#and HIS tendency to see things straight-on and *not* over complicate them

[fortes-fortuna-iogurtum]

"there is no escaping that you are a woman!! just as there is no escaping that I am a man!! use what you have to your advantage!!!! just as anyone else does, man or woman!!! it is no more complex than that--so do not make it so!!!"

#maybe this show actually DOES have some good and nuanced and interesting things to say about gender????? #also good grief Eliza really does like to overthink and over-complicate everything huh #......it is INTENSELY relatable jdshksjdhkfh #and a large part of what makes her and William such an effective team (personally as well as investigatively) #is her tendency to think about things in weird convoluted out-of-the-box ways #and HIS tendency to see things straight-on and *not* over complicate them #this difference of thinking is often what sets them at odds but it's ALSO where #when they let it #they have a SERIOUS advantage when they work as a team over either of them working alone #another point for the overarching theme of the series being about the duality of men and women and how they really need to learn #to get along and use each other's strengths in concert with their own instead of constantly competing!!!! #miss scarlet and the duke #gurt says stuff

[deconstructthesoup]

One thing I really liked about the Scott Pilgrim anime is that Gideon is the only one who remained evil.

Yeah, he got a depression arc, and he got a girlfriend who's scary enough to not take his shit and for him to actually respect her, but he's still evil. He still fully intended to blow up a theater to get back at someone. He got his CEO position back, and we all know that that's only an opportunity for him to be more evil. And if the end credits scene is to go off of, he's got plans.

But the other exes? They got closure. They got character development. They got to move forward. Because they honestly... weren't that bad.

Matthew Patel, who had the biggest glowup, was literally just a middle school thing. Yeah, Ramona ditched him and was kind of sucky, but it probably wouldn't have lasted anyway. And like she said, he didn't really get "evil" until high school, and by then he'd already moved.

Lucas Lee? Maybe he had some mild toxic tendencies when he and Ramona dated, but from what he saw, he was actually pretty sweet during their relationship. In the comics, he's honestly the most reasonable of the exes, deciding to actually have a chat with Scott before Scott convinces him to grind to death. And he didn't do anything to Ramona to make her break up with him---she just dumped him for Todd.

Todd Ingram, while being a little bit obsessive---and based on the comics and the anime, a compulsive cheater---didn't seem that horrible when they were dating, either, unless you count the "punch the hole in the moon" thing. He and Ramona broke up because of a long-distance thing. She went off to college, he went back to Envy. Bit of a douche? Yeah. Actively horrible to her? Not really, honestly.

Roxie Richter, our incredible half-ninja lesbian, is arguably the best out of Ramona's exes. She and Ramona had a genuinely healthy relationship, they actually got along great, and Roxie deeply cared about her... and Ramona straight-up broke her heart. When you look at it, Roxie really is the only ex who fully did nothing wrong. No erratic tendencies that caused Ramona to decide to cut her out, no behaviors that Ramona probably knew would become problematic unless she split. Roxie was sweet, she was Ramona's bi awakening... and Ramona didn't like her as much as Roxie liked her. The whole situation was just mass miscommunication, and it's totally understandable why Roxie is still bitter down the line. Unlike with the others, Ramona's fully in the wrong, which is why they need to reconcile first.

Kyle and Ken---okay, in the comics, they were amazing villains, and it's kind of a crime that they keep getting shafted, but honestly... I get it. Their relationship with Ramona wasn't actually that complicated. They were players, she played them back, they resented her for it until they got over it. Of course they're the exes that are kind of the masterminds in the anime---along with Old Scott---and of course they're the exes that are the most chill.

Gideon, on the other hand, is the only ex who can only be described as a full-on bastard. Out of all seven of the "evil" exes, Gideon's the only one who Ramona outright says was abusive. In the comics, beyond just starting the league, he controlled her and Scott's mind and straight-up imprisoned his own ex-girlfriends, fully intending to do the same to Ramona. He's also the only ex who was defeated by both Scott and Ramona, and it's the most satisfying thing to see him fully get his ass kicked. It's fully unsurprising that his backstory in the anime was that he was an incel who nobody liked, and he got dangerous once he got money.

So of course, when all of the other exes are getting cool redemption arcs, moments of self-actualization, coming-out moments, and instances of actually befriending the heroes, Gideon's the one who stays an asshole. He has a fall from grace and becomes a loser, the girl who he winds up with is also evil and thinks him being evil is hot, and at the end of the series, they're a villain power couple, emphasis on villain. Gideon learned to treat his girlfriend with respect, and probably moved on from Ramona... aaaaaaand that's it. He's still a dick. He's still an evil mastermind.

So... yeah. The Scott Pilgrim anime is great, as are the comics. Check 'em both out.

#the movie's all right I guess #scott pilgrim #scott pilgrim takes off #gideon graves

[cody-paranatural]

I am afraid that Coby is setting himself up to be severely and devastatingly disappointed with his conclusions about his mom.

THAT BOY IS SETTING HIMSELF UP FOR SOOOOOO MUCH DISAPPOINTMENT <3 

I love Cody’s in-universe theory crafting So Much. I love how much he was able to piece together (he’s a clever little guy :] and a schemer. i say that with all the love in my heart btw) and also in the spirit of actual real life theory making how he completely missed the mark on some of his guesses. And it’s understandable!!!! It’s not like he knows his mom is a weird special werewolf that never changes back into a human. Because that’s straight up not how being a werewolf normally works and why would he assume his mom is an exception he doesn’t even know is possible. 

Something going wrong with Cody’s plan was pretty much inevitable the moment we found out about it, and I for one can’t wait to see how things turn out thanks to Cody’s several incorrect assumptions. And I LOVE how extremely confident he sounds about all of it. “The uncertainty was theater; he’d decided he was right.”; “Cody had no doubt in his deductions.”

Cody my boy, some doubt and uncertainty would do you good in the long run I think. It’s not very surprising though, since we see him make the exact same mistake before! Cody is a pretty capable 12 year old and he knows it, and that’s good! It’s good that he knows what his strengths are. The problem is that he gets so sure of himself that he ends up being overconfident and underestimating those around him. Like with hitball for example! 

Cody knows he’s good at this, he’s quite literally supernaturally good at sports. He’s so sure of his abilities that he told Hijeff that he has to go carry the team. And that overconfidence is how Dimitri, Max, RJ and Ollie got him in the end. Because if you look at Dimitri’s plan, how complicated that whole thing is, it becomes clear that Dimitri used Cody’s confidence against him. Like Dimitri was So Sure that Cody would easily dodge all the other throws (and he was right) and that Cody would get so caught up in the fact that he didn’t have much trouble with dodging them, including the one they made to look like their final one, that he would stop paying as much attention to his surroundings (and again. he was right). Which goes to show that this is a quite noticeable quality about Cody (though to be fair, Dimitri is very clever and seems to be quite good at picking up on these things (at least when he’s able to look at things somewhat objectively, Dimitri tends to let his feelings cloud his judgment.)). 

And that’s not even counting his thoughts “I’ll just slip through the cracks” and his little mind monologue from when he was about to get hit with the golden switch. It also ties into something else I really like about Cody, which is how similar he is to his dad and his absolute lack of self-reflection about any of it <3 Cody is obviously nowhere near as bad as Davy, but the similarities are there! And it makes sense since that’s just how kids work, they get influenced by the people around them. Like, Davy’s absolute trust in himself, his extreme confidence, those are things I’ve just discussed about Cody taken to their extremes. And the list goes on! Just look at Cody’s extreme protectiveness over his friends and his tendency to keep them in the dark. Or the fact that both Cody and Davy do the thing where they carefully control conversation in a way that lets them learn as much information as they can (we can see Davy do this on page 1 with Peter Puckett, and Cody mentions doing the same with LB and RB on page 47, Zack even used similar wording to describe what they did). Or their shared love for theatrics. I just find that so interesting and fun to think about! It’s great :] 

Also I am going to change the topic and talk about how EXCITED this update made me about future interactions between Jean and Cody. I had a mighty need to see these two interact ever since I subscribed to the “Shrike is Cody’s mom theory” and seeing that theory confirmed already made that excitement grow tenfold. But now? Now that we know that Shrike was faking her death for like 3-ish years (Zack confirmed on twitter that they were around the same age as in the first chapter 7 flashback, and based on Cody’s age I’m assuming that Jean, Rick and Mina were 13-ish when Shrike faked her death), and was watching him from the shadows. Now that we know that Jean was wrong in chapter 7 when he said “She would have come back for me, she would have!” (I love Paranatural mentor-mentee/parental figure-child relationships I love how adults never fail to let down the kids they’re supposed to be looking after I love how it all either stems from them prioritizing their own problems or pushing everyone away, thinking that keeping them in the dark is the best way to protect them I love how that secrecy just keeps causing problems for everybody. It's so good.), because she left, thinking she was doing the right thing. Like Jean thinks that the only reason she wasn’t with him is because she was stuck as a werewolf ever since whatever accident he was talking about in chapter 7. And we know that’s not true! And talking to Cody would make that Very Clear, since Cody more or less knows the date Shrike actually disappeared for good. Do you all see the vision. It’s gonna be GREAT.

#paranatural #pnat #THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE ASK CLUELESS-RARITO #i enjoyed writing all of this so so much! i love talking about cody :] #once again sorry for getting insanely off topic and rambling way too much but once i start talking it's very hard for me to stop

[scribbleseas]

Straight Laced, Chapter IV: To Be A Helpful Dance Partner

Description: After the London’s Royal Ballet company’s prima ballerina goes missing within a string of mysterious disappearances among the ballet’s young ballerinas, you finally get your chance to debut in the leading role, taking on the position’s physical toil and immense social pressure. Although this role was supposed to be your grand jeté into the spotlight, it is quickly complicated when these disappearances catch the eye of Ciel Phantomhive — the Queen’s Guard Dog. He is a captious and shrewd man who also happens to be one of London’s most eligible bachelors.

For enough profit for you to secure your freedom for the first time, Lord Phantomhive double casts you as both his accomplice to solving these dancer disappearances and… his pretend lover. While debuting as London’s new prima ballerina, you must perfect a brand new routine: deceiving all of the nation’s polite society while actively searching for a serial killer — all while being an immigrant from France with a dancer’s reputation.

What could go wrong when you realize this off-stage performance of yours may not be an act at all?

Story Warnings: detailed description of gore, pain, and violence, detailed death, smut & explicit sexual scenes, allusions to non-consensual sex, objectification, prostitution, allusions to under-aged prostitution, smoking, drinking, eating disorder tendencies (food restriction, frequent references to wanting to maintain a certain weight, over-practicing & exercising), infidelity, fake courtship, swearing

Author’s Note: Oh, my. This is just over 9,000 words; I highly suggest getting a snack and finding somewhere comfortable if you intend to read this in one sitting. I really don’t know what happened, but I adore this chapter so much. I had so much fun writing it! Thank you so much for all of your support - I can’t believe I’m so close to 100 followers! I appreciate it more than anything.

One more thing: let us all collectively scream at the fact that us anime enjoyers are getting a season 4 of the anime!! Isn’t that something? I’m so stoked to watch it and come up with even more Ciel stories for us!! (I say, as if I don’t already have 3 baby ciel fics in the drafts.)

Happy Reading,

- Dan

MASTERLIST

⇐ PREVIOUS CHAPTER | NEXT CHAPTER ⇒

Late October

The Royal Opera House, The Practice Room

No one dared settle in the middle of the frontmost barre. It was arguably the best spot in the practice room because all of the directional mirrors on the walls reflected the dancer in the spot— therefore, they could watch themself plié from any angle.

Being the lead prima ballerina, it was your spot after Janet died. The mirror her steely blue eyes would burn into was now yours and in the time before you joined the investigation, you relished having your own detached space. A vicinity where you could only see yourself while the rest of the cast shared what was left— just as you had before your promotion.

Now, you were purposely choosing to your old spot: the far left side of the main barre. You waited until Violet arrived and settled to your right. It was her usual spot and she was so accustomed to the routine, that she hardly spared you a glance.

“Hello, Violet,” you greeted, startling her as she adjusted her leotard. Warm-up class, Natasha’s pre-performance requirement, started in about two hours but dancers were sure to start arriving soon. You didn’t have a lot of time to accomplish what you wished. The ballerinas with something to prove were always there about an hour ahead of time. You would know— you used to be among them, pleading with Natasha for private lessons, picking every step apart like an austere war general. If it is not perfect, it is not correct.

Startled, Violet’s breath hitched as she flinched, acting as if you intimidated her. “Good afternoon, Y/n,” she replied timidly, her onyx eyes searching for a reason as to why you were speaking to her. You didn’t know her last name— you had never spoken to her. “You’re here early,” she ventured, attempting to draw an explanation from you.

“I want to talk with you,” you admitted, dropping your voice to a conspiratorial low. The two of you were alone for the time being, and you needed to have this conversation in private. Ciel wanted to raise as minimal concern as possible, and Violet was one of the quietest in the company. If you spoke with her, even about such a controversial topic, she would never tell anyone. The only other dancer she would have spoken to was the late Eliza O’Malley, whose patron was co-hosting the ball that you were to attend with Ciel later that night. Alexander Huntington.

“Did you?” Violet asked, pausing in front of the mirror to decide how she wanted to begin warming herself up. She inhaled sharply and dropped into a demi plié, her right hand holding the bar as her left drew outwards elegantly. “Why?”

You mirrored her, dropping into a demi plié and following her into her next fluid movement, a grand plié. “About the disappearances,” you stepped into second position and repeated the demi and grand pliés with her. Violet studied your movements, taking in your lengthened back, and the way you positioned your fingers. Of course. You were Odette. She was one of the shortest dancers in the company, and therefore, one of the four swans in the pas de chat.

Along with Violet, Eliza O’Malley was one of the swans before she died. Going missing before Janet and Amélie, she was the eighth dancer to vanish or die, rather. Your heart was heavy when Ciel told you that her body was found, but the details must have been so gruesome, that Ciel decided to spare you. “You were close with Eliza, were you not?”

Your words caused Violet to pause before turning her feet into third position and continuing to plié. Her pale skin seemed to only grow ashier as she regarded you. Watching her closely, you noticed that she was alarmingly thin— more emaciated than any ballerina would ideally be. With her raven black hair and matching brown eyes, you imagined that if Sebastian had a daughter, Violet would resemble her.

“We were best friends, I loved her,” Violet’s lip quivered, her voice no higher than a broken whisper. It was a pained whimper, the defeated sound of a mortally wounded animal.

“Will you come to my dressing room?” You asked, not anticipating her earnest confession. You wanted to give her the dignity of crying in private. “I need your help.”

Even more to your surprise, Violet agreed. Her trembling hands picked up her bag and shouldered it as she followed you to your private space. She startled at the harsh sound of your closing door.

“How…could I possibly help you? And what could you even need help with?” Violet asked, her curiosity defeating her concerns. She stared into her lap, sitting stiffly on your vanity chair while you occupied the loveseat at its side.

“I think dancers from this company are dying. Not going missing like everyone has been saying,” you said evenly, trying to speak with warm understanding in your voice to avoid upsetting her further. “I think someone killed Eliza and the others.”

Violet nodded resolutely, her inability to stay still reminding you of a wary bird. “I think you’re right,” she sniffled. “It was William Wood. I know it, and I come here during off hours to try to find the spare key to his office. I know he has one around here somewhere for when he forgets his copy at home. There’s got to be evidence in there—” The more she spoke, the faster her words came. They were confident, broken, and so certain that it was disquieting.

“Mr. Wood?” You asked in disbelief, causing her to give you a wide-eyed, silencing look. You must have said his name too loudly, but you doubted there was anyone incriminating outside of your dressing room at the moment. “Why do you say—”

“He forces himself on dancers!” Violet exclaimed, a stark contrast from her frantic rambling. “Eliza and the rest of the girls who disappeared were only a handful of those he abused.”

Your mouth was dry with shock, your eyes stinging with the need to cry. Mr. Wood? Natasha’s husband? No. The man was only ever smiling. He was generous, and kind. He loved his wife, did he not?

Your stomach lurched. The deaths all took place before William departed for Paris. Even Sebastian estimated that the killer poisoned Amélie and put her in contact with the chemical weeks before her death. He said she must have absorbed it through her skin. William would have been in London, at the time. He would have still been in London when Janet went missing, as well, though her body had yet to be found. Was Mr. Wood truly capable of being so cruel?

“I think he kills them when he’s ready to move on. It keeps them quiet, s-so they don’t tell the Yard, or Natasha, or ruin his company, or…” she rambled, wringing her hands in her lap. “It’s only a matter of time before he moves on to the next one. You should be careful, Y/n.”

That was not the first time you heard the sentiment.

You put a tender hand on her fidgeting ones. Her nail beds were bitten raw. “Violet. I want to help you find who has been doing this. I… need to know where you have looked for his office key, and everyone you know he has assaulted. Can you help me with that?” You asked gently, using the same soothing voice you would calm a terrified animal.

When she didn’t respond, you continued. “I may not be able to tell you much, but I am working with someone who will stop at nothing to solve these murders. He truly is very smart,” the words tasted as bitter as cigar smoke, but you meant them. You had never met anyone quite as focused and certain as Ciel Phantomhive. He was the Queen’s loyal Guard Dog, and you were his accomplice. And his faux lover.

“Lord Phantomhive?” She asked, wiping away a fresh tear. Her lips turned upwards in a weak smile. “I knew that the timing was rather convenient— his courting you.”

You let yourself snort, amused that she stitched your collective lies and admissions together to find the truth. “Please do not tell anyone. If people find out…” you started, knowing she was smart enough to understand that if any other dancers know, then Natasha would find out, and inevitably, her husband would from her. Natasha deserved to find out that her husband was unfaithful, but not in such a painful way.

“No one will hear it from me,” Violet said resolutely, her cold hand giving yours a brief, yet reassuring, squeeze.

That Evening, Post-Performance

The Royal Opera House, Your Dressing Room

Ciel waited for you outside your dressing room after the performance, as he did every other evening. When he was unable to escort you, he would send two of his house staff members or Sebastian to escort you, highly concerned with your safety because of his ‘long list of enemies.’

Apparently, policing London’s Underworld did not make Ciel popular amongst big crime syndicates and even small-time criminals, making you a potential target. A weakness. Especially after The Oxford Gazette released a brief about your courtship, complete with quotes from Ciel and yourself. Speaking with Adam Blackwell during one of your performances’ intermissions earlier that week had been equal parts invigorating and intimidating.

Even if it was a startling process, the article had been illuminating for your public character. He painted you as an industrious self-starter who moved from France to pursue your passion for ballet. But you weren’t naïve enough to believe that a glowing review from the Adam Blackwell would completely erase the inevitable social repercussions you and Ciel would face for this faux pas. An Earl — especially one of Ciel’s magnitude — and a commoner such as yourself was unheard of.

Natasha easily unclipped your Odette costume, a white tutu with feather detail. The bodice was a strict and unforgiving corset, the clasps going up your back. You would never be able to get in and out of the costume on your own, even though Natasha had every right to force you to make do. She was the company director, not the lead costume designer. The costume designer, a kindly and mature woman named Poppy, was hard at work with measurements for The Nutcracker, and all of the costuming assistants worked on the wardrobes with her, rather than Natasha.

As the director, Natasha dedicated nearly every minute of her life into the Royal Opera House Company and for so little in return. For all of her earnest work, she received next to nothing in return. You couldn’t help but pity her.

“Lord Phantomhive’s butler asked me for your birthstone the other evening,” Natasha grinned as she fastened your costume back onto its hanger. “You do know what that means, yes?” She asked, her stormy blue eyes alight piqued interest.

“No,” you replied nonchalantly, your lips starting to curve upwards in a smile. You needed to play the role you were cast in: the unorthodox woman who caught the Earl’s attention. You needed to be lovestruck; you needed to be playful. “Do you?” You said with enough irony for Natasha to playfully roll her eyes and snicker.

“It means the Earl is looking to buy you an expensive gift, Y/n. A custom-made piece.”

“So soon?” You chuckled in a way you hoped was bashful. Natasha had never seen you in love before, but you presumed you’d be more tight-lipped than telling her every detail regarding your experiences with particular suitors — good and bad.

You unclipped your costume’s headpiece and offered it to the director once she finished hanging your Odette outfit next to the Odile ensemble on your wall.

For convenience, you slipped into a clean leotard and the long wool coat Ciel bought for you. It was the same charcoal black as his, and the hem fell to your knees. It was, by far, the warmest item of clothing you owned— it was just in time for the autumn season to shift into the bitter winter. Your tights matched your skin, giving your clothing an entirely nude palette.

“I know. How exciting,” Natasha said, all cheer and amazement for your success, given that a woman’s future heavily depended on the sort of man she married. She was always in your corner, ever since you joined the company. You imagined it was because she saw herself in you. The same hunger for brilliance and perfection. You imagined Natasha was a stunning prima ballerina before her accident, having met William because she amazed him with her portrayal of Aurora in the Opera House’s production of Sleeping Beauty about five years ago.

You felt another sting of pity for having to withhold such important information about her marriage from her.

For the sake of the investigation, you could hear Ciel chime in the back of your mind.

“Have a magical night, Cinderella,” Natasha joked, steadying her cane as she readied herself to leave. “I hope your ball is enchanting tonight. They tend to be.”

You quirked an eyebrow, struggling from the irony. You were the furthest from a fairytale princess— only heading to the ball because your fake Prince Charming needed to court you to divert suspicion for a serial killer investigation. “Does that make you my Fairy Godmother?”

“Something of the sort,” she winked before leaving, saying a brief hello to Ciel as she passed him.

That Evening, Pre-Ball

Your Bedroom

“You had a new dress made for me?” You couldn’t keep the surprise and slight frustration from your voice as you gaped at the various pieces of a clearly expensive ball gown. It was darker than blood, an intense and ironic color that you wouldn’t have expected from Ciel, given his trademark blues and blacks. A pearl necklace, a matching set of pearl drop earrings, three silver rings, and a pair of white gloves sat on your dresser. Matching red heels waited on your chair cushion— they were relatively short.

“Yes. It is of the utmost importance that your clothing assures the rest of the nobility that you belong on my Lord’s arm,” Sebastian replied. “I took the liberty of bringing your measurements to our modiste.”

Where could Sebastian have possibly learned your dress measurements? You wondered, your eyes widening and lips pursing with stress. If Sebastian could find such minuscule details about you, his master’s ally, you were scared for those who fell on the other side of his opulent shield.

“Shall I help you prepare, Miss Y/n?” Sebastian asked, fastening his necktie around his eyes for your modesty— not that it was of importance to you anymore. He moved before you could answer, completely aware that your answer would be yes.

As Sebastian pieced your dress together— several smaller, complex accessories went under the top petticoat— he held an impromptu etiquette lesson.

“You must address nobles with their rightful titles, Miss. Given that you are a commonoer, all titles are above yours— you must refer to nobles as my Lord and my Lady. You must not engage in any impolite conversation,” Sebastian continued, tightening your corset. It felt as if he was suffocating you with the excessive information and by over-constricting the undergarment. “By impolite conversation I mean: do not engage in argument, do not interrupt anyone when they are speaking, do not lose temper or speak excitedly, do not speak of personal matters. By personal matters, I am referring to…”

Even if he was overzealous when it came to cramming two decades worth of knowledge into your brain, you knew Sebastian meant well. He was helping you master etiquette because ultimately, your success was his master’s as well. If you could play the role of a reformed ballerina, it would ensure that the investigation would remain as inconspicuous as possible. A strong show of social prowess from you meant you and Ciel could bring the killer (potentially your employer, if Violet was right) to justice.

By the time Sebastian was finished preparing you, your head pounded, a physical manifestation of every rule the butler engrained into you. Furthermore, the woman who returned your gaze in the mirror was certainly not you. She was the picture of opulence— she wore the pearl necklace elegantly as if it were her birthright. Her hair was out of its typical ballerina bun, styled partially up and partially down impeccably. It bounced in ringlets that Sebastian accomplished through a long process including fire-heated tongs and curl paper.

Perhaps, you truly were Cinderella for once.

“How will you address Gabriel Giffard and Alexander Huntington tonight?” Sebastian asked as he rolled the long white gloves up your hands. He slid your rings on for you— they were thin silver bands, matching the silver in your pearl drop earrings.

You punctuated your silence with a hum, drawing yourself from staring into your reflection. “Gabriel is the Viscount of Tiverton so it would be…Lord Tiverton and Alexander is…” You closed your eyes briefly to try to recall if Alexander had a noble title. No, he is only a wealthy businessman. “Mr. Huntington.”

“Very good, Miss,” Sebastian said. He studied your face before turning back to your vanity. He picked a light lip rouge, a soft red that was natural enough for your lips to appear bitten, rather than painted. Your makeup was significantly less dramatic than you’d ever worn, and instead, it accentuated the features you already had. It was less of a weapon and more of a tool. Sebastian ran the near-neutral lip salve over your lips and gave you a tissue to blot any excess away.

“There. You resemble a proper lady, now,” Sebastian said. If he hadn’t been looking at you like an artist after his final brushstroke on his masterpiece, you would have been offended. Instead, you looked at yourself once more and found yourself agreeing with him— albeit hesitantly.

“Thank you, Sebastian,” you replied earnestly. “I could never have accomplished something like this on my own,” you felt strangely emotional. You spent most of your life in ratty leotards, and months-old tights. Even now that you were the principal dancer, you spent even more time in such makeshift wardrobe, only able to wear pieces that made statments during performances. Of course, those statements were made to represent your character, rather than yourself. Privately, you supposed this was no different.

Sebastian chuckled, expecting the sentiment. “If I couldn’t do this much, what kind of butler would I be?” He asked rhetorically, offering you his arm to allow him to escort you to the carriage, where Ciel awaited you. There was a foreign anxiety in your stomach that worsened with every step toward the vehicle as if you worried about how Sebastian’s master might react to your appearance. Or perhaps, anxiety was of the long-term effects of being unable to breathe properly.

You preferred that explanation much more than the former.

“I finally understand why you nobles are always so unpleasant,” you declared, stepping into the carriage with help from Sebastian. You settled on the seat opposite from Ciel, per the norm, but the dark carriage kept you from seeing more than some of his face highlighted by lamp posts outside the carriage window.

“Excuse me?” Ciel blanched, taken aback by your greeting. “Did you not just have a lesson in etiquette with my butler?”

“This corset hinders my breathing, and I can barely remember all of the rules from within my lesson,” you adjusted your skirts to keep them from catching in the carriage door. The gown took up nearly all of the space on your bench and in the rest of the space. “Not to mention, I have plenty of ball gowns. It was unnecessary for you to—”

“We couldn’t have you re-wearing some dress from some old patron,” Ciel explained. “That would have been most unseemly.”

You rolled your eyes. Of course, the Earl dressed you in the most expensive and elegant ensembles you’ve ever worn to preserve his image, of all things. Though you supposed, he was sacrificing more than you were, at least on the social stage. You had to look and act flawlessly, or it would only drive him to further (self-inflicted, of course) ruin. The fact that you had to pretend to be in love was Ciel’s fault, to begin with! You were entirely innocent!

Your face sobered as you recalled the crucial information Violet uncovered for you. “Oh— Ciel, I learned something today,” you admitted, your sudden urgency capturing his attention. “I heard that William Wood takes sexual advantage of company members— many of whom have been killed over the past several weeks….” You started, exhaling as if the information was constricting your lungs as painfully as the corset was in the midst of doing.

Ciel’s grave expression didn’t insinuate surprise. Instead, it only grew stormier. “I’ve heard the rumors of the like about the bastard. I was looking to confirm them,” his fist clenched in his lap. “For this evening, we will speak with Alexander Huntington. We will need to investigate William Wood, next. Understood?”

That Evening, The Ball

Alexander Huntington’s Estate, The Grand Ballroom

This is another stage, Y/n. It is not unlike the Opera House, you repeated to yourself in an effort to quell your drumming pulse. It was anxiety; it was excitement. It was the same readiness you felt moments before the beginning of a new performance; the feeling of knowing that there were several dozens of eyes on you.

“Remember everything Sebastian told you,” Ciel mumbled, moments before stepping through the grand entrance and into the ballroom. He’d led you up the grand stairway in the front of the main building and through the open doors, which were flanked by two guards. Your arms were laced together, and you watched his face fade from Ciel Phantomhive and ignite once more to portray the Earl of Phantomhive, a small, certain smile tugging the corner of his lips, his chin raised.

You didn’t need to force yourself to smile in amazement. Lord Tiverton’s ballroom was bursting with life— over 100 nobles occupied the space as they danced, talked, ate, and drank. Astonishing paintings lined the walls, accompanied by intricate wood paneling and long leafy plants by the ballroom’s balcony. One great stairway led to the elevated space, which was also crowded with people.

After taking every facet of the space in, you allowed your grin to fall back into something closer to the detached amusement on Ciel’s face. Sebastian had told you to appear pleased, but not too pleased as it would be an affront to your courtship with Ciel.

“Ah, Phantomhive! You’ve finally managed to show your face!” A man greeted Ciel. You were walking in his group’s general direction, and Ciel’s answering half-smile (it was much more genuine than his previously idle look) suggested that the group was his intended destination, to begin with. The man who called out appeared to be around your age. He was lightly tanned with tousled light brown hair, and matching hazel eyes. His smile displayed his white teeth and drew your attention to his tasteful goatee and beard.

“Hello, Tiverton,” Ciel answered, stopping across from the Viscount as the rest of the group made room for the both of you. This was Gabriel Giffard — Lord Tiverton — a co-host of the ball. The only face you recognized in the group was Adam Blackwell, the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Gazette; the rest of the group consisted of a young woman with curly red hair, and a man with dark hair and even stormier gray eyes. “Where is Huntington?”

“Dancing with Margaret. Why? Tired of us already?” Tiverton asked. Good-natured jabbing— lack of formality. Sebastian hadn’t told you that Ciel was on close terms with the Viscount.

Before Ciel could reply, Tiverton changed the subject. “You cannot walk away without introducing your partner. That would be rude.”

Now the rest of the group seemed comfortable with overtly staring at you, rather than continuing to attempt to mask their curious looks. You remained silent, per Sebastian’s warning, and allowed Ciel to speak — no matter how it enraged you. Given that you had the lowest status, you were unable to introduce yourself to anyone of higher rank. Ciel needed to do so for you.

“Fine, yes. This is Y/n Y/l/n, the lead prima ballerina of the London Royal Opera House Company,” Ciel said, but his delivery was completely wrong. He was too stiff and detached— as if he was getting paid to attend the ball with you.

“The pleasure is mine, Lord Tiverton,” you said politely, dipping in a shallow curtsy to observe his Viscount title. You could feel Ciel stiffen next to you, clearly wanting to comment on the fact that you respected Gabriel’s title while refusing to give him the same treatment at every opportunity. The thought of his silent frustration helped nurture your natural grin; the pinching in your cheeks was beginning to make the expression stiffen into something artificial and unsettling.

“We’ve heard much about you, Y/n. Do enjoy the ball— even if your partner here is a bit of a wallflower,” Tiverton gestured to Ciel with his chin, turning the group’s attention away from you once more. You assumed he made the cheap joke with that goal in mind, sensing your light discomfort beneath your shield of satin, pearls, and unearned confidence.

“Not everyone loves to dance, Tiverton,” Ciel said with a comedic bitterness that matched his sardonic half-grin. Brilliant light from the chandelier reflected in his exposed eye. He truly was unfairly attractive.

“You shouldn’t admit such a thing. You’re courting a literal prima ballerina,” Blackwell scoffed, giving you a firm head nod to denote his acceptance of you. The other two in the group, the freckled woman with the red hair, and the grumpy man with the perpetual scowl, had yet to give you any indication of acceptance. She studied you like a foreign agent in a laboratory, while he seemed uninterested in your presence.

Your eyes widened. Of course, Ciel disliked dancing— the man despised everything that wasn’t monochrome, monotonous, and dreary. Even still…he also disliked partaking in activities that he didn’t particularly excel at. Could he be a bad dancer?

You had to work to hold your laughter in. Instead, you turned to Ciel, your gaze sinister. “I have never danced with you, Lord Phantomhive. I believe a waltz would be most exhilarating,” you suggested, silently daring him to reject you in front of his usual company.

For once, Ciel stuttered, at a near loss for words. “I… perhaps after we greet Alexander and his wife. We may join the waltz after that,” he wanted to use this opportunity to take his leave of the conversation and find the target. So much for enjoying the ball.

“That sounds like a lovely idea,” you agreed placidly, playing the role of a polite young woman, despite her promiscuous occupation. Sebastian emphasized that in this setting, being unagreeable simply was not an option. Neither was failing to be polite and kind— which apparently, you were not on an average day. But who could blame you?

Ciel was rarely a ray of sunshine, even when he was poorly acting in front of a group.

“Shall we go?” You prompted, keeping your tone light and patient to avoid appearing desperate to exit the conversation.

“Yes. Enjoy the night, everyone,” Ciel said before leading you back down the stairway to the main floor once again. Once you were out of earshot, he lowered his voice. “We will use this waltz as a diversion. Sebastian will ensure Alexander stays away from his office, should he leave the ballroom,” he explained, his gaze locking on Alexander and his wife as they danced, laughing amongst themselves. They seemed like a loving couple— hardly one that would be half unfaithful.

“So we are not waltzing?” You asked, pouting exaggeratingly as he led you past the side of the dancing area — the center of the vast ballroom — and towards a side corridor. The both of you had to make occasional stops every few steps to greet someone new. You stopped keeping track of names and affiliations after the third mother-daughter combination approached you to size up your relationship with one of London’s most eligible bachelors. Having to respond to jealous and longing looks with your blazing grin became something akin to a game.

“No, we need to search for clues in the suspect’s office,” Ciel responded boredly, his tone telling you not to continue pressing the matter. You wanted to ask him why you didn’t have Sebastian search the office while you both continued to work the ball, but you assumed his haughty response might be along the lines of: this is my investigation. He merely acts as I instruct him, rather than making moves on his own.

Even if Sebastian could search the room much faster than the two of you could, Ciel would underutilize him to secure his position as the master.

“It seems unlocked,” you said, surprised when the door knob turned obediently in your hand. “That means he has nothing to hide, no?”

“Or it could mean he believes he has everything hidden well— or in a different location…” the Earl stepped inside before you and locked the door after you entered behind him. He took a moment to survey the room before starting towards Alexander’s long oak desk. The desk was covered with an assortment of papers, pens, a typewriter, and a candlestick telephone. Ciel started sifting through the sloppy records on the desktop not without complaining about the mess, of course. (Is the man too frugal to bother hiring a live-in maid?”)

“He certainly has an appreciation for fine art…” you mumbled, inspecting the painted canvas that hung on the wall. Aside from the art, his desk, and an office chair, there was nothing else in Alexander’s office. It was painfully empty, compared to Ciel’s ample bookshelves, bay window, and wall decor.

Still, the office was too simple for a hyperconfident man. Alexander was supposed to be a smart entrepreneur with ideas bright enough to persuade a Viscount to co-found a company with him. He wasn’t supposed to leave his office door and desk drawers unlocked unless he was trying to appear innocent to anyone looking. Business-savvy men kept their records well-maintained, rather than carelessly splayed out. At least they ensured their crucial documents were secure.

You decided to think back to what you knew about the powerful men who sponsored you over the past few years. None of them would leave such a private room so accessible unless they were hiding more crucial information, and using this display to deter any wandering eyes. This setup had to be a distraction. There was no other explanation, given the number of servants that were maintaining the ballroom— serving drinks, amuse bouches, managing garbage — there was no reason for them to avoid their master’s office unless they were specifically ordered to do so.

If Alexander was looking to sidetrack intruders in the office by giving them a messy scene to work with, then there had to be something in the room he was looking to distract them from…

You hummed, taking a step to the side to look at the painting’s canvas from the side. It wasn’t directly adhered to the wall as most paintings were— there was a gap between the back of the frame to the wall itself since the work hung from a nail hammered into the wall. Without any further thought, you moved the painting off the wall and set it on the floor, the movement easy given that the painting was quite small.

Of course, if it was easy for you to move, it had to be lighter than a feather for Alexander to lift it as many times as he pleased.

“How did you think of that?” Ciel demanded, staring at the newly exposed cutout in the wall as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. “You— moved the— and—”

You surged forward. “Look. These are checks made out to Eliza O’Malley,” you pulled the papers out of the cutout. “The last one was made the week before she died. It has not been cashed,” you said, turning the document to Ciel for him to look at it over your shoulder.

“They stopped immediately before she died,” Ciel mused.

“Could he have heard of her death? That she went missing?”

“The Yard is on strict orders from Her Majesty to keep these deaths private,” he said. “It is unlikely he was aware that anything was wrong before it was time to write the next check.”

“Meaning… Alexander had to know that something happened to her,” you were unsure if your words were supposed to be a statement or a question. “So as to know not to write her another check.”

“Unless he was about to choose another company member to subscribe to, or stop the practice altogether,” Ciel suggested, but you immediately knew better.

“That seems unlikely. He was her only patron for months,” you frowned, glancing back at the hole in the wall. There seemed to be other documents— mostly business related, given that his and Tiverton’s company monogram was stamped at the top of them. You also noticed assorted valuables, gold, jewelry, watches, and notes of currency (foreign and domestic). You felt a sting of homesickness when you noticed the stack of French francs.

“Come on, Ciel. I think there is nothing to accomplish without speaking to Alexander himself—

“There is no separating him from his wife smoothly at the moment,” Ciel cut in, making you roll your eyes. How was it that women in polite society weren’t to interrupt, but Ciel could interject whenever he felt like it?

You made a show of clearing your throat. “We should wait, then. And in the meantime, teach you how to be a convincing actor,” you advised the derision in your voice more than palpable. “I nearly forgot we were supposed to be courting, given how coldly you were treating me,” you continued, raising a challenging eyebrow. “If we continue this way, no one will believe us.”

“Then what do you suggest we do?” Ciel asked impatiently, “I seem to have forgotten that you were the mistress of everything regarding deception.” He put Alexander’s checks back into the wall and moved the floral painting back into its original position. In his frustration, his movements were hurried, jagged with an irritation that seemed reserved for you.

“Well, between the two of us, you certainly are not the master!” You fired back. “Come this way, we are wasting time,” you took his arm, unlocked the door, and practically pulled him back out to the ballroom. As luck would have it, Alexander’s orchestra was just beginning a new piece.

“No, you cannot be serious, Y/n…” The sound of the conversating guests and the beginning notes of a waltz nearly drowned out all of Ciel’s quiet protests. “Y/n— no,” he seemed desperate enough to consider bribing you out of the matter, but you had your mindset. Furthermore, there were too many pairs of eyes on you for him to outwardly refuse you without seeming suspicious.

You only released Ciel’s arm once you were settled in the middle of the dance floor. The spot allowed all of the ball’s attendees to freely stare at you and him, something that he seemed to be acutely aware of, given his vague blush. The pink flush tinted his cheeks, spreading up to the tips of his ears. As the music drew louder, you dropped into another curtsey, keeping yourself in line with Ciel’s bow, dropping and raising in tandem.

Mechanically, Ciel’s arm wrapped around your back while its counterpart took your hand. He was close enough for you to feel his rigid body, stiff with uncertainty — whether it was from his clear disdain of recreational dancing, having the limitless ballroom’s attention, or the realization that he was, indeed, awful at pretending to be in love.

“You need to relax and allow yourself to have fun, sometimes,” you said, wrapping your arm around his tense shoulder. Your gloved hand sat slightly above Ciel’s shoulder blade, the other trapped in his tight grasp. Your eyes locked on the sight of your intertwined fingers, slotting together perfectly. You nearly wished you weren’t wearing gloves so you could feel the warmth from his body, and the texture of his skin. His hands were always hidden by the same black gloves; you couldn’t help but wonder what his hands might have looked like. Did aristocrats have calluses, too?

“Dancing is fun,” you insisted, putting the entirety of your body into the next spin for emphasis. “Pretend I am someone you truly like. Someone you would enjoy spending time with— no matter what you are doing,” you suggested in an attempt to dispel the nauseous look on Ciel’s face. Instead, your words only caused him to look at you incredulously, suggesting that there was no one in his life he would feel such a way for. You didn’t blame him.

“Twirling about like children is not so much my idea of fun.”

“If you bothered to watch my performances, you would realize that dancing is an art form,” you said snidely, well aware of Ciel’s habit of waiting until each production ended before waiting outside your dressing room. He hadn’t deigned to watch you in your starring role, despite being your partner. “You might also realize that dance follows emotion.” You took the words from one of Natasha’s private lessons, but it was a phrase you repeated to yourself in a mirror more times than you could count.

“Dance follows emotion,” Ciel repeated dubiously, frowning at you. His reluctance seeped into his dance steps like spilled ink to surrounding fabric. You could still feel his tension, his slight panic, and his uncertainty.

“Listen to the music. Let it guide you— not how you feel. You know these moves, Ciel. It is a nonissue,” you urged. You didn’t have a lot of time to make this dance into something believable, it would only be a few moments before onlookers would expect Ciel’s initial awkwardness to evolve into a beautiful and soft display created by an unmatched affection for you.

You needed to show that the Earl of Phantomhive loved you enough to forgo his usual wallflower role and waltz with you, his ballerina.

“Just look into my eyes,” you suggested, thinking back to the notes Natasha gave to Timothy, the dancer playing Prince Siegfried while you rehearsed Act II’s Love Duet one last time before your first performance as a prima ballerina, rather than Swan Number 43. This performance featured you as the Swan Queen, Odette as she falls in love with The Prince. It is the complete antithesis of your pas de deux as Odile, your movements formed with humility and grace rather than overt audaciousness and flashiness. While Odette was an innocent victim, Odile was a cunning trickster.

Though, you struggled to recall her advice to Timothy… perhaps, what you needed in this situation was her advice to you.

You remembered Natasha telling you to move as if you were weightless to convince the audience that you were a woman who lived in the body of a swan during her days, the condition causing her to retain most of that legato movement in her human form at night. The routine was crucial to master in terms of chemistry because it displayed Odette’s transition from being afraid of The Prince, attempting to fly away and hide within herself, to timidly deciding to place her faith in his love for her. Unlike Odile, Odette moves with The Prince in matching, co-dependent steps. She doesn’t lead him into each new move because she is not manipulating The Prince into loving her as Odile is.

“Be ethereal, fluid, and delicate,” Natasha said, “make certain your port de bras resembles a swan’s wings.”

You tried to focus on more relevant insight. Anything Natasha had to say about the acting, the artistry that accompanied the athleticism in ballet. Particularly, how to capture the Swan Queen’s gentle movements. You needed to be a helpful dance partner or your farce wouldn’t survive the night. Come on, Y/n.

“Use Odette’s wounded backstory to transform it into something beautiful. Pour her pain into her selfless love. Your Odette may have a somberness to her, and that is fine because she is a victim of a curse. She puts every bit of that pain into maintaining her iron will. You can channel any strong feeling — anger, sorrow, joy — into passion.”

You stared into Ciel’s eye, tilting your head and smiling as his gaze finally managed to soften. “Better. See, you can channel any strong emotion into a passion. Think about your favorite tea or something that can only evoke kind feelings,” you explained with a newfound gentleness as the two of you settled into a natural rhythm with the music.

Something was paralyzing about his sapphire stare. It forced you to nearly miss a step in your waltz, causing you to fumble. He held the depths of the ocean in his eye— you wished he didn’t need his eyepatch. Selfishly, you wanted to look into both of his eyes.

A new grin played on Ciel's lips. It managed to reach the rest of his face, for once. “Be careful. We can’t have the principal dancer tripping over herself in a dance of all things,” he remarked, the arm around your lower back tightening to keep you steady. The hand clasping yours gradually relaxed from its business-like squeeze to a softer grasp meant for gentle dancing.

The piece drifted to an end. Couples around you stepped into their concluding stance, about a step away from one another. They bowed and curtsied to one another, or settled into another beginning stance to continue dancing. You looked at Ciel questioningly, confident that he would be more than ready to steer you back to the sidelines to continue making your rounds about the room.

That was until he extended his hand to you once more, after righting himself from his shallow bow. “It would be optimal to wait until most of the guests leave. Until then, we have time to kill,” he explained, gauging your reaction. You willingly accepted his hand and returned to your former position— gently ensnared in his arm, while rounding yours around his shoulder.

You were close enough to smell the sweet scent of expensive tea and clean soap wafting from his neck since the height difference between you and the Earl left you aligned with his sternum. Or more interestingly, the blood-red tie he wore to match your gown.

After Midnight, The Ball

Alexander Huntington’s Estate, Alexander’s Office

The ball was showing typical signs of a natural closing. Noble parties tended to extend into one in the morning, and typically the idle widows and daughters and mothers who were unimpressed with the ball’s bachelors started to take their leaves. The ballroom was still crowded, but there was a slight current of guests making their rounds of goodbyes and showing themselves to their waiting carriages.

You and Ciel waited outside of Alexander’s office— Sebastian finally alerted you that the businessman went to check on his clandestine belongings.

“Are you certain you want to come inside?” Ciel questioned. He didn’t think you could handle another violent scene after finding Amelie’s body, but you couldn’t imagine there was a worse sight than her lifeless eyes and mottled skin. Besides, this was your investigation as well, whether Ciel liked it or not.

“Yes.” You said. The air of finality around the single word was enough to make him stop looking at you cautiously.

“Mr. Huntington. I would like a word. It is Lord Phantomhive,” he said, knocking on the door twice as Sebastian settled down the hallway, a guard in the event Alexander became violent.

“Of course, my Lord. Enter by all means,” Alexander’s muffled voice responded. You listened for the light tap of the painting getting put back into place, the slight rustling of hastily thrown documents shifting behind the canvas once he hung it in its original spot.

“I need to speak to you about Eliza O’Malley,” Ciel said, never one to bother with pleasantries and formalities when he was investigating a person of interest. You knew that better than anyone, given the way he sternly told you to put on more clothes when you first met. He watched Alexander’s face, scanning every little nuance for hints of guilt or any noticeable emotion.

At the mention of the ballerina’s name, Alexander’s green eyes hardened, his arms crossing in front of his chest.

“Eliza O’Malley. I know her, unfortunately,” he replied gruffly, knowing better than to outwardly lie to Ciel. “She is a sly wagtail, isn’t she? I’ve never been more relieved to cut ties with someone.”

Alexander was using the present tense for her, and you couldn’t detect any manipulation in his words or body language.

“Cut ties? Care to explain why?” Ciel asked, but everyone in the room was well aware that it wasn’t a request. You could see the gears turning in his mind, attempting to piece together every minuscule detail you’ve managed to compile in the last several days up to this point. Alexander had been her only subscriber for the past six months— he wrote her checks until the week before her death. Presumably, he ended their relationship. Presumably, Eliza and most of the other murdered ballerinas were having sexual relationships with William Wood.

“I gave that—that…bitch everything,” Alexander spat, lowering his voice as it wavered with inundating emotion. “I paid for her townhouse, her pointe shoes, her meals…she was mine. She wasn’t supposed to—…” he took a long breath in with stammering difficulty. “She wasn’t supposed to go and be with some other man. It was a betrayal,” he spat, unshed tears shining in his eyes.

Ciel’s face darkened. You imagined yours did the same, eyebrows drawing inward, head tilted with uncertainty. Alexander must have found her with William. They were cavorting in her townhouse to avoid Natasha growing suspicious of William.

“She was just…supposed to be mine, do you understand?” Alexander shook his head, his shaggy brown tresses moving with the gesture. “It is an utter embarrassment for her to defile herself with someone else in the house I pay the rent for.”

“So you ended your patronage with her, when?” You cut in, growing weary of the man’s pathetic tears. His quivering voice. Everything about him was growing exhaustive, but it was his entitlement to Eliza’s body that most fueled your outrage the most.

“I-I…early September, I think. I have the last check I gave to her…” Alexander said, his estimation was consistent with the records you and Ciel found prior.

“Who did you find her with?” Ciel asked the edge in his voice causing you to suspect that he also presumed it was going to be Natasha’s husband.

“William Wood,” Alexander answered bluntly, verifying Violet’s claim. Of course— there was no need for her to lie. Eliza was her best friend, and they lived in that townhouse together. She was now a witness. “He was defiling my precious, innocent— Eliza…” he continued, adding to the bile that threatened to rise in your throat.

Alexander’s teary gaze cut back to yours. “Do you all do this to your sponsors? We don’t pay all of your bills and the foyer fees to have to share you with other men,” he asked. “You should keep a close eye on her, my Lord.”

“That is quite enough,” Ciel replied, as cold as a glacier. “You will not speak of her in such a manner. She may very well be the next Countess of Phantomhive.”

“Just because you’ve dressed her pretty, doesn’t mean she’s worth anything more than a common prostit— hey!” Alexander cried out, nursing his reddened cheek. Ciel wrung out his bare hand and slid his glove back over it, satisfied with the imprint he left on the man’s face.

“That will be your second and final warning, Alexander,” he stated. “When you speak of her in such a way, you are speaking of me all the same. You do know how I take to slander, do you not?”

You were desensitized to perhaps any hateful term one could level at you, but you couldn’t help but the satisfied grin that surfaced to your lips. Until now, you never had anyone fight for you. Leading up to this point, you were the only one in your corner. (Save for Natasha, perhaps, but she would always lead with the company’s best interest in mind.) You were accustomed to preserving your own dignity. No one had ever defended you with Ciel’s ferocity. It brought goosebumps to the exposed flesh of your arms.

“Apologize,” Ciel demanded, his statuesque features assembling the very picture of an immortal’s wrath. “This instant.”

When Alexander hesitated, Ciel flashed a small gun from the depths of his autumn jacket, causing you to gasp inadvertently. Your face grew warm, causing you to look away.

“I didn’t mean it, Miss Y/l/n!” Alexander’s words came hurriedly, his tears finally spilling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry, so sorry,” he whimpered desperately.

Ciel wore a Machiavellian grin. It was heartless. It was venomous, like a snake’s. “Do you forgive him, Y/n? Or shall we make him grovel some more?” He unlocked his pistol, causing both you and Alexander to tense.

Strangely, you weren’t afraid. Instead, you returned his relaxed expression and nodded. “Yes, I forgive him. I think we should finish our business here,” you answered snidely, watching Alexander tremble. There was a dark, yet potent, power that came with being on the Earl’s arm. It wasn’t a power you disliked. Perhaps, you were as twisted as the noble holding the gun.

“I agree,” Ciel said, hesitating to re-lock his gun as if he was sorry he couldn’t shoot the man. “I have one final question for you, Alexander,” he pocketed the pistol much slower than necessary, reminding the businessman how trivial his life was once again. “What did you do after you found Eliza and William together?”

Alexander wiped away any remaining tears and squared his posture, attempting to regain the confidence you and Ciel ripped away from him. “Um— I told some of my other friends who are subscribers. They should know what they’re paying for,” he said cautiously, wary that Ciel would hit him again for disparaging your name.

“You had no further contact with Eliza?” Ciel asked.

“Not at all. I haven’t seen her since that night,” Alexander shook his head rapidly. Somehow, you doubted the man could kill her. He was crying because of her betrayal— at least before Ciel terrified him— he still harbored some degree of love for her. “I heard she left the country because I’d told my inner circle and the rumor only spread from there.”

“She was found dead blocks away from her home a week after that incident,” Ciel informed him, all too stoic for the topic at hand. “Where were you on the night of September 15th?”

Alexander hesitated once more, before his face brightened with remembrance, though more tears welled in his eyes after hearing that Eliza was dead. An alibi. “The Theatre Royale in Manchester. A stage production of…Trilby. I think I still have my tickets, and the performers and stagehands can confirm that I was there. My wife loved the novel, so I arranged for a backstage tour for her!”

Ciel’s face was unchanged. “I expect confirmation of these claims within the next several days, and I want a list of the patrons you informed.”

“Look, whatever they might have done is not my fault…” Alexander started to say, but Ciel interrupted. At least he interrupted everyone — not just you. Even if it was na enourmously frustrating habit of his, amongst a number of others. You could name several of them: Ciel’s inability to be wrong, his commitment to never touching a surface that could have been grazed by a commonor’s hand, his insistence to remain as close to every rule as possible. He was as laced as straight and as tight as your bloody pointe shoes!

“You’ve done quite enough. Now if you wish to stay in business with a personal friend of mine, you will ensure that everything we have discussed this evening stays within this office. Am I understood?”

Another frustrating quality: Ciel’s habit of asking if he is understood. Yes, Ciel. You are next to always, understood. You rolled your eyes.

“Quite, my Lord,” Alexander nodded vigorously. He reminded you of a puppy— all too eager to please. “Have a lovely night, Miss Y/l/n,” he added as Ciel gestured for you to open the door and take your leave for the evening.

“Thank you for the ball,” you chirped over your shoulder.

Past Midnight

Ciel Phantomhive’s Estate, The Drawing Room

Your exhaustion began to seep into your bones. It was a culmination of your typical rehearsal time to prepare for The Nutcracker, your pre-performance warm-up class, that night’s Swan Lake performance, and the noble ball you attended, to say the least. That estimation didn’t account for your everyday stretching, the physical toil of becoming a butler’s live dress-up doll, or the emotional burden of such a long-winded day.

You couldn’t believe it wasn’t over. You should have known there would be a catch when Ciel invited you to spend the night at his estate— there was more work to be done.

Now, you sat across from one another, a chessboard sitting in the middle of you. A class of foreign pieces sat on your side of the board, the white set instead of the black, since Ciel claimed it. You looked at them blankly, having never played chess— much less seen such an ornate set of the board game. Selling it would likely give you enough money to pay your rent for the next several months.

“Ciel, I want to retire,” you moaned, taking a long drink from your green tea. Sebastian made it fresh and it still steamed from the kettle, but you didn’t mind the warm sensation as it soothed your tired throat. “I am exhausted.”

Everything was warm and comfortable at the Phantomhive estate. Your face was still flushed from the warm bath their clumsy maid, Mey-Rin, drew for you. You had never bathed without having to heat the water yourself and dump it into the bathtub until that night. (That morning?)

Even the nightgown they offered you was so silky, that you barely felt it around you. It was a soft baby pink with a large bow in the middle— proper sleepwear for a noblewoman— you presumed. Even so, you couldn’t help but feel partial to an oversized nightshirt and your drawers— even if it seemed to scandalize Ciel more than your leotards and tights.

“Let Maisie go on for you tomorrow, then,” Ciel suggested haphazardly, shrugging his shoulders. His hair was still wet from his bath— it dripped onto his white nightshirt. “We need to strategize. Make your turn,” he ordered, drinking his Earl Gray tea.

You stared at your pieces, forlorn. “I don’t know how…oh, fine,” you conceded, picking up the horse-shaped figure and moving it two spaces in front of the short piece that was in front of it.

“That is against the rules. The knight moves in an L shape, do you recall?”

“No,” you wrinkled your nose. The second Ciel began lecturing you about the complexities of each piece, you stopped listening. “I do not recall.”

Ciel rolled his eyes. “We just went over them, Y/n. I don’t think they can be any clearer.”

“Oh, you and your rules,” you mumbled. Despite the frustration on Ciel’s face, you made no effort to move your piece. “If your butler would serve me a good Quarts de Chaume as I originally requested, I might have more energy to play your childish game.” That particular dessert wine was a favorite of yours, made from Chenin Blanc grapes.

It would have paired perfectly with your poached peaches with crème anglaise, a light snack Sebastian had ready moments after you took your seat in the drawing room. He seemed to have caught on to your rather light way of eating and made a particular effort to make your small bowl contain more peaches than cream. There couldn’t have been more than a few teaspoons of the anglaise, but that hardly mattered. It was rich enough for a little to go more than a long way.

“Serving wine this late is inappropriate,” Ciel said boredly, “and it will only make you more tired.”

Technically, the correct terminology was: serving wine this early. But who was keeping track? Certainly not you.

“Being awake this late is inappropriate!” You complained instead, cutting a slice of peach in half with the side of your fork. “What is there to strategize? William is still in Paris.”

“Actually, Miss Y/l/n, I’ve just received word that his steamship has just docked,” Sebastian’s pleasant voice emerged from the open doorway. He pushed a small cart with more tea for you and his master, as well as an array of fruit-based desserts for Ciel to choose from.

“Would you care for more tea, Miss?”

#anime fanfiction #black butler fanfic #historical fiction #historical romance #ciel phantomhive x reader #sebastian michaelis #ciel phantomhive #black butler fanfiction #ciel x reader #ciel x you #straight laced #black butler x you #black butler x y/n #black butler x reader #black butler x female reader #ciel phantomhive x y/n #ciel phantomhive x you #black butler #black butler fandom #kuroshitsuji #kuroshitsuji fanfiction #real!ciel

[smartycvnt]

Like a Porn Star

Title: Like a Porn Star Pairing: Dean Winchester x Reader Minors DNI, 18+ Warnings: smut, oral (m receiving), throat fucking NR WC: 872

"What do you want Dean? You know I can give you almost anything." Y/n's words sat between the two of them with the weight of the universe. The gun that Dean had come to see her with wasn't loaded. It hadn't been after their second meeting. Sam was off researching some monster for them to chase while Dean sat in a hotel room with half of his clothes on the ground and the crossroads demon to end all crossroads demon standing in front of him. He wasn't sure how Y/n had done it, but she had always acted outside of Lucifer and Hell's control.

"I don't have much time tonight," Dean told her. Y/n snickered at that as she walked over to stand in front of him. Dean was staring down at the carpet to avoid looking directly at Y/n. She was dangerous, even whenever she wasn't doing a thing. Dean never knew her intentions. Sometimes she helped them, sometimes she threatened to end their lives if he and Sam got in her way again. All Dean knew was that Y/n had a tendency to be nicer whenever he came alone.

"You haven't got much time in the long run-," Dean blinked and suddenly he was staring down at Y/n with her head hanging off the edge of the bed, "-so you might as well enjoy what you've got left."

Dean wasn't going to argue with Y/n on that one. She seemed to have a good idea of when someone would expire. She could smell a lost cause from a mile away, and Dean suspected that was why they were so drawn to each other. Dean liked danger, and there was nobody more dangerous to Dean than Y/n. Y/n liked what she could take without much effort, despite her claims to love the thrill of a chase or the complicated steps of a courting. Dean knew better than that, there was no mistaking how badly she wanted to get straight to the chase as she ran her palm over the bulge in his jeans.

"Better to live each moment like it's my last then?" Dean questioned. Y/n nodded as her nimble fingers undid his pants. The metal clank of his belt buckle hitting something in his pocket echoed a little in the hotel room. Dean swallowed thickly as Y/n pulled everything down his legs with one move. There was nothing for Dean to hide behind, but the way that Y/n stared at him gave Dean a boost of confidence unlike any other. That was why no matter what he'd always come back to Y/n, nobody made him feel so comfortable in his own skin. Y/n was able to put him on top of the world every single time that they hooked up.

Y/n didn't bother to ease herself into the situation at all. She knew what to expect from Dean, he was the only person to touch her since she had crawled her way out of Hell, not that Dean knew. This body that she had taken was more than used to the feeling of having him inside of it, no matter where he was entering her from. Dean grabbed the sides of Y/n's jaw as he bent his knees slightly to lower himself into her mouth. Y/n took every inch of Dean into her mouth and let him adjust his position so that he could move easier. Dean had met a lot of different women in his years of being on the road, but none of them could do the things that Y/n could. She was able to do things that Dean had only seen a few women do in videos posted onto the internet or the cheap budget pornos he rented in motels.

"Fuck," Dean groaned as he felt his knees begin to weaken. Y/n dug her nails into his hips to distract him from the immense pleasure that he was feeling. It just barely managed to do the trick. Dean began to thrust his hips harder and faster as he chased after the feeling he had been so close to before. Y/n could hear the strain in Dean's voice with each thrust of his hips that was taken. She could feel his grip tighten on her as he got closer and closer to the edge once again. This time Y/n let him have his release, relishing in the waves of pleasure that rolled off of his body as he came. It was easy enough to get Dean back onto the bed where she wanted him.

"You're getting old," Y/n said as she wiped at the corner of her mouth. Dean looked at her incredulously before realizing what she was meaning.

"It's not like a movie," Dean scoffed as he covered himself with his hands. Y/n vanished from the room without a trace, leaving Dean to sit there by himself. "You didn't have to go. I only need a few minutes tops, especially if you do that thing with your tongue!" It was too late though, and all of Dean's words were wasted on an empty room.

#my writing #dean winchester x reader #dean winchester #supernatural x reader #supernatural

[eegasleega-will-change-this-l8r]

So I assume most fans who've gone down the MOTHER rabbithole have read the M3 interview thing (lots of cool and fun stuff if you haven't read it before!!)

Fassad gets brought up a couple times, but not toooo much

But as you can guess, I'm totally obsessed with what there is about him

So first off to set the tone, here's a song that apparently inspired part of his character :3

So this song is about (at least as far as I understand, only the first two lines are translated and I don't know Japanese XP) a woman whose cruel, I assume abusive lover has been sent to jail, and how she can only see him as kind and good

I could no longer see you, and for the first time, I knew love deeper than the ocean. Everyone says he's bad, but to me he was always a good person

These lines are what Itoi specifically says he had in mind when he came up with Fassad and the mouse and I just think that's a really interesting tone to imagine his character with Like how well did Fassad really treat the mouse? Like, the way I'm reading the song (the two lines of it that i know) is that she's remembering her lover as better than he really was - she can't see him anymore, and now she loves him better than she ever did before I think it's pretty easy to imagine that Fassad kept some of his crueler tendencies with the mouse (not nearly to the point of his treatment of, say, Salsa, but), but she remembers him for the nicer things he did for her (the mouse isn't gendered in the game or the interview but with the context of the song it just feels right to me, yknow?)

Gotta bring up Fassad and Salsa, too I've heard someone else bring this up and Itoi actually talks about it in the interview, but like The way you, the player, get to perceive Fassad through Salsa is really interesting Right off the bat, you probably hate him He's cruel and tortures a pair of monkeys for his own amusement But Salsa is too weak to really stand a chance against the enemies you face on his own To survive, you basically HAVE to rely on Fassad choosing to step in and help you So you have this abusive, awful guy that hurts you whenever you're around him, but you're also completely dependent on him Which is a really interestingly complicated relationship to have with him

Okay here's the big thing from the interview that informs so much of my view of Fassad's character

Fassad doesn't really understand the pain of others, you know?

That's it That single line is just So interesting to me It's not that he doesn't care He doesn't even UNDERSTAND There's no purposeful suppression of any feelings of empathy or compassion. He straight up lacks it in its entirety. To me, Fassad's worldview revolves entirely around its relation to himself. He sees everything through a very simple lens: "This will help me" "This will not help me" The first group he will throttle as much use he possibly can until it falls into the second group, which is useless and something that can be thrown away or ignored. He likes bananas. He will eat a banana to satisfy his craving for one. After that, he just tosses the peel on the ground and thinks no more about it. Whether something is helping him willingly, through being compelled, or being forced to against their will is something Fassad lends no thought whatsoever to. The Pigmasks do what they're told when he screams at them. Salsa does what Fassad says because rebelling brings physical pain. Claus has had his control over his own autonomy completely removed. The fact that all these people hate him is something that Fassad never bothered to consider.

And this egocentric selfishness is what leads to his downfall. I talked about how I like to think that Fassad's "death" in the fall of the Thunder Tower was Claus's doing in another post. The idea that his torture of Claus could bring potential consequences is something that Fassad never realized. After his reconstruction and repeated failures, he ends up tossed away, alone and pathetic, because he's lost his status and everyone that was previously obedient has no need to listen to him anymore.

On the other hand, you have someone Fassad was obsessed with: his best friend, the only person who gave him the praise and power he desired, King Porky Minch himself. Porky was absolutely terrible for Fassad. Enabling all his worst traits, pulling him further down the path to evil. I think Fassad and Porky are very similar in a lot of ways. In the interview, Itoi talks about how there's a distinction between good and evil, justice and injustice, heaven and hell, etc. People fall around the middle, where there's fun and games that aren't super orderly in the good sense, but nobody gets hurt. But the line's very blurry, and Itoi talks about how it was hard to know what exactly was too far over the line as a kid. (sidenote, it's really really interesting how often Itoi connects himself with Porky)

When I was young, there were a lot of times when I would be scolded for doing things that I'd done just for fun, because the teacher had seen it as naughty. And I thought, "Huh? The line is drawn…there?"

I think this is important for understanding both Porky and Fassad (and hoo boy am i gonna talk about it a LOT whenever i talk about Porky). Porky was in a terrible environment to learn about right and wrong. His parents were terrible examples, and anything he did that seemed totally harmless would be "bad" that he'd have to be punished for. His perspective would be totally skewed, and he wouldn't learn about how what really matters is how his actions affect others. If he lived a normal, un-Giygas-influenced life, and without Ness to be there for him and ground him with an alternate perspective, I think Fassad is what he'd grow up into. Resentful, selfish, unable to understand the pain of others. However. Fassad doesn't meet Porky when he's comparable to himself, he meets Porky at the end of a ?????-year long spiral into absolute, inhuman evil. Porky acts like a mentor and a seemingly benevolent friend, but really... it's just Fassad with a banana. Once Porky's squeezed all the use he can out of him, Fassad learns what it's like to be discarded.

So Fassad really ends up in a miserable place. He hates himself, realizing finally that he's driven away everyone. He's alone, pathetic, broken, left to die in the sewers. It's a very harsh lesson, even if he probably deserved it. I do feel kinda bad for him.

But to end off with, there's one more relationship he had that I need to talk about.

The Magi

His "sisters" you could say.

The game doesn't give us much on their relationship with Locria, but goddd it's so interesting to speculate about. They're the people he would've been closest to, and we KNOW they cared about him, since they mention him repeatedly and are concerned about what might've happened to him (it's so sad to me that they all disappear without ever finding out). I think it was complicated. I've talked about how I see Fassad as someone who resented his place in the world, and I think his selfishness plays into that. He wanted the respect and attention of everyone and everything around him, and their love didn't live up to that. He felt isolated and uncared for, so he dropped them and went to live on his own with his mouse.

But I'm sure he also missed them at the end. They're the only people - aside from the mouse, who I'm sure he also misses - who never hated him. Even though he hasn't thought about them for the last few years, I think he'd know that they never stopped caring about him. He'd finally realize what he had, and that he'd just thrown it all away in his greed and selfishness.

Hm...

You know what'd fit really well for this, actually?

I could no longer see you, and for the first time, I knew love deeper than the ocean.

#earthbound #mother 3 #mother series #fassad #locria #emilyart #emilyramblings #i originally drew BOTH of his hands backward in that pic and had to fix them ugh #he's absentmindedly tugging her tail #even to her he's not considerate of how she feels

[comicaurora]

not a gymnast or athlete of any kind but i do make a comic with a lot of action in it and one thing ive been working on (key phrase: working on) is incorporating character into movement/poses; no two people walk or stand in the same way (the same person could even walk or stand in a hundred different ways in different contexts) so logically no two people would carry themselves the same way in any complicated movement

which brings me to my question: how would you say your characters carry themselves in action scenes? alinua in particular intrigues me as shes the only gang member who i imagine is in no way accustomed to getting in fights

Good call! Alinua does not have the muscle memory for combat. She mostly stands like she's poised to run.

She usually curls up, shrinks away from things, tucks in her arms - she's almost never expecting a fight. And when she commits to combat she doesn't usually enter any kind of fighting stance, she just plants herself in one place, opens up her arms more and focuses entirely on offense instead of defense.

Erin is the other token non-combat combatant, and his body language is rather different. At his most extreme, he's almost like a dancer or a conductor for an orchestra, engaging his whole body in big sweeping motions as he reshapes the battlefield around him.

Similar to Alinua, he's rarely expecting a full-on fight, and will sometimes carry himself like he isn't in combat - but where Alinua becomes more physically confident when she commits to the fight, Erin is more confident when he's controlling the situation and doesn't feel mired in the combat. If he has to actually fight, something's wrong. In the above example he's purposefully drawing attention to himself to buy Alinua time. In more standard situations, he distinguishes himself by not showing any effort or perturbation.

To him it's like a game, and he's making the right moves to win.

When things go south, however, that attitude tends to crumble. He doesn't really know how to handle close-range threats in any practiced or calculated way, and has a tendency to respond to them with borderline self-destructive panic-moves just to get them away from him.

And he tends to lightly toast Falst in the process. Speaking of whom, Falst is the physical opposite. He is pretty much always ready for a fight. He's a big ball of tension 24/7. Even when he's not actively in a fight he's coiled like a spring, shoulders tense, knees bent. He's always ready to jump, run or throw a punch.

Falst is almost always hunched over, and if he's expecting any sort of fight he keeps his arms up to protect his face and chest.

It's pretty rare to see him standing in any sort of straight-limbed pose, and he shifts into defensive positions pretty readily.

He keeps his limbs free and open and is pretty much always ready to lash out or run in any given direction. The worse he’s feeling about a situation, the more he hunches his shoulders and torso, approaching an almost animalistic crouch.

Kendal’s another point of contrast. Unlike Falst, who is a grab bag of combat skills, Kendal’s one thing is Use Sword On Problem. If he’s willingly not using the sword, he doesn’t consider the situation to be a fight.

He uses clear, precise motions to accomplish his goals - no wasted energy if he can help it. He becomes more focused when upset, but will always default to talking first - if there’s ever an opportunity to defuse the combat with words, he’ll try taking it. It takes a lot to convince him that fully won’t work, and when it does happen he tends to get a little scary.

Most of Kendal’s proper combat is, unsurprisingly, centered on the sword. He’ll follow the line or curve of its movement with his whole body.

Behind it all, there’s a certain easy elegance to the way Kendal typically moves. Even if he’s kind of on the ropes there’s a grace and confidence to how he carries himself.

Tess’s defining posing is centered on her shoulders, like Falst, but hers is almost the exact opposite to him. Tess’s shoulders are always back and open, like she just finished a really good stretch.

She’s just having a good time. It’s a combat stance - she’s ready to fight - but there’s no fear in it. She plants into a solid stance and waits for things to try and hit her.

Dainix is unique among the posse because he is physically a basically normal person like Alinua and Erin, but he’s also got actual combat training. He can’t tank the kinds of hits that Falst, Kendal and Tess are prepared for, so his combat posing tends to highlight mobility and speed. He also can’t jump crazy high, so he has to dodge attacks by going low or sideways - he can’t pull a Falst and just fully flip over the bad guy.

He uses weapons and armor for their actual intended purpose - blocking attacks and dealing damage. He can’t afford to showboat or approach combat in a casual, chill way - he’s fragile in a way the other heavy hitters aren’t.

Staff and spear combat is pretty close to second nature to him at this point. Even while deteriorating, the muscle memory still carries him through a lot of the fight.

Of course when he’s not in the throes of indescribable soul-burning fury he’s a pretty tactical guy. He’s got a lot of training and he knows how to use it, including how to deal with people during a crisis.

And he thinks about his surroundings and allies more than the rest of the gang does. He’s not a lone warrior by nature - he’s accustomed to fighting alongside other similarly-trained people. So he worries about tactical considerations the rest of the gang might not think about right off the bat, like “I’m going to try to stop that guy from getting more injured when he hits the ground.”

Anyway you’re absolutely right, every character is unique in how they carry themselves in combat and it’s a lot of fun to get to explore what that looks like.

#asks #aurora #art stuff

[strandnreyes]

(I sent this ask to paperstorm as well but I wanted to send it to you as well since your post is great and I agree with it so much)

Truth be told, I've noticed a lot of ableism in this fandom from the start. It's been directed a lot towards TK since pretty much s1 and the dialogue got particularly ugly in s3 with the breakup and then later 3x13. As it is, addiction is not something we see portrayed well very often and there is a great deal of stigma about it. But it's something a lot of people struggle with and they deserve to find a space in a fandom with a character that represents them. This is something that tends to get glossed over a lot but it is something that's been happening since the start. I've even noticed it this season. There's constant chatter about how TK isn't good enough for Carlos and doesn't bring anything to the relationship. Even his vows have been criticized as not being good enough. And the language being used towards Iris is very similar. Granted with Iris it's complicated by the way her arc was done but it still doesn't excuse the ableism. With Carlos, I've always said that even if he doesn't specifically have anxiety (and since they've never said it, I'm hesitant to say that he does) he does have trauma and that manifests in him being anxious about certain things and avoiding certain topics. That's a very common thing and there are a lot of people who have experienced what Carlos has and they deserve to be given grace.

A lot of people tried to pin the blame on Iris for Carlos not telling TK about the marriage or even the marriage itself. There were also people dredging up past mistakes or even just making stuff up about TK in order to justify Carlos not telling TK. Basically, these people fell back on ableism rather than admit that Carlos is not perfect and capable of making mistakes. At the end of the day, just because it's a show and the characters aren't real doesn't mean that the things we say and the language we use doesn't matter. As a trained psychologist, I can tell you that the language used to talk about characters does reflect the way we view things in the real world.

Hi! Thank you for your input and your perspective.

Yes, unfortunately there is a lot of interpretation that TK isn’t someone who is good enough for Carlos. This extends beyond fandom, too. During s3, someone irl said to me that Carlos deserves better (and I know in part that it had to do with his addiction because of some other comments about Bobby from og and addiction and how it’s almost perceived as some kind of burden that the partner has to deal with. some extra weight in the relationship. which I disagree with, just to be clear).

Re: Iris’ depiction in the show, I also agree. If it was done poorly or if there was harm in it, that doesn’t mean it’s okay that we say harmful things as well. That doesn’t justify hateful speech. And that’s what’s been brought up recently, that’s the point I was making. To be mindful with our words and the impact they have.

Also agree with Carlos and anxiety. I know it’s never been stated, but I also think about how someone can still display anxious characteristics and tendencies, or even be treated for anxiety, without someone straight up giving them an anxiety disorder diagnosis (speaking a little personally there).

About his actions this past season, that could probably be a whole separate post so I’m not going to get into much here. I will say that it is possible to recognize that Carlos has made mistakes and to also understand why he might’ve made the choices that he did and find empathy within that. Neither of those are exclusive and explaining that anxiety due to trauma leads him to hide things doesn’t excuse the behavior either. People are complex, mental illness is complex.

The way we talk about characters absolutely translates to real life.

#ask

[kfanopinions]

Johnny as a Boyfriend (Astrology Based)

i will be looking into johnny's moon, venus, and mars placements for this. there will be a below the cut section so if you're not over 18, do not interact. enjoy!

gemini moon || capricorn venus || leo mars

"wake me up before you go go" constantly wants to do things/try different things/go to different places. he'll absolutely love it if his partner joins in on the fun ^^

joyful

bratty this is with his gemini moon

"let's give them something to talk about" seriously gemini's and their talking. he'll want to talk SO FREAKING MUCH to his partner. philosophical conversations may be something he'll like to talk about as well

honest with his feelings/ideas

trustworthy wants a relationship based on trust

social

who's ever heard of routine's? doesn't like to stick to routines. wants excitement and thrills

loving and sensitive

imaginative

impulsive and spontaneous

empathetic

scatter brained he could have a tendency to jump from one subject/topic to the next in conversation (i do the same thing and it does leave people SOOO confused lol)

flighty this is his gemini side coming in. he could be hard to tie down. he could also jump from relationship to relationship looking for the "right" person

try not to think so hard his gemini side could over complicate things in his head. he may try to find some way to give words/meanings to his feelings. but everyone knows that sometimes there are no words to express how you truly feel. this could lead him to question whether this is the right relationship, if he even wants to be in a relationship with someone

he'll need a strong partner to knock some sense into his head and say that yes, this relationship is going great (hopefully it is) and to stop thinking so much lol

let's do things together! he'd love to do things his partner wants to do

savior wants to be seen as a hero to his partner. or someone they can rely on

"you're hot then you're cold" again, this is with his gemini side. he may seem to be really loving at times but then seem distant the next

let me treat you right may want to spoil his partner, so gift giving could be part of his love language

cheating isn't necessarily part of my vocabulary the only way that i can see him cheating is if his partner doesn't allow him the freedom that his gemini moon wants. if he's bogged down with too much seriousness he may end up leaving/cheating. otherwise, this man is pretty loyal ^^

BONUS

young or old? love is the spice of life! okay, so on two separate occasions an older partner/experienced partner came up. both in his venus and mars. while his gemini will love to know people of all ages/backgrounds/experiences, when it comes to a relationship, i think he may want to be with someone who is older

below the cut

do not interact if you're not over 18

blabbermouths... no thanks when it comes to the bedroom johnny may keep what's going on a secret. so his partner should keep things on the down low as well

consistency over experimentation with his capricorn venus side, he may favor consistency in the bedroom over anything "experimental." what i mean is he may be "routine" in positions/locations/pace

romance? don't need it his capricorn venus doesn't really need the frills of romance

"let's talk about sex baby" seriously communication even in the bedroom is going to happen, but this is in regards to whispering praises and encouragement towards him

"the best you've ever had" takes great pride in his "performance" *wink*

devotion and connection go hand in hand and here comes the leo side, wants to be praised and yes, this is a turn-on

it's not you it's me can have a tendency to be selfish in bed. he'll think more on his pleasure first than his partners. this is his leo mars side

defined roles this can be seen as the leader and the follower. or even dominant or submissive

love and sex go hand in hand

straight forward and simple sex

experience this is again in regards to the bonus information. he may want to have an experienced partner

juicy tidbits okay so i'll say this he could be...slightly above average to above average *wink wink* that's all i'm saying ^^

#johnny #johnny suh #johnny nct 127 #johnny nct #johnny astrology #nct astrology #nct 127 astrology #kpop astrology

[erabundus]

TAGGED BY: @drolliic ( thank you!! ) TAGGING: @ironbloodcd @monogatcri @mmriesoftvat @geleum @custosavis @boughtastar you, if you'd like!

1. WHAT IS YOUR NAME?: ❝ depends on who's asking. ❞ hat guy? flying brat?

2. WHAT IS YOUR REAL NAME?: ❝ ... ren.  ❞

3. DO YOU KNOW WHY YOU’RE CALLED THAT?: ❝ considering i named myself, i think it's safe to assume i would. ❞

4. ARE YOU SINGLE OR TAKEN?: ❝ no comment.  ❞

5. WHAT ARE YOUR POWERS AND ABILITIES?: ❝  and  ruin  the  surprise?  figure  it  out  yourself.  ❞   flight.  still  developing  control  over  anemo  —  including  the  creation  of  various vacuums  and  blades  made  of  compressed  wind.  it's  ambiguous  (  purposefully  so,  on  ren's  part  )  whether  he's  retained  the  ability  to  use  electro,  though  he  was  once  able  to  coat  his  limbs  in  lightning  and  use  them  as  blades  —  as  well  as  "teleport"  by  dissolving  his  body  into  pure  electricity.  immense  durability  by  default,  augmented  by  the  ability  to  regenerate  from  every  possible  wound  without  a  trace.  enhanced  physical  strength, stamina and speed. near-perfect memory unless otherwise tampered with.

6. WHAT COLOR ARE YOUR EYES?: ❝  indigo?  purple-blue?  exactly  how  poetic  are  you  expecting  me  to  get here?  ❞

7. HAVE YOU EVER DYED YOUR HAIR?: ❝ no. it probably wouldn't stick.  ❞

8. DO YOU HAVE ANY FAMILY MEMBERS?: ❝ no comment.  ❞ he has a few ... but he wouldn't necessarily count his mother or sibling among them. it's complicated.

9. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?: ❝  no.  ❞  though  he  does  possess  an  uncanny  ability  to  draw  animals  to  his  mere  presence.

10. TELL ME ABOUT SOMETHING YOU DON’T LIKE: ❝  there's  a  lot  of  things  i  don't  like.  how  much  time  do  you  have  to  spare?  ❞  he  isn't  going  to  wait  for  an  answer  before  he  starts  spouting  off  examples.  ❝  clutter.  sweets  and  food  with  a  sticky  texture.  dottore. boring social situations without any good drama to make them worthwhile.  people  who  chew  without  closing  their  mouths,  first.  dottore.  being  lied  to.  small talk. cheaply  made  weapons.  dottore ...  ❞   this  may  take  a  while.

11. DO YOU HAVE ANY HOBBIES OR ACTIVITIES YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?: ❝  a  few ...  but  i  only  engage  with  them  until  they  overstay  their  welcome.  ❞   he's  quick  to  pick  up  new  hobbies  and  discard  the  old  just  as  fast  —  though  there  are  a  handful  that  have  managed  to  keep  his  attention  long  term.  cooking,  sewing,  smithing.  rock  collecting  and  calligraphy.  much  as  he  might  try  to  feign  indifference  or  irritation,  he  also  admittedly  finds  writing  papers  to  be  strangely  cathartic.  whatever  manages  to  be  an  effective  panacea  for  his  eternal  boredom.

12. HAVE YOU EVER HURT ANYONE BEFORE?: ❝ yes.  ❞

13. HAVE YOU EVER… KILLED ANYONE?: ❝ yes.  ❞

14. WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL ARE YOU?: ❝ i guess cat would be the expected answer.  ❞ he thinks the question is a bit absurd either way.

15. NAME YOUR WORST HABITS: ❝  no.  ❞   assigning  himself  the  lion's  share  of  blame.  acting  purposefully  suspicious  and  antagonistic  —  both  as  a  defense  mechanism,  and  simply  because  it's  what  he's  accustomed  to.  oversteeping  tea  until  his  cup  resembles  an  inkwell.  holding  grudges;  allowing  himself  to  grow overly  petty  and  jealous.  a  litany  of  self-destructive  tendencies  he  refuses  to  see  as  a  problem  because  he  assumes  he  can  endure  anything.

16. DO YOU LOOK UP TO ANYONE?: ❝  i'd  rather  float  —  and  force  them  to  look  up  to  me.  ❞   he's  purposefully  being  a  bit  obtuse.

17. GAY, STRAIGHT, OR BISEXUAL?: ❝ does it matter?  ❞ gay.

18. DO YOU GO TO SCHOOL?: ❝  allegedly ...  though  i  can't  exactly say  it  was  my  idea.  ❞ nor can he say he does more than precisely the bare minimum of what's required of him.

19. DO YOU EVER WANT TO MARRY AND HAVE KIDS SOMEDAY?: ❝  i  have  no  strong  opinions  about  the  former ...  but  i'd  rather  abstain  from  the  latter  for  my  own  reasons.  ❞

20. DO YOU HAVE ANY FANS?: ❝  unfortunately  it  seems  i'm  becoming  more  recognizable  by  the  day ...  the  real  test  of  their  affection  is  how  tolerable  these  so-called  admirers  find  me  after  i  open  my  mouth ...  ❞

21. WHAT ARE YOU MOST AFRAID OF?: ❝  why  would  i  tell  you  that?  ❞  growing  attached  to  someone,  only  to  lose  them.  being  unable  to  escape or move or scream  in  a  place  where  there's  little  chance  he'll  ever  be  found  —  crushed  beneath  a  cave  in,  for  example.  abandonment.  vulnerability.  his  own  immortality.

22. WHAT DO YOU USUALLY WEAR?: ❝  exactly  what  i'm  wearing  right  now;  i  don't  have  many  options  when  it  comes  to  attire ...  but  this  suits  me  fine.  ❞

23. DO YOU LOVE SOMEONE?: ❝ do you love having all of your teeth? ❞

24. WHAT CLASS ARE YOU?: ❝ catalyst.  ❞

25. HOW MANY FRIENDS DO YOU HAVE?: ❝  who  said  anything  about  having  friends?  ❞   he  has  a  handful.  whether  he's  actually  willing  to  admit  he  considers  them  as  such  varies  from  person  to  person. the closer the relationship, the more transparent he'll be.

26. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON PIE?: ❝  it  makes  for  an  efficient  vessel  to  transport  food  in ...  but  the  savory  ones  are  the  only  kind  worth  eating.  ❞

27. FAVORITE DRINK?: ❝ tea ... although, i won't turn down black coffee, either.  ❞

29. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PLACE?: ❝  nowhere  specific.  ❞   not  anymore.  ❝  i'd  just  prefer  to  be  somewhere  high ...  and  away  from  other  people.  ❞

30. ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SOMEONE?: ❝  are  you  interested  in  having  all  of  your  teeth?  ❞

31. WOULD YOU RATHER SWIM IN THE LAKE OR THE OCEAN?: ❝  neither.  ❞  he  would  take  soaking  in  a  hot  spring  or  bath  over  both.

32. WHAT’S YOUR ‘TYPE’?: ❝  i  don't  have  one;  i  think  my  blood  type  would  be  something  closer  to  battery  acid.  ❞   ...  not  that  type.

33. ANY FETISHES?: ❝  is  that  meant  to  be  a  serious  question?  and people have the nerve to say i'm lacking in tact ...  ❞

35. CAMPING, OR INDOORS?: ❝  i  spend  more  nights  without  a  roof  over  my  head  than  the  opposite ...  so,  you  tell  me.  ❞

36. ARE YOU WAITING FOR THIS INTERVIEW TO BE OVER?: ❝  that's  the  most  intelligent  thing  you've  asked  me  so  far ...  that's  the  ONLY  intelligent  thing  you've  asked  me  so  far.  ❞

#𝟎𝟎𝟒 : 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥. ◟ hc .◝ #( changed up the formatting a little for this post & this post only bc the bold text all melded together otherwise SDJSK ) #( he's very uncooperative unfortunately but he doesn't like talking about himself ) #( some of the questions he's misinterpreting on purpose. others he just won't answer. )

[candysweetposts]

Hi! I was wondering if you could make a tutorial of how to edit a skirt and its details while sit down, pleaseeeee.

Oh and I love your art. 💜

Hi,

First of all, thank you! I'm not that great at drawing skirts myself but I'll try.

Luckily I did do some skirts (more like dresses but ok) in the edits for the latest event, so I'll be explaining using them.

First, you do the cleaning or not depending on what kind of skirt you do. Then you add a new layer and sketch your skirt, guiding yourself after the body. Now, depending on what skirt you decide to do, it would be easy or not. Here I chose this bouffant dress that has all those... things going around.

While sitting down, the skirts tend to fold and go all over sometimes because it's not that stuck to the legs, at least in this case.

It's ok if your sketch is ugly, you will only use it just to help you line.

We have the tendency to follow the body one on one, but most of the time it's not like that. A skirt it's not made out of paper and it has a certain weight.

Here's another example with a different type of skirt:

It's always good to use references.

Ok, you sketch your skirt, now it's time to line it. Put your sketch layer on a low opacity and add a line one. For this skirt, I did 2 layers of linework and it was a nightmare. Let me explain. What I did Is line the dress/skirt, color it, shade it, add light and then I inserted another linework layer over it and did the same thing but turned the opacity to 60-80 just to look like there are more layers on the skirt. You can do that if you want or you can add some lines on the edge and some color over the original linework and then turn the opacity low.

But if it's a regular skirt... you don't have to do this.

Now, I bet you want to know how to make the end of the skirt. Well, here it is, kind of. Do you know all of those lines on the skirt? They all have an end. This end is something like this:

it's just like a squiggly line. Oh, and those 2 lines that come in and out of the skirt. Not all the lines but a good majority of the lines complete this squiggly line. If it's one of those Japanese high-school skirts all of them end on the top part of the squiggly line. If it's a short tight skirt, it's just a wavy line (or even straight, depends how tight it is):

Some other things you need to keep in mind:

When your character has their knees up or/and close to their chest the skirt goes like this:

and not straight. I have to admit that I also struggle with this sometimes. I usually draw some lines that come from the legs and knees and go down in reverse stairs.

If the skirt touches the ground, it goes the same but at some point, it goes to the side or it can even be hidden under the body.

After all of this, you can color it under the linework, insert another layer and shade it, add some light and you're done. The way you shade it's different depending on the skirt.

Now, you can say that "What if I don't want to draw? What do I do then?". Well, there it would be a bit complicated. If you saw my other tutorials you will see this thing where I broke the clothes into pieces and put them back together the way I want. This is what you can do.

Let's take this skirt for example:

It has a nice shape that we can take advantage of. So you cut pieces from the skirt and place them somehow to make sense:

Of course, I had to size and stretch them and erased inside a bit. After that, I erase some parts outside, drew a bit and add the part under:

Again, there is this shape that the skirt has when it falls. After that, I lined the skirt and add some extra shadows:

And that's it!

I hope it helped you in any kind of way.

#ask #tutuorial

[mediaevalmusereads]

The Marquis Who Mustn't. By Courtney Milan. 2023.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: historical romance

Series: Wedgeford Trials #2

Summary: One good fraud deserves another… Miss Naomi Kwan has long wanted to take ambulance classes so that she can save lives. But when she tries to register, she’s told she needs permission from the man in charge of her. It would be incredibly wrong to claim that the tall, taciturn Chinese nobleman she just met is her fiancé, but Naomi is desperate, and desperate times call for fake engagements. To her unending surprise, Liu Ji Kai goes along with her ruse. It’s not that Kai is nice. He’s in Wedgeford to practice his family business, and there’s no room for “nice” when you’re out to steal a fortune. It’s not that the engagement is convenient; a fake fiancée winding herself into his life and his heart is suboptimal when he plans to commit fraud and flee the country. His reason is Kai and Naomi were betrothed as children. He may have disappeared for seventeen years, but their engagement isn’t actually fake. It’s the only truth he’s telling.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: microaggressions, graphic sexual content

OVERVIEW: I read book 1 of the Wedgeford Trials a few days ago, so why not continue on to book 2? I love Courtney Milan's work, so there was no reason not to dive right in. And I'm glad I did; book 2 was just as touching as book 1, and I loved getting another story about the inhabitants of Wedgeford. The only reason my rating is a 4 instead of a 4.5 or 5 is because I think Kai's story is a little over-complicated, and though I could keep all the threads straight in my head, they did stretch believability. But even so, this book was a delight.

WRITING: I don't think I have anything to say about Milan's prose that I haven't already said before, but let me remind everyone: I love the way Milan makes her writing seem so effortless; it's quick, it's descriptive, it's full of emotion, and it balances showing and telling well. It's also full of heartfelt speeches that I've come to associate with her stories, and it had a tendency to grip my heart at the most unexpected times.

PLOT: The non-romance plot of this book follows Naomi Kwan and Liu Ji Kai as they pretend to be engaged (to each other) in order to both get what they want. Naomi wants to take ambulance classes in Dover; her parents (especially her mother) disapprove, so she slips away to sign up and uses Kai as her fiance who can give his permission. Kai uses Naomi as something of a shield to ingratiate himself to the people of Wedgeford; when last he was in the village, his father defrauded the inhabitants of a large sum of money. Now Kai is back to make things right while also pulling off a fraud of his own.

The strongest parts of this narrative, in my opinion, were not the moments when Naomi took her classes. As admirable as it is to have Naomi want to have basic first aid skills, the classes themselves became less important once Naomi and her mother started being honest with one another. As they talked about why Mrs. Kwan is opposed to the classes and what she sees (or doesn't) in her daughter, the evolution of the mother-daughter relationship became extremely compelling and heartfelt, and I loved that Naomi and Mrs. Kwan came to understand each other in ways that led them to reexamine their own behaviors.

Kai's arc in some ways mirrored Naomi's in that he had to redefine his relationship with his father. Though Kai's father is not present, their relationship affects the way Kai moves through the world, and it was satisfying to see him confront his past and his family in ways that paralleled Naomi.

However, I do think that Kai had quite a lot going on between his history, his "rules," his various goals, etc. I personally didn't feel like the childhood engagement added much to the story (and may have in fact been too coincidental and too much), and I think the "rules" could have been used as a structuring mechanism. But the heart of the story balanced out these overcomplications, so I wasn't as bothered as I could have been.

CHARACTERS: Naomi, our heroine, is easy to root for because she is determined to do what she wants to do. I liked that she was stubborn and didn't much listen when people tried to tell her what to do, and I loved that she was so quick to see Kai's value despite his past. I also really liked that her arc involved Naomi learning to value herself. Because of her relationship with her mom and being rather "plain" and hardworking, Naomi believes that she is unworthy of love. However, with Kai's help, she learns to redefine what it means to love and to view herself as worthy, so there was a satisfying message of self-love that ran parallel to the romance.

Kai, our hero, is the very picture of the guilty man with a shameful past, but I liked that he wasn't too mopey. He certainly grovels a lot and thinks poorly of himself, but this just means that his arc is similar to Naomi's (regarding valuing oneself). Kai also grapples with the feeling of being a burden on others, and it was satisfying to watch him learn that accepting support didn't mean he was indebted to people; people are willing to help those they care about, and deep down, all Kai wants is for someone to care.

Side characters felt more instrumental to the plot than the side characters in book 1. Naomi's mother, for example, had an arc of her own, learning not only to be honest with her daughter but to realize how unfair she had been to Kai both in the past and in the present. Mr. Bai, one of the villagers, is chatty and humorous, but also is one of the first to show Kai acceptance (which is important because he is also one of the most badly hurt by Kai's father). Even Naomi's extended family, including her aunt and cousin Andrew, felt present in a way that was real and grounding, and I appreciated the glimpses at their dynamics.

The only character I wish had been better done was Kai's father. Mr. Liu pops in briefly, and while I understand why, I also think it felt too abrupt and was over too quickly.

TL;DR: The Marquis Who Mustn't is a heartfelt story about two people who must learn to value themselves. Between the emotional mother-daughter relationship and the radical acceptance of the hero by the people of Wedgeford, this romance questions the degree to which one is shaped by one's family versus one's actions.

ROMANCE: Naomi and Kai's relationship is a fake engagement story, but there's less emphasis on the characters trying to deceive everyone than there is a focus on the two of them making one another feel wanted. Naomi and Kai both have a visceral understanding that no one will love them, but being drawn into a fake engagement shows them that others can care for them and even motivate them to love themselves.

I very much enjoyed the moments when Kai stood up for Naomi or listened to her when no one else would. He puts her desires first and never tries to control her, which endeared him to me.

I also loved that Naomi was almost fiercely compassionate and understanding, not allowing Kai's past to affect the way she views him in the present. Whenever she stood up for Kai, my heart just melted, and I always felt like the two of them had each other's backs.

[sussybrianna]

the relationships in tbhk are so messy

Spoilers!

let me start off with why it’s so enamoring. the toxicity and complicated situations, the black and white or lack thereof leaving us with just the grey. It realistic. 

It’s real.

Akane Aoi and Aoi Akane

The arcs that give the most attention to the pair are the Clock Keepers arc and the Far Shore but the Clock Keeper one just tells us Akane has powers blah blah. Aoi is more.. deeper then surface level is the only way I can describe it. On the outside, she the outgoing pretty popular girl but really she’s completely cut herself off from the real world because of her fear. She takes her insecurity out onto the world. She hates everyone because they are what she can’t be. She hates everyone because she hates herself. When she met Akane, she was jealous but drawn to him. She sees Akane as everything she’s ever wanted to be but that’s also why she loves him so much. But she’s scared. Aoi is constantly paralyzed by her own fear. she’s scared to open up and scared to get hurt. She’s scared people won't like the real her. She doesn’t believe Akane would like the real her. 

This is why she’s almost hurt by his constant displays of affection. She think’s Akane is only in love with her facade. And when Akane and Nene start to be more secretive the closer she get’s to them it starts to seem true. She says it herself, (idk how to put pictures of the panels here) “I don't want to get close to anyone. Goodbye.” in chap 69 before trying to walk away from Akane. Before we continue, let me getting something straight;

AKANE

IS NOT

EVIL

because I know some people went haywire over the scene were he chokes her and says he hates her (looks bad written without context. trust me I know this still looks really bad but if you headed to the spoiler warning I’m sure you get it) but he did it to prove the he wasn’t just looking at Aoi from her facade, he knew the true her. At the end he says, “I hated that about you.” He hated how she would hide who she really was. He hated how she pushed everyone away because Akane doesn’t understand how anyone could dislike her. Akane says the face she makes when she cry is cute becaus that shows that she reciprocates some sort of feeling back; enough to be hurt by Akane saying he hated her. In chapter 70 Aoi tries to apologize about what she did to Akane and Nene but Akane just says “It was hardly your fault anyway. Let’s apologize together.” BRO THIS MAN’S ENTIRE EXISTANCE IS FOR AOI. He doesn’t feel burdened by the responsibility for her rather it comes naturally to Akane. 

To sum it up: they BOTH are very in love with each other but other then Akane’s completely fine sorta murderous/stalker tendencies when it comes to Aoi, the only thing preventing them from getting together is just Aoi’s cowardice. She didn’t think Akane knew who she was under the mask and if he didn’t she’d be rejected. But, he did and loved her regardless. ok so happily ever after and  they will get together when everything is said and done because I said so mf.

this came out a little long so maybe ill go into the other relationships on a different post

#tbhk #tbhk spoilers #aoi akane #akane aoi #toilet bidet spray #toilet bound hanako kun #jibaku shounen hanako kun #jibaku shonen hanako kun #jshk

[yourtoradorasextendedwarranty]

If people aren't mad at pride products, then how do you explain the Kid Rock Bud Light situation? That wasn't even in June!

If people aren't mad that LGBT+ people exist, then explain the 2016 Orlando Nightclub Shooting! That was obviously a hatecrime!

Just because you feel the way you do doesn't negate the actual harm put on LGBT+.

You don't have to bend the knee to us, just don't pretend like this isn't happening constantly!

1. I never said there was not hate towards LGBT people. Not once. They're still very much is. But hate towards all groups does and will always exist no matter how small

2. The Bud light situation is complicated. Dylan M. Isn't trans. He's an amalgamation of trans trended, attention seeker, clout chaser, and narcissist. Created by TikTok no less. And he's frankly a mockery of LGBT people as a whole. As Bud Light is a beer that caters to conservatives yes, they got boycott. Not because Dylan's "trans" but because like my post stated normies are extremely tired of having it all shoved in their face. Dylan was an extreme case to those people because there is an actual movent of trans activists (not all of whom are trans) pushing people mindlessly into transitioning. With no barriers. No mental health help, just strait to CSH and surgeries. Add to that people being told they are not allowed to criticize it and yes you anger people.

3. So the shooting was interesting for 2 reasons. The first being this:

Which we know good well that Muslims hate gay people..... Correction. Must middle eastern Muslims hate gay people. Secondly, there was talk at the possibility he was deep closeted gay. And considering his religious background that makes sense. things from the article actually possibly lend credence to this. The first being that he was weirdly narcissistic. As in work out all the time and admire yourself in the mirror a lot. But something else his wife brought up was that he often got excessively angry at his name. Because to him the name sounded gay. Does that prove that man way gay? No. But combining those two things feels a lot like a homophobic gay man who can't come to terms with who he is. Much like the frat boy jock types you see whom get exceedingly angry over being called gay but have a tendency to do things that are in fact kinda gay. A lot of the time that level of anger is from internalized homophobia. Can I confirm that theory? No. It's it possible though? Yes.

4. Lastly, you might not be asking people to bow to you. But a large number of LGBT people are demanding others bow down and worship them. My post never said this was all our even most LGBT people. Just a very extreme and vocal minority who demand compliance and glorifying. I can't count the number of listicles, articles, posts etc, I see of "If you are straight, you support sexual violence" or, "Cis people are boring and why it's not ok to be cis" and TikToks of youths saying, "I'm sorry but if you're not LGBTQIA2+ you can be friends with me or my friends. Straight is overrated and needs to end because it's stupid straight people are bad and climate change is killing us. #NoMoreBabies." < This being one of the worst because kids are desperate to have the attention of their peers. And more desperate to fit in. If you tell them being trans or otherwise it's the only option they'll be trans. Because they are FAR too young to understand WHAT THAT MEANS.

Again. I don't think this stuff is all anti-lgbt hate. I think a lot of it is normies tired of having it pushed in their face. And again. You might not be the one doing it. But there are LGBT people on my post who agree that it's happening. So it's not an observation unique to me.

And this may piss you off, but LGBT people have been in a position of power and privilege for a number of years now. To a point many are legally and socially beyond criticism and consequence. And what was that saying neo progressives like so much? When you've been in a position of privilege, equality feels like oppression"? Hate will always exist. Always. Some will see it much more than others. But as a whole, the fact it's gotten to the point LGBT people can do sex acts in front of kids without reproach is proof enough of what I've said.

In closing, I'm not, not have I said, that LGBT people don't have hate geared towards them. Certainly they do. But in the West, LGBT are safer than in almost any other country. But media is going to media and politics are going to politic. If something can be perceived as a hate crime, certain political parties will run with it, and their allies in media will make sure it's global news. We have 300+ Mil People here. That considered, the amount of actual hate crimes are small. Which while still a bad thing, that number can not and never will be zero.

[graythegreyt]

hi hi gray!!! this feels like poking a bear but, favorite headcanons for miraculous characters? any of them

CHAOS!!!!!! <3333

YOU HAVE NOT ONLY POKED A BEAR BUT UM. UH. SHOOT. UHHHH I NEED A WITTY PHRASE UH. TURNED THE FAN TO MAXIMUM AND WATCHED IT SHAKE THE WHOLE HOUSE DOWN YES THAT'S IT

I will gladly take this opportunity to ramble my little heart out. Talk your ear off. Preach to the crowds. Shoot the breeze. The following under the cut is just one HUGE slightly DISCOMBOBULATED RANT so be warned hehe.

OKAY OKAY to begin with I LOVE the thought that the magic of the Miraculous bears consequences to those especially in-tune with their kwami OR who use the powers frequently. In this I mean the ideas that if the kwami are especially bonded to their chosen their magic takes consequence in the form of their animal-avatar's tendencies. Cat Adrien and Bug Marinette and Fox Alya and Turtle Nino and probably?? Moth Gabriel. I think Adrien would be more prone to napping and wanting physical contact, but due to his. Unchecked massive depression and abandonment issues. Those aren't more apparent than usual. I think he would also purr and chase moving things and love napping in sunlight also and his friends would be DELIGHTED at these (even if they don't know why they're happening). I like the thought of Marinette's ability to sit quietly and stare without moving a muscle increasing 400%, that she likes eating aphids and leaves, that she wants to cuddle in winter and CANNOT deal with extreme temperatures. Also that her sense of smell becomes really good (Antennae!!!) and if she enters a room that smells like citrus she just straight-up leaves without comment. Also Gabriel Agreste eating his own fashion designs I will not be accepting criticism at this time

OUTSIDE OF THAT THOUGH. A BIT OF THE USUAL but I'd like to think that Alya and Marinette and Nino have ADHD but Marinette also has an anxiety disorder of some sort (and also. PTSD. Like so many of the kids in this show at this point probably. At least Adrien also) and that Adrien has depression (maybe bipolar?) and autism. And is a sunshine friend. They all form a support group and help one another because there are SO FEW ADULTS THAT COME THROUGH FOR THESE KIDS IN THE SHOW MAN!!! I don't know maybe Nathalie and Sabine would help them though.

I think by far the funniest interpretation of the show is that most of the kid characters are in just a massive complicated polycule. Just. So many people dating so many other people. Schedules are drawn up and secretaries are appointed.

Unrelated to mostly any of this but I love Alya. She's so SWEET and a FORCE OF NATURE and she has THREE PARTNERS AND IS UNSTOPPABLE. I think that Nino and Marinette and Adrien would turn to her first if they have any questions about society. Which is funny because Alya is as much a massive dork as the rest of them but her overwhelming confidence causes people to see her as Awesome and Cool as she does her weird little hobbies on main.

I LOVE the Rose runaway headcanons that I've seen and she and Juleka are 10000% dating. I think that as twins Juleka has seen Luka's hidden Unhinged side and gets EXTREMELY AMUSED whenever anyone calls him lacking in pettiness. In terms of friendships I like the thought that Max and Kim and Alix are in a friendgroup together, and Max and Alix bond over being uninterested in romantic relationships.

Kind-of a different thought entirely but. Psychological effects of the Miraculous roles. I think that Marinette would become more withdrawn because of the CRUSHING BURDEN of needing to pull through for Paris at any cost. Even if all her friends are struck down she has to keep standing, keep going, and win. I think that her friends would recognize the importance of her role in repairing the damage and do whatever it takes to keep Ladybug standing and I think that really GETS to her. I think she'd struggle also with convincing Chat that he's not expendable, that she wants and needs and loves him and that he's FANTASTIC at his job, just as she does in canon. I think that Chat as Chat Noir really struggles with the feeling of being left in the dark- which he largely IS- but has mostly regained his sense of importance due to his and Ladybug's reawakened partnership post-Strikeback. I think he'd still have feelings of being betrayed or condescended at still though, based on his and Ladybug's struggles with communication and trust in the past (though they've worked hard to reearn that trust and have come a long way!!) and because Ladybug's stress response is to become as INDEPENDENT AS POSSIBLE and completely close herself off and leave everyone in the dark (re: Gang of Secrets, Chat Blanc, the finale). He'd be a little bitter about it (rightfully so) but would try to move forward and address it with the people he feels are leaving him in dark.

Speaking of season five I LOVE LADYBUG AND CHAT NOIR'S NEW DYNAMIC!! They're just so silly. So stupid.

Also speaking of season five and especially the finale I think that Juleka and Rose and Adrien are particularly haunted by their nightmares for the weeks succeeding old Monarch's defeat due to suffering the nightmares for a while before Ladybug could cast her cure.

ALSO SPEAKING OF THE FINALE: BUG NOIRE. I HAVE SO MANY THOUGHTS ON BUG NOIRE MY GOODNESS.

These include in no particular order:

> Combining the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous as a simple Miraculous combination probably has not happened in CENTURIES. I think the dedication that our present Ladybug and Chat Noir have for respecting the Miraculous is a bit novel and unique, and I think Chat Noir would also be able to use a regular unification of Tikki and Plagg's powers just as Marinette did.

> Combining the Black Cat and Ladybug Miraculous, while not nearly as catastrophic as using the Wish, is till a tremendous amount of power and teeters on the edge of the dance of Creation, Destruction, and Reality. I think that the surge in power boosted Bug Noire's confidence and I like to headcanon that it probably made her feel giddy/powerful in the detached sort of way one with the abilty to have a personal look on objective Reality would have. I think there are consequences for this unification too: I like to headcanon that the sort of power and freedom and knowledge one gets in combining creation and destruction really messes with the head, and that Ladybug/Marinette finds herself losing touch with reality following the weeks after Monarch's defeat. I think it would get worse before it got better, with her beginning with losing her sense of the world for only a few minutes at a time to maybe an hour or more before it recedes again. I think the terrifying sense of conceptualism held by the kwami and channeled through the Miraculous would stick with her forever though.

> Bug Noire, if not fighting to the death as she was in canon, would probably be OVERJOYED and THRILLED to Exist and to be lingering on the edge of reality as she was, and would probably need help being convinced to detransform afterwards.

The KWAMI I LOVE THE KWAMI I LOVE READING PEOPLE WRITE ABOUT THEM. I like the idea that the kwami enjoy lingering around humanity for the ability to experience the universe at a mortal level and actively participate in it, a la @iapislazuli 's interpretations of canon. I think that they really do begin to care a lot for their chosen, a soft spot and a sense of guardianship towards their wards/their friends.

Ooh and the kwami referring to their chosen as little versions of their avatars (bug, kit/kitten, etc.) love that one as well. It's so sweet!!!

Marichat gamer friends silly goofy friends. That's it that's the headcanon. I'd like to see Ladrien silly goofy friends as well if I'm being honest.

REALLY LIKE THE HEADCANONS OF LADYNOIR GOOFING AROUND ON PATROL. Daring one another to do stupid-complicated stunts and playing games and finding the grossest parts of the city to have heartfelt moments in. Love them being PALS being PARTNERS

Oh I also like the thought of Adrien and Marinette seemingly-randomly just being EXTREMELY BUFF. And no one can figure out how they've found the time to develop that much muscle and they're both giggling to eachother about it.

Okay that's all for now luckily for you all. Thank you for reading and thank you CHAOS FOR ENABLING ME!! LOVE YOU!! Hope these are all okay let me know of I've accidentally said anything offensive!

#miraculous ladybug #gray's soapbox #gray's. massive soapbox. this is so much writing Chaos I'm so sorry #chaos!

[thebleedingeffect]

fierce deity is the only one I know so 💢💤🕷

YEAAHHHHHH YEAHHHHH FIERCE DEITY MY BELOVED!! (ignore how this took me a whole day to respond cause I got into playing minecraft oops)

💢 ANGER - what are some habits they have that will take some getting used to?

okay I'm just gonna say it, fierce deity gives me the vibes of being SO bad at both divine and mortal social cues, my man's has just stared at all the Link's while they're sleeping. He's done that several times, he won't stop and he doesn't blink at all so I hope you're okay with a literal god staring down at you unblinkingly in your sleep!

Another thing is that... he's kinda overprotective, but isn't extremely obvious about it, if anything he's so quiet about it that it takes awhile for anyone to notice. One of the worst things when anyone does realize? He doesn't uhhhhhhh stop, he can lessen the overprotective tendencies or be sneakier about it, sure, but he just will not stop. The issue is that he's so freakishly strong that most other people just come off as being painfully delicate! He can shrug off fights with literal gods and people just? Fall over after one little stab? What the hell?

Another thing is that the fierce deity doesn't know customs, or social norms, and doesn't really care about sounding nice if someone is annoying him or just made him mad. He doesn't have time for this shit, leave him alone or you're being tossed off a cliff.

Also I gotta emphasize the overprotective part again! ^-^ man's will straight up be the equivalent of the most intimidating guard dog alive but won't say a word, he'll just fucking stare at you. Unless you do something against someone he cares about, then your entire hand is suddenly gone !

💤 SLEEPING - do they fall asleep easily? what helps them sleep?

So here's the thing, as in the name- the fierce deity is a god and doesn't really... sleep, the next best thing he can do instead of sleep is meditate or sorta be in a relaxed doze. But the fierce deity doesn't resent this, not at all, if anything he's very happy that he has no need for sleep. This is because sleeping is actually the closest thing he could ever relate to when it came to being sealed in the mask. Hundreds of years passing by with every blink, reality seeming closer to the murky memories of Demise and Hylia that haunt him for centuries and the anger towards the golden goddesses.

When he was in the mask it was near impossible to understand a thing, his consciousness was closer to sand falling inbetween his fingers despite how desperately he wanted to perceive the world around him. Sleeping inside the mask meant dissociation, endless nightmares, and the complete inability to have any sort of free will. For this reason the fierce deity is secretly relieved that he doesn't have to sleep, it brings back for to many bad memories whenever he tries.

Instead of sleeping he typically just watches over the group and let's them all sleep instead, it brings him far more peace to see them all together, alive and safe.

🕷️ SPIDER - what is their biggest fear? do they have any irrational / mundane fears?

Ooohhhhhh he has a couple big fears, but here's a few: loss of free will, inability to protect, failure, and a loss of control. Most of these stem back to the golden goddesses and Hylia, both of which he has extremely complicated relationships towards and has no wish to forgive them for any of it. Another fear of his is allowing for his incarnations (the link's basically) to fall under the goddesses/Demise's control again as he blames himself for all the shit they've gone through up to that point.

Basically he fears failing the ones he cares about most and them being hurt from his own weak-will/inability to protect and being trapped in the mask again <3 the mask is one of his BIGGEST fears and he will outright fight the goddesses in hand to hand combat to not go back in it <- there's a good chance he would win ANYWAY

#thebleedingeffect talks #thank youuuuu I'm kinda sleepy but I wanted to answer this ask so so badly hshshs I just love him alot <3333 #I see the fierce deity as a rly intense guy. but he doesnt mean any harm and he's genuinely vry friendly for the most part #just imagine a guy who never blinks and his eyes fucking glow pure white. staring at you and shit #another thing is that I think sometimes he struggles with paranoia and will wake one of the links up if he thinks theyre dead or dying #he has god ptsd :( he'll also just kinda hold them until the paranoia calms down because he cant handle how damn delicate they truly one #anyway. deity guy can fit SOOOOOOO many issues in him <3333 #thank you beloved for letting me ramble about fierce deity >:]!!!!