these tadpoles, and then that’s the end of us.”

“Gale… Waterdeep…” Tav started to wail.  Some sort of dam inside her broke, her magic swirled angry and chaotic.  Her fingers crusted with ice that she could no longer control.  

“When all of this is over, I am going back to Waterdeep.  You are not coming with me.” 

Gale retreated back into his tent, closing the flap with an unmistakable huff.  Tav slowly retreated back into her tent, gingerly closed the flap, and lay motionless on her side for some time.  Long after the darkness was heavy in the sky, she continued to cry hail on her pillow.

[foxes-that-run]

Can you please write about everything that went down with Harry, Taylor, and Kendall? Please 😊 🫶

There are quite a few decent Hendall timelines on tumblr, these are the mentions of Kendall in my timeline.

Hendall timeline

2013

20 November - Harry has dinner with Kendall Taylor tweets ""I've listened to "Hold On" by @ColbieCaillat 45 times today. So on repeat. So important." on the 21st when dinner reported.

23 November, both Harry, Taylor and Kendall at AMAs, gold dress. Kendall PDA reported by media but there is no record of it. That's a fair sign that it was PR.

25 November - Midnight Memories released

6 December - Harry leaves Kendalls hotel and they have breakfast. Lunch the next day NY. Harry is carrying notebooks and dressed that same as in the Spotify visual for Where Do Broken Hearts Go. Tabloids say not dating Kendall and he is texting Daisy Lowe.

15 December - One Direction performs Midnight Memories on Xfactor UK Final and Harry arrives at Kendalls London hotel at 2am. This is a really odd sighting because he was seen with Ed and Taylor 2 days later.

17 December - Harry, Ed and Taylor spotted together in Suffolk.

2014

2 - 4 January - Harry and Kendall go Skiing with his manager Jeff and his GF

6 January Lover Journal January 6, 2014, LA: Taylor decides to move to NY “dating is awful”. Reports KUWK producers wanted to film Harry and Kendall and Harry said no.

16 January - Harry seen at pool, then eagles concert in LA on 17th Harry puts his arm around Kendall at Eagles Concert. Kathy Griffiths said he was wasted, said that Tom hanks joked about wanting to drive Harry rehab and that he didn’t stay with Kendall inside.

25 January - Rumour Harry seen with Kendall.

2 February - Harry’s 20th birthday, he told stern in 2022 that when he was 20 he felt like every decision in his adult life had been made as a democracy till that point and felt he should make decisions. Daily Mail he spent birthday with Kendall Jenner, his cousin said he is always the dumpee.

9 February - Taylor wrote Clean written

11 February - Taylor gets haircut, Harry seen backstage. He writes Stockholm Syndrome. At this stage it seems Haylor is at least flirting and hanging out. Next think you know....

18 February - Kendall at London Fashion Week, Harry goes to Cara's show not hers, in the BUA the next week "Harry purposely didn’t go to the Topshop show or have his planned party so people wouldn’t speculate about him and Kendall,”

19 February - Harry left Brit’s after party early to return to LA

20 February - Harry arrives in LA in afternoon.

22 February - Lover Journal February 22, 2014, LA, Been in the studio with Max, Shake it off, has been in Conway Studios all week. Ariana Grande also recording album. Said that Harry "was just visiting the studio and (producers) Savan (Kotecha) and Johan (Carlsson) were like 'Hey do you wanna write a song for Ariana?' and he was like 'Oh sure!'" "He went into the other room and they were writing for a while and I remember when I heard it I was like 'Wow that's a really strong verse, that's really beautiful’ She records JALBOYH in Conway Studios, Max Martin working on both records. Harry MIA in day, then at same Miley concert, Kendall goes separately. Harry and Kendall BUA, work commitments

12, 13 March - Harry had dinner alone in LA, Kendall on date with someone else down the street. Harry’s motorbike broke down, he looked sad, guy who came to help mad. 15 March LA

[for the rest of the year Harry toured and was in the same city as Taylor a lot, 1989 came out in October.]

1 December - Harry, Kendall and Cara at British Fashion Awards in London, the day of that photo of him at top of stairs.

2015

The start 2015 is the end Haylor of sorts, Calvin appeared in March.

11 January - Harry tweets he had a "I Had a Good Morning :D Hard Work.... 'Yikes' !!". Kendall and Khloe post "Forget You "I see you driving 'round town/With the boy I love and I'm like/Forget you." Like clockwork that Haylor ends and Kendall is back.

14 January - Last time Harry and Taylor are seen at the same place till 2021 is Lily Aldridge's birthday.

17 January - Taylor shares photo of her kitchen with framed Temper Trap lyrics on her stove. Again they broke up before his birthday. :( Harry tweets that "This bucket hat might be the best purchase we've made in years." Cara and Kendall retweet that and the Cake? Rumour they bought a hat. H played golf the next day.

22 January - Harry went for yogurt, Nadine Leopold in his car

1 February - Harry’s 21st birthday party, everyone is fabulous with Gigi, Kendall, Cara there Harry Styles turns 21 with the A-list No mention of Taylor or Lily Aldridge, although Harry had been at Lily’s birthday 2 weeks earlier.

27 June - Taylor London show w/Kendall, Gigi, Serena, KK, Martha, Cara. 1D in Helsinki.

13 October - Kendall and Cara seen dancing at a One Direction concert.

28 November - Rumour Harry with Kendall at golf club.

31 December - actual last 1D performance Dick Clark's Rockin New Years TV Special, their performance was pretaped. The Out of the Woods music video premiered on the same show. Harry seen in Yacht with Kendall.

2016

1 January Yachtgate, but they seemingly broke up immediately after if they were dating. Before this they had started the year with Yachtgate, then there was gossip that the Harry didn’t want to be in KUWTK. So Hendall ended sometime between 6 - 21 January 2016.

21 January - Harry had a birthday party in London on the 21st where a stylist slept over at his house and I think that was the end of hendall if it was not already over. Kendall flew from LA to Paris the same day, so could have been there but didn't.

23 January - They were both at Jeff’s birthday on 23 January, but arrived and left separately, the Bonne Nuit is probably also a reference to her returning from Paris (and not going to his birthday in London) Kendall is wearing a Big o' Fur (Pop tart??) and leaves alone.

24 January - Harry had a birthday party in LA and Kendall not mentioned. Then she disappears for months.

8 April - Harry seen shopping with Kid Harpoon and Kendall, “watch KUWK May 1

13 July - taylorswiftisoverparty hashtag trending

17 July - Kim K posts that she has a recording of Snake convo.

21 July - Kendall posts "tea time" with photo Taylor later copies in LAWYMMD video. Also likes anti-swift posts.

2 September - Kendall and Harry at Nobu in LA, Dunkirk wraps. Harry not seen for another 15 days after.

5 September - Harry has dinner with Kendall then disappears. Could have been when he first went to Jamaica.

3 November - Harry seen back in LA at Kendall birthday and concert next day. Photo of Harry in red Jacket looking at his phone while Kendall makes out with someone else and then she isn't seen till she attends a few concerts over the next few years.

2017

She is not at his birthday, they date other people, he releases HS1

4 July - Karlie Kloss posts a photo with Kendall in Paris, the internet realises KK is not in Taylor Swifts squad.

14 July - Kendall came to Harry's show

27 August - LAWYMMD video, Kendall tea time reenactment

2018

No Hendall content

2019

7 May - Harry hosts his only met gala attendance, Taylor’s doesn’t go anymore. Adore you and Lights up written in May. Harry and Kendall have after party and both leave at 6am and both stayed at the Bowery hotel. Jeff and Xander also there.

11 December - Kendall and Harry on Spill your guts

2020

18 February - Harry at Brit awards, went to same after party as Kendall

2 April - Harry seen riding a motorcycle beside Kendall Jenner and Fai Khadra.

2021

no Hendall content

2022

15 April - Kendall watches Harry at Coachella

14 November - Kendall at Love on Tour, no setlist change.

2023

no Hendall content

2024

20 October - Joe Alwyn pictured with Kendall Jenner at awards dinner, Patrick S also there. Internet clowns.

[babeluda]

Big post for the new double silt verses episodes!

I thought Paige's void god in the polluted lands was Acantha for a second (I miss Acantha). Because of that I couldn't avoid comparing this one to the cairn maiden for the whole length of the interaction. Void is chatty where the cairn maiden is silent; the cairn maiden follows and waits where the void will trick you into staying, etc

Operation Shrue grows a spine is going to go sideways in so many directions. Can't wait.

Faulkner's council is like a dumb-dumb-messy reflection of all the closed-door-politics we've had so far. I could feel some of the wound tree council meetings when Paige was still drunk in there as well as Carson&co dealing with problems beyond their mastery, except of course the Grand Aquifer has one (1) spin doctor and he's currently feeling very wet, sorry for himself and broody

I'm curious about Val being consumed by the last word. Is this what Paige is avoiding by basically constantly armwrestling what she brought into the world? Val has canceled her need for rest and other human necessities by using her power on herself ; is she consuming what is left of her humanity but as such rendering her existence impossible ? Her attempts at care and mercy keep backfiring due to 'mistakes' ; is this a sign of the god part of her taking over, as we know gods in this world show no uninterested mercy? Val's plan is to ascend to godhood, but the aesthetic for it — the taking over the seat of power, the image of the throne — is very human, and most gods in the silt verses need none of those symbols to prove power. It sort of feels like a desperate (and vain) negotiation of the human part of Val with the ravenous god in her to give it what it wants while maintaining her human presence.

Carpenter and Faulkner are thinking of each other with a dash of bitters as always. Aww.

[gacha-incels]

Do you think that there is a possibility of Hypergryph splitting from Yostar for global publishing of Arknights and moving it to Gryphline instead? The traditional Chinese server got moved from Long Chen to Gryphline recently, and the new ambience synesthesia concert merch is on the Gryphline store rather than yostar’s. It may just be wishful thinking as yostar and hypergryph both own large shares of each other, but if there is a planned split from yostar would it potentially be a reason why Hypergryph hasn’t made a statement condemning Yostar Korea’s actions? Is there any precedent for publisher changes for a sort of legal clause preventing them from hurting each others’ image prior to the split being announced?

Gryphline is situated in Singapore, having what I guess you could call a “proxy” company for global business in Singapore is something a lot of companies in China have done for a while, increasingly within the past couple of years, for a multitude of reasons. Last time I checked Mihoyo had “Cognosphere” in Singapore, and when you buy gachabux in that game on servers outside China I believe your bill is from Cognosphere. The slave labor fast fashion site Shein has been operating under the Singapore-registered “Roadget Business” which some have speculated makes it easier to list in the USA. Yostar has HQ in Hong Kong which used to be the proxy location but according to this FT article-“Traditionally, Hong Kong was the choice for many such companies, said Kia Meng Loh, a senior partner at Dentons Rodyk. But with Beijing “flexing its muscles” in the semi-autonomous rival finance hub, Singapore is the obvious next choice, he said.” Hypergryph has multiple games coming out in the near future, I believe a regular (non-gacha) 3D anime mobile game and a 3D Arknights spinoff that will have a weapon gacha, and I think another game that’s TBD? They could be rearranging their internal structure due to this expansion if they’ve switched around their Chinese server already, but I’m unsure if this means they will completely split with Yostar who I believe publishes the US, Japanese and Korean servers.

Admittedly I can’t say I’m super well versed with this type of business and therefore it’s harder to really predict what they will do in the future, but I’ve been watching the situation since AK KR posted that notice to see what happens. I don’t have anything against the game itself, if it comes out that somehow their hands are completely tied in the situation or something I’ll post about that as well but I’m not holding my breath. In terms of my read on the situation, I think a huge message has ready been sent to the fans as to whom the company deems most profitable to listen to, regardless of any future handwringing over the situation. I would think between a woman posting extremely basic feminist thoughts on her personal twitter (equal pay etc) and enjoying the woman’s day google doodle years ago, and the Arknights KR/Yostar employee liking extremely violent fanart on the official twitter account and hanging out on extremist, misogynistic chat boards, that the employee would be seen as more of a problem and should have been the one disciplined. In reality, not only was the woman punished by having her work deleted but the official KR account posted that diatribe calling basic feminism a “dividing force” or whatever. This action and the following statement are absolutely not neutral, especially during a time a which violent misogyny has been increasingly ripping through South Korea as a whole but also gacha games specifically. In terms of PR I do think this is something Hypergryph could address, if HG doesn’t want to rock the boat with Yostar so to speak because of some upcoming split, it seems Yostar has already rocked the boat quite a bit with this action to begin with…

in terms of a main developer punishing the publisher, one example I can think of is Fate/Grand Order’s DelightWorks (after the sakura wars fuckup FGO is developed by “Lasengle” now, but when this happened it was DW) changing an in-game reward that FGO’s Korean publisher Netmarble gave out. In terms of them splitting as well, I’m still looking into it 👍 If anyone knows anything else feel free to reply or send me stuff and I’ll post it, sometimes I feel if I wait too long to reply to messages it comes across as rude lol so I’m not getting lost in like thesis tier research

[blossom-hwa]

Hello! Happy 5 year anniversary on here :)

Could I request a Kang Taehyun for the drabble game with the prompt of royal au with arranged marriage? If that technically counts as two prompts u can ignore the last one ^^

I hope you are healthy and safe! Thank you for all that you've written on here ♡♡

hi love! thank you for the request and your well wishes, I hope you enjoy this!

5 year anniversary drabble game: send me a Stray Kids/TXT/Golden Child/Ateez/The Boyz member + a prompt (check out the post for ideas) and I’ll write a drabble for you!!

(read the sequel drabble, A Broken Contract, here!)

REQUESTS OPEN!!

~

Title: A Contract Deal

Pairing: Taehyun x gender neutral!reader

Word count: 1.2k

Warnings: mentions of death

~

“Your Highness.”

Truth be told, Taehyun almost doesn’t recognize the voice when it comes. He’s rarely heard you speak - only the requisite greetings to his parents, a few whispered conversations with your family, a couple of words exchanged with your servants. Only twice have you spoken with him, each time never more than a few sentences, at that. 

But then he turns around, and he remembers. Right. Yes. That vaguely familiar voice belongs to you, his betrothed. 

Not exactly the person he wants to see most right now. 

But Taehyun was raised with manners, and like it as not, it’s not your fault the two of you ended up in this situation. You’re only pieces on the chessboard of the grand game of politics, your marriage arranged by the players, your parents. He turns fully to give you his attention, schooling his features back into a neutral smile. 

You don’t smile back. 

“Your Highness,” he replies, inclining his head. “Was there something you wished to tell me?”

For one moment, two, you only look at him steadily. Something dark and anxious flits across your gaze, and Taehyun wonders just what it is you need him for that you couldn’t hide your worry about it behind your usual cool, placid mask. 

Finally, you press your lips together firmly, still looking at him head on. “Is there someplace private where we could speak?” you ask. “I have some things I would like to ask you.”

. . . . .

Once in the empty gardens, after the two of you have asked your guards to step away, Taehyun gives you his full attention. “What is it you wanted to ask?”

Your fingers twist tightly into each other, though your expression has regained its usual mask-like pleasance. You are quite beautiful, Taehyun thinks. The moonlight shining down on your figure sets a subtle glow on your face, one that he thinks he could’ve found quite attractive if you weren’t in the situation you are now. 

His stomach twists. If only.

“I heard you speaking to His and Her Majesty earlier,” you say quietly. “I understand you don’t wish to marry me.”

Taehyun blinks. When would you have heard -

Oh. 

If he weren’t so well-versed in maintaining a straight face, Taehyun thinks he would have cursed. Just his luck that you somehow heard the argument he had with his parents this morning, the one where he told them on no account would he marry the royal of their choosing because he was done with them trying to control every moment of his life. He doesn’t regret the statement - he still means it - but despite himself and all his training in manners, Taehyun colors in embarrassment. He hadn’t thought anyone other than his mother and father would have heard that conversation. 

“I don’t blame you,” you add quickly. “It’s not as if anyone wouldn’t have qualms about marrying a complete stranger.”

Taehyun’s face still feels hot even after your assurance. “What does that have to do with the matter at hand?”

You take a deep breath. Your tightly twisted hands hover for a moment before dropping to your sides. “I’ve come to ask that you put a hold on whatever plans you have for stopping this marriage.”

It takes a minute for him to understand your request. You just said you didn’t blame him for not wanting to marry you, but - “You want to go through with this marriage,” Taehyun says, still half in disbelief. 

“Yes.” A shadow passes over your face. “Please, hear my reasons first.”

In silence, Taehyun listens to your story. Parents who always regarded you from a stony distance, who saw you as just a possible replacement should anything happen to your older sister, the first in line for the throne. An older sister who hated you for seemingly no reason, or at least none that you could identify. Assassination attempts that started when you were thirteen, poisoned wine and hidden knives and people finding their way in through your window at night -

The realization that it was your sister who was behind the attempts, for reasons you still don't understand. 

“I don’t know why she’s doing it,” you say quietly. “Our sages have already proclaimed that the stars shone on her birth and that she would certainly be the next ruler of our land. It’s not as if I pose any sort of threat to her throne - it’s hers, I’ve known that all my life. I don’t care.” Swallowing hard, you look him in the eye. “But I - enough people have died or been injured trying to save me, and I myself will most certainly die if I stay there. I need a way out.”

And you are my way out. 

You don’t say the words out loud, but Taehyun knows that’s what you mean. Suddenly, he feels a little dizzy. How can he be a lifeline for someone who doesn’t even know him?

“You can divorce me after a year,” you say. “After that I’ll just - disappear. Hide. My reputation doesn’t matter if I’m going to run, you can make up whatever excuse you want. But my sister doesn’t know this kingdom, and I need time to make a plan. All I ask, Your Highness, is that we remain together long enough for me to make that plan. I will not ask for more than a year.”

Taehyun takes a deep breath. “How can you be sure she won’t target you here?”

“I can’t,” you reply immediately. “But during the entire month-long trip here and in the two weeks that I have been at the palace, I have not been targeted once.” You swallow. “I would like to take this as a good sign.”

Mind reeling, Taehyun tries to think. Right now, you see him as some sort of lifeline from which to hang, just out of reach of your sister’s jaws. You say that you will leave, you just need time - but he didn't want the mess of marriage in the first place, and now he will have to combine that with the mess of divorce -

But he also can’t just leave you to die. 

“I understand I’ve asked a lot of you,” you say quietly, cutting into his thoughts. “It’s all right if you say no.”

Ironically, that’s what settles the matter in Taehyun’s mind. 

“I’ll do it,” he says. Your head snaps up, eyes wide, but he isn’t finished. “On the condition that you will disappear within one year of our wedding date.”

“Of course,” you breathe. “Of course. I -” You swallow, and suddenly your eyes look shiny. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Taehyun smiles uncomfortably as you bow your head. “You’re welcome,” he replies, trying not to listen to the voice in his head that’s telling him all of this will eventually go very, very wrong. 

[compacflt]

hey! seeing your post about iceman and hamilton reminded me of the 1812 au that you had posted about previously - do you mind sharing any of your thoughts on that, specifically Ice & Mav's reactions to the politics of war back then, before the US military and Navy were such huge institutions (in today's standards)? EDTS Ice & Mav are decidedly anti-war (more Ice than Mav I think), but would that same sentiment be true for them back then & how would Ice feel about war hawks like Calhoun & Clay? there's obviously a pretty big role that war plays in forming national identity, especially in early US history, and with external forces like impressment & embargoes & all of the international relations nightmares that came w/ early state building, I'm really interested in how that may have an impact on how Ice and Mav view military service and duty. I would love to read this fic if you're still planning on writing it (really I love to read everything that you write tbh) - also hope you are doing well!! 😊😊

hiya!! i hope you are also doing well!! I am not sure if im ever going to post the 1812 au to be honest—i would really love to but i think it would be so long it would have to be my first priority for a few months, and I’m not sure when I’d have time to do that. but i have it all planned out at least, so maybe we can compare notes.

So here are my notes.

IF i were to complete my 1812 AU… It would not be about Ice at all. Which is how I’d be able to stomach writing about Ice’s death. AND the characters would be very very different from the characters i wrote about in EDTS (i.e. confessed their love for each other way back in the 1770s). And what I want to tackle in this AU is exactly what your ask is about—duty to your fledgling country! Im interested in a version of TGM maverick who had to be away from the love of his life, on his deathbed, to serve the national interests of his country. *questionable* national interests, in TGM’s case, or *forgettable* national interests in the War of 1812’s case. The War of 1812 is sort of America’s forgotten war—its causes were nebulous & hard to rally around/understand today, and there were no real heroes until the end, unless if you count Andrew Jackson as a hero (i really try not to). So this would be a direct attack on the heroism we are presented with in TGM: what is mavericks mission really accomplishing in the grand scheme of things? Using the 1812 war, itself forgotten and largely irrelevant, as a meta backdrop for that question of heroism.

So—this version of Ice & Mav are: actual factual war heroes. Revolutionary war heroes who were genuinely educated & truly believed in the American experiment of representation & freedom from tyranny. Fighting the British 36 years apart. (Something i really really like & will take advantage of… the 36 years between 1776 and 1812 exactly equaling the 36 years between 1986 and 2022… it was meant to be.) They’ve spent their whole lives together in the romantic sense, in a world where they couldn’t live openly together but at a time when sexuality was also understood completely differently. But they have to be apart when Ice is dying because Maverick has been handed a mission, a duty, by the USG that he has to take care of. (Part of the reason I’m stalling on this project is because I don’t really know what that mission would be… something something naval warfare, something something Captain of the “USS Dagger…” but im a better romance writer than an action writer… idk how to come up with those plots at all. And I’m not super well-versed in EARLY naval warfare [I prefer wwii navy stuff] so idk how ships like sailed clippers & schooners etc actually work. That’s a completely different wheelhouse for me & is integral to a story like this, and fundamentally im kind of a lazy person who doesn’t put a lot of effort into research if I don’t have to)

the AU would be written in two parts—the warm summer of youth vs cold winter of old age. Confronting my own fear as an author of getting old & dying, tbh. What does it mean to be a hero and die of old age? Shouldn’t you want to die WHILE being a hero? Part one: 1776-1782 is… ice & maverick falling in love and dealing with goose’s death together and cementing their hero status in American naval history (like they do in the original top gun). Then part 2; 1812/1813… ice is retired from being the first USN commodore/secretary, but he’s dying and maverick has to choose between being with his de facto husband in his last days VERSUS being out at sea, serving his country, but for a war that he (a bit metaphysically, to serve my metaphorical aims) knows will be forgotten. He can be a hero or he can be there for the love of his life but he can’t do both. Duty & sacrifice. Ice persuades him it’s time to let go, maverick goes out to sea, and then ice dies while he’s at sea. & the 1812 war was kind of forgotten, and their love will never be known by history because they were two men, so what was that sacrifice really for? Shouldn’t he have been home with ice?

Which leads me to: I am also slightly interested in an interpretation of the TGM mission as a possible su*cide attempt on mav’s part, post-ice’s death. Trying to die a hero. So, there’s that. That would be in it as well.

Some issues: that’s pretty simple & i submitted a 4k short story with this exact premise (1776 war hero has to choose between one last shot at heroism in 1812 vs staying with his male lover at the end of his life) to one of my writing workshops last semester and they loved it. But, by god, does it get 10x more complicated once you add Bradley to the mix. It’s ALWAYS made it more complicated & it’s why I’ve had so much pain trying to edit EDTS over the last 8 months (as you know). Because LETS PLEASE BE REAL TGM did NOT give me much to go on there. Like the emotional turn that is I think SUPPOSED to happen in the scene where ice and mav talk in TGM—I don’t understand it & I think that scene was only written for fanservice because it serves no purpose in the story and I’m not sure what emotion we’re supposed to take away from it. Maverick says “please send me ice, don’t ask me to send someone else to die,” (is he asking ice’s permission??) and ice DOESNT actually answer that request, doesn’t even acknowledge it; he says, in a COMPLETE AND UTTER NON SEQUITUR, “It’s time to let go.” Maverick says, “yeah I know,” so what does that actually mean? Who is he letting go??? Bradley??? Goose??? ice himself??? Is ice giving mav permission to go or not???? It’s so vague it means absolutely nothing, and i have no idea what ice’s emotional/story purpose in TGM is except to bail mav out of sticky situations and nostalgia purposes, and don’t even get me STARTED on how out-of-character it was for MAVERICK (guy who hates having his papers pulled from the Academy) to pull Bradley’s papers from the Academy in TGM, both of which are why ive struggled so much trying to fit Ice into the mav/Bradley narrative of betrayal & loss etc. And in a two-shot piece where all those years in between are kind of skipped over… idk. I feel like I would sort of have to sacrifice the Bradley storyline for the overarching icemav duty-sacrifice-heroism theme. With WWGATTAI, i was KIND of able to do both, but only after MULTIPLE rounds of very very intense editing & like 50k words of rewrites and even then it’s kind of awkward so… idk. For a quick two-shot like this I’d have to pick. I don’t have the energy to write another 50-100k reinterpreting that story all over again lol

So to answer your question it would be way less about the actual weird politics of the 1812 war and more about providing a place for me to get into mav’s emotions dealing with ice’s death and the historical implications of a mission like that, kind of glossed over in the movie … though this ice & mav are veterans of the XYZ affair / battles with the Tripoli pirates, so that probably affects how they see things… but mostly, duty is still duty & orders are still orders, but sometimes following orders means sacrificing what little time left you have with your family… following the TGM timeline where ice only has about 2 weeks left to live from Mach 9.

So, pros of the 1812 au: lots of the purple prose poetic writing i shamefully really like. Icemav open and honest with each other from the very start ❤️. Dealing with the themes and emotional consequences of ice’s death finally. Focusing only on mav instead of only on ice. Penny & sarah in a lesbian relationship. Some discussion of the cyclical nature of queer history (i.e. we’ve always been here making history and we always will be). Mav finding reasons to live after ice is gone.

Cons of the 1812 au and why I’m hesitant to really get invested in writing it: don’t know much about pre-diesel naval warfare so can’t come up with the technical action elements of the plot & too lazy to do that much research. I have a sailing license, so I know like… knots and rigging and mainsail vs jib/genoa/spinnaker and sloop vs schooner etc, but i do NOT know anything about THAT kind of sailing. Warship sailing, tactics, “dogfighting” equivalents, etc. Also: would probably have to sacrifice the whole “getting Bradley kicked out of the academy-equivalent” storyline, just to make the story less complicated. Not sure how much of the original ice and maverick the story would retain as a result. Also: i know wayyy more about the early national period (1776-1800) than anything after about 1808, but even then the last time i was really into this period of history was my freshman year of high school, so i can’t necessarily claim to know what im talking about when it comes to the intricacies of the early American state (as i think is pretty obvious here). Also too lazy to do that much research.

But, here are some notes/snippets etc if you would like. they’re solidly 6 months old now & unedited & largely unresearched, just throwing words on the wall in writing phase one, but whatever

[ode-of-odr]

Dagon and The Chained God

I would like to first start before going into this long post about Ras' ties with Dagon and Dagon's plans, is this is a conversion from Ras' original backstory from the campaign and world he was made for almost two decades ago. At the time we didn't know this much about Faerun's origins nor the Abyss' very extensive history as this was around the time of 3.5 and I think some info just wasn't widely known. So I had no idea how well Ras' shift over really would be.

While I do not think I will completely turn Ras' BG 3 timeline into a divergent durge verse, as I think people do not like roleplaying with powerful characters, or characters with such grand backstories or tied to such great plots that they feel like a second wheel.

However! This is always there casually hanging out in the background if people ever want to tap into it ooc or ic.

The history of Faerun is a wild one, and the start of the multiverse and all that came before most common knowledge in the realms is hard to navigate because time isn't a thing, and when all reality was made by forgotten elder gods, where reality is a mere afterthought of their dreams after they left...it gets sticky.

But the Abyss is alive, and something mad rests within it. Chained and eager to be free. Something old, and long forgotten save by those who drove it mad. Who allowed this chained god to fling open the gates that stopped the Far Realms, the living chaos and madness of long-gone gods to come forth.

Dagon is older than the Abyss itself like the other obyrith demon lords. They drove Tharizdun mad promising him power in exchange for setting them free. The plan didn't succeed but it didn't completely fail. The Abyss grows and the Blood Wars acts as a distraction to hide this. How it is consuming the Astral Sea and in time all.

Setbacks have happened. The "lesser" Tanar'ri forged by them rebelled and now the dominating force in the Abyss. However, Dagon hasn't forgotten the real endgame. The Spellweavers caused a dramatic shift in the timeline, gods sprung forth when there were none, it changed everything but also offered a new opportunity.

A place that is wrong because of pride? He could use this as his playground. Whisper more madness and promises to the one chained. A new deal. Take control of this forsaken timeline, and bring all the multiverse to heel. Why not?

Let the mad god be a puppet overseer like Ao, while Dagon controlled him and all things hidden and forbidden, all knowledge his, shadows and dark depths bending to him, so such mistakes never happen again. But someone must be chained to the Abyss, keep the seeds of chaos somewhat contained. A new Prince of Demons. But he learned long ago, that simply forging something out of pure evil souls will not work. He needed something with lingering care, but broken. So a small part of them would never overstep. Generations of failed offspring when finally Raserei was born. And his soul was everything he needed.

|||||||||||||| Please feel free to ask about this or use it in our threads as you see fit, but also, again, please note it is okay if you wish for most of this to be ignored. I totally get why.

[fantomette22]

I know how to make Laurence even worse, listen:

Okay so, I think Laurence only condoned Logarius and Executioners to do Cainhurst massacre AFTER Maria's suic1de, because he knew darn well she'd cause a problem in his plan to eliminate Vilebloods (and get Umbilical Cord from Annalise). But what if!!!!!

What if Laurence COULD absolutely see Maria's suic1dal urges coming... and he LET that happen. He LET those feelings fester and bloom, he LET the doctors (Micolash maybe?????) go too hard on Adeline with experiments and cause her to give out, he LET Gehrman, the one person that could have helped to be oblivious about Maria's mental state..... pulling strings from the shadows - or not doing anything - in the ways that'd push her towards the edge, so the "problem" removes itself

Sorry, I had to share this because everyone else should suffer with me, lol. Have a good day 👍

Oh my...the ANGST !!!!!! 😭 the drama!!! LAURENCE WHY !?

Can you stop screwing people's life (and your own)... FOR 5 MINS !!!!!

Ok thanks for the ask, thanks to it I will take the occasion to finally share my headcanons about how I see their relationship across the years >:) (main headcanon, fic verse if you prefer).

So i already explain, (i think), but for me, Laurence is an extremely nuanced character. I mean by this that i don’t think he’s the ultimate devil yet but i don’t think he’s just an only poor mew mew misguided guy either, who was trap in smt out of his control. Nah for me he’s kinda a mixt/ more nuanced character who evolve a lot during his life.

So now i will share my headcanons with his relationship with Maria. Not many people talk about it and most of the takes i see are well not mine. But we don’t have much in canon so i can understand it’s tricky to imagined. But! Maria ended working at the research hall right ? (That she was in charge or under the doctors is another pb) but that mean that well there’s a connection. She joined and fight for the Healing church too! And worked with them! Hide the biggest secrets of them and Byrgenwerth! It’s not nothing! It’s s huge!

So i think at first their relationship was quite great at first! Then it spiraled down…

Let’s cut it with Byrgenwerth time, the hunter/early church era and post fishing hamlet so it’s simpler (respectively the 3fics i try to planned xD)

Byrgenwerth :

So Maria was a student here and Laurence basically one of her teachers. He’s a chill, cool and young teacher, Maria like him and think his classes are the most interesting.

Laurence had quite a harsh time on his first years studying at Byrgen so he try to be attentive to the need of his students. (He always check on Caryll, Rom etc or ask like Gehrman to check and tell him if he noticed smt weird)

Maria who don’t really have much friends at the beginning and is really often alone remind him a lot of himself at first.

But yeah funniest shit how Gehrman become close acquaintance with Maria almost the exact same way he become close acquaintance with Laurence all this years ago xD (i won’t say more about it but Laurence was quite surprised)

So anyway times pass it’s going smoothly and all the Byrgen gang hang around each other more and more (outside class too)

Maria and Caryll are still amazed that Laurence was the coolest bio and theology teacher because of what he could do when drunk xD that man was crazy (spoiler he got more serious but he become worse lol)

Also Laurence maybe accidentally save her life by giving her a free blood vial 💀(Willem don’t agree with that but he doesn’t need to know lol and hey it helped)

And later when blood was stolen from Cainhurst and Maria was completely clueless and confused he advocated for her with Gehrman. (+ advocate to cainhurst so she could stay with them + let’s be real it was first to get money to emancipate himself from Byrgen xD)

---

So a bit later when the first hunts begins? (Or a bit before idk).

Well before Laurence became a grand Vicar with tons of responsibility they all pass times as friends ! Like this yeah xD)

He gave her a freaking chalice for her exploit in the labyrinth and a blood transfusion wow!

Also i think he converted her to religion. (Or at least their religion)

Ok Let me explain. I don’t think Cainhurst are super religious? I think they’re closer to the 2.0 pthumerians. You know before the great ones were their leaders/ gods. Then they disappear and the pthumerians crown leader of their own : aka pthumerians queens and all. I think cainhurst is similar in that sense, at first. And i need to show how Laurence managed to got so many followers !

Maria’s a pyromancer and he learnt about it at some point. Quite funny how he found out even if he was suspicious of smt xD)

Maria hate that aspect of her bc she don’t want to be like the shadow of Yharnam and use her blood to hurt and kill people because smn told her to (aka royal family) she always resent that aspect of her.

Laurence think it’s incredible, that it’s a gift from the great ones! But That she could use how she want, if she want. She could used it to protect the great ones they’re looking for instead ! It’s way closer and prefer that.

That’s a big part on why she joined the healing church.

Also Laurence is this good religious figure that people follow and look for validation and the church was the guardian of the hunters after all.

---

So after the hamlet… when everything went down…

Laurence became to change even more after that. Even after he became vicar maybe he got a lil messiah complex + begin to dissociate with lot of things & people but it got worst.

Especially after our lil group loose smn quite important to them… Laurence loose it and instead of « oh maybe we should stop or be more careful so it won’t happen again » he’s like : « ok we need to make sacrifice to ascend. Let’s do it » he was one of most affected by it but… in a bad way he completely dissociated and was more and more antipathetic. He was already ok with sacrificing you know sick people, who are gonna turned into a beast anyway but a friend? Oh well… he decided he won’t go back.

While Maria spiraled more and more down…he always had reassuring words but at some points and didn’t work greatly. And her, who never question the church really begin to wonder if everything worth it. What if what they’re doing is bad and useless? + she begin to cause trouble and confront Laurence about it. He was really annoyed… at some points he even ask Gehrman to do smt about it. Anything he wanted so she would chilled out and calmed down… the hunter was really confused 💀(and freaking tired too)

So Maria and Laurence relationship become more complicated.

About the Vilebloods too… first they were allies and before Maria died they ended up fighting each others. She had to stop them in front of the grand cathedral from fighting 💀 so not good either… relations were really tense… but the massacre happened 10-20y later in my timeline so

Then what happened happened… Maria killed herself and reasearch hall was a huge mess in part bc of this. (Patients revolt and a part were already dead)

Laurence was quite shock… really. And confused. But other feel sadder of course. But he was still touched by it. A bit. It remind him that they might make the sacrifce to loose close ones. But then he needed to clean all this big messes and send a letter to cainhurst That was not a good time for him either. Still he move on. Not like one of his friends… (another story)

So there. Hope i don’t forget anything but it’s a good summary for now.

[angstmongertina]

7KPP Promptober 2023: Day 14

This is my last post for this Promptober, but I have been CACKLING about writing it ever since I saw the prompt on the planning list for Promptober this year, courtesy of @teaandinanity, who somehow managed to FORGET what I have associated the word "winsome" with for AGES now. (It's I'm Not That Girl, from Wicked.) I love you so much, Tea! <3

So yes, I continue playing the VaLia 'verse, but rather than all of the fun romcom future stuff, I gotta address the fact that we threw two Lyonmancers into the same universe. And yes, I had MUCH fun with the angst.

Bonus: I tried to reference every verse of I'm Not That Girl, and also there's a SINGLE line of dialogue that was intentionally taken wholesale from Lyon's first date. Can you find it? :D

1.5k words of angst below the cut. Beware!

Lady Camellia of Jiyel.

At the Summit, it was helpful, perhaps even necessary, to identify delegates by their kingdoms, for ease of reference, particularly in the case of those lesser known delegates, such as herself. After all, with the varying titles and systems across the seven kingdoms, it was well-nigh impossible to remember every landholding as well as title, or the equivalents for those without such distributions of property.

For her, however, those four words also served well to summarize her entire status, all that she was to the Summit and indeed, the world as a whole. It was a simple fact that even the Queen of Jiyel herself likely did not recognize her name, to the extent that, if her home was familiar, it was likely for her ancestor’s scandal and not for any recognition of her own status.

She was, in short, not meant to be there.

She shouldn't have been there.

But there she was nonetheless, offered an opportunity stolen from a far more deserving lady, another simple fact that it would not do to forget.

Another simple fact that was, in fact, near impossible to forget, surrounded as she was by other, far more qualified, far more talented and ambitious and prepared delegates.

Indeed, there had only been a single conversation at the Summit thus far in which she had been able to forget the pressures of the environment, the consequences of saying the wrong thing, of accidentally offending the wrong person. In which she could relax and speak of Wang Yingming and Shang Yang without fear of boring or insulting her audience by her lack of charm or charisma or the multitude of other ways she did not belong.

In which, even as inadvisable as it may have been, she could be herself.

Perhaps that was why, when she next had the opportunity to explore the grand library, she found herself studying her surroundings more than she might otherwise in such a treasure trove. It was not a fully aimless perusal, of course—the rumors about the libraries in Vail Isle had reached even her small estate, and were one rumor which had proven to be more than accurate—but for the first time, strangely, impossibly, she found herself paying far more attention to the possibility of certain other delegates than to the writings in question.

And even try as she might, she could identify no explanation for the strange relieved smile, the sudden racing of her heart, when she heard a quiet, already familiar voice from behind a nearby bookshelf. Her steps quickening and perusal forgotten, she turned the corner, a greeting on the top of her tongue, and—

It caught, turning to sawdust in her mouth, at the scene before her.

Logically, it shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he was not alone; logically, he would have no reason to be speaking out loud, muted but clear enough to be made out even from a distance, if he had been alone, and yet…

And yet…

In just the few days she had spent at the Summit, in the few days just seeing him at mealtimes, if he even attended at all, she’d come to realize that Duke Lyon was not a particularly social or expressive man, even by Jiyelese standards. He was certainly not emotionless, far from it, but he was a man of calm, of self-control that she envied, unlikely to display anything but placid stoicism in company.

Company excepting a bright-eyed, visibly passionate Lady Valeriya, it seemed.

Not that she could blame him; she too had discovered very early on that Lady Valeriya, despite first appearances, was a wonderful, clever young woman who blossomed under attention in a way that any insightful person would recognize, would be touched by. And if he could even be interested in a conversation with her, could even make her feel—

Well, then, surely it was only natural that the two of them together…

The only small mercy was that they hadn’t noticed her yet, captivated as they were by their discussion, something about the merits of direct action or unbiased observation. Then again, from what she had heard of the Duke, Kellem Ives seemed an appropriate topic of conversation, and one that seemed to resonate with his partner as well.

Though, considering the vivacious, downright smitten expression on her face, it seemed as if any conversation with him would resonate with her.

Lia drew a deep breath, holding it in until she could be sure that her exhale would be silent around the tightness in her throat, and turned away. Even as ignorant as she was towards navigating the intricacies of such social situations, even she could recognize when she would be interrupting.

Just as she could recognize instantly, after checking her shoulder against a shelf with an audible bump, when attempting to make an escape would be futile.

“Lady Camellia?”

The fact that it was unmistakably his voice, low and deep and with a hint of shock, somehow made it all the worse; she hesitated for a fraction of a second before turning and dropping into an immediate bow, grateful for the hair that slipped over her shoulders to help block her face from view.

“Good evening, your Grace, Lady Valeriya.”

To her immense relief, her voice held steady, if a touch too cool for the degree of intimacy she already had claim to, at least towards the lady. Unfortunately, however, its finality was not enough to dissuade further inquiry, though she couldn’t blame him for clinging to etiquette in the face of an unwelcome interruption. “What are you doing here?”

“I—” In spite of herself, she glanced towards him, his brow furrowed as if in genuine curiosity, before darting to Lady Valeriya, wide-eyed and still smiling, welcoming, and she had to look away the next second. Even she knew better than to truly believe herself welcome. “I came for the books.” She forced a smile, forced some semblance of a teasing lilt into her voice as she gestured towards the books by her side. “It is a library.”

That appeared to be enough of an explanation to satisfy him, but Lady Valeriya was still watching her in silence and she turned towards the nearest bookshelf, pulling a tome at random. “I apologize for interrupting your conversation. I believe this is what I was searching for.” Turning back, she bowed again, grateful for the opportunity to draw another hidden, shaky breath. “Please excuse me. Have a good evening.”

Thankfully, they allowed her departure without any additional comments, seeming to return to their discussion smoothly, as if there had been no interruption at all. But still, she retreated out of earshot as quickly as she could, a maelstrom of emotions churning in her stomach at the steady brightness of the voices behind her. A maelstrom of embarrassment and guilt and self-recrimination and—

And relief. How could she feel otherwise?

It wasn’t until she had escaped to the privacy of her room, where she was sure to be alone, where she had no chance of disrupting anyone else’s plans, that she allowed herself a moment to pause. That she was able to look down and find herself clutching the book so tightly she had nearly left imprints in the leather binding.

At least she hadn’t managed to crumple the paper underneath.

Taking another steadying breath, she stared down at it, forced each uncooperative finger to relax until she could see the title: From Princess to Peacemaker, a History of Princess Katyia. How very fitting, given her first interaction with Lady Valeriya. And considering…

Subconsciously, she turned her attention to her desk, and the sheaf of papers that her butler had placed there just a few days previously, after she had turned down the opportunity to host an event for the other delegates. She had thought its presence a misguided attempt to persuade her otherwise, but…

But she had seen the way Lady Valeriya’s eyes brightened to something warmer, something genuine, when discussing history, particularly related to Princess Katyia. And she certainly knew of Duke Lyon’s reputation for knowledge in subjects ranging from history to philosophy to mathematics.

Perhaps she could manage to do some good by hosting an event.

When he returned in the morning, she could attempt to convince her butler to squeeze in the event next week. If it went well, it could even provide her standing with Jiyel, her standing at the Summit, a much needed boost, in the only way that she could. She knew better than to believe she had any value, any chance, for a Summit match, but at least she could offer something. And besides…

Lady Valeriya had been through so much already, at such a young age. She deserved happiness, deserved a wonderful marriage to a good man.

And she knew wholeheartedly that Duke Lyon was, that it would be.

She was happy for her. For them both.

And she would prove it, to the world, and to herself.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

Some random opening weekend predictions for animated movies for the rest of the year and maybe some 2025 ones, too...

THE GARFIELD MOVIE - Somewhere around $30m-45m. The only thing we can kind of base this on is the live-action GARFIELD from 2004, which did okay at best, wasn't really all that big back then. Whereas this is all-animated and much more recognizably Garfield & co., which I think will help it open above your typical post-COVID outbreak animated movie. It's the first all-new animated picture since KUNG FU PANDA 4, though not the first kid-friendly movie, as IF will open the weekend before it. Still, it's Garfield. Well-known, decades-old character. I guess the only other comparison here would have to be THE PEANUT MOVIES, which opened w/ $44m back in fall 2015. So yeah, somewhere in that ballpark.

INSIDE OUT 2 - Over $100m. The first INSIDE OUT opened with $90m back in 2015. Adjusted, that's definitely higher than $100m now. Anxiety was a huge hit upon the teaser release last fall, too. Could be a Grogu-esque character for the film that gets everyone in droves to check it out... So yeah, easy $100m opening. Will sit up there with THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE ($146m) and SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE ($120m), as grand champion animated openings post-March 2020. Could even make a play for the record, which currently belongs to the 2019 LION KING ($191m). If we don't want to count those kinds of CG movies, then... INCREDIBLES 2, with $182m.

DESPICABLE ME 4 - Over $60m. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU opened to a great $107m back in 2022, being the first movie in this franchise in five years (it had been delayed from its original planned summer 2020 release date), and it also helped that the DESPICABLE ME franchise was over ten years old by that point - the first movie having turned 10 in July 2020. I think that definitely helped MINIONS 2, and out of nowhere came that whole meme with people dressing up in fancy suits to see the movie. That's a sort of thing that can't be engineered, and can't happen again... Thus, I expect DESPICABLE ME 4 to perform a little more closely to DESPICABLE ME 3 (that opened to $72m back in 2017) and open above $60m. Could be anywhere between that and $80m, really. Maybe higher, if there's something of a nostalgia rush for it like there was for MINIONS 2.

TRANSFORMERS ONE - Over $25m. Tricky, given that this is an all-new take on Transformers and all-animated no less. I'll compare this to fellow Paramount animated film TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: MUTANT MAYHEM. That movie came off of two live-action takes on the characters (released in 2014 and 2016), and prior to that there was a single animated movie in 2007 that made an okay amount of money, and there were the three live-action movies from the 1990s, the first of which being iconic... MUTANT MAYHEM opened with $28m last year, so I expect a similar turnout for TF ONE. Especially coming a year after RISE OF THE BEASTS (opened with $60m). With no footage out yet, it'll have to make a real impression the way MUTANT MAYHEM did in order to not get fully dismissed as "Oh, a TRANSFORMERS cartoon now?" Keep in mind, the first SPIDER-VERSE got that kind of reaction in 2018, and opened w/ $35m.

THE WILD ROBOT - Over $30m. I sense a real hype for this one, unlike most non-sequel animated movies released over the past couple of years. And even before COVID, honestly. The trailer really, *really* made an impression. At the movie theater I work at, between co-workers and guests commenting on the poster? Yeah, I think this one possibly scores the biggest opening for a DreamWorks non-sequel since THE BOSS BABY ($50m) all the way back in 2017. The bar isn't too high, for CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS, ABOMINABLE, and THE BAD GUYS grossed between $20-25m on their respective opening weekends, while RUBY GILLMAN came and went. This one, I think, will surprise.

THE DAY THE EARTH BLEW UP - Over $10m. It's Looney Tunes, yes. It's 2D, also. I don't expect a huge opening for it, given how the tides often flow. No doubt fans and those who have been keeping track of its existence will show up. Not sure how GFM goes about marketing and advertising this one, but I'm basing this on how a lot of non-anime 2D films - whether they're based on pre-existing franchises or not - did over the past 15 years.

MOANA 2 - Over $100m. The first MOANA opened with $56m back in 2016 and legged it up to a $245m+ domestic gross. Pretty solid run in theaters... But on streaming? E-X-P-L-O-D-E-D... It continues to be one of the most streamed movies of all-time, every year. Something about it, really keeps it atop the tidal wave. The post-theatrical life for this movie is ROBUST... Thus, I think this sequel will be a massive opener.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE WAR OF THE ROHIRRIM - Over $10m. Being an anime take on LORD OF THE RINGS, I think this will largely be ignored on its opening weekend, looked at as just "a LORD OF THE RINGS cartoon". With some diehards and animation fans such as ourselves showing up. Could be a leggy surprise thereafter, though.

MUFASA: THE LION KING - Over $30m. Whenever a sequel/prequel/whatever to a Disney remake crops up, it usually doesn't do great. ALICE IN WONDERLAND (2010), for example, was a billion dollar smash. Six years later came ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS, which didn't make half of what the first Burton movie made worldwide. It did pitifully domestically, opening with $26m, waaaaay down from the first one's $116m opening take. MALEFICENT 2 had a similar trajectory, though not as harsh as a come down. That opened with $36m domestically, down from the first's $70m opening. I think LION KING prequel - coming off of the first, which opened with $191m - has a similar fate. It'll also have SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 to compete with.

DOG MAN - Over $10m. Basically a milder CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS. Looking at the likes of MIGRATION and such, it'll be a teens opener, probably having spectacular legs afterwards.

THE SMURF MOVIE - Over $10m. Kinda hard to gauge. A little while ago, Sony Animation did SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE in 2017, which opened with $13m. That came off of two relatively recent live-action hybrid movies. In 2025, it'll have been almost 10 years since LOST VILLAGE, so maybe that helps it? Maybe the new approach helps it? Remains to be seen, this is based on what little we know of it... But we already had three Smurfs movies in the 2010s, so it seems like it'll only do alright.

[persephonesfill]

AO3 is down! Have any WIP plans or excerpts you wanna share? Or any behind the scenes facts about fics you have already posted?

i know we're all going through ao3 withdrawals so i do have a little something for a fic that takes place in the this charming man verse from tony's pov 💖

Tony Stark is six years old when he falls in love with Captain America. It is just after dinner and he's sitting on his Mama's lap, her fingers dancing along the keys of the grand piano, the crown jewel of their family room. She hums as she plays, something soft and sweet that sends his eyes fluttering.

Between his Mama's song and the food in his belly, he's ready to drift off to sleep until Father makes his presence known in the family room.

Father is smiling, a strange, yet welcome sight. If Father is smiling then his Mama won't cry later tonight, when she thinks Tony can't hear.

He doesn't know why Mama cries at night, is too scared to ask, too afraid that it'll make him cry too. And Tony hates crying. He hates the weird, achy feeling in the back of his throat when he tries to hold in his tears. He hates the way his eyes sting like someone stuck them with needles and he hates the look on Father's face when catches Tony crying most of all.

The last notes of his Mama's song sink into his bones and he finds the courage to meet his father head on. Tony scrambles out of her lap, and onto the floor, standing up straight like Jarvis taught him.

"Father," Tony says quietly with an incline of his head. "Have you come to join us?"

Father never joined them after dinner, always too busy with his work. Not that Tony minded. He still had his Mama and the Jarvises and that was just as good. Still, he remained curious. His Father carried a chest with him, made of fine wood with a golden clasp, old but obviously well taken care of. Maybe that was the reason for his father's visit?

"Yes, I have," Father says, with a quirk of his lips. "I got something I wanted to show you. Maria, if you please," his father tacks on at the end. Mama nods and all three of them end up moving to the sofa, the chest balanced on Tony's lap and his parents sandwiching him in.

The chest is surprisingly light given its size, and Tony immediately rules out the chances of him seeing anything cool from his father's workshop.

"I'm going to tell you a story," Father says, softer than Tony's ever heard him, so he can't help but listen, "about a man and a monster."