#which makes sense because of the time gap

[theladyofthevarioussorrows]

In honor of Lestat de Lioncourt's 264th birthday, I present to you...

Written in Blood, or the Play in which The Brat Prince Ties the Knot

Part I (of IV)

Fandom: The Vampire Chronicles (Gothic horror novel series, 1976-2018); Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire (TV series, 2022-present)

Pairing: Lestat de Lioncourt/fem!reader; Lestat de Lioncourt/You

Word count: 3,900+

Characters: Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid, the best version…­­­the only one that matters, obviously); fem!reader; The Vampire Armand (lol ouch); Nicolas de Lenfent (even bigger ouch, RIP); Santiago; Estelle; Celeste; Eglee; Sam; Gustav; Quang Pham; pretty much the entire Theatre des Vampires.

Summary: Fem!reader is the newest addition to the Theatre des Vampires, and Lestat becomes smitten with her (of course he does, the little whore!). Lestat’s allure, charm, beauty, and viciousness are not lost on the reader, and she falls for him (I mean, who wouldn’t, let’s be honest). With fem!reader being the freshest member of the Coven, Santiago “initiates” her (similar to how he brought Claudia in) by casting her as Lestat’s co-star in the next play as his love interest. The play, overseen reluctantly by Armand is about a wedding (in the vein of The Taming of the Shrew, As You Like It, or something similar but accurate to the time period, that is the vibe…Lestat, little miss Lady Macbeth himself, “barely Balthazar” Armand, “too old to play Hamlet, too young to play Polonius” Santiago, and I are all Shakespeare girlies, so I thought it would make sense); fem!reader and Lestat are actually getting legally married, unbeknownst to the mortal audience. Fem!reader and Lestat are to be the bride and groom, Santiago is the Justice of the Peace, and the rest of the TDV are the wedding party. While Armand is still the Coven leader, he “directs” the play and Nicki leads the orchestra. Things do not go the way they were planned to go (in Armand’s case); a story of love, sex, and vampire drama unfolds.

Warnings and additional tags: New/eventual relationship, established relationship, smut (P in V), fluff, mention of sex, mention of masturbation, (F and M), oral sex (F and M receiving), all characters (except the reader, duh) are written to be as close to the way they are in the books as well as the show to the best of my ability, reader-insert, reader-interactive, use of Y/N, Lestat gives the reader pet names in French (this is Lestat, after all), mutual pining, flirting, slight voyeurism, slight exhibitionism (is anything Lestat does really a secret? No, not really), blood drinking, blood sucking, bloodletting, biting, gore, violence, murder (feeding on humans is the only instance of this), both Lestat and fem!reader are bisexual, age gap (fem!reader is younger than Lestat by at least a bit but it doesn’t really matter as much because he himself is a new-ish vampire; Lestat would still be somewhere in his thirties in mortal years by the show’s timeline), Lestat is very seductive and persuasive (fem!reader doesn’t need much persuading, so it’s not a bad thing), a bunch of mentions of Shakespeare, lines from As You Like It are in italics and dialogue from vampires using the Mind Gift are in bold italics.

Notes: This story takes place while Lestat is still performing with the Theatre des Vampires and is newly a vampire himself. Magnus is obviously dead by now (thank God). The events of this fic take place after Lestat breaks up with both Nicki (he is still alive at this point in time) and Armand, but before he meets Louis de Pointe du Lac and later Claudia. I don’t have anything against either character (I adore both greatly!), this is just a “what if?” kind of situation. This is a basic idea I had had for literal years ever since I read the books, but I didn’t do anything with it until the second season of the show started, specifically episode 10. I wasn’t immune to Harlequin Lestat, and I was FERAL about it. Sam Reid only made that worse for me (God, I am so in love with him…that man IS Lestat. He doesn’t just play him, he BECAME him, and no one else has come close. Tom Cruise and Stuart Townsend could NEVER!). The premise of the fic came to me while listening to “Written in Blood” by She Wants Revenge…one thing led to another, and here we are! Also, yes, I KNOW the vampires don’t “have sex” in the novels, but they do in the show (a LOT). I might make references to things that have happened in the books (mostly Interview with the Vampire and The Vampire Lestat, possibly a bit of Queen of the Damned) but might not have been shown in the TV series yet, so reader beware of that. Let this be the spoiler warning if you are not familiar with the books or haven’t watched the show. I am completely ignoring both movies, because they mean absolutely nothing to me now that the (far superior) show exists. The piece that fem!reader uses for her audition comes from Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It…she is reading as Rosalind while disguised as Ganymede, and Lestat reads with her as Orlando. I thought the parallels were a nice touch. I obviously do not own the rights to As You Like It, I merely used the one scene for Y/N’s audition, and to add romantic and dramatic effect. Special shout out to my best friend Riley for their contribution and ideas!

Language: English (except for a handful of pet names and expressions used by Lestat in French, hopefully I did it correctly. I took 4 years of French in high school, but I am not fluent)

_________________________________________

It was a cool autumn night in Paris, and while mortals slept, the undead were busy welcoming their newest member to their coven inside the old auditorium. The Vampire Armand stood proudly in front of the stage, looking up at the Theatre’s founder and poster child Lestat de Lioncourt, giving him notes and stage directions he knows full well Lestat will not listen to. Next to Lestat was Y/F/N Y/L/N, a freshly turned vampire herself.

Today was Y/N’s audition to join the Theatre des Vampires, and although nervous, she felt at home already among the other thespians in the room with her. With her lifelong love of theatre and literature that only intensified in her newly immortal life, Y/N knew she was in good company. She caught herself stealing glances at Lestat, as if against her will, but she knew she couldn’t help herself. Of all the vampires in this room—the stage director and Coven leader Armand, fellow company members Eglee, Celeste, Estelle, Sam, Gustav, and Quang Pham in the seats, as well as the gifted violinist Nicki hiding in the wings—there is something captivating and enchanting about this charismatic blonde actor. Y/N felt immediately attracted to this man, and she was both alarmed by and pleased with this sudden revelation. Lestat could feel Y/N’s attraction to him, something he found adorable, endearing, distracting, and quite arousing. Lestat gazed at her, a charmingly wicked smile on his face as he admired the young vampire in front of him. Armand, annoyed but pushing the uneasy feeling down, turned to look at Y/N.

“Welcome to the Theatre, dear Y/N. The Coven and I are interested as to how you found yourself in Paris, and how you found us. Please, enlighten everyone,” Armand said, with a slight air of both curiosity and mild arrogance rolled together. Y/N quickly moved her glance from Lestat to Armand and shivered slightly before she answered.

“Hello all, my name is Y/F/N Y/L/N, and I was visiting when I was given the Dark Gift. I have been in Paris ever since. I heard about the Theatre through my maker, and through discovering the Theatre, I found out about the Coven.” As she told the truth, she felt Santiago staring daggers at her, full of amusement.

“So, little miss Y/L/N, it seems as though you enjoy the arts, is that right?” said Santiago, with a slithery snark. Y/N nodded her head. “A birdie told me that you’re auditioning with one of Shakespeare’s lesser works, yes?” Y/N nodded again. Lestat’s blueish violet eyes widened as he grinned a little bigger.

“Yes, I will be reading as Rosalind disguised as Ganymede. I hope you find it suitable,” she said politely, trying to stifle a small tinge of laughter. Santiago exaggerated his giggle to mock her slightly before speaking again.

“Hmm, I assume you would like to have someone read with you. I wonder who that could be…” Santiago’s voice trailed off as he shifted his glance from Y/N to the left of her.

The slender, blonde, and devilishly handsome vampire beside Y/N spoke before she could even have the thought to respond. Watching from the wings, the violinist Nicki put a hand to his forehead with a quiet groan.

“I volunteer myself. I know the play by heart,” said Lestat. He shot Y/N a soft but sly grin as he placed his hand on his chest, reeling in the blush that appeared on her face. Armand had to hold back a scoff as Lestat offered to read with her. “I’m quite curious to see how she does, if I may.” Lestat gently bowed as he spoke to her, with a smile on his face and intrigue in his heart. Lestat was many things, and subtle was not one of them. Y/N nodded, smiling slyly back at him.

“You may,” Y/N said, bowing slightly. Her cheeks cast a rosy glow upon them as she smiled. Santiago chuckled to himself, and Armand choked down another scoff as he looked back to Y/N and Lestat.

“As you wish. Lestat, you will read with Y/N as Orlando, starting from his entrance after Jaques exits the scene. Y/N, you will follow.” Armand crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the two vampires in front of him on the stage.

“Yes, maître,” said Y/N, slightly nervous but strangely excited about reading alongside this hauntingly tempting creature next to her. She got herself into character quickly, trying to fight off the thought of how sweet Lestat’s blood might taste on her tongue and how soft his full lips must be, among various other salacious and primal things that she wasn’t aware of that she needed or wanted. It wasn’t an unwelcome thing—Lestat had something disarmingly attractive about him. Y/N felt drawn to him somehow, but she tried in vain to hide it. Lestat cleared his throat and prepared himself as well, his own pale skin turning a faint pink as they moved to the middle of the stage. Butterflies fluttered inside their bodies as they began their scene. After a few seconds of silence passed, Lestat launched into character.

“My fair Rosalind, I come within an hour of my promise.” Lestat said, remembering the lines from memory as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. Despite her nervousness and giddiness, Y/N began herself.

“Break an hour’s promise in love? He that will divide a minute into a thousand parts and break but a part of the thousand part of a minute in the affairs of love, it may be said of him that Cupid hath clapped him o’ th’ shoulder, but I’ll warrant him heart-whole.” Y/N matched Lestat’s intensity and focus as she spoke her lines. Astonished by her delivery, he carried on with his own lines.

“Pardon me, dear Rosalind,” continued Lestat, feeling a rush of adrenaline in the pit of his stomach, the pleasant sensation only growing stronger as she went on. Lestat watched her as she moved effortlessly through her audition, overcome with awe, very nearly stumbling on his own lines as a result. Armand and Santiago watched from the bottom of the stage as Y/N and Lestat kept going.

Armand watched from the front row and noticed Lestat’s immediate and oddly natural chemistry with Y/N and was well aware of the subtle attraction and quiet infatuation she felt towards Lestat. Armand could feel it through her, and it bothered him. He couldn’t help it; he began to feel his face turn green with envy. Santiago, however, was greatly amused at what was unfolding in front of them—and he relished the drama of it all. The rest of the Coven watched from the seats intently, some engrossed, some unbothered. Nicki leaned up against the wall backstage, a pained expression etched on his features. Looking on at his former lover floating across the stage with a woman whom he had only met mere hours ago and watching her fall under his spell just as he had, Nicki shook his head, a grimace forming on his face.

With all due respect, maître…maybe we should keep an eye on the new one, said Santiago, filling Armand’s head with his thoughts without moving his mouth. It’s only a matter of time before our dear founder tries to take her to bed with him…you know as well as I do how he is. And seeing how she’s looking at him—Armand did not want to hear this. Lestat and Y/N were too immersed in their scene and lost in each other to hear them through their own minds.

Armand cut him off. Enough, Santiago. I know very well how Lestat operates. Let them finish. I’ll allow Y/N to continue, for now. We shall decide what measures to take when the time is right… As Armand and Santiago sized Y/N up, she breezed through her audition.

“Come, woo me, woo me, for now I am in a holiday humor, and like enough to consent. What would you say to me now an I were your very, very Rosalind?” Y/N continued as she blushed and smiled at Lestat. Anything he did in his impromptu performance, she followed with masterful skill.

Lestat slowly walked closer to her, his gaze never leaving her eyes. Lestat looked at Y/N, smirking as he brushed some of his long blonde hair behind his ear. He let the silence expand for a second before he continued.

“I would kiss before I spoke.”

Lestat and Y/N gazed at each other as if they were the only beings in the room, amusing Santiago morbidly and annoying Armand profoundly. A mixture of admiration and a deep hunger formed inside Lestat’s chest, and Y/N’s heart pounded against her ribcage. She gulped quietly as she tried to keep up with Lestat. Determined to give the best audition she could despite having to act opposite the most gorgeous creature she has ever laid her eyes on, alive or dead, Y/N tried to fight off her own desire building within her. Soft gasps could be heard from the other vampires watching them from the seats.

“Nay, you were better speak first, and when you were gravelled for lack of matter, you might take occasion to kiss. Very good orators, when they are out, they will spit; and for lovers lacking—God warn us—matter, the cleanliest shift is to kiss.”

Sensing Y/N’s struggle to maintain her composure, Lestat met her energy with his own words. “How if the kiss be denied?” He looked at her for a beat, cocking his head to one side quizzically. Y/N answered him with a playful shrug.

“Then she puts you to entreaty, and there begins new matter.”

Lestat continued his teasing, delighted by the thrill Y/N gave him. “Who could be out, being before his beloved mistress?”

Y/N pretended to scoff. “Marry, that should you if I were your mistress, or I should think my honesty ranker than my wit.”

Lestat looked at Y/N with a look of mock surprise. “What, of my suit?” he said, his voice harboring a more sensual tone this time.

“Not out of your apparel, and yet out of your suit. Am I not your Rosalind?” Y/N floated across the stage like a ghost, every single movement calculated and carried out so smoothly.

“I take some joy to say you are because I would be talking of her.” Lestat’s face reddened slightly as he noticed how Y/N’s jaw dropped, but only for a second before she kept going.

“Well, in her person I say I will not have you.” Y/N let out an exaggerated giggle as she playfully spun around slowly.

A dramatic sigh escaped Lestat’s lungs. “Then in mine own person I die.” He looked back at Y/N as she turned to face him again.

“By this hand, it will not kill a fly. But come; now I will be your Rosalind in a more coming-on disposition, and ask me what you will, I will grant it.” Y/N gazed at the vampire in front of her, only inches separating them now. Lestat reached out to gently caress Y/N’s cheek as they looked deeply into each other’s eyes, making her blush even more obvious in her face now. He has her right where he wants her, and as fate or some other mystical thing would have it, Y/N is right where she wants to be. Once again, Lestat drew the silence out for a beat too long before he spoke.

“Then love me, Rosalind.”

Y/N’s voice trembled a little as she leaned into Lestat’s touch. His unbroken focus on her made her feel slightly faint just from the way he looked at her, but she kept her cool as best as she could. “Yes, faith, will I, Fridays and Saturdays and all.” She shyly smiled up at him, trying and failing to hide her quiet swooning.

Lestat hung on to every word that left her lips as if he had never heard such language spoken before. Of course, he was no stranger to the stage himself, having been the Theatre’s main selling point for a few years now. The act of performing on a stage in front of an enamored audience always thrilled him, but she…she was different. This new and sudden but pleasant feeling cut him way deeper, hit him harder—he knew that she was something magical. And Lestat wasn’t quite sure where to put that desire and hunger, so he decided to do the thing he does best: he needed to have her all to himself, by any means necessary. Lestat was delighted to find that the feeling was so clearly mutual.

Santiago watched Lestat enchant Y/N as they continued with their performances. He gasped quietly as he saw Lestat become smitten with Y/N, rolling his eyes. Just look at those two! Can you believe them? They’ve made eyes at each other from the second she came through the door. They’ve only just met a few hours ago and he’s looking at her like Venus de Milo herself…and she looks as if she’s about to melt through the floor. Armand found himself becoming more and more annoyed as Lestat and Y/N carried on like they were, and Santiago took notice. Maître, you’re grinding your teeth…

Armand huffed quietly. I said let them continue. Y/N is smarter than we realize. If she doesn’t know who she’s getting herself tied up with, she will. I can guarantee that. Armand maintained his mildly annoyed expression as he crossed his arms over his chest. I see potential in her. We can use that potential.

Santiago, ever the drama queen but also the suck-up, tried to push Armand’s buttons. How shall we do that, maître? I wonder what our violinist has to say about this…I can’t imagine he’s especially thrilled about—

Armand cut him off once again. Be silent now, Santiago. Nicki is the least of my worries right now.

Now mildly aware of the growing discomfort in the pit of Armand’s stomach and Santiago’s antagonizing of him, Lestat continued to read with Y/N. He was enraptured by her, this was true—but he also found quite a bit of amusement in making Armand uncomfortable. Y/N, less aware of the effect her performance is having on the Coven leader and his all-too-willing sidekick, matched him masterfully.

“And wilt thou have me?” said Lestat, sultry and low.

Y/N nodded her head and smiled. “Ay, and twenty such.”

Lestat felt his heart flutter in his chest as he moved closer to her. “What sayest thou?”

Y/N gently bit her lip then let it go with a smirk. “Are you not good?”

“I hope so.” Lestat rolled his eyes in a sassy manner.

“Why then, can one desire too much of a good thing?” Y/N went on, closing the small space between herself and Lestat.

The vaguely pained expression did not escape Armand’s face. Still wanting to maintain some sort of order and power over his Coven, Armand kept his focus fixed on the two vampires on the stage in front of him.

Santiago, an evil grin taking shape over his features, watched Lestat and Y/N’s bond become deeper by the second as Y/N continued. “Come, sister, you shall be the priest and marry us. Give me your hand, Orlando.” Y/N gently reached for Lestat’s hand, and he placed it in hers, tangling their fingers together. She looked to where the audience would be sitting. “What do you say sister?” Y/N looked back up at Lestat as he gazed back at her, their vampire eyes blown out with love and desire for each other.

After what felt like an eternity, Lestat put his finger under Y/N’s chin and gingerly tilted her head up. He started to move down to press his lips to hers, and she moved up to meet him. He closed his eyes, and her eyelids fluttered shut as his lips gently—

A groan could be heard from Armand as Santiago abruptly rose from his seat and applauded loudly. Lestat and Y/N snapped out of their trance and pulled away from each other, no longer able to hide their blushing. The rest of the Coven began to applaud as well. The vampires Sam and Gustav were enthusiastic in their encouragement of the new potential member of the Coven and her undeniable and palpable chemistry with their Theatre’s founder. Celeste looked on with a proud smile on her face, while Estelle clapped wildly. Eglee rolled her eyes before eventually joining in with her applause. Backstage, Nicki shook his head again as he quietly left the auditorium, quietly cursing under his breath.

“Very well done, Y/N. Very well done indeed,” said Santiago, sounding giddier than he probably should. He looked at Armand. “What say you, maître?” he asked with mock amusement.

Armand once again did not listen. He looked up at Y/N as Lestat released her from his gentle but bold embrace. “Exquisite work, Y/N. Exceptional. While we evaluate your performance, you are welcome to remain here with the Coven. We have provided a coffin for you near your maker’s.” Armand started to dismiss everyone before he turned back to Y/N. “We do expect you to keep our hours, curfew is three o’clock sharp.” He shot a subtle but menacing glare at Lestat. Lestat rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself as he turned his back to him. Armand looked at Y/N again. Lestat smiled warmly at Y/N as he winked at her.

Still reeling from everything that just occurred, Y/N nodded and bowed. “Yes maître, I will. Thank you all.” Armand dismissed Santiago and the rest of the Coven, and they all left the auditorium.

It was then that Y/N heard a sensual and seductive voice inside her head.

Très bien fait, ma chérie. I’m impressed.

Y/N turned around to find Lestat leaning against the piano on the stage, his arms crossed over his chest, looking her up and down, dripping with genuine curiosity and insatiable desire. She blushed and smiled as she met his gaze.

“That’s very sweet of you to say, Lestat. It really means a lot to hear.” Y/N walked over to him, slightly nervous but not at all deterred. “You were amazing yourself.”

Lestat rolled his eyes playfully at her compliment but accepted it. “You flatter me, mon amour.” He stood up straight and walked over to her, looking down at her with that softly sly smirk again. “I must say, my dear Y/N, you are quite the actress. Many have come and gone from this theatre, but none have bewitched me so like you have, ma petite fleur.”

Y/N swooned at his words, slightly taken aback by the sincerity in them despite the obvious attraction. “Oh, you’re too kind. It’s not often I’m in the presence of someone so…” She caught herself getting lost in his eyes again—something she has by now realized is very easy to do—before she continued. “So…enchanting as you.”

Lestat chuckled lowly. “Is that so? Well, you have captivated me too, love,” he said, pausing briefly as he took the sight of her in. “I haven’t seen such talent on this stage in quite some time, Y/N.” She blushed deeper as she took a second to gather her thoughts. Y/N sighed softly before speaking.

“Thank you! I’m just happy that I can finally do what I love to do. Up until today, I thought it was unfortunate that I couldn’t do this kind of thing when I was mortal, but I don’t have that feeling now that I’m here. In an odd way, it feels right like this.” Y/N chuckled lightly.

Lestat listened to her words intently. “I know that feeling very well, mon coeur. For what it’s worth, I’m quite glad you wandered into our midst. I can see already that you’re passionate about the Theatre, and it’s refreshing. You’re simply lovely.” Y/N smiled at his words of admiration and encouragement. “I cannot wait to see what other talents you possess, if you don’t mind my saying so,” he said with a smirk, appreciating the slight drop of her jaw. Noticing the positive tension on her face, Lestat spoke gently to her. “Oh, and don’t be nervous, chérie. There is nothing to be afraid of. I have no doubt you’ll fit in here, I am sure of it.” He traced her jawline affectionately before tilting her head up to bring her eyes to meet his, just like he did during her audition. “And, if I may be so bold, I would love to get to know you better. If you’ll have me, of course.” Y/N’s eyes widened as she swooned. She nodded as she stuttered slightly.

“I’d love to, Lestat. I would be honored.” Y/N felt her heart jump into her mouth. The gorgeous blonde vampire in front of her reveled in how flustered she looked as he spoke to her.

“Very well then, dear Y/N. We’ll continue our little conversation after your initiation tomorrow.”

Y/N gulped. “My…my what?!”

Lestat giggled slyly. “You heard me correctly, ma chérie. Welcome to the Theatre, darling. You’re one of us now as far as I’m concerned.”

“But…Armand said—” Lestat gently placed a finger over her lips to shut her up as he spoke lowly to her, sultry and dripping with desire.

“Shh, ma jolie fille…never mind what that manipulative gremlin Armand said.” Lestat let his finger gently drag across her bottom lip before letting it go. He brushed some of her hair behind her ear as he continued. “I’ll be seeing you backstage afterwards, yes?”

There was no way for him to be coy about his appetite for her any more than he had earlier. The vampire Lestat de Lioncourt, the Brat Prince himself, was anything but shy about his unquenchable thirst for Y/N; it only grew exponentially in the few hours since he met her.

Y/N felt as though the air had been knocked out of her lungs as she nodded. “Of course, Lestat. You will.” She smiled at him, trying to regulate her breathing.

Lestat smiled wickedly at her again. “Très bien, mon amour. I’ll see you then.” He caressed her face again before turning to walk away. “Bonne nuit, ma belle. Sweet dreams.”

Y/N could feel her heart pounding in her throat as she smiled. “Good night, Lestat. I hope you sleep well.” Blushing, she beamed at him, and he smiled back, a blush of his own on his face.

With that, they left the room. As she lifted the lid to her coffin next to the others to crawl inside it, Y/N gasped as she heard Lestat’s voice in her head again, stopping her momentarily.

Remember what I told you, ma petite fleur. There is nothing to worry your pretty little head with. And know this too, my darling: I don't bite...hard.

[shineysposts]

My Thoughts on the Supposed 'Plot Hole' in Rafayel's Branch

I’ve seen a few people pointing out some "plot holes" in Rafayel’s branch. One of the biggest complaints is: How did MC suddenly know about Rafayel being a Lemurian and their special bond?

(spoiler ahead)

I’ll admit, this surprised me at first too. But after taking some time to process it, I realized that the two-month time skip after MC returns from the N109 Zone isn’t just a random gap—it’s pretty clear that a lot happens off-screen during this period, most likely involving interactions between MC and each of the boys.

We’ve seen a similar approach in Zayne’s branch, where MC already knows about Zayne’s recurring nightmares, even though this was never explicitly mentioned in the main story. The reason people don’t focus on this as a plot hole is because it’s easy to assume that Zayne and MC discussed it during the two-month gap, given their established friendship.

Rafayel’s case feels different, though, because the reveal is a big deal—it’s about his Lemurian heritage and the bond he shares with MC. This is probably why some of us feel like it shouldn’t have been glossed over. However, I think we need to give the devs a little credit and consider that Rafayel and MC likely had important moments during those two months. Here’s why:

Rafayel was the last person MC saw before heading to the N109 Zone. It makes sense that she’d talk to him when she got back.

Even though it’s not explicitly stated that they’ve been talking frequently, MC trusts Rafayel enough to involve him in her mission. This kind of trust doesn’t just happen overnight, it suggests they’ve been growing closer during the time skip.

Another common complaint I’ve seen is that Rafayel’s branch doesn’t mention the beta-protocurve plot, which was a major focus in Zayne’s story. However, Zayne’s branch revolves heavily around his recurring nightmare, so it makes sense that the beta-protocurve would tie into it. Beta-protocurves are unique energy wavelengths emitted by certain Wanderers, capable of distorting space itself. Exploring this in his branch serves the purpose of exploring his backstory.

On the other hand, including the beta-protocurve in Rafayel’s branch wouldn’t have the same impact.

Comparing Rafayel’s branch to Zayne’s and expecting the same kind of focus feels like missing the point. The purpose of the branch isn’t just to explore the beta-protocurve but to dig deeper into what Ever is planning behind the scenes.

As Jenna put it:

“Our mission isn’t just about finding the Aether Cores. We also need to investigate the shady organizations that covet them. These cores are essentially ticking time bombs in the wrong hands.”

The focus isn’t just on the new Wanderer or the Aether Core—it’s about setting up Ever as a major antagonist. Both Zayne’s and Rafayel’s branches serve their own purposes, each contributing to the larger narrative in its own way. In the end, I feel that both branches are doing exactly what they need to do to build up the the future chapters.

[joocomics]

─ ⋆kiss land⋆

❨ or also known as dinna’s holiday special 2024 ⋆༄ ❩

december is a busy month and most often times chaotic for many - there’s places to go and people to see. you’re no exception. the difference is that the holidays have prepared some fun encouters for you - ones that make unforgettable memories others can only be jealous of…

✭ event is 18+ only

MASTERLIST

❝ … when your parents shake hands with new business partners they get invited for one festive weekend at their expensive villa. although it’s the last place you want to waste time at, you understand how and why these people are important for your family business, so you agree to join them. the last person you expect to see there is your professor who you’ve been having a secret crush on… and who also politely said no after you asked him out last semester… ❞

→ professor!gunil x student!reader | university au [smut, slice of life] ˒˒ note ! ages are not specified except that reader and gunil are close to age; it’s a university au but outside of university if it makes sense

♫ : make me feel by elvis drew

❝ … when christmas comes around you know your emotions will be all over the place, because the one thing your parents look forward to the most, is inviting their best friends whose son kim jungsu is the guy you try to not think about unless you want to make your standards even higher, and your chances to find a boyfriend soon - lower. one sleepless night turns into an opportunity to look back on some shared memories, but to also tell each other things both of you believed will remain unsaid... ❞

→ kim jungsu x fem!reader | childhood friends au [smut, slice of life]

♫ : mushroom chocolate by quin, 6lack

❝ … when you bump into your roommate in a lingerie store you end up spending half an hour helping him out with picking a christmas gift for his fuck buddy. unfortunately, even the festive atmosphere around can’t prevent you two from getting into a fight which results into you not saying goodbye to each other before he leaves early the next morning for winter break. luckily, he’s left something for you under the tree that opens up an opportunity for you to bury the hatchet… ❞

→ kwak jiseok x fem!reader | roommates au [smut, slice of life]

♫ : pleasure shop by key

❝ … when you arrive at the fancy dinner that your boss organised as a way for everyone from the company to get together before the holidays, you’re surprised to finally see his son in real life. it turns out that your boss also uses this as an opportunity to introduce him to his employees, because now that he is out of university, he’s officially joining the company, slowly following the footsteps of his father. unfortunately, you don’t make a good first impression as you expect when you send his son one of your half-naked pictures by accident. or… do you? ❞

→ oh seungmin x noona!reader | coworkers au [smut, slice of life] ˒˒ note ! not specified legal age gap ( reader who is seungmin’s senior in the workplace will be referred as noona few times throughout the story; not as a kink in a sexual context, but out of respect and occasionally in a teasing way; you can ignore the term and still read the story, but feel free to skip this one if you want )

♫ : million dollar baby by tommy richman

❝ … when a random stranger steals the perfect gift which you specifically came to buy for a relative right under your nose, you realise that for the first time in your not so full of confrontations life, you want to spit in somebody’s face. fortunately, you manage to walk out as calmly as you can without causing a scene or getting kicked out from the manager of the record store. you don’t expect the universe to bring you and the stranger who lit up a fire inside you back together so soon though. will this give you and him a chance to start over and finally learn each other’s names? ❞

→ han hyeongjun x fem!reader | strangers to lovers au [smut, slice of life]

♫ : particular taste by shawn mendes

❝ … when you and your friends go to the club on a friday night the last people you expect to see there is the famous punk rock band that’s been all over the news for the past few months. instead of fangirling, like many in your place would be doing, you see an opportunity to save your job. in the handsome face of the lead singer and bassist you see a spark of hope telling you that your career as a journalist in a prestige magazine is not lost just yet. yes, everyone knows lee jooyeon doesn’t do interviews, but he wouldn’t mind sharing few words for your column if you ask nicely, right? ❞

→ lee jooyeon x fem!reader | rockstar x journalist au [smut, sprinkle of angst] ˒˒ note ! it will probably have one or two time jumps

♫ : stranger by tove lo

some information you may want to know…

⊱ status: in process…

⊱ context: this is an event (18+) which i’m doing for a second year now as a gift to all of you sticking around and supporting my content ♡

⊱ i will not have a posting schedule for this one, because the last two months of the year can get really hectic in different aspects; i don’t want to put too much pressure on myself and kill my inspiration. if i remember correctly, last year i shared one fic a week throughout december and january and i’m thinking of doing the same this year too

⊱ i don’t have a specific word limit in mind and i can’t say how long the stories are going to be yet; they’re not going to be short though that’s for sure

⊱ you can message me anytime or leave a comment below if you’d like to be tagged for specific work(s) or for all so you don’t miss out on anything you’re interested in reading. i’ll probably be sharing a lil’ teaser for each story - you can ask to be tagged for those as well. you’re always welcome in my inbox 💌 if you have any questions about the event, the fics or just want to chat about whatever’s on your mind!

please be patient with me in case of any changes or delays!

♡ here’s my general masterlist if you’re looking for something to read in the meantime… and here are last year’s holiday specials if you’re interested in giving them a read

thank you in advance to those of you who will be reading and supporting this event! i’m so happy to be organising it for another year… it feels surreal in the best way possible. hope you enjoy the experience as much as me!

( in case you are seeing this in december and you are celebrating - happy holidays! )

[therealslimshakespeare]

Ooh I have a question for you because I am so fucking in love with Lu and Benny and I wanna dig my nails in their relationship and pry it apart and freak out over it with u :)

Do you think Lu is ever insecure about their age gap? Her being 24? And him being 30/31? When they start having feelings for one another. Because I definitely see him as very sweet and reassuring but some things might be bound to come up?

Ah ok, I think there sure could be but I like to think it’s not super age related? It has to do with age but not because of the age, if that makes sense. Like I can imagine she sometimes reverts to thinking of him as Captain Demarco, somebody who had all the swagger and capability and authority when she was young and sometimes that’s an insanely secure and comfy feeling, that old assurance of his abilities but sure, sometimes she might diminish her own because she is so admiring of him and not in a good place mentally.

I think I’m a little weird this way personally but there’s some of us young people who find a better match in friend groups, etc, with a mild age gap. And I personally dint feel insecure about it unless the person is some entitled dick about the five or so years they’ve got on me?! Like, wahoo, that’s not that much the older we get the age gap sorta closes in well adjusted people. Which gratefully both these people are.

So I’d say rarely, and when it happens he’s actually the best person to jolt her out of it. He might have a little more trouble, tbh.

But then the other times the find it sexy, if they think of it at all. 🥰

[luca-street-chris-deacon-rp]

The silence was deafening, and he wondered if he had jumped the gun about telling Sarah how he felt. He wouldn't blame her if she wasn't interested because of the age gap, and because they were close friends, he would accept it. He would accept and respect whatever she wanted to do as he felt a knot of anxiety grow in his stomach and chest, like a washing machine with a few bricks thrown in for good measure. But then she spoke, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to hear what she had to say.

But then he heard it. She felt the same as he did, and then she was leaning over and kissing him. Despite being in pain and feeling like he had an elephant sitting on his chest, he kissed her back. He wanted to keep kissing her. He could smell her vanilla perfume, which intoxicated his senses and the fragrant smell of her shampoo and moisturiser. He was savouring every second of it.

"You've no idea how glad I am that you feel the same, and I wish I told you before. I don't want you thinking this is all the painkillers and drugs cause it's not." He spoke gently, his voice still croaking from the breathing tube during the surgery. His hand was still in hers as she kissed him again, his thumb soothingly brushing over the back of her hand. "I should have told you a long time ago. But those kisses are making the machine go crazy." He pointed out, joking as the readings on the machine that was recording his heartrate and blood pressure was beeping as it inclined. "So you gonna let me take you on a real date when I get out of here?" He was perhaps optimistic at planning something so soon, but he would make some sort of date happen, even if it meant ordering a pizza and cuddling on the touch.

Hail of Bullets

Open Thread (Angst and Romance)

Open to Mutuals and Non Mutuals

Connection - Team mates, friends, colleagues, boyfriend/girlfriend, wife/husband, lover, friend with benefits

Plot - A mission saving lives has went horribly wrong leaving Luca with several gun shot wounds and he thinks he's dying. He does survive but he's talking all kinds of crazy.

***

The armour piercing rounds had hit Luca with enough force to cause him to drop like a stone to the ground, gasping for air as one of the bullets had winded him so badly he was struggling to breathe. Hitting his head off the ground hadn't helped either as waves of dizziness washed over him, aware of his team surrounding him and trying to drag him to a safet location. Blood bubbled out of the wounds, one of them having gone straight through his back and left a pool of blood underneath him on the ground.

[ana-cantskywalker]

Idk did the reunion seem a little… stilted to anyone else? Like there was a lot of emotion and Eman and Natasha had a lot of really good chemistry but it was almost like they were holding back. Like there was more they wanted to do/say but didn’t want to overstep (wink wink) because it’s been 10 years and they dont really know where the other stands

[nobodysdaydreams]

Giving a complicated tragic childhood backstory to your favorite character is all fun and games, until you realize you need to account for how old all the other adult characters would have been at the time and realize that scenes that would work perfectly if one character was twenty three and the other was fourteen stop working when you need other characters who are played by adult actors clearly younger than they are to be in college at the same time so your story beats line up thematically.

[bunkernine]

society if hoo had them at uni age and the lost trio went to chb and chiron is like "how tf are ANY of u alive and unclaimed". wilderness was just community college.

[bookwyrminspiration]

Have you any thoughts on Gethen Ondsinn, good sir?

I do! Though a lot of this is me repeating myself. Currently Gethen is at the top of my I Suspect You Of Being Sophie's Father list, for a couple of reasons. And since there's so little else about him that's kinda the main thing I think about him. I'm not someone who likes to create personalities or make headcanons about characters.

Before I repeat my father suspicions though, I wonder if in the next book(s) we'll finally get Sophie reading Gethen's mind. It's something she's considered at several different points in the series and always been dissuaded from, and I can't help thinking we'll finally get the Neverseen's telepath vs. the Black Swan's super telepath and crack his case. I hope we do at least. Because it's odd to me that they repeatedly say Sophie is the best telepath their world has even seen, and yet are sure Gethen will one-up her and trick her and pull her under. I understand there's a certain risk they want to avoid of him tricking/trapping her, but like…everything else has a risk, why is this the line? This is her area of expertise, let her use it. Which also ties into me suspecting he's her father and wants to drop that bomb on her during said confrontation, which Forkle knows and is why he always wants to take on Gethen instead of her.

Listen. I know Cadence suggested her parents wouldn't have her abilities, but she wasn't part of Project Moonlark; she's theorizing. And we already saw the realization of that suggestion in Oralie, we don't need to do it again. Given how crucial her telepathy is as her main ability, I find it difficult to believe neither of her parents is a telepath. Especially with the recent improved enhancing affecting telepaths and empaths more.

Also! People have said it before, but we just don't know a lot about Gethen compared to everyone else! Especially for being the very first Neverseen member we meet. He's the OG and we know fuck all about him. Which I suspect means he's existed from the beginning because Shannon had to know who her parents were from the beginning to set things up the way she wanted to, but his purpose is one that takes time because of the suspense built around it so he's just been waiting for that moment.

I know it doesn't make sense for Mr. Forkle to choose a Neverseen DNA donor, but given that it would provide an excellent amount of shock and drama both in the story and for the reader, I think it's reasonable to assume there's a plausible explanation to make it work. Such as double crossing, not knowing he was Neverseen, etc.

However! This is all just my passive speculation and may very well prove to be incredibly wrong, so take it with a grain of salt. There's not a lot to go on for him so I'm kinda jumping to conclusions based on the gaps, but they are my thoughts :)

[jewishcissiekj]

taught my 6 year old sister the H-O-T-T-O-G-O and she tried to teach it to her kindergarten teacher😭😭😭 girl you can not go around repeating everything we do/say at home everywhere you go I thought we went through that

[foxmulderautism]

hyperfixating on a character who i don’t know as specifically as my other usual hyperfixation ocs is so funny there’s a guy in my head 24/7 atm but i don’t know him like that and im just like ummmmmm so what do you usually do at bedtime. do you like music? yeah i also like music.

[chikkou]

im rewatching community and just got to what is arguably the shows absolute worst episode - the one where britta finds out all her friends have been essentially getting paid off by her abusive parents, and somehow britta is the one at fault for being “childish”??

i find this episode so cruel in so many ways honestly, and not the least bc dan harmon, after giving britta a backstory that involves CSA (which her parents didnt believe happened), chose to convey the message that britta is 100% wrong & you should always forgive your abusers regardless of all else, and we as viewers are just supposed to be ok with that.

its extra evil too because dan harmon was fired from community in the first place because he was sexually harassing one of the shows writers, and now here he is actively denying the trauma of his female character who was a victim of sexual assault. like bro. this could not be more on the nose if it tried

[poptartmochi]

the quest for claudia's birthday takes me to strange and unknown places

[dankovskaya]

I put on attack of the clones last night for background noise but I ended up actually just watching probably 80% of it and the funniest shit in the world possibly the best moment in the entire prequel trilogy is when they first get to Naboo and check in with the queen + council and they're just talking abt the republic and keeping her safe whatever the fuck and then one of them finally acknowledges Anakin like "Master Jedi what do you suggest?" and Padmé INSTANTLY says "Oh Anakin isn't a JEDI he's just a padawan learner. So basically I was thinking--" and Anakin. Reasonably. Is like "Hold on a second" and she cuts him off AGAIN like "EXCUSE ME. Anyway, I was thinking..." and makes him fight for his life to actually get w word out. Literally WHY does she do that to him its so fucking funny.

[siena-sevenwits]

Disclaimer: These thoughts are more emotionally than logically expressed, and reflect my own experience and preference.

[themyscirah]

This is such a "nobody else has read this comic" moment but like. It kills me every day that we never see Simon's conversation with Amanda Waller in JLA (2013) #5. Like I NEED to know what she said to him in that room. He goes in fully intending to detach himself from all the drama of his origin arc and get the government off his back yet when he leaves he joins Waller's JLA (which is a different, rival entity of the JL at this time). And THEN in JLA comic he's not just on the team, he's one of the more pro-Waller/pro-authority members!!! Which doesn't sound like Simon!!! Like at all! But again this is the Wall we are talking about. And they had a private conversation together! For an unspecified amount of time! That we know nothing about! Like this is Amanda freaking Waller if anyone could say something to make this make sense it would be her. SO I NEED TO KNOW WHAT SHE SAID. but also also also we see ANOTHER change of heart from Simon towards Waller (and the government) in Green Lanterns #1! (I think.) Here he's shown being fed up as the government tries to manipulate him for information and to gain power and such and is like keeping tabs on him and his family etc. So obviously he's become disillusioned with this and is not happy about it, which is the kind of reaction you would expect from him! Like that actually makes sense!!!

So its like logically you figure that his characterization in JLA is bad (it is new 52) and doesn't make sense and stems from an ignorance of his character (who had been in literally 16 comics before this. Including cameos. Like bruh just read them) and that's why this doesn't make sense. BUT THERE'S STILL THAT CONVERSATION WITH WALLER. Like I want this to my sense so bad. And my brain knows what Amanda Waller is like like it KNOWS that something could have plausibly happened in that room to make this line up! Like it's Amanda freaking Waller anything could have happened there. I need to know what happened there. I will NEVER know what happened there.